timeandtides_backup | [Thread;Closed] Collapse of Immortality

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[Thread;Closed] Collapse of Immortality

Characters: Matoya, Minwu, Rinoa, Squall, Ellone, Marlene, Onion Knight
Progress: In-progress
Summary: Mayoya's final hurrah
Location: Matoya's Cave
Date: June 30th
Warnings: death, crabbiness, surprise scanty clothing?
Other: Party-style tagging for speed?

Truth be told, despite all her grumbling about being too old for the task of managing the portal, Matoya could have quite well managed all on her own. Asking for the others to be brought wasn't insurance that she did not fail or falter, but was meant to be a lesson for the powerful females she had sent for. The ancient witch wasn't at all convinced they'd learned anything, but then her vision only extended so far into the future. Vision which was slowly reaching its end. No more prophecies, no more being haunted by pasts and futures colliding. Her task was complete, even if she would not see the realization of all that had been laid before her weary eyes.

With no noticed to any of the others, she extended a hand and closed the portal, weaving time and space together if it were as simple as blinking. She arched an eyebrow at the ladies as if daring them to complain about what she'd done at all. Her gaze then turned to the young white wizard in the group, with a penetrating stare that belied her blind state.

"It's time."

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Ellone noticed the portal closing before anything else. She'd spent so much time here in this cave that it was nearly impossible not to notice the tiniest thing these days, the smallest difference. A lot of that time had been spent watching over Marlene and making sure she was okay and not bored or in danger at all. Her promise to Tifa hung over her head. If anything at all happened, she was more than prepared to protect the little girl.

Still, with the portal closing and those two words from Matoya, Ellone's danger senses were starting to tingle. She tucked a chunk of hair behind her ear and frowned over at the older woman, worried.

"Time for what?" she asked hesitantly. Were they done here? Did this mean they needed to go home?

Rinoa didn't like Matoya. She respected the old woman for her power and wisdom, but she was grumpy and snappish. She also did things like this, where she'd suddenly get up and do something without any warning. It was just inconsiderate.

So the moment she realised the portal had closed, she did complain. Loudly. "Hey! What are you doing?"

She glanced over at Ellone and Marlene, sure that they must have noticed too.

The Onion Knight had discovered something here, in this old cave, that he'd never known during the conflict.

Boredom.

He was bored out of his mind, being allowed to leave for Tidus and Yuna's wedding and the struggle to get Reis to eat the only real breaks in the monotony. He'd brought books, texts on strategy and war, to read but ha got through them in the first few days. Yuna had helpfully thought to send more but they'd been children's stories. Which he'd pointedly ignored and handed off to Marlene. Matoya's bookcases looked promising but the one time he had dared to try to take a text from them it had been in a language that he didn't understand and that seemed to change the more he stared at it. The way the blind old woman stared through him when he returned the book after taking it without asking made him unwilling to try again. It might have just been his imagination but those brooms had been accidentally hitting his ankles a lot more since.

And so the second something happened he was on his feet instantly, hand on the handle of his sword, between the seer and Marlene.

Marlene had learned a few important things in her short life. Listen when you're told to do something. Don't talk back to your elders. Especially cranky old ladies who could turn you into a broom. She didn't want to be a broom. She liked being a little girl. So therefore, she listened whenever Matoya ever said something. She had come to respect the older witch.

"What? We're done?" Did that mean they could go home?

He'd hated this. He'd known what was to happen. Been sworn into assisting in what was to happen, and as such had lingered in the cave, by the fire, doing nothing but reading the entire time. Most had moved on. Most escorts, most helpers including Ricard, leaving nothing but the sorceresses and indeed those which would not leave. He'd decided to speak to none of them. Merely to wait until he was required -- until his part in this was to start. And he'd busied himself with the texts the onion knight had abandoned as gibberish.

"Yes. You are." He responded to the little girl, stepping forward from where he'd been idle for many days, beside the fire. "Thank you for your assistance." he added, in Rinoa's direction. Yet there was something in his tone, his words, his expression that betrayed his usually calm, almost emotionless exterior. It was regret.

The book within his hands closed of it's own will and found it's own place amongst it's brothers and sisters. "I would ask if you were ready." he whispered, while inclining his head to her in the most courteous of bows. "If only to hear your ire once more."

A stern, soul-piercing stare went first to Rinoa, then to the child's little protector. Matoya wasn't particularly pleased with either of their responses and felt the need to let them know it before her business concluded. The comment from Minwu, however, earned him a glare. "Of course I'm ready! I've been ready for the last two millennia." Falling into her old standby of grumbling, she hefted herself to her feet and then shuffled slowly to the base of the myrrh tree giving it an annoyed rap with her staff.

She then turned, surveying their faces for whom she should choose. None deserved to shoulder the burden, the knights were unsuitable, and the older of the sorceresses was too led by her emotions to trust. No, it would have to be Minwu, though out of them all, Matoya detested leaving him with such a weight. It seemed poor gratitude to her.

"I bequeath what is mine to you. Be a better steward of it than I have been."

As she released her power, little by little so as to not shatter the unfortunate mage, the first to go was the illusion of her appearance. It faded away to reveal her as she had been in her youth (http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110307092447/finalfantasy/images/3/34/FF_Legends_Matoya.png), eternal youth which she'd rejected as useless and preposterous in her hermitage. A meaningless remnant of days where she'd known joy and had danced. For a fleeting moment, her mind raced in wonder if she could even remember what it felt like to do so, then shoved it away as a fruitless effort.

Slowly, she sank to her knees, determined to at least die with some semblance of dignity, and then slumped over onto the floor to breathe her last. At that moment, every broom in the cave clattered to the floor, lifeless as their mistress, no longer sustained by her pity and magic.

Ellone glance to Rinoa with a small headshake and then to Marlene's knight with the same. She knew Matoya wasn't going to do anything to them, so their reactions weren't going to help. Still, she didn't say anything, watching Minwu - whose presence she had been confused about from the moment he arrived - as he walked up to the old woman. None of this was making sense. What was going on?

The illusion fading brought a hand to Ellone's mouth as a soft gasp escaped her. She moved quickly to Marlene's side, placing a hand on the little girl's shoulder. Unsure of what was going on, Ellone knew she had to be ready for anything. Watching what looked to be a death sentence, the now-oldest of the women felt tears against her cheeks. She wanted to turn back time, save Matoya from this fate, but something in the words that had been spoken told her... maybe this was what the old woman wanted.

Maybe this was what was supposed to happen. Power used for good, power used sparingly. It all had consequences.

Nothing needed to be said, nothing came to Ellone's mind. All she had were the tears.

The glare only made the knight more defensive, but Ellone's headshake made him take his hand away from the hilt of his sword. Something about her was trustworthy and strong in the same way that Terra was.

As Matoya fell he looked to Marlene, taking her hand in silence. This was- familiar, though he couldn't say from where, in a way that felt correct. If not at all comforting.

Marlene's free hand went to her mouth to stifle a gasp. This... this shouldn't be happening. Why did anyone have to die? The youngest sorceress felt the tears coming to her eyes, a few droplets falling to her cheeks.

It wasn't fair.

It was all he could do was take Matoya's hand as she slumped, quietly accepting the power and wincing slightly at it -- as well as the realization that she intended her fate to be bestowed to him. His skin felt as if it were burning; yet the witches desire to release it slowly had meant it was not unbearable. He moved to the floor beside her, kneeling at her side and turning his back upon the witnesses. So this -- it was the truth. The reality. He shook his head lightly and closed her eyes, lightly brushing her hair from her eyes. And he raised her hand, lightly touching the back of his lips to it as he had before -- many months ago. Then he laid it across her chest, drawing back out of respect.

Soon enough, her body began to glow and dissipate into tiny pireflies; which each made toward the branches of the myrrh tree. His gaze followed them. And he experienced the power to see for the first time.

"...Stay on your guard."

Something was coming. He knew it.

Up until that point, Squall had remained silent. He hadn't really known Matoya much, but he could understand the gravitas of this moment and really, he didn't have anything profound to say on the occasion of someone's death. Death just... happened. Still, seeing the change in her appearance was a surprise. Had she been that age all along? Stuck in the strands of time until she finally met her end?

He rather expected he wouldn't be getting an answer to either question now, even if he had asked. But no matter. They hadn't been all that important, especially in light of that last comment.

"Right."

As Matoya fell to the ground, Ellone tried to turn Marlene so she was holding the little girl close to her. This wasn't supposed to be something bad for a child her age!

And the way everyone was suddenly on guard made the hair stand up on Ellone's neck.

"Okay, Marlene?" Kneeling down, she addressed the little girl. "If something's really coming and it gets dangerous, you, me, and your knight are gonna leave, okay? I'm not a fighter, so I can't stay, and I'll really need you to keep me company, okay?"

It was more that Marlene needed the protection, but Ellone knew well how children's minds worked.

Rinoa gaped as the old woman suddenly seemed to turn back the years. She didn't understand. She saw what was happening, saw Matoya fall, youthful in death, and Minwu holding her. The entire scene reminded her of what happened when a Sorceress transferred her powers before she died.

"She..." There was no point in stating the obvious. Rinoa spread her hands helplessly, looking up at the myrrh tree which seemed to have attracted Minwu's attention. "What is it? What's going on?"

"But Ellone... what about-"

She was cut off by everyone's attention going towards the myrrh tree. Something was wrong. She could feel it. She nodded quickly at Ellone.

"Okay." She didn't want to say she was frightened, but she was.

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[Thread;Closed] Collapse of Immortality

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