DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Squaresoft's ideas, characters, slaves of said company, or Final Fantasy, etc...I mean Square-Enix. Whatever. Anyway, this is my first fanfiction. It should have some melodrama, some romance, horror, adventure, all mixed in together! Also known as standard fare in the FF series. :D I don't have it all thought out, forgot how to spell some names(ANGER!) and I might just stop when it get's good and start again for no reason(RE: WRITER'S BLOCK). But, enjoy anyway. And as they say...Read and Review:)

Demons, Gods and Men

Chapter One: Knocking on Death's Door

The sun's reflection sparkled upon a wide, blue lake at the bottom of a rocky gorge. The cliff facing the lake was smooth and marbled with swirls of pale reddish brown and soft grays, with an occassional hunk missing out of the face of the cliff. The top had a layer of top soil laced with moss and many boulders and small rocks, helping to support local trees at the very edge, where one misstep could spell death by a very long fall. Here, three figures can be seen, appearing to be holding their ground against an unseen enemy in the thick woods surrounding the area.

It was odd; the leader of the group thought earlier before the encounter, that so many powerful, aggressive monsters have been making appearances on such a peaceful island as Balamb. Not even on The Islands Closest to Heaven and Hell were the monsters so fierce, so terrifying to even a seasoned SeeD member. It all started last month, exactly a year after the defeat of the Sorceress Ultimecia. Soon after the rumored sightings, victims started to appear. Half eaten men, women and children had been found in the fields and woods of Balamb Island, compelling the Headmaster of the Balamb Garden to issue his finest mercenaries.

A rumble could be heard to the left of the leader, he braced and nodded to the woman next to him, on his left. The creature barged out to attack, claws flailing and tounge rolling in it's huge, gaping mouth. In an instant, the woman had her whip entangle the beast's jaw for a moment, just enough time for the girl on the man's side to shoot a lightning bolt of pure power, cackling with unrestrained energy down the creature's throat. The man ran towards it, aiming for the skull while it was in shock, but it recovered in time to see him coming. In an instant, the impaled beast and the unconcious mercenary were falling down the cliff and into the cool, crystal blue waters many feet below. The two women looked down, horror on their faces, the one in blue holding out her hand in a futile gesture.

"Squall!"

The mercenary half opened his eyes and looked toward the woman screaming his name. He reached his hand out, and, with the last of his strength, whispered her name:

"Rinoa..."

And then he could feel no more.