The Lion War; A Story of the Tragedies of Ivalice

[DestinedCardMaker]

Before I actually begin this, I do not own any of the characters or most of the dialogue in this FF [to my current knowledge], neither do I own the rights to the original game, Final Fantasy Tactics. This is just an attempt to allow those to read the story behind one of the greatest games ever.

 

Prologue:

 

Princess Ovelia knelt at the altar, hands clasped before her firmly, eye closed. He flowing blond hair concealed her face under shadow. Please, save us sinful children of Ivalice, she prayed silently.

"Lady Ovelia, it is time." A female knight stood several feet behind her, awaiting the end of her prayer. Her armor was wrought from silver and cobalt shaded platina, giving it color and beauty.

Lady Ovelia opened her hazel eyes, speaking softly. "I'll not be much longer, Agrias."

"Your escort has already arrived, Majesty."

A priest which had been standing alongside Agrias stepped forward, speaking in his breathy, winded manner. "Please, heed the good lady's words, Highness. You must hurry."

 

From behind them all, the doors to the room they were in opened, three men walking towards them. One wore dark brown armor, a white mustache giving him an aged look. Another wore violet armor, his hair blond, short, with a small ponytail. The last was outfitted in squire's clothing, apparently a new addition to the group. The dark armored man spoke, his voice gravelly. "Still in here, are you? It's been the better part of an hour!"

Agrias's eyebrows touched, her face twisted with rage. "Gafgarion, you forget yourself! You are in the presence of the princess!"

At these words, both the squire and the blond haired boy fell on one knee, Gafgarion bowing his head, hands clasped in his lap. "Mayhap bowed heads would less offend. You would do well to waste less time on idle pleasantries."

Agrias gave him a look of disdain. "I see even the noble Order of the Northern Sky Cannot rid itself of vulgar knaves."

Gafgarion raised his head, returning to his standing position. The other two also stood. "A guard captain in these rain-sodden hinterlands ought not expect chivalry. We are in the employ of the Order, not of it. Our pay does not cover trite courtesies to the likes of you."

"Govern your tongue!"

Ovelia stood, speaking in her soft voice. "Enough. Let us be on our way." She turned towards them, walking down the three carpeted stairs towards the priest. She turned towards him, awaiting his blessing.

He nodded, saying in a winded tone, "The Father watch over you, child."

"And you, Elder."

The door behind them burst open, a female soldier staggering towards them, clenching her right side, blood slipping through her fingers. "Milady! The enemy is upon us!" She yelled, dropping on one knee.

The priest rushed to her side, murmuring, "Duke Goltanna's men?"

Agrias did not wait for a reply from the injured lady before rushing through the door, right palm on the hilt of her sword.

Gafgarion watched her go, his voice switching from condescending to commanding. "We are paid for this. Time to earn our keep." He looked towards the blond male, who had a disturbed look on his face as he watched the injured woman. "What is it, Ramza? You above getting paid to do a job?"

Ramza's gaze met Gafgarion's as he stated, "I'm a knight no longer. Just another sellsword."

Gafgarion smirked, then nodded. "Right then. To battle!" With that, he, Ramza, and the squire, Ladd, rushed towards the scene of the crime.

Ovelia watched as they departed, murmuring, "Deliver us, Oh lord..."

 

 

The rain continued it's ceaseless pattering as Agrias spoke. "They bear the crest of the Black Lion... Duke Goltanna must be mad! Does he mean to start a war?!"

Several yards away, a knight, three archers, and a chemist opposed them. The knight, leader of the troupe, spoke above the rain's monotonous sound. "You there, wench! You cannot hope to defeat us! You will surrender the princess! If not... Well, I would hate to see anything happen to that pretty face of yours." He smirked, drawing his sword slightly. the rest of his men made similar gestures, loading arrows into their bows, the chemist drawing a dagger amidst his various potions and antidotes.

Gafgarion and his men joined her in the church's courtyard, Gafgarion by her side, Ramza and Ladd a few feet behind. "A head-on assault. These swords of Goltanna... lackwits one and all."

Agrias and Gafgarion stepped forward, Agrias speaking once more. "In that case, we should be able to handle this without you, Gafgarion."

Never taking his eyes of the enemy, he chuckled, also drawing his weapon slightly. "Mayhap you could, but there's no money to be made in that!" Ladd! Ramza! With me!"

 

The battle commenced. Arrows began to sail towards them, bruising them as some met their chain mail. Gafgarion yelled at the top of his lungs, "Kill them all! Leave no man standing!"

Agrias spoke in his direction, blocking as much arrows as she could while evading others. "You would have us slaughter them? Are you mad?! Kill them and you'll have played into Duke Goltanna's hands! We need only put them to rout!"

Gafgarion flashed a wicked smile. "I find dead men rout more easily." With that, he charged forward, his weapon pulsing with a dark red aura. Releasing the pent up energy, a sword came into creation under one of the archers, who barely evaded the surprise tactic. "We cannot waste time!"

Agrias hated to agree, but she also charged, dropping swords wrought of crystal blue energies upon one archer. These attacks did take their toll on them both, but were necessary in an attempt to finish the battle as fast as possible.

Ramza also ran towards his foes, stooping to pick up a stone in mid-gait. He flung it at an archers arrow, stopping it in his tracks as his blade met the archer's shoulder. He shrieked in pain, but Ramza could not spare him. He dragged the sword into the mans chest, reaching his other shoulder before withdrawing his blade's edge from the now fallen foe.

The knight had slain a lady knight as this was occurring, but could not defeat the warriors before him, also meeting his end in the hand of Gafgarion. The chemist traded blows with Ladd, only to be beaten when Ladd fried him with a thunder spell, using the dagger as a conductor.

 

During this battle, a man had entered the church through a back door.

"Unhand me!" Ovelia yelled as the man forced her forward.

"This way. Be quick!" He commanded, pulling her towards him against her will. "And try making a little less noise."

"I'll not take orders from you!", Ovelia exclaimed, struggling against him.

"You have quit a mouth on you, Princess." The man had slicked back dark brown hair, eyes the same shade. He looked towards the princess calmly, reflecting his confidence. He also bore the mark of Goltanna's troops, the Black Lion crest. As he finished speaking, he struck her in the stomach, leaving her unconscious. Ovelia dropped into his arms. He looked down towards her, as if considering what he had just done. "Forgive me. 'Tis your birth and faith that wrong you... not I."

 

Agrias had heard the princess exclaim "Unhand me!", and was rushing through the church to find the person responsible, Ramza hot on her trail. She entered the room they had been in with the princess, seeing the man walking out the door he himself had entered. Agrias commanded, "Hold there!", but the man continued to walk, as if he did not notice them.

Ramza stared at the man as he walked, a look of confusion and wonder on his face. Is it... truly him? He thought, the face of the man along with his other features triggering his memories.

"Blast!" Agrias pursued the man, whilst Ramza rushed to the courtyard, hoping to catch another glimpse of the man as he left. Rounding the church, he caught the man a ways away beginning to flee on a Chocobo, his gaze meeting Ramza's for a fleeting moment before he urged the bird to sprint forward. Agrias appeared a moment later, out of breath from attempting to catch up to the man. "It cannot be..."

Ramza clenched his fists, attempting to keep the man in his gaze for as long as possible. "Delita... he lives?" He murmured under his breath. "But, why does he fight under the banner of Duke Goltanna?"

 

The rain's low roar was their only companion as they watched Delita and Princess Ovelia escape.

 

 

Lemme know what you think. ;]

[DestinedCardMaker]

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