Lacey walked slowly into the dark cave. The walls were coated
with a green crystal substance that lit up when she passed by,
The floor was made of marble and the ceiling was the most amazing
of all. It was an endless black-with stars that twinkled like
they would at night. Constellations trickled across the ceiling
and the green from the wall cast an eerie glow.
Lacey kept walking through the temple until she came to what
looked like an alter. She paused and took a breath. The alter was
transparent, only the outline showed and a red summon materia
floated-or sat on the "invisible" alter.
"What.."
Lacey was cut off when she felt a small breeze caress her cheek.
Lacey turned around to look, and saw one of the most beautiful
person she had ever seen.
The person had pale white skin and her dark blue hair almost
reached the back of her knees. She wore a white almost see-through
dress, and bare feet. Atop her head sat a crystal white crown and
pearl clips held back her hair.
"You must be Iris." Lacey said, astounded, and
instantly she bowed before the shimmering goddess.
Iris smiled. "Rise my child, there is no need to bow to me,
for you are to be the next goddess of wind-if you accept"
Iris said, a grave thin line appearing on her lips. Lacey stood
as she was told and was about to talk when she heard a loud noise
from behind.........
* * * * * * * * * * *
Rufus rallied his army and charged ahead. Rufus snuk up the
ravine in search of his daughter-he would win this yet.
Gea sat patiently waiting for the soldiers to approach the trap.
Slowly she lead the rope through her fingers until she reached
the small knot that was in the rope. She wedged the knot in
between two boulders and waited.
Soldiers grabbed the small net that was on the ground and pulled-to
their mistake. The knot between the boulders pulled the massive
rocks down and created a land slide. Gea turned to run to the
next trap, but found her father standing behind her with a long
Shin-Ra dagger....
Rufus snarled "Come on Gea, come with daddy, we are going to
give Lacey and mummy a visit." Rufus yanked the girl by the
wrist, and Ayanna who was sitting across the ravine yelled, but
to no avail.
Rufus led Gea to the door of the temple, looking for signs of
Lacey and Kristin. He saw two sets of tracks, one of which
suddenly disappeared before entering the temple. Rufus walked
into the temple hoping it was not too late. He followed the
marble floor, carefully gripping Gea. He stopped when he heard
two voices, one of which he recognized as Lacey's. Rufus tried to
creep up quietly, but Gea tripped over a stone and crashed to the
floor.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Ayanna left the traps as they were and ran to Kristin who was a
little ways down the track. Ayanna ran with the speed of the
winds, gracefully leaping over anything in her path. She finally
reached Kristin, just as the wolves trotted up to her. Ayanna
broke the news to Kristin, who took it hard. They both leapt onto
the wolves and ran off toward the temple.....
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Lacey turned toward the entrance of the cave, just in time to see
Rufus stumble in. "I told you I would get my immortality"
Rufus sneered. He held up his dagger to Gea's throat and pressed
until a small droplet of blood slid down the sharp metal.
"Please help me Saber." Gea screamed. She squirmed and
wiggled trying to get away from Rufus. Iris turned toward Rufus
and held out her hand. "You are not welcome here leave."
Iris's blue fingers began to let off a glowing green color that
lit up the room.
"No" Lacey shouted and she gripped Iris's wrist. "If
you kill him I die, and if you blow him out of the temple he
might kill Gea." She explained, beads of sweat pouring from
her forehead.
Iris let her hand fall to her waist. Lacey turned back to face
Rufus, a frown on her face. She walked toward him, her hands
extended.
"You do know that if you become immortal, so do I" She
said and smiled.
"I can haunt you forever." Rufus nodded "Or would
it be the other way around?" Rufus asked a smirk of triumph
on his face.
Lacey put her hands on his shoulders. "Let her go, I am a
woman of my word." she said, that same frown on her face.
"No, you have tricked me before woman." Rufus said, and
thrust the dagger closer to Gea's small throat. Lacey nodded and
stepped even closer. "Then take the dagger to me instead."
Lacey said, a tinge of regret in her voice.
Just at that moment Kristin and Ayanna came running into the
temple, their shoes clanking on the floor. Kristin gasped at the
sight of a long dagger held at her daughters throat. Ayanna held
her breath not daring to move as she saw the goddess standing to
Lacey's right.
Rufus threw Gea away from him, and held the dagger to Lacey's
back. Lacey relaxed and concentrated on her crystal-she had an
idea.