Final Fantasy Chronicles of Exigo ~ The Fall of Spira

[Zerathos986]

“Why have you come back here? You shouldn’t have come back.”


That was the question that they'd all asked us. What madness possessed us to return here, where death was all but guaranteed. I had known my reasons and resolved to see them through, but for the others, I would have preferred that grief or despair might have kept them away. I would have preferred if it had kept her away.


We were alerted by Lillia that Asuka had gone off to this wretched place, no doubt to find a way to save Kyra and bring her back to Nikki. Kai had attempted to stop her, but even that boy and his unique talents were no match for a teleporting psychic. Xiang had volunteered to join us in retrieving the two, but I was able to convince her to stay. I suppose becoming a mentor did have a few uses.

“Why have you come back here? You shouldn’t have come back.” She had said, the little girl of the secret haven within Via Infinito's recesses.


“Believe me, circumstances wouldn't allow.” I replied in a low grumble I knew only she would hear.


“Quickly follow my friend.”


Light blanketed us and the walls of Via Infinito melted away. As the light died down, those hideous walls were replaced with the familiar domestic living space I'd been brought to several times in the past. I took in a deep breath and absorbed the facade of peace that surrounded me. This might be my last chance to have it. What lay ahead would be anything but peace.


I was left alone for some time. Eventually, I had had my fill of peace. Curiousity began seeping in and I wandered the room. It was odd that the little girl hadn't appeared. However, as I thought on it, she'd become more tardy each successive visit I'd had. In my last tour, she'd been with Kyra before coming to receive me. Was she changing, as well, and if she was, what exactly was she changing to?


Once I finished my brief surveillance, I thought to inspect the area in more detail. I'd try for the door last, should the girl fail to appear, but there might be more I could learn before that. The furniture that had been placed with childish abandon seemed a bit more organised this time, as though its owner had matured. The dolls that once littered the floor now decorated the bed, though one remained perched on its own chair, possibly to help with reminiscing days gone by. However, the most interesting change was to the pictures. They'd been blank before, then jumbled splashes of colour, finally completed images except for being unsettlingly defaced. Now, they were almost clear. I could see the little girl in them and the faces of whom I assumed had to be her parents. There were other pictures with a maid, I supposed, due to her dress, but of the lot of them, one face remained obscured. It wasn't nearly as much as before, though still easily dismissed as unrecognisable.


“Still, I feel like I should know that face.” I mouthed to myself aloud before finally picking myself up, resolving to head for the door.


The first thing I noticed was the sounds coming from beyond the door. Apart from when Kyra had been brought here, this place was typically empty except for the little girl. My eyes fixated on what was lying behind the door as I opened it.


“Oh, so everyone is here, this time.” I mused, closing the door behind me.


“Mishka? You've been here before?” Cyan asked.


“More importantly, it sounds like you've been here more than once.” Paine added.


I glanced at both Cyan and then Gideon, “Yes, three times by my count. The first time it happened, I was with the two of you.”


“What are you on about?” Gideon expectedly asked.


I explained and reminded Cyan and Gideon of my odd lapse during the battle with the “bongo bongo” fiend and then those moments where I babbled on about monkeys. The monkeys, they recalled and understood, given they could see it this time. Mentioning the fiend sort of cost me as it'd been some time since then. However, the point still got across, that this place had changed since my first visit and that one of the changes was their presence.


“And now that I think about it, there's one more.”


“What's that?”

I went over to one of the pictures hanging in the hall. This one had filled up, as well, but the face that had been blurry was nearly back in focus. I knew this face.


“Is that Nikki?”


“A young Nikki by the looks of it.” Nooj added, “And isn't that the same little girl that haunts the Via Infinito sitting next to her?”


“Wait, so does that mean...” Rhyse asked.


“They're sisters.” I responded, having just then received the answer from... “Emika...”


“I didn’t know you had a sister,” Rhyse said, alerting us to Nikki and her sister's arrival.


As we turned to the two of them ascending the stairs from the lower level, Nikki explained that, “Sanika’s spell made me forget the first 5 years of my life, I… Had no idea.”

“So all that time you have been following us, you didn’t tell us?” Gideon questioned, still a bit of a cynical frame of mind given our encounters with the unsent.

“I’m not really Emi.” She would explain.

“What do you mean?”

As the others spoke with Nikki's little sister, Gideon was occupied elsewhere. I could only guess what he felt. After all, she'd appeared before me even earlier.


I took to going to his side, “You sense her, don't you?”


“My mother. She's here?” He asked, though whether he was directing the question to me or simply questioning it, I didn't know.


I decided it best to be with him as he coped with the knowledge that his mother had yet to pass on.

“... this place makes people feel happy. I am made purely of positive emotions and memories. Except for the odd scary monster in the closet memory, I am perfectly happy.”


That statement drew me back into the conversation taking place. My mind focused on the exception mentioned. This Emi had spoken to me of the monsters hiding in the dark once before. The previous time, I'd shut off all the lights in her room to demonstrate there were no monsters only to experience the haunting fright she'd felt then. This place was no haven, either, though it gave the false sense that it was one. That Emi still bore the thoughts of those monsters was enough to tell me this was more of Via Infinito's doing. I couldn't know for sure, but they'd done something to have created this place and so their lasting legacy was represented by the monsters, those same monsters that evoked memories of the unknown cloister and that hideous artifact. However, it was now made worse than that. It must have been Via Infinito's doing to have created this place, but Emi rejected them in the past. She feared them hiding in the dark. Now, though it may be a result of her regaining much of herself, the knowledge that she was less bothered by them troubled me. Could it be that she wasn't so bothered by the monsters anymore? If so, that may have been caused by the merger. With the division between Farplane and Via Infinito weakened, the differences that separated them were becoming less noticed.


If what I thought was true, this Emi needed to be cleansed of its influence. However, more important were the souls she'd been housing inside this place. They were no longer safe here.


“But, you have to let them go.” I said, interrupting them.

“It’s okay Mishka, she doesn’t trap us here, we stay because we want to.” And that was the problem.

“But surely you can’t rest here,”

“No I can’t, you’re right but it’s better than being stuck in the Via Infinito.” Was I already too late?

“You can’t rest here but it’s similar to the Farplane,” Rhyse guessed aloud, an irritating distraction against my goals.

It was a distraction that caught Sakura, “Exactly, in fact it’s becoming more like the Farplane each day now that the wall have broken down the Farplane is attracted to this place. Emika may be the key in restoring the balance.”


I cringed at her words. My efforts were in vain. Instead, the topic moved into finding an exit. Apparently, with Emi's memories now restored, it was time for Nikki to fully accept hers. She needed to open the door to her true life, and so, move on into her present. A room similar to Emi's came into view and Asuka exited from it soon after, followed by Kai. A short discussion about the ramifications of their actions ensued and the fact that our dead friends remained trapped in this alcove within Via Infinito's walls no longer registered on anyone's mind. I decided that if none of them would take notice of the terrible circumstances, I'd have to play along until an opportunity arrived.


“Wasn’t my idea, Asuka wanted to find something to get Kyra back and came here.” Kai complained, only earning him more anger from Nikki.

“Please don’t be angry I just wanted to get Kyra back,” Asuka pleaded with her on Kai's behalf.


I knelt down before the little one. She was in such danger and yet, only others remained on her mind. “That was extremely dangerous though, what would have happened if we lost you and Kai.”

“I…” She whimpered.

“Well now that we found you two lets say we get you home.”

I was grateful for Rhyse's suggestion and hoped this would be our chance to get them all to safety. However, Asuka wouldn't leave before retrieving Kyra and the topic once again shifted to bringing her back from wherever it was Sanika had sent her. That's when...

“Asuka, she doesn’t have the power, and neither do we.”

The twins appeared before us much to my horror. They were trapped by Via Infinito, as well. How many had died here since we started our mission? Were they all trapped? How many Al Bhed souls had been lost to this place? I turned to Nooj and remembered when Auron murdered Leblanc in front of my eyes and then took the lives of her goons, as well. Would they all be taken by this place?

“Hey Asuka we should go home.” Kai finally said, understanding the futility of the little one's quest.

“Okay...”

“If you are ready I can send you back to the surface.” Emi stated beginning the spell.

“I’ll go with them, and make sure they get back safely,” Nikki's friend added, going to them.

Once they were gone, I smelled a familiar scent about the house and turned my gaze to Gideon. This would have been the first he'd seen of his mother like this, in this undead existence. I worried how it might affect him, but as she appeared next to Emi, the two of them only shared a knowing and solemn look before she placed her hands on Emi's shoulders.

“It’s time.” She told her.

“But if it stops you will all be in danger.” Emi replied, as I braced myself.


My eyes never left her much as Gideon's never left his mother. Even though I didn't know what was coming, my senses knew enough. Emi's presence was becoming more pronounced. She was becoming whole and this place, this facsimile of her former life that had sheltered her and our fallen friends, was coming undone.

“Well okay, but stay close to me.” She uttered meekly, beginning to absorb the whole of the environment into herself.


The warping arena took its toll on the others and they struggled. As for me, the sickle ensured I would not be affected and I stood my ground, staring at Emi as she made herself into more than the shadow she was. Once the room was gone, I found myself standing at the heart of a tenth cloister. I guessed it had to have been Cloister 90, though we'd escaped on Cloister 88 previously. Had the damage spread so far downward, as well? I took a quick scan of the area and found I was alone. The others had been sent elsewhere.


“Mishka?”


Emi appeared before me, calling me by name. It took me by surprise, but then I realised she knew who her true sissy was now. Even so, why was she here? If she was back to the Emi she was in life, wouldn't she go to Nikki?


“Well, that was... different.” Sakura groaned, her pyreflies collecting together.


“Emika, you are nearly whole. I'm so happy for you.” Gideon's mother cooed.


I stood horrified as they spoke and would then be joined by Yuki and Yuubou. As they conversed amongst themselves about Emi's accomplishment, I could only watch them. My mind envisioned the claws of Via Infinito tightening their grasp on these innocent souls, but not one of them felt them.


“You still can't leave this place? None of you?”


“That's alright, Mishka. We'll be just fine.”


“Speak for yourself. I've been down here so long I can't remember what it was like not being a cloud of pyreflies.” Sakura joked.


Gideon's mother approached me to say, “Even if we had the ability to leave, we wish to stay and protect this little one just as she'd done for us.”


“You mean it?” Emi chirped, coming toward us.


“You've been our haven against the darkness of this place. Now that you are becoming whole, we want to help you realise that goal. Once you are complete in mind and spirit, I believe you will be what opens the path back to the Farplane. Then, we can go there together.”


The others cheered her on, as well, and it was decided they'd joined their pyreflies with her to give her their strength. I was encharged with her care against the antagonistic forces Via Infinito might employ. I'd lost again. Try as I did, I couldn't save them from her or what influence Via Infinito already had over her and here I was, appointed the very task Via Infinito had entrusted me. It had all gone according to its design.


With nothing more I could do, I decided that, if I kept watch over Emi, my new power could potentially thwart Via Infinito's scheming. To that end, I'd need to keep moving forward. My first priority was to reunite with the others to, at least, ensure myself of their safety. I knelt down before Emi, managing the best sincere expression I could, and suggested we move forward to Cloister 91.


The cloister was far from the cold metal halls and arenas of the past. It wasn't even the seemingly living tunnels we'd encountered when Yuki thought to breach its walls. This place was coated in the same black aura I'd been submerged in through the sickle. It was so immersive that I was given a soothing calm in lieu of the caution I showed as we traveled. It felt odd to carry such conflicting emotions within me, but I reminded myself that only one of them was truly mine.


“Mishka, you're worried.” Emi suddenly blurted, alarming me as I didn't know what that meant for her.


“Of course, I'm worried. We're separated again and this cloister is no ordinary cloister.”


“It is different now, isn't it?” She muttered, showing more maturity than I'd previously seen.


“We have to be careful, Emi. There's no telling what may happen to us if we're not and I intend to reunite you with your sister before you head off for the Farplane.”


“You mean it?” She said excitedly.


I nodded, silently glad to have been honest for once. Though my reasoning wasn't as pure, I did fully intend to bring Emi to her sister. It may be the only way to safeguard her from whatever Via Infinito had planned for her. As I watched her prancing about, relieved that I was still her friend, I thought about the lives still hinging on my actions. She was still an innocent little girl. In spite of my fears over what Via Infinito wanted of her, she wasn't a part of it. I needed to save her just as much as the souls now residing within her. I chose to take a moment from proceeding onward to watch her and remind myself of my purpose here. After everything that had happened, it was only too easy to lose sight of it. This little girl who had witnessed so much, had experienced death at such a young age, and yet there she was playing with those red butterflies as if...


“Red butterflies?”


I quickly went to Emi and pulled in close. When had they appeared? The sickle shook violently in its illusory sheath, begging for me to wield it. I ignored it, but these butterflies were a bad omen. Getting Emi's attention, I had her follow me in search of the exit down to the next cloister. However, the cloister began to grow darker and it wasn't long before the only light came from the blood red glow of those creatures.


“Mishka, I'm scared.”


“Stay close. We only need to find the way into Cloister 92 and we'll be fine.” I reassured, though our search was still fruitless.


After some time traversing the blackened area, one low-flying butterfly drew my attention to a faint glow beneath it. Going over to it, I discovered it was still no exit. However, as I pulled the object closer, I would identify it as a Garment Grid.


“Why is there a Garment Grid here?” I asked aloud, before daring to chance the guess, “Could this be Rikku's Garment Grid?”


“The Undying Storm.” I heard Emi mumble.


“What was that?”


“I don't know.” She replied in a worried tone, “The words just came to me.”


That was enough for me to stop holding back. I couldn't pretend to have control over the situation anymore. The longer we remained, the more Emi was exposed to Via Infinito. There wasn't an exit to this cloister and a swarm of crimson butterflies that excited the sickle seemed its only feature. If it wanted me to wield it, it would have its wish. Taking hold of the weapon I unleashed its power upon the butterflies, shredding them all in a single stroke. The tatters of their red wings fluttered to the ground and bathed it in red. And then, from that red, it arrived.


“Is that?”

“The Aeon Valefor.” Emi uttered.

[01habbo]

Nikki awoke alone in the Via Infinito, it was unsettling and the atmosphere felt like it was choking her. She had a sense of urgency to find her friends and her sister before anything happened to them. As she walked carefully and on guard throughout the Via Infinito she tried to piece together what had happened. The little girl had all this time been her little sister, she felt awful that her sister had been down here for so long and yet she had no idea that she had even had a sister.

Her parents hadn’t been around much for her to get attached to, her father Haruo had wanted her to grow up and become a guardian. He worked in the temple and spent long hours away from the house. He was a strict man, he believed in children being seen but not heard. Nikki had wanted the opposite, she originally had wanted to raise chocobos. Her mother was more gentle she liked to make dresses for both Nikki and Emi but they didn’t see much of her either. Her mother was called Kazumi, Nikki remembered her fondly both her and her sister inherited most of their features from their mother, the soft blue eyes and the blonde hair. However it was the maid Ziyu that she was most attached to. It was the maid that played the role of big sister to both of them, she had been more of a parent towards them than her actual parents.

Her thoughts then turned to Kyra, which had crept up on her as she began to think she wouldn’t be able to share with Kyra that she had a sister, or what she knew about her family.

”Can we not?… I mean can we just leave all of us, just leave the mission I don’t want to lose anyone else, and this is getting over our heads I’ve always wanted to go to Kilika. We could get a house by the water and just forget this.” Nikki couldn’t face going back in and losing anyone else, her will to fight was shattered. What were they fighting for anyway? Lady Yuna’s guardian Rikku was lost to the Via Infinito, were all their lives really worth looking for a dead body?

“Yes, Let’s go to Kilika! We could make our own house like mine back home! A wooden extravagant house, with a hammock in the back between the trees, and a million rooms so all our friends could visit!”

“A million?”

“Too much? Ok, maybe 6 or 7. How does that sound?” Nikki just smiled at her, she thought about how cute she was when she got excited like this. She leaned in for a passionate kiss.

When she pulled away she replied. “Sounds great, lets go and tell everyone now, lets leave today, I know the kids will be upset at first but they could come and visit any time they wanted, I know Asuka especially would like to see the monkeys at Kilika.”

“Deal! Lets go back and pack our things!”

Tears began to roll down Nikki’s face again as she began to think about what she could have had, what she had lost. She would never hear her sweet voice again. Never have that life she was planning with Kyra. The air around her was beginning to feel colder, the Via Infinito seemed to be reacting to her grief.

“Kyra…” The Via Infinito then began to warp around her and she found herself back in the temple, but not everything was right, she knew she wasn’t really back and what she saw in front of her, she didn’t want to be reminded of.

“How dare you touch her! You insignificant pest I should...” she paused and dropped Mishka who landed in a heap; Cyan went straight to Mishka who was now holding her head. But Nikki was more concerned with what had stopped Sanika, her eyes glanced around the room and fell upon Kyra, a pit suddenly entered Nikki . Nikki quickly stood in front of Kyra.

“Don’t you dare!” Sanika however not listening to her threw her to the side and Nikki found her back burning in pain as she skidded across the ground.

“How dare you! You lie to her, making out that you care for her, when you don’t. You little bitch I shall break you apart, you have broken her heart into tiny pieces so I shall break you into tiny pieces!” Nikki sat up to find Kyra slowly being lifted into the air.

“But I-“ Sanika interrupted her.

“Silence!” her voice boomed. Nikki quickly looked across the room to see that Joseph had been revived. They both ran at her from both sides, the only thought of protecting Kyra took control now but it wasn’t enough she threw both of them to the side.

“Let’s see, how about your legs” A cracking sound was heard and Kyra screamed out in pain with tears running down her face, however Sanika seemed to laugh and was clearly enjoying it, Nikki stomach tightened, there was nothing she could do to distract her physically but...

“Sanika stop this! If you truly care for me you’ll stop this right now!” However Sanika was as Nikki feared too far gone to be reached. And she began breaking Kyra’s finger’s one by one each scream and pain just made Nikki wallow more and more, not knowing what to do anymore.

“Umm Sanika...” the archer seemed to have a conscious cause even she was trying to stop her.

“Don’t interrupt her.” said the red mage.

“But it’s the samurai we are after.”

“Still don’t interrupt.”

“Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!” cried out a young voice Nikki turned to see Asuka run into the middle of the room.

“Asuka stay back!”cried out Nikki in fear, Kyra screamed out again Sanika had now broken an arm. Asuka shook her head. And she cried.

“No I don’t want to hear this.” She exclaimed covering her ear as tears fell down her face. The Via Infinito only repeated the sounds of Kyra screaming and the cracking oh bones. “I get it! I couldn’t protect her! I broke my promise!” tears were just streaming down her face.

“You can’t protect anyone, after all you are a fake” as her own voice replied to her. Nikki’s head snapped up to glare at her shadow who was only a few meters away. Nikki clenched her fist in anger, charging a haste spell on herself the clock underneath her spun wildly and she charged at her shadow, as a rain of arrows came down at her. Nikki was able to dodge each one. She threw a punch at her which, her shadow seemed to lazily dodge and did a swift kick to her stomach which sent Nikki skidding backward. Nikki look back at her glaring at her for getting a hit in, she was this time determined to destroy her shadow. To at least make something right. She could do that, for Kyra, for herself she needed to start redeeming herself.

A fire arrow came her away and Nikki jumped backward just in time to see it scorch the ground in front of her. They both were running charging spells and aiming for each other, Nikki knew for anyone watching it would look like an even match, that was when Nikki heard her sister’s voice.

“You need to stop!” she looked over to she Mishka with her sister behind some sort of invisible barrier. But she couldn’t stop, Nikki charged up her overdrive Ultimate Arrow and shot it in the air. A load of arrows came hurtling at the shadow, some she was able to dodge but she was quickly over whelmed and was struck in her legs and her arms. Nikki watched her slowly get up and pull out the arrows. Nikki was amazed that she could even stand. Her shadow glared at her and saw her charge at her, Nikki did the same and ran at her shadow knowing this would be the decisive blow for both of them Nikki was injured and tired herself. “I said stop!”

Suddenly a glyph on the floor appeared in front of her and an image of Kyra and her smiling face appeared before her. Nikki automatically skidded to a stop as did her shadow

“I’m sorry it was the only thing I could think of but you can’t destroy each other, if you do you’ll both lose what you are looking for.” Said Emi as she bounded over to them, Nikki presumed the barrier had gone. Emi then turned to the shadow. “Hello, I wanted to meet you at least once.” She said smiling at her. The shadow looked perplexed.

“Who is she?”

“Kyra, a very important person to your other self, you are connected to her so your arrows always went around Kyra, never hurting her.”

Nikki narrowed her eyes. “But she kidnapped Kyra.”

“Yes but she never once hurt her, remember all those battles, she didn’t care if she hurt other people to get to her target but with Kyra it was always different.”

“But why…” said her shadow quietly.

“Because what is important to her is important to you. Like I said you are both connected still. I’m like you, you see I’m also a shadow. A being made up of one type of emotion that are so strong they have a will of their own. But I’m also the opposite to you I have good emotions happy one whereas all you can feel is anger and pain. You’ve been looking for a way to go home for so long it must have been tiring feeling angry all the time.” The shadow nodded.

“But does that mean that I’m actually the fake?” she said in a small voice looking down at her hands.

“No, Kyra is wrong you are not a fake. Those emotions are real, you are real, if you destroyed your other self that you would never be whole just like she would never be whole either.” Emi turned around to face Nikki. “It doesn’t matter how painful those memories are, they are what shaped you to become who you are today. They made you stronger. All she wanted was to go home, isn’t it about time you accepted that those bad stuff happened?” Behind Emi Nikki would see the pryeflies leave her shadow and saw her again appear before her as the fourteen year old girl. She rubbed her arms up and down her arms as she nervously looked at Nikki. But something still bothered her.

“Why isn’t she attacking?” It was weird to see her shadow like this nervous and afraid with no anger in her.

“I’m letting my own emotions calm her, without anger though all she feels is pain, without anger she is able to question. Please all she wants is to go home.”

“I just wanted it to stop” the shadow said in a whisper, the Via Infinito echoed that memory again of Nikki crying, singing, getting whipped and her screams. Suddenly Nikki could finally see it. The shadow wasn’t separate from her, she was her. She was a broken piece that was only trying to find it’s way back. Her heart wept as she realized that this had happened to her she let the Via Infinito take away that memory and give it form and torture it over and over again. Nikki slowly took a step forward and wrapped her arms around her shadow, the younger Nikki. She was ready to face that memory and accept it. Feeling the shadow relax in her arms she felt the pryeflies merge into her. A multiple of emotions came over her sadness, anger, pain, but also peace and acceptance. The painful memories came rushing at her and her tears fell but she knew, this was the right choice, and Kyra would be proud of her.

“Thank you she’s happy to be home.” Said Emi.

[Zerathos986]

I rolled out of the way of the laser amid harsh gusts of wind. This Aeon was rabid, far from the ones I'd witnessed before. Aeons in the time of Sin were awed and their summoners revered. How far we'd come in only a few years. I'd never been someone who respected the traditional virtues and, after Yevon's fall, I could admit I felt smug about having been right not to. However, it was still disappointing to see there wasn't a shred of truth to any of it. This wild and flailing creature only further exacerbated this reality.


“What's wrong with it?” Emi asked, keeping nearby.


“Its element is in the air. This cloister is hardly the proper environment. It's restricting and I don't think the Aeon appreciates that.” I answered, having analysed Valefor's movement.


The previous cloister was suited for arena-like battles as seen from the ones we'd had before. Many cloisters were more suited for travel with the enemies acting more like traps and ambush. Even then, cloisters with the Elder Drakes were inhospitable to them. Despite the danger they posed, they could hardly move and most were easy to bypass. This cloister, while not meant to feature the Aeon as a trap, was likewise not designed for it. The ceiling was too low for it to make use of its wings and gain a proper vantage point for its wide array of spells and the ranged Overdrives it possessed.


However, in response to its unfavourable position, it had become ravenous and created few safe openings to attack. In spite of this, I knew the sickle would protect me; I could feel it mocking the poor creature, anticipating the kill. This was more of Via Infinito's schemes.


“But what else can I do?” I grumbled.


“Mishka, there's a cut on your arm. Your sleeve is singed.” Emi noted.


I turned to see I'd been burned slightly by the Aeon's Energy Ray. It was hardly a noticeable wound after the others I'd received, but it gave me another option to fighting it with the sickle. I took hold of the Garment Grid I found.


“Via Infinito, did you see this in your plans?” I mused, activating a sphere.


Light draped across me as I felt my armour melt away. The beams soon died down, the dwindling rays unveiling scattered cherry blossoms and a single complete one that took to landing on my head, just beside my left horn. As the rest of the blossoms blew in the wind, the light bent and wrapped themselves around me, forming into robes.


“What... what am I wearing?”


The sphere had left me with festival wear and it was an embarrassingly short yukata at that. My legs were bare and my feet only wore wooden sandals. Even the sleeves only went as far as my elbows. And the neckline...


I didn't have time to complain. Valefor began casting a barrage of Fira and followed by charging another Energy Ray. Before it could properly aim, I kicked off my sandals at its eyes, dashing out of the way as the walls erupted from the laser charge. Quickly, I took hold of the Garment Grid and changed. Luckily, the next sphere I used adorned me in samurai garb. Though, I wasn't granted full armour, I held a new sword, which was more than enough. Valefor stayed low, probably to have a better angle to use its Overdrive. That was best for it; it was also beneficial for me. As it began to cast another round of Fira spells, I blinded it with fireworks, moving through the resulting smokescreen and slicing into its wings. However, it was resilient. It couldn't heal so each swipe was dealing more damage to its wings, but for as much ground it lost, it thrashed more violently, ravaging the whole of the cloister despite exhausting itself in the process.


“Um, I think the floor is becoming unstable.” Emi warned.


The sword wasn't able to land a decisive blow and I wouldn't be given the time to cut into the Aeon until it could be defeated. Another Energy Ray came, further destabilising the cloister. Once more, I was able to close in for an attack. First, I landed a slice to distract it from its rampage. This gave me the chance to use another sphere. My new outfit was fitted with a gun and it was of a familiar design, at that.


“Val, guess now I get to try out your moves.” I mused, pointing the gun at Valefor.


The outfit was equipped with every form of spell its previous user had absorbed so I took the strongest, loading in the Blue Bullet for SuperNova, “Hoshin! Zouten Seika!”


The fire enveloped the Aeon whole and incinerated it. I thought on having said Val's spell name and smiled to myself. Moments like that probably wouldn't be presenting themselves for much longer. This became even more evident as I deactivated the sphere. The sickle shook violently, angered by my defiance and craving death even more. I had to grasp its handle simply to appease it enough to keep Asuka's concealment from breaking.


“That was amazing!” Emi applauded, running to my side.


While under normal circumstances, I'd greet her compliment happily, the episode had emphasised the extent of Via Infinito's influence. It had reached far enough to recall the long dead Aeons and turn them into pawns. Emika likewise was a product of their design. I'd failed to resist its lure several times already. I couldn't hope she'd fare any better, especially after spending years in its presence.


“Emi, how are you feeling? It must be hard for you since you ended up separated from Nikki again.” I said.


Her response was solemn and seeped in regret, “I'm not really Emi I'm a shadow. Emi died a long time ago. It would have hurt my sister more if I chose to be with her. I suppose she is not really my sister but I can imagine how it must have felt for Emi to have her as a sister, to see her worst memories play out in the Via Infinito, to see that I left her alone to cope with all that.”


She then turned to me, a half-hearted smile forced upon her lips, “I may not be real but my friendship with you is real Mishka. You were my first friend, I remember feeling very confused about what was going on, I could only communicate in riddles.”


Taking a breath, she would continue to say, “I want to find my sister yes, but not the Nikki you are thinking of. Who I really want to meet is the shadow as her actions are not her fault. She has no choice but to follow her anger as that is the only emotion she can feel. I want to help her Mishka. Help me find her. Help me bring her peace before they destroy each other.”


I still had my doubts about her, but I had to leave it for now. Emi's words were clear and honest. Until new evidence surfaced, I had no choice but to continue with the charades. I gave her a few words of reassurance and suggested we keep searching. With the cloister in its present condition, even if we couldn't find a way to proceed further down, we might find a weak point I could exploit. It would be only a minute later, but the both of us noticed a slight glow coming from the ground. When I reached for it, I discovered a cracked sphere. Turning to Emi, we silently agreed to watch it. Perhaps there'd be something of use.


Images of blurred landscapes before a dark background were all the sphere could play. It had become too damaged to provide any more of its contents. Even so, there was something odd about it. Normal spheres show simple recordings made by a recorder. This was an entire landscape, impossible to have been done in recording. However, I'd heard of spheres formed out of intense emotions. Could this sphere have resulted from them?


“Mishka I have a request.” Emi's voice broke me away from my thoughts.


“And what might that be?” I answered her.


“After all of this is over, after the Farplane gets better and everyone comes out of this...” She paused, closing her eyes, “Don't leave my sister alone. Look after her, please…”


There was another pause as she took a deep breath, probably bidding farewell to the life she'd struggled as an unsent to keep, “Make sure she eats properly and gets enough sleep. I can rest easy then knowing that she has friends like you looking after her. No matter how hard she tries to push you away, promise me you won't leave her alone.”


I stayed silent for a moment. Emi didn't know the severity of the situation as much as I'd thought. Unconsciously, my sickle appeared in my hands and my eyes would trace the length of my arm to it. Should I tell her what's happened, that I was likely never to reclaim my life, either? Or should I lie to her, give her the assurance she needed to move on into the Farplane? While this was a difficult enough decision to make on its own, I'd had to consider the other consequences, as well. Emi did not only possess her soul; she had with her the many souls lost to this place, as well. Should I tell her the truth and that lead her to break, I'd have condemned them, too.


Before my hesitation became too obvious, I turned to her, biting back my doubts to say, “Your sister has many people looking after her including myself. That's not about to change. Now, what I'm actually concerned with is getting you to where you need to be. When you're safe is when I believe Nikki will be able to move on from her past and let us in. I aim to make that happen.”


That seemed to placate her as she nodded with a smile and a tilt of her head, even going on to say, “And when she eventually finds someone she likes… Lock her in the cupboard with them.”


We both stopped in our step at that remark. It was entirely unlike her. She blinked and put a hand to her mouth not quite understanding what had happened. Once it caught up with her, she became flustered, frantically waving her hands to express that she hadn't meant to say it.


However, when she opened her mouth again, I was sure it still wasn't her words that came out, “No wait don't do that she'll get angry, that is not a good idea.”


“I'm sorry that wasn't me.” That was her.


“Why not? I think it is an excellent idea.”


“It is not!” This time Emi pouted and she followed that with, “Will you twins stop using the girl to talk?” and then, “Right, you'll make Mishka think she's crazy. She's giving us a look!”


Suffice it to say, the scolding voice must have been Gideon's mother and, apart from the obvious voice of the twins, Sakura must have been the one arguing with them. I took to sitting myself down. This could take a while.


“I must say it is cramped with all of us in here.” Emi continued saying, possibly channeling her inner mum again.


There were a few more awkward remarks, but finally, taking a breath, she put a hand up to her chest and said, “I'm sorry Mishka the twins were using me to talk and then they all did and it's all getting really weird and confusing I'm so sorry.”


I nodded my reassurance that I understood. I'd had a few voices talking inside my head, as well, after all. I knew enough about what Emi was experiencing. To be honest, I was relieved. These voices I knew to be benevolent and there was still one voice left that, hopefully, they were keeping silent. Once she'd gotten herself sorted, we continued on. It wasn't long after that we found our way past the cloister.

[Zerathos986]

The damage to the previous cloister had begun to spread into this one, though, just by the gaps in between them, I could almost believe they had been formed separately. The entirety of the area was coated in darkness except for a single light shining in the distance, showing us the exit. Both Emi and I were wary of this; Via Infinito was never straightforward. Even if the light was true and we could move freely to Cloister 93, we chose instead to explore the cloister. The spaces adjacent to the path the light guided us toward were far-reaching and only made me wonder if there were secrets we were meant to overlook. I'd used my Fire bolts back on Cloister 60 so blindly searching was our only option and that option dwindled with each passing second knowing Via Infinito could send fiends at any moment.


“I have a suggestion.” Emi suddenly said, “I believe you still have an arrow with Holy attached.”


“I do, actually, but Holy only illuminates the immediate target and my bolt only carries a single sphere of the spell. We won't be getting much light from it.” I replied.


“Leave that to me.” She said, waiting for me to bring it out.


I obliged, curious to see what she had in mind. It would only take a second after she started for me to figure it out. Emi was now infused with the merging Via Infinito and Farplane. With the purity of the latter, she could manipulate Holy. It would be a simple matter of channeling the twins' magical prowess, which I'm sure those two happily provided, and she could expand Holy's properties without even activating the intended spell. My one sphere exploded into soothing light, beating back the shadows and revealing...


“Ooh, another five minutes...” She groaned as we spotted her form lying on the ground.


“Rikku!” I shouted in surprise. We'd found her.


“Oh, are you two... spherehunters?” She asked, groggily getting to her feet.


“Used to be. This one, not so much.” I answered.


“I'm Emika. It's nice to meet you.”


“My name is Mishka Guado. We were sent by the Praetor to rescue you.”


“Baralai sent you? Must mean I was gone a while. Those meanies. When I get my hands on them...” She started to growl, but stopped herself to ask, “Have you heard from Yunie? She's not worried, is she?”


“She was actually with us for a bit, as well as, Paine, but it was starting to become too much so Paine and the Mevyn took it upon themselves to see it through for her.”


Hearing that brought her a sigh of relief, “Good, then she's not back here. Then, we need to find Paine. We have to get out of here as soon as we can.”


“I couldn't agree more.”


“So, you've sensed it, too? The Via Infinito is coming alive. Something's happening to Spira. This place was always meant to trap the bad pyreflies from coming back, but I think its got a mind of its own now.”


“Even more so.” I would explain, “The Farplane and Via Infinito have begun to merge.”


“Disasterriffic!” She exclaimed.


“It's a miracle you survived all this time. Shouldn't underestimate one of the famed guardians, I suppose.” I noted.


She only looked downward, becoming more solemn as she said, “I came down here to search for the remaining spheres Trema threw away. I was hoping they might help out since Shinra's so focused on rebuilding Spira back to what it was like then. That kid is smart enough to do it, but people made mistakes back then that brought out Sin. We can't let that happen again.”


“Yea, I think I found one of those spheres, but it's far too damaged to make out any of its contents.” I told her, bringing it out to show her.


“You found that sphere, too, huh? It wasn't that damaged when I found it. Valefor, that poopiehead.” Rikku groaned.


“You were fighting it, too?” Emi asked with concern.


“I was. It was the last thing I had to fight after I was trapped down here.” She replied, then turned to Emi to ask, “Do you have a younger sister?”


“Nope, but I am a younger sister!” She happily chirped.


“Her older sister is my group's leader, Nikki. We were separated recently and the two of us have been trying to find them.”


“Then, let's do that. There weren't any useful spheres down here. Most of them were just like that one.” She sighed, dusting herself off.


Emi stammered as she asked, “Were you alone while you were looking for them?”


Rikku's eyes immediately darted to her. Her eyes told the story. It wasn't as if it was unpredictable. The younger sister Rikku asked about, she'd encountered the unsent. I questioned her on it and she confirmed. As she'd done with me, the other Emi followed Rikku, providing help or hindrance as it fancied her. Rikku had acted as Cyan had and managed to coerce more aid than agitation from her, utilising her to guide her back down to these lowest of cloisters. But then...


“I guess I was getting too close. The Via Infinito didn't want me spoiling things so they stopped me.” She explained, showing a bit more gritted teeth for the situation to be quite so simple.


I started to ask about it, but we'd be interrupted. My bolt's Holy was spent and we were thrown back into darkness. Unfortunately, as Emi would point out, the light that previously shined over the way into the next cloister had followed Holy. No, that wasn't right. As we continued scanning it, the light was there, though something had blocked it.


“Watch out!” Rikku shouted, pushing me away before dodging the other way with Emi.


“What's happening?” She squealed in panic.


After I gathered myself, I scanned the darkness again, barely noticing a new presence in the cloister. Rikku thought quickly, suggesting I rely on my guado senses to defend against our assailant. First, I would find her, noting that Emi was near her. Wagering on her honed senses as a guardian, I found an opening to return her Garment Grid to her. Light returned to the cloister, if only for the brief moment of Rikku changing form. She would emerge to a sort of toon-like sound, but the power she wielded would be immense.


For the short time light bathed all corners of the cloister, I spotted the attacker and was shocked that it was none other than, “Tidus?”

[Zerathos986]

“I like this baddie. I can let off lots of steam against him.” Rikku sneered through gritted teeth.


Suffice it to say, I was puzzled by this. Why was Rikku so upset at Yuna's closest guardian? On that note, how did he even come down here? It took me a moment, luckily granted to me by Rikku who took to facing him straight on, but I was reminded of earlier conversations I'd had with Gippal. Following his passionate speech in Bevelle that led to the start of the Spira Council, he'd told me what happened after he, Nooj, and Baralai disappeared during the conflict between New Yevon and the Youth League. There was a powerful unsent down in the depths of the Farplane who, with time-granted knowledge of the old Spira, nearly came to destroy ours. Towards the end, he made mention that the unsent shared his appearance with Yuna's guardian. Then, was this that unsent?


“Mishka, she needs your help!” Emi yelled.


“Actually,” I mumbled as I watched the fight, “I think he's the one in need of help.”


Rikku had already switched to the Samurai attire I'd used before, countering each sabre strike with one of her own. Her zeal was strong enough to push through her opponent's attacks, helping successfully land several cuts, though none dealing impressive damage. It hadn't been her motive, anyway; she'd only fought sword to sword in order to slow him... and possibly as a means to sink her vengeful teeth into him a few more times. Once she'd finished toying with him, she moved to the Festival outfit, though that was only in transition to the Spellcasting Gunner, which she immediately used to envelop him in a swirling cauldron of fire.


When the embers had smothered and our foe with them, I cautiously applauded her victory, remarking, “I usually shout out: Hoshin! Zouten Seika!”


Rikku only looked at me with surprise, but smiled and began to explain herself. There were a few gaps that Gippal didn't know; at least, I suppose he didn't believe it was his place to tell me. The assailant was a shade, some lingering impression of a terrible threat to Spira. Rikku and her friends, including the former High Summoner, were faced with this threat and endured much. It was even more unfortunate circumstance that he shared his visage with Yuna's guardian lover.


“He put us through a lot.” She noted, taking a sullen tone.


“The sooner we leave here, the better.” I grumbled, recognising Rikku's current mood matched several of ours in the past.


“Still won't be soon enough.” I thought I heard her mutter under her breath.


Leaving her be, I led the three of us to the exit into Cloister 93. The walls as we dropped were noticeably jagged, displaying damage similar to the cloisters before it. Just the same, the fracture points and lines of fragmentation were distinct and unmatched. The floor I'd faced Valefor hadn't been where Rikku fought it and this cloister would be no different. There would be another powerful enemy here and who knows if any of the others were harmed in the battle.


Rikku explored the cloister with Emi. She'd left me the task of scanning the area for our possible enemy with my guado abilities. The cloister was winding, but even if I did gather an ominous scent, clearer was the sound of war in the distance. Rikku nodded me over to them and we continued on. The sounds slowly grew louder, though the twisting and turning hall of the cloister kept us from finding their origin. I moved to the nearest wall and felt the cracks visibly spreading. The closer we were getting the more I could pick out the familiarity of the scents in the air. There was the clear scent, that disturbing aroma of an existence out of place. I'd gathered it first during the encounter with Sir Auron. It was terrifying to be able to see him, knowing he'd been sent, and yet not even gain a hint of the Farplane. I would come to experience this several times down here in this pit, the most recent being my fight with Valefor. If I had to chance a guess, there was another Aeon on this cloister. Who had found it? How long had the struggle gone? These thoughts were evident in my quickening steps, Rikku and Emi following closely behind me.


A second turn later and we would be greeted with another swarm of red butterflies, the ominous glow off their wings slowly becoming the only thing lighting our way through the cloister. It wasn't long before we'd find the Aeon enemy.


“No, not again.” Rikku whimpered.


“It's Bahamut.”


Rikku shook off her distress before long to say, “At least he's not facing us.”


I nodded my understanding. We'd need to strike hard and fast. Any attack would alert it to our presence. Although, why was it facing away? Was it fighting someone? It wasn't moving. Was it done fighting someone?


Rikku would set my mind at ease when she noted that, “It's charging MegaFlare. That's why it's gotten so dark in here. Bahamut is pulling in every bit of energy in the cloister!”


“Then, let's stop it before it can get it off!” I said, finally giving the sickle what it wanted.


Just as the Corrupter's previous Blurry Moon form, the sickle bore each empowering customisation. I knew this because it was telling me as much. It even identified them for me, almost mocking me for not figuring them out first. I had the capacity to strike first. I had the power to take Bahamut down in one strike. They were what were powering my Overdrive to begin with. The sickle amused itself by questioning if I'd believed that power had been mine alone. Slayer or not, I was never capable of the Overdrives I'd used since this mission.


“I can hit him with Overload. It's my Overdrive.” I whispered to Rikku.


However, she would shake her head, “Wait. Why is it taking him so long?”


I was confused by this. I hadn't encountered Aeons in the past. The longest time I'd ever spent with one was that battle with Shiva. However, if Rikku was suspicious of the delay, I chanced a guess what could be keeping it. To my relief, my guess would be validated.


“Is that Cyan?” Emi alerted, having ventured towards Bahamut's side.


“I won't lose you.”


My mind wandered the moment I found Cyan standing there, her sword held up high. It had been the night before we reentered Via Infinito. We'd chosen to return and were going to wait for the others at its gates. Raine brought us back to the house for rest. That night...


“You can't! If you give in to it-”


“I'll become the weapon it believes me to be. However, I'll use that power to destroy it.”


“Then, what will become of you?”


“I can't worry about that. It is more important to defeat Via Infinito and prevent it from succeeding. My life doesn't matter as long as it can be used for this purpose.”


“Your life matters to me.”


I didn't want to continue the conversation after that. I remember faking a yawn and taking note of the late hour. Then, I shut my eyes and pretended to sleep. Cyan had sat there unmoving for several minutes, but I didn't look at her. Even after showing such determination, I desperately wanted to embrace her at that moment. I knew there wasn't going to be another chance, but doing so would only worsen things. I had been led down a path that could only result in my death and I was not going to allow Cyan to follow me. I had felt her press herself against me, setting her arms at my sides. Via Infinito coordinated everything perfectly, moving each of us pawns to where it needed us. Not only had it honed its perfect soldier in me, my eyes shifting to the sickle still in my hand, it had guided Cyan into her role, too, and neither of us, regardless of our intentions, were going to go against its wishes.


“I won't lose you.” was what she had said.


“Mishka, get down!” Rikku shouted, bringing me back just in time to be tackled to the ground.


An army of plate mail armoured soldiers rushed the Aeon, surrounding us and turning the darkened cloister into a battlefield. In the distance, Cyan continued to hold her sword up high. The knights seemed to await her command, each of their swords or lances drawn as they held their position.


“Knights of the Round, I command you smite down this enemy! For justice!” She exclaimed, moving to point her blade at the Aeon.


Even the great dragon Bahamut stood helpless. Two of the lancers extinguished its MegaFlare by jamming their staffs into the ring hovering over its back, stopping it from collecting any more power. Bahamut attempted to release what it had collected, but even the pseudo-MegaFlare was stopped, this time by several self-sacrificing knights wielding shields. They surrounded its mouth in a wall formation. When the Overdrive discharged, it kept in such close proximity to the Aeon that it backfired and severely burned it. Blinded and writhing in pain, it was simple prey to the remaining knights who relentlessly cut into it until it was nothing more than a billow of pyreflies.

[Zerathos986]

Cyan finally took notice of us as soon as the knights faded away. She ran to me, taking me into her arms. I stood there unmoving, though my mind was drawn away again, back to that night.


“You are not the Slayer.”


“Then, why is it I've killed the lot of you several times already?”


“Those were illusions. You saw through them.”


“I didn't even hesitate. I fooled myself into believing I was driven by the mission, but they were tests by Via Infinito. Several choices were there and I made mine to murder, exactly what it anticipated.”


“I would have made the same choice in your place.”


That's what she'd said, but I knew better then and I still did now.


“No, that's exactly the point. You wouldn't. I suppose that's why you wield the Velkomme Schwert. What was it you called it? The sword of the Harbinger? Harbingers signal the coming of catastrophe. I suppose that is what I am, which is why I need to keep my distance. Whatever Via Infinito is planning, I will beat it, but to do so, I think I need to embrace the power it's given me.”


“Aw, this is sweet.” Emi commented, returning me to the present.


I'd remained unmoved and this caused Cyan to worry. However, I did have something that allowed me to change the subject. Perhaps finding Rikku was even more serendipitous than I thought. As expected, Cyan was overjoyed. She had been our mission, after all, and I doubted any of us still believed we'd have found her. Rikku and Emi caught her up to what had happened since Emi's room vanished and the group was separated. Cyan further recounted her journey these past few cloisters, identifying the red butterflies as the source of these Aeons we'd encountered. She'd already felled the Shiva we faced earlier and now she'd defeated Bahamut. It was an easy guess that our friends had also met with the other Aeons. Rikku and Cyan both remarked that these Aeons bore the same black markings I'd seen on Sir Auron and Shiva. I provided the detail that, while Sir Auron had to have been unsent, they were something different due to their lacking the scent of the Farplane. Emi pondered if the sheer power of the merging Via Infinito and Farplane had allowed it to resurrect the dead, summoning them back to life as its servants. Rikku further noted their enhanced strength. While Cyan was able to defeat two of the Aeons by herself, Rikku had fallen to Valefor and I'd only beaten it after she'd weakened it during her battle. Sir Auron was far more than a match for me when I fought him and we'd fled him even as a group. And there was a fairly obvious reason why Cyan fared better.


“We should keep moving.” I suggested, “The others could be in danger if they don't realise what these butterflies are.”


I began moving on, spotting the way into the next cloister not far from us. Behind me, I could feel Emi following close by, but while one pair of footsteps kept a steady pace, a second set would soon slow them. I decided not to chance what Cyan might ask Rikku, but my ears would not obey my decision.


“Lady Rikku, a word.” I overheard.


“The Via Infinito is volatile. We shouldn't stay too long in one area.” Rikku advised her.


“I only mean to seek your counsel.”

“What is it?”


I forced myself not to listen. I was only a few steps from it so I hastened my step and dropped down to Cloister 93. Emi remained with me and it wouldn't be long before Cyan then Rikku landed.


My tactic was fruitless; Rikku's first statement after arriving was to tell her, “Sorry, Cyan. I used to be the girl that could tell you you’re over-thinking it, but some people just aren’t who you thought they were.”


Her words, though I had deliberately left before gathering the context, still stung at my heart. She was right in what she told Cyan. I was hardly the Mishka Guado she knew. I was Via Infinito's unwilling servant and this thing in my hand was to be my keeper. To turn the tide of this destiny, I'd need to further delve into this, this role that pulled me further and further away from her grasp. I fought back my desires; I knew Via Infinito would still use them against me. If I was meant to be taken from Cyan by fate, then why not match it on the physical plane? With that, I advanced deeper into the cloister without saying another word. Neither Cyan nor Rikku made a sound to stop me, which I gathered they were still in discussion.


I didn't see any of the red butterflies in the area, but that didn't do anything to relieve me. If we were meant to be slowed by them, they would be here. Their absence might mean another challenge would be present. Predicting the danger, I held firmly to the sickle. However, I couldn't have guessed, the obstacle that would appear was some sort of elastic skin, clear enough that I almost walked straight into it, but noticeably translucent.


“Mishka, please wait.” Emi whispered to me, proceeding to answer my confusion as soon as I did as she asked, “I need this to happen without interference.


The question was almost out of my mouth when I would hear, “No I don’t want to hear this.”


Sounds of weeping followed that statement and then there was the echoing of breaking bones across the whole of the cloister.


“That's Nikki!” I said to Emi.


To my exclamation, Emi would surprisingly only put her finger to her mouth, requesting my silence. I was surprised by this. Wouldn't Emi be the first to want to go to her sister's aid? Why then would she keep us from her when she was showing obvious pain?


“You can’t protect anyone, after all you are a fake” I heard Nikki continue to say, though her tone had changed considerably.


The sounds of battle soon came under way, though who Nikki could have been fighting eluded me. That mystery would have to wait, however, as arrows shot through the veil Emi had erected and I had to pull her out of their trajectory. With her consent, we moved closer, rounding a small bend which revealed to me why Nikki would have fired her arrows so arbitrarily.


“It's the other one,” I told Emi, “the other Nikki!”


One of the two narrowly dodged a fire arrow from the other, jumping back as the spell burned the spot before her. Without hesitation, both of them pulled another arrow from their quivers and began powering them. Finally, Emi could no longer stay her hand. Dropping the barrier, she shouted for them to stop. However, one of them pressed on, finalising her technique and aiming upward. The single arrow she released would spawn a barrage, far too many for the other Nikki to manage. She would be struck in all extremities, collapsing to the ground.


“Nikki!”

[01habbo]

When Nikki looked up she no longer saw the younger girl, as the pyreflies drifted away an older woman stood before her, smiling at her. She looked familiar she had blue eyes, her blonde hair came to just above her shoulder framing her rounded face. She wore a pink tank top, short black skirt with black tights and knee high boots.

“What?-“

The woman interrupted her “It’s still me, I appeared like this when everyone came out of my dream. I knew no one would listen if I stayed like this. So I used a lot of energy to appear as how you met me. But dreaming is tiring, I think this is how I would look if I was still alive.” That took a while for Nikki to sink in it felt like that Nikki was just dumbly staring at her until a new voice.

“Wait, you mean you are the unsent I’ve been trying to help?!” Nikki looked over to the voice to find that it belonged to Rikku. Nikki looked over to Mishka.

“Please tell me that is really her?” she said with a tired voice, she didn’t mean for it to sound desperate she was just tired of fighting, she was tired of all of it.

“It’s really her.”

“Thank fuck for that.” Nikki would have expected for Mishka to make some sort of joke on her choice of words but she seemed to be distracted, in fact Mishka did not look good. Well no one did really but Nikki could always count on Mishka’s teasing to lighten the tension.

“To answer your question Rikku, yes and no. I’m incomplete I’m a being made up of some of her memories and I want to rejoin her.”

“So like Shuyin?” she asked getting a little defensive which made Nikki on edge.

“No from what you told me he was made up of bad memories, I’m made up of good ones.”

“Like a dream?”

“If you like, yes.” Rikku seemed to relax at that response and seemed to be satisfied with it.

“Good as long as everyone is happy can we move on?” asked Nikki irritably. At that everyone began moving, Nikki chose to walk behind everyone and Emika chose to walk beside Nikki.

“Have you noticed?” Emika’s voice rang in her head and Nikki turned to her, She didn’t see why Emika would choose to communicate to her this way but she didn’t stop her, she was beginning to trust her judgement. “The way Mishka has been acting.”

“I have, why?”

“This was never her fight, it was meant to be mine, but she has taken it upon herself to sort everything out by herself. Have you noticed her weapon?”

Nikki’s eyes trailed over to Mishka’s weapon, the Blurry Moon looked no different to when she last saw it. “Nothing out of the ordinary that I can tell”

“She has managed to conceal it from everyone using her own powers, however if you concentrate and look closer you will break the spell she has over your perception.”

Nikki looked closer and concentrated and slowly the image of the Blurry Moon faded and in it’s place was a dark foreboding sickle, it sent a chill down Nikki’s spine. “Well that… Can’t be good.”

“It isn’t, it is the tool that will help her yes bring balance but at a terrible price. The Via Infinito will revive the Slayer and destroy everything in order to bring balance again. There is nothing I can do to stop her all I can do is buy time.”

“How?”

“I’ve been using my power to encase Mishka in a protective shield where my light is keeping the darkness at bay. But I can’t keep it back forever.”

“This is easy, we just get rid of her weapon.”

“No it goes deeper than just the weapon.”

This troubled Nikki, she didn’t know what Emika meant when she said about the Slayer being revived but it didn’t sound good and it sounded like Mishka had already known about all of this and just kept it to herself. “I could always knock her out and send her to the surface.”

“You already know that she wouldn’t stay there for long.” Nikki knew that but she was running out of ideas.

“… I’ll just have to make sure to knock her out long enough until we finish the mission”

“… Are you always this stubborn sis? If you knock her out then how will she fight off the darkness? We need to fight this with light, it’s the only way.” Nikki knew what to do then. She strolled right up to Mishka from behind. Grabbed her around the neck with one arm and then proceeded to drag Mishka away from the others.

“Uh… Nikki?” questioned Cyan.

“I just need one moment!” she called back to Rikku and Cyan.

“Weren’t you the one that was yelling at us just now to get a move on?”

Emika just bowed and apologized for her sister.

Before Mishka was able to speak Nikki let her go when she was sure she was far enough from Cyan and Rikku. “And when were you going to tell me about that freaky weapon?” she said in a low voice.

“Uhh… The Blurry Moon?”

“You know very well that isn’t the Blurry Moon. I know that thing isn’t good and that you are trying to do everything on your own. You are not sacrificing yourself Mishka Guado.”

“It’s the only-“

[COLOR="darkorchid]“No the fuck it isn’t, there is always a choice, there is always another way. Emika believes there is another way, that is why she is using her energy at the moment to keep you from getting consumed by that darkness.”[/COLOR] Mishka looked a little bit shocked by that and turned to the young woman.

“You knew?”

“I’ve always known Mishka, and it’s true. I’m made of light and good memories and I’m using that power to keep your darkness at bay, that is why I appeared next to you when we got out of my dream. But I also sensed that someone tried to do the same to help you.”

“Yes Asuka did.”

“Well then that little girl also believes there is another way, and I meant what I said earlier about getting out. I won’t let you be consumed, please don’t let my efforts be in vain.”

“Don’t you fucking forget Mishka, there are kids waiting on the surface for you to come back, whether you like it or not you have a responsibility to them now. Xiang is waiting for you. I’m not losing anyone else. We are all feeling the darkness of the Via Infinito but we are all going to get out. We’ll all beat this thing together.”

“If you let people in Mishka then that combined light will defeat the darkness.” Added Emika.

“Alright, we’ll do it your way.”

“You better or I’m kicking your ass back to the surface.” Said Nikki as she walked ahead.

“Does she always swear?” she heard Emika ask.

“It’s pretty much the only vocabulary she knows.” She heard a playful teasing in Mishka’s voice, she knew she had lifting off some of the load from her, she just hoped she could deliver now on what she promised.

When they got to the next cloister it was circular and very much like one of the floors where one of their team mates would get possessed by the little girl. In the middle of the room Nikki saw her sister, the unsent. She didn’t look up and didn’t seem to have noticed they had entered the cloister.

“Yes, mummy killed sissy, now it’s boring here.”

The older Emika whispered in a low voice to the group. “Be very careful, if I’m this aware and feeling this whole that means that she has lost a lot of memories.”

“We need to tread carefully then.” Responded Cyan, Emika nodded.

“Hickery, dickery dock, the mouse ran up the clock. The clock struck one, the mouse ran down. Hickery, dickery, dock. Tick, tock, tick, tock.” Nikki knew the childhood rhyme well but coming from her unsent sister it sounded wrong. It sent a shiver down her spine. “Tick, tock,” The unsent lifted her head and walls suddenly rose from the floor behind them. “tick, tock,” in front of them, “tick, tock.” And finally the sides so they were all locked in with the unsent. “The mouse was too late and the mouse died. If everyone dies here then I won’t be alone anymore, everyone can play with me.” The pryeflies around her sister were buzzing loudly and angrily swarming around her, Nikki felt a sense of dread as her younger sister seemed to be aiming for her. That was until the shadow Emi stepped in front of Nikki and spread out her arms, her own pryeflies gathered, there was a flash of light.

At first Nikki had no idea what happened when the light faded the unsent had stopped her actions and in front of her a monkey had appeared.

“Had that come from the shadow Emi?”

“Ohhh a monkey! I love monkeys.” The unsent was less angry and actually seemed happy as she bent down to pet the monkey.

“There you see, you don’t have to be alone,” responded shadow Emi. Smiling at her real self. The walls that had appeared began to lower back into the floor, Nikki gathered it was due to the unsent’s emotions.

“Was the shadow affecting my sister’s emotions as well?”

Suddenly pryeflies began to leave the shadow of Emi and formed the unsent that were in house earlier. Nikki was shocked to see them again she concluded that they must have been residing in the shadow.

“Are you ready?” said the older woman.

“I don’t know, I know this is the right thing to do but, I can’t protect any of you once I am whole again.” The unsent seemed to be paying no mind and was instead playing with the monkey.

“Emi, it’s time for you to go home, we all knew that this is coming. We won’t give in to the darkness.” Said Sakura.

“Thank you,” said Emi with tears of happiness in her eyes.

“So uhh… How are they going to become whole?” asked Rikku.

“Well that’s the tricky part. We can’t just put them together the Via Infinito has given the unsent powers and a darkness that isn’t solely the unsent’s. Somehow she needs to get rid of everything that makes her true to herself.” Explained the twins.

“I need a third party, someone willing to take on her darkness themself only then will I be able to banish it. I have some of the power of the Farplane within me.”

“I’ll do it.” Said Mishka.

“No you fucking won’t you already got some in you, no way.”

“Actually, it may not be a bad idea. Us joining together may have enough power to banish all of the darkness including Mishka’s.” said shadow Emi.

“You said you were struggling just to keep it at bay.”

“Yes but this time there will be two of us, she cares too.”

Nikki really didn’t like this plan, but there seemed to be no other choice, there were so many ifs though. “Please believe in me.” Pleaded the shadow Nikki’s heart softened at that and she just nodded, unable to say anything. The shadow smiled and turned to the real Emi who was still playing with the monkey. She approached her and held out her hand. “Shall we go home?”

“Umm… okay!”

[Zerathos986]

“Yes, mummy killed sissy, now it’s boring here.” Emi's unsent reported, though she was the only person in the cloister arena.


Emi warned us of the possible state of mind her unsent might be in and it would be proven warranted as walls rose up from all sides of the cloister, sealing us in.

“If everyone dies here then I won’t be alone anymore, everyone can play with me.” The unsent mumbled ominously, sounding similar to the others when they had been possessed.

From the walls sprang forth clawed creatures, much of their form remaining trapped inside of them. They frantically crawled forward, slowly dragging the walls in. The unsent's gaze never left her sister and Emi and Rikku would both confirm her intentions. From my studies in Guadosalam, I knew how unsent came into being. Upon death, they froze in time, unable to move forward, but trapped in the world of the living out of a lasting imprint of their desire to survive. For many, this desire is petty and their motivations soon dissolve, resulting in their becoming mindless fiends bearing the simple goal to rob life the way it had been stolen from them. However, given the circumstances, a person might focus on another goal and maintain their humanity albeit a warped and fragile form of one. For Emi, her desire not to be left alone, to find her sister, had resulted in this twisted child. She feared being alone; she feared losing Nikki and the life she knew and so she'd become easy prey for Via Infinito.

Via Infinito must have been drawn to her due to her peculiarities. Unlike the typical unsent, she was young and had only pure motivations. She honestly wanted nothing more than to find Nikki and never be separated from her again, to never have to feel the loneliness and fear this place wrought. Via Infinito manipulated it to their own ends, playing into her vulnerabilities and offering warped suggestions for helping her accomplish her goal. What was happening now was their latest idea. If Emi didn't want to be alone and she could not find a way back to Nikki in life, then perhaps she could bring Nikki to the death she now resided. In this way, Nikki would be unsent, too, and she wouldn't be left alone again.

The walls drew in inch by inch. Cyan frantically sliced at them with her Velkomme Schwert, dealing hefty amounts of damage, but the walls would slam shut on us long before she could create an exit. Rikku began overextending her dresspheres, noting that she'd modified them to be capable of activating individual spells consecutively rather than fully activating into garments locked into their unique sets of abilities.

“It makes them weaker, but if it works, no complaining, okay?”She said, then adding, “Just one hitch. Messing around with Shinra's tech isn't really a good idea and I think they destabilise pretty fast.”

“Just do it! We have no time!”

At first, I pondered if the sickle might be of use. Its power had proven immense and it relished every second I chose to use it. However, my better judgment told me Emi, no matter how influenced by Via Infinito, was still Emi, the same girl I'd accompanied to tea parties and whose monsters I scared from her closet. She wasn't a murderer. Even when she'd possessed the others, she'd held no ill will towards them... well, apart from the boys at least, and any danger she posed was due to her being too young to understand the consequences and not malicious intent.

“You won't hurt us.” I found myself saying.

“That's right. Whatever this fucking place did to you, you are my sister and there is no fucking way my sister can casually take a life.”

The unsent seemed to be affected by Nikki's statement, the walls slowing their crawl ever so slightly. By this point, our Emi had seen enough. With light so bright it blinded us, the cloister returned to its original shape and the lot of us, too, had returned to our previous positions prior to the attack.

“Was that only in our minds?” I thought.

“Yes.” Emi answered me, “I wanted to see how far along Via Infinito had come in affecting her. I'm thankful for you, Mishka. You believed in her even when I did not.”

“It was only a hunch. I'm more relieved to know Nikki would have spoken when she did.”

She moved forward, stepping in front of Nikki. Her monkey had appeared before the unsent and she bent down to play with it. They exchanged a few words before Sakura, the twins, and Gideon's mother appeared. They cheered her on as she committed to reuniting herself with the unsent. The task ahead would be difficult. To unite with the unsent was a simple task. They were both ethereal beings. However, it was the influence within the unsent that was troublesome. If Emi simply allowed herself to be absorbed into her unsent form, she'd become the raw memories that Via Infinito had separated from the unsent, subject to the same manipulation that ejected them before. To merge with the unsent would involve forcing her consciousness into the unsent's own, creating a schism within the girl that may not be easily mended. The main issue was Via Infinito's presence. She would need it drawn out before a proper reunion could take place and I doubted Via Infinito would be willing.

“I need a third party, someone willing to take on her darkness themself only then will I be able to banish it. I have some of the power of the Farplane within me.” Emi said, still confident the presence of the Farplane would be of help.


Taking a deep breath, I decided if she was so sure of it, I could take the chance on it myself, “I’ll do it.”

“No you fucking won’t you already got some in you, no way.”

“Actually, it may not be a bad idea. Us joining together may have enough power to banish all of the darkness including Mishka’s.” Emi suggested.

“You said you were struggling just to keep it at bay.”

“Yes but this time there will be two of us, she cares too.”

In spite of Nikki's reservations, Emi proceeded with her plan, “Shall we go home?”

Without even considering the question, the unsent jumped up and answered, “Umm… okay!”

To that end, Emi began to extend her hand to the unsent. As soon as the two touched, the merger would begin. I'd need to place myself into the resulting pyrefly cloud so that Emi could drain Via Infinito's pyreflies into me as she sorted herself out with the unsent. Once Via Infinito's full presence was within me, Emi could purify the unsent and use her newfound form to channel the then pure Farplane presence into expelling Via Infinito from me.

However, Via Infinito was no fool. It had mastered every move made thus far and wouldn't be bested so quickly. Just before Emi could reach the unsent, the cloister darkened again and waves of force erupted from her.

“Don't touch me.” She said, staring blankly at Emi.

“Via Infinito.” She seethed.

“We knew it wouldn't be this easy.” I noted, getting ready for a fight.

“What's happening to her?”


“Via Infinito knows what we're after. It means to keep us from succeeding.”

“Which will only make our victory that much sweeter.” I growled, stalking over to the unsent.

“Mishka! Velko-”

I wouldn't be able to hear what Cyan had to say. The waves of force intensified, knocking everyone to the ground. I'd managed to take hold of the sickle just in time. The weapon was steeped in Via Infinito's power, shielding me from its attack as I'd expected. This was truly the weapon with which I'd take it down.

“Sissy, you'll protect me, right?” The unsent suddenly blurted, her posture shrunken, as if she'd become the frightened little girl once more.

It had to be more of Via Infinito's tricks, to lure out my compassion and lower my guard. Even so, what was my plan? I wasn't going to attack her as that wouldn't help her reunite with Emi. Via Infinito had to have known this so what was it doing?

I decided to go along with it, hoping a favourable position might arise, “Of course, little one. I would never hurt you.”

“But you will protect me, won't you? They said you would.”

They... “I will. I promise you I'll keep you safe.”

It was a true statement even if by protecting her, I meant I wanted to join her with the shadow and return them to the Farplane. What was Via Infinito scheming?

“Yippee! I knew you would! They said you would! So please keep me safe inside, okay?” She beamed in excitement.

The waves keeping us from her dissipated and she bounded to me, wrapping her arms around my waist. Pyreflies soon flew from her back, circling around until they entered my body.

“Mishka!”


“It's alright. This is what we want.” I replied.

Once the last of her pyreflies was housed within me, I shouted over for Emi to hurry. She came to me immediately, leaping forward and becoming another stream of pyreflies. With the two of them inside, I could only wait. The others were understandably frantic, each of them emanating worry in their eyes. Their fear was warranted. This was what Emi planned, but there was one condition that needed to be met. She'd need some time after Via Infinito was drained from the unsent to begin the reunion. Every second, I'd need to be strong enough to keep it from influencing me. The sickle had already been digging into my soul, weakening it in anticipation for Via Infinito to take full control. I'd had its pyreflies placed inside almost from the beginning. It wasn't going to be an easy task.

Truth was, I played with the notion of letting it consume me. If I was to resist after the fact, perhaps it was enough to get in the way of its attack. I could stop myself from making any kills and holding back the full force of its power. With Rikku and Cyan both capable fighters, I was confident they could manage if I gave them even the slightest openings. Of course, I couldn't chance this; I didn't know why Via Infinito fixated on me or what it might do to me if I gave it control. I would have to put my everything against it, but I didn't believe that would even slow it down. Worse, even if I did, if it wasn't enough I'd be left with nothing and Via Infinito ends up with full control and no resistance.

Once the first pyrefly darted from my body, I knew there was no more time to consider my options. With the whole of my will, I braced myself for the mental onslaught. More pyreflies eventually joined the first, fluttering about a short distance from me. As they left me, I could feel something staying behind, something that was making the sickle stir. I took a deep breath and concentrated. The cloud of pyreflies slowly drew closer together as Emi reformed. The sickle trembled violently for each of the passing seconds.

Finally, the pyreflies collected and a body emerged from them. Surprisingly, though...

“What happened to me?” Emi cried, tears flooding her eyes.

The unsent had taken on the form of an eight year old girl, her ideal of a powerful individual as her sister had been in her eyes. Meanwhile, the shadow had slowly grown into the woman she would have become had she lived. However, made whole again, it would seem she was brought back to her true self at the point of death. She cowered before us a terrified four year old child, sobbing and whimpering in her fright.

I moved to her, kneeling beside her and cooing, “It'll be okay, Emi. We were prepared for this.”

“But why have I become this?” She asked, sniffling as she spoke.

“This is who you were meant to be, Emika. We need to get you to the Farplane where you can rest.”


“Your sister is right. The sooner we can get you there, the sooner the others are safe, too. Remember that Sakura, Yuki, Yuubou, and Gideon's mother are still with you.” Cyan interjected, but she was having the opposite effect on Emi's now fragile form.

“You're not helping the fucking situation.”


“Nevertheless it's true. The faster we can leave this place and get her and the others to safety, the better.”Cyan argued.

“No, that probably isn't an option.”

“Why isn't it?”

“It's probably going to be the same as it was before.”


“And we'll need Emi to break down the walls between Via Infinito and the Farplane one more time.”

“Fucking hell. I thought the walls were already breaking down.”


“Won't making a new hole only worsen things?”

“Emi's imbued with the power of the Farplane. After merging, she now only has its purity within her. It was her belief that that power could mend the wounds.” I explained, but added that, “And we don't have another choice.”

While we argued, I realised none of us had continued to comfort Emi. However, the whimpers had stopped. Emi was no longer afraid. The three of us turned to find her smiling with Rikku crouched and using her knee for Emi to rest against. They were playing together.

“You girls are being too loud.” She said when she noticed our gazes.

“Thank you for calming her.” Nikki said, going to her sister's side.

“The unsent was also afraid sometimes when I saw her. It doesn't matter how long they've been unsent, they still keep most of who they were when they died.” Rikku stated, a tone of sympathy in her voice as she spoke.

“I'm ready to go.” Emi quietly said as both Nikki and Rikku kept her steady.

“Good, but we still have something else to do.” I reminded them.

“Paine.”

“And the others. If we ran into all these fuckers, no telling what they found.”

Gathering the little one up, we moved forward, dropping down to the next cloister.

[Zerathos986]

“Get down!”


As soon as our feet touched the ground, I heard Val scream. Shots rang from his guns as he rushed towards us. Moments later, I found myself being thrown to the floor.

“Need to be a bit more alert than that.” Gideon growled as he pushed himself off me.

The scene once I'd regained my footing was chaotic. Val, Gideon, Joseph, Paine, and Nooj were on this cloister, which was a relief. However, both Paine and Nooj were down and, deeper into the cloister, the dark Aeon, Anima stood. Everyone took evasive maneuvers as another round of Pain came our way.

“Paine is fine. She fainted shortly after I got to her.”

At some point, I'd found myself near Joseph. He explained to me that Paine and Nooj had arrived first to this cloister. By the time he'd arrived, Paine had already been struggling against the Aeon for some time and, in exhaustion, collapsed onto him. She also informed him of Nooj's passing.

“She said he took a direct Pain into his arm. It kept him from exploding, but it wasn't enough to save him.” He said.

“Fantastic. The deathseeker finally found what he was looking for.” I grumbled.

“She said he took the hit for her, Mishka.”

“Sorry. That was uncalled for.”

“She's gotten herself tired! She can't use Pain for now!” Emi shouted, alerting us to the Aeon's vulnerabilities.

Cyan immediately took off for it, Velkomme Schwert in hand as she made use of its First Strike ability. My sickle carried with it the same abilities as the Corrupter it came from so I went to provide her support. Without its primary attack, Anima resorted to its large supply of black magic to hold us back. It was unlike any casting I'd seen, even with Val's rapid barrage. Anima didn't relent and the spells filled the cloister. Cyan tried her best to block them with her sword, but the incessant bombardment forced her away.

“How is that possible? Anima's magic should be depleted by now.” I growled, ducking for cover behind some debris.

“Via Infinito. It's probably giving Anima its endless supply, that poopiehead!” Rikku added, having switched to the garment grid's Gun Mage dressphere to provide support.

She and Val were healing and dispelling what they could, holding back while Gideon tended to Paine. The rest of us were to take to the front and we would discover that Emi could sense the Aeon's attacks and weaknesses. With her guidance, we were able to maneuver through the unrelenting Flares and Ultima traps. Cyan sliced into it with a deep cut straight into its neck. It fended her off with a few close range Thundagas to throw her back, but focusing on Cyan left it open for Gideon and Joseph to cleave off its crossed arms. Nikki made use of her newly mastered Ultima Arrow, countering the spells headed for our healers and wounded with her equally potent arrows. Before long, it would fall.

Unfortunately, that wasn't enough time. As we made our next volleys, I noticed the glow in its eye had returned and Emi would soon warn us that Anima had use of its Pain once more. Worse, when we landed, the cloister floor seemed to soften.

“Be careful everyone! That's Anima's Oblivion!” Emi warned.


“Oblivion? Oh no!” Rikku exclaimed, “We have to stop it!”

“It's still casting spells. You'll have to wait until it starts another chain to get close.”

“Nevermind that, Pain is coming!”

I watched its eye even as I struggled to keep my feet from sinking into the cloister. The others were inching closer to it, readying for the kill. Pain could be released upon any of them, but it seemed to ignore their advances. Instead, its gaze was aimed at...

“Emika!”

I drew First Strike from the sickle and used the speed it provided me to launch myself forth, rolling in front of the girl as soon as Pain released. With Deathstrike, I held the sickle out. The power of it was unbearable, but it ended in an instant. Pyreflies exploded from the collision, bathing the two of us in a flash of light.

As the light died, I gasped, taking in several calming breaths before reporting that, “We're fine.”

Meanwhile, having focused so intently on killing Emi, Anima left itself open to everyone's attack. Nikki drew first blood, firing another Ultima Arrow, though directly at the Aeon this time. The shots burned on contact, creating pockets of unarmoured flesh for Gideon and Joseph to slice apart. As they did, Rikku had brought out a large machina, positioning herself over the Aeon in its flight mode.

“Vajra!” She shouted as the machina's primary cannons launched its energy stream at it.

Even after that, Anima remained standing. It leaned and pieces of it were coming off, but it was still alive and the floor was still pulling us in. I thought to use the sickle's Deathstrike again, but it didn't respond. Gideon and Joseph were spent, their remaining energy used only to resist Oblivion's pull.

“Swords Dance.”

Blades erupted from the softened floor, stabbing through Anima's torso. More blades began jutting out of it before expanding into chrome fireballs. Even after the attack finished, the cloister was raining its pieces.

“Paine!”

“I'm fine, Rikku. I can't say the same for the Mevyn.”

“I'm sorry.”

“Let's end this.” Paine stated simply, rallying the others.

Slayer

I turned at the sound of the voice. Who had said that?

Slayer

I readied the sickle.

You will come to us now.

“I...”

“Mishka, what are you doing?!”

“I will come to you.”

“Mishka!”

Her voice was becoming distant. The cloister, too. Had I gone forward? The walls were changing. They were menacing. And before me sat the thing I dreaded since my eyes first saw it.