Chapter XI: The Bird in the Nest

For one fleeting moment, Rykoshet’s dark eyes met with those of Tzee Xicu, and a pulse of energy erupted from between the point where their two weapons had met. The eyes of the Yagudo’s demigod shone bright red, like rubies behind her mask, and they blazed like tiny crimson stars. The two locked gazes, the weight of the Astral Signa pushing down on the edge of Rykoshet’s great sword, and in that moment, each took the measure of the other. Each knew that the other would give no less than all they had within them to win what was at stake.

Then, with a mighty thrust forward, Tzee Xicu cast Rykoshet away from her, sending the tall Elvaan skidding backwards, scraping his blade across the ground while grasping the handle to slow himself. No sooner had Rykoshet been knocked back, however, than Icon charged forward, directly behind him, axes swinging. Tzee Xicu nimbly leaped back, dodging Icon’s rapid assault as the silent warrior pressed onwards. In one swift motion, the Yagudo brought her staff up, hooking Icon’s axes over the long handle, and in a frightening show of strength, hurled the warrior directly into the air. For her trouble, she was greeted by a barrage of ice magic. The frozen spears of energy made her dig her talons into the ground to hold her balance, and she swiveled her head up to see Konstantine and Darutaru, already calling forth another spell. With a mighty sweep of the Astral Signa, a torrent of energy shot forth from around her, sending the pair of black mages hurtling off-balance.

Tzee Xicu went on the offensive, the Astral Signa seeming to blaze in her hands, though no flames came off of it. With a mighty forward thrust, she send waves of energy rippling through the air towards the downed black mages, but immediately Baeladar was there, his shield raised. He ground his teeth as the force bore down on him, but dug his feet in and held steady. Tzee Xicu poured on the power, but even as she did so, Danienne sprung up from behind Baeladar, scythe spinning over her head, and came down with a crash on the fearsome Yagudo. She swung her mighty weapon at furious speeds, driving Tzee Xicu back as she raised her staff to deflect the onslaught. The revered Yagudo’s eyes narrowed, and she smoothly transitioned her defense from a two-handed motion to twirling her staff rapidly within a single clawed hand, as her other one shot out. Instantly, Eig was overcome with the force of Tzee Xicu’s aura, and the song-spell she had been using to increase Danienne’s speed came to an abrupt halt as the Mithra bent over as if struck in the gut, dropping to her knees.

Even as Danienne began to slow, however, Atin rushed in from Tzee Xicu’s side, his great katana trailing sparks behind him as he swung it up across the ground. The Manifest deftly avoided the first stroke, but at the cost of dropping her guard to the front. Danienne landed a solid blow to the Yagudo’s torso, and Tzee Xicu grunted at the injury. Atin pressed his attack, swinging his great katana over his head and taking the stance to perform Tachi: Yukikaze. With the release of his chi through the blade, he slashed into Tzee Xicu, who felt the force erupt even through the magical defenses she had protecting her. She staggered, off-balance, even as Esane rushed in from the other side, and swung his own scythe with as much power as he could muster. A visible tear in the air appeared by Tzee Xicu as her shield was slashed, and she vainly struggled to maintain her footing before falling backwards.

Instantly, they were on her, hammering away at the defenses she had placed. The two dark knights and the samurai worked in tandem, and Tzee Xicu could not defend in every place at once. The three assailants were so focused on what they were doing that they failed to notice the glowing surge of energy forming at their feet until its spiritual power practically overwhelmed them.

All three were blown backwards with tremendous force, Danienne alone managing to plant her scythe in the ground and skid to a stop some dozen or so feet away. Atin bounced one on his back and then flipped over, landing hard on his stomach and chest, the murasame he wielded sliding harmlessly into the shallow water pool lining the bridge. Esane was simply thrust through the air, coming down on his back and shoulders, struggling to rise after the impact shook him through his armor. His scythe came down next to him, and he instinctively grasped at the handle, but then recoiled. The shaft had become so hot it burned him through the thick gauntlets he wore, and he stared at it for a moment before raising his head to see Tzee Xicu. The ruler of the Yagudo was no longer alone.

The demonic visage of Ifrit, God of Fire, hovered in the air behind her. His red-fleshed body appeared hewn from fresh volcanic rock, and indeed flames still leapt into the air from his skin. His eyes were fierce, glowing yellow like twin suns, and fire dripped from his snout onto the ground, where it hissed and smoked even on the stone floors. He turned his massive head around, curved horns glinting in the light produced by his own body, the wickedly sharp claws surmounting his hands clacking together as he awaited the will of the one who summoned him. The others reared back, gaping at the apparition before them. The beast was at least ten feet tall, even higher considering he floated unnaturally above the ground, the hooked claws on his feet never touching the earth. His scaly hide gave off such heat that the entire room, even outdoors at night, suddenly gave them all cause to sweat. The beast roared, and an inferno poured from his maw.

Betrayil was the first to act. Even as the others recovered from the initial shock of the Fire Avatar’s appearance, the ninja was already on the attack. Tzee Xicu flung her staff forward, and Ifrit instantly shot ahead, claws back, preparing to rend him in half. Betrayil blurred out of sight and vanished as Ifrit’s claws tore a shallow trench in the ground where they struck, the shadow it had attacked blinking out of existence. Turning, the beast unleashed a blast of flame, but yet again it found nothing but illusion, leaving the ground scorched and withered where it had attacked. The beast growled as pinpricks of ice shot up around its boiling flesh, the real Betrayil unleashing a barrage of tsurara upon it, his corresponding hand signals and release of chi flaring them to life with the ice-ninjutsu Hyoton. Ifrit roared, waves of overpowering heat sweeping forth, but still Betrayil pressed his attack.

“Hiraiko!” he called out, even while in motion, arching completely backwards to avoid the swipe of Ifrit’s massive claws. “Hiraiko, do something!”

“I . . . I . . . “ the summoner could not respond. She hung her head in futilety. “That’s Tzee Xicu.” She said in weak response. “And I . . . I’m just . . . “

Hiraiko bit her lower lip. She was in the presence of the most powerful Summoner in all of Vana’diel. What could she do?

“Hiraiko!” Betrayil said, screaming urgently, and the distraction was his downfall. Ifrit’s mighty arm swept outwards and took the ninja full on the side, the arm almost as big as his entire torso. He cried out as his flesh burned even while he flew to the side, landing just short of the high stone wall surrounding the area. Hiraiko shouted his name in panic, immediately running to his side.

“You are right to be scared.” She heard Tzee Xicu say as she fled.

“Oh FUCK YOU, bitch.” Came the immediate response.

Ifrit swung his head around as Tzee Xicu focused on the voice. Vile, fists clenched into tiny balls of rage, stood facing the demonic form of the fire God and the Yagudo who had summoned him. Behind him, Middlesky and Decay, their swords drawn, focused in on the duo as well. Around the three mages, the air shimmered with heat as it met the aura surrounding them, and Vile’s breath steamed as it came out of his mouth. Ifrit came forward at a charge, even as tiny droplets of water began to form on the surface of the two Red Mage’s swords. Vile stood, words of power whispered rapidly under his breath, even as the terrible beast bore down upon them. Ifrit came within a foot of where they were, arms raised of his head, preparing to destroy all three where they stood, and in that instant, Vile raised his head, and with a shout, the mages combined their forces into one. The pools of water surrounding the bridge suddenly shot up even as the liquid in the air itself gelled together, and Ifrit cried out as tendrils of water snaked out in every direction, enormous spikes shooting forth into him.

The Fire God was not to be so easily defeated, however. Almost as soon as the spell came to fruition, he blasted forth heat like a furnace, the flames which shot out from his back intensifying as he attempted to overpower the trio. Decay and Middlesky cast their swords upward, liquid energy pealing off of them in waves, even as beneath them, it shot out in torrents from Vile. Still, Ifrit pushed forward, and as powerful as they were, they did not have the stamina of a God. It became apparent that should they falter for but an instant, the Avatar would shatter through their spell, painful as it was for him to endure, and their lives would be next.

So focused was Tzee Xicu on exerting her will over Ifrit and overpowering the three that she failed to notice the blur out of the corner of her eye until it was too late.

Celeres’s fist smashed into the side of Tzee Xicu the Manifest’s face, the impact of his blow splintering the side of the Yagudo’s ceremonial mask. Tzee Xicu’s concentration broke, and Ifrit halted as if a collar around his neck had been jerked backwards. Before Tzee Xicu could raise the Astral Signa in defense, Celeres’s follow-up kick rammed like a charging wivre into her sternum. She gasped, and in that instant, Ifrit blinked out for just the batting of an eyelash. That was all the time needed.

Like an eruption, the aquan magic Vile, Decay, and Middlesky had been building to try and push Ifrit back shot forward, overtaking the suddenly defenseless deity. Ifrit’s roar shook the room as he was enveloped in the surging waves, and as the magic poured over him, he seemed to come apart, evaporating in the wind of power that came over him. The three mages stood, each drooping from the effort, the contest having drained them of their energy.

Celeres, sensing victory, pressed his attack. He brought his fist forward again, and then cried out as Tzee Xicu caught it, her talons pressing into his wrist. The Yagudo ruler rose up to her full, incredible height, surges of energy coming off of her in waves. Celeres tore his hand free, flesh scraping off, but had no time to dodge as the Astral Signa suddenly caught him across the face. He spat blood upon the ground, and felt his knee give out as the staff took him full in the side. With a contemptuous blow, Tzee Xicu sent the Monk sprawling to the side. The summoner strode forward, advancing on the trio of mages, even as Baeladar came forth to meet her. He raised his sword to catch her, but a burst of energy from her hand sent the Paladin spiraling to the ground. The mages, still worn out from their struggle with Ifrit, were powerless before her.

“Hiraiko . . . “ Betrayil muttered to his lover from the corner where she sat poised over his body. “Hiraiko, you have to help them . . . “

“But I . . . what can I . . . “ she started to say, even as Tzee Xicu attacked with all of her might. “Betrayil, help me!”

She gasped as Betrayil’s hand shot up into hers, and one of his ninja powders fell into her palm. Clutching it tightly, she turned back to the battle.

The Astral Signa came down, and with a resounding clang, met Fated’s shield.

Tzee Xicu growled as the fresh-faced Paladin held fast, standing over Vile and struggling to keep his legs from giving out. Tzee Xicu brought her staff up again, hammering at Fated, but the Paladin refused to give way. He felt the bones shake in his arm, and his heavy armor suddenly made him feel as if he were trapped inside an enormous cathedral bell every time Tzee Xicu brought the staff down. Dents formed in Fated’s shield, but with all his might, he held fast, keeping the Yagudo master at bay for every second he could.

“You are nothing.” Tzee Xicu said, halting her clubbing assault and now rearing down over Fated, her eyes blazing behind her damaged mask. She pushed the staff down with both hands, making his legs tremble to stay upright. “I can see it in your aura, sense it around you. You do not have what it takes to stand with this company, and you know it.”

“That might . . . be true . . . “ Fated responded, “but I . . . got you in position . . . for this!”

“What?” Tzee Xicu cried, even as Fated suddenly slid out from under her, the Astral Signa crashing to the ground in her hands. She raised her head, just in time for the blade from Icon’s axe to catch her squarely on the chin of her mask. A bloom of energy appeared where it had hit, Icon’s energy channeled through the axe, even as it returned to his grasp. The power from the attack was suddenly met with an opposing force from behind, and Tzee Xicu screamed as Rykoshet’s blow took her full in the back. The might of the spinning slash he struck her with hit so hard that the blade of his great sword shattered from the impact. The two bursts of energy release from Icon and Rykoshet collided, with Tzee Xicu in the middle. The flows of spiritual force rose up, and in the air above her, an enormous shimmering blast of power suddenly released, raining down upon the defenseless Yagudo.

“NOW!” Rykoshet ordered, diving to one side.

Instantly, the room came alight. Decay and Middlesky converted their physical strength into magical energy, even as Odessa and Konstantine, whom had been discretely restoring the health of all the injured as the battle raged, feverishly chanted at the duo and replenished them fully. Liyah and Darutaru, in tandem with Vile and the two Red Mages, unleashed a barrage of lightning energy, all of them under the influence of Eig’s songs, the sound of which Tzee Xicu had failed to notice picking up again with the din of battle raging about her. In one combined strike, they unleashed the full force of the power of thunder in the direct spot where Icon and Rykoshet had created a burst of light energy, further intensifying the effect. The ground shook and burst open at the feet of Tzee Xicu, who became naught but a silhouette, before even that was lost in the fury of power brought to bear against her. The following explosion shook the entire room, if not the whole of the top floor of Oztroja. Baeladar and Fated took as much of the brunt of it as they could, shielding the others from the devastating after-effects of the burst of magic they had unleashed upon Tzee Xicu.

“We did it,” Esane said, coughing up dust and smoke. “We did it!”

The others raised their heads, looking up at the whirling cloud of dust their attack had created. Liyah staggered for a moment, drained of her energy, and went down to a knee. Darutaru also exhaled noisily; glad to be done with it. The others slowly began picking themselves up, Konstantine and Odessa nearly exhausted at this point from keeping everyone in one piece during the struggle. A rush of exhilaration began to sweep through them. Esane was right. They had done it.

It was with some alarm that they realized their hair was all starting to stand on end.

“Weak . . . weak and foolish, children of Altana . . . “

“It . .. “ Rykoshet said, dropping the hilt of his now-shattered blade to the ground with a clatter, “it just isn’t possible . . . “

The dust cloud dispersed with a sudden gust of wind, and there, in the center, stood Tzee Xicu the Manifest. Behind her, glowing with a radiant aura, electricity crackling off of him after having absorbed the full brunt of Those Guys stratagem, was the Avatar of Lightning, Ramuh. His pale face and glowing blonde hair stood in stark contrast to his pitch black armor and robes, and the enormous figure towered above Tzee Xicu, the staff he held surging with the absorbed energy they had just released.

“You have proved even weaker than I feared.” She said in an indiscernible tone, almost seeming regretful. “You have defied the judgment of the Yagudo once today. Now your punishment I shall mete out personally.”

Ramuh’s eyes flared to life like lighthouses in the night, and the assemblage before Tzee Xicu had no time to even cry out before the waves of energy overtook them. The light was blinding, and the bolt Ramuh released hot enough to boil flesh from the bone. They stood helpless before it, and could only watch as their doom crashed down in the form of lightning.

The eruption from the ground shook them from their feet and knocked some few backwards completely. There was a tremendous upheaval of the earth, like wave rippling through solid stone, and something burst upwards from underneath them with a thunderous shout. Rock and debris pelted them, and the group as a whole had to shield their eyes from whatever had come up in front of them.

Rykoshet was the first to recover, lowering his hand to stare ahead in disbelief.

A colossus had emerged from the very ground at their feet, and taken the full-on strike of Ramuh’s lightning. It was a monstrous hulk, standing taller and broader than any golem, fists like boulders scraping the ground even as it stood at its full, wall-like height. Teeth bared in what resembled a grin, Titan, Avatar of Earth, stared back at the astonished Tzee Xicu.

What truly caught her off-guard, however, was the extra pair of hands suddenly on her staff.

The effects of the invisibility powder Betrayil had given her blowing off in the wind, Hiraiko stood before the ruler of the Yagudo, her hands locked around the Astral Signa. The feeling it gave off was indescribable, a connection between this world and the realm of the Avatars seemed to be forming in her very soul just by making contact with the ancient weapon. She stared up at Tzee Xicu, even as the same rainbow-hued aura which surrounded the Yagudo crept over her.

“This fight is not over yet,” Hiraiko shouted, “Tzee Xicu the Manifest!”

Tzee Xicu screamed in anger as Ramuh raised his staff into the air, electricity pouring out of it. Titan bound forward, leaping without pause into the eye of the storm. The two collided in the air above the summoners, and both Hume and Yagudo were fully aware that the stakes were victory or death.