Zell caught Amyra as she collapsed, lifting her in his arms and carrying her over to the couch. He lay her gently down and looked questioningly at Squall.
"Quistis, Rinoa, help him." Squall said, pointing at Rali. "Selphie, tell Irvine to get the prisoners on the Ragnarok; Cid will want to know about them. Zell, did you see anyone who could be their guardian?" Before Zell could reply, another voice interrupted them.
"I can answer that question." Squall spun around, his hand instinctively going to the Lionheart. He relaxed slightly when he saw the tall young man standing in the doorway, holding himself erect despite his obvious dizziness.
"I am Commander Squall Leonhart, of the Balamb Garden. And you are?"
"Instructor Salsha Murak, of Galbadia Garden, formerly of Trebak Garden. The young man is Rali Arictas, and the young lady is Amyra Faralse. What happened in here?" Salsha asked, his worried grey eyes flicking anxiously between Rali and Amyra. Rali was beginning to wake up, as Rinoa and Quistis supported him.
"We're not sure, sir." Squall replied, deciding to keep the truth from Salsha until they knew more. "Sir, you said your name was Salsha Murak? Are you the son of Commander Irsik Murak?"
"Yes, though I'm sure he regrets that." Salsha replied with a wry smile. "You don't know what happened to my students?"
"No. We believe they were both knocked unconscious by the savages, which we scared off." Squall replied, then turned as he heard his name being called.
"Squall, the prisoners are on the Ragnarok." Irvine said, hurrying into the room with Selphie on his heels.
"We should be continuing with our mission. Instructor Murak, where were you headed?"
"To Balamb Garden, to meet with Cid. Amyra and Rali hoped to take their SeeD exam there."
"Zell, you lead Instructor Murak and his students to Balamb. Take the chocobos from the Ragnarok. I'll give you a message for Cid in a minute, but don't bother returning. We should be done with this mission by the time you get there and back." Squall gestured to Rinoa and Quistis to help Rali towards the door. "Instructor Murak, we should meet again back at Balamb. This is Quistis Trepe and Rinoa Heartilly. They'll take you and Rali to the Ragnarok, and help you with the chocobos."
As Rinoa, Quistis, Salsha and Rali hurried out, Squall turned to stare thoughtfully at Amyra and Zell. He frowned slightly, then shook his head.
"Zell, tell Cid that it appears Amyra is a sorceress. She needs to be kept under guard; this looks too much like what happened to Rinoa for my liking. We should be finished soon and will come immediately back to the Garden. If Amyra wakes up, don't let her know she is being watched; just let her take the SeeD exam and continue with her classes. I doubt she will pass the SeeD exam anyway. We'll be back in a few days." Squall walked out of the room, leaving Zell to pick Amyra up and follow him outside the ruined train.
"Balamb Garden is just over that hill, near Winhill. We should be there by nightfall." Zell told Salsha and Rali. Salsha nodded once, but Rali ignored him totally. Zell sighed, remembering Rali's reaction when he had seen Zell for the first time. His eyes had gotten huge, then he had scowled and turned his back on Zell. He hadn't spoken to him for the rest of the trip.
"We appreciate your taking us to Balamb. Hopefully, Amyra will be able to get some help there." Salsha replied. Amyra had slept the entire two days they had been traveling, her face peaceful.
"Let's go." Rali growled, mounting his chocobo again. He waited impatiently as Zell mounted his and Salsha handed Amyra up to him. When Salsha had mounted, Rali set his chocobo racing furiously for Winhill.
As Zell and Salsha rode at a more decent pace towards Winhill, Zell found his gaze continuously straying to Amyra. Her head was pillowed against his chest, a strand of her crimped purple hair across her pale cheek. Long, thick lashes cast light shadows across her high cheekbones. Her nose was slightly snubbed, and a light sprinkling of freckles crossed the bridge. A slight smile curved her full lips.
Zell checked the saddlebags as they neared Winhill. Amyra's weapons hung at the chocobo's side, a fact the chocobo didn't approve of. Her clothes were packed in some of the saddlebags, along with some other possessions of the three travelers. Each chocobo had a similar load. They had been lucky; no stray monsters had crossed their path on the way.
A few hours later, Zell and Salsha reached Winhill. Letting the chocobos rest for a while before they exited the town and traveled the last mile to Balamb Garden, Salsha set off to find Rali. After inquiring at various shops, he was told a young man fitting that description had disappeared into the pub. With a sigh, Salsha followed.
He pushed open the door to the Winhill Pub, and scanned the dark interior for Rali. He was sitting by himself at a table in one of the darkest corners, brooding over a mug of ale.
"Rali, we're heading to Balamb soon." Salsha said, letting a commanding tone enter his voice. "The Arictas' put you in my charge, and that means getting to Balamb without wasting much more time."
"Whatever." Rali replied, staring into his mug. Salsha sat in the seat across from him.
"Rali, this isn't like you. You're acting sullen. What is your problem?" Salsha said sharply. Rali looked up, his eyes flashing.
"There's nothing wrong! I just have a lot on my mind right now."
"I hope that's all it is, for your sake. Now, let's go. Zell's waiting, and I'm sure Cid must be worried. We were supposed to arrive at least a day ago." Salsha rose and headed out the door. After a minute, Rali drained his mug and followed.
"Welcome to Balamb Garden, Instructor Murak." Cid greeted Salsha at the entrance to the Garden. "Why, Zell, what are you doing here? What has happened?"
"I'm not Zell." Rali snarled, stalking past the Headmaster. Cid gaped after him, then turned to stare at Zell.
"They were attacked on the train, on the way here, sir. We saw the attack and helped. Squall and the others have continued with the mission, and Squall has a message for you." Zell replied. He called a young girl over and instructed her to show Salsha and Rali where the Infirmary was, and then give them a tour. She hurried off, blushing and giggling. Rali and Salsha grabbed their bags and followed her.
"Now, Zell, what is this message from Squall? Who is that young man? He looks exactly like you!" Cid exclaimed.
"That young woman, Amyra Faralse, is a sorceress. Squall fears that she might have inherited Ultimecia's powers. Amyra brought Rali back from death, when Rali was shot on the train. Squall wants her kept under close guard until she wakes up. When she does, she's to be allowed to remain as a student and take the SeeD exam if she wishes. The young man is Rali Arictas, but keep an eye on him too. There's something I don't quite like about him." Zell replied, shifting slightly on his feet.
"I'll warn the doctor. We don't want what happened to Rinoa to happen again, do we?" Cid mused, looking thoughtful. "I'll ask Edea about it, too. She might have some insight we missed."
"Alright, I'm going. I might as well check up on my classes and see if they've managed to drive the substitute insane yet." Zell ran over to the elevator, heading up to the 2nd floor classroom. Cid watched him until he had disappeared, then shook his head and left to find Edea. Neither of them noticed the darker shape in the shadows outside. No one was around when it slipped inside and crept towards the Infirmary.
Amyra struggled to open her eyes. She could hear Rali calling out to her, asking for help, but she couldn't seem to wake up. Suddenly, she was standing in the middle of the 1st floor, looking anxiously around. She blinked in confusion. It was the middle of the night, and everyone was either asleep or in the Training Center.
"Rali?" she called softly. "Rali, where are you?"
"Amyra, help me, please!" His voice was coming from the direction of the Training Center, but it sounded strange; almost ghostly in a way.
Amyra shivered. There was something evil in the Training Center. She wondered where her weapons had gone, and then she was holding her sword and her katana was in the other hand. Her athame was tucked into its sheath on her hand-crafted belt. Strangely, she was still in her pajamas, as she had been since the attack.
The attack... Amyra struggled to remember something about an attack, but there was a gaping hole in her memory. She remembered boarding the train to Winhill; having the scary dream; Rali and Salsha reassuring her she would be there soon... and then nothing. Try as she might, she couldn't recall a thing past that up until hearing Rali call her.
"Amyra, please!" Rali screamed. "I can't take much more. PLEASE, Amyra!"
"Rali, I'm coming! Salsha, where are you? Rali's in trouble! Salsha!" Amyra yelled, running toward the Training Center. Her bare feet slipped on the smooth floor, almost sending her tumbling to the ground. She regained her balance and crept into the Training Center, her sword held at the ready.
"Rali?" she whispered, looking around. An earth-shaking roar sounded from behind the heavy metal door.
"Amyra! He's-" Rali's voice rose into a scream of terror and pain.
"I'm coming, Rali!" Amyra yelled again, tears streaming down her face. "Hold on, I'm coming!" She shoved the heavy metal door open, letting it slam shut behind her. With a determined expression, she ran in the direction of Rali's scream.
Zell started awake, wondering what had woken him up. He had been dreaming something, and then he had heard the slam of a door. He shook his head, trying to think clearly. It had sounded like the slamming of the door to the Training Center, but that had no relevance to his dream...
Zell's eyes snapped open again. Amyra! Something had happened; the doctor hadn't been watching her properly. He wanted to go back to sleep, but struggled to stay awake. How tired he was...
He forced himself to get out of bed, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to keep them open. His head felt fuzzy, the way it did when Sleep was cast in a battle. His bed looked incredibly inviting. Then a yell interrupted his thoughts. With a curse, he ran to the Training Center.
"Put him down!" Amyra screamed at the T-Rexaur holding an unconscious Rali in his claws. The T-Rexaur snarled at her, then dipped his head in a lightning-fast move to snap at her. Amyra jumped out of the way, but the T-Rexaur's teeth still snagged in her shirt, ripping it up her side. She swung her sword at his snout, cutting deeply.
The T-Rexaur growled low in its throat, jerking its head back up. It placed Rali on the ground and advanced towards Amyra. Amyra stood her ground, realizing she would have to defeat the T-Rexaur if she wanted to save Rali.
With a roar of rage, the T-Rexaur charged Amyra, shaking the ground with its huge feet. Amyra jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding being knocked headlong. Recovering her balance quickly, she whirled her sword around in a high arc. The T-Rexaur ducked, but Amyra was anticipating that and swung her sword around in a low reverse-arc. The sword bit deeply into the T-Rexaur's upper leg. Before Amyra could pull it free, the T-Rexaur lowered his head and knocked her to the ground.
The T-Rexaur bared its razor-sharp fangs, leaning down to casually sniff Amyra as she lay on the ground, dazed by the blow. For some reason, she found Salsha's jo in her hand. With all of her strength, she brought the jo down on the T-Rexaur's head.
The T-Rexaur roared in pain and backed away from Amyra. It stumbled slightly, shook its head to clear it, then turned on Amyra again. Amyra had used the time the T-Rexaur had been clearing its head and taken out her athame. With a yell, she leaped forward and plunged it into the T-Rexaur's chest. The T-Rexaur bellowed and swiped Amyra on the side with its claws. Amyra flew backwards and landed heavily near Rali.
As Amyra struggled to breathe, the T-Rexaur flopped on its side, its struggles gradually getting weaker until it finally lay still. Amyra lay on the ground, one hand pressed to her bleeding side, and tried to regain her breath.
Finally, her head stopped pounding and she managed to crawl to Rali's side. As she crouched over him, he suddenly opened his eyes. Amyra gasped. This wasn't Rali! Before she could get away, Rali's imposter grabbed her wrist hard enough to bruise it. She struggled to pull away as the imposter reverted to its true form. Amyra screamed. A shade leered up at her, its ravaged face a mockery of Rali's.
Zell's head jerked up as he heard the scream. He was having trouble running, but he pushed himself harder, trying to overcome his fatigue. He burst into the Training Center and slammed open the metal door. Inside, he stopped dead at the sight. Amyra was being held by a ebony shadow, the only part visible its scarred and twisted face. Its body flowed off into a wispy black cloud floating just above the ground.
A T-Rexaur lay on the ground nearby, but as Zell watched, it slowly dissipated into ebony mist. A brilliantly shining dagger clattered to the floor. The dagger gave off it's own silver light, bright enough to hurt Zell's eyes.
Acting on instinct, Zell leaped forward and grabbed the dagger before turning to confront the shade. The dagger burned into his hand but he ignored the pain, slashing a great gap in the shade's arm. The shade hissed and released Amyra. It turned on Zell and slammed a fist into his chest. He gasped, the breath knocked out of him.
"You! The athame!" Amyra yelled, moving in between the shade and Zell. Zell pressed the dagger into her hand. She brought the dagger down on the shade's head, neatly slicing it in half. With an inhuman shriek, the shade disappeared.
"Amyra? Are you all right? How did you get here?" Zell asked. Amyra turned around and looked at him.
"Do I know you?" she asked.
"Quistis, Rinoa, help him." Squall said, pointing at Rali. "Selphie, tell Irvine to get the prisoners on the Ragnarok; Cid will want to know about them. Zell, did you see anyone who could be their guardian?" Before Zell could reply, another voice interrupted them.
"I can answer that question." Squall spun around, his hand instinctively going to the Lionheart. He relaxed slightly when he saw the tall young man standing in the doorway, holding himself erect despite his obvious dizziness.
"I am Commander Squall Leonhart, of the Balamb Garden. And you are?"
"Instructor Salsha Murak, of Galbadia Garden, formerly of Trebak Garden. The young man is Rali Arictas, and the young lady is Amyra Faralse. What happened in here?" Salsha asked, his worried grey eyes flicking anxiously between Rali and Amyra. Rali was beginning to wake up, as Rinoa and Quistis supported him.
"We're not sure, sir." Squall replied, deciding to keep the truth from Salsha until they knew more. "Sir, you said your name was Salsha Murak? Are you the son of Commander Irsik Murak?"
"Yes, though I'm sure he regrets that." Salsha replied with a wry smile. "You don't know what happened to my students?"
"No. We believe they were both knocked unconscious by the savages, which we scared off." Squall replied, then turned as he heard his name being called.
"Squall, the prisoners are on the Ragnarok." Irvine said, hurrying into the room with Selphie on his heels.
"We should be continuing with our mission. Instructor Murak, where were you headed?"
"To Balamb Garden, to meet with Cid. Amyra and Rali hoped to take their SeeD exam there."
"Zell, you lead Instructor Murak and his students to Balamb. Take the chocobos from the Ragnarok. I'll give you a message for Cid in a minute, but don't bother returning. We should be done with this mission by the time you get there and back." Squall gestured to Rinoa and Quistis to help Rali towards the door. "Instructor Murak, we should meet again back at Balamb. This is Quistis Trepe and Rinoa Heartilly. They'll take you and Rali to the Ragnarok, and help you with the chocobos."
As Rinoa, Quistis, Salsha and Rali hurried out, Squall turned to stare thoughtfully at Amyra and Zell. He frowned slightly, then shook his head.
"Zell, tell Cid that it appears Amyra is a sorceress. She needs to be kept under guard; this looks too much like what happened to Rinoa for my liking. We should be finished soon and will come immediately back to the Garden. If Amyra wakes up, don't let her know she is being watched; just let her take the SeeD exam and continue with her classes. I doubt she will pass the SeeD exam anyway. We'll be back in a few days." Squall walked out of the room, leaving Zell to pick Amyra up and follow him outside the ruined train.
"Balamb Garden is just over that hill, near Winhill. We should be there by nightfall." Zell told Salsha and Rali. Salsha nodded once, but Rali ignored him totally. Zell sighed, remembering Rali's reaction when he had seen Zell for the first time. His eyes had gotten huge, then he had scowled and turned his back on Zell. He hadn't spoken to him for the rest of the trip.
"We appreciate your taking us to Balamb. Hopefully, Amyra will be able to get some help there." Salsha replied. Amyra had slept the entire two days they had been traveling, her face peaceful.
"Let's go." Rali growled, mounting his chocobo again. He waited impatiently as Zell mounted his and Salsha handed Amyra up to him. When Salsha had mounted, Rali set his chocobo racing furiously for Winhill.
As Zell and Salsha rode at a more decent pace towards Winhill, Zell found his gaze continuously straying to Amyra. Her head was pillowed against his chest, a strand of her crimped purple hair across her pale cheek. Long, thick lashes cast light shadows across her high cheekbones. Her nose was slightly snubbed, and a light sprinkling of freckles crossed the bridge. A slight smile curved her full lips.
Zell checked the saddlebags as they neared Winhill. Amyra's weapons hung at the chocobo's side, a fact the chocobo didn't approve of. Her clothes were packed in some of the saddlebags, along with some other possessions of the three travelers. Each chocobo had a similar load. They had been lucky; no stray monsters had crossed their path on the way.
A few hours later, Zell and Salsha reached Winhill. Letting the chocobos rest for a while before they exited the town and traveled the last mile to Balamb Garden, Salsha set off to find Rali. After inquiring at various shops, he was told a young man fitting that description had disappeared into the pub. With a sigh, Salsha followed.
He pushed open the door to the Winhill Pub, and scanned the dark interior for Rali. He was sitting by himself at a table in one of the darkest corners, brooding over a mug of ale.
"Rali, we're heading to Balamb soon." Salsha said, letting a commanding tone enter his voice. "The Arictas' put you in my charge, and that means getting to Balamb without wasting much more time."
"Whatever." Rali replied, staring into his mug. Salsha sat in the seat across from him.
"Rali, this isn't like you. You're acting sullen. What is your problem?" Salsha said sharply. Rali looked up, his eyes flashing.
"There's nothing wrong! I just have a lot on my mind right now."
"I hope that's all it is, for your sake. Now, let's go. Zell's waiting, and I'm sure Cid must be worried. We were supposed to arrive at least a day ago." Salsha rose and headed out the door. After a minute, Rali drained his mug and followed.
"Welcome to Balamb Garden, Instructor Murak." Cid greeted Salsha at the entrance to the Garden. "Why, Zell, what are you doing here? What has happened?"
"I'm not Zell." Rali snarled, stalking past the Headmaster. Cid gaped after him, then turned to stare at Zell.
"They were attacked on the train, on the way here, sir. We saw the attack and helped. Squall and the others have continued with the mission, and Squall has a message for you." Zell replied. He called a young girl over and instructed her to show Salsha and Rali where the Infirmary was, and then give them a tour. She hurried off, blushing and giggling. Rali and Salsha grabbed their bags and followed her.
"Now, Zell, what is this message from Squall? Who is that young man? He looks exactly like you!" Cid exclaimed.
"That young woman, Amyra Faralse, is a sorceress. Squall fears that she might have inherited Ultimecia's powers. Amyra brought Rali back from death, when Rali was shot on the train. Squall wants her kept under close guard until she wakes up. When she does, she's to be allowed to remain as a student and take the SeeD exam if she wishes. The young man is Rali Arictas, but keep an eye on him too. There's something I don't quite like about him." Zell replied, shifting slightly on his feet.
"I'll warn the doctor. We don't want what happened to Rinoa to happen again, do we?" Cid mused, looking thoughtful. "I'll ask Edea about it, too. She might have some insight we missed."
"Alright, I'm going. I might as well check up on my classes and see if they've managed to drive the substitute insane yet." Zell ran over to the elevator, heading up to the 2nd floor classroom. Cid watched him until he had disappeared, then shook his head and left to find Edea. Neither of them noticed the darker shape in the shadows outside. No one was around when it slipped inside and crept towards the Infirmary.
Amyra struggled to open her eyes. She could hear Rali calling out to her, asking for help, but she couldn't seem to wake up. Suddenly, she was standing in the middle of the 1st floor, looking anxiously around. She blinked in confusion. It was the middle of the night, and everyone was either asleep or in the Training Center.
"Rali?" she called softly. "Rali, where are you?"
"Amyra, help me, please!" His voice was coming from the direction of the Training Center, but it sounded strange; almost ghostly in a way.
Amyra shivered. There was something evil in the Training Center. She wondered where her weapons had gone, and then she was holding her sword and her katana was in the other hand. Her athame was tucked into its sheath on her hand-crafted belt. Strangely, she was still in her pajamas, as she had been since the attack.
The attack... Amyra struggled to remember something about an attack, but there was a gaping hole in her memory. She remembered boarding the train to Winhill; having the scary dream; Rali and Salsha reassuring her she would be there soon... and then nothing. Try as she might, she couldn't recall a thing past that up until hearing Rali call her.
"Amyra, please!" Rali screamed. "I can't take much more. PLEASE, Amyra!"
"Rali, I'm coming! Salsha, where are you? Rali's in trouble! Salsha!" Amyra yelled, running toward the Training Center. Her bare feet slipped on the smooth floor, almost sending her tumbling to the ground. She regained her balance and crept into the Training Center, her sword held at the ready.
"Rali?" she whispered, looking around. An earth-shaking roar sounded from behind the heavy metal door.
"Amyra! He's-" Rali's voice rose into a scream of terror and pain.
"I'm coming, Rali!" Amyra yelled again, tears streaming down her face. "Hold on, I'm coming!" She shoved the heavy metal door open, letting it slam shut behind her. With a determined expression, she ran in the direction of Rali's scream.
Zell started awake, wondering what had woken him up. He had been dreaming something, and then he had heard the slam of a door. He shook his head, trying to think clearly. It had sounded like the slamming of the door to the Training Center, but that had no relevance to his dream...
Zell's eyes snapped open again. Amyra! Something had happened; the doctor hadn't been watching her properly. He wanted to go back to sleep, but struggled to stay awake. How tired he was...
He forced himself to get out of bed, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to keep them open. His head felt fuzzy, the way it did when Sleep was cast in a battle. His bed looked incredibly inviting. Then a yell interrupted his thoughts. With a curse, he ran to the Training Center.
"Put him down!" Amyra screamed at the T-Rexaur holding an unconscious Rali in his claws. The T-Rexaur snarled at her, then dipped his head in a lightning-fast move to snap at her. Amyra jumped out of the way, but the T-Rexaur's teeth still snagged in her shirt, ripping it up her side. She swung her sword at his snout, cutting deeply.
The T-Rexaur growled low in its throat, jerking its head back up. It placed Rali on the ground and advanced towards Amyra. Amyra stood her ground, realizing she would have to defeat the T-Rexaur if she wanted to save Rali.
With a roar of rage, the T-Rexaur charged Amyra, shaking the ground with its huge feet. Amyra jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding being knocked headlong. Recovering her balance quickly, she whirled her sword around in a high arc. The T-Rexaur ducked, but Amyra was anticipating that and swung her sword around in a low reverse-arc. The sword bit deeply into the T-Rexaur's upper leg. Before Amyra could pull it free, the T-Rexaur lowered his head and knocked her to the ground.
The T-Rexaur bared its razor-sharp fangs, leaning down to casually sniff Amyra as she lay on the ground, dazed by the blow. For some reason, she found Salsha's jo in her hand. With all of her strength, she brought the jo down on the T-Rexaur's head.
The T-Rexaur roared in pain and backed away from Amyra. It stumbled slightly, shook its head to clear it, then turned on Amyra again. Amyra had used the time the T-Rexaur had been clearing its head and taken out her athame. With a yell, she leaped forward and plunged it into the T-Rexaur's chest. The T-Rexaur bellowed and swiped Amyra on the side with its claws. Amyra flew backwards and landed heavily near Rali.
As Amyra struggled to breathe, the T-Rexaur flopped on its side, its struggles gradually getting weaker until it finally lay still. Amyra lay on the ground, one hand pressed to her bleeding side, and tried to regain her breath.
Finally, her head stopped pounding and she managed to crawl to Rali's side. As she crouched over him, he suddenly opened his eyes. Amyra gasped. This wasn't Rali! Before she could get away, Rali's imposter grabbed her wrist hard enough to bruise it. She struggled to pull away as the imposter reverted to its true form. Amyra screamed. A shade leered up at her, its ravaged face a mockery of Rali's.
Zell's head jerked up as he heard the scream. He was having trouble running, but he pushed himself harder, trying to overcome his fatigue. He burst into the Training Center and slammed open the metal door. Inside, he stopped dead at the sight. Amyra was being held by a ebony shadow, the only part visible its scarred and twisted face. Its body flowed off into a wispy black cloud floating just above the ground.
A T-Rexaur lay on the ground nearby, but as Zell watched, it slowly dissipated into ebony mist. A brilliantly shining dagger clattered to the floor. The dagger gave off it's own silver light, bright enough to hurt Zell's eyes.
Acting on instinct, Zell leaped forward and grabbed the dagger before turning to confront the shade. The dagger burned into his hand but he ignored the pain, slashing a great gap in the shade's arm. The shade hissed and released Amyra. It turned on Zell and slammed a fist into his chest. He gasped, the breath knocked out of him.
"You! The athame!" Amyra yelled, moving in between the shade and Zell. Zell pressed the dagger into her hand. She brought the dagger down on the shade's head, neatly slicing it in half. With an inhuman shriek, the shade disappeared.
"Amyra? Are you all right? How did you get here?" Zell asked. Amyra turned around and looked at him.
"Do I know you?" she asked.