Save Me
Heya! This is my first fan fic I've posted, and it's based on Squaresoft's PSX game Final Fantasy VI. (Otherwise known as Final Fantasy III, back in the days of SNES.) It mostly centres around Celes Chere, who is my favourite character in the game. Enjoy!
Another night to spend alone in a dying world. Atop the mountainous area of the solitary island, Celes Chere sat with her back against a rock watching the orange sun fade into darkness. She had been there for over twenty four hours now, but she dared not return to her home. She feared the worst.
Was any of this real?
The last two years had been two which whirled by in her mind. Celes had become a General, leading troops of soldiers into battle. She was an excellent strategist, and rose in rank quickly. Though she was great at doing what she did, she always had feelings of remorse for the people that were killed because of her. She tried not to show that side to anyone though, what would they think if they knew?
Eventually, she couldn't take the pressure on her conscience anymore. When she heard that her country was going to poison the water supply of a neighbouring kingdom Doma, she voiced her outrage to one of the other generals just to let out her rage.
In the past, Celes had been one to keep everything within herself, but as it drew closer to war between nations, Celes felt remorse for the people whom she helped to kill. She couldn't live on like this forever. Her heart was beginning to melt from it rock solid form. Was the warrior weakening?
* * * * *
Celes faced the one of the generals who sat at a rugged wooden table. He was concentrating hard as he moved tiny pieces representing battle troupes around a large world map. She coughed, and he turned around.
"Oh, Celes, good thing you're here," he began. He motioned for her to sit down beside him. "I've been working on our next plan. I think we should start gathering up our forces at south of Doma. General Leo will be using the poison at the Imperial Base as I've suggested. Once the poison has had enough time to taint the entire water supply, the Kingdom of Doma will fall to the Empire!" He cackled with a grin forming on his face. We should be prepared with enough soldiers. General Celes, you've been chosen to lead the troops into Doma while they are struggling trying to find some sort of antidote in time to - "
Celes interrupted him. "What has Doma done to us? Why are we trying to take their land? We've got an entire continent, and we've just barely gained control of it. To the west, Maranda is still having small rebellions against us, as you should know. We should be taking care of our home turf first."
"What is this, General?" Kefka laughed. "Oh, I get it. Poor little Celes is having a fit of righteousness! Oh, how wonderful. Why don't we all just dance around with the moogles and let everyone eventually take over the Empire. Ohhoho, wouldn't that be delightful, right?" He stared at the map and double checked to make sure that the people of Doma had no other sources of help.
"Well, obviously we wouldn't just let our defences slip. We should just be taking care of what we have rather than taking away the rights of other nations." She rubbed her head. This was the worst idea she had ever had, she should have kept her mouth shut.
"Doma's really insignificant. Does anyone really care about what happens to that little place? If we don't get in there and claim it for ourselves, we might as well just give more land to Figaro. More power for them...I'm not willing to give up more power, Celes."
"They're still people!" Celes stood up and headed towards the door. There was no use talking about 'people' to Kefka. Did he care at all? Even when Celes had pushed all of her feelings to the bottom of her heart, she still felt a pang of sadness when she took another's life. Wasn't there some other way? Was that really needed?
"Eh, if they're people we could take over and enroll them into the Magitek Program at least. We'd make magic knights out of them. Ones who wont resist the task at hand." Kefka's words stung more than a dagger.
"What? So I have some consideration for another person's life. I just wanted some other people to be able to lead a life that is war free. I guess that life's not like that anymore because of us."
"We're creating a better place, we have power." His eyes gleamed as he said that. Kefka's hands were glowing softly and an orb of golden red burned in his hands without scorching him one bit. "You know our powers are needed to control society into what they want. They can't handle it, they need someone else to control their lives. They're able to have perfect lives. "
"Without any freedom." She opened the door and walked through. Before she was able to close the door, Celes heard Kefka's voice. "Oh, Celes?" She paused in the doorframe. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to tell Emperor Gestahl about this. I'm sure he'll be displeased. You were a talented General but we have our power on the line if you're in this mission." Celes closed the door, and it crashed shut with a slam. She held back tears from her eyes, but didn't really understand her feelings of shame. She was doing what was right. It was best to do the right thing even if it would put pressure on herself, right? Would being a traitor be her best choice?
'How long do I have?' she thought. 'I had better leave as soon as I can. Maybe I can get away before Kefka has a chance to do anything about my confession.' The Emperor had been busy lately with the research lab. Professor Cid was an the verge of a scientific breakthrough, and Gestahl was making sure all the other scientists were in order to help with anything needed in the laboratory.
As she walked down the hall towards the barracks, she heard the sound of a door creaking as it opened. She didn't look back, she kept on walking forward.
Footsteps behind her could be heard, and they quickened to match her pace. She turned around and was face to face with another Imperial General named Leo. "Celes, I heard your conversation with Kefka."
Celes stared at her feet. "Oh...everything? You know..."
"Well, kind of, I guess. You guys got a little loud, you know."
"Wow, the news is going to get out quickly, right? I wonder how many people are going to hate that I've 'betrayed' them by having a heart, eh? I tried not to care, but I couldn't do it. I guess I really was just another coward." She ran her hand through her hair. "Oh well...I'd best be off, you know, with the entire Empire being against people like me."
"H-hey, don't go yet." Leo said as she began to walk off. "You know, it took a lot of courage to do what you just did. That's not cowardice. ...I feel the same, but I can't do that. You know, you wont be able to help any of the people in our country by protecting them anymore. I still want to help them."
"I guess it makes sense that you want to help them, but I just don't want a part of this. I don't want to help the enemy or anything like that. I just don't want to feel wrong anymore. Leo, are you now against me, too?" Celes was worried about him, he had helped her many times during training when they were growing up.
"No, I couldn't be against you, Cel. Do what you think is right, I have confidence in you. I'll put in a good word for you to the Emperor before he makes his decision against you."
"Thank you." she sighed softly, glad that he would be there for her.
"One thing before you go...Don't be afraid to ask for help. I know when we were younger you didn't want me to help you learn the proper fighting techniques. When I helped you, you were able to do it. Don't be alone. You can't do anything by yourself. Okay?"
As much as she didn't want to admit it, he was right. She often needed help when she was in a jam. "Thanks for the advice. But I've really got to leave. Even if you do give him a good word for me, I don't think this is a situation where Gestahl will take pity on me." She made a face at him. "See you someday, maybe."
"Farewell, Celes." He wrapped his arms around her in a hug. "I'm sure I'll see you again...Remember what I told you."
"Goodbye." Celes turned and headed to her room to pack as much as she could fit into her largest backpack.
It was when she headed out to leave the barracks entirely when she realized it was too late. The Emperor Gestalh stood at its gate, standing beside a pleased looking Kefka. "Celes, how are you doing?" Gestahl laughed. "Going out for a picnic, are you?"
"No, sir. Do you have any business with me?" Celes stood as tall as she could before the Emperor. He wasn't that intimidating looking, but he was the most powerful man on the entire continent.
"Yes. Your details are being changed. Instead of working with Kefka on the invasion, you'll be in a smaller operation in South Figaro. We'll be taking control of their port city which will decrease their revenues since Figaro Castle cannot get their goods to their port."
"Yes, sir." Celes was taken by surprise. How strange that Gestahl would give her a second chance. He was known for his rash decisions, so this was a complete shocker.
Celes didn't really want to be working in that type of arrangement, but what could she do about it? It seemed that no matter what, she would have to follow that path set out by the leader. Her second chance wasn't given to Celes sincerely. When she arrived in South Figaro, she was imprisoned in a cell beneath a wealthy home in the city. In that condition, she would have no way to help the unknowing people of Doma.
* * * * *
Looking into the dark horizon, Celes thought of all that had happened since that time. So much had occurred. She had tried so hard to make a better difference in the world. The new friends that she had met in her travels were all putting the same amount of effort into what they were doing as she was, yet the world had fallen into a ruin that no one could reverse. All because of one man who wanted the world to be held in the palm of his hand.
Her mind was in shambles and her thoughts ran through it a mile a minute. She had been very weak for the past year and spent her days asleep in a cottage on a deserted island. Her 'grandfather' Cid had watched over her everyday taking care of her, working himself into exhaustion and he was slowly dying of hunger. Wanting to help him, she went fishing but when she returned he did not say a word.
Cid was the only one left with her on the island; every single other person had died of illness or killed themselves due to despair. Now the small island seemed like a vast place, totally idle of life.
Her only connection to human life, Cid, had succumbed to his death after living long enough to see Celes healthy. There was no one else left for Celes in her small world. Pain clouded her judgement, and she fled away from the dead Cid lying in his bed. Atop the mountain, she was able to understand all those who had jumped from the cliff into the jagged rocks below.
Celes stood up, and pulled the note that Cid had left for her out of her cloak's pocket. She read out loud, "Don't give up hope, Celes. Find something to give you strength, escape from this island. If you have lasted to see this note, there must be a reason for the fates to let you live. Even if you are alone, even if you are lost, you can still help. There must be more in the world to pursue. Look on the bright side and dream of a future you'd like to live in. I believe in you. I love you. Love, your Grandfather Cid."
She closed her eyes, but the tears still escaped. "I'm alone, I'm lost, and there's no one for me to help, Cid." She let the tears fall from her face and stepped closer to the edge.
She opened up her right hand and held it out in front of her, and watched as the wind took the piece of paper from her and floated it around in soft whirls, slowly at first, but picking up speed as time went on. It eventually disappeared into the darkness. "Farewell, world. I'll be with you now, Cid...Locke...Leo...Terra. Wherever you are." She took one step forwards and felt the air rise up against her. It was a great feeling of freedom. "I'm free now, I don't have to live with myself for being an Imperialist. I've freed myself from my own harm. I wont hurt anyone else again."
Just as the note from Cid, she felt like she was going really slowly. The air blowing around her seemed to be moving faster and faster, and her thoughts faded. "Goodbye....goodbye...." Her last whispers caught on the wind and echoed a tiny bit. She was nearing the end, but suddenly she felt herself slowing down. Celes opened her eyes and looked down in the direction of the ground, and could see that the jagged rocks were coming closer and closer ever so slowly. Caught on one of the jags, a piece of material with a familiar print waved in the breeze.
"That's...Locke's bandana...isn't it?" She closed her eyes, not wanting to see her own doom. Her eyes were closed, but all she could see were bright blue flashes of colour, so light it was nearly white. Her fall slowed down to a halt and she began to rise into the air. Through her veins, warm blood pulsed at fast speeds.
The low sound of a woman's voice filled her mind. "I'll save you, Celes." Celes' eyes were closed, but she had reached her left hand in the direction of the ravaged bandana. She slowly floated to the stable ground atop the cliff.
Celes' hands were clasped around the bandana that she somehow possessed. She lay on the ground asleep for a long time.
If you have lasted to see this note, there must be a reason for the fates to let you live.
* * * * *
