Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Bahamut & the Guardian Forces ❯ Veil of Honor ( Chapter 19 )

Final Fantasy and all related trademarks belong to Square Enix. The story, its original contents and ideas, and any original characters belong to the author and cannot be used or reprinted without the author's permission.

--------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Move it!" Salamander yelled, jumping to the side.

The gigantic centipede slammed into the spot he'd been standing on and disappeared beneath the ground. There was an uneasy silence as the two glanced around.

"It might come back." Unicorn warned. "We'd better get out of here!"

"If it comess back, I'm taking it out!" Salamander snarled, indicating the egg. "Becausse of that thing, thiss little guy never had a chance!"

"What?!"

"The bite markss on the corpsse's flesh, they're the ssame as the teeth of the beasst." The Dragoon informed her. "You get out of here if you have to! Don't get involved for my ssake!"

"You fool! You can't take it by yourself!!"

"Watch me!"

The creature then rose from the ground behind them. Salamander rolled the egg aside, where it would be safe, and lunged at it with his lance. He managed to stab part of its elongated body, but the centipede simply shook Salamander off, hurling him into the wall.

Dazed, Salamander looked up just in time to see his opponent sending off a spray of green fluid towards him.

"Enduring light, shield from roaring magic! Shellra!" The mystical barrier Unicorn conjured up managed to deflect the attack in time.

"Thankss..." Salamander breathed.

<Go for it!> Aldrea called. <And don't miss this time!>

"The sspiritss above will guide me true!" Salamander launched a couple of jumping attacks at the monstrous centipede.

His lance did pierce holes in the creature's hide, sending a spray of its internal fluid into the Dragoon's body.

"Ggargh!! RRAAGGHH!!!" Salamander fell backwards, screaming as he tore the armor on his right arm off. The scales beneath had swollen with reddish burn marks.

"Its fluids must be acidic!" Unicorn realized.

"Hell yeah, leaked through my armor too." Salamander muttered.

The monster then moved with a frightening burst of speed, swinging its tail and smashing Salamander into the ground.

<You've got to help him!>

"Casting Holy, just need to get....ggarrrghh!!!"

In the midst of her casting, Unicorn took a spray of the monster's fluids in the face. Not only was that her most vulnerable moment, but she didn't have the armor of Salamander to protect her. Unicorn did have the last traces of her defensive spell, which faded away as she fell off a ledge.

"NO! Damn you!!" Salamander cursed, clawing furiously at the monstrous centipede on top of him.

He didn't make much of a scratch in its hide, but the Dragoon stretched and managed to reach his dropped spear. Twisting the weapon, the stabbed the creature's body, again and again. He didn't care that the acidic fluids were spraying out all over his body.

Though the acids seeped beneath his armor and stung his scales badly, Salamander kept at his assault. And finally, the creature moved away screeching, allowing him the chance to get to his feet.

<Unicorn! Are you all right?!>

"Urrghh..." Unicorn's world was in an absolute daze.

In front of her, the monster rose to its full height, jaws open. Unicorn was too badly hurt to do anything but watch, and even Aldrea's voice screaming in her mind didn't help.

However, one thing did stand out before she lost consciousness....Salamander jumping right in front to shield her from the giant centipede's attack.

--------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This is the place?" Glenn asked.

"Yeah, right down there." Carbuncle pointed.

It had been a hot, sweaty trek through the jungle, but they'd finally arrived at a set of shaded ruins. They seemed like the stony remains of some ancient city, which had become overgrown with moss and greenery by now, but Glenn certainly knew better.

<Let Carbuncle take you as far as he's gone, then I'll see what I can do.> Bahamut instructed. <You're smaller, so you'd probably stand a better chance of not being detected.

"Yeah, I got it. Quiet is my middle name."

<Oh, shut the f### up.>

Glenn followed Carbuncle as the little GF scampered down the stone steps. The corridors beyond were lit by a series of flaming torches hanging on the walls. These too were overrun by the growth of vines and creepers.

The two walked on for a few minutes before Carbuncle held up a paw.

"No, can't walk further. Trap here."

"A trap?" Glenn wondered.

<Hmmm...wait! Look there on the wall!>

As Glenn turned his head, he had to search around for a while before he spotted a circular, purple disc embedded into the nearby wall.

<Those magical seals are used to set traps in order to ward off any intruders. And that means us.>

"Wow, how did this little guy notice it when we didn't?"

<Tricksters and traps go well together.> Bahamut muttered. <Anyway, nice work Carbuncle.>

"Hehe, well, there's another way around." Carbuncle moved over to the opposite wall and pushed on the bricks there, revealing a small crawlspace. "In here."

"I have to go...through there?!" Glenn pointed.

<Glenn, do it you moron!>

"Ohhh...fine!" Glenn got onto his hands and knees and followed Carbuncle through the hole.

In this way, the little GF brought Glenn through several more tunnels and corridors until they reached the top of a stony spiral staircase. There were some voices coming from below and Glenn crouched behind the rails to get a peek.

<That demon...he's Diablos!> Bahamut gasped. <And that looks like Siren with him!>

"Reports from the other fronts have come in Lord Diablos." The human-like GF know as Siren was saying. "All of the teams assembled are ready to infiltrate the Temples of the Legendary Beings, along with the copies of the Aeon's Soul that were made. The teams have just departed from their respective bases."

"Excellent, so it will merely be a matter of time before the Legendary Beings and unleashed, under our command." Diablos nodded.

"So means we'll have head off too? To that secret temple?"

"I wish we didn't have to my dear." Diablos stroked the maiden's hair. "I'd so much like to spend my time here with you..."

"Eeww...gross." Glenn whispered.

"Things are going so nicely, it's such a shame that old warlock Dynaock isn't around to share the success." Siren laughed. "Especially after we duped the weakened fool into helping us."

"At least he served his purpose well." Diablos responded.

<After all that, Dynaock was just a diversion?> Bahamut wondered. <I should've thought so.>

"Excuse me, but there's an update." Another GF walked into the room.

This one was also female, and best described at a mystical creature, the harpy. She had green feathers and snowy, white skin.

"What is it Garuda?" Diablos demanded.

"Cerberus' squad discovered another rebel town. We've lost contact with them unfortunately, but we do believe that Leviathan and Phoenix were seen amongst those fighting there."

"Damn! Is their entire group here?!"

"Nothing is confirmed yet."

"It's the others." Glenn whispered. "They're fighting..."

At that, he shifted his position and accidentally knocked a small pebble over. And the sound of the small stone bouncing against the walls was astonishingly loud.

--------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

The pain was unlike anything the Dragoon had ever experienced before. Salamander had expected it to hurt, but this time the monster had shot off a burst of acids mixed with fire from its jaws.

Even being a fire elemental himself didn't help much. Despite the agony already hitting him in waves, Salamander was further treated to the horror of his own right arm literally melting away in the acidic spray.

Someone else was screaming, though it didn't sound like Unicorn. Most likely, she'd been weakened to the point of switching forms. Salamander didn't have that luxury however.

Go for its head! His instincts told him. Kill it before it kills you!!

Salamander barely got out of the way as the creature's jaws came down. Prying his spear from the fingers of his severed arm, Salamander shakily grasped the weapon in the one hand he had remaining.

His opponent then came right for him. Salamander thrust the weapon upwards, piercing it through the centipede's lower jaw and out from the top of its head.

"Unicorn, are you there? Please!" Aldrea had ducked behind a pile of bones, from where she watched the battle helplessly.

She looked up as the creature reared back, letting off a high-pitched death screech. However, its body was still moving and Salamander had to drag himself out of harm's way.

Because I'm a White Mage...The phrase rang out in Aldrea's mind. But that's only true for Unicorn. No, wait, this is the world of magic right? Unicorn is my bonded, so perhaps I could reach out and touch her powers...

Aldrea stood up and put her hands together. Closing her eyes, Aldrea concentrated, thinking about Unicorn casting the spell.

The order of White Mages served to heal and protect others without regard to their own safety, as Unicorn had once told her. In times of need their calls as servants of the light would be answered. Aldrea prayed for that strength to aid her now.

"Bright light, shine down on bloody impurity..." She raised an arm to the sky. "Holy!"

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a brilliant beam of white light emerged from the ceiling, struck the monstrous centipede and blew its head apart.

Aldrea immediately dropped to her knees, the spell having taken a great toll on her.

"Yeah! Great job!!" Salamander cheered, staring in a mixture of joy and disbelief.

Then, a soft cracking sound caught his ears. Salamander turned and saw that the Wyvern egg was hatching. Slowly, tiny cracks were beginning to appear across its surface. He realized too that their defeated foe's body was about to topple right on top of it.

On the other side, Aldrea could only kneel and watch as Salamander protected the egg with his own body. The crash stirred up a large cloud of dust, which Aldrea had to shield her face from.

"Salamander!" Aldrea carefully climbed over the piles of bones and rocks, stepping over puddles of the dead centipede's dangerous fluids. "Where are you?!"

--------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Did you hear that?!" Garuda snapped up.

"Who's there?!" Diablos yelled.

"Damn!" Glenn whispered.

<I'll take it from here.> Bahamut ordered, as Glenn shifted into the dragon's form. "Carbuncle stay here and out of trouble...huh?!"

The tiny GF had suddenly disappeared, but there was no time for him to think about it right now. Bahamut drew the Ultima weapon as quietly as he could and waited for the enemy trio to climb up the stairs.

Once the first opponent was in range, Bahamut somersaulted over the railings.

"Aerial Armor!" Garuda chanted, bring up her claws as she spotted Bahamut.

"What the?!" Bahamut's sword swing passed right through her. Following up with a kick and a tail slam didn't help much either, and only served to give Diablos and Siren a free shot at his back.

"So, you have come back after all." Diablos sneered. "Too bad that won't be for long!"

"Grrrr...!!" Bahamut pulled himself off his fallen spot on the stairs and attacked again, only to have to same effects of his blade passing through his opponent's body.

The enemy trio quickly pummeled Bahamut with a series of physical attacks, sending the dragon rolling to the bottom of the stairs and losing his sword in the process.

"Too bad you forgot that my Aerial Armor ability gives my party the Blink spell." Garuda snarled. "The ability to have shadow images absorb attacks directed towards you for a limited time."

"Black sheep of evil times, cover our light!" Diablos chanted. "Gravija!"

Crying out in pain, Bahamut felt as if a large weight had been shoved down against his shoulders. His vision blurred and his movements felt sluggish, forcing him to try another approach.

"Brush off vanish and show reality...Ulti...."

"Silent Voice!" Siren brought up her harp and played a few quick notes.

That cut off Bahamut's magical abilities in mid-casting, but his opponents had one more trick in store for him.

"Turn off Heaven's light!" Garuda whispered. "Blindaga!"

Bahamut slashed about wildly as a veil of darkness surrounded him. In a state of confusion, the dragon let off a fierce roar. Though no sound erupted from his jaws, the force of the roar was enough to drive the enemy trio backwards.

<Bahamut! Hey! Watch where you're going!> Glenn warned.

The dragon had been backing away from his opponents during this time, and suddenly fell backwards as he accidentally stepped off a ledge. Bahamut couldn't see very clearly yet, but by feeling around, he realized he'd dropped into a circular, metal pit.

Things went from bad to worse at the opening of the pit slammed shut.

Garuda was at a set of controls and triggered a switch. There were hissing noises of steam and the clanking of machinery in addition to Bahamut wildly thumping against the pit from within.

Gradually, all the noise died down and Diablos gestured for them to shut off the machine. Garuda activated several more switches, causing the pit to open and a statue to rise from the lower level.

That statue was in fact, Bahamut, covered by a partially translucent, crystal-like film. The dragon's eyes were wide open in horror, clearly displaying the emotions of his last moments.

"How nice of him to step right into our little device." Siren chuckled.

"Indeed. Pity we never managed to get any information out of him." Diablos laughed, tapping a fist against the petrified Bahamut's chest.

"Hey, you all were the ones who attacked so fast." Garuda gestured.

"Well, forget about it." Diablos waved a claw. "Just put this new statue with the others. Like them, he won't be causing any more trouble for us."

However, in a crack nearby, the small shape of Carbuncle was watching and waiting...

--------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Rargghh..."

"Oh no!" Aldrea dashed over to the fallen Dragoon.

Salamander's head and upper body were sticking out from beneath a pile of bones, rocks and the gigantic centipede's body on top. She saw that his other arm had been torn off as well, the tattered flesh and muscle hanging limply at his shoulder joint.

"Iss sshe...ok?" Salamander asked weakly.

He'd had his chin pressed close to his chest, and Salamander dropped his head back now. Curled up in that space was a little Wyvern. It had a pair of large black eyes with blue scales with yellow patterns at its wings and tail.

The newly hatched Wyvern let off a soft screech as it licked Salamander's chin.

Aldrea knelt down, placing one hand on the hatchling and the other on Salamander's helmet.

"She's all right." Aldrea whispered. "How...about you?"

"I'm rather...sshort of handss..." Salamander managed a weak chuckle.

However, both of them knew the real issue....he was dying.

"Unicorn, please!" Aldrea begged, pulling out her pendant.

"Don't...sshe's...too weak now..." Salamander said softly. "Hear those ssoundss? The echoss? There are more coming..."

"I...I can't just leave you!"

"Ssome thingss...are worth ssacrificing...for honor'ss ssake." Salamander turned towards the Wyvern hatchling. "Long ago, the Wyvernss were the alliess of uss Dragoonss. Carvingss I've sseen sshowed guyss like him, fighting alongsside our sspearss and lancess. But bad timess passsed, then hate and distrusst began to build within the rankss, and..."

"The old ways were lost?" Aldrea asked. "Was this why you were so passionate about this fellow's dead mother?"

"Promisse me...you'll take care of her..." Salamander's voice weakened.

"But..." Aldrea sniffed.

"Promisse me, pleasse..."

"I promise." Aldrea nodded.

"Take my helmet too....don't let this armor....be completely...losst in here..."

Aldrea reached down and carefully undid the strap, then pulled the purple, dragon-designed helmet off. The baby Wyvern too, leapt onto the helmet and snuggled against Aldrea's face.

"One...lasst thing..." Salamander managed. "Tell...Unicorn. I...died a warrior'ss death. I have...no...regertss...."

Aldrea heard the thud as his head hit the ground. She couldn't see very clearly because her eyes were all welled up with tears.

However, it was a combination of the baby's chirping and the scraping noises around that got her going. Aldrea followed a large path upwards, which she somehow knew would bring her back to the surface.

--------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey, quit staring you all." Phoenix waved. "Do I look that different now?"

"I have to say that you look 'that' good." Leviathan smiled.

Valefor too, made an impressed whistle as she landed by Phoenix's side.

With the invaders driven off and their leading generals captured, the town had a short period of peace for the friends to reunite.

Madeen was over to the side, gesturing for the ice blocks containing the frozen Cerberus and the Minotaur Brothers to be shoved into a cold storage building. That was to keep them hidden and out of the way.

However, it wouldn't stay peaceful for long.

Even if they hadn't seen it themselves, it was Maduin's insight that the enemy troops had already relayed the town's location to their leaders. He already had preparations underway for his rebels to abandon the town and move to another base. There were dozens of figures moving around, loading both supplies and their wounded onto large, hovering carts.

"It's good to see that you are well." Maduin walked over to the group. "I wish I could welcome you back under better circumstances, but alas that cannot be right now. I extend my greetings to your bonded partners as well."

"We understand. It's been a long time for us too." Leviathan spoke on behalf of his party.

<But, wasn't that like thousands of years ago?> Brad asked.

"In your world buddy. I don't know how the time change works, but time doesn't pass as fast here."

<It hasn't been as long for Valefor either, because she crossed worlds to find you guys remember?> Cecil added in. <But, it sure feels like I've been fighting for as long as you all.>

"I didn't exactly like it when you ran off by yourself Valefor, but you've managed to assist them nevertheless." Maduin nodded.

"Cunno..." Valefor muttered. (Sorry).

"Dad, you'd better get down to business." Madeen said, stepping onto the scene.

"Indeed, I shall." Maduin cleared his throat. "Right now our world stands divided, two forces fighting against each other in a civil war. The forces of our opposition, the Empire, are being led down the dark path."

"I told them that already." Madeen cut in. "Just go on to the part about the Legendary Beings."

Maduin gave his son an annoyed glance, but he then looked up and continued speaking.

"Our forces have been growing stronger nevertheless and are beginning to match up to the Empire. That's why they seek to turn the Legendary Beings against both us and the worlds they aim to conquer."

<We keep hearing about them, but what are they really?> Ashley queried.

"Even I am still unsure, but I believe they are other Guardian Forces like ourselves. Only far more powerful. It would be nearly impossible to defeat them at full strength, which is why we must launch attacks to stop them before they can be fully revived."

"Haven't you already tried attacking?" Leviathan asked.

"We did launch an assault against one of the temples, but it turned out to be a decoy." Maduin lowered his head. "Not only that, our enemies were waiting for us, and we took heavy losses. However, our scouts have reported gatherings of enemy troops at the other 4 temples."

"And these remaining 4 should be the correct ones?" Madeen nodded. "Like I've said before, just the Aeon's Soul and the magic of this world are not enough. A connection to the human's realm, bringing both a mixture of different magic and the power of two worlds is necessary."

"And where do we come in?" Phoenix inquired.

"Our main troops will launch a full frontal assault against the Empire's capital city." Maduin explained. "That will draw some of their troops back and away from guarding the temples. Thus, allowing us to sneak a small strike team in. However, we need to destroy the link to the temple in the human's realm as well, which is why we need you. The link takes the form of a large crystal at a specific point, which you must destroy to stop the revival spell."

"Hmmm...a lot of work, but sounds like a good plan." Leviathan growled. "We're in for it."

"And Bahamut, wasn't he with you too? Several scouts have reported sightings of him..."

"WHAT?!" The entire group of four gasped.

"Impossible, Bahamut is...." Leviathan shook his head. "...dead..."

"Then is has to be him!" Phoenix growled. "That clone Hades made of him! Neo Bahamut!"

<The b#%tard survived?!> Ashley muttered.

"The scouts reported him attacking the Empire's troops as well..." Maduin finished.

<Could it be then...?> Cecil wondered.

<I don't know.> Brad replied doubtfully. <But...Aldrea!!>

Through Leviathan's eyes, Brad was able to make out the human-shaped figure stumbling towards them. At once, the GFs dashed over to her, reverting to their human forms.

"Aldrea!" Brad sprinted forward and caught the exhausted girl as she fell.

"She looks OK." Cid knelt down. "Possibly suffering from sunstroke."

"Guys..." Aldrea panted. "Finally...I..."

"Don't talk. Just rest." Brad urged. "You're all right now."

Aldrea opened her arms and showed the baby Wyvern to the others.

"Salamander gave his life up...to save me and this little fellow..."

The other 4 humans standing around her fell into silence.

--------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maduin had been left standing in their previous position as he watched the humans move their wounded comrade out of the desert sun's rays.

"Sraphim!" He called. "Can you go check the girl out? Make sure she's all right."

"Will do." A humanoid GF dressed in the white and red cloak of a White Mage nodded. She too had pointed ears like and elf and white colored, waist length hair.

Maduin turned in another direction and found Yojimbo standing on a nearby rooftop.

"Oh yes, I believe you want your pay." Maduin called. "I did hire you to help get my son back here."

"That was not entirely my doing." Yojimbo responded. "Which is the cause of my displeasure..."

"Nevertheless, you did play a part in it." Maduin tossed the mercenary a leather pouch. "That's the payment I promised. But I'm afraid I can't keep paying you, so I guess we have to end the contract here."

"Hmmm..."

"Farewell then." Maduin left to see to Leviathan's group, leaving Yojimbo standing alone on the rooftop.

--------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

No!! NNOO!!! This....this can't be happening!! RRraagghhhh!! My body....I can't....can't move...

It's a pretty frightening thing to come back to your senses and find you can't move your body. But it's even worse to find yourself fully conscious, fully aware of your surroundings, and fully aware that you've been frozen into a statue.

In Bahamut's case, at least he was in a state of hibernation the last time.

Here, he'd been placed on a pedestal and stuck in an ice-filled storage room that was sealed with a huge iron door. The were other frozen figures there too and Bahamut recognized them, much to his own shock.

Shiva... Ifrit...god, have you been stuck here all this time?!

There was a third one, some sort of wolf, though Bahamut wasn't able to turn his head to see clearly.

Bahamut was screaming all sorts of commands to his body, all of which went unanswered. Not even the slightest bit of movement.

<Dude, we are so totally screwed.> Glenn spoke.

Bahamut's automatic reaction would've been to tell the human to shut up. If he could've moved his jaws that was.

<Bahamut? Oh yeah, you're frozen solid. Guess you can't respond.>

NNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Having that moron stuck in here with me!!! That's the worst torture of all!!!!