Chapter 22
Explosions rocked the tower and Ganamede lost her footing. Alexander lumbered over to her.
"Are you alright?" asked Alexander.
She nodded and rose to her feet. Another explosion echoed distantly from the lower floors of the Academy. Ganamede peered over the edge to see a giant white bird circling around the tower. It was carrying several Espers.
Shiva clung to Palidor's back. "Can you see Ifrit?" she asked.
Ramuh looked up toward the tower. "No, but we'd better fly low."
"Intruders located," said Alexander. It opened its visor and shoulder pads. As it took aim the staircase behind it started to collapse. Ifrit emerged and floated in front of Alexander.
"New target detected," said Alexander.
"Wait!" yelled Ganamede. "Something's wrong."
They saw Ifrit's body begin to burn and smolder. A faint blue aura radiated from him. Alexander began to glow as well.
"This intruder is a compatible organic," said Alexander quizzically. "We are of the same manufacture."
Ganamede frowned. "How could that be? You're mechanical."
"This intruder is using magicite," said Alexander. "Take cover."
Ganamede ducked underneath Alexander and Ifrit began to cast.
"Sprits of flame, heed my call.Fire!" chanted Ifrit.
Fire rained down on them but the heat was unusually intense. Ganamede gasped as the stones of the roof began to melt and shift. After the flames subsided, she got out from under Alexander. She saw its armor was still red hot. The coolant pipes inside began to activate noisily. She stared up at Ifrit who hung there like a burning effigy. His eyes betrayed despair.
"The world will burn!" he cried.
"What?" she asked. "Why?"
"No one will escape! The guilty and the innocent will burn together!"
Palidor streaked past.
"Ifrit!" yelled Shiva, reaching out. "Jump!"
He glanced at her as she sped by. Steam began to rise from the corners of his eyes. "Go quickly! I'll hold them off and meet up with you later!"
"No, you idiot!" she cried.
Ifrit turned to see Alexander was stirring again. "Get them out of here Palidor!" he bellowed.
Palidor screeched and banked. Shiva looked behind her to watch the tower slowly recede into the distance. "What about Ifrit and Cid?"
"They'll make it," said Ramuh reassuringly.
"How did he know Palidor's name?" asked Maduin.
Back on the tower Alexander shifted forward. "Target reacquired."
Ifrit was still watching Palidor. Once it was out of range he turned back to see Alexander fire off his Holy Light. The beam sliced him neatly in half at chest level. As his legs fell away he opened his mouth but no sound came out. He then plummeted like a stone. Ganamede reached the edge in time to see the splashes in the water far below.
Alexander slumped forward, steam rising from its armor plates. "Target terminated. Energy levels depleted. Switching to reserve power."
Ganamede was still looking down when Octavia joined her. "Did they get away?" asked Octavia.
"All but the fire Esper." She said numbly.
"Ifrit," said Octavia removing her hat. "His name was Ifrit."
Ganamede turned to her. "Why were the Espers attacking us?"
Octavia shrugged. "Espers just hate us."
Ganamede touched Alexander's armor gingerly. "I don't believe that anymore," she said quietly.
Octavia tapped at the half-melted stones on the roof.
Far below deep underwater a glowing orb of magicite rested in the palm of an outstretched claw. It began to glow softly as the H.M.S. Lete slowly emerged from the dark depths.
Explosions rocked the tower and Ganamede lost her footing. Alexander lumbered over to her.
"Are you alright?" asked Alexander.
She nodded and rose to her feet. Another explosion echoed distantly from the lower floors of the Academy. Ganamede peered over the edge to see a giant white bird circling around the tower. It was carrying several Espers.
Shiva clung to Palidor's back. "Can you see Ifrit?" she asked.
Ramuh looked up toward the tower. "No, but we'd better fly low."
"Intruders located," said Alexander. It opened its visor and shoulder pads. As it took aim the staircase behind it started to collapse. Ifrit emerged and floated in front of Alexander.
"New target detected," said Alexander.
"Wait!" yelled Ganamede. "Something's wrong."
They saw Ifrit's body begin to burn and smolder. A faint blue aura radiated from him. Alexander began to glow as well.
"This intruder is a compatible organic," said Alexander quizzically. "We are of the same manufacture."
Ganamede frowned. "How could that be? You're mechanical."
"This intruder is using magicite," said Alexander. "Take cover."
Ganamede ducked underneath Alexander and Ifrit began to cast.
"Sprits of flame, heed my call.Fire!" chanted Ifrit.
Fire rained down on them but the heat was unusually intense. Ganamede gasped as the stones of the roof began to melt and shift. After the flames subsided, she got out from under Alexander. She saw its armor was still red hot. The coolant pipes inside began to activate noisily. She stared up at Ifrit who hung there like a burning effigy. His eyes betrayed despair.
"The world will burn!" he cried.
"What?" she asked. "Why?"
"No one will escape! The guilty and the innocent will burn together!"
Palidor streaked past.
"Ifrit!" yelled Shiva, reaching out. "Jump!"
He glanced at her as she sped by. Steam began to rise from the corners of his eyes. "Go quickly! I'll hold them off and meet up with you later!"
"No, you idiot!" she cried.
Ifrit turned to see Alexander was stirring again. "Get them out of here Palidor!" he bellowed.
Palidor screeched and banked. Shiva looked behind her to watch the tower slowly recede into the distance. "What about Ifrit and Cid?"
"They'll make it," said Ramuh reassuringly.
"How did he know Palidor's name?" asked Maduin.
Back on the tower Alexander shifted forward. "Target reacquired."
Ifrit was still watching Palidor. Once it was out of range he turned back to see Alexander fire off his Holy Light. The beam sliced him neatly in half at chest level. As his legs fell away he opened his mouth but no sound came out. He then plummeted like a stone. Ganamede reached the edge in time to see the splashes in the water far below.
Alexander slumped forward, steam rising from its armor plates. "Target terminated. Energy levels depleted. Switching to reserve power."
Ganamede was still looking down when Octavia joined her. "Did they get away?" asked Octavia.
"All but the fire Esper." She said numbly.
"Ifrit," said Octavia removing her hat. "His name was Ifrit."
Ganamede turned to her. "Why were the Espers attacking us?"
Octavia shrugged. "Espers just hate us."
Ganamede touched Alexander's armor gingerly. "I don't believe that anymore," she said quietly.
Octavia tapped at the half-melted stones on the roof.
Far below deep underwater a glowing orb of magicite rested in the palm of an outstretched claw. It began to glow softly as the H.M.S. Lete slowly emerged from the dark depths.