Sammy-Chan: I do not own FF8 … do not sue me. This is the before last chapter by the way!! ^.^
~Chapter 24: Those who Prevail~
Time slowed down, everything was in slow motion to amplify the pain. Everything became hazy as if both sorceress and knight were drugged. Light-headedness took its place and both drew in quick, rattling breaths. The dream-like state was smashed into bits by Sefeir's cold voice.
"Yes Miss Loire … Zell Caraway is dead."
"And now so are you …" Quistis gave off a short, icy laugh.
Rinoa gave out a small cry of anguish and Squall just stood and stared. A best friend found lifeless and his own sister was murdered before his very eyes. Was life cruel to this point? Would his sorceress meet the same end as they had?
"No …" He whispered hoarsely, "No."
He wouldn't have it. Visions of Rinoa being killed, murdered by the same stained hands weren't a settling thought at all. He wouldn't have it. He would accomplish his duty as a knight … even if it killed him. Through watery eyes he drew his gunblade and aimed it at Sefeir.
"Die!" And he dashed towards his target.
***
Zone dashed around the small apartment, shutting windows and locking them carefully. He gave occasional glances to Hikari.
"Are you afraid?" He asked her.
Hikari lifted her head up proudly and said, "No … my sister will take care of everything."
***
James Caraway sat on a familiar ship as the Ragnarok. He had told Laguna to go back to Esthar and remain there. If anything were to happen to him, Laguna would take care of Rinoa.
Caraway knew the secrets and everything else. So his direction was the Island Closest to Hell. It seemed appropriate at this hour.
***
Squall began landing an onslaught of gunblade swings directed at Sefeir. The blond-haired man countered with ease. This was going exactly as he had planned. Squall Leonheart … what a moron. Letting himself be guided by emotion. What a pitiful fool.
Rinoa fell on her knees next to the two bodies of her comrades.
"You aren't even going to fight me?" Quistis' sneering voice asked. "Well this is boring then."
"Why did you kill them?" Rinoa sobbed pitifully.
Quistis only sneered once more, "They were in the way. You're really the only one I want, Heartilly."
She kicked Rinoa in the stomach. Rinoa swallowed the pain and began gasping for air. She clutched her pain but would not make a sound.
Quistis grimaced at the other's resistance, "Tell me … Heartilly, why did you kill my father?"
Rinoa answered directly, "Because he was going to kill Squall."
"Do you really care about you're Squall? At this point?"
"Yes … I love him. That's why I'm so powerful Quistis … I love him, if you hurt him I'll destroy you and you're brother with the world. You'll never get to be Hyne's apprentice … I'm stronger."
She kept talking, bluffing and whatever else it took to make Quistis show some signs of emotion, of anger.
"See, when he kisses me, when he touches me I grow five time stronger … does that happen with your brother?" She gave a hint of mockery in her tone.
Quistis grimaced, "You stupid bitch … you're lying."
Rinoa didn't give up yet, she couldn't fail at the task at hand. She couldn't give up … not until she was dead, "Well, it isn't as if you would know. How do you think I used the Ultima spell?"
"You got fucked … it's no more complicated then that …" Quistis laughed.
Rinoa forced her most sinister smile, "Yeah … but I loved him … the spell is so much more powerful this way."
Quistis scoffed and looked back at the two rivals, her brother slightly getting bored of the fight and Leonheart hacking away like a madman.
"Hey Sefeir …" Quistis called, "If you're getting bored … I'll have a go with Leonheart … Rinny here says he's quite incredible."
Rinoa closed her eyes in pain. She wouldn't … would she? Quistis couldn't do this to her. Would she go to the extent of pushing Rinoa to her utmost limit of pain and anger?
Sefeir knocked away Squall's gunblade fairly easily. A downed and helpless Squall came back to his normal self.
"See, you're so angry you can't concentrate …" Sefeir threw his head back in laughter, "Pathetic!"
Quistis walked over to Squall carefully and looked at him in the eyes. She reached over for his shirt and drew him to her, forcing her lips upon his.
Rinoa begged for control over her anger. Squall isn't enjoying it. Was her only recomforting thought. She grinded her teeth and closed her knuckles to fists to retain an explosion.
Finally Quistis let go of Squall and he was thrown back onto a nearby pillar. Rinoa suddenly came across an idea.
"Goddamn, Honey." She called out to Squall, "We're going to have to get your mouth disinfected after we're done with these guys because I'm not letting you kiss me anymore."
Squall played along, "Ahh, I feel it eating away at the inside of my mouth … the bacteria … ugh!" He groaned and started to laugh a little bit.
Rinoa joined in. This looked to be displeasing the enemies. Being laughed at? When they had the upper hand.
"Well then …" Quistis also knew how to control her anger. "From what Rinoa's told me … what's a sorceress without her knight?" Then she looked into Rinoa's terrified eyes, "What's Rinoa going to be without Squall?"
Sefeir laughed haughtily and aimed his gunblade at Squall's chest. Quicker then thunder he rammed his gunblade in Squall's abdomen, setting off the trigger. Squall felt the sharp pain of the metal that had created his scar and it was the last thing that he felt. His eyes rolled back into his head, he stopped thinking, he stopped breathing … his heart stopped beating.
"Whoops …" Sefeir laughed, "Well, shit happens …"
Quistis laughed as well and Rinoa stood there. Not knowing whether to think, breath or simply die along with her knight. Was there anything left to live for? Darkness swooped over her.
Memories washed over her. Yelling at him to stop bothering her. Fighting with him. Kissing him … and then after …
She closed her eyes and swallowed. Why did this happen? Every second seemed like hours … minutes hadn't even passed and she missed him. He wasn't gone … was he really gone.
Her eyes swam in tears as she opened them to the groggy scene before her. Sefeir and Quistis still smiling as though the mission had been accomplished fully. They turned to leave the warehouse. What was Rinoa without Squall?
They weren't going to leave her there were they? Let her to suffer? They could at least end her pain.
Her heart stopped pumping blood. It pumped rage. To her lungs, to her brain, to her organs. The very air she breathed seemed foul. Her eyes turned red as tears flowed from them and she called out to her adversaries, "You will pay."
They had no chance to fully turn around. Rinoa directed her spell to Sefeir. The one whom had killed Squall
"Ultima" She cried out loud.
Sefeir met the same grueling end as his father before him. The skin peeling off his muscles that melted to his bones that disintegrated. The worst physical pain … that no one has ever shared to tell about it.
The same foul puddle of goo that had once resembled Sefeir. Quistis gaped at her brother. Or more accurately: What was once her brother. Her head turned to Rinoa. Quistis felt the pain that Rinoa had felt when her mother had died, when her brother was found dead, when her best friend was killed before her eyes … when Squall had been murdered for own sadistic pleasure.
"You're … dead!" Quistis screamed and dashed towards Rinoa punching her in the stomach, sending her flying into a pillar.
Rinoa had no strength to go on. The ultima spell had taken up every ounce of her powers and had no more will to go on. Quistis pulled her up by her hair and looked at her venomously, "I'll make you suffer."
"As much as you're suffering now?" Rinoa asked.
"Worst …" Quistis replied.
"It can't be. The pain you're feeling now … it's the same pain I feel … except four times as worst!!" Rinoa screamed. "So go on … kill me! Make it end … let me die."
"Deal." Quistis hissed.
Everything went black. Rinoa found herself in a beautiful flower field, a stream rushed past. Everything was so beautiful. The setting sun glowed, adding a certain charm to the area.
"Rinoa, you aren't dead. Time's stopped." A hand reached for her shoulder and she turned around. The blue eyes, the brown hair. The man she loved.
"Squall!" She shouted and hugged the figure. His strong arms held her and she felt as if the whole world was complete.
He pulled away, "We don't have much time. Listen. Time's stopped, I need to talk to you one last time."
"Don't say last. Please don't say last." Rinoa voice was shaking and her knees were threatening to give way.
He placed his hand gently on her left cheek, "Baby … listen to me. Don't let yourself get killed. You can't let Quistis win, ok?"
"I can't kill her … I'm no match, don't leave me on my own." She clinged onto Squall. "I can't do it … I'm too weak."
"No you aren't." He said firmly, "You're stronger. Don't let that out of your head. You're the only one who can do it."
"Not without you. I need you …"
"No you don't … Rinoa." He repeated, "Don't let yourself get killed."
Tears flowed from her eyes and she meekly said, "I love you. I can't do this without you."
"I love you too … you can do this. Believe in yourself, please. Do this for me."
She noticed his outline was beginning to fade and she was clinging to air. Squall called back into the flower field, "Selphie … can you give me more time?"
Selphie's outline was dimly visible far out in the field. Zell's was too. The once happy-go-lucky 18 year old shook her head. Squall bit his lip nervously, "Shit … Rinoa, do this for me. You can do this. Please … baby, believe in yourself."
"Don't go." Rinoa said weakly.
"I have to." He said, his expression saddened, "Remember; Those who dare to live, those who break their chains from fate's grasp are those who prevail."
And he was gone.
***
Rinoa found herself one feet from the pillar Quistis had crashed her in before. Selphie had gone back some minutes in time. Sefeir was still a bubbling puddle and Quistis was just about to make her onslaught.
This time, seeing the movement of Quistis' fist Rinoa darted out of site. "You'll pay!" Quistis yelled once more.
Rinoa stumbled around, evading Quistis' beams of energy desperately trying to find a weapon. She backed into something that clanged. Squall's gunblade. Picking it up she took on a defensive position.
"I'll kill you … you can't win." Quistis hissed and darted for Rinoa. Using all her might, Rinoa did a horizontal slash and felt it hit something. Quistis backed away, a surprised look on her face and fell back against a pillar.
She was still breathing, Rinoa had only pierced her abdomen shallowly but enough to cause some damage.
"Please don't kill me." Quistis pleaded as Rinoa advanced towards her, blade still in hand.
"You killed my mother didn't you?" Rinoa asked, "You killed my brother … you killed my best friend … didn't you?" Rinoa paused and then screamed out, "Didn't you!?"
"Please don't kill me." Quistis repeated, her breaths became shorter and quicker.
"You killed Squall. What's Rinoa without revenge?" She asked viciously, "Sorry Quistis … but shit happens!"
She slashed once more at Quistis's neck this time, setting off the trigger, creating a blasting noise.
It was over. The gunblade was dropped with a clang and Rinoa's knees finally did give way as she fell on the floor, crying.
President Caraway rushed into the warehouse at that specific moment and saw his daughter on the bloody, concrete floor.
A hand was put recomfortingly on Rinoa's shoulder and she turned around to face Galbadia's most respected man … her father.
He helped her up and she began sobbing and crying, mumbling the past events as the old knight looked around the warehouse.
"It's ok … it's ok." He said soothingly, "It's all over now."
He looked into her eyes and then decided what must be done. He directed to her, "Hikari is in Timber … a man named Zone is looking after her. You can go get her there."
"What about you dad?" Rinoa asked.
Dad … she hadn't called him that sincerely for years. He closed his eyes and then opened them to look at her again. His daughter. His little girl.
"I'm going to fix things up. I love you and Hikari both. Remember that, angel." He kissed her on the forehead.
He turned to leave but she called out, "Daddy! Where are you going?"
"I'm going to fix some things up …" He said, "Stay here … don't move, ok?"
"Ok …" She said quietly.
***
He couldn't believe he was doing this. It was something he'd never even dreamt of doing. The ship landed on the coast of Balamb and Caraway stepped out.
The island was an eerie place to be. It was the land of the dead after all. Immediately, and not to his surprise, he was greeted by Hyne.
"I know why you're here and what you've come to do." She said.
She was a beautiful woman, a goddess after all, with a long white sweeping dress and her long dark hair, twisted into complicated buns. Her lips were cherry red and she had a delicate figure.
"So can it be done?"
"Yes …" She smiled, "I believe it can."
***
Caraway walked through the island's forest until he found who he was looking for.
"What the hell are you doing here?" The figure asked.
"I don't think that's an appropriate greeting."
"Well what do you want from me?" The figure seemed angry, "I don't need to be taunted by you, least of all. I know you're still alive. You're cowardly ass couldn't find a spot on the battlefield."
"That's where you're wrong. All the statements you've just dictated are wrong. I'm going to be dead in a minute … and I'm making a very generous sacrifice … so keep still, shut up … and give me your hand."
Sammy-Chan: Hey, I haven't updated in a while. I'm sorry. ANYWAYS! Yes … I'm sorry I made Squall die …I had to. There was no other option. You'll see why. Please don't stop reading my fic because I killed Squall … please don't stop reviewing!! Thank you all of you who have read this fic. There is only one chapter left. I'm posting that soon. PLEASE R&R!! I love you all!