Chapter X: The Final Duel
As Zell and Rinoa flew through the air aboard Ragnarok, their cares and worries seemed to subside. However, as they rose from their moments of passion as morning broke over the horizon, everything seemed to come back like they had awakened from a dream. Zell's eyes widened as he saw thick black clouds of smoke trailing in the sky off in the distance. As Ragnarok soared closer, he realized that Seifer, Fujin and Raijin, in a last ditch effort to try and pull the SeeDs apart, were setting Matron's field on fire! Zell and Rinoa quickly rushed back to the cockpit of Ragnarok and Zell set it down beside Matron's residence. Quickly rushing off the airship, Zell pulled Lionheart into his hands, and Rinoa readied Shooting Star. Quistis ran closely behind, though out of breath. "I saw the flames. I'm always the first to wake up, so I'm sure everyone else will be here eventually. I didn't wake them up because I was in such a rush..."
Zell nodded, but knew that Irvine and Selphie enjoyed sleeping in, and was unsure whether or not they would show. Zell had a right to protect Matron's home, and more importantly, Squall's grave. Most of the field had been burned to ashes already, but Seifer and his crew stopped upon noticing the arrival of Zell. Seifer, pulling out his gunblade, sprinted towards Zell, holding it out in position to strike. Zell charged forward to meet Seifer, and their blades clashed. At the same moment, Fujin swung her pinwheel at Rinoa, and Raijin began to swing his staff at Quistis. Rinoa, caught off guard but still in time, spun to her right and, as she recovered, brought her arm out in front of her and shot off Shooting Star, watching as it cut Fujin fiercely across the shoulder. Quistis, similarly, evaded Raijin's attempts to attack and cracked her whip across his body.
Zell was gaining ground on Seifer. Gritting his teeth, Seifer tried desperately to hold his ground, but found it increasingly difficult; Zell had improved greatly and all Seifer could do was block and parry. Seifer yelled out for some assistance, but nothing happened. Fujin and Raijin were busy with their own matters. Finally, Seifer managed to break away from Zell's furious, yet cool-tempered and well-placed attacks. Casting a Haste spell on himself to bring him up to par and slightly beyond the speed of Zell's attacks, he began to gain the upper hand. Zell, however, did not seem daunted by Seifer's arrogant show of poor sportsmanship. Zell also increased his tempo, but without using any form of magic. The two gunblade specialists fought it out amidst smoke and flame, sweat rolling down their faces.
Rinoa and Quistis had made short waste of Fujin and Raijin. They continued to fight, but it was obvious who would emerge victorious from the small skirmish. Fighting side by side, the duo of femme fatales was not to be trifled with. However, even though Rinoa and Quistis were on the winning side, they too, were beginning to tire out. Out of breath, Rinoa called for her well-trusted dog, Angelo. Rushing into battle, Angelo laid in the final strike that brought Fujin down. Quistis, however, was not so timid. As quiet and self-kept as Quistis seemed, when matters grew serious, so did her attitude. Her eyes flashed as she called out Shockwave Pulsar. Raijin, unable to withstand the incredible attack, collapsed, unconscious.
Seifer, was again, beginning to lose ground. Zell could feel himself about to be able to lay in one slash - just one slash that would drop Seifer to the ground. Seifer, sensing this, again, turned tail and ran. But Zell would not be fooled; holding Lionheart near his face, just under his eyes, a lion symbol - Griever - appeared as an engraved mark on the blade of Lionheart. Pointing Lionheart in Seifer's direction, a beam of light shot from the blade, rapidly expanding in width and length. Slamming into Seifer's back, it knocked him off his balance and sent him tumbling forward. He hit the ground hard, and lost his breath. Zell, stopping Blasting Zone, rushed towards Seifer and put his foot on the middle of Seifer's upper torso. Flame burned behind Zell's eyes as he began Renzokuken. "This one's for Squall!" He slashed. "This one's for Rinoa!" He slashed. "This one's for SeeD!" He slashed. "This one's for Matron!" He slashed.
Raising Lionheart in all its glory, he spun it in his hand and brought it across Seifer's face one last time, fiercely and forcefully, causing Seifer to turn his head from the force as blood flowed freely from the wounds on his torso and face. "And that one's for me!"
As Seifer's life began to fade, so did the smoke. Rain began to fall, seemingly out of nowhere. The flames began to vanish and, surprisingly enough, the plants had spontaneously grown back, as though they had never even been touched. Seifer's death was marked by a roll of thunder in the sky and a flash of lightning on the horizon, even though no clouds were in sight. Finally having avenged Squall, Zell let out a long, staggered sigh. He felt Squall's voice, and knew that Rinoa could hear it as well:
Fire, prepared to strike.
Flames that burn and singe the rose.
Strong, the rose prevails.
Tears of the heavens,
Washing out sorrow and pain.
Angels roam again.
Heart of the Lion,
Strong, courageous, undaunted;
Such is Griever's soul.
Both Zell and Rinoa knew that Squall would be at rest now. Zell approached Squall's grave of flowers, and pulled the Griever necklace off his neck, slowly opening the grave of flowers. Placing the necklace in Squall's hand, he pulled his hand away as the grave closed up once again. Now joined by Rinoa and Quistis, he put his arm around Rinoa and knew that, although Squall was dead, Zell's vengeance to Seifer had put Squall's spirit to rest. Placing a soft kiss on Zell's cheek, Rinoa held herself close to him. She looked at Zell and Quistis and said softly, "C'mon, guys. Our job here's done. Let's go home." And there was no argument; the trio walked out of Matron's residence, but did not board Ragnarok. They walked, instead, in a cheerful, yet somber mood, talking about the experience.
As Zell and Rinoa flew through the air aboard Ragnarok, their cares and worries seemed to subside. However, as they rose from their moments of passion as morning broke over the horizon, everything seemed to come back like they had awakened from a dream. Zell's eyes widened as he saw thick black clouds of smoke trailing in the sky off in the distance. As Ragnarok soared closer, he realized that Seifer, Fujin and Raijin, in a last ditch effort to try and pull the SeeDs apart, were setting Matron's field on fire! Zell and Rinoa quickly rushed back to the cockpit of Ragnarok and Zell set it down beside Matron's residence. Quickly rushing off the airship, Zell pulled Lionheart into his hands, and Rinoa readied Shooting Star. Quistis ran closely behind, though out of breath. "I saw the flames. I'm always the first to wake up, so I'm sure everyone else will be here eventually. I didn't wake them up because I was in such a rush..."
Zell nodded, but knew that Irvine and Selphie enjoyed sleeping in, and was unsure whether or not they would show. Zell had a right to protect Matron's home, and more importantly, Squall's grave. Most of the field had been burned to ashes already, but Seifer and his crew stopped upon noticing the arrival of Zell. Seifer, pulling out his gunblade, sprinted towards Zell, holding it out in position to strike. Zell charged forward to meet Seifer, and their blades clashed. At the same moment, Fujin swung her pinwheel at Rinoa, and Raijin began to swing his staff at Quistis. Rinoa, caught off guard but still in time, spun to her right and, as she recovered, brought her arm out in front of her and shot off Shooting Star, watching as it cut Fujin fiercely across the shoulder. Quistis, similarly, evaded Raijin's attempts to attack and cracked her whip across his body.
Zell was gaining ground on Seifer. Gritting his teeth, Seifer tried desperately to hold his ground, but found it increasingly difficult; Zell had improved greatly and all Seifer could do was block and parry. Seifer yelled out for some assistance, but nothing happened. Fujin and Raijin were busy with their own matters. Finally, Seifer managed to break away from Zell's furious, yet cool-tempered and well-placed attacks. Casting a Haste spell on himself to bring him up to par and slightly beyond the speed of Zell's attacks, he began to gain the upper hand. Zell, however, did not seem daunted by Seifer's arrogant show of poor sportsmanship. Zell also increased his tempo, but without using any form of magic. The two gunblade specialists fought it out amidst smoke and flame, sweat rolling down their faces.
Rinoa and Quistis had made short waste of Fujin and Raijin. They continued to fight, but it was obvious who would emerge victorious from the small skirmish. Fighting side by side, the duo of femme fatales was not to be trifled with. However, even though Rinoa and Quistis were on the winning side, they too, were beginning to tire out. Out of breath, Rinoa called for her well-trusted dog, Angelo. Rushing into battle, Angelo laid in the final strike that brought Fujin down. Quistis, however, was not so timid. As quiet and self-kept as Quistis seemed, when matters grew serious, so did her attitude. Her eyes flashed as she called out Shockwave Pulsar. Raijin, unable to withstand the incredible attack, collapsed, unconscious.
Seifer, was again, beginning to lose ground. Zell could feel himself about to be able to lay in one slash - just one slash that would drop Seifer to the ground. Seifer, sensing this, again, turned tail and ran. But Zell would not be fooled; holding Lionheart near his face, just under his eyes, a lion symbol - Griever - appeared as an engraved mark on the blade of Lionheart. Pointing Lionheart in Seifer's direction, a beam of light shot from the blade, rapidly expanding in width and length. Slamming into Seifer's back, it knocked him off his balance and sent him tumbling forward. He hit the ground hard, and lost his breath. Zell, stopping Blasting Zone, rushed towards Seifer and put his foot on the middle of Seifer's upper torso. Flame burned behind Zell's eyes as he began Renzokuken. "This one's for Squall!" He slashed. "This one's for Rinoa!" He slashed. "This one's for SeeD!" He slashed. "This one's for Matron!" He slashed.
Raising Lionheart in all its glory, he spun it in his hand and brought it across Seifer's face one last time, fiercely and forcefully, causing Seifer to turn his head from the force as blood flowed freely from the wounds on his torso and face. "And that one's for me!"
As Seifer's life began to fade, so did the smoke. Rain began to fall, seemingly out of nowhere. The flames began to vanish and, surprisingly enough, the plants had spontaneously grown back, as though they had never even been touched. Seifer's death was marked by a roll of thunder in the sky and a flash of lightning on the horizon, even though no clouds were in sight. Finally having avenged Squall, Zell let out a long, staggered sigh. He felt Squall's voice, and knew that Rinoa could hear it as well:
Fire, prepared to strike.
Flames that burn and singe the rose.
Strong, the rose prevails.
Tears of the heavens,
Washing out sorrow and pain.
Angels roam again.
Heart of the Lion,
Strong, courageous, undaunted;
Such is Griever's soul.
Both Zell and Rinoa knew that Squall would be at rest now. Zell approached Squall's grave of flowers, and pulled the Griever necklace off his neck, slowly opening the grave of flowers. Placing the necklace in Squall's hand, he pulled his hand away as the grave closed up once again. Now joined by Rinoa and Quistis, he put his arm around Rinoa and knew that, although Squall was dead, Zell's vengeance to Seifer had put Squall's spirit to rest. Placing a soft kiss on Zell's cheek, Rinoa held herself close to him. She looked at Zell and Quistis and said softly, "C'mon, guys. Our job here's done. Let's go home." And there was no argument; the trio walked out of Matron's residence, but did not board Ragnarok. They walked, instead, in a cheerful, yet somber mood, talking about the experience.
