The Sorceress' Legacy Chapter 5

By Kettch

“Damn it!” Zell exclaimed as he punched the floor near where Squall’s gunblade lay abandon. “First Selphie gets hurt, and now Squall runs off with Rinoa. Just Great!”

“If you would look closer chicken-wuss, you would see the brick lying here has some blood on it, meaning that Squall was probably knocked unconscious.” Seifer stated blandly as he wondered why he got stuck with Zell on this one. “Besides, he would never have left his gunblade behind.”

“Yeah, umm, I meant that!” Zell said, “And don’t call me chicken-wuss or I’ll kick your ass!”

“You can try, chicken-wuss, but it won’t do any good.” Seifer stood with the brick he had been kneeling by and walked toward the door. “And if you want me to stop calling you that, you can grow up some.”

“Humph! Whatever, just cause I didn’t see the stupid brick doesn’t mean I’m immature.”

“No the fact that you were going to let me beat you senseless was immature, missing the brick was careless.” Seifer said as Zell stepped through the door behind him. “When you are investigating something, you have to actually look at everything, not just jump to conclusions. Maybe if you weren’t such a chicken-wuss, you’d figure that out.”

“Humph!”

It had been a rough night. By the time Irvine got Selphie to a waiting car and off to Garden’s medical wing, Rinoa had been and gone, taking Squall with her. Things had gone from bad to worse. There was no telling where Squall and Rinoa were, or what she was going to do next. All that was clear was that she wasn’t herself anymore, and that the world may be in danger because of it. At least no one had died…….yet.

“Xu,” Seifer rounded the corner and prepared to report their findings. He and Zell had been put in charge of investigating Squall‘s disappearance since there wasn‘t many people left on Garden who weren‘t injured or preparing for the elections next week. Irvine hadn‘t had time to investigate himself right away, so he secured the building, save for himself, Xu, Seifer and Zell, until an investigation was carried out. “We found Squall’s gunblade upstairs, with this brick next to it.”

“Yeah, looks like Rinoa bashed him in the head and took off with him” Zell finished smugly.

“Thanks for the report, I think that’s all here.” Xu answered, “We have a meeting back at Garden about what our next move is in about an hour. Just let me finish up here, and we can go.”

The car ride to Garden was an uneventful one now that the monsters had stopped their attacks, so they arrived there as the meeting started. They all agreed that either Rinoa’s attempt at a power grab had been stopped or Squall was the only reason for her being there. Either way, they were left to guess her next move.

“First thing we have to do, is find her.” Laguna said, gazing around the room. “Esthar can’t offer much more than a few aircraft to help though. We are still tied up in cleaning up the Lunar Cry, and can’t possibly divert any troops to fight off a sorceress.”

“Aircraft for reconnaissance is a good start. Thank you,” Xu responded, “. Now where do we use them?”

“Trabia and Centra are the only two completely uninhabited regions, so that would be the most likely place for someone to hide if the were trying not to be found.” Seifer added, “So we should start there.

“I got an idea,” Zell piped in, “Ultimecia is a descendant of Rinoa, right?”

“So?”

“Her castle was in sad shape,” Zell continued. “Maybe it was old, like old enough to be built in our time? So why don’t we check the orphanage first. I imagine a sorceress could have a place like that built in no time.”

“Good idea, I will have my people fly by there on their way here.” Laguna answered.

“Ok, so what do we do when we find her?” Irvine asked. “We can’t exactly walk up and knock at the door.”

“I think I have an answer,” Laguna said, “Odine?”

“Yes I tink I can help. I have finished my machine.” The inventor said as he carried a device consisting of a blue crystal encased in a mechanical housing. “Zis iz my sorceress crystal. If it iz set to ze harmonic frequency of ze sorceress’ powers, den it vill absorb ze powers as ze are passed to ze successor. I have gotten a sample reading from ze beasts zat attacked and have set if for ze Sorceress Rinoa. Itz too bad I was never able to find a vay to make it verk odervise though.”

“So we still need to kill her to make it work.” Irvine said, disappointed. “I guess we have little choice now.”

*****************************************************************************************

Squall Leonheart woke up with a pounding headache. “What happened?” he asked himself, trying to remember. He remembered walking into that room, and seeing Rinoa, or what she had become. He had tried to reason with her, but she laughed at him. Then a sharp pain and that was it.

He tried to open his eyes and look around him, but the world spun around violently, and he was forced to close them. Obviously he’d been hit in the head, hard. He tried to reach up and feel the bump he knew had to be there, but his hand only went a few inches before being stopped by a rattling chain. “No wonder why I feel like I’m standing“, he thought, “I’m chained to a wall” He tried to push up on his legs, but again the dizziness came and he fell forward, slumping against the chains.

He hung their for a long time, what seemed like days, fading in and out of consciousness before he could finally stand and open his eyes to look about him. He was in a small room, in a basement of some kind. It looked familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it. He blinked twice and tried to will away the headache that still plagued him and remember when he had been here before.

Just then the door opened and Rinoa stepped in, smiling. Or at least it looked like it was Rinoa at one time. Her hair was frayed and un-brushed. Her eyes once dark brown eyes were fire red and a sinister grin had replaced her once soft smile. It hurt him deeply to see her like this, partly because he loved her, partly because he felt he had failed her as a knight.

“So my knight is awake, good.” She said as she walked up close to him. “You didn’t fail me you know, but the fact that I had to knock you out to bring you here is disappointing. I think I can let you make it up to me.” She leaned close and tried to kiss him, and was most disappointed when he turn his head away.

“What, no kiss for your wife? So sad.” She said. “I had high hopes for you, but if you won’t behave, you will have to stay locked up.”

“You are not my wife,” He snapped, “My wife was a kind, caring person who would never willingly hurt anyone.”

“Tsk Tsk, such harsh words.” She mocked him as she spoke, “I haven’t hurt anyone yet.”

“What about Selphie? She could be dead.” He countered, “Last I saw her, she was lying on the street covered in blood.”

“She didn’t die, and she will recover in time, I’m sure.” Rinoa stated, “I didn’t want to harm anyone, but they kept resisting. Don’t the see I’m trying to help them?”

“How? By controlling them?”

“Well they can’t control themselves!” She snapped back, “If they could, there would have been no wars, Quistis would be alive, as would Raijin. Garden would not be needed if the people could control themselves!”

“If it were a perfect world, perhaps.” Squall answered, “But the world is far from perfect.”

“It can be. I’ve finally realized that with my powers, I can make it perfect.” Rinoa said, the red in her eyes dimming, “I can make it so no one else has to die, if only they would stop resisting!” The red flared again as she mentally threw a crate sitting just outside into a far wall, shattering it. I’m doing this for you Squall, and for Selphie and Irvine and everyone else, don’t you see?”

“You can’t control people like that, Rinoa.” Squall said, trying to get through to her, “The harder you try, the more they will fight it. Just like in Timber remember?”

“I CAN DO IT!!” She snapped, stomping on the ground, “I can make them, its for their own good! I can make them understand! They will love me for it!”

With that she turned and stomped out the door and down the long hall to the staircase. She ran up to her chamber on the top floor of the massive castle she built and looked into the mirror. “Why do they resist! Tell me! Why?” Only silence answered at first. “You said no one would get hurt, that the people would love me! You were wrong! Answer me!” She screamed in a rage as she threw the mirror into the floor.

“No I wasn’t” a voice answered from inside her, “There are always a few troublemakers who refuse to see that you are helping them. Sometimes if you hurt them, they can be made to understand.”

“But Squall rejected me too.”

“He just needs time to get used to the new you.” The voice answered, “Give him time. Now, those who wish to harm you have located you. They jeopardize your plans and need to be stopped.”

“Ok…”

“They are bent on destroying you. They wish to kill you so that they can continue in their violent ways. If the arrive here, you must kill them first, or all will be lost.”

“But they are my friends”

“Would your friends try to kill you?”

“No…..”

“Then they are not your friends, understand? Sometimes a few people have to die to make the rest see how pointless it is to resist.”

“Yeah, I understand.”

“Good, prepare your army. It will need to be strong.”

*****************************************************************************************

“We found it, Zell was right.” Laguna said as everyone formed around the table. “Here on the site of Edea’s old orphanage.”

“The same place as Ultimecia’s castle,” Selphie said, recovered from her injuries, “Fitting.”

“And look,” said Zell, one of the recon photos in hand, “It looks just like Ultimecia’s Castle.”

“Probably is, just newer.” Irvine commented. “So what’s our pan?”

“Well,” Laguna started, “Have the main force attack from the front, diverting the monsters who are guarding the entrance. There are ruby dragons and T-rexaurs in there so we need a sizeable force. Once the battle has begun, A small group will disengage and make for the front doors. Myself, Kiros, and Ward will follow behind with Odine, after you secure the entry. Once inside, half of us find Squall, while the other half go for Rinoa. Once Rinoa is dealt with, the monsters will disburse and be easily dealt with.”

“Right, but it would take more than a small group to find Squall and deal with Rinoa at the same time.” Seifer added, “Besides, we don’t know what we will find inside.”

“He’s right, Ultimecia had some powerful enemies inside, and she could have found a way to control Squall.” Selphie added. “I say we take this group in, find Squall, and then go for the sorceress.”

“Then who leads the battle outside?” Zell asked, hopefully as he punched the air in front of him.

“I will lead, Zell, I am a better tactician than fighter anyway, and you are a better fighter than tactician.” Xu answered, “They will need you inside.”

“Ok, anything more?” Laguna asked as he looked around the room for any indication of objections. He saw none and continued. “Ok, good, I will have my people provide air cover, but that’s all I and do, other than go myself, which I am. Xu, you oversee the preparations since you will be leading the attack, let us know when you are ready.”

*****************************************************************************************

Squall lifted his head as he heard the door to his cell open and saw Rinoa walk in. She had a scowl on her face and bags under her eyes. As much as it hurt him, he kept his gaze constant and sharp in defiance. He couldn’t let his pain get in the way of how he dealt with her, or he risked becoming like her. That wasn’t an option.”

“Your SeeDs! They plan to attack here!!” She practically screamed at him. “Why do they do this, I am not yet done planning how I will make the people understand!”

“You have attacked them and taken me prisoner.” Squall spoke flatly, as uncaring as possible, “That is reason enough for them to strike. Besides, their mission as SeeDs is to strike down any evil sorceress that enters this world, no matter how she started out.”

“Well, I was hoping I wouldn’t have to hurt anyone, but I guess I will have to make examples of them.” She sneered, “Maybe if enough of them die, then they will understand!”

“And if they don’t?”

“Then I won’t have to worry about making them understand, because there won’t be any left!” She spat, “If that doesn’t make you understand you will join them and I will find a more….willing…knight!”

“I will not be your lap-dog like Seifer was to Ultimecia! That’s not what a knight is!”

“Then what, pray tell, IS a knight?”

“The Sorceress’ Knight is supposed to guide the Sorceress and make sure she keeps her mind clear. He is to keep her from turning evil. In a way, he is to protect the world from the Sorceress by protecting her from herself.” Squall hung his head, “In that, I have failed my wife, creating you as the result. I will regret that failure for the rest of my life.”

“No! You fail me now by feeding me to these fiends who come to destroy me!” She screamed, slapping him. “You fail me by letting me die by their hand! That you will regret for the rest of your short life!”

“I must protect the world from you by any means I have.” He responded, “If that is SeeD, then so be it!”

Speechless she slapped him again and left without another word.


Chapter 6

Final Fantasy 8 Fanfic