Chapter 15

The Omega Curse

The woman laughed some more, then looked over at Crystal. "So these are the people you want revenge taken upon?" She asked. Crystal stood back up from her bow and turned to face the Queen.

"Yes your Majesty…make her suffer!" She yelled, pointing right at Rinoa. Morgana smiled wickedly.

"Very well my dear child. You will get the revenge you seek." She raised her arms above her head, brought them down across her chest, and then thrust them out towards Rinoa and Squall. "Shadows of the night come forth, claim the heart of that which contains light, cover it in darkness with your plague, send with it pain from your poisons, condemning it to the darkest depths of your world! Make this girl suffer the pain she has brought upon my dear child!" Dark energy burst from her hands, whipping around Squall and Rinoa.

"Hold on!" Squall yelled through the loud gusts of wind. He pulled Rinoa closer, trying to shield her. After a few minutes, the strong wind stopped. They looked up at the Queen in her throne. She began laughing maniacally. Crystal was too.

"What are you laughing at?" Rinoa yelled up at the two.

"Stupid little girl! You don't know…do you?"

Rinoa glared up at her. "I don't know what?"

"One you love will soon disappear from your very eyes!" She began laughing again.

"What do you mean?" She screamed. Anger was flooding through her veins.

"Why don't you look behind you?" Morgana said, a smile creeping on her face.

Rinoa turned around. Squall sat on the ground, holding his chest and gasping for breath. "Squall! What's wrong?" She ran over and knelt down beside him.

"I…I…don't know!" He said breathing in hard, and struggling with his words. Rinoa turned back towards the throne.

"What did you do to him you Witch?"

"Aw, you look upset. I just put a simple curse on him."

"A curse? What kind of a curse?" She clenched her fists tighter and tighter.

"If you really want to know…then very well. In three days at exactly eleven on the third night, his heart will be completely submerged in darkness. Every minute and second, another part of him is being clouded by it."

"How could you? You're such a WITCH!" Rinoa looked over at Crystal. "I thought you liked him!"

Crystal looked at her, excitement in her eyes. "I do…"

"Then why are you killing him? Why don't you take me instead? It's me you hate, right?"

"True…I do despise you, but watching you have to live on without him in your life, is much more enjoyable for me to watch. All the pain, the hole burning through your heart at this very moment."

Rinoa could feel tears pouring down her cheeks. She ran back over to Squall and wrapped her arms around him. "It's okay. I'm right here…everything will be okay."

"Enjoy your last three days together!" Crystal said loudly. The room began to swirl around and around once again. Rinoa saw the throne vanish, but the laughter still rang through her ears. She closed her eyes. When she opened them, she found herself and Squall lying in the hallway they had been walking in moments before they were transported there.

"Squall!" She yelled as she saw him begin gasping for oxygen again. She stood up and looked around for anyone to help her. "I have to get him to the infirmary!" She ran down the hall, when she saw Zell strolling around the cafeteria. "Zell!" She cried out, relieved to see a familiar face. He looked up from the floor.

"Rinoa! What's wrong?" He had noticed her tear stricken face as she ran towards him.

"It's Squall! You have to help me!" She grabbed his hand, leading him down the hallway. When they reached Squall, Zell's mouth dropped.

"Squall! Hey buddy! Are you okay?" He didn't wait for a reply. He lifted him off the ground and told Rinoa to get the other side of him. "Let's get him to the infirmary and pronto." They carried him down the many halls till they reached Dr. Kadowakki's office.

"Hey Doc!" Zell yelled. Dr. Kadowakki looked up from her desk and horror came across her face.

"What happened?" She asked them as she led them towards a vacant bed. They propped his head up on a pillow and put a wet rag across his forehead. The doctor turned to Rinoa who was still crying. "Tell me dear…what happened? I need to know so I can cure him."

Rinoa nodded her head. "We were coming from lunch when the hallway swirled around us. When it stopped we were in darkness. Then Crystal appeared and with her, a Queen! Crystal said she brought us there because she wanted revenge against me for Squall not liking her! Then the Queen granted her wish and put a…a …a curse on him!" Rinoa burst out into tears again.

"It's okay…keep going. What kind of a curse was it?" The doctor asked her.

"I don't know. She said that darkness is covering his heart and that in three days at exactly eleven on the third night, he'll DIE!" Rinoa couldn't control herself anymore. She threw her arms around Zell and began crying into his shoulder.

"Oh dear!" A grim expression crossed Dr. Kadowakki's face. "This is bad!"

"What do you mean? You can cure him, right? Tell me you can!"

"I'm sorry Rinoa. That Queen put an Omega curse on him. They are nearly unstoppable!" Rinoa looked up at this.

"You said NEARLY! That must mean that there is a way!" She now had her hands on the doctor's shoulders, shaking her.

"There is a way…it's just that…it's very dangerous."

"I don't care if it's dangerous! Tell me! What can I do?"

Dr. Kadowakki sighed. "According to legend, there is an old temple hidden deep within the forests of the Centra continent. Somewhere inside this temple they say is an amulet of great power and when held by a person of a pure heart, that it will cast it's light wherever there is darkness, healing those clouded by it's shadows."

"I'm going!" Rinoa said.

"Wait! Rinoa, it's a legend. It might not be true! Besides, you could get hurt!"

"I don't care! Everyone gets hurt. The way I feel in my heart right now is worse than anything that could harm me now! I have to try! I can't just give up on him! He would do the same for me! I know it!" There was silence in the room except for Squall's loud gasps.

Rinoa turned toward Squall. "It's okay Squall…I'll come back and help you. I promise. Nothing will stand in my way." Squall looked over at her and gave a weak smile.

"Be…ah…careful…" He said as he gripped his chest tightly.

"I will." She put her hand in her pocket and pulled out the charm of the lion that had been on her necklace. "I want you to have this. Stay strong and fight back." She placed it in his other hand. Then she leaned down and whispered something in his ear that the doctor and Zell couldn't hear. "I love you Squall." Then she turned and walked out of the room.

"I'll give him any kind of medicine I can that will help him in the least." The doctor said as she followed Rinoa.

"You might need help on this journey. I should go with you!" Zell said from behind.

"No!" Zell jumped a little at how fast she answered it. He was a little offended too.

"I'm sorry Zell, but I have to do this on my own. It's between me…and the Queen. I'll be careful. You need to stay here and make sure he gets everything he needs. Let the others know what's happened and then prepare for battle in case the Queen decides to come for a visit."

"Alright. Good luck Rinoa. I know you can do it. Sorry about the spying and everything. I shouldn't have annoyed you so much."

"It's okay. Those are moments I'll always treasure. Thanks for everything." She walked over towards Doctor Kadowakki who was rummaging around in her desk.

"Ah ha! Here it is! This is the legend so you can use it on the way. It will tell you where the forest is. Here are some medical supplies and food as well. Please be careful dear." Rinoa smiled and then gave her a big hug.

"Thank you! You're like my second mom. I really appreciate your help." She put the bag on her back and ran back to Squall's room. "I need to get my weapon." She opened the closet door and pulled out her shooting star. As she began to close the door, she saw her outfit she had made. "I guess I'll take this too! As a reminder of him. Besides, if I need spare clothes, I'll have some then."

She ran down to the parking lot and saw Zell, Irvine, Selphie, Quistis, and Dr. Kadowakki waiting to say their "goodbyes." Tears were in all the girl's eyes. They all ran forward and hugged her and gave her more supplies. Irvine and Zell smiled.

"We put a communication system in that jet over there for you to tell us if everything's alright." Irvine said.

"Thank you!" Then she ran over and gave the guys a hug too. They were a little surprised but returned her embrace. "Well, I guess I better be going then." She ran over towards the silver jet.

"You do know how to fly one of those things, right?" Zell asked a little worried.

"Yeah! My dad is in the military. Flying one of these is like riding a pony! I've got it down pat!"

"Okay! You're free to go then. Call in when you land!"

"Okay!" She climbed into the pilot seat and started the engine. The sound echoed off the walls. The large parking lot door opened. The jet moved slowly down the runway and then picked up speed. In a matter of seconds it was in the air, flying high in the sky.