Sephira: I think our long, long absence has lost us any of the fans we used to have, Vit...

Vit: No! They are here!

*tumbleweeds, silence*

Both: ….

And, Soul Chewer, we haven't forgotten about you. @_@ You will come and make a cameo in the story eventually. ^^

Disclaimer: We don't own FF9, Squeenix does. Love them, praise them. 3 them. ^_^

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~Chapter 18~

Devil Nine smiled and slowly stood, facing his master, Lord Terisas.  He cricked his neck and shifted his shoulders, wondering at the new, powerful dark being he had become, finally coming into his destiny.

"Fate…how interesting…one can never predict…what will happen…what…what…the future holds…destiny…

"Master Terisas," he said, slowly, carefully pronouncing each and every syllable, "My Lord, what is your will?"

Terisas stood slowly, regally, his long cloak shifting with the movements, and hanging low, framing and covering his powerful figure.  "I wish to know what is going through your mind at this time."

"Only…darkness…"  Viteros looked down at his metal hand and smiled, a sadistic smile with no mirth or kindness.  "The torture, this agony…it's just like the old days…"  He turned and took in the entire hall.  "This old place hasn't changed a bit.  And my old…colleagues…?"

Terisas shrugged.  "Everything as you left it.  Akumu in particular is very ready to resume service under you as second in command of the Khamrask."

"But should I take over Khamrask…what will happen to poor Angel-Black here?"

Angel's lip twitched.  He had been loyal for so long, and now his master was putting this prodigal in charge of the Khamrask, the destructive, powerful elite strike force of Terisas' army?

Terisas turned his head and looked at his other lieutenant.  "He will be…diverted to other matters.  I have important work for him to take care of."

"Oh.  Not that it matters."  Viteros lifted his left arm, clad and intertwined in metal slowly up into the air, watching it glint in the dim light.  "It's good to be home."

Suddenly he made a fist and drew his arm down swiftly, making an audible swish through the air.  "Soon enough, it will all be over."

Stalking from the room, Angel gave a bitter snarl, swinging around as Viteros left, glaring at the other with magenta eyes filled with malice. Shaking in rage, he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself as Viteros disappeared from view, the last thing rounding the corner his long black cloak.

            Angel pursed his lips, calming himself enough to stop shaking. That… monster…had just taken his place. He had so simply dethroned the seraph from his position, it was laughable. And they would laugh. The indestructible Angel, cast aside for the almighty Viteros, who had only just returned. One would think that the Devil would have to at least serve as a lieutenant first, but, no, he had practically stolen Angel's mastery.

            Sighing and turning as he heard footsteps behind him, he glanced at his master, who shook his head at Angel-Black.

            "Angel, I am surprised at you…" Terisas mused, smiling slightly. "An emotional outburst… How…undignified, for a heartless demon like yourself." He gave Angel a smirk, as Angel battled with himself, trying to decide whether he was hurt beyond words, or just enraged further.

            "Master, I—"

            Throwing Angel against the wall, Terisas gave a wild grin as he slid Angel's feet from the floor, his metal hand gripping the young man's neck as the seraph gasped and struggled, his fingers clawing at Terisas' restraining grip. His wings, crushed behind him, screamed for some room, Angel voicing that scream, though it was strangled and strained. Managing a couple of broken words: "M-master…plea…se…"

            "I do not like defiance from you, pet. You were born to obey, not to rebel. You are mine and I will not tolerate further disobedience from you, any longer. Anger me again, and I will be forced into…drastic actions."

            Releasing Angel and hurling him to the floor, he watched in glee as the youth turned on his side, his knees pulled up slightly, his hands grasping at his throbbing throat as his mouth hung open to allow him air. One hand leaving his neck to brush away the hair that fell over his eyes, shading his pale face, he glared at Terisas, still breathing rapidly.

            Nudging Angel with his boot, Terisas smiled. "Well, Angel-Black? Shall you give up your pride and obey me, or will you force me to destroy you with my bare hands? Will you give up your queen for the greater good of your king?" His smile widening as he searched Angel's face, he provided his own answer. "Check."

            "Check, O master," Angel spat out, propping himself up on one elbow, still massaging his aching neck.

            "Good boy."

            Whirling around, Terisas left Angel on the ground, calling out his orders as he receded down the hall. "Follow Viteros and aid him. I want the souls of Lindblum. Do whatever it takes."

            Angel watched the man leave, glaring at the back of his hated master. Out of sheer frustration and anger, he slammed his fist on the ground, hard enough to send shocks of pain through his arm. Yelping and pouting like a child, he gave a growl of rage and threw himself to his feet, running to follow in Viteros' footsteps, no longer a general, simply a subordinate.

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Zidane scowled down at map after map.  They were back on board the Highwind, searching for their lost friend.

"We have searched everywhere," complained Kuja, also staring at the maps.  "This is completely impossible."

"Yet we must continue searching," put in Sephira, leaning up against a side window, staring wistfully into the clouds.  "He is critical to our efforts."

There was silence for a few minutes as they kept looking.  Suddenly, Cid burst in from the cockpit.

"Strap yourselves in kids, we're moving!"

"What?"  Zidane looked up in surprise.  "Why?"

"There's a big ruckus going on at the Black Mage Village," replied Cid, already on his way back to the cockpit.  "Big stuff.  Real big problems.  I tell ya, I think this is probably where our buddy is."

"Then what are we waiting for!?  Let's go!"

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Viteros laughed as he floated above the Black Mage Village, surrounded by a crackling blue orb of killing electricity.  "This is what life is all about.  How could I ask for more?"

He hung there, suspended with his single wing outstretched, like some kind of maimed fallen angel.  He slowly lowered himself to the ground, and pointed at a building chosen at random.  It exploded into an inferno, scattering burning debris everywhere, making more buildings bloom into burning flowers.

"This is so perfect!  Death and destruction everywhere!  I wish I could have some more interesting assignment than killing these toys, though…"

A little black mage, smaller than the rest, quickly rounded the corner, one hand clutching his hat and the other a magic staff.

"Freeze right there!"

Viteros languidly turned his gaze toward the newcomer.  "Ha!  I don't believe it!  Little Vivi, how have you been?"

Vivi clenched both hands hard on the staff.  "None of your business.  What have you done to Zidane?!"

"Nothing that's worth telling you."

Vivi focused, the dark magical power of his heritage focusing into the staff.  "You had better tell me, or I'll end you now, evil!"

"Geez, this is boring.  Don't you have anything more interesting to do than spout cliché hero lines at me?"  Viteros laughed loudly and spun, his cloak spreading outwards like a black mist.  "Don't tell me you can't enjoy this, this incredible rondo of death?  It's beautiful!  It's a shame that you black mages don't bleed that bright crimson like humans, though."

Suddenly, silver flashed in Devil Nine's hand, then flashed through the air towards Vivi.  The blades cut through the air like lightning.  One hit the top of the little mage's hat, and sent it flying backwards, two more went just to the sides of his face.  Vivi started summoning a fire spell and shouted, "You think that fazes me?"

Viteros looked down at his clawed fingers and said, "Not really, but this might."

His left wrist flicked the air, and another knife flew, this time embedding itself in one of the black mage's hands.  Vivi gasped in pain, cutting short the spell.

Devil Nine flew upwards lazily, and floated above his prey.  "Please…don't you have anything more interesting to do?  I'll kill you in a minute!"  

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Zidane stared out the window at the burning wreckage of the Black Mage Village.

"This…is impossible…how many Khamrask are out there!?"

Cid stared down at a panel, his face grim.  "As far as we can tell, kid…only one.  Right there."

"That…that can't be him…"

There, exactly level with the Highwind, floated a dark figure, surrounded by a black orb crackling with purple lightning.  There was a man in there, throwing flames and lightning at random…could that be…?

Slowly an idea formed in his mind.  "Let me out."

Cid's head whipped to stare at him.  "Kid, you're nuts!  Going out there is suicidal!  Look at those mages!"

A handful of mages rushed at the floating figure, and were struck down by a languid glance in their direction that somehow made them burst into flame.

"I don't care," said Zidane, gritting his teeth.  "Just open the door and let me go."

"No," said Kuja lowly, stepping forward.  "I don't think…" but Sephira cut him off.

"He's right," she said quietly, vaguely.  "It's the only way.  Let Zidane out of here.  Let him go out there."

"Kid…" Cid shook his head, exasperated.  "All right, fine!  If you all want to die, it's none of my business.  But…I can't let you guys alone.  I'll come with you.  Hang on a second, everyone get ready!  But no @%$# mess ups, got it!?"

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Moments later, Sephira, Zidane, and Kuja stood at the slowly opening bay door of the Highwind as it drew level with the Khamrask. 

Cid's voice came filtered in over the intercom.  "All right, boys and girls, get ready!  I'm gonna launch now, and that'll be your opening to go!  I'll follow in a sec!"

Suddenly the entire airship shook as Cid fired a powerful volley from the Highwind's missile launchers.  The red and white rockets shot forward with supersonic speed, smashing into the floating dark bubble with a massive explosion that rocked even the trees.

"Jump!" shouted Kuja, as he demonstrated.

The three of them leapt off and as they fell Sephira frantically chanted, "Angel wings, hide us from the wrath of the world…heavenly forces, defend us from the earthly…"

As Kuja and Zidane tumbled, she stood straight up, her hand held in front of her, fingers pointed upwards.  Tears streamed out of her eyes as the speed of her posture forced her down and down, caused by the incredible rapidity of their fall, threatening to cut her spell short…

Finally she finished as she shouted out into the sky, "Strength of heaven, shield us now!"

Their fall suddenly halted, and they floated in the sky.  Slowly, gracefully, an enormous pair of angel wings, covered in feathers of purest white, covered them and then drifted down to the ground, where they stood on shaky legs on the earth.  The feathers glimmered and melted into nothing.

Zidane looked up.  "Where's Cid?"

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On the Highwind, Cid yelled in pain as a powerful electric jolt slammed into the airship and channeled through the console into his arm.  "Damn!  This is too much!   I gotta get down there!  Shera!  Get in here, woman!"

Shera ran into the room but somehow looked calm as ever.  "Cid?"

"You gotta take control of the ship!  Wait, don't touch the machines!"

Shera, relaxed as a stone, took some rubber gloves out of a pocket of her lab coat and quietly slipped them on.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me!  Don't waste any more time, take control!  See you in a bit, and don't you even dent my ship, got that?!"

Shera nodded.  "Oh, do you want any tea before you leave?"

"No thanks…but, uh, some bags, if you got 'em…"

Shera smiled and threw him a few tea bags.

"Thanks, Shera!  See you in a few!"

Cid ran down to the hangar doors and practically kicked the door open and stood there, wind whipping his hair.  "Ah ha!  Let's go!"

He leapt, and then triggered his parachute.  He floated to the ground, albeit less gracefully than the others…

As soon as he landed, the others helped him disentangle from the parachute and Zidane fetched his spear.  "Okay, kids, let's do this!"

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Viteros looked out into the forest and saw the group charging and laughed lowly.  "Oh well…let's begin!"