Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Starla's Dance ❯ Chapter 21

The air was thick with humidity, and tasted like salt. Shining through a few wisping clouds was the sun. Gently the only solid ground rocked back and forth. The seas were calm today, yet on the breeze was a promise of a distant building storm. The ship was wooden, and untraditional, but loved by it's captain. For days he sailed the seas with his stubborn crew searching for scant pockets of fish.

Moments earlier their catch was not a fish. It was a middle aged man with long grey hair. Skin purplish grey from the lack of oxygen. They thought him a dead body as they approached. It was queer to find him alive, even more unusual that the monsters that patrolled the seas between Junon and Costa del Sol didn't eat him. It never crossed their minds to question the lack of ship wreck.

But they whispered with hidden intent.

Slowly the eyes opened, blinking to the blinding sun. The poor man's skin had paled once oxygen was restored. It however, was unknown if his brain would recover. Lack of oxygen always did funny things to a mans head. Years at sea had taught them that. And reluctantly brilliantly bright green eyes focused on the people around him.

"Hey, you are alive, we were beginning to wonder... Do you remember your name."

The man grunted then paused. "I don't know."

"Do you know anything lad?"

Another pause, and a confused face. "No."

The man, old grey and long bearded man smiled and looked at the men under his name. Same mischivous smiles passed from each man, the lack of memory was to their advantage.

"Well, I be Captain Onu, and you'd be Nory."

"Nory," the mans voice cracked.

"Well, it be Noriel, but everyone calls ye Nory."

Weakly the man, Noriel, looked around at the faces that surrounded him. He didn't recall any of them. Nor did they seem familiar in any bit. The name Noriel just didn't strike him as his name. However there were no memories there to tell him who he was. In place of his memories was frightening confusion and uncertainty. The depts of the blackness he came from pulled back at him.

"I'm tired."

"Then sleep lad, you barely survived. We be here whenever ye awake."

The bright green eyes fluttered shut, and the confused face relaxed ever so slightly. Nodding the captain without words ordered a few men, who promptly grabbed Noriel under the arms and dragged him out of the way. Another tossed a tarp over him. With the excitement of deception they turned to their lines, reeling in the lines for the night.

Something pulled at Noriel's drawing him from his restful slumber. Cold air wrapped around him, Noriel curled up tighter for warmth. Opening his eyes he found himself under a dark tarp. His body swayed faster, the waves having increased since he was last awake. Closing his eyes tight he desperately tried to find warmth, and refined sleep.

His senses refused to let him.

Swinging his arm around Noriel pushed back the tarp. All around him was darkness, except for a few lights that dotted around the ship. Turning he looked behind him... Still nothing. Glowering he stood to get a better view of his surroundings. Off to his left he herd something sliding across the deck.

Cautiously he walked to the stern of the ship. Fridge boxes, nets, and a mast blocked his view occasionally. The darkness didn't help either, and that etched away on Noriel's patience. Laughter roared from below making him jump slightly. It quieted to the soft snore of some sailor.

"Hello?" Called out Noriel lowly.

Something shifted behind him, Noriel spun. A sharp pain filled his shoulder, a large form blocked his vision. A scream ripped from Noriel. Startled by the cry the creature backed off. Noriel took the time to put some paces between them. Placing his hand against his shoulder blood ran between his fingers.

"Bloody hell."

Before him stood a giant tongue, out of it's mouthed lulled another tongue. It's deceivingly toothless looking mouth gaped open. In the pale light of a lamp he noticed something sticking up from it's throat. Yellow eyes glared back at Noriel. It shuttered, it's eyes glowing purple.

Sudden instinct took over Noriel and he ran at the beast. It groaned as he rammed his arm down the things throat. Razor sharp teeth bit into Noriel's arm. Desperate, Noriel reached for the blade handle. The teeth shifted as his fingers curled around the handle of the blade. He could feel his bone in his upper arm begin to splinter and break.

Screaming Noriel jerked the blade. In it's own agony the monster screamed with it's own agony. Freed Noriel pulled his arm free. Surprised at the length of the sword. Invigorated he attacked the creature ignoring the pounding feet of the crew as they came from below and attacked.

Moving felt so normal, so freeing. Blood filled the air as he cut the beast to pieces. He didn't even notice the screaming pain in his arm warning him to stop. Noriel didn't stop till there was nothing more to slice. His arm hung limply at his side. Exhausted he dropped to his knees in the blood, guts, and severed flesh.

It was then he felt the emptiness over took him. In overwhelming sadness he began to sob. Dropping the sword he put his gore cover hand to his face. Slowly his body leaned over till his forehead touched the deck. He didn't know why he felt this way... It seemed so odd. Somewhere hidden in his mind was the answer. There yet so far.

Stunned Captain Onu and his men crept unto the deck. They were horrified by the massacre, and in the darkness they saw the blood glistening over the doubled over man they called Noriel.

"I think were going to have a probablem captain."