Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy. Final Fantasy and all related characters are copyright: Square-Enix. So in a way this fanfic belongs to them, even though I am writing it. This story in available free for reading by the public. Aeon, Serina, Kodin, Redd, Dart, Grif, Maggie, and the Forsaken Angel are copyright me though; I did essentially make them up. All rights reserved.

This story does contain violence, some gore, some harsh language, and use of alcohol.

Final Fantasy 9: Forsaken Sorrow

Chapter 3: Cold Infection

A man in polished armor walks at a brisk pace down a hallway. His armored boots clank against the metal floor. A long sword rests in a scabbard on his right hip. His cape flows in the air, the Crusader's emblem on it twisting and folding. He approaches a door guarded by a knight, who opens the door as he arrives.

"Explain the reason you called for me, Matoya?" Lord Aeon demands as he walks through the doorway. The metal door squeaks as it is carefully closed.

Before him sits an old woman wearing a long, black hooded cloak. Her face is covered in winkles and her eyes are perpetually closed due to her eyes not being useful anymore. Frayed thin white hair can be seen hanging down the sides of her face. She leans on an oak cane that appears to match her in age. Even though she is visibly old, she does not wobble or shake as she stands. She speaks in a strained voice, "Lord Aeon, secrets will soon no longer be kept under lock and key."

Aeon's eyes narrow, "in what way?"

Matoya moves her hand in a circle making a bright oval in the air appear. The circle shows an image of a black gate being opened. He can clearly see a Burmecian, a large red-headed Monk, two Black Mages, a White Mage of considerable rank, two knights, and what could be a commoner or bandit entering though the it. The image then switches to the group being surrounded by multiple dark masses, and then it switches to a number of those masses pouring through the gate. Aeon grimaces at the prediction.

"You cannot allow these secrets to get loose," Matoya continues, "if they do the kingdoms of Gaia will react to them in a most… unfavorable manner."

The bright circles fades away taking the images with it. Aeon crosses his arms contemplating what action to take. He makes his decision. He knocks on the door and it opens right away. Taking a look back at Matoya he says, "keep me informed of any further predictions you have."

Matoya nods, "of course, Lord Aeon."

Aeon leaves and the door squeaks closed again. He walks over to a tube on the wall and opens the end of it. "Borghen!"

"Yes, Lord Aeon?" a calm voice answers back through the tube after a few seconds.

"Prep the Malice Shiv and head for Fort Midgar. The inhabitants there are about to be disturbed. They cannot be allowed to leave."

"It will be done."

Alone in her small room, Matoya moves her hand in a circle and creates the bright oval again. The image is different and focused on a single person this time. It is also not an image of a possible future event, but of a current event. It shows Freya Crescent aboard the Hilda Garde III. Matoya observes the Burmecian being shown in the oval for quite sometime. She smiles and whispers, "so this is the one you've chosen. She is an excellent choice."

The Forsaken Angel hangs in the glass cylinder. Multiple spears are pierced through its body keeping a steady flow of sedative moving into it. A red translucent film uncovers its eyes and they look around. It whispers low enough for the knights, red mages, and engineers not to hear. "Freya…"

A strange mild chill runs through Freya's body. She credits it to the wind caused by the Hilda Garde III moving through the air. The Outer Continent can be seen from a moderate distance before her. They are soon to arrive.

"Please Reis, let us find something… anything that can help them," Freya whispers a prayer.

"Let's hope she actually hears you," Blank says as he walks up next to her.

"You're Blank, am I correct?"

"Yup. What Zidane never talked about me much?"

"Not really."

"Little prick. You know I ended up getting petrified to save his monkey-butt and he has never once mentioned, let alone thanked me, for it."

"It doesn't mean he isn't grateful. I'm sure he is. Perhaps he just needs to be reminded of it."

"Yeah I'll be sure to do that once we cure him. So this boyfriend of yours… uh… Fratley he the one…? You know…" Blank scratches his head not quite sure what he is asking or even why.

Freya ponders the same, "what is with the sudden interest in my love life? I'd expect this from Ruby or Eiko, but from you?"

"I haven't a damn clue," Blank shrugs. "Maybe I'm just bored or going stir crazy. Haven't really been on an airship for quite a while, can you believe it?"

"What about the Prima Vista? Haven't you bought a replacement yet?"

"Nope, airships are expensive as hell to build. Even the pre-built ones will cost you your ass and nuts."

Freya can't help but chuckle a little. Blank's vocabulary is even fouler than Zidane, and almost a match for Amarant's.

Blank motions his head in the direction of a small fishing village seen in the distance, "is that the village you went to… uh… Muddy… Mako…?"

"Mado," Freya answers.

"Yeah, you gonna visit it again?"

"I'd like to, but no. We have a more pressing matter to attend to."

Blank shivers a bit as he nods.

Freya eyes him up and down making note of his attire, "you'd best dress a little more warmly. The mountain pass is quite cold. Plus…" Freya smirks, "thongs don't really look that good on men."

"Hey, this isn't a thong," Blank protests. However, Freya is already heading back inside the cabin area and pays no mind. Blank looks down and examines his outfit. He's had this look for a while and… "Holy piss, it is a thong!"

The Hilda Garde III lands near the entrance to the mountain pass that leads to the old fort with the black gate. It was decided that attempting to fly the airship directly there was too risky, due to all the clouds and the fact that the mountain range hasn't been charted very thoroughly.

The group consisting of Freya, Beatrix, Blank, Baku, Cinna, Marcus, Steiner, Amarant, Vivi, Dart, Grif, Redd, Kodin, and two of the Knights of Pluto head up the mountain pass. The Knights of Pluto, Blutzen and Kohel, drive a wagon pulled by two large chocobos. Inside the wagon are solid mythril chains, two large pulleys, a large stone block with a steel loop attached to it, a few mythril spikes and clamps, as well as various other tools.

"Shit, you weren't kidding when you said it was cold," Blank rubs his gloved hands together. He's definitely grateful he opted for the thick brown winter coat and pants. Of course, he still sports his signature bandana.

Baku lets out a burst of laughter his known for, "it ain't cold! It's just brisk!"

Cinna and Marcus shake their heads and shiver, grateful for the coats they are wearing as well.

There is no wind, and the only snow is what is already on the ground. Still the air retains a potent frigid quality. The group turns a shallow corner and the gate appears visible to them.

"There it is," Freya states calmly but loud enough for everyone to hear.

That same uneasy feeling he had before returns to Amarant as he gazes at the black gate they are approaching.

"T-That sure is a lot bigger than I'd thought it'd be," Vivi states as he readjusts his hat.

"Wait till we get closer," Amarant says without actually consciously thinking about it.

Steiner, after covertly admiring Beatrix's fur cape draped around her shoulders and her other accessories, notices that she is looking around quite a bit, "what are you looking for Beatrix?"

"Monsters… animals…" Beatrix answers and stops looking about, "we haven't come across any since we entered the pass."

Steiner looks around a bit as well, "hmmm, you're right. That is quite odd."

"Well isn't that a good thing?" Kohel asks.

"Yeah, the less we have to fight the better, right?" Blutzen adds.

"Maybe they're all scared to come up here," Redd theorizes.

"Why?" Dart gets to thinking then gasps, "Maybe there's something really big and scary up here that will gobble anyone up who goes near!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Dart," Grif replies. "It is obvious that they avoid this area because of the cold. After all, most the creatures that live on the Outer Continent are acclimated to warm and arid temperatures."

"What?" Dart looks at Grif, one of his glowing eyes shrinking down to a square and the other remaining the big oval that it is in a perplexed look.

Grif sighs and shakes his head, his glowing eyes vanishing for a moment as he closes them in frustration.

"It is weird that this place is so cold on a continent made up of mostly desert," Redd notes. His glowing eyes become bigger as the group makes it to the gate. "Whoa."

The gate looms over the group maintaining the same unfriendly and unwelcoming presence it had before. It is still as inhospitable as ever.

"Well now," Kodin visually studies the gate and housing, "quite the imposing structure."

"It really is a l-lot bigger than I'd though it'd be," Vivi pears up at it till he almost falls backwards.

"Okay men," Steiner claps his hands together which, due to his armor, makes a loud clank sound that echoes through the peaks. "Gather up the equipment. Let's see if we can't get this gate open."

Amarant grits his teeth as the sound of Steiner's metallic clap echoing between the mountain sides and makes a disgruntled low pitch growl.

"As much as it pains me to ask a scoundrel such as yourself for help," Steiner speaks to Amarant, "we require your aid, Mr. Coral."

Amarant sighs and drudges over to the wagon, "what do you want, piss bucket."

Steiner has to hold his breath for a second in order to overlook Amarant's insult. "We need you to take this heavy spike and imbed it in the upper wall of the gate housing near the gate, then mount this pulley on it."

"Why don't you get the rat to do it? It was her damn idea to come here."

"Because you're the one with the gorilla arms," Freya takes the pulley and has it to the Monk, "it's a fitting task for you."

Amarant doesn't say anything as he takes the pulley and spike, then heads towards the gate. 'What the hell is it about that rat that makes her able to con my stupid ass into doing things like this?' he thinks to himself as uses his "gorilla arms" and Tiger's Fang claw to climb the wall. After finding a good spot to plant the spike, he gathers up some of his chakra and drives it into the wall. He tests it a few times to make sure it is sturdy before mounting the pulley on it.

"There," he calls though not quite loud enough to make a lasting echo, "it's set."

"Catch," Freya tosses the Monk a second spike and pulley, who repeats the process again at another spot a little closer to the gate.

"Catch again," Freya tosses a clamp followed by one end of a mythril chain up towards the Flaming Amarant, which he catches.

"Put the chain through the first pulley from your right and run it though the other pulley the same way," Grif instructs Amarant. "Then jump on the gate itself, and attach the end of the chain to about the eighth rung from the top. And give the chain a little slack."

Amarant groans, little mage is giving him instructions like he's some greenhorn on a crab boat. This just hasn't been his week. He follows the instructions perfectly. Baku and Marcus heft the heavy stone block out of the wagon. They grunt and heave as they carry it towards Beatrix, who fit's the other end of the chain through the loop in the stone block.

"You sure that chain will hold?" Redd questions.

"Of course, I'm sure it is mythril after all," Grif confidently replies.

Everyone grabs hold of the chain, with the exceptions of Vivi and Dart who are waiting to clamp the chain to the stone block when need be and Grif who is the supervisor of this little project.

"Everyone on three," Grif commands, "one, two, three pull!" They pull on the chain in unison. They can actually feel the chain moving back slowly.

Redd, Blutzen, and Kohel tug at the end of the chain put through the loop in the stone block.

"Keep pulling I think we got it," Baku grunts.

A loud metal creek echoes from the gate as it begins to rise. It rumbles and squeaks as if in angry protest as it opens. Bits of ice fall off of it as it shakes on the way up.

"Okay, hold it there," Grif orders when he sees the gate is plenty open for them to pass through. "Dad, Dart!"

The two Black Mages hurry to the stone block. Dart holds the chain against the steel loop as Vivi locks the clamp down. He nods at his son supervising the effort to open the gate.

"Alright, let it go," Grif says hoping the chain, clamps, or pulleys don't break.

They let go and the gate falls barely an inch before it is caught by the chain and jerks into a forced hang. More bits of ice fall and tumble off it.

Steiner grins and laughs, "The plan worked great Master Grif."

"Of course it did," Grif states proudly, or smugly depending on who you ask, "it's all in the calculations."

"Riiiiight," Redd can't help but make the sarcastic remark.

Grif shakes his fist, but his anger subsides when he receives a congratulatory pat from his father.

"Well we got the gate open, but who's going in?" Cinna rubs his belly nervously.

"A few of us should stay here…" Blutzen mentions, "you know… to guard the wagon and make sure the gate stays open."

"I agree," Kohel blurts out quickly.

After a bit of debating it is decided that Freya, Amarant, Blank, Steiner, Beatrix, Kodin, Vivi, and Redd will explore the fort and the rest will stay and "guard the wagon."

Beyond the gate only the faded silhouettes of rundown buildings are visible. The clouds hanging above the peaks seem to have drooped down blanketing the area in a fog eerily similar to the Mist. None the less the group proceeds through the gate. They have a cure to find.

They walk for a considerable distance before the faded silhouettes start to become more recognizable as building. Beatrix takes a look back. She can barely see the distant gate and can't see the others that stayed at the wagon. The fog is fairly thick, and getting thicker the further they proceed. Tattered banners rustle as they sway slightly in a mild breeze that can hardly be felt. Beatrix takes another look back and white is all she can see. "Hold it," she says calmly.

"What it is?" Steiner asks.

Beatrix turns precisely 180 degrees, "Redd may I borrow your staff?"

"Huh? Oh sure," Redd hands the Paladin his staff, which he never really uses anyway.

Beatrix plants it in the ground and angles it so that it is pointed in the direction she is standing. "There, now we know which way the exit is."

Blank smirks, "cleaver." He looks around and spots a number of small sheds, as well as larger buildings lined up to the groups left and right. Another building sits a dozen feet in front of them, while the silhouette of the main fortress can be seen in the back. "Should we check the fort first?"

"We probably should check that last," Kodin holds his chin in contemplation, "best not to leave any stone unturned. I suggest we check the smaller buildings first."

"Agreed," Freya nods. "We'll split up into three groups to cover more ground."

"You sure that's a good idea?" Amarant eyes the foggy surroundings. The uneasy feeling he has refusing to subside.

"Time maybe running out for Zidane and Fratley so yes, I'm sure it is a good idea," Freya notices that Amarant has had his claw out all this time, "What's wrong?"

"This place has a bad vibe to it."

"A bad vibe?"

"Yeah, like something really bad happened here."

"It's probably just because it's abandoned," Steiner comments. "This is probably one of the forts that were attacked but not destroyed. Just the after effects of the battlefield."

Amarant shakes his head and grumbles. He doubts it just "after effects" as the clanking Knight put it.

"Enough," Freya looks at the buildings to the left. She spots what looks to be a tilted sign with a red cross painted on it on one of the buildings. She points her lance towards it, "that looks like it might be an infirmary. Kodin perhaps you could search there."

"Yes," Kodin nods, "I might be able to find something there."

"Go ahead and take Amarant and Redd with you."

Amarant and Redd both say, "whatever."

Kodin agrees and the three head off towards the building.

"Captain Steiner, Master Vivi and I will search these buildings," Beatrix motions towards the line of buildings to the right.

"Very well," Freya agrees.

Those three head off towards there assigned area to search.

Blank sighs, "well doll, guess we're checking out that thing?" he points towards the building just feet from them.

"Yes," Freya nods, "and please don't refer to me as 'doll,' it is demeaning."

"Fine, sorry," Blank pulls the collar of his coat up. The remaining two searchers make there way into the structure and discovery it to be a barracks upon entering it.

"Troop barracks, and a damn long one too," Blank surveys the four long rows of beds. The building is long and stretches for a fair distance. They can see the other end. Snow lays at the base of the open door at the other side. Much of the fog has seeped inside. The beds are in shambles. Various items lay about the floor including shredded books, rusted weapons, ripped clothing, shoes, cups, broken bottles, the list goes on. There are even what appear to be bits of bone laying about in some spots.

"They sure tore out of here in a hurry," Blank grabs a small pouch and empties it onto the floor. He rummages through the contents but only finds some dice, and moldy and unrecognizable Tetra Master cards. "Look at all the crap they left behind."

Freya looks about the disarrayed mess. She was expecting maybe to find the building to be empty, but this is just havoc. While Blank continues to search through pouches and packs he finds, she goes over to one of the small nightstands by a bed and opens the lone drawer. Inside are a few gil and a small book. Taking it she opens it and begins to skim through the pages. It's a journal, but much of it was written in pencil and is now unreadable. However, one entry is written in ink.

"The Angel got loose again," the entry reads, "it hit Darrell with that infection thing. He's looking bad. It's the first time I've seen anyone get hit with that thing. The scream he made was horrid. It reminded me of hearing that thing screeching in the middle of the night. Poor guy, he's done for. He'll end up just like the others. I don't want to end up like that. Hope the new sedative Lord Aeon has made keeps that freak asleep, or this place will end up like Fort FS. Here's hoping."

Freya shallows a lump in her throat. She begins to share the uneasy feeling that Amarant had, and probably still does. The feeling is enhanced as she notices the dark stain on the covers of the bed, "blood" she whispers. The Dragon Knight nearly jumps out of her rain coat when she hears glass break. Blank had just dropped an ether vial. She composes herself then gives the Tantalus member a perturbed glare.

"Sorry," Blank scratches his head, then starts waving his hand in front of his face the moment he takes a sniff, "ah damn, that ether was way past it's expiration date. Smells like Malboro puke."

The sound of large feet crushing snow draw Blank's and Freya's attention. They listen for the footsteps, there weapons at the ready. A shadow appears in the doorway at the back of the building.

Beatrix, Steiner, and Vivi look about the building they have entered. It is the mess hall, and it truly does look like a mess. Dishes and rotten food liter the tables and floor. Dark stains paint the walls and floor. There are even rusted weapons lying about, with a few rusted daggers and arrows imbedded in the wooden furniture and support beams.

"W-What happened here?" Vivi speaks the question on their minds.

"I don't think Amarant was mistaken when he said something 'bad' happened here," Beatrix picks up a rusted helmet. It's been partly crushed.

Vivi cautiously opens the door to the kitchen, "eep!" he spurts has he sees something in the kitchen.

Steiner clanks over and peers into the kitchen. He sees a skeleton lying in the corner, a Qu's skeleton. "Beatrix take a look at this."

Beatrix enters the kitchen and kneels down by the Qu skeleton. "Look," she points at the rib section, "it's missing half its ribs." She gently grabs the skull and examines it. "A chunk of its skull is missing too. This Qu met a violent end."

"W-What c-could of done…" Vivi gasps as they hear something scrapping against the wall outside the building.

"Is everything alright, Mr. Coral?" Kodin asks as he and his party walk through the snow towards the infirmary building.

"Huh? Yeah… fine," Amarant answers, "why do you ask?"

"Because you keep looking around as if we're surrounded."

"How do you know we're not?"

"Please, Mr. Coral. There's a difference between being prepared and being paranoid."

"Just hope your prepared cause I ain't carrying you," Amarant looks back at Redd, "same goes for you short round."

"Short round?" Redd's left eye narrows a bit.

"At least you're not wearing that dress you had in the palace," Amarant addresses Kodin, noting the white overcoat and pants he's wearing.

Kodin readjusts the strap to the bag he has slung around his shoulder, "I've had my fair share of field experience. I can look out for myself," he pats the small mace at his hip.

They reach the infirmary building. Though it is rundown, it doesn't appear to have suffered any significant damage, unless one was to count the tilted sign. Redd lifts himself up to peek into on of the windows. He wipes the window with his sleeve. Wooden cabinets are all that he can really see. One is partly open with an empty vial visible inside it.

"Let us proceed inside shall we?" Kodin moves to the door but is stopped by Amarant.

"Hold it," the Monk steps up to the door, "let me go in first."

"As you wish."

The door creeks in a clichéd fashion as Amarant slowly opens it. His claw is raised up ready to disembowel anyone, or anything, that might attack. He steps inside and carefully examines the inside of the building. It being so quiet disturbs him. Numerous empty and/or broken vials lay on the floor, as well as on the counter. There is also a short stack of books covered in a mixture of dust and thin snow. He sticks his hand out the door and motions for Kodin and Redd to enter.

After they enter the building the door comes to a close with a mild slam that makes all three jolt a little. Redd gives the door a light kick, "stupid door gave me a heart attack."

"So what we looking for exactly?" Amarant asks still keeping his eyes and ears open for danger.

"Anything that might be a cure, or might give a clue to one," Kodin notices the dusty stack of books. The top book is thin and just contains a checklist of supplies, however, the second book is thicker and contains a list of patients, an extensive list. He starts to flip through the pages. Luckily, the names and information are written in ink and thus have not faded.

"Is this something?" Amarant asks as he takes a vial filled with a grey liquid from a cabinet.

"That is an expired potion," Kodin smirks, "if you were to drink that… let's just say that healing you would be the last thing it would do."

Amarant puts the expired potion back without hesitation.

Kodin flips through the book some more and notices how all the names listed have the same ailment, an infection from a wound caused by something known as the Angel. Each entry also has the note written after it, "ghoul." He scans one page and notices one entry that is different. He reads it aloud to himself, "Tanina Quol, Qu wounded by Angel. Infection doesn't appear, wound heals. Immune?"

While pondering what he read, he moves his foot and hits an object. Looking down he sees another dust covered book lying on the floor under the counter. He places the log book in his bag, and reaches down to pick up the other book. He shakes the dust off and brushes what's left off with his overcoat's sleeve. He can see the emblem of the Crusaders in the upper corner of the book's cover. The cover also reads "Ghoul Infection Research."

Redd starts to head towards a second room in the building, but stops when he hears Kodin say, "I think I've found something." The Black Mage moves away from the doorway. He fails to see a shadow move slightly from within the second room.

"What is it?" Redd asks hopeful that he did find something.

"This book discusses the infection, that same kind that has befallen Sir Zidane and Sir Fratley," Kodin flips to the end of the book. He has to flip back a couple of pages before his eyes widen and he smiles with glee. "This… this is it!"

"Wait, are you telling me…?" Amarant begins to speak, disbelieve present in his tone.

"Yes," Kodin laughs, "the fates have smiles upon us. We have actually found what we were looking for. It appears that Qu are immune to the infection. That's the key to the cure."

"Good now we can leave," Amarant but frowns when he notices the White Archmage get a look of worry after he flipped back a few pages.

"Oh my lord," Kodin stares at a ink sketch of a bloated mass, "the infection… it causes a mutation. We need to get back to Alexandria quick."

The sound of glass breaking is heard from the second room.

"What was that?" Redd whispers.

Kodin places the book in his bag and securely closes it.

Heavy rapid breathing, almost like drool ridden panting, emanates from the room. "We are not alone…" Amarant readies his claw. A loud thump comes from the door as something hits it. It draws the three's attention for a brief moment. Amarant hears heavy footsteps coming towards him from his right. He turns to see a large mass rushing towards him from the second room, screeching loudly.

Beatrix and Steiner now have their weapons drawn in response to the scrapping from outside turning into inhuman moaning. Vivi slowly backs up. A large hand with three fingers attached to a large muscular red arm bursts threw the window above Vivi's head. Vivi screams as he runs fast to Steiner. Beatrix moves in quick and severs the arm, its owner screeches. It falls to the ground and flops a couple of times before stopping. The moaning from outside turns into growling and raspy roaring. Thump! Thump! Thump! The door to the mess hall shakes as the monsters outside pound on it. The door proves to be a weak barrier as it starts to splinter and break apart quickly. A three fingered hand rips through the door and beings to pull it off the hinges.

Vivi fire a Thundaga spell at the wrecked door. The spell plows through knocking the two monsters pounding at it back.

"What the hell are those things?" Blank takes out his cutlass. He and Freya are looking at four masses at the other end of the barracks.

The monsters send out raspy roars before charging forward. They climb over the beds with a vicious fervor.

"Get out," Freya shouts.

Blank opens the barracks front door, "SHIT!!" he ducks as another monster tears through the front entrance.

Freya rams her lance into the monster knocking it down. What these things actually look like become clear outside. A large red body with bulges all around the body. The arms and legs are encased in thick muscles making these things look like they can rip anything apart through brute strength alone. If this thing was standing it would look lop-sided in it stance with one arm hanging lower than the other. The hands have three fingers, and the feet have two finger-like toes. What she sees around the center of the mass is what horrifies her the most. Though it is missing the lower jaw, she can tell it's a face. In this case, a human face with a perpetual look of terror. It looks as if it is trying to push its way out of the mass it is trapped in.

"What the…?" she says noticing this thing is still alive even though her lance is through it's stomach. The monster thrashes about before trying to reach for Freya. She takes out her lance and stabs the monster again and again and again. The last strike lands on the face. It stops moving and lies still.

"Freya!!" Blank yells as he is chased out of the building by one of the first four monsters they saw. It reaches for him, but Blank slashes the hand with his cutlass. The Dragon's Hair lance perches through the lower gut of the monster making it stop its chase. Freya grabs her weapon and jumps, lifting it upward severing the bulging mass in two. She lands just as another charges her. Her lance is thrust into this one and she gets a good look at this one's face.

"Dear Reis," Freya stares at the jawless face of a Burmecian, the same look of terror on it as with the other. She grits her teeth and pulls her lance out at an upward angle. It pops out through the face. She has to give it a few more slashes before it finally falls over and ceases movement.

Blank ducks and jumps as the fourth monster swings its arms about and rakes at him with its hands. He slices a couple of fingers off the thing, but it only moans and continues its assault. Seeing an opportunity Blank charges it and rams it as hard as he can. He causes it to loose balance and fall on its back. Blank jumps on it and starts frantically stabbing it with his weapon. "Die you son of a…" he changes from stabbing to slashing at the face, "DIE DAMN YOU, DIE!!"

Freya grabs his shoulder, "Blank! It's dead!"

Blank stops with his cutlass raised in the air, panting. He looks down at the monster seeing that it isn't moving anymore. He lets his weapon down and sighs in relief. Both jump as they hear a boom from one the buildings and then a thunderclap from another.

A fireball bursts out of the infirmary window. Amarant, Kodin, and Redd run out of the building. The Black Mage launches another Firaga spell through the doorway. One of the monsters stumbles out on fire. It screams and flails about just like a normal human would, in fact its screams sound just like a normal person's.

"I knew coming here was a bad idea," Amarant yells as they run away from the building, which is now beginning to engulf in flames.

"We found the cure," Kodin holds his bag with the books inside it tightly, "that's all that matters."

"Not if we don't get out of here alive."

"The hell are these things?" Redd asks.

"They're called 'ghouls' according to the book," Kodin swallows, "and if I read it correctly, if we don't get back then Zidane and Fratley will become one of them."

"What!?" Amarant and Redd shout at the same time.

"It's what the infection does. It turns people into these ghouls, and only Qu are immune."

Amarant spots Freya and Blank through the fog, "RAT!!"

Freya looks over to see them, "Amarant!"

"WE ARE LEAVING!!"

"We've found the cure," Kodin shouts.

Rapid clanking echoes through the fog. Beatrix, Steiner, and Vivi run towards the sound of Amarant's shouting. Behind them are three ghouls screeching and panting. One starts to slam its hands into the snow as it runs, causing it to begin to hop. The hops become bigger until it takes a leap and directs itself towards Beatrix. Turns, without stopping, and uses her Climhazzard move to shred the leaping ghoul. It falls around her in four pieces and she continues her run. Vivi charges up his magic and sends two Firaga spells at the other two ghouls. He has to hold his hat around his ears, and close his eyes, as the screaming from the burning ghouls pierces his ears… and soul.

The three groups meet up near the barracks.

"Dad?" Redd holds Vivi who is fighting back tears, "dad what's wrong? Are you hurt?"

Vivi shakes his head, "the screams… they're horrible…"

"It's okay, dad. Let it out."

"No… I-I'm a father now," Vivi takes a deep breath, "I have to be strong." He lets out a calming sigh, "beside I've faced worse when we chased Kuja."

The air vibrates with an echoing hollering and howling, that sound like inelegant whale calls, however, what is making the noise is no where near as gentle.

"You sure about that?" Blank shudders.

Dark silhouettes of ghouls appear in the fog from the direction of the main fortress heading for the group. First it is just two, then four, then seven, then eleven, then eighteen, then thirty, until the number becomes uncountable.

"Look at them all!" the Tantalus member's mouth is agape.

"The gate… it's still open… if those things get out…" Kodin realizes.

"Then we slam the gate in their faces," Amarant looks around at the foggy surroundings, "the hell is it!?"

"That way!" Steiner points having seen Redd's staff in the snow pointing away from them.

"Move!" Freya shouts. The group sprints as fast as they can in the direction the staff is pointing. Redd snatches his staff as they run by it.

"Damn it!" Blank curses as the group is forced to a sudden stop by more ghouls in front of them. To there right more ghouls appear, and to there left even more. Behind them more encroach. The walking masses seem to come out of every nook and cranny. Some even appear to come out of the snow.

"The hell is going on in there?" Marcus tries to see anything though the fog beyond the gate. The haunting calls of the ghouls can be heard. The chocobos are nervous to the point where Blutzen and Kohel have to hold their reins to keep them from running away with the wagon in tow.

"Hope dad's okay," Grif whispers.

Dart fidgets frantically. "DAD!" he runs for the open gate.

"Dart, wait!" Grif tries to stop his brother but trips.

"Hold it, little guy!" Baku is able to grab the green clad little Black Mage before he reaches the gate.

"Let me go," Dart struggles but the burley Baku has too good of a hold on him. "Dad's in trouble!"

"And goin' in there, and chargin' into who knows what, ain't gonna help him!"

"But…!"

"Calm down, Dart," Grif picks himself back, "if Dad can handle us, then he can handle whatever is in there. There isn't any thing that can 'gobble' dad up."

It is fortunate for Baku and the others that whatever it is that is making those ghastly sounds has come through the gate. Of course, what lies beyond the gate is currently more focused on the other group.

"We're surrounded," a reflection of a wall of ghouls shows in Steiner's Ultima Sword.

"No shit," Amarant readies his Tiger's Fang claw waiting for the ghoul that is slowly stepping towards him to lunge. It does and the Monk hits it dead center with a No Mercy. It falls backward like a cut down tree.

The ghouls charge five to eight at a time. They are killed when they do, and there is a brief moment before another group charges. This crude tactic may not seem effective at first, but looking at the total number of ghouls that surround them says otherwise. The "heroes" will soon start to tire if they don't find a way past these ghouls, but everywhere they look that's all they see. Ghouls, ghouls, and more ghouls.

"Damn it all!" Freya cuts the legs off of a ghoul then delivers a killing blow to the face, the one part of that seems to be a weak point to a degree.

"We were so close, but if this keeps up…" she has to block a downward raking strike by a ghoul. The ghoul pushes on her lance, and she struggles to push back. She sees two more start to charge in from the main horde. They become engulfed in a Firaga spell delivered by Vivi. She can fell the ghoul let up on her lance a little. Taking the opportunity, she jumps and lands on top of the ghoul lance first. It screeches and flails it arms about trying to grab at the Dragon Knight now standing on top of it. Freya grimaces as she feels the cold, coarse flesh with her bare Burmecian feet. The blood from the ghoul's wound runs between her toes, and it's just as cold as the air is. She gasps when it is able to grab hold of her. The air is knock out of her lungs as she is thrown to the ground. Her Dragon's Hair lance is still sticking out of the top of the ghoul.

Amarant rushes the ghoul sinking his claw into the face. Bones crack and crunch as the Monk pulls out a chunk of flesh, and tosses it in the snow. The ghoul collapses allowing him to pull the lance out and give it back to Freya. "No fancy moves rat, just kill the goddamn things."

Freya takes her weapon and then picks herself up off the snow covered ground. She glowers at Amarant, who doesn't notice due to being too preoccupied with sending another No Mercy through an attacking ghoul.

Plumes of fire erupt among the main horde of ghouls. Vivi and Redd attempt to make a path to the gate. Unfortunately, they have a problem as shown by Redd's huffing and puffing.

Steiner cuts one down before taking notice, "what's the matter Master Redd?"

"I'm… running… out of… magic…" Redd lights up another group of four ghouls. "I… don't think… dad has much… left either…"

Vivi sends out more Firaga spells, fire seems to be effective against these monsters. He does his best to filter out the loud screams the ghouls make when they burn. "Redd, a-are you okay!?"

"I'm f… oh crap!" Redd kicks up snow as he scrambles to keep from being landed on by a leaping ghoul. Steiner hacks at it splatter blood on his armor. He has to do this six times before it falls.

"By the gods, these monsters are tough to kill," the Knight stands to protect Redd from another ghoul.

"Makes me miss fighting Bandersnatches," Blank cuts a ghoul with his cutlass. It complains at each slash, but keeps on fighting.

"The faces," Beatrix splits the face of a ghoul in two, then drives Save the Queen into the opening she just made. It falls over after she removes her sword. "They're a weak point of sort," she cuts off an arm of another to get close and strike at the face. It too falls. A third leaps at her but it is quickly killed with a Climhazzard.

Blank follows the instruction and stabs the face of his enemy. He has to do it twice, but it works as it falls to its knee before slumping over dead. Steiner does the same except he actually hacks at the face, which shatters it. This allows him to kill two of them in succession.

"Uh… guys…" Redd tries to cast a spell but it fizzles. "I'm out of magic."

Kodin swings his mace into the face of a ghoul with a gut wrenching crack. He holds the bag with the book tightly in the other hand and close to his body to make sure it isn't grabbed. "Is there no end to them?"

Amarant pants and drops to one knee for a brief moment, "too many. We're not getting out of here."

"W-We have too," Vivi burns more ghouls, but he too is close to running out of magic.

Freya lets out an angry shout as she pulls out her lance from a ghoul. 'That red-headed bastard is right… there are too many to fight… Fratley… I'm…" her thought is halted by a new noise echoing though the air. It is a persistence and loud buzzing, but not the buzzing you'd hear from insects. No, this type of buzzing only comes from airship engines.

The noise stops the fight as even the ghouls look up at the clouds above them.

"Now what!?" Blank throws is arms in the air.

"You think it's the Hilda Garde?" Steiner hopes out loud.

The bottom of an airship descends from the could, and on it is a Crusader emblem. It has the words "Malice Shiv" below it.

"Nope," Amarant states.

The airship is small compared to others like the Hilda Garde III, Red Rose, and Dual Lance. The bottom isn't shaped like a boat as per the traditional design. Instead it is flat on the underside with two rows of holes, surrounded by metal plate, on it. The sides are flat as well, but the rest is round and curves up till it meets the top half at the middle. The very back holds a large spinning propeller. This rear engines takes up the backside of the bottom and the odd middle section. The top half, which is wider than the bottom half, is shaped like a fat almond. A glass canopy is located at the tip along with a long spike that extends past the canopy above it. It has eight smaller engines on the top half, and are grouped together in twos, four on each side. Four are at the front just behind the canopy and four are at the back. The back also sports a large curved rudder. Two moderate sized wings, matching the style on the Dual Lance, extend out of the odd middle section.

On the bridge stands Borghen, currently the captain of this vessel. His is wearing dark colored armor, without a cape, and has a battle axe on his back. He is bald with a thick blonde beard, which he strokes as his observes the huge group of ghouls through the canopy glass. There are so many ghouls down there they no one on the airship has taken notice of the small patch of snow where Freya and the others are.

"Prepare for bombardment," Borghen orders loudly but calmly.

Cannons descend out of the holes on the underside of the airship, and more appear out of the sides of the lower half. A grand total of twenty cannons. They turn and pivot each in different directions, and get ready to show what the Malice Shiv was built for.

"Oh…" Blank starts.

"…shit," Amarant finishes.

The mountains thunder as the cannons fire a volley of cannon shells, not cannonballs but cannon shells. The infirmary (which was already half burnt down), barracks, mess hall, and other buildings are gutted by explosions. Other rounds impact the ground sending ghouls and pieces of ghouls into the air. One shot impacts near the group. Freya has to dodge a burning ghoul body that flies and tumbles towards her. Again the mountains thunder as the cannons fire another volley. No buildings are destroyed in this one. Most of the shots land near where the group is. The explosions rip ghouls apart and send others airborne.

"All cannons," Borghen orders, "fire at will!" The order is repeated though the communication pipes.

The cannons now pick their targets and fire whenever they're ready. Some shots destroy buildings, but most are aimed at the massive collection of ghouls.

"GREAT!!" Blank covers his head as a cannon shell strikes dangerously close to the group. "Now we're gonna get blown up!!"

Freya eyes where the shot had landed. There's a break in the ghouls, and the large wall of ghouls that surrounded them is starting to break up. "This is our chance! Run! Head for the gate!"

"You heard the rat," Amarant shouts, "move your asses!"

The group starts to make a mad dash for the gate. A collection of ghouls stands in their path, but a cannon shell whistles in and blows them apart. Snow, dirt, and bloody bits of ghoul rain down on them as they run through. Despite the Malice Shiv raining down explosive death, a number of ghouls begin to chase the group as they run.

"Sir, the ghouls are making a break for the gate," a Malice Shiv crew member informs the captain.

"It must be open then, direct the ship forward to give the gunners a better vantage," Borghen takes a breath. "All cannons concentrate fire on the fleeing ghouls! Do not let them get out!"

The cannons turn towards the direction the group is fleeing, but retain their "fire at will" barrage as the airship slowly begins to move forward.

Freya looks back at the chasing ghouls. Whistling is heard and she can actually see the shells coming from the cannons. Ghouls that were once giving chase vanish in a red and white blasts. One shell rockets past the pack of pursuers and strikes the ground fifteen feet from Freya's left. She yells out in pain as the boom rings in her ears and she feels bits of metal stabbing into her arm. She is sent stumbling to the left. She manages to maintain her sprint though. She sees Beatrix yell words of concern to her, but all she can hear is a painful ringing.

"Where's the gate?" Blank shouts afraid they went the wrong way. Another shell whistles past and rams into an abandoned wagon. It flies apart and four ghouls hiding near it join the flying debris.

Vivi ducks his head as a burning, and screaming, ghoul soars overhead and tumbles in the snow. A ghoul hops over the burning carcass, but bursts into chunks as a shell hits it directly. The blast kills five other ghouls as well.

"THERE!" Kodin shouts as loud as he can to be heard over the noise of explosions and screeching ghouls. The cannon fire is becoming a lot more frequent now.

The gate appears visible to them, it's still open, and there are no ghouls near it. But there are still ghoul chasing them, though it is only a few now.

Baku can see a figure appear out of the fog, it's Amarant. "Monk! What in the hell…?"

"Shut up!" Amarant yells as he passes through the gate and stops near the stone block holding the chain keeping it open. He focuses chakra into his claw wielding hand, "Come on! Move!"

Next through the gate are Beatrix and Kodin, with the books in the bag securely in hand. Blank runs though next followed by a surprisingly fast Vivi and Redd.

Freya passes through the gate, and stops. Blood drips from her left arm, but her worry is on the one yet to reach the gate, "Steiner! Come on!"

"Come on…" Amarant holds his Tiger's Paw claw over the chain, "hurry up damn it!"

Steiner's armor clanks loudly as he tries to get to the gate. He hears growling from behind him. He looks back to see a ghoul that is very close reaching for him. "Steiner!" he hears, "Come on!" He grits his teeth, closes his eyes, and bolts for the gate. He armor goes from clanking to clattering as he runs faster than he ever has before. The desperate move is successful in putting distance between himself and the ghoul.

Unknown to him, one of the cannons points in his general direction. It fires. Steiner dives through the gate and slides face first through the snow. Amarant cuts the chain. The black gate crashes closed. The last of the pursuing ghouls let out half a screech as an explosion consumes them. Dirt and snow flow through the holes of the gate. Distant cannon fire, explosions, and screeches of ghouls echo over the still imposing structure.

"Uh… captain…?" Blutzen walks carefully over to Steiner laying facedown in the snow.

Steiner moans and rolls over. He takes a while to reply because he is too busy catching his breath. When he does reply he only able to utter a, "bwa…"

"Boy!" Baku marches over to a panting and bent over Blank. He pats him on the back.

Blank jumps, swinging his arm about randomly, "AH GAH AH!"

"Easy there, calm down! What happened in there? Sounded like war."

"What happened!? First we get attacked by these freaky-zombie-things, then an airship comes down and tries to blow us to Hades! That's what happened!"

"Dad!" Dart hugs Vivi. "Redd!" Dart then hugs Redd. He goes between hugging his father and his brother a few times before giving a big one to Vivi. "I was so worried!"

"W-We're okay, Dart," Vivi rubs his son's back.

"You look tired," Grif looks over Redd. "Did you use up all your magic?"

Redd nods, "okay, can we go home now?"

Freya shakes her head trying to get the ringing in her ears to stop. She can actually hear now, but that ringing still persists. She drops her lance and grips her arm. Blood runs down her arm and drips from her fingertips.

"Hold still," Kodin approaches the wounded Dragon Knight. She winces as he pulls the sleeves of her rain coat as gently as he can. He opens a smaller pocket on his bag and takes out some tweezers. "You have pieces of metal in your arm. They have to come out before I can heal."

"Just do it," Freya braces for the pain to come. One by one Kodin removes the bits of metal in her arm. When he finally removes the last one he checks her arm over again to make sure he didn't miss any. Not finding any, he casts a Curaga spell. The cuts on her arm begin to close up, as the spell numbs the pain. As a precaution, he wraps her arm in a bandage.

"There," Kodin smiles, "that should do it. Let me know it you start to bleed again."

Amarant pears though the gate. The Malice Shiv now as backed up again. It's cannons are still firing. The Monk can't help but wonder how they knew that they would be going in there and stirring up the ghouls. The arrival of that airship was just too convenient. For them to get there with intent to wipe the place out on the same day that they would go there. The timing was just too perfect. 'How the hell are the Crusader's so insightful?' he mulls over this.

"You still have it?" Freya asks Kodin about his cargo, while picking her lance back up.

Kodin opens his bag and takes out the research book. It's still in good condition, and undamaged. He breaths a sigh of relief. "Yes, come. We need to get back to Alexandria as soon as possible."

Freya nods, "don't bother with the chains. Let's just leave."

Everyone starts the trek back down the mountain pass. The chocobos, and everyone else for that matter, are more than ready to leave. The noise of the Malice Shiv exterminating ghouls still echoing though the mountains.

"We came this close," Amarant brings his fingers close together, "to getting killed. Damn rat and her…"

"Shut up, Amarant!" Freya lashes out and glares at him with an angry, even hostile, glint in her eye. "I'm getting a little sick of your whining! No one forced you to come on this mission! You made that decision on your own! Now do everyone a favor and keep your mouth shut!" She angrily quickens her pace to get ahead of the group.

"Yikes," Blank whispers to himself.

Steiner looks astounded, "I've never seen Lady Freya to lash out like that," he keeps his voice to a low whisper.

"Yes you have," Beatrix whispers as well, "in the war room remember?"

"Oh yes, I remember. Perhaps it's just the stress from worrying about Sir Fratley. It's understandable."

"I suppose."

Amarant's pace has slowed a bit. He now trails the group, though he did hear Steiner's and Beatrix's conversation. He thinks of how Freya yelled at him, twice. Being yelled at doesn't bother him at all. He's used to it in fact, but not from Freya and not like that. Its not like her. Even if she is "stressed out" it wouldn't affect her like this.

'Just what the hell happened to her on that airship?' that question repeats itself in his head all the way down the mountain.

The Hilda Garde III waits near the entrance to the mountain pass to take them all back to Alexandria.

__________________________

{Author's Note: Before you go asking where Mado or Fort Midgar are on the Gaian map, be aware that I've gone ahead and taken the liberty of increasing Gaia's size for this story. This means that in this story the seas are bigger and the continents have more land mass than they appear to have in the game.}

{Author's Other Note: And before you ask, there is no enemy called a Ghoul in the FF9 game. I did my research. J}