CHAPTER 28

DUEL IN DEATH CITY

"So, just when we thought we beat Delita, some new jerk shows up?!" Seifer snapped. "That is SO not fair!"

"Ajora isn't new," Cloud growled. "In fact, he's older than Delita. Much, much older..."

"Ajora was a spy that lived a long time ago," Agrias explained. "He was the first person to collect the Zodiac Stones, but he used them to gain power for himself and try to conquer the planet. Another spy named Germonik stopped his plans, though..."

"Ajora was executed, but somehow his spirit managed to live on through the Virgo Zodiac Stone," Ramza finished. "He's been searching for bodies to possess in all of my battles with him... First he took over Alma, and last time he invaded Ovelia's corpse... And now he has Delita."

"I have no idea why he keeps coming back," Mustadio grumbled. "I mean, we'll just trounce him again, right?"

"Whatever the case, he managed to free himself during the incident with the Chrono Zodiac Stones," Olan said. "Let's go and stop him!"

"Right!" Ramza said. "Let's get to Orbonne Monastery!"

"C'mon!" Davis shouted. "I'll fly you all there in the Cassiopeia!"

"That's good," Malak replied. "It beats walking!"

"Wait a minute," Ramza said as he turned to Seifer, Celes, Gau, Ayla, Tifa, Cloud and Amarant. "This isn't your fight, you guys," he said as he pulled out the Rooster Stone. "Do you want to go back to your own times?"

"Not now, Ramza," Cloud growled. "We have to stop Ajora... besides, the way Ajora reacted, I'd think that he's done something to the stones so we can't go back."

"What's putting my life on the line for a few more battles?" Amarant asked. "Count me in, Ramza."

"I'm coming," Celes said. "I can't ignore such a cruel being."

"Auooo!" Gau howled. "Ramza help Gau, so Gau help Ramza!"

"If Cloud goes, I go," Tifa admitted. "Still, don't think that's the only reason... This guy's outta control and needs to be put in his place!"

"No way I'm backing out now," Seifer smirked. "Ajora needs an ass-whuppin!"

"Don't worry, Ramza," Celia growled as she cracked her knuckles. "We're still on Everhart's payroll, so we aren't gonna turn on you."

"Besides, I wouldn't do that anyway!" Lede giggled. "But, uh... Ramza, when all this is over, can I borrow the Zodiac Stones for a little while?"

"Oh?" Ramza asked. "What for?"

"Ummm..." Lede gulped as she blushed violently. "No reason."

"What're you up to?" Rad growled.

"Nothing! Honestly!" Lede stammered.

"Wait," Rafa objected. "Before we go, shouldn't we collect all the Zodiac Stones? There's no telling who they'll end up with if we leave them here..."

"You're right," Ramza agreed. "Captain Flite, where are the Zodiac Stones held?"

"The stones should be behind the King's throne," Flite said as he pointed towards the lofty chair at the front of the room. Ramza walked over, reached behind the throne and pulled out a burlap sack full of Zodiac Stones.

"Are they all there?" Beowulf asked.

Ramza dumped the stones onto the floor and added all the ones that he had been carrying to the pile. "Let's see..." he said. "We've got 13 Zodiac Stones (counting the one running Worker No.8), 12 Chrono Stones, the original 13 Zodiac Stones... Wait, what're these?" Ramza motioned to 11 dull, cracked stones bearing symbols from the Chinese Zodiac.

"Those must be the stones that Gideon and Law brought from the future," Cloud pointed out. "Looks like the Rabbit Stone is missing, though..."

"That's the one Delita had when Ajora took him," Alma said. "We have to get that one back and we'll have all of them."

"And once we've got all of 'em, we can all go home," Amarant muttered. "Right?"

"I guess so," Ramza replied as he shoveled all of the stones into the burlap sack. "Let's get going!"

"We will begin rebuilding this castle and the country," Captain Flite said. "Go and stop Ajora."

"Thank you, Captain," Ovelia said. "We'll come back when we're done."

"The airship's all ready!" Davis repeated. "C'mon! Shake a leg!"

"All right," Ramza responded. "Let's go."


The night sky was darker than it ever had been as the Cassiopeia flew over Ivalice towards Orbonne Monastery. The entire world seemed to be holding its breath and watching Ramza's group.

"This is it," Mustadio growled. "No turning back now."

"Ajora's going down permanently this time!" Agrias declared.

"I still don't understand how he came back," Meliadoul said as she rubbed her chin.

"We'll probably find out," Orlandu grumbled.

"I still don't understand why you go to such lengths to help Delita, Ramza," Rafa said as Ramza and she stood on the deck and stared off into the blackness. "Why do you do it?"

"I... I'm not sure, Rafa," Ramza said as he frowned. "But I do know this; Delita was my best friend for years and years... I never thought that my high-class ranking affected him, but I guess it did... I guess I'm partially to blame for what he's become... So I'm gonna work to make things right."

"Ramza..." Rafa said quietly as she put a hand on top of his.

"OK, guys, we're here!" Davis yelled as the Cassiopeia landed on the mushy, wet ground outside of Orbonne Monastery. The snow had begun to melt and the entire area was a field of mud.

"Ugh, what a mess," Celes grunted as she landed in the gunk.

"Sorry," Davis apologized. "Next time I'll land closer to the road."

"Come on, guys," Ramza said as he motioned to the monastery. "Let's go."

Ramza and his small army of friends marched up the hill and into Orbonne Monastery. Judging by how clean the inside was, the building was still being used for worshipping Ajora.

"If Ajora's evil, why is this place's church potraying him as a saint?" Seifer asked. "That's like putting a badger in a petting zoo!"

"Ajora destroyed the church that was here before," Orlandu replied. "The remnants of that church made him a saint out of pure fear, and over the years, things just took shape..."

"Boy, imagine what would happen if people found out that they were praising a demon!" Celes said.

"They did," Cloud said. "...And then Shinra took over."

"Heh?" Celes asked.

"Oh, never mind," Cloud grumbled.

"Ramza," Alma said as she and Rafa walked beside Ramza. "When this is all over, what are we going to do?"

"With Captain Flite in charge, you could receive a full pardon and settle down in your ancestral home in Igros," Rafa pointed out.

"It's a good idea," Ramza replied, "but I think I'm going to go exactly where I was going in the first place; Steronn."

"Steronn?" Alma asked.

"I guess I'll make a new start of things," Ramza continued. "I've been meaning to get closer to nature... Besides, snakes and monsters are nothing compared to church zealots."

"He's got a point," Rafa admitted as she chuckled lightly.

Alma smiled faintly.

"Sensors indicate a large magical energy buildup five floors beneath us," Worker No.8 beeped.

"That would be the portal to Murond Death City," Agrias recalled. "Come on, guys! We've got a false saint to cream!"

The party ran down five flights of steps and found themselves in a gymnasium-sized room lined with bookshelves. A large circle adorned with strange symbols was drawn on the wooden floor in several colors of cornmeal.

"That's the warp to Murond!" Reis declared. "I remember that!"

"Let's go," Seifer muttered. "That Ajora guy's waiting for us to show up and kick his sorry-"

"All right, all right," Ayla muttered. "Can do without swearing."

"Let's go!" Ramza declared yet again as his friends and he hopped into the magic circle. The world around them started to waver and stretch, and then all was thrown into darkness.

"Whaaaagh!" Alma cried. "I guess we're being sent to Murond!"

"I feel like I'm bein' ripped apart!" Rad shouted. !"

"Yep, feels just like old times," Celia said as she folded her arms. Lede and she didn't seem to be affected at all.

"How can you stand there and not feel this?!" Agrias snapped.

"You build up a tolerance after a while," Lede explained. "It isn't too long before you don't mind having your guts stretched to infinity."

"Hold on..." Ramza said. "I think we're about to land!..."

Just as suddenly as it began, the warping sensation halted. Everyone was standing on a large magical crest on a hard, stone floor. Stone streets and ruined futuristic-looking buildings loomed over the group and the high, earthen ceiling could barely be seen through the darkness.

"So, this is Murond Death City..." Celes said. "How eerie... It looks a lot like a city in my world called Vector..."

"The civilization that preceded Ramza's must have been much more advanced," Tifa said. "Some of these buildings look a lot like the ones back in Cloud's and my time..."

"I think that Midgar was based off of these kinds of things..." Cloud said as he knelt down and studied a building's corner. "I remember reading somewhere that they built the more modern cities in the same way that some ancient ruins had been built... Wow."

"I would love to learn more about this civilization," Olan admitted. "However, now isn't the best time..."

"We've got to stop Ajora! Let's get moving!" Balmafula huffed as she looked around anxiously. "Uh... Which way do we go?"

"Worker No.8, try scanning for Zodiac Stone signatures," Mustadio instructed the hulking robot.

"Scanning..." Worker No.8 beeped as his head swiveled around 360 degrees.

"That's kind of creepy," Rafa admitted.

"Well, he IS a robot," Seifer said. "What did you expect?"

"Scan complete," Worker No.8 whirred. "Ignoring Zodiac Stones already in the master's posession, there is one signal emanating approximately 800 yards north of the current position."

"That must be Delita's Rabbit Stone," Malak said. "Let's go get 'im!"

"Remember, guys," Ramza cautioned. "We don't want to hurt Delita. Ajora's the enemy."

"Whatever," Amarant muttered. "Let's just get 'im... I'm itchin' to head home."

"Come!" Orlandu said as he drew Excalibur. "Let us end this nightmare."

"Yes..." Alma said. "For Everhart... and everybody's sake."

Ramza and company ran through the ruined city with Worker No.8 beeping out directions as they went. A few monsters and Temple Knight followers attacked them as they moved, but were quickly disposed of.

"Judging by how weak those enemies were, I'd have to say that Ajora is pretty much alone," Beowulf said as they ran. "This must be his last stand."

"Auoooo!" Gau declared. "Gau stop bad man!"

Finally, the party arrived at a set of stairs that spiraled upwards beyond anyone's view. "What the?..." Agrias asked.

"Worker No.8, is the Rabbit Stone up there?" Mustadio asked.

"Affirmative," Worker No.8 droned.

"Leave it to Ajora to wear us out with a huge flight of steps before we fight him," Rad grumbled.

"Let's start climbing!" Alicia said.

"Yes, come on!" Lavian added.

"All right," Ramza said. "Here we go..."

With Ramza in the lead, the large group began to ascend the staircase. It spiraled around and around, and with each spiral they rose high and higher above the Death City. The stairs continued up for a long, long time.

"How many times have we gone around?" Seifer grumbled.

"Uh, I think we're in the teens somewhere..." Celes replied.

"Oh. Well, when we get to twenty, tell me; I've gotta throw up," Seifer groaned.

Twelve spirals later, Ramza and his friends reached the top of the stairs. They were standing on a large, circular battleground several hundred feet above Murond Death City. Though they had climbed incredibly high, the ceiling was still nowhere to be seen; an upside-down, floating, rotating church-like building hovered another hundred feet above the battleground.

"What the hell is that?!" Malak asked as everyone looked up at the monstrosity.

"That is my church," a dark voice answered. Everyone looked around for the speaker, but none was found.

"Ajora..." Ramza growled.

"Such a bright young lad," Ajora mused as he appeared before the group, still clad in Delita's golden armor. "The building above us is the first Glabados Church, where my first desciples gathered. This is the temple from which my sainthood spread."

"But why is it down here and upside-down?" Rafa asked.

"It's always been down here," Ajora replied. "Ever since I was betrayed by that rat Germonik and executed, it's been here, awaiting my resurrection. It was this church that housed the airship that we battled upon the first time we crossed swords, Ramza, and it's the only method of returning to the surface world that remains..."

"How did you escape from the Realm Of The Dead?" Ovelia asked.

"Escape?" Ajora asked as he smirked at the group coldly. "Quite simple. My plan all started when the spikey-haired swordsman over there went back to his own world after you defeated me the second time. I was barely conscious as I looked out and saw him leaving, but I was able to pierce the temporal veil long enough to create the Chrono Stones and release Everhart's stolen energies into them, thus creating the Cativo, my latest breed of soldiers. After that, all I needed was for the stones to take control of twelve victims, which, thanks to Delita, they did. At that moment, I was able to free myself. However, I still needed a body before I could exact my vengeance on you all, and the temporal distortions were a minor flaw in the plan... Ah, well. Nothing's perfect, is it?"

"So, you started all of this!" Agrias snarled.

"I suppose you sent Gideon and Law after us, too!" Celes snapped.

"Oh, all I did was give the good holy man a little push," Ajora mused. "After all, I needed at least one of my trusty Lucavi around in case the Cativo blew it. Law and his cronies joined in by pure chance, and I knew that Everhart wouldn't be able to resist a chance to reclaim his stolen power..."

"You... You used everybody, don't you?!" Alma yelled. "It's your fault that Everhart died!"

"My, my, such harsh words..." Ajora chuckled. "Still, I had an inkling that none of them would be able to pull it off... So I borrowed your little friend Delita. Though I control his form, his spirit is very strong... My goodness, Ramza... Perhaps he hates you more than I do... Ah, well. Now all that's left for me to do is kill all of you and then go to the world above and fulfill my destiny as the Glabados Church's Messiah!"

"Ajora..." Ramza said as he drew Rival from its sheath. "I won't let you cause any more harm! This ends here and now!!!"

"We're through with you, Ajora!" Rafa huffed as she pulled out her Octagon Rod.

"Playtime's over," Malak grunted as he readied his own Octagon Rod and spun it around.

"This is for Everhart!" Alma cried as she thumped her Gold Staff on the ground.

"I won't let you hurt any more people!" Ovelia declared as she held her own Gold Staff out in front of her.

"You're not gettin' away this time, buddy!" Agrias snarled as she swung her Rune Blade around.

"It's judgment day, Ajora," Mustadio growled as he clicked his gun.

"What you've done is inexcusable," Orlandu said as he whipped out Excalibur.

"The master's enemy is my enemy," Worker No.8 beeped as he thumped his fists together and assumed a fighting stance.

"Get ready!" Alicia and Lavian shouted as they drew their swords.

"You're in for it now, Ajy!" Rad said as he pulled out his Morning Star and swung it around.

"Sorry, 'boss,' but I'm with them," Celia grunted.

"Rammy-wammy's counting on me!... And all of us!" Lede declared.

"I'll fight to protect the ones that I love," Beowulf said as his sword emerged.

"And that goes double for me," Reis added.

"I've seen the truth..." Olan said as he pulled out his Dictionary. "...And I won't let it destroy our world!"

"It's over for you, pal," Balmafula grunted as she put her hands together and began to charge a spell.

"I'll beat you," Meliadoul snarled as she pulled out Save The Queen. "For father, Izlude AND Cinna!"

"Your plans won't succeed," Amarant said as he drew back his Rune Claws. "I'll make sure of that."

"Auoooo!" Gau howled. "Me fight! Me stop you!"

"What Gau said," Celes added. "I've seen evils like you ruin entire worlds... I'll be damned if I let it happen again."

"Strong survive," Ayla growled. "Ayla strong. Ayla fight!"

"I used to think that this wasn't my problem," Seifer admitted. "But now I see that it's EVERYONE'S problem... and I'm gonna do something about it!"

"In a way, this is partly my fault," Cloud said as he readied his Materia Blade. "And now is the time for atonement."

"Cloud's always protected me," Tifa said as she cracked her knuckles. "Now it's my turn to protect him!"

"Face it, Ajora," Ramza said to the still-smirking false saint. "We're not going to lose."

"That's what you think," Ajora cackled. "Still, none of you could imagine what I can do now..."

Ajora raised his arm into the air. "Prepare to face the wrath of the mightiest sword in existence!" he shouted as a long, glistening, white rapier appeared in his hand. "You will all perish at the kiss of the Sword Of Dios!"

"That's what you think!" Ramza retorted. "Here we come, Ajora!!!"

"NO MERCY!!!" Amarant shouted as he flung a ball of energy.

"DEMON SLICE!!!" Seifer yelled as he flew at Ajora with a blazing sword.

"Rage: Stray Cat! CATSCRATCH!!!" Gau roared as he leaped towards the monster with bared teeth and nails.

"Fools!" Ajora laughed as he held the Sword Of Dios out. "DEMON DANCE!!!" He spun around like a top and slashed all three attackers before their moves could reach him.

"PYRO SPHERE!!!" Balmafula shouted as she finished charging her spell and lobbed a huge ball of fire at Ajora.

"REFLECTION!!!" Ajora yelled as he held the Sword Of Dios up and absorbed the blow, then swung his sword and sent the blast right back. Balmafula was blown down faster than a bowling ball knocks down a ninepin.

"No more!" Celes yelled as she chanted a spell. "ULTIMA!!!"

"REFLEC-" Ajora started to shout.

"Not this time!" Ayla yelled as she flew down at Ajora from above. "TRIPLE KICK!!!"

Ayla kicked Ajora so hard that he flew right into Celes's spell and was launched high into the air. His outline vanished in the floating church's light for a moment before he came tumbling back down. Unfortunately, he wasn't planning on hitting the ground. "HELL WAVE!!!" Ajora screeched as he fell towards Ayla and Celes and unleashed a huge, purple energy wave. The girls were slammed onto the battleground's floor.

"He's too strong!" Ovelia whimpered.

"We beat him before... We can do it again!" Ramza announced as he set his jaw in grim determination. "We just have to attack together..."

"Are you sure, Ramza?" Rafa asked.

"Trust me," Ramza said. "OK! Beowulf, Orlandu, Worker No.8! get out there!"

"OK!" Beowulf shouted as Orlandu, Worker No.8 and he leaped out and surrounded Ajora.

"Use your strongest attacks!" Ramza shouted.

"Like that's gonna work!" Ajora yelled. "I can hear all of your instructions, too, you kno-"

"DRAIN!!!" Beowulf screeched before Ajora could finish.

"HOLY EXPLOSION!!!" Orlandu roared as he swung Excalibur once again.

"DISPOSE!!!" Worker No.8 bellowed as his chest opened and a barrage of lasers flew out.

"Gyaaaggghhh!!!" Ajora shouted as he was actually knocked down. He quickly recovered, though, and moved to leap at the fighters.

"Alicia! Lavian! Agrias! Mustadio! Now!" Ramza commanded.

"You know what to do, girls!" Agrias shouted to her two subordinates.

"Yes!" Alicia and Lavian shouted simultaneously.

"STASIS SWORD!!!" Agrias, Alicia and Lavian yelled as they swung their swords. Three huge, icy explosions caught Ajora and froze his legs solid.

"My turn!" Mustadio chuckled as he aimed at Ajora and fired round after round of bullets into him.

"Agh! Arrgh! Ow! Quit it!" Ajora yelled until he raised the Sword Of Dios and shattered the ice trapping his legs. "Now you're in for it! DEMON'S LANCE!!!"

Ajora pointed his sword at the attackers and a huge, purple spear came crashing down from the sky. The four fighters were blown to the ground.

"Celia! Lede!" Ramza yelled. "Do it!!!"

"Now?" Lede asked as she blushed. "Aww, Rammy..."

"Not THAT, dorkus!" Celia snapped as Lede and she leaped to Ajora's sides.

"Eh? What're you traitors up to?" Ajora asked as he threw himself at Lede.

"SHADOW STITCH!!!" Celia and Lede yelled at the same time. Their Assassin attacks hit Ajora and stopped him cold.

"HEY!!! What the hell!!!" Ajora yelled angrily.

"Now, Meliadoul!" Ramza called.

"This is for Cinna!" Meliadoul yelled as she swung Save The Queen. "HELLCRY PUNCH!!!"

A jagged blast of energy shot up beneath Ajora and sent him flying. The Sword Of Dios tumbled out of his hands and shattered on the ground. "WHAT?! NO!!!" Ajora screeched.

"All RIGHT!!!" Rad laughed. "Nice going, Mel!"

"Thank Ramza," Meliadoul said. "He's the great strategist."

"Urrrrgghhh..." Ajora fumed as he stood up and glared at Ramza. His face was a mask of cold hatred. "Fine! I guess I'll have to bring out the BIG GUNS!!! GET READY!!!" he shrieked. He leaped into the air and started to flash bright white.

"What the?..." Olan asked.

A huge white flash burst over the battlefield and temporarily blinded everyone. When the light faded, Ajora had mutated into a horrible mutant; his head was on a huge, metal body with lion claws for hands and reptilian legs and feet. A huge, spikey tail and two pitch-black angel wings shot out behind him. He gave the group a horrible smile as his eyes glistened with murderous madness. "Heh heh heh..." he cackled. "Meet my strongest form!!! ASLAN AJORA!!!"

"Good God..." Cloud exclaimed. "He's a monster!"

"TIME TO DIE!!!" Aslan Ajora roared as he puffed up his chest and inhaled deeply. "METEOR BREATH!!!" he roared as he exhaled. A huge white ray filled with spikey chunks of rock came flying from his mouth.

"Aaaggghhh!!!" Ramza yelled as the rocks slammed into him like tiny knives.

"That's it! It's my turn to fight!" Cloud said as he readied his Materia Blade. "Come on, Tifa!!!"

"I'm right beside you, C loud!" Tifa shouted as she ran in front of Aslan Ajora with her best friend.

"Oh, what's this?!" Aslan Ajora laughed. "People who want to die young?!"

"Not us!" Cloud said as he leaped at Ajora. "CLIMHAZZARD!!!"

"You're toast!" Tifa huffed as she jumped at the monster, too. "BEAT RUSH!!!"

Aslan Ajora roared in frustration as Cloud stabbed and Tifa pummeled his body. "YOU'RE STARTING TO ANNOY ME!!!" he shrieked. "DEATH CLAW!!!" He swung his massive lion claws and knocked Cloud and Tifa backwards.

"Oh, no!" Ovelia exclaimed.

"Come on, everyone! Attack together!!!" Ramza yelled. Everyone that could still fight readied their weapons, converged on Ajora and let fly with their strongest attacks. Ajora took them all on the chin, but was still alive and kicking when they were through.

"FOOLS!!!" Aslan Ajora laughed maniacally. "TITANIC FLARE!!!" Aslan Ajora roared ferociously as he slammed his caws into the ground. A split-second later, huge explosions rocked the whole battlefield and people flew in all different directions.

"Agh!" Ramza shouted as he crashed to the floor.

"The others can wait..." Ajora cackled as he stomped up to Ramza, grabbed him by the face and lifted him up so that his wounded body dangled over the battleground's ledge. "Now is my moment of triumph!!!"

"RAMZA!!!" Alma cried.

"Ramza..." Ovelia whispered sadly.

"Rammy!" Lede exclaimed.

"Goodbye, Beoulve," Ajora laughed coldly as he began to loosen his grip. Suddenly, something hard hit him in the side, causing him to drop Ramza back onto solid ground. "WHAT'S THIS?!" Ajora roared as he turned on his attacker.

Rafa, covered with bruises and bleeding wounds stood behind Aslan Ajora with her Octagon Rod held up in defiance. "Leave him alone..." she growled.

"Rafa..." Ramza said.

"Come on!" Alma shouted as she forced herself up and grabbed Ovelia. "Rafa's got him distracted, and we're the only ones who can still fight! Let's get him!!!"

"MBARRIER!!!" Ovelia yelled as she cast a magical barrier over Ramza and Rafa.

"So, it all comes down to the youngest Beoulve and three little girls..." Aslan Ajora cackled. "This is going to be fun..."

"You lousy... This is all your fault!... Everhart... GIVE BACK EVERHART!!!" Alma yelled as she threw herself at Ajora. She landed on the beast's back and grabbed his neck. Ajora roared angrily and staggered back and forth in an attempt to dislodge the girl. "Now, Ramza! Rafa and you... use that attack!!!" she shouted.

"But Alma!!!" Ramza objected.

"DO IT!!!" Alma yelled as she avoided being thrown off again.

"Hurry!" Ovelia cried.

"Well, OK..." Ramza said reluctantly.

"This is for the good of the world!" Rafa said as she locked hands with Ramza.

"EH?! WHAT'S THIS?!" Ajora roared angrily as he looked up to see the two lovers starting to glow.

"Water, life force of the planet!!!" Ramza and Rafa chanted in unison. "HYDRO WAVE!!!"

"WHAT?!" Ajora shrieked. "N-NOOOOOOOOO!!!"

A massive tidal wave surged across the battleground and washed Ajora and Alma clean off. Ajora flapped his wings to stay aloft. "You idiots!!!" he laughed. "I can FLY! Did you forget that?!"

"I didn't!" Alma yelled as she raised her Gold Staff and hit Ajora's left wing with a hard smack. A sickening crack was heard.

"AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Ajora screamed as he plummeted down and away from the battlefield. His scream grew fainter and fainter until a sickening THUD came up from the bottom.

"ALMA!!!" Ramza yelled.

"Let's get down there!!!" Rafa shouted as she grabbed Ramza by the arm and started down the steps.

"I'll help everyone else up!" Ovelia shouted after them. "Oh... I hope Alma's all right..."

Ramza and Rafa raced down the stairs as if the wind spirits themselves were carrying them. After five minutes of running, they arrived at the bottom. Aslan Ajora's crumpled body lay in a smoking crater a few yards away, and near it lay Alma's lifeless form.

"No!..." Ramza cried as he dropped Rival and ran to his sister's body. "Alma!... ALMA!!! Please, say something!!! ALMA-A-A-A-A!!!"

"Oh, no..." Rafa said softly. "I'm so sorry, Ramza..."

Ramza squeezed his sister's body tightly and did something that he'd never done before in his friends' presence; he started to cry. "Alma..." he sobbed. "My only sister... Alma... No..."

"What happened?! What happened?!" Mustadio yelled as the rest of the party came barreling down the steps.

"I... Oh, God, no..." Ovelia gasped. "Alma is..."

"The fall must have been too much..." Orlandu sighed sadly.

"Alma..." Ramza choked. "She was my only sister... She was the best friend that I ever had... She stood by me no matter what... Why... Why did this happen to her, of all people?... She never hurt a flea... She was the kindest person I ever knew..."

"Why do we always lose someone important when we win?!" Meliadoul demanded. "It's... not fair... First Cinna, and now Alma..."

"Poor kid," Amarant said as he looked at the depressing spectactle. Coming from Amarant, that was an extremely emotional expression.

"At least she's with Everhart now..." Rad sighed sadly. "At least she found peace... And if it weren't for her, we wouldn't have beaten Ajora..."

"Why?... Why?..." Ramza repeated as the tears flowed from his eyes. "Come back, Alma... Please..."

A low growl came from the crater. It was so low that only Ovelia heard it. "...Huh?..." she asked as she looked past Ramza. To her horror, she saw Aslan Ajora staggering out of the crater. His wings were shattered and he was limping pretty badly, but he was advancing on Ramza with murder in his eyes. Nobody else noticed because they were busy consoling Ramza or grieving. Ajora got right behind Ramza. He raised his claw to administer a death blow...

"RAMZA, LOOK OUT!!!" Ovelia shrieked as she ran forward, snatched up Rival and buried it in Ajora's chest. Ajora gurgled one last time and fell on his side. Ovelia withdrew the blade and tossed it back onto the ground.

"...O...Ovelia?..." Ramza asked as he turned around shakily.

"Ajora wasn't quite dead..." Ovelia explained as she pointed to the bloody Rival. Everyone looked at the crumpled Aslan Ajora's body; as its red blood pooled on the ground, it seemed to shrink and reshape itself. In a few moments, Delita was lying unconscious on the ground with the Rabbit Stone in his hand. Ovelia picked it up and dropped it in the burlap sack. "And that... is the end of that," she said.

"Alma..." Ramza cried again.

"Oh, Ramza..." Rafa said as both Ovelia and she hugged him tightly.

Suddenly, a light humming began. "Hmm? What's that noise?" Seifer asked as he looked around.

"It's coming from the sack with the stones!" Rad exclaimed as he pointed at the sack.

"Ramza... Look!..." Agrias gulped as she watched the sack.

"...Huh?" Ramza asked as he turned and looked at the sack with tearstained eyes.

As everyone watched, the twelve Chrono Stones floated out of the sack and formed a ring in the air. They began to whirl around until they were nothing but a rainbow-colored blur. Suddenly, a dark human shape clad in lancer's armor appeared in the middle of them.

"What's happening?!" Malak asked.

The figure raised its hand and the room was filled with white light again. When it cleared, the stones dropped lifelessly to the ground.

"What was that all about?" Celes asked.

"Mmmmm..." a soft voice murmured.

"...Alma?" Ramza asked as he looked down at the body in his arms.

"Ohhh..." Alma moaned as she opened her eyes and looked up at her brother. "...Ramza?..."

"ALMA!!!" Ramza shrieked with delight as he hugged Alma tightly.

"Ramza... It's OK... I'm here again..." Alma cooed as she hugged her brother back.

"Wow! Those stones have got some major power, huh?!" Seifer asked.

"Hell yeah," Amarant chuckled. "Thank goodness."

"So, Ajora is gone and Alma is restored to us..." Orlandu chuckled. "This truly is a glorious day."

"Now all we have to do is throw this jerk in the slammer," Agrias snarled as she slung Delita over her shoulder. "Come on, let's beat it!"

"Yes..." Ramza said. "...Let's go home."

"That's the best idea I've heard all day," Alma said. "...Everhart... Thank you..."

"Hmm?" Ramza asked. "What was that, Alma?"

"Oh, ummm..." Alma said as she blushed deeply. "It was nothing. Never mind..."

"Well, let's go," Mustadio said. "We've got to climb those steps again and then figure out how to get up to that church and out of here!"

"Ooooggg... Not MORE stair climbing..." Alma groaned.

"Don't worry," Ramza said as he hoisted Alma onto his back. "You get the piggyback treatment this time."

"Thanks, big brother..." Alma sighed happily as the party began to walk up the stairs again.