CHAPTER 26

DEMON FROM THE PAST

"Everhart, what's wrong?" Ramza asked.

"You cannot go any further," Everhart repeated as he walked towards Ramza. "I will destroy my foe. You will not interfere."

"Foe? Who?" Orlandu asked.

"That is none of your concern," Everhart growled. "My nemesis will die by my hand alone. And to make sure that you will not interfere..."

"Grrrr!!!" Cloud growled. "I KNEW he couldn't be trusted!!!"

"Everhart..." Alma gasped.

"Who are you?!" Ovelia asked. "Tell us the truth!"

"Very well," Everhart said. "You've read the Germonik Scriptures, Ramza. What was the story of St. Ajora?"

"Ajora?" Ramza asked. "Ajora's legend said that he used the Zodiac Stones to defeat a demon conjured up by the King of Limberry... but that was a lie like most of the things that glorified Ajora."

"It was not," Everhart said. "I know... for I was the being conjured."

Numerous gasped shot through the room.

"What!!!" Mustadio cried. "Are you for real?!"

"I was created by the King of Limberry to destroy anyone that went against his laws of justice," Everhart explained. "However, soon I realized the corruption of his ways and eliminated him. After that, I saw what a sick and polluted world this was... so I set out to cleanse it."

"Cleanse?!" Agrias snarled. "You mean that you were gonna kill everything in it!!!"

"Those are your words, not mine," Everhart replied. "Such a foolhardy world will surely destroy itself unless what ails it is removed..."

"And, obviously, what ails it is humanity," Meliadoul sighed. "That's what you were going to say, wasn't it?"

"I crafted the Dark Holy Swordsmen as my personal soldiers and set out. Unfortunately, my task was interrupted," Everhart growled. "That accursed Ajora appeared with his Lucavi servants and attacked me. He said that he wouldn't let me kill everything because then he'd have nothing to dominate... Our forces clashed for a good three days before Ajora and I decided to fight ourselves... We both fought our hardest, but he used a sneaky attack to make me drop my guard. He defeated me and absorbed my powers, which caused me to revert to this pitiful form before you. I watched as the world sealed up Ajora's cruel deeds and made him a saint. I have wandered the earth in obscurity since then..."

Everhart then raised his head to look Ramza in the eyes. "But then I heard of a young man who defied the Glabados Church in search of 'the truth.' Yes, Ramza, I heard about you... and I followed your group."

"What?!" Ramza asked. "You followed us?! But I had never seen you before we landed in Steronn..."

"I am able to conceal myself well," Everhart replied. "I watched you battle the villain Vormav and his Temple Knights, but when I tried to enter Orbonne Monastery after you had gone, I found it empty. Ajora had sealed my entrance to his realm. So... I waited for you to return from that church, but you never did."

"We had a whole other adventure after that," Ramza explained. "You must not have been aware of it."

"I stayed in Ivalice and watched as the new King Delita absorbed all the power for himself... One part of that story I've told you already, though. I waited years and years, until far after your deaths... That's when I heard of Gideon and Law's plans to come back and defeat you by making use of Zodiac Stones."

"So THAT'S why you wanted the Chrono Stones!" Orlandu said.

"The Chrono Stones contained all the powers that Ajora stole from me," Everhart said. "I had to reclaim them in order to rise to my original potential. Now that I have my powers back, I will destroy Ajora and cleanse this troubled world of all its shortcomings."

"You have no right!!!" Ramza shouted. "Have you so little faith in humanity, Everhart?"

"Humans are power-hungry, stupid creatures," Everhart spat. "They'll never learn anything. In the future they build machines that rip up the earth and pollute the sky... They were even planning to extend their reach to the stars when I left... Humans repeat the same mistakes over and over. The cycle can only be stopped... by stopping THEM."

"But..." Ramza tried to protest.

Everhart sighed. "As much as I find humans disgusting and chaotic, I have enjoyed my time among you all. You are all credits to the race. If you were elected the leaders of this world, I might have reconsidered my task... Unfortunately, society frowns upon you as heretics and troublemakers. I find it strange that you do not see things my way..."

Everhart looked at all the friends that he'd just betrayed and observed each of their faces. Some wore expressions of shock, others of horror, sorrow or anger. He finally stopped at Alma, who was staring at the ground.

"Alma..." Everhart said as he extended his hand. "You are the most exceptional one of all. Join me and we can sweep away the old, corrupted world. After that, we will create a race of perfect beings through our love. Please..."

"..." Alma said.

"Alma..." Ramza said quietly.

"Don't do it, Alma!" Cloud snapped. "He lied to all of us... He's just doing it again!!!"

"His motives may be totally wrong, but he does have true feelings for Alma..." Ovelia said. "...I can tell..."

"I would never allow any harm to befall you," Everhart said. "Together we can give this world the chance that it so desperately needs to flourish."

"I..." Alma squeaked.

"Do what you think is right, Alma," Ramza said.

"Ramza?" Alma asked.

"You're my sister. I support you in everything," Ramza said as he looked at her and smiled.

"Ramza..." Alma said as she returned the smile.

"Well?" Everhart asked.

Alma turned to Everhart and frowned. "How can you say such things to me when you have no compassion for anyone else?!" she snapped. "Do you think I'm going to stand by and watch you kill my neighbors, friends and family?! I could never be happy in such an empty world!!!"

Everhart and Alma stared at each other for another moment before Alma turned her back. "...You don't know the first thing about love," she said.

"..." Everhart said.

"Go, Alma," Seifer whistled softly.

"...Celia! Lede!" Everhart snapped.

Celia and Lede just stood there and frowned at Everhart.

"Did you not hear me?!" Everhart asked. "I didn't pay you to just stand there like mannequins. Come here!"

"No way, buddy," Celia said.

"We quit," Lede added. "You're too crazy for us. At least Ajora wanted to keep everybody alive!"

"Hmm..." Everhart said. "...Very well. I guess I'll just eliminate all of you first. It is a pity that you chose death over utopia."

"It would only be YOUR utopia, Everhart," Ramza said.

"And WE'RE not going to let YOU go any further!!!" Agrias snarled as she whipped out her Rune Blade.

"I see that this can only result in a battle," Everhart sighed. "I will battle Ramza, and Ramza alone. I wish to see how he fares when he doesn't have his friends to support him."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rafa asked.

"I've studied Ramza enough to know that he values his friends immensely," Everhart said. "They are what give him strength... and are also his source of weakness."

"Fine, then," Ramza said as he pulled Rival out of its sheath. "I don't want to fight you, Everhart, but you've left me little choice."

"The same goes for me, Ramza," Everhart said. He raised his hands into the air and the Chrono Zodiac Stones gathered around them while the other stones dropped back into the sack. They latched onto different parts of his armor and let off a blinding flash. When the flash dispersed, Everhart was bathed in purple light. His armor had changed from being plain, black Lancer's armor to being sleek, shining, spikey armor that was blacker than midnight, and a new, taller helmet now hid all of his face but his mouth from the group. He held a longer, shinier lance and hovered about a foot off the ground.

"Now... We begin," he said.

"All right," Ramza said as he readied himself. "Let's finish this!"

Ramza ran forward and swung Rival. Everhart somersaulted over the charging man before stabbing him in the back with his lance. Ramza grunted in pain, but didn't hesitate to whirl around and hit Everhart with a nasty counter slice.

"Yeah! Get him, Ramza!!!" Agrias yelled from the sidelines.

"Go, humans!" Ayla cheered. "Ayla no like lose to bad demigod!"

Everhart jumped away from Ramza and raised his hand. "You forget the extent of my powers so soon?" he asked. "BLITZ DARKNESS HAND!!!"

A blast of dark energy lept forward from Everhart's hand and knocked Ramza on his back. "G'ahhh!!!" Ramza yelled as he met the floor with a painful impact.

"Without your friends to aid you, you are weak, just as I always expected," Everhart said as he approached Ramza. "The time has come for your quest to end, Ramza."

"No... Not yet..." Ramza growled. "I still have some things to do before I bite the big one..."

Ramza rolled away from Everhart's thrust and scrambled to his feet. He jumped to the side as Everhart lunged again and slashed him with Rival. The sword seemed to sparkle brighter with each slash.

"I do not understand why you don't agree with my solution..." Everhart said. "It's the only way to save this corrupted world... With Alma as my bride, your family's blood would help usher in a new age! Think of the future, Ramza!"

"There's more than one way to make the world a better place!" Ramza argued. "And I doubt that many people besides you would support mass genocide!"

"You're a hopeless idealist," Everhart grunted. "Wake up, Ramza. You'll be persecuted for as long as you live for all that you've done, and your friends along with you... DARK HOLY!!!"

Everhart spun his lance around like a helicopter rotor and Ramza was blown down by the same black powers that Law had used before.

"Everhart knock him around like rag doll!!!" Gau gulped.

"Even I'M finding this painful to watch..." Celia winced.

Though the Dark Holy attack had hit him dead on, Ramza was still able to stand up. "Even if I'm not appreciated for what I'm doing, the fact that I'm doing the right thing is reward enough!" he replied. "I feel good when I keep someone from hurting others!"

"How fatally naive," Everhart grunted. "METEOR!!!"

Everhart swung his lance and instantly a magical asteroid came crashing down into the room. It hit Ramza dead on and sent him flying. "Eeeeeeyyyaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!" Ramza howled as he sailed across the room and collided with the rear wall.

Everhart pointed his lance and flew at Ramza to administer the finishing blow. "Because you helped me regain my form, I shall make this quick and painless," he said as he moved ever closer to the wounded Beoulve.

"RAMZA!!!" Alma and Rafa screamed.

"Get up, man!!!" Seifer hollared.

"Rammy!" Lede whined.

Everhart approached Ramza with hastening speed. He drew closer and closer with his lance ready to go through the fallen warrior's neck.

"Get UP, dammit!!!" Amarant snarled.

"Ramza, come on!" Celes shouted.

The lance's sharpest point was no more than three inches away from Ramza's throat when a bright light filled the room and blinded everyone.

"Urrrrgghhh..." Everhart growled as he held his hands up to shield his eyes. "What... What is this?!"

"What the hell's happening?!" Meliadoul asked.

"I don't know..." Rafa said. "...But something tells me that it's going to turn the tide..."

The light faded away and Everhart took his hand away from his eyes. What he saw made his pupils shrink until they were little more than pinpricks. "No..." he whispered.

Ramza was adorned from head to toe with golden, shining armor that bore a picture of a hare on its breastplate. Rival was also flashing with golden energy. Ramza stood up fully healed and stared down Everhart.

"I guess the Rabbit Stone came through for me," Ramza said. "Ironic that it's still in the bag that you've got over there."

"What... How... I don't understand..." Everhart swooned. "How could you... No matter. Though your armor looks more impressive, you are still weak. I'll defeat you and restore this world to a place of glory and honor."

"There's plenty of glory and honor here already," Ramza said as he held Rival in front of him. Both the sword and its holder began to glow with golden light. "Allow me to open your eyes, Everhart..."

"Ramza... has gone into Trance," Amarant said.

"No way! That's a Limit Break!" Tifa argued.

"Will you two can it?! It's the power of the Zodiac Stones!" Malak snapped.

Ramza's eyes closed for a moment and then reopened full of courage and power. "I call upon the power of Justice to show my enemies truth!" he chanted. "BLADE OF THE JUST!!!"

"No... NO!!!" Everhart roared.

Ramza's golden glow flowed entirely into Rival. The sword shone so brightly that it almost blinded the spectators. Ramza lifted it above his head and with one thrust, sent it straight through Everhart's chest.

"G-g-g-g-gaaaaggghhhhh..." Everhart choked as he sank to his knees and slumped forward. "I... I... I lost?... How... How could he defeat me..."

Ramza's armor and glow faded away and he ran to Everhart. "Here, let me help you up," he said as he put Everhart's arm around his shoulder.

"..." Everhart said.

"Now do you understand, Everhart?" Ramza asked. "There are good people in this world... you just have to look for them."

"Good people..." Everhart said.

"Everhart..." Alma said as she came to Everhart and supported his other side.

"Alma..." Everhart said. "Please don't think ill of me..."

"It's all right, Everhart," Alma said. "It's all done now. You can still come with us and help defeat Delita..."

"No, I cannot," Everhart sighed. "I was created to destroy the unjust... And Ramza has shown me the ultimate form of justice. According to its absolute laws, my plan of cleansing the world was wrong... so..."

"What are you saying, Everhart?!" Ramza asked.

"This is the end," Everhart said as he shook Ramza and Alma off of him. "I was created to destroy all violators of justice... and I shall do so."

"Everhart!..." Alma said as she tried to hold back tears. "No... Don't! Don't do what I think you're going to!..."

"You've all fought so hard..." Everhart said as he looked over Ramza and his friends. "With your help, this world will survive... I understand now... Thank you for teaching me so many things..."

"Please, Everhart! Don 't do it!!!" Alma sobbed. "Please!!! NO!!!"

"...Goodbye, Alma," Everhart said as he raised his lance into the air. "Part of me will always be with you... METEOR!!!"

"EVERHART!!! NO-O-O-O-O!!!" Alma wailed.

Another huge Meteor spell came crashing into the room, but it only hit Everhart this time. In the blink of an eye, he disintegrated into nothing. His lance clattered on the tiled floor.

"EVERHART!!!" Alma howled as she fell to her knees and bawled uncontrollably.

"Alma..." Ramza said as he knelt down beside her.

"R-Ramza..." Alma sobbed. "I... I..."

"I understand, Alma," Ramza sighed.

Alma looked at Ramza with teary eyes before she grabbed him and started crying into his chest. Ramza squeezed his sister back and tried to console her.

"Poor Alma..." Ovelia said. "Her first love, and it ends like this..."

"At least Ramza was able to talk Everhart out of his plans before it happened," Orlandu said.

"Geez, why does Ramza get to hug all the cute chicks?" Seifer grumbled. "He's gotten this kind of thing from four of them already!!!"

"Hush!" Agrias grunted as she elbowed Seifer in the ribs. "This is serious, Seifer!"

"Alma..." Ramza sighed as he ran his fingers through her hair and kept hugging her. "We can't let Everhart's sacrifice be in vain..."

"Ramza?..." Alma asked.

"We should stop Delita for him," Ramza said. "Delita was one of the things that influenced Everhart's decison, after all..."

"...Yes, you're right..." Alma sniffled. "I'll help you fight Delita, Ramza..."

Alma reached behind her and took up Everhart's lance. "...For Everhart's sake," she finished.

Ramza smiled at his sister and clapped her on the back. "Good," he said softly. "Let's go and stop him, then... OK?"

"OK," Alma replied as she got up.

"And we'll all help!" Rafa stated. The other members of the group nodded or murmured in agreement.

"Thank you..." Ramza said. "Now, let's get going!"

"Delita's chambers should be right past his sanctuary!" Ovelia announced as she opened the door in the back of the room. "Let's go!"

"YEAH!!!" everyone roared as they charged up the steps. All the obstacles had been cleared. The team's next destination would be Delita's throne room.