Back to home page
Back to "The Blue Sky" contents page
Back to previous chapter
THE BLUE SKY
(BASED ON "FINAL FANTASY")
BY
SOPHIE GREEN
CHAPTER FOUR
When Tyght came too everything around him was silent. He had no way of knowing for how long he had been unconscious for. He found himself encased in stone, with a bubble of air around him. Once again, his trusty staff had saved his life.
The others would be long gone by now, something that he was in two minds about. Whilst he wouldn’t have to see that witch again, he wouldn’t know if he would see any other survivors of the catastrophe.
But, he thought, first things first. He had to get out of here. He held his staff in his right hand and concentrated. The staff told him that it would create a path for him to walk down.
He opened his eyes, and saw the rocks in front of him slowly moving. First they parted to the side and then, as he stepped into the gap, they passed by his side and moved behind him. By this point more rocks were parting in front of him, and the same pattern was repeated.
If it wasn't for this staff he would have died many times over by now. He first found it when he had gone on a hiking trip when he was younger. He’d wandered far away from the rest of his group, and it was getting dark by the time he realised that he was lost. It was getting cold, and he was hungry. It was then that he saw the staff, placed in the ground like a stake. It urged him to take it, told him that it would keep him safe, though he never understood how it spoke to him. He always just felt woods in his head, rather than hear them.
When he had returned to his group, the Elder amongst them, after getting over his initial shock, told everyone to bow down, for Tyght was holding Leven’s staff. Leven, he later learnt, was a great man who lived many centuries ago, and who had learnt how to use magic in harmony with nature, a skill that had been lost in the mists of time. Ever since Tyght had acquired the staff he had tried to acquire the same skills as Leven, with the staff being his guide. But he was always just one step short of success. He would get close to unlocking the secrets of Leven’s skills, but would always fall one step short of acquiring these skills for himself. But he never gave up.
Before long he found himself outside of the mountain. The rain had stopped, but the sky was still black with lighting streaking across it. There were still a few rivers of magma flowing, but most of the ground was passable.
Tyght started walking. He had no idea where to, but there was nothing else to do. Everything was gone, his home town, his friends, his world. And to find out that this was all the Emperor’s doing just filled him with rage. He had always spoken out against the Emperor. But he had always thought that he had been intending to invade the Republic, not destroy the world alongside Geevan. Even now he was angry that people hadn’t taken action against the Emperor. The Republic had been more than strong enough to mount an invasion, but they had always held off from doing so, for fear of the trouble that war would bring, preferring instead to appease the Emperor where they could. Now it would appear that the appeasement policy had ended up with some very grave consequences.
And then Lisa had described him as one of these “Warriors of Light”. Quite what she expected him to do he had no idea. It had only been a few moments from her declaration until he had become separated from the others. He wondered if he would ever see them again, and whether they would have any luck with the quest to find the four Crystals.
Soon Tyght saw a small lake in the distance. By the side of the lake he saw someone dressed in black with a hood over their head sitting by the side of it. He was relieved to have found another survivor. Tyght called out, “Hello there,” but there was no reaction from the figure. He walked up to them and said “Hello” again.
The figure spoke without turning to look at him, “You carry Leven’s staff.”
“Y...yes...” Outside of Glemack Town few people had ever heard of Leven, let alone recognise his staff.
“Then you have been chosen.”
“Yes, that’s right. I am one of Lisa’s ‘Warriors of Light’.”
“No, not by Lisa, but by Leven himself, when his staff was presented to you. You have been chosen by him for this very day.”
Tyght was starting to feel a little uneasy, “I’m sorry, but who are you?”
“I am Leven’s servant. I have worked for him for many centuries. He always feared that this day would come. And now that it has it is time to put things right. It is not too late. The Emperor may have upset the balance of the world, but now, with the help of Leven, we can bring about a new world order, one where mankind lives in harmony with nature. You are key to our plans, Tyght. Your staff now has the power to destroy the Emperor, restore the balance of the Crystals, and bring about this new world order.”
“But how am I supposed to do this? I have been separated from the others, and I don’t even know where to start. I don’t even know where the Crystals are?”
“I have been sent to guide you, sent by Leven himself. I will lead you to the Crystals, and help you to defeat your foes. Together, with Leven, we will bring peace to the world. An eternal peace. That is what you want, is it not?”
“Yes, it is.”
“But before there can be peace there must first be war, a great war, a war to end all wars. You must be prepared to fight this war, Tyght, for it will be long and bloody. You must be sure of you aims, feel it in every fibre of your being. You must stop at nothing to achieve your goals. Now is not the time for weakness. You will have to make some hard choices, but I will be here to guide you. But once the choice has been made, you must stick to it! A changeable mind at this time will only add to the chaos that is already in this world.”
The figure stood up, but kept his back towards Tyght. The figure then said, “And so now you must make your first choice – do you wish to join with me to bring about peace to this world?”
Tyght thought for a moment. This meeting was certainly unusual, but then everything about the world was now unusual. This figure, however, knew about the staff, and he also knew his name. How could he have possibly known about them if he wasn't telling the truth? Leven must still be alive somewhere in some form – maybe not in body, but perhaps as an angel in heaven, or as a spirit throughout the world. Yes, Tyght wanted there to be peace in the world, and now a way was being presented to him, and he had to take it.
“Yes,” he said, “I will join with you. What is you name, friend?”
“You do not need to concern yourself with my name, for it is old and ancient. Just know that I am with you. Now that you have made your choice you must start your mission. But you must not tell anyone else about it. It must remain hidden, otherwise you will fail.”
“But what about Gaian, Bevern, and,” he spat out the last name, “Sianna. Lisa said that we were all ‘Warriors of Light’, that we were all to restore the Crystals. Surely we can tell them. I’m sure that they would want to work towards the same ends as we do.”
“No! They must not be told! Yes, you will work for them, but your task is greater and mightier than theirs. Lisa only wishes them to restore the Crystals to prevent the Emperor using Geevan’s power to destroy the world. But she will be too afraid to take the next step, to fight the war to end all wars, to bring about the eternal peace that this world seeks! If the others were to learn of me, if Lisa were to find out about our plans, they will ruin them. Yes, they may restore the Crystals and foil the Emperor’s plans, but how long will it be until someone else rises up to take his place? How long before the world faces another catastrophe, as sure enough it will? She lacks the will required to bring about an eternal peace. But you and I shall take that step for the world. You, and I, and Leven.”
“I understand.” Tyght could feel the enormity of the task ahead of him. He could feel that there was going to be a great struggle ahead of him, but that it was a struggle that he had to go through. A battle that he had to fight, for the good of the world. It had suffered for far too long. He could fell that his staff had someone got hotter, he could feel its warmth almost, but not quite, burning his hand.
“Then,” said the figure, “It is time. I will join with your staff, and lead you to the others. Go where I direct you, and you will find the Crystals. I will manifest myself to you again when Leven has further instructions for you.”
The figure turned around. Tyght got a shock when he saw inside the figures hood – there was nothing there! The figure took hold of the staff in both hands, and it seemed as though he was sucked into it. The staff started to shake a little, but, after a few moments, began to settle down.
A light then emitted from the top of the staff, and it seemed to engulf him, blinding his eyes. When he could open them again he could see that he had somehow shifted location, with the mountains now far in the distance.
He could see Gaian, Bevern, and Sianna walking towards him, and that they had spotted him. This was going to be difficult to explain.
Forward to next chapter
Back to "The Blue Sky" contents page
Back to home page