Author's Note: Many thanks to duskshard and Earisu. Earisu helped me with the issue of one certain Esper's background. I wanted to know what was logical and she gave me her insight, allowing me to continue my story. DuskShard should be commended for giving me visual inspiration. She is working on a header for me over at my LJ and though I have not yet put it up, it is quite beautiful to look at. Ladies, thank you so much!
I shall dedicate this chapter to the two of you. Writing is much easier, when you have such splendid minds, you can share your thoughts with at a moment's notice!
A family of two lazed about in the west portion of the Paramina Rift. Each one had similar features with strikingly odd blue hair, skin tinted with ice burns, and ice attached intricately upon their skin to create richly detailed tattoo patterns on their skin. Shivan, the daughter, appeared to be no more than seven years old. The father, however fair and handsome he appeared, had an air of decay and danger that swirled around him. He sat on a high throne crafted of ice with an empty elaborate throne next to him. Shivar looked on bored at his daughter who was torturing a lost Kiltian pilgrim. He had only wished to visit the temple of the late Gran Kiltias.
The disturbed young girl would stop the victim, freeze him, and free him of her spells until he could no longer scream in agony. She kept repeating this process wondering how long it would take before his skin fell victim to permanent damage. Oh, how she would love to see his toes amputated due to the cold flashing burn that only ice could produce. She was about to start attacking the poor man's body, section by , until he could no longer succumb to the pain and torture. Parts of his body were smeared with frozen over blood. Shivan considered freezing the flow of his blood, but that would lead to nothing particularly special. She wanted to see the dying process, not have her victim keel over without any visible proof of death.
Ready to blast another ice command at the tortured body of a once whole man, Shivan was sent flying against an icy wall. Her body was covered with ice from head to toe, leaving her no room for escape.
The ice on Shivan's victim melted and he fell to the floor gracious to the Gods for their intervention. He was ready to praise them, when a form unlike any he had seen before floated to him. Believing he was hallucinating, he watched as the floating mermaid whose helmet covered her eyes, quickly defend the attacks from the formerly bored father. Any attempts to harm her by Shivar were met with laughter and contempt.
Oddly enough, the woman's lips never moved.
"Have we succumbed to torturing humes for pleasure?"
The hume took a few steps back, but the alluring monstrous vision had him glued to where he stood. She looked at him and smiled.
"You have your freedom. Escape before I regret that decision."
Still, the woman's lips were frozen shut, just a terse smile with a voice emanating from the winds.
Horrified at meeting another similar fate with a more dangerous foe, Shivan's victim ran off. Unconvinced that the man would heed his commands, Mateus looked upwards to the sky and several ice elementals appeared from the ground ready to heed his every command.
"Follow the hume. Make certain we speak in private." Instantly, the ice elementals flew by leaving the Esper alone with the two beings before him.
"What is wrong, Shivar? Are you not happy to see your lover?"
Another figure emerged from the icy darkness. It was a skeletal figure with infused wings of both bat and angel. The proud skeletal bat wings and the royal purple wings that may have belonged to an angel at one point were a keen visual point. Its gruesome head was only a cadaver. Its skull was the bones of some hume or other creature with empty eye sockets that contained a dense black mass should you lock eye contact with the thing. Attached to the wings was the upper nude torso of a woman with long hair and a red and blue sash that masked her eyes to cover her shame.
The female form was lifeless. The woman's arms only extended outwards in order to cradle the foul beast occasionally. Her behavior was much like a wild animal before defeat.
"Foul beast, you are no paramour of mine. You're corrupt. You are nothing more then a fell beast that kidnapped another along with your companion. Leave us, Mateus."
"How dare you speak to a Goddess in such a manner!" The voice roared defiantly, causing the ice nearby to rumble before her.
This female voice was distinctly different from the previous one they heard. The ice surrounding Shivan melted away. Shivar and Shivan both fell to the floor worshipping the being before them. This presence before them lacked the qualities of a cowardly scion. The presence was strong, steadfast, loyal, and most of all angry and thirsting for revenge. It wanted to be free of the binds to Mateus. She was disgusted that having been bound to him, his form was that of hers. Many victims to Mateus' were unaware of his true nature. Shiva had lost all hope of ever breaking away from this entity. She was a creature bound to another- a repulsive thing of nature.
"Ultima is free once again. We need of your assistance."
The two ice creatures looked up at Mateus in amazement. Ultima had not been heard of in centuries.
"How do we know it's truly you?" Shivan asked in wonderment. She would not be fooled again by the manipulations of Mateus. He had once promised the return of Shiva during her original capture, but that was many centuries ago.
The Ice Goddess hands had been tied above her head as a symbol of enslavement. They were now free, visual proof of who was in control of this body. She took off the helmet that had been cemented to her head for centuries. Underneath the helmet was a mass of black hair tinted blue and bright blue eyes. Whatever possessed her was now subverting control to her.
"I am under control of a hume after protecting a sword for many centuries. My awakening has reignited my thirst for revenge against those responsible for my capture. I cannot return to you if the Queen of Dalmasca seizes me permanently."
Shivar ran up to her, his hands grazing across her face. A look of horror and bewilderment settled into his eyes. It was his Queen and Ice Goddess, Shiva, and no other.
"How," was all he could manage to say.
"Ultima's allies are powerful," Mateus indicated to the Esper standing next to her. It didn't move, though the attached woman's head jolted up, as if though she were listening in. "That thing is Zalera. It is my guard. I am in control of this body, but no longer do I hear the wind. The ice no longer heeds to my every whim. It has forgotten me, much like you and Shivan have forgotten your true purpose. The two of you waste your days spreading malcontent to those who cross your path."
His face moved closer to hers. His lips longed to brush against hers, but he resisted.
Shivar whispers into her ear, "What am I to do for you, my Queen?"
"The party that hunts me is visiting Mt. Bur-Omisace. Other Espers are soon to rebel. Ensure that Ultima's favored Espers escape. Stall the party, kill them if necessary, but save the viera. She belongs to us."
Regrettably, Shivar stepped back and outstretched his hands asking the wind and ice to track down the curious party who set war against his beloved. It was enough to cause him to track these lower beings down himself and kill them, but Mateus or Shiva could be injured for his rash behavior. Her well-being surpassed his thirst for blood for the time being.
"When will you return?" Shivan knew better than to assume Mateus was here to stay.
"I shall return once I finish this favor to Ultima. I have been granted freedom from Mateus in exchange for my services. Fail me and I will be forever trapped by hume or Esper, it matters not. The choice is yours."
Mateus and her escort disappeared into the wind leaving Shivar and Shivan behind. The father-daughter pair looked out into the cold wind, saddened by the departure, but hopeful for the first time in centuries. They cared little for Ultima or her war against the Gods centuries prior, but with the Gods betrayal at the capture of Shiva, the Ice Gods were corrupted over time. They maimed and hunted innocents demanding that Shiva be rescued, but it was all in vain. Mateus was to be forever imprisoned.
However, this was their first opportunity to permanently free her from the damned Esper and for once enact their revenge against their fallen comrades who called themselves Gods. They would help Ultima. A new pact was emerged and Ultima counted on this. Slowly her numbers would grow yet again, until the time for rebellion neared. She would win this time and with the Ice Gods at her side and her loyal followers, nothing would stand in the way of the Green Goddess.
Fran hurried to the side of Balthier, as that was her natural tendency. The palace was in complete chaos as Shemhazai, Hashmal, and Famfrit were running wild. They were fighting Espers on sacred grounds and as the scions were creations of the Gods, it only made them stronger.
"We must force them outside to the Paramina Rift. They grow stronger with the presence of old magicks and the God's blessings in this room."
Heeding her command, Al-Cid and Larsa exited to direct people towards safer grounds. They were known for their ability to control mass crowds during hysterics and this would be no different. The remaining heroes would have to fight the monsters before them. Fran was especially surprised at Shemhazai's escape once again. Was this to be a cyclical war? The thought was depressing to all those involved.
Having forced the Espers out, the company fought vigilantly against the freed Espers. Fran used this time to give her comrades the holy stones, magicite, and crystals handed to her. She would do it one by one basing it upon the strength and danger of the Esper they controlled. Basch would be first on that list as he was the wielder of Zodiark. Everyone else was given the holy gems in no potential order, though she, Balthier, and the sleeping Ashe were last on that list.
A prayer needed to be said aloud to permanently seal the Espers away. She was detailing the lengthy explanation to Balthier, while his Espers were about to flee. He had an eagle's eye view of Hashmal making him the easy capture of the day, but he looked the other way. He needed to find Famfrit, but the beast was nowhere to be found. Ice and snow covered his vision as the weather turned violent. He could have sworn he saw two blue colored humes in the distance. Yet, humes were prone to hallucinations when great stress was placed upon their bodies.
Balthier knew that his body was suffering as the wind continued to beat unmercifully against him.
Pulling out his gun, he dug into his pockets searching for a bullet with the power to silence one's enemy. He wasted no time to place it into the barrel. He only had one shot and Hashmal was standing right before him. Guided by the wind, he staggered around until his true target was found and shot. Before long, Famfrit was recaptured.
"The shot was clear for Hashmal! What were you thinking?" Vaan's exasperated voice boomed in the air. Penelo and Vaan attempted to take Mateus down, but they were thwarted by the raging blizzard. "There's only one place Hashmal could go!"
He didn't care that Balthier ignored him and headed back towards the palace to check on Al-Cid and Larsa. Vaan also ignored the subtle cues from Penelo willing him to be quiet. The headstrong young man was about to follow Balthier to mock his tactics. Had Balthier gone after Hashmal, he could have saved time and assisted with Mateus' capture. That was how the fight should have played out in Vaan's professional opinion as a bounty hunter.
A blade halted his march towards Balthier. Basch pulled his sword away. Being nearly assaulted by Basch's sword was now becoming a rather dangerous habit of his. One would think that Basch was out to kill Vaan. Perhaps he was being slightly paranoid. Paranoia was usually Penelo's forte, but lately Vaan had felt everything in his world had been turned upside down. He supposed even he and Basch had to act out of character every now and then.
"What was that for?"
"Balthier needs time."
"Time for what? He just-"
"Recaptured his father's Esper."
Vaan looked at Basch and back towards the retreating figures of Balthier and Fran. It made so much more sense now. Except...he could have sworn he saw a kid and a man around Balthier's age looming about controlling the winds. Yet, Vaan didn't take it too seriously. The mind was known for playing tricks on humes.
In Giruvegan, a most wondrous and appealing feminine creature existed. It was said that the beauty of Ultima surpassed that of every living being in existence. No hume could come close to her radiance. Vieras were perhaps the closest thing alive that could even weakly attempt to outshine this bright star. She was suave and elegant with a stern fiery persona that no mortal could dare understand. With every graceful movement, her followers were entranced.
Her most loyal servants were none other than Hashmal and Shemhazai. They understood the depth and might of her power. She intended to wield that power properly unlike these false gods and Occuria who were weaker versions of herself. She was fooled once by a God, but this would not happen again. Someone had betrayed her long ago and Shemhazai would know the answer. Shemhazai was much like the Ice Gods as the winds whispered secrets to her that no other being could hear.
The red beast bowed before the Green Goddess. Her hooves settled onto the crystallized floor.
"Long have I desired to be in your presence."
"Spare the formalities," echoed the room. Ultima was known for speaking directly into one's mind. It caused the listener to believe that the room, rather than Ultima spoke, but that was part of her power. She need not move her lips to prove her point. (The late Gran Kiltias was one of the few living creatures that Ultima could have respected. Ultima believed his death was a waste and nothing more. He could have been so useful to her campaign.)
"You wish to know the Gods responsible for your banishment. They are still within our company much have they forgotten their actions of yesteryear."
Hashmal snorted gruffly, inching closer to Ultima. He had arrived ready to serve her, but she extended her hand asking him to pause for just a second.
"Continue."
"My Green Goddess," whispered the horse-woman scion, "Mateus trapped an Ice Goddess, during the time of your rebellion, which you are well aware of for some time now. Shivar and Shivan were the ones who ordered you and all the remaining scions banished, though their ultimate goal was never realized. They waste away, malignant tumors upon the soil of the Paramina Rift."
"Their goal?"
"To kill Mateus and all scions. Their memories frozen away, but with Shiva's control over Mateus the Ice Goddess will once again be free. Even now Shivar and Shivan wait for the order from our 'Mateus' to betray us once again."
Picking up the front part of her dress, she floats towards the direction of Hashmal.
"Bring me Zalera. I have use of him once again."
Shivan and Shivar had long ago lost their minds to the corrosion of ice and despair. They no longer remembered what it was to love or want. All they desired was base revenge and even throughout the ages, they forgot who and what it was they were fighting against. Extreme rage filled their entrails, blood vessels, everything that made them whole. It was said that they were no Gods, simply advanced life forms who lived forever. Was that not all Gods? If so, then maybe their fellow comrades who once fought along their sides were no Gods, but merely advanced beings.
These were questions left to philosophers in advanced classes over in Archadia. Aside from them, no one in Ivalice ever dared to ask such questions, especially when facing the wrath of an Ice God.
The pair stood in the middle of a snowy blizzard staring out into nothingness as they had done centuries earlier waiting for her return. Their eyes were set onto the horizon unconcerned with the passage of time. There they would wait ever faithful to a lover and mother, ever faithful to that one celestial woman who they have so come to cherish.
The blizzard died down after some time. As if it were a dream Mateus began to approach them, her arms extending forward towards her treasured family. The closer she floated to them the more Shiva's appearance began to take shape and slowly the remnants of Mateus melted away, as if his appearance were acidic to Shiva's touch.
She wore a violet dress reminiscent of Old Archades fashion. There was a time when Old Archades was known for white dresses with high empire waists and green foliage to decorate one's hair. Instead of a crown of flowers, Shiva simply let her hair blow in the wind.
Shivar was instantly by her side and embraced her, his hands unable to resist the feel of her skin.
"Have you told them?"
Shivar was kissing the nape of her neck, unaware of the lack of response to his touch.
"We wait for you. We go tonight."
She politely shoved him away and walked towards Shivan.
"Ever so loyal to an Ice Goddess. A shame."
Shivan shrieked once she felt the weapon like arms of Hashmal. He had appeared out the depths of the ice blue sea that was the Paramina Rift. He grabbed the girl and with his weapon like arms, he snapped her neck before Shivar's very eyes. Shiva laughed in the background unable to control her amusement.
"What have you done?"
"What Mateus should have done long ago," answered Hashmal. His voice bore no tone of ill will or resentment. He was simply stating what seemed to him to be a fact. Faulty beings and scions who defied laws were to be corrected and nothing more.
Shivar decided to cast his most powerful magical attacks on Hashmal and his beloved Shiva, though now she was a monster. He ran, tripped and skidded over to Shivan's side. She was now nothing more but a limp doll, an appropriate size for Hashmal to play with, had he felt compelled to act out torture techniques. There she was on the ground, eyes closed and neck bent. It was disgusting to see, but he couldn't look the other way.
Lazily he threw a blizzaga spell upon his assailants. Hashmal froze and slowly Shiva's shaped began to transform once again. There was something hideous about her. Her beauty melted away to nothing and what was left was the corpse of a monster. He screamed once again, wanting the whole word to hear his pleas.
No one would come to his rescue.
"Welcome back, Belias," the Shiva imposter muttered. The Gigas went straight to work using elemental magick. Shivar wished that his body would just melt away like the snow, but the heat and intensity of this new monster's fire spells wreaked havoc upon his body. He saw his body decay and turn into a burnt crisp before his very eyes. His only consolation was that Shivan's end had been quick.
He could not understand the betrayal or what purpose their end would serve. His body was simply toasting away, an Ice God taking hours to die a death that even the most devious man would call inhumane. Finally, as he felt the last of his breath, he took one look at this false Shiva and asked, "Why?"
He never received his final answer.
Everyone had left Balthier alone as Fran went around re-explaining the concept behind the holy stone, magicite, and crystal. Saying a prayer would forever capture the Esper and once again force the scion to recognize his new master. They had no leads as to the Esper rebellion nor did the group hear of any improvement's from Ashe's end. Larsa and Al-Cid had informed the group that about the same time Hashmal escaped so did Belias.
Belias, Mateus, Shemhazai, and Hashmal were now all running free. What was the group to think?
Basch had secluded himself to a private room as the group was now welcomed for having saved the palace of the Gran Kiltias. He knew that Vaan, Penelo, and Larsa were following a random lead about a rare strain of ice monster. None of it interested him for the time being. With nothing to hold him back, he used this private moment to punch the stone wall.
After the third or fourth strike, he heard the door open and immediately he shifted back to the role of Gabranth.
"Who enters?"
"It is I, Haba."
She slithered in; her sight fixed upon his wrists. He could easily explain that they were the result of the fight this afternoon. He was inwardly grateful that she seemed ignorant of any markings to the wall.
"You are upset."
"We had a setback."
"You mean that you failed. Several Espers escaped today."
"And for all your magick you were conveniently busy."
"I told Fran what needed to be done. My magicks work. The viera was slow."
She outstretched her left hand. There were odd materials in her hands that Basch had never seen in any market he had visited. They were most likely the products of Rozarrian magick making.
"What am I to do with this?"
"Take it and give it to the Queen. The scion that caused her such great harm will come to retrieve them. With it Mateus will perish."
The depths of his unease and mistrust grew. She was helping him, but there was no explanation. What was once a coincidence was now an astute observation between Al-Cid and Haba. He refused to visit with her. Larsa had recalled that one merely mention her name and the Prince of Rozarria panicked and insisted that Haba be treated well, though he could not attend to her due to some pressing obligation. That obligation always changed depending on when he was asked.
She most likely was set to sabotage the Dalmascan government and was a spy for Al-Cid. Though Larsa raved when it came to Al-Cid's superior intellect, Basch found it difficult to believe so. This would explain why he would avoid her at all times, unless she was here to blackmail him. Somehow, he was not surprised if Ashe was put in jeopardy, because of Al-Cid's indiscretion with women.
"How am I to be certain?"
"You do not trust me? Al-Cid has complete faith in me."
She walked around the room, with her hands behind her back clutching onto the items that Basch had refused to take earlier.
"He has never once acknowledged your presence."
"Nor does the Dalmascan Queen acknowledge yours, but yet you still run to her." She was now standing right in front of him as she placed two fingers upon his lips, shushing him for the moment. "You men forget that women know things."
That was not a sufficient answer to Basch. His personal life was unknown to most. Only Fran and Penelo and by default Larsa and Balthier were aware of the failed relationship between knight and Queen.
"Al-Cid tells me everything Fon Rosenberg. He told me of his wife's wedding night. I hear she says your name. It is most fortunate for you that Al-Cid did not inherit the temper of his great-grandfather. He had six wives beheaded for alleged betrayal."
"Are you here to get rid of me?"
"If I so wanted you gone, it would have been done a long time ago. My interests lay only with myself and that of the future king of Rozarria."
"Would you hurt the Queen?"
"My loyalties shall always lie with Rozarria. I owe no allegiance to Dalmasca even if Al-Cid should be crowned king in the next coming months. The imbeciles of Dalmasca should be so lucky to have Al-Cid as king."
"Are you implying that Al-Cid and you-"
Haba laughed and nodded against the idea.
"Unlike some Archadian Judges I have tact. I do not desire that which is taken."
"Al-Cid is mistaken," he roared, "I do not covet that which is not mine."
"You protect a Queen far more diligently than your Emperor and newfound Empress. If she was yours to have, she would not have married my liege."
"I am honored to be at the service of Larsa and his new wife. You know nothing."
"Then leave Ashe alone and hand these materials to Al-Cid to signify your defeat. She has been conquered; you have long since lost this petty war of love."
"Queen Ashe is nothing more than my former liege. Do you not get it? What she does in her personal life is none of my concern. She seeks her husband and no one else. You spread false rumors that damage the image of the Queen."
"Hand me the items," commanded Ashe. She was wearing a nightgown with matching robes. The pair fell silent as they watched the Queen stroll towards them. Her injuries were covered by her clothes and the only signs that her body had been under serious harm were the scratch above her left eyebrow and the bruise that covered the right side of her face.
Haba hesitantly gave her the items.
"Leave us."
The Rozarrian maiden refused to heed Ashe's command. She wished only to defy Ashe at this point.
"I follow the orders of Lord Al-Cid and no one else."
"No, you follow the orders of the Margrace family."
"You weren't even aware of Rozarria's history and the patrons of its courts to even-"
"I rule a country on my own and I spend the rest of my time becoming familiar with international and Rozarrian rule. Do you not agree that is more pressing than becoming familiar with Rozarrian barons and viscounts?"
This was no excuse to Ashe as her father had once told her to become familiar with the members of Nabradia's court and those of other countries. They are power players and to be ignorant of them would be costly to one's realm. These noblemen and women could shift political powers to their fancy. One always needed to be aware of that. This fact especially bothered her, considering she knew nothing of Haba's noble family as Al-Cid refused to tell her anything. His response was that had she cared about Rozarria and him, she would have known long ago who Haba was.
Haba, however, would not be privy to her true thoughts on noble families of the court.
"Once again, I demand that you leave. And you can tell my foul husband that if he wishes to spy on me the doors will stay wide open so that he can be assured that he is in no way being coddled."
The Rozarrian woman left in a huff finally leaving Ashe and Basch alone for the first time in several months.
"I am being spied on."
"It would seem so, your majesty."
Ashe wanted to say so much. She had a million things to tell him from her life as a married woman to what life has been since her union with Al-Cid. All of that seemed pointless now.
"You no longer need to defend my reputation, Judge Gabranth," she said coolly as she began to exit the room, "my personal life is apparently none of your concern." She walked out, door slammed and there Basch stood wondering how was it that he always made his life much more difficult than it need be.
Author's Note: I realize that my tale is not a direct continuation into the Revenant Wings sequel, but a lot of the information presented, I found useful as background knowledge. I surmised that the Ice Goddess of Demense was none other than Shiva. Considering some of the continuity errors, such as gender mix up of certain Espers, I found it logical that Shiva was also an error.
I am currently playing an area called "Midlight's Deep" in RW and have been killed several times over in one stage where there is a moogle mage and a wide breath of Espers including Shivars. Being that inserting a host of Espers and a moogle mage would make no logical sense, I decided to torture Shivar to the best of my ability. (Well, there was that and the fact I wanted people to see just what kind of temperament Ultima had when crossed. This also went well with displaying the devotion that certain Espers had towards her. They sacrificed a lot in order to side with her during the first rebellion so their devotion must have been complete. On that same note Ultima must have been a charismatic and powerful debater to turn these scions against their creators.
At least, that's my train of thought.
Trust me, the thought did cross my mind to have a moogle being tortured originally, as that would satisfy my current hatred towards that floor in Midlight's Deep, but even I'm somewhat logical in my writing. Shivar, however, wasn't so lucky!