28th September, 2006

The end of the war

I might as well start telling my story from the day it turned for the worse, the day events aligned themselves in a way me and Lesca would regret for a millenia.

My wife Lesca had just been sent to the frontline of the war, where I was serving as a general to our Zanarkand forces. We had mounted a strong defense, with our troops from the Prairie tribes in front, fighting with conventional weapons and our Zanarkand Summoners behind them, providing coverage with their mighty Aeons.

Bevelle troops had been trying to penetrate our defenses for years to no avail, but our troops grew weary. The bevellians had recently dominated the Macalania forest, our only route on land. Since the Bevelle Machina were almost unbeatable on water, they had finally succeeded in cutting off all our supply routes.

We could still get reinforcements and materiel from Zanarkand but the trip through Mt. Gagazet was treacherous and didn't allow for much to be transferred at a time. We had relied on the Macalanians aid for most of the war and now cut off from their aid we suffered. Shielding supplies were all but gone, and the Prairie City folks weapons now lacked any magic reinforcement.
Mercifully we still had some healing supplies but we were down to the most basic potions and counter magic items.

The situation was desperate. How would we be able to keep the bevellians from reaching Zanarkand if they managed to pass the Prairie Plains ? No army could close Mt. Gagazet, it's slopes were just too treacherous for it. The wind and snow cut friend or foe with equal fury, and the Ronso finished off what the wind left, angry that armies dared disturb their sacred mountain. Zanarkand was all but lost if we failed here. And failure was looming nearer with each day passing, without supplies.

That is when Lesca, who had just passed by the floating Library palace remembered she had seen plenty of healing items there, along with some magic items for shielding and attack. It made a lot of sense, the palace was being used as a military supply storage for the past couple of years.

We could barely spare any troops, but Lesca's Aeon could be used to carry some of the supplies. Adding myself and another soldier we could bring some much needed relief to our wounded. So we set out to the floating palace, Lesca, myself and Zathos, a soldier I trusted.

We reached the waterfall at the foot of the floating palace in two days. The way up from there is very exposed to the elements, which for Zanarakand folk is not a determent because we can always fly on the back of Aeons. But Lesca was exhausted so we had to do it on foot. We were forced to spend a day camping waiting for the wind to subside because we didn't want to risk crossing those frozen slopes on a windy day.

Camping by the hot springs and the waterfall was very pleasant, a welcome break from the war worries. Unfortunately with Zathos around Lesca and I couldn't enjoy the warm bath like I wanted too, but it was a glorious day nonetheless. We made it to the palace the next day.

And never left.


# posted by: Zaon @ 17:09 Comments (0)