Chapter Fifteen: By Inferno’s Light
“The crystal must be around here somewhere Silveria!” I complained to my feathered companion.
<Maybe it is hidden for a good reason.> he replied
<And what’s that supposed to mean?!> I snapped in return, turning to face the bulk of silver dragon following me through the forest.
<The Crystal of Life is a powerful thing, such things mortals are not supposed to tamper with.>
<Says who?!> I demanded
<It is common sense> protested Silveria
<Maybe for you, but not for me. The crystal is mine Silveria, and I intend to get it.>
I followed a line of crystals on the ground which grew brighter as the line continued, something lead me on, it was as though a hidden force had taken me and was pulling me in towards it.
“Come out, come out wherever you are…” I softly whispered.
<It is unlikely you will find it by calling it master.>
“I know that Silveria, I can feel it calling me!” I hissed at him, Silveria withdrew slightly behind me. I could sense a tiny bit of fear in the silver dragon.
Good I thought Let him fear me, fear beings
obedience and obedience brings victory
The crystals led to a cave, the inside of which glowed with a bright white light. I could hear singing, a soft melody which played with my senses and drew me closer.
I dropped the sword I was carrying and walked into the cave, taken completely by the song, my legs moved without my will but my mind offered no resistance, I didn’t even want to offer any resistance.
Inside the cave the walls glowed a light blue and a bright light emanated from the middle of the large cave. It was then I saw the crystal, hovering a couple of feet in the air, spinning ever so slowly. I was captivated by its beauty, and its hidden power, it reminded me a little of that damn genome.
“So, this is where you’ve been hiding yourself…” I whispered softly as I walked up to it, an unseen breeze rustled my hair and my cloak.
I stood right in front of the crystal and brought my hand up to the warm light, savouring the crystals glow, letting the warmth flood through my body and invigorate my heart and soul.
“This is beautiful…” I whispered in rapture.
The light shone so bright and the warmth felt so clean and simple. It was as though nothing else in the world mattered except this moment and this place.
I was drawn towards the inner light of the crystal and as I reached my hand up to touch it I saw a glow of orange around my arm, surprised I looked down and saw an aura of a red/orange colour around my entire body.
“What is happening to me?” I muttered, a thought which was quickly pushed aside by the urge to reach out and touch the crystal, my hand moved not of its own free will but as though drawn by an unseen force, and once again I couldn’t argue with it, wouldn’t argue with it, I surrendered myself to the crystal.
As my hand touched the hard surface of the crystal a sudden jolt of power shot up my arm and struck my body, it was painful and yet extremely pleasurable, and so I brought my other arm up and made contact with the crystal, another surge of energy blasted its way into me and made me scream with the pain and the pleasure but I couldn’t withdraw my hands from the crystal, the power smashed through my body completely violating me, I arched my back and continued screaming.
“Let go of me!!” I shouted at the crystal but it wouldn’t release me, it wouldn’t let go of my soul.
Then the power quickly ended and I collapsed to the ground, my legs giving way underneath me, and I lay there completely broken. My body ached from the energy which had passed through me but it also felt reborn, as though I had had a burning hot shower and felt clean afterwards, if somewhat burnt.
<WHO ARE YOU!!> telepathically shouted a voice from behind me.
I slowly stood back up and turned around, standing in the entrance to the cave was a strange crossbreed of horse, it seemed to have the qualities of a pegasus and a unicorn, something within me gave it the term Unipeg and the name Gallion.
<I am Fury, and I am taking this crystal.>
Gallion reared up in the air and then stomped the ground
<I cannot allow this.> he warned
I chuckled and then threw my head back and started laughing, I couldn’t believe it, this stupid creature was trying to prevent me from achieving my destiny, my laughter quickly changed into a snarl, my destiny was my own and not anyone’s to interfere with!
<You cannot hope in your wildest dreams to even challenge me you stupid creature, now move out of my way.>
Gallion pawed the ground again and lowered his head, pointing his unicorn horn directly at me, I knew he was getting ready to charge.
<I will not let you pass!> he thought, defying me.
<Then you leave me with no choice> I replied, raising my hand and sending a fiery blast in the unipegs direction, Gallion reared up and was knocked over by the blast, a large portion of his rear flank bleeding, but he stood up again and prepared to charge.
I sighed and rubbed my hands together with annoyance.
<Why do you defy me?> I asked, tired by the pointlessness of this battle, if you could call it a battle.
<Evil must be opposed> he replied with a shaky telepathic voice.
I shook my head, he stood no chance and yet he was still willing to attack me, this creature had strange morals. I sent another blast, this one of purple energy which smashed the unipeg into the cave wall and as he slid back down and collapsed in a heap on the floor a trail of blood was left on the wall.
“Such a waste,” I said as I turned back around and gently took the crystal from its position, the crystal itself offering no resistance “But it had to be done.”
I stepped over the bloodied body of the unipeg and out of the cave.
We had walked through the plains towards Alexandria walking and yet not making any progress, or so it seemed.
Suddenly I felt a great sense of loss, as though someone close to me had died or been involved in an accident and I knew immediately that something was wrong in my home.
“I’ve got to go back.” I suddenly said, making Yugami and Zidane look at me with a puzzled look.
“But we’re nearly there Reiganna.” Said Zidane, pointing to a glint on the horizon.
“No, you don’t understand,” I quickly said “I’ve got to go back to the Twilight Forest, something terrible has happened.”
Yugami walked over to me immediately, concerned I knew for she had been to the Twilight Forest many times, even Zidane had visited once, although only my close circle of friends were allowed to see the forest.
“Do you want me to come with you Rei?” she asked
I shook my head, she had her own path and I had mine, it wasn’t for me to interrupt her journey.
“I’ll go alone, hopefully it’s nothing much. These feelings of mine aren’t usually that accurate. I’ll be back soon.” I promised as I looked for the nearest forest or patch of woodland, I saw one across the fields to the north and set off on my way, waving goodbye to the group I left behind.
“She’s a strange one that Reiganna.” Said Snikity as Reiganna walked away from us.
“She’s a forest spirit, that’s why she comes across as a sort of outsider. She can’t help it.” Said Domino with a smile
I shrugged
“Reiganna is Reiganna.” I said as a means of explanation
Snikity nodded, semi-understanding and we walked on.
“We should reach Alexandria by nightfall.” Said Zidane
“I bet you’ll be glad to see Garnet again won’t you?” said Nagy
Zidane blushed slightly but nodded with an impish smile on his face.
“Yeah, I have missed her since I left Alexandria for Lindblum a week ago.”
Domino stopped suddenly and I nearly walked into the back of her.
“Has it really been just one week?” she asked in amazement
Zidane nodded
“I think so.”
Domino bowed her head slightly
“One week ago, he was still here…we were still together, I can remember him holding me in his arms after he had got off the Hildagarde…”
“Hey Dom, it’s ok, your friends are here for you.” Said Mizrah as she put her arm around Dominos shoulder, I patted her on the back and said
“Yeah, we may not be able to replace Thunderchild…”
“We’d never hope to.” Said Kitiara
“But we are here for you, you’re not alone Domino, remember that.” I concluded
Domino nodded and dried her eyes on the back of her glove.
“Thanks, at this moment in time I need all of my friends around me.”
“We’re not going anywhere.” Said Xola with a smile as she too patted Domino on the back.
I could see Dominos eyes sparkle with surprise, I don’t think she had expected such comments from the people from the Discworld, it seemed that she had made more friends than she actually realised.
I think we’re all going to need each others strength I thought to myself.
I was walking in the outer courtyard when Fury’s silver dragon landed, sliding slightly on the cobbles but using its long feathery wings to steady itself. I looked around, the sky was going a dark orange as the night drew in as inevitably as the morning had pushed the previous night away.
I ran up to the dragon and saw that Fury was carrying something which had been wrapped in a dark black cloth, but a strange light came from within the cloth, I angled my head slightly to get a better look at it but Fury moved the object out of my view.
“You’ll see what it is in good time,” he said with a smile “ Now tell me, has Lawrence been behaving himself?”
I frowned, now to tell him the bad news, and as Fury jumped off the back of the silver dragon, carrying the strange object I told him about Rhiana’s discovery.
Fury’s reaction was…interesting to say the least.
“Laaaawrence!!!” shouted an enraged voice which indicated that Fury had arrived back, Lawrence turned from the device he was working on and smiled at me.
“Sounds like our esteemed leader has returned.” He said
The door to our room was smashed off its hinges and Fury stormed in shortly afterwards, his black cloak whirling around him, the first thing he did was to pick Lawrence up with a telekinetic field and slam him against the wall.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing!” yelled Fury at the struggling Terran.
“What do you mean?” gasped Lawrence as he tried to force his way out of Fury’s grasp.
“One Domino is dangerous enough and you’re making dozens of them?!! Are you out of your peanut sized mind you imbecile?!!” shouted Fury, dragging Lawrence away from the wall and smashing him back against it.
“Now, understand me Fury…” tried Lawrence
“Oh I understand you alright Lawrence, I’ve seen people like you. You just don’t know when to stop do you. Face it, Zero-One-Five was a failure, it was too unstable and now you’re making even more unstable genomes.”
Lawrence put one hand up in a feeble attempt at a protest.
“Kuja’s DNA was to blame for that, and the attempted blend with Bahamut, this type of Yugami is a lot more stable.”
Fury put his hand on his head and sighed before looking back up and Lawrence and shouting
“You just don’t get it do you Lawrence?” he snarled “I don’t want any more Yugamis, one of them is bad enough, I want you to terminate your project and destroy the ones you have already. Concentrate on destroying Domino, not creating new ones.”
Lawrence nodded rapidly and Fury slowly let him back down again.
“Honestly Fury, you’re blowing this all out of proportion…”
Fury pointed a finger at Lawrence making him flinch as he yelled at him
“I’m blowing it all out of proportion?!! Trust me Lawrence, I KNOW what that genome is capable of, as should you!”
“I still think…”
“Don’t think Lawrence, DO. I don’t want to see or hear any trace of anymore Dominos around here, do you hear me, because if I do then you will wish you had died on Terra when the Borg attacked!”
Lawrence scowled at Fury but offered no more resistance. Fury looked at Lawrence for a few more seconds and then stormed back out of the room, I followed him because Lawrence would know it was either Ilvian or I who had spilt the beans about the Yugamis and he wouldn’t be happy with us.
“You did well to tell Ilvian about this Rhiana, I am grateful.” Said Fury as he stalked down the corridor, his cloak trailing behind him.
“That’s ok, it kinda scared me a bit seeing all those clones in the tanks.”
Fury nodded
“I understand, and you will be rewarded, I have plans for the next week and I will need your help as well as Ilvian’s.”
I quirked my head and looked at him, he seemed different now, more determined, more focused.
“Are you alright Fury?” I asked him
I stopped and looked at me, I could see a strange glint in his eye, I hadn’t noticed it before but it must have been there all the time.
“I’m fine Rhiana,” he said with a smile “I’ve found my way now.”
I didn’t know what he meant but the way he said it scared me, he seemed even more out of it before, as though he wasn’t actually himself anymore. Shaking my head I continued following him, to get as far away from Lawrence as possible, both these people were starting to scare me now, Lawrence and Fury.
It took me a while to find a suitable tree in the woodland but finally I found a large oak towards the centre of the wood and I created a portal to the Twilight Forest in its bark, once the portal was stable I stepped into the tree and emerged back into my home.
I could instantly see something was amiss, for one thing the crystals shone a lot duller than usual, and then I smelt burning.
Looking up I could see a flickering of flame through the trees in front of me, gasping in horror I ran full pelt towards the flames, emerging in a clearing which I knew was not far from the Crystal of Light’s resting place. A large fire was burning on the other side of the clearing blocking my way to the crystal. This was the first time there had been fire in the forest since Thunderchild had been forced to perform his Ultima Trance Desolator attack and destroy most of the forest so it could be reborn again.
Standing by the fire, trying to put it out with weak Water spells were Sovereign, Rupee and a Gryphon.
“What’s happened here?!” I shouted as I ran up to them
<We do not know, Gallion went off to challenge an intruder, the next thing we knew a loud explosion shook the forest and when we arrived this area was on fire, and it’s spreading Reiganna!!> warned Rupee
<Where’s Dad?!> asked Sovereign telepathically, worried for his father Gallion
<I’m sure he’s safe Sovereign> I assured the yearling before turning my attention to the fire, summoning up my power I performed a Wateraga spell on the fire which quenched the flames enough to clear a path for me to the cave, the entrance to which, to my distinct horror, was no longer glowing.
I ran over to the cave and darted in through the entrance, sure enough, the Crystal of Light was gone, the cave no longer shone like it used it, instead the walls emitted a dull glow, barely enough to light the surroundings.
“Oh no…” I breathed, stuck in my horror at the missing Crystal, while I had been gone, meddling in the other world, someone had attacked the forest and stolen one of its most precious secrets and I had been away, neglecting my duties.
<Reiganna…> said a very, very weak telepathic voice
<Gallion?> I asked turning around and seeing the crumpled form of the Unipeg lying in a pool of blood to one side of the entrance to the cave.
<I am sorry…he was too strong, I tried…> tried Gallion, attempting to lift his weak head
<Shush, Gallion, you did your best, that’s all I could have asked of you.> I assured the beaten Unipeg, running my hands over his body, sensing the damaged areas and attempting to apply limited repairs to them.
<Am I going to die Reiganna?>
<Not if I have anything to say about it Gallion, you’re strong. You’re going to pull through this, you’ve got to pull through this.> I virtually pleaded with the Unipeg.
He nickered gently and nuzzled me
<Thank you Reiganna.>
“Rupee!! Graphiel!! Come here quickly!!” I yelled to the Unipeg and Gryphon outside, a few minutes later they walked in.
<Gallion, my love!!> squealed Rupee as she saw her mate lying wounded.
<You two, help me get Gallion to the main cave. I can’t treat him properly here!> I ordered the two mythical creatures.
Rupee nuzzled Gallion and snorted
<We’ll get you healed soon my love> she assured him
The Gryphon lowered one wing and Rupee and I pushed Gallion up onto the Gryphons back, the bird like creature bravely shouldered the weight without complaint and we set off for the main cave.
Looking around me at the smouldering trees, the empty cave and the bleeding Unipeg I wiped away a tear, even Jara’s forces hadn’t caused this much damage to the Twilight Forest.
What evil are we facing, and does it realise the power it has? I wondered to myself.
Alone in my room I uncovered the crystal and let its glow provide the illumination of the room, let the warmth cover me.
I allowed a smile to cross my face, as I saw the unhidden power lying within the crystal waiting for me to come and get it, and I intended to get that power or die trying, because once I had that power, once I had absorbed the spirit of the crystal, nothing could stop me, nothing at all.
I would be truly invincible.