XIV
"Let's just fire like crazy and make a big hole, BOOM!"
--Selphie Tilmitt

The guard on the submersible's deck didn't even have time to flinch.

He had just been standing watch, staring at the coastline of Esthar, when he heard the screams. Turning, he gaped at the massive, red-brown object hurtling towards them, skimming the water.

Then he was almost blown overboard as the Estharan warship buzzed the craft.

Of course, a second later none of it mattered anyway as nearly five hundred triggered Flare, Holy and Ultima stones dropped from the trailing stair ramp and turned the ship into a mass of flaming wreakage.

"Booyaka!" the word wafted over the floating flames, as the Ragnarok flew off into the distance. Soon enough, only the charred lower portions of Dyne's submersible were evidence that anything had happened there.

"WHAT!" Dyne roared, staring at his servant. The man tried to back away, but was held motionless by the jacket.

"The submersible has been crippled, Sire," he repeated. "It was not yet through the duckblind when the attack occured."

"And the other forces?" Dyne demanded, a look halfway between despiration and confusion in his eyes. "What about them?"

"They were intercepted by the main bulk of the Estharan army and overcome," the man said.

"No..." Dyne said, voice quavering. He moved over to the window of the hastily-made black structure--made of the same coral found around FH. "It can't be..."

"Sire?" the man asked, unnerved by Dyne's apparent attitude.

Dyne was actually shaking. "We will go to Centra," he murmured. "And I shall harness the power of the Crystal Pillar. Once I have, I will be the sole undisputed power in the world. I shall be a force to be reckoned with. And no one shall ever dispute my rule again..."

"Shall I order the ships prepared, my lord?" the man asked. Dyne nodded.

"I shall be... safe," he said. "Safe from all the world... forever..."

The man turned without questioning his leader--it was only rare that the bringer of bad news in the army would not be punished, and he didn't intend to push his luck.

"Safe..." Dyne whispered again, staring out the window at the depths of the sea outside.

Squall stared at the ceiling of his room, wondering if the plan they had concocted could possibly work. He had opted to stay behind at Garden so that, on the offchance that Dyne could tell where he was, he wouldn't endanger the mission. Still--it almost made him want to go along, just to make sure no one screwed up.

fzzzt... "Members of Garden..."

Squall sat bolt upright, listening to the voice on the intercom. It sounded like Nida.

"SeeD was formed to combat the weilders of sorcery, should they become a threat to the world. At least, I... think that was the intent. And Garden was built to train SeeDs. So Garden's destiny and SeeDs mission are inextricably linked."

Squall wondered what was going on. He recognized the style of the speech--it was a lot like the one he had given before they had gone into battle against Galbadia Garden a year ago.

"Once again, we are faced with a threat of this nature. The Sorcerer, Dyne, is pretty much hell-bent on taking over the world or destroying it, at least." He paused dramatically. "That would be a bad thing."

What is he getting at? Squall wondered.

"Anyway, Dyne's forces have been spotted moving towards Centra. As you all probably know, the Crystal Pillar is there. We're guessing he wants to use it for something."

This is a great way to find out about stuff, Squall thought sarcastically. Why couldn't he just have told me to my face?

"So, anyway," Nida continued, "We're going to Centra. I think this will probably be the last time we have to face him. I could be wrong about that, though--we did have to fight Edea several times, and Ultimecia was just annoyi--"

"Give me that," said another voice that Squall recognized as Xu. Slapping his forehead, he winced. The Garden has been commandeered by Nida and Xu, the thought. Why me?

"We are going to Centra to fight Dyne," Xu stated. "Oh, and one more thing. Seifer has been dropped off at Balamb. So if you would just STOP PLACING ANTI-SEIFER POSTS ON THE GARDEN SQUARE, it would be appriciated. You know who you are. Thank you, that is all."

Theree was a slight increase of the hum of the ring, and Squall glanced out the window. They were moving. The Balamb mountains were sliding away beside them. We'll just hope they've radioed the Ragnarok to inform Quistis. He considered that for a moment. ...on second thought, it might be a good idea to check. Standing up, Squall headed for the doorway.

Seifer stood in the Balamb Mountains, on the same ledge where he had fought Squall that year ago. Watching Balamb Garden slide away in front of him, he was struck with a sudden, dark feeling. Not sadness, exactly--more like fatalism. It was as if he was watching his life glide away.

"We are alone, now," someone said behind him, and Seifer whirled. A huge, silver-black dragon was behind him, looking down at the Garden.

Bahamut.

"What are you doing here?" Seifer demanded, feeling for whatever reason completely normal adressing the great GF. Bahamut watched the Garden, something akin to sorrow in his eyes.

"We have both been outcast, each by our own choices. If I could undo the past, I would. But the past is permanent. It is the only thing that is."

"What?"

Bahamut turned to look at him. There was a deep pain in those eyes that no mere human could hope to understand. "I know what you are going to do," he said. "It is a noble purpose, and I wish I had your courage. But, if you would allow me, I would accompany you. I will bear you there, when this is your wish."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Seifer said, hand snaking towards his gunblade. Bahamut closed his eyes, shuddering breifly.

"You may not yet even know it, but I can see it in your eyes, in your stance. My friend, I must warn you. It is in your nature to fail. It shall be your undoing." Bahamut sighed. "The nature of a person is a harsh taskmaster. How can we go against nature? The moment we do, we become somthing other than ourselves, which in itself is a paradox. How can you not be you?"

Seifer shuddered involentarily. Something in what Bahamut was saying gave him the chills. "What are you saying?"

"They will never understand," Bahamut said, gesturing with an enourmous claw towards the Garden. "How can they? They have never had to walk these roads, never had to face what we must as needs be face." Bright eyes fixed on him. "What is a legacy, human? Is it that which you have done, or that which others think of us? In thought or deed? By our actions or others? We are to be judged by those around us, and only then will we know what our legacy shall be." Bahamut gave a small, cold chuckle. "Perhaps redemption awaits even for us... two black sheep, each in our own right." The GF fell silent.

"What? What are you trying to say?" Seifer snorted, defensive sneer curling his lip. "Get away from me."

"We are more alike than appearences would tell, you and I," Bahamut murmured. "I sought to control my fellows so they would be safe, but found myself opposing them instead. Your motives were different, but the results were the same. We cannot go back, my comrade. The only place to go is forward--until we reach the end of the earth or until death puts an end to our wanderings. Which choice would you make?"

Seifer's sneer increased. "You can go off and die if you want to, but I don't plan on it. I'll see you around." Turning back to the cliff, he watched the Garden move away.

"I see," Bahamut mused. "Within you lies potential. I have seen few others like you... brimming with passion... holding the true warrior's spirit. If it is possible to fight Dyne and win, it may be that you will do it."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Seifer said.

"Yet," continued Bahamut. "I now see many, many things. Human, I cannot tell the future, nor would I want to. My one view of the future has been dismal indeed." Even with his back turned, Seifer could feel the eyes of the GF boring into him. Involuntarily, he cringed. "Reality, human, is that which does not go away when you stop believing it. Think on that, if you will."

Without another word, Bahamut spread his wings and disappeared into the sky.