Sever All Ties
Chapter Nineteen: Ruminations
Disclaimer: I don't own Radiata Stories or any of the characters in the game; they are the property of the brilliant minds at Square Enix.
Author's Note(s): Words in '…' indicate a thought. Words in "…" indicate spoken words. This story will proceed based on the assumption that Jack has joined Ridley on the path of the non-human. This path would inevitably lead him to face his former friends and allies in combat. It is these fights I will illustrate in this story. Some creative liberties will be taken regarding who they face (i.e. Jack will face opponents in this fic that you don't get to face in the game). I hope you enjoy.
Jack carried Ridley as they entered the Adien Region, but found that he was more exhausted then he had thought. He knew he had to get Ridley back to Fort Helencia, and continued to press on. However, it soon became clear that he would not be able to carry her the whole way. At that point, he moved off of the path and tried to find a suitable place to spend the night. Finally, he settled on a sparse clump of trees and bushes. Jack had barely laid Ridley down before he collapsed next to her. He hated having to stop, but he also knew that they would not make it in his current condition. Though he was tired, he could not help but wonder at what had just happened.
'Her eyes,' Jack thought to himself. 'Something happened to her. Ridley looked as though she was possessed. What could it have been? What could cause that to happen to her?'
As Jack pondered Ridley's startling transformation, he found himself unable to figure out how or why it could have happened to her. The more he thought, the harder it became to think. Jack realized that, tired as he was, he wouldn't be able to think clearly. As sleep began to overtake him, Jack looked at Ridley on his left. The young girl was lying next to him on the ground, and the only movement was the steady rise and fall of her chest. Jack smiled and lay down on his back, grabbing the hilt of his sword as he did so. As he drifted into unconsciousness, Jack's final thought was of concern for Ridley. He felt certain that if they could just get to Fort Helencia, everything would be all right.
Sitting in his room at Fort Helencia, Gawain was worried. Jack and Ridley had been gone all day on what should have been a simple scouting mission. He knew Jack's propensity to bite off more than he could chew, and was concerned that the boy had done something foolish. Ridley, he hoped, would act as a counter-balance to Jack's eagerness. Though the boy's strength and determination were nothing short of phenomenal, he often overestimated himself or underestimated his opponent. Ridley, however, was a skilled fighter who fought with her head as much her axe. She had an innate ability to assess a combat situation and determine the appropriate course of action. Never hasty, she always made sure of herself before acting. This made the two of them a dangerous duo to face. And that was exactly why Gawain was worried.
Gawain would not allow either of the children to die. He had promised himself that from the moment they had first been introduced to them. In Jack, he saw Cairn; a younger version of his old friend. The boy had the same drive and fearlessness that Cairn had possessed. Cairn had always been a man of action. When Kelvin, the water dragon, had first appeared, it had been Cairn who had gone to face the creature. Cairn, who knew the risks and consequences, had nevertheless decided that he would face the dragon. And Gawain had not. Ironically, slaying the dragon had caused Cairn's death. While he would never forgive himself for allowing the boy's father to die, Gawain hoped that he could partially redeem himself by helping and protecting Jack. Cairn's death had devastated Gawain, and he still felt as though he was entirely to blame for it. They were both men who knew their duty. Cairn had done his, and Gawain had stood aside. Then, when Cairn had become infected with Algandars, Gawain had stood aside again. He had done nothing when Lord Zane's elf assassins attacked Cairn. Cairn's death, he had told himself, was necessary to preserve the Order of Tottaus. Yet, the decision had haunted him ever since. So, when Jack had come to the Sediche Region, Gawain had not only pledged to help the non-humans, but to help Jack as well. The son of his dear friend.
And Ridley was the vessel. From the moment he first saw her, Gawain knew Ridley's destiny. As one of the few who knew the Order of Tottaus, Gawain wasn't sure if his knowledge was a gift or a curse. He was one of the few individuals in the land who knew that Ridley was fated to give her life so that Quasar, the Gold Dragon, could awaken and replace Aphelion, the Silver Dragon, as Guardian of the World. The awakening of the lesser Dragons, and the outbreak of Algandars were enough for Gawain to know that the time of the Changeover was near, but seeing Ridley had confirmed his suspicions beyond any doubt. When they had first met, he had felt it in her; Ridley's soul was unusually strong. Additionally, he could feel both her soul and the soul of a light elf, which only added to her strength. She was special. At that moment, Gawain had realized that he had to protect her and ensure that she fulfilled her destiny. It was not for him, and not so much for her, but for everyone. Ridley's death would be necessary to ensure that the order of the world was furthered, and Gawain had sworn to do whatever he could to get her there.
Simply going to Earth Valley and coming back with a scouting report should not have taken all day. Even Ridley's propensity for great detail should have already been well satisfied. Gawain feared that something had happened to them. Getting to his feet, the red haired man retrieved his mace. Morningstar gleamed dully in the candlelight, and Gawain was ready to leave. He would have to start at Earth Valley, but he didn't know where he would go after that. He was certain that he would not find them outside of Earth Valley sitting around. If they were not back yet, something had happened to them. As late as it was, it would be difficult to discern anything, but Gawain had sworn that he would not let anything happen to them. This time, he would protect the ones closest to him.
Elsewhere in the Fort, Lord Zane was thinking as well. The leader of the non-humans had much to consider. First, he was irritated at the ineptitude of the younger humans. They had left that morning to scout the area around Earth Valley, and had yet to return. Scouting the area was a simple task, and yet they appeared to be having difficulty with it. He only hoped that nothing had happened to them. At least, not to Ridley. It would not do for the gold dragon's vessel to be killed before fulfilling her duty. Interestingly enough, she seemed unaware of this task. This, Zane judged, was for the better. She was not totally oblivious, her defection to their cause attested to that, but the question was what inspired her motive. In speaking with her, Zane had concluded that it had more to do with the transpiritation then her awareness of her role as the vessel.
Zane had mused over that situation for quite some time. He was curious as to whether or not Nogueira, his brother, had known that Ridley was the vessel when he had performed the transpiritation. Zane himself had not known until he had met the young girl. But then, he hadn't known her until after the transpiritation ritual had been performed. So, the question he had posed was whether or not Ridley's position as the vessel was caused by the transpiritation, or if she had been destined to aid the Changeover from birth. Try as he might, the elf leader had been unable to reach a definite conclusion. It was an answer that was most likely known at one time, but had been lost over the ages. Interestingly, Ridley was not showing any side effects, positive or negative, as a result of the transpiritation. The fusion of two souls should not have happened so easily. Zane had expected some outward manifestations of Hap, but so far had seen none. Whatever the circumstances were, Ridley was the vessel, which meant she had to live until the Changeover. Which meant that they would have to be found. Zane quickly sent an elf to bring Gil to him.
The fire dragon also troubled Zane. Lord Parsec had left that afternoon to go speak with Aphelion, the Silver Dragon. Parsec was not sure of how he would be received by Aphelion, and this concerned both of them. Aphelion did not seem to being doing much to prepare for the Changeover, and this disturbed Parsec. Zane was anxious for the Changeover to occur. When Aphelion wiped out humanity, it would restore order and balance to the world. The elves, undying, would once again enjoy an unspoiled land where they could live peacefully and in harmony with the earth. When Zane looked up, Gil was entering.
"You summoned me, my lord," Gil asked while bowing.
"Yes, come in," Zane replied. "I have a job for you. Neither of the young humans has returned from their scouting expedition to Earth Valley."
"You fear the worst," Gil asked.
"I'm afraid I don't know what has happened to them," said Zane. "That's where you come in."
"I have faith in Jack," Gil said simply. "I believe they will be fine."
"That may be," Zane began. "But I still need to know what is going on. I want you to go to Earth Valley and assess the situation. I need information on the number of humans there so that I can plan our next move. If you encounter our scouts, you should assist them."
"As you wish it, my lord," Gil said. Bowing, he turned and left the room.
"The plans have been set in motion," Zane said to himself. "Now, we wait and see how they unfold."
When Jack woke up the following morning, he was surprised at how late it was. In contrast to his usual, early start, it was almost 9:30. He felt fresh, and ready to go. Jack was always amazed at how better he felt after a good night's sleep. Even his worst injuries no longer seemed to bother him after he slept. Next to him, Ridley was still sleeping. Jack knew they needed to leave, but didn't want to wake her. He decided that it would be better to let her sleep. Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long. At 9:45, Ridley's eyes fluttered and opened. He smiled when he saw her eyes, and not the eyes he had seen the night before. She smiled at him and sat up, looking around as she did. After a moment, Ridley spoke.
"Jack," she began. "Where are we?"
"We're in the Adien Region," Jack replied. "I tried to carry you back last night, but I was more worn out than I thought. I found these trees, and they looked like a good place to hide and rest."
"I see," Ridley said. "The last thing I remember, I was on the bridge and…Jack, what happened on the bridge?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing," said Jack. "First, you fell to your knees, and then, then you changed."
"How," Ridley asked.
"You started talking in some weird form of gibberish," Jack answered. "Your pupils got big, and you…"
"What," Ridley asked. She looked as if she feared the answer. "What did I do?"
"You annihilated the Argent Faucon," Jack said. "Then, you nearly attacked me."
"I remember Alain taunting me, and the next thing I remember is you picking me up and carrying me off," Ridley said. "It happened again."
"What happened," asked Jack. "What was it?"
"Do you remember when Lord Nogueira performed the transpiritation ritual on me," Ridley asked.
"Of course," Jack responded. "I was afraid that you were going to die."
"Well, I didn't," Ridley said. "Instead, I was forced to share my body with the light elf, Hap."
"It saved you, though," Jack said, trying to sound cheerful.
"The cost was great," Ridley said enigmatically. "On more than one occasion, I have caught myself speaking a strange language. It is the ancient tongue of the elves, Jack. I know it because Hap is inside of me. He speaks it. When I came to you the night I left for Fort Helencia, do you remember why I came?"
"You said that you needed to know you were still human," answered Jack.
"Yes," Ridley said. "The light elf soul that is in my body is not dormant. On the bridge, Hap took control of my body. His intentions were good; he knew that I would not be able to face my comrades in battle, so he did it for me. In all likelihood, it saved my life. But, this scares me. It feels wrong, Jack. I couldn't control my body. I don't remember anything. I don't know what to do. I'm not me anymore!"
"Yes you are," Jack said softly. "You're right here in front of me. The Ridley I know is sitting right here. And she doesn't give up like this. She's strong, and smart, and…beautiful."
At this last admission, Ridley turned to look at Jack. When he saw that she was blushing, he blushed as well, and both turned their heads away. Jack stood up and busied himself checking his equipment and brushing leaves and dirt off of himself. He began to look both up and down the road. Really, he was looking anywhere but at Ridley. She, on the other hand, had brushed herself off and was staring intently at the ground, as if she expected it to change suddenly under her feet.
"So, uh, I guess we should head to the Journey Pig," Jack said, breaking the awkward silence. "And then, we could go back to Fort Helencia."
"That sounds like a good idea," Ridley replied. "We should go."
Walking side-by-side down the road, Jack and Ridley continued to scan their surroundings. Jack was constantly looking to the left, and Ridley to the right. Neither of them spoke. In this fashion, they traveled through the Adien Region, and nearly reached the Journey Pig. However, as they neared the statue, both suddenly turned their eyes directly in front of them, where two silhouettes loomed. Still walking with measured steps, Jack and Ridley reached for their weapons.
Vegeta26: One more chapter done. I know this one was a little different (and a little boring, maybe), but I thought it was necessary. The added details kind of fleshed the story out a little bit, you know? Thanks to everyone who's still reading and reviewing. Let me know what you think by reviewing this chapter as well. See you next time.
Light of the Demons: Thanks for the review. It was, indeed, Hap who came to Ridley's defense. Have you played through on the Human Side yet? Hope to hear from you again.
Sono Ketsuraku Rinku: Glad to hear that you enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope you liked this one. It sort of set the stage a little for later chapters. I look forward to hearing from you.
: Thanks, as always, for reviewing. Ridley's "second personality" was actually pretty fun to write. I don't know what you consider fluff, but I snuck a little in at the end. Let me know how you liked this chapter, too.
Passionate-melody: Perhaps you should try to figure out Jack's feelings for Ridley yourself. Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do with them. This story isn't scripted out in my head, I'm writing it as I go. So, we'll just see where they end up. Let me know what you think.
Jckidsmart: Nice to hear from you. I'm glad that you like the story, and I hope that I'll hear from you again.