Phyree's Phinal Phantasy Phables: Teh vs. WTF (1 of 3)Follow

This may seem like an odd thing to write about and it extends from a dumb little joke that persisted between a few of my LS mates. I bagan calling myself "Teh Phyree" along with a few others, while Wiryu defiantly became "WTF Wiryu". The joke built and built as did the "sides" until it was decided between Wiryu and I to write a story about it. Thus, we are co-authoring it. While I submit the final product, he has written about half of the story himself. Enjoy the fun netspeak rivalry!

Teh Vs. WTF (1 of 3): Schism

Criteria:
Requested by: Wiryu
Subject(s): Wiryu & Phyree
Genre: War
Setting: Teh Island

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PREFACE

There is a corner of Vana'diel yet discovered, or at least small enough not to raise any eyebrows. This places is Teh Island. On Teh Island lies an old, classical city appropriately called Teh City. Teh people (or Tehans as they were known) were a diverse group of all the races which coexisted in stressed harmony as only an island nation can impose upon its people.

Teh Island is ruled by a theocracy in zealous service to Altana. At the top of the hierarchy is High Priestess Phyree, also known even more formall as Teh One True Phyree. Her Minister of Religion is another blonde hume who could almost pass as a twin or close blood relative, Yekan. Together, the benevolent rulers kept the island safe and unified, though locked down under strict rule. Dissention threatened harmony, which in turn threatened the entire populous. Thus, criminals were harshly dealt with even for what some would consider to be minor crimes.

From under the oppressive grace, a tarutaru named Wiryu who lived far to the east of the western citadel capital began a small underground movement to oppose Teh High Theocrat. Wiryu, a simple samurai, scraped up supporters from the east and tried to hold peaceful but forceful demonstrations against the rule of Phyree and Yekan. Yekan was dispatched to meet with Wiryu to settle the east and restore harmony. The Minister of Religion never returned and was rumored dead and the old capital castle in the east lost to the enemy.

Phyree sent in Teh Army to put down the uprising. Many in WTF (Wiryu's Tehan Faction) were killed and driven underground. There they plotted and began a guerilla war against the theocracy. Slowly support grew for change as some of the most destitute saw hope in the eyes of the small, new leader.

It was at this time a cunning ex-general of Phyree's named Mastra roused a small party of brigands on his own, hoping to hire out for mercenary work. He knew Wiryu held no power but could help him reach his ultimate goal of retaking Teh City and running it under a military junta. Mastra held no love of Phyree as the High Priestess had demoted him for supposed crimes of "treason" and instead made her most accomplished battle mage, Deedlit, general of Teh Army.

"Teh WTF" Mastra first approached Wiryu and with the other taru's help, waged a successful campaign to just miles outside Teh City's walls. At that point, Mastra fled the field leaving Wiryu's forces no other chance to survive but to retreat.

Phyree realized that skirmishes like these were only bringing divide to her land. Not wanting to damage the fragile balance and structure, and save her people unnecessary death and destruction, she called out to Wiryu to meet her in a large meadow to the north, Teh Field. Here, if Wiryu came, she was resolved to end this and lock down Teh Island under peaceful law once more.

It is here our story begins...

The field's meadows stood silent in the dusk of what would look to be a cloudy night. The wind would come in every so often to interupt the meadow's silence and create waves of flowing tall grass. The reeds which covered the meadows were browning from the coming fall season. Amid the grasses stood tall a tarutaru donned almost entirely in lizard skin armor - nearly the same color as the meadow itself. Belted to his side, a great katana lay in wait. He did not wear the helmet to complete his lizard set. Instead, he wore his silver hair pulled back and tied near the end with a red band. Wiryu's eyes closed, and with an expressionless face, he stood silently without any hint of movement.

From the south, a tall slender female hume came into view. She was adorned in full white mage artifact armor, a hammer, and a sturdy shield. Phyree removed her cap to keep the wind from blowing it into her face. Her almost golden blonde hair shined in the growing moonlight, making the high priestess eerily supernatural but appropriate in appearance for her station. The wind caused her ponytail to drift her face lazily, but Teh One True Phyree remained calm and serious. Now no more now than ten yards from the tarutaru, she clutched her hammer with one hand and uttered to him just loud enough to be heard, "So, you came."

The tarutaru lowered his head, eyes still closed and responded with a simple, "Yup."

Without another word Wiryu went straight into a run and unsheathed his great katana from his side, charging the woman. Phyree was ready for this and braced for combat. The shield protected the white mage from direct attacks, so Wiryu would have to be quick and sneaky. Sparks flew from metal-on-metal contact as a slash came from below. WTF Wiryu's momentum carried his sword almost to the ground behind him, and if he didn't duck, Teh Phyree's hammer would have ended the battle quickly.

The topheavy blessed hammer overextended the hume and Wiryu tried exploiting the situation by making a horizontal strike, spinng the sword in a metallic arc. While unbalanced, the katana strike came to Phyree's shielded left side and was stopped short from blade biting into flesh.

Each had regained themselves and the tarutaru hopped backwards, keeping distance and steeled eye contact with Phyree. The wind picked up and suddenly the small samurai grinned in malice. He dashed into the tall grass and became effectively invisible in the roiling tanned field. Blue eyes scanned to the best of their ability, but picked up nothing.

"Damn," she cursed to herself.

Almost if Altana heard her, the winds stopped and Wiryu's location became evident from the patch of grasstops trampled under his feet. He saw his position revealed on the high priestess's face and made a surge forward. An angled slice cut cloth and skin and drew blood, sending it down Phyree's arm. Just as quickly as he sprang out of the meadow's cover, he ducked back in, waiting for the wind to cover his tracks. Phyree furiously recognized this tactic as the mainstay of the WTF forces.

"You fight like a coward!" the woman yelled.

"I fight smart. I fight to kill." came a voice from the meadows.

"You fight for nothing!" replied Phyree.

"I fight to give my people a chance at life where anything is possible. You are the one who fights for nothing, causing uprises. You are a tyrant," he said calmly, "I fight for hope! A hope that people can be in charge of their own destiny, we live as slaves under you're rule with all of your authority."

She yelled back. "My authority saves lives! All beings are subject to panic and stupidity, and in order to put those emotions into check, a higher power is indeed needed! If you don't believe these words I say, you are a hypocrite."

"One who believes in a god such as Altana is indeed pacifying themselves with the thought of something watching over them, making sure they don't spill their drinks!"

"All you are is the acting high power." Wiryu said more aggresivly.

"How dare you insult the Goddness Altana and Her Divine Will!" Yelled back the woman. The wind was starting to pick up again, as was the tarutarus movement.

In all of her rage she took a slightly more aggressive stance. To WTF Wiryu's dismay, the wind died and his movement was clear as day toHigh Priestess Phyree. Out of desperate need, he tried again to quickly attack. Before the sparks could dance, the Tehan ruler managed to bring down her hammer and strike his shoulder with a crushing blow. He was thrown aside, and rolled to the ground.

Sitting up and holding his shoulder, he began to pant and wait out any further attacks. The hume was also exhausted. She dropped to one knee and held her arm which continued to bleed. In their break, a voice was heard echoing over the meadow, "They can't be far! Find them and kill them in the name of Teh WTF!"

Many men could be heard rallying together perhaps a half mile away.

"Damn't, Mastra," said the taru.

"This is not the end, Wiryu! However, true as it may be, exhausted and battle worn, we cannot fight off an entire army in this condition, we'll be killed," winced the theocrat.

"Phyree, our battle goes on hold for now!" yelled back the rebel. With that the woman tapped her knowledge of black magic, chanted, and caused a black void to take her away far, far from the northern battleground.

Wiryu smiled and pulled out a scroll of instant warp, and his bow. He could hear the mercenaries draw closer and so he loaded his bow with an arrow and shot it directly at them. Mastra's forces became disorientated and slightly broken up about the origins of the deadly projectile.

"I'm over here you bastards!" he yelled to the party of men. "We'll meet again Phyree," he said. With that, the tarutaru used his scroll and was magically whisked away into the night like his declared enemy.