Author Notes: I am glad to be able to bring you the next Chapter for A Call of Tomorrow. I hope that people are still enjoying my story. I, for one, have been running around in circles, trying to figure out where I am heading and hoping that I'm not writing myself into knots that I can't unwind in my conclusion. I hope that everyone has a very Happy New Year and perhaps I can finish this in 2019!
A Call of Tomorrow
Chapter 9: The Trabian Stand
Quistis heaved a sigh of relief as they finally passed through the barricades and into the safe embrace of base camp. Seeing the concern in Quara's eyes the moment they trudged through the gates, she just shook her head and departed for the central hut, climbing the ladder to isolate herself on the second floor where she could have a panoramic view of the entire plains.
She had accepted Seifer's denial with a tight smile and assurances that she understood but it hadn't stopped the slowly festering wound in her heart. She had loved two men in her life and both had given themselves over to the Red. What would it take for someone to not be seduced by the flamboyant power housed within those sorceresses? What would it take for someone to just look at Quistis and want to accept what she offered?
Quistis stared into the distant horizon for what seemed like days, lost in her own thoughts, until a gentle clearing of the throat brought her back to reality. Seeing the tall silhouette in the glass, she turned, expecting the cropped blond hair and green eyes of Seifer, but was surprised by Irvine's auburn waves and caring caramel eyes. The cowboy looked tired but in control of himself, something she found herself envying.
"Coming to report?" Quistis asked, her gentle voice cutting through the constant wind that forever whistled over the higher reaches of Trabia.
"Coming to check on a friend," Irvine replied. "I grabbed Seifer to hear what happened and maybe a little unwillingly, he told me."
Quistis shrugged. "The mission was a success. We were able to scare the creatures away but it won't be permanent. We need to find a better way to protect ourselves or at least get out of Trabia. We've been cut off from everyone for weeks and if we're going to survive, we need to get back to the others." But inside, a fire burned at the back of her throat. There wasn't much left of the "others" or of the family she had built. Squall was likely dead. Rinoa possessed by an evil Witch. Zell was crippled and Selphie still reeling from her injuries.
"He said you asked him to be your knight," Irvine said. There were no other thoughts on his mind at the moment. All he could feel was resolve. "He said that he refused because of the Red power." He paused, just watching Quistis' face darken. "He said without the strength of a knight, you'd fail. You'd die and we'd all be doomed to this life of darkness under the rule of a cruel god."
"I'd kind of like to avoid the life of darkness under Hyne…" Irvine continued. "So let me be your knight instead."
Quistis froze, looking up into Irvine's soft brown eyes with momentary shock and confusion. "But… Selphie…" she stuttered out.
Irvine paused before a warm laugh erupted past his lips. "Hyne, no, I didn't mean it in a sexual way, Quisty," he said, shaking his head emphatically. He reached over, taking Quistis' hand and drawing her close enough to sling an arm around her shoulder as he pointed them back out toward the distant horizon.
"You have a huge responsibility in front of you and from the little Seifer told me, you need someone that can help you open up your power," Irvine said, his cheek resting against her golden head. "Quara says a bond is formed between a knight and sorceress when they have a common goal and are willing to share their life. It doesn't necessarily mean that it needs to be sexual. I love you like I would love a sister and if I can provide you with the emotional support you need to summon your power then that's what I'd like to do."
Quistis leaned in against Irvine's warmth, pondering his words. It was true that a knight and sorceress didn't necessarily need the sexual component to be bound to one another. There were cases throughout history of sorceresses who let the bond form for many reasons but the most romanticized version obviously came from two people falling in love and sharing one heart and one mind. She smiled wistfully. "It's sweet of you to offer, Irvine, but it'd be dangerous. Rasha would likely be threatened more seriously if she realized I'd formed a bond with a knight."
Irvine raised a brow. "Can you honestly say that we aren't living in a dangerous time now?" he asked. "Let me do this for you. We already trust each other, which I've heard is the most important part of the process."
Quistis leaned against the railing, looking down over their encampment. With her keen eyesight, she could see Seifer walking from the barracks toward the medical hut, his arms swinging back and forth. "The bonds are for life. You realize that, don't you? You'll carry the Blue power with you until the day you die. Just like Seifer. Just like Squall…"
Irvine nodded, squeezing Quistis' shoulders again. "I know and I'll live with my decisions, no matter what that means."
Selphie stared up at the briefing room with anxious emerald eyes, her fingers twisting together in painfully intricate patterns. Up there, Quistis and Irvine were forging the sorceress and knight bond. Even though she'd been reassured multiple times that it had nothing to do with a sexual attraction, she still couldn't help feel a twinge of jealousy at the idea that they would share their lives from that moment onward.
"Selph, you should come inside," Zell encouraged, rolling forward in the wheelchair they'd dug out of the Ragnarok's debris. He glanced up at the only two story building in the camp and shook his head. "You shouldn't worry about it so much… it's not gonna change him. If I… If I could still walk, I woulda offered to do it for Quistis myself but what good is a cripple in a fight like this." He couldn't keep the bitterness and resentment hidden away. Not from her.
"Do you think it all could have been different?" Selphie asked softly. "If we hadn't gone to Trabia. Do you think if we'd all stayed together, we could have gotten through this better? Maybe Squall and Rinoa... " She bit her lower lip in an effort to hold back her tears. "Maybe we could have done something so that we all would still be here…"
"Second guessing is a useless way to pass the time, Tilmitt," Seifer's voice was rough from his own silent grief. He knew what was going on up there. He'd half encouraged Irvine to make the offer to give Quistis a chance but it didn't mean it sat well with him. "I spent enough time doing it and it got me nowhere."
Zell bristled in his chair at Seifer's harsh tone. "Shut your mouth, Seifer. She's got every right to wonder."
Seifer's glare burned with his own regrets. "All it's gonna do is hurt and keep her from focusing on the now. How's that going to help anyone?"
Selphie lifted a hand to silence Zell's further arguments. "Why didn't you just do it?" she asked. "I know you two had something going on, so why couldn't you do it for her? You've already been a knight so wouldn't you be better suited for it than Irvy anyway?"
Ignoring the comments about his relationship with Quistis, Seifer just shook his head. "I can't," he said simply. "I was a knight to a red sorceress. The power brands you in such a way that I can't accept the power from a Blue sorceress." He swallowed hard. "Besides, she deserves someone good for her knight. Someone she can trust. They may not be in love but Irvine would keep her safe."
They fell into silence and watched as Quara finally emerged from the briefing room and descended the stairs before walking off toward the medical hut. A few moments later, Quistis and Irvine emerged. They spoke together at the top of the stairs before coming down and parting ways, Quistis also toward the medical hut and Irvine to join their group.
As the tall cowboy approached, he dipped the brim of his hat a little lower, averting his gaze as to not meet anyone's eyes.
"How do you feel, Irvy?" Selphie asked hesitantly.
"Ahh… a little weird," Irvine replied, rubbing the back of his head. "Like there's something running around my head but I can't quite catch it or figure out what it is."
Seifer shuddered a little. He remembered all too well that feeling. It was a part of the link between sorceress and knight, only Ultimecia had made full use of having a link to his mind. Offering punishments and rewards depending on what he'd done. He imagined that Quistis would be much gentler in her use of touching her knight's mind, always ensuring that her visitations were welcomed and as unobtrusive as possible.
"Anyway, Quistis wants everyone to be on alert," Irvine continued, trying to mask the uncomfortable silence from everyone. "She's pretty sure that Rasha will know that she's taken a knight and that she'll want to attack us before Quisty fully figures out what she's doing. And, uh, Seifer… she wanted to see if you'd be willing to join her in the medical tent. She wanted to talk to you about a few things."
Seifer grunted a response but turned with resignation to trudge after her.
"Always loved how articulate that guy was," Zell muttered with a roll of his eyes.
It brought a snort of laughter from Irvine and the two men grinned at each other before letting it fade away.
"Uh… I should, um… go somewhere else," Zell mumbled, rolling himself toward the main gate.
Selphie watched him go in silence, rubbing one leg against the back of the other. "I should…"
"You should stay and talk to me about this, Selphie," Irvine said forcefully. He reached out, cradling the delicate woman's cheek in his gloved hand, his thumb swiping across her sloping cheekbone. "I'm still the same man that I've always been."
"But bound to one of my best friends in an irreversible way," Selphie replied. "I know it's not sexual but how am I supposed to feel comfortable when the two of you are linked so intimately. She'll know your thoughts way better than I ever could. How can I compete with a woman like that?"
"Selphie…" Irvine drew her closer, wrapping her up in the warmth of his Dragon leather coat. "How could you think that any woman could compare to you?" he asked, kissing her temple. "There is no one more compassionate, intelligent or beautiful than you are. There is no other woman that I could love or want to spend the rest of my life with. My one greatest regret is that I didn't tell you that when I had that chance."
He could feel the moisture of Selphie's tears sinking through his shirt, chilling his skin, but it didn't matter. All that was important to him was that he could feel her gentle breath where his shoulder met his neck and the fluttering heartbeat on his chest. "I know it's way too late, but I love you."
"I love you too, Irvy…" Selphie whispered. "Things are just so messed up right now. I… I really care about Zell. You know that. But it-it's not the same as being with you. I always knew that you were my soulmate. From all the way back when we were at the orphanage."
His grip around the small woman tightened until she squeaked. Irvine buried his face in her soft brown hair, inhaling her scent. "Marry me. I don't want to spend another day without you. I know things are complicated and you've got Zell and I made a promise to Quistis but nothing and no one is more important to me than you. I can't face what is coming without knowing that I have you."
Selphie's heart raced under her breast as a thousand answers popped in and out of her head. On the one hand, she wasn't sure what accepting a proposal would do to Zell. They'd all promised to put things to the side until the threat was dealt with but deep down, she knew that her love for Irvine would always eclipse anything she could have with Zell. And that led straight in to the other argument that she loved Irvine with all of her heart and she also wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.
"What about Zell?" Selphie finally responded. "I want to say yes, Irvy, but…"
"Let me talk to him," Irvine cut in, his cheek rubbing gently against her soft hair. "We won't do it without his blessing. But more than anything else, I think he would want you to be happy, Selph. He's too good of a person to want to stand in your way."
Irvine? He could feel Quistis' puzzlement through their link. She had likely responded to his accelerated heartbeat and the anxiety that had washed through his entire body. They had agreed to try and mind each other's privacy to the best of their ability but his heart was racing so badly that it was no wonder she had reached out to him.
Feeling his sudden tension, Selphie looked up quizzically. "Irvy?" she whispered, trying to look in to his slightly glazed eyes.
Calming his thoughts, he focused on the vision of Quistis and could already see the concern wrinkling her brow, with her head cocked ever so slightly to the side. Don't worry, Quisty. It's happy news, I hope. We can talk in a little while.
Once he felt her acknowledgment, he looked down to the confused bundle in his arms. "It's alright, Selph. It was Quistis confused at all of the changes in my feelings."
Selphie's smile was rigid but she nodded. Was this what their marriage would be like? Quistis always in between them? She didn't regret wanting to marry Irvine but she feared what the future would be. Though she also knew that without Irvine and Quistis linked, there might not be much of a future for her to look forward to.
"Let me find Zell first, and then you and I can talk more," Irvine said, kissing her forehead gently as he reluctantly let her go. "I know that there's a lot we need to deal with but I know that we can find a way to make this all work. We can have a happy life."
Zell had wheeled himself just outside of the main gates, wanting a private moment away from the sympathetic looks and gentle words meant to take the sting out of his injuries. He knew that everyone was just trying to be kind but it didn't make him feel better. All it did was serve as a reminder to the injuries that had crippled him. Quara promised that with time and work, he'd be able to walk again. But his days as a martial artist were over. He'd need to find a new life for himself if this end of the world situation was ever dealt with. That he'd have to sit on the sidelines and watch as his friends undoubtedly charged in to the danger only made it worse. Hot bitterness bubbled in his stomach as it always did. Why did all of this have to happen to him?
The crunching boots in the snow told him that someone was coming. The languished stride gave it away as Irvine. It was the slight shuffle of the feet that marked the cowboy. SeeDs always moved with a deliberate grace, each foot placed in front of the other for a purpose. But not Irvine. He had always had a carefree confidence about him that Zell had always admired, but now it only annoyed him.
"What do you want, Irvine?" Zell asked shortly. He knew they'd come to some sort of truce in the moment, but it didn't stop him from being resentful of his one time best friend.
The steps came to a halt. "Zell…" His name, said with so much compassion and hesitation ripped a hole in his heart. He knew what it meant. Selphie had finally given in to her feelings and wasn't going to let guilt stand in her way of happiness any longer.
"You'll take care of her, won't you?" Zell breathed out, his eyes squeezing shut to hold back his inner anguish. "You'll guarantee that she's always kept safe, no matter what?"
Irvine stood to one side of the wheelchair, looking down at the shadow of his friend. Gaunt, hair limp, the impressive start of a beard covering his cheeks and chin. "Tell me not to," he implored. "Tell me not to marry Selphie and I won't do it. All you have to do is ask. You've shared a real relationship with her a whole lot longer than I ever did, so you have that right, man. So tell me not to."
Zell pressed his face into his hands, his body limp within the chair. "What kind of man would that make me? I've seen it since we came back to Balamb. She loves you. She always has. Who am I to stand in between the two of you anymore? It never should have been me and Selphie."
Irvine reached out, laying a hand on Zell's shoulder. "You had every right to love her, Zell. And you have every right to tell me to walk away now. If I'd been man enough, I wouldn't have let her leave for Trabia with you in the first place. I should have gone. I should have fought for her. I should have done something instead of tucking my tail between my legs and running away for so many years. But I'm trying to be the man she deserves now, because she's everything to me."
"Just promise me that you'll love her and will stand by her and I'll give you my blessing," Zell mumbled from his hands. "I have nothing left to offer her, so I want her to be happy with the man she's wanted since she was a little kid. I just need to know that she'll be loved."
"She'll be loved," Irvine promised. "And cherished. Always."
Seifer prowled the camp, feeling on edge. He couldn't explain where the unease was coming from, but it had been with him for several hours now. Maybe it was just the knowledge that Quistis had chosen another to be her knight, but it really didn't explain it since he'd encouraged Irvine to do it.
What ails you so? The voice purred in his head. He could feel cold fingers sliding through his mind, stroking at old memories of a time when he'd been a knight. He could hear the cheers in his head from when he'd stood on a parade float, gunblade flashing as light bounced off of the cold steel. He had been strong then. A powerful warrior with no equal. That had been when he had been the loyal protector of a powerful sorceress. But those days were gone now.
You could be that champion again, the voice murmured. You could be unstoppable with the full power of the Red behind you.
Seifer shook his head, trying to clear the thoughts of standing triumphantly over Squall, the sharp edge of Hyperion resting against the SeeD Commander's throat. It had been years since he had thought of Squall as a rival he needed to defeat at all costs. They argued and would always prick at each other, but the dark haired man was his friend, his brother. Their shared childhood at the orphanage was a binding force that had kept all of them together, even when separated on opposite sides of the world.
Come to me, my knight. The voice was soft with seduction, thrumming with a power his body ached for. Perhaps it was the residual Red power that still lived within Seifer that reached out for its magical source, but the craving to find the mysterious voice in his head was almost overwhelming. What was the difference? He'd been hearing this voice, and ignoring it since Rasha's rise. So why was it so irresistible now?
Seifer's hand balled into a fist as he shook his head. "No," he muttered to himself. "I won't go back to that. I won't be that man again." Instead, he tried to turn his thoughts to Quistis. Her calming presence, her gentle smile. He tried to summon every image of her - from when she was his instructor and lectured in front of the class, to her wild and powerful in battle, wisps of golden hair flying free as she swung her whip with powerful strikes. He even thought back to those treasured memories of them laying in bed together, her lean form molded against his body, her hair loosely draped over a pillow.
But the power within him twisted and writhed against his attempts, tarnishing his memories just by touching on them. Seifer's breathing began to grow heavier as he fought against the dark images flashing in his mind. Of Quistis' sharp words as she berated him in class to the pain of her casting her magic on him when they had been enemies. He clung to what was good of their relationship, of their happy moments.
Instead, the power pushed back, dragging to the forefront an image of Quistis standing amidst wreckage and snow, her cheeks flushed. "Will you be my knight?" her voice had been sharp with sarcasm and anger but still filled with a certain hope and longing. He could still hear his own denial in it. Not because he didn't want to protect her with his life but instead because of his fear that he could never be what she wanted him to be. Because he carried a tainted power within him that could be used to hurt her.
Why do you fight it, my knight? The voice asked. You know that you are not meant to be with her. The power within you draws you to me. Come to me. Take your place at my side. Fulfill your destiny.
"No!" Seifer growled angrily, punching his fist into a wall.
"Seifer?" Quistis voice sent a calming wave through him, settling the turmoil of emotions, even as fear overtook everything else.
"Stay away from me, Quistis," he warned, holding a hand out in supplication.
He wasn't sure how it happened but a Fire spell bloomed in the palm of his hand without his even summoning it. Without having any say in the matter, his arm swung forward, casting the spell at Quistis with a strong punch of the Red magic behind it.
Automatically, Quistis cast Haste on herself as she leapt back. But she realized too late that the spell wasn't aimed directly at her. It whizzed past her, striking the medical hut with full force, causing a large explosion on the Eastern side.
"Wh… What in the Gods' name are you doing?" Quistis shouted, her hand sliding down to the handle of her whip and uncoiling it from her belt with a quick snap of her wrist. With another snap, the sharp barbs went sailing at Seifer's face but he was all too familiar with her attack sequence to be caught off guard. Hyperion shot up to block the attack as he sent another Fire spell hurtling at the medical hut.
"Seifer… stop!" Quistis begged. She could hear the cries of those all around coming from every direction to try and put the fire out.
Facing the former knight directly, she saw his eyes shift from their normal dark jade to a glowing red. "You've lost, Blue," Seifer's voice taunted. His face was stricken as he met Quistis' gaze, even as he smirked. He spoke a series of words in an unknown tongue before he disappeared into a cloud of smoke.
Quistis stared at Seifer's lingering footprints, unable to completely comprehend what had happened before she finally registered her name being shouted. Spinning around, she ran toward the medical hut, summoning her power. "WATER!" she shouted as she cast a string of Water spells, aiming them at the fire. They only made the fire sizzle in its heat.
"Quistis!" Irvine shouted, arriving from the west, Selphie in tow. He'd shed his jacket and hat and the edges of his shirt were singed with burns. "Everyone's out but we've got some badly wounded people. We need to get the fire out or else the entire camp could go up."
"Normal spells aren't working on it," Quistis replied a bit desperately. "Where's Quara?"
"Quis… she was in the hut when it got hit," Selphie said sympathetically. "We've got people with her but she was really badly burned."
"Damn it all," Quistis swore hotly. "Okay, paramagic isn't working. Maybe sorceress magic will." She ground her teeth together, trying to calm her mind as she'd been instructed, feeling for the source of magic within her.
Reaching out, she muttered, "Irvine…" and the cowboy immediately took her hand, squeezing reassuringly.
"Ground your power through me," Irvine whispered encouragingly. "Use me to control it within you."
Taking a deep breath, Quistis turned inward, feeling the staccato beat of her magic spinning within her. From her grip on Irvine's hand, she could feel his heartbeat, calm and reassuring. Pushing her will against the wild power, she forced it to begin a rhythm in tune with Irvine's heartbeat, slowing it to her desires. Reaching her free hand outward, she used the magic to summon a raining sheet of water over the hut, snuffing out the flames that had resisted her paramagic so easily
.
"Bring me the wounded," Quistis ordered, never releasing her grip on Irvine's hand, never releasing her concentration on holding the steady beat of her power as it matched her knight.
Burned bodies were brought before her, some with manageable wounds while others looked far worse and were almost unrecognizable. One by one, Quistis was able to cure them all. Scars remained but the lives were saved as melted flesh was slowly mended back together under the strength of her magic.
In total, Quistis healed only six but it had felt more like sixty. Her skin was ghostly white with dark circles under her dim blue eyes. When the final healing was done, Irvine immediately picked her up to deposit her into a warm bed where she could sleep to try and recover some of her vitality.
Watching from just outside of the room, Selphie shook her head. "Why did it take so much out of her?" she asked quietly.
"Quistis uses the magic within her, which saps her vitality with each spell," Irvine explained quietly as he gently tucked a blanket around her. "When we draw or refine paramagic, we retain the essence of the spell within our bodies that is then used when we summon the magic. Sorceress magic relies on the host's body for power, though because of the power within her, she has a deeper well to draw from."
Selphie's eyes were wide. It made sense. Afterall, she was a primary paramagic user herself so she had studied the the theory for years. The idea of summoning power using her own energy as a source seemed impossible. There were days when she'd been an active SeeD when she'd needed to do some heavy casting and it had left her exhausted. Her admiration for Quistis could only grow, even amidst her hidden jealousy.
"How did you learn so much about sorceresses, Irvy?" Selphie asked, cocking her head to the side. Her short brown hair swung with the movement, brushing over her cheek.
"I've been spending a lot of time with Quara since the Ragnarok crashed," Irvine explained, looking back at Selphie with a gentle smile. "Quistis needed help running base operations and she already relies on Quara for a lot of other things so we got pushed together a lot. I started asking her questions to better understand what Quisty was going through and she was willing to talk about it." He shrugged slightly. "I wanted to help Quistis in whatever way I could so we could all get home safely."
Selphie nodded slowly, smiling as Irvine finally left Quistis' side to come stand with her, running his fingers through her hair as the heel of his hand brushed her cheek. Their closeness warmed her heart and she knew she'd made the right decision. Despite all of her time with Zell, Irvine was the man she was meant to be with.
"What happened to Seifer?" Selphie asked in a soft voice. Her eyes drifted back to Quistis, wondering how the other woman was handling his betrayal.
Irvine just shook his head, pulling Selphie in for a hug. "I don't know, Sefie," he replied. "Before today, I would have said that nothing could have made him turn away from Quistis or betray her, but now…? He almost killed Quara. Without Quistis being able to tap in to her power, she would have died from her wounds. I don't know if that's something she'll be able to forgive."
Quistis sat a bedside vigil next to Quara all through the night, not only to keep watch in case she took a turn for the worse, but also to protect her mother. She had no doubt that the sudden attack on the medical hut was an attempt to end Quara's life. Now that she had a knight, Quistis would be a very real threat if her training was allowed to continue and Rasha had proven that she would try and avoid any fight where she did not have the upper hand. But now Rasha had the upper hand. She had Seifer.
'Quistis?" Xu came out of the shadows to rest a hand on her friend's shoulder. The Balamb Lieutenant had just been released from the Medical Hut hours before the attack and had somehow managed to stay safe from the attack.
Turning to look up at Xu, the older woman could see the tears in Quistis' eyes. During the entire debacle, she had stayed strong, proving herself to be a natural leader amidst a crisis, but in the safety of night, she had let down her guard enough to grieve.
"Why would he do it, Xu?" Quistis whispered. "I was certain that Seifer wouldn't betray me. I was sure that he lo... " Her words faded. Speaking her thoughts aloud would only make it hurt worse. "I thought that he had changed from what he once was."
Xu hesitated to answer. She had no real love for Seifer Almasy but she'd also been fairly confident that the man was loyal to Quistis and wouldn't do anything to deliberately cause her harm. "I've got no answers for you, Quis…" she finally spoke. "I'll be damned if I understand any of what you're caught up in but that was not the Seifer Almasy I knew. If nothing else, the bastard would never run from a fight."
Quistis smiled very slightly, but it didn't take the sadness from her eyes. "Maybe so, but if that wasn't Seifer, then what was it? The spells he cast didn't feel right. It wasn't his normal paramagic and it didn't feel like when he was a knight for Ultimecia. It felt… more potent."
"We'll just have to wait and see, Quistis," Xu said. "For now, you can't linger on it. You need to focus on the bigger picture of keeping these people alive and fighting Rasha off. Focus on that, and everything else will just work itself out."
With no light to welcome the dawn, it was always difficult to follow the passing of days but that particular morning felt different. Quistis awoke from her bedside watch over Quara to a sensation of chills running down her first fear was a change in condition for her mother but the older woman remained in a coma-like state, her breathing steady but no sign of her waking up. Her wounds had been so severe that even with Quistis' sorceress powers, it had been touch and go. Her body had used up all of its excess vitality just fighting to stay alive.
Irvine? Quistis called to her knight. She could feel his confusion and befuddlement, meaning he'd been fast asleep.
What's wrong, Quisty? Was his slow, but concerned reply.
Meet me in the briefing room, Quistis requested. After a pause, she added, Bring Selphie if she's awake.
After receiving an acknowledgment, Quistis checked Quara one more time before leaving the impromptu medical hut and heading for the stairs to the briefing room's high perch to get a better view of the surrounding area. Nothing seemed to break the pale white snow's soft glow in the darkness, but her unease didn't falter.
She heard the pounding of feet running up the stairs and turned to wait for Irvine and Selphie, both of whom looked sleep deprived and groggy.
"I'm sorry for waking you up so early," Quistis apologized. "But something is wrong."
"Is it Rasha?" Selphie piped up.
"My gut says yes, but I can't really say anything else beyond that," Quistis replied. "Maybe I'm just feeling overrought after yesterday but... " She bit her lip. "I want everyone awake and ready for an attack. Get the wounded up here to high ground so it's a more easily defendable position."
"Sounds more like a last stand than a fair fight," Irvine muttered, meeting Quistis' eyes. The sorrow answered his question. "Quistis… you need to stay alive, no matter what," he warned. "You can't risk your life in a hopeless situation or else then what?" He felt around for Selphie's hand, hanging on to her slender digits as if that was all it would take to keep her safe.
"I'm tired of being told that my life is more important than anyone else's, Irvine," Quistis growled. "If I lived but everyone else died, what would I do then? There's always the chance that my being here is what could keep all of you alive."
"But your life is more important, Quistis," Selphie said firmly. There was a seriousness to her voice that normally didn't exist in the young woman. "If you take stupid risks or put your life below that of everyone else, what do we do then? How do we fight a being so powerful that none of us actually stand a chance? These are the cards we've been dealt. Now we need to deal with it. If things go downhill, you and Irvine have to leave us. For the good of the world."
Quistis just stared at Selphie in surprise. "I… Selph, I…"
Selphie reached out and gripped Quistis' hands tightly. "If you have to, you need to take Irvine and go. Don't let our deaths be in vain."
"Selph, you're not gonna die…" Irvine tried to intervene but was ignored.
Quistis stared hard in to her friend's eyes before nodding. "But only if we have to," she promised. "And not a minute before."
The two women smiled at each other in a moment of true understanding of what each had to confront. Selphie would face death if it meant getting the two out alive for the survival of mankind. Quistis would face the hard choice of leaving behind her comrades and friends to focus on the larger picture of protecting the world from Rasha. As a lifelong soldier, leaving them behind would be the hardest choice she'd faced and go against all of the training that had been ingrained into her.
"Get everyone ready," Quistis whispered, breaking the silence. "I want to give us the best chance of everyone surviving this."
"Anything yet?" Zell asked. He'd demanded a watch duty. He might not be able to walk but he could still see, had been his argument. Unwilling to deny him, Quistis had agreed to stand watch with him.
Making use of her keen eyesight, she scanned the dark sky for any sign of attack. In the distance, she could see a smudge on the horizon.
"There," Quistis finally said, pointing. "Something is coming."
There were no need for words. Zell wheeled himself back into the command center to begin their preparations while Quistis kept her chilling vigil outside, watching the smudge slowly begin to take shape in the distance. The distinct forms of individual monsters made up the horde, some lower level throw away mobs like bite bugs while others were high level varieties that normally required concentrated parties of SeeDs to take down. While Quistis knew they had the talent in their midst, what they were sorely lacking were their resources of potions, phoenix downs and magic.
All Quistis could do was watch as they came closer and closer. Their strategies had been put in place and were ready to be deployed at her signal. If wouldn't be easy, but perhaps with their training, they could prevail.
Once the horde drew close enough, Quistis could count roughly one hundred monsters, all native to the Trabian wastelands. It chilled her blood to see dozens of Ruby Dragons flying above. Without the aid of her friends, she did not feel the confidence she had to exude to keep everyone else calm and focused on the task at hand. And then Irvine was by her side, Selphie on the other. She still had some friends with her, and it would just have to be enough.
"Remember, Quisty, you can't overuse your magic today," Irvine said quietly. "You need to save your strength, just in case."
Quistis nodded reluctantly. "Bring up the casters," she ordered. Looking to her right, she smiled at Selphie. "They're in your hands, Selph. Remember to keep your distance and don't let anyone overcast. None of them will be at your skill level so you'll need to pace them."
The little brunette nodded with a tight smile. "Stay safe, Quisty," she whispered in an anxious squeak. "We're all counting on you." And then she took to the stairs, running down to take her position on the far wall.
Looking behind her, Quistis took a breath. "Xu," she called. "Assemble the physical damage dealers on the Eastern side. They'll need to slow the brunt and keep them bottlenecking. We can't let the monsters overflow inside the compound. Have the close rangers take out the weaker mobs while you keep your long range dealers focused on the harder hitting monsters."
Xu nodded and offered a silent salute as she took her SeeDs and departed. The older woman's face was pale. Even the hardcore professionals knew what they were doing and what the end result would likely be.
Left alone on the second level, Quistis squeezed Irvine's hand. "Irvine, I need you to provide support to the physical damage dealers," she said. "You're one of the strongest here and Exeter can blow a hole through almost anything. I promise that I'll watch over Selphie and ensure nothing happens to her."
The conflict was written over his face. He knew he needed to follow Quistis' orders but it killed him to leave Selphie alone amidst a dangerous conflict. "Keep her and yourself safe, Quis," was all Irvine could say before he trailed after Xu and her team.
The pieces were set and now all that was left was to engage in a deadly game of strategy against a madwoman and a man who knew her every secret. Quistis was deliberately staying out of the fight unless she was absolutely needed, watching over the injured to ensure no harm came to them. For now, all she could do was watch.
The walls shook as a scarred Ruby Dragon reared up on his hind legs to smash at the walls, unleashing a deadly Breath attack that left the sides charred but still standing. The skies lit up briefly from the flash in the attack, allowing everyone to see the full horde and just what was coming in their direction.
Fear spiked from the small group. Realistically, they knew they had no chance. But they would fight to the very last man, if that is what it took. "For SeeD!" shouted someone. "For the Blue!" came another. "Quistis!" It was a chant that was slowly taken up by everyone. They chanted her name like she was some hero or god who could find a way to save them. And all she could do was try and keep the tears at bay. How could she live up to their blind faith in her? How could she save their lives?
"Open it up!" Quistis finally shouted and one small partition of their wall dropped, giving a small opening for monsters to pour through. It was a calculated risk, allowing for them to concentrate their efforts in one area instead of having to guess and spread themselves thin. As the first monster threw its body through the hole, they were immediately burned down by a wave of projectiles from their long range users. Bullets, arrows, javelins, and blades all rained down, piercing through the hard hides of each beast that came at them with a Red haze clouding their eyes. As the larger mobs seethed through the hole, concentrated magic attacks were cast in quick succession, using the powerful bursts to force their enemy back but trying to ration their spells as best they could.
The monsters died. So many fell and were left to be trampled over by the rest of the horde, but the numbers never seemed to ease up. There was never a pause or a chance for someone to take a calm breath. But Quistis just watched from on high, gritting her teeth as she longed to leap into the fray, but knew that she couldn't. Her team was holding the wave of monsters back, so even though they were hard pressed, they were doing their jobs.
The wild shrieks of Ruby Dragons had everyone looking upward as dark forms cast shadows in the lit center of base.
"Casters on the Ruby Dragons!" came Selphie's loud shout.
"Switch junctions and fire," Irvine was screaming on the other side.
"Melee, plug the hole," Xu commanded as she leapt down into the fray with her SeeDs right behind her. With two thirds of the fire power's attention now focused on the more imminent threat, they couldn't afford to let any other monsters trickle in or it would soon become a cascade and they would all die.
Their strongest magic was being thrown at the flock of Dragons alighting all around the open space. One settled on top of the burnt out remains of the medical hut and trumpeted its anger so loudly that the air vibrated with its rage. Meteors, Holys, Ultimas, Flares all flashed brightly with each cast but they were rare spells to begin with and always in short supply. They would run out too quickly if they kept their casting pace up.
With no other choice, Quistis stepped forward, reaching out to her connection with Irvine for support as she cast Protect and Shell on everyone, adding an extra layer of defense while her attention was focused elsewhere. She took a deep breath and with a running leap, jumped off the observation area. Instead of falling into the fray below, two shimmering white wings sprouted from her back and she was lifted high above the encampment. Her arms folded over her breast, Quistis summoned her sorceress power, pairing it with her own Blue Magic for the most devastating effect.
"Ray Bomb," she cried, letting the complicated and dangerous spell overtake her. It left barely anything but charred bones of two of the Ruby Dragons but only moderately damaged the remaining four.
Pulling the spells from her heart, Quistis began casting Ultimas and Holys from her high position, refraining from any further devastating attacks as she could feel the drain on her own body. But the shields she had created were wearing down and she was forced to watch in horror as an angry Ruby Dragon snaked its long neck out and reared up on its hind legs to snatch one of the Casters, sinking its sharp teeth into the tender flesh of a human.
The cries tore through Quistis and she lifted her hand out, tears blurring her vision. From far below, she could hear Irvine shout out, "No!" but she didn't care. All she could see were her people dying. Her friends. Her comrades. People that had put their faith in her to protect them. Slowly but surely, they were dying under the pressure of monsters, from trusting in the wrong woman. She could have no more of it.
"Shockwave Pulsar!" she cast, throwing her sorceress powers behind the already destructive attack. The world seemed to stop as every monster attacking was lifted up to the strong gravitational pull of her spell, clustering and squeezing them all together. With a flick of her wrist, monsters went careening down to the ground, destroying the buildings and their walls in the process. The aftershock even sent her team sprawling in the snow, knocking some of them out and causing injuries to all.
Roughly seventy-five percent of the monsters were destroyed in her single attack, leaving only the strongest and largest behind but with heavy injuries.
Exhausted and heartsick, Quistis could feel her world going dark as her power faded back to a dull glow within her instead of the bright fire that had met Rasha's attack head on. With nothing left to pull from, her glowing wings disappeared and she went careening toward the ground.
No one had the strength to stop her careening descent. Even as the Trabian team struggled to find a single Float spell amongst any of them to slow her fall, they all watched a single figure appear from the darkness. The flash of a fluffy white collar and glowing blue blade were all they could see of the blurred shape, moving under the aid of Haste. He catapulted himself off the ruined peak of a wall, throwing himself through the air to snatch the falling sorceress before she hit the ground.
Quistis' blue eyes opened slowly when she realized she was being held against a strong, muscled chest, tears still leaking slowly down her cheeks. They met a pair of stormy blue eyes that held restrained affection and annoyance in equal parts.
"Hello, Quistis," was the quiet murmuring rumble, a voice that sent her heart soaring.
"Squall…" she whispered happily as she surrendered herself to unconsciousness. Everything could be alright now. Her brother had come to take her home.
