Final Fantasy: Rise of Despair

When we last left off, Matt battled a mysterious warrior that matched him evenly, both of them apparently underestimating the other. Harris and Co. battled valiantly to defend the school, even the trio of Monty, Mendoza, and Gilbert defeated the powerful Colonel Ical. Cole and Casey managed to wipe out the remaining soldiers in single attacks. Now the question remains, will Cole accompany the party?

Note: From here on, the mood will start to slip towards a darker mood. I'll still throw in some levity, but things won't be very sunshine and flower-fields from here on out. So be prepared.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy: Tactics Advance, I do own the characters and plot.

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The End?

Harris, Heidi, and the rest of the party were waiting for the Racemasters outside. "Do you think he'll come?" Monty asked.

"I don't know, Cole seems to be pretty hard to budge." Laura said.

"Here they come." Adam said. "…"

"How many are coming?" Harris asked.

"…"

"Adam, how many?" Harris asked again, asserting himself a bit more.

"…" Adam sighed before speaking. "Two." As he said that, Casey and Matt came down the steps, their faces showing some signs of depression. "Master Casey?" Casey simply shook his head.

"I see." Heidi said. Everyone was quiet for a little while, but then Matt smiled.

"Ah, let's buck up guys. Cole did say we probably can take the Black King anyways. So, let's go." Matt said. Matt then zipped off from the rest of the group and came back holding Brently.

"Dagnabbit…" Brently moaned.

"Ha ha ha ha ha." Kyle and Hunter laughed at this. Everyone else smiled at this.

"Well, we should go then." Harris said.

"Right, we'll lead the way." Casey said. The group turned their backs from the school and walked on.

Meanwhile…

Cole was at his desk, looking through a crystal ball at the party as they walked away. Cole sighed heavily as they walked away. "Enter." Cole said. The door opened and Kate walked in carrying a tray that had a teapot and two teacups. "Kate?"

"I believed that you needed some tea." Kate said emotionlessly.

"Thank you." Cole said. Kate poured some tea for both of them, and then served a cup to Cole. Cole took a sip of his tea and sighed, he then looked at the crystal ball again.

"Headmaster Cole?"

"Yes Kate?"

"Did you want to go with them?" Kate asked with some matter-of-fact curiosity.

"Honestly… I did." Cole told her sadly.

"Then… why didn't you?" She asked as Cole looked at the ceiling.

"… well…" Cole sighed for a moment. "A century since I last saw any of them, I was overjoyed to see my old friends again as much as I hid it."

"…" Kate looked at him, still expressionless but you could still tell she was curious.

"But, truth be told, I can't be with them anymore." Cole said. "I have a purpose here to pass on the magic arts, and… I simply could not abide one thing."

"May I ask what?" Kate asked.

"…" Cole sighed heavily as he pulled out a small box and held it in his hand. "As much as I wish it… we can never be the Racemasters of old again. Being with them and knowing that is just… too much to bear." Cole said as a tear leaked down his cheek.

"I am sorry." Kate said matter-of-factly again.

"No… it's alright." Cole said as he took another sip of tea.

"What is it like to have those ties?"

"Kate, you know the answer to that question." Cole said. "I just don't understand why you cut yourself off from those ties. You haven't forgotten them."

"…"

Meanwhile…

"Well, we'll be walking now." Matt said.

"What happened to the hover cars?" Syack asked.

"Um… see for yourself." Matt said. The group turned the corner Matt was already around and found that the hover cars were crushed flat.

"Black Army scum…" Mendoza growled.

"We'd best start walking then." Hunter said.

"The weakling, makes a decent point." Laura said.

"Pleeeeeeaaaaase can I attack her?" Hunter begged no one in particular.

"You'll have to go through me first Hunter." Kyle said.

"Sorry." Hunter said as he fired an arrow at a ledge above him and caused it to crumble.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!" Brently yelled as the ledge collapsed underneath him.

"So, where are we heading?" Gilbert asked. "Is it to find another Racemaster?" Matt and Casey turned to look at each other for a moment before speaking.

"Sorry, but that is impossible." Casey said.

"Huh? Why not?" Monty asked.

"Well, we know where the viera Racemaster is, but it is impossible to get to." Matt said.

"You mean it's difficult? That shouldn't be a…" Hunter started to say.

"No, we mean that it is impossible." Casey said.

"Okay… but then how did she…"

"Please don't ask any more questions weakling. If it's impossible then it's impossible." Laura said.

"Hey…"

"How about the human Racemaster?" Syack asked.

"Even if you knew where he was, he wouldn't help us." Casey said darkly.

"Why wouldn't he…" Hunter started to ask.

"Cole wouldn't help us. So stop asking questions weakling." Laura said.

"Gah!"

While the conversation was going on, Harris was simply walking along thinking to himself. "So far, I've been lucky. Even doing what we're doing now, I haven't had to reveal anything. I thought I'd have to deal with it all over again, but I've been lucky, I just have to stay lucky until the end. It WON'T come down to it, not if I can help it." Harris thought.

"Harris?" Heidi noticed his special nature.

"Hm? I'm sorry, you say something Heidi?" Harris asked.

"You just missed a pretty important conversation." Heidi sighed.

"Oh." Harris was a little stunned. "I'm sorry, could you explain it to me?" Harris asked.

"Very well." Heidi sighed.

That night…

Everyone was sleeping snugly, except for Brently who was bound to a rock spire. "Come on…" Brently whined. The Racemasters were keeping watch as always, talking about what they're doing next. Harris and Heidi were doing exercises, this time Harris was doing normal push ups with a boulder on his back, Heidi doing the same thing, albeit with a somewhat smaller boulder.

"Come on Heidi, you had best get some sleep." Harris urged.

"Not before you Harris." Heidi said.

"I'm far more used to staying awake for weeks since I've traveled alone before, and you're not." Harris urged.

"You were just like this when we first traveled together." Heidi said.

"Yes so I was." Harris said. "But you're probably more assertive about this than you used to be."

"Well, some things do change after all." Heidi said. She looked over her shoulder as much as she could and noticed the Racemasters on a ledge above, then looked at Brently still tied to the rock. "No… not yet. I can't do it with all of them around." Heidi thought as she looked at Harris.

The next day…

"You still never did say where we were going you know." Syack said, drowsy for some reason.

"We're going someplace quiet and where we haven't been so that the Black Army won't find us." Casey said.

"And where does Master Casey propose we stay?" Adam asked.

"Um… I'm not sure to be honest." Casey said.

"I know a place, there's a small lodging town less than a day away." Harris said.

"Oh yes… I remember staying at that place once or twice." Heidi said.

"What's it like?" Laura asked.

"Ah the inns and small hot-springs are wondrous really." Heidi sighed fondly.

"A lodging town eh? That'll be nice." Matt said. "And don't even think about pick pocketing or the likes of that while we're there." Matt threatened Brently.

"What? Why would I do that at the town when I'm getting plenty of money from Gilbert's pocket?" Brently asked.

"You're what now?" Gilbert asked.

"Oops." This was followed by some ganging up on Brently by Gilbert, Monty and Mendoza, a little bit of lame excuses and just a touch of beating the crap out of Brently.

"Sounds… okay…" Syack moaned.

"Is something the matter?" Kyle asked.

"Oh… it's just that cloudy days make me drowsy." Syack said.

"Yeah, it is really cloudy today." Hunter said.

"I kind of like cloudy days." Harris said.

"I prefer sunny days." Heidi said.

"Sunny isn't bad." Harris responded.

"And now they're talking about what kind of days they prefer." Hunter said. "You two spend too much time together." Hunter said.

"Maybe so." Harris said with a smile.

"Heh heh." Heidi giggled. She then looked at Harris sadly, before shaking her head and resuming a normal look in her eyes. The rest of the walk was quiet and uneventful. Occasionally Syack would gripe about being so tired and having to walk, and Heidi would occasionally pass glances at Harris. "Should I… no… I have to wait until we're alone… it'd be easier for both of us." The clouds seemed to darken as the day went on, and the clouds occasionally flashed with an occasional roar of thunder.

"Maybe we'd better hurry along." Hunter said.

"Scared of thunder weakling?" Laura asked.

"I am not afraid of thunder!" Hunter yelled.

"Keep it down you twits! That thunder is loud enough!" Syack yelled at them. While those three bickered, Harris, Casey, and Matt looked ahead of the group with serious expressions.

"Harris?" Heidi asked.

"Something's wrong." Harris said.

"I feel, mana…" Casey said.

"Yeah so do I." Matt said. The clouds seemed to cackle with electricity right before…

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM

"Whoa!" The earth shook as a massive lightning bolt crashed over the horizon. The rumbling ceased, and things began to quiet down. "That was… awfully close to us…" Gilbert said, a little shaken.

"Maybe closer than you think." Harris said.

"Harris, what are you saying?" Heidi asked.

"That seemed to strike the area the lodging town is." Harris said.

"Are you serious!" Brently shouted.

"We can't waste time! Let's go!" Casey said as he and Matt took off. They slowed down a little bit to allow the others to catch up with them.

"Hey! Wait for me you whippersnappers!" Syack shouted. That's when Harris ran back, grabbed Syack and then ran off. "Whoa!"

Meanwhile…

Cole walked back in to his office. "I honestly can't say I like filling in for sick teachers." Cole sighed as he walked back to his desk. "Hmmm… oh this thing. Seems to turn on whenever I don't want it to now." Cole said in a frustrated manner, looking at the crystal ball on his desk. "Hm?" Cole then gained a heavy interest in the clouds and flashes of lightning inside the crystal ball. "This isn't good."

"Is something the matter headmaster?" Kate asked as she walked in to the office. "What is this… feeling?" Kate asked, suddenly stopping.

"Powerful mana Kate… there is powerful about…" Cole said wearily. "Could it be… Hmmmm…"

Meanwhile…

The party finally stopped running, stood where they stopped, and looked in front of them. "This is…" Mendoza started.

"Horrible…" Monty finished. In front of them, all they saw were flaming ruins. Houses and buildings down on the ground, timber everywhere, and flames eating through the rubble. "One lightning bolt did this?" Monty asked.

"Hard to believe…" Gilbert said. Hunter stood staring at the sight with his mouth open, the flames flickering in his eyes.

"Hunter? Are you alright?" Syack asked.

"Um… I'm fine." Hunter said as he shook his head.

"Master Casey! Surely there are survivors!" Adam said.

"Hmmm… perhaps we should split up then, and see if we can find anyone." Casey said.

"I'll lead one team." Harris said. "My clan in particular." Harris said.

"You can count on us clanmaster Harris!" Mendoza said.

"I won't let you down." Monty said.

"I'm ready Harris." Gilbert said.

"Of course Harris." Heidi said.

"Hang on, I'm coming with you guys." Matt said.

"But shouldn't you… oh if you insist." Harris started to ask but thought otherwise.

"I guess I'll lead another team." Hunter said.

"Hang on a second, why you?" Laura asked.

"Because I'm a good strategist, I can analyze the danger of a situation, and prepare all of you accordingly." Hunter said.

"I shall go with you Hunter." Kyle said as he walked right behind Hunter.

"I guess I better make sure that weakling doesn't hurt himself." Laura sighed.

"Heeeeeeeyyyyy…" Hunter moaned.

"Syack, Adam, and Brently, you're with me." Casey said.

"Right." Syack said with a nod.

"Of course Master Casey!" Adam said while grabbing Brently and holding him above the ground by the shirt collar. "Agree with him…" Adam threatened Brently.

"Yes…" Brently squeaked out.

Meanwhile…

"Grrr… there has to be someone." Hunter said as he looked through as much rubble as he could.

"Look, it's tragic, but I don't see or hear anyone around here." Laura said.

"How did this happen?" Casey asked.

"Laura! You better not give up on this!" Hunter yelled.

"Hey! Don't yell at me! I never said I was giving up!" Laura shouted at him.

"Well then don't grip about helping out these people!"

"You're the one who just went off on me!"

"Ugh…" Kyle groaned. "Hm?" Kyle felt the earth below him tremble somewhat, and then he noticed some loose soil beneath Laura and Hunter moving. "Look out!" Kyle darted for Laura, grabbed her, then ran and grabbed Hunter and jumped to the top of a piece of rubble not on fire just as green vines burst from the ground where they were standing and attempted to entangle nothing.

"Whoa!" Hunter gasped at this. "Someone tried a wood veil attack on us." Hunter said as he drew his bow.

"Over there!" Laura pointed towards the flames with her rapier.

"Ha ha ha ha ha… too bad, I almost had you." Laughed a male human voice. A silhouette came out of the flames, he resembled a blue mage, only dressed in black, and he carried two sabers.

"Who are you?" Kyle growled as he drew his lance.

"I guess you should know who I am before the fun begins." The man said. "I am Colonel Ize! Colonel of the Black Army!" Ize proudly declared.

Meanwhile…

"I don't feel, hear, or smell anything." Adam said.

"Man… it would have been nice to see what this town had." Brently sighed.

"Not the time you twit!" Syack hit Brently over the head with his rod.

"Ouch!"

"Hmmmmm…" Adam looked around, almost cautiously.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Enjoying the view?" A voice mocked them.

"Who dares speak of this senseless destruction with such enjoyment?" Casey asked darkly. The flames of one pile of rubble parted, to reveal a bangaa who was dressed similarly to a Defender, although he didn't have the blindfolds and he wore more armor on the arms and legs and was carrying a pole-arm of some sort on his back. He stood 6'5" in height.

"You don't enjoy this? You call yourself a bangaa?" The bangaa asked.

"How dare you insult Master Casey so!" Adam drew his sword, charged at the figure and prepared to swing his sword.

"No Adam!" Casey called out desperately.

"Fool." The figure pulled out a silver pole axe and swung it quickly.

"GAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" Adam had a deep gash across his torso that was bleeding profusely.

"Yipe!!!" Brently squeaked.

"To be able to leave such a wound on Adam isn't a small feat. And he made it look easy." Syack thought.

"For challenged me you shall die!" The other end of the bangaa's pole axe had a spear tip and he was preparing to drive it through Adam.

"Rush!" Casey tackled the figure and sent him sprawling backwards. "Syack! Tend to Adam! Do not fight this guy! Leave him to me!" Casey shouted.

"Don't have to tell me twice." Brently said.

"Brently! Help me stop the bleeding!" Syack shouted.

"Crud…"

"Who are you, to enjoy this suffering?" Casey growled.

"I am General Agres… and your head shall be mine!" Agres declared with disturbing joy.

"I think not General… because you have earned my wrath." Casey growled as he drew his sword.

Meanwhile…

"Still nothing Harris." Heidi said.

"This is just far too unnatural." Harris said.

"Hmmmmm…" Matt looked around. "Hm?" Matt then looked above him. "HOLY SNOT!!! LOOK OUT!!!" Matt shouted as he ran from where he stood and grabbed the near by Monty and Mendoza.

"Gah!" They screamed. Another bolt of lightning struck where Casey, Monty, and Mendoza were standing.

"What the heck!" Gilbert shouted. Smoke billowed from where the bolt struck, rain started to pour down around them.

"Life… and death…" Came an emotionless voice.

"What?"

"For some, people never look at the line between them. Some never realize how thin that truly is." The voice continued.

"Who is that?" Heidi asked as the smoke started to clear.

"It couldn't be…" Harris said.

"But true warriors, they have walked along the line between life and death so many times, they realize how thin it is." The figure that was in the smoke continued.

"Who are you?" Matt asked.

"That is what separates the weak, and the strong." The figure said as he turned around and revealed his face to the six heroes.

"It is…" Harris said. "I saw him, ten years ago at the massacre."

"And who is he?" Heidi asked.

"Hmph…" Matt prepared his weapon as the figure drew his sword.

"My name is Agon. Marshal Agon." He said as he pointed his sword at Matt. "And I have come to challenge you."

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What calamity! What shock! Can our heroes fight off the might of two generals and one of the Colonels? Find out next chapter! Until then, read and review.