A.N: Today, the Wrecking Ball and Crossbow subweapons, as well as the Stonewall stance, get to see some light. Those were some of my favorites from Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin. It's kinda saddening to me that there weren't similar actions that looked as cool in the other games. I felt that they could use a little more light, ya know?
Disclaimer: The elements used in this fanfiction, with the exception of my O.C, are not owned by me. They are owned-
*hordes of Zombies on Hard mode approaching*
Jonathan Morris: Showtime! *swinging a Wrecking Ball that rips through the Zombies with the greatest of ease*
DarkDiablo: *facepalm*
Jonathan Morris: Sorry about that. Anyway, standard disclaimer rules apply, save for the O.C. Enjoy your reading!
DarkDiablo: Well, at least he actually apologizes...
Final Fantasy: Aria of Ruin
Chapter Four: Faraway Days
After a brief rest at the steps up to Kilika Temple, the group began walking up the stone steps. "These stone steps have a history, you know? Yep, Lord Ohalland trained here at this peak", Wakka said. Jack Morris nodded, looking intrigued about this Lord Ohalland. But before he could ask any questions on the subject, he heard some of the Aurochs laughing an evil, but playful laugh. "A race, huh? Think you can beat me?", Tidus asked, grinning. He then stretched. "Race all you want, Tidus. We'll be over at the temple when you're done, alright?" Jack replied. Tidus nodded.
Wakka lined up with Tidus and two of the Aurochs, before looking at Yuna. "Yuna, if you would?" Wakka asked politely. She nodded before stepping up next to them. "Ready?" the summoner asked. They barely had time to nod before she started sprinting up the steps, earning a laugh from Jack. "What a way to start it, Yuna!" he yelled at her. "Hey! Hey!", was Wakka's reply as he was beginning to run up. Everyone else, save for Lulu and Kimahri, joined in on the laughter. All who were not in on the race began walking calmly up the stone steps.
The laughter lasted a second before a yell was heard. The Aurochs came racing down. "L-Look out!", one of them, Datto, shouted. Jack silently cursed the evil that just ruined the group's laughter before sprinting up the steps. "Everyone, quick! Sinspawn!", Wakka yelled as the group ran up the steps. Jack was the first to arrive at the top of the steps, and he saw what looked to be a giant ball guarded by a pair of hands holding multiple tentacles. A couple seconds later, everyone else made it to the top, to see Jack already taking on one of the tentacles with his two-handed sword. "Count us all in, Jack!", Tidus shouted to the hunter. "Gladly!", was his reply.
It was at this time that Jack finally got a chance to see what his allies used as weaponry. He had a smirk on his face looking at Wakka using his own blitzball and Lulu making use of a doll. A certainly creative duo, he thought. Kimahri made use of a spear that allowed him the ability to learn the moves of his opponents, while Yuna made use of a staff. She appeared to be preparing an interesting form of magic, though. The hunter already knew that Tidus was a swordsman, and he couldn't help but keep his smirk as the star player helped the summoner with one of the tentacle hands, while Kimahri helped the hunter with the other hand.
It was not long, thanks to Jack's skill with his weaponry, before the hand that he attacked fell in battle, fading away into streaks of light. A piercing yell was let loose, however, as Lulu was hit badly by the other tentacle hand. She was not out of the fight yet, but she was cutting it close. "I don't think so!", was Jack's cry as he stepped between her and the surviving hand.
"The shell's open now!", Wakka yelled. A quick glance at the previously-giant ball monster revealed a rather ugly looking fiend. "Showtime!", Jack yelled as he brought out a large wrecking ball and swung it wildly around him. It had a range big enough to hit both the ugly fiend and its tentacle hand from Jack's location. Thanks to the hunter's strength, he ended the life of the other tentacle hand and dealt noticeable damage to the ugly fiend before the weapon hit the ground.
The fiend was about ready to unleash a spell, though. The spell appeared to be aimed at Lulu, and would surely finish her off if someone didn't do something about it. "Do your worst!", was Jack's taunt to the creature. Everyone looked at him in a shocked manner before they understood what he was attempting to do. He stood his ground in front of Lulu and dropped into a defensive stance, holding his arms in front of him. The fiend, it seemed, was insulted by the taunt, and threw a spell of water at its target.
The hunter smirked at the sight of a water spell nearing him. Jack had an innate affinity to the element of water that lessened the damage he suffered from such attacks. To further empower his defenses, the stance he took was also a common tactic among his clan. By bracing themselves for the worst in the way that Jack did, one of his family would gain some of the durability of a stonewall. Though the spell hit dead on, because of the hunter's defenses, it did little damage, if any at all.
Everyone around him, including the fiend, was shocked to see Jack still standing, and still smirking. The hunter brought out his crossbow. If the fiend used a water spell on him, it was probably weak to a fiery attack, he guessed. It was either that or lightning. Before the Sinspawn could attack again, Jack let loose a fiery bolt on it. The bolt hit the fiend and exploded, ending its life. The only traces of its existence were the numerous streaks of light that flew from where the being was killed. "I think that look suits you better", were the hunter's last words of the fight as he put away his crossbow
"You alright?" Tidus asked Jack. The hunter nodded. "Water spells are not a big issue for me. I'm a bit resistant to them naturally", he replied. "Though I probably could have done without the crossbow...", he added, looking at the group. To the hunter's surprise, though, Wakka merely smiled. "Good job on protecting Lu", he said. "Glad to have helped", was Jack's reply, smiling as he said those words. "Let's see about getting her healed up, though, she looks badly hurt", he added. Yuna took the initiative of that moment, casting a spell that healed Lulu enough to allow her to walk with little trouble.
"Yeesh!", Tidus said. "Sorry about that! Hoped to break you in a little slower", was Wakka's reply. "Being a guardian sure is tiring", the star player replied back. "Maybe. But you're getting the hang of it, surely", Jack said. Admittedly, he too was feeling worn out after the battle. But he was no stranger to being forced to battle numerous monsters before getting a chance at rest. "He's got a point, ya? You handled yourself pretty well. You got talent. Same as him", Wakka said, gesturing politely to the hunter. Jack smiled at those words.
"So, let me guess... Sin dropped that ugly thing here?", he asked. Lulu nodded. "Sinspawn are fiends that fall from Sin and are left behind in its wake", she replied. "Sounds like leaving them alone isn't an option, then", Jack said. "There you have it. Sin'll come back for 'em if you leave 'em be, ya", was Wakka's response, a clear agreement. "Well, either way, time to get to the temple", the hunter replied. They nodded in agreement, before starting up the stairs to the temple.
"So, uh, they got fiends in Zanarkand too?", Wakka asked Tidus as the group walked up the stairs to the temple. "Just a few. Its a big deal when one shows up, though", Tidus replied. He then blinked a second. "Hey! Since when did you believe me about Zanarkand anyway?", the star player asked, confused. Jack nodded. He had a sneaky feeling that Wakka never believed Tidus about his origins. That was confirmed just a second ago. "I been thinking. Maybe people Sin gets to never die. Maybe Sin carries 'em through time. Like a thousand years through time. And then one day, they just pop back, see?", Wakka said.
Jack facepalmed at this. That theory was ridiculous. He definitely wasn't carried a thousand years into the future, that's for sure. "Doesn't make a lot of sense to me, Wakka", Jack sadly noted. He then looked at Lulu, and was surprised at that moment. Though Jack had impressed her at least three times now, especially with that save from the Sinspawn earlier, she still looked at him disapprovingly every now and then.
"Amazing, simply amazing. You make up one theory after another, refusing to face the simple truth", Lulu said to Wakka. All eyes looked to her in a shocked manner. "Sin didn't take Chappu anywhere. Sin crushed him and left him on the Djose shore! Your brother won't just pop back!" she added. "Oh, and one more thing. No matter how much you want it, no one can take Chappu's place. No one can replace Sir Jecht, for that matter. And there's no replacement for Lord Braska, either. Its pointless to think about it, and sad", the black mage finished sharply.
Jack shuddered upon hearing those words. She was definitely colder than Alucard back home. Which reminded him of the bat's wing he owed the dhampir. "And you...", Lulu said to the hunter. "I don't know where you came from, hunter, but I suggest you turn around and head back home!", she finished harshly. Lulu then continued up the steps, Kimahri joining her.
Even if Wakka was definitely wounded by what Lulu had said to the blitzer, Jack was wounded by what she had said to him even worse. Even after having saved her from certain death by that Sinspawn, she still thought it better for him to just head back home. But he knew that he couldn't. Not without destroying Sin. He also knew that even Alucard couldn't be around to save his world forever. It was true that he himself had directly aided three members of the Belmont clan in their quests to rid the world of Count Dracula. Despite this, no matter how much more powerful Alucard could become, even he would be felled eventually. "Even after all that...", Jack said silently.
It was not long before the hunter heard Wakka punch the steps in frustration. "I... I could never be what Chappu was...", Wakka began, but paused mid-sentence. He stood up straight. "... Well, stuff happens. Best not to worry", he finished. The blitzer then walked up the stairs, leaving Yuna and Tidus with the hunter. "Jack, is something wrong?", Yuna asked out of concern. "The home I belong to is out of my reach now, Yuna. The only way I can go back is with Sin's destruction. Otherwise, I'm stuck here...", Jack replied sadly. "... And if I'm stuck here, then my world is as good as gone. I'm the best line of defense against the evil that seeks to claim it" the hunter finished. This shocked Yuna heavily. While Tidus was also shocked at the exchange, he also believed that the hunter's tales were true. The three walked up the stairs in silence.
At the top of the stairs, everyone else was already waiting for the three. Wakka had his arms folded against his chest. "Something bothering you, Jack?", he asked out of concern for the hunter. Lulu rolled her eyes at this, and would have asked him to leave again if it wasn't for Yuna and Tidus flashing a look that told her to not bother with it. "Nothing. Just thinking of home", he said. "Well, we're at the temple, aren't we? The sooner we get it over with, the better", he added, looking at Lulu as he finished saying so. The group nodded, and started walking towards the temple when three men in purple outfits walked out.
"You here to pray for victory too?", Wakka asked what appeared to be the leader of the trio. "Us? Pray? Who needs to pray? The Luca Goers always win", the leader said proudly. Wakka folded his arms. "Oh yeah? Then why are you here?", he asked with annoyance. "We've been praying for some competition this year!", the leader's right-hand man answered, and his friends nodded in agreement. "So, what's your goal this time? You gonna "do your best" again?", the leader's left hand man asked. The leader snorted at this. "Ha! Its too bad your best isn't good enough. Why even bother showing up?", the leader asked.
Jack was already starting to get ticked off with how these people were acting, but Tidus had heard enough. "This time, we play to win!", he said. The leader snorted again. "Oooh. Play away! Just remember, even kids can play, boys", he replied. To everyone's relief, the three began walking away. "See you at the finals!", Wakka shouted, waving at their backs. "We'll beat them! We have to!", Tidus said after they were out of earshot. Yuna and Jack looked at the star player, shocked. "You know that team?", Yuna asked. Tidus shook his head at that. "Putting people down... they're as bad as my old man!", the star player said.
Everyone around him looked shocked at those words. "But Sir Jecht was a kind and gentle man", Yuna said sadly. "Well, not my Jecht", Tidus said, shaking his head as those words were said. He then walked away, along with Wakka, Lulu, and Kimahri, leaving Yuna and Jack at the temple doors. Jack sighed after they had walked out of earshot. "Something wrong, Jack?", Yuna asked. "Who is Jecht?", he asked. "Sir Jecht was a guardian to my father, Lord Braska. Tidus is his son, or so he claims", the summoner replied as the two began walking into the temple.
Jack was surprised at hearing those words. Did Tidus really hate his own father? It seems he and Alucard had shared one thing in common. "Curses... that's another person I know who hates his own father...", the hunter said sadly. "Another person?", Yuna asked. Jack nodded. "You remember me briefly talking about Alucard after I saved you from that bat fiend?", the hunter asked. The summoner nodded. "Well, he hates his own father too", Jack finished. "Why?", Yuna asked.
The hunter sighed at this. This was a topic he never really wanted to get into. "This is going to come to you as a shock, Yuna. But Alucard's father is the evil that my world fights against", Jack answered. Predictably, the summoner was shocked at those words. "He is?", Yuna managed. The hunter sadly nodded. "Do you believe in vampire stories, Yuna? Specifically about one named Dracula?", Jack asked. "I had heard stories of vampires, as well as that name. But I dismissed them as tales meant to scare young children", was her reply. "Well, back on my world, they're real beings. And Alucard's father is Dracula", the hunter replied. "He has waged a war with humans for almost six hundred years now", he added.
Yuna could tell by the look of Jack's eyes that this was not a topic he really enjoyed discussing. Still, she had a pressing question on her mind. "Why would Dracula do this?", the summoner asked the hunter. "From what Alucard told me, Dracula's wife was executed by humans on the accusation of practicing witch-craft", Jack answered. "In reality, though, all she was doing was concocting medicines for those who were ill", he added. "But that's all I know on the matter. I'd have to ask Alucard further. We never talked much about anything, let alone his father. I can't blame him for that", Jack finished.
"Is Alucard the only living friend you know back on your world?", Yuna asked. "The closest to a friend that I have, yes. And even then, he can't live among humans. He values the wishes of his mother above all else. After he does what he can to prevent evil's reign over humanity, he goes into what would otherwise be his eternal sleep", the hunter replied sadly. This shocked the summoner. His only friends must have been his family, and whoever else happened to be in the area, she assumed. But if they're dead... then what are the odds that his friends survived?
Unbeknownst to the two, Lulu was able to hear what they were talking about. She was going to ask Jack to leave now, but when she noticed their sorrowful looks, she realized she was being too cold to him. "So, hunter... is it true? That your world suffers from a war with this 'Dracula'?", the black mage asked, surprising the pair. "Would you honestly believe me if I said yes?", was Jack's response. "Its not my place to not believe in what you say. I just don't know whether I should or not", Lulu replied. Jack merely shrugged at this, but he understood.
"I don't know if you speak the truth or not, but I want to apologize for my coldness towards you.", she continued. "You had your reasons, Lulu. I see no reason in holding it against you", the hunter responded. "And I am glad that you don't. So, as a mage to a warrior, could we put aside our differences and try to be more civil?", the black mage replied. "I've been trying", was the hunter's answer.
That prompted a smile, even if sad, from Lulu. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what exactly is within these temples that helps your people to defeat Sin?", Jack asked. "Within each of Yevon's temples, there is a room called the Chamber of the Fayth. During times like this, if a summoner prays with all their heart in that room for a way to defeat Sin, they are gifted with what we call Aeons", was Lulu's answer. "Aeons, huh? Sounds like something I'd sure like to see at work", was the hunter's reply, cracking a smile as he said those words. "Well, give Yuna a minute or two and you would have already", the black mage responded.
'Whoops?', the hunter thought as he looked at Yuna. So that was what the summoner was doing while they fought that Sinspawn. But Lulu was hurt badly. Had the hunter not willingly put himself in the way of that spell for her sake, even an Aeon would have been hard-pressed to prevent the Sinspawn from killing the black mage. He made a mental note to give Yuna a chance to finish her preparations for such a form of magic if no one was in immediate danger of dying.