Chapter Nine
Irvine watched as Selphie and Quistis comforted Zell sobbing on the floor. Irvine started to join them when he noticed Squall, staring at his son in his arms. Hyne only knew what was going through his mind. It was obvious that this sudden circle of death revolved around Cid. What would Squall do know?
Irvine was suddenly taken aback by Squall. He had looked up from Cid and stared straight ahead.
What's he thinking? Irvine wondered.
"Get ready." Squall stated simply. All eyes were locked on Squall, waiting for him to continue. "Prepare to face Levi." Irvine heard Selphie let out a slight gasp. What did Squall mean by this? What did he plan to do? But Squall gave no more information.
"Meet me at the Training Center in one hour. I know it's been a while since we faced a powerful foe, so be prepared." With that Squall turned and left the room carrying Cid in his arms. Everyone watched him leave, saying nothing. Slowly each one stood up and followed behind Squall, except for Zell who wanted a few moments alone.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Squall watched as everyone walked into the Training Center. He hadn't been able to find Rinoa, but he didn't think he would need her help. Squall had his arms full of GFs, as did Cid who stood beside him. Cid had woken up about fifteen minutes after he had been found in Zell's room.
"We're going to have another lesson in the Training Center today." Squall had told him. Cid had seemed excited and at the same time oblivious to the death that surrounded him.
"Take the GFs with the greatest compatibility." Squall ordered.
"Which GF do I have daddy?" Cid asked. Squall didn't acknowledge the question at all, nor did anyone else, so Cid remained quiet. After everyone had junctioned, they listened to Squall's plan.
"Our mission is to destroy Levi." Squall began in official tone, "At all costs. Our plan is to draw him out, using Cid as bait."
"Bait?" Cid asked.
"Don't worry son, we're all going to be right here." Squall reassured him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Once Levi has been identified, attack with full force. Understand?"
Everyone nodded in unison. Cid looked up at his dad with a questioning face. Squall smiled down at him, but the pain inside him was ripping him apart. What if something went wrong? What would happen to Cid? Squall took in a long quivering breath. He prayed he was doing the right thing.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Meteor!" Rinoa cried. She sighed as nothing happened. The T-Rexaur in front of her ran up and hit her again, causing more damage.
"METEOR!" Rinoa screamed as rocks from the sky fell on the T-Rexaur, causing its hit points to reduce to zero. Rinoa relaxed slightly as the monster's body became transparent and then vanished. Rinoa realized that she was out of X-Potions and searched the battlefield for something the T- Rexaur had dropped, hopefully some time of healing item, but the only thing that remained was a Dino Bone, which was of no use to her. Rinoa was about to try to cast Curaga when she thought she heard Squall's voice. Rinoa ignored her fatigue and walked toward her husband's voice.
Rinoa saw all of her companions in a circle, with Cid in the middle. Rinoa noticed Squall close to her and she approached him, unsure of what was going on.
"Squall." Rinoa called to him. She walked over to him, "What's going on?" Squall quickly filled her in on Ma Dincht's death, and Squall's plan.
"What?" Rinoa cried, "What if something happens to Cid?"
"Honey, please." Squall tried to calm her.
"No!" Rinoa demanded, "You will not put our son in danger!"
Squall and Rinoa continued their argument, when screams interrupted them. They both stared in horror as their son cried in pain. Rinoa looked at the others for an explanation, but their questioning faces gave her no answer.
Then Cid was hit with a small burst of flame. Rinoa recognized it instantly.
A Fire spell? Rinoa wondered.
"Shell." Rinoa was about to cast her spell, when Squall caught her hand. He shook his head, silently telling her to stop.
Rinoa looked at him, asking him why. He just stared at her, and slightly shook his head once more. Rinoa turned her gaze back on Cid who was suddenly hit with a Blizzard spell. The ice ball fell on Cid, knocking him down. Tears fell from his eyes as the pain flooded through him.
Suddenly Cid stopped crying. The tears just seemed to freeze in his eyes. Two words slowly escaped his mouth.
"Renzok Wing." Rinoa gasped in surprise. She was witnessing Cid's limit break. Each limit break was unique, just as people are unique. It was no surprise that Cid, who was a combination of Squall and Rinoa, had a limit break that combined Squall's and Rinoa's.
The words sounded familiar to Squall, like he had heard them somewhere before, but he was unable to place them. Squall watched as, for some reason, the offensive spells stopped. He wondered who had been casting those spells.
Was it Levi? Squall thought, But why would he do that?
Dazzling white wings sprouted from Cid's back and his eyes became just as white. He ascended up into the air, floating about a bit until he landed. But then, Cid's eyes became a crimson red color. A scowl appeared on Cid's face. He held up a hand and clearly stated, "Blizzaga."
Instantly, a Blizzaga spell was cast on Cid, but instead of doing damage, the spell slowly transformed into a giant icy sword. Cid held the sword with ease and a smile crossed his face for a quick second. Before he realized it, Cid rushed at Squall. Squall took a surprised step back. Cid raised the sword, ready to strike.
"Protect!" Rinoa summoned. Cid took a swipe and cut right through the barrier. He barely missed Squall's chest.
"Shell!" Rinoa called. Again Cid took a swipe and sliced through the pink wall.
"Wall!" Selphie yelled from across the circle. The ground rose up between Cid and his parents. Cid tried to cut through this last barrier, but he was unable.
"Of course," Quistis explained, "Cid's limit break is forming spells into swords for attack. Therefore, you must stop both the magical and physical parts of the weapon.
"Very good." a voice rang out through the Training Center. Rinoa's breath caught in her throat. The voice sounded menacing and full of confidence. Cid ceased his attempted onslaught and hovered in the air above a rock off to one side.
"Dispel." the voice stated and instantly a boy appeared. He sat on the rock with a sinister smile on his face.
"Levi." Squall looked at the boy, his head swimming with questions.
"Close," the boy replied, "I told Cid my name was Levi."
"Then who are you?" Squall demanded.
"Evil." Quistis murmured.
"What?" everyone turned their gaze upon her.
"Evil," she repeated, "Rearrange the letters in Levi. It spells evil."
"Very good." The boy snickered, "I can see why my mother was defeated."
"Your mother?" Irvine asked.
"Yes, my mother." The boy suddenly became angry. "My mother, Ultimecia!"
Irvine watched as Selphie and Quistis comforted Zell sobbing on the floor. Irvine started to join them when he noticed Squall, staring at his son in his arms. Hyne only knew what was going through his mind. It was obvious that this sudden circle of death revolved around Cid. What would Squall do know?
Irvine was suddenly taken aback by Squall. He had looked up from Cid and stared straight ahead.
What's he thinking? Irvine wondered.
"Get ready." Squall stated simply. All eyes were locked on Squall, waiting for him to continue. "Prepare to face Levi." Irvine heard Selphie let out a slight gasp. What did Squall mean by this? What did he plan to do? But Squall gave no more information.
"Meet me at the Training Center in one hour. I know it's been a while since we faced a powerful foe, so be prepared." With that Squall turned and left the room carrying Cid in his arms. Everyone watched him leave, saying nothing. Slowly each one stood up and followed behind Squall, except for Zell who wanted a few moments alone.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Squall watched as everyone walked into the Training Center. He hadn't been able to find Rinoa, but he didn't think he would need her help. Squall had his arms full of GFs, as did Cid who stood beside him. Cid had woken up about fifteen minutes after he had been found in Zell's room.
"We're going to have another lesson in the Training Center today." Squall had told him. Cid had seemed excited and at the same time oblivious to the death that surrounded him.
"Take the GFs with the greatest compatibility." Squall ordered.
"Which GF do I have daddy?" Cid asked. Squall didn't acknowledge the question at all, nor did anyone else, so Cid remained quiet. After everyone had junctioned, they listened to Squall's plan.
"Our mission is to destroy Levi." Squall began in official tone, "At all costs. Our plan is to draw him out, using Cid as bait."
"Bait?" Cid asked.
"Don't worry son, we're all going to be right here." Squall reassured him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Once Levi has been identified, attack with full force. Understand?"
Everyone nodded in unison. Cid looked up at his dad with a questioning face. Squall smiled down at him, but the pain inside him was ripping him apart. What if something went wrong? What would happen to Cid? Squall took in a long quivering breath. He prayed he was doing the right thing.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Meteor!" Rinoa cried. She sighed as nothing happened. The T-Rexaur in front of her ran up and hit her again, causing more damage.
"METEOR!" Rinoa screamed as rocks from the sky fell on the T-Rexaur, causing its hit points to reduce to zero. Rinoa relaxed slightly as the monster's body became transparent and then vanished. Rinoa realized that she was out of X-Potions and searched the battlefield for something the T- Rexaur had dropped, hopefully some time of healing item, but the only thing that remained was a Dino Bone, which was of no use to her. Rinoa was about to try to cast Curaga when she thought she heard Squall's voice. Rinoa ignored her fatigue and walked toward her husband's voice.
Rinoa saw all of her companions in a circle, with Cid in the middle. Rinoa noticed Squall close to her and she approached him, unsure of what was going on.
"Squall." Rinoa called to him. She walked over to him, "What's going on?" Squall quickly filled her in on Ma Dincht's death, and Squall's plan.
"What?" Rinoa cried, "What if something happens to Cid?"
"Honey, please." Squall tried to calm her.
"No!" Rinoa demanded, "You will not put our son in danger!"
Squall and Rinoa continued their argument, when screams interrupted them. They both stared in horror as their son cried in pain. Rinoa looked at the others for an explanation, but their questioning faces gave her no answer.
Then Cid was hit with a small burst of flame. Rinoa recognized it instantly.
A Fire spell? Rinoa wondered.
"Shell." Rinoa was about to cast her spell, when Squall caught her hand. He shook his head, silently telling her to stop.
Rinoa looked at him, asking him why. He just stared at her, and slightly shook his head once more. Rinoa turned her gaze back on Cid who was suddenly hit with a Blizzard spell. The ice ball fell on Cid, knocking him down. Tears fell from his eyes as the pain flooded through him.
Suddenly Cid stopped crying. The tears just seemed to freeze in his eyes. Two words slowly escaped his mouth.
"Renzok Wing." Rinoa gasped in surprise. She was witnessing Cid's limit break. Each limit break was unique, just as people are unique. It was no surprise that Cid, who was a combination of Squall and Rinoa, had a limit break that combined Squall's and Rinoa's.
The words sounded familiar to Squall, like he had heard them somewhere before, but he was unable to place them. Squall watched as, for some reason, the offensive spells stopped. He wondered who had been casting those spells.
Was it Levi? Squall thought, But why would he do that?
Dazzling white wings sprouted from Cid's back and his eyes became just as white. He ascended up into the air, floating about a bit until he landed. But then, Cid's eyes became a crimson red color. A scowl appeared on Cid's face. He held up a hand and clearly stated, "Blizzaga."
Instantly, a Blizzaga spell was cast on Cid, but instead of doing damage, the spell slowly transformed into a giant icy sword. Cid held the sword with ease and a smile crossed his face for a quick second. Before he realized it, Cid rushed at Squall. Squall took a surprised step back. Cid raised the sword, ready to strike.
"Protect!" Rinoa summoned. Cid took a swipe and cut right through the barrier. He barely missed Squall's chest.
"Shell!" Rinoa called. Again Cid took a swipe and sliced through the pink wall.
"Wall!" Selphie yelled from across the circle. The ground rose up between Cid and his parents. Cid tried to cut through this last barrier, but he was unable.
"Of course," Quistis explained, "Cid's limit break is forming spells into swords for attack. Therefore, you must stop both the magical and physical parts of the weapon.
"Very good." a voice rang out through the Training Center. Rinoa's breath caught in her throat. The voice sounded menacing and full of confidence. Cid ceased his attempted onslaught and hovered in the air above a rock off to one side.
"Dispel." the voice stated and instantly a boy appeared. He sat on the rock with a sinister smile on his face.
"Levi." Squall looked at the boy, his head swimming with questions.
"Close," the boy replied, "I told Cid my name was Levi."
"Then who are you?" Squall demanded.
"Evil." Quistis murmured.
"What?" everyone turned their gaze upon her.
"Evil," she repeated, "Rearrange the letters in Levi. It spells evil."
"Very good." The boy snickered, "I can see why my mother was defeated."
"Your mother?" Irvine asked.
"Yes, my mother." The boy suddenly became angry. "My mother, Ultimecia!"