Final Fantasy: Rise of the Fiends

Chapter 8

A strange altar stood before them.
That was the first thing they noticed upon entering the chamber that held the source of the Earth Crystal. Carved from some sort of black marble, it portrayed two fanged serpents coiled around each other, snarling in opposite directions. Atop their heads lay a stone slab in the shape of an open book, complete with petrified bookmark hanging from between the pages. The chamber was illuminated by flickering torches, casting a ghostly glow upon the bizarre pedestal and sending twisted shadows across the stone walls.
?Is this it?? asked Elia. ?Is this the source??
?Must be,? replied Gerad. ?The Crystal?s going mad; this is definitely the place. So what do we do now??
?We must use the crystal to appease the spirits of the earth,? explained Dathen, casting a wary glance around the room. ?But be swift; I sense an evil presence here. It is surely the vampire?s master. We cannot afford to hesitate.?
As Gerad approached the altar, holding the Crystal in a shaking hand, a sudden movement in the shadows caught everyone?s attention. A dark figure seemed to step out of the walls themselves, forming from the darkness in the recesses of the cave and growing more real with each step. Shadows turned to black robes, skeletal fingers protruded from the sleeves, and beneath the hood a wicked yellow light shone. It strode towards the Light Warriors with noiseless steps, halting between them and the altar, and spoke with a voice that sent shivers down their spines.
?Its puppet fallen, the ancient one did gaze upon him in revered silence, debating in its unlimited wisdom whether to congratulate or smite the intruder in its most sacred of halls. At last it decided, and drawing its blade of purest silver, issued forth a challenge??
?Strike me down if you can,? said Dathen, almost hesitantly as he stared at the creature before him. ?For if I perish, you are forgiven, but if I still stand, you will die.?
?Very good,? hissed the shadow. ?You are wiser than you look, mortal.?
?And what about you?? demanded the Black Mage. ?I can only assume that you command the monsters within this cavern? what manifestation of foul darkness are you??
The creature laughed, and its laughter turned to a hacking cough that left it bent almost double. From the darkness of its cloak it summoned a black wooden staff with which to support itself, and when it stood upright once more the yellow glow in its eyes had dimmed somewhat.
?I am the Lich,? it snarled, the rounded tip of its staff glowing with an unholy light that matched that of its eyes. ?For centuries I have slept here, undisturbed? you four, the Warriors of Light, you have brought me that which I have desired for so long.?
Gerad cast a brief glance at his left hand, which still held the frantically pulsing Earth Crystal, and gripped the hilt of his sabre tightly in his right hand. At this gesture, the Lich merely laughed again.
?Please,? it hissed sardonically. ?Spare me these futile illusions of defence; your steel is nothing to my sorcery. I shall offer you only one chance, mortals; give me the Crystal, and your demise shall be swift and relatively painless.?
?You think I spent ten years hiding this thing, just to hand it over to you?? snapped Gerad, drawing his sword. ?You?ve been down here too long.?
?You have no idea,? the Lich replied, sounding almost remorseful. ?I have tried to be reasonable? now, I have no option but to kill you. Thundara!?
A fork of lightning shot from the Lich?s staff, arcing towards Gerad and striking him in the chest. The force of the blast launched him backwards by several yards and sent the Crystal tumbling from his hand. Elia let out a quiet scream and ran over to him, kneeling at his side to apply the necessary healing spells, Leo raised his shield defensively, and Dathen ignited an aura of fire around his knife.
?Cura,? muttered Elia, allowing a stream of white sparks to flow from her staff into Gerad?s chest. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes and rolled to his feet, reclaiming the Earth Crystal as he went.
?That?s two I owe you,? Gerad said passively. ?Congratulations, Lich, you?ve successfully annoyed me. Prepare to die.?
?Finally,? hissed the undead mage, raising its staff as Leo and Gerad lunged forwards. Both blades struck the solid wood, sending sparks of electricity into the air. The Lich swung the enchanted weapon at Leo, but he blocked the attack with his shield and thrust his sword into his adversary?s chest up to the hilt. The fiend didn?t even flinch, bringing the glowing end of his staff down on the swordsman?s head. Leo staggered backwards, rubbing his head and withdrawing his blade from his adversary?s chest. Gerad, meanwhile, had darted behind the Lich and thrust his sabre into its back, to similar effect.
?You are starting to bore me,? it hissed, holding its staff above its head, the tip once again charged with evil sparks. ?Now, begone! Thunder!?
?Nulshock!? A bolt of lightning burst from the Lich?s staff, quickly covering the short distance towards Gerad?s head before suddenly halting and disappearing with a faint pop. From the point where it had vanished, faint amber ripples spread through the air before fading away.
?An admirable effort, priestess,? hissed the Lich, turning its wicked gaze on Elia, whose staff still glowed amber from the protective spell she?d cast on Gerad. ?But your sorcery is no match for mine.?
?Perhaps not,? replied Elia, trying to control the tremor in her voice as she strengthened her grip on her staff. ?But it is not me you should be afraid of.?
?Afraid? I am the Lich! What do I have to fear??
The fiend?s reply came swiftly and unexpectedly; an orb of flame shot from the darkness behind it, striking it squarely in the centre of its back and exploding into several smaller spheres. Each of these spiralled into the air and orbited above the Lich?s head, before individually swooping down and striking its head and chest. As each fireball struck, the undead wizard let out a hiss of pain, the flames spreading over the black robes and spewing thick smoke into the air. At last, with a final agonised snarl, the flaming mass collapsed to the ground and moved no more.
After a few seconds, Dathen stepped forwards, blowing a wisp of smoke from the tip of his knife and gazing down on the still-burning remains of the Lich. Gerad and Leo approached hesitantly, swords still at the ready, but Elia hung back, wearing a suspicious expression.
?Interesting,? muttered Dathen. ?So many questions remain unanswered??
With a roar that shook the entire cavern, the creature was on its feet again, its staff wreathed in a halo of electricity. The Lich slammed its staff against the stone ground before any of the Light Warriors could react, sending out a wave of electricity that knocked all three destined warriors to the ground, sparks coursing over their bodies, rendering them helpless before the Lich?s sorcery.
?Now?s the time for you to die,? snarled the fiend, raising its weapon for another magical strike. ?As you are now, so once was I. As I am now, soon you shall be; embrace your fate and burn with me!?
?Elia!? shouted Gerad, struggling to crawl away from the corpse mage and receiving a blast of electricity to the back for his troubles. ?Help us!?
?She cannot save you,? hissed the Lich. ?Now, join the ranks of the dead in this accursed place??
?Diaga!? A beam of light shot from the tip of Elia?s staff, striking the Lich squarely in the chest before it could even think about defending itself. The sheer force of the spell lifted it off the ground, and it roared in pain as an aura of holy light engulfed its body.
?Sunlight?? it hissed weakly, the yellow light in its eyes fading away. ?So long since I?ve seen it? so beautiful??
Keeping the Lich suspended with her staff, Elia muttered a rapid incantation to heal her injured allies; they stood one by one as their strength returned, keeping a safe distance from the undead sorcerer this time.
?You? Warriors of Light?? it hissed, the hood of its robes moving from side to side as it surveyed each of them in turn. ?I applaud your efforts? but do not think? that the rest of your journey? will be so easy??
?That was easy?? muttered Gerad. ?I?m not convinced.?
?The other three? will be your demise?? continued the Lich, its voice growing fainter as the dazzling light drained its strength. ?Death is but a doorway; time is but a window? I will be back??
Giving one final blood-curdling shriek, the undead mage threw back its head and uttered a lone syllable. The light surrounding its body faded, and in a similar manner to Astos? phantom, it collapsed in on itself, staff and all, until there was nothing left but a wisp of darkness hanging lazily in the air.
?The other three,? muttered Leo. ?Garland and Astos mentioned the Four? was that one of them??
?Does it matter?? asked Gerad. ?Let?s just do whatever needs doing and get out of here. This place gives me the creeps.?

Nice fight scene there. I especially liked the lines used by the Lich. No idea why, but they were original and inventive. Apart from that, it all seemed to move a little fast, but I guess I'm getting used to that in this fic.

Basically, I liked it and I'm looking forwards to more. And for some reason I hope you introduce more characters that speak like the Lich, with a similar personality. The way he spoke just sounded really professionally written.

« Last edited by Cataclysm on Jun 16th 2007 »

Okay, that was fun. We need to fight more fiends in real life; there are far too few massive monster thingies to kill in Cairo. Also, was that ending line about time and doors and suchlike from the game, or was it just a Nuklearpower referance? Either way, it's good!

?Strike me down if you can,? said Dathen, almost hesitantly as he stared at the creature before him. ?For if I perish, you are forgiven, but if I still stand, you will die.?

Where did you get that line? I'm only curious because there is a very similar line in one of my favorite songs...

?Now?s the time for you to die,? snarled the fiend, raising its weapon for another magical strike. ?As you are now, so once was I. As I am now, soon you shall be; embrace your fate and burn with me!?

That just rules. Period.

Awesome chapter, and I've got to agree with Tom: The script you had for the Lich wins. Did you write it all, or borrow bits and pieces from FF games?

Sotek: The Lich's departing line isn't in the game, but it's too awesome not to include.

Seos: I thought I made up the first quote, and the second one is definitely among the best quotes so far. The Lich is the only Fiend I haven't got any in-game dialogue for, so I'm having to make it all up myself.

Well, anyway, it pwns in so many ways. Make more of these characters please.

New chapter.
Warning: may be extremely uneventful.
'nother warning: may seem like it's rushing ahead with the plot.

Chapter 9

Having restored the light of the Earth Crystal in the Lich?s cavern, the Light Warriors left Melmond on their ship, sailing south-west towards the village of Crescent Lake. Dathen was at the helm, Leo was practicing with his sword on deck, and Elia was leaning over the railing at the bow of the ship, gazing into the water. Gerad came up from below deck, climbing the wooden staircase to where Dathen stood, idly controlling the ship with one hand.
?Hey Dath,? the thief said casually.
?Good day, Gerad,? replied Dathen, keeping his attention on the task in hand while still maintaining conversation. ?What can I do for you??
?I?ve been wondering since we fought the Lich,? explained Gerad. ?When it appeared, you were talking to it. Something about a challenge ? if I stay standing, you die, something like that. What was that all about??
?It is an excerpt from a classical work of literature,? replied the Black Mage. ?Blue, by the Wordsmith.?
?Oh. Any good??
?Excellent. It?s about a greedy king who tried to steal from the Gods. You?d like it.?
?Never learned to read,? shrugged Gerad. ?Yeah, while we?re talking about books I haven?t heard of, what?s that one you got from Elfheim? Some sort of spell book, right??
?Qurta il af Ona? No, not at all. It is a novel, by the same author as Blue.?
?A story book?? Gerad asked incredulously. ?The Elves offer you any treasure in their realm, and you ask for a story book??
?It?s very good,? insisted Dathen. ?I started reading it a while ago, but misplaced my own copy.?
?You?re mad,? chuckled Gerad. ?At least I asked for a decent reward.?
?Ah yes, the Crown. Where is it now??
?In the hold. It?s reserved for special occasions.?
?I see,? muttered Dathen. ?Gerad, there?s something I must ask you.?
?I?m not going to like this, am I??
?Now that the Earth Crystal?s been restored, the damage to Melmond will slowly be undone. You could go back to your friends and family? is there a reason why you did not??
?Haven?t got anyone to go back to,? Gerad replied bluntly, leaning back against the wooden railings of the ship. ?My parents died not long after I was born, and the vampire killed all my friends? besides, I kind of like it here. The road?s my home now.?
Their destination now came into sight; nestled against the mountains and surrounded on three sides by a large body of water, a small village consisting of a few shops, a dozen houses and a cathedral.
?There it is,? said Leo, sheathing his sword as the town came into sight. ?We should find the Sage Lukahn. He?ll know where to find the next source.?
?Oh, goody,? Gerad said sarcastically. ?I really hope I?ve never been here, or this could get awkward.?
?Don?t do it, Gerad,? Dathen said quietly, steering the ship towards the docks just outside of the village.
?Do what??
?You know what I mean. It won?t work.?
Gerad glanced at Elia, who was already preparing to disembark, then back at the Black Mage. ?What would you know?? he asked bluntly, heading down onto the main deck and helping Leo to lower the anchor.

?Hello?? Leo asked uncertainly, pushing open the door of the Sanctuary and leading his companions inside. ?Is anyone here??
An old man in pale blue robes approached the four, leaning heavily on an ornately decorated walking stick. He sported an impressive white beard which reached his chest, and his head was illuminated by the candlelight on all sides.
?You took your time getting here, Leo? he asked meekly.
?Lukahn,? said Leo, bowing humbly. ?How did you know I was coming??
?I wouldn?t be much of a sage if I didn?t. These must be the Warriors of Light.?
?That?s right. Gerad, Elia, Dathen; this is Sage Lukahn. He prophesised the fading of the Crystals? light, and the descent of the world into darkness.?
?Dathen?? asked Lukahn, stroking his beard thoughtfully. ?Don?t I know that name from somewhere??
?It would not surprise me if you did,? Dathen replied calmly. ?Since it is your prophecy, I suppose you will know where we can find the source of the Fire Crystal??
?In the depths of Mount Gurgu. I must warn you, though; it will not be easily reached.?
?Does that have anything to do with the fact that Mount Gurgu is a volcano?? asked Gerad, sounding slightly worried. ?And we?re supposed to inside it??
?That is part of the reason,? admitted Lukahn. ?But it is not lava you should be worried about. The Lich?s defeat has awakened the Fiend of Fire.?
?The second of the Four,? muttered Dathen. ?Do you know what it is??
?The name ?Kary? came to me along with news of its awakening, but I doubt that is even relevant. It sounds too human a name to belong to a monster, don?t you agree??
?Quite? thank you for your assistance, Master Lukahn. We?ll see ourselves out.?
?Good luck, Warriors of Light,? said Lukahn, as the four chosen by destiny left the Sanctuary. ?You?ll most certainly need it.?

?Am I the only one who thinks we?re on the wrong mountain?? asked Gerad, slumping against a large rock to catch his breath. For almost three hours the Light Warriors had been scrambling over the surface of Mount Gurgu, searching for an entrance to the fiery caves within, and had found nothing.
?Yes, you are,? replied Elia, mopping her brow with her sleeve and leaning on her staff. ?It has to be here somewhere? Dathen, what do you think??
?I think the decay of the earth, coupled with this volcano?s instability, may have complicated matters more than we would necessarily have expected,? the Black Mage explained calmly; he was the only one who didn?t seem exhausted by the climb. ?Basically, I think it?s collapsed.?
?So how are we supposed to get inside?? asked Leo. ?If the cave?s collapsed, how do we get to the source??
?Like this,? Dathen said simply. ?Teleport!?
A blinding aura of white light surrounded each of the four warriors for a few seconds, before disappearing with a faint warbling sound. When their vision returned, they saw that they were no longer on the mountainside; instead, they were in a pitch-black cavern, surrounded by searing heat.
?Couldn?t you have done that before?? Leo asked bluntly.
?You didn?t ask,? replied Dathen, breathing heavily now, as if the spell had tired him out more than the three-hour climb. ?And I did not know that the entrance would have collapsed? although I cannot be certain that we are in the right place even now. Elia, would you mind??
An orb of light flared into existence on the tip of Elia?s staff, illuminating the cavern around them. As their eyes adjusted to the light, each of them muttered a quiet statement of frightened disbelief.
On all sides, a river of red-hot magma flowed past, occasionally belching plumes of smoke into the air. The four Light Warriors stood on a small rocky island in the middle, only just large enough to hold all of them. They immediately shuffled closer to the centre of the rock, trying to get as far from the deadly liquid as they could in such a confined space.
?Great work, Dathen,? Gerad muttered angrily, glaring at the Black Mage. ?Now what do we do??
?We think of a way out of here,? Dathen replied between gasps, twirling his knife idly in his fingers. ?I could cast an ice spell to cool the lava? yes, that might work??
?You?d more likely kill us all, if this is anything to go by!?
?I assure you, it was not my intention to trap us here.?
?Both of you, shut up!? snapped Elia, banging her staff on the stone ground with a snap that echoed throughout the fiery cave. ?I?m trying to think! Now? I might have a way for us to get to the source, but I don?t know if it will work.?
?Anything?s got to be better than Dathen?s idea,? muttered Gerad. ?Give it a try.?
?Okay. Nulblaze!? The orb of light on Elia?s staff flashed red for a moment, and four bolts of crimson light shot from it, each one striking one of the Light Warriors, surrounding them in a faint red aura. After waiting a few seconds for the spell to take full effect, Elia closed her eyes and stepped backwards.
?Elia, no!? exclaimed Leo; he and Gerad had both reached out to stop her, but she was already out of reach, standing on the molten lava as though it was solid ground. ?What? how are you doing that??
?It?s okay,? explained Elia. ?It?s safe. Come on.?
Reluctantly, the other three stepped off the rock and into the lava, all somewhat surprised by their continued survival. A few seconds passed before they remembered why they were there; Leo took the red Fire Crystal from his pocket, watching as its crimson light pulsed softly in the semi-darkness of the volcano. He turned on the spot a few times, trying to determine the direction of the source, before finally deciding.
?This way,? he said, before setting off in the direction of the lava flow. His companions followed, all of them maintaining a rapid pace; none of them knew how long Elia?s spell would last. As they travelled deeper into the mountain, the crystal?s pulse became faster and brighter, until it was almost constant.
?It?s starting to get hot,? muttered Gerad, hopping occasionally from one foot to the other as he followed the Cornelian soldier through the lava-flooded tunnels; the protective aura around the Light Warriors was beginning to dim. ?How much further, Leo??
?We must be close,? replied Leo. ?Wait, is that? yes! That?s it!? He suddenly broke into a run, followed immediately by his allies, heading towards a welcoming sight; a large region of solid ground, with a white stone door set into the wall of the cavern at the far end. As they set foot upon the warm stone, the red auras surrounding them faded away, and they waited for a few minutes to catch their breath.
?That? was close?? panted Leo. ?The source? is through here??
When they had all recovered from the sprint, Leo carefully placed one hand upon the handle of the door and twisted, pushing it inwards while drawing his mythril sword from its scabbard at his waist. Gerad drew his sabre and followed Leo through the doorway; Elia took a step towards it, but stopped when she realised Dathen wasn?t moving.
?Is something wrong?? she asked.
?Kary,? Dathen said faintly, as if lost in thought. ?I know that name? why do I know that name??
?I?m sure it doesn?t matter.?
?Oh, I think it does? the Fiend of Fire waits behind that door. Everything matters.?
Before Elia could think how to reply, an explosion sounded from inside the chamber, and the ceiling above the doorway caved in, completely blocking the entrance to the source chamber.
?What was that?? asked Elia, sounding panicky. ?Are they okay??
?It?s found them,? Dathen replied gravely. ?The Fiend of Fire has found them.?

Just dropping in to comment on the fic.

Other than the things you mentioned in your warnings, it's good. There really isn't much else to say as my only complaints were forewarned. Still very well written and all that, of course.

"Warning: may be extremely uneventful."

Doesn't need to be eventful to be good, by your thirteenth fic you really should know that.

So yeah, its good, despite your opinions on uneventful chapters...

Just a question, but were those references to your own work in the first paragraph?

As always the chapter was enjoyable. The quick advance of the story does not bother me, but I must say that the character development seems quite rushed. Already Gerad is giving up his own life to travel with the others.

Blue is my own work, but I haven't written Qurta il af Ona. Yet.

That could be explained by the fact that, as Gerad stated, he hasn't got anything to stay for. And then there's the whole destiny thing to consider. He hasn't got much choice in the matter.

Don't mind me, just bumping the thread so the Ferla may post the next chapter. Carry on.

Don't mind me, just posting the next chapter. Carry on.

Chapter 10

Leo cautiously approached the strange altar, identical to the one found in the Lich?s chamber, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. He could hear Gerad?s footsteps behind him, but didn?t dare to look back, for any distraction could give the Fiend of Fire a chance to strike. He knew it was here somewhere, but where?
?Are they coming, or not?? muttered Gerad. ?Bloody wizard? I don?t trust him.?
?What?? asked Leo, hardly hearing his companion?s complaints; his attention was on the chamber. Two rivers of lava flowed by on either side of the stone path that led to the altar, circling around the edges of the room to meet at the far side. Plumes of smoke billowed towards the ceiling, and the flickering torches that lined the cavern seemed almost redundant in the light of the sporadic jets of flame that erupted from cracks in the stone walls. Suddenly, with the altar only a few yards away, he heard a voice, somewhere to his left. A pillar of rock stretched up towards the ceiling of the cave, and whoever he could hear was behind it? but why would anyone be in such a place? And more to the point, how did they get in?
?Is someone there?? he asked hesitantly. ?Show yourself!?
The head of a beautiful woman slowly emerged from behind the stone column, blonde hair tumbling down over her bare shoulders, contrasting brightly with what appeared to be bright red skin. She surveyed the two swordsmen with soft blue eyes, her lips pursed as though in deep thought.
?Hello,? she said at last; her voice bore a strange accent, and sounded almost childlike, yet at the same time, oddly distorted like a serpent?s hiss. ?Kary hasn?t seen you before. What?s your name??
?I?m Gerad Hunter, that?s Leo,? said Gerad, quickly stepping forward with a sly grin on his face. ?And you are???
?Kary Marilith,? the woman replied simply, a teasing smirk on her lips. ?Leo? that?s a nice name.?
?So?s Kary,? commented Leo, looking somewhat uncomfortable with the direction the conversation had taken. ?So, um? what are you doing down here??
?Kary lives here,? shrugged Kary, remaining mostly hidden behind the stone pillar. ?Kary likes it down here? it?s so peaceful, and the fire?s so pretty. What about you, Gerad Hunter and Leo? Why are you here in Kary?s home??
?We?re heroes,? explained Gerad. ?We?re trying to save the world.?
?Ooh,? said Kary, her eyes widening with excitement. ?That sounds like fun? do you fight monsters??
?You bet.?
?What kind of monsters??
?All kinds,? gloated the bandit. ?We?ve fought the King of the Dark Elves, and a vampire? and a Lich??
?Lich?? hissed Kary, brushing her hair from her eyes with a scarlet hand tipped with long, sharp nails. While she had once looked so innocent, she now seemed quite angry, and her voice sounded significantly more hostile than it had before. ?So? you?re the ones.?
?We?re the ones?? asked Leo, slipping the Fire Crystal back into his pocket. ?We?re? which ones??
?You?re the ones who defeated the Fiend of Earth, and roused Marilith from her slumber!? snarled Kary, emerging at last from her hiding place. Upon seeing her, both Light Warriors raised their weapons and backed off; as far as the shoulders, she was a normal young woman, albeit a red-skinned one, but there the similarity ended. Six arms adorned her torso, three on either side of her body. A blue top concealed her breasts, and her hips curved gracefully into a long indigo serpent?s tail, coiled tightly beneath her body. Her hair billowed behind her like roaring flames, and flames engulfed all six of her hands as she raised them in front of her face, palms facing towards Leo and Gerad. ?The power of the burning flame is mine, and mine alone!?
Leo and Gerad flung themselves to the ground as an orb of flame shot from Kary?s hands, speeding over their heads and exploding just above the door. With a loud rumbling sound that shook the mountain, the doorway collapsed, completely blocked off by fallen rocks.
?Those who oppose Marilith?s master will burn in hellfire!? The fiend?s hands were once again consumed by flames, but this time the fire expanded outwards, solidifying into six large curved swords, which Kary twirled menacingly in her hands as she slithered towards the Light Warriors. Suddenly she lunged forwards, swinging two swords at Leo. He raised his blade defensively, staggering backwards under the force of the strike, and the serpent pressed on, thrusting one of her swords while slashing at Leo?s head with another two. Again, Leo deflected the strikes, but Kary hissed angrily and raised all six swords, a flaming aura erupting around each one as she thrust them forwards?
?Back off, Kary!? Gerad leapt into the air, delivering a spinning heel kick to the fiend?s face. With an enraged snarl she slithered backwards, the flames surrounding her swords promptly extinguished.
?Thanks,? muttered Leo, backing away towards the blocked doorway. ?Elia! Dathen! Can you hear me??
?Yes,? replied Elia, her voice muffled by the boulders. ?Are you okay? What?s happening??
?Kary?s the Fiend!? shouted Leo. ?She?s not human? some sort of six-armed serpent!?
?Just hold on! We?ll try to get to you!?
Faint explosions and rumbles of thunder could be heard from the other side of the wreckage as Dathen attempted to blast his way through. Gritting his teeth and raising his sword, Leo turned back to the Fiend of Fire, nodding grimly to Gerad. They advanced simultaneously, directing precise strikes at Kary. She blocked each attack easily, but the intent was not to strike her down; it was to delay her until the mages arrived. As the muffled blasts and vicious swordfight continued, the rocks blocking the entrance began to crumble, but not fast enough; while four of Kary Marilith?s arms were preoccupied with fending off her attackers, the remaining two aimed swift thrusts and slashes at the two Warriors of Light. On several occasions, a flaming blade grazed Leo?s armour or narrowly missed Gerad, and the misses were becoming narrower by the second.
?Why won?t you just lie down and die?? hissed Kary, rearing up suddenly and exposing a mouthful of sharp fangs. With an odd snarl, an orb of fire shot from her mouth, striking Leo in the chest and sending him staggering backwards with a small explosion. Before he could regain his balance, the fiend darted forwards and drove one flaming sword through each of his shoulders, causing him to yell out in pain. Gerad leapt to his assistance, but was repelled by a swift flick of the serpent?s tail, which lashed across his face like a whip and sent him sprawling to the ground. Licking her lips with her forked tongue, Kary leaned closer to the wounded swordsman, raising her four remaining swords above her head. Somewhere behind him, he heard a mighty crash of falling rocks and a boom of rolling thunder.
?Leo!? exclaimed Elia, entering the source chamber with Dathen close behind. Both had their weapons poised; Dathen?s knife pulsed with electrical energy, while Elia?s staff glowed with a holy light. ?Let him go, Kary!?
?Why couldn?t you just stay away?? snarled the fiend, glaring at Elia and Dathen. ?Why did you have to disturb Kary??
?Please, just let us do what we need to do! After that, we?ll leave your cave and never return, I promise!?
?You shouldn?t have come! Now you?ll die!?
?Kary,? Dathen said calmly, walking around Elia with his electrified dagger pointed straight at the serpent?s face. ?I am sorry for what has been done to you, but if you let us proceed with our quest, we can help you. We will find the one who did this, and make him pay? we can release you from this curse.?
Whether or not she would have accepted ? or even considered ? this offer, they never found out; she suddenly let out an agonised scream and collapsed to the floor, Gerad?s sabre embedded in her back up to the hilt. After a few seconds of silence, flames engulfed her entire body, and she disappeared in a fiery explosion, swords and all. Elia immediately rushed towards Leo, muttering a healing incantation under her breath. Dathen slowly lowered his knife, discharging the built-up energy into the stone floor.
?Why did you do that?? he asked bluntly.
?I don?t like being hit,? replied Gerad, with a passive shrug. ?Bloody snake burned my sword. I liked that sword.?
?Tragic. Who has the Crystal? We should restore it and leave with all haste; I should be able to teleport us outside.?

« Last edited by Pandaemonium on Jul 2nd 2007 »

Nice chapter, Pan. Can't wait for the next one.

I prefer your own ideas Ferla. This isn't gripping enough for me, there's something poetic about your origfics that just isn't quite capturing... maybe it's the characters... I'm not half sure. Maybe my lack of interest in this fic (relative to your others) is what's keeping me from enjoying it. Personally, I've completed the game, and I know what will happen, perhaps the suspense just isn't there.

Regardless it's well written, and maybe we are talking twenty years ago with limited memory for dialogue, but your extension of events kicks Square's ***. I highly doubt anyone loved the first few Final Fantasys for their storyline anyway; I mean god forbid the whole four crystals hold the balance to the world gets old really fast.

*Applaudes*

Now, Pan, there was some dialouge in those chapters that even proceeds you, did you dig up William Shakespears body, revive him, and force him to write poetic dialouge for your Fan Fiction? Lol.

Regardless, the fight scenes were great, and the fic overall is beyond words.

I should start putting a disclaimer at the start of the better chapters. "No Bards were necromanced during the writing of this chapter".

This is a very good fiction, indeed. But I think you haven't been reading my latest Star Ocean 3 Fan Fiction :P

If you need to advertise your fic, use the Discussion Thread. Don't use other people's fics.

That was rather soft of you.

Flaming snake grils of doom that shoot explosions from their mouth? I do not know if that is your own creation but it is utterly pwnsome. A gripping chapter indeed, and it wins even more because the evil snake thing sounds like the typical "OMG I'm going to eat your brains and hump your bodies" scary little girl from horror films when she talks.

So in my own name I award you the one and only "Some random award" for creating an uberly great character.