The Beginning of the End
Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec
Excitate vox e somno, liberi mei
Cunae sunt non
Excitate vos e somno, liberi fatali
Somnus est non
Surgite
Inventite
Veni hortum veritatis
Horti verna veritatis
Ardente veritate
Urite mala mundi
Ardente veritate
Incendite tenebras mundi
Valete, liberi
Diebus fatalibus
Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec
- FFVIII
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Things often start small, a tiny shoot, a bubbling creek, a young animal, a SeeD.
A SeeD, nurtured within a Garden.
For there too, comes a time whence we must stand up for ourselves, and what is right.
Even if it means that we stand alone.
But can we muster that courage to stand up? When others rally against us? Can we grant ourselves the power, the passion that burns within our souls, to defend what we think is right?
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Rinual Plains, Balamb,
Seifer sat against the balcony of Balamb Garden's 2F Deck. He gazed at the seemingly endless skies, which were an exceedingly dark colour for a time such as now, 6 in the morn. Unless the SeeD and the others managed to vanquish their final foe, these skies would never again appear in their cerulean glory. They would never again be light for the denizens of the world. They would never again be filled with birds, soaring through the endless heavens.
And neither would the earth be happy again, under the absolute and total rule of the Sorceress. The last of her kind.
For, if the SeeD succeeded, the witches would never rise again, marking the end of magic as they knew it. Yet, it was a small price to pay, for eternal peace.
Squall was not taking this well at all. He would not be able to even if he tried. For the one witch they were to slay, was Rinoa Heartily.
Five years ago, the SeeD team had defeated Ultimecia, and tried to vanquish her from the planet. Yet, she was Time, and eternal in that sense. Three years later, she was vanquished, but by one of her own kind. The Time/Space Magic that was wielded by Rinoa was powerful enough to lock Ultimecia away forever.
And history repeats itself, the sands of time flow endlessly. Our sins from the past come back to haunt us again. It goes on endlessly, an inevitable cycle, the end always near, and yet so far.
No matter how much we try, we cannot seem to stop the endless spiral.
Zell came up behind him and tapped Seifer lightly on his left shoulder. "Yo, Seifer, we have to attend the last battle planning session. Squall's holding the planning, and he…… he wants us to be there. All of us."
Seifer exhaled. Squall was really going to go through the end. He would not spare anyone any mercy now. Not after what he had endured. He wouldn't back away now.
"Okay, chicken-wuss. Guess we should go see what our dear old puberty boy has in store for us."
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High SeeD Command, Balamb Garden (currently twenty degrees southeast of Balamb), Rinual Plains
Squall stood before his men, and gave them the customary SeeD salute. He was garbed in a formal dress uniform not unlike the one he had worn to the SeeD Inauguration so long ago.
It seemed like an eternity.
In that time, SeeD had unified the separate Gardens and White SeeD, renaming themselves the SeeD Alliance. The White SeeD ship had been upgraded into an airship, and now housed primary recon equipment, as it was faster and more manoeuvrable than the Gardens. Beside the cerulean glory of Balamb Garden flew the crimson of Galbadia Garden and the pearl of Trabia Garden, all unified in a common goal.
Squall addressed each one of his friends, and smiled softly, giving words of encouragement, something that had happened none too often. The last time he did it was in the siege of the Deep Sea Research Centre. Yet, even though he filled his voice with as much courage and determination as possible, his heart was grieving greatly, his one last solace before the beginning of the end.
"Irvine. Good to see that you're all fired up." Irvine chuckled softly and patted the large shotgun that sat in the belt holster of his SeeD uniform, which was remodelled slightly to look like his old cowboy outfit. "Me and Exeter will see this through together." Placing an arm around the still-childish looking girl beside him, he added. "And Selphie too."
Squall nodded, noticing the glimmer in Selphie's eyes as she prepared to kill her onetime friend. She choked out some words.
"Rin-Rinoa was once-our friend-yet, today, we……"
Squall patted her lightly on her head and let Irvine take over. He knew all too well what she was going through, and wished that he could share the pain with someone, but there was no one for him. He would focus on the task at hand, and grieve later.
"Zell, ready?"
Zell, the martial artist of the group, was stroking his tattoo nervously, and nodded fervently. Letting his best friend enjoy some time alone, Squall moved on, to Quistis, and Seifer who stood beside her.
"Quisty, I guess that the time is here. Stand strong."
Quistis nodded once, and spoke quietly. "We all have to do…… what we have to do. Whether we like it, or not."
Seifer was with downcast eyes too. Even though he had found solace in Quistis after all these years of bereavement, Rinoa was his onetime lover, and it would be as hard to fight her as Squall felt. The latter placed one gloved hand on Seifer's shoulder, and the both of their eyes met. Seifer steeled his nerves, despite the unmentionable burden that was placed on their back. To slay the one they had loved.
Squall moved on, speaking softly to Raijin and Fujin who stood behind Seifer as usual, but now adorned with the SeeD uniform, as their former leader now sported. Seifer, however, still had his trademark trenchcoat over his outfit, as Raijin and Fujin had the shoulder guards that read Lightning and Wind. Last but not least, Squall came upon Xu and Nida, part of the Garden's tactical staff. Nida was still pilot, and Xu was Assistant Headmistress.
At last, the speeches done, Squall surveyed his determined team one last time.
"Let's go get her."
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A/N: Okay, the first chapter is up! Read on to find out more!