Author's Note: I want to explain the sudden origin of this story: I remember seeing this posted online and at the time I was listening to Afraid by the Neighbourhood and also reading the Squall is Dead theory since it was just there and I hadn't really read any theories beside Rinoa is really Ultimecia theory. Honestly I'm not sure if I believe it...it's convincing and interesting and at times sways what I believed about FF VIII at times if I sit down and think about it. BUT, it really gave me the chills (I mean have you seen the faceless Squall picture? Stuff of nightmares, seriously.) and gave me that familiar stomach butterfly inducing, gut wrenching feeling as I read it which was only enhanced by the music. Both together really made my head run wild with thoughts.
Now, I don't think this is the eptiome of like...reading glory so I can't promise greatness. I'm just some aspiring writer/Authoress and no Ashbear, Celestial Rage, Emerald Latias, Wayard, etc, etc. (My fave authors, love you all!) But, people please take a chance on this, read it, review tell me what you think. And please be mindful I am not saying this is FF VIII's real plot, this is just a theory I used to create something and play with. You can believe, think what you want. I am not trying to sway you into believing anything.
If you want google theory if you haven't read it: squall is dead . com - input the link without spaces. I am crediting the authors of this website: Diedra & Rahul.
Now you can read this story with many tracks here are some recommendation for this particular chapter: Wounded and or Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec From FFVIII OST or Afraid by the Neighbourhood (Video version or other) - which helped and provided substantial inspiration due to chorus/hook. Also those particular lyrics happen to be an indicator of what will happen through out the story along with Squall's musings.
P.S. I have no Beta Reader so I hope the grammar and punctuation isn't too bad or terrible.
Enjoy, don't forget to review! I honestly want to know your opinion, they help inspire me as well!
Disclaimer: I do not own FFVIII or any FF titles that all belongs to Tetsyua Nomura and the other team members that were behind the game making process. I do not own any FF or FFVIII OST music nor do I own the song by the Neighbourhood. All characters belong to Tetsyua Nomura and any OC characters are from my imagination.
Ringing silence is all that could be heard in his ears as everything played out like some sick and twisted play.
Yet above the deafening white noise he heard a symphony of distant voices whispering, chillingly, a sort of mantra as everything begun to set in motion.
Farewell, child,
from the day of fate.
His senses heightened exponentially and a chill ran down his spine feeling very much like the tips of cool fingers trailing down his flesh in foreboding. His heart began to pick up with pace gradually and began to feel heavy and prominent within him.
Adrenaline hit his bloodstream and circulated throughout his body like a wildfire sending urgent signals to his brain to flee or fight. But try as he might he found himself rooted to the ground feeling something akin to paralytic shock.
And yet…he felt somehow as if he was experiencing things in two simultaneous ways; both inside his body and outwardly. It was as if he was a specter watching as the events unfolded beneath him like before the curtain call of a play and unable to change his fate. But yet he was also a puppet stuck in his body unable to do anything other than just let it happen.
Rinoa stood to the side with her eyes widening in terror that tainted the brown depths. The brown orbs took on a strange sheen and reflected back the imposing dark figure in the room; Edea.
Edea stood straight as blue emitted from the middle of her violet clad form glowing and spreading throughout her body. A loud crackle interrupted the silence as the air seemed to fizzle with the azure magic expelling from her. Her gossamer cape swayed slightly as the magic seemed grow and build tension in the air. Then with a sudden burst it seemed to mostly dispel. The force almost snuffing the flames that were burning violently from parallel torches at the sides of the 'throne'. A cool burst of air rain over any exposed flesh furthering the feel of chills and adding tingling to the surface of his skin.
As Edea's hand rose gently and slowly; the leftover azure glow trailed spiraling from her middle to her outstretching gloved hand giving the illusion of claws. Her hand ascended above her head and the azure glow curled into a ball and thinned out quickly into a small azure glowing sphere. The sound of cracking ice echoed throughout the room as tendrils of ice formed together into the shape of twin ice spears. The light from the torches danced menacingly off of the surface of the ice, highlighting the clear blue glow of magic within.
His body stiffened at the sight of them and his heart began to thud heavily in his chest. A burning and aching sensation entered his lungs as his breathing began to thin. It was becoming increasingly hard to breath with the tension and the foreboding. The fear this time was too hard to overcome and the realization of death knocking on the door really began to take hold this time.
This wasn't like training or even like the SEED Survival Field Exam. Yes he acknowledged that death was a possibility during the exams and even before when training as a Cadet. But now, here he was, standing before death in the form of this sorceress who they were meant to assassinate. He couldn't brush this off so coolly or even deem it as part of the life of the SEED. He was afraid and he had the feeling this was fate for him to be standing here in front of this enemy. The emotion was overwhelming and try as he might he couldn't brush it off this time. He was feeling in a way that he hadn't felt in awhile and he hated it. He felt vulnerable like a helpless child and it made him sick.
Is this my final curtain call? If I die tonight…will it really matter? Will anyone remember me or will someone just take my place? If I die will this be the end for everyone or will life go on and someone or even Irvine assassinate her and end this all? Am I just another chess piece to be stricken off the board and replaced?
His blood ran cold instantly as he really looked into Edea's eyes and saw the malice and cruelness reflected in those golden depths. Her clawed hand shot out abruptly and with it the ice javelins followed the motion almost blindingly. He glanced at Rinoa seeing pure horror as she broke her gaze from Edea to the magic in solid form. She shielded herself with a turn of her head and the cover of her hands as they almost grazed her. His heart sped up quickly and burst at the impact that followed.
With a resounding thud he felt white hot pain as the one of the ice javelins lodged itself in his body. It was piercing through his flesh noisily and going right through to end outside his quivering form. The force of the hit made him take a step back in resistance. A cool tingle spread throughout his form internally, adrenaline dying away in its wake. His vision began to distort and fog over as pain overrode his amplified senses. His eyes flicked over to Edea as she looked on coolly, her still outstretched hand quivering from the wake of her attack.
The final thing he heard was Rinoa screaming echoingly before the ringing returned to his ears. He took an involuntary step back and felt himself slump back over the ledge. At this point his senses began to dull as he felt himself drift from his body almost as if inhaling laughing gas or chloroform. The scenery began to change as he left solid ground and was pulled by gravity downwards.
Time began to feel like it slowed for him as his eyes stayed open watching everything before him as he fell. Rinoa, running towards his tumbling form. Her face displayed full blown fear and helplessness as she saw him fall. She fell to her knees trying to reach out to him. His specter self gazed upon himself staring vacantly in front of him. His eyes had taken on a gold sheen from a combination of glowing lights and darkness. The noise of the crowd below distorted the ringing in his ears as they cheered and roared with revelry, madness and bloodlust.
And his final glimpse was of Rinoa calling out to him still trying to reach his body as he saw himself reflected in her eyes falling through the air.
An abundance of visions entered his vision playing like a twisted but fast paced movie of his life.
Everything in his vision began to fade until it was the darkness that greeted him as his eyes fluttered closed and numbness set in.
All went silent.
Author's Endnote: So I hoped you enjoy reading it and it wasn't some horrifyingly terrible piece of work. Please review if you can I honestly and curious of what you have to say about this. I've written FF works before most somewhere in a binder full of other handwritten works. -shudder- A few are on here and need to be tweaked due to my constant growing writing style. Thank you all for reading! Your reviews help me write, and inspire me!