Edge's Quest

Chapter 7 – One Moment Longer

Looks like time's been good to you, Asura. You look no older than 400.

"I'll take that as a compliment, Masamune."

Ah, good-good. I haven't seen you in almost… forever. What have you been doing?

"Ah, well, I married Leviathan. I'm a Queen, now."

Leviathan? That no good bum?

"Hey, Masamune, watch it. That's no way to talk about the King of the Summoned Monsters."

Feh, I thought Bahamut was still King.

"Well, yeah, but while he's in his cave on the moon, Leviathan takes care of his Kingly duties."

Yeah, whatever. Now, why are you here? Probably not to enjoy my fine company.

"I already had to go through that. Remember?"

If I hadn't owed Bahamut a favor, you'd still be my prisoner. Still blows me away that you're not a human. A real shame. I could've kept you forever.

"Sure. Well, Masamune, I understand that you're evil now."

It's been awhile since I've been anything, Asura. Stupid dragon, keeping me from my fun. But, yeah, I'm evil now. So what's your point?

"Do you know how to change back to being neutral?"

By choice, no. But you know I can't change alignment until I drain the predator or the prey of their life force. Even if someone good uses me in the meantime. Then again, I was good until that loser ninja dropped me. Now, I'm evil. Ain't it grand?

"That 'loser ninja' is the guy you're draining, you know."

Really? Well… tough cookies for him. He should have had a better grip on me. And he didn't pick me up again, either. Stupid Murasame. The user never lets go of her.

"I'd really appreciate you letting the 'loser ninja' go."

What? Ha! Can you hear me laughing, Asura? That would be a good deed, and since I'm evil at the present time… no can do. My actions go with my alignment – I have no say in what I do or not.

Asura sighed. "I know. I just thought it was worth a shot. I thought you liked Edge."

Edge? So that's his name! Nice to know who I'm killing. Yeah, this Edge dude was neat, but I say again, he dropped me. ME!! He's getting what's coming to him. I stopped blocking the healing spells since he's so close to dead, he might've been able to break free if he were at full strength… but he should be dead soon… It kinda is refreshing to be evil every once and a while, y'know?

Asura looked critically at where she thought Masamune to be. "Well… do you know who made you so refreshingly evil?"

That's for me to know and you to find out.

"I'd take it as a personal favor. I'd owe you. And, I can get you lots of stuff, since I'm a Queen."

Eh… I need more.

"Do you not know who it is, Masamune? Don't play with me."

Hey, you're the one that needs this favor. Don't mess with me, Asura. I can throw you outta here like that.

Asura heard a snap to accent Masamune's statement. "Do you know or not?"

I know, I know. I know all my users, even if they're only my user for, like, two seconds.

"Two seconds?" Asura arched an eyebrow. "How can someone be your user for only two seconds?"

Hey, if you pick me up and hurt someone with me, you’re my user. This shadow demon picked me up after that Edge guy dropped me, and threw me at Edge, wounding him. The shadow picked me up – there's requirement number one – and was thrown by this shadow, severely wounding that ninja – requirement number two.

"Shadow demon?"

Yeah, this shadow demon chick. One of your subjects, my liege?

"Don't be sarcastic, Masamune. What did she look like?"

She was a shadow demon. My guess is she looked like a shadow.

"In human form!"

She was my user as the demon, Asura. I haven't the foggiest what her human form looks like. But… doesn't your hubby know about every demon that was ever existant?

"Yes… I suppose so… thank you, Masamune."

No problem, Asura-baby.

"One last thing."

How may I be of service?

"If you're evil, then how can you be helping me?"

Ulp!

"Well, Masamune?"

Well, that's kinda technical… see, I didn't actually do anything, I don't think it counts. Neutrality is always welcome, no matter if I'm evil or good, and information is neutrality, or something. I dunno all the technicalities… if I was doing something truly good, I'd be eating lightning bolts from some scorned god or goddess for breaking a rule.

"Ah. Well, I'll see you around Masa-chan."

Sure thing, Asura… wait a moment,"Masa-chan"? What the hell is "Masa-chan" ? That doesn't make me sound all big and scary… it makes me sound like a stuffed animal. I can hear the merchants now – "Be the first kid in your kingdom to own your very own Masa-chan! Collect all three!"

Asura laughed. "I was going for the 'cuddly' connotation, but 'stuffed animal' is fine."

grr…

"Bye bye, Masa-chan!"

Stop calling me that! I'm supposed to be evil!

"Aw, is Masa-chan angwy wif Asuwa?"

SHUT UP!

Asura left Masamune's audience chamber with a smile on her face. "Asura, one, Masamune, zip."

I HEARD THAT!

~*�*~

Asura's happiness that she had succeeded to get information out of Masamune faded as soon as she returned to Edge's room. Rydia was just has she was when Asura had left, staring sorrowfully, yet hopefully at the ninja King. The fact that Rydia knew that she would go through unimaginable torture and probably die, while Edge would eventually be with someone else, and yet she was still hopeful for his future, was saddening to the Queen.

"Are you ready?" Asura asked, her voice low and solemn. Rydia looked up at Asura, looked back at Edge, then nodded. "Then come with me."

Rydia leaned over and kissed Edge softly on the lips. "I guess I don’t have one moment longer to spend with him?"

Asura shook her head. "One moment longer and he'll be dead. I just talked to Masamune – I know that he was blocking the healing spells, not Edge. And I know that Edge will be dead soon if we don't make the trade."

Rydia kissed him on the lips again, then kissed his hand that she had been holding for so long. "Farewell," she whispered, and followed Asura out the door.

~*�*~

Melantha woke up, and looked down at her battered human body. "I will never disobey you again, Master," she whispered. Pulling herself up, she left the torture chamber she was in and headed towards the room that her master said was hers. On a small night table, there was an intricately carved silver bowl filled with a liquid that was not unlike molten gold in appearance. She looked into it, whispering the words to a spell that would show her the Murasame – one of her two objectives.

The golden liquid started to bubble as Melantha finished her chanting. Taking a small needle from the table, she pricked her finger, allowing one drop of her blood to hit the center of the gold. Concentric ripples flowed from the center, the golden color clearing into an image of the Murasame.

Aha! It's in the Land of the Summoned Monsters! Heh, I haven't been there in a while.

She ran off to her master's antechamber and told it her news.

"Master, I will have the Murasame for you shortly!"

Good, Melantha. Do not fail me again.

"No, Master. The Murasame is in the Land of the Summoned Monsters! They are my people! I can just walk in, take the sword, and walk out!"

See to it that the Murasame is brought to me soon, then. I do not like delays, Melantha. You are supposed to be the best of your kind… Prove it to me! Bring me that sword!.

"Yes, Sire."

~*�*~

Asura walked into the misty gray audience chamber again, this time accompanied by Rydia. Masamune noticed her presence immediately.

Asura! Back so soon?

"I have brought a friend, Masamune, who would beg a favor of you."

Well, little one? Speak.

Rydia bowed deeply to where she thought Masamune's voice was coming from. "I would like to trade places with Edge of Eblan, Lord."

Who?

"The ninja you're draining, Masa-chan," Asura supplied helpfully.

Don't call me that! And… uh… why, praytell, should I bother to switch them?

"I… I love him, Lord. I wish to save his life at my expense," Rydia said boldly.

Love? Feh. That's no reason for me to waste my energy to serve a mortal.

"Masa-chan, just consider the benefits. Rydia, here, is possibly the best sorceress of black magic in the world, so she'll give you lots of power. Also, Edge was already quite weak when you took him – Rydia is young and healthy… not drained at all. And, since you're magic has already weakened her before, you have a connection, and it won't take much energy to switch them."

But Asura! Masamune was whining now. I'm supposed to be evil!

"And switching Rydia with Edge will further your own ends – a characteristically evil trait," Asura said, wishing Masamune had a definite face, so she could see the look on his face as she presented this double whammy.

Fine. The ninja for the girl. Are you going to be causing me anymore trouble, Asura?

"If I can help it, Masa-chan."

STOP IT!! Hey, Caller, I'll be, like, imprisoning you now.

"Go ahead, Lord Masamune." Rydia knelt, waiting for herself to be transported into torture.

Okay… now we see you… A clap-like sound could be heard in the antechamber. And now we don't!

"Honestly, Masamune, don’t you think you could come up with something a little more… evil? Imposing, even?"

Yeah, whatever, Asura.

"Do me a favor?"

I'm evil, I don't do favors.

"Just… talk to me for one moment longer before you bring Edge out here, okay?"

Why? Planning an escape where all three of you live?

"No. I just… want to give them a moment together. You know how slim the chances are of saving Rydia after this."

I gotta admit, the girl's got guts. This is her decision, right? She knows what she goes to?

"She knows. I told her."

She doesn't seem very old.

"She's only about ten."

WHAT!?

"Just give me one moment longer, Masa-chan, and I'll tell you everything…"

~*�*~

The gray mist faded into utter darkness as the teleport spell completed itself. The Caller had the sensation she was floating in a vast expanse of nothingness. Rydia heard a short gasp behind her. "Who's there?" she asked, scared that she and Edge might have other monsters to deal with.

"Rydia… I don't believe this… you can't be real…"

Rydia whirled, her dress flowing around her. Edge stood out against the darkness like a full moon at midnight. "Edge? Is that really you? Are you okay?"

Rydia could see slight tears in the corners of the ninja's eyes. "You're real? This isn't one of Masamune's tricks?"

"Oh, Edge, I'm real, I am!" She swam through the blackness towards him, and he did the same. He tried to take her in his arms, but they passed through Rydia, as if she were a specter. Her luminous green eyes flooded with tears as she realized she couldn't even touch him. "I-I'm sorry," she whispered.

"For what?" Edge asked, floating closer to the Caller.

"For getting you angry… I never meant to—"

"It's okay, Ry-chan. It's okay. I…I know why you're here…"

Rydia's voice softened, and she looked Edge straight in the eyes."I… I want you to live for me, Edge."

Edge's face clouded over. "You'll be leaving here soon enough. I'll find a way to save you."

Rydia smiled through her tears, and shook her head. "It's impossible, Edge. Asura told me all the outcomes. This is the one I chose."

Edge looked down, and took a deep breath. When he looked back up, Rydia saw a tear sliding down his handsome face. "I… I lo—I won't leave you here."

They looked into each others' eyes and savored the moment. The peace was shattered by Masamune's commanding voice.

Time to go, Ninja-Boy.

Edge's form began to fade. "Goodbye, Rydia. But not forever. I'll be back before you know it." He managed a smile, which seemed to physically lighten the atmosphere.

Rydia smiled back. She blew him a kiss – the best she could give him in his current state. "Edge… I… I love you."

Even though Edge had heard her say it to Asura before, the fact that Rydia was saying it to him made his eyes widen, and his own feelings surge. I have to tell her… he thought. He was fading from the darkness fast, just as Rydia was becoming more substantial. "Rydia…" His voice was choked with emotion.

Rydia looked at him hopefully, hoping that he would say what she wanted to hear.

"I—"

Edge's form winked out of the darkness, cutting the ninja off.

****

"—love you."

Why, Ninja-Boy, I never knew you cared!

"What?" Edge's surroundings flared from blackness to the gray of Masamune's audience chamber. "No! I have to tell her! Take me back, demon!"

Demon?! Why I oughta…

The gray of the antechamber tinged with red. Asura placed a hand on Edge's shoulder, her regal face still proud, but her eyes desperately pleading. "Come, Eblan King! We have no time. Rydia is dying, even now."

"I never told her…"

"That is of no consequence. We must leave before you anger Masamune anymore than you already have. He'll hurt Rydia more if we linger… I know Masa-chan's ways. Believe me."

Both Edge and Asura got the image of an evil grin in their minds.

See you around, Ninja.

As Asura and Edge were magically removed from Masamune's world, a blood-curdling scream split the misty air.

It was Rydia.

***Author's Notes***

Thus marks the end of the romantic schlock! I was never very good at writing romance (which is probably painfully obvious from precious parts), so I'm glad that now the "quest" part of "Edge's Quest" can start.

I know it seems like there are major holes in the story, like… Masamune's alignment, and Rydia's feelings for Edge. Rydia's feelings you can figger out for yourself, but Masamune's alignment… that's somewhat tricky. Taking a cue from Star Wars, the dark side seems so much easier, and it's hard to stay on "the light side of the Force". That's the "thing" behind Masamune, why he switched alignment so quickly after Edge dropped him. I've been asked "Why can't Edge just use the sword to free Rydia?" The answer: Masamune's draining thing must be finished (i.e. draining Edge of his life force… or anyone who takes his place.) for him to become neutral for a good person to make him good, or he must kill the user who made him evil. Even then there are conditions… but I'll explain that later.