Child of a Dead God

[serpentoflore]

Jenova's eyes maintained a look at Garland. Her hands still held to Masamune, but she was uncertain of what type of fight would clearly win at this point. If it were one on one, then perhaps it would have been easier. Still, she could not worry too much about Edgar and Terra. Garland was her target and that took priority. She focused on the energy around her, closing her eyes. She could feel energy begin to enter her body, giving her what seemed to be an advantage. It still was foriegn, so she'd have to get used to the life energy Cornelia could provide.

Raising her sword, Jenova struck Masamune in different directions. Using the life energy she sucked, she was able to create a gentle wind to cancel out two of the items currently guarding Garland. If it had been on Gaia, Garland would have stood no chance.

[King Edgar]

With his composure regained, Edgar took up Longinus and steadied it in a defensive position and scanned Garland's moves; this mammoth knight seemed to possess many strange powers, along with his peculiar weapon. With four cyclonic shields to protect him, projectiles may prove useless now.

But then suddenly his first disappointing thought was cleared away as Jenova moved in to tear down half of his barricade. An opening!

The king's next move was now planned; he lowered his spear into one hand and crouched low, looking out over the battlefield once more. Studying Garland's location and the close surroundings, he was ready.

Taking a deep breath he collected Longinus back into both hands as he knelt, the spear tip facing downward.

"Glide swiftly into the sky and Jump!" he called out, leaping from his place and leaving behind a cloud of dust. He soared up high, glancing back and forth from Garland and upward as he surpassed the clouds.

This was his chance. When he finally reached a high enough altitude he raised his arm back, spear in hand, and hurled it downward, watching as it tore through the clouds below; surely this sudden appearance of a diving blade poised to kill would unsettle, possibly even unnerve the giant.

[terra]

Terra witnessed Garland throwing his sword at her and was not caught off guard. She had already begun to move as the sword had left his hand.

Ducking underneath the flying sword, she slid down the stairs by a couple feet. Now in a crouching position, she looked up to glance at her reflection in the blade as it was now stuck in the stairs right above her head.

With her "Haste"spell in place it took her no time call forth one of the many spells she had learned before "I call for frozen waters and winter's breath, Heed my words and freeze their veins...............BLIZZARA!!" Terra yells as three large shards of ice are created above her head and then are launched at Garland.

[Secondary Characters]

Timing is critical. When you're being assaulted from two different directions, the best thing to do is keep your mind calm and focus on the most immediate threat. Garland was renowned as a force to be reconned with on the battlefield because he understood this principle quite well. When he saw the "king" take skyward, he already knew what was coming, an assault from above. Lucky for him, Terra's attack would take a moment even with haste cast, due to her invocation of the spell.

Garland had less than .2 of a second to make a decision. He looked skyward, guaging the speed of the incoming attack versus the speed of the spell rocketing his way. Decision made. Execution.

Garland jerked sideways, allowing the lance to come crashing down literally inches from his body, but instead of allowing it to embed itself into the earth, he grabbed the lance's handle and used its momentum to swing it in a wide arch, connecting with one of the three ice shards. The change in air pressure would alter the trajectory of the others so they would fly harmlessly to the sides. Now armed with Edgar's lance, Garland had quite a few options open to him. Not the least of which was renewing an assault on the three and take them down once and for all.

However... That wasn't what he did. Instead, he stood tall and slammed the lance into the ground, rendering it useless as he called out "Enough!" He held out a hand, calling his sword back to his hand as several groups of archers began to converge from the woods. The "king" in the sky had several arrows shot at him, with a net hung in between them. Being in the sky, chances that he had control over his momentum were minimum. Three would walk up behind Jenova with arrows ready, but staying out of arm's (and Masamune's) reach just in case. Two more would flank Terra.

Garland brushed off his shoulder before putting his sword on his back and lifted his hands to remove his helmet. Suprisingly he was a fairly handsome man, with a square jaw and slicked back black hair. The only true blemish was a massive scar over his left eye in the shape of a 1. "My consort..." he explained, gesturing for the archers to collect the invaders.

When Edgar would land, Garland would approach him. "It was a good strategy... attacking your opponent while his guard was down... It is a quality of a fine warrior..." He then frowned. "But not a king. One of your own was in danger... yet you continued the assault. A warmonger I may be, but clearly you lack the honor you claim to have... 'your highness'...Take them away! They'll stand trial in the Cornelian court!"

With that, Garland mounted his horse, and lead the procession back to the castle...

[serpentoflore]

Jenova's eyes closed, sheathing Masamune slowly. "Sir Garland, I have a mission that I cannot be deterred from." Her eyes took a gentle hue, looking much more defenseless than before. "I was going to continue my mission when you came, but I am afraid I do not desire to displease one of your stature." She looked almost helpless as she talked. Cloud's memories did little to help, but there was another female named Tifa that helped out slightly, and a bit of someone called Aeris.

"My lord says that if I do not finish it that I am to be executed." Her body bowed, tensing at the reaction, as if Garland's very palm would hurt her inside.

[Secondary Characters]

Garland looked over to Jenova from atop his horse, and sighed exhasperatedly. He nodded to the others to take Edgar and Terra ahead while he trailed behind to speak with this one. When they were out of earshot, he'd look to Jenova again.

"Who is your lord and what is this mission you speak of? Why should I even care, for that matter? You and your companions emerged from the Temple of Fiends, after all..."

Garland watched her with cold eyes, eyes that had seen many battles, many deaths. It was clear that he was nobody's fool, and was already prepared should this be a trick.

[serpentoflore]

Her vulnerable face remained, her mind working just as fast as Garland could react. "A man who I know only as Attticus, a dark lord who comes from another world. He knew of my abilities and separated me from my husband on my own world." Her hands came together tensing together. "He told me that if I do not find a target from another world then I would see my husband killed in front of me. Then he would execute me and use me for a ritual that would destroy a world he calls 'Cornelia' completely." Her head lowered, beginning to feel a tear or two fall down her face. "Sir Garland, I was forced to transport myself to many other worlds before coming here." Masamune remained sheathed her body seeming to shake more at the utterance. She truly feared being apart from Cloud, and Atticus was someone she knew little about.

[King Edgar]

As Edgar descended from on high he was caught between the netted trap and slammed into it with a springing thud; he bounced once, but fell back down again with the same intensity as before. He was now winded, trapped in the bindings as the archers unfurled and brought him down to be "arrested". He stood with his head down until Garland advanced on his person, and then looked up.

"It was a good strategy... attacking your opponent while his guard was down... It is a quality of a fine warrior..." He then frowned. "But not a king. One of your own was in danger... yet you continued the assault. A warmonger I may be, but clearly you lack the honor you claim to have... 'your highness'"

The licentious king hated to admit it, but Garland was right. Very unlike a king to pursue when his trusted allies were in danger. He lowered his head again with a regretful nod and simply spoke: "Take this foolish lord away..."

And as they moved, being pressed on by the knight's entourage, her sidled close to Terra and apologized for not assisting her, and then noticed Jenova straggling behind; he turned to look but was struck with the blunt end of a short sword by the guards behind him, insisting that he stare forward as they marched back to Cornelia.

"I...this is unlike our world...I was never so childish as Sabin...the adventures we took, going after Kefka...must have slowed me down a bit...The massive knight is totally right about my...uselessness as a king."

[Secondary Characters]

Garland listened closely. He was usually good at pinpointing lies, and pressing a suspect for the truth. However, he was also a sucker for a woman who's only concern was rejoining her husband, and Jenova's story fit well. Further, when she elaborated to state that this being forcing her to act against her will was of another world and was intending to destroy this one... Well, he was also good at not expressing what was on his mind as well.

While his face remained stoic and hard, Garland's mind was racing a mile a minute. Was Cornelia in danger of coming under attack? That fool of a king wouldn't know to send the knights out to defend their home until it was too late... It was up to him, as always, to be proactive and protect what mattered to him. Silently, Garland cursed the king for his indecisiveness. He'd make a far better monarch and everyone knew it...

"Another world, you say... so the temple of fiends was your point of entry..." he muttered, keeping his eyes forward as he rode and she walked along. He had to think, to consider, to plan, and to strategize. Good strategy was to find your enemy before they find you, and lucky for him, granting the illusion of control was an excellent way of catching them with their guard down. All he had to do was help this woman and she'd lead him right to the conquering invader.

"And what is the target this monster Atticus has sent you after?" he asked strongly. With any luck, it'd be something easy enough to find so he could follow her right to the devil's door so to speak...

[terra]

Terra turned to look at Edgar "it's ok, we're all still alive aren't we?" she said as she fumbled with the shackle on her wrists. She hated being bound , in any way, and wanted to cast a spell to break the chains.

Edgar mentioned Sabin and the tips of her ears went pink. She hasn't been away from her town. She wanted to see her kids and finish a conversation Sabin started not to long before she left....... something about "our" future.

"Your not getting soft Edgar, just anxious, calm down a bit , you'll see. she said as she tripped on a stone and fell to her knee.

[serpentoflore]

Her mind worked faster than she had thought it could. "He said that I am to kill you, Sir Garland." She stopped, her eyes beginning to water. "You are too honorable to sacrifice for such a ritual. He told me that you are the target to be used in the ritual." Her hands slowly came to her face, her body now sobbing as it trembled.

'Atticus...' Her body sent a thought through the darkness, not even noticable as she cried. Her face remained that of what looked to be a scared woman who had never been separated from her man by such a powerful force. 'What am I to do? The one you call Garland from Cornelia is right here...'

[Atticus the Fallen]

"Bring him to me..." a voice whispered in Jenova's ear. It's funny how he can be so far away, yet sound like he was leaning over her shoulder even now. Even his presence was with her now, so close, so real, and yet it wouldn't radiate to any but her. This was... their little secret.

"You'll find me at the Castle of Naught... follow my presence, feel me through the darkness... Trust me, it'll be easy..."

A pause here, as though he were looking through her eyes at the world around her. "Bigger than I expected... I'm sure you'll think of a way to bring him along..."

[Secondary Characters]

There was a momentary pause between them... and then a deep, rumbling chuckle would escape the knight. "Well..." he said, sitting up straighter. "That shouldn't be too hard..." With that, he dismounted his horse and called for one of the guards to remove the shackles on Jenova. When they were gone, he'd slip his helmet into her hands.

"We're going to pay your dark lord a visit. I cannot sit idly by while some monster plots to destroy my home. Good strategy demands that I find this creature and the best way is to have you lead me to him. My guess is that he wants some kind of proof, yes?" Here, Garland reached up and tapped the helmet Jenova now held.

"Understand?" he asked. Reaching up, he put a hand on her shoulder. "If this works... you'll be with your husband very soon."

[serpentoflore]

Jenova's face still looked nervous, as if his plan made sense but still endangered his life. Still, she looked only a tiny bit relaxed, as if the image of her husband had come into her mind. "I will do my best to get you there Sir Garland." She bowed, tears still flowing a little. She held onto his helmet, the weight a tiny bit harder to hold than Masamune. Closing her eyes she seemed to be trying to calm her body down. Behind her a large corridor of darkness opened. She opened her eyes, looking at Garland with her nervous expression still on.

"It is this way... Sir Garland. We must hurry if there is even the slightest chance my husband is still alive." She began, taking slow and shaky steps into the dark portal. Her voice continued to shake in order to keep the illusion of her truthful lie. She hoped that he followed her.

**To the World that Never Was**

[King Edgar]

As they marched to their apparent doom Edgar dared another glance backwards, this time being free to look as one guard spoke with another; he could see Jenova and Garland both engaged in conversation, appearing to him as ants with the distance. And then, suddenly, as if by some cosmic power another blot entered existence. Another portal of sorts.

Jenova had called open a Corridor of Darkness, and Edgar pondered why. Were the two heading off somewhere? Were the king and his allied Esper to be sentenced alone, without their new-found comrade, lost and alone on this terrible world?

"No, no I don't think so." He felt a jolt surge throughout his bloodstream; a sudden twist and contortion of light behind his eyelids. He saw the face of Jenova, and then a sudden flash of a male counterpart, but then instantly it transferred back. With the woman's earlier touch back in the Land of Dragons, she had given him a slight infection of JENOVA cells, so they were connected at least by a most minute thread.

Her disappearance made him turn back to the road they walked, and he inched closer to Terra and leaned his head in. "She is leaving us," he said quietly, and held up his shackled hands. "I can feel it...we should come up with a way to get out of this, but without my hands free I'm unable to perform a teleportation. Longinus is back there, I think, as well...we're at a total loss, my dear..."

A guard, startled to find the two so close, tugged at the binding chains connected to the king's wrist, forcing him back some, ensuring that the two had some distance. Any whispering would be drowned out by their march; if they spoke, it would be audible throughout the whole battalion. Edgar dropped his head and seethed quietly to himself. The guards all chuckled sardonically at this.