Final Fantasy: Rise of Despair
Well, I was trying to get my Survivor stories' next chapter out, but I am for some reason not getting any inspiration for it, so here's my next chapter of this.
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy: Tactics Advance, I do own the characters and plot.
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Tests
The party was inside Matt's office together, the doors and windows were guarded so that Brently wouldn't try anything to escape. "Oh come on… it's not like I meant to blow up the engine…" Brently whined.
"I'm not moving." Kyle said bluntly.
"And if you try anything, don't forget that you're in a room with all of us." Harris pointed out, almost threateningly.
"Ugh…" Brently moaned.
"So then, you mentioned someone by the name of Cole?" Heidi asked.
"Yes, Cole is the nu mou racemaster." Casey said.
"Yep, and boy did I ever get on his nerves all the time." Matt said with a sense of nostalgia.
"Yep, you certainly did." Casey sighed.
"Cole… Cole…" Laura muttered to herself.
"Where is he then?" Hunter asked. The two Racemasters looked at each other, did a double-take, finally looking back at the group.
"Haven't a clue." They both said. Everyone then fell over anime style.
"That doesn't exactly help us…" Monty groaned.
"We do know that Cole is teaching magic somewhere." Casey said.
"Yeah, that was a dream of his to teach young mages the magic arts." Matt said.
"Ummm…" Laura continued to think.
"Is there anything else you know masters Casey and Matt?" Adam asked.
"No…" Casey sighed.
"Well, I did swipe a list of names he was thinking of for his school one day." Matt said.
"That was you? He was yelling at me all day over that!" Casey said exasperated.
"Hey, it's all in the past isn't it?" Matt asked.
"Why you little stuffed animal."
"You big reptile."
"Gah!" Both Casey and Matt lunged at each other and started throwing punches and kicks at each other.
POW
BOP
BANG
BONG
"Uh… master Casey, with all due respect, shouldn't you act your age?" Adam asked.
"Hm?" The two stopped fighting immediately when they noticed the funny looks they were receiving. "Ah-hem… my apologies." Casey said while dusting himself off.
"Right, my bad." Matt said doing the same. "Anyways, the names that I can think of are… Magic school, which was lame. Um… Magic Academy, equally lame. And there was Acadamy of Magic Arts, which is better but still…"
"THAT'S IT!!!" Laura shouted suddenly, causing Hunter and Brently to fall over in shock.
"What was that all about?" Hunter asked.
"Shut up weakling, I need to say something." Laura said.
"Hey…"
"I know where Cole is!" Laura shouted.
"Huh? How?" Gilbert asked, as equally shocked as everyone else in the room.
"From what I remember you hardly knew the Racemaster legend." Harris said.
"Okay look, Kyle, during that time we were separated I ran across some nomads that were traveling to this so-called magic school, and we did find it." Laura said.
"Are you saying that you were at a hidden magic academy?" Kyle asked.
"Yes, while I was studying there were rumors floating around of the headmaster being an all powerful magician who started the school about ninety-eight years ago." Laura said. "And it was called the Academy of Magic Arts." She finished.
"That's amazing… you mean you studied under one of the Racemasters?" Mendoza asked.
"Under Cole more specifically." Matt said, a tad shocked.
"I don't know, I only knew the Vice-headmaster." Laura said. "Yeah, she was to become the vice-headmaster a few days after I left, I imagine she's still in that position." Laura sighed.
"I see." Casey said.
"Hmmm… that's kind of a vague lead. We might not even find him even if we found that school of yours again." Harris pointed out.
"Yeah, he has a point, maybe we should just quit and, oh I don't know… let me go!" Brently shouted desperately.
"No chance." Heidi said.
"But it is our only lead." Casey pointed out.
"I shall go where you go Master Casey." Adam said respectfully.
"Zzzzzzz… HUH! What did I miss?" Syack asked, just waking up from a standing position.
"I say we take it." Matt said.
"I'm in, I would like to see where Laura was for so many years." Kyle said.
"Same here." Heidi said.
"Let's go!" Monty shouted happily.
"Hmmm… a magical school, oh this is far too fascinating to pass up." Gilbert said.
"…" Harris looked at the group. He put his left hand over his left eye while giving a smile. "Oh, what the heck? I'll go."
"Great, where is it located Laura?" Casey asked.
"Siena Gorge. It is hidden somewhere deep in there." Laura said.
"That's… a ways away from here." Hunter said.
"What? Not up to it weakling?" Laura asked.
"What was that!" Hunter yelled.
"Hmmm… I've got just the thing." Matt said. "Follow me." Matt said as he left the office.
"More walking? Ugh…" Syack moaned. Everyone else simply followed Matt of his office.
Later…
"Matt where are you taking us?" Casey asked. They were all down a dark narrow hallway like in one of those horror movies.
"It's a surprise." Matt teased.
"It's not going to be like when you ended up dragging myself and two of the others in to a bog full of Lamias and Liliths is it?" Casey asked.
"That was completely accidental!" Matt stressed. "Here we are." The group came to a small metal door at the end of the hallway.
"What's in here?" Monty asked.
"Hold your chocobos, sheesh." Matt said. He reached for a lock-dial and twisted the dial once to left, twice to the right, and then once more to the left. The sound of a door unlocking could be heard before Matt turned the door handle and opened the door.
"Hey… these are…" Monty gasped.
"Oh, so you've seen hover cars." Matt said. In front of the group were three orange and black vehicles that looked like metallic white water rafts with the interior being that of a five seater car. Additionally there were large fans on the back of each car.
"Hover cars? You mean you actually built these things?" Casey asked.
"What? Did you think I was crazy when I said I would?" Matt asked him.
"Yes quite frankly." Casey said.
"Thanks." Matt said. "Well regardless, with these babies we'll reach Siena Gorge by tomorrow afternoon."
"That's fast." Gilbert said in awe.
"Well, if it means I don't have to walk I'm fine with it." Syack said.
"Now then, since there are three cars and… thirteen of us, we can seat five in two cars and three in the last car." Matt said. "How many of you have piloted one of these?" Monty was the only one who raised his hand. "Okay… we may have a problem here. Oh hang on." Matt ran down out in to the hallway and came back with Brently.
"Darn it!"
"Say, you piloted one of these before?" Matt asked Brently while pressing two fingers against his neck.
"Uh… no." Brently said.
"Your pulse says otherwise." Matt said. "So… when did you pilot one?"
"Ugh… when I was stealing something from the black army…" Brently moaned.
"Good, then you can be one pilot and Monty can take the other." Matt said. So, the group started chatting and selecting a car to ride in. After a while, Matt, Casey, and Adam took one car; Monty, Mendoza, Gilbert, Harris, and Heidi took another car; Brently, Syack, Hunter, Laura, and Kyle took the last one.
"Okay, we're all set." Harris said.
"Good, let's go." Matt said. Matt pressed a button next to the steering wheel and then threw a switch, causing the car to lift off of the ground via four fans on the underside of the car. Brently and Monty followed suit with their hover cars. "Open the doors!" Matt shouted. The wall in front of the cars opened up and revealed a rocky tunnel. "Okay guys, let's kick it!" Matt shouted. He reached for a lever beside his seat and thrust it forward. Once he did, the car rocketed forward with Brently and Monty's car following close behind.
"Gah! Too fast you whippersnapper!" Syack shouted right beside Brently.
"Hey! Who's driving? You or me?" Brently snapped back. As the cars went down the tunnel, they came across an opening with bright sunlight coming through. The three cars came out of the tunnel and in to open fields, a few miles away from Baguba. As the cars drove off, Matt turned around in his seat and looked back at Baguba.
"I'll be back soon." Matt said quietly as he smiled and turned back to the front of the hover car.
Miles ahead of the group, a shadow lingered in the bushes as the cars started coming closer and closer. Once the cars passed by those bushes, the shadow vanished.
A little while later…
"Ogh… I really have to go…" Mendoza moaned from the passenger's seat.
"We told you to go before we left." Gilbert sighed while watching the passing scenery from his backseat on the left.
"Man I haven't driven one of these in a while." Monty sighed in bliss.
"I have to say, this is different. We hardly even rode on chocobos when we traveled together." Heidi said to Harris.
"True, we usually traveled by foot." Harris said. "Heidi…"
"Yes?"
"Consider the possibility of running in to someone as powerful as that woman you told me about again." Harris said.
"Hmmm…"
"We need to be prepared next time, if something is out of your league, I don't want you to do anything reckless." Harris told her.
"I understand." Heidi said.
"What are you two talking about?" Gilbert asked.
"Nothing." Harris lied, although you probably couldn't tell he was lying if you tried.
Another while later…
"Man… I haven't traveled a desert in a while." Brently said. The group was now hovering over the Eluut Sands.
"Man… how many times have we passed through or by here?" Hunter asked.
"You say that like it's a bad thing weakling." Laura said.
"I am not a weakling!" Hunter shouted.
"Please don't start now…" Kyle moaned from his seat right between the two of them.
"Prove to me that you're not weak! Take me on!" Laura challenged.
"Oh you think you can take me on?" Hunter asked.
"Don't make me turn this thing around!" Brently shouted back. "Sheesh… how have you guys traveled together like this?"
"Zzzzzzzzz…" Syack was asleep in the passenger's seat.
"Ugh…" Brently moaned while thinking about how escaping now would be impossible in all likelihood.
Later…
It was now night. The group had stopped in the desert with Matt and Casey keeping watch while at the same time talking about old times. "Heh heh… this is almost like old times." Casey said.
"Yeah… hard to believe that it's been a century since we last saw each other." Matt said.
"Yeah it is… hang on." Casey dashed off, and then came back holding Brently by the shirt collar.
"Oh for the love of all things and wholesome! Can't you let me go?" Brently whined.
"Nope." Casey said promptly knocking Brently unconscious with a good
THUNK
Over the head.
"Hm, oh look." Matt said pointing at down from the sand dune they sat on. Harris and Heidi were once again training in the middle of the night. This time they were sparing with each other in unarmed combat in their work out clothes.
"Hiyah. Tired yet Heidi?" Harris asked right after throwing a roundhouse kick.
"Ha! Not yet." Heidi said while catching her foot and then attempting to throw him off balance by pushing his foot upward. Harris responded by springing off of his other foot, doing a back flip, and then rushing at her with a driving palm thrust.
"Really, you've been sleeping as much as I have lately." Harris said as Heidi spun to the side preparing was going to ridge hand Harris' neck.
"Which might I add isn't too healthy for you." Heidi said as Harris ducked for a sweep kick that Heidi merely jumped over.
"It isn't healthy for you either." Harris responded getting in a defensive position just in time to block a punch and kick combo from Heidi.
"Well for your information, I haven't been near as tired lately." Heidi said while continuing to press the attack.
"Yeah well…" Harris then did a split, grabbed Heidi's ankle, and then sprang back up while lifting Heidi's foot, causing her to fall forward. "… I don't tire easily either." Harris said. Now pressing his weight on Heidi's back, basically pinning her down.
"I suppose." Heidi sighed. She then quickly brought her free leg up and kicked Harris' head and knocked him off balance. She then quickly pushed against him and pinned him down instead. "But you sure don't pay attention." Heidi said with a smile.
"That… was cheap." Harris chuckled. The two got up, put a few feet between them, bowed to each other, and then got back to sparing.
"Wow… watching really is like…" Matt started to say.
"It is isn't it?" Casey interrupted. There was a somewhat long pause before Casey spoke up again. "Matt, do you think…"
"No Casey, as much as I would wish it, it's not possible." Matt answered seriously.
The next morning…
"Okay, you guys ready to go?" Matt asked everyone as he gathered his things together.
"Yeah but I have a question." Monty said.
"What is it?" Matt asked.
"Do all of you Racemasters have something on your hands?" Monty asked while looking at the symbols on Matt and Casey's left hands.
"Uh well, yes actually." Casey said.
"Why is that?" Gilbert asked. "I mean, these aren't tattooed or drawn on to your hands."
"You see, we Racemasters needed something to swear on to make our oath to protect all that is innocent. And guess what we chose." Matt said.
"What did you choose?" Laura asked.
"I mean it, guess." Matt said.
"Ummm…" Kyle started thinking.
"Oh Matt stop playing games!" Casey snapped at him.
"Fine, we needed something to swear on that was as big as our oath, and so we chose to swear upon our respective races." Matt said.
"Your races? What does that have to do with the symbols?" Mendoza asked.
"When we made our vows, we each used magic to embed the symbols of our races on to the backs of our left hands." Casey explained. "We vowed to protect all that is innocent to the very best of our abilities."
"Interesting. Yes most interesting." Syack muttered.
"Kind of like what you've taught me Harris." Heidi said.
"Yeah, it is." Harris said with a smile. As Harris turned around Heidi watched him and then couldn't help but look at his bandaged left hand.
"Hm? Could… no of course not." Heidi said to herself quietly.
A long long long while later…
"Ugh… my legs are sore." Hunter said.
"Awww… drive too long for you weakling?" Laura asked with a mocking tone of voice.
"Stop calling me weak!" Hunter yelled.
"Oy…" Kyle sighed. The group had stopped somewhere in between large canyon walls that reached miles up above them. "So… is it supposed to be around here?" Kyle asked.
"Um… I know it was somewhere within the canyon walls. But… it was still well hidden. The group I was with had a hard time finding it." Laura said.
"Well, we won't find it standing here." Harris said.
"Hang on." Casey crouched low and then leaped high in to the airs and landed on top of the canyon wall in a single leap. Casey looked around.
"Do you see anything Master Casey!?!" Adam shouted, his voice echoing through the canyon.
"No Adam!!!" Casey shouted. "I'm coming down!" Casey hopped over the edge and landed effortlessly down below. "We'll just have to keep driving." Casey said.
"More like walk, the hover cars are shot." Matt said as he looked at each of the hover cars.
"Huh, but I didn't do anything." Brently said.
"Neither did I." Monty said.
"Oy, I guess we will have to walk." Gilbert sighed.
"Nooooooo… I'm too old for this." Syack moaned.
"Let's go guys." Heidi said.
"We have to get started sooner or later." Kyle said.
"Hold on." Harris dashed behind one of the hover cars. After the sound of some thrashing, Harris came out from behind the hover car dragging Brently with a rope that was tied around Brently.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Brently cried.
A while later…
"Shouldn't we stop, it is night time." Monty said.
"Yeah, and Syack is already asleep." Mendoza said while carrying the sleeping old nu mou on his back.
"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ…" Syack snored loudly.
"Hmmm… it turned night time rather quickly." Harris said suspiciously.
"Say, hasn't it gotten foggy?" Heidi asked.
"Don't ask me." Adam said.
"No she's right, it has gotten foggy." Matt said. A thick fog rolled in around the group.
"Man, I can't see a foot in front of my face now." Hunter said.
"I feel blind." Laura whined.
"Ah-hem." Adam said.
"Uh… right." Laura said, realizing what she said.
"I hear someone coming." Adam said. Nearly everyone put their hands on their weapons, ready for anything.
"What's going on?" Syack asked groggily. "Hm? Say what's that?" Syack asked. The group turned towards a bouncing light in the fog. As it drew closer, a figure appeared in the fog.
"Someone's here." Gilbert said.
"Once again, you point out the obvious." Monty said.
"Hmph."
"Who are you?" Mendoza asked. The figure that appeared in the fog was carrying a lantern on a stick slung over their shoulder. The figure was a human girl, she had brown eyes that were half-closed that matched her expressionless face and brown hair with most of it in a long pigtail that reached down the length of her back. She was clearly a blue mage since she wore the large blue coat, blue hat with a red gem, but lacking a feather. She appeared to be about 5'8" in height.
"We ask again, who are you?" Harris asked.
"…" Laura looked at her for a moment, as if trying to get a better view.
"…" The girl looked at the party for a moment, shining her lantern in each of their faces.
"Gah! That's bright you whippersnapper!" Syack snapped.
"Do you seek the Acadamy of Magic Arts?" The girl asked emotionlessly.
"We do… Kate." Laura said.
"…" The girl didn't respond.
"You know her?" Kyle asked.
"She's the girl I told you about. I knew it the second she said something." Laura said.
"…" The girl looked at everyone once again, and then approached Casey and Matt. "Very well, but the headmaster requests that you two wear these." The girl put her lantern down and held out two small discs. She placed them on the chests of Casey and Matt. The discs had some sort of symbol inscribed inside of a magic circle.
"Hm?" Casey and Matt looked at the symbols on each others chests, and then looked at each other. "Matt, these seals aren't what I think they are… are they?" Casey asked.
"Yes Casey, I think they are." Matt groaned. The two inhaled and then gave out a huge sigh.
"Oh damn…" They both sighed at the same time. The seals glowed and then mana spread out all over the bodies of the Racemasters as in the form of a net. Once the constriction was done, the two started levitating a few inches above ground. Everyone nearby, except for the girl that was apparently Kate, was taken aback.
"Are you two okay!" Heidi gasped.
"Mph mm mph mmmmmm…" They both mumbled, the mana net constricting their mouths.
"What have you done to Master Casey!" Adam demanded angrily while drawing his sword.
"Control yourself Adam." Harris said as he grabbed Adam's sword wrist.
"Do not worry, they will not be harmed, they are merely unable to use any spells or abilities they have." Kate told them.
"The reason for this is?" Laura asked.
"If those two participated in the tests, there would be no point in giving them." Kate said matter-of-factly.
"Tests?" Hunter asked.
"Yes… this way please." Kate turned her backs to them, pulling on two mana strings and pulling the two Racemasters behind her.
"Great, let's leave." Brently said.
"Oh no you don't." Mendoza grabbed Brently and the group followed. In the next blink of an eye, the group found themselves underground. "Huh? What is this?"
"How did we get underground?" Syack asked.
"Better question, where is Adam?" Harris asked. Everyone looked around, not finding Adam in the group.
"Wait… do you guys smell brimstone?" Kyle asked.
"I do actually." Heidi said. Everyone turned around, noticed the edges of some pit were glowing orange-red in color. The group walked to the edge, and found a large pool of lava.
"Hey! I can hear you guys over there! How'd you get separated from me!?!" Adam shouted from the middle of the lava pit on top of a large pillar.
"The first test, is the test of mana control." Kate said. "The pillar you are standing on will react directly to the amount of mana you output, the more you flow in the pillar the higher it will rise. If you don't put out enough mana, the pillar will sink in to the magma, if you use too much, the pillar will be too tall and topple over."
"I understand, this is similar to when Master Casey created a ball of fire and I had to contain it with my mana unless I wanted it to explode with violent force on me. What excellent training." Adam said fondly. "This will be a most worthy test." Adam said while sitting down cross-legged.
"Begin." On Kate's command, the pillar started to sink. Adam immediately began focusing inward and allowing his mana to flow outward and in to the pillar, the pillar stopped sinking and started rising until it was at its original level. Adam then started steadily letting out a certain amount of mana so that the pillar would neither rise or sink.
"Well done Adam." Casey thought. "Matt, can you hear me?"
"Yeah, good thing we Racemasters can communicate with our thoughts." Matt thought to him.
"Indeed."
"By the way… what other training regiments did you give him?" Matt asked him.
"Let's see… I had him hold his breath underwater while I covered the surface with a thick sheet of ice… dropped him in the middle of a sleeping hoard of dragons, he had to dodge or withstand my attacks…" Casey started to list.
"Go figure…" Matt thought.
"You are done." Kate said emotionlessly. The pillar stopped reacting to Adam's mana. "Now then, for the second test…" The next moment the individual members of the party blinked, they found themselves in a room that had dark blue stone around it, and three alters with three colorless orbs on top of them. "You…" Kate pointed at Gilbert. "Step forward."
"Very well." Gilbert stepped forward from the group.
"I will ask you a riddle, and from that riddle you must figure out what to do in this room to proceed, and you shall receive no assistance. Are you ready?" Kate asked.
"…" Gilbert looked at the rest of the group, everyone gave a nod to him. "I am ready." Gilbert said.
"The cold winds remain in the North. The East receives godly judgment, and the West has been condemned to Hades. But the Western flames of Hades overwhelm once the North has frozen the East, and thus shall judgment be cast on all." Kate said.
"Hmmmm…" Gilbert closed his eyes, thought long and hard.
"Oh man… if only we could connect to other people's thoughts." Matt thought.
"Matt, you wouldn't give him the answer anyways, we both know that this test was for him alone." Casey thought back to him.
"Blizzard!" Gilbert cast blizzard on the orb closest to the far wall. "Thunder!" Gilbert cast thunder on the orb to his right. "Fire!" Gilbert cast fire on the orb to his left. "Blizzard!" Gilbert cast the spell on the orb to his right. "Fire!" Gilbert cast fire on all the orbs. "Thunder!" Gilbert cast thunder on all of the orbs.
"… You are correct. You have passed the test of knowledge." Kate said. "Now for one final test." In the next blink of the eye, the group found themselves in a circular coliseum with Kate looming over them from where a king would normally sit with Casey and Matt. "Now then, you must battle, using only magic or magic based abilities. You will find yourselves unable to use anything else."
"Battle what?" Kyle asked. Suddenly the cage doors around the coliseum opened to reveal several Ice Flan, Jellys, and Creams oozing in from the cages. "I had to ask…" Kyle sighed.
"But I don't know any magic!" Monty cringed.
"Hmph… I have two ways of handling this." Harris said. He zipped in to the middle of a few flan. "Saint Cross!" Harris cast a ring of holy energy around him and vaporized the flan around him.
"…Meteor!" After reciting the incantation, Gilbert dropped a giant meteor on top of a bunch of flan.
"I summon thee! Titan!" Laura summoned Titan to cause an earthquake in a certain area, and cause the flans to shake apart in to small globs.
"Deluge!" Syack caused water to erupt from nowhere and wash away all the remaining flans. "Sheesh, you twits should have just let me do that from the start." Syack said.
"Point taken." Harris said.
"Hmmm… very well." In the next blink of an eye, the group found themselves back in the fog. Only this time in broad daylight.
"Hey… where are we now?" Hunter asked. "Whoa! What's that!" Hunter gasped. The group turned around, and nearly everyone's jaw dropped. And even our more reserved heroes couldn't help but open their eyes wide open in surprise.
"Wow…" Mendoza and Monty said. The party was at the steps to a large majestic palace. The architecture was very Arabian, it was all stone, but the color was mostly gold and red. There were many tall towers in plain sight, and the front door seemed to be made from pure gold.
"How did we not spot this?" Syack asked.
"Hmm…" Adam tapped his foot so that he could get a sense of the surrounding area by the vibrations he felt. "I certainly didn't feel this place a while ago."
"You were all under the influence of an illusion ever sense it suddenly turned night." Came an unknown voice.
"Hm?" The group looked up and saw a figure heading down the large steps toward them. The figure was a nu mou male. He had brown fur, green eyes, and stood about 5'3 in height. His outfit was similar to that of a Sage's outfit, although his hat and outer coat was purple in color with large blue beads around his neck. The two sashes forming an X of sorts across his chest was gold. The remaining robes were blue with gold runes lining the rim of the robes. Finally he had gold bell shaped earrings hanging from his ears.
"As some of you may have guessed, you were going through a series of… oh, my apologies, your comrades first." The nu mou said. He made a few hand gestures before crossing his arms in front of his chest, and then clenching his fists. The mana nets on Matt and Casey were dispelled. "Comfortable?"
"Cole you said you would never use those seals on us again!" Casey yelled.
"Yeah, what happened to that?" Matt asked.
"Sorry, but I had to make absolutely sure you wouldn't help them with the tests." The nu mou responded.
"Wait… Cole… does that mean that…" Heidi started to ask.
"Yes." Cole said with a serious look on his face. "I am Cole, Racemaster of the nu mou, and headmaster of the Acadamy of Magic Arts."
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That is all for now, read and review