Chapter 7

Author's note: Since Ayleia will be separating from the others, I'm going to be jumping back and forth a little in this chapter.

As Laguna and Ellone vanished from their sight, Squall, Rinoa, Zell, Ayleia, Selphie, Quistis, and Irvine were hit with the first wave of time compression. "You have to start going forward," Ayleia told them. "If you don't start moving now, there's no telling where you'll end up."

"What about you?" Rinoa asked.

"I'll be fine," Ayleia replied, remembering that Rinoa wasn't present for this bit of information. "Squall will fill you in on what you've missed."

"What if I disappear?" Rinoa continued.

"I won't let that happen," Squall told her, grabbing her hand.

"Just keep you mind focused on getting to Edea's house in the future and you'll be fine. I'll see you shortly," Ayleia said.

"What? Where are you going? It's too early to leave us," Irvine said.

"I have to make a quick stop. There's something I have to do before I land in the right place," she informed them and disappeared in a flock of birds.

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

Ayleia jumped out of the time compression, feeling as though her skin were on fire. This was much different than when she fell out of the portal. It had only felt like her skin was crawling. As she looked around the Trabian snowfield that she landed in, she noticed that the sun was shining brightly on the snow that covered the ground. She also saw that beyond the herd of Mesmerize running by, there was a village to the east of where she was standing. Starting to feel the cold air that was swirling around her, she buttoned up her coat and conjured up a pair of gloves.

As she started walking toward the village, she started to become nervous about what she came here to do. She knew that she had already changed some things, but since Ultimecia was still alive, that meant that not much had changed in the future. Her mother was still dead, her father had still committed suicide, she had still hurt Ethan, and she still went back in time. Ayleia stood just outside the village, afraid of what she might see. She drew a deep breath and slowly stepped into the village.

The main street of the village was empty. Most of the houses seemed to be empty as well, almost as if the village had been deserted. She continued walking down the street and noticed that one house had the door open. As she got closer, she heard crying coming from inside.

"H-hello," she called out, stepping cautiously into the house and closing the door behind her.

"Who's there!" the female voice answered from a room further down the hallway. "Get out now! It's too dangerous for you to be here."

Ayleia stopped cold in her tracks. "Is that why everyone's gone," she asked. She continued slowly walking down the hall toward the voice.

"Yes, now go. I don't want anyone to get hurt," the voice warned. She was just outside the room the voice was coming from.

"I'm not afraid," Ayleia replied. "I'm coming inside." She pushed the door open and looked around.

The bedroom was a disaster. The bed was in disarray and there were vases and pictures broken with pieces of porcelain and glass shards all over the floor. She noticed that there was a woman curled up in a corner on the floor. Ayleia walked over to her and sat down next to her.

"What happened here?" she asked.

"Nothing. At least not yet," the woman replied. "I told everyone to evacuate the village. My husband and our newborn daughter went with them. I have no idea where he's going to take her."

"Why didn't you leave with everyone else," Ayleia queried, not wanting to give away that she knew exactly what was going on.

The woman sat upright, brushing her dark curls out of her face. "I couldn't go with them. I'm the reason they're in danger," she said regretfully.

""What are they in danger from," she continued her questioning.

"I'm a sorceress," she said looking at Ayleia. "There's another sorceress, named Ultimecia, and she's killing all the other sorceresses in the world and taking their power. Each time she kills a sorceress, she destroys the surrounding area to make sure that no one else could take the power before she could get it."

"I don't want anyone to die because of me," she went on. "So I told them what was happening and sent them all away. I told them that they should wait to return here. My husband had already promised that he would take our daughter far away from here and never return. Everyone left yesterday, but my husband stayed until this morning to give me one last night with my family."

"But what about your daughter," Ayleia asked. "Is she a sorceress too?"

The woman looked down. "Yes," she said sadly. "Ultimecia couldn't come after us because mine and my daughter's magic together kept us safe from her. I was afraid of what Ultimecia would do when she found my baby, so I cast a protection spell to keep her safe. That monster can't sense her magic no matter what she tries. The only one that can remove the spell is my daughter. I've done everything I could think of to make sure that she'll know what she's doing when she's ready." She sighed. "They've only been gone a few hours, but I miss them already."

"I know you do, but think you've done the right thing by everyone." Ayleia told her. She stood up and held out her hand to help the woman to her feet. "What's your name?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Lilia," her mother replied, allowing herself to be helped up. She was still wearing her nightgown and she looked as if something inside her was broken. Her face was pale and her eyes were red and puffy from hours of crying.

"Who are you?" Lilia asked.

"Someone sent to help you find the courage to challenge Ultimecia," Ayleia told her. "But Lilia, you can't fight back this way. You saved so many people in the last couple of days. Now you have to try to save yourself."

"Ultimecia is far too strong," Lilia replied. "She's taken the power of countless sorceresses. All of that power concentrated into one being is too much to fight against."

"I know she's strong," Ayleia said. "But what about your family? Don't you want to give yourself the chance to see them again?"

"Of course I do," her mother replied, looking out the nearby window.

Ayleia removed her coat and gloves. "Then you need to fight for it," she said firmly. "Now pull yourself together and get dressed."

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

As Squall and the others watched Ayleia disappear from their sight, they continued to move through the time compression. They held on to each other, making sure that no one got lost and ended up somewhere they weren't supposed to be. Rinoa winced in pain as they started to move faster and faster through time.

"Ayleia wasn't kidding when she said this would be painful," Selphie yelled over the deafening noise surrounding them.

"I know," Zell yelled back. "It's excruciating."

"Look, we can't worry about the pain," Quistis said. "We need to focus on getting to the right time."

"We're almost there," Squall called to them, dodging another time wave.

Everyone looked to see that they everything was becoming solid again. They had landed in what looked like the Commencement Room where Rinoa encountered Sorceress Edea when she wasbeing possessed by Ultimecia, before she took over Galbadia.

It looks like we're in a dream, Squall thought. Everything around them, including the breeze floating through, seemed to move in slow motion. Even their movements seemed to be slowing as they walked towards the door. Opening it, they saw a woman sitting in a chair just a few yards in front of them.

Sensing their presence, the woman stood up and turned to face them. She smiled malevolently. "SeeDs," she said.

As the sorceress cast her spell, Rinoa instinctively prepared herself to try to deflect it.

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

Lilia turned back to Ayleia. "What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to fight her?" she asked.

"You've done everything you can to make sure that everyone, including your husband and your daughter, is safe," Ayleia replied. "Think about getting back to them. Let that be your motivation to beat her. I can't help you with the rest."

Lilia sighed and then noticed the gold disk hanging around Ayleia's neck. Her eyes grew wide as she studied Ayleia's face intensely. She took a step back. "W-who are you?" she asked.

"I told you, I'm here to help you find the courage you'll need to fight Ultimecia," Ayleia said slowly.

"No, that's not the truth," her mother replied suspiciously. She walked to where Ayleia was standing. "I know this necklace," she said reaching for the disk. She read the inscription and then stared at Ayleia. "I gave this to my husband to give to our daughter when she was old enough to understand who she really was. How did you get it?"

Ayleia wasn't sure that she should tell Lilia the truth about who she was. "I found it," was all that she could manage to say.

Lilia began to study Ayleia more closely. The girl standing before her looked exactly like she did when she was younger, except this girl had green eyes. "You must tell me the truth," she said firmly. "What is your name?"

Ayleia closed her eyes. Her mother appeared to have figured out the truth. She bit her lip and decided that it was time to tell Lilia who she was. "My name is Ayleia Charmeling," she said softly, opening her eyes again.

"A-Ayleia Ch-Charmeling," Lilia repeated. "Are you telling me that you're my daughter?" she asked with tears in her eyes.

Ayleia nodded. "Yes, I'm your daughter. I had to come back to help you."

Lilia couldn't help but embrace her daughter. And finally, after seventeen years, Ayleia finally had the one thing she always wanted. She had the chance to hug her mother and talk to her.

"But wait," Lilia said, pulling back to look her daughter over. "How did you get here?"

Ayleia looked at her with tears in her eyes. "After I learned how to use my powers, I formed a plan to go back in time to help the SeeDs who were defeated by Adel before time compressed so that they could fight Ultimecia," Ayleia said. "The plan worked and now they're headed to the future to get to her. We got separated when I decided to come here to help you."

"Ayleia, what did your father say about this plan?" her mother inquired. "And how is he?"

That was the one question Ayleia feared to answer for her mother. "Daddy missed you so much, Mom," she began.

"Missed," Lilia repeated.

"He took very good care of me, just like he promised," Ayleia continued. "But he died from a broken heart when I was thirteen. He just couldn't be without you anymore."

Lilia couldn't contain her tears after hearing of Joshua's death. "Sweetie, I'm so sorry we left you," she said remorsefully.

"Mom that's why I need you to fight," Ayleia pleaded. "If you fight her and win, I don't have to be without either of you! Please!"

Before Lilia could say anything, the sky started to get darker. They heard a loud explosion coming from the front of the house.

"She's coming," Lilia whispered fearfully. "If she knows you're here, she'll kill you. You have to hide, Ayleia!"

Hearing the footsteps in the hallway, she hugged her mother tightly. "I love you, Mom," she said tearfully. "You have to fight her!"

"I love you, too," Lilia replied. "Now go. Hide in the bathroom over there."

Ayleia looked at her mother and saw the tears streaming down her face. As the footsteps got closer, she fled into the bathroom and locked the door.

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

"The more sorceresses we fight, the stronger they get," Zell said breathlessly.

"I know," Quistis agreed. "But we have to keep going. We won't get to Ultimecia if we can't survive this fight."

Their Guardian Forces were almost exhausted from the constant summons and Rinoa was feeling the drain from using so much of her magic. The sorceresses were constantly coming as Squall and the others kept moving forward. They seemed to fight a sorceress in every single place that they had gone. They had moved from the Commencement Room to Timber, to Esthar, to Balamb, to Dollet. They were now in what appeared to be Winhill fighting their twelfth sorceress.

After they killed her, another sorceress appeared. This one was the most hideous that they had seen so far. She lookedtobetwice the size of Adel. She looked as if she were half snake and half woman. Her magic was three times as powerful as the other sorceresses.

"Dammit, where's Ayleia when you need her," Squall growled. He began to summon Bahamut.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

Ayleia listened as Ultimecia blasted the door open. "Lilia Charmeling, the last sorceress," she heard Ultimecia say in that sickening voice. It sounded more like a snake hissing than a person speaking.

"Sorceress Ultimecia," Lilia replied.

Ultimecia laughed. "I kouldn't kome near you while you were pregnant bekause the magik that you and your child had kept you safe from me," Ultimecia said menacingly. "You are the strongest sorceress that I've had to face thus far. But I have to wonder if your sweet little girl will be as strong as you are. Where is she?"

Lilia's eyes darted toward the door and back to the evil witch standing before her. "She's safe from you," she said angrily. "I've made sure of that."

"You think that she'll be safe from me for long," Ultimecia laughed. "You stupid woman! I kan find your child. And when I do, I will kill your precious husband and then take your daughter's power."

Mother, that is what you need to fight her! Ayleia thought. She wants to kill us, you have to fight her!

"I won't allow that to happen," Lilia whispered. "You don't think that I've done everything I can to make sure that you won't find them? You stupid woman," Lilia mocked.

Ultimecia scowled. "You kan't protect her from me," she hissed.

Lilia laughed scornfully. "I already have," she said matter-of-factly. "The only way you can find my family is if my daughter lets you! That won't happen, I have insurance of that."

"Kurse you Lilia," replied Ultimecia. "YOU FOOLISH WOMAN!" she snarled, "If you had told me where she was, I'dhave made your death as painless as possible. You leave me no choice!"

Ayleia listened as Ultimecia cast a death spell. "I won't make it that easy for you, Ultimecia," she heard her mother say as she blocked the spell.

Lilia cast a Flare spell, but it barely fazed Ultimecia. "HAHAHAHAHA!" she scoffed. "Your magik is strong, Lilia, but it isn't strong enough to really hurt me!"

"Maybe not," Lilia said, sending a wave of energy at her and knocking her backwards. "But you won't kill me without a fight!"

Fight Mom! Ayleia told her mother telepathically. Fight for our family!

No matter what happens, Lilia replied, stay hidden and remember that I love you.

I love you, too, Ayleia said. With all my heart, I love you Mom.

Ayleia could only listen as the battle between her mother and Ultimecia raged on. The magic the two of them were throwing at each other was so strong that it made the entire house shake.

"You kan't defeat me, Lilia," Ayleia heard Ultimecia hissing. "Your magik won't hold out much longer."

Lilia knew that Ultimecia was right. She had begun to sense her magic weakening. Desperately, she threw a Thundaga spell at Ultimecia. To her dismay, Ultimecia deflected the spell and sent it toward the bathroom door.

Afraid that the spell could have hurt Ayleia, Lilia turned to the door. Her distraction was all that Ultimecia needed to successfully hit her with a death spell.

Ayleia heard her mother's terrifying screams. She began crying softly as she listened to Ultimecia as she taunted her mother while she absorbedthe power.

"I told you that you kouldn't defeat me," Ultimecia sneered.

Mom let me help you, Ayleia pleaded.

Ayleia, are you alright? Lilia asked.

"Your power is much more than I imagined," Ultimecia went on.

I'm fine, let me fight her!

No! You must stay away from Ultimecia! She will kill you!

"It's strong. I must say that no other sorceress has challenged me like you have," Ultimecia said. "The others could barely put up a fight."

I need you to stay with me, Ayleia said.

I'm sorry…I failed you… Lilia replied.

Please don't go Mom.

"Your powers are almost mine," Ultimecia hissed.

I'm sorry, Sweetheart…

Mother…

I…love you…Ayleia…Lilia weakly said.

"HAHAHAHAHA!" Ultimecia cackled. "Now that your powers are mine, all I have to do is find your child. Rest assured," Ultimecia told her, "I will find your precious daughter."

Lilia smiled at Ultimecia. "You…won't find her," she gasped. "I know that for a fact…"

Ayleia listened to the silence as her mother died and Ultimecia walked out of the room. She waited several moments before she stepped back into the room and looked around in stunned silence.

There was no sign of her mother's body. All that she saw was a shattered mirror and several holes in the wall from the fight that had just taken place.

"Mother," she sobbed, sinking to her knees.

Remember what you started, she heard Lilia's voice say. I love you…

Wiping her tears from her eyes, Ayleia stood up, put her coat and gloves back on, and headed back to the snowfield. She leapt up and allowed herself to be swept back into the time wave.

When she landed in her house back in Winhill, she tried to sense the others. They had not yet made it to Edea's house. I guess I should go ahead and let it out, she thought. She curled up on the sofa and started sobbing.

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

"We gotta finish her!" Selphie cried. They had tried almost everything they could think of, but they couldn't seem to bring this beast of a sorceress down.

Squall was starting to get tired. He could see that fatigue was starting to show on the faces of his comrades. "We can't stop now," he told them. "Ayleia is going to be waiting for us. We gotta give it all that we've got."

Zell nodded. He began summoning Alexander for the tenth time since this fight began. He hoped that the holy spell would be enough to finally destroy the sorceress. Quistis used Save the Queen to lash at her with all that she had as Irvine hit her with all the Armor Shots he had left.

Alexander's Holy Judgment was the final blow that they needed to finally bring her down. She disintegrated into nothing as Edea's house began to materialize around them.

Rinoa collapsed onto the floor in relief. "We did it," she sighed as the others sat down to rest.

"Now all that we have to do is wait for Ayleia," Quistis said between breaths.

"Wait for Ayleia," they heard the familiar voice repeat. "You guys are late!"

They looked to see Ayleia standing in the doorway, smiling at them . "All of you look like hell," she commented, looking them over.

"Yeah," Squall huffed. "Well you try fighting over a dozen sorceresses and see how you look!"

Ayleia cocked her head. "Was that a joke?" she asked.

"No," Squall said defensively.

"I think it was," Quistis giggled.

Squall began scowling again. "Whatever," he said folding his arms. "We still have a job to finish."

Ayleia nodded. "Yes we do. I did some looking around while I was waiting for you," she told them. "Ultimecia's castle is just outside the back door heading toward the beach."