Warrior Soul

Warrior Soul

Part I: Chosen one

By Tanthalas Fierolobo

"There's always a reason to live, Irvine Kinneas. The difficult thing is to find that reason. Do you want to know yours? Revenge.

Tell me, Irvine… won't you avenge her death?"

            - Rinoa Heartilly, to Irvine.

CHAPTER FOUR: Secrets. The mission. A soul to redeem.

12. Telepathic isolation

            Squall suddenly felt very sick. His head ached; his arms were as heavy as lead, and his legs couldn't sustain him any longer. He fell to the ground, and entered the sweet world of unconsciousness. The first thing he noticed was that he could think, and it's supposed that when you are unconscious you can't. The second, that someone was talking to him. He tried to see whom, but all was darkness. However, he recognized the voice; a woman's voice: Ellone.

            "Squall… Squall, can you hear me? Please, tell me you do…" Her voice sounded very scared, and worried.

            Squall. It was a name he had not heard in a very long time, a name he had not used in many, many years. For a moment, he didn't realize that it was his name. "Yes, I can." He replied. He didn't say it, in the strict sense of the word, but thought it. Squall came to the conclusion that she was using her powers to contact him. But since when did she have the power of telepathy? "What the hell is going on?"

            "You must come to Esthar! Please… do it quickly… they are… they are going to kill us all!"

            "What? Who? And why?"

            "Those monsters… they will destroy mankind… you must do something!" Squall was now very confused, and slightly annoyed. She was obviously overstating, this was not making any sense.

            "Ellone, calm down and tell me what are you talking about."

            "I don't have time to explain." She seemed now a bit more serene. "Listen, you must save us! All human race is menaced!" If he could have frowned, he would have done now.

            "Must? That I must? And why should I? What has done human race for me? I'm not a hero any more, I never wanted to. Let me be, sister, I don't care. Look for someone who does."

            "Not even for me, or for your own father?"

            "Did he, or even you, care when I was a child? Did you do something for me? I think not. You two left me behind, Ellone. A life, an entire life as an orphan, only because he was 'too busy'. No, Ellone, I have no one to care for. To hell with human race."

            "Are you that selfish, Squall?" He could imagine the sad, disappointed look in her almond eyes, but he really didn't care. "Very well, see it from this standpoint then: if mankind perishes, you too will perish. Sooner or later, you too will be annihilated, no matter where you hide." He would have frowned even more now. He hadn't thought that. "You must fight again, whether you like it or not. Maybe it's too late for me, but we still have a chance. We need you, the world needs you, Squall, for you are the best warrior that has ever born, the perfect leader. You have been chosen. So save the world, if not for human race, for your own good. Come to Esthar, find GER-47 P; then, you will know what to do next." Her voice became bitterer, full of resentfulness. "Farewell… brother."

            "But why me? What can do a simple man?"

            "A simple man sets the difference…" Her voice slowly vanished, echoing in his head.

            "Ellone! Wait, Ellone!" Squall mentally shouted. No one replied.

            "Ellone." Squall opened his eyes, and saw the red sky of the Galbadian evening. "Chosen?" He thought, remembering his sister's words… but also some  words he had heard long ago. "He… can his words be true, after all?" He stood up, and looked around him, doubtful. He knew that the choice he was about to make would mark him permanently; it would change his life, maybe forever. But he didn't notice that, sadly, like so many times before in his life, he had no choice at all. After a while of thinking, he took the path to the East.

13. Hatred and regret

            Quistis went out of the elevator and headed to the Bridge, where Rinoa, Nida and Xu were waiting for her. The third floor of the garden had been remodelled, adapting to their necessities. The Navigator Platform, where the rudder was, had been enlarged, seats had been added, and had been guarded with a bulletproof crystal cover. The communication centre had been installed there, too. Below the platform laid a receiving hall, and behind a wooden door was the Commander's Office, that had been built right after the Ultimecia War.

            - Nida, contact President Loire straightaway. - Quistis sat in the main chair, right in front of a large screen. - He has many things to explain.

            - He's online; the image will appear in any moment. - Nida pushed some buttons in his control panel, and President Laguna Loire himself appeared in the screen. Soft lines covered his face (he was around his late fifties) and had his now black and grey hair neatly tied at the nape of his neck. He was behind a luxurious wooden table with lots of papers on it, and looked very sad and concerned.

            - Laguna, I want an explanation! - Quistis barely could control her anger.

            - Quistis, I'm as astonished and upset as you… not even I knew that missile base was there… I… I'm not responsible of the catastrophe… I'm so, so sorry…

            - Sorry? - The Commander couldn't believe what she was hearing. She dug her fingernails in the armrests, coldly staring at the President of Esthar with her sapphire eyes - You feel sorry? Trabia Garden is destroyed, the students have been killed, Selphie is dead! … And that's what you have to say? Sorry!?

            - Quistis, please listen… I couldn't prevent it! That missile base was from Adel times, and was incredibly hidden! Our scanners and radars never detected it… I'm sure the Galbadians have something to do with this… they infiltrate in my city, control a secret base I didn't know that existed, fire the missiles in it to destroy your garden, leave, and now they are expecting a war between your people and mine!

            - That's stupid, Laguna. - She literally spitted the words. - We can't afford a war against you now, and Caraway knows it. Besides, Galbadia has nothing against us. It makes no sense, so think other thing. Just in case, our SeeDs will go there and check that "Secret base" you mention, but I'm sure they won't find any proof pointing to Galbadian intervention.

            - That's not necessary, Quistis, trust me. - Maybe it was just her imagination, but Laguna looked now a little nervous. - My most efficient men are now working on it, and the situation is totally controlled now. Kiros and Ward themselves are right now in that damned base. They told me that it was deserted, but they'll find out who did this, I promise. - Laguna really looked strange in her eyes. She couldn't say what was it, but there was something… Quistis realized that she wouldn't obtain anything from a conversation with Laguna (at least with this Laguna), and changed her cold expression to a warm-wannabe smile.

            - I trust you, Laguna, and you know it. I have no reason to doubt from your word… for now. - She made a gesture with her hand to Nida. - Trepe out. -The image vanished, just like her smile did. She turned to Rinoa. - I don't trust him. There was something… strange in his behaviour, don't you think? - The Sorceress nodded.

            - That was not Laguna. At least, not his own words. For some reason, someone forced him to say what he said. I can tell he was desperately begging for help with his eyes. - Quistis ordered her thoughts in an instant, and immediately took a decision.

            - We will go to that base tonight, stealth mission. We've got… - she glanced to her wristwatch. - Around three hours to get prepared. Let's move.

            - You are coming. - It was not a question, but a statement.

            - Of course. - "Sorry, Selphie, we will cry for you later. First, we will avenge you," she thought. - Please tell Irvine he has a mission, he's still out there. I will tell Zell, Seifer and Kristyne. We will find the culprit. - She stood up, and took the elevator. Rinoa still could see the flames in Quistis eyes, flames of the most burning anger. She sadly shook her head. "We won't shed tears for Selphie; we will shed blood." She thought. But she did cry. A tear, the only one tear she would shed for her, a symbolic, lonely tear ran down her cheek. She found she didn't care at all for the inhabitants of Trabia Garden that had died; she only cared for her lost friend, and she knew why it was: "It's easy to ignore and forget the death of people you don't know," She remembered Edea's sad words. "That's what makes war easier, or even possible." With a stormy sigh, she vanished in the air.

14. The end of glory

            Laguna closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands, feeling awful, and extremely sorry. The bodies of Kiros and Ward were lying on the ground, in a puddle of their own blood, surrounded by dead creatures. They had fought to death for his life.

            - I've done what you wanted, now release Ellone. - He managed to say. She was on the ground unconscious; probably she had not been able to resist the terror any more, and fainted. He was talking to a tall figure that stood a few metres to his left, in the shades. Laguna couldn't perceive his disdainful, evil smile. The aforesaid talked with his deep, guttural, rough voice.

- You can kill her now. - President Loire raised his head from his hands, in shock.

            - But you said you would spare her life if I told them…

            - Yes, we said it. - He turned to his subordinates. - Destroy them. We will not need him any more.

            - The female has fainted. - One of them said, with a similar voice.

- That will make it easier.

Laguna heard with a blank look in his eyes how Ellone fell to the ground again like a rag doll, her neck broken. "What… have I done…" He thought. Then, after a second of tremendous agony, all went black.

15. Arrival to Destiny

A shining black Ragnarok took off from the Garden's Hanger, a necessary new section built beside the Garage, where rested the assault shuttles and the Stalkers: small silent high-speed single-seat ships, also called "Aero speedboats", powered by electromagnetic impulses (Estharian technology.) The Ragnarok had been re-adapted for the SeeD missions; it had been used as an assault ship (with its heavy machine guns and ion-particle cannons IPC, apart of the new proton-cannon turrets proto-turrets that had been installed in its rear and flanks, added a few months ago), a fighter plane (with its improved speed and accuracy), a cargo and troop transport craft, an escort, and a cloaked spy-ship (it had a high-tech cloaking system now, for stealth missions). Five SeeDs and the Sorceress were in it: Kristyne at the controls (she loved flying; she was one of the best pilots in Garden, experienced in all sort of ships, but specially in Stalkers), Zell as co-pilot, Irvine, and Seifer, they both sitting behind them. They all were in complete silence, the reason obvious; the tension, the sadness, the hatred in the ambient could have been cut with a knife. Irvine had not opened his mouth since that hollow 'Of course.' Quistis and Rinoa were apart at the cargo compartment, in a heated (and private) discussion:

            - I can't believe you said that to him… - Rinoa had just told Quistis what she had said to Irvine, and the commander wasn't very happy with it.

            - I had no choice. It was a decision between a dead Irvine and an alive and full of hatred one. So I had no choice at all.

            - But you completely changed him, you completely changed his mind!

            - No. Selphie's dead changed his mind. I just changed his standpoint about it. Do you prefer a dead Irvine? We have enough with a martyr, we don't need one more. - They began to walk to the control room.

            - A martyr? We have hundreds of them. - Quistis replied, rubbing his hand. The pain of the wound had not gone completely yet. - Have you forgotten so soon Trabia Garden inhabitants? Besides, he is a living martyr. A life dedicated to revenge is no life. And, a revengeful warrior is very dangerous; not just for him, but for us all. Thanks to you, now he will do anything, legal or not, for vengeance, not caring for anyone else.

            - I know, but he is still a SeeD, and our friend. I could not let him die, and that was the only way to save him.

            - But what will happen when he fulfils his objective? He will feel so empty, so miserable, that he will try to put an end to his life again.

            - He will find another reason to live before that can happen. I feel that much time will pass until he, and us all, can take revenge. - Quistis gave a sardonic smile to her.

            - Oh, please…, can you tell the future now? How can you 'feel' that?

            - I just feel it… - Rinoa was tired of this conversation. - Look, I assure you he will not put in peril this mission, I'm positive.

            - I wish I could be so sure about it… - they arrived to the elevator. - We all will keep an eye on him, and so you will do. What does he feel now?

            - Pain. He feels like a part of his own body had been violently torn off from him. And behind all that suffering, an extreme resolution. He thinks he must redeem his soul for a promise he made to Selphie and he broke.

            - Poor Irvine… this is not good. - She looked sad for an instant, but then changed back to her cold 'I'm-the-boss' expression. They steeped in the room where the other SeeDs were sitting. Zell asked their course of action:

            - Orders, sir?

            - Set course for the city of Esthar, to the secret underground missile base. - Quistis ordered. - Here are the coordinates. Activate the cloak system.

            - Course set. -Kristine said in a neutral voice. - Anti-detection system… activated. Silent engines system… activated. We will arrive in twelve minutes.

            Rinoa and Quistis sat in silence, behind Irvine and Seifer respectively. Rinoa had complained about Seifer's intervention in the mission, but the Commander had been intransigent about it: "You must work together. We need his abilities, and yours too. Besides, he would never let us exclude him from this particular mission, not even if I order him," She remembered Quistis' words. And she was right, she had to admit. Seifer was a good SeeD after all, despite his temperament and inexplicable hate against the Sorceress. He was now checking his equipment, and Rinoa observed him as he expertly revised it. She did not need any equipment, only her magic and her sharp, quick mind (but she had a small dagger tied to her right leg for any extreme situation), so was the only one who wasn't doing really something; Zell and Quistis were checking their inventory too; Irvine was simply looking forward, trying to fill the emptiness within him with his revenge desires; Kristyne had her hands in the controls, totally immersed in her task. Rinoa turned her look to her, and studied her movements with a combination of love, friendship and proud in her eyes. Although she was just three years younger, Rinoa, despite her occasional rough words, felt for her something like a mother would feel for her daughter. She was kind of her 'protégée', but also a friend, and a battle partner. For Kristyne, the White Sorceress was the object of her admiration, a confident, and above all that, her best friend. Suddenly, like she had felt that someone was looking at her, she turned her head and smiled warmly to Rinoa when their eyes encountered. The Sorceress gave the smile back. "Nervous?" she said with her lips. Kristyne shook her head. "Furious. Sad. Not nervous" Rinoa nodded. She knew exactly what the SeeD felt, though. It was a mixture of sadness and fury, as she had told her, but also determination, impatience, and a little nervousness. They didn't know what they would find in that missile base, after all. She knew Laguna had not told them the truth, that he had been forced in some way to say what he said; by the circumstances, or by other people. She was uncertain about what to believe.

            Seifer sighed. He had finished verifying his tools: everything was right and ready. He found that he felt really sorry about Selphie's death; he truly missed her presence among them. "I certainly have changed," he said to himself. "Who would have said twelve years ago that I would miss someone like Selphie? That Selphie would be my friend, or even my partner… come to think on it, it would have been very difficult not to become a friend of Selphie… she was the most loved SeeD in Garden, everyone was her friend. It's a luck that Quistis decided to temporally keep in secret her death for the rest of the garden." The Commander had to made a short speech for the inhabitants of the flying Garden to prevent them from attacking Esthar in a massive, uncontrolled assault. Despite their discipline, it had been difficult enough to stop them without mentioning her death. If she had said that the most representative and appreciated SeeD after the Commander herself had been killed, the students and SeeDs would have gone completely outraged. "I hope I'll have the opportunity of personally punish the culprits, and make… justice." A malicious smile appeared in his lips as he caressed the edge of his gunblade. Just then, he perceived Kristyne's voice over the quiet, soft buzz of the engines of the Ragnarok:

            - We have arrived. We are over the base. - She said. Quistis stood up and glanced at her subordinates, one by one. She spoke:

            - Here we are. Have the ropes ready, we are not going to land the aircraft on ground. Zell, connect the autopilot, and put it in 'remote control'. - Ignoring his "done", she went on giving instructions. - Kristyne, you go first. Then Seifer, third Irvine, next me, Zell, and Rinoa at the rear. - She looked to each one's eyes, valuing their expressions: Seifer and Kristyne's impatience; Irvine's determination; Zell, always nervous and uneasy before a mission; and Rinoa's unfathomable, impenetrable expression. Quistis nodded once. - Let's move.

End of Chapter four.

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