Author's Note:Firstly, big thanks for those who reviewed or put the story in alert. Since there are some people that are interested I wrote something. It's probably the shortest chapter I'ever written the past 3 years but I hope it is adequate. eff-eff-fanatic had some questions about the story so I decided to answer the here. *cough cough*

Squall is in essence two people but one at the same time. They are the same spitrit but because of the different experiences they have lived, they are not completely the same. However similarities in opinions, ideas, habbits or likes and disklikes can be found.

Griever is a deity-angel that according to the legends has gone to sleep after a fight with Emiya a dark deity. It was said that he would awake when the human of his chosing appeared and arrived at his secret sealing place. The chosen one would be the only one able to find him but he would not be alone in this whole ceremony. The four great spirits that followed Griever would reside in human bodies and would offer him their guideness.

And she is right it reminds a bit of my other story but I hope not too much. These warriors are not undead or prisoners between Life and Death. They can die, if they want but they are a bit special. They are chosen to protect the hidden Empire (that is hidden because of that battle between the two deities). In my other story their purpose is two fight each other.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot (the basic idea of which I share with my cousin). This chapter though is written solely by me.

The meeting was over. Ashe sat in her chair and touched her eyes tiredly. Everyone had left or so she thought. She took a big breath and let a sigh. As she looked around the room she saw Sora sitting in his chair looking at her. She looked at him and her eyes softened. "Sora…" she muttered.

"Master…'

"Not any longer. We are now both Gladiators" she said.

"You will always be my teacher… that doesn't change whether I am a Gladiator or not. Would you like to talk to me? You seem very troubled." he said and sat at the chair next to hers.

"It is just… a strange thought I have… or maybe a feeling. I have it since I killed him." she said.

"Talk to me.' he insisted and he moved to a chair closer to her.

She looked at him and then at the ceiling. "You know that I was the one who killed him. No one ever said he shouldn't be alive… he was just early and not the right incarnation." she looked at Sora and ran a hand through her hair "But… I always wondered if he would ever be born again. The right incarnation. " she paused for a moment "He was a creature loved by the great angel, the one that was closer to him than everyone else, including the High Priest. I have lived as a gladiator nearly a century but before that I was a civilian and I loved the idea of the messiah. Because that's what he is, the one that will unite the empire with the outside world." she sighed " But I killed him because these were the orders."

Sora slowly patted slightly her shoulder. "Are you afraid that now is the right time for him to do what he is supposed to and you may prevent Griever's plan by following the orders?"

She nodded and got up. "I know that I am not supposed to question the temple but I am also not supposed to question Griever… the priests are humans, he is though a chosen one, a unique, marked as special by a deity. And he, exactly as he was, was born again. Isn't that proof a mistake that must have happened. I do not mean they lied or tricked us but they just made a mistake. Do you understand what I mean?"

"That the priests may be wrong?"

"Yes, that and also another thing. What if our doubting about his arrival is a sin because we doubt Griever's will. Could a deity make a mistake?"

Sora didn't answer and just looked at her. "If you find him again, will you kill him again?"

She shook her head. "To be honest, no. I want first to research something and then see if I will do it again. I do not forget that I exist to protect the people of the empire, not the priests. Whoever said that they are not corrupted?" She got up and caressed his head. "Oh and Sora" she stopped at the door and looked at him turning her head a little "This conversation never happened."

The young male kept his look on her back until she wasn't visible in the dark hallway anymore. Things were going to get crazy soon; he felt that strongly. He sighed and marched towards the exit of the room closing the door behind him.

Roxas saw a brown haired man with stormy green eyes to run out of the building and accidentally fell on him. The man turned at him to apologize.

"Hey I am sorry. I am in a hurry"

And that was when Roxas understood what Bahamut was saying about the uniqueness of the man, they were looking for all those months. For someone as sensitive to magic as Roxas, the man's power was strikingly obvious. He took a big breath to calm himself. At last, he had found him. And he was worth all the searching and all the trouble.

Do not say anything now! We do not know how much he knows about himself and the past.

Roxas nodded to the man without saying anything. Leon looked at him for a moment and then slowly started to walk away, still looking at him. Then he drifted his eyes to his watch and his eyes widened. "Oh fuck! I am late!" he exclaimed and started running.

The blond mage kept staring at him and then again at the name on the addresses.

Leon Loire

Roxas touched it slightly with his finger and then let his hand fall.

You should prepare yourself for all the explaining you have to do to him.

Roxas lowered his head and started walking again away from the house following the man; he wanted to watch him in his daily life, get to understand him as a person. He needed to witness how he react to situations, how he interacts with others, so he could get a faint idea about how he was going to introduce him to the truth. He seemed collected but maybe he was that way on the outside only.

If he seems to be short tempered or anything, maybe it would be better to get to know him first and then tell him Bahamut.

No! There is no time Roxas! The temple is going to send the warriors soon, they already know of his existence. We must hurry and start our journey. In the meantime, we will find the others. I will inform the other spirits that we have located him so they will stop searching. Roxas, it is crucial for him to succeed. If he dies again, it is very possible that he will not be reborn. Griever is weak now and according to the legend Emiya is going to completely take over him, if his chosen doesn't free him. My siblings and I have survived in secrecy all these centuries waiting for him to regain his power. He is unique.

Yes, I understand that Bahamut. But so am I, right? I am your host and I am also needed for this awakening to succeed.

Of course, the four great spirits must be there to form the circle but you as in Roxas are not unique. If you die, I can simply transfer to another body and continue. I am strong enough to control a human mind for extended periods of time.

Roxas stayed silent to that statement. Bahamut existed in his thought since he remembered himself. Taking into account what he was just told he felt rather cheated. All the strange looks he received for talking to Bahamut or about him, all the solitude he endured because of being called crazy, his parents' worried faces and the visits to psychiatrics, all that didn't matter. The Great Dragon would just sacrifice him and get into another body. He was a toy, a piece of chess ready to be used as a sacrificial lamb because it suited someone's needs.

Roxas.

He still didn't answer. He had an empty life and he accepted that by thinking he was unique, the only one for that role. But in the end, he could fight all the battles, loose at the very end and he would just be tossed aside, deemed as unneeded anymore.

Don't over think it. I don't want you to die or use you a sacrificial lamb but if it comes down to that, I will have no choice. It is for the greater good.

Of a place I recently learned about?

He was angry. Before Bahamut informed him of his purpose inside him, he wanted to get rid of him, or at least pretend he didn't exist and live as normal as possible, but when he told him, he decided to help. If he hadn't been the host, he would be in college now, spending time with his friends and enjoying his innocence. When he accepted, he hadn't thought of dying. He had thought that it would all end and he could return to his home Bahamut-free.

Roxas… I will do my best to keep you alive. I have practically raised you.

"Because of you I have been alone my whole life." the blond male hissed and walked faster in anger, not caring anymore about the chosen one, whose life was so much more unique and precious than his own.

Calm down!

He suddenly stopped and shook violently his head. "Get out! Get out!" he hissed again louder. Some people gave him a look but didn't stop.

Roxas stop it! Control yourself!

"No! I do not want to control myself!" he said fell on his knees as Bahamut tried to take control of his body and he fought the spirit with all his might. "Get out now! Find another one! I do not want to do it!" he yelled and let out a scream as he squeezed his head with his hands.

Calm down! You are going to destroy everything!

"No! You destroyed everything!" he felt a hand on his shoulder but faintly. The world around him, the people had ceased to be important anymore. "I hate my life, my sleep because it has been full of pain and death. Get out!" he yelled and suddenly someone grabbed him and forced a piece of cloth on his face, on his nose.

The scent took over him and he fell into darkness.

Leon was in the hospital waiting for the doctor to come out. He couldn't believe he was here for a stranger, a boy he had seen today for the first time. He took another glance at the sleeping figure on the bed. He felt close to him though.

Get out! Get out!

The despair in his voice, the pain reminded the brow haired man how much he suffered because of the dreams. The boy had acted like he was possessed by someone or something and tried to get rid of it. It sounded like he was crazy but Leon could identify with him. How many times had he wondered about his sanity because of those dreams? He thought that he was living a second life inside his dream world and he was afraid at times that this second life would take over one day, making him lose himself.

I hate my life, my sleep because it has been full of pain and death.

That's how his dreams were making him hate sleeping, not allowing him to rest. Because of those dreams he had a form of insomnia and this was affecting his state of mind. He was becoming day by day more hot-tempered and aggressive. It wasn't that he didn't try to cure himself; he had visited doctors and psychologists had tried using pills to sleep but still Squall returned.

He looked at the boy again and approached it. He was in pain but like him, he was enduring it silently, afraid perhaps of the reactions, of the possible rejection. He knew the pain that followed the weird looks he received, the feeling of solitude. He sighed and looked at the ceiling as he went to sit in the armchair again.

Did this boy have his own Squall to torment him? Was he not the only one?

Roxas woke up to find himself staring at a white ceiling. He closed them again and tried to relax. He felt sore and heavy, unable to move. He turned his head and to his surprise there was someone close to him. It was the chosen one.

He brought you here.

Bahamut. He closed his eyes again and remembered his behavior some hours ago; it was very immature and unacceptable. He shouldn't have let his frustration take over him. He felt some bitterness about what he heard because in a way it was true; he had accepted this deal because he thought that he was one of the few that were unique and needed for the ritual, a ritual needed to save a hidden world trapped into solitude.

I am sorry for earlier. My behavior…

Don't worry about it. It was my fault for not making it clear from the beginning. After all you were right, you had such a troubled life and you barely sleep because of being my host. I am the cause of your insomnia and that is the reason for your difficulty to control your anger.

He didn't answer and just looked at the other man in the room. He looked back at him and studied him carefully.

"Hey." he said. The man nodded in reply instead of answering, just looking at him, and trying to understand him. It was impossible of course since he would never get to know him, unless Roxas chose to open up. "Why are you here?"

Leon didn't answer immediately but after a moment he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I brought you here."

Roxas chuckled at that and rolled his head so he was looking at the ceiling again instead of the handsome male next to him. "You didn't have to stay. Don't tell me you didn't have anything else to do and decided to spend your time in a hospital next to a complete stranger?"

Leon seemed to be taken slightly aback by the blonde's response. Or maybe he was surprised. He would answer like that, if he answered that is. He tended to ignore people when they were disturbing him or trying to meddle with his affairs. He half smiled again and relaxed; he liked the boy.

"My other choice was to go to class."

"Are you still at school?" the blond boy asked surprised, and disappointed like he expected more from him for an unknown reason. "I mean you are older than me and I have finished school without skipping a year so…"

"I am a university student" he said cutting the boy who after that stayed silent.

He sat up with some difficulty and looked at Leon's face. "You are the first person after my parents that stayed with me in the hospital." he simply said with an emotionless and stoic expression on his face. "Thank you."

Leon nodded in reply and looked away. "I am not here because I pity you." The blond boy raised an eyebrow at that. "It was what you said that made me feel like I had to help you."

"Do you have another creature living inside you?" he asked wanting to test the man's reactions. The few people he opened up to and had revealed Bahamut's existence had walked away in fear of him, certain that he was insane and not worth the trouble. But would the chosen one react differently? If he did, Roxas swore to himself he would help him. If he was able to bear the truth, the responsibility of what his existence had forced him to live; he would give him the support he needed.

If not, he would…

"In a way I do." he answered and the sadness was detectable in his voice, lowered for a moment his defenses.

'Really?"

"Have you ever gone through anything like that?" he asked referring to the incident in the street.

Leon shook his head. Roxas nodded then in return and an uncomfortable silence ruled between them.

"By the way I am Roxas"

"Leon."

Tell him. I feel he is ready and he must know already about his magic abilities although not to their full extent.

Are you sure Bahamut?

He didn't reply but Roxas knew he insisted on him telling Leon about Squall. He took a big breath and followed his spirit's orders. "So Squall appears only while you are asleep." he simply said and waited to see the reaction of the other man.

He looked at him and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "How…?"

"Do I know that name?"

Leon nodded and felt his heart beat faster. "The creature inside me knows of him." There was a moment of silence again between them. "Would you like to know what he's told me?"

Leon opened his mouth but no sound came out of it. He tried to speak again but found it impossible again to even utter a simple world like yes or no. This was the first time someone seemed to understand his nightmares, his endless torture, seemed to believe that Squall was a different person that wanted to tell him something all these years and to do that, he'd showed Leon his whole life until the bitter, cruel end. Perhaps, this boy could show him the way to escape.

"You may not like it." Roxas warned although he knew that eventually he would have to reveal him the truth.

Leon nodded in understanding but moved a little closer to the boy urging him wordlessly to tell him. Roxas was ready to start when the door opened.

Cloud was in his room holding a pendant. It was the head of a lion and a very precious head. It was a reminder of what he had lost, how much he had loved someone, how loved he was by that someone and how cruel life was for taking this happiness away from him. Although they were together for a very small period of time he had loved that person, he was the one for him.

But apparently not only for him as he was also Griever's chosen one.

And that last characteristic of his was more important and it cost him his life.

He let the pendant on the bed and rolled to his left side. He missed him. Despite the years that had passed, he missed him so much and there had been many times that he had wondered what would have happened if he had supported him. If he hadn't stood next to Ashe as she shot but close to him and instead of watching him die, he had protected him, would they still be together. Maybe the empire would be one again with the rest of the world and he could live a normal life like a mortal along with him.

There had been so many lonely nights after his death that he wished he was in some way here. Or that he had talked to him once more and they had parted like friends and not like enemies. Oh, how much he regretted his cold words, his accusations towards him.

Even when he bedded others, even when he was drunk, his thoughts always lingered at him. He had existed in nearly everything he did in his daily life; everything enjoyable was connected with him.

And now he was again walking on this earth, unaware of who he truly was and what they had lived. He was sure what to feel about this revelation; he was happy that he was alive, that he could see him again, maybe even have a second chance but on the other hand, he wanted to continue his relationship with him not meet a whole new person that just shares his appearance and the fact that he was alive meant he had to be killed again. He wasn't happy about him breathing again but he wanted so desperately to find him and just see him. He had been infatuated with that idea ever since he learned about him.

It was like what he felt when he first saw him so long ago.

Flashback

Cloud was a young captain then at the army, not yet a gladiator and this was his first day as a teacher in the academy. He was a little nervous, afraid that he wouldn't be able to control his students and pass them his knowledge, he was afraid of failure. He was an amazingly skilled fighter, he knew that, but he wasn't that skilled with communicating with people; he didn't understand them since he had lived most of his life training and the only ones he communicated with were other warriors.

"Cloud!" a female voice called and he immediately recognized it. Tifa, his best friend and most loyal companion. They had been together since kids, training and fighting together. She had also been appointed as a teacher in the academy. He turned to face her smiling softly, when he noticed that she wasn't alone; she was accompanied by a handsome brown haired male. "Hey!" she greeted him and playfully punched lightly his shoulder. "How do you feel? Are you ready to show your students who's the boss?"

He nodded and lightly punched her back. "A little nervous I guess." he admitted and his friend smiled at that and caressed slightly his shoulder.

"Don't worry, everything is going to be fine." she reassured him and smiled again.

He looked at her with the corner of his eye as he started walking and she followed. The man followed them as well, keeping some distance between him and them, not wanting to invade in their privacy. "How were your students?"

She raised her shoulders indifferently and put her hands in her pockets. "Not bad."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that for a first time teacher, they were pretty quiet but I don't know whether they understood me or not. They were just staring at me and let me talk on my own." she elaborated and gave him a disappointed look.

He playfully punched her again on the arm and half smiled. "Don't let it get to you. You didn't even want the job in the first place. You came just because it opens some doors and you meet some very important and influential people."

"That doesn't mean I don't care about my work. I want to be good at everything I do and well… maybe I am bad at explaining. If that is true, how can I make sure a group of soldiers is going to perfectly perform a plan, when I can't explain it the right way?" her tone was proof of how worried she was. He didn't like seeing her like this, in distress.

"Oh come on Tifa, you know that's not true. It is a different matter explaining to young people how to think strategitically and another to give the right orders to a group of trained warriors. I am sure it is a matter of time until they get the hang of it." they stayed silent for a moment "it is a real pity that you were given the theoretical part of the lesson when it is actually useful while one is in combat. Have you met the one that got to train them practically?"

She nodded and smiled, feeling a little better after hearing his words. "I did." she replied and turned to look at the man that was following them "It's him. Handsome, isn't he?"

"Very" the blond captain admitted without thinking. Tifa raised an eyebrow at that but decided not to comment on it, for the time being at least.

"Do you want to meet him?" she asked and before he even got to answer, she called the younger man. "Squall!" she yelled and waved at him to come closer. He immediately started walking towards her. "Squall, this is my friends, Captain Cloud Strife. He is going to teach swordsmanship. Cloud, this is Squall, the practical teacher for strategy."

"Well I am your assistant actually. I just supervise the students training along with you." he pointed out but was silenced by Tifa who moved her hands in the air to stop him from talking.

"Yes that's what some papers say. Other papers though say you make the students practice what I theoretically taught them, so you get the practice part." she told the younger boy.

"We can switch, if you want." he offered. Tifa smiled at that.

"I am going to do it, if you propose it once more. I really don't want to just draw thing on the board and try to make some kids that have never been in a battlefield understand what they are supposed to do in certain situations."

"How old are you?" Cloud asked suddenly.

"Six months older than you." Tifa answered immediately in order to tease him. He looked at her and his face adopted a mocking expression with a stupid smile.

"Thanks, I didn't know that." he told her dryly and she smiled widely at him.

"You are welcome."

He shook his head at her behavior. He couldn't understand the way her brain worked at times! "You, Squall?"

"How old I am?" The captain nodded. "Nineteen, sir"

"You are very young to hold such a position." he pointed out to the younger male.

"Does that mean I am not going to be good at it?" the boy asked the blond man.

Cloud felt slightly taken aback by that question. "N..No" he answered and stuttered slightly, something very unusual for him.

"Then why does my age matter?"

"He didn't mean it like that" Tifa interfered so this conversation wouldn't continue. "He was just surprised. That's all." she calmly stated and touched Cloud's shoulder. The blond man nodded in agreement to Tifa's words and slowly turned his head to look at her. "We need to get going and you need to go to your new students. You don't want to be late on your first day, right?"

"I never want to be late." he said. It was true, he was obsessed with time. He checked his watch frequently just to know what time is it and always made sure he was ten minutes earlier wherever he was meant to be. He looked at the boy one more time and extended his hand which he hesitantly took it and shook it slowly.

End Flashback

Ever since then, he thought of the male all the time, whenever his thoughts weren't required to be focused on something else, he was thinking of him, his hair that looked so soft and his eyes that were so beautiful. He thought in the beginning that he was just intrigued because he was so young and had so many responsibilities but he found himself searching for him in every crowd. He didn't want to converse with him or have any kind of interaction usually; he just wanted to see him.

Then suddenly one night he had a dream of a certain nature and he understood why he was so obsessed with the boy. But even then he had understood wrongly; he didn't just lust his body, he was intrigued by his whole personality. He craved for something more than a one time intercourse.

He wouldn't say he was in love because he didn't consider the male his one and final partner in life but he thought of him as something that would become permanent, for some time at least.

Again he was wrong, only that he understood when nothing could be done. He was in love with him and he didn't even know it, he had never even told him. He closed his eyes and just for a brief moment he let all the emotions inside him take control and some tears escaped his eyes.

He was in love with him. That's why he couldn't cope with the idea that he was alive but he didn't even exist in his life, not even as a memory.

Ok that's it for now. If you find it interesting, please tell me. If not, I am begging you to tell me so I will not waste my time.

Also I really believe that a co author is needed. So if anyone is interested please tell me and maybe we will work with each other. It's not necessary for the other author to write a lot, even two scenes and some talk would be a lot of help. I really do not have this thing planned. I just write whatever comes in mind at the moment.

Any suggestions? Anything youd found confusing? Was The scene with Roxas screaming realistic enough? Should I write it again?

Also please look at my profile, I have a question of sorts that someone may find interesting. It is not the poll but the one in bold.

Have a good day!