Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Shattered Dreams ❯ Ruby Light ( Chapter 16 )

(Voice in Mind)

 

Chapter 16: Ruby Light

 

He opened his eyes slowly, carefully letting the bright light blind him. Uhn…. starbursts and color flooded his vision, and bright spots of something pulsed behind his eyeballs. He groaned aloud as he shifted in his crumpled position on the floor. The scarlet-haired man could feel his head starting to ache, and his mouth tasted like dry cotton. He licked his lips experimentally, grimacing when his tongue felt like sandpaper.

 

Reno groaned and tried to get in a position where he wasn't kissing the floor or twisted uncomfortably. His neck twinged, and his spine cracked. He blinked trying to clear his blurry vision even as he couldn't help but wonder where the hell he was.

 

His mind was pretty fuzzy… or so he discovered as he attempted to recall his last memory. He could remember the helicopter crash and crawling out of the wreckage… that was clear as day. And judging from the pain in his ribs, it wasn't that long ago either. He vaguely recalled voices and a blow to the head. After that, everything was blank and confused.

 

The voice, however, was very familiar. He remembered the feeling of stark recognition and surprise. Tifa… that damn manipulative bitch. Though there had been a time the two of them were on the same “side”, he despised her. She had no honor or sense of pride in herself. Money and power were the only things that she sought. To turn on her friends and trick them like that, Reno couldn't understand how a person - though killer that he was - could do such a thing. And now judging by what he could remember and assume, he was in her custody.

 

Wonderful.

 

His head still ached miserably, his ribs were on fire, and he was about to die of thirst. A quick check of his arm and pockets and the Turk knew he had also been disarmed of both his weapon and materia. He groaned aloud. His situation wasn't looking that great.

 

(It is alright, hee hee. We'll get out, Ichigo!) came a voice in his head, light and cheerful, like a child's. He was surprised that he did not find it unpleasant, considering the way that his brain was pounding against his skull.

 

“Great,” muttered the Turk aloud. “I'm also hearing voices.”

 

He slowly sat up on the floor and looked around. He was in a room pretty much devoid of all furniture, except for a small four-legged wooden chair that looked decidedly wobbly and unfit for use. There were no windows and only one door, which looked too sturdy for him to even think about kicking out. The walls were white-washed and dull; beneath him was dark blue carpet rather thin and well worn. Reno assumed for the time being that the door was locked until he could find his way to his feet and trot over there to find out for himself.

 

There was a light-hearted giggle in his head as the child-like voice spoke again. (Don't worry so. You're not going crazy. I'm here to help you, yo. Tee hee.) It was even using his own speech patterns against him.

 

Reno decided to humor his deranged mind, still firmly entrenched in the belief that the blow to the head might have knocked something loose. “So, how are you going to help me, whoever you are?” he questioned, pushing himself slowly to his feet.

 

The red-haired Turk swayed a moment, his legs feeling weak and jelly-like. He wasn't about to fall back to the floor, however. Sheer determination kept him upright. He waited a moment for the world to stop spinning.

 

(You called my name once. You can't remember it now? Phooey, and we worked so well together, too, defeating that nasty rotting Dragon Zombie,) the voice had taken on a pouting quality, disappointment clearly evident.

 

Reno frowned in confusion. Dragon Zombie? But the only time he had fought one was over six months ago while trying to find Sephiroth in the crater… “Carbuncle?”

 

It giggled, sounding remarkably like wind chimes tinkling. (Close! But I have an older name you know, Ichigo. Just like you haven't always been “Reno”,) he responded mischievously. The Turk couldn't really be sure if the voice was male or female. Figures that a voice in his head wouldn't be some sexy, alluring woman but something child-like and bordering on annoying.

 

The scarlet-haired man tried to remember that battle through the pounding in his head. He remembered green fire and black and white shadows bursting all around them and vaguely recalled Cid flying through the air. His recent head injury was probably what caused his memories to be so fuzzy.

 

But first and foremost on his mind as he pondered his past, Reno wondered why the summon was even speaking with him. He didn't even have his materia. Then again, he had hit his head pretty hard. It was like that one time he had gotten so drunk off of Nibelheim Ale that he could have sworn that he had three feet and sprouted purple polka-dots, and Reeve had to cart him home over one shoulder. Hmm, Reeve… Reno pushed thoughts of his fiancé aside for the moment and concentrated on escaping.

 

He moved towards the door, experimentally trying the knob. As he had expected, it was locked. Sighing, Reno dug into his left hand sleeve for the special lock-picking kit that he kept there from his earlier days living in the slums. Lucky for him, Tifa and her gang hadn't thought to check there for anything and had missed it.

 

He bent to bring himself eye level with the lock and had to stifle a gasp of pain from his ribs. They protested every movement, making him feel dizzy and causing him to sweat. He was breathing heavily as a result, every breath feeling jagged with knives.

 

(I could heal you, yo!) giggled Carbuncle, imitating the Turk's speech patterns once more. (But I cannot do it from here. You have to call me out.)

 

Reno rubbed his aching head and felt a wave of dizziness strike him again. His weak legs gave out, and he dropped to the floor, just managing to kneel on one knee and avoid smacking his head. He growled angrily at himself and cursed the helicopter crash. He had probably broken quite a few ribs in the crash and was surprised that he hadn't coughed up any blood as of yet.

 

He settled on the floor and tried to think, remembering the battle against the Dragon Zombie. He had called Carbuncle without knowing why or how and the summon had come. But the name… what was it? Something with an… A?

 

He mused for another moment until finally something clicked, more like it was being whispered across his subconscious and he only had to be silent to hear it.

 

“I feel really stupid, yo,” he mumbled under his breath as he shook his head. Rolling his eyes, he decided to give it a try.

 

Reno shrugged and waved a hand dismissively. “Asclepius,” he drawled, not really expecting anything to happen. The ground didn't shake, thunder didn't crash, and there was no booming voice. Reno shook his head at his own silliness, convinced he had merely gone crazy.

 

Suddenly, hands pressed over his eyes and a recognizable voice chirped merrily in his ear. “Guess who, yo?”

 

It was then that Reno felt the first gentle and cooling tingled of magic through his body. He relaxed to the touch and allowed the… summon?... to do his work.

 

“Are you always this cheery and playful?” the Turk questioned.

 

Asclepius giggled again and removed his hands. He moved to the Turks front and sat down cross-legged in front of Reno, grinning broadly. “Only around the humans and such that I like…”

 

“Wait a minute.” Reno frowned and took a second look at the summon's appearance. “You look like a human,” he stated with confusion.

 

He was correct. Asclepius had taken the form of a lithe young man with soft mint skin and bright green hair. The garnet gem was still in the center of his forehead, and he wore fuzzy loose pants and a fuzzy loose tunic-like shirt with simple black shoes. His eyes were a brilliant red, like rubies and shone in the dimly lit room.

 

Asclepius giggled. “Of course. It wouldn't make sense for me to appear in this small room in my other form now would it?” He rolled his eyes and regarded his animus with an amused expression. “Now, how about you try to get out of here one more time?”

 

Reno shrugged and got to his feet, padding over to the door and drawing out his lock picking kit once more. He paused and put his ear to the wood for a moment, listening for any sounds outside that might alert him to the presence of a guard. He stiffened when he realized he could hear the sound of heavily booted footsteps that were heading his way.

 

“Hide!” he hissed before diving to the floor and pretending as if he were still unconscious. Already a plan was forming in his mind. It was a simple tactic really… pretend to still be helpless and strike when the moment was right. Heh.

 

Asclepius tee-hee'd but did not move. “They can't see me anyways,” muttered the demi-god by way of explanation as he sat down next to Reno and patted the scarlet-hair. “So soft…”

Reno stifled a groan of annoyance and forced his body to go limp. Moments later, the doorknob moved and the sound of keys being jingled. He cracked his eyes open just barely as the lock opened with a click and the door opened.

 

He saw black boots and black leather for two pairs of feet at first but didn't dare move his head to investigate further. He could still feel Asclepius' presence and knew that the demi-god hadn't lied when he said others couldn't see him. One pair of booted feet stayed near the door as the heavier footsteps clomped in his direction, making dull thudding sounds as it crossed the floor.

 

“Eh, nii-san? He still hasn't woken up?” questioned the figure from the doorway, the voice decidedly androgynous. Reno couldn't be sure whether it belonged to a male or female but judging from the boots, maybe a very feminine male. “Stupid lazy Turk.”

 

“Hmph,” muttered a much deeper voice from just above the Turk. “I wanted to play with him.” Reno heard the squeak of leather and knew that his mysterious kidnapper was kneeling down. Through his slitted eyes he could just barely make out the black leather covered thigh of a surprisingly well-built male. If he wasn't so “unconscious” he might have been able to appreciate the view.

 

The deep-voiced man poked him experimentally, Reno assumed to see if the Turk was awake. Apparently, he was not too bright. The red-haired man did not move. There was another creak of leather as the dumb one turned towards the doorway, allowing Reno a brief glimpse of a weapon in a holster attached to the man's thigh. It appeared to be a gun.

 

Aquamarine eyes snapped open as a huge grin crossed the red-haired man's face. He bolted upwards and his hand shot out, grabbing for the weapon at the dumb one's waist at the same moment he swung out a leg to push him backwards. Both moves executed perfectly. The leather clad man fell to his ass as Reno's slim fingers wrapped around the shaft of the weapon and pulled it free.

 

He gasped at the sudden weight on his hand and looked down in surprise at what he held. The weapon was nothing that the Turk was familiar with. “What the hell kind of weapon is this?” he queried aloud, his voice registering his surprise. It was a gun… and a sword?

 

A fist flew out of nowhere and slammed into the momentarily surprised Turk's face. Reno reeled backwards from the rather hard blow as his head snapped back and the weapon was jerked from his grasp. Spots danced before his eyes and his head swam from the pain. The dumb one was apparently very strong; however, the one near the door hadn't even moved yet.

 

A pair of arms shot out and grabbed the Turk's shirt, jerking him off his feet until he was face to face with his assailant. Through a dim haze of spotty vision, Reno could just barely make out grayish hair and a sneer.

 

“Playing dead was we?” questioned the deep-voiced man, shaking his prey.

 

“Fuck off!” growled Reno, lashing out with his foot despite hanging in the air from the man's fists. Unable to move back in time, the Turk's foot connected with the larger man's knee, and it buckled beneath him at the same moment that Asclepius burst out of nowhere and barreled into the dumb one's side.

 

“Nii-san!” called out the man from the doorway as he rushed into the room at the same moment that Reno and his captor tumbled to the ground. The Turk tore himself from the man's grasp, kicked him in the stomach, and leapt over his prone body. Asclepius also disentangled himself and took off after his animus. He was now visible to the two enemies, but they didn't seem to care at the moment. After all, their captive was escaping.

 

Reno wasted no time as he came face to face with the other man. In a blur of movement, he struck out with his fist as Asclepius pulled out another stunning tackle. The slimmer androgynous person tumbled to the ground from the weight of the demi-god. Reno leapt over his prostrate form quickly and dove for the door, landing just outside.

 

Without thinking and forgetting about the demi-god, he slammed the door shut and locked it. The dumbass had left the key in the lock of the door handle. The Turk breathed a sigh of relief that he was free and allowed himself a moment of elation before he realized that he had inadvertently locked Asclepius inside as well.

 

“Dammit!” cursed the red-haired man as he struck his head on the door.

 

“That's really not going to help matters,” came a cheerful voice from just behind him.

 

Reno whirled around only to come face to face with the shorter demi-god, who was smiling brightly. “How in the hell…?”

 

Asclepius waved a hand of dismissal. “As if I really needed a door.”

 

“What are you?” demanded the Turk, looking into the sea green eyes of the summon/demi-god. “No. Never mind, we'll talk about that later. How the hell do I get out of here?” he questioned, erasing his earlier line of questioning as he looked down one hall and then the other.

 

To the right was a short distance to another doorway and to the left was a longer hallway that curved off so that he could not see where it led. His first plan of action was to retrieve his weapons and materia before the two men he had locked inside found a way out.

 

A loud pounding on the door caused him to jump several feet in the air. Perhaps the dumb one was strong enough to break it down. Either way, Reno had to hurry.

 

Asclepius put a finger to his chin as he appeared to consider the Turk's question. “I think your rod and stuff is down the hall to the righ, but I think it's being guarded as well.”

 

Reno sighed and pinched his nose. “Can't you do something, oh walker-through-walls?” Another pounding of the door startled him and he glanced at the door. He was running out of time.

 

The green-haired child-like demi-god nodded. “I've some magic, you know. I am a demi-god. Hmm, what would be best?”

 

Aquamarine eyes rolled in exasperation. “Whatever. Let's go, yo.” He jerked a thumb towards the right hall and the two started down it quickly.

 

Once at the lone door that really was not that far from the room he had been contained within, Reno pressed his ear to the door. From inside, he couldn't hear anything except a dull rasping sound. He didn't recognize it. Shrugging, the Turk placed his hand on the knob and turned it ever so slowly, pleased to find it was unlocked.

 

He glanced back at Asclepius and saw that the scarlet-eyed teen was ready. Taking a deep breath, Reno turned the knob and threw the door open, planning on taking the person inside by surprise.

 

Within, a young boy also dressed in black leather didn't even bother to look up as he sat hunched over a sword, sharpening it with a special stone. “Nii-san, your theatrics are at best annoying.”

 

Reno scanned the room quickly, spotting his armlet and rod sitting on a table on the other side of the rather homey looking room with its couches, chairs, T.V., and small refrigerator.

 

“Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not your nii-san,” intoned the Turk as he leapt at the boy dressed in black leather, lacing his fingers together and forming a thick fist with both hands. He brought this fist crashing down on the back of the boy's head even as he was looked upon with wide eyes, effectively and easily knocking him unconscious. The leather clad boy tumbled out of his chair as his sword clattered to the table top.

 

“Looks like I didn't need your magic after all, yo,” Reno remarked as he swiftly crossed the floor to reclaim his weapon. He felt immeasurably better as he clipped the band back around his wrist and returned the familiar Electro Rod to his hand.

 

“Darn,” whined the demi-god. “I was really looking forward to trying that Repel technique, too. Take away all my fun!” Asclepius pouted and looked down at the unconscious leather-clad boy, frowning.

 

A series of bangs echoed in the hallway, and Reno's eyes snapped to the open door. There was a small crack and the Turk realized that the dumb one apparently was strong enough to break open the door.

 

“Let's get out of here,” the Turk ordered, taking off towards the door, Asclepius following along after him. They passed by the unconscious younger man and ran past the door where it was just cracking and gloved hands were poking through trying to unlock the door.

 

Reno ran down the only available hallway, wondering how he was going to get out when a sudden dull roar invaded his senses and the sound of an explosion filled the air. The very building around him shuddered violently, throwing him against a wall as he lost his balance. The Turk gripped onto the stone wall for support as he waited for the ground to stop shaking around him. Asclepius had drawn to a halt beside him, seemingly unaffected by the shudders and panting slightly.

 

“What the hell?” questioned the Turk, eyes darting all around him as his ear strained to hear.

 

The demi-god's eyes widened in surprise, becoming large pools of scarlet. He frowned as he looked back and forth as if conversing mentally rather than aloud. “It's Daunte… Balaam's finally made his move.”

 

Reno frowned at the younger-looking man. “What the hell are you talking about?” he demanded.

 

But Asclepius was given no time to respond as another explosion rocked the building and the sound of a door slamming open, coming from the hall to their left, echoed through the hall.

 

“You idiots!! Where the hell are you? What the fuck's going on?” screamed an enraged voice obviously female as she stormed down the hallway to where Reno was struggling to keep his feet. Aquamarine eyes widened. He recognized that voice. It was Tifa.

 

The violent rumbling ceased, and Reno found he was finally able to stand on his feet without clutching the wall, albeit a bit shakily. He took a step forward towards the left when Tifa suddenly skidded around the corner, long brown hair flying around her face.

 

Her reddish-brown eyes widened as her mouth opened in a tiny `o' of surprise. “You! What are you doing loose?” she demanded, face flushing with anger.

 

Reno flashed her one of his characteristic grins as he stood, cockily bouncing his Electro Rod against his shoulder. “I decided I didn't want your company anymore,” he drawled, eyes flashing.

 

There was a faint explosive sound and the walls rattled a little but not enough to throw Reno from his feet. Tifa's eyes looked worriedly towards the ceiling before returning her attentions to Reno and glaring.

 

“What have you done with the brothers?” she questioned, putting her hands on her hips.

 

Reno shrugged. “A little of this, a little of that.” He narrowed his eyes at the dark-headed girl and glared. “Now get out my way, bitch!”

 

Suddenly, a very loud bang and crash came from the hall behind Reno, accompanied by loud cursing and the subtle squeaking of leather. The two men Reno had locked away had apparently broken free.

 

“I think it's time to go,” commented Asclepius.

 

The red-haired Turk nodded. “Agreed.”

 

Without missing a beat, he took a step forward. Tifa's eyes widened in anger and she tightened the strap of her metal-covered gloves. “Try it and see what happens,” she hissed angrily, her eyes flashing. “You're my ticket back into ShinRa!”

 

Reno smirked and pressed the button for his Electro Rod, igniting the electric current that imbibed the metal. “Show me what you got,” he taunted, moving forward.

 

Tifa growled angrily and took a flying leap at the Turk. The aquamarine-eyed man prepared to face her down when suddenly Asclepius darted in front of him, arms outstretched.

 

“Repel!” shouted the demi-god. Almost immediately, the air in front of the two shimmered and a translucent wall appeared. Tifa crashed into it hard with an oof! and promptly flew backwards, back and head striking the wall. The back of her skull cracked as her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she slipped into an unconscious state, body slumping to the floor.

 

“Yeah!” cheered Reno in astonishment. “That was fucking awesome!!”

 

Asclepius smiled cheekily. “Wasn't it though?”

 

The sound of booted feet heading their way alerted the two that they still weren't free and after exchanging glances, the two darted down the hall, passing by Tifa's prone figure. Just as they rounded the corner and came across another door, shouted exclamations could be heard behind them.

 

“Boss!” Apparently the two men had found Tifa.

 

Reno and Asclepius ignored the sounds of their enemies behind them and burst through the doors at the end of the hall. They emerged into another brightly lit hall, this one literally littered with doors and surprise, a ladder that led upwards.

The two exchanged glances before deciding on the ladder.

 

The Turk went first despite the demi-god's protestations, and climbed to the top of the rather short metal-runged ladder, pushing on the latch at the top. Metal hinges squeaked as he lifted the lid and poked his head out carefully. He couldn't see anything but flat grassy plains. From below, Asclepius shifted nervously.

 

“It's safe. I don't sense any immediate monsters,” called out the demi-god.

 

Nodding, Reno pushed open the hatch all of the way and climbed out, surprised to find himself in the middle of the plains rather than in some town or city. He stood just outside the hatch and waited for Asclepius to emerge behind him before slamming the lid back down.

 

The Turk frowned in confusion and started tapping his Electro Rod on his shoulder as he slowly turned around to survey his surroundings. What he saw made him gasp and go pale.

 

Directly behind him stood a town he knew to be Wutai. The Turks had taken many a vacation there, and he knew the place well. However, he didn't remember it being a place of flame and light. Wutai was being attacked. An explosion rocked the air, the sonic blast nearly throwing him off of his feet as orange flame danced high in the sky.

 

“What in the hell?” demanded the Turk as he gaped. “Who…?” he trailed off. There shouldn't have been anyone else to fight. Who would attack?

 

Asclepius stood beside him and frowned, body shaking with thinly restrained anger. “It is Daunte. He is destroying Wutai.” He clenched his fist in anger as his scarlet eyes flashed. “I'm going to fight him.”

 

The fire reflected in a pair of aquamarine eyes as Reno beheld the spectacle, fury beginning to flood through his veins. “As am I…” he growled, hand tightening in its hold on his weapon. “I don't know who this Daunte is, but he is destroying my favorite vacation spot!”

 

Asclepius nodded once and closed his eyes. The air around him shimmered and the young man disappeared only to reappear in his larger form. He knelt down on the ground and allowed his animus to climb onto his neck.

 

“I promise,” explained the demi-god. “Afterwards, I will explain everything.”

 

Reno nodded. “You had better.”

 

With that said, Asclepius bounded off towards Wutai and the figure hanging in the sky shooting fire down on the helpless village.

 

* * * *

 

“Sir! They've got us completely surrounded! We can't break free!” exclaimed Gorki, quickly casting another Fire2 even as he lashed at the monster that was attacking him.

 

Grimly, Godo blinked in understanding as he pummeled at the strange, demon-like creature that had thrust itself in his direction. All around them the smell of ash and death, blood and tears was strong. Within his heart, the lord of Wutai ached as there was very little he could do to protect his home. They still had very little materia and no summons to speak of. The Wutaiians were completely on their own against this menace.

 

The flood of creatures from the sky seemed never ceasing as their leader, a demonic, humanoid with a steel mask and bloodied bat-like wings, hovered over Wutai, cackling madly and sending bursts of fire down everywhere along with clouds of poisonous gas.

 

When the monsters had first struck, most civilians - the elderly, the children, and those that could not fight - had fled for the caves in Dao-Chao Mountain. Since Yuffie and her friends had come through with the Leviathan scales, the caves were perfect for storehouses and served as an escape and protection mechanism for the people of Wutai.

 

The Wutaiian army tried to defeat the monsters but found their pitiful numbers were easily pushed back. Thanks to the war with ShinRa so many years ago, they hadn't been able to build anything back to decent proportions and were therefore vulnerable. As a result, they were now fighting on two fronts. Godo, Gorki, and a small contingent were holding down and protecting what was left of the pagoda and temple. Staniv, Chekhov, and a larger division were defending the escape route and Dao-Chao Mountains from the greater body of monsters. The ninja's were also fighting alongside Staniv and Chekhov. Unfortunately, the entire city between the two fronts had already been destroyed.

 

Homes were left burning with no one to put them out. The famous Turtles Paradise Bar was nothing more than a thick bundle of oily grey smoke… the once beautiful and crystalline blue river was polluted with ash and blood. Most of the wooden bridges had collapsed, the pieces slogging along with the clogged waters that they had fallen into. It was a sight that tore apart the heart of Lord Godo. He was only glad that Yuffie was not there to see her home destroyed.

 

“Sir! Look out!”

 

Before Godo could react, a weight slammed into him from the side and knocked him to the ground just as a jet of poisonous caustic acid flew over their heads. The two men hit hard, breath momentarily knocked from their bodies.

 

“Thanks,” huffed Godo, head spinning and back aching.

 

Gorki smiled, “Anytime,” moments before a dark shadow fell on them and a large spindly grasshopper-creature stood over them, mouth clacking audibly. Razor sharp claws graced each of its six appendages and its body was made of purplish-orange hard shell. The tips of its claws were already stained with blood.

 

Gorki flung out a hand to cast Fire2 once more but found that he had run out of the strength needed to do so. His mind was just too tired to concentrate on the materia. That was the last moment they had for defense before the creature struck. Godo couldn't get to his weapon in time as it was buried beneath he and Gorki. The two men prepared for the inevitable.

 

The Lord of Wutai's eyes closed of their own accord and he expected at any moment, to feel sharp claws ripping through all of his vital organs.

 

The hair rose on the back of his neck and he heard a garbled cry of pain. Dark eyes snapped open and he looked up in surprise to see a scarlet-haired man standing there, striking the monster with an Electro Rod and sending sparks of electricity through the purplish-orange abnormal grasshopper. The creature reeled backwards, even as the man tossed a hand out to the left, throwing a Bolt3 at an approaching monster, this one a piggish two-legged abomination.

 

“Asclepius! Shield!” called out the red-haired man even as he darted away, leaving behind two very stunned Wutaiians. The monsters around them had been quickly defeated, easily put down by the man's quick technique and magic throwing.

 

“Hai!” came a bubbly voice from an unknown source. A brilliant light flashed in the sky that of shining green and crimson. The air around the temple and pagoda shimmered iridescently before a translucent shield appeared, effectively keeping Godo and Gorki safe inside. The monsters that stormed up threw themselves at the shield, but only bounced off and away, a small ripple of light appearing where the shield had been touched.

 

“What?” questioned Godo gaping. “Who… What was hell was that?”

 

Gorki laughed, a strange sound given the situation. “Excuse me, Lord Godo, but `that' it seems is going to be our savior, mysterious though it may be.” The lesser Lord looked out past the shield and caught a glimpse of what had cast the shield, his historian mind instantly recognizing the being.

 

It was Carbuncle, once called Asclepius, famed demi-god of protection and magic. But why the summon was in Wutai was a mystery to the Wutaiian. And who was the red-haired man that had referred to Carbuncle by his old name? He seemed somewhat familiar…

 

“Wutai may yet be saved after all.” Godo sighed finally pushing himself up off the ground. They were safe behind the shield, so it was time to tend to the injured. He stuck out a hand and helped Gorki to his feet as well before turning a concerned eye towards what was left of his home and city.

 

The Lord of Wutai offered up a prayer to the gods that they would live through the day before turning and heading towards the temple, Gorki by his side.

 

* * *

Whew! So much war! What's to come next I wonder? And will the people of Gaia ever have peace?

 

Leave a review if you would please, yo? Heh, heh.