Fan Fiction ❯ The Goddess Sagas ❯ Grail of Rebirth ( Chapter 57 )

Chapter 3: Grail of Rebirth.

Squall groaned, he could feel pain tingling throughout his whole body. His head felt swimmy, and he feared opening his eyes. Or maybe it wasn't fear that kept them close, but the fact they were heavy as though he was in some kind of deep slumber, or was just given a strong tranquilizer. Or maybe...he didn't want to open them. Though, just like his eyes, his feelings were heavy as well, and could not really tell what he himself was thinking at the moment....except...that there was thick darkness all around him. He could feel evil clutching it's fist around his body taking away his breath. He felt as though life it's self was seeping out of him.

"Squall!"

He groaned, he had heard this voice somewhere often before...it was very familiar...but in his state it was hard for him to categorize it in his mind.

"Squall!! Somebody!! Anybody!! Can anyone hear me!? Anyone at all!?"

`That voice...it couldn't be....' Squall's drowsy mind began to work, trying to figure out if he was dreaming or not...or maybe he was just...dead.

"Squall!! Are you hear!? Please answer me!"

The voice was distant, as if coming from far away, but loud enough to be close by.

"HELP!!!!" The voice sounded desperate now, a screech of pure fright which caused Squall to jump forward, eyes fully open. There was no denying it now. He knew who that scream belonged too. He pushed himself to his feet, looking around wildly. His eyes darted around in the darkness. He wasn't really focusing on anything now, but he saw a light on in a small house in the distance and he dashed forward, throwing opened the door.

Lemon was huddled in the corner, trembling, forehead bleeding, a stream of blood trailing down his cheek. Squall saw to his horror two of the beasts he saw earlier, which had attacked him out side had cornered Lemon, pinned him up against the wall as they advanced on him. Crosses between human, wolf and bear...savage beasts, their red eyes glistening in blood lust as they approached Lemon.

The vampire probably was not aware of Squall presents yet, being froze in terror, and the man-beast watched puzzled as Lemon did a very clumsy looking strike at the beast with his fist. Even fear would not of blinded the boy that much, but as Lemon brought his claws down all Squall could see was him attacking thin air, missing the beast by a good few inches, But if that was not strange enough the beast drew back with a growl as if actually hurt. But Lemon didn't even actually touch it, did he?

"Lemon!!" He called out not waiting any longer to rush to his aid he dashed forward, kicking one of the beasts away. The vampire looked up at him threw large shocked eyes, still pale and trembling, looking to frightened to move. Squall pounded the beasts until they both shriveled up and died. Shockingly, they weren't nearly as tuff as they were before outside the orpahnage. They didn't revive. Thye weren't...they weren't trying very hard this time...afterall, they laready suceeded to bringing him and Lemon to this place, wheverever it was.

"Squall!" Lemon sobbed, now mobile again, pushing himself upward and running into his lovers arms sobbing. Gently Squall held him close, allowing him to cry, running his fingers threw his short pale hair, just glad he was alive.

He could not discribe the relife he felt. When Pan first informed him that Lemon was possibily dead he felt his heart shatter into millions of little fragments. He felt horrible and lost...pain...still as he held Lemon right now in his arms, he dreeded life without him, and maybe if he had just arrived a few moments later Lemon would of been struck down right hear. Thank goodness the gaurdians of time were on his side.

Lemon pushed away slightly, gazeing up at him with tearful and swollen violet eyes, the whites ringed red.

"...It so horrible...so horrible hear!!"

"Lemon......"

"I was pulled under the ground by vines and I woke up in this place all alone...I was walking around, trying to find my way out...trying to find something, someone when I saw this little girl...She ran away and I tried to fallow her. She came in hear, but she disappeared like a phantom and those two, burnt...burnt up creatures attacked me!"

"Burnt up creatures?" Squall blinked confused.

"You saw them!!" Lemon exclaimed desperately, voice a mixture between a little frightened and a little angry.

"...I didn't see anything burnt up, I saw...beasts...horrible beasts..."

Lemon looked stunned. "What? I guess that explains why you was hitting thin air so much...but it seemed like they still got hurt...what's going on!?"

Squall blinked twice in surprise. "Just like what Pan said!"

"What!?"

"Pan said." Squall began. "That she saw creatures made of legs and slimy wet skin, Colt saw creatures shaped like teeth and tables. Lime saw nothing but a shadow...and I see horrible beasts. You saw burnt up people?"

"Burnt up people, mostly children and dogs. They are all burnt and bloody. It horrifies me to look at them!...Wait...now that you mentioned it. When we were attack up in the woods, Gau told me he saw woman, rotting flesh hanging off of their bones. I thought he was crazy at first, or just blind but...I guess there is more to it then that. Squall where are the others? What happened? Is Pan and Lime safe!?"

"Shhh, Lem, clam down." Squall tried to comfort his distressed looking lover. "I too was brought hear by vines. Before I got pulled under I witnessed Parfait, and Carrie get pulled down by vines also. Lima, Rose, Gabriel, and Colt disappear into black smoke. I didn't see what happened to Ryan or Mimi or to our children..."

"We got to find them!"

"But just where are we? We can't find anyone not knowing where we are."

"........." Lemon looked at the ground, a hurt expression on his face. "We can't leave them out there...."

"Look." Squall tried to comfort. "I'm sure they'll be all right for a little while, remember our friends are all pretty strong, and for some reason, I don' think Pan or Lime is hear. I just can feel it in my heart."

"I can feel that Panny and Limey aren't hear too, but we have to find the others! We can't leave them all alone out there!!"

The way Lemon pointed at the door that lead outside, looked as though he was pointing to the passage way to hell it's self. There was a terrified look in Lemon's eyes which frightened Squall. Frightened him alot. He knew Lemon had seen alot of horrible things, just in the battle with Saiyoua alone, not counting that oful things he must of seen in his over three thousand years life span, and the way he looked now is as though he never seen something more horrible then what was outside that door. As he had ran towards the house in the distance, to where he heard his lover scream for help, he blocked everything else from his mind, so he really had no idea what was out there. Was it really so horrible outside? What was wrong out there?

Silently he pulled away from Lemon who made no effort to move as the man-beast opened the door of the house and stepped out.

What he saw explained just why Lemon was so frightened. It was....a living nightmare. Everything in the distance and they sky it's self was pitch black. But not a natural darkness, a choking blackness, mist and fog blanketing the area for miles around. He looked around himself, he seemed to be in a little city, however buildings were crumbled, bodies scattered the ground. The ground...it wasn't ground at all!! But metal rusty grating. Dispite common sense he smelt the air, and was over come with the smell of blood, decay and death. He felt arms wrap around his waste, and jumped slightly, bur relax for he knew whom these arms were from, and it wasen't an attack, it was a light little hug, the ever so needed and wanted comforting embrace of Lemon, as the young boy leaned his head on his black, weeping. It was now more then ever Squall was glad that Lemon would cry to him when he was sad or frightend, because right now, he was scared to, and at least by comfrting his trembling lover, he could try and remain calm and appear strong. But right now...he just wanted to be the comforter and the comforted. It was all so frightening...

"It's so horrible Squall...look up at the sky. Oisa replaces the sun."

The man-beast followed his gaze, face taking on a pained expression. Oisa was indeed overhead, replacing the sun which could of shed some light on this horrible world!

"What kind of hell is this?" The man beast mumbled, before turning around to face Lemon. "Lets try and find someone...maybe the others are also wandering around this...horrible place."

"I hope...I hope for their sake, they aren't. But if they are, I hope they are all right."

******************************

Carrie groaned, rolling over on to her stomach, as she tried to push herself up off of the rusty metal grating ground. Her body felt as though it weighed a ton, but forced herself to her knees with a groan. She tried to get to her feet but the pain and weakness was to strong and she just sat there unmoving for a few moments, just breathing heavily.

"Where am I? Colt! Ein! Mimi! Anyone!?" She called out, groaning and whimpering out in pain as she stood onto wobbly legs. She looked around herself, face dawning a disgusted and frightened expression as she stared at the darkness and horribly twisted and disgusting little town. Infront of her was this tall building, a light flickered inside and slowly she stumbled towards it, gazeing up at the sign that hung over the door.

"Kelly's Bar..." She read, hearing her voice for the first time since she woke, it was raspy and her throat was sore. Swallowing down heavily she stepped inside. It was faintly lit, some people sat around at the table, drinking, a lost look in their eyes. It was silent and quite dispite the crowd, and no one even seemed to be noticing anything. In the faint dim light, near the corner of the room, she could see Parfait, standing back turned to her, staring at a dead man laying at her feet, bloody, his heart pierced. The demon-half was breathing in heavily, breasts heaving up and down as if she was hyperventilating.

"P...Parfait." Carrie called out to her concerned, reaching an hand out towards her. The younger woman twisted around, eyes wide in fear. She was trembling all over.

"I..I didn't mean too!!" She cried out, burying her face in her hands, eyes haunting and frightened. "I just saw him coming at me, I...I thought he was a bad guy...I didn't know...I...I killed him."

Carrie looked down at the man, bleeding on the floor, face twisted in pain, brown hair damp with his own red essence, brown eyes staring dim at the ceiling. She looked back at the girl who looked like she was in some sort of shock, tears shining in her wide eyes.

"Parfait you did this?"

The other woman just sobbed and began to cry loudly. "I didn't mean too! I just...I just thought he was a monster...I...I made a mistake."

"Now...Par...don't worry. We all make mistakes you know that."

Say what you will, but yours wasn't a mistake, was it Carrie?

The Fernandez girl turned a little funny in the face, and glanced around herself looking a little confused. `I must be imagining something, but I could swear I heard someone say my name.'

"...Y...Your right, Carrie...your right." Parfait began to calm down. "It...it was a accident."

"Hey Par, do you have any idea where we are? I mean...I remember being grabbed by those vines and then I woke up hear. But where is here?"

"I'd tell you if I knew, believe me."

Carrie turned her head to look at the men and woman who sat still at the tables. The only movements they made were to take long mournful drinks out of their mugs.

"What about them?"

"Them?" The demon-half shook her head. "They don't say a word. It's like they are dead, all they do is drink."

Drown in your depression

"They don't say anything? Well, if we---"

"You could threaten to butcher them, they don't even blink."

Carrie looked disturbed as she watched the people just stare off into empty space. They all seemed so...so...lost...alone...troubled...sad...worried....all of those things mixed into one but being detached from all. They looked...they looked....

Broken

Carrie and Parfait jumped, looking around the bar before looking back at each other.

"Did you hear something?"

"....Carrie lets go. I'm...I'm getting scared. Maybe the others are around hear somewhere."

"...Y...Yeah, your right. "

************************************

The two women were leaving the bar when they saw a little girl giggling, dancing around in the center of the street, holding a doll in her arms. Her ash-blond hair was done up in a loose little pony-tail, she was wearing a white shirt underneath a pair of red overalls, she seemed to be seven, maybe six years old. She seemed to noticed them and turned to look at them through bright blue eyes.

"Oh, so it's more of you people!" She sniffed, her voice that of a bratty and spoiled little child.

"More of you people?" Carrie blinked. "You saw others around hear? Our friends?"

"I don't know." The girl crossed her arms, smirking teasingly. "Maybe I did."

"H...Hey...if you know where are friends are, please tell us...besides, this is no place for a little girl to be." Parfait began, only to get a scowl from the girl.

"Huh? Are you blind or something?"

"You saw are friends, tell us where?" Carrie approached the little girl slowly, as not to scare her away.

"Whatcha going to do if I don't tell you? Chase after me like your stupid vampire friend did?" She retorted.

"Lemon? You saw him? Where?"

"Why would I tell you? My father said you were bad people. I'm not telling you anything!"

"What?" Parfait looked genuinely confused.

"What did you mean by that---oww!!" Carrie whimpered as she was kicked in the shin and the child ran off, disappearing into the darkness. When I said disappeared though, I meant vanished...like a ghost.

*************************************

"So...How is everything going, Soya?"

"Master, is seems like the old heroes has vanished, and this Neo group said something about something being up in the sky. They are also searching for the shards. They got one, but don't worry, I will get it along with the 49 others hidden on Gaia for you."

"I knew I could count on you."

"I thank you my lady for you kind words. I think it is important I inform you that six of this group traveled to earth."

"....Hmmm, don't worry, Eijiro, and his four teammates Kaneo, Matarou, Santiago and Aimi will take care of them, they are searching for the shards hear on earth."

"I understand...that girl was also there. Do you wish for her to be captured right away?"

"No...Let her become stronger, the more strong she is the better. Allow her to grow more powerful, but I'll make sure she is pushed to her limits and if she dies then...she wouldn't be any good to us anyway. Now get started looking for the next shard."

"Yes master!"

************************************

Mimi laid still and unmoving. She could feel a comfy bed laying underneath her form, and she could feel the cushioned mattress pricking the skin on her back through her nuns clothing. As she felt it, her hat was no longer on her head and her hair was fanned out around her. Still her body felt sore and heavy as though she was burned and just woken up from an operation of sorts, still feeling effects of some kind of sleeping drug.

She felt someone place a cloth on her forehead, it was wet with a cool water dripping from it. Her eyes slowly fluttered opened and her eyes became small as she gasped in alarm and pure disbelief.

"......It's you!"

*****************************************

"Squall look!" Lemon exclaimed as he stopped walking, and pointed towards Carrie and Parfait who began to run towards them, both looking over joyed.

"Lemon, Squall!" Carrie cried out happily. "I'm so glad to see you!"

"This place is so horrible, I thankful more of our friends are hear with us. If it were just Carrie and I, I don't we would of gotten far."

Lemon smiled weakly. "I was starting to worry of the same thing about Squall and I, we all work together better in battles and journeys as a team, not a duo."

"Did you girls find anything out? See anyone else?"

"No, Squall." Carrie shook her head. "Nothing very helpful, except for a bar filled with people who are just living corpse and a snotty little brat of a girl who disappeared like a ghost."

"You saw her too!?" Lemon looked surprised. "She ran off and lead me to a house where I was attacked, it was like she knew monsters was in there."

"I really don't think she likes us, she said something about her father saying `we were bad people.' " Parfait repeated.

"Hmmmm...." Lemon frowned. "What does her father know!? We're bad people? We saved the world for crying out loud!!"

"Forget about her for now, Lemon." Squall said seriously. " We should try and see if we can find anyone else, if we are hear then perhaps our other friends are as well."

"Yeah...." Carrie frowned worriedly. "I hope Colt and Ein are all right...."

****************************

Mimi slowly moved backwards, eyes round and wide as she stared at the figure ahead of her. Her hands gripped the blanket, her bottom lip trembling in alarm, the pupils of her large pink eyes small. Even to her own ears she could feel and hear her heart drumming loudly against her breast bone as her pulse quickened.

"Calm now Mimi." The gentle voice hushed. "You hurt yourself, don't get excited, let me fix your wounds...you have a small fever."

"You can't be...am I dreaming? or maybe I am dead? How else could I be seeing you?"

The figure laughed lightly, and warmly. "It is no a dream, and as for being dead, well ya would of if I didn't find ya! Now lay down and relax, I'll explain everything in a little while, lets just wait for Squall, Lemon, Carrie and Parfait to get hear, ok?"

Mimi shook her head slowly in disbelief. "You sound...so alive...but you can't be, can you?"

The figure just smiled at her.

*********************************

"Hey!" Parfait pointed. "Look over there!"

A man with short black hair and brown eyes stood in the darkness, a wind blowing past him. Hearing them he turned around, breathing in heavily with surprise.

"Oh my god! I don't believe it, finally someone else around hear who seems sane. This little town is really weird."

"Who are you?" Carrie question cautiously.

The man nodded his head politely. "Forgive me, I was just so excited to see someone else that I forgot my manners. My name is Katsuya."

"My name is Carrie, this is Parfait, Squall and Lemon. Could you please tell us where we are?"

"If you mean the name of this town then it is Cipper, if you mean where we are standing, what sort of hell we were brought too, then I can honestly tell you I don't know, but to tell you where I spied another one of perhaps your friends, I saw a fairy-half inside of a house, laying wounded on a bed, a boy was taking care of her, but the boy...I felt scared and frightened around him, as though he were some kind of dangerous force. He blends in this town like part of the scenery, so I did not approach. The house is down the road to the left, right beside the hardware store. "

"Mimi!" Parfait exclaimed. "She's hear too!?"

"Oh no! She might be in danger! We have to get over to that house right away." Carrie sounded frightened.

"Katsuya? How did you get hear, were you brought hear by vines, like we were?" Squall asked.

"...No....I prefer not to say. If you don't mind, I would like to continue onward, try and find some answers to happened to me...to us all. I will be seeing you around, if you decide to try and seek the truth." He began to leave when Lemon stopped him.

"Why not you come with us?"

Katsuya shook his head. "No...I feel as though I am meant to travel alone...I don't know. I just feel as though I'm suppose to, but as I said, I know we will meet again. So long for now, may you be careful on your travels. There are others hear, like us, I am sure. Keep an eye out for them, perhaps you might make allies but in this place, it may be best to...choose your friends wisely."

Katsuya walked away leaving the group to watched stunned as his form vanished into the darkness.

"Come on." Carrie said urgently. "We have to find Mimi, now!"

*******************************

"Hey, relax." The figure frowned. "I'd think you weren't happy to see me."

"O..Of course I'm happy to see you, but...how can you be hear!? Answer me!"

"......"

The door opened with a loud clatter, and Carrie followed by the others rushed into the room. All had shocked and baffled expression spread across their features.

"Oh my god...." Carrie breathed, hands going to her mouth.

"I don't believe it!" Parfait trembled, falling onto her knees, he body shaking to much to be able to stand.

"How can it be!? How are you hear!?" Lemon exclaimed, voice edging between shock, nervousness and joy.

"Are you...real?"

"Of course I am!" The figure chuckled, reaching out to shake Squall's hand in greeting. "Don't I feel real?"

"You...didn't change at all, you look like you did that day....that day..." Mimi's voice trembled. "That day you died Genki. Every detail, your hair, your eyes, your clothes...it's all the same."

The boy turned around to look at her. "I'm lucky huh? No gray hair or wrinkles for me!"

"......." Mimi looked a bit mistrustful. "Genki, how can you be hear? Tell us, please."

"What? Remember, I am a god. I can be hear if I want to. Besides, you guys are hear for a reason you know, listen as I explain it all, ok?"

"...A...all right...."

The group gathered around him, as he leaned up against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. "You see, the Oisa that Ruto destroyed was not the only Oisa...there was another one created on earth and it traveled to Gaia when my grandparents came from earth. It was rather weak however and was confined to the Capsule Corp building...where it killed the guilty and sinful, AKA, the prisoners gone mad by Centan. Somehow that evil has traveled back to earth and has grown a lot stronger, not only that but...he has...these...messengers called `Judgment' or some call `em `Pyramid head' or `red devil' who takes care of the guilty and sinful for him. The only way to destory this evil would be to...get the grail of Rebirth. Like the holy or unholy grail, the grail of rebirth can be used to seal away Oisa's power and the power of his judgment. It may be our only chance."

"The grail of rebirth..." Mimi trailed. "Where is it?"

"We need eight holy items hidden across this world, then the chosen one has to do the ritual of rebirth. Then the grail will appear. I can sense where the holy items just are just a little bit but...I can't do it myself because." Genki looked away sheepishly. " I'm not the chosen one, besides...and there is no way I could travel such a long and dangerous journey all by myself. Dispite my powers.Anyway...you guys promised years ago to help save the world again. So, will ya?"

"Of course we will Genki!" Mimi smiled up at him. "It is...so great to see you again...I missed you so much."

Genki smiled back at her. "Yeah, it's been a long time."

"But..." Carrie began, worriedly. "Where is Colt, Ein and everyone else?"

"Colt? Oh..." Genki's face darkened. "I don't know where the others are, but I know Ein along with all of your children are helping the enemy."

"What!?"

"They are being tricked into gathering the goddess stone shards! It broke into a hundred pieces and lay scattered. They are being tricked by a horrible woman and a cursed little boy into gathering the shards and reviving the goddess stone...this woman and child wish to deliver the ultimate sacrifice, a horrible and terrible revolution that will destory both planets."

The group listened to his words stunned.

"We can't let that happen! We have to warn them!" Lemon exclaimed desperate.

"We can't...we aren't anywhere near where they are. We can only hope to move quicker then them and get the grail of rebirth."

Mimi frowned, shifting uneasily, before looking back up at Genki. "You said something about a chosen one?"

Genki grinned. "Oh yes, I did, didn't I? The chosen one will also be able to sense the holy items and will be the only one able to hold them in her hands, and in the end will perform the ritual, Mimi, that chosen one is you. Understand?"

"What!? Me!? Are...are you sure, Genki?"

"Mimi, I wouldn't lie to you."

"I know...but how to you know?"

"I'm the god of the life stream! Of course I know! Try very hard not to mess up, ok Mimi, this is really important."

Mimi looked hurt for a moment before nodding her head. "I'll...I'll try my best."

Genki smiled warmly at her. "I knew you would! Mimi...to find the holy items, just raise the sword I gave you into the air and concentrate and you'll be able to find them just fine, I prefer you finding them because my powers are kind of...well....knitting my flesh back together to come hear kind of took a toll of them and I prefer to reserve my powers to fight."

"I..I understand."

Genki turned to the rest of his friends and smiled. "I know this place seems horrible, but there are still some normal people out there, and besides, frowning and worrying wont bring up our moral. Why not we...rest for the night and then come tomorrow we begin our joinery. Afterall, all of you seem a little shaken, and Mimi still has a small fever."

"Ok." The group nodded.

"Um...Genki?" Parfait shuffled her foot shyly.

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry for....killing you...."

Genki's face darkened somewhat. "You should be."

Parfait, being the only one who heard what he said looked stunned then hurt and slowly made her way from him. As one by one the group members went to rest, Genki was left alone with Mimi who gazed up at him with tearful eyes.

"Genki...."

"Yeah?"

"I..." She sobbed, hugging him around the waste, leaning her head on his chest smiling. "I'm so glad your back. I missed you so much...I still, after all this time never stopped missing you...and Genki...even after all this time, I still love you."

Genki smiled back down at her. "I...still love you to, Mimi."

Mimi took warmth in his embrace, however something flickered in her mind...something up this whole thing...this place...didn't seem right, but even so....at least Genki was hear for her...even if he did seem to of changed a little over the years. He was still the sweet innocent boy she loved sixteen years ago...wasen't he? Or did, something horrible happen to change him? She could only hope for the best, but still, at least he was hear.