~Chapter Fifteen~
A girl of seventeen with a tumble of rich black curls and subdued violet eyes flecked with hints of silver stood up. Running her slender fingers through her heavy curls, she walked up the stairs.
"Goodnight, Kali." The older woman murmured not even looking up from her work. Kalasin elegantly sneered at her back before continuing on to her bedroom.
Shutting the door quietly, she traced her finger around the doorframe she invoked a warped version of the silence spell that made it impossible for sound to leave the room.
"Damn infuriating woman." She snarled and threw a book at the door, watching it thud and slide to the ground.
Striding over to her windowsill, she checked the protective spells and refreshed them. They were to keep from being found out by Odines technology, at least for now.
Ever since she was a baby, Kalasin had been a sorceress. Her mother had given birth to her on the beach after being startled by a monster had brought on her labour hard and fast. Kalasin was born the day Sorceress Rinoa had died, the minute Rinoa's life had ended, Kalasin's had started. Those circumstances had meant that infant Kalasin was endowed with powers, warping her innocence at an early age. All she ever thought of was using her powers that had unlocked on her fifteenth birthday. Before then, she'd always felt disdain for others and inner feeling of superiority and power. Always fascinated with Sorceresses, after all her birthday was the death day of the last one, Kalasin had researched their power and how they were controlled. She knew how they were tracked and had devised a way to deter them. She was smart, because with the power of previous sorceresses had come their knowledge. Well endowed with power and knowledge, Kalasin was biding her time until the time was right. Ever since Hyne took the throne, it was obvious to every magic wielding sorceress that they were born to rule. The only thing that kept them right was their sense of right and wrong, of their experiences and knowledge. But Kalasin had had the power and knowledge since birth, her whole perspective on life was warped by past. She was doomed to never truly be herself, just the power she held. A soft pinging noise was heard outside Kalasin's window, but she didn't notice. Kalasin was busy painting her nails with a sleek silver polish. Inspecting them closely, she was very much the teenager.
~*~
Quistis Trepe looked up as Laguna Loire's face flashed up onto her screen.
"We've found the Sorceress." He said grimly. Quistis flew to her feet.
"Where is she?" She demanded hastily, brushing blonde hair out of her eyes.
The buzzing of the intercom roused Fureya awake. She was in bed and surrounded by Willard's warmth, but she wasn't given time to blush maidenly or enjoy the feeling. Quistis's words cut straight through them.
"We've just got word from Esthar, traces of non elemental para-magic has been found in Winhill. It is definitely a sorceress's power; the readings are different from the rest. I want SeeDs Leonhart, Trepe, Almasy, Dincht, Kinneas and Dalmasso to report to my office straight away along with Squall and Kaddar."
The intercom chimed out and Fureya turned her face towards Willard, worry darkening her gaze.
"We should go." She murmured breathlessly. He nodded quietly and climbed out of bed, getting dressed quickly. Fureya quickly followed suit.
"Kaddar." Keladryie said softly and linked her arm through his and together they headed off.
~*~
Assembled in the Headmistresses office, they stood in straggly little groups, starting alertly at Quistis.
"As soon as SeeD Fionn arrives with his aircraft, we shall be leaving immediately. The sorceress must be acquired and sedated if necessary. But under no circumstance is the Sorceress to be killed or profusely harmed. As we all know, under such circumstance she will transfer power." Quistis looked gravely at them. "I chose you because you are young and skilled in different things, you will be led by Squall and Kaddar will be joining you because he is manpower and there's not really a place for him without Squall or Fureya."
~*~
Jan arrived at four am the next morning, the Ragnarok II outfitted for the mission.
At four thirty am, they set off. The group was sleepily alert as they sat in a comfortable silence. Keladryie was curled up with her head on Kaddar's lap as he stroked her soft dark red hair. Fureya was tucked gently on Willard's lap as Macen, Garret and Amelia leant against each other.
About half way through the trip the vacant area in the aircraft began to shimmer brightly and six odd shaped figures appeared.
"Yotto!" Carbuncle chirped as he sat on Fureya's lap; he'd been aiming for Willard's but Fureya was in the way. The sparkling slender figure of Shiva sat down next to the couple, her face impassive as Carbuncle clamoured on to her lap.
"English." She ordered and stroked the creature affectionately. The dark forbidding figure of Diablos was in the shadows behind Keladryie; Quezacotl had furled his great wings and was staring eyelessly at the group as Leviathan coiled around Garrets feet. Ifrit was standing in the middle, observing them as silently as Quezacotl.
"Well." Ifrit started, his voice deep and rough. "We are finally hunting Hyne again." Shiva cast him a long glance.
"This isn't Hyne, just her descendant." She said coolly as Carbuncle nodded in fierce agreement.
"Different person, same curse." Leviathan hissed, as Ifrit growled.
"It doesn't matter. We must purge her from this world." He snapped, waving a clawed fist in emphasis.
"Yo, Ifrit." Macen spoke up. "We are under strict instruction not to kill her or even harm her." He put in, his eyebrows raised. Ifrit shrugged his powerful shoulders.
"Your mortal leader doesn't understand the work we must do." Shiva put in coldly. "We must kill her and we must absorb her power or another sorceress will be born, maybe even more." Fureya wrinkled her nose in thought for a moment.
"How do you get many Sorceresses from one? Like Hyne was one, but there became two after her?" Fureya asked softly, yelping slightly as the aircraft jolted. Willard tightened his arms around her silently.
"If the Sorceress is forced to transfer her power and the recipient rejects it with all their heart, they only receive half of the powers and the remnants of the power get infused in someone else." Diablos said curtly, as if annoyed she didn't already know.
"Are you saying my mother became a sorceress because a little part of her wanted to?" Fureya demanded softly. Shiva put a gentle cool hand on her arm and shook her head.
"The shock of when your mother got the powers was so strong, she didn't have time to resist. She was even comatose for a while after." Shiva glanced over at Squall who nodded gravely. "Rinoa was the strongest Sorceress before she died, as strong as Hyne herself. She carried all of the power within her heart and her heart was strong enough to resist the pull of evil. Which is why we must find this sorceress, she will probably retain all of Hynes power and unless she has a strong sense of what's wrong and what's right, she wont be friendly."
Diablos nodded as if agreeing with Shiva.
"We are going to whoop some Sorceress ass!" Carbuncle chirped, causing the tension to disappear. "Like this!" He bounded out of Shiva's lap and bounced really high and came down, kicking his long green feet out against Diablo's leathery chest. "Akuryo Taisan!" Carbuncle cried out loudly. Diablos didn't even blink as he swatted the creature away.
"What does 'Akuryo taisan' mean?" Fureya asked, stifling a giggle as Carbuncle climbed happily back into Shiva's lap.
"It means 'evil spirit be gone' basically." Leviathan hissed tiredly before disappearing a spray of silver droplets. Garret grunted slightly as felt the coolness of Leviathans presence in his mind. Following suit, the Guardians with the exception of Carbuncle who moved to Fureya's lap, took their former positions in their host's minds.
~*~
When they landed, Squall pulled out his tracking device that Laguna had sent through Jan.
"The power was sensed about 100 metres from here." He commented before pocketing it again.
Walking to the said position, they found it was Laguna's old home, from the time when Ellone had sent Squall to his past. Fureya was the one who went to knock on the door, Carbuncle wrapped across her shoulders.
A girl with black curls, looking about seventeen opened up the door.
"May I help you?" She said sweetly. Almost instantly Carbuncle let out a shrill shriek and launched himself at her, his soft green paws tipped with deadly looking silver claws. The claws caught on her cheek, ripping the flesh open.
"Sorceress!" Fureya gasped as Kalasin swatted the creature away. Carbuncle disappeared into Willard and almost instantly Willard's eyes turned a ruby red. The rest of the chosen's eyes changed as the Guardian Forces assumed their bodies forcefully.
"Squall. Kaddar. Get back!" Ifrit/Amelia demanded, her dark red eyes furious as she extended a hand and blasted Kalasin with fire. The fire was repelled as Kalasin swore and cast reflect.
Carbuncle/Willard instantly jumped forward, weapon drawn. Kalasin screamed a word and he was thrown back. Almost instantly, bolts of lightning and sharp looking icicles rained down on the girl. They were easily deflected.
It wasn't long before the noises brought the towns people out to see Kalasin being attacked by strangers.
"You fool!" Kalasin shrieked, her voice nearly inhuman with rage. "Do you really think your petty magic's can stop me?" The years of suppressed anger was starting to shine through. Flicking her hand out against them, she threw up a shield that contained the attackers. Sneering, she grabbed Kaddar with a binding spell and suspended him in the air with float.
Pausing in mid stride as she turned away, she stared at Squall.
"Thank you for killing your wife." She sneered. "It made me the person I am today." With that she turned and strode off to where the aircraft was parked, beckoning for the spelled Kaddar to follow.
Squall let out a furious scream and launched himself at the barrier, clawing it at til his hands bled.
Behind Fureya, Carbuncle let out a soft whiffling noise. Shiva/Fureya turned and froze with wide blue eyes; Carbuncle was nudging the lifeless body of Willard. Fureya/Shiva raced over and dropped to her knees next to Willard. He smelt slightly of smoke as Fureya/Shiva pressed fingers against his neck.
Keladryie stared at the shield; her eyes threatening to spill held back tears as she watched the bright red aircraft take off. Kaddar had been used as a bargaining tool so the Sorceress could escape. Clenching a fist, she glared at it her eyes loosing their blackness as her consciousness won control.
A tear slipped down Fureya/Shiva's cheek, catching Carbuncle's attention.
"Shiva, why are you crying?" He was confused by the emotions he'd never seen on his sister's face.
"Its not me." She baffled, bringing her hands up to her face as the blueness of her eyes faded to grey. Fureya looked up at the sky, the sight fizzled by the shield. Fureya thumped a hand down on his chest fiercely and rested her head on his chest, tears building up in the corners of her eyes.
"Willard you asshole." She whispered hoarsely. "You can't leave. We need you now, to fight the sorceress. I need you!" She sniffed, oblivious to the motion of his chest. "I love you. You can't leave me!" Tears slowly tracked a path down her face.
Willard let out a soft snort and pushed her off.
"I'm not dead so you can stop your mourning." He groaned and sat up, only to be knocked over as Fureya pounced on him. "Carbuncle threw himself out of me and threw up a shield, but it knocked me out." He murmured and kissed Fureya's forehead. Looking over head at the others, he noted they were themselves. He also noted Keladryie's forlorn figure at the edge of the shield. "We have to break the confines and go get Kaddar back." He said and stood up, picking Fureya up in his arms and cradling her quietly. Squall nodded and looked around for a solution, resting a sympathetic hand on Keladryie's shoulder.