Chapter 15 The Forbidden One

Author's Note: Apologies to everyone! But as I've promised, here is the next chapter, and hopefully, you'll see the end of it!

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Selphie sneaked out from the castle as quietly as she could to avoid waking the household. She knew this was wrong, but she needed to know.

What is the Empress planning? Why was Trabia involved? More importantly, what could she do to prevent anything from happening?

She knew her answer lay in Balamb. Now is the point of getting there.

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"Can you remember anything about your childhood?"

Quistis tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Other than the obvious? No." She laughed. They were sitting on the edge of a grassy cliff overlooking the ocean, and she could hear the waves gently lapping at the beach a little way off. Like the time when she escaped from Timber.

Squall lay back on the grass and looked up at the stars. They winked at him, like they were keeping a secret nobody knew. What is it? What will happen next?

"So Seifer lost his memory," Quistis said suddenly, like continuing a conversation they had before. "I suppose that is good."

"He remembers, but he doesn't know," Squall said. "He had...nightmares. But we couldn't tell him."

Quistis shook her head. "Even if you did, he won't believe it. It might have caused other complications."

"What could be more complicated than now?'

It's too complicated, Quistis thought silently. Fate played with our lives, wove our destiny, in the end we don't know what is right and what isn't anymore. She had found her brother, but not in the way she had hoped - Seifer remembers, but it's cruel. And how she finally met the one she had given her sight too so many years ago...only to lose her heart to him too...

Her ears picked up a faint sound and she slowly got up. Squall too came to his feet. 'What is it?'

A splashing sound... "Someone's coming by dinghy." Quistis said as she turned around and headed for the beach. Squall followed suit, not really seeing anything. "We're unarmed."

"I think it's just a person..." Quistis said quietly. "And judging from the direction, it might have come from Trabia."

They waited on the beach as the splashing got louder. Soon Squall was able to see a small speck coming towards them. True enough, there was only one passenger. And as it came nearer, he saw who it was. "Selphie!!!"

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Xu frowned as she squinted in the bright sunlight. It has been two days...and soon the dreaded wedding will be held here. Though she couldn't see why it wouldn't be earlier with the prince here and all...Xu could only imagine what Ultimecia's wrath would be like. Pretty ugly.

"Found anything?' She yelled to a blonde head bobbing up and down in the distance. She got a null response. Perhaps they're running blind, she thought warily. Maybe the Guardian perished during the war, or maybe -

A shrill whistle pierced the air, and Xu's heart leapt. She answered with a similar whistle and soon the whole group was heading swiftly to the source of the sound.

Cinna was crouched in front of a moss covered boulder, peering intently at something. Zidane approached him just as Squall and Quistis burst through the undergrowth with Xu on their heels.

"I think we got it," Cinna announced happily as he stepped back to let Zidane have a look. The blonde knelt down and gently looked at a small exposed patch on the rock. "There's runes here," he said quietly. "But it's really faint. It must have been here for ages."

"Never mind how old it is," Xu interrupted impatiently. "What does it say?"

"I told you, it's faint," Zidane grumbled. "...Something about imprisoned souls...danger to summoners..."

"That's enough." Xu said sharply and drew out her staff. "Here goes nothing..." She touched the boulder and a blue light seeped into the rock, but there was no change. "Strange..."

"If you would have let me finish, I could have told you the boulder is sealed," Zidane reprimanded icily. "This hunk of rock has been locked by spells, and you can't break them."

Xu made an impatient noise through her nose and tapped her thigh thoughtfully. "Ever since we arrived here, it seems like this village was some kind of a holy shrine... a shrine of summoners... then maybe we need a summoner to do it!" She finished triumphantly and turned expectantly to Quistis, who blinked. "If I told you once, I've told you a hundred times - "

"Maybe it can work," Squall interrupted calmly. He could sense the Knight's anger rising, and he quickly stepped in to prevent any unnecessary scuffling. "It's worth a try, isn't it."

Selphie cocked her head to the side. 'If it doesn't, we can always combine strengths, Quisty."

Quistis thought for a while and then looped her whip back into her belt. "Alright." She resigned and walked up to the boulder. She slowly touched it and sensed a solid net behind the surface, holding the boulder in place. No amount of hacking can budge this giant. What spell did they use...? Quistis probed the surface, feeling the rock under her gloves. It pulsed with magic, and as she concentrated, she began to see the spell - see how it waited for a counter spell to break it. An alternate fusion of holy power and combined with the elements of the Earth... "We can't break it," She said at last, earning a cuss from both Zell and Zidane. "But we can weaken it. It's the only way, but there's a chance it won't work."

"A chance is better than nothing," Selphie said cheerfully as she rolled up her sleeves. Quistis stepped back and nodded to Squall. "Me, Selphie and Xu will concentrate on weakening the barrier - and the rest of you must try to break through physically."

"A great idea but if we get in the way of your spells, we'll be dinner chow, Quisty," Zidane replied critically. Quistis smiled slightly. 'I leave that to you to figure it out."

"What the hell...?!" Zell spluttered but Irvine understood. But he didn't get it. None of the men could do magic, especially the spell Quistis was taking about -

"Ready?"

Irvine looked around and saw Dagger behind them, smiling widely. She held a pearl-colored scepter in her hands and she winked at him. "I specialize in protective spells, Irvine. Just leave it to me."

"How could I forget," Zidane said rather grouchily. "The last time I came home late you made me a decorative ornament on the front door."

"Selphie, Blizzaga. Xu, Firaga. I'll bind it with Holy magic," Quistis flexed her fingers and concentrated on the boulder. "Go!"

A bright flash and the boulder was hit with three different spells, kept up continuously by the three. Quistis alternated between Holy magic and Quake, keeping her senses attuned to any changes in the barrier. Pretty soon she felt it begin to stretch, and she turned to the others. "Now!"

"Protect!" Dagger cried as the others launched themselves at the large rock. The spells bounced off the men as they attacked the boulder and with a large explosion, it shattered into smithereens, revealing a yawning cave behind it.

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Empress Ultimecia stormed furiously into the throne room, much to the surprise of the Emperor. "Your daughter is gone! So is that no good guard of hers!" She hissed angrily. Caraway sighed. "She's probably hiding somewhere, sulking, Ultimecia. You can't - "

"Fool! She's trying something, I know it!" Ultimecia screeched and clapped her hands furiously. Immediately several figures materialized in the room. The tallest, a golden, robot-like mecha bowed. "You called us, Empress?"

"Disperse! Find Rinoa and Trepe!" Ultimecia ordered. "Krysta, come with me."

They bowed low and disappeared. The Emperor did not seem perturbed. "Where are you going?'

"Balamb!"

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Seifer ran into the throne room, to King Loire's irritation. "Seifer, didn't I tell you how to - "

"Squall and Irvine are gone." Seifer said through clenched teeth. 'I can't find them anywhere, and they've taken their weapons with them."

King Loire frowned heavily. "I've heard of marriage jitters, but this is ridiculous..." He ran a hand through his long hair. A sudden thought occurred to him.

They brought their weapons.

"Get the navy fleet ready at once!" King Loire suddenly ordered. Seifer blinked. "Where are we going?"

King Loire strode past him to exit. "That wretched island, Balamb!"

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"Is it me, or is this place stifling hot?" Selphie muttered as they slowly made their way through the small path winding through the whole cavern. She had a point, but nobody was really bothered. The whole place was like in a volcano, with bubbling lava everywhere.

"If you'd stop to take off those stupid furs you have on, you'd be pretty cozy, lady," Irvine teased, which served to ignite the Trabian's temper. "What about you and your crazy coat?"

"I'm not complaining."

"Quiet." Quistis silenced them, stopping suddenly. She had heard a sound... it was deep, but not menacing. She listened for a while and pointed in a direction. "There's something there."

"Those summoners really know how to protect," Zidane muttered lightly. "No ordinary human would risk their necks in this barbecue pot."

They came upon a large hole in the ground, which was totally ordinary. Except...

"Something's coming up," Quistis tensed as she felt the ground beneath her tremble slightly. The tremor grew bigger until they were all clutching each other to keep their balance. With a loud roar, a large creature catapulted out of the hole and landed in front of the party, breathing menacingly. "Weak mortals! You tremble before my power!"

"Is this IT?" Zidane yelled in shock, keeping Dagger behind him. The 'it' was a large, fur-covered, half-beast, half-demon. It was leering at them with a smug grin. "I am Ifrit, a Guardian! How dare you intrude my lair?!"

A Guardian! "Are you the one the summoners imprisoned?" Quistis yelled, clutching Squall's arm as Ifrit started another round of earth-tremors. "So you seek the Forbidden One..." Ifrit suddenly stared at Quistis. Its next move shocked them all - Ifrit suddenly knelt down and bowed low to Quistis!

"Welcome, summoner." Its voice had softened, but it was still a loud rumble. "What is it that you wish of the Forbidden One?"

"W-Where is it, Ifrit?" Quistis stepped forward and the Guardian bowed lower. "It is where you left it, summoner. I have waited all these years for a summoner to attempt another junction."

"Another? There was an attempt before?" Zell scratched his head. "You summoners must be fire-resistant."

"It must have been before I was born," Quistis said quietly. "Then this Guardian has not been...junctioned?"

"Unfortunately no, summoner. And I will remain here until the Forbidden One is released."

Zidane was wondering now, about the runes scratched on the boulder. Part of it was faint and unreadable - what else lay before them now?

This Guardian could sense she's a summoner, Squall thought. But Quistis can't summon...

"I want to see the Forbidden One, Ifrit."

The Guardian was just as surprised as everybody else. "Summoner, I strongly advise you to turn back." Ifrit was standing now. "The Forbidden One is heavily sealed, and the seal is not as respectful as I."

"We're here to find the Forbidden One," Quistis said stubbornly. "Please let us through."

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Rinoa stared up into the face of the weathered man. "Well?"

Sir Zone scratched his head, not itchy. What the princess was asking for breached his code of honor. "Princess Heartily, I've seen them, but that was so long ago... I don't know on which part of the island they are now."

"I need to find them!" Rinoa cried. She didn't have much time! Once the Empress finds she's gone, the Ortagon Knights will be all over her. "Please, Sir Zone,"

Sir Zone sighed. He finally turned to his apprentice. "Watts, have a few knights take her to their last camping site. Maybe they're still there, maybe they've left." He turned back to Rinoa. "This the best I can do."

"Thank you, thank you so much," Rinoa beamed and Sir Zone found himself thinking; if only that mermaid was like this, it would have been such a pleasure...

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"It is a long drop down," Ifrit sighed at last. "Please allow me to take you, summoner."

"I'm not alone," Quistis gestured to her friends. "I cannot leave them."

"I can only carry four, summoner. Decide."

She looked expectantly at all of them. "We will need to guard the entrance, now that the boulder is gone."

"We'll take care of it," Zidane and Xu nodded. Selphie joined in too. "It's just the heat okay," She said defensively when it seems like Irvine was about to venture another scathing remark.

"Hang on," Ifrit warned as he scooped the four up. Without further warning, he leapt into the hole and they were flying. Zell was shouting obscenities every three seconds and they could tell he hated heights. Irvine wanted badly to whoop his head but he couldn't; he was afraid his hat would fly off.

All too soon they landed (rather roughly) and Ifrit deposited them on the dusty floor. "This is as far as I can go, summoner. May you succeed." With that, he disappeared.

They were standing in total darkness so Quistis used another Fire spell. As if it was a signal, the place was suddenly lighted with torches on the walls. They stood in a circular space, and opposite them, a yawning hole beckoned.

Squall drew his sword, but did not seem to be alarmed. He looked at Quistis. The latter nodded, heart pounding.

They advanced into the hole, only to find that it was a doorway into another room. And this time, they weren't alone.

A huge, ten-foot creature awaited them, brandishing an extra-large sword in one hand. The thing looked to be a mix of man and beast with the four legs of a horse from the torso below. It looked to be made of metal, but it moved without a clunk. This, Squall thought; must be the seal. And as Ifrit said, it wasn't friendly.

Without a word, it reared up on its haunches and charged. The four jumped aside to avoid, but all too soon the huge sword was coming at them. "Damn it! This thing's fast!" Irvine cursed, sending bullet after bullet at the thing, but it seemed to be immune. Quistis was hit by a flailing hoof and was thrown to the floor, blood running out of her side. "Stop! We're not here to fight!"

Amazingly, it did stop. It halted in the act of striking Irvine and lowered its sword. For the first time, they heard it speak.

"Summoner..."

The voice was so deep, so cold, it chilled her blood. "...yes. Please stop. They are my friends."

The Seal made no move to do anything. It was staring straight at Quistis now. "What is it that you wish from me?"

"Who are you?" Squall asked quietly. Is this the Forbidden One then? But then, it's almost impossible to tame...

"I am Ultima; the weapon created by the summoners to hold the Forbidden One - Eden."

Eden... so that is the one they're looking for. What the Empress was looking for. "Is...Eden in you, Ultima?"

"The Forbidden One has been sealed by the summoners. And I was created to stop anyone from acquiring it."

"You are strong, but who knows what the Empress can do," Irvine muttered indistinctly. Aloud he asked "We've come to free the Forbidden One, Ultima."

The huge weapon slowly raised its sword again. "I am a weapon created out of a pure soul to contain an evil one. Until a summoner can free the soul, I will remain... fight me, summoner. There is no other option for you."

This thing's crazy, thought Quistis. Her wound had long healed by using a Curaga, but who knows how many spells would be needed before victory was theirs? Already, Irvine was tense, and Squall must know what they're up against.

The prince wasn't turning back. He looked at Quistis, face strangely calm. "We can't turn back."

"Ah, heck," Zell flexed his fingers. "If we can't make it, it's not likely anybody else will, is it?"

I can't back you on that, Quistis thought, but she took out her whip anyway.

Ultima showed them no mercy. It was as agile as a monkey, despite its size, and it could do magic as well. "Light Pillar!"

Zell was struck and fell, unconscious. Quistis quickly revived him, and he was unnerved.

Meanwhile Squall was holding on. He was just as agile as the monster, and he was small enough to dodge the huge sword. But Ultima wasn't about to commend him on that. "Gravija!"

A sudden pause and Quistis felt the air around them distort, pulling them with it. The agony was almost unbearable, like being stretched and compressed by an invisible force. "S-Squall!!!!"

She heard a loud roar, and a series of explosions rocked the cavern. "What happened?!"

Irvine caught his balance, but he was still unwilling to believe what he had just seen. It seems like Squall had just done something truly remarkable - he had attacked viciously in a series of stunningly accurate slashes, pulling the trigger each time, causing huge damage. Ultima was momentarily winded, but not for long.

"You can't go in there!!!!!" Dagger cried shrilly as Rinoa advanced into the cave. "Try and stop me," Rinoa glared at the party outside. She raised her hand and the entrance was suddenly blocked by a solid wall of ice. Zidane was stunned. "Oi!!!" He hollered, pounding on the wall. "Selphie, break this thing!!!!"

Rinoa ran through the cavern, the powers of Shiva protecting her from the scorching heat. Pretty soon, she too came upon Ifrit. The Fire Guardian was just as polite. "Summoner, Shiva."

"Where are they??? Take me to them!!"

"Final Heaven!!" Zell roared and plummeted Ultima. At the same time, Irvine launched his bullets, aiming at the places where Squall's slashed had created jagged wounds. No thing was to be wasted.

Quistis darted around, not exactly attacking. She was the only magic user in the group, and there was no way she could enter the fight without endangering the others.

Squall jumped onto Ultima's head and swung his sword, feeling energy surge through him. This is the last one! "Lion Heart!!!"

It's going to explode! Quistis wildly realized. And this cavern is too small to protect them! In her desperation, she didn't know what she did, but she threw multiple spells at everyone. A second later Ultima gave the loudest roar they have ever heard and slowly, disintegrated into dust leaving a brightly shining core.

Squall collapsed on the ground, blood covering him, totally exhausted. But he could see the shining core. Eden. The question is, what now?

"Quistis!" The voice was amazingly familiar and Quistis swung around, horrified. "Princess!!!! Don't come near!"

Too late, Rinoa had entered. The shining core suddenly released a blinding burst of light, momentarily blinding everyone - except Quistis. "Princess!!!"