Author's Notes: Look at this people, I'm actually updating. Sad thing is that this is the last big chapter of Reyning Down. You know what else is sad? The sad thing is that my Speech Tournament this weekend was canceled because of snow, so here I am, with nothing better to do at the City Science Fair, just typing my little heart away. And since no one I know is on because they are all doing things, I'm left here to type my heart out. So, should I get on with it? I think I should. This is a long chapter, not as long as that one where Xu died, but long. This, my friends, is pretty much the end of Reyning Down. I'm going to miss it so much. But starting soon I'm going to be working on the short story that is Origins of Odin, and then moving into the sequel to Reyning Down, entitled The Curse of the Mercale: Angels of Hyne. I hope you will like what I am doing. Please review when I am done with the fiction so I know what you truly thought of this thing I have spent over half a year pouring my heart and soul into. Oh yeah, I REALLY love what I did with Corin this chapter. I feel I really got into his mind and brought him out of his shell. But you really won't understand it until the sequel evil laughter. I love you all so much, and thank you for sticking by me to the end.
Firefly-Dreams: Congrats then hun. That makes you only a year or two older than me. Would you mind telling me generally where you are going? I'm supposed to start my touring and stuff soon. Robert Morris and Northeast won't leave me alone. Then again, neither will Wilmington and Ursuline, which is REALLY good for me. But still, I have a scholarship at OSU and I love the place with all of my heart. Glad you liked the chapter, but Reyn and Drew blow their cover this chapter, but that was bound to happen, right?
Chapter 11: Ultimecia's Castle (Fate of the Chosen)
Reyn
"Ready?" Drew asked, his voice barely a whisper even though we were alone.
"Yeah," I said, holding Angel Soul tight in my hands.
"Go!" he urged me.
With a roar of anger I rush forward and swing my gunblade right through the great steel bar that holds the doors of the place closed. My white gunblade comes away unscratched, but the doors swing open now that they are not restrained. Drew chuckles and rushed from where we were hidden.
"We'll have to defeat the guardian of the cells soon, so save your strength as much as you can."
"Yeah, to be attacked by our own guards... Oh well, such is the fate of traitors," I agreed grimly. The battle for our lives has now begun.
Fiera
"What if they are late?" I questioned Corin. An odd fire burned in his eyes, as if he'd been waiting for this moment all of his life.
"They won't be," Corin said with a smirk.
Before I could ask him another question the doors of the castle sprang open and Reyn waved to our position. The signal was clearly received, even so far away from the old orphanage and the castle. As the SeeDs rushed out to make battle with the troops stationed in a barracks here, I noticed something different about my love. The machine gun totting man ran forward, sending a lethal spray of bullets into anyone who would dare stand before him.
Sweet Hyne let him not get mad at me today!
Rhiale
"The signal," I hissed to Ward, who was hidden beside me.
My brother nodded and watched the advance of the SeeDs towards where we waited. There was nowhere better than these portals for hiding. One second we were just beside a large chain leading to the castle, the next we were safe on the beach near Grandidi forest. As for now, we were near the chain, ready for the attack upon the castle, and to charge into battle to protect Reyn and Drew.
"Check Corin out," Ward said, pointing to the highly visible man.
Ward was right, something was up with Corin. Instead of his Garden uniform he wore all red and black, yet it wasn't blood red, but fire red. Black jeans were barely visible under the brilliant red trench-coat with a pattern of Phoenix feathers on the parts I could see. Weirdest of all was his weapons. Sure he was carrying his trademark machine-gun, but he'd also stolen a sword from a soldier, and used it with deadly skill. On top of all of that he was doing something we'd never seen before, casting magic. Corin had never done well with GFs for few seemed compatible with him, except for, oddly enough, the normally unjunctionable Phoenix. Yet there he was, slashing, shooting, curing and casting flare. Something odd is going on.
"Let's go!" I shout when I finally turn my attention on the castle and see guards advancing on Drew and Reyn. This is going to be a long day…
Suijin
The moment the doors had swung open Jason and I had been through them. Elsewhere Corin and Fiera would be holding off the Sorceresses' forces stationed in a base near the orphanage, effectively distracting Ultimecia. Closer to us Rhiale and Ward were going to help Drew and Reyn hold off the Palace guards while Jason and I preformed the hardest task: convincing Rella to join us. The reasons were simple; she was so obviously Zell and Rinoa's daughter that we could NOT allow the heroes of The Second Sorceress War to see her. We also couldn't let Rinoa kill her for her power. Once we had her on our side we could win this fight.
Far behind our black clad bodies a war is being waged. The bodies found there would be the ones Squall found. This war was the war they would see… Damn.
"Relax 'Jin," Jason said softly, a warm smile on his face. I can't help but obey him.
"Well, well, well, what have we here?" Rella's voice came to our ears.
"Sorceress Rella," Jason hissed. Odd how we were chosen to sway her… The fact that was loved each other would make us resistant to her alluring spells.
"Rella," I said, looking at the female, "Your mother's rule is doomed to end, so just give up. Why fight your friends?"
"I have no choice," she said sadly, a giant fireball forming in her hands.
"Then we have to fight…" I said my voice grim.
"Yes, we must…"
Drew
"DARKSIDE!" I roar, letting loose with my limit break that was a little like my father's Lion Heart.
"BRILLIANCE BEAM!" Reyn cried, letting loose with his own limit which shot a powerful laser from his weapon.
In the silent aftermath of the powerful attacks we were panting heavily. I am sure Reyn is also thinking about our purpose today. Jason and Suijin will go with Rella to destroy any signs of our presence. Reyn will be sent off with Corin and Fiera to deal with the jail guardian, and any remaining guards that would stand in the way of my objective. I have Rhiale and Ward with me in the main goal of releasing the prisoners and escaping to safety… I hope. If even one of our groups fails in the slightest, we all will die.
"Drew!" my 'sister' shouted and threw herself into my arms. Despite the fact that we were truly not related, she is still, and always will be, my sister.
"Thank Hyne you are safe," ward said, clapping us on the shoulders. Reyn looks relieved by this, but I am not. We are far from finished with this fight, and things will get far worse.
Fiera ran us, quick to check us for any injuries, before she greeted us. Always a worry wart, that Fiera, but she was sweet about it. Yet bother Reyn and I turn our attention to the fourth person to walk up to us. There was something odd about Corin today, and I don't just mean the clothes. It's the lust for battle in his eyes, the bloody sword in his hand, and the scent of raw magic that comes before him. When Corin stopped before me and wrapped his arms around Fiera, I sensed something different. It was a scent, much like the sweet honey of a pure Phoenix Pinion, but it was stronger. Plus the aura around him was like that of Squall or Seifer, and in the sense that the ancient Griever and Tiamat gave me. It was as if he was an ancient force, but he is younger than I am…
"It's time for us to split up…" Rhiale said, still hugging me.
"We must wait for Suijin and Jason. May Hyne protect them."
"Let's go find them," Corin suggested and I nodded in agreement.
Jason
My blades cut easily through the billowing green silk of Rella's gown, but the young sorceress escaped unharmed. In less than ten minutes Suijin had withdrawn from battle, his arm bending in an unnatural way because of a blast of black magic by Rella, which had thrown a giant icicle at him, smashing the limb against the wall. Now only my swords protect us from her vicious onslaught of spells. A large fireball formed in her hands as someone called out.
"Rella, stop this madness!" Drew yelled. I don't know when he stumbled upon our fight, but I am thankful.
The sorceress froze as Darus and Valen appeared between us, their gunblades so large that they could be considered novelty size. Still, Rella knows the threat and the fireball in her hand fades from existence. The sorceress had a look of betrayal on her face, eyes on her knight. It took her a minute to even notice the others. With Angelus guarding me I can finally take the chance to look back at my lover. Suijin was leaning against a stone wall, his injured limb in his good hand. Corin was kneeled beside my love, watching Fiera attempt to set the bones. He pushed her away and took the arm into his hands.
"I need someone to cast a cure spell," Corin said. When Rhiale prepared the spell he shook his head, "No, not yet… I need it cast at the same moment I cast, okay?"
Rhiale bit her lip and backed up a step, apparently thinking she could not do it. "I will Corin," I offered.
"No," he said, looking past me to Rella, "The sorceress will. No one else can time it right. Come, undo the pains you have caused the ones who love you…"
For a moment Rella hesitated, and then she walked past me to Corin. The teen took the hand of the sorceress and closed his eyes. Again she hesitated before doing the same thing. Their lips moved silently in their spell work and suddenly there was more light in this room than the torches could possibly give. Once the mixture of fire and cure spells had faded my Suijin sat there, staring at his arm in shock.
"What was that?" Drew asked, looking hard at Corin.
"…" Corin did not respond, seeming more interesting with the sword he carried.
Rella
"That was advanced magic of the archaic sort," I offered to my knight.
Though I am upset at his betrayal, I can understand Drew's actions. I don't want to fight them, but anything else would have had Ultimecia here to kill us all. My mother's mind is long since dead… And the worst part is my knowledge that when compression ended, only the past would exist. All these people who sacrificed themselves would be dead or born in a peaceful world. But, worst of all, Rinoa would be completely gone… Yet if Squall and them found any traces that proved we were their descendant, who knows how time would react.
Before any could try to follow up my comment, Darus and Valen cleared their throats and spoke as one, "It's time to go."
Reyn nodded and cleared his throat, "Okay, Rella, take Jason and Suijin to wipe traces of us away. Drew will have Ward and Rhiale on point. You guys will head up the two team rescue. I'll take Corin and Fiera. We'll cover you guys. We cannot be seen by the past, so we must be quick. Everyone got it?"
The others nodded and slowly split up into their groups. I am rather glad Corin, Drew and Reyn aren't with me, for the auras around them disturb me. Once Suijin and Jason were by my side I smiled at Drew before casting a teleport spell. The world seemed to melt around us and reform slowly in a new vision, building up layer after layer like a fine painting. Before the two realized we had left their friends, we had arrived.
"What the hell?" Suijin shouted in shock.
"Where are we?" Jason questioned.
"My chamber…" I announced, "The room next to this is Drew and Reyn's. Burn everything. I will deal with my chamber. Ultimecia does not have one."
The two nodded and went into the next room. I heard the whisper of Ifrit's power before I summoned up an inferno to destroy my room.
Ward
Before I could get into the fight it was ended by Angelus. Squall and Seifer were fighting harder than I'd ever known, then again, we all were. Reyn brought death to the creatures and guards in a streak of white: his gunblade and Valen. Drew did similar damage and ended his foes with a black slash from his gunblade or Darus's. Yet the most devastating fighter was Corin. Recently he had handed his gun off to me so I could fight easily in the halls instead of risking everyone with the harpoon I now wore on my back. Before each fight he'd cast a mixture of firaga, stop and shell, enchanting his blade to burn with flames far stronger and longer than a plain junction could. Even now his sword lights the way for us as we walk the halls of the dungeon.
"Here," Drew said, stopping us before a door, "Corin, Reyn, Fiera, go deal with the ruby dragon down the hall so we can escape. We will get the prisoners out."
The trio nodded and headed off down the hall. That left us with the hard part, breaking through the steel door. We had no key and the magic it would take to blast our way through would bring this poorly made corridor down upon us. The door was solid, so hitting it was out of the question. This little task was going to be difficult. The only thing we could do was pick the lock or remove the door from its hinges.
I guess it's lucky for us that Rhiale ALWAYS carried her lock picks with her. Drew turned to me and mouthed the word 'Tonberry'. I nodded in agreement knowing my lucky GF would be able to help Rhiale better than we could. Just as the terrible roar of the Ruby Dragon reached our ears the small Guardian Force appeared to aide us. If we weren't quick now the dragon would rush part Reyn's group and attack us while we were distracted. That, of course, would mean death for us and those we freed.
"Who is there?" someone hissed from behind the door. It sounded a lot like dad.
"Friends," I hissed back, "We're going to bust you all out."
"I told you someone would come," Zell's voice came weakly to us.
By this point Rhiale has almost worked the lock on the door off. Tonberry was carefully holding up his lamp to help her and using his knife to wedge the door open a bit, so my eyes turned to the battle down the hall. All one could really see was the dragon and three silhouettes against its scarlet scales. Other than that only Corin's burning blade was visible. From the way it moved one could tell Corin was fighting passionately against the far stronger foe.
"Whatcha watchin'?" a voice came from behind me.
"Corin fighting a Ruby Dragon," I whispered.
"When did he learn to fight like that?"
"Jason taught him a few things Dad… Dad!?"
When I turned my father, though looking worse for the wear, smiled at me. Behind him Drew was carrying the disabled Nida from the cell and Rhiale was handing food to Zell and Quistus. Little Tonberry was now working on another door with the help of a newly summoned Carbuncle and Cactuar. The wooden door they faced was probably the store room in which the weapons of our captured elders were stored. Once those were in hand we'd lead these four out and pray the others escaped before the heroes of the Second Sorceress War appeared to end Ultimecia.
Corin
It had started with a dream last night and continued to myself and Reyn taking on this Ruby Dragon with Fiera using magic. Well, it wasn't really a dream, but more like a strong of memories that couldn't possibly be mine. There were people too, ones that had auras like the GFs had. All seemed different and alike at the same time, but I could not explain it. Yet in the dream two things were obvious, turmoil over natural born mages, and the pure fire of Phoenix. At one point of this not-dream, I reached out into a pool of water, pure morning dew, and felt great fiery wings behind me, and it was inspiring.
This morning, when I had awoken, I raided the old theater department of Galbidia Garden and found this outfit that seemed to call out to me. The Black jeans fit perfectly, as did the soft, red satin shirt and the high boots. Yet the key piece of the outfit was the red leather trench-coat that reached my feet, set with a pattern of Phoenix on the back in the middle of its rebirth flame attack with hundreds of healing phoenix down and pinions flying from it. The coat even smelled like the red feathers we kept bottled up in our packs for emergencies.
Not long before our charge into battle I heard the song of my only GF filling my heart and mind then, for the first time in my life, I felt strong and whole inside. I knew a fire burned within me, and even believed myself to be a reborn sorceress knight come to take vengeance. For some reason I chose a sword in the heat of battle and figured out how to enchant it with the flames I felt in my heart. Yet of all the things I've experienced today, healing Suijin was the oddest. I still don't know what drove me to such a dangerous stunt, but it worked, did it not?
Now stare down a Ruby Dragon with my burning blade. Reyn, my only true love, stands to my right looking more tired than I, and to my left is Fiera, the woman I play at love with. Reyn stepped back with Fiera just a minute ago, knowing that if any of us could defeat this beat, it was me alone. Already Haste and Aura were pushing my body to what should be its limits, but my body somehow survives it. It is like I am stronger than I ever realized, as if in one day I have been reborn with the will of a warrior.
Somewhere behind me Drew and his group are freeing Quistus and the other captives. Deep within, I know my father is dead in this time, and for that I will take the pleasure of killing Rinoa in our time and freeing us from this vicious cycle of evil. Then only Rella's power will remain, and that is easily dealt with.
The Ruby Dragon's clawed paws flailed around as my burning sword chopped through its neck and spinal cord. If you have ever heard the death cry of a dragon you would cry, as I have here. When all the great creature is is a pile of blood, scales and black horns, you cannot help but mourn. I let out a deep sigh as Reyn's hand comes to rest on my shoulder. We have, no, I have done a great many evils here today. Reyn knows this, and his gesture cuts right into my heart.
"Cor… I…" he started, only to be cut off by me walking away. As much as I love him I cannot, and will not, take his confusion anymore. Luckily with my mother limping down the hall towards me I have an excuse for ignoring him.
"Corin," Quistus whispered softly as she placed her hand on my cheek, testing to see if I was real.
"Mom," I replied. In her presence alone did I feel content and safe. Amazing, I used to feel like this around Reyn, but not since the attack in my office.
"Thank Hyne you are safe."
"You too mom. Don't worry; soon this will all just be my bad dream…"
"I hope so Corin. Stel is dead."
"I know mom, I know."
Our fight will be over soon.
Darus
"So you're going to kill the Rinoa of 10 years ago? Oy, I am confused!" Zell said, looking out over the sea. Once they had escaped we had taken them to the relative safety of Galbidia Garden until Time Compression.
"You are always confused Chickenwuss," Valen pointed out with a smirk. Seifer and I, knowing the fact these people wouldn't exist, had told them who we are, with the kids supporting us of course.
"It's rather simple really," I said with a sigh, "You've heard of the Trousers of Time in classes when you were a SeeD right?"
"Pants?" Zell asked.
"No Zell," Nida laughed, "It is a theory to explain alternate dimensions. The belief is that at the point of every major event the different choices made form alternate dimensions. One, for example, was probably created when Seifer met with Edea in Timber."
"Exactly," I said, "See, Time Compressing isn't just that, it is also a compression of the dimensions. The only way compression truly can work is to bring all times AND dimensions together. This is because she is the only one who exists in ALL times and dimensions, in some way or another. This Ultimecia is the most powerful version, the one who desires to dominate. Rinoa is a weaker state. Killing her in our time WILL create another dimension, but ours will be safe."
"I think I understand," Zell said sadly, "We aren't really real to you."
"You are real, because you are a composite of EVERY Zell Dincht," I sighed in annoyance.
"Good luck Squall and Seifer. Good luck to you all," Quistus said in a low voice.
"We will end the madness," Corin swore, looking out over the sea. I sense something in him, the spirit of the ancients. I should really check his weapons for HER mark.
"Squall," Valen said, suddenly perking up, "You've done it."
"What?" Irvine asked.
"My past has slain Ultimecia. It is time to go home… Goodbye."
The others nodded and those of our group withdrew… We were going home.