Author's Note: Last chapter comes up tomorrow.

Reincarnation

Chapter 17-Out of Time

Twelve Hours Left

The Invincible

Kuja:

          "I have to stop at the Black Mage Village, Zidane. I need something important from my name."

          "Not a chance."

          I glanced at Zidane from my seat on the floor next to Kirika.

          "Let her go, Zidane. It's on the way," I muttered.

          Personally, I was trying to get in sleep from the busier events of the day and I didn't want to hear arguing.

          "Fine."

          I nodded and let my eyes shut.

Mikoto:

          I moved away from the cockpit and headed down the stairs into the teleporter room. Kirei was already down there clearly in deep thought.

          "Why are we stopping in the Black Mage Village?" She asked.

          "To keep everyone safe," I replied.

          Kirei snorted incredulously.

          "How does that made us safe?"

          "The Invincible's high technology engine is dying. Once the mist hits it while we're in mid air, we'll crash. But if were on the ground when it occurs, then we'll be fine."

          "But what about transportation?"

          "It will take us a few hours to get to Conde Petie (A/N: Spelling?) and another one or two to get to the Iifa."

          Kirei sighed.

          "Risky…"

          Risky indeed, my dear. But I was determined to save Gaia in order to compete my plans. It wouldn't take me long to establish them either.

Kuja:

          I was in control of the Invincible when a heavy amount of shuddering caught my attention.

          "Zidane," I called while observing the engine gauges.

          My sleepy brother drifted away from his wife and glanced at the gauges.

          "Not good. The Invincible's anti-mist engine is dying."

          I grimaced.

          "We'll have to land in Black Mage Village and continue on."

          Zidane nodded and went off to share the news. In the meantime, I brought the trembling Invincible down outside of the hump that served as the Black Mage Village.

Eight hours left

Kirika:

          The air was thick with mist from the Iifa Tree and it was hard for me or the others to carry on in such conditions. But we had made it to Condie Petie alive, so I guess it would turn out ok from there. However, the residents weren't so lucky. The town was eerily silent as we passed through. The scent of death hung in the air, assaulting my nose. They were so innocent; it just didn't make any sense. Why would Garland want to kill such people?

          ~Because, he'll do whatever possible to resurrect Terra. It is his life mission.~

          I glanced around in confusion and saw that Kuja was looking at me. He looked like the mist was taking a harder toll on him than on us. But I knew better.

          "Was that you in my head?" I mouthed.

          I nodded.

          ~You had a question did you not?~

          ~Yes, yes I did.~

          It wasn't long before we read the end of a ghostly, silent Condie Petie.

          ~How long before the mist takes a more serious hold on us?~

          Kuja stroked his chin thoughtfully.

          ~When we get closer, it will become more difficult. I doubt any of us will pass out, but that's not granted.~

          The trail was dark and foggy and most of the plants were dead.

          "Everything's dying," Garnet commented.

          "Yeah, it's horrible," Zidane whispered.

          Our voices sounded so loud out here. This was something I definitely wasn't used to.

          "We have to cheer up, you guys," I said softly.

          Everyone stared at me strangely with hints of a grin on their faces. I smiled back nervously.

          "She's right. We have to be cheerful! It'll lift our spirits," Zidane said.

          That made me smile wider. To think that Zidane liked my idea meant more to me than life itself. Within minutes, we were talking and singing songs. It seemed to me that the mist had lifted substantially. I climbed up a small set of vines on to a root filled ledge from above. I edged over so that Kuja and the others could get up easily.

          "Watch your step, everyone. The roots feel like they are coming alive," Kuja muttered.

          I got to my feet and started across. I could feel how unstable the earth was under me. I glanced at Kuja from over my shoulder nervously. A rumble from deep underneath the roots sound and I froze in my tracks. A shuddering root jumped up from the ground, knocking me off of my feet. A root darted in and wrapped itself around my waist.

          "Firaga!"

          A burst of flame hit the vine and engulfed it and my waist easily. I shrieked, landed on the roots setting fire to them.

          "Water!"

          I was drenched from head to toe and lifted away from the spreading flames.

          "Go on to the Iifa! Hurry!" Kuja shouted.

          The roots separated themselves from the earth and whipped out at us. I stumbled and fell on to the dirt. Kirei grabbed my arms and tried to help me up. But a root grabbed me by the waist and legs, jerking me away. I fought against the pull with all my might and hit something hard. My vision went blank and my body lay still.

Sixteen Minutes Left Until Genocide

Iifa Tree

Kuja:

          My head hurt like hell and pain shot up my arms and legs. But one thing stayed in my mind: time. My eyes shot open, and I glanced around my surroundings. I was at the bottom of some kind of stairs. The entire place seemed to glow a bright orange and I heard the rhythmic sigh of the soul 'breathing' system. We were in the heart of the Iifa.

          "Zidane! Garnet! Mikoto! Kirei! Kirika!" I shouted.

          "I'm up here, Kuja," answered a calm voice.

          I walked up the stairs slowly, not really trusting them.

          "How much time do we have?" I asked.

          Mikoto lifted her hand and sighed.

          "Fourteen minutes."

          My jaw dropped. I've been out for eight hours?

          "It wasn't just you, Kuja. Everyone was out eight hours."

          "Where's Kirika?" I asked.

          Mikoto shrugged.

          "I can't really tell you. No one has seen her since we've been knocked out."

          Damnit! I had to find Kirika now!

          "Round up the others! I'm going ahead. Give me the time in my head!"

          I ran up the higher set of stairs and jumped onto the leaf platform waiting there. It circled round and round until it reached the top. The ground began to shake violently beneath my feet.

          ~Twelve Minutes~

          "Kirika!" I shouted.

          Orange mist shot up from the ground, making it harder for me to find my daughter. I ran about almost blindly until I tripped over something solid. I touched the object softly, noting that the object was breathing.

          ~Ten Minutes~

          "Kirika! Wake up!"

          I could almost hear Garland's disturbing laugh in my head. He was begging me to quit now. He was telling me that it was futile. I lifted Kirika into my lap and shook her lightly. Her pale face was covered with caked blood. That was my true daughter, the innocence that she kept six years ago.

          ~Eight Minutes~

          I brushed Kirika's hair away from with my hand and kissed her forehead softly.

          "You are my special little girl, Kirika. I'm sorry I left you when you were so young. I thought your mother would raise you to be a proud noble."

          ~Six Minutes, Kuja~

          I held back my tears of grief and bitterness.

          "But it wouldn't work out that way. I was killed and your sanity faded. You did everything possible to help me. I love you, my dear little one."

          The rumbling grew louder and the mists grew hotter.

          "Please…Kirika…" I whispered.

          The body stirred in my grasp and then lay still.

          ~Four Minutes, Kuja. We can't stay here much longer! We have to teleport out. Stay safe.~

          ~Take care, Mikoto.~

          It wasn't long before the walls pulsated with mist and it seemed like the tree was about to explode.

          "Kirika! Wake up, now!"

          Tears fell from my eyes and onto her pale cheeks. Kirika's eyes shot open immediately and got to her feet.

          "It's ok, father. Everything is fine now."

          She turned away from me and held her arms out in front of her. An unbelievable amount of power shot out of her hands and into the walls. Kirika let out an anguished scream. There was too much mist in the room and it was sapping away from her resistance. Although I knew it could put me near death, I decided to help her with some power.

          "Please grant me the ultimate power…"

          Orange-purple energy shot out of my hands and mixed in with Kirika's energy. There was a blood curdling snapping sound from deep in the heart of the Iifa. The mist died away slowly and vanished altogether. I watched in awe as Kirika began blasting holes in the bark of the tree. She was confronting the Iifa Tree. Something I wished I could do. But this…this was glorious. And just like that, it ended. Kirika coughed up blood and passed out completely.

          "Silver!"