CHAPTER 10
Surreal Reality
After their run-in with the sorceress the SeeD's took Kriye, Davis, Ceila and Rave to the dead cold continent of Trabia. There the two SeeD leaders, the Leonharts' and the Kineas', held a meeting about what to do next. The four of them were sitting on a bench in the corner of the room with nothing better to do then watch as the adults argued.
"She's powerful Irvine, much more powerful then we ever faced," Mr. Leonhart said to the man across from him, his face was set and unforgiving.
"Well hell Squall, I'm at a loss of words here," said the tall cowboy look alike that was Irvine Kineas, a Trabia garden instructor and fellow member of the group that saved the world along with his mother. "You know you have Trabia at your disposal, but from the way that you make it sound that ain't going to be good enough now is it?"
"What is this sorceress after anyway," Selphie Kineas, headmistress of Trabia Garden asked, her voice was high pitch and unmistakably nervous.
Squall's expression remained cold as his eyes darted over to Kriye.
"Oh," Mrs. Kineas said, realization dawning on her.
"The question is, is there any way we can stop her?" Came Rinoa's voice from behind her husband. "And when everything comes down to it there is.
"No Rinoa!" Squall yelled firmly "I'm not having you or Kriye getting any more involved then you already are."
"Yeah," Zell backed the headmaster up "There has to be some other way."
"Zell, you're welcome to give any suggestions if you have any," Rinoa said softly "but as everything stand right now, me battling the sorceress is the best solution."
"Like hell it is," snapped Squall turning away from his wife.
A horrible tension was set over the room, like a grey cloud over a storm. Everyone grew quiet, each hoping that someone else would be bold enough to break the silence.
Just then a Trabia SeeD came crashing into the meeting room; it took him a moment to adjust the dozen number of people staring at him expectantly. Once gaining his senses the soldier ran over to both Kineas' and stood at attention.
"Headmistress, instructor, we've found the scientist that you sent us to capture."
"Bring him in," Selphie ordered.
The SeeD saluted the headmistress then ran back out of the room. Minutes later two SeeDs brought in an elderly man in a white lab coat. The SeeD threw the scientist to the floor where he landed just before Squall's feet.
Squall stood there for a moment, he made a quick glance over to Kriye to confirm that the scientist was actually the one who had abducted her. When Kriye nodded Squall took action.
Grabbing the scientist by the collar he lifted him off the ground and threw him against the wall.
"Your going to tell us everything that we want to know, or I swear I'll kill you in the most painful way known to man and believe me, I know all of them."
The scientist quickly nodded, he was scared out of his wits. Rave couldn't blame him; he probably wet himself if he was being given the look that the headmaster was now giving the scientist.
"Good," Squall said giving the scientist at least some breathing room. "Now tell me about the sorceress."
"What do you want to know?" The scientist shaky voice asked.
"What is she? What are we dealing with?"
The scientist looked from Squall to Rinoa and finally to Kriye. "Well isn't that obvious," he blurted out.
When Squall made it clear that it, in fact, was not, the scientist through gritted teeth explained.
"The sorceress is genetically your daughter's daughter. Made from her very blood and eggs, and virtually unstoppable. She has the powers of five sorceresses; anything against her would be futile."
"Then what the hell are you doing making something like that?" Squall questioned, he was beyond any form of anger.
Looking down at his feet the scientist answered. "There's an underground organization that was paying top dollar to create an army of sorceresses. At first nobody thought we could do it, and then when we did we thought we be able to control her. We never thought, even our founders, she would become what she's become."
Taking a moment to absorb all the information Squall stood there silently. When his thoughts were processed he threw the scientist across the room, not even flinching as the man banged painfully against the wall and landed on the coffee table splitting it in half. Next, he went to the SeeDs that brought the man in.
"I want you guys to distract who these underground people are from that bastard and find out where they came from."
When the two SeeDs nodded Squall turned to the remaining adults. "I don't know what this sorceress wants besides my daughter, but I have a feeling. Selphie, gather as many SeeDs as you can spare. Zell try contacting Galbadia garden, see what they can do to help."
Sitting down next to him Rave could feel Kriye getting up from her seat.
"We're coming with dad."
"No, you're not."
"If this sorceress is my daughter then"-
Squall cut Kriye off before she could get any farther. "She's not your daughter," he snapped "She's a scientist's lab rat."
"Dad," Kriye tried to protest, but Squall predictably would not hear any of it.
"Kriye I forbid you to leave this garden, and this time you better sure as hell listen to me." And to make sure that she would Squall walked over to Rave, grabbing him by the collar he whispered in a deadly voice. "Almansy, you better watch my daughter; if anything happens believe me when I say it will be your sad head."
Letting go of him Squall stormed out of the room, the others all followed his wake.
When Rave could breathe again he looked at the others, they all had the same look on their faces. They were officially under house arrest.
Kriye couldn't believe it; she couldn't believe any of it. This sorceress that was creating havoc upon the world, the sorceress that is being said to be the most powerful sorceress in the world, this sorceress was her daughter?
Physically this was impossible. One look at the sorceress and you would know she had to be at least twenty years older then Kriye, but if it was genetically true...the idea was a little hard to bear and there was a bottom line regardless. This sorceress, no matter who she was, had to be stopped.
That night Kriye and the others tried to enjoy themselves in the Trabia garden. Uncle Irvine and Aunt Selphie's fifteen year twin girls Vora and Blair showed them around and under the circumstances Kriye found herself surprised seeing how much more the garden had to do then hers in Balamb did, but then again aunt Selphie has always been more light hearted with SeeD training then her father would ever be.
In the end though it really didn't matter, none of their hearts were in Trabia's activities. A hundred of other things were filling their minds.
Besides the whole sorceress ordeal, and that her parents were traveling into danger there was still something else that Kriye couldn't stop thinking about. It was something that the sorceress had actually said to her. 'Your knight is brave child.'
A knight, that was a thought that had never even run through Kriye's mind until recently. Kriye was a sorceress; though she never felt like one, and sorceresses were suppose to have knights. Her father was her mother's knight, so could Rave be her knight?
A knight would have to choose that life and there was no way in hell that Kriye would ever ask Rave about it. It was just a silly, immature thought that Kriye just couldn't stop thinking about, she hated that.
Late that night the four of them were walking around the garden, eventually Ceila and Davis went off by themselves and Kriye once again found herself alone with Rave.
The two of them continued to walk around the garden, somewhere along the line, in the midst of the mindless conversation they had wondered out of the warmth of the garden and had gone out into Trabia's bitter cold.
Kriye just continued to walk; neither she nor Rave had anything warmer on then light jackets. The coldness, however, didn't seem to get to them.
Kriye barely noticed she was even outside, she was so absorbed in conversation that all else seem to pass her by as merely an afterthought. It wasn't until the two of them came upon an old basketball court that Kriye's senses came to. Engraved into the cement court were names. She quickly jumped off the court, not wanting to disturb any of the names resting there.
At first neither of them said a word, they were both lost in the power that the names gave off. It was Rave who finally broke the silence that was meant to last forever.
"Fuck me," he said breathlessly "Do you think all these names are from the last sorceress war?"
Kriye nodded "Back in the beginning of the war the Trabia garden was hit with missiles, the whole place was pretty much destroyed. My mom told me all about it. This was aunt Selphie's home, that's why she left Balamb garden; she wanted to help restore Trabia."
"I remember reading somewhere about that missile attack; I remember hundreds of lives were lost that day."
"Yeah, and your looking at them right now."
Rave grew quiet, but Kriye assumed he was thinking about the same thing she was...
A lot of lives were lost the day those missiles were launched, even more lives were lost the when the sorceress attacked Deling. Her parents were risking their lives to make sure those deaths wouldn't be in vain, at one time so did Rave's. And now she was supposed to stand idly by when she could be doing something?
From out of their silence Kriye spoke "I'm going to Esthar Rave, I don't know what I can do, but I know I can do more then just stand here."
Letting out a heavy sigh Rave said to her "I had a feeling that you were going to say something like that, and I'm sorry Kriye but I can't let you."
"Why, because of what my father said?!" She shouted outraged. Of all people she expected Rave to support her on this.
"No," Rave replied just as heatedly "Because I don't want you to go. Your life has already been in enough danger, and I'm not going to let you go off into any more."
"You're not my knight," Kriye snapped, an outburst that even surprised herself "SO stop pretending to be."
Rave looked at her shocked, but that didn't lessen his resolve. "I never said I was your knight, but I am your friend and I'm not going to let you get yourself killed."
Kriye stared into Rave's eyes, his soulful almond eyes. He truly cared for her, it was there as clear as day. Feeling her anger lower, Kriye took Rave's hand and gently held onto it.
"I know you only want to protect me Rave, but I'm going to do this. I can't explain it, but I know I'm meant to go to Esthar. There's this force inside of me that's pushing me in that direction. I don't know what I'm going to do, but I know there's something that I have to do."
For a moment Rave just stood there, slowly he started to give her a silent nod of approval. Taking this as a go-ahead Kriye began to walk away, she had only gone a few steps when she felt a hand grab her shoulder.
"Don't think for a moment that I'm going to let you go by yourself," he said indignantly.
At this Kriye had to stop at smile "I wouldn't imagine it," she replied.
Together the two of them set off for Esthar.
The sight was horrible, beyond all of Rinoa's worst nightmares.
Hundreds of SeeD's from all Gardens were courageously fighting off the sorceress's minions, each with such a valiant honor that it took your breath away. Even still, everywhere that she turned SeeD were falling.
It had been a long time since she had been in the midst of a heated battle. It was almost overwhelming; even with Squall, Zell, Selphie and Irvine by her side Rinoa still felt the vulnerable ness that she always felt on the battlefield.
Their steps quicken as they continued to travel around Esthar. The sorceress was drawing near, Rinoa could feel her.
They had just made way around a corner when three of the sorceress's creature's leaped in front of them. Their ugly faces snarled viciously. Everyone fell into their battle stance, that is everyone except for Rinoa. She could feel a greater danger looming near them, some powerful, uncontrolled force.
Turning away from the battle that her husband and friends were engaged in, Rinoa stared in horror at what had just appeared in front of her very own eyes.
There floating only a mere few feet in front of her was the sorceress.
Esthar, the most beautiful and magnificent city in the world, and it was reduced to nothing but shambles. It was a horrific sight. One that would forever be etched into Kriye's heart.
The moment that Kriye and Rave landed the flyer they had stole from the Trabia garage, they knew the situation was worst then both of them imagined.
The destruction was far more devastating then Deling. Fallen bodies laid all over, blood, remains of buildings...it was all mixed into one horrendous sight.
As Kriye and Rave traveled farther into the city Kriye couldn't shake the eerie feeling that had taken her over.
Rave must have sensed it too, because despite no sign of immediate danger he drew out his gunblade. Kriye was quick to join him.
The two of them continued to make their way through the rubble and bodies. Kriye prayed every time she passed a body, in hope that none of them would be her parents.
At last they had made it to a clearing. Only a clear blue surface glowed for yards on end. There was something disturbing the smooth surface, however, in the middle of this clearing laid a group of bodies, five to be exact.
With her heart racing Kriye ran to the bodies. The dread that was piercing inside of her made her already know who they belonged to. Kriye knelt down next to where her mother and father laid, with nervous fingers she felt for their pulses. They were alive, but only just.
She looked over at Rave who was checking the others. He gave a nod affirming that they were alive too.
Kriye couldn't help but look over at Rave with frightened eyes. To see her parents, her great, legendary parents, fallen before was scariest thing that Kriye had ever witness. There was only one person, or rather thing, that could have done this.
As if he was reading her mind Rave asked her "Where do you think the sorceress is?"
"I don't know," Kriye answered in a whisper "I can't imagine that she would have strayed very far."
Then, like she was dropped into a frozen lake, a cold chilled suddenly washed over her body. Kriye could feel the sorceress. Getting up from the ground Kriye gripped her gunblade tightly.
From behind she could hear Rave whisper into her ear "She's here isn't she?"
Kriye didn't answer; she just continued to scan her surroundings.
Taking her response as a 'yes' Rave moved to her right side. With their backs turned to each other they stood as one unit, ready for whatever was to come.
Silently they stood there. It was a fracture of time that Kriye could not keep track of. On and on they stood waiting, she would have dropped her gunblade and run back to her parents in a heartbeat if the feeling inside of her wasn't so strong.
At last for one brief moment the feeling went away. Kriye finally let herself relax, that's when the sorceress struck.
Kriye felt a sharp jab strike her in the chest, sending her flying across the clearing. Landing hard on the ground, Kriye had to take a few moments to focus.
There hovering above the ground was the sorceress, a powerful light was glowing around her body. Rave was standing next to her, his gunblade high in the air. Kriye wasn't even given the chance to call out his name. The sorceress swung her frail arm down at his body; with a mighty blow Rave's gunblade flew out of his hand and far from his reach. The sorceress then slowly began to lift her arms, causing Rave's helpless body to levitate high into the air.
"Well young Leonhart," the sorceress bellowed. "I won't say that this young man isn't courageous. He isn't Squall Leonhart, but few men are."
Kriye didn't say a word. She just continued lying on the ground, not knowing what else to do.
"It's a pity that such a brave soul has to die, but such is the way things are."
"NOOOOO!!!" Kriye screamed, finally regaining control over her body. Without a thought she jumped up from off the ground and started to run blindly towards the sorceress, her gunblade leading the way.
"You care for this boy quite a bit for him not being your knight young Leonhart," the sorceress mocked her.
"Let him go." Kriye yelled.
"I cannot do that, together you are strong, but apart you can easily be destroyed. Look at your mother and father," the sorceress said, pointing to where their bodies laid. "Your father, like an honorable knight, jumped in front of his wife sacrificing himself, but leaving Rinoa alone. Your mother put up a good fight, but in the end it was futile."
"Why are you doing this?" Kriye cried out desperately, wanting more then anything to be able to do something more then just stand there helplessly like she was.
"Power child, its all about power." The sorceress answered, with that her eyes began to light up as if they were balls of fire. Next thing Kriye knew Rave was yelling out in pain.
"Please let him go!" Kriye cried "It's me you want!"
"What are you saying child?"
Without even thinking it through Kriye answered the sorceress "You let him go and you can take me."
"Don't you dare Kriye," she heard Rave yell out painfully, but all Kriye could do was look at the sorceress who was staring at her venomously. Her yellow, blazing eyes burning into Kriye's soul.
"Very well, I agree with your terms young Leonhart."
"No!" Kriye listened to Rave moan as he was thrown by the sorceress across the clearing.
"Now, I should hold the greatest power of all." The sorceress roared, raising Kriye's body off from the ground.
Suddenly Kriye's whole inside felt like it was on fire, an intense burning sensation ran throughout her entire body.
So this was it. Kriye was never afraid of death. She was actually always more afraid of life, or rather, afraid of actually living it. During the duration of the last week, however, Kriye had lived more then she had her previous seventeen years. It had been a crazy ride, but one that she wanted to remember every bit of.
As Kriye could feel the life being squeezed out of her, for the first time she had no regrets.
"Sorceress Kriye is no more!" She heard the sorceress hackle.
"I...I am a sorceress," Kriye said to herself as dazed thoughts were clouding her mind. It was the first time that she had ever said those words.
After that the strangest thing happened. All the pain went away; it felt as if she was in a body that wasn't her own. The sorceress looked like she was using every fiber of her strength to destroy Kriye, but she couldn't feel a thing. She would have thought she was dead, if something unknown inside of her wasn't thriving.
Feeling a surge of an unknown power flow through her Kriye did the only thing that she could, she released the power.
Like a gunshot a beam of energy shot from Kriye's hands and hit the sorceress directly in the chest. The sorceress staggered backward, dropping Kriye in the process.
Landing back on the ground Kriye didn't waste the opportunity. She didn't understand the new power that was running through her, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to use it.
She fired one shot after another. Bright beams of light kept flaring from her hands.
"What are you doing?!" The sorceress wailed.
"The only thing I know how," Kriye replied, not relenting for a second.
The sorceress let out a loud cry and in-between her moans the she said to Kriye "You truly are the greatest sorceress young Leonhart."
That was the last fatal words that the sorceress, spawn from her own blood, ever said. Soon as the words left her mouth the sorceress exploded into a million shimmering pieces that drifted away with the wind.
Kriye fell to her knees, the strange powers still echoing inside of her.
In a matter of seconds Rave was by her side "That was amazing," he exclaimed "How the hell were you able to do that?"
Kriye couldn't answer his question. Everything that had happened had finally taken its toll and Kriye didn't have an ounce of strength left inside of her. So instead of answering Rave's question she asked her own.
"Rave...will you just hold me?"
Not answering with words, Rave took her in his arms and they held onto each other for all they were worth.
AUTHORS NOTES:
Thanks to all who have read this far. I have one more chapter remaining in this story that I never thought I would finish.
Take care of yourselves,
Leah
Surreal Reality
After their run-in with the sorceress the SeeD's took Kriye, Davis, Ceila and Rave to the dead cold continent of Trabia. There the two SeeD leaders, the Leonharts' and the Kineas', held a meeting about what to do next. The four of them were sitting on a bench in the corner of the room with nothing better to do then watch as the adults argued.
"She's powerful Irvine, much more powerful then we ever faced," Mr. Leonhart said to the man across from him, his face was set and unforgiving.
"Well hell Squall, I'm at a loss of words here," said the tall cowboy look alike that was Irvine Kineas, a Trabia garden instructor and fellow member of the group that saved the world along with his mother. "You know you have Trabia at your disposal, but from the way that you make it sound that ain't going to be good enough now is it?"
"What is this sorceress after anyway," Selphie Kineas, headmistress of Trabia Garden asked, her voice was high pitch and unmistakably nervous.
Squall's expression remained cold as his eyes darted over to Kriye.
"Oh," Mrs. Kineas said, realization dawning on her.
"The question is, is there any way we can stop her?" Came Rinoa's voice from behind her husband. "And when everything comes down to it there is.
"No Rinoa!" Squall yelled firmly "I'm not having you or Kriye getting any more involved then you already are."
"Yeah," Zell backed the headmaster up "There has to be some other way."
"Zell, you're welcome to give any suggestions if you have any," Rinoa said softly "but as everything stand right now, me battling the sorceress is the best solution."
"Like hell it is," snapped Squall turning away from his wife.
A horrible tension was set over the room, like a grey cloud over a storm. Everyone grew quiet, each hoping that someone else would be bold enough to break the silence.
Just then a Trabia SeeD came crashing into the meeting room; it took him a moment to adjust the dozen number of people staring at him expectantly. Once gaining his senses the soldier ran over to both Kineas' and stood at attention.
"Headmistress, instructor, we've found the scientist that you sent us to capture."
"Bring him in," Selphie ordered.
The SeeD saluted the headmistress then ran back out of the room. Minutes later two SeeDs brought in an elderly man in a white lab coat. The SeeD threw the scientist to the floor where he landed just before Squall's feet.
Squall stood there for a moment, he made a quick glance over to Kriye to confirm that the scientist was actually the one who had abducted her. When Kriye nodded Squall took action.
Grabbing the scientist by the collar he lifted him off the ground and threw him against the wall.
"Your going to tell us everything that we want to know, or I swear I'll kill you in the most painful way known to man and believe me, I know all of them."
The scientist quickly nodded, he was scared out of his wits. Rave couldn't blame him; he probably wet himself if he was being given the look that the headmaster was now giving the scientist.
"Good," Squall said giving the scientist at least some breathing room. "Now tell me about the sorceress."
"What do you want to know?" The scientist shaky voice asked.
"What is she? What are we dealing with?"
The scientist looked from Squall to Rinoa and finally to Kriye. "Well isn't that obvious," he blurted out.
When Squall made it clear that it, in fact, was not, the scientist through gritted teeth explained.
"The sorceress is genetically your daughter's daughter. Made from her very blood and eggs, and virtually unstoppable. She has the powers of five sorceresses; anything against her would be futile."
"Then what the hell are you doing making something like that?" Squall questioned, he was beyond any form of anger.
Looking down at his feet the scientist answered. "There's an underground organization that was paying top dollar to create an army of sorceresses. At first nobody thought we could do it, and then when we did we thought we be able to control her. We never thought, even our founders, she would become what she's become."
Taking a moment to absorb all the information Squall stood there silently. When his thoughts were processed he threw the scientist across the room, not even flinching as the man banged painfully against the wall and landed on the coffee table splitting it in half. Next, he went to the SeeDs that brought the man in.
"I want you guys to distract who these underground people are from that bastard and find out where they came from."
When the two SeeDs nodded Squall turned to the remaining adults. "I don't know what this sorceress wants besides my daughter, but I have a feeling. Selphie, gather as many SeeDs as you can spare. Zell try contacting Galbadia garden, see what they can do to help."
Sitting down next to him Rave could feel Kriye getting up from her seat.
"We're coming with dad."
"No, you're not."
"If this sorceress is my daughter then"-
Squall cut Kriye off before she could get any farther. "She's not your daughter," he snapped "She's a scientist's lab rat."
"Dad," Kriye tried to protest, but Squall predictably would not hear any of it.
"Kriye I forbid you to leave this garden, and this time you better sure as hell listen to me." And to make sure that she would Squall walked over to Rave, grabbing him by the collar he whispered in a deadly voice. "Almansy, you better watch my daughter; if anything happens believe me when I say it will be your sad head."
Letting go of him Squall stormed out of the room, the others all followed his wake.
When Rave could breathe again he looked at the others, they all had the same look on their faces. They were officially under house arrest.
Kriye couldn't believe it; she couldn't believe any of it. This sorceress that was creating havoc upon the world, the sorceress that is being said to be the most powerful sorceress in the world, this sorceress was her daughter?
Physically this was impossible. One look at the sorceress and you would know she had to be at least twenty years older then Kriye, but if it was genetically true...the idea was a little hard to bear and there was a bottom line regardless. This sorceress, no matter who she was, had to be stopped.
That night Kriye and the others tried to enjoy themselves in the Trabia garden. Uncle Irvine and Aunt Selphie's fifteen year twin girls Vora and Blair showed them around and under the circumstances Kriye found herself surprised seeing how much more the garden had to do then hers in Balamb did, but then again aunt Selphie has always been more light hearted with SeeD training then her father would ever be.
In the end though it really didn't matter, none of their hearts were in Trabia's activities. A hundred of other things were filling their minds.
Besides the whole sorceress ordeal, and that her parents were traveling into danger there was still something else that Kriye couldn't stop thinking about. It was something that the sorceress had actually said to her. 'Your knight is brave child.'
A knight, that was a thought that had never even run through Kriye's mind until recently. Kriye was a sorceress; though she never felt like one, and sorceresses were suppose to have knights. Her father was her mother's knight, so could Rave be her knight?
A knight would have to choose that life and there was no way in hell that Kriye would ever ask Rave about it. It was just a silly, immature thought that Kriye just couldn't stop thinking about, she hated that.
Late that night the four of them were walking around the garden, eventually Ceila and Davis went off by themselves and Kriye once again found herself alone with Rave.
The two of them continued to walk around the garden, somewhere along the line, in the midst of the mindless conversation they had wondered out of the warmth of the garden and had gone out into Trabia's bitter cold.
Kriye just continued to walk; neither she nor Rave had anything warmer on then light jackets. The coldness, however, didn't seem to get to them.
Kriye barely noticed she was even outside, she was so absorbed in conversation that all else seem to pass her by as merely an afterthought. It wasn't until the two of them came upon an old basketball court that Kriye's senses came to. Engraved into the cement court were names. She quickly jumped off the court, not wanting to disturb any of the names resting there.
At first neither of them said a word, they were both lost in the power that the names gave off. It was Rave who finally broke the silence that was meant to last forever.
"Fuck me," he said breathlessly "Do you think all these names are from the last sorceress war?"
Kriye nodded "Back in the beginning of the war the Trabia garden was hit with missiles, the whole place was pretty much destroyed. My mom told me all about it. This was aunt Selphie's home, that's why she left Balamb garden; she wanted to help restore Trabia."
"I remember reading somewhere about that missile attack; I remember hundreds of lives were lost that day."
"Yeah, and your looking at them right now."
Rave grew quiet, but Kriye assumed he was thinking about the same thing she was...
A lot of lives were lost the day those missiles were launched, even more lives were lost the when the sorceress attacked Deling. Her parents were risking their lives to make sure those deaths wouldn't be in vain, at one time so did Rave's. And now she was supposed to stand idly by when she could be doing something?
From out of their silence Kriye spoke "I'm going to Esthar Rave, I don't know what I can do, but I know I can do more then just stand here."
Letting out a heavy sigh Rave said to her "I had a feeling that you were going to say something like that, and I'm sorry Kriye but I can't let you."
"Why, because of what my father said?!" She shouted outraged. Of all people she expected Rave to support her on this.
"No," Rave replied just as heatedly "Because I don't want you to go. Your life has already been in enough danger, and I'm not going to let you go off into any more."
"You're not my knight," Kriye snapped, an outburst that even surprised herself "SO stop pretending to be."
Rave looked at her shocked, but that didn't lessen his resolve. "I never said I was your knight, but I am your friend and I'm not going to let you get yourself killed."
Kriye stared into Rave's eyes, his soulful almond eyes. He truly cared for her, it was there as clear as day. Feeling her anger lower, Kriye took Rave's hand and gently held onto it.
"I know you only want to protect me Rave, but I'm going to do this. I can't explain it, but I know I'm meant to go to Esthar. There's this force inside of me that's pushing me in that direction. I don't know what I'm going to do, but I know there's something that I have to do."
For a moment Rave just stood there, slowly he started to give her a silent nod of approval. Taking this as a go-ahead Kriye began to walk away, she had only gone a few steps when she felt a hand grab her shoulder.
"Don't think for a moment that I'm going to let you go by yourself," he said indignantly.
At this Kriye had to stop at smile "I wouldn't imagine it," she replied.
Together the two of them set off for Esthar.
The sight was horrible, beyond all of Rinoa's worst nightmares.
Hundreds of SeeD's from all Gardens were courageously fighting off the sorceress's minions, each with such a valiant honor that it took your breath away. Even still, everywhere that she turned SeeD were falling.
It had been a long time since she had been in the midst of a heated battle. It was almost overwhelming; even with Squall, Zell, Selphie and Irvine by her side Rinoa still felt the vulnerable ness that she always felt on the battlefield.
Their steps quicken as they continued to travel around Esthar. The sorceress was drawing near, Rinoa could feel her.
They had just made way around a corner when three of the sorceress's creature's leaped in front of them. Their ugly faces snarled viciously. Everyone fell into their battle stance, that is everyone except for Rinoa. She could feel a greater danger looming near them, some powerful, uncontrolled force.
Turning away from the battle that her husband and friends were engaged in, Rinoa stared in horror at what had just appeared in front of her very own eyes.
There floating only a mere few feet in front of her was the sorceress.
Esthar, the most beautiful and magnificent city in the world, and it was reduced to nothing but shambles. It was a horrific sight. One that would forever be etched into Kriye's heart.
The moment that Kriye and Rave landed the flyer they had stole from the Trabia garage, they knew the situation was worst then both of them imagined.
The destruction was far more devastating then Deling. Fallen bodies laid all over, blood, remains of buildings...it was all mixed into one horrendous sight.
As Kriye and Rave traveled farther into the city Kriye couldn't shake the eerie feeling that had taken her over.
Rave must have sensed it too, because despite no sign of immediate danger he drew out his gunblade. Kriye was quick to join him.
The two of them continued to make their way through the rubble and bodies. Kriye prayed every time she passed a body, in hope that none of them would be her parents.
At last they had made it to a clearing. Only a clear blue surface glowed for yards on end. There was something disturbing the smooth surface, however, in the middle of this clearing laid a group of bodies, five to be exact.
With her heart racing Kriye ran to the bodies. The dread that was piercing inside of her made her already know who they belonged to. Kriye knelt down next to where her mother and father laid, with nervous fingers she felt for their pulses. They were alive, but only just.
She looked over at Rave who was checking the others. He gave a nod affirming that they were alive too.
Kriye couldn't help but look over at Rave with frightened eyes. To see her parents, her great, legendary parents, fallen before was scariest thing that Kriye had ever witness. There was only one person, or rather thing, that could have done this.
As if he was reading her mind Rave asked her "Where do you think the sorceress is?"
"I don't know," Kriye answered in a whisper "I can't imagine that she would have strayed very far."
Then, like she was dropped into a frozen lake, a cold chilled suddenly washed over her body. Kriye could feel the sorceress. Getting up from the ground Kriye gripped her gunblade tightly.
From behind she could hear Rave whisper into her ear "She's here isn't she?"
Kriye didn't answer; she just continued to scan her surroundings.
Taking her response as a 'yes' Rave moved to her right side. With their backs turned to each other they stood as one unit, ready for whatever was to come.
Silently they stood there. It was a fracture of time that Kriye could not keep track of. On and on they stood waiting, she would have dropped her gunblade and run back to her parents in a heartbeat if the feeling inside of her wasn't so strong.
At last for one brief moment the feeling went away. Kriye finally let herself relax, that's when the sorceress struck.
Kriye felt a sharp jab strike her in the chest, sending her flying across the clearing. Landing hard on the ground, Kriye had to take a few moments to focus.
There hovering above the ground was the sorceress, a powerful light was glowing around her body. Rave was standing next to her, his gunblade high in the air. Kriye wasn't even given the chance to call out his name. The sorceress swung her frail arm down at his body; with a mighty blow Rave's gunblade flew out of his hand and far from his reach. The sorceress then slowly began to lift her arms, causing Rave's helpless body to levitate high into the air.
"Well young Leonhart," the sorceress bellowed. "I won't say that this young man isn't courageous. He isn't Squall Leonhart, but few men are."
Kriye didn't say a word. She just continued lying on the ground, not knowing what else to do.
"It's a pity that such a brave soul has to die, but such is the way things are."
"NOOOOO!!!" Kriye screamed, finally regaining control over her body. Without a thought she jumped up from off the ground and started to run blindly towards the sorceress, her gunblade leading the way.
"You care for this boy quite a bit for him not being your knight young Leonhart," the sorceress mocked her.
"Let him go." Kriye yelled.
"I cannot do that, together you are strong, but apart you can easily be destroyed. Look at your mother and father," the sorceress said, pointing to where their bodies laid. "Your father, like an honorable knight, jumped in front of his wife sacrificing himself, but leaving Rinoa alone. Your mother put up a good fight, but in the end it was futile."
"Why are you doing this?" Kriye cried out desperately, wanting more then anything to be able to do something more then just stand there helplessly like she was.
"Power child, its all about power." The sorceress answered, with that her eyes began to light up as if they were balls of fire. Next thing Kriye knew Rave was yelling out in pain.
"Please let him go!" Kriye cried "It's me you want!"
"What are you saying child?"
Without even thinking it through Kriye answered the sorceress "You let him go and you can take me."
"Don't you dare Kriye," she heard Rave yell out painfully, but all Kriye could do was look at the sorceress who was staring at her venomously. Her yellow, blazing eyes burning into Kriye's soul.
"Very well, I agree with your terms young Leonhart."
"No!" Kriye listened to Rave moan as he was thrown by the sorceress across the clearing.
"Now, I should hold the greatest power of all." The sorceress roared, raising Kriye's body off from the ground.
Suddenly Kriye's whole inside felt like it was on fire, an intense burning sensation ran throughout her entire body.
So this was it. Kriye was never afraid of death. She was actually always more afraid of life, or rather, afraid of actually living it. During the duration of the last week, however, Kriye had lived more then she had her previous seventeen years. It had been a crazy ride, but one that she wanted to remember every bit of.
As Kriye could feel the life being squeezed out of her, for the first time she had no regrets.
"Sorceress Kriye is no more!" She heard the sorceress hackle.
"I...I am a sorceress," Kriye said to herself as dazed thoughts were clouding her mind. It was the first time that she had ever said those words.
After that the strangest thing happened. All the pain went away; it felt as if she was in a body that wasn't her own. The sorceress looked like she was using every fiber of her strength to destroy Kriye, but she couldn't feel a thing. She would have thought she was dead, if something unknown inside of her wasn't thriving.
Feeling a surge of an unknown power flow through her Kriye did the only thing that she could, she released the power.
Like a gunshot a beam of energy shot from Kriye's hands and hit the sorceress directly in the chest. The sorceress staggered backward, dropping Kriye in the process.
Landing back on the ground Kriye didn't waste the opportunity. She didn't understand the new power that was running through her, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to use it.
She fired one shot after another. Bright beams of light kept flaring from her hands.
"What are you doing?!" The sorceress wailed.
"The only thing I know how," Kriye replied, not relenting for a second.
The sorceress let out a loud cry and in-between her moans the she said to Kriye "You truly are the greatest sorceress young Leonhart."
That was the last fatal words that the sorceress, spawn from her own blood, ever said. Soon as the words left her mouth the sorceress exploded into a million shimmering pieces that drifted away with the wind.
Kriye fell to her knees, the strange powers still echoing inside of her.
In a matter of seconds Rave was by her side "That was amazing," he exclaimed "How the hell were you able to do that?"
Kriye couldn't answer his question. Everything that had happened had finally taken its toll and Kriye didn't have an ounce of strength left inside of her. So instead of answering Rave's question she asked her own.
"Rave...will you just hold me?"
Not answering with words, Rave took her in his arms and they held onto each other for all they were worth.
AUTHORS NOTES:
Thanks to all who have read this far. I have one more chapter remaining in this story that I never thought I would finish.
Take care of yourselves,
Leah