*****************************************
Death's Head - Disclaimer – I do not own Final Fantasy VIII. I do own three copies of the game, as well as all the figures, GF's, Ultima Weapon, OST and other things to do with this game. What can I say, I like FFVIII, you have a problem with that?
However, I DO own all of the original characters in this story. They are mine, I created them. They are not to be used without my permission.
*****************************************
On the continent of Trabia :Aberdeen watched the transport lift off from the ground, it's retro's sending snow flying as it lifted away, leaving the Instructor as well as a group of cadets, all readying themselves for the trial ahead of them. They had already accomplished the first trial, obtaining a Guardian Force of their own, and were eager to finish what they started. He paused as he watched three of them carefully, Seraphim, Rowan and Alexis. These three acted indifferent to the trial, as if they didn't care if the passed it or not. Seraphim had an extra cockiness to her, which made Aberdeen wary.
He glanced over at Rinoa and her small group, and allowed a tight lipped smile to spread on his face. He had trained Rinoa and Seraphim personally in the use of the gunblade, having been one to of mastered it's use early in his life, before joining Garden. However, he preferred his two hand held Hellfire cannons and the edged katana sheathed under his black trenchcoat. He noticed how Rinoa and Leslie acted, and forced himself to look away. Everytime he saw those two together, he was reminded of his wife, Ariel, and how they used to act before a mission. He once again, silently vowed , to find her.
A student cleared his throat and spoke, breaking Aberdeen's thoughts.
"Excuse me sir…? Shouldn't we start the final trial?"
Aberdeen nodded, and faced the group before him, arms folded across his chest.
"I hope all of you are sufficiently prepared. Especially considering where we are. This area has experienced a surge in local monster activity, what with the Island closest to Heaven being destroyed, and the island closest to Hell…" he paused, then continued "In any event, numerous Marlboro's, T-Rexaurs and even a few Red Dragon's have been seen in this region. Also add in the standard monster element of this area, and what we have here, is the ideal training ground, to find out if you lot, have what it takes to be SeeDs."
Seraphim muttered softly under her breath, and Aberdeen glared at her.
"Did you have something to say Ms. Almasy?"
Seraphim looked at him, and shrugged.
"Not really sir, just curious. How come a second rate mercenary like you, become our instructor? I mean, aren't all Garden Instructors, supposed to of been students at Garden?" she tilted her head to the side and smiled slyly "But then, I do know how you became an Intructor at Garden… by sleeping with the Headmaster's niece, isn't that right…sir?"
As Seraphim's cohorts chuckled, Aberdeen glared coldly at her. When he spoke, his voice was as cold as a tomb.
"Have a care what you say, or what you stick your nose into Ms. Almasy. One day, you could find yourself in a lot of trouble…"
Aberdeen patted his cannons at his hips. Seraphim swallowed. Everyone in Garden knew of the Hellfire cannons, belonging to Instructor Edwardes. Two triple barrel cannons, said to have been blessed by the GF's, Ifrit, Bahamut and Diablos, the latter being the GF Aberdeen himself was in possession of. The cannon harnessed the powers of the three GF's and the energy casts from it, was equal to that belonging to the GF's it had been granted the power of. If that wasn't bad enough, rumour in Garden said of the sword Aberdeen kept hidden, a sword so powerful it could easily destroy a GF with one strike.
Aberdeen looked at the group, arms once again folded against his chest.
"Now… everyone has heard of how Esthar's weapon, the Lunatic Pandora, was once buried here, 650 years or so ago. Well, the purpose of this, your final trial, is to find evidence of Esthar's greatest president, Laguna Loire, presence here. I know some of you may think how trivial and perhaps even foolish trial, but please take into account the monsters roaming this area, and of the two items you need to find. Legend states that Laguna had found two items here and subsequently lost them. Many people have tried to find these items over the past few centuries, and have found nothing but death."
Aberdeen turned and walked towards the edge of the cliff they were standing, overlooking the crater the Lunatic Pandora had once been buried in. He faced the group again, taking note of how many cadets wore pale and nervous expressions on their faces.
"Those of you here, who do not want to participate, can remain behind with me. Those of you, who not only want to participate, but pass this exam, can enter the crater and begin to search. However…" he stood straight, the sun behind him blinding the cadets "If any of you encounter trouble in this place, know that I cannot intervene. You participate in this trial, at your own expense, understood?"
Numerous murmurs could be heard, and plenty of cadets sat down, refusing to participate. A group remained standing, with grim, determined looks on their faces. Among them, were Seraphim and her two cronies, as were Rinoa and her friends. A thin, tight lipped smile spread over Aberdeen's face. He knew that these two women, were going to participate, no matter what. He counted how many were still standing, and out of the fifty cadets there, only eleven stood. He stared at each cadet coldly, as if he could stare into their soul and asked them if they knew what they were getting into and if they still wanted to do so. All eleven cadets nodded.
Aberdeen smirked.
"Very well. Ms. Leonhart, you and Mr. Tilmitt, Mr. Terok and Mr. Havard, I designate you Team Alpha. You may start from the north of the crater. Ms. Almasy, Mr. Galla and Mr. Trepe, you are Team Delta. You may start from the southeast of the crater. Mr. Wallace, Ms. Valentine, Mr. Locke and Mr. Cecil, you are Team Kappa. You may start from the southwest of the crater. I bid you all good fortune and success. Some of you may not return from this trial, but at any point, you may return, either the full group or individually and await reassessment by Instructors Dillenger and Tokai back at the Garden. That is IF you survive to return."
Seraphim smiled as she looked at Rowan and Alexis.
"Alright you two, we're gonna ace this trial and rub it in the face of little miss superiority over there."
She motioned at Rinoa and her group, and then headed down the path towards the crater, Alexis and Rowan behind her, checking their weapons.
Rinoa watched Seraphim and her two companions head down the path, and then Sturt Wallace, leading his group away as well. She looked at Leslie, Ramalad and Kye and spoke softly.
"We all know of how dangerous this place is. I want to know if the three of you are comfortable with accepting this."
Ramalad snorted.
"Look Rinoa, I'm ready for anything. I've got a heap of Fira's, Blizzara's and other tasty little spells ready to cast. All that, as well as having Shiva at my beck and call." He smiled his cocky smile "Ready when you are boss."
Rinoa looked at Kye.
"Kye?"
The White Mage leaned on his staff.
"You're going to need as much help in there as you can get Rinoa, and with all the monsters around, you may run out of potions. Don't you think having the Top White Mage in his class with you, would be more than prudent. It would guarantee your survival in there. I'm going along as well, besides…" He looked at his Black Mage counterpart "I can't let him have all the fun."
Ramalad laughed as Rinoa looked at Leslie, who raised his hand to stop her from talking.
"Wherever you go Rinoa, so do I. End of story."
Rinoa sighed.
"Thanks guys. But you do understand, I had to give you all the choice whether to go or not."
Ramalad chuckled.
"You may give us the choice my dear, but it is up to us, and us alone what we do with that choice. Ergo, we join you."
Kye nodded.
"For once I agree with him, we're going with you Rinoa, and there's nothing you can do about it."
Rinoa smiled, her eyes bright with happiness, the Rinoa her friends had known before, and Leslie had fallen in love with. He looked at her, as he motioned towards the path.
"We better go. Don't want Seraphim or Sturt to beat us to the prize now, do we?"
Rinoa nodded.
"You're right Les. Alright then, Team Alpha, let's go."
Rinoa led her companions down the path towards the ruined crater. As she passed Aberdeen, she noticed how he studied her as she went past. It was a look of curiosity and something else. She didn't know what it was, but sensed nothing of ill intent from him, only a feeling of hope. Hope that they succeed.
No sooner had Rinoa and her group left his sight, Aberdeen spoke quietly to the shadow near him.
"Watch them carefully, and aid them, without their knowledge."
The shadow spoke in a gravelly voice.
"I can do that Aberdeen, but isn't that against your 'rules'?"
Aberdeen snorted.
"Rules, bah. You of all GF's should know rules were meant to be broken Diablos. Besides, there's something about Ms. Leonhart, something which doesn't sit well with me."
Diablos sighed.
"I do as you ask. After all, there is your agreement with Bahamut, which must never be broken. Therfore I shall honor the agreement."
The shadowy form of Diablos skirted into the dark shadows of the surrounding terrain, and flowed after Rinoa. Aberdeen watched his GF go about his task and sighed.
I hope they succeed. If so, I'll ask Edgar to lend me Rinoa and her team to find Ariel. She's still alive, at least that's what Bahamut told me. But then, he only heard that from Siren. Still, the King of all Dragons has always kept his word with me. I pray he'll continue to keep it.
*****************************************
Death's Head - I apologise about the extreme lateness in regards to an update for this story. I've been busy with numerous other projects, amongst other things. For a time, I found it hard to continue this story, since the idea to write this, came from my late girlfriend, who passed away last year. Since then, I haven't had the nerve to continue it, and have often found myself thinking of deleting it. However, I've decided to continue this story, and hope that wherever she is, my girlfriend is happy that I'm writing it.The next update should hopefully be ready and uploaded on FF.Net by mid March. Please R&R.