Final Fantasy XI : The Tides of Darkness
Disclaimer - I do not own Final Fantasy XI or the world portrayed in it. I do, however, own the following characters – Arielyanna, Trevernous, Pter, Romulado, Loannthalas, Dasi, Lasi, Flowing Wind and Wyreema. Also the characters – Raido, Siflan, Acacia, Shannon, Gleamingblade and Baldur are characters of my creation as well.
The characters – Akujunkan, Enkidoh, Xylia, Leod, Dazrahe, Bailann, Kainvalkin, Ardara and Orcrinvalkin are actual members of the Linkshell I'm a member of, on the Midgardsormr server of Final Fantasy XI.
The characters – Nanaa Mihgo, Bope Greso, Naji, Ayame, Lucius, Star Sibyl and President Karst are owned by Square Enix (SE).
Any italised text between ( ... ) is linkshell chat.
Any italised text between ) ... ( is the character's own thoughts.
Chapter Ten -
The Dungeons of the Chateau d'Oraguile -
Leod was pacing back and forth in the cell, he and the rest of his team had been thrown into, after enduring the tender mercies of Emperor Raido's Torturemasters. The Hume looked at the other occupants of the room, taking note of their current conditions.
The White Mage, Kainvalkin, was kneeling next to the badly wounded and scarred Red Mage, Arielyanna. She had been tortured badly by not just the Emperor of San d'Oria, but also by the fouth member of their party, a Galka Dark Knight known as Orcrinvalkin.
The Galka was sitting against the wall, looking at his hands and whispering to himself. Leod sighed as he recognized the look on Orcrinvalkin's face.
Grief mixed with guilt.
Kainvalkin looked over at Leod.
"Leod... somehow we've got to get out of here. Because of this damned magic suppressing whatever, I can't use any of my white magic to help her." he looked down at her "She needs help desperately..."
The Hume Ranger looked at Arielyanna. Kainvalkin did everything he could to keep her alive up to now, yet Leod knew that if she wasn't given proper help, the likelihood of Arielyanna dying in front of them, was certain.
He tore a piece of cloth from the sleeve of his tunic, knelt next to the Red Mage and untied the bandage tied over the jagged scar on the side of her face, replacing it with the cloth strip from his sleeve. Leod also noticed the look in Kainvalkin's eyes, and reached over and grasped him by the shoulder.
"Kain... you and I both know how strong Ariel is... all this is going to do is make her more stronger and dangerous. She'll make it, have faith."
Kainvalkin nodded slowly, his head bowed once again. The Ranger stood on his feet and made his way towards the Galka. He stopped and studied him.
"Orc...?"
Orcrinvalkin was staring intently at his hands, often rubbing them together. He kept murmuring to himself.
"Won't come off... won't get clean... won't come off... won't get clean..."
Leod frowned. This was another reason he hated San d'Oria.
No, he thought, it wasn't San d'Oria he hated, just the delusional man in charge.
Just then, the Elvaan Samurai Siflan appeared outside their cell, looking in. Kainvalkin snarled as he saw her, but remained next to Arielyanna.
"You monster! What do you want from us now!"
Siflan ignored him and looked at Leod.
"How is your friend's condition?"
Leod looked coldly at the Elvaan.
"What do you care? Want to inflict more pain on her, or us?"
Siflan's face was stoic as she looked at him. She removed from under her cloak a small pouch. She offered it to Leod.
"Take this. Help your friend."
Leod frowned slightly as he stepped forward and accepted the pouch. He looked at it, as he spoke to Siflan.
"Why?"
Siflan raised an eyebrow.
"Why what?"
Leod faced her.
"Why are you helping her? After what happened?"
Siflan turned on her heel, her back to the cell.
"While I do believe that the rest of Quon will fall under Raido's heel, I do not stand with what he did to her or you." she removed something else from her belt and dropped it on the ground "A warrior's death is on the battlefield, fighting their enemy. Not this."
With that said, the Elvaan walked off, leaving Leod's remaining questions unanswered. He looked in the pouch, surprise appearing on his face. Inside was some medicine, bandages and other such items. He tied the pouch up and threw it to Kainvalkin, who caught it and looked at Leod, with a questioning look.
"Leod...?"
He fixed Kainvalkin with a determined look.
"Use what's in there to help Ariel, I'm going to..."
The sound of the cell door unlocking caused the Ranger and White Mage to look up sharply. Standing in the open door frame, was another Elvaan, but one different from the other Elvaan in San d'Oria. This one, wore a tunic with the hood pulled up over his head. Yet as Leod looked at him, he noticed the Elvaan's skin was quite pale. He then remembered who this Elvaan was.
"Novalmauge! You're still down here?"
The Elvaan smiled softly.
"You know my affliction Leod... Sunlight affects me badly." he smiled as he looked at the cell key in his hand "Rather nice of that Samurai to drop the cell door key like that..."
Leod smiled.
"And you just happened to be in the right place at the right time."
Novalmauge chuckled.
"Just a habit I picked up, from a mutual friend of ours." a frown appeared on his face "Come, San d'Oria is no longer safe."
Leod nodded, and looked back at Kainvalkin and the others.
"We're leaving here, now."
Kainvalkin nodded slowly, as he finished re-bandaging Arielyanna's wounds. He quickly replaced everything back into the pouch and stood, gently pulling the Red Mage to her feet, standing on one side of her. Leod took position on the other side and the two of them carried Arielyanna out of the cell.
Novalmauge looked at Orcrinvalkin.
"You can not find redemption for your actions, wallowing in your grief in this cell. Find your true self, and emerge from the darkness you are in. Only then, can you find the forgiveness you so desperately seek."
Orcrinvalkin slowly raised his head, and looked at the Elvaan.
"For... Forgiveness...?"
The Elvaan nodded and stepped backwards, as the Galka slowly got to his feet and exited the cell. He walked over to Leod and Kainvalkin, the two letting the Galka gently pick up the Red Mage in his arms. He looked at Leod.
"We need to get out of here... Windurst, Jeuno and Bastok need to be informed about what's going on here."
Kainvalkin frowned.
"It's gonna be difficult getting out of here, without our armour, weapons and supplies."
Novalmauge smiled as he lead them through the tunnels.
"Don't worry about that... a friend of mine has gathered your equipment and is waiting outside the wall of Southern San d'Oria, in West Ronfaure. He and some friends are waiting to get you all out of here."
Leod looked him, as they hurried along the tunnels.
"Novalmauge... how did all this happen?"
Novalmauge frowned.
"This all happened when this hume, Raido, appeared here. Well, that's not true I guess... Prince Trion and Prince Pieuje have always coveted the the throne for themselves... as well as plotting for control of Quon under San d'Oria rule."
Leod sighed as Novalmauge led them into the storage room, he had their gear in.
"Can't believe this is happening. I mean, this Raido... who is he, and where did he come from?"
Before Novalmauge could answer, Arielyanna spoke in a weak tone.
"Tavnazia... Raido... is from Tavnazia... like... like Trevernous and... myself..."
Kainvalkin and Leod exchanged looks, as the Red Mage told Orcrinvalkin to put her down. Standing shakily on her feet, Arielyanna drew her Mist Silk Cape from one of the chests containing their equipment, and drew it around her body. The Galka stood off to one side, and as Kainvalkin noticed, kept a watchful eye on her.
Leod looked at her, concern on his face.
"Ariel..."
The Red Mage gathered the rest of her equipment, as the others gathered their gear.
"I knew Raido... along with Aldo and his sisters... My father was a merchantman, who took me and Trevernous with him on a merchant run..." she paused, a faraway look on her face "A couple of days later, the Beastmen attacked and destroyed Tavnazia."
Novalmauge nodded slowly.
"The Beastmen had been informed that the Lightbringer, was housed there..."
Kainvalkin looked at the Elvaan, a puzzled look on his face.
"Lightbringer? What's...?"
Leod spoke to him.
"The Lightbringer is a religious artifact, it's origins are known to the San d'Orian royal family. That was why the Beastmen attacked Tavnazia. To take the sword for the Shadow Lord."
Arielyanna grimaced as she lifted her sword from the chest, and sheathed it in it's scabbard. She looked at the others.
"I'm willing to wager that when Raido took Ayame from our cell, he used her status in the Iron Musketeers to his advantage. To draw out the enemies to his new found power in Bastok..."
Novalmauge nodded.
"T'would seem he plans this. The weaponsmiths and armouries have been busy, day and night, churning out weapons."
Leod snarled as he hit the wall with his fist.
"Twenty odd years ago, war engulfed Mindartia and Quon... Now it's happening again..."
Kainvalkin readjusted his doublet as he looked at the Ranger.
"What do we do then?"
It was the scarred Red Mage who answered him.
"Two groups... one to Bastok, the other to Windurst. Both groups must meet with the leaders of those two nations, inform them what is happening here. What really is happening here."
A male voice spoke from the other side of the room.
"That would be wise. However, speed is of the urgency."
Leod and the others looked at the speaker. A Hume Paladin stepped out from a hidden doorway, giving the group cause to relax. Kainvalkin chuckled.
"Bailann, I was wondering when you were going to appear."
The Windurstian Hume smiled, as he bowed to them.
"I was just in the area, with two friends of mine." a slight smile appeared on his face "They're busy keeping the gate guards occupied, so we can get out of here."
Just then, the whole Bostaunieux Oubliette, shook dangerously, dust falling on them. Bailann smiled as he looked up at the ceiling.
"About time he started his calling..." he looked at the others as he moved towards the hidden door "Come on, while the San d'Orians are busy, let's get outta here!"
Leod looked at Novalmauge, as the others followed Bailann.
"You're coming with us, right?"
The Elvaan shook his head, a look of sadness on his face.
"I can not. My place is here and besides, there are still some San d'Orians here who require my assistance." he smiled sadly as he looked at Leod "Go my friend... you're place is not here."
Leod nodded, understanding on his face. The Ranger stopped in the hidden doorway, looking back at his friend.
"Stay safe old friend."
Novalmauge smiled and dipped his head. As soon as Leod stepped through the doorway, the Elvaan pressed a stone on the wall, as the fake wall slid shut over the doorway. He swallowed as he glanced over his shoulder, as the room shook once again.
Standing in the doorway, more dust raining down, stood the Elvaan Samurai, Siflan. Novalmauge's face wore a stony look.
"Let me guess... you are here to 'question' me for your master."
Siflan's hand closed around the handle of her great katana, drawing the blade clear of it's scabbard. She stepped into the room, stopping in front of the other Elvaan. Novalmauge sighed.
"I see... so this is why you're here..." he pointed at her drawn sword "Is this on your master's orders, or are you acting of your own volition?"
Siflan narrowed her eyes.
"On your knees traitor..."
Novalmauge smirked, as he knelt on the ground in front of her.
"To blindly follow the orders of one as insane as your master... I pity you samurai..."
Siflan raised her sword, as she stared at him.
"Do not pity me... I do not deserve it. I have killed too many to deserve pity." she frowned slightly "I was damned the moment I saved the Emperor from death, in the Wajaom Woodlands."
Novalmauge chuckled.
"Heh... you chose to continue down this path... only you can choose what path you follow now..."
Siflan's response was swift, her sword slicing Novalmauge's head from his shoulders. She sheathed her sword as she looked at the decapitated body coldly.
"The path I walk, is my own... I chose to walk it."
The Elvaan samurai turned and left the room.
Deaths Head -I'm working on the next chapter as well as trying to get avatars for my character in FFXI. Whew… tiring. Please R&R.