-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Quest For The Griever (A Final Fantasy 8 Continuation)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All the Final Fantasy 8 original characters, places, and items in this story are copyright Squaresoft. All other characters are my works. Feel free to distribute this story as you like.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
by: curbwakz Chapter 5 Released: 1/6/01
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Note: Just a few things before I start the story. First, starting with this chapter, the chapters will begin to be a tad bit longer than before. Secondly, does anyone have that awesome Griever necklace? Seriously. That thing looks sweet as a *****. If you're willing to sell one, IM, or Email me and we'll talk. Enjoy the chapter. :)
-----

Upon arriving at the site of the previous battle ground, the old SeeD comrades gazed at the destruction of the building. Quistis went to talk to one of the many workers in Timber cleaning up the mess, while the others stood and looked through the pile of rubble.

(...Something...it just doesn't feel right about this place...) Squall thought.

A few minutes later, Quistis returned and filled them in with the information.

"Well...?" Zell asked impatiently

"Apparently, most of the citizens around thought it was an earthquake. Nobody really got a good look at it. Some of the people nearby said it looked like a big version of a Red Dragon."

"So, what about this building?" Rinoa said as she continued to look through the remains

"Luckily, nobody was in the building when it got hit. The city had it condemned anyways, so the battle sort of took care of half the work." She continued

"What about the drag-" Zell was cut off, as an expression of surprise came to the surface of his face.

Quistis, then turned around at what Zell was staring at, only to find herself a foot away from the half-killed-huge-version-Red Dragon.

Seifer was the first to act as he charged at it with his Hyperion. The workers who had been slightly dumbfounded began to find their senses, and dropped their tools and ran as the SeeDs took on what was left of the beast. Seifer was about an inch away from cutting the flesh of it's skin before it snapped it's tail viciously to the front, sending Seifer airborne only to find concrete rubble upon his landing.

"Holy $#!^!" Zell slipped as he saw Seifer thrown through the air.

The others were still in a bit of shock at what had just happened, but Squall's senses got to him quickly as soon as Seifer had gotten injured. He followed Seifer up as he charged at the dragon. Soon enough, the dragon also whipped his tail for Squall. But learning from Seifer's mistake, he ducked and cut the tail as it swung over his head. By this time, everyone had come to their senses. Zell and Quistis ran up to help Squall out, while Rinoa cast some of her natural powers to heal Seifer.

(Damn...this dragon's giving us a run for our gil...) Zell thought to himself as he continued to pound away at the dragon.

Suddenly, the dragon unexpectedly cast a huge fire spell of some sort. A gigantic ball of fire seemed to be growing on top of his hand.

"What is THAT??" Zell said, with a bit of terror in his voice as he saw the creature charging the fire, still growing

"I've never seen this before!" Quistis added as they continued to pound uselessly now that the dragon seemed invincible as it charged.

Rinoa and Seifer had by now joined the party. Rinoa, seeming a bit worried, proceeded to cast protect on the group.

Finally the creature yelled half human-like, half- hell devil sounding "FIRAURA!!"

Nobody expected what came a measly five seconds later. The dragon shot the humongous ball into the air, and then dissapeared for a split second, and then reappeared above the ball as it continued toward him. Then out of nowhere, he yelled an unholy roar as he slammed the fire energy with all his might down to the stunned SeeDs. Within a few seconds, they were blown in a huge explosion that rocked the city. The onlookers stood in shock as the smoke from the blast filled the air. Finally, when the smoke began to clear, they laid eyes upon the area the SeeDs were.

"....What... the... hell?.." The familiar voice of Squall Leonhart spoke

As he looked at his comrades, he saw that only he, Rinoa, and Quistis were left standing, if you could call it standing. The others were not dead, but knocked unconscious. Zell seemed to have taken the mother load of it all. Rinoa instinctively cast Phoenix Down on each of them as Squall and Quistis looked weakly at the huge beast.

"I SEE...YOU WEAKLINGS HAVE NOT YET DISCOVERED LEVEL 4+ MAGIC!" he boomed as he looked down upon the three SeeDs remaining.

(...The best fire magic I've seen is Flare...What the hell?...)

"Ergh!!!" Squall yelled as Quistis began to charge Shiva up. Squall continued to look at the huge creature, wondering where it came from, how it survived, and where he got that powerful magic. Quistis finally broke Squall and the dragon's staring contest as she summoned Shiva. Quistis managed to boost her to 150 before freezing the creature. They both knew the creature was hurt badly, but it wasn't quite enough.

(...Nobody calls me a weakling and gets away with it...)

"RENZOKUKEN!" Squall roared as he flipped his Lionhart and charged at the monster with godspeed. Squall slashed huge cuts frantically as he prepared for his finishing move.

"ROUGH DIVIDE!" he shouted as he jumped into the air higher than that Mike Jordan guy from that Earth planet. As Quistis watched Squall let out on the beast, she could have sworn she saw that his eyes looked exactly like a lion's. Rinoa had successfully revived everyone by now, and all onlookers and SeeD watched as Squall tore a dark red line through the beast. The body of the dragon now resembled a piece of raw meat falling off a hook.

"...I...I FAILED...FIRST TO THE SERVANT, THEN TO YOU..." he said under bloody coughs

"...Servant...?" Squall asked curiously

"...INDEED...A SERVANT OF GRIEVER HIMSELF..."

"WHAT?!?" Squall exclaimed as he looked at an overwhelmed Quistis with an "O" for a mouth.

"...YES...FROM THE LIONTAIL ISLAND SOUTH OF TEAR'S POINT..." he said, beginning to feel his life slip away

"I must ask you one last question!" Squall said, still amazed at what had happened. "Where do I find this powerful magic?"

"....IT TOO...." he coughed then continued "...CAN BE FOUND ON LIONTAIL ISLAND... YOU...ARE....A...VERY....WISE....MAN....WITH....THE.....HEART OF.....A LION...GO..." he gasped as he fell lifeless.

For a few moments, all onlookers had their eyes trained on the dead dragon they thought had been killed before. Even the SeeDs stood in disbelief at all the information they had received. After a few moments, Squall was the first to move. In sync with the Lionhart sliding back onto his belt, the crowd began to clap as Squall and the group headed back to the car. Even Seifer didn't say anything as they were all trying to take in all the information that their minds had just received.

(...Damn...we're going to have a long report when we get back...) Squall thought as he revved the car and drove Balamb Garden.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As promised, much more action, and Griever beginning to get in the story line. That was a lot of action and expect more to come. :) Sorry if you were about to eat dinner when you read the raw meat thing. It was the only analogy I could think of. Peace. -curbwakz