Inside the Cleyran cathedral, a fierce battle raged between two spirits of the jewel, one of whom was aided by three famous Dragon Knights: Lady Freya, Sir Frato and Sir Fratley. They were aiding a Burmecian Priest who called himself Blaine, but was actually Burmece, the Holy Guardian of Burmecia. Together, they were fighting a demon of the jewel named Aryelc, who wanted to wipe out the Burmecian race and end existence. Blaine had distracted the demon whilst the Dragon Knights readied some energy techniques.
The flare spell exploded, causing considerable damage to the area of the cathedral that it targeted. Thankfully, Blaine's Shell magic had absorbed most of the spell and he managed to survive the attack with minimal damage.
The second that the flare magic did its damage, a magical dragon burst through the emblem below the demon. Aryelc didn't have enough time to try and block the technique, and the dragon tore through his arm. He screamed as the attack almost severed his arm. The dragon disappeared, and the attack finished.
However, Fratley and Frato also had their own attacks ready. Fratley pointed his lance out first. "Cherry Blossom!" Fratley chanted. Petals streamed out of his lance towards Aryelc. The demon had very little time to scout this and react after Freya's attack and the petals hit him full force, acting like small knifes and slashing at the demon. The knights could hear the demons yelps and grunts as the attack did its damage.
As Fratley's attack subsided, Frato was already charging towards the demon, his lance glowing with white energy. He ran right up to the demon and swung his lance with all his strength. "Lancer!" Frato shouted and he sliced into the demons torso, the energy being unleashed from his spear and inflicting more damage to Aryelc.
The demon screamed with pain as the attack made a deep cut in his torso. He fell back from the attack and knelt submissively. Frato backed away, pleased to see that his attack had given Aryelc a serious wound. The three Dragon Knights were quite surprised to see that the demon was still conscious after receiving so many serious wounds. Then again, the demons that Freya had faced with Zidane's group could take more punishment than an ordinary mortal.
"You bastards..." The demon seethed.
"Surely you didn't think you could win against me and three of Burmecia's top knights?" Blaine said, pleased to see the demon fall. "Now return to the jewel Aryelc. You have been defeated."
"You must be very naïve to think I would just give up now..." Aryelc said with a grin, the knights could see that he was hiding his hand, which was charged up with white energy. The demon cast the spell before any of the knights could react. "Curaga!"
White energy washed over the demon, and the knights could watch in horror as all the wounds they had given him closed up and healed themselves. The demon smiled and gave a sigh of delight as the white magic healed him.
"But what's the point? You know you can't win against all four of us!" Blaine protested angrily.
"You're right about that, Burmece; I can't win against all four of you like this." Aryelc answered, and in one swift leap, he jumped across the cathedral and landed at the central altar where the High Priest often stood to watch the dances. "So how about I even the odds..." Energy was once again charging up in his hands. The unleashed it before anyone could attack him in his new position. "Hah!"
A tremendous gale roared from his hands into the Dragon Knights. Unable to resist the strong winds, they were blown straight out of the door of the cathedral. Blaine managed to shield himself from the attack and prevent himself from being blown out with the three knights.
The three knights landed in a heap in the next room of the cathedral, and Frato was the first one of them to get up and run back into the main room. However, as he reached the doorway, his body bounced back off an invisible barrier. This caused Frato fall back on his rump.
"Damn it! He's sealed us out!" Frato swore angrily. "He's put up some kind of magic barrier!"
"We could ask some of the Cleyrans if they know of a way to remove the barrier." Freya suggested.
"Okay, let's go and find them." Fratley said, before leaving the cathedral. Freya followed him, and Frato got up gave the doorway another glance before he left.
Meanwhile, inside the cathedral, Aryelc was beaming at Blaine. The Burmecian Priest looked rather shaken by the recent events.
"Heh heh. Now we can start the battle that I have been waiting many years for..." Aryelc said with a grin.
"You really want to settle things with me don't you?" Blaine asked as he was starting to calm down.
"You don't know what it's been like!" Aryelc growled. "You sealed me away in Cleyra behind the sandstorm for all those years. I couldn't do anything; the Cleyrans don't seem to have any hate. I nearly lost my sanity, waiting all those years. I was so thrilled when I heard that voice, when I had the chance to break the sandstorm and set me free."
"Kuja managed to communicate with you didn't he?" Blaine asked with interest. "I figured you had something to do with the disappearance of the sandstorm."
"Yes, and I was finally free from you prison." Aryelc said with a grin. "The Cleyrans were shown a world of hate, and they died instantly. So you see, a world cannot exist without hatred. There cannot be a life without suffering."
"You're wrong." Blaine retorted. "The Cleyrans showed me that there could be a world of peace. They just need to be able to spread their ideas."
"You cannot convince the world to give up its hate." Aryelc replied. "I'll prove it to you by winning this battle."
"You give me no choice..." Blaine said firmly, entering a fighting stance.
"Today is the day you will die with your creations..." Aryelc growled, before lunging at Burmece in a mad punch rush. "Die!"
Blaine dodged Aryelc's lunge and gathered some energy to generate a spear out of magical holy energy. He swung the mystical spear at the demon, managing to make a cut on Aryelc's side. The demon yelped and backed away. Blaine charged after him, building up some energy in his magical spear so he could unleash a Dragon Knight attack.
However, Aryelc had foreseen this attack and had charged up some energy of his own. He held his palm out and unleashed a fireball at Blaine. The attack hit Blaine full force and knocked him back. Thankfully his shell magic was still acting on him and he wasn't badly damaged.
Blaine leapt back onto his feet in a flash and he noticed Aryelc preparing another magic spell. He kept an eye on the demon whilst he prepared his own energy attack, his magical lance still in his hand. Aryelc finished his spell first and thrust his palms out to cast the spell.
"Thundaga!" Aryelc roared, and purple energy flowed around his hands before a gigantic beam of lightning ripped from his hands towards Blaine. Blaine was quick on his feet to move away from the spells target, but the thunder attack managed to catch him on his side.
Blaine grunted in pain, but still managed to perform his energy attack. "Cherry Blossom!" Blaine chanted. Streams of petals flew from his hands towards Aryelc and acted like sharp knives. The demon tried to evade the petals but there were too many and he wasn't quick enough. He screamed as the petals tore at his skin and made several cuts onto his body.
The attack finished, and the demon was still standing, although the attack had done some considerable damage to him. Blaine decided to follow up the attack by charging at the demon with his spirit lance a second time. Aryelc didn't have time to prepare a spell to counter this, but he managed to evade the swings of Blaine's lance.
Blaine continued to swing his lance wildly at the demon. He knew that Aryelc couldn't dodge his attacks forever. Aryelc ducked under one of Blaine's swings and tried to sweep Blaine off his feet with his legs. This worked, and Blaine stumbled and fell back.
Aryelc then decided to gather the energy to form his own spirit lance, out of dark shadow energy. He pointed the lance at Blaine's throat, and grinned wickedly. However, his expression changed when he noticed what Blaine was doing.
After he had been knocked back onto the floor, Blaine had started charging up energy for another magic spell. When Aryelc pointed his spirit lance at Blaine's throat, the spell was ready. Blaine smiled at the demon as he unleashed the spell.
"Holy!" Blaine chanted, and a ray of bright light hit the demon in his upper body with full force. Aryelc screamed in pain and was knocked back by the energy. Blaine got back onto his feet as the demon reeled from the attack.
Blaine then proceeded to continue his assault by charging his spirit lance with white energy as he raced towards Aryelc, who was still recovering from Blaine's last attack. Blaine brought back his lance and thrust it towards the demon as he unleashed his attack.
"Lancer!" Blaine chanted as his spear pierced through Aryelc. The demon screamed as the energy was released to make the wound larger and more painful. Blaine had thrust his lance through Aryelc's torso for a lethal blow.
Blaine removed his spear and discharged the energy to get rid of his spear. Aryelc fell back onto the floor gasping for air. A smile formed on Blaine's face as he savoured his victory.
"It's over Aryelc." Blaine stated simply. "I have won. Now return to the jewel and leave my children in peace."
Aryelc growled as he heard these words. "One of these days Burmece..." He managed to growl through heavy breaths. "...I will defeat you. Gaia's hatred shall prevail."
With those words, Aryelc grew with a bright red light and faded into mist, which slowly flowed back into the jewel. The demon had retreated back into the magic stone.
At the entrance to the main chamber of the cathedral, the three Dragon Knights managed to persuade Kildea and the High Priest to examine the magic seal Aryelc had formed.
"This seal has been formed by a truly mighty force..." The High Priest said in a rather worried tone as he looked at the seal. "I don't know of any way to remove it..."
"I wonder if Blaine is alright in there...?" Kildea pondered, fidgeting as she worried for her friend.
"Grr...I've had enough of this. It's time to fight magic with magic!" Frato growled. He charged up energy in his spear and pointed it at the doorway as the other two knights and Cleyrans backed off. "Dragon's Breath!"
The white energy in the tip of Frato's spear formed a magical Dragon's head, which fired blue energy bolts out of its mouth towards the door. The energy bolts hit the magic seal full force and made a series of small explosions. The attack finished, and Frato walked up to see if he had succeeded in removing the seal. He tapped the area where the seal was and found that his fingers were repelled.
Frato roared and kicked the seal in frustration. "This is hopeless! Just what are we supposed to do?"
"There is nothing we can do other than wait until the seal is lifted." Freya said, also angry at the fact that she was powerless to do anything. However, she was keeping her feelings to herself right now and maintained a calm composure. "If the demon emerges from the cathedral than we shall take care of him. However, we are not going to achieve anything by losing our tempers and shouting profanities." Freya finished as she looked at Frato with a scalding glare.
Frato scowled at Freya for a moment before calming himself down. She was right, even if he didn't want to admit it.
"I would also advise that you two get out of here, just in case the demon does come out of the cathedral." Freya advised Kildea and the High Priest. They heeded her words and left the cathedral fairly quickly.
The three Dragon Knights waited outside the main chamber of the cathedral for a second time. This time they were more anxious, they were not sure that they would be able to take out the demon by themselves. It was hard enough with Blaine by their side. Eventually, the magic seal broke away and the doorway was clear.
The three knights hastily made their way through the doorway and saw that the demon was gone. Blaine noticed their arrival and addressed them.
"I have vanquished the demon." Blaine said to the group. "Cleyra is safe."
The three knights all breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. They would not have to fight the demon a second time...
Disclaimer: I do not own FF9 or any characters and locations in it. However, Frato, Blaine/ Burmece and Aryelc are mine.
Author's Note: This has been my fastest update in recent weeks, and I am glad to see I have a new reviewer. I welcome all constructive comments and I hope that I get a few more new reviewers commenting on my work.