Crimson Mask: Chapter 5: Awaking the Late
By
Squall Morpheus Leonhart


Squall stepped into the chair behind the two coffins. Realizing he was alone and entire need of prey, he would put it off until the transfer was complete. He had enough energy to wake his comatose family and possibly get out of the memorial and find Ares and finish him off. Yet, something wanted him to stay until his family woke up. That was a longing he had as a child, ever since he witness Ares supposedly murder them. Squall shook his head and strapped himself into the chair and injected the needles. Soon he felt the energy leave his body and go into his family's bodies.

"What I do for the ones I love," whispered Squall lovingly.

Suddenly, he jerked and flinched. He felt the Leonhart instinct come in and out of his mind. Desperately, he tried to fight it. Faintly he heard a car outside the memorial. Knowing it was his father, he hoped he would not enter, not now, not when the urge to kill was still in his head. His mother and brother would be safe in their coffins but no being outside that would be the same.

Quickly, he used his own mind power to speed up the process. That way he could give the energy before wasting it on the impulse. Soon a faint beep was heard as everyone from the party came in. Like a wolf, Squall sprang from the chair and attacked the nearest person, Zell. In Squall's mind, he was not in control; the one in control was Morpheus, the Ancient of Hyne during the Corruption.

Morpheus took control and Squall changed into a silver hair man with crimson eyes. Morpheus was the curse that blessed the Leonhart males of first born, a curse that took the primal instincts of Hyne's lover. Usually this happened on the festival of the Ancients but for Squall, it happened whenever he lost control of his powers.

Zell quickly brought up his arms protect himself, "Squall what are you DOING?"

Yet, Squall could not hear him. Squall was gone and Morpheus was here. Laguna quickly punched the cursed Ancient to get him off of Zell. Once off, Morpheus pounced on Selphie who quickly tried to counter him with Rapture.

Morpheus was about to strangle her to death when some one yelled out, "Tranquil Space."

Morpheus faded and in his place was an unconscious Squall on the ground. Everyone turned to see Raine get out of her coffin. Edea was in shock to see her sister alive and well. Soon the other coffin was open and came out was a Squall look-alike without the scar, the only difference was that he was shorter and had chestnut hair.

Quickly the look-alike went to Squall's side and picked him up and carried him to the side room. Raine looked at her knight with great interest.

"Raine, you have finally awakened," stuttered Laguna as he embraced his wife from long ago.

"Yes, I have and so has Michel. Edea, how are you my sister," asked Raine, her quicksilver eyes turning into a soft blue.

"As long as you are alive, I am fine, sister but how are you alive," responded Edea.

"The powers of the Ancient have kept Michel and me alive through time. I believe the process that took place happened about four years ago helped our power as well. No matter, I care deeply about my son's health. It would seem that his wound has not been healed. Michel shall heal it for now but Squall is in need of rest."

"Laguna what is going on," demanded Irvine, confused by the sudden appearance of a woman he thought was dead as well as the look alike Squall.

"Ares has finally revealed himself, only time will tell if the destruction of this realm will be complete. Time was the source of all this and it will be the last of this," spoke Raine before her eyes turned yellow like Rinoa's, she began to chant,

"On the island of Winter, she will be called
From the depths of Centra, he will torch
In the darkness of Esthar, he will call the void
From Winhill, he will grieve
During this the End will come

"The One will fall
In the darkness, he will merge
In triumph, he will die
In the grief, the Ragnarok will not destroy"

Soon her eyes turned back to silver and she looked to Edea, "Another one," she asked.

Edea nodded, her sister was given the gift of prophecy. Michel returned with a blood stained rag in his hand. Nodding to his mother and father, he motioned everyone to follow him.

"I tried the best I could but no magic will heal his wound. This is the affliction of Ares, only he, the other, will heal them but now he will not," spoke Michel for the first time. His tone was softer than Squall's.

In his eyes, he showed concern and grief. Unlike his brother, he was open with his emotions, perhaps because he did not went through the same horrors as Squall did in the past. Though he was with Squall during the coma in spirit, he learned to wield a gunblade just as good as his brother but not enough to surpass him or Seifer.

Squall laid on the table, eyes close and undeniably pale almost like he was dead. His shirt was off as was his trench coat. All could see bandages from various wounds, the shoulders, stomach, left side, right side, etc. that and including other scars on his torso and arms. Edea went to his side and traced his scar on his head, noticing that it was blood red not pink like Seifer's.

"Why does the wounds look like new," she asked, "I know that his wound from earlier is in the stomach but what of the others?"

"Squall punishes himself; these are inflicted wounds taking during missions. He does not heal or cure himself anymore and today with the battle with Ares they must have reopened. He is not the man you have seen after the war, guilt is affliction now," responded Cid.

"That doesn't answer my question," said Irvine angrily.

"He means Squall is an Ancient and so what he thinks, his body does physically. He wants to be wounded, he's wounded and so on," answered Edea.

"Squall is a man of anguish. A man whose burden is guilt when it has no reason to be there," explained Laguna, stroking his son's hair.

"But it does and I won't tell you," said Squall, getting up.

"No you don't, you need to heal," responded Michel, pushing him down.

"Not while Ares roam free," protested Squall, brushing off Michel and standing.

"Where do you think you're going," asked Raine

"After Ares, mother, to get revenge."

"Revenge for what," asked Quistis.

"Revenge for what happened 19 years ago."

"You are not going anywhere, Headmaster's order," commanded Cid, "at least not after Ares. You are going to Trabia to relax. I may have giving you indefinite leave but that was until Raine and Michel are awake. Now you are back under my control and I can't have my best mercenary killed because of recklessness. I'm sending with you Irvine and Seifer to watch over you. Everyone else will track down Ares until you have regained your strength. Is that cleared?"

"Yes, sir," saluted everyone.

Squall glared but shrugged this was not what he wanted.


AN: Another Chapter, another mini-plot, actually it starts in Chapter 7. The next one is just an interlude but it does fit into the main plot. I hope you like this one and finally Michel is introduced but his knight has not been yet. Yes, Michel had a knight when he was five, one of his guardians acknowledged him then but its not a real Ancient-Knight bond, one thing is missing, more about that in future chapters. I hope I'm not confusing you.
Disclaimer: I forgot to say this two chapters ago but the lyrics 'Weak' and 'Love Spell' are mine so don't take with out asking.

Special Thanks to:
Redrum (I think you should know that Squall will be in a threesome, just a reminder. Can't take one without the other in my opinion)
Scribblemoose (I thank your praise)
GG (The limit breaks are my own creation that I made about a year ago, thought I should use it this time)
Azure Knight (Squall won't be single for long but I won't say how long ^^)
RavensHaelo (Sorry don't know what you are talking about but oh well thanks anyway)


Here's your quote
All will be revealed in time
Squall Morpheus Leonhart