Cid became the center of all things for now. Each time I learned something new, I had to go back and visit with Cid.
There were difficult battles ahead that I could not face alone. Since Myst and her friends were not about, I decided to head home and take a nice nap! ^^
All that running around had tuckered me out. Hehe
When I awoke, I could think of nothing but the impending Maat battle. It was pre-dawn but it weighed heavy on my mind.
I couldn’t put it off any longer. I had no more excuses. I was well rested and had nothing else to tend to.
I pulled open a chest that I had been storing useful items in for just this occasion.
Drinks, Hi-ether, Hi-potion, Vile elixir…
My enfeebling, elemental and dark magic were all honed.
I was ready!
If only Sha-chan could be here… I was still so very nervous. He always had a way of calming me down.
I turned the matrimony band on my finger a few times. Shagrath was with me, even if I could not see him. I closed my eyes and turned my face to the sky, sending tendrils of chi out to him. Not to call him back, but to let him know all was well.
I packed my bag with the potions and un-rolled my red mage’s testimony. Pausing for a moment to remember how I obtained this. A kind tarutaru who spoke a different language and one of her friends had come out to Delkfutt’s tower to help me out.
It had been so long since I had seen her. She used to come looking for me when she and her friends wanted to train and always invited me. Something caught in my throat as I realized, I could not recall her name! ; ; I wondered if she remembered me after all this time.
Altana help me, for I did not wish to have to farm up a third testimony.
I pulled out a quill and scribbled, “For Sha-chan” on the underside of my hat.
Kiki! Yru is here to visit.
Oh he is? Yes, let him in Sarrima.
Hey Kiamo^^
Ohhhh my Goddess, Yru, I’m going to throw up!
Yru looked at me, shocked.
I held up my bag of goodies to show him.
I’m loading up my stuff… For this… Maat fight… And my tummy is turning summer-salts!!
Well… Is it costing you gil each time?
Not this one, no. I have this stockpile of ethers, Yagudo drinks, potions… All gifts or from unlocking chests.
Well… At least if you don’t win, all you’ll lose is some time.
Ah yes… but still, I am quaking in my boots here as I look at this testimony! Om shanti shanti shanti…
Besides, if you really have too much trouble with it, level another job.
I just need to… Get it together…
You don’t HAVE to beat Maat as Red Mage to get it to 75.
What?! I know, but… No way! I have to beat it as Red Mage. This is the only job I like… Besides, how the heck could I call myself a true Red Mage if I can’t even defeat Maat?! I’ve trained too long for this moment. I won’t sell myself short.
Well, good luck to you then! ^^
Ahhh thank you Yru!! Om shanti shanti…
What is that you keep chanting?
It means Om peace peace… Shagrath taught it to me. I… well hopefully it helps me calm down and get it together!
Haha okay, well I’ll get going now, Kiamo. Don’t fret. You can do it!
Right! I’ll just… do my best!
Yes, your best!
Oh Altana… okay deep breath… Maat… Here I go!
I closed up my pack and Yru bid me farewell on the dock in Port Windurst.
As I rode the ship to Jeuno, I saw such a beautiful sunrise. More beautiful then any I had seen before while taking this journey. I hoped this was a good omen…Om...
Shanti...
Shanti...
Shanti…
Upon arriving in Jeuno, I headed straight for Maat and handed him the testimony. He grinned at me.
Let’s see… How about we duel it out in the Waughroon Shrine? You know what to do with the red mage’s testimony when you get there, right?
I nodded.
Now if you show me that testimony, I’ll even teleport you to the battlefield. Boy, are we going to have some fun!
I un-rolled my red mage’s testimony and held it up for him to see.
That wasn’t so hard now, was it? I bet you’re wondering why I keep having you travel around the globe, collecting all these rare and obscure items for me. Heh heh heh. I know what you’re thinking. You’re sick and tired of playing fetch for old Maat. You want a chance to show me what you’re really made of.
I think I’d be delighted to test your might with my own hands. I may look old, but I still have a lot of spunk in me. I can take anything and everything you’ve got.
What do you say? You’ll get your chance to get back at me for all the trouble I’ve put you through, and I’ll get some good exercise.
Not that I wanted to kick his butt, but his words made me think of others who had wronged me or hurt me. Besting Maat would truly be proof that they were no better than I. I smiled at the old man and adjusted my Warlock’s chapeau, thumbing the area where I had written “For Sha-chan”.
Bring it, Maat.
Heh heh heh! That’s the spirit! Now take that red mage’s testimony to the burning circle and throw it in. I’ll be waiting for you inside.
And with that, Maat teleported me.
I placed my testimony on the seal and it tore!
I entered the arena and set to casting enchantments on myself, starting with the use of my composure ability.
Then I set my sights on Maat himself. He was quickly shifting his weight from one foot to the other, like a boxer. I smiled at him and began to cast…
So, you decided to show up. Now it’s time to see what you’re really made of, heh heh heh.
I removed composure and cast dispel on Maat, followed by paralize!
Dispel took out his blink, but darn if the old fogie didn’t resist my paralize! And now he was after me!
Gravity!
Resisted -_-
Sleep!
Success! But he had landed slow on me. No matter, he was sleeping now. I trotted a few paces away and cast haste on myself. Then I took out his Shell and Haste enchantments.
Paralyze!
Resisted. -_- What the heck!
Another dispel and his Protect was gone. I bound him just in case and then fired off Aero III!
He responded with Diaga II. I grinned, as that did no damage.
Sleep!
The old fart was snoring again! Ha! I quickly cast Regen and Stoneskin on myself. That dia he set on me would be useless and now he couldn’t sleep me! Hehe!
I followed up with another Aero III/Sleep round.
He managed to sneak in Poison II and attempted to smack me, but his punch missed! Nya!!
Paralyze!
It stuck! ^^
However, now I had dia and poison on me… mana was getting low… I needed to convert. I needed to chain spell and try to do a big chunk of damage. I raced off. Re-canst blink, stoneskin and regen.
- CONVERT! -
I quickly drank down a hi-potion+3 and then cast CureIV, followed by Cure III. Dia wore off.
Maat woke up.
- CHAINSPELL!! -
I cast a flurry of Aero III. I just kept casting even as he approached.
Ungh… That’ll hurt in the morning. Now that I’m warmed up…
Maat landed Blizzard II on me.
I paid him no mind and kept casting Aero III. I had to keep it up… had to until chainspell wore off… Even with him hitting at me… Phalanx was keeping me from taking a total beating, that was for sure.
Hm. That was a mighty fine display of skill there, Kiamo Ko. You’ve come a long way…
Was the old man trying to distract me?
Aero III!
Aero III!
All of a sudden… ALL my enchantments wore off... Maat was no where to be seen...
What..?
Had I run out of time? Oh No!!! I was nearly in tears!!
Then I looked down and saw… A scroll of instant warp had appeared in my hands. Tying it shut was a ribbon that read:
Battlefield clear time: 6 minutes, 37 seconds.
I was panting with the effort of the battle…
I felt a chill race through my entire body, causing my hair to stand on end.
I began to shake… not with fear, but shock and happiness.
Overcome with joy, I fell to my knees and cried tears of relief.
***New title: MAAT MASHER!***
After I regained my senses and accepted the fact that I had BEAT MAAT ON MY SECOND TRY!!! I announced my excitement to my linkshell, then headed to Jeuno.
While riding the airship, I turned my matrimony band around and around on my finger and whispered a thank you to Shagrath. My hands were still clammy and shook ever so slightly. Was it a dream? Would I soon wake up to find I hadn't actually done it?
No, I bested Maat as Red Mage. I had only done one practice round at level 66... And that was before I was gone all that time! Wooo!! Altana has blessed me this day! ^^
Maat had a lot to say to me when I went to visit him in Jeuno.
But the part that really stuck was this:
Do not forget the hardships you have endured to make it this far, and maybe one day you, too, will find something worth giving your life to protect.
They say that where there is a beginning, there is an end. However, I believe that some things, like memories, don’t have to end. That is where you young folk come in… And that is all this simple old man can ask for…
*Your level limit is now 75*
I would never forget Maat.
And I knew I already had something worth giving my life to protect.
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