Chapter 8

A Slave To Her Will

The low, almost inaudible hum of the stealth pod could not be heard over the blizzard that blanketed the dense Trabian forest. General Agamemnon Zebalga, High Commander of Esthar's imperial forces, turned to the Empress. Sorceress Reina said nothing as she looked intently at the infrared display near the pilot's chair.

The Zebalgan's dark skin was at contrast with his winter assault gear. He had a wide nose, prominent lips and filed teeth. There were two large, red eyes as soulless as his own tattooed onto his eyelids, revealed with every exaggerated blink. His burly arms were covered in keloid scarification, in characteristic Zebalgan fashion, visible as ridges through his tight sleeves. The lower half of his hair was shaved, and he had long, thick dreadlocks falling down his broad back.

Memnon held a sickle-shaped khopesh as though it were an extension of his arm, the ancient Solomon Ring imprisoning Doomtrain on his third finger.

His Empress was tall but well-proportioned, with waist length blonde hair and a slightly pointed chin. Her prominent cheekbones framed large green eyes that were tinged with yellow. She wore only a red dress with a plunging neckline that revealed most of her shapely form, only slightly obscuring her breasts and emphasising her long legs. Barefoot, Reina would not feel the cold.

The deep purple of Tiamat's magicite was at her throat. Nineteen years before, Reina and Memnon had reached the summit of Mount Bevelle – the highest peak in the Vienne range – with the united force of Kakashbaldi and Grandidi tribespeople. There, they had conquered the mighty Tiamat. Only then had Reina been confident she had the power to move on Esthar and save its people from the Lunar hordes.

Filling the cabin behind the two were the Praetorians, six men and six women handpicked from the Adel Unit. Although their armour varied, as did their weapons, the armour's colour matched the red of Reina's attire.

The largest of them, Reinhardt, was a head taller than the others, with long, shaggy brown hair and a beard to match. His ancestors had hailed from the hill and mountain clans of southern Trabia, migrating south after the penultimate Lunar Cry. His huge hammer was at the side of his seat, permanently stained with the blood of its victims, the red-brown looking almost like rust. Reina had weaved her sorcery into the hammer long ago, and it was unbreakable.

For this objective, the Empress had bestowed Leviathan upon Reinhardt, whom she had taken from the Armageddon Fist thirteen years before. Two of her demi-GFs, the Jumbo Cactuar and the Tonberry King, had been temporarily gifted to two of the other Praetorians, Gabranth and Krysta. They would be redistributed to two of her senior officers when she moved on Galbadia.

Gabranth wore heavy armour and a horned helm, hiding the golden hair that he wore slicked back. He wielded a bastard sword. Krysta was a former member of the Adel Unit's Boat Troop and was the daughter of the esteemed Admiral Ramius. A striking brunette that opted for a cutlass, like her father.

Reina had boosted the speed and strength of the remaining ten, and the enhancement magic would last for the duration of the mission.

After flying for a short while, they found what they were looking for. On the infrared display there was the image of a man moving stealthily through the forest, rifle butt of an Esthari manufactured Ulysses in his shoulder. He was approaching an elk some distance away.

'Hello, Knight,' Reina said, as the pod hovered in the air.

The dark green eyes of the Sorceress closed for a few seconds as she slowed her breathing. Memnon knew that she was reaching out with her mind. After a moment, they opened again.

'He has no GF! Go!' she commanded.

All the Praetorians save for Reinhardt rose and saluted. They split into two squads, Gabranth pulling a lever on the side hatch before they fast-roped out. Reinhardt was to remain with the General and the Empress. The pilot closed the hatch door from the cockpit as soon as the last of them were clear.

The three watched the struggle on the monitor as the pod carried on a short distance, to Selphie's residence. They had to use their imagination, somewhat, as the Praetorians' bodysuits prevented them from showing up on the infrared display.

Irvine heard them approach. He turned and fired a few shots from his Ulysses, but only pulse ammunition would have posed a threat to the Praetorians, and Irvine had only been hunting game. He drew a large revolver with his right hand and a hunting knife with his left, both glowing with fire that burned blindingly on the infrared. The Knight made a brave stand. He was as good as any SeeD, one of the ones who had killed Adel. But without a GF, he was easily overpowered, bound, and gagged.

Memnon assumed that Gabranth and Krysta had their hands full restraining Irvine, as the female voice of Lani came through the speaker next the monitor. 'Target apprehended, Your Grace,' she said, in her heavy Kakashbaldi accent. 'No casualties.'

'Excellent! Now head for the coordinates!'

Without moving or speaking, Reina used her mind to lower a hatch lever as they descended into the clearing between the cottage and stable. The pod was almost completely silent and cloaked from view, but Selphie would know it was there.

When the pod touched down, Reina gracefully levitated herself through the opening to land barefoot in the virgin snow. Walking a few paces toward the cottage, Memnon and Reinhardt followed, weapons drawn. The Empress stopped, raising her gloved hands. A red fire shot from them, growing in intensity as it reached the wooden walls, swiftly enveloping the entire cottage despite the cold and damp.

Her amplified voice echoed around the clearing. 'Your Knight has fallen, Guardian of Trabia! Let us end this!'

The door of the cottage opened. The diminutive Selphie was untouched by the red flames as she calmly walked through them. It had been over fifteen years since the Battle of the Bika Snowfield, and Memnon had almost forgotten how small Selphie was. Her child-like body momentarily gave him a jolt of excitement. She wore a form fitting, magnolia bodysuit with brown snow boots.

In her right hand was her infamous nunchaku, Strangevision. One emerald-green handle was resting against her shoulder, the other snaking from left to right behind her as she approached. The colour matched her eyes.

'Long time, Reina,' Selphie said as she stopped several yards from them. 'It took nearly twenty years, but I guess you finally found me.'

'We have your Knight captive,' Reina told her. 'You cannot hope to match us all, so do not waste my time. You need to surrender. If you do, you have my word that Irvine shall be spared.'

'Thanks, but no thanks,' Selphie replied, taking her fighting stance, her hips now perpendicular to them, coolly regarding them with those green eyes. 'This ends here, Reina! You're gonna pay for what you did to Zell and Edea! For Trabia Garden, too!'

Reina responded with a maniacal laugh that Selphie had once heard hundreds of years into the future. Her eyes momentarily went wide with what might have been revelation, but she did not waver.

'And how do propose to stop me? You have no Guardian Force; Shiva has deserted you. Your Knight awaits execution at my command,' Reina said. 'And how is anything I have done any different to when you and your friends murdered Adel, after she had been cryogenically imprisoned by the Cowardly Lion for twenty years?'

When Selphie said nothing, the Empress continued. 'Your Matron drew first blood, slaying my Praetorians. The Armageddon Fist fell in single combat. The Lunar Cry devastated my homeland, as it once did yours. I have only done what I have had to for my people to survive, whether it be from SeeD or the Lunar hordes.'

'Screw you, Reina! You're nothing but a power craving bitch!'

Magnolia lightning shot from Selphie's free hand at Reina's head. It was met by a round, purple barrier appearing before the blonde Sorceress. Memnon and Reinhardt were instantly in motion. Reina extended both hands toward Selphie, five small purple orbs appearing just behind her, about the size of bowling balls. Morphing, the orbs took the form of glowing broadswords, gleaming blades spinning to point at Selphie. They shot in her direction.

Selphie raised her weapon high with both hands, the chain on Strangevision taut. Erecting mighty barrier magic, all five hurtling swords shattered as they struck a wall of ice that veiled Selphie from view.

Memnon and Reinhardt had immediately drawn on the strength of their GFs, glowing with blood-red and sea-blue auras respectively. The Zebalgan approached Selphie in a curving line as the wall disappeared, attempting stay out of the way of his Empress. The Praetorian jumped supernaturally high into the air to come crashing down with a mighty blow.

With a wave of Selphie's arm, rapturous wings suddenly appeared on the backs of the two men. Reinhardt, already in the air, was quickly flown from view, bellowing with fury as his hammer fell from a great height. Memnon was still within sight. With a sweeping wave of her own arm, Reina willed the wings to be gone before the General was flown too high.

Reina now approached Selphie, summoning five more swords. In response, her magnolia form seemed to go translucent, and her body began to circle Reina with impossible speed. When it stopped, Selphie had split herself into three copies of herself, all holding a Strangevision. With a laugh, Reina summoned her red flames to shoot at two of them, revealed as copies as they simmered like liquid before disappearing.

'That may work on my Praetorians, Selphie, but I can sense your power! You will have to do better than that!'

Memnon had ridden Doomtrain back to the ground. Close to the real Selphie, he shot forward. 'You're mine!' His khopesh was inverted, to strike with the flat, as the Empress wanted Selphie alive. Selphie met the flat with the shaft of her nunchaku, taking care to keep both enemies in sight. The General swung at her several times, each strike calmly rebuffed by either handle of the Strange Vision.

It was odd to him that a Sorceress would use a melee weapon. But he knew that Selphie was also a SeeD and had been one of the Garden's finest.

'Stand aside, Memnon!' Reina demanded, who had instantly moved to Selphie's flank with some shape shifting of her own. She fired two bolts of purple lightning. Selphie used her free hand to meet them with a single, larger magnolia bolt of her own. The two bolts collided between them, seeming to match, but Reina began to draw on Tiamat's energy, and Selphie's lightning diminished back towards her.

Memnon raised his sickle sword with both hands and smacked the flat against Selphie's back. The smaller Sorceress staggered forward as Reina's lightning struck her and dropped on the floor, screaming and writhing in agony. The Zebalgan unceremoniously kicked her nunchaku aside, savouring the image of her in pain.

He put a hand to his earpiece as one of the Praetorians, Cullyn, spoke. 'We're about to break the clearing, sir.'

'Understood,' Memnon responded. 'We have overpowered Selphie,'

Reina fashioned three purple halos, binding Selphie's legs and arms to her side. She then used an unseen force to bring the smaller Sorceress to her knees. The Praetorians came into the clearing with the captive Irvine. Behind Irvine, Cullyn had a plaz levelled at the Gunslinger's head. At six and half feet, Cullyn was only dwarfed by Reinhardt and had a greatsword behind his back.

The Knight wore a long, white coat with a matching, wide brimmed hat. His long hair was tied back, and his neatly trimmed beard was salt and pepper. Gagged, he could say nothing, but his eyes were shot with rage upon seeing the bound Selphie, kneeling just as helplessly in the snow. Gabranth and Krysta were each holding an arm, and the dark-skinned Lani had the huge blade of her bardiche about an inch from his throat, covering him from two yards away.

Reinhardt himself re-entered the clearing from above, atop Leviathan. With rage in his countenance, he dismounted the sea serpent, landing feet from them. The giant man started toward Selphie from behind, his huge hands raised, his hammer forgotten in the snow.

Reina raised her own hand in a halting gesture. 'Leave her be,' she demanded, then she turned to Irvine again. 'I don't believe we've met, Knight,' Reina said. 'Your Sorceress fought bravely, but you were both foolish to part with Shiva. In a few moments, the Guardian of Trabia will be serving me with unwavering fealty.'

The Empress took a golden object from her gown, magically enlarging it. Selphie and Irvine would know what it was, as Esthar used similar devices to enslave the monsters from the Lunar Cry. Though Memnon knew this was the first time they had been used on a human being outside of trials; moreover, on a Sorceress.

Irvine thrashed and groaned as Reina placed the slave diadem firmly on Selphie's head. Selphie's entire body was rigid for a few seconds, then relaxed, her emerald eyes vacant and to the middle distance. Reina bade the purple bonds to disappear from around her body.

'Rise, Selphie!' Reina commanded, and the smaller Sorceress did so without hesitation.

Memnon's eyes bored in to Selphie from a yard away, but she seemed not to notice him.

'What say we have her demonstrate her loyalty by killing her Knight?' the General said, with a callous grin that showed most of his filed teeth.

'She answers to me, Memnon,' the Empress said firmly. 'Unless I give you leave to command her,'

Memnon's fellow Zebalgan, Lani, asked, 'But what to do with the Knight, Empress? He's too dangerous to be left alive!'

'I shall kill the Knight myself, and I will not force his Sorceress to watch.' She looked at Selphie again. 'Board my aircraft.'

Selphie immediately obliged, walking slowly through the snow. Reina commanded all but Memnon, Reinhardt, Gabranth and Krysta to accompany her. She said nothing as she stopped before Irvine, who struggled against the superhuman strength of the two Praetorians pushing down on his shoulders.

Reina touched the tip of her index finger to the centre of his forehead, just below the rim of his hat. A single ray of purple exited the back of his skull, and life instantly left the Knight's eyes as he fell limp in the Praetorians' hands. With one glance to the great red flames raging through the cottage, Reina picked up Selphie's nunchaku and spoke to Memnon.

'I shall visit Selena's force before we return to the capitol. I am done with this forsaken, frozen wasteland.'

Rhodry saw the dazzling, scarlet glow, and heard the roaring flames long before he broke into the clearing.

'Selphie!' he cried.

The cottage was completely engulfed and had already weakened to the point of collapse. The fury of the fire was deafening. It had to have been Reina. Rhodry almost called upon Shiva to extinguish the flames but knew it would be a waste of her energy.

Icefall in hand, he looked around the clearing for signs of a struggle. Although much of the snow near to the burning cottage had turned to slush, Rhodry could still make out many sets of footprints, mostly from military boots. One pair looked to be barefoot and could only have belonged to the enemy Sorceress, who it was said never wore footwear. There was a small set of booted tracks leading from the cottage – Selphie's.

As he continued scanning the clearing, Rhodry saw what he initially mistook for a mound of snow among the tracks, when Shiva spoke to his mind.

Irvine has fallen!

'Hynedamn it!'

Rhodry ran to the prostrate form and rolled it over, but knew it was too late. The Knight was dead. He could not tell how, as there seemed to be no outward wound, and could only guess it was from sorcery. Nor could he tell how long Irvine ago had been killed.

'There's nothing we can do, now,' he said aloud, but to Shiva. 'I've got to warn SeeD and get to back to Adaryn!'

Rhodry took out his sat phone and dialled the number for the highest contact he had within SeeD, which was Xu. Keeping the conversation as brief as possible, he gave her the bad news and told her his current intentions.

Xu said, 'If the defence of Adaryn goes badly, Rhodry, you and Owaen need to get the hell out of there! Head west to a port or seek one the shumi submarines. We'll be needing you and Shiva on this side of the ocean, soon enough!'

'I'm not abandoning my homeland to those animals, Xu! Irvine has been killed in cold blood, and Selphie is missing! If there's a chance I can free her, I'm going to take it! I'll see you again in this life, or the Netherworld!'

Rhodry hung up sharply, instantly regretting his tone with his treasured friend and superior. But his rage had won over his reserve, and his fury was compounded by Irvine's corpse.

Drawing on Shiva, he froze Irvine's bounds until they shattered beneath Icefall. Picking up the Knight's body. Rhodry walked through the snow, then the slush, with Irvine over his shoulder. With Shiva lending him strength, he threw the Knight into the scarlet flames. Burning to the ground, the cottage now served as a pyre fit for a hero of the Second Sorceress War.

In the stable, Rhodry bridled the other two chocobos and tied them to his own. Then he returned to Adaryn.