Darkness befalls the Final Fantasy worlds now. This chapters deals primarily with characters from my previous stories....so if you haven't read them I suggest you do. But still I hope you all enjoy this chapter. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, etc...send it right to me, I'm all ears.
What happens when a man spends his life fighting for a cause? Does a solider, a warrior, just turn off? What evil will a man see when he lays down his weapon and bears his soul only to find it wanting? How will he view the world then? What reason will he find in Chaos? Will he ever find peace, goodness, worth; in himself, in the world, in existence?
A small chunk of rock. That was all it was, a half mile piece of rock in every direction, floating in space. In the middle, there stood a large marble mausoleum. A few feet away a man wearing a black cloak sat on a boulder. He looked up over head at a massive planet hanging in the sky, shrouded in darkness. The man sighed; he could sense the movement on the planet. He watched a small twinkling light on the surface of the planet. It shone brightly for a second then disappeared. The man sighed, his shoulders slumping, his gaze falling to the floor.
Chapter 1: Overcast
2 miles outside of Bevelle……… 1 year after Sad Hill
Clouds gathered over head casting a dark shadow over the massive cemetery. Thousands of graves littered the landscape; each one of them neatly cared for. Rekks looked up at the gathering clouds; they were dark and heavy. Ready to burst into rain at any moment. His attention then turned back to the grave before him and the people standing around it. His family and friends all dressed in black. Shay holding back her tears laid a small flower at the grave.
"Thank you everyone for showing up. I know it's been a year but I think that Lee would have loved to see that all his friends and family came to honor him." Shay thanked.
Putting on a big, bright smile she thanked everyone as they began to walk away from the grave. Only Rekks lingered behind. He stood in front of the grave, almost in a trance, his eyes fixated on the headstone. Shay approached him placing a hand on his shoulder bringing him out of his trance.
"Thanks for coming." Shay smiled.
"I wish it could have been different." Rekks replied.
"You did everything that you could have. Thank you for being there for Lee up until the end. I know it must have been hard the way he was acting……."
Shay began to sniff. Tev, noticing this, took Shay by the shoulders and led her to her parents, before walking back over to Rekks.
"Thank you bro, for not telling her about what I said…..or what really went down." Tev sighed.
"I think it's best for all us not to bring up what happened." Rekks answered back.
"You did what you had too, man. At least you didn't pull the trigger yourself." Tev remarked.
"Doesn't feel that way." Rekks sighed.
Rekks turned away from the grave and headed over to join everyone else. Tev watched him walking away, wishing he could say something to his cousin when he noticed a small black feather fall from the sky. It danced in the air before gently landing on the grave. Tev looked up, but there was nothing in the sky, except the dreary clouds littered across the sky.
Balamb Garden……....Same Day
The same dark clouds loomed over Balamb Garden. Brandon Leonhart watched them through the window of the Garden's Intel department. Ami sat nearby her eyes focused on the computer screen before her.
"What the does the weather report say about the atmospheric conditions?" Brandon inquired.
"The clouds gathered so suddenly, they're not sure about how. But there doesn't seem to be any storm activity, so guys should be cleared to fly today." She responded.
Brandon let out a sigh as he leaned his forehead against the cool glass of the window. Ami's perked up as she heard this.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked.
"It's nothing. There's just something about these clouds that worry me." Brandon answered.
"Is it really the clouds……or is it because you and Helen had another fight." Ami pushed.
Brandon snickered then turned to face his friend.
"She really does tell you everything, doesn't she?" Brandon smiled.
"I am her best friend." Ami quipped.
"It's been 8 months since we started dating and we keep having all these fights. Sometimes I think, we're too much alike. With our personalities we're always butting heads. I love her, but she sure does love to push my buttons." Brandon let out.
"I'm sure you two will work through it." Ami assured.
Brandon pulled up a chair and sat down next to Ami.
"What exactly did she tell you?" he asked.
"I thought you had a mission to get to." She shot back.
"Come on help me out. You her best friend, but you're also my friend. Don't you want us to be happy? Let me know how she feels so I can try and find a way to fix this." Brandon looked to Ami with big puppy dog eyes.
Ami rolled his eye and laughed at her friend.
"I'm not going to go break Helen's confidence in me. She trusts me to keep things private. But I will tell you this out of friendship. She wishes you would open up to her more." Ami revealed.
"What are you talking about? I talk to her about a lot of things." Brandon balked.
"But you keep so much more in. We've all noticed it Brandon. Over the years we've all become closer, but you still hold so much back. You've never really let us in. You love Helen and you can't even open up fully to her." Ami explained.
"Give one example." Brandon retorted.
"The promotion." She shot back.
Brandon rolled his eyes.
"This again. I thought we worked this out." He lamented.
"You guys did, but it just goes to show how you weren't even able to tell her up front why you turned it down. And it's not the only time, what about this latest fight?" Ami added.
Brandon leaned back in his chair and absorbed her words.
"You should really be talking to her about this instead of me. She wants to know that you care enough about her to let her see the real you. Instead of the Brandon you try to be? She loves you, but don't make it easy either." Ami smiled at Brandon and gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"She really feels like that?" Brandon asked.
Ami nodded her head.
"Maybe I will talk to her. I gotta go now I'll see you when I get back." Brandon thanked Ami then headed out the door.
Brandon walked down the hallway until he reach the main Lobby. As Brandon rode the elevator down her noticed Helen standing near the Garden entrance. When the elevator doors opened their eyes locked in on each other. They slowly approached each unsure what to say. Suddenly Helen turned her gaze away from Brandon. He opened his mouth to speak, but he froze up. After a few seconds Helen decided to break the ice.
"I wish you Sabin and Jillian good luck and that your mission goes flawlessly." She let out.
"Thanks, I'll catch you later beautiful." Brandon gave her a wink.
"Brandon…..don't treat this like a joke." Helen sighed.
"I'm not, I'm sorry. Listen Helen, I………..have to get going. I'll see you later." Brandon turned around and headed toward the hanger.
"Brandon, we need to talk?" Helen called out.
Brandon stopped walking, he swallowed back the lump in his throat then turned to smile at her.
"I'll catch ya later then." Brandon answered with a wink.
Helen gave him a lopsided smile. Brandon continued on until he reached the hanger. Brandon found Jillian and Sabin making the last checks on the Ragnarok.
"Let's head out." Brandon ordered.
"You sure, we don't have to be out of here for another 30 minutes." Sabin questioned.
"We can get a head start. Sooner we get there, sooner we leave." Brandon explained.
Jillian eyed Brandon suspiciously.
"Is something wrong?" Jillian asked.
"Naww, let's get going. We have a big day ahead of us." Brandon urged.
Together the three of them boarded the ship. Before long the Ragnarok took off into the skies, leaving the Garden far behind. As the vehicle bay technicians began cleaning things up one of them noticed a small pendant laying on the ground. He bent down to pick it up when he noticed a strange word etched in to it: Taydr. The man, confused, pocketed the pendant and continued on with his work.
Edge City……………….
It was night time when Alex Strife returned house just on the outskirts of Edge City. He shut off his bike about a block away and quietly walked it up to the house before placing it in his garage. He was covered in dirt and had a cut above his left eye, but his greatest concern was to not make a sound so as to not wake up his 3 month old twins. Alex inched the door slowly then proceeded into the house trying not to make a sound. The lights were off making everything dark and hard to see, but Alex safely made his way into his kitchen. He opened up the refrigerator and took out a carton of milk to pour himself a nice cool glass.
Alex held up the cold glass to his forehead giving himself some much needed relief. As his throbbing head began to subside the lights switched on to reveal Lucy wearing red robe and green nightgown.
"Alex do you know what time it is?" Lucy groaned.
"I'm sorry, today's mission ran into a little trouble." He replied.
Lucy sighed when she noticed the cut above Alex's eye. She grabbed a paper towel and wet it down before she started to clean the wound.
"Trouble, it looks like you went a couple of rounds with a cactuar." Lucy retorted.
"It's not that bad. I just took my bike through a window and crashed through a wall. The fight was nothing." Alex snorted.
Lucy shot Alex a dirty look.
"You got to stop taking so many risks Alex. You have two children now." Lucy chided.
"It's just a cut. My work is dangerous and you've always known this. Ever since Shinra went out the door its been like the wild west. The WRO is the biggest stabilizing force right now and they need my help." Alex explained.
Lucy rolled her eyes.
"Don't give me that speech. I know it already. And for reference I'm not asking you to stop working for the WRO. But you can't spend the rest of your life fighting the way you do. You need to be more careful, we don't want to lose you." Lucy explained.
Alex wrapped his arms around his wife to pull her in close and look directly into her crimson eyes.
"I'm not going anywhere. I can handle whatever comes my way." He assured her.
"Alex I don't want fighting to consume your life. It's always been a problem with you. You place such heavy burden on yourself and you think you're the only one who can save the day. Then you run in throwing yourself in harms way. I just want you take it easy, none of us want anything bad to happen to you." Lucy laid her head against Alex's chest.
"Lucy I…….." Alex was cut off when his phone started to ring.
"Dear god who would call you at this hour?" groaned Lucy.
Alex let go of Lucy to take a look at who was calling.
"This better be good." Alex lamented.
Alex took a look at the caller name: Denzel. Alex flipped open the phone.
"Denzel what is it?" Alex answered.
"You gotta get to headquarters quick. There's been a break in and the whole night security team has been taken out. I've dispatched some people, but you're the closest bro. I'll be there as soon as I can." Denzel explained.
"Alright I'm on my way." Alex replied.
Alex hung up his phone then looked over at Lucy remorsefully.
"I'm sorry but I have to go. There's been a break in at headquarters and I'm closest." Alex announced.
"Is it anything serious?"
"Maybe?"
Alex began heading for the garage.
"Be careful." Lucy called out.
"Don't worry I'll be back in one piece. What kind of idiot would leave a wife and kids as wonderful as you guys behind." Alex smiled.
The garage door opened as Alex revved up his engine and headed down the street. Just when he was out of sight Lucy began to hear the wailing of her children from their crib. With a sigh she began the trek upstairs to try and get them back to sleep.
"Loveable jerk." She chuckled to herself.
As Lucy turned out the lights in the kitchen she failed to notice that on the counter lay triple triad card. A gust from the partially open window knocked the card off the counter pushing it under the stove.
Luca……….same night
Rekks lay awake inside his plush Luca apartment. On the bed next to him was Rose who was fast asleep. Rekks pushed himself up to a seated position. He been having trouble sleeping for the past couple of days, it almost reminded him of the two weeks just after the destruction of the Nightingale. Rekks stood up quietly doing his best not to wake Rose. He slipped on some clothes, grabbed his sword then exited the apartment as quietly as he could.
Rekks breathed in the cold night air and began walking down the dimly lit streets of Luca. Normally the place would be bustling with life, but only a few people lingered here and there. And the only places still open at this time were bars and clubs, which liked to be placed closer to the stadium, far from the domestic areas.
Rekks continued on until he reached the stair cases that led up to one of the lookout areas. Rekks headed up the steps and sat down to get a good look at the total overview of Luca. The city was massive and in the dark of the night hundreds lights dotted the skyline. Rekks looked up at the sky to see the moon was hidden behind the same heavy clouds that had gathered earlier. Rekks leaned against the railing, with a sigh he closed his eyes and tried to relax.
"Amazing sight isn't." remarked a voice.
Rekks turned his head around to see a blonde haired man with silver highlights, in a white suit like non he had ever seen before. The man slowly approached Rekks before leaning against the same railing as him.
"It is. I like to come here to relax, unwind, and think about things. Many years ago my parents stood right here and talked of many things before heading off on a great adventure." Rekks reminisced.
"This reminds me a little of where I came from. I grew in a big city." Remarked the man.
Rekks turned toward the man outstretching his hand.
"Hi my name's Rekks." Rekks greeted.
The man took Rekk's hand and shook it.
"You can call me Rufus." He smiled.
"Where do you come from?" asked Rekks letting go.
"Somewhere far from here. You can say I'm a traveling business man."
"What's your business?"
"Power."
"Power?" Rekks eyed the man.
"In a way. But I'm here for a different business." Laughed Rufus.
"And what's that?"
Rufus took a step back and smirked at Rekks. Rufus outstretched his hand and in a flash of dark purple light the longest katana Rekks had ever seen appeared in Rufus' hand.
"To keep you from ruining things!" Rufus roared as he swung his sword downwards.
Rekks barely managed to dodge the strike.
"We just met so I don't think it's out of line for you to at least let me know why you want to kill me?" questioned Rekks as he readied his blade.
Rufus answered by taking another swing at Rekks forcing him to block, but Rufus's katana sliced clean through the Caladbolg leaving it in pieces. Rekks ditched his shattered sword and rolled out of the way to avoid Rufus' next attack. But just as Rekks lifted up his head, Rufus stood right in front of him and swung his sword down. Rekks instantly flipped on to his back and did a windmill spin on the ground using his foot to kick the sword in the opposite direction. Using his momentum Rekks leapt up to his feet then took a few steps back to put some distance between him and Rufus.
"You're fast." Rekks remarked.
"And you're just as unorthodox as he said you'd be. You're nothing like Alex, no strength, or form, but dangerous in your own right." Smiled Rufus.
"What? Who told you about me? What's going on here?!?" Rekks demanded to know.
"You're story comes to an end!" Rufus fired back.
Rufus came at Rekks swinging, but Rekks kept leaping back avoiding each of his swipes. Suddenly Rekks' back slammed into the staircase railing. Rufus smirked swing his sword in from the side. Rekks jumped up and rolled over the railing only to land, back first, with a large thud on the steps. Rekks cried out in pain feeling the stone steps nearly snap his spine. Rekks forced his way through the pain and began pushing himself up when he felt the razor sharp metal of Rufus' sword pierce through his gut. Rekks coughed, he looked down to see the blood start to follow out his body on to the ground.
"Why?" Rekks groaned.
Rufus removed the blade Rekks' gut then with a flick of his wrist sliced his head off splattering blood all over the steps. Rufus's hand became engulfed in dark purple energy, his sword disappeared from sighting being swallowed in to the light. Reaching in to his coat pocket Rufus pulled out a crystal orb and held it over Rekks' body. Rekks body started to become surrounded by a green aura that flew up from his corpse into the orb.
"So that's what this is for." Remarked Rufus.
After the last bits of aura flowed into the orb, Rufus turned around and began heading back up the steps. The sky began to twist and warp until a portal appeared that sucked Rufus into it disappearing in a flash of light.
Deling City……………..same night
Brandon stepped outside of the Galbadia hotel, while Jillian and Sabin conducted final discussions with their client in the bar. Normally he'd be there himself , but his mind was elsewhere. Brandon walked down the bustling city streets hopping the cool night air could clear his mind. Soon Brandon found himself standing in front of the massive Deling City central gateway. Brandon stopped walking to look up at the structure and admire its size. As he did this a man walked up to his side and turned his attention toward the gateway as well.
"It really is an impressive structure. They don't have architecture like this where I come from." The man remarked.
Brandon turned his attention from the gateway to the man. He was a brown haired man, with angel eyes, dressed in strange black clothing like non Brandon had seen before. At the side of his hips were finely crafted pistols and strapped to his back was equally well crafted broad sword. The man turned to face Brandon and out stretched his hand.
"Hello my name is Lee." He greeted.
Brandon eyes the man suspiciously, but none the less shook his hand.
"Brandon Leonhart, SeeD Rank A." Brandon introduced himself.
"Hello Brandon. I must actually say I came hear to meet you." Lee informed.
"What do you mean?" Brandon asked.
Lee placed his hand on his gun and walked a few steps ahead of Brandon.
"If you don't follow me I'm going to kill everyone you care about." Lee laughed.
Before Brandon could answer back Lee took off running toward the gateway. Lee ran under the gateway quickly locating a door in the side of wall. Behind it was a winding staircase that lead all the way to the top of the monument. Brandon followed him up the staircase pulling out his gunblade. Lee began firing at Brandon who deflected the shots with his blade. Brandon fired back with a few blasts of Fire magic, but Lee ducked behind the staircase dodging the blasts.
Lee then held out his palm and fired an enormous blast of dark energy at Brandon. He leapt out of the way, but the impact caused the section of stair case he was on to begin to crumble. Brandon pushed himself, then kicked his way off the wall on landed on a higher section of the stairs. Lee reached the top of the stair case and tackled right through the door. Brandon followed him right through and reached the roof of the gateway. The two men stood each other down high up in the air.
"What are you up too?" Brandon demanded to know.
"The truth is I'm here to kill you." Lee stated bluntly.
"Why would you tip your hand so easily? You're not a very bright bad guy." Chuckled Brandon.
"What's the point of hiding things, you may not be the one I truly wanted to kill. But I'll do it just the same. I've been given this auspicious chance to finally complete my dream. Your death is for the greater good." Lee stated.
"Why do all the nut jobs like coming after me?" groaned Brandon.
Lee opened fire, Brandon used a protect spell to deflect the bullets and move in close. With two swipes of his gun blade Brandon knocked the guns out of Lee's hands. Brandon followed it up with another swipe, but Lee pulled out his sword and easily blocked the attack.
"I don't like people who threaten my friends and family." Brandon declared.
"No need to worry then it's only you I'm after." Lee shot back.
Lee pushed forward at Brandon with a bunch of power sword strikes. Brandon easily blocked then fired an ice spell. Lee countered with another energy blast from his hand. Seizing the opportunity Brandon moved in and brought his sword down on Lee. Lee blocked the attack, but with a pull of the trigger the powerful vibrations from Brandon's gunblade brought Lee to his knees.
"It's over!" snickered Brandon.
"Quite." Smirked Lee.
Two shots rang out, Brandon went numb. He looked down to see a small gun hidden within Lee's sleeve, still smoking. Blood poured from his chest, but he felt nothing, his muscles started to become weak. Lee swiped his sword to slice Brandon's gunblade in two. Brandon fell to his knees, his vision slowly becoming blurred.
"A double barreled derringer. Only two shots, but when you make them count. One bullet a paralyzing bullet, one real. You're weakness are very apparent being a close range fighter, but I've learned much from my own demise. Never under estimate your opponent, especially if you don't know if he'll play dirty." Lee laughed.
"Go to Hell." Brandon spat.
"You first." Lee raised his sword in the air.
Lee's blade came down on the back of Brandon's neck slicing his head clean off. As the blood flowed from his body Lee pulled out a crystal orb from his vest pocket. Brandon's body became engulfed in a red aura that flew up into the air and into the orb. Once all the aura had entered the orb, Lee rolled the body off the top of the gateway followed by kicking the over the side. Lee heard the horrified screams coming from below. With one last smirk a portal appeared before him, sucking Lee in. In a flash of light the portal and Lee disappeared only leaving behind to horrified screams of the people standing over Brandon's body.
WRO Headquarters………………..Same night
Alex's bike pulled up to the front entrance of the WRO headquarters. The place was dark for except for a few lights on in random places. Alex could hear the sounds of gin fire in the distance as he switched off the Fenrir's engine.
"Looks like the party has started." Alex remarked.
Alex readied his Tsurugi then headed through the doors. He could see flashes of light coming from the fourth floor, gunfire he recognized. When Alex reached the fourth floor he found the bodies of fallen WRO members scattered everywhere. Alex followed the path of the carnage until he reached the WRO Records room. Alex entered, it was a small room packet with selves of books, papers, disks, and record of all sorts. The only light came from the faint glow of one of the records computers and in front of it stood a man wearing a strange military uniform like non he'd seen before.
"Who are you?" Alex called out.
The man turned around, he was raven haired with a katana at his side.
"Marco Valns, SeeD Rank A, 4th level member of The Order." He introduced.
"Did you do this?" Alex questioned.
"Yeah, I'm kinda looking for someone and people got in my way. It's probably my fault, I've been enjoying this new life so much that haven't really put my heart into searching for this person. What's your name by the way?" Marco replied.
"Alex Strife." He answered.
"No shit." laughed Marco.
"What's so funny?"
"Turns out you're the one I'm looking for. I guess instead of me going to you, you came to me."
"What do you want?"
"Purpose, vindication, nothing you can give me. But the reason why I'm here right now is to kill you."
"Why?"
"Because this mission is all I have now and he wouldn't let me be the one to kill Brandon."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Marco rushed at Alex Sword draw. Alex attempted to remove his Tsurugi but the room was too crowded for him to draw it. As Marco swung at him Alex spun around hoping to use the sword on his back to deflect the strike. Things backfired when sliced right through the Tsurugi and leaving a massive gash across Alex's back. Alex popped out the switch blade sword from part of the broken Tsurugi. He jumped back, putting some slight distance between him and Marco. Alex winced with pain, blood pouring from his back. He looked down to see the shattered remnants of his multi-sword weapon in shock.
"How the hell did you cut through that?" growled Alex.
"What you needed that sword? Kinda big wasn't it? You compensation for something?" Marco joked.
"It was my father's." Alex shot back.
"Figures, I come so far only to find another Daddy's boy." Marco scoffed.
Alex angrily charged at Marco head on, Marco ducked behind one of the selves before pushing it on to Alex. With a powerful spin kick Alex knocked the shelf aside, but Marco came at him with another strike. Alex blocked when suddenly he tripped over one of the fallen boxes from the shelf. Marco used this opportunity to slice Alex's remaining blade to pieces. Alex took a step back, but his back hit another shelf. Marco attempted another swipe, Alex dodged causing Marco to cut right through the shelf and forcing it to fall down toward Alex. Alex clenched his fist and hit the falling shelf with a mighty punch breaking it to pieces. Alex moved to a fighting stance and stared down Marco who only looked back at him with a bemused smile.
"Need your sword?" Marco remarked.
"For you….naw…..my fists are more than enough. I'm gonna make you pay." Alex shot back.
"I've only been returned to life for a little while and already I've found something interesting." Marco retorted.
Alex came at Marco with a series of hard hitting punches that Marco easily blocked with the blunt end of his sword. Alex followed up with a roundhouse, but Marco dodged causing Alex's foot to become lodged in the wall. With a flick of his wrist Marco swiped his sword across Alex's face forming a huge cut. Alex cried out in pain, blood flowing out, Marco held out his hand sending out a blast of dark energy sending him crashing through the remaining shelves into the back wall.
"You do not know how good that felt. No offense through I really wish I could have done that to Brandon." Marco chuckled.
Alex looked up at Marco with all the rage he could muster.
"FUCK YOU!" Alex spat.
Alex pushed himself up and charged forward. Smirking Marco stepped aside and sliced off Alex's arm followed by plunging his sword deep in his spine. Alex cried out in pain falling to his knees.
"You don't deserve your life or your power." Without any hesitation Marco raised his blade and sliced Alex's head clean off.
Alex's body fell to the floor lifeless. Marco unzipped the jacket of his SeeD uniform and pulled out a small crystal orb. A brilliant blue light surrounded Alex's body, flowing up in to the air before becoming captured within the orb. When the orb had absorbed the last of the energy Marco put it away and sheathed his sword. He could hear footsteps in the distance, the air behind him began to twist and warp. Not wanting to deal with Alex's back up Marco entered the portal and disappeared in a flash of light.
By the next morning the news of their deaths and reach all of their families and friends. 3 fallen warriors, 3 sets of grieving loved ones. An honorable funeral was held in the Garden for Brandon, full honors given to the fallen SeeD. Helen didn't attend, she stayed in her room looking over photos of her and Brandon, wishing their last moments together could have been different. No could seem to say anything that made her feel better.
The first few hours after learning of Alex's death, Lucy clutched her children close to her and didn't let go. They were all she had left of her husband. They only time she did let go was to lay a single rose upon the grave of the man she loved, tears pouring from her eyes.
Rekks' family gravely regretted having to honor two deaths so close to each other. Rose remained silent, calm, collected; but her blood shot eyes betrayed her poised demeanor. On the outside she was strong, but inside her heart was broken. Out of all the sendings Yuna had performed, her son's was the only one she ever cried during.
On the rock in the middle of the void the man stood up. He couldn't hide from it any longer. He knew what had been done. He felt it deep on his heart. With only 3 days left he had to do something. The mausoleum opened and engulfed the man in a immaculate white light. Within seconds he was gone and the mausoleum closed once more. The skies over all the worlds remained clouded.
To be continued…………………………
