It was in the wind. Even as greater events unfolded elsewhere, the signs that a mutual premonition of a great calamity to come were becoming manifest in other regions. These unfolded in eerie parallels to each other, stark coincidences that could not be attributed to mere happenstance, or even deliberate coordination... only, perhaps, a sense of being encompassed in the same web of fate, of life inexorably responding to a common, impending doom in the only ways it knew how... The lesser creatures of the earth felt it. Senses they possessed that warned them so well of natural disasters now drove them near-mad with the vague precognition of a catastrophe far worse than any earthquake, tidal wave or hurricane. Breeding cycles were disrupted. Hibernating beasts awoke and animals that should have been the most active in the season were in hiding, seeking escape from the all-pervading smell of death that surrounded them. Migratory patterns shifted-- all turned away from the doom-scented mountains and fields of a certain continent to the west. The moogles, for the first time in a long time, ventured beyond their great forest. The soldiers of Tienne and the Empire of the Moon should have been taking the chance to relax and recuperate after the successful task of first, defending the Holy City, and then restoring its defenses to a decent enough semblance of order and strength. But how could they, when an unmentionable *something* made them break out in cold sweats, stole their breaths and set their nerves on edge? Though most of the damage had been repaired, work on the city went on at a rapid, almost fevered pitch, as if a new rampart here, a fortification there, would ever stand proof against a danger that no one could name. Even as the messengers of the Holy City rode in sight of the walls of Yahl Russa, among others of Tienne's tributary cities and towns, the peoples of these and of even the most nondescript villages on the outskirts of civilization were in a state of frenzied preparation. Militias were being reorganized, some for the first time in centuries. Troops were being mobilized and men were rallying to the pennants of their loyalties. Even the Ryukins were stirring. The dwarves of the mountains were on the march. Columns upon columns of armed, ready, and grim-faced warriors descended the rock faces of their homes to converge with other marches and then trudge their unwavering path towards a single destination... The Shahagin were agitated. Councils conferred, seers speculated, and rumours spread. What was happening on the surface? There was no escaping the feeling, for it was in the oceans as well. It was in the very air the mortals breathed, the very ground that they rested upon, the waters in which they swam. It was in the day. It was in the night. All felt it. None could ignore it. All creatures great and small, all beings wise and foolish; all knew what time had come: Endgame. ***** ************************ ********************************************************************** Final Fantasy Legacy Knights of The Round created by Brian Stricklin hosted by Improfanfic **************************** Chapter 57: Clues and News by Mads **************************** ********************************************************************** ************************ ***** The more illustrious passengers and crew members of the Excelsior lay in wait for something as well... It had been quite a few minutes since their revisiting Johannes, and the slightly battered, but still fully functional airship they rode was now well on its way back towards Tienne. Despite their recent encounter with both Doom Gaze and then Diablos himself, an inexplicable calm had settled upon everyone aboard the Excelsior. After all they had faced, it simply seemed right to think that nothing else would harass them as they headed home. Besides, they were all too tired to worry about anything but rest and recovery, at any rate. Nevertheless, the more experienced ones knew quite well what horror was to come. A fair number of them had been caught off guard before, and each time it happened, it was a trial to tax even the most stalwart of hearts and wills. But this time, they were ready. Several pairs of eyes directed themselves towards the small, bespectacled girl carrying a chemist satchel. She was sitting by one of the portholes, innocently watching the clouds rush past... or so it seemed. The moment was upon them. Everyone else in the room tensed. Mika sighed. "Are we there ye--" "NOW, STINE!!!" Davin yelled. "Hey, what the--!?" was all Mika managed to get out before she was smothered by Stine, Davin, and Marcine, among others of their number who had had the distinctly unique experience of travel with the young, vociferous chemist. ***** "Hey, guys, what's with all the noise? We could hear you all the way from... What are you doing?" Kyle looked up from the task of vigorously rubbing his fist on the top of Mika's head, further dishivelling her already messed up hair. "Hello, Pearl," he greeted the newcomer. "I'm sorry we disturbed you. It's nothing, really. We have it aaaall under control now." Pearl could only narrow her eyes as she took in the rest of the scene before her. Kyle was applying a noogie on Mika, she already saw that one. Davin was holding her by the ears, she just noticed. Marcine had her hand clamped over the younger girl's mouth, and... and... "Stine, I hope that's not you pinching Mika-chan's face," Pearl monotoned, eyes narrowing even further. Almost bashfully, Stine released his captive. "'Twas but a small bit of roughhousing, verily," he mumbled, grinning. Mika took the chance to wriggle free from Marcine. "YOU GUYS ARE MEAN!" she wailed. From behind Pearl, a blond-haired head bobbed up to look inside. A pair of bright blue eyes there blinked at the sight inside the cabin. Said eyes had the peculiar quality of being inquisitive-looking, and yet paradoxically, slightly empty and devoid of intelligence at the same time. Their owner, clad in full plate armour clanked inside and put both hands on her hips. "I've been on this flying piece of driftwood FOREVER," Zarela complained to everyone in particular. "And I didn't even get to FIGHT anything in that OTHER flying wreck. We're going back to Tienne, aren't we? Aren't we THEEEEERE yet??" The group huddled by Mika collectively groaned. Pearl just shrugged in a world-weary manner, holding up her hands as in surrender. "You see what I had to put up with?" "Quite," said Kyle. ***** The very appearance of the Excelsior from beyond the distant line of the horizon served to lift spirits and rekindle hopes-- its return could only mean that it had succeeded in its mission. Nevermind that most could only guess at what exactly that mission might be. Every slightest excuse for relief and cause for small celebration was siezed, regardless of the source. "Did you hear? The party of heroes that saved Tienne're coming back with a new Heartstone!" "What in the name of the Three GODS is a Heartstone?" "Nah, I heard that they've got TEN Heartstones. Maybe *more*. Those guys have been all over the place..." "What's a Heartstone!?" "Can't you follow the news on ANYTHING? The Heartstones are s'pposed t'be the things that'll SAVE THE WORLD. Dummy." "Ooooooooohhhh..." "Hey, I was working on the repairs on fifth street, and there was one of those new fangled radio relay stations there. I overheard that the airship just defeated a couple of demons!" "My friend said that it was an ARMY of demons!" "What's a demon!?" ***** Reorganized, refreshed and remoralized, the docking crew of the Excelsior set to work immediately even as the massive craft was just touching the ground in its landing. Making up for their inexperience with vigor and determination, both dragoons and volunteers alike were already setting an impressive pace for the refueling and repair of the mighty conveyance. Bolgan and his two new Floatmage... colleagues... supervised. Jil could be seen watching the procedures with a certain kind of pride... almost as if the ship were her own. The rest of the party disembarked while further preparations proceeded. "Where are you going, Tharlo, sir?" Davin asked politely as the dwarf got off ahead of the others. The stocky warrior-king had not been hurrying... but there had been a sense of urgency to his movements that made the others instinctively step aside to let him through first. Davin noted that this was the first time he had seen the mountain king since their boarding earlier. The rest of the time on the Excelsior, he had been without a trace, axe and all. "Off for a wee bit of a rest, I'm afraid, my lad," Tharlo answered in his usually mundane manner, though one couldn't help but feel a pang of uneasiness underneath his voice. "I fear that flyin' nae be too agreeable with an old dwarf's sensibilities. Having me feet so far away from de solid ground and granite and fer so long dinnae suit me very well, I ken. If anyone be a-lookin' fer me, ah'll be lying down somewhere that DINNAE moves or shifts." Almost before Davin could so much as acknowledge this with a polite reply, the dwarf had gone away. The geomancer shook his head. He supposed he'd never live to ever fully understand dwarves. Abruptly, Mika shoved past him, pushing a wagon piled with... well, he didn't know what it was piled with. Whatever the load was, it was covered with a rather obstructive tarp. "What's the hurry, Mika?" "If you think I haven't been doing anything on board the Excelsior while you guys went to play with the Tonberries, you can think again, buster," Mika sniffed, apparently still a little miffed about the attack on her dignity earlier. "THIS chemist has some testing to do." Faster than even Tharlo had done, Mika disappeared past a corner. Davin could only sigh and then smile bemusedly. His attention was beckoned by other quarters. From afar, a runner could be seen approaching the deck ramp. Davin decided to meet him halfway and hurriedly lowered himself down the plank while the others followed at a more casual pace. Zarela was stretching and saying something about wanting to spar with someone soon or she'd simply DIE. Kyle appeared to be unsure whether to join his comrades or keep Jil company aboard the Excelsior. Stine and Pearl were conversing about Johannes and his possible connection to Habarm. Shizuka was nowhere to be seen-- she might have followed Mika earlier. The runner confirmed Davin's suspicions by stopping his sprint right in front of him-- the news was for them. "What is it?" he asked after waiting a while for the messenger to catch his breath. The runner straightened from leaning on his knees and then looked about at the motley crew descending the ramp and then at Davin. "You... you're Davin Highwater, aren't you?" he asked with a breathlessness that seemed to exist quite apart from his recent exertion. "Yes." "Oh, WOW, I've heard all about you, sir," the unknown young man gushed. "Word has it that you singlehandedly fought off a thousand Manakyr mages and wrestled an Atma Beast BAREHANDED! Is it all true, sir?" Davin blushed slightly and chuckled a little, a hand rubbing the back of his head. "Ummmm... Well, I..." Marcine was the first to come down to Davin's side. "You have news for us?" she asked meekly. "Oh, YES, ma'am," the messenger answered smartly, beaming at the pretty young mage shuffling beside Davin. He broke eye contact a moment to check a piece of parchment he had with him and then said, "Sister Cecilina sends for Davin Highwater right away! It's urgent!" "If it's that urgent, why didn't you radio the Excelsior?" Kyle semi- barked as he stepped heavily down onto the ground, kicking up some dust devils. Davin looked over his shoulder at the dragoon officer and then shook his head, a tired smile on his lips. Business-like as ever. The runner, quite taken aback at being confronted by THREE living legends at the same time, snapped to full attention at Kyle's arrival and even saluted the Tri-fan as he gave his report. "There's no radio at the Tienne archives, SIR! The-- Sister Cecilina got word that Scribe Teleaus found out where Sir Highwater's mother could be just now when the airship arrived, and since it would take too long to run to the nearest relay station and then radio from THERE, I just decided to just run here and--" "Wait..." Davin interrupted with a ring in his voice that startled the young runner to silence. "What did you say?" "I said, 'It would take too long to run to the nearest relay station and--'" Marcine shoved the babbling messenger aside, doing it a little more forcefully than she had intended. The young man 'oofed' against Kyle's armored chest. Marcine's face was a picture of excitement. "Davin! He said that Sister Cecilina knows where to find your mother!" Davin swallowed. He turned to the runner. "Take me to the library." ***** Official receipts. Trade records, every single transaction the city had ever made with Yahl Russa, the Academy, other cities, other countries as distant as the Ryukins. Docking logs, departure times, cargo manifestos and loading data. Forbidden works of literature. Confiscated letters, intercepted correspondences deemed 'traitorous', 'heretical'. A list of every person ever born in the city, all who had ever died, moved away or had simply disappeared without a trace and their respective standings in the eyes of the Church. Church circulars. Laws, appendices, and their revisions through time. Dogmatic proclamations, holy edicts, and documented military orders. All these surrounded her, all called to her, coaxing her to come wipe the dust off them, bring life back to dead deeds, old realities. She ignored them. She had what she wanted. "This is it," the girl muttered, poring over the bundle of papers almost as thick as her arm was long. They were old, but not as old as the others-- the pages had not even been thoroughly yellowed with age yet. But they were old enough, apparently. "Finally! This is IT!" They had come from the shelf marked, "Foreign Dispatches". A dreamy mist filled the eyes of the young woman seated at the table full of forgotten documents. She sighed wistfully. "Oh, my prince... Finally-- I'll be a help to him and his holy quest!" Clutching a sheaf of papers protectively to her chest, the young woman rose and made her way in between the mute rows of rotting texts towards the exit. Walking through a particularly dark area of the large chamber of records, she stopped at a sound coming from one of the shelves nearby. "Hello? Who's there?" At first, there was nothing. And then quite unexpectedly, a low, but powerful disembodied voice spoke to her. {Do you challenge me?} "Uzus?" the young woman called. "Uzus? Is that you? If it is, this isn't very funny! I found the dispatch I was looking for! Let's just go back to Sister Cecilina, okay?" {Do you challenge me?} the voice repeated, unchanged and seemingly unmindful of the touch of annoyance in the young woman's voice. "Oh, I'll challenge you alright," the girl said angrily and stormed towards the darkness where the voice had come from. ".... Uzus?" Scream. ***** "Davin, I'm so glad you all came back unharmed," Sister Cecilina greeted the troupe warmly, giving the geomancer to the front a welcome embrace. Davin leaned a little to allow the old woman's arms around him and then straightened to nod at the cleric. "We're pretty swell, considering," Davin agreed, but with only a small part of his usual spirited mien. In a more serious voice, he added, "You should see some of the others who came with us. You sent for me, Sister?" A trace of hope creeped into his voice. "About my mother?" Cecilina nodded, a mysterious smile on her lips. "You've been away travelling for a long time, young Highwater, even before all this... trouble... began. And I know why. You've been searching for your heritage, Davin, and I wanted to help you. I've set my best scribes on the task of looking for a specific piece of writing that may just help you on your search..." She motioned for Davin to follow her, and she led him down into the bowels of the Tienne Holy Library. Standing before the marble steps that led down into the restricted (no longer) areas of the library, Kyle turned to his sister, arms folded. "Do you really think it's okay for Davin to be running aroun-- looking for his mother right now? Shouldn't we be gathering what Heartstones we have and deciding what to do about Siegvin, Darovan and the rest?" "Oh, I think it's alright," Marcine assured her brother. "Davin's mother was said to have researched Clea Manakyr extensively-- she just might be able to help us decide what to do next." Marcine smiled. "I certainly hope you're right," Kyle exhaled, only half convinced. He peered down at the small, dark-garbed figure waiting beside him. "Not that I'm not glad to have you around, but... why'd *you* decide to come here, Shizuka?" The ninja looked up, slightly startled-- a rare occurence. It seemed she had been looking around, fascinated by her surroundings. She started shyly, "This one admits that she holds an irrational interest in your culture's art of speaking through paper..." "You mean writing?" Kyle asked, surprised. "But why?" "This... this one cannot explain," Shizuka said, lowering her eyes. "This one has... always been fascinated by the brush craft of the nobles, even back in my home, the Ryukins... This one has always wondered what the brush marks might mean... what words they might say or sing, or..." Her words trailed off, the speaker becoming embarassed at her uncharacteristic chain of metaphor. In a flash of insight, Marcine recalled their companion's lowly origins as a member of an old, obscure clan detested by most of the Ryukin isles. "You've never learned to read or write, have you, Shizuka?" the female mage asked gently, eyes softening. "This one has not the station in life for such high learning," the small girl said, reciting what must have been a truism taught her from birth. "Please forgive this one's childish talk. This one shall remain silent for the rest of--" A touch on her arm broke off the rest of her speech. She looked up and Marcine smiled down at her. The teenaged mage had realized something. Though Shizuka was among the deadliest of their fighters, and one of the most useful, it had only occured to Marcine now that she was also just a normal young girl underneath, after all. "I'll teach you how once this is all over," Marcine told the blinking ninja. "I promise." Shizuka looked down hurriedly to hide her increased embarassment and the flush of happiness that had invaded her cheeks. She opened her mouth a few times, as if to say another few sentences of self-deprecation and then thought better of it. And then... "This one tha-... Thank you, Mistress Cavanaugh." Marcine smiled. Kyle merely grunted, smiling a little. That was when they heard the screaming. ***** "What's happening?" Kyle demanded, catching up to Davin, who was trying to push the heavy basement door open. "We don't know," Sister Cecilina breathlessly replied. Her face had gone pale in the yellow torchlight. "We were walking down along the staircase and then we heard this screaming-" "Move aside, Highwater," Kyle ordered. The smaller man complied and the dragoon slammed a shoulder against the wooden portal, impressing most of his weight on it. The door opened without further protest. They started inside just as Shizuka and then Marcine were catching up. "What in the world?" Davin gasped. "By the Three Gods," Cecilina murmured, stepping backwards a few paces, a hand flying to her chest. The hand rested briefly on the Tri-fan pinned to her dress as if as a talisman against the sight before her. {Do you challenge me?} The thing before them was a book. But it was a book so far removed from the usual size of like tomes that it wasn't a book any longer at all. It was a floating monstrosity of bound pages, each with the surface area of a small wall. The cover was almost like armor, the thick leather hide of some otherworldly beast. It was levitating just above the prone body of an unconscious young woman. "Trouble, that's what," Kyle said in answer to Davin's question. Gritting his teeth, the soldier moved his naginata from back to hands in a single practiced motion. Davin fingered the sword by his side. Shizuka had her daggers unsheathed. "Teleaus!" Cecilina cried, eyes widening in recognition. She looked fearfully at the giant floating book and then at the girl. She whirled towards Davin. "That girl is one of my scribes!" {Do you challenge me?} the book asked again. "We're not challenging anyone," Davin told the book-- whatever it was, perhaps it would not attack if unprovoked. "We're just here for the girl, that's all." {You cannot take the defeated one.} "The 'defeated' one?" {The defeated one stays with me. There will be no leaving here for the unworthy. The defeated one will die.} Davin's frowned. "Whatever you are, I'm afraid I can't allow that." He drew his sword. It sang as it left its scabbard, finally glinting golden from the flickering firelight. He held it at the ready. {Do you challenge me?} Davin looked behind him at the others. "Guys-- you with me on this?" Kyle nodded. So did Marcine and Shizuka. Davin returned his attention to the book. "We challenge you," he told it. {Have at you, then.} It opened up on them with the most powerful lightning spell any of them had ever seen. ***** "Where are Davin, Marcine and the others?" "Tharlo looked like he needed a nap," Pearl explained, walking up to the old, one-armed monk they found standing, surveying a piece of cityscape before him. "Mika took off somewhere. Zarela, is, happily, somewhere away from ME, and Davin, Kyle, Marcine and Shizuka seemed to have somewhere important to go to." "Verily, I questioned the messenger loitering about the premises afterwards," Stine spoke up, stepping forward. "Apparently, our comrades leaveth upon a summons by thine sibling, Sister Cecilina." "Ah, yes, yes, of course..." Cid nodded knowingly. "It would seem that information about Highwater's parent's have cropped up. I'm glad for him. The poor boy's been combing the continents for her, have you heard?" Pearl nodded in turn. "Speaking of information," she began, walking beside the aged hero as he strolled down the avenue. "How come the people in the area seem to have had a lot of it lately? Everyone seems to know us." "It was my idea, really," Cid chuckled. "Barely a fourth of the people here even know about what exactly it is that have happened to lead up to all this, and that's including the Awakened, and the troops from the Empire. Most aren't even sure who's on who's side anymore. No one knows what's going on... something I'd decided to remedy during my stay here. Rest assured that several more now are much the wiser about who exactly to thank for saving the universe." Stine coughed to get the other two's attentions. He got them. "Stine doth comprehend thine's well-meaning actions," he said to the monk. "However, Stine can naught but ask-- didst thine feel the need to embellish the truth so?" Just as the beastmaster finished his question, a throng of workers looked up from their jobs and then cheered the three's passing. "LOOK! It's Beastmaster Stine J'brooni! The one who tamed the Habarm Bull! He's stronger than a hundred men combined!" "That's Pearl Lassinkirche! Damn! She's even more beautiful than I heard! Say, where's that chemist who can turn rocks into potions, and that blonde girl knight with the living, talking swords, and that ninja gal?" "They're fighting Sleepers with that pirate woman who can breathe underwater, stupid! And you can't see the ninja gal, cuz' she's s'pposed t'be *invisible*, see?" Stine scoffed, the three walking out of earshot. "The accounts about mineself may be close enough to the solid truth of the matter, but the stories about the others approacheth the ludicrous. How can thou explain this?" Cid laughed. "It's called 'propaganda', my friend. Besides, I wasn't the one who fed them all that rot-- I just... related your respective exploits in a not very detailed manner. The rumor-spreading did most of the work from there." "Stine sees this is so," the large red-clad man smirked. After a moment of consideration, he smiled. "Stine decideth that this is a clever ploy." The three stopped in their tracks. A familiar cloaked figure had jumped in front of them, face covered in a familiar faceless mask. "Be afraid, foolish insects! It is I, Siegvin, and I have come for the Legacy! Surrender her or not, you shall all perish!" 'Siegvin', however, seemed to be only a quarter of his original size, and the mask he wore, while at first *appearing* to be shiny metal, was only the bottom end of a common steel pan after all. The red cloak he wore was several sizes too big for him and piled untidily at his feet, compromising his mobility. 'Siegvin' slowly waddled to the right and hit a wall. "Ow." The small Siegvin picked himself up and adjusted the pan tied to his face to peer intently at two more small figures emerging from the nearby alley. "Aha! Prepare to die, Davin Highwater!" A small Davin brandishing a stick was urging a small girl behind him. "Stay behind me, Marcine-- I'll save you!" Marcine was a green-eyed redhead with a huge triangle hat perched on her head. "Oh, Davin, my love! Be careful!" "They make a cute couple," Pearl mused as she and the two men walked by the playing trio. "Verily, they are comely children," Stine agreed, looking back over his shoulder. "And ones with healthy imaginations, Stine supposeth." He looked over towards Pearl. She hadn't been looking at the children as she'd said what she did. "Spirits of the dirt, help me! DUST DANCE!" said the miniature Davin, scooping up a handful of road detritus and then flinging it at the miniature Siegvin. ***** "Demon Fire!" Davin had spoken to the spirits of the library-- they were as confused as he about the bizarre presence that occupied the chamber. They hadn't noticed it until now themselves, and whatever it was, it was unlike any entity they had ever encountered before-- and they had encountered their share, too, Davin imagined. They were quite willing to assist, however. Arcane fire lent itself to Davin's paper-and-wood-morphed arm and hand, flying forth at his direction and heatlessly burning against its unearthly target. It was no use-- the elemental energy glanced off the leather-bound apparition without doing anything but ruffle its seams a bit. The book parted for another volley of its own. "Dammit-" Davin spat. "Marcine!" Barely had his summons left his lips when the air shimmered yellow before him. Marcine's quick dispatch of a Shell spell had saved them from serious damage when the book had first attacked. Now, it was their strongest defense against a creature that seemed to have every form of magic at its command. A roaring pillar of flame slammed against the barrier, making it flicker a little, as if to give way. Fire licked at Davin's skin, and he looked over to where Sister Cecilina was kneeling, assisting Marcine's spell with incantations of her own. Much to the group's surprise, Cecilina had learned quite a few things since their leaving, and only with her support and shared energy was Marcine's Shell holding up for as long as it was doing. He didn't know how much longer it would last. The book opened for another volley. "EVERYONE SPREAD OUT!" Kyle shouted the command before Davin could do it himself. Apparently, he had also noticed how the dually-maintained Shell was not going to help them for much longer. "Marcine, Sister-- Drop the barrier just before it hits!" The basement chamber echoed with explosions as a devastating fire spell blasted past the suddenly dematerialized Shell and then tunneled through some book cases to plow into a solid mortar wall. The barrier's vanishing prevented the fire spell from spreading out on impact and hitting the scattered fighters. *It's concentrated on the barrier since it was put up,* Davin thought hurriedly, trying to formulate a plan. *It probably can't hit all of us at once, but if it starts going after us one by one, we can't beat it, not at the rate we're going... There has to be some way of hurting it-- but what?* The book had spun on one of its corners and faced where Shizuka was crouching. Davin tensed. The book opened to a page for another of its unstoppable assaults. A piece of planking however, having caught fire from the book's previous onslaught, broke away from the ceiling and swung towards it. The flames there caressed the book's pages. It slammed shut with a shudder, as if it had touched something nasty. Davin got an idea. "Kyle!" he bellowed. "The pages! Whatever it is, it doesn't like being hurt *inside*!" Kyle nodded and leapt forwards. Shizuka and Davin followed to get to work. As Marcine pounded the book with minor spells, distracting it, Kyle covered the last few feet to the book before either Shizuka or Davin. It opened. "Kyle, look out!" Davin yelled. Whether he heard it or not, Kyle didn't yield an inch. He stepped up and took on a powered-up Aero spell full blast. The dragoon roared in agony but gave no ground. Even as wind slammed against his armour, tearing at his skin, and at his body, he thrust his naginata at the pages opened before him. The book tried to close, and it was met with resistance-- Kyle's horizontally aligned naginata was holding it open. A grotesque, wrinkled green head emerged from the fold between the two opened pages, its expression one of aghast stupefication. It contorted its mouth at Kyle in a silent reprimand. Kyle grinned. "Good job, Kyle!" Davin cheered. "Let's finish this thi--" {PAPER STORM!} ***** "" "Hmm? You say something?" The dragoon sentry turned to his companion on the watch tower. They were posted on the eastern half of the city, working the near-evening shift. There hadn't been a thing to see all afternoon. "Ah, wala... I mean... Nothing," the Empire soldier responded as he peered into the growing dusk at images that danced out of sight. "I thought I saw something, that's all... AYUN!!!" "What?" the dragoon grunted. He hated it when his shiftmates lapsed to their native tongue. "AYUN!! THERE! Something's coming in FAST!" The dragoon immediately shoved the Empire soldier slightly to the side to gain a better view for himself. "It looks like-- by the three Gods... that's the biggest damn wolf I've ever seen! But what's wrong with the light? The sun's not down yet, but the shadows are--" "It's headed right for the east wall! HOY!!!" the Empire sentry shouted to those below their station. "Sound the alarm!!! There's--" The sight of the gigantic white wolf, tailed closely by what appeared to be the running shapes of solidified shadows not the wolf's own, charging at full tilt towards the solid wall of masonry interrupted the sentry's yells far more effectively than the wall's subsequent destruction. The sentry battery followed suit not long after. ***** Unmindful of the collapsed mortar and stone blocks falling about all around them, the two squared off. "kom bakk wid usssssssss, 'Nrisss..." "NEVER!" Fenris dodged the pitch black mass that hurled itself at him, claws unsheathed. An unfortunate guard outpost bore the brunt of the jump, shattering on impact. Though the shadow crouched there, unmoving, there was sense of movement as its features *flowed*, so that without turning around, it was facing Fenris again, claws to the front, crazed red eyes staring once again into Fenris' own. "yuu ignord de kol, 'Nrisss-- de mmassster sent usss to git yu bakk." "I'LL SEND YOUR STINKING CORPSE BACK!" the wounded white wolf snarled. The shadow creature yowled as Fenris plowed into it with his forepaws, crushing its windpipe, instantly killing it... for the moment. "nuu niid tu feyt, 'Nrissss..." said the other shadow, leaping atop Fenris and clamping its jaw shut on his exposed shoulder. "kom bakk wid ussssssssss ind yuu wil nebberr wunt to feyt aginnnn..." "Stop... calling me... 'NRISS!!!" With a sudden jerk, the bitten wolf wrenched free of his opponent's cruel teeth and strong, champing jaws-- but not without a cost. Blood poured freely from the opening, further handicapping the already spent warrior. "My... My name's not 'Nriss," Fenris panted, desperately gathering up his reserves for the assault he knew was to come. He tried to ignore how the shadow with the irreparably crushed windpipe was already getting up and shaking itself off... Mockeries of life could hardly be expected to hold any particular respect for death. Fenris licked his chops distractedly. "Not 'Nriss. Never 'Nriss. My name is FENRIS." "wi vill chenj it, den, 'Nrisssss..." said the shadow, Fenris' blood still dripping from its jowls. It creeped closer. "bekumm wunn uv ussssssss... kom bakk wid ussssss, 'Nrissssss..." "I'd rather die," Fenris told him. "better yuu ded, denn," growled the recovered shadow as it padded its way to its twin's side. "essier forr uss datt wei." At that point, all three knew that the time for talk was over. Fenris bared his teeth, body coiled for the battle which he knew would be his last. He had sprinted the last hundred miles with these two dogging him all the way, and now that he had finally reached Tienne, the salvation he had expected, the respite he had been hoping for was not there to be found. There would be no more running, no more hiding-- for what would be the point? He would be killed right there, on the doorstep of the city he had all but broken himself to reach. His one consolation would be that he would go down fighting. "FIRE!!!" Fenris halted the charge he was about to make, bewildered. The world had exploded all around him in black smoke, reddish-yellow light, and loud cracking noises much like the sounds of chestnuts exploding in a fire. Really BIG chestnuts. He'd have whirled, but the present danger of the two black beings to the front kept him from turning to see what had made the commotion from behind him. Which meant he also saw the two shadows erupt in rubble and fiery explosions where they were standing. Fenris blinked. "Good job, guys!" came a delighted female voice from behind him. "How's about THAT for a field test with favorable results, eh?" This time, Fenris DID spin. He gaped at the smallish figure standing on what remained of the ruined east wall. "CHILD!" "Hey, cool, a giant talking wolf!" said the small human as she poked at her glasses, adjusting it above the bridge of her nose. "You look kinda familiar... but after seeing all kinds of weird stuff, I really can't be sure now. Do I know you?" Before Fenris could respond, a bellow came from their immediate right. "Miss Gilchrist!! The targets are still moving!" "Hm? Hold on a sec," Gilchrist commanded the puzzled white wolf and rushed over to the dragoon's side. "Whazzit?" "The targets weren't eliminated by the volley, ma'am," the much older dragoon reported, looking almost ridiculous in the respectful manner in which he was addressing and speaking to the young girl before him. "Further instructions?" Mika clapped. "Well, if one time won't do it..." she reasoned. She smiled up at her command relay. "Tell the troops to reload the devices like I taught them how, and then let 'em shadows have it a second time!" The lieutenant nodded. Turning slightly, he shouted his orders at the line of dragoons emerging from the smoke a little further behind them. Fenris saw that each of these men were carrying cylindrical affairs the likes of which he had never seen before. If these had been responsible for the explosions, they would have to be weapons of some kind, then. Formiddable new weapons. "What's the world coming to these days?" the white wolf thought wryly. "Come on!" the young girl called to him, urging him towards a chunk of relatively peaceful street. "It's not safe here!" She got no argument from the exhausted white wolf. ***** That had almost finished them. Paper Storm involved a high-energy flurry of paper hurtling towards the hapless group, battering them from all angles, all sides. It was a wonder how not even one of them was even unconscious when the barrage should have killed them where they stood. As it were, all were hurriedly being healed by Marcine and Cecilina, who were both injured themselves. Kyle had taken the most damage. He was still, however, doggedly wedging the pages open, refusing to let go of his lance. Not for the first time, Davin realized that they had to finish this thing quickly. No time for originality-- time to dredge up an old tactic he had used almost centuries ago. He wiped some blood off his brow. "Marcine! Remember the Knight of Earth!?" After a brief moment of confusion, Marcine's eyes sparkled with sudden remembrance. She nodded. Davin turned to Cecilina. "Sister! Help me!" "What? But I've only learned Cure and Shell so far, and--" "That's enough," Davin assured her, rushing to the fray. The ugly green head looked to be charging for another Paper Storm. They wouldn't survive another attack like it. Davin leapt. The swordsman felt the Shell wrap him with its warding field just as his blade pierced the book's thin paper innards. He knew that this alone wouldn't be enough to finish it-- but that was alright. "Scorch the earth with fiery rage! Consume all in a fury of heat and flowers of flame!" Marcine called out. "QuadraFire!" Marcine had put a lot of her energy into the blast, and the effects were proportionately spectacular. Fire ate through the air, forcing even Kyle to jump aside, taking his weapon with him. It was now Davin alone who held the book open with both feet firmly planted on the soft pages. The blaze danced around him, kept at bay by the Shell, but free to wreak havoc on the exposed paper. These erupted in volatile bursts of ash and soot at once, revealing more underneath, feeding more fuel to the raging fires. At the same time, incredible heat travelled down the length of Davin's curved Ashura blade, the steel starting to glow a blinding orange red while the magical properties of the sword itself protected its wielder. Pages from further inside the book that lay in contact with the sword charred instantaneously from the touch of extreme temperatures and spread outwards in an encroaching destruction of the book's very core. ***** {You are worthy...} The book had vanished, leaving nothing behind-- not even the harm it had inflicted on them. They were without a scratch. The basement chambers were an unholy mess, however. "Whew," Davin said, dropping to his knees. He felt utterly drained, despite the inexplicable, physical regeneration. "That thing almost had us, didn't it?" Kyle looked at him, an eyebrow raised. "Speak for yourself. I didn't even break a sweat." Whatever Davin's expression was at that statement, it must have been funny. Kyle laughed heartily and walked towards where Shizuka was getting up to help her. Davin shook his head. It would seem that he wouldn't live to ever fully understand Kyle Cavanaugh either. Cecilina was cradling the downed girl they had seen. Her eyes were fluttering open, their appearance, that of the slightly dazed. "Whuh? Where am I? Uzus?" she murmured weakly. Her eyes flew open. "THE BOOK!" she cried, sitting up. "The book! It's alive!!! Uzus! Sister Cecilina! It's not safe here! I--" "Hush, child," Cecilina crooned to the panicking girl. "Everything's alright now-- you're safe, Teleaus." "What... what was it, Sister?" the girl asked worriedly, sitting up. "I don't know," the cleric honestly answered, shrugging. "Whatever it is, it's gone now." "It was the most powerful spells ever to be written congealed and come to life," a voice said, and everyone turned to stare at the speaker. It was a short-haired girl of about Teleaus' age. She was wearing an unusual white coat and had her hands in her pockets. "If it had lasted a little longer, you might have been able to see some impressive stuff," she went on, her expression that of the not too concerned. "Hi there, Teleaus. Glad to see you're alright." "How do you know all this?" Davin asked of the newcomer, more than a little unnerved at this unusual turn of events, even for his remarkably eventful life, as of late. "I don't," said the girl. "I'm just guessing. Can't you tell?" "Huh?" "It's just a concept, in other words. This is the Tienne City Archives where *everything* ever set down on paper has a copy. The idea that written spells might congeal and take on a will of its own's been tossed around before. It's funny that something like that actually happened now, that's all." She shrugged. "Funny," Davin agreed without conviction. "UZUS, you're awful!" the other young scribe accused in a high-pitched voice and confronted the bored-looking girl. "You left me here all alone in this dark, dank, scary archive!" "I just went out for some fresh air," Uzus shrugged again, still wholly unmoved by her friend's ire. "Nothing wrong with that, is there? Oh, Sister, I think Teleaus found what you've been asking for." "Ah, yes, of course," Cecilina clapped, smiling a little again. "As no one seems to be hurt (too bad about the rest of the archives, though), back to business as usual. Well, Scribe Teleaus? Do you have it?" "Oh, yes!" the young girl bubbled. She pulled a rolled up scroll from her vest and proudly presented it to the priestess. "It took us hours of searching, but here it is! Father Lambert's orders on the apprehension of all heretic researchers and their suspected locations!" "Will my mother be among those?" Davin asked, putting himself in between Cecilina and the girl, staring at the paper offered with wary hope. Teleaus blinked, as if seeing the young swordsman for the first time. "Who-?" "That's Davin Highwater, child," Cecilina said. "The man who we're helping, and the man you should thank for your life." There were a few moments of silence. Marcine's jaw dropped as Scribe Teleaus was suddenly draped over Davin's chest, gurgling happily. "Oh, Sir Davin! Thank you SOOOO much for saving my life, sir! Ever since I first saw you on that airship, looking so handsome and brave, I knew we were meant to be! I'd know you *anywhere*!" *But she DID see me standing here just a little while ago, didn't she?* Davin thought, smiling in an abashed manner. Marcine made a face. Cecilina cleared his throat. "Err... The dispatch, child..." "OH, oh, YES, of course," Teleaus stammered and pressed the scroll into Davin's hands. Her hands didn't let go when it had delivered its load, Marcine noticed. Teleaus squeezed. "Oh, Davin, my prince! I'd dreamed so long for this day-- Sister Cecilina's assigning me to help find information on your mother was *destiny*!" "Ummm... Miss, I..." Davin verbally stumbled. Sighing, Uzus held the quite senselessly rambling Teleaus by the collar and pulled her off a reddening Davin. "She gets to be like this. I'll take care of her. We'll be leaving now, Sister, if that's alright with you." Cecilina nodded. "We thank you both for your efforts, child." "Come on, Tele-girl," Uzus said, jerking the other girl forwards and towards the staircase. They ascended with Teleaus following placidly, glassy-eyed and muttering things about castles and babies. Davin was already unaware of their leaving. His eyes lit up at the dispatch he held with trembling fingers. "The Ryukins..." he breathed. ***** "Those two out there-- your men can't fight them for very long, not even with those strange weapons," Fenris hurriedly admonished the girl even as she attempted to bind his wounds. The task was made somewhat more difficult by the fact that he was a wolf that stood almost at man-height, and Mika was a small prepubescent girl. "Mm, hmm..." Mika nodded, biting on some clean gauze for ready access as she worked. "Aren't you listening to me?" Fenris barked, exasperated. "'Mlakk and Ystll may be lesser demons, but it'll take strong magic or power to kill them permanently and-- GRRRREEAAARRRRRRGHHH!! What was that VILE STINGING substance you just put on me!!?" "Just an antiseptic-- no telling what kind of germs demons carry around with them, eh?" Mika said cheerfully, wrapping the disinfected wound with bandages from her pack. "Sorry if I'm not too good at this healing stuff. I wish Shizuka were here." Fenris sighed. "Thank you for your help. Now let me just get back to the fray, and-" "Nope, you're in no condition to fight again," Mika said firmly, tugging at Fenris' long, white fur as he was about to stand up. "But I MUST-- it was *I* who brought those two here, and I must hold them off until those who bear the Heartstones arrive and-- GREAGH!" Mika had just kicked him in the rib, making him sit down hard. She smiled down at him apologetically. "See? No condition to fight at all. Oh, and sorry about that, but you were getting awfully fussy about this. Did I tell you how I'm not really all that good with this healing stuff? I wish Shizuka were here." "Me, too," Fenris mumbled, wincing from his injuries. "Whoever Shizuka IS." "Oh, and don't worry about the hand-cannoneers out there," Mika told him, waving a hand about flippantly. "They've been itching to do something for a long time, and besides, the others will be up here any second now." "Others?" ***** Even incendiary projectiles could not keep the two lesser demons down for very long. Already, they had discovered that the aim on the hand cannons were far from perfect and had dodged several volleys while taking out quite a few of the wielders. The rest were in retreat, the more capable ones firing at the demons to cover their comrades. The two emitted guttural sounds of rage mixed with twisted specie of joy. Their quarry had escaped them for the moment, but they were in the midst of battle, dealing out pain, suffering, and in moments, dea- Mlakk flew backwards at the force of some unseen blow. He crashed into a brick domicile where he lay limp and motionless underneath some broken woodwork. Ystll looked about wildly for the attack's source. "Burning anger rising... WAVE FIST!!!" Accompanying the cry, a punch was transmitted through thin air and connected with Ystll's side without losing any of its original force.. which was quite considerable. The demon spun once in midair and crashed next to its coughing brother. "wii vill KIL yuu, munkk!!!" Mlakk spat, infuriated. The onslaught had almost finished him for good. Cid smirked. "Yeah, yeah. Get in line, why don'tcha?" "Hmm... a demon. How quaint." Both Mlakk and Ystll seemed taken aback by this new voice, despite its resemblance to that of a tiny girl child's. For if the aura they sensed had just arrived was any indication, this voice was of no ordinary girl child's. "NAYTT!!!" "LOMINAA!!" the two demons hissed and spat almost in unison. "Hello? And two of them, too," Lumina mused as she stepped out from a patch of darkness that had previously housed nothing at all. "From underneath WHICH rocks did YOU two crawl out of?" "SSSHUTT UPP!" Mlakk roared, flinging himself at the small armoured knight, heedless of the glinting broadsword she carried with her. "DIIIIIIIIIIIEEE!!!" Ystll, who had just regrown a broken spine, coiled once and then leapt towards his brother's target. It was moonrise. They didn't last five seconds against her. "Are they dead?" Cid asked casually as he walked to the yellow-haired knight's side. The last black shreds that was all that was left of the two demons wafted to the ground and then disintegrated into fine gray powder. "You could say that," Lumina replied, idly wiping her sword on a pile of curtains crowning what once had been a home of fairly decent size. "Demons never really die. Their essence just gets sucked back into the primordial evil that gave rise to them in the first place. But, yes, we won't be hearing from those two particular pieces of flotsam anytime soon." Cid nodded, satisfied. He surveyed the damage done to the sector with a disgusted air, which was almost immediately replaced by an amused realization. "More repairs," he'd thought. "... but then again, the more these people have to do, the less they'll probably think about how hopeless everything seems to be..." "What were those two doing here?" Cid asked aloud, examining a piece of black that had failed to dematerialize completely. It felt... *unclean* somehow. He dropped it, wishing he hadn't touched it. "Demons are opportunists by nature," Lumina said, sheathing her sword and stepping aside as dragoons and civilians were already returning to the evacuated area to begin the work on rebuilding. Considering how often this was being done in the city lately, there were those who had become almost experts in the craft. "They lost most of their real power a long, long time ago," Lumina went on, walking back towards the center of the city, Cid falling into step with her. "Nowadays, it's very rare to even see them outside of the deepest, dankest pits this side of the surface. Perhaps they'd gotten wind of the attack on Tienne?" "There's something very peculiar about all this," Cid murmured, his one surviving hand stroking his chin thoughtfully. "If they were here to vulture, why didn't they come sooner? And only two of them? They must have come for some other reason..." "That... is correct." Cid looked up to see a large white wolf approaching them, supported by Mika on one side. It was the wolf who had spoken. "Hey, there, Fenris," Lumina greeted the wolf cheerfully and walked to him to ruffle the fur on his head. "How've you been?" "Terrible," Fenris said without preamble. "Can you explain why those two were after you?" Cid asked, stepping to the injured wolf's side and beginning the motions for the Chakra healing technique. "That," said Fenris, "and why I have come a long way to see you. All of you. There is much to speak about. And many who would have me dead rather than my speaking of them." Before any more could be said or done, Fenris, the wolf, collapsed in a heap before them. He had fainted dead away from fatigue. ***** Energies roiled for a moment as they were drawn inexorably back to where from whence they had come. The collective mass of darkness sputtered for a moment and then vomitted two new demons of much different forms and inclinations. The swirling shadows fizzled for a few seconds and then settled down again. Mlakk and Ystll's essences had returned. The two demons had FAILED. At a loss, the demon overlord watched the two newborns silently. They mewled wretchedly, already squabbling with the demons closest. With an inarticulate sound of rage, the overlord lashed an arm out towards them, reducing them to tatters and ribons. He turned towards the minion called Blight. "You SAID that the Slayer would HANDLE 'Nriss for us," he told the cowering demon coldly. From behind him, the mass of demons spit out yet another two in replacement of the ones he had dispatched. "'Nri-- Fenris has proven resourceful beyond my inklings, master," Blight hissed, stepping back, ready to raise his arms, as if to ward off a blow. "How was I supposed to know that even the Slayer himself would not be able to destroy him?" "I told you that for your sake, you'd have better prayed that Mlakk and Ystll return with the wolf. Apparently, you didn't pray enough-- or did so to the wrong gods." "Master, I--" "First, you almost sent Diablos to his peril, and now you allow that wretched halfbreed, Fenris to fall into the hands of the Legacy, whom he will surely inform about us and our plans," the overlord breathed, making an effort to control the poisonous rage bubbling inside him. "I, for one, have had enough of your brand of nuisances, Blight." As Blight made as if to retreat, the overlord drew himself to full height before his underling as he uttered his edict. "You... you will return to the Slayer." "But, master," Blight screeched, surprised. "I have had Garland give him the Mystic's Eye, as you have bidden me! I have even returned to him that wretched beast of his! I thought I was to have nothing more to do with him until--" "There have been a change of plans, slime!" the overlord snarled and grabbed the cringing demon before him by the neck. As Blight writhed in his grip, the overlord spoke in a near whisper. "The Legacy will most assuredly be aware of us very soon, jeopardizing all our plans regarding her... Now, more than ever, we will HAVE to increase our chances of succeeding with the Slayer. I will need YOU to stand by him and offer your services. Know HIS plans. Be my eyes, ears and *claws* by the Slayer's side." "He... He'll KILL me, master!" Unlike Mlakk and Ystll, Blight was a higher demon, and thus much more attached to his individuality. The prospect of losing himself to return to the demonic mass chilled him. "HE will ONLY kill you," the overlord corrected him, almost gently. Blight swallowed. "It... It shall be done, master." When the overlord released him, the underling vanished immediately. From the depths of the cave came a soulless chuckle-- the demonic equivalent of a snicker. "Shut up, Diablos." ***** In Tienne, as in every other human habitation on the planet face, there existed the feeling of foreboding that heralded the weaving to a close of an old age. Despite the general uneasiness, there was hope-- it was in all hearts, it was in Tienne. Already, the people had new heroes, had something good and pure to believe in, even with the fading away of the old Church. Let destruction come-- for what was destruction but just another word for 'change'? There would be no hiding for the humans. No digging for the dwarves. It would start in Tienne. Together, all under the cloud of danger that was to come would face the future with the brazen confidence that only mortals are capable of. Together, all would march unwaveringly to their fates. Endgame. ***** Author's Notes (!!?) Oh. My. GOD. This was almost a 20K fic. TWENTY. Where did all the OTHER thirty come from!? I swear, I had NO IDEA what to do in here. Ask anybody-- I was *freaking* out every bloody single time on chat because of my upcoming part, much to the amusement of the resident sadistics. And now I have the longest FFL chapter I've ever written on my hands. Oi. ^_^;;; A whole OODLE and THRONG and PARLIAMENT or WHAT HAVE YOU of thanks I unload on Brian Stricklin, who I believe may have been at least partially responsible for this strangely timed burst of inspiration after inspiration. Granted, not a whole lot of ANYTHING happens in this part, just bundles and bundles of descriptions and short ill- conceived comedies, but, eh-- whatever fills that filespace, eh? The Bri has been very patient in putting up with me for the past week. I owe him muchly. Good luck with those ending chapters, o esteemed one. Make it a real doozy. Oh, by the way, Bri plans on making installments of the ending instead of just one BIG ending chapter. I'm sure we would all like that VERY MUCH! ^o^ People who've played FF9 might recognize Tantarian (the giant book). Most found him a bitch to beat, but he wasn't anything that made ME worry. I rock. Hehehehe... ;p I miss Terrence Fergusson. ;_; He was handy to have around. DAMN handy. Fun guy, too. I'll say it here: I tried to fill his shoes and found an Exxon tanker waiting for my size thirteens. Updating the Final Fantasy Legacy Glossary is NO JOKE. Believe me, I tried, though that may be news unbeknownst to most. Terrence, my man, you leave me sorely impressed by your dedication to the impro-- wherever it is that you've left us for. Okay, okay, I'll shut up now. Godspeed, everyone-- hope you enjoyed this bloated piece of mindlessness. ^___^ Godspeed! -MtB