Start Date: April 9, 2022
Windwillow
Final Fantasy IV
Chapter Nineteen
Despite gaining Bahamut's allegiance, the worst case scenario has come to pass: The Giant of Babil is prepared to obliterate humanity.
But have they failed YET?
Scene One
Cecil's console displayed several windows, including seperate lines to Edward, Yang, the Epopts, and the Mysidian elder and the twins Palom and Porom. Seeing their faces was a great relief, but Cecil suddenly cocked his head.
"Yang? Last I saw you were unconscious in the underworld!"
Yang nursed a head injury.
"I... was helped by my wife."
Edge groaned.
"I thought she was joking..."
Cid's face popped up on the monitor.
"When we heard you went to the moon, we figured something was up!" yelled Cid. "Then we have a big-ass robot try and bust us up! Why didn't you tell us?"
Cecil sighed. It wasn't like they'd known about the Giant yet...
He shook his head.
"That doesn't matter. We need to get inside the Giant! Is there a maintenance hatch?"
Cid grinned.
"I can blow a hole in it. That good enough?"
Rydia put her hand to her face.
"THAT'S your plan? Geez..."
Edge rushed up to the monitor.
"Who are the rest of these guys?" he asked. He pointed to the former party members. "I never met these jokers."
From the screen, Edward stepped up to the monitor.
"When I recovered, I heard that something was happening. I couldn't just lay in bed!"
One of the Epopts nodded.
"When we contacted Baron, we were told of the situation. We've brought a fleet of white mages to act as a medical corps."
Palom shoved his face to the screen.
"The Elder fixed us! Need a genius or two?"
Porom smacked him on the head. As he nursed the injury, she turned to face Cecil.
"Everyone on the planet is here to fight!" she shouted. "If we need to enter that thing to stop it, I suppose Cid's idea makes sense."
The Elder shook his head.
"Maybe, maybe not. Our cannons haven't been able to penetrate that armor."
Cid appeared on the screen brandishing a grenade, the same he'd used to seal the underworld. He gave a toothy grin, and Cecil sighed. Cid's plan was SO him, but it seemed like the only idea.
"Bring us around to the Giant," he said. "We'll enter and take care of the rest."
The party transferred from the Lunar Whale to the Enterprise, where they met with Cid. He was still bandaged but stubborn as ever (his doctor came along to berate him).
"Okay!" he beamed. "Bring us to the sucker, pilot!"
Whirling the Enterprise around, the pilot sailed to just above the Giant's head. Cid pulled the pin and tossed it down. A massive explosion rocked the airship as a huge hole was broken open in the Giant's skull.
Cid gestured to the party.
"We'll put a rope ladder down! Good luck!"
Edge cracked his knuckles.
"We'll give 'em hell!"
Scene Two
The party slid down a rope ladder into the skull of the Giant of Babil, where they found a wide open space filled with gears, cogs, and steel plates. A dull rumbling echoed, along with a trembling sensation. They were inside what looked like a clockwork Tower of Babil.
As they dropped from the ladder, the team drew their weapons. There was no doubt that a fight was imminent. Edge glanced around, trying to find a clue as to WHAT the fight would entail.
Edge narrowed his eyes as he looked all around. There didn't seem to be anything, but...
"I hate this place!" he muttered. "Creepy as hell..."
His senses piqued and he whirled around as a series of humanoid robots dropped from the ceiling. They continued to fall and fall, soon surrounding the party with overwhelming numbers. Edge wiped his brow.
"I liked it better when it was just creepy!"
As Cecil brandished Excalibur, he coated it in light.
"Numbers are against us..." murmured the Paladin. "Swords and daggers won't do much good against this army..."
Fusoya stepped forward and shook his head. He lifted his hands and pearls of light formed in his palms.
"Swords are irrelevant. Magic will do."
Stepping forward, Rosa mimicked his actions, and dozens of tiny lights alighted her hands.
"I can help!" she said as she cracked her knuckles. "It's time to see how well I truly command white magic!"
She nodded to Fusoya, and they stood back to back. As the army whirred and clicked they hurled the orbs to the ground, circling the party. Within moments a bright light flashed, and huge columns of white energy disintegrated the monsters.
As the energy surged, Rosa flicked her wrists and hurled a series more that eviscerated the foes that continued to drop. The light faded and as the clear path was revealed, Rosa turned to Cecil and winked. He returned with a soft smile and a wink of his own.
Scene Three
The party dashed through the halls of the Giant, a place filled with cogs and steel beams that pulsed with power. As they did they encountered much resistance, fighting hordes more of the robotic guards as they fought their way down.
From behind a corner came two huge constructs, shaped like humans with exaggerated limbs and huge fists. Cecil drew his sword and coated it in light, as Edge tightened his grip on his daggers.
"I am so SICK of these guys!" shouted Edge.
Cecil brandished Excalibur and severed one of the iron giants' arms.
"And I'm sick of you TELLING me you're sick! Just fight, dammit!"
Edge growled, but said nothing. He swiftly dashed to the second giant and, in a flurry of blades, cut it to ribbons. As he landed he spat on the machine in fury.
Rydia sighed and shook her head.
"So immature..."
With a single downward stroke Cecil cut the first enemy in half. The party continued on until they reached a wide open area with a pathway towards a massive door.
"We must be getting close!" yelled Rosa.
The party continued until Cecil sensed a presence, one that he knew well.
"Get back!" he shouted.
As the party slid to a halt the room began to warp. Four familiar faces appeared surrounding them: the Four Archfiends, whole and intact. Edge growled.
"How many times do we have to kill you guys?!" he screamed as he drew his daggers. "You jokers..."
He fell to one knee. The battles had taken too much of a toll. Angrily Edge staggered to his feet and pointed his daggers at Rubicante.
"Bastard!" shouted Edge.
Rubicante shook his head.
"It doesn't help to shout."
Scarmiglione cast off his cloak to reveal his warped undead form, muscles bulging and veins throbbing.
"Lord Golbez has ordered your executions!" he hissed.
Angrily, Cecil coated Excalibur in light and severed his head.
"I... Don't... CARE!"
Barbariccia turned into a hurricane and lunged.
"DIE!"
Rosa lifted her hands and cast a spell, stopping the Archfiend dead in her tracks. Fusoya waved his and obliterated her with a massive explosion of Flare. Her remains smoldered and turned to dust. As Rubicante drew a sword of fire, the two warriors dashed forward and cut him to pieces.
"I don't have time to play with you!" screamed Edge. He landed and brandished his daggers at Cagnazzo. "Get outta my way!"
Rydia stepped forward and clasped her hands together.
"I know someone who wants to see you again!"
A crack sounded and with a bolt of thunder Odin appeared, brandished his sword Zantetsuken. Cagnazzo had a few moments to panic before the Eidolon cut him to ribbons. The party dashed towards the door and Cecil coated his sword again. He gave a fierce shout and slashed the door in two.
Behind the door was a bizarre machine: three rounded orbs, one big and the other small. There were lines of pulsing energy crisscrossing throughout the spheres, with large 'eyes' of red light staring out at them.
The large orb turned its eye to the party. Its smaller counterpart's eye glowed and blasted a wave of red energy that Edge narrowly evaded. As it pulsed and charged again, Edge hurled his dagger and pierced the machine's cannon, causing it to implode on itself.
Odin lifted his sword and slammed it down, sending a shockwave that cut the CPU in half. A second swing diced it to quarters, and as the orb exploded the Eidolon vanished in a flash of light. Cecil rushed up to the machine and slashed it a few more times until the computer sparked and combusted.
Cecil fell to one knee and blood dribbled from his mouth, a result of the continuous battles. Edge similarly dropped to his seat, exhausted.
"Is it over?!" he gasped. He dropped his daggers and fell to his back. "I got nothin' left..."
From behind them the air warped, revealing Golbez and Kain. Kain shouldered his lance, and Golbez's arms crackled with dark energy. Cecil coughed blood but rose, staggering to his feet. He narrowly righted himself, given that he had nothing left after dozens of battles.
Golbez lifted his hands.
"Damn pests... Meteor will deal with you!"
Fusoya sighed.
"That's quite enough, Zemus."
He snapped his fingers and a ring sounded. The noise dropped the warlock and the dragoon to their knees, gripping their heads with both hands and writhing in pain. Golbez's gauntlet clenched and slammed into the ground.
As Cecil wearily drew Excalibur, he narrowed his eyes at Golbez.
"Damn you, Golbez!" he shouted.
Golbez's hand went limp. He twitched a bit, staggered to his feet, and shook his head.
"Golbez...? Who is Golbez?"
Edge cocked his head.
"The hell...?"
The warlock fell to one knee.
"Damn... It's all so cloudy..."
Fusoya stepped over an unconscious Kain and placed a hand on Golbez's shoulder.
"Enough, Theodore..." he murmured. "Enough..."
Golbez shook him off, and staggered back. He clutched his head with both hands.
"Wake up!" said Fusoya. "Wake up and speak your father's name!"
Slowly Golbez lowered his hands. He looked at them carefully, then turned to Fusoya.
"Father...? KluYa...?"
Rosa gasped.
"KluYa?! That's the name of..."
Fusoya nodded.
"Your father is KluYa, same as your brother's. Zemus has been using you all this time for his wicked plans."
Cecil paused, stunned.
"B-Brother...?! You mean..."
His memory turned to back in the Lunar Whale, where Fusoya had mentioned KluYa. He'd talked of his brother and mused...
"Golbez..." he gasped. "Is my brother?!"
He staggered and fell to one knee.
"All this time I've bared steel at my own flesh and blood...? God..."
Rosa rushed up and knelt next to her lover, laying her hands on him and starting healing his wounds. She stopped briefly, and embraced Cecil tightly. The light in her hands faded as she tightened her grip.
"Calm down..." she whispered. She lifted her hands again and began to heal him. "You'll open your wounds again if you struggle."
As he reclined and allowed Rosa's ministrations, Cecil looked back at all that had happened. The massacre of Mist, the destruction of Damcyan and Fabul... All of it, all of it had been his own brother?
"Why?" he murmured. "We share the same blood. Why not me?"
Fusoya staggered and fell to his knees. Golbez rushed up and helped him to his feet.
"My hands are bloody..." said Golbez. "Zemus saw the darkness within and seized it for his own ends. Damn him!"
The warlock tightened his fists.
"I'll kill that bastard!"
As he staggered, Fusoya turned to Golbez and smiled.
"We share Lunarian blood. This fight belongs to both of us."
Golbez nodded.
"Let's get that monster...!"
Fusoya nodded, then lifted his hands and the two vanished in a flash of light. Cecil staggered to his feet.
"Fusoya! Brother! Wait!"
As their motes of light faded, Cecil fell to his seat and tightened his fist. There was no time to say ANYTHING. How much could be said? How much HAD to be said? This was all so much...
"So that's it?" moaned Edge. "This is where it ends? Well, that sucks."
Rosa knelt by her lover.
"He won't come back," she said softly. "Are you okay with that?"
Cecil sighed and shook his head. What was there to do? Go after him? Head to the moon and finish it? It all echoed in his head, especially the word 'brother.'
A deep rumbling sounded, and the room began to shake. Edge groaned.
"Time to get the hell outta here!" he shouted as he staggered to his feet. "Rosa, warp us!"
Rosa nodded, but stopped as a hand clutched her shoulder. She whirled around to see a weary Kain, breathing heavily. Edge drew his daggers.
"Oh, come on!" he yelled. "Are we falling for that again?! Seriously?!"
Cecil shook his head.
"We can't abandon him. Rosa..."
With a sigh, Rosa lifted her hands and the party vanished as the Giant exploded around them. The massive construct reeled and shook before falling to its back and exploding to a heap of scrap and dust.
Cid pumped his fist.
"We did it! Hell yeah!"
He paused.
"Where's Cecil?"