Author: Stormforce The next morning Willow slowly crawled out of bed and stretched. She spoke to the lady behind the counter before walking out into the warm morning air. Seeing Xander and Anya standing in the summoner's circle, where Tara summoned Valefor the day before, she walks over. "Hey! Morning sleepyhead. There's something I want to give you." As he spoke Xander held a light blue sword out to Willow, who took it. She stepped back and took a couple of practice swings and finds that it's light and easy to use. "Whoa! You're giving this... to me?" "Yeah, use it well." "Don't worry I'll take good care of it. Thank you Xander." Anya looked from Willow, to the sword, and finally to Xander. "That's the sword that you gave to Hikari." Willow looked over to Anya, then to Xander. "Well... she never used it. Where's Tara?" Xander said looking everywhere but at Anya. "We're taking the same boat, aren't we? So, why do we have to wait here?" Willow asked. "Tara came to this village ten years ago, when the last Calm started." Xander said to Willow. "Um... the Calm?" "Since then she's been like a sister to me and Anya. But she had the talent... she became an apprentice. And now, today, she leaves as a Summoner." Xander finished. "This is our journey. We should leave together." Anya said looking at Willow. Hearing a loud thump stopped Willow from asking any more questions. When they turned they saw Tara trying to pick up a rather large trunk. Setting it up on its side Tara wiped the sweat off her forehead. "Tara, you really don't need all of that luggage." Anya said shaking her head. "Well you see... they're not really my things. They're gifts for the Temples we visit." "This is not a vacation, Tara." Xander spoke causing Tara to lower her head. "I suppose... I guess you're right." She said looking up at Xander. "Okay then! Off we go!" Xander said as he picked his blitzball up off the ground. As the group passed the gate Tara turned and looked back at the village, then caught up with the others. Anya was walking a little behind Xander and Willow who were talking about blitzball. Shaking her head Anya sighed, then her eyes widened. "Look out!" Xander had faster reflexes and shoved Willow out of the way of an on coming attack by a Dingo, then threw his ball at the Condor that was swooping down to attack Tara. Willow rose off the ground grabbed her new sword and severed the Dingo in half. She jumped back when she saw a light blue jelly like fiend slide out from under one of the bushes. [Flash] Name: Water Flan "Hey! Let Anya take care of that... your sword and my ball won't hurt it." "Why's that, Xander?" "The reason is because that is a magical fiend. Tell ya what, go ahead and take a hit at it... and you'll see what I mean." Willow ran forward and sliced the fiend right down the middle and jumped back. When she landed she watched the fiend as it reformed its self. "What the hell?" "Now you understand? Only magic can hurt that kind of fiend." Anya stepped up and cast a Thunder spell on the fiend causing it to seemingly melt into the ground. She turned and smiled at the stunned Willow, and walked on with Tara by her side. "Now that was... weird... and cool!" "Will, you ain't seen nothing yet! I'll let Anya explain the magic to you... hell I still don't understand it myself." At the top of the hill Willow watched as Tara, Anya, and Xander prayed. Xander came over to stand beside her after his prayer was finished. "Hey, let's get going." Willow said to Xander. "We wait. People leaving the island pray here for a safe trip... Hikari didn't pray that day, said she'd miss her boat if she did." Xander told Willow and turned back to see Anya placing her hand on Tara's shoulder. "Take your time... the boat will wait for the Summoner." "I'm fine, Anya. Let's go." The group left the prayer site with Willow in the lead. Turning the small corner, Willow found herself in some old ruins. Not paying attention to where she was going Willow didn't see the figure jumping from one broken pillar to another, until it landed in front of her. Willow leaped back and fell to the ground. Looking up she saw the dark haired woman from the Temple Trials standing before her. Willow scrambled back as a spear came down and stuck into the ground right between her legs. Getting up she grabbed her sword and blocked the blow that would have hit her in the head. Shoving the woman away from her, Willow swung her sword around trying to cut the woman's stomach, the woman blocked, and back-stepped raising her spear up and bringing it down in a wide arch, she hit Willow on her shoulder, cutting it. Willow stepped forward then swung her body around, and bending at her knees Willow swept the woman's feet out from under her. "That is enough!" Xander yelled stopping the fight. Standing up the woman looked Willow over then turned and walked off, leaving Willow to glare at her back. "Who the hell was that? And just what the hell is her problem?" Willow asked holding her bleeding shoulder. "That would be Faith." Xander said giving Willow a small smile. {Faith is of the Dragon clan. She is 18 years old and has long dark hair to the middle of her back, and wears a dull silver breastplate covering her chest, with her upper back bare, black leather pants, and black boots. She can learn a fiend's attack and use it against them. She is also very protective of Tara, who she claims is her adopted sister. When in battle she uses a spear as a weapon.} "Faith Dragon of the Dragon clan. She has learned the fiends way of fighting." Anya said as she walked by. "Don't worry about it. Faith is pretty much like that she doesn't like anyone new. Well until she gets to know them." Tara said as she cast Cure on Willow's bleeding shoulder, healing it. The path to the boat dock was not very long and the group got there only having to fight off a couple Dingo and Flan fiends. Willow saw that the villagers were there to see Tara off on her journey. Tara was holding a crying girl as she spoke to the Temple priest. Sitting the girl down she kissed her forehead and gave the girl a smile, before stepping on the ramp leading up to the boat. Willow followed Xander up the ramp before being stopped by the priest. "Young lady, you are not a guardian, but I want you to help take care of Lady Tara, please don't let anything happen to her on her journey." "Yes sir, I promise to not let anyone, or anything hurt her." Willow told the priest. He smiled and nodded before walking off the ramp to join the villagers. Willow stepped on the S.S. Liki avoiding Faith and went to lean against the cargo hold. She watched Tara wave to the villagers as the boat left the dock. As the boat sails Willow looks around trying to find Tara, when she spots her Willow frowns. Passengers surround Tara all trying to speak to her at the same time. Deciding to see what's going on Willow walks toward the group. "Have you heard? They are saying that this summoner has noble blood." A man said to the one beside him. "Yeah, that's Lady Mythe's daughter." The second man said. <Lady Mythe's daughter?> Willow thought turning away from the men Willow looks around for Xander, seeing him over by the hold she walks over. "Hey, Xander... is Tara's mother famous, or something?" "Yeah, she is the daughter of Lady Mythe. Remember you saw her statue at the Temple? Lady Mythe defeated Sin ten years ago, and brought the Calm to Spira. Tara is the heir to a great legacy!" "It's tough when one of your parents is famous." "Eh?" Xander looked at Willow with confusion on his face. "Don't mind Xander he's... a bit lacking in the imagination department." "Thanks Anya... I'll remember that." Willow said laughing. "Xander said you could explain magic to me... so if you don't mind could you?" "That won't be a problem, come on sit down and I'll explain about Black Magic." Willow and Anya sat down on the steps leading up to the balcony on the ship. " First thing you need to know is this... everyone has MP in their body. MP is short for Mana Points... or Magic Points. This let's you cast, and if you run out of MP, and if you're in a hurry you can use an Either to restore it, or just have a good nights rest. Okay, there are four basic elements to magic, Fire, Water, Ice, and Thunder, in which you start out with first. The more you use a certain spell the stronger it gets. When you use magic against fiends make sure you know its weakness, sometimes you can heal one with certain spells. Fire is harder to control than Water and Ice, but it is most effective against Ice fiends. Water comes next, it's not that hard to control, and it can be used against Thunder fiends. Next is Ice, you use this against Fire fiends. Ice is the easiest to control, because it is just a huge block of...well Ice. Then Thunder is the last, and hardest to control, if you can't control it; it could hit a teammate, and not the fiend. Okay, are you still with me?" "Yeah! This is great!" "Good! Okay like I said the more you use a certain spell it will get stronger. The four elements have three levels. Beginner. Which are Fire, Water, Blizzard, and Thunder. Intermediate is Fira, Watera, Blizzara, and Thundara. And Adept is Firaga, Waterga, Blizzaga, and Thundaga. Now when you reach the Adept level you can learn new spells, such as, Bio it is a green blob like attack that covers and poisons the fiend. Demi, it creates a portal around the fiend and cuts it HP in half... say the fiend as 600 HP Demi will cut it down to 300 in one casting. HP is short for Hit Point or Health Points. Death, you should know what that is, it will kill most fiends instantly, but some are immune to it. Drain, when you use this it will drain about 100 HP from the fiend and placing it in your body healing you. Osmose, this will drain the fiend of about 50 MP, and healing your MP. Flare is a non-elemental attack and will damage any enemy, even the Behemoth, it doesn't matter what it is, Flare will damage it. And the last is Ultima, another non-elemental attack, like Flare it will damage any enemy for several thousand HP. Okay did you get all that?" "Yeah I think so." "Okay, say you are up against a Flame Flan, what spell would you use to kill it?" "A Flame Flan? You would use a... Ice spell to kill it." "Good, that's right, a Flame Flan is a fire elemental fiend, a fire spell would only heal it, and a Blizzard spell would kill it. Now you have to remember there are other spells besides those that you can learn." "I was wondering... could you possibly teach me to use magic?" "Yes, I can help you learn magic, but to learn White, or Healing Magic you'll have to learn from Tara. She only uses that kind of magic." "Thank you, Anya. That was interesting and I can't wait to learn how to cast." Willow spoke getting up and smiling at Anya. "Well if you like I can show you how to start, right now." Anya said also rising. "Sure, what do I have to do?" "First relax your mind and body. Then search inside yourself, and look for a kind of barrier." Willow relaxed, and closed her eyes the ocean breeze played across her face, as she looked deep inside her mind, and found a gray barrier. "Okay, I found it, and it looks gray." "That's it. That is your barrier, different people are different colors, since yours is gray, it means that you can learn and cast both White and Black Magics. Now with your mind gently push the barrier and break it." Again Willow did as Anya said and only found resistance. Sweat formed on her forehead and face, Anya watched as shook her head. "Don't try so hard. Try imagining that the barrier is paper, and think about ripping it down the middle." Again Willow did as she was instructed this time finding no resistance and breaking the magical barrier. A small flame formed in her hand as the barrier broke then disappeared. Looking at Anya Willow smiled. "Now you need rest, go walk around the boat the sleeping quarters are below deck, take a nap if you like." Anya pointed out the door that lead below deck, and then walked up the stairs. Deciding to explore the boat a little more Willow headed down the stairs. Riley and Oz were standing by a door at the back of the hall; there was a man with a large backpack to her right. She went into one of the doors on the left, and suddenly heard the sound of someone being sick. She slowly backed out of the room and walked toward the man with the backpack. "Why are you lurking around here? And who are you?" Willow asked the man as she gave him the once over. He was wearing yellow pants, and a dark shirt, and sandals, with a green backpack. "What you don't know who I am? I am O'aka the twenty third, merchant extraordinaire." Willow shook her head. "Oh, well I'm not known... just yet, just you wait and see I'll be the talk of Spira in no time. Say you wouldn't have a spot of Gil to lend me, would you?" Willow sighed and handed him 100 Gil. "Thanks kid, I will make it up to you... that is a promise." O'aka spoke nodding his thanks to Willow. Willow left the merchant and opened the door at the end, and her eyes widened. There running on giant wheels were big yellow birds. "Whoa! What are those?" A woman came out from behind one of the wheels and looked Willow over. "These are Chocobos." She said. "Chocobos?" Willow asked as she stared at the birds. "By Yevon! Don't tell me you haven't seen a Chocobo before. What backwater island did you come from anyway?" Sighing Willow looked at the floor. "Sorry, just forget I was here." She said and backed out of the room. When she stepped back up on deck she saw Tara standing alone at the front of the boat. <This is it. Don't be chicken now, just go over and talk to her. That's all you have to do, and don't be a moron> Willow thought to herself as she started walking over to the blond summoner. She leans against the rope railing, and watched Tara out of the corner of her eye. "The wind... it's nice." Tara speaks causing her and Willow to laugh. "You're a blitzball player, right? And you're from Zanarkand, right?" Willow turns her head and looks into Tara's blue eyes. "Let me guess... Xander told you that right?" Sighing Willow looks away "The thing is Xander doesn't believe me about any of it." She says with her head lowered. "But I believe you. I was told that in Zanarkand... there is a great stadium, all lit up even at night." Willow jerks her head around to look at Tara, who is staring off into the distance. "Huh?" Not hearing Willow speak Tara continues. "I was also told that great blitzball tournaments are held there, and the stands are always full." "Tara, how do you know that? I didn't tell Xander anything like that." Willow says with wide eyes. "Sir Ira told me, he was one of my mothers guardians." Tara said causing Willow to grumble "Ira" unhappily. "My fathers name was Ira." She says then grumbles more. "This is amazing! Our meeting like this must be Yevon's blessing." Tara speaks as she does the prayer of Yevon. "It sounds like my old man... but it can't be. Willow said as she stared at the ocean. "My old man is dead. He died ten years ago off the coast of Zanarkand; he went out for training one day, and disappeared. No one ever saw him again." "I'm sorry... wait! That was the day Ira came to Spira. It's true! I first met him ten years and three months ago. I remember because that was the day... my mother left. The date fits doesn't it?" "Yeah, it fits... but how would he have gotten here?" "You're here, are you not?" Tara said to Willow with a half smile. Suddenly a huge wave crashed into the boat, causing Tara to lose her balance, Willow grabbed a hold of Tara's hand, as she held on to the railing. Another wave this time bigger splashed over the boat making Willow's hand to loosen and Tara's hand to slip. Tara slid back, as she passed by one of the harpoon guns Tara held on to it, only to have her grip to slip. Before she could fall over the railing Faith was there holding on to her. A dark shape in the water took form and rose up beside the boat. "Sin!" One of the passengers screamed as Sin hit the side of the boat, causing everyone on board to fall to the deck. Two men ran over to the harpoon guns and readied them to fire at Sin. "Hey! What in Yevon's name are you doing? You stick a harpoon in him, and he'll drag us under!" Xander spoke with fear in his voice. "We're sorry, but Sin is heading for Kilika! Our families are in Kilika. Please, forgive us Lady Summoner." One of the men said. "No! Wait!" But Xander's pleas fell on deaf ears, as both men fired the harpoon guns. "Oh boy... this keeps getting better and better." Xander said as everyone watched the harpoon's fly toward Sin. The first one over shot and missed, but the second stuck firmly into Sin's fin. Sin speeded up dragging the boat behind him, as Sinscales fell on to the deck. Xander was throwing his ball at Sin, as Anya started casting Fire spells. Willow and Faith took care of the Sinscales on the boat, and Tara stood back and healed the group when needed. With one last Fire spell from Anya, the rope snapped and Sin dove under the water. A strong wave splashed over the boat making everyone hold on to the railing. When the water calmed the group looked around and didn't see Willow anywhere. Tara tried to dive into to water only to be held back by Faith, Xander looked over the railing, and jumped in. When he opened his eyes he saw Willow floating unconscious, and being attacked by Sinscales. He threw his ball and swam over as it bounced off one Sinscale to another till the four of them were dead. When he reached Willow he saw that she was bleeding from various wounds, taking out a Potion he poured it in her mouth. She automatically swallowed it, Xander watched as her wounds completely healed, and she opened her eyes. Willow gave Xander a grateful smile, before turning into a look of horror. [Flash] Sinspawn Echuilles There swimming towards them was a huge blue and gray Sinspawn. Its head was diamond shaped with three little horns sitcking out to the side of its head, and a orange glowing heart shape in the middle for an eye. The four light gray tentacles were narrow at the top but widened at the bottom. In the middle of the four tentacles were five small stingers and one larger one. Willow franticly pointed behind Xander who turned and with one look swam backwards to Willow. The fiend swiped a tentacle at Willow making her dodge back. Xander was spinning his blitzball on the tip of his finger making it glow, then kicked it hitting the fiend on its orange eye, causing a dark cloud to form around its head. <Now you can't see us. Ha!> Was Xander's thought. Willow swam at the fiend with her sword to the side, and ducked under one of the tentacles raised her sword and brought it down with enough force to slice it off. She didn't see the stinger closing in on her until it was too late, it hit her leg making Willow scream from pain, and lose some of the air in her lungs. Xander threw his ball stunning the fiend long enough to throw an Antidote to Willow. She drank it killing the poison in her body. The fiend started spinning around causing Xander and Willow to spin with it, and collide into each other. After it finished the attack Xander threw his ball hitting the fiends head, as Willow cut off another tentacle and the big stinger. The fiend started shaking, and exploded into different colored lights and disappeared. Xander gave Willow a thumbs up sign and hi-fived her. Fighting off more Sinscales she and Xander swam back to the boat. A few miles away from the boat. A woman is sitting by the window in her home watching her little girl play, an old man and his wife are weeding a small garden, men are working on their homes, a man is selling weapons by the boat dock, and children are playing with a blitzball. All of this comes to a stop as a shadow passes over the island of Kilika. The people look out toward the ocean and see Sin rising out of the water speeding toward them. The Kilikans only have time to hold their loved ones as Sin attacked. A blitzball floats in the water beside Sin and Kilika is almost completely destroyed. The passengers on the boat are on their knees crying, as Xander, Anya, and Faith look at the rubble that was once the Kilikan village. Willow is lying on her back with her head in Tara's lap, who is silently crying as she plays with Willow's hair. When Sin attacked Zanarkand that day, I woke up in Spira. I kept hoping that it would work in reverse, too. "I will defeat Sin... I must defeat Sin." Tara was whispering over and over again. But I was just fooling myself. Maybe it was that day... on the sea, under the burning sun, hearing everyone cry. I started to give up hope. I was in a foreign world, and I wasn't going home. This place, Spira, was my new reality, and I was stuck in it for good. |