"ORIGINS of the Past,
"Influenced by the FUTURE"
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Within the deep recesses of her mind, she was vulnerable to the once pleasurable memories of her youth, tainted now by pain and loss. Flickers of familiar faces with no recalled names to claim them, passed before Ultimecia's eyes, vague and wavy - like a poor broadcast. The same sort of television broadcast that had forewarned her doom, and the doom of the world.
Her world.
A painful tightness clutched at her heart, but no tears slipped from her eyes. The moment passed, and Ultimecia found herself lost in the depth of cold darkness once more. There was nothing there to pass her into the world of light, for the world outside her thoughts had long since become crippled. It could not function for long in the independent factions it was split into, and thus, would crumble away until all that remained, was the ragged fiends scourging the land.
In a soft, but clear tone, with a subtlety of despair and serenity, refined by the burden of woeful experiences, Ultimecia muttered, "Ze heavens no longer weep…"
A wretched, mournful cry touched her thoughts, and jumbled her senses. Ultimecia neither stirred nor acknowledged it, remaining rigid and slumped on her throne. Her fist was planted beneath her narrow cheekbone, eyes shut to the barren world resting just beyond the archway. The castle felt empty and foreboding, despite those who wandered through it freely; both fiends and sorceresses.
As the cry slipped into a gurgled whisper carried away by distance, Ultimecia noted in the same tone, "Neizer for man nor creature…"
A welcomed face - shadowed by time - appeared before her, as a small smile played upon the handsome youth's face. Where the memory once warmed her heart, it didn't touch the sorceress now. There was a painful stitch in her side, and her lengthy fingernails curled tightly into her palm, until they drew blood.
"Ze only tearz come from Gaia's Watcher," she began softly, but then her voice grew cold with malice, "Zendin' down rage formz of monsters." Struggling to control the rising anger and uneasiness dwelling within her, Ultimecia struggled to subdue her voice as her emotions empowered her words, "Ze assault is ceaseless…Ze action…" With a small shake of her head, she sighed heavily, muttering, "…Justice."
This statement of fact seemed to ease Ultimecia's rage, and her rigid body began to loosen. Retracting her claws, she allowed thin trails of blood to sweep down her bare arm to seep into the blood-red fabric of her gown.
In a relaxed tone, the sorceress stated to herself, "Count ze number of lives lost - blood drank by barren land, shed by ze tainted."
A thought passed into her mind, as she recalled the images of dear friends past. No longer could the middle-aged woman recall their names, and no longer, could she recount their times together.
SeeDz, she thought with a soft scowl. SeeD…SeeD…kurse all SeeDs!!!
In a firm, decisive tone, she played with the thought beating against her memories - beating against the past, saying, "Ze Godz don't cry…I don't cry."
In a quieter tone, she realized with a decisive shake of her head, "But zis can't continue…" Opening her eyes, Ultimecia straightened in her throne, allowing her slim frame to relax against the soft, enveloping cushions.
In a serene, affirmative tone, she declared, "I shan't weep, but ze world will still know thy despair, Mother Spirit."
