Disclaimer: If you think I own Final Fantasy, contact your shrink.
Alright, here it is: the second to last chapter of Sins of the Past, my absolute favorite chapter to write. Some of my inspiration came from Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and just a warning, those who prefer the pure side of Celes might want to hold Mommy's hand while reading this. And for those of you who are wondering, believe me, Kefka is not normal. You'll see :)
Chapter Eight: Fall from Grace
From the roof of the inn he had a perfect view of Vector's main street. He lifted his gaze to the sky and squinted in the blazing sunlight. He was thankful that everyone's attention was on the Imperial parade entering the city. If anyone were to look up, his black gear would stick out like a sore thumb against the clear sky. He glanced down the street, absently stroking the dog next to him. The head of the procession was a block away.
He looked down at the sniper crossbow on the ledge. Suddenly the warm rays of sun were severed by a stray cloud. A brief gust of wind picked up and the eagle veered off towards the West. Half a block from the inn.
He set the muzzle of the crossbow on the ledge and braced the butt against his shoulder. After clicking off the safety, he looked through the scope and locked onto his target's heart, his finger grazing the trigger. Beads of sweat streaked his face under the black mask he wore. Twenty yards.
He drew a breath, held it, and fired.
((ooo))
The sunlight wavered and darkened. With a final cry, the eagle abandoned the Imperial city. Opening her eyes, Celes caught a glimpse of black against the blue sky. And even above the deafening cheers, she heard the click. What took only an instant slowed to an eternity. Words of the past echoed in her mind.
Your instincts are your life, Child.
Just as the trigger was pulled, Rhea, her chocobo, bucked, rearing back in inexplicable panic, and the bolt struck Celes just under the left breast. A wave of screams rang through the city, drawing Leo's attention to the female general as she fell back off the frightened chocobo. He immediately jumped off his bird and dropped to his knees beside her.
"Kefka!" Leo called.
Kefka quickly scanned the area for the assassin, but the man was nowhere in sight. The captains rallied the men to surround the fallen general, their weapons drawn. Another shout from Leo, and Kefka dismounted to kneel beside Celes. There was a look of shock mixed with extreme pain on her face as she coughed up blood. A red pool was rapidly collecting under her.
Leo grasped her hand. "Celes, hold on!"
"I can't do anything here, she's lost too much blood!" Kefka cried in exasperation.
Her vision grew dark, and the panicked voices around her faded. Leo felt her hand go limp in his.
"No, Celes! Stay with me!" he pleaded.
There was no response as her breathing stopped and her eyes stared into nothingness, void of the light they once held. Leo's vision blurred as he held her face in one hand and her lifeless hand in the other.
Kefka checked her pulse. There was none. "She's dead, Leo," he said solemnly.
Leo shook his head. "No. Not yet."
"It's a fact, Leo, she's dead!" Kefka shouted harshly. "But she's not lost. We have to get her to Devil's Lab."
The medical vehicle arrived soon after and rushed the fallen general to the research facility. When Cid saw them carry her lifeless form in on a stretcher, an arrow sticking out of her chest, he placed his hand on her ashen cheek.
"Oh gods, Celes… Vitals?"
"None," answered Kefka.
Leo was on the verge of tears. "Cid, there has to be something you can do!"
"Bring her to my lab! Kefka, I'm going to need your help!"
((ooo))
Celes regained awareness in a space that seemed to consist only of light. Her feet felt as though they were on solid ground, but she looked down and saw nothing but the white void. She sensed that it was cold, but she did not feel it. She didn't feel anything. Not cold. Not fear. Not pain. Only numbness.
"Welcome, Child of the Ice."
The general snapped her head around to see a familiar figure standing not five feet away. She was tall like Celes and quite scantily clad, except for the sheer cloak hanging loosely about her shoulders, its satiny sheen shimmering eerily with blues and greens. Her skin had a purplish-blue tint, her lips even were a light blue, and there was a peculiar ice formation reaching from over her heart up to her left cheek. But the most striking features of this woman were her eyes and hair. Her eyes were like pools of liquid ice so cold even Celes felt a chill from them, and her hair, extremely full and vibrantly blue, was pulled back by a blue circlet into thick dreads tied with crisscrossing gold ropes and rings, with large silver hoops coupled at the ends.
"…Shiva. You were the one speaking to me."
The ice goddess nodded. "You are the bearer of my essence. Through that, we are connected."
"Am I dead?"
"Actually, yes," Shiva answered casually. "But the humans won't let you go that easily. In fact, they will succeed in bringing you back to life."
"Why?"
"Because you have yet to fulfill your purpose."
"My purpose?"
"Yes, Child. Your destiny as the last descendant of Rune."
"That's only artificial," Celes countered.
"Do you know that for a fact?" Celes was quiet. "Because really, Child, you are quite clueless as to the truths about your ancestry."
"What truths?"
"If you truly desire to discover who you are, I suggest you use your rank to obtain your father's file, maybe even get the professor to help you research the Rune Order, but it is not my place to divulge the details of your heritage."
"I'm not sure I understand."
"You were born the Angel of Death, Child. You will know it before the end."
"What?"
"You, together with the Angel of Hope will bring balance back to the world."
"What the hell does that mean?" Celes asked in frustration. "You talk about my future as if it doesn't lie with the Empire."
Shiva hesitated. "Child…the only other thing I can tell you is to beware who you trust."
"Wh…what does that mean?" Shiva began backing away. "Answer me!"
"We will meet again, Child."
Before Celes could protest, she felt a stab of pain in her chest as her senses returned to her and she awoke from death's sleep, gasping for air. Cid was right there, cradling her head as she coughed with sputtering breaths.
"Stay with me, Celes," he was saying. "You're going to be ok."
Kefka looked like he was about to pass out as he slumped over onto one of the pieces of lab equipment. The pain in her chest was too great for her to handle, and her senses gradually faded once more.
((ooo))
Celes regained consciousness in a soft bed under a warm blanket. Nevertheless, she felt cold, but it was an odd kind of cold. One that she couldn't quite explain in her groggy state. She also felt someone lightly squeezing her hand, and when she opened her eyes, squinting in the light, she saw it was Leo.
"Hey you," he greeted softly.
"Hi," she replied weakly. "How long have I been out?"
"A couple days. All of Vector has been worried… How do you feel?"
"Barely alive."
"That's understandable," Cid said, walking into the room. "Magic and potions can only do so much in a case as severe as yours."
Terra walked in right behind the professor. "And that arrow they pulled out of you was a nasty one." Terra held up the barbed arrowhead. "We thought you might want to keep it as a souvenir," she teased.
Celes tried to chuckled, but she started coughing, causing more sharp pain in her chest.
"Does your chest hurt?" Cid asked needlessly.
"Only when I breathe," she answered, grimacing.
Cid smiled faintly. "You know, for a while there, we weren't sure you were going to make it. Kefka drained most of his energy helping to stabilize you, but he's fine now. And let me tell you, you have two stubborn friends," Cid added with a laugh. "Leo and Terra refused to leave your side the entire time. Even if only one was in the room, the other wasn't far away."
"Well, someone had to make sure you pulled through," Leo responded with a small lopsided grin.
"Besides the obvious pain, Celes, how do you feel?" Cid asked.
They could see the injured girl was fighting to stay awake. "…Cold."
He was intrigued by that. "How so?"
She thought for a moment. "…You know that feeling of ice in the pit of your stomach?" He nodded. "Like that, except…" she made a vague gesture, "…all over."
The professor drew his brows together. The look of concern quickly vanished, however, as he put on a more encouraging face.
"I wouldn't worry, Celes. I'm sure it's just a temporary side-effect of the magic we used to heal the damage." He soothingly ran a hand down the side of her face. "You should rest. It'll take you a while to recover, and sleep is the best thing for you now."
Celes allowed herself to drift off, and she was back asleep within seconds. As the professor and mage got up to leave, Leo bent over and lightly kissed her forehead. Cid sent Terra a questioning glance, and she just rolled her eyes. When they were all out of the room, Leo turned to Cid.
"You looked worried earlier. Why?"
Cid hesitated. "…Leo, I'm not sure if Celes is aware of it or not, but she did in fact die that day. Bringing her back required streaming the rawest, and therefore most potent, of Shiva's essence into her, something under normal circumstances I would never even consider. This isn't going to be just some short-term side-effect. In fact, I fear it may be much worse than that."
"Why? What's happening?" Terra asked, alarmed.
"Terra, Leo, we could very well see a dramatic behavioral change in Celes, as this experience may leave her, and take this as literally or as figuratively as you will, with a frozen heart."
((ooo))
Two weeks later and fully recovered, Celes found herself in the throne room of the Imperial Palace.
"Leo has been telling me that if Rhea had not reared back as she had, you would not be with us now."
"I still don't know what caused her to panic at that precise moment, but I fully believe it, my lord."
"Which brings me to the question I feel I must ask."
"My lord," Celes interjected, "this incident will not deter me from my duty. I vowed to serve you till death, and till death I will serve."
Gestahl nodded approvingly. "It is events such as this that test one's strength. You have shown me your determination in the face of danger. And so I will show this world my determination to preserve the Empire."
Kefka and Leo were summoned into the throne room, and Gestahl explained to his generals his plan.
"I now see that individualism is a threat to the unity of the Empire. It opens the door to philosophies the Empire was not built upon and therefore makes us vulnerable. I feel that in order to preserve our unity, I must take this individuality away. If any of you believe this measure too extreme, speak now."
The three generals were silent. Not one of them flinched as Gestahl's eyes swept over them, searching for the smallest hint of doubt. When he seemed satisfied, he leaned back in his throne.
"Celes, I am leaving this matter in your hands—"
Kefka suddenly spoke up. "Uh, my lord? Do you think it wise to send Lady Celes out into the city? After all, she did just survive an assassination attempt. And…with your permission, Majesty, I'd like to take control of this matter."
Gestahl considered that for a moment, but then shook his head. "No, I'm leaving this to you, Celes. Do what must be done. Show no mercy."
"It will be done, my lord," she vowed.
She saluted and took her leave.
"Kefka, I have a different matter I'd like you to take charge of."
"Yes my lord?
"I am issuing a lockdown of the city. No one will be allowed in, and no one will be allowed out. See to it."
Kefka seemed disappointed. "…Of course, Majesty."
Kefka and Leo were given leave, and the older of the two vented his anger as they walked.
"This is idiotic!"
"Calm down, Kefka. He simply had another assignment for you."
"I get border patrol while Celes gets to have all the fun?"
"Fun?" Leo wondered. "Our capital city is about to be razed, and you call that fun?"
"Yeah! She gets to use fire! And what do I get to use? A walkie-talkie?"
Leo paused while his fellow general continued on, muttering his frustration. The change in Kefka was becoming more prominent since the conquest. In fact, Leo had begun to see a drastic change in Celes, as well, and not for the better. It seemed Cid was right; the effects of her revival had made her grow cold, leaving her bitter, disillusioned, and unforgiving. Suddenly, he felt a great fear for the people of Vector as he turned to look out one of the palace's floor-to-ceiling windows.
Crowds drawn out of their homes by rumors of some major event gathered near the front of the palace. They watched anxiously as the gates of the Imperial Fortress opened, revealing the Empire's newest weapon; the Elite Special Forces. A regiment of sixty men in black armor and helms, with the Imperial insignia on their breast, marched in perfect formation through the gates. They were strongest of their class, infused with the now perfected Magitechnology.
And at their head strode a solitary Knight with her sword drawn, her own armor of the purest onyx trimmed by gold. The hood of her black and crimson cloak cast an ominous shadow across her face, veiling her eyes in cold darkness.
Was this truly the same general who had returned from her conquest looking so heroic? The same general whose face, once lit with pride, was now darkened by her disillusionment with reality?
Seeing that hardened expression, that almost vengeful glint in her eyes, made the people feel as though they were looking upon Death herself.
((ooo))
The white marble cathedral was a stark contrast to the cold steel of the industrial capital and had stood longer than the Imperial Palace itself. It was a place where many gathered to hear words of wisdom, words of comfort, words of inspiration. It was a place that welcomed men and women, whites and blacks, young and old, rich and poor, where spiritual guidance and sanctuary were offered to all in need.
Darkly stained oaken pews lined the cathedral, leading to a simple altar looking older than the church itself. Above the alter hung a white inverted triangle, sacred symbol of the three Goddesses, creators of all things. Sunbeams streamed in through narrow stained glass windows, bathing oak and stone in a colorful spectrum of light.
Doves congregated calmly in the aisle, their white feathers helping them blend with the marble walls, but making them stand clearly out against the deep walnut colored floor.
Three Sisters of the convent knelt in the front pew, their hands folded in prayer. They felt a black wind blow, and sensed her presence even before she entered the cathedral.
When the figure walked into the sanctuary, the doves took flight in all directions, creating dancing shadows as they scattered through in the midday light. Their wings fluttered in the air as the figure's cloak and near-white tresses fluttered with her long steady strides. The click of steel-toed boots echoed through the silent hall.
The three Sisters looked up from their prayer as the figure passed. At first glance, the image of a divine messenger flashed before their eyes; the light blotted out everything but her long blonde hair and her eyes—blue as the sky of heaven above.
But of course they knew.
Even before they saw past the glow bright as the Holy Light itself and into the chill as cold as the deepest circle of Hell, they knew the truth; those pools of liquid ice that glittered as dangerously as blue flame; those eyes containing a darkness that could not be explained, that was not seen so much as felt with naught but a mere glimpse of their frigid depths.
Of course they knew.
Even before the light parted to reveal the figure was clad in black with a sword at her side, the lining of her cloak red as blood, they knew. The saw the truth even before seeing the answer in that cloak she wore; the pure and shining black blemished by a splash of red and a shimmer of gold. A black eagle lined with gold, its red eye like a glimpse into Hell, and crossed swords intersecting in red; the Imperial insignia.
She stopped in front of the altar, her calm but focused gaze fixed upon the holy Triangle. Light seemed to retreat from the sacred symbol, banished by the woman's piercing eyes. The doves remained scattered to the farthest corners of the cathedral, frightened of the bringer of destruction, this angel of death.
A man with a gray and black uniform approached the woman from behind.
"General?"
At first, it appeared she didn't hear him. She abruptly turned and walked back down the aisle, oblivious of the Sisters' watching eyes. When she reached the door, she turned her head towards the officer behind her.
"Get all the clergy out." Her major nodded, and she glanced around the cathedral one last time. "Then burn it."
((ooo))
When all were gathered outside the church, several Imperials doused the ancient building in kerosene and set it ablaze. The members of the clergy as well as common folk from the surrounding area watched in horror as the magnificent white marble turned black, cracked, and melted under the intense heat of the blaze. Flames overtook the structure, the pews and altar were reduced to ash, and the stained glass of the windows shattered. Even the holy Triangle succumbed to the scorching attack of flames.
The three Sisters who had been praying at Celes' arrival approached the general, away from everyone else. The first was an old woman, the second was more middle aged, and the third looked no older than Celes.
"What have you done?" the first asked.
Celes ignored the old woman.
"Do you wish for eternal damnation?"
The second's question was disregarded.
"You have blasphemed the sacred Goddesses," the third accused.
"I know naught of your goddesses," Celes spat angrily. "The only 'god' I know is my lord and master, His Majesty Emperor Gestahl."
"The Goddesses have a way of punishing such pride," the youngest retorted patiently.
"You serve a mortal man who claims to want peace," the second said.
"But who truly only seeks power," the third followed.
"And all you find is blood on your hands," the first reminded.
"I do what is commanded of me," Celes stated firmly.
"You, Child, possess a gift handed down by the divine Goddesses," the first said. "And it has lifted you to a height coveted by many."
"But you will fall from that grace before the end," the second foretold.
"And you will have to choose to be reborn," the third told her.
"Just what are you trying to tell me?" Celes asked impatiently.
"That no man or woman can be too powerful, or too beautiful without disaster befalling," answered the second.
Celes scoffed at the Sisters. "You speak as if I hunger for power."
The three sighed simultaneously.
"Just remember that in the end—" the oldest began.
"all that matters—" the middle one continued.
"is what you've done," the youngest finished.
Celes turned from them, insulted that they would dare judge her. The thought crossed her mind to apprehend them for disrespecting an Imperial officer, but when she looked back, they were gone.
"General? Shall we move on?" her major asked.
Confused and just a bit unsettled, Celes shifted her gaze between her major, the burning church, and where the Sisters had stood.
"General?"
"Scour the city and subdue any who oppose His Majesty's will. Insolence will not be tolerated."
It would be a long night for Vector. The printing press, the fine arts, and even schools would be closed down, places of worship demolished. Structures centuries old, classic paintings, ancient tomes, and sacred texts would all go up in flames. Those who fought to preserve these beloved works and edifices would be detained, beaten, or even killed.
It would be a long night for Vector.
It would be a long night for Celes.
Author's note: The three Sisters is a reference to the Three Fates of Greek mythology—Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. The string of life is woven by Clotho (represented by the youngest Sister), measured by Lachesis (the middle Sister), and cut by Atropos (the oldest Sister). I'll leave it to you to decide if they were flesh-and-blood women that Celes spoke to, or if they were just phantoms in Celes' subconscious.
((ooo))
Just days after the ransacking of Vector, Gestahl summoned his generals once again.
"Kefka has brought it to my attention that just before the lockdown was put into effect, a group of the more influential people of the Empire disappeared from the city with their families. Among them were two of our scientists and one of our colonels. As these three had access to highly classified information, their desertion can only be seen as a threat to our interests. Celes, I'm sending you to find these families. Bring the colonel and the scientists back to Vector."
"And the others?"
"Eliminate all threats to the Empire."
"Yes, my lord," she responded without a trace of hesitation.
"Kefka, in the interest of finding them quickly, and since you are in charge of the city's security, I want you to go with her," Gestahl commanded.
"Of course, Majesty," Kefka consented with a smirk.
"And Leo, I want you to go into the neighboring towns and recruit as many men as you can. I have a feeling we are going to need them."
"It will be done," Leo vowed.
It took Celes, Kefka, and their thirty-man unit two days to discover where the families disappeared to. They were hiding in a small village of no more than one hundred people just north of Vector. While Kefka remained outside, Celes, along with ten men, descended into the cellar where she knew them to be, the hood of her cloak concealing her face. The nineteen family members, both men and women, ranged from small children to the elderly. All looked frightened.
It was not the cloaked general that spoke, though, but rather Major Baxter.
"Colonel Schwartz, Professor Dunham, and Professor Genosky?" The three in question shifted nervously, acknowledging their presence. "You three will be detained and brought back to Vector and tried as traitors to the Empire for leaving the city without the consent of His Majesty, Emperor Gestahl." Baxter motioned to several of his men. "Arrest them."
In fear for their families, the three did not resist as they were searched and bound. They were immediately escorted outside, never to know the fate of their loved ones. Baxter, the only other Imperial left in the room, looked to Celes expectantly.
"Bar the door," she ordered quietly.
As the major walked out of the room, closing the door, one of the men cautiously approached the general; her face may have been veiled, but her cloak with the gold outline of the Imperial Eagle was unmistakable.
"Ge…General Celes? What are you doing here?"
Wordlessly, she drew her sword.
((ooo))
Major Baxter looked on uneasily as Celes came up from the cellar, blood dripping from her sword. Houses were burning and bodies littered the village, pools of blood collecting under them.
"What is the meaning of this?" she inquired.
"General Palazzo, ma'am…" Baxter answered nervously. "He…felt it necessary to…"
Celes didn't even bother hearing the rest as she left to find Kefka. She approached him just as he released a ball of fire at the last surviving civilian.
"What are you doing?"
He smirked at her unconcerned tone. "Carrying out orders."
"Our orders were to detain the three and eliminate the others. They said nothing about killing an entire village."
"Our orders were to eliminate all threats. These people provided sanctuary to Imperial defectors, an act of treason, and who knows what information they were given."
Celes stared at him for a moment, contemplating his actions. Her expression suggested only slight agitation at his twisted interpretation of the order. She eventually looked away, letting the subject drop.
The prisoners were taken back to Vector and incarcerated until their trial. Kefka, however, was not satisfied with leaving it at that, and asked Celes to join him.
"Celes, we need to find out just what they told their families. It's necessary for the protection of the Empire, wouldn't you agree?"
"I suppose," she answered indifferently.
He opened the cell door and motioned for her to enter. "Then allow me to show you some of the finer points of getting information out of a prisoner."
Not a single person gave the screams echoing through the detention block a second thought.
That night, she stood on the bridge overlooking the city, the hood of her cloak not masking the hardness in her expression nor the darkness in her eyes. She held her arms close to her chest as she surveyed the still-smoldering industrial city, the tumult of emotions ripping her apart inside. Images of Maranda, Tzen, and now her most recent butchery plagued her mind: the raging flames, the screams of those chased down in the streets and killed, the cries of children as their parents were murdered right in front of them, the blood on her sword and hands…
Another figured walked out onto the bridge, looking quite delighted with the scene.
"You know, you deserve more credit than I gave you. I mean, I was a little disappointed when the emperor let you ravage Vector and not me, but I underestimated you. Brilliant work, Celes, truly brilliant."
Celes ignored Kefka's praise, remaining silent as she reminisced on the city's once stable society going up in smoke.
"You just have that natural flair for destruction. You remind me of…well, me. You and I are like the emperor's personal angels of death."
The statement caused Celes' focus on the scene below to falter as an echo filled her mind.
You were born the Angel of Death. You will know it before the end.
Kefka noticed Celes' slight distress. He placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed lightly, leaning closer to whisper in her ear.
"Embrace your destiny."
As Kefka released her and walked away, Celes lowered her head, and a tear crept out of her clenched eyes, tracing its lonely path down her cheek and dripping off her chin to the cold stone below. Slowly, she lifted her eyes, her brows knit together in silent wrath, and through blurred vision, she looked upon the smoldering city once more, the tear's now frosty trail shining in the moonlight.
((ooo))
The frigid change in Celes was felt throughout Vector, and her reputation as the Snow Duchess was upgraded to the Ice Queen, the cold-hearted bitch of the Empire. The latest, if unexpected, injection of Magitek boosted her magic to an impossible level, giving her the ability to freeze an entire area to the state scientifically known as Absolute Zero.
Leo was still worried about her, and when he got back from a second recruiting assignment, he decided to confront her before they both began their afternoon training.
"Leo, what are you trying to say?"
"Look, I just…don't want you to fall into the wrong light."
"What the hell is that suppose to mean?"
"I've seen how much time you've been spending around Kefka, and I don't like it."
"Why not? I've known Kefka longer than I've known you. He's been a friend to me for most of my life."
"He's a dangerous man, Celes. I looked into his officers' logs from during the conquest, and it seems your friend has developed a taste for blood. Apparently after killing a man who attacked him, Kefka snapped and slaughtered the whole village."
Memories of her last mission with Kefka flooded back to her. She ignored them.
"It didn't just happen once, either," Leo continued, but Celes cut him off.
"Look, I don't care what Kefka did. We all have our problems."
"Which is exactly what I'm getting at, Celes. You have a problem. Ever since the assassination, you haven't been the same. It's like you don't feel anything anymore! You carried out that mission without a second thought!"
"I did my job."
"Gods, Celes, you killed women and children."
"A traitor is a traitor, Leo."
"What's happened to you? You're not the Celes I remember."
"Celes is dead! I'm not the little girl you once knew, Leo. It's time you accept that."
"I don't want to accept that, Celes! You're a good person, don't do this!"
"You don't trust me do you? I'm not Kefka, Leo. I don't butcher people for the hell of it! I know I'm better than that!"
"If that were true, Celes, you would never have accepted these last few assignments."
"I didn't see you questioning Gestahl's orders."
"It wasn't my place to, it was yours. But I guess you just don't have the spine you used to."
That gave Celes pause. "…That sounded suspiciously like a challenge, Leo."
Leo glanced at the hand resting on the hilt of her sword and grew unexpectedly quiet.
"I don't want to fight you, Celes."
She scoffed. "Now who's spineless? …Come on, Leo, don't disappoint me now."
Leo watched as she drew her sword. "Don't…don't do this."
"Are you going to stop me?"
She swung, but he drew his blade, and the clash of swords echoed through the arena.
"Actually…yes," Leo muttered through clenched teeth.
He shoved her back and held his sword out in front of him. Celes recognized the preparation for Shock, and instinctually recited the Runic chant. Already, everyone in the compound was watching, uneasy about Leo's use of the attack. But just as he spun his sword, Celes spun her own and drove the blade into the ground, dropping to one knee.
The crowd of people gasped as she was hit by Shock's blast. The pillar of electric energy encircled Celes, but the blinding flash lingered unnaturally. It started to swirl in a downward vortex, directly into the Rune blade. When it disappeared, they were all astonished to see Celes stand unharmed, Leo included.
"You can Runic Shock…?"
She merely smirked, then launched herself at him, striking with such a force that Leo was driven back, and he had to duck around her to get into a more favorable position. Celes brought her sword over her head to meet his, then swung to her right, pivoting to face him.
Leo immediately noticed how much faster she was than the last time they sparred. She was more focused, more coordinated as they spun around each other in an almost beautiful dance across the arena. Every step, every turn, and every strike was matched exactly by the other person, where a tiny mistake could cost them their life.
Leo swept his sword up at Celes, but she parried and rapidly slid the base of her blade closer to his with a heavy downward force, dragging him towards the ground with it. Releasing her left hand's grip on her sword, Celes backhanded Leo across the face, and like a predator after her prey, she relentlessly, even patiently, continued to close the distance between them as he stumbled back.
Bringing the blade up from her side, she drew it back over her head and then cleaved down with all her might. Leo was barely able to deflect the immense blow as he struggled to regain his footing. Celes resumed her attack, continuing to drive Leo back, and the fight was inadvertently carried into the narrow passage connecting the compound to the palace. Nevertheless, Celes was unyielding in her assault, and their swords constantly scraped against the metal walls of the link, sending sparks flying everywhere.
Officers, guards, and servants all had to practically dive out of the way as Celes and Leo continued through the halls of the palace, wrecking light fixtures, furniture, walls, and artwork as they went. Leo shoved Celes back, giving him time to bound up several steps of a nearby stairwell before turning to face his opponent once again. Though he had the advantage of higher ground as they progressed up the staircase, Celes would not be outdone.
Their swords never ceasing their deadly strokes, they reached the upper level and made their way around a corner and down the corridor. Then, both halted their parries as they came onto the terrace at the end of the hall, which extended half the length of the palace. They simply stood staring at each other, both breathing heavily. The pause was short lived, however, as they suddenly launched a rapid volley of attacks as they stood in place on the terrace.
Then, as if through some secret signal, both diverged from their attacks into identical, if showy, spins of their swords, at both sides, over their heads, behind their backs, and ultimately into a final strike at the other, ending with their swords locked. They were evenly matched in this contest of strength, but Celes finally shoved Leo back with a surge of power and rained her sword down upon him once more, driving him across the lengthy terrace.
When Leo tried to throw a punch, Celes grabbed his hand and lifted it above his head to cut his defenses and rammed the butt of her sword into his throat. With Leo in her grasp, Celes pushed him back against the railing with her sword, and with her left hand, she gripped the hilt of the Masamune and forced it down towards Leo's neck. He pushed back with all his strength, leaning back as far as he could, but Celes' strength brought the Masamune to inches above his throat. Everyone watching below grew nervous, worried Celes actually meant to kill him in her rage.
In a desperate attempt to escape, Leo managed to kick Celes and roll out from under her. He tried to run back to the door into the palace, but she hooked her leg around him and tripped him, sending the Masamune out of his hand. She made to lunge for it, but Leo scrambled to his feet and leapt forward to kick her in the chest. While she fell to the ground, he grabbed his sword and spun it down at her for the death strike, but she brought her blade up at the last second and blocked it. Leo pushed down with all his might, almost reaching her neck, until Celes shoved back sideways, throwing him off balance.
As Celes flipped to her feet, Leo jumped off the terrace to the arena ten feet below, his opponent following closely behind. As soon as Celes found steady footing, she resumed her offensive, still pushing Leo back, never giving him room to turn the fight around on her. Never had she fought with such focused ruthless fury. Leo became so overwhelmed by the force and speed of her attacks that he had no defense when she spun and kicked him in the abdomen, striking his sword with an upwards swipe. The sword was knocked from Leo's hand as he fell to his knees, and Celes caught the Masamune and brought both blades down, crossing them inches from Leo's throat. As the spectators gasped at the checkmate, Leo looked at the crossed swords, then up at Celes.
A loud clapping broke through the murmurs, and all but the two fighters saluted as Kefka sauntered up to them, chuckling at an unusually high pitch.
"That was quite an entertaining show you two put on!" When he reached them, he spoke in a lower tone. "You know why you won, don't you? Not the training, not because you're better than him, no… Your anger has made you powerful, Celes. It gives you focus. Makes you stronger."
Celes merely continued to stare down at Leo, her eyes not betraying her thoughts. She finally turned and thrust the Masamune into the ground before walking away, and Leo let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding.
Kefka watched amusedly as she left, and then also walked away. After cleaning up a bit, Leo asked around as to where Celes had gone. He eventually found her in the palace courtyard sitting on a bench in front of the fountain. He crossed the courtyard and sat next to her without a word. For a long time, he didn't speak. He didn't know what to do. The person he cared about more than anything was in a downward spiral, and he felt powerless to pull her out of it.
Wanting to get her out of this mood, he leaned over and playfully nudged her with his shoulder. When she didn't respond, he did it again a little harder, and this time he saw a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"You know…you really scare me sometimes," he said finally.
"Funny…sometimes I scare me, too."
She was strangely quiet, and Leo realized she was being serious.
"What is it?"
She didn't say anything for a long time. "…You were right, you know. I'm no different from Kefka. Those people did nothing to deserve death, and I killed them anyway…"
"Celes, the very fact that you can feel remorse over what you've done separates you from Kefka entirely. And I shouldn't have said those things. An order is an order, regardless, and…"
He glanced over at her and noticed her eyes watering and her lip quivering. He lost track of what he was saying as he dreamt of stilling those lips with his own.
"What have I become?"
Her whispered question broke Leo out of his trance, and he put his hand on her shoulder when she lowered her head. He wanted to hold her, but when he tried to pull her closer, she just shrugged him off. Leo got up and began walking away, but then stopped briefly, turning his head towards her.
"You are who you choose to be, Celes. Never forget that."
Author's note: Thanks for reading, and remember to review, please. Only one more to go! This one might take a little longer to write, but I promise it's coming soon!