disclaimer: dont own FF8

Chapter 4

Glazed black eyes stared out of the window into the night. The train's wheels clacked loudly on its tracks as it made its way towards Esthar. The train's compartment he was sitting in was dark as the night outside. The stars played happily in their velvet house as the black eyes watched. Deathly pale skin wrapped around the gangly frame of tired muscles, veins, bones and organs. Faded robes hung off of his body and stringy salt and pepper hair was cut close to his head. Long fingered, stick like hands were encased in brown leather gloves and a red glint twinkled on the back of one of them. The blacked gaze swiveled down to the gloves and stared at the intricate pattern on the back of the one encasing his right hand. A red stone glittered in the darkness on the back of the glove and gave the man an eerie look.

Voices warred in the man's possessed mind and the dull black eyes returned to the window. He could still hear the roaring of the flames as the darkness of her presence consumed him. He had laughed as he watched the mercenaries scramble around trying to get their own out and kill as many of his followers as they possibly could. The perfume of death and burnt skin and hair had filled his nostrils with the most… pleasurable of scents. The orchestra of anguish filled his ears as he had watched the people burst into flames before him. And the dance of the newly departed souls had mesmerized him. Pale, thin lips twisted into a satisfied smirk as the train continued towards Esthar. The people there would provide a delicious performance. He licked his lips as the sweet taste of that red elixir filled his mouth again.

'There will be more in Esthar,' he thought. 'And the Lions shall come out to play…'

People sat on the benches at the train station in a little known town near Esthar as the train's whistles started to sound. The train's wheels clattered noisily as it approached. Passengers gathered their things to board or leave the train as it slowed to a halt. A blast of steam escaped from the train as the door slowly slid open. Some of the passengers disembarked from the train as others boarded. A shadow slipped from the train and moved swiftly away. There was no way that he could prevent the events from happening this night. The shadow made its way from the station and into the woods near it. A good few miles away lay the Estharian Planes.

'Soon, those planes will be alight with the screaming of the burning train,' he thought as he heard the train begin to depart. The slow clattering of the wheels was distant as the shadow walked towards the slumbering town. They would soon be aware of what was happening.

Seifer yawned widely as the first fingers of sunlight began to creep into the garden's corridors from the large windows. He felt the sun's smiling heat as he stepped out side and made his way to where the Ragnarock was docked. The horizon was painted with the light shades of blue as the sun began its ascent into the cloudless blue blanket above him. He felt the soft breeze flutter through his hair and heard Garden's female energy ball moving about the Ragnarock frantically. Seifer made his way aboard and found Irvine already asleep in one of the cockpit's chairs. A younger SeeD was making himself familiar with the controls of the ship and listening with half an ear to what Selphie was saying.

Seifer put his bag and Hyperion, safely tucked away in its case, next to a passenger seat and out of the aisle. Another SeeD stepped into the cockpit and reported that everything was ready. Selphie nodded and took her seat in the pilot's chair. The engines rumbled to life and slowly, they made their own ascent into the clear blue sky. Seifer glanced over at the sleeping cowboy and shook his head slightly. He could sense what his thoughts were as he dreamt. They were same ones that Selphie had muttered last night before leaving the Quad as she stared out the window. Rinoa had left in a worried huff and hadn't come out of her room yet. Seifer sat down and settled in for the long flight.