The Salikawood was not an area that was very forgiving. Even though it wasn't quite nightfall yet, the monsters here were already over excited and anxious in their search for something delicious to eat. Both of them knew that there were many things in this forest that wouldn't give eating them a second thought. For the first time in their entire trip did they have their weapons drawn constantly and at the ready.
"Hey, remember that time we had to come through here at night once?" Penelo asked as they wound their way through the forest path.
"Yeah, I seem to remember Vaan freaking out about a Mandragora type monster that happened to drop from a tree in front of him." Ashe said with a slight giggle in her voice as she recalled the moment.
"Yeah but that was only because Basch had seen it up in the tree and had knocked it down without him noticing. I still can't believe he freaked out that bad. It was funny when he just up and killed it before realizing what it was." Penelo said laughing as she looked for a place for them to spend the night.
While the Salikawood was one of the worst possible places to spend the night, Penelo and Ashe had had to spend nights in places like Giruvegan and the Nabreus Deadlands. A night here wasn't going to be bad compared to nights there. At least the Mist wouldn't mess with their dreams as it had in the other places. The only thing that might even remotely interrupt their sleep would be one of the myriad monsters that roamed the trees. Penelo knew they would just have to set up barriers to stop anything unwanted before it got too close.
They set up camp without saying much and quickly drifted off. The day had been longer than either of them had expected it to be. Morning came none too quickly though. The light took forever to filter in through the trees. Penelo yawned and stretched as she felt the first rays of light hit her skin. She gently prodded Ashe and said, "Come on Ashe, we need to get going. We'll be at the Phon Coast by this evening if we really push it."
Ashe groaned and said, "As much incentive as that is I still don't like waking up for it. At least I get to wake up next to someone that's really pretty."
Penelo blushed at the comment as she gathered her weapon and pack up from where she had set them aside last night. It felt like today was going to be something neither of them really expected. Or at least that's what Penelo thought anyway.
Ashe stretched as she tried to keep herself awake. Mornings were not her favorite thing but somehow it was better with Penelo being there. She wondered for a second about something but then quickly suppressed the idea. It just seemed too silly. She smiled at Penelo as she finished gathering her stuff.
The Salikawood was still an odd place to Ashe even after having been through it before. The Mist still swirled around in the air here, not as thick as it did in the Feywood but still enough to be seen in places. The light of day filtered through the trees slowly as they walked and the day went on and gave the Salikawood a rather calming light.
It was only calming for a little while though. A wrong turn on the path through the trees had sent Penelo and Ashe on a course for the Necrohol of Nabudis and its neighbor, the Nabreous Deadlands. Penelo started feeling worried as the monsters they walked by attacked without any real provocation, something uncommon in all but the least travelled of routes. When Rakeclaws and Baknamy started showing up though, Penelo knew they were going the wrong way.
"Ashe, I think we should turn around and go back. I think we're headed…"
"Straight for the Necrohol of Nabudis." Ashe said after interrupting Penelo. "Something seems to be drawing us there. I can't say what it is exactly but something is there and it wants us to find it."
A shiver ran up Penelo's spine. The last time they had been inside the Necrohol she had gotten quite hurt and the party had gotten rather lost. A month later they had emerged out in the Nabreous Deadlands where they luckily found a way out and back where they needed to be. It had not been a fun experience to say the least. She wasn't exactly looking forward to going back into the labyrinth that the Necrohol was.
"You sure we really need to go in there? I'm still spooked by it from the last time we went in there. I'd like to avoid it as much as possible but, if you feel that something in this Mist is calling you there then I will follow you. After all, someone has to protect the queen." Penelo said as they got closer to the path that would lead them into the Necrohol.
Ashe looked at Penelo and could tell that she was scared of the place. The Necrohol was never fair to travellers as thing hid in the Mist and would often come out of nowhere. Ashe knew that she had decided to send a group of fighters made up of guards and mercenaries to try and see if they could take this place back. A month had passed and only one person returned saying nothing more than the fact that something was in the Necrohol. Something big. No one in the royal court had asked any more questions and the region had been declared forbidden to travel in. Only the foolish went there now. Dalmasca couldn't really stop any one from going into the Necrohol but the place had a rather large taint on it that made most sane people avoid it.
But Ashe felt something drawing her in. It wasn't the lure of the Necrohol's treasures or anything like that. It felt like something or rather someone was calling out to her through the Mist to come here. She spoke quietly as she replied to Penelo.
"I don't know why but there's something here that wants me to go in. I know this place holds a lot of bad memories for both of us but we're better prepared this time. We both know what these halls are like and we know how to get through here and survive."
Penelo nodded but she still felt scared. Her grip on her katana tightened as she readied herself for the path ahead. It wasn't going to be easy and there was going to be a lot of fighting, that much she knew. What bothered her the most was what Ashe was saying. Nothing had called out to her in the Mist since the whole incident with the Occuria, so why now? That was something Penelo didn't have an answer to.
The two stayed relatively quiet as they kept going down the path that would lead them to the entrance to the Necrohol. There were the occasional small fights on the way but nothing major. The entrance to the Necrohol was finally in front of them as they stopped on the path for a moment to catch their breath and make sure they were ready for what was ahead. The sight of the place, half sunk into what looked like swamp, was as impressive as it had been the first time they had seen the place.
The ominous wind that came out of the place hadn't changed in all the time that had gone by. That was something that would probably never change about the place, much like the swirling Mist that hung around the place like a multicolored cloud. The walk into the place was something that neither of them were going to forget any time soon.
A large swirl of Mist covered the two of them as they stayed close together with their weapons ready. The sounds of wandering Baknamy were heard but the origins of the sounds weren't seen. That was when Penelo heard what had been drawing Ashe toward the Necrohol. It was a sound that she would try to forget for years afterward and never spoke of.
"There's something for you here. Come to the center of the Mist. I can give you everything you want. "
The tone of it was otherworldly, and Penelo could name the sound despite not having heard it in a very, very long time. The sound belonged to the voice of her mother but at the same time it didn't. It worried her and made her wonder if they really should be going into one of the most feared places in Ivalice. She wasn't about to let her courage fail her though. After everything she had been through with the gang during the war, Penelo wasn't easily scared. Places like the Necrohol and the Nabreous Deadlands however were a whole other thing in and of themselves.
Ashe looked at Penelo and said, "We're going to be fine. We know more magick than most people ever hear of. Not to mention we are both quite skilled in combat. I wager you could fight Basch to a standstill now."
Ashe's words comforted Penelo but there was still something about this place that made her worry. The Mist was more unsettling than it had been in the past. There was something here. Something that didn't want them to leave. Penelo shivered as she felt a breeze surround her. It felt like someone had just cast a really high level Blizzard spell near her. Mist always felt cold and this breeze was making it worse. Penelo knew she would have given up anything to be back in the warmth of the Salikawood.
Ashe felt the same cold that Penelo did, but she kept pushing forward. She wanted to find out what this all was and she wanted to do it fast so they didn't have to stay in this place any longer than they needed to be. As skilled as they were, this place was one that could surprise and kill even the most skilled fighters. Dropping your guard meant a swift attack out of nowhere in the Mist.
They worked their way deep into the Necrohol, passing where they had met the strange being who had sold them their most powerful magicks. The halls teemed with life that went unseen through the thick Mist. Baknamy had taken up residence here and hundreds of them lurked in the swirling rainbow of colors that the Mist made, waiting for their prey to walk by before attacking.
After what felt like hours to them, they came to a large room that seemed oddly familiar. It had been here where they had fought and captured one of the thirteen Espers, Chaos. The fight had been long and hard, but they had eventually won. The room stilled echoed with the power the Esper had wielded here. Penelo looked over at one of the walls and saw the remnants of their fight still there. A large scratch had been etched into the wall by the Chaos' magick, and several small marks where her own magick had pockmarked the wall as well as where Vaan had been thrown into the wall by an attack.
She could remember that fight like it had happened just the other day. As she thought of it, the Mist began to swirl and show them after-images of the fight it had seen. Ashe watched it and quietly said, "This must be the Occuria's doing, or Chaos' strength against our own was worth recording in the Mist. It makes me wonder if the other places we fought the rest of the Espers in would do this sort of thing."
"I know Ultima and Zodiark's places would do this. Although I doubt any of us would ever dare to return to those places. I can only imagine what the other places would do as many of them have been devoid of thick Mist since we captured the Espers living there." Penelo said as she watched the Mist.
"Is this why we were brought here?" Ashe asked quietly to herself.
"How astute of you, Queen Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca. We can see why Venat took such an interest in you, even if he was doing so for corrupt purposes. We, the Occuria, brought you here to give you something and this is our gift. Knowledge of things most Humes, Viera, Moogles, Seeq or Bangaa never know. That a fight of a large enough scale in power is recorded in the Mist. Baknamy know of it simply because they live here in this Necrohol." A voice said from out the Mist. "An Esper, such as the one you fought here, contains such power that no race that fights them does so without leaving a permanent mark within the Mist. Other creatures like Yiazmat, are simply just powerful enough in their own right without magick that to be near them causes the Mist to record anything that happens. Regardless of the outcome. "
"So, is this what that voice meant by telling me it would give me everything I ever wanted?" Penelo asked.
"Child, you ask like one who is unsatisfied with their gift. We have shown you that even if you were to die or leave Ivalice, your memory would be kept inside the Mist for all eternity for all who dare to venture here to see." The voice said, a chiding tone in its voice.
Penelo and Ashe both quietly thank the mysterious Occuria for their gift of knowing this fact and quietly left, guided out of the Necrohol safely as if the Occuria were turning away all of the monsters in the Mist. They spent the rest of their day crossing the entirety of the Salikawood in stunned silence. Neither of them said anything after they had left the Necrohol of Nabudis. As they reached the edge of the Salikawood the voice from the Necrohol quietly said, "There is something between the two of you that makes your bond more special than you realize. It is time you come to terms with what you feel. The ocean will wash away your barriers and it will give you the strength you need to say what is on your minds. This is the other half of our gift, but to fully receive it, you must give it to yourselves. The meaning of our words will become clear when the time comes."
The two women stared back into the Salikawood as they walked through the canyon that led out onto the shores of the Phon Coast. Neither of them had a clue what the Occuria were talking about, but they both knew that they would understand it in time. And they had plenty of time to do just that. After all, Ashe knew she genuinely loved Penelo. She just didn't know how to openly say it without feeling unconfident with herself.
They walked out on to the beach and standing there was a lone man dressed in full armor staring out at the sea. He turned to face them and said in a deep voice, "You took longer than I expected. My lord will be displeased that I had to be here longer than he anticipated. I have come for you Lady Ashelia."
Penelo walked out in front of Ashe and looked directly at the man on the beach. "You will have to go through me first. No one tries to take Ashe away from me and lives. You will die where you stand."
The man shifted in his armor and drew the great-sword that hung on his belt. "On the contrary young lady. It is you who shall die." With those words he sprung across the sand at a full run and swung his sword at Penelo as he came within range. His sword encountered resistance and deflected away from Penelo as she just stood there and took her time drawing her katana.
"You use magick I see. That was a well-cast Protect spell. I have not seen one so well done in a long time. I shall enjoy this fight." The man said. "Allow me to introduce myself to my worthy opponent. I am, V'rith."
Penelo held her katana in a ready stance and said, "My name is Penelo of Rabanastre."
V'rith attacked again, this time his sword met Penelo's katana. He smiled evilly as he locked blades with her. Penelo met his gaze and quietly said, "Scathe."
V'rith looked at Penelo oddly for a half second before seeing the glyph of the scathe spell form and charge with the spell's power. His eyes widened as he jumped backward and to the side, trying to use his sword to block the spell from hitting him directly. He partially succeeded as the spell glanced off him. It tore his armor apart on his left arm, completely destroying it. He looked at Penelo and said, "That spell cannot be cast all too often I imagine. You want this over, don't you?"
Penelo just smiled slightly and quietly said, "Don't you want the same thing?" She added something under her breath so V'rith wouldn't hear it. "Firaga."
V'rith smiled, but his smile quickly vanished as he saw the large fireball that Penelo had sent his way. He was underestimating this girl's aptitude for magic. Two fairly high level spells cast one right after the other was something only a handful of skilled magick users could do. He kicked his fighting into high gear and charged Penelo, using everything he could think of to try and beat her.
Penelo quietly cast Protect every time her own skills with a sword failed her and she missed a block. She was glad that all the fighting she had done in the past had made her more skilled with magick and it no longer drained her as fast as it used to. She quickly cast a much less powerful series of spells, casting fire, blizzard and thunder at close range, trying to open up V'rith's defenses.
V'rith was having a harder time dodging the magick Penelo was throwing his way than he had of blocking her sword strikes. He wondered how long he could keep up the attack and lose any more armor than he already had. He had basically been reduced to just his boots and gloves as the rest of his armor had been blasted away by the constant magick.
Penelo kept fighting at her best as she tried to think of something. Then it hit her. It was something she had done during their fight with the Esper Zeromus. She had relied on Vaan to hit him and create and opening through which she had fired a Scathe spell. She would have to do something similar here, but she would have to do it on her own.
Penelo took a step back before launching into a flurry of attacks as she battered at V'rith's guard. AS she stuck each blow and weakened his defenses she was reciting the whole spell to cast Scathe at its fullest. To V'rith it sounded like she was muttering a battle plan to herself and tried to catch what she was saying. As she got to the last line of the Scathe spell it dawned on V'rith that she was doing something far different. She lashed out with a kick that knocked back V'rith and put him off balance as she pointed and open palm at him and yelled out "SCATHE!"
V'rith cursed aloud as he saw the bright glyph form and then the beam of the Scathe spell hit him full force. It threw him across the beach but he managed to survive the hit. He couldn't move as Penelo walked over and said, "You have lost. Tell whoever ordered you to do this that you have failed in your quest and that Lady Ashe cannot be caught by anyone."
"I cannot move. How will I tell my master anything if I cannot go see him?" V'rith asked.
Penelo dug around in her bag and tossed a bottle to V'rith. "Drink this potion. It should allow you to make it home to your master. Do not come after us again. I will not hesitate to kill you next time."
"You lack the heart to do such a thing."
"Fire!"
The fireball turned the sand next to V'rith's head to glass mere inches from his face. Penelo looked at him and said, "Do not doubt me when I say something. You will regret it."
With that, she and Ashe walked away from where V'rith lay and headed further down the coast to their destination. V'rith took the potion and sat up on the beach. He knew that he had lost and didn't need to go after the Queen. He did decide one thing though. He would go home and kill the man who had ordered him to do this. He had seen something in Penelo's eyes that had said, 'I will protect this woman, even if I have to die to do it.'
A couple hours had passed and Ashe and Penelo had arrived at their destination. They set up camp and sat down to rest. Penelo felt a bit drained after the fight with V'rith and just stretched out on the sand. Ashe looked over at her and quietly spoke.
"Penelo, back there, you protected me even though V'rith could have killed you. Why did you do that?"
"Because, something in my mind said, 'you have to protect Ashe no matter what the cost'. I just felt like if I didn't do that then I would be lying to myself about something."
"What would that be Penelo?"
"That I love you enough to die for you if I have to, to keep you safe." Penelo said as she sat up and looked at Ashe.
Ashe looked down at the sand for a moment and said, "Is this what the Occuria were saying? That we would have to be able to say this without feeling like there's something wrong? That we have to admit to ourselves that we love each other?"
Penelo got up and moved over next to Ashe. "I think this is what they wanted. That the two of us realizing our love for one another would get etched into the Mist much like how our fights have done the same. I really do love you and somehow that fight made me realize just how much I genuinely did."
Ashe was surprised by how sure of herself Penelo sounded. There was this sense of conviction in her voice that hadn't been there before. The first time this had come out in the open, Ashe could hear how unsure Penelo was when she said it. This time though, there was a much different feeling behind it. There were emotions and feelings being put into those words that Penelo seemed to have been missing and only just found out existed.
Penelo leaned over and gave Ashe a kiss. There was passion behind this one and there was a sense of it being perfectly right. As the kiss broke, Ashe realized what it was the Occuria had really meant and what had caused the change in how Penelo seemed to feel toward her.
Ashe smiled to herself and looked at Penelo as she said, "I love you too Penelo, and I want you to be more than my friend. I want you there in my life every day. I want to wake up and have the first thing I see be you. Something just hit me and made me think about this whole thing. I realized that I really do love you and that I want you to be my wife."
Penelo was surprised by the proposal but she could feel that Ashe's feelings were genuine. She gave her a hug and said, "Of course, I'll accept that. I would love to be by your side as your wife." Penelo giggled slightly and then said, "Balthier and Vaan are going to have a fit when they hear about this."
"Balthier," Ashe said, "Has nothing against us, especially since he's with Fran. I think Vaan would be happy for us though. He seems like he would understand."
Penelo smiled and gave Ashe another hug and kiss. She was glad that her greatest wish had come true. The next month suddenly looked a lot more like a nice long honeymoon for the both of them. As the sun set on the day, Ashe held Penelo close and told her that she loved her and Penelo said the same. They shared another kiss as the sun went down on their last day of travel. Tomorrow would be a new day and the start of a whole different kind of adventure.
(Author's Note: Holy CRAP has it been too long since I've last updated this. I thought tying it up here would be a good end to the story. Life has a very nasty way of getting in the way. Since the last update I've had a lot happen but I've never forgotten about my readers here. Thank you for reading. All of these stories are for you, the fans. As always, read and enjoy. Without you readers I wouldn't have the drive to write as much as I do. I feel bad this story was so long in getting finished and that it was shorter than I had wanted, but at the same time, I think it ends well."
Shinobi of the Onyx Sands