Chapter Ten
"Thanks for coming
everyone."
Andria glanced to see if
everyone was there, yes they were.
"…I learned a few minutes
ago that very soon the final battle will begin and Leraikhe will be attacking
here, because … well he wants me."
Confusion lay on almost
everyone's faces, except Squall's. Naturally Sati would have told him
everything, apart from what Sati had just told her.
Andria thought it was best
not to tell them.
Rinoa brought her out of
her thoughts.
"Why?"
"… Huh? …Oh, right. There
is an ancient legend about monsters walked this world long ago. There was a
struggle between good and evil, until good conquered and the dark angels and
their master hid away under the earth, waiting until they were risen up again.
It has been millennia since they last walked here and only their spirits remain
now. They need a lot of energy to revitalize them. Mine and Leraikhe's blood
sacrificed will give them all the energy they need to rise up."
"How do we stop them,"
Rinoa asked.
"We don't let the ritual take
place, once it has, they can't be stopped, they will destroy everything."
"So what do we do,"
Quistis said, her cold blue eyes levelled at Andria.
Andria wished at that
point that she could swap places with Quistis, asking the questions, not answering
them, there were no answers, no roads to take, no choices left to make.
No, there was always a
choice, that was what Father Enki had always told her, but he was dead now, he
could not help her.
She was alone again, a
child running through the forest, running from the beast that would now finally
catch her.
"… I won't lie to you
Quistis; there are no real answers. We can't make the first move in this
battle, we have to wait and prepare."
"So were just gonna sit
here on our butts doin' nothing and let them come to us," burst out Seifer,
yelling with anger.
"No," Andria said slowly,
"when they come, we are gonna battle them. That's all we can do. The ceremony
must take place tonight, or it won't happen for another thousand years. This is
our only chance."
*****
"Are you sure he'll come Andria," Vincent asked.
The sun had set over an
hour ago. They had spent most of the day preparing the Garden for a war.
All of the students and
Junior Class men had been evacuated into Galbadia Garden. Only the SeeD's were
left, hiding around the Garden, waiting for something to slip into the Garden
and attack them.
Vincent and Andria were
hiding on the second floor.
"…He'll come, I know it.
Hey Vincent," Vincent turned to look at Andria, "in case one of us doesn't make
it… thanks for sticking by me. You've always been my best friend and you've
helped me through so much… I…"
Vincent shushed her. She
didn't have to say anything; he knew she was thanking him.
Andria thought she
suddenly heard a noise. She stopped moving and listened. Vincent was sure he
couldn't hear her breathing and he looked to see if she was still alive.
"Why-." "Shhh," she
whispered very quietly. Andria knew Vincent couldn't hear the footsteps coming
along the corridor.
When they got closer,
Vincent heard them too.
Andria saw Leraikhe come
out of the darkness; he was alone.
"Why have you an Army when
I am alone, do you not trust me." He was playing games and she knew it.
"You can't take me by
yourself Leraikhe, not anymore. I will fight. If I fight you can't win alone."
"On the contrary," he
said, "what makes you think I will fight you."
Beside her Vincent growled
and he pointed the crossbow levelly at Leraikhe's chest.
Andria walked in front of
the crossbow; she didn't want Vincent to attack Leraikhe.
"Why do you want the
ritual to go ahead Leraikhe, you will die if it does."
Leraikhe laughed hollowly,
"my life must be sacrificed for the higher powers Andria, I am willing to give
it up."
"But is that Leraikhe my
brother speaking or the demon who is controlling him."
Andria waited to see what
he would say to that.
"Either way it doesn't
matter," he said, "I am in control of this body so therefore it is my choice."
Arrows struck both Andria and Vincent; there was poison on the tip. They fell
straight away; the poison was fast to work.
"Sleep tight," whispered
Leraikhe to Vincent, and then he picked up Andria's comatose body and walked
away, the two vampires following him.
*****
"What do you mean she's gone?" Sia yelled so loudly that Vincent thought his
head would explode. He still had a headache. The poison wasn't lethal, it was
just meant to put him out for a while.
When they had found him
Andria was gone, taken by Leraikhe.
"Sia, shut up," moaned
Vincent, "Squall, you're in charge, what now?"
Squall glared; suddenly he
was the leader again. It wasn't fair; he didn't have a clue what to do. When
Andria had come he was no longer in charge, she had taken over and he could see
why. She knew what she was doing. Squall was out of his league.
Finally he answered, "…We
have to find her and stop the ritual before it starts."
"Great," said Seifer
sarcastically, "so, o brilliant leader, how are you planning on doing that in
the few hours that we have."
Squall considered it for a
moment, Seifer was right. Then Squall hit on an idea. "…I'll be back soon."
*****
"Sati, Sati," Squall shouted out on the balcony.
He had to go to a place
where he could talk to Sati alone for a few moments.
"I don't know exactly
where she is Squall." Sati appeared in front of him, she had anticipated his
question.
Squall was no longer in
the mood for playing games, "…tell me where you think she is then."
Squall spat out the
words, he had to know now.
"Why are you in such a
rush Squall, are you afraid she might get hurt. The ritual cannot be the only
reason. There must be some feelings that you have for her somewhere."
"I'm sick of these games
Sati, where is she."
Squall grabbed her arm and
held in a vice grip. He squeezed hard; Sati was obviously uncomfortable.
"The… the ritual must be
performed at a certain place at the right time. I think it's at the Centra
ruins. You should find her there."
Squall let go of her arm
and walked away. "Squall," Sati called after him, but he didn't stop.
"Good luck," she whispered
after him.
