Intermission 6: Zot
Time: Six years before previous time
Location: Tower of Zot.
Locked within Zot’s dark embrace, Rosa felt the sorrow of the Blue Planet resounding through her entire being. Strapped to the cold steel mechanism in the inner chamber of the Tower, she felt not unlike a hunter’s trophy hung above the mantle.
A dim, soiled world pressed in around her, a mechanical existence that was not quite living and even further away from death.Time crept a monotonous cadence through her mind — how long she had been there, she could not say. Neither partaking in night nor day, for both seemed equal to senses that were so far away from the sun’s gentle touch, it felt like eons. The Tower stank of death and the delight of evil. The warmth of her heart seemed the only living thing within the cold, mechanical structure.
As the hissing of the sliding door sounded, Kain entered the room. He was all cold gleaming metal, withdrawn into his darkness and hidden in the shell of his dragoon armor. She thought that perhaps once, she might have known him. That this may have been the boy that had danced her about the ball room only two years ago… the Kain who had hidden under the bridge of the waterway in Baron as kids when they played chocobo tag. He had been the boy with the brilliant smile and a witty word to fit all occasions. She had been “Rosey”. Cecil had always been Cecil. The trio had been inseparable.
This man was no longer her Kain.
Pain intermingled with disgust woke inside every time she saw what he had become. She cursed Golbez for what he had done to Kain — for taking away one of her dearest friends. She sometimes found herself cursing Kain for being too weak to deny the darkness. She often cursed herself for putting Cecil into this danger.
Rosa wanted to weep, overcome with the sorrow that rushed through her at the sight of her old friend. The last ounce of pride would not let her — not in front of the man who was once Kain. The spark within refused to let her give up, as much as Golbez’s darkness pressed on her and gnawed on her self-will. She would never give up the hope that Cecil would soon come to find her. She knew, without knowing how, that he would.
The dragoon took his position at the far end of the room, his spear gripped tightly in one fist. Rosa could see his eyes glittering under the dragon skull mask as he watched her with a feverish light. She was here because the man who was once Kain had wanted to keep her close to him.
They had never been further apart.
He guarded her in complete silence. She never attempted to speak to him.
Images flashed through her head hundreds upon hundreds of times. The sounds echoing, her sense merging, until she wasn’t quite certain that the things she remembered were actually the truth. Memory saw the man who was once Kain towering over Cecil’s broken body, a spear raised and gleaming in the Crystal’s silent light. It had been in Mysidia… no Damcyan… no Fabul! Yes, Fabul… Fabul…. Fabul…. The images became too painful to conjure up, yet too relentless to lay aside. Her Cecil, a crumpled heap upon the silver-sheened tiles of the Fabulian Crystal chamber. And her Kain at fault, ready to put him past the pain of this world.
Her words had stopped it — “No, don’t!”
She had awakened from a sweat streaked dreams there in the Tower, calling these words. The man who was once Kain heard them. He knew what they meant. They had saved Cecil’s life. Perhaps it had been that last spark of what was once Kain coming to life, having mercy. Perhaps.
Then Golbez’s darkness descended upon them all. Rosa, weak and powerless in the grips of the Dark Lord, had been taken from her love. If only she hadn’t demanded Cecil to allow her to come… if only… if only… But she had foolishly wanted to fight by Cecil’s side, to prove her worth to him. She did not know she would have to face the man who was once Kain.
Being merely a White Mage, Rosa could not fathom what twisted powers the Man of Darkness had worked on the man who was once Kain. Like all of his tainted creatures, Golbez had granted the man who was once Kain powers and strengths unnatural. The man who was once Kain seemed to have little problem in taking them. This was what frightened Rosa so. The gifts of Darkness were a double-edged blade.
The Kain she had remembered was a tall, slender-built man, and a skilled fighter. There had been a glow to his face, an unshakable love of life and joy of being. He had cared for Cecil like a brother, despite the fact that the dark knight had often been able to best the dragoon in most of their sparring matches since as far back as she could remember. Cecil had always held an unnaturally keen sense for battle and a great talent for sword skills. Kain could not match up to the dark knight. Though his heart was strong, and hand steady, he had always lacked self-control.
Rosa now looked at the man who was once Kain. She had seen this man in action and knew that he had defeated Cecil without much difficulty. Nor a second thought or consideration for the one that had once been a brother to him. That was why he was not Kain. She hated the twisted and vengeful powers Golbez had granted him. It was the power to kill without heart. The power to murder. She shuddered as his haunted, dead eyes watched over her.
He thought this was love.
Rosa wanted to scream. She wanted to hit him until he came back to his senses.
This is not love! Love does not purposely hurt the one you care about!
Golbez was suddenly there — he did not enter by any means she could see, he just simply was. The room shrank and bowed as he stepped into the center of the chamber. Light itself seemed to fear him, dancing from the huge plated armor that concealed his body, wrapping him in gloom. The man who was once Kain seemed small beside the Dark Lord.
Rosa felt minuscule.
How is Cecil going to be able to fight that?
“Kain,” the voice that came from within the helmet should not have been there. It was deep, golden, resounding — wrapped within an ancient lilt that had never fell upon her ears before. It was as if the words were blessed to be spoken by this man…. until one remembered who he was. “There is duty for you below.”
“Master…” the man who was once Kain bowed from his waist. His hot, darkened eyes fell upon her and Rosa could feel the possessive loathing seeping from the shadows. He didn’t want to leave her alone with another man, even if that man was his own Master.
Rosa didn’t want to be left with the Dark Lord, either.
Thus far, Golbez had not harmed her nor made any untoward move in her direction. If she didn’t know better, she would think that he was actually attempting to avoid contact with her. She could not understand why. But, she was thankful for every moment that she did not have to spend in his presence.
Rosa could only watch helplessly as the room dimmed at the man who was once Kain’s exit. Now all that remained was the darkness. And the frantic drumming of her heart. She swallowed back the bile of fear that filled her mouth with its bitter taste.
Golbez, too, seemed to watch as the dragoon left. Rosa could hear the rise and fall of his breath, the only indication that something deep within the mountain of midnight armor was actually alive. When the door had closed securely behind, the Dark Lord turned full attention upon her.
Rosa shrank back inside her skin, horror thickening the air as it clung to her damp form. She tugged uselessly at the bonds around her wrists and ankles, the rope nibbling at her flesh. Golbez had already captured her chin in the crook of his forefinger and thumb. His gauntleted hand held firm but gentle, big enough to smother her if he were to spread his palm wide. She could only quiver in frozen terror, caught by the hand of darkness itself.
“I find that Kain is taking a little too much enjoyment in his duty here with you,” as the voice spoke, its strange lulling magic washed over her. The young White Mage could feel a whimper bubble within her throat as Golbez turned her head from side to side very, very slowly.
Just one quick twist of his wrist could–
“Obsession clutters the mind. A cluttered mind does not fight well. He needs a bit of time away, don’t you think?”
Rosa could only close her eyes, feeling time creeping around her, wondering if the sun or moons shone outside. Her stomach reeled as the Dark Lord began to trace one finger softly over the slope of her chin and down the white flesh of her throat. He paused, as if not certain whether he should continue.
“Mmmm…. you are lovely…” Golbez murmured, almost a true feeling passing those lips.
Shiva…! What is he going to do to me?
Her breath was icy in her lungs, catching in her chest painfully.
He wouldn’t possibly..! I belong to Cecil! And only Cecil!
Her body prickled as she hung in desperate fear, the scent heavy in the air. Rosa could only tremble, like a tiny and frightened creature caught in a predator’s mighty maw. She felt violated. She felt terrified. Whatever Golbez wanted, she knew she was powerless to stop him.
“So… beautiful…” He stroked the back of his fingers down one cheek, then the other, feeling the wet tracks of the tears she could not hold back. The Dark Lord brushed the straying hair away from her eyes. Then he tilted her head up to look at him. His darkness filled her vision, and she wondered in fearful awe what was actually under the ebony plated helmet. What eyes watched her so?
“What do you know of beauty?” She had thought. To her dismay, she realized she must have uttered it aloud.
His soft, throaty chuckle floated through the room. It was a warm, brazen sound. Golbez tilted his head as he gazed down into her face. “I have eyes that can see, just as you do. That is all that is needed to know such a thing.”
“A man who recognizes beauty of any kind… must posses the heart to understand what he sees,” she was too afraid to speak louder than a hoarse whisper. Still, he heard.
“Child,” spoke that strange, magnificent voice. It sounded almost regretful. “I’m living proof that he does not.”
Much to her surprise, Rosa found her response rising through the darkness of the chamber, “Then, why didn’t you just kill Cecil when you had the chance?”
Golbez suddenly jerked back, a choked sound coming from within the depths of the helmet. Rapidly, he turned away, like someone blinded by a moment of terrible realization.
Caught by surprise, Rosa wrenched back away from his presence. After a moment of gasping breath, she glanced up at the Dark Lord’s back, and a strange thought ran through her mind.
Is it possible… that Golbez is reaching for the Light… somewhere within him and he doesn’t even know it?
A tension that Rosa had not even noticed had faded in the room drew back around the huge, armored man. As if regaining his senses, he swept his cloak around him like a dark shield. She shied away again as he turned to face her.
“I think it is better if you were not to remember today’s conversation,” he intoned.
Rosa gave a muffled gasp as the Dark Lord motioned his hand in front of her eyes. A deep, chilled sleep rose up to take her, and she knew upon awakening, she would remember none of what had passed between them.