Musia by Deona Lindholm

 

 

Chapter 1:  Darkness Arising

 

    

     It was so strange...

     It was the first thought that the strange winged woman was aware of thinking, and this thought made her aware that she was...nowhere.

     I remember something...six people in my time, undoing the time compression.

     Then a scene, possibly a memory, appeared in her mind...six people, all from the past, including the one she posessed in order to free her kin.

     I remember now!  Those six caused me to be here where I didn't even have a memory...Squall, Zell, that girl who I was after, Ellone...even Rinoa sent me here!  I am Ultimecia...

     "Revenge will be mine!  I don't care what it will take, but I'll get even with them!" she said,  and a second later she was shocked that it was spoken, not thought.

     There may be a way to get your revenge...

     A book, engulfed by a strange light suddenly appeared before her as the dark voice spoke, This book contains secrets of this multiverse...and within you may find a way to get even with the ones who sent you here.

     The woman floated over to the lit book and opened it, starting to read.

     As she read the words in the book, Ultimecia started glowing as well and felt knowledge and great power filling her.

     "So...these few spread throughout the multiverse...never imagined they could hold such powers," she said in a low voice, "Hmm...and no cona-trey in so long..."

     The power I gave you will let you travel between time, space and dimension.  Gather them all and you and the other will control everything!

     "Thank you," the sorceress said, "but who is this 'other one' I am to share everything with?"

     He is in another world, in the same shape you were in...the same world as one of your first targets.

     "What is this man's name?"

     Ghaleon.  Now, take the book with you and hold on, I will send you to the first world...

     With that, the sorceress Ultimecia disappeared from the black nothingness.

 

**********

 

     "Mommy!"

     The little child's voice calling to her snapped a young woman with dark hair's thoughts.

     She looked around her, suddenly wanting to see something that she knew…and not something that was…alien.  That very desire set off a feeling of fear and foreboding.

     The room she and the child were in would be considered vast to everyday folk, but in this mansion that they lived in, it would be more medium-sized, with white walls and green baseboards.  There were several instruments in different parts of the room, including a piano, a harp, guitars and flutes that were in their cases…and in one part of the room was something that resembled recording equipment.  She knew quite a few people at the bar where she used to play that would be envious to see this music conservatory.

     The woman, before she had gotten married, had been a piano player at a bar that was part of the hotel in the city, and had begun singing.  She had recorded one song, one that few knew the true story about.  She had written it after speaking to a male patron that had always come to see and hear her play the piano, heard about his desires in life as well as fears.  She had started to truly fall for the man that night, although fate would not be so kind as to allow it.  The same night, he had been called onto an assignment and departed the city…and had not returned since.

     “Mommy?”  The voice held more concern as the child looked at her.

          That was strange, she thought, For a minute, I thought I felt something dark being born while I was singing.

     "Are you okay, mommy?" the child in front of her asked.

     The little girl that peered at the older woman greatly resembled her mother, and almost nothing like her father…as far as looks went.  The woman had the feeling that when the child grew up, she might have quite a stubborn streak…something that her father posessed.

     "I think so, dear," she replied as she took a deep breath, "Just something in the air."

     An evil female voice spoke, coming from nowhere.

     "You don't know the half of it."

     At that moment, a blue and black vortex opened up in the music room that the woman and the little girl were in.

     "Rinoa, get out of the room!  Go get help!" the woman said urgently.

     "Mommy!"

     "Now!"

     Rinoa gulped, nodded and ran out of the music room.

     As the door closed, a mysterious, tall woman with sharply edged wings walked out of the vortex.

     "Hmph.  I saw someone leave just now…oh well.  It’s not worth my time to go after her…right now, that is.  I had best hurry." the woman’s voice was strangely harsh, and at the same time, it had the tone of a rather haughty, upper-crust woman, perhaps a noble from stories of old.  She glided as she moved, even when she turned towards the remaining occupant.  “Julia Heartilly?”

     "Y-Yes?"

     The woman smiled coldly and her eyes took on an eerie glow as she said, "Well, well...the first one.  You are going on a trip, Julia...a very long one."

     Julia blinked as if distracted and said, "A trip?  Not with you.  Wh...what are you...doing..."  She shook her head twice, finding it very hard to think clearly, if at all.

     "You're very sleepy, aren't you?" the strange woman said as the glow in her eyes flashed in a set pattern, "Poor, poor thing, so stressed out.  You certainly need to sleep, right?  Just relax..."

     "Hmm...maybe you're right," she muttered and within a minute, she seemed as if she were sleeping on her feet, and swaying slowly to the left and right.

     Humans…they talk tough, but they’re so weak-willed that only a little suggestive speaking is needed, she thought as her smile grew wider.  If all of them are as easy as this, we will be done quicker than I thought.  "Now, Julia, come here to me.  Destiny awaits you..."

 

     General Caraway and two military soldiers arrived outside the music room's door a second later.  His daughter had run as fast as she could.   When she saw him, she was screaming that mommy needed help in the music room and would not say why until they were near the door.  That was when he heard two sets of voices speaking.

     “Hmm...maybe you're right," one voice spoke rather sleepily, and within a few seconds, the men heard loud snoring.

     "Now, Julia, come here to me.  Destiny awaits you..." the second voice spoke, one that was filled with power and confidence.

     "No one is taking my wife and getting away with it," he growled and opened the door.

      He saw with wide eyes as Julia and Ultimecia walked slowly through a strange, swirling vortex on one of the walls.

     "Oh, bother.  Little rats," the sorceress grumbled and waved an arm, freezing the general and his men in place.

     The two women then stepped inside and the portal vanished.

     Five minutes later, Caraway blinked, then slowly began to move.  The others with him follwed within another minute.

     “What do we do now, sir?” one of the soldiers asked him.

 

**********

 

     He found himself on a large balcony-like structure, sword in his hand.  In front of him was a pale man with long white hair, wearing dark robes...and he had an evil smile on his face.  Above them all, the sky was darkening to cold, evil black.

     "Well, well," the evil man said coldly, "So you're their champion, eh?  Not much to you, I see.  You got this far, I'll give you that.  However, those ladies behind you will ensure that I will win this...won't you?"

     He turned and saw six women standing on something that seemed like a stage...and only one of them did he recognize right off.

     "Elhaym?" he asked, "What are you doing here?"

     She didn't seem to recognize him and nodded to the others, which included a rather deformed...no, mutated person with extremely long hands and arms...and no real legs that he could find.

     There was one other person he saw that made him go pale...

     Yui?  No...it is not her.  She died some time ago.  Then who is she?

    The strange look-alike and the mutated woman started singing a strange tune...one that started strange changes from inside him.

     The evil man shouted angrily, "No the target is me, not him, you simpletons!"

     The woman who could pass for Yui then shouted, "Mitochondria...be free!"

     He was then blinded by a bright light surrounding him.

 

     Citan sat up in the bed, breathing hard and shivering.  After a minute, he looked about him.

     "Blast it," he said quietly, "That is the third time this week that dream has happened.  This time, I saw their faces...including Elly and the other one.  But why does she look like Yui?"

     Beside him, a little face appeared beside the bed.  He blinked a moment, waiting for his vision to clear and when it did, he saw the face of his only child.

     She had her mother’s hair, although very short, and her father’s eyes that shone with intelligence.  Right at that moment, though, that fair face also expressed concern, like it had twice before.

     "I think I am fine, Midori," he managed to say, "It was the dream again."

     Although this was the third time this week he had the same dream, Citan had experienced it only twice in the previous month, and none before then.  After the third time, he had told his daughter all about it.

     "Again?" the child asked, surprising him.  After all, she rarely spoke, although she was very capable of it.

     "Yes.  And the women...they were changing me this time."

     She then asked, "Who is Mitochondria?"

     "I have no idea," he muttered, his mind rather clouded from sleep as well as confusion.

     Midori nodded and simply went back to her bed, saying quietly, "Darkness arising...two join together to gather all of them in the palace."

     That got Citan's attention and he asked, "Who are they?"

     She stopped, turned around, blinked and said, "Julie, Eve, Victoria, Althena, Elly and Dena."

     This made the doctor more confused and he said, "Midori, we will discuss this in the morning.  For now...good night."

 

**********

 

     You have done well.

     The voice sounded in Ultimecia's ears and her mind.

     Instead of the nothingness that she regained sentience in, she and Julia were sitting in a small house that her benefactor had created within…a strange kind of mist that gave off a soft glow, yet changed color every couple of seconds.  The voice had informed her that if anyone tried to step outside of the house, the person would die as quickly and surely as though she were in space.

     Her captive was still sleeping deeply, even as she sat in a wooden chair that was to Ultimecia’s right.  Both chairs were simple in their construction, yet at the same time, were elaborate due to professional gilding throughout them.  Julia’s state would continue until the winged woman chose to let her awaken…and that would not be until they were elsewhere, with her…partner.

     I'm glad you approve, she thought.

     The other one is on his way here with another of them.  Once the four of you are here, you will all proceed through the portal that I shall open.  Keep the musical notes in mind.

     That I shall do, Ultimecia thought with an evil look in her eyes and a matching smile.

     Wonderful.  Oh, and Ultimecia...do not be too alarmed by her appearance.  For her, it is quite...natural.

     How so?

     You will see.

 

**********

 

     The woman that the voice spoke of found herself in quite a predictament.

     A few moments ago, her body, her own human body, was on the verge of melting from her battle with that human, Aya at the statue they called the Statue of Liberty.  Before her form started to disappear, there had been a blinding light surrounding her and then...darkness.  She couldn’t even feel her body, and her very thoughts were starting to disperse…a feeling that was at first uncomfortable, then became alarming.

     What happened to me? she thought, Is this...dying?

     "Nowhere near what you're thinking," a sinister, male voice said out loud, although she couldn't tell where it came from.

     "Who are you and what did you do to me?" she asked in the same manner.

     The darkness parted like curtains and she saw a tall man with short, white hair wearing dark robes walking towards her.

     "Since we'll be working closely...I may as well tell you.  I am Ghaleon.  You must be the original female I've heard so much about."

     "I am Eve," she said coldly.

     "I know what you really are but let's not split hairs, shall we?  You, woman, are coming with me, to be blunt, whether or not you like it."

     "And if I don't?  Why would I, the ultimate life form, go with someone like you anyway?"

     "Well, ultimate or not, I can bring you in by force if necessary.  A little demonstration, come to think of it..." Ghaleon said, waving a hand, causing both him and Eve to disappear.

 

**********

 

     The next thing she knew, she and Ghaleon stood in a small house that seemed to float in the middle of colorful mist…and before two more women, both sitting.  One of them was normal, except for the fact that as she sat in a wooden chair, she was sleeping, and very deeply from the looks of her.  The second one, though, was the farthest thing from normal.

     Like I have any room to talk, Eve thought as she took in the woman’s long, black dress, her hair and her grey wings that were rather sharp and angular.  The eyes made her internally smile.

     “Eyes that make cold-blooded killers seem warm,” she murmured, which earned her a sharp glare from her captor and a sharp order to be silent.

     How shameful that I’m admitting that the mother of the ultimate being has been captured, she thought bitterly.

     "You must be Ultimecia," the man spoke, "I am Ghaleon.  With me is...Eve."

     Ultimecia smiled coldly and said, "Eve, eh?  So that what the voice meant by your appearance...if I didn't know better, I'd say you were a mutant."

     "A mutant?  Woman, you look more the part than I ever would," she snapped at the sorceress.

     A full-length mirror materialized in the room, looking as though it were actually part of the left-hand wall.  Like the chairs, it too was simple yet elaborate.

     "Maybe you should look in a mirror," Ultimecia said, pointing to the object with a little smile.

     Eve looked into it, seeing that she had reverted to the first form she had taken...torn red dress, hair disheveled, hands and arms extremely long, no legs but a green, curled thorn-shaped object in their place.

     "What did you do to me?  Where are my legs, my wings?"  Her voice was frantic, disbelieving and angry, all at the same time.

     “You should be more grateful, Eve,” Ghaleon snapped, “When I found and retrieved you, you were at the point of dying in that," he sounded disgusted as he said, “insidious slime pool.  If you don't do as we say, I can very easily send you back there to die.”

     “What makes you think I can't morph my way out?”

     "Easy," Ultimecia answered this question smoothly, “If you do, you'll die just as fast.  Believe me, I was told this in good faith.  I wonder, Eve, is it possible for even you to survive in an environment that is just like outer space…?”

     She’s got to be kidding me.  Of course I--  The thought cut off in mid-train as she realized what was said.  Outside of this house was  the same as stepping into space.  No living thing could survive for even a half-second.  The image began to form in her mind, unwillingly, of her materializing in it, trying to take a single breath while her body—

      For the first time since Eve had awoken inside Melissa Pearce, she was frightened for her very life.

     "Very well," she grumbled, "What do you want of me?"