Juna

[nekohime]

It's been a long time since I've written anything, but given how much time I've been putting into EOIII I suppose this was inevitable. Anyway I had fun writing it so I thought I would share. I hope you guys enjoy it!

[spoiler]
The mountains were beautiful at this time of year. As Summer transitioned into Winter, each of the tree's leaves changed color at a different pace. The forest surrounding Juna was splashed with orange, gold, and red contrasted with the occasional evergreen. The bright afternoon sunlight shining through the canopy gave the forest an almost magical appearance, like something out of a fairytale.

Most of the forest's beauty, however, was lost on Juna and her companion, Asagiri. This wasn't exactly the time to be admiring the scenery, In fact, at this moment the slightest distraction could mean the death of one or both of them, Juna stood with her giant bolt-thrower ready, perfectly balanced despite the weapon's size. A few paces ahead stood Asagiri, shield held in front of her, with her sword trained on their foe.

Directly opposite the two women was an enormous tiger, growling as it hunched over the bloody remains of the village guard who had guided the women to this spot. This mountain was the tiger's hunting ground, and these trespassers were his prey.

The stillness in the air was broken as Asagiri, stepping to the side to give Juna a better angle, snapped a twig beneath her foot. Immediately the tiger pounced, leaping towards the closer of the pair. Asagiri deflected the tiger's claws with her shield and shoved the tiger off of her, an amazing feat of strength given the young woman's average-looking build.

With the tiger now clearly in her sights, Juna let fly a massive bolt, impaling the tiger through the side of it's ribcage. As the beast roared in agony Asagiri lunged forward and thrust her sword deep into the tiger's chest. As blood poured from the tiger's wounds, it's eyes began to haze over. Stepping back, Asagiri easily avoided the tiger's final swipe as it collapsed onto the ground.

“Nice shot,” said Asagiri as she knelt to pull the bolt out of the tiger's body.

“Thanks,” Juna replied with a smile. “You weren't so bad yourself.”

Asagiri examined the bolt for a minute before handing it back to Juna. “It's a bit messy, but it doesn't seem to be damaged.”

“It's okay, I can clean it while you take care of our furry friend. But what should we do about him?” Juna motioned toward their former escort.

Asagiri went to work with her sword, cutting through the tiger's neck to remove it's head. “He died saving his village from this monster. He deserves a proper burial and a hero's funeral.”

Juna nodded and took their trophy as Asagiri handed it to her. With Juna's help she got the guard onto her back and the pair began to make their way back to the village.

Turning the tiger's head around to look at it's face, Juna frowned and spoke to her companion. “It sure is an ugly thing. Say, now that we have proof that it's dead this job is finished, right?”

“Yeah,” Asagiri answered, shifting the weight of her burden a bit. “Why, is there something you wanted to do next?”

“Actually there is one thing,” said Juna, her voice lowering. “But you have to promise not to laugh.”

Asagiri gave her companion a puzzled look. “What is it?”

“I really want to see the Sunken City.”

Asagiri stopped in her tracks and slowly turned to face Juna. Everyone in the world knew the legends of Armoroad and the tree that stretched high above the clouds. A hundred years ago a disaster had submerged part of the city beneath the ocean. Legend says that part of the city still exists and a technologically advanced civilization thrives right there at the bottom of the sea. Of course, the reason it's a legend is than no one has actually seen it. Or if they have, they haven't returned to tell anyone about it. After all, the only way to get there is through the Yggdrasil Labyrinth. The Sunken City would only be found by the bravest, or the most suicidal, of adventurers. But when Asagiri saw the innocent, pleading look on her partner's face, she knew there was no way she could deny her.

“Alright,” Asagiri said with a cocky grin. “If the Sunken City is what you want, then the Sunken City is what you'll get!”




“Juna!”

The cry echoed through the underwater hallway as Asagiri ran to her friend. The hallway, formed of centuries-old coral and rocks, was filled with air despite being deep under the sea. Asagiri vaguely understood that it was the result of some of the ancient civilization's advanced technology, but it made little difference at the moment.

Just as Asagiri cried out her name, Juna was slammed into the wall by a sweep of the giant whale's tail. Everyone could hear the snapping of bone from the force of the impact. It was all Asagiri could do to avoid completely panicking as she watched Juna fall to the ocean floor, face down and motionless.

Knowing that there would be zero chance for the group's survival if Asagiri went down as well, Triella did her best to position herself between the whale and Asagiri's exposed back. Moving more slowly than Asagiri but still toward their fallen comrade, Triella cursed under her breath. Her job was to take the hits so that her heavy armor could absorb the brunt of each attack while her offensively geared teammates killed their enemies. Now one of those teammates lay on the floor with multiple fractures, and probably considerable internal bleeding. Needless to say, this fight was not going very well.

Kneeling beside her friend, Asagiri fought to keep herself under control as she carefully rolled Juna onto her back. Even when she saw that Juna was breathing Asagiri felt no relief. It was obvious that Juna's injuries could easily prove fatal unless treated immediately. Unfortunately they were a very long way from the Labyrinth's entrance, where Armoroad's physicians would certainly be able to save her.

Kitsune, the martial artist who led the small group hurried over to the pair. Having been heavily trained in the healing arts she would be able to treat Juna with ease under normal circumstances. However the long journey through this undersea maze had drained nearly all of her energy. Right now should could barely even heal a paper cut, let alone a serious injury like this.

“Quick, toss me the backpack!” Kitsune shouted at Lina, who was carrying the leather backpack that the group kept their supplies in. The astrologist complied, throwing the pack across the hallway even though she knew they had little that would be of use.

“Don't worry about me,” Juna managed to say as Kitsune caught the flying backpack. Looking up at Asagiri she did her best to point to the bolt-thrower laying beside her which had somehow remained in one piece. “Your sword won't be able to cut deep enough, so use this.”

Meanwhile, the whale was coming in for another attack, but this time Triella was ready for it. With her shield help up Triella braced herself as the whale swept its enormous tail around, slamming into her from the left side. Triella slid sideways with the blow but remained on her feet.

“If you're going to do something, you'd better do it fast!” Triella shouted to the group behind her. “I can't hold this thing off forever!”

Asagiri reached down to take the bolt-thrower. Due to her strength the weapon's weight was no problem, but it only held one shot. Asagiri had no idea how to reload or even aim it properly, so she knew she had to make that one shot count. There was only one way to do it.

As Asagiri took the bolt-thrower Juna focused her strength to speak again.

“Kill it for me.”

That was all Asagiri needed to regain control of herself. Bolt-thrower in hand she stood to face the giant whale. It was truly a hideous creature. Easily three or four times her own height it towered over the entire group. Barnacles clung to white, leathery skin that wrinkled with untold age. For countless years this whale had been the master of this place, and it's eyes burned with hatred for this insolent band of explorers.

Looking back over her shoulder Triella saw Asagiri stand up and had a hunch about what the warrior was going to do. With a nod Triella took position in front as they both charged directly toward the monster.

Triella wasn't the only one who guessed what was about to happen. After tossing the group's backpack to Kitsune, Lina had taken refuge behind a pillar of coral since she was too far away to safely join the rest of the group. As the two charged the whale, the astrologist gathered the power of the stars and began to recite a spell.

Infuriated that these two humans would dare a frontal assault, the whale lowered his head to point his blowhole directly at them. With a mighty push from his lungs he launched at blast of freezing water into the oncoming pair.

With her shield held firmly in front of her, Triella ran into the freezing torrent. Using herself as a wedge to split the blast she kept the group behind her safe as she pushed even closer to the great beast.

Charging in right behind Triella, something was happening to Asagiri. Fixing her sight on the whale she could think of nothing other than what the monster had done to Juna. She knew that Juna lay on the floor behind her, badly injured and probably dying. She also knew that this whale was going to die at her hand.

Red mist began to cloud the edges of Asagiri's vision as pure rage welled up inside of her. Then all of a sudden Triella stopped and crouched down in front of her. Asagiri barely took notice as she kept charging forward. Using Triella's back as a stepping stool Asagiri leaped into the air with Juna's bolt-thrower held high above her head.

The whale stopped his torrent of freezing water to pull his head back but it was too late. Asagiri pressed the oversized weapon against the monster's eye and pulled hard on the trigger. The massive metal bolt pierced straight through the eye and buried it's tip in the whale's brain.

With blood gushing from it's wound the whale began to thrash violently, sending the still-airborne warrior flying into a wall of rock. Just then, Lina finished reciting her spell and stepped out from behind the coral. Lifting one hand toward the great beast several streaks of bright lightning shot from her fingertips and converged on the metal shaft protruding from the whale's eye. The surge of ultra-high voltage electricity coursed down the bolt and fried the whale's brain. With a loud crash the whale fell to the ocean floor where it lay motionless, it's blood staining the multicolored coral deep crimson.

Rising to her feet, Asagiri panted heavily as she stared at the whale's corpse. It's final blow had hurt quite a bit but it was nothing she couldn't handle. Juna on the other hand.... Asagiri hurried over to her friend and found the rest of the group discussing what to do next.

“We have to go back.” Insisted Triella. The group's leader, Kitsune, said nothing as she did her best to tend to Juna with what little there had been in the backpack.

“I'm with Triella on this one,” added Lina. “Juna can't walk and we're low on supplies. It would be suicide to keep going.”

Asagiri knelt down next to Juna and gently brushed the hair out of her friend's face. Juna was barely conscious, although her pain had eased a bit thanks to Kitsune's care. She still needed medical attention, however, and Asagiri doubted if she would survive the long trek back to the surface. Remembering the promise she had made, Asagiri stood and spoke to the group.

“You all can go back if you want. Juna and I are going to the Sunken City.”

Before either Triella or Lina could protest Kitsune stood up as well.

“If we go back we're going to have to fight our way out.” Kitsune looked around to assess the group's condition. “My own energy is too low for me to heal anyone, and I just used the last of our supplies. Also, if we go anywhere we have to carry Juna. There's no way we're leaving her here. Does anyone care to guess what the chances are of any of us making it back to Armoroad?”

The group was silent. Everyone knew the answer to that question, but none of them wanted to say it.

“Exactly.” Kitsune continued, “now according to Olympia that whale we just fought was the guardian of the gate to the Sunken City. We must be very close now.”

“Olympia!” Triella scoffed. “Why should we believe her? She's already tried to kill us twice!”

It was true. The mysterious young woman who called herself “Olympia” had been quite helpful in the Labyrinth's first stratum. However, since coming to the second stratum she had sent the group into a room full of carnivorous fish and later assaulted them with an alligator.

“True, but she certainly knows more about this Labyrinth than anyone else,” Kitsune replied. “Also, something tells me that she was only following someone's orders. I don't think she has any ill will toward us specifically.”

Not interested in debating with anyone, Asagiri lifted Juna up from the floor and turned to the rest of the group.

“Are you coming or not?” she asked plainly.

Triella sighed. “All right, I give. Let's go.”

Lina nodded in agreement and added, “Most of the creatures here have elemental weaknesses. I can handle a few more encounters so long as they're not like that last one.”

“Then it's decided,” announced the group's leader. “Lina, you take the front with Triella and I'll keep watch on our rear. Asagiri,” Kitsune paused as she addressed the warrior who stood holding her friend in her arms. “You take care of Juna, alright?”

Saying nothing, Asagiri merely nodded.




Fortunately, Kitsune was proven right. In less than half an hour the battered group stood at the entrance to the Sunken City. Still held in Asagiri's arms, Juna gasped softly at the sight before her. Light from houses built directly into the World Tree illuminated the dome of water surrounding the city. Countless fish could be seen swimming just outside, a striking contrast to the magnificent buildings of the city's center.

“Can you see it?” Asagiri asked, gently nudging the young woman in her arms.

“Yes,” answered Juna softly. “It's beautiful.”

While the rest of the group moved forward to meet Olympia, who waited in the city's main street, Asagiri stood for a moment longer. Amazed by the breathtaking view, Asagiri was sobered by the thought of what coming here had cost. Looking down at her friend, a wave of emotions washed over her. From sadness to fear to anger and everything in between. It was almost too much for her to bear.

“Asagiri?” Juna whispered softly. It was becoming more and more difficult for her to speak.

“Yeah, Juna?” Asagiri responded just as softly.

“You're the best.”

When Juna closed her eyes and leaned her head against Asagiri's shoulder, the battle hardened warrior completely lost all control. Falling to her knees she held her friend closely. Forgetting about Juna's injuries Asagiri squeezed her tightly as unstoppable tears streamed down into her friend's hair. Unable to speak anymore and quickly losing consciousness, Juna could still feel her friend's tears.

“She's crying for me?” Juna thought to herself as she faded out. “She really is the best.”[/spoiler]