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Book I, Part II: Mortal Conflict - The Zodiac Brave Story

Chapter IV: Fated

[March 18, 2152 | Centra, Abandoned Ruins, Antechamber | 5:17 PM]

Kisara threw a bolt of magic at the nearest fiend to her, and even as it disintegrated into bits of dust, the fiends rushed forward, intent on bringing down the goddess before them.

So it was of great surprise to Adramelk when a flash of light intervened, blinding him for a split second. As the light cleared, Kisara was nowhere to be seen.

[March 18, 2152 | Trabia Garden, Third Floor, Katanas DeValle's Office | 5:18 PM]

"Are you okay?" Katanas asked Kisara, looking over at the goddess.

"I am. Thank you, Katanas," she said, looking down at the carpeted floor of the office. "However, I've discovered some unsettling news. My work here on the mortal realm seems to have done far more harm than good."

"How so?" Katanas queried, intrigued by Kisara's statement.

"Adramelk, the Lucavi Demon of the Capricorn Stone, confronted me when I tried to obtain the Stone. He informed me that since I have disobeyed the Mistress' order not to interfere...I have broken the protection that would allow me to claim the Stones."

Katanas' face shifted to a look of concern as he folded his arms, looking down at the hardwood desk in front of him.

"That is indeed troubling news. Do you believe that all of the Lucavi know this information?"

"The magical link that binds the twelve Stones together binds the Lucavi together as well on a spiritual level. It would be a safe bet to assume that Adramelk has informed all of his kin."

Katanas just let out a weary sigh at the information. "Well. At the least, we know that these Demons aren't weak."

Silence reigned in the room for several seconds, a tense atmosphere falling over the air before Kisara spoke again.

"There may be another way...though I hesitate to even bring up such a matter."

"Oh?"

"I had initially hoped to do this alone, but this new development has destroyed any hopes I once held of that happening. Now, I propose another way," she continued, turning away from Katanas. "We find mortals willing to accept and safeguard the twelve Holy Stones and their power."

Katanas turned, moving to his desk and sitting down before facing Kisara once again, a thoughtful look coming over his face as he pondered Kisara's suggestion.

"You realize, of course, the danger of this."

"I do," Kisara replied, her voice rising slightly. "That is why I am hesitant to even discuss the matter. Mortals...are unpredictable at best. Also, I would rather not risk putting them in such danger as this, but I see no other alternative now.

"Might I propose an alternative solution?" Katanas asked.

"Of course."

"Destroy them," Katanas said, leaning forward slightly. "Permanently. And if that requires destroying the Lucavi with them, then so be it. If these Stones pose such a great danger, safeguarding them might not be enough. I am loathe to suggest this, you understand; all those centuries of knowledge, lost. The circumstances, however, I believe warrant such a radical suggestion."

Kisara seemed to consider this for a moment, before shaking her head slightly. "You realize the difficulty of this, however. Few things in the Ethereal Realm can destroy an artifact imbued with powers such as these Stones hold. Even fewer objects on the mortal realm may be able to do so. Are you sure that this suggestion may even work?"

Katanas merely nodded. "There are ways to dispose of artifacts of even the greatest power. My family has hoarded secrets from decades past. We know of ways to bind and unbind magical properties using Alchemy, along with other techniques. However...the magnitude of power we're dealing with will require a great number of alchemists. Myself, Revolver, and Darius simply aren't powerful enough to get the job done."

"My knowledge of Alchemy, even as an Ethereal Magus, is limited as best. We may have to use a combination of our ideas. Find mortals willing to safeguard the Stones until we can devise a way to destroy them," Kisara replied.

Again, silence engulfed the atmosphere of the room, lasting even longer than before as both Katanas and Kisara considered the magnitude of the decision they were now attempting to make.

"I...suppose that would be an acceptable plan of action," Katanas finally said, agreeing to Kisara's terms.

"Good," Kisara replied, nodding. "Do you have any suggestions for bearers of the Stones?"

"As of this moment, I do not," Katanas said, shaking his head.

"Would you be willing to hold one of the Stones?" Kisara asked, her face holding a bit of concern.

"...I would, but not for any great period of time. I know myself better than anyone else. With all of the knowledge available at my fingertips, I would eventually fall prey to its temptation."

"I will keep that in mind," Kisara responded. "We must begin preparations for this soon. The sooner that the Holy Stones are secured, by whatever means, the less chance there is that their power will be misused."

Standing up from his desk, Katanas nodded again, understanding the urgency for haste. "Very well. I propose that the Capricorn Stone be left alone for now, as well. Adramelk is noticeably one of the more powerful of the Lucavi."

"Then left alone it shall be. I suggest that we take measures to prepare in case another of the Stones is released. As much as I dislike saying it, time is not on our side. We must prepare for the worst as well as the best."

"Right. We should meet again tomorrow and begin."

Kisara began to say something, but stopped, her face shifting into a look of mute concern.

"Is something wrong?" Katanas asked, noticing the worried look on her face. Kisara remained silent for a minute, obviously focused on something.

"Do you feel that?" Kisara asked suddenly. "A large power is nearby...even greater than my own."

"...You're right," Katanas agreed after a moment. "Something, or someone very powerful is nearby. Can you tell what the source is?"

"I may be able to," Kisara said, closing her eyes in an attempt to discern the source of the energy.

[March 18, 2152 | Galbadia, Monterosa Plateau | 5:24 PM]

A lone, female figure overlooked the large structure of Galbadia Garden, peering down upon the building from the top of the plateau. She smiled as she watched the building and its occupants, her smile appearing to be a pleasant gesture, but at the same time able to unnerve even the bravest of fighters.

"So. It appears I was right," a voice said from behind the figure. Turning, the woman came face to face with Will, the smile never leaving her face.

Destine, the Pillar of Destiny, faced her 'brother' with what could pass for an innocent look, her long black hair and all-black outfit giving her an appearance resembling gothic fashion. However, the most notable part of Destine's appearance was the presence of strange, vein-like markings along parts of her face.

"Why, Will. What a pleasant surprise," Destine remarked with a voice full of false sweetness, causing Will to frown.

"Niceties aren't your style, Destine."

"I'm not allowed to say 'hello' to one of my fellow Pillars? You hurt me, Will," Destine replied, still smiling.

"Why are you here in the mortal realm, Destine?" Will said, ignoring her words and causing Destine to turn back to Galbadia Garden.

"Merely to...observe the mortals."

"That's a lie. I already know you're planning something, so why don't we simply cut to the chase, shall we?" Will countered, folding his arms. Destine turned back, the smile on her face now gone and replaced with a look of apathy.

"What good would it do you to know my plans, Will? You wouldn't be able to stop them, even if you did know what they were."

"Overconfident as usual. You seem to hold the misconception that I have no power against you, Destine."

"But, see, that's the thing," Destine said, smirking. "You don't. You wouldn't dare attack me, and even if you told Mother about any of this, we both know that she would never believe you."

Will remained silent, merely watching Destine warily as she once again turned back to Galbadia Garden. Neither of the two said anything for what seems like hours, Will standing quietly and watching Destine as she looked down upon the area below. He knew that she was planning something, likely involving both the Ethereal Plane and mortal plane, but he had little clue yet as to what that might entail.

"I enjoyed this little chat, Will. We'll have to do it again sometime," Destine suddenly said, her voice soft and yet mocking as she vanished from sight, leaving the Pillar of the Future all alone on the Monterosa Plateau.

[March 18, 2152 | Celsius, Bridge | 5:26 PM]

"Good to see you back," Buddy says as I reappear on the bridge. "I think Rikku's been pretty worried with this snowstorm going on."

"Where is she?" I ask, looking over at Buddy.

"Try the cabin, or maybe her room. Last I saw, she was showing some people around the ship."

"More people..." I mutter, turning around to leave the bridge...and nearly running into a young girl. The girl appears to be about nine years old, with long white hair tied into a ponytail, a long-sleeved blue shirt with gold trimming on the ends of the sleeves, a long white skirt, and a pair of ankle-length white boots.

"Excuse me..." the girl begins, looking up slightly at me. "Can you help me with something?"

"...Sure," I say, hesitating for a moment. "What is it?"

"I was wondering if you could give me a lift," the girl responds.

"A lift? Where to?" I ask, and the girl pauses, seeming to think for a moment.

"Actually...I think I've got that wrong. I think I need to give you a lift," she says, smiling. My eyes widen in shock a split second before a bolt of magic strikes me in the chest, blasting the wind out of me and hurling me completely through the front window of the bridge. As I'm falling out of the ship, I try and turn my fall into a backflip to land on my feet, but fail and land on my stomach instead, further crippling me. Now gasping for breath and trying to pull air into my lungs, I desperately try to stand up as the mysterious girl floats down from the new hole in the window, landing softly on her feet in front of me.

"...What the..." I manage to choke out, looking up at the girl.

(Play: Final Fantasy VI Phantom Midnight OC Remix (Fayt's Theme) - mp, OC Remix)

"Did you enjoy your trip?" the girl asks, looking down at me with her hands on her knees.

"...Just who are you...?" I gasp, managing to get back on my feet.

The girl merely smiles, standing back up to her full height. "I am destiny, I am purpose, I am pain, and I am happiness. I am the embodiment of all the hopes and dreams that float around aimlessly through time. I am the giver of life and the taker of souls," the girl explains, turning away from me. "But you may call me Fate. Spelled with a 'y', though…I prefer F-a-y-t compared to F-a-t-e."

"...Fayt?"

"That's me!" she says happily, turning back to face me with the same smile still on her face. "Don't bother telling me who you are, since I already know. Really, you don't look like you're all that bad...but if Mother brought you here, you must be important. And if you're important, that means you might get in my way."

"...So you're trying to kill me because I just might get in your way?" I ask, finally back on my feet with my swords unsheathed.

"Now you get it!"

That makes me pale. This...girl, or whatever she is, is really beginning to unnerve me. And not just because she's trying to kill me, either.

"Well, I'm not going down that easily, you know," I reply, sliding into a fighting stance.

"Of course not! It wouldn't be much fun if I killed you right away. I think I'll just play with you some first!"

(End: Final Fantasy VI Phantom Midnight OC Remix (Fayt's Theme) - mp, OC Remix; Play: Final Fantasy VI Dancing Madly First Form OC Remix (Ben's Battle Theme) - waxingeloquent, OC Remix)

I barely have time to blink before another bolt of magic sizzles past me, just missing my side, but whether it was intentional or accidental, I'm not sure. Spinning one of my swords once, I slash down and then up powerfully, sending a red wave of energy at Fayt in the form of my Crescent Strike attack. The attack fizzles out harmlessly against a conjured barrier of magical energy, and Fayt giggles slightly before hitting me square in the chest with another bolt of energy, throwing me back to the dirt again.

"You're no fun! I'm getting bored already!" she yells, calling up a green ball of energy in her hand. Eyes widening, I recognize the magic, and scramble to my feet, immediately calling up my Angel Wing skill and taking off into the air as she throws the magic. The Ultima magic explodes directly under my position, propelling me even higher into the air and sending up a large cloud of dust, snow, and dirt.

Sparing a glance around, I see several figures running towards me from the Celsius, recognizing Yuna, Rikku, and Paine, but not the two others with them. Another energy bolt that whizzes by my head forces me to turn my attention back to Fayt.

"Doublecast: Flare, Ultima!"

A powerful beam of energy launches from my now-outstretched hand, having sheathed one of my swords before casting the spell. A green energy ball follows it, and both attacks explode at Fayt's position with terrifying force. Yuna, Rikku, and Paine run up to me as I float back down to the ground, as well as the other two figures.

"Are you okay?" Rikku asks quickly, looking over at me. "We heard the crash, and-"

"I'm fine, just a little bruised," I reply, cutting her off. "But that little girl...that's not even right..."

"Girl?" Yuna asks, turning to look at where my attacks impacted. Standing there, and seemingly unscathed, is Fayt, the same grin still on her face.

"More people to play with?" Fayt asks, then smiles. "Oh, his girlfriend showed up! You guys can make out after the fight if you're still alive," she says, beginning to charge up another spell.

"This isn't a game!" I yell, preparing to go on the offensive again, when a flash of light in front of us stops both our group and Fayt. The light clears to reveal Katanas DeValle and another figure, a young woman with white hair that I don't recognize.

(End: Final Fantasy VI Dancing Madly First Form OC Remix (Ben's Battle Theme) - waxingeloquent, OC Remix)

"So...you must be the cause of the energy I was sensing," Katanas says, looking over at Fayt.

"She is. The girl in front of you is Fayt, one of the three Pillars of Reality, Katanas. Do not let your guard down for a second," the woman says.

"Kisara...whatever brings you to the mortal realm? Did you come to play with us too?" Fayt says, her smile changing to make her look devilish, despite her innocent appearance. "And Katanas DeValle...this just gets better every second!"

"We'll handle things from here," Katanas instructs. "You might want to leave."

"She threw me out of a window," I retort, shaking my head. "I'm not going anywhere." Katanas looks at me for a moment, and then calmly turns back to Fayt.

"Oh, would you look at the time!" Fayt suddenly exclaims, looking at an imaginary watch. "I simply must depart...you understand. Places to go, people to see, things to do. It's so very hard being a Pillar of Reality," she says, before the air around her suddenly seems to distort, phasing her body from the realm in a matter of moments.

"What is her reason for being here..." I hear the white-haired woman murmur, before Katanas turns to us.

"Is everyone okay?" he asks, and we all nod as I cast a quick curative spell over myself.

"What was that all about?" I ask, looking over at Katanas and the woman, hoping they might provide some answers.

"I do not know any more than you do," Katanas replies. "Kisara?"

"Remember when I explained to you that certain gods in the Ethereal Realm wished to overthrow Freya?" the woman, now identified as Kisara, asks Katanas. "Well, Fayt is one of them. She's leading a group of other gods in the attempt. So far, Odin has been able to keep things under control, along with Xeios' help, but things are slowly moving out of their hands."

"Well, that doesn't explain why she just tried to kill me," I cut in, looking over at the duo. "I don't have anything to do with the Ethereal Realm...though she said something along the lines of 'since Freya brought me here, I might get in her way.'"

"If Fayt finds you a threat, you had best be on your guard," Kisara replies. "Fayt is the least powerful of the Pillars of Reality, but what she lacks in physical and magical strength, she more than makes up for in cunning. She may act like a child, but that is exactly what it is: merely an act designed to further her innocent facade."

"It seems we now have bigger problems on our hands than just the Holy Stones," Katanas interjects, looking towards Kisara.

"I agree."

"Katanas, I wanted to ask you something, and now seems like a good time to do so, considering what just happened," I say, looking over at the fighter.

"Yes?"

"How hard would it be for me to get into the Alchemy courses here at Trabia?"

"Well, you would need to become an associate of Trabia Garden before you do anything. Think of it as the basic form of enrolling. Then, you could take the basic tests to actually get into the Garden at the cadet level. After that, you would have to go through the typical entrance exams and such to get into the classes themselves. Among other things."

"I see..."

"Katanas, we should be going," Kisara says, causing Katanas to nod.

"Yes, we should. Keep an eye out for Fayt, and let us know if she returns," Katanas says.

"I will," I tell the duo, watching as they nod and then vanish in a flash of light.

"You have some explaining to do," Rikku says, walking over to me.

"Yeah, I know...I'll explain what I've been doing for the past...how long has it been?"

"We left Trabia sometime around yesterday afternoon. You've been gone since then," Yuna says.

"Over a day...great," I mutter, looking between Yuna, Rikku, and Paine. "Let's head back to the cabin, and I'll start explaining everything," I say, turning around and beginning to walk back to the Celsius.

Author's Notes:

Naoki's Sharingan works exactly the same as it does in Naruto; namely, allowing for the copying of any attack used against him. Liken it to Sasuke or Kakashi's Sharingan in the amount of energy it drains while in use, as well.

Destine is based off of Dark Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer in appearance, and roughly personality-wise as well. She was played by Daniel Wesley Rydell.

Fayt is an original character, created and played by Iron Reaver.

With this chapter comes the first major villain, in the form of Fayt. She wasn't an easy villain to deal with in the roleplaying, and I hope to convey most of that here as well. As always, please read and review.