Author's note: I've only actually played this game once but I love it to bits, and I must have played over this one bit a zillion times because I love it, it's so sad. I know this has been done before (which made it doubly hard because I didn't want it to seem samey) but I really wanted to write it and I hope it someone likes it. Please comment!
..."Can't we diffuse the statues!?" Terra yelled in panic. Of course, no one could stop the chain reaction now. A terrifying light soared through the sky from the statues. Racing down with incredible velocity, slamming into the ocean below. The shock wave rippled through the planet causing earth quakes to rage on all her inhabitants. The whole world was being torn apart and it was mercilessly effecting Imperial troops and Returners and civilians alike.
"Hang on!" yelled Setzer as the ship's hull started to buckle and suddenly split in two with a crunch. Relm screamed as she saw her grandfather and friends falling from the crippled ship into the raging sea below. Everything in and around was falling apart so quickly! With another jolt, she too was knocked from the side and fell overboard. Terra was left grasping on for dear life as Setzer tried his best to hold on to her...
The last thing anyone remembered seeing before they blacked out were the hellish explosions that turned the sky red.
On that day, the world was changed forever...
Celes eyes fluttered open wearily. She felt very weak, but was experiencing that brief moment of ignorance that blessed you first thing when you wake up. She didn't have time to figure out where exactly she was when a familiar voice called to her...
"Celes? Celes! You're finally awake!"
Celes climbed out of bed weakly, unable to share Cid's excitement. She was in a small wooden cabin. All there was inside was a stove and a table with some dying flowers in a vase. It was very cold.
"I feel like I've been sleeping forever..."
"For nearly a year, actually...I thought you were out for good." Cid said.
"A whole year...You've watched over me the whole time?" asked Celes in shock.
"Yes, and I'm just about out of energy. We're on a tiny, deserted island. After the world crumbled, I awoke to find us here with a few strangers" explained Cid.
"The world! My god…Where are my friends? Where's Locke?"
Cid slowly began pacing around the creaking cabin, "I don't know. I only we're here…We could be the last people left alive...Since that day the world's steadily been sliding into ruin. Animals and plants are dying...The few others who washed up here with us passed away from boredom and despair."
"My friends...they're probably all gone..." Celes uttered silently. She had woken up a year in the future, and her friends were no where. She didn't know what to think. She couldn't believe that they were all dead, that she'd lost Locke...
Cid hugged the fragile soldier reassuringly. She had taken in a lot of horrible truths in the last few moments. He'd been here for a year now and he was still struggling to come to terms with the horrible situation. The whole world had fallen apart. Families had been lost and friends divided. The only thing that had kept him going was caring for Celes...
"Celes...you're the closest thing to family that I have...we could just live out our lives here, peacefully..."
"I suppose so, Cid..." Celes sniffed, taking a step back from the embrace. She had tears in her eyes but managed to lift a smile, "Or should I say, Granddad!? May I call you that?"
"Gramps, eh?" Cid smirked, "I'm overwhelmed! All of a sudden I have a granddaughter! (cough...wheeze..)"
"My long-lost Granddad..."
"Ha, ha...(hack...cough!)" Cid was coughing violently. He looked very frail.
"Hey, are you hungry?" Celes asked.
"I haven't eaten in a few days, ever since I became ill."
"What would you like?"
"Well, unless I ask for fish, I wont get anything! That's all there is here!" Cid joked.
"I'll go catch some." Celes gave her granddad a kiss on the cheek and laid him down to rest in the bed before going out the door and taking her first step into the new world...
Outside, Celes heart instantly sank. She was indeed on a tiny island. The land was dying, just like Cid said. The grass was patched and sparse and the few trees that were around looked bare and very weak. She could now see that she'd been staying in a pathetic little house that was only still standing by the grace of god. It was almost sunset and the sky was blood red.
This was the end of the world.
The scariest part though, was the silence. Celes could feel an expansive quiet like she'd never experienced before. Making her feel so isolated. There were no insects buzzing, no animals making a sound. Nothing was left. Were it not for the lapping of the waves there would be complete silence. But despite the reassuring lapping of the sea Celes could still feel something missing. She could sense it. The world was empty...
Celes made her way onto the sand of the sheltered beach and, crouching down, dipped her hand in the cool water. She didn't know the first thing about fishing, and it would be dark soon, but she'd repay her granddad as best she could. So she got up and took the fishing pole propped up in the sand that was being examined by a curious pigeon, probably the only other life around here, and prayed for some good luck...
As the days crawled by, Celes became better at catching fish and tried to focus her thoughts away from the things she'd lost and focus on helping Cid. But despite all her efforts to keep him nourished with fish and optimistic with talk of a hopeful future they could build together, Cid made no signs of improvement. He continued to become sicker and sicker as he lay in bed...
"I...I'm not long for this cruel new world."
"My worst nightmare is to think of you all alone on this wretched island...(hack…wheeze!!)"
"(Cough...hack...ACK!) While I can still talk, I...(wheeze...pant...) want to thank you...(cough!)"
"...Good-bye."
Then, one clear morning when Celes came to check on Cid…
"Granddad. You have to eat, or else...
W...What's the matter?"
Cid lay in bed motionless, he was staring peacefully at the ceiling above.
"Cid..."
"No..NO!! You promised you'd stay here with me!! Granddad, ANSWER ME! Tell me you're just joking!"
But Cid would never answer her now. He couldn't help but leave her...
Celes ran as far as she could on the barren island. Tears in her eyes. She was at the end of her rope. And now Cid, her Granddad was gone. She was completely isolated. The last person alive on this miserable world for all she knew. Eventually she wandered to the northern most part of the island, and climbed up the small cliff. On the ledge at the top was a dead pigeon that had lost its life in this new world, all alone. She felt an affinity with it. Everything around was dead or dying. Even if she could survive, there was no way she could live here all by herself.
"Those others who were here...when they were feeling down, they'd take a leap of faith from the cliffs up north...perked 'em right up!"
Alone, Celes stared at the long horizon for what would be the last few minutes of her life. She thought about her life as a soldier. How much she hated it. And how much happier she was when she was with Locke. She thought of all the good moments they spent together, their fight against the Empire, and how it had all been ruined by that monster, Kefka. But half of her mind thought, what's the point? It will all be over soon and all her life and thoughts and memories will be gone.
I'm the darkness, you're the stars. Our love is brighter than the sun. For eternity, for me there can be, only you my chosen one...
"Everyone's gone...Even Locke, who promised to watch over me...The world's slowly ebbing away..." Celes eyes started to water more than ever, "I wish I just had Locke with me...but he's gone, nothing's left..."
Must I forget you? Our solemn promise? Will autumn take the place of spring? What shall I do? I'm lost without you. Speak to me once more!
Celes glanced down at the crashing waves below. She stood right on the edge of the cliff and closed her eyes as tears rolled down her cheeks. She took a deep breath before taking a final step forward...
We must part now. My life goes on. But my heart won't give you up. Ere I walk away, let me hear you say. I meant as much to you...
When Celes awoke she was soaking wet and bruised. You can't even kill yourself in this wretched world! Lying on the beach she turned to see a pigeon, the same pigeon that had kept close to the beach always when she'd been fishing she was certain.
"Why did you nurse me back to health?" Celes spoke to the pigeon in jest, "Did I ever ask you to help me?" Just at that moment Celes noticed the bird had recently injured itself, and it's wing had been repaired...with a very familiar looking blue bandana...
"A bandana??? No...It can't be...Hey, you! Where'd you get this?! Is the person who healed you still alive? Answer me!" Celes excitement caused the bird to fly away, but it didn't matter, because she was filled with a new hope.
So gently, you touched my heart. I will be forever yours. Come what may, I wont age a day, I'll wait for you always...
"He's alive...Locke's still alive!!!" Celes made her way as fast as her tired legs would take her back to the cabin.
Inside she found a letter lying on the floor at the foot of Cid's bed that she hadn't noticed before, "You need to leave! The other's are surely waiting for you! Find the stairs next to the stove. Down them lies your road to freedom. Love, Granddad"
Celes closed Cid's empty eye's and kissed him one final time on the forehead. She found the hidden stairway Cid mentioned and down it was a raft. Granddad's parting gift...
On the shore, before setting off to find Locke and the other's, she took one last look back. "I'll make you proud of me...Granddad..."