Angel of Death
By Tera
Chapter Three- Lost Rachel
Eiko had found a father and a mother, adults that cared for her as much as her own deceased grandfather had. But, the young girl had never forgotten the boy she had met those years ago. The one that had saved her while she dangled from the steep Cliffside. Her Hero. She was still fond of him, even the years he was gone she still remembered him with a cool smile on his face, a deadly Dagger at his side, and blonde hair flopping over his large azure eyes. It had been futile, a cruel joke on her as she wanted him for more then a friend, trying everything and seeing him still long for Dagger. And, at first this feeling had made her feel bitter towards Dagger, but how could she? With Dagger around she wasn't the last of the Summoners, the last of her tribe. Dagger was the closest thing she had for a living relative; she couldn't want or have Zidane. It had been both sad and adorable as she watched them continue blind to how much each other really meant. Why was it so easy for her to say, "I love you" and not her friends who she knew they meant it more then her? No, not more. Instead there's was a different love, more then a friendship; she thought. Perhaps someday she would find out when she was older?
She sat up quickly from the bed in the partial dark next to the woman known as her knew mother and Lady Hilda, remembering how happy she had been when she saw Zidane return to the Queen. Then she laughed, if they were married would that make Zidane a king? She gazed at the other side of the large bed, squinting in the darkness and guessing the empty spot was where Regent Cid must have been. What was he up to so late in the night? It was night, right? The window of the large room in the castle was shrouded with a large curtain that sealed off the sun's light trying to peak through, if there was any sun yet.
"….a soul…meaning…locking…planets…" The purpled hair girl could barely hear the voice, all she could confirm was it was unfamiliar and it came from somewhere on the other side of the door.
"What will it cost?" Regent Cid asked eying the hooded figure skeptically. Eiko almost jumped when she heard her Father's voice, it didn't sound right, it was coarse, strained and sounded rushed.
Soul?
"Too much, but this will do for now, besides you have yet to gather the other ingredients and return them to me."
"I just want to see her face again, here her voice call my name…my dear Rachel. I remember years ago, when she stayed up so late into the night that her eyes became red, half closed even when she waked. Her hair in tangles and it was time to go, but she still wanted to visit Princess Garnet, her best friend. She fell asleep right in my arms, looked so peaceful. Tell me this, will her smile still be as bright and her eyes light up to see me?" The aged man grinned fondly at the memory and the wrinkles around his eyes creased tightly in happiness.
Rachel?
"Don't worry you'll see her again, Old man. Gather them soon I only have so much time…" The man grabbed the suitcase near by and walked away leaving the Regent in his memories. When Eiko heard the doorknob begin to turn she sat back down in the bed, squeezing her eyes tightly shut and hugged the pillow just as tight.
Who was Rachel?
* * *
"Rusty, are you sure all this is necessary?" Zidane asked as the man lead him and Garnet further down the winding staircase to the basement of the Castle. So many unpleasant memories returned to him as he descended down the stone steps and he guessed Steiner's silence meant he was also affected, but then he also noticed that none of the other guards escorted them, just Steiner.
"Hello, Steiner? Everything okay, your armor isn't on too tight…" The Knight's armor continued to clank along; he didn't stop for a moment.
"What a strong soul you have, Zidane. Such a soul does not belong in ones like common thieves, such souls are meant for greatness." Steiner said in a low voice as they approached the platform where Zorn and Thorn had extracted the Eidilons from Garnet.
"Steiner, tell me this instance what is going on," Garnet asked calmly from behind Zidane.
"Souls are the key to life, the life force. A continuation of everything from the beginning." His voice sounded serene and it appeared as if he was talking more to himself then the two that followed him.
"Rusty, you're beginning to scare me now." The Knight still had his back turned away from Zidane but stopped, seeming to ignore his presence entirely.
"What is this nonsense? I demand to know at once! Steiner, please this is your Queen Garnet." Garnet said as she faced him. He suddenly pointed a Dagger at her and stood between her the safety of Zidane. She looked up into his eyes. In the armor, in the place where fumbling Steiner should be—was someone else. Someone as tall as Steiner, as bulky, wielding almost the exact sword and everything, but still the eyes were different.
"I don't know who you are, but this is a considerable mistake! There are many guards and they will wonder what has happened to Zidane and me," Garnet explained. She tried to remain composed, but her eyes remained fixed on the familiar Dagger. Why did it seem so recognizable?
"He calls to you, Zidane. Endlessly… He just wants you to come home. And if you come home then she can live, they can all live somehow." He said turning around.
"WHO the hell are you?! Let her go now!" Zidane yelled unprepared, nothing at his side.
"If you'd only come home Zidane, if you would only go where you belong!" The stranger pleaded. His eyes grew larger, hopeful and sad as they looked onto the chosen man.
"This is my home. Gaia, Alexandria, Dagger is my home!" Zidane proclaimed.
"She is beautiful isn't she, too bad her death will come from your insolence." He said pointing the Dagger directly at Garnet's throat.
"Stand down at once!" From the stairs was a weakened Beatrix, Save the Queen in hand. The man almost jumped seeing the familiar woman and receded from group to retreat into the darkness, his destiny probably somewhere past Treno. Beatrix ran down the stairs to chase after the man, but Zidane stopped her.
"He's gone." The knight said shaking her head.
* * *
"Who is Rachel?" Eiko asked Lady Hilda the next morning. The curtain was now pulled back, the light of the sun piercing through to awaken the small girl.
"Where did you hear that name, Sweetie?" The woman asked adjusting her headdress in the mirror. Eiko looked curiously at Lady Hilda through the mirror from behind her shoulder.
"Regent Cid--father, I think he mentioned it in his sleep…" She laid her head on the woman's shoulder affectionately, holding onto her arm.
Lady Hilda picked up the child and sat her on her lap, holding her in her arms gently. "Rachel was Regent Cid and my daughter." She said smiling. "We loved her so much… just as much as we love you. But, even so there was nothing we could do for her," she tried to keep the reassuring smile on her face remembering that it had been so many years, but it seemed fake, so fake.
"What was wrong with her?" Eiko asked her forehead wrinkled as she pondered what Hilda was trying to say and grew more concerned as it sounded like this daughter was dead.
"She was sick, her and her best friend both died many years ago… We had tried everything, but for some reason, maybe stars, fate—if you believe in that sort of thing they both died leaving two kingdoms behind." Now Hilda wouldn't fake a smile and she shook her head, her voice became low.
"Princess Garnet and Princess Rachel." The small girl whispered.
"Yes, Garnet is not the same Garnet born to the Queen, I hope you don't think any less of her. But, how did you know that?"
"The Doctor guy told us…"
* * *
Entry 1013, day 206
I have studied, worked constantly for one purpose and one alone.
I have created beings out of nothing, understood life in numerous ways.
Watched my family shun me as mad, but I am far from mad.
I will save Terra, I will have Gaia, and it can still be done, if only they could…
Entry 1021, day 206
A planet, no our planet is made from life. Souls are life. So the planet is supported by souls? If you could bring out the souls, the power of the dead...? What does it mean? Extracting souls? What exists with no soul is it even possible? I don't know maybe I am crazy? If so then what is sanity? Why were we created to die? Why must all living things perish? I don't want to "perish" I don't want to stop breathing; I don't want this body to shrivel and weaken. Who decided all this? Is there something that defines good and evil, black and white, pain and joy? I must know why and how do live on when I die…
Garland stopped for a moment as he examined the faded logs taking a tiresome sigh. It was bound on yellowed paper, worn by what must have been ages. Most of the text appeared faded, blurred and unreadable to his squinting eyes. What he held were the rantings of a madman that had eventually been shunned from society for his beliefs and dedication.
Do they always hate and fear what they don't understand?
Wouldn't that Summoning girl understand the destruction of her tribe and kingdom? Would she not do the same if her world was in ruin and there was only one fading hope? People speculate, demand that this necessary action is cruel and unorthodox because they would never do that or this, but how do they know? They don't and cannot ever feel the same way or live the same pain. They would have to understand this time, Zidane couldn't be his Angel, but there was more to Zidane then one body.
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Author's Note: Wow that took me forever. Sorry I think I have an actual idea now! Whoo hoo!
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