Start Date: March 10, 2022
Windwillow
Final Fantasy IV
Chapter Ten
Having lost the four crystals above the world's crust, Cecil and his party descended below to find that two others had been taken. After tussling with a pair of wicked dolls, they met Golbez and were nearly slain.
However, Rydia returned and helped defeat the warlock. She had been trained in the land of Eidolons, the Feymarch, and now reunited with Cecil to continue their struggle.
But Golbez survived, and stole the crystal. With four crystals of light and three of dark in his hands, the situation seems grim. One remains, but what of the seven he's already taken?
To the Tower of Babil! Retrieve the seven crystals and thwart Golbez!
Scene One
"The Tower of Babil lies north," said King Giott. "Golbez is holding the seven crystals there, somewhere."
Cid folded his arms.
"The Enterprise can't help much. Between the damage from the crash and the ridiculous heat, she won't last long down here. Can you lend a hand, guys?"
King Giott nodded.
"Our technicians will give you all the help you need."
Cid nodded.
"Aye. When she's back up and runnin', I'll run uptop to fortify it with Mythril so she can operate down here. Sorry, Cecil... I've gotta sit this one out."
Cecil sighed, but extended his hand.
"We all have our parts to play. I'll see you when we complete our objectives."
Cid clasped his hand and shook. King Giott cleared his throat.
"We'll support you with our tanks. It'll take about a day to get 'em ready, so y'all better head out now. Down below is a passageway to the Tower. Head northwest and you can't miss it."
Kain leaned against a pillar.
"If this place is his base, Golbez will have it armed to the teeth with guards. We all must be ready for combat at any time, on any scale."
Yang folded his arms.
"We're ready. Cecil?"
Cecil nodded.
"Let's head out immediately."
In the corner of the throne room, a young child clutched at the remnants of Calca and Brina. She was Luca, the king's daughter, and the one who made the puppets. Losing them was a harsh blow for the child, but she could always rebuild and improve.
Scene Two
The trip to the Tower took two days. Having rested in Rosa's magic circles on the way, the party finally caught sight of the Tower of Babil. It was titanic, reaching from deep below the ground to all the way up to the surface.
"He's got one hell of a tower," remarked Kain. "Is he compensating for something?"
Cecil shook his head.
"Save the small talk. We have to-"
He was interrupted by a goblin's attack. Sliding back, he drew his sword and beheaded the monster, as more arrived. There were dozens of them, easily.
"Showtime!" said Kain as he shouldered his lance. "This ought to be fun."
Yang sighed.
"Show some dignity. It's a battle, not a party."
The goblins charged, brandishing their daggers and crossbows. A fleet of crossbowmen launched a series of volleys that Rosa deflected with a shield, and the horde rushed forward to meet the fighters.
Yang's fists hit hard, and Kain's lance tasted blood like a fiend. As they clashed with the imps, Rydia placed her hands out in front of her. A green light shone from between her fingers.
"Titan!"
From the earth a huge hand tore from the ground, as the same giant that had leveled Mist dragged itself up to the battlefield. It flexed its muscles, and stomped hard on the ground. The earth rippled and quaked, as a series of tremors caught and crushed the goblins.
Cecil swept his sword deftly, and in just a few minutes the battle was over. As they approached, the party saw the fleet of tanks begin to fire at the Tower.
"Now!" yelled Cecil. "While their attention is caught!"
Darting from rock to rock, they reached the door to the Tower as the battle raged. Yang clenched his fists together.
"Allow me!"
He pushed open the giant doors to the Tower, and as they entered Titan sealed the entrance with an earthquake before dissipating into green light.
The Tower of Babil's architecture was similar to the Tower of Zot. Its walls seemed organic, with advanced technologies infused into the entire complex.
"Eerie," remarked Yang. "It looks like Golbez's other base."
Rosa nodded.
"I could have gone without ever seeing this place..."
Cecil cracked his knuckles.
"Let's go."
Scene Three
The Tower was massive, with countless floors. Two floors up, the party encountered a large, open circular area. It was almost like a colosseum. From behind a set of walls a series of enemies charged.
There were two tigers wreathed in flame, much like the ice beasts from the Tower of Zot. Eight flaming golems were also present, along with a strange beast with three heads. One head each of a snake, a goat, and a lion, this monster was an elemental fiend called a chimera.
Cecil drew his sword, and Rosa readied her bow. Rydia lifted both hands above her head.
"Fire elementals are weak against frost!"
She slammed both hands to the ground, and a stream of ice spread forward. As the enemies charged, two of the golems were hit and frozen solid.
"Gotcha!" yelled Rydia.
However, as the other monsters passed by, their flames melted the ice and allowed them to resume the attack. Rydia put her hand to her face.
"In retrospect, water might be better..."
Yang slid back, with one leg far behind him.
"Go, sword of water! Rend with wind and water!"
He charged forward with a mighty roundhouse kick.
"Hyo-ken! Tatsumaki Sen-pu-kyaku!"
As he swung his leg a wild wave of ice water burst from his foot. The water splashed and crushed the two flame tigers, and as the golems charged Cecil coated his sword with light.
"I don't have fancy names, but..."
Cecil drove his sword into the ground, causing an upswell of holy energy beneath the golems that dissolved them with brilliant light. He followed up with a swift slash that rent the remaining two golems and immediately charged towards the chimera.
"No!" shouted Rosa. "It has a breath weapon!"
Before he could react, the chimera's three heads opened in unison. A stream of frost, lightning, and fire roared towards him. With a swipe of her hand Rosa created a shield that blocked the attack, as Rydia put her palms together.
"Mother, help!"
She threw her hands forward, sending a spiraling stream of mist forward. The mist coalesced into the form of her mother's dragon. Opening its mouth wide, its fangs clashed with the chimera's. Both of them immediately loosed their breath weapons.
The mist and the chimera's breath clashed, neither side having the advantage. Steadily, though, the chimera's attack began to push the dragon back.
"Keep it occupied!" yelled Cecil. "I'll slay it!"
Cecil bounded high into the air, and as he fell he coated his sword and drove it downwards, beheading the chimera. The mist dragon's breath continued towards him, but Rydia stretched out her hand and the mist dissolved.
"That," said Cecil as he dropped to his seat, "was intense!"
Yang cracked his knuckles.
"Bring on the rest."
Rydia sighed.
"I guess I should've learned water magic, too..."
Scene Four
At the next floor, the party rushed forward to find an old man with wild hair speaking with another figure. It was a blood-red demon in a fiery cloak, its eyes masked by dark flames.
"Good tidings, Lord Rubicante!" said the scientist.
Rubicante nodded.
"Eblan's ninjas are decimated. There should be no problems."
In a flash the demon dissolved into flames. As the scientist went back to his controls he chuckled.
"With Rubicante and Golbez away, I'm in charge! Ha! Let's break out the popcorn and have a show!"
Rydia cocked her head. What was his deal?
"Who was that?!" exclaimed Cecil as he drew his sword. "What of Eblan?!"
The scientist whirled around.
"Lord Rubicante's assignment is to neutralize the ninjas of the nation of Eblan. A task he is quite capable of doing!"
He paused.
"Wait. Who the hell're you?"
Rosa aimed her bow.
"If you're in league with Golbez, your enemies!"
She fired the arrow, narrowly missing the scientist. He fumed.
"The great Dr. Lugae's in charge now! Forget Golbez, the Tower's mine!"
He paused.
"Wait. Uh... yeah. What the hell's going on?!"
Yang clenched his fist, tightening his muscles. Cecil brandished his sword.
"I won't let you go, fiend!" he yelled.
"My, oh, my!" groaned the scientist. "Seems you're here, Cecil!"
He paused.
"Aw, man. The jerk made it here. Poo."
Dr. Lugae folded his arms.
"Well, whatever. I may not be an archfiend, but I can deal with you lot easy enough."
Kain shouldered his lance.
"That's a laugh."
The scientist fumed.
"Don't look down on me! I'm not alone!"
He jumped back and pulled a lever. The floor opened and a giant, metallic golem burst from the ground. It looked patchwork, with various gears and tubes jutting from itself like a cobbled together chunk of iron.
"Barnabas! Crush 'em!"
The golem nodded. It leaned back and threw a punch, and as it thrust its fist forward the shockwave blew the party off their feet. The aftermath destroyed the wall behind them. As Barnabas flexed its arm, Kain groaned.
"Well, that's a problem..."
Barnabas stomped the ground, unbalancing Dr. Lugae. He clamored to his feet and fumed.
"Watch it, you big oaf!"
Cecil coated his sword in light and charged, his swing matching the golem's and created a shockwave that dropped him to his knees. As he fell, Barnabas reared back for another punch.
"Damn!" cursed Cecil.
With a mighty leap, Kain jumped high into the air. His feet touched the ceiling and he rocketed downwards, his lance impaling Barnabas from shoulder to hip. Barnabas crackled with electricity and went inert. As he drew back, Dr. Lugae fumed again and hobbled forward.
"Fine. I'll move it manually!"
Dr. Lugae hopped into a hatch behind the golem, pulling a lever that created a cockpit for himself. Barnabas' wreck roared back to life.
Rydia slammed her hand to the ground.
"I'll short-circuit the damn thing and fry him at the same time!"
From the ground beneath Dr. Lugae and massive upswell of lightning engulfed the scientist and his creation, a huge explosion rocking the room and ripping the scientist's flesh from his bones. Rosa recoiled.
"Ew..."
Lugae's corpse (or what seemed like a corpse) straightened its back and slammed its feet to the ground. It was a cyborg, metal and wiring replacing bone and sinew. The skull-like face snapped down to meet Cecil's gaze.
"What in hell?!" exclaimed Cecil. Dr. Lugae sneered.
"The human body is so frail. Why not make it steel instead?!"
Cecil staggered to his feet.
"You... monster!"
He charged, his sword clanging against the cyborg's arm with a spark of electricity. With a single swipe he was repelled, and Dr. Lugae's mouth opened wide to reveal a cannon. The cannon fired and sent a mass of gas forward.
"Try my poison!"
The poison hit, and dropped Cecil to his knees. His body immediately locked up, muscles tightening and his consciousness fading. He drove his sword into the ground and managed to keep himself from falling, but Dr. Lugae leered above him. The monstrosity's arm broke open to reveal a nasty drill.
"Taste the power of science!"
As the drill fell, Rosa's face tightened to a snarl.
"Don't you DARE touch that man!"
She threw forward both hands and released a bolt of holy energy that blew the cyborg back into his control panel. Rushing up to Cecil, she laid her hands on his shoulders and dispelled the poison. As Cecil staggered to his feet, he lunged with sword outstretched.
Dr. Lugae's drill arm broke apart to reveal a machine gun. He fired, but Rosa swept her hand and shielded Cecil. From the cyborg's back, a large missile clicked into place. The projectile fired, but Kain rushed forward and skewered it, tossing his lance with it and sending Dr. Lugae's body into his control panel with a spear through his neck.
"You're too late!" croaked Dr. Lugae. "This tower connects the underworld to the world above. Golbez has already taken the crystals aboveground!"
He sparked with electricity.
"My cannons will wipe out the dwarves! Just try and stop them in time!"
The scientist's body exploded, leaving behind a tiny key.
"The dwarves are in danger!" gasped Rydia.
Kain nodded.
"There's no time to waste. Let's go!"
As the party turned to leave, Yang grabbed the key and looked at it carefully. The skull and crossbones on it seemed ominous...
Scene Five
The party rushed up to the highest room, where Cecil banged on the door.
"Open, dammit!"
Yang rushed by and threw the key in the lock. As it turned he ripped the door open, and as the team entered the cannon room three goblins whirled around to meet them.
"What the-"
Rydia blew off their heads with lightning, but as the third fell it drove its dagger into the controls. The party rushed up to the control panel and tried desperately to deactivate it.
"It's no use!" muttered Cecil. "The controls are damaged!"
As he continued to bang on the console, Yang brushed him aside.
"Yang...?"
The monk turned and bowed his head. The time was now.
"Everyone, go! Leave this place to me!"
Kain grabbed his shoulder.
"Idiot! Of course we won't!"
Yang shook his head, and kicked the four out through the door. He gave a mighty kick that caved in the entrance to the cannon room. Though Cecil rushed up, the rubble was inpenetrable. He slammed his fist against it in rage.
"Damn..."
Kain clenched his fist.
"Y-you bloody FOOL!"
Rydia buried her face in her hands.
"No, Yang! DON'T DO IT!"
Turning to face the cannon's controls, Yang bowed his head. He turned to the rubble and narrowed his eyes.
"Tell my wife I love her!"
He leaned his hands back behind his back.
"Shin-ku Ha-do-ken!"
With a mighty thrust he slammed his hands into the controls. The machines sparked and exploded, blowing the party away from the door. Cecil drove his fist to the floor, blood spurting from his knuckles. He began to sob.
"Yang..."
The Tower's walls began to implode, leaving them to abandon the wreckage and run as fast as they could go.
Yang Fang Leiden was no more.
Scene Six
The party rushed from the Tower, fire bursting from the walls. As they reached the final bridge, though, they felt a massive wave of pressure. Cecil whirled around to see the door explode open in a wave of fire.
He knew, without words. Golbez had sealed their fates with his final trap. Running desperately, they managed to reach the rubble of the entrance just as the fires caught up. The rubble burst open, and Cid swooped by in his airship, throwing a rope to the party.
"Grab on!" he shouted. "We're gettin' outta here!"
Grabbing the rope, everyone was dragged from the inferno just in time. They all clamored onto the airship, as Cid beamed at them from the controls.
"Got me some Mythril!" he chuckled. "We can move across the lava now!"
He paused.
"Wait, where's Yang?!"
As Rydia began to sob, he bowed his head.
"I see... Damn..."
The Enterprise began to rumble, and Cid took the helm again.
"The bastards are still with me!"
From behind, the Red Wings' airships charged. They fired their cannons, narrowly missing them as the Enterprise flew towards the underworld's entrance.
"Can we lose them?!" yelled Kain.
Cid growled.
"The bastards upgraded their ships, too!"
The chase was on, and it was a nail-biter. The Red Wings' cannons burst with flame, the shells exploding wildly across the underworld's span. Each time Cid evaded, but as the pursuit continued it became clear that they were cornered.
Cid bowed his head.
"Dammit... Hey, Cecil!"
Cecil turned to face the old man, finding a wild grin on his face. He'd seen that smile enough times to know that Cid was planning something... unpleasant. Cid gestured towards the wheel, silently telling him to take the helm. As Cecil took over, Cid ran to the back of the Enterprise.
"What are you doing?!" yelled Kain.
Cid smirked, and brandished a large round object.
"Keep goin'! I'll seal the underworld's entrance with this bomb!"
"Don't do it!" Rosa screamed. "Yang, and now you?! Please, don't leave us!"
Cid lowered his head.
"I wanted to play with the li'l rugrats you two are gonna make... But me and Yang are bettin' on the same horse here! I ain't lettin' him go and die alone!"
He hopped onto the side of the ship, turning with a smile.
"Head to Baron! My boys'll fix ya up for whatever comes next!"
From the helm, Cecil screamed in frustration. He turned and twisted, wildly evading the cannonfire.
"Don't!"
Cid laughed.
"Just go, you dumb bastard!"
Cecil grit his teeth.
"You son of a..."
He whirled the controls.
"Fine!" shouted Cecil, tears in his eyes. "But don't you dare die here!"
Laughing, Cid hurled himself from the ship. He eyed upwards with a maniacal grin.
"Just go!" he yelled. "I ain't gonna croak from this!"
Cecil turned the controls, sending the airship hurdling upwards. As the Enterprise cleared the surface, Cid laughed harder than ever.
"From me to you, Golbez!" he shouted with a smile. "Take your head and shove it!"
The Enterprise broke the surface as the bomb detonated, a massive explosion sealing the entrance with a sea of fire. As the airship whirled back around, all the party could see was flames.
"NO!" screamed Rydia.
"CID!" Rosa sobbed.
Kain grit his teeth, but said nothing. Cecil bowed his head, then whipped it up towards the sky. He narrowed his eyes as he screamed.
"You will PAY, Golbez! I'll rip your heart out for this!"
And thus, they returned to Baron. Alone.