Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Bahamut & the Guardian Forces ❯ The Crossing ( Chapter 13 )

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BAM! CLANG!

"Damn, it's like nothing can even scratch this crystal." Bahamut sighed, stepping back. "My fist is all sore right now."

"Yeah, it hurts on my side too." Glenn added in.

"Your side? I did all the work!"

"Did not."

"Did to!"

"Grrr...shut up!" Bahamut swung his fist and whacked Glenn's dragon head. However, he too felt pain shooting through his own head, as if he'd been hit as well. "Gargh! This is annoying!"

The two had finally managed to reach enough of a compromise to be able to maneuver their combined form effectively. Not like it stopped them from constantly bickering, but they had to accept their unfortunate fate for now.

"Seems we're at a brick wall." Palidor agreed, landing beside the two-headed dragon.

"Perhaps some outside force is holding the crystal intact." Terrato glanced at the crystal which held the limp form of Bahamut's real body.

"Like what?" Bahamut growled.

<Ultima.>

"What? The spell?" Bahamut turned towards Terrato.

"Hey, I didn't say that." The earth serpent protested.

"Wasn't me either." Palidor confirmed.

The group immediately went on alert, suspecting there was a possible hostile nearby.

<Relax. Humph, I thought you two would know better, considering I sent you down there to find Bahamut. Though I didn't really expect you to find him in such an amusing state.>

"HEY!" Bahamut and Glenn yelled at the same time. "You think this is funny?!"

<No, it's hilarious.>

"That voice...it's telepathic." Palidor realized. "But it sounds like...Doomtrain?"

"Doomtrain sent you two down here after me?" Bahamut muttered. "That crazy old fool?!"

<Still as brash as always, I see.> Doomtrain's voice echoed in the minds of the group. <I'll just tell you now that I'm pulling a few strings to get you out of the realm of the dead.>

"Ok, ok, I'm grateful, all right?" Bahamut replied. "But care to explain to me what's your motive for it?"

<That will come in good time, dragon. For now, I believe you'd like to be separated from your companion.>

"Hell yeah!" Glenn cut in, before Bahamut shoved his head away.

"Tell me."

<Within the furthest reaches of your current realm resides the creature known as the Ultima Weapon. It alone holds a weapon that can free your real body from within its crystal prison, and thus restore your true form.>

"The Ultima Weapon..." Terrato gasped. "The legendary monster that was said to have been banished here after its defeat by a great hero. It supposedly carries a special sword of the same name, though is possess unknown powers."

<Indeed, the legends are true. You must seek out and destroy this opponent. Only then can you regain your true form.>

"Wait a minute? I have to fight the Ultima Weapon while I'm stuck like this?!" Bahamut jabbed his thumb at himself.

<Alternatively, you could go back to the Living World as you are now, and be stuck like that forever.>

"All right! All right! I've got the idea!" Bahamut admitted defeat. "Just guide us there."

<I'm afraid I won't be able to. I'm only able to speak to you now because your body is here and your mind is free of the Heartless.>

"Then what the f*** are we supposed to do?!"

<You'll figure it out.>

"Hey! Doomtrain! Hey! DAMMIT!!!!" Bahamut fumed.

"Great." Glenn sighed. "I thought it was bad enough having an idiot inside me. Now I've got one I'm stuck to and can't get a foot away from."

"GRRRR.....!!" Bahamut swung his fist.

WHAM!!

"OW!!" Both Glenn and Bahamut ended up rubbing their individual heads.

"Just when I have you right beside me, I can't do a thing to you! AARGGHH!!!" Bahamut roared in frustration.

"Erm, if you two are done, I believe I have a suggestion." Terrato spoke up. "I know someone down here who might be willing to help us...."

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"Look, there." Leviathan gestured.

"Yeah, I see them." Phoenix nodded.

They were close to the cliff overlooking the sea, the same one where the humans and GFs had met for the first time. Specifically, Leviathan was partially submerged in the sea while Phoenix was perched on a set of rock formations just above the water's surface.

The air around them shimmered as Valefor materialized, carrying Unicorn on her back. Despite the fact that it was about 6am in the morning and still relatively dark, this pair had made use of Unicorn's invisibility spell to spy on their enemies.

"They're there all right." Unicorn reported. "All those construction vehicles you guys see at the beach below the cliff, they're all there as a cover up. However, I think they're also there to tunnel a larger entrance into the chamber in order to allow easier access."

"But for what?" Leviathan asked.

"The gateway. They're constructing it there. I saw Cerberus patrolling the area with the Minotaur Brothers. I could only recognize them because they were practically wide out in the open, but we didn't want to risk getting too close."

The usually silent Valefor nodded in agreement.

<So, do you guys have a plan?> Brad queried.

"Not just yet." Leviathan sighed. "We're already running on overdrive here, but once and if they manage to open the gateway between the worlds..."

<Yeah, that's the point.> Brad interrupted.

<Opening the gate also means having a way back to your world, right?> Cecil asked.

<Then, what happens to us?> Aldrea finished.

"I thought you guys were going to ask about that." Unicorn nodded. "We'll separate from you and go back on our own."

<What?!> The humans gasped.

"This is going beyond what we originally dragged you guys into." Leviathan spoke. "We don't want you to be involved anymore...and suffer the consequences of our problems..."

The water elemental had obviously been referring to Glenn and Bahamut, which caused Phoenix, who'd been silently staring at the sea, to jerk up.

"You know what?! I've had enough of talking! I'm taking them out, NOW!!!" She screeched in fury.

<Phoenix, let's go!> Ashley shouted, sharing the firebird's rage.

"No wait! Hey!" Unicorn backed away as Phoenix flared up her wing flames, taking off and leaving a trail of fire as she made a beeline for the cavern.

<Ashley?! Are you crazy?!> Aldrea tried to reach her friend, but to no avail.

"Damn, she's going to get both of them killed." Leviathan growled. "We have no choice then! Let's move!"

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"AARRGGHH!!!"

BOOM!!

The trio barely made it, diving for cover behind a cluster of boulders as another explosion detonated the spot they'd been standing on.

"If helping us means trying to blow us to atoms, then this is probably it!" Palidor panted.

"Shut up." Terrato snarled. "I didn't know that she had a bone to pick with Bahamut over here!"

"Me?!" Bahamut protested. "You never told me it was Anima you were talking about!"

"Erm, people, how bout we run?" Glenn suggested.

The next instant, the boulder they were hiding behind was blow to pieces.

"Whoa!" Bahamut sprang up, taking position beside his comrades as they faced the huge creature before them.

A while earlier, Terrato had once again led the party through the icy realm and past the mountains. Beyond that lay a ruined temple where they'd encountered their current opponent.

The only word Glenn could think of to describe Anima with was hideous. What could be seen of her was a humanoid body from the waist upwards, covered in scales and bandages. If her claws and fangs weren't intimidating enough, she was also protected by some sort of a 'shell' on either side. Several heavy chains were also wrapped around her body, seemingly tying her down to the swirling vortex at her ground level.

"Hey, Anima, look here!" Bahamut called. "I know we're both on bad terms here, but I really need your help. A lot more depends on it than just our personal feud."

Anima responded with a roar, her eyes glowing white as the background darkened.

"Crap, Glenn move it!" Bahamut ordered, dragging their combined form as much as he could. Fortunately, it was enough to pull them both out of the way of Anima's Pain spell, which left another hole in the temple floor. "OK, we do this the hard way! Dissolve into a fiery world of chaos... Meltdown!"

The spell consisted of a burst of purple energy, which struck the immobile Anima and left her screeching in pain.

Terrato and Palidor followed up with their own Quake and Firaga spells respectively, only to have Anima throw them back using a Reflect spell. The Firaga spell in particular, exploded between the two, sending them flying back.

"Damn, she really has to make this difficult." Bahamut growled.

< Paah y frema, Bahamut.> Anima's booming voice echoed in his mind. (Been a while, Bahamut.)

"Wait, she's Al Bhed too?" Glenn asked.

Bahamut shoved his head aside and continued speaking.

"Oayr, E ghuf. Pid drec ec esbundyhd. Fa caag dra..." (Yeah, I know. But this is important. We seek the...)

<Ultima Weapon?>

"Oac, pid ruf tet oui ghuf?" (Yes, but how did you know?)

<E ghuf y mud uv drehkc, tnykuh. E'ja ryt y mud uv desa du drehg.> (I know a lot of things, dragon. I've had a lot of time to think.)

"Cu, tu oui ghuf?" (So, do you know?)

<Dra ahdnyhla du Ultima's lryspan meac yd dra pylg uv drec dasbma. Rufajan, pavuna E mad oui bycc....> Anima hissed. <Oui sicd tavayd sa eh pyddma!>

(The entrance to Ultima's chamber lies at the back of this temple. However, before I let you pass....you must defeat me in battle!)

"What?!" Glenn muttered, not exactly understanding a thing.

"She's challenging us! Get down!" Bahamut ordered, dropping to the ground as a meteor smashed down behind them. "So, you want it that way?!"

Bahamut fired a blue energy beam from his mouth, striking Anima dead on. The Maiden of Pain let off a long screech as her eyes glowed white again. Only this time, her entire being seemed to shimmer as well.

"Crap, we have to stop her before...gargh!" Bahamut tried to rush forward, however Glenn's hesitation on his side led them both to stumble.

<Oblivion!>

The world around Glenn / Bahamut instantly dissolved into darkness. Their combined body was violently tossed around and suddenly immobilized, as if some invisible web were binding them. The pain hit them just as abruptly, causing both to scream in agony.

The form of Anima then materialized, hovering before them. The air itself seemed to scream as the huge creature shifted position, rising up slightly.

"Glenn! Glenn listen to me! You've got to fight it!" Bahamut's voice urged.

"Rargh...it hurts..."

"Look, I need your side too. We'll....only be able to win if...we fire our breath weapons together."

"But...I...don't know how!"

"You'll...manage....just...wait for my signal."

Then, another thing emerged from where Anima's waist, where the lower body should've been. It too was a chilling, half bodied creature with a roughly humanoid shape, a disfigured face and long arms.

"That thing...hit it!" Bahamut roared, letting off his shot.

The smaller 'Anima' creature howled as the beam struck its face. However, seeing he was the only one firing, Bahamut was forced to push harder, maintaining to beam to halt Anima's attack.

Dammit...can't hold...it...

Bahamut had pushed himself to the point of near exhaustion when a second blue beam joined his, fired by Glenn's dragon head. The two beams of light united, piercing through Anima's body.

That was followed by a long scream, a blinding explosion, then...

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The Minotaur Brothers looked up at the sounds of an angry screech, only to see a pair of large fireballs come raining down.

BOOM!!

"YYAARGGGHHH!!" The pair was sent flying, slamming into the rocky wall of the cliff.

"Bahamut's group is here!" Cerberus was immediately alerted. "Defend the inner chamber at all costs! Lord Hades commands it!"

All around, what seemed like multicolored blobs of jelly materialized. These were in fact Flan, elemental creatures armed with various spells.

"Humph." An uninterested Gilgamesh muttered, leaning against a large rock.

That was until Phoenix threw a bunch of fireballs at him, forcing the warrior to leap away or be scorched by the flames.

"Seems she remembers you." Cerberus chuckled.

"....." Gilgamesh stepped to the side and drew his sword.

"Counter Rockets!" Cerberus launched energy beams from all three of his heads.

Phoenix evaded the attack by spinning in the midst of her dive, then steered in and raked the demon dog with her talons, throwing him over.

"Star fire, awake and deliver your judgment! Firaga!" She chanted.

The fire elemental spell easily incinerated several Snow Flan nearby.

"Ha! How'd you like that?! Gargh!!"

Phoenix's moment of triumph was cut short when Gilgamesh leapt up and slashed her from behind, sending her plummeting to the ground with a bleeding right wing. The cloaked warrior landed with his sword pointed at the fallen Phoenix's throat.

"Tsunami!" Leviathan's powerful spray of water came just in time, knocking Gilgamesh away from Phoenix. "Hey, what are you thinking Phoenix?!"

"Don't get in my way!"

"There's a fine line between bravery and suicide, and I think you've just crossed that!"

"I won't stop till I've had my revenge!"

<Excuse me!> Brad called. <But incoming!>

"Counter Rockets!"

"Energy Ray!"

Valefor used her attack to intercept Cerberus', creating a blinding explosion that stirred up huge clouds of dust and sand. Under that cover, Unicorn had managed to sneak up close to Cerberus.

"All light, fall into darkness! Blind!" The white horse whispered.

"Huh?! What?! HEY!! Where am I?! Help!! I can't see!! I can't see!! AARRGGHH!!!!" Cerberus panicked, running around in circles.

<That won't keep him occupied for too long.> Aldrea warned.

The Flan were already throwing various spells about, which Valefor dodged and returned fire with her Energy Ray attack.

<They're probably opening the gate in the inner chamber.> Cecil suggested. <You guys go! We'll hold the others here for a while!>

"That's a good plan, urgh!" Unicorn sidestepped a sword swipe from Gilgamesh and parried another with her horn. "But make it quick!"

"Rinno!" Valefor urged. (Hurry!)

Though a little shaken by her injury, Phoenix pulled herself up and made a dash for an opening that had been cut into the rocky wall, presumably leading into the inner chamber...the place where their journey began.

Leviathan was right on her tail, snaking his serpent body through the chaos.

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"Rargh! Argh..."

Bahamut and Glenn were suddenly back on the cold stone floor, moaning and panting as they pulled themselves up. Anima was no where to be seen, though the temple was in an even bigger mess than before.

"Nice going you two!" Terrato commented, flying over towards them.

"Yeah, that was awesome!" Palidor added in.

"Guess, I pulled through, huh?" Glenn grinned.

"Considering I'm still alive, yes." Bahamut muttered.

"Hey, and what about me?!" Glenn yelled.

<Ehdanacdehk Bahamut, oui'na dra cysa yc ajan.> Anima's voice suddenly shot into their minds. <E'mm caa ruf drec bmyoc uid, yht ed cruimt pa sucd vyclehydehk ehtaat. Vynafamm...>

(Interesting Bahamut, you're the same as ever. I'll see how this plays out, and it should be most fascinating indeed. Farewell...)

As Anima's telepathic voice faded away, Glenn turned towards his companions.

"What was that thing with you and Anima anyway?" He asked.

"It's a long story." Bahamut replied. "But to make it short, she was once a beautiful maiden who was tempted by a source of dark magic. It transformed her into the form you saw her in just now, corrupting her spirit with evil. And I led a group in the fight against her, which led to her being banished down here."

The group then turned towards a door-like structure at the top of the altar at the back of the room. Standing beside it were two open sarcophagi, fixed to the wall.

"There seems to be some ancient text inscribed here." Terrato muttered, staring at the wall. "The gateway to Ultima."

"Well, that couldn't have been any more obvious, could it?" Glenn commented.

"Hey, it takes a lot of knowledge to read these ancient scriptures." Terrato replied.

"But there isn't a door here at all, it's just a brick wall!" Bahamut raised a fist and punched the wall, only to draw back in pain. "Ouch, jeez, it must be magically protected."

"Why?" Glenn queried.

"I hit it with all of my strength and there isn't even a dent in it."

"Either that, or there's been a major change in your strength." Glenn whispered.

"What was that?!"

"Hey guys, I wonder if it has anything to do with these coffin things." Palidor pointed with his wing, drawing closer to the right side one. "Weird...my body...feels kinda...sluggish..."

"Be careful." Terrato cautioned. "It could be..."

"Yargh!"

Palidor stumbled forward with a sudden lurch. And in a sudden flash of light, a bird-shaped mummy took Palidor's place inside the sarcophagus.

However, at the same time, a good portion of the blocked-up doorway crumbled, though not enough to squeeze through.

"Whoa, what the?!" Glenn gasped.

"Hold on." Terrato reached up with his tail and pulled a blue teardrop-shaped amulet off the Palidor mummy's chest.

That immediately reverted the bird back to normal, who collapsed, panting wildly. The partially opened doorway also magically sealed itself off.

"I see...." Terrato nodded. "This doorway will only open when a soul is trapped inside each of these two sarcophagi."

"Damn, that is freaky." Glenn commented.

"If the weapon is beyond, then we have to go." Bahamut growled.

"I thought you'd say that." Terrato replied. "Guess we'll have to stand in for you guys."

"It's a lot to ask, but..."

"I know, don't worry. However, let me stress the importance of making it back alive. Because if you don't, we'll stay wrapped up here forever. I shudder at the thought, but I'll put my trust in you two."

"Yeah..." Glenn and Bahamut both nodded.

"Well, better get going then." Terrato wrapped his tail around Palidor and lifted him up. "We don't want to be here any longer than necessary."

"Huh? What...?" The dazed Palidor muttered. "Wait! Argh!!"

Terrato threw him back into the sarcophagus before he had a chance to protest.

"Good luck guys." Terrato nodded, before he too moved into the second sarcophagus and was mummified by its magic.

Immediately, the rest of the wall crumbled, revealing a long stone corridor beyond.

"They're counting on us. Everybody....even Phoenix and the rest." Bahamut muttered.

"What do you think they're doing back there, you know, now that they think we're dead?" Glenn queried.

"...." Bahamut closed his eyes. "Nevermind, we'd better move. Ready?"

"Do I even have a choice?" Glenn jerked a thumb at his half of the draconic body.

"No."

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The chamber Phoenix and Leviathan entered was the same one they remembered. The place of their self imprisonment...the place where they'd first come into contact with their human partners.

Even now, it still looked similar to before, with one main exception. Attached to the far wall was a large circular ring...the gateway, also an exact replica of the one they'd destroyed several weeks earlier.

In front of it stood a tall, black cloaked figure. Humanoid in appearance, he was positioned in a raised platform surrounded by four pillars, waving his hands over a cauldron as he chanted.

"It's Hades!" Leviathan realized.

"If anyone was to be working with Diablos, we should've guessed it was you!" Phoenix commented.

"Humph, I applaud your effort, but it's too late." Hades looked up from his cauldron, "The spell is completed! The gateway is opening!"

The pair was momentarily blinded as a brilliant white light emitted from the circular gateway. The glowing energy then moved to fill the 'center' of the circle.

"Hurry Phoenix, we have to..."

BOOM!!

A good part of another wall shattered as a familiar dragon made his grand entrance.

"Leaving without me? That's hardly polite at all." Neo Bahamut smirked, folding his arms.

"Where have you been?!" Hades demanded angrily. "And where's Zoneseek?!"

"Oh, I took care of him. Just like I did for my predecessor, and more recently this Yojimbo fellow I sensed."

<Phoenix, it's him!> Ashley shouted.

Phoenix only responded with a screech, making a mad dash for Neo Bahamut.

"Nice to be remembered lady." Neo Bahamut calmly sidestepped Phoenix's charge and whipped her aside with his tail. "But no thanks. You haven't got what it takes to beat me."

"Phoenix!" Leviathan cried.

However, as the serpent turned his head, he spotted another figure slumped by the side of the gateway. Though he was wrapped and bound by chains, Leviathan could make out a feline appearance. He was like a mix of a human and a lion with a pair of red leathery wings which were currently folded down.

In his moment of hesitation, Hades struck.

"Black Cauldron!"

"Garghhh!!" Leviathan screamed as he as struck by a bolt of dark energy, forcing him to the ground. Coils of the black energy wrapped around his body like chains, sending painful shocks through his scales.

Meanwhile, Phoenix wasn't doing any better, finding herself at the mercy of Neo Bahamut's constant assault of claw slashes. Finally, he threw an exhausted Phoenix into a corner.

"Now you...rargh!!"

A silver ball suddenly flew into Neo's face and exploded in a cloud of dust, causing the dragon to stumble. And Phoenix didn't waste her opportunity.

"Phoenix Flame!!"

The rays of fire struck Neo's chest dead on, sending him rolling head over heels.

"Gargh...who..."

Another GF dropped down from a higher ledge. This one was dressed in a Japanese styled outfit, wearing a flat, circular hat and multi-colored robes. He also had a Katana in hand, which was held pointed towards Neo.

"You...you're supposed to be dead!" The dragon snarled, pulling himself into a kneeling position.

"It takes a lot to kill me. Especially if you don't look carefully." The samurai answered.

"Who...are you?" Phoenix asked, taking step beside her rescuer. "Why did you help me?"

"Yojimbo." He replied. "I did not come here to help you, but it seems as if our goals are the same, for now."

"Hell yeah. How bout we take him out?"

Roaring, Neo Bahamut stood up, charging up his Giga Flare attack.

"Daigoro!" Yojimbo called.

All of a sudden, Yojimbo's companion, a dog-like creature, leapt out of the shadows and onto Neo's back, biting down on the lighter armored part of his neck. The dragon roared in pain, halting his Giga Flare's charge up as he clawed at the dog.

"Phoenix Flame!"

"Kozuka."

Sending off their respective attacks, Yojimbo's knives hit Neo's body and exploded, while Phoenix's shots were aimed at the stalactites above the dragon's head. The burst shook the entire cavern, sending multiple fragments of rock falling from the ceiling.

Fortunately, a good amount fell right onto Neo Bahamut, burying the dragon beneath.

"What?! No!" Hades yelled in disbelief.

In his distraction, it the dark energy that had been holding Leviathan down wavered, allowing the sea serpent to break free.

<Leviathan, now!> Brad urged.

"Tsunami!" His partner roared, spraying the powerful jet of water from his mouth.

Hades raised his arms to cast a spell, but Leviathan's attack was too swift, both sending his spell off target and knocking his cauldron over. The glowing green liquid within the pot spilt out and began shooting off colored rays of magical energy.

Unicorn and Valefor, both bruised and panting, barged into the cavern just in time to see the gateway firing off the beams of light as well.

<Whoa...what's...going on?!> Cecil wondered.

<I don't think it's exactly fireworks.> Aldrea added in.

"The buildup of mana in this chamber must be too much for the gateway to handle!" Leviathan called.

"Not to mention the explosions." Unicorn added in.

"What's gonna happen?!" Phoenix shouted from the other side of the room.

Yojimbo simply leapt over their heads and dashed for the unconscious lion-creature near the gateway.

<We have to get out of here!> Ashley realized, seeing the lights at the gateway growing brighter and brighter. <It's gonna....>

But before she could complete that sentence, their world exploded into a blinding burst of whiteness.