Sever All Ties
Chapter Twenty Seven: Hatred
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.
Charging forward, Jack could not contain his anger. As his sword collided with Cross', he felt an intense hatred welling up inside of him. All he could think of were the horrible deeds committed by the swordsman he was facing. The arrogant manner the man had was annoying, but might be tolerable if it was Cross' only fault. The Knight Captain, however, was worse than that. He seemed to have an insatiable hunger for war and battle, and it had been at his urging that the Radiata Knights had been deployed to Earth Valley for "negotiations." It had been Cross who had then ordered an attack on Earth Valley and enslaved the dwarves. Cross Ward was also responsible for the deaths of all three elemental dragons: first the Earth Dragon, then the Wind Dragon, and finally, the Fire Dragon. Beyond even that, Jack had personal reasons to detest Cross. He had always treated Jack as inferior because he was not born of noble blood, and had helped to get Jack removed from the Radiata Knights. These facts provided more than enough reason to attack Cross, and the knowledge that he had tortured Jack's sister Adele made it even worse. He had finally been given a chance to face the one who had caused so much pain, and was not about to waste it. He stood before Cross seeking revenge not just for himself, but for all of the humans and non-humans whom Cross had harmed.
A harsh metallic clang resounded throughout the room as their blades met over and over. General Dynas stood silently aside, watching the conflict unfold. Again and again, steel met steel in as Jack and Cross continued to attack. The former knight was managing to hold his own, though he was mainly defending himself against Cross' attacks. Forcing the older man back, he tried to get on the offensive. As Jack gained the advantage, he continued to swing his sword, hoping to connect with Cross. However, his blade was turned aside every time. Then, as he was backing up, Cross slipped on some loose golden coins. Jack took advantage of the momentary opportunity to attack. His sword lashed out and cut into Cross. The Knight Captain was sent reeling backward, and he fell on his back. Jack had to force himself not to lunge on Cross' fallen form, and he allowed his opponent to rise to his feet. Cross stared at Jack for a moment before speaking.
"Well, well, well," Cross said with a tone of arrogance. "It seems you've finally managed to acquire some skill to accompany your impudence."
"I've grown a great deal since we first met," Jack replied. As he spoke, Jack was reminded of the first time he had met Cross, on the mission when Ridley had been hurt.
Jack was holding tight to Ridley's pale, unconscious form as if he believed he could keep her alive through sheer will. On his left, Captain Ganz Rothschild was hanging his head. On his right, Genius Weissheit, their eccentric mediator from the Vareth Magic Institute, seemed saddened as well. Lord Nogueira's face was solemn; his eyes moved back and forth between the still figures of Hap and Ridley. Finally, after a long moment of contemplation, he spoke.
"There may be a way to save the human's life," he announced suddenly. The three humans looked up. "Bring her body over here, next to Hap's."
After receiving a nod from his Captain, Jack gently picked Ridley up and carried her over to where Hap lay. When he gently set her down, he looked up and to Lord Nogueira. The elf still seemed hesitant as he silently regarded not just Hap and Ridley, but Jack, Ganz, and Genius as well. Once again, he waited a moment before speaking.
"There is a way that I can save this girl's life," Lord Nogueira stated. "It will be dangerous, and might not be successful."
"We should just take her back to Radiata for treatment at the castle," Jack urged.
"She will not survive that long," Nogueira said bluntly. "There is only one hope for her: a transpiritation."
"You'll use it on a human," Genius asked, surprised and suddenly very interested in the conversation. "The side-effects…"
"Are unknown," Nogueira finished. "However, it seems to be the only option available to us at this particular moment. It will not do to have one of the human messengers killed in defense of an elf. In this way, her life might be saved. There is no guarantee, of course."
For several long moments, Jack and Ganz looked at one another, trying to determine what the best course of action was. Jack's eyes naturally wandered to Ridley's body. She was unconscious, and unnaturally pale. She was fading fast, and they had to do something to help her. Jack made up his mind that he would allow Lord Nogueira to try to save her. It was at this moment that Cross Ward and the Noire Mouton Brigade had entered. Cross immediately made his way over to where they were standing, and addressed Ganz.
"We were in the area on a mission and heard talk of orcs," Cross explained. "What's happened to Ridley?"
"She was a victim of the orc's attack," Ganz answered. "Lord Nogueira has offered to…"
"I'll hear none of that," Cross snapped. "We'll take her with us. It will be human hands that heal her, not elves and their cursed magic."
"No it won't," Jack interjected. "Ridley won't live long enough to make it back to the castle. Besides, it's not your decision to make. Lord Nogueira, save Ridley."
Before Cross could say anything else, the elf had begun the transpiritation ritual. Slowly, he channeled magical energy into his shoulder and down his arm. As he did so, a glowing orb began to emerge from both Ridley's body and Hap's as well. The two orbs drifted closer to one another until they finally merged into one. When they did so, their brightness and radiance intensified, attesting to the increase in strength. This single orb was gently guided back to Ridley's body, and sunk back into place; as this happened, the body of Hap slowly faded away and disappeared. Exhausted by this strenuous effort, Lord Nogueira sank down a little, his posture becoming a little less regal. The human onlookers were dumbfounded, yet relieved when they saw the color return to Ridley's face. After some time had elapsed, Lord Nogueira started down the path that led to the City of Flowers, where the light elves resided.
"I will inform my brother of Hap's death," he said as he left. "He will want to know what has transpired here today. It is my sincere hope that the young girl survives. For this to happen, you will need to take her back to your castle. She will still require medical attention."
"I should be going as well," Genius proclaimed as the elf disappeared from sight. "We just witnessed something extraordinary. No human being has ever seen a transpiritation performed, and the fact that it was performed on a human makes it all the more exciting. This will give me the opportunity to write volumes upon volumes. I must take my leave now; farewell."
"We should heed Lord Nogueira's advice and take Lady Ridley back to the castle immediately," Ganz said.
"Yeah," Jack agreed, stepping toward Ridley and preparing to pick her up.
"I'll be the one to carry her," Cross said, trying to step in front of Jack. The younger knight did not budge.
"Listen, you've got a big mouth," Jack snapped. "And all you've done since you got here is run it. Ridley and I are in the same Brigade; and, knights of the same brigade are as family."
With these words, he had picked his fellow squad member up and carried her all the way back to the castle. It was not long after that incident that he was fired from the knights. Ridley's father, the Lord Chamberlain, had blamed his daughter's injury on both he and Captain Ganz. Worse, Jack's manner of speaking to Cross had hardly won him any credit. Cross' influence fueled Lord Jasne's anger, and the result was his being fired. Ridley had not even awoken before Jack had left the castle, and it would be some time before he would see either she or Cross again.
Jack was brought back to the present by the sound of Cross charging toward him. The older man was angry, and the emotion was plainly displayed on his face. He charged at Jack, determined to take control of the fight. Scrambling, the younger swordsman dodged the initial attack. He countered immediately, but was unable to connect with anything but Cross' sword. As they battled back and forth across the chamber, Jack tried to come up with a way to penetrate the bigger man's defenses. However, he simply could not find an opening. In fact, it was Cross whose blade managed to find its mark first. Moving with incredible precision, Cross spun to avoid Jack's sword; as he came around, he countered with a slash of his own. The cut that stung Jack's thigh a moment later was not very deep, but he recoiled slightly when he felt the blade. His opponent took advantage of this momentary weakness, and struck again. The second mark appeared on Jack's left arm, and forced him to release his saber with that hand. As he staggered slightly, Jack felt the hilt of Cross' sword smash into his right hand. As the pain shot up his arm, the blaze saber fell from his hand. Cross continued to attack, and the weaponless Jack was forced to give ground. Falling back, he began scanning the area for anything to use against his opponent. Finally, he got close enough to a pile of jewels to grab a handful. These he immediately threw at Cross. With the older man momentarily distracted, Jack was able to lunge past and retrieve his sword. He turned and brought the weapon to bear just in time to deflect his opponent's blade. Jack followed with several vicious strokes that forced Cross to fall back temporarily. The two silently regarded each other as they attempted to catch their breath. Finally, it was Cross who spoke.
"Perhaps you're still not as good as you think," he said smugly. "Just a pathetic excuse for a swordsman after all."
"I'm much stronger than you think," Jack replied. "I've grown stronger every day since leaving the knights."
"Of course you have," Cross stated. "You'll forgive my incredulity, but after your pathetic little brigade was disbanded, I didn't follow what I'm sure must have been an illustrious career at Theater Vancoor. In fact, the only time I saw you was…"
"At Ridley's birthday party," Jack finished the sentence before Cross could.
"Yes, you made quite a nuisance of yourself that day," Cross said with a sneer.
"You were the only one who thought so," Jack answered.
Jack had been quite surprised when he had opened his front door to find Leonard standing outside. His former roommate from the castle was holding an envelope. When he had handed it to Jack, he explained that it was an invitation to Ridley's birthday party. He had said that Jack was to present the invitation at the castle, and that he would be admitted to the party. Jack didn't really know what to think; he hadn't seen Ridley since the night he had left the knights. The fact that she was having a birthday party obviously meant that she was doing well, and he was excited to see her. Yet, he didn't really like the idea of returning to Radiata Castle. Attending the party would mean having to face many, if not all, of the knights and guardsmen he had been with while he was in the Rose Cochon Brigade. However, in the end, he had decided that, more than anything, he wanted to be able to see Ridley again.
Gaining admittance to the castle had proven easy: when he presented his invitation, a guardsman had escorted Jack to the castle's Fifth Floor Ballroom. The party was very extravagant, with bright, multi-colored decorations everywhere, and there was also an exceptional selection of food. The Ballroom itself was packed full of people. It appeared as though all of the Radiata Knights, as well as all of the nation's aristocracy, were in attendance. When he saw the fine clothes and excellent appearance of most of the guests, Jack suddenly wished he had dressed up a little more. Though it was very serviceable, the iron breastplate he was wearing was not designed with style in mind. Jack did recognize a few familiar faces, but didn't see anyone he really wanted to talk to. Instead, he scanned the room for the reason he was there: Ridley. When he finally spotted the guest of honor, she was standing near the middle of the room talking to a group of knights. Ridley looked rather bored; like a person who feels obligated to talk, but is not really interested. Immediately, he made his way through the crowd and to Ridley's side.
"Hey! Look at you, up and about. I knew you were just faking it," Jack teased.
"Jack! You came," Ridley smiled genuinely as she spoke.
"Wouldn't have missed it for the world," Jack said, returning the smile.
"It's great to see you," Ridley continued.
"Yeah, it's been a while," Jack said. "You look like you're doing all right, though. Is that a Captain's uniform you're wearing?"
"Yes, it is," Ridley said sheepishly.
"That's great," Jack said cheerfully. "You've come a long way since the Rose Cochon."
"I suppose so," Ridley said softly. "Listen, Jack, I wanted to talk to you about the Rose Cochon, and what happened. You getting fired, I never wanted that."
"Are you still worried about that," asked Jack. "Don't be. It's really no big deal. Besides, Theater Vancoor's more my style."
"I just felt bad," Ridley continued. "Thanks for not blaming me."
"It wasn't your fault at all," Jack said.
"Thanks, that means a lot to me," Ridley said.
"Don't worry at all," Jack said nonchalantly.
"Thanks so much," Ridley said with a smile. However, that look of happiness was replaced by a look of mournful weariness. "Jack, there's something else I need o talk to you about. Something serious."
"Of course," said Jack. His eyes were full of genuine concern.
"It's about what happened the day of the transpiritation," Ridley began. "When the elf soul was…"
"Ah, Ridley, there you are," Cross said as he joined them. Ridley's face immediately became cheerful again. She was just a girl at her birthday party, and didn't have a care in the world.
"Hello Cross," Ridley answered, forcing herself to smile.
"You should be enjoying your party, you know," Cross continued. "After all, it's your special day."
"And I'm choosing to spend part of it with Jack," Ridley said simply. "We're catching up with one another."
"Jack? Ah yes, Jack. What a surprise to see you here," Cross said, seeming genuinely surprised. "Disgraced former knights usually aren't permitted to come back to the castle, and are rarely welcome."
"Cross," Ridley exclaimed. "What do you think you're doing? Jack…"
"It's all right," Jack interjected. "I don't want to cause any trouble, and I certainly don't want to ruin your birthday. Don't let this guy ruin it for you, either. I'll just be on my way; and, if you ever want to talk, you know where I live. See you later, Ridley."
As he and Cross glared at one another, Jack refused to let that day leave his mind. He had passed up his opportunity to face off with Cross, but this time he could stand and fight. The last time Cross had mocked him, Jack had left to avoid causing trouble, but he had no reason to hesitate this time. When he charged forward, he could feel the anger welling up inside of him. He was ready to destroy Cross for everything he had done. When their swords collided, Jack held his ground and went on the offensive. While he pressed hard, he was still mostly unsuccessful in his attempts to take down the bigger man. Cross' counterattack came swiftly after parrying one of Jack's blows. Suddenly, the former knight found himself scrambling just to stay on his feet. A devastating series of sword strokes fell all around him, but he barely managed to avoid them. Jack was beginning to feel drained. The heat of Fire Mountain made it difficult to continue fighting at such a blistering pace. Cross was feeling the pain as much as Jack was. Sweat was pouring from both their bodies as they whirled and slashed, trying desperately to find an opening.
The battle continued to rage, and both warriors seemed hastened by the reminder of their mortality. Both were eager to finish their opponent, and appeared ready to do whatever it took to achieve that goal. Even if it meant being wounded in the process. A myriad of small cuts appeared on Jack's body as he continued to channel all of his energy into attacking Cross. The Knight Captain was no different, and crimson stains were visible on his armor. Finally, both found an opening. Swinging up and across his body, Jack managed to leave a deep cut horizontally on Cross' chest. As he recoiled, Cross reflexively swung his sword and ripped across Jack's abdomen. Both swordsmen staggered backward when they felt the pain of these blows. Each fixed the other with an intense gaze, refusing to break eye contact. In the end, it was Cross who acted first. Suddenly, an arrogant grin was apparent on his face, and Cross began laughing.
"I must say, you've proven to be a worthy opponent," Cross said. The grin remained fixed on his face. "But, it's time for this little game to be finished."
"Keep talking, but I'm not going to let you win," Jack snapped. "For everything you've done, I'm going to destroy you!"
"You won't be able to stop me," Cross said sternly. Suddenly, fire appeared all around him; an outward manifestation of the strength Cross was channeling into his attack.
"A volty blast," Jack exclaimed.
"That's right," Cross replied. "You should consider yourself lucky. Very few people have ever seen this attack. This fight ends now."
"We'll see about that," said Jack. Instantly, volty flames had surrounded him as well.
Fuelled by his rage, Jack began to focus all of his energy, preparing it for an attack of his own. He was, however, surprised by Cross' next move. The Knight Captain raised his sword aloft and then rammed the blade down into the ground, perpendicular to Jack. He stared for a moment, trying to decipher the meaning of this action. While was watching, he realized that Cross was focusing his energy, preparing his attack. A moment later, white light began to radiate from Cross' blade. When he saw this, Jack began to draw upon his own energy, readying his attack. He held his sword out parallel to the ground on his left side, and traced a half-circle counterclockwise. As he did this, three silhouettes appeared. Each one was like a copy of Jack, and held a sword in the same fashion he did. When Jack looked up, he saw Cross holding a single white rose in his hand. The sword in front of him contained an incredible amount of energy. Seeing his opportunity to attack, Jack lunged forward, and his duplicates went with him. Watching in a disinterested fashion, Cross casually flicked his rose in front of the sword in the floor.
"Army of Shadows," Jack yelled.
"Celestial Line," Cross cried.
Jack was moving as fast as he possibly could, trying desperately to reach Cross and get clear of the older man's attack. He was determined to eradicate his opponent. Finally, he and his three duplicates drew within striking distance. Cross seemed shocked as all four swordsmen swung their blades in unison, However, he recovered when he saw the piercing white light of his blade. A beam of light taller than Jack lanced out of the sword, targeting the attacker and threatening to overcome him. The two volty blasts collided, resulting in a powerful explosion that shook the room. General Dynas dove out of the way as gold and other riches were blown into the air and rained down all about. When the dust and smoke cleared, and everything had settled, the General rose and tried to see who had won the incredible duel that had just taken place. He was not surprised to find that the shock from the exchange had blown both Jack and Cross clear of the point where they collided. He was, however, surprised to see that neither was on their feet. Cross lay in a small crater twelve feet from the point of impact. Four nearly identical cuts had been added to his chest, bearing witness to the power of Jack's attack. Jack' however, was nearly twenty feet from the point of impact, and had a deep gash that ran the entire length of his chest. Neither man was moving. The battle, it seemed, was over.
Vegeta26: Well, there you have it. Chapter 27 is finished. It took a little longer than I anticipated, but I hope you all enjoyed it despite the wait. Once again, thanks to all of those who continue to read and review. Don't forget to let me know what you think via a review of this chapter. Thanks, and I can't wait to hear from you all.
horusdragon: I'm sure everyone is wishing for Cross to die, and as soon as it can be arranged. Rest assured that things will not be pleasant for Cross in the very near future. Thanks for reviewing, and I hope to hear from you again.
Weasel Debater: I feel your regular season frustrations. Have you had either of those tournaments yet? Results? That aside, I hope you thoroughly enjoyed the continued battle with Cross. And, no, in the game you cannot win this fight. Can't wait to hear from you.
Cisqua: First, I apologize for not getting back to your earlier request in a more timely fashion. Which maps are you looking for? Thanks for the review, and I will definitely read your work when it is posted. I look forward to hearing from you again.
t-bone135: What can I say, the blaze saber is my favorite weapon that Dyvad sells. I'm glad that you're enjoying the story. I took care to make sure that it was original but still stuck the storyline in the game. I hope you continue to enjoy the story, and that I'll hear from you again.