Author's Note: Okay, I love Final Fantasy V (it's one of my favorite Final Fantasy games), and it saddens me that there's hardly any fanfiction based on it, especially compared to ones like Final Fantasy VII. So I decided to write one. It tells of the thoughts and feelings of a character, the struggle the person faces through one of their most depressing times. Who is this character I wrote about? It shouldn't be hard to tell. Actually, it should be rather obvious.
Oh yeah, and just to warn you, this story has major spoilers to the game's storyline. Just a warning.
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy V belongs to Square, not me.
---
Hatred, Sadness, Hope
by Krile
---
Hatred.
It boiled through my veins, the loathe growing stronger by the second. I'm not usually the one to become angry easily, but as I watched the source of my hatred unleash his final blow on the King of Bal, I could feel my blood thicken quickly and almost painfully throughout my body. I was stiff, tense; my fists clenched, my legs were numb. Galuf Halm Baldesion, determined to save us all, died at the hands of the evil Lord Exdeath.
And I was unable to do anything about it. I was helpless... helpless...
There was... almost a void between myself and the man I loved so much. I was trapped; held captive in a prison cell made out of flames. I felt weak, dizzy; lightheaded from the powerful blow Exdeath had inflicted on myself, trying to prevent me from rescuing my friends from his clutches.
That's when he stepped forward, brave as ever. He challenged the evil on his own, not caring that it would be his last battle...
As he fell, I wanted to cry out, scream, take a stab at Exdeath myself, do something... but I could only watch as our enemy escaped, laughing at the one who had saved our lives, my life.
...My grandfather...
---
Sadness.
As I stood outside of the Ancient Tree amongst the lifeless forest, this feeling crept up suddenly, taking me by surprise. Just a second before, I had still been fuming over what Exdeath had done. The feeling spread quickly, and I crouched over, kneeling on the scorched grass. I crinkled up my nose, trying to hold the emotion back, but my eyes soon watered... and then it came.
A flood of tears gushed out of my eyes like a waterfall, which seemed almost never ending. Clutching myself tightly, I sobbed, letting the reality of my grandpa's death sink in.
For a while I kneeled there; sobbing, gasping, no longer trying to hold my feelings back. I felt alone, like I had nobody to care about me. I hated Exdeath, hated my grandfatjer for leaving me, hated myself for not doing more to help... but I felt more sad than angry at the moment.
My heart bled for him... for Grandpa. I didn't know what to do.
As I continued to weep, my hands trailed down my blue dress, touching the soft silk... and I suddenly felt the hilt of my dagger resting by my side. I held my breath; thinking, hesitating a bit. Slowly, I pulled the blade out of it's sheath; still hesitating, breathing harshly. Holding the shiny sword to my face as tears still sparkled in my eyes, I gasped and quickly put the dagger down.
I still don't know what I had been thinking; doing something so rash like that is not like me at all. I felt frightened... yet satisfied when I had discarded the blade to the dry grass beneath my torn boots.
As I wiped away my tears, I looked up at the sky, hoping that an answer to my problems would somehow appear before me.
It did.
---
Hope.
Knowing that I still had it within me, I felt better, more sure of myself, of my future. Even more so after I heard him; heard my grandfather speak to me despite our distances through the void of the mortal coil.
He... he told me not to give up; that there's still people left worth living for.
As I had bolted away from the Ancient Tree earlier, I caught a glimpse of the three travelers that had joined Grandpa and took care of him throughout his amnesia experience. They, too, were devastated with the sudden death of my grandfather.
Lenna, princess of her country of Tycoon, had wept quietly on her older sister Sarisa's shoulder. I knew my grandfather meant a lot to her. Sarisa, or rather, Faris, comforted her sister as she wept, while a mix of hurt and anger plastered on the battle-hardened pirate's face. Last but not least, Bartz, the wanderer of the world, wore an expressionless frown. Thus, I was unaware of his true feelings of the situation. I did had a feeling that he, too, was upset and saddened by Galuf's death...
They had helped my grandfather so much... and me, as well.
Wiping away the rest of my tears on my face, I gave myself a tiny little smile, telling myself that everything would be all right. With my new friends by my side, I'll avenge Grandpa's death. We will destroy that wicked Exdeath together, no matter what, no matter what...
As long as I have my companions, and my grandfather's spirit by my side, I'll survive. Even through my mixed emotions, I'll survive. I know I will.
Because... I'm not alone.
fin