19
CHAPTER 19 – THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WAR HOUND
"You think they made it over?" Rinoa wondered as they filed aboard the elevator.
"They better have," Squall answered. "It's going to take all of us to stand up to her."
He followed her into the capsule and jammed the button for the first floor. As the doors closed, he continued to reflect on the speech he'd given. Had his words been sufficient to rally the troops? Or had they fallen on deaf ears? With the battle still ongoing, it was likely many had ignored him. Those on the frontlines certainly wouldn't have had the leisure to listen; neither would they need a pep talk to keep fighting, he imagined. Ultimately however, the fate of the world once again rested on his and his comrades' shoulders.
"Well, how are we getting over?" Rinoa asked as they descended back down into the atrium.
"We'll double back to the quad," he explained. "With any luck, we can salvage one of the enemy's trans-"
His words were cut short as the glass paneling all around them shattered. Rinoa promptly hit the deck out of instinct. He stayed standing as the bullets ricocheted off his energy shield, tracing their trajectory back to the source. A Galbadian mech swooped in from the side, descending in tandem with the elevator. Squall raised his hand, working at speed to channel the energy through his arm. His eyes bulged as he realized there would be no time. The mech wasn't slowing.
It smashed through what remained of the glass the next moment, ramming straight into him. The impact knocked the wind from his lungs. He desperately groped for something, anything, to grab hold of as he was carried out the other side. His hands caught on the mech's safety harness, leaving him dangling almost face to face with the pilot. The trooper's lips beneath his visor furrowed into a scowl. A sharp turn followed, clearly intended to fling Squall off. Still, he kept hanging on for dear life.
Battle continued to rage below as the Galbadians pressed inward from seemingly every avenue. Squall could hardly tell for sure; his surroundings whirled by in a blur courtesy of the pilot's wild swerving. The mech dipped and ducked every which way, barely avoiding the network of walkways branching off from the central pillar. He clenched his fists as tight as he could to the restraints. Only once the next brief period of stability came around did he release his left, and begin fumbling for the release. His efforts earned him a sudden hook across the cheek.
He grit his teeth against the blow, not letting his right hand's grip falter. The next moment, he fired back with the other. The mech swerved downward sharply as the punch connected with the pilot's jaw. Squall instantly set his eyes to work, darting all about the harness; the time it would take for his adversary to readjust was his window of opportunity. He quickly found both latches and unfastened them, one after the other. With a forceful yank, the pilot tumbled free, screaming as he plummeted down to the water.
On cue, the turbine engines' continual whir began to slow. The mech dipped back down as it lost propulsion, gradually falling from mid-air. Squall's weight hanging from one side directed it toward the inner walkway around the elevators. SeeDs and cadets along its circumference cleared the way as they noticed it incoming. Eyeing the ground all the while, he finally let go once he could be sure of where he'd land. He channeled the energy into his legs to form a flotation buffer, touching down amid the scattered crowd.
The mech followed shortly after; it grazed off the central pillar roughly 15 feet up before crashing down onto the linoleum tiling a short ways ahead of him. For all the commotion in its wake, there was little devastation. The mech's durable steel frame was still in one piece and, more importantly, hadn't landed on top of anyone. Several nearby students began to gather all around. One girl in particular frantically pushed her way through the crowd to reach him.
"Squall!" Rinoa called his name. "Are you alright?"
He opened his mouth to respond, when another cadet stepped forward alongside her.
"That was a close one, Commandant," he said.
Merely being addressed by the title caused Squall's thoughts to stall in their tracks. He hadn't been prepared for it. Though the cadet may not have noticed his disbelief, Rinoa surely did; she shot him a knowing smile.
"As you were," he ordered him.
"Sir!"
The salutation came from not just the one cadet, but several others in the vicinity as well. They all flashed him the signature Garden salute before returning to their duties. Squall himself knew better than to stand idly by. Though the center was secure, the enemy forces were still pushing in from all sides. Fighting their way to the quad looked to be no longer feasible; soldiers and knights were already spilling out from the entryway. And so, he began ruminating on an alternative plan. He didn't have to look far for inspiration.
He traipsed over to the fallen mech, beckoning with one hand for Rinoa to follow after. It certainly appeared to still be in working condition. The question was whether or not he had the capacity to operate it. Regardless, he grabbed hold of the metal chassis and heaved, fighting to stand it upright. Rinoa moved in to assist.
"You really think you can fly this thing?" she asked him.
"We're going to find out."
With the mech's body raised, he backed himself in, placing his boots on the metal footholds. A joystick with a trigger occupied the left-hand arm; he lightly jerked it in all directions, finding it could also be pushed and pulled vertically. The right was dotted with a plethora of switches and buttons, as well as a throttle akin to a motorcycle's. Provided it controlled the turbines, piloting the mech ought to be simple enough for him. Satisfied, he reached back for both halves of the safety harness.
"Might be a tight squeeze for both of us," he told her. "You want to give it a try?"
She hesitated for a moment, and then smiled. Taking his hand, she climbed aboard. She turned to stand with her back to him on the tips of his boots, and reached behind to maneuver the harness over them both.
"You're letting me decide? No 'stay here where you'll be safe' routine? You have changed."
"Does this look safe to you?" he gestured to their surroundings. "Just hurry. We have to catch up with the others."
As instructed, she clicked both latches into place, strapping them into the mech. Predictably, it was a tight fit; their bodies were practically squashed together. Her flowing, dark hair obscured his field of vision, though the few inches he had on her height-wise were sufficient for him to see what he needed to. He sucked in a deep breath to prepare himself, catching a whiff of her shampoo in the process, and revved the throttle.
The turbines obeyed; they whirred back to life at his command, kicking up a gust of wind. He next pulled straight up on the joystick. Sure enough, the mech began rising from the floor. They were airborne within moments, climbing higher and higher beside the central pillar.
Let's just hope no one shoots us down…
Gazing up, he saw one of the upper walkways drawing near. It extended out to meet roughly the 5th or 6th floor by his estimation. He guided them up and over the edge before tilting the stick forward, and cruised ahead to meet the corridor entrance. Already, he was becoming more confident in controlling the mech. They hung a turn at the intersection, toward the emergency exit hatches at fore of the academy.
To their benefit, the hallway was devoid of ongoing combat. Rather, it was the dead and dying who lay sprawled about its length. However disheartening the sight, it boded well for there being an already existing opening on this level. Squall knew better than to blast one in the side of the corridor himself. Besides the very real risk of harming the survivors, not to mention Rinoa in front of him, he was confident the mech had no more missiles in reserve. Why else would its former pilot have made a divebomb at the elevator otherwise?
Just as he'd expected, the hall soon gave way to a blown-apart section of wall. More casualties lay scattered all around; they'd likely still been en route to their positions when the mechs burst in. Carefully angling himself up with the opening, he re-engaged the throttle and soared on through. They emerged in the airspace over the quad. Squall kept on the move, ascending higher into the air so as to avoid being picked off by a fellow Garden operative below.
The wind whipped through his and Rinoa's hair as they climbed higher. The girl let out a cry at the sudden increase in speed; whether of alarm or exhilaration, he couldn't tell. They rose to match the height of Galbadia Garden just ahead. Its crimson exterior gleamed nearly as brightly in the morning sunlight as the spinning flotation ring holding it aloft. The ruined husk of Trabia Garden just a ways north looked so much more dismal by comparison; the smoldering had largely died down, leaving a scant few flickers still lapping at the scorched earth.
The phoenix firebombing still perplexed him. How could Edea's forces have anticipated their sneak attack? All signs pointed to an informant in their ranks, like he'd previously suspected Selphie of being. No matter how fantastic the story she'd told them was, he had no reason to distrust her in light of their history together. But if not her, then who could have divulged their plan to the enemy? And by what possible means?
He pushed the conundrum out of his mind as he prepared to descend. The skies were remarkably clear; though he couldn't glance back to be sure, it seemed no other mechs had stayed behind to defend their base. Likewise, there was no sign of ground forces aboard as he traveled further in overhead. Perhaps they'd assumed there would be no need with the Balamb forces confined to their own Garden. Or perhaps it was a sign of something far more devious yet to come. Regardless, their way in was clear.
Squall set his sights on one of the Garden's inner courtyards and gradually swooped down for landing. The segment in question appeared to be the main field house; a series of tennis and basketball courts were spread across its length. He carefully pushed the joystick down to descend, easing off the throttle to reduce their speed. After a few more moments, they gingerly touched down atop the asphalt.
"Nice flying!" Rinoa commented.
She quickly unbuckled the harness and stepped off onto solid ground. Finally relieved of her body tightly squashed up against his, Squall let himself breathe easy, and followed suit.
"Strange there's no welcoming committee," he hummed.
"Yeah, looks pretty dead," she agreed. "Doesn't mean we get complacent though, right?"
"You got it. Let's move."
He led the way out of the field house and through the adjacent locker room entrance. They emerged thereafter into one of the many winding corridors of the academy proper, every bit as cold and uniform as Squall recalled. And yet, it was nearly unrecognizable without the bustle of the daily student commute. The difference was so stark, he could barely recall the route he'd spent that morning tracing back and forth from the entrance hall. He doubted he would have fared better even with the milling crowds; far too much had happened in the last month for him to remember clearly. Still, they pressed on through the winding labyrinth to the best of his recollection.
He froze as he heard footsteps approaching from around the corner up ahead. Rinoa followed suit, putting her back to the wall. Squall drew his gunblade and edged forward to just before the intersection. As the steps drew closer, so too could he make out a yell from further down the hall. The voice certainly didn't belong to anyone of his retinue. Neither did he expect so of the runner; he leapt out of cover just before they crossed the threshold.
The infantryman stumbled to a halt as Squall brought the gunblade up to just beneath his chin. His mouth fell open in surprise. His hands shot to the ceiling. Squall motioned with one hand for him to get up against the wall. He did so without protest, allowing him to move in closer from behind. Only once pinned by the blade resting on the back of his neck did Rinoa step out from hiding.
"I'm getting so sick of you," the soldier menaced.
His words momentarily caused Squall to lose his composure. Beyond the implication they'd met before, his voice's rough timbre was unnervingly familiar.
"Lieutenant… er, Sergeant Biggs!" the other voice called out; it drew closer by the second. "Please, just listen to me for a mome-"
The second soldier turned into the hall around another corner further along. He stopped in his tracks the moment he caught sight of his superior pinned to the wall.
"Dammit, Wedge! Just shut it for once, will you?!"
Squall knew he hadn't imagined it; while he no longer wore the bulky red officer uniform, the voice was unmistakable. He knew this soldier, and his comrade for that matter.
"Where is everyone?" he asked, dispensing with pleasantries.
"Take a wild guess!" Biggs fired back.
"You want to me believe you're the only guards still on board?"
"Guards? We're the couple of fuck-ups who got put on standby to send up the retreat signal! As if that's ever going to happen. Doesn't matter if we're down to the last man, we're not pulling back. That witch couldn't care less whether we all live or die. That's why I'm getting out now. You wanna take a crack at her, be my guest. I sure as hell won't try to stop you."
Squall quietly contemplated whether to let him go free. Though he took the disgraced former officer at his word, the urge for vengeance was difficult to stifle. He'd suffered so much at Biggs' hands already in the prison. But, as the soldier had told him then, hardly anyone in the army believed theirs was a righteous cause. Plenty more would follow his example should Edea be brought to justice this day.
'Cut off the snake's head, and the body dies.'
He relieved the blade from Biggs' neck. The sergeant jolted in place the moment he heard it slide back into the scabbard, and took his cue. He took off down the corridor without looking back. Wedge was on his heels the next moment, nearly bowling over Rinoa in his haste. The girl recovered swiftly, and turned her attention back to Squall.
"What the heck was that about?" she asked him.
"It's not important," he reassured her. "Come on. We're wasting time."
Their trek through the intertwining network of hallways recommenced. As they pressed on, Squall's thoughts turned back to his first encounter with Biggs and Wedge atop the communication tower. Seemingly everything had changed since the Dollet siege. In reality however, the wheels had been set in motion well before that fateful day. By Norg's account, it had been mere weeks before then that Edea had allied herself with Deling. It was impossible for him to know for certain how far back the chain of events stretched, however. Furthermore, whatever madness had taken her mind to begin with still remained a mystery. And perhaps it forever would.
His pondering was interrupted as he noticed a familiar foursome dash across another intersection up ahead. Predictably, it was Irvine who led the way. Selphie followed just behind, with Quistis and Zell bringing up the rear; the boy still carried his T-Board under his arm.
"Hey, guys!" Rinoa shouted them down.
Zell and Quistis abruptly stopped in their tracks, and swiveled to face them. Selphie and Irvine doubled back the next moment; they both lit up at the sight of Rinoa and raced forward to meet her. As his entourage reunited before his eyes, Squall couldn't keep a smile from spreading across his lips.
"How'd you two get in here?" Zell asked as he and Quistis approached.
"You never actually tried to get those mechs up and running, did you?"
There was a real sense of satisfaction at having piloted the hovercraft in spite of Zell's pessimism. The embarrassed look on his face only made it all the more sweet. Selphie had moved on to treating Rinoa's hands with her holy energy; the lacerations from her fall down the cliff-side swiftly mended under the light shining from her palm.
"Orders, Commandant?" Quistis finally asked him.
The implication wasn't lost on him. Neither was the severity in her stare.
"You know the way to the top?" he asked Irvine.
"Like the back of my hand. So… we're really doing this?"
"Do you really need me to tell you? There's no other choice. We've come too far to turn back now. It's time to finish this."
The sharpshooter tipped his hat in return. He swiveled back around and motioned for them to follow. Zell, Rinoa, and Selphie obliged in short order, leaving Quistis and Squall to bring up the rear. The former instructor stayed rooted to the spot. Her eyes kept staring him down, pestering him to come clean. He realized he owed it to her. He'd seen how friendly she and Xu had been the morning of the field exam; it was the very same camaraderie he'd come to share with her before the end.
"I'm sorry," he apologized. "There was nothing I could do for her. I just didn't want to weigh you down with any more worry."
Quistis' piercing stare softened, and unfurled into one of surprise. From there, it melted just as quickly into a gentle smile.
"Squall being considerate?" she softly mused. "You really have changed."
It was Squall who now wore the stunned expression. Quistis turned to follow after the others before he could muster a reply. He begrudgingly let it go, and fell in after her.
What's so surprising about that? I care just like everyone else.
Irvine led them around several more twists and turns in the maze, passing by dozens of open lecture halls along the way. True to Biggs' word, all was deserted. It perturbed Squall to think Edea would willingly leave herself so vulnerable. Surely they had to be walking into a trap. And yet, perhaps the answer was as simple as overconfidence; that she could overwhelm them quickly enough to where there would be no need for defensive measures. She was clearly more than capable of defending herself if necessary, and doubtless so much more. He could only hope that with the combined might of their GFs, there was a chance, however slim, to overpower her.
Finally, a familiar sight popped into view from the end of the hall. Several evenly spaced patches of greenery sat between four intersecting walkways, bathed in sunlight streaming in from above. A directory stood in the center. Squall's heart leapt into his throat as he laid eyes on it; even he could retrace his steps to the main elevator from the entrance hall. They emerged into the wide circular antechamber from the left-hand side, and tore straight ahead for the directory. The turnstiled front entrance had been sealed by a thick blast door, much like Balamb Garden's own following its mobilization. Otherwise, all was as he remembered.
"Home sweet home," Irvine sighed as he reached the center. "Now that I'm back though… well, it's just not what I thought it'd feel like."
"I gotcha," Zell said. "What's home without the people you care about, right?"
"Sorta… but it's like I told you before, I was never all that close with anyone here to begin with. At least, not on a real, emotional level. Anyway, it doesn't matter now. You guys are the only true family I've ever had. And the only one I'll need."
Squall silently agreed. To think he'd thought so little of Irvine on their first meeting, when in reality they'd effectively been two sides of the same coin. All that separated them had been their methods of coping with abandonment; Squall had embraced the loneliness, while Irvine had sought to fake his way to acceptance among his peers. And yet now, as commandant, he could no longer conscience falling back on his old ways. SeeD was his family, and more than that, his responsibility.
"Aw, I'm so flattered!"
Squall's ears perked up at the familiar voice; its snide timbre he would recognize anywhere. He turned his eyes to its source, the upper second level of the entrance hall. There his rival stood at the railing above the northern hall, leering down at the six of them from on high.
"Family reunions always get me so teary-eyed," Seifer smarmed with a wicked grin. "And would you look at that! The gang's all here! Well, almost."
"How 'bout you come on down here so I can knock you off the family tree?!" Zell roared up at him.
Cool it, Zell…
"And Rinoa!" the sorceress' knight called out, ignoring the outburst. "What's with the uniform? Don't tell me you're looking to fight me, too? Come on, don't you remember a year ago, when we-"
"Shut up!"
Squall couldn't keep himself from jolting in place. He'd never heard Rinoa's voice filled with so much rage before; not even her blow-up at him back in Deling City could compare.
"I don't know you anymore!" she yelled. "And I don't want to! I'm just here to make sure they get the job done."
"It's no use, Seifer," Squall backed her up. "You can't mess with our minds."
His rival crossed his arms and bowed his head. A maniacal chuckle escaped his lips, echoing through the deserted hall.
"You poor, misguided dolts. There's nothing I can say or do to you that would cause more damage than Cid has. Your minds are already too far gone. Just look who you're up against!"
Squall had noticed the familiar silhouette approaching from the corridor behind him all the while. The golden back-piece jingled as she stepped into the light. No matter how prepared he'd thought he'd be to see her again, the veins spreading across both her cheeks were still every bit as horrifying. Her eerie yellow eyes popped out from the violet eyeshadow, gleaming as they swept over him and his comrades. He couldn't discern an inkling of sympathy in them for the children she'd raised as her own.
"Matron!" Quistis shouted out to her. "What's happened to you?! Please, stop this!"
Edea's face remained stern, unmoved by her plea. Seifer's swiftly blossomed into pleasant surprise.
"So, you finally remember?" he spat mockingly. "And you still choose to fight for Cid, after everything she's done for us? Thank you so very much for proving my point, Instructor."
"Why are you doing this, Matron?" Squall took over. "Help us understand why you've turned down this road. Please."
Edea's fierce eyes focused on him. Although he'd resigned himself to never knowing the answer, he knew he had to ask; he just couldn't bring himself to go up against her without at least attempting to understand her motives. He didn't dare break the staredown, however intimidating. She finally closed her eyes, her violet lips furrowing into a scowl.
"For the same reason you stand before me now," she spoke in a menacing hiss. "It is the road I was always destined to tread. And the one which was destined to lead me to you. It is why I could foresee your attack from the ruined Garden, and knew you would come aboard to face me. So it has been written."
"Are you saying… you can see the future?" Irvine nervously asked; his jitters from the night of the parade seemed to be returning.
"The future… or perhaps the past? It is all the same to me. And so it shall be for all mankind, one day, very soon. But alas, there is still Ellone to account for. As well as you."
Her eyes suddenly shot back open, and swiftly diverted. Squall turned his head to follow their gaze. From what he could tell, they had landed on Selphie, squarely in the middle of their congregation.
"I believe you have something that belongs to me, little girl," the sorceress chortled.
"W-What?"
Squall could hardly believe the statement himself, much less the implication. And yet, there was nothing else of Selphie's she could possibly be alluding to. In a flash, the girl whipped it out of her pocket.
"Do… do you know something about this sphere?!" she demanded.
"Nothing that need concern you."
Edea casually extended one hand to Seifer at her side. The knight promptly dipped his own into his jacket. It returned moments later with another sphere, which he was quick to place into her palm. The sorceress' gloved fingers closed firmly around its casing.
"If you only knew the true power contained within these spheres," she mused. "Perhaps another demonstration is in order."
A brilliant light suddenly began to shine from the sphere within her clasp. It was far brighter and more potent than any Squall had ever seen from a GF; not even the two holy spheres could compare. She cast the energy down before them. It started to take shape in record time, swelling to easily match the phoenix he'd seen from the command deck. He spread his legs, prepared to take evasive action. At last, the light dissipated. In its place towered a monstrosity more fearsome than any he'd faced thus far.
Three heads sprouted from the giant hound's broad torso. Each snarling mouth bore row after row of salivating fangs to rival a great behemoth's, and each paw razor-sharp talons to match. Thick grey scales covered its body from its heads to its long, muscular tail; scant few seams left its natural red tissue underneath exposed. All six total eyes gleamed with an unnatural light much like Edea's own. Three mighty roars filled the hall in unison as the beast formally announced its arrival.
"Everyone spread out!" he shouted as loudly as he could over the ruckus.
Instantly, the other five were on the move. He bolted to the right, following Quistis and Rinoa's lead. Irvine, Selphie, and Zell ducked away to the opposite end of the chamber, the blonde hopping on his T-Board for increased mobility. The hound pounced forward just as they'd cleared the center. Its paws shattered the reinforced directory as though it were constructed of twigs. Its tail swept in a wild semi-circle behind, shredding much of the foliage arrayed around. Each of the three heads craned itself in a different direction, tracking the six of them simultaneously.
One turned toward Squall's position and opened its jagged maw. He immediately darted away to his comrades further along the wall; he intuitively knew it was more than a show of intimidation from the beast. Searing fire shot from its mouth like a flamethrower the next moment, close enough behind for him to feel the heat on the back of his neck. He reached Quistis and Rinoa unsinged, and turned back in anticipation of a follow-up attack. To his relief, the next move was Selphie's. She loosed three blasts of holy energy at the hound, whistling as they flew through the air. Another head roared on impact, prompting the attention of its siblings. Though he couldn't tell the extent of the damage dealt to its scaly hide, she'd at least diverted its focus. Irvine followed up with a flurry of shotgun blasts one after another from the side. Try as he might, his rounds evidently couldn't pierce the armor.
Meanwhile, just behind the beast, another pair of luminous silhouettes were forming from the ether. These two he clearly recognized; their summoner had taken refuge just inside the hall the party had entered from. Both minotaurs shot for the hound as soon as they materialized. The larger of the two thrust itself head-first into its side, fighting to bore its horns deep into the armor. The smaller seized its tail to hold it in place; despite its dimensions, the creature seemed to possess the strength. The three-headed monster roared again as it began thrashing about.
Tearing his eyes away, Squall glanced back up to Edea and Seifer on the upper rim. Both looked down upon the spectacle with amusement, the sorceress appearing completely unfazed in maintaining the summon. He placed one hand on Rinoa's shoulder, and brought his lips down to her ear.
"Stay on your toes, and help as best you can to keep up the pressure on it!" he half-shouted to her. "Whatever you do, just stay alive! That's an order!"
He broke away from her before she could respond. Channeling the wind into his legs, he built up speed along the hall's circumference and leapt up to reach the second level. He cleared the railing to land mere yards from Seifer and Edea's side. A smirk crept over the blonde's face as he turned to him. His hand dipped back into his jacket again, emerging with the Hyperion.
"Just like old times, eh?" he taunted him. "'Will this be the one?' he anxiously wonders! 'Can I finally get in a victory now, when it matters most?'"
"Is this all a game to you?" Squall growled. He drew his own gunblade, hefting it up before him. "Do you have any idea how much blood is on your hands? Do you even care?!"
"Well, isn't that rich!" Seifer scoffed. "The lone wolf of Balamb Garden thinks he can lecture me about caring for others? I've already told you: I devote myself to those worthy of it. That's what separates me, the loyal bloodhound, protective of his master, from you mangy wolves with no allegiance to anyone but yourselves."
Squall shifted his eyes back down to the raging battle below. Zell's minotaurs had been tossed aside in the interim, allowing the beast free reign. Its focus now lay squarely on a familiar humanoid figure with pale blue skin. The ice apparition let loose a blast of frigid energy, seemingly every bit as potent as the one which had frozen Norg's leviathan. The hound retaliated with a concentrated burst of flames from all three heads. There was no telling how long his teammates would be able to hold out.
He desperately needed to break Edea's control over the Guardian Force, quickly. And moreover, to prove himself once and for all to his rival. Seifer knew nothing of what SeeD meant to him now. It was not blind obedience which drove him to fight for their cause, nor his duty as commandant. It was his pride for all they'd accomplished, and hope for a better future to come. And beyond even that, to ensure the sacrifice of those who'd given their lives this day would not be in vain. He was the lone wolf no longer.
"Maybe I'm a lion."
Seifer barely had time to raise his eyebrow before Squall was on the move. He charged in with a downward diagonal slash. The clang of steel rang out between them as their blades connected. Both swords had long been close acquaintances on the battlefield. They'd clashed with one another innumerable times through the years, and yet never so intensely as now. Not letting his opponent rest, Squall released the parry and transitioned into a sideways swipe. Seifer quickly backpedaled out of the weapon's radius, and thrust his own forward. He batted it aside while taking a step back himself. A small gap opened up between them, bringing with it a moment's reprieve. The very next, he leapt back in with another slice.
So the fight progressed upon the hall's upper rim. With limited space by which to dodge on either side, each swordsman vied to push the other further along the curving walkway. They repeatedly traded territory back and forth, neither content to stay on the defensive for long. Squall's years of rigorous training allowed him to correctly read and divert each and every incoming strike. Doing so demanded intense focus, but he'd yet to be tagged by one of Seifer's swipes. He didn't dare let himself be distracted by the ongoing battle in the center; the ensuing commotion had become white noise to his ears. On the contrary, what brief lapses in attention he could afford were directed at Seifer's non-dominant hand. He would be ready should his rival try to call upon his gravity spellcraft again.
And yet, as the slugfest wound on, Squall began considering whether he should be the one to take the initiative. Time was ticking away; the sooner he finished with Seifer, the sooner he could potentially relieve the burden from his teammates below. With his mind made up, he swung his gunblade against Seifer's yet again, this time holding the parry fast. He fed the fire through his left arm all the while, hoping to buy enough time to build it up sufficiently.
Finally, he disengaged, hopped backward several steps, and unleashed the energy. Seifer's eyes went wide as the fire rapidly shot out from his palm. He raised his own arm to counter, but Squall knew it would be too late for him to possibly form a reflective barrier in time. To his astonishment, the flames sputtered out and died the moment they reached him; the miniature gravity well he'd conjured from his own palm sucked every last trace inside.
"That time already?" Seifer smirked triumphantly. "Figures you'd try the same old, underhanded crap with me again. I try to fight fair, and this is the thanks I get?"
Squall silently stood his ground, staring daggers into his rival's eyes. He'd been outsmarted yet again, just as when he'd had his GF pickpocketed out on the Alcaud Plains.
"But if you really want to play like that, then I'm game!"
A surge of crackling electricity suddenly shot through his dominant arm. It spread to the gunblade, forming a shimmering aura around the weapon; the hum from it was audible even amid the thrashing of the hound below. He raised it and sliced it through the air before him. A shockwave materialized along its arc and shot forward. Squall blocked it in mid-flight; his insulated leather gloves spared him as the current traveled down his own blade. He backpedaled as Seifer fired off several more in rapid succession.
"Let's see how many volts you can take this time!" Seifer cackled.
He continued backing him around the walkway at a leisurely pace, frivolously expending the power given to him by Edea. The tables had turned. Squall was officially on the run, unable to move in for a counterattack. Even if he somehow were to clear the gap, he would never be able to contend with a mixed variety of shockwave attacks and standard slashes. Be it from close or long range, Seifer now held a massive advantage in their duel.
Finally, one slipped through his defense. The agony was just as he remembered it from the D-District Prison. He grit his teeth to hold back a scream, but to no avail. He spasmed in place before his legs gave out, sending him falling to his knees. His gunblade clanked as it hit the linoleum floor; he'd just barely managed to retain hold of it in both hands. As he knelt there, still reeling from the shock, he understood he'd never get in close enough to use it. And yet, as the onslaught briefly subsided, Squall realized there was indeed one aspect of Seifer's method of attack he'd forgotten to account for.
"Ah, the memories," his rival reminisced as he strode forward. "Was it good for you, too?"
"Is… is that all you've got?" he egged him on. "Biggs put me through much worse than that after you left. Either quit half-assing it, or quit wasting my time."
Seifer's smirk immediately became a scowl. It was enough to put a smile on Squall's own face. He picked himself back up from the floor, hoisting up his gunblade with what strength he could still muster.
"You want it?" the belligerent blonde raged, extending his own weapon out to the side of the walkway. "You've got it!"
The Hyperion's gleaming aura intensified further as Seifer pumped even more energy into it. The humming raised in pitch to a shrill whistle, piercing through the three-headed dog's incessant roars. Squall knew he could never hope to survive the voltage now contained within. But then, neither would the gunblade itself.
The trigger grip exploded. Seifer let out a yelp as he let it fall from his hand, and watched with horror as it tumbled over the edge. Stupefied, he stood there with his arm still held upright; the electrical surge running through had completely dissipated. Squall seized the opportunity. He charged in while his rival was still distracted, and slammed him on the back with the hilt of his own gunblade. Seifer lurched forward, letting out a grunt as his stomach slammed into the railing. Not allowing him time to recover, Squall quickly ducked down behind him, hoisted up his legs, and tossed him clear over. He cried out in alarm as he plummeted down to the main floor.
Over the years since he'd begun training with the gunblade, Squall had repeatedly been told the same thing from his instructors: to always be cautious when channeling his GF's fire energy in the field. The weapon's standard explosive rounds were volatile. If exposed to enough concentrated heat, the propellant contained within the cartridges would be bound to ignite. Seifer, who'd hardly ever used his own GF since passing certification, to speak nothing of lightning spellcraft, had neglected the ramifications of channeling so much electricity into his weapon. The resultant heat had caused every round in the gunblade's loaded clip to detonate at once.
With the way clear, he tore back around the upper rim to Edea's position. Below, the fight still raged on. The hound had certainly sustained damage; gaping divots dotted its scaly hide from its three heads to its tail. The four patches of foliage arrayed around the center were fully ablaze, as well as several other isolated spots across the hall's diameter. Zell whipped around on his T-Board, vying to draw the beast's attention. Quistis rode behind, hurling ice spellcraft. Irvine circled opposite, taking pot-shots whenever he could. Selphie stood a ways off to the side; her pale-green rabbit familiar sat atop her hair, firing bursts of holy energy from the ruby ingrained into its head. Try as he might, he couldn't locate Rinoa among the commotion.
Just let her be safe…
He stopped barely 10 feet away from Edea as she turned to him. Remarkably, even without her attention, the beast below carried on unabated. It was as if she weren't the one in control at all, but rather had set it loose to act of its own volition.
"Your reputation precedes you, Commandant," she spoke to him.
Squall's blood froze. How could she possibly have already known of his new title? Not even those in his immediate circle had known until he'd made his speech over the intercom. Could she actually see the future as she'd claimed?
"Had I realized just who you were that night, I wouldn't have bothered sparing your life for interrogation. But alas, you stand before me again, just as fate has decreed. Mark my words, I will not make the same mistake again."
He hadn't long to ponder her words. A fireball had already begun forming in her hand; it intensified far more rapidly than any he'd ever conjured. He raised his gunblade up as it flew forward, only for it to evaporate into mist before it reached him. A concentrated torrent of water had intercepted the blast in mid-air. He turned his head to see Rinoa standing there by his side.
"Gotta make sure you don't go soft on her," she told him. A fire all her own raged behind her eyes.
"Impudent child!" Edea snapped.
From her outstretched hands formed yet another spell, this time a ball of dark energy. Squall charged in, hoping to land a strike before she could unleash the attack. As with the fireball however, it had materialized almost instantaneously. It suddenly exploded forth from within her hands. Swathes of dark energy not unlike Seifer's shockwaves indiscriminately flew out at them. Squall stalled in his tracks and flattened his feet, still holding his weapon upright to shield himself. The first to connect with his blade quickly dissipated after impact. Another zoomed in just off his right side, and nicked his shoulder; he winced in pain as it sheared through his leather jacket like a razor blade through paper.
Working at speed, he drudged up the energy necessary to form a reflective barrier. The maroon veil flashed in front of him moments later. He pushed his way forward against the attack, his shield managing to hold up against the dark scattershot. As he drew near, Edea finally dispelled the conjuration. She took a step back and readied herself to lunge forward at him. Squall recognized the danger; though his defense could reflect incoming magical blasts, it would do nothing to guard against spellcraft materializing from within. He recalled when she'd physically seized hold of Deling and electrocuted him atop the presidential residence. She swiped at him. He sidestepped, working to place more distance between them yet again.
It was then that Rinoa made her charge. She reached Edea the next moment and fired a fist at her. The sorceress pulled back just enough to evade the hook, but not the low jab which followed. She gagged at the blow to her stomach and doubled over. Rinoa simply stood in place, beaming with pride.
"Get away!" Squall yelled.
It was too late. Edea's hand shot up, seizing Rinoa by the throat. The girl's eyes went wide as the sorceress' clawing fingers slowly tightened around her neck. Her arms went limp as a red aura suddenly spread all along her body, engulfing her from head to toe. Squall hoisted his gunblade up again, prepared to slice her arm off if need be. The other just as quickly redirected itself at him. He was abruptly knocked back by an invisible force, just as in Timber when she'd first appeared before them.
"This time, I'll see to your end myself!" Edea sneered. "I think a slow, painful one is in order."
Rinoa gagged in response, continuing to lose strength by the second. And yet, Edea's wicked yellow eyes stayed trained to Squall. She kept her free hand outstretched to him, upholding the unseen barrier between them. Even should spellcraft be able to pass through, unleashing a fire blast would require him to dispel his reflective shield, leaving him vulnerable. Edea no doubt knew this as well as he did. He'd been trapped in a corner, forced to decide between his own safety and Rinoa's. It was an easy choice to make.
He rose to his feet, preparing to dispel his protection. Before he could, a gleaming ball of light suddenly shot up from the bottom floor. Edea's golden back-piece shattered on impact. The spokes broke off and fell to the floor with a raucous clanging. The sorceress herself was next to follow. She relased her grip on Rinoa's throat as she tumbled over; the red aura dispersed from around her body as she did so. The girl dropped to her knees in exhaustion, gasping for air.
Bewildered, Squall raced over to the railing and looked down. The three-headed dog lay still on the far side of the hall; wispy trails of gleaming energy rose from the carcass, intermingling with the smoke as it drew near the glass dome above. Zell, Quistis, and Irvine all stood circled around it. Selphie meanwhile stood just beyond the center, with her eyes raised to him. Her Guardian Force was still perched atop her head.
"Is Rinoa alright?!" she yelled up.
He turned his head back to check. His eyes went wide as she hauled Edea up from the floor, wrapping her arms under the sorceress', and forcefully marched her to the railing. She still appeared to be in a daze as she was shuffled forward; clearly the blast had been potent.
"Hit her with another one!" Rinoa shouted as loudly as she could. "Quick!"
Squall couldn't believe her brazenness. Directly charging Edea had been bold enough, but even attempting to restrain her bordered on suicidal. Indeed, with how powerful Selphie's holy energy was, the chance of her being caught up in it was very real. He opened his mouth to tell her to let go, when he noticed the rabbit's gemstone had already begun charging up. The wheels were in motion. He ducked down beneath the banister for cover, and prepared to leap in at the first sign of things becoming too much for Rinoa to handle.
A concentrated beam blasted straight into Edea's chest. The sorceress screamed in anguish as it shredded through her skin-tight dress, continuing to intensify by the second. Selphie was evidently pouring all she had into the attack. Rinoa clung on behind for dear life; she strained as she fought to keep Edea in place, but did not falter. The glare soon became too much for Squall's eyes. He shielded them as the blast grew brighter, eventually coming to encompass the entire vicinity. Even firmly shut tight and buried in his arm, the white light seeped in beneath his eyelids.
Finally, it subsided. He brought down his arm. He creaked open his eyes. There, on the edge of the now destroyed railing, stood Edea and Rinoa. The sorceress appeared utterly shattered, the front of her dress reduced to limp tatters. The girl was slumped against her back with her head buried. Her arms fell limply from their grip on either side. And then, whether by her own momentum or Edea's sheer exhaustion, the two toppled forward. Down they went to the hall below.
Squall's heart leapt into his throat as he saw them tumble over. He promptly jumped to his feet, and then over the side of the banister himself. He barely remembered to conjure a flotation buffer just before he touched down. Selphie and the others were already moving in; the green rabbit atop her head finally fizzled back into a white silhouette and blinked out of existence. For all the energy she'd expended on the blast, he desperately hoped she'd conserved enough to resuscitate Rinoa if need be.
To his delight however, the girl groggily picked herself up off Edea's body beneath her and stumbled to her feet. She looked plenty disoriented, but otherwise appeared to be no worse for wear from the fall. She slowly dragged herself away from the scene with her eyes trained to the floor. Even as Selphie reached her and began asking if she was alright, she simply pushed her way past without a word. There was no longer any sign of her usual optimism about her. It was obvious she needed to properly rest and recuperate; any soldier would after what she'd been through this day, much less one without years of training under their belt.
He let her amble away, and set his sights back on Edea. Zell and Irvine had reached her side; they hoisted her up into a seated position against the wall, each restraining one arm. Quistis and Selphie stood at the ready with their whip and nunchaku drawn. Squall sidled his way between them, and moved forward to confront her. Shallow breathing escaped her lips, assuring him that she hadn't been killed by the blast, nor the fall. He extended his gunblade, holding it just under her neck. She groaned weakly as she craned her neck up to face him. Her eyes slowly opened. Squall's breath caught in his throat as they met his.
The fierce yellow glare had completely vanished from her pupils. In its place was the same soothing, emerald green he remembered so vividly from Ellone's vision of the past. Her gaze suddenly darted every which way between the five of them, before settling on him once again. Or so he'd assumed; with a sudden burst of light from his peripheral vision, he realized she'd in fact been looking past him. The horrified looks on Zell and Irvine's faces as they followed her line of vision convinced him to turn around. His jaw dropped as he did.
The leviathan towered over them in the center of the hall. Its body extended well above the upper rim, nearly to meet the glass domed ceiling. It screeched its familiar battle cry, just as it had in Norg's chamber. Squall simply stared up in awe at the mighty sea serpent, dumbfounded by its arrival. He swiftly dipped his eyes down to see Rinoa standing just before its scaly underbelly, silver sphere in hand. With little more than a month's worth of training, she'd managed to summon the creature. He was utterly astounded, baffled even.
Even so, the battle was over. Edea had been summarily defeated, and was now a prisoner of SeeD. There was no more need to call upon the power her Guardian Force, especially when the five of them were now grouped so closely together with their enemy. And yet, as the leviathan drew back and opened its jaw, he realized the true danger they were in.
"Rinoa, stop!" he yelled.
Regardless of whether she had any control over the creature, his plea fell on deaf ears. The high-pressure torrent shot from the serpent's mouth. It slammed into him like a truck, knocking him clear off his feet and into the wall with the rest of his comrades. His gunblade flew from his hands. His reflective barrier had been of little use; there was no amount of energy he could muster to hold off an assault so overpowering. The surge continued to spew forth. It washed him away like a tidal wave, sending him spinning in every conceivable direction. He no longer had any reference of where he was in the great hall. And as the force of several more blows against the walls knocked what little wind he had left from his lungs, all slowly went dark.