Final Fantasy VIII

Lord of the Rings

It began with the forging of the great rings. Three were given to the Elves;

immortal, wisest and fairest of all beings. Seven to the Galbadian lords; great soldiers

and technicians of the archipelago halls. And nine…nine rings were gift to the race of

Men, who, above all else, desire power. For within these rings was bound the strength

and will to govern each race. But they were all of them decieved.. For another ring was

made… In the land of Tears' Point, in the fires of Mount Death, the Dark Lady Ultimecia

forged, in secret a master ring to control all others. And into this ring she poured her

cruelty, her malice, and her will to dominate all life. One Ring to rule them all. One by

one, the free lands of Middle Gaia fell to the power of the Ring. But there were somme

who resisted. A last alliance of Men and Elves marched against the armies of Tears'

Point, and on the slopes of Mount Death they fought for the freedom of Middle Gaia.

Victory was near… But the power of the Ring could not be undone. It was in this

moment, when all hope had faded, that Hyne, son of the King took up his father's sword,

and cut the Ring from. Ultimecia's hand. Ultimecia, the enemy of the free peoples of

Middle Gaia, was defeated. The Ring passed to Hyne, who had this one chance to destroy

evil forever. But the hearts of Men are easily corrupted, and the Ring of Power has a will

of its own. It betrayed Hyne…to his death. And somme things that should not have been

forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. And for two and a

half thousand years the Ring passed out of all knowledge. Until, when chance came, it

ensnared a new bearer. The Ring came to the créature Gerogero, who took it deep into

the Trabia Mountains. And there, it consumed him. The Ring brought to Gerogero

unnatural long life. For five hundred years it poisoned his mind. And in the gloom of

Gerogero's cave, It waited. Darkness creps back into the forests of the world. Rumor

grew of a shadow in the East, whispers of a nameless fear. And the Ring of Power

percieved its time had now come. It abandoned Gerogero. But somesthing happened

then that the Ring did not intend. It was picked up by the most unlikely creature

imaginable. A SeeD, Cid Kramer of the Garden. For the time soon comes when SeeDs

will shape the fortunes of all…