THE ZODIAC WAR
^ _ ` a b c d e f g h i

Chapter 4: To Become a True Knight

The next morning Delita met his party outside the Monastery setting up provisions for the journey ahead.

"We must head east for Murond Holy Place and then take a ship towards Alexandria, the other stones will be found there." Azmar said matter-of-factly.

Beowulf once again called a flock of chocobos as he had before and they rode across the great Ivalice Plateau.

As they reached the great Cathedral of Bervenia, Delita was given unbidden thoughts of his friend who paid a great price to be a hero when everyone he ever knew betrayed him.

He bit his lip, “How many people have I misled to get where I have in life? The one moment when I could have been a hero instead of a selfish bastard.......Teta. She always loved me no matter what, but she was innocently killed right before me.” Delita remembered the helplessness he felt.

“From that moment on I never trusted in anyone else, the fool I was, but then there’s Ramza. He was my opposite in every way. And he had every right to be angry at the world for having his only family destroyed and....then he...”

As these thoughts bombarded his mind, a fiery guilt spread over Delita's body as if he was drowning in a sea of blackness.

"Ovelia, she was just like Teta, I saved her life for...what, just to be used like a rag doll for a game of politics, she was my ace and I used her frequently. Then I killed her, even though she tried to kill herself, bloody fool I was to bring flowers and a sword. Why? She did nothing except live her life as a princess ought to, we even played mind tricks with her to make her think she was never even a princess at all, she was the true heir to the throne. Even the little two-year-old boy was a ploy of Larg's to gain power. But I killed both of those hyenas didn't I? In fact Goltana wasn't even related to the royal family at all. Everything the people believed in was a lie. I believed a lie!”

“That I could truly be a righteous king found in the history books, and the church silencing permanently that loudmouth Durai. But perhaps he was telling the truth? Was Ramza really alive? He may still be, but will I ever face him again?”

Delita grimly smiled, “I'm bloody glad I gave up the crown, now I see clearly...I am the fool Ramza, I was corrupted by my own hate for Ivalice and the dumb selfish bastard sheep that live in it. I was the fool thinking I would make right a world so pompous it was filled with pustules and parasites. But the blood I meant to shed spread forth onto innocence and now I am just a monster like all the others I killed. Teta forgive me....”

An idea struck Delita as he pondered his fate,“And yet....perhaps I may redeem myself with Azmar. I will protect Amla, Azmar, and all my allies if I must--they are my only friends left. Zodiac Brave or not, I promise you, Ramza, Alma and...Teta, I will not abandon these friends I've been given."

A thunderstorm broke out high above the large Cathedral in Bervenia snapping Delita from his grim thoughts. Lightning pealed across the black sky exposing a large black figure with demonic wings unfolded standing at the top of the Cathedral Steeple.

"Up there! Is that an Archaic Demon?" shock filling Agrias’ voice.

"I think he has been summoned to seize one of us, perhaps one of us Braves," Beowulf was grim.

"We must destroy this being, even if it means one of us gets killed," said Amla quickly, and then without hesitation she chanted out.

Warriors of Light make Haste!

Take off in Flight! Float!


Immediately the entire party shot up in the sky to the roof of the Cathedral to fight the dark being. Its wings and muscles were ripcord and caused a strong wind to blow across the roof, making it difficult for the party to remain on their feet. The sad rain started to pour in rivets making visibility nearly impossible.

The demon croaked, "So you're the Zodiac Braves eh? I'm here for your leader, him! The Hooded one! I sense you have the most courage! I'll take you!"

With one swift swoop the demon dove at Azmar. Azmar rolled causing the monster to miss, but the second swoop left Azmar with a torn cape. Delita looked to his sides for his allies, but they were already in the fray trying to catch the demon when it wasn't moving about.

Beowulf swung his magick sword just within range to cast Slow on the demon, making its swoops more predictable. Reis managed to get the pounce on the demon driving her spear into its lower back, but this didn't slow down the black monster much.

Agrias hit the being with Stasis Sword only to be swatted away like a rag doll. Slow wore off and the demon picked up surprising speed. Such speed that it snatched up Azmar in its massive claws like those of an eagle. Azmar plunged his sword into the demon's side several times struggling for a release.

It didn't look as if the demon was even reacting to any sword strikes at all. It even seemed as if the monster was merely distracted by the pokes and drives of the sword. It was nearly off the roof when Delita saw it. Only a few more seconds and the demon would escape beyond their reach, with Azmar in its deadly clutches.

Delita snapped.

Ignoring the slippery shingles of the roof he ran, jumping from ledge to ledge along the top of the Cathedral, blinded by rain and brandishing a gleaming black sword, Death.

He screamed,"I MADE A PROMISE!!!"

He dove right to the edge of the roof and drove the sword expertly into the heart of the demon. Biting and clawing, the demon gasped out its last desperate screech. Then the creature plummeted down to the floor of the Cathedral, but not without releasing Azmar.

In frantic desperation, Delita plunged his sword in the side of the roof as an anchor and reached out trying to grasp Azmar.





Barely.




Just barely he managed to grasp him by the ankle.

A stiff, cold wind blew suddenly, but Delita didn't care, he made a promise to protect his new allies and he was going to keep it.

Incidently, looking down at Azmar he noticed that the hood had blown away, revealing not a scarred knight, but oddly enough a scruffy blonde warrior, hardened by war, but not a blemish on his face. Not borne of hatred or mistrust either.

Another surprise, the face reminded Delita of someone he knew....Then the face changed to an old smile that Delita knew and loved dearly.

"RAMZA!"

It was all Delita could do not to laugh for joy and let go of him, but with a great effort and some help from his friends he hoisted him back up. It was then that Delita recognized the face of the priestess who helped hoist he and his long lost friend back up.

"ALMA?!"

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