DISCLAIMER: Let me start off by saying: "I do NOT own Final Fantasy, any of its characters, places and other names, etc. All of it belongs to Squaresoft. Again, EVERYTHING in any Final Fantasy game that is also found here DOES NOT BELONG TO ME!!! It's all Squaresoft's! This plot, however, and everything found here NOT found in any Final Fantasy game (or in any other game, for that matter), is my own, spawn of my unbridled, albeit quite unimaginative, imagination. Any resemblance of any name to any person, living or otherwise, is PURELY COINCIDENTIAL (with one exception, and I've got permission for it, so there! ). Please keep these facts in mind as you read this fic."

AUTHOR'S NOTES aka RANDOM RAMBLING:

Fic started: July 22, 2002 (a long time ago...)

Hello, all. Well, this is my first fanfic, and it's about Final Fantasy VIII (obviously). You'll probably notice that it's quite descriptive, like I tend to describe the Garden, some of the characters' personalities, etc. This is because I want all (FF fans as well as the rest of humanity) to understand most everything.

Okay, so maybe some OOC ness, I'm trying to put the characters in the, er...character I perceive them to have.

And yeah, well, I guess this fic does look like most other fics out there but I try to make most everything as original and as enjoyable as possible. Please read anyway. If you like it, thanks. If you don't, well, just stop reading. It's a matter of preference anyway. Ne?

Thanks first of all to Squaresoft for the great games, characters, and stories.

Thanks to all the "ficwriters" over at fanfiction.com, especially those in the Anime and Game sections, for all the great fics. I must admit, your stories have inspired me to write this piece of fiction (thus the unintentional similarities). You guys rock!

And thanks to you, dear reader! Yeah, you, for reading this. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Oh yeah, please review, if possible. I mean constructive criticism and favorable comments, that is. Well, if you just HATE the fic, then don't continue reading! It's that simple! You don't have to blab of 'how the story sucks' or something. Well, you can write flames, but you'd just be wasting your time and effort, you can be sure of that. So please. If you don't like this, then just go and write something you do like . Everyone has the potential to come up with a great story.

Well, on with my story...

PROLOGUE

The pure, cerulean waters crash against the fine grains of sand...the dwelling was solitary yet it possessed an amiable aura...a fragrant field of flowers blooming on the side opposite the blue, luminous ocean...colorful petals swirling in the wind...the sky overhead radiantly azure and clear, stretching as far as the eye could see...

I sat amongst the flora, staring at the sky and taking in the beautiful scenery. A soothing melody drifted through the air...the soft, female voice beautifully endearing and yet painfully familiar...I listened, closing my eyes, as I sensed her presence behind me.

As I turned to look at her face, everything seemed to blur.

'Huh...?'

All I could make of her face was its outline. Her long, black hair fell over her shoulders, the deep hue a sharp contrast to her somewhat fair complexion. I sat staring at her hazy silhouette for some time, feeling a deep sense of tranquility. She leaned down to take my hand when, slowly, everything faded into darkness.

'What the...?'

The ominous black enveloped everything in sight...faint moans of anguish rang forth in the distance ahead...then closer...louder...towards me...until the now deafening cries were upon me...surrounding me...I couldn't move...I couldn't breathe...help...someone...please!

I opened my mouth to call for help but no sound escaped my throat...around me were the sounds of screaming. Searing heat from raging flames radiated from all directions, encasing me in a cage of burning pain.

'What is this...?!'

Then I saw her...she stood in front of me, a faint aura glowing around her, her arms outstretched as if inviting me to her warm embrace... I weakly tried to reach out for her...she started to vanish as she called out my name, "Squall...squall..."

I tried to shout, to call her name, but nothing...the deathly sounds still prevailed over me. I looked at her helplessly until she faded completely...

'No!' How could I have lost her? How could she have left me here? Who was going to help me now? Someone...please...

All at once, the shadows fled, leaving me in the garden of before, which was now dead and rotting, as if a vile plague had overrun the earth itself. As the burning pain left my body I slumped helplessly to the ground. As I sucked in air, hot and putrid as it was, I couldn't help but feel just a little relieved. 'It's over...'

But it wasn't...not yet. Once again I heard the menacing, demonic wailing in the distance in front of me...louder...more overwhelming this time...haunting...creeping...annihilating everything in its path as it did so. I slowly raised my head to look in the direction of the sound...and saw the darkness...formless...an empty void...but deadlier...more threatening this time...it was sure to finish me off...the next time...

And it was moving towards me.

I wobbly scrambled to my feet and began running, away from the shadows and their accursed screams of death. I glanced back...found it gaining...I pushed my legs faster...adrenaline filling even my very spirit...I willed myself to outrun the darkness...

'Not this time! Not again! Not ever again!'

...but to no avail. My foe was catching up and all I could do was delay the inevitable. All around me lay the wasteland that was once the serene environment I knew so much...now desolate...now blood-stained...now lifeless.

It was almost upon me...with a mighty wail, the shadows leapt forward to engulf me...to destroy me.

But suddenly, before the creature could complete its task...the earth trembled...shook violently...as if it had a will of its own...

...the ground right under me collapsed...

...and I screamed in terror as I fell into an endless abyss...