Final Fantasy: Rise of Despair
Whew… well I took my SATs, and I don't know how I did, but oh well.
When we last left off, Harris took Heidi to the grave of non-other than the Racemaster of the vieras, the love of Harris' life one hundred years ago. Harris, now trying to leave behind Heidi for her own benefit, he has once again encountered a demon. With one century to grow stronger, will Harris be able to defeat him?
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy: Tactics Advance, I do own the characters and plot.
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Realization
Harris stared down the demon, pointing his swords at the demon. "Hm hm hm hm hm… so mortal? Do you think an inferior being like you will be able to match me?"
"There is only one way to find out now isn't there?" Harris asked. The two lunged at each other with their weapons ready. Harris swung his sword vertically only for it to be blocked.
"Hrrrrrrrrrah!" The demon threw a punch for Harris' gut. Harris flipped over the top of the demon's head while gathering saliva in his mouth.
"Acid." Harris spit out a yellow glob in to the demon's eyes.
"Aaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!" The demon yelled. Harris then landed behind the demon's back, then shoulder barged in to its back. "AUGH!" The demon went sprawling forward.
"Firaja." Harris waved a hand and caused a pillar of flames to encircle the demon, swirling around him as it reached to the sky. "Hmph…" Harris sheathed his two swords and turned to walk away. "It's about time I returned to normal robes again." Harris said sadly. As he walked away, he failed to notice glowing red eyes in the flames. The demon zipped out of the flames and slashed Harris in the backside. "AUGH!"
"RAH!" The demon raised his sword above Harris and prepared to impale Harris. Harris rolled out of the way, jumped far to the demon's side while drawing a few kunai. Harris threw the kunai with expert accuracy while he tended to his injuries with nurse. The demon shrugged off the kunai that sunk in to its shoulder and pointed a palm at Harris.
"!!!" Harris' eyes widened before creating a string of hand signs. "Earth jujutsu: Earth veil!" Harris created a wall of earth just in time to stop a blast of black flames. "Metal jujutsu: metal veil!" Harris created a cloud of golden metal powder around the area around him.
"Hm hm hm hm hm…" The demon chuckled as the cloud stopped short of him. "You are strong for a mortal human." The demon said. "But you underestimate the strength I've gained from the misery in your world. And do you know something else?" The demon asked.
"Goblin punch!" Harris surprisingly appeared behind the demon and threw an insanely strong punch at the demon's back that sent it flying forward with violent force.
"GrrrrrrrrAH!" The demon turned and swung his sword, its length extending via purple mana. Harris was unable to avoid the attack and got slashed across the torso, not physically, but it felt like it.
"AUGH!!!" Harris shouted.
"GRAH!" The demon appeared right above Harris and punched straight downward, hitting Harris in the gut, and driving him in to the ground.
"AH!" Harris shouted. "Holy blade!" Harris stabbed his sword forward and hit it in the knee.
"Hm?" The demon felt a tingling sensation in its knee. It looked down and noticed the puncture in its knee glowing brighter and brighter. "AAAAUUUUUGGGHHH!!!" The demon fell to one knee, allowing Harris to shove its hand off of him. Harris then stood up and took several slashes at the demon.
"Hiyah!" Harris finished with a slash that sent him dashing past the demon, leaving almost twenty gashes in the demon's chest.
"AUGH!" It yelled in agony.
"I'm not done yet!" Harris turned and ran for the demon again. The demon quickly turned and not only blocked Harris' blades, but deflected them and took a slash that left a gash in Harris' chest. "AUGH!"
"Hm hm hm hm hm. Ha ha ha ha ha!" The demon then took two more powerful slashes that left more gashes in his torso.
"AAAAAARRRRRGGGHHH!!!" Harris then fell to the ground with more blood coming from his body.
"Oh human… you should realize how much I enjoy being in your presence." The demon said sadistically. "I sense it deep inside of you. Your guilt, your self-doubt, your suffering, you are a well of sadness. A well from which I drink fervently." The demon said, chuckling as it did so.
"Grrrrrr… twister!" Harris created a whirlwind of purple wind around the demon. "Thundaja!" Harris then struck the demon with gigantic bolts of lightning.
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" The demon laughed as the magic attacks struck him with ferocity.
"Star cross!" Harris gathered four balls of holy light that converged in to a large white eight-pointed star, emitting holy light all over the area, bombarding the demon with incredible force.
"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!" The demon laughed harder as the attacks continued to strike him.
"Dragon force." Harris used another spell to increase his strength as he drew his swords. Harris performed a cross block that blocked the demon's sword. Slowly the demon was starting to overpower Harris. "Grrrrrr…"
"Human human human." The demon chided. "You battle is futile. And you are doomed to lose to me. I feel your sadness grow the longer this fight goes on… so let it continue longer!" The demon shouted as forced Harris on to the ground. He then stomped his foot in to Harris' gut.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHH!!!" Harris shouted as he coughed out blood. Harris then felt the demon's massive hand wrapping around his body, holding him in the air.
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Yes your pain is delightful! Let your despair increase my strength!" It shouted in delight.
"So… this is how it ends… the way my life should have ended…" Harris thought. "So be it… my existence… lost meaning one century ago anyways…" Harris thought as he closed his eyes.
Harris opened his eyes and found himself in total blackness. He looked around and found a small dot of light in the distance, far away from where he was. Otherwise it was completely black. "Hm? Where is this?" Harris asked, his voice echoing in the empty space. He took a few steps forward, each step creating the sound of footsteps in a puddle, and sending out ripples wherever he stepped.
"Harris." A female voice called out to him, echoing gently in this empty space.
"Hm?" Harris looked around, hoping to find the source of the voice.
"Harris." The voice persisted.
"Wait… that voice… it… it can't be." Harris said. He turned around and thought he saw a figure walking towards the faint light in the distance. He slowly began walking forward, the sound of his footsteps touching water echoing through the vast space. Slowly Harris increased his pace until he finally reached a slow run. "Wait…" Harris said as his breathing grew heavier. "Wait!" He called out now in full sprint. After what felt like an eternity, Harris finally caught up to the figure.
"Hello Harris." The viera turned to look at Harris. Her white hair was in a single ponytail that fell between her shoulder blades, and she was 5'6" in height. She wore a white top leaving her stomach exposed, white sleeves that extended from her elbows to her wrists, and a white skirt that reached her knees. Completing the outfit were white sandals that extended almost to her knees. She had green eyes.
"Vivian…" Harris said bewildered.
"Harris… its time to let go." Vivian said gently to him as she stroked her fingers against his cheek.
"But… but Vivian…" Harris said as he grabbed her wrist gently. "Vivian I can't just let you go." Harris said. "I… I love you and… and you died… you died because I couldn't…" Before Harris could finish that sentence, Vivian put a finger to his lips.
"Harris… you've carried a guilt you shouldn't have to bear alone for a century now. Don't you think that perhaps you should let someone else ease the burden for you? Someone who would help you with their heart and soul?"
"Vivian… I couldn't do that to anyone. I couldn't let someone else fulfill my punishment for me." Harris said with watery eyes. "It was all my fault you died. Because I was so careless and arrogant."
"Harris…" Vivian said gently to him as she embraced him. "Harris I never once blamed you."
"But… but why?" Harris asked.
"Harris… I love you… even in death I still do. And then, I was more than happy to give my life for you. You would have done the same for me wouldn't you?" Vivian asked.
"…" Harris let this sink in.
"Harris… you must not let this darkness consume you. You walked deeper and deeper in to it over the years, keeping yourself barely close to the light through your deeds to help others. The only blame you carry is your own self blame, shouldn't you forgive yourself?" Vivian asked.
"Vivian… how can I when my own actions killed the one I loved? How could I when my actions killed you?" Harris asked with a few tears streaming down his face.
"It was through my choice and my actions that I died. It was none of your doing." Vivian said gently. "You must now strive for the future Harris, to do that you must forgive your past, and protect the present." Vivian said as she drifted away again.
"Vivian…" Harris tried to grab her, but she only drifted farther and farther away from his grip. "Vivian don't leave now." Harris begged.
"You have others who need your protection Harris." Vivian said with a smile and a few tears in her eyes. "Besides? Don't you have someone else… close to you now?"
"Hm?"
"Don't you have… someone else to protect?" Vivian asked as the tears fell behind her, drifting closer and closer to the light.
"Vivian!" Harris ran forward even faster now after Vivian as she drifted away towards the now growing light. Harris ran and ran, following the trail of tear drops Vivian left behind as she vanished towards the light. As Harris drew closer and closer to the light, a bright flash started to consume him until finally he was blinded by the light.
Harris opened his eyes again, this time in an empty space of white light, no shadow, no blackness anywhere. "Vivian?" Harris looked around more. "Vivian!" Harris called out. "Vivian." Harris saw Vivian's back in the distance. He ran towards her as he reached out a hand. Harris grabbed Vivian's arm and gently made her turn around. "!!!" Much to Harris' surprise, her eyes were now blue.
"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" The demon yelled in pain.
"Hm!" Harris awoke with a start, the demon dropped him and fell to the ground holding his head.
"WHAT!!! What is this?!" The demon yelled in agony. "What happened to your guilt?! What happened to your sorrow?! What happened to your doubt? Your despair? Where did it all go?! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" It yelled in pain.
"Ha ha ha ha…" Harris started to laugh.
"No… what is this?"
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha." Harris' laugh started to grow more and more hearty.
"Heh… heh…" The demon breathed heavily.
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Harris laughed loudly, tears of joy streaming from his face. "Oh Vivian… I am such a fool. You're right…" Harris said as the tears streamed down his face.
"NO! WHAT IS THIS!?! I FEEL SO WEAK… HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE!?!" The demon yelled in pain.
"Vivian… thank you. Thank you for opening my eyes." Harris said with a smile, wiping away his tears. "Vivian I could never thank you enough. You're right… I do have someone to protect now." Harris said as he pointed a palm at the demon.
"What… are you… doing?"
"Breath of life, gather your strength before me…" Harris chanted as mana started gathering in the palm of his hand. "… to show thy might to thy foe and sing within light… ULTIMA!!!" Harris created a sphere of light purple mana, and fired it at the demon. A dome of mana began expanding from the demon.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" It yelled in more agony than before. The dome started to consume him, vaporizing him as it grew larger. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" When the dome disappeared, the demon was no more, and Harris stood there, smiling with a new look of joy in his eyes.
"Now Vivian… I understand now… thank you… thank you so much…" He whispered.
The next morning…
Heidi lay gently where she had been the night before. "Mmmmmm…" She woke up slowly. "What?" Heidi looked around her. She sat up and took notice of five tulips surrounding her. "Wha… what happened?" Heidi thought for a moment when her eyes opened with a start. "Harris!" Heidi quickly tied her ribbon back on and looked around. She turned and noticed a flash of light in the distance. Without any other lead, Heidi decided to find the source of the light. She ran and ran for it until finally she came to a stream.
"Glad you're awake Heidi." Harris said as he kept twisting the sheath to his sword on his belt, causing brief flashes of sunlight. "Those tulips are the ones I owe you." Harris said.
"He… sounds different from lat night." Heidi thought. "Harris? Are you… are you alright?" Heidi asked.
"Heidi… I think… I think I might actually do better." Harris said. "Heidi?"
"What is it?"
"Heidi… I want you to spar with me."
"Spar!? With you?!?" Heidi asked, shocked by this.
"Yes Heidi." Harris said as he drew his twin swords. "Right here and right now." Harris said. "It might be wise you don't hold back Heidi." Harris advised.
"But… but… oh…" Heidi sighed for a moment, confused as to what made him change so much. The other night he felt the weight of the world on his shoulders, and now he seems alleviated, cleansed even.
"Well Heidi?" Harris asked.
"…" Heidi sighed, but then she smiled. "Alright."
"Be warned Heidi, I may not go full strength on you now, but I suggest you be ready." Harris said. "Are you prepared?"
"Yes." Heidi said as she drew her katana, and the two took fighting stances.
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More cliffys! Wah ha ha ha ha! Read and review.