Mythology
Chapter Thirteen: Daring Moves
By PasifiKStaR
Author's Note: People have been so nice with the reviews! Thank you all so much, you have no idea how much I appreciate it! I'm really happy that you guys are enjoying what I wrote. :::hugs::: I WILL complete this fic (Aiming for 15 chapters)! So don't worry!!
All Standard Disclaimers Apply: I do not own Final Fantasy.
Sweat dripped down her face was she rested tiredly against an old throne. Her chest rose and fell with each tired breath. Her pale locks of hair was pasted to her scalp as her slender fingers dug into the soft marble of the cushion less throne. Slowly, blue eyes opened as hot, salty tears fell from them and mingled with her sweat.
What had she done? She had allowed her body to be used as a tool for one insane creature's quest for power. Not that she could've done anything about it, but she felt dirty and disgusted with herself. She felt weak, powerless, and pathetic.
"Calm down, young queen," a treacherous voice echoed in her mind. Quistis' tear-filled blue eyes narrowed as her teeth gritted. "No need to wear yourself out."
"What are you doing to me!?" Quistis hissed breathlessly.
"Your body is too weak to contain me," Ultimecia replied coolly. "Each time I use your body to project my powers, it weakens."
"So you're killing me?" Quistis gasped out. She closed her eyes as she felt her lungs burn within her chest.
"Not purposely, trust me," Ultimecia sighed. "A host as weak as you can only hold me for so long. I need to get into the body of a gifted one."
Quistis sneered slightly. "What happens if you I keep you from her and you don't get to her before my body dies?"
"Then I will abandon your body before your death to find another host," Ultimecia replied easily. "Switching from host to host isn't nearly has difficult as you think. They just have to be close enough. As a matter of fact, I can very easily take control of your body, seduce the young king, and the moment his lips touch yours, I can transfer myself into him."
"Seduce the young...!" Quistis' eyes flew open. "Stay away from him!" she screamed protectively.
"Well, jealous much?" the voice laughed. Quistis winced as the voice echoed in her head, making her mind pound with each tone. "Be glad that I'd use your body to seduce him rather than another's."
"Stay away from Seifer!" Quistis growled viciously.
"And why should I? I thought you said you don't like him." the voice scoffed.
Quistis let out an annoyed growl as she stomped her feet weakly on the ground. "Damn you! You know the truth! You said so yourself!" Quistis nearly sobbed as struggled to keep the vision of HER Seifer being deceived and being used as she was. "How could you? You know he'd gladly fall into the illusion and give his everything..." she whispered in a low, bitter voice.
"Which makes him just as easy a target as you," Ultimecia replied. "But don't worry. Like I said, he'll do anything to get you back. Even turn in the lover of a life long friend."
Quistis closed her eyes tightly as she bit her lip and leaned back against the throne. "I..." she whispered softly. "I hate you..."
Seifer stumbled back, his hand over his left cheek as he lifted his head and looked back up at Squall. He narrowed his eyes, but made no attempt to fight back. He stood there, a few paces from the furious brunette. His shoulders heaved up and down as he sent Squall a look of contempt.
"An eye for an eye?" Squall spat out. "Is that your plan, YOUR HIGHNESS? Rinoa for Quistis? My love for YOURS!?"
"She came to me in a dream," Seifer replied as calmly as he could as he suppressed the anger that flooded him. "She said-"
"It's a fucking trap!" Squall growled.
"Do you think I'm blind!?" Seifer growled back as his hands flew to his sides. "Look around you! Do you see another alternative!? You said so yourself - we have no idea where the hell Ultimecia took Quistis! And unless you want YOUR Rinoa to play the part of a fucking sitting duck, just waiting for Ultimecia to strike, you'll go along with this plan!"
"Plan!?" Squall hissed, his eyes cold and narrowed as he took a step towards Seifer. "What PLAN!? We'll turn in Rinoa and just before something happens, we spring into action!? And what the hell are we going to do, Seifer? What are we going to fight!? HOW are we going to fight!?"
"It was YOUR job to come up with a way to destroy that damn sorceress!" Seifer retorted proudly. "That's why you were awakened earlier! It's not my fault that you have no clue how to protect the woman you say you love!"
Fury blinded Squall as he grabbed Seifer by the collar and brought it forward. "Don't you EVER question how much I love Rinoa," Squall growled behind gritted teeth. Usually icy blue eyes were swirling with animalistic hate as he shoved Seifer away. "It was YOUR Quistis who skewed the plans! Even if we did find a away, it would be of no use now!"
"Don't put the blame on her!" Seifer yelled as he shoved Squall back angrily. "You're the fucking star reader! You should've known what the hell was going to happen!"
"Don't push me, Seifer-"
"Squall! Seifer!" a voice shouted in the distance. Green eyes remained locked with blue eyes as the two men fell into silence as Zell ran towards them. As he reached them, he slowed to a stop. The tension between two life long friends was thicker than it had ever been and Zell kept at a safe distance away.
"What is it." Squall stated in a stern voice.
Zell swallowed nervously as he looked from Seifer to Squall and back. "Fujin and Raijin will be here in a few minutes..." he said nervously. "What's going on?"
"We have a change of plans, chicken-wuss," Seifer spat out as he broke his glaring match with Squall and looked over at Zell. "Where are the other two?"
Zell tilted his head to the side. "Other two...oh, Selphie and Irvine," Zell said. He took a deep breath and scratched the back of his head. "Selphie wanted to go down to the ruins to get something from the tomb. Irvine went with her."
Seifer nodded his head and turned over to Squall. "Are you done being a whiny bitch?" Seifer asked, a hint of annoyance still in his voice. Squall sent him one of his patented death glares before whirling around and marching to his tent.
"Squall!?" Zell called up. Squall ignored the smaller blonde's calls and Zell turned to Seifer. "What's going on?" he persisted.
"We're walking into a trap," Seifer said coolly as he walked in the opposite direction. "Go get Selphie and Irvine." he added before he disappeared into the shadows.
Zell narrowed his eyes and frowned. "What the hell am I? Your errand boy!?" He growled before turning around and walking down the path. "Stupid blonde jerk...What the hell does Quistis see in him..."
"I know I saw it here..." Selphie said as she nimbly climbed over some fallen pieces of the stone walls. She brushed off her knees as she stood up in the main chamber of the Chamber of the Dead. Her head was tilted up as she shined her flash light around the ceiling.
Irvine slid down next to her and gracefully landed on his butt. He let out a yelp and Selphie turned and shined her flash light on him. She giggled as she watched him frown and get up. "Thanks for the assistance, darlin'." He sighed with a roll of his eyes.
Selphie giggled some more and winked. "No problem," she said. She turned her head back to the top of the walls and shined her light against the faded frescos. "Let's see..."
"So what are we looking for?" Irvine said as he stood up and brushed off his pants and followed Selphie's gaze. He lifted his own flash light and shone it around. "A weapon? A book? Some sort of magic wand?"
"Nope," Selphie said as her eyes went along the pictures on the wall. "The ending to the story..." she murmured.
Irvine tilted his head to the side and frowned. "What?" he asked.
"Matron told us stories all the time when we were little kids," Selphie said as she took a step forward and squinted in the darkness. "She said they were myths from ancient Centra. Our favorite one is basically what you told me had happened in our past lives...it's the reason Quistis wanted to do an excavation here. It's the reason Rinoa and I came along."
"But you already know how that story ended," Irvine said with a frown. "The sorceress is sealed away after Squa-the temple boy kills the possessed girl."
Selphie nodded. "Yeah...but that wasn't the only myth she told us," Selphie said. She took a step to the side and turned. "The borders of this wall were painted with stories."
"Yeah, fairy tales, sort to speak," Irvine said coolly as he sat on a fallen alabaster column. He shined his light up to the top border of the wall in front of him. "Once upon a time, there was a knight..." he said as he looked over the pictures. "Who needed a master. Every kingdom he went to rejected him."
As he looked over the pictures and recited the story from heart, Selphie smiled slightly. "Keep going..." she urged as she continued looking at the pictographs.
"Okay..." Irvine replied. He took a deep breath. "Until one day, a great kingdom was attacked by a powerful woman. Everyone in the kingdom feared her and the knight tried his hand at protecting the kingdom. Then he came face to face with the woman himself and watched as she used her powers."
"And what did the knight see?" Selphie asked wandered deeper into the chamber.
Irvine slumped down slightly as his flash light lowered. "He saw her crying..." Irvine mumbled, as if remembering the story. "And he felt pity for her."
Selphie emerged from the room and let out a heavy sigh. "Why was she crying, Irvine?" Selphie said as she looked back at the frescos.
"I guess...she couldn't control her powers and couldn't stop her body from destroying the kingdom," Irvine said. "So the knight switched sides and allowed himself to be captured by the woman. His concern for her touched her so deeply, she turned normal again. Then they got married and lived happily ever after."
Selphie nodded her head and waved her hand. "Come here," she said. Irvine stood up and followed her into the room. She lifted the flash light up to the borders of the wall. "This is where he switches side..." she moved her flash light over a few feet. "And this is where they live happily ever after. What's missing?"
Irvine narrowed his eyes as he shone his flash light into the area in between the two panels. A large portion in between had been left empty. "How he got her to become normal..." he trailed off. He lifted his hand and scratched the back of his head. "Selphie, what does this have to do-"
"It's the MYTH, Irvy!" Selphie told him ecstatically. "The woman wasn't just some crazy out of control lady. She was a girl who was possessed by a sorceress! The knight...the knight isn't just some guy who fights, he's the restraint. He's what balances her out, what keeps her sane. Like the sheath to a blade."
Irvine stared at Selphie, confusion written all over his face. "I'm not catching on, Selph..."
Selphie sighed and ran her hand down her face. "When she met the knight, she was probably able to control her powers and balance herself thereby cleansing herself of the need to destroy!"
"All right..." Irvine nodded. Selphie looked up at him with expectation. "And then...?" Her face fell.
"IRVINE!" Selphie shouted. "I think that if we figure out what was on those missing panels, we can find out how exactly the knight was able to become her restraint and therefore save Rin and Quisty!"
Irvine let out a heavy sigh and nodded. "Selphie, where are we going to find those panels? It's been centuries and-"
Selphie was shaking her head. "Irvy, we don't NEED the actual panels. We just need to find out what's going on."
"And how are we going to do that?" Irvine asked.
Selphie's brilliant smile fell as she closed her eyes. "I don't know..." she admitted. She took a deep breath and looked back up at him with hopeful eyes. "But we can find out!" She turned off her flash light and grabbed on to Irvine's hand.
"Selphie, that's impossible-"
"No, it's not, Irvy," Selphie insisted. "Quistis used to say that all myths have some sort of basis in reality. Our favorite myth turned out to be our previous lives," she insisted. "And if there is a myth on how an evil sorceress was defeated without being killed, there has to be some truth in that. There has to be a way because it was done BEFORE."
"But I don't get it," Irvine said as he helped her climb out of the ruined building. "Why would that story be painted on our tomb walls?"
"It's symbolic, Irvine," Selphie told him. "It means that there is hope. My question is why is that panel missing."
"I think it was never painted," Irvine admitted. "The walls were too smooth. It wasn't chipped off and it couldn't have faded, we would've seen something faint. I don't think that the artist knew what to put there."
"The whole story must've been lost through time," Selphie mumbled. "Come on, let's get back up there!" She exited the temple ruins before Irvine. "I have to tell, Rin..." her voice trailed.
Irvine finally pulled himself out of the ruins and looked up as he brushed the dust off his pants. His eyes went wide as he saw Selphie standing a few feet in front of him. Her body was petrified as she stood in the moonlight cast shadow of a eerie familiar figure. Green eyes were wide and transfixed as Irvine stood rooted in his place.
"Shit..." he murmured. "Selphie!" his eyes immediately shot back to the petite brunette as he reached for her.
His split second movement was enough to attract the attention of the sorceress within Quistis' suspended body. Her arm shot forward and Irvine only saw a flash of light before being thrown backwards into the tomb.
Rinoa's head jerked up. Squall looked up at her sudden movement and narrowed his eyes. "Rin?" he asked questioningly. "What's wrong?"
"Selphie..." she began in a breathless voice.
Seifer snorted as he looked over one of the tablets. "Yeah, THERE'S something NEW." he retorted sarcastically.
Rinoa shook her head and stood up off her seat. "No...something's wrong," Rinoa said. Her eyes darted to the door way of the research tent. "Selphie and Irvine went to the ruins, right?" she said as she began to head towards the exit.
Squall narrowed her eyes and stood in her way. "Rinoa, where are you going? You have to finish-"
"Squall, something is wrong!" Rinoa snapped, frustrated. Her brown eyes lifted to meet his defiantly. "Squall, I sensed something-"
"Chicken-wuss already went down there to get them," Seifer assured her. "Just get back to studying."
Rinoa turned and shot him a glare. "Ugh! Don't you GET it?" Rinoa snapped. "Something happened! I know it!"
"What happened?" Squall asked calmly.
"I don't know!" Rinoa exclaimed, on the verge of pulling her hair out. Her eyes narrowed painfully as she looked past Squall. "Squall, please! I know something is wrong!"
Before she could continue to argue, someone's voice cut through. Squall turned his head and nodded as two figures came up the road. Seifer stood up straight from where he was leaning against a counter and walked towards the door briskly. "Hey! About damn time!"
Fujin rolled her eyes as she entered the tent. Raijin was behind her, carrying a stack of papers. She nodded to Squall and Rinoa. "Brought results."
"Lay them out," Squall commanded easily. Raijin nodded as he began to place the stacks in neat piles along the far counter. Squall looked over him, briefly taking his eyes off Rinoa. As he turned his head back to her, he realized she was no longer standing in front of him. "Rinoa!?" he called out. He whirled around and saw her fleeting body running down the hill. Swearing, he dashed out of the tent after her.
Seifer shook his head. "She never did listen..." he sighed. He looked over the papers that the other two had brought. "Show me what you've got."
Zell hummed to himself as he walked down the path. Selphie had told him that they were going to be in the Chamber of the Dead. He mulled over the name given to their tombs as he walked. It's kind of morbid... but I guess it's fitting...I bet Quistis came up with it. It sounds so classic.
Up ahead of him, he saw the shape of the tomb and the crumbled stone ruins in front of it. Calmly, he walked closer. As he reached the entry way, he paused. Something felt wrong, but he couldn't pin point it. He narrowed his blue eyes and slowly slipped into the tomb.
"Selphie!?" he called into the darkness. "Irvine!? You two in here!?" There was no answer and Zell jumped into the tomb. He moved out of the way of the entrance, hoping that more light would be let in. I should've brought a flash light with me... he thought to himself.
He took one step and felt his foot hit something. "Ugh..."
Zell's eyes went wide as he knelt down and saw the body laying face down on the ground, a cowboy hat tossed several feet away. "Irvine!?"
"Rinoa!" Squall shouted as he ran down the pathway after her. He frowned, unable to believe that such a fragile girl could be so damn fast. He saw Rinoa running ahead of him, obviously ignoring his calls. "Rinoa! Hold on!" he shouted. Dammit! She could at least wait for someone to go with her!
He slid down a path that was lined with rubble. Dust was kicked into the air as he stopped and turned the corner. "Irvine! Zell, what happened!?" Rinoa's voice shouted ahead of him.
Squall frowned and sped up. He turned the corner and stopped directly behind Rinoa. "Help me carry him up!" Zell pleaded as he dragged the heavier man up the path way.
Rinoa's eyes narrowed as she turned to glare at Squall accusingly. "I told you..." she said in a low voice. She turned and looked over at Zell, worried. "Zell, what happened?" she asked in a shaking voice. "Where is Selphie?"
"Selphie..." Irvine gasped out tiredly. He looked up, his face matted with dirt. "Ultimecia..."
Rinoa's eyes went wide. "Where did they take her, Irvine!?" she demanded as Squall walked to the other side of Irvine and put his arm under his shoulder to help him stand. Irvine shook his head. "Irvine, where!?"'
"I don't know..." Irvine gasped out pitifully. He shook his head. "We went out..." he his breathing was shallow and strained. "She was...waiting...threw me into the tomb...Selphie...gone..." Irvine's eyes rolled back and his head fell forward. He had passed out.
"Let's get him back to the camp!" Squall said. He looked over at Rinoa, whose eyes were looking past them at the ruins. "Rinoa!" he shouted. She looked over at him with narrowed eyes before looking back at the ruins. "Let's go back." he insisted.
Rinoa lifted her chin and swallowed slightly as she blinked, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. "I'll get them back!!" she screamed into the night. Zell turned to look at her as he helped Squall drag Irvine up the path. "Do you hear me, bitch!?" Rinoa screamed furiously. "You won't get away with this!!"
Deep within the ruins of Ancient Centra, a woman sat on a throne as a young woman's pale body floated in front of her. A thin stream of hazy white smoke was trailing from her mouth to the mouth of the floating girl's. Behind dark lashes, a pair of blood red eyes opened as ruby lips curled into a smirk.
"I'll be waiting..."
"The sun is rising," a deep voice said as he turned his head to look into the eastern horizon. "Look at the sky..."
"Laguna, now isn't the time..." Kiros sighed. "Let's just give Squall his gunblade."
Laguna nodded and followed them up the hill. In the distance, he could see the tents. One in particular seemed to be projecting the voices of people. He looked down at his hand, which was carrying a medium sized black box. Quietly, he squeezed the black plastic carrying handle.
The warm glow of the lights within the tent ahead of them as they stepped into it's shadow. "Sir!" a voice shouted from within. Laguna, Kiros, and Ward looked up as they saw a few shadows congregate at the door way.
"Sir!" Seifer said as he walked outside with Raijin and Fujin. He bowed to the older man with respect as the three older immortals entered. "Welcome back to Centra!"
"Seifer," Laguna said cheerfully. "We brought the weapons," he added. Casually, he tried to look over Seifer's shoulder and into the tent, hoping to catch a glimpse of Squall. "Um...Squall...?"
"Rinoa!" a deep voice called from their left. The six people turned and saw a slim figure walking towards them. Her brown eyes were hazed over with anger as she marched towards the tent. Behind her, Squall followed, trying to calm her down. "Rinoa, you can't jump into this!"
"I already have!" Rinoa snapped back irritated. "First Quistis and now Selphie!" she exclaimed, desperately trying to hold back the heated tears of anger that threatened to fall. "I can't just sit here any more! Whose next? Zell? Irvine!? YOU!?"
"Rinoa!" Squall growled, growing frustrated with Rinoa's reaction.
"Squall!" Laguna shouted. Squall looked up, his eyes widened slightly in surprised, but quickly narrowed once again. Energetically, the long haired father took a few steps forward. "I brought your gunblade!"
Squall merely nodded as Rinoa stopped a few steps from Laguna and squinted suspiciously. Her eyes darted from Laguna, to Kiros, to Ward, and to Seifer, Raijin and Fujin, who seemed to know who those three men were. She studied them, waiting to be introduced to the three strangers. Fujin was the first to pick up on it and elbowed Raijin. He looked over to her and made an 'o' with his mouth.
"Rinoa, these men are from Esthar, ya know," Raijin began. "Kiros, Ward, and his royal highness Laguna Loire, ya know. Sirs, this is Rinoa Heartilly, ya know."
"Royal...Highness?" Rinoa mouthed quietly. She felt as if a block of information had just been dropped on her head.
Laguna smiled widely and handed Ward the box he was carrying so that he could greet Rinoa. "Rinoa Heartilly... this is our first time meeting," he said with a beaming smile. He extended his hand to her and she reluctantly took it. Without a second thought, his hand closed around hers and he pulled her into a tight hug. Rinoa's eyes went wide as behind her Squall scowled and sent a glare at Laguna. "You're everything they've said you were! Please, call me Laguna. I'm Squall's father."
Fa...fa... Rinoa's mind struggled to comprehend the news as she was let go. Her eyes were wide as she whirled around to look at Squall. "FATHER!?" she demanded.
Squall was still scowling at Laguna. "By blood," he stated plainly. "He abandoned me at the temple when I was a child."
Suddenly, it seemed that everyone had gone into the research tent except Rinoa, Squall, and Laguna. The air was thick as Rinoa turned back to Laguna. The older man had a sad look on his face. "Squall, please-" he began, but Squall walked past him briskly, not even giving him a second look.
"Did you bring my gunblade." he stated rather than asked as he walked up the steps to the tent. Laguna's eyes were cast down as he nodded.
"Ward is holding it." He replied softly. Squall was already in the tent and Rinoa followed him. Laguna took a deep breath before following them.
In the tent, Seifer was opening up a black case and smirked as he took out a long black gunblade. "Just like I left it..." he murmured.
"Squall, we brought you something that might help with the sorceress." Kiros said. Squall nodded as he took his gunblade's carrying case from Ward and put it out in the table. Kiros lifted the black case that Laguna had been carrying. He laid it down and unlocked the clasps. With a swift move, he lifted the top and turned it around so that the group could see it.
"What's that?" Seifer asked as he glanced over.
"A set of bracelets used to negate magical powers," Laguna said from the door way. He looked up, a serious look on his face. "I had one of researchers in Esthar put them together. If you get them on the sorceress, her powers will be useless."
Rinoa looked down at the bracelets that rested against a dark foam like material. Her eyes narrowed as she reached between Squall and Seifer and slammed the case closed. Everyone turned to look at her as she locked the case quickly. "No," she stated sternly. "I can't use these."
"What?" Kiros asked, looking confused. "But they'll give you the advantage-"
"No, it'll take away MY edge," Rinoa explained. "Forget it...you wouldn't understand." She shoved the case away from her and whirled around.
Seifer let out a heavy sigh. "Now where are you going!?" he exclaimed tiredly.
"I'm going to check on Irvine!" Rinoa said as she dashed out of the tent and down the steps.
"Rinoa!" Squall shouted. He ran out after her, but stopped at the bottom of the steps, watching her retreating back. "Damn..."
"Squall," Kiros' voice cut through Squall's frustration and he turned around to look up at the older man. "Care to fill us in?"
"Selphie..." Irvine winced as he gasped out her name in vain. "Selphie!" He gasped once more before having his eyes fly open.
"Whoa..." Zell said from the fold out chair he was sitting on next to Irvine's cot. He looked up from the book he was reading as Irvine scrambled to get up. "Irv-"
"Where's Selphie!?" Irvine demanded in a breathless whisper. Zell frowned and turned his eyes away from the other man. Irvine looked over at Zell, desperately hoping that the blond would tell him that Selphie was there, at the camp, safe with them. "Zell!" he shouted, trying to gain Zell's attention. "Where IS she!?"
Zell's face was downcast. "You...you know where..." he mumbled out.
Irvine's usually cool face crumbled as his fears were confirmed. He closed his eyes and ran one hand down his face. "Hyne...Selphie..."
"Zell, is Irvine awake yet?" a voice asked as the door to the tent was pushed aside and Rinoa walked in. She stopped in her tracks as she saw the two men before her. Zell was looking away from Irvine and the cowboy had a horrified look on his face. Rinoa closed her eyes and mentally swore, knowing that Zell had just told Irvine that Selphie was still missing. "Zell," she said as calmly as she could. "Can you please go down to the tent? Someone named Laguna is there with these two other men."
Zell stood up and nodded. "Watch him?" Zell asked sadly as he walked past her. Rinoa nodded. The blond male exited the tent, leaving Rinoa with Irvine.
She looked down at him sadly. "Irvine-"
"Why are we still here!?" the cowboy suddenly exclaimed. He looked up at Rinoa and she took a step back. He had a wild, unrestrained glint in his eyes. Something she never saw. Typically, Irvine seemed to be very calm and collected.
"Irvine, we don't know where-"
"Then why don't we find out!?" Irvine gasped as he threw off the blanket around his waist. "We shouldn't be sitting here! We should be combing the ruins!"
Rinoa narrowed her eyes, studying Irvine intensely. Was that how she looked when she was worried? Was that how Seifer looked? How SQUALL looked when she was first taken away. Irvine threw his legs over the edge of the cot and his arms shot down to either side of him to steady him. Rinoa rushed to his side and put her hands on his shoulders.
"Irvine, you can't-"
"Don't you understand!?" Irvine shouted as he looked up at her with burning frustration. "Selphie is OUT there!? Hyne knows what that whacked out sorceress could be doing to her! Don't you care about her!?"
Anger flashed through Rinoa's face as she lifted up her right arm. A firm back hand lashed over the left side of Irvine's face, sending the young man reeling back slightly. "My two best friends have just been kidnapped!" Rinoa exclaimed furiously. "One is possessed by a creature that was supposed to possess me and the other...Hyne knows what's going on with her! Do you think this makes me HAPPY!? I've been with them since I could fucking walk! They're like my sisters - MY FAMILY! So don't fucking ask me whether or not I fucking care!!"
Irvine slowly lifted up his hand and cupped his stinging cheek. He looked up at Rinoa and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry..." he mumbled. "I was just...scared," he admitted. "I know how much they mean to you. I know you care. I just..." His voice trailed off and he looked down at the ground.
Rinoa nodded. "I want them back, too..." she said. She knelt down in front of Irvine and met his eyes. "Which is why I need your help."
"Zell, what the hell are you doing back here?" Seifer snorted as he saw the other blond walk in. Zell shot him a glare.
"Rinoa asked me to come." he replied coolly.
"How's Irvine?" Laguna asked from where he was sitting next to Kiros.
"Not good," Zell admitted. "He woke up looking for Selphie...he's doing as good as any guy who was told that the girl he loved was missing."
Squall looked up from cleaning his gunblade and froze. "Did you leave Rinoa and Irvine alone?" he asked with narrowed eyes.
Zell nodded and Seifer snickered. "What? Afraid that the cowboy is going to steal her away?"
Squall ignored Seifer's comment as he put the gunblade down. "Zell, why!?" he roared.
Zell jerked his head back not expecting Squall to go ballistic on him all of a sudden. "What's the problem-"
"The problem is that she'll drag Irvine with her if she tries anything crazy!" Squall hissed.
"But Irvine wouldn't go along with it!" Zell argued. Everyone in the tent looked over at him and he thought for a moment. "Unless he was desperate to get Selphie back...shit."
Squall let out a growl as he closed the case on his gunblade and ran out of the tent.
"A knight?" Rinoa said as they sneaked along the cliff side carefully. It was the only other way to the ruins other than the main path. It was secluded enough that even in the breaking dawn, they would be hidden by the shadows of the jagged rocks that protruded from the path way.
"Selphie said that the sorceress went crazy because she couldn't control her powers without a knight," Irvine said. "The only question is how the sorceress and the knight link up to stop her from loosing her sanity."
Rinoa nodded in understanding. "Once we find out where they're hiding, we have to get back to tell the others." Rinoa told him. Irvine nodded hesitantly.
"I'm starting to think that coming down here on our own was a bad idea."
"It IS a bad idea," Rinoa said. "But Squall won't let me go anywhere NEAR the ruins until they figure this thing out. And I KNOW I can find out where Ultimecia is hiding with Quisty and Selphie if I just get close enough. Who knows when they'll find out how to exorcise the sorceress from Quistis? By then, it might be too late."
Irvine nodded, understandingly. He smirked slightly. "You know...Squall's going to kill me after this."
"Don't worry, I'll protect you," Rinoa chuckled slightly. "Hey, Irvine...Is Laguna really Squall's father?"
"Hmm? Ah, you've meet Mr. Cold and Heartless' charming father," Irvine said with a slight smirk. "Yes, Laguna is Squall's father."
"They're so different..." Rinoa said. "I was only around them for a little bit, but even I could sense that there was a big difference."
"Well...Squall doesn't like his father. The Emperor is kind of a hero to everyone except Squall-"
"Emperor!?" Rinoa gasped. She stopped in her tracks and looked at Irvine in shock. "Wait...I thought SEIFER was the Prince?"
"Seifer is the prince..." Irvine said as they continued on. "Of Centra...What you call Ancient Centra was built just before the destruction of Esthar."
"Esthar wasn't destroyed," Rinoa informed him. "It's still standing..."
Irvine shook his head. "There was another sky city called Esthar. It was the original city of immortals. But a sorceress was let loose and the then Prince of Esthar, Laguna, defeated her, but at the cost of the city."
"And Squall?" Rinoa asked.
"Laguna married Raine, Squall's mother, who was a volunteer nurse in the Estharian army during the war. He sent her to Centra so she could be safe from the battle as soon as he found out she was pregnant. Esthar's forces defeated the city just a few days before Squall was born, but before Laguna could go to Centra to see Raine, Raine died of birthing complications..." Irvine explained. "Even immortals can die from complications."
"So Squall was put into the care of the temple?" she concluded. Irvine nodded. "Why didn't Laguna ever come back for him?"
"He was stuck in Esthar trying to rebuild the fallen city," Irvine explained. "But it was impossible to raise a once immortal city back into the sky, so he tried to cultivate a civilization in the city that is now known as Esthar. Many immortals from Esthar intermarried with mortals and their offspring lost their immortality. Some immortals came to Centra."
"But all that time..." Rinoa insisted. "He couldn't have come back ONCE? Even if it was just to check up on Squall?" Irvine sensed bitterness in Rinoa's voice. He was aware of Rinoa's immortal past - her father was also out of her life.
"I don't know," Irvine said. "But Laguna loves Squall and Ellone."
"Ellone?"
"She's a prophet," Irvine explained. "Squall's adopted sister. She was kidnapped by the sorceress in Esthar from her Aunt Raine and Laguna went after her. She had been missing for quite some time after the sorceress was vanquished...that's probably what kept Laguna out of Squall's life. But Ellone and Squall are close."
Rinoa looked down at the ground. "There's so much I don't know about him..." she whispered.
Irvine smirked as they reached the borders of the ruin. "I barely found out about that when we were awoken. Squall's a very private person. You probably know more about him than we all do combined."
Rinoa smiled slightly and took one step into the city.
"I'm waiting..."
Rinoa froze in her step, her brown eyes wide. A cold chill shot through her body was she lifted her head. Suddenly, it seemed that her vision was pulled directly towards far center of the city. Past fallen columns, tumbled buildings, and minor structures. Past the walls and crumbled gates. Past the doors and into a dark room.
"Rinoa?" Irvine asked, concerned. He put a hand on Rinoa's shoulder and was instantly shocked. "Ah! Hey!" Immediately, Irvine retracted his hand and looked at it as if he were burned.
"Go get Squall and the others!" Rinoa said as her eyes looked directly ahead of her, as if transfixed by something standing right in front of her. "Go!"
"What!?" Irvine said. His eyes went wide as Rinoa was suddenly drawn forward, as if being pulled by an invisible force. "Rinoa!"
"Take them to the palace!" Rinoa shouted over her shoulder as she allowed herself to be dragged forward. Her speed to the center of the city slowly sped up. "She's waiting for me!"
"Rinoa!" Irvine yelled. He took a step forward and was practically electrocuted. "AHH!!"
"Irvine, GO!" Rinoa ordered as she disappeared into the city. "Tell them about the knight! Tell them that she's in the palace!"
"Shit!" Irvine yelled. He glared at the force field that seemed to encase the entire city. He narrowed his eyes at the ruins before turning around and running towards the path way back to the camp. First Quistis, then Selphie, and NOW Rinoa. Squall was going to kill him, he was sure of it.
"IRVINE!!!" a voice echoed through the desert as Irvine reached the mid point of the path. He looked up and saw Squall skidding towards him with a trail of dust behind him. Zell was running after him, probably for damage control.
"Squall!" Irvine yelled. "Rinoa-"
"Where is she!?" Squall growled, his eyes burning with rage.
"Ultimecia drew her into the city!" Irvine told him breathlessly. "She knows where she's hiding! She said she's in the palace-"
"You let her go into the palace!?" Squall growled angrily.
"No! Listen! Rinoa made me come down with her so she could try to find out where they were," Irvine gasped out. "But the moment she set foot into the city, it was like she was being carried off and she said to tell you to find them in the palace and to tell you about the knight."
"KNIGHT!?" Zell exclaimed, as if Irvine had completely lost it.
"Rinoa!" Squall shouted as he slid down.
"Squall, there's a force field around the city!" Irvine yelled. "I couldn't get in! We need a way to break it first!"
Squall eyes narrowed as he looked over a the ruins. His mind began to sort all options and his best bet was to return, get his gunblade, and then get back to the ruins. Without another word, he ran past Irvine and Zell. "Where are you going!?" Zell shouted.
"To get some tools!"
Rinoa felt the wind rush past her face as she was drawn deeper and deeper into the city. The closer she got to the palace, the more she began to notice the look of her surroundings. More and more buildings were in tact, as if magically built over night. SHE did this... Rinoa reasoned.
Up ahead of her, the palace doors were opened and waiting for her. Her heart raced as she stopped before the doors. Her eyes took in the magnificence of the seemingly reconstructed building.
Come in...
Rinoa stiffened as she felt the omnipotent voice surround her. She swallowed and looked into the dark hall way. She straightened her body and stepped in.
Against the marble floors, her boots sounded. They echoed into the hall way as a distant memory served to lead her in the correct direction. After a seemingly endless walk, she stopped before a massive set of stone double doors. Each was intricately carved with a garden scene. Before she could make out any more, the doors opened silently.
Her blood froze in her veins as the darkened room illuminated slightly and revealed a familiar blond woman sitting on a stone throne encrusted with gold. Floating vertically next to her was a pale, skinny figure topped with brown hair. Rinoa immediately recognized them and rushed in.
"Welcome back," the voice echoed through the room and hit her directly in her mind. Rinoa stopped immediately and winced. She looked up at the throne where Quistis' body was held captive. "Do you like what I've done with the place?"
Rinoa narrowed her eyes. Quistis' mouth didn't move. Rather, the voice surrounded her. The blonde's head lifted slowly and eyes that were formerly blue opened to reveal glowing red orbs. Rinoa's hands became fists at her side as she took another daring step forward. Fear melted from her body was she saw the condition her two life long friends were in. Anger flooded her veins and she gritted her teeth.
"Give me back my friends."