"Quistis come back to me." A familiar male voice called through the chaos. "I need you."
"Seifer? Is that you?" The sorceress asked. "I can't see you."
But all that she could see was blood.
Quistis screamed as she woke up panting for breath. "Just a dream."
She got out of bed and went to the window to stare up at the night sky. The stars shone down upon Shumi Village. A light breeze stirred up the dust on the ground.
"Was that really you Seifer or just my imagination?"
She missed him terribly. It had been over a month since she had come to this place and not a day had gone by when she didn't think about him. She missed waking up in his arms after they made love. She missed the way he would smirk and how his eyes shined with confidence when she complimented him.
"I'm sorry Seifer. I really am."
"Morning guys." Selphie yawned as she came onto the bridge of the Ragnarok. "Seifer have you been up here all night?"
Seifer Almasy sat in the pilots chair in silence, starring straight ahead. Irvine was asleep in the chair next to him. "I slept for a few hours when we landed but after that I kept on flying."
"Do you want to go and get some sleep now?" She asked.
"No." He answered, never turning around.
"Seifer you have been awake for over twenty four hours. You can't keep punishing yourself like this."
"I'm not punishing myself."
"Like hell you're not."
"What would you do if it was Irvine?"
Selphie sighed. "Don't use that one on me. It's not fair."
"Hey it's only not fair because if it were Irvine you would be in this chair instead of me and you know I'm right."
Selphie stared out the cockpit windows into the distance. "Do you dream about her?"
"Every night I can hear her in my dreams. It hurts being that close and not being able to touch her. All I can see is blood."
"Blood?"
"I don't know. I think I need some sleep." He stretched his arms. "Do you want to take over?"
"It's all yours."
He started towards the elevator.
"Hey Seifer," Selphie called after him. "We're your friends you know. Try to talk to us a little more okay?"
"Whatever."
Breathe just breathe.
Rinoa's mind flew through the astral plane. Light swirled around her in all different colours. She had never felt so free before.
Sorceress Quistis where are you?
She used her memories of Quistis to trace her energy. She anchored in on it and when she thought she had Quistis something unexpected occurred.
Rinoa rammed right into a mental barrier. The strongest she had ever seen.
Lets see if we can break through it.
Summoning her powers she hurled an ethereal ball of energy at the barrier. But it had no effect. It merely just bounced off.
Shit!
Rinoa sighed. There was no way she could shatter that barrier. She would only exhaust herself.
Sorry Seifer
She floated up to the surface of her mind.
"Anything?" Squall asked, sitting in the chair next to their bed.
"Only her mental shielding, which I can't crack or track her through."
"Wonderful." He sighed. "Do you want me to tell Seifer?"
"No I will. It's my responsibility."
Seifer sat sleeping in the students lounge over his plate of untouched food. "Blood." He muttered. "So much blood."
Rinoa entered and sighed. "Poor guy." She turned to leave when she heard him scream loudly.
"Blood oh god so much blood! Oh Hyne don't let her drown! QUISTIS!"
"Blood." Rinoa whispered. "He can't be connected to her can he?" She ran to his side and shook him.
"Seifer wake up. I need your help."
"He's linked to her! "Rinoa yelled excitedly to Edea as she rushed into the older woman's quarters. "Seifer's linked to Quistis! We might be able to track her!"
"Calm down dear. Now what is this all about?"
"He's been dreaming about her in blood. The blood that links all sorceresses' as one. No normal human could do that."
"A knight could." Edea said softly. "The bond between a knight and sorceress would be strong enough to form a mind link between the two."
"Are you saying I'm her knight?" Seifer demanded. "That's impossible. I never volunteered for it. How can I be a knight?"
"The title is not important, only the bond." Edea replied. "You've always been knight even when she wasn't a sorceress. This is not a mistake. Knight or lover you can find her. That's all that matters. Do you want to see her again or not?"
Seifer sighed. "You know the answer to that matron. Just tell me what I have to do."
Quistis was cleaning her hut when there was a knock on her door. "Just a second." She called. She wiped her hands on a towel and ran to the door.
"Good afternoon leader." Casey Loka greeted the elder Shumi. "How can I help you?"
"There is a new man in the village Casey Loka." Leader replied. "He is human like you. Would you mind coming out and meeting him?"
Casey hesitated. It could be him.
"What's his name?"
"Nik Arason."
"Where is he from?"
"He did not say Casey Loka but maybe you should ask him."
Casey stepped out into the centre of the village and spotted. A young man around the age of 20 stood looking out into the distance. He was not very tall, perhaps 5'5. His black hair was cut in a short sensible style.
"Hello there." Casey called to him. "Are you Nik?"
"The stranger turned to face her. He was very handsome. His strong face was softened by two dimples and what Casey what have described as 'a killer smile.'
"Nik Arason at your service." And who might you be?"
"Casey Loka." She said with a smile. "Where are you from?"
"A lot of places. How about you?"
"Winhill."
"Do you live around here?"
"Yeah. For a little while now."
"How long?"
Casey eyed him suspiciously. "Long enough."
"Well I'm thinking about staying here for a while. I don't know anyone else in the village. Are you the only other human in Shumi?"
"Yeah. To be honest I prefer it that way. People complicate things so I choose not to live with them."
"Do you get lonely?" Nik asked as he leaned against a pole.
"I used to but I got over it." Casey replied. "The more you learn to rely only on yourself the less you need the company of people around you."
"What about the Shumi?"
"I don't really talk to them much. They don't really talk that much either except when it is needed. I seem to have picked up that trait in a very short amount of time."
"Are you sure it was the Shumi who influenced you?"
"You're awfully curious for someone I've never met before."
"Lets just say that I always ask the right questions. Come on. "He picked up his bag. "I'll need some help setting up my new hut."
Casey frowned but followed him anyway.
Later on in the evening Casey sat with all the Shumi around the big stone table.
"Nik Arason we welcome you to our humble village." Leader said as he placed a ring of blue flowers around his neck. "We hope you will find our simple life to your satisfaction."
Nik bowed. "Thank you leader for your generosity."
"Let the feast begin!" Leader said excitedly. As he finished speaking various Shumi began bringing out platters of food and placed them on the banquet table.
Nik took a seat next to Casey and the two immediately began chatting. They had only known each other for a few hours but had immediately become friends.
"So how's your hut?" Casey asked Nik.
Nik shrugged. "Nice enough I suppose for something that was made out of mud."
Casey chuckled. "Well they did let us stay here. We should be grateful. The Shumi don't normally like strangers. I don't know why they let me stay. I'm trouble."
"Trust me I'm worse than you."
"How so?"
"Long story. I'll tell you about it after dessert."
After the feast Nik and Casey sat out on the shoreline on Trabia.
"So tell me that story you were going to tell me." Casey said as they stared out into the distance.
For a minute Nik didn't say anything but just stared up at the sky
"Remember when you summoned the Reaper to kill Stefan Deling?"
"What?" Casey demanded. "How could you know that?"
Nik smiled. "I'm the Reaper. Or at least I was. Look at me Quistis you know it's true.
"What happened?"
"Three thousand years ago I was cursed by a sorceress for killing her knight. She turned me into the Reaper. The only way to break the curse was by having a person who was using me for good intentions in a manner of speaking to summon me. But seeing how most people who did summon me were evil bastards there was no chance of that happening. But eventually you did and now I'm free.
After three thousand years of violence I came here to live out a peaceful life but when I saw the sorceress who freed me I decided to thank her."
"You're welcome." Quistis said in a monotone voice.
"Hey why so glum? And what are you doing here anyway. Shouldn't you be with your boyfriend?"
"How do you know so much?"
"Strangely enough some of my non-violent abilities such as telepathy and being able to read people remained after I became mortal again. But enough about that. Why did you run?"
Quistis looked at her feet. "I became a sorceress right before I summoned you. Then as you know I killed Stefan Deling. I can still see his blood splattering all over the walls. I was so appalled at what I did. I was so scared. I just kept thinking what if I lost control like that again? I didn't think I could be around my friends and my boyfriend or anyone for that matter."
"Well I guess I can't blame you."
"Don't bullshit me Nik. I just turned tail and ran. Seifer probably hates me although I couldn't blame him and I can't even imagine what everyone else must be thinking. I wonder if they're searching for me?"
"You should go back to them, or at least let them know that you're alive. If they care about you as much as you think then they've probably been worried sick about you."
"I guess you're right. But I don't know how. I've been gone for over a month now. What am I supposed to? Just show up and say 'hi how you been?' Somehow I don't think that's going to work."
"How do you know they won't find you?"
"Concentrate Seifer." Edea's soothing voice lulled him into a sleep-like state. "Find her. She's out there somewhere waiting for you. Find her."
Seifer fell easily into slumber. He passed the strange hypnotic and blurry images that usually preceded his dreams and into the sea of blood.
"Quistis?"
"Seifer is that you?"
"Where are you? I can't find you baby."
Thousands of images passed him when he saw what he recognised as a Moomba and a Shumi.
Shumi?
"She's in Shumi Village." He said still asleep.
"What in Hyne's name is she doing there?" Rinoa asked.
"Hiding most likely."
The next morning Quistis awoke on the seashore. Nik lay next to her asleep. She remembered nothing of her dreams thankfully. Lately all she had been dreaming of was blood and his voice. The dreams frightened her more than would admit.
"Nik wake up." She shook him.
"What time is it?" Nik said groggily."
"I'm not entirely sure."
"I can't believe we fell asleep out here."
"I know. At least it's nice weather." He rolled over onto his side to face her. "So what do you want for breakfast?"
"I'm still full from last night." Quistis looked up at the sky. "I haven't really had fun for a while. Last night was good you know? Just what I needed."
"What have you been doing here all this time?"
"Just hiding I guess. I kept away from everyone when I could. I didn't want to be around people at all."
"But you can stand being around me?"
"That's different. You were there when I killed him. You saw it and you understood it. The others won't."
As she spoke the Ragnarok flew overhead the village.
"There's your friends."
"But how? Did you…" Her voice trailed off.
"No this is not my doing. It's Seifer's. He found a way to reach you."
"How?"
"Why don't you ask him when you see him?"
The boarding ramp descended from the Ragnarok. Seifer and Edea made their way down to the entrance to Shumi Village.
"Remember don't look with your eyes." Edea said placing her hands on his shoulders. "See with your heart."
"What?"
"You'll understand soon enough."
"I can feel her. She's down by the beach."
"Are you sure?"
"I feel water and sand around her. It's definitely the beach."
As they made their way to the beach Seifer became disappointed. "She's not here. I don't understand."
"Remember see with your heart."
Seifer closed his eyes. She was here. He could see her so clearly in his mind. But the image had another shadow superimposed over her. The image had red hair and green eyes.
Quistis sat facing the ocean. "Hello Seifer."
"Quistis what did you do to yourself?" He asked as he stood behind her.
"It's just magic, nothing overly drastic. I can change back if I want."
"Then do it. I want you back Quisty. I don't care if you're a sorceress or whatever. I just want you to come home with me."
"Is that how you really feel?"
"What are you nuts?" Seifer threw his hands up in frustration. "Damn it you have no idea what the hell I have been through in the last month trying to find you! Do you have any idea how much I care about you? I've barely slept or eaten at all because I miss you and I want you back in my life! Does that mean anything to you?"
"Of course it does!" Quistis snapped. "I stayed here because I love you."
"Oh that's logical."
"What if I killed you like I killed Deling? Did you think about that Seifer? I am scared to death of what I could do to you if I lose control like that again!"
"Then let me be your knight." He dropped to his knees. "I won't let that happen to you. Let me help you."
"You want to be my knight?"
"I've always been your knight." He rose up and embraced her. "I love you. Please be Quistis again. Stop this illusion."
"Are you sure about this?"
"Knight or husband I'll always be here."
Quistis took a step back. "Did you just say husband?"
"Marry me Quisty." He whispered.
Author's note: I apologize for the length of time it took me to write this. Again my old faithful computer decided to die on me.
Will she say yes? Only time (and my crap computer) will tell. Stay tuned.
P.S The next one will be the last one.