Final Fantasy Story Chapter 4
Foes Return
By Nathan Jones
Edgar and the others raced to the deck.
“How can this be?!” Edgar shouted, “Who could have done this?!” Edgar looked over the side of the ship at what used to be a thriving village.
“We must go look for survivors.” Cyan said.
“Yes.” Edgar agreed, “By the Gods I hope we find someone.”
After the ship docked safely, the group made their way up the hill towards the village. Along the way Locke spotted something very peculiar yet oddly familiar as well.
“Terra,” he called, “Come take a look at this. Where have we seen this before?”
Terra looked at the cloth and strained to remember. “I…don’t know.” She finally said, “But let’s hold onto it.”
“I think I will.” Locke Cole agreed.
The warriors proceeded onward up the hill until they came across a most horrifying site. Splattered against a giant rock face was a single message in a dark red liquid.
“Is it…” Gau asked,
“Yes.” Cyan replied, “Tis blood.”
The group examined the spill more closely and suddenly Umaro realized something. “Wait!” he said, “It’s a message see?”
Umaro was right. The blood had a pattern to it. Umaro moved from side to side and when he finally noticed something, he gasped.
“Well what does it say?!” Celes asked frantically.
“It says,” Umaro explained, “All shall be purged.”
“By the Gods!” Edgar exclaimed. “The phantom was real!”
“What are you talking about Edgar?” Terra asked a little confused.
“I had a dream last night.” Edgar told them, “In it, a ghostly figure told me that I had to hurry. That…that the villagers were calling for me to help them. And to think I thought nothing of it!” he cried, “Damn it all! I should’ve paid more attention to it.”
“Edgar,” Celes soothed, “You couldn’t have known. Besides how could you suspect anything? To your knowledge nothing was even wrong.”
“Celes,” Gau interrupted, “Do you think that monster we’re hunting could have done this?”
“I don’t know Gau.” Celes replied, “But for our sake, I hope he wasn’t the one that did this. Come on. We have a lot of ground to cover before we make it to the village. Let’s try to get there before dark.”
*************
Kefka paced through the destroyed village. His work here was done, but he needed to leave some sort of calling card for the warriors when they arrived. He already knew they had found his little message in the rock face, yet he wanted to leave something a little more….elaborate for the group to find. The bones of one of the fallen villagers caught his eye and he immediately thought of a most sinister idea. He strategically placed the bones in a fixed position so that they could be seen from the top of the hill overlooking the village. He also found pieces of wood from some of the destroyed houses and quickly began to make use of them as well. He placed a piece of wood in the skeleton’s hands and on the wood he carved another message.
*********
Edgar and the rest of the group stopped to make camp after a long and tiring day of seemingly endless walking. The soft earth felt great as they all stretched out over the Veldt for a well-deserved nap. After looking at the stars for a while, Edgar slowly drifted off to sleep.
“Edgar…a voice said, “Edgar you must wake up………..many have died…old foes have returned………Wake up Edgar Figaro…wake up and see what has taken place here…”
Edgar shot up with a bolt. He gasped as he looked directly into the eyeless sockets of the ghost before him. “Who…who are you?” he stammered.
“I am neither friend nor foe.” The ghost replied. “I am simply a messenger.”
“Well then what message do you bring demon?” Edgar asked.
“Only this.” The phantom replied. Edgar followed the apparition’s finger as it slowly pointed toward a patch of trees. “Come.” The ghost beckoned.
Reluctantly Edgar followed the messenger into the patch of trees where a small puddle of water lay directly in the center.
“Look.” The phantom commanded.
Edgar peered into the water and watched as it churned faster and faster with each passing moment. “What is this?” he asked a little confused.
“Just watch.” The ghost said again.
Edgar turned his gaze again to the puddle before him and slowly he saw an image take shape. It was an image of the village. An image…of its destruction. Edgar watched with fear as he saw countless peasants being swallowed by the same crimson blaze. Suddenly a figure standing in the village square caught Edgar’s eye. He strained to make out its face in the blurry water, yet it seemed oddly familiar. Edgar watched as the cloaked figure traversed the burning village slaughtering women and children as they ran for dear life. However, just as the face of the figure came into clearer view, the image vanished in a ripple.
“Who the hell did this?” He asked.
“You will see soon enough.” The phantom replied.
With that, the apparition disappeared and Edgar was left sitting in front of the puddle pondering on what he had just seen. Could the figure in the vision be an old foe? Or was he someone Edgar and the warriors had never laid eyes upon? Someone…. even more powerful than they ever imagined. Edgar tried to shake the picture from his mind as he walked back to where he slept. If his messenger was correct, Edgar would find out who the hell that figure was. And when he did, Edgar would most certainly have his blade ask the questions.
*********
A few hours later, the group departed yet again for the ruins of the village. Finally, after walking for what seemed like forever, they made it to the top of the hill overlooking the village. What they beheld next could only be the worst site they had ever laid eyes upon. The village, like Mog had said, was indeed completely wiped out. Absolutely nothing remained save a few pieces of wood and bones. Suddenly Edgar spotted something.
“Look!” he cried.
The group turned their gaze over to a single skeleton standing upright holding what seemed to be a wooden board of some kind. They raced down the hill as fast as their weary legs could carry them. Gau was the first to arrive at the skeleton and he quickly noticed something peculiar about it.
“Someone set this up for us to see.” He said quietly.
“I think Sir Gau is right.” Cyan agreed. “Look. There’s even a message here.”
Cyan read the message aloud to the group:
“By the light of Fenrir’s moon,
This village has been purged,
The greater good shall be achieved
For I Kefka hath emerged.
A new era will begin today,
Evil again shall reign,
For I am back to seek revenge,
On those who caused me pain.
Your souls shall be the catalyst,
For the destruction yet to come,
Sacrifices must be made,
Before my work is done.
The warriors who killed me then,
Shall pay for their transgressions
For I have brought with me destruction,
And darkness’s resurrection.”
The warriors could hardly believe their ears.
“No!” Relm cried, “It can’t be true! That’s impossible! We killed him! We killed that son of a bitch six years ago!”
“Calm down Relm.” Celes said, “We don’t know that this isn’t someone’s sick idea of a joke. Besides, Kefka’s dead. Like you said we killed him.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Edgar interrupted. “
Everyone gasped at his words. “What makes you say that Edgar?” Terra asked.
“Because…” Edgar said, “because last night that phantom visited me again. However this time I was awake. He took me to a puddle of water and used it to show me what had happened here in this village. He also said that I would find out who committed this sinister crime soon enough. Now I know he was telling the truth.”
“But Edgar,” Celes began, “Just because he said you would find out doesn’t mean that Kefka did this. I mean it’s impossible to come back from the dead right? With the exception of Locke’s old girlfriend, no one has been able to revive the dead for ages.”
“Celes is right Edgar.” Locke Cole said, “The Phoenix died along with my girlfriend Rachel. There’s nothing left in this world with that kind of power.”
“You are wrong there too.” Edgar replied, “There is one thing.”
“What are you talking about?” Setzer asked.
“The Rune of Destiny.” Edgar replied, “It grants its user one wish before it is destroyed. Someone must have used it to revive Kefka. But who?”
“I can answer that.” A strange voice shot in, “Behold Kefka’s liberator!”
The warriors quickly turned around to see a cloaked figure floating in the air. “Who are you?” Edgar exclaimed.
“I am the Master of Magic and The Purger of the Wicked.” The figure replied, “And I have a little surprise for you. Behold my greatest creation. Melkiah! Come! Devour their flesh and feed on their bones!”
The group watched in horror as a monster twice the size of a behemoth stepped out from the shadows. The monster fixed its seven eyes on its prey and prepared to strike.
“That’s the monster!” Gau exclaimed, “That’s the monster we’ve been looking for!”
“That?!” Celes cried, “Its WAY bigger than I imagined!”
“Quick everyone!” Edgar yelled, “Prepare yourselves. We came here to kill this thing, now lets show it the true power of the Warriors of Light!”
“Haha I agree completely Sir Edgar!” Cyan exclaimed, “Lets teach this bastard a lesson.”
Edgar darted forward and swung his blade. Melkiah dodged it with unnatural agility and counterattacked by swinging its massive tail smashing the poor king into the rocks. Locke didn’t waste anytime taking his turn at the beast as well. He leaped into the air and before the beast could turn its head to face him, swung down with all his might. His sword made a loud clang as it struck the tough armored skin of the beast and went flying through the air.
“By the Gods his skin is like stone!” Cyan cried.
“Quickly everyone step back.” Setzer ordered, “I’ve got an idea.” Slowly Setzer began to chant. “Oh Salamander Great Spirit of Fire I call upon your divine power. Come to my aid and help me to rid the earth of this vile creature. Oh Salamander Great Spirit of Fire shield us from harm and ensure our victory!”
Suddenly the ground beneath Melkiah began to rumble and molten lava spewed forth from the ground. Tons of boulders filled the sky as a giant snake-like creature arose from the ashes. The fire snake wrapped its massive body around Melkiah and opened its mighty jaws. From it came a blast of fire so immense that it shook the earth. When the smoke cleared, Melkiah was gone. Setzer fell to his knees exhausted.
“Did we kill it?” Locke asked trying to catch his breath.
“I don’t think so.” Edgar said, “Look up there.”
Locke looked up into the sky to see the figure from before floating above them with Melkiah at his side.
“Just who the hell are you?!” Celes shouted.
“My name dear girl is Fosoya.” The man replied.
“Fosoya?!” Edgar exclaimed, “But you can’t be Fosoya! Fosoya died a thousand years ago during the War of the Magi.”
“I did not die.” Fosoya explained, “I merely took refuge in a safer environment until it was time for my re-entry into the world. Besides, do you honestly think a sage as great as I would perish in a pathetic war?”
“You and your cult were the ones who started the war!” Edgar shouted, “If not for you, magic would never have been used as a weapon of destruction!”
“Hahaha.” Fosoya laughed, “My dear boy, if my cult and I did anything, we helped this world. If we hadn’t started that war and wiped out magic, you pathetic humans would have used it to create your own “weapons of destruction”.
“Liar!” Edgar shouted, “Magic was not the problem, bastards like you were! Your cult slaughtered innocent women and children like cattle. How dare you say that you helped our world!”
“I am truly very sorry that you feel that way.” Fosoya sneered, “What a shame it is that warriors like yourselves can’t fight alongside us. Think of the possibilities! We could rule the world!”
“We will never join you!” Celes shot back, “I would rather pledge my allegiance to a pig than serve your feeble-minded cause!”
“Well if that’s the way you feel, “Fosoya boomed, “then I guess I have no choice but to destroy you.” Fosoya raised his arms above his head and began to chant in an ancient tongue.
“Quick!’ Shadow yelled, “Everyone shield their eyes!’’
With that Shadow removed a tiny sack from his garb and released its contents into the air. A bright glow surrounded the group of warriors and blinded Fosoya long enough for Shadow to pull out one of his escape grenades. He threw the grenade on the ground and covered his eyes as the smoke encircled everyone. Immediately they were transported back to their ship where they discovered the sails had already been prepped for departure. Without delay, they quickly set sail and gave a sigh of relief as the Veldt moved farther and farther onto the horizon.
“Where are we going?” Gau asked.
“We’re going back to Figaro.” Edgar explained, “I have to tell the chancellor of what we have just witnessed. If anything, he can help us to devise a plan.”
“A plan to what?” Gau asked.
“A plan to kill those bastards Fosoya and Kefka once and for all.” Edgar said.
“Alright!” Gau shouted, “What do you suppose will happen next?”
“I don’t know.” Edgar replied with a worried voice, “I just hope we reach Figaro before Fosoya decides to stop by for tea.”