Disclaimer: Only Major Boyer and General Ryder are mine. Yippee. All the rest belong to Square.
Author's Note: Sorry these chapters take so long to come out. I have to be careful with them now that I'm getting to the major part of the story. And I'm still not quite satisfied with Ryder's bit. But at least I managed to cut out the corny villain-reveals-all speech. For now.
And, with this chapter, OOTA becomes my longest fic, both word-wise and chapter-wise. I've also been writing it longer than any other story, and I still have no idea when it's going to be finished. I can honestly say it's more than half done, though!
Lastly, any similarities to Final Fantasy: The Spirits Inside by ntrophi are purely coincidental. I have had most of the events in here planned since before I began my story, and have only just now gotten to them. But now you can see why TSI horrifies me at times, Phi!
OUT OF THE ASHES
Chapter Twenty
All Hope is Lost...
Neil's blood ran cold, and he sank bonelessly into the chair. Even Hein had been stunned into silence by the general's impossible declaration. "No," Neil said thickly. "Captain Edwards is dead. We were at his funeral. You're lying." His hands weakly gripped the armrests as he struggled futilely to hid his shaking. "You're lying!"
"No," General Ryder said. "A couple of my men were close by when the morgue caught fire. Apparently Ash - or rather, Captain Edwards - came to life and manifested his abilities immediately. One of my men was killed before he could be subdued, so we left the man's body to be incinerated, and simply switched his dental records with the captain's when the body was found."
It can't be true! The captain isn't a killer! He wouldn't... But Ryder's face showed no hint of a lie. "You're lying..." Neil whispered again, but there was no conviction in the words.
"We were lucky to find him when we did," General Ryder went on, unaware or uncaring of the pain he was causing Neil. "And we didn't realize what a truly wonderful find he was until we scanned him. The green spirits have never manifested this way before."
Neil hadn't been paying attention to what Ryder was saying anymore, but Hein had been listening intently. (Ask him about the green spirits! He does know more about them than we thought!)
Huh? Neil responded dully. He couldn't think of anything beyond his captain, waking into a world of confusion and terror and pain; used and tortured and forced to become a monster...
(Dammit, snap out of it! This isn't doing your precious captain any good!) When Neil didn't obey, Hein snarled, (Then let me do it! Relinquish control to me!)
A wave of darkness seemed to cloud his vision, and his senses dimmed as Hein struggled to seize control of their shared body and lock Neil away into a small corner of his mind. The unexpected assault snapped Neil out of his stupor, and his body sluggishly jerked upright as he fought back Hein's control, beating back the other personality and locking it behind one of the mental shields he'd been learning to develop to keep Hein out of his head.
"Corporal?" General Ryder said with alarm, "is there a problem?"
Neil's eyelids fluttered rapidly and his heart pounded in his chest, drowning out Ryder's words. That was close... Don't ever do that again! he screamed. "Uh," Neil said faintly.
He struggled to gather his thoughts together. Damn, what had Ryder been saying? That Gray was his pet project, and something about the green spirits... The green spirits...
"It's just..." Neil cast about for a way to ask. "The green spirits. You've encountered them before?"
Ryder blinked. Apparently, he'd gone on to a different subject when Neil hadn't responded while he was busy pushing back Hein. Probably details of his glorious execution.
"Yes." Ryder folded his arms atop the desk, his face a mask. Oh, yeah, he's really talkative...
"Where? In New York? You seem to know what you're doing," Neil goaded.
Ryder glanced at his watch. "We don't have time to go into this," he said. "By now, all the power-users have been assembled. You shouldn't be late for your own execution."
Neil gritted his teeth. So I'm to die ignorant, then. "What are the green spirits? I want to know just what is infecting my body!"
"All right," Ryder said calmly. "You are correct; I've been aware of the existence of the green spirits for several years. As near as my scientists have figured, they're a fusion of the human spirit and Phantom spirit into something unique."
"How?" Neil whispered. "How do you know about them? Has something like this happened before?" So many barrier cities had fallen in the last decade; what if all of them had been returned, only to be covered up by the military?
"It was discovered, many years ago, that their are certain spirits unaffected by a Phantom's touch. An unborn child, with its still-developing spirit, can survive a Phantom attack on its mother, with its spirit permanently altered."
Neil didn't like where this was going. Neither did Hein, whose emotions still seeped through the wall Neil had built between them. "How... how could you find something like that out?"
Ryder's face creased in irritation. "Really, Corporal, the details would bore you. You're only trying to delay the inevitable, and it isn't working." The general nodded at the guard still within the office. "Take him. I'll be there in a few minutes."
Neil felt sick to his stomach. "How?" he asked again. "Where would you get specimens like that?" He was yanked roughly to his feet, and he nearly fell back into his captor. Ryder wasn't telling him something, and Neil wanted to know what it was.
"Barriers fall all the time, Corporal," Ryder said flatly. "It's a simple matter of retrieving the samples. If you're prepared ahead of time, that is."
Neil gaped at the general, who had turned away. There was only one way to be prepared for a barrier's collapse ahead of time – by knowing it was coming. And the only way to know about a barrier's impending fall would be to drop it yourself.
* * *
Jane ran until she stumbled and fell to her knees. Her breath rasped in her throat and her heart hammered in her ears, and she didn't have the strength to push herself to her feet. Her knees felt watery, and she slumped against the wall of the building nearest her, blind and deaf to the world around her. A patrol could have caught her then, and she wouldn't have noticed; wouldn't have cared.
What the hell was that thing? The monster cloaked in flame had radiated evil, and she'd been frozen in her tracks, watching death descend towards her. Her growing control over her abilities had slipped, and she'd been unable to move as the being of fire drew closer. Only when it landed, just out of sight behind the twisted wreckage concealing her, did she feel a sense of control return.
Even then, she'd been too terrified to move or even think until a voice screamed, (Run! I'll draw him off – but you must leave!)
Only now did she realize the voice had come from inside herself, but hadn't been her own. What is going on here? There's more to this than a bunch of people with powers!
Jane's breathing began to slow, and she lifted her head slowly. She was suddenly aware of the danger she was in, and managed to crawl inside the neared building. It's not safe in the city… I have to warn the others. And I have to help Neil!
It was after one o' clock now, she noticed as she fumbled with her radio. Perhaps the others were aboard the Black Boa by now. She hoped so… she wanted them to leave before the ball of flame came after them. She'd rescue Neil on her own; it was her fault he was in this mess in the first place.
A burst of static was her only response. Jane's heart sank; they were supposed to have left the line of communication open. If they couldn't answer…
Then… she was alone. It felt strange, knowing there wasn't anyone fighting at her back. It felt wrong. She needed her teammates, needed them to give her strength.
She'd find Neil first, then together they could locate the others, if they'd been taken. If they hadn't been killed…
No. She wouldn't think about that. She lurched unsteadily to her feet, then gave her weapons and armor a quick check-up. Everything was as she'd left it. She was physically ready for battle. Emotionally, however, her nerves were frayed. Her hands were sweaty in their gauntlets, and she could feel herself trembling.
I can do this… Giant flame monster or no, someone has to rescue my squad. Her fingers traced the wings painted so long ago on her chest plate by a lost love. And if I can't save them, I'll be their avenging angel.
* * *
"Aki, come on!"
She was oblivious to the voice crying in her ear, and to the frantic tugs on her sleeve. All she saw was the man standing before her, his familiar face staring at her with a twisted expression. But she didn't see the madness in his features, or feel the evil that emanated from him. All she saw was her lost love, restored by the same miracle that had brought the others back.
"Gray!" she cried again, her hand reaching towards him.
"He isn't Captain Edwards anymore!" she heard Dr. Sid say, as if from a great distance. "We need to get out of here! Anderson's shield won't hold much longer!"
As if in a dream, Aki stepped towards Gray. His gaunt face looked almost puzzled by her reaction.
"Dammit, Doctor," Lieutenant Anderson snarled, the strain of maintaining the Shell obvious in his voice. He grabbed her shoulder and yanked her roughly back, but she wouldn't go. She wouldn't leave Gray… not when he'd returned to her! "Snap out of it!"
She broke free of his grip and took another step forward.
"Doctor," Anderson began, stepping in front of her.
It was then that everything went terribly wrong. Ash, becoming bored with his prey's curious display, snapped off a bolt of electricity that tore through Anderson's waning shield and crackled through his body. With a scream, he fell before Aki, steam rising from his burnt flesh.
With Anderson's last cry, Aki's world suddenly snapped into focus. He killed him… Gray killed him!
A pillar of white light formed around Ash, blocking him momentarily from view. "Run!" Major Elliot's voice cut through Aki's thoughts, and the stunned group moved back the way they'd come.
"Gray," Aki wept as she followed the others. She and Dr. Sid were pressed into the center of the group by Ryan and forced to run as fast as possible.
He's not Captain Edwards anymore, Dr. Sid had said.
Ahead of them, a sphere of fire formed, melting the scaffolding and instantly killing the soldier in the lead. Aki slammed into Ryan when the group came to a halt, barely an inch away from the newly formed gap. "No," someone moaned.
Ash stood behind them, arms crossed, a crazed grin twisting his features. "Now you can't run," he said, in a curiously hollow voice. He held up a hand, and flames crackled across his knuckles.
"Leave them alone, Gray!" Aki cried, shoving her way to the front of the huddled soldiers. "Please… Don't do this!"
"Aki," Dr. Sid hissed behind her.
"This isn't like you," she continued, struggling to keep her voice free from wavering. "You're a hero, remember? You save lives, not take them!"
Ash looked unimpressed by her speech. His glittering green eyes showed no sign he knew what she was talking about. So much for trying to reach out to him. The flames around Ash's fingers grew. Aki swallowed, wondering if there was anything she could say that could break through to the real Gray within… if there was anything left of her beloved in this shell.
"Keep distracting him," a voice murmured behind her, barely audible. "When I give the signal, follow us."
It seemed Major Elliot wasn't remaining idle. "Gray," Aki began, an edge of desperation creeping into her voice.
"My name isn't Gray," Ash said, and suddenly the fires that rippled across his body flared around him. "I am Ash! And you are my prey!"
"Now!" Major Elliot's voice croaked. The soldiers surrounding Aki opened fire. The bullets whined past her, bouncing off the Protect spell Ash had hastily erected. The barrage, however, beat him back, and he staggered under the force.
The remaining soldiers began to jump down the gap. "There's a one story drop… we can make it!" Elliot told her, before his bony frame went over the edge.
"C'mon, doctors!" Ryan gestured to them. "I'll take you down!"
Just then, Ash recovered, and the world around Aki erupted into flame.
* * *
Neil plodded alongside the armed soldier like an obedient puppy. After all, he had no weapons, and his armor, except for his boots, had been taken from him. His captors had already proven they had no qualms about hurting him – as the bruises around his throat reminded him – and he wanted to be in good shape when he made his escape.
It was just he and one armed but unarmored soldier; surely his training could cope with that! He just needed to wait until he was out of the confines of the building so he had a chance to run and hopefully lose any pursuit in the city.
At least, that had been the plan. They'd just exited the building when another soldier, this one in full Deep Eyes gear, joined the first.
"Any trouble?" the armored soldier asked, coming up on Neil's right.
"No problem," the other said from Neil's left. He was slightly behind, gun at his side but ready to be raised if Neil made a move.
Shit… I was never good at hand-to-hand combat against multiple targets. My instructor would be laughing at me right now if he could see me. But at least his mind was clear for the moment; Hein seemed to have withdrawn completely. Neil turned his head from side to side, taking in as much of his surroundings as he could.
The unarmored man noticed his look. "Thinking about escaping?" he sneered. "Don't. We wouldn't let a traitor go that easily."
Neil gave them a weak smile. There was nowhere to run yet, anyway, he'd noticed. He hadn't been seeking an escape route; he'd been examining the soldiers themselves. His instructor had once told him that the fastest way to alert your opponent to what you had planned was a glance snuck out of the corner of your eye towards your objective. By looking all around him, the soldiers had no clue he'd really been checking the location of the knife sheathed on the armored guard's shoulder.
"How am I a traitor?" Neil asked as he awaited his opportunity for escape. "Has it occurred to you," he continued, when no answer was forthcoming, "that your general is the traitor? He isn't here with the Council's permission. And he…" Neil faltered. He may have dropped a barrier, Neil had almost said. But that couldn't be true, could it?
Remembering the pleasure General Ryder had taken in informing Neil of his captain's condition, he couldn't help but wonder. There's a dark streak to him; something twisted and evil. I saw it, for a brief moment. What does Ryder want with the green-spirited people? And why did he abduct Dr. Sid to see if there was a way to graft the trait onto others?
Neil pulled free from his thoughts as he suddenly became aware of his surroundings. His guards had picked up speed, anxious to dispose of their charge. They were heading down a broad street, with many side streets branching off. Plenty of places to hide. It's now or never…
Neil snapped his left leg backwards, smashing his foot into the unarmored guard's knee. Caught by surprise, the man dropped. First rule in a situation where you're faced with two opponents, Neil could almost hear his instructor saying, is to incapacitate the first. He spun rapidly, drawing the armored man's knife and smashing the hilt into the helmet's sensors. Then, take out the second opponent. The power surge caused by the shattering of sensitive equipment caused the man to crumple to the ground, unmoving. Then, finish off the first opponent before they can get back into the fight. The unarmored guard was bringing up his gun, but Neil slashed downward, slicing into the man's hand. The man dropped the gun, and Neil caught it. My instructor would be proud of me. Or stunned, anyway.
He held the muzzle to the guard's head, his hand shaking slightly. No… I can't do it. These men are only following orders. He reversed his grip on the gun and smashed the butt onto the man's head, and he collapsed. Neil turned and ran, wincing as pain flared up in his own injured knee.
Running as rapidly as his knee permitted, Neil ducked into an alley, pausing to catch is breath. He lifted his leg, rubbing the knee and noticing that it felt swollen to the touch. Shit. He wouldn't get far like this…
Something tapped him on the shoulder, and Neil whirled clumsily on his good leg. A soldier clad in full Deep Eyes armor stood behind him, and Neil groaned. "Not again," he said with a resigned sigh.
"You take all the fun out of a rescue," a sardonic voice said.
"Jane!" Neil said, almost collapsing in relief.
* * *
The world around Aki burned, and she crouched, shielding her face with her arm. She could feel the heat, and sweat poured down her face and body, but… the flames didn't touch her!
Ash bellowed, and the flames guttered out. When nothing else happened, Aki lowered her arm and raised her head. Ash stood over her, his expression baffled. I should run, she thought distantly, but instead found herself examining the catwalk in front of her, under Ash's feet. Around her, the metal was scorched, warped and twisted – except for a circle about six feet in diameter that surrounded her. What in the world? Then she saw what lay behind her.
"Sid!" Her scream echoed through the depths. Behind her lay the corpses of the soldiers who hadn't moved from the catwalk in time. Dr. Sid lay among them. "No!"
Ignoring the danger that stood behind her in the form of her beloved, Aki knelt by the mangled form of her friend and mentor. "Oh, Sid," she wept. He'd been caught partway within whatever had protected Aki. His upper torso was untouched, but contorted in agony. Below the waist, he'd been caught in the fire and completely incinerated. "Not you, too…" she whispered, feeling the tears slip down her cheeks as she cradled the old man's body. "Oh, God… I can't lose you, too!"
There was the sound of footsteps behind her, and she was roughly grabbed by the neck and hauled to her feet. "You…" his voice grated. "You're like me!"
"Please," Aki whispered, gazing up at those glittering green eyes. "End it now… Just kill me now…" She closed her eyes, but couldn't stem the flow of tears.
"You're like me," he repeated, sounding fascinated. "I'm not going to kill you. You… interest me."
Aki's eyes snapped open, and went wide with horror. She couldn't contain her scream when she saw the expression on Ash's face.
* * *
"Have you seen the others?" Jane asked. She hid her relief at finding Neil safe and unhurt behind her worry for the others. She removed her helmet, running her hand through her sweat-soaked hair.
"No, but they're in danger! Have you tried to radio them?" Neil's face was ashen, and Jane wondered what he knew. She remembered how she'd been unable to contact the others, and her stomach clenched.
Her face was grim. "There's no answer. Boyer's men must have captured them, or they're in a deadly situation where no one can respond. We may have to call for outside help."
"They'd never get here in time! General Ryder sent Ash after them, and Ash is… Ash is…" Neil spoke so rapidly Jane could barely understand him, but she did pick up one thing.
Her eyes widened. "General Ryder? What are you talking about?"
"He's the one behind this, not Boyer! He's been playing us for fools! Boyer works for him, and has been for years! They've been experimenting with the green spirits for longer than we've known about them." Jane was silent as she absorbed the news. Her face hardened, and the temperature around her dropped several degrees. "And that's not the worst of it," Neil choked out, his tone agonized. "He's got a super weapon, Project Ash. And Jane… it's the captain…"
"Captain Edwards?" Jane felt the blood drain out of her face. "He's alive?" But, that was good, right?
"They did something to him," Neil said rapidly, before Jane could get her hopes up. "They've made him a killer. One with powers unmatched by anything we could do."
Jane couldn't think of anything to say. Was that what came after me? The captain? Oh, God…
She had no time to further think on the matter. "Neil, behind you!" Her posture stiffened into battle readiness, and Neil clumsily leapt sideways. His injury's hurting him, she noted as she flung a bolt of ice towards the advancing soldier. He won't be much good for running or fighting…
But running seemed to be their only option. Other soldiers were coming behind the first man, too many for them to fight. "We've gotta get out of here!" Jane said, and Neil got his feet under him, scrambling after Jane in a frantic sprint. They ran through the winding streets, hoping to lose pursuit, but the group of soldiers behind them only grew the further they went on. And Neil was stumbling, barely keeping up with her.
There was a sizzling noise, and a bolt of electricity erupted before them. Neil cried out, and Jane dared a glance back. They'd brought out the magic-users!
Another bolt landed before them, and Jane and Neil automatically whirled to the side down another street. This is no good… We're being herded!
Jane staggered to a halt when they reached a large open square, and Neil stopped beside her, his breath coming out in moans. Jane scanned the alleys and streets between the buildings around them, and her heart sank: They were surrounded.
A lightning bolt hit her in the chest, and Jane screamed as the electricity crackled around her. She fumbled with the straps of her chest plate, letting it fall to the ground. Beneath her tank top, her skin was flushed an angry red from the attack.
"There's no way out," she gasped through the pain as the soldiers closed in. "Do we surrender, or give them a fight to remember and take as many with us as we can?"
"Do you have to ask?" Neil drew the knife with his left hand, and the gun with his right. "Back to back?" he asked.
Jane moved behind him in response, pulling off her gauntlets as she took her place. She held up her hands, and a crust of ice crept over the skin, sheathing them like gloves. "Neil… I'm sorry," she whispered. This could be my last chance…
"You're forgiven," he said, sounding slightly confused, as if he didn't know why she was apologizing. "It's been nice knowing you."
Has it? The soldiers came closer, and Neil began to fire, aiming for whatever vulnerable spots were exposed by the armor. Gusts of cold wind played about them as Jane called upon her powers to do battle.
At first, it seemed as if the soldiers wanted them alive; few drew their guns, and the magic-users had dropped back, too valuable to risk.
But when the soldiers began to die, they lost their patience and began firing at the two combatants.
They were holding up surprisingly well until Jane suddenly felt an explosion of pain in her shoulder. She sagged against Neil, staring down in surprise at the hole in her shirt and the slowly spreading red stain. "Jane?" Neil cried, as she began to fall. He dropped his weapons and caught her, but his bad leg gave out and he fell, still keeping his hold on her.
"No!" he screamed, as her vision dimmed. She smiled at him, wanting to tell him that everything would be all right, but her mouth couldn't seem to move. "Jane! Please, don't die on me! Jane! Jaaaane!"
To Be Continued…