FF8: Legacies - Chapter 8
by: Gemini83
Disclaimer: You know it, I don't own FF8. But I do own this story.
The sky was red, hours yet away from sundown.
Seifer sat in his chair, thinking hard on the report Fujin had given.
"So," he pondered, "a new GF eh?"
Fujin nodded, "it seems so s-"
She caught the look Seifer gave her, and said instead, "Seifer."
He nodded, his lips quirking ever so slightly.
He turned around, looking at the sea. Off to the side, he could see lights gleaming in the horizon, from Deling City.
Seifer turned yet again, hitting a button on his desk.
"Raijin?"
A voice answered on the intercom, "hey Seifer, whatcha' want?"
He had to smile, Raijin never stuck to protocol. Which was why he was a field Instructor, while Fujin handled more officious affairs.
"Are the cadets ready for the field test?" asked Seifer.
"Ready and waiting," answered Raijin, "as soon as the ships are ready, we'll get going."
Seifer nodded, "fine, hourly reports as usual. Watch your back out there."
Raijin laughed, "don't have to tell me that, ya know?"
Seifer shut off the intercom, and sniffed as he saw Fujin shake her head at Raijin's lack of decorum.
"I don't mind Fu," he said, "like I keep saying. You, on the other hand, are trying my patience."
She looked at him questioningly.
Seifer raised an eyebrow, gesturing to her patch, "how's your eye?"
Fujin looked downward, "it's not important, really..."
"Well," Seifer grunted, "I wouldn't call healing due to a junction NOTHING."
He slowly walked up to her. Fujin made no move to back away. Seifer brought his gloved hand to her chin, and raised it, looking into her uncovered eye.
His look softened, losing the normal airs of smugness, "I won't force you to do anything you don't want."
Then he turned, all business again, "I expect a full report on my desk tomorrow morning."
"Seifer," said Fujin.
He turned. The way she said it...she hadn't ever used that tone before. It was...so soft. Her mysterious accident should have left her incapable of it.
"Yes?" answered Seifer.
With a sigh, Fujin reached behind her head, lifting the strap of her eye patch. It came off easily. Much more easily than she would have thought. It had seemed so...permanent a part of her, she wondered if it would ever have come off.
Fujin stared downward, as Seifer came close again.
He saw her eyes, though they didn't look back at him. The right one was blue, as always. The left one, which had been damaged, was now perfect, without blemish, except for one thing. It was green.
Fujin explained with a shaky voice, "they don't seem to match."
He ran his fingers along her cheek, under the green eye.
Seifer looked at her for a moment, then shook his head, "Fujin, you are too much, you know that?"
She looked up at him, beguiled at his meaning.
He grinned, "I think it's nice. Your voice too, although I rather liked having you yell all the time. It scared the shit out of the cadets. They always thought you had a bad temper."
He turned around again, walking out of the room, "so, we'll send the cadets to field exams, then evaluate the inductees for tomorrow's ball. Anything else?"
Fujin forced herself out of her daze, "nothing sir-I mean Seifer."
"Good," he replied, "I'll be in the training area if anyone needs me. My gunblade is getting dull, and Grendel hides are just the things I need for grindstones."
He shut the door as he left, leaving Fujin alone in the room. She went about, taking care of various items of paperwork left undone. She shook her head, what Seifer would do without her around, Fujin shuddered to think.
She looked at her eye patch, and thought a while before putting it on again. Fujin smiled. Even though he didn't know it, Seifer's words had helped, he cared. Most people didn't get him, but she did. It was just his way. And slowly, without knowing it, something new began to crawl its way into her heart...
The sun had risen hours ago, but the field exam had yet to finish. The Instructors had decided on night and day training this time around, practicing in the mix of terrains near Centra.
Quistis was surveying the field, as Seed cadets fought in various packs. It was actually quite grassy here. Zell was to be in charge of the desert terrains.
She squinted her eyes against the sunlight, gazing at the sea from her vantage point at the top of the hill.
Quistis shook her head, 'Squall, Squall, how do you do it?'
The field test was actually quite difficult this time, with teams having to make it through various terrains, against varying degrees of difficulty among monsters.
Quistis caught something out the corner of her eye.
"Oh Hyne," she gasped.
Four T-Rexaurs were making there way to the plains area beside the forest. The cadets could handle one, or maybe even or two if they banded together. But four...
Quistis fell into quick dash, making a run for the T-Rexaurs.
She tapped a button on her comm-link, "Quistis to Zell, can you here me?"
She got a static-ridden response, "...kind of...busy...what...want?"
"I have four T-Rexaurs," she answered, "I'm leaving post to go hunt them. Just wanted to let you know."
"...Four!?...you...be okay...yourself?"
"I'll be fine," she answered, "Quistis out."
She ran faster, wondering what could have caused the beasts to band together. Normally, T-Rexaurs hunted alone, seldom in pairs, and never in packs.
She ran through the forests, dispatching the few resisting creatures she passed with a few haphazard spells.
She soon came to a clearing, and realized it was almost too late...
The cadets were in disarray, fleeing from the wrath of the giant beasts. This was unnatural, the T-Rexaurs were in a rage Quistis had never seen before. They were stamping and raging like sharks at the smell of blood.
She brought out her whip, rushing out to meet the behemoths.
A Seed cadet fell as she tried to escape. Two T-Rexaurs stopped to turn on her. The cadet let out a shrill scream
Quistis let out a cry, as she summoned forth Ultima to blind the creatures. She reached the cadet, and with a heave, pulled her to her feet.
"Get going!" shouted Quistis.
The cadet turned to run, as Quistis faced the beast. She cast several ice spells, keeping pace with the cadet. However, the two were caught off guard, as another T-Rexaur swiped its tail along the ground, knocking them off their feet.
The two T-Rexaurs roared in fury, as they closed in on their prey. Quickly, the cadet got to her feet, casting a flurry of ice spells to distract the beasts. Quistis rose to her full height, and gestured to the cadet.
"Get back!" she yelled.
The cadet did so, and Quistis let loose one of her most powerful attacks. Her eyes glowed with a fierce yellow haze, as Shockwave Pulsar swallowed and decimated the thrashing monsters. They fell as the winds carried away the smoke, leaving their burnt husks on the grassy field.
Quistis fell back, wiping her forehead.
She turned to the cadet, and smiled, "quick thinking. Wait, don't I know you? What is your name?"
The girl smiled, "Leona."
Quistis eyed her, "Leona? Ah yes, my neighbor. Aren't you Zell's friend?"
She laughed, "I know Instructor Dincht, yes."
Quistis was about to reply, but turned as she heard more screams and roars.
Several cadets were cornered by the two remaining T-Rexaurs. Quistis cursed, wondering what she would do.
The problem answered itself, as a rain of fire engulfed the monsters, forcing them to back away. Quistis shouted at the cadets to retreat, and they prudently obeyed.
She turned to the source of the attack, expecting to see another Seed.
Instead, it was a man, cloaked in black, with a hood and upturned collar covering his face.
"Who is that?" asked Leona.
Quistis had no time to reply, before the figure drew out a gunblade, and rushed towards her.
She drew out her whip, preparing for the worst. Leona and Quistis ducked, as the hooded figure cast an ice spell. It flew above their heads.
Quistis heard a roar from behind her, and turned to see an Elnoyle, frozen solid.
She turned again, as she head the man cry out a warning. On instinct, Quistis flattened herself against the ground, pulling Leona with her. A pair of clawed hands raked the air where she had been.
The shrouded figure drew up to them, brandishing his gunblade as the two got up. Quistis looked to the sky, finding a flock of Ruby Dragons and Hexadragons.
She shook her head, the field reports had clearly underestimated the monsters in this area. But even so, these creatures were acting strange...
Quistis turned to the stranger, "who are you?"
He turned to them, but Quistis still couldn't see anything past the darkness of his hood. A rustling shook the trees to their sides, and the shrouded man brought up his blade...
A Blue Dragon came screaming out of the woods, crashing towards the man. He jumped away, raising his weapon, as he fell on his back. The Blue Dragon flew by, screaming as the blade struck it, exposing its stomach. The dragon fell to the ground in a heap of blood and exposed innards.
The figure rose to his feet, heaving and clutching at his side.
The T-Rexaurs came to bare again, stamping towards them. Several cadets made a stand, keeping up a barrage of Blizzagas to confuse the beasts.
Quistis nodded, commending the cool-headedness of the students. Then she was reminded again of the terrors in the sky, as screams of rage came down from the heavens.
The shrouded figure ran towards the opening, away from Quistis and the other cadets. Several Hexadragons made a run for him.
Greymalkin breathed heavily as he forced himself to run faster.
Having a bit too much fun, aren't we master? asked Odin.
Junction us, said Griever.
Greymalkin shook his head, 'I can't, it is not time yet to make our presence known. Besides, like you said, I am having fun.'
With a grunt, he leapt high into the air, as several beasts flew past him. Greymalkin thrust out his gunblade, skewering one of the monsters. The Hexadragon screamed in agony, as it flew high into the air.
Greymalkin had deliberately missed killing the monster, for he had something more sporting in mind...
The world was a mix of colors as the dragon flew in twisting circles, desperately trying to shake off its attacker. But Greymalkin would not be moved. He caught sight of a pair of Red Dragons rushing towards them, then acted.
Greymalkin twisted his sword, causing the Hexadragon to falter. Wrenching his sword free, Greymalkin catapulted himself through the air, latching onto one of the Ruby Dragons with his gunblade. The Hexadragon crashed into the other Ruby Dragon, and the two beasts fell to the earth in a heaving mass of scales.
Quistis shook her head in disbelief. Even with the cadets to vouch for her, the others were never going to believe this.
Leona whistled, "excuse me, Instructor Trepe, but I don't think that's in the manual."
Quistis shook her head, "I doubt anyone has even thought of combating dragons like that. The man fights like he has a death wish."
Greymalkin cast an ice spell, freezing the Ruby Dragon's eyes, effectively blinding it. He thrust his sword deeper into the scaly hide, touching the tip of his blade lightly against the beast's spinal cord. He tested the response, moving his blade just so. The Ruby Dragon reacted immediately, its nerves twitching with pain. Greymalkin nodded, the beast knew he would sever its spine unless it followed his commands.
He grinned wolfishly. Too bad it didn't know it was already dead.
Grabbing a stone from his belt, Greymalkin summoned forth another spell, causing his hands to light up with molten fire. He thrust his fist into the dragon's neck, imbedding the stone into it. The beast roared in anger, snapping its jaws.
He turned the dragon towards the T-Rexaurs, casting several spells at the beasts to draw their attention.
The behemoths had the Seed cadets cornered, but turned as the shower of fire and ice rained down on them again...
Greymalkin pulled the trigger on his gunblade, firing into the Ruby Dragon's spine, and freeing his weapon. With a great push, he leapt from the monsters back.
One of the T-Rexaurs turned, frothing over in raw fury, in time to see the dead Ruby Dragon flying into its midst. The dragon flew into the T-Rexaur's face, as the Ultima stone imbedded in flying monster's neck ignited.
Quistis shielded her eyes from the blinding explosion, covering her face. When she looked again, the T-Rexaur's head was an unrecognizable mess of flesh and blood. All that remained of the Red Dragon was a burnt heap of scales in the T-Rexaur's skeletal maw.
Greymalkin landed, rolling to his feet, in time to see the T-Rexaur crash to the ground.
He grunted, "enjoy your meal?"
He walked away shakily, and again clutched at his ribs, as a familiar ache shot up his side.
What is it sire? asked Griever.
Greymalkin breathed heavily, 'Lady Hyne said the wound would not heal so easily. When has she ever been wrong?'
He fell to his knees, sheltering his aching side.
Several remaining Hexadragons landed in a circle around him, baring their teeth and snapping.
With an enraged yell, Greymalkin loosed a flurry of spells at them, as ice and fire decimated several of the beasts.
But all too soon, his energy was spent, and several of the fallen dragons' brethren remained.
Greymalkin fell to his side, dispassionately looking at his approaching enemies. The shrill sound of faint whispers began to bombard his ears, as if the voices were coming from the great beyond.
Master, said Odin, I believe it is safe to assume our presence has been made known.
Greymalkin laughed bitterly, my dear Odin, I would have to agree.
Junction, ordered Odin.
He shook his head, "I can't."
And still the ghostly voices continued to whisper.
Quistis decided it was time to act. The mysterious figure had done enough. She turned to the other students.
"Okay people, time to earn your rank," she ordered, "blast the dragons with everything you have, draw their attention. Then back off and I'll do the rest."
Greymalkin remained silent, as scores of spells wracked the Hexadragons, drawing roars of agony from the brutes. The whispers disappeared, drowned out by the cries of the monsters. Then, the beasts' screams disappeared altogether, as a final spell enshrouded them, swallowing everything in a yellow haze. The Hexadragons shattered like so much glass. Then all was silent, the whispers and the screaming were gone.
Quistis walked up to the fallen man. He seemed to be breathing. The cloak still covered most of his face, and his eyes were closed. He seemed to be bleeding from his side, and Quistis inspected the wound, casting a healing spell. The blood flow stemmed a little bit, but she could still see the horrible scars. They looked like...curved sickles...so dark as to almost be like a tattoo. Quistis took a closer look, and found that she was right...some sort of insignia. Why then, was it bleeding?
Leona came up from behind, as did several other cadets.
"Is he alive?" she asked.
Quistis backed away as the shrouded figure moved to his side, raising himself to his hands and knees.
"I am fine, thank you," he replied, slowly getting to his feet.
She eyed him thoughtfully, still unable to see much past his hood.
Quistis caught several of the Centra cadets out of the corner of her eye. They seemed to be...afraid, as if they knew him to be dangerous. But why, and how?
"Thank you for your help," said Quistis, "but who are you?"
He cocked his head to the side, as if pondering the question, then answered, "I am known as...Greymalkin."
Quistis raised an eyebrow, "what am I to make of that? Why are you here, are you a Seed? Only cadets were supposed to be here."
He laughed slightly, "my lady, if I were a Seed, I should hope I would be more than a mere cadet."
Leona shook her head, "I've never seen anything like this before, you or those monsters."
Quistis nodded, "she's right, those dragons, they seemed fixated on you. And I've never seen their attacks so...coordinated before."
Greymalkin nodded, "it is Alicia, her will is rising again."
Quistis furrowed her eyebrows, "Alicia? Who is she?"
He sharply looked to the side, as if sensing something.
"I must leave," he said.
Quistis shook her head, "not until I get some ans-"
He threw a stone down to the ground, and immediately smoke rose into the air, blinding Quistis and the cadets.
When the wind cleared, Greymalkin was gone...
Leona breathed in heavily, "well, that was different."
Quistis shook her head again, "how in Hyne's name am I going to explain this?"
In a dark, cavernous hall...
He was known as Erebus, and minions flocked to his beck and call. His cruel smile was hidden by a dark red mask, which covered all of his face.
His throne was silver, a pillar of light shining down on it, strikingly bright against the darkness of the cave.
A robed figure came out of the shadows, and kneeled, "Lord Erebus, the Nightstalker seems to have arrived. It is certain now."
Erebus nodded, "do we know of his whereabouts?"
The aide shook his head, "Greymalkin vanished without a trace."
He nodded, flicking his wrist, "leave us."
The robed figure bowed, melting into the shadows again.
Erebus rose from his throne, striding down the marble stairs with ease.
As if one cue, a crystal tomb lit up, shining blood red. Within it was encased a dark beauty, evil beyond hope of understanding.
Erebus felt whispers in the back of his mind, emanating from the crystal.
"The beasts under your control were weak," he said to the crystal, "but set your mind at ease Lady Alica, we of the Illuminati shall not fail you..."
Even encased in her blood red casket, Alicia's eyes glowed with energy.
Erebus nodded, "fear not, I, your knight, shall not fail you either..."
The whispers grew louder, until they reverberated against the walls of the cavern. Erebus knew, and grinned, as the voices began to laugh...
Author's Note: Okay, so they weren't duels, but I did have fun writing the battle. So, we see more mystery developing. I hope you like it. Oh, and my version of Hyne will be explained later, as it is explained differently in the game. Anyway, let me know your comments, and again, thanks for reading.
by: Gemini83
Disclaimer: You know it, I don't own FF8. But I do own this story.
The sky was red, hours yet away from sundown.
Seifer sat in his chair, thinking hard on the report Fujin had given.
"So," he pondered, "a new GF eh?"
Fujin nodded, "it seems so s-"
She caught the look Seifer gave her, and said instead, "Seifer."
He nodded, his lips quirking ever so slightly.
He turned around, looking at the sea. Off to the side, he could see lights gleaming in the horizon, from Deling City.
Seifer turned yet again, hitting a button on his desk.
"Raijin?"
A voice answered on the intercom, "hey Seifer, whatcha' want?"
He had to smile, Raijin never stuck to protocol. Which was why he was a field Instructor, while Fujin handled more officious affairs.
"Are the cadets ready for the field test?" asked Seifer.
"Ready and waiting," answered Raijin, "as soon as the ships are ready, we'll get going."
Seifer nodded, "fine, hourly reports as usual. Watch your back out there."
Raijin laughed, "don't have to tell me that, ya know?"
Seifer shut off the intercom, and sniffed as he saw Fujin shake her head at Raijin's lack of decorum.
"I don't mind Fu," he said, "like I keep saying. You, on the other hand, are trying my patience."
She looked at him questioningly.
Seifer raised an eyebrow, gesturing to her patch, "how's your eye?"
Fujin looked downward, "it's not important, really..."
"Well," Seifer grunted, "I wouldn't call healing due to a junction NOTHING."
He slowly walked up to her. Fujin made no move to back away. Seifer brought his gloved hand to her chin, and raised it, looking into her uncovered eye.
His look softened, losing the normal airs of smugness, "I won't force you to do anything you don't want."
Then he turned, all business again, "I expect a full report on my desk tomorrow morning."
"Seifer," said Fujin.
He turned. The way she said it...she hadn't ever used that tone before. It was...so soft. Her mysterious accident should have left her incapable of it.
"Yes?" answered Seifer.
With a sigh, Fujin reached behind her head, lifting the strap of her eye patch. It came off easily. Much more easily than she would have thought. It had seemed so...permanent a part of her, she wondered if it would ever have come off.
Fujin stared downward, as Seifer came close again.
He saw her eyes, though they didn't look back at him. The right one was blue, as always. The left one, which had been damaged, was now perfect, without blemish, except for one thing. It was green.
Fujin explained with a shaky voice, "they don't seem to match."
He ran his fingers along her cheek, under the green eye.
Seifer looked at her for a moment, then shook his head, "Fujin, you are too much, you know that?"
She looked up at him, beguiled at his meaning.
He grinned, "I think it's nice. Your voice too, although I rather liked having you yell all the time. It scared the shit out of the cadets. They always thought you had a bad temper."
He turned around again, walking out of the room, "so, we'll send the cadets to field exams, then evaluate the inductees for tomorrow's ball. Anything else?"
Fujin forced herself out of her daze, "nothing sir-I mean Seifer."
"Good," he replied, "I'll be in the training area if anyone needs me. My gunblade is getting dull, and Grendel hides are just the things I need for grindstones."
He shut the door as he left, leaving Fujin alone in the room. She went about, taking care of various items of paperwork left undone. She shook her head, what Seifer would do without her around, Fujin shuddered to think.
She looked at her eye patch, and thought a while before putting it on again. Fujin smiled. Even though he didn't know it, Seifer's words had helped, he cared. Most people didn't get him, but she did. It was just his way. And slowly, without knowing it, something new began to crawl its way into her heart...
The sun had risen hours ago, but the field exam had yet to finish. The Instructors had decided on night and day training this time around, practicing in the mix of terrains near Centra.
Quistis was surveying the field, as Seed cadets fought in various packs. It was actually quite grassy here. Zell was to be in charge of the desert terrains.
She squinted her eyes against the sunlight, gazing at the sea from her vantage point at the top of the hill.
Quistis shook her head, 'Squall, Squall, how do you do it?'
The field test was actually quite difficult this time, with teams having to make it through various terrains, against varying degrees of difficulty among monsters.
Quistis caught something out the corner of her eye.
"Oh Hyne," she gasped.
Four T-Rexaurs were making there way to the plains area beside the forest. The cadets could handle one, or maybe even or two if they banded together. But four...
Quistis fell into quick dash, making a run for the T-Rexaurs.
She tapped a button on her comm-link, "Quistis to Zell, can you here me?"
She got a static-ridden response, "...kind of...busy...what...want?"
"I have four T-Rexaurs," she answered, "I'm leaving post to go hunt them. Just wanted to let you know."
"...Four!?...you...be okay...yourself?"
"I'll be fine," she answered, "Quistis out."
She ran faster, wondering what could have caused the beasts to band together. Normally, T-Rexaurs hunted alone, seldom in pairs, and never in packs.
She ran through the forests, dispatching the few resisting creatures she passed with a few haphazard spells.
She soon came to a clearing, and realized it was almost too late...
The cadets were in disarray, fleeing from the wrath of the giant beasts. This was unnatural, the T-Rexaurs were in a rage Quistis had never seen before. They were stamping and raging like sharks at the smell of blood.
She brought out her whip, rushing out to meet the behemoths.
A Seed cadet fell as she tried to escape. Two T-Rexaurs stopped to turn on her. The cadet let out a shrill scream
Quistis let out a cry, as she summoned forth Ultima to blind the creatures. She reached the cadet, and with a heave, pulled her to her feet.
"Get going!" shouted Quistis.
The cadet turned to run, as Quistis faced the beast. She cast several ice spells, keeping pace with the cadet. However, the two were caught off guard, as another T-Rexaur swiped its tail along the ground, knocking them off their feet.
The two T-Rexaurs roared in fury, as they closed in on their prey. Quickly, the cadet got to her feet, casting a flurry of ice spells to distract the beasts. Quistis rose to her full height, and gestured to the cadet.
"Get back!" she yelled.
The cadet did so, and Quistis let loose one of her most powerful attacks. Her eyes glowed with a fierce yellow haze, as Shockwave Pulsar swallowed and decimated the thrashing monsters. They fell as the winds carried away the smoke, leaving their burnt husks on the grassy field.
Quistis fell back, wiping her forehead.
She turned to the cadet, and smiled, "quick thinking. Wait, don't I know you? What is your name?"
The girl smiled, "Leona."
Quistis eyed her, "Leona? Ah yes, my neighbor. Aren't you Zell's friend?"
She laughed, "I know Instructor Dincht, yes."
Quistis was about to reply, but turned as she heard more screams and roars.
Several cadets were cornered by the two remaining T-Rexaurs. Quistis cursed, wondering what she would do.
The problem answered itself, as a rain of fire engulfed the monsters, forcing them to back away. Quistis shouted at the cadets to retreat, and they prudently obeyed.
She turned to the source of the attack, expecting to see another Seed.
Instead, it was a man, cloaked in black, with a hood and upturned collar covering his face.
"Who is that?" asked Leona.
Quistis had no time to reply, before the figure drew out a gunblade, and rushed towards her.
She drew out her whip, preparing for the worst. Leona and Quistis ducked, as the hooded figure cast an ice spell. It flew above their heads.
Quistis heard a roar from behind her, and turned to see an Elnoyle, frozen solid.
She turned again, as she head the man cry out a warning. On instinct, Quistis flattened herself against the ground, pulling Leona with her. A pair of clawed hands raked the air where she had been.
The shrouded figure drew up to them, brandishing his gunblade as the two got up. Quistis looked to the sky, finding a flock of Ruby Dragons and Hexadragons.
She shook her head, the field reports had clearly underestimated the monsters in this area. But even so, these creatures were acting strange...
Quistis turned to the stranger, "who are you?"
He turned to them, but Quistis still couldn't see anything past the darkness of his hood. A rustling shook the trees to their sides, and the shrouded man brought up his blade...
A Blue Dragon came screaming out of the woods, crashing towards the man. He jumped away, raising his weapon, as he fell on his back. The Blue Dragon flew by, screaming as the blade struck it, exposing its stomach. The dragon fell to the ground in a heap of blood and exposed innards.
The figure rose to his feet, heaving and clutching at his side.
The T-Rexaurs came to bare again, stamping towards them. Several cadets made a stand, keeping up a barrage of Blizzagas to confuse the beasts.
Quistis nodded, commending the cool-headedness of the students. Then she was reminded again of the terrors in the sky, as screams of rage came down from the heavens.
The shrouded figure ran towards the opening, away from Quistis and the other cadets. Several Hexadragons made a run for him.
Greymalkin breathed heavily as he forced himself to run faster.
Having a bit too much fun, aren't we master? asked Odin.
Junction us, said Griever.
Greymalkin shook his head, 'I can't, it is not time yet to make our presence known. Besides, like you said, I am having fun.'
With a grunt, he leapt high into the air, as several beasts flew past him. Greymalkin thrust out his gunblade, skewering one of the monsters. The Hexadragon screamed in agony, as it flew high into the air.
Greymalkin had deliberately missed killing the monster, for he had something more sporting in mind...
The world was a mix of colors as the dragon flew in twisting circles, desperately trying to shake off its attacker. But Greymalkin would not be moved. He caught sight of a pair of Red Dragons rushing towards them, then acted.
Greymalkin twisted his sword, causing the Hexadragon to falter. Wrenching his sword free, Greymalkin catapulted himself through the air, latching onto one of the Ruby Dragons with his gunblade. The Hexadragon crashed into the other Ruby Dragon, and the two beasts fell to the earth in a heaving mass of scales.
Quistis shook her head in disbelief. Even with the cadets to vouch for her, the others were never going to believe this.
Leona whistled, "excuse me, Instructor Trepe, but I don't think that's in the manual."
Quistis shook her head, "I doubt anyone has even thought of combating dragons like that. The man fights like he has a death wish."
Greymalkin cast an ice spell, freezing the Ruby Dragon's eyes, effectively blinding it. He thrust his sword deeper into the scaly hide, touching the tip of his blade lightly against the beast's spinal cord. He tested the response, moving his blade just so. The Ruby Dragon reacted immediately, its nerves twitching with pain. Greymalkin nodded, the beast knew he would sever its spine unless it followed his commands.
He grinned wolfishly. Too bad it didn't know it was already dead.
Grabbing a stone from his belt, Greymalkin summoned forth another spell, causing his hands to light up with molten fire. He thrust his fist into the dragon's neck, imbedding the stone into it. The beast roared in anger, snapping its jaws.
He turned the dragon towards the T-Rexaurs, casting several spells at the beasts to draw their attention.
The behemoths had the Seed cadets cornered, but turned as the shower of fire and ice rained down on them again...
Greymalkin pulled the trigger on his gunblade, firing into the Ruby Dragon's spine, and freeing his weapon. With a great push, he leapt from the monsters back.
One of the T-Rexaurs turned, frothing over in raw fury, in time to see the dead Ruby Dragon flying into its midst. The dragon flew into the T-Rexaur's face, as the Ultima stone imbedded in flying monster's neck ignited.
Quistis shielded her eyes from the blinding explosion, covering her face. When she looked again, the T-Rexaur's head was an unrecognizable mess of flesh and blood. All that remained of the Red Dragon was a burnt heap of scales in the T-Rexaur's skeletal maw.
Greymalkin landed, rolling to his feet, in time to see the T-Rexaur crash to the ground.
He grunted, "enjoy your meal?"
He walked away shakily, and again clutched at his ribs, as a familiar ache shot up his side.
What is it sire? asked Griever.
Greymalkin breathed heavily, 'Lady Hyne said the wound would not heal so easily. When has she ever been wrong?'
He fell to his knees, sheltering his aching side.
Several remaining Hexadragons landed in a circle around him, baring their teeth and snapping.
With an enraged yell, Greymalkin loosed a flurry of spells at them, as ice and fire decimated several of the beasts.
But all too soon, his energy was spent, and several of the fallen dragons' brethren remained.
Greymalkin fell to his side, dispassionately looking at his approaching enemies. The shrill sound of faint whispers began to bombard his ears, as if the voices were coming from the great beyond.
Master, said Odin, I believe it is safe to assume our presence has been made known.
Greymalkin laughed bitterly, my dear Odin, I would have to agree.
Junction, ordered Odin.
He shook his head, "I can't."
And still the ghostly voices continued to whisper.
Quistis decided it was time to act. The mysterious figure had done enough. She turned to the other students.
"Okay people, time to earn your rank," she ordered, "blast the dragons with everything you have, draw their attention. Then back off and I'll do the rest."
Greymalkin remained silent, as scores of spells wracked the Hexadragons, drawing roars of agony from the brutes. The whispers disappeared, drowned out by the cries of the monsters. Then, the beasts' screams disappeared altogether, as a final spell enshrouded them, swallowing everything in a yellow haze. The Hexadragons shattered like so much glass. Then all was silent, the whispers and the screaming were gone.
Quistis walked up to the fallen man. He seemed to be breathing. The cloak still covered most of his face, and his eyes were closed. He seemed to be bleeding from his side, and Quistis inspected the wound, casting a healing spell. The blood flow stemmed a little bit, but she could still see the horrible scars. They looked like...curved sickles...so dark as to almost be like a tattoo. Quistis took a closer look, and found that she was right...some sort of insignia. Why then, was it bleeding?
Leona came up from behind, as did several other cadets.
"Is he alive?" she asked.
Quistis backed away as the shrouded figure moved to his side, raising himself to his hands and knees.
"I am fine, thank you," he replied, slowly getting to his feet.
She eyed him thoughtfully, still unable to see much past his hood.
Quistis caught several of the Centra cadets out of the corner of her eye. They seemed to be...afraid, as if they knew him to be dangerous. But why, and how?
"Thank you for your help," said Quistis, "but who are you?"
He cocked his head to the side, as if pondering the question, then answered, "I am known as...Greymalkin."
Quistis raised an eyebrow, "what am I to make of that? Why are you here, are you a Seed? Only cadets were supposed to be here."
He laughed slightly, "my lady, if I were a Seed, I should hope I would be more than a mere cadet."
Leona shook her head, "I've never seen anything like this before, you or those monsters."
Quistis nodded, "she's right, those dragons, they seemed fixated on you. And I've never seen their attacks so...coordinated before."
Greymalkin nodded, "it is Alicia, her will is rising again."
Quistis furrowed her eyebrows, "Alicia? Who is she?"
He sharply looked to the side, as if sensing something.
"I must leave," he said.
Quistis shook her head, "not until I get some ans-"
He threw a stone down to the ground, and immediately smoke rose into the air, blinding Quistis and the cadets.
When the wind cleared, Greymalkin was gone...
Leona breathed in heavily, "well, that was different."
Quistis shook her head again, "how in Hyne's name am I going to explain this?"
In a dark, cavernous hall...
He was known as Erebus, and minions flocked to his beck and call. His cruel smile was hidden by a dark red mask, which covered all of his face.
His throne was silver, a pillar of light shining down on it, strikingly bright against the darkness of the cave.
A robed figure came out of the shadows, and kneeled, "Lord Erebus, the Nightstalker seems to have arrived. It is certain now."
Erebus nodded, "do we know of his whereabouts?"
The aide shook his head, "Greymalkin vanished without a trace."
He nodded, flicking his wrist, "leave us."
The robed figure bowed, melting into the shadows again.
Erebus rose from his throne, striding down the marble stairs with ease.
As if one cue, a crystal tomb lit up, shining blood red. Within it was encased a dark beauty, evil beyond hope of understanding.
Erebus felt whispers in the back of his mind, emanating from the crystal.
"The beasts under your control were weak," he said to the crystal, "but set your mind at ease Lady Alica, we of the Illuminati shall not fail you..."
Even encased in her blood red casket, Alicia's eyes glowed with energy.
Erebus nodded, "fear not, I, your knight, shall not fail you either..."
The whispers grew louder, until they reverberated against the walls of the cavern. Erebus knew, and grinned, as the voices began to laugh...
Author's Note: Okay, so they weren't duels, but I did have fun writing the battle. So, we see more mystery developing. I hope you like it. Oh, and my version of Hyne will be explained later, as it is explained differently in the game. Anyway, let me know your comments, and again, thanks for reading.
