Irvine bit his top lip as he drove at top speed towards Ether. All around him were many other cars filled with all the SeeD's and people willing to help, he could find.

Selphie leaned over from the passenger seat and kissed his cheek.

"Don't worry Irviy, Squall can handle it"

"I have a bad feeling about this"

"C'mon, he's Squall!"

Irvine glanced at her, fear in his eyes.

"I don't think it'll be enough "

"What!"

" Look, ever since Rinoa died he hasn't trained much and he's has totally lost interest in fighting"

"Big whoop, okay, he took the loss pretty hard, but fighting is like the alphabet, you never forget it"

Irvine laughed and kissed her.

"You're right, lets just hope we have enough people here to stop this"

"There was only 6 of us who stopped them before!"

"I dunno, this one seems stronger, Argg" Irvine paused and tipped his hat "It'll be a while before we get to Ether, is Zell joining us?"

"Yea, he said he was gonna go try and get Sefier and any other people he could then catch up with us, Quistis is in a car back there I think"

"Sefier?" Irvine snorted " would love to see them in a car together, they'd tear each other apart"

"Most likely"

"I hope Squall's alright"

"Stop worrying Mr Cowboy, Squall can more than hold his own, we were just called as a precaution"

"I hope you're right"

------------------

Lacetia simply nodded her head slightly at the coming attack and Squall was blasted backwards. Groaning he got up slowly, winded. His gunblade flew into Lacetia's hand. She waved her hand over it and it disappeared.

"You think that you can kill me just like that?" She smiled "You certainly are determined but you can't win"

Squall grunted in reply and flew at her again, summoning all his magic. Lacetia giggled as she easily blocked his attacks.

She's not like the others. She's way to powerful.

Squall stepped back, catching his breath. Wiping the blood off his forehead he raised his fists in front of his face.

"You wish to fight me without weapons and magic?" questioned Lacetia, surprised.

"You will die. If I don't kill you, my friends will come along and do it anyway" Out of character he smirked. "And if they don't succeed. Sefier will"

Lacetia laughed "That blonde twit? He is too arrogant, he could easily be lured in and killed"

"It is you that underestimates us! WE destroyed Ultimecia, you will be defeated"

"No matter how many times you say it, your eyes tell me you think I am unbeatable, lies do not become us"

Lacetia raised her hand, "Now Squall, you're mine"

"What th-

Squall stopped short when he saw the black light fly out of Lacetia's hand. It moved like a wisp of smoke, its form twisting into a monster. It dived into Squall's mouth, gasping for breath Squall fell to the floor. He could feel it in every part of him, coursing through him like a sickness.

Giggling like a child Lacetia knelt down beside him and stroked his hair

"Don't worry my pet, it won't kill you, it will make you forget your friends, your father, everything and make you my servant, my assassin and my Knight"

Squall closed his eyes and yelled as pain shot through him, tears leaked out of his eyes as he tried to restrain it. But he could feel it behind his eyes, drifting up into his mind. Clutching onto the last strand of consciousness' he gazed into Lacetias brown eyes and a jolt of recognition sprung through him.

Rinoa

Then there was darkness.