Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Final Fantasy: The World of One ❯ The Tower of Ages ( Chapter 7 )

Final Fantasy: The World of One

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Final Fantasy, the characters within and all terms with relations to the said game series are registered trademarks of Square Enix. The original characters depicted in this fanfiction piece are copyrighted to the author. Thus, nothing in this fanfic can be used without the author's, or the game producer's permissions.

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This fanfic is rated PG-13 for strong language, violence, alcohol and suggestive themes.

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The Tower of Ages

"Sarah...?" Vincent repeated, sitting up and shaking his head. "W-where am I?"

"You're aboard the Blue Narciss, a merchant ship. We're currently sailing across the Sea of Alfheim." Sarah replied. She wasn't wearing her normal White Mage robes. She had a white sleeveless top, which had a hood, but wasn't pulled over her head, a pair of jeans and a pair of rubber shoes. These were accentuated by a pair of white gloves decorated with lace, and a band on her upper left arm that had a pair of white feathers attached to it. She also had a necklace which had a blue gemstone shaped into some sort of teardrop hanging from it, which was about one and a half inches in diameter. "We found you floating on a piece of wooden debris, supposedly from the wreckage of a ship that was ravaged by the storm. Thank goodness you were alive. Anyway, we found you, and that girl." Sarah pointed to a body that was laid on the bed nest to his.

He looked around, and saw Zanmato on his bedside table, along with the Dress Sphere. When he looked at the other bed, he saw a tiara of some sort on the table, and he knew who was the person.

"Anne?"

"Hmm... you know her, Vince?" Sarah asked him.

"How is she?"

"Still asleep, but she's alive. Is she a friend of yours?"

"Yes. She took care of me." Vincent said. "We were escaping from Golbez when the storm caught us..."

"Golbez..." Sarah said through gritted teeth. "While you were gone, Golbez had begun to extend San D'oria's property. Half of the two continents which make up Vana' diel are now under his control."

"What!?" Vincent said, shocked. "But, what about..."

"Bastok and Windurst were taken by surprise by the attack." Sarah said calmly. "They were not expecting such a large airfleet. Thus, many villages were burned down, may cities taken, and many citizens became either homeless, enslaved, or lucky enough to just die."

Vincent just thought in silence. Until, he began to speak.

"Damn! Why is he doing all this?"

"I don't know." Sarah said. "But, one thing's for sure, he's got all of San D'oria and Palamecia's might behind him, so everyone's afraid of him."

"I see..."

"Anyway, Gene and I were happy to see you're alive. We thought you had... on the Dreadnought..." She said with teary eyes.

"Hey, relax." Vincent said. Sarah nodded and sat down on the bed he was in. "Anyway, do you know where we are?"

"Um, if you mean this world, I thought it would have been obvious." Sarah answered, wiping away her tears. "By some miracle, we're inside `Final Fantasy'! At first, I thought this was a freaky dream, but you'd wake up from a dream after pinching yourself, right? I didn't. That could only mean I'm really here..."

"So, do you know how to get back to our world?"

"I don't know." Sarah said, shaking her head. "I didn't give it too much thought. Neither did Gene."

"Hey, which reminds me, how did you guys fare?"

"Well," Sarah said, "when we used the airship to flee, we were pursued by Viltgances."

"Viltgances?"

"Viltgance are is new type of airship created by the Palamecians. It's very fast, and carries a lot of firepower." Sarah explained. "Anyway, they were going to get to us when Ulrich had an idea. He sent us on escape pods while he and Rufus drew fire. When I woke up, I found myself lying on the some kind of shoreline, and my big brother was unconscious near me. I also found this crystal thing around my neck when I woke up. Mine's a blue-colored one, while Gene also had a green-colored gem hanging from his neck when we came to." She said, showing him her necklace.

"And Cliff and Ryan?"

"I don't know. They managed to escape, but we can't find them anywhere." Sarah said. "Anyway, Looks like you've rested. Do you want to talk to the captian?"

"Okay..."

"I'll be waiting for you outside the door, then." Sarah said as she left the room and shut the door behind her.

Vincent slowly stood up and picked up his Dress Sphere. He found himself still wearing the clothes he had on when the storm hit. He quickly changed to the clothes inside the Sphere, picked up Zanmato, and headed for the door. But, before that, he walked up to Anne's bedside.

/Hmm... she's still asleep.../

/Never mind.../

/I'll just talk to her when she wakes up./

After fixing his overcoat a bit, he opened the door and had himself be led by Sarah to the captain.

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"I'm quite happy you're alive..." Gene said. "We thought you've kicked the bucket when you tried to help us escape."

Apparently, Sarah wasn't the only one who changed her appearance. Gene was now wearing a sort long-sleeved turtlenecked dark blue polo shirt and slacks of the same color. He had a black sash around his waist, and was wearing a flowing cloak that was black in the exterior, and a shade of purple in the interior. He was no longer wearing his Black Mage hat, which seemed to have been replaced by a monocle over his right eye. Around his neck was a green-colored gemstone, which was in the shape of a leaf.

"Yeah, I'm alive. Thanks to that girl who's with me." Vincent said. "She found me and took care of me. But, Golbez also got to us. She's the only remaining survivor of her village."

"I see.." Gene said. "Anyway, I would like you to meet this ship's captain, and our client for the time being. This is Lord Verle. When we were looking for food and shelter, he was there to help. We're now his mercenaries, so to say."

Gene was referring to a squat little Tarutaru sitting across the small table from Vincent. He seemed to look like a bard, but Vincent doesn't know.

"I'm... pleased to meet you?"

"Ah! Yes, Vincent, is it?" The Tarutaru squeaked. "I've heard much about you from Gene and Sarah, about your prowess as a Myrmidon. Please, feel free to be a member of the Blue Narciss crew."

"Thank you... and thank you also for helping Gene and Sarah..."

"Oh, yeah! Um, Master Verle, any progress about our search for the Tower?" Sarah asked. She was seated opposite of Gene.

"Oh, that..." Verle answered. "As of now, we have no leads as to the exact location of the Tower. Most people find it fictional nowadays, I'm afraid."

"What are you guys talking about?" Vincent asked.

"Oh, we forgot to tell you..." Gene answered. "The reason that we are in the middle of the Alfheim Sea is that we are looking for the Tower of Mysidia."

"And what is this tower?"

"Are you sure it is fine to communicate this to him?" Verle asked Gene.

"Don't fear, master." Gene answered. "He's one of us. Anyway, Vincent, the Mysidian Tower is a very sacred tower built after the defeat of the Dark Lord `Chaos'. According to the history of Terra, the Twelve Sages conjured a powerful spell to seal the darkness. They called this spell Ultima, the wrath of eternity. It is said that they recorded the spell in an ancient tome, and sealed in the Tower of Mysidia. They say that the tower is being protected by a magical forest, which creates mazes to render those who seek the spell lost. Right now, we are looking for a certain village where we believe they know how to find the Tower."

"A... magical forest...?" Something was stirring up in Vincent's memory.

"Yes." Gene answered. "It's also not easy to get in the tower itself. They say that you need a... a... Something-stone to get in..."

"A Spiritstone, perhaps?"

Gene's eyes widened. "WHAT!? How did you know..."

"And the village you are looking for is Madan Sari?"

"Why... yes..." Sarah said.

"I'm sorry... but Madan Sari is no more..." Vincent said bitterly.

"What do you mean...?" Verle asked.

Vincent told them his experiences with the Summoners, the Ancients and Madan Sari.

"... In the end, Golbez attacked Madan Sari, and Lord Vinzer had let me escape, together with Anne..." Vincent said as he fumbled for the Spiritstone in his pocket.

"... No..." Verle said, slamming his fist on the table. "Golbez is DEAD! DEAD I TELL YOU!!! DEAD!!!"

"Master Verle, cool down!" Sarah rose and tried to calm Verle.

"After all this time of looking for it, Madan Sari, the Lost Village of the Summoners... is gone..." Verle said, breathing labored. "Now... how are we supposed to unseal the power of Ultima? Vana'diel is doomed to Palamecia for sure."

"If... If you only need the Spiritstone, here it is." Vincent handed Verle the small rainbow-colored stone.

"This..." Verle

"The Spiritstone. I don't know where that Tower you are looking for is, but here is the key..."

Verle was speechless. "This... this is wonderful! Now we can find the Tower of Mysidia!"

"What do you mean, Master?" Gene asked.

"Pardon me, Gene. I was just overcome with joy..." Verle told Gene. "Anyway, do you know what scrying is?"

"Scrying?" Sarah said.

"It's a way of locating a person, place or object using your aura and the familiarity of an item that is in some way connected to the one you are looking for." Verle answered. "All we need is a map, this stone, and my scrying pendant. Then we can find the Tower."

"How does he know all this?" Vincent asked.

"Master Verle is actually a Sage." Gene said. "He's also a merchant of some sort. But, he lost most of his property, including his family, when Golbez attacked."

"In fact, he's the only living one among them." Sarah added. "The others died of age, or were killed by Golbez.

Verle pulled out a map of the Sea of Alfheim and laid it on the table. "Okay... so, you lay the map out like so, and then, you cast Scan on the Spiritstone using this pendant as a medium." Verle was referring an pointed amber stone that was attached to a piece of small black rope.

Verle then placed the Spiritstone on the table, suspended the pendant above it so that the point at the bottom touches the stone, and chanted a spell.

"All-seeing Eye,

look down and hear my cry!

Grant me thine sight so I may see,

The knowledge that was hidden from me! Scan!"

At once, the amber stone began to glow green. Verle let go of it, and it began to hover above the table.

"Where is the Spiritstone?" Verle commanded the pendant. At once, the pendant stopped hovering, and flew to one part of the map. Its was marking a certain island there in the Sea of Alfheim.

"... Krakka Island..." Gene muttered.

"One of those Chocobo Islands, huh?" Sarah said.

"Yes." Verle answered. "We'll have to cross the Chocobo's Forest to get to the Tower. According to the Sages' Journal, The Spiritstone will also serve as some sort of compass if it senses one of the seals. Krakka Island is a small distance from here, but we'll set sail in the morning. It's getting late, and it looks like it's going to rain. We stay docked here in this island for the meantime."

"Yes, sir." Gene answered, and walked away to the bridge, which was the room adjoining the one they are on.

"Vincent, thank you for your help." Verle said.

"It's a pleasure." Vincent answered.

"And, yes, what of the other person?"

"Other person?"

"The young lady that we rescued together with you? I think her name was Anne?"

"Oh..." Vincent said. "She's may be sleeping up to now. All of the people she know and grew up with were eliminated by Golbez. It's best to let her be by herself."

"I see..."

"Well, I kind of sleepy." Vincent said. "I think I'll just retire to the room you gave us, sir."

"Well, yes, then." Verle answered. "Do you also wish to eat?"

"I'm not in such a mood..."

"I'll see you tomorrow morning then. And, I'll keep the Spiritstone to study it during the night." Verle said as Vincent was moving down to the sleeping quarters.

Vincent waved his right hand while his back was turned to signify tat he heard Verle. He was walking down the hall when he heard something moaning.

It was coming from the room where Anne was.

Vincent bolted to the door and opened it.

There, he saw Anne, sprawled on the floor, clutching her head.

"Aaaaaaahhhh...my... head... it.... hurts... stop.... that... noise.... aaaaaahhhhh...." Anne was saying in a pained voice.

"Anne? Anne! It's me, Vincent! Are you okay?" Vincent rushed to Anne's side and was shaking her a bit.

"Aaaaaaah..." Anne stopped clutching her head and looked up to him. "V-Vincent... w-where... am..."

"We're both safe now." Vincent replied. "You should go to sleep... and, um, are you hungry?"

"Well... no..." Anne said. She was still breathing really fast.

"You must be having a nightmare." Vincent said. "Good thing you woke up."

While he was saying this, someone knocked on the door.

"Hey, it's Sarah. Anything wrong there, Vince?"

"No, nothing..."

"Oh, okay. Can I come in?"

"Alright."

Sarah stepped into the room and sta down on the floor next to them.

"Hey, she's awake, huh?" Sarah said, stretching out her hand. "I'm Sarah. You must be Anne, huh?"

"Um... er... well...."

"She's a bit tired, Sarah." Vincent explained, cutting Anne off. "Best if you come back tomorrow."

"Oh, alright." Sarah said. "Oh, by the way, we'll have an early start tomorrow to Krakka Island, okay?"

"No problem." Vincent answered.

With that, Sarah left the room.

Vincent helped Anne up to her feet, and helped her lay down on the bed.

"Feeling better?"

"Yes."

"Um, Anne?"

"Eh?"

"I, um... we'll be looking for something tomorrow. It's bets if you just stay here and rest, okay?"

"Fine."

"Okay... good night."

Vincent removed his clothes via the Dress Sphere, and he was back to his shirt and pants. He was about to lie down and go to bed when he heard Anne calling him.

"Vincent?"

"Yes?"

"Um... I... would like to ask you a question..."

"What?"

"Do you... want to hear about my dream?"

"Your dream?"

"Yes." Anne said. "I... was having a dream before you woke me up. It wasn't really a bad dream, but, um, I got a bit at the end."

"Alright..." Vincent said and sat on her bed's side. "What was it?"

"Fire..."

"Fire?"

"I was... surrounded by fire..." Anne said. "And... the fire... it wasn't... painful..."

"It didn't burn you?"

"Yes..." Anne continued. "Well... it did feel... warm... but... a... comfortable warmth... Then... I... saw... the fire make a figure..."

"And that is?" Vincent asked.

"... wings." Anne said.

"Wings?"

"Yes, wings made of flame... and... then.. There was this noise..."

"The one you wanted to stop?" Vincent asked her.

"Yes..."

"What was it?"

"It..." Anne began to say slowly. "...it... sounded like... a... a ... bird of some sort... a gigantic one..."

"Could it be one of the Ancient?" Vincent asked.

"No..." Anne said. "It... doesn't sound like... the cry... of one of the Ancients I know... Garuda... Quetzacoatl... Palidor... doesn't sound like them..."

"Well, whatever it is..." Vincent said. "It's gone now. It must have been a fever dream, eh?"

"Yes... maybe..." Anne said.

"Okay, let's get some rest. I'll need it for tomorrow." Vincent walked up to his bed, lied down, and threw a blanket over himself.

"Okay... Good night, Vincent."

"You too, Anne."

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"So... here we are..." Gene said as they set feet on Krakka Island that next morning.

"Yup, Krakka Island." Sarah said, examining her blue pendant.

"We're here now..." Vincent said, who was wearing his Dress Sphere ensemble. He turned to Verle and asked, "What now?"

"This.." Verle's small hands pulled out the Spiritstone from his robe's inside pocket, and suspended it in the air. "I've found the way to make the Spiritstone guide us to the Tower. One I set it, it will move towards the Tower, and show us the way so that we won't get lost."

"I see..."

"So, you ready, Vince?"

"Kind of... wait a minute..." Vincent spotted something strange. "What's with the bow and the knife?"

Vincent was referring to a bow that was slung on Sarah's left arm with a quiver of arrows that was attached hip, and a knife about a foot and a half long that was in a sheath fastened to Gene's sash.

"Um, well..." Sarah said, pushing her two index fingers together. "We thought of using something besides rods and staves, so I've been practicing archery..."

"And this dagger's better than a dinky old rod." Gene said, showing Vincent his knife.

"Well, whatever works for you..." Vincent said, a sweatdrop forming at his head.

"Um, uh... Vincent?" a timid voice behind him said.

Vincent almost jumped when he heard the voice. Turning around, he saw Anne, who was wearing a white and blue dress, and her Summoning Crown on her head.

"Anne! Are you okay?"

"Yes..." Anne said. "Um, Vincent... can I... join you?"

"But, aren't you tired?"

"I'm okay." Anne said. "Besides, I think you'll be needing my help."

"Well..."

"C'mon, Vince, let her come with us." Gene said. "Besides, we could need another White Mage in our group, and I hear from Vince you conjure powerful Avatars."

"Th-thanks..." Anne said, blushing a bit.

"Now that's settled, no rest for the wicked." Verle said, as the Spiritstone began to hover away. "Okay, everyone, this way!"

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"Well, the Sages are very good at hiding things, I'll give them that." Gene said as they were walking in the middle of the forest.

Verle and Vincent were in the lead, well, mainly because Vincent can cut down the vegetation easily using his Zanmato, followed by Anne, Sarah, and Gene taking the rear guard.

The forest's trees have grown tall in that area, and have blocked out almost all light, so they relied mostly on the light coming from the Spiritstone and from Carbuncle, who Anne had conjured to help out.

On the way, they met some of the creatures who lived in the forest, of which mostly were small animals. Very much different from the game, the creatures don't attack you at first sight, and would most likely run rather than engage.

"Are we there yet?" Sarah asked, tired and wanting to rest.

"I think were are..." Verle said, as they stepped into a clearing.

There was some sunlight in the area, mainly due to the lack of trees. In the center of the clearing stood a tall structure, which was hidden in the mist.

"I-is that...!?" Gene said, looking up.

"Yes, it is." Verle answered. "The Tower of Mysidia."

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Um, yeah...

Sorry for the lack of update, guys. I went through a bit of a writer's block, and had to get rid of it.

Anyway, so how'd this one go? R and R, please.

Anyway, I'll also work on the next part of my Love Hina fanfic, so there.

Once again, thank you for wasting your precious time reading my fanfic.