The thief and his princess
Summary:
When Zidane, the youngest thief in the infamous Tantalus group, meets the mysterious Dagger on the Alexandrian streets, he thinks of her as nothing but one of his many flirts. But with time, he will realize that the girl does not only hold the power to bind his heart forever, but that she is an unwilling part of a conspiracy that can easily destroy the world. - A FFIX AU Fan Fic
Chapter eighteen ~ Ancient Aroma
The Blue Narciss had been sailing for four days already and finally, the Forgotten Continent was coming to sight – and with its discovery also arose a problem.
"Can you see a shore?" Blank asked Zidane with squished eyes while he used his hand to guard himself of hindering sunrays.
The boy shook his head. "Nope, not as far as I can see."
For a few moments, the two stared at the eastern side of the continent. It almost resembled one big castle, for the mountains on said side were high and firm like walls. No matter how hard they looked, it would be impossible to land there.
With a sigh, Blank lowered his hand. "Well, then there's no other choice but to sail all around to find one."
Zidane grimaced. "How long will that take?"
"Seven days, maybe eight? If the weather stays nice, that is."
The blonde let out a sigh, then he put up a cheerful smile. "I'll go tell the others. Keep navigating as good as usual."
"No need to tell me that," Blank grumbled with feigned annoyance before he slightly altered the course to not crash with the continent.
Meanwhile, Zidane walked around the ship, searching for his friends. The first ones he found were Amarant and Freya, who were sitting side by side in silence. It didn't surprise Zidane to see Amarant with a grumpy expression, but Freya seemed oddly displeased as well.
"What's with the gloomy faces?" Zidane asked jolly, but he made a surprised jump back when he met Freya's shivering eyes.
"I'm... seasick," the Dragon Hunter pressed out with a pained expression.
"Really? You sure managed to hide it up until now," Zidane commented surprised as he pat his friend on the shoulder.
Freya distorted her face to an expression of annoyed embarrassment. "It doesn't look good for someone like me to be seasick, my dear."
Zidane laughed and pat her once more. "Well, I've got bad news for you; we just caught a glimpse of the edge of the Forgotten Continent, but there's no shore."
"No shore?" Amarant echoed with a frown, to which Zidane nodded.
"Yeah. Blank will navigate us along the edges, but it'll take at least seven days, maybe even longer."
"And then, we still have to be lucky enough to find a shore," Amarant added with his typical negativity.
Freya shivered.
"Seven more days," she mumbled to herself. "I hate the sea."
Zidane shot his friend a sympathetic smile. "Just thought I'd let you know. Have you seen Dag' anywhere?"
Instead of answering, the redhead pointed with his hand to the far back of the ship, and after sending them another happy smile, Zidane quickly ran off.
Soon, he saw Dagger's figure standing with her back to him. She was looking over the sea, her hand playing with a strand of her hair.
"Yo, Dag'!"
The princess twitched startled before she turned her head with a surprised expression. Her lips formed a smile upon seeing him.
"Ah, Zidane. What is it?"
"I just talked to Blank. There's no shore in sight, so we have to sail around the continent to search for one," Zidane explained as he walked up to her. With a small jump, he pushed himself on the railing, his tail dangling outside of the ship.
Dagger slanted her head and put a finger on her cheek. "That's odd. I'm sure uncle said that there should be a shore awaiting us if we took the right course."
"Don't let Blank hear that," Zidane grinned and Dagger quickly shook her head.
"No, it's not like that! I don't think Blank miscalculated. It's just... odd," she said once more when she suddenly heard a laugh inside her soul.
Her eyes turned cloudy and she focused on the cores of the Eidolons inside of her.
'… Leviathan?' She asked after inspecting the voice.
'What is it, mortal?' The serpent answered, still a chuckle in his voice like a carefree waterfall.
'Why were you laughing just now?'
Another laugh, this time like the clashing of waves against rock during a heavy storm.
'I'm the king of the sea, summoner,' he hinted, obviously finding amusement in talking in riddles.
Leviathan waited a while, watching Dagger's confused train of thoughts. Then, with a sigh, he explained, 'I've been on this side for thousands of years. Don't you think I'd know every single shore on this small planet?'
Dagger's face lit up, earning her a questioning look from Zidane.
"Dag'?" The thief asked, but the girl was already sinking back.
'Why didn't you say so sooner? Please, tell me where the nearest shore of the Forgotten Continent is!'
Oddly, Leviathan laughed once more.
'That's the thing, mortal. There is no shore on the Forgotten Continent.'
Confused, the summoner blinked a few times repeatedly. Then, she furrowed her brows.
'What? Are you sure?'
'Of course I am!' Leviathan's voice shook her soul. 'Who do you think I am, summoner? There has never been a shore on the Forgotten Continent. There never was, there isn't, and there will never be one.'
'But why didn't you say so sooner?' Dagger asked with a hint of disappointment. 'All the trouble my uncle, Blank and the entire crew went through.'
'It is not my duty to reveal every part of my wisdom to you out of my own accord,' the serpent replied condescendingly.
'Leviathan.' Ramuh joined their conversation with a stern voice.
'What should we do now?' Dagger thought helplessly, already dreading the thought of opening these news to the others. They would surely question why she hadn't said so sooner, and the mere thought made Dagger's stomach tingle.
While she faintly heard Ramuh lecturing a not-so-impressed Leviathan, the summoner tried to come up with a conclusion.
Suddenly, clarity hit her.
The voices inside of her turned silent immediately, but before she talked to them, she had to see Blank first.
The princess turned on her heels and ran towards the front of the ship with swift feet.
"Oi, Dag'!" Zidane called after her surprised before he jumped off to follow her.
"Blank," Dagger panted heavily as soon as she reached the redhead.
"Change the course so we can get closest to Ipsen's Castle."
"Huh?" Blank made surprised with a frown.
"The Forgotten Continent doesn't have a shore," Dagger said after she swallowed to bury her worry.
"But I know how to get us there regardless."
Blank kept staring at the princess. His gaze was judging and doubtful, and Dagger felt nervousness in her stomach.
At least I hope I can get us there, she thought, trying to hide her doubt.
After a scratch of his head, the redhead shrugged. "If you say so, princess. But if you're wrong, this ship might be done for with the wrong timing," he added a warning to which Dagger nodded.
"We don't have the time to sail back, let alone the means to get to the Forgotten Continent by air," Dagger explained.
"Alright. I'll recalculate some stuff, but judging from the map, we should get there by tonight," Blank presented after a second of thought.
"Thank you, Blank!" The princess bowed her head thankfully and Blank grinned, waving her thankfulness away with his hand.
Dagger turned away from the redhead, her eyes meeting a curious Zidane.
"What'cha up to?"
"I..." Dagger started indecisively. She wrung her hands, unsure whether she should present her plan already.
If I'm wrong...
"I-I'll show you tonight," she said with a forced smile. "It's a surprise!" And with that, she darted off to her cabin, readying herself for a talk with her Eidolons.
"D-dagger!" Zidane called after her, hanging his head down as the summoner ran out of sight.
"This girl is getting me..." He mumbled disappointed.
Blank laughed darkly.
"Trouble with your sweetheart, loverboy?" He teased and Zidane nudged him.
"You're just envious you don't have anybody," Zidane stuck his tongue out.
"Is that so? And who are you to know about my love life?" Blank replied lofty.
Zidane blinked. "Are you saying you have a girl?"
Blank's condescending expression turned soft and Zidane widened his eyes in surprise.
"Really? Wow, buddy, why didn't you tell me sooner? Who's she? Where's she from?"
"Er, well..." Blank suddenly stuttered.
"Come on, we're best buds," Zidane demanded with a grin.
"She's from... Alexandria," Blank finally mumbled and Zidane understood immediately.
"So that's why you didn't want to leave," he pitifully patted the redhead's back.
"Yeah." Blank stared off into the distance.
"I actually planned on returning to Alexandria after helping Tantalus escape to Lindblum," he revealed.
"You planned on leaving Tantalus!?" Zidane gasped surprised, to which Blank cocked an eyebrow at him.
"Are you one to talk, boy?" He asked, causing Zidane to set up a wide grin.
"Hey, I'm the youngest one; I'm bound to act up and do stupid stuff. But you?"
A chuckle escaped Blank's lips before his eyes turned serious again.
"Don't think it was an easy decision for me to make. But Eiko is just..." The navigator swallowed. "I'm worried about her safety. Especially with all that stuff happening in Alexandria right now."
"Eiko, huh?" Zidane echoed as he tilted his head. "Must be an awesome girl, if you consider leaving Tantalus."
A smile spread on Blank's face, though it seemed somewhat worried. "Yeah, she sure is. But oh well," he sighed and scratched his head.
"I still owned Cid a favor, so when he came up to me and asked me to navigate this ship, I couldn't say no. Otherwise, I'd already be in Alexandria."
"Does Baku know?" Zidane asked and Blank shrugged.
"I'm pretty sure he guesses it. But I haven't told him about it."
Silence arose between the two. Finally, Zidane hit his friend on the shoulder.
"Ow! What was that for?" Blank barked.
"I'm rooting for you, Blank," Zidane explained with a grin as he turned away.
"I'll sleep a bit before we arrive. Make sure to call Dag' on time so she can do whatever she plans."
Silently, Blank rubbed his shoulder.
"Still no reason to punch me like that, little punk," he muttered.
Dagger faced the cliffs of the Forgotten Continent. It hadn't been too long since Blank had stopped the ship as close as he dared to the rough mountains, and by now, the entire crew as well as her friends had lined up behind the summoner, waiting for her promised surprise.
The princess gulped.
I can only cross my fingers now, she wavered in her thoughts.
'Leviathan!' Her horn called out and the serpent moved inside of her.
'Yes?'
'P-please raise the sea level to help us enter the Forgotten Continent.'
There was silence. Dagger could almost feel the oceanic eyes looking down to her; there was something expecting about the quiet Leviathan answered her wish with.
'You're a summoner,' Ramuh quietly spoke. 'If you truly need our help, there's no need for such soft -'
'Silence, Ramuh!' Leviathan ordered, but Dagger had already understood.
It stroke her as odd to follow Ramuh's advice, but facing her situation as well as her duty as a summoner, Dagger saw no other choice.
She took a deep breath and once more raised her mental voice to Leviathan – this time, however, with a different approach.
'I command you to come forth and raise the sea level until me and my friends have set foot to the Forgotten Continent!'
Inside of her, she could feel how Leviathan was pleased, and then, the Sea King burst out of her soul. Through her horn, she could feel how the streams of energy left her and manifested themselves in the air surrounding them.
A bright light appeared and once Dagger could see again, she was met by the enormous figure of Leviathan, whose body was partly in the water.
"Whoah, it's huge!" Zidane called out surprised and Freya nodded with astonishment in her eyes.
"I might be wrong, but could it be he's bigger than the last time we saw him?"
Dagger blinked a few times, remembering her first encounter with the Lord of All Waters, and truthfully, comparing him to his former appearance, he seemed a lot bigger now.
Maybe it's because he's in his element – literally, the summoner mused before she concentrated on the task at hand.
'Raise the water!' She commanded once more and the Eidolon nodded. The serpent opened his jaws and Dagger already stiffened up, expecting a cry similar to the one in Iifa.
But instead, a soft melody sounded from Leviathan. It was similar to the sound of ocean waves on a quiet night, almost like a berceuse, though a lot more natural and somewhat heavenly.
The sound calmed Dagger's heart, while at the same time erecting a longing feeling for the ocean and its broadness, its freedom and liberty.
And while Leviathan sang, the water rose, so softly like a sleepy child shifting through its parent's lullaby, and in a matter of minutes, the water level had reached the top of the cliffs. As Dagger turned her head back, she could see how the rest of the ocean was even lower than before; they were actually standing on a mountain of water.
The song kept ringing in her head , and it took all of Dagger's willpower to break away from Leviathan's voice. She pointed her friends to the top of the mountain to which they had been risen and after a shake of their head to clear their minds, they set over.
Dagger shot a final regard to Blank, who had decided to stay on the ship and wait for their return; after the redhead nodded, Dagger cleared her thoughts to reach Leviathan again.
'Now carefully lower the sea level to its original height.'
The serpent did not show a sign of having heard her words, but then, Dagger could hear how the tune of the song changed. It was only ever so slightly, but the waves seemed to understand and after a while, the ocean was the way it used to be before its king had chanted.
Leviathan laid his eyes on his summoner, and after a simple command, he retreated into her soul.
"Wow, Dag', that was amazing!" Zidane complimented her and Dagger blushed.
"I haven't done anything; this was only thanks to Leviathan's effort," she tried to brush the compliment away, but Zidane shook his head.
"Nah-uh, without you, he wouldn't have come at all." The thief smiled at her and Dagger could not help but return his smile.
"Look!" Freya pointed to something in the distance, and her friends turned to see the castle they'd been coming for.
"Holy cow!" Zidane gasped, and in their heads, his friends agreed with him.
The castle did not seem to be made from this world.
It rose high into the air; the middle of the castle was encircled by a ring which looked like aplatform made of ground and earth, and on either halves, it had three high (or deep) towers, arranged as a triangle, with spiky golden peaks (or ends).
It was like a mirror had been placed through the middle of the architectural masterpiece. The entrance to the castle was part of the middle platform and long stairs connected the ground to the two-framed door.
"How does this even stand?" Freya mumbled surprised.
For a few moments, the party just stood in awe.
Amarant was the first to recollect himself.
"We should get going," he grumbled as he pointed down the cliffs they were standing on.
"It's going to be a rough descent."
Zidane carefully leaned over the edge before he nodded thoughtfully.
"Let's do it nice and slow," he advised his friends.
Each of them shot a final, impressed glance towards the castle, then they started their way down.
"Finally!" Zidane stretched his muscles as they stood in front of the architectural marvel.
"Luckily, we didn't encounter any monsters so far," Freya mentioned as she shouldered her spear to have it ready for combat.
"There will surely be some inside," Amarant predicted and he checked the fit of his claws.
Dagger could only stare and wonder, and not only with her eyes, but with her soul.
'The energy is overwhelming,' she addressed her Eidolons and she could feel each of them agreeing.
They all felt the mass of spiritual energy deriving from this location, and the summoner gulped.
Odin and Bahamut, she thought to herself.
They are surely strong, if even their sleeping form emits so much power.
She hadn't directly talked to the Eidolons, but she felt how Ramuh came closer to her mind.
'Don't be afraid, summoner,' he reassured her with his thundering voice. 'You're not alone.'
Dagger nodded, a movement which caught Zidane's attention.
"Everything alright, Dag'?" He asked and the princess nodded once more, this time with a smile.
"Yes. I'm just curious on meeting Bahamut and Odin," she explained, hiding her still present nervousness.
Zidane grinned widely. "I'm sure they'll be gigantic! Let's go, guys!" He addressed the other two and they made their way up the stoop.
On their way up, Freya coughed. "The air is so dry," she murmured and took a sip of water, and her friends silently agreed with her.
The party stopped for a few seconds in front of the high, impressive gate. They stared up, their eyes hovering over the soft reliefs part of the door which were different from the art they knew.
"It's beautiful," Dagger mumbled and Zidane faintly nodded.
He was having a weird sensation in his stomach, and a shiver went down his spine.
I don't like this, he thought to himself, his expression not giving away the wary he felt, but his tail twitched uncomfortably. With a slight shake of his head, the thief set up a cheerful smile and walked up to the gate.
"Alrighty, let's get in there already!" He said as he pushed. At least he intended to push, but just as his fingertips touched the doors did they swing upon without a sound.
Zidane blinked a few times; feeling the surprised stares of his friends, he gulped.
I really don't like this place.
He could hear Dagger walking up to him, and the princess peeked over his shoulder, as if she was too scared to walk into the castle.
"Come on, Dagger!" Zidane put up a smile. He took her by the hand and pulled her in, earning a huff of surprise from the girl.
The entrance hall was overwhelming as well. Its ceiling was incredibly high, and itself as well as the walls, the floor and the pillars supporting the roof were made out of marble.
Similar to the style of a cathedral, adorned pillars framed the wide path leading up to a canopied elevation with another decorated door, similar to the entrance though much smaller. Next to said door was an arch leading to yet another room, while to its left was a small flight of stairs granting access to the balcony-style roofing above the festooned door.
The high wall above this beautiful set up was embellished with yet again unknown symbols and figures.
"Wow!" It escaped Zidane's mouth.
Amarant let out a grumble, obviously not willed to allow something as redundant as architecture impress him. "Which way should we go first?" He asked.
They all looked at each other seemingly clueless when Dagger suddenly felt a resonance within her soul.
"This way," she pointed towards the decorated door.
Freya shot the raven haired girl a questioning look, but then she nodded. "Alright my dear, if you say so."
Once more, the Dragon Hunter shouldered her spear, but it seemed unnecessary, for they passed through the hall without any encounters.
In fact, they couldn't hear anything moving inside the castle at all, and both Freya and Amarant found it highly suspicious that such a vast castle should be completely free of inhabitants, however small they may be. They shot each other an understanding glance, keeping their weapons ready.
Beyond the door, they met an even higher – and deeper – room. In the middle of this seemingly endless area was a tall shaft.
The party itself stood on a small balcony and they glanced down into the depths. Just like the outside of the castle, this room seemed to be mirrored, for the pillars had supporting structures on both ends. Additionally, there seemed to be many such balconies as the one they were standing on, and while the ones above them seemed to be set up normally, the ones beneath them were upside down; meaning that the railing of the balcony faced downwards, as well as the doors and archs.
It was dizzying looking down on such a weird room, and Dagger had to rub her eyes a few times.
"Is that a … lift?" Freya questioned as she pointed towards the enormous pillar in the middle.
"Could be," Amarant frowned.
Again, it was Zidane who helped his friends out of their rigidity. With secure steps, he approached the post and slowly, the other followed.
As they reached the structure, they could see that there was an opening on the side next to them, and as they walked around, Zidane and the others saw that the pillar was hollow inside. There was a button embedded into the marble, and Zidane was quick to press it.
A rumbling occurred and the four stiffened up, but other than the continuously rattling, nearing sound, nothing happened.
Soon thereafter, a platform rose up to them.
"It really is a lift," Zidane nodded towards Amarant. Said redhead didn't seem too pleased to being right, though. He just grumbled something inaudible as he walked up to the platform.
"Be careful, Amarant," Dagger said and the warrior faintly nodded.
He portended the three to stay back while he pushed one of the many buttons on the inside of the elevator. But nothing happened at his touch. Amarant blinked confused and tried one knob after the other, but none would react to his pressing.
Freya leaned forward. "Is it broken?" She wondered with worry in her voice.
"Nah, that couldn't be," Zidane waved it away in his typical cheerfulness. He stepped next to Amarant and randomly pushed a button.
"I already tried that one -!" Amarant started lecturing the thief when suddenly, a bucking went through the platform as it started to descend.
"What the?" Amarant wondered confused and Zidane shrugged his shoulders.
"Maybe you didn't press it the right way, buddy," he said, causing Amarant to send him an aggravated glare – as if there was a wrong way to push a button.
Zidane grinned, though on the inside, he felt uneasy.
Something's going on here I don't quite get, he thought worriedly.
It seemed to take forever for the elevator to reach its destination. When it finally did, Zidane peeked out, facing another long corridor, which seemed just as upside down as the rest of the castle.
"I don't think that's the way to the main chamber," he mumbled before he tried another button.
Through trial and error, he and Amarant were sent up and down many times, often passing by the two waiting girls.
Just as Amarant was about to say that randomly pushing buttons won't get them anywhere, did he and Zidane reach a place which looked significantly different to the ones from before.
First of all, because it was built the right way – and since they had just descended below the middle of the castle, they would have expected an upside down room once again.
Again looking similar to a cathedral, though this time with a lower roof, the bottom was laid out with red carpet, leading up to the only door in this small portion of the castle.
In contrast to its previous adorned style, the architects of the castle had kept this door very simple, and something about it struck Zidane as odd.
"I think we found it," he said, not quite convinced yet.
"Shall we take a look first or get the two already?" The thief asked towards Amarant, who, instead of replying, simply pointed to the button that would raise them to the middle.
"Alrighty," Zidane pushed said knob and fairly soon, they met the two worried, though also slightly bored and impatient, faces of the women.
"Have you found it?" Freya asked as soon as she noticed that the men didn't continue their ascend.
Zidane nodded. "Well, we guess so. We thought it's better you come along right away."
"Smart, my dear," Freya grinned and stood beside him.
Dagger, however, was hesitant.
"Is everything alright, Dag'?" Zidane asked her and the princess shivered.
"Y-yes!" She replied hastily and ran up to him, her fingers fidgeting uncomfortably.
Zidane furrowed his brows slightly worried, then he shrugged his shoulders and pressed the button to get them to the unusual room again.
"You're right, this seems to be the right place," Freya agreed as soon as they arrived.
Dagger nodded. She could feel the spiritual energy flowing even stronger, and she already knew that past this door, Bahamut and Odin would await her.
The summoner gulped.
Bahamut and Odin, she thought once again. The two most powerful Eidolons that have ever been harnessed.
A shiver went down her spine. She could feel Ramuh pressing against her mind, but Dagger was not in the mood for listening to some reassuring words which could change nothing about the situation itself.
I'm scared, the summoner instead thought, a numbing fear roaming through her body.
"Dagger, my dear?" Freya's voice broke through her rigidity.
The princess shook her head to clear it.
"I- I'm coming!" She assured her friends, who had already approached the entrance.
Standing in front of the door, Dagger took a deep breath. Then, she laid her hand flat on the door, pushing it – only to find it staying in place.
"What is this?" She wondered aloud, once more pressing with force, but the door wouldn't move even in the slightest.
Amarant stepped for, placing both of his hands on the door, and pushed. The veins on his muscular arms protruded, but he could have just the same asked the door politely to open, for it didn't react.
With a confused frown, Freya lend her help, but her initial doubt of her own usefulness quickly turned into confirmation as the door did not give in either at her hands.
Very slowly, the three turned their heads to Zidane.
Once again, the thief felt this unnerving sensation inside him. With a wary frown, he stepped for and touched the door, and just like with the front gate did it open at his faintest touch.
A gasped escaped Dagger's lips, and Freya and Amarant both frowned doubtfully.
As he met the unbelieving stares of his friends, the thief simply shrugged, his expression revealing something of his nervousness.
"Well, it's open now, so let's go in, hm?" He tried to smile, but the tension between him and the rest of the party did not leave. It was only suppressed by their expectations for what awaited them beyond the door, and they slowly entered the room.
What they noticed at first was that the otherwise predominant marble was completely excluded from this area. Neither could they put their finger on what the material on the walls, floor and ceiling was, though; it had a brown color and was soft to the touch, and bright streams of a tale-colored material ran through it like veins, emitting a ghostly glow.
The room itself was square and relatively small, though the ceiling was unnaturally high, as in the rooms before; and the wall opposite to the entry was completely covered in a big version of the world map they had retrieved in Madain Sari, with the same inscriptions.
The party paid little attention to it, though, for their eyes were captured by two giant statues framing the back of the room.
"I-is this...?" Freya could only whisper in awe.
To the left was the statue of a man riding a horse with six legs, wearing a helmet with horns. He swung a big sword and something about his eyes seemed intense, despite them being transferred to stone.
To the right was a horned dragon with wings that seemed to take up the entire room. He had opened his jaws wide, as if to let out a resisting scream before he had been imprisoned.
Dagger's knees shook heavily.
T-they are...
Her mind felt numb. The power that was emitted by the two statues seemed to fill her soul entirely and the summoner felt smaller than a fly.
How am I supposed to control these? She thought helplessly. Odin's sword was said to bring death at the faintest touch, and Bahamut's Megaflare could easily destroy an entire continent.
"I..." The princess started whispering, but suddenly, a roar sounded behind the party. The door slammed shut with a loud bam! and they all twitched upon it.
"WHO ARE YOU!?"
The voice sounded in their heads, but it was different from the Eidolons. Dagger could see that her friends could hear it, too, and they jerked their heads to its origin – a giant lobster, floating in the air.
If he hadn't been so scared, Zidane might have laughed. But despite its resemblance to said animal, the monster was as high as the room, its claws clicked repeatedly, sending shivers down their spines, and its tail wailed through the air with impatience.
"SPEAK, MORTALS!" It commanded.
Zidane was the first to find his voice again.
"We're here to get the Eidolons!" He explained firmly.
Another roar escaped the jaws of the monster.
"I AM TARHAKA, GUARDIAN OF THE MURAL ROOM! I WILL NOT ALLOW ANY DISTURBANCES!" It refused and flew towards Zidane, who barely escaped its attack with a jump.
Amarant let out a displeased grumble, then he dashed towards their enemy, striking with his claws, but they did little but scratch its shell.
The warrior huffed surprised, blocking a swing of Tarhaka's claws.
Freya jumped for, but her spear recoiled from the armor of their enemy, and Zidane's Rune Tooth was just as useless.
Dagger shivered, but was unable to move elsewise.
'Summoner!' Ifrit's voice rattled her mind. 'If you don't act, your friends will die!'
Dagger quickly shook her head, gathering her mental strength. With a spiritual command, she cast out all of her Eidolons at once. As Ifrit, Shiva, Ramuh and Leviathan manifested themselves in front of Tarhaka, the guardian stopped its attack on the others for a moment. It almost seemed to slant its head, then with a roar attacked the Eidolons. Shiva pointed with her fingers towards the fiend, ice starting to build around it, but then, the ice shattered loudly and Tarhaka stroke the delicate Eidolon.
With clamor, Ifrit summoned a meteorite to crush their enemy, but while the heat made Dagger break out in sweat instantly, the monster seemed little impressed.
Lightning flashed, blinding the party, but while it struck its target with a loud, crackling sound, sending vibrations through the room, Tarhaka only shook its massive head as if to clear its mind of an unnerving sound. Ramuh made a step back, obviously shocked by the invulnerability of the guardian, and finally, Leviathan called forth a Tsunami which flooded the entire room, only leaving small capsules of air for the summoner and her friends. But even the might of the water wouldn't harm Tarhaka.
Dagger fell unto her knees.
We cannot defeat an enemy like this, she lost hope with a trembling chest. If I cannot even harm this guardian, how could I think of facing Kuja?
The desperation clashed over her, filling her mind and soul with fear, when suddenly, she felt the vibrating energies of Bahamut and Odin reaching out for her.
Being sealed into stone, they could not phrase any words towards the summoner, but Dagger understood.
With trembling legs and shaking hands, she approached Bahamut's statue, laying her palms against it.
Closing her eyes, she reached out for the whirling pool of energy that laid beyond the stone, and upon seeing its magnitude, fear once more seemed to overwhelm her.
'Don't give up,' Shiva had joined her side, readying herself to retreat into the summoner's soul.
'I will guide you.'
Dagger nodded, and once the Eidolon had taken place inside of her, she felt reinforced.
With Shiva's careful guidance, and efforts that seemed to almost exceed her limit, Dagger could feel the cage around Bahamut breaking.
The princess clenched her teeth, sweat dripping down her neck, but she did not step back. Instead, she pressed herself, both physically and mentally, harder against the stone until it burst loudly.
Dagger stumbled back, her eyes widening in awe upon seeing the Dragon King spreading his wings.
Bahamut roared, and as his jaws opened, a ball of fire seemed to built inside it.
No, not fire, Dagger realized slowly. It's his Megaflare...
'There's no time for this!' Shiva interrupted her harshly. 'We need to awaken Odin!'
The summoner nodded hesitantly. While she approached Odin, she could see from the corner of her eye how Bahamut's colossal Megaflare melted away the protective shell of Tarhaka. With a cry, the enemy twitched in pain, but its shell started to rebuild as soon as the devouring energy of the Megaflare vanished.
How come he can resist the Eidolon's power that much? Dagger could not help but wonder nervously as she connected her soul to Odin's seal.
'It's the Four Mirrors,' Shiva murmured as she lent the summoner her strength. She could feel Dagger wondering about her statement, but the Ice Queen commanded: 'We will explain this a later time. Focus, summoner.'
Dagger nodded, trying to ignore the pother and brawling behind her. She closed her eyes, once more reaching out for a sealed spirit.
Odin's energy was pulsing; the Eidolon could feel the fight just behind its cage and was urging to join in. Although its fiery spirit scared Dagger, it also helped her in breaking the seal, and with a loud burst, Odin broke free.
His horse, wearing a full armor and having glowing red eyes, whickered and shelved itself on its hind legs. Odin, resembling a demonic knight, swung his sword and with a press of his heels, his steed dashed forward.
Suddenly, all security ceased from Tarhaka's movements. It had just hit Zidane with one of his claws, but now, its small eyes were fixed to the quickly approaching Eidolon.
"ODIN?" Was all it could say before the knight reached it. With a simple swing of his sword, the guardian was cleaved into two.
Zidane, Freya and Amarant could only stare when the enemy they fought so hard with disappeared within a matter of seconds into thin air.
Silence arose and slowly, the now unsealed entities turned towards the summoner who set them free.
Dagger's knees felt weak.
These are the most powerful Eidolons,she thought to herself as Bahamut and Odin faced her.
The Demonic Knight whose touch brings instant death, and the Dragon King whose breath melts away bones.
A shiver went down the summoner's spine.
'Tell us the name of the mortal who freed us from hundreds of years of imprisonment,' Odin's voice spoke. It was dark and deep, but something about it felt reassuring.
'I am Garnet Till Alexandros XVI, heir to the throne of Alexandria and summoner of the Tribe of Madain Sari. I have come the long way to the Forgotten Continent to break your seals and seek your aid in combat against the sorcerer Kuja.'
'Kuja,' Bahamut echoed. His voice seemed old and tired, though Dagger could sense the power dwelling beneath, and when the Dragon King sighed, Dagger's bones shook.
'So that sorcerer is still alive.'
'Please, help us!' Dagger begged for she felt some tired indifference sounding in Bahamut's voice.
'He's been manipulating my mother, the queen of Alexandria, and brings suffering to so many people. And he's seeking the power of the Crystal!' Dagger added and clung to her necklace.
Odin jerked his head.
'The Crystal? But -!'
'Silence!' Bahamut suddenly ordered, and all of the Eidolons immediately turned silent. After all, he was the oldest.
'So... You seek to protect the Crystal?' He sought for confirmation and Dagger managed to shake her head and nod at the same time.
'Not only the Crystal, but everyone who has to suffer right now from Kuja's ill intentions!'
The Dragon King thought about her words for a moment. He had closed his reptile eyes and when he opened them again, his gaze seemed to burn right through Dagger's soul.
'Very well then. We shall lend you our powers to defeat that sorcerer.'
And with that, both he and Odin slowly faded away, forming into balls of energy which sought their way into Dagger's soul.
The summoner gasped surprised as she was filled to the brim with supernatural powers. She trembled, making a few wary steps forward before her body collapsed. She fell to the ground, being caught by Zidane.
"Dagger! … She's lost it again,' the thief mumbled after he had shaken her softly.
"Well, that was to be expected, my dear." Freya tucked away her spear, brushing her fur to rid it of blood and sweat.
"It was a really close call," she added with a frown, and Amarant nodded briefly.
"That guardian was not from this world," he agreed.
Zidane was barely listening. His eyes were locked to Dagger's face. Something about the young princess' expression seemed utterly tired and exhausted, but there was still that soft, naive impression that the thief had grown to love.
"We should head back to Lindblum," he decided as he lifted the princess of the ground.
"We have all the Eidolons we wanted; it's time to face Kuja." Although he planned on saying it with confidence, his tail twitched uncomfortably. Worry curled up in his stomach as he looked at the weak face of the summoner.
With a shake of his head, the thief straightened up. They left the castle as quickly as they could, and Zidane shot the monstrous construction a final glance.
There was still some odd feeling he had about this place. Additionally, the whole time he had been there, he had smelled a heavy, almost hypnotizing aroma.
But it didn't seem like the others smelled it, the thief thought worriedly.
Just what is with this place?
It took the princess even longer to recover than the previous times. Not only had they arrived back at Lindblum, but two weeks had also passed when Dagger finally opened her eyes again.
She felt dizzy and slowly raised herself up. Dagger recognized the big guest room she had stayed in the times before, and a feeling of being home filled her with relief.
Seems like everything worked out just fine, she thought with a smile.
Carefully, she set her feet on the floor, stood and walked up to the window. The day was bright and sunny, and Dagger stretched her muscles.
I guess... this is it. She finally thought with a tight chest.
I have acquired all the Eidolons we could possibly find. I have to fulfill my promise and go back to Alexandria to end Kuja's doing.
Despite the warmth of the day, Dagger shivered.
'Don't be scared, summoner.' It was Bahamut's voice, startling Dagger at the first instant.
'You will have the necessary power to defeat that sorcerer once we arrive in Alexandria.'
'I will?' Dagger frowned.
'Does that mean I'm not capable of that, yet?'
There was silence, and Dagger feared she had displeased the old Eidolon.
'You'll see once we are there,' Bahamut finally replied. 'Everything will fall into place once we are back.'
'Are you sure?' Dagger could not help but question. Surprisingly, the Dragon King chuckled.
'You are a mortal. Ever since we existed, we've learned that mortals are weak, gullible and potentially evil beings. And still, we place trust in your willpower. So, place trust in my knowledge, summoner,' Bahamut cryptically said.
Dagger had to make do with that reply, because the Dragon King curled himself up inside her, setting himself to rest for a while.
The summoner shook her head a few times, then she got dressed and exited her chamber. Soon enough, she found a servant who would guide the princess to her companions.
They had gathered in Cid's throne room, and they turned their heads upon Dagger's entering.
"Hello, everyone," she smiled shyly.
Zidane's face brightened up instantly, and he shot her a warm smile.
"Yo, Dag! You came just in time."
"Just in time for what?" The princess asked surprised, but Freya bypassed her question as she asked: "How are you feeling, my dear? Is everything okay?"
Dagger nodded. "I'm feeling fine, really. For... for how long was I asleep?" She asked reluctantly.
"Ah, only two weeks," Zidane said as if he was talking about the weather.
Dagger blinked. Then: "What, two weeks!?"
The thief nodded. "Yeah, but no worries. Everything went fine. Leviathan even came out so we could board the ship again."
The princess hadn't even wondered about how the group had managed to re-board the ship, and she gave a mental thanks to the serpent.
"What happened in the meantime?" Dagger asked after she gulped.
Suddenly, everyone's face darkened.
"What? What is it?" Dagger pressed worriedly, and finally, Cid sighed and stood.
"Beatrix has been raging war over the entire Mist Continent," he said slowly with a pained expression.
"M-mother has..?"
"Burmecia and Lindblum have joined hands to fight her armies of, but they are obviously supported by the means of the sorcerer, and so far, we've only barely managed to hold them off the bigger cities."
Once more, the princess gulped, trying to rid herself of the tight feeling in her throat.
Zidane, who watched her troubled expression, walked up to her.
"But, on a brighter note, look what I found!" He drew out a tiny object.
Dagger blinked confused. "A... needle?"
"Not just any needle, Dag'," Zidane lectured with a playful smile. "It's the silver needle! Never heard of it?" He asked as Dagger continued to look confused.
The princess shook her head.
"It's a needle capable of curing the status of 'stone' for everything it touches," Amarant quietly explained.
Zidane grimaced. "Oh, Amarant, I wanted to tell her!"
Slowly, it dawned to Dagger. "Does that mean, with this, we can save Vivi?"
Zidane nodded, and a wide smile spread on the princess' face. She hadn't forgotten about the clumsy, though adorable and helpful black mage with the sad eyes.
"Let's pick him up before we head to Alexandria," Zidane suggested and Dagger nodded.
"Oh yes, let's! But how did you lay your hands on such a rare item?"
Zidane laughed, proudly though also a little uncomfortably. "Well, erm... I just happened to.. stumble upon it?"
Dagger gave the thief a stern regard, but the blonde just laughed it off. "I wanted to give you a reason to smile once you wake up," he explained with a softer expression.
Dagger blushed. "Z-zidane..."
The king cleared his throat. "Well, your companions told me about your successful journey to Ipsen's Castle, my niece. I don't want to ask this of you, but..."
While the voice of the king trailed off, Dagger's stance straightened. "I know. With the Eidolons standing by my side, I now have to face Kuja to end all this horrible fighting."
Freya frowned. "Are you sure you can do this, my dear? The guardian in Ipsen seemed to be very strong, even against the Eidolons."
Before Dagger could reply, Shiva's voice spoke to her.
'Repeat what I will say,' she ordered and Dagger nodded.
"Erm... Shiva has... something to say to that matter..." She announced reluctantly. Everyone blinked surprised, but they showed their approval by a nod.
Dagger drew a deep breath, signalizing Shiva she was ready.
The Ice Queen did not hesitate.
'It was because of the 'Four Mirrors'. The Four Mirrors are items which have been on this world since its very beginning; they bind the elemental powers of fire, ice, thunder and water. We can't say it for sure, but it might be that without these mirrors, the world could not even exist.
Regardless of how they came to be or what they are for, they had been entrusted to a guardian by the name of Tarhaka.'
All present gasped surprised, but Shiva went on and Dagger could barely repeat her words quickly enough.
'While the Four Mirrors certainly weren't part of Tarhaka – for we would face harsh consequences in that case after its defeat – it had absorbed a part of their powers over time. That is why neither of us could harm it. Even Bahamut's Megaflare, said to be of a neutral element, is so close in its properties to fire that Tarhaka could resist it to a certain extent.
But nothing from this world can resist the touch of Odin's blade Gugnir.'
Shive turned silent, and it took Dagger a few seconds to realize what had just been said.
The others took their time in thinking about the new information.
Finally, Zidane grinned. "Well then, there's nothing to worry about, huh? Let's face Kuja and kick his ass!"
The tension in the room disappeared, and Dagger smiled relieved. "Yes, let's."
Cid's face softened upon seeing the determined look on the princess' face. "I am sorry you have to shoulder such a great burden, Garnet."
The princess shook her head. "It is my duty, uncle. I have to do this for everyone who supported me so far." Her eyes wandered over her friends who all showed their support in their own way; either a bright grin, an understanding smile or a thoughtful nod.
Dagger smiled reinforced. "And for everyone who had to suffer beneath Kuja's doing. And for mother. There are so many reasons for me to fight. And I will fight," she added firmly.
A smile spread on Cid's face. "You are very brave. I have prepared an airship for you and your friends. It will be governed by..."
"Yours truly," Blank suddenly broke him. He walked out of the shadows he'd been hiding in so far, earning him a surprised huff from Dagger.
"Surprised, sweet princess? I'm the best navigator, after all," he winked.
Another smile adorned the princess' face. "I'm happy to be in your care, Blank," she bowed her head, causing a rough laugh to escape the thief's lips.
"Nah, no reason to compliment me like that, princess," he waved her words away.
"You and your friends can leave whenever you want, Garnet," Cid went on with serious eyes. "Of course, if you need a few more days to rest, we have total understanding. However..."
Dagger understood. "We will leave tomorrow morning. Please make sure our clothing is clean and our weapons are sharp. And do not falter, uncle," she added more softly. "Only a few more days, and Kuja will be wiped off this world."
Cid smiled. "I have great faith in you, Garnet. May the gods be with you."
And with that, the four prepared for their final journey. And even though Zidane was as cheerful, Freya as thoughtful and Amarant as secure as ever, Dagger could feel how all of them felt burdened by their fate.
On the morning of their departure, Dagger squared her shoulders.
This is it, she thought as she approached the hangar, where the others were awaiting her. Zidane grinned brightly, Freya smiled softly and even Amarant's face wore the hint of a reassuring smile.
The support of her friends gave her strength, and Dagger's heart felt warm and happy. Inside of her, the Eidolons seemed to be more awake than usual; they, too, anticipated the end of their journey.
The princess boarded the ship, and soon, it set off.
After a final regard to the disappearing Lindblum, Dagger turned her head north, eagerly waiting for the Alexandrian castle to come to sight.
I will end your intrigues, Kuja!
Not too far away, in the Alexandrian castle, a white-haired sorcerer lifted his head, a malicious grin adorning his face.
"The time to play has finally arrived, my canary," he spoke satisfied and lifted himself up. He looked out of the window, as if he could already see the airship with the princess on it. A chuckle escaped his pink lips.
"Let the curtain rise!"
Author's note
First of all, I'm so sorry it took me so long to update. Some of you may know I'm currently working on an Anime fan fiction, and my inspiration for said story had been so big I just had to go with it.
But anyways! I finally got some time off to write this chapter. How do you like it? And, oh boy - does that mean we're closing in on the final chapters? Yes we are!
Let me share a secret; this story will only two more, maximum three more, chapters and it is done. Oh my goodness, it feels so weird to come to an end. Finally, we can face Kuja and give him a proper beating, right? Unless Bahamut was hinting at something very important... You will see with the next chapter!
Tell me what you liked most, what surprised you and whatever comes to your mind; your reviews mean the world to me!
Until next time, take care!
- Ruska