Subj: [ffml] [HD] The Crimson Sword Date: 01-04-04 20:58:11 EDT From: dshumate@bbtel.com (Shumate) Reply-to: ffml@yahoogroups.com To: ffml@yahoogroups.com (Final Fantasy Mailing List), HillionDynasty@egroups.com (Hillion Dynasty Mailing List) Drasandin sat in his massive study, idly watching the floating screen of magic that hovered in the air nearby. Spread out on the table before him were the Crystals he had collected thus far... Thought, Life, and his recent acquisition, Time. Of course, he rarely kept such powerful artifacts together unless he was present at all times. His plans were still at a crucial point, and he might lose everything with one misstep. The dark geomancer pondered at the shimmering curtain of scrying magic. It showed the image of two men sword fighting; one badly, but improving, and one with amazing skill. The appearance of that strange outlander, Aaron, was quite a surprise. Of course, while the boy uncannily knew several things that he should not, he was obviously insane. Going on about those of this world being controlled by a few amateur writers... Drasandin nearly laughed out loud at the absurd thought. The strange boy, however, had been useful. Drasandin was rather pleased when he discovered he wouldn't need to contact the avariel's mate to draw him to Drasandin's keep, as Aaron had already informed the avariel's beloved of the situation. While it was improbable, the avariel's mate might know how to use the Crystal of Vortex, and Drasandin did not care to risk battle using the Crystals in the outside world. His keep, though, was a different matter. In his own keep, though, not even the gods could challenge him. Slight irritations were in abundance, but everything was falling into place. Soon, Levitos would return with one of the most potentially powerful Crystals, that of Ether, along with the also powerful Crystal of Balance. Any who knew the intricacies of mana and artificing, such as Drasandin, could harness the Crystal of Ether to wield unfathomable power, though there wasn't much chance of that, because the stupid Esper that currently possessed it had no idea of its nature. Yes, soon Levitos would return with both the Crystal, and the heart of that wretched feline. Drasandin's hand clutched with fury at the mere thought of that Lithe. Drasandin could still feel the hated creature's loathe accidental touch on what was rightfully Drasandin's, the essence of the plant, the light of the Yggdrasil. Yes, soon the accursed feline would die, Drasandin would have Vortex and Ether both, and with that many, he could take the rest as he pleased. Everything was falling into place. * * * Gray narrowly dodged the falling book. The heavy tome struck the ground with a low thud, and threw up a thick cloud of dust. Gray sneezed. "Sorry," Arcanis muttered distractedly from above. The Esper hovered slightly, several feet above the marble floor, perusing one of the many bookshelves in the surprisingly extensive library of the Anything Goes School of Sexual Arts. Gray surreptitiously thumbed through a copy of the Kama Sutra, a book that the library seemed to contain in excess, before tossing it on a nearby wooden table and returning to scan another book shelf. "I don't think you'll find it, whatever it is," Gray remarked, sneezing from the dust again. "Gesundheit. And yes, I will," Arcanis remarked, opening a heavy tome. "Oh? What makes you so sure?" Gray retorted, backing away from the dusty shelves to sit on a sturdy wooden chair, which was pushed back against a long, polished table. "Because I'm reading it right now." Gray blinked in surprise, and Arcanis descending to the stone ground, letting his levitation spell dissipate. "Oh. So what does it say?" Gray asked eagerly, peering over Arcanis' shoulder at the book. The Lithe's brow wrinkled in confusion. A swarm of nonsensical symbols and markings covered the pages Arcanis looked upon. "What is that chicken scratch?" "An extinct language, one of the most eloquent ever conceived," Arcanis muttered, without taking his eyes off the book. Gray waved his hand between the book and the Esper's face. Arcanis seemed not to notice, and sat at the long wooden table to set the heavy tome down. Gray waited as patiently, causing only a few fallen books and earning only a few dozen thwaps from the School's irate librarians before Arcanis seemed to be have found what he was reading for, and called Gray over. Gray glanced at the book's pages as he rounded the table to sit opposite from Arcanis, and blinked in surprise. "I thought that was in an ancient language?" Gray said, peering at the perfectly understandable Common written in the massive tome. "It is," Arcanis said. He waved his hand over the book once, and the pages were once again filled with unintelligible markings. The Esper waved his hand back over the book, and it was in Common again. "This book has a great deal of information about ancient and rare peoples and classes, among them Geomancers, Summoners, Sorceresses, and the like. I think Pyxie and Lia might wish to examine this when we're done with it," Arcanis explained. Gray shrugged in agreement and leaned over again. "So... what does it say about this Geomancy thing?" Gray asked eagerly. "Well, the book has a whole chapter on it, but I'll summarize it," Arcanis said, closing the tome. Gray sneezed from the cloud of dust, and Arcanis looked as if he might any second as well. After the air had cleared, Arcanis went on. "Geomancy is a rare gift granted to the Yggdrasil. The book doesn't say how the Yggdrasil decides who, but it explains that the gift only manifests when the gifted undergoes a great deal of emotional turmoil." Arcanis glanced up at Gray and continued. "The book says that the chosen is a 'Champion of the Yggdrasil', and has the ability to control the essence of the world." "That doesn't sound good," Gray said, his enthusiasm turning to apprehension. "Isn't that the same as magic, though?" "No. Apparently, Geomancy transcends mana, and uses the pure power of nature, of the Yggdrasil, to create the desire effect. It also mentions that a geomancer must be disciplined and must have a pure heart, or the sheer power will corrupt him, instantly." Gray swallowed a knot of apprehension as Arcanis looked back up at him. "Uh, does there happen to be any way to get rid of this, um, gift?" Arcanis shook his head. "No, but you can learn to control it, and I suppose you don't have to use it if you don't want, then. Though as I understand it from this book, one wouldn't be gifted with Geomancy unless the Yggdrasil thought there was an important reason indeed, one that required use of the gift." Gray stilled his nervously twitching tail. "Um, okay then. Can you tell me how to control it?" Arcanis patted the book and Gray leaned forward. "This does explain that, and I'm amazed by how simple it seems. At least, to a mage like myself it does. It make take you some practice before--" Arcanis was cut off as the air screamed, and he hurtled backwards several feet, striking the stone wall solidly. The Esper's chair was in splinters as he fell to the stone ground and looked up, towards something behind Gray. Gray stood and spun to see a figure in the doorway at the opposite end of the massive library. The man there was tall, and garbed in loose black clothing. Dark hair cascaded down to the man's shoulders, and he leaned against the inside of the doorway casually with one hand. His other hand held a long, narrow, thrumming bar of red energy, about the size of a broadsword. "Ah, my kin," the man said pleasantly, gesturing to Arcanis. "So sorry. I had meant to hit the cat first, before he leaned over. No hard feelings, I hope?" The man smiled kindly. "A-Arc?" Gray asked hesitantly, looking back at the Esper. Arcanis leaned back against a bookshelf, his arms crossed, scowling. It didn't even look as if he had been touched, much less slammed against the wall. "What is--" "What are you doing here, darkspawn?" Arcanis cursed angrily at the man in the doorway, completely ignoring Gray. "Oh, I just thought I'd pay you a visit. We are, after all, brethren." The man said, still wearing a warm smile. "And you're mistaken, I'm afraid. My name isn't darkspawn, it's Levitos." Arcanis' face flushed with crimson fury. "No we are not! You and your kind forsook the other Espers and turned to darkness, you wretched demon!" Arcanis shouted. "Demon?" Gray gulped, glancing fearfully to the man in the doorway. Gray took a step back, eyeing the blood-red blade of energy that Levitos held. Levitos left the doorway and began to advance towards Arcanis and Gray. "Well, if you can't be pleasant," Levitos said, his warm smile vanishing onto an icy countenance, "I suppose we shall get right down to the fun." Gray watched Arcanis glance towards his staff, which was propped against a bookshelf across the room. Levitos smiled and began to quickly glide in their direction, the demon's feet barely brushing the stone floor. Levitos neared Gray within moments, who seemed to be his first target Gray thrust out his hand, letting fly the small throwing dagger he had hidden there. Levitos didn't seem to notice the blade as it embedded itself where his heart should have been. Something knocked Gray aside, and the Lithe realized that it was Arcanis, the Esper's fists immolated in purplish flaming orbs. Levitos' inhuman laughter echoed across the library as he met Arcanis' defense, and a blinding flash ensued as the creatures of magic met. Gray backed away, fumbling at his belt before he realized that he had left his daggers in the room Pyxie had lent him. He cursed himself as he stood, quickly drawing the smaller knife tucked in his booth and sprinting back towards the battle. Before he neared the battle between Arcanis and Levitos close enough to strike, a blast of air and heat knocked him backwards, sprawling him upon on the floor. The air roared as a wave of blood-red flame erupted, enveloping the Esper and the demon. Gray felt as if his fur would be singed off of his body, and curled up to protect his face from the blast. Gray then heard a sound that would haunt him for a long time to come. The agonized scream of an Esper. Gray looked up to see Arcanis impaled on the strange scarlet blade of the smiling demon, the Esper's face contorted in agony, his body immolated in the bloody fire of the demon's sword. Levitos did not pull his sword from Arcanis' body, and Esper seemed unable to pull away from it himself. Gray leapt the last few feet at the demon, lifting his dagger to plunge into Levitos' flesh. Without even looking away from Arcanis, Levitos smoothly caught Gray by the throat in midair, and held the considerably shorter Lithe dangling from his tight grip. Gray's dagger clattered to the ground and he scratched furiously at the gripping hand around his throat, gasping for air. Levitos didn't seem to notice the kicks and scratches Gray inflicted in vain, instead wearing that small, incessant smile as he watched Arcanis' immolated form writhe on the length of his sword. Gray felt fury build within his, fury at what was being done to Arcanis, and fury when he realized he would suffocate in a few more moments. Gray's vision began to blur, and he squeezed his eyes shut, desperately thinking back to the first time he had managed to touch the world's mind. He tried to become calm, despite the lack of air and the feeling of dizziness. Gray knew that when Levitos was done with he and Arcanis, he would likely go on to destroy the harem, and kill everyone within if none of the others managed to stop him. Arcanis' cries could not begin to compare the eldritch shrieking of the planet. Gray heard a cry, not Arcanis', echo across the room. The pressure let off from his throat, but he didn't fall down. Gray opened his eyes and greedily gasped the air. Levitos was picking himself up from the floor across the room, his flaring scarlet sword nearby. Arcanis was on his hands and knees, coughing up blood, but no longer immolated in the bloody flame. Gray found he was hovering in midair, enveloped in an soft, green glow of power. The planet's cries filled Gray until he felt he would burst. But beyond the awful agony, the warmth and light of some glorious force filtered through, filling Gray with the essence of life and nature. Levitos was screaming angrily, gliding across the room, twirling his deadly red blade. Gray lifted his hand, and Levitos was knocked back into a wall, taking down several bookcases along the way. The demon quickly gained his feet again. Gray glanced over to a small planted that lay sprawled across the ground, uprooted from it's confining but nurturing pot. In the hauntingly beautiful melody of pain that was the world's song, Gray easily identified that one plant's small scream, and grasped its will with his own. The small, potted planet shuddered and, fed by the life Gray pulled from the essence of the planet and poured into it, exploded in rampant growth. Roots grew and rolled across the floor, seeking tenuous purchase in the stone of the library. Driven by the earth's power, fed by Gray, the plant's roots burrowed into the solid stone. The quickly-growing plant became a mass of thick wood and foliage in mere moments. As Levitos neared Gray, thick vines whipped out, winding around the demon and lifting the screaming dark creature away from Gray. The poisonous thorns on the vine grew larger, implanting themselves in Levitos like barbed hooks. Levitos screamed in rage and, with impossible strength, lifted the constricted arm that held his sword of flame. The sword flared violently, and shards of bloody fire cut apart the vines, letting Levitos drop to the ground. Gray winced, feeling the pain of the plant as Levitos hacked wildly at an incessant flurry of attacking vines. Gray only distantly heard his howl of fury. How dare this vile creature harm a plant, a part of the planet? Gray spread his arms wide and arched his back, the green glow that surrounded him brightening perceptibly. Levitos snarled and thrust his sword in Gray's direction. The air wavered as a roaring wave of bloody fire erupted from the sword, growing in size and intensity as it neared Gray. Gray changed his attack to a defense, changing the air into a thick sheet of water, that met the fire. There was a hiss of steam... and the fire rolled on through the wave, enveloping it and growing yet more. Gray scrambled frantically, searching for an idea of something to do to cease the bloody fire, but his mind was paralyzed with shock. The fire was so near it felt as if his fur would catch on fire, and sear his flesh off his bones. Gray opened his mouth to scream. A figure darted in front of him as the fire was near to sweeping over Gray. Arcanis' cloak blew out behind him wildly from the wavering air. As the wave of fire struck the esper, it broke apart, and vanished. Arcanis hovered slightly above the ground, immolated in a flaring aura of purple fire. He held his strange staff in both hands, crossed before him. The crystal that topic the rune-engraved length shone with a blinding white-and-purple light, and random bolts of power lanced away from it to travel along either the walls, floor, ceiling, or Arcanis' body. After but a few moments, yet another wall of bloody fire was building towards Gray and Arcanis, faster than the other. Arcanis triumphantly threw apart his arms, his staff clutched in his right hand. The halo of purple light immolating Arcanis flared brightly, as soon a wave of violet fire rolled across the room to met the demon's bloody fire. The ground shook violently as the magics met. The only thing that kept the bookshelves from toppling was the now-dormant growth of the plant Gray had invoked earlier. In moments, the wave of violet fire broke through the bloody fire, throwing shards of it in random directions before plowing on towards Levitos. Levitos cried out a curse, but was too slow to bring his sword to bear before the purple flare engulfed him. Gray covered his eyes as there was a blinding flash of light, followed by a violent rush of air that knocked him onto his back. Levitos' cries echoed throughout the room once as a cloud of dust filled it, before reluctantly fading. Gray struggled to his feet, sneezing and coughing from the impenetrable cloud of dust that filled the room. He took a moment to regain his senses, and underwent a shock when he felt a type of internal presence within his mind. Reaching out to it, Gray braced himself as the agony and life of the planet washed over him. With a thought, Gray made every trace of dust and dirt in the air vanish. Amazed that he could access the power so easily now, Gray reluctantly shut it back into the recesses of his mind, both glad and saddened as the world's song faded from his mind. Gray looked to the blackened area where Levitos had stood. He didn't know how, but a sense of dread told him that the demon was nowhere near dead. Arcanis still hovered slightly off the ground where had been before, still immolated in the strange, violet flame. The esper held his staff before him, watching the amethyst flame licked along it in waves. "Manaflame..." he whispered. "So much..." Gray heard a strange, muffled sound coming from one wall, which was covered with gnarled roots and thick, leafy vines. In fact, except for the flameswept area where Arcanis stood, and where Levitos had stood, the entire library looked like some kind of strange jungle. Strange to think it was just a potted plant, fed the life of the world's song. As Arcanis moved towards the muffled sounds, reluctantly allowing the amethyst flame around himself to dissipate, Gray realized that the sounds were yelling voices, accompanied by frantic pounding on the door that was hidden beneath the vines and roots. Arcanis glanced back at Gray. "Care to open the way... Geomancer Gray?" Arcanis asked, grinning and gesturing elaborately towards the source of the sounds. Gray sighed before enveloping himself in the world's song again to move the foliage aside, fearing that he would be quite thoroughly thwacked by the librarians for this mess. ----------------- This exceedingly long and magical combat-oriented chapter brought to you by: -Arcanis --------- The Last Esper Head of Development for FFML RPG Co-webmaster and Chronicler for www.ffml.org Master of Nonsensical Jokes and Inane Commentary Author of Extremely Mediocre and Corny Literature