-Where do we go from here?-
Zell grinned and executed a back flip throwing his hands in the air when he came back on his feet. He turned towards a small patch of white sand on which he kept his score.
On it were two words Grats and T-Rexaurs and beneath these were lines indicating how much were slain. As of now he officially wasn't counting any more, he looked at his commander and felt a pang of pity for his usually so stoic and steadfast friend. Squall had been spiralling steadily downwards since the incident with Rinoa, he had rarely gone out with his friends and spent most of his time in his office, blaming himself.
Zell sighed, it had been hell those six weeks when Rinoa and Squall had been together. Rinoa had made Squall give up almost all of his training and missions making him devote all his time to her. She had even made him stop seeing Selphie and Quistis if she wasn't with him. It had taken him and Irvine a long time to even see Squall outside of work and when they finally had, Squall had been nervous and cold towards them. Even after the mission were he and Squall had become as close as brothers, he looked at the scar running along his wrist, they had become brothers then, Squall had been distant and only told the truth when he and Zell were alone.
Squall had told Zell how Rinoa used her powers to scope his thoughts when they were together and if she caught him thinking of another girl she would punish him using her magic. Zell winced as he remembered the burns Squall had shown him.
His thoughts were cut short as he heard a rustling behind him, he looked at Squall and saw that he was getting up, Zell ran towards his friend and helped him stand up, he imidiatly noticed that Squall's eyes were not glazed over, he must have full control of his body again, Zell thought. Squall looked at him and seemed to be listening to something.
"Zell, do you have any curative items?"
"Umm, two X-potions and a High Potion, why?" Zell said after patting his pockets.
"No time to explain, you have to get the hell out of this room and away from me! They are coming, they've gone through Irvine, Quistis and Seifer and now they're coming this way!" Squall said urging Zell towards the door.
"What! Gone through Irv...you mean they're wounded? How did this happen, better yet when did this happen!" Zell yelled turning towards Squall and throwing his arms to the side so he couldn't be pushed out of the door. "How do you even know this!"
"Trust me Zell." Was all Squall said as he gave one final push. Zell now stood outside the closed door to the Training Room, he looked at the thing that separated him from his brother. He finally turned around, it was then that he noticed that the alarm lights were flaring CODE RED and that the annoying screech that had been at the edge of his hearing for some time, had been the alarm sounding men down. He turned around and ran towards the headmasters office thinking Damn, why did I get out of bed today? I could have slept through this and tomorrow I could have woken and then I could have gone to the cafeteria and then I could have gotten a hot dog or maybe two and I could have gone for seconds... Well you get the idea.
Irvine's boots pounded on the ground as he ran past the classrooms towards the one where he knew Quistis to be, as he rounded the corner he slammed into someone with some difficulty Irvine managed to stay upright, he looked at the one he had bumped into irritatedly but his expression paled when he saw just who he had bumped into, Seifer, although Seifer had passed his SeeD exam and had even cleared at least nine missions with success everyone was still a bit uneasy around him. But through all the stares and words behind his back Seifer carried himself with the utmost dignity. Now he looked at the sniper with a look of contemplation. Irvine shuddered Man, I was hoping I could get to Quistis first, so she would be the one to talk to Seifer. I always get nervous around guys like him! Why friggin' me! Oh well, better get this over quick.
"Seifer! Just the guy I was looking for!" He said, smiling at the ex-villain which imidiatly faltered when he noticed the glare he received. "Y-you s-see Squall has been acting all crazy again and we think he may be spacing out and losing control again."
"Huh?" Was all Seifer could say. "What the hell are you talking about cowboy?"
Irvine gave an exasperated sigh, he remembered, Seifer hadn't been there when Rinoa made Squall hand over the whereabouts of Laguna, Kiros and Ward. He hadn't seen the way Squall had been, hadn't heard her threaten to make Squall jump down from garden. Irvine's fist clenched, Seifer hadn't been there when Rinoa took Selphie. He was about to explain it to Seifer quickly when a scream came from within Quistis' classroom. They looked at each other.
"We'll talk about this later cowboy, Quisty, I mean instructor Trepe might be needing our help in there!" Seifer said worry suddenly etching over his usually stoic face.
"Quisty?"
"Shut up."
They ran towards the classroom and threw open the door. Inside the instructors usually had their theoretical lessons and gave their exams, but now the class was in disarray as Quistis and a few SeeD candidates seemed to be battling Galbadian Soldiers. But unlike the ones they fought only a few months ago these were sporting guns and had a golden S. Sown into their jackets. Quistis used her whip, Save The Queen, to hold them at a distance. When Irvine and Seifer entered one of the Galbadians was about to shoot one of the SeeD candidates who was backed up against a wall and having nothing to defend himself with, his katana shot out of his hands and reach, braced for impact.
"How the hell did they get in here!" Seifer shouted
"Fire in the hole!" Irvine cried lining the barrel of Exeter with the head of the Galbadian.
The SeeDs, having trained with Irvine threw themselves to the ground as Irvine fired. The bullet hit the unfortunate Soldier square in the head destroying his helmet and most of his face, as the blood dripped down his destroyed visage the Soldier dazedly touched it and, realizing he was dead dropped down to the ground. The other Galbadians stared at him for a few seconds before throwing themselves into the battle with renewed vigour.
"Get the students out of here!" Seifer shouted, but no one seemed to pay attention as the attacks the soldiers threw at them became fiercer and fiercer. Cursing under his breath Seifer drew Hyperion and dashed for the Galbadian Commander, who upon seeing Seifer gave a wicked smile and used his trident to impale the SeeD who he was fighting. The SeeD gave a dying scream and clutched her abdomen falling to her knees, the blood pooling around her.
Seifer growled and brought Hyperion down in an arc aiming at the commanders neck, the only part of his body which was unarmed. But with lightning quickness the Commander brought his trident up in a defensive slash to his throat where it clashed against the Gun-blade. Seifer, surprised at the Commanders speed, didn't have time to prepare for the leg sweep the Galbadian executed. In a second Seifer was on his back staring at the trident coming down towards his face.
Irvine was having similar problems with three Galbadian Soldiers. Having pocketed his gun for fear of hitting the younger Seeds he was fighting using his backup, a punching dagger. But, because he was so focused on training with his gun, he had little to no skill in using close combat weapons and the Soldiers had absolutely no trouble using firearms in a crowded classroom. They were firing their guns blindly while Irvine was doing his best to dodge them and at the same time making sure they weren't going to hit any of the students, it wasn't working to well. As Irvine jumped while trying to get away from a low aimed gunshot he heard a cry from behind him and, turning in the air witnessed a SeeD slumping to the ground clutching his leg. Landing on the ground he looked at SeeD open mouthed before he turned around and flung himself at the Galbadians. He punched one of them in the face effectivly making him unable to fight ever again. The second managed to fire one round into Irvine's stomach before he was punched in the throat. Because his punching dagger was lodged into the Soldier Irvine pointed his finger at the third and said "Burn." Imidiatly flames sprung out around the body of the Soldier, he screamed as he desperately tried to douse the flames, to no avail. Twitching, his body fell to the ground. Now Irvine would have time to tend to his wounds but first he poured a potion into the SeeDs mouth who had fallen unconscious from blood loss. He smiled grimly as the wound slowly started healing. He then took his last remaining potion to make the pain in his stomach disappear. He would have to go to the infirmary later to get the bullet removed.
Quistis on the other hand had absolutely no trouble in fighting the Galbadians because like most times, she was underestimated. Most opponents didn't see Quistis as a threat because of her lithe body and unimposing look, she always used this as an advantage. She was fighting two Galbadians and had the first one on his knees already, because as soon as he fired lazily at her, convinced that the bullet would hit, she sidestepped it and lashed out with her whip, catching him around the throat effectively choking him. The other she easily dispatched of using her Ice attack freezing him in his place. She walked towards the frozen body and looked it straight in the face and said "Never underestimate a teaching woman!" after which she brought her boots down upon his face destroying him.
Seifer rolled aside narrowly missing the trident which, as it hit the ground created a rain of sparks, and sent a Bolt2 in the general direction of the Commander, it struck home and one scream and thud later the Commander lay on the ground. Seifer stood up groggily and surveyed the scene. Quistis ordered the unwounded students to get out of the room and to the Headmasters office, while the wounded were brought to the infirmary by the ones who were the least fazed by the attack. Irvine was using the last of his junctioned magic to bring the dead students back to life.
"What the hell?" Irvine said, as the last of his magic was used for Life. "It ain't working?"
"What?" Quistis and Seifer said in unison.
"I mean they're gonna stay dead! I tried bringing them back but it ain't working!"
"Let me try" Quistis said using all of her available magic to cast the strongest Life spell she cast in all her of life. But it didn't work and the strangest thing was that the body were already starting to decompose.
Seifer, the only one with any magic left used one of his recently learned skills MagicDetect, it worked like this, he would use spells he stockpiled to draw out magic in objects, but because he had just learned this skill he would have to use all of his stored spells, like when all spells disappear to create one mega spell. When he had used this they found out that all of the weapons were enchanted, probably with an anti-magic spell. Seifer wanted to cry out in powerlessness then, but he was alarmed by a deep eerie laughter. He turned around and saw the Commander standing up, his blackened and charred armour all but melted to his body.
"What! You were supposed to be dead, how can you be up and walking again!" Quistis yelled.
The laughter stopped. The Commander looked at Quistis as if she had insulted him. "You think we are normal Soldiers don't you! How dare you, we are far more, we are Summoner's. We are far greater than normal fighters! We can create...but we can sadly only summon through sacrifice, and, guess what. Now that you killed all of my subordinates I can use their souls to summon forth my most powerful Forbidden: Demon!" He then started chanting as, from the dead bodies of the Galbadians white round speck's were floating upwards, like reversed snowfall. Irvine, Quistis and Seifer could only watch in petrified horror as in the middle of the room a cloud started to form. The Commander leered at them and in a crazed voice spoke "I will add my power and soul to his. I shall truly command him. I will make you...suffer." After this he used his trident to puncture his throat and, with a final chant, he fell to the ground.
Irvine started shooting at the cloud in hope of disrupting the summoning but stopped when he saw that it had absolutely no use. Instead he turned towards Seifer.
"What do we do now?"
"Pray to Hyne you can dodge it." Seifer said. Then they heard Quistis swallow and they turned to face Demon.
Squall stood in the now empty Training Centre where after Zell left no sound was heard save for his own breathing. They will come soon. A grim voice announced. "I know..." If you cannot beat them, summon me. "I can't, she will interfere and turn you against me. She is stronger than I will ever be ." Squall said all the determination he had when he spoke to Zell seeming to have disappeared. She will never break our bond, I promise you she will not!
Squall balled his fists. "How can you...you haven't felt her power. You do not know how strong she is! He screamed the final part, his voice resounding of the walls. The opening of the door got him out of his reverie, but as he grabbed Lionheart he thought he heard a voice. How do you think you survived?
Squall assumed his battle position as at least ten Galbadian Soldiers entered. These were the normal ones, not the least bit nervous because, what could one man do against ten? But they had also heard of his skill, so they were still on guard. They surrounded him, and stood ready for the attack. Squall gripped his Gun-Blade and stood stock still not ready to make the first move because he was still trying to keep Rinoa out of his head.
"Surrender." Said a voice from outside of the Training Centre.
"...." He gripped his Gun-Blade tighter as the assaults on his mental walls became fiercer.
"Capture." After this word the Soldiers attacked. Squall fired a bullet from Lionheart. The bullet blasted into one of the soldiers slamming him through the open door and pinning him against the wall on the other side while his flesh was stripped from his body. Meanwhile Squall had already dispatched two of the others with his bullets before they finally closed in on him. He slashed sideways ripping through armour and flesh alike and imidiatly dropped back in defensive position. He gripped the helmet of one of the Galbadians and with a twist broke the Soldiers neck. The last few were dispatched of just as easily. He sunk back into a half slumping position as the attacks on his mind never ceased.
The sound of clapping resounded through the Centre as the one who was outside stepped in. An elderly gentleman clad in a robe and leaning heavily on a staff entered, smiling. "Quality." He said looking at the body's of his comrades. Squall said nothing, never letting his concentration waver. The man still smiled a gentlemanly smile made a gentlemanly bow and said
"Neph." Squall looked at him not, understanding.
The man sighed "My name sir, it's Neph," he looked irritated, "if I may it's highly inappropriate to make me speak out of character, I was all in my role of 'few words lot's of action man'. And now sir I would wish to enter it again with your permission, oh and by the by would you please be mindful of injuries as I give my next command?"
Squall looked at the man as if he had grown an arm at the left side of head. But then the word "Sonic." resounded through the room as he was flung against a tree.
Summon me.
Squall was then lifted up into the air and burned severely by a lightning bolt. This was doing hell to his concentration and he felt his mental walls starting to yield.
Panting heavily he managed to land on his feat and he tried to stand up and attack.
Summon me.
Falling back to his knees he tried desperately to reach his Gun-Blade which was flung out his hands when he dropped to the ground. Suddenly he was surrounded by fire which was closing in on him and he could feel his mental walls crumbling.
SUMMON ME!
"Diablo!" Squall shouted as he was hit by the ring of fire.
A/N Well that must have been the longest chapter I did, ever. I hope you like it and Selphie will enter next chapter .On a side note I'm still looking for a Beta reader and am now also looking for a few persons who want to have a role in this fic. I always write easier if I can visualize characters, and PLEASE REVIEW!!!