Author's Notes: Hey! I'm back. Not that you are paying attention. Oh well. Well, anyway, I'm sorry I have been gone so long. Kept forgetting to print out a hard copy of this so I could work on it during school hours. The final printing out of it gave me a chance to work on it. So here it is at long last.

Italics, my dears, is Tiamat talking and telling the tale of creation and the sealing of Hyne and later the story of Griever telling of Fate.

Chapter 3: Hyne's Reality

Reyn

Our eyes followed him across the room, waiting to hear the next part of what Drew obviously thought was a ludicrous idea. This belief that humans housed the souls of the great Angels of Hyne was impossible. Still, I could see Corin filling that role, even if Drew and I did not fill the roles he said we did. He had that short red hair, longer in the front than the back so that the few feathery bangs could fall in front of his face and nearly reach his lips. In the back it was tapered back, kinda like some school boy out of those cartoons that had people with eyes about as big as their fists. And his eyes, they were blood red, but they burned with a passion, with emotion that his angular face never betrayed. Truly, Corin was proof that the eyes were the window to the soul, and his eyes burned with all the fire a phoenix has and then some. Corin's skin was pale, nearly lily white in contrast to the black clothes he wore, but where he to wear red or any warm color his skin could look like a pale cream, fresh and soft to the touch. All five foot ten inches of him was covered in that lovely shade, or was back before the war. Now hidden beneath his clothing he proudly wore scars that marred the lovely flesh, and those he hid under what Fiera, his ex-wife had described as 'and obsessive amount of tattoos, all archaic and burning'. Corin's own description of them was 'glorious representations of the eternal bird of flames, both recent and ancient'. I would call the portion of the one I've seen as more of an artistic rendering of the title students have placed upon him over the years.

But all that beauty was hidden by his tendency to cover the entirety of his body. Simple black gloves gripped his hands tightly, bathing them in shadows that reached up to halfway between wrist and elbow. It was rather sad that he chose to cover up. Sure, his form was thin, nearly feminine in its hard planes and gentle curves, but he hid the strong, but not overly buff arms and legs and that sculpted torso from sight. He really didn't have those broad shoulders or the thick neck expected of brutes, but rather long, elegant arms with slightly knobby shoulders and a visible collar bone. And to think he covers all those lovely features with that those yards of leather and sturdy cotton that made him seem larger than he was. Still, at this moment he did not wear his traditional trench coat, and at least his shoulders were visible due to the sleeveless state of his mock turtle-neck shirt, but mock not only in the fact that it's neck wasn't long, but also in the fact that it was made of a thin silk that had been tailored especially for his body. On his shoulders two tattoos were visible: the Centra symbol for Phoenix on the right shoulder; and the Ancient Esthar symbol for the same bird on the left. Both were done in an ink so red it seemed as if they were made of his blood. Curving around the biceps were gold armbands etched with the delicate image of phoenix downs.

Finally Corin paused in his pacing before the fireplace, his eyes focused hard upon Drew and myself before he sat in a large comfortable chair across from us. He had abandoned his standard issue SeeD combat boots upon entering the library, so he felt free to cross his legs and stare hard at us. His gloved hand absently brushed the newest addition to his outfit, an earring made out of a Phoenix pinion, out of his eyes as he leaned forward in his seat. One could nearly hear the stiff cotton pants he wore protesting to the movement. When I'd arrived at Garden I'd heard students making bets on how long those pants could stand on their own. Now that I'd seen them I'd be one of the ones in for several days. Then again, they did suit Corin well. Everything about him seemed either figurative or mythical or symbolic. The pants could probably stand for him being strict and never bending to any will. In other words… he was a tight ass as my father Seifer had so eloquently put it early this morning.

"Do you believe me?" he asked, unconsciously wrapping his hand around the silver chain and emblem of the phoenix he wore as Squall once wore Griever. Rumor had it that an actual tear of the Guardian Force Phoenix, a tear mythically rumored to cure every wound and bring the dead back to life (an amazing feat since Phoenix Downs and Pinions merely restored consciousness and cured fatigue) was held in the necklace. With the closeness of the male to the summon in question, I would not have put that past him.

"I don't know what to say," I readily admitted to the man. Then I nearly jumped from my seat as the song Phoenix was heard, signaling the entrance of the currently miniaturized Guardian. No larger now than an eagle, but with a tail and coloring more extravagant than the Greater bird of Paradise, Phoenix landed upon the shoulder of the male it seemed to have chosen as its master. The lovely songbird and fire guardian pressed its head against Corin's temple and let out a clear and calm note. When Corin nodded it spread its wings, displaying their full glory before flying out of the room. The whole image was very reminiscent of Corin's largest trademark, his trench coat. The red leather thing was currently draped over a chair, but the careful stitching was as flawless as it was the day we left Time Compression, just as Corin, Drew and I hadn't seemed to have visibly aged since that day. Sure, we all had a few winkles here and there, but we could still pass for twenty or twenty one if we tried (I still get carded at clubs and bars). But, back to that coat… The trench coat just barely swept the ground around his feet when Corin walked, much like a duster. Somehow the thing, which Corin still insists he found at Galbidia Garden, fits him perfectly, not tight or lose around the shoulders, and long enough at the bottom to flutter around him as if they were his own wings. The sleeves extend all the way down his arm, pausing just at his wrist. The blood red coat was a soft lining of silk the color of fire, going from bright red at the top to deep ruby red at the bottom in a perfect gradient fashion. Yet the most noticeable thing of this one of a kind coat was the stitching on the back. Upon the back was stitched the image of Phoenix, it's wings spread outward, its head pointed to the sky and it's tail feathers trailing down the length of the coat, perfectly mimicking in leather and embroidery the glory of Phoenix's Rebirth Flame attack. Falling around the image were smaller images of phoenix downs and pinions in a simple cream outline that matches Corin's skin perfectly. Much like the tattoo on Corin's back, the wings flare up such that the tops touch his shoulder blades and the main of the body is positioned in the center of his back. Also, the long tail feathers are sewn down the length of the back and end at his ankles.

Leaning against the chair as well are Corin's weapons. There was his traditional machine gun with no modifications, and in a glass case above his desk the old sword with an ugly brownish-black stain upon it… The very weapon that he used to slay Ultimecia. Yet there was another sword, a katana with a wide blade and a crescent moon tip. This was his current weapon, made of stainless steel and etched with the image of Phoenix near the hilt much like Griever was etched upon Squall's Revolver. Except this image was inked in, making the bird's symbol actually appear alive on the blade, especially when Corin chose to use his latent magic abilities to enchant the sword with fire magic to make it burn as much as his battle lust did. Oh, and if you ever saw him in battle. He fights with such grace and beauty. Then again there is grace and beauty in everything he does, and a scary feeling that he knows what is coming next, like he was psychic or something… Maybe he really was what he claimed to be.

Still, there is no way to be sure of what surprised me more, Drew's cynicism or Corin's unwavering acceptance of it. For two hours the two had been arguing back and forth about what Corin was saying. Worst of al was that Corin was obviously growing tired, which could mean more drastic measures from the male in proving the worth of his words.

"No then?" Corin asked, frustrated. "Drew, my friend, next time you force me to prove myself, please allow the situation to be one that does not cause me much harm."

Before Drew or I could comment, Corin had risen, and pulled his shirt off. Drew quickly looked away from the scarred and tattooed flesh, while I could not take my eyes from the once familiar torso. Thus my eyes could not miss how his tattoos glowed crimson and gold, especially the one on his back. Nor could I miss how he fell to his knees, pain written upon his face. Yet I could not reach him before the light exploded from him, as I had once seen light explode forth from Valen in an attack meant to save Corin's life.

My eyes sprang open, having closed to avoid the light, when I heard Drew gasp. Corin was still there, on his knees, but two large wings like those of a phoenix, spread from his back.

"Corin," I whispered as the male rose, his burning eyes regarding us both.

"Feniux," a strong voice came from behind us. "What are you doing?"

"Tiamat," Drew groaned, turning to glance at the armor-clad form of the wind dragon.

"I had to do it. How else can I convince one as cynical and disbelieving as this incarnation of the lion?" Corin demanded.

Now a tall male, an anthropic-feline in form with a full mane, wings and large claws appeared within the room. Obviously this was the human form of Griever. "We would have vouched for you, had you waited for us."

"You could have used the method you used to convince Mercale, or Serah and Feir…"

"They were only told they would be guardians. None were told that they were Gods reborn, and that Hyne was a fraud," the winged male shot back.

"They are not ready," Griever spoke.

"There is no time in which to become ready. Unmerged as I am with the other part of my power and still self aware drains so much from the Fire seal. The Wind and Earth seals are already weak because of Ultimecia using them. And with these two unmerged with you two only hurts the seals more. That means only the Water seal is still strong, and for how much longer that will be we cannot be sure."

Finally I had to be cut in, "Okay, what is this shit about seals and why does Corin have wings?"

"He is Feniux, my chosen pup," Tiamat spoke. "And he is yet to lie to you this eve."

"You'll excuse me if I hardly believe you," Drew spoke.

Now Griever cut in, "I see what you mean Feniux, he is cynical. Odd how my recent descendants are like this."

Corin, of Feniux Angel of Fire as the guardians called him, crossed his arms over his bared chest.

"We must tell them the whole truth. Somewhere more private," Tiamat grudgingly admitted.

"Kalari is fetching Phoenix and Cora," Corin informed the guardians. "We must wait for them."

"Who is Cora?" I could not help but ask.

"It is the true name of Leviathan, the Messanger of the Water Angel."

"Who is the Water Angel?"

"You've never heard of the Guardian, and the human is still hidden even from us."

"Father!" came a voice from the door of the library. Kalari stood there, Phoenix upon her shoulder and a tall, lean woman clad in constantly shifting silks like foam.

"My little firefly," Corin purred and moved to sweep the girl into his arms.

"Your wings," she said, only to be cut off.

"We are going to speak of Hyne my dear. Care to join us?"

Kalari shook her head, and for a moment she seemed more like a woman than any other time before. "I have to speak with the others."

"A wise child. Rising to destiny so early in life," Tiamat spoke.

"What choice have those with the powers of mages?" Kalari asked before slipping from the room.

Phoenix flew to Corin and perched upon his head, sharp eyes watching all that happened. The bird rose its head and a few crystal clear notes filled the room. This continued for a few seconds before the sweet voice of Cora, Leviathan, joined in. Soon the music ended though, leaving only a deeper silence than ever.

"Sit," Corin said, "Phoenix and Leviathan have woven a song to keep others away and keep the words here only."

While I readily obeyed, Drew hesitated before sitting.

"Tiamat, you may tell them," Griever said, seating himself on the floor like Corin had.

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Long before the time of humans and the whole of the world came into existence, a being of ultimate power and might shaped for itself vassals, servants who would aide in the creation of something far greater. To each he offered a power, an element to control that would give them some reign over the world that they shaped. Thus the Demi-Gods, also known as the Angels of the Elements, came into existence. These vassals were eight in number: Feniux, Angel of Fire; Nysil, Angel of Water; Rein'ly, Angel of Wind; Greiven, Angel of Earth; Rabenth, Angel of Metal; Galina, Angel of Light; Runeath, Angel of Darkness; and Hyne, Angel of Magic. Each was given gifts to bestow upon the world and forms to hold when they were in the presence of their master. Yet all took forms that appeared as their master took, which were odd, small and pale creatures with two legs and two arms.

Into the vast darkness their master laid a perfect sphere of nothingness, and told the eight to shape the world as they saw fit. Feniux took his might and set the orb of nothingness ablaze, creating a core and energy source for the planet to be made upon. Greiven turned some of the fire to stone and earth, things he could shape. From it he carved mountains and valleys, cliffs and peaks, and all other forms of the land. Now Nysil set his gift upon the young world, bestowing upon it water in the form of glaciers, and ice caps, rivers and lakes, seas and oceans and many other forms of water. After this Rein'ly took up his task with a great seriousness. He created the sky and the atmosphere, which he tied down to the planet with chains of gravity that Feniux and Greiven fashioned for him. Winds were given to the planet, and they blew gently to shape the other elements.

This was when Galina and Runeath, the only two goddess of the bunch, laid down the warning of their gifts to come. Their gifts were to be themselves. Galina would merge herself with the planet to create life, and Runeath to create death. And from them would come the cycle of all things. Yet they first desired to dance upon the planet, and experiencing the joys their fellows had made. Upon the world Galina made herself to look as a what would become known as a unicorn. Beside her would frolic the hydra that was Runeath. And together they played upon the planet for but a heartbeat, and yet it was eons because the time of the planet and the time of the gods were so different.

Then the two goddesses laid down their lives so that life and death would become known to the planet. They gave a special gift though to their fellows in doing so. A race of creatures was created in the image of each of their brethren. For Feniux, who held the form that came to be called a Phoenix, the birds were created, though in the future they came to be more known as creatures of Rein'ly. In Greiven's images they created lions, though none were ever as majestic as the image that was Griever. For Nysil, the Serpent of the Sea, whose true name is lost to the ages and thus called Forsaken, she created fishes and snakes, which all at one point thrived in his oceans. To Rein'ly, the Dragon God Tiamat, was given dragons themselves, and later reptiles, though dragons became associated with Feniux, as birds did with Rein'ly. For Rabenth, who had made them beautiful baubles and jewelry from the metals and gems he had laid in the ground, they created the carnivores that became to be called wolves, made after what he seemed to be when he was Fenris. Hydras were made in the image of Duopsis, the name of the form of Runeath of the same appearance. Unicorns and horses were created in memory of Galina's form of Artemisa. Finally was created a race in the image of Hyne. Hyne's godly image was a creature much like what we would call an ape, but he took the name of Odin. From him were created all simians and the human race.

Now that the two most powerful of the Angels had laid themselves down, Hyne found that his turn had come to give his 'gift'. Alas, as could be expected of one given the might of pure energy at his beck and call, Hyne was corrupt. He desired all of the world and its bounty for his own. So when the others were sure of the peace and safety of their world, he went down upon it and enslaved all of the creatures and peoples to his bidding. For eons he ruled the planet, and the others, all weak from bestowing their gifts upon the world and trying to sustain him, could do not to prevent his rule.

Then came the time Rabenth finally stood. He brought together the other four, and told to him his plan for stopping Hyne from harming their planet. Like Galina and Runeath before him had sacrificed themselves for the best of the planet, he too would give up his power. In doing so he would create a place, deep in the core of the planet and thus sealed by the other four elements, a place to lock Hyne away forever. But to do this he would have to change the core of Feniux's making. It would turn from purest fire element to a core of solid iron. This would have to be riddled with many runes, enchantments and magics. Doing so would destroy Rabenth forever, as giving life and death to the planet had destroyed Runeath and Galina. But he was willing to do this as his gift to the planet. Yet he knew that the seal would only last as long as the other four guardians and their elements were in balance, this keeping their portion of the seal strong. And so the life of Rabenth was sacrificed.

So Hyne came to be sealed. Yet this, sadly, did not come before he could bestow his gift upon the world. Amongst the humans he gave birth to a line gifted in his own powers. Thus came to be the line of the Sorceresses. Their magic was capable of corrupting, and ruining the precious balance of the four elements. It was his intent that one day one of the 'Daughters and Sons of Hyne' would weaken the balance enough that he could break free of the prison of Rabenth and the other Angels. When this happened none would be able to stand before the Angel of Magic, and he would become the ruler of all. And in time he could act against the master.

This was how there only came to be four elements in the world: fire, water, wind, and earth. In time the humans grew to overtake the world, as the Angels knew they would. The only option they could see to protect the planet was to go down upon it to try and preserve the balance. Forsaken laid down within the oceans, its great body stretching out over the entirety of the waters of the world, and through this controlled all water that gathered anywhere but in the skies above and in the ground around. Rein'ly carefully spread himself like this through the skies, taking the winds under his firm grasp, and teaching them to destroy and create and play. Feniux existed in the magma below the earth and in the fires upon the surface and in the lightning of the storms. From him came life, protection, and death when mixed with the metal of Rabenth. Greiven wandered the earth, coaxing things forth to grow and spread bounty. And wherever they walked peace and balance reigned.

It was at this time that the first of Hyne's line born with magic came into her power. This woman was called the Lady of Ruin, for wherever she passed the balance was destroyed. Even in their current forms the Angels could not keep balance in the world. So they came to a decision. Their own lines would be born into the world. So were born the Mages of the Elements, those with magic so strong that the Angels in their weakness from the holding of the seal, would pale in comparison to the power of these mortals. Each element was represented by a mage, a female for each fire and water, and a male for earth and wind. These four, when they came of age, rose and overthrew the Sorceress, and cast her and her line down. From their lines children of the elements were born. The Angels decided that at all times one of them would be reborn through their descendants and thus one would always be alive among the humans to guide and protect them.

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"Here ends the story of creation and how Hyne was sealed," Tiamat spoke, finally pausing in his breath.

When neither I nor Drew could find the words to speak, Griever stood and gestured for Tiamat to seat himself.

"There is more of course, to the tale. Tiamat is the keeper of the story of Creation. Forsaken keeps the story of the Peace. Phoenix keeps the story of Wars. And it is I that keeps the story of the Future. And so I will tell it to you."

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Yet even with this precaution a time of great war came to the planet. The empire of the powerful Loire family ruled lands called Cetra and Esthar. Against this family rose a Sorceress, Xera, the strongest of all Sorceresses yet born upon the planet. At this time all four Guardians came to the planet, though only Feniux was due upon the planet at that point. With the help of a young woman named Mercale, and a Prince called Drewel, ones descended from the lines of the Angels, the Sorceress was defeated. And thus a new option was presented to the Angels. To Mercale and Drewel they gifted part of their powers and created the line of the Guardian Forces. These Guardians were meant to help the humans overthrow the Sorceresses without drawing too much on the seals that the Angels might take human forms to help humanity. To Mercale was given the gifts of immortality, eternal youth, and the creation of the Guardians and their appearances, and thus their powers. In this the Angels created one that was like Galina had been once more, and lo and behold, she also had mastery over metals like Rabenth. She was the peak of humanity at the time, and the perfect keeper of the Guardians. To Drewel they gave a new form, and a mastery over darkness, death and pure magic. In him they created Runeath's skills anew, though with harm to their own powers, for they also stole part of Hyne by opening the seal for a while to give the magic to Drewel, and named him after Hyne's once holy form… Odin.

For many eons this worked. When times came for new Sorceresses to be born, and thus more Guardians created from the lines of Angels, one Angel would come down upon the world to guide the new Guardian candidates against the Sorceress. Thus the Guardians became numerous and helped to keep the seals intact.

And amidst the joy of the Angels of their final mastery over Hyne, they celebrated, by giving an era of untold peace to the world. For a thousand years no war came, only the most glorious peace. They were glad that the gifts of their three brethren could exist now without threat of destruction.

But to this time of joy came another servant of their master. This was a woman called Yarrowen, the Goddess of Fate. It was her duty to give to the planet its final gift… A destiny. She told that in a thousand years three sorceress wars would strike within close proximity. This would be a signal. Before this a time would come when all four were born into the human race of their lines. One would be born with full knowledge and memories, and would be before the other three. After this would come one with no clue of any of their fate. Closely following the final two would be reborn, one due to remember during one of the sorceress wars, the other not knowing. While their godly forms would still exist outside of them, they would be born by mortality until they realized who they were. When they came to know themselves they would be like the Angels, but weaker. And until they absorbed the last of their powers their seals would be at their weakest ever, and Hyne might be free. They would be charged to the protection of the world against the last of Hyne's descendants, a Sorceress so powerful that even the three that had come before would seem nothing together than this one would. This would be the reborn sorceress that was defeated by Mercale and Drewel. And in this fight all Guardian Forces and the Angels themselves could die, for that Fate was yet to be written. The Angels could either win and bring peace until the next birth of the Mages of the Elements, who would destroy Hyne forever, or they could fail, and the Mages would be destroyed before they reached the peak of their power, and all would descend into darkness…