**The usual disclaimers apply**
~In the last chapter…
It was a painting of two winged humans, a male and female, holding out a
brightly shining key in between them.
"hey UMI! are you leaving with us?" Presea's voice riverbrated off the cave
walls.
"YEAH!!" Umi shouted back, taking one last look at the mural, then left.
Notes:
~*~ - dream state
*...*- thoughts
* * * - another place, time, space,...etc.
THE LEGEND OF ATLANTIS
By: Rhys Icewind
Chapter 22 - Battle Realms
That night, Pillars and their companions had a little discussion with Rinoa.
Presea knew that they all had to see to this particular matter that Rinoa had
discovered.
"why can't you tell us about the dream?" Fuu asked.
Rinoa looked down. "I just can't 'coz if I do, we risk loosing the future..."
"don't we risk loosing the future right now?" Cloud said.
"I know...." Rinoa paused, looking at each and everyone of them "...but....
what use will it be if we can save ourselves now, but still not save the future?
Isn't the future the reason why we are trying to save the present?" Rinoa said.
She then stood up and walked towards one of the room's window.
Hikaru followed her and comforted her. "I know how you feel..... but why don't
we figure out a way to solve this? Finding an answer from you research?"
*Oh, Hikaru! how I would love to.... but how will I tell you that the Pillars
ARE the answer??* Rinoa thought, still facing the night sky.
"That's not easy Hikaru" Presea said, "Cloud and I have heard all that she knows
and it is not enough... it is full or riddles - talking about a key and something
about flamming courage, uplifting hope and mysterious truth...(sigh)"
"maybe that's the key." Lantis suddenly spoke up, "the key is courage, hope
and truth...or something that relates to them..."
"something that relates to them?" Rinoa, who was now facing them, echoed "but
what?......"
All paused to think. Rinoa was about to speak up when someone barged in the room.
"Guys, we've got an invitation from Galaxia!" Selphie shouted.
Everyone in the room immediately rushed out to follow Selphie.
* * *
"We'll meet at the Centra Plains at daybreak. Only eight people would be allowed
to come. No more, no less. No stow-aways. I'll be waiting."
The screen blinked - once, twice - then the video message was gone.
"what do you think?" Xu asked.
"sounds like a trap to me..." Cid said.
"I think it's a fair challenge" Edea spoke up. She, along with Xu, Cid and Ellone
were invited to see the video aside from the usual SeeD group and the Visitors.
"you should go. I think the answer to all your riddles will be found there."
"Ok. Then, who should go?" Irvine asked.
All looked at Squall.
Squall did his usual-put-hand-on-face thing. "Okay. The four Pillars will go
and that's for sure. I'll be going too - that makes five then...who else?"
"Squall!" Rinoa raised her hand, "I'll go. I have to go!"
Squall just raised an eyebrow in question then shrugged, "okay, that makes
six. Two more."
"I'll go, with Yue." Presea counted in.
"okay. So, the four Pillars, me, Rinoa, Yue and Presea will go to Centra Plains
at daybreak. This meeting is adjourned." With that, Squall and the others left the
room.
Presea was about to leave as well when Clef called her attention.
"Presea, are you sure you want to go? I mean, this could still be changed." Clef
said.
"No, I'll be fine. Just make sure that you're all in good shape so that IF ever
we are defeated..... you, Emeraude and Lantis can handle the job..." she leaned
closer the Clef and whispered, "that's why you all have to be left here."
Clef nodded in agreement. "good luck."
* * *
Exactly at daybreak, the team arrived at the agreed location. All were armed
with their respective weapons and were warming up when thunder started to rumble
above them. The earth shook and suddenly, a vortex was opened below them. They
all fell into it and landed on a round arena.
"welcome, guests." Galaxia greeted as she appeared from the darkness.
"where's Quistis?" Squall immediately asked.
Galaxia smiled. "you'll meet her - soon enough."
Fuu then stepped forward. "now, can you explain to us what were doing here?"
"why, this will be our fighting arena!" she replied, "there are no other rules
here except to fight to the finish. Understood?"
"fight to the finish...?" Hikaru softly echoed.
"we can't do anything about that." Yue told her, "Let's just be alert and ask
help when needed."
Hikaru nodded.
"so," Galaxia started, "who don't we let the games begin?"
All nodded in agreement.
"You'll only fight the two of us." Glaxia said.
"two of you?" Umi asked.
Galaxia just clapped her hands in reply. The next moment, someone stepped into
the light. The person was female and she was wearing torn clothes. She had some
kind of bracelet and anklet on each of wer wrists and ankles. She was...
"Quistis!!!" all said in unison.
______________________________________________________________________________
END
~In the last chapter…
It was a painting of two winged humans, a male and female, holding out a
brightly shining key in between them.
"hey UMI! are you leaving with us?" Presea's voice riverbrated off the cave
walls.
"YEAH!!" Umi shouted back, taking one last look at the mural, then left.
Notes:
~*~ - dream state
*...*- thoughts
* * * - another place, time, space,...etc.
THE LEGEND OF ATLANTIS
By: Rhys Icewind
Chapter 22 - Battle Realms
That night, Pillars and their companions had a little discussion with Rinoa.
Presea knew that they all had to see to this particular matter that Rinoa had
discovered.
"why can't you tell us about the dream?" Fuu asked.
Rinoa looked down. "I just can't 'coz if I do, we risk loosing the future..."
"don't we risk loosing the future right now?" Cloud said.
"I know...." Rinoa paused, looking at each and everyone of them "...but....
what use will it be if we can save ourselves now, but still not save the future?
Isn't the future the reason why we are trying to save the present?" Rinoa said.
She then stood up and walked towards one of the room's window.
Hikaru followed her and comforted her. "I know how you feel..... but why don't
we figure out a way to solve this? Finding an answer from you research?"
*Oh, Hikaru! how I would love to.... but how will I tell you that the Pillars
ARE the answer??* Rinoa thought, still facing the night sky.
"That's not easy Hikaru" Presea said, "Cloud and I have heard all that she knows
and it is not enough... it is full or riddles - talking about a key and something
about flamming courage, uplifting hope and mysterious truth...(sigh)"
"maybe that's the key." Lantis suddenly spoke up, "the key is courage, hope
and truth...or something that relates to them..."
"something that relates to them?" Rinoa, who was now facing them, echoed "but
what?......"
All paused to think. Rinoa was about to speak up when someone barged in the room.
"Guys, we've got an invitation from Galaxia!" Selphie shouted.
Everyone in the room immediately rushed out to follow Selphie.
* * *
"We'll meet at the Centra Plains at daybreak. Only eight people would be allowed
to come. No more, no less. No stow-aways. I'll be waiting."
The screen blinked - once, twice - then the video message was gone.
"what do you think?" Xu asked.
"sounds like a trap to me..." Cid said.
"I think it's a fair challenge" Edea spoke up. She, along with Xu, Cid and Ellone
were invited to see the video aside from the usual SeeD group and the Visitors.
"you should go. I think the answer to all your riddles will be found there."
"Ok. Then, who should go?" Irvine asked.
All looked at Squall.
Squall did his usual-put-hand-on-face thing. "Okay. The four Pillars will go
and that's for sure. I'll be going too - that makes five then...who else?"
"Squall!" Rinoa raised her hand, "I'll go. I have to go!"
Squall just raised an eyebrow in question then shrugged, "okay, that makes
six. Two more."
"I'll go, with Yue." Presea counted in.
"okay. So, the four Pillars, me, Rinoa, Yue and Presea will go to Centra Plains
at daybreak. This meeting is adjourned." With that, Squall and the others left the
room.
Presea was about to leave as well when Clef called her attention.
"Presea, are you sure you want to go? I mean, this could still be changed." Clef
said.
"No, I'll be fine. Just make sure that you're all in good shape so that IF ever
we are defeated..... you, Emeraude and Lantis can handle the job..." she leaned
closer the Clef and whispered, "that's why you all have to be left here."
Clef nodded in agreement. "good luck."
* * *
Exactly at daybreak, the team arrived at the agreed location. All were armed
with their respective weapons and were warming up when thunder started to rumble
above them. The earth shook and suddenly, a vortex was opened below them. They
all fell into it and landed on a round arena.
"welcome, guests." Galaxia greeted as she appeared from the darkness.
"where's Quistis?" Squall immediately asked.
Galaxia smiled. "you'll meet her - soon enough."
Fuu then stepped forward. "now, can you explain to us what were doing here?"
"why, this will be our fighting arena!" she replied, "there are no other rules
here except to fight to the finish. Understood?"
"fight to the finish...?" Hikaru softly echoed.
"we can't do anything about that." Yue told her, "Let's just be alert and ask
help when needed."
Hikaru nodded.
"so," Galaxia started, "who don't we let the games begin?"
All nodded in agreement.
"You'll only fight the two of us." Glaxia said.
"two of you?" Umi asked.
Galaxia just clapped her hands in reply. The next moment, someone stepped into
the light. The person was female and she was wearing torn clothes. She had some
kind of bracelet and anklet on each of wer wrists and ankles. She was...
"Quistis!!!" all said in unison.
______________________________________________________________________________
END