Final Fantasy: Rise of Despair
With Mali's plan having fallen through, what are the circumstances in the Black Army? How will they react? Read on and find out.
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy: Tactics Advance, I do own the characters and plot.
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Wants and Plans
In a room within the palace of Bervenia, there were many statues and cages. There were pillars encircling the round center of the room. The cages were all opened, all around the ring were many decapitated corpses of various monsters and blood splattered everywhere, and at the very center of the room, Agon stood there sheathing his sword, without a mark or any blood on him. "Your attack has failed hasn't it Mali?"
"I regret to report that you are correct Marshal Agon." Mali said with a bow. "However, I have gained more information on our enemy." Mali said. Agon turned towards Mali and took the scroll she held out. Agon's emotionless eyes scanned over the scroll at he held it open. After reading it he closed the scroll back up and put it away.
"That information is most interesting." Agon said rather matter of factly. As he walked towards the exit, Mali turned to Agon.
"How would you have handled the attack Marshal Agon?" Mali asked him. Agon stopped and without even turning around, he answered.
"I would have joined the fray myself, and kill them all. That is the best way to serve my master." Agon said.
"Marshal Agon… your loyalty is to be commended, but surely there is something that you want." Mali told him.
"In this world, there only three things that I want." Agon said.
"…"
"To serve my master to my fullest, to continuously grow stronger, and… something you have no business knowing." Agon said, still showing no sign of emotion.
"My most humble apologies, I had no intention of prying." Mali apologized with a bow.
"Do not apologize." Agon said, still expressionless. "Just know that only the one who can fulfill my third wish has the right to know it." Agon said as he walked away.
"Marshal Agon, may I request to call the council?" Mali asked.
"It is already done, come to the council chamber." Agon said right before he exited.
A while later…
The eight remaining members of the council were at their seats, standing by them waiting for the Black King to arrive. As the doors to the throne opened, Everyone turned and gave a deep bow. They waited as the black king slowly made his way to his seat and then sat down. Everyone else took their seats. "Now then… the first order… of business…" The Black King said slowly.
"General Mali." Colonel Ize started. "If your plan was so sure to work I don't think it would have failed as much as it did." Ize said. The other two colonels smiled as well, sure they had reaped a victory for the colonels this time.
"If you were so sure it would fail, then perhaps you should have lent a hand Ize." Mali said cooly.
"Hm?"
"Don't think I didn't notice you and Cious were there. I'm most interested to hear why you were there." Mali told the colonels.
"Grrrr…" Ize growled under his breath.
"We had no assignments General Mali, we were simply observing our enemy." Cious said.
"Enough." The black king said. Everyone stayed silent at this. "This failed attack is a double edged sword… in more ways than one, it helped me… but in other ways… it had turned the tides." The Black King said.
"True… now they have two Racemasters and are more than likely well on their way to finding the others." Diabol said.
"We have no way of intercepting them, and thus they may well find the others and finally have the power to threaten us." Ical summerized.
"My liege, I do have a plan." General Mis said sinisterly.
"Oh…?" The Black King's hood turned towards Mis.
"Yes, one of our greatest warriors has been assigned to handle this task." Mis said.
"And who is it…?" The Black King asked with some impatience.
"Oh this should be good…" Agres thought as Mis told his plan to the rest of the council. "Hmph… anyone with half a brain could come up with that plan." Agres said as Mis finished explaining.
"Well my liege?" Mis asked.
"Hmmmm… take no chances… I want one other high-ranking member assigned to this task…" The Black King said.
"Does my liege have a preference as to whom?" Mis asked.
"Yes…" The Black King gave Mis the name to him.
"Hmph… he should assign me. But fine, I don't mind waiting to see how this plan fails." Ize thought.
"What! My… my liege…" Mis stammered.
"Do you have… a problem…?" The Black King asked.
"Of course not…" Mis said.
"Now then… this council is…"
"My lord, may I call another item of business?" Mali asked.
"Speak then…"
"I propose we raise the bounties once again." Mali said.
"What!"
"Give me a break… those bounties are high enough."
"Silence." Agon said. Everyone stopped. "The bounties will be raised." Everyone nodded their heads slowly.
"Very well…" The Black King said.
"First, Harris needs a raise in his bounty." Mali said. Agon passed around the scroll of information, nearly everyone was surprised at the contents as they read them before it made its way to Mali.
"Hmmm… 150,000 gil." Ize said.
"No… too high a raise, I suggest 125,000 gil." Diabol told them.
"If you saw what I saw Diabol, you'd know better… 200,000 gil." Mali said.
"Agreed." Agon said.
"Now then… the girl… she needs just as much." Mali said.
"Mali, don't be absurd." Agres said.
"She needs just as much…" Mali hissed.
"Fine then, I support 200,000 gil." Cious said.
"Agreed." Everyone said.
"This Laura person…" Mis said.
"According to the report she's still one of the strongest ones outside of the Racemasters correct?" Ical asked.
"I've got it, 140,000 gil." Diabol said.
"How about Adam?" Ize asked.
"He was the one who killed Shawn. Hmph, we should give him high honors for that." Agres said with a smile.
"Yes, let's reward him with about… 150,000 gil on his head." Mis said sinisterly.
"These three…" The black king created images of Monty, Mendoza, and Gilbert. Everyone looked at each other, and then shook their heads, Agon's face remaining expressionless as he did so. "Very well, Syack…" The Black King moaned.
"Hmmm… how about 120,000?" Mis suggested.
"That sounds fair to me." Ize said.
"I don't think so. 130,000." Cious said.
"I'm in favor of 120,000." Diabol said.
"125,000 then…" Agon told them. Everyone agreed. "As for that Hunter, he needs a bounty of 130,000, no more and no less." Agon said.
"No discussion at all? Hmph." Ize complained.
"How about Kyle?" Cious asked.
"150,000." Agres said.
"Don't be ridiculous, that's way too high." Mis said.
"And what did you have in mind?" Agres asked.
"It should be 130,000. The same as that Hunter person." Mis said.
"Ugh… move on." Mali sighed in disgust at their argument. "Those Racemasters both need increases in their bounties."
"To how much?" The Black King asked.
"750,000 gil. Maybe even more, but for now that should be their bounty." Mali said.
"Hmmmm… very well…" The Black King said. "Now then… our next course of action… depends on how this operation goes. And I had best be at least somewhat pleased with the results…" The Black King said threateningly.
"…" Agon said nothing and simply looked at his master.
"Dismissed…" The Black King said.
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Now what fiendish plot do they have up their sleeves? Only time will tell.
Trivia:
The names of the generals and colonels are all broken up parts of negative adjectives. Cookies to whoever can figure out the five adjectives used.
I decided that I'll do SBS questions. If you have any questions that DO NOT have answers too significant to the plot, I'll answer them at the start of every chapter. If the answers to the question are too significant to the plot no matter how I answer, then I simply won't answer. Read and Review.