Celphie was dieing. The gash in her chest was bleeding profusely. Angel rushed over to her.
"Damnit, this is bad." Angel spoke
She looked at the bleeding wound. The skin was torn; a ragged cut edged her flesh. Angel quickly started casting strong regenerative spells. But her magic alone could not heal this. Carbuncle was siphoning light from the surrounding area. A brilliant flash consumed the small area. He and Angel's magic combined to cast a stronger curing effect. But it still wasn't enough.
"Vivli!" Angel yelled
Vivli was lost in herself. She saw the last of her friends die saving her. Voldos' body lied limp and lifeless. The saddened white mage was hopelessly lost in her own emotions.
"Vivli!" Angel continued to yell
Vivli did not turn to answer. She sat there holding her lost friends body crying endlessly.
"Gah, fuckdamnit." Angel cursed. "Is there a competent white mage here?"
It was blurry, she could hear voices yelling. Waking up Sere sat up to see her surroundings. To her left there was a Mithra trying everything she could to assist another person. Looking at her from behind she spoke.
"Terra? Is that her?" Seres asked
Her eyes focused more and she could clearly hear what was happening. This Mithra was trying to heal a very badly injured person. Getting to her feet Seres ran over trying to help. This time the three's combined magic's fully healed Celphie. Coughing up hard Celphie held her chest. Vision blurry she lent down and passed out. Her body was under a great deal of stress. The energy she had to exert just to keep herself breathing through every excruciatingly painful breath was enough to kill her.
"Oh my, I'm glad to see she is alright." Seres said
Angel looked up at this child and saw her pure innocent face. In this form she could see her friend.
"Kiary…?" Angel asked
Seres looked down to her.
"You know my mother?" Seres asked
"You could say that." Angel answered. "That your friend?"
Angel said pointing to Cifer.
Seres' eyes lit up. She ran over to him. He was unconscious, but after a good shaking he awoke.
"Cifer!" Seres yelled
He groggily came too. Cifer was being violently shaken.
"Hey… what's going on?" Cifer asked
Seres looked at him with teary eyes and hugged him.
"You alive." Seres said
"Yes, why wouldn't I be…?" Cifer said
He stopped before he would say something stupid. His eyes opened wide.
"But… how…" Cifer asked
He could remember how upset Seres was when her whole family died, at the bottom of that tower where her mother lied dead.
"Seres…" Cifer said
He held her tightly.
"I'm sorry." Cifer spoke
Seres was crying softly in his shoulder. Angel looked at this and turned back to Celphie.
"Lets get you up." Angel said
Leaning down she helped Celphie up. In her unconscious state Angel could hear her speak.
"it was close… I could see you again…" Celphie mumbled
Angel was carrying Celphie inside the building. Cifer Got up to his feet. He couldn't remember what had happened. Last he could remember they were dead. Seres and he had killed themselves. On his feet he carried the light Mithra inside. The door opened and there was Angel standing before them.
"Stop." Angel said. "I have a different play you two can stay."
She showed them off to another house where she was keeping Terra. Inside the bar Celphie was sitting in a chair at a table. Outside Vivli was morning her loss of Voldos. Hours passed and nightfall set in. Andrew took control of their body. Sitting up he held his abdomen. The clothing was torn and soaked in blood. Feeling light headed he went to his room in the basement of the bar. Taking with him two large blankets he stepped outside. Vivli and her friend Voldos were there. Draping one blanket over Vivli he wrapped the other around Voldos' corpse. Picking it up he went to the outskirts of Norg. Setting him down Andrew started digging a grave. All night he dug this tomb.
As the sun came up light seeped across the ground. The light hit Vivli in the face. She scrunched her face from the light. Slowly waking up she removed the blanket revealing her bloody robes. She looked around wondering where Voldos' body was. Through the main gates she saw Andrew walking in. His clothes were covered with a combination of blood and dirt. Walking up to Vivli he had a plain look in his face. Reaching down he helped Vivli to her feet. With an arm around her he did not say a word. He just led her outside. At Voldos' grave he knelt down. Vivli saw this, tears forming in her eyes again. Andrew knelt with his hands together, silently saying a prayer he took something out of his pocket.
"Is there anything you would like to say? Andrew asked
Vivli couldn't think of anything to say. Andrew set down the item he pulled out of his belt. He set a crystal bullet on top of Voldos' tomb. Standing back up he turned to Vivli. She was on the verge of crying again. They went back into Norg. Not saying a word Andrew escorted her to the bar and they sat down. He raised a hand ordering two meals. Small drops of water hit the table. Vivli blinked and more fell from her face. Their food was brought out and served. Andrew was about to start eating when he noticed Vivli still had not moved. Putting the utensils back down he put a hand on his face.
"This is all too familiar." Andrew said
It caught the attention of the forlorn Mithra.
"It's a horrible dream. I never thought I would ever see it again." Andrew spoke consolingly. "Thirteen years ago. It was but a dream."
Vivli wiped the tears from her eyes away.
"What?" Vivli said in a cracking voice
"Back after the Shadow War I died. Days after the war ended they buried my body. There is a mass graveyard on the hills of Rolanberry Fields. Number 1361, my grave marker read. My dear sister visited that grave every day. And every day she came I could feel her become more and more lost. Her hopes were gone. The last time she came I routed myself out of my body and followed her."
Andrew held his hand to hid face, it looked like his grip was tightening. Vivli was listening to his story.
"But when she got home, Celphie had other things in mind. It was lightly raining, her clothes were wet. In her hands was a knife. For an hour she looked outside up at the dimly lit moon. She held that knife against her skin. I yelled and screamed trying to get her to stop." Andrew said
His hand was joined by his second. The muscles in his fingers were flexing, the tendons stretching. His muscles began to ache.
"Celphie had that blade to her neck. She was crying. I couldn't do anything. She couldn't see me or hear me." Andrew said, tears were dropping down his face. "I can't explain what happened. I wanted to touch her just once so she could know I was there. That's when it happened. I grabbed her hand. The metal slightly cut her neck when I actually grabbed her hand. Puling it away I knew Celphie could see me."
He held his right hand out. On it was the scar from the previous battle. The one Vivli herself healed.
"I pulled that hand away, but this gift of touch was more than I knew." Andrew started to say grimly. "My spirit started to seep into her body. From that night, I have been with my sister."
Andrew put his hands on Vivli's.
"I do not want to see that ever happen again." Andrew said sincerely
His gaze pierced Vivli's eyes. She blinked.
"Now, lets eat. You look like you could use the energy." Andrew finished
As they ate Kotosumex walked into the bar. He noticed that Andrew was not piss drunk at the moment, so something was aria. Amand accompanied him. His great katana hung off of his belt. The two warriors sat at the table.
"So what is our next plan of action?" Amand asked
"I haven't a clue." Kotosumex said with a sigh
Angel walked in to the bar as well. But she was without weapon. Noticing Andrew and Vivli she sat down at the table with Koto and Amand.
"Ah Angel, glad to see you join our ranks." Amand said
"Yes, so. Anyone think of anything?" Kotosumex asked
"I have an idea." Angel said
"Well, lets hear it." Amand said
"Ok. If we are going to attack the Shadow Lord, we need to minimize their defenses." Angel said
"How do we do that?" Kotosumex asked
"We need to retake the three nations." Angel explained. "If we want to stand any chance against this monster, we have to show him our power."
The two looked at her like she was crazy. Being dead for a dozen years might do that to a person.
"Well, it's worth a shot. We will ride out to Bastok tonight. I'll find the best warriors we have and we'll have an attack to the first nation." Amand said
Vivli sees Angel on the other side of the room. She gets up. At that moment Angel spots her and she too gets up, but Angel leaves the building. Vivli quickly rushes out after her. Vivli calls out to her but Angel ignores her. She rushes up and grabs Angel's arm.
"Hey Angel…" Vivli spoke
She was cut off. Angel turned around. There was an extremely pissed off look on her face. Angel slapped Vivli so hard she fell backwards.
"But… why…" Vivli said looking up at her
"Why?" Angel said impatiently. "You ask why I'm mad? You sat there and left Celphie to die!"
Vivli couldn't comprehend what was going on. But then it came back to her. When Celphie was attacked she tried to save her. But then Voldos died. Her eyes widened in shock.
"I…i…" Vivli stuttered
"You what? You chocked. You were so self absorbed into yourself you turned your back on a fellow warrior. She was trying to save us and you left them to die!" Angel yelled
Angel turned and stormed off. Andrew came running out to see this happen. He came running up to Vivli.
"Hey what's going on?" Andrew asked
He saw Vivli on the ground holding a red cheek. She looked up at him with teary eyes. Lunging at him Vivli put her arms around him.
"I'm so sorry!" Vivli burst out saying
"Wait. Did I miss something?" Andrew asked
"I'm so sorry." Vivli continued to cry. "I almost let you die."
"Hey hey, stop. It's all right. I'm alive, no worries." Andrew said
He tried to reassure her, to at least stop her from crying again. Vivli looks up at him, eyes red cheeks stained from her tears. He took his cloak off and put it around her.
"You need to get some rest. This day has been really tiring for you." Andrew said
"I can't. Not after…" Vivli said before drifting to sleep
Andrew had a crystal vial in his hand. A small dab of it on his finger he touched her nose. The sleeping potions vapors knocked her out quickly.
Picking her up in the cloak he took her to his room. Putting her in his bed we walked out locking the door. Leaning against the wall he sighed.
"So brother. You still adore this woman who left your dear sister to die?" Celphie asked
Andrew did not answer her. He walked up to the bar and ordered a whole bottle of liquor. Placing the money down he walked outside. Approaching the boats he saw Angel with her sword swinging it around practicing it. He stands there watching it. Angel sees him, lowering her sword she speaks.
"Hey." Angel said
Andrew laughs to himself.
"Having fun with your new sword?" Andrew asked
Angel grins.
"Wanna se how good it is?" Angel asked
"I don't know… What's in it for me?" Andrew asked
Angel cocks her head.
"What do you mean by that?" Angel asked
"Just a little wager. Say I win. You have to apologize and forgive Vivli." Andrew spoke
Angel laughs.
"All right. If I win, you have to stop drinking." Angel proposed
Andrew set his bottle on the ground. Drawing his rifle he holds it with the bladed side out.
"Deal." Andrew answered
Andrew rushed at Angel. Swinging low Angel jumps over him. She swings down; Andrew tilts his head to the side narrowly avoiding the attack. Turning to face her she runs at Angel again. This time swinging high Angel rolls to the side. The Mithra swings her rapier; Andrew swings his sword to the side deflecting the attack. Andrew backed away.
"This is too heavy. I can't move fast enough." Andrew thinks to himself
Hitting a leaver the sword attachment slides off and he puts the rifle down. This time he waits for Angel to attack first. In a burst a speed Angel runs behind him. Andrew moves his weapon fast enough to block her attack. She swings again coming down. Andrew rolls out of the way. Angel comes at him again. He blocks the attack but when her sword hits his he feels a strong shock. His muscles spasm as the electricity runs through his body.
"Damnit!" Andrew yells pushing Angel away
Backing away he sees Angels body twitch.
"So, she's using magic." Andrew thinks. "I'll play your game."
Andrew slides his black out goggles on and runs in a circle around Angel. Pulling out a white crystal he throws it down on the ground. In the flash Angel is blinded. She panics and starts swinging violently. There is a kick behind her knocking her over. Recovering she raises a hand, from it a burst of flame engulfs the area.
The light fades away and there is a crash. Andrew threw a vial on the ground filling the area with black smoke. Raising both her hands Angel casts a strong aero spell blowing all the smoke away. Unable to spot Andrew she turns around. The tip of her sword scratches Andrew's throat. While a small revolver's muzzle rests on Angels forehead.
"I call that a draw." Andrew says
"I'll second that." Angel says grinning
They both lower their weapons. Stepping back from one another Angel walks over and picks up the bottle of alcohol.
"I'll hold up my end, if you promise to agree never to drink again." Angel said
Andrew sighs.
"A deal is a deal." Andrew said
He walks over and picks up his rifle. Reattaching the blade Andrew slings the gun over his shoulder. He begins walking towards the boat again. Along the way Lucia comes running to him. The female Hume has a large black scythe on her back. She lunges out and grabs him by the arm. Together they walk to the boat.
Angel stands there with the bottle. Throwing it up into the air she launches a fireball at it. The explosion sends a larger wave of fire through the air. She was nervous.
"I have no idea how we are going to win this one." Angel says to herself
She moves off to the docks sheathing her rapier. In Andrew's room Vivli is still under power of the sleeping potion. Terra's body is still weak from summoning her mother. Cifer and Seres are in their own room pining over what has happened to the world and what they are to do now.
Angel walks onto the boat.
"I don't think I can win this one." Angel thinks to herself
Legal notice. I do not own FFXI. It is property of Square-Enix. All PC's and NPC's have thier respective owners.