Apathy stood hunched over holding her head. Angel's form had been taken over by the corrupted magic. When Terra tried to expel it the first time, she was unsuccessful in getting it completely out of her mother's body. This time, since it was incomplete, the magic had only taken over Angel's body. Angel still had control of her mind.
"Kill them!" Isclei yelled at Apathy
She hesitated. Opening her eyes she stared at the friends se tried so hard to save. She fought her body's urge to strike. The thought of spilling their blood was becoming harder to resist. Apathy flexed her claws. The black slime that soaked her hands started to drip. The acidic poison hit the ground leaving burn marks. Still Apathy did not move.
"Fine, if you won't kill them. We will have to beat you into submission!" Isclei yelled
Pride and Gluttony moved in on Apathy. She wiped her head around rapidly keeping an eye on everyone around her. Suddenly seeing now that they were to attack her the combined instincts kicked in. The basic need to survive become more evident. Apathy and Angel synced.
Apathy dived to the right. Rolling around Pride Apathy landed behind him. Launching herself forward she ripped through his armor. The poison on her claws ate through his armor. Apathy dug in deep. Through his spine, past his heart, through his ribcage, and out through his armor again. Pride died on his feet. As he died the corruption magic was being eaten. Apathy grew stronger as she killed this sin.
"You bitch!" Gluttony yelled
He ran at her with his sword. Apathy caught it with her hand. The metal broke down and melted. Pulling her arm out of Pride she sung it wildly at Gluttony. Boring into his flesh he fell bleeding. The poison seeped into his body. It was feeding off of the corrupted magic. Draining it and his life Apathy fed off of its power growing stronger.
"Turn it off!" Isclei yelled at greed
Greed quickly hits the button on the arcane watch. The enchanted gears stopped ticking. The control on Angel lessened. The black veins subsided down her arms feeding back into her dark claws. Angel awoke from the shadow trance. She was in better shape this time. Still able to stand Angel glared at Greed. Frightened Greed drops the arcane watch running away.
"Damnit! Get her!" Isclei ordered
Vivli jumped out from her hiding spot. Dashing across the floor she picked up the watch. Making a diving roll to get out of the way Sloth immediately turned to get the fleeing Mithra.
"No." Elnroth said
The Elvaan got up and tackled Sloth. Punching him in the back of the head Sloth turned his attention again to Elnroth.
"So this is how it is huh? You want to fight me now that I have become so much stronger than you?" Sloth said
"Intimidation is not something that will work on the strong minded. You always used tricks to defeat your opponents. Just because your stronger and faster doesn't mean you are going to beat me." Elnroth taunted
Sloth swung at Elnroth. He ducked under the swing jobbing Sloth in the ribs. Backing away after having the wind knocked out of him he smiled.
"Looks like a good fight." Sloth laughed
Angel was trying to get out of the way of the fights. Drained of her energy she could still move. But it wasn't enough to defend her self with. Watching her surrounds Angel's eyes went wide. Terra held her arms out. Collecting energy around her she fired off a beam of negative energy. Hitting Angel square in the chest it sent her flying back. Ginryu ran out catching her before Angel hit the ground.
"Hey, you alright there?" Ginryu asked
Angel didn't have enough strength to say anything back to her. Seres and Ginryu did what they could to help heal her. Every spell they cast was in vain. Their magic just was not curing her. Angel was in a wave of pain; the corruption spell was attacking her from the inside. Trying to cast the two mages could feel their magical energy being drained. Finding the cause there was Terra standing. She held her hands out to her sides collecting energy. An evil summoning circle grew on the ground under her feet. Astral lines were being drawn from Ginryu and Seres. Their magical energy being tapped and siphoned from them. Terra was absorbing it collecting it into a second negative energy blast. This one would kill them all.
Angel lifted her head. Opening a single eye she could see Cifer diving in to cover Seres. Ginryu was behind Angel holding her up.
"Heh, heh, heh. This will be so much FUN!" Terra yelled
Angel closed her eyes. Calling on the last of her strength she yelled out.
"Vivli, use the watch!" Angel yelled
The words echoed in the air. Vivli was watching the situation. It was all about to go to hell. Closing her eyes she held the arcane watch in her hands. Clutching it tightly she pressed the button on the top of the watch.
Terra let loose the bolt of negative energy. Angel's body shifted to Apathy. This time Angel didn't resist the spells effect. Her spirit subsided into her mind. She subconsciously guided her body.
The negative magic flew towards the group, but it stopped short of contact.
"Heh, you think a little magic is going to stop me?" Apathy said
Holding the orb of negative energy she absorbed it. Its power restored her power again.
"Now to take care of you." Apathy growled
She dashed at Terra. Diving into a roll she jumped up just before her. She held Terra by the neck above her. Apathy grinned looking into the pain of the other Mithra.
"Let her go!" Isclei yelled
He went to draw a weapon of his own. Putting a hand on the sword attached to his hilt he saw his own death come.
A single shot exploded. Celphie picked up her rifle, she shot once, and the bullet tore a hole in his chest. Isclei moved a hand over it to heal it the best he could. Before Isclei could try anything Celphie shot again. A second hole bore through his form. Then a third sending him back. As he tried to regain his stance Lucia came rushing from behind him. Pulling her scythe from behind her she had it catch him in the side. Pulling it she sliced Isclei in two. As he died the spell he had put on Terra was lessening.
Ginryu was the first to react.
"Vivli, turn the watch off!" Ginryu called out
Terra was squirming in Apathy's grasp. Every time Terra moved Apathy squeezed harder. Just as Isclei fell dead and the spell died too, Terra was back to herself staring at the face of her corrupted mother.
"…mother…please…" Terra cried
Apathy squeezed again, this time the spell from the arcane watch stopped. The corruption magic fell silent again. Now it was Angel holding her child in the air. Before she could let go Apathy had used so much pressure it has fractured her spine. The corruption in her hands convulsed. A last jerk and Terra fell limp in her grasp. Angel let go immediately. Her body fell dead to the ground as Angel fell back in horror at what she had done.
"No, dear goddess no…" Angel started to cry
Elnroth and the rest now had been able to hold back Sloth. He was detained for the time being.
"Let me go before I kill you all!" Sloth yelled
Elnroth held his sword steady at his chest.
"Stay still." Elnroth spoke to him
Angel was holding her face in shock staring at her dead daughter.
"No… I couldn't have… I just couldn't have…" Angel cried in disbelief
Sloth was yelling at everyone still. Then he saw Angel on the ground crying.
"And you, you were a terrible parent. If you weren't so pathetic she wouldn't have died!" Sloth yelled
"You need to shut up now." Ginryu yelled
Angel heard his words. Their bitter truth sank in.
"Let him go." Angel said
Angel stood up wearily. Turning to Sloth the two catch each other's eyes.
"Let him go…" Angel said again
Lucia couldn't hold on to him anymore. Letting go of Sloth he ran out at Angel. Sloth landed a punch directly in her chest. The force from the blow sent her across the ground. She skidded to a stop on the gravel. Beaten and bruised Angel coughed up blood. Looking up, there stood Sloth.
"Now, its time for you to finally die." Sloth taunted
Their eyes caught a glance. Sloth held his fist ready to strike but stopped.
"…zanu…" Angel spoke softly with tears in her eyes
Her body was shaking in fear.
"What happened to you?" Angel asked
On the spot Angel lied bleeding was the same city those two had pledged their lives to one another. Angel's eyes were tired, tired from worrying, tired from crying, tried from everything.
"Please come back…" Angel said with a final breath
She raised her hands and held Sloth's face. Once Angel touched his skin the corrupted magic still retaining in her hands started to drain the spells power from Sloth. He put his hands on hers. Trying to push away it only made the siphoning of the magic faster. Regaining power from it Angel rose to her feet. Still looking in his eyes she lent up and kissed him. Sloth soon stopped resisting. A final pulse and Sloth was gone. Zanu blinked twice. He was holding his wife again. He held her hands, they were black and had an icy chill to the touch. Zanu moved his hands to her waist pulling Angel up closer to himself. Angel had her eyes close and she pulled herself close to him. In a broken voice she tried to speak.
"I… I've done a horrible thing." Angel confessed
"What could you have possibly done wrong?" Zanu asked. "You saved us all, there is nothing that you have done wrong."
"I couldn't save her. Because of my own actions and choices, I killed her." Angel started to cry
Zanu peered over her shoulder. There on the ground was their daughter. A bruise surrounded her neck. Eyes closed Terra lied on the ground lifeless, her body stiffened and died. Zanu picked Angel up and held her in his arms. The small Mithra shook in his grasp. So distraught he could only comfort her in his arms. Rocking her gently in his arms Angel found little to do but try and hide her fears.
The group was unnerved by this move by the Shadow Lord. If he could have sent his forces in at any time why did he not just send everyone to kill them once and for all, instead of toying with them like this.
All that was left to do was clean up and bury the bodies of the dead.
Legal notice. I do not own FFXI. It is property of Square-Enix. All PC's and NPC's have thier respective owners.