Final Fantasy: Rise of Despair

Before we begin, I would like to inform you that I deleted that list of the chapter order from the end of last chapter as I won't be following it precisely. Relax though, I'm still finishing the truth in power chapters right now.

When we last left off, Harris demonstrated his amazing skill and terrible power as he combated the elite regiment of the black army, letting Major Destro suffer before his death. Now Harris prepares to lead Heidi somewhere. But to where? And what secrets come with it?

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

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Truth in Power, part san

Harris and Heidi leaped through the tree branches of the forest, slowly though because of the weight the sadness dropped on their shoulders. Heidi looked at Harris curiously and with sympathy, wondering what he meant. Harris then stopped suddenly. "Hold for a moment." Harris said. He hopped down from the trees and walked to his right.

"Hm?" Heidi looked at where he was walking to. Her eyes glittered in awe at the beauty of what she saw. A clearing in the trees revealed a large patch of tulips, many different colors shining underneath the moonlight. "It's… beautiful." Heidi thought.

"…" Harris picked two, then leaped back to Heidi and gave her one of them. Heidi sniffed it for a moment.

"Harris… what is the other tulip…" She started to ask.

"Come." Harris said simply as he turned and continued to jump through the trees. Heidi followed as she held on to her tulip gently. After a while of leaping through the trees, Harris and Heidi finally landed in a clearing. The only thing in the clearing, was a small stone and a now dead tulip resting in front of it. Harris walked over slowly, picked up the dead tulip, and laid the fresh tulip at the stone.

"Harris… what is that stone?" She asked.

"To any simple passer by, it is but a mere stone." Harris said sadly. "But…" Harris concentrated mana to his fingertips and pressed them against the stone. The second he removed his fingers, gold writing wrote itself on to the stone. "When mana is exposed to it correctly, it reveals what I once held dear." Harris said sadly. He moved to the side and motioned for Heidi to read what was on the stone. Heidi knelt at the stone, and read the writing out loud.

"Here rests Vivian… the fairest, the swiftest, the kindest, the mightiest, and the most loving of all Viera. Rest in eternal peace Vivian… the master of… viera…" Heidi said as it dawned on her. "Harris… you mean to say…"

"Yes." Harris said as the tears started to flow down his cheeks. "This is the grave of Vivian, a dear friend, the Racemaster of the vieras, and the love of my life." Harris said.

"…" Heidi gasped slowly as Harris said this. Her eyes watering with tears for Harris. "Harris…"

"What Casey told you was the truth. We lost our families as children and ran away to an abandoned cathedral." Harris said. "This cathedral is in fact hidden in these very woods." Harris said.

"Here? But… I never once found anything of the sort." Heidi said.

"Once we learned the proper enchantments, we made sure that only those who knew where it was could possibly find it." Harris said. "We found a library underneath it, found ancient techniques and began training." Harris said. He smiled in spite of the tears on his cheeks. "Occasionally we thought we were ready, we grew impatient. We wanted to right the wrong of our families dying sooner than later. Vivian would always comfort us at these times, and in turn I would comfort her when she was sad."

"…" Heidi listened on, starting to feel the pain Harris felt weigh down on her.

"As the many years passed on, we became powerful warriors, we became better friends, almost never leaving each other's sides." Harris said. "Vivian and I… grew closer. I fell in love with her, and she fell in love with me." Harris said, his smile now vanishing.

"Harris…"

"One day, I proposed to her. She accepted, I thought after that we would live on in eternal bliss. I felt that nothing would ever sever our happiness. But… the night after I proposed, everything was taken from me." Harris said.

"Harris… what happened?" Heidi asked reluctantly, as it hurt to watch the tears fall from Harris' face faster and faster.

"Everyone else had fallen asleep, I was prepared to sleep myself when I felt an evil presence." Harris said. "A demon had escaped from the netherworld, and I thought I could handle it alone." Harris continued as he looked at his bandaged left hand. "I was wrong."

"…"

"That demon bested me, burned my arm, and I was at its mercy." Harris said, choking up. "The demon prepared to deal the final blow when…" Harris fell to his knees, the tears falling like rain from his eyes. "Vivian took that fatal blow for me."

"Harris…" Heidi could hardly believe what she heard. "I'm… I'm…"

"The others arrived in time to finish off the demon, and I tried endlessly to revive her. I tried again, and again as I held her body in my arms." Harris said, the tears dripping on to his hands as he looked at them. "But it was no use. Wounds from a demon are harder to heal, and death from a demon is nearly impossible to reverse. She died that night… because of my arrogance, I was unable to save her, and it cost me the one I loved more than life itself."

"…"

"We buried her here… she loved the Koringwood, and after that… I suppressed my mana, I used magic to hide the symbol on my hand, and I donned normal robes. I threw away my title as Racemaster, and swore I would never use it again." Harris said sadly.

"But… Harris…"

"I would have restarted my aging if I knew how, I would have gladly died after that, but no… it was my punishment to live with this. To carry this burden for all of my life." Harris said.

"Harris… how long has it been?" Heidi asked sadly.

"One century… one century ago." Harris said.

"One hundred years… Harris how could carry that guilt alone all of those years?"

"I still acted to protect the innocent." Harris said as he stood up. "It pacified my darkness, it soothed me, and it was what Vivian would have wanted." Harris said. "And visiting her helped. I would bring her a tulip every month, like I did when she was living. So that I could keep my promise to her."

"Harris…" Heidi started.

"And then… I met you." Harris said.

"Me?"

Harris smiled somewhat, but still saddened. "You are a lot like Vivian. You look like her, you both have the same favorite flower, kind, caring, powerful. Being with you…"

"Reminded you of being with her." Heidi finished. "…But Harris… why hide this for so long?" Heidi asked.

"It was my weight to bear alone… and so it shall be." Harris said sadly. He turned away from Heidi and started to walk away.

"Harris. Wait… Harris where are you going?" Heidi asked.

"Heidi… I'm sorry. But I can't be with you any longer." Harris said.

"Wait Harris, don't leave now… I mean, now that we know you are the Racemaster, we… we have a chance now." Heidi said hopefully, hoping that will make Harris stay.

"No. There is no hope. I felt the Black King's mana during that fight, even if I had helped, the result would have been the same. The four of us would not be able to match the Black King." Harris said sadly.

"But… but Harris." Heidi said, now desperate. "What about your friends? Your comrades? What about me!" Heidi screamed with tears in her eyes.

"Heidi… I've destroyed every life close to me. I destroyed Vivian, I destroyed Cam, and by revealing myself, I've destroyed all of you. The Black King will want you all dead now that I've revealed myself." Harris said.

"Harris but… but Cam was… and… HARRIS DON'T LEAVE ME!!! PLEASE JUST LET ME HELP YOU!!! I'M SORRY FOR DOUBTING YOU!!!" Heidi screamed.

"…" Harris sighed, tears once again running down his face. "Heidi… I'm sorry. But it has to be this way." Harris said as he vanished. Heidi knelt on the ground, failing to hold back her tears as she buried her face in to her hand.

"Harris…" Heidi cried. "Harris…" Heidi then looked at the tulip in her hand and then at Vivian's grave as the letters disappeared. "Harris." Heidi then stood back up. "No… I won't let you carry this burden by yourself anymore!" Heidi dashed in the direction Harris ran off in.

"…" Harris walked on through the woods saddened deeply. "Heidi… I can't let you near me any longer. I'll only destroy you, like I've destroyed others." Harris thought.

"Harris, I don't care what danger awaits us. I don't care if you think you'll destroy me. I can handle myself, and I want you to protect me." Heidi thought.

"If there was another way… Heidi… you mean so much to me. That's why I can't let you near me. I care about You too much." Harris thought to himself as he walked through the woods.

"Harris… you've become more than my teacher, you became more than my clanmaster. You became my best friend, I don't care what awaits us. You mean too much to me." Heidi continued to think to herself.

"Heidi… this burden is mine alone to bear. It is my punishment for my arrogance, and how it cost me everything. And I won't let it cost you." Harris thought.

"Harris, you've pained yourself for a century, you have carried a tremendous burden alone for too long. But Harris, don't you see? You don't have to carry it alone anymore." Heidi thought as she ran through the Koringwood. "Harris!" She cried. "HARRIS!!!" Heidi stopped among a group of trees and looked around.

"…"

"Hm?" Heidi felt something gently and quickly remove the ribbon tied to her hair. "Harris?"

"Night." Harris cast a spell that caused stars and a moon to hang over Heidi until it lulled her in to sleep.

"Harris…" Heidi said as she fell asleep, her tulip in her open palm. Harris jumped down from the trees and laid her ribbon in her hand.

"I'm sorry. Goodbye." Harris whispered as he left her to sleep. After a while of walking, Harris stopped and looked to the left. "It can't be." Harris said as he walked in the direction he was looking. Harris finally came to a clearing, a dark purple magic vortex in the middle of it. "It is."

"…" A figure slowly emerged from the vortex. The figure was about 7'0" in height. It had dark gray skin, goat-like horns, a very muscular physique, and belt holding a fur tunic that reached down to its knees. It had six clawed fingers, and four clawed toes, and its face had glowing red eyes, and no visible mouth. "Aaaaaaaaahhhhh… so… this is what the world of the beings is like."

"So… one has escaped again." Harris said as he drew his swords.

"So much… misery… suffering… hatred… and fear… it feeds me… yes. This world is grand." The figure said.

"Not for long." Harris said as he walked in to view.

"Hm?" The figure looked at Harris. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha. So a being of this world challenges me." The figure held out a hand and a scimiter like sword appeared from purple flames. "How foolish."

"I am prepared to battle you… demon of the netherworld." Harris said. "I am the only one who can right now."

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Now you know about Harris. Leave a review, and tell me what you think.