VI

Guardian

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He flicked his flame-coloured eyes upon the questioner, and the observer shivered slightly from her hidden position, even when she knew she was safe within the shadows. Those eyes bored into the soul, be it immortal or otherwise. There was something in those flames that made one reconsider the meaning of one's life, and ponder upon questions never thought before.

Certain questions, such as, Why in the name all that is sacred am I still here? certainly did cross the mind.

He flicked a claw carelessly in the direction of the speaker. His voice was a low rumble from deep within his throat. "Do you see the future, old friend, to have such knowledge of events?"

"I do not. But how could things not change? Have we not kept this hidden for centuries?" She knew the speaker on sight -- the one known as the errant knight -- and he was standing proudly in front of the elaborate dais, refusing the offer of a seat. His armour gleamed in the perpetual half-light, and his horned helmet was held to his side. He did not look like a supplicant before a king -- he was the king himself. She rarely ever saw him here, and when she did, she never felt the need to get in his way. He was rather daunting, and his overly formal speech caused the rift already existing between him and the younger guardians to widen into an unbridgeable chasm.

But his presence here simply confirmed the rumours, didn't it? Oh, how she hated to admit to that insufferable midget of a guardian that he was right. He'd hold it over her for all of eternity.

But then again, if they put no stop to this nonsense, there would be no such thing such as eternity. She didn't exactly found the thought comforting.

"You would not stop this, then?" the knight pressed, and she started at the near-echo of her thoughts. For a fleeting moment she wondered if she had his support on her side, and her heart, had it existed, soared.

The answering gaze was lazy, slightly reproving. "You know the Code. There is no reason for us to take interest of their affairs, except in the usual way."

"And the danger?"

"Nothing that they cannot deal with themselves." A deliberate smile played over his features, and she thought it seemed more like a snarl. She had always found him benevolent before, but her confidence in him was slowly eroding. "You said it yourself -- they're the best warriors you have came across over the centuries. If they cannot deal with it, no one can."

"The younger ones will not see it that way." It was a casual remark, yet it felt as if it was directed to her, and she instinctively shrunk back, missing the slight glance the knight had thrown her way.

The Ancient One tapped his claws on the armrest of his throne, considering. "No, they won't. They'll want to help."

"And what shall you do then?" That was the closest to disrespect that she had ever heard in the low, rich voice.

A shrug of the powerful shoulders. "Let them try. They will not be able to make a difference."

The knight contemplated this silently, and the observer shuddered in the thick, almost tangible silence. "And what about the sorceress?" he eventually asked, his voice completely neutral.

Another pause, longer this time.

"She's of no consequence; not this time."

The implied threat hung in the darkness. This was not her place, she thought belatedly, and she crept away as silently and as quickly as possible. She vanished in a flash of ethereal wings and a lilting note of her harp as soon as she was certain she was out of sight.

'

*

'

Odin's eyes flicked to the entrance as Siren's form disappeared to the mortal world. He could not see her, no, but he could sense her form diminishing from this dimension and reappearing in the next. She took their powers too lightly -- all the young ones did. That was their first mistake, and it was a very costly one.

That was his mistake too, a very long time ago.

"My lord, I do not think that that was particularly wise."

Perhaps he was making the same mistake again now.

"The younger ones will still act, no matter what we do to stop them." The Dragon Lord's eyes held mild amusement. "They are too fond of these mortals, and some of them still remember too well how it is to be . . . human." His sharp gaze rested on the former knight. Odin did not flinch. There was no reason to. Maybe those too-sharp eyes liked what they saw, though it was a long pause before he continued. "It would be better if we helped them along, don't you think?"

Odin bowed his acquiescence, but he still was not convinced. The young were reckless, often too hasty in their decisions, but still . . . they would be breaking an unspoken agreement, held true for aeons. "I still think that it would be prudent that we not interfere with the mortal world, not unless we are summoned." Nor, he thought to himself, should we meddle in the affairs of our kind, however misguided they may be.

His lord read his mind, as always.

"We are not, as you say, interfering, old friend." Those claws were still tapping absently on the throne's armrest. Tap. Tap tap tap. Tap. Tap. Tap tap tap. He knew the pattern well, he has heard it many times before. "Think it as . . . guidance."

"But will they let themselves be guided?" Odin murmured.

"Guidance need not be evident, my friend. You know that better than most."

"And if they still resist?"

Bahamut's eyes were flat and they betrayed no emotion. "They will not even have the chance to."







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Author's Note

You may now stop gaping and start asking me what the heck am I doing.

Not that that I have definitive answers, mind. ^_^

Let's see . . . updates. *dodges whip and trips over the laptop* The most you can hope is once a week, and even that is probably overly optimistic. I've been known to update fics after a half-year hiatus. I really hope that'll never happen again. I'm very erratic when it comes to updates.

And nope, this fic's never been posted at ff.net before. I'm pretty sure of that. Maybe that was another writer, or another fic. I had another multi-chaptered FFVIII fic up once upon a time ago, but I took it down. Too many problems with that one.