Chapter Eleven
" Kiros, get up!" I shook his shoulder.
" Whoa, you're awake before me? That's something new," Kiros yawned.
" That's because it's the field test today. You know, what we've been working our asses off to train for three years! We have to get a guardian force, remember?" I headed for the door.
" Oh crap!" Kiros nearly fell out of bed.
" My thoughts exactly," I walked out the door.
A few moments later, Kiros came running out shirtless and barefooted. But he had a pair of shoes and an ugly lemon colored shirt in hand.
" At least its not au naturel," he remarked.
We got to the classroom and sat in our seats. I already knew what to do. I junctioned Tendril, a weak water-based guardian force. That's okay, I preferred physical fights anyways. That was my talent.
" Sam is assigned to Instructor Riley... Katrina will be assigned to me," Quistis continued rattling off names," Kiros will be assigned to Instructor Marsh... Caitlin will be assigned to Riley... and Matthew is assigned to my group."
" But...," Kiros protested.
" I already know what you're going to say. I split you all up because you three need to trying working with other people instead of just each other. I'm sure you guys can stand a few hours without hanging out together," Quistis said.
" Good luck Matthew," Caitlin smiled warmly. I could tell she was a bit nervous about the whole mission in general.
" No problem Caitlin. Just remember all the times we practiced and stay calm and collected," I reassured her. She grinned again and gave me a brief hug. Over the years we've spent together, we've only grown closer.
" My group leaves now!" Quistis broadcasted. I walked over to Trepe. There were about six other students waiting. Katrina was there. Great, if I didn't have enough pressure to deal with.
" Better stay outta my way, Almasy," she threatened.
" I'll be far ahead of you, like always " I replied. She rolled her eyes. Ever since that party, I've been taking my training more serious. I discovered fighting was my hidden talent, as long as I had determination. Katrina had become my rival. She was considered one of the best students in the Garden until I made my way up. She was the only student who used a gunblade until I chose one. I didn't really despise her, like how she felt about me, but I had my dreams to complete. I was compelled to be the better fighter by the time I would graduate to SeeDs, which was only weeks away.
We rode a bus to the canyon. Farther down the ravine was a gate to the Grandidi forest. That's where the guardian force would be dwelling.
Quistis led our group past the gate into the woods. The competition was between groups on whom would reach the guardian force first. It had to be done by teamwork, cooperation and blah blah blah.
" The map says northwest," one of the students in my group noted.
" Then that's where we'll head," Katrina walked past him, behaving as if she was some sort of commander.
We walked for a while. I glanced at my gunblade. It finally had designs on it. On the end of the blade closest to the handle was a pair of tiny angel wings. The handle itself had a design like my tattoo carved into it. It was somewhat like a phoenix. Over the years, I started to think my tattoo wasn't really of a phoenix. It was hard to really tell anyways since it was on my back. But Caitlin had taken a photo of my back to show me what it looked like. It was a monster of some sort. With wings. I wasn't sure of what it actually was, so I called it the closest thing to what it could be that I knew of, a firebird.
" He should be up there!" a student pointed to a large cave on top of a ridge. The group was uncertain of what to do next because Quistis had wandered away for a few minutes to call the base. I started to climb up.
" Back off! The guardian's mine!" Katrina raced me. But I was ahead.
I reached the top and approached the cavern. I felt energy bleeding from the opening. I went closer. Katrina had finally caught up.
" You are not getting my guardian!" she shouted at me.
" Not if I defeat it first," I replied. She swung her gunblade at me. I turned and just barely blocked it.
" How about I give you a scar?" she grinned, recalling our fathers' spite.
" You aren't swift enough to do that," I said carelessly.
" We'll see about that," she swung at me again. I blocked and swung low. She jumped and move behind me. She kicked the back of my neck and I fell to my knees on the dirt. She lifted her gunblade into the air, preparing to strike at me. I rolled in time and jumped up.
" No fighting dirty," I shook my finger in disappointment.
" I'll fight whatever way I can," she replied.
" Get down from there! It's not what we expected!" Quistis screamed from the bottom. What is she talking about? We stopped fighting to question her.
A figure loomed in the darkness. It crept out into the sunlight. It looked like a man, only mutated. He had saffron skin and unnatural bluish eyes. Wings as golden as his body had sprouted from his back. His bladed tail moved as freely as a feline's. He had a sharp look of menace. Behind him, came another figure. It was a female. She looked similar except her body was silvery and her eyes were red. She looked at us as if we were nothing. She leapt up into the air and flew off.
The male had no interest in leaving. He looked from Katrina then to me. He pointed his finger straight at me. He suddenly pulled his finger up and I was floating in midair. He closed his deviant eyes and my head started to hurt. My eyes forced shut.
I was suddenly freezing and tired. There was snow all around me. I couldn't breathe! Someone was holding me down in the ice. They were too strong for me to get away. My back was bare and I felt a familiar burning tingle on my back. Pain shot through my veins. Then it stopped.
I opened my eyes and stared down at the monster. At the corner on my eye, I could see Katrina was hurt and trying to stand, but a glowing force was keeping her down.
" You!" I yelled angrily. The creature sneered balefully. It started to speak, but it was a language I couldn't understand.
" Je suis votre tutrice," he said again, in what sounded like more common dialect. Wait, that sounded like French! I don't care at the moment. I was still in the air.
" Let me go, you son of a bitch!" I shouted in hostility. The being put his hand down and I fell onto the ground.
" I am Sidney," the creature spoke deeply," I see that I have already made my mark upon you."
" What do you want?!" I forced myself to stand. I remembered the Shumi leader had given my a mumba named Sidney shortly after I was tattooed. Was he trying to give me a clue? Defensively, I pointed my gunblade at the monster and glared defiantly into his eyes.
" Ye must recall the day— and I bid nothing from thee yet," the creature replied, mimicking old English.
" Why?!" I demanded," Why did you make your mark on me?!"
" I often questioned, what the little boy I spared from the blizzard, would enhance into," he said.
" Then why did you save me?" I narrowed my eyes.
" A garden needs it's seeds. A sorceress needs her knight. I needed to make a choice," he replied.
" A choice for what?" I didn't let down my gunblade.
" I needed an outlet. I foster some much power, yet I am bounded by it. I have no desire to be some human's slave. So I roamed around the world and I saw you dying in the snow. I chose you and saved your life. You should be honored to have that mark. It means only you can access my capabilities, as I intended it."
" So what does this mean for me?" I pressed.
" Nothing yet, boy. But it does mean that I want you to accomplish a certain deed for me," he said.
" What deed?"
The being raised his hand and lifted me into the air again. My eyes had forced themselves shut. I felt my whole body twitch violently. I opened my eyes and the scenery had changed. I was no longer in the air. I was strapped down. I looked up and I saw a needle coming towards my face. A drop of it's acid liquid had burned my cheek. I wailed.
" What do you know Almasy!?" a voice screeched at me.
" I have no idea what you're talking about?!" my lips moved at their own will.
" Where is Sidney?! Confess!" the voice screamed and the needle moved closer.
" I don't know! Let me go! I'll kill you!" I made empty threats.
" You won't ever escape again! The guards will just keep dragging you back! I'm sick of this Seifer! It's simple really! Tell me where this damn man is!" the voice suddenly had a face. It was a woman's. She had long silky red hair and cold steel eyes.
" You'll never be a sorceress! Only a wannabe! I don't know who this Sidney is but you'll never find him!" I spat at her.
" You'll regret that old knight!" she slapped my face. She leaned away and stared off bitterly.
" You're wrong! I will find Sidney and make him grant me his power. I will surpass where Ultimecia failed. And after all that searching, I found out Sidney has something to do with your ancestors. Your bloodline. Don't you realize he's the reason you had your so-called romantic dreams!? It's wasn't individual you fool! It was buried in your blood!" she yelled.
She stopped and looked at me cruelly," I remember your father in the Sorceress wars. His pathetic wife resting at home with a child. He was bent on being a hero. A knight to his country. But I watched him fall dead through my child eyes. His eyes were so defiant. My matron Adel killed him. Throw a blade through his chest. She was right in sending soldiers to Winhill. That damn little girl wasn't there, and one woman wouldn't let the soldiers inspect her house. She was slaughtered right there, while her baby was screaming his crib. "
" What are you talking about?! I was a orphan!" my mouth yelled.
" Adel made lots of children orphans," the woman sneered. The needle lowered more.
" By the way Almasy, I heard that you recently visited up north. Any explanation? Like a certain child for instance?"
" Don't you dare touch that boy!" I tried to thrash out at her.
" Then you will assist me in my journeys. And I will ignore... What's his name? Matthew?" she wondered.
" Fine! I'll be your god damn knight! As long as he and his mother are protected!" I vowed.
" Oopsie! Too late for Rinoa, but there's still a chance for Matthew," the sorceress smiled.
" What do you do to her?!" I yelled in rage.
" She was a bit under the weather. Now she's six feet under," she laughed," But if you betray me, I will not hesitant to go back on our deal. You got that?"
I nodded solemnly and I closed my eyes, trying to imagine a better place.
My eyes forced open and I was at the cliff. I was lying on my back. Katrina's face hovered over mine. There was no sign of Sidney anywhere.
" Are you okay Matthew?" Katrina looked concerned. It caught me by surprise. It was the first time I saw her look so weak. Perhaps there really was a kind heart behind that warrior's mask.
" Let's get him back to the Garden! I don't know if our medical supplies could handle his bleeding," Quistis appeared. Bleeding? Am I? My body just felt limp.
" You'll be fine. Nothing a trip to the infirmary won't help," Katrina squeezed my hand.
" Kiros, get up!" I shook his shoulder.
" Whoa, you're awake before me? That's something new," Kiros yawned.
" That's because it's the field test today. You know, what we've been working our asses off to train for three years! We have to get a guardian force, remember?" I headed for the door.
" Oh crap!" Kiros nearly fell out of bed.
" My thoughts exactly," I walked out the door.
A few moments later, Kiros came running out shirtless and barefooted. But he had a pair of shoes and an ugly lemon colored shirt in hand.
" At least its not au naturel," he remarked.
We got to the classroom and sat in our seats. I already knew what to do. I junctioned Tendril, a weak water-based guardian force. That's okay, I preferred physical fights anyways. That was my talent.
" Sam is assigned to Instructor Riley... Katrina will be assigned to me," Quistis continued rattling off names," Kiros will be assigned to Instructor Marsh... Caitlin will be assigned to Riley... and Matthew is assigned to my group."
" But...," Kiros protested.
" I already know what you're going to say. I split you all up because you three need to trying working with other people instead of just each other. I'm sure you guys can stand a few hours without hanging out together," Quistis said.
" Good luck Matthew," Caitlin smiled warmly. I could tell she was a bit nervous about the whole mission in general.
" No problem Caitlin. Just remember all the times we practiced and stay calm and collected," I reassured her. She grinned again and gave me a brief hug. Over the years we've spent together, we've only grown closer.
" My group leaves now!" Quistis broadcasted. I walked over to Trepe. There were about six other students waiting. Katrina was there. Great, if I didn't have enough pressure to deal with.
" Better stay outta my way, Almasy," she threatened.
" I'll be far ahead of you, like always " I replied. She rolled her eyes. Ever since that party, I've been taking my training more serious. I discovered fighting was my hidden talent, as long as I had determination. Katrina had become my rival. She was considered one of the best students in the Garden until I made my way up. She was the only student who used a gunblade until I chose one. I didn't really despise her, like how she felt about me, but I had my dreams to complete. I was compelled to be the better fighter by the time I would graduate to SeeDs, which was only weeks away.
We rode a bus to the canyon. Farther down the ravine was a gate to the Grandidi forest. That's where the guardian force would be dwelling.
Quistis led our group past the gate into the woods. The competition was between groups on whom would reach the guardian force first. It had to be done by teamwork, cooperation and blah blah blah.
" The map says northwest," one of the students in my group noted.
" Then that's where we'll head," Katrina walked past him, behaving as if she was some sort of commander.
We walked for a while. I glanced at my gunblade. It finally had designs on it. On the end of the blade closest to the handle was a pair of tiny angel wings. The handle itself had a design like my tattoo carved into it. It was somewhat like a phoenix. Over the years, I started to think my tattoo wasn't really of a phoenix. It was hard to really tell anyways since it was on my back. But Caitlin had taken a photo of my back to show me what it looked like. It was a monster of some sort. With wings. I wasn't sure of what it actually was, so I called it the closest thing to what it could be that I knew of, a firebird.
" He should be up there!" a student pointed to a large cave on top of a ridge. The group was uncertain of what to do next because Quistis had wandered away for a few minutes to call the base. I started to climb up.
" Back off! The guardian's mine!" Katrina raced me. But I was ahead.
I reached the top and approached the cavern. I felt energy bleeding from the opening. I went closer. Katrina had finally caught up.
" You are not getting my guardian!" she shouted at me.
" Not if I defeat it first," I replied. She swung her gunblade at me. I turned and just barely blocked it.
" How about I give you a scar?" she grinned, recalling our fathers' spite.
" You aren't swift enough to do that," I said carelessly.
" We'll see about that," she swung at me again. I blocked and swung low. She jumped and move behind me. She kicked the back of my neck and I fell to my knees on the dirt. She lifted her gunblade into the air, preparing to strike at me. I rolled in time and jumped up.
" No fighting dirty," I shook my finger in disappointment.
" I'll fight whatever way I can," she replied.
" Get down from there! It's not what we expected!" Quistis screamed from the bottom. What is she talking about? We stopped fighting to question her.
A figure loomed in the darkness. It crept out into the sunlight. It looked like a man, only mutated. He had saffron skin and unnatural bluish eyes. Wings as golden as his body had sprouted from his back. His bladed tail moved as freely as a feline's. He had a sharp look of menace. Behind him, came another figure. It was a female. She looked similar except her body was silvery and her eyes were red. She looked at us as if we were nothing. She leapt up into the air and flew off.
The male had no interest in leaving. He looked from Katrina then to me. He pointed his finger straight at me. He suddenly pulled his finger up and I was floating in midair. He closed his deviant eyes and my head started to hurt. My eyes forced shut.
I was suddenly freezing and tired. There was snow all around me. I couldn't breathe! Someone was holding me down in the ice. They were too strong for me to get away. My back was bare and I felt a familiar burning tingle on my back. Pain shot through my veins. Then it stopped.
I opened my eyes and stared down at the monster. At the corner on my eye, I could see Katrina was hurt and trying to stand, but a glowing force was keeping her down.
" You!" I yelled angrily. The creature sneered balefully. It started to speak, but it was a language I couldn't understand.
" Je suis votre tutrice," he said again, in what sounded like more common dialect. Wait, that sounded like French! I don't care at the moment. I was still in the air.
" Let me go, you son of a bitch!" I shouted in hostility. The being put his hand down and I fell onto the ground.
" I am Sidney," the creature spoke deeply," I see that I have already made my mark upon you."
" What do you want?!" I forced myself to stand. I remembered the Shumi leader had given my a mumba named Sidney shortly after I was tattooed. Was he trying to give me a clue? Defensively, I pointed my gunblade at the monster and glared defiantly into his eyes.
" Ye must recall the day— and I bid nothing from thee yet," the creature replied, mimicking old English.
" Why?!" I demanded," Why did you make your mark on me?!"
" I often questioned, what the little boy I spared from the blizzard, would enhance into," he said.
" Then why did you save me?" I narrowed my eyes.
" A garden needs it's seeds. A sorceress needs her knight. I needed to make a choice," he replied.
" A choice for what?" I didn't let down my gunblade.
" I needed an outlet. I foster some much power, yet I am bounded by it. I have no desire to be some human's slave. So I roamed around the world and I saw you dying in the snow. I chose you and saved your life. You should be honored to have that mark. It means only you can access my capabilities, as I intended it."
" So what does this mean for me?" I pressed.
" Nothing yet, boy. But it does mean that I want you to accomplish a certain deed for me," he said.
" What deed?"
The being raised his hand and lifted me into the air again. My eyes had forced themselves shut. I felt my whole body twitch violently. I opened my eyes and the scenery had changed. I was no longer in the air. I was strapped down. I looked up and I saw a needle coming towards my face. A drop of it's acid liquid had burned my cheek. I wailed.
" What do you know Almasy!?" a voice screeched at me.
" I have no idea what you're talking about?!" my lips moved at their own will.
" Where is Sidney?! Confess!" the voice screamed and the needle moved closer.
" I don't know! Let me go! I'll kill you!" I made empty threats.
" You won't ever escape again! The guards will just keep dragging you back! I'm sick of this Seifer! It's simple really! Tell me where this damn man is!" the voice suddenly had a face. It was a woman's. She had long silky red hair and cold steel eyes.
" You'll never be a sorceress! Only a wannabe! I don't know who this Sidney is but you'll never find him!" I spat at her.
" You'll regret that old knight!" she slapped my face. She leaned away and stared off bitterly.
" You're wrong! I will find Sidney and make him grant me his power. I will surpass where Ultimecia failed. And after all that searching, I found out Sidney has something to do with your ancestors. Your bloodline. Don't you realize he's the reason you had your so-called romantic dreams!? It's wasn't individual you fool! It was buried in your blood!" she yelled.
She stopped and looked at me cruelly," I remember your father in the Sorceress wars. His pathetic wife resting at home with a child. He was bent on being a hero. A knight to his country. But I watched him fall dead through my child eyes. His eyes were so defiant. My matron Adel killed him. Throw a blade through his chest. She was right in sending soldiers to Winhill. That damn little girl wasn't there, and one woman wouldn't let the soldiers inspect her house. She was slaughtered right there, while her baby was screaming his crib. "
" What are you talking about?! I was a orphan!" my mouth yelled.
" Adel made lots of children orphans," the woman sneered. The needle lowered more.
" By the way Almasy, I heard that you recently visited up north. Any explanation? Like a certain child for instance?"
" Don't you dare touch that boy!" I tried to thrash out at her.
" Then you will assist me in my journeys. And I will ignore... What's his name? Matthew?" she wondered.
" Fine! I'll be your god damn knight! As long as he and his mother are protected!" I vowed.
" Oopsie! Too late for Rinoa, but there's still a chance for Matthew," the sorceress smiled.
" What do you do to her?!" I yelled in rage.
" She was a bit under the weather. Now she's six feet under," she laughed," But if you betray me, I will not hesitant to go back on our deal. You got that?"
I nodded solemnly and I closed my eyes, trying to imagine a better place.
My eyes forced open and I was at the cliff. I was lying on my back. Katrina's face hovered over mine. There was no sign of Sidney anywhere.
" Are you okay Matthew?" Katrina looked concerned. It caught me by surprise. It was the first time I saw her look so weak. Perhaps there really was a kind heart behind that warrior's mask.
" Let's get him back to the Garden! I don't know if our medical supplies could handle his bleeding," Quistis appeared. Bleeding? Am I? My body just felt limp.
" You'll be fine. Nothing a trip to the infirmary won't help," Katrina squeezed my hand.