Chapter Thirty One

Immortal

Giruvegan

Temple District

Llyud held onto Kellis as he glided down towards the lower section of the vast ancient city. Indeed the place was inhabited by numerous monsters varying from sizes and species. Llyud managed to keep in the darkness of the lower section when large dragons flew circling around the centre of the city. As he glanced down Llyud saw a square platform which was being guarded by a vicious looking skeletal dragon. Kellis wrapped his arms around Llyud's neck when the Aegyl had to make a sharp turn when he spotted a walkway full of stone gargoyles up ahead. The red head tightened his grip around Kellis' body when the assassin let out a slight whimper.

Llyud had to smile at the display the normally insufferable man was giving him. Obviously Kellis preferred travelling via airship and Llyud heard the sharp intake of breath when he hovered above an empty platform within the temple district of the city. Thankfully the beasts weren't in this area so he could take a breather while Kellis got his wits about him.

Llyud released the brunet who actually fell to the floor and kissed the stone out of sheer relief. The winged man had to bite his lip to stop from laughing hysterically. It was just his luck that his mate would be a man terrified of flying without a ship. When he got himself under control Kellis spun around to face the Aegyl despite being embarrassed beyond words. Llyud didn't say anything but the smile on his face actually made the momentary mortal terror he felt worth it all. Llyud really was too adorable for words. Flame red hair and bright golden eyes and a stunning face made Kellis' loin's heat up every time he looked at Llyud.

The assassin was more than a little frightened by his strong attraction to the beautiful winged man. He wasn't a virgin, hadn't been one since he was sixteen when he slept with an older man on his birthday but he had never felt like this for anyone he had been with in the past.

When all this was over he thought about taking Llyud back to Balfonheim and just getting to know the red head even better. Kellis was only here to find and kill the doctor but after hearing what the Occuria were planning he wanted to help out as best he could. Llyud started to look around for some sort of device that could take the group down to the lower section.

Vaan and the others would have to make their way down via the long pathways constructed into the side of the giant walls. Kellis stayed put when Llyud spread his wings and hovered above the area where the skeletal dragon stood on guard. The platform it was standing on was glowing and the surge of Mist coming from this area was truly immense. Llyud had to guess that this was the only way down to the Great Crystal. The others would need to be at full strength to battle this thing unless Vaan could talk to it like he did with the guardian in the Feywood.

He flew back to where Kellis was waiting and quickly reported what he had found. The assassin agreed to stay where he was until Llyud brought the others down to him. The stone gargoyles were now coming out in vast numbers along the path effectively blocking off the way down to the lower section. The creatures had the ability to use Stop on their enemies which gave them a great advantage in battle.

Llyud used his golden spear to slice through the stone monster's head and he was successful in drawing their attention to him. Vaan told the others to run past the gargoyles and down onto the next platform while Llyud told them which route to take. Finally they reached the temple district but because of the fighting the beasts here where beginning to converge together. Vaan and Basch cut through them without any effort.

Balthier and Fran managed to reach Kellis while Ashe cast Haste on the group to better improve their odds. Llyud narrowly avoided being attacked by a smaller dragon and Basch sent a purple projectile towards the monster. It exploded into pieces that rained down upon the pathway that recently crossed over. Vaan yelled at the others to get onto the large square platform where the dragon was waiting for them.

Fierce green eyes narrowed in rage when it spotted the intruders and it began stomping towards the party. Vaan knew that there would be no reasoning with this one. The millennia of isolation within this city probably drove it mad and the look in its eyes blazed with an intense hatred and need for destruction. Llyud was the first to attack the guardian and it drew the dragon's attention when he slammed his spear into its head.

Kellis dashed forward and drew up his twin daggers while he slid across the floor under the dragon's legs. He drove the blades into the right leg and blood spurted out coating his arms. Kellis gasped when the liquid sprayed his face and some flew into his mouth. He got back on his feet after withdrawing his daggers and ran out in time to see the dragon stumbling around. Balthier and Fran used their ranged weapons to attack the guardian allowing Vaan and Basch to use their enhanced power to injure the dragon's torso. Llyud cried out when the dragon used its talon to slam him against the floor.

He was aware of Kellis crying his name then he saw Vossler take a hit from the flailing tail. The knight fell against the floor as he choked up his own blood. The tail had pierced through his armour and he was more than certain he had broken some ribs. Vaan cursed loudly when the guardian unleashed a fireball at the party.

Ashe managed to cast a Shell spell on the group but it only lessened the damage somewhat. Balthier and Fran were knocked to the ground and the pain prevented them from getting back up again. Ashe was using her healing magic on them while Kellis pulled Llyud away from the beast. Vaan and Basch were still standing and they used their strength to attack the guardian's legs causing it to fall to the ground in a heap. Basch jumped onto the dragon's neck and brought his mutated fist down hard into the exposed neck causing bone to break and blood to splatter in all directions.

Vaan was also climbing up onto the guardian's face and slammed his hand into the eye causing a primal scream of agony to erupt from the beast's mouth. When the guardian fell to the ground in a bloodied broken heap Basch and Vaan ran back to make sure the others were safe.

"Vossler!" the taller blond turned the dark haired man over. "Here, hold still."

"Hurts to breathe..." Vossler gasped out and he could now taste the coppery tang in his mouth.

"I know." Basch murmured in an attempt to keep a level head. The tail attack had done a number on him. He allowed the healing magick to flow from his right arm and into Vossler's wounded body. He used his arm to amplify the magick.

"That feels better." Vossler could breathe without pain tearing through his body now. Basch breathed out in utter relief when Vossler sat up. "Thank you Basch."

"You're welcome." Basch smiled gently. Ashe and Fran had healed the others in time for the platform to activate.

"Now what?" Balthier muttered. Vaan was holding the man up while he regained his strength. The platform was descending into the thick darkness.

"Cid has to be in the Great Crystal chamber. We fight him, take back the Shard and destroy them." Vaan answered firmly. "This has to end now."

"But do we have to destroy them?" Ashe asked the blond. "We can drive out the Empire with them."

"Or end up destroying the entire civilization." Vaan pointed out sharply. "Those things were designed to destroy everything in Ivalice. All they will bring is pain!"

"I have to use them against Vayne!" Ashe shouted back.

"At the cost of your own humanity?!" Vaan yelled at her in rage. "Vayne will be punished but if you want to use those stones to wipe out his own people then you're no better than the Empire you hate. You'll be known as the murderer of innocent people."

"He speaks sense princess." Vossler spoke up. "You saw those people in the capital. They are just like the people in Rabanastre. They do not deserve to suffer because of Vayne."

"How can you say that?" the princess had gone completely white.

"Will you truly let your anger lead to the destruction of innocent lives?" Fran summed the argument up. "The choice is yours but I doubt Vaan will let you walk away with the stones intact."

"How else can I end this war?" the princess threw up her hands. "My people will never be free while Vayne has the throne."

"What about Larsa?" Vossler suggested. Various eyes turned to him. "He is willing to listen and he is the son of the Emperor. Larsa may be able to end this war."

"Do you honestly believe that?" Ashe snorted with disbelief.

"I have to believe it." The knight answered honestly. "I am so sick and tired of this war. I just want it to end."

"Ashe, please..." Llyud turned to her. "If you cross this line you can never go back."

"Trust me." Vaan spoke gently but his eyes burned with a fiery determination. "Ivalice doesn't need the stones to survive and neither do you. Ashe, you've always been stronger than you give yourself credit for."

"Vaan..." the princess was stunned by the sheer truth she saw in his expression.

"Please help me end this before everything is lost." He pleaded with her.

The princess didn't speak but when the platform finally came to a grinding halt she slowly nodded her head with tears glittering in her eyes. When her anger burned away all she felt was an empty numbness brought on by this conflict. She too wanted this war to end so very badly and the Shards could be the quickest way to bring about peace.

Yet the Occuria were the immediate threat and they needed the stones as badly as Ashe did. The princess followed Vaan when he stepped off the platform into a large chamber with a single pathway leading out into the vast city. When they stepped out into the chamber the party were stunned at the sight before them.

"So this was where the Shards came from?" Ashe breathed out.

"This is where all Mist came from." Vaan explained. "This is where we can destroy the Shards completely. Their essence will return into the Great Crystal once the Sword of Kings breaks them open."

"Shiva, Anima and Ifrit thank you for sending them here." Basch spoke up.

"Well that's a surprise." Balthier replied. "They've been quiet for a long time now."

"What do they have to say?" Llyud questioned him.

"They saw how you want to protect Ivalice and if this is the only way to stop the Occuria then they'll agree to the plan." Basch responded.

"Then we better not let them down." Vaan nodded then he looked back out into the vast chamber before him.

There was a path that looked to be made out of orange light spiralling around an enormous crystal that took up the entirety of the chamber. The Mist was incredibly thick here that it was visible to the naked eye like in Raithwall's tomb. Vaan gripped Balthier's hand as he took the ethereal path down into the vast darkness of the city.

They ran down the length of the pathway until then reached the bottom of the crystal itself. Here there was a small platform where the group could walk onto but it wasn't Cid that was waiting for them down here. Vaan glared at the single ghostly visage of the Occuria that was waiting for them at the base of the vast crystal.

"You have come here to our sacred haven just as the human said you would." The Occuria hissed in that terrible voice. "This will be your resting place."

"You're nothing to me." Vaan snarled back. "I won't finish the mission you gave me. Raithwall put an end to that."

"Are you so blind to the truth?" the Occuria asked with amusement. "It is truly pitiful to see you fall this far Messiah."

"My name is Vaan." The blond snarled.

"And now here you are with the Shards returned to us." The Occuria went on. "The good doctor and Venat left with his piece for the Ridorana Cataract. You won't stop the revival of Bahamut."

"Bahamut?" Basch frowned at the name while the entities within his mind felt cold fear creep into their souls.

"The dragon will awaken and you Messiah will be the one to lend him the strength he needs to reduce this world to ash." The Occuria sounded so sure.

"Wait, what is Bahamut?" Ashe questioned the entity.

"He is the God Dragon, the one who can end civilizations with a single blow. Even now he slumbers below the earth waiting to be revived. Once the Sky God receives the Mist he requires this world is ours." The Occuria said without a second thought.

"It's useless to try it." Vaan countered. "We came this far fighting you and your sick plan. Bahamut will stay where he is."

"Wait...I can't move!" Llyud cried out.

"Neither can I!" Kellis tried to move his limbs. "What's going on?"

"It is a simple spell that shall wear off soon enough." The Occuria replied.

"Let them go?" Vaan clenched his fists.

"Nothing will stop you from seeing the truth Messiah, not even that poisonous abomination you have created." The Occuria spat out at Basch who could also move.

"If you touch my friend I'll send you to hell in pieces." Vaan promised icily.

"Come to us Messiah." The Occuria glided towards him. "We thought you would remember but it is time we shoed you the true reason you were created."

"No!" Balthier cried out when Vaan was encased in bright light and he vanished from the chamber.

"Where did they go?" Llyud looked around but he couldn't see Vaan anywhere.

"We need to go after them." Balthier looked wildly at Basch. "Is there anything here that can help us?"

"I don't know." Basch looked equally helpless.

"We can't look for him." Fran spoke up with worry clear in her voice. "The city is too vast."

"Dammit!" Balthier screamed out. They had come so far, had been so close to ending this and now Vaan and the Shards had been taken from them in the blink of an eye. Vaan had to be alright, Balthier wouldn't think about the alternative.

"We'll find him Balthier." Basch promised harshly. "I swear we'll find him."

"Thank you..." the pirate nodded his thanks. The party spent the next half hour looking for another way around the crystal base but there was nothing. There was no visible way to find Vaan and the Occuria that had taken him.

"What is that?" Ashe asked when she heard a rumbling sound.

The group were stunned when a blast of hot light fell before them and when their vision cleared Vaan was standing with his back to them. He was standing ramrod straight and his breathing was harsh and ragged.

"Vaan, you're safe." Balthier breathed out in relief. "What did that thing want with you?"

"I..." Vaan whispered that it was almost hard to catch. "I'm sorry...so sorry."

"Sorry? What for?" Balthier frowned.

"Never meant for this to happen...wasn't supposed to be this way." Vaan shook his head. "Was it all for nothing? Everything a lie?"

"Vaan?" Balthier was beginning to feel real fear now. What had those bastards done to Vaan? "Look at me Vaan."

"No..." Basch brought a hand to his mouth when the small blond turned around.

His eyes were blazing red and he was crying blood. His face was cracked with black veins and the Shards glowed as they floated around his body. The clothing he wore melted away and was replaced by armour that spread and wrapped around his body. Two metallic wings lashed out from his back and white feathers fell around him like a gentle snow.

"Vaan..." Balthier couldn't believe what he was seeing. This wasn't Vaan, not the boy he had grown so fond of, the one person in all Ivalice who made all treasures pale in comparison.

The red eyed boy stared at Balthier for what could have been an eternity. Nothing else existed in that gaze, only the pirate and his most precious person. For a single moment in time there was nothing wrong and Balthier could believe he was looking at Vaan. Then those eyes blazed and the blood seeped out from beneath dark lashes. When he extended his wings and took off into the darkness with the Shards his last words rang out into the chamber leaving the party numb and in a state of dawning horror.

"My name is Messiah."

Forgive me dear readers! 'Bows and grovels like the lowly human being she is'

The next chapter will be up very soon as the group head to the Cataract where Cid and Messiah are waiting for them.

All will be explained as to what the Occuria did to Vaan while Balthier faces the very real possibility that to save Ivalice he may have to kill Vaan.

I love you all my faithful viewers and much hugs and kisses from me!!!