The Dark Messenger
Chapter Six
Zidane's arms were sore, his legs faltering, his eyes closing, his breath quickening. He was swimming so hard that he was halfway from the ship in a matter of seconds. The audience was in an uproar. Some were wondering whether this was a part of the play or not, while some were just running.
It didn't make sense. Kuja died. And he… He had changed in the end. Right? Why would… "Flare!" The cry rang through Zidane's ears as a bolt of fiery energy shot at him, scorching down his back, fizzling into steam on the lake's surface. Kuja twirled his staff around, floating up higher. Garnet screamed. "ZIDANE!"
"Silence, woman." Kuja muttered. Garnet spat. "That you or me?" Kuja glared and growled. "I could end you now, but you may be valuable."
Zidane was losing his energy now. It felt like the dark water of the lake was materializing into arms, pulling him down… But he was so close…
"Resilient, my 'king'." Kuja spat, disgusted. "Explode!" Zidane watched as it seemed that the atoms in the air burned red hot, closing in, and exploded. He instinctively ducked under water, but the damage was done. He couldn't get back up.
"ZIDAAAANE!" Garnet screamed. Kuja laughed. "Pitiful lover. Your husband is no more. And might I say, finally."
Captain Adelbert Steiner finally arrived, huffing and puffing. He unsheathed his Defender and screamed at Kuja, who was still steadily gaining altitude. "Fiend! Enemy of Alexandria, you are under arrest for-"
"Save me your dry monologue, knight." Kuja muttered, idly pointing his staff at Steiner. "Aeroga." A wave of air threw the knight into a crowd of screaming nobles. Steiner forced himself up and drew his blade again. "Fine! Have at thee… Thunder Slash!"
The silver-haired wizard easily dodged the attack and countered. "Stop." Steiner froze. "Annoying warrior…"
Garnet was trying very hard to break free, but ultimately couldn't. She sighed, and thought, 'If only I had a rod... wait.' Her eyes widened. "ZANETZUK-" Kuja was just laughing. "Ah-ah-ah, little girl. Won't work on me. So give up. You will not come to harm… yet." Baku reached for a megaphone and yelled over it. "HEY BUB! YOU'RE RUININ' MY SHOW!"
Blank sighed. "Boss, worry about Zidane. He's drowning." Baku's eyes widened. "Oh yeah. Ehem… MAN OVERBOARD! MAN OVERBOARD!"
Zidane was sinking. His lungs froze. Butterflies were swarming around his gut. And suddenly Kuja's voice reached into his mind. "Little brother, you're pitiful. Your life and the life of your love is now in my hands. Do as I say, and we'll see what happens. Don't, and… well, do I need to say it? Just know that the veil of dregs will return from the heart. Have fun."
Zidane felt rage come over him, felt it emanating off of him, so hot and red that he was surprised it didn't turn the lake into steam. He was now determined to reach the surface, and lunged up, his arms frantically clawing for the surface. He watched a hand come down, reaching for him. He swam harder and gripped it. The water rushed by him as he was pulled up, hauled onto a small boat. He gasped for air, his eyes locking with the last light of a teleport spell flickering out of existence in the air.
Baku swaggered over and slammed Zidane on the back, causing a big burst of water to shoot out of his mouth. "What… h-happened… to… Kuja?" Zidane sputtered.
"He vanished in mid air. Just like that. Garnet was taken." Zidane growled. "Damn him! I don't understand it! He said he had changed… in the Iifa Tree…"
Baku placed a big hand on Zidane's shoulder. "Hey, kid, don't worry, we'll-" The Genome brushed it off. "I know… I know. 'We'll save her' and all that… But why is he…"
The boat landed on shore and Zidane leapt out. He found Steiner, stony, lying rigid on the ground. Baku pulled a bag of soft red sand out of his pocket and sprinkled some on the knight. A few moments passed and Steiner returned to life. "Princess! Wait…what…? King Zidane, what is…?"
"Shut up, Steiner. Just shut up." The blond Genome muttered, slumped over. "It's my fault for leaving the castle…"
"You left the castle? But you haven't left… You've been with us this whole time." Steiner stated, confused.
"You dolt! That was Kuja!" Zidane shouted. "But… Where have you been?"
"He was with us." Baku said, swaggering over. Zidane still looked dejected. "It's my fault for leaving…"
"This isn't the time to worry about that, kid." Baku muttered. Zidane sighed. "Boss, what're… what're we gonna do? We dunno where he even WENT."
A cold wind was gathering over the mountain, coming from the north. Rain began to fall, and the stars were covered by thick clouds. Zidane, Steiner, and Baku took the boat back to the Prima Vista and went to a room. Steiner passed out immediately, Baku followed, snoring, but Zidane lay awake in a hammock hanging near the ceiling. He liked high places, places that only he could reach with his tail. He never really knew why. But he always had.
He was covered in blankets, but he felt cold. Like the warmth of life had been sucked from him. His tired head finally fell into a deep slumber…
Something was poking his butt. Repeatedly. Like a blunt stick, or pipe, or staff. "OUCH!" Zidane shouted, as a hard prod caused his head to slam into the ceiling. His tail gripped a pipe and he lowered himself down and hung to see who was assaulting him.
Marcus chuckled. "Sorry 'bout that, kid. Baku sent me to wake you."
Zidane's memory of the previous evening rushed back. "And where are we?"
"We are currently docking in Alexandria." Zidane's eyes widened. "Why are we HERE?" Marcus shrugged. "Why not? Where else should we be?"
"I dunno, telling Regent Cid that Garnet was KIDNAPPED MAYBE?" The Genome burst, still hanging by his tail. "Baku sent a moogle to Beatrix. She'll undoubtedly mail Cid. Oh, and the moogle had a letter for you."
Zidane yanked it out of Marcus's hand and ripped open the envelope.
"Zidane,
The new Genomes here have vanished! The villagers had no idea where they went! We need help. Come to the village soon.
Sincerely, Mikoto.
P.S. The chocobo had another baby. The mages wanted to name it Bobby Corwin the III, but we said no. Vivi."
Zidane was less then surprised. But he found the Bobby Corwin statement humorous. He resolved to stop at the village soon.
There was a dull thud as the Prima Vista docked with Alexandria's skyport. Zidane marched on deck and looked around.
The sky was a dull grey and was threatening to rain. The river far below was a rapid, razor-edged white, as wind chopped through the water. The sun bleakly shown through the cloud cover, with a soft white light that made Zidane think about the old Northern Continent, covered in snow. Oooooh, how he would love to go there again...
Even with the new advancements in airship technology, many areas of Gaia were still hard to reach, due to weather hazards and terrain. The frigid polar continent to the north, on which sat Esto Gaza, had been covered in a thick haze ever since Memoria was destroyed. Zidane personally thought it seemed an awful lot like Mist…
A welcoming committee was marching down the long docks, headed by General Beatrix, who looked very much so pissed at our blond hero. Steiner marched out behind Zidane and waved smiling at his wife, but she didn't change her mood.
"YOU UTTER MORON!" She screamed. Zidane flew backwards from the blast. (XD) "How could you run away and let that FAKE TAKE YOUR PLACE!"
Zidane clambered up and glared down. "HEY, SHUT THE FUCK UP. I WAS FUCKING BORED, YOU ASS! AND HOW COULD I HAVE KNOWN THAT KUJA WOULD COME BACK!"
Beatrix couldn't really answer this, so instead, she gave him a rather rude hand gesture. Zidane turned to Steiner. "Hey Rusty, back me up here."
"I, er… I…" The knight muttered.
"Dammit, Rusty, SAY SOMETHING." Zidane burst.
Steiner looked flustered. He either thought his wife was right but didn't want to piss off Zidane further, or he agreed with Zidane but didn't want to get on his wife's bad side. "I… Erm… It is… most… unfortunate."
Zidane and Beatrix did a synchronized facefall. Steiner pretended he had not noticed. "It is most unfortunate that such a tragedy should befall us now, but we should focus on how to save her majesty."
Zidane, who now saw a way out of this confrontation, threw up his arm and gave a hearty "Hear hear!" Beatrix looked extinguished.
"You… I… AGH! Fine. Come, 'your highness.' Quina'll make you some breakfast." She stated, turning on her heel and marching back to the palace boat dock with the committee of chairmen.
Zidane looked over at Steiner. "Quina's here?"
"Yes. So are Freya and Amarant." He began marching to the exit to the docks and Zidane followed. "They all arrived together about two days ago, but Kuja wouldn't see them. Naturally, of course. They might have noticed something. He even tried to limit exposure to Beatrix and myself as best as he could."
"Then how is it he fooled Garnet? She would've known!" Zidane asked, looking nonplussed.
"I think she may have been under a spell that broke when you revealed yourself at the play." Steiner said, now halfway down the dock. This statement only pissed Zidane off more.
"So he usurps my throne, puts a spell on my girl, and all this time, no one noticed?"
Steiner froze. "Well… not exactly… you see, uh…"
Zidane's brow twitched. "You mean someone KNEW and didn't do anything?"
Steiner turned all the way around and shook his hands in the air wildly. "Well, Beatrix and I had our suspicions, but we didn't know for sure. But after I did some snooping that I was almost entirely convinced."
"What do you mean, 'snooping'?" The Genome asked.
"Well, about two weeks ago, I noticed that 'you' were sneaking about the castle after dark, heading into the city. The real you was asleep upstairs, of course, not having left yet, but I didn't know that. So I followed you to investigate…for your safety of course." He added, noticing the glowering look on Zidane's face.
"Kuja was sneaking into that dingy bar on the far side of the East Hill, in the slums. 'The Rusty Engine', you know the one? Well, I followed…
The dirty streetlamps of Little Alex glowed dully in the pitch black, starless night. Kuja snuck carefully through the alleys of the slum, clutching the dagger in his hand carefully. Steiner hid behind a mud-covered barrel of Lindblum ale and watched.
With an arching pounce, Kuja landed with his dagger pointed at the throat of a dirty, seedy Burmecian who was none other than Trekkto.
"Hello, rat." Said Kuja.
"M-m-mmmmilord! What is going o-on?" Trekkto asked hoarsely, attempting to suck his throat in so it wouldn't be slit.
"Shh! You never know who may be… listening…" He eyed the barrel Steiner had hid behind, and the knight ducked. "Come. I reserved a room upstairs in the pub. We'll talk there."
With that, he marched into The Rusty Engine. Trekkto stared around and followed.
Steiner waited a moment and followed.
The shabby bartender eyed Steiner with contempt as he entered. "We don't like you palace folk in here, knight."
"Silence." Steiner murmured, pulling his broadsword out. "I have work to do. Mind your business." The barkeep gave a grunt/snort combo and returned to washing a dirty glass with an even filthier rag.
Steiner marched up the stairs and found the room immediately. It was the only one that snores weren't emanating from. The knight placed his ear against the door and listened.
"So you want me to go to South Gate and get Baku to raid that ship, Ku-"
"Shut up, you fool! It may not be safe to say my name here. But… yes." Kuja took a few steps, from what Steiner could tell. "The real one will be there. I know he will."
"Baku and I have a… strained relationship…" Said Trekkto.
"How is that?" Asked Kuja. Trekkto grunted. "Let's just say I cut him cold on a business deal." Kuja laughed.
"Maybe I should get someone else, then, rat."
"No! No, milord! I can convince him." Trekkto moved towards the door. "Then do it, rat. And be sure to meet him in Burmecia, if the cargo raid is actually successful. I want this war to happen, so do anything to convince your… kin."
Steiner heard the doorknob turn, and quickly ran into the shadows. The door swung open and Trekkto slunk out, eyeing left and right. He dashed down the creaky stairs and out of the bar.
In a few moments, the sound of snores echoed through all of the rooms, and Steiner left.
I had no clue at the time. I thought it was you until just recently…"
Zidane had his arms crossed as Steiner finished his tale. They were now walking into the castle through the main hall. "That's fucked up, Rusty."
"I know, sire, and I apologize for ever doubting yo-"
"Not that! Trekkto was working for Kuja the whole time. Then again, he seems the type… But I just don't see why-" He was cut off as they entered the royal dining room to find Freya and Amarant sitting at the table, with Quina bustling about, making a meal.
"Beatrix just told us!" Freya shouted. She looked ragged, and sleep deprived. Her hat was off for once, lying by the wall, along with a pole-arm. "Burmecia is in turmoil, Zidane. They're on the war path! North Gate's in chaos!"
"It's just what Kuja wants." Zidane muttered, pulling up a chair. "He wants more war. Just like last time."
"Zidane must eat yummy-yummies!" Quina yelled, sliding a plate full to the edge with a roast in front of the Genome. Even the dread feeling crawling up inside him and the rather iffy style Quina's food took on couldn't stop his stomach from making his arm rip the meat to shreds and stuff it down his throat.
Amarant cleared his throat and Zidane looked up from the mangled beef at the bounty hunter. He looked a bit different. Instead of the green tunic he usually wore, a brown leather jacket adorned his chest. He had on tattered pants and large brown boots. His usual knuckles were on his wrists, but something new was added to his arsenal. A large, double-barreled revolver rested in a holster around his waist. A good amount of shells were shoved in his various pockets. But most noticeable of all were two long, deep scars running across his face and neck.
"If anyone wants to know my opinion, I'd say he's trying to do the same thing again; trance and blow up the world. Maybe he plans to steal power from Garnet to do that. Like her Eidolons…"
Zidane eyed Amarant's revolver with an inquisitorial look. "What's with the gun, Red?"
"I started using it after I got in a guerrilla fight with another hunter on the Outer Continent. Bastard shot me in the foot – made me think it was a good idea." Amarant grinned.
"And… the scars?" Zidane asked.
Amarant's grin vanished. "None of your business." He said curtly. Zidane felt a sense of contempt emanating off of the hunter…did he have something to hide?
Freya drew attention off of Amarant with a grunt. Zidane faced her, and then realized… "Hey, where's Frat?"
"Fratley's… been drawn into the war, I'm sorry to say." Freya murmured.
Beatrix entered the room in a minute and saluted Zidane with a very ill look on her face. "Your… 'highness…' We received word that a rogue airship was seen landing in a forested valley at the top of a mountain range near Treno. It did not look like it was up to any good. It may have been Kuja."
"Wow, THAT's good news…" Zidane murmured. "Well, it's worth investigating anyway. Load up the Red Rose."
"You don't wish to take the theater ship?" Steiner asked, and Zidane remembered he was there. "Uh… no. We may need weaponry."
Beatrix saluted grimly and left to prep the Rose. Zidane hungrily finished his roast and turned to face Freya and Amarant. "How'dja like to go on an adventure?"
Freya practically leapt for her hat and lance, but Amarant merely nodded slowly. He then got up and marched out of the room to the ocean docks down below, where the Red Rose was kept.
"What do you think those scars are about?" Zidane asked, when Amarant's footsteps died out. "No clue. Maybe he got in a bad fight with someone…"
Zidane started marching to the docks and Freya followed. "So… what's he been up to for the past two years?"
"I think he started bounty hunting on the Outer Continent, from Conde Petie. Not sure, really. He hasn't spoken to me much."
When they reached the docks, they took the lift down and stepped off. The Red Rose bobbed slowly up and down in the dark waters. The sky was an even darker grey now as the sun sunk over the horizon. Rain could be seen falling on the sea in the distance.
"She's looking pretty turbulent, your highness!" Yelled the chief technician over the roar of wind. "But the old girl can take it! Not sure why you'd want to leave now, though!"
It seemed like no one other than those who should know had been informed about the queen's kidnapping. Zidane just shook his head and yelled, "Personal business!"
With a mighty leap, he landed on deck of the Rose. Freya did the same. Steiner, Amarant, and Beatrix were already on board. The technician started up the engine, which spewed smoke. The air had a chill about it. The storm was drawing closer. Zidane felt a sensation of mingled dread and anger spill over him. What if they crashed? No time to worry about that, Kuja may be in a forest not too far from here. But what if the storm cut off their visibility? No matter, they knew where the forest was from an eyewitness.
The engine was cold. It spewed more smoke as the steam heated up.
"She just needs to get warm!" The tech yelled, banging on the engine with a wrench. "Hold on a bit!"
With a grumble and a puff of smoke, the Rose began trekking forward over the ocean. Once it was in the open, the engineer checked the engine again. "Dammit! The engine's still cold… I think you should just get a new ship… the old girl's getting old…"
"Just get her up in the air!" Zidane yelled over the even higher wind and light rain now falling on the ocean.
"I don't think she can! We need to get to a warmer area!" The tech yelled, banging on the steam engine with a wrench. "We could sail to the south and see if it gets warmer!"
It was true. It was very cold out, an odd sensation considering that it was mid summer. Zidane saw his breath as he exhaled; it rose skyward and vanished.
Freya walked over to the Genome. "I don't think the ship can fly anymore." Zidane's head drooped. "How old is this ship?"
"Garnet told me that it was adopted as the Alexandrian navy's flagship about forty years ago. It's always been sturdy, but it just can't handle the new steam engines…"
The ship moaned and turned to the south; it accelerated and started another warm-up.
The propellers whirled around in a futile attempt to pick the ship up off the choppy waters. It lifted about a foot above the surface, and then fell with a splash. This repeated a few more times before Zidane gave the order to quit trying.
"Just sail to Treno Port. The storm looks a bit easier near there. It seems to be the eye… What if this storm is concentrated around that forest?" He asked. Freya shrugged. "Guess we'll find out."
After a few hours hard sailing, they reached the port. The weather had warmed, just as Zidane suggested. The wind died down, the rain stopped. Clouds circled overhead.
"The engine…! It's at full capacity!" The tech yelled. He whacked the engine with the wrench again. The propellers spun hard and the Red Rose took off with a leap. It started climbing the mountainside of the Trenis Range diagonally. It was bumpy. The ship sputtered and hacked smoke every few seconds, and once or twice, the propellers died and then spun anew. When they finally reached the top of the range and overlooked a deep valley, Zidane felt a feeling of anxiety.
The valley went down into the middle of the mountains to about ground level. A dense forest filled the valley to the brim. And Zidane saw, to his surprise, a silvery, hazy substance floating through the trees that looked exactly like Mist. Rain was pouring here, but there was absolutely no wind. To Zidane's immense pleasure, it was a balmy seventy degrees here. As they started their descent into the valley, Freya smiled softly.
"You know, this is the first adventure I've been on for two years." Zidane turned to face her. "I just wish it was an adventure for fun…"
The rain was really pouring hard in this valley. It was like a giant showerhead was pointed directly at the region. When they reached the very top of the canopy of trees, the ship touched the silvery haze-like substance and started floating. Zidane was right – it was Mist.
"This valley is veiled in Mist…" He murmured. Freya walked to the edge of the ship and stared down into the fog. "How is that possible! The Mist was vanquished…"
Zidane sighed. "It was. So that means…"
"It's coming back?" Freya asked.
"Yeah… Remember what happened to the Forgotten Continent a few months after Memoria was blown up? A foggy substance like Mist covered the whole island."
"You don't think that Kuja's bringing it back?" Freya asked as the ship forced its way under the haze and landed with a thud on the forest floor.
"I do."
"Why?"
"Because, in Treno, last night, Kuja told me something… in my head. He said that the veil of dregs will return from the heart."
Freya looked dumbstruck. "And how in hell does that convince you into thinking that he's bringing back the Mist?"
"Simple. Veil of dregs? That's the Mist. He always called Mist 'dregs of souls.' But I have no clue what he meant by 'the heart.' 'The Mist will return from the heart…' Hm…"
Steiner, Amarant, and Beatrix were already off board now, so Zidane and Freya leapt off the ship and followed after.
The forest was dark. Pockets of Mist floated all around. The Mist seemed to be… coming from the earth…
Zidane stared up at the sky. The mountain range surrounding the forest was easily a mile above them.
Zidane wrapped his cloak tighter around him – the rain was falling harder now. He drew The Ogre for safety. They had been marching for near an hour and darkness was falling when Beatrix finally spoke.
"I think I see something…" Beatrix whispered, just loud enough for Zidane to hear. Zidane peered in the direction she was. There was a small airship docked in a clearing, surrounded by figures. The airship was more like a skiff, probably deployed from a mother ship. It was colored black, red, and white. The figures themselves were impossible to make out in the dull light of the campfire lit. One was talking to another. The voice sounded nervous.
"I don't like this job, Spif. Not at all."
"Aw, quit yer bellyachin', yeh buffoon. The Lord ordered us. Look, nothin'll happen while he's down in them caves…" Said the other, apparently named Spif.
"But what if the king does show up? What if he guts us like… like… like a… a fish?"
"That blond little pretty boy can't take down a pirate, mate. Now eat up, 'afore it gets cold, Buk."
Buk, apparently taking the advise, hungrily ate something or other. Zidane growled at the way 'Spif' regarded him.
"What caves…?" Steiner's voice revived Zidane from his state. "Dunno."
Suddenly, a bright light shown out of the ground near the pirate campsite, and oddly glowing Mist wafted out. A figure rose from what seemed to be the ground.
"This cave is done. But there are more. Hurry up and load the skiff. We need to get back to the Intangible as quickly as possible once I am done. Understand?"
The pirates gave a loud, "Aye sir!"
"There is but one more cave. It's farther into the woods. Load up the skiff, get the supplies on board, and wait for me."
"Aye sir!"
The newcomer rounded about and walked into the trees. Zidane started running after him through the woods, trying not to let the pirates see. Steiner, Beatrix, Amarant, and Freya charged after a moment later.
The new figure was moving fast… almost gliding. A soft white light seemed to be emanating from him. Zidane charged harder, pulling a knife from the inside of his cloak, and raising it to his face.
"Take this…" He wasn't sure if it was Kuja, but he knew that whoever it was, he was up to no good. With a mighty throw, the dagger whirled out of Zidane's hand and flew through the air like a throwing star.
Whizzzzzzzz! Clang! The figure had whipped out a large blade and deflected the knife. He laughed. "Ahahahahah, my good friend Zidane! How do you do?"
It was not Kuja. Zidane could tell by his voice now that he was closer. But whoever it was seemed to know him.
"Who the flying fuck are you?" Zidane asked, pulling his second knife out with relish. "An associate of one whom you know well."
"And who the hell is that?" Zidane asked impatiently. "Kuja?"
"Tut tut, boy, I hoped you would be smarter than to suspect me of working with Kuja. Nay, I am an associate of a certain friend of yours. He asked me to open the Mist gates here; they've been closed ever since that dreadful explosion of Memoria. He told me that if I did this AND drew you to me, he would be most pleased. And I couldn't say no to doing a favor to a friend of yours."
"So who in HELL IS IT?" Zidane yelled. The figure grinned invisibly. "No, I don't feel that you are ready to know. Not yet."
"You don't tell me when I'm READY!" Zidane yelled. With a lunge, he tossed the dagger at the figure…
END, with a Cliffy. Oh my.