Desmond clung tightly to Valefor’s back for a while, trying to gather his bearings as he breathed in deeply, reveling in the fresh, chilly air of the underground. Eventually, he slid off, opening his eyes as he held onto one of the chains that hung off his favorite. It was completely dark at first, he thought, but as his eyes adjusted, he saw that small patches of phosphorescent algae and mushrooms gave it a little light and made it beautiful. Green fog rolling through the tunnels of the cave reflected the little light, dazzling him with the way it danced.
“Figures,” Ifrit snorted, and Desmond looked at him. He did not look pleased as he shook himself off. He winced, covering his eyes briefly as his elbow, knees, and back of his shoulders all lit up with flame. “Only the most ridiculously extravagant for the leviathan. If he’s going to live in a cave under the sea, he may as well not even put this here.”
Desmond tilted his head as he lowered his arm, finding Ifrit staring at him with a disapproving scowl. “Ready, novice?”
He rolled his eyes and nodded, setting off into the cave.
Much to his surprise, there were no treasures. There were hardly any monsters at all, and the only ones he saw were sleeping peacefully in little groups. He would stop and look at them closely, summoning Ifrit closer so that he could see better in the hazy green. The entire thing made him feel as if he were walking in a dream, and he stepped closer to Ifrit just to keep himself from going crazy. His jaw was set, and his legs and feet ached, but he was determined to prove to Ifrit—and himself—that he could do this. He had asked for adventure, and he was going to get it.
He also decided that the sleepy fog had put all the Tonberrys to sleep, and he felt more confident about the fact that he wouldn’t die. It made it easier to look in every corner for something, and to progress to the fourth level of this ridiculous cave without problem. The phosphorescent plants were gone in this level, leaving him with only Ifrit to help light his path. The god was silent, but Desmond was okay with that as he continued exploring. He could tell he was being analyzed the entire time, always feeling those eyes on him.
When his stomach growled loudly, he rooted around in the magic pouch for something to eat, finding some sort of jerky that he summoned Leonardo for an okay to eat. After the fairy gave him his approval, he bit into it, pacing along with Sylph on his shoulder. It was quiet, but that was fine, and he was surprised when he saw a light farther into the cave. It was hard to tell anything other than that it was just a light, but he picked up his pace.
“Hey!” he shouted, not realizing that Ifrit wasn’t beside him.
Leonardo was holding onto him as he ran toward it, realizing that whoever held the light was small. He could eventually see the outline of a small creature, with a round head and a fishy tail sticking out of a burlap-esque, hooded cloak. He crouched down, catching his breath as the creature turned to look at him. He looked at it, smiling. In one hand, it had a chef’s knife, and in the other, a small red lantern. It was maybe two feet tall, with bright yellow eyes and shoes. He grinned, waving a hand.
“H-hey! Do you know your way around here?”
It took a step forward, and he watched it, realizing it had no mouth as he bit into the jerky he had in his hand. It held up the lantern as it watched him eat, and he tilted his head, offering it out.
“Would you like some? I don’t mind sharing. I don’t know how you’d eat it, but if you want some, I don’t mind. There’s no point in killing a beast for food if you don’t eat it all, right?”
He laughed as it took another step forward. It was a slow beast, but it was super cute, and Desmond was tempted just to pick it up and hug it.
“Desmond…” Leonardo started, and Desmond shook his head.
“Hold on, Leonardo.”
He turned back to the creature as it continued to pace forward. He plopped down, waiting for it to come within arm’s reach before he offered the jerky again.
“I don’t know if you eat this stuff, but it’s not all that bad.”
The creature stopped, looking at the jerky, and he jerked his hand back in surprise when it stabbed the jerky with the knife. He blinked, watching as it brought it up to its non-existent mouth and watched it disappear. He nodded.
“See? Not too bad. I don’t know what creature was made into the jerky, but I didn’t really want to waste the rest. I’m glad you like it. Ifrit!”
He turned to find the god, only to have him missing. He frowned, looking around before turning back to the creature, that was right in front of him, the lantern raised as it stared at him with those innocent-looking yellow eyes. He frowned.
“My light left me. Can I borrow yours? Or you?”
Leonardo was shifting uncomfortably on his shoulder. Desmond frowned, looking at him only briefly before turning back and meeting the creature’s gaze.
“May I? I know it’s a bother, but I don’t know how I can see around here.”
He watched as it turned around, walking off, when it paused and looked behind it, he jumped to his feet.
He fell in step beside the little thing. “You know, I never thought I’d do something like this. Thank you so much for all your help.”
They walked a ways off before the creature stopped, and he looked down at it. It was staring back up at him, and he could feel Leonardo flinch when it stabbed the knife up at him. He cocked his head.
“Yeah, I can carry you.”
He bent over and scooped it up, wrapping one arm under the feet and another under the arms, letting it guide him with its knife. Leonardo seemed less than enthused about him carrying the beast, but he ignored it until he found himself stepping into an open room with a giant lake at the bottom. He started walking around the edges, following the path, until the creature squirmed, holding up its light to reveal the crystal. It shimmered as if it was made of water, and he smiled.
“You’re a blessing. Thanks for all your help. I’m afraid I don’t have anything to give you,” he murmured as he set the creature down. It stared up at him, and he winced. “I’m sorry. I don’t have anything. The jerky is gone.”
It jabbed up at him again with the knife, and he quirked an eyebrow.
“Uh… I guess I can carry you some more.”
He bent back over and picked it back up, holding out the arm under the shoes to touch the crystal.
“And just what is an ignorant child like yourself doing here?”
He turned to see an older man with a white lab coat standing a pace off.
“And just how did you get to touch a Tonberry? Don’t tell me you’re the summoner. Pathetic.”
He frowned. “I’m a summoner. And this isn’t a Tonberry. Those things are hideous and terrifying.”
“It’s true,” Leonardo whispered into his ear. “That’s what I was trying to tell you.”
The older man sighed disgustedly and stepped forward to touch the crystal, but Desmond scowled, stepping in front of him and pushing him backward.
“Who the hell are you?”
The man sighed, irritated. “I’m Dr. Warren Vidic, now, if you’ll excuse me, I have business—”
Desmond snarled. “I don’t think so. I got here first.”
Dr. Vidic’s eyes narrow. “You are so ignorant, child, to think that you stand a chance against me.”
He set the Tonberry down, letting it start to walk off, and he pulled his staff from his back, dismissing Leonardo as Warren called for two men dressed in guard armor. He watched as Vidic gave them instructions, preparing to summon an ally. When he felt sharp pain rip through his leg and Vidic give a verbal lashing to the man who had hurt him. He snarled, throwing his hand into the air.
“Adrammelech!” he shouted as he saw the men raise their weapons.
He saw the rune light up behind him as the creature stepped forward again, and when Adrammelech emerged, Desmond grinned.
“Already summoning me again?”
“Help?”
Talal rolled his eyes, scanning the enemies. “You have a Tonberry helping you? You should have to problem, then.”
Final Fantasy XXVII-9
“Figures,” Ifrit snorted, and Desmond looked at him. He did not look pleased as he shook himself off. He winced, covering his eyes briefly as his elbow, knees, and back of his shoulders all lit up with flame. “Only the most ridiculously extravagant for the leviathan. If he’s going to live in a cave under the sea, he may as well not even put this here.”
Desmond tilted his head as he lowered his arm, finding Ifrit staring at him with a disapproving scowl. “Ready, novice?”
He rolled his eyes and nodded, setting off into the cave.
Much to his surprise, there were no treasures. There were hardly any monsters at all, and the only ones he saw were sleeping peacefully in little groups. He would stop and look at them closely, summoning Ifrit closer so that he could see better in the hazy green. The entire thing made him feel as if he were walking in a dream, and he stepped closer to Ifrit just to keep himself from going crazy. His jaw was set, and his legs and feet ached, but he was determined to prove to Ifrit—and himself—that he could do this. He had asked for adventure, and he was going to get it.
He also decided that the sleepy fog had put all the Tonberrys to sleep, and he felt more confident about the fact that he wouldn’t die. It made it easier to look in every corner for something, and to progress to the fourth level of this ridiculous cave without problem. The phosphorescent plants were gone in this level, leaving him with only Ifrit to help light his path. The god was silent, but Desmond was okay with that as he continued exploring. He could tell he was being analyzed the entire time, always feeling those eyes on him.
When his stomach growled loudly, he rooted around in the magic pouch for something to eat, finding some sort of jerky that he summoned Leonardo for an okay to eat. After the fairy gave him his approval, he bit into it, pacing along with Sylph on his shoulder. It was quiet, but that was fine, and he was surprised when he saw a light farther into the cave. It was hard to tell anything other than that it was just a light, but he picked up his pace.
“Hey!” he shouted, not realizing that Ifrit wasn’t beside him.
Leonardo was holding onto him as he ran toward it, realizing that whoever held the light was small. He could eventually see the outline of a small creature, with a round head and a fishy tail sticking out of a burlap-esque, hooded cloak. He crouched down, catching his breath as the creature turned to look at him. He looked at it, smiling. In one hand, it had a chef’s knife, and in the other, a small red lantern. It was maybe two feet tall, with bright yellow eyes and shoes. He grinned, waving a hand.
“H-hey! Do you know your way around here?”
It took a step forward, and he watched it, realizing it had no mouth as he bit into the jerky he had in his hand. It held up the lantern as it watched him eat, and he tilted his head, offering it out.
“Would you like some? I don’t mind sharing. I don’t know how you’d eat it, but if you want some, I don’t mind. There’s no point in killing a beast for food if you don’t eat it all, right?”
He laughed as it took another step forward. It was a slow beast, but it was super cute, and Desmond was tempted just to pick it up and hug it.
“Desmond…” Leonardo started, and Desmond shook his head.
“Hold on, Leonardo.”
He turned back to the creature as it continued to pace forward. He plopped down, waiting for it to come within arm’s reach before he offered the jerky again.
“I don’t know if you eat this stuff, but it’s not all that bad.”
The creature stopped, looking at the jerky, and he jerked his hand back in surprise when it stabbed the jerky with the knife. He blinked, watching as it brought it up to its non-existent mouth and watched it disappear. He nodded.
“See? Not too bad. I don’t know what creature was made into the jerky, but I didn’t really want to waste the rest. I’m glad you like it. Ifrit!”
He turned to find the god, only to have him missing. He frowned, looking around before turning back to the creature, that was right in front of him, the lantern raised as it stared at him with those innocent-looking yellow eyes. He frowned.
“My light left me. Can I borrow yours? Or you?”
Leonardo was shifting uncomfortably on his shoulder. Desmond frowned, looking at him only briefly before turning back and meeting the creature’s gaze.
“May I? I know it’s a bother, but I don’t know how I can see around here.”
He watched as it turned around, walking off, when it paused and looked behind it, he jumped to his feet.
He fell in step beside the little thing. “You know, I never thought I’d do something like this. Thank you so much for all your help.”
They walked a ways off before the creature stopped, and he looked down at it. It was staring back up at him, and he could feel Leonardo flinch when it stabbed the knife up at him. He cocked his head.
“Yeah, I can carry you.”
He bent over and scooped it up, wrapping one arm under the feet and another under the arms, letting it guide him with its knife. Leonardo seemed less than enthused about him carrying the beast, but he ignored it until he found himself stepping into an open room with a giant lake at the bottom. He started walking around the edges, following the path, until the creature squirmed, holding up its light to reveal the crystal. It shimmered as if it was made of water, and he smiled.
“You’re a blessing. Thanks for all your help. I’m afraid I don’t have anything to give you,” he murmured as he set the creature down. It stared up at him, and he winced. “I’m sorry. I don’t have anything. The jerky is gone.”
It jabbed up at him again with the knife, and he quirked an eyebrow.
“Uh… I guess I can carry you some more.”
He bent back over and picked it back up, holding out the arm under the shoes to touch the crystal.
“And just what is an ignorant child like yourself doing here?”
He turned to see an older man with a white lab coat standing a pace off.
“And just how did you get to touch a Tonberry? Don’t tell me you’re the summoner. Pathetic.”
He frowned. “I’m a summoner. And this isn’t a Tonberry. Those things are hideous and terrifying.”
“It’s true,” Leonardo whispered into his ear. “That’s what I was trying to tell you.”
The older man sighed disgustedly and stepped forward to touch the crystal, but Desmond scowled, stepping in front of him and pushing him backward.
“Who the hell are you?”
The man sighed, irritated. “I’m Dr. Warren Vidic, now, if you’ll excuse me, I have business—”
Desmond snarled. “I don’t think so. I got here first.”
Dr. Vidic’s eyes narrow. “You are so ignorant, child, to think that you stand a chance against me.”
He set the Tonberry down, letting it start to walk off, and he pulled his staff from his back, dismissing Leonardo as Warren called for two men dressed in guard armor. He watched as Vidic gave them instructions, preparing to summon an ally. When he felt sharp pain rip through his leg and Vidic give a verbal lashing to the man who had hurt him. He snarled, throwing his hand into the air.
“Adrammelech!” he shouted as he saw the men raise their weapons.
He saw the rune light up behind him as the creature stepped forward again, and when Adrammelech emerged, Desmond grinned.
“Already summoning me again?”
“Help?”
Talal rolled his eyes, scanning the enemies. “You have a Tonberry helping you? You should have to problem, then.”