Disclaimer: If I owned Final Fantasy VI, which I don't, I would make a movie out of the game and have John Williams work with Nobuo Uematsu on the soundtrack. Think of the possibilities…
This is it! The catastrophic end of the World of Balance! I've been working a very long time on this, and it's definitely high on my list of favorite chapters. The World of Ruin plot is still on the drawing board, so I apologize in advance if it's a long time in coming.
A special thanks to Lenna the Fallen One, ladyvella42, and Chinese Miko, who have all faithfully reviewed nearly every single chapter since the days of Sins of the Past. You three are great! And of course thanks to everyone else, reviewers and anonymous readers alike. You guys all keep me going with this.
Note on chapter: Celes has a flashback that alludes to another she had in chapter eight. I won't spoil it here, though.
Chapter Eighteen: Blood and Betrayal
"Kefka. How the hell did you get here?"
"Why Leo, I flew here on my little cherub wings," the jester teased.
The general wasn't amused. "You weren't scheduled for release for another sixteen months."
"Emperor's orders," the other said with a shrug.
Celes appeared beside Leo. "We would've been notified."
Kefka grinned at her. "But you were already aware of how things would play out. Surely you haven't forgotten what you came here to do…"
When Celes stayed quiet, Leo answered. "The mission is on schedule—"
"Yes, yes," Kefka cut in, "and I'm sure you would've completed it in due time. I'm simply here to see it done."
With that, he raised his hand into the air, and two suits of the newly enhanced MegaArmor clomped forward. Leo sent a panicked look behind him to where the Espers and Returners and Thamasans stood.
"Kefka, don't," he warned.
The jester smiled wildly, though he noticed Celes fingering the hilt of her Rune Blade out of the corner of his eye. A slight wave to the pilots behind him, and the Megaton cannons whirred to life. Leo moved to stand in front of the closest Armor, and despite Kefka's shouts, the pilot didn't dare fire on the beloved general. The second fired a massive beam of fire, but Celes whipped out her already glowing sword. The beam abruptly changed course and entered the blade with a force that nearly knocked her over. In turn, the second pilot also ignored Kefka and quickly shut down the cannon for fear of harming the lady knight.
Her Rune Blade pulsating brightly, Celes raised her other hand, pausing only to make eye contact with both Armor riders. The two unbuckled their harnesses and leapt frantically from the cockpits just as the Magitek Knight released a stream of electrical energy that forked towards each Armor. The engines erupted in violent explosions, rendering both suits dead. Stepping back, Celes calmly sheathed her blade while remnant energy crackled between her fingers on her other hand.
Kefka was furious, looking like he himself was about to burst until the small figure off to the left of Celes caught his eye. Relm watched fearfully as he again raised his hand with a ball of flame. The conjuring was released, and the girl flinched, her eyes closing reflexively in anticipation of the blast. When no contact came, she opened one eye to see a swirl of blonde hair and a white cape surrounding her.
Celes' armor took the brunt of the flames, but the scorching tongues partly seared through to her flesh, and she grunted in pain as she stood from shielding Relm. The child whispered a curative incantation, and after it washed over the knight, she was rewarded with a grateful nod.
Kefka, on his back from being tackled by Leo, mumbled his displeasure. When he stood, the other male general met him with a forceful shove.
"Is this what it's come to, Kefka? Kids?"
"What? You never seemed to care when it was Celes doing it." Kefka grinned evilly. "Oh, but that's right. She's special, isn't she, Leo?"
Leo took an intimidating step toward the other man, but Celes threw her hands between them.
"Just stop!" When she had their attention, "If we do this, we do this the right way."
The Imperial captains quickly cleared the area around the knights of any civilians, including the Espers and two Returners. Locke and Terra watched nervously as several moments of mere glaring passed. Then, all three generals simultaneously drew their swords.
When Leo led with the first attack. the jester parried easily until Celes joined in the effort. Now faced with a double frontal assault, he slammed his sword side to side to fend off the near rhythmic blows of the two younger knights. A jump kick knocked Leo back, and Locke watched nervously as Kefka moved on Celes. Though never having witnessed her full potential, the thief was not surprised to see that the reputation of her speed and skill was not exaggerated in the least.
The two drove each other back and forth in a vengeful dance. Thinking he saw an opening, Kefka swiped at her midsection, but Celes easily dodged. The miss caused the jester to lose his balance, and the knight stood in mocking calm as he regained his footing. Even with her casual stance, she was not to be underestimated, as when Kefka lashed out, her blade swiftly swept forth to meet it.
By this time, Leo had ducked behind the jester, who now seemed never to stay facing one direction as he was forced to swivel to meet both his rivals' blades. Drawing both arms over and behind his head to block, Kefka found his sword pinned against his back by Leo's Masamune. Before Celes could take advantage of his vulnerable state, the jester kicked her in the stomach, buying himself precious seconds.
The lady general came back with her sword spinning as if to delay her attack. Kefka managed to break the lock with Leo with a tremendous shove, and he also spun his sword. Both sensed the other's intention, however, as both threw out their hand with magical energy. In a brilliant flash, the ice and fire met and sustained. Both mages were stronger now, and it was only after Leo swiped at him that the jester was forced to abandon the elemental clash.
He ducked beneath another of knight's attacks before striking back, and a rapid volley of parries ensued. Just before Celes rejoined the two, the jester delivered a harsh blow to the younger man's nose with the hilt of his sword. Leo withdrew momentarily, and the battle raged on between the mages.
Celes drove Kefka across the center of town with a fierce assault. When he tried to turn it around on her, she unexpectedly ran up the wall of a still-burning house, pivoted, and with a forceful jump off the vertical surface, kicked him across the face. She believed the jester's defenses to be cut, but after a series of blows, their swords locked at the hilts, and Kefka thrust downward. Celes was jerked off balance by the motion, and she had no chance to defend against the powerful conjuring of fire that slammed into her.
Seeing his friend down indefinitely, Leo confronted Kefka alone for what he hoped was the last time. Both men seemed to be treading more carefully, testing the other, waiting for him to make the first mistake. There was an eerie silence as the two generals paused, and Celes struggled to recover from the fiery blast. A feeling of ice in the pit of her stomach grew with every moment the hush continued.
The duel abruptly began once more as Leo and Kefka attacked each other with deadly blows, and the mistake was made. The younger fighter misread the older one's aim and suffered a slash to the torso. With a swift kick to Leo's head, Kefka spun and thrust his blade back into the man's chest.
A woman's scream rang through the still air.
The jester calmly removed his blade, and Leo fell numbly to his knees. Celes picked herself up and ran to her friend, dropping to his side just as he collapsed onto his back.
"Leo!"
She immediately placed her hand over his wound, the words of an incantation on her tongue. Leo gently wrapped his fingers around that hand, halting her.
"Don't," came his faint protest. "You know it's too late…"
Celes shook her head defiantly. "No…"
With his rivals out of the way, Kefka turned to the Espers with a wicked grin. He threw out his hand, and a bolt of energy connected with the nearest creature: Yura. In an instant, the Esper had been reduced down to a mere shard of glowing stone.
Enraged, Locke started to draw his dirk to attack the rampant jester, but Captain Brandt held both him and Terra back. It didn't occur to either the thief or the half-breed that the Imperials weren't at all concerned with Kefka's actions; their focus was fixed on the two other generals on the ground.
Already, the rest of the Espers had been dispatched, their remains claimed by Kefka. Eye alit with glee, he added to his own mayhem by casting streams of fire at the surrounding houses, all the while cackling like mad. The Thamasan citizens fled as the inferno spread, and soon the entire village was in flames.
"Celes…" Leo coughed, and blood spurted from his mouth. "Finish it…"
The blonde looked down and saw her friend weakly holding up his sword. She reached for the hilt, encompassing his hand at the same time. Her soft touch was only a thin disguise concealing her fury.
Oblivious, Kefka continued throwing his fiery craft left and right, delighting in the blazing destruction he wrought. Looking quite pleased with himself, he turned around to seek out another target, but instead he saw two swords coming straight at his head. He barely managed to duck out of their path, stumbling back with the unexpected maneuver.
When he looked up, he saw Celes pursuing him like the unrelenting huntress, the Rune Blade in one hand and the Masamune in the other. She struck, forcing Kefka to dodge clumsily again, and he crouched to pick up the sword he had earlier dropped. He lifted it up to meet the two descending blades, and a flash of light—mixed blues and reds—was accompanied by raining shards of ice and embers of flame.
Celes' world was black, her anger a flurry of steel. The only light came from the shower of sparks with each crash of their swords, bringing explosions of fire and frost. Kefka never did gain a solid footing as he continued to stagger back under the pressure of her attacks. In desperation, he kicked her to put a sliver of distance between them. Just as she came back, scissoring her swords at his neck, he swirled his cloak about him, and in a flash of smoke and flames, he was gone.
Celes stood still for a moment, confused by his sudden disappearance, but then quickly returned to Leo's side. Even as the village blazed and burned around them, she gently held a hand over his wound.
"It's alright, Leo. You're going to be fine," she claimed.
She whispered words of healing, and a green aura lit beneath her fingers, but the gash did not close.
"Come on, Leo," she urged. "Don't make me stand by your grave."
Vision blurred, she tried the chant again, but to no avail. It was only then she dared look at his eyes: soft brown orbs, clouded by death, staring vacantly into nothingness. Nearby, despite the attempts by several magic-enhanced Imperials to douse it, a house consumed by flames caved in with a creaking groan. Celes didn't seem to notice.
"General!" Brandt called. "The fire's too strong! It's out of control!" When she didn't acknowledge his call, he ran to the two generals. "Celes—"
Brandt then saw what had silenced her, and he, too, became lost for words. Celes abruptly stood from her friend's body, looking down at the blood that stained her white armor and cloak. The frozen water that inhabited her very core became a rolling tidal wave, seeping into every tissue, through every vein, and down each finger until outpour was inevitable.
With magic and grief overwhelming her, Celes dropped to her knees and screamed.
Faster than the eye could follow, a torrent of ice surged from her, blanketing everything in sight. The hellfire was quenched, and only the humans remained untouched by the storm.
Celes closed her eyes and bowed her head, refusing to let her tears flow, and her body trembled. Finally, she looked up, and her once cold eyes burned with raging blue fire as she felt her soul be swallowed by infinite blackness.
With a frightening calm, she stood, her sword held loosely in her hand. Turning from the body of her oldest friend, her eyes fell upon the four members of Kefka's entourage. Two of them approached remorsefully.
"General, we had no idea Kefka would go this far. We thought he was just following ord—"
He never got to finish, nor did he even see Celes' sword before it sliced through his neck. The second could only look dumbly forward as he found that same sword embedded in his chest, already having cleaved down through his shoulder.
The two pilots of the Armors tried to run. The first tripped and fell to the ground, and Celes slid her sword through the second's back, extracting it only to draw it across his throat. The last remaining Imperial got up from where he had stumbled, and tried to dash past Celes. She grabbed him by the front of his jerkin, however, and lifted him up off the ground.
"G-General, please…! It wasn't our fault! We didn't know Kefka would—"
"Not making it better," she growled.
Brandt finally tried to restrain the wrathful general.
"Celes! This won't bring Leo back!"
She turned to the captain with a baneful glare, and he saw that the once blazing fire in her eyes had become shaded and chilled by pain and unshed tears. Genuinely frightened, Brandt released her and stepped back.
Without further hesitation, Celes unleashed her unforgiving craft into the soldier she held. After mere seconds, she let him fall, and his rigid body shattered upon hitting the ground. When the shards of the Imperial settled, the glacier of Thamasa became silent and still.
((ooo))
William Fowler, one of four colonels of the Empire, traversed the maze of the Imperial Palace, relying on his memory to guide him to the throne room; very rarely was anyone other than the generals and the head scientist summoned to the emperor's chamber.
When he was within sight of the massive doors guarded by two men shrouded in red, he breathed a short sigh of relief. Short, because beyond those doors, he knew what awaited him. With Leo and Celes absent, Fowler was acting as a pseudo-general, responsible for duties he was not used to, and the pressure was demanding.
"The emperor is waiting," one sentry said, his speech muffled by the crimson helm encompassing his face.
The doors were opened, and Fowler walked cautiously inside. Stopping just before the dais of the throne, he knelt and brought his fist across to his shoulder. He waited to be spoken to.
"Welcome, Colonel."
"Majesty."
"I just received a carrier pigeon from General Leo, dated two days ago. The Espers have been found."
"That is good news, Majesty."
"Indeed. Leo expected to arrive back in the village Thamasa late this morning. The mission is more or less complete. Do you know what this means, Colonel?"
"Yes, Majesty."
"Then you have your orders."
"It will be done, Majesty."
"I will be leaving shortly to fulfill my own plans." Gestahl raised a hand and pointed ominously at the officer. "Don't fail me, Colonel."
Fowler bowed his head. Dismissed, the officer stood and exited the throne room, letting out the breath he didn't know he had been holding. After taking a moment to compose himself, the colonel returned down the corridors, whose end seemed to retreat from him rather than approach him. When finally he reached his goal—the cadet training compound—he was greeted by the familiar and reassuring sights of innocent exercises and harmless duels, reminding him of days past, when war was only a speck on the horizon.
At seeing the colonel, the cadets and their supervising officers lined up expectantly. There was the smallest hesitation before Fowler spoke.
"The emperor has approved the second phase of his plan. We are to commence at once. You have ten minutes to prepare before we begin."
The Imperials saluted the colonel, and all but two scattered to their various destinations. Lieutenant-Colonel Owen Braska and Major Nathan Vilas, former instructor of Celes, remained with Fowler.
"Are we really doing thing?" Vilas wondered.
"We do what is commanded of us," Braska reminded.
"But it's so…underhanded…"
"You question the emperor?" Braska challenged.
Fowler threw his hands up. "Gentlemen! Though I admit many are unhappy with the emperor's choice of action, we nevertheless have a task to complete. Now go get ready."
"Yes sir," the two muttered.
The colonel, too, returned to his office, and there, on his desk, lay his sword. Staring at the blade, he felt his determination waver. How he wished he was not the one responsible for this duty. Forcing himself to take the weapon in hand, he did a crisp about-face and marched back to the compound. His peers already awaited him, their swords at their sides. He allowed himself one last hesitation.
"Our actions here will echo across the world…" he whispered.
He gave the final nod.
((ooo))
Cities and towns across the globe had become friendly havens for Returners and Imperials alike under Gestahl's peace treaty: South Figaro, Narshe, Tzen, countless rural communities, and even Doma with its few surviving stragglers.
At midday, the Imperial commander stationed at each location would receive a message from the emperor.
"The time has come. You have your orders."
With the confirmation given, each commander would fold the parchment back up and place it in the pocket inside his jerkin. The officers would then turn to their second in commands and inform them of the emperor's orders. The latter would run out of the command center to relay the message to the troops, leaving the officer in charge alone.
Some would sit at their desks with their heads in their hands. Others would eagerly pick up their sword and strike at imaginary foes. Regardless of what they chose to do beforehand, every single one of them would step out into the sunlight to face his awaiting troops. Every single one of them would tell his men to ready their weapons. And every single one of them would give his silent order: the final nod.
((ooo))
Twenty-seven Returners sat in the Imperial mess hall. Among them were the king of Figaro, his brother, the retainer to Doma, and a wild child. The gambler had long since ridden back to the airship on chocobo, taking the moogle with him for company. A team of Imperials had also accompanied him to aid in fixing the Blackjack.
Conversation between the rebels was minimal. The days had grown long in waiting for the return of their friends, and worry was beginning to set in.
Unexpectedly, the doors to the mess hall flew open, and a flustered man with silver hair ran in, a moogle following as quickly as his little wings could carry him.
"Setzer—"
"Get to the airship," the gambler cut in. "We're leaving."
Edgar stood in alarm. "What's going on?"
"After we finished working on the Blackjack, the Imperials tried to off us."
Banon jumped to his feet, nearly knocking his chair over. "What?"
"Kupo," Mog confirmed. "We had no idea. One minute, we're all peachy, then the next, bam, they attack us."
"I knew we could never trust them," Cyan spat.
Setzer glanced over his shoulder. "Mog and I managed to get in here without being seen, but I'm not sure how long that luck will last."
"They coming!" Gau alerted. "I hear!"
They all looked at the boy in alarm, then at each other.
((ooo))
A train of Imperials soldiers filed into the mess hall as they would for evening meal. Colonel Fowler took another step forward, scanning the room.
It was empty.
A feeling of dread plummeted to the pit of his stomach as the emperor's warning came back to haunt him.
"Search the palace!" he ordered frantically. "Find them!"
((ooo))
The Returners were scattered about the deck of the Blackjack, all catching their breaths from their flight from the palace. They had just barely taken off when Imperial soldiers had come swarming out of the city in pursuit. Bullet holes from the sentries' rifles riddled the hull of the airship, and the craft was charred in some places by blasts from the Spit Fires of the Imperial Air Force. They hoped, however, to be in the clear.
Hope was a fragile thing.
"Guys," Sabin called, strangely quiet. "Down there."
They all peered over the airship's rail, and the full magnitude of the Empire's betrayal became glaringly real. Villages smoldered as Imperials slaughtered those recognized as members of the Returners. Men were struck down as they played catch with their sons. Women were chased down and ripped apart by Vector hounds. Children were burned alive by the flames summoned by Magitek soldiers.
A tear ran down Edgar's face as he watched. "Gods…"
His fists clenched. No pity stayed an Imperial's sword. No mercy spared the earth its stain of innocent blood. No logic explained the senseless massacre.
Banon sank to his knees in despair as those he once called upon to fight were butchered, and the Returners around him clung to each other, mourning their brothers and sisters.
"Blasted Imperials," Cyan murmured gravely.
"Where we go now?" Gau asked quietly.
"I…" Edgar fought to not choke on his words. "I don't know…"
"Do you think this is happening…everywhere?" Sabin asked desolately. A sudden fear hit him. "Locke and Terra…"
Edgar bowed his head. "I know. I'm worried, too."
Setzer prepared to change course. "Crescent Island?"
"As fast as you can get us there."
((ooo))
Two lines of grim-faced soldiers stood facing each other, forming a path to the stone monument. Leo's body was placed gently on the funeral pyre beyond. In full black-dress uniform, Celes stepped up to the head of the column with a sheathed Masamune in her hands, her normally stoic expression matching that of her men. As she began the slow walk to the grave of her closest friend, the soldiers saluted her pair by pair as she passed. She tried as hard as she could to hide what she felt, but her eyes betrayed her immense grief. She had suffered every physical pain imaginable, but none of it compared to the emotional gauntlet she was now running.
The Imperials held their salute as she reached the stone monolith, where she carefully drew the Masamune from its sheath. The soldier closest to her took the scabbard wordlessly. She raised the sword above her head with the tip pointing down, but hesitated. She clenched her eyes shut to ward off the tears threatening to fall, but her struggle for composure was a losing battle. Opening her eyes, she thrust the sword down, driving it deep into the rock.
Celes took a step back and stared at the sword embedded in stone. Slowly raising her right hand to her right brow, memories of the past ten years with Leo flashed in her mind. The soldiers were at first confused; this was the traditional hand salute of the Old Empire which hadn't been used in almost three years.
Then they understood. Leo represented the ideals of the Old Empire: honor and compassion, not hatred and greed; the desire to protect and defend, not conquer and destroy. This was Celes' final symbolic act of admiration of Leo: to remember him as he should be remembered, to honor him as he should be honored.
The men turned to face the grave and followed Celes' example of saluting in the traditional fashion. She held that position for a prolonged moment, not wanting to let go, her face twitching with emotion. Her vision blurred as it finally began sinking in that Leo was truly gone.
As Celes released both herself and the others from the salute, a single wet drop traced its lonely path down her cheek. Looking beyond the stone, she gave a slight nod, and two officers laid torches to the timber surrounding Leo's body. Soon, the entire pyre was consumed by flames.
Terra walked forth and fell to her knees, placing tear-stained flowers at the foot of the gravestone. Behind her, Relm clung to Strago, her sobs muffled against his cloak. Locke struggled with his own emotions, haunted by memories of his dead lover, ravaged by jumbled thoughts of the blonde general.
The sky darkening with the coming dusk, Celes merely stared into the blaze, her eyes veiled and her feelings masked by the shadows of fire dancing across her face. It would be a long while before any of them moved.
((ooo))
Night passed. The rising of the sun warmed the lands and chased away the remaining frost from Celes' grief. Those already awake were greeted by the landing of the Blackjack just outside what remained of the little hamlet. The passengers debarked and walked into the village, taken aback by the charred houses. Locke and Terra came over to meet them.
Edgar sighed in relief. "Thank the gods you two are all right."
Locke's ever-present unease grew. "What's going on?"
"The Imperials hath betrayed us," Cyan growled.
Setzer nodded, warily eyeing the few soldiers nearby. "We barely made it out before they locked the city down."
"And Returners are being murdered across the map," Banon whispered.
Locke's shoulders slumped. "Oh man… We were hoping it was just here…"
"What happened?" Edgar asked, concerned.
"Kefka," the thief muttered.
The king crossed his arms. "Figures."
"Ed…" Locke took a deep breath. "He killed Leo."
When the news sunk in, Edgar closed his eyes and bowed his head. Sabin felt a pang of pity for the late general, and Cyan was in disbelief.
"Sir Leo is gone? But…he was their finest warrior..."
A moment of silence passed until a young girl came over and tugged on Locke's jacket.
"What is it, Relm?"
"I think you should find Celes," she advised softly.
The thief's brows drew closer together. "Why, what's wrong?"
"I'm just worried. She hasn't spoken to anyone since last night, and I don't think she should be alone."
"Who's the kid?" Sabin asked.
"She's…well, she's a mage," Locke answered.
At the questioning looks from the others, Terra elaborated. "This is the Village of Magi. Relm's grandfather helped us find the Espers."
"Speaking of which…" Edgar began, looking around.
The woman bowed her head. "Kefka already has them. Now I'm afraid of what he'll—"
Without warning, the ground shook, and the half-Esper clutched at her chest.
Edgar held her so she wouldn't fall. "Terra, what is it?"
"The earth… It's in pain.."
A shadow rose in the West, climbing high into the sky as the earth trembled beneath it.
"The Statues have been reached…" Strago whispered from beside Terra.
The green-haired woman looked at the floating island in alarm. "No…"
"They must be stopped," the old man stated. "If they awaken those goddesses, the world will perish."
Edgar looked up at the massive isle, squinting against the rising sun. "Setzer… Can you get us up there?"
The pilot followed the king's gaze. "I can sure as hell try."
"Brother—"
"Sabin, I want you to stay here," the older twin interrupted.
Terra looked at her hands. "I want to go. I owe it to the Espers…"
"I'll go, too," Locke offered. "The rest of you should stay down here in case anything goes wrong."
There were nods, albeit reluctant, of approval from the others. It was then Relm noticed a black animal limping into town.
"Interceptor!"
The dog practically collapsed onto his side when the girl reached him, if not from exhaustion, then for a belly rub. Despite his wounds, his tail wagged for the child and his tongue lolled out of his mouth as he panted contentedly.
"They even got Shadow…" Locke bowed his head. "I'm going to go find Celes…tell her what's happened."
When the thief was out of earshot, Cyan grumbled his accusation. "How are we so sure the lady isn't already aware?"
"Cyan!" Sabin scolded.
"Gentlemen!" Banon interjected. "Let us not dishonor the dead with pointless bickering."
Elsewhere, a thief wandered through the woods bordering Thamasa, where he found the one he sought. Celes was sitting against a large oak tree, her head hung with her knees only half drawn to her chest and her arms limp between them. It was a strange sight seeing the general, clad in the daunting black uniform, in such a fetal position, and Locke approached cautiously. She made no move, not even acknowledging his presence. Under the stray strands of hair that fell over her face, he could see her eyes were closed.
"There you are," he called quietly. "The others arrived a little while ago. We've been worried about you..."
There was no response, and for some reason, he refrained from mentioning the treachery in Vector. His attention drifted to the oak tree. From farther away, it appeared to be flawless, its thick burly bark shielding it from the elements of both nature and man. But upon closer inspection, he could see the bark had large splits up the trunk. It also bore the black scars of the countless fires from its lifetime. The soil in which it was rooted had lost its richness and was no longer able to support the ancient giant. The leaves were withering, and the branches were slowly dying.
He wondered if the oak was in some way symbolic of the woman sitting beneath it. Impervious to anything and everything, strong and resilient, until one got close enough. Now he saw the flaws, the cracks in her shell. She, too, bore the scars of her life, though she bore most within. But nevertheless, those scars would inevitably take their toll, sending her crashing down. Locke knelt down, not too close to her, but not too far away.
"We all know what it feels like to lose someone close," he said softly. "You don't have to hide what you're feeling. No one will judge you."
Celes lifted her head slightly as she spoke. "You don't understand. It's not as simple as that… I…I'm supposed to—"
Her voice cracked, and instead of finishing her thought, she merely hung her head again. Locke saw her shoulders heave slightly, and he realized she was starting to cry. Without hesitation, he crawled over next to her and put his arms around her as the tremors gradually became more pronounced.
The fearsome General Chere, reputed as black on the inside as the cape she wore, leaned her head against the rebel's chest and cried.
((ooo))
That evening, Celes stood atop a small knoll overlooking Thamasa, her brows closely knit. Her form was a dark silhouette against the orange glow of the setting sun, a small wind brushing lazily past her black cloak as she watched the Returners help clean up the ravaged hamlet. The Blackjack was nowhere in sight, as Setzer had already taken Edgar, Locke, and Terra up to the Floating Isle.Down the coast a ways, the remains of the Imperials loaded their cruiser and prepared to sail.
Her thoughts were a maelstrom of confusion, and her place in the world was now hidden from her.
The rebels felt she had deceived them, and their one-time alliance was overshadowed by distrust. The Imperials resented her for that alliance, and her branding as a traitor, whether deserved or not, would forever taint their respect of her.
"They don't trust you, Celes."
Celes winced as the fatherly voice of the emperor invaded her mind, cringed because he knew her own doubts and fears.
"You belong at my side."
The memory of Leo's end still fresh in her mind, she fought to contain the moisture in her eyes as her resolve crumbled before her lord and master.
"You are bound to me."
She lifted her head to gaze upon those below once again, several tears streaking down her face.
"Do what must be done."
The sun, low in the sky, had turned crimson. Celes drew a shaky breath and nodded slowly once. Wiping the wetness from her cheek, she descended the hill towards the heart of the village, and her manner chilled with every step.
"Banon," she called as she approached the bearded man. "I just received word."
His eyes narrowed slightly in non-understanding. "Oh? About what?"
Celes drew ever nearer, taking hold of his shoulder and walking directly into him, her sword sliding out from under her cloak and into his abdomen with a sickening squish.
"The end of your rebellion," she whispered.
Several Returners took notice of the odd scene, including Sabin. "Banon?"
When Celes extracted her blade, the aged rebel leader sank to his knees before falling limp to the ground.
"No!" Sabin cried, running to the lifeless form. "Celes, what are you doing?"
The general ignored the martial artist when her captain appeared at her side, the rest of her company no doubt behind her.
"You have your orders," she said quietly, her voice wavering slightly.
"Yes, ma'am."
Ignorant of the danger, many of the Returners had begun to gather around. Over a half dozen found themselves run through by an Imperial sword before the realization sunk in.
Interceptor growled menacingly and took a lethal lunge at the general, but the already wounded dog was thrown back by an icy blast from Celes' outstretched hand. After staring after the dog in horror, Relm ran at the general and foolishly started to hit the older woman's arm.
"You can't do this! You can't—"
Celes grabbed the girl's small hand, and even the stubborn ten-year old cowered under the general's harsh glare.
FLASH
Her sword slid effortlessly across the soft flesh of the girl's throat. The child's arms were still outstretched to her mother, who lay lifeless in a pool of blood nearby. The first crimson drops splattered on the yellow flowered dress, and the imperfection spread. Even in death, her clouded blue eyes remained open and locked on her mother's as she collapsed to the ground at Celes' feet.
FLASH
After a moment's hesitation, Celes dragged Relm by the arm towards a very anxious Strago, releasing the girl at his feet.
"This doesn't concern the Thamasans," Celes hissed as she turned away.
Just as a familiar drone passed overhead, a daring Returner struck at Celes with his dirk, but she caught the weapon in her left hand, yanked it sharply towards her, and thrust her own blade through him. Then, she was met by Sabin, his claws ready.
"It was an act?" he cried. "I defended you! And the whole time, you…you were just using us?"
Conflict raged in Celes' eyes as the surviving Returners, including Cyan, Gau, and Mog, fought the outnumbering Imperials in a losing battle. Sabin thought he saw a flicker of regret in the general, but it quickly vanished when a silver-haired figure hurriedly approached her from behind.
"What the hell is going on here?"
"Setzer—" the martial artist warned.
He was too late, thought, as Celes grabbed the gambler's arm and pulled him in front of her, raising her sword to his throat.
"Celes, what are you—"
"Take me up."
"Hey, calm down, Celes—"
"Take. Me. Up," she growled again.
"Ok...ok," Setzer surrendered, lifting his hands into the air. "I'll do whatever you want. Just...calm down."
Setzer may have been a bold man by nature, but he wasn't stupid. Sabin could do nothing but watch as Celes led Setzer back to the Blackjack at sword point. The slaughter continued.
((ooo))
Emperor Gestahl watched Kefka observe the Stone Goddesses, how their energy writhed and churned like the stormy seas.
Kefka, you are a fool, he thought to himself. You dare cross me by killing Leo, when I have all the power of the Three Goddesses at my disposal?
Something drew his attention, and through the Statues, the emperor sensed a group of three approaching.
And so the confrontation begins.
He focused his thoughts and sent a telepathic command to the ancient beast standing guard down below.
Atma…three humans approach. Kill them.
Gestahl reveled in knowing the beast had no choice but to obey the master of the Goddesses. But even in his euphoria of total domination, he was discontent.
With Leo dead, the balance of power has shifted… Kefka has gained too much, and my kitten is lost. But her pain will make her powerful, and her anger will make her invincible. Yes…with the Statues under my control and Celes as my Dark Knight, the world will be mine. Perhaps Kefka has outlived his usefulness…
"Emperor Gestahl!"
Ah, so the beast has failed…
"This has to stop!"
At Terra's plea, the emperor slowly turned from the Statues to face the three Returners. His eyes held a strange yellow glow from the power of the Goddesses.
"And why is that, my dear?"
"Innocent people are dying! People who just want peace!"
"No. There is no innocence in this world. There is only power. Those who have it, and those who want it." Gestahl caught sight of a figure behind the three. "It is done, then?" he called.
The Returners looked over their shoulders, surprised at seeing the black-clad general. The icy darkness he saw in her eyes chilled Locke to his very core.
"Celes?"
She kept her gaze fixed on Gestahl, ignoring the thief completely. "Banon is dead, my lord. The others are being dealt with."
Edgar's eyes went wide. "What?"
The king took a menacing step towards her, but the general drew her sword with a warning glare. Only his disbelief held him back, and Terra closed her eyes, shaking her head.
"Celes, what have you done?"
Gestahl extended his arm. "Come, kitten."
Avoiding Terra's gaze, Celes brushed past the girl to kneel before her liege.
"Rise." As she rose, he commended her. "You have done well. The rebels will be crushed, and the world will be ours."
Edgar practically shook with rage. "You double-crossing whore!"
He drew his sword and charged blindly at Celes, ignoring Locke and Terra's cries to stop. The general calmly turned her own sword around in her hand, caught Edgar's descending wrist, and rammed the hilt of the Rune Blade into his stomach. She coolly looked down on the king as he fell to his knees, gasping for air.
"Sabin? Setzer? EVERYONE?" Edgar sputtered between coughs. "You…! …heartless bitch…" he finished pitifully.
Locke and Terra went to their friend's side, and Celes returned her attention to Gestahl, ignoring Edgar's insult.
"My lord, General Leo is—"
"I am aware of what happened to Leo," Gestahl interrupted with a sad sigh.
The emperor glanced pointedly behind him at his advisor, where he was hiding amongst the Statues. Kefka seemed to shrink away from his glare, only to sneer when Gestahl turned back to the lady general.
"I'm sorry, Celes. I know what Leo meant to you."
Celes turned away, her anger seething dangerously just below the surface of her exterior. "You know what has happened, and yet Kefka still lives."
"I can't afford to lose another of my generals. Not now."
Celes bit back further argument. "What is your command?"
"Bring Terra to me."
The blonde general looked up at the emperor but did not falter. Locke rose from Edgar's side when she approached.
"Don't do this, Cel."
Celes merely shoved the thief out of the way and grabbed Terra's arm, pulling the girl to her feet. The half-Esper looked pleadingly at her friend.
"Why, Celes?"
The general was silent as she began leading her charge to the emperor, and Terra's anger boiled to the surface.
"YOU LIED TO ME!"
"I didn't twist your arm to make you come here!" Celes threw back.
"I TRUSTED YOU, AND YOU LIED TO ME!"
Kefka spoke finally, his tone only half mocking. "Don't act so surprised, my pet. This is what Celes was born to be: the emperor's Angel of Death; the mortal Celesta."
"Celesta?" Locke asked quietly.
Edgar muttered back, "Goddess of death."
When the two women were before Gestahl, the emperor waved his hand to Kefka.
"Kill her."
Celes looked up in alarm. "My lord…you promised me no harm would come to her."
"She is a threat. She must be dealt with just as the others."
"But my lord—"
"Be careful of your emotions, Celes," Gestahl warned. "They are becoming far too prominent." When she bowed her head submissively, the emperor sighed. "Kill the others."
"Celes…" Terra whimpered pitifully.
The knight turned from her friend, and Kefka threw the half-Esper to the ground and drew his sword. Celes looked over her shoulder at the girl once last time, and when she saw the fear in Terra's eyes, the already cracked pillar of her loyalty and faith and duty shattered.
With a short laugh, Kefka raised his weapon, but even as it descended, a curved blade swept up to meet it. Before he could register what was happening, the blade drew back and struck upwards again, knocking his sword away from Terra.
Celes struck with all that was in her. Being pushed to the very edge of the summit, Kefka dodged around her, and sparks flew where the knight's blade sliced through rock. He finally lifted his sword, with Celes mirroring the move as they both prepared to strike. Before either blow could fall, they grabbed the other's wrist and struggled against each other's strength, trying desperately to topple their rival.
Celes placed a sharp knee to Kefka's nether region, and his grip weakened. Falling into an inadvertent genuflect, the jester found his own sword crossed with the Rune Blade inches from his throat. The emperor clapped in praise.
"It's just as I thought. Your rage and your pain are your strength." Gestahl deliberated a moment longer. "…Kill him."
Celes' head snapped up. "What?"
"You wanted him dead, didn't you? Avenge Leo's death and unleash the power of your destiny. Kill him. Now."
Unexpectedly, Celes' anger softened. "Leo once told me power only breeds war..."
The woman stared down at Kefka, contemplation written on her face. Locke watched this exchange, and he knew that in that moment, whether she realized it or not, Celes changed, forsaking the blackness in her heart.
She threw her right hilt-holding fist forward into Kefka's temple, and the blow knocked him unconscious. Turning wearily to her liege, Celes let the second sword fall from her other hand.
"What is this?" Gestahl demanded. "I thought you wanted vengeance for Leo's—"
"But that's not what Leo would want," Celes interrupted.
"And you, kitten? What do you want?"
She lowered her head, her voice no more than a whisper. "…To never have been born."
A mixture of sadness and anger shaded Gestahl's eyes. "You don't know how much it pains me to hear that, Celes." He raised a hand, and magic swirled about his fingertips. "I'm going to put you to sleep for a little while, and when you wake up, you will remember where your loyalties lie."
Chants were spoken on both sides, hands and swords glowed, but before either could act, a blade emerged from the emperor's chest. Behind him, Kefka rose to his full height and pushed the blade even deeper into his master.
"Isn't it amazing what a good knife in the back can do to even the most powerful of mages?" Kefka marveled.
Putting a foot on the man's spine, the jester kicked Gestahl off his sword. As the emperor fell dead to the ground, Celes dropped to her knees in anguish. Kefka spared her only a brief glance before turning to the stone deities.
"You know, the old fool was right; it's always been about power."
They all watched in horror as Kefka pushed one Statue out of its place of balance. Still not satisfied, he moved a second Statue, and the shimmering field between the Three grew erratic.
"Kefka, stop!" Terra pleaded.
Celes grimaced when an arc of energy lashed out from the Statues and knocked her friend down. The Returners had failed; with the equilibrium of the Statues disturbed, the world was doomed to fiery chaos. Kefka laughed gleefully.
"And there's no one in the world with the power to stop me now." Stepping into the new Triad, he raised his arms into the air, basking in the power of the Three Goddesses. "This is what a man becomes when he embraces Destiny!" he cried. "A god!"
Celes lowered her head, ready to surrender silently to the inevitable destruction, when she heard the ghostly echo of the past.
What have I become, Leo?
You are who you choose to be, Celes. Never forget that.
The pendant around her neck took on a steady glow as if to remind her that she wasn't alone.
You have yet to fulfill your purpose.
In the end, all that matters is what you've done.
Rising unsteadily to her feet, Celes switched her gaze from Kefka to the Returners one last time.
What defines us is what we choose to do next
Though her vision was blurred, she threw her weight against the closest Statue with a swell of determination. Abruptly lowering his arms, Kefka screeched when he found himself pinned against the Goddesses, and he tried to force his way out. Just when it looked like he would succeed, Shadow dropped down from seemingly nowhere and pushed against a second Statue, keeping Kefka contained.
"This won't hold him!" the assassin yelled.
"It isn't meant to," Celes replied, straining against the growing pressure of the Goddesses' now clashing energies.
The Statues hummed dangerously, and a series of tremors wracked the floating isle.
Shadow called to the Returners. "Go! The airship is waiting!"
Terra was about to protest, but Edgar took her arm. "We have to move, now!"
As the king practically dragged the girl away, Locke hesitated only briefly, sparing a final glance to Celes before following his two friends.
The ground cracked and erupted around them, and the island shook. When they reached an opening in the stone leading to the airship below, Edgar ushered Terra to jump. After she landed safely, the king turned to the thief.
"Come on!"
Locke looked frantically over his shoulder. "What about them?"
"No time!"
An explosion rocked the continent, and light spewed from where the Statues stood. Edgar virtually threw Locke over the edge before leaping off himself. The two were helped to their feet once they landed, and the king looked up to see his brother, alive and healthy.
"Sabin!" As he embraced his twin, Edgar also saw Setzer, Cyan, Mog, Gau, and even Strago and Relm. "You're all alive!"
"Barely," the Sabin confirmed.
"Let's get out of here!" Setzer yelled from the wheel.
"Wait!" Relm looked up at the floating continent. "What about Shadow and Celes?"
"That thing is falling apart. We have to go!" Edgar insisted.
Locke shook his head adamantly. "No! We're not leaving them!"
"We don't have time to—"
"Edgar!" Terra cut in. "We'll wait."
"And if they aren't coming?"
A familiar ninja landed nimbly on the deck. "Then we'd have a death wish."
A blonde knight dropped down next, and Cyan immediately drew his katana. Locke quickly jumped between the two warriors.
"Now isn't the time for this, Cyan!"
"That whore ordered our deaths," the Doman hissed.
"Provoke me, I'll finish the job," Celes spat back.
Locke turned to the blonde. "Celes, you're not helping!"
"I never asked for you to step in to begin with!" she retorted icily.
The thief threw his hands up. "Fine! Then kill each other!"
Without warning from Setzer, the airship lurched onward, barreling away from the crumbling island, and Celes stumbled forward, right into Locke's arms. Holding her shoulders, he helped her balance. When she looked up, her eyes locked with his, and their anger was forgotten. Not knowing what drove him, the thief closed the distance between them.
"Incoming!"
Sabin's shout broke the two apart just as their lips touched, and both looked up just in time to see the beam of energy collide with the airship. Their world erupted in light.