Chapter XXVI
It's Never My Luck
(Paine)
I awoke with a start, the haunting dreams that had become my norm disappearing, when I felt a familiar presence enter my mind. I recognized it immediately as Tobias.
"You have two hours. Better get ready. Meet us in the dome."
I sighed as I fell back against my pillows and rubbed my aching temples, quickly sending a response back to him. The dreams had never ceased their assault on my weary mind. Every night it was always the same one and every night I hardly got any rest. After the fourth night the dreams began to lessen but not by much. I knew that I would never find a reprieve. I would continue to be haunted like this for the rest of my life.
I needed no further prompting to get up. I slowly rose and stretched my tired, aching muscles before showering. Needless to say, I took my time. I was, after all, Kaiser's second as well as his intended and needed to look my best. Anything less would make him suspicious and none of us wanted that. After dressing in a fresh uniform I left my room for the last time and walked down the hall towards Kaiser's room, my footsteps even and precise. I wasn't in any kind of rush what-so-ever. As far as I knew Landon's plan might not work and I might not make it out alive. I balled both my hands into tight fists, obliterating that thought from my mind. I had to continuously remind myself to at least attempt at thinking positive. It was difficult, but I was slowly getting used to it.
I stopped in front of Kaiser's door and stared at the aged wood before sharply knocking to announce my presence. His smooth voice bade me enter. I patiently waited in his living room while he finished freshening up and admired the simple décor of his quarters. He was a fond collector of weapons that had been used during the Machina War but how he acquired them I hadn't the slightest idea. He would have loved Vegnagun, I thought with a shudder. A few of the weapons were still stained with blood, which was extremely unsettling to look at.
Kaiser emerged from his bathroom a moment later wearing his normal uniform. I was surprised because I was expecting him to be wearing something much more extravagant. "I assume everything has been prepared accordingly?" He inquired as he walked towards me.
I nodded. "Yes, everything is ready. Landon and Tobias will meet us in the dome."
"Perfect," Kaiser replied, a large smile curling the corners of his lips up. He strode into his kitchen. "Would you like something to eat?" He asked, looking over his shoulder at me.
I shook my head. "Thank you, Kaiser, but no." With the way that my stomach was churning I was quite sure that I wouldn't be able to keep anything down for at least the next few days, give or take. I had never been so nervous and anxious in my entire life, excluding all the times that I had been with Baralai.
"Suit yourself," he replied as he pulled an orange out of the fridge.
He quickly consumed the fruit then we left. As we walked through the halls I immediately noticed that other members had begun to follow us. I turned my head towards the man that was unknowingly marked for death beside me and he sent me a pointed stare, amusement flashing in his yellow eyes. He rested his hand on the base of my back and swiftly pulled me toward him to plant a quick, lingering kiss on my lips. He was proud of the fact that he had an entourage. He had actually been counting on it, hence the reason why we were walking. He wanted people to follow him.
By the time we left the hideout almost every single member was following closely behind Kaiser and myself. Not one of them spoke; even their breathing was silent, as we made our way across the treacherous terrain of Zanarkand. An hour later, we arrived at the dome to find Landon and Tobias waiting patiently outside for us. I had already told them about the large group following us so they feigned surprise as we approached. They bowed respectfully to Kaiser and fell in step behind us, following us inside the immense dome.
Kaiser walked to the center of the dilapidated structure, the place that Yuna told me she had seen the image of a young Maester Seymour during her pilgrimage. Landon, Tobias and I stood behind him as he watched everyone file into the dome and assemble themselves in front of him.
"Alright, Paine, one last time," Landon projected.
I took a deep breath and went through every step of our plan slowly and meticulously. After Kaiser concluded his speech and everyone left I was to give him a little speech of my own and try to antagonize him into an altercation. Once his attention was solely on me Landon and Tobias would move in and transfer their power to me. Then, game over for Kaiser.
I could feel relief wash through Landon's mind as I recited word for word the speech that I was going to give Kaiser. It wasn't anything long or flashy, definitely not as long as his. It was just something that I wanted him to hear before he breathed his last. I felt both Tobias and Landon send calming emotions through our link. I must have been getting a little too carried away so I caught myself before anyone else could notice and sent a thank you to the men standing behind me.
I finally noticed that Kaiser had begun speaking but I didn't care to hear what he was saying so I tuned him out. With every passing second I became more and more anxious. I wanted to get this over with. I had been waiting nine years for this exact moment and having to wait just this much longer was agonizing. I almost felt like screaming for him to hurry it up.
"Paine, calm down. He's almost at the end of his speech. Patience." Tobias' mind-voice was soothing and helped much more than any calming thoughts could.
I closed my eyes and thought of Baralai. I tried not to think of what he looked like before he died but instead pictured his smile. My eyes burned as my memory of him was flawless and untainted. I apologized to him for the thousandth time since he had passed and felt my eyes burn with unshed tears. I felt Landon and Tobias' presence in the furthest corner of my mind, following my thoughts, but this was one of the many times that I didn't mind the invasion.
Landon slowly slid his foot forward and nudged my heel, jarring me back to attention. Kaiser had concluded his speech and everyone was slowly making their way out of the dome either by teleporting or walking. The muscles in my arms and shoulders tensed, the moment I had been waiting for was finally at hand. Once the dome was empty besides the four of us Kaiser turned around to face me.
"That was absolutely marvelous," he said, his eyes reflecting the pride he felt. "I never would have been able to do it without you, Paine. You made all this possible." I sensed adoration flood his mind.
I smiled and nodded. "Yes, I did. It was rather clever of me, I agree. I didn't know you were such a fool." I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my throat.
Shock and confusion flashed across Kaiser's face before he composed himself. "Excuse me?" He asked, like I had been speaking a foreign language.
"I didn't stutter. You really are much too gullible," I sneered, my eyes flashing dangerously. "This was all a ruse to catch you unprepared and off guard. It worked splendidly." I paused and fought to hold back my smile at the expression that briefly crossed his face: fear. "Ever since my parents were taken away I've been biding my time, waiting for the right moment to take you down. The last straw was Baralai. I was so furious that I could have killed you on the spot after you forced me to end his life. This is so much better though. The gratification that I feel over deceiving you... It's even better than I could have imagined."
All while I was speaking I could see and feel the anger building inside of him. I knew I had hit a nerve with that last bit and the smirk I let crawl across my face pushed him over the edge. "Why you!" He growled. He lunged forward and wrapped his hand around my neck, hoisting me off the ground. "How dare you, you bitch! I was prepared to give you everything you ever wanted! How dare you!" His eyes flashed dangerously as his grip tightened around my neck.
Even though my air supply was being severely cut off I still managed to push out a strangled chuckle. "Now!" I smiled even wider as I felt Landon and Tobias place their hands on my back. "Did you really think that you had gotten control over me? Were you really so arrogant to think that you had tamed me?" I questioned, keeping a hold of his attention so he wouldn't notice Landon and Tobias' proximity.
I gasped when I felt that familiar surge of power as Landon and Tobias poured their energy into me. It was just as before, only this time it was increased tenfold. I continued to laugh like I was insane, which only succeeded in infuriating him more. "I open my heart to you and this is how I'm treated? I should kill you right here. I should make you suffer!" He whispered harshly, venom dripping from his voice.
"If you're going to kill someone, kill them. Don't stand there talking about it." I could feel my voice reverberating with the raw power now coursing through me. "Go to hell." I felt Landon and Tobias, extremely weakened, use the last of their strength to teleport as far away as they could. My smile grew wider. It was finally time.
It wasn't as hard to expel my element as I thought. It was as simple as finding which button to press and once it began there was no stopping it. I felt my body start to get immensely hot, like I was standing in the middle of a furnace. I could barely see because of the bright orange glow engulfing me and the ringing in my ears was deafening. Kaiser's screams as his hands melded to my neck were easily heard though and I reveled in the sound. Revenge really was sweet.
My body continued to get hotter and hotter until my skin was like molten metal. A strange bout of euphoria passed over me then and I lifted my eyes to the sky, feeling oddly at peace with myself for the first time in a while. I love you, Baralai. I flung my hands in the direction of Kaiser's face and started laughing when I heard his screams turn into blood-curdling shrieks. Then I exploded and I knew no more.
(Baralai)
My breath caught in my throat as the Celsius flew over the snow covered peaks of Mt. Gagazet. Almost there... I limped my way closer to the window to get a better view, my breath hissing through my teeth the entire way. The whole left side of my body was sore and every move I made felt like the stab wound was tearing open, which it more than likely was. The stitch job the nurse had done was quick and she even told me that it might come apart.
"How much longer?" I anxiously questioned, my stomach doing flip flops.
Buddy turned to look at me with a smile on his face. "About ten more minutes."
Brother mumbled something unintelligible from his captain's chair that I couldn't make out, but I didn't give a Coeurl's behind what he had said. I saw Buddy shoot him a disapproving look and harshly whisper something in Al Bhed.
Now this I heard. "Pa nacbaldvim!" Buddy looked back at me and started to apologize but I dismissed it with a wave of my hand. I was concerned with much bigger things than Brother's childishness.
I sighed and briefly glanced at the back of Brother's blonde mohawked head. If the situation were reversed and he were in my place with Yuna's life hanging in the balance he would be singing a different tune. The image of Paine's burned and battered body flashed through my mind again, making me wince. I was hoping to get to her before whatever happened to her came to pass.
A tentative hand on my shoulder made me jump. I turned around and met Yuna's bi-colored gaze. "How are you holding up?" She asked, meaning my stab wound.
I gingerly touched the thick gauze bandage that was covering the stitches. "Still sore. It feels like the stitches might rip every time I move." Yuna nodded, her eyes clouded over in thought. I knew what she was thinking about. "You're just as worried about her as I am." I didn't phrase my statement as a question; I knew it was fact.
"I don't love her the way you do, but I love her like a sister and will be just as devastated if something happens to her." The High Summoner's voice was strained. I had told her about the visions I experienced while I was asleep and I could tell that it had bothered her a great deal.
I nodded and took a deep breath to calm my racing heart. "Let's just hope we get there in time." I saw her nod out of the corner of my eye. Neither of us said another word as we came into view of the ruined city.
"Scanning for life forms," Buddy announced, typing furiously on his console. He was silent for a few moments. "I'm picking up multiple readings six miles to the northwest and...four inside the dome." He looked back at us with a confused look on his face.
But I knew. Oh, I knew. That's where she was. My breath caught in my throat as a feeling of foreboding came over me. "She's at the dome, I know it!" I exclaimed, running over to stand next to Buddy's chair. I gripped my side as a sharp pain ricocheted around my abdomen. "We have to get over there now!"
As Brother rocketed the Celsius to the ancient dome I was surprised that he had listened to me without grumbling or complaining, which I was thankful for. Paine...I'm on my way. My heart was beating frantically in my chest as the dome came into view. Just as I thought I had made it in time to save her, an enormous fireball engulfed the dome, the explosion rocking the airship like a boat in the middle of a hurricane. I shielded my eyes from the blinding light then lost my footing and fell backwards, letting out a strangled cry as the impact jarred my side. After the light died I removed my hands from my face and stared at the horizon in disbelief.
"Oh, no..."
(Paine)
I gasped as air filled my lungs, bringing me out of unconsciousness. Immediately, I began to laugh. I can't believe it. It worked! It really worked! My laughter quickly turned into a coughing fit that racked my entire body, causing searing pain to sizzle through each and every one of my nerves. My breath hissed through my teeth as I tried desperately not to scream. I hesitantly lifted my head to assess the damage I had been dealt and felt bile rise up my throat when I saw the state that I was in.
Several burns and small gashes covered my body that were oozing blood, but the worst were my hands. The skin that was still semi-attached was as white as snow, the soft tissue and muscle underneath an angry pink. On top of it all, I could barely feel them. I was guessing I had fried all the nerve endings off. I quickly twitched the index finger on my left hand and, feeling nothing, clenched both hands into fists. Now that wasn't such a good idea. I bit back another scream and tears clouded my vision.
I clenched my teeth and racked my brain for something to preoccupy myself and keep my mind off the pain. I cleared my mind as best as I could then reached my thoughts out as far as I could in every direction to look for Landon and Tobias. I sighed in relief when I found them. They were unconscious but they were alive. I tried rousing them to let them know that I had survived but they were totally out. I took a deep breath to calm myself. All I had to do was wait until they woke up to expect a rescue. No problem.
The roar of some very familiar engines made me snap to attention. For a second, I thought I was imagining it, but when the Celsius appeared in front of me I burst into tears. I had no idea how they found me, but I was overjoyed all the same. I tried rolling over so I could get on my feet but my body didn't want to cooperate. I started coughing again so I just stayed on my back and prayed that they would find me. Moments later, I heard numerous voices calling my name. I looked up and saw my whole group of friends running frantically across the burning landscape looking for me.
With a sudden rush of adrenaline I rolled onto my left side and took a deep breath. They would never find me at this rate. If I didn't try to tell them where I was they'd never find me. "YUNA!" I screamed my best friend's name at the top of my lungs, hoping she would hear me.
I almost started crying again when the brunette turned her head in my direction. I feebly waved my right arm before my strength gave out and I collapsed on my back again. When I heard their shouts as they ran towards me I started trembling, overcome by my happiness. I wouldn't have to wait out here for who knows how long for Landon and Tobias to wake up and come find me. Being found by my best friends had been the last thing I was expecting, but welcome all the same.
Their voices turned hysterical when they reached me and saw the state I was in. Without wanting to I burst into tears yet again – I had never cried so much in my life – as Yuna and Rikku jumped on top of me. It hurt like hell and made me want to scream but I didn't care. Then all at once both of them started babbling incoherently, which used to irritate me like no other but I didn't care about that either. I was just so happy to be alive that I made myself put up with their odd mannerisms for the time being. I tried hugging them back but it hurt my hands too much so I just laid there as they slobbered on me. I had never been so happy in my life.
Before I was ready to let go of them they moved away and, when Rikku's blonde head left my field of vision, Baralai was standing over me. My heart stopped dead in my chest when my brain registered that he was really here. I couldn't even begin to describe the kinds of emotions that were running rampant through me at that moment. It was like receiving a drink of cold water after being deprived of it for days, like being lost in a dense jungle and finally being found.
"Baralai…" I gasped, the air escaping from my lungs in one big rush of air.
No, it can't be. I killed him. I watched him die. How can he be alive? This has got to be some kind of sick joke! The logical side of my brain had long stopped working and the only rational explanation that it could come up with was that I was having a hallucination. I had to be hallucinating. My eyes widened as Baralai came closer and kneeled next to me, putting his face right in front of mine. When he placed his hand on the side of my face I closed my eyes and hoped that this grand hallucination would never stop. If I could just live in this moment for the rest of my life I would never want for anything again.
"Paine, I'm really here," he whispered like he could read my thoughts.
My tired, exhausted eyes met his gorgeous brown ones and I gasped. He was really alive and he was here. I swallowed the lump in my throat as more tears threatened to spill from my eyes. My hands twitched as I longed to touch him. I knew that it would cause me immense pain and I probably wouldn't be able to feel much of him but I didn't care. I just needed to know that he was real.
I cautiously lifted my hands to his face and braced myself for the stinging ache when the mangled pads of my fingers touched his cheeks. His eyes never left mine as I winced and cringed as my badly burned hands tried to feel his soft skin, but instead it felt like I was dragging my fingertips across sandpaper. "How did you survive?" I rasped, my tears blurring my vision.
Baralai's eyes sparkled as he caressed my cheek with his thumb. "Well I guess you aren't a very good assassin," he replied with the smile that I had been deprived of for much too long.
Without another second to spare I flung my arms around his neck and crushed myself to him, ignoring the pain it caused me, and inhaled the scent of his cologne. He gently wrapped one arm around my shoulders then hooked his other arm underneath my knees. I heard him call to Gippal to help him to his feet but I barely heard their exchange beyond that. I was much more concerned with the man that was holding me.
Once he was standing he placed his face on the top of my head and kissed my hair, mashing his lips into my scalp. I felt warm droplets fall onto my head and I realized that he was crying as well. Like a damn had burst, tears cascaded down my face just because I was so happy. If I could have been granted one wish at that exact moment I would have wished to stay like that with him for the rest of my life. Nothing in all of Spira could have made me happier.
But, of course, things never happen the way I want them to.
I jumped out of my skin and Baralai's arms when I sensed over thirty people teleport into the dome. My heart was in my throat as I yelled for everyone to get behind me. It hurt a great deal to be standing but I had to protect my friends at any cost. As far as I knew, they were here to kill me for destroying Kaiser. I had no idea why I was trying to defend everyone. I was about as useful as a box of rocks but I knew that I wouldn't go down without a fight. I would go down swinging my useless lumps of skin and bone if I had to. My jaw dropped when Landon, Tobias and Gwen emerged from the cluster of people standing before us. I was shell shocked to see the two men that had helped save my life awake. They looked extremely tired but no worse for the wear. They smiled wearily and walked towards me.
"You've done it!" Landon exclaimed, giving me a gentle one armed squeeze. "Kaiser and his followers are no more. We are all that's left," he said, indicating everyone standing behind him.
I frowned and looked over his shoulder, perplexed. Originally there were well over a hundred members and a cluster of only thirty-six stood before me. "You killed the ones loyal to Kaiser," I stated, not surprised in the least.
Landon nodded gravely. "We had no other choice. They would have revolted and risen against us. We – "
Landon was cut short as Gwen ran up and shoved herself in between them. "Landon, you're forgetting something," she said, eying him seriously. "We came here to give Paine her present." She looked over at me and when her eyes met mine I knew that she wasn't the same cold blooded person she had been a few short weeks ago. Something had happened to her and I was glad that she hadn't been killed along with everyone else.
"Ah, yes," Landon replied, smiling. He turned his head and faced the group standing patiently. "All fire elements please come forward."
Seven people, four men and three women, detached themselves from the group and surrounded me, packing themselves around me in a small circle. Baralai stepped forward and tried to keep them away from me, scared that they were going to hurt me, but I reassured him and told him to wait.
"Since you've been burned so badly this is the least we can do," Tobias said as he joined the group. I began to protest as he made a spot for himself in the circle, but he quickly silenced me. "I may have helped keep you alive but you have just saved all of our lives from an eternity of imprisonment. I will contribute as much as I can, but I promise I won't exhaust myself."
He waited for my response and when I nodded my head stiffly I felt all eight members place their hands on me. I winced and bit back hisses as their hands aggravated the various wounds all over my body, but I endured it. I was a little confused about what they were trying to do but kept silent. I waited in agonizing silence for a few seconds before an odd warmth began to spread through my body. I jumped in fright and tried to move away but everyone's hands kept me in place. As the warmth traveled through me, the areas it touched grew almost unbearably hot then instantly cooled down, like someone had put a piece of ice on my skin. My eyes widened in awe as I watched all my burns and gashes close up and heal over right before my eyes. My hands, the worst of my injuries, took the longest to heal but once they were finished it looked like they had never been burned in the first place. I stared down at my hands in shock. No scars were visible; no sign at all of what they had looked like mere moments ago. I looked up at Tobias with my mouth hanging open and found him smiling at me.
"No need to thank us," he said, backing up a few paces. "This is our way of repaying you for helping us so much."
"What are all of you going to do now?" I asked, still a little dazed by what had happened. A small smile stretched across my face as Baralai came to stand behind me, wrapping a protective arm around my waist.
Landon shrugged. "We're not sure. A few of us want to integrate ourselves into civilization but the rest have a lot of deciding to do. We want to make our decision together."
I smiled and touched their minds. "I'll really miss you guys. Don't be strangers."
"We will visit you every chance we get," Tobias projected.
"Take care of yourself, Paine," Landon projected, smiling.
I nodded and watched as they teleported away one by one. Once all of them were gone I stood there at a loss for what to do next. I still couldn't believe that it was really over. Kaiser was finally dead and I was free. Baralai gently turned me around and pulled me close to him. He rose his hands to my face and cradled it in between his hands, his breathtakingly beautiful eyes never leaving mine.
"I thought I lost you," I whispered, my voice cracking. I gently grazed his cheek with my fingertips, relishing how soft his skin was. This experience with my newly healed hands was much better. I sent another quick thank you to the men that had helped free me. I would never be able to repay them for what they had done and I was sure they knew it.
"When I saw that explosion I thought I had lost you. Don't ever scare me like that again," he replied, fisting his hands in the fabric wrapped around my hips.
I smiled at his meager attempt to reprimand me. "Don't worry. I won't be able to." I lifted my hand off his face and valiantly tried to call my fire forth but only a few plumes of flame erupted from my fingertips before they died. "That's what the explosion was. It came from me." Even now I could feel what was left of my power get weaker and weaker with each passing second.
Baralai smiled then, reassured by the answer that I had given him. He held my gaze as he hooked an index finger under my chin and pulled me forward, placing his lips on mine gingerly. My breath hitched in my throat at the pure ecstasy I felt engulf me. Kissing him was a million times better than kissing Kaiser. Now there was nothing holding me back and nothing stopping me from being with him, from showing my love for him. I kissed him back like it was going out of style, pouring my whole heart into it. I felt him smile and grip my hips roughly, pulling me closer to him. I captured his top lip and gently sucked it into my mouth, earning a pleased exhalation from him.
I groaned in displeasure when Baralai reluctantly broke off our kiss. He looked at me with lust filled eyes and I didn't have to be a mind reader to know how far south his thoughts were going and what he wanted to do once we were alone.
"I think it's time we got out of here, don't you?" He asked, his voice husky.
I nodded and motioned to our friends, who were waiting patiently for us to finish our reunion, then began the trek back to the Celsius. Baralai laced his fingers with mine and squeezed my hand tightly. The prospect of never leaving his side for anything ever again was enough to make me tremble with mirth. No one, not even those loony priests, would be able to take me away from him.
A sudden curious thought broke me away from my happy wonderings. "Permission to read your thoughts?" I asked honestly.
"I would never deny you," he said, rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb.
I smiled and touched his mind, quickly sifting through his thoughts for the exact ones I was looking for. All the questions I wanted answered I found the answers to in his mind. How he had survived, how he had found me, it was all there. I sighed in relief as I backed out of his mind.
"Find what you were looking for?" He inquired.
I nodded. "Yes, thank you."
As soon as we reached the Celsius I went straight to the bathroom, wanting to clean myself up before I reunited with Buddy, Brother and Shinra. I knew the little boy was probably the most worried out of all of them and I didn't want to look like I had just stepped out of a furnace. I especially didn't want him finding out how close I had been to death and what I had looked like before I had been healed.
I was almost reluctant to look in the mirror. I felt horrible and probably looked even worse. I was right. My face was covered in dirt and tear stains and my eyes... I froze as I leaned forward to get a better look at them. I swore that I was really hallucinating this time but the longer I looked the more I realized what I was seeing was real. In the bottom of my left eye at the very edge of the iris there was a small circle that was no longer red. I looked closer and my knees almost gave out when it dawned on me. My eyes were turning ice blue again. My original eye color was coming back.
I smiled at this. Maybe Aria isn't dead after all...
The End
Author's Final Note:
Well here it is. Well Enough Alone has finally come to an end. Sad, I know, but the past two years I spent writing this story has been two of the best of my life. I couldn't have asked for anything more. I am honored to have such awesome reviewers and I am now going to give a few of them their proper respects.
TurboTwistedFire
How can I find the right words to tell you how grateful I am? This story would have never turned out so great if you wouldn't have taken the time to give me a swift kick in the arse early in the story. All of your thoughtful comments and encouragment helped me more than you even know. Thank you so much for sticking by me and putting up with my randomness!
KathleenDee
You've been with me since pretty much the very beginning and I am so honored to have you as a supporter of my story! Thank you so much!
aerisbolt
You joined my faithful review crew halfway into the story, I think, but better late then never I say! Your thoughtful, heartfelt comments are very flattering and I am very happy you've enjoyed my story! I can't thank you enough!
Yuna of Besaid
Your reviews never fail to make me smile! Your such a happy, enthusiastic person that it's infectious! Thank you so much for your support!
WhispersoftheWhiteWolf
Your constant support of this story has been one of the reasons why it's so successful. Your kind words have been an inspiration to me and I thank you so so much for your faithful reviews!
For those of you that I didn't name please know that each and every review I recieved was very much appreciated. This story would have been nothing without you faithful reviewers! And so ends Well Enough Alone!
See you on the flip side!
DragonGirl323
