Alone in the Dark
Author's Notes:
Info: An A/U fic following the timeline of events of the videogame Final Fantasy 6. Join 'The Returners' in their fight against Kefka and their quest to save the universe from his reign of terror.
Disclaimer: All characters and events are copyright Squaresoft, and I claim no right whatsoever to them.
Warnings: Language, Mature Themes.
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The golden hues of the candle's rays have near-vanished completely. I observe how they cause the blackening shadows around me to dance and grow ever more menacingly upon the grey stone walls which line my prison. The floor beneath me is cold, uncomfortably so, heightened of course by the sting of spring's bitter evening through the cell's singular, barred, window. Taking in a deep breath, I note the scent of my own blood and sweat; neither of which, I should add, are very appealing. Unless, of course, you're one of those whackos that get off on that sort of thing.
Chained, now, I have been for days; or maybe it's only been a few hours…one tends to lose track of time in this place. Boredom and depression plague my mind, but though the demons that guard my cell are persistent, I will not break. I, at least, owe Leo that much; the sheer knowledge that he trained me well. Although, I must say, I'm not at all pleased that he hasn't come to bust me out of this hellhole yet…maybe he's not coming, maybe he's dead, who knows? Who cares?
My regiment obviously doesn't. You'd think that out of a league of ten thousand specially trained men, working for the world's main super power, one of them would have had the balls to stand up to Kefka's orders. Well, besides me of course, I mean, that's why I'm here right? 'Celes Chere, imperial commander and rebel whore.' Hmm…I like the sound of that.
Yup, there we go, right on schedule, the blasted light's gone out and I'm left here alone in darkness. Christ…I wonder how long it'll be before those fucking drunkards walk in again in pathetic attempts to rough me up and get a confession from me. Heh, gave the last one a bit of a scare last night, didn't I? Served him right, his mother should have taught him to keep his paws to himself. I mean, you can't go off trying to rape someone and not expect them to bite down…hard.
God, I sound so bitter, don't I? Not without good reason, I assure you. Fuck, who is this 'you' I'm even talking to? I guess that's what prisoner's do in attempts to maintain their sanity, talk and think to themselves in second person, pretending that they're not indeed alone…abandoned by all loyalty and honour you thought you once held in an instant.
It feels like a fleeting memory, a distant dream, how I once led those thousand troops over the grassy hillsides of Maranda, and sent aflame that pathetic excuse for a village in an instant. For what though? To dish out punishment that my liege saw fit, a warning message to all other beings inhabiting this planet: The Imperial Magitek Empire had arrived, and were they to step a mere toe out of line, their villages and lives would be next. Oh Kefka, how I applaud your ambitious efforts, I really do.
You went through all the trouble of constructing the perfect army. Gathering nothing but the master's of their fields in the beginning: physics, chemistry, mechanics, engineering; and making them all offers that they just couldn't refuse. Heh, I still remember that one bio chemist that would not work…until you slaughtered his children in front of him, you bastard. Was it worth it? Well, was it? To see the look of horror upon his face as you crushed his son's skull between your fingers as if he were a chunk of aluminum scrap? I can still hear his screams at night…
I was blind then, yet what I am now I'm not entirely sure. Shrouded beneath the veil of victory, I wanted nothing more to taste further gain for the empire. To bring you happiness, to bow beneath your praise and say that it was hardly an effort. Did I care when we levelled entire villages to the ground? I think not. Did I care when we would go on 'slave raids' and gather every able bodied man, woman, and child to work for us in our factories? No, it was an asset and a need to the Empire. So, what was it then that finally made me realize the truth about the deeds I carried out in your name? To dare stand my ground and speak the one word which sealed my fate, and condemned me to this foul place, forevermore? Love.
Yes, as sick as it may seem, from the moment I was first brought to the Empire and infused with Shiva, the ice esper, I knew that my only purpose in life was to serve and please you. Kefka, my entire world; from the passionately burning flames as they consumed entire cities, to the faint scent of victory upon the air as I, and the rest of the survivors, returned home. All in the name of you, my saviour, the divine king to reinstate the right in the world that other men had tainted into wrong. I believed in you, I would have gladly given my life, or the lives of all the beings in the universe, if it meant that you were to be happy and achieve your master plan: Conquer the world, overthrow the emperor, then rule its masses mercilessly under your iron fist.
Then, one day, before our attack on a nearby castle, I accidentally overheard your words to general Leo while readying my armour outside of a nearby tent. "Don't be silly, you simple minded man! General Chere is nothing but that, another hard headed, mindless oaf, that will go to any great lengths I command her too in order to fulfill her pathetic purpose among our ranks! What ever gave you the impression that I could feel for such a thing? Let alone favour her squadron of mules?" It was then I knew it was over, my purpose for living, the Empire, just…everything.
I was so angry…no, it was beyond anger. Impossible to describe, yet too intense to ignore. I burst in on them at once, and with arms outstretched, I strangled that son of a bitch until I was sure his face had turned blue. I wanted revenge, revenge for the last eight years of my life that I had wasted. Yet, mere moments after, I found myself being beaten down by his surrounding personal guard, and…well, I woke up here under the charge of 'rebel.' How fitting.
Why I dwell on these past memories I don't know, they only bring me closer to a place I want to desperately to shut out of my mind forever. I suppose now all I can do is pray that my death will be swift and painless, although I do not believe I deserve it after all of which I've inflicted upon the masses of Maranda and the other villages…All in the name of the Empire, the same that now turns it's back on me when I need it most.
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Author's Notes:
Chapter 1 - Lol, I hadn't written anything Final Fantasy related in awhile so I decided to give it a shot. Persnally, FF3 is my favourite game, although near everyone knows it by FF6 (the redone playstation version that I'm extremely angry about! UGH! HAVE YOU SEEN THE INSANE LOADING TIMES ON THAT THING?!) Whatever, *is calm* lol, well if you've played the game you know that Celes is currently being held by the Empire, just before Locke comes in, saves her ass, and has her join The Returners. XD Remember, although this is A/U (IE: Celes being in past-love with Kefka) I'm going to try my best to stick to the timeline. Sorry if I stray at times though ;) Reviews are always welcome, but only constructive ones, no outward flaming please. =P
All characters mentioned in this fan fiction are property of their respected owners.