Disclaimer: I don't now, nor have I ever owned Final Fantasy VI. Otherwise, I'd be rich and paying someone else to write this for me.
Warning: There is a section with brief but coarse language in this chapter.
Chapter Seven: Ravages of Glory
Three generals clad in the traditional black-and-red uniforms stood at ease in the center of the dim throne room.
"It is my belief that peace can only be achieved through the union of the world powers. It is my wish that the three continents of this world come together under one banner. And it is my ambition to lead this world to greatness. Now, it is also my assumption that not every nation will readily join our path to providence. This is why I must ask the three of you to travel to the far reaches of this earth and make them understand our quest of Unity, Duty, and Destiny. Yes, it is these three ideals that will grant us our fate. Kefka, you will bring Unity to the nations of the vast Western Continent. Remember that the king of Figaro is our greatest asset, therefore your greatest ally in your quest."
"Yes, Sire."
"Leo, you shall give the people of the East the gift of Duty, allegiance to Vector. Unlike the king of Figaro, the lord of Doma has always been reluctant to accept Vector's offers of alliance. Make him see differently."
"Yes, Majesty."
"And Celes. The people of our glorious Southern lands have resisted Vector's rule for as long as I can remember. Only through force have they become protectorates of our capital city. If our own homeland is not united, the quest will fail. Show them their Destiny, kitten."
"Yes, Majesty."
"Celes, you and your forces will begin the Imperial campaign with a march to Albrook. Take control of the city to secure safe passage for Kefka and Leo to their own destinations."
"It will be done, my lord."
"Kefka, you will land at South Figaro. Occupy the city, then head straight for the castle. Leo, make haste to Doma. The sooner the king submits, the easier your quest will be. And all of you, leave no nation, large or small, unchecked."
"Yes, my lord," the three answered.
Gestahl took Kefka's hand.
"Unity."
To Kefka's, he added Leo's hand.
"Duty."
And to theirs, Celes'.
"And Destiny. The glory of the Empire is upon us. Make it known."
((ooo))
It was a movement like no one had ever seen before. Virtually the whole compound and all the barracks emptied as nearly half of the hundred thousand men of the Imperial Army began their colossal march to Albrook. Across the Vectoran fields they marched, three massive columns of men in brown, each with a M-Tek rifle slung over his shoulder, their rank lieutenants keeping them in perfect formation.
It was truly a magnificent display with the three generals riding their armored chocobos in the front line, Celes on a rare albino, flanked by Leo and Kefka on even rarer blacks. All three wore the custom field uniform of their choice, though not their full battle array. Kefka's armor was concealed beneath his robes of red, gold, and black. Leo wore a black cloak over an emerald breastplate, with a black tunic underneath, an attractive complement to his mocha skin. Celes' breastplate was white over a black tunic, also under a black cloak.
Two mounted flag bearers rode directly behind the generals, and others were spread throughout the columns. The red, black, and gold banners waved high in the wind, proclaiming the might of the Empire. Chocobo-drawn M-Tek cannons brought up the rear, the first heavy artillery infused with the Magitechnology.
In order not to cause a panic in Albrook, the army halted its procession beyond a small ridge and out of sight. Celes, together with a small envoy, rode into the port city. She had merely to speak with the Imperial viceroy, appointed by Gestahl himself after Celes' overthrow of the former mayor, to arrange occupation.
"Lady Celes," he greeted nobly, "I received word of your arrival just this morning. An honor to have such an illustrious guest in my manor."
"I have come on behalf of His Excellency, Emperor Gestahl. I have orders to secure the city to provide safe passage for General Palazzo and General Cristophe."
"All three Imperial generals, here in Albrook?" the viceroy exclaimed. "This is quite unexpected. But of course, whatever His Excellency commands, I shall gladly abide by. I leave the city to you, General."
"Thank you, Viceroy. Ready the ports for their arrival."
"Of course, Lady Celes."
Within a day, Celes' forces were moving into the city. The people were shocked to say the least, waking up to the nearly entire Imperial army marching through the streets of Albrook, some branching off at various locations to commence occupation. And of course they were surprised to see the army commanded by the lady general, who was last seen in the city as a major.
The next morning, Kefka began his departure, and the following day, Leo made his. Once the generals were gone and the city was securely occupied, Celes and her remaining troops moved out to sweep across the Vectoran planes. All communities between Albrook and Vector pledged their allegiance to the emperor. North of the Imperial city, there were only a few small settlements passively averse to the spread of Gestahl's rule. These were quickly shown the emperor's strict intolerance of disunity.
Farther north, however, lay rumors of a hostile resistance in Tzen. It was soon confirmed that a sizeable group of defected Imperial soldiers and disgruntled townsmen banded together to form an armed militia called the Deserters. For years they had been growing in numbers, smuggling weapons out of Vector when they could, plotting the overthrow of Gestahl in a full-scale coup d'état. The emperor's new campaign was apparently the last straw, as they began gathering their forces to oppose Celes' army.
The estimated number was seven thousand, many armed with M-Tek rifles, a couple operating the rare, if less civilized, gunpowder cannons, and all with swords. Celes was in command of nearly twice that at the start of the campaign, but with occupations of other cities, her forces were cut to ten thousand, with one M-Tek cannon per thousand at her disposal.
Celes' army stopped in a field a couple miles out from Tzen. Her scouts reported sightings of Deserters throughout the city, but not in the numbers they were expecting, and her officers grew anxious.
"Do you think they're setting a trap, General?" her captain asked.
Celes' expression was distant as she surveyed the area. "No, Brandt. I think we've already walked into it."
Major Baxter shifted nervously. "What do we do now, General?"
Celes surprised her officers with a mischievous smirk. "Spring the trap."
((ooo))
The commander of the Deserters almost laughed out loud when he saw the Imperials setting up camp in the field. He didn't see why Emperor Gestahl held this new general in such high esteem; she was obviously as naïve as she was attractive, and she walked right into his trap. Come nightfall, his men would slip into her camp undetected and kill her in her sleep. Without their general, the Imperials would be lost and easy to overtake.
He spared a chuckle at the thought. The fools.
Night fell, and the half the Deserter army dispersed silently through the encampment, swords drawn. They would hit as many tents as they could at once. The raid was expected to go quickly and smoothly.
Unbeknownst to them, ten thousand pairs of eye watched them from the darkness surrounding the camp. Noiselessly, they drew their weapons. It began to rain.
The Deserter commander entered General Chere's tent and stood by the cot, his blade poised to strike. With his free hand, he gingerly took hold of the corner of the blanket and then flung it back to reveal the much reputed general. What he found was a vaguely humanoid slab of ice with a smiley face carved into the top. Almost dropping his sword as he backed away in shock, he ran out of the tent, seeing similar reactions in all of his men.
Lightning flashed, briefly illuminating the thousands of Imperials, all armed, surrounding the Deserters. And directly in front of them all stood the young lady general, her blonde hair dripping in the rain, but not making her any less intimidating in her full white battle armor.
"A cunning attack you conjured up, Commander. But you underestimated our intelligence. Surrender now, and you may walk away with your lives."
"We will not bow down to the gluttony of that tyrant you call an emperor," he challenged.
"So be it."
The commander raised his sword and charged at Celes, his entire company following him. Celes gave the order, and ten thousand Imperials rushed in from all sides to meet the Deserters. Swords clashed and blood spilled, mixing with the soil under the downpour. Rifles flared and men fell upon their fallen comrades, their mutilated bodies twisting together in the crimson-stained mud. At some point, cannons from both sides made their presence known with their thunderous blasts, sending limbs, blood, and mud through the air. Under the crushing numbers of the Imperial Army, the Deserters never stood a chance.
((ooo))
The city of Tzen woke up to a red sunrise. The remaining half of the Deserter militia wandered about town, awaiting the victorious return of their comrades. When a solitary figure approached, the black eagle on her breastplate and cloak clearly marking her an Imperial, the curious Deserters gathered. She stopped right in front of them, her expression hard, and threw a helmet to the ground at their feet. It was the helm of their commander.
"Your comrades are dead," she stated firmly. "And you will all share their fate for your disobedience."
They weren't even given the chance to draw their weapons before Celes' forces appeared from all sides and began closing in on the rebellious army. Those who fought were overpowered and slain. Those who ran were hunted down in the streets and ruthlessly killed.
"What of the Tzenians, General?" Major Baxter wondered while the slaughter proceeded around them.
Celes was caught off guard by the question. She had been so concerned with eliminating the threat of the Deserters, she hadn't even thought about the people of Tzen.
"Where is the governor?" Celes inquired.
"Rumor has it the coward packed up and left town last night."
"All the more easy for us to take control. Gather the citizens in Tzen Hall."
"Yes, General."
Hours later, the hall was packed with the town's populace. Many were frightened when Celes stepped up in front of them, her white armor smeared with blood, her gauntleted hand absently fingering the hilt of her blade.
"Tzenians, what you have witnessed today was the purging of a threat. You are people of the Empire, protectorates of Vector. The Deserters put you in danger by housing their treacherous rebellion on Imperial grounds. And now, in the face of the consequences of his compliance with this rebel army, your town's leader has abandoned you. I stand before you with an offer. An offer of protection, of security, and of prosperity. Devote yourselves to the emperor, and I will give you my pledge…a solemn pledge that he will never abandon you!"
Cheers broke out at the rousing speech, and it was clear the people of Tzen knew what was in their best interest. Other towns, however, were not so willing to submit to Imperial rule, and it was soon confirmed that they clung instead to their support of the Returner rebellion. Passive negotiations were not easily succeeding, and so Celes felt compelled to use force, resulting in the burning of nearly the entire countryside between Tzen and Maranda. Whole crops were lost, livestock and game were driven off the lands, and settlements were torn apart by the raging flames. The icy general, it seemed, was getting impatient, and her inexperience was catching up with her.
((ooo))
The Leaky Mug was not the kind of place you would take grandma for margaritas after bingo night, so when an attractive young girl entered the smoky Marandan tavern, her black cloak concealing her form from shoulder to toe, several people took instant notice of her entrance. One was the bartender, another was a sleazy-looking vulture of a human being, and the other was a fairly young man sitting in the dimmest corner of the pub. All three took immediate interest in this newcomer, and all for very different reasons.
Her stride was confident as she walked to the bar, and the bartender paused his washing of mugs and looked her up and down skeptically.
"Aren't you a little underage to be in her, miss?"
"Water on the rocks."
He scoffed. "We don't serve water here."
The girl gave him a dark look. "Make an exception."
There was something intimidating about this teen that told the barkeep to just give her what she ordered.
"That's better," she said as she took her glass in hand.
The man in the shadows narrowed his eyes as the sleazy-looking guy approached her.
"Hey doll face. Aren't you a little young to be in a bar?"
"Aren't you a little ugly to be in public?" she retorted as she took a sip of her water.
He chuckled hoarsely. "Oh, a girl with spunk. I like it. What do you say you and me go for a walk?"
"Do you have any idea who you're dealing with?" she asked darkly.
"No, but that's what I'm trying to find out, sweet cheeks."
As he spoke, he moved to pinch her side, but her left hand shot forth from her cloak like a cobra, grabbing in hand. A series of distinct cracks could be heard throughout the tavern as the gauntleted vise snapped several fingers.
"Touch me again, and you'll lose more than the use of your hand, k?"
She roughly dropped his hand and returned her attention to her glass. The guy was apparently too drunk to feel the pain of a broken hand, because he seemed only more determined.
"An aggressive one, too," he observed. The man in the shadows rose from his seat. "I love you chicks on a power trip. Come on, sweet thing, and I'll show you—"
The gruff drunk was suddenly shoved by the man from the shadows.
"Hey, asshole, why don't you just leave her alone?"
"Hey, what's your problem man? I was just trying to have a conversation with the kid."
"Yeah, to which she obviously has no desire to respond, so just lay off."
"What are you, her bodyguard?"
"Judging by the misalignment of your fingers, I'm guessing she doesn't need one."
The drunk flipped the younger man off as he walked away. "Hey, fuck you man."
The man from the shadows adjusted his bandana and turned to the girl. "I'm sorry about him, but the sleazebags are always lurking around these taverns. Speaking of which, what's a kid like you doing in a place like this?"
The girl continued to stare into her water glass. "Business."
"Business?" he wondered.
The barkeep's assistant called to the girl. "That'll be 10GP for the water, miss."
"Ten gold pieces for a glass of piss you call water?" she asked harshly.
"Hey, water's rare around here, kid."
As she reached into the pouch on her belt, the assistant caught a glimpse of the white breastplate hidden under her cloak, but more importantly, of the black eagle on that breastplate.
"Uh…y-you know what? Forget it. It's on the house."
The young man detected a sudden apprehension in the junior barkeep and glanced at the girl, also spotting the unmistakable emblem. Just then, a man in a grey cloak similar to the girl's approached her with his hands folded in front of him, suggesting a respect towards her. As this new guy whispered into her ear, the young man noticed the assistant holding a frantic but hushed conversation with his boss while periodically glancing at the girl.
She suddenly turned towards him. "What's you name?"
He almost panicked. "Lo…uh…L-Lance."
"Do yourself a favor, Lance. Get out of town."
The girl and the cloaked man got up to leave, and the young man noticed a scar down the left side of her face. Two more men walked into the pub, their Imperial uniforms drawing immediate attention.
"Hey, Imperial slime, we don't serve your kind here!" the bartender yelled.
One of the officers scoffed as the girl and man came near. "I think you just did."
As they passed, the two Imperials fell into step behind them, flanking the girl, their hands folded respectfully as her first escort had.
"Is the mayor in custody?" she asked, throwing open her cloak, revealing her Imperial uniform.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Good. I hate long waits." She suddenly stopped and turned. "Oh, Bartender." She flipped a coin to him before proceeding out the door. "Thanks for the water."
The assistant hit his boss' arm. "See? That's what I was trying to tell you, sir! That was General Celes!"
"Oh shit… And I almost refused to serve her water…" The bartender saw the spooked expression on the young man's face. "You're lucky, Cole. You just flirted with the enemy."
The young man slowly met the bartender's gaze. "…I think we need to get the Returners out of Maranda."
((ooo))
Celes walked into the office-turned-prison, still flanked by her two lieutenants and captain.
"Mayor," she greeted, "I trust by now you are aware of the reason for your detainment."
"Actually, I was hoping you would enlighten me," the aged politician said.
Celes stared at him for a moment before answering. "The Returners, Mayor. You've granted them sanctuary."
"Returners? There are no Returners here," he denied.
"I'm in no mood for games, Mayor. Bring me the Returners, and your precious Maranda will not be harmed. Continue this defiance, and I'll be forced to—"
"To what?" he interrupted. "To kill me? To kill innocent civilians? The city would never submit to you then."
"Do you understand the extent of your insolence?"
"I'm calling your bluff, General." Celes was silent. "Do you understand the extent of your threats?" he challenged.
"I have authorization from my liege to use whatever means necessary."
"Then your liege is a fool."
Celes nodded to her captain, who promptly punched the insolent politician in the stomach.
"No, Mayor, you're the fool," Celes countered. "I don't make idle threats, and you just made yourself an enemy."
Celes walked out the door, and the mayor was dragged by her lieutenants behind her. Her captain spoke quietly to her as they walked.
"What now, General?"
"I can't back down, Brandt," she whispered regretfully. "I started this, and now I have to finish it…for the Empire."
Brandt sighed. "For the Empire…"
Upon reaching Town Square, Celes took hold of the mayor herself, dragged him a couple more feet, and roughly threw him to the ground. The civilians in the area stopped what they were doing and focused their attention on the teenage girl and their mayor.
"Citizens of Maranda!" Celes called loudly. "You are all protectorates of Vector, but in your hospitality to the Returners, you have displeased His Majesty! Now you shall all bear witness to what happens to those who refuse the generosity of the emperor!"
She turned to Major Baxter. "All is ready?"
"Two hundred civilians have been gathered in City Hall, just as you ordered, ma'am."
"Lock the doors."
The major signaled to an officer on the steps of the hall, and the doors were barred, locking the civilians inside. Celes took one last look at the building, then drew a deep breath.
"Torch it."
Gasps arose in the watching crowd at the command. The mayor began weeping as the building went up in flames, the screams of the people inside piercing through the evening air. Celes turned to Baxter.
"Eliminate any who try to put out the flames." She turned to leave. "And kill the mayor."
((ooo))
The sun set, and darkness came once more. Celes sat against a tree on the hill overlooking Maranda, her knees drawn halfway to her chest, her arms limp at her sides, and her expression vacant. Her face was illuminated with the dancing shadows of fire as she watched the flames spread from the crumbling hall to the surrounding structures, and soon the entire city. Screams of innocents trapped by the inferno echoed through the night, a sound she knew would forever haunt her dreams.
Brandt walked slowly up the hill. When he reached the tree, he simply stood silently by his commander, also turning to gaze upon the burning city.
After a while, Celes finally spoke. "Do you think it was a mistake, Brandt?"
He shifted uncomfortably. "It's not my place to judge the actions of my superiors." He hesitated before continuing carefully. "But...if it was a mistake…then I pray we all learn from it."
"Learn from our past mistakes…" she mused. "It's the only way we grow, isn't it?"
Brandt smiled sadly. "I think that's what they were trying to teach us all those years ago…"
"Yeah… But the real trick is learning not to make those mistakes in the first place."
The captain shook his head. "We're only human."
Celes was silent, and Brandt looked down at her, seeing a tear roll down her cheek, glistening in the fiery glow from the blazing city. Respectfully, he took his leave. Celes removed her gauntlet and studied her left hand, a hand that could still conjure the unnatural force known as magic.
"Only human…"
((ooo))
After the torching of Maranda, Celes met little resistance as she backtracked to Albrook to meet the returning generals, as all three had accomplished their missions at nearly the same time. Nearly ten months after the generals first arrived in Albrook, Leo came back into port, and moved out of the city right away. Kefka came in a couple days later, and was also sent out while Celes restructured the occupation of Albrook.
On the march back to Vector, Celes and her men were met by cheering crowds honestly loyal to the emperor. They acted as heralds of the general's triumphant return, calling village after village out of their homes to witness the historic event. The crowds grew larger and louder the closer to Vector they got.
Brandt rode up beside Celes. "They love you, General. You're a hero."
Celes' gaze swept over the throngs of people. "We all are." She looked back to Brandt with a small but genuine smile on her face.
Once Celes and her men reached the fields before Vector, she was joined by Leo coming from the East, and Kefka from the West in a beautifully coordinated display. The single column of soldiers once again became three, and the generals again rode side by side.
The crowds became masses and the cheers grew to thunderous roars. Leo looked over to Celes and extended his hand with a grin.
"We did it."
Celes met his gaze, her petite smile slowly widening. Grasping his forearm as comrades often did, she replied, "We did."
"Celes," Kefka called from the other side. After a moment, he too extended his hand. "You did well. I think the emperor chose his Knights wisely."
The gentle sincerity in his voice surprised Celes, and she locked arms with him as well.
"Congratulations. To both of you," Kefka added.
Through the gates of the Imperial capital they marched. The sidewalks along the street to the palace were packed and windows above were crowded with citizens eager to witness their beloved protectors' return. Many shouted Imperium Augustus, while others shouted Unity, Duty, and Destiny. The women spread flower petals on the ground before the Imperials and the men saluted.
Celes couldn't contain her pride as she tilted her head to the sky, closing her eyes in absolute contentment. The sun shone down upon her and the mystic eagle floated in the air above her. The horrors of the conquest were forgotten and the glory of her success lifted her to a height she never experienced before. For the first time, all was right in her life.
And all was brought crashing down in a single moment.
Author's Note: Considering how long this conquest was supposed to take, this was a short chapter. Sorry about that. I'm not entirely pleased with how it turned out, but it's the best I could do without driving myself crazy. Please review some more. After this chapter, my ego needs it. Ok, only two more chapters to go! And the next one's my favorite, so stay tuned!