Start Date: April 6, 2022
Windwillow
Final Fantasy IV
Chapter Seventeen
Many truths have been revealed. The true mastermind behind Golbez is a sinister Lunarian - Zemus - who seeks the crystals to revive the Giant of Babil and purge the world of humanity. Moreover, Cecil's heritage also owes to the moon: the brother of the elder Lunarian Fusoya, KluYa, the originator of magic and technology on the blue planet, was his father.
With time of the essence, now the party seeks the aid of Bahamut, God of the Eidolons. With time of the essence, his might could tip the scales in this war against Zemus and his pawn Golbez...
Scene One
Rydia shook her head in disbelief.
"You want ME to summon Bahamut?!"
Fusoya nodded.
"I sense your power, and it ought to be adequate. Now we must go to the Lair of the Father, where the Eidolon's deity rests. If you can prove your summoning prowess, he will gift to you his power."
Edge folded his arms.
"We kind of have a global catastrophe to prevent. How long does it take to get there?!"
Fusoya smiled.
"Ten seconds, give or take."
He snapped his fingers and the atmosphere melted into an amorphous foam, reconstructing itself inside a massive cavern. There were no marks, no sigils, only pillars of glistening crystal to light the darkness. As the party stood in shock, Fusoya lowered his hand.
"My responsibilities as steward of the Lunarians allows me the ability to warp to any place on the moon. Welcome to the Lair of the Father, everyone."
Rosa wiped her brow.
"Couldn't you have warned us?"
Cecil nodded, his head spinning.
"My sight is still quaking..."
Fusoya sighed.
"Ah. I had forgotten that the teleportation is so brutal for humans... Well, what's done is done."
Edge scowled.
"Yeah, 'cause YOU didn't get sick, asshole! Don't ever do that again!"
Fusoya ignored him.
"We must press on," he said. "Bahamut lays just beyond..."
The party continued through many chambers, before coming to a massive open area that held a horde of enemies: countless mudmen, dozens of Beholders. There were more there than they had fought to GET to the palace altogether, many times over.
Cecil drew his sword cautiously.
"Not to play the coward, but I don't think we can take them all."
Fusoya shook his head.
"Oh, them? They ought to suffice."
Edge folded his arms.
"Suffice to slaughter us?!"
Fusoya stepped forward.
"Madam Rydia, Madam Rosa, I wish to share with you some secrets."
Both mages cocked their heads.
"The ultimate white magic Holy and the powerful black magic Flare. These spells will serve you well in this war."
He held out his hand, and a series of white pearls began to circle his palm.
"Both are essentially the same principle of compression," he said. "Merely substitute white magic for black and you have the general idea. Holy creates countless spheres of light that can smite the unhallowed. Given that these creatures are quite unholy..."
Fusoya hurled the pearls towards the mudmen.
"Observe white magic at its zenith."
The pearls flew towards the monsters and struck the ground. From the orbs came gigantic columns of white light -some almost a meter across - that pierced the air and dissolved the mudmen. There was no noise, just a brilliant flash of light.
Edge's jaw dropped, followed by the rest. Fusoya flexed his wrist.
"And for Flare, instead of holy light, fire of the highest calibur is released in bursts. Allow me to show you..."
Dozens of small fireballs began to dance around his palm.
"The rest of them ought to go down from this. Flare, obliterate them."
He threw the fireballs towards the beholders, and as they neared they suddenly stopped in midair.
"The hell?!" shouted Edge. "Keep going!"
Fusoya grinned.
"Remember, I used the word 'compression.' This spell breaks down cellular walls and collapses on itself, as I shall demonstrate..."
Indeed, the orbs began to flicker and quake, and as they shrunk multiple streams of light were drawn into the shrinking sphere. From the tiniest of points titanic spheres of white-hot flame exploded and shook the cavern. The fireballs easily disintegrated the beholders and left nothing but dust.
As the smoke cleared Edge stared at the aftermath and was, for once, speechless. Fusoya turned to the party and smiled.
"Holy and Flare," he said cheerfully. "You ought to be talented enough to have gleamed it, yes?"
Rosa slowly nodded her head.
"I... never thought white magic could be so destructive... But, I believe I understand it now."
Rydia wiped sweat from her brow, and nodded.
"That was unreal..."
Cecil sheathed his sword. Even he trembled in fear at the spells.
"How much further is Bahamut...?"
Fusoya gestured towards the back of the cave.
"He is just beyond the testing grounds. Come."
Edge shook his head in disbelief.
"TESTING GROUNDS?! What the hell is that supposed to mean?! I don't like the way you said that!"
Fusoya shook his head.
"You are in no danger, friends. All the trials are Madam Rydia's to pass."
Rydia swallowed hard. He didn't say that SHE wasn't in danger...
Scene Two
At the end of the cavern was a series of plateaus, four in all, that were scattered behind a deep abyss. All were lined with multicolored crystals that shimmered with light, and each was bordered by pillars of shining silver.
"Welcome to the testing grounds," said Fusoya. "Each platform holds a sacred beast that will judge Rydia's aptitude as a summoner. The rules are simple: you may use any number of Eidolons you like, and defeat the holy one to proceed."
Rydia narrowed her eyes.
"You said any number... Is there a reason for that?"
Fusoya nodded grimly.
"Once you summon an Eidolon, you may not call it for the following tests."
Edge clenched his fist.
"So you're sealing her Eidolons as she moves on? We don't even know what kind of judge that she's fighting!"
Fusoya frowned.
"They are called behemoths."
Edge's face sunk.
"Love the name... That sounds just peachy, now doesn't it?! How big are these things?!"
Rydia shook her head.
"This is my trial, Edge. Stay back."
As she stepped towards the first platform, Edge narrowed his eyes. He could hear the quiver in her voice... Was she really ready?
Scene Three
Rydia stepped up to the first platform, and took a deep breath. She looked towards Fusoya and nodded.
"Very well!" said the Lunarian. As he snapped his fingers, his face went stone cold sober.
The chamber rumbled, and through a great tremor the behemoth appeared. It was easily the size of a barn, deep purple with a sturdy hide and vicious horns; its muscles bulged and rippled through its skin.
Edge stepped back in shock (and terror, though he wouldn't admit it).
"What in the HELL!? She can't fight that thing! None of us can!"
He shook Fusoya's shoulders.
"C'mon, old man! Stop this!"
Fusoya brushed him away, and shook his head.
"To wield the power of a god," he said softly, "one must hold the power to dominate him. She will fight this alone..."
Edge's face twitched.
"... and she shall conquer," he finished.
He turned back to Rydia and nodded. The poor girl, though, trembled like a leaf in a hurricane. Her blood pulsed, her face sweated, and the terror of the demons of hell flashed through her eyes. Still, she slowly lifted her hand and turned it palm-up.
"I choose you, Ifrit..." she murmured.
A small ember formed in her palm, and as she crushed it with her fist the ogre Ifrit appeared in a volcano of fire. He turned back to her and nodded. As she smiled back weakly, Ifrit turned to face the behemoth and snarled.
Ifrit slammed its claw into the ground, sending a shockwave at the beast. The behemoth gave a loud bellow and the wave disintegrated, blowing everyone back several paces. Rydia's eyes went wide in terror.
The behemoth snarled with enough force to spew its saliva into Rydia's face. Disgusted, she swept it away with her hand and stared at the creature defiantly.
"Ifrit, be careful!" she yelled. "But I believe in you! Please!"
Giving a nod, Ifrit turned to the behemoth and snarled. He swept his hands together with a trail of flame, and slammed his fists into the ground. A great tremor shook the arena, as the ground beneath him began to crack.
The ground underneath Ifrit broke open to reveal a massive, molten boulder that he rode into the sky. As everyone (Rydia included) marveled, he took his fists and slammed them into the fiery rock.
With a roar the behemoth lunged, and swung its horn at the flaming stone. The hellfire broke through its face and melted half of it off, but it continued forward with a deep bellow as it swung its claw at Rydia.
"Sh..." gasped Rydia. "Shiva!"
Shiva appeared and swept Rydia from the behemoth's path, allowing it to break open the ground it struck. As Shiva hovered above with Rydia, the behemoth opened its maimed maw and roared in anger. The part of its face that remained burned with lava, dripping down like a bloody demon's tears.
Everyone watching screamed. There was no way NOT to.
"Oh my GOD!" yelled Edge. "Rydia, don't do this! You can't kill this thing!"
Cecil shook his head.
"This is her choice," he said grimly. "Respect her resolve."
Edge punched Cecil in the face. As the paladin reeled, he turned to Rydia and ripped off his facial veil.
"God DAMN IT!" shouted the ninja, saliva pouring from his mouth. "She can't do this! She can't-"
Rosa slapped him hard. She stared at him with tears in her eyes, but only shook her head in silent contempt. Edge snarled, but turned to face the battle and locked eyes with the behemoth.
"If it gives her a single scratch," he spoke coldly, "I'm gonna rip it a new one."
He narrowed his eyes, and turned them to Rydia. He silently nodded, as she returned the gesture.
The behemoth roared, half its face dissolving in magma. It reared back and lunged with a violent tremor. Ifrit slammed his hands into the floor and sent an inferno of fire hurtling at the beast.
Meeting the hellfire with its left arm, it shattered its own limb and threw the hellfire back. Ifrit leapt back just in time to evade, but the beast leered above him with its one intact horn aimed at his chest.
Rydia clapped her hands together.
"Ramuh!"
The Eidolon appeared in a thunderous display, a violent thunderbolt piercing the behemoth and sending its bloody remains to the winds. Ramuh caught his breath, and looked fearfully at his summoner. It had taken three of her best to take down ONE, and two remained.
Shiva softly lowered Rydia to the ground, and with a silent sob she and the other Eidolons dispersed. The party stood in silence, terror evident on their faces. Edge's tongue bled as he bit it, a look on his face that could scarcely be categorized. Picture every negative emotion rolled up into one wad of bloody phlegm, and you might catch it.
Fusoya stepped onto the broken and blood-soaked battleground, and raised his hand.
"Summoner Rydia has passed!" he shouted. "Two more trials remain. How many Eidolons do you have left?"
She paused. There was Titan, the Mist Dragon... And Odin. And the Feymarch's royals. She had five Eidolons remaining to fight two more behemoths and Bahamut.
Rydia caught her haggard breath. She swallowed hard and turned towards the next platform. The next behemoth awaited.
Scene Four
After passing onto the next platform, past the havoc of the previous battle, the party stood at the second arena. Fusoya raised his hand.
"The second trial shall begin!" he yelled, and snapped his fingers.
Another behemoth burst onto the scene, just as menacing as the previous one. Rydia broke into a cold sweat, and Edge clenched his fist tight enough to draw blood. The summoner swallowed hard, and slammed her hand to the ground.
"Titan!" she called. "I'm counting on you!"
Titan erupted from the ground and landed, turning to face Rydia and then the behemoth. He cracked his knuckles, and the behemoth gave a titanic roar. The behemoth charged, and Titan ran to meet it.
"That's insane!" screamed Edge. "It'll butcher him!"
Rydia shook her head.
"No..."
Her eyes burned with resolve.
"He destroyed the entire area around Mist! He can do it if he does that again!"
The behemoth and the giant Eidolon met and, with a thunderous bellow, the two clashed evenly. Titan struggled hard, as did the behemoth, but steadily the Eidolon began to push it back.
Edge pumped his fist.
"Oh HELL YEAH! Go, big guy!"
As Titan continued to push the behemoth dug its claws into the ground, bracing itself. The two pushed hard, their muscles bulging so big as to burst.
Rydia stared in silence. Titan wasn't strong enough to win alone! Her hand trembled, but she clenched her fist and thrust it forward.
"Asura!" she yelled. "Dice him to bits!"
A fierce gust shook the arena, as Asura appeared above the behemoth with her four weapons brandished. Titan struggled, but managed to lock his arms and legs around the behemoth's neck and drag it to the ground head-first, driving it into the earth.
Asura's arms whirled in a furious circle, and her swords dug into the behemoth's neck. Like a drill she ground into the beast's flesh and hacked at its sinew. With several strikes its head was torn open, and with a final lunge from both Asura and Titan its giant head was thrown from its body and from the arena.
The behemoth's headless corpse slammed to the ground, and Asura turned to face Rydia. She smiled warmly.
"You've done well!" she yelled.
Rydia shook her head.
"All I have left is..."
Asura smiled.
"Summon Odin."
She and Titan vanished, and Fusoya lifted his hand to signal the end.
"Summoner Rydia has passed! One trial remains before Bahamut."
Cecil grinned. She was actually winning! He caught Rosa's eye, and the two shared a warm smile. Edge struggled just to catch his breath.
Rydia wiped the sweat from her brow. There was only one behemoth left! But, why did Asura say to call Odin so... confidently?
Scene Five
The party ascended to the final trial platform. Fusoya lifted his hand.
"The third trial shall begin!" he shouted, snapping his fingers.
Again the third behemoth burst onto the scene. Edge grit his teeth.
"I'm so sick of that thing!"
Rydia stepped up to face the behemoth. There was only one way to know if Odin could win...
"Odin!" she called. "Come to me!"
There was no noise at first. Then a soft whistle sounded, and a thin line ran down the behemoth's body. With a shower of blood the behemoth fell into two pieces as Odin appeared, a titanic sword in his hand, and slammed it to the ground with a single earthshattering blow. The sword tore open the earth and shattered one of the surrounding pillars.
As the arena erupted into chaos and the behemoth was rent to pieces, Odin turned to face a stunned Rydia. He sheathed his sword and smiled.
"My debt is paid," said the King. "Thank you for all you've done for Cecil."
Silence reigned. No one knew quite what to say. As Edge fell to his seat in shock, Fusoya lifted his hand.
"Summoner Rydia has passed! She may now meet the Father of Eidolons!"
Rydia's face beamed. Cecil and Rosa hi-fived, and Edge staggered to his feet. He stumbled, but managed a weak grin.
"Uh... WOW."
Fusoya turned to the final platform.
"Proceed to the Father's realm..." he murmured. He bowed his head. "May heaven be with her!"
The party startled. None of them liked the way he'd said that...
Now ascending to the final platform, the party found themselves in a grand temple. The pillars were gold with silver dragons carved into them, and a series of torches burst into view, illuminating the sight of a massive throne.
Atop the stone throne was a shadowed figure, great and large. The torches' light burned bright blue and the king was revealed. He was a massive dragon, with a wingspan as large as an airship's sail. Black and blue toned, Bahamut was heavily scaled and muscled to reveal a majestic form.
Bahamut's eyes locked on Rydia. She flinched.
"And this is the summoner?" he rasped. "I expected an adult."
Fusoya shook his head.
"Young she may be, but she has passed your trials."
Bahamut paused.
"No... I don't care. She's too young. Get lost."
Edge clenched his fist.
"You overgrown...!"