1. The Conflict

**A Totally Pointless Author's Note: So this is my new version of Ingenero. I had some problems writing for new chapters, so I simply just ended it early and redid it. Sorry for the inconvenience!**

**There are some changes made to the story, so some of the characters' physical appearances have been changed. Don't forget to drop me a review about your opinion! Thanx, and enjoy!**

**Title:** Ingenero: Final Fantasy

**Author**: Cecil Kain Cerberus

**Characters (central focus)**: A new generation of warriors, sons and daughters of our brave heroes.

**Rating**: T, for violence, mild language, and mild suggestive themes.

**Warnings for the reader: **None, unless you count this being a next gen as one.

**Setting**: Post-Dissidia, post-Final Fantasy for every game.

**Summary**: Twelve warriors are summoned to a battle not of their own making. Cosmos is powerless to stop the growing power of Chaos, and twelve minions of Chaos, all with their own agendas and goals to make, stand in the way of the heroes' path home. Their only option seems to be to repeat the cycles of yesterday, but is that wise? Is obtaining Crystals truly a smart decision, with Cosmos so weak, and the world they inhabit so frail? What is Chaos truly planning on doing? What could have possibly happened in the previous cycles that caused this to happen? What forces are really at work here?

**Length:** I haven't the foggest of how long this will be. At least twenty chapters, is my liberal guess.

**Genre****: **(Final) Fantasy, Adventure, Friendship

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. Sqaure-Enix does. But if I did . . . well, let's just say some people would lose their sanity, while others would . . . erm . . . yeah.

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><p><em>-::Ingenero: Final Fantasy::-<em>

_-:Chapter 1 - The Conflict:-_

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><p><em>They were brought into this world, with no memories to call their own<em>

_Forced to fight a battle that was not their own._

_The warriors of Cosmos, and the warriors of Chaos_

_Collide once more in an epic struggle to preserve the world._

_But it is not this world they protect._

_It is the fate of all worlds that they must save._

_But they know little of the true conflict, only fighting to survive._

_And as one takes the role of leader, a puzzling question buzzes in their minds._

_Why are they here?_

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><p>She was the leader of the warriors of Cosmos. Tall, stoic, with a long tumbling mane of silver strands beneath a horned helm, she marched into battle with a firm grace possessed only by skilled warriors. Aqua-marine eyes stayed focused on their target as she moved forward, a wild mass of crystal-like creatures known only as manikins charging forth in an unorganized barricade.<p>

Almost like in a dance, she swung her sword to and forth, batting away the creatures as if they were nothing more than flies. Their shattered pieces bounced off her pale blue armor, her skirt of golden feathers catching wind and twirling around her figure like an elegant tornado.

Her cape bellowing behind her, she overtook a dozen or so manikins in the flash of an eye, and as the dust settled, she continued forward, never pausing to admire the view as the ivory white tower loomed in the distance.

Another ran behind her, not as skilled or precise as she, trying his best to keep up with her pace. His orange bandanna kept his gray hair thankfully out of his eyes, and as he struggled to follow his leader back to base, he was vaguely aware of the going-ons around him.

However, he failed to notice one stray manikin approaching him from behind. It could have been the end of him, if it weren't for another warrior keeping taps on his back for him.

The manikin crumbled to bits as he whirled around, seeing the young woman remove the spear from the dislocated chest piece of the doll. He groaned as she threw him a glare before she met blades with another foe. He, too, battled a few manikins until finally he caught up with the leader.

The other two warriors were by his side as they waited for instructions. Turning, the leader stated coolly, "Get some rest while we're in Sanctum. There seems to be increased manikin activity, so I want everyone ready to take on the next battle with full strength."

"Harmony." The spear-wielding girl, dressed head to foot literally in metallic blue armor designed to take on the appearance of a dragon, spoke, her arms crossed in a familiar position in front of her chest. "Do you know why there are so many of these abominations out so close to Sanctum?"

"I can only speculate that Chaos's power is reaching greater heights," the leader replied solemnly. She turned to the fourth warrior, an albino with long, braided hair reached past his shoulder blades. "Tor, come with me to report our findings to Cosmos. She'll want to hear what you saw."

"Very well." Tor shifted the massive three-bladed scythe on his back to a more comfortable position as he followed Harmony up the tower to where Cosmos waited. The dragon-armored girl uncrossed her arms and followed before stopping and glancing at the bandanna-haired boy. "Are you coming, Creon?"

"Huh?" Creon looked up to see her watching him expectedly. "Uh, sure. Yeah, I'm coming, Cecilia."

"Good. Because I'm done saving you constantly from manikins." With that, she turned, her blond braid whipping around her as she climbed to the top with the others.

Creon sighed, shaking his head before joining her and others.

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><p>"The powers of darkness seem to be growing with each passing battle," Harmony stated, her brow furrowed with concern. She held her helmet to her side, her silvery bangs constantly falling into her eyes. She brushed the persistent bangs to the side as she finished, "Cosmos, we cannot continue fighting these endless battles if we hope to stop Chaos from returning to full power."<p>

"I am aware," the deity said softly. She was looking down at her hands, her normally free-flowing blond hair now hanging in front of her face like a broken halo. "But what am I to do? If I should use what little power I have, the very fabric of this world would tear itself apart and bring an end to us all."

"I am not asking this at all," Harmony replied. "What I am asking is for suggestions, ideas, some form of strategy we can follow to end the war quickly so we may all return home."

"What's the point of even fighting this war?" a voice retorted. Harmony turned to see a girl with pixie-cut black hair and harsh demeanor march forward, her emerald eyes glowering down at the leader despite the significant differences in height.

"What do you mean by that?" Tor asked, a white eyebrow arched curiously. The girl snorted ruefully and suddenly reached out to grab him by his lavender scarf, pulling him close so they were face-to-face. "We don't even know why we are here, and you don't seem bothered by this at all?"

"Gwen, release Tor at once before I skin you alive!" Gwen barely had time to stagger back as Cecilia ran in-between them and stabbed her lance hard into the ground. Burning blue orbs dared the girl to retort as Cecilia jerked the lance out of the ground. "I need not remind you the consequences of laying a hand on any of our allies? Or was last time too gentle a warning?"

"All I'm saying is we don't have any reason to fight this stupid war," Gwen snapped back. She jerked her gunblade out its holster and pointed it at the spear-wielder. "You may jump high and wield a spear, but you don't stand a chance against a gunblade, so don't pick a fight with me, dragon girl!"

"Hey, now!" A tan boy with a scarf wrapped around his head jumped in the middle of the fray, waving his hands urgently. "Come on, guys, we're send to fight Chaos goons, not each other!"

"I agree," Tor stated, stepping in front of Cecilia. "Cecilia, I may not remember much of our world, but I do remember that dragoons do not pick fights without valid reason."

"She just gave me one," Cecilia growled. "She dared to hassle you, and then turned her weapon on me."

"Only because you attacked her!" retorted a young lad wearing the traditional garments of an Onion Knight. "If you hadn't jumped in with that spear, none of this would have happened." He glanced at the others and quickly added, "No pun intended."

"Terran," Cecilia sighed. "You are young, only twelve. Do you even understand the heavy matters hanging over our heads?"

"Hey! I'm not a little—"

"Enough! All of you!" Everyone turned to see Harmony glaring down them all. "As Quincy kindly pointed out, we are here to fight Chaos, not each other. Now all of you need to grow up, or none of us will be going home."

Creon had been in the background, watching the whole thing go on. He sighed, shifting from foot to foot before taking out a Potion from the pocket in his leather vest. It didn't take a genius to realize how different they were from each other. Harmony probably hailed from an older world, what with her mannerisms and choose of attire (feminized version of a knight's appearance to be precise), but there were those strange outbursts of fire to be wary of. Of course, she was normally a calm, held-together person, wisely choosing to keep herself out of the personal affairs of others.

Tor didn't seem the type of person all that willing to fight. Wearing a long, wide-sleeved tunic with a metal chest plate, metal-cladded boots, and a long lavender scarf, he appeared more like an explorer than a powerful warrior. Creon often wondered how on this world he was selected, but then again, not even the goddess Cosmos knew.

Oddly enough, Tor's frequent and faithful companion Cecilia was entirely different matter. She was a warrior at heart, obvious to anyone with eyes, and she walked with pride, her head held up high, a sort of dangerous yet beautiful stride in each step. Her fighting skills were similar to one of the minions of Chaos, Drake. However, if such a point were made, that person would find him or herself unfortunately at the bladed tip of her spear.

Terran was another strange case. Young, boastful, yet surprisingly clever, the child no doubt had no place in this war, yet here he was, fighting for Cosmos against the god Chaos. Quincy fell in the same boat as Tor, looking more like some entertainer, what with his outgoing personality, friendly exchanges and happy-go-lucky attitude. The only metal he carried on him was metal shin-protectors, and brass knuckles on his fists.

Gwen, well, she was from some world where old world traditions had no place. She was oddly not dressed for combat, wearing only a shirt, torn pants called "jeans," and the holster that carries the weapon known as a gunblade. Creon was familiar with several different types of weapons, but he had never laid eyes on such a weapon as that until meeting Gwen. Even if he didn't have much memory of his home.

Turning around, he marked how he himself didn't really fit into the whole war scene. He had the appearance of a simple farm boy, in his opinion, with nothing too fancy besides the large range of weapons at his disposal. Plus, his mental state wasn't well suited for combat, since he seemed to-

"Where'd you think the others got to?" a voice asked him from behind. Creon nearly jumped out of his skin in shock before the voice immediately began to apologize. He sighed, calmed himself down and shook his head. "No, it's fine. I was…just thinking again."

"You seem to do that a lot," Quincy observed, tilting his head. Creon actually began to wonder what was underneath the scarf, since Quincy kept such good care to keep it on his head. Shaking his head again, he stated, "Now, what was your question again?"

"Where the others are? You know; Reks, Lea, Jet, Kaz, and Zeke?"

"Yeah," Creon hummed and looked out over the edge of Sanctum. "Maybe they had some trouble with the manikins."

Suddenly, Quincy gasped and pointed out. "Or maybe one of Chaos's cronies got 'em!" Creon followed his finger and gasped as well when he saw the sight below. Turning together, they ran to the others.

Gwen regarded the two running fools as a nuisance when Cecilia asked what the matter was.

Creon pointed back the way they came. "The others! They're being attacked by Jupiter and Hydra!"

Harmony retrieved her sword and shield. "Then let us not waste time. Our friends' lives hang in the balance!"

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><p><strong>So how was that? Was this better than the first one? I hope so. More to come, I promise ;)<strong>


	2. A Giant's Plot

**Wonderful. More meaningless blabber: Woot, finally some action! Not much, but I hope it'll get more intense later on. ****Anywho, come on, guys. You don't have an excuse to not try to guess who's who's kid. They're all introduced now. So make a guess on ones you do think you know. ****And don't forget to review. Reviews make the world go 'round, anyway ;)**

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><p><em>-::Ingenero: Final Fantasy::-<em>

_-:Chapter II - A Giant's Plot:-_

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><p>For Lea, it seemed the entire world had been flipped upside down.<p>

Well, it actually was flipped upside down, as she was dangling helplessly as she and her friends were tossed around, thrown to and fore, as their enemy took complete advantage over the trapped, harmonic warriors.

And for what probably seemed like the tenth time to herself, she thought, _Tentacles. Why did it have to be tentacles?_

Thankfully, even with the blood rushing to her head, she was still able to think, and thus gave a joyful cheer when she noticed moving figures heading towards her and her friends.

They did not gleam in the crystalline light like the manikins, and upon seeing Harmony's cape waving in the wind like a flag, Lea could not help but utter a squeal of relief.

The others must have noticed them as well, because they began hooting and cheering as their allies came storming in full force.

On the front, Harmony marked her targets. The source of the tentacles, a serpent-like creature with a flat head, covered head to foot with gleaming fish-scales, stood center-stage, calmly regarding the approaching foes.

Tilting its head, the creature hissed slowly, "Warriorssss of Cossssmossss, if you wishhhh to ssssee your friendssss again, you will ssstep assssssssside and allow Jupiter to finishhhhh hissss work."

Glancing over her shoulder, Harmony noticed that the giant Jupiter, an ominous being wearing orange, yellow, and red colored armor. The juggernaut sat some way away, large gorilla arms resting by his side with his short legs tucked in, as if waiting for something to occur. Harmony glanced back at the creature, eyes narrowed. "And what is Jupiter wishing to finish that my allies need to be held captive for, Hydra?"

The Hydra of the Sea hissed again, this time, sounding more like a sigh than a noise of offensive. "Thissss war issssss endlesssssssss," the creature moaned. "We do not wissssssh to continue sssssuch an aimlessssssssss fight. Jupiter wishhhhhhhhesssss to dessssstroy Sssssanctum, killing Cossssssmossss asssss well."

"What?" Harmony slashed her sword through the air angrily. "You know as well as I do that killing Cosmos will not alter the cycle! She has no hand in this game!"

"No hand, you sssssay?" The Hydra tilted its head once more. "But we have yet to try sssssuch an endeavor. We might yet ssssuccsssseed."

"You are a fool for trying!" Harmony readied her stance. "We will not step aside!"

"Then we must fight." The juggernaut known as Jupiter rose from his hunches and towered over the warriors. His frame cast a large shadow, blocking out the sun, and Harmony, standing at 6 feet tall, was dwarfed by the monster's 12 feet stature. Reaching for the large axe on his back, Jupiter growled in his deep, monotone voice, "I did wish not to fight. Fighting is a senseless act humans do to end problems that could easily be solved civilly."

"Under normal circumstances, I would agree with you," Harmony retorted. "But when innocent lives are put in danger, I cannot stand down."

Jupiter was silent for a moment. Then, the black slit of the visor in his cylinder shaped helmet focused on Harmony. "You, warrior, are one of high morale and decent understanding of life. I can respect that. Very well, if you truly care about your comrades' safety, like you say, then accept my challenge to do battle!"

Harmony hesitated for a moment. Thoughts raced rapidly through her head as she puzzled over the request. One option is to refuse Jupiter's request and fight as a team against the giant and the creature. The other option was complying, yet even with the promise of no harm to her allies, Harmony felt she could not trust the opponent so easily.

Sighing, she lowered her sword to her side while bowing her head. Jupiter spoke, "Have you made your decision?"

"I have." In a sudden change of demeanor, she readied her blade and pointed at the large man before her. "I will fight you, under the condition you release all my friends and let them return to Sanctum."

"Hydra," the juggernaut commanded. "Release the warriors."

The Hydra hissed with slight displeasure, yet did what was instructed of it and uncoiled its tentacles and released them.

Lea looked up, her long black hair following in her face as she gasped, "Harmony…"

"Take them to safety," the warrior instructed Cecilia. "Heal any wounds they might have."

"Guess that's my job," Quincy said, cracking his knuckles. "Leave it to me; I'll have everyone up and running in no time."

"I have no doubt." With that, Harmony turned to face Jupiter. "I will give my friends so time so they may depart unharmed."

"Very well. I shall wait five minutes." Jupiter set his axe down, waiting as Harmony's group aided the others to safety.

"Is Harmony gonna be alright?" asked a boy with rusty blond hair, goggles covering his eyes and soot covering his yellow overalls. Pulling his arm over Cecilia's shoulder, she nodded and stated, "Fear not, Jet. Harmony has the skill to back her talk. She will not let us down."

"But that dude is huge!" another blond haired boy retorted, his bangs wiping over his brow as he whirled to look at Cecilia, even though Quincy was attempting to help him up. "There's no way Harmony can take him on!"

"Kaz, you need to have more faith in Harmony" Tor replied, smiling while holding up Lea. "She is strong. And I believe Cece; there is no way she can lose."

Cecilia's demeanor suddenly changed, stiffening but did not halt in the path she was taken. "Tor," she growled at the white haired boy lethally, "we'll talk later."

Jet shivered, the danger in her blue eyes very much apparent. But Tor continued on cheerfully, as if he had never heard the threat being made.

Harmony silently waited as the figures disappeared, their conversations fading with them. Turning once more, she stood at the ready, nodding. "Make your move then."

"Ladies first," Jupiter said, a ping of humor in his otherwise monotone drawl. Harmony allowed a brief smirk before charging, swinging her blade in a graceful arch as pillars of light erupted from the ground.

Feathers flying, the pillars barreled towards the juggernaut. He did not hesitate nor stagger as the waves collided into his mighty axe, disrupting the waves in a waterfall of sparks. Heaving his axe high with one hand, Jupiter then brought the weapon hammering down at sickening speeds. Harmony felt herself being propelled back, even though she had managed to dodge the attack skillfully.

_His power is great_, she thought as she struggled for a proper footing. _Too great. Did I overestimate…!_ She managed to back-flip away just as another huge jab of Jupiter's axe drove into the ground. Just as before, Harmony was sent flying through the air.

Jupiter lunged forward, bringing his axe down once more. Harmony gasped as the blade barely missed her shoulder, her shield uselessly bouncing off the huge metal.

From afar, Lea and the others could see how the battle progressed.

"She's being pummeled!" Creon shouted. "We can't just leave her!"

"Remember that she allowed us time to escape!" Cecilia fired back angrily. "We cannot let her sacrifice be in vain!"

"You make it sound like she's already dead…" murmured Jet, watching as Quincy hovered over his wounded leg, white magic slowly working through the injury. Lea clashed her hands in front of her, biting on her lower lip as she looked occasionally to see Harmony be completely dominated by the much larger warrior.

"She's far from dead," Tor stated. "Remember what I and Cecilia said. Harmony is no easy opponent to take down."

"Don't you think we should help, though?" a curly-haired boy asked, his pale blue eyes shifting between Cecilia and the fight. "I mean, there's no way any of us alone could take on that guy. So we just tag-team against him and beat him that way."

"Harmony agreed to fight him, Reks," Terran stated bitterly. "We can't interfere."

"N-not really," a soft voice spoke. Everyone turned to look at Zeke, the mostly silent black haired boy in dark clothes. Brushing aside some shaggy bangs, Zeke stated, "I-I-I mean…Ju-ju-jupiter never s-s-said anything on-on-on one-on-one only…"

"That's right…" Creon stated slowly. "So then…"

"Creon, no!" Lea begged. "We shouldn't interfere, like Terran said! What if we get in Harmony's way—?"

"Look at her!" Creon gestured towards the woman being beaten before them. "Does it look like we'd get in her way? The only getting in the way is getting in the way of her being killed!"

"I don't think so…" Reks pointed out one tan finger towards the battleground. "Look."

Harmony was on her back, panting heavily as Jupiter hovered over her, watching her carefully through the single slit in his helmet.

"You fight well, I'll admit it." The giant then rested once more on his hunches and set his axe to the side before crossing his arms. "But you still have much to learn if you should wish to succeed in this conflict."

Harmony sighed, closing her eyes. "If you are done fighting, why not kill me now?"

"Because I see no point in restarting the cycle," Jupiter grumbled. "I grow weary of being revived only to be stuck down."

"That's why you wished to destroy Cosmos?" Harmony found herself asking. She knew she wasn't in any position to question anything, yet she could not stop herself.

Jupiter merely hummed before glancing over at the Hydra, who stood by patiently. "There are some of us on Chaos's side who simply wish to return home. Darkness is not as, and excuse the pun, black as it seemed."

"I was told something like that before," she murmured. Her brow furrowed as she racked her brain for the familiar wisps of memories that currently floated over her head. "Still, killing Cosmos is wrong. She has done nothing to ask for this conflict. She is just as much as a prisoner of this war as you and I are."

"Be that as it may," Jupiter stated, "a smart general is willing to sacrifice a few innocent civilians for the lives of many people."

"Jupiter," hissed the Hydra, "we must depart. Morgan calls."

"Of course." The giant stood up, taking his axe and replacing it back on his hunched back. "A word of warning, child of light," the brute stated as he began to fade with the Hydra, "not everything is as it seems."

And then they were gone.

Harmony gave a sigh of relief. Her whole body ached, and she found it difficult to move. Still, she pushed herself up on her feet and staggered a bit before making a footing. Someone she faintly heard in the distance called her name, and she turned to see Creon running towards her, leaving the others behind.

And just when it seemed quiet again, the war broke out once more.

A spear slammed into the ground, aimed directly before Creon's feet. He barely had enough time to stop just before the blade reached his toes. He grunted angrily and glared up, eyes narrowing at the figure standing over the pillar directly above Harmony.

Harmony followed Creon's gaze and found herself staring up at yet another Chaos warrior.

Drake.

"Well, well," the spear-wielding man sighed, crossing his arms over his chest, "did I come at a bad time?"

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><p><strong>AN: I'm evil. I stopped at the cliff-hanger.**

… **I think I'll do this more often.**


	3. Chaos Rising

_-::Ingenero: Final Fantasy::-_

_-:Chapter III - Chaos Rising:-_

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><p>"Drake," Harmony stated calmly, nodding towards him. "Odd time to find one such you here. Didn't your master call you home?"<p>

"Perhaps I had better things to do?" Drake then stood up and Jumped, landing in front of Creon. Jerking his spear out of the ground, the man turned to face Harmony, a smirk on his face. "Besides, I'd much rather toy with you than sit in another boring meeting."

"Harmony!" She had just enough time jerk herself aside as a bolt of lightning barreled toward her. Turning, she saw Neo Tyrant, yet another Chaos warrior.

"Drake," the child emperor growled, "do you honestly think you can have the most fun? How naïve of you."

Drake smirked darkly, twirling his spear in his hand. "Back off, Tyrant. She's mine."

And suddenly Harmony and Creon found themselves in the middle of the fight.

The explosion shook the earth beneath Harmony's feet.

Still, she did not waver. Braving the brunt of the attack, she pulled her shield back and charged head first into the fray, sword held at the ready. The next row of attacks came in the form of a magical wave, sparks of energy crackling through the quickly expanding air.

Tucking and rolling, she flew underneath the spell just as it erupted, before leaping to her feet to parry a blow from Drake.

He gave a devilish smile to her, showing shiny, white teeth. "You fight well for a woman." He then grunted as he pushed her back, sending her stagger a little before she straightened up.

"And you are a worthy opponent," Harmony retorted back. "That is what I would say if you were not for Chaos."

Drake merely smirked, spun his lance in one hand before Jumping high into the air. She stumbled back, craning her neck as she tried to locate her foe in the sky. Her horned helm blocked her view and prevented her from looking high enough.

A voice from behind her called, "Watch out!" A flicker of movement was seen in the corner of her aqua-marine eyes and suddenly she was tackled to the ground with a grunt. Creon got up immediately and parried the spear that was sailing towards them.

Getting up, she turned around, seeing the gray head of her ally fighting her opponent. Creon loaded the bow, pulling the string back as he prepared to fire an energy arrow. Drake pulled his spear back, green eyes narrowed as he glared down at the energized arrow, his wavy brown hair framing his olive-colored face.

Suddenly, her silver hair stood on the back of her neck. Twirling around, she saw the sneering face of Tyrant, holding his staff out as a spell rolled off his tongue. The Thundaga launched at her and the other two.

Repaying her debt, she grabbed Creon by the scruff of his neck and tossed him aside before dodging the blast. Drake Jumped out of the way, once more retreating into the clouds.

Panting, she crawled over to her gray haired friend. "Creon, are you alright?" she whispered urgently.

Creon nodded, his brown eyes straining to fight off the dizzy spell running rampage in his head. "I'm fine. And you, Harmony?"

"As good as I will always be." Holding out her hand, she and Creon helped each other stand. Creon's bandana that held his messy gray hair back was skewed to the left, leaving the unattended right side to look like a Chocobo had gnawed on his head. Patting his leather vest, Creon then straightened the metal plating on his gloves before retrieving his bow. "Think you can distract Tyrant while I make a run for him?" he asked.

Harmony nodded, adjusting her gold cape around her shoulders. "Take care to be wary of the skies. Drake will most likely try to attack us again."

Creon rolled his eyes. "Of course," he muttered before running off to take shelter. Harmony turned her head to look at Tyrant.

Raising his rod once more, the boy king smirked, his dark eyes narrowing at his prey. "Do you pathetic insects think you can defeat me?" he challenged.

"You'd be amazed by what insects can do!" Getting a running start, she leaped up and swung downward. Tyrant lifted his staff to catch the blade, the two metallic weapons sparking as they collided.

Grinding her teeth, Harmony pushed back, causing the smaller foe to stagger. Taking a chance, she squatted, swung out a leg, catching his legs and forcing them out underneath him. He gave a little scream as he suddenly had no ground to stand upon and fell face forward into the ground.

Just before she could deal another blow, a whoosh sounded in her ears, and she suddenly found herself pinned to the ground, a spear lodged into her shoulder while staring into the face of Drake. His green eyes shined even in the low light as he hovered over her, watching her squirm. "My, my. You seem a little hot under the collar, Harmony. Does the big, brave leader need her mommy?"

Harmony grunted, then spat into his eye. "You'll be crying to yours once I'm free."

Drake chuckled. "Feisty one, aren't you? Unfortunately I cannot afford a heated battle now. Another day, perhaps?" With that, he leapt away from her just as she swung out to catch him.

"Until then, my harmonic friend!" Drake then bowed and Jumped just in time to dodge the flying energy arrow. Creon ran to Harmony's side just as the Chaos warrior leapt to his ally's side and picked him up by his shoulder.

"Wait," Harmony said, holding out an arm to stop Creon from firing another arrow. He paused and stared at her. "Why?"

She didn't answer as Drake smirked and Jumped away, carrying Tyrant with him to the smoky, burning realm that belonged to Chaos. Sighing, she turned to face the tower of Cosmos and began marching towards it. "Come. We must make a report about Chaos's warriors."

Creon was baffled. One minute, Drake was itching for a fight, the next he said he didn't have time for a battle. And then there was Harmony, who eagerly joined the fray yet seemed reluctant to throw one last blow after Drake pulled back.

But he resisted the urge to ask, merely following Harmony as they reunited with their comrades.

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><p>Reks watched as the two returning shared their versions of being attacked by yet another pair of Chaos warriors. Hearing a sigh from besides him, he turned to see Lea closing her bi-colored eyes, a look of slight frustration on her face.<p>

"What's up?" he offered, turning his body so he fully faced her. The black haired gunner shook her head, the dark locks cascading into her face. "None of this makes sense," she sighed. "First the Hydra and Jupiter want to destroy Cosmos, and then Drake and Tyrant just show up, ready to pick a fight."

"I'm surprised that Gemini didn't join in," Jet murmured, cleaning his goggles. "They just love causing mayhem and destruction. "

"I wonder what's going on?" Kaz mused. "I mean, I agree with Lea. Nothing is making any sense."

Terran held up a hand, counting off with his fingers. "First, we have increased manikin activity. Second, increased Chaos activity. Third, meaningless encounters that end in a draw or the opponent pulls back. Fourth, we don't even see Morgan at all these days. Fifth—"

"We get it already!" Gwen snapped suddenly. "There's a huge mystery going on. But that doesn't help us in getting home any faster."

"Gwen," Cecilia retorted, "you are overstepping the lines again. Must I remind you—"

"Can we please not fight again?" Quincy moaned, covering his ears, even though they were hidden underneath the cloth wrapped around his head.

Tor bowed his head. "What is Chaos plotting?" he pondered aloud. Everyone paused in what they were doing to consider the question.

Crossing her arms, Lea pouted. "Well, whatever it is, it's not good."

"Obviously," Gwen grunted, rolling her green eyes.

"Warriors, assemble." Everyone, reluctantly or eagerly, obediently or with an air of fear, removed themselves from their resting places and circled around Cosmos, with her hands folded neatly in her lap. She slowly raised her head, taking in everyone around her.

There was Terran, dressed in his purple Onion Knight uniform, a thin sword strapped to his side, eagerness shining in his green eyes, his blond hair short and spiked underneath the large helmet.

Standing close to him was Quincy, with his own youthfulness radiating from his blue orbs, with a khaki colored cloth warped around his head, leaving only his tan face and brown bangs showing. The cloth stretched out to a cape that floating around his frame, a loose, and beneath the cloak he wore a long sleeve tunic colored like the sky, dark brown trousers and black boots. The only metal he carried on him were metal shin-protectors, and a pair of brass knuckles on his fists.

Right next to Quincy, bouncing on his feet, stood Kaz, chin-length blond hair circling his face, blue eyes watching Cosmos intensely. His normally neat scarlet vest was slightly messy from the previous battle, and his partly rolled up dark red trousers were slightly soaked by the water, and his black boots and white gloves looked better for wear.

A little apart of the group, Gwen, with her arms crossed over her chest, looked away, her own green eyes focusing everywhere but at Cosmos and the others. Her white short-sleeved shirt and black torn jeans were spotless compared to the other warriors. Her gunblade rested in the holster on her hip, short-cut pixie black hair slightly spiked, and her bottom lip stuck out a little in the form of a pout.

Tor and Cecilia stood side by side, as close as ever. Tor wore his long, wide-sleeved soft blue tunic with a metal chestplate strapped on, pale aqua trousers tucked into metal-cladded boots, and a long lavender scarf warped loosing around his neck. His white hair hung all the way to his waist, held together in a loose braid, some of his bangs hanging in front of his red eyes. Cecilia's armored clad body stood in a closed-off posture, her spears strapped to her back with her arms crossed over her azure figure, with a long blond hair dangling over her shoulder and her piecing blue eyes shining through the eye-holes of the dragon helm hiding half of her olive face.

Creon stood before Cosmos with the others, his brown eyes steely and focused for once. His soft leather vest gaped open, revealing the dulled emerald shirt underneath. His gauntlet-covered fists were clenched, and his black clothed legs were held together as almost in a salute. His normally wild, gray hair was kept in place with an orange bandanna tied around his head.

Reks, dressed in a brown tunic with a breastplate over his heart and chain-mail pants, had his tan fingers laced behind his curly, blond head. Wrapped around his waist was a decorated red sash, and his pale blue eyes flickered back and forth nervously at the thought of the oncoming news.

Lea held her hands behind her, bouncing on the balls of her booted feet. Her long light purple skirt brushed along her toes, with her midriff slightly revealed by a bell-sleeved sapphire top, elegant designs of ocean waves and fish printed into the fabric. Long black locks cascaded around her pale face, her bicolored eyes look mixed with a look of curiosity and fear.

Goggles fashioned over his eyes as always, Jet tried to brush some of the persistent soot from his yellow jumpsuit. His messy mop of rusty blond hair stuck out in numerous, untamed cow-licks, and the soot appeared the worst on his face, giving him an almost tan appearance.

Zeke's red eyes were looking down, a black, baggy sweater and black slacks clothing his fragile figure. His lop-sided black quills for hair were more limp at the time, since their rather 'washer-friendly' visit with the Hydra.

And finally, Harmony, standing proud and tall, as if she could take on the whole world, looked ahead at Cosmos, her blue eyes glowing with a fiery spirit and a stubborn will, her long silver mane spilling out under the dented horned helm resting on her head. Gold cape bellowing in the wind with the golden skirt of feathers, her pale blue armor glittered from the rainbow light being emitted from the area surrounding the group.

Thinking of every one of her warriors, she couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity emitting from them. She once had warriors like these, all brave and valiant. These warriors' parents would be proud.

"It has come to my attention that Chaos's forces have further increased their activity—"

"We already know that," hissed Gwen quietly, which earned her several glares from the others, though she ignored each of them.

Sighing, Cosmos pleaded, "Please, everyone. Now more than ever we must be strong together. If we allow us a moment to be distracted, they could strike, and…"

"Chaos will win for sure." The words left Harmony's mouth, almost without permission.

Cosmos merely gave a solemn nod before continuing. "Which is why I called you here. I fear for the worst. Thus," she paused, closing her eyes, taking a breath before continuing, "I will grant you all a part of my power, in order to repeat the sequence of the previous cycles—"

"WHAT?" Kaz stood slack-jawed at her. "Are you crazy? Last time you did that, Chaos came out of nowhere and roasted you! We can't let that happen again!"

"There's an old saying where I come from," Cecilia stated calmly. "Why reinvent the wheel? We know her plan worked before, and it will work again."

"But Cosmos died!" Reks protested. "Why makes you think it won't happen again?"

"It won't," argued Terran. "Cosmos is the only active god. Chaos hasn't revealed himself, or even attempted to make a direct attack."

"He's right," Creon stated. "Besides, it's not like we're waving giant signs over our head saying we're getting our Crystals."

"Oh, so it can be a secret mission!" Quincy chirped. "Well, count me in. I love a good adventure, especially the secret kind."

Tor nodded in agreement. "I concur. Perhaps then we could get a head in this endless war and finally see some kind of finale."

Lea bit her finger hesitantly. "But…what if Chaos wants us to use the Crystals? What if he's aware of everything happening?"

"She's got a point," Jet admitted. "I mean, what if we're being watched right now by, like, Seph or Drake or Dimitri…?"

"They wouldn't dare!" Terran spat. "Or they'll get a butt-whooping they've seen before!"

"S-s-still," Zeke stuttered softly. Gwen glared at him, and he immediately raised his voice. "We-we can't be certain of either. I-I mean, Chaos-Chaos-Chaos could b-b-be watching us…or-or-or h-h-he-he isn't th-th-the wiser…"

"Either way we look at it," Lea sighed, "it's a risk."

"Maybe we should play it safe," Reks recommended. "I mean, maybe we could pretend we're trying to get your crystals and see how they act, or still continue fighting without them—"

"Reks, that's a fool's ideal," Cecilia snapped coldly. "If we do not make our move now, we may as well quit and continue with the next cycle."

Cosmos turned to Harmony. "And what are your thoughts, Harmony?"

Harmony had her eyes closed, pondering. Sighing, she half-opened them. "I cannot speak for either theory. But," she emphasized the last word, catching everyone's attention, "I do believe that no matter what plans Chaos and his minions take, we must go for every opening. If it means using the Crystals, then so be it."


	4. The Plot Thickens

**So I finally got this chapter. Phew, this was harder than it looked. I really appreciate your reviews, so please keep them coming ;)**

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><p><em>-::Ingenero: Final Fantasy::-<em>

_-:Chapter IV – The Plot Thickens:-_

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><p>"Well, well. Aren't we the late ones?"<p>

Drake flickered his green eyes briefly at the woman seated on the rocky throne in middle of the ruined temple. Giving a snort, he turned and walked towards a pillar, which he then leaned against. His dark brown hair waved as if he had run through the sky untamed, his muscular frame clad in dragon-like armor, made up of a chestplate, gauntlets, boots, pants, finishing with a garment shaped like wings circling his head. His tan flesh showed little sign of the struggle he had just finished.

"I had some things to wrap up."

"Oh, is that so?" The woman seated on the throne brushed a strand of oil black hair aside her white face, gray eyes watching the man closely. A navy blue dress clad her slender frame, with black wrist brands holding her sleeves down and a dark shawl draped over her shoulders. "Did these 'things to wrap up' involve a current harmonic warrior?"

"You're making puns now?" Drake asked casually. The woman gave a light laugh.

Neo Tyrant, however, was less held together, unruly violet-tipped blond hair falling like wild feathers over the gold ordainment around his head, purple eyes dark and malevolent, his pint-sized frame dressed to appear like a king, with a long cape of sharpest violet, gold fibers made to form a royal robe, all soaked and disheveled. His pasty white face a hot shade of tomato red, he snarled, "Those damned peons keep getting in our way! And you just sit there, making jokes? I should have been the leader here!"

"You're still going on about that? How immature." Tyrant glanced over to see two metallic warriors, clad head to foot in yellow metal that bent and shaped to fit each gender's frame perfectly. The taller, masculine being tilted his head, three arches sticking out of the back of his head, black linings wrapped around lips that flowed into a frown. "Truly, Tyrant, you are the youngest and most foolish of us all. The last thing we need is for a child to lead great warriors like us into battle."

"An army of lions led by a lamb is far weaker than an army of sheep led by a lion," another person spoke. This man, his face covered by a white, smiling mask, was dressed fashionably, a velvet green vest over a dress shirt, polished black shoes, and dark pants, with his long blond hair tied into a perfect, curly ponytail.

Tyrant gagged. "Are you calling me a lamb, you incompetent monkey?" he hissed.

The well-dressed man cocked his head, and behind him, a yellow tail flickered in annoyance. "I am sorry, but what did you just call me, little boy?"

"An. Incompetent. Mon-key!" Tyrant spat.

"He called Dimitri an incompetent monkey," the metallic feminine being chirped. "Not once, but twice. Brother, did you teach the dog new tricks?"

"I'm afraid that's not my doing," the masculine being replied smoothly. "If that were the case, I would have taught him a more elegant choice of words."

Tyrant spun around, taking his anger on newer victims. "You be silent, Gemini! Your ludicrous words mean nothing to me!"

"Oooh!" squealed the feminine being. "Now he's using ludicrous! How wonderful! The suckling can actually use big words!" She turned to the one she called 'Brother,' a giddy smile on her face. "Isn't that delightful, dear Brother?"

"Indeed it is, dear Sister," the masculine being stated. "However, I do doubt he's using words far too enormous for his feeble cranium to comprehend. Empty threats from a futile king." He chuckled, covering his mouth with his hand. "Or should I say, futile princeling?"

"He is far from a princeling," droned a woman with dark tones, purple hair framing a heart-shaped face, neat and tied into a bun that warped around the back of her head before the ends stuck out behind, appearance similar to a snake ready to strike. Her yellow eyes burned like the sun, red stripes underneath her lids like bags, ruby lips tensed into a frown. Her tight-fitting gown split at the bottom, revealing legwear as dark as night. "Why do you even bother to teasing such a mockery, Gemini? You merely waste the air."

"Silence, Delilah!" Tyrant roared. "I will become ruler of this pathetic world, and then you will all bow before me!"

"Such a worm to make grandeurs vows," Dimitri sang. "But can the boy King really make do to his words, or will he join with the rest of the birds?"

Tyrant opened his mouth to splatter more blasphemies when Jupiter's hollow voice interrupted, "Halt this bickering, everyone."

Everyone paused, turning to look up at the massive Chaos warrior. Turning, the giant nodded. "Morgan, if you will. You have brought us all here for a purpose. Share with us that reason, please."

"Since you asked so nicely," the woman, known now as Morgan, rested her chin nonchalantly in one hand, gesturing to the others with a swipe of her red painted nails. "I have called you all here today to bring an important message from Chaos. It has been awhile since he last called you here, and he feels that some," turning her gaze to the Hydra and Jupiter, "have fallen off the path he has so graciously laid out. Thus, he believes a message must be delivered to increase our militia morale."

"If our morale is so damn important, why doesn't Chaos just show up and tell us so?" a silver-haired youth asked, crossing his arms over his black-clad chest. Punk clothes, such as a black T-shirt, torn black pants, skull ear-rings, and dark boots, covered the boy's lean figure, a gunblade resting in a holster strapped to his side.

Morgan looked at him, smirking darkly, still holding her chin with her manicured hand. "And why would he, the God of Discord, bother to show his divine face to such petty fiends such as yourselves? You are merely soldiers to Chaos. Expendable soldiers, I might add."

Delilah spoke next, asking, "Morgan, while Chaos might have his reasons for not showing his face, there still begs the question of what he is planning." Morgan merely waved her hand at the sorceress, stating casually, "All will be revealed in time. Chaos is a patient being. He does not view the world as we mere mortals do."

"As long as this grand scheme of yours doesn't interfere with my research," snapped an older woman, glasses slipping down her hawk nose, graying brown hair tied into a sloppy ponytail that draped over her shoulder, "I don't give a corkscrew about it."

"Dr. Galloway." Morgan gave a light-hearted laugh. "I can always count on you to throw caution to the wind."

"But of course!" the doctor exclaimed. "As a scientist, I must discover everything there can be discovered! So I must take risks! Caution never discovered anything, now did it? Besides, if it's protecting myself, I have this brat here for a reason." She gestured towards a solemn, blank-faced girl standing closely behind her.

The girl was a little older than fifteen, blond hair left in dead locks around her face, her green eyes blank and unseeking. She wore a simple shirt and loose slacks, shackles on her wrists and ankles.

The doctor herself, a medium sized woman in a lab coat, high collar shirt and work pants, gestured wildly at the unextraordinary child by her side. "Science created this grand creature, who now stands by my side. And science will continue to serve me faithfully. Is that not right, girl?"

The girl responded by nodding silently, her face completely void of any emotion. Dr. Galloway nodded erotically, her head bobbling almost loosely on her neck.

Drake sighed heavily. "Animals," he murmured as Galloway continued to tirade about the importance of science without caution.

"Yes, it seems the darkness is strongest here." Drake turned to see a man dressed in a brown cloak, his face partly covered, blue eyes glittering against fair skin.

"Enoch," Drake greeted, giving a friendly smile, "how fair's your seeking of memories?"

"A dead-end as always." Enoch crossed his arms over his chest. "My past escapes me constantly, like a vapor in the wind. It is… very frustrating, you can imagine."

"Indeed," Drake mused, closing his green eyes. "Unfortunately, I wish I were in your shoes at this very moment."

Enoch arched an eyebrow. "You remember your sister's face?"

Drake nodded. "I had a memory beginning to appear. I saw her. But I wasn't sure. So I fought the warriors of Cosmos, to better see… She is on the other side."

"Hmm." Enoch bowed his head, eyes closed. "This is… most troubling. Does that mean you will yield in the war?"

"If I would, it would merely mean more trouble for myself and her." Drake shook his head. "No. I must persevere through this, no matter the pain I might feel myself going through. Today was just the beginning of many trials I must face in order to protect her." He turned to look Enoch directly in the face, despite the rags hindering his view. "Enoch, you are my closest ally here. You must not repeat this to anyone, understand?"

"As you will not repeat what I have said about the others, as well." Enoch bowed his head. "We are of the same tree, good dragoon. You need not fear me."

"Dr. Galloway," Morgan was now saying loudly, interrupting the crazed scientist's ranting, "if you would please settle down. We seem to be getting off topic…"

"Again…" muttered Seth, rolling his green eyes once more, as if to emphasize the point. Morgan gave him a look before continuing where she had previously left off. She looked at each of them in the face, observing their expressions, perhaps even their thoughts, as the power held within her gaze was strong enough to send shivers down a man's spine.

Smirking darkly, she continued where she left off. "In order to secure victory for our side, the god Chaos has proposed a strategy."

"And how do we know this strategy will not fail?" Dimitri asked curiously. Morgan tabbed a long nail on the throne's arm, responded in a cold, confident voice;

"Because this strategy has been used time and again, never once failing us. Heroes are, if you will, fairly easy to predict."

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><p>"I have come to my decision," Cosmos stated solemnly. "In order to save you all from this doomed fate, I will grant you a small amount of my power. Hopefully, as fragile as it is, it will give you some ability to defy the laws of the cycle."<p>

"But Cosmos," Quincy asked, "what'll happen to you?"

Smiling gently, the harmonic deity replied, "It seems the longer this conflict draws out, the more powerful I seem to become. I have had time to regain enough strength. However, as I said before, should I misjudge a source of energy, I could very well disturb the balance. Thus, I will only give you all a small amount compared to the my previous warriors." Casting her eyes down, she murmured, "I am sorry, but that is all the power I can offer up to this point."

Harmony placed a hand to her breastplate, bowing her head deeply. "No, you have done more than any of us can ask for. Cosmos, even if with a little of your divine strength, we can still win this endless war once and for all."

Blinking a silent 'thank you,' Cosmos then held out her hands, asking, "Then come. Gather around so I may grant you the power you need."

The warriors needn't take three steps forward before the goddess rose above them all, radiance flowing out of her. It was weak, granted, only traces of what she once was, before her power was willing given up to save the other warriors before them. Still, it glowed, leaving the group in awe as luminous ribbons of latent power fluttered toward each warrior, settling gently in a part of their body before vanishing without a trace.

As quick as it came, it was over, and Cosmos, exhausted, rested in her throne, nodding with encouragement to the ones bearing the most concern on their faces.

When they seemed satisfied, each warrior began to move away, knowing Cosmos would hide herself until she could gather strength once more.

And thus, their hunt for the Crystals began.

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><p>And thus, that is how Gwen ended up, walking alone, far from Sanctum, the monster known only as Chaos and his lair drawing closer with every step. Her green eyes scanning the area around, she noticed no potential threats at the moment, thus lightening her pace.<p>

Peace and quiet, she thought with a fresh breath of air. She was relieved to have been given the opportunity to get away from Sanctum, away from all those people, each in their own way seeking to control her.

But they won't have the chance. If anything, while the rest wandered aimlessly through the wasteland of this dying world searching for pointless rocks, Gwen would get one step closer to ending the conflict.

Although, now that she was thinking about it, checking her surroundings for any distinguishing marks, she was really one step closer to being totally lost.

She shook her head. _No, not lost,_ she thought. _Just… misguided._ Grinding her teeth angrily, she then turned direction, once more attempting to head towards Chaos's lair.

But what seemed like an hour or so later, Gwen once more found herself without an inkling of where she was.

And that frustrated her beyond all means. Whirling around, she made another turn into yet another gateway, fought through two more manikins only to stop inside the Gate, realizing something stupid.

She had just been in this Gateway.

"Damn it!" Gwen snapped, stabbing her gunblade into the ground. "Urgh, of all the crummy things to happen…"

"Are we lost again, little girl?"

Snapping her green eyes up, she watched as Delilah came into view, her heels clicking as the witch approached the girl. Jerking her gunblade back from the ground, she pointed the weapon at the witch, growling, "Give me one good reason not to blast off your head here and now, Delilah."

Delilah snorted, glaring back at her with a cold, disinterested look. "I have come of my own free will, to see if my memory's beckoning call holds any merit."

Gwen blinked, confused. "What … the hell does that mean?"

Spreading her hands out, Delilah hissed lowly, "It means we are to do battle. Give me all that you hold, keep nothing back."

The gunblade wielder barely had enough time to dodge the witch's assault, magic incants firing at her from above and beyond. Amethyst arrows rained down on her, her legs carrying her away as each missed their mark by no more than a hair length.

Clenching her gunblade in one hand, Gwen turned a tight corner, a volley of energy beams colliding with the cement, thankfully not breaking it.

Jerking an arm out, she fired several rounds before backing off, keeping tight on the time she allowed herself to be exposed. In the distance, she could hear the witch chortle.

"Why hinder your great potential? Why not release the destiny your parents so desperately wished to shun? Do you not hate how this slows you, not permitted you to reach what could be your zenith?"

Ignoring the witch's riddle, Gwen cursed, reloaded a special round of bullets custom made for her.

Touching the bullets once more sent a wave of nostalgia through her.

_A packet, no bigger than the palm of her hand, was held out to her. Blinking, Gwen had looked up to see her father's face, a hint of pride worn on his normally neutral face._

"_What's this?" Gwen recalled asking. Her father had smirked a little, gesturing to the packet._

"_A birthday gift of sorts. Custom made. Special bullets that really put a 'bang' at the end."_

Shaking her head, she forced herself out of the past and into the present. For Gwen, it didn't matter where she was from, what was in her past, and what waited for her. What mattered was here and now, and the here and now focused on a certain witch firing numerous energy arrows her way.

Clicking the round inside, Gwen positioned herself carefully on the corner of the wall. The volley of arrows had momentarily stopped, but Gwen knew that Delilah was perhaps conserving energy until she caught sight of Gwen's black head or gunblade.

But that worked out fine for Gwen. Although she preferred engaging the enemy first, with this next round of ammo, she could simply sit back and watch the fireworks. This could also give her a chance to escape into another Gateway, away from the witch and the persistent memories that attempted to re-emerge in her mind.

Peeking briefly over the corner of the wall, Gwen carefully made her aim at the witch slowly approaching.


End file.
