Chapter Nine:
Beginnings
Quistis and Xu surveyed the fields south of Junon from the safe vantage point of a Neo-Shinra helicopter. Despite each of their intensive SeeD training on hostile factions of their past and present, they could not identify the army of robed figures that marched onward toward the port city, nor could they begin to guess at said army's true intentions, aside from the known fact that they sought to conquer Junon by force.
Quistis shrugged. "I don't know who or what they are," she said confusedly. "If they came through the time vortex, they're not from our time."
Xu nodded in agreement. "I've never heard of anything like them."
The Shinra captain who had retrieved the two SeeDs from their temporary residence in Icicle Inn looked down upon the marching army solemnly. "President Reeve has refused to give in to their demands, of course. It seems odd that they carry no visible weapons, yet they appear to be heading toward the city with the intent of capturing it for themselves or whatever cause they may be fighting for."
Ever the strategist, Xu could not keep her mouth shut about the matter. "You should surround them with armed troops, then take a few prisoners to make an example for the rest of them. I don't think an "army" of unarmed fanatics will pose much of a threat to whatever men you have stationed at-...shit!"
Before Xu could conclude her strategic analysis of the situation, one of the so-called "unarmed fanatics" had materialized in front of the hovering helicopter, which was especially disturbing considering the fact that the craft was hovering no less than a thousand feet above the ground. The pilot of the helicopter attempted to evade the flying man, but found that his controls were not responding; it was as if the only think keeping the craft afloat was the will of the robed figure that hovered before it.
"You underestimate our power," said the floating man solemnly. "Thus, I am afraid that I must make an example of you to those watching from your human city. I suggest you say farewell to life."
The inhabitants of the helicopter panicked, but nothing could be done. The robed man extended his hands and closed his eyes, causing a great ball of fire to engulf the helicopter, followed by an utter darkness.
Such utter darkness surprised the aircraft's inhabitants, for they had survived long enough to see it.
The helicopter had been completely incinerated in the flames of the robed man's spell. However, when the darkness cleared, the craft's inhabitants found that they had escaped harm and sat safely...within the hands of a massive platinum dragon.
"Damn it!" The robed man cursed. "Broken free of the stream, I see; your form is no longer as limited as your Materia had made it. The orb must have broken."
The Neo-Shinra captain seemed to be in an utter state of awe. "Ba...ba...the legendary Platinum Dragon...here!?"
Quistis was equally surprised, for, of the Guardian Forces she had junctioned before leaving the future, Bahamut had not been one of them. She was sure that her summoning abilities would be limited in any case, as she was no longer within the same time period as her GFs. As if he could read her mind, Bahamut replied to Quistis' mental questioning.
"We Espers are timeless," said the dragon, his voice deep and commanding. "No longer are we bound by material objects. To you Quistis Trepe, this is no surprise, for we have always been as liberated in your time as we have just become in two others. Fear not, for your summoning will serve you here, as well, though it may not have done so mere days before. We take more interest in the affairs of humans than most people realize, and we do not appreciate the utter lack of respect for your race as shown by the Infernals, the fallen angels. Reveal yourself, o fallen one!"
As if he had no choice in the matter, the robed man's clothes seemed to partially burn away in an instant, revealing a pale and truly demonic figure with purple wings that served to keep the gaunt body afloat. The Infernal was clad in nothing more than the ragged remains of his black robe.
"Quistis, look!" Xu cried, pointing to the army below. They had suffered a similar fate as their flying comrade, being revealed in their true forms.
"You now see the minions of he who threatens your world!" Bahamut cried as if speaking to each and every citizen of the city of Junon below, convincing Quistis, Xu, and the Shinra soldiers that the city could, in fact, hear the eternal dragon's words. "Take heed of this, and deal with them as you dealt with the One-winged Angel four years ago! Do not allow them to take your cities, keep them from your towns, and divert them from your villages! Know this: the Espers, eternal denizens of the aeons, have sided with the humans, and the battle shall not easily sway in Chaos' favor!"
With these words, the battle for Junon began.
* * * * *
Luts cursed savagely at his foolishness. He had allowed a sizeable group of the robed ones to follow Cloud, Rani, and himself to the White SeeD ship. Then again, he had not had a great deal of choice in the matter, as he had been unconscious. All that was left to do was being done; the three time-travellers and the entire crew of the White SeeD ship faced the robed individuals on one of the many desolate, rocky shores of the Centra Continent. Overhead, a Balamb Garden helicopter flew randomly about, its crew ever prepared to employ its standard-issue rail gun if battle began. Such was the craft that had come to ferry Luts, Rani, and Cloud to Balamb Garden to meed with Headmaster Cid.
It was too late for that, Luts thought. Too late.
"This is your last chance," a robed woman said in a harsh voice. "Surrender or die for a lost cause."
"Humanity is NOT a lost cause," answered Cloud. "I've seen the supposed 'lost cause' band together and end more powerful threats than you. Don't expect us to give up without at least taking you bastards down with us." Luts and Rani simply nodded grimly, for they knew what they had to do.
"Very well then, humans," replied the woman with a sneer. "You will die!"
Before the battle could begin, however, the sky suddenly became overcast without warning, and the sound of loud, pounding hoofbeats could be heard behind the White SeeDs. Spinning around, Luts found himself standing directly below the head of a massive six-legged horse, atop which sat a man clad in extravagant armor and wielding a decorative sword that glowed fiercely blue. "I think not," said the man loudly.
"Odin?" Cloud muttered quietly. Quiet as he was, the horseman seemed to have heard him.
"Yes, Cloud Strife! It is I, Odin, the Warrior of Eternity! As eager as I am to wage war with these infidels, there is something I must first reveal to you." Without so much as a word, the warrior swung his sword through the air and stopped it as the tip pointed toward the robed ones. Suddenly, their robes were nearly torn from their bodies, revealing their true nature: like their counterparts in the past, they were demonic Infernals. "All you humans need to know is that these fallen angels are your enemies," Odin bellowed, "And that we Espers or Guardian Forces or whatever you choose to call us have chosen to join you humans in your fight against them and their masters. Thus, let us fight!"
The time-travellers and SeeDs simply nodded, and the war for the well-being of the future began on the shores of the Centra Continent.
* * * * *
In Figaro Castle's throne room, a much-needed meeting was taking place. Terra sat exhaustedly upon the throne; Edgar paced uncerimoniously; Sabin lay upon a stretcher and was tended by several nurses; Relm had taken a seat upon the floor beside Clest; and Clest, the Vessel of Chaos, he who was part of the threefold key for the dark god's victory, lay upon the floor grogilly and attempted to remember how he had ended up in his current location.
"Apparently they need you, Clest," Terra began, breaking the silence that had permeated the room.
Clest grunted as he pulled himself up into a sitting position. "Pardon my abruptness at the moment, but...no shit. They've been talking to me in dreams since I came here."
That said, Terra proceeded to explain her battle with Aelkam and what little she could remember of the appearance of Maduin. "Now...it almost feels as if he is inside of me. I can use my magic again, and I was able to unleash my esper half in my fight with the winged man." She seemed to have finished speaking, but quickly spoke again, as if remembering something important. "Oh! Thamasa!"
"What about it?" Relm asked tiredly.
"The winged man, Aelkam...he said it was his army's next target!"
"No!" Relm cried. "I'm going back to Thamasa! There's no time to stop at the buried castle."
"You do realize," Edgar said, "That the Figarian army is in disarray, and that I cannot send any troops to back you up, correct?"
Relm simply nodded.
"And you understand that none of us here can be spared to go to Thamasa with y-"
"I'll go," Clest said.
"That is probably what they want," Terra commented. "They're probably expecting you to go. It would be equivalent to walking into their waiting arms."
Clest shrugged. "I don't care. I want revenge for what they've done to us, and...well, from what I've seen, I can imagine that Relm here won't be able to be of much use to Thamasa or whatever its called by herself. No one would," he added quickly after a sharp glance from Relm regarding his statement of her incompetance.
"Let him," Sabin said gruffly, his pain made obvious through the tone of his voice. "Nothing we can do...to stop him...anyway. Besides, he can fight. Relm might...need him."
Edgar nodded slowly. "I suppose we cannot stop you if you truly wish to go. That is, unless Relm has some objection."
"No objections," answered the magically-gifted young woman. Secretly, she was more pleased with the turn of events than she cared to admit. "I'd appreciate the help. Clest...thank you."
Clest smiled. He could have sworn that it was the first time he had heard Relm acknowledge him by his first name. "You shouldn't thank me. I'm doing it for me more than I am for you or your town." Clest partially lied, for he was more interested in the well-being of anyone being oppressed by Chaos' minions than he would admit to even himself. Perhaps he blamed himself for the sudden attacks by the robed invaders.
"Very well," Edgar said. "Setzer and the Falcon are in the Kohlingen area, so it should not be any trouble at all to arrange a quick ride to Thamasa. Sabin, Terra, and I will remain here and search the subterrainian castle for information. Agreed?"
All within the room nodded. The battle for the past had begun.
Beginnings
Quistis and Xu surveyed the fields south of Junon from the safe vantage point of a Neo-Shinra helicopter. Despite each of their intensive SeeD training on hostile factions of their past and present, they could not identify the army of robed figures that marched onward toward the port city, nor could they begin to guess at said army's true intentions, aside from the known fact that they sought to conquer Junon by force.
Quistis shrugged. "I don't know who or what they are," she said confusedly. "If they came through the time vortex, they're not from our time."
Xu nodded in agreement. "I've never heard of anything like them."
The Shinra captain who had retrieved the two SeeDs from their temporary residence in Icicle Inn looked down upon the marching army solemnly. "President Reeve has refused to give in to their demands, of course. It seems odd that they carry no visible weapons, yet they appear to be heading toward the city with the intent of capturing it for themselves or whatever cause they may be fighting for."
Ever the strategist, Xu could not keep her mouth shut about the matter. "You should surround them with armed troops, then take a few prisoners to make an example for the rest of them. I don't think an "army" of unarmed fanatics will pose much of a threat to whatever men you have stationed at-...shit!"
Before Xu could conclude her strategic analysis of the situation, one of the so-called "unarmed fanatics" had materialized in front of the hovering helicopter, which was especially disturbing considering the fact that the craft was hovering no less than a thousand feet above the ground. The pilot of the helicopter attempted to evade the flying man, but found that his controls were not responding; it was as if the only think keeping the craft afloat was the will of the robed figure that hovered before it.
"You underestimate our power," said the floating man solemnly. "Thus, I am afraid that I must make an example of you to those watching from your human city. I suggest you say farewell to life."
The inhabitants of the helicopter panicked, but nothing could be done. The robed man extended his hands and closed his eyes, causing a great ball of fire to engulf the helicopter, followed by an utter darkness.
Such utter darkness surprised the aircraft's inhabitants, for they had survived long enough to see it.
The helicopter had been completely incinerated in the flames of the robed man's spell. However, when the darkness cleared, the craft's inhabitants found that they had escaped harm and sat safely...within the hands of a massive platinum dragon.
"Damn it!" The robed man cursed. "Broken free of the stream, I see; your form is no longer as limited as your Materia had made it. The orb must have broken."
The Neo-Shinra captain seemed to be in an utter state of awe. "Ba...ba...the legendary Platinum Dragon...here!?"
Quistis was equally surprised, for, of the Guardian Forces she had junctioned before leaving the future, Bahamut had not been one of them. She was sure that her summoning abilities would be limited in any case, as she was no longer within the same time period as her GFs. As if he could read her mind, Bahamut replied to Quistis' mental questioning.
"We Espers are timeless," said the dragon, his voice deep and commanding. "No longer are we bound by material objects. To you Quistis Trepe, this is no surprise, for we have always been as liberated in your time as we have just become in two others. Fear not, for your summoning will serve you here, as well, though it may not have done so mere days before. We take more interest in the affairs of humans than most people realize, and we do not appreciate the utter lack of respect for your race as shown by the Infernals, the fallen angels. Reveal yourself, o fallen one!"
As if he had no choice in the matter, the robed man's clothes seemed to partially burn away in an instant, revealing a pale and truly demonic figure with purple wings that served to keep the gaunt body afloat. The Infernal was clad in nothing more than the ragged remains of his black robe.
"Quistis, look!" Xu cried, pointing to the army below. They had suffered a similar fate as their flying comrade, being revealed in their true forms.
"You now see the minions of he who threatens your world!" Bahamut cried as if speaking to each and every citizen of the city of Junon below, convincing Quistis, Xu, and the Shinra soldiers that the city could, in fact, hear the eternal dragon's words. "Take heed of this, and deal with them as you dealt with the One-winged Angel four years ago! Do not allow them to take your cities, keep them from your towns, and divert them from your villages! Know this: the Espers, eternal denizens of the aeons, have sided with the humans, and the battle shall not easily sway in Chaos' favor!"
With these words, the battle for Junon began.
* * * * *
Luts cursed savagely at his foolishness. He had allowed a sizeable group of the robed ones to follow Cloud, Rani, and himself to the White SeeD ship. Then again, he had not had a great deal of choice in the matter, as he had been unconscious. All that was left to do was being done; the three time-travellers and the entire crew of the White SeeD ship faced the robed individuals on one of the many desolate, rocky shores of the Centra Continent. Overhead, a Balamb Garden helicopter flew randomly about, its crew ever prepared to employ its standard-issue rail gun if battle began. Such was the craft that had come to ferry Luts, Rani, and Cloud to Balamb Garden to meed with Headmaster Cid.
It was too late for that, Luts thought. Too late.
"This is your last chance," a robed woman said in a harsh voice. "Surrender or die for a lost cause."
"Humanity is NOT a lost cause," answered Cloud. "I've seen the supposed 'lost cause' band together and end more powerful threats than you. Don't expect us to give up without at least taking you bastards down with us." Luts and Rani simply nodded grimly, for they knew what they had to do.
"Very well then, humans," replied the woman with a sneer. "You will die!"
Before the battle could begin, however, the sky suddenly became overcast without warning, and the sound of loud, pounding hoofbeats could be heard behind the White SeeDs. Spinning around, Luts found himself standing directly below the head of a massive six-legged horse, atop which sat a man clad in extravagant armor and wielding a decorative sword that glowed fiercely blue. "I think not," said the man loudly.
"Odin?" Cloud muttered quietly. Quiet as he was, the horseman seemed to have heard him.
"Yes, Cloud Strife! It is I, Odin, the Warrior of Eternity! As eager as I am to wage war with these infidels, there is something I must first reveal to you." Without so much as a word, the warrior swung his sword through the air and stopped it as the tip pointed toward the robed ones. Suddenly, their robes were nearly torn from their bodies, revealing their true nature: like their counterparts in the past, they were demonic Infernals. "All you humans need to know is that these fallen angels are your enemies," Odin bellowed, "And that we Espers or Guardian Forces or whatever you choose to call us have chosen to join you humans in your fight against them and their masters. Thus, let us fight!"
The time-travellers and SeeDs simply nodded, and the war for the well-being of the future began on the shores of the Centra Continent.
* * * * *
In Figaro Castle's throne room, a much-needed meeting was taking place. Terra sat exhaustedly upon the throne; Edgar paced uncerimoniously; Sabin lay upon a stretcher and was tended by several nurses; Relm had taken a seat upon the floor beside Clest; and Clest, the Vessel of Chaos, he who was part of the threefold key for the dark god's victory, lay upon the floor grogilly and attempted to remember how he had ended up in his current location.
"Apparently they need you, Clest," Terra began, breaking the silence that had permeated the room.
Clest grunted as he pulled himself up into a sitting position. "Pardon my abruptness at the moment, but...no shit. They've been talking to me in dreams since I came here."
That said, Terra proceeded to explain her battle with Aelkam and what little she could remember of the appearance of Maduin. "Now...it almost feels as if he is inside of me. I can use my magic again, and I was able to unleash my esper half in my fight with the winged man." She seemed to have finished speaking, but quickly spoke again, as if remembering something important. "Oh! Thamasa!"
"What about it?" Relm asked tiredly.
"The winged man, Aelkam...he said it was his army's next target!"
"No!" Relm cried. "I'm going back to Thamasa! There's no time to stop at the buried castle."
"You do realize," Edgar said, "That the Figarian army is in disarray, and that I cannot send any troops to back you up, correct?"
Relm simply nodded.
"And you understand that none of us here can be spared to go to Thamasa with y-"
"I'll go," Clest said.
"That is probably what they want," Terra commented. "They're probably expecting you to go. It would be equivalent to walking into their waiting arms."
Clest shrugged. "I don't care. I want revenge for what they've done to us, and...well, from what I've seen, I can imagine that Relm here won't be able to be of much use to Thamasa or whatever its called by herself. No one would," he added quickly after a sharp glance from Relm regarding his statement of her incompetance.
"Let him," Sabin said gruffly, his pain made obvious through the tone of his voice. "Nothing we can do...to stop him...anyway. Besides, he can fight. Relm might...need him."
Edgar nodded slowly. "I suppose we cannot stop you if you truly wish to go. That is, unless Relm has some objection."
"No objections," answered the magically-gifted young woman. Secretly, she was more pleased with the turn of events than she cared to admit. "I'd appreciate the help. Clest...thank you."
Clest smiled. He could have sworn that it was the first time he had heard Relm acknowledge him by his first name. "You shouldn't thank me. I'm doing it for me more than I am for you or your town." Clest partially lied, for he was more interested in the well-being of anyone being oppressed by Chaos' minions than he would admit to even himself. Perhaps he blamed himself for the sudden attacks by the robed invaders.
"Very well," Edgar said. "Setzer and the Falcon are in the Kohlingen area, so it should not be any trouble at all to arrange a quick ride to Thamasa. Sabin, Terra, and I will remain here and search the subterrainian castle for information. Agreed?"
All within the room nodded. The battle for the past had begun.