(A/N: This is my interpretation of the ancient Centran empire, alluded to in C37 of The Third Sorceress War. It details the origins of Sorceress Adel, her succession to power there, and the civil war that led to the empire's collapse. Not to be confused with the 'Mother of All Lunar Cries' mentioned in C5, which destroyed the advanced Centran civilisation 80 years before the events of FF8. Hopefully, this should provide context for things I have planned for later on in TSW. I wanted to include more of this in my main fic, but ended up cutting most of it from the final draft, as there wasn't really a suitable place to include such heavy narrative.)

A Young Adel

Rinoa strode purposefully through the automatic door to the classroom. She nodded once to the now elderly Instructor Aki before regarding the junior class members. Aki had been with Garden and SeeD since the beginning. Originally from one of the smaller islands on the Albatross Archipelago, the veteran Instructor had been a close friend and comrade of Cid's during the First Sorceress War. Aki respectfully bowed to her in the Balambi manner, his open palms by his sides, before speaking.

'Sorceress Rinoa,' Aki said. 'Boys and girls, on your feet!'

The children rose as one, all giving Rinoa a SeeD salute. Their desks were now simple; plastic with metal legs, in favour of the computerised desks Garden cadets had once taken for granted. The room looked more like an ordinary school classroom. The boys and girls were of varying ages, between nine and twelve; the middle tier of junior classmembers who had a significant wait before they were eligible to become Neo-SeeDs. And there was still no guarantee they would ever have the chance, considering the recent gains of their mortal enemy.

Sadly, this was not Balamb Garden. The aesthetically beautiful military academy where Rinoa had spent many months of her late teens was now on the ocean bed, defeated by Esthar thirteen years before. Her close friend Zell had been killed during that titanic battle, in single combat with the Sorceress Ultimecia of the present. Balamb's national hero had recently been joined in the Netherworld by Irvine, Raijin, Xu and Rinoa's first love, Seifer. Her father, President Caraway of Galbadia, was gone too. As well as Quistis, who - along with a recovering Selphie – had agreed to accept a share of Rinoa's power when it had threatened to consume her. Though for now, Rinoa put her grief to the back of her mind. Something she had become very accustomed to doing.

She was on Battleship Island, which had been repurposed as Neo-SeeD's new mobile base after Garden's defeat. Although a formidable force, Neo-SeeD was a shadow of its former self, and had sustained its share of fresh losses during those decisive battles for the western continent, just days before. The next generation of SeeDs looked at Rinoa in awe. They had all watched from their cabin's portholes as she swooped down on Battleship Island with her ethereal white wings, bringing forth a shooting star to smote Ultimecia out of the sky.

'Good morning, children,' she said gently, followed by a warm smile.

Ordinarily, Rinoa spoke rapidly. Yet she knew she was going to have to change her tone to that of an engaging storyteller to maintain their interest in this history lecture. Perhaps that was why Aki had requested her. The children had been restless since the sea battle and had only returned to their classes today. Aki himself was notably strict, but the presence of a living Descendant of Hyne should help to keep them interested. Maybe he expected Rinoa to magically increase their attention spans. She would try not to resort to such measures.

Rinoa would have no need of notes nor the projector screen opposite the desks. She was well versed in the history of the old Centran empire. She had witnessed the events leading to its fracture through the eyes of a young Adel.

'What can you tell me about Centra?' she asked them.

A particularly pretty girl raised her hand so enthusiastically it was as though she was attempting to touch the ceiling. Her hair had been dyed green since Rinoa had last seen her, the result of a prank from her classmate, Edge.

'Yes, Rydia?'

'It was destroyed a hundred years ago!' she said boldly.

'How?' Rinoa questioned her.

Another student blurted, 'By the biggest Lunar Cry ever!'

'That's right, Vaan.' Rinoa said. 'Please raise your hand next time. But did you know that was not the first Lunar Cry to strike Centra?'

Vaan blushed, the crimson contrasting deeply with his white-blond hair.

'I didn't, ma'am,' he admitted.

'There was at least one other,' Rinoa told them. 'Almost two thousand years ago. In the year 3000 AH, actually. Now, what can you tell me about this year?'

The eldest of the children spoke when Rinoa gave him leave to. He was also blond, wearing glasses over a long nose. Mid.

'It was the end of the civil war between Adel and Zefer!'

'Correct!' Rinoa replied. 'And what caused this war?'

She ignored Mid's hand now, knowing that the keen bookworm would likely end up giving her lecture for her. The Sorceress settled on the piercing blue eyes of a child with sawtooth blond hair.

'Yes, Cloud?'

'Adel killed her brothers and sisters so she could become Empress, and the Senate didn't like it,' Cloud said, eerily bluntly for an eleven-year-old. 'Zefer was the Emperor's illegitimate son. He led a rebellion to take Adel down.'

Rinoa still found it unsettling that death, war and destruction was normalised among these young cadets. Some of them had been nurtured in the arts of war from their fifth nameday, slaying their first bite bug as soon as they could competently swing a weapon. Her Knight had once been among them. Esthar now did the same with its enslaved children, the most robust from their mines nominated for service as junior soldiers. One such example was currently being held aboard this ship, awaiting debriefing. Tyris Almasy.

Rinoa nodded, then took a deep breath.

'Yes. The first wife of Emperor Axtius, Artemisia, sadly passed away during the birth of her only child, Adel.'

At this, Aki pointed a remote at the projector screen. The image was not of the hideous appearance of the gargantuan Adel from living memory. This Adel was absent the black pinnae, the metallic circle behind her back or the steel chest plate that exaggerated her sinewy, already masculine image. It was a painting of how Adel had looked two millenniums before. Rinoa knew it to be very accurate; through Ellone, she had beheld a young Adel for herself. Said to have been classically beautiful in ancient times, the painting was of a striking woman with flowing crimson hair and skin as white as virgin snow. A broad face that was lightly freckled and had a ravishing smile. Blue eyes. Tall, but with a curvaceous figure emphasised by a tight charcoal dress.

'Some years after Adel's mother died, Emperor Axtius married again. This second marriage was not a happy one, as Axtius missed Artemisia greatly. But it resulted in three healthy sons. Which, sadly, is all many heads-of-state really cared about in those days.' All of the children hung on to Rinoa's words. 'With women forbidden to rule at the time, Adel was regarded as little higher than a bastard,' she stated.

Some of the younger children gasped at Rinoa's use of the word. Although Mid, Cloud and some of the older ones knew the context.

Aki elaborated. 'Bastard referred to somebody born out of wedlock. Emperors and kings would sire many. But don't let me hear any of you repeat the word!'

Rinoa smiled again before resuming. 'Because of her perceived illegitimacy, Adel grew up in scorn. Despite her beauty. She was mistreated by her stepmother, Lucretia, and was of little interest to her half-brothers. Axtius had always treated Adel lovingly, though saw her existence as inconvenient. The Emperor could spare little time for his daughter while dealing with the everyday happenings of his realm. Adel was also denied following her heart,' Rinoa said sadly, 'betrothed to one of her father's Governors. And so, a teenage Adel ran away from Centra City with her lover Marcus, a handsome forester and hunter. She shed her courtly teachings and learned much from Marcus about survival in the wild, becoming just as adept as her lover in little time.'

Aki changed the image on the projector to a painting of Adel and Marcus in a forest. Marcus wore a blue sleeveless tunic with a matching bandanna. His arms were a tapestry of tribal markings. At his waist was a gladius, and he held a bow in his hands. His head was turned toward his lover, but leaning forward, as though a keen ear was listening for prey. Adel was also suitably dressed for the environment. Her shapely form was adorned in a form-fitting leather jerkin and braccae, and she also held a strung bow. Adel wore no headgear, but her crimson hair was tied in a single, wide braid that trailed down her back. In this image, the soon-to-be Sorceress was both beautiful and fierce.

'Emperor Axtius made little effort to locate his firstborn,' Rinoa said. 'Years went by, and Adel was almost completely forgotten. More than ten years later, Adel and Marcus were traversing the Serengeti Mountains. There, they encountered Sorceress Zenobia.' She paused. 'What can you tell me about Zenobia?'

Three hands were raised, Mid's the highest. The know-it-all was reaching so high his shoulder was in danger of popping from its socket. However, Rinoa settled on a cute girl with mousse hair who had not yet spoken.

'Yes, Porom?'

'She was the exiled Zebalgan queen! One of the Original Four Descendants of Hyne!'

'That's right!' Rinoa said. 'This was around the year 2990. So, obviously, Sorceress Zenobia was almost three thousand years old.'

'Will you live that long, too?' blurted Porom's twin, Palom.

'Hand in the air, Palom!' Aki snapped, briskly whacking a cane on the boy's desk.

'I... don't know,' Rinoa answered. Hyne forbid it, she thought.

She tried not to think about that, though of course, it was impossible. Especially considering the mane and beard of her Knight were now prematurely streaked with grey. The near immortality had a heavy price. Her only solace was that Selphie now also shared that gift. Or curse. Quistis also had, until her tragic death at Galbadia City just days before, her power greedily taken by Ultimecia.

'Having reached the utmost limits of her extended lifespan, Zenobia resembled a giant worm. Only her face was evidence that she had once been human.'

As Rinoa spoke, Aki changed the projector image again. She did not need to look at the monstrosity now displayed on the screen, for she had seen Zenobia for herself. Or a memory of her; she had never been clear on that. It had happened during Time Compression. Trusting in their bonds of love and friendship, the Children of Fate had been able to remain together on their journey to Ultimecia's castle gates. But it had not been easy.

Eleven Descendants of Hyne the Children of Fate had met.

Among them had been the raven-haired, demon-horned Jadis of the Holy Dollet Empire. Nylathria, the ravishing Lady of the Grandidi, with her golden chocobo wings and quicksilver skin, sporting moogle's ears. Nakano, the young warrior Sorceress of Balamb, wearing a man's armour and helm, Masamune in hand. The hideous, hunchbacked and blind Matoya, deep within the mesas of the western continent, still grieving Zefer millennia after his demise. Rhiannon of the Trabian far north, who had compassionately healed their wounds before they faced her Successor, Skadi, the marauding shieldmaiden of the southern highlands. Thalassa of the Water Shrine, with her trident, glittering scales and gleaming fins. The terrible Queen of Shalmal, Gorgo, with her viperous tendrils and forked tongue.

Edea as a terrified child, erupting with outbursts of magic until they had been able to pacify her. Adel again. Though an unpossessed Adel had not been hostile, looking down at them from her giant throne in Esthar. Surprisingly, she had given them her blessing to end Time Compression and strike down Ultimecia. She too had healed them until Zenobia had assailed them last.

Eden and their other GFs had kept them safe. Odine had later theorised that Ultimecia had been trying to absorb the collective Sorceress power. Yet the air and landscape had simmered and distorted around them, plunging Rinoa and the others into another backdrop thousands of miles away, before any of the fights could reach their conclusion. Moreover, not all the Sorceresses had been hostile. Thus, they assumed Ultimecia had been unsuccessful to that end. Sweet Shiva for that, or she may have become too powerful to stop.

'We Descendants of Hyne lose control of appearance once we surpass an ordinary lifespan,' Rinoa explained. 'It has varied throughout history, but it can happen as early as sixty years. With others, it did not happen for over a century. Perhaps it begins the day we were originally preordained to die from natural causes.'

Rinoa was only thirty-seven. Older than her mother Julia had been when she had prematurely died. So, Rinoa had some time to go before this happened, in theory. Unless she had been fated to succumb to cancer or other deadly disease whilst still young.

A couple of the younger children with deficient attention spans had begun to fidget. Edge was among them, trying to catch Rydia's eye. But Rydia was a good student, top of the middle juniors. She excelled with low level offensive magic. Her mental assessments showed she was an optimal candidate for GF junctioning, too. The green hair suited her, Rinoa thought. Rinoa raised her voice slightly, making eye contact with Edge to try and get him reengaged. She emphasised each word, pausing for effect before beginning each new sentence.

'Queen Zenobia had long since lost control of her sorcery. Like a mindless anacondaur, she slithered toward the lovers. Adel and Marcus pierced her human brow with arrows. Naturally, Zenobia needed to transfer her power before she could die, and Adel was all too willing to receive it.

'Now a Sorceress, the firstborn of Emperor Axtius had the means the claim what she believed to be her birthright. Against the wishes of Marcus, Adel returned to Centra City, ensnaring many with her beauty and displays of her sorcery. And over the next few years, Adel orchestrated the deaths of her half-brothers. The eldest was killed by poisoning while campaigning against a slave revolt, another was killed in a riding accident and the third was assassinated, leaving Adel as the sole heir. Also, she telekinetically killed the foetus of any other potential heir growing within the womb of her stepmother, Lucretia. Lucretia herself was discovered drowned in one of her baths some years later, despite Adel being away from the city.'

Rinoa scanned the faces of the children, pleased that she still had their attention.

'Adel bewitched the minds of the Senate, and Axtius had reluctantly changed the Laws of Succession so his daughter could become Empress. In return, Adel patiently waited for Axtius to die of natural causes. Finally crowned as Empress, Adel sent parties out looking for Marcus, wanting him as her consort. Though when the aging forester was finally brought before Adel to give his answer, Marcus refused, correctly guessing what she had done to her siblings. His rejection cut Adel to the core, and she repeatedly ignored any other suggestions of a more strategic match for her. She vowed to never again take another lover lest she regain Marcus' favour. And Adel never did; she never knew how or when Marcus died.'

She paused. 'Having never been groomed properly for rule, Adel was ineffective and ruthless during her early years in power. She had many sinners and dissidents put to death. She also increased taxes to expand her frontier to the Kakashbald Desert, making her unpopular with all social classes. The seeds of rebellion were planted. The Senate and the upper classes began to back a champion gladiator named Zefer, the eldest of Axtius' illegitimate sons. Zefer bore a strong resemblance to his father, and with the blood of the late Emperor within him, many of the Centran people rallied behind Zefer to usurp their new female tyrant.'

Aki changed the projector image again.

'How many of you have seen The Sorceress' Knight?' Rinoa asked them.

All the children except for one raised their hands. A burly, dark-skinned boy at the back of the class. He was big, with a flattop, and would have probably looked more at home with the high juniors. Rinoa's eyes rested on him.

'Does it not interest you, Barrett?'

'Uh, I just don't like Laguna Loire's movies, ma'am!' he replied gruffly. 'My folks think he's a douche!'

Rinoa had to smile at that one. A sentiment shared with Laguna's own son.

'Then watch the original version,' she said. 'It's on-demand here on base. I'm making that your homework, Barrett! Instructor Aki will be asking you questions tomorrow!'

'Aw, come on!' Barrett complained. 'Those monochrome movies suck, man!'

'Silence!' Aki snapped.

Rinoa continued. 'Zefer's claim was backed by Sorceress Matoya, who hailed from the mostly unexplored western continent. In time, Matoya became Zefer's lover, and Zefer would become the first Sorceress' Knight. With this powerful alliance, Zefer openly defied Adel. Legions flocked to his support, his ranks bolstered with hundreds of gladiators and thousands of freed slaves, leading to the war that would ruin imperial Centra. The war ended with a great battle under a reddening sky at Centra City. Adel and Matoya fought one another fiercely. But Zefer's forces were defeated, Zefer himself tragically slain along with most of his supporters.

'Then, the first ever recorded Lunar Cry struck! Not nearly as catastrophic as the one that struck the advanced kingdom a hundred years ago. But still devastating nonetheless. With her hard-won domain in ruins, Adel was now ruler of a desolation. With cruel necromancy, she denied her enemies who had fallen entry to the Netherworld. Zefer's supporters were cursed to roam the ruined city; those wraiths still wander the ruins of Centra City today, Adel's death not lifting the ancient curse. After, Adel urged her followers to sail to the uncharted continent to the northeast, to start anew. She founded Esthar at the foot of the Tower of Babil. Two thousand years later, it has expanded into the advanced superpower we are now at war with today.'

Rinoa had her eyes on Edge again. With a click of her fingers, the paper airplane he had constructed beneath his desk left his hand and landed in Rinoa's open palm. The other pupils started laughing as she made it disappear, and Edge's face took on a shade of crimson.

'Detention, Mr. Eblan!' Aki spat. 'You are in the presence of a great Sorceress! Disgraceful!'

Unperturbed, Rinoa went on. 'Matoya led what remained of Zefer's supporters to a north-western shore – her homeland. Although Matoya had been much older than Adel. Battling the more youthful Sorceress as her Knight was struck down had broken something within her. After securing Zefer's followers a new settlement in what became the Kingdom of Sarona, Matoya departed into the deep caverns within the nearby plateaus. After hundreds of years, she became maddened with grief, descending into a frenzied state. Becoming hunchbacked, with unseeing crystal eyes, any who came across Matoya thought her a monster, birthing the legends of her then hideous appearance.

'As some of you may know, Matoya was eventually found and slain by an exiled mark hunter called Jadis - changing the course of the western continent's history,' Rinoa concluded. 'But that's a tale for another time.'

'Thank you, Sorceress Rinoa,' Aki said, bowing to her again. 'Are there any questions?' he asked the pupils.

Two hands were raised. Mid. And Palom.

'Yes, Palom?' Rinoa asked.

'Is it true you were the one that finally destroyed Adel?' Palom asked eagerly.

Rinoa inwardly winced. That fight had been one of her worst nightmares, and she was very lucky to have survived, conjoined with Adel's gigantic torso and powerless to resist as her very essence had been drawn upon.

'With Commander Leonhart and my friends' help, yes,' Rinoa said dismissively. And Gilgamesh, she thought. She had felt Zantetsuken pass within centimetres of her scalp as it had parted Adel's head from her shoulders.

'I took Adel's power so that she could die,' Rinoa explained. 'As cruel as Adel was, she was being possessed by the Ultimecia of the future. Whether she would have still been hostile towards us is open to debate. But she no longer desired Hyne's complete Half. We were unaware at the time, but Adel had divided her power to slow her mutation. Her hidden Successor was her daughter, Reina, who has emerged as the Ultimecia of the present.'

She took Mid's question.

'Do you know what you will look like, ma'am?' he asked. 'When you lose control of your appearance, I mean?'

The bookworm had asked the question innocently. But it was a very personal one. Sorceresses reflected their true nature at an advanced age, much like the shumi do following Evolution.

Rinoa hesitated. 'I'm... not sure. You have all seen my wings. The first time I grew them, I assumed they were angelic. Though my Knight told me that they resembled those of an owl, beneath all the light. And that made perfect sense; I never felt truly alive until I left home at sixteen, joining the Forest Owls of Timber.'

Rinoa chose her next words carefully.

'I never wished, or expected, to become one of Hyne's Descendants. As you all know, I once harboured the majority of Hyne's Half. Though I struggled to contain the power after succeeding Adel. Perhaps, in time, I could have mastered it. But Selphie and Quistis offered to share my burden, for which I will be eternally grateful. I vowed that I would use my powers selflessly, determined to follow in the footsteps of my predecessor, Edea. As well as other good Sorceresses, such as Rhiannon and Nakano. That's a vow I believe that I have kept to this day.

'Hopefully, my true form will reflect that,' the Sorceress ended.