VG Rumble

Time to try out my water =)

Raven

The Gil that had been thrown into the stream resurfaced and awkwardly waded through the water. How strange. As comfortable as they were in the air, they did not seem to enjoy their natural environment.

"It's still alive!" I exclaimed, pointing in that direction and clenching my first in frustration. And as I did, the water around the Gil rose and closed in, encasing the creature in a bubble of fluid that was suspended a good few inches from the main body of water.

"Ilum, ice it!" Karana shouted as I stood there shocked.

"Okay." I watched with delight as the water paled and froze to a solid block of ice. It did not fall but rather remained in the air.

"Which of you is doing that?" Izuki asked excitedly. "Move it, smash it!"

Ilum looked over at Raven who was stunned, "It seems like this we both can control it." Ilum clenched his fist making the ball explode. "These buggers are hard to bring down, but I have an idea. Everyone step back."

They did and Ilum jumped into the air high above the fish. He placed his hands forward and ice shards formed all around him. He fired them at the creatures with many of the needles hitting, but none fell. He land next to the group.

"Ilum, what are you planing?" Karana charged some electricity into her hand.

Ilum clapped his hands together. He focused making all of the shards explode ripping the fish to shreds, "That."

Karana

I sighed. At last, the things were down.

And I was useless. I let my anger get to me, disable me...damn it!

I didn't say another word. I just walked off...back towards camp.

Ilum gained Level 1 Burst of Strength!
Karana gained Level 1 Burst of Speed!
Raven gained Level 1 Empathy!
Warren gained Level 1 Enhanced Sight!
Luke gained Level 1 Shadow!
Izuki gained Level 1 Void!
Izuki gained Level 1 Unlock!


Current Abilities:

Ilum:
Level 3 Ice
Level 1 Fire
Level 1 Gravity (Advanced)
Level 1 Burst of Strength (Skill)

Karana:
Level 2 Fire
Level 3 Lightning
Level 1 Ice
Level 1 Meteor (Advanced)
Level 1 Burst of Speed (Skill)

Raven:
Level 3 Healing
Level 1 Water
Level 1 Holy (Advanced)
Level 1 Empathy (Skill)

Warren:
Level 3 Wind
Level 1 Lightning
Level 1 Time (Advanced)
Level 1 Enhanced Sight (Skill)

Luke:
Level 3 Lightning
Level 1 Void
Level 1 Earth (Advanced)
Level 1 Shadow (Skill)
Leviathan (Summon)

Izuki:
Level 1 Void
Level 1 Unlock (Skill)

(I added another set of magic called Skill Magic. Check the first post for more details.)

Oooh, I like it. Great idea!

Raven

"Time to be going," Luke decided and we walked slowly back towards the horses.

"That was great, that was exciting, that was... so great!" Izuki exclaimed happily. "When will the next battle be? Will we fight again today?"

"This is no game," Warren snarled suddenly. "No one was hurt this time but it is not usually so safe." With that he vaulted into his saddle and led the way out, along the dirt road that led down from the cave.

"Come on Izuki, you will ride with me until we reach the next town," I informed her, helping her into the saddle and seating her in front of me.

"Can I hold the reigns?" she asked. "I would very much like to. Will you teach me how to ride?"

"Of course."

About three hours later they arrived at the mines of Rabanastre. What they hadn't expected, though, were the two guards standing in front of the hidden entrance. They tied their horses to a tree out of sight and approached.

They all kneeled behind a bush, Luke stood behind a tree and peered over the side. "I thought you said no one knew about this entrance," Warren said.

"I didn't think anyone did," Luke told him. "It doesn't matter, though. We need to find a way past them without alerting any guards to our presence."

"How are we going to do that?" Raven asked.

"Stay here," Luke told them before his body faded into thin air.

Raven blinked a few times, unable to realize what she had just seen. "...Luke?"

"Look," Ilum said, pointing toward the mine entrance. A set of footprints slowly made their way toward the two guards. When they stopped beside one of the men, that man grunted and fell to the ground. The other man started to say something when he was thrown into the side of a tree and knocked unconscious.

Luke appeared in front of the cave entrance as suddenly as he had disappeared. He waved for everyone to move in.

Karana

That was interesting. At least I was in a better mood...somewhat. I still found it hard to speak to anyone, and I simply couldn't look at Ilum. I was still so upset with him!

I brought up the rear for once, letting Izuki and Warren pass me as we made our way into the secret entrance.

Raven

"You should have warned us," I whispered when we re-joined Luke, my heart still pounding against my breast.

"This way," he said calmly. We walked across the black rock, beside an old track that held a weathered mine cart.

"Let's ride in that," Warren suggested.

"Oh yes, that would be fun. Can we?" Izuki agreed. Ilum and Karana remained silent and I noticed they stood slightly apart. What had they argued about?

Ilum looked over at Karana, but she didn't return the favor. He looked at the cart and sighed, "That wont fit all of us, but maybe..." Ilum looked around a bit, "If someone was to create a distraction."

"Out of the question Ilum," said Luke, "There is no telling how many husks are here or how powerful they are."

"I know, but who said I would stand and fight. With my last encounter i think I realized what these thing are cabable of." He looked at Karana, "Besides, I know what i'm doing."

"This is exactly what I was talking about. You are too reckless. You can't go."

Ilum walked up to Karana, though she still refused to look him in the eye. He rested his hand on her shoulder. Speaking softly into her ear he said, "A person never dies as long as he is remembered. They will live on in their hearts as you do mine my love. Even if you hate me, i'll never let you die." With that he spead away and Ilum just stood there shaking his head.

Karana

I began to run off, but I thought twice about it. I had to speak to him; I had to say what I felt. I turned around and stood right in front of him.

"Ilum, I know that!" I hissed at him, finally meeting his gaze as the others waited, awkwardly obviously. "It's just...it's you! It's you I'm afraid of losing his life, you who lets his life be haunted by memories, you who is so damn reckless!"

I sighed, rubbing my temples as I looked at the ground. This had not gone the way I'd planned...

"Just...please promise me this: you'll get on with your life and never leave me."

I looked up, tears in my eyes again. I put my hands in my pockets in case I had a desire to swing again; I wouldn't hurt him anymore, that was certain.

"Please."

Ilum gave her a soft smile, "Luke, look after her."

"Promise."

Ilum was still starring at Karana, she was waiting for an answer, "I will never leave you. I now not only fight for the past, but as well as the future. Go on, I'll catch up later."

Karana

I nodded. I knew what he meant. He meant "I fight for our future." That was more than enough for me.

I returned his smile as I kissed his lips softly. "Be careful, darling."

"Don't worry, I will be."

I backed up slowly, towards the cart. I didn't want to leave him; I couldn't leave him...but I had to. And it hurt.

I climbed into the cart, my back to Ilum; I couldn't let him see me cry.

Raven gave Luke a worried look when she asked, "Aren't you going to do something?"

"What else is there to do?" he asked. "Ilum is right, the cart is not big enough for all six of us. If he hadn't volunteered I would have stayed behind myself."

"No, you can't," Raven told him.

Luke gave her puzzled eyes.

She smiled at that. "You're the wisest and most experienced of us all. Everyone looks up to you, you're our leader. Without you, I doubt we'd be able to get out of these mines alive."

What Raven had just said stopped Luke in his tracks. He hadn't thought of himself as a leader before. He looked at everyone else. Did they think the same? "Is that how the rest of you feel?" he asked.

Ilum bowed his head. "After all that you've done for us, I would follow you into Hell itself."

"We would never have made it this far without you," Karana said.

"I've gotta say, you ARE one heck of a fighter," Warren told him.

Izuki sounded a little unsure when she said, "I haven't known you for very long, but if you give me an order I'll follow it."

Luke looked from one person to another. Their faces were so sure, so full of determination. They really did see him as their leader. Luke closed his eyes for a moment before heading toward the cart. "Come on, we'd better get going." He never was one for thanking others.

As he walked by Raven she could have sworn she saw a tear run down his cheek before Luke rubbed it away.


--Luke and Raven have established a bond of friendship. Unity is now possible for these two characters!--

Raven

I thought I saw a single tear course down his face, reflecting all the hopes we held in him but then he reached up and rubbed his eye and when his hand was lowered again, it was gone.

"Goodbye Karana," Ilum called as Izuki joined Karana in the cart.

"See you soon," Karana replied.

"Bye," Luke said shaking his hand.

"Take care," I added as Luke and I climbed into the cart and then Ilum put his weight against it and pushed us down the dip. The cart gathered momentum and soon Ilum faded from sight.

"Is there a lantern we can light?" Izuki wondered. "It's very dark down here."

*Sorry i haven't been posting much, I'm still a little hazy on these characters and situations. It's quite complex*

<Izuki>

The cart rattled along its tracks and darkness swallowed us, whilst Ilum stood like a guardian statue against the dim light. Luke rubbed his eye firmly, Raven staring at him. That was the day I came to learn that life and death isn't the only struggle heroes have to go through.

'Is there a lantern we can light?' I sighed. 'It's very dark down here.' I heard someone grunt in disapproval and retreated to Raven's side.

Somewhere up ahead a dim light shone onto the tracks. We jolted to a halt a little short of it, and climbed out into the old mines. I looked around the crumbled rocks, old support beams and many contraptions that would make a brilliant playground. Aside from the lack of light, this place didn't seem too bad. That was until a distant, coarse shriek echoed through from a tunnel further east. I moved to the middle of the group and nodded to the opposite direction.

'I think it's that way.' Yeh, of course. I was almost glad of my dreadful lying skills, at least they knew I was wrong before I could have 'three-weeks-lost-in-the-mines' over my head.