Hello everyone…It seems now that every time I post a chapter something horrible has happened. I'm sure there isn't anyone that hasn't heard what has happened in Egypt days ago. I continue to not understand how pain can bring anything more than more pain. I pray that I'll never understand. To everyone that lost someone dear I can only to keep going. It is the only way to honour the memory of those lost.
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I have some things to tell today so I'll just get started. First of all as always I DON'T OWN ANYTHING IN THIS STORY! And I'll keep saying it until someone decides that I won't be sued by saying otherwise (as if). But Ariadne and all the OC's that had have crossed these lines are all product of my somewhat insane mind. Now that that is out of the way we have…
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A very important A.N – Unfortunately (well it depends on the point of view cause to me is great) I'm going on vacation next week which means…yes, there will be no updates in the next two weeks (Reyavie jumps behind giant boulder and places helmet on head as a rain of vegetables begins to fall) BUT… (rain stops and Rea slowly pokes her head out) but I have prepared a really long chappie for this week so you can't complain that I'm being lazy. So everyone has stopped giving my mom excuses to make soup? (silence…Reyavie leaves hiding and goes back to writing)
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To my dear reviewers:
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Meepills – Hi and welcome to Second life! Really glad to know that you think this is a good story and you wouldn't believe how relieved I was when you said that Aria was not a Mary-Sue though…(Rea winces) do you want to give me a heart attack? Any more glares and my poor heart will not hold on.
Anyways hope that interesting is a good thing (I just thing they're both weird, nice but weird) and Quistis is one of my fav characters. Couldn't leave her out of the main plane of the story. I'm continuing, really I am, but strange things…? I should start looking over my shoulder now shouldn't I? Enjoy the chapter.
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Missy Pom-Pom – Hi again! (Rea bows to applause) Sniff…I am so…happy…sniff. So a great chapter huh? Great to know that. Every time someone tells me that it shows me that the changes I'm doing to the story are being welcome or at least accepted. It's really nice to hear it. About Ultimecia's past I thought that it would be something than most people would care to know in that situation.
People aren't born evil after all. There are experiences that shape them into what they are and what they will become. Ultimecia was no exception. And yes Aria's life couldn't be weirder…weeeeeelllllll (Reyavie coughs). About the updates, yes it is once a week, normally on Thursdays except for when I have something that stops me from updating (read A.N above ok?). Here's the newest chapter. Hope you like it.
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Angel Of Apocolypse – Hey AoA! It's great to see have you back! I'm happy that my words help you somewhat. I know you must be living through some really rough times so what little I can do to help I'll do it. You have no need to thank me ; )
YES, your suggestion won and you didn't have to vote a hundred times see? And if you want to know when it will appear…well, next chapter actually. Thank you for detecting that error. I really had written poor Zell as a girl. And in the chapter where he was actually making sense. That was really fun to write. And all this part too due to the fact that I didn't have much guidelines to write it.
Now a question…Whose life wouldn't be weird if it had to deal with all that she has? Sometimes even I am sorry for all that I make her go through…or not.
Anyways if I met Squall I would probably enrol myself on an asylum cause then I would have the proof that I had hit the top in the crazy-as-hell chart. Still writing though a bit slower because from here on the plot has to be developed but I have some ideas that I think they'll work. Ok, I think I'm done. Read on and take care.
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Welcome to the twenty-eighth chapter of Second Life. Gone to pack…
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The atrium was completely silent as they entered adding to the feeling of dread they were all feeling. And the whole dark atmosphere was just too dramatic to be believable.
The image that came to Aria's mind was something she had seen countless times on the TV when she had been home, something that remembered her of the ancient Roman empire.
Large columns, tiled floor, paintings filling the walls. Even if she wasn't too sure about what those paintings were about she knew enough to assume the women painted were the sorceress before her…and the man and women were probably the ones that had opposed them.
Ultimecia, bar the fact that she was a sorceress out to kill them, had a very weird mind.
– "And you don't?" – Questioned Taur as the group entered the room.
– "I don't place paintings of enemies in my walls" – Was Ariadne's answer – "Next thing we know we'll be placed there as well. Now shush." – And talking about the devil…Aria's eyes found the one woman that had tried to destroy their lives.
She was unexpectedly beautiful…or could be if you took the heavy make-up she was using. The long black dress was similar to the one Edea was partial to use and the long black wings seemed to gather all the light that came her way. Proverbial image of a fallen angel.
Ariadne gripped her katanas harder willing herself not to understand what she was seeing. The sorceress seemed so tired. So…afraid. And then a calmness, that she could relate to, filled her eyes.
– "Seed, Seed, Seed, Seed" – Minotaur snickered on Ariadne's head. – "Curse all Seeds." – Ultimecia's voice was cold and biting. Very different from the one she had used that day in Galbadia.
– "Swarming like locust across generations. You disgust me." – Her chilling, empty dark brown eyes rolled over her unwanted guest in a very unsettling way. Aria could see Selphie grip her weapon to the point where she would almost mark it if the material wasn't so strong.
– "And you…" - Sacred cursed in her mind when Ultimecia's attention turned to her – "You and your wretched kind" – Ariadne raised an eyebrow unconsciously before exchanging a quick look with the rest of the group. They seemed as confused as she was.
- "You could have ended this. You and all of them" – She waved openly to the walls. – "But you just watched. They just watched" – Zell chose to say what she had been thinking for the past seconds.
– "What the hell is she on?" – He asked quite loudly.
– "Shut up Zell" – Hissed Squall. Ultimecia and Ariadne seemed locked in a staring battle and neither seemed ready to back down
– "It is your fault. All this suffering." – Continued the sorceress – "You could have ended it all." – Emerald eyes narrowed dangerously.
– "That's the lowest way to discard yourself of guilt" – Aria shot back – "What the fuck are you babbling about?" – Ultimecia smiled, a bitter and grating smile.
– "You don't know" – She whispered with what appeared to be amusement – "And they don't know. Have you told them? Who you are, where have you come from?" – She laughed with that.
Aria felt her body being crossed by shivers as she heard the chuckles. Like nails on a chalkboard.
And she could almost feel the weight of the stares her friends were giving her.
– "She doesn't have to." – The Galbadian could have hugged Quistis as she heard her voice – "She's one of us. It doesn't matter." – Something flashed through Ultimecia's eyes, too fast for it to be recognized.
– "Interesting. Will they be nearly as forgiving when they find out?" – The sorceress continued calmly before laughing once more.
Aria felt something in her mind. Something familiar in a really bad way.
It stopped as soon as her connection with the Brothers overtook her mind leaving little place to the forced contact. But she did have to close her eyes for a moment with the sharp pain that crossed her head.
She opened them once more when a sudden explosion, which sounded too much like an Ultima, rocked the room. Squall was by her side, the hand that wasn't holding his newly acquired Lionheart raised in front of him.
– "I do believe the one time you used that was enough" – Her jaw would be broken on the floor if the situation wasn't so serious. And she could have sworn…
- "Wipe that smirk of your face sis" – She whispered at Quistis that seemed strangely satisfied with herself. – "It's scary" - By the arm that the instructor held in front of her it was easy to deduce that Squall hadn't been the only one to cast some magic.
– "Think you can protect her?" – Ultimecia smiled once more jerking her head slightly towards the walls yet again.
– "They tried. They died. The game was between the Bearer and myself, child. You should know better." – She was being patronizing. If they weren't already ready to kill her, she would have signed the death sentence there and then.
– "You know" – Ariadne walked to the front, katanas moving lazily in her hands – "I'm really beginning to hate that bloody name. I don't know what you think I am. What you know that I am is bad enough for me. But one thing I can tell you" – The blades stopped in an attack position.
– "I don't plan on dying anytime soon." – The sorceress smile once more.
– "Plans are fickle things Bearer" – She said coolly – "I heard your promise. It will end now." – Her opponent smirked before Ariadne turned her head slightly behind.
– "Yo Squall" – She called seemingly unconcerned with the situation – "Remember the question I made you in Galbadia?" – The Commander raised an eyebrow.
– "I'm giving you no option here" – Aria continued. Emerald eyes, stern and authoritative – "She still owes me."
– "And not only you" – Irvine came forward and behind him Selphie. – "We are in this together, right?" – Ariadne downright grinned as she saw all of them take places by her side.
– "You are so going down." – The race was on.
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- "I hate her. I bloody despise every single atom that composes her body" – Ariadne slashed the barrier that had been placed around the four of them once more but came up with the same result. Nothing.
– "I fucking hate her" – Emerald eyes were locked with the battlefield bellow. The large roman atrium seemed to have disappeared leaving only the large tiles that made the floor as a proof that it had ever been there.
– "We can't break it" – Rinoa's voice carried slight anxiousness. To watch was worse than anything but everyone dealt with it differently.
Rage cursed through Aria's veins, Selphie was simply looking at the battle, fear visible in her eyes and Zell…well he was still trying to put down the shield.
– "Tried any seventh level spell?" – Rinoa shook her head.
– "Any of those and we would get hurt as well" – Silence fell between them as they both looked at the battle. Spells were being exchanged quickly, the screams and explosions finding their way to them easily. Aria could feel her hands grip the blades once more.
– "Aria calm down" – Sometimes she really hated the way Sacred could be cool and analytical. She couldn't bear it. – "That's what she wants."
– "And I really want her dead and seven feet underground" – She almost growled as she saw Quistis being hit by a particularly vicious Gravija. – "Don't push it 'Red" – Leviathan came out of nowhere as soon as the instructor got on her feet.
She could see Irvine gathering the Pulse Ammo he had gotten in Esthar and Squall probably summoning Shiva. And her temper flared again for not being able to enter the fight.
– "What in Hyne's name is that?" – Aria's widened as she saw a guardian force appear in front of the sorceress. A giant silver and dark grey lion that seemed disproportioned to their own GFs
– "Griever…" - The two voices in her mind were slightly sorrowful… and too angry for her liking.
– "What are you two hiding from me?" – Her tone of voice booked no argument and both of them knew it.
– "He's the cursed one Aria" – Began Sacred – The one who turned against his charge. Against his ally. His friend."
– "Bastard son-of-a-bitch" – Minotaur cursed loudly – "He was the cause of his master's death. Traitor." – Her jaw was beginning to hurt from all the surprises she had been dealing with.
The rage that was cursing through their connection could only be compared to her own against Ultimecia. She had known guardians were really protective and loyal to their charges but that was…
- "Hyne" – Her eyes fell once more on the gigantic GF just in time to see him attack… - "Quis" – Aria stood, from where she had sat merely minutes before, to see her sister falling to the floor.
– "Quis!" – She banged her hands as strongly as she could against the shield but it held as obstinately as before. But she kept hitting it even as her hands started to hurt from her actions.
– "Squall! Irvine! Damn it all you idiots! Cure her! Help her!" – But her screams seemed not to reach them. Someone grabbed her, pulling her behind.
Ariadne knew she should allow it. She knew. She also knew that the one to hurt her sister would die by her hands. She had already lost too much.
– "Let me go Zell" – Aria struggled against him as hard as she could and then…
- "Quis?" – The arms around her had vanished…as well as the body of the blond Seed. – "Zell?" – The wrestler was already below taking his chances against the cursed guardian. And Quistis…
- "She is fine. She's ok" – Aria repeated the words over and over again like a mantra, trying to convince herself that it was true. Ultimecia just smiled from her place behind the GF.
– "Aria…" - She felt the two brothers force their connection with her, trying to impart as much confidence and strength as they could. But it wasn't enough. And Ultimecia kept smiling as she watched her.
– "Does it hurt bearer?" – Aria wasn't sure how she could hear her voice over the sounds of battle, over the screams that came from bellow. But she did.
– "Where's Quistis?" – The Galbadian struggled not to snap at Rinoa. The girl didn't have any fault of what was happening… so she didn't answer.
– "Tell me a way to break this barrier" – It wasn't an order but it was damn close. She could feel the hesitation as she waited for them to speak but ignored it.
– "Guys. I'm not sitting around as she kills everyone I care about" – Ariadne continued coolly – "Help me." – Silence filled her mind as she watched Griever hit Irvine pushing him to a side. He raised himself painfully, blood trickling down his face…
- "Get behind and summon us" – Instructed Sacred – "We will do the rest."
– "It will take more energy than usual Aria" – Continued Minotaur – "So try to save as much as you can."
– "On it" – She stood up, determination taking over her fear as she prepared for battle.
– "Rinoa, Selph" – Her voice was stern leaving no room for them to contradict her – "Get behind" – It was different that whatever summoning she had ever made.
Normally they would just borrow her energy to take a physical shape but…she opened her arms to her sides, feeling their connection expand, and smiled slightly as both of them appeared, Sacred on her right and Minotaur on her left.
There was no light show, no earthquake or unnecessary noise. They just…appeared.
Their presence was protective and caring, a sign of what she had always felt in her mind for the past years. But even that couldn't make her unaware of the fact that Irvine had fallen. Rinoa disappeared from behind them to join the others.
– "Need help Aria?" – Never ever had she seen Selphie so serious. Never.
But she didn't say anything. Hyne knew she was feeling the same despair that was shining in the other girl's eyes. Ariadne saw Sacred shake his head slightly and made the same gesture in answer.
– "'Taur?" – The guardian had knelt beside her, his huge hand touching the shield. She could hear the energy fighting against the contact but thought nothing of it. They were the ones that knew what they were doing.
– "Use Aura on yourself" – Sacred's voice seemed far too calm to her struggling temper. – "Single hit." – She nodded as a sign that she had understood the idea.
Before Ariadne could even open her mouth to speak the enchantment she felt the rush of energy that characterized Aura fill her body. She glanced at Selphie that was lowering her arm slowly.
– "Just get us down there Aria" – She said forcing a small smile – "We have a battle to finish." – Aria smirked as she turned to the shield. She could feel, more than see, the red energy that branded her personal magic. A similarly red blade was raised.
– "Death sentence" – The attack was swift and precise but, at first, it seemed as if it would have the same result as the ones she had made before…at first.
The fire that had followed her attack was still fighting to break the spell Ultimecia had cast, a battle of wills…that rose abruptly of strength as the two brothers advanced. Minotaur placed his hands on the draft Aria's attack had caused, as if trying to enlarge it, while Sacred walked to the invisible wall.
Aria flinched violently as she felt her own hands burning, pain sweeping through her as if she was the one touching the shield. But it was Taur and not her. Not her.
– "Aria?" – She bit her lip as she struggled not to scream in pain but even that was beginning to seem little. She raised her eyes to meet with Sacred's kind brown ones. – "I know it hurts. Just hold on" – Aria breathed slowly and evenly with a half-hearted glare.
– "Then do something quickly. Taur's hurting too." – Assurance flowed through her as he turned to the shield and forced it open as well. The pain in her hands seemed to double.
– "Now hit it again" – And she did. With as much strength as her pained form allowed. And she didn't do it alone. By her side Selphie had attacked as well and with just as much anguish. The shield broke as if it was made of glass, millions of shards falling to the floor in a strange kind of rain. Unfortunately they did as well.
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Ariadne closed her eyes briefly as she felt the air rushing around her form as she fell. With all that she had been through in the last days it wasn't hard to imagine why she felt more comfortable with heights.
But she still didn't feel comfortable with falling from a height of fifty meters. As if anyone could wonder about that.
A part of her questioned what would happen if she let herself go. No more choices, no more pain…no more sorrow…her eyes opened sharply.
– "Not like this" – Aria hissed. – "I'm not dying like this"
– "Damn right" – Minotaur's voice filled her mind as something caught her in the middle of the descent. She found herself looking at a familiar somewhat animal face grinning a very strange, but happy, grin.
– "Bro and I still have to scold you for all the stunts you have been pulling off." – Aria knew that normally she would snap with some dry or sarcastic comment…but she was just too thankful for that.
– "Whatever. Selph?" – He turned slightly allowing her to see the battlefield. Ultimecia was approaching her own guardian, whom seemed to be faring badly, making the party that had been fighting it recede on the field to prepare themselves for whatever she was up to, and behind them was Sacred with Selphie on his hands. Ariadne sent a surge of gratitude through their bond that was answered with slight amusement.
Their way to say "You're welcome you silly girl".
– "Any energy left?" – She whispered knowing that Minotaur would hear it. He shook his huge head with no small amount of regret.
– "If we stay longer you'll have no energy left to fight" – He said gently, the hand that was holding her quivering with his deep tone. He placed her on the floor with care and gave her another one of his grins.
– "This is your battle now. Call us Aria. We'll be here." – And he disappeared, as soundlessly as he had appeared moments before. Sacred did the same after nodding gravely.
Aria could feel again their presence on her mind as well as the sudden tiredness that invaded her already wearied limbs. But she clung to the adrenaline pumping through her veins like a life line. Her hands were still hurting but she resolved to worry about that later before pulling her gloves off and stuffing them in her back pockets.
– "Only you would worry about that Aria" – Commented Sacred's dry voice.
– "I worry about my life and what Stef would do to me when she found out about this Red" – She answered back as she ran to the others. Ultimecia was merging with her guardian. – "Can you guys do that?" – A negative feeling found its way to her.
– "What we did right now is the closest to that" – Informed Minotaur – "We'll explain later." – Aria hated that sentence.
A deep breath passed through her lips before she slipped between Squall and Zell while making a quick inspection to her own magic. The lower level magic was practically non-existent leaving her with only with some fifth level, a lot of sixth level and a huge amount of seventh that she wasn't too sure from where it had come from.
– "What the hell happened to your hands?" – She could have smacked Zell. Alright, her hands were covered in boils, literally bloody, looking as if they had been placed in a fireplace but did he had to advertise it?
– "Later" – Aria said sharply, enjoying the answer more now that she was the one using it. – "ULTIMA!" – The dark spell broke through the battlefield stopping whatever truce had been made.
Why did they think that giving the sorceress time to do what she wanted to do was a good thing was something she couldn't phantom.
– "Stubborn fool" – Muttered Squall as he walked by her to attack as well. Ariadne grinned weakly, twisting her katanas expertly before following him
– "And don't you forget it Commander."
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Ariadne would have scowled if she had time to. Ultimecia seemed as if she was using every little thing she knew about them to her advantage.
Which meant that, for someone with a no small amount of fear of heights, fighting in appeared to be open space was proving to be a challenge. Selphie and herself had been keeping a close strategy.
Aria took care of "Auraing" her when the spell faded and the Trabian used full-cure each time Ultimecia used "Judgement's day". It seemed to be working but unfortunately stopped the Galbadian from helping the attack front as much as she would have liked.
But they couldn't stop doing what they were doing.
Rinoa had lost her Curagas during the fight, Squall couldn't lose time curing the others and Zell didn't appear to have anything better than Curas. A rant had to be postponed when the wrestler had shared that particular piece of information.
Aria breathed deeply as she concentrated to another spell. Her body was beginning to show the signs of the tiredness that had been ignored for the last days and she was sure that soon enough the magic usage she had been making would take its toll.
Even Sacred and Minotaur were too drained to make an appearance.
Other than that they had already lost Shiva, Ifrit, Quezacotl and Diablos. Which meant that they were on their own.
– "Aria" – She stopped abruptly when Rinoa's voice crossed the field. She was waving frantically, beckoning her to approach.
– "What?" – She asked dodging a really badly placed Thundaga. Zell obviously needed to work on his aim.
– "Take my place." – Rinoa glared briefly at Zell when she herself had to dodge another spell – "I am this close to put him under silence. Take my place Aria. I can't do much there." – Ariadne didn't say anything.
It was what she had wanted since the beginning and something that was being given to her willingly.
No need to question it.
Once again Aria felt the pain that signalled the main attack from Ultimecia and soon enough a full-cure washed over her.
Pain.
Cure.
Pain.
Cure.
It was beginning to seem tennis.
– "Does tennis even exists in Gaea?" – She thought randomly.
– "Aria!" – Sacred's weak voice carried an edge she was only used to hear when he was deathly concerned – "I know you are tired but concentrate"
– "Aye, Aye sir" – He groaned loudly with a background of chuckles.
– "Just use your damned limit and stop with my attitude" – Instructed Minotaur – "You're scaring me." – She smirked even as the spell hit her once more.
– "Aria" – The Galbadian turned sharply to the Commander that seemed as tired as she was. His normally immaculate appearance was gone. Blood stained his clothes, sweat dripped from his forehead marring the dirt that covered his skin.
– "She is drawing something" – Ariadne raised an eyebrow.
– "What the hell does he want me to do?" – Confusion showed for a moment in her expression making him jerk his head to Zell. A soft green hue was involving his form.
– "Of all the things…"
- "Better than nothing" – Squall replied raising his hand to mimic his friend
– "Reflect" – Originally she knew that draw couldn't be stopped by reflect. The spell was used to protect a user from magical attacks not to stop one from stocking them…so she was very surprised to see the spell rebound on the shield back to what seemed to be the original Ultimecia.
Ariadne couldn't really even recognize the sorceress on the higher half. Only the woman below remembered her of the things she had learned to associate with her enemy.
The same fear, loneliness, sorrow and confusion.
Even the shackles that were restraining her showed a duality in the woman. The upper half began talking but Aria ignored it raising her katanas.
It seemed her epilogue.
As if everything she had been through in the past years had the only purpose of bringing her to the moment she was. Ariadne waited for the pain she knew was coming and pulled the hidden strength that was the main source for her limit.
– "Death sentence" – It was like she was seeing everything in slow motion including Squall and Zell that had attacked at the same time as her.
She could see the wrestler hit the sorceress before pulling aside only to allow her to take his place. She could see Squall slashing profusely, blood trickling down the leather like skin that covered Ultimecia, and the way Zell would hit the same places to cause more damage.
And she could see her own blades as she attacked, their red crystal shining in the darkness, liquid fire in their depths. Aria took a step backwards without realizing completely what she was doing…or why she felt the need…the urge to do it. She just followed her instincts.
– "It's now or never" – She thought calmly. Her lips opened as she raised her arms slightly to her sides.
– "Blood and honour, spirit and life" – The katanas scratched the floor where she was standing, their red hue stronger than ever – "A circle of four." – She twisted abruptly around herself making her blades follow her movement, a blood-red circle appearing on the floor where her weapons had touched.
– "Phoenix's flame!" – Her scream tore the winds as a column of fire flared to life growing from the circle, the pillar rising in strength and power as it fed from her energy, involving herself and her companions as well as Ultimecia.
But if the sorceress didn't seem the least comfortable with the experience to Ariadne it was liberating. Warm, relaxing and real, the fire swirling around her form, the wind pulling her hair as if trying to free it from its bounds…it ended too soon.
– "Holy shit" – Mumbled Taur – "Never thought you could do that already" – A pleased smirk overtook Aria's lips.
– "My magic level rose with the last battles I suppose" – She said simply. A strange glint invaded her eyes as she watched Squall use his limit break. Her smirk widened as the small idea that had been growing in her mind finally hit home.
– "Rinoa! Selph!" – Ariadne ran to the back where the two girls were still working in the healing – "I need help. Draw from her. At the same time." – They gave her a really strange glance as if wondering about her sanity.
– "Are you…"
- "Sure?" – Aria interrupted – "Hell yeah. Come on." – Selphie shrugged as she walked to her side. Rinoa just breathed deeply before doing the same.
– "Three" – The Galbadian's voice was assured and calm as she raised a hand still holding her weapon. And she wasn't the only one.
– "Two…one…Draw Apocalypse!" – There was no immediate rush of power as it was usual when that command was used.
Instead Ariadne felt as if she was trying to push an aeroplane with her teeth, as if someone was holding the spell from the opposite side and pulling just as hard as they were. It wasn't pleasant to say the least.
– "Can you…" - A voice invaded her mind, a voice that wasn't her guardians'. She almost let go of the spell in a sudden panic remembering the last time that had happened.
– "Ariadne…" - The voice seemed sad and sorrowful… Aria pulled herself together, grasping her spell with renewed strength.
– "Who…?" – It seemed to laugh sadly in her mind.
– "You know" – It said plainly. Emerald eyes turned to the lower part of the sorceress finding dark brown eyes locked with hers.
– "Yes" – The voice, that she knew now that belonged to the sorceress, continued.
– "I heard your promise bearer. Will you keep it?" – Beads of sweat trickled down her brow as she struggled to keep hold.
– "I want to live" – Aria wasn't too sure of why she had given her that particular answer when the sorceress was asking if she would kill her. But it seemed to have been the correct one.
– "So do I…" - A pause as the hold on the other side broke slightly – "Bearer…will you give me a second chance…? A second life?" – Sea green eyes widened in surprise.
– "What?" – She asked confusedly – "How…? I…" - Ultimecia laughed again.
– "You will learn Bearer. Just don't follow your predecessors' path." – A plea. – "Finish this Ariadne Beckerman." – The resistance stopped abruptly and she felt her body burn with energy.
– "Don't forget my words" – And the voice disappeared leaving her alone once more.
– "What the hell was that?" – Questioned Minotaur. Aria rolled her eyes. Her guardians had been eavesdropping.
– "And now…?" – Sacred did the unnecessary enquiry. Ariadne just smiled.
– "We finish this."
A small hand touched her shoulder. Selphie. Another touched her arm. Rinoa. And as if they had rehearsed it all screamed at the same time.
– "Apocalypse!" – The two men stopped as they heard their comrades shouting. As did Ultimecia.
– "I so need to get one of those" – Aria didn't bother to answer to Taur's comment as she saw the sorceress disappear, bit by bit, as the destructive power of her own spell stroke her.
It was over.
Her hands placed the two blades slowly in their sheaths that, by some miracle, were still on her back.
The war…
Tears prickled her eyes as relief filled her heart. She held them back with a flash of annoyance.
The battles…
Blood dripped slowly from her hands showing that she hadn't escaped unscathed. But she ignored it.
The pain and loss they all had suffered…
She smiled to her friends as the darkness disappeared around them to leave only pure white. And leaving her alone.
It was over.
…
My POV
…
I never felt so tired in my entire life.
Tired as in extremely and totally worn-out. My arms and legs feel like they have brick attached and a part of me…bullshit, ALL of me, wants to take a long vacation to unconscious land.
However that would mean a really, really, bad future for me.
So I guess the time has come finally.
I did what I had to do. I did the best I could do. Now…I just have to finish it. My story has ended. My part in this story has ended. Time to shape a new one.
No one can help me in this. I don't want anyone helping me in this.
This is my life.
Taur said that before the fight and he is right. Sacred can be confused all he wants over the sudden wise streak his little bro has gotten but he is damn right. I can't live my life always thinking about what my choices will cause to others. I can't live IN function of others forever.
Two roads are in front of me now and I have to choose at last.
Past or future?
Future or past?
Anyone got a coin?
…
(Reyavie comes back dragging suitcases behind her) I'm going to end it here this week. It wouldn't make any sense if I continued to the next part right now. A bit of an evil cliff-hanger but it can't be helped. Nevertheless I would really, really, like feedback on this chapter as it was one that gave a lot of work to connect in a logical way and I would like your opinion on it. Errors and mistakes that need correction and please let me know. Random comments are welcome as well.
So REVIEW! (Rea's dad raises eyebrow as he sees suitcases) You do know that you can only take one yours don't you? (Rea looks at the three and scowls)
…
Next chapter: Easter bunnies, FBI agents and insane new old arrivals…(it is this weird)
…
See ya all when I come back
Reyavie (empties two suitcases and tries to punch everything inside the other. Rea's Dad goes away saying something about "not his part of the family"). I feel so loved. (Rea rolls eyes before continuing task)