XV
"When the trumpets call us all to judgement, the honored dead will look back upon this bloody day and say 'Aye, for there was no choice left.' Today we stand between the devil and the chasm. Do we fight, or do we fall?"
--Centran magus Decus Horatius, Centran Sorceress War

The clouds hung thick in the sky as they pulled onto the Centra continent, masking the pale sphere of the moon. The night was as dark as any Squall had ever seen, save the occasional lightning flashes that lit up the surrounding area. A faint drizzle was beginning to fall over the continent, misting the air. It seemed the perfect setting for such a battle as they would soon be taking part in.

Oddly enough, standing on the bridge as the Garden slid forward, he didn't feel any fear Not even apprehension. Only a growing sense of loss... of what, however, he couldn't explain.

"The Crystal Pillar is coming into sight," Nida said, unusually subdued. "And there is one large swarm of people there."

Squall took the binoculars Nida offered him, and looked at the black patch. There looked like there were almost eight hundred men there--less than a fraction of the forces Dyne had to begin with. All of them jacketed. ...all doing this with less of a choice than I had. How many innocents will have died before this is all over?

"How close should we bring the Garden?" Nida asked. Squall shook his head.

"We may be too close as it is. We don't want them to see us." A big, glowing blue building bearing down on them would be a bit conspicuous. "We'll have to walk it from here."

Nida nodded, and made the appropriate announcements into the intercom. Turning to Squall, he smiled grimly. "This'll be the last time, huh?"

Squall stared at Nida. "This'll be the last time, Squall..." "What did you say?"

Nida shrugged. "Can't imagine any place Dyne would rather take a final stand. I think we won't have to fight him again after this. You agree?"

Oh... Squall shook his head. I must be jumping at shadows, he thought with disgust. "Maybe."

Nida nodded. "Well, I'll have to get my blade," he said. "Don't let the fun start without me."

Squall nodded. "Meet by the entrance. We'll go after Dyne as soon as everyone's there."

Squall turned back to the horizon, staring at the black shape of the Crystal Pillar. The equivalent of one hundred Ultimas to charge the armor--depending on circumstances, Demi can be signifigantly more powerful than Ultima. How much power will we have to face here? How many suits will be powered up? And what can they do when they are?

The lift sunk behind him as Nida left, and Squall took a last glance at the army. Putting down the binoculars he had forgotten he had been holding, he waited for the lift to rise.

Rinoa looked up at the darkened sky, shuddering. A chill air whipped around the badlands, but aside from that it was eerily quiet. None of the gathering SeeDs made a sound as they stared off towards the army and the Crystal Pillar. Squall, even more withdrawn than usual, only stood and stared at some vague point on the ground in front of him as he waited for the appropriate time to give his orders.

"Maybe we should go," Rinoa whispered, almost afraid to break the silence. Wordlessly, Squall nodded. Looking off over the horizon, he blinked and shook his head.

"Dyne won't be in his castle this time," he said. "He'll be at the Crystal Pillar." And where we find Dyne, we'll find Naja. And the rest of Dyne's slaves.

A figure approached from Squall's side, and without even turning his head he recognized it as Zell. "Should we go?" Zell asked quietly, adjusting his gloves edgily. Squall nodded.

"We'll go."

"A wise choice," rumbled something from behind him.

There were some gasps from the assembled SeeDs, and Squall turned to face the GF who had appeared behind him. Fur darker than the dust around them gleamed off a tall, over-muscular body, except for the patches of ember-red fur that gleamed from the far-off lightninglight.

Ifrit growled, facing the dark Pillar. "I was sent to bear you a message. Listen well, for I rarely speak to humans and I never repeat myself for them." The GF straightened up, looking out across the horizon. "The message I was sent to relay is this: even now, the one you call Quezacotl is in conference with others of our kind. They understand the need and the risk, and will come with all haste. Until then, persevere."

A pillar of flame appeared around Ifrit, rotating hellishly. Soon enough it had burnt itself out, leaving empty space where the GF had been.

Squall nodded. Looks like that's our cue.

Steeling his resolve, he turned to the SeeDs. "You've all heard the messages over the intercom," he said, "and you know what we'll be facing. Dyne is at the Pillar, along with Naja and the army they control. We have no way of measuring their strength, so prepare for the worst."

The SeeDs glanced at each other, each one trying to ready themself for the battle. They were nervous--for good reason, Squall could say. This would be no normal fight; this would be an all-out battle--army against army--that, if not properly executed, could become a massacre.

A hand touched his arm, and Squall glanced at Rinoa. "Talk to them," she said softy. "Reassure them. They need to hear something from you."

Squall nodded, taking another breath. Truth be told, he had never become comfortable with motivational speeches, and he doubted that he ever would. However, if it meant that much, he could at least try. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he began.

"I know that things might look bleak," he said awkwardly, "and I can't blame you if you're nervous or even scared. We can't understand Dyne... which is why we're going to fight tonight. Dyne is insane--he's fighting a war that only he thinks is necessary, and he has the power to wage it to completion. But--" he could see some of the SeeDs glancing at each other, looks of despair and resignation on their faces, "that's exactly why we're here."

Rinoa gave him an encouraging smile as he faltered, and he tried to form his thoughts into words.

"SeeD was originally created to fight the Sorceresses in the capacity of guardians. Now, the world is threatened by sorcery, and it's our duty to defend it. And if defending it can only be accomplished through killing Dyne, then that's what we need to do. And the Powers--" --powers? No, only the Forces-- "--are on our side. We have allies which Dyne cannot counter. We have trained to defeat sorcery, and we have seen the results of that training.
"A year ago, we faced a threat thousands of times more dire. We succeeded where some thought no one could. We have repelled attacks from Dyne's army in the heart of our Garden, and we have bested him in confrontation after confrontation. Now we're fighting on his turf, but that shouldn't worry us. As long as we fight with our skill and our conviction, we'll win.
"The battle is going to be hard. I won't lie about that. But we can win it. ...make yourselves proud tonight. I don't want anyone going home with regrets."

There was a subdued cheer from the SeeDs, and Squall turned away. Rinoa mouthed the words "Thank you," at him, and he would have tried to smile if he had been in a state of mind to think about that sort of thing. Looking away from her, he began on his way toward the battle.

As soon as he took the first step a cold, bleak hand seemed to close around his heart. He felt as if he was walking towards an execution, not a battle, and he knew that he couldn't do anything to prevent it.

We have one possilbe way to end this without massive or total loss of life, he thought grimly. Kill Naja. Without his control the jacketed men will turn against Dyne. Otherwise, I'm leading a small group of special forces into a huge army of grunts.

Against a normal army we'd be okay in, well, even up to eight-to-one odds, I think. But this isn't a normal army. They all have the skill of a GF. It took Bahamut, Nida, Rinoa, Diablos, Sacred, Minotaur and Seifer to bring me down. How can I possibly expect them to fight against forces that can--what is that?

There was a flash of yellow to one side, and Squall snapped his head around to stare at it. He could see nothing more than a dim reflection of light off the rocks, however, so he turned back to the pillar. Trick of the lightning, I guess. He shook his head. What was I thinking?

A thought rudely intruded on his mind, and he snatched at it. He hoped that it would be more pleasant than considering their odds, but luck didn't seem to be on his side.

...Seifer. About Seifer. I...

...miss him? Why?

The answer came back at him with such force he actually faltered in his step. Because he was the only one enough like me that I could have considered a friend.

Seifer as a friend? he shoved the idea away. Well, it's about as likely as Laguna as a... father, he thought, then took a split second to wonder where, in fact, Laguna had gotten off to. I think he said something about going back to Esthar... did he? Who knows. I just wish--

"You have come." The voice rolled across the badlands like an echo of the distant thunder, and the entire SeeD force pulled up short. Get ready, Squall thought breifly. It's going to be hell from here on out.

Looking up, Squall saw Dyne silhouetted against the massive pillar. He looked, in that moment, less of a human than some sort of wraith, seemingly fragile, but very powerful. Squall drew his gunblade.

"You should not have come, Leonhart," came Dyne's voice, tired, but taunting. "Do you not know that I could crush your puny force beneath my heel?"

I made my descision, Squall thought. I don't regret it. ...yet.

"But you shall regret it, my friend. Are you prepared to lose everything?"

I always have been.

Dyne sighed, a sound that seemed to be amplified by the Crystal Pillar into the hissing winds. "Then I guess it is time for you to die."

Not yet. And if I have to, I'll take you with me.

We're ready for you, Dyne.

"It bringsssss back memoriesssss, doessss it not?" came a voice from behind them. Squall turned sharply to see Naja slithering up on the party. Involentarily, the SeeDs backed up. "Your ssssoulsssss sssshall regret this day forever, young foolsssss. You have come to combat forcesssss you cannot comprehend." The GF stopped for a moment, and when he began again his voice was much crisper. "You will die here, perhaps by my doing. Fool! You should have killed me when you had the chance. Now we will both suffer greatly before our spirits fly."

Dyne laughed, speaking in a voice that was as patronizing as any Squall had ever heard. "My faithless pet. Soon enough you shall see the culmination of your master's designs. But first I shall show you something, my friend." Dyne's slim figure departed itself from the army, strolling leasurely to about halfway down the giant hill and looking at the SeeDs at the base. "While you were busy, each with your own plans to overthrow me, I have found something interesting. You see, the Centra continent is vast and ancient. Nothing remains of it above ground save the Ruins in which the GF Odin once resided. ...where is he now, by the way? Killed? So I hear." Dyne gave a barking, mirthless laugh.

Squall didn't move as Naja slithered past him, close enough to strike at with the gunblade. The GF gave him a final, peircing look in the eyes that seemed to tear through his entire soul, then turned and moved to join Dyne's troops. Squall noticed a figure, robed and hooded, forcing his way through the armored men. He took a moment to wonder who it was before listening to Dyne again.

"...a bank of such devices that have never recently been seen in this world," Dyne was saying. "And with them, I was able to create the ultimate troop." He laughed again, throwing back his head. "You think, Naja, that it is with your powers that I have been able to secure myself in this world. But you are wrong! You are only a component, my fine, scaled friend. Witness the true power of this god-forsaken land!" He laughed harder, a laugh that was not entirely sane. The SeeD party backed up a bit.

The hooded figure struggled towards Dyne, as if fighting against a strong current. Finally it knelt by his side, and Dyne placed a hand on its back.

"Rise, my servant," he said. The figure rose, shedding the hood as it did. Squall actually stagged backwards as he saw the creature...

It was a Shumi.

And in one hand it clenched a bright, gleaming orb.

"Behold," Dyne said with an elaborate flourish. Tilting back his head, he began laughing. The shadowed legions behind him laughed as well, a forced laugh, a jacketed laugh. It rasped across the landscape like a rotten wind.

The sight that Squall saw then turned his stomach, and increased the hate-fires burning within him. The Shumi, defiled by Dyne's power--a power that understood the power of the evolution the Shumi's went through, and controlled it...

Guard brought the orb to his forehead, struggling in Dyne's grasp, which was not as sure as Naja's. A detonation of silent power exploded across the field, and Squall tried to close his eyes as light assailed him. The form of the Shumi twisted and changed, melding with the black robe and growing into a pillar like the incarnation of rage--a gargantuan, serpentine dragon whose eyes blazed with unholy power. Power that should never have been brought fourth, but had.

Squall drew his gunblade as Dyne laughed, moving backwards up the hill. "Now do you see?" he asked. "You have come hunting me, SeeD, but I have become the hunter, and I can set my dogs on you with ease. Back away, and never seek to challenge me again."

Squall tightened his grip on the gunblade. Glancing at "his" troops out of the corner of his eye, he saw expressions ranging from outright nausia to rage. There's no turning back now, not after they've seen this...

Which meant, of course, that there was only one choice.

"Charge," he ordered from between gritted teeth.