Chapter 2

The Blood Red Amarant

A battle had broken out. Lindblum was under attack from the air and the ground. Streamline airships moving faster than Amarant had ever seen a ship fly before. With propellers on the front and wings on the side they fired explosives at Lindblum Castle. As the stone walls crumbled and buildings caught fire screams from the public could be heard over all of it. This wasn't the first time Lindblum had been attacked. It's not the first time they've been attacked by an enemy that uses unknown weaponry either.

The only good part was that it seemed as though the attack was ending. All of the ships seemed to fly away and all the troops were pulling out. Where were they retreating to?

"I go to take a nap and war breaks out. Can't you handle anything Zidane?" Amarant said smacking him on the back of the head.

"Hey! I was ordered by Regent Cid to get you! I was sleeping in Garnets room!" He said smiling. Zidane was what you would call a monkey man. He had a small frame but used butterfly swords taller then him and sometimes two daggers at once. He had a tail which he used for various things....like tapping people on the shoulder to confuse them.

"You think you're such a big shot now that you're a King-to-be eh?" Amarant sneered. "I bet Garnet would be pretty sad if I cut off your tail and used it to hang you off the Treno bridge." He coldly finished.

"You wish you could catch me Red!" Zidane countered. Amarant was once called the Red Amarant and was wanted for a lot of money. He had red dread locks with light blue skin and a green suit. He is the only one who can match Zidane for speed as he uses his deadly claws to slash enemies to death. Amarant acts very coldly around Zidane but the truth is that Zidane is Amarants only friend. He is the only reason Amarant chooses to live. Amarant for the longest time has not been able to understand what makes Zidane tick and has made it his business to figure him out. That and Zidane saved his life once....but Amarant chooses the other explanation.

Amarant chased Zidane into the city while this war was going on. All of the enemy soldiers had disappeared. What they left was something that could not be explained any better then simply a massacre. Small children and adults alike dead in the streets. Well not all of them were dead. Some were still squirming under thousands of pounds of wreckage. It wouldn't be long before their screams of pain faded away into the darkness.

Regent Cid suddenly appeared as he came running around a corner from behind one of the buildings. The regent was the king of Lindblum to put it bluntly.

"Zidane! You're back finally!" he said panting after he arrived at their position a few yards before the front gate of the city. He tried to say something but was interrupted by a tower collapsing onto another building causing a loud BOOM to occur.

"Who is behind this Cid?!" Zidane screamed over the loud sounds of debris falling to the ground.

"Nobody knows! This is so horrible! I thought we had finally made peace with everyone. Now we have to fight a blind war with a crushed army and practically no base of operations!" Cid said pulling out his hair as he dropped to his knees. Cid didn't act royal and mighty around them since they were practically his white knights. He treated them as his equal.

"Where are the others?" Amarant questioned as he walked in front of Zidane crossing his arms. Another building fell down maybe twenty feet from where they were standing. Smoke black as the night covered the immediate area now.

"cough. I had my wife, Eiko, and Garnet escape on the underground trolley which you know I had extended a few months ago." Cid explained to the two of them trying not inhale any of the smoke. "Eiko and Garnet wanted to fight but I told them we could handle this and they needed to protect Alexandria. They'll arrive in Alexandria thirty minutes from now. I need you two to gather everyone who can help us fight. I'll be contacting Burmecia. I've already ordered the remaining soldiers to search for and rescue civilians. Good Luck!" Cid then took off full speed toward Lindblum castle. He soon disappeared into the smoke...the old man still had some speed.

"Alright Amarant let's go!" Zidane said as he started running off. He stopped when he noticed Amarant was still standing there. "What're you doing Amarant? We gotta go NOW!" He screamed grabbing his arm. Amarant still didn't budge.

"Zidane. Are you telling me you don't feel that force closing in on us as we speak?" Amarant said looking at him like he was an idiot. "If we move it will follow us. It's coming here right now. Get ready!" He said revealing his claws. Zidane now felt the presence he was talking about.

"What the hell is it?!" Zidane screamed as he kept looking around trying to pin point it.

"Take a look for yourself." Amarant said pointing up to the roof of one of the only buildings left standing. Amidst the flames a figure stood on the roof wearing all black as it's black cloak flapped in wind the billowing smoke was creating.

"Garland?! What's he doing here dammit?!" Zidane screamed at Amarant as he drew his butterfly sword.

"It's not Garland. Garland is dead and that's a fact. It's someone else." Amarant said.

"Someone else? Like who?!" Zidane said awaiting an answer. The figure then jumped off the roof landing in front of the two crushing the ground as he landed with his knee and fist hanging his head down. He stood up and tossed aside his cloak. He was dressed from head to toe in black. Black boots, black pants, black long sleeve shirt, black golves, black mask...you get the picture.

"Isn't it hot in that suit around all these flames?" Zidane said snickering to himself.

"I was sent here to defeat the strongest warriors." The man said in a very low toned voice. "Please don't disappoint me. I was told you saved this planet before already. Wanna try again?" He said laughing. He stood up and looked both of them over. Amarant remained in his stance ready to attack while Zidane stood there with a confused look on his face.

"What's your name? Who do you work for?" Amarant questioned the man in a demanding tone. Zidane's face took on a more serious look as well.

"I don't have time to answers questions." He said as he lunged at Amarant trying for an early knock out. Amarant blocked his fist by crossing his claws in front of his face. "Fast." the man said.

"You don't know the half of it." Amarant laughed. Zidane spinned his butterfly sword above his head preparing to strike down onto the man. "Don't interfere Zidane! I want him for myself!" Amarant said smiling cocky as ever. "You go search for the others and see if there's any more enemies around here." Amarant jumped back from the man in black.

"Are you sure about this Amarant?! What if he's stronger then he's showing us?" Zidane asked hesitantly.

"You think I've been sitting around getting weaker all this time Zidane? Go NOW! If you don't I'll kill you!" Amarant screamed. Zidane knew he could still beat Amarant but agreed anyway. Amarant was a man of pride. This was his way of redeeming himself after he lost to Zidane and then later on was saved by him. Zidane ran off and disappeared into the smoke.

"Hmph! So you think you're enough by yourself...Amarant was it? Let us fight for pride then!" He said disappearing and reappearing behind Amarant and back handing him to the ground. "Your reflexes aren't good enough." He said calmly.

"Metal arms?....." Amarant questioned getting up slowly. He stood in front of the man and burshed himself off as he began to look over the stranger.

"Metal body. I am all Metal. Those claws of can't even cut me." He answered as he jumped at Amarant trying to kick him in the face. Amarant grabbed his leg and jumped up dragging his claws along the man's body as he rose upward. All that could be heard were the sounds of grinding metal. "As I said your Claws are useless against my body. This body is my curse and I will use it to my advantage!" He shouted at Amarant. "My family, my life was ruined by this body. I have excepted this as my fate though. My fate is to be an invincible fighter. What is your fate Amarant?" He asked coldly standing perfectly still with his eyes locked onto Amarants.

"I've spent time training with a man who is the complete opposite of me. I trained so I can one day defeat that friend I threatened earlier. I figure the training might help to surprise him next time." Amarant regretted saying. "But now I've run into you. Looks like I gotta pull out all the stops." Amarant began summoning energy from his body. He was about to perform so type of spell.

"Magic? That stuff is useless in battles of this level my friend!"

"Tell Vivi that! BOLT!" Amarant screamed as clouds suddenly formed themselves and shot electricity into the man of metal. The man didn't even flinch.

"You think...a man who is 100% metal would be hurt by that?" he said as he grabbed Amarant by the arm and threw him sending him crashing through the wall of a building and taking everything else down with it. Amarant had a hard time believing he was all metal before and thought that the metal would cause the electricity to do even more damage to his normal body parts then normal. "Is that all you've got? Come now! They wouldn't have sent me if they knew you were this weak!"

Amarant exploded out of the burning wreckage of the building and smashed his claw into the chest of the man sending him backward a few feet.

"Who sent you?" Amarant said breathing very heavily with a very pissed off look on his face.

"HAHA! You're not in a position to be asking questions my friend." The man said as he hopped up kicking Amarant in the chest knocking him back and through another building. Amarant jumped out of the wreckage again but this time stopped and got back into his magic pose.

"HASTE!" Amarant screamed. He took off in an instant twice the speed he was beforehand and realised that the man couldn't follow his movements as well at this speed.

"Hmm. This speed still wont help you." he said as he swung at Amarant missing and getting kicked in the stomach. He was right Amarant thought to himself. He needed to deliver enough force to break through the metal this guy's body was made of. Then he got an idea.

Amarant ran away from the man at full speed not looking back. He suddenly stopped and got back into his magic pose. "Protect!" he screamed. Now he was faster and less likely to get injured.

"I see. You think by getting up to your full speed that your attack will have enough velocity and force to break through my metal. Very well! A final dual to end this battle!" He said.

"I wont lose to a freak like you! I will cut you in half!" Amarant said in a very un-Amarant way....almost like he was losing his cool.

"My entire life has been ruined...yet I march on! I will continue to march right over you until my pride has been taken! Come!" He said as he took off at Amarant. Amarant in turn began running.

They both ran each other getting to full speed. Both were going to attack from their right sides when they collided as Amarant had his claws flailing to the right loosely and the man had his fist locked and loaded.

Their bodies met with a very loud clang as Amarant slashed his claws down the man from his chest down to his inner thigh. The man's fist connected with Amarant's chin causing him to fly backwards while spinning wildly out of control like a spinning top before slamming into another building bringing all 6 stories of stone and metal down on top of him. The man dropped to his knees with his arms by his sides. He stared up into the sky like a deer in headlights.

"You...." He said while blood was pouring out of him like a fire hose. He could see his own vital organs torn to shreds as he looked down into the four large gashes Amarant had made on his bust.

"HA! Ha Ha HA! Ho Ho Ho! HA! I have been beaten! Yes!" he hystericaly laughed on as Amarant finally crawled out of the wreckage to watch as he stopped laughing and started coughing blood everywhere. Amarant was actually looking worse off then the man as he crawled in font of him. There eyes met in a stare for a moment or two.

"Nice hit..."Amarant said breaking the silence.

"You fight for pride. You have earned your pride. I have no pride for I am the creation of another man." he said as he tried to keep the rest of his blood from spilling out of his wounds.

"Who? Who created you? Is he the one who attacked Lindblum Castle?" Amarant said holding onto his body as he was kneeled in front of the man.

"Yes. He created us to kill everyone here......" The man said as he fell forward onto Amarant covering him in blood. Amarant held him up wish his arms trying to get answers out of him.

"Hey don't die yet! Who's is he and what does he want?!" Amarant shouted at the man but to avail. Finally the man answered him barely squeezing out his last words.

"cough...every....thing" was all he managed to get out before he coughed out more blood. His eyes were glazed and he was no longer breathing. Amarant set him down gently. He could have used his Pheonix down....but something told him the man wanted this. Amarant walked slowly over to the man's cape and picked it up. He covered the man's body with it as he looked deep into the sky.

"You didn't deserve this! You just wanted to escape all this....didn't you?" Amarant questioned to himself as he redirected his eyes to another building collapsing. Amarant's train of thought was then interrupted by none other then...

"AMARANT! BIG TROUBLE!" Zidane screamed at him. He got to Amarant and saw the body lying under the cloak. "Woah! You beat him already? I saw all the buildings going down and thought it would take longer." He said laughing.

"We had a mutual agreement to end it quickly." He said bluntly. "So what's this big trouble you speak of?" Amarant asked as he sat down on the ground indian style. Zidane just stared at him funny.

"Uhh, Yeah! All the troops and ships have disappeared!" Zidane said trying to act it out and doing a horrible job. Why he thought he could act out a ship disappearing the world will never know.

"Enough. How did they just disappear?" Amarant questioned.

"I don't know! Cid told me to tell you that they're all gone. Alexandria is safe and so is Burmecia castle. They couldn't have left the continent without troops from one of the kingdoms seeing them fly or march by." Zidane explained. Now Amarant was annoyed.

"So what are we going to do then?" Amarant asked as he limped over to Zidane slowly.

"I guess we should meet back up with Regent Cid and the others. They're all at the castle. Man you took a beating didn't ya? You want a couple potions?" Zidane asked. Amarant just walked by Zidane ignoring him his offer. Zidane shrugged and turned around to follow him. They both walked off toward the castle as the fires continued to burn and buildings continued to fall after the attack on Lindblum.


"So...what should we do now?" Regent Cid asked everyone. Zidane, Amarant, Baku, Blank, and Marcus were the only ones there. Everyone else was in Alexandria.

"YOU'RE THE REGENT!" He got back from Zidane who began flailing his amrs in the air.

"Yes but how we go about this is a very important matter." he said rising from his thrown beginning to walk around with his head facing the ground.

"How 'bout we order search parties to sweep the continent!" Baku said. Baku was a big old guy with large point ears, goggles, a red vest, and green pants. he was the leader of the band of thieves and recently the offical guards of Lindblum castle, Tantalus. "It's not like we have anything to lose. This castle aint really worth protecting now anwyays!"

"He's got a point. Why would they strike here again?" Blank added on. Blank was a tall guy who wore a blue head band around his eyes and clothing much like Tarzan. Marcus just nodded. He was a short and stalky guy that wore blue with an orange head band. All of them were swordsmen in their own way.

"What if they eliminate every group one at a time? It'd be tedius but I wouldn't put it passed an enemy who created a man of metal." Amarant added. "There's not a doubt in my mind they have even stronger soldiers awaiting the order to seek and destroy." Amarant had finally used a potion by the time he realised he'd have to climb stairs to reach the castle. Broken ribs plus shattered bones plus blood gushing from your body makes you feel bad enough I would think.

"SIR!" A soldier screamed running into the chamber that everyone had been speaking in. "A large ship is flying towards Alexandria from the east! It's coming from the Outer Continent!" He said. They all ran upstairs to the giant telescope to take a better look. they didn't even have to look through the telescope to see the giant ship approaching Alexandria.

"It looks like....A giant cannon!" Blank shouted. Suddenly the ship stopped. they couldn't see it very well but then a flash struck them followed seconds later by an earth shattering KABOOM!

"Oh my...." Cid said in complete shock.

"NO! NOOOOOOOO! GOD DAMMIT NO!" Zidane shouted punding his fist on the stone wall. Baku and Marcus couldn't beleive what they were seeing. A large mushroom cloud covered the area that the Alexandrian Kingdom once stood.

"Everyone....everyone was there! I even sent them there because I thought they would be safer. I WAS SUCH A FOOL!" Cid yelled. He had been reduced to tears. Amarant turned around and began walking back down the stairs.

"Where the hell are you going Amarant?" Zidane shouted at him. Don't you care about them at all?!" He said running after Amarant and picking him up by his shirt.

"We're the only ones left Zidane. I'm going to train." He replied as he pushed Zidane off of him.

"What the hell do you mean we're all that's left? Huh! They're not dead! I know it!" Zidane shouted as tears began forming in his eyes.

"Are you really that blind? Did you not see the destruction before you?" Amarant questioned. "They're gone. The faster you except it and move on the faster we can get revenge!"

"Everyone else thought you were dead when you didn't come out of Ipsen's castle. I went back for you though becuase I knew in my heart you weren't dead. Would you give up on hope completely when it was the exact thing that saved your own life?" Zidane asked Amarant tears gushing out now.

"You shut the hell up Zidane!" Amarant countered smashing his claws into the wall leaving a huge crack.. "I don't need any of your bull shit!" He said staring deep into Zidanes eyes. "I'm going to train now." Amarant finished as he walked down the stairs. The wall the collapsed on itself as stones broke into tiny little pieces.

"He'll never change." Marcus replied. "Come on guys....let's go to Alexandria!"


Author's Notes: Yes I finally got this chapter up. I couldn't decide exactly how I wanted and finally decided on this one....anyway tell me what you thought about it and if there's anything you did/didn't like.