Disclaimer: All Final Fantasy 8 characters, places and things all belong to Squaresoft and other involved companies. I own none of it. This fanfic is purely for the fun and enjoyment of others and myself, I make no money from it.
EMPEROR OF DARKNESS
CHAPTER 19
Reconstruction and resolution
Deep below the recesses of the ice capped mountains, the five Shumi Elder's debate grew heated once more as they continued to discuss their plans for Squall and the others.
"I still believe it was unnecessary for us to make those duplicates!" argued Celindros, the Shumi Elder of light.
"It was for the best interests of both parties." Refuted Argos the Head Shumi Elder of Fire. "It creates less complications this way."
"I agree." Complied Marcondus, the Shumi Elder of earth. "I believe the path will become more clear now that our chosen one has less baggage holding him down!"
"That is outrageous!" Celindros yelled. "How can you be so emotionless? If we stoop to Zeilak's level then we shall be doomed to follow his path!"
"And yet, my dear friend, we are forced to follow his path." Argos replied. "Else we are doomed with an even worse fate. Defeat!"
"That is something we simply cannot afford!" Replied Hemorphious, the Elder of wind.
"But at the cost of our own morals? My brethren think about what you are saying!"
"We have thought long enough!" Argos yelled. "We have no more time for debate. Zeilak has already started his search for the relics."
"We have no other choice." Iquinus, Elder of water, said to a weary Celindros. "If we show even the slightest bit of mercy to Zeilak he will compound on it!"
"I am completely aware of the situation at hand as am I also aware of Zeilak's mindset! Do not speak to me with such condescending tones! I agree that the most precise caution should be taken when confronting Zeilak but at the same time let us not forget our own responsibilities to this world!"
"The times for tradition have long ago ended!" Argos replied. "The ways of the past are dead. They died years ago with the knowledge of Ultimecia's presence."
"I cannot accept that." Celindros argued hotly.
"Whether you accept it or not is of little importance to us. What is important however is exacting our mission. If you do not agree with some of our actions then so be it. That is upon you, not us."
"Speaking of more important roles." Marcondus began. "What are we to do about Squall and his companions? They are still far behind in their training and at this rate three months may not be a sufficient amount of time for them."
"Yet three months is all we can spare!" Iquinus yelled back. "We are already pushing it as it is!"
"We have no choice but to request our trainers up their training and allow less time for rest." Argos decided.
"That is inhumane!" Celindros yelled angrily. "These are not cattle! They are human's!"
"And that is their eternal flaw." Countered Argos. "Lionhart defeated Ultimecia, that alone speaks of his great skill. If he can accomplish that much, he can accomplish more."
"He is not a puppet to be manipulated!"
"Yet we 'shall' manipulate him! Lest Zeilak get his hands on him like he has already done with the other Guardian!"
Marcondus stirred slightly. "About that. What are we going to do with the other half? Both Guardians must be joined else the true legend shall not come to pass!"
Argos smirked indifferently. "We need not worry about the other half. He was flawed to begin with. 'Our' Guardian shall vanquish him easily. He has in the past and he shall do an even more thourough job in the future. You can count on that."
"Your ambition is beginning to eat away at your common sense Argos!" Celindros yelled. "Do not be so sure in your presumptions!"
Argos narrowed his eyes at Celindros hotly. "I will take that warning into question Celindros. As for you, here is my warning. Watch your tongue. I grow tired of your endless prattle and I grow even more tired of your disrespect for me. If you are not careful I shall have you stripped of your position and then executed! There are many others who would prove more worthy of your position then you!"
"If you can find one worthy enough to harness my powers then it shall not be for another few thousand years time and I know you cannot afford to go so long without the complete circle of Shumi Elders especially in this time of crisis."
Argos eyes narrowed even further. "You never know Celindros. Anything is possible. We don't need you. Be careful my friend, else your presence here shall create a disturbance amongst us. We have no quarrels with executing you. I am the head of this council after all and what I say is law!"
"You are not my friend!" Celindros began. "And what a despicable, incompetent, unworthy council head you are! It is a disgrace to serve under you!"
Argos eyes lit with rage. "I will not tolerate this disobedience!"
"Then be the first to break the sacred vow of the elders since the beginning of our order! Kill me! Kill the eldest and in my opinion, wisest, of you all! End my existence and suffer in the hell you shall create for yourself!"
Argos scoffed in angry hatred. "Patience Celindros. Be not in such a hurry to die for your time shall indeed come and the penalty you shall receive will be most painful and excruciating for you. Be assured however that that event shall not be for some time. As you have already laid out for us, we need every ounce of help we can get… that is, at least until we secure our grasp on a more firm upper hand. Don't be surprised if you find yourself charged with execution after such time."
Celindros glared hatefully at Argos with Marcondus Hemorphious and iquinus staring helplessly towards one another, not knowing what to do.
"This meeting is adjured!" Argos yelled, still angry with Celindros defiance. "We 'shall' increase training of our 'cattle'!" He said defiantly, staring pointedly towards Celindros. "And we shall do nothing about the duplication decision. It was a wise choice that shall not be overruled. We shall use these humans as we see fit until the time comes that peace shall reign once more throughout this land."
With that the Shumi head elder hit his fist against the table and the room darkened, signaling the end of their meeting.
"If this madness continues, we shall all be doomed…" Celindros said silently to himself before exiting the darkened area.
****
Rinoa silently inhaled the soft scent of one of the roses handed to her at the reception of the funeral. Squall's funeral. Though it was also a funeral for Irvine and Renix as well, most people would recognized it as Squall's since he was the predominant figure of the trio. It was a sad truth but a truth non the less that dug deep into the raven-haired woman's soul.
She stared up into the bright, sunny sky reliving memories of happier times past. Times when she and Squall would simply enjoy hours of relaxing under the beautiful rays of the sun, inhaling the majestic scent of flowers and pine trees as they mixed together into an aroma of elegance.
A single tear trailed down her eye, hidden from any onlooker. The meaning, however, was more powerful then any other outward expression she could ever show. For that single tear was the final symbol of things never to return again. She would never have the opportunity to sit with Squall under the sun again. Never be able to smile towards the man she loved as she admired the formation of a new flower.
The tear symbolized all the anguish that would follow her silently for the rest of her life. She didn't want to be alone especially not now. She never wanted to have to raise her son all on her own. She didn't want to have to rock him to sleep and tell him stories about his father but never see him. She didn't want to go through the emotional strain of dealing with situations where her son would ask her where his daddy was and why he couldn't spend any time with him like all the other kids. Rinoa simply couldn't take it.
Gently, she lifted her hand and wiped the tear from her cheek. Regardless of how she would feel, she would not neglect her responsibility. The confirmation of Squall's death had brought about a change in her. She knew what her responsibilities were now. Squall died upholding his duty. He died fighting for a cause he believed in. If he could make such a sacrifice, Rinoa would honor him by not letting that sacrifice be in vain.
Suddenly a hand gently cupped her shoulder, startling her out of her reverie. Rinoa shifted her head slightly to the side to regard a very worn out looking Laguna. Out of them all, she had to say he looked the most physically altered by this new occurrence then them all. The once bright glimmer in his eyes seemed to have faded down to a dull shadow. His traditional upright posture had been traded in for a low sagging, hunch-backed old man. The smile, which seemed to be a permanent feature for the man, had disappeared.
Rinoa had to admit she had never seen such a change in a man before. He was a complete shadow of his former self and that fact alone scared her more then she liked to admit.
She gave the old man a weak smile and wrapped her hand around the one that was resting on her shoulder.
The weary eyed man returned the smile albeit with equall, if not greater, weakness. "So… How are you holding up?" He asked in a pathetic attempt to try and start conversation.
Rinoa respected the man's effort even if it lacked in quality. She knew Laguna was never really good with words but his heart was always in the right place.
She gave him another smile, this time, with more effort yet it still fell short. "I'm coping Laguna. One day at a time."
The man nodded sagely. "I understand. This must be very hard on you."
The woman didn't answer. She merely swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded slowly. She didn't necessarily like where Laguna was taking this.
"Squall was a great man." He continued, unaware of how many wounds he was reopening when speaking of Squall.
"He was my son, and I'll live the rest of my life with the regret that I'll never have the opportunity to tell him that. There are so many things I wish I could have said to him. So many regrets…"
'Regrets…' the word reverberated throughout Rinoa's mind like a tennis ball. Did she regret any of the time she spent with Squall? Did she take it for granted? It was no question that she valued every minute she shared with Squall but was there any time she regretted any of it? Was there ever a time when she had wanted to do more? A demure smiled rose to her face as she came to her conclusion. There were no regrets. If anything, the only thing even close to regret is that she had not met him sooner then she did. Still there were so many things she wanted to say to him. She had told him it all before but she would have like to have told it to him in his last moments. If possible, she would have perished with him. It would have been less painful to die with the man she loved then live in a world of new uncertainties and unwanted trials.
Rinoa didn't want to think about it all right now. She knew her responsibilities and she couldn't let her resolve falter. "I- I'm sorry Laguna… but I've really got to go."
The man's eyes widened slightly as if he had just been soaked by a bucket of cold ice. "Oh I'm sorry Rinoa! I really didn't mean to hold you up."
"It's ok Laguna… and thank you for your inspiring words."
A slight smile tugged at the edges of the man's haggard looking face. "Any time you need to talk Rinoa, I'll be around."
Rinoa nodded her consent. "I'll keep that in mind."
As she began walking further and further away from the President of Esther she felt her confidence and resolve for her responsibilities growing stronger. Her friends unintentionally brought more pain into her heart. She realized she couldn't face them now. They all reminded her of her pain and loss in some form or another. She knew what she had to do now. She just hoped she had the confidence and inner strength to carry it out.
"Hey Rinoa!"
The raven-haired woman turned her face slightly towards the new voice. A soft impression of a smile graced her face as she waved towards her approaching friend. Wheeling would be a better phrase. Rinoa walked up towards the blond woman who had grown to become her best friend over the years.
"Hi." Rinoa returned, dimly.
"Words can't express what I'm feeling right now or how sorry I am for you and everyone else who shares in our grief." Quistis said, lowering her head in sadness. "So with that in mind, I won't say anything. I'd only be reopening wounds if I did."
For the first time in 3 days, Rinoa smiled genuinely. She didn't know how, but Quistis always seemed to know what she was thinking and thus acted on her best interests.
"Thanks." Rinoa replied gently. "How's everyone else? Have any plans been made about Zeilak's conflict? I'm sure he's got his sights set on Esther."
"Actually Kiros and I were just talking about that the other day. If we continued to stay divided we'll fall just like everyone else. We've come to a decision that we should follow in the footsteps Cid Kramer tried to lay out for us before his untimely death. I've talked with Laguna about it too and he gave the ok. As soon as possible, Esther and Garden will join forces against the threat of Zeilak."
"I'm relieved to hear it." Rinoa responded truthfully. "It's about time we started getting things ready for the offensive. So how's everyone else. I've been kinda… out of touch with everyone for the past few days." Rinoa lowered her eyes sadly.
Quistis seemed to pick up on the young woman's feelings immediately as she changed her expression slightly to one of understanding and compassion. "Everyone's holding up good considering the circumstances I guess. Xu and Nida are helping in the fortification of weapons armaments and reconstruction."
"Xu and Nida?" Rinoa was slightly shocked at this news. "I thought they had died in the Garden battle."
"Yeah so did everyone else until they suddenly turned up a few days before our investigation of balamb Garden."
Quistis saw Rinoa flinch and mentally wanted to slap herself for causing the raven-haired woman to relive unwanted memories. She quickly straightened up and changed back to the original subject.
"Xu's changed a lot! She and Nida seem to have developed some sort of relationship. I guess that recent conflict forced them both to discover their true feelings for one another. In any case Xu doesn't seem like she wants to boss anyone around anymore. She seems completely focused on the reconstruction and is extremely eager to help any and everyone as best she can. The same goes for Nida as well. It seems like those two are inseparable now."
Rinoa smiled gently and briefly closed her eyes. "It's nice being able to have someone…"
Quistis saw where her friend's thoughts were taking her and she wasn't liking it one bit. But she found that she was helpless to do anything. No words she could say would alleviate her friends troubled mind. Losing a loved one was something each and every one of them had to go through in their own way on their own time. She fumbled for words helplessly when suddenly.
"Hey Quistis! Rinoa! Over here!"
Both women turned their faces and saw Zell and Sarah walking up to them.
"Hey guys." Rinoa said mildly.
"Rinoa… I'm so sorry…" Zell said in a low, remorseful voice.
"Yeah It seems I've been getting that a lot lately." The young woman replied. "Don't blame yourselves, there wasn't anything any of us could have done. Time goes on whether we like it or not. We just have to live each day to the fullest right?"
They all seemed to grow silent as they pondered the woman's words thoughtfully.
"Speaking of living our days to the fullest." Sarah began. "What happens now? How are we going to combat Zeilak? It just doesn't seem the same anymore."
"Yeah," Zell agreed. "Don't get me wrong, I'm gonna kick Zeilak's ass black and blue for what he's done but still, with Squall gone, everything seems to have changed."
Quistis looked at the Dincht couple carefully for a few seconds. "You two aren't planning on being here when we attack are you?"
Both Zell and Sarah lowered their eyes guiltily. "Believe me, we want to help!" Zell began. "It's just… Squall's death helped us realize something important."
"Responsibility is important." Sarah interjected. "Zell and I want to help bring meaning to Squall's sacrifice in our own way. We're responsible for an entire island now. It's our duty to ensure the safety of our people and protect them from Zeilak's wrath."
Rinoa nodded her head. "I understand what you two are saying and I respect your decision."
Quistis nodded next to her. "Yeah I guess I understand as well. You have to do what's best after all."
"What about Selphie?" Zell asked. "What happened to her? I didn't even see her for the funeral."
"Selphie's locked herself in her room." Rinoa responded dryly. "I took it upon myself to tell her the news. I could hear her crying inside. I wanted to help her but she wouldn't let me in. I guess she too is dealing with her anguish in her own way."
"Well I guess she'll be okay as long as she's got you and Quistis to help her out along the way right?" Zell said enthusiastically.
"Actually,… it'll only be Quistis."
All eyes widened as they regarded Rinoa with shocked expressions.
"What?" Quistis breathed from surprised lips. "Rinoa what are you saying?"
The raven-haired woman sighed as well. "I'm saying that I'm leaving on my own. I too need to follow my own responsibilities. Don't worry I'm not running away from this impending threat. I'm going on a journey of self discovery. I'm going to learn more about my special gifts and hopefully learn how to harness it well enough so that I can overcome Zeilak's might."
"B… But Rinoa!" Zell protested. "What about the Garden? They need you! They need a strong leader! Someone who can lead them through battles like you've led them through the last."
"I think there's someone here who's more then qualified to fill in my shoes on that subject." Rinoa slowly turned towards her blond-haired friend. Quistis gazed at her with wide eyes.
"Oh no! Rinoa I couldn't possibly… There's no way I could replace you!"
"It isn't you who's replacing anyone." Rinoa responded lightly. "You've always had the mindset and attitude of a leader. Everyone respects you and now its time for you to take charge and carry out your duty. You're the best person for the job Quisty."
Quistis simply regarded the woman silently, tears forming up in her eyes. "…Rinoa… you must do what you have to… I won't stop you but… I'll miss you… I'll miss you all."
They all stared sadly towards one another. It seemed as if time would once again tear them apart forcing them all to live in their own separate ways.
"I'll miss you too my friend." Rinoa replied finally, tears rolling down her cheeks as well.
Zell looked up into the sea blue sky, admiring the life that was now soaring through the air and reminding himself that soon, very soon, even this small bit of solace would be forever shattered by the reign of Zeilak.
This was no longer an age of dreams. It was time for war; a war that would not be short nor kind. This would forever mark their lives, for this was now the War of the Ages, and they could only hope to be on the winning side if this conflict ever came to an end.
::::::::::The End of Emperor of Darkness::::::::::
Author's note: Thanks for reading everyone. It seems crazy how long ago I had begun this fic and I deeply apologize for the long delay in the chapters. I'll do my best to keep up in the future. As you can see, this is only the beginning. Much lies in store for Squall and friends. Please stay tuned for the New concluding saga, War of the Ages.