Hidden Pasts Chapter 7
By Katie Herdman
Squall
decided that it was best if he told no one what he saw when he had collapsed.
After all it might not come true. He did however want to ask Andria about
Sati.
After
spending over an hour looking for her, he found her in the basement, looking
at Norg’s pod.
“It’s
funny how people become corrupt. Sometimes it’s not even their fault,”
she said sadly.
After
about 5 minutes staring at the pod, Squall had enough courage to ask her,
“Who is Sati?”
Andria
stared at him wide eyed. “How did you know about
her?”
“She
came to me, when I was unconscious,” he said hesitating
slightly.
Andria
was furious. After she had told her that she wanted no meddling, Sati had
done it anyway. Andria knew how predictable Sati was, so why hadn’t
she connected Squall’s unconsciousness with Sati
sooner.
“Sati is an old friend,” Andria said finally, “well sort of.
She saved me when I was 5. It’s complicated, but she took me to
Vincent’s family and, I stayed there for a few years.”
Squall
could see the pain in Andria’s face, that she didn’t want to talk
about it, but he had to get some more answers.
“Why
did you never tell us about Abaddon.” A tear then proceeded to roll
down Andria’s cheek, stirring up forgotten memories. She tried to wipe
the tear off without Squall noticing.
Suddenly
Andria turned on Squall, venom in her voice, “She told you about that
too? What else did she tell you?”
Squall
was taken aback with her demanding tone.
“About
your mother, how Leraikhe was possessed with a demon … Babalel and how
you were there at my graduation.”
Squall
was certain that he heard a growl escape from Andria’s mouth. Her face
looked like thunder, which was something he had never seen in her
before.
She
walked away from Squall and started shouting Sati’s name.
“What
can I do for you,” came the reply from behind Squall.
“What
the hell have you been telling him,” she yelled, pointing to Squall.
Sati
was very cool and collected as she answered, which upset Andria even more,
“Only the whole story, which you have been keeping in the dark. What
are you afraid of Andria?”
“I
am afraid of nothing,” growled Andria. She knew that wasn’t true,
but she didn’t want to admit it.
“Yes
you are. You’re afraid of your dreams and what will happen if you get
them. So you’d rather not try for them in case something bad happens.”
Andria
stalked off. She was through talking.
*****
Seifer rushed into the Quad where Ling, Selphie and Rinoa were sitting,
enjoying the sun.
“Come
on, get up,” he shouted excitedly, “there’s been a report
of some demon’s attacking people in Deling City.”
They
looked at him disgustedly, he was glad that there was something killing people
right now.
“Well
it’s finally some action, instead of sittin’ on our butts here.”
They just walked away from him.
“What,”
he called out, and then ran after them.
*****
Coming off the Ragnarok they decided to split into three teams. Andria,
Vincent, Seifer and Selphie would make up the first team. Squall, Rinoa,
Ling and Zell would be team two and Quistis, Sia, Irvine and Raijin and Fujin
would be the last team.
“Everyone
be careful out there, no one gets dead, okay. We meet at the Shopping Arcade
in two hours,” Andria said trying to make them less tense for the upcoming
battles.
“Lets
go and kill some demons,” yelled Seifer swinging his gunblade. Rinoa
and Selphie narrowed their eyes at him, Andria laughed glad that he wanted
to kill the bad guys now.
*****
Seifer
couldn’t believe it. Over two hours and only a couple of measly three-foot
demons causing trouble. Where had all the really bad monsters gone?
“Looks
like we’ll have to go back now,” said Andria.
“A
bit longer,” Seifer pleaded, trying to make it sound nothing like a
plea.
“No,
we really have to get back. The others will be waiting for us,” Andria
said, looking round for some nasty demon to give them something to do before
they left.
There
was something strange going on though as the streets were practically empty.
The
few people that they had met said that a horde of horrible creatures had
past through, but there was no blood anywhere so they hadn’t killed.
“Well
the buses still aren’t running, so we’ll have to walk back,”
Vincent said, so they started the walk to the Arcade.
“Do
you think the others are doing any better than us,” asked Selphie.
“I
don’t know. Maybe they’re keeping away because they’re frightened
of Andria,” Vincent replied.
Selphie
giggled at the thought of a big, ugly monster running from Andria.
Seeing
Selphie laughing Vincent said, “Hold that thought
Selphie.”
*****
“Where are they, they should have been here before now,” complained
Quistis.
“You
don’t think something happened to them, do you,” said Ling.
“Na,
Seifer knows how to take care of himself, ya know,” answered Raijin.
Sia
then added, “Besides they’ve got Andria, she’ll look after
them.
Rinoa
had a strange feeling that she couldn’t completely explain. She’d
felt it since they’d entered the city and found not a single monster.
Something had been here and it was still here. Squall must have felt it too
she thought, as he had looked really tense and edgy. Something was bothering
him. Rinoa assumed that he also wasn’t so sure that everything was
okay.
As
soon as they had entered the city, Squall was filled with the feeling of
dread that his life would be changed inside this city soon. If he closed
his eyes, he would see the wound and Andria falling down, dead. Why was he
remembering this? The scariest thing was that she had died at the Shopping
Arcade and Andria had said to meet at the same place. Maybe it wouldn’t
come true; it was Leraikhe messing with his mind. Yes! He decided that it
was just that.
A
familiar howl broke Squall from his thoughts. About 20 huge demons ran for
them.
Their
magic spells didn’t have much affect on the beasts and only made some
stronger and angrier. Even triple Ultima didn’t work well against these
demons.
Squall
suddenly saw a sight that made his blood run cold, the demon that Squall
saw kill Andria was standing at the back. He was not attacking though. Instead
he was standing, waiting.
*****
Andria heard the noises before Seifer, Selphie and Vincent and knew
that there was finally some action.
She
raced to the Arcade, the others in pursuit. Arriving there she saw everyone
engaged in combat. One demon stood amongst the crowd beckoning to her. Andria
couldn’t say no.
*****
Squall saw Andria start fighting the demon.
He
finished fighting the wolf faced demon by stabbing it in the heart and tried
to get towards Andria to stop her fighting the demon, but a huge demon which
was a great hairy beast and stood on four legs slammed into him sending him
flying into a wall.
He
tried to get up, but promptly fell back. He couldn’t stand. A wailing
suddenly penetrated his ears, it was high pitched and eerie. Squall
couldn’t tell if it was his imagination or not, but he wished it would
go away.
Just
as the beast was about to bite into him, Seifer and Fujin came to his rescue.
They
started battling the fierce creature. It was strong and fast, but no match
for them.
Soon
it turned and ran, badly hurt and beaten. Seifer knelt down next to Squall
and whispered, “You owe me one. I just saved your life.”
Squall
looked wearily up at him and croaked, “…save her.”
Seifer
didn’t understand what he meant.
*****
The
demon was almost too fast and strong for Andria to keep up. Her arms were
bleeding from its razor sharp spines. It was slowly gaining the upper advantage.
A
blow from its powerful hands sent her spinning backwards. A warm sensation
filled her mouth, she could taste blood.
Completely
mad now, she gave a loud battle cry of rage and started pummelling the demon.
It took blow after blow with no effect.
Suddenly
it gave its own war cry and lunged for her. She felt the arms rip through
her flesh, it felt strange to her.
Holding
the wound, she staggered back, and fell. There was a look of pure disbelief
on her face that she was going to die.
The
demon that had slain her, stood above her grinning in its evil way.
Andria
heard a wailing and knew what it was, a signal that it was now time. She
looked straight up at the stars. How far away they seemed. That was the last
thing that she saw. Her friends got to her too late for she had already
died.
Author’s
Note
The
wailing that Squall heard when the beast hurt him was the sound of the Banshee.
It is a woman who cries when death is imminent.
.