Legacies: Chapter 5
by: Gemini83
Disclaimer: You know it, I don't own FF8. But I do own this story.

Laguna walked up to her grave, to Raine's final resting place, and kneeled. It was where he had proposed to her, at the top of Winhill.

He had loved her so much...

Laguna could remember even now, as if it were yesterday, the night he had proposed to her. It had been the most nerve wracking night of his life. Capturing Adel had been cake compared to that night...


...The stars were out, gleaming down upon the moonlit field, casting a blue light on the grassy plain. It looked so beautiful...

Laguna had asked her to come here, because he had things to tell her. This was the best place he could think of. He had spent countless mornings here, staring at the sunset, thinking about living a normal life for a change. Laguna Loire put his hand in his pocket again, grasping the rings in his hand.

Laguna heard a rustling from behind him. Raine whispered his name.

Laguna turned around, feeling jittery, as a familiar cramp sneaked up his leg.

'Damn it,' he thought, 'not now.'

"Laguna?" she asked, "what is it?"

He stuttered, at a loss for words, "I...um...ah...see you later!"

Laguna groaned inwardly, 'No you idiot! What are you doing? Now you've made a mess of it!'

He turned to leave, and Raine followed him, "wait, Laguna..."

'Okay, I'll do it now,' determined Laguna.

Laguna turned around, and before he could think better of it, placed the ring around Raine's finger.

The woman stared at her hand for a moment, unsure of what to think.

'Great move stud,' cursed Laguna inwardly, 'well, no backing out now..."

Raine felt tears come into her eyes, as she stared up at Laguna.

He smiled sheepishly back, raising his hand to show the matching ring on his own finger.

"Marry me?" he asked timidly.

Raine felt so many emotions, it was as if her heart would burst. She heaved a sigh, and melted into his embrace.

"I thought you'd never ask," she breathed.

Laguna stroked through her hair, using his other hand to caressed her arms. She had taken it rather well. Raine knew him better than he knew himself. Typical.

"You and I forever Laguna," whispered Raine.

He brought his hand to her cheek, tilting up her head.

"Forever,' replied Laguna, sealing the vow with a kiss...


He remembered that night as if it were yesterday. Laguna looked down at Raine's grave, with bittersweet emotion. He couldn't be there for her when she died, and he hadn't been there for Ellone when she was kidnapped, although he did finally find her. And Squall...Squall hadn't even known of Laguna for nearly eighteen years, but he would. Laguna would be there, if either of his children needed him. He'd let them know.

"He did it Raine," said Laguna to her grave, "our son did it. You'd be so proud of Squall."

Laguna was distracted, as he heard his name called out. He turned, to see Ellone waving to him. Kiros and Ward were with her. Laguna blinked a few times, clearing away his tears, and waved back...


In the past...

Greymalkin brought his hands to his face, rubbing between his eyes.

He sat on the remains of a stone column, among ruins in the middle of a grass field. The sorceress listened to him intently.

"Did I leave anything out?" he asked.

"Bold man," said the sorceress, "to have braved the dangers of time and space."

He felt others coming near, "friends of yours?"

The sorceress blinked, "you can sense them?"

Greymalkin smiled, "good hearing."

She smiled back, "so it seems. Yes, some of my...people undoubtedly felt the exchange that took place here."

He nodded.

"This changes everything you know," said the sorceress, "if what you say is true, we must leave the planet now, to go forth to other places, and stem the tide of enemies."

Greymalkin nodded, "and who are your people?"

"The Centra."

He blinked, "come again?"

"The Centra," she repeated.

"But, the Centra are ancient...centuries old...legends," Greymalkin's eyes widened, "how far back in time did the Compression take me?"

"Summoning that particular Guardian Force displaced the Time Compression of the future," explained the sorceress, "you could just as easily have gone to the future. However, there are other forces at work here that you do not yet know of."

"Other forces?" asked Greymalkin.

She smiled back at him, "you will know in time."

He rubbed at his temples again, "I can't go back, can I?"

She shook her head.

The warrior from the future shrugged, "probably just as well, I lost everything I really cared about anyway. I have no more to lose."

"Oh, you'd be surprised," she replied.

He was about to reply, but once again winced in pain, as the burning sensation flared up again at his side. It was almost completely overpowering him now. Greymalkin dropped his blade, and fell to his knees, clutching at his side.

"What is it?" asked the sorceress.

He grunted past the pain, "my...side...struck by...sorceress."

The woman nodded, "then let me examine it."

Greymalkin nodded his assent.

She gently tore away the cloth, and looked at the wound beneath. The woman began to use several healing spells, but her brows furrowed.

"What...is it?" he asked.

"This is no ordinary wound," she replied.

"What do you mean?"

She pondered for a moment, "tell me...was it Alicia who did this to you?"

He shook his head, "another...Arshes."

"And what was your relationship to her?"

He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing heavily, before answering, "I was...her knight."

The sorceress nodded, "I see now. Brace yourself, this will be painful."

Greymalkin barely had time to nod, before his entire senses were drowned in pain. It felt as if his entire body were burning, while the spasms in his side throbbed with the beating of his heart. Slowly, it calmed down, leaving Greymalkin shuddering with aftershock.

"What did you do?" he asked.

"You were her knight," she answered, "but you...killed her. You have no idea what that means, the geas it places upon you. Be thankful that it was her wish, and that she loved you with her dying breath, or you might be dead already."

Greymalkin looked at her questioningly.

"You two shared a special bond," she explained, "you were joined."

"Yes, we were," he remembered, "she was dearer to me than my own heart. Damn it...I feel so...empty..."

The sorceress nodded, "that may pass, in time. But this wound, it may be with you always, as will the mark."

Greymalkin looked down at the scar, and noticed it had left a strange black scar on his torso. It looked almost like...a tattoo. What's more, it vaguely resembled a symbol of fluid curves, in sickle orientations.

"So," he laughed, "Alicia wasn't lying...I am marked."

"It may bring you pain from time to time," she warned.

"It's a fitting punishment," he answered.

The sorceress dispassionately replied, "indeed."

Greymalkin raised an eyebrow, "do you hate me?"

She looked at him for a moment, as it were the most absurd question she had ever heard.

Then she laughed, "my dear boy...it is not my position. It was her choice, not mine, not even yours. Of course, I do feel a certain...discomfort at the prospect. You were her knight, after all, but we all have to make our own choices."

He nodded, "I can't help feeling..."

"I know," she nodded sympathetically, "I know...but you have other tasks at hand. Believe me, redemption will come."

"So, what do we do now?" asked Greymalkin.

"The Sorceress Alicia is not defeated," she answered, "and as the years progress, she will only grow in strength. Someone must remain behind to protect against her, should she ever be freed."

Greymalkin shrugged again, "I can do that."

The sorceress nodded, subconsciously making a decision, "you'll have to be put into a trance, to preserve your body over the years."

He raised an eyebrow at the prospect, "for how long?"

"As long as is takes," she explained, "but you will not be alone. I will have my people protect you, our allies of my people. The Guardian Forces shall remain behind. They will tell you all you need to know."

Greymalkin smiled, "you'll be busy. Why are you doing this for me?"

She smiled back, "because, although you don't know it yet, you have already repaid me, and my people. Fate has dealt its hand, and this is our legacy."

Other figures appeared. They bore strange markings on their faces, like ink tattoos. They also wore archaic armor, over silk cloths. The robed figures kneeled.

"Lady, what power was that?" said one, "the prophecies told-"

"Speak not now of prophecies," she answered, "it is enough that the time has come to pass."

"Milady," said one, "what do you bid us do?"

"Come," she replied, "we have much work at hand."

"Will you take your true form now?" asked another.

Greymalkin turned to her, "true form?"

She smiled sadly, "yes. But alas, I am afraid you cannot stay with us. I will now send you into your trance, the rest will be made ready, should you ever have need."

The woman gestured with her hands, as her garbs began to take upon an ethereal bluish tinge. Her face lighted, and her eyes began to glow with a soothing light, in harmony with her armor, casting her alight like a star. She smiled radiantly down upon him.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

Greymalkin, almost out of instinct, knew, and nodded, "I am."

"Then let it begin."

She spoke several incantations, in a language that he had never heard. Soon, Greymalkin began to feel tired, as a black haze rimmed the outside of his vision.

The sorceress gently lowered him to the ground, "rest now, noble warrior."

A thought came to Greymalkin, " I forgot to ask...what is your name?'

The sorceress smiled, and kissed him on the forehead.

And when she spoke, her voice was like a choir of angels.

"My name...is Hyne..."

Greymalkin grinned once more, and nodded, as if he had known. And perhaps he had at that. Then he succumbed to his weariness.

"Dream well," bade Hyne, "you will not be alone when you awake...the fates decree it..."

And so, for centuries, Greymalkin slept...

Author's Note: Well! The plot thickens! Unfortunately, this is the last we'll see of Hyne. But there'll be plenty of references. Hope you like it so far. In case you want to know what Greymalkin's tattoo looks like, think of a cross between the Klingon (from Star Trek) and biohazard insignia, only not as complicated (hmm...).