The Final Attack
'How many years has it been...?' Steiner thought to himself, 'Oh, yes... I remember now. Only one. But, it seems... As if... It has been thousands.... Amarant.... Lani... You both fought bravely and fiercely. That fire burned within your souls... Right to the very last moment... She killed you all the same. Princess... Why have you done this? Eiko, Zidane... We trusted you! Zidane, you were our leader! We counted on you to pull us through hard times... For your traitorous act, I have lost everything... Beatrix... You fought right beside me, and I let you slip away... I couldn't protect you, despite all of my efforts....'
"Adelbert," A soft voice murmured behind him, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"F-freya! my apologies for not noticing you before!" Steiner saluted clumsily.
"You shouldn't dwell in the past," Freya patted him on his shoulder and walked away. Dr. Tot stood in the doorway of Quan's Dwelling. It hurt so much to look out onto the once beautiful, green land of Gaia.
Trees, there were no trees left. Splinters, yes, trees, no. The ground was bare and dead. Qu's were all but extinct. Not a living thing stirred, but Dr. Tot knew they were out there. A few handfuls of Bermecians, a Lindblum resident here and there. Alexandrian knights hiding in the shadows. Most of all, monsters. They were everywhere. The most common one and deadliest took the form of fear. It clutched at the hearts and souls of the few survivors. There was also a deadly number. The number nine. Nine villains that were out to slay all. Zidane, Dagger, Eiko, and six Black Waltz and mages. Their as of names were: Cosmos, Demise, Fate, Ordain, Ruin, and Predestine.
"Two princess' gone and this world dead, though still exists the forest deep where even owls do not dwell!" Someone called from beyond the gate they had built around the cave, the phrase he recited was a password.
"I am unlocking the gate, watch out," Freya warned as she unlatched the gate. She was surprised to see Blank rush in.
"I don't have time to explain much, Fratly is dead, I'm sorry. Zidane caught him while he was retrieving this information. Take it, use it, fight and survive. I must go, Tantalus is still fighting off Fate and Demise for the Bermecia refugees. Bye!" Blank shoved a few parchments into her hands and ran off, unsheathing he sword. It took a few moments for the words to sink in, 'Fratly is dead,' Freya dropped the parchments that had cost Fratly's life to get, her whole body began to tremble with sobs that she was to stubborn to release. Steiner looked at her with sad eyes. They still held the deadened, haunting look that glazed over them when they lost Beatrix. Freya closed her eyes, she took small breaths in ragged gasps and found it difficult to swallow. One of her hands clenched into a fist at her side. Those words ran through her head....
'Fratly is dead, I'm sorry... Zidane caught him... Fighting Fate and Demise for the Bermecia refugees... Fratly is dead.... Zidane caught.... Take it, use it.... Fight and survive... Fate and Demise... Fratly.... Dead.... Sorry.... Zidane.... Survive... Fate.... Demise... Refugees... Fratly... Dead... Dead... Dead... Dead...'
"Freya? Are you quite alright? What did Sir Blank want?" A gentle, old, and kind voice asked behind her.
"Sir Blank...? Oh... Blank... He said... He had information for us..." Freya could not keep herself from trailing off.
"Is that all? You seem troubled... Is there something you have failed to inform me?" It was not a accusation, merely a genuine question.
"No, that was all, Blank rushed off because Demise and Fate were attacking their Bermecian refugees," Freya mumbled.
"Yes, yes, come on in now, see? You dropped the parchments, I'll get them..." Dr. Tot paused to bend down and pick up the slightly sodden papers, "See? They have gotten a little wet. Nothing serious but all the same. You should be more careful!" Freya nodded, only half-aware of Dr. Tot's presence, still dazed. Dr. Tot gently took Freya's hand turned around, leading her back to the mouth of the cave.
"It's not their fault," A voice rasped behind them. The trio turned just in time to see a bundle of silverish thing slump to the ground.
"Kuja?" Steiner asked, disbelieving.
"So surprised?" Kuja wheezed, "I'm tougher than you think..." Kuja broke off into a series of coughs, "As I was saying, it's not their fault..."
"Who's fault?" Dr. Tot asked, "Who's fault for what?"
"Eiko, Dagger, the ones you call Cosmos, Demise, Fate, Ordain, Ruin, Predestine, and especially Zidane..." Kuja coughed, "Eiko, Dagger and the mages are forced to do the things they do..."
"And Zidane?" Freya snapped.
"He is the most innocent of all...!" Kuja choked in a deathly whisper, "He, at the moment of creation, was given a set of instructions. As was I and Mikoto. Mine were to assimilate Gaia into Terra with the Iifa Tree. His, apparently, are to wipe our the inhabitants of Gaia. Mikoto's are not supposed to activate for some time. I do not know what exactly she is supposed to do but..." Kuja broke off as he sucked in air through clenched teeth in pain.
"What happened to you!?!" Dr. Tot asked.
"F-fratly wounded me..." Kuja whimpered as another bolt of pain shot through him.
"Why?" Freya asked.
"I cannot say..."
"Freya! Open up! NOW! I don't have time for the pass!" It was Marcus, though his voice was faint. Fait but desperate. Freya ran over and whipped open the gate without thinking. Marcus had a deep gash down his arm. A dagger wound, "It's Zidane! All of the Nine are headed this way! Boss told me not ta come but I had ta warn ya!" His words were slurred and hard to understand.
"Steiner! Take Sir Marcus and Kuja inside for medical treatment, them come out and prepare to fight for your life," Dr. Tot commanded.
"Yes, and if you do not make it, think of it this way. You'll be joining Beatrix soon. As I will re-join Fratly," Freya muttered. If she had not said it so gravely and seriously Steiner may have gotten mad, but Freya's tone told him to stop. The horrible realization struck he and Dr. Tot. They had lost Fratly.
"Oh, dear Lord..." Dr. Tot prayed as he closed his eyes briefly.
"Incoming!" Freya shouted. The battle of their lives had begun.
~¤~
Zidane smirked as he neared Quan's Dwelling, standing upon the silver dragon. His now shoulder-length hair whipped in the wind. His tail was wrapped tightly around his waist. He leaned forward and kissed Dagger on her cheek. She smiled back devilishly. Eiko was riding Fenrir below, six Black Waltz flew silently behind them. He jumped off his dragon as soon as they were beyond the wall, Dagger followed. Eiko called Fenrir back. Demise, Fate, and Ordain, the Black Waltz, landed, the mages stayed in the air. The last battle had begun.
~¤~
"Dr. Tot, go inside," Freya instructed.
"No! You are outnumbered! You'll be slain!" Dr. Tot said, horrified.
"Then we'll take a few of them down with us. Go in, Doctor," Steiner ordered. Dr. Tot hesitated, the waddled into the depths of the cave. Freya held her lance in a defensive position as Steiner drew his sword.
"Reis's Wind!" Freya cried, thus began the final battle...
~¤~A few hours later~¤~
(Cause I suck on battle scenes)
"Shock Break!" Steiner rushed and made an angry slash across Zidane's chest with the last of his strength. He collapsed as he exhausted his MP supply. He looked over at Freya, she was doing worse. She didn't even have to strength to jump. Zidane fell on his back from Steiner's attack, blood poured from the wound. Zidane began to feel the effects of bloodloss.
Fight! Now! Zidane! Fight!
It was Terra.
"Fight..." Zidane mumble, "Hey! I'm back!" Blackness swirled as Zidane realized he could use his body. He forced himself to sit up, though regretted it as a wave of agony washed over him. He open his eyes to the horrific scene that awaited him. Bodies were littered everywhere. Steiner, Freya, Eiko, a few mages and Waltz, and Dagger! Freya was still attempting to take Eiko down, but neither of them were in any condition to fight. Zidane knew what he had to do.
"Sacrifice!" Zidane thrust his Ultima Weapon into the air.
