Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Final Fantasy: The World of One ❯ Warriors of the Light ( Chapter 8 )

Final Fantasy: The World of One

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

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.

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

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

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

Warriors of the Light

Vincent looked up and tried to get a view of the top of the Tower. It was enveloped in mist, and seemed to be very high up indeed.

"Just how high do you think is this Tower anyway?" Sarah asked, looking up.

"According to legend, it's quite a walk." Verle said. He then walked up to what seemed to be two huge metallic doors. "Okay, time to open up the entrance."

He then found a small indentation on the door, and there, he set the rainbow-colored stone. There was sort of a rumble, as the ground began to shake, and the doors slowly opened. Inside was a dark hallway, of which Verle stepped forward.

"Come." he said. "Precious time is wasted if we just stand here. Lady Anne, if you may please have Carbuncle guide us inside."

"Um... sure thing..." Anne said. "Carbuncle, can you take the lead? We need you to light the way."

Nodding, the furry little creature rushed towards the inside, and it beckoned the others to follow.

It was damp inside, and smelled sort of musty. By Carbuncle's dim ruby glow, they were given a dim view of the bottom of a spiral stairwell, which seemed to go all the way up to the top.

"Well, looks like we'll be doing a lot of climbing." Gene sighed. "Everyone just stay alert. We don't know what might be lurking in the shadows." He then conjured up a simple Fire spell as a handful of flames in his palm, which served as a sort of makeshift torch.

"I sure hope it's nothing." Vincent said.

And so, the small party walked for what seemed like hours up the dark tower. As they walked up, they saw that in the walls were pictures and calligraphy embedded in the stone. It showed many different events, and most of them reflected on battles.

"Here... this looks like... a battle between the Beast Men and the Ancients." Verle was pointing to a rather large panel where they found an area that was away from the stairs. "There... Ramuh, Ifrit, Shiva... and then... the Sun and the Moon themselves, Phoenix and Bahamut..."

Verle was pointing to a part of the picture where there were two large figures seemed to be battling each other. One was a gigantic bird of some sort, which had majestic wings and long quills, which looked as if they were made of fire, soaring above what seemed to be a dragon. But the dragon stood the way humans do, and if not for the claws on its arms and feet, the dragon would have had a human body, with the head of a ferocious reptile, with gigantic dragon wings and tail.

"Phoenix and Bahamut?" Anne said, looking with interest.

"The mightiest of the Ancients." Verle answered. "Phoenix, she who rises from the flames and is said to be the giver of new life, and Bahamut, he who is the king of dragons, with power overwhelming, whose rage has given rise to his name as the god of destruction. Both were very different, life and death, light and dark, creation and destruction, Sun and Moon.

"They say that during the time when the Dark Lord `Chaos' controlled the Ancients, Bahamut was the last to return to his senses. It took the power of all the other Ancients combined to subdue him, though they failed. In the end, it was Phoenix who was able to return him to the fold.

"According to the legend, the Ancients disappeared after the war against Chaos. Fearing that they might wreak havoc on Terra again, the Ancients either slumbered in sealed areas in the depths of this plane, or live harmoniously with the Summoners, the chosen few who were worthy enough to dwell in the utopia known as Madan Sari. They say that Bahamut now rests in a shrine built for him in the ancient ruins of Zanarkand, while they do not know what has become of Phoenix."

For some time, there was silence.

"Well... no use wondering about that now." Gene said. "C'mon, we have to find the Ultima Scroll. For the sake of everyone in Vana `diel!"

Verle, Gene, Sarah and Vincent began to move, but Anne's eyes were glued to the sculpture of the two titans battling each other. Carbuncle stayed there with Anne, casting its dim red gelam on the wall.

"Anne, is there a problem?" Vincent moved towards Anne and looked up also to the painting.

"Vincent... those... wings..." Anne said slowly. "They... they are like the ones in my dream..."

"You said those... wings were... made of flame, right?" Vincent said.

"Yes..." Anne answered. "Could it be... that my dream... is... connected to Phoenix?"

"Most likely." Vincent said. "The one that's in your dream... no doubt it's Phoenix. You said it was a bird's cry, right?"

" Yes..."

"Then, why did you dream of Phoenix? Have you two... met before?"

"No..." Anne said. "Phoenix is one of the Ancients who chose not to dwell within Madan Sari. That's why I don't know much about her."

"Hey, what are you guys doing?" Sarah caled to them from the stairwell. "C'mon, let's go find the Ultima Scroll already!"

"Okay, you win." Vincent said. "Anne, we can worry about this later. Right now, we need the Ultima Scroll so we can fight Golbez on an even footing. You want to defeat him, right?"

"Yes... for my family... the ones he has slain..." Anne said.

"Let's go..." Vincent said.

=========================

"What now?" Gene said.

The group had just reached to top of the stairwell (almost losing their breaths in the process) and had just crossed a very long, wide corridor that had eerie suits of armor all lined up on both sides, their silvery glow shining dimly in the dark. At the corridor's end was a huge metallic door (like the one at the entrance), which this time didn't have any mark to place the Spiritstone at.

"Man, all this for a dead end." Sarah said, leaning on one of the suits. She tripped a bit, and the armor's arm, which was strangely lifted without an item in its hold.

At once, flames rose from behind the armor suits, making them jump in surprise. When they had recovered, they found out that the flames were contained in torches that were mounted on the wall. The whole corridor was lit up in a few moments.

"That... was... strange..." Sarah said weakly, trying to find her composure.

Which was quickly lost when a sort of earthquake rocked them. The ground began to tremble, and it was increasingly difficult to stand up.

"EEEYYYAAAAHHH!!!" Anne cried out. She had lost her balance.

"Anne!" Vincent cried as he jumped to catch Anne from falling. "You okay?"

"Yes... I am..."

"Look!" Verle shouted out, pointing in the direction of the metal door.

For the door had begun to move slowly. Very bright light began to fill the room, drowning out the ones coming from the torches. When the door had fully opened, tehy could not beleve their eyes.

"Whoa..." Gene whispered in awe.

On the other side of the door was a large room that had walls and floors made entirely of transparent crystals. These crystals were tinted with every color imaginable, from the deepest blue to the lightest red. A solemn aura filled the area, and in the middle of the room stood an altar made of entirely colorless crystals, and which on the top was a tome that looked as if it was at least a hundred years old. The tome's title was written in ancient tongue, and just nearing it made you feel a very powerful yet calm energy radiating from it.

"The... The ... Ultima Scroll!!!" Sarah cried in delight.

Vincent saw Verle take the Ultima scroll in his two hands. When he did, a blindign light took over Verle, and it flashed for a while. Vincent covered himself from the flash, and when he opened his eyes, he saw only Verle, and in his hands the ancient book.

"I... I... I know it..." Verle said. "I... I know how to... cast it..."

"Master...?" Gene said.

"The book... the flash... it taught me... I...I know how to cast Ultima!!!" Verle said, which was followed by a victorious laugh.

"Master! I'm so happy for you!" Sarah said.

"The power of Ultima..." Gene said.

"Yes, its power..." Verle said. "We have to take the Ultima Scroll with us. If we are to leave it here, Golbez or any other might try to take it. We must take it to someplace safe.

"I'm afraid THAT isss not nesscesssary, little man."

Everyone almost jumped at the voice. It was unearthly and cruel. Vincent scanned the area for the owner of the voice, and it wasn't long before he saw who it was. It was a figure who was standing if front of the door, blocking them. The voice did justice to the man, who was ten times scarier than even his dark voice.

He was wearing a ragged black coat, and which under he was wearing even darker robes, from which the only parts they could see of his body were his hands. Said hands were very thin and very pale, and if it wasn't for some skin that covered his hands, they would say that the hands were actually human bones. His face was completely hidden underneath his hood, from which eyes of red like that of a viper stared at them hungrily.

"Wh-who are you?" Vincent asked, his hands ready to draw Zanmato.

"Ahhh... sssuch temper..." the cloaked being hissed. "Sssuch power of youth. I thought that fool Golbez had dissspossed of you, and your friendsss... and ah... I see that you a Summoner has survived our attack on Madan Sari. They were delicious prey indeed. I loved every sssingle drop of their essence."

"Aaahhh..." Anne gasped, falling to her knees.

The cloaked being let out a laugh that was more of a hiss. "Ah, how delectable human fear isss. I shall enjoy feasssting on you, my dear flower, after I have taken the livesss of your friends."

"WHO ARE YOU!!!" Vincent shouted forcefully. "I DEMAND YOU TELL ME YOUR IDENTITY!!!"

"Ah, such impatience." the cloaked being said. "Yes... I shall tell you who I am. Know my name and fear it. I was once known as Gerou, but no more. Now, I am your death, the Master of the Earth. I am Lich!"

Vincent did not know what a `Lich' was, but his four other allies gasped in horror. "No... it... it can't be..." he heard Verle stutter.

"Master... he... is he really... Lich?" Gene asked.

"Hmm... you seem to doubt my power, apprentice mage." Lich hissed. "Well, I should have sense that. And, you know why I am here now, don't you. Give me that Scroll."

"Never!" Gene said fiercely. "I won't let you claim the Ultima Scroll!"

"Such foolish courage." Lich said playfully. "No matter I shall dispose of you all anyway. Witness my power. Tremble and despair!"

Lich became bathed in black aura. Then, what seemed to be a black hole appeared, and from it came forth a dragon. It was more terrifying than any dragon they have seen. Its body was putrid, its most of its flesh torn off, and its skeleton visible at certain areas. It was a mangled mess, and yet, it was living.

"I shall let you play with one of my most magnificent creations, Hades. Once he has cut short your miserable lives, I shall harvest your essence to make my power stronger. And, do not worry about your bodies, they shall not go to waste. Be honored to know that they shall be part of my mighty legion of followers. Now, my pet, it is time."

The dragon stood up on its two hind legs, flapped its enormous bat-like wings, and gave a horrendous roar.

"Heads up!" Vincent exclaimed as the dragon began to blast them with streams of black flame that was mixed with toxin. Jumping away, Vincent drew Zanmato, and looked around to see the status of his allies.

Gene had drawn his dagger, while Sarah was preparing an arrow to attack the dragon with. Ane, however, was paralyzed with fear.

"Anne!!! Ugh!" Vincent jumped to push Anne away from the dragon's range of attack, of which he was hit by the black flame in the upper part of his left arm.

"Vincent! Vincent! Are you okay!?" Anne had snapped out of her trance and called out to him.

"Yes, I'm alright." Vincent said. "Master Verle, please find a place for you and Anne to hide. Gene, Sarah, can you help me out?"

"Sure." Gene said.

"Already on it." Sarah added.

"Good." Vincent said. He was about to attack when he felt the searing pain in his left shoulder.

"Hey, Vince, let me treat that wound first." Sarah rushed to his side, and with a Curaga spell, she had healed the wound.

The dragon kept on firing streams of black flame, trying to hit them, but they were lucky enough to evade. Vincent rushed forward and lashed out with Zanmato, hitting the foe continuously. Gene infused Black Magic with his dagger to strengthen the blows. Sarah shot the dragn with arrows that flew with deadly accuracy. However, these did not seem to hurt the dragon. Even the deepest of cuts Vincent could inflict didn't slow it down. It just became more enraged and fought fiercer every time.

"Hey, Vince, wait a minute." Sarah said. "Duh, the dragon's undead. We can't hurt it if we use these means. If we must stop it, we'll have to use Holy energy."

"Of course!" Gene exclaimed. "But, only White Mages can harness Holy..."

"I'm a White Mage, Einstein!" Sarah said, a bit annoyed. "I've got a plan. I'll store enough Holy energy into a single arrow to take that dragon down. But it'll take some time."

"How much time do you need?" Gene asked.

"I... don't know..."

"Fifteen minutes, tops!" Vincent said as he rushed towards the dragon. "Sonic Slash!" he bellowed as he slashed continuously at thin air, creating blades of air current that hit the dragon dead on.

Vincent's little diversion caught the dragon's attention. It started to go after Vincent, using its Dark Flame Breath to try to hit him. When suddenly, a blast of ice knocked it backwards. Gene had decided to join Vincent, and was casting spells to confuse the dragon.

And so, for some time, it was like that: the dragon blindly rushing and firing it attacks, Vincent and Gene evading them and attacking with whatever, they have.

"Sarah, how's that coming?" Gene asked.

"Only... a bit more..." Sarah said, concentrating her energy on the arrow.

"I... I don't know if we can hold it back for too long..." Gene said, gasping.

Vincent's muscles strained, his whole body threatening to give way. He was very tired indeed. He had exhausted most of his energy trying to subdue the dragon. He had closed his eyes for a moment, and the next thing he know, black flame was rushing towards him.

Vincent had tried to dodge, but his body was too heavy to move. He then felt a claw grab him and slam him to a wall with bone-crushing force.

"Uuughhh..."

"VINCENT!!!" he heard Anne cry.

"No... uuughhh..."

Lich chuckled as he say Vincent pinned to a wall by the dragon zombie. "Fool. Did you notice my ability to drain the very essence of men?"

"W-what...?"

"While you were fighting, I was draining your very energy." Lich said with delight. "I must say that your essence is a treat indeed, and I would love to claim every drop of it. Now, Hades, finish him off. I have changed my mind, I have no need for his body."

"No... please... stop..." Anne looked on helplessly as Hades charged his Dark Flame Breath that would annihilate Vincent.

When all of a sudden, they heard someone chanting.

"Strength of Ages, burning bright, dissipate this eternal darkness with your everlasting light! HOLY!!!"

Vincent felt the dragon's grip on him slacken, and he saw an arrow that shed light piercing its back. It began to scream in agony, staggering around, until it fell, and became a pile of ashes.

When Vincent had regained his breath, he saw Sarah and Gene smiling at him, with a spark of light flashing from Sarah's palm. He was standing up when he felt someone knock him down and arms embraced tightly around him.

"Oh, Vincent! You're alive! Thank you... thank you for living.." he heard Anne's voice, which was at the verge of breaking.

"Anne..." Vincent embraced her tight, and she was trembling in his hold.

"Tee-hee, looks like we have a couple." Sarah said.

"I'm okay, Anne. But first, for Lich..." Vincent said, letting go of Anne. "You've had you playtime, so leave us alone."

"Au contraire." Lich said. "I am just beginning."

Suddenly, the shadows began to leap out of the wall and off the floor, and ensnared them in a dark grip.

"Argh! What's this!?" Verle blurted out before he was pulled downward lying on the floor by the shadows.

"Foolsss." Lich smirked. "Now stay down while I take this scroll to my master. But, before that..." The shadows lifted Anne to a standing position. "I shall feast upon your essences. And I shall begin with the most succulent meal of all..."

"B-bastard! You lay one finger on her and... mmmph!" Vincent said while shaking violently until the shadows draped over his mouth.

"Temper, temper." Lich said in a playful tone. "Do be patient, Vincent, ssssince you shall be next. It seems I ssshall have good use for your body, after all. Now, my pretty, share with me your youth, and your energy..."

"No... please... someone... help..."

Helpless, Vincent could only close his eyes as Lich closed in on her.

/Forgive me, Anne.../

/I... wasn't strong enough.../

He waited for Anne's scream to fill the air.

It never came.

Opening his eyes, Vincent saw a piercing green light, and he felt the bonds of shadow loosen.

"What!? What is thisss!?" he heard Lich blurt out.

"What the...!?"

Vincent looked around and saw that the green light was coming from Gene's pendant. It was shining away the shadows with the green light, which seemed to blind Lich.

"No... what isss that...!? Get it away!!!" Lich exclaimed.

Then, the green light began to concentrate, and fired a beam which hit Lich square in the chest.

Lich was sent flying, and then lay in a crumpled heap on the floor, screaming as if agony.

"GAAAAHHH!!! THE PAIN!!! AAARRRGHHH!!!"

"Wh-what happened...?" Sarah asked.

"Anne, Anne!" Vincent was trying to wake Anne up, who had collapsed before Lich could take her essence.

"I... I don't know." Gene said. "It... just... happened."

"This is... no... but could there be another answer?" Verle was thinking out loud. "In any case, we must defeat Lich now that he is weak."

Gene, Sarah and Verle closed upon Lich in order to finish him off, but was cut short by a wall of water that erupted from the ground. Together with the wall materialized a woman who was dressed in a quite revealing light blue robe, had light blue hair that ran through her back, and a pair of deep blue eyes.

"You were careless, Lich." the woman said. "You should have known that they were the ones. We have failed for now, but we shall defeat them... once you are strong again."

"Grrrr... you... win... thisss time..." Lich said, his eyes flashing like wildfire. "...but... I... will have... my... vengeance..." And with that, Lich disappeared in a flash of black.

"Who... who are you?" Sarah asked the blue-haired woman.

"Sarah, now's not really the time to ask that kind of question!" Gene said.

"I...see... you have the Sigil of Water. Sarah, is it?" the woman answered. "Know my name, for we shall become the worst of enemies. I am Ursula, the Nymph of Water. But you may call me, `Kraken'. We shall meet again. I hope you are a worthy foe by that time."

And with that, she disappeared.

"Who.. Who was that woman?" Sarah asked.

"She is the reincarnation of Kraken, one of the Four Fiends who helped Chaos bring the Darkness to Terra." Verle said.

"Lich, Kraken, Kari and Tiamat." Gene said. "The Four Fiends. But, why are they here?"

"I have much to tell you." Verle answered. "But, for now, let us return to the ship. Night is falling."

=========================

"So, you mean to say someone reincarnated the Four Fiends?" Gene asked.

"Reincarnated their powers." Verle answered. "Someone has taken their powers, and transferred them to individuals. That explains why you and Sarah have those pendants. Those are not ordinary. Gene, what you have is the Sigil of Earth, and you, Sarah the Sigil of Water. These Sigils are the only items that render their powers useless against an individual. Case in point, Lich's shadow magic."

"But, why do we have these Sigils?" Sarah said.

"It is your destiny." Verle answered. "The Sigils are your right by birth, because... you and Gene... are the Light Warriors."

"Are you serious?" Gene said, shocked. "Me... and Sarah... Light Warriors!? There must be some mistake... I mean... we're not Light Warrior material at all... don't Light Warriors have to represent good traits and all that?"

"I see no other explanation." Verle said. "Those Sigils are the proof of your identity. And Light Warriors are not superhuman at all. They are just humans who have chosen to accept the heavy task of protecting the world from the Darkness."

What followed was a long period of silence, which was broken by Sarah's question.

"Gene... what.... what do we do now?"

"Well..." Gene thought for a moment. "If I remember by Japanese anime right... we can't get out of these situations easy, so we'll have to play along. I guess... we're stuck being Light Warriors, so we'll have to save this world and whatnot. Um, Master Verle?"

"You can call me Verle. The Light Warriors need not speak to a humble sage with such honor."

"Alright, whatever." Gene said. "Now that we know who we're up against, which is specifically Golbez and the Four Fiends, what do we do?"

"You mus find the other two." Verle answered. "The ones who own the Sigils of Wind and Fire. You can't defeat the Four Fiends or Golbez if there are just the two of you."

"I... understand." Gene said. "But, Master Verle, where do we go from here?"

"I already told you. We'll need to find the two other Light Warriors, and then we'll have to make sure they don't get their hands on the Ultima Scroll. Do you have any idea who the two Light Warriors may be?"

"I... don't know." Gene said.

"Me neither." Sarah added.

"Anyway, we'll head for the mainland tomorrow." Verle said. "The closest place we can dock the Blue Narciss is a small town west of here called Balamb. After that, we'll journey to Deling City by foot to gather supplies before we make the journey back to Lysergwood. We'll have to take the scroll to where it's safe."

"Okay. We'll be sleeping now..." Gene said, rising from his chair.

"Gene, Sarah, wait. There is one more thing..."

"Yes?"

Verle lay the Ultima Scroll at the table. "Both of you, touch the scroll. If you are the Light Warriors, then you'll need this spell."

"Ultima? But, Master, I don't think that we can..." Sarah said.

"Nonsense. This power is also yours. Now, touch the scroll, understand the power, and use it to save us."

Gene ans Sarah walked up slowly to the Ultima Scroll, and touched it.

A blinding flash of light enveloped the room as the knowledge of Ultima entered their very soul.

=========================

"EEEEEEYAAAAAHHH!!!"

Anne burst up in bed, gasping heavily.

"Anne! Are you okay?" Vincent said, who was by Anne's bedside.

"I... yes... I'm okay..." Anne said between sharp breaths.

"I... I thought something really bad happened to you..." Vincent said. "Good thing you're okay."

"Vincent..." Anne said slowly. "I heard it again..."

"Heard what?"

"The bird." Anne said. "When Lich was about to attack me, I heard the bird's call. It sounded really angry."

"You mean Phoenix?"

"No... I don't know if it's Phoenix... but... it's a bird... and I dreamed about the fiery wings again..."

"You keep having the same dream..." Vincent thought out loud. "What could it mean?"

"I... I don't know... but... if that is Phoenix... she seems to... protect me."

"Protect you?"

"Yes..." Anne said. "I don't know, but... somehow... she want to protect me... but... something is... holding her back..."

"I see..." Vincent said. "We can think about this later, okay? Right now, you and I should rest. Don't worry about anything. I'll be right by your side to protect you."

"R-really?"

"Of course." Vincent said. "It is a promise I've made to your father, and I owe more than my life to him. So, please, sleep well."

"Yes... Vincent, thank you..." Anne said before the lay down once again and closed her eyes.

Vincent then moved to his own bed and relaxed himself. In a short while, he was sound asleep.

=========================

Notes:

I decided to use the term "Kari" or "Kary" instead of Marilith/Marilis for the Fire Fiend.

Anyway, I think I'll be hiring a muse. Making these author notes by myself is a bit boring. What do you guys think?

Well, thank you for reading. Review if you see fit.