Duelist of Dawn: Hurray! I'm here the final chapter! I know I said maybe two chapters but I decided just to get it all out right here and now, baby!

Ron: Especially, since whom I'm fighting in the near end of this chapter!

Duelist of Dawn: Yeah, I'm hoping this boss fight will be the cherry on top to finish this chapter and hope to impress my readers who love my fights.

Ron: From what I hear, Katherine the Black Rose very much likes them, don't disappoint now!

Duelist of Dawn: Thanks for the vote of confidence. Just get out the disclaimer and let's get to the festivities.

Ron: The Duelist of Dawn doesn't own Final Fantasy 9, just me, because I am him in story form!

Duelist of Dawn: Which begs the question: how are you gonna face you-know-who?

Ron: Just wait and see!

Duelist of Dawn: Start the final Chapter!

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Final: Chapter 12

The Realm of Eternal Rain: Burmecia

After our run in with Master Gizamaluke, we left the grotto and proceeded north to Burmecia. Hopefully, we can stop the enemy there and free up Freya's birthplace. Our clothes were still wet from being from being trapped in a watery magic prison and being crushed by its pressure. As we walked towards Burmecia, Vivi started a conversation.

"Why don't we dry off our clothes?" He asked. "We'll catch a cold staying like this."

"There's no need, Vivi." Freya said. "The lands around Burmecia are always surrounded by rainclouds."

"Is that why it's called the Realm of Eternal Rain?" I asked.

"That's correct." Freya stated.

"Oh, well maybe after we take down Brahne and her army, we can dry off near a fire somewhere." Zidane inquired.

"Is good idea." Quina said.

Afterwards, we passed over to a nearby arch gate. It seemed okay, but I still had bad vibes around it and it was voiced by Freya.

"The smell of fire... And blood!" She said. Being a rat, she had heightened senses. "There must have been a huge battle on the other side of that gate..."

"Something smell bad. I get bad feeling!" Quina said being rarely serious. Then she saw a flower nearby and walked over to it. "Flower smell good!" She then picks up the flower. "You smell flower!"

"Quina does whatever she feels like doing." Freya noted. "I must learn from her ways."

"I don't think it's intentional, Freya." Zidane said.

"Yeah, you know all she really has on the brain is food." I added.

"No, if I had done as I pleased, I would've been..." Freya said nut was cut off by Vivi.

"Quina, don't--"He saw Quina eat the flowere she held.

"Zidane, this flower taste good!" Quina said, licking her face.

"See what I mean?" Zidane said to Freya.

"But still..." Freya wanted to say something but let it go; there were more problems to be dealt with first. "Let's go! Burmecia is just ahead!" She raced to the gates of Burmecia with rest of us on her tail. Soon, we ran into the moderate rain shower that surrounded Burmecia, we made it. Freya held back a bit as the rest of us looked over the broken and battered gates.

"So...this is Freya's home..." Zidane said after a slight silence. He then turned to Freya who was way behind us now. "What are you doing? Get over here."

Freya walked over to the gates and knelt down in front of them in respect for her land. "It's been five years... I've been away for so long. Not a night went by when I didn't dream about home. I can't believe I'm here... I am no longer the selfish child I was five years ago. The time has come for me to serve my kingdom as a Burmecian dragon knight once again!" She rose up with renewed vigor and inner strength from the sight of her aura.

"I'll do what I can to help!" Zidane yelled.

"Me, too!" Vivi added

"I help, too!" Quina said.

"And me!" I said. "Let's go."

We all run off into the city, but Freya lingers and I hold back to listen to her.

"What can I do for my kingdom?" She ponders and shakes her head. "This is not the time."

"Don't worry, we'll stop this slaughter." I told her in a reassuring tone.

"You're right, thank you, Ron." She said as we walked in the gates and into the city. Looking around, I couldn't see why any kingdom would have their place around an area that always rains. Maybe in the past, it served as how Burmecian dragon knights could work out as the rain would cause them all to have colds. Now see this place, it was like a cloud of sorrow; the people here were being stuck down for no reason whatsoever.

"This is so wrong." I muttered, the ground was littered with the dead bodies of Burmecian knights AND civilians, men, women and children alike. "No one deserves this senseless slaughter." We continue to walk along the path as we seen the residential part off the kingdom. The bad news kept on coming as Zorn and Thorn appear on two balconies, looking down at us.

"It is them again!" Zorn said.

"Most persistant, they are!" Thorn added.

"BLACK MAGES!" They shouted as they left the balcony and two Black Mages appear in their places.

"KILL!" They shouted and jumped down to battle us.

Zidane and I quickly strike down the foes as we jumped up to meet then in mid-air and cut them. As the mages fell to the ground, Vivi quickly used blizzard to hold them down and Freya and Quina quickly stabbed them with their spear and giant fork.

The jesters were outraged at this.

"The general will punish you for this!" Zorn threatened us.

"Yes! Very scary, it is, when the general gets mad!" Thorn said as he maniacally grinned at the thought of us being brought down. They soon run back inside the apartment they commandeered.

"Oh no you don't!" I yelled as I bust through the door and ran upstairs in an effort to find the two jesters. "Damn!" I check the balconies they were both on and jumped into the next room and I was shocked at what I found. "Guys, get in here!"

Freya was quicker as she jumped on the balcony from her point on the ground. Everyone else took the stairs and hopped the balcony like I did. They saw the sight I saw: a hole inside a bedroom, probably how those two escaped, but that was the least of our problems; A dying Burmecian soldier was sitting near the bed, he didn't have much time.

"The bell...by the bed...use it...open gates..." Those were finally words before Death took him.

"Vivi, get the bell." I said, as he got under the bed and grabbed a bell similar to what we've seen at Gizamaluke's Grotto. But this bell was gray-colored.

"Do you know where this gate is, Freya?" Zidane asked her.

Freya thought for a few minutes before taking the bell from Vivi and ran out the balcony. We followed her trail to the eastern plaza and found a huge gray gate with a bell on the top of its arch. Freya rang the bell causing the bell on the gate to ring and open the gate. We all walked up the flight of stairs, ready to take on all comers.

"Zidane..." We all stopped as Freya spoke and looked down on the stairs. "Burmecia's royal palace is beyond these steps. It

must be in ruins, just like everything else. I can't bear to see it like that..."

"I understand, but we can't go back now. We have to find out who's behind this." Zidane said.

"Yeah, we have to keep going and find your King!" I added.

"...I wanna find out who those guys were...and why I look like them." Vivi said, referring to the black mages and he was shaking when said it. I held him by the shoulders to calm him.

"Look, Vivi's scared, too. But we have to face reality." Zidane pointed out.

"Come on, Freya. It'll be okay..." Vivi said trying to encourage Freya. She walked up to him and kneeled down to face him.

"Vivi..." She said in a soft tone. "Do you really know what you're doing? The answer you seek may forever change your life for the worse."

Vivi now was pondering that before continuing to speak. "Um...... Y-Yeah... But... But I have to... I have to find out who I am... I'm scared... What if I'm not even human...?"

"Vivi..." I muttered.

"What you talking about?" Quina jumped in. "I not human, but you definitely human!" Suddenly, we heard footsteps approaching from the top of the stairs.

"Someone's coming!" Zidane shouted as he and I got ready to fight. We see a Burmecian soldier with woman and two children run down the stairs, stopping right in front of us. The soldier drew his lance.

"Who are you!?" He said in hostility. "Are you in league with the black mages!?"

"No!" Zidane quickly answered.

"You're lying!" the soldier retorted as he pointed to Vivi. "There's a black mage right behind you!"

"No! I didn't do anything! I would never hurt anyone!" Vivi said shouting from behind me.

"Lies!" The soldier said.

"He's telling the truth!" Freya stepped in and walked over to the soldier.

"...Freya!?" The soldier gasped.

"It's good to see you, Dan." Freya said calmly.

"Damn, I haven't seen you in years. Where've you been!?" Dan questioned but dismissed it quickly. "Actually, this isn't the best time to talk! We've gotta get out of here fast. There are black mages swarming all over the place. What are you waiting for!?"

"Where is the king?" Freya asked.

"I don't know. I didn't see him in the palace." Dan answered to Freya's dismay. "Well, I'm going. I have my own family to worry about. Freya, forget about the king and get out of here! We're no match for those black mages!" He then leads family out of the city.

"I will protect my home and my king at any cost." She says as she looks up the stairs. "Let's go to the palace." We ran up the stairs and into a structure. Inside we see a wounded soldier and his pregnant wife speaking to each other near a statue.

"Come on, dear! We have to go now!" The wife pleaded her husband who had a broken leg.

"I can't move anymore." He stated. "Wei, Go on without me..."

"No! I can't do that, Kal!" Wei cried. "Remember that promise we made each other in front of Master Gizamaluke?"

Kal gave a smile to his wife. "How could I forget... But my only wish now is for you and our child to survive. Please bear a healthy child, darling. Raise him to be strong."

"Oh, Kal!" Wei said as Zidane and I ran to them.

"It's too dangerous to stay here." Zidane told the couple. "You have to escape to Lindblum. I'm sure Regent Cid will protect you."

"But my husband..." Wei pleaded. "He was hurt by those black mages. He can't move. How can we possibly escape to Lindblum!?"

Suddenly, the statue is shaking and about to collapse.

"LOOK OUT!" I shouted. I rush to the statue and hold it up as long as I can. "Zidane get him away!"

Zidane moved Kal to safety, as soon as they and Wei was away from danger, I tossed that statue away.

"Whew! That was close!" Zidane said looking at the broken statue.

"Geez... Thanks." Kal said in relief.

"Thank you." Wei said as she bowed to me and Zidane. Then another soldier showed up.

"Wei! Kal! Are you alright!?" He said while examining Kal's injury.

"Yeah Gray, we survived, somehow." Kal answered. "Can you give me a hand?

"Sure." Gray replied as he helped up Kal on his good foot.

Kal turned to Zidane and I. "Thanks again, pals. Maybe I'll see you again in Lindblum. By then, my kids'll be born. You two definitely have to come and see them."

"We are looking forward to it. Take care." Zidane said as we watch the three Burmecians leave the city. We met up with Freya, Vivi and Quina as we searched the interior of the structure. Inside we find a lone treasure chest.

"Come to papa!" Zidane said as he walked over to the chest.

'Wait, that chest wasn't there before.." I thought. "Zidane, no!" I ran over to him and held him back.

"Hey, what gives!" Zidane yells as he pushes me off his back.

"That chest was not there!" I said pointing to the chest. "That's were the couple was at before."

"You're right, but how'd it get here?" Freya wondered.

"I show you why." I said as I casually walked behind the chest.

"What you doing?" Quina asked me.

"Ron, what's going on?" Vivi asked.

"HIYA!" I side kicked the chest and it roared in my pain as it soared to the wall.

"What the Hell!?" Zidane shouted as he examined the hole.

"Ron, what did you do?" Freya asked and soon enough the chest climbed out of the hole showing off its true nature: there were green arms sprouting from sides and the lid had teeth on the edges. Finally, inside the chest were two angry eyes staring me down.

"It's a Mimic!" I said as the Mimic quickly crawled to me. I got ready move as it continued to crawl. As it got close enough, it launched itself to chomp me but I caught it by using my trench knives to lock his mouth. The thing was struggling to get away but the knife part was lodged in the mouth.

"Need assistance?" Freya asked readying her spear.

"By all means." I reply while holding the mimic down. We start to pummel that thing with punches and stabs until it stops moving. "Vivi, if you will?"

"Fire!" Vivi lights the mimic on fire and torches it.

"There's the exit!" Zidane said. We all leave through the building and come across an armory. Freya gains a new Mythril Spear and Vivi get a lightning staff. I felt the aura leaking from the two weapons; Vivi had learned to us the Thundara spell and Freya learned a healing art called Reis's Wind. Before leaving we met up with an old acquaintance from Alexandria.

"Hey it's Stiltzkin!" I see the gold armored moogle that left to journey, coming inside the armory, maybe to get out of the rain.

"You're guy with Kupo. Nice to see you again!" He replied. "But listen, I'm in a jam here."

"What's up?" I ask.

"I need some money to continue and I was interested if you buy some Ether, a Hi-Potion and a Soft for 333 gil?" Stiltzkin offered.

"Sure, here you go!" I said pulling out the desired amount and received the items offered.

"Thanks, this will get me by for a week or so!" He replied.

"Take care!" I said leaving out the armory with everyone else. We then walked up to the steps of a ransacked and broken palace.

"Geez, this is terrible..." Zidane wondered, and then turned to Freya who was on her knees in sorrow. "Freya, I'm sorry, but from the looks of this, I don't think the king made it. ......"

"I don't know what to tell you... We can only hope that the king and the others escaped." I added trying to give her hope, but she didn't respond.

"I don't think Dagger came here... I wonder where she went..." Zidane wondered. I wanted to say where, but I didn't want to stop her from her planning. "Vivi, Ron let's go see what's over there." He pointed near a tall statue.

Suddenly, Freya jumps up high and lands on a statue above and in the balcony of the castle.

"There's someone inside the palace!" She said in alert. "What are you waiting for? Get up here." She then walks into the palace.

"You make it sound so easy... I guess I'll start here. Come on." Zidane jumps from ledge to ledge to get up to meet Freya.

"I'm next." I follow Zidane's path and reach up to the ledge. "You guys coming?" I called to Vivi and Quina.

"Um...okay." Vivi jumps up on the first ledge but does a faceplant.

"Oh, man." I slap my forehead seeing that Vivi can't jump any further. "I'm gonna go on ahead. Try to find a way up here. I'll meet you up top." I looked to Quina. "Quina, help Vivi get in, okay?"

"I meet you after I eat food inside palace!" Quina replies which I groan to. I run in after Freya and Zidane. He finds her hiding behind a statue, watching a couple of people down below in the palace. One of them was Queen Brahne herself, fanning her self while grinning. The second was a blonde, beautiful female knight clad in sliver armor and red tights. She also had a silver eye patch covering one of her blue eyes and a powerful looking sword strapped to her hip.

I scanned their auras; Queen Brahne, weak no surprise. The female knight had a strong blue aura matching mine, and mine was powerful enough, she'll be tough to beat.

"Who are they?" Zidane whispered to Freya who had narrowed her eyes at the people below.

"I knew she was behind all this, Ron your assumption was correct." She said.

"What do you mean, you knew?" Zidane asked being out of the loop.

"I decided to return to Burmecia because I heard rumors that Brahne had set her sights on our kingdom." Freya explained.

"Then that girl standing next to her must be Beatrix, Alexandria's general." Zidane pointed to the female knight. Freya and I gasped.

"Beatrix!?" I said.

"You heard of her?" Zidane asked.

"Yeah, she's the reason while female knights are the dominate ones of Alexandria's army." I answered.

""That's Beatrix? The cold-blooded knight who shows no mercy. Beatrix..." Freya spaced out for a short while before whispering something to herself, "Fratley... You never came back... You've left me with nothing except rumors of your death. I couldn't believe it! I still won't believe it! Never. Not until I witness proof of your death with my own eyes. And I will travel forever across the world forever if I must..."

"Frately?" I asked shaking Freya from her thoughts.

"Huh?" She asked, turning her heads to Zidane and I.

"Are you alright?" Zidane asked.

"Yes. I was just thinking...about the past..."She replied.

"...You still can't get over him, huh?" Zidane asked her but was suddenly stopped by the presence of another person. "Who is that?"

I suddenly felt the strong aura enaminating from him. It felt so powerful. It was strong enough to reach me. He was an androgynous man in white and had silver hair. He walks towards Beatrix and Brahne as we eavesdrop on the conversation.

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(Down Below, Throne Room)

"I find this rain quite pleasant... I feel as though the raindrops are blessing our victory..." The silver-haired man said in a narcissistic tone.

"This is a great victory for us." Brahne replied as she turned to the man. "Kuja, your black mages made this conquest so simple. My only concern now is finding the king of Burmecia. We must take care of him once and for all, and prevent these rats from ever rising up again." She then turns to Beatrix. "Beatrix, what's taking so long!?"

"I don't know, Your Majesty" She replied. "I've ordered Zorn and Thorn to search the perimeter, but there's been no word so far. I will join them and lead the search right away."

"You're wasting your time." Kuja says, just as Beatrix was beginning to walk off.

"What?" She asked.

"Rats often look for new homes when they sense an earthquake." Kuja says. "They probably moved to the sandy tree house by now... So, you see, it's too late. The king has already turned tail and fled."

"Sandy tree house..." Brahne ponders. "Surely, you can't mean Cleyra!? It'll be quite difficult if they escaped to Cleyra."

"Cleyra..." Beatrix herself ponders. "Unless we can get through that sandstorm, it will be impossible to attack them."

"Sneaky, little rats!" Brahne mutters before turning to Kuja. "Kuja, what do you think? Surely, with your powers, there must be something you can do."

"Of course, Your Majesty." He says with a bow. "I will present you a marvelous display of my power. I am certain that you will be most pleased. I was wondering if you would gather your troops near Cleyra. I'mcertain those filthy rats will retaliate in full force, and my black mages may not be enough."

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(Up at the statue)

"Sounds like we got trouble." Zidane mutters.

"That's the understatement of the night." I reply.

"That sinister man... Who is he?" Freya wonders.

"Beats me... I've never seen him before. Well, it sounds like they're going to Cleyra. I've always wondered why people call it the 'City of Illusion.'" Zidane says.

"I don't know, either." Freya said. "Cleyra has remained in isolation for hundreds of years. If my poeple escaped to there, they'll be safe, at least for a while."

"What's the place like?" I asked.

"The people of Cleyra are originally from Burmecia." She explained. "Long ago, they severed ties with Burmecia over a trivial conflict. Now the kingdom is at peace, shielded by a large sandstorm."

"Look, there's someone else coming!" Zidane says. We see a Burmecian soldier run over to Beatrix.

"What is he thinking!?"

"Geez, he's gonna get killed!" Freya and Zidane say at the same time before they jump down and run towards him.

"Hey, wait!" I follow after them.

"Burmecia will never fall! Prepare to die!!!" The solider cries, drawling his lance.

"You wish to fight me, Beatrix of Alexandria?" Beatrix says in a cold-blooded tone.

(Play 'The Wavering Blade (Beatrix Battles)' from Final Fantasy 9)

The Burmecian soldier suddenly backs down in fear. "B-Beatrix!?"

Beatrix draws her sword, a silver blade with a hilt adjourned in jewels. "I commend your courage, but I will show you no mercy."

Without a beat, Zidane, Freya and I jump down in between Beatrix and the Burmecian soldier.

"Hold it!" Zidane shouts as he draws his double-bladed sword.

"You'll have to deal with us, first!" I added brandishing my trench knives.

"We'll take care of this." Freya says to the soldier. "Go find the king. Protect him with your life."

"...Thank you, Freya." The soldier runs off as Beatrix laughs triumphantly.

"Ha ha ha. I've never been so humiliated in my life." She says. I once killed a hundred knights single-handedly... To me, you three are nothing more than insects." She sees Vivi and Quina run over. "That goes for your two friends as well.

The battle begins as Beatrix strikes Freya with her blade, forcing her down.

"Whoa!" Zidane says but then engages the knight in a sword clash. Quina goes to try and stab the fork in Beatrix, but she sees this.

"Humph, child's play." Beatrix responds as I feel power coming from her blade. "Thunder Slash!" She slices her sword against Zidane's blade causing him to be shocked and launched into Quina.

"Thundara!" Vivi uses his new spell and shocks Beatrix. I then run in and sweep her off her feet with a kick.

"Yeah!" I give a 'thumbs up to Vivi.' Suddenly, Beatrix gets up a nearly slashes my head off, if it weren't for me ducking in time. But instead of battling me, she goes to Vivi who is under attack. Vivi tries to block with his staff, but he wouldn't last long.

"Help!" Vivi yells as he still blocks Beatrix's relentless onslaught. I ran over and shout 'Dragon Kick!' as my leg ignites and I kick her away from Vivi. "Thanks."

"Don't thank me yet." I say seeing Beatrix get back up again as she readies her blade.

"You're quite skilled." She addresses me. "But don't think you'll beat me easily."

"Never crossed me mind." I reply as I got ready to strike.

"Reis's Wind!" I felt that Freya cast something within the wind and felt healing power restoring me.

"Thanks Freya!" I yell to her as I take on Beatrix. I try to punch her but she dodges at the last minute. She then tries slashing me but I evade them all. Once she saw an opening, she goes to slash downward, but I catch the blade with my hands. She then struggles to get the blade away, but to no avail against my strength.

"You...can't be this...powerful." She says.

"Whatever." I say as I kick her in the gut, followed by a palm thrust to the face, sending her down.

"Alright!" Zidane yells coming over to me. "You kicked her ass!"

"It's not over yet." I say, seeing Beatrix struggle to get up. "Stop this, right now. Burmecia has done nothing to you or your kingdom!" I say to Beatrix.

"I follow my Queen's orders..." She says. "And they are LAW!" She blindly tries a frontal slash again but I stop it again by holding it.

"Can't believe you tried that again, knowing it didn't work." I berate her.

"Can't believe you didn't see my real attack." She says calmly, while confusing me. "SHOCK!" A light energy shoots from her blade and blasts me over Zidane and the guys.

"RON!" They see me fall hard on my back as I cry out in pain.

"You're no match for me!" Beatrix says as she charges her blade. "Stock Break!" Zidane and the others turned to catch an orange shockwave blasting them down to the ground. "Ignorant fools." She looks over the fallen fighters who are gasping for air. "How ridiculously weak... Isn't there anyone who is worthy of facing me?" She says, bluntly.

"Me!" I shout getting up.

"Like I said, you have skill but I am the better warrior." She says. "You caught me off guard but only for a while; no un-armed fighter can best me, even with knuckles braces on their fists."

"I'll be the first." I say putting up my fists.

"Weak-minded fool!" She says as she runs to me, ready to deal the final blow when...

"AHHHH!!" My body is engulfed in light and pushes Beatrix back some. After the light, I felt my body healed as I Tranced again. "Now let's fight!"

(End the Wavering Blade; play Otherworld (Ron's theme) From Final Fantasy X)

Beatrix looks stunned as she looks upon my Trance form before shaking her head, "You won't win!" She yells. I side-step the attack. "Don't toy with me!" She strikes and misses again.

"Weren't you playing with my friends and I?" I mock. I raise my hands and gather aura energy. "Aura Cutter!" I throw a punch as it sends an arc wave towards Beatrix. She blocks it with her blade but the arc still pushes her back still.

"What is this magic!?"She yells as she jumps away from the arc and watches it cut cleanly threw the wall. She stares at me seeing my white aura around me.

"Surprised?" I say gathering more power. "Aura Beam!" I point my finger as it expels a concentrated white beam at her which she jumps out the way. But she suddenly sees me right next to her as she's still in mid-jump, and sees my white palm on her head. "Aura Pulse!" My palm sends energy to her head as she's launched from the sky and into the wall. She's still alive, but backs away at the sight if me walking towards her.

"S-Stay b-back, monster!!" She shouts shakily.

"I'm the monster?!" I asked in anger. "You and your Queen are attack innocent people for your own personal gain! If anything, you're the monsters! What would Princess Garnet say!?" Beatrix gasps.

"You know where she is?" She says.

"Don't bother..." I turned to see Kuja walking towards me with a smirk. "We meet again, Project: Eclipse."

"Huh?" I say. "What are you talking about?"

"You can't fool me, Eclipse." Kuja says. "I sense your very soul within this body, where have you been hiding, hmm?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I say with my anger building up.

"Really, then go away." I feel powerful magic shooting from his body. "Flare Star!" A circle of red orbs spin furiously at me and sends me flying in the king's throne. "How does it feel to not reach your best? Flare!" He shoots a red orb above and causes boulders to fall on top of me, making my world go black...

(End music)

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Uh oh! The end of the first story place Ron in a pile of boulders! This does not bode well for our friends who are in pain after Beatrix's paladin skills.

This may be the end of the first story, but it will still continue readers. Read, Review and wait on the next story:

Melodies of Life Chronicles: Sorrow.

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Skill List:

Aura Pulse: A palm of aura strikes the foe.

Aura Beam: Fires a beam of concentrated aura of the user.

Aura Cutter: Strikes with a cut that also sends an arc wave that follows after.