Chapter 1

"They say that a hero will save us"

The anguished cries of Squall Leonheart reverberated around the torture chamber, the screams filled with agony and pain. The SeeD mercenary was hanging against a wall, kept up by metal bonds while pure electricity was run through his body, the exercise aimed to break his will and spirit before the shock killed him. His shaggy brown hair was frying at the ends, and from his mouth broke cries that would make even the most cynical listener feel sympathy for him.

But the two listeners were most certainly not moved. In a small alcove next to the wall, a prison warden controlled the amount of electricity that ran through the SeeD's body, but right in front of Squall was his mortal enemy, the bitter Sorceress' Knight, the one and only Seifer Almasy.

"Tell me what SeeD is!" the young man ordered, his tone of voice deathly low and filled with a calm and quiet rage that frightened the normally fearless young SeeD. "Tell me what it is, you must have learned some secret when you became one!" Seifer continued, pacing as he spoke, the folds of his grey trench coat gracefully falling around his ankles with each step. "Tell me now!"

Isn't SeeD the Garden's elite mercenary force? Squall asked himself, closing his deep blue eyes against the pain, biting his lips to keep from crying out in torment again. He desperately wanted the pain to stop, not because it simple hurt, but because it hurt enough that he had to give his enemy the satisfaction of hearing him scream. "We're...mercenaries...hired out.." he stammered, one single tear falling down his face.

The shame of being beaten was almost too much to take. Seifer had no clue as to how close he was to breaking the SeeD's spirit. "No! There must be something else!"

Another stream of electricity kept Squall from once more answering. Only an anguished howl broke from his lips in answer and blackness greeted his eyes as unconsciousness washed over his mind and soul.

Seifer turned to the warden and rolled his eyes. "I was expecting more from him, but we can still have our fun. Bring down the messenger girl" The warden nodded and shut off the electricity, Squall's broken form slumping down as the bolts left his body.

The warden grinned and stepped away, followed closely by the Sorceress' Knight...

=====

"Heeeeey! Put me down!"

The warden paid no attention to the struggling young brunette girl thrown across his shoulders and ignored the strikes from her fists against his lower back. He didn't flinch when she kicked his stomache, or even when her boots hit a little farther down. Nor did he pay attention to her friends, the blonde chick or the blonde fighter dude. Idly he wondered where the other girl was, the black haired one, but it wasn't his problem.

Selphie muttered a few words under her breath and continued kicking the warden. "I said put me down!" she whined, looking with her deep green eyes toward Quistis and Zell, the luminous orbs pleading for help. "Please let go!' she continued, kicking with all of her might against the warden's stomache.

"Shut up, girlie" he replied, glancing toward the other two for a moment, who were at the moment being subdued by a few guards, two on each, though both looked like another guard wouldn't be overkill. "Seifer really wants to see you, so you don't want to get rid of all your strength until you meet up with him." A low chuckle accompanied his words. He was twisted and sadistic enough to actually enjoy his job.

Quistis and Zell watched him; both struggling against the guards that held them back. The blonde former instructor eye's were narrowed in rage, and no one present had any doubt that she would unleash one of her spectacular blue magic attacks if the magic barrier in the prison wasn't up and hindering her efforts. In the same way, Zell was also ready, ready to unleash his fists of steel against whoever was stupid enough to release him.

Selphie, however, was not at all happy with her friends' inability to help her. She knew they couldn't, but still, that knowledge didn't make it any better. Still struggling, she was carried out the door by the warden, leaving Quistis and Zell with their guards, who, with a rap to each of the prisoners heads, quickly followed out the door.

=====

Rinoa Heartilly eyed the man standing next to her and placed her hands on her hips, her smooth face assuming a pouty look. "I know who you are!" she declared, voice filled with both scorn and amusement.

"Heh," replied the man, lifting his blue prison guard cap, letting his long light brown tresses spill out. "I guess you caught me, Rinoa," Irvine said with a grin on his face. The grin quickly disappeared however, as the black haired young woman started kicking his shins repeatedly. "He-ey!"

A few more well placed kicks, and Rinoa stopped. "We have to save everyone!"

With a nod and very pained shins, Irvine Kinneas nodded his agreement and pulled his long hair back into a ponytail, fastening it with a thin strip of leather. "Anything for a pretty lady," he grinned out before pulling his slightly worn cowboy hat from one of the prison uniform pockets and placing it on his head, the smile growing at the look of disdain that crossed Rinoa's face.

=====

"Ugh," Quistis murmured softly, coming up to a seated position, one hand on her head where the prison guards had bonked her. Her blue eyes glanced around the dark room and rested on Zell, who was also coming to after the blows that knocked them both unconscious. "Zell...you all right?" she asked.

Grumbling obscenities under his breath, Zell nodded, both his hands on the top of his skull. "Dammit, that did not feel too good," he muttered, feeling blood on his hands where he had been hit.

Quistis stifled a giggle at his words...this was not the time for amusement, even though she found it quite funny that something had managed to get through Zell's very thick head enough to draw blood. However, though this really wasn't the best time, she couldn't let it pass. "Wow...looks like you learned something though," she said mock seriously. At Zell's look of confusion, she continued, "Something went through your thick skull."

"Very funny, instructor" the blonde replied, still muttering obscene words under his breath. "Now what do we do?

That question deleted all trances of happiness from Quistis's face and mind. "I don't know," she confessed with a sigh. The question was weighing heavily on her mind. What could they do? They had no weapons, no magic, no nothing. There wasn't even the presence of their fearless leader, Squall. They lost Selphie, and Rinoa had been taken away by the mean guy. Plus she and Zell had no idea where Irvine was, for all they knew, he was dead.

Zell knew this too. His sigh came almost simultaneously with Quistis's and both sets of blue eyes looked on each other's. "They're probably keeping our weapons nearby to taunt us with later. I'll go get them."

The young man was expecting Quistis to disagree, but instead he got a resigned shake of the head. "Make sure you're junctioned."

=====

Seifer looked to the two SeeD's in front of him. One his rival, the other one he didn't even know. All he knew about the messenger girl was that she received a rank, while he was left out, kicked to the curb, every cliched phrase. His dark greenish-blue eyes stared at both of them, a sneer on his pale face. Squall was still quite out of it, only a few groans breaking from his bloodied lips. Selphie, on the other hand, was still struggling against the bonds that held her. A real spitfire, Seifer had to admit, while watching her curse the warden.

However, it didn't matter what either of them acted like, so long as he found out what he wanted to know. "What is SeeD?" he asked again, this time staring at Selphie, idly batting a steel pipe against his hand.

The young SeeD mercenary looked at Seifer for a moment, puzzlement clear in her bright green eyes. "Um...it's the Garden's elite mercenary force, silly," she answered, stopping her struggle long enough to giggle softly. "Everyone knows that!"

Seifer didn't appear to be amused. In one quick motion he brought the pipe down full force onto Selphie's right shoulder, the weight of the pipe combined with the force of his swing cracking bone. Ignoring the girls anguished cry of pain he kicked her side, his steel-toed boots eliciting another howl to break from her lips.

He continued kicking.

=====

Quistis Trepe snapped her whip and grinned. It was nice to have a weapon again; being without one made her nervous. Sure, she had her blue magic, but not here in the prison. And to make things better, Zell was in perfect shape, unharmed even though he faced several guards alone. He caught her grin and smiled back. It was time to rescue their friends.

All of them.

"You ready?" Zell asked while punching the air, the huge grin not leaving his face. He was eager as Quistis to save Selphie and Squall and it showed in the anticipation on his face. "I'm ready to kick some ass!"

The instructor nodded and erased the smile from her face. Zell's enthusiasm was catching, but she couldn't get rid of a feeling of doom that was washing over her soul. Always pragmatic, Quistis never put much into premonitions, but there was something seriously wrong with this entire deal. "I'm ready, but be careful."

Zell nodded and opened the door, putting one arm out like a gentlemen, showing his teacher the way. "After you then, Instructor," he said, the silly grin still on his pale features. Something's wrong with her...she's upset about something else...but what? he mused inwardly, watching his teacher step out the door and into possible danger.

However, the fighter had been quite thorough when eradicating the guards on their floor. No one was around to block their path, and silently the two made their way up each flight of stairs, not stopping for anything. When the random monster attacked, they simply ran, Zell now sharing Quistis's feeling of dread. If everything turned out okay, they vowed to return to defeat the vile creatures, but not now. Now people, their friends, were in very real danger.

=====

"I'm sorry, Irvine," Rinoa whispered softly, staring below her at the unconscious form of the cowboy. Her dark eyes were clouded with pain and regret, but it was too late now. She averted her gaze to the pipe in her hands and then once more back to Irvine, sighing a bit. "But I can't leave him. Not again."

Irvine's form didn't stir. Only a steady rise and fall of his chest marked him as still alive, for which Rinoa was quite happy. She wasn't ready to be a killer, despite all her time in the Forest Owls.

With a lump forming in her throat, the dark haired young woman left the cowboy alone and set back up the stairs.

=====

Seifer stared at Selphie's bruised and battered form and then let his gaze drift to Squall's, laying right next to her. Both were bloody and both were unconscious. Dammit, they need to wake up. It's no fun kicking them when I can't hear their screams, Seifer thought, pacing in front of them, idly swinging his gunblade around.

"Wake up!" he said out loud, the anger in his voice evident. He wanted to find out the meaning of SeeD, but more importantly, he wanted to make Squall suffer. "You always got more! You got into SeeD, you didn't get in trouble for that practice, you've been with Rinoa! I hate you!" he shouted to the lionhearted young man, not caring that his words wouldn't be heard.

A grimace on his face slowly spread and he kicked Squall again. He so desperately wanted to hurt his rival, to make him pay for everything. "Wake up, dammit!"

The warden glances at him and lifted an eyebrow. "Sir, I can send another jolt of electricity, that'd wake 'em both up in a jiffy." The man's fingers were twitching; it was obvious that he very much wanted to inflict as much pain as Seifer, for no other reason that he enjoyed it. "Then you can have all the fun you want," he continued, placing his fingers on the switch, awaiting approval.

"No."

"No?" came back the incredulous reply

"Yes, I said no! Get over it!"

The warden rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, leaning against the wall, staring at Seifer. "Whatever you say, boss."

A low growl rose up in Seifer's throat. "Excuse me, but I am the Sorceresses' Knight! You will not dare to question my decisions again! Is that understood!?"

"Yes, sir, whatever," came the somewhat unenthusiastic reply. It was clear that the warden, though twisted and evil, was not the most intelligent person out there. As a result, he wasn't prepared at all for Seifer's quick reflexes and skills with a gunblade. Nor was he prepared to see a flash of silver below his chin. It would be his last memory.

Seifer gracefully pulled the edge of his gunblade away from the bloodied corpse of the warden and smiled rather wickedly. "Idiot," he murmured before once more looking to Squall and Selphie. His smile grew as he watched the girl stir slightly, showing that she was slowly returning to the realm of consciousness. Perfect.

A short sound somewhat reminiscent of a mouse's cry broke from Selphie's lips, somewhat marred between the dried blood. "Heeey.." she whispered, opening her swollen eyes just enough to see through. "Oww.."

"Good. You're awake. Now let me ask one more time, what is SeeD?"

With a groan, Selphie pulled her form up to a seated position, every muscle in her body protesting against the pain. She could feel that her right shoulder blade was broken, and she was pretty sure her left arm was too. Plus, she couldn't feel her legs. Probably just the nerves, she silently mused while looking up at Seifer, the man she didn't even know, but who hated her more than anything. "I don't know what you meeeeean! You're confusing meee," she whined.

The Sorceress's Knight rolled his greenish-blue eyes and swished his gunblade around, blood from the decapitated warden splashing onto Selphie's brown hair. She flinched from the disgusting liquid, her green eyes filled with revulsion. "I really don't kno-ow!"

"Then die." His words were calm and without emotion. He had no qualms about killing the messenger girl. After all, she was a SeeD, and all SeeD's needed to die. If she wasn't going to give him the information he wanted, then she could be first, even before the pitiful Squall.

Selphie's eyes widened as she watched Seifer pull his arm back, the tip of the gunblade glinting in the light from the machinery. The bright orbs closed in sadness as he started to swing toward her, as she fully expected to die. Dammit! Now who's gonna take care of the Garden Festival!?

The blow she was expecting didn't come. When Selphie didn't feel the blade pierce her neck, she opened her eyes and blinked.

"I won't let you kill anyone!" came the cry of Squall Leonheart, who though severely injured, rallied himself enough to dive at Seifer's arm, knocking his aim off just enough to save Selphie's life.

"And we won't either!"

All three people looked toward the door, where Quistis and Zell were walking through, Zell punching the air, Quistis snapping her whip, both looking rather angry and annoyed.

Seifer just grinned. "Oh look. It's Miss Mediocre and Chicken-Wuss," he taunted, the grin on his pale face growing bigger. Without any warning, he smirked and twitched his arm ever so slightly, letting the gunblade point at Squall's face, right between his eyes. "You can't stop me."

Saying such, Seifer Almasy pulled the trigger, using the little-used feature of his weapon, sending one thin streamlined bullet into Squall's skull. The silver killing device penetrated through his forehead, traveling through his brain, and came out in the back, killing the young SeeD instantly.

Squall's form slumped to the ground, a look of disbelief painted on his features. At the same moment, both Selphie and Quistis screamed, and Zell threw up. Seifer just stood there grinning, a look of triumph on his face.

The look of happiness faded though, as suddenly Seifer's eyes rolled to the back of his head and he himself fell to the floor, leaving Irvine standing behind him, his rifle in both hands, staring down at the unconscious villain at his feet. "Bastard."

Quistis was the first to recover. She silently stared over Squall's body, reflexively tucking a strand of her long blonde hair behind an ear. "Oh shit," she breathed out, lowering to her knees, a few tears gathering in her normally impassive blue eyes.

The cowboy however, wasn't paying much attention to Squall's death. Irvine was already kneeling next to Selphie, gently taking her up in his strong arms. "Shh," he whispered, gently wiping away blood from her pale face, his fingers gently caressing her skin. "It'll be alright, Selphie, let's just try to get up."

Selphie nodded and smiled weakly, but the smile quickly faded. "I can't!" she gasped, tears forming in her green orbs as she desperately tried to make her legs work. But it was no use. They simply wouldn't move. "Help my Irvy!"

Paralyzed. Everyone knew it, but no one could say it out loud. Zell finally broke the silence that pervaded the area with a low whistle. "Instructor, help me get Squall outa here. Irvine, you carry Selphie. We just gotta get out of here."

Everyone nodded and silently they defeated group made their way out of the compound.