It was early in the morning as Locke ran along the steps of the castle. The girls! He had to get to the girls! Oh this was a disaster! They had to get going and NOW!
Heading out of the main part of the castle that was aflame, Locke’s feet hit the sands running as he ran towards the section of the castle serving as the girls’ sleeping quarters. Thankfully the attack came from the front gate of the castle, their enemies being arrogant beyond belief.
Making it to the Eastern Tower, Locke kicked the door open. “GIRLS!” He shouted as he ran into the room, moving up the small set of steps and past the desk. Getting right up to the bed, he pulled the blankets off. “WAKE UP!”
And then Locke blinked his eyes in surprise at the sight before him...
The two women were embraced tightly to one another. Legs entwined as arms wrapped around one another, the short redhead’s face in the taller woman’s bosom as the green-tressed one had her face in Lina’s hair.
And they were still sound asleep, nearly naked in each-others’ arms.
Locke walked around towards the headboard of the bed. Taking a deep breathe, the Treasure Hunter leaned over and screamed...
“WAKE UP!!!!”
“AAHHH!” Terra cried and sat up, shocked awake as she instinctively swung a fist...
Which was only a scant millimeter behind the fist of Lina’s.
Needless to say, the poor man was sent flying back with such a force that his back hit the wall harshly before he crumbled to his ass on the floor.
“Gods damn it...” Lina growled as she slowly tried to sit up. Rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, the petite redhead grumbled, “What time is it?”
The green-haired woman didn’t know what to answer, so she looked around for a clock. “It’s early.”
Lina growled as she stood up on the bed and looked past the headboard. Seeing Locke on the floor, Lina saw red. “Damn it, Locke! What the nine hells brings you sneaking into our room at this time of night? You trying to steal our gear or something?”
“Nooo...” Locke answered as she slowly got to his feet. “I came here to tell you ladies that we have a problem...”
“The problem is you woke us up!” Lina shouted. “Now give us back the covers so we can go back to bed! It’s freezing!”
“Not for much longer...” Locke said seriously.
Lina blinked her eyes. “What does that mean?”
“We’re under attack. The castle’s on fire.” He walked over to the desk and then threw Lina her shirt, causing it to land over the younger woman’s head. “Get dressed. We gotta run!”
Terra’s eyes widened in horror. “Is it... that man?” Were they attacking the castle because of her?
“Bingo...” Locke said as he tossed Terra her pink silk top. “So we need you ladies dressed and out of here, quickly. I already have some Chocobos waiting.”
Terra didn't waste any time and started to pull her top on. “What about the castle?”
“The castle will be fine, but we won’t!” Locke said seriously to the sorceress. “C’mon, get dressed! We’ll get the King and vamoose while the vamoosing is good!”
“That’s no way to speak to her,” Lina growled as she got off the bed, pulling her shirt over her head. Relenting a little on the priority of the thief, she looked at the taller girl. “But he’s got a point. Hurry and get dressed Terra. We gotta go!”
“Yes, Lina,” Terra said as she made haste, afraid and not wanting to upset the redhead.
Lina saw the look of fear on the other woman’s face and sighed. “Terra, don’t be afraid of me,” she said as she started to put on her pants. “I’m not your enemy...” she turned to Locke. “But I’ll be YOURS if you don't give two ladies the privacy to dress!”
Sighing, Locke decided not to argue with the small little bundle of redheaded annoyance and just nodded his head. “I’ll be right outside. Hurry up.” And with that, he went to the door and stepped outside.
When Locke left, Terra blinked her eyes at that. Turning to Lina, she asked, “Privacy to dress?”
“It’s part of decency,” Lina said. “Men shouldn’t watch women dress and visa-versa.”
Terra’s eyes widened. “Really?”
Lina nodded her head. “Really!” She sat in the chair, putting her boots on as quickly as she could.
Terra pulled her skirt up and sat on the bed to pull her own footwear on. “I guess we’ll be taking those Chocobos anyway.”
To that question, Lina nodded her head. “Times like this, I hate it when I’m right.” She made sure she had all her Demons Blood Talismans before she started to put her cape and shoulder-guards on.
Going over to the wall, Terra reached for her sword and looked at the redhead, obviosuly ready to go.
Seeing that, Lina nodded her head at Terra. “We’re off!”
With a nod and a sigh, for she knew another battle awaited, Terra opened the door for her friend to step through. She really hoped the attack wasn’t as bad as Locke made it up to be... but upon seeing Locke kicking sand at flames to keep the fire away from the door, realized, it was worse...
(------)
Standing on the roof of the castle, Edgar’s eyes were wide with horror. Figaro Castle, the place that had been his home all his life... was aflame.
“What’s happening?” Edgar asked, his voice filled with complete shock as he walked over to one of the guards rushing around like a chicken with its head cut off.
“It’s the Empire! It’s Kefka!” The soldier shouted right before he continued to run in circles, screaming about fire. Ah yes, Figaro’s finest at work...
Granted, they hadn’t had a real battle for ages, but still...
Gritting his teeth Edgar growled in anger. Damn it! He knew something was going to go down eventually, but not this soon!
“Oh dear...” a mocking voice could be heard over the cackling flames. “Having some trouble there?”
Turning to look over his shoulder, the King of Figaro’s eyes narrowed in rage as he saw the Emperor’s Advisor standing there so smugly while the castle around them was going up in a maelstrom of fire. “What are you doing?”
His eyes narrowing, Kefka held out his hand towards Edgar with his palm face up, as if ready to accept something. “Bring me the girl. Now!” He shouted, the last word having a tone of barely-suppressed malice.
“Damn it, Kefka!” Edgar shouted as he glared at the insane prick. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
Lowering his hand, Kefka smiled a small cruel little smile. “Then...” he shrugged his shoulders, his lips spreading to show his full set of yellowed teeth. “Welcome to my BARBEQUE! WUH HUH HUH HUH HUH!” The clown laughed his cruel laughter.
The soldiers around continued running in circles, incompetent at putting out a fire in a castle made of rock.
His shoulders sagging, Edgar sighed. It looked like they were going to have to use one of their aces in the hole. He was hoping to keep this a secret awhile longer but desperate times called for desperate measures. Moving towards the main throne room, Edgar saw the Chancellor waiting for him outside the doors to the main hallway. “Get ready...” the King of Figaro told him.
“Yes, Sir!” The man in the puffy and expensive clothing nodded his head and ran inside.
Walking over to the King of a burning kingdom, Kefka placed his cold, clammy hand on the King’s shoulder-guard. “Changed your mind...?” He asked, a chuckle deep in his throat, obviously enjoying the young ruler’s suffering.
Forcefully shrugging the hand off from his shoulder, Edgar slowly started to walk away, towards the edge of the roof. “I guess I have no choice...”
And then he saw it... four Chocobos running across the sand... and three with occupants who were vital to the Returners. His courage came back to him. “Or maybe I do!” He shouted as he jumped off. Kefka quickly ran over to see the king of Figaro land in the empty saddle of a Chocobo.
Together with the damn girl!!!
Still, he knew Edgar was a softie. He could get him to stay behind with those useless morals of his. “Ack!” He cried out dramatically. “Shameful that a king should flee, leaving his people behind! How utterly delightful!” The bastard laughed as the castle continued to burn.
Edgar frowned. As the Chocobo started running, the king shouted, “Dive now!!!”
“Dive?” Terra asked in confusion.
“You’ll see.” Edgar said. “But we have to make distance. We don’t want to get pulled under!”
Kefka blinked his eyes as sirens began going off in the castle. A voice seemed to call in over an intercom system. “Castle Figaro Submerge Mode: Initiated!”
Kefka lost his balance as the whole palace began shaking as if there were an earthquake. The size of the castle shrank as towers pulled into the main part of the fortress.
Stopping a safe distance for a moment, the quartet watched as Figaro Castle literally folded in on itself for quite a bit, before it started to sink into the desert sands.
Standing atop the tallest tower of the main part of the castle, the Chancellor shouted above the roar of the machinery in a mighty voice. “No-one can defeat the people of Figaro!” And then he went back inside, shutting the hatch to the roof.
And that was it. Figaro Castle completely disappeared underneath the all expansive sands of the Golden Sea.
“Woah...” Lina said. That might not have been magic, but it was an impressive sight all the same. There certainly was something to this ‘technology’ stuff.
As soon as Castle Figaro sank completely, Terra looked at the desert as her eyes softened in gaze. It almost looked like the castle had never been there.
“Well, we better get going...” Edgar said as he lightly whipped his Chocobo with the reigns. “They’ll be after us at any moment.”
And as if to prove him right, Kefka popped right out of the desert floor, like a twisted flower. Coughing up sand, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Pulling himself out he pointed a hand towards the group, his eyes red and wide as his body shook with rage. “GO!! GET THEM!” He shouted.
*KER-CHUNG*!
*KER-CHUNG*!
*KER-CHUNG*!
The group turned their heads. Lina was the only one who recognized what it was right off the bat. “MagiTek Armor!” She shouted, remembering the sight and just what they could do from the events in Narshe all too well.
Terra’s eyes widened and she froze in fear, her Chocobo sensing her distress and nearly throwing her off.
“Terra!” Lina shouted as she took a hold of the reigns of the other woman’s Chocobo and got it running.
“I... I remember those!” Terra said, her eyes wide as a memory of mounting such a metal beast came to her.
“Great, but let’s remember later, when we DON’T have them after us!” Lina shouted as she got their Chocobos up with Locke and Edgar’s.
And so it was a flock of four Chocobos with riders, running for their little yellow feathered lives as a pair of huge mechanical monstrosities started gaining on them.
And then one soldier flicked a switched on his panel, sending a MagiTek Laser searing towards them. The sand exploded upwards, causing the riders to be thrown from their avian steeds.
Entirely out of reflex, Terra landed on her feet. Trained reflexes she didn’t remember having coming to the fore as she looked at the approaching enemies.
Locke, ever the athletic and dexterous person, managed to land on his feet as Edgar came down to a kneeling position before standing, holding his poise and grace.
Lina landed right on her ass right next to Terra. “Ow! Damn MagiTek Armor...” the redhead cursed as she rubbed her posterior.
“Get them!” The leader of the troops commanded as he engaged his MagiTek suit in assault mode, weapons at the ready.
Lina grit her teeth. Looks like it was time for another display of magical might... “Terra! You ready to give these guys what for?”
The green-haired woman nodded her head, not trusting her voice at the moment. Instead she clasped her hands together and started to mutter something under her breath.
Taking pieces out from his utility belt, Edgar was putting his Auto-Crossbow together when he noticed the two women just mumbling something. Terra was barely audible, but Lina he could just make it out.
“Origin of all power, Glittering, burning red flame, Gather to my hands and be my power...”
Terra’s eyes opened wide and flared like the red magical light that came to life around her, sparking and flashing. She then just pointed at one of the MagiTek Armors. “Fire!” She cried, live flame erupting from her fingertips and rushing along the sands before raining upon her enemy.
“FIREBALL!” Lina shouted as she thrust her hands forward, letting a large sphere of flame shoot out towards the other MagiTek Armor.
Needless to say, neither soldier had been prepared for such power from their opponents, and both took a direct hit; their MagiTek Armor being disabled considerably. In fact the soldiers were lucky to be alive, point proven by the heavily damaged armor even being turned to molten metal in some parts.
Dropping his crossbow tool in such shock, Edgar just pointed right at the display, muttering inconsistently.
“Edgar, what’s the matter?” Locke asked, surprised by the actions of the normally level-headed King. “You look positively spooked!”
“D-d-d-d-d-d-d-did you just see what I saw!?” Edgar asked him as he took Edgar by the shoulders.
Blinking his eyes at having the King’s face in his own, Locke nodded his head slowly. “Yeah... these kids seems loaded for bear...”
While Locke was shaken by a shocked Edgar the women looked at each other and nodded, prepared to take on the remainder of the enemies.
“They’re amazing!” Edgar shouted. “That was magic! MAGIC!”
NOW Locke caught onto the reason behind the King’s shock. “M-M-M-M-M-M-MAGIC!? They used magic?”
Nodding his head firmly, Edgar brought Locke close to him as they once again began to whisper in a conspiratorial manner in front of the women.
For their part Lina and Terra finished their spells and, once more, brought down destruction upon their opponents. As the soldiers limped off into the distance, left behind were the molten remains of what once were powerful weapons of destruction.
When the two women were done beating the bejesus out of the two troops, Edgar slowly walked up to them. “Lina... Terra... where on earth did you learn that?”
Terra turned to regard the king, the hard glint in her eyes slowly receding. “Learn what?”
“MAGIC!” Locke shouted. He then felt a pang of guilt as he saw the woman wince. “Look, I didn’t mean to make such a big deal of this...”
“I...” Terra stuttered, her previous insecurities and fear coming to the fore again.
“Me either...” Edgar said as he eyed Lina. “It’s just that I’ve never actually SEEN magic before! Where did you two...?”
Placing her hand up on Terra’s shoulder, Lina told the two idiot males, “Look, Terra and I can use magic, and you can’t. That’s the only difference between us. The fact is you could use our help, right?”
“Well...” Edgar said slowly. “Yeah.”
“Then STOP looking a gift-horse in the mouth and just stand back and let us go to work when Empire attacks us!” Lina shouted. She really didn’t feel like bringing up a lot of her own situation into this just yet, so she figured she’d appease them for now by letting them know her magic would be used for the group’s benefit...
But she knew it was only getting worse for the other woman. Every time she looked to her side, where Terra was looking to the ground in fear and rejection.
Placing her hand down to Terra’s Lina sighed. “Look. Let’s just get back on those Chocobos and get going...” she looked up at the two men. “Any idea where?”
“Yes...” Edgar said as he got to his bird, slowly getting back up onto the saddle. “Follow me.”
Terra had to run a little after her Chocobo, but managed to catch it. The mount was nervous after that explosion, which was only natural.
Lina had no problem with her chocobo... except that the bird eyed its rider warily, as if expecting her to try and eat it.
And then finally, when Locke had gotten on his mount, the four took off towards the Southeast, heading away from the Golden Desert...
Leaving behind one small clown-like individual behind...
And hell was he pissed off!
“SON OF A FUCKING BITCH!!!!” Kefka screamed to the sky as he jumped up and down in a temper-tantrum. His men were defeated and he was left out in the middle of nowhere by himself; his men having disappeared on him. He had no form of transportation out of this Gods-forsaken desert!
Looking out into the fading forms of the group on the horizon, the Emperor’s Advisor clenched his fists in anger. “Those fucking bastards will PAY for this insult!”
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(Posted Fri, 02 Feb 2007 18:05)
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