Disclaimer: (sits in a corner, rocking back and forth) I don't own it. I don't own it. I don't own it.
We've now entered the final three chapters! Sorry it took so long, but I these darn fight scenes are a pain. The reviews I've gotten are much appreciated, as always, and Lenna the Fallen One—I put a line in here just for you :)
Chapter Twenty-seven: Rising Angels
Horrified by her rival's apparent imperviousness, Celes took a step back. Kefka let out a howl of laughter.
"You honestly didn't think it'd be that easy, did you?" he taunted.
Sabin came up beside Celes, both hands brandishing a set of claws. "Not too worried. We're just getting warmed up."
Cyan drew his katana and strode to the blonde's other side. "Thou wilt die today, for together we stand."
Kefka put a hand to his chest in mock fear. "Oh no… Gods, be merciful, they're going to scold me to death me with their friendship!" He barked out another laugh. "You sound like a chapter from a self-help booklet!"
After a short deliberation, Locke started to take a step forward, but a hand on his shoulder held him back. Edgar shook his head at the thief and point up at a rock formation off to one side. Barely distinguishable from the shadows, Locke could make out the silhouette of their ninja companion scaling up the rocky cliff.
Without warning, Shadow leapt off and landed nimbly on all fours directly in front of Kefka as he grasped the hilt of the Rune Blade. Flinging the sword over to Celes, the ninja rolled out from under the jester and to his feet, quickly withdrawing two dirks from within his black garb. Celes caught her blade and immediately dashed forward and slashed at Kefka. Sabin, Cyan, and Shadow soon followed.
The four warriors timed their strikes perfectly, creating a seamless flow of attacks while the others stood back, waiting anxiously as their comrades took on the jester. They couldn't risk any more than four fighting at the same time.
The four gradually took to lengthier bouts of individual assaults, facing Kefka one on one until knocked aside and another stepped in. The blitz master was a fury of claws, falling back on the mystical energies of his teachings only when his foe presented an opening. Though the jester suffered countless blows from Sabin's pummeling, he did not weaken.
The Doman retainer carved intricate patterns through the air with his katana, striking in a sinuous dance of precision and skill. Kefka, in turn, weaved in and out of Cyan's range, twisting his body in near impossible ways and somehow escaping the cold steel by a hair's breadth.
The ninja used is speed and agility to try to throw the Imperial off balance. His dirks struck quick as serpents and the aim of his shuriken was true. Kefka, however, treated Shadow's landed blows as no more than an itch and merely batted the stars away with his sword.
The Magitek Knight, faster than even the ninja, forced Kefka to parry her sword. Tight arcs and quick ripostes tested each other's reflexes, and each clash brought about a shower of sparks, both of fire and frost. Elemental conjurations were traded, neither appearing to affect the other.
Eventually, Kefka either grew tired or more likely bored and raised his arms into the air. From the epicenter between his hands, a shockwave of energy erupted in rapidly growing diameter, slamming into the warriors and threw them back. From the distant corners of the tower, the shards and rubble and dust that was once the Goddesses rose up, swirled into a pillar, and coalesced to create a single monstrosity.
The first tier was the extremely muscular titan that supported the rest of the Column on his back, reminding the warriors of Poltergeist's hellhound. A crimson crystal adorned his head, and large spines projected from his back. A living vine rose up into the second tier, housing tortured men in chains that were guarded by the three heads of Cerberus. The living vine continued up to the third and final tier on which Kefka lounged in flowing robes as if it were his throne to the world. Like a trophy, or perhaps a perverted guardian angel, the head of Goddess hovered just above and behind him.
The twelve Returners gazed up at the structure, each cursing its enormity that rivaled Fantatics' Tower. Armed with larger weapons than the others, Celes, Edgar, Cyan, and Mog stepped up to the titan. Ducking the swipes of his burly arms, the four slashed into his torso with their swords and spears until a powerful quake knocked them off their feet when the titan pounded his fists into the ground. Nodding to each other, Edgar and Cyan began a daring climb up the torso to the shoulders of the giant. The king revved up his chainsaw, and the two men hacked mercilessly into the arms to sever them.
Seeing the crystal glow brighter, Celes motioned to Mog for his spear. After the moogle handed her the javelin, the knight hoisted it onto her shoulder, drew back, and hurled it through the air. The lance pierced the crystal dead center, shattering it. Bellowing a mighty roar, the titan sent shockwaves of energy into the knight and moogle.
Triumphant shouts declared Edgar and Cyan's success in dismembering the giant. Taking a moment to throw Mog's lance back down to him, the two men made short work of the vine running between the first and second tiers. The titan disintegrated, and Kefka writhed on his throne in pain.
With the second tier within reach, Sabin, Locke, Shadow readied their array of weapons while Umaro pounded the ground with his fists. When Cerberus snarled menacingly, steaming geysers from the pitfalls of Hell opened under the Returners' feet, and walls of flame leapt into the air. The Blizzard Orb around Umaro's neck shined brightly as he summoned a snowstorm to quell the blazing inferno.
The three warriors, dodging the watchdog's snapping teeth, hacked and slashed at the chained men to clear a path to the vine. The imprisoned ones threw their own magic at the warriors, and a wave of confusion washed over Locke. A shadow descended over him, and the thief looked up into the gaping maw of one of Cerberus' heads. The fog in his head hindered any move to escape as the teeth began to close around him. When the teeth unexpectedly began to recede, Locke glanced to either side to see Sabin and Umaro grasping the upper and lower jaws, wrenching them apart until a crack was heard. A small healing incantation from Shadow cleared the cobwebs out of his mind, and the thief gave them all a grateful nod.
The remaining two heads of the dog were disposed of in a similar manner, and the men in chains were eliminated. Sabin dashed forward at the Column and buried his claws deep inside the vine. He let his momentum carry him off the ground as he swung his body around the cartilaginous pillar, slicing almost all the way through. A couple sharp throws of shuriken from Shadow severed the vine completely. Kefka screamed, and the final tier dropped to the ground.
Not wasting any time, Terra and Relm showered Kefka with magic while Setzer and Gau carried out physical assaults. All four stopped when they found their attacks blocked by a shimmering barrier surrounding the jester. With a casual wave of his hand, Kefka sent a barrage of wind, fire, and gravity forces down on the four warriors. Terra and Relm countered in vain, their magic not strong enough to break through the mystical barrier.
On a hunch, Setzer threw a trio of cards at the head of Goddess, scoring a direct hit. Though the bizarre power of Rage, Gau donned the strength of a Gigas and landed several harsh blows to the angelic face. In retaliation, Kefka called on another gravitational pull to pin the warriors to the ground. Summoning up the last ounce of her strength against the jester's magic, Terra lifted a hand and chanted. A cyclone of fire enveloped Goddess, and the divinity's shriek pierced through the air. The final tier turned to dust.
Kefka, the last of his defenses destroyed and his connection to the Goddesses severed, writhed and thrashed on the ground. Then, all of a sudden, he became still. Three spheres of light—red, blue, and yellow—rose from the Column's remains and hovered over Kefka's still form. One by one, the spheres descended down and, like water, molded themselves across the jester and seeped into his very being. Kefka's eyes snapped open, glowing strangely with the essences of the Goddesses as he slowly rose. Behind him, three sets of wings spread out and reached towards the heavens.
Celes bowed her head, fighting the urge to sink to her knees in despair. Kefka was a god.
Relm placed a hand on the despondent knight's arm. "We can't give up yet."
The older blonde met the child's determined gaze but said nothing. Save for the three women, the Returners once again readied their weapons. This time, there would be no waiting. Forming a ring around the deity, the men, moogle, and yeti commenced a barrage of assaults. Each utilized his own individual skills: Edgar with his tools, Sabin with his mastery of Blitz, Cyan with his art of katana, Locke with his agility and speed, Shadow and Setzer with their throwing accuracy, Mog and Gau with the mysteries of Dance and Rage, and Umaro with his brute strength.
Celes tore her eyes from the melee and watched as Terra attempted an incantation of solar energy. Beads of sweat appeared on the half Esper's forehead as her face contorted in strained concentration. The younger woman's shoulders slumped when nothing happened. Celes glanced once at Kefka and the others before turning her gaze back to her friend.
Terra glanced down when she felt Celes' hand brush against hers, then looked questioningly into the blonde's eyes. The knight's fingers snaked through hers, and Terra saw her friend's intention clearly written in her expression. With a small nod, the two pressed their palms together and felt a surge of power run through their linked hands. Both whipped their heads around towards Kefka as a flare of solar energy erupted in the air around him.
The deity screeched his pain, and the other warriors took the opportunity to land several heavy blows.
Relm joined hands with Terra and Celes, and soon the three were invoking the wrath of the celestial realm. Meteors rained down from the heavens, crashing into the tower's summit with potent force. To the mages' horror, though, the flaming rocks seemed only to shatter on contact with Kefka.
The deity, after casually brushing debris from his shoulders, called upon his own power. As Kefka chanted, the sky turned to scarlet hue and the air began to shimmer and undulate. Though his muttering was mostly unintelligible, both Terra and Celes managed to pick out a single word: Merton.
"Everyone take cover!" Terra shouted.
In the midst of everyone's scrambling, the half Esper took in one horrifying sight: Celes wasn't moving. Instead, the knight stood dead center of the terrace, her Rune Blade aimed at Kefka.
"CELES, NO!"
A hurricane-force wind picked up, swirling around Kefka and quickly gaining scorching intensity. The infernal tempest abandoned the jester, and the air seemed to scream with the gale's force as it hurtled towards the warriors. First slamming into an invisible wall created by the Rune Blade's power (and notably knocking Celes back a couple feet), the energy formed a whirlwind around the knight, battling against her natural icy barrier as well as the Rune Blade's pull.
"Celes, stop!" Terra pleaded, braving the firestorm. "The energy's too much!"
Indeed, the Rune Knight soon started to wilt under the mounting pressure of Kefka's spell. Spiraling tongues of fiery energy lashed out at the others, escaping the suction of Celes' sword. Inevitably, the knight fell to her knees, blood pooling in her lungs and flowing out of her nose and ears. With Celes unable to contend with the power of the Goddesses, the inferno was unleashed unto the warriors. No shield nor rocky outcropping could shelter them against the raging heat, and only Terra was left standing, protected by the very hellfire that spawned her.
Watching as her friends writhed on the ground in searing agony, the half Esper sensed a feral presence bubble to the surface of her consciousness. As she fell to all fours, Terra shook with a fury she never knew existed. Control shattered, compassion evaporated, and the beast within was summoned forth. A mane of pink flames erupted all over her body, consuming any remnant of her humanity. Finally pushing herself back to her feet, she lifted her gaze to meet Kefka's, and within her once soft jade eyes burned a deep hatred engulfed by oily black depths.
With an ear-splitting shriek, the half Esper dashed forward with inhuman speed, slashing viciously at Kefka's flesh with her razor-sharp talons. The demigod seemed more startled than harmed, though, as he simply watched Terra take off into the air.
A tidal wave of solid flame rose into the air and crashed down on the deity as the half Esper screeched by overhead. The wind howled, and the embers scattered about the terrace flared once again as they were swept into the ferocious current. The whirlwind ignited into a fiery hurricane that raged around Kefka and grew more devastating with every pass Terra made.
Whispering a curative prayer, Celes finally found the strength to expel a large portion of the energy she absorbed and let the powerful healing of her magic cleanse her body and mind of her wounds. She rose just in time to see Kefka throw a stream of green and black electricity into the half Esper, sending her careening into a rock formation before falling limp to the ground and instantly reverting back to her human form.
The clownish deity laughed like mad until he noticed that his rival was drawing her sword. "You just don't give up, do you?"
Celes shrugged, forcing a bravado she didn't really feel. "What can I say? I'm not good at failure."
"No, you're not," Kefka agreed civilly. "It's kind of pesky."
Foregoing further banter, Celes attacked. Still trying to recover from the mind-numbing burns they had suffered, the Returners could only watch as the two former generals engaged in an all-too familiar confrontation. Glumly, they noted that Celes' normal vigor was absent.
Kefka, with his wings folded protectively against his back, seemed only to match his opponent's attacks, never making an effort to surpass them. In a vain attempt to cut through Kefka's defenses, Celes deliberately locked the hilt of her sword against his and shoved it to the side. The jester's strength, however, had been bolstered by the Goddesses, and his grip didn't yield.
The deity took advantage of their linked swords and muttered a couple words under his breath. A tongue of fire slithered from his blade to hers, after which it darted down to the knight's hand. Celes instinctively recoiled her arm, dropping the Rune Blade in the process. Now unarmed, the knight threw several punches, all easily blocked by Kefka. As the woman's strength waned, the jester caught one of her wrists and clenched the hilt of his sword against her other hand.
The two wrestled against each other for a brief moment until Kefka abruptly let go of Celes, wearing a look of disappointment.
"You know, is it just me, Celes, or is your heart not in this?"
"No, it's just you."
With a burst of strength, Celes grabbed Kefka's arm, twisted her body around, and stabbed his sword backwards into his stomach. A look of nausea plagued the jester's face, but it soon faded. Without warning, Kefka wrenched the sword out of his abdomen and thrust it back into the woman beside him.
As the Returners cried out to her, Celes fell to her knees, holding the pommel of the blade and gasping for breath. Surprisingly, her eyebrows drew together in confusion, and Kefka's smirk vanished as both he and Celes looked down at the sword. No blood was spilled. The blonde knight pulled the sword away and found the blade bent, compressed, and crushed all the way to the hilt.
In shock, Kefka took a step backwards. "Wha…! How…?"
Celes, completely unharmed and somewhat stunned herself, took a moment to recuperate before standing and throwing off her cloak in a dramatic sweeping of her arms. The hidden runes of her armor pulsated eerily as she purposefully drew the Ragnarok from its sheathe on her back. The sinister onyx blade glinted wickedly in the discolored sunlight as she held it before her.
Kefka's arrogance seemed to make a hasty retreat at the sight of the accursed sword and blessed armor. "The armor of Genji?" he gasped. "That's not possible. No mere mortal could tap the strength of that armor!"
"No mere mortal…" Celes mused quietly.
She stared back at him and took a deep breath. Now was the time. All that she had denied her entire life could remain in the shadows no more.
She raised her voice. "I am the Heir of Genji, the last of his line and his father before him."
"Odin…?" Kefka whispered in recognition. Then, he spat out, "You don't think this thinned and weakened bloodline could possibly be anything against me."
The deity threw out his hand, sending a powerful burst of lightning at the warrior.
FLASH
Genji, son of Esper and human, knelt before his father.
"I have taught thee the ways of Rune and imparted upon thee the will of the Three Divine Ones. Thou art favored by the Goddesses. To honor this love bestowed upon thee, be brave and upright. In the face of thine enemies, be without fear and speak the truth, always, even if it leads to thy doom. Safeguard the helpless and do no evil. This is thy oath." Odin backhanded his son across the cheek. "And that is so thou rememberest it."
When his surprise faded, Genji looked upon his father with pride. Odin extended the hilt of the Einlanzer towards the young man.
"Rise, my son, Rise a Knight of Rune."
FLASH
Celes felt a fresh surge of power coursing through her. In a strange calm, she reached out towards Kefka's attack, and the energy collected in a sphere in the palm of her hand. She closed her fingers around the sphere, and it disappeared. Light from the absorption flashed briefly in her eyes.
Kefka's stared slack-jawed.
Almost serenely, Celes continued. "Though Gestahl had the blood of Rune infused into my veins, already the same blood that flowed through Genji, his father, and his son, flowed through me. So you see, I am no 'mere mortal.'"
Armed with the Ragnarok, the now conquered Runic ability, and the embracing of birthright, Celes' confidence was restored, and the tides had turned.
The Rune Knight channeled the energy Kefka had fed her, conjuring a sacred power wielded by the holy knights of yore. A halo of white light surrounded the jester, and the light separated into a dozen pearly spheres. As one, the opalescent orbs emitted photon beams that converged on Kefka from all sides, lancing through the deity. His screamed pierced the still air, and the Returners held their breath.
For the first time since becoming a god, the jester had shown some vulnerability.
Recovering quickly, however, Kefka readied his sword and rushed angrily at Celes. Without hesitation, the Rune Knight leapt forward to meet him, planting both feet on his chest and pushing off in back flip. As Kefka stumbled back, he made the mistake of momentarily extending his wings to keep his balance. Seizing the opportunity, Celes spun a complete circle, keeping both hands on the Ragnarok as she raised it into a powerful swipe. Kefka yelped in surprise at seeing two of his wings laying on the ground. The truly shocking sight, however, was the blood gushing from the stumps that remained.
First rearing back with the Ragnarok, Celes charged forward. Just as she passed by, she slashed down and sliced through the last wing on the demigod's right side. Fully exploiting her momentum, she stepped into a pivot that turned her to face Kefka's back as she swung her sword over her head and downward, severing the left trio of wings in one fell swoop.
Kefka stared dumbly at his dismembered wings, and Celes called over her shoulder to Terra.
"The Atma Weapon! Now!"
The half Esper clambered to her feet. With all her strength, Terra hurled the Atma Weapon at Kefka, its blade still retracted. The dagger struck him square in the chest, giving the madman a pained look of shock. Keeping her fist outstretched, the mage closed her eyes in concentration. Kefka looked down as the hilt protruding from his torso began to quiver.
Exercising surprising control over the weapon, Terra extended her fingers, and the glowing blade of Atma sprung to its full length with a sickening squish through Kefka's back. The godlike abomination fell to his knees, struggling to breathe.
Staggering from her own exhaustion, Celes felt a new power bubble to the surface of her consciousness. She held the Ragnarok up and ran her free hand over the obsidian surface.
"Say hello to Gestahl for me."
Fueled by what could only be called instinct, Celes spun a complete rotation, flinging the blade of sin at her nemesis. The sword appeared a lethal spinning disk as it struck Kefka unremittingly, spiraling around him and leaving countless gashes all over his body. Amidst the whirlwind of deadly arcs, the Ragnarok released its hidden fury, conjuring an ever-growing sphere of kaleidoscopic nuclear energy in the ultimate spell, more destructive than a thousand meteors.
The blinding light, now engulfing the entire area, dissipated with a thunderous crash, and the Ragnarok returned to its master's awaiting hand. No sign of the rampant jester was seen. Celes collapsed to her knees, utterly drained. Locke was at her side in an instant, Terra soon following.
"Are you all right?" the thief asked anxiously, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear.
Celes looked down at the Ragnarok in her hand. For a split second, she thought she saw a flash of red streak across the black steel. How close she had come to calling upon its dormant corrupting power.
Nodding wearily, she gratefully downed the elixir Terra gave her and proceeded to rub her temples in a vain attempt to quell the oncoming headache. Relm sat down next to the older blonde and stared at her.
Celes tried to ignore the girl, but soon gave up. "What?"
"I knew it."
"Knew what?"
"I knew you weren't telling us something."
"Good for you."
"Why didn't you?"
"You didn't need to know."
Terra joined in Relm's obvious awe. "But Celes…you…you're the Heir of Genji! A descendant of Odin himself!"
"So?"
"That's huge!"
"This is why I didn't tell you," Celes groaned. "I knew you'd make a big deal out of it."
"But it is a big deal, Cel."
Edgar cleared his throat. "And, for those of us not as well versed in mystical myths and legends…?"
Celes took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. "You know that Genji was half human, half Esper."
"Yeah?"
"Well, Genji was also the original Rune Knight."
"Uh huh." The woman raised a brow, and Edgar just stared at her in confusion. Then, "Oh."
"You're part Esper and a true Rune Knight," Sabin deduced for his brother. "It's not just a product of Gestahl's experimentation."
"Through my father's blood, yes."
Cyan crossed his arms thoughtfully. "And 'tis why the Genji armor doth respond to thee."
"Right."
"And how you were able to master Runic fully," Locke figured.
"Unexpectedly, but yes."
"And…why you had to bear the Ragnarok…" Terra finished in whisper.
"Call it a family heirloom," Celes affirmed dryly.
"You've been carrying this burden alone for so long…" Setzer mused.
Relm tilted her head. "No wonder you've been cranky."
"It was my choice, Relm." The Rune Knight briefly met Locke's gaze. "All of this is my choice."
The thief shuddered at the subtle reference, but he allowed the feeling to pass without much thought. A silence descended over the group. In spite of everything, it was a comfortable hush, filled with the warriors wordlessly reflecting on new revelations, recent events, and their whole lives.
Celes suddenly perked up. "662174!" At the confused looks the others were giving her, she grinned sheepishly. "The…override code for Guardian."
Locke stared at the blonde, mouth hanging open in disbelief before he finally threw his hands up. "Figures…"
Despite feeling the strength flow back into her, she allowed Locke and Terra to help her stand. Once on her feet, Celes sheathed the Ragnarok, then glanced around, looking confused.
"What is it?" Terra asked, picking up the Atma Weapon that lay where Kefka once stood, as well as the Rune Blade.
"Do you notice anything…different?"
Terra shook her head. "No."
Celes slowly met Terra's gaze as she took her sword back. "Do you see anything…wrong…with that?"
Terra considered that for a moment. Nothing seemed wrong at all. She didn't feel any different than… The realization of Celes' anxiety suddenly dawned on her.
"You don't think…?" Terra trailed off.
Celes cupped her hand, muttered a couple words, and watched ice form in her palm. Terra mimicked the move, and soon a small flame sprung up from her hand.
"What does that mean?" the half Esper asked, though she could guess the answer.
Celes looked to the edge of the tower. "Kefka's still alive."
Author's note: Mwa ha ha. You didn't think that was the last of Kefka…did you? Two little side-notes: the knighting scene with Genji was adapted from the movie Kingdom of Heaven, and Cerberus is the three-headed watchdog of the underworld. Chapter 28's teaser:
Celes desperately trying to halt Kefka's swords. "Terra! Get them out!"
Celes holding the Ragnarok. "I had no desire to wield this infernal blade."
A dark ripple washing over Celes. "But you leave me no choice."
Strago lowering his head. "Goddesses help her…"