Dark Places "Rage...Darkness...Fear you....Dying.... How? Do not kill me...Rebirth... Revenge...devour...kill...die...obliterate..." The thoughts swirled, seething in the dull darkness between life and death. "Where are we....what are we? We remember..." Bodiless and wandering, it roamed. Lost to growing madness and creeping depravity. The time had come though, its slumber was over and the time had come. Deep in the bowels of some great turning machine, amid pools of brackish oil and steaming vents it came to gestate. But first it needed a body to house it. The steam that dominated the forgotten chamber swirled and condensed into a bubbling mass of foul colored water. The water spun and twitched wetly in the air weightlessly even as it's color darkened to deep crimson. "A start..." The droplet quivered a moment then fell, splattering wetly on the metal plating below. A moment passed before it moved again, hissing and bubbling madly the mass began to take on a thick soupy texture. The growing pile of gore grew quickly until began to look like some hell-spawned grapefruit. With a thick, wet tearing sound the orb split open revealing a pulsing mass of veins and writhing tendrils. A hapless rodent came to investigate the strange thing that had invaded its realm. It was dead before it could even realize the attack as tendrils shot forth from the ball and impaled the creature where it stood. The tendrils pulsed and swelled as it drained the animal of its vital fluids. ************** Quistis laughed heartily as she and Fujin head back to the Gym. Xu had left to meet Nida and Fujin had to get back to Aeka. "You do realize of course you were totally transparent." She giggled. "NEGATIVE." Fujin said mildly. "Please." Quistis laughed brightly. "You were worried I was going to go with some guy." "NEGATIVE." "You were jealous, just like when that goof Bryce came on to me." "IMAGINATION." Fujin assured her. "I think it's adorable." Quistis winked. "Makes me feel special." She added proudly. Fujin turned to regard her briefly then resumed her walk. "GOOD." She said with a light smirk. Quistis blinked curiously as they approached the target hall. "What do you have the poor girl doing anyway?" She wondered aloud as she noticed Aeka glaring hotly at a distant target dummy. "SHE HAS PROBLEMS." Fujin said. "We already know that hon." Quistis whispered gently as they watched Aeka from the observation room. "FLASH, OVER TECHNIQUE." Fujin pointed to Aeka who pirouetted and slung the knives with a grand flourish. The blades all hit their target squarely in the chest. "She looks okay to me." Quistis shrugged. Fujin rolled her eye and hit a button on a nearby panel. Aeka had retrieved the blades and just started to throw again when her target started moving haphazardly about the room. Startled Aeka looked over and saw Quistis and Fujin walking towards her. "Hiss Miss Trepe." She beamed. "SILENCE." Fujin scolded and pointed to the moving target. "FOCUS." "I just said hi is all." Fujin scowled and Quistis looked about ready to protest but refrained. "ATTACK." Fujin pointed at the target. "Yes Ma'am." Aeka sighed and with a flourish of hand gestures let fly with her knives. Fujin nodded expectantly as all but one missed the mark entirely. "What!?" Aeka frowned. Quistis chuckled to herself. "TOO MUCH TIME FLAILING." Fujin said with a disapproving glare. "What do you mean." Aeka frowned. Fujin mocked the flurry of useless hand gestures Aeka did before throwing. "That’s part of the act the crowd like it." Aeka said quietly. "WHAT CROWD!?" Fujin barked. Aeka suddenly felt like an idiot. "I see you're point." "YOU HIT STATIONARY TAR....." Fujin choked and went into a fit of hoarse coughing. Quistis frowned and rubbed her back with her hand. "What she meant was you are used to hitting stationary targets or ones doing prearranged movements. From what I can tell you take aim, do your little routine, and then throw. Well by time you finally do the target has moved." Fujin nodded in agreement as she rubbed her throat. "PRACTICE." She said hoarsely. "But it's getting late." Aeka sighed, rubbing her shoulder. Fujin nodded, relenting. "Thank you, my arm was killing me." Aeka smiled. "AFTER TOMORROW'S CLASS." Fujin said then turned to leave. Quistis gave a friendly wink to Aeka. "Hang in there hon." "Thank you miss Trepe." "Don't thank me hon. Thank Fujin she's the one helping you out." "Still, I think you helped get her to." Aeka grinned. "I mentioned something to her but she did it on her own." Aeka sat down on the floor and put her shoes on. "I heard Luccian and Archie are gone?" "Yup, so are Squall and Zell." "That's odd I wonder where they went?" Aeka looked thoughtfully. "I have no idea to be honest. Squall and Zell said it was private. As for Lou he and Archie went to take care of some business in Dollet. "Ick I hate Dollet." Aeka scrunched her nose. "It smells like hot garbage." Quistis laughed. "That's from the refineries silly. The beach there is to die for though." "If you say so." Aeka said doubtfully Fujin coughed quietly from the doorway. Quistis turned and made a face at her. "Someone's getting impatient." Aeka smirked. "Yeah I gotta go I promised to make dinner." "Oh that’s a good idea, remind me sometime and I'll cook for you guys. We'll get Royce and Rinoa and have a grand old time." "Um I don't think that would be a good idea." Quistis frowned slightly and looked to Fujin. "That bad with Rinoa still?" Aeka said quietly. "Here I thought it would be Selphie to throw the bigger fit." "Selphie has her own problems to attend to. As for Rinoa, well." Quistis sighed. "Things change I guess. Look hon I gotta go." She said wearily and ruffled the girls hair. "Okay, have a goodnight." Aeka smiled and waved farewell to Fujin who gave a silent nod. **************************** The darkness was the worse part of the journey. The cavernous depths where as silent as a tomb and one could almost hear the hammering of the two boys hearts who crept quietly in the dank underworld. "How the hell are we going to get back out." Archibald frowned, he didn't want to admit it but he was beginning to worry. "Someone built this place, they had to have a way to get out." Luccian snapped, ever since that -thing- attacked him he had started feeling nauseous and ever more irritable. "They built the temple yeah, but you don't even know if this cave leads to it. We could get killed down here." "We could get killed up there too." Luccian pointed upward. "You knew this was going to be dangerous before we left. Besides, you said you wanted adventure." "Yeah, yeah." Archibald grumbled as he cautiously scanned the inky darkness. His mind had started playing tricks on him and he saw imagined fiends, skittering among the long, haunted shadows. They were out of the stifling heat at least. If anything, the cavern was downright chilly. "So, who built this place?" Archibald asked, more out of a need to keep his mind occupied. "Centra." Luccian said darkly. He wished the lummox behind him would shut up and let him think. The stone still glowed dully from where it hung around his neck. For all he knew it was just leading them on a wild goose chase that would get him killed. Long hours had passed and Luccian was finally beginning to doubt his actions and Archibald had grown oddly quiet and withdrawn. Finally the darkness broke in the distance as rays of light streamed in. The sound of trickling water could be heard as well. "Ahah!" Luccian shouted and started to run, he didn’t make it to far before a white-hot pain shot through his back and he collapsed face first among the rocks. "Whoa!" Archibald rushed to his side. "Damn man you alright." He said, helping him to his feet. Luccian coughed up a thick clot of blood and his face was a bruised mess. "I don't feel so good." He said simply, his eyes lolling in their sockets. "You don't look good either." Archibald set him on a near rock. "I think that thing did something to me." Luccian said thickly. "Prolly festering man, after all it, was sucking on ya." Archibald laughed and fumbled in his backpack. "We gotta get going, we have to get the key and get back before Zell and Squall do." Luccian tried to stand and Archibald pulled him back down. "Nadda boss, you look like shit and don't think I'm carrying you out of here. I think I may have something for poisons and what not. Perhaps that'll help out" "Good man, I forgot to bring anything like that." Luccian coughed and wiped his mouth, his tongue felt like thick and leaden in his mouth. "Because you was in a hurry." Archibald pointed at him accusingly. With a triumphant shout he pulled a small metal vial out and popped the lid open. "Here drink up." Luccian swallowed the contents and nearly vomited at the taste. "FOR THE LOVE OF!" He bellowed and went into a wild fit of coughing. "Oh yeah it tastes like crap." Archibald laughed and pulled him to his feet. "You trying to kill me or what?" Luccian tottered. "Not yet, you're the one who knows how to get back to the ship" "That’s comforting." Archibald just grinned. "You still worried about being left." Luccian eyed him while spitting generously, trying to rid himself of the taste. "It crossed my mind." Archibald admitted. "Don't worry, if anything happens I have a COM on me. We can call the ship or even Balamb if we need to." "Huh, cool, then I feel a little better but you know Xu and Cid will go ape-shit if they found out." Archibald said worriedly. "Actually they'll kick us out." Luccian pointed out. "Great, that’s just great." "Don't sweat it. Let's just focus and get the hell out of here." "That stuff working I take it." "Yeah I feel a little better." "Well lets hope we don't need anymore, cause that’s the last one." "I'll keep that in mind." They made their way towards the light and soon came upon a series of obelisks. They were old, very old and the stalagmites and stalactites had engulfed them partially over the eons. There roof of the cavern was open in places the morning light as well as vines poured through the openings. The area had a dim, otherworldly aura about it. "Creepy man." Archibald whistled low. "Well at least we're close to something, come on." Luccian bid him to follow as he made his way to a moss-covered statue of a female figure. "Who the heck is she?" Archibald looked curiously at the curvy form. She had wings at one point but the years had caused them to fall away. Her arm was outstretched and tendrils of moss hung from her like a tattered shroud. "I don't know." Luccian said quietly and brushed away the moss covering her face. "Dude she has horns, she's some kind of devil. I seriously think touching that thing is a bad idea." "You're being stupid." Luccian said he inspected the horn like structures on each side of her head. "That's supposed to be her hair, I think." He said cautiously. "I don't care what it is. It can't be good." Archibald frowned. "I think it’s a sorceress." "Well then I -know- its not good then." Luccian knelt and studied the statue's base. "What are you doing man?" Archibald looked about nervously; something about this area disturbed him greatly. "I think this is the place." Luccian said evenly as he chipped at the rocky growths that had crept up the base of the statue. "There's writing here." "Well what's it say?" "Hard to tell it's eroded and in Centra script." "If it's important we're screwed, only doctors use that crap." "Well unlike some people. Luccian started with a snide grin towards his friend. "I actually study in class and try to keep on top of things." "Really, then what's it say smart-ass." "Give me a minute." Luccian sneered and went back to studying the engravings. "Prolly says parking in the back." Archibald chuckled to himself. "Idiot." Luccian sighed then started to read aloud. "What starts anew in past futures. It comes forth to go." Luccian frowned unable understand large portions of the text. "Something about a great circle, and the one past and future woe." "That don’t make no sense." Archibald huffed. "I don't get it either." "Man we're not going to find any key's in here." "Damn it." Luccian huffed and stood up. "Hey check her hand, she looks like she's holding something." Archibald pointed to the statue's outstretched hand hopefully.. "I did, it's empty." Luccian said with growing agitation. Then suddenly a thought occurred to him. He recalled something the old man he got the seeker stone from said. He'd thought the old man was just babbling like old men tend to do. "The darkness brings the keys together." Luccian said quietly. "What?" Archibald asked quizzically and sat down. Luccian waved a hand to silence him then took the black seeker stone from around his neck and looked at it. He gazed at the statue a moment then carefully set the stone in it's outstretched hand. He waited quietly and nothing happened. Archibald chuckled and stood up. "This isn't some silly tomb movie man that stuff doesn't work." Luccian scowled at him the reached to retrieve the stone. "Oh shut up already." He snapped. With blinding speed statue grabbed his hand and hefted him into the air by the wrist. "What the hell!!" Luccian yelled in horror looking at his attacker. "The statue was no longer stone but flesh, the woman who held him aloft was maddeningly beautiful. She worse a loose fitting crimson gown that was cut low, well past the navel. She wore black gloves and she had a vice like grip that was crushing his hand and wrist. She was adorned with king's ransom of gold and precious gems and the ample amount of skin she showed was painted in places with archaic runes. Silver-white hair hung long and flowing down her back, while the bulk of it was done in such a way as to appear to be great horns. "Kildren of Balamb." She said in a throaty rich accent. "We're screwed." Archibald said shakily. "You've kome for the key of the nameless one." She stated simply as Luccian flailed and kicked in a manic attempt to get free. She didn't even notice his efforts. "Don't ask me lady he's the one in charge here." Archibald babbled and pointed to Luccian. "Tyranous." Luccian grunted. "Foolish khild, it has no name." She squeezed him harder and could feel the bones in his wrist grinding together. "We seek it, the nameless one." He cried out through gritted teeth. "Such power komes not without a price. Better perhaps if you die here." She hissed sweetly in his ear. Archibald grabbed his staff. "Let him go!" He shouted and moved towards them. "Archie do something man she's breaking my damn arm!" Luccian kick at her stomach with all his might, he'd have better luck kicking a wall. "Your kompanion is of no konsequence." She glanced up at Archibald and her yellow eyes flared ever so slightly. Archibald turned to stone instantly and Luccian screamed in terror. He knew in that instant he was going to die. ******************** The first thing Zell noticed when he landed face first in the mud was that it wasn't mud. "It's crap!!" He screamed in revulsion and anger. He heard laughter coming from up on the embankment he had just fell from. "I told you to watch out when you started chasing that thing." Squall shouted down to him amid hearty laughter. "Great, this is just friggin great." Zell bellowed as he sat up and realized he was at least waist deep in the mess. "Monster crap to boot." He sighed and yelled again. "Keep it down, the thing that laid that may still be around here." Squall smirked. "Glad to see you're enjoying this." Zell huffed and pulled himself out of still steaming heap. He slowly climbed back up to join his friend and was acutely aware that Squall kept healthy distance from him. "Come give us a hug." Zell sneered. "Touch me and I will kill you where you stand." Squall said without even the glimmer of smile. "Ugh I wish you would." "Want to head back so you can get cleaned up?" "Yes." "Good, and stay down wind, that’s a order." "Damn and I almost had it." Zell sighed, referring to the small pseudo dragons they'd spent the better part of the morning searching for. "Well at least you know they are around." "We need to find a nest. They are easy to domesticate while young." Without the slightest bit of warning the ground exploded under their feet sending them flying through the air like dolls. Squall landed on his feet, his gun-blade already drawn and ready. Zell however landed back down the embankment. "DAMMIT!!" Squall heard him yelling and could not help but smile even as a creature that was easily the size of a car pulled itself out of the ground. It resembled a nightmare version of a mole. Thick gray armor covered its hide and its forelimbs were massive, scoop-like, blades. The creature's mouth tapered into a snout, out of which a slid long prehensile tongue that lapped back and forth as if tasting the air. With its beady, black soulless eyes gleaming eagerly, the creature started forward. Not terribly eager to be pulled into a drawn out battle Squall took a step back and gestured with his hand. He traced a fiery sigil into the air while focusing intensely. The sigil glowed brightly and a swirling vortex appeared before the creature's feet making it pause. The vortex formed into a glowing disk emblazoned with ancient runes of power before splitting in half and revealing a dark pit. Otherworldly screams and moans issued from the pit as a gaunt skeletal figure appeared burst from its depths with a terrifying screech. Wrapped in tattered ashen robes and wielding a vicious looking scythe the denizen of the dark cackled madly. Its skull wore a maniacal grin and dull motes of light danced in its black and hollow sockets. The beast realized the unnatural threat of the specter and tried to attack first. The cackling fiend was faster and drew it scythe across the monsters chest. The blade simply faded through the creature's its like an apparition, leaving only an angry red line of glowing energy to mark it's passing. The creature paused, whimpered softly then toppled forward, cold and lifeless. With a howl of glee the specter spun like a top, then vanished back into the pit whence it came. Squall frowned grimly at the fallen beast then went to check on Zell, who was clambering madly back up the cliff. "You okay?" He said quietly and pulled Zell up over the ledge. "What happened?" Zell yelled and looking about for a fight. "That thing." Squall pointed at the large carcass lying nearby. "Ya killed it already?" "Yeah, come on lets get back to the ship, you reek." "You don't think I know that." Zell said dryly. "Shhh." Squall help up a hand to silence him. "Did you feel that?" "No." Zell whispered. "Something is wrong." Squall narrowed his eyes and looked about warily. "What? How can you tell." Zell spun around making sure nothing was sneaking up on them. "I don't know, it's just feeling... a kind of a chill." Squall drew his gun-blade and Zell actually started to worry. "Monster?" Zell mumbled. "No something worse." Squall removed a small pair of binoculars like lens from his belt and peered about. "What's that?" Zell asked as he moved back to back with him. "Infrared lens I want to make sure nothing is creeping up on us." "And?" "It's all clear." Squall said perplexed. "I guess it's my imagination." "Well this place does have a reputation. What's the plan?" "Lets just go back to the ship get cleaned up then we'll just hurry and find this dragon of yours." "Alright then." Zell nodded and slapped him on the shoulder companionably. They quickly headed back to the ship, both of them keeping a wary eye on their surroundings. ************ "Who are you!" Luccian screamed and tried to concentrate on a spell. The woman slung him from her with enough force that he landed a good fifteen feet away in a heap atop the rocks. "That is non of you're Koncern boy." She hissed and stepped off the pedestal her bare feet sending small electric charges of energy playing along the ground. "You wish the key korrect." "Yes!" Luccian snarled and drew his sword." "Toys." The woman chuckled as she made her way to the statue that used to be Archibald. "You have spirit boy, you may do." She said absently. "Fira!" Luccian yelled and brought his hand up. A burst of fire erupted around the woman but quickly vanished as bluish field crackled around her momentarily. "What the." Luccian mumbled in confusion. Fire exploded around him and he realized she'd reflected the spell back on him. He fell back covering his face and screaming in pain. The mysterious woman meanwhile was oblivious to him as she ran a delicate hand down Archibald's stony countenance. "Amusing." She smiled then turned her attention to Luccian who'd put the fire out and stood ready to fight. " And surprising." She smiled again. He charged her, string of obscenities streaming from his lips, an action that apparently offended her more than his attack. He charged headlong at her, the long thin blade of his katana slashing wildly in the air. She ducked, dodged, and spun clear of each of his attacks with an annoying ease that only fueled his fury. "Klumsy." She sighed and brought her hand up in his face freezing him in mid slice. Her hand glowed and her calm expression clouded into snarling fury. "Die now." She hissed. Luccian screamed more in defiance than fear and with a monumental effort broke free from the holding spell. There was only a split second to act, he saw the lightning already gathering in her hand and felt the tingle on his skin. He followed through his attack and buried his sword to the hilt in her chest. "HA!" He screamed victoriously as she lowered her hand and took a step back. His joy was short lived she looked at him as if insulted. "Wha!" He stammered as she let fly a massive bolt of lightning. Even as he flew through the air from the impact she was soaring with him, a vicious snarl on her lips. He hit the ground hard and landing on his back. She came down on his chest with a knee, knocking the breath out of him and breaking several ribs. Fighting for consciousness he coughed blood and tried to get her off him to no avail. The woman and eyed him through slit eyes, then quietly she stood and looked down at him expectantly. Luccian sat up in horror as she grabbed the handle of the blade still buried in her chest and slid it free. Holding it aloft she studied it a moment. She frowned and the blade promptly exploded into a shower of shards. Luccian yelled in a mix of anger and fear as she tossed the handle over her shoulder. "Impressive." She said with a smirk then without another word vanished in a bright white flash. Scant seconds later Archibald reverted to his normal fleshy self and fell over backward unconscious. Luccian sat in stunned, uncomprehending silence. After a long while he finally got the strength to stand. Wincing in pain he limped over to Archibald and shoved him with his foot. A groan issued from the large youth and Luccian sighed in relief. He leaned down and helped him to his feet. "Get up you fat turd." Luccian said in a haggard tone. "What hell happened." Archibald mumbled weakly. "I feel like crap and you look it." "Shut up, and I don't know." "Did you get her?" "Um I think so, I'm not sure. She just left." "What happened to me?" "She turned you to stone." Archibald yelled in fear and outrage. "I'm going home this is fucking nuts!" "Calm down." "Screw that man. That chick was a sorceress like Edea I know it!" "There is only one Sorceress." "So." "It's Matron Edea, and that wasn't her." "No it used to be Edea." Archibald corrected him. "No one knows if and when another will appear. I'm telling you that was her." "I'm not buying it she would have just killed us." Luccian argued. "Um, news flash for ya boss. Being a rock isn't being alive. She shit ceases being fun once folks start slinging high caliber spells." "Hush and think a minute." Luccian clapped him aside the ahead. "What!" Archibald shouted. He was scared, he could handle monsters and weird beings from other planes but he had heard to many stories about the sorceress like Adel and had bore first hand witness to the things Edea had done. "Look it's over, let's just get out of here. You okay with that? I'm in no shape to go on now anyway." Luccian sighed heavily. He hated to admit it but the mysterious woman nearly killed him. He went to gather the remains of his sword. He blade was ruined but could be replaced. He picked up the handle and paused a moment, something glimmering caught his eye. The seeker stone sat where the woman had been standing along with a metal disk with a glowing blue symbol in the center. "Whoa." He said brightly and gathered up the items. "What." Archibald said as he tried to crack the stiffness in his neck. "I think we have the first key!" Luccian said proudly.
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