One to be Feared

We stepped aboard the magnificent C.I.D. prototype airship. Our destination was to find Prishe somewhere amidst the Jeuno armada as we made our way to meet Bahamut. Hardy adventurers stood by my side, comrades in arms through many battles, and I felt safer because of them.

Barely had we set off into the sky before we realized it was not to be a carefree ride. That treacherous Nag'molada had brought out his mammet puppets to slow us down while he dealt with Prishe on another airship. Lordstorm courageously drew their attention and kept the rest of us safe as Zadine, Zephiris, and Miur engaged one after the other on more favorable terms. Verrick and I stayed out of the fighting ourselves, knowing we were needed to keep everyone up and healthy. we made short work of the mammets, and advanced to the next ship.

This one was not so easy. Nag'molada sent a strange biotechnological weapon against us, the likes of which I had not seen before. We were determined to see our way through any foe, however alien it may be, and rushed into battle with Omega. This fight was not so clean. It released wave after wave of energy, rolling over each and every one of us, fatiguing even those of us in the back, furthest away from it. Lordstorm, bearing the brunt of Omega's attacks, was the first to fall and I did not last long after that. In quick order, Omega tore through our defenses and dropped each of us. Luckily, I had prepared for such an occurrence, and had a ward to bring me back so that I might do the same for my party members. Miur had fallen too close to the feet of the monster, meaning he could not rise until we all had unweakened from our knockouts. We regrouped, charged back in to face Omega, and this time it could not stand against us.

We waited a few moments on the cleared deck of the airship, restrengthening ourselves and reviving Miur, the last to rise. We had one more grim task ahead of us, as we saw another alien weapon awaiting us on the final airship.

Ultima was brutal. It dropped bomb after bomb on us, enfeebling us with effects even as it damaged and wore us down. Our hearts were strong, and we stood again its fury for many minutes. Then, a slip occurred. I went down to a knee to rest, just as Ultima targeted Lordstorm. By the time I was standing again with a spell forming on my lips, it was too late, our paladin had fallen. My heart sank as I felt my delay had just sealed our fate against this one.

Verrick was not so quick to quit. A cry for "Pump it!" went out, and Zephiris managed to stall the next attack headed towards us. I went to work bringing Lordstorm back to his feet. The moment he arose, I saw another deadly attack coming towards us. I scrambled through my pack, and barley managed to get my CCB Polymer Pump out in time to stun Ultima's next attack, which certainly would have killed us all.

The battle grew desperate, and our fighters had to dig deep within themselves to find the strength we needed to survive through this. Lordstorm, weakened and barely conscious from his recent fall, drew Ultima's hate and used the protection of a paladin to deflect all blows. Zadine focused his spirit into his fists, and they became a blur as they slammed into Ultima again and again. Miur positioned himself perfectly for an unexpected attack, and quickly, Ultima began looking as hagard as we were. Verrick chained spell after spell in his attempt to bring the monster down before it could recover and front another attack.

Suddenly, we were out of resources. Zadine grew tired and his fists began to slow. Lordstorm's protection had worn off, and was vulnerable once again. Zephiris had lost her wyvern, and was fighting solely with her polearm. Miur was no longer in an optimal position for a damaging attack. Verrick's spells slowed, and I was near the end of my magic pool. Ultima may have sensed this as well, because it readied one last bomb to drop on us. Zephiris quickly advanced with a five thrusted attack, and Lordstorm charged forward with his shield in hand the bash the monster's concentration, stunning the attack.

Perhaps that shield held an enchantment unknown to us. Perhaps the weakened spirit of the paladin surged forth as it connected with Ultima. Perhaps we had simply worn down the unnatural beast so far that one simple stun was what it needed to realize its wounds and succumb to them. I do not know. At that moment, it was over. We stood bloody, battered, and bruised, but still we stood while our enemies did not.

Nag'molada would not be drawn into battle, and instead taunted the Wyrm King and fled. Bahamut exchanged words with us, then prepared to charge a Mega Flare that would wipe us out. In our state, we had no chance of stopping him. Tenzen stepped forward, and used the power of the Phoenix Blade to shield us from the blast. Even with the power of a terrestrial avatar, our airship was crippled from the mighty energies and we crashed into Lufaise Meadows. Our flight was short, having only lasted forty minutes and ten seconds, and we were still on the Tavnazian Archipelego. Despite the distance traveled in miles, we each knew we had come a long way in that short time as we banded together on the grass as we had on the deck of the flying ship.