CHAPTER
V

Firion, Maria, and Kain had the oppurtunity to see just how of a force they were dealing with. Ogres, ogre mages, and ogre chiefs; goblins, goblin guards, and goblin princes. Then there was the three black dragoons mounted on their black dragons and winged fiends. Maria shook violently. Firion hugged her close, kissing her cheek. Kain pulled the reigns to the right, taking them back to Deist Castle. They flew with great speed to the castle and arrived to Valvalicia landing also with troops from Kashuan. There were archers, mages and wizards, and knights. She and ten others had brought them in.

"Valva..." Kain's voice trailed off.

"'Thank you Valv,'" the dragooness teased.

"Valvalicia, will you marry me!" Kain shouted.

Everything was silent.

"Kain..." Valvalicia said at last. She jumped to him, kissing and hugging him tight.

Everyone cheered. There was some laughter, but it all fell silent with the rolling thunder in the distance.

It was almost midnight. Everyone stood on the castle walls awaiting the battle. Torchlight in the distance became clear in the rain. The enemy was here. Archers, the younger and older, strung their bows and drew their arrows. Maria was among them, calm and steady. Many of the white wizards were among the archers, wielding bows and arrows. Firion was commanding the knights and ground forces, all armed with shields, swords, and lances. And leading the dragoons on their half-dragons and wyverns was Kain on his White Dragon.

The force came forth. Everything was at a deathly standstill. Silence befell all under the thundering and flashing clouds. Archers positioned their weapons, white wizards cast Protect and Shell, knight raised their shields, and the wyverns and half-dragons raised their triangular heads. The battle began with a bellow from an ogre chief. A blue-skin ogre mage fired a Blizzara spell. Maria raised the defenses on the wyverns, half-dragons, and dragoons.

The dragoons and their mounts took swiftly to the skies. Nine half-dragons mounts went for the black dragoons and their mounts while others went for the goblins, ogres, and ogre chiefs. The knights threw themselves against the goblin guards, princes, and ogre mages. The archers fired their arrows at the winged fiends that soared toward them.

Firion cut down five goblin guards with a simple spinning attack. He looked back toward the castle. Maria was firing three holy arrows at once, shooting down the hell divers and flying rays. Firion grinned and turned back to the battle. Everything was going well until Vishuss sent all three of his opponents hurtling from the sky. He saved Maya and Orga. The half-dragons and their riders would have been slaughtered if wyverns had not come and saved them. Maya landed her dragon in front of Maria, sending the other archers running.

"So, hag, how are you faring?" Maya asked.

"I don't know who you are calling a hag," Maria answered, "but I am doing quite well until you reared your ugly face and that dragon of yours."

"Aren't we a little tart," Maya giggled, sliding down off her dragon. "So, sweetheart, care to die?"

"Care for me to rearrange your face?" Maria snapped. She drew a sword and her bow became a half-lunar shield. "I may be a white wizard, but like every woman of Fynn, I learned three forms of combat."

Maya laughed and drew her spear. "Time to die!"

She lunged at Maria. The white wizard raised her shield, the spear shrieking upward. Maria spun around her, the sword cutting across the black dragoon's back. Maya let out an ear-piercing scream and spun far too fast for Maria to see. The spearhead was plunged into her stomach. Maya ripped her weapon from Maria's stomach and kicked her off the edge. Maria fell, but light consumed her form and she took flight. Ultima had taken her place. She chanted and unleashed a devastating beam of holy light and power. Maya screamed in fright, but her black dragon took the blast, falling as the floor below her crumbled and gave way. Knights and archers fled the corpse's landing. Ultima chanted again, her form lighting up. She cast a spell called Starfall. Maya screamed as she turned to dust. The light faded and Ultima became Maria once more.

That's when realization hit.

"I hate it when this happens..." she growled, then fell when her float spell dissolved.

Kain caught her in midair and took her to safety. Then he went and faced Orga. The two dragoons leapt from their dragons and went head-to-head in a spear fight. The dragons began their fight as well. Kain leapt high into the air and came back down. He flipped when Orga pointed his spear up. Kain came down swiftly in front of the black dragoon and stabbed his heart with the holy lance. Orga and his dragon turned to dust. Kain looked to see only Vishuss left.

Firion met Vishuss on the battlefield. The last black dragoon tossed his spear aside and drew out a black sword. Their swords met, the blades sending sparks flying. Firion spun around Vishuss, but the dragoon raised his sword back to block the blow. Vishuss slashed at his right shoulder and landed the blow. Maria and Kain rushed to Firion's side, bow at ready and lance gripped tight.

"You think a white wizard and a holy dragoon can help you stop me?" Vishuss laughed.

"Not just any white wizard," Maria snapped. She turned into Ultima.

"What are you?!" Vishuss exclaimed.

Ultima fired her holy magick at him. She hit the ground at the man's feet. Kain had jumped up and was coming swiftly down on the black dragoon. Vishuss blocked and was beheaded by an unseen Firion. The rest of the night was filled with destroying the rest of the enemy forces. The sun rose on a bloody battlefield and Maria collapsed the moment she was herself once more. Kain hugged Valvaliccia close to her and pecked her lips. Firion sat beside his wife.

"And least we have a few moments to sit down and breathe," he commented.

Maria nodded and rested her head on his shoulder.

Kain and Valvaliccia stood and watched the sun rise. They were seated on the outer wall of Deist Castle. The dragoons turned to face each other.

"Um...we should...ere..." Kain blushed.

Valvaliccia giggled. "Don't say anything," she whispered. They leaned in to kiss when Vishuss appeared with a laughed. The two broke apart and stared in shock at him. Firion leapt to his feet, Maria pushing herself up. Vishuss fired black needles and mist from his hands. Maria, Firion, Kain, and Valvaliccia collapsed. Vishuss laughed and stomped over. Valvaliccia was the first to stand. She charged him with Kain's holy lance. Vishuss stopped her by slamming his palm into the her chest. Valvaliccia collapsed.

Vishuss and Valvaliccia vanished.

Kain stood. "No!" he screamed.

"Don't worry, Kain, we'll get her back," Firion assured him, standing. He gripped his shoulder, gasping in pain.

Maria was now on her knees. She looked to the sun, her eyes turning red. The shadow had consumed her, for she took the attack in place of Firion and Kain who would have died. No one would know, nor would they guess. They would remain obvlious for now. Only for now. And there was much to be done in the meantime. Oh so much.

THE END

Maria Lightna: Lightna is her maiden name, but since Firion does not remember his sire's name, he took Lightna as his own. Now, I needed a good twist to end book one and Maria turning secretly evil was the best I could come up with, especially since no one would see her turning evil. After all, she was the sensible one of the party. She knew Leila was trouble from the start, she didn't like leaving Firion alone with "Princess Hilda." But if you think for one moment the next story continues off with Firion, Maria, and Kain, guess again! You'll see what happens in the next book.

Notes: I do not own FF2.