Chapter 17 - Crushed
A/N: Be forewarned... this chapter isn't going to be pretty. Do not eat before, during, or after reading this.
Oh... and thanks for the reviews, Quistis88 and Quisty Almasy... and any others who have taken the effort to do so! I'm so happy *sob* (but it wouldn't hurt to receive more reviews, hehehe thanks...)
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"You have twenty three hours, seven minutes and eight seconds more to give up your presidency... or else... be prepared to suffer the consequences..." *Click*
Caraway gripped the telephone receiver tightly, his knuckles turning white from the sheer exertion of strength.
As yet, he had no single clue as to the identity of this anonymous caller. He was tempted to dismiss it as an empty threat against him, but his gut told him that this was not something to be treated lightly.
He did not know which to trust... his calm, calculative mind, or his feeling that troubles were abound if he should ignore the call - a feeling sharpened by his many years of experience as a military personnel...
"Damn those SeeDs to hell! Especially that Leonhart... refusing to give support when it is most needed! And they dared to call themselves mercenaries! Cooking up some laughable excuse about the Garden not being in the state for work! Indeed! I should have known about their unreliability from the start! If not for the fully booked status of Galbadia Garden......!"
He flung the receiver down in a frustrated manner.
What can he possibly do to Galbadia? From the sounds of it... this one works alone. I'll just wait and see what happens. If I were one to succumb so easily to such threats, I wouldn't have gotten the seat in the first place...
But that doesn't mean I'm going to be idle.
He picked up the phone again, and punched a button.
"Get me the Head of the Anti-Terrorist Bureau......"
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Redrumiel stroked its silky head dotingly, in a manner that felt strangely familiar, and yet the hand seemed to be a different one.
Shaking its head to dismiss the deja vu it seemed to be experiencing, it looked up expectantly at the Master for yet more praises... for the more he approved of it, the more freedom he would bestow upon it.
Freedom... something it had craved for centuries while it was held prisoner in the AKU.
The Master had released it from the cage. It vowed to serve him to the end of its days, and would not hesitate to die if it was asked to... for it owed the Master this much for being its saviour.
Besides, around his commanding presence, the voice inside almost stopped completely.
"Would you like to hear a story, Celestine?"
"Of course, My Master. One would be most honoured to hear it."
"Very well...
This story dates back to many centuries ago, when the World was still in its youth.
There were only three Angels back then, known as the First Line Angels.
There was Shin, whom you're familiar with, in charge of the ZOK (or sky).
Another one was Furhler, in charge of the AKU, the underground, as you are now.
The last one was a girl, Lilaciea, controlling the SEI, or the lands where human-mortals now live in.
They used to roam the three planes together, blissful and carefree as doves in the rays of the sun.. they were truly good friends.
Furhler and Lilaciea were lovers, and even though they did not spell it out clearly, Shin could sense it by their closeness and intimate actions. However, he was neither jealous or uneasy about their relationship, and continued journeying through the times with them, an enviable threesome who looked as if their bonds would never be broken.
However, things started to change when yet more Angels were created, and when the Creator decided to add Human-Mortals to the World.
For Lilaciea was so intrigued with them, she spent more time with the humans, and lesser with Furhler.
Furhler was not a possessive Angel by nature, but the negligence Lilaciea had shown him caused his frustration to mount up, until it became an invisible, yet formidable grip upon his mind.
At the same time, Shin was promoted to be Lord of Angels... disrupting the delicate balance of their relationship, at a most inappropriate time.
Furhler began to harbour resentment against the two... a step towards a path of negativity that Angels fear to tread.
Imagine his rage, then, as he chanced upon his Lilaciea with her human lover...
He could not think then, and for the first time in his life, he lost control.
The human was torn into pieces with a sickle, hardly retaining a complete body after Furhler had finished exacting his vengeance on him.
To add to his list of violations, he forced himself upon Lilaciea... who had in the wake of the tragic events torched herself with the searing flames that burnt in the Cavern of the Ruby Dragon.
As punishment, Shin banished Furhler to an abandoned place far away from Angel Land, warning him never to appear on his land again...
Till this day, Furhler still stays there, harbouring plans for his escape, and plans to pay all of them back for reducing him to such a pathetic state......
Do you understand the story, Celestine?"
Redrumiel stared at her intently, perhaps hoping that she could catch the hidden clues he had so carefully placed between his words.
But this wasn't Celestine at all... just a puppet who would say what he wanted, or feel what it was taught to feel.
"Yes, Master. It was about the history of the Angels."
Redrumiel caressed its cheek tenderly with a palm.
It looked up with a blank stare, not knowing how to react to its Master's sudden display of affection.
He suddenly felt fatigued.
With a careless wave of his hand, he signalled for it to get out of his line of vision.
"Yes Master." Obediently, it complied, and walked out of the room with the same air of reverence.
Obedience... that's the last thing I want from you, Celestine... why can't you ever give me the single thing I desire, even when I have your will under mine......?
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He ran towards the girl to prevent her from falling off.
But his speed was not nearly as fast as that of the merciless pull of gravity... as were the reactions of those gathering around. Before they could even move a step, she had already disappeared from view.
His stomach revolting, he watched her fall towards the turning metal structure, hit her head against it, then plummet further towards the grassy mounds of Winhill.
There she stayed, her position awkward and motionless on the field as rivers flowed from where her head once was... rivers that stained the greens with a horrible maroon.
For in place of it was an unrecognisable mass of bone and brain matter... a gruesome sight for all who witnessed her end.
He was the first to rush there.
On seeing what was left of her, he could not stop the bitterness from rising to his mouth, turning another way to retch the bile in his throat.
Compelling himself to overcome the nausea, he knelt down next to her shattered skull and held her body against his, not heeding the stain on his clothes.
"Why didn't you give yourself a chance to explain? Why didn't you give us a chance to forgive you? You were too hasty......"
"Zell!" Someone shouted, and attempted to pry his arms away from the body, but he held on even tighter.
"Zell... you can't touch her before the pathologist does..." Said someone else.
"No! Leave her alone! She's already dead, and you still want to poke and pry around?"
"Get a hold of yourself!"
"Stop fighting!"
In the midst of the scuffle, a white envelop fell out from Waterlily's uniform onto the ground.
"What's this?" Rinoa pointed the item out to all, thereby successfully stopping them dead in their tracks.
"It's addressed to Zell!"
He snatched it up at once, opened it hastily, and took out the faintly scented paper within.
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Dearest Zell,
Another letter to you. Do not worry... this is not a love letter, like the one before... cos I know it troubles you to receive one from me.
You are the only one I can turn to... you are the only one who can help me atone for the hideous sins I have committed... even though I will never pay for them enough.
In my blood lies many clues to what have been plaguing the world recently. I believe that I have suffered from the same viral infection that those Estharians are afflicted with... for ashamed I am to say that under the control of a certain evil, I have poured a horrible poison into their source of drinking water... and swallowed the same thing... My conscience could not stop my hand fast enough, and now because of me, tens of thousands of people are going to die... and among them our dear Commander's father. I only hope that through the examination of my blood... our medical scientists can find a way to stop it from killing them...
More importantly... it is the identity of my manipulator that must be your priority... I have no idea who he is, and where he dwells... for he has erased my memory of the place... but I can be sure that he isn't human. He goes by the name of Redrumiel... it appears to be some foreign language known as "Anglish". He had planted an alien seed in me... and its decaying remains still lie somewhere around my internal system... Get it out... it will provide invaluable information about him...
You must find him, Zell. For he has held Celestine captive... and he has a hand in Quistis' condition. Only you can save them now... Celestine... I'm sure she's waiting for you.
I will always be around... and I will attempt to help you and the Garden in your times of need... however little the help may be...
Farewell... Zell... I know I promised that this isn't a love letter... but... I love you... forever, no matter what I am......
~~~~~Waterlily
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He folded the letter neatly into a square, and stuffed it into his pocket.
Then, reaching into his jacket, he took out another piece of paper, which was taped in many places, and placed it into the envelop.
He slid the envelop into her pocket.
He stood up, unshed tears rolling around the rims of his eyes.
"Call the investigators or whatever. We've got things to find out."