Chapter 5

The windows inside the castle shattered, causing loud shrieks to echo throughout the grand ballroom. Chandeliers began to swing violently, before breaking off the ceiling and come crashing down on the floor. People began to panic, and started to run in different directions, finding an exit. After a minute or so, few guests were being trampled on in the chaotic escape from the castle.

Cid waved his arms around to bring the citizens attention to him. "Wait! Everyone wait! Please, listen to me! Do not panic!!!" he shouted over the noise. Unfortunately, the chaos occurring drowned his voice.

Irvine glanced up at the sky. "What's happening?" he yelled over the noise.

"Quisty!" Zell shouted, frantically looking for his sister. "QUISTY!!!"

Selphie lifted the hem of her dress and joined Zell in search for Quistis. "QUISTY! Quisty, where are you?" she called, trying to pass through the panicking mob.

Rinoa shrieked and stumbled towards Squall as the glassy ceiling and chandeliers crashed onto the floor.

Quistis desperately looked around, trying to calm to crowd. "Everyone please!!! Don't panic –"

"Watch it!" Seifer grabbed Quistis' arm roughly, causing her to slam into him as a giant chandelier fell right where she was standing. The impact forced the prince and princess to stumble onto the floor.

Quistis felt herself pushed forward on the impact as the crashing chandelier shook the floor. Suddenly, she felt her lips pressed onto Seifer's as she fell. Too stunned to move, Quistis' eyes grew wide in shock.

Seifer moved away and looked up at Quistis. "…You okay?" he asked.

Quistis nodded, saying nothing since her voice was caught in her throat.

"Quisty!!!" Zell ran toward the middle of the dance floor and finally found Quistis on top of Seifer.

Quistis looked up instantly. "Zell…I…I…" She glanced at Seifer then realized that she was still lying on top of him.

"Quisty are you…?!" Selphie stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Quistis moving off of Seifer.

The princess dusted her dress hastily and blushed. "I…It's not what you think," she mumbled, continuing to blush.

Selphie breathed a sigh of relief and hugged Quistis. "Are you okay?" she asked, concern in her voice.

"I'm fine," was the stiff reply. She glanced at the rest who were left in the ruined ballroom. The lovely princess noticed that Squall, Rinoa, Irvine, Fujin, Raijin, Cid, Edea, Selphie, and Zell were the only ones left in the room.

Cid and Edea rushed to where Quistis and Seifer were. "Angel, are you alright?" Cid asked, shaking her shoulders slightly.

Quistis nodded, saying nothing.

Rinoa groaned as she limped towards the center of the room. "What happened?"

Edea looked up at the sky. "It's begun," she whispered softly. "They're going to come after her."

Selphie looked horrified. "What? What's begun? Who's coming after who?"

Irvine put a hand on Selphie's shoulder to calm her down. "Easy. Don't get a heart-attack."

Edea looked grim. "On a Trepe's 18th birthday, he or she inherits their parent's power. But that's only half the legend. The rest of it was that one day, a Trepe would be born of great power, more power than that given to them by birth. This child had the power to wipe out the race of all evil when she or he reached his or her 18th birthday."

"So you're saying that the evil in this world is coming after the Trepe?" Zell asked.

Edea nodded.

"And that Trepe would be..." Seifer added softly.

"Me…" Quistis murmured quietly. She suddenly grew weak and collapsed without warning.

"Quisty!" Selphie cried out.

*

The lovely princess slowly opened her eyes as the dim rays of light struck her face. Getting up, she realized that she was in her own room, lying down on her bed. "Wh…where…?" She looked at the peaceful room, as if none of the events from the night before never took place.

After a moment or so, the doors to her room opened slowly, revealing Selphie. Selphie bowed then walked over to where Quistis was. "Quisty, are you all right?" she asked in a low whisper.

Quistis rubbed her forehead slowly. "What happened?"

"You fainted last night. It scared the hell out of us," Zell answered, walking in the room. "It looked like you were dead for a moment. What happened?"

Quistis thought for a moment before answering. "I…I don't know. I guess I just blacked out," she replied, attempting to get out of her bed. She glanced at the two grim faces and sighed. "How much time do I have before they get me," she finally asked.

"A week," Selphie replied. "But Quisty, that's not even enough time to produce an heir! You're too young!"

Quistis looked at her calmly. "I'm not going to produce an heir at all."

Zell leaned against the wall. "If you're not going to, we'll have to protect you. You have to survive the week," he responded.

At that very moment Rinoa burst into the room, followed by Irvine. "You!" she screeched pointing an accusing finger at Quistis. "You did this to all of us!"

Irvine held Rinoa back. "Rinoa, relax."

"Quistis has the power to rid all evil! Why don't you just do it now before we all get killed because of you!" she shrieked furiously.

The princess looked at her calmly. "I'm sorry, Rinoa, but you can't just cast a spell as if it were nothing and get rid of evil quickly. I don't even know what to do," she replied without any sympathy.

"You have the power, so use it! You brought us all down with you!!!" Rinoa continued to growl.

Quistis sighed, fighting to control her temper. "Listen, Rinoa, do you think I would have let all the evil in this world still roam if I had known the incantation for the spell? Wouldn't I have gotten rid of it all by now if I had known?" she snapped coldly.

Selphie glanced at Rinoa. "Look, let's just calm down for the moment and think. We can't just jump into conclusions without even thinking about it," she said calmly.

"Well hurry with the thinking," Seifer muttered, leaning against the wall. "The sky is beginning to darken. Soon the entire world will be covered in darkness."

"You seem to know a lot about this Balamb myth. Enlighten us," Squall replied, glaring at Seifer.

Seifer just grinned and glanced at Fujin, who was standing in the doorway. "Why don't you go ask her. She's the one who told it to me," he answered.

Suddenly, everyone's eyes turned to the quiet Fujin.

Fujin just stared into space and shook her head. "NEGATIVE."

Zell looked thoughtful. "So, the Balamb Prophesy is true then."

Quistis glanced at her brother. "You knew of the Balamb Prophesy, yet you did not bother to inform me about it?"

Zell shook his head. "I only know the basic. The Final Trepe is true as you can see, since Quistis is the Ultimate Trepe who will rid the world of all evil. Then when the time comes for the Trepe's 18th birthday, destructive GFs shall arise from their seals and wreak havoc among the world. Then within seven days and seven nights, the world will be swallowed up in darkness. This shall be so until the seventh day, when the Apocalypse shall occur wiping out the entire universe," Zell explained grimly.

"But did you also know about the Three Keys that hold the world's fate?" Seifer asked.

"Three keys?" Rinoa asked curiously.

"In order to change the world's fate, there are three people out in the world called the Three Keys. One is the Seer. Another is the Giver…and the last one is the Punisher. These three hold the key to the world's fate," Seifer said quietly.

Irvine nodded, smiling to himself. "I've heard of this. My mother used to tell me this legend when I was young."

Seifer scoffed. "Then I guess you know about the Three Protectors, those who protect the Three Keys. You see, the Three Keys are all woman."

"Got a problem with that?" Selphie asked defensively.

"The problem is that they weaken, and may be vulnerable," Seifer replied. "To prevent their destruction, Three Protectors were summoned to protect them from all harm."

"So we'll have to not only find the Three Keys, but we'll also have to find the Three Protectors," Rinoa thought out loud.

Irvine smirked. "No, actually, you'll only have to find two of the Three Protectors."

Raijin looked at him suspiciously. "What makes you say that, ya know?"

Selphie literally jumped in front of Irvine, looking eager. "S…so you know one of the Three Protectors? Well, who is it?" Selphie asked excitedly.

Irvine continued to smirk happily. "You're lookin' at him!"

"WHAT?!" everyone demanded, suddenly glancing at Irvine.

Rinoa scowled. "Oh quit playing, Irvine! This is serious!" she growled.

Irvine glanced at all the unconvinced faces. "It's true! Before my mother died, I remember her telling me that my destiny is to fall in love with one of the Three Keys, and that I was destined to protect her with my life," he explained.

Seifer studied Irvine carefully. "So you would know the risks of protecting one of the Three Keys, right? Meaning you'll have to protect her at all costs, even if it means giving up your life," he said.

The sharpshooter nodded. "I've been willing to give up everything for her, even if it means dying for her cost," he answered. Irvine glanced at Selphie and winked.

Selphie blushed, looking away from his gaze.

Quistis thought about everything that was just said silently in her head. After a moment of thinking she finally asked, "Where can we find the rest of these people?"

At this Seifer laughed. "I'm surprised that you, the Final Trepe, wouldn't even know that she herself is one of the Three Keys," he responded.

"…Me? I'm one of the Three Keys?" Quistis squeaked.

"AFFIRMATIVE," Fujin replied.

"Well, if you are the one who can rid the world of all evil, then I would guess that you would be one of the Three Keys," Zell said, chuckling softly.

"But what must I do?" Quistis asked, looking lost.