LIBERATING THE PAST
Temoren. The name had gained much popularity over the few years he had been working as a SeeD. He went from an ordinary member to one of their most feared. Despised by his enemies for being persistent, cocky, and very skilled. He had slain two sorceresses. Many never even got the chance for one. And that, is how he made a name for himself. The world was filled with hate for them. For what they did in the past. For what they do in the future. Temoren was praised by his superiors, and by the public for his work against these demons.
The SeeD spend most of their time keeping a watchful eye on the happenings of the world. They even keep profiles on known sorceresses of the past and present, and their allies. They watched them almost at all times. Many remained hidden though, and this was another part of their job, finding them. Any one of them could become this "UItimecia", the one that caused so much harm through the generations. They were all determined to stop it. At all costs.
"Yes, sir." Temoren stands in good posture, looking back at one of his many superiors within the SeeD. The new Galbadian president had been elected, and he was going to give his speech tonight.
"Your job is merely to make sure nothing gets out of hand. Not a hard job at all. I figured I could give you a break every now and then, eh?"
"And for that, I am grateful of course." He smiles a little at the officer, whom he obviously has had a lot of experience with.
The officer breaks his formal tone and talks as he would to a friend. "Temoren. We all know you're good. You are a valuable asset to the SeeD. There is no need to brown nose, alright?"
"I apologize sir for my--" He stops midway through the sentence and smiles. They both laugh a little and the officer pats him on the back. "Just make sure things don't get too crazy. A little crazy, alright. Anymore than that, put your foot down. The president has his own guard, you're just here on back up. Relax if you want to."
"Don't have to tell me twice. There are some good pubs here in Deling. Grab a drink, listen to some singers maybe..."
"We'll put a few people with you. Once the night is over just head back and we'll get you on something more interesting, alright?" Temoren nods lightly to the officers question.
Just like that, the officer was gone, down the street, and out of sight. What an interesting situation this is. Sit and watch a crowd cheer on their new president while stationed with a bunch of amateurs from the garden. Well, at least there is still the pub idea, right?
Temoren pushes off from the street lamp he was leaning against. He looked up and down the street for a suitable place to grab a drink and relax before the speech. Many new places popped up in the city lately. Perhaps as a result of Galbadia getting an economic and political burst. He finds a small place that doesn't appear to have many people in it. Just as he likes it. He enters the building, inside the walls are a mix of dark red and brown, and the lighting is fairly poor, a bit depressing almost.
"Give me something good, but light. I'm technically on duty later." The bartender nods at his request and begins to mix a weak drink for the SeeD member. Temoren takes a sip of his drink, his ears drift off to the sound of a sad song being played in a room next door. The walls were thin, he can hear it very well. A piano.
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He was alone for this mission. He knew what he had to do. The SeeD had found out a sorceress was in hiding in a cave high in the mountains, and she needed to be removed. Back then, he didn't have the reputation he has now. He was nervous, of course. He had no idea who she was, or how strong she was. But it was a matter of him surviving, or her. Or perhaps "them" would be the better term. There was the knight of course. Always a knight nearby. The pathway through the mountain was so quiet and dead. The only thing on all sides were bare rocks, no plants, nothing. Everyone once in a while the wind would blow through the long pathway, accelerated by its valley-like shape. The rocks went much higher on either side of the road, giving it an eerie feeling.
Temoren was actually of a small build, considering he was a man who trained in melee fighting. He was shorter than many of the people he encountered, but still, not abnormally short. His hair was a dirty blonde color. He parted it to the right, and kept it flat, instead of having spikes or anything fancy. He always wore the same pair of rustic looking pants. Attached to one side was his small short sword. On the other side he had his old fashioned slow shooting pistol, which he only used when he had to. He always went with the sword first though.
"I will liberate the past."
He moved hastily through along the path, his feet kicking against the rocks as he moved.
"I will aid the future."
She was close. Very close now. He could feel her. He could actually FEEL her presence. He never really understood why this happened to him. But it didn't matter at this point, he knew what he had to do, and knew she was close. His steps began to become slower and softer. He peeked around a large rock to see a small cave. Nothing is there except one man with his back to Temoren, and a small camp fire that is almost at the end of its life.
The knight didn't even hear him come up until it was too late. He began to spin around quickly only to meet his end at the swift slice of Temoren's blade. Temoren presumed he didn't feel any pain at all, or even know what hit him. He had gotten him right at the neck, and he fell back onto the ground instantly, motionless. Where was this girl? She would most certainly be alarmed by her emotions and visions. Then he heard it. A few pebbles fall in the short distance. Without even thinking, instinct took control and he pulled out his revolver and pointed it so quickly, that even he was surprised.
He held the pistol perfectly still. A young girl peeked from around another rock. She was so young. So innocent. Was she the type that could eventually turn into the evil witch of the future? He didn't think so. She looked so much like his little sister back in Balamb. He hesitated. He always hesitated. She didn't duck back behind the rock. She was perfectly still. Paralyzed by fear. She was terrified of him? He pulled the trigger, the blast breaking the silence. Birds flew away in all directions, startled by the noise. She hadn't moved a single inch the entire time. He could tell because he closed his eyes before pulling the trigger, and it still made it to its target. The mission was over.
