Scene 5: Mages, Mountains and More
"I believe this is your area of expertise, Palom."
"As if you needed to tell me that!"
Cecil leaned against a broken pillar, observing the twins in their typical good-natured bickering. His gaze flew up to the mountain more than once, feeling so very small standing up against something so high. Afternoon sky nearly clear of clouds, still the apex couldn't be glimsped, like a floating fortress of stone, all spires, parapets and embattlements. What awaited them on the top?
At that moment a wall of flame barred their entrance, so high was it that even a Zu would be hard pressed to fly over it. But with a single wave of his hand, a blast of ice exploded from Palom's form, quenching it almost instantly. A few heartbeats later and the stone was cold enough to pass over. Turning to the dark knight and his sister, Palom said with a smirk, "And that's how it's done!"
With a upturned hand his sister smacked him upside the head. While Cecil thought that a bit harsh, Palom only rubbed his head out of wounded pride. "What did you do that for!"
Porom frowned. "How many times has the Elder told you not to be so arrogant?"
Her brother gave an irrepressible smile and shrugged his shoulders.
With a remarkable swiftness the white mage's voice flipped from disapproving to pleasant, this time addressing the knight. "Well then, let's continue onward." Without waiting for an assent, Porom snatched up her brother's arm and dragged him up the mountain.
Cecil could only shake his head. They were quite the handful. Hurrying to catch up, he quickly took the lead, reminding himself that they were his charges and he was responsible for their safekeeping. Of course, the dark knight had to acknowledge that they barely seemed to need protection and indeed proved their mettle more than once on the journey here. Still, they were so very young, and he knew that he wouldn't forgive himself if anything happened to either of them.
He had had quite enough of seeing his comrades die or disappear, thank you.
Up the mountain they climbed, Cecil reminding them to conserve their strength. As they scaled the mountain the air would become increasingly thin. While he could probably carry one of the mages back if they fainted due to air-depletion, the dark knight wasn't so certain if about he could manage both of them. Ledge after ledge and plateau after plateau they ascended, with barely a sound.
And then, of course, he heard something. Moaning?
An emaciated body ambled out of the shadows of a barren tree. A pungent smell followed it. No life could be found within its eyes. With a ring of steel and Cecil bore Deathbringer in a single hand. More haggard bodies staggered toward the trio, also bereft of soul and, oftentimes, appendages.
Zombies. Cecil hadn't seen them in years, and very little even then. Most of the undead hovered in caves and swamps, and while the mages in Mysidia had mentioned that they frequented the mountain, Cecil hadn't really expected to see them. Some of his expeditions as Lord Captain brought him in contact with them, but being the leader of the Red Wings, he really hadn't had to deal with them. However, they moved so slowly that the dark knight figured a well-placed blow should take them down.
So you can imagine the dark knight's shock when his blade cut cleanly through the chest of a zombie and it advanced almost unscatched!
"Cecil, watch out!" cried Porom.
The dark knight couldn't move fast enough to evade the blow as the zombie impaled him in the shoulder with a claw. Like fire it was, tearing into his skin. Yelling, Cecil sprang back swinging Deathbringer back and forth, making nary an impact, certainly not enough of a one to keep the monsters back, forcing him to give ground.
"What's happening!? My sword!"
Porom bounded to his side, body haloed by pre-casting energy. A bolt of bright white lightning slammed into a zombie. "Didn't you listen to what the mages said? Your blade is useless against the undead!'
Another bolt blasted into the ground, leaving a smell of ozone in the air. With a gauntleted fist, Cecil punched the zombies back. It was surprisingly more effective than his sword. Though it would hardly slay the undead, he proved a pretty good meatshield and distraction while Palom burned, froze or hit them with lightning while Porom kept them hale and hardy with her healling spells.
After the bout, Cecil ripped the helm off his head in ill humor. His face kept its calm expression, but inside he was burning with frustration. He was a dark knight. A warrior. His element was maiming and killing things. While the mages earned their place in a battle by spewing fireballs and curing illnesses, a warrior's duty was to hack everything in sight.
"Let's rest," said Porom.
Cecil had no rebuttal. The unexpected difficulty sapped his strength. They travelled until they reached a very large plateau and set up a small campfire, taking turns at naps. Though Cecil knew rest was necessary he itched to press on, frustrated by his own mind playing games with him. As it often did when not occupied otherwise, his thoughts turned inwards.
You can't win every fight, Rosa had said. And everyone needs help at some point.
His back against the rockface, Cecil had his eyes closed, resting but not sleeping. Rosa was right then, he knew, thinking on the past once again. The dark knight and his crew had returned from an effort to rescue some of his men from a collasped mine near Mount. Hobbs. It had been a disaster. Only five of the seven men were freed, and one of them would be crippled for life.
Considering the conditions of the mine the fact that they'd managed to bring anyone back without hurting his team was remarkable. But for someone such as Cecil any loss of life was not acceptable. The dark knight had himself gone to the families of the dead and apologized. They'd been understanding and told him not to hate himself. He'd tried, and that's what mattered.
No one blamed him. He'd performed admirably, none could have done better. Yet, the dark knight couldn't forgive himself.
His eyes opened reviewing the plateau as the twins chattered. Palom teased his sister, dangling near the edge, commenting on the shimmering lakes below. The white mage was exasperated, insisting he help out with packing so they could continue the journey. It was a waste of breath, for the black mage tossed rocks down the side of the mountain, brown eyes bright.
"Get back here, Palom!"
Out came the black mage's tongue. "I think I can see a chocobo forest from here!"
"Stop that," she snapped, "You repulsive brat." She stepped on over to him, tugging at his collar.
There was a horrifying moment when Cecil knew something bad was going to happen, yet couldn't act fast enough to stop it. The ledge that the twins stood upon gave a sickening sound and cracked, the line forming around them until it broke away completely, and sent them plunging down. The dark knight heard them scream and burst into action, running for the ledge. He didn't think of what, if anything, he could do; his mind just ordered him to get to the twins.
Leaping off the mountain, the dark knight stumbled unto the cracked ledge. He grabbed both of them by the arm. They both looked startled and the former Lord Captain contemplated what to do now for a heartbeat or two. The wind burned into his face as his mind spun sickeningly with the realization that not only could he not save them, he was doomed now too.
A bright white light coiled the three of them and they vanished, appearing in the middle of the plateau.
A elderly bearded man in multi-colored robes stood before them.
Tellah.
"Tellah!" the dark knight called, crushing the sage in a hug. For his part Tellah looked startled, but relieved. Then Porom and Palom leapt on him, knocking him to the ground with their own hugs of appreciation. Afterwards the four retreated to the old campsite. Cecil's heart was pounding as he considered what could have happened to the twins.
"Man, you saved us! We would have bit the dust!" Palom said.
Porom frowned at her brother. "We're very appreciative of your assistance." The sage just nodded. Then the white mage turned earnestly to Cecil. "You came to our rescue as well."
The dark knight's jaw dropped. "But...I just...I didn't do anything. We'd all have died had Tellah not come by with his teleportation spell."
What had gone through his head? Had he not considered the futility of his attempt? When he'd chased after the two the dark knight did not consider exactly how he expected to rescue them, but that he just had to reach them. Looking back at it now, Cecil wondered how he'd not thought of that before.
"You tried to save us even though you could have perished too." Her brown-haired head titled. "I'd say that's pretty damn heroic."
Cecil's mouth remained agape, but for a different reason. Before he could reply, Tellah asked, "Cecil? Did you come for the power of Meteor as well?"
"Meteor?"
Porom's hands flew up to her mouth. "You know of Meteor...Then you really must be..."
His brother clapped his hands. "You are that old sage, Tellah, aren't you?"
"Show some respect!" The white mage turned to Tellah and curtiesed. "Ahem, it's truly an honor to meet you." She gestured to the dark knight. "We've come here at the request of the Elder of Mysidia."
With a hop, Palom added, "To keep an eye on--Ow! What did you do that for!"
Porom had slapped her brother upside the head. The sidelong glance she shot Cecil did not escape his notice. Keep an eye on...that would have to be him. Cecil's lips formed a straight line. So they were sent to spy on him? That might have bothered him had the dark knight not considered that these were the apprentices of a city he'd ransacked and nearly ruined.
The constant strain of suspicion wore on his nerves, but Cecil contained it.
"Pardon me," the white mage continued. "As I was saying, we've come to guide Cecil to the top of the mountain." She inclined her head, brown ponytail dipping forward. "My name is Porom."
Next to her bounded her brother. "I'm Palom!" An eye squinted. "So you really are that old wizard! You're really famous in Mysidia, you know. Never thought I'd meet you in a place like this." The black mage appeared almost giddy at the thought.
Brushing off his robes, Tellah said, "Mysidian apprentices? I see. Where have Edward and Rydia gone?"
Images of the ship sprang into Cecil's mind. Rydia falling over the side of the ship. Yang diving in after her. Edward stumbling onto the deck, wounded. Leviathan appearing overhead, his shadow large enough to engulf most of the ship. The dark waves closing over his head. And then he awoke on the beach, all alone.
His voice breaking, Cecil uttered, "Our ship was attacked by Leviathan as we sailed for Baron." His head shook then lowered. "They were...they were lost to the sea."
The sage blinked and fell silent. Cecil saw the disbelief in his eyes, guilt even. Did he feel remorse for abandoning them? Did he feel he might have saved them had he been there? His own grief was reflected in the dark knight's crystal-blue eyes. Tellah had been fond of Rydia, treating her as he did a younger Anna. He had not been as fond of Edward, yet the prince was a connection to his daughter, and the loss must have felt like he was losing a part of Anna again.
"So they both died." Tellah gazed at the sky.
"I'm afraid so. And Rosa has fallen into Golbez's hands." Even uttering those words, that the white wizardess was captive, constricted the dark knight's heart.
There was a brief exchange between Palom and Porom about Rosa being his girlfriend or something, but Cecil barely heard it, and Porom silenced her brother once again. Meanwhile gazing upon Tellah, the dark knight realized they had a common goal: finding Golbez. The sage was a magical marvel, and had more than enough reason to want Golbez dead.
"Weren't you planning on going after Golbez?"
Now the sage's dark gaze focused, intensifying. "Yes, but my magic is no match for a man of his strength. I've been searching for the legendary magic of Meteor. It has long lain sealed away, and I know not where. But I feel a powerful aura radiating from this place. I believe the spell I seek may rest in this mountain."
Porom stepped forward, mouth dropping open. "But that spell is dangerous! If a man of your age were to cast it--"
Like a dark cloud shadowed his face the sage snapped, "I'm well aware of my age and the dangers! But I would gladly lay down my life if it were to end his. I will defeat Golbez!"
There was another exchange between the twins of which the brother chidded Tellah for being "stubborn" and "pigheaded" and Porom admonished him for "being in no danger of growing up" and that he should just "be quiet". Cecil didn't know many younger folk, spending the better part of his life in the army, so the little chit-chat between them amused him.
What would it be like to be a father?
"Why have you come, Cecil?" It was Tellah.
Hardly believing the words coming out his mouth, the dark knight said, "To become a paladin. A dark sword cannot slay Golbez, and I've no love of the loathsome thing as it is." In his mind's eye flashed the image of piercing the zombie and having little effect. If a zombie could sustain such a hit and be nearly unscatched what hope had he attacking the warlord with it? "I'll be glad to be rid of it."
The rest of the discourse fluttered into and out of the dark knight's mind. Having the sage along would be a boon. Somehow Cecil sensed this mountain had graver dangers than mere undead and that they would need every bit of help they could get.