Chapter 3 : The World is Mine…
It fell on their heads like a ton of rocks. Hyne… she was Hyne…
"No..." Squall trailed off. "This can't be!"
"Hyne's only a legend!" Zell exclaimed. "From a bedtime story for kids!"
"Or if she was real," Quistis started just as shocked as the others. "She should be dead, no one lives forever!"
Hyne had a smile that would have caused even Ifrit to shiver.
"In fact, I was really close to dead after giving my powers away. But not completely."
"What do you mean give your powers away?" Seifer asked.
"It took me sometime to make this world. I was pretty tired once I was done, but I couldn't rest with my powers so I scattered them across the world to a few girls."
"Making them Sorceresses?" Irvine asked.
"Exactly."
So that's how Sorceresses were born... No one knew about that. There was all kinds of theory about this matter but no one knew for sure what happened of course.
"It took me all these years to get a visible form. I was always around but I couldn't do a thing and no one could see me. Now that I've gattered enough energy to be visible, I just have to get my powers back to get a physical form."
"And what do you intend to do once you get it?" Squall asked.
They were all burning to know the answer but they all feared it so no one had the guts to ask except for him. She had a smile as if she was glad someone asked.
"I will claim back my place as this world's ruler. This is corrupted, full of evil and wars! Once I have all my powers again, I will end this world and start it anew!"
"What?"
"Don't worry, you'll all be reborn and be unaware of all this."
"No!" Squall objected. "These times we fought to save ourselves and the world... What was it for? Nothing??"
"We like this world just the way it is because we helped making it this way!" Selphie said.
"There is nothing you can do or say to change my mind. I've already decided."
She raised her hand over her head.
"No!" Everyone screamed.
All the girls around the statue collapsed along with their knights.
"Just the girls' powers were a little too insignificant so I took a bit of energy from the guys as well."
She frowned when she saw that they were still some people standing.
"What?"
Rinoa, Coran and the others were still standing and the girls were frowning at her.
"Oh, I'm surprised! So you resisted my draining spell along with my mind control. I'm impressed!"
Unlike the other girls unaware of their powers, Coran and Rinoa learned to use them and improve them, making them stronger and able to resist.
Hyne bursted out a strange laugh.
"Don't be foolish, you're not that strong! It's only because your powers are different and I weakened up from the mind control and draining spell. It took me most of my powers to drain these girls's and I can't remain that long in the material world. That's why I had to try few times before managing to call you all here."
She started blinking and fading. She looked at Coran and caught a glimpse of her hand. Her face lightened up and her eyes widened as she saw the ring she had. It was Squall's ring. He lend it to her thinking it could bring her protection since it came from there father. He thought it would make her stronger.
Hyne pointed her fading hand at Coran.
"The ring... The Griever..."
Coran looked at her hand.
"Huh? What's with it?"
Hyne's face suddenly turned blank.
"If a man wears the ring that brings grief by the time Hyne comes back, he shall be her knight... But if it's a girl, she will become her host..." she trailed off.
"What did you say?" Seifer asked.
"What do you mean a host?" Squall asked.
Coran was trembling. What was this feeling? Everyone was shocked by the sentence but it seemed to ring a bell to everyone. It was an old prophecy, left on this world by Hyne herself to the Centra. It was lost with the ancient civilization's fall but some traces of it remained in history books. It was partially changed but it was still the same thing.
"I'll come back for you," she told Coran with a strange smile as she kept disapearing. "Don't worry..."
She vanished. Coran dropped on her knees, a chill going down her spine. She was in shock.
"Coran, you alright?" Seifer inquired with concern.
She was breathing fast and cold drops of sweat were rolling down her face.
"I... I don't understand... her host?"
"Yes, her host," a deep but warm voice answered her.
Everyone looked behind them, to the entrance of the ruins and saw a familiar looking creature.
"Akuma!" Squall exclaimed.
The gang went to him, Seifer helping Coran up.
"I really thought it would take more time until we'd meet again," Selphie said.
"I was hoping it would take more time..." Squall said.
Akuma was looking at the statue.
"So she has come..."
"You're gonna talk to her, right?" Rinoa asked with hope.
"I can't, neither any of the GFs. She created us so our powers are null against her."
"But you said you would come back!" Squall said getting mad. "Why if you can't do anything?"
"To tell you that you have the power to change all that. The sake of this world is not in her hands anymore but in yours. She thinks she can do what she wants because she created this world, but it's because of you it's still a safe place to live. You'll have to defend it once again, but this time, the enemy is your creator."
"How can we defeat the creator?" Zell asked.
"It's impossible," Quistis stated. "She's not material, only a ghost, a shadow."
"Precisely. She'll need a physical body, then it will be possible to kill her."
"But she needs her powers to get a physical body," Irvine started.
"Or a host," Coran completed.
Seifer held her tight.
"She won't any of this. As long as she's a shadows, she's harmless."
"Maybe..." Akuma said mysteriously.
He turned away to leave.
"Wait!" Squall called. "You're not staying?"
"My place is not here. I'll stand back and watch how the world turns out. Whatever the outcome, I won't hold a grudge against anyone."
And he left. The gang was lost even more.
"What should we do then? Wait?" Irvine asked.
Squall turned to the ruins where they came from.
"We can always start by taking these people home. Since Hyne took their powers, I guess it means these girls are just ordinary girls now."
As they were helping everyone to the Ragnarok, Coran didn't move an inch, staring at the ground. Why me? I never asked for these powers, for this strength...
She looked at her hands. These hands that killed monsters, nearly killed her friends but still they believed in her and gave her their friendship. She looked at her hand. Squall said it would give her strength but she didn't want to be strong, she didn't want Hyne to use her as a tool! Why did she have to come back? Couldn't she trust them? These humans she brought to this world herself?
"You okay?"
She looked up at Squall. He was looking at her a worried way. Then he took her in his arms.
"She can't do anything to you. She won't..."
"But... the ring..."
"It's just a ring!" he said grabbing her shoulders. "It can't do anything to you! As long as she's not material, she can't harm you. And as long as she doesn't get her hands on you or Rinoa, she won't become material and as long as you and Rinoa are stronger than her, she won't get her hands on you!"
He looked so sincere, but deep inside he was worried too. What if she would succeed? This would mean the end of the world! The end of Coran...
She looked at him then smiled.
"Thank you. I guess you're right, I shouldn't worry too much..."
But still..
"Hey, Commander!" Zell called from the hatch of the Ragnarok. "Everyone's on board waiting for you!"
Squall turned his head the ship's way.
"Coming!"
Then he looked back at Coran.
"Let's go home for now. She won't get you, Coran. I promise you, she'll never get you!"
He was frowning but not of anger or anything. Just to add more weight to his words.
"Coming?"
"Yeah..."
He tried to smile then walked to the Ragnarok. Coran followed him.
She won't get you, Coran... I swear on my life she won't! It's a promise and I intend to keep it even if it's the last thing I do!
Once everyone was on board, the Ragnarok flew all over the world to take all the girls free of their previously unknown powers and their 'knight' back home. Deling, Dollet, Balamb, Galbadia, Timber, Trabia even Winhill! All over the world not to forget Esthar.
Since they were there, Rinoa asked Squall if he wanted to stop by see his dad and tell him everything. At first he thought he should but then he objected. With his president duties, Laguna didn't have much time for their 'little problems'.
Of course the others thought it was more than little problems but Squall was very stubborn. He didn't want Laguna to worry about his sister and him. He was already worried about her himself. But he promised nothing would happen to her... And as the Ragnarok was flying all the way back to Balamb Garden, an idea found its way in his mind that would help him keep that promise...
So??? Am I leaving you hanging? Just want to be sure you'll come back often to see if I updated...
Presently, I'm working on two fics at the same time and have two more started on stand by... Since this one is the last part of a trilogy, I think it's more important... The other's a FFX fic!! Liked the game? Go take a look! Two chaps so far, working on the third... I shouldn't have done that though, two fics at the same time...
I'm doing the best I can!! I'm gonna have the PC for myself three days long and I'll be all by myself at home. I nearly don't work this week so I'll write more!!
Sorry for my errors, my corrector's down, and I don't have the time to read myself twice if I want to update fast! Sorry I'm so lousy!!