Hi. I hope you like the story so far. It will not be too much battle in the beginning but it will be more of that later. You should know by now that I don't own Final Fantasy.
Chapter 3: A Fearsome Prophecy
Edea was outside the old orphanage and looked after the children she cared for now as she heard a loud sound of jet engines in the air. ("What a gentle surprise.")
A small girl tugged in her dress as she screamed in terror. "Matwyn, Matwyn. A big dragon is attacking."
"No no dear Rose. That is not a dragon. It is a spaceship that looks like a dragon. It is nothing to be afraid of." Edea picked up the little girl in her arms. "Shall we go and meet them?"
"Yay." The little girl called out happily. They walked towards the dragon ship as the landing ramp opened and the four friends walked out.
"Hi Nana." Desiree yelled as she ran out from the Ragnarok and hugged her.
"Hi kids. I am glad to see you to. We don't get either visitors or news out here to often." Edea laughed "And I see that you have gotten a new friend to."
"Hi. I am Cole Almasy. I have just transferred from Galbadia Garden to Balamb."
"Could it be that your father is named Seifer Almasy?" Edea said as she scanned the boy from top to toe.
"How did you know?"
"I recognised his coat and you look very much alike him." Edea smiled. "I was the one who raised him together with the others parents except Rinoa of course. How are they by the way? I haven't heard from them for nearly three years when you last were here."
"Well, my parents are just fine. They will soon celebrate their seventeenth anniversary." Desiree said.
"Same with the Dincht." Harley followed.
"My old man married my mom Fujin right after I was born and they are still going steady." Cole said as he noticed how Sarah tensed at the question.
"Well, dad is ok; he is running the garden together with the rest of the gang as usual. But mom, well, mom she." Sarah struggled with the words.
"Has something happened to Rinoa?" Edea asked as she put the girl on the ground.
"She died two years ago. She got shot in a hostage situation." She answered as she fought to uphold the brave front even if she felt how the tears wanted to come out.
"Oh my. I am so sorry." Edea said as she covered her mouth with her hand.
"Don't worry. Both me and dad is coping with it pretty good. Actually it is because of her powers we are here. You see, when she died I got her powers and want to learn how to use them." Sarah explained. "Dad told me that you are a former sorceress, so maybe you could help me."
"But of course dear. Just answer one question." Edea said as she looked at the boys in the small group. "Have you chosen a knight yet?"
"Yes. Cole and I are no longer just a couple but also sorceress and knight." Sarah answered as she gave Cole a loving look.
"I guess it is not just the looks and the coat then that you have inherited from your father. He always wanted to be a sorceress knight. Well let me give you your first lesson then." Edea said as she and Sarah walked away to train magic.
When the three was alone Desiree couldn't hold her curiosity any longer. "Cole, is it true that you and Sarah killed some enemies during the exam yesterday?"
"Yes, we did." Cole answered with a bitter tone as he thought of the fact that his beloved was the one with the reddest hands in the group and they had just turned a few shades darker.
"Oh god, I could guess you have the gut to it because Galbadia Garden is a bit more military in their education for the army, while Balamb is more focused on mercenaries. But I had no idea that Sarah could kill so easily." Desiree said while she processed the shock.
"It is always hardest the first time, in my training at the Galbadia Garden we had to witness a couple of executions." Cole said as he remembered the faces of the ones that were going to meet their death.
"But Sarah has never killed before of what I know."
"I leave it to her to explain when she feels the time is right. I promised her that."
"Ok, I guess it is just to wait then." Desiree said as she slumped down on a rock. ("It seems that she has more issues than we first thought on her mind.")
Meanwhile down by the beach Sarah got instructed by Edea how to use the magic.
"Try one more time to turn the apple into a lizard." Edea laid the apple on a rock. "Focus on the task and feel the powers flow trough your body."
Sarah locked her mind on the apple and tried to transform it in her mind. Suddenly the apple exploded and spread its juicy flesh all around the ground. "Aw, not again, it is the tenth apple-blow-up in a row." She said as her patience started to vanish.
"Don't feel to frustrated and give it time. Your mother had some trouble to at the beginning." Edea smiled as she noticed the similarities between the mother and daughter.
"Luckily I have just destroyed one shirt and one jacket so far." Sarah said as she rolled her eyes.
"Rinoa was almost as dangerous to shirts as you are to apples." Edea said with a snicker. "Let us continue after dinner."
"Sounds good to me. I am starving." Sarah smiled relieved for the break.
Edea and the four friends sat by the table in the kitchen while the children ate in the newly built dinner room while the former headmaster Cid looked after them, just to give his wife and former student's kids some privacy.
"Mmm, this stew is really delicious. Better than what they serve in the cafeteria. Especially those apple pieces in it. " Desiree said between the bites.
"Sarah helped a bit." Edea said
"Wow, when did she learn to cook? Last time she tried to cook, she set of the fire alarm and the sprinkler system. It took nearly a week before everything in our dorm had dried up." Desiree laughed at the memory.
"Who said that she helped cook. The apples are in pieces because she blew them up with magic. That is why they taste a bit like barbecued." Edea answered while she mused on the expression on the girl's face.
"Well almost outruns the hotdogs." Harley said as he gulped on his food.
"Someone has taken some traits from his father I hear." Edea smiled, but noticed something that something was on Sarah's mind as she seemed to be in deep thoughts. ("Definitively her father's daughter. Despite the cheerful attitude, she is just shielding herself behind a façade like her father did.") She looked at the girl as she asked. "Is something bothering you?"
Sarah who snapped out of her reverie answered. "Uh well it can wait, but there is also one more thing that my father wants me to ask you."
"You can ask me now so you can get it of your mind dear." Edea said with concern.
"Have you heard of a demon called Azania?"
"Well, sounds familiar. I will look it up while you blow up some more apples."
They finished their dinner and Edea took one of her books and started to read, while Sarah continued to try to turn an apple into a lizard with the others as spectators wish was followed by a bang as the apples shattered.
("Here it is, Azania. What are you for kind of peace destroyer then?") She thought as she read, but suddenly felt how she froze as she read about both the demon and the prophecy on how to stop it. She walked out to the youths outside who cheered as Sarah finally succeeded in getting the apple into a lizard, without blowing it up.
"I have found some fact the demon and I am afraid this will not be a pleasant thing to deal with."
"What have you found?" Sarah asked as she looked at the elderly woman.
"The prophecy tells that when the followers of Azania get control over a mad mans machine the coming full moon will welcome the second coming of the powerful demon-queen. Then once again darkness will cover the world and the era of humanity will end." Edea read from the book.
"How do we stop it?" Sarah asked. "There must be a way. "
"There is, but there is only one that can do it." Edea said as she looked at the youths one by one and in the end locked her eyes on Sarah. "The prophecy tells about a young sorceress, the result of the unison between a lion and an angel with a pure heart but bloodstained hands will have the power to summon the ancient ones. The blood on her fingertips will open the gates trough fire."
"Then we must find her, and fast. The next full moon is tomorrow night." Sarah said with confidence. "Maybe my powers can help us with that."
Edea looked her right in the eye. "We don't need to search for her. It is you the prophecy talks about. The lion is your father and the angel is your mother."
Sarah felt the words hit her like a hammer straight in the head. "But, but it can't be. I am not that pure. I am not that innocent."
"I have spilt blood in vengeance two years ago." She felt a tear roll down her cheek. "I killed my mother's killers in pure anger. I took nine lives in exchange for one that was taken from me. So sure my hands are stained, but I am not pure."
Both Harley and Desiree were to chocked to say anything while Cole who didn't know what to say despite he knew this from the night before, walked to her and embraced her in a supportive hug.
"Things aren't that black and white. Purity doesn't necessary means an inexperienced virgin who never done anything wrong and lived her life at a monastery. To have a pure heart means that you are ready to do anything to help your friends and loved ones." Edea said as she looked at the young couple with a worried look as she prepared for the next thing. "But there is a problem according to the prophecy."
"What problem might that be?" Sarah asked.
"You might not survive. According to this text the sorceress must stands in the flames as she opens the gates, as the fire is the gate between the worlds." Edea looked at the girl and felt sorry for her.
Sarah drew a deep breath and exhaled. "Well, if the destiny wants me dead it is just as good my death will be to save the world. And there is a small chance that I might survive to, because it stood nothing about dying for sure." She said and tried to sound cheerful and confident, but she couldn't fool her friends who noticed the fear that resided inside her.
But they also knew it was no use to try and confront her about it because she would be too stubborn to admit it. Not that she was afraid that they would pity her but because she didn't want them to worry.
"You know that we are behind you all the way." Cole said as both Harley and Desiree nodded. "We will find a way to save you."
"Thanks guys, I appreciate it. But don't get yourself killed while trying." She said as she tried to make it sound little like a joke. ("I can't live with that someone else died protecting me, not again.")
The night came but Sarah could not sleep due to the task she had been presented to and more or less by that received a death sentence, so instead she walked to the big flower field where her parents had made the promise of what she had been told just to cleanse her head. ("Damn, I forgot the violin at the Garden. Well I could take the opportunity to sing instead. It is almost as soothing as playing.")
She started to sing with a gentle voice as tears emerged in her eyes as she watched the night sky as she thought of all the things she is going to miss in life like children and marriage, to grow old and grey with a special someone.
"I walk through the fire, feeling it feed on my skin."
"For the hope of the future, blood will be shed. I may not come home again "
"But please do not cry for me,"
"I will be all among the stars for eternity, looking down on you."
Desiree couldn't sleep either because she worried for her best friend as she heard the song from the flower field. She got up in her pyjamas and walked to Edea who was sitting in the kitchen.
"Desiree dear, are you still awake?" Edea asked as she saw the young girl
"Yes, I couldn't sleep." She said as she sat down on a chair by the table. "Is there any chance for her to survive this thing?"
"Yes there is a very slim chance that she will survive, but not without getting burnt." Edea said as she laid her hand on the girls shoulder in a supportive gesture. "I don't like it any more than you, but if she doesn't do this mankind is doomed."
"But she is just a kid like us. She is just sixteen, and already going to die." Desiree cried as Edea embraced her. "It is not fair. It is just not fair."
"Shhh, So so dear. I am sure everything will turn to the best. It nearly always does." Edea said as she rocked the crying girl while listening to the song coming from outside.
The next morning they ate their breakfast and Sarah continued her training in magic as she still tried to joke about the whole thing to lighten up the mood of the small group. Harley and Cole trained their fighting skills and Desiree helped Edea looking after the children while she contacted the garden to tell about the treat. Of course she told them nothing about the prophecy.
"Sarah, may I speak to you?" Desiree asked her friend.
"Of course, you know that my ears are always open for you."
"Isn't there another way to do this? I mean one that doesn't get you killed" Desiree said as her eyes become watery.
"Maybe there is, but we don't have time. Tonight the world's destiny will be decided and if I don't do this, somebody else must."
"But you are my best friend. I don't know what to do without you." Now the tears streamed openly down Desiree's cheeks.
"I really appreciate to have you as my friend and we have had pretty fun together." Sarah said as she took Desiree's hands in her own. "Do you remember when we changed the ketchup bottle into a Tabasco bottle? Zell got a great surprise when he ate the hotdogs."
"Yeah, he got pretty mad to. As fast he had bulged down at least ten glasses of water he chased us through garden. Aimee had a hard time calming him down" Desiree giggled at the memory. "But I guess we are never going to do pranks like that again"
"Don't be to sure, I might even survive." Sarah looked her friend in the eyes. "I promise you that we will try every other way first before."
The evening came and they moved to the ruins on the Centran continent, where the enemy was going to summon the demon queen. The four friends tried to sneak around the cult but was spotted nearly immediately and chased.
"Oh crap, this isn't good." Harley said as he ran.
"We can't run forever. We must fight." Sarah said. "On three turn around fast and give your best. Surprise is our best weapon right now. One two three."
Every one of them turned around and drew their weapons and ran against the enemies.
Sarah stabbed some of them with the sai while Cole decapitated two with the gunblade. Harley broke the neck of one while Desiree pulled out her two guns and started shooting at them and hit three men in the chest. "This cult must contain at least about a hundred and fifty people." Cole said as he cut down another one.
"Maybe more." Sarah answered.
They fought for nearly an hour, but were in the end overpowered and captured. They were taken to the cult's base camp right under the ruins Odin guards. They got stripped of their weapons and locked into a cage.
"So now what?" Harley said. "We can't stop them as long as we are captured."
Sarah started to look around and suddenly she saw a pile of wood. "Maybe we can. Look over there, it seems like they are going to sacrifice somebody as a part of the ceremony."
"Why do they need a ceremony if they have Odine's machine?" Cole asked. "And what the hell are you planning now?"
"The machine is just an interpreter of the old Centran language so they can read the instructions. That is why they needed the machine. They killed my mother to get it. " Sarah answered as her eye flared with anger. "To answer your other question. Remember the prophecy? The part with fire. I am going to see to that I get on that stake."
"B-but that is suicide." Desiree said.
"I know, but the world depends on it." Sara walked with determined steps towards the fence and started to taunt the cultists. "Hey, you. Do you really believe you creeps can summon a demon huh? You who couldn't even kill a little girl while she slaughtered nine of you with ease two years ago. That must be a really pitiful demon, if you summon it."
"Blasphemy. Only for that you are going to suffer. I hope you like it hot." A woman who supposedly was the high priestess said to her
"Oh, but I do. I bet you don't even have what it takes to put me on the stake." She snapped back while her friends just shook their head in sorrow.
"Sarah, are you mad. You will be killed." Cole said as the high priestess left them.
"No, I am just doing what it takes to stop the whole thing. We can't do anything from here and we can't depend on that the other SeeDs will come in time. I am sorry, but it has to be done." Sarah said as she strokes away a tear from his left eye. "Don't worry, I will find a way to come back. The Ancient ones are the good sorceresses and their knights from the past wish means mom is one to and I bet that she will save me if she can."
Suddenly came a couple of men and escorted Sarah towards the stake and with some difficulties tied her by the pole as the ceremony started. The high priest started to chant as he read from the scroll and did everything that needed to be done to open the gate between the dimensions.
"And we give you this sacrifice to ensure your return." The high priestess chanted as some men lighted the wood. . "The great goddess Azania has granted us with her bracelets of power. With these we could even fight the notorious SeeD."
("Ok, it is time to do as Edea instructed you to do") Sarah thought as she noticed how the smoke started to form into a portal of darkness.
"Sorceresses of past, step forward. Knights of the past step forward." She chanted as the flames just got higher and higher. She saw the fear in the eyes of her friends as she tried to remember the words while concentrating on her powers. "Let the darkest night turn to light"
As fast as the words had left her mouth, a beam of pure light shot straight up into the portal and engulfed it. Out from it came earlier generations of sorceresses and knights and started to fight of the cultists and the door on the cage flew open, allowing Desiree, Harley and Cole to escape. They got their weapons and started to fight to get to her before the flames did. Every cult member who didn't get killed by either her friend or the Ancient ones fled in pure terror out on the plains.
Sarah saw one of the ghostlike figures closing in on her.
"M-mom?" She said as she realised it was her mother's spirit. "Please help me. I summoned the Ancient ones as in the prophecy."
Rinoa's spirit tried to grab the ropes her daughter was tied with, but her fingers just went trough. Sarah saw her mother shaking her head in sorrow as she vanished into the night along with the other Ancient ones. She could now feel how the fire soon started to wander at her feet followed by her pants and legs. She screamed as the pain engulfed her whole being as her clothes lit up and burning her.
"SARAH!!!" Desiree cried as she slumped down on the ground in despair noticing that her friend was soon to be swallowed by the flames.
Some kilometres away Squall led a troop of SeeDs mostly made up of his friends and the kid's parents, towards the camp. On their way they had encountered some cultist who had been either killed or captured. Under the interrogation he had heard something a dark haired girl on a burning stake. He had started running with the other SeeDs in tow but stopped just a few hundred meters from the camp as they all heard a painful cry pierce the night followed by the disgusting smell of burnt flesh. "Sarah." he yelled and sprinted of towards the camp.
In the camp he found Desiree sitting on the ground weeping while she was embraced by a teary Harley. Cole had gotten his hands on a surviving cult member in wish he took out his aggression on by throwing him around and kicking him in pure anger as tears flowed down his cheek.
Squall knelled down by Desiree. "Where is Sarah?" He asked even if he already knew the answer.
"S-She is in t-there." Desiree cried and pointed at the pyre.
"NOOOO!!!" He cried out and then walked towards the cultist Cole tortured and looked the man in the eyes as he hissed. "Your damn cult have cost me both my wife and my daughter. For that you will suffer along with the others we have captured. "
"Take this pitiful worm out of my sight." He said as a couple of SeeDs escorted the man away.
Desiree was escorted back to the Garden by Irvine and Selphie while Harley was escorted by Zell and Aimee. Squall took care of Cole as both were knights now without a sorceress.
The next day they started to investigate the place for the ceremony. They concluded that the gate to the dark dimension was closed and the scrolls on how to open it were destroyed. The portal to the other dimension where the Ancient ones came from was still open though under heavily guard. They investigated the place of the pyre to see if they could recover the body, or at least the bones of the SeeD who died the night before.
"Did you find anything?" Squall asked the team who worked on the investigation of the pyre.
"Only this, we are surprised that it is still undamaged due to the heat that must have been." The SeeD told him as they handed over a necklace with two rings on. Squall felt the tears gather in his eyes as he thought of his little girl. The world would never be the same again due to the pain in his chest where usually his heart would be found.
Pretty sad huh. I am going to write one more chapter so stay stunned and please don't hate me to much yet for killing the girl. Reviews are most welcome so I know what you think.