A/N: after re-reading this chapter myself, i realized i've made a mistake with the location... i wrote Windhilll when it was actually Dollet... sorry about that P

Chapter 13

DOLLET, 2355 HRS

Rinoa Heartily sat down slowly on the beach of Dollet, hugging her knees close to herself and rocking herself gently. She looked up at the night sky and sighed at the beautiful starlight sparkling above her head. The sea breeze blown across her face, and with it, her hair flew. She let out another sigh and closed her eyes, savoring the moment before it could be taken away by the cruelty that is called 'reality'. How beautiful this would be if this was a truthfully peaceful time, where people could live together in harmony, laughing and enjoying their everyday life. There would be no fighting, no killing, no pain and no suffering. Life would be a perfect harmony. She had hoped that that is what life would exactly be like after the Second Sorceress War. How very wrong am I. She thought sadly to herself. She stood up in a bounce and turned slowly to look at they town Dollet.

How Squall had frightened her when he had told her that Dollet had been attacked, and Quistis had been taken away. The thought of her friend being kidnapped alone had almost stopped her pulse; she didn't think she would be able to bear seeing the beautiful architectures and the beautiful beach of Dollet gone away with her. Rinoa remembered only too well how she had managed to regain her breath by letting out a long sigh of relief once she had arrived at the beach and realized that everything was still as it once was.

"Ms Heartily," a SEED officer who had introduced himself as Jonathan quickly ran up to her. "There's a patient who is seriously injured, I think he need to be transferred to the General Hospital immediately, m'am."

"Bring him to the vessel along with the other serious cases, and have you searched all area of the town? Are there anymore seriously injured citizens?" she asked him, frowning slightly at the grim news he had brought.

The SEED nodded, "Yes m'am. We've searched all area, I believe that man was the last one who needs to be transferred."

"Very well. Prepare the vessel and take off immediately." Rinoa gave her orders.

"And won't you be coming along, m'am? We have direct orders from your father-"

"Then you will tell him that I will remain in Dollet until an official medic team is sent here." She cut him off with a stern reply before heading back towards the town. The SEED could only watch her retreating form as he stood there, not quite sure of whose order he should follow. After standing there debating with himself for sometime, he realized that following the order of his Commander's fiancé would probably be a wiser choice. Besides, he could always excuse himself as taking an order from a superior SEED officer, for Rinoa's SEED rank is 5 ranks higher than his. He then proceeded to the vessel where all the injured victims are taken in, ready to take off for Deiling.

"We're ready, sir." A young cadet reported.

"Let's get going then, these people couldn't wait…" Jonathan commanded as he boarded the vessel.

As they departed, five very familiar vessels emerged from the dark, their commander standing on top with an evil smile on his face.

………………………………………………………..

BALAMB GARDEN, 0100 HRS

Xu's face paled at what she had just heard, the phone still in her hand. She quickly gathered herself up, placing the phone back down before rushing into Squall's office.

"Xu! What's wrong? You know I'm in the middle of a meeting!" Squall stood up in his seat, as Xu turned towards Cid and the other instructors apologetically.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Headmaster, Commander, but I've just received an emergency report from Dollet. At 2400 HRS, Dollet had been attacked, sir. They were taken in surprise. The SEEDS stationed there were busy checking on the wounded, some of them wounded themselves, some were sent to Deiling, guarding the serious cases. The town burnt down into ashes. There were very few survivors, and some of the citizens were taken away, a SEED officer among them, sir." Xu finished her report with a panicked face.

Cid stood up, walking towards the window. "They've gone too far. First, Quistis, and now this other SEED officer. Burning down towns and cities recklessly."

Squall remained silence. Was that why they retreated earlier? To get them again when the Dollet Guards and the SEEDs stationed there are unprepared, thinking that they probably wouldn't return? He hit his fist on the table before turning to Xu. "Was Seifer there?"

"I didn't receive any report of his presence there, sir. So I'm not sure." Xu replied, slightly startled by Squall's reaction.

Knowing Seifer, he probably is there. It's a good thing that Rinoa probably had left to Deiling by then. Or did she? "Rinoa…" Squall turned to Xu, concerned.

Xu shook her head, "I wouldn't know, sir. But she probably left with the vessel to Deiling."

I have a bad feeling about this…Squall thought silently to himself, and his thought was confirmed by the phone ring that had followed. "General Caraway,"

"Commander, how is my daughter?" came the General's trembling voice.

"I-I thought she's with you in Deiling." Squall gave a reply, his voice stuck in his throat, as he froze, his hand shaken. He then turned to Xu, "Where's the Ragnarok?"

"In Deiling, sir."

"And the vessels? Anything! I don't care, Xu! I have to get to Dollet immediately!"

A/N: thnks to all those who reviewed – your comments served as a great inspiration for me … another short chappie down… the next one hopefully will be a bit longer… and I'll prolly update real soon..