Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ A New Threat To Spira ❯ Then There Were Four ( Chapter 12 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Neon Ronin 
Non Anime: Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Action / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 09.06.2004 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.1K | Visits: 274 | Status: Completed
Non Anime: Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Action / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 09.06.2004 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.1K | Visits: 274 | Status: Completed
[A/N: The usual disclaimer applies. Be aware- there is some innuendo, but nothing lemon herein. Showtime. ^_^]
12: Then There Were Four
Malar's head jerked up and his eyes went wide. "I did not just feel that," he growled, opening his right palm in front of his face. A violet gem emerged from his hand, projecting a flickering image before him. His eyes beheld an empty chamber decorated with limestone pillars, a small pedestal in the middle of the room, and little else. He snapped his fingers shut, cutting off the image abruptly as a tattoo of rage pervaded his visage.
"Impossible!" he expectorated. "There is no conceivable way her spirit would have been strong enough to break that prison! She should have been broken long before now!" He strode furiously across the remains of the Agency and kicked the door off its one remaining hinge. "That little WENCH!!!" he bellowed into the expanses of the Plains, which were once again being wracked with lightning and heavy rain. He gritted his teeth together and slammed his left forearm into the door frame, shattering the wood and a good portion of the wall as well.
"These interloping children are becoming more of a nuisance than I thought they would be," he said to himself in a low tone. His crimson eyes turned southwards, carefully surveying the indigo aura surrounding a gargantuan mass of unidentifiable roiling fiend flesh. At first glance it resembled little more than a great soft-shelled snake egg, oblong with mottled violet-gray shadings. Closer inspection revealed the trace lines of limbs within the eggs, outlines that could be interpreted as reptilian arms and legs. The conglomeration within was pulsing gently, faint movements suggesting it was breathing. A section shuddered and a menacing orange orb within slowly grew visible- an eye opening. The aura containing the egg-like mass shuddered and swelled as the egg seemed to expand and grow ever so slightly.
"It is almost time, my precious masterpiece," Malar purred dangerously. "Soon you will be ready to spearhead our revenge. In the meantime..." He made a short, sharp gesture in the direction of the nearest lightning tower, which- like most of the towers- was now covered with disgusting black polyps larger than a man. Several of the black sacs burst open, showering the ground with rancid turquoise slime. Out of the ruptured sacs sprang human-sized gargoyle-like fiends, flexing their leathery wings and breathing bluish flame from their draconic mouths. "It is time for more of you to join the fight, my beloved Wrathfangs," Malar shouted into the rain. Turning back to the mammoth egg, he opened his hand again, calling forth a different image.
"Neogas. It appears granting you dominion over the ruined castle was a good move after all. Deploy the Wrathfangs at your disposal; those meddlesome brats are making a mess of things. Kill them all." He paused for a moment. "I don't even care if the girl dies anymore. The Four must not be brought to bear on us." The image vanished and he clenched his hand as more and more of the Wrathfangs burst forth from their hatching sacs. Several stood upright and strode towards Malar, dropping to one knee as they reached him.
"Now let the hills run red." A wicked smile passed his lips.
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Yuna was only vaguely aware of the sound of running feet around her as numbness threatened to overwhelm her body. She could feel Tidus' arms cradling her and the cold winds that cut into her skin like a knife. Her whole body was shaking and it was getting hard for her to breathe. "Just hang on, it's going to be all right..." she heard him whisper in her ear; just beyond she could make out Rikku's panicked voice asking him what she could do to help. They were running along a ledge, that much she could make out from the blurred shapes around her. A quick shift in position and the wind stopped flaying her arms and legs, and she realized he had turned to shield her with his back and with the cliff wall next to them. She struggled to take a deep breath, finding it easier now that the winds were no longer directly in her face. Then suddenly the winds stopped and she could barely make out a warmth in the air that hadn't been there before.
Their pace slowed down and she felt the sensation of two sets of hands moving across her, undoing buckles and laces. With surprising speed, Rikku unlaced and yanked off her boots while Tidus detached the utility belt and side skirt at her waist. The belt fell to the ground with a clatter as her guns worked themselves loose and landed on her equipment pouch. She felt herself being hoisted into the air again, and this time she could feel Tidus' heart racing in his chest.
He strode forward into the hot spring with her in his arms, getting a short distance in before lowering her gently into the water. Tingling sensations shot through her body and she gasped for breath. "It's okay, Yuna, I'm here. It's okay. I'm not going to let anything happen to you." He shrugged his armored glove off and stroked her hair tenderly, cradling her with his right arm. Gradually her breathing returned to normal and the color returned to her face. He shifted his position so that he was sitting in the spring up to his chest and holding her on his lap. The initial shock of the hot water faded as her muscles relaxed and the bitter chills evaporated.
"Is she gonna be okay?" Rikku asked as she kneeled down by the spring, next to the two of them.
Yuna opened her eyes, looking up into Tidus' own, and broke into a smile as new tears started to form. "I... I don't think I've ever felt better in my life." She leaned back, resting her head upon his chest as he wrapped his right arm around her waist.
"Thank the Fayth; we were all worried sick, Yunie!" Rikku jumped off the ledge she was sitting on and into the spring, throwing her arms around Yuna's shoulders. "I'm so glad you're alright," she said with a lump in her throat. Yuna giggled a bit and put her right arm around Rikku's back, hugging her in return.
"Maybe you'd better give her some air, Rikku," said Paine from the side of the cavern, a bemused tone in her voice. Rikku blinked, then shook her head and loosened the hug while moving to Yuna's right side. "Sorry, guess I got a bit carried away," she said.
Yuna giggled. "Don't worry about it, Rikku." Tidus just smiled.
"I have to admit, normally when a person is soaked and has hypothermia you don't take them fully clothed into a hot spring," Paine interjected. "Normally you'd make sure that person's wet garments had a chance to dry while she warmed up."
"Hey, c'mon Paine, give him a little break, huh? So he was being a gentleman, big deal!" Rikku said, standing up in the water. Yuna started to blush furiously and she could tell Tidus was doing the same.
"I'm just saying, is all," Paine replied. "There's a time for being a gentleman and a time when you don't have a moment to consider things like decorum."
"Paine, please..." groaned Tidus. Yuna put a hand over her mouth and tried to stifle a giggle.
"Anyway, that's not important right now. There's something else we need to figure out," Paine continued, kneeling by the spring and digging a hand into her hip pocket. She produced the white lens she had procured from the chamber, which was still scintillating with a pale light.
Yuna's eyes went wide. "Paine, is that what I think it is?" Paine nodded. "Where did you find that?"
"It was on a pedestal inside that block of ice we found you in," Paine said. "My guess is that jackoff Malar was trying to seal away you and this crystal at the same time. Trap you and it in a dream prison so that neither crystal can be used." She paused. "Speaking of which, what happened in that monolith anyhow?"
"Yeah, we could hear your voice from time to time, through our crystals," Rikku piped up, pointing at the Fire Crystal on the back of her hand. "It sounded awful; what was he doing to you, Yunie?"
Yuna shuddered. "I... I don't really know. I didn't feel like I was trapped at first, it felt like I was in a great plain of... of nothing. I couldn't see anything, I could feel the crystal on my hand but couldn't get it to do anything- and then..." Her head lowered, staring at the surface of the water. "Then I saw something. It looked like an amethyst or some other kind of gem, hanging in the air, but then..." She leaned back into Tidus' chest as she recounted being accosted by Malar. Nothing was left out- the forms he had assumed, the tale he had spun, his hatred of the Summoner's arts, the shock at realizing her concert in the plains had been noticed by him. Paine folded her arms and nodded grimly as Yuna described it. Rikku bit her lower lip. Tidus said nothing but held her close, shaking his head.
"Unforgivable," he said at length. "It wasn't enough he took you away from us, he had to rip into your mind as well?"
"Bastard," Paine muttered. "He actually looked and sounded like 'Lord' Seymour, and then like Shuyin?"
"I never even felt him in my mind until he made his presence know," said Yuna. "I was terrified at first, but when I realized it was him my blood started to boil." She shifted her position, pulling Tidus' arm across her right shoulder and lacing their fingers together. "I tried to fight my way out, but nothing seemed to work. I couldn't feel Naia's presence, I couldn't even touch him. All I could do was stand there as he berated his former master- and me as well." Her eyes dropped, gazing into the water. "His eyes- they were so cold, they felt like they were going to tear right through me."
"Yunie..." Rikku said in a low voice.
"Hey Rikku," said Paine as she stood up, "I'm going to need a little help examining this lens, just to make sure we've got the right one and see if we can't get it awakened. Give me a hand, will you?" She started heading for the cave entrance. "We'd also better try and contact the Celsius and let them know we're all okay. Reception's better outside the cave." Rikku blinked and was about to start arguing when she noticed Paine throw her a surreptitious wink.
"Um, yeah! Sure thing Paine, just gimme a second to catch up!" She sloshed her way out of the hot spring and turned back to rummage in her equipment pouch. "This won't take long you two, we'll be right outside if you need anything!" she said, clipping her headset radio back in place and following Paine. Tidus nodded, turning his attention back to Yuna.
Rikku rounded the sheltered cliff just outside the entrance to the spring, ducking into a nearby alcove where Paine was leaning against the rock with the crystal in her right hand. "You think the weather's actually going to allow us to reach the guys?" she asked. "Or was it just a plausible reason for us to both be out of their way?" she continued with a sly grin on her face.
Paine looked at Rikku and actually laughed a bit. "I can't tell if we'll be able to reach them or not, but we do need to try and contact Brother at least," she replied. "He's probably frantic right now. And we do need to examine the crystal anyway." She glanced back to the hot spring entrance. "Fact is, right now they just need some together time without us butting in."
The crystal in her hand began to pulse and tendrils of electricity began to play across her fingers and arm. Rikku and Paine both stared as the sparks intensified and a faint whistling sound emerged from the lens. A gust shot out of the center, catching some of the errant snowflakes in the vicinity and spinning them in a miniature cyclone. White light began to coalesce within the cone of air, gradually taking the form of a man. His long ivory hair danced about his head like a nest of serpents, and he appeared to be clad in robes made of fine white silk.
He looked at the two of them emotionlessly and said simply, "I am Strahl. Keeper of the Crystal of Air. The time has come and the Immortal has risen, has he not?"
Paine nodded. "He knows we've been seeking out the Four, as he called you. We're running out of time."
Strahl gazed at Paine levelly, the hint of a smile toying across his face. "So it has come to this. One who shares the ruby eyes of Malar will stand and fight against him. That seems rather... poetic." Paine lowered her eyes slightly, looking away from the man in white.
"I didn't ask for these eyes," she said in a low tone. "I don't care if I am part of some bloodline that traces itself to him, all I care about right now is having the power to grind him into the ground. I'm not going to let him get away with what he did."
"Yeah! We're gonna take the fight to that creep and show him nobody messes with YTRP!!" Rikku said enthusiastically.
"Um... Rikku, I thought we all agreed four months ago that YTRP sounded a bit silly."
"No, we just couldn't agree on where to put Tidus' initial in when he joined; if I remember correctly you said they all sounded silly!" Rikku retorted, folding her arms and mock-pouting.
Paine sighed. "Somehow it seemed easier when it was just YRP..."
"May we return to the matter at hand?" said Strahl in a low, serious tone. He gazed into Paine's eyes as one might appraise a fine painting. "Yes... There's power there, no doubt about it. Independent, I like that... and an overwhelming desire to soar to great heights. You are indeed worthy of my power- if you are prepared to face a foe of your own blood."
Paine nodded, a determined scowl crossing her brow. "I was born ready."
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"It wasn't until he left that it became nearly unbearable," Yuna said softly as she rested her head on Tidus' shoulder. "He told me the only company I would have would be my memories- and then they started appearing before my eyes." She drew in a deep breath. "I don't know how, but I was reliving all the bad times I'd ever experienced... I tried to fight it, but all I could do was run endlessly, I couldn't stop it. And then when I had to relive that day of Sin's defeat..." Her voice became raspy as she tried to hold back tears. "I was watching you vanish before my eyes all over again," she whispered, and the tears came as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Tidus pulled her closer, gently caressing the back of her head with his right hand.
"I wish I could've gotten here sooner," he said in a pained voice. "You shouldn't have had to go through that at all. I'm so sorry..."
Yuna sniffled a bit. "Malar's the one who should apologize, not you," she said. She nuzzled up against his neck and for a few moments they sat together in silence, unspoken words passing between them.
"He'll be on the warpath soon, you know," she finally said. "Once he realizes his 'trophy' isn't standing still anymore, it's going to get ugly. And I don't think we're going to be able to just seal him away this time."
"I know," said Tidus. "I just wish we had something to target, some weakness of his. We can't just keep fighting him only to have him regenerate and hit us even harder. We have to put him away for good."
Yuna looked up. "The Jewel of Entropy."
"Huh?"
"He told me in his ravings that he discovered something called the Jewel of Entropy, and that it could bend the natural laws," she continued. "I'm starting to think that that's where his agelessness and regeneration come from, so if we can locate that, we could take him out permanently." She paused. "But first we'd have to actually find it, and he most likely won't make it easy."
"Could he have buried it somewhere, like a Fayth statue?" Tidus asked.
"Maybe, but I doubt it. It must be somewhere on him. Maybe in those gold bracers he wears."
"Possibly." He stroked the small of her back gently. "All I know is I want to make sure he can never do what he did to you ever again." She looked up into his eyes as he continued. "When he pulled you away from us on Bikanel I thought my heart was going to rip in two. I felt so helpless; there wasn't anything I could do to stop him. But I knew that no matter what it took, I was going to find you and bring you back. And I wasn't going to let him or any of those fiends of his stand in my way."
Yuna smiled. "Deep down, I knew you'd find me. Even in the darkness when I was so close to giving up hope, a little voice in me told me you'd be there." He returned the smile and they hugged each other tightly, letting the hot spring waters wash over them.
"This spring feels so good," Yuna sighed.
"I know, it really chases the chills away," Tidus replied. A moment later Yuna started giggling. "Huh? What's up?"
"I was just thinking that Paine was right about something- it's gonna take a while to dry our clothes out after we've been soaking in them like this," said Yuna. Her blue eye twinkled slightly.
"Oh, yeah. I'd almost forgotten about that," Tidus chuckled. "So what're we going to do?"
"Hmmmm..." Yuna reached up and undid the clasp that held her pink hood around her neck. "Let me try something," she said, holding it in her right hand and concentrating. The crystal glimmered faint blue and began pulling water out of the cloth and into its convex surface. In seconds the hood was dry.
"Well, that's a novel use for an elemental weapon if ever I saw one," Tidus quipped, and they both started laughing.
"Of course, drying each item of clothing separately would take time... and since I'm not quite ready to get out of the spring yet..." Yuna drawled, a coy look on her face as she slipped her yellow arm bands off, one at a time. A slow smile began to work its way across Tidus' face.
"Why, Lady Yuna," he said in a mock-surprised tone. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?" She giggled in response and ran her fingers along his chest. "You... you really want to?" he asked, a bit more seriously.
"We are the only ones here, you know- Paine and Rikku won't be back for a while," she whispered, undoing one of the clasps on his overalls.
"Well, what kind of gentleman would I be if I refused a lady's request," Tidus said with a smile as he drew her closer to him. He kissed her neck, then her cheek, eliciting contented sighs until their lips met. A low moan escaped Yuna's throat as she parted her lips, kissing him more passionately and running her hands across his chest and arms. Gradually the garments separating them slipped away, pried loose and set aside by each other's tender caresses. Once more their worries faded away; for that moment, all that mattered was the joy they found in each other's arms.
Rikku tapped her headset radio in annoyance. "No good, I'm still just getting a load of static," she grumbled, flopping down on the ground and hugging her knees.
"Try again in a few minutes; I think the storm may be letting up," Paine replied. She examined the new adornment on her right hand- the long black glove she normally wore had turned a shade of light gray, accentuated with black onyx studs along the knuckles and near the elbow. The Air Crystal rested on the back of her hand and was glowing a pale white-gold hue.
"I dunno, Paine, I've been trying the last half an hour to contact Brother, and the most I've gotten is a few syllables. He sounded pretty pissed."
"Maybe he's just sleepy. It is nearly midnight, after all."
"Could be." Rikku leaned back against the rock and toyed with one of her daggers, using the Fire Crystal's energy to summon a minute flame that danced along the blade. "I hope Gippal's alright... And Nhadala, and the others. We didn't get a chance to say goodbye before we disembarked..." She looked out of the alcove at the night sky beyond and sighed.
"You really do like him, don't you." Rikku glanced over at Paine with an odd look in her eyes. "It's alright, I won't tell," Paine continued as she shifted her position.
Rikku sighed. "Well... We've known each other since we were kids... and he can be a nice guy once he stops clowning around and acting full of himself... but..." She squirmed uncomfortably and kicked her legs out, scattering a few pebbles petulantly. "You know, maybe I should go check on Yunie and see if she's feeling better," she finally said, getting to her feet.
"I'd leave them be a while longer if I were you," Paine said quickly, not bothering to stand up. "Unless you want to repeat that little 'walk-in' you pulled on Kilika." Rikku's eyes went wide and her face went red.
"Hey! I thought I asked you not to bring that up again!"
"No, you asked me not to tell anybody else. You never said not to bring it up again."
"Sheesh, it was just a little slip of the mind back there! Just an accident!"
"What was an accident?" Rikku froze, then spun around to see Yuna approaching the alcove with Tidus on her arm. Their clothes showed no sign that they had been soaked through, but were clean and dry.
"Oh, Yunie! Um, I was just... er... telling Paine about something that happened when Gippal and me were kids! See, we thought we could get this one machina working all by ourselves, but when it got out of control and crashed this idiot named Traab said we wrecked it on purpose, and it was all really just one big accident!" Rikku stammered, finishing with an uneasy giggle. Paine rolled her eyes.
"So Yunie, are you feeling better now?" Rikku continued. "Much better," Yuna replied with a smile.
"Good, because we need to get going before-" Paine started, but was interrupted by a sudden rumble over their heads. One by one they stepped out of the alcove and glanced up at the cliffs above. "What was that?" Rikku asked in a nervous tone.
The rumble came again. "That sure doesn't sound like thunder," said Tidus grimly. Dark shadows began moving across the cliff face and they could barely make out the outlines of winged creatures circling above their position. Clattering sounds echoed along the rocks as winged humanoid forms emerged on ledges close to where they were standing, their taloned feet gouging vicious prints in the loose soil.
Yuna glared at the fiendish forms. "He sure didn't waste any time finding us!" she growled, yanking her guns out of her belt and drawing a bead on the closest fiend. She chambered an explosive-tipped Burst Shot round and pulled the trigger; the bullet screeched through the air and tore through the fiend's wing joint. It screamed in agony, plummeting to the lower reaches of Gagazet. Tidus and Rikku each had their blades out and readied as the other fiends- now easily recognizable as Wrathfangs- began a rapid approach on their position. Suddenly a flash of white light erupted close to them, causing them to shield their eyes and the fiends to briefly stagger back. Paine held her right hand aloft as her crystal shone a brilliant gold, sparks literally surging from her eyes. "Bye," she muttered softly as a vicious whine broke loose from the Air Crystal and multiple tendrils of lightning leaped forth, tearing the flesh of the Wrathfangs nearest to them and reducing them to myriad clouds of pyreflies.
The creatures stared in amazement but recovered quickly, resuming their advance. "We can't deal with all these uglies at once, we've gotta get outta here!!" Rikku shouted, pointing to the narrow trail down Gagazet that had just been cleared by Paine's crystal. Yuna nodded and she and Tidus locked hands, scrambling down the rocks at a rapid pace. Rikku followed suit, as did Paine who took a few seconds to reorient herself before sprinting down with the others. The Wrathfangs began dropping out of the sky and onto the side of Gagazet, clawing their way after the four rapidly descending Gullwings. The storm had thinned out, making it easier for them to see where they were going, but also meant their pursuers could track them easily as well.
They charged down the mountainside, jumping over rocks and chasms in their way with near-inhuman speed as the sounds of Wrathfang growls and screeches echoed closer and closer. Once Rikku whipped around and unleashed a burst of fire from her own crystal to slow the fiends' progress, but that aside she and the others refused to stop running. Yuna's legs began to burn as she pushed herself to the limit, her mind drifting back to the dream she had had so many months before. They had been running in that dream too, but this time the pursuers were far worse than Yevonite guards and the terrain much rougher and inhospitable than the Bevelle Underground.
They jumped down another ledge, catching sight of the stone arches that led to the lower reaches of Gagazet, but their attention ran first to the veritable platoon of Wrathfangs that stood before them. They drummed their feet to a halt and glanced around them. Their initial pursuers were slowing their descent, while still more hovered in the sky just next to the cliff. A disgusting burble further behind them caused them to glance back, only to notice two half-flan, half-lich Morlachs closing in from the rear. The four of them repositioned themselves back-to-back in a square formation, trying to discern an avenue of escape. There was none. In attempting to escape to the lower foothills they had been herded into a trap.
"Looks like this is where we make our stand," Paine muttered, hoisting her sword.
"I'm not going to let it end here," said Yuna as she brandished her pistols at the horde around them.
A massive blue-black apelike fiend strode slowly forward, joining the ranks of the Wrathfangs and the two Morlachs. "You have angered Master far too long, puny humans," he rumbled, crossing his arms triumphantly. "Master knew his prize must be guarded, and now that she is loose, he wishes that Neogas fix the problem," he continued, pointing to his chest. "Once I have vanquished you, Master will be most pleased." He gestured to the fiends near him and was about to speak once more when suddenly there was a loud crack from further along the path- followed by a massive mid-air explosion near the side of the cliff, tearing almost all the airborne fiends to shreds.
"What the hell was that?" Tidus shouted, his eyes darting left and right to find the source of the explosion. The Wrathfangs to their front began shifting and staring further down the mountain, when suddenly there was a vicious growling roar and a flash of golden steel, followed by a terrific semicircular wave of energy which cut into the platoon of fiends and tossed them into the air like rag dolls. Tidus blinked and suddenly broke into a smile. Standing where the fiends had stood was a tall heavily muscled figure, his indigo fur flecked with ice and an angry scowl on his face. He twirled his gold feathered lance menacingly and glared at the fiends atop the plateau.
"Sacred Mount Gagazet will not welcome those who threaten friends of Ronso. Threaten High Summoner Yuna, face the wrath of Ronso Elder!!" he bellowed, striding forward with fire in his eyes.
"Kimahri!!!" Yuna cried. Just then another figure emerged from behind him, glancing around the cliff and brandishing the massive machina dual weapon he affectionately referred to as the 30 mm. 'Fiendgrinder'. He squeezed a button and the circular blade on one end began spinning furiously, sparks flying in all directions.
"Looks like my hunch was right about fiend activity," Gippal said with a deathly scowl on his face. "Let's bring it!!!"
To Be Continued...
[A/N: Another chapter that was tricky to write; as I get further in the story I keep changing my mind on how things should turn out. Hopefully this chap was a decent mix. Now that all four crystals have been found, you can bet things are coming to a head. What's in the egg? What is Malar's next move? Will YTRP get out of Gagazet in one piece? And is Paine right when she says YTRP sounds silly? Stay tuned. ^_^ -Neon Ronin]
12: Then There Were Four
Malar's head jerked up and his eyes went wide. "I did not just feel that," he growled, opening his right palm in front of his face. A violet gem emerged from his hand, projecting a flickering image before him. His eyes beheld an empty chamber decorated with limestone pillars, a small pedestal in the middle of the room, and little else. He snapped his fingers shut, cutting off the image abruptly as a tattoo of rage pervaded his visage.
"Impossible!" he expectorated. "There is no conceivable way her spirit would have been strong enough to break that prison! She should have been broken long before now!" He strode furiously across the remains of the Agency and kicked the door off its one remaining hinge. "That little WENCH!!!" he bellowed into the expanses of the Plains, which were once again being wracked with lightning and heavy rain. He gritted his teeth together and slammed his left forearm into the door frame, shattering the wood and a good portion of the wall as well.
"These interloping children are becoming more of a nuisance than I thought they would be," he said to himself in a low tone. His crimson eyes turned southwards, carefully surveying the indigo aura surrounding a gargantuan mass of unidentifiable roiling fiend flesh. At first glance it resembled little more than a great soft-shelled snake egg, oblong with mottled violet-gray shadings. Closer inspection revealed the trace lines of limbs within the eggs, outlines that could be interpreted as reptilian arms and legs. The conglomeration within was pulsing gently, faint movements suggesting it was breathing. A section shuddered and a menacing orange orb within slowly grew visible- an eye opening. The aura containing the egg-like mass shuddered and swelled as the egg seemed to expand and grow ever so slightly.
"It is almost time, my precious masterpiece," Malar purred dangerously. "Soon you will be ready to spearhead our revenge. In the meantime..." He made a short, sharp gesture in the direction of the nearest lightning tower, which- like most of the towers- was now covered with disgusting black polyps larger than a man. Several of the black sacs burst open, showering the ground with rancid turquoise slime. Out of the ruptured sacs sprang human-sized gargoyle-like fiends, flexing their leathery wings and breathing bluish flame from their draconic mouths. "It is time for more of you to join the fight, my beloved Wrathfangs," Malar shouted into the rain. Turning back to the mammoth egg, he opened his hand again, calling forth a different image.
"Neogas. It appears granting you dominion over the ruined castle was a good move after all. Deploy the Wrathfangs at your disposal; those meddlesome brats are making a mess of things. Kill them all." He paused for a moment. "I don't even care if the girl dies anymore. The Four must not be brought to bear on us." The image vanished and he clenched his hand as more and more of the Wrathfangs burst forth from their hatching sacs. Several stood upright and strode towards Malar, dropping to one knee as they reached him.
"Now let the hills run red." A wicked smile passed his lips.
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Yuna was only vaguely aware of the sound of running feet around her as numbness threatened to overwhelm her body. She could feel Tidus' arms cradling her and the cold winds that cut into her skin like a knife. Her whole body was shaking and it was getting hard for her to breathe. "Just hang on, it's going to be all right..." she heard him whisper in her ear; just beyond she could make out Rikku's panicked voice asking him what she could do to help. They were running along a ledge, that much she could make out from the blurred shapes around her. A quick shift in position and the wind stopped flaying her arms and legs, and she realized he had turned to shield her with his back and with the cliff wall next to them. She struggled to take a deep breath, finding it easier now that the winds were no longer directly in her face. Then suddenly the winds stopped and she could barely make out a warmth in the air that hadn't been there before.
Their pace slowed down and she felt the sensation of two sets of hands moving across her, undoing buckles and laces. With surprising speed, Rikku unlaced and yanked off her boots while Tidus detached the utility belt and side skirt at her waist. The belt fell to the ground with a clatter as her guns worked themselves loose and landed on her equipment pouch. She felt herself being hoisted into the air again, and this time she could feel Tidus' heart racing in his chest.
He strode forward into the hot spring with her in his arms, getting a short distance in before lowering her gently into the water. Tingling sensations shot through her body and she gasped for breath. "It's okay, Yuna, I'm here. It's okay. I'm not going to let anything happen to you." He shrugged his armored glove off and stroked her hair tenderly, cradling her with his right arm. Gradually her breathing returned to normal and the color returned to her face. He shifted his position so that he was sitting in the spring up to his chest and holding her on his lap. The initial shock of the hot water faded as her muscles relaxed and the bitter chills evaporated.
"Is she gonna be okay?" Rikku asked as she kneeled down by the spring, next to the two of them.
Yuna opened her eyes, looking up into Tidus' own, and broke into a smile as new tears started to form. "I... I don't think I've ever felt better in my life." She leaned back, resting her head upon his chest as he wrapped his right arm around her waist.
"Thank the Fayth; we were all worried sick, Yunie!" Rikku jumped off the ledge she was sitting on and into the spring, throwing her arms around Yuna's shoulders. "I'm so glad you're alright," she said with a lump in her throat. Yuna giggled a bit and put her right arm around Rikku's back, hugging her in return.
"Maybe you'd better give her some air, Rikku," said Paine from the side of the cavern, a bemused tone in her voice. Rikku blinked, then shook her head and loosened the hug while moving to Yuna's right side. "Sorry, guess I got a bit carried away," she said.
Yuna giggled. "Don't worry about it, Rikku." Tidus just smiled.
"I have to admit, normally when a person is soaked and has hypothermia you don't take them fully clothed into a hot spring," Paine interjected. "Normally you'd make sure that person's wet garments had a chance to dry while she warmed up."
"Hey, c'mon Paine, give him a little break, huh? So he was being a gentleman, big deal!" Rikku said, standing up in the water. Yuna started to blush furiously and she could tell Tidus was doing the same.
"I'm just saying, is all," Paine replied. "There's a time for being a gentleman and a time when you don't have a moment to consider things like decorum."
"Paine, please..." groaned Tidus. Yuna put a hand over her mouth and tried to stifle a giggle.
"Anyway, that's not important right now. There's something else we need to figure out," Paine continued, kneeling by the spring and digging a hand into her hip pocket. She produced the white lens she had procured from the chamber, which was still scintillating with a pale light.
Yuna's eyes went wide. "Paine, is that what I think it is?" Paine nodded. "Where did you find that?"
"It was on a pedestal inside that block of ice we found you in," Paine said. "My guess is that jackoff Malar was trying to seal away you and this crystal at the same time. Trap you and it in a dream prison so that neither crystal can be used." She paused. "Speaking of which, what happened in that monolith anyhow?"
"Yeah, we could hear your voice from time to time, through our crystals," Rikku piped up, pointing at the Fire Crystal on the back of her hand. "It sounded awful; what was he doing to you, Yunie?"
Yuna shuddered. "I... I don't really know. I didn't feel like I was trapped at first, it felt like I was in a great plain of... of nothing. I couldn't see anything, I could feel the crystal on my hand but couldn't get it to do anything- and then..." Her head lowered, staring at the surface of the water. "Then I saw something. It looked like an amethyst or some other kind of gem, hanging in the air, but then..." She leaned back into Tidus' chest as she recounted being accosted by Malar. Nothing was left out- the forms he had assumed, the tale he had spun, his hatred of the Summoner's arts, the shock at realizing her concert in the plains had been noticed by him. Paine folded her arms and nodded grimly as Yuna described it. Rikku bit her lower lip. Tidus said nothing but held her close, shaking his head.
"Unforgivable," he said at length. "It wasn't enough he took you away from us, he had to rip into your mind as well?"
"Bastard," Paine muttered. "He actually looked and sounded like 'Lord' Seymour, and then like Shuyin?"
"I never even felt him in my mind until he made his presence know," said Yuna. "I was terrified at first, but when I realized it was him my blood started to boil." She shifted her position, pulling Tidus' arm across her right shoulder and lacing their fingers together. "I tried to fight my way out, but nothing seemed to work. I couldn't feel Naia's presence, I couldn't even touch him. All I could do was stand there as he berated his former master- and me as well." Her eyes dropped, gazing into the water. "His eyes- they were so cold, they felt like they were going to tear right through me."
"Yunie..." Rikku said in a low voice.
"Hey Rikku," said Paine as she stood up, "I'm going to need a little help examining this lens, just to make sure we've got the right one and see if we can't get it awakened. Give me a hand, will you?" She started heading for the cave entrance. "We'd also better try and contact the Celsius and let them know we're all okay. Reception's better outside the cave." Rikku blinked and was about to start arguing when she noticed Paine throw her a surreptitious wink.
"Um, yeah! Sure thing Paine, just gimme a second to catch up!" She sloshed her way out of the hot spring and turned back to rummage in her equipment pouch. "This won't take long you two, we'll be right outside if you need anything!" she said, clipping her headset radio back in place and following Paine. Tidus nodded, turning his attention back to Yuna.
Rikku rounded the sheltered cliff just outside the entrance to the spring, ducking into a nearby alcove where Paine was leaning against the rock with the crystal in her right hand. "You think the weather's actually going to allow us to reach the guys?" she asked. "Or was it just a plausible reason for us to both be out of their way?" she continued with a sly grin on her face.
Paine looked at Rikku and actually laughed a bit. "I can't tell if we'll be able to reach them or not, but we do need to try and contact Brother at least," she replied. "He's probably frantic right now. And we do need to examine the crystal anyway." She glanced back to the hot spring entrance. "Fact is, right now they just need some together time without us butting in."
The crystal in her hand began to pulse and tendrils of electricity began to play across her fingers and arm. Rikku and Paine both stared as the sparks intensified and a faint whistling sound emerged from the lens. A gust shot out of the center, catching some of the errant snowflakes in the vicinity and spinning them in a miniature cyclone. White light began to coalesce within the cone of air, gradually taking the form of a man. His long ivory hair danced about his head like a nest of serpents, and he appeared to be clad in robes made of fine white silk.
He looked at the two of them emotionlessly and said simply, "I am Strahl. Keeper of the Crystal of Air. The time has come and the Immortal has risen, has he not?"
Paine nodded. "He knows we've been seeking out the Four, as he called you. We're running out of time."
Strahl gazed at Paine levelly, the hint of a smile toying across his face. "So it has come to this. One who shares the ruby eyes of Malar will stand and fight against him. That seems rather... poetic." Paine lowered her eyes slightly, looking away from the man in white.
"I didn't ask for these eyes," she said in a low tone. "I don't care if I am part of some bloodline that traces itself to him, all I care about right now is having the power to grind him into the ground. I'm not going to let him get away with what he did."
"Yeah! We're gonna take the fight to that creep and show him nobody messes with YTRP!!" Rikku said enthusiastically.
"Um... Rikku, I thought we all agreed four months ago that YTRP sounded a bit silly."
"No, we just couldn't agree on where to put Tidus' initial in when he joined; if I remember correctly you said they all sounded silly!" Rikku retorted, folding her arms and mock-pouting.
Paine sighed. "Somehow it seemed easier when it was just YRP..."
"May we return to the matter at hand?" said Strahl in a low, serious tone. He gazed into Paine's eyes as one might appraise a fine painting. "Yes... There's power there, no doubt about it. Independent, I like that... and an overwhelming desire to soar to great heights. You are indeed worthy of my power- if you are prepared to face a foe of your own blood."
Paine nodded, a determined scowl crossing her brow. "I was born ready."
********************************************
"It wasn't until he left that it became nearly unbearable," Yuna said softly as she rested her head on Tidus' shoulder. "He told me the only company I would have would be my memories- and then they started appearing before my eyes." She drew in a deep breath. "I don't know how, but I was reliving all the bad times I'd ever experienced... I tried to fight it, but all I could do was run endlessly, I couldn't stop it. And then when I had to relive that day of Sin's defeat..." Her voice became raspy as she tried to hold back tears. "I was watching you vanish before my eyes all over again," she whispered, and the tears came as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Tidus pulled her closer, gently caressing the back of her head with his right hand.
"I wish I could've gotten here sooner," he said in a pained voice. "You shouldn't have had to go through that at all. I'm so sorry..."
Yuna sniffled a bit. "Malar's the one who should apologize, not you," she said. She nuzzled up against his neck and for a few moments they sat together in silence, unspoken words passing between them.
"He'll be on the warpath soon, you know," she finally said. "Once he realizes his 'trophy' isn't standing still anymore, it's going to get ugly. And I don't think we're going to be able to just seal him away this time."
"I know," said Tidus. "I just wish we had something to target, some weakness of his. We can't just keep fighting him only to have him regenerate and hit us even harder. We have to put him away for good."
Yuna looked up. "The Jewel of Entropy."
"Huh?"
"He told me in his ravings that he discovered something called the Jewel of Entropy, and that it could bend the natural laws," she continued. "I'm starting to think that that's where his agelessness and regeneration come from, so if we can locate that, we could take him out permanently." She paused. "But first we'd have to actually find it, and he most likely won't make it easy."
"Could he have buried it somewhere, like a Fayth statue?" Tidus asked.
"Maybe, but I doubt it. It must be somewhere on him. Maybe in those gold bracers he wears."
"Possibly." He stroked the small of her back gently. "All I know is I want to make sure he can never do what he did to you ever again." She looked up into his eyes as he continued. "When he pulled you away from us on Bikanel I thought my heart was going to rip in two. I felt so helpless; there wasn't anything I could do to stop him. But I knew that no matter what it took, I was going to find you and bring you back. And I wasn't going to let him or any of those fiends of his stand in my way."
Yuna smiled. "Deep down, I knew you'd find me. Even in the darkness when I was so close to giving up hope, a little voice in me told me you'd be there." He returned the smile and they hugged each other tightly, letting the hot spring waters wash over them.
"This spring feels so good," Yuna sighed.
"I know, it really chases the chills away," Tidus replied. A moment later Yuna started giggling. "Huh? What's up?"
"I was just thinking that Paine was right about something- it's gonna take a while to dry our clothes out after we've been soaking in them like this," said Yuna. Her blue eye twinkled slightly.
"Oh, yeah. I'd almost forgotten about that," Tidus chuckled. "So what're we going to do?"
"Hmmmm..." Yuna reached up and undid the clasp that held her pink hood around her neck. "Let me try something," she said, holding it in her right hand and concentrating. The crystal glimmered faint blue and began pulling water out of the cloth and into its convex surface. In seconds the hood was dry.
"Well, that's a novel use for an elemental weapon if ever I saw one," Tidus quipped, and they both started laughing.
"Of course, drying each item of clothing separately would take time... and since I'm not quite ready to get out of the spring yet..." Yuna drawled, a coy look on her face as she slipped her yellow arm bands off, one at a time. A slow smile began to work its way across Tidus' face.
"Why, Lady Yuna," he said in a mock-surprised tone. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?" She giggled in response and ran her fingers along his chest. "You... you really want to?" he asked, a bit more seriously.
"We are the only ones here, you know- Paine and Rikku won't be back for a while," she whispered, undoing one of the clasps on his overalls.
"Well, what kind of gentleman would I be if I refused a lady's request," Tidus said with a smile as he drew her closer to him. He kissed her neck, then her cheek, eliciting contented sighs until their lips met. A low moan escaped Yuna's throat as she parted her lips, kissing him more passionately and running her hands across his chest and arms. Gradually the garments separating them slipped away, pried loose and set aside by each other's tender caresses. Once more their worries faded away; for that moment, all that mattered was the joy they found in each other's arms.
Rikku tapped her headset radio in annoyance. "No good, I'm still just getting a load of static," she grumbled, flopping down on the ground and hugging her knees.
"Try again in a few minutes; I think the storm may be letting up," Paine replied. She examined the new adornment on her right hand- the long black glove she normally wore had turned a shade of light gray, accentuated with black onyx studs along the knuckles and near the elbow. The Air Crystal rested on the back of her hand and was glowing a pale white-gold hue.
"I dunno, Paine, I've been trying the last half an hour to contact Brother, and the most I've gotten is a few syllables. He sounded pretty pissed."
"Maybe he's just sleepy. It is nearly midnight, after all."
"Could be." Rikku leaned back against the rock and toyed with one of her daggers, using the Fire Crystal's energy to summon a minute flame that danced along the blade. "I hope Gippal's alright... And Nhadala, and the others. We didn't get a chance to say goodbye before we disembarked..." She looked out of the alcove at the night sky beyond and sighed.
"You really do like him, don't you." Rikku glanced over at Paine with an odd look in her eyes. "It's alright, I won't tell," Paine continued as she shifted her position.
Rikku sighed. "Well... We've known each other since we were kids... and he can be a nice guy once he stops clowning around and acting full of himself... but..." She squirmed uncomfortably and kicked her legs out, scattering a few pebbles petulantly. "You know, maybe I should go check on Yunie and see if she's feeling better," she finally said, getting to her feet.
"I'd leave them be a while longer if I were you," Paine said quickly, not bothering to stand up. "Unless you want to repeat that little 'walk-in' you pulled on Kilika." Rikku's eyes went wide and her face went red.
"Hey! I thought I asked you not to bring that up again!"
"No, you asked me not to tell anybody else. You never said not to bring it up again."
"Sheesh, it was just a little slip of the mind back there! Just an accident!"
"What was an accident?" Rikku froze, then spun around to see Yuna approaching the alcove with Tidus on her arm. Their clothes showed no sign that they had been soaked through, but were clean and dry.
"Oh, Yunie! Um, I was just... er... telling Paine about something that happened when Gippal and me were kids! See, we thought we could get this one machina working all by ourselves, but when it got out of control and crashed this idiot named Traab said we wrecked it on purpose, and it was all really just one big accident!" Rikku stammered, finishing with an uneasy giggle. Paine rolled her eyes.
"So Yunie, are you feeling better now?" Rikku continued. "Much better," Yuna replied with a smile.
"Good, because we need to get going before-" Paine started, but was interrupted by a sudden rumble over their heads. One by one they stepped out of the alcove and glanced up at the cliffs above. "What was that?" Rikku asked in a nervous tone.
The rumble came again. "That sure doesn't sound like thunder," said Tidus grimly. Dark shadows began moving across the cliff face and they could barely make out the outlines of winged creatures circling above their position. Clattering sounds echoed along the rocks as winged humanoid forms emerged on ledges close to where they were standing, their taloned feet gouging vicious prints in the loose soil.
Yuna glared at the fiendish forms. "He sure didn't waste any time finding us!" she growled, yanking her guns out of her belt and drawing a bead on the closest fiend. She chambered an explosive-tipped Burst Shot round and pulled the trigger; the bullet screeched through the air and tore through the fiend's wing joint. It screamed in agony, plummeting to the lower reaches of Gagazet. Tidus and Rikku each had their blades out and readied as the other fiends- now easily recognizable as Wrathfangs- began a rapid approach on their position. Suddenly a flash of white light erupted close to them, causing them to shield their eyes and the fiends to briefly stagger back. Paine held her right hand aloft as her crystal shone a brilliant gold, sparks literally surging from her eyes. "Bye," she muttered softly as a vicious whine broke loose from the Air Crystal and multiple tendrils of lightning leaped forth, tearing the flesh of the Wrathfangs nearest to them and reducing them to myriad clouds of pyreflies.
The creatures stared in amazement but recovered quickly, resuming their advance. "We can't deal with all these uglies at once, we've gotta get outta here!!" Rikku shouted, pointing to the narrow trail down Gagazet that had just been cleared by Paine's crystal. Yuna nodded and she and Tidus locked hands, scrambling down the rocks at a rapid pace. Rikku followed suit, as did Paine who took a few seconds to reorient herself before sprinting down with the others. The Wrathfangs began dropping out of the sky and onto the side of Gagazet, clawing their way after the four rapidly descending Gullwings. The storm had thinned out, making it easier for them to see where they were going, but also meant their pursuers could track them easily as well.
They charged down the mountainside, jumping over rocks and chasms in their way with near-inhuman speed as the sounds of Wrathfang growls and screeches echoed closer and closer. Once Rikku whipped around and unleashed a burst of fire from her own crystal to slow the fiends' progress, but that aside she and the others refused to stop running. Yuna's legs began to burn as she pushed herself to the limit, her mind drifting back to the dream she had had so many months before. They had been running in that dream too, but this time the pursuers were far worse than Yevonite guards and the terrain much rougher and inhospitable than the Bevelle Underground.
They jumped down another ledge, catching sight of the stone arches that led to the lower reaches of Gagazet, but their attention ran first to the veritable platoon of Wrathfangs that stood before them. They drummed their feet to a halt and glanced around them. Their initial pursuers were slowing their descent, while still more hovered in the sky just next to the cliff. A disgusting burble further behind them caused them to glance back, only to notice two half-flan, half-lich Morlachs closing in from the rear. The four of them repositioned themselves back-to-back in a square formation, trying to discern an avenue of escape. There was none. In attempting to escape to the lower foothills they had been herded into a trap.
"Looks like this is where we make our stand," Paine muttered, hoisting her sword.
"I'm not going to let it end here," said Yuna as she brandished her pistols at the horde around them.
A massive blue-black apelike fiend strode slowly forward, joining the ranks of the Wrathfangs and the two Morlachs. "You have angered Master far too long, puny humans," he rumbled, crossing his arms triumphantly. "Master knew his prize must be guarded, and now that she is loose, he wishes that Neogas fix the problem," he continued, pointing to his chest. "Once I have vanquished you, Master will be most pleased." He gestured to the fiends near him and was about to speak once more when suddenly there was a loud crack from further along the path- followed by a massive mid-air explosion near the side of the cliff, tearing almost all the airborne fiends to shreds.
"What the hell was that?" Tidus shouted, his eyes darting left and right to find the source of the explosion. The Wrathfangs to their front began shifting and staring further down the mountain, when suddenly there was a vicious growling roar and a flash of golden steel, followed by a terrific semicircular wave of energy which cut into the platoon of fiends and tossed them into the air like rag dolls. Tidus blinked and suddenly broke into a smile. Standing where the fiends had stood was a tall heavily muscled figure, his indigo fur flecked with ice and an angry scowl on his face. He twirled his gold feathered lance menacingly and glared at the fiends atop the plateau.
"Sacred Mount Gagazet will not welcome those who threaten friends of Ronso. Threaten High Summoner Yuna, face the wrath of Ronso Elder!!" he bellowed, striding forward with fire in his eyes.
"Kimahri!!!" Yuna cried. Just then another figure emerged from behind him, glancing around the cliff and brandishing the massive machina dual weapon he affectionately referred to as the 30 mm. 'Fiendgrinder'. He squeezed a button and the circular blade on one end began spinning furiously, sparks flying in all directions.
"Looks like my hunch was right about fiend activity," Gippal said with a deathly scowl on his face. "Let's bring it!!!"
To Be Continued...
[A/N: Another chapter that was tricky to write; as I get further in the story I keep changing my mind on how things should turn out. Hopefully this chap was a decent mix. Now that all four crystals have been found, you can bet things are coming to a head. What's in the egg? What is Malar's next move? Will YTRP get out of Gagazet in one piece? And is Paine right when she says YTRP sounds silly? Stay tuned. ^_^ -Neon Ronin]