Disclaimer: Yada yada yada.... FF8 belongs to Squaresoft.
Chapter Fourteen
The cold wind seem to pierce my lungs, as I struggled to breathe. Luckily, the frigid night was coming to an end. If I didn't make it to Esthar by daylight, the desert will begin to boil my skin. Then I'd die a lost man forever.
I staggered closer to the dark city. It wasn't a cruel mirage this time. I could see the shadow of the Garden already. As I crept closer, it looked so alien from how I remembered it. It was much larger and taller, and had adopted the custom design of Esthar's advanced society.
I walked towards it in somewhat awe. My side burned again and before I could brace myself, I tripped and fall to all fours. I started to cough and a little blood had forced it's way out. I groaned and just wished I could die.
" Not here though... not here," I demanded myself to stand up and brushed the sand off my coat. Glancing at the sky, praying the Garden had not changed. I stumbled towards the city.
It was a little more than an hour after dawn when I found my way through the city into the Garden's gates.
" State your identification, please!" an armed guard commanded.
" Almasy," I managed to say. I could barely stand.
" Report to General Leonhart for penalty of leaving the Garden's grounds without and against an official written approval," the guard barked.
" What?" I squinted at him, confused. What the hell did that mean?
" Go!" the guard pointed. I decided not to argue. I didn't have the strength. Perhaps later.
I limped through the halls of the open Garden. The only immediate familiar sight was the cool pools of water and the shrubbery that framed the hallways. Since it was early morning, occasionally a drowsy person would wander by.
There were no familiar faces. No signs of welcome. Not even a sign of remembrance.
My only home seemed to repel me. Everything inside these walls was so foreign.
A few children ran past me, giggling.
" Wait for me!" was all I heard before something ran into me.
I flinched in pain, my wounds taking the impact. I grabbed the wall of the trimmed bushes to hold myself up. Then I saw the reason for the collision.
" Forgive me sir!" a ten year old boy apologized at my side. I glanced at him and almost gasped. He had messy brown hair and blue eyes, with a friendly smile. A name popped into my head as soon as I saw his appearance. The more youthful version of the face and name that haunted me for years, minus a scar. Squall.
I felt the instinct to turn hostile when I saw that face, but I was so disoriented.
" Are you okay sir?" the boy frowned at my wounds, " You look hurt."
" Where is Matthew?" I started to feel dizzy.
" Matthew? You mean, the one guy that my dad said was being a pain in the... butt?"
I almost laughed. That would probably be him. I felt a little proud.
" Bryant! Did you run into someone again?" a female voiced exclaimed from behind.
" Sorry mom," the boy lowered his head. I turned my head to look.
" Oh my god..." the blonde woman dropped her glasses when she saw my face.
" Trepe," I mouthed before I collasped on the linoleum floor.
–
" I can't believe it. The old bastard's back," I shifted through the hall towards the infirmary. I was amazed that he came back. I was almost grateful, but the recent passing of my sister, Ellone had complicated my emotions. There was so much on my mind at the moment. My sister's death. Matthew's disappearance. Seifer's return.
" Security checked him in. The guard said he identified himself as Almasy and let him in," Quistis said.
" Why is that man a bast--," Bryant questioned.
" Hush...," Quistis covered his mouth.
" What did he say to you?" I looked to Quistis.
" Nothing. He just passed out right here," she replied.
" Bryant?"
" I didn't run into him on purpose! I apologized and everything," Bryant crossed his arms.
" No, did he tell you anything? What happened?" his mother probed.
" Well, I was running down the halls after my friends because we wanted to go do a few little pranks... I mean... games. And Derrick said he could throw rocks farther than me and he was wrong because I'm good at throwing stuff. Way better than him, but he bragged to everyone that he could throw a big rock over the Garden security wall and I don't think he could because he's not really good at throwing rocks, though–," Bryant started.
" Can we get to the man now?" I interrupted.
" Okay, I accidently ran to him and he almost fell down, but he grabbed the wall. I think he was really hurt because he shuddered and some of his clothes had dry blood on it. I think it was dry blood anyways. He had stuff all over his face. He looked at me funny. I asked him if he was okay and he asked something about Matthew. So I told him that Matthew was the guy that you said was a pain and then mom yelled. Then he passed out," the boy talked fast.
" Why would he be looking for Matthew now, after so many years?" my wife wondered.
" It didn't stop Matthew from looking for him," I said.
" Of course not. Who said he would be stronger than his father?" Quistis shut her eyes.
I didn't lower my head. I warned the kid not to leave this place, but he wasn't patient enough. He couldn't wait.
Who knew how long it would take before Matthew returns? Alive or dead. Or barely holding on to life as Seifer is.
Perhaps that wasn't a trait from Seifer. It seemed more like Rinoa to me.
—
My eyes opened to a bright prelude. Everything was too luminous to see clearly. Way too effulgent. In simpler terms, I was almost blind. I felt the bandages on my body. My side still burned, but the pain was dwindling to nothing. A dim figure loomed at the end of my cot. I tried to speak, but my throat was too swollen.
" I guess he was right. I should have trusted him," the figure came to my bedside. It held out it's hand and softly touched my cheek. It had the warm touch of a humble girl, but her voice sounded so guilty and remorseful. If the girl was ashamed, then why did a charisma of innocence surround her?
" If you do find him, if he does return, please give him my regards. I'm sorry I hurt you and your family, especially your son. If I had let him go earlier, he may have found you sooner," the figure said, then leaned close to my ear to whisper.
" Tell him I'll always love him and wish him happiness, whatever way he may find it. I will judged and I'm willing to pay any price for my betrayal and deception. I have to do what's right. You understand that, you must."
The figure stood and walked away from my sight, leaving a sorrowful aura.
I drifted away from conscience and into dreamless slumber. My sense of time completely dissolved.
" Seifer..." a hand shook me lightly. Who was that? Let me rest.
" Seifer..." the name started to echo off the walls of the room and into my mind.
" Stop," I mouthed. The echoing grew louder. I knew what this meant.
" Seifer... Seifer,," the voice echoed, " Did you think you'd actually get away from me?"
" Die," I tried to say. I thought the torture was over, but apparently she haven't had enough entertainment. When physical suffering bored her, she would slip into my mind and force old memories to surface.
" Stupid Almasy. So are you happy now? Now that you have your freedom from me? Plus barely your life?" the sorceress's voice taunted me.
" What have you done?" I could speak now. My voice was so calm. I was accustomed to this.
" I don't give charities, you should know that," the sorceress laughed and appeared before me as if it was a dream.
" What was traded for my freedom?" I demanded.
" Please guess," she giggled in amusement.
" You're bluffing, you hag. He's safe in the Garden. There's no way you could get him here," I laughed.
" How ironic since he was in the north. Who was that girl anyway?" she rubbed her neck casually.
" No, he's supposed to be here. Squall promised Rinoa to keep him safe," I insisted.
" He'd be a much better knight for me than you. Especially with Sidney's energy. Why would I need you when I could have something way better," she ignored me.
" Why won't you just live me and my family alone? Why the Almasy bloodline?" I needed to know.
" Who says it's just your bloodline? Rinoa was a sorceress. You were a knight. Fits together beautifully, doesn't it? Why did you think Edea never bore a child when she learned she had received Adel's power? Ellone never had a child either and wasn't she a sorceress? Damn, a lot of sorceresses, you might think. But in the end, I promise you, there will be only one, and with Matthew's assistance, it will be like that forever."
" Sick bitch!" I tried to swing out at her but her image diminished before I could reach her.
" No need to play that game, but, there's another game we may play. It's a three player game–"
" Shut up!" I yelled.
" You're getting old Seifer. About 35, right? You won't have a chance."
" I know you're much older. So what chance do you think you have?," I scowled
" Wrong! I'm not even from this time era, baby. I thought you would figure that out over the years that you spent in a cell," she said coldly.
" Time flies when you're tortured nonstop," I replied.
" It's all for the greater good darling. There are mistakes in this time period that must be rectified. Soon I'll need you dead," she waved her hand at me.
" You failed to break me. What makes you think you can kill me?" I challenged.
" I need you alive for a little while longer. Then you'll be free. Until then, we will play a little game. You'll get your chance, when you fight against my new knight. You'll make fine target practice," she snickered.
" I'm not going to play that game. How about another?" I narrowed my eyes at her.
" What will that be?"
" How about a game where there is a knight, who's blade goes right through your side?"
" We'll see, Almasy. Be cautious, perhaps it will be your own blade to go through the knight. I doubt it though," she slipped away from my mind.
I sat up in the cot. I could see better now. Quistis sat in a chair near my bedside. Squall was leaning silently on the wall.
A surge of adrenaline shot through me. I leapt up and grabbed Squall's throat, shoving him up against the wall.
" Seifer! Let him go!" Quistis jumped from her seat.
" I hope she's lying about Matthew leaving the Garden!" I gripped it harder. Squall didn't move, as he glared coldly at me, criticizing my moves. He was expecting this all along.
" Seifer! Matthew left despite Squall's words. Now, calm your ass down before I take you down!" Quistis demanded.
" Thank you Squall. Now he's as good as dead," I released my grip.
" What do you mean? Where did he go?" Quistis asked.
Suddenly, Zell rushed in, breathless. He coughed.
" Katrina's missing!" Zell choked out.
" Where the hell is she?!" Squall abruptly came alive, now concerned.
" I don't know! She must have snuck out!" he panted.
" Maybe she went after Matthew," Quistis realized.
Who was that girl anyway? The sorceress had said earlier.
" The sorceress has her now," I concluded.
" Why would a sorceress be after Katrina?" Zell puzzled.
" She was with my son," I said.
" What sorceress?!" Squall commanded.
" Caitlin," I shrugged.
" That name's familiar...," a young blonde man walked into the room.
" Tyrell, do you know who that is?" Quistis urged him to answer.
" She's a student here, but she's gone now. She went to FH. She was one of Matt's old friends."
" Why did she go there?" Zell replied.
" Ellone..." Squall gasped.
" Ellone died this morning," Quistis touched his shoulder, awaiting grief.
" Ellone has to pass on her powers," he pushed her hand away. Quistis flinched and stepped away from him.
" She said something from being from a different time era. Maybe they are the same person."
" I'll request some top rank SeeDs and we'll assemble into groups. Elly wasn't sought after for no good reason," Squall instructed.
" I'll go after Matthew," I already made my own plans. Squall only cared because his daughter was involved. I could tell, as far as he was concerned, Matthew was only a dangerous agitator. He would be held responsible for Katrina's disappearance.
" No, I order you to stay here and rest. I doubt you're ready for a battle in your condition," Squall replied.
" Since when do I follow orders? Especially yours?" I resisted.
" You should stay here," he narrowed his eyes.
" I'm not staying while that bitch has my son in her clutches. I spent almost half my life in her prison. I know what she's capable of. You didn't even know she existed until it suddenly affected you," I stared right back, " You're only interested in saving your mutinous spawn."
" You're wrong. I'm going to bring him back too, and if it weren't for your defiant son, my daughter would be safe," Squall said.
" I know where the sorceress is hiding. You go find that girl Caitlin. Find out if she'll receive her powers from Ellone. If it's too late, imprison her," I insisted.
Before Squall could object again, I walked out the room, ignoring the pain of the wounds.
Chapter Fourteen
The cold wind seem to pierce my lungs, as I struggled to breathe. Luckily, the frigid night was coming to an end. If I didn't make it to Esthar by daylight, the desert will begin to boil my skin. Then I'd die a lost man forever.
I staggered closer to the dark city. It wasn't a cruel mirage this time. I could see the shadow of the Garden already. As I crept closer, it looked so alien from how I remembered it. It was much larger and taller, and had adopted the custom design of Esthar's advanced society.
I walked towards it in somewhat awe. My side burned again and before I could brace myself, I tripped and fall to all fours. I started to cough and a little blood had forced it's way out. I groaned and just wished I could die.
" Not here though... not here," I demanded myself to stand up and brushed the sand off my coat. Glancing at the sky, praying the Garden had not changed. I stumbled towards the city.
It was a little more than an hour after dawn when I found my way through the city into the Garden's gates.
" State your identification, please!" an armed guard commanded.
" Almasy," I managed to say. I could barely stand.
" Report to General Leonhart for penalty of leaving the Garden's grounds without and against an official written approval," the guard barked.
" What?" I squinted at him, confused. What the hell did that mean?
" Go!" the guard pointed. I decided not to argue. I didn't have the strength. Perhaps later.
I limped through the halls of the open Garden. The only immediate familiar sight was the cool pools of water and the shrubbery that framed the hallways. Since it was early morning, occasionally a drowsy person would wander by.
There were no familiar faces. No signs of welcome. Not even a sign of remembrance.
My only home seemed to repel me. Everything inside these walls was so foreign.
A few children ran past me, giggling.
" Wait for me!" was all I heard before something ran into me.
I flinched in pain, my wounds taking the impact. I grabbed the wall of the trimmed bushes to hold myself up. Then I saw the reason for the collision.
" Forgive me sir!" a ten year old boy apologized at my side. I glanced at him and almost gasped. He had messy brown hair and blue eyes, with a friendly smile. A name popped into my head as soon as I saw his appearance. The more youthful version of the face and name that haunted me for years, minus a scar. Squall.
I felt the instinct to turn hostile when I saw that face, but I was so disoriented.
" Are you okay sir?" the boy frowned at my wounds, " You look hurt."
" Where is Matthew?" I started to feel dizzy.
" Matthew? You mean, the one guy that my dad said was being a pain in the... butt?"
I almost laughed. That would probably be him. I felt a little proud.
" Bryant! Did you run into someone again?" a female voiced exclaimed from behind.
" Sorry mom," the boy lowered his head. I turned my head to look.
" Oh my god..." the blonde woman dropped her glasses when she saw my face.
" Trepe," I mouthed before I collasped on the linoleum floor.
–
" I can't believe it. The old bastard's back," I shifted through the hall towards the infirmary. I was amazed that he came back. I was almost grateful, but the recent passing of my sister, Ellone had complicated my emotions. There was so much on my mind at the moment. My sister's death. Matthew's disappearance. Seifer's return.
" Security checked him in. The guard said he identified himself as Almasy and let him in," Quistis said.
" Why is that man a bast--," Bryant questioned.
" Hush...," Quistis covered his mouth.
" What did he say to you?" I looked to Quistis.
" Nothing. He just passed out right here," she replied.
" Bryant?"
" I didn't run into him on purpose! I apologized and everything," Bryant crossed his arms.
" No, did he tell you anything? What happened?" his mother probed.
" Well, I was running down the halls after my friends because we wanted to go do a few little pranks... I mean... games. And Derrick said he could throw rocks farther than me and he was wrong because I'm good at throwing stuff. Way better than him, but he bragged to everyone that he could throw a big rock over the Garden security wall and I don't think he could because he's not really good at throwing rocks, though–," Bryant started.
" Can we get to the man now?" I interrupted.
" Okay, I accidently ran to him and he almost fell down, but he grabbed the wall. I think he was really hurt because he shuddered and some of his clothes had dry blood on it. I think it was dry blood anyways. He had stuff all over his face. He looked at me funny. I asked him if he was okay and he asked something about Matthew. So I told him that Matthew was the guy that you said was a pain and then mom yelled. Then he passed out," the boy talked fast.
" Why would he be looking for Matthew now, after so many years?" my wife wondered.
" It didn't stop Matthew from looking for him," I said.
" Of course not. Who said he would be stronger than his father?" Quistis shut her eyes.
I didn't lower my head. I warned the kid not to leave this place, but he wasn't patient enough. He couldn't wait.
Who knew how long it would take before Matthew returns? Alive or dead. Or barely holding on to life as Seifer is.
Perhaps that wasn't a trait from Seifer. It seemed more like Rinoa to me.
—
My eyes opened to a bright prelude. Everything was too luminous to see clearly. Way too effulgent. In simpler terms, I was almost blind. I felt the bandages on my body. My side still burned, but the pain was dwindling to nothing. A dim figure loomed at the end of my cot. I tried to speak, but my throat was too swollen.
" I guess he was right. I should have trusted him," the figure came to my bedside. It held out it's hand and softly touched my cheek. It had the warm touch of a humble girl, but her voice sounded so guilty and remorseful. If the girl was ashamed, then why did a charisma of innocence surround her?
" If you do find him, if he does return, please give him my regards. I'm sorry I hurt you and your family, especially your son. If I had let him go earlier, he may have found you sooner," the figure said, then leaned close to my ear to whisper.
" Tell him I'll always love him and wish him happiness, whatever way he may find it. I will judged and I'm willing to pay any price for my betrayal and deception. I have to do what's right. You understand that, you must."
The figure stood and walked away from my sight, leaving a sorrowful aura.
I drifted away from conscience and into dreamless slumber. My sense of time completely dissolved.
" Seifer..." a hand shook me lightly. Who was that? Let me rest.
" Seifer..." the name started to echo off the walls of the room and into my mind.
" Stop," I mouthed. The echoing grew louder. I knew what this meant.
" Seifer... Seifer,," the voice echoed, " Did you think you'd actually get away from me?"
" Die," I tried to say. I thought the torture was over, but apparently she haven't had enough entertainment. When physical suffering bored her, she would slip into my mind and force old memories to surface.
" Stupid Almasy. So are you happy now? Now that you have your freedom from me? Plus barely your life?" the sorceress's voice taunted me.
" What have you done?" I could speak now. My voice was so calm. I was accustomed to this.
" I don't give charities, you should know that," the sorceress laughed and appeared before me as if it was a dream.
" What was traded for my freedom?" I demanded.
" Please guess," she giggled in amusement.
" You're bluffing, you hag. He's safe in the Garden. There's no way you could get him here," I laughed.
" How ironic since he was in the north. Who was that girl anyway?" she rubbed her neck casually.
" No, he's supposed to be here. Squall promised Rinoa to keep him safe," I insisted.
" He'd be a much better knight for me than you. Especially with Sidney's energy. Why would I need you when I could have something way better," she ignored me.
" Why won't you just live me and my family alone? Why the Almasy bloodline?" I needed to know.
" Who says it's just your bloodline? Rinoa was a sorceress. You were a knight. Fits together beautifully, doesn't it? Why did you think Edea never bore a child when she learned she had received Adel's power? Ellone never had a child either and wasn't she a sorceress? Damn, a lot of sorceresses, you might think. But in the end, I promise you, there will be only one, and with Matthew's assistance, it will be like that forever."
" Sick bitch!" I tried to swing out at her but her image diminished before I could reach her.
" No need to play that game, but, there's another game we may play. It's a three player game–"
" Shut up!" I yelled.
" You're getting old Seifer. About 35, right? You won't have a chance."
" I know you're much older. So what chance do you think you have?," I scowled
" Wrong! I'm not even from this time era, baby. I thought you would figure that out over the years that you spent in a cell," she said coldly.
" Time flies when you're tortured nonstop," I replied.
" It's all for the greater good darling. There are mistakes in this time period that must be rectified. Soon I'll need you dead," she waved her hand at me.
" You failed to break me. What makes you think you can kill me?" I challenged.
" I need you alive for a little while longer. Then you'll be free. Until then, we will play a little game. You'll get your chance, when you fight against my new knight. You'll make fine target practice," she snickered.
" I'm not going to play that game. How about another?" I narrowed my eyes at her.
" What will that be?"
" How about a game where there is a knight, who's blade goes right through your side?"
" We'll see, Almasy. Be cautious, perhaps it will be your own blade to go through the knight. I doubt it though," she slipped away from my mind.
I sat up in the cot. I could see better now. Quistis sat in a chair near my bedside. Squall was leaning silently on the wall.
A surge of adrenaline shot through me. I leapt up and grabbed Squall's throat, shoving him up against the wall.
" Seifer! Let him go!" Quistis jumped from her seat.
" I hope she's lying about Matthew leaving the Garden!" I gripped it harder. Squall didn't move, as he glared coldly at me, criticizing my moves. He was expecting this all along.
" Seifer! Matthew left despite Squall's words. Now, calm your ass down before I take you down!" Quistis demanded.
" Thank you Squall. Now he's as good as dead," I released my grip.
" What do you mean? Where did he go?" Quistis asked.
Suddenly, Zell rushed in, breathless. He coughed.
" Katrina's missing!" Zell choked out.
" Where the hell is she?!" Squall abruptly came alive, now concerned.
" I don't know! She must have snuck out!" he panted.
" Maybe she went after Matthew," Quistis realized.
Who was that girl anyway? The sorceress had said earlier.
" The sorceress has her now," I concluded.
" Why would a sorceress be after Katrina?" Zell puzzled.
" She was with my son," I said.
" What sorceress?!" Squall commanded.
" Caitlin," I shrugged.
" That name's familiar...," a young blonde man walked into the room.
" Tyrell, do you know who that is?" Quistis urged him to answer.
" She's a student here, but she's gone now. She went to FH. She was one of Matt's old friends."
" Why did she go there?" Zell replied.
" Ellone..." Squall gasped.
" Ellone died this morning," Quistis touched his shoulder, awaiting grief.
" Ellone has to pass on her powers," he pushed her hand away. Quistis flinched and stepped away from him.
" She said something from being from a different time era. Maybe they are the same person."
" I'll request some top rank SeeDs and we'll assemble into groups. Elly wasn't sought after for no good reason," Squall instructed.
" I'll go after Matthew," I already made my own plans. Squall only cared because his daughter was involved. I could tell, as far as he was concerned, Matthew was only a dangerous agitator. He would be held responsible for Katrina's disappearance.
" No, I order you to stay here and rest. I doubt you're ready for a battle in your condition," Squall replied.
" Since when do I follow orders? Especially yours?" I resisted.
" You should stay here," he narrowed his eyes.
" I'm not staying while that bitch has my son in her clutches. I spent almost half my life in her prison. I know what she's capable of. You didn't even know she existed until it suddenly affected you," I stared right back, " You're only interested in saving your mutinous spawn."
" You're wrong. I'm going to bring him back too, and if it weren't for your defiant son, my daughter would be safe," Squall said.
" I know where the sorceress is hiding. You go find that girl Caitlin. Find out if she'll receive her powers from Ellone. If it's too late, imprison her," I insisted.
Before Squall could object again, I walked out the room, ignoring the pain of the wounds.