*********** Love You)Chapter LXVII: Savior-A FFXI Love StoryFollow

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is the conclusion to the Part IX, just need the Epilogue now...which I’ll post on Monday.

I have some things that I want to say, but I’ll hold them off until Monday to say them.

For now, just enjoy the conclusion to the main storyline!

Previous Chapters, Aki, and Interludes

Part I - Connection (Enishi)

Kasho II - Kodoku (Solitude)

Part III - Reunion (Saikai)

Kasho IV- Suriyoru (Closer)

Part V- Secrets (Hiou)

Kasho VI- Hanarebanare (Apart)

Part VII- Longing (Akogare)

Kasho VIII- Takatobi (Escape)

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(Chapter LVII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35;mid=1158658394285452028;num=8;page=1

(Aki LVIII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1160487418129598544

(Chapter LIX)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=116215072938586841#116232451255312339

(Aki LX)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=11683340869501875

(Chapter LXI)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1170686480312991438

(Aki LXII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=1173454020128048747

(Chapter LXIII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10;mid=117708938380248789

(Aki LXIV)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35;mid=1177332956241669586

(Chapter LXV)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1182858527209482995

(Aki LXVI)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=118615554215661313

(Interlude XIII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35;mid=119064480827219715

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Bonus Story: Rainfall Memories

Bonus Story: Morning After

This is for myself.

***************

Hung like she was about to be sacrificed to the God Uggalepih.

I silently drove my blade through the hard shell of yet another demon, it’s carcass falling aside of my advancing form.

They hadn’t noticed my advance yet, but I knew that that would only last a matter of moments more. Not even bothering to wipe my sword free of the blackened fluid from the monster, it gave an intermittent droplet pattern as I continued to head up the hill.

I could make out one demon, one who I assumed was the leader, staring into her eyes. I paused for a moment, wondering if I was too late to save her.

That moment nearly made it too late for me to save myself.

*****

Chapter LXVII: Savior

*****
A heavy sword broke the air behind my back, aiming towards my neck to sever it from the rest of my flesh. The koenig armor luckily caught the blow and held fast, making only a dull ringing tone. I immediately whipped around to see a demon completing it’s follow through enough to then strike at me once more.

Before it could get the blow off, my blade’s tip had found it’s way into the dark servant’ gut, definitely piercing where would be the liver on a normal Hume or Elvaan, and then exiting out of the being’s back. It paused in it’s attack, looking down towards where it was pierced before I yanked my blade back out and then pierced lyrnax so that it couldn’t cry for help. The demon let out a single gurgle, black blood streaming from it’s mouth as it turned into merely a hollow shell.

Faster, faster, faster...

High above, the demon high lord threw something at her, obviously injuring her as red blood started to suddenly leak out.

Red blood.

Black blood.

Red blood.

Black blood...

Red...

Black...

The colors started to mix together for me as I began to lose control of myself.

My world become one of hacking, slashing, massacring, shredding as I began to tear through demon after demon with my soiled blade, my armor taking massive strike after strike. The sweetly dark rank of blood soaked into my armor’s crevices, providing a warm lubricant for my gear’s joints.

Through the carnage, I could see that I was drawing closer and closer to my goal, that I was getting closer and closer to the one person I was willing to throw away my career, my world, my life for...

And I could see that the head monster was still talking, despite the fact that it must have been fully aware that it’s compatriots were being slaughtered by me below. Her hands went limp, and I could tell that my butterfly’s wings were starting to crumple up and wither away.

In response, I swung my backwards to deliver a coup de grace to a monster that I had already deeply wounded in the shoulder, the being’s head cleanly slicing off of it’s stubbly neck and falling down into the snow.

Death...

After the seconds stretched into imaginary minutes before retracting back into only a few real-time seconds once more, I found myself facing the castle itself. I could feel the evil radiating from inside of it, the orange-reddish flames impossibly flickering in the cold, the turrents stretching towards where I only imagined that the Gods were choosing the slumber.

My eyes fell down the castle’s stone edifice, and towards the undeserving murder that was about to be committed. Blood was coursing down my beloved’s face, sliding down her neck and her flesh, her lips barely forming the word “yes”. I could tell that her light was fading, being sapped away by the weather and the unmasked dark passion surrounding this unholy place. Her skin had turned even paler than usual than was normal for her, her once proud black hair clinging massive snow clumps in it.

The demon drew it’s blade from it’s side, and pointed it directly over her heart.

No...

NO!

I dashed the mere couple of milms that separated us, my feet crunching against the eternal snow, before I rammed my blade through the monster’s chest just as it was beginning to pierce her flesh.

A faint urk escaped the being’s lips, it’s hand opening and dropping it’s weapon instantly. I merely planted my foot against it’s back and then pushed it off of my weapon to where it fell face-down into the snow. That accomplished, I finally leant in close to her and spoke softly:

"...Hey butterfly, is this where I return the favor you did for me back in Tavnazia, and save you this time?..."

I could detect a small amount of movement in her, but it wasn’t enough for her to be able to lift up her head.

I proceeded to slash her bonds that kept her arms stretched out, catching her limp form as it started to fall down. Shifting her weight to my sword arm, I reached into my armor’s secure pocket to try to find the hourglass that I needed to ditch for us to be able to leave here before anymore reinforcements came. After about half a second, my fingertips connected with the double-ended glass structure, and I pulled it out.

The sand was somehow magically drifting upwards from the bottom chamber to the one-third full upper chamber, the grains catching the castle’s flames and creating a brilliant shine. Squinting my eyes against the unexpected brightness, I tossed it away from our bodies just as I saw a huge looming figure emerge from the castle’s entrance...

The glass broke, the sand floating up into a sudden Titan’s wind, and I instantly felt the immense sucking and tugging feeling consumed me once more and tried to pull me apart, but I refused to let her go...

I’d never make that mistake again.

Hitomi...

~fin Chapter LXVII: Savior

~fin Part IX: Passion (Jyouka)