Adult-FanFiction.org : Final Fantasy

The Crystal Rule	By : QueenDraggyofSwords Category: Final Fantasy Games > Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Views: 956 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy: chrystal Chronicles, any of its characters nor am I making any profit off of them.

Chapter List
- 37
- 38
- 39
Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chime was pleasantly surprised to say the least when the door to her tavern burst open and Keiss stormed into the bar. It had been a little over week since she threw him out, and yet hear he was barging in, before hours of course. Crystal forbid Keiss actually came by when she was open like a regular patron.
"You're looking a little hot under the collar," She watched him storm his way up to the counter and take a seat. "Need a drink or a talk?"
"Both." The Selkie pulled out a map and began crossing off locations on it. Chime set down a glass of rainbow grape whine and eyed it. The mercenary absently reached out and grabbed the glass drinking nearly half of it before he realized it wasn't what he usually ordered. Keiss curled his lips and set down making a face.
"So…You got something to report to me?" The half-Selkie leaned on the counter looking at Keiss and his map. "Because you know if you don't have an answer you have to get ou-"
"He's different." Keiss tapped the end of his marker on the bar top. "He's different from other Crystal Bearers."
"…That's it?"
"No that's not it!" Keiss sighed as he looked down at the map and continued to cross off towns. "He's different because he doesn't act like he is. I mean, he does obviously, always showing off…But he's not arrogant, or pretends he's superior… When I met Layle in the tavern in the slums, every other Bearer there was convinced they were better than me. Laye just wanted to convince me he was better than them." The exiled guild member looked up at her and leaned to the side resting his cheek against his knuckles. "He's weird… His power is weird. When I met him I knew that. I told myself from the start gravity, affects everything around it. And surely Layle's powers were going to change things for me…"
"And?"
"But I didn't think they would change me!" Keiss eyed her. "I didn't think I would change for someone. I wouldn't even change for my own family. How I was I supposed to foresee that I'd change for some- some show off, daredevil, backwater, hick of a Crystal Bearer?" Chime laughed at him, but Keiss continued to stare at her. "Well?"
"It's a good answer…" She continued to chuckle as she put her hand down to turn his map her way. "You're still missing some parts- either you're omitting them from me or from yourself- but I think you're on the right path."
"…Do you think Layle will think I've changed?"
Chime shrugged and ran her fingers over the marks on the paper, "What is all this, Keiss?"
"I've been looking. Searching everywhere in Alfitaria for him since I left that last blasted mission."
"You've been busy, more than half the towns are checked off…" She looked up at him, "How do you know he hasn't been taken in for being tested yet?"
"I ran into a witness on my mission. And annoying one."
"The time Lilty again?" Keiss nodded and eyed the map, he let his marker hover over the paper as he tried to decide where to go next. "Boy that girl sure has it out for you. Hmph, maybe she thinks you're cute."
"Maybe she, and every other Crystal Bearer can take a flying leap off an airship. She's just as arrogant and annoying a Blaze. She's just self righteous instead of power hungry."
"…Blaze?" The half-Selkie wrinkled her nose as she said the name. "Who's Blaze?"
"No one important. Just a shinning example of why Layle's the best Crystal Bearer around." Kiess lowered his marker and circled a city on the map. "Here! If I was Layle, I'd go here."
Chime looked down at the city he circled, just two days south of Alfitaria. "Marr's Pass? Why there?"
"Because, that's where Oides is from. It's where his crystal research began. And if I was Layle, it'd be where I'd go to cause trouble…"

"Trouble, that's what you are, and you know it." Layle looked out the window of the train. The tiny car bumping and jolting occasionally as it rolled along; the shadows of the objects in the car swayed and moved from one side of the room to the next in the sunlight. Behind him Keiss tossed his knives up into the bottom of the bunk over his head. "I can't think of a day you haven't been. Or a night."
"I'm only as much trouble as the situation allows for…" Layle turned around and leaned on the tiny ledge of the window. Inside the train car it was dark. Moonlight filtering in around coating everything in a pale glow. His partner stood in front of him arms crossed and shaking his head.
"You stretch the limits of the situation. You're trouble. You're going to get yourself killed. And I'm going to have to be the one to clean you up off the ground."
The Clavat couldn't help but laugh at the thought of it. Of Keiss scraping up his body from where he'd been splattered unceremoniously. He put his right foot up against the wall and continued to lean back until his head bumped the window. "I'm not going to die that easily. There's still a lot left to do. I've still got a lot left to do."
"Like come home?" Keiss leaned forward and put his hands on the window, just on the insides of Layle's. "You're gonna get killed. So come home where I can protect you."
The Clavat watched him for a moment, the moon light catching in his red eyes. He was serious. But so was Layle, the Clavat turned his head away, so that the crystal in his cheek was facing his partner. "If I wanted someone to protect me, I certainly wouldn't let that someone be you."
For just a moment the only sound Layle could hear was the noise of the train clattering along the tracks and of the whistle blowing as it pulled into the station. The light from the sun was starting to heat up the back of his coat and make leaning against the window extremely uncomfortable. The next thing he knew was Keiss was leaning further forward pressing his forehead to the side of Layle's.
"Yeah that's true…" The red head spoke in a low tired voice, "But what's going to happen to me without you?" Layle slightly pushed his partner back to get a look at his face. It seemed like all the color had drained from his skin and his eyes had lost that vibrant scheming look. Keiss opened his mouth and let out some inhuman noise, like the sound of iron wheels screeching, as Oides crystal fluid poured out from his mouth. He screamed and pushed him away trying to jump back.
Layle fell to the side, off the stack of crates he'd been sleeping on in the luggage car of the train. He landed with an undignified thud, face first on the floor of the train. Slowly the Clavat lifted his head and looked around dazed and disoriented. He could feel the train's momentum slowing down. He sat up on his knees and rubbed his face. He'd been asleep. Just dreaming that he was riding on the train with Keiss.
"Keiss… That idiot," Layle slowly stood up and dusted himself off. The only thing he'd wished had been real from his dream was that he'd actually been in a train car, rather than hiding in the back with the cargo. But what could he do? He wasn't going to risk dealing with the guards at this point in time. At every city, and at every train station there were guards, waiting and checking every Crystal Bearer they saw. And as time went on he was finding that the cure was becoming less and less voluntary. Though they never out right announced it. It was just recommended that all Bearers be seen by a doctor, and from there they could decide if they wanted to have their powers 'cured' or not.
"And I bet they always decide yes. Whether they want to or not…" The Clavat reached back up to grab his bag off the crates. He had to admit, his dream had been one of the better ones. Usually they were a bit more frantic. Or usually Keiss was a bit more hands on. He slung his bag over his shoulder smirking. Hands on was probably the nicest way to describe it.
Layle waited until he could hear the doors of the passenger's cars opening before he climbed back up the crates and opened up the emergency ceiling exit he'd used to sneak on board. He pulled himself out onto the roof of the train and got a good look around at his surroundings. He could see the clear blue sky for miles, there was a slight breeze in the air, and laid out before him was the city of Marr's Pass. The train station itself was at the lower end of the city that was built up and around the jagged rocky hills that decades ago had been a set of peaks. The city boasted two major landmarks, a large statue in the center of town, where the bases of the two old peaks met. The statue depicted one of the Lilty rulers of old. And the other important feature of this city was the real reason Layle was here.
The Crystal Bearer jumped down from the train onto the platform and ducked behind a pillar. The guards were still checking everyone as they got off, now was the perfect time for him to leave the station and make his way to the University. As he ran through the station square and up the stairs he honestly questioned why he didn't think to come here first. It was where Oides had originally studied, and more than likely there was a great deal of his research on file. If Keiss had been with him he would have thought of that first rather than spending his first week town hoping trying to avoid being caught.
"Keiss…" Layle ducked into a side alley to catch his breath and think. At this time it'd been a little over a week since he'd left Alfitaria. And he'd refused every letter the mail Moogles brought him from his former partner until they stopped coming. He was sure by now the Selkie was back to work of Spinosa and Regal. He'd probably forgotten all about him. Little did he know that the truth of the matter was, that at this point in time, Keiss had stopped writing him because he was still too busy drinking his frustrations away at Chime's.
The Clavat made his way down the alley and off into the side streets of the city. The roads of Marr were paved with cobble stones. It made the roads a bit bumpy, the look of them complemented the historical look to the city. While Alfitaria had updated and reinvented itself as time marched on, Marr's Pass still held an ancient charm that belonged to the days of the caravans. There were not crystal trams here, or large central stations with crystal vision monitors giving updates of the news and entertainment. The streets were busy, but quieted down as the sun drew close to setting. The iron street lights that lined the road were the primary source of light at night. Despite being one of the most affluent cities in Alfitaria, home to many nobility and educated Lilties, Marr's Pass had more of a country village to it. Even the nobles seemed to dress in simpler fashion here to match the feel of the city.
Layle was a bit grateful for the laid back and rustic charm. To him it made it feel like blending in was a bit easier. Though he still had to keep his head down whenever he saw a guard or two walking the streets. He slowly made his way up and down the winding roads, up stairs and down stairs, around bends and up hills. The city of Marr had been built around the rocky terrain, never once did the Lilties think to cut it and make it level. They built around it, over it, but not through it. That made walking through the city tiring, if nothing else.
But Layle was close to his destination now. The University was just a few more city blocks. He sighed as he put his hand on the railing of the stairs before him. He was certain this was the thirtieth flight he'd have to walk up today. Hopefully it would be the last.
The Clavat started up the stairs, by now it was late in the afternoon and clouds were gathering overhead. It more than likely meant it was going to rain. He'd have to see if he could find a place to crash for the night with a roof over his head. He certainly wasn't going to try and get a room at an Inn. He'd tried that once before three towns ago, and found himself having to jump out the window to avoid the guards checking the rooms. Waste of money and time.
Layle was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of someone running his way. He looked up to see a Clavat girl running down the stairs. She wore a green jumper dress that came down to her knees, a bright yellow apron, stockings and black boots. Her black hair was pulled back in a long ponytail that extend from the top of her head down. She looked like she was out of breath as she ran, nearly stumbling, down the stairs towards him. He reached out his arm to catch her in case she fell, but the girl pushed him away as soon as he was within reach.
She let out a frantic gasp and shook her head as she kept running. Her shove pushed him back against the railing. All he could do was catch the panicked look in her green eyes as she flew past him. He almost called out to her, but she was far down the stairs before it really registered in his mind to do so. In the end he decided it didn't matter to him what she was up to, and he turned back around to finish his walk up the stairwell, only to see several Lilty guards at the top of the stairs pointing his way.
"There! Stop that Crystal Bearer!" Layle muttered under his breath about how close he was to his goal. The guards started to rush down the stairs at him and he got ready to knock them back. He raised his hand ready to strike the first one that came into range, but stopped short when they shouted again. "Get out of the way, citizen! Move!"
He blinked a few times, wondering if it was him they meant, but he received his answer the moment one of the larger guards shoved him to the side. Again he hit the railing as the guards ran down the stairs shouting halt. Layle stared at their backs stunned for a moment. They hadn't noticed he was a bearer.
"…The girl…" He looked up the stairs, the path now clear for him to continue unobstructed. He then looked back down the stairs at the guards rounding the corner after the black haired Clavat. "I'm not trouble," he said to himself as he pulled his back tight over his arm. "It just seems to find me."

The girl continued to run from the guards shoving over other people and stand displays as she fled. Everywhere she went people shouted and hollered at her. The guards followed, jumping over other people and over turned crates. And Layle followed right on their heels. The girl finally turned a corner only to see more guards making their way around towards her. Frantically she tried to double back, but fell short when she realized that the guards behind her were too close for her to escape down an alternate path.
"Halt, Crystal Bearer!" One of the shorter Lilties stepped forward as they surrounded her. "You are under arrest. For use of Arcane Arts, resisting arrest, endangering the lives of citizens, and resisting treatment!" He motioned for the other guards to close in on the girl.
She looked around, frantically turning in place and clutching her hands to her chest, "No! No- stay away from me-!" The girl started to hyperventilate in fear. "Don't come near me- I-I don't want to go!" She lifted her right hand from her chest and held it out, a black light formed at her finger tips. "Please- I don't want to hurt anyone!"
"Hey!" The guards stopped moving and turned their heads. Just as they were set to grab the girl, Layle had climbed up to the top of one of the iron light post. He was hanging from it, with his feet on the pole to support himself and one hand pointing at them. "I don't think she wants to go with you."
"You there, stay out of this, Clavat! This girl is a dangerous criminal!" The guard shouted at him as the girl lowered her hand and looked up at Layle startled. "She is a wanted fugitive. Stay back and let us do our work."
"She's a wanted fugitive?" Layle smirked at her and wave. Confused she looked around before waving back. "She looks like a scared kid to me." The guard shook his head and ordered his men to disregard Layle. The Clavat shook his head and shouted again, "Hey girl! You'd better run! You get one shot!"
"R-run!?" The Clavat girl looked around frantically as the guards once again reached for her. Layle raised his hand and held his breath hoping he didn't have any trouble. He grabbed onto one of the larger knights with his powers and flipped him. The man screamed as he fell over onto his stomach, and then was suddenly dragged and used to knock over several of the other guards.
"Yes! Run!"
The girl's mouth dropped in awe as the guards were suddenly knocked off their feet. One of the few remaining ones grabbed her shoulder and she screamed. She pushed him away the black light bursting from her hands and he fell to the ground gasping and groaning. She quickly darted around the fallen men and ran up the street past Layle. He dropped from the light post and laughed as the guards picked themselves up.
"G-get them! Get those Crystal Bearers!"
He raised his hands again and gave them one last flip back onto the ground before turning to run after the girl.
It didn't take him long to catch up to her, she wasn't the fastest runner. Which was unfortunate for her, because the guards were fast, and quickly gaining on them. Layle reached out to grab her arm and pull her towards an alley. "This way!"
"No!" She yanked back and pointed off toward a building. "There! It's abandoned and connects to the next alley over!" She ran for the door and took hold of the knob.
"But you've got to get it open!"Layle looked back to see the guards coming up the street. He put his hand on the door and pushed forward with his magic forcing it open and breaking the lock. The girl looked up at him startled and held up an iron key.
"Skeleton key."
"Now you tell me." She grabbed him by the end of his jacket and pulled him inside shutting the door. "Where to now?"
"Up the stairs!" She started running through the old building, Layle followed right behind her. The guards burst through the door with ease now that the lock was broken and scrambled up the steps behind them. The gravity bearer stopped at the top of the steps and used his powers to throw a few of them back down. The moment he took hold of the third guard he felt a twinge of pain in his head that ran down his spine. He lost control for a moment and propelled the man up to the ceiling before he came crashing down to the stairs and rolled down, knocking over his friends.
"Oops…"
"Come on!" The girl shouted to him from an open window. He didn't have time to think about whom he could have hurt. Layle ran for the window just as the Clavat girl jumped out of it. She landed on the top of a wall that ran the length of the alley and was balancing her way across the roof of a one story building. He followed her looking back to see how close their pursuers were.
Just as he stepped off onto the roof the building the guards started to fumble their way through the window. One of them was shouting at the men behind them, most likely telling them to circle around and catch up to them from the other direction. The girl was already bolting across the roof top to the other side. She called to Layle to hurry up as she leapt across the gap from one roof the the next. He quickly followed her, unsure of where she was leading him, but she was confident in the path she was taking.
As they jumped across rooftops, the guards followed them on the streets below. They were slowly growing in number as more men caught wind of the chase going on through the streets. Finally the Clavat girl stopped running when she reached a tall building at the end of a row of short ones. Just across the way she could see a ladder dangling, leading up to its roof but it was out of reach. Behind them the guards had come up through the roof access of one of the buildings and were making their way toward them.
"We have to jump down!" She leaned over and looked into the street bellow.
"You can't be serious!" Layle looked over her shoulder at the street below. "We'll get caught, let's go across!"
"We'll never make that jump!"
He took her hand in his and turned around to run back a few feet on the roof top. "We'll make it!" Layle quickly turned and dragged her back towards the edge of the roof. The girl was screaming in protest as he leapt from the edge, his arm raised out and a stream of light reaching out for the bottom rung of the ladder. The girl screamed in fright as they fell, the force of gravity snapping as it finally connected with the ladder and rubber banded both Layle and her up toward it.
She clung to his jacket terrified as they were flung up and Layle's magic continued to draw them up like an elevator along the side of the ladder until they were at the top. The gravity bearer stumbled forward holding his head and cursing. Trying that trick with the extra weight of the girl had put more of a strain on him than he thought it would. The black haired girl let go of him and looked around amazed. "Fantastic!" She exclaimed. "You did- are you okay?"
Layle nodded still holding his head, "I'm fine- We still need to get out of here."
She nodded in agreement and started running again. Layle followed her if only a bit slower. The raced along the higher rooftops of Marr, going up and down with the awkward terrain just as the streets did. All around them the roof tops were filling up with guards trying to cut them off and capture them. Finally they came to an incline of buildings with slanted tiled roofs. The girls grabbed tiles and started climbing as quickly as she could.
"Do you know where you're taking us?"
"Don't worry! Just follow me!"
Layle started to climb after her. As they crossed over the second roof the guards began their assessment as well. Periodically Layle stopped to kick loose tiles and toss them back at the men. He followed the girl up higher and higher until they ran out of roof. She stood up cautiously and looked down. To his dismay, there was nothing there. Just the end of the building and one of the rocky walls that made up the scenery of Marr. Down below an empty cobble stone street could be seen.
He grabbed her arm and turned her to face him, "You said you knew what you were doing!"
"I do!" She looked up the road, "I know we didn't miss him- he must be running late…" The girl kept her eyes focused on the road, but Layle turned around. The guards were getting closer and closer. He slid back down the roof to meet them, using his powers to toss a few along the way. He slid until he braced himself against chimney and started fighting. He used his magic to repel them, and knock them back down the slippery slanted tiles. The gravity bearer did all he could to stop them but they were never ending. It seemed like every guard in the city was up on that roof top trying to capture them.
He took one last shot at tossing the few nearest to him before climbing back up, the knights just few behind him.
The girl turned to him and reached out with her hand. "Come on!" She took hold of Layle's hand and pulled him towards her just as one of the smaller knights grabbed his ankle. She shouted as the man tried to hang onto him. Layle started to kick him in the face with his free leg and the other soldiers grabbed onto their friend and tried to grab Layle.
The Clavat girl looked over her shoulder and cried out before turning back to the guards. "Let him go!" She tried to yank Layle back using her weight but it wasn't enough. The gravity bearer let go of her with one of his hands so he could toss away was guards he could that were not pulling onto his jeans.
"Go! Let go and run!" He shouted at her.
"No!" She pulled again. "I said! Let! Him! GO!" Layle looked up at the girl he'd been helping escape, a black light started to wrap around her hands and before he could tell her to stop it expanded outward. Layle felt an odd chill shoot through him as the light rushed over him. He was certain he felt his own magic flare up for a second like it was trying to push it away, but it was quickly smothered out. The soldiers were struck by the girl's powers and let go of Layle. They feel back, rolling down the roof tops until they could catch themselves. All of them groaning and holding their heads and stomachs in agony.
Without the guards to hold him down, the force of the girl tugging on Layle sent her toppling back over the roof. She dragged the gravity bearer along with her and they fell towards the cobble stone road bellow. She let out a scream as Layle extended his hand to try and soften their fall. However the makings of his gravity field quickly deteriorated as he felt his stomach lurch. He could just vaguely tell the skin on his hand was turning and odd pale color, but he never got a good look at it.
The two falling crystal bearers landed head first into a stack of hay. Startled Layle started to grope around shouting until the girl stuck her hand through the straws and covered his mouth.
"Shhh!" She smiled at him. "It's the afternoon hay wagons. Just coming in from the fields," She chuckled. "We can hide here all the way back to my house."
Layle eyed her, confused, but he nodded. His stomach was still turning.
"I'm Phedra," She still smiled at him.
"I'm Layle," he took a deep breath. He wanted to say more, like ask her why she was running but he suddenly felt dizzy. Was this from his injury? The crystal bearer reached up to his head and found he was sweating. "W-what-?" Layle looked up at the girl who's expression was now one of fear. She reached out to him shaking her head and saying 'Oh no'. But her voice seemed very far away.
He felt sick. Horribly sick. Everything in the world looked dizzying and green. And he felt like he was going to throw up.
He couldn't say if it was lucky or not that he just passed out instead.
- 37
- 38
- 39
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

The Crystal Rule