Touch the Past

Author's Notes
5th July 2007
Note: If you don't care about me and my feelings and thoughts and just wanna know about the story, just skip down to the part I so kindly bolded for you.

Wow, this story is 6 years old. That means when I wrote it I was 13, boy do I feel old. Anyway, just recently I found myself playing Final Fantasy VIII again after having not touched it for I think 4 years. While playing, I found myself thinking about the Final Fantasy VIII fan-fictions I used to read when I was still crazy about the game. So, forgoing my quest to get Steel Pipes from Wendigoes near Dollet, I turned on my laptop and checked in on Imagine my surprised to find all my fan-fiction, which I had not thought about for about 5 years, totally intact, and with more reviews since the last time I checked them! (That would, also, be approximately 5 years ago)

Anyway, I looked through them and boy, you do not know what cringe is until you're an author or artist (I also draw) looking back at work they did 6 years ago. I think I blushed at my screen. Therefore I decided to do a revamp of my FFN profile, and edit my fan-fiction so that, well, you won't laugh or rather, cry when you see the gruesomely long, too wordy paragraphs. I like to think my writing matured (and I've become more pedantic about my formats, just a nicer way of saying anal), and so I'll be leaving up the original (badly written) script so people who can be bothered to take the time can give me a critique on how my writing has improved, what needs work etc.

Enough about me, the following paragraph shall talk about the fan-fiction itself, so if you don't really care about what I feel or think (you probably don't), just read this for information about the story, see I even put in the red first line so that you could skip all that boring me me me (finally, I talk about myself too much).

I was taking a shower one day, 6 years ago when, for some odd reason or another, inspiration hit me and I felt that I just had to write this. The main idea behind how Ultimecia rose to power, of course, is totally not my idea, rather, it is Astarte's, and I claim absolutely no credit. The quote at the end of the story came from a signature I saw somewhere, and it was in fact what made me think of writing this because I found it rather depressing and sad, I think it stuck to my mind a bit I'm not sure, it was 6 bloody years ago.

On with the story.

Disclaimer
I do not own Ultimecia, Squall or any of the names that pop up in this piece of fan-fiction. Those are sole property of Square. I only own (in a way) my own characters, of which there are quite a few.

Spoiler warning
This piece of fan fiction contains minor relatively major spoilers from the Playstation game Final Fantasy VIII. The events that are portrayed here, however, do not reflect Square's original intentions for the game and are mere figments of the author's imagination, albeit with a considerable part of the idea behind it credit Astarte. Go to her profile on FFN and click FF8 Angel of Chaos. I'd link ya but is FFN a real bitch about anything remotely resembling a link (no offense).

PG-Parent Guidance recommended
This piece of fiction has blood, gore and relatively gruesomely depicted death. If you don't like it, don't read it.

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I gazed at the cold hard steel of my sword, my eyes staring back at me. They were like twin emeralds in the light, framed by my slightly long brown hair. People told me that my bright green eyes were strange; made me outstanding. Not being the type who cared much for outward appearances, I just shrugged them off, dismissing them as being shallow. Maybe that contributed to my general lack of friends.

Sheathing my sword, I slipped into the standard SeeD uniform. It was going to be a hard battle. The odds were stacked heavily against us, but we had to try. We had to "wait for the prophesized arrival of the SeeDs of the past". That's it. Wait. No one knew when, how or where they would arrive.

It was a myth; a myth greatly believed. Some guy and his friends claimed they traveled to the future, fought Ultimecia and saved the world from the Time Compression of the evil Sorceress. Personally I thought they were crazy, and the world crazier for believing their whacky story.

All I knew is that if they were going to believe some myth dating a thousand years back then let them sit around and wait. I sure as hell wasn't going to join them round the campfire. I would fight to my dying breath and defeat this Sorceress Ultimecia.

"Are you ready?" my commanding officer's voice, muffled by the door to my dorm. I nodded, even though she could not see me.

"Ready, just give me a few seconds!" I replied. I ran my hand through my hair in a last attempt to keep it out of my face and opened the door, coming face to face with my somewhat petite commander. A natural blonde, her pale skin, slim physique and gentle green eyes paired with her small build gave her a very delicate, angelic appearance. I'd known her long enough to see past the placid surface of her emerald eyes. Hardened and jaded by life on the battlefield, she could be a ruthless killer who showed her opponents no mercy.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked softly, a look of concern on her gentle face. Her eyes were a sea of worry and I thought I would drown in them, she was so close. Despite the rumors, deep down she had a heart of gold. "I mean, you only graduated recently. I'm not sure you have the experience or the guts required to stomach this war."

"Yes, I'm sure," I replied firmly, looking straight into her eyes. She just had this talent of making people do whatever she, but I wasn't going to let her persuade me out of this war. Not this time. "I've never been so sure of anything in my life." She sighed and pulled back, her eyes filled with some kind of disappointment.

"It's your decision," she said, turning to leave. "Meet at the Garden Airship at 1000 hours." Her voice softened. "Good luck."

At 1000 hours exactly, I stood among many, rank upon rank of solemn faces silent as the commander briefed us about the mission. A mission not contracted by an outside party but by the Headmaster himself.

"As you know," the second-in-command started, pacing up and down. The slight tightening of his thin lips betrayed his nervousness, and I felt a lump begin to form in my throat. With a face greatly scarred, testimony to the years he survived on the battlefield, our second-in-command was never nervous, at least not that I've ever heard of. What exactly were we up against?

"We are presently at war with the Sorceress Ultimecia. We opposed the handing of the Sorceress Arista's powers to the mere slave was right, especially with her having the cursed silver hair, but now, the prophecy has come true. The slave calls herself Ultimecia. We must hold her off until our saviors from the past come and save us from the clutches of this evil witch."

I smirked inwardly. Frankly, I had somewhat anticipated Thuka, no, Ultimecia's reaction. The SeeDs hadn't merely 'opposed' to the decision, they were outraged and in fact, attempted to assassinate her. The first attempt resulted in the death of her husband, who had thrown himself in front of a bullet. Her wrath had been merciless.

The most successful assassination since then had been when a fellow SeeD had somehow managed to sneak into her wine a deadly poison. It disrupted her vocal cords permanently, but she managed to neutralize it before further damage could be done. The poor SeeD was discovered, tortured and publicly executed by Ultimecia's Ruby Dragons. I had been there, and sometimes I still heard the poor man's screams of terror ringing in my head as a Ruby Dragon snapped off his limbs. Another Ruby Dragon snatched him from the other, and the poor man was torn in half as the ferocious beasts fought over him.

We boarded the Air Craft and I took a seat next to one of the few friends that joining in the war. He looked nervous yet determined and managed a weak grin at me. I gave him a reassuring nod and what passed for a smile, and we sat in companionable silence the rest of the trip.

There was a slight jerk as the plane landed, years of technological research and development making a supposedly hour long journey just a mere five minutes with barely any disruptions or landing problems. We filed out of the Air Ship and found that we were not the first ones there; the Estharian SeeDs were there and waiting. In the distance I could see Ultimecia's Castle and a nervous chill ran down my spine. Was this real? Was I really standing here, preparing for my first, most important and perhaps, my last battle? I snapped out of my reverie as the Trabian Air Ships arrived, landing with the same grace and ease as our own Air Ship. It was real.

Ultimecia had taken over Sorceress Arista's castle and did a major overhaul of the place. Now the castle floated in the air, anchored to the ground by a gigantic chain. Beasts of every kind inhabited her castle, but the real danger lay in her servants, spawned from her terrifying, who sealed the magic and abilities of whoever entered her castle. Not that there had been many to begin with. Very rarely did anyone manage to penetrate the wall of monsters which guarded her fortress, let alone survive to tell the tale.

When the last of the SeeDs were ready, we organized ourselves in ranks. The Esthar Garden's Headmaster addressed us.

"My dear SeeDs," his voice rang clearly and audibly, carried by the wind. "This is an epic battle we face with the Sorceress Ultimecia. It is our destiny to fight the evil Sorceress, a destiny prophesized a thousand years ago! We wait expectantly for the prophesized Heroes, and yet, do not forget our duty to attack and do everything in our power to crush the Sorceress and her minions." He nodded, his voice dropping slightly. "I wish you the best of luck. You shall be remembered."

A short, raven-haired SeeD, no more than 20, stepped up. She blew the whistle around her neck, and the shrill sound rose defiantly, a challenge to the silent castle. An angry, guttural growl of a thousand voices rose from within the walls of Ultimecia's keep, a snarling response. Immediately, though many of us have never met before, SeeD rose as one man and charged. Windows and doors burst open as monstrosity upon monstrosity poured out of the castle, a deadly stream of unending nightmares. A roar was heard overhead and I saw the silhouette of the Ruby Dragon, its wings spread out like an archangel of Death. In spite of myself I caught my breath. In all its deadliness, it was a majestic animal.

We fought, man against beast. All around me, a whirlwind of blood and death. We were losing. I parried a Grendel's tail whip at my neck, catching it mere inches away from my jugular. Leaning in, I shoved it off and it did a flip backwards, growling at me. Before I could even blink an Elnoyle swooped past and clawed my head, drawing blood. I gritted my teeth and rolled aside, watching two pairs of hungry eyes eying me. Quickly, I throw a Tornado spell at the Elnoyle and it fell into a crumpled heap on the ground. Glad to be free of distraction, I focused on the Grendel. It pounced, using its hind legs to give itself a powerful lunge through the air.

A silent scream escaped my throat as I watched it spinning madly towards me. It's over, my brain told me, strangely detached. The flashing blade was accelerating towards me and yet all I could do was stand there, frozen in place. Then wet, warm blood splattered all over me and standing in place of the monster was my commanding officer. Our eyes met, and I opened my mouth to thank her. She never heard it. A pack of Wendigoes, charging at full speed towards me, ripped her apart.

Shock and panic raced through my body as Wendigo hit me full force in the chest, breaking a rib or two and slamming me into the ground. My mind was in a whirl from the conflicting emotions I had felt in such quick succession. I was confused and acutely aware that I was very, very alone.

Suddenly, a roar rocked the battlefield, and an eerie silence descended. The clouds gathered overhead and hung low. The flapping of huge wings could be heard, echoing in the distance. Through the clouds, the recently discovered Guardian Force Hydra appeared, her magnificent wings stirring up a vortex. Her three heads roared as one, silencing even the staunchest of Ruby Dragons.

Throwing her head back, Hydra breathed. Fire, ice and lightning wavered in the air for a moment, timeless, beautiful. Then she lowered her head and the elements shot out, joined as one huge, tri-elemental beam that no monster could hope to be spared from. She tossed her head around almost carelessly, and with a flash of light was gone, taking with her half the battlefield.

The tide had turned. We were winning! I knew that stupid myth about Heroes from the past was a lie! The last of the dragons were slain and we rushed towards the castle, our voices shouting in unison. We were going to win!

Just as we reached the gates, a flash of light pulsed through the battlefield, blinding me. What the... A wave of heat throbbed through the battle field and above, I saw… Bahamut? That didn't make sense. I squinted through the blinding flash and saw… No… It wasn't Bahamut. Its silhouette was similar, but this was smaller… Different… It was the other GF, Tiamat…

The heat was unbearable, and Tiamat was just getting ready to blast us. It was all over. She shot her Shadow Flare at us, burning the battlefield. My senses screamed for mercy as I felt the flames scorch my body. I was going to die. I collapsed, a few feet away from the magic chain that linked castle to ground. I couldn't move, I could feel my life slipping away from me. So this is the end...

Then, through the thin line between life and death, I saw a dark figure moving towards me from the south. Who... Behind him were two female figures, one blue and one red. Angels…?

The dark figure got nearer and stopped directly in front of me. I tried to turn my head but my body was not responding. The angels said something to the figure, and I thought I heard the words 'Squall' and 'SeeD'. The dark figure murmured the word 'dead' in response, and they stood in silence for a moment before proceeding up the magic chain, up into Ultimecia's fortress.

It was then I knew. All the myths I had heard about the Heroes who came from the past, defying all the laws of time to save the world from Time Compression; they were true. Summoning all my strength, and with my last dying breath, I scratched onto soil:

The Myth is True

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I'm just a nameless soldier
In a nameless battlefield
Fighting for a cause
Which isn't even mine

-Fin-