A/N: Watery here. I had a great time writing this chapter! Finally, a battle scene!

DISCLAIMER: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy and anything from it.

Chapter 10: So Much For That Break...

I was lying on the roof of the Angelwing, watching the stars. Once Lizi had done the needed crying and shouting and beating towards her father, we had returned to the bar to find that Tayla had upended a jug of milk on Charles's head, that Hannah had cooked enough food for a army, and that Mathew and Kathryn had shifted their make out area from the storehouse to the couch. After calming me down enough that I wouldn't be tempted to cast Flare on the entire building, Lizi had exiled me to the roof, apparently the only place that I was safe in. I wasn't alone, at all. First Tayla came up, to make sure I wasn't going to murder them all in their sleep. Then Shayna, who damn near broke my leg. Finally, Lizi, who gave me a plate of food and a cup of coffee.

Sighing, I sat up. I had been up here for hours, doing nothing. Then, I remember something. Pulling it out, I held the scroll that the Sage had given me.

"'You too, will understand...' Whatever the fuck that means... " I muttered, before looking at the scroll again. Sighing, not quite believing what I was about to do, I slowly opened the scroll and read it. On the paper was a single symbol. Something inside my mind screamed at me CHAOS! before I dropped the scroll as a burning pain shot up my left arm. I fought back the urge to scream as the pain intensified, as if my skin was being stabbed by hundreds of hot needles. I lost the fight against screaming in pain, and let out a howl of pain. Pulling back my jacket sleeve, I watched as a pattern of black and red markings formed on my skin. It ran all the way around my lower arm, and most of the way up it. As I watched, the pattern finished forming itself, completing the shape. It was all blacks and reds, with a single diamond of gold near his wrist.

"Hey Josh? What's wrong?" asked Lizi, climbing up onto the roof and looking at me in shock.

"I don't... It's just... AHHH!" I screamed as all the emotions I had built up, and held back were unleashed on my soul at the same time. Before I could stop myself, I was almost screaming at Lizi.

"All this time, I've been leading them! Keeping them alive! I'm not a leader, I'm not a wise man, I'm not a saint! Yet everyone hangs on my decisions! Why? I'm a PSYCHO! I enjoy killing! I am no saint, I am a sinner! It isn't fair! I can't do it! It's too much... AHHHHH!"

At that point, I screamed and was driven to my knees as a massive pulse of pain shot through the pattern on my arm. Then a golden light began emitting from my body, as a pattern of golden light appeared on the rooftop of the Angelwing, and several of the neighboring buildings. It then began emitting pulses of light as my mark started glowing a bright blue. In the distance, I heard a roar.

"Josh... What's happening?.." said Lizi, a look of fear on her face.

"I... Don't... Know... " I managed to get out, before slowly staggering to my feet. Looking around, I saw the city guard running around like madmen, pointing at something. I then saw that something, a golden blur, scream down from the sky and blast a entire street with a beam of light.

"Good gods above... " whispered Lizi, before running back and jumping from the rooftop to the street below. I turned to see if she was alright, but the doors of the bar slamming open confirmed that she was alright. Turning, I looked at the carnage occurring in the city. Whatever was attacking, it now swooped down towards the Angelwing, preparing to blast it, and me, to oblivion.

No way in HELL am I letting that happen!

As it launched a fireball at the bar, I myself launched a massive Flare spell at the fireball. The two orbs smashed together mid flight, exploding both of them. That seemed to get the things attention, for it slowed to a stop in front of the Angelwing. And, finally, I got a look at the being that had caused so much damage already.

"Hello, Bahamut FURY," I said. The golden dragon roared in reply. It was easily three times the size of the Angelwing, and that was ignoring its massive wings and the spikes coming off of them, tips of which were crackling with energy.

"A challenge, is it?" I said, smiling my most evil grin. Drawing my sword and pointing it directly at the magnificent dragon, I said: "Well then, let's dance!"

Leaping towards the dragon, I launched a series of spells at it, then slammed my sword downwards in an attempt to slash its face. The spells impacted with the dragon's flanks, driving it backwards slightly. Meanwhile, my sword was caught by it biting down on the blade! I had enough time to pull my free arm back to cast a Flare spell before the dragon blast me with a burst of energy. Using the Flare spell as a shield, I planted my feet down on the dragons face and jumped as high as I could, sending me flying up through the air.

Spinning my sword, I began casting spell after spell after spell at the dragon, intent on grinding it into the ground. Slowly, I drove the beast downward, inch by inch. Suddenly, Bahamut released a blast from its body and repelled every spell I sent its way, before launching itself off the ground and towards me. Meanwhile, I lost the last of my upwards momentum, and started falling to the ground. Realising something, I readied my weapon and braced for impact.

As I fell past Bahamut, I lashed out with my sword. It connected with the dragon's wing. The impact nearly ripped my arm off, but I hung on, dragging the blade down through the dragon's wing. It roared in pain and anger, as I cut straight through the wing and fell below it. As I fell, I launched Flare after Flare at its injured wing, hoping to cripple it.

I succeeded.

Bahamut FURY roared in agony as its right wing buckled and folded in on itself, sending the massive dragon towards the ground. It smashed into the cityscape below, taking out more then one building before it stopped.

For my part, I grinned at my success. Then realized something. I was falling. Fast. Looking below me, I saw that I was about to hit the roof of one of the buildings neighboring the Angelwing. Quickly, I launched a Flare spell to weaken the roof, shut my eyes, and prayed that the world would be kind enough to knock me out.

It wasn't.

I went through the roof of the building, grunting in pain as I did so. Then I went through the floor of the top floor. And the 2nd floor and the 1st floor, before slamming into the floor of the buildings cellar.

Coughing, I slowly staggered to my feet. Gasping in shock as my mind registered what my body just went through, I nearly went into shock then and there. Coughing again and bring my hand up to my mouth, I saw that I was coughing blood. Had I had X-ray vision, I would of seen that most of my ribs were shattered, as well as my left shoulder and my collarbone. Staggering up the cellar stairs, I pushes my way through the rubble and out of the building, before collapsing in the street.

For a few moments, I concentrated on my breathing, before hearing a roar and a series of smashes and explosions. Looking in their direction, I saw Bahamut FURY smashing its way onto the street. Coughing again and spitting out a mouthful of blood, I managed to mutter: "That all you got? Huh?"

That seemed to really fuck him off, for he roared, flapped his now useless wings and charged down the street. Sighing, I looked down, and prepared to meet my maker.

Which is when I heard a battle cry from several people, as well as the distinct sound of spells impacting against Bahamut's flesh. The dragon roared in frustration, denied his kill.

"Don't you DARE die on us yet, Mister," said a voice, before a series of warm waves washed over me and healing most of my wounds, fusing my bones back together and fixing the gaping hole in my left lung. Standing and turning, I saw Shayna and Lizi standing there, hands outstretched from healing me. Spinning, I saw Robbie swing his huge sword in a spinning upwards motion, sending Bahamut flying a good 20 feet, before Harley and Nick came flying down from the sky and slammed the dragon into the dirt.

"Did you think we would let you have all the fun?" said Lizi, a powerful fire in her eyes. Decked out in what must have been what was left of her Paladin armor, a small chest piece, wrist pieces and a cape, once white but now dyed black and red. In her hand was a duel ended sword. As I watched, she twisted the handle with both hands, and the twin blades came free of each other.

"It's our turn now," she stated, before spinning the blades in her hands and charging into the battle. Looking at Shayna with a questioning look, she shrugged.

"Well, I guess you lot heard me," I said.

"Hell yea. We didn't realize just how hard we were pushing you. We're sorry. Well, I am, at least. Now, let us help you!" Shayna said, before shouldering her hammer and rushing forward to join in. Smiling, I spun my sword in my hand, and charged right back in.

As I ran forward, I watched as my friends tried to keep Bahamut from causing any more destruction. As I watched, the mighty dragon tried to rise into the air again, having healed its crippled wing, only for Robbie to appear above it and slam it back to the ground. Then, it tried to charge forwards at Tayla, Kathryn and Reece, all of whom were casting magic as if their life's depended on it, only for several arrows to appear in its body. Looking, I saw the source: Morgan, standing on a nearby rooftop, bow drawn, already readying her next arrow. The dragon, now clearly frustrated, gave a mighty roar, then flapped its wings, sending Robbie, Harley and Nick flying. Robbie went flying into a building, while Harley and Nick went skidding along the street. Then, the dragon began rising through the air, as the spikes on its wings began to glow. Skidding to a stop beside Tayla and Reece, I looked up.

"Well.. Shit," I said.

"What now?" asked Tayla, voice shifting in worry.

"I don't know, I'm making it up as I go along," I replied. Looking around, I searched for something, anything. Then, an idea came to me.

"Tayla. Do you think you can raise the street up so I can get to him?" I said, pointing at Bahamut FURY.

"Umm.. Maybe. I'll try," she replied.

"Good. Reece. Haste me. Now," I said. Reece nodded, then cast Haste on me. Instantly I felt lighter on my feet, and my mind was running a mile a minute. Sprinting forward, I began casting spells at the rising dragon. Suddenly, the street rippled, then several pillars of earth shot skyward. Jumping, I landed on the shortest one, then started jumping from pillar to pillar.

Soon, I had caught up with Bahamut. I threw a Flare at it to get its attention. It looked at me, wings crackling with energy.

"I'm right here, beastie. Come and get me," I said, smiling. Said beastie roared, and then smashed the pillar I was standing on a nanosecond after I jumped at him. I landed on the dragons outstretched arm and began running up it, launching Flare orbs at the dragons face as I ran. It roared in pain as I leapt from its arm, gripped my sword in both hands, and plunged it deep into the dragons chest. It roared again, this time the dragons voice failing as it slowly began falling to the ground.

For my part, I just hung on for dear life.

Bahamut FURY fell to the ground with a monstrous thud, defeated. I slowly opened my eyes and noticed that I was on the ground, I slowly stood up, standing on the defeated dragon's chest. Yanking my sword out of its chest, I hopped down from Bahamut, only to be crushed in a hug from about 6 people. Tayla, Robbie, Mathew, Charles, Kathryn and Lizi all rushed forward at the same time and nearly caved in my newly repaired lungs as they hugged me.

"Gah! Guys! I need to breath!" I managed to get out, pushing them off of me. Then, they all gave different reactions.

Tayla hit me over the head with the blunt end of her dagger and told me off for doing that.

Robbie clapped me on the back and gave me a high five.

Charles bumped knuckles with me.

Mathew and Kathryn crept backwards until I caught them. Kathryn gasped as I put forward a hand, then nearly purred when I messed up her hair. Then, I bumped knuckles with Mathew and nodded.

Then Lizi damn near tackled me over when she hugged me again.

"You dare do anything as stupid as taking on Bahamut by yourself again, I'll kill you," she said, clinging to me tightly.

All I said was: "Well, if I do, I most likely deserve to die anyway."

That got a laugh out of damn near everyone.

Then, as I turned around to look at Bahamut FURY, the dragon rolled over and slowly got to its feet.

"Oh, for the love -" I was cut off when the dragon opened its mouth.

"I am Bahamut FURY, the greatest of the Sire Dragons. You have proved your worth, Black Mage. Use my power wisely..."

And with that, Bahamut FURY glowed, then faded into a crystal in the sharp of a fiery heart, which then shot towards me and vanished into the mark on my arm. Touching my arm lightly, I smiled, before looking up at 14 shocked faces. Shrugging, I said:

"Now, can we get something to eat? I never managed to eat dinner."

A/N: Hahaha, that was fun, no? Anyway, hope you enjoyed it!