Chaotic Marionette
Hell Hounds (or) Pyromania
*I STILL don't own anything yada yada yada. Kefka becomes very aware of his abilities and his mental state begins to truly deteriorate. Enjoy the 3rd installment. ^^*
*Two days... that's it... that's all I have left... I never had meaning... I will never leave my mark... Never free this shadowbox of it's horrific puppeteer...* Kefka pushed back a silvered strand of hair in the dim moonlight. He peered down remorsefully on the sprawling capitol below him. *These pathetic wretches will only suffer more with my passing...* Distantly, the rumble of thunder warned that he would be forced inside by the driving torrents of a late spring storm. Tiny streaks lit the sky on the horizons edge and wispy clouds chased the wind, blocking out the moon. Below him the kennels were becoming more alive with activity as the dogs began sense the storm coming. They barked and howled as if it were judgment day and the goddesses were about to rain fire upon their heads. The demure brown of uniforms and armor would catch his eyes from time to time as they scurried about, preparing for the weather and changing guard shifts. Everything looked so distant and tiny from his perch so high above it all.
He wondered how far down it actually was. He wondered how far he would fall if he just ended it. He would at least have revenge to some extent then. The emperor would no longer be able to torture his 'pathetic whore'. He wouldn't be able to hide him anymore. A satisfied grin stretched across his face. *Explain THAT to Figaro and Doma your ancient fool... 'I don't know why this man jumped off my palace. Honest I-'*
"Um... excuse me, sir."
Kefka jumped in alarm at the sudden intrusion on his repose. "Huh?"
The rather skinny soldier that had spoken scratched his head uncertainly. He looked almost Kefka's age. "There's a storm coming. And the commanders want to get everyone rounded up. You might want to get into uniform or the captain will have your head..." he trailed off looking rather ackward at the blank stare Kefka was giving him. "You're not a soldier are you? I'm dumb..."
Kefka figured he was a fresh recruit from some poor old farm town. He nodded. "No. I'm just a dead man."
"Well, dead man, nice to meet you. I'm Leo. Um, we'd best get inside. Do you know where the armory is? I'm kinda lost in there."
Kefka almost smiled, realizing that Leo had just, in a strange and obscure way, saved his life. He led the way down the stairs, and motioned the young man to follow him. "Yes, follow me. It's just down this way..."
The young man had left his company to take his post. The world seemed a little less dreary and fatalistic. Leo had a rather endearing quality of honesty and unshakable loyalty. Unfortunately, it was for the Empire, but that could be changed easily enough. Kefka scoffed at his own momentary optimism, but his mood didn't change. He was still content for some reason. He had decided to wander out into the storm and go down to the kennels, where Leo had said there was going to be some dog fights. It sounded rather menial but it was better than anything else that was going on at the moment. He rounded the last corner and hurried to the open gates of the kennel. A rather damp looking soldier and an attack dog halted him.
"This is a clearance area only, buddy."
"I am free to go where I please." He crinkled his nose a little at the smell of cheap alcohol.
"Not without proper clearance. I think you'd best just mosey on along there bud."
"Let me in."
"You ain't my captain, don't give me orders, punk." The man pushed him back roughly, the smell of beer becoming more pronounced when he drew near.
Kefka stumbled backwards but caught his footing. His eyes narrowed and he tensed for a fight. "Don't touch me."
The dog with the man bared it's teeth and flattened it's ears. "If you don't leave he'll kill you. And don't think I'll stop him, little boy."
The calmness from his talk with Leo disintegrated. His anger and sorrow and fear melted into a red wash and focused on the dog and the man. He didn't move.
"You got three seconds, punk," he paused for a few seconds, fumbling with the latch on the dogs chain. "Don't say I didn't warn you," and with that, he released the hound in all it's fury.
It closed the gap between them in less than a second and hit the ground with a yelp. It struggled to get up but collapsed again. It's muscles quivered and it's chest began to convulse. It whimpered and began to get sick at Kefka's feet. The world seemed to shatter into blackness in Kefka's mind, all that existed in this hollow expanse was this pathetic dog and the drunkard. The dog choked and gagged and blood began to trickle from it's mouth. It writhed in agony as blood began to seep from its eyes and nose as well. The dog's coat began to smoke and individual hairs began to smolder. The man was frantic and panic stricken, and nearly fainted when his dog exploded into flames and turned to glittering ashes and settles to the ground, adding to the bloody mud puddle at his enemy's feet. The man turned tail screaming. He fled into the gates of the kennel and ran out of sight, but the sudden stop of his screams told him that he hadn't missed.
Kefka's vision returned. Around him, the world seemed to have exploded into chaos. Soldiers were running from there posts to see what the commotion was about. The straw on the floor of the kennel near the gate was quickly spreading fire. The dogs in their pens howled and tried to free themselves from their cages. Men were running from within the kennel, their faces aghast. There was no sleep for anyone that night. It appeared that the fires were at it again. No one really noticed Kefka standing there in the bloody mud that had once been a dog, as the kennels erupted into a brilliant show of fire and destruction. Not even the rain's driving fury could quench the blistering flames. He grinned contentedly to himself.
Magic was fun. The new order was soon at hand.
Hell Hounds (or) Pyromania
*I STILL don't own anything yada yada yada. Kefka becomes very aware of his abilities and his mental state begins to truly deteriorate. Enjoy the 3rd installment. ^^*
*Two days... that's it... that's all I have left... I never had meaning... I will never leave my mark... Never free this shadowbox of it's horrific puppeteer...* Kefka pushed back a silvered strand of hair in the dim moonlight. He peered down remorsefully on the sprawling capitol below him. *These pathetic wretches will only suffer more with my passing...* Distantly, the rumble of thunder warned that he would be forced inside by the driving torrents of a late spring storm. Tiny streaks lit the sky on the horizons edge and wispy clouds chased the wind, blocking out the moon. Below him the kennels were becoming more alive with activity as the dogs began sense the storm coming. They barked and howled as if it were judgment day and the goddesses were about to rain fire upon their heads. The demure brown of uniforms and armor would catch his eyes from time to time as they scurried about, preparing for the weather and changing guard shifts. Everything looked so distant and tiny from his perch so high above it all.
He wondered how far down it actually was. He wondered how far he would fall if he just ended it. He would at least have revenge to some extent then. The emperor would no longer be able to torture his 'pathetic whore'. He wouldn't be able to hide him anymore. A satisfied grin stretched across his face. *Explain THAT to Figaro and Doma your ancient fool... 'I don't know why this man jumped off my palace. Honest I-'*
"Um... excuse me, sir."
Kefka jumped in alarm at the sudden intrusion on his repose. "Huh?"
The rather skinny soldier that had spoken scratched his head uncertainly. He looked almost Kefka's age. "There's a storm coming. And the commanders want to get everyone rounded up. You might want to get into uniform or the captain will have your head..." he trailed off looking rather ackward at the blank stare Kefka was giving him. "You're not a soldier are you? I'm dumb..."
Kefka figured he was a fresh recruit from some poor old farm town. He nodded. "No. I'm just a dead man."
"Well, dead man, nice to meet you. I'm Leo. Um, we'd best get inside. Do you know where the armory is? I'm kinda lost in there."
Kefka almost smiled, realizing that Leo had just, in a strange and obscure way, saved his life. He led the way down the stairs, and motioned the young man to follow him. "Yes, follow me. It's just down this way..."
The young man had left his company to take his post. The world seemed a little less dreary and fatalistic. Leo had a rather endearing quality of honesty and unshakable loyalty. Unfortunately, it was for the Empire, but that could be changed easily enough. Kefka scoffed at his own momentary optimism, but his mood didn't change. He was still content for some reason. He had decided to wander out into the storm and go down to the kennels, where Leo had said there was going to be some dog fights. It sounded rather menial but it was better than anything else that was going on at the moment. He rounded the last corner and hurried to the open gates of the kennel. A rather damp looking soldier and an attack dog halted him.
"This is a clearance area only, buddy."
"I am free to go where I please." He crinkled his nose a little at the smell of cheap alcohol.
"Not without proper clearance. I think you'd best just mosey on along there bud."
"Let me in."
"You ain't my captain, don't give me orders, punk." The man pushed him back roughly, the smell of beer becoming more pronounced when he drew near.
Kefka stumbled backwards but caught his footing. His eyes narrowed and he tensed for a fight. "Don't touch me."
The dog with the man bared it's teeth and flattened it's ears. "If you don't leave he'll kill you. And don't think I'll stop him, little boy."
The calmness from his talk with Leo disintegrated. His anger and sorrow and fear melted into a red wash and focused on the dog and the man. He didn't move.
"You got three seconds, punk," he paused for a few seconds, fumbling with the latch on the dogs chain. "Don't say I didn't warn you," and with that, he released the hound in all it's fury.
It closed the gap between them in less than a second and hit the ground with a yelp. It struggled to get up but collapsed again. It's muscles quivered and it's chest began to convulse. It whimpered and began to get sick at Kefka's feet. The world seemed to shatter into blackness in Kefka's mind, all that existed in this hollow expanse was this pathetic dog and the drunkard. The dog choked and gagged and blood began to trickle from it's mouth. It writhed in agony as blood began to seep from its eyes and nose as well. The dog's coat began to smoke and individual hairs began to smolder. The man was frantic and panic stricken, and nearly fainted when his dog exploded into flames and turned to glittering ashes and settles to the ground, adding to the bloody mud puddle at his enemy's feet. The man turned tail screaming. He fled into the gates of the kennel and ran out of sight, but the sudden stop of his screams told him that he hadn't missed.
Kefka's vision returned. Around him, the world seemed to have exploded into chaos. Soldiers were running from there posts to see what the commotion was about. The straw on the floor of the kennel near the gate was quickly spreading fire. The dogs in their pens howled and tried to free themselves from their cages. Men were running from within the kennel, their faces aghast. There was no sleep for anyone that night. It appeared that the fires were at it again. No one really noticed Kefka standing there in the bloody mud that had once been a dog, as the kennels erupted into a brilliant show of fire and destruction. Not even the rain's driving fury could quench the blistering flames. He grinned contentedly to himself.
Magic was fun. The new order was soon at hand.