V
"Screw orders."
--Seifer Almasy

"All cadets, attention!"

The cadets turned, facing the voice. Instructor Sierra was a tall, thin woman with red hair cropped so close to her head that all one could see was a soft fuzz, and a SeeD uniform so neatly pressed that one would think she took a ruler along to the wash. She watched them all from behind a pair of thin sunglasses, no expression flickering over her face. She kept her hands clasped behind her back when she spoke.

"You will proceed down to Weapon Platform, at which point you will go downwards and split up. We have reason to believe that there will be more than three routes, you will each be responsible for covering one. Squad Leaders Uriel, Ranier, and Nattaka, come forward!"

The three cadets she named stepped forward, and Hathor moved to each of them to hand them something.

"You will be in communication with each other, your SeeD backup and me throughout the exam. Should anything arise, we will all be notified simultaneously. Good luck, cadets. This exam starts now."

The group broke up into the three groups, and Kamalyn moved back over to his three subordinates. Aya was literally having to restrain herself from giving the order to move out.

"Let's go," Kamalyn said, sparing her enthusiasm. All three saluted, and fell in behind him as he jogged to the entrance of the DSRC.

Deep within the Deep Sea Deposit, something stirred.

Rings of adamantine and mage stones ground slowly around, rearranging themselves in an attempt to seal something into the darkness of the deep sea. A faint resonance wound up, and died away.

Water around the depths seemed to press more heavily on the Deposit. There was a low, deep sigh, and the machines ground to a halt under the mistaken impression that all was well.

"Sure is lonely down here."

San Dyson glanced around the wide, underwater cavern, noting the vast amount of space that was contained within the distant stone walls. "Ever wonder who bothered to make this sort of place?" he wondered aloud, prompting Kamalyn to glance back over.

"Who knows," he said, cautiously scanning the perimeter. "All of the stairwells from this point are enclosed," he said, motioning to the tunnellike stairs that lead down from the ledge on which they stood. "That's unusual. Everything to this point was open."

San cast a glance upward, but his gaze couldn't make it all the way up to the top of the Deposit. "Air's getting heavy," he said. "You read that original report by the Commander's team? They said that the air got heavy just before--"

"We're how far below sea level?" Aya interrupted. "Of course the air is heavy. We're feeling the weight of the sea and all the air above it. Quit scaring yourself."

Kamalyn glanced down one of the tunnels, flipping on a palm-light to shine it into the murky darkness. "Stairs as far as you can see," he said, flipping the light off again.

"So where are we going?" Aya asked, planting a hand on her hip impatiently.

Kamalyn almost admitted that he had no idea, but managed to stop himself at the last moment. A leader never admits indecision, not that bluntly, he reminded himself. "Suggestions?"

There was silence. Aya glanced to one side.

"Anyone else hear that?"

"What?"

Aya moved over to one of the tunnels, shining her palm light into the darkness. "There's a resonance coming from down there."

"A resonance was also reported by the Commander's team," San noted.

"I detect a note of panic," Aya taunted lightly.

"No harm in being cautious," San objected. Kamalyn moved over to Aya's side, his light joining hers in an attempt to reveal the secrets hidden in the gloom.

"It is a resonance," he said. Taking a step forward, he concentrated for a moment. "And a thumping. Regular." He listened for a moment longer. "Getting... closer?"

"Something's coming up the stairs," Aya said, backing up and drawing her weapons. Kamalyn followed her example quickly, pulling the weighted quarterstaff from its brace on his back. Dyson and VanJarim both readied themselves, facing the stairwell in a half-circle and waiting.

A scream cut the still air, and VanJarim flew forward. The cadet team whirled, facing the new threat from behind them.

The creature seemed to be one continuous coil, moving around and over and under and through itself in a hypnotic, ceaseless motion; like a snake with no apparent beginning or end. On occasion a serpentine head or the tip of a tail would be seen, but it disappeared within the writhing whole too quickly to be kept track of. It was a mesmerizing sight, one that sought to quickly leech an observer of any mental faculty except wonder.

"Where'd that thing come from?" San yelled, backpedaling to bring himself within range to cast magic. VanJarim stumbled to her feet, turning.

"Hell, no," she muttered, shaking her head. "That's not some monster. That thing's a GF--"

"Confirmed," San muttered as the last trace of a Scan spell fed its information into his mind. "Water GF. Kind of powerful--"

"Guys?" Aya had turned, facing the second monster--GF?--who had come up the stairs behind them. It sat upon the stairs, powerful haunches supporting a streamlined torso and narrow, maned head. Webbed feet sported impressive claws, and two tusks protruded from the lower jaw. It gleamed a sort of neon indigo in the Deposit's unnatural light. "We forgetting something?"

Kamalyn spun his quarterstaff, watching the GFs watch him. "I think this is what they call a standoff," he said. "Anyone have Fire magic available?"

"Fira," San said.

"Fire-Air GF, Sentinel," VanJarim said.

"Firas and the odd Firaga," Aya responded, shifting her gaze from one GF to the other. "They don't seem too intent on killing us, do they?"

"Don't relax," San warned. "It's a trick. It's always a trick."

Kamalyn faced the one on the higher stairs, hoping that these were GFs of the diplomatic variety. "Why are you here?" he queried.

The GF reared its head, staring him straight in the eye as the rest of the body continued its serpentine dance. Go no further, it whispered; voice too empty to fill the empty expanse.

"Why not?"

There was a low growl from the GF on the lower stairs, and it lumbered forward. The cadets backed away, splitting so as not to be backed into one corner. The GF shook his mane, sending water cascading across the floor. It mantled, casting warning glares around the company.

The transmitter that Hathor had given to Kamalyn fuzzed to life, emitting a slight bit of static before Sierra's imperious voice cut over it. "All SeeD cadet teams are ordered to withdraw immediately. This is a withdraw notice. All SeeD cadet teams are ordered to withdraw immediately."

The larger GF could almost have laughed.

Kamalyn sighed. "Everyone, let's head back up."

"What?" Aya demanded. "But we just--"

"We have orders," Kamalyn interrupted. Casting a glance at the serpent GF, he was relieved as it slid quietly back into whatever netherworld the GFs came from. "Let's go."

"This isn't right," Aya said. "Why are they calling a retreat? What's--"

"Withdrawal, not retreat," Kamalyn corrected. "Aya, don't question orders. Let's just--"

In a flash of motion, Aya was gone. The huge GF whirled as she darted past it, into the tunnel and out of sight.

"Aya!" Kamalyn bellowed, startled. Taking a step forward, he was put in place by the GF's growl. Turning to the rest of the team, he swung an arm upward. "Get going. Now!" he snapped, and the two executed neat SeeD salutes and turned to sprint off. Kamalyn rushed past the GF, who followed at a lumbering run.

Pelting headlong down the stairs, Kamalyn took a sharp turn and skidded to a halt. Aya was standing there, staring dubiously at the water that engulfed the rest of the stairwell. Kamalyn spun her around, not too sure that the incredulous look on his face could even come near to expressing the whole of what he felt.

Before he could even think about trying to berate her, the GF had caught up with them. That was probably for the better, he reflected--it wasn't as if Aya was exactly easy to berate.

"Aya," Kamalyn breathed as he tightened his hand on the quarterstaff.

"Shut up," Aya growled.

"I'm going to strangle you if we ever get out." He choked so badly on the word if that it sounded like he was strangling himself.

"I'd like to see you try," Aya said, as the GF charged forward.