ALL THINGS SACRED
CHAPTER THREE: BROTHERS IN ARMS, PART TWO
"All goes as planned, Lord Avatar," Rinna reported, turning off the small InfoLink unit on his armguard. "The White Army has taken the prison, and the enemy forces are gathering, just like you planned."
"As I foresaw it would," Avatar replied. "But I would l would like to be present for this grand victory. We must travel to Galbadia."
"I agree, but the prison is hundreds of miles away," Rinna said. "It will take us days to travel there."
"You still underestimate my power, Commander," Avatar mocked. "I can transport us to Galbadia on the swift wings of the wind. However…in my present state, my power is weakened. I must posses a human body to fully exert my will."
"Then I offer mine, Master," Rinna replied, kneeling prostrate. "Work your will through me."
"The process will be very painful, and only a small part of your consciousness will exist," Avatar warned. "I will manifest my own old physical form, and erase yours. Are you sure you want to endure such hardship?"
"Yes, my lord," Rinna replied. "It is my duty. Make my presence yours!"
If there would be any way to distinguish Avatar's spectral face, one would see a cruel smile. The fool sure knows how to make me feel worshipped, the fire-bodied spirit thought. Too bad I forgot to tell him what'll happen after I release him! Avatar spread his flaming arms, and began a loud, incoherent incantation. As he chanted, threads of flame flowed from his body and tethered Rinna against the marble sanctuary floor. Avatar continued speaking, and a great ball of flame fell from the roof and slammed directly into Rinna's chest.
"AAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHH!" the Galbadian soldier screamed. Rinna felt excruciating pain…the likes of which he'd never felt before. Avatar simply laughed and continued the chant. More ropes of fire flew from his body, and these penetrated the orifices of his face. He no longer had eyes…balls of flame ignited in his eye sockets. His mouth was an infernal pit.
"In this body, I will make my own!" Avatar exclaimed as he finished the incantation. The ropes of flame began to pull Avatar closer to his new host. Rinna could no longer scream in pain: his tongue had been burned to ashes. As Avatar drew closer to Rinna, the remainder of Rinna ignited: now both men were infernal…they were indistinguishable. Finally Avatar lifted Rinna's corpse, and with a strong embrace, melded the two bodies together. Soon, the fires began to extinguish. When man had finished mixing with fire, a tall, red-haired, blue-eyed man stood where Rinna once was laid. He was in all white: from his trench coat to his combat-style boots. The man walked over to the glass orb, and admired his features, mainly his vibrant green eyes.
"It's been forever since I've seen you, beautiful," he said to himself. "But we got a little trip to take." He snapped his fingers and found himself at the head of ten-thousand armed men.
"He's called Avatar," Seifer told Squall and company. "He's not a man…he's something else. I've dreamed of him, and he's spoken to me, along with another voice that seems to want me to battle Avatar."
"What do they say?" Quistis asked, concerned for the well-being of a former student, and present friend. "What does Avatar tell you to do?"
"Well, Avatar tells me to renew my loyalty to Ultimecia: something I'd never do again, and he orders me to fight and serve him. He keeps telling me that I'm the stepping stone to his true prize: he seems pretty adamant about capturing you, Squall," Seifer said. Squall's face didn't change, but he felt his heart leap up into his chest. "He usually appears as this big ball of fire, and then he transforms…into…"
"What?" Squall asked.
"Me," Seifer answered, fear rampant throughout his voice. "The other voice comes to me while I'm awake. He tells me to resist Avatar, and to fight with you guys. I guess…that's why I'm here."
"Well, Seifer, you're welcome with us," Squall replied. "I am giving you an emergency commendation of a Rank 25 SeeD. While this is only temporary, I will make sure that you retain this rank." Seifer nodded his head.
"Welcome back, Seif," Irvine said, rubbing the barrel of the sniper rifle.
"So, am I going in with you guys, or what?" Seifer asked, unsheathing Hyperion.
"I've come up with a new strategy," Squall informed. "Seifer, Rinoa, and I will enter the compound without this stealth crap and physically engage Avatar. Meanwhile, Zell, Selphie, Quistis, and Irvine will remain at the aforementioned sniper point, and Irvine will take the first available shot."
"Gotcha, boss," Irvine said.
"What about the White Legion?" Zell asked.
"We've got a ring of Galbadian artillery surrounding the prison, backed up by twenty-five thousand Galbadian and Estharian troops," Squall replied. "We're going to sneak in through the vehicle bay. Zell, do you have the explosives I've requested?"
"Twenty pounds of AR9," Zell replied. "Enough to blow a small chunk from the Galbadian continent."
"That's a little much, isn't it?" Quistis asked.
"Those are six-inch thick steel blast doors," Zell retorted. "I'm slightly worried that this might not be enough."
"We'll just have to try," Squall said, getting the last of the cursed stealth armor off. "If not, we'll just have the Galbadian tanks open fire on the facility."
"We have to hurry," Seifer advised. "They're getting ready to attack."
"OK," Squall concluded, hefting his Gunblade from his case. "We're moving in."
A few minutes later, at the staging area…
Squall stood alone as the winds stirred the sands about him. He watched the maintenance crews prep the tanks as they circled around the perimeter of the prison, and saw Estharian and Galbadian soldiers standing shoulder to shoulder, ready to defend the freedom of the new world.
"Everything OK?" Squall turned around and saw Rinoa approach as she buttoned the jacket on her cadet's uniform.
"As good as I suppose it can be," Squall replied, polishing his blade. "I'm not so comfortable about this, though. Whoever this guy is, he has Seifer worked up. This might get bad. You sure you're up to it?"
"Weren't you the one with all the confidence in my abilities this morning?" Rinoa playfully asked, trying to mask the raw fear in her voice. "I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever get."
"You know, whatever happens in there," Squall began, "I'm going to keep you safe. Cadet or not, I still love you, and I'm ready to die for you, Rinoa."
"Hey, don't talk like that," Rinoa said, playfully slapping his chest. "We're going to make it out of this one just fine, right? We're SeeDs…the absolute best."
"You're right," Squall said, embracing her. "Just…stay close to me, cadet. That's an order."
Rinoa sighed as she laid her head on his chest. "Yes, commander. That's one order you don't have to worry about me breaking."
"Touching…" Squall turned his head and saw Seifer approach. "But I saw something that's funnier than Hell, man."
"And that would be…" Rinoa asked.
"Just follow me, folks," Seifer laughed. "And get in your chastising mode."
"Been a while, hasn't it?" Quistis asked Zell as they prepared to move to the staging area. "Things working out okay in Esthar?"
"Yeah, it's great," Zell replied, adjusting his combat gloves. "Squall's got a great crew of guys working for me, and Laguna's just about the coolest person in the world!" Zell popped his knuckles, somersaulted over a nearby bench, and began swinging some punches in the air. "I'm just ready to GET…IT…ON!"
Quistis couldn't help but laugh at Zell's acrobatics. "Awfully energetic today, aren't we?"
"Oh yeah!" Zell replied, back flipping again, this time over Quistis' head. He landed and sent a nearby duffel bag flying with a powerful roundhouse kick.
"Save some for the fight," Quistis laughed, walking over to him.
"I'm just getting warmed up!" Zell grinned. "This Avatar guy is TOAST, baby!"
"Well, Seifer sure seems to be afraid of him," Quistis reminded him with a serious tone of voice. "You know it really takes a lot to unnerve Seifer."
"Hey, we'll be fine!" Zell confidently exclaimed. "We're SeeD, remember? We stomped these Whites into the ground once, and we'll do it again!"
Quistis gave him a lopsided smile and shrugged her shoulders. "I wish I had your confidence," she told him.
"Come on, Quisty," Zell reassured, putting an arm around her shoulders. "You have me to look out for you, right?" He looked at the sky in thought for a quick moment, and he removed his right glove, pulling a bright platinum ring off his finger.
"This was my Grandfather's," Zell told her. "He gave it to me before I left for Garden. Said it would help give me courage." Zell took the ring and placed it in Quistis' hand. "Let it give you courage. This way, no matter what happens, a small part of me will always be with you, to keep you safe."
Quistis had a perplexed look on her face as she tried to hand Zell the ring back. "I can't take this, Zell. This has way too much meaning for y…" She was abruptly interrupted by Zell kissing her. After what seemed like a pleasurable eternity, Zell finally released her and stared into her eyes.
"You're more special to me than anything that I could ever own," Zell told her. "I…just could never find the right words to say."
"Zell, I…" Quistis stuttered.
"That's OK," Zell said, letting go of her. "I shouldn't have expected you to feel the same way about…" This time it was Quistis interrupting the conversation with a kiss.
"Just shut up," she playfully told him when she finally removed her lips from his, "and just enjoy the moment for what it's worth." Zell laughed and kissed her again.
"Come on, you two!" For the third and final time, the pair was interrupted: by a smiling Squall and Rinoa and a hysterical Seifer.
"I don't want to reprimand you two for behavior unbecoming of officers," Squall laughed.
"Better than commander/cadet, pal!" Zell joked back as he held Quistis close.
"Well, you see, I make the rules, so…" Squall replied.
"There'll be time for tonsil hockey later, Zell," Seifer roared. "I thought you just might want to join us on a little ass-kicking expedition."
"Sign me up, bro!" Zell comically replied as he and Quistis walked hand-in-hand to join the others.
"Seriously guys," Squall replied. "We're getting ready to go into a highly pressured situation. Keep your focus on the mission. This is not going to be easy."
"No enemy sentries," Irvine mused as he, Selphie, Zell, Quistis, Seifer, Squall, and Rinoa approached the blast doors protecting the vehicle entrance bay. Squall brushed a lock of hair out of his eye as he analyzed the situation. The sands would more than likely muffle the blast the AR9 would make…but still, if anyone was in or near the bay at the time…it didn't matter. It was the only way they're getting in.
"OK, Zell," Squall decided. "Plant the charges, and everyone, get out of the way!"
"Now let's have a little fun," Zell said as he removed his backpack, opened it, and pulled out several blocks of AR9 explosives.
"Damn, you weren't lying when you said you had a lot of that stuff," Seifer mused as Zell hooked small remote detonation devices into the explosives. Zell nodded as he removed a remote from his belt and tested the detonators.
"Okay, everything seems to work," Zell said, grabbing a bundle of explosives. "Squall, help me with some of those, would you?" Squall grabbed the remainder of the AR9, and along with Zell, began to place the charges in weak points around the door.
"If this doesn't take this door down, then nothing will," Zell growled as he placed a charge at the door's inner seal. "Either way, we're letting them know we're here." He placed the last bomb right in the center of the blast door, pulled out a remote, and activated the charges.
"All right, once I hit this button, the charges will blow," Zell advised the team. "Everyone, get a few feet back, okay?" They did as asked, and Zell stood alone with the remote in his hand.
"Let's…do…it…" Zell whispered as he hit the button. The explosives went off, and in a sea of flying metal, stone, and sand, the SeeDs dashed through the bombed-out door and into what would become the depths of hell itself. Squall poked his into the next corridor, and saw that none of the prisoners had come to discover the cause of the blast. He stopped the team in the vehicle bay, and addressed them.
"We separate here," he said. "Irvine, you and your team will head off to the left, and my guys will come through the upper corridor with me. Try not to let yourselves be seen. We don't want to alert Avatar any more than we already have."
"Gotcha boss," Irvine said as he nodded. Then he, Quistis, Zell, and Selphie quickly snuck into the left hallway. Then he, Seifer, and Rinoa all looked at one another in the drab gray chamber.
"Let's get this over with."
Within five minutes of their entry, the prison became hell. Covert ops couldn't apply here…every enemy in the base knew that there was a SeeD team in the prison, and they were going after their leader. They threw themselves in Squall, Rinoa, and Seifer's way, only to be swiftly cut down by a magic barrage by a sorceress or by the Gunblade masters' skill.
"Do these guys ever give up?!" Squall shouted, running a White through with his Gunblade before pulling the trigger, disintegrating the rebel's body.
"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" Seifer replied, blasting another with a high-potency Fire spell. Another one came with a sword…Seifer deftly deflected the blow and with a quick downward slash, he slain the soldier.
"Where's Rinoa?" Squall shouted, kicking one in the face and impaling another one.
"Back here!" he heard the familiar voice shout. Rinoa quickly released her Valkyrie at one of the White soldiers while magically snapping another's spine. "They're coming in from all sides! What do we do?"
Squall began looking for escape routes. There were too many flooding to them…the SeeDs couldn't hold them all off. If only there were a smaller hallway, or a room…
"There!" Seifer shouted, pointing at the cell lift at the end of the hallway. "We gotta push through…we can do it!"
"Let's go!" Squall shouted, as they began to push through the throngs of White Soldiers. They bludgeoned, stabbed, fried, and punched their way past the soldiers, and miraculously ended up behind the group. The Whites finally noticed that their enemies were behind them, and finally decided to give chase. Seifer began punching buttons on the control panel.
"Damn!" he shouted, trying to override the security code.
"Hurry, Seifer!" Squall shouted. "They're almost here!"
"I'm trying, Squall!" Seifer retorted. "Can Rinoa buy us some time?"
"Come on, babe," Squall told her. "You're up." Rinoa nodded, and stepped forward to face the slowing soldiers.
"Leave this facility at once or face the wrath of Hyne!" she commanded. The soldiers kept their pursuit. Rinoa raised her hand, and multiple bolts of lightning came from the fluorescent light fixtures above them and obliterated several soldiers. The Whites were a little more wary; however, they still didn't give up so easily. Rinoa muttered some words in a language she didn't know that just popped into her head, and they felt the earth tremble. All of a sudden, crags of white stone erupted from the ground and closed off the end of the corridor, efficiently separating the SeeDs from the rebels.
"That could be called time buying," Seifer said. Rinoa sighed, and collapsed. Squall dashed from Seifer's side, and caught her before she hit the ground.
"Rinoa, are you okay?" Squall asked.
"That…really made me tired," she replied. "I don't know how I did that, but now I'm exhausted." Squall lifted her up, and carried her onto the lift.
"It's all right," he said, sitting down, with Rinoa still on his lap. "You'll be just fine."
"She needs to stay on the tram," Seifer advised as he entered the tram and hit the power button in the cabin.
"Gotta keep her safe, right?"
"I'll…be OK," Rinoa struggled.
"You can hardly lift your head," Squall replied, concern heavy in his voice. "You're going to stay here."
"But…"
"No buts," Squall sternly replied. "If something happens, you get out of here right away. You're too weak to fight in your condition."
"He's right," Seifer agreed, pulling a cigarette out of his coat pocket and lighting up. "We can't endanger you."
"Do you have to smoke in here?" Squall replied. "That shit stinks like…well, shit."
"Ha ha ha," Seifer muttered after taking a drag. "Laugh it up. I can't help it if I'm nervous. This guy is bad news, Squall. He's a lot more powerful than Ultimecia could ever dream of being. He commands fire at will. We have to be quick with him."
"I think we'll be all right," Squall replied. "If Irvine can follow through with the shot this time…"
"Yeah, don't bet on it," Seifer sarcastically said. "He sure as hell didn't want to shoot Edea."
"Because he was the only one who remembered who Edea was," Rinoa reminded. "That's why he couldn't do it."
"As long as Avatar isn't his father, we'll do fine," Squall laughed. "I have faith in Irvine's abilities. He'll be able to do it."
"I wonder if the others have had any fun," Zell mused as the second team set up in a small hallway out looking the control room. "I haven't seen anything!"
"Isn't that a good thing?" Selphie asked, holding binoculars. "You'd think that…hey!!! I see Avatar!"
"Hush up, Sefie," Irvine warned. "If that bastard hears us, we're all screwed." Irvine set up a tripod and placed the sniper rifle on it. He turned on the scope, and began watching the tall man in white.
"I can pop him right here and now," Irvine said, sliding the bolt into place.
"Squall said to wait," Quistis reminded. "Maybe he'll surrender peacefully."
"Wouldn't bet on it," Irvine growled, mirroring Avatar's movements with the rifle. He flipped a small switch on his radio headset, and began to listen in.
"Sir, there's a small SeeD unit that has infiltrated the prison," he heard, and saw one of the prisoners standing before Avatar. "They've killed about fifty to a hundred of our soldiers."
"I was aware of this, Commander Kenshi," Avatar replied. "And they're on their way here. So, do you know what I want you to do?"
"Anything you command, Master, I will do," Kenshi said.
"I want you to let them through, and I want you to muster the remaining men and attack the Galbadian and Estharian forces outside. Full force. No prisoners, no survivors," Avatar ordered. "Then move into Deling and burn it to the ground."
"Yes, sir, I will mass the troops," Kenshi said, and left.
"Too bad you'll die the moment you step out the door, you piss ant," Avatar snarled after Kenshi left. "Then you and the other 9,999 of your buddies will all give your life energy to me, and I will burn Deling City, along with the rest of this world."
"Whoa, this guy's looney!" Zell whispered. "Hurry the hell up, Squall…"
"Squall Leonhart, it truly is a pleasure to meet such a legend."
Squall entered the prison's control room and saw a tall, red-haired man all in white standing in front of him. "And Seifer Almasy…Ultimecia's entrusted knight, turned traitor. A distinctive honor, I might say."
"So, you're Avatar, eh?" Squall asked, one hand on the Gunblade at his belt.
"Yes, that is one of my many names," Avatar replied. "Infernos, Helios, Avatar. Those are just a handful." Avatar laughed. "It doesn't matter, really. All you need to know is that this world is about to burn, Master Leonhart, like the thousands that I've already destroyed."
"What are you talking about, you fool?" Seifer spat.
"You are going to die, Seifer Almasy," Avatar calmly said. "As will you, Squall, after you've served your purpose. So will Rinoa, and Irvine, and everyone…"
"NOW, IRVY!!" Selphie fiercely whispered.
PPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!
"Sorry, Kinneas," Avatar laughed, slapping the bullet away without even looking. "Did you think I didn't know where you were?"
"His ass is mine," Zell fumed, throwing off the helmet and leaping over the control modules behind which they had been hiding. Avatar actually looked surprised as Zell jammed a fist into his jaw, and sent him flying with a roundhouse kick. The tall man crashed into a nearby locker, and slumped over.
"Damn you," Avatar growled. "You dare assault the new God of this world? Inverius Infernis!" Avatar stood up and unleashed a large fireball from his fist.
"Shit!" Zell exclaimed. He backpedaled and tried to wall kick over the fireball, however the flames buried themselves in his chest while he was in midair. Zell collapsed to the hard steel floor, chest heaving.
"Zell!" Quistis shouted as she tried to run to him.
"God damn you, Quistis!" Irvine shouted, pulling her back down. "Do you want to die? Stay the fuck down!"
"But Zell…" she sobbed.
"There's nothing you or I can do now," Irvine replied. "We just gotta make sure Squall and the others are safe."
"How do we do that?"
"I have no clue."
"Well," Avatar mused, regaining his composure. "Isn't it so precious that my prize has brought himself to me?"
"The hell?!" Squall shouted. "You're insane, pal!"
"Any God is insane," Avatar replied.
"You're no God," Seifer said. "You're a murderer, and a criminal at that."
"I'm giving you one last chance, Avatar," Squall warned. "Surrender, or die."
"Gods are immortal, Leonhart," Avatar answered. "Prepare yourself…you shall be my vessel."
"Jeez, this guy's really lost…" Squall began, before a wall of fire separated him and Seifer.
"Squall!" Seifer shouted.
"I'm all right," Squall replied, readying his Gunblade. "Looks like we'll have to do this the old fashioned way." Then tentacles of flame appeared out of nowhere, knocking his Gunblade away and tethering him to the ground.
"AAAAAAAAAARRRGGGGH!" Squall shouted. The pain was nearly unbearable. The fires burned hotter than any spell he'd ever felt. Avatar was going to kill him…he was sure of this now.
Goodbye, Rinoa, he thought. I love you.
"Love cannot save you now, pitiful mortal," he heard Avatar's familiar voice growl. However, when he opened his eyes to look, all he saw was a walking inferno. Avatar's 'body' was crumpled on the ground nearby. "You will carry me to the Heavens, and then you will die, too. Are you ready, Squall Leonhart? Are you ready to become a God?"
"Leave him alone!" Avatar released Squall's arms to see Seifer bounding through the flame, swinging Hyperion.
"Morieris Infernos!" Avatar shouted, a black fireball flying from his hand. Seifer, with expert skill, knocked the fireball away with Hyperion and dove-tackled Avatar.
"I'm taking you to hell, you bastard," Seifer growled through the pain as he held on to Avatar. "Squall, get out of here! His spell is broken!"
Squall couldn't remember leaving the facility that day. He didn't remember the victorious cries of the Council's forces outside the prison. He didn't remember collapsing in the desert sands due to the pain and the anguish. All he could remember was Seifer Almasy's dying screams.
END OF CHAPTER THREE