Chapters 1-5 can be found at the Edge's Quest Chapter list at the
SquareFiction Library
(http://www.cs.hope.edu/~buege/fanfic/ff4/EdgeQuest/index.html) but that
site won't be around for too long, seeing as how it's switching maintainers,
systems, etc. If that link doesn't work, e-mail me here at
hospitals@erols.com and I can send you the chapters.
C&C is always appreciated. Flames are laughed at, then sent to my mercenary
fleet so they can track down the sender (^_^).
{These bracket thingies} denote thought or interior monologue.
And here it is!
Edge's Quest
Chapter 5 : River
"What do you mean he's not here? Where is he?"
"He ran away with a ninja to the caves, m'lady. There was a bit of
commotion�"
Rydia growled, her anger flashing in her eyes. "Take me there."
The ninja she had found cowered a bit, afraid to disagree. "My lady,
there are monsters down there and�"
Rydia grabbed the ninja by the collar of his uniform. "*Take me
there*."
The ninja nodded shakily, and lead Rydia to the caves.
~*�*~
"Edge!" Rydia called out, her voice reverberating in the Eblanian caves.
She ran in front of her guide, grabbing a torch from a sconce in the wall.
She was still in the "settled" portion of the caves, where the Eblanians had
been sheltered during the war with Golbez. She couldn't find any other
ninja, and this scared her. "Where is everyone?"
The guide shrugged, the suggested, "The monster caves?"
Never pausing, impatience continuing to rise, Rydia returned, "What the
hell's a monster cave?"
The guide, still quite afraid of his companion, answered quickly.
"They're the frontier caves, the ones that we haven't explored yet."
"Take me there."
The ninja sighed. "Take me there" was getting to be his most dreaded
phrase, up there with "I'm trapped in a dungeon filled with behemoths and
dragons, armed with a toothpick and wearing armor made from cardboard".
~*�*~
The two reached the frontier caves, and Rydia immediately noticed the
huge collaboration of ninja beside a cave in. Oh my god� this is all my
fault� Edge better not be� if he went and got himself killed� I'll kill him!
Rydia sprinted to the crowd, cursing her long dress for slowing her down.
Breathless and flushed, she asked quietly to one of the ninja, "Edge� where
is he?"
The ninja looked at her, noticing the pain in her voice, and the sadness
in her eyes. "He's on the other side, Lady Rydia. At first we heard
noises, but now�"
Rydia knew what he was implying. "No� He's not dead. He can't be
dead," she mumbled. At first, overwhelming sadness clouded her face. Then
came all-consuming anger. Rydia started chanting the familiar words of
magic, raising her hands as the arcane thrill charged her body and senses.
The Eblanians knew enough to get out of her way.
A green light surrounded the Caller for a brief moment, fading as she
cried out, "NUKE!"
The air around the cave in grew hot and heavy, and the rocks themselves
took on an orange-red glow. The spell drew fire out of the very air, the
tiny sparks clinging the to the boulders. Finally, the fire around the cave
in exploded in a blinding conflagration, either shattering or melting away
the blockade.
None of the ninja moved. Rydia weakly reclaimed her torch that the
guide ninja had picked up from the ground when she had started her spell.
So unaccustomed to casting such powerful magic, the spell left her drained.
Even so, without hesitation, she plunged into the dark cavern, the torch
barely illuminating her immediate surroundings.
"Edge? Are you here?" she asked, her soprano voice echoing off the
cavern walls. It echoed cruelly in her ears, twisting her hope into
despair. {Edge. Gone. Dead. And it's your fault. You never told him the
truth. He died angry at you. He hated you. And now he always will.} The
echoes taunted her as she searched frantically for the ninja King.
Rydia waved to torch from left to right, hoping to catch a glimmer of
something � a sword, a dagger � anything. All she heard was water, slight
drops of moisture from the cavern's ceiling, sounding thunderously in her
ears with each drop. Her heart beat along with the water, her breathing
came quicker as she didn't see him.
As soon as she started to doubt herself, she caught a slight flash as
the torchlight reflected off of the Murasame's blade.
And the Murasame was not alone.
...Blood....Edge....Gone....Dead....
She approached the blade slowly, scared of what she would find. The
Murasame's tip was stuck solidly in the hard-packed dirt of the cavern
floor, with a steady flow of crimson surrounding it.
...Blood...Edge...Gone...Dead...
She followed the river of blood to where she thought it was coming
from.
...Blood...Edge...Gone...Dead...
The first thing Rydia saw was a pale hand, lying on the ground, lying
in the blood's river.
...Blood...Edge...Gone...Dead...
Then a body, wearing clothes that might've had color once, but now were
completely red. The coppery smell of blood finally reached her senses.
...Blood Edge Gone Dead...
Then she saw one of the body's leg, twisted at an unnatural angle,
slashed in several places, becoming tributaries to the already large blood
river.
BloodEdgeGoneDeadBloodEdgeGoneDead
"SHUT UP!" she shouted at the drips of water, her cry echoing fiercely
in the dark cavern.
Rydia finally regained control of her muscles, and she ran to Edge's
side, almost slipping in the bloody river, the crimson liquid soaking her
dress. The torchlight reflected off of another blade, the Masamune,
sticking up from Edge's chest just as the Murasame stuck up from the ground.
His handsome face was cold and pale, his eyes rolled back into their
sockets. She leaned her head over where his heart would be, listening for a
beat� for a some sparkle of life.
The Masamune had plunged right below Edge's collarbone on his right
side, to the hilt. When the ninja had fallen, the blade had been forced up
somewhat, hanging loosely in the wound. Rydia stared at it as she struggle
to hear Edge's heart, wondering how Edge could've been impaled with his own
sword. The world began to swim around her as sadness clutched at her heart.
{No� our time was too short� I never told him� he hates me�}
~*�*~
---It is done?---
"Yes. The King of Eblan is fallen."
---Good. There is no doubt?---
"None. I impaled him with the Masamune. No one could survive that."
---That is what one had thought before. Now, he is dead.---
"Zemus was a fool."
---Yes. Not guarding the Crystal Sword was a mistake. But I shall rectify
that mistake through you.---
"Shall I retrieve the Ninja's swords for you, lord?"
---Yes. The blades are required for my freedom. As are the Dragoon's
lance, and the Paladin's sword.---
"It is done."
---Eblan must fall again.---
"I understand."
---It must be mine.---
"Yes, lord."
---It will be mine.---
~*�*~
It came faintly, without warning.
She could barely hear it above the river of droplets echoing through
the caverns, telling her Edge was dead.
A weak pulse of life, gracing her ear.
Rydia was startled by the sound of a heartbeat. Tears were inundating
down her face, mixing with the river of blood which refused to dry. She had
cried into his seemingly dead body, her ear plastered over his heart,
listening for a beat, for a hope.
There was one.
As soon as it had come, the beat was gone.
None of the ninja had followed her into the shadowy cavern after she
had opened the cave. It was as if some unseen force kept them from
entering, or as if they felt that going into the cave would violate an
unseen sanctity, and they'd die at the hand of a vengeful deity.
She sat up, looking wonderously at the ninja King, marvelling how he
could still be alive. "Edge�" she whispered, struggling to see him through
her tears.
Her hope was short-lived.
Edge's body jerked, and then shook slightly, going through a weak rigor
mortis. Just as the beat of his heart had woken Rydia from her despair, the
movement of his body had shaken her from her trance of false hope. She
needed to act and fast, but she was weak and � not that she would admit
this � heart broken.
I did this to you, Edge� she thought sadly. I will save you� no matter
what� Chanting a complex summoning spell, she felt her magic well up within
her. Globes of fire raditated out from the Caller. Physically and
emotionally spent, she collapsed, her head once again laying on Edge's
chest. Rydia, her vision rapidly dimming as unconsciousness threatened,
whispered, "Asura."
The globes of magic shimmered into the form of the floating, many-armed
Queen, who quickly noticed Rydia and Edge. "Dear gods�" the woman's voice
murmured. She gathered the unconscious pair in her arms and vanished.
~*�*~
Edge�
Rydia?
Edge� I think� I think we're dead�
No! That can't be! I�We still have much to live for!
I think� that I tried to save you�
You didn't come after me did you?
I� don't know� I remember the blood� in rivers� I didn't want you to
die�
Why did you follow me? Did� did I kill you?
No� I think I killed� you� and myself in the process�
The shadow killed me� not you� you never hurt me� I hurt you� if not
for me�
I did what I wanted, Edge! My own choice! I followed you to the caves.
But then� I know you hate me� you've said it before� it doesn't matter
now�
I don't hate you� I never hated you� I don't want to die, Edge.
I won't let you die, Rydia. You WILL survive.
But� I don't want you to be alone.
I have my parents waiting for me, Rydia. You� have a long life ahead of
you.
I don't want to leave you, Edge. Can't you see? I want to stay with
you.
I don't want to be responsible for you giving up hope. Live, Rydia.
Leave me here.
No� I want to be with you, Edge� I love you�
~*�*~
Rydia's eyes fluttered open. Her first sight was the concerned face of
Queen Asura. "A-Asura? What... what're you doing here?"
The Queen of the Summoned Monsters smiled gently at Rydia. "You Called
me, dear. You were spent by casting 'nuke'. You haven't been keeping in
practice, Rydia � you nearly killed yourself. You Called me to heal Edge."
Hearing the ninja's name triggered something in Rydia's mind. "Edge?
Where is he? Did you save him? Please�" Rydia could already feel the tears
coming. She sat up quickly, an action that left her disoriented. "Tell
me you saved him."
Asura took a deep breath and shook her head. "Even I couldn't save
him. He's still alive� but�"
"Take me to him!" Rydia cried. She tried to get off the bed she was
lying on, but found herself to be too weak.
"Rydia, you shouldn't move yet�"
"I don't care!" Her normally light voice was hoarse and desperate.
"Take me to him� please� before he�" Rydia trailed off, her voice choked off
by tears.
Asura nodded, then said, "I am sorry I couldn't do anything more�"
Rydia looked at the Queen, a strange look in her eyes. "I had a dream,
Asura. I had a dream I was talking to him again� I need to tell him
something. It might save him� even if it doesn't, he needs to know."
Asura recognized the look Rydia had in her eyes, and knew what Rydia
need to say. Well, Asura? You yourself recognized this when you first met
them� she thought to herself. Letting Rydia lean on her for support, Asura
took the Caller to the room where Edge had been cared for.
Rydia's breath caught in her throat and tears began anew at the sight
of the comatose ninja King. His skin was extremely pale, making him look
more like a ghost than a flesh-and-blood person. Thick white bandages were
wrapped tightly around his chest, and the Masamune laid on a table next to
the bed. "You� you cast healing spells on him?" she asked softly, brushing
his hair out of his face affectionately.
Asura nodded. "The most powerful I know."
"D-do you know why they aren't working?" Rydia picked up his hand and
laced her fingers through his.
Asura sighed. "I believe it's because of the Masamune's magic. It was in
the Lunar caves for many years guarded by that Ogopogo dragon. It also may
be because," she paused. Taking another breath, she said deliberately, "he
might not want to be healed."
Not letting go of his hand, she turned to Asura. "What?"
"Rydia, for a healing spell to work, you have to want to be healed.
Remember how Cecil told you of Palom and Porom turning to stone, and how
Tellah's spell didn't heal them? They wanted to become stone � to save
Cecil and the others. Edge has to want to live."
The tears flowed from Rydia's eyes in rivers now. "And why wouldn't he
want to live? Does he hate his life?" Her voice was cruel.
Asura's tone remained gentle, as she knew what Rydia was going through.
"I think� I think our young ninja needs to know someone want him to live."
Rydia's gaze connected with the Queen's. "How?" she asked. "How can I
tell him? There must be a way."
The Queen smiled. No hesitation. A good thing. "You are willing to do
anything?"
Rydia nodded, her grip on Edge's hand tightening. "Anything. Name it."
Here's the telling point� hopefully she knows the answer. "Trade your
life for his?"
The question hit Rydia like a physical blow. Would I? she thought, her
mind picturing Edge, his smiling face, his wrong-thing-at-the-wrong-time
words. He was the embodiment life to her. The energy, the emotion, the
strengths, the flaws � everything seemed to suggest life to her. And she
knew her answer. "My life is forfeit, for he is life. Yes."
*******************************************
It seems Rydia pulled a "I hate you, I hate you, I love you" with Edge,
don't it? Well... there's an explanation for that in coming chapters so
don't worry!!!
~Kitiara
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sailor Tenku, Senshi of the Fanged One
Church of Ryoga Deaconate
Proud Member of C.A.S.K.E.T.
Avid Member of the Senshi Armada
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Who the hell are you?" ~Sailorjupiter, Sailormoon SuperS: The Movie