CHAPTER 22
BATTLE AT BETHLA
"That stuff has grown at least a millimeter since I was thrown in here..." Captain Flite sighed as he eyed a mass of fungus on the eastern wall of his prison cell in Bethla Garrison. "I wonder how long I've been rotting in this cell?"
Flite frowned and shifted his sitting position on the hard bed. He had been tossed in Bethla Garrison by none other than Delita himself... Delita and his new friends, that is. Flite had never been told who they were.
Flite was very frustrated indeed. Flite was troubled deeply about what Delita was doing while he was cooling his heels in this hovel. Flite was concerned about the people of Ivalice, and what Delita was forcing on them in his absence.
"The way Delita was talking, I fear that the citizens have been swept up in a new conflict... and a meaningless one at that," Flite sighed as he adjusted his military cap. The Bethla guards had relieved Flite of Sky Render, his sword, but they had been kind enough to let him keep his Nanten uniform... or was it more a cruel taunt than a courtesy?
"He must want to exact revenge upon Ramza for what happened in Zeratul..." Flite continued as he paced around his cell. "But... that means that he'll probably attack Ramza's friends, too... Queen Ovelia is in danger! I must get out of here somehow!!!"
"Bah... What're you talking about, buddy? Ovelia's dead."
Flite frowned at the western wall. He was in the northern enclosure of the Garrison, where VIPs were locked away. He had the misfortune of being placed in the cell right next to Ruveila, the wife of the former King Omdolia. She had been locked up in the Garrison much longer than he had been, so she'd had plenty of time to go sour. Plus, she had no idea of what had been going on outside, so naturally she was wasn't informed of Ovelia's resurrection.
"How many times must I tell you that Queen Ovelia is alive?" Flite asked the wall.
"Right, right," Ruveila muttered as she leaned against the wall and played with her golden hair. "Some guy named Ramza traveled all the way to some other continent and used magical rocks to bring her back to life. Jeez, you're crazier than me."
"Argh..." Flite grunted as he sat back down. "Fine. One of these days, you shall see."
"Yeah, yeah, keep talking, pal..." Ruveila sighed.
"Urrrgh..." Flite growled as he sat back on his bed. "I hope Ramza stops Delita soon... I'm going to go nuts in here..."
"OK, Bethla Garrison is in sight," Mustadio said as he crouched on a hill overlooking the huge prison. "What're we going to do, Ramza?"
"OK, here's the strategy," Ramza said as he started drawing in the dirt. Night had fallen, so Worker No.8 flashed his eyes brightly to illumitate the ground. "There's too many soldiers in there for a frontal assault. Fortunately, we're a lot bigger party than I'm used to having. Ovelia, Balmafula, Orlandu, Worker No.8 and I will sneak in the back while everyone else distracts the guards. Try to get them to lower their defenses before striking so there's less chance of wounding yourselves."
"In other words, the girls should flirt with the troops and then we can take 'em out," Seifer translated.
"Uh... Yeah," Ramza said. "Boy, Seifer, you learn strategy fast."
"Strategy was the one class I didn't bomb at Balamb Garden," Seifer chuckled.
"Lovely," Beowulf said. "All right, then. Let's go and rescue Captain Flite."
"We'd better," Agrias growled. "He's the best ruler this country's had in years... plus I owe him for the time I stole his pudding cup in school."
"All right," Ramza said as he got up. "Let's go."
"We're gonna give Captain Flite a Get Out Of Jail Free card!" Mustadio laughed.
"Was that supposed to be funny?" Meliadoul asked. "It just doesn't flow well."
"Oh," Mustadio replied. "...I'll have to work on my humor."
"Go on, Ramza," Everhart said. "We shall handle the front."
"I'm counting on you," Ramza said. "Ovelia, Worker No.8, Orlandu, Balmafula! Let's go!"
Ramza and his friends ran off down the side of the hill while everyone else ran towards the front gate.
"OK, girls, you know what to do," Rad declared.
"I'm not going to enjoy this," Agrias grumbled.
"I don't think any of us are going to," Alma sighed. "But remember, it's for a good cause."
"Lucky Ovelia," Meliadoul grunted. "She got to go with Ramza and be spared this embarrassment."
"Why're you so huffy, anyway?" Tifa asked. "We just have to flirt with 'em. What's so tough about that?"
"I was raised as a Temple Knight," Meliadoul grumbled. "I have no concept of 'flirting.'"
"Don't worry, then," Celes said as she winked at Meliadoul. "We'll show you how it's done."
"OK, there's the front squad," Cloud said. "We'll go hide in the bushes over there. Good luck, girls!"
"All right, then," Celes declared. "It's go time!"
Agrias, Alma, Reis, Alicia, Lavian, Meliadoul, Celia, Lede, Ayla, Celes and Tifa all ran up to the front gate. All the Nanten troops put up their weapons.
"Now what?" Meliadoul asked.
"You've mastered the Thief job class, right?" Agrias asked.
"Yeah," Meliadoul said. "So?"
"Perfect," Agrias said. "Follow my lead."
"Sorry, ladies," a guard said. "King Delita has decreed that Bethla Garrison is closed to the public. I'm afraid you'll have to leave."
"Oh, really?" Alma asked as she stood in front of all the girls and pressed her forefinger to her mouth in a cute pose. "That's too bad... We were sent by the Nanten Military Morale Agency."
"The what?" the guards asked.
"We were sent because the King felt that you guys were feeling depressed," Reis said. "We're here to... cheer you up." She bobbed her eyebrows up and down.
"Cheer us up?" a soldier asked. "How?"
"Oh... You know..." Celia said as she massaged her hips with her hands.
"Cheer you up..." Lede cooed.
"Heh heh heh..." the first soldier said. "Now THIS I like."
"Ayla like cheering people up," Ayla said as she got down on all fours and mewed.
"Are you guys SURE we can't get in?" Celes mused as she stretched in front of them.
"Absolutely sure?..." Tifa chimed in as she repeated her usual motion gently enough that her shirt didn't rip entirely. "(Your turn, Mel.)"
"(Me?)" Mel whispered. "(But what do I do?)"
"(Do SOMETHING!)" Celes whispered. "(You're the one they're waiting to hear about...)"
Meliadoul looked. All the soldiers were staring at her, waiting to see what she had to offer.
"Errr..." Meliadoul hemmed. Suddenly, she got an idea. She reached up and pulled her hood down. A mass of gorgeous chocolate-brown hair flowed out from the green robes like a waterfall. It drooped down to the ground and pooled around her feet.
"Woah!" Beowulf gulped from the boys' hiding place. "No wonder Mel keeps it all hidden... that would really mess up her fighting style!"
"It would also keep all the men distracted," Everhart grumbled. Malak, Seifer, Gau and Rad were all gawking at Meliadoul and blushing wildly.
If the boys' responses were shocking, the Nanten soldiers' were even more so. They immediately started fighting each other. Angry shouts of "She's MINE!" and "No, she's MINE!!!" shot out through the entire compound until weapons were drawn and struck against each other. The entire front battalion of the Garrison was laid to waste in minutes.
"...Woah," Alicia gasped.
"And how," Lavian added.
"Good grief, Meliadoul, what did you DO?!" Agrias asked.
"Errr... Uh..." Meliadoul said as she stuffed her hair back into her robes and readjusted her hood. "I just used the Steal Heart ability like you said."
"Yeah, but... WOW!!!" Alma exclaimed. "You pulled it off with, like, total perfection!"
"Teach me how to do that!" Tifa cried.
"What, am I really that pretty?..." Meliadoul asked.
"Pretty?!" Celes asked. "Meliadoul, you're a KNOCKOUT!!! No wonder you keep that hood on; men would be all over you if you took it off."
"Hmmm..." Meliadoul said. "Perhaps I can use this to my advantage..."
"Oh, no," Celia said as she shook her finger.
"Using beauty to ensnare men is OUR job," Lede protested.
"Fine..." Meliadoul muttered. "I'll stick to my armor-breaking skills."
"OK, the entrance is open!" Alma declared. "Let's call the boys over and storm this place!"
Suddenly, a loud rumbling rocked the ground. Everyone looked up as the Nanten airship fleet appeared over the Garrison.
There were five ships and each was armed to the teeth. "Surrender now, heretic rebels!" a voice on the lead ship's loudspeaker shouted at them.
"Over our dead bodies!" Agrias snarled as she drew her Rune Blade. Alicia and Lavian did the same.
"That can be arranged!" the loudspeaker voice said as all five ships locked their guns on the party.
"Uh-oh..." Alicia gulped.
"This is gonna hurt..." Lavian winced.
"Agrias!" Mustadio yelled. "Come on, guys! Let's go help them!"
"I hear you loud and clear," Beowulf said. "Come, men! Let us go and fulfill our chauvenistic roles!"
"Call it what you like," Seifer muttered. "I'm just gonna kick some ass."
All the boys leaped out of their hiding place and joined the girls' group.
"Decided to show up, huh?" Agrias mused.
"I couldn't just stand by and watch'em mow you down," Mustadio said.
"(...Thanks, Musty...)" Agrias whispered as she readied her sword. Mustadio smiled and trained his gun on the nearest airship.
"Intruders!!!" the rear entrance guard shouted as Ramza and his friends appeared. "Get them!!!"
"DISPOSE!!!" Worker No.8 bellowed as his chest opened and a barrage of laser beams fired out. The blasts hit the first soldier and blew ten of them into the air.
"HOLY EXPLOSION!!!" Orlandu yelled as he swung Excalibur. The sacred blast ripped across the ground and sent another twenty troopers flying.
"MBarrier!" Ovelia chanted as she surrounded Ramza and Orlandu with a magical shield.
"HURRICANE!!!" Balmafula yelled as she cast a massive wind spell that blew ten more soldiers out of sight.
Ramza slashed and attacked each remaining soldier, but oddly enough he never drew blood. "OK, it looks like we've cleaned out the back," he said after the last soldier was knocked down. "Let's get in there and save Captain Flite!"
"Yes," Ovelia said. "Flite must be saved."
"I assume that he's being held where the important prisoners are," Orlandu said. "You know what I'm talking about Ramza; where you rescued me."
"I'd assume so," Balmafula said. "Come on, I remember where that is!"
"Speed is recommended," Worker No.8 beeped. "More hostile life forms are approaching."
"Right. Let's go!" Ramza said as the five friends charged into the Garrison.
Worker No.8, as usual, was correct. The party encountered many more Nanten soldiers as they explored the Garrison.
"You shall not pass!" a Time Mage declared. "DEMI!!!"
"Well, YOU'RE goin' directly to jail!" Balmafula smirked. "PYRO SPHERE!!!"
A firey ball flew from Balmafula's hands and toasted the mage. "Do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars," she smirked as they ran past the well-done wizard.
"Balmafula, what's a 'dollar?'" Ovelia asked.
"I'll tell you later," Balmafula replied quickly.
"I will rip you in half!" a Monk declared as he blocked the hallway.
"Really?" Orlandu asked. "You are one against five. What can you do that will damage us?"
"HEAT BEAM EYE BLAST!!!" the Monk shouted as he fired lasers from his eyes and knocked Orlandu down. Everyone was surprised.
"What the?!" Balmafula asked.
"I think he's trained as a Wizard, too," Ovelia commented.
"HEAT BEAM EYE BLAST!!!" the Monk screamed again, and fired another laser barrage. Ramza swung his sword and blocked it from hitting Orlandu.
"Worker No.8, stop him!" Ramza called.
"As you wish, Master," Worker No.8 beeped as he ran up and stood before the Monk.
"HEAT BEAM EYE BLAST!!!" the Monk yelled. Worker No.8 quickly clamped his hands over the Monk's eyes. There was a small explosion and the monk screamed and staggered backwards, clutching at his eyes.
"AAAAAHHH!!! I'M BLIND!!!" he shouted as he stumbled around and finally fell down.
"Monks and Wizards are a bad match-up," Ovelia commented as the group continued running.
After several more confrontations with Nanten soldiers, Ramza and company arrived in the northern part of the Garrison. "Captain Flite must be here," Orlandu said. "Let us go!"
"Where would he be locked up, though?" Ovelia asked.
"Beats me," Balmafula said. "Hey, why don't we check on Ruveila?"
"Why?" Ramza asked.
"I don't know..." Balmafula said. "But I've got a feeling that she knows something that could be of use to us."
"The former Queen who tried to get me killed..." Ovelia sighed. "...I suppose it's worth a try."
"She's off this way!" Balmafula declared as she ran off down a corridor. "Come on!"
Ramza and his friends followed Balmafula to a long corridor filled with barred doors and windows. "She's in the cell at the far left on the end," Balmafula said. "Hurry!"
"All right," Orlandu said. "Come along, Ramza."
The five warriors headed down towards the end of the room, but a single guard jumped in their way. He was a Squire no older than Ramza, and he clutched a glowing, green sword. "OK, you guys, that's as far as you go!" he said. "Back off! I'm not afraid to use this!"
"Oh, come on," Balmafula snorted. "Come on, kid, do you seriously think you can beat us?"
"You're hopelessly outnumbered," Orlandu said. "Surrender now.
"Hey, he's got Sky Render!" Ovelia declared. "That's Captain Flite's Sword!"
"I'm not letting anyone near the prisoner!" the Squire growled. "And I'll fight you all if I have to! Eaaaaaaaggghhhh!!!"
"Wait a minute..." Ramza said. "That... That was my Gariland Academy class battle cry!"
"Ramza?" Ovelia asked.
"Let me see this guy!" Ramza said as he moved forward until he stood before the Squire.
"...Ramza?" the Squire asked. "Ramza Beoulve?"
"Maverick!" Ramza exclaimed. "What're you doing here?!"
"Maverick?" Balmafula asked. "Ramza, do you know this guy?"
"Yes, I do!" Ramza said. "He was one of my friends in the Hokuten cadets!"
"Good grief, man, you've gotten tough-looking," Maverick chuckled. "So, decided to lose the ponytail, huh?"
"Maverick, where have you been?" Ramza asked. "How'd you end up here?"
"After you dismissed me, I rejoined the Hokuten and got captured at the Bethla Garrison battle," Maverick explained. "King Delita (he was just the Black Sheep Knight leader then) recognized my talents and recruited me as a guard for the Garrison. I've been here ever since."
"You dismissed him, Ramza?" Ovelia asked. "I don't get it."
"After the Fort Zeakden fiasco, we cadets all split up and went seperate ways," Ramza sighed. "I left the Hokuten and became a mercenary (that's where I met all of you), but Maverick stayed with the army. Well..."
"So, what're you doing here, anyway?" Maverick asked.
"We're here to rescue Captain Flite," Ramza said. "We have to get Delita off the throne. Please understand, Maverick. I don't want to fight another friend..."
"Hmmm..." Maverick hemmed as he scratched his chin. "Well, you've never lied to me before... but still..."
"Please, Mr. Maverick?" Ovelia asked as she stepped forward.
"What the?!" Maverick gasped. "Q-Queen Ovelia?! But you're dead!!!"
"That's what I've been saying!" Ruveila's voice came from behind Maverick.
"Maverick, Delita tried to kill me and usurped the throne," Ovelia said. "He's tarnished the repurtation of Ivalice. Ramza and I want to make sure that he doesn't hurt anyone else... Please... Step aside."
"Queen Ovelia..." Maverick said. Just then, he bowed and stepped to the side. "Your wish is my command, your majesty!" he said. "Oh, you'll probably want his sword, too... Good luck, both of you!"
Ramza took Sky Render and Maverick turned and left. "Well, that was one friend you didn't have to fight on this lousy quest," Orlandu said.
"Thank God," Ramza said. "All right, let's free-"
"Not so fast..." a dark voice said.
"Uh-oh..." Ovelia gulped.
A dark cloud with evil eyes and a malicious sneer materialized before the party. "I am Hex, Cativo of Darkness!" Hex growled in an unearthly voice. "Your quest ends now!"
"I don't think so!" Orlandu said. "We shall defeat you and free the poor soul that you have possessed!"
"Just try it!" Hex cackled. "SMOKE SCREEN!!!"
Hex inhaled and then spewed thick smoke all through the room.
"Agggh! (Hack! Cough!) This is... ugh... awful!" Ovelia gagged.
"Worker No.8, clear up this (COUGH) smoke!!!" Ramza demanded.
"As you wish, Master!" Worker No.8 said as he spread his arms out and his midsection whirled around like a top. The smoke was sucked into his whirlwind and dissipated.
"Clever..." Hex fumed. "But you shall not survive this! SHADOW SCYTHE!!!"
A huge black sickle emerged from Hex's smoky form and slashed Ramza, who tumbled backwards and landed on Balmafula.
"Get off!" Balmafula grunted.
"Sorry," Ramza replied. "Owww... That hurt!"
"Let's counter his dark magic with holy magic," Orlandu said. "HOLY EXPLOSION!!!"
"Fool," Hex chortled as Orlandu swung his sword. As the sacred beam came at him, Hex swung his scythe and sent a hellish ray at it. The two attacks cancelled each other out and vanished.
"What?!" Orlandu exclaimed.
"I have prepared for holy attacks," Hex snarled. "I shall prove to you that true darkness is much stronger!"
"MBarrier!" Ovelia cried as she created magical barriers around everyone but Worker No.8.
"DESPAIR!!!" Hex shouted as he exhaled another cloud of smoke. It covered Ovelia's barriers and shattered them.
"Nuts!" Ramza said. "He's got a dark spell for all of our holy ones! No matter what we do, he neutralizes it!"
Just then, Balmafula noticed that Worker No.8 had been affected by neither Ovelia's MBarrier or Hex's despair. "Ramza, why didn't Worker No.8 feel those attacks?" she asked.
"He's a machine, so he has no concept of religion," Ramza explained. "Therefore, he can't use or be affected by magic."
"Is that so?..." Balmafula asked. "Hmmm..."
"...Oh, I see what you're getting at," Ramza said as he chuckled. "Worker No.8, attack Hex now!"
"Yes, Master!" Worker No.8 said as he ran at Hex.
"Oh, what's this?" Hex mused. "I've got just the thing for you. SHADOW SCYTHE!!!"
Hex swung his scythe, but it went through Worker No.8 without even leaving a scratch. Worker No.8 swung his fist and knocked Hex backwards. "Wh-what?!" Hex gulped. "Impossible! Why isn't my magic working?!"
"Magic won't work on someone who can't believe in it!" Ramza declared. "Worker No.8, finish him!"
"Yes, Master!" Worker No.8 complied. "CRUSH!!!"
Worker No.8 grabbed Hex and squeezed as hard as he could. "NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" Hex screeched as he was smooshed between the metal gigas's palms. Worker No.8 stepped back as the place where Hex had been glowed brightly.
"Hey, what's happening?!" Ovelia asked.
"Hex's prisoner is being released..." Orlandu said.
The light cleared and Olan stood before the group, holding a spherical black stone. "...Huh? What just happened?" he asked.
"Olan! You're OK!" Balmafula cried happily.
"Balmafula! Ramza! You're here!" Olan exclaimed.
"It looks like Delita got to you, too..." Ramza said.
"Yeah, but you just cured me of that," Olan laughed. "Thanks a bunch! OK, I'm comin' with you guys! I owe Delita big time!"
"...Ramza? Is that really Ramza?..." a voice behind Olan asked.
"Hey, I know that voice!" Ovelia exclaimed. "Captain Flite!!!"
"Flite?" Ramza asked. "Great!"
Ramza and Ovelia ran past Olan to Flite's cell. "Captain Flite, you're OK!" Ovelia said happily.
"Ramza... Queen Ovelia..." Flite said as he bowed. "I am glad that you're safe."
"Be glad later," Ramza said. "Come on, let's get out of here!"
"All right," Flite said. "But we need the keys..."
"No we don't," Ramza chuckled as he handed Flite Sky Render through the bars. "I think you can handle this."
"Indeed," Flite said as he cracked a smile. "VOID SWORD!!!"
Flite swung his sword and a massive blast of wind blew the cell's bars to dust. "Let us go," Flite said. "I must repay my debts to Delita."
"Let's go out the front way and help the others," Orlandu said.
"Good idea," Ramza replied. "Let's go!"
The seven warriors ran out of the hallway. "Hey! HEY!!!" Ruveila yelled from her cell. "What about ME?! NOBODY ever rescues me!!! Wait... Was that Queen Ovelia?... I see dead people!"
"Here's the exit," Captain Flite said as the party ran out of the Garrison. They were met with a dangerous sight: all of Ramza's friends were running around and trying to dodge the machine gun fire from the five Nanten airships. Everhart tried to leap up at the ships to destroy them, but they always shot him back down.
"Uh-oh..." Ovelia gulped.
"We have to help them!" Orlandu said.
"Allow me, my friends," Captain Flite said as he held Sky Render up. "DIVINE WIND!!!"
With one gallant slash, Captain Flite launched a huge green beam. It flew upwards and collided with all five ships at once. When the attack was through, they had disappeared completely.
"...Wow," Ramza said.
"Thanks, Ramza!" Alma said as she ran to her brother.
"Thank Captain Flite," Ramza said. "He did all the work."
"So, Flite's been rescued, and we put a huge dent in Delita's army..." Agrias said. "What's next?"
"Now we take the battle to Delita," Amarant said. "If we're gonna take him out, this is as good a time as ever."
"I agree," Everhart said. "Delita must be our next goal... Hmm... Ramza, you stopped another Cativo, I see."
"Huh?" Ramza asked.
"Oh, sure, you don't even notice me, huh?" Olan muttered. "Sheesh."
"Olan! You're back!" Mustadio exclaimed. "Finally! Another nerd rejoins the group! I won't have to talk to myself any more!"
Agrias slugged Mustadio in the shoulder.
"Did you recover the Chrono Stone?" Everhart asked.
"Yes," Ramza said as he pulled the stone out of his pack. "Did you want it?"
"Please," Everhart responded. Ramza handed him the stone. He grasped it, strained and flashed black. "My powers have almost completely returned," he said. "Once we recover the final stone, the Love Stone, I shall be complete once more..."
"That's great!" Alma exclaimed. "Oh, uh, I mean... Good for you."
Everhart turned and smiled faintly at Alma, who blushed a deep crimson.
"Well, Captain Flite," Ovelia said as she turned to her loyal commander. "What will you do now?"
"Delita must be stopped," Flite said. "I shall see to it that he is."
"Well, then come with us," Ramza said.
"No..." Flite said. "Though I appreciate the offer, I believe that we may need a mighty army to assist you. I shall travel around the country and find people who would help us remove Delita."
"In that case, go see Davis in Warjilis," Ramza said. "The Cassiopeia will get you all over this country in the blink of an eye!"
"Thank you," Flite said as he saluted Ramza. "I will see you all again at Zeltennia Castle."
"Hey, sign me up!" a voice said. Everyone turned and saw Maverick running out of the Garrison.
"Maverick?" Ramza asked.
"If Ramza, Queen Ovelia AND Captain Flite are all fighting Delita, they HAVE to be right!" he said. "I'll help you guys out!"
"Thanks, Maverick," Ramza said. "You're a real friend."
"Speaking of friends," Rad spoke up. "It looks like we only have to save one more before we fight Delita and his goons."
"Yeah..." Cloud said. "...But this one's gonna be the hardest..."
"...Rafa..." Malak sighed.
"...Don't worry, guys," Ramza said. "I know we'll get her back!"
"OK, Ramza!" Agrias said. "Let's go! To Zeltennia!"
"YEAH!!!" everyone shouted as they raised their fists into the air.
"Sir," Silas said as he entered Law's room and bowed. "Ramza has rescued Captain Flite from Bethla Garrison and is headed this way..."
"Silas, what do you think you're doing?!" Law's voice snapped.
Law looked up. His expression didn't change, but his pupils shrank in sorrow and rage. "...My apologies," he growled quietly. "I shall return again later to discuss strategy."
"MUCH later, Silas!" Law snapped. "And lock the door on your way out!"
Silas nodded and shut the door. As soon as he was outside, he covered his face with his hands and slowly walked away.
"Law..." Adela sighed. "...Was that Silas?..."
"Don't worry about him, baby," Law chuckled. "His timing sucks, doesn't it?"
"(Silas... What's troubling you?... You're usually so vibrant about our missions...)" Adela thought as Law continued his actions.
"Hey, what's wrong, Adela?" Law asked. "What, ain't this any good?"
"...N-no, it's not that..." Adela said.
"Then enjoy yourself!" Law chuckled. "We don't do this often, so savor the moment!"
"Well, all right..." Adela said as she allowed Law to continue.
Still, one question continued to stab her mind over and over...
"(He's upset because of me... Why?...)"
