…All things have a beginning in the ending of something else. Take stories for example most invariably start with the end of another; the fall of an empire the death of a noble king and so on, armed with this knowledge we can see a pattern emerge…
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Dr Tot from "Narratives" 2nd edition
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This story starts with a man of convictions following his instincts and throwing himself into the jaws of death. Driven be little more than a gut felling and the values that he believed in Zidane plummeted swung and leapt though the hellish swinging lashing roots of the Iifa to the core.
The mist is clearing if the rest of the fleet stay here they will be trapped!" Reported Erin pilot of the Hilde Garde III.
"Very Well order a full retreat, we will land and make a ground search with this lull in the trees activity." said Regent Cid tensely. Baku merely nodded scanning the densely packed root system for traces of his adopted son.
"Miss-s-Sir-General if we s-stay here we will be stranded." Stammered Laudo Knight of Pluto.
"Forget it man!" Snapped Betrix. "We have a dept to pay to this Zidane which must be honoured."
Dojebon sharpshooter of the much-maligned knights ran up onto deck.
"General if were going to land we have to land now there just isn’t enough Mist in the air…never thought I’d say that." He reported
"Very well I’d liked to have reconnoitred with the Hilde Garde but it looks like we’re out of luck, take us down." Ordered the Alexandrian knight with a wave of her hand.
The two airships landed roughly on either side of the tree, with various crew leaping of to form search parties. Steiner leapt from the side of the Hilde Garde III without waiting for the rope ladder to be dropped landing inelegantly with a crash of armour.
Freya took a flying leap from the bow of the ship and seemed to glide gracefully to the roots of the tree; Aramat too scorned the ladder opting to vault over the side with Vivi under one arm, the black mage feebly protesting a fear of heights.
From the Red Rose an equally frantic search party arose
"It looks like its quietened down General!" Reported Dojebon of the knights Pluto, saluting to General Beatrix
What a view its beyond my wildest imaginings said Laudo 4th Knight of Pluto surveying the shear immensity of the Iifa.
"Stop day dreaming and get back to the search." Ordered Beatrix, ignoring the knight’s tearful look she turned to Mikoto. "Do you sense any thing?" She asked the Genome.
The Girl shook her head. "Not yet maybe if I got closer to the trunk..."
"Very well I’ll watch your back, just hurry."
Vivi remained near the ship dumb founded by Zidanes actions hadn’t he said he’d never leave them again after the crisis of faith in Pandemonium. He peered at the horizon, was that movement! But the shape that came over the roots resolved to be the rotund form of Quina. The Qu ran over to the small Mage.
"I no can smell him." It murmured its shoulders slumping it pointed to the forms of Dagger and Eiko. "Is no good I can no help them."
The princess had disembarked straight after the ship had landed, but had gone only a few paces from the ship before slumping to the ground. Ekio tried to comfort the princess who stared accusingly at the tree, which had taken her love.
Vivi felt his heart sink even more, poor Garnet why did so many things happen to her, his losses seemed small compared to hers: she had lost her birth mother and the mother that had fostered her, had watched her kingdom become a pyre and now one of the few solaces she had was taken from her.
Across the plain Aramat easily kept pace with Freya as the two searched for some way into the Iifa’s heart.
"Damnation it seems totally sealed," Snarled the dragon Knight swinging her spear in frustration.
"No way in no way out." Muttered Aramat he paused and turned to Freya. "…Do you agree with Steiner? Do you think that the Iifa has stopped?"
"Possibly but this does not seem like the cataclysmic reaction Kuja foretold."
"Yeah it feels different…" The bounty hunter looked at the distant shape of the Hilde Garde III.
"What does it feel like?" Inquired Freya
"Like a bunched fist." Aramat turned towards the closer shape of the Red Rose.
"Nothing?" Demanded Beatrix.
"No I feel nothing of them." The Genome turned back to the tree. "Please a moment to collect myself." she said setting off along one of the roots.
Beatrix tuned away "peace be with you Zidane." She whispered before beginning to call the order for withdrawal.
Steiner was half way to the trunk when the roots began to shake.
"The trees going loco rust bucket lets get out of here!" Shouted some one behind him.
"Zidane!" He turned quickly only to recognise Cinna one of Tantalus’ members, before he could form a cutting comment the root gave another heave.
"I hope you’re a better runner than actor." Shouted the thief as the root began to lurch like a ship’s deck at sea. Mist gushed out from beneath and a foul smell filled the air.
Steiner considered jumping down one of the crevices but the gaps closed in a heart beat no way a man in full armour could get down one with out being crushed
"To the Hilde Garde he roared he turned a briefly glanced at the Iifa’s trunk." Forgive me princess I have failed you yet again."
"Here’s Steiner and Cinna." Shouted Marcus from the observation deck.
"Is that every one?" Asked Erin anxiously.
"Not every one where’s Aramat?" Asked Vivi.
"He headed off to the Red Rose to guide them over here but with all the mist the Red Rose should be able to escape, either way he’ll be okay." Explained Freya
"Okay let’s get into the air before the devastation begins again." Regent Cid said.
"But what about Zidane!" Demanded Eiko
The Regent gave her a trapped look. "I’m sorry…there’s nothing more we can do"
Eiko shook her head in denial and then turned and fled to join Garnet on the observation deck.
Oh dear! Please Wait!" Shouted Cid apologetically
"Let her go she have to face this eventually." Baku said harshly, Cid stared at him was the Tantalus leader slightly red about his eyes.
The observation deck was crowded with Zidane's companions; a silence descended upon them as the watched the Iifa’s thrashing and tearing. Roots thicker than a house rose out of the earth chunks of rock were hurled almost level with the rising air ship.
"This will happen across surface of Gaia?" Asked Quina in dismay.
"Probably and we can’t do a thing to stop it." Steiner gripped the rail in anger.
There is something we can do, if we can destroy the tree trunk we could probably stop the destruction…" Everyone turned in surprise Garnet hadn’t said a word since Zidane’s disappearance.
"What could we possibly have that could destroy such a huge thing." Asked Vivi
Garnet smiled bitterly. "Garlands greatest fear the Eidolons." She turned to Eiko. "Are you ready, this is true summoning like in Alexandria not those minor evocations like in battle?"
Eiko nodded her eyes wet with tears. "For Zidane?"
"For Zidane" Agreed Garnet
The glittering form of leviaten appeared first trailing a massive wall of water; the earth around the writhing roots was washed away leaving them exposed for Odin's mighty sword. Charging across the plain his sword slicing the roots in two where ever he went.
Phoenix and Ifrit joined in the destruction next setting the canopy of Iifa alight with their flaming attacks. Phoenix swooped over the branches dropping flaming feathers; Ifrit merely smashed the tree with his flaming fists. A rain of fire fell on the writhing roots far below setting them ablaze.
Shiva mistress of Ice blanketed the remaining exposed roots in super frozen ice, Fenrir dashed forward smashing the now fragile roots with his powerful wind attack.
Atomus appeared from the netherworld to belch a crushing ball of gravity into the crown of Iifa; the branches were twisted and contorted in to weird and painful shapes before snapping off.
Maudeen lashed at the trunk with her holy claws, chunks of the tree bigger than houses fell like rain but still the tree stood.
Eiko slumped back exhausted by the effort of maintaing her eidolons in the material realm for so long, Garnet equally haggard clung to the rail for support.
"Please help me!" She begged
As she finish two vast shapes resolved on either side of the tree one steadying itself on bat wings the other an immense machine Bahamut and Arc hung in the air sizing each other up. Then arc twisted, its laser eye targeting weak points on the trunk it made some bizarre machine noise at the dragon king. Bahamut roared in reply energy began to build up around the two eidolons.
From the deck of the Red Rose Aramat and a few others watched the devastation in awe. The ship was making good its escape but due to the uneven mist cover their progress was unsteady to say the least.
"So this is the Power Garland feared!" breathed Mikoto.
"That dragon was responsible for so much destruction I doubt it will help us." Beatrix’s hand went to the hilt of Save the Queen.
Aramat said nothing he just hoped they were far enough away when the blast hit.
At that moment the two Eidolons seemed to have finished charging themselves up, the dragon king’s breath hit the tree at exactly the opposite point that Arc’s beam hit the trunk.
They must have met about half way.
The explosion ripped the Iifa in two and picked up the two airships and threw them to the winds and whatever fate had in store for them.