Chapter One: Portents
Sand was the only thing that could be seen for miles in any direction. After a couple of turns where every direction is observed, revealing even more sand, a few people come into view carrying various pieces of equipment.
"Are you recording this?" A voice asks.
A tall silver-haired woman, clad in black, and with distinctive ruby red eyes, holds up a sphere.
"Of course," Silver Hair responds, "Someone has to record the details of this thing, whatever it is."
"And as you're neutral," The original voice speaks, "there can't be any accusations of bias."
Silver Hair nods, and turns to face the partially excavated object. All that can be seen is an off-white semi opaque surface that seems to cause anyone's eyes to slide off of it.
"When was this found?"
"About six months ago. It was apparently discovered by fluke, and it's taken this long for any of it to be dug up. Whatever it is, it's big, and ancient."
"Is it glowing?" Someone else asks.
"I don't…"
"What's that?"
"It's approaching us?"
Suddenly a bright red flash obscures everything, and a mixture of monstrous sounds can be heard, along with humans screaming.
"What's going on?"
"So many fiends!"
"Get to the boats!"
Another new voice, this one was male, and with a strong commanding tone.
The view suddenly changes to blue, as the clear ocean waters reflect the sky. Looking back, a thick red column can be seen stretching ever upwards, and the base of it was spreading outwards.
"Is everyone ok?" Silver Hair's voice asks as she cautiously lowers a broadsword with a skull near the guard. She still had hold of the sphere device, somehow.
"No," Another voice responded, "We've lost Akyema. The…horde must have…swallowed her."
This speaker, a blonde woman with dazzling green eyes, looked to be on the verge of tears as she rested her hands on her knees.
"I'm sorry. I know you and she were close friends."
The blonde nodded, wiping her eyes, and then gasped at something that she could see opposite her.
"Incoming!" She called, drawing a pair of curved daggers from sheaths on her hips, as Silver Hair lifted her sword again.
Back at the red column, which now had a base that seemingly enveloped the whole island, some pieces of it were taking to the skies: including at least two large shapes that were heading straight for them!
There was a flash of red and black, possibly scales, accompanied by an inhuman roar, and followed by an ear-piercing scream.
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Ellone shot awake, with her light brown hair plastered to her skin, and tried to swallow to get some moisture back into her raw throat.
In a panic, she looked all around her, before realising that she was in her bedroom in her Balamb City home. The ever expanding city had been her home for the last four years since she had moved closer to her adoptive family.
Pushing herself up, and swinging her legs out of bed, she brushed her damp hair away from her face, and reached for the glass of water on her bedside cabinet.
I need to talk to Squall, She thought as the warm water slid down her throat, this is the fourth time I've had a dream like that since he asked me to Connect to her in order to learn how to do his Last Resort move. I'm sure that these dreams, if they are dreams, started around the same time.
Ellone rested her face in her hands for a few seconds, and letting her breathing calm down again, before she got up and entered her small bathroom for a shower. It wouldn't do for her to visit Balamb Garden looking like she had been scared to death.