**WARNING** **WARNING**
I need to warn you – this chapter is FRIGGIN HUGE (about 30 or so A4 pages), so be prepared for not only TWO GF DRAWINGS, but also the BIGGEST FIGHT YET. Plus, the Commander is finally revealed!! One big ass chapter for the price of two! I couldn't be bothered chopping it up!!
**WARNING** **WARNING**
Ch 29 – My Final Finale
The fight up to the top was a one-way battle all the way – the Defected Soldiers were no match for the SeeDs. With Squall hacking and slashing a blood trail, Zell picking off the ones that Squall missed, Irvine and Laguna covering their rear, with Rinoa in the middle healing when appropriate, they fought their way to the top without any real trouble.
It was when they burst out into the Estharian night, however, that they knew something was wrong.
The entire area looked like someone had blasted it into tiny dust particles with the Ragnarok's miniguns – the walls full of holes, the shredded bodies of the captured guards lying in puddles of their own blood.
What was worse, the giant red dragon had seemed to have vanished.
Zell looked around, scratching the back of his head. "Hyne…what happened here?"
Squall stepped forward, his face serious. "Something's wrong. Stay sharp."
Irvine, Zell and Squall formed a protective barrier in front of Laguna and Rinoa, the three SeeDs moving forward slowly with Rinoa hiding behind them whilst Laguna took up the rear, covering their behind with the powerful Desperado.
It was only when they had finally gotten out to the open, the cave's opening just behind them, when one of them spoke. Laguna looked up at the sky, the usually clear night now covered in cloud. "Dammit. That rain should've been coming in tomorrow night." He muttered, deadly serious.
Irvine looked around. "Well? Maybe Selphie got spooked and flew away. She'll probably come back in a few minutes."
Squall shook his head. "No. If she had gotten into trouble she would have dealt with it and come back by now. Something's very wrong."
"Very right, Squall Leonheart."
The entire party froze, and Zell turned, with infinite slowness, to see Sam standing atop the cave's entrance…
…with Angel in his grasp.
* * *
Zell balled his fists, his rage unsurmountable as he looked up at Sam, the traitor gripping an limp Angel by her chocolate brown ponytail, lifting her up for all of them to see. Every tiny fibre within him told him to do something – anything – but he held back, knowing that Sam held all the cards.
Sam was dressed in his White SeeD uniform, the white splendid against the cloudy night sky. Lightening laced out of the sky, the crack of heaven's whip seeming to be his cue. "She is very beautiful. I congratulate you on acquiring her."
"She isn't just a thing…" Zell said through gritted teeth, taking a step forward…to be stopped by the shimmering blade of Squall's LionHeart. He glanced at Squall, his rage obvious, but Squall shook his head slowly, his cold grey eyes locked on Zell's.
"And you're gauntlets are masterpieces." Sam continued, holding up his free hand, clad in the shining Adamantine. "Your girlfriend could wield them splendidly…but I managed to disarm her with little effort. You taught her well. Am I to guess that's not all you…taught her?"
Zell's fists began to quiver as he took another step forward, to once again be stopped by Squall. "No, Zell! It's what he wants." Squall said quietly, making sure the blue energy blade was across Zell's heaving chest.
"Listen to the commander, Zell!" Sam cried. "Even with your skills, I doubt you'd be able to get up here by the time it takes to rip her head off!!"
"What do you want, dammit?!" Laguna cried.
"I want what anybody else wants, old man." Sam said. "Power."
Irvine rolled his eyes. "A bit cliché, don't you think?"
Sam chuckled. "Maybe…but after seeing some of the thing's I've seen…" He looked behind him to watch as Deling walked up to the edge of the cave lip, a beaten Selphie staggering before him, falling to her knees at the edge of the cliff.
Irvine took a step forward. "Selphie!!" He cried, his voice full of concern.
She said nothing, simply slumping forward onto the ground in silence. Deling patted his hands and grimaced down at the group. "It's not often that I have to get my own hands dirty, gentlemen…but I was a solider before I was President. And I will do anything to get my dream realised."
Laguna stepped forward. "What are you hoping, Deling? Even with the might of the Estharian and Galbadian army, you won't be a match to the combined might of the Gardens. The Trabia and Centra nations would rather use them then deal with the likes of you."
"That is true…" Deling said with a smile. "The Gardens have the GFs, and the skill to defeat me…but I'm pretty sure we'll be able to do something about it."
Zell shook his head to clear the thoughts fogging his mind, but he simply couldn't. "What now, huh? What do you want now?"
Sam smiled, letting Angel drop to the cave floor. Bashing both fists together, he flipped up and off the cave, landing just before the group. He landed on his hands and feet, looking up at them with a smile. "Throughout the Tournament I have seen you fight, as well as many other great fighters. It was only in your last battle that you truly revealed what you're potential is. Deling's goal is world domination. My goal is to finally fight you."
Zell shook his head in distaste. "You told me. You wanna experience My Final Heaven." He spat on the floor, the sky thundering, as if agreeing with his distaste. "You make me sick."
Sam smiled. "That's the idea."
Deling stepped forward. "Sam! Kill Laguna!! My agents are on their way to Justice's hopstial right now! Kill Laguna, then we can continue with the plan."
Sam, his back turned to Deling, stood slowly, his smile growing wickedly. "Not right now, old man."
"What?!"
"I finish my business with the Hunter first. Then we take the world together, as we planned."
"No! I'm ordering you to kill Laguna!!"
"And how are you going to make me?"
There was silence from Deling as he took an uncertain step back. Zell nodded in acknowledgement. Deling might have become as immortal as a god – but that didn't mean he had the power of one. Sam could overpower the old man in an instant if he wished, ripping him limb from limp if he so desired…by making a pact with this man, Deling had unwittingly become his slave…just like with Edea.
"Just stay there and guard the women, old man. Even you could do that."
At least Sam had chose to keep him alive, unlike Edea.
Zell stepped forward, Squall moving to block his way with the gun blade once more – but Zell slapped the blade aside, pushing Squall to the ground and making him skid away. Zell pointed a rigid finger at his commander and best friend. "Keep out of it, Squall. Figure out a way to rescue the girls. I'm in control here. Just keep out of it."
Squall picked himself up, his own rage building…but he swallowed his pride and nodded, gesturing for the others to join him.
Laguna and Irvine made their way to Squall, but as Rinoa passed Zell he grabbed her arm. Watching Sam as he began to stretch, Zell pulled Rinoa close so he could whisper in her ear. "How are you doing?"
"…What do you mean?" she whispered back.
"How long until you can use your Sorceress power again?"
"We've been running around for almost an hour…but I ought to be good in a little while."
"When you're at full power I want you to unleash a Full Life at Deling. It needs to be whilst you're in Angel form – understand?"
Rinoa looked at Zell, confused and alarmed at such a random request. "Why, Zell?"
Zell looked at her, his anger evident. "Just do it, dammit!!" He yelled, pushing her roughly away from him in disgust.
Rinoa nodded fearfully and stumbled over into Squall's arms, bewildered at the sudden mood-change in Zell.
Zell looked at Sam with murder in his eyes, the White SeeD mocking him with his casual attitude. "You've destroyed my home…you've threatened my family…you've hurt the one I love. You will not walk away from this."
Sam smiled sarcastically. "Now who's being cliché?"
Zell looked up at the sky, feeling the stiff breeze come up into the canyon that they stood within with all his soul. The canyon had a small cliff to one side, mountains lifting off the ground all around. A kilometre behind them was a large hole in the ground – possibly from when Rinoa saved them. He could smell the rain before it began to come down, slowly at first, then belting down, as if to try and wash away the evil burrowed into the Estharian dirt.
He shook his head and snorted his breath out of his nostrils, pulling his torn shirt and coat off with a swift tear, tossing them to the side, forgotten in an instant. He looked down at his hands, covered in the Ehrgiez Gloves, and tightened them sharply.
This is it. This is what I've been waiting for. Revenge…He looked up at Sam, his adversary smiled at him in the rain, and lifted his fists, taking his stance. "Any rules?"
"No healing."
Zell grinned. "Want to rough it, huh? Ok then."
* * *
Sam moved first, coming out of his casual stand with flying speed, killing the distance between Zell and himself in an instant, his fist cutting through the rain without any resistance.
Zell threw his head to the left, the fist sailing past his face awkwardly. He pulled his own fist into Sam's stomach – who skidded to the right, the fist sailing past Sam's torso. Both off balance, the two fighters fell to their opposite's side, balancing on one hand to kick out with a leg, the simultaneous attack hitting each other with resounded booms, the warriors flying apart as if an explosion had erupted between them.
Sam skidded to the side, flying out into the open area and skidding along the already muddy ground. He rolled with the skid, coming up onto his feet, one knee on the ground as he continued to slide along, the muddy ground allowing for no resistance.
Zell went sailing into the darkness of the cave, tumbling into the rockiness to be swallowed by the black…before blasting out at astounding speed, his feet cutting into the muddy ground as he beat a path towards where Sam was.
Sam was ready for anything, up on his feet in second, his arms out, the Uber Ehrgiez wet with the rain, legs spread – but Zell seemed to use the mud to his advantage, falling to his belly and sliding through Sam's spread legs to come up behind his adversary. Rolling over and pointing his arms at Sam in one motion, his hands burst into electricity as the Thunder laced through the rain-filled atmosphere and gave Sam the shock of a lifetime.
Covered in rain, the metal Ehrgiez Gauntlets also a conductor, Sam jolted and jiggled as the lightening course through his body, smoke emitting from his skin as he finally fell to the ground.
Zell finally flipped up onto his feet, his smirk evident even through the rainy air. "How do you like it, bitch?" he spat.
Sam amazingly managed to rise to his feet, shaking his head from the full-frontal burst of electricity. He looked up at Zell and growled, his white clothes now a dirty red from all the mud around them.
Zell waved at him to come forward, mocking him. "Come on, you chicken shit! You have what it takes to take on the Hunter?!"
Sam spat on the ground and blasted from his position with astounding speed, the muddy ground beneath him exploding out as his fist seemed to pull him forward, heading straight for Zell's chest – to be arrested with a metallic clang by Zell's hands!!
Sam's shocked expression amused Zell immensely. "Meteor Barrett?" He said with a snort. "It only works so many times."
Sam's shocked expression wore off as he suddenly threw his other hand up, slapping Zell across the chops and throwing him back. Zell fell onto his back into the muddy ground, flipping up instantly and smashing his fist into Sam's belly, causing the White SeeD to cough with shock.
"Not used to someone fighting back, huh?" Zell asked with a smile as Sam fell to the ground with a grunt, grasping his stomach as if someone had just smashed it with a baseball bat.
"Not really…" Sam grunted, lifting one hand from the grip on his guts and slamming it into the ground in anger.
"Then you'd better get used to it."
Sam quickly blocked the punt-kick thrown out by Zell, grabbing the SeeD's leg and swinging him down into the mud, Sam crawling on top of Zell in an instant. His intention was to batter Zell whilst his arms were blocked – but Zell had other plans.
As Sam threw his first fist down, Zell blocked the attack and grabbed the fist, pulling Sam's face down into a vicious head butt before kicking the traitor flying into the mud. Zell flipped up onto his feet and shook his head, walking forward and talking with disdain. "Is that all you got?" He muttered, watching as Sam got up, stumbling a bit, before righting himself. "To tell the truth, I'm surprised. You talked big – but you're not really anything."
He skidded forward suddenly, an elbow aimed for the sternum – caught with a metallic clang by Sam's quick block!! Zell looked up in surprise to see Sam's bleeding face grinning manically. "Surprised?" He asked.
"Kinda." Zell retorted, pulling his elbow from the block and quickly flipping around, his leg sailing through the air – to miss completely, Sam's body seeming to bend over like a limbo dancer to dodge the impressive roundhouse kick. Sam's torso flicked back up – to dodge a left jab and right hook, his head seeming to take a life of it's own as it move this way and that, Zell's punches seeming to miss by the slimmest of slim margins.
Zell ducked down, slamming a palm at Sam's stomach – which missed as Sam simply seemed to take a step backwards – and followed through with another Thunder, the lightening lacing out – to blast water and mud, Sam strafing the magic at the last second.
Zell jumped back, creating some room between them, frowning in confusion. What the hell is going on? I was all over this guy a few second ago!!
Sam smiled again. "My turn?" He asked casually. "Good."
His was suddenly in Zell's face, his fist and feet smashing and battering Zell's body with relentless accuracy, Zell barely able to block and dodge as a left jab kicked his head back and a boot smash into his chest, smashing him back, causing him to skid on his feet through the mud. Sam was all over him instantly – his punches flying quickly and deadly, his attacks seeming to have gotten a life of their own as opposed to the nigh-to inexperience fighter that Zell had fought just minutes ago.
A palm thundered into Zell's chest, throwing him back and making him slap into the mud with a resounding splash. His breathing beginning to get laboured, his head still swimming from the last massive barrage of fists and feet that he had been beaten with, he flipped up onto his feet, way from out of the fight.
The two warriors began to circle one another warily, Zell's eyes narrowed as he watched Sam for any sign of offensive movement. It's amazing…he's complete changed from the person I fought before. It's like he's gained years of experience in less then five minutes…
"I suppose you're wondering how?" Sam called over the slashing rain as it thundered down, lightening cracking within the clouds as the two SeeDs continued to circle.
Zell smiled with disdain. "The thought had crossed my mind."
Sam lifted his arms out with a shrug. "What can I say but Blue."
Zell narrowed his eyes. "Impossible. Even a Blue can't give you the experience you've just shown."
"Maybe not…but it can draw it out of you."
A feeling of dread began to build in the back of Zell's mind as he processed the words that had just come from Sam's smiling mouth. "What are you saying?"
Sam lowered his arms, bringing one up in a fist. "It's called 'Photographic Reflex'. Any move I witness instantly becomes my own."
Zell's eyes widened in shock. "Impossible."
"Not so. It's one of the ultimate Blues – unique only to me. I can use it for physical as well as magical movements – in other words, I can mimic your fighting techniques. I've watched you, Zell. All throughout the Tournament. Your style is impressive to say the least – you technique incredible. But how will you fare against your own fighting style?"
Zell stopped circling the White SeeD, lifting his arms into a stance. "You're just a weak man who's a cheat! There's no way you can defeat the real thing!!"
Sam shook his head suddenly, the rain whipping from his hair as he took the exact same stance as Zell. "Let's find out!!" He snarled back.
* * *
Squall and the others watched in utter amazement as Sam and Zell went at it again, the muddy ground around them erupting with their steps, the power flowing from their fight almost overwhelming.
They had managed to make their way to the cave, out of the rain, taking shelter to watch the fight form a safe vantage point. Squall watched with disbelief as Zell launched another devastating attack as Sam countered it in an equally devastating way. It's true…they're now equally matched. It's only a matter of time before they begin to really draw on their true potential – and then this place is history. He turned to Rinoa. "Are you ready yet?"
"Almost…I can feel it…I need to be at full, otherwise it's not as powerful as usual…"
She had told him Zell's plan, sobbing as she recalled the looked in Zell's eyes as he pushed her away, so hard she almost fell to the floor. "He really scared me, Squall…I've never seen him like this…"
"Don't worry about it, Rinoa. Just concentrate on the plan."
* * *
Above the cave, Deling watched the battle rage on, Zell the one now blocking as Sam attacked with devastating accuracy.
You're help was undeniable, Sam… Deling thought to himself as he pulled a handgun from his pocket, pulling the slide back. But it's too close to tell wether or not you will survive this fight…and besides, there's still the matter of Laguna to deal with.
"You're on your own, SeeD…" He muttered, grabbing Selphie and pulling her to the path down, Angel forgotten.
* * *
Zell didn't have time to be amazed at the skill that Sam was displaying – Zell's own skill. He barely had time to think, working purely on instinct as the battle wore on, his hands, feet and body moving as one.
There was almost no magic use – Sam and Zell were fighting a true battle, where the only weapons were your body and your brain – nothing else.
Zell's fist was slapped aside easily by Sam, who countered with his own fist sailing out, smashing straight into Zell's face. The metal gauntlet seemed to push Zell's head back as the attack connected – before Zell's hand slashed up through the rain, grabbing Sam's wrist.
Quickly turning his back to Sam, Zell pulled the White SeeD over his shoulder and threw him down into the ground, keeping hold of his hand as his other one proceeded to smash into Sam's face, Sam's arm twisted in the throw.
Sam retaliated instantly, throwing his foot up and kicking Zell in the face, causing him to stagger back, his feet splashing in the wet mud. He awkwardly fell backward, falling onto his back as Sam's flying kick sailed overhead, and he rolled to the left as Sam's flying kick suddenly ended with a knee aimed at Zell's stomach.
Zell was on his feet in seconds, the attacking Sam throwing a fist at Zell's head – which Zell managed to slap aside and counter, stepping in close to smash his fist into Sam's stomach, causing the martial on his shirt to tear open as Zell pulled his fist back and uppercut the White SeeD viciously.
Sam fell back, landing on his back with a splash, then rolled backwards, Zell's stomp missing Sam's head by less then a millimetre. Sam swept his leg through the muddy ground, a large splash arising as he caught Zell's leg and tripping the Hunter, both of the SeeDs now on the ground and within the mud.
They scuffled on the ground for an instant, neither fighter letting the other escape as the small jabs and vicious kicks hit each other with no hindrance of a block or a dodge, each fighter dealing more damage to each other on the ground then they had done whilst on their feet.
Zell suddenly pulled his fist back, and with a yell sucker-punched Sam right in the face, the powerful blow throwing Sam back so far he seemed to make a wave through the muddy ground. Zell flipped onto his feet and ran to catch up to him, but Sam had recuperated already, rolling backwards onto his hands, his body coiled together like a spring, and launched both feet into Zell's face, smashing the Hunter back with little resistance.
Zell fell backward, his face feeling like it had been hit by a sledgehammer – before instinct and reflex kicked in, his hands flicking out and propelling his body back, back flipping three times to land back on his feet, his bottom lip split from the attack.
Sam stood where he had landed from the attack, holding his arms out, his teeth bared in an animalistic snarl.
Oh crap!! Zell thought as Sam suddenly let go of a Thundaga, the massive electrical surge moving through the muddy water and through the rain falling all around them at the speed of light, running up Zell's legs and shocking him to within an inch of his life.
Memories of the torture welled up in his mind, the violent stuffing of the Steel Orb into his mouth, the electric shocks burning the inside of his mouth and making his brain feel like it was an inferno, the defenceless punches and kicks smashed and bashed into his body, unable to fight back…
He suddenly let out a scream that echoed around the canyon, a massive Shell forming around him as he let his magic grow larger, the Thundaga now useless as it spattered harmlessly against the red shield that was formed around Zell, his body seeming to steam as his power began to grow.
Sam watched, amused, as Zell's power suddenly exceeded his own. "A Limit Break so soon, Hunter? I'm surprised!!" Sam raised a hand up into the sky. "Well, I got a surprise for you too!!"
He lifted his hand up into the sky, a number of green balls with fire within them twirling around his body for a second – before he vanished in a puff of logic.
Zell blinked in surprise, his Limit suddenly dropping, as he looked around, confused. No way…he didn't just…
* * *
"…Draw a GF?!" Squall gasped, watching the White SeeD disappear.
The rain filled sky suddenly opened, a large hole forming within the clouds, revealing the starry Estharian sky. It also revealed the moon, the originator of monsters, which had seemed to grow exponentially, the giant crater from the last Lunar Cry seeming to be like one big eyeball…
Something big exploded from the crater, hammering towards earth with astounding speed, and Zell found the ground beneath him trembling as the big thing suddenly found it's way to the canyon where Zell stood.
The thing's entrance was spectacular. Arriving like a huge fireball, Gaia's atmosphere too much for it, to stopped erratically just a few inches off the muddy ground. The flames licking around it seemed to be sucked into itself, until it formed what looked like an Iron Giant…but it wasn't.
The massive man-shaped creature that fell the last few inches to land on it's feet with a resounding splash had razor sharp blades all around it's armoured body – it's helm had what looked like a curvaceous axe atop of it, it's shoulder-plates depicting a snarling lion on it's right and a bunch of vicious looking spikes on the left. A red cape flowed around its body, the black armour seemingly covered in it. The huge man carried a large, double-edged battle axe in its left hand and a lumpy looking mace in the other.
"My gods…" Irvine gasped, watching as the gigantic man threw his arms up into the air and bellowed loudly, the sound making the mountains tremble. "Olethros…the Destruction Guardian."
* * *
Zell looked up at Olethros as he pounded his way forward, his footsteps booming as they forced their way through the mud, and gulped.
The Destruction Guardian…this guy is supposed to be an equal to Bahamut!Zell didn't have much time to think, however, as Olethros suddenly attacked, the large bulk of the man not hindering his speed as he hefted the massive battleaxe and hammered it down at Zell, his intention to spilt Zell in two.
Zell quickly strafed to the right, the axe cutting the air and the water in two next to him…before he back flipped away as the massive mace suddenly hammered down into the muddy ground before him.
Zell landed on his feet and assessed the situation quickly. OK…I'm a lot more quicker then him…so what do I know about him? I know he's the God of Destruction…so any physical attacks shouldn't work on him…so…
He jumped suddenly as the battle-axe swept under him, the massive blades shearing straight through the water with no hindrance whatsoever. Zell landed on top of the twin blades, grinning up at the god as it's helm swivelled to look down at him, intelligent eyes gleaming through the eye-slits down at Zell…
And blasted the Axe to smithereens, fiery energy beam quickly turning the massive weapon to shattered nothingness.
Olethros then looked around, dropping the haft of the now-useless weapon, forgotten as he began to look for his prey, gripping the mace's haft with both hands.
Unbeknown for him, Zell had been quick with his escape. He now stood astride the massive humanoid, standing with an arm wrapped around the big man helm, his feet firmly planted on it's shoulder where he had flipped up to as soon as he had seen the eyes flash.
Pointing a finger at the metal mass beneath him, Zell blasted off a Blizzard. As he thought, the metal simply repelled the magic. "Interesting…" Zell muttered. Just as I thought…physical and magic attacks are useless…so what does that leave me?
Olethros, now aware of Zell on his shoulder, quickly reached up with a free hand and tried to swat him away like an over-grown Bite Bug. Zell ducking and diving the feeble attacks, pitching and swaying with the massive beast as it began to try desperately to get him off its shoulder. As it continued to swat at Zell, Olethros suddenly lost his balance, pitching backwards…to arrest his step, stopping instantly.
Something suddenly clicked in Zell's mind, and he craned his head forward to looked within the helm's eye-slits.
Olethros' eyes were looking back at the ground in fear, darting between Zell's face and the water as he began to desperately try to swat Zell and keep his balance at the same time.
Zell smiled. Either the big goof is afraid of falling – or he's afraid of the muddy water. Let's find out.
Quickly hopping off his staggering ride, Zell stepped up to one of Olethros' massive legs and pulled his fist back. Here goes nothing…
His hand shot forward powerfully, the attack putting a great dent in the god's armour – which immediately straightened – but the point was to bend the god's leg back, making him go off balance. Which Zell achieved.
Olethros fell backwards with something that sounded like a strangled cry, landing in the muddy water with a resounding slap, a shockwave kicking Zell off his feet as a sonic boom was emitted from the mass of metal hammering into Gaia at such gravity.
Zell managed to pick himself up, dazed but all right, to watch as Olethros floundered about, un-able to pick himself up! He tried to lift his legs and his arms, but simply couldn't, only able to feebly lift them slightly, the armour now filled with rain water and mud. Poor bugger…his armour is too heavy for him.
Olethros turned his helm to looked at Zell, who slowly walked up to the god of Destruction and placed a hand on the massive frame, looking into the intelligent eyes as they begged for help. You'll get it, buddy. Zell thought silently, giving the creature a nod of acknowledgment.
Zell took a step back, balling his fist and pulling it back slowly. He tensed all his muscles at once, putting all his energy into the fist, the ball of sinew and bone suddenly beginning to shake, vibrating at tremendous speeds – before Zell released the energy, his fist snaking out and hammering into the GF's head.
The result amazed even Zell. Olethros, too heavy even for himself, was blasted away from Zell's hand, skidding and flipping through the mud to stop shockingly at the cliff edge, a large Olethros-shaped crater appearing as the gigantic GF was embedded in the cliff edge, the creature's eyes wide with shock as it looked at the small human who put it in such an embarrassing position.. Zell blinked, shocked, and looked down at his fist. Wow…this has more power then I thought…maybe it really is a true Limit Break…
He had no time to ponder the ramifications, however, as Olethros' body began to shrink, growing smaller and smaller, until all that was left was the shape of a man.
Sam.
Zell gritted his teeth and set his arms out in front of him, palms forward as he drew some power within him. "You upped the stakes, Sam! This is what you get!!"
The Meltdown was built and launched in no time, the non-elemental slashing through the rain to slam into Sam's body…or that's what it looked like to Zell.
Sam actually caught the Meltdown in his hands, his muscles bulging as he pushed the magic back, his face sweating, rain water mingling with the salt as he continued to fight against the oppressive force bearing down at him – before he threw his arms up, tossing the Meltdown up into the sky, before launching from his crater towards a ready Zell.
It was an all-out battle after that – fist and magic flying through the air, the wet smack of a drenched fist hitting flesh, the bing of a Gauntlet ricocheting from a block, Fires and Thunders flying and destroying parts of mountains.
Zell threw a punch, the fist just missing Sam's head – before Zell turned the fist into a chop, smashing the knife-like edge into Sam's clavicle, causing him to drop to a knee – which he retaliated with, springing up and hammering the knee into Zell's chin, Zell just able to step back, the attack only being a glancing blow. Sam landed in the muddy ground with a wet splash – to have Zell smash both fists into his chest, the rapid attack hammering and pounding at the chest cavity, barely any defence left for Sam but to slap both palms onto Zell's head, hammering the skull and causing chocobos to dance in front of Zell's eyes.
Sam stepped back and blasted Zell with a Fire, throwing the SeeD back a ways. Then, setting his footing and craning his body forward, he blasted a Flare, the super-heated magic ploughing it's way through the mud with a fiery roar. Zell looked up to see the Flare coming at him with astounding speed, and flared red before being swallowed up by the massive attack.
Sam kept at it, pouring the paramagical energy into the blast, certain that he had just reduced Zell to nothingness – before he saw, from the corner of his mind, Zell jump out of the Flare and run straight for Sam, the Haste he had cast making him move like quicksilver.
Sam immediately let go of the Flare, the gigantic fire attack trundling off and destroying half a mountain, and backhanded Zell as he came roaring up – to watch, shocked, as his fist trailed right through Zell's head.
Afterimage…Sam could only think, before the real Zell crash-tackled him into the muddy ground, the red sludge around them already caked fairly high upon their bodies as Zell hammered a fist into Sam's face, once, twice, three times…
Before a Thundara blew him off, the electricity shocking him to his very nerves and blowing him a good five meters away from his target.
Sam managed to flip up onto his feet, wiping some mud off his eyes and probe the cut he had received to the eyebrow, the blood mixing with the rain as it continued to slash down on them.
Zell took his time getting up, slipping in the mud once before finding his feet.
"What's wrong, Hunter? Having some trouble?!"
Zell chose not to answer, instead shaking his head free of the mud cake on his face and taking his stance.
Sam nodded – and answered with full force, stepping forward and blasting a Firaga, Zell quickly threw up a Shell to take the brunt of the attack – before it stopped suddenly. Zell blinked and dropped the Shell, looking for Sam – not seeing him in mid air, where he had launched himself after letting go of the Firaga. He hung in the air for what seemed like a lifetime, reaching the zenith of his leap – before coming down on Zell savagely, both feet colliding with Zell's shoulders.
Zell screamed in agony as both arms popped out of their joints, his limbs suddenly falling limp as if someone had pulled their power cords.
He fell backwards, screaming and cursing as he tried to desperately get some time to recuperate – but Sam didn't allow him the time, grabbing him by his grubby hair and tossing him toward the cliff-face where he impacted hard, the tough bedrock shattering beneath his hard body as it struck the cliff some two stories up off the ground. Zell began to fall, gravity taking hold of his limp body – but just before he collided with the soft, muddy earth Sam ran up and jump-kicked him, his foot pushing into Zell's stomach and crunching it against the cliff-face, causing Zell to spew blood just before he fell to Gaia.
The fight was taking everything from them. Zell stood with a fury unmeasurable and swung his limp arm out painfully, allowing it to whip across Sam's face, Sam spitting out crimson as he fell to the ground, massaging his jaw. Zell stepped away from Sam, pain coursing through his arms, and he suddenly crunched his right shoulder against the cliff-face with a scream, the arm popping back into its socket.
Watching as Sam got to his feet groggily, Zell quickly – and agonisingly – popped his left arm back into it's socket and ran up to the White SeeD. Grabbing Sam by his head, Zell flipped up and over him, before pulling him by his neck and flinging him out far to skip on the muddy ground twice. Zell then took of in a run, smashing into the recovering Sam with fury, picking him up then hammering him into the ground, burrowing him into the mud whilst simultaneously tenderising his stomach.
Sam king-hit Zell once, the double-fist smash cracking into Zell's head with an echoing whack, making the Hunter fall off the White SeeD in dazed agony, allowing Sam to make a hasty escape. Running a little off, he leant down, his hands on his legs, his breaths coming out in short bursts. "Dammit…" He gasped, watching as Zell rolled around in pain, holding his head. "It's supposed to be a lot easier then this…"
Zell shook his head for one last time and stood, looking at Sam dejectedly, his own breathing coming in short bursts. "I never knew I was this good…" he muttered to himself. "Damn cheater…I bet he did watch all the matches in the tournament…Hyne knows what else he's got up his sleeves…" He shook his head. "No negative thinking!! Got to save Angel…got to save Selphie…got to save the rest!!"
He slammed his left foot into the ground, every muscle tensing as his paramagical levels began to rise.
Sam's eyes widened, taking his stance, barely able to contain his glee as he sensed what Zell was about to do. "Yes…that's it…"
Zell's body began to shake and tremble with the energy that course through it, the very ground beneath his feet seeming to shake as he balled his fists and put them beside him. "You wanna see My Final Heaven!?" He screamed at Sam, his body beginning to glow a bright red. "I'll show you!!"
Flexing his arms, he threw his head back and screamed to the heavens, to Hyne himself, as he gathered the energy for his final attack. He took his position, setting his legs into a running position, setting his left arm behind him, fist balled. "MY!"
He lifted his right arm in front of him to allow support and balance. "FINAL!"
Finally, he allowed the energy to flow straight through him, blue static coursing over his body as his magic levels topped themselves, making his head feel like it was about to explode, but he was too filled with rage to notice. "HEAVEN!!!"
One second he was there, his body coursing with stored and latent energy – the next he was going Mach Five, his body moving so fast it sluiced through solid objects as if they were ethereal. His legs moved like pistons, moving so fast that he wouldn't have been even to see them, even if he had been paying attention. His left arm shot out, his boy seeming to push it like a tiny battering ram as the atmosphere began to pull at it. His body seemed to gain speed with each step he took, his teeth gritting with effort, as wind became a pastime.
His mind screamed at him to stop - this is what he wants he knows what to do stop now stop stop – but his rage and power overrode his common sense, and he upped the notch, pulling more energy from his protective barrier to his speed. The world around him became less then a blur – everything started going white, all colours mixing and pasting together to become nothing but the basest of all colours, his body screaming along at Mach 23, 24, 25…
* * *
Squall watched as the ground behind Zell suddenly exploded outward, the name of his attack finally overtaking the shock of the power he was putting behind it.
He jumped up and tried to scream for Zell to stop, but he was gone, blazing a massive trench way past Sam as My Final Heaven hit Mach 1, a sonic boom sounding and kicking everybody off their feet.
Jumping to his feet, Squall turned to Rinoa, gripping her by both shoulders and shaking her roughly. "How long!?" he asked violently.
"No…not now…" Rinoa sobbed, unable to contain the pressure that they were bestowing on her.
"Well it better be soon, Rinoa! Cause Zell is going to die in the next few minute!!"
* * *
Zell's body felt like it was going to blow away from itself, the skin seeming to hang off his bones as he pulled more energy from his protective barrier into the power outage. All that course through his mind was the fact that if this didn't work, Sam had him dead centre.
He could feel his destination coming up – he was sure about it – he could almost smell it…
* * *
Everyone watched as a Zell suddenly appeared, the man's fist smashing into the muddy ground, a gigantic crater appearing where his fist was buried. He sat there for a second, his fist embedded in the bedrock and mud, the rain pouring of his face…
And then he actually arrived.
* * *
Everything happened in slow motion.
His own fist, streaking forward, the light emitting from it dazzling him with its beauty and patterns.
The burning sensation as his fist denied all physics, pulling through the atmosphere with no resistance.
The snarling face of Sam, suddenly up close.
And then, nothing.
* * *
Squall watched, horrified, as Zell arrived.
Sam crouched there, Zell's fist just past his face, his arm almost touching the White SeeD's head where he had ducked, My Final Heaven completely missing Sam, the shockwave from the sudden stop continuing out and destroying a few mountains.
Zell blinked dreamily.
Rain coursed down his face.
The blood from his mouth dribbling down his chest and past Sam's arm, which had crouched and stabbed out just as Zells after-image began to dissipate.
Zell looked down at the arm, buried about an inch away from the shoulder, and frowned in a confused kind of way.
Sam then withdrew the arm, his Gauntleted fist coming out bloody, a great fountain of life force spewing out of the cavity, before giving Zell a gentle push.
Zell fell backwards easily, very limp, very lifeless, very dead.
* * *
"Noooo!" Rinoa screamed.
Squall gripped his LionHeart and growled, his rage insurmountable. "Fuck the plan!" He spat suddenly. "All of us, attack at once!!"
Laguna grasped Squall's shoulder. "No Squall! He'll cut us to pieces!!"
"Fuck you, old man! I'm going out there!!" And with that, Squall shoved Laguna way from him and raced out, his eyes blind with the rain and the fury as he continued to beat a path towards Sam.
* * *
Sam simply looked down at the Uber Ehrgiez on his fists, one blood red, the other covered in muddy dirt. He blinked, unable to answer the burning question in his mind – what am I feeling?
He suddenly sensed a burst of fiery energy, stealing a glance to his right as Squall screamed towards him, his LionHeart shimmering throughout the rain, steaming at the droplets hit the blazing blue blade.
"Renzokuen!!" Squall bellowed, hammering slash after slash at Sam.
Sam deflected them all, his Gauntlets deftly flicking the blade away from him, ducking and weaving as the blue blade cut lines through the droplets of rain slashing down around them. Sam had a weird expression on his face – like he was annoyed slightly.
The Renzokuken over, Squall jumped backward, electricity lacing off him as he powered up for the next attack. "Lion Hea –" was all he got out as Sam suddenly stepped in, his hand flat, the stab ending somewhere behind Squall's head.
"Do you mind?" Sam snarled. "I was having a quiet moment."
He then withdrew the hand, Squall flopping to the muddy ground, deader then Zell.
* * *
Rinoa looked on, unable to say anything. She simply sat on her knees, quivering as the man who killed her friend and her Knight began to walk forward, towards them.
"Squall!!" Laguna cried in despair, Irvine barely able to keep the old man from running out to his certain doom. "Squall!! Squall – let go of me, damn you – Squall!!"
Irvine continued to keep the hold on the old man. "Dammit! If you go out there, then you'll die too, and what will you have accomplished!?"
Rinoa suddenly stood, her tiny fists balled, her eyes wide.
Irvine looked at her, then the struggling Laguna in his arms, then back at Rinoa. "Fuck! Rinoa!! Don't do it!! Rinoa!!"
But Rinoa ignored him, walking silently out into the rain, her tiny fists quivering as she took one trembling step after the other.
My Knight…he destroyed my Knight…my Squall…he's done something irreparable…and for that… "I'll never forgive you!!" she finally screamed, throwing her arms out wide, the ground beneath her simply disappearing as her power suddenly tripled.
Her body bathed in white light, rising a foot off the ground, her wings suddenly burst out of her back. Not her ordinary wings, however. No, these ones were five times the size of her originals.
When she opened her eyes, they didn't smoke – they blazed. She pointed a finger at Sam. You will die for your action. So says the Angel of Death.
Sam looked up at her impassively, before cricking his neck from side to side and taking his stance. "Come on."
* * *
Irvine watched, amazed, as Rinoa suddenly took off up into the air, flying high up into the sky to disappear amongst the clouds. He didn't even need to hold onto Laguna anymore – he had been blown by the impressive show of power too.
That didn't matter anymore, however, as Laguna's left shoulder suddenly erupted into a gout of blood, his body being flung out into the rain as the sound of the gunshot echoed out into the Estharian night.
Irvine swivelled, his duel Uzi's pointed – at a very wet Deling, holding Selphie in front of him as a human shield, moving out from the darkness in the back of the cave. "Sorry, Slayer, but this is where your usefulness stops." He snarled as he held the gun out, just under the unconscious Selphie's armpit, his body perfectly shielded from any attack that Irvine could make…
…But not one from Laguna. Throw offside from the gunshot, Laguna also had a perfect shot at the fat President. Lifting the heavy Desperado with his one good hand, he fired off a short burst, the bullets shredding Deling's head clean off, black blood spurting everywhere as his body dropped limp to the dusty cave floor.
Irvine ran forward, grabbing Selphie's supine form and dragging her away, remembering what Zell had told him and Rinoa as they had picked their way out of the facility.
True to his late friend's word, Deling's head began to grow back. First the spine and skull. Then the muscles and sinew. Finally skin and hair, his empty eyelids opening to reveal eyeballs puffing up within the sockets.
Getting up in a sitting position, he looked over at Laguna. "I thought I killed you." He said to the bewildered Laguna, before a perfect shot from Deling's handgun blew his Presidential brains out.
Irvine cradled Selphie's limp body in his arms, rocking her back and forth as Deling regained his footing and stepped forward, placing the pistol's barrel amongst Irvine's fiery red hair. "Maybe in another life, Slayer." Deling muttered unemotionally, his finger tightening on the trigger…
Before his head was twisted violently to the left, a brittle snap emitting from the neck area, and he dropped, revealing a very beaten by alive and kicking Angel. She looked down at Deling and spat a gobbet of blood on him, blinking at the need to stand, let alone the strength to snap a healthy man's neck.
Irvine looked up at her quickly, tears streaming down his face. "W-watch out! He can rejuvenate!!"
"I know." Angel said dully, stepping around the dead President and kicking him punt-style, sending him flying into the cave wall, another brittle snap signifying something else breaking before he landed with a dull thump. She quickly turned to Irvine. "How is she?"
"She's…she's…"
Angel turned back to Deling, who was getting up from his position shakily. She watched as he reached up with both hands and violently twisted his head straight, before knocking his spine back into joint. He shook his head clear of chocobos and smiled at her. "I'm surprised, my dear. I was sure that Sam beat you to death."
"Within an inch of my life is more like it…" angel said dully, stepping forward and hammering a palm into his nose, sending cartilage into his brain, killing him instantly. "But fortunately…if there's one thing that Zell's taught me…" she said, quickly grabbing his arm and turning round, twisting his body of her back and onto the floor, before turning the arm to an unnatural angle. "…it's to never give up." She finally reached down and worked his other arm around his back, snapping it, before grabbing both feet, placing a delicate foot onto his crotch, and dislocating both legs with a savage jerk. She dropped the limp legs and spat on his corpse. "Lets see you walk away from that one, bitch."
Suddenly a pitched, piercing scream came from the heavens, and every living eye looked up to see something horrifying.
A Flare – the size of the continent.
* * *
Sam simply looked up at the sky, and held up his hands. Opening his mouth, he screamed a chilling scream, one that filled every person listening hearts and souls, a great blue light suddenly forming around him as he stopped his banshee scream and bellowed one word.
"Tiamet!!"* * *
Rinoa looked down as her Flare filled the sky, and suddenly realised that she might have put a little too much power into the attack.
She didn't have to worry about repercussions, however, as the Flare was suddenly swallowed up by something huge…something massive…something scaly…
The Queen of the Dragons suddenly reared up in the night sky with her, it's giant wings slashing out in a rhythmical beat. It's reptilian head craned to look at her, it's intelligent eyes boring holes into her. Foolish Sorceress… it pulsed, it's words simply forming in the Sorceress's mind. You're attack could have destroyed Gaia.
Your master killed my Knight, my lover. He cannot survive.
Whilst I am in this form, I cannot disagree with you. I am bonded to him for all eternity, and therefore, you must die. The dragon flew back a bit, flinging it's wings out wide in the night sky, it's mouth wide open as it began to draw in energy particles for it's Dark Flare.
We have Bahamut, your King. Rinoa quickly and sadly pulsed.
The Dragon Queen stopped immediately, Rinoa swearing that she could see shock within it's reptilian face. The…the Dragon King is dead.
True…now. The small girl down there in the boy's arms – she is the one who possesses Bahamut. She is dead now. If you will allow me, I will revive her, along with all my other friends.
Tiamet swept its head to the side in anguish. Do so now.
Come into me. Only then will I heal my friends.
Impossible. A Sorceress and the Queen of the Dragons? I have no guarantee that you will destroy this universe, like you were about to before.
I swear to you, my Grace, that no more harm will come to Gaia. My mind is clear now, the fog of rage completely gone.
Tiamet paused, seeming to be contemplating the matter…before nodding. You speak truth.
In a flash of brilliant light, Tiamet suddenly entered Rinoa's body, worming it's way into it's own place within her brain. Rinoa drew in a long breath, her blazing eyes closed, her mouth opening into a shuddering gasp as the power of a Dragon Queen entered her…before she doubled over, her wings doubling in size once more, her open eyes now fiery to the sight.
She looked down at the world beneath her. I have the power to do anything…I can do anything… Holding a hand out, she gently closed her fiery white eyes and allowed her magic to run smoothly, like silk, out of his hand and into the night sky…
* * *
Sam opened his eyes, finding that he was lying in the mud, staring up at the raining sky, the clouds seeming to be filled with some kind of strange glowing light.
He frowned. Tiamet should have killed the Sorceress easily, even in the upgraded state she was in. The only way that the Queen of the Dragons wouldn't have destroyed her was if the Sorceress bitch had another card up her sleeve.
He frowned again, however. Cocking his head to one side, he watched as the rain petered to a stop, to be replaced by white feathers, floating down through the cloud. He held out a blood soaked Gauntlet to feel the feather pass through it.
Immediately, all his wounds were healed, his power returning to it's original level as opposed to his terrible tiredness he had experience when drawing the Dragon Queen. He shook his head. What is this? Some kind of Blue??
He didn't see Squall sit up out of the mud, rubbing his face as if not wanting to acknowledge that he had just been missing that piece.
He didn't see Selphie open her eyes slowly, looking up at an ecstatic Irvine and lifting a blood-covered hand to trace across his perfect chin.
He didn't see an agonised Deling, quivering in fear within a corner of the cave as ethereal feathers suddenly surrounded him, each one seeming like death to him.
He did see, however, a hand shoot up from the muddy ground.
A hand with a beaten and tattered Ehrgiez Glove on.
* * *
Irvine looked down at Selphie and sniffed. "I thought…you were dead…"
"I think I was." At her voice, Irvine suddenly burst into tears, unable to contain himself much longer. Selphie could do nothing but look awkwardly at him as he drew her into a breath-killing hug. "I'm alright now though!!" she assured.
* * *
Deling, in the back of the cave, whimpered as one of the feathers passed through his hand. Almost immediately, his entire body felt stiff, like someone had put way too much starch into his dirty, smelly suit.
Angel walked up to him slowly, each feather passing through her seeming to make her glow more and more, her namesake seeming more real then ever. She crouched before Deling, and pressed her finger into his forehead.
It crumbled without resistance, almost five years of decay turning Deling's body into a hollow husk.
* * *
Squall sat up, rubbing his face and wondering what the hell was going on. He looked around, the area seeming lighter then before, and looked up to see the feathers floating gently down from the bright heavens.
He smiled. You've done it, Rinoa.
* * *
Zell lifted his hand, looking at it through the bright light in the sky.
"I coulda sworn it was night time when I left…" He muttered to himself distantly, watching as a feather seemed to simply pass straight through the hand and into his chest.
The feeling was amazing. Every feather that touched him seemed to give him more and more strength, until he had more then enough power to stand, more then enough to topple a mountain with a single punch!
He looked, however, at one person standing just a little ways away.
Sam. Still alive, still wearing his Uber Ehrgiez Gauntlets. And looking confused.
"The good part about being a good guy…" Zell called out, re-fixing his Ehrgeiz Gloves as the last of the feathers fell to Gaia. "…Is that not much can keep you down." He looked at Sam with daggers in his eyes. "Even death."
Sam pointed a finger at Zell. "Maybe so…but you'll just have to find out when I splatter your body all over the place!!" He then balled his fists and set them to his sides, screaming a magic word. "Aura!!"
His body began to glow a brilliant yellow, and Zell spied Squall beginning to sneak up behind him, his LionHeart blazing and ready. "Squall! He's mine!! Get back to the others!!" Zell cried, waving his hand in a bid to get rid of Squall.
Squall paused again, seeming to weigh up the odds, before Sam spoke through gritted teeth. "Do as he says, Sorceress Knight – or you'll die for the second time today."
Squall hesitated again – then looked up to see Rinoa floating down, her arms limp, looking quite tired. She looked down happily to see Squall standing, and managed to fly down into his arms, her wings disappearing as she fell into his arms.
"Go!!" Zell cried, waving his hand at them again.
Squall nodded and cradled Rinoa close to him before running for the cave mouth.
Sam smiled wickedly, the golden aura around him blazing brilliantly as his power levels began to skyrocket, the strength to speak becoming a little overwhelming as opposed to drawing the energy from within. "You do know, Hunter, that they will all die after I kill you."
Zell shook his head slowly. He never felt so in control in his life. Everything was clear now, everything lit up in his mind. "No you won't. Because I'm going to stop you…with a technique that you will never be able to copy. Because it will kill you the instant it hits you."
Sam lifted his head and laughed out loud into the night sky, now clear thanks to the Mega Full-Life used by Rinoa. "You're bluffing, Hunter! My Final Heaven is the most powerful martial arts in the world!! I think your little Sorceress must've fried your brain when you were resurrected!!"
"Then use My Final Heaven. Let's find out."
Sam shook his
head, then smashed his left leg back, pinning it. He crouched down on his
right, in the perfect sprint-race stance, blue electricity lacing all around
his body as he opened his mouth to utter the first word of power. "MY!"
He lifted his right arm,
sending it far back behind him, the blood-soaked Uber
Ehrgiez lifted high above his body, the electricity coursing up and down it. "FINAL!"
He curled his left arm out in front of him, the power flowing around him almost completely charged…almost…almost… "HEAVEEEEENN!!!"
Zell had never seen a My Final Heaven from a victims point of view, and in his calm state he was in now, he took the time to study all aspects of the traitors form, which, essentially, was Zell's form, copied down to the last detail.
Zell saw he needed to make sure to keep the left leg straighter next time he used it.
Sam exploded from his stance, disappearing in a flash of blue light, passing Zell by a fraction of a millimetre. The wind currents emitted from starting off at Mach 1 – the speed of sound – spun Zell like a top, but he managed to smash his foot into the muddy ground, stopping his spin. He shook his head to clear the cobwebs.
Right…it took me exactly ten seconds to go from here and back all around the world – but, of course, I was taking more power from the protective barrier to increase my speed and strength. So if I stand here…like so…
He took a few steps back from his position, spreading his legs shoulder-width apart and lifting his left hand, palm outstretched. And waited.
Eight seconds later what looked like a dot in the distance appeared on the horizon – before Sam suddenly smashed into Zell, plough straight through him, destroying what was left of the mountain behind him.
Zell stood his ground. It was the after image…it always was the after image that they fell for. Clearing his mind, he cast Haste – the red speed magic flaring around his body – and began to wait for the real Sam.
He didn't wait long. Stealing a glance behind him, Zell saw that the after-image of Sam was beginning to dissipate – looking forward again, he almost missed seeing Sam begin to emerge from the horizon, going at speeds unfathomable. One millisecond he was at the horizon – the next he was in Zell's face, his fist almost connecting…
…but Zell had the Haste to help him. The world seemed to slow as Sam seemed to simply appear before him, and Zell took the only possible action – fall. He fell backwards easily, Sam's legs coming close to crush him – but Zell managed to flick out his leg, tripping the traitorous SeeD and sending him sprawling, tumbling, into the cliff-face once more, becoming buried in rocks.
Zell, his breath now faster then it had been in a long while, turned to see Sam pull himself out of the rocky cliff, shaking his head groggily. He looked up at Zell, squinting. "Dammit! You should be dead!!"
"And you will be…in a few minutes."
Sam took a threatening step forward – before his knee exploded, the kneecap suddenly flying out of the leg, the shinbone and the thigh bone shattering almost on their own. Zell managed to catch the bloody patella as it sailed past his head, and walked towards the now screaming Sam, who had collapsed to the floor clutching his bloody stump of a leg.
Zell stepped up to him, pulling Sam's hand away from the wound and stepping on it with all the force he could muster. Sam's howls of agony were still nothing compared to Zell's tortured screams from before – but at least it gave Zell some peace of mind. "It's not fun, is it? That's the repercussions of using My Final Heaven. That's why I don't use it whenever I have the chance. Because there's a good chance that next time, I might die from it."
Sam's face was screwed up in agony, his eyes mad from pain. "You tricked me!!" He bellowed, suddenly standing on his one good leg. "That wasn't My Final Heaven! It was a trick!! Show me the real My Final Heaven!!"
Zell took a few steps back, taking his stance, watching Sam carefully. "That was the real My Final Heaven. It's not omnipotent, you know."
Sam screamed a scream of rage, flinging himself forward, his hands filled with Fire as he attacked Zell.
Which was what Zell was waiting for. Stepping inside the enraged Sam's attack, he thwacked his fist right into Sam's stomach, stopping the White SeeD in his tracks, Zell's fist buried deep within his guts.
Sam's whole body seemed to pause – before his guts twitched violently, then exploded into chunky red pieces, blood and guts flying all over Zell. Sam's screams of sheer agony was quickly cut off as his upper half of the torso toppled forward into Zell's other fist, which hammered into Sam's head with a precision blow, smashing it high up into the air.
His screamed fell short just on the zenith of the flight up – before the skull twitched to the left, exploding and sending bits of brain and skull all over the muddy ground.
Zell wasn't finished yet. Moving fast, he quickly pulled the Uber Ehrgiez Gauntlets off the disembodied arms as they fell to the floor – then, with speed unimaginable, spun on his heel and held his arm out, the Flare blasting what was left of Sam's body into ashes.
His mission finally completed, Zell sat down in the muddy ground around him, looking down at the Uber Ehrgiez gauntlets he had in his left hand. One was blood red – the other silver, smattered in mud and rain. He absently began to pick at the red on the bloody one, but found it wouldn't come off.
He shrugged. Another job for Grease Monkey.
A cry of job came from behind him, and he swivelled around to see Angel running towards him, covered in blood and mud. Zell, covered in head to toe in mud and blood and Sam bits and pieces, shied away slightly as she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him for all he was worth.
He pulled her off, looking down at his shoes. "What's wrong, Zell?" She asked, looing up at him, her voice quiet.
"I'm dirty…"
She smiled cheekily, and cast a Water spell, the sudden wave of clear blue H2O suddenly washing over the both of them, freezing cold and damningly cleansing.
He looked at her, clean but now very, very wet. "Thanks."
She stepped forward, a large grin from ear to ear. "No problem." She said with a sigh as she pulled him down into a big kiss.
* * *
Squall and Rinoa stepped out of the cave, looking up at the stars, Squall's arm around the tired Rinoa. He looked down at her with a smile. She smiled tiredly back up at him, them pointed to the stars with a single finger.
He grinned and kissed her forehead, before leading her to join Zell and Angel.
Irvine and Selphie walked out of the cave too. That is to say, Irvine walked out carrying Selphie, not wanting to let go of her, no matter how much she complained. "Put me down, dammit!!" she squealed happily as he peppered her cheeks with kisses and muttered things about never, ever letting her out of his sight. Ever.
Laguna stepped out of the cave scrubbing the back of his neck, feeling decidedly tired and a little hungry. He wanted to go play with Chico.
All of them got together, watching as Zell tried to pry Angel off of his face. He looked at Squall with a lopsided grin on his face, and held his hand out. "Job well done, Commander?"
"Job well done, Hunter."
They all looked up suddenly as three Ragnaroks suddenly appeared out of nowhere, their search lights flicking on and focusing on the group, the last of the words spoken from a megaphone echoing away within the destroyed canyon.
All the boys out their respective others behind them, Zell quickly pulling off his Ehrgiez gloves and replacing them with the multicoloured Uber Ehrgiez, holding them up in a defensive stance. Squall pulled the Lion Heart from it's clip, the blue blade shimmering in the dust as the Ragnaroks began to land all around them. Irvine finally puled both Uzi's from the slings he had taken with him and pointed them at the entrances of the two closest Ragnaroks.
In effect, the SeeDs were surrounded.
"Stay sharp." Squall hissed. "They might be remnants of the Defectors."
"How untrue you are, Mr. LeonHeart." The megaspeaker from the blue Ragnarok boomed. The green and yellow ones landed perfectly, the landing bays opening, groups of soldiers in unknown armour spewing out of the entrances and levelling strange looking weapons at the SeeDs.
The blue one finally landed, the turbines finally dying down as the landing bay ramp opened to reveal an important looking man.
"My gods…Commander Carpenter…" Squall gasped, still keeping his gun blade raised.
"Who the hell is he, Squall?" Zell muttered, making sure that he kept his hands pointed at the man as he walked slowly down the ramp.
"He's the commander and chief of all the Gardens. In effect – he's the Master of the Garden Committee!!"
"Hyne…" Angel gasped, watching as the Master of all Gardens slowly walked up to them. NORG, a large Shumi, had been the Master of Balamb garden, and his mind had been corrupted by the power wielded by the mercenaries. To stop something like that from happening again, the Garden Committee had been formed, to oversee all Gardens. Even the White SeeD ship had a delegate within the Garden Committee. But there had always been rumours that one man controlled the Garden Committee – one man ruling them all.
He stepped up to the SeeDs, smiling what seemed like a genuine smile, before looking up at the sky. "Nice night, huh?" He looked down at the ground, where his expensive looking shoes sank into the mud, as well as the mixture of brains, bone fragments and guts from the obliterated body of Sam. "Although I'll have to say that the scenery will need improving."
He looked like an average man, not the shadowy figure everybody figured he would look like. He was about the same size as Squall, with brown hair combed back neatly and wearing a black suit and tie combo. His hazel eyes scanned the group, watching as each person he looked at seemed to shy away…except for President Laguna. He walked forward, outstretching his hand. "Matt! Long time, no see!!"
"Mr. President." Commander Carpenter said politely, bowing to the President of Esthar.
Laguna waved him off. "Nah, don't do that. It's good to have someone my age around. I was beginning to feel a bit awkward about hanging around with all these young couples…"
Squall stepped forward, Rinoa tagging close behind. "Father…you know this man?"
"Of course! You think he made these Ragnaroks all by himself?!"
"You never told me you knew the Garden Commander!"
"You never asked!!"
Commander Carpenter held up his hands. "Gentlemen, please. I'm here for a reason, and I'd lie to get down to business…it looks like you've all had a rough couple of weeks." His hazel eyes locked onto Zell. "And It looks like you've had one hell of a day."
Zell smiled weakly, lowering his hands. He realised that he was only dressed in his SeeD formal pants ad boots – and they were pretty messed up from the fight. "Tell me about it."
Commander Carpenter chuckled at that, before gesturing for Zell to follow him.
Zell looked hesitantly at Squall, before moving to follow the mysterious character. When they were a little ways away from the group, Commander Carpenter turned and grinned at Zell happily. "First off…it's a pleasure to meet you, Zell. Believe it or not, I'm a big fan of yours."
He put out a hand, and Zell shook it evenly, his metal gauntlets enveloping the taller mans grasp. "You don't say?" Zell chuckled.
Carpenter retrieved his hand and stood firmly, hands behind his back, looking serious. "Now, Mr. Dincht…I'll bet you're wondering why I'm here…"
"It would help, Commander."
Carpenter chuckled again. "I've been monitoring you for a while now, for reasons that will soon become clear. What I'd like to say is, that in all the area that we've tested you in, you've excelled at tremendously. You've blasted the records through the roof!! There has never been anyone around as powerful in martial arts as you."
Zell narrowed his eyes. "Tests?"
"Yes. We had to test your skills as a martial artist – the Tournament – your skills as a leader – leading Selphie and Irvine, as well as giving a commanding lead in saving Justice's life, your survival skills, in defeating the enemy, and finally, your loyalty skills."
Zell's confused face turned into a frown. "Wait a minute. Are you telling me that this was all a setup!? Deling, Sam – it was all to test me?!"
Commander carpenter raised his hands. "no, of course not!" He lowered is hands and saw Zell's expression. "Well…maybe a little. We found Watts not long after they had beaten him, and fed him the falsified information, then gave your Commander Squall the coordinates to give him medical attention. Unfortunately, you weren't able to review him. We also made sure that Sam and Deling were given a little…incentive along the way."
From the darkness behind Carpenter came a slight figure, nursing a bump on the back of her head. "Emily…" Zell snarled.
"Hello Zell." She said evenly. "Sorry about giving you that virus. It just to see how you'd cope…that's all."
"No hard feelings, Huh?" Zell spat. "I suppose you were the one who was testing my loyalty as well?"
"That's right. The kiss I gave you wasn't only the Kiss Of Death…it was also partly a control Blue. You never even knew it was within you…but I couldn't control you. Not even when you were beaten and bleeding…I couldn't control your mind."
Zell stepped forward and sucker punched the Goth, sending her flying into the only mountainside which still stood, before turning to Carpenter, rasing his fist in the air. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't do the same?"
Commander Carpenter stood stock still, completely calm. "I'll give you three – one, your friends, no matter how good they are, will be cut to ribbons by my soldiers. Two, you haven't been given permission, as a SeeD, to hit me. I am your Commander-In-Chief. And thirdly – I've got a mission for you. And you've passed the test to obtain that mission."
Zell lowered is hand in curiosity. "What kind of a mission?"
"Save the world." Carpenter said simply.
Zell rolled his eyes. "Been there, done that, don't want to do it again."
"Not this world. I meant another world. Another Gaia."
Zell frowned. "I think I'll just hit you and take my chances with the guards."
Carpenter rolled his eyes and pulled a piece of paper from his breast pocket. "Take a look at this."
Zell took the paper warily, ad looking at it in the floodlights of one of the Ragnaroks, saw that it was a photo. It looked like a marble archway of sorts, but all cracked and crumbly. Within the archway, however, was something that Zell had seen before – a portal. "Time Compression." Zell muttered.
Carpenter shook his head slowly. "Not exactly. More like a Universal Compression. We believe that a Sorceress from the future universe – a universe that might be - is trying to open a portal somewhere within this world in order to come to us and destroy us. And we need you to stop her."
"Why me?"
"Look at you, Zell! You've got just as much power as Rinoa does now!! You've worked out a way to kill a man in a single punch, wether you're tied or completely refreshed! And you've also proved you're a great leader."
Zell bit his bottom lip. He looked down at the photo, memories of the future world huddling behind his eyes, before turning and looking at his friends and loved ones.
Angel caught his eyes and winked at him happily. She knew that nothing was going to go wrong now that everything was over.
Well…almost everything. Zell sighed and handed the photo back, looking at Commander Carpenter straight in the eye. "When do I start?"
The End
* * *
Jesus!! That took a while!!
I hope you like this fic! Keep an eye out for the Sequel, FF8 Tournament – A Matter Of Time, coming out as soon as I finish off Chronicles and SuperNatural…which shouldn't take me very long. Just remember, read my other stuff! They're all just as good!!!
However!! There is another chapter after this…an epilogue…keep reading for the most shocking twist of them all…
