Chapter Twenty-One
Brightness. Absolutely nothing. All Zidane could hear was his shallow breath. He didn't even know if he was moving or where he was going. When he looked down, his palms filled his vision. Crusted with blood. Little nicks begging for a wash along his fingers. His eyes wandered further down to his wrists which were riddled with old fleshy scars. He closed his eyes, begging to block out the whiteness surrounding him. Was this the afterlife? A plane of absolutely nothing. He wasn't good enough to go up but not bad enough to go down? When he opened his eyes again, he was confronted with the abyss once more. He heard his boots beneath him but it felt as if he were only moving in place. Zidane tried not to let panic set in on him. He'd been through worse he tried to reason, but nothing really came to mind. Zidane attempted to jump, but the movement made his stomach leap into his throat as if he were falling. When he knelt down, his hand could extend beyond his feet. A cold sweat was beginning to break out across his skin.
"Zidane..." a soft voice called out. The noise echoed around him like a chasm. Still huddled to the ground, his head snapped up and his eyes searched everywhere. "Zidane... I am here..." He stood now, staring into the white abyss that greeted him. He walked a few steps but paused. Where was the voice coming from? After a moment, something began to manifest in front of him. A slender hand reaching out. As if pushing itself into the void he found himself trapped in. An arm began to follow after, covered in a form fitting black sleeve. Zidane took a few steps back, his face pensive, his brow knitted together. Slowly, the shoulder appeared, uncovering a shawl of several shades of pink. Zidane now came closer.
"Mikoto...?!"
And then there she was, as if she completely appeared just upon his recognition. Her braided blond hair, her cerulean blue eyes, her clear complexion - they were all so vibrant in the whiteness that surrounded them. She looked at him with a seriousness. It was so grave, it alarmed him. Her eyes shimmered as she looked at him. After a beat, she reached forward. The beads in her hair clacked together as her soft hand came to brush along his sticky, marred face. "Look at you..." she whispered, almost seemingly hurt for him. "You are about to break..."
Mikoto's touch felt so real against him, warm and distinguished. "Where are we?" His eyelashes fluttered, looking to her with urgency. "Where is everyone else? Mikoto, what is going on?"
"Do not panic," she replied, stepping away from him with ease. It was clear Mikoto was not afraid of the abyss. "Everything can be fixed."
"But how?" Zidane threw his arms out at his side, not daring to take a step in her path. "Don't you see how deep we're in?! Someone is going to die, Mikoto. And I'll never forgive myself if it's not me."
"You have been a pessimist since your return," Mikoto folded her hands in front of her. "You never give yourself credit. Zidane, you cannot doubt yourself in a time like this. Your friends need you. Gaia does, too."
"But how can I do anything when I'm trapped here!?" His voice echoed around him into the nothingness. "I don't know where my friends are. I... I don't know what they're doing."
"You are panicking," Mikoto turned back towards him, slowly cocking her head to the side. "You have to take a moment. Evaluate the scene. Then... you must be stronger than it."
"Stronger than what?" Zidane was exasperated at this point. "There's not even a scene to evaluate, Mikoto. Look at where we are!"
She was still calm and collected as she approached Zidane again. "You have to be stronger than your enemies, Zidane. There is a reason you run away from all of it. You are scared. You doubt yourself. You are the reason you are broken and marred and all the other names they give you. It is time to lay that aside. It is your turn to have what you want. You will never admit it, but you did all of this for Dagger. Maybe a little bit for yourself, but you are scared of the unknown, of what you're incapable of. And you are scared to love Dagger. That has to stop right now."
He was silent, his bright eyes intense as they looked to Mikoto. Zidane raked his hands from his face before he walked a few paces with his hands on his hips. Around him, the emptiness seemed to pulse around him. "This is bigger than me, Mikoto."
"Is it, though?" Mikoto traced his steps. "And just why is everyone here?"
Zidane paused, barely looking over his shoulder at her. She seemed concerned but 's hands were still folded in front of her, as if silently pleading Zidane to appeal to reason. He could only shake his head as he was overwhelmed by the past year of his life. Zidane remembered the endless turning of pages as he read books, made notes, and did his damnedest to create connecting points. He was also hit with the sense of loss, of desire, and of foolishness. He thought about Garnet every day, wondering what she was up to. Was he on her mind? But his self-doubt swallowed him again as he pushed himself further into research. She had to have moved on. He wasn't worth it, he reasoned.
"I can hear you thinking," her voice was soft, almost startling him.
He pressed his lips together and took a few more paces as a heat welled up inside of him. Finally, he let out a sharp sigh and turned towards Mikoto. "Okay, so I've fucked up. Really bad. I see the errors of my ways. I see the way I am. Maybe I don't understand it, but I get it; I dragged everyone down with me. I want to fix it, but... Godsdammit, I don't know how, Mikoto!"
She approached him now, pressing her slender fingers to his tense arms. "You have to allow yourself to break. Let yourself feel what you need to. Stop hiding. Stop pushing it all away. Simply let the pieces fall where they need to. You deserve it. Everyone does."
"I just told you, I don't know how," Zidane's voice was draped in exasperation and faint anger.
"When you snap out of it... you'll know what to do," Mikoto's eyes were bright as she looked at him. "I know you will. You always do."
Slowly, she began to back away from him. Mikoto kept her gaze on him for as long as possible before she started to turn away. Zidane watched her tensely as the void of whiteness engulfed the person he had come to trust the most. After she disappeared, Zidane let out a tense sigh and again raked his hands through his hair. He then pressed his hands to his hips and looked up towards the nothingness around him. Zidane squeezed his eyes shut, letting out a tense breath.
...
At the Eidolon Wall, Garnet's hands were trembling against the ground and she kept her chin tilted down. Her concentration was breaking fast. Just barely beyond her bangs, she saw the black and purple flurries winding together, aimed directly at the back of Eiko. The young girl herself was also petrified in fear as she dug her palms into the ground. Eiko's thoughts were no longer linear. They were a jumbled mess of incoherent cries for help. It was utter desperation as she felt her mental guard falling, an energy circling around her, sucking away any of the bravery she had had minutes before. Slowly, Eiko's shaky hands came to rest on top of Garnet's and she looked at the queen like it was the end of the world.
"He has all the power..." Eiko whispered. "The Eidolon Wall's connection to the pulse is practically shattered." Garnet gasped sharply as she watched Kuja rear his arm back. She then closed her eyes and heard the explosion around them. Garnet's entire body was shaking as she slowly opened her eyes again. Her breath was uneven as she realized the shell still surrounded them. Eiko also cautiously looked around them. "You drew off me," Eiko was absolutely stunned. "You used my power to use your power."
"Maybe we still have a chance," Garnet's fingers wrapped around Eiko's slender hand. "If we can't use the sacred ground, we have to become it."
In the next moment, Kuja knelt down beside them, cocking his head coyly to the side as he peered in at the petrified young girls. "The insightful nature of you two never ceases to amaze me. But it's quite humorous you think you can simply leap the power of the planet, as if you're stronger. How dearly misguided. How unimaginably vain."
"Don't look at him," Garnet whispered. "Keep your eyes on our hands, Eiko."
"I didn't work this hard to return to be ignored," Kuja struck his hands against the shell. Garnet's brow twitched as she felt a ripple through her concentration. "None of you have changed. None of you have learned a thing!" Kuja stood and delivered a powerful kick into their protection. "Why do you even work so hard if afterward you do nothing to sustain it? Is it me with the problem...? Or is it really you?" Kuja raised his hand, firing a bolt from his palm. Inside, Eiko and Garnet shuttered, their muscles stiffening. Slowly, Garnet was growing lightheaded as she struggled to sustain her power. The chains on Kuja's boots jingled back and forth as he slowly paced across the crumbling space of the Eidolon Wall. Eiko glanced his direction before she reached for Garnet's elbows. She closed her eyes, trying her best to take the burden on. Kuja pushed his ashen hair from the frame of his face before he turned towards the rubble he had just created. He then walked forward, using his foot to push the rocks aside until he uncovered the unconscious Liam. The young engineer's face was covered in dark, grimy crimson blood. A deep gash was above his brow. Kuja knelt down and grabbed hold of his tunic, dragging him out. His sword clattered out of the wreckage as Kuja pulled him free, dropping him carelessly to the ground again.
Garnet's hands tightened around the young girl, her heart hammering in her chest. "Eiko... he's going to kill Liam."
"Not if you focus," Eiko kept her eyes shut, the blood in her veins throbbing hotly against her skin.
Kuja tilted Liam's head back and forth. For a fleeting moment, Liam's eyes fluttered, but he remained unconscious. "I've never seen this fool before," Kuja looked over his shoulder towards the shell. "Why have you even toted him after you? He's useless. Not a single special thing about him." Kuja leaned over Liam.
Garnet kept her eyes closed, trying her hardest to stayed focused. But inside, she was attacked by the reality of having to tell Regent Cid, Hilda, and worst of all, Shari, that Liam was never coming back. She was losing a leader's highest ranked engineer and a woman's beloved baby boy. And it would be nothing but all her fault. The past weeks of her life were whirling around her, beating off the walls of the suffocating shimmers surrounding her. From the other side, Kuja pursed his lips, dismayed by their internal fear. He wanted nothing more than for it to all come gushing out. He wanted tears, he wanted pleas for salvation. Kuja wanted them to beg. He grabbed Liam by his collar and hoisted him up in the air. In his other hand, the flurries began to spawn again, swirling like chaos from the tips of his fingers.
"Will you stay in your little bubble or will you come out and fight what you have sowed?" Kuja's voice was sharp as it cut through the misty air. At the end of his arm, Liam was beginning to return to the scene. His ears were pierced with a high noise and his vision was blurry. He felt absolutely weightless. "There is no more rooms for heroes," Kuja then scoffed, shaking his head. "If only you could call yourselves that. You were never heroes. You simply got lucky." Liam brought his hands up to grip Kuja's wrist, uselessly pedaling his legs. Kuja grinned. "Welcome back. Just in time for you to see your grandest mistake; trusting these people." The energy was ruminating in his hand, practically vibrating. "Tell me, Liam... do you still love her?"
Liam let out a ragged cough, his frayed and dusty gloves digging into Kuja's wrist. He didn't let up, however, his arm not even trembling as he held the grown man outward. "Manipulative... bastard," Liam wheezed.
"Well? What is your answer?" Kuja lifted his radiating palm and Liam cringed away from it.
"And why should I tell you what you want to hear?"
"Maybe I'm an understanding creature," Kuja told him. "Maybe I want to root for you, Sir Liam Winters. You deserve happiness, after all. These people have done nothing but suck the life from you." Slowly, Liam's bloodshot eyes turned onto the radiating shell where Eiko and Garnet shook and held each other, their eyes pinned shut, their chins tucked down. When would answers come? Where was there break in the tide? This violence was unmatched to anything he had ever read. "You do love her, I can tell." Liam's eyes snapped back to Kuja's smug grin. "Leave it to my little brother to destroy everything."
"Brother...?" Liam's voice was raspy.
In the next moment, however, a pluck was heard and Liam crashed to the ground as Kuja staggered. The sorcerer let out an agitated shout as he pulled an arrow from his lower back. Black ooze gushed down onto his white waist coat. Liam's hands scratched across the gravel as he lifted his head, seeing Freya, Amarant, and Steiner standing in the entrance of the Eidolon Wall. The Captain's face was contorted in pure anger, possibly even vengeance, as he lowered his crossbow. Kuja snapped the arrow in half, carelessly dropping it to the ground.
"Ah, so the little rag tag team returns. And heavily armed, I see."
"We don't give up so easily," Freya told him before deftly taking to the air. She faked a javelin throw and then spiraled effortlessly to miss Kuja's rampage of bolts. Meanwhile, Amarant cocked his crossbow back, watching the distracted Kuja. His boots kicked up dust as he came to stand beside Eiko and Garnet's protective shield. His massive arm than came out, effortlessly firing off a series of bolts. One struck Kuja in the arm, the other two just barely skimming him.
"Nows your chance," Amarant's gruff voice said, looking through the fishbowl at the summoners. "If you're going to do something amazing, it's time."
Kuja let out another furious yell as he ripped the arrow from his body again. He ground his teeth together. Soundlessly, Freya landed on top of the Eidolon Wall. At the entrance, Steiner was busy loading himself more ammo. "You think this is enough to stop me?!" Kuja's voice was enraged, his ashen hair falling across his manic face. "Do you really think you can stop me again when, through Astrid, I have become the planet?! You terribly misguided fools! How can you save the planet when you can't even save yourself?!" In the next moment, a large flurry of energy formed in his palm, reaching beyond his fingers. It was like slow motion as he turned it on Liam, who was still stunned and laying on the ground. Kuja's fury raged out of him, but just before all his true anger could unfold, he found himself on his knees, his wrists bound to the ground by the crossing of two daggers. When his eyes looked up, Zidane was only inches from him.
Zidane flashed him grin before he jerked his elbow up sharply. The blow had Kuja falling over, black ooze splattering across the crumbling rocks. Kuja rubbed at his lips for a moment before he did a back handspring, narrowly avoiding Zidane's hurried slashes. Kuja's boots jingled as the mist and dust swirled around him. His fingers tensed and the electricity of his anger ran across the tips. Zidane straightened up, giving Kuja a stony look. His face was also dried with blood, his lips cracked, his eyebrow split. The people surrounding him were grimy and beat up, but still they all stood with their shoulders squared against their adversary. After a beat, Kuja managed to procure a smile. Zidane kept his eyes on him as he leaned over, offering a hand to Liam.
"Can you stand?" Liam looked at his forlorn sword just a few feet from him. Cautiously, he took the hilt into his grasp before looking back up at Zidane. What a hellish nightmare this was becoming. And yet, his stitched together team still rose to the occasion. Finally, Liam nodded, grabbing hold of Zidane's wrist. He wobbled a bit as he came to his feet before slowly holding the sword out in front of him. This only seemed to have Kuja even more amused. "There's a weak spot," Zidane's voice was low as he stood beside Liam. "There always is."
"Yes, but what is it?" Liam's dark, bloody gaze remained on the electrified man. His head hurt tremendously and his body felt like it was crumbling apart. Somehow, though, he was still on his feet.
Zidane's cerulean eyes darted everywhere, looking between the pockets of mist at his tired comrades. The shell surrounding Eiko and Garnet was waning. There was no power in the Eidolon Wall. Kuja was single handedly sucking it all away as the mist drifted past them in his direction. But he wasn't the source. No, Zidane shake his head, Kuja was just a vessel. A vessel of Astrid. And she was the product of something far greater. Zidane furrowed his brow as he looked to Kuja, who seemed to be charging with each passing second. The shifting of crossbows were heard again as Amarant and Steiner both raised their arms, ready for the stand still to come unwound.
"The Iifa Tree..." Zidane whispered, almost breathless.
"What?" Liam furrowed his brow before he cringed at his open wound. Fresh blood dribbled down his cheek. Her silver bangs were faint crimson red, her hands cut in all sorts of ways.
"The Iifa Tree," Zidane said again. "That's where the power is. It's not here. When the souls overwhelmed the seedling of the tree, it burst again and new vines were reborn. We destroy it, we stop the planet's hoarding of death and instead recycle it, like it was meant to be."
"But... wasn't it once a facilitator of the recycling of souls?"
"Yes, but not with these souls," Zidane's face was icy cold as he watched Kuja. The man seemed to be enjoying the stand off. "If we recycle their souls properly, the Iifa Tree can thrive. It can't do anything with vengeance, jealousy, and greediness."
Liam's fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword. "Then what do you propose?"
Slowly, Zidane lifted his daggers and Kuja's grin became wider, waiting for whatever tricks the team had. "Just follow my lead," Zidane told him. The blond haired man cast a quick glance to his awaiting teammates. "Steiner, Amarant, now!" In a split second, Zidane rolled forward beneath the projectile arrows. Freya leapt and with all her vested power, she called upon her Dragoon energy, sending dozens of spirited blue spears down to rain on Kuja. Smoke and dust rose in the space again. Liam back pedaled as Amarant and Steiner charged forward. He skirted around the mayhem, watching Zidane approach the shell. He gave it a good kick, uncovering a stunned Garnet and Eiko. Immediately, he swooped down, gathering Garnet into his arms. "Liam, get Eiko. Let's go!"
Behind them, Freya had landed a blow against Kuja, who was riddled with black gashes, lacerated by spears, and sporting several arrows lodged into his body. He threw his merciless attacks out, sending Freya into a crooked pillar. It fell over with her and she was quick to recover, darting forward with incredible speed. Amarant side stepped as he reloaded his crossbow with ease. Steiner swung his sword up, just skimming Kuja's chest. The ashen haired man sent himself backwards and brought both hands together to build an incredible display of angered energy. Kuja sent it straight for Steiner. The Captain gasped strongly, turning his sword to swirl at an angle. He focused all his thought into the flick of his wrists, trying to copy Beatrix's method. The blade cut through a portion of the magic, but in the next beat, Steiner was on his back, his arm searing with a sizzling burn. Amarant cast a look Steiner's way before he lifted his crossbow again and fired with no hesitation. One struck Kuja in the collarbone and he faltered for a moment, his menacing eyes practically pulsating in his skull.
Amarant lowered his weapon, glancing down at Steiner who was finding his means to sit up. "Well, that's gonna scar."
"It's over, Kuja," Freya told him sharply, poising herself with her javelin. Her once elegant silk Dragoon coat was now frayed, torn, and covered in dust.
Kuja straightened up and brought his shoulders back, a look of total defiance smeared across his face. Slowly, his black stained hand reached up to where the arrow was lodged just beneath his neck. He ripped it free and immediately the gash began spurting and oozing out. Kuja didn't even twitch as he held his arm out, dropping the arrow as if it were nothing. Everyone there tried to their best to hide the certain unsettling feeling they felt creeping through their stomachs.
"Why... this is only act one, my friends."
...
General Beatrix handed her duffel bag off to the awaiting crew men. All around, there were shouts as Regent Cid directed everyone like an orchestra. The old leader braced himself entirely for the true trial of the Blue Rose. He held his confidence outright, but inside, he felt a dozen men's life teetering on his very soul. He double and triple checked everything in the wake of his team. Cid tugged on knots, he checked the viscosity of the fluids, he gave the oil pans a kick. Cid climbed the ladder above the bridge's commander center and inspected the emergency tarps in the event of a double engine failure. His mustache bristled above his lips as he came to a stop, his velvet cave waving behind him in the breeze of the Alexandrian Airship Dock. Down below, Hilda was coming across the plank onto the deck. In her arms was the pudgy baby of Beatrix and Steiner. Addam seemed quite fascinated with everything around him. Beatrix had been giving orders to a few men, but did a double take when she saw her approaching child. Her curls bobbed as she came to meet Hilda just as her boots made contact with the finely sanded boards.
"Lindblum has been called. A ship should be here for you in the next two hours," Beatrix told her. "I cannot thank you enough for taking refuge of my son."
Hilda glanced to Addam, gently brushing his chestnut hair from his face. "He's in good hands, darling. I promise."
Beatrix's lips were tight. "I know."
Addam gave the Lady's pearl necklace a pull for a moment before finding interest in the lace of her sweetheart neckline. "Just bring them home, General. Please. There were already too many worried mother's. Now we're adding you to that list."
"Well," Beatrix lowered her eyes to her child. "I don't have to worry about my son."
"But you have to worry about his father," Hilda's eyes were grim. Despite always finding a silver lining, Lady Hilda was not coming up with much at all. She only hoped Addam would be a good distraction from all the events that had unfurled against her will. "You two must be careful, darling. If there is even the slightest hesitation in the ship's capability, promise me you will turn around and not tempt fate."
"Lady Hilda..." Beatrix sighed, shifting between her boots. "We already have a laundry list of missing people. Very important people."
"Then don't add yours," Hilda seemed almost strained. "What good are you doing for the Captain or Eiko or even Garnet if you're gone, too?"
"Please," the General reached forward, gripping Hilda's elbows. "Do not make me promise anything."
"At least say goodbye to your son for now," Hilda said, slowly leaning forward with the baby. Energetically, Addam held both his little hands out to Beatrix, practically melting her heart. Tenderly, she took him into her arms, placing her hand behind his head and bringing his chin to rest on her shoulder. She bobbed back and forth with him, taking a few steps towards the bow of the magnificently crafted airship. Addam enjoyed the snuggles. He loved his mother's touch. Beatrix squeezed her eyes shut as she pressed her cheek against the side of his soft curly hair.
Life had a funny way about it, the General thought as she cuddled her son close. Never would she think the Alexandrian throne would have no one to sit upon it. Nor that her friend's and her husband would be missing in action for so long. And never in a million years did she think she'd be clinging to her own flesh and blood as if it were the end of the world and everything she knew. Addam gripped at her, pleased with the contact. Beatrix sighed as she felt warm tears stinging her eyes. When Addam leaned back, she wanted to go into a fit. He was the spitting image of Steiner. In just a few years and a couple growth spurts, she was certain they would be identical. He reached up curiously to touch the streaks her tears left behind. Quietly, Beatrix sniffled and ran her knuckles against his cheek.
"Baby, you're going somewhere new for now," Beatrix told him with a scratchy voice. "Unfortunately, mommy and daddy can't be there with you. But know that you're loved and you'll have everything under the sun at your disposal. We'll be together again soon. You, me, your father, and... your new little sibling..." Beatrix felt another wave of emotion come over her as she placed her hand to her abdomen below. The tiniest of a swell was beginning to grow noticeable to her, yet it remained invisible to everyone around her. Beatrix pressed her forehead to Addam's. "I love you so much. Your father does, too. Be a good little boy for me, like you always are."
"General Beatrix," Regent Cid approached from behind and she quickly removed her hand from her stomach. "The engines are stable and warm. It's time."
"Right," Beatrix's voice was rigid. She concealed her tears quickly, planting a kiss on Addam's forehead. She then turned, handing her baby over to the concerned looking Lady Hilda.
"Engage cooling fans!" Cid's voice boomed through the high vaulted ceilings, marching off with a clear mind to do a clean job. "Disengage tethers and set marks for power level two!"
Hilda pressed her hand to Beatrix's arm. "Good luck, darling. We are all rooting for you."
And with that, her boots thunked against the deck as she saw herself to the board walk where crew members were ready to disembark. Beatrix watched with dark glistening eyes as Addam bobbed in the woman's arms, essentially leaving her world. The General cleared her throat and turned towards the bow of the ship. Beneath her, she felt a great vibration as the Blue Rose came to life. Moments later, the dock filled with steam and the airship lurched forward. The air brushed all of Beatrix's hair back and she cringed against the daylight as the ship departed from the Alexandrian Castle. It seemed to take little effort for the ship to reach altitude and with all its power, the landscape beneath was becoming a blur.
Steiner, I'm coming.
...
Just north of Madain Sari, what used to be flat plains obstructed only by distant mountain ranges, had become a tangled world of dried, reaching vines, looking for any sort of life to thrive in. Zidane hacked through what he could, but otherwise, he, Garnet, Eiko, and Liam climbed and ducked underneath the rest. Eiko was completely unsettled as they got closer and closer to where the Iifa Tree once thrived and flourished. She had known those lands for nearly her entire life. But it all seemed forlorn and utterly heartbreaking in that moment. The dried roots were a testament that Gaia had not yet healed. Garnet's head was in complete turmoil. In front of her, leading the way, was almost a ghost of her past. She still couldn't believe Zidane was here in that moment with her. She felt utterly overwhelmed. But one look at Liam had Garnet's insides turning out. He was marred, bruised, and bloody. She imagined she looked that bad herself. But the internal confliction that she had manifested it upon him waged on inside of her.
Zidane came to an abrupt stop as his boot crunched down. The mist was becoming thicker. He furrowed his brow, tilting his chin up. "We're close," his voice was even and calm despite the intensity flaring up inside of him. He felt his skin pucker in goosebumps as he could only see a few steps in front of him. Zidane was feeling something but he was unclear of what. Those familiar headaches were starting to fade in on him.
"Zidane..." his name almost seemed foreign in her mouth as Garnet came to stand beside him. Her head was also beginning to throb, her muscles tensed. "What are we supposed to do?"
His face was unmoving as he looked into the mist. It was an adversary once again, it seemed. "You feel the energy, don't you?"
Behind them, Eiko pressed her hand to her temple, reaching for a vine for support. Immediately, Liam knelt down. "Are you alright?"
"Eiko?" Garnet and Zidane turned around quickly.
"It's so weird..." Eiko's voice was scratchy as she shook her head. "The seal's been gone for years. The Iifa Tree barely even exists. But somehow... it has the same power as the Eidolon Wall..."
Zidane pursed his lip as he lowered himself down to Eiko. Her cheeks were red. She seemed feverish. When he glanced to Garnet, she seemed the same. "We all know what's going on, Eiko."
"The cycle... it's so messed up," the young girl shook her head as a barrage of whispers passed by her horn. "Nothing is where it's supposed to be."
"We have to disrupt it," Zidane said, glancing over his shoulder as if something would manifest from the mist. "It will set things straight."
Eiko slowly opened her eyes to look at the person she admired most. He was bloody and exhausted, but that did not detract from what she thought of him. To Eiko, Zidane would always be her hero, her savior. No matter what he did, she would always believe in him, as she did in that exact moment. Eiko's vision was somewhat fuzzy as Zidane reached out, brushing her hair from her warm face.
"I can feel it," Zidane was quiet now. "Astrid's curse. The way we each saw the visions... this is where it all started..."
"How do we stop it for good?" Garnet asked, her nose and cheeks growing warm as the mist wafted over her. She also found herself leaning into a vine. She pressed her hand to Zidane's shoulder. Surprisingly, his hand came around her waist and she came to her knees, pressing herself into him. Liam raked his knotted, blood crusted hair from the frame of his face, watching as the mist kept changing directions and coming over them thicker and thicker. He was growing antsy with every passing moment.
"It's going to be painful," Zidane said, pressing his palm flat against Garnet. For a fleeting moment, he heard violins and drums, their feet in step. He closed his eyes for a moment as a rush of blood came over him. "But we have to get to the middle. We have to stop this."
"Steiner? Freya? Amarant?" Eiko's eyes were almost doe-like. Zidane reached out, wrapping his other arm around the young lady and pulling her to his side.
"They'll hold out for us," Zidane replied, his head pulsating more and more as the mist snaked around his shoulders. "They know what to do."
Liam gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, standing up and crunching the dry shriveled vines below him. No matter where he turned, he didn't know which way he was looking. Together, Garnet and Eiko pressed into Zidane, their heads vibrating with a pain they knew but still were unfamiliar with. Just meters away, the fate of the world sat. But nobody knew the entirety of what exactly that entailed. Garnet closed her eyes, pressing her forehead against Zidane's neck. Protectively, his hand ran along her knotted onyx hair. It sent a ripple through her soul.
But was it too late?