CoN 25th Anniversary: 1997-2022
Final Fantasy IFinal Fantasy IVFinal Fantasy VFinal Fantasy VIFinal Fantasy VIIFinal Fantasy IXFinal Fantasy TacticsChrono Trigger
 
 

by wyvern14

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Part 1 (2008)
Part 2 (2008)
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Part 6 (2008)
Part 7 (2008)
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Part 10 (2008)
Part 11 (2008)
Part 12 (2008)
Part 13 (2008)

Chapter 6

Farewell

She was flying, held aloft by warmth and slowly coming back to life. Her fever dropped as quickly as it had haunted her senses. Buffeted by the winds, she parted eyelashes, staring at liquid darkness in amazement. Her body had no weight and it felt like she moved underwater, slowly backward. She blinked, seeing contrast appear in black upon black. Something vacillated amiss gloomy tendrils of fog, her ears popped with sudden pressure.

Dark mist coalesced into massive wings, outstretched to their limits, while claws racked the air in violence. She had not so much called forth the dragon to her aid, but rather frenzied the King of Eidolons into a demented state, summoning wrath cloaked in violet scales. Frantic, Rydia could only watch in wonder as the colossal reptile lunged at Zeromus, screaming bloody vengeance like a rabid demon, raking the being's tissues with razor nails.

Blue wisps of energy concentrated in Bahamut's mouth, which his horned skull braced point-blank on his prey. Cold slit eyes narrowed in malice as his light battled the void magicks unleashed on him, passing through his ethereal body. The mass of power accumulated in his maw whistled, reaching its apex and blasted forward, colliding with the alien full force.

A single jolt, then shockwaves of pure energy expended from the conflagration. Everything disappeared and the summoner's skin smoldered. Her head hit the floor sharply, and then something crashed on her, shielding her from the nothingness lashing at mere mortals.

.........................................................................................................................................................

The wyrm had already disappeared, shrieking a last time with murderous rage, yet the tremor did not subside. Glancing up, Cecil removed enough weight from her so she could twist around and search the aching light for their friends. She raised a hand to her eyes, shielding her view to try and discern something, anything.

"He's done for!"

Thrill made her giddy. Zeromus was shaking violently; bit and parts of his massive bulk disintegrating in a chain reaction, yet his surges kept battering the grounds in supernatural eruptions. They had done it, faced the ultimate evil and won! Her paramour groaned, rising slowly to his feet and holding an open palm to her, which she took. His face looked wan, almost grey with suffering. Cupping his face close to hers, she funneled her faith into him with loving whispers, praying for recovery.

.........................................................................................................................................................

He was not fully back in shape, but shook her shoulders lightly, stopping her. His eyes had fallen upon a cloaked heap of tangled limbs, too still for comfort. Turning Rosa around, head swimming with weakness, he dragged her with feeble hold on her arm toward their lifeless companions.

The proud, stupid fool... Romantic to a fault!

Cecil did not kneel so much as fall on steel-clasped knees with a crash, fumbling in the intense brilliance for a secure hold on the ninja to move him over. The flowing silks were intact, but it was still hard to see. Rosa chanted and he took up the canticle in a deep voice, closing his eyes and trying to focus his concentration on the soul of light deep within.

Their magicks intertwined, bathing the prince and summoner in a shower of white motes. Exhausted once the rush left, his head drooped and he opened stinging eyes, hoping it had had effect. Surprised, Cecil saw Kain crouched next to him, shouldering him to get him back up.

"Steady now..." the deep voice murmured from his dragon helm.

The spear-wielding man plunged his arm down again, helping a battered Edge stand, while Rosa tended to the green-haired mage. From the look of things, the rash prince had taken the worse of it and left her bruised but mostly intact. Green eyes opened slowly, the white mage stroking Rydia's brow tenderly.

"We won!"

Smiles flowered, as if hearing the words said aloud made it all real. Darkness rushed around the fading remnants of Zeromus and all heads turned to his remains.

"I will never die... as long as there is darkness in the hearts of men!"

Light shone from inside the monster, fracturing his body's substance from within.

"Urrrgn...”

The fissures expanded, chitin cracking in thousands of pieces and the few enduring appendages writhing madly.

"Gaaaaaah!"

A second sun birthed and exploded.

.........................................................................................................................................................

Fusoya and Golbez rose up, relief evident on the old man's features. The party made his way to them, slow going and worn out, but very much alive.

"You've truly done it! I'd no idea there was such strength in you."

Despite the lunarian's eyes initially fixing on Cecil, the paladin saw them flicker toward the ladies, supporting one another with wan smiles. Green and gold mingled, heads held close.

"You of the Blue Planet may have already grown more powerful than we of the moon."

The guardian now seemed very pointedly gazing at Rydia and nobody could speak. Edge shuffled.

"It does rather look that way, doesn't it?"

Trust him to lessen the tension with something like this!


Kain took a step forward, face shadowed by dragon fangs and shoulders straight.

"But... what of the final words Zeromus spoke?"

Does he fear losing control over himself again? Did my brother's intrusions in his psyche break his resolve forever? Kain...


Rosa echoed his best friend's word, lost in contemplation.

"As long as there is darkness…"

Fusoya smiled peacefully, walking toward them.

"There will always be evil in men's hearts. We all of us bear a touch of darkness, just as surely as we bear light. Much as with the twin sets of crystals. And the darkened underworld that rests beneath your planet's brighter surface."

The frail wizard stopped his pace in front of the paladin, staring at him and his friends with warmth.

"But as long as there is darkness, so will there always be light. Just as the light within you rose to overcome the shadow cast by Zemus."

"Well, now that you mention it, I did feel a bit aglow!" The ninja spoke in jest.

The intent was good, but this is definitely embarrassing him!


Cecil turned to look at Edge, amused, while the green-clad summoner, who had understood moments before that she owed his life to him, almost fumed.

"Are you joking?! It's a miracle Zemus didn't end up using you!"

"My love of justice kept him at bay, no doubt!"

I missed their fighting, just like old days.

The paladin had not realized how gloomy and inward they had all become since they had set foot on the moon. Fusoya's robes shifted and he turned his attention back to him.

"Well then... The time has come for me to join my people in their sleep. What will you do now?"

"We will return - to our planet."

The paladin's resolve shone through, deep down he had dreaded missing the chance to ever go back home again, not knowing if return was even an option.

But now...

"Our friends are waiting."

Rosa took his hand tenderly as she spoke.

The lunarian nodded, looking at them one after the other to engrave their memories less he lost them.

"I see, you are lucky to have such friends. I look forward to the day we meet again."

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Metal scraped on crystal tiles as he approached them, hesitant. He looked so much different, despite the same attire and shadowy armor, then when she had first faced him in the dwarven castle.

"Might you permit me to accompany you?"

Fusoya turned to him, somewhat surprised.

"You would... join me?"

"I would. I cannot return. Not after all I've done. And I would very much like to meet my father's people. At least one time."

Golbez spoke with assurance, as if trying to dispel his own unease.

"I see. Yes, our blood flows in your veins, too. You know this will be a very long slumber?"

"I do."

He turned to the paladin, who avoided his gaze.

"Cecil... You called me "Brother"."

Rydia watched him, almost expecting the knight to reply, but he remained silent, eyes clouded by pale strands covering his face as he glanced down.
"I suppose I can expect no more than that. All you've suffered until now has been because of me."

He wants to apologize, but doesn't know how.


Memories of the desert, of soldiers rushing to steal her life, and a dark shape rising in her defense despite her hate, flooded her. How she had wished for him to die when he had implored her to go with him, but the resentfulness of his actions and the loss of her mother had been too much to bear.

Accidental murderer, now as close as a sibling...

The similarity of their relation and the brother's struggle did not escape her.

"We must go now, and sleep. We will pray for the peace of your planet. Come, let us go."

Fusoya's voice broke the silence and he strode toward the caves.

"Yes..."

Still, the paladin looked away, his only remaining blood walking out of his life, lost in thought.

"Cecil!"

"Is this all right - letting him go?"

His childhood friends also understood the precarious situation and the point of no return for him, voicing their concerns and doubts, knowing he would walk out of this with painful regrets.

Dare I...?

"You're brothers!"

Rydia shouted to him, hoping to clear his mind, expressing her own anguish. Family had no price and could never be replaced, would he really lose everything by ignoring him?

"Farewell."

Golbez sounded almost sad as he followed the old lunarian, not hesitating. The prince took two rapid steps forward, closing in on the paladin.

"Cecil!"

At the last second, when the echo of boots grew scarcer on the platform, the knight rose up and stepped forward, raising a trembling hand, unsure.

"Farewell... my brother."

His relative stopped in his tracks. Pausing, he turned around, locking eyes with him in long, silent seconds. Neither smiled nor said anything, everything was laid out in their souls and shared in that simple look.
Caves of Narshe: Final Fantasy IV
Version 6
©1997–2024 Josh Alvies (Rangers51)

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