Final Fantasy: Rise of Despair
Sorry for the delay, you have no idea how frantic things have been lately. But now on to the story.
When we last left off, the bandit leader Blaze encountered Hunter and Laura. In spite of the two's strength and mind, Blaze's unfamiliar fighting style proved to be too much for them to handle. Even with Brently in the fray, Blaze subdued the group and prepared to finish them off when Casey jumped in, defeated him and then offered him the chance to assist the group. Now they make their way to Materia Woods.
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy: Tactics Advance, I do own the characters and plot.
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Trek to the woods
The group of seven made their way out of Kudik peaks only to come across more mountains as they walked in to the area of the Sienna Gorge. "Ugh, how'd we end up here again?" Hunter asked.
"At least we're not looking for a magical school this time." Adam said.
"…" Blaze didn't say a word, he just walked behind the rest of the group and looked ahead past the group, his only look was that of a look of determination.
"…" Kyle never kept his eye off of Blaze, still weary of the thought of him turning to attack his companions at any second.
"Don't worry, we just have to go through here and the Deti plains and we'll be there." Casey said.
"It's that guy that makes me more nervous than the walk." Brently said.
"Speaking of him…" Casey walked backwards until he was behind the rest of the group, some of them staring at him. "Keep walking." Casey said. He was now right beside Blaze.
"Hm? What do you want?" Blaze asked harshly.
"Hey! I will not oppose Master Casey's decision to bring you along, but I won't have you talk like that to one of the honored Racemasters!" Adam shouted at Blaze.
"Racemasters? What is that supposed to mean?" Blaze asked.
"Why you…"
"Leave it Adam, if he hasn't heard of us then he hasn't heard of us." Casey said.
"My apologies Master Casey." Adam said.
"Anyways… I'm curious, where did you learn that fighting style?" Casey asked Blaze.
"What's it to you?" Blaze asked.
"Sheesh, he is being rude isn't he?" Laura thought.
"I'm just curious, I've been alive for a long time and that is a style I haven't seen in ages." Casey said.
"How old could you possibly be?" Blaze asked.
"I'm two-hundred and twenty-eight." Casey answered.
"Yeah right." Blaze told him.
"Must… resist… temptation to… throttle him…" Adam said under his breath.
"Casey wouldn't like it." Hunter was close enough to hear Adam, and thusly responded.
"If you don't feel like telling me than you don't have to say anything." Casey said. "Hold on everyone, we need to go up from here if we want to save time." Casey said.
"Up?" Laura asked. The group looked at the cliff wall to the side and noticed that it was pretty much completely vertical, and quite a few miles high. "How?" Laura asked.
"Like this." Casey leaped from where he stood and landed at the top of the cliff. He felt around the ground he was standing on with his hands, and after tapping a certain spot a few times, he slammed his fist in to that spot.
"Ummmm… what did that do?" Hunter asked.
"Hmph." Blaze snorted. At first nothing seemed to happen, but then the rocks started to collapse from the side of the cliff, crumble in to little pieces.
"Heads up!" Laura shouted.
"Whoa!" Kyle had to jump back to avoid being crushed by the rocks and pebbles that tumbled down the side of the mountain. Once the collapsing finished, there was a narrow but traversable slope that eventually led up to the top of the cliff.
"Going up!" Casey shouted.
"Well, that's convenient." Laura said as she started up. Laura was the first one up, followed by Adam, who was dragging Brently.
"Oh come on! Let me go!" Brently whined. Hunter then followed them up, but before Blaze walked up Kyle stopped him.
"What is it with you now?" Blaze asked rudely.
"Listen, in case you haven't noticed, Casey is very very powerful and could wipe out any of us without breaking a sweat, and there are four others just like him. Try anything, and if I don't get you first, he will." Kyle threatened before climbing up.
"Hmph… wouldn't benefit me to try and kill you guys at this point anyways." Blaze said to himself.
Later…
"Alright, we'll set up camp here for now." Casey said as he set down his pack of things followed by the others. They stopped near a cliff that dropped in to the gorge, but there were a few trees nearby as well.
"Hey where are you going?" Hunter asked.
"I didn't even try to escape yet." Brently said.
"I was asking him." Hunter said while holding out a hand towards Blaze.
"Over there." Blaze said as he walked several feet away from the group.
"Sheesh, that guy really does have an attitude." Brently said.
"You think?" Hunter responded.
"Hmph, the farther away he is the less harm he can do." Kyle said.
"You really don't trust him do you?" Casey asked Kyle.
"He tried to kill Laura…" Kyle growled.
"Hey, his technique caught me off guard, and I didn't want to hurt that weakling over there by going full strength." Laura said.
"There went the streak." Hunter said. "But you were worried about me eh?" Hunter asked.
"Nah, I just knew that the others wouldn't like it." Laura said.
"Doh…" Hunter groaned.
"This is good wood." Adam drew his sword quickly and made a clean cut through the base of a tree, leaving only a stump and a small tree lying on the ground. Adam then cut it in to evenly cut logs. The others helped gather the logs and put them together. Kyle breathed some fire on to the pile and quickly started a fire. Blaze gathered the left over wood and took it off to wear he was.
"What is he doing now?" Kyle asked suspiciously.
"I don't know about you but it looks like he's starting a fire to me." Brently said bluntly. Blaze struck his two fingers like a match, lighting them, and then placing them against the wood until it caught fire.
"What do you all think about him?" Casey asked. "Be honest."
"He's untrustworthy." Kyle said.
"He has issues." Laura said.
"He burnt my hat." Brently pouted.
"He's too temperamental." Hunter said.
"He is… shady." Adam said.
"I see." Casey said. "Well… I see there are quite a few one-sided opinions."
"I know it seems cynical of us to say things like that, but can you blame us? He tried to kill us only a few hours ago." Hunter said.
"Pft… I think I could have taken him." Laura said while rolling her eyes.
"And now that I've seen what he can do I think I could come up with a better fighting strategy." Hunter said.
"Alright that's enough." Casey said sternly. "You both lost so face it with dignity."
"Sorry." They both said.
"Well, before we turn in…" Casey stood up and then zipped off and came back with Brently.
"Damn it all!" Brently shouted.
"Hmph… those bastards." Blaze thought while looking at Hunter and Laura. "I ought to kill them in their sleep. But unfortunately that would ruin my chances at getting revenge." Blaze thought. His gaze then turned to Casey. "He better be right."
Meanwhile…
"So… that's her story." Matt responded to what Cole just told him. He and Cole were a ways away from the rest of the group, sleeping around the campfire. Toxin, in spite of being covered in her blindfold and mask, she seemed quite peaceful. "I bet… she really has had it rough."
"Yes. She really is quite sensitive, yet she puts on a strong face." Cole said.
"Do you think Syack will be okay?"
"I think so. He seems to have come to grips. Now then, what about this Seth person?" Cole asked as he pointed a finger towards the sleeping Seth.
"Well as you noticed, he knows how to use those techniques and I've lost the bet. Yadda yadda yadda." Matt said with a groan. "But he is a very good person. I watched him help people at the refuge." Matt said.
"Really?"
"Yes, he did it for no benefit to him. He really is selfless, and it never mattered to him what kind of people they were either. It was never too much trouble to help them." Matt said. "Old, young, children, nice, not so nice, freaks, geeks…" Matt started to list.
"Were those last two necessary?" Cole asked.
"No, but it lightens things up doesn't it?" Matt asked with a big toothy grin while holding up two fingers.
"Oy…" Cole sighed.
The next day…
"Gah! This blasted sand is blowing in my face again!" Syack shouted.
"It's good to have you back Syack." Gilbert said with a smile.
"So, these are some of the people you mentioned?" Toxin asked.
"Yes." Cole answered simply.
"Seth was it?" Syack asked Seth.
"Yes. Your name was… Syack?" Seth asked in response.
"Yes, yes it was." Syack said. "When did you meet those loons?" Syack asked.
"Loons?" Seth was a bit confused by this.
"Hey! A lizard!" Monty shouted while pointing at the ground.
"Where?" Mendoza asked as he lost focus and stumbled over Monty.
"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Monty shouted as they tumbled through the sands.
"Yeah, those loons." Syack said.
"Oh them? A few days ago. They stumbled near the refuge village." Seth said.
"A refuge village? How come I never heard of it?" Toxin asked.
"Because it's in a former jagd." Seth said.
"No wonder, I guess it's just habit to avoid those places generally." Toxin said.
"How much farther until Materia Woods?" Gilbert asked.
"We're still about a day away if you take in to account the random wanderings of…" Matt started to say.
"Hey, I see a bird." Mendoza said.
"Where?" Monty asked as he knocked in to Mendoza's leg and caused them both to go tumbling down a sand dune.
"AAAAAAHHH!!!"
"…those two." Matt finished.
"I see." Syack groaned.
"Ah ha ha ha! They are quite amusing aren't they?" Toxin asked.
"Hey! What do you mean by that?" Monty asked indignantly.
"Well…" Toxin dashed behind Monty faster than he could react and held her katana at his throat. "…what do you think?"
"Eep…" Monty squeaked out.
"Now was that necessary?" Seth asked Toxin.
"Oh I guess not." Toxin replied with a sigh.
"Yep, things are almost normal." Matt said.
"Almost?" Cole asked. "Oh of course, the group isn't whole yet."
"Correct. I wonder how they're doing now." Monty said.
Meanwhile…
Casey's group was now almost out of the Sienna Gorge, Blaze once again behind the rest of the group.
"Okay, I'm getting annoyed by this." Hunter sighed. He walked slower and was now right beside Blaze.
"Hm? Ugh what do YOU want?" Blaze spat at Hunter.
"Okay, we got off on the wrong foot, but since we're going to be traveling together it only makes sense to try and get along a little better." Hunter said. "Hello, my name is Hunter." Hunter said as he held out a hand.
"…" Blaze only stared at the hand. "Pft… I'm not about to simply forget what you did to my men." Blaze said as he walked ahead of Hunter.
"Sheesh."
"Look, he's a jerk, you might as well forget about him." Brently said.
"I guess you're right for once." Hunter sighed.
"Heh, of course I'm right, I did come from the family of… EEP!" Brently quickly grabbed his mouth and clamped it tightly. Blaze then stopped suddenly and started quivering.
"What… were you… about to say?" Blaze asked Brently with a hiss.
"Nothing." Brently said. Nearly everyone stopped walking at this and turned to watch.
"Blaze what is the meaning of this?" Casey asked.
"You said you belonged to the family of." Blaze said as his arms started letting off steam. "Nobody even begins to address themselves like that unless they're nobles." Blaze hissed.
"Hey now hold on!" Now Brently was the one mad. "What makes you think I belong to some stupid noble family!"
"Brently calm down…" Adam urged.
"Brently… now that I think about it, I recognize that name." Blaze said.
"Don't… say it." Brently threatened.
"Cool it both of you." Casey said.
"You're that brat of the Gataway family!" Blaze shouted.
"Grrrrrrrrrrr… YAH!" Brently leaped at Blaze with his knife drawn, ready to stab him.
"I'll beat you down again short stuff!" Blaze shouted. He kicked Brently away, breathed deeply, then struck his arms like matches and dashed for Brently.
"Not this time punk!" Brently shouted as he stood up and charged at Blaze. Blaze drew back a fist and Brently leaped at Blaze, just before they struck each other, Casey got in between them, grabbed Blaze's flaming fist with no issues and stopped Brently in mid-air.
"I told you two to cool it!" Casey shouted.
"You Gataway brat! Do you know what little kiss ups your family had?" Blaze yelled at Brently.
"You think I liked living with them! All those stupid rules and manners! I hated that life! And don't you remind me about it!" Brently shouted.
"Okay now you two are acting like children." Laura scolded them as they tried to get past Casey to no avail.
"Brently, calm down." Adam urged.
"Blaze don't do this." Hunter told him.
"Hmph!" The two broke off from Casey and turned their backs to each other.
"Look out!" Kyle shouted. Everyone turned to find a storm of arrows coming from behind them.
"Carbuncle!" Laura summoned Carbuncle, which then covered Hunter, Kyle, and herself. Protecting them from the arrows.
"Expert guard!" Both Casey and Adam took their expert guard poses and deflected any arrows that came towards them while Brently stood behind Adam.
"Grrrr…" Blaze's arms were still ignited and he was swinging his arms in front of him rapidly, but he was unable to block every arrow that came at him.
"Why isn't he using that technique?" Casey wondered. After the flurry of arrows stopped, the group looked and saw a number of archers uphill from where they were, concealed by bushes.
"Damn it, they still lived." One archer said.
"Worse, they noticed us." A sniper said.
"How bad could it be… EEE!" The archer that said that found an arrow embedded in its head, courtesy of Hunter.
"They are so dead!" Blaze dashed for the group of archers while throwing flaming fists at them, causing fireballs to bombard them. Hunter stood back and fired arrow after arrow with precise aim.
"Jump attack!" Kyle jumped from where he was and landed in between two archers, he quick stabbed one with his lance, then kicked one to the ground.
"Fira! Thundara!" Laura struck the several archers with fireballs and bolts of lightning.
"You okay Brently?" Adam asked.
"They hit… my…" Brently was holding hit hat, which had an arrow hole in it. "MY HAT!!!" Brently drew many throwing knives and ran for the group of archers, throwing them and embedding them in their foreheads.
"Grrrrah!" Blaze threw a punch that went straight through the chest of a hapless archer. One hunter aimed an arrow at the back of Blaze's head, and just before he released it, Hunter fired his own arrow in to the side of that hunter's head. "Huh?"
"Your welcome." Hunter said with a smile. With that the numerous archers were cleared.
"Why did you…" Blaze started to ask.
"Because, you're on our side now, like it or not." Hunter said.
"…" Blaze's arms died down as Hunter turned to rejoin the group. "…" Blaze sighed. "Thank you." He said with a reluctant sigh.
"Heh… seems he may yet warm up to us." Casey said.
"I still don't think I trust him." Kyle said.
Elsewhere that night…
"Well, we should arrive at the woods by late morning." Matt said. He, Cole, Toxin, and Seth were the only ones awake at the moment.
"And hopefully we'll see the rest of your comrades there?" Toxin asked.
"Correct." Cole said. He looked around at his sleeping comrades. "Well then, since everyone else who doesn't know is asleep I believe we can speak frankly." Cole said.
"About…" Toxin started.
"About well… you know." Matt said.
"Oh… well…" Toxin was a little hesitant.
"I know it must be hard Toxin, but I need to know if you'll be able to help us without your feelings interfering." Cole said.
"Toxin, I want to help you if I can." Seth said.
"But… where should I start?" Toxin asked as she removed her blindfold.
"If you tell us about your past, it might take some weight off of you." Seth said.
"We won't force you of course." Matt said.
"No… you have a right to know more about me." Toxin said. "To be honest, the adventure is only half the reason I wanted to come along."
"What other reason did you have?" Cole asked.
"To be honest, I'm after a certain member of the Black Army." Toxin said.
"One member?" Matt asked. "Who and why?"
"…" Toxin sighed. "I believe her name is Cious." Toxin said. "And I want her dead after what she did to my caretaker."
"The nu mou you mentioned to me?" Cole asked.
"Yes." Toxin said.
"Toxin, you're out for revenge then?" Seth asked.
"Yes."
"I see…" Seth said.
"What? Did I offend you?" Toxin asked.
"No, no. I'm just surprised I guess." Seth said. "But… if it does bring us one step closer to ridding Ivalice of that villainous Black King, it may be for the best." Seth said.
"Say Seth, how much of those Secret Veil techniques do you know?" Cole asked.
"Huh? Why?" Seth asked.
"Oh, curiosity shall we call it?"
"Only three." Seth said.
"Three?" Both Matt and Cole asked, as if surprised.
"Yeah, my teacher died before he could pass the finished art to me." Seth said. "And these techniques are difficult, not just anyone can perform them since it requires users to precisely control large amounts of mana."
"Really? That must mean you're quite talented then." Toxin said.
"Um… I guess so." Seth said sheepishly.
"Alright, you two had best get some rest." Cole said.
"Yep, we've got to get moving in the morning if we want to get there soon." Matt said.
"Very well." Toxin said as she put her blindfold back on.
"I will." Seth said.
"Seth…" Toxin started.
"Yes?" Seth asked.
"Thank you… thank you for being so kind." Toxin said.
"It was… no problem." Seth said.
"For a boy you are very kind."
"Boy? I am seventeen thank you." Seth said indignantly.
"Ha ha ha ha. Ah well, good night then." Toxin said as she spread out a cloth to sleep on.
"Good night." Seth said.
"Ah… young love." Matt sighed.
"Quiet you." Cole said as he elbowed Matt's side.
"Ouch."
The next morning elsewhere…
"What happened to those plains?" Blaze asked as they trekked through the woods, several stones lying about.
"Don't ask." Everyone said at once.
"Alright sheesh." Blaze said.
"Blaze, I noticed you got hit by a fair number of arrows yesterday." Casey said.
"Yeah so?"
"So doesn't your fighting style have some sort of defensive technique?" Casey asked.
"How would I know? The last guy who knew the complete art was the master of my master. So I wouldn't even have a clue." Blaze said.
"You mean to say we lost to an incomplete fighting style?" Laura asked Hunter under her breath.
"Apparently." Hunter muttered back.
"Ugh… where the heck is this base?" Brently asked impatiently.
"You actually care to reach our destination?" Kyle asked Brently, clearly surprised.
"Yeah well just tell us where it is will you?" Brently asked.
"Ummmm… it's been a while since I've been there." Adam said.
"Ugh… I'll scout ahead for it then." Blaze said as he walked hastily to get ahead of the group.
"You don't even know what to look for though." Hunter said.
"Well tell me then." Blaze demanded.
Adam sighed but then spoke. "It's an old fort." Adam said.
"Fine then." Blaze said as he walked off.
"Should we just let him go like that?" Hunter asked.
"Oh he'll be back." Casey said.
Meanwhile…
"Dagnabbit we don't even know what to look for around here." Matt said.
"We should have asked Casey before we lost contact with him." Cole sighed.
"I could scout ahead for you if you like." Seth said.
"Alone?" Gilbert asked.
"I can cover ground pretty quickly, and one person is less likely to get spotted than two." Seth said.
"He has a point." Monty said.
"Would you do the honors then?" Matt asked.
"Okay, I'll find you again." Seth said. He walked off ahead of the group until sight of him was lost in the forest.
"Maybe I should go with him." Toxin said.
"Don't worry about it, I think he'll be fine." Cole said.
"After all, what's the worse that could happen?" Mendoza asked.
Meanwhile…
"Gee whiz, these woods are thick." Blaze said as he pushed his way past brambles and branches.
SNAP
"Who's there!" Blaze shouted as he turned around. Feeling cautious, he more carefully made his way through the woods until…
SNAP
"!!!" Blaze now felt an impulse to run for cover. Blaze ran and ran and ran until… "OOF!"
"Ow… hey are you alright?"
"Watch where you're going blondie!" Blaze shouted at a blonde boy in a dark blue ninja outfit.
"I said I was sorry." Seth said as he stood up.
"Sorry isn't good enough kid, now where the heck are your parents?" Blaze asked rudely.
"Parents? I'm old enough to live on my own you know." Seth said indignantly.
"Listen kid, I'm busy and I don't have time to play." Blaze said as he turned.
"I could help if you like." Seth said.
"Help?" Blaze stopped and turned towards Seth. He gave Seth a suspicious look. "Alright, who are you kid?"
"My name is Seth. Yours?" Seth asked politely.
"…" Blaze continued to look at Seth with suspicion. He turned away from Seth, breathed deeply, then ignited his arms and threw a fireball at Seth.
"Whoa!" Seth ducked under the fireball as it struck the ground a few feet behind him.
"You would like to know wouldn't you? Just what are you trying to do here?" Blaze started demanding.
"Hold on now, I was just trying to help."
"Yeah right!" Blaze threw another fist at him, sending another fireball at Seth. Seth drew his swords and slashed through the fireball and then jumped at Blaze with both of his katana, Blaze's flaming arms then blocked the katana. "So, you want to tussle then?"
"Okay now you are just being rude!" Seth kicked Blaze away, sheathed his katana and made quick hand signs. "Wood jujutsu: Wood veil!" Seth made green vines appear around Blaze.
"You must be stupid kid, wood will lose to flames any day!" Blaze's arms burned brighter for a moment, incinerating the vines before charging at Seth. Seth made more handsigns.
"Earth jujutsu! Earth veil!" Seth made a small wall of earth in between him and Blaze. Blaze punched straight through it but didn't find Seth behind it.
"What?"
"Hiyah!" Seth attempted to stab Blaze from above, but Blaze rolled out of the way, turned and threw two smaller fireballs.
"Fire fist!" Seth jumped back but didn't expect the fireballs to explode and was thrown backwards.
"Ah!"
"Fire render!" Blaze threw a large fireball at Seth in hopes of striking him. Seth avoided it, but it struck a tree behind him.
"Ah! How can you be so reck…"
"Fire render!" Blaze threw another fireball at Seth.
"Okay, that tears it!" Seth made a quick and long string of hand signs. "Secret art! Deluge veil!" Seth caused a large amount of water to appear around him in a vortex before expanding in a flood around him.
"Whoa!" The waves threw Blaze back as he held his breath. Seth only felt a small spray hit him from around him as the water rushed outward until it disappeared. "Grrrr…" The water on his arms evaporated as they heated up before he lit them again.
"Secret art! Soil Veil!" Seth surrounded Blaze with a dome of earth, but the second it closed, Blaze punched his way out of it angrier than ever.
"Okay kid! You're going down!" Blaze shouted.
"Not if I can help it!" Seth shouted angrily as he drew his katana. The two charged each other and clashed fists and sword very quickly. Seth swung high, Blaze blocked with his left arm and threw a gut punch at Seth. Seth spun around and performed a sweep kick that Blaze jumped over while drawing a fist. Blaze threw his fist that Seth blocked and then stabbed forward. Blaze grabbed the sword and then kicked Seth in the gut. "Oof!"
"Rah!" Blaze jumped forward and was ready to bring his fist down on Seth. Seth rolled to the side and jumped away as Blaze's fist sunk in to the ground. Seth then shoulder barged Blaze and attempted to go for a gut slice. Blaze deflected the blade to the side and attempted to do a flaming ridge hand towards Seth's neck. Seth blocked the hand and took a swing for the neck himself. Blaze pushed Seth away and threw a fireball at Seth. Seth did get hit but not before throwing a few shuriken that hit Blaze in the torso. "Gah!"
"Heh… heh…" Seth was breathing heavily. "You're not bad…"
"You're not so bad yourself kid." Blaze said as he caught his breath. "Grrrrrr…"
"Grrrrr…"
"YAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!" The two ran for each other with fists or swords ready to kill the other when.
"Knock it off!"
BOOM
"GAH!" Both of them were sent flying by slabs of rock that suddenly shot up in front of them and knocked them backwards.
"Geez, men." Laura sighed as Titan disappeared.
"Don't get in the way!" Blaze shouted.
"You were supposed to be scouting, not fighting some stranger!" Laura shouted.
"Seth are you alright!" Monty shouted.
"Huh? One of the weaklings?" Laura looked at Monty.
"Hey who are you calling… Laura!"
"What's going on here?" Casey said as he walked on to the scene.
"Say isn't that Casey?" Matt asked as he walked in followed by the rest of the group.
"Whoa, I think I see the whippersnappers." Syack said.
"Hey! Syack! Everyone! You're alright!" Hunter shouted in relief. Soon everyone was at the whole scene.
"Casey you are alright after all." Cole said.
"Heh… of course." Casey said proudly. "And I see that you and Matt are doing alright."
"What else did you expect?" Matt asked.
"I don't recognize a few scents here." Adam said.
"You must be Adam. My name is Toxin." Toxin introduced.
"And I am Adam."
"I see some new faces." Brently said.
"The whole group is here. No wait… where are Harris and Heidi?" Gilbert asked.
"…" Nearly everyone froze at this when they realized they weren't there.
"Ah, they can take care of themselves." Monty said.
"Right, clanmaster Harris and Heidi-sama won't go down that easily." Mendoza said confidently.
"Well everyone, shall we get back to looking for the Clan Liberation base around here?" Casey asked. "Together this time."
"Fine." Blaze said.
"Very well." Seth said. As the group walked away, sharing their stories and full of new hope, a black raven watched them from a near by tree branch before it flew away.
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Whew… sorry that took so long. Well, read and review.