Chapter 10 – The End is Near
"Squall, I'm tired."
The young fighter turned to look at his angel. She was giving him this sad looking puppy face kind of expression. She wanted something from him, and he knew what that was, but he was not going to give in without a fight.
"Yeah Rinoa. I've heard it before. Look, I'm beat too, but we have to keep on walking." Squall took her hand, smirked, and led her down the rubble stairs and into the room where Fallen Phoenix had indeed, fallen. Squall looked around. 'Why aren't they back yet? Something must be up.'
Rinoa looked at Squall. "Squall, I also want to know what's wrong," she said with a look of concern in her face.
The lone wolf crossed his arms and stood there, trying to contemplate what to do next when Rinoa's question popped up. He frowned and sighed. "Well, Zell and the others said they were going down that hall………" he began as he pointed toward the darkened passage, "………to destroy the power core we were originally supposed to do. But it seems like they are taking too long, something must have come their way."
"Well!" Rinoa said with a grump. "What are you waiting for! Let's go after them. They might need our help." she added as started to drag her boyfriend towards the passage.
"Hey, wait a minute here………" Squall began.
Rinoa quickly turned around and glared into his stormy blue eyes. "Look, if you're not going, then I am!" And with that, she started walking towards the passage when she gave out a small cry. Almost instantly, she reached for in back in pain as she started to fall, only to land on the soft, loving hands owned by Squall. She looked back up and him and faintly smiled. "I guess I'm out of shape."
Squall faintly smiled back. "Probably, and plus, you're carrying a four-month old baby in there Mrs. Leonhart, and if you don't want to get on my bad side, you better start taking in nice and easy."
Rinoa's heart liquefied at the sound of Squall calling her his wife. She would have never expected it out of his mouth in a million years. "You called me Mrs. Leonhart………" she whispered in a giggle to his ear, with small tears of joy threatening to come out of her eyes.
'You idiot Squall………' he began to himself. '………once again, you said something out loud that was supposed to be kept in your mind.' The gunblader smiled as he slowly lifted Rinoa into his arms. "Yeah, I hope you don't mind. Anyway, since your tired, I guess I'll have the liberty of carrying you around." Squall added as he adjusted Rinoa in his arms comfortably and started toward the passage. 'Well, she got what she wanted………'
"Nope, as a matter of fact, I love it." Rinoa added as she gave him a small kiss on the cheek. 'First angel, then Rinny, and now Mrs. Leonhart! Squall is just surprising me every second. He must have missed me like crazy. Before I know it, he might just say those three little words I've been dying to hear. I just wish I could make it up to him………' Her thoughts were interrupted by Squall.
"If you don't mind, hold on to his flare. It'll help us see in the dark passage." he said as he handed her the small flame.
After minutes of silence, with Rinoa in Squall's arms, resting her head against his chest while holding the small flame in front of them, they soon came to the same fork in the road where the other four SeeDs earlier were. Squall gently placed Rinoa down on her own two feet, who still clutched onto Squall's arm, afraid of the dark and leaned against him, to make sure she would feel him at all times.
The knight eyed both directions with whatever light the flare was giving off, thinking on how to know which way is right of left. 'Hyne, what do I to next. So far, everywhere I've been, there was something to lead the way – now I don't have a single sign and with Rinoa to worry about, I have to be extra careful………'
"I say we go right!" Rinoa blurted out from nowhere.
Squall eyed her curiously. "And what makes you think that?"
"Well, uh……" Rinoa really had no explanation of why she thought right. It was just a feeling she had gotten. "Squall, I can't explain it. It's just a feeling."
'I suppose a feeling is better than going in blindfolded.' Squall once again picked up Rinoa and nodded. "Ok then, right it is. But before we go any farther, let me junction two GF's to you." he answered as he quickly handed over Shiva's and Carbuncle's auras to her. He then led both of them down the dark right passageway, into the unknown.
Squall took each step slowly, making sure there was not going to be any surprises that were going to come their way. And just to be sure, he casted Protect and Shell shields on the two of them – for that extra protection. Rinoa just let herself rest in Squall's arms. She knew this moment probably wouldn't come again anytime soon, so she savored every second of it as an eternal bliss. But to her dismay, they came across a small light that peered out from an exit. Squall sighed in relief as he walked toward the exit, only to be surprised at what he was looking at.
Unknowingly, he had put Rinoa down on her own feet once again, but held onto her hand tightly enclosed in his and in his right hand was his trusted blade, the Lionheart. "I don't believe it………" was all Squall could get out from his mouth.
In Rinoa's eyes, it was a dream. They were in Edea's garden field. Somehow, in some miracle, they were right in the midst of a rainbow array of flowers than appeared to go on endlessly into a sun-setting horizon. "It's gorgeous………" Rinoa breathed out as she began to take a step forward. Squall, however, tugged her hand backwards, preventing her from taking that step. "What's wrong Squall?" she asked, still mystified by the environment they were being presented in.
"It's an illusion."
Suddenly, to Rinoa's disliking, the flower field disappeared gradually, and was replaced only by an empty dark room, where the only light that was emanating was from the bright crystal situated right smack in the center. "I should have known."
"Don't sweat it Rinoa." Squall answered back, gripping the Lionheart even tighter.
"Bravo! Bravo! At least someone here has a mind that actually works."
Rinoa and Squall furiously looked in all directions to see if they could see where the familiar voice was booming. "I need more light." Squall mumbled out. As if on cue, a bright flash of light temporarily blinded the couple for brief seconds, before their eyes readjusted to the given light. Squall now examined his surroundings more intently. The room was empty. Four walls enclosed the huge area – which seemed like the size of a football field – and at the far end of the room, there seemed to be some kind of door. However, in the center was a bright, clear white crystal, at least fifteen feet in size, attached to wires, which ran straight into the ceiling. "That must be our little power core." Squall whispered over to Rinoa, who just nodded, obviously still examining the surroundings.
"Wow, that makes you two for two, young SeeD warrior." the voice boomed out once again.
'How the hell did he hear me in that low voice!' "Ok, enough with the stupid games! Show yourself you coward!" Squall yelled out.
"Oh, come on. How could you NOT guess who I am, pathetic little SeeD warrior."
Feeling of anger was boiling up into Squall. He just wanted to kill this guy, find his friends, and escape the goddamn place. "Look, I DON'T have any time for this. Now unless you want to get me really ticked off, I suggest you show yourself!" Squall yelled out again, grasping the Lionheart even tighter than before.
"Heheheheheh………impatient, aren't we, young man? That will be your downfall. But, if you just want to speed up your death, fine by me." The room once again became shrouded in darkness as Rinoa clutched Squall's arm as hard as she could. Something about that voice was familiar, and she didn't want it to come.
Just then, the room once again returned to its original lightened state, with the majority of the light emanating from the power core. But instead of an empty room, this time the couple was joined by a lone figure, standing at the far end of the chamber. Squall squinted his eyes, trying to see the creature that was standing at there, and then it hit him as his eyes widened his shock, fear, and horror. "Dragoon………" he breathed out.
Dragoon disappeared from the current position he was in with a blink of an eye and reappeared, only ten feet about from Squall and Rinoa. "Well, that makes you three for three!" he said with an evil laugh. When Squall and Rinoa didn't give any reaction, he silenced himself down as he stared tenaciously at the two young adults in front of him. It was then that he noticed Rinoa, hiding behind Squall, clutching to his arm, and peeking out from behind her love, wanting to know what was happening. "Sapphire, my love! I thought you were gone, but here you are, alas, with this pathetic little human. I still offer you……..."
"Shutup!!!" Squall interrupted Dragoon with protest. "Don't even think about it!" he sneered out in utmost hatred as he pointed his sword toward the enemy.
Dragoon shrugged and grinned. "Well, if you want her to die, then I'll happily oblige."
"The only one whose going down is YOU, you bastard!" Squall retaliated.
The evil emperor yawned. "Yeah yeah, I've heard it all before, but as of today, no one has backed up that claim, and I really don't expect an eighteen year old human to do any better. So, why waste time, let's see what you can actually do."
"Squall………" Rinoa began. "I'm fighting with you, and I'm not taking no for an answer." she said stubbornly as she prepared her magic and blaster edge.
He knew arguing with her right now was not going to get him anywhere. When she had that tone, she never did take no for an answer. "Fine, but stay close to me at ALL times!" he emphasized.
"Don't I always?" she answered back in a sweet, angelic voice. She released Squall's arm and entered her battle stance, staying right next to her knight.
"Ohh, how touching." Dragoon uttered sarcastically. "Now, before I let you even have the privilege of challenging me, let's see if you can withstand my strongest Guardian Force………"
"He has a GF!?" both Squall and Rinoa exclaimed at once in shock.
"………TIAMAT! I command you to take out these worthless excuses of life forms!" With that, the ceiling above the three figures suddenly cracked open, causing major parts of it to fall down upon them. Dragoon instantly disappeared and reappeared everywhere, dodging the pieces of stone easily. Squall reacted quickly, grabbing Rinoa's hand and running to the nearest corner, huddling together. He then casted two Protect shields once again over them and blasted any flying rocks with his fire magic.
However, that was just the least of their worries, as suddenly a huge shadow had completely darkened up the entire room. A huge dragon, at least twenty-five feet high – to Squall's calculations – descended into the battle room, taking up much of the space. Its golden horns protruded out from the side of its head, and its long red tail ended with a huge glowing flame. The wings of the dragon flapped slowly, causing great winds everywhere, radically blowing Squall's and Rinoa's unruly hair. The couple clung on to each other, and looked in amazement and fear as the red dragon known as Tiamat had finally landed in the room. It gave a deafening roar as flame flowed out of its mouth and into the air.
-----*****-----
"What the hell was that?" Zell asked.
"I don't know, but it seems to be coming from the right." Irvine deduced. "Should we follow it?"
"Right now, that's our only clue, so let's go!"
-----*****-----
A young, brunette girl awoke suddenly with the roar of Tiamat. She looked around and saw her fallen friend. "Quistis! Quistis! Wake up!" she yelled at her.
The instructor woke up groggily and in a matter of seconds, finally came to her senses as she heard the roar. "What was that?" she asked curiously.
"I don't know………" Selphie replied. "But it sounds like its coming from the other side of this door!!" she said as she banged the door with all her might.
"Move aside." Quistis ordered as she placed a small explosive near the door. And in the few seconds, the bomb exploded, only to have no effect on the door. "Damn………" she murmured.
"Look out the window!" Selphie pointed excitedly.
Quistis walked up to the small window and saw a miracle. "The Ragnorak! Yes, this means we still have a chance. Let's go!"
"But what about the others?" Selphie pouted.
"Once we get this airship up and running, we can blast into this stupid castle and find the others. Plus, I have a feeling they'll come to us in time." Quistis said, all the while placing her last explosive at the wall, completely annihilating the structure to rubble. They made their way out of the castle and used a Float spell to gently glide their way down to the ground.
-----*****-----
"Rinoa! Watch out!" Squall yelled as he stepped in front of her, taking the flame attack that was sent out by Tiamat, all to himself, and consequently, falling to the ground instantly.
"Sqqquaaallll!"
"Hahaha………how pathetic. Dragoon began. "………Risking his own life for a weak little girl………"
However, Dragoon's words did not reach Rinoa's ears, as she dropped down and cradled a fallen Squall in her lap. "Please………Squall……….say something………" she whispered out, already uncontrollably crying once again.
Tiamat set out another deafening roar as it stepped up in front of Rinoa and Squall. Twisting its mouth upward, it gave out an ugly smirk and suddenly opened its mouth for one final flame attack. As it began to gain the energy for its attack, it was suddenly hit by an ice blast on its back, causing Tiamat to turn around and look for the attacker, only to see one overly active SeeD, waving his golden fists in the air.
"Come and get me you little bitch." Zell spat out, shaking his ass at him. "Watcha waiting for?"
This caught Tiamat's attention, and as he was about to rush towards Zell, Tiamat was hit by another ice attack, and this time, his eyes showed him a cowboy.
"Irvine here to help." he said, grinning.
Rinoa looked up and smiled her shining smile. She couldn't find the words on how much she was glad to see them, her friends. Her attention then immediately turned to her lap, where Squall finally began to stir a bit, and in a matter of another couple seconds, finally arose. "Finally………" Rinoa sobbed out as she hugged her knight as hard as possible, never wanting to let go. Squall returned the hug, but quickly broke it up when he saw Zell and Irvine running around Tiamat, trying to distract its attention from the couple.
"Forget about them!!" roared Dragoon. "Kill the girl and the guy with the sword!!" he commanded further.
With red, ruby, glaring eyes, the monster glared at Squall and Rinoa and unleashed a powerful flame towards them. Rinoa hung onto Squall desperately, burying her face into his arm, afraid to see the outcome. Squall's eyes flared up as the flame ran right through them.
"NOOOOO!" Zell and Irvine yelled out, as both of them dropped to their knees with tearful eyes, watching helplessly as their two friends became incinerated right in front of their eyes.