Final Fantasy VIII [2nd Instalment]
Grace Barton
Chapter Thirteen
"Squall, are you ok?" Rinoa asked when Squall came down the ladder.
The swordsman jumped off the ladder. "…Yeah," he replied.
"I didn't think you were going to make it this time," Quistis said. "Didn't you think so?"
Squall looked up at the ladder. It was a rather steep drop, he had to admit. And, for a moment, he supposed he had wondered if he would survive the fall. Yet he had survived it and that was all that mattered, wasn't it?
"Maybe a little," he confessed with a shrug. "Who cares? We have bigger things to worry about."
Quistis smiled, but she nodded. They then left the pillar and hurried over to a gate near the edge of the platform. On the other side there was another ladder heading down to the path below. Rinoa put her hands on her hips and shook her head, wondering if this place was nothing but ladders.
Squall unlocked the gate and moved it to the side. They climbed down to the path below. Down here the scent of oil was overpowering. On either side of the path there were large pools of oil, and it was from these pools that the stench was coming from. At the foot of the ladder they found a lever. Once pulled, it raised the doors at the end of the path, opening the way ahead. They started to head towards that doorway, but then they stopped and reached for their weapons, sensing a large monster nearby.
They did not have long to wait. On the left side of the path, the oil pool began to swell, and a bubble of air burst from below. A slurping sound came from beneath the oil and it burst open. A monster leapt out of the pool and landed on the path in front of them.
The monster was known as an Oilboyle—a bizarre creature of the oily depths. Its body was specially adapted to the murky and oily atmosphere of the MD level; in fact it thrived in the oil pools that had formed there. It had a flat base with four wide, flat tentacles from its sides and a long tail stretching out behind it. It had two small eyes that peered at them in hunger, and its mouth was a long, thin tendril of flesh at the front of its body. The creature moved by using suckers on its belly and the underside of its tentacles, pulling itself along the ground.
The Oilboyle's body mostly made up of muscle and was covered in a thin layer of foul-smelling slime. Rinoa covered her nose and mouth with her hand, gazing at the creature in disgust. More slime oozed from the suckers on the monster's belly, helping it stick to the ground and leaving a trail behind it, much like an oversized slug. The tendril at its mouth waved about, as if tasting the air.
As the Oilboyle settled on the ground it shuffled forward. Its tail swayed as it moved forward, spreading the slime it left behind it. When the creature moved forward the oil pool swelled again, and a second Oilboyle leapt out. It landed with a heavy splat on the ground. It shook itself down, shaking off the excess oil on its body, and then it too began to move forward.
Squall drew his sword. "Out of our way!" he called to the Oilboyles. The two monsters, of course, did not listen. They kept on coming.
Beside him, Quistis unhooked her whip and gave it a crack. "Remember: these monsters are adapted to this environment," she warned Squall. "Use Fire magic."
Silent, Squall nodded his head. He had already surmised that Fire would be the best way to go. Yet they had to be careful. With all the oil that had gathered down here, they had to be careful. If even a spark hit the oil pools, this place would become a burning inferno. The GF Ifrit would have no trouble in defeating the monsters, but with his large body and out-of-control strength he would be more of a risk than an asset. No, the swordsman decided. If they were going to defeat these monsters, they had to do it with their own hands.
The nearest Oilboyle stopped. It contracted its body, drawing its arms towards it. Then it spread itself out and fired a thin spout of oil from its mouth.
The companions leapt out of the way, and the oil splattered onto the ground. The second Oilboyle also fired. The oil landed close to Rinoa's feet as she turned to run. She slipped on the oil and fell onto the floor. The moment she was down the Oilboyle darted forward. The slime oozing from its suckers allowed it to slide quickly across the ground, giving it a burst of speed.
The monster caught up to Rinoa in an instant. The woman scrabbled back, her hands slipping on the oil. Turning back to the creature, she swung her hand. Flames fired from her fingertips, wafting in a cloud in front of her. Startled by the sudden flames, the Oilboyle stopped and pulled back.
As the monster moved back, Squall and Quistis ran forward. Following Rinoa's lead, Squall called Fire and channelled it into his weapon. The gunblade glowed red as it was heated by the magic, and the swordsman swung it across the monster's flesh. The monster's flesh was tough and difficult to cut through, and he made only a slight graze. The slime acted as a further deterrent, dulling the impact of his strike.
Yet with the heat of fire added to his blade, he still dealt damage. The slime bubbled and started to sizzle, and the monster drew back. Its mouth curled into a coil and the monster drew its arms towards it, flailing at its wound. Squall stepped back and raised his sword, preparing a second strike.
"Squall, to your right!" called Quistis.
The swordsman turned. The second Oilboyle had drawn itself up almost erect and was balancing on the base of its tail. The tendril from its mouth swelled much like a balloon. It then burst with a loud pop. A powerful surge of oil shot out of its mouth and headed straight for Squall.
Squall responded quickly. He cast Shell—a protective barrier effective against magic-based attacks—and braced himself for the blow.
The oil struck. Even with his Shell barrier raised, the attack was strong and knocked Squall clean off his feet. The swordsman was forced back to the rails bordering the path. He slammed into the rail, and his gunblade fell from his hands.
Oil continued to fire from the Oilboyle's mouth. The swordsman gritted his teeth and held onto the rail. The faintly-coloured Shell barrier flickered, struggling against the strength of the oil flow. Yet it held, and not a drop passed through.
The Oilboyle closed its tendril, and oil ceased to flow. With the flow gone, oil slicked down the barrier. Squall released the rail and brought down the barrier. As it disappeared, the oil covering it lost its support and dripped onto the floor. Squall knelt to pick up his blade, but then stopped as a sharp pain shot up his arm. He winced and clutched his arm. Maintaining the Shell magic had cost him more than he had expected…! The swordsman fought against the pain and picked up his gunblade. He held it ready.
A hand touched his arm. Squall turned as Quistis stepped in front of him. With a wave of her hand she cast Fira, causing the oil on the ground to ignite. Like a trail it led back to the Oilboyle. There was a loud whoosh as flames swept over the monster and engulfed it in an instant. The Oilboyle made a terrible squealing sound and writhed within the flames.
The whipmaster swung her arm and cast another four Fira balls into the air. They soared above the Oilboyle, but as Quistis drew her arm towards her and clenched her fist, the balls swerved and headed downwards. One by one the balls crashed into the monster. Unable to defend itself, the monster could only squeal in pain. Its body blackened and burned.
As a last resort, the Oilboyle tried to attack. It opened its tendril and fired another blast of oil—a fatal mistake. The oil it fired ignited the moment it touched the flames, shooting straight inside its body via the tendril. The shrieking ceased and the monster exploded in flame.
While that Oilboyle burned to a crisp, the other one continued to attack. It avoided the flames as it moved past its dying comrade and slithered towards Rinoa. The woman was on her feet again and was channelling Fire into her Pinwheel. She released it and the projectile struck, landing in the monster's thick hide. With her weapon positioned as planned, Rinoa channelled her energy and raised her hand. The Pinwheel grew hotter. An explosion then ripped through the creature, forcing it back. A gaping, bloody hole now formed in the monster's side. Rinoa's Pinwheel, thrown clear by the blast, returned to her arm.
The Oilboyle drew its arms towards its bleeding wound. Then, like a wounded animal, the monster screeched and moved onto the attack. Rinoa started to raise her weapon again but then stopped as Squall ran in front, also on the attack. She held back, keeping her weapon poised to strike if Squall needed it.
The swordsman charged. The monster fired a thin blast of oil from its tendril, but Squall dodged the flow and kept on running. He stopped in front of the creature and thrust his blade forward. He struck and the blade plunged deep into the monster's head. There was a squishing sound as the blade sank, and slime stuck to the blade. The flesh was more difficult to cut through than Squall expected, and he only managed to push it in halfway. Yet the shock of the blow caused the Oilboyle to come to a stop. Its body twitched, but it did not die right away.
Squall withdrew his blade and jumped back. He held out his sword. Flames began to swirl around him, growing stronger by the second. The flames then flashed as they transformed into Fira magic. The colour of the flames intensified, changing from orange to a fiery red.
A bead of sweat trickled down Squall's brow. The air was staring to grow thin. Deciding that was enough, Squall gave a yell and swung his blade in a wide arc. His gunblade sliced through the flames, which then dispersed and spread out. The flames hit the Oilboyle, which screeched in agony. The slime on its body bubbled and then evaporated, leaving its flesh bare. Without the slime to protect it the flesh on its body began to burn, becoming black.
Squall charged. He jumped and brought down his gunblade. Cutting through his own flames, he brought the blade down on the monster's head. With no slime left to protect it, he cut clean through its head. The Oilboyle gave one final screech and then fell silent, succumbing to its injuries and the flames.
Squall lowered his blade. His arms—no, his whole body, was aching. He'd fought so many battles since returning to Balamb Garden… He wasn't sure just how much longer he could keep this up. Still he could not allow himself to rest, not until the Garden was safe.
Sheathing his sword, he turned to Quistis and Rinoa. "We have to hurry," he said, hiding the fatigue in his voice. "They might be coming any minute now."
Quistis and Rinoa nodded and followed Squall as he ran down the path. The passed the burning body of the Oilboyle and the charred remains of its companion, leaving them behind, and went through the newly opened door at the end. It led into another, smaller room. There was another downward passage here and another ladder, as well.
When Rinoa saw the ladder she threw up her hands in disgust. Squall ignored her and climbed onto the ladder. He climbed down as quickly as he could. They could not afford to waste any more time in this place. The missiles, if they were on their way, could be very close by now. Every second they wasted drew them nearer. They had to find that console the headmaster spoke of before it was too late!
As Squall and his friends were making their way down the ladder, the Galbadian missiles were approaching the Balamb continent. One by one the missiles tilted to the side and descended. They skimmed across the surface of the ocean, leaving a trail of spray in their wake.
In the head of one missile a red 'eye' flicked around, as though examining its surroundings. The eye focused on the shores of Balamb, which lay ahead. The pupil narrowed, locking on, and the missiles headed on towards the shore.
The group reached the bottom of the ladder. There was a path at the bottom, and they hurried down it.
The path came to an end after a short distance. At its end they found a large console. Squall and the others ran towards it and then stopped in front of it. They looked around them. The room they were in was mostly empty, save for the console before them. The only other thing in the room, perhaps most unusual of all, was a large engine positioned behind the console.
All the way down here, they could hear nothing of what was going on above. Everything was so quiet it was almost unnerving. For a moment or two they did not move, so as not to break the silence that had remained undisturbed down here for nearly twenty years. Rinoa even put her hand on her chest, as though trying to silence her racing heartbeat.
Squall broke the silence first, and he approached the console. He looked around him. There were no more stairs, no more ladders, and no more opening floors. It seemed they had at last reached the end.
"Looks like we're here…" he said, and his voice echoed in the stillness.
"What are we supposed to do here?" asked Rinoa.
Squall looked down at the console. Like everything else here, the console was dark and covered in dust. The swordsman frowned and put his hand on his hip.
…How am I supposed to know? he asked. Even the headmaster doesn't know.
As she got no response, Rinoa came forward and stood beside him. "It looks so complicated," she remarked, gazing down at the console.
"Just staring at it won't do any good," said Quistis, folding her arms.
Both she and Rinoa watched in silence as Squall examined the console. He wiped away some of the dust, trying to make out the words beneath the switches. It was no use—everything was worn away with age and he could not read them.
On a small pillar at the base of the console there was a large switch. After thinking for a moment, Squall flicked it. Nothing happened. He paused and then flicked it again, but still nothing happened. He frowned, lost in thought.
"Do you know what you're doing, Squall?" she asked him.
The swordsman spun around to face her. He looked angry. "I don't know!" he shouted, raising his voice. "What can I do!"
All at once the room gave a sudden, violent shudder, as though responding to his angry voice. Squall stopped and looked around him in alarm. Rinoa and Quistis did the same. They then turned to the engine pillar behind the console.
Something was happening. The engine began to hum. Electricity flickered. Wheels and pillars heaved and then began to turn, breaking away the layers of rust that had formed over the long years. The rust came away in flakes and fell to the ground. Once it was gone the wheels turned more freely and gained in speed.
The platform on which the group stood trembled and started to rise, carrying them and the console upward. Rinoa backed away from the platform's edge and peered down, watching as the ground pulled away from her.
They rose past the engine, which was now turning easily. A bright light shone from above them, and the group looked up. A light was glowing in the middle of the ceiling, growing brighter by the second. It was to this light that the platform was heading. They covered their eyes and the platform ascended into the light.
In the headmaster's office, Angelo began to bark. Headmaster Cid looked around him and turned in surprise as a beam of light rose out of the ground in the middle of his office. The light spread and covered the floor, trapping him and the dog.
Before Cid realised what was happening, the floor gave a lurch. He dropped to his knees as the ground surged upwards, carrying him and Angelo up with it. Air rushed past his face and he held onto his glasses to keep them from falling off. The floor gave another lurch as it came to a stop a number of feet in the air, just beneath the glass dome covering the office.
The light below began to fade. Before it did, latches rose out of the floor and gripped the sides of the pillar holding the platform. They locked in place, holding it still. The light then faded and the pillar remained locked in the floor.
Headmaster Cid opened his eyes. To his amazement, Squall and the others were standing right in front of him. Angelo ran over to Rinoa, wagging his tail. The woman knelt down and threw her arms around the dog, holding him close. She looked out the window. Her eyes widened and she called out to Squall.
Outside, Balamb Garden was beginning to transform. The floating circle above the Garden broke free of its cables and began to turn. It moved down the outside of the Garden, passing the office where Squall and the others stood staring in awe.
The circle moved lower still until it reached the lower levels. Here it should have stopped, for the circle was too narrow to fit beyond the wider central and ground floors. Before it could crash, a blue light shimmered around it and the wheel glowed bright, seeming to grow wider as it passed over the walls and headed towards the ground.
After the wheel had passed, another bright light shone at the back of the Garden. A tail emerged from the light and extended behind it, joining with a platform that came from the rear wall.
The floating circle hit the ground. It slammed into the earth and churned it up, delving deep. The impact sent a cloud of dust into the air, and the breeze made by the wheel as it turned sent this cloud rising up around the Garden. The building shuddered and began to rise. Those on the platform could not believe their eyes. Balamb Garden was being lifted out of the ground!
Once it had risen, another set of engines roared into life. The Garden started to lumber forward, moving across the ground and into the plains. Quistis looked around her and then turned her eyes to the skies. She gasped.
"They're coming!" she cried.
Squall also saw them. "Missiles incoming!"
The Garden gave another shudder and lurched upwards, almost throwing the companions off their feet. The headmaster did lose his balance and fell, banging his head on the floor. Rinoa crawled to his side and knelt over him. She placed her hand beneath his head, to keep him from hitting it again.
The missiles were now less than a mile from Balamb Garden. Squall and Quistis were unable to do anything besides watch as the missiles zoomed in. The missiles approached and then, in perfect unison, they swerved and flew upwards. They fanned out and then dived on the Garden. Squall held his breath as the missiles soared past the Garden. One came by so close that Squall could see the detailing on its body. It was gone in an instant, passing them by.
The missiles hit the target coordinates—a perfect hit despite the tampering done to them at the base. A blinding light filled the air, followed by a deafening explosion. Squall raised his arms to shield his eyes from the light, but the sound of the explosion knocked him off his feet.
The explosion ripped through the land, tearing it apart. A mushroom-cloud of dirt and smoke rose up around the blast zone, rising into the air. The cloud swelled and then burst outwards as the shockwave carried it out. The shockwave caught up to the fleeing Garden and caught hold of it. The cloud billowed around the Garden, smothering it in dirt.
Just when it seemed that the Garden had been swallowed up by the shockwave, the clouds parted and Balamb Garden emerged. The wheel that was once above it now rested below, turning like a propeller. The wheel trembled as it moved, riding the force of the shockwave and using it to propel the Garden forwards.
The powerful engines at the base now worked at full capacity to drive the Garden across the land and keep it in the air. When the shockwave began to fade, the Garden steadied itself. It pulled away from the shockwave and headed across the plains, leaving the blast zone behind.
On the platform, Squall stared around him. His mind was racing. Not even a moment ago he was standing at the bottom of the Garden, yet here he was now, back in the headmaster's office—above the headmaster's office! The console was now active, and a number of buttons were flashing. The platform trembled, and he could hear the deep hum of the engines as they worked far below.
Through the window, he could see the vast fields of the Alcauld Plains moving by. The swordsman blinked, scarcely able to believe his eyes.
"We're moving!" he exclaimed.
Headmaster Cid got to his feet, declining Rinoa's hand. "I see…" he said in wonder. He adjusted his glasses. "So this is the secret…"
Rinoa ran to the edge of the platform and peered out of the window. Down below she could see the tall walls of the Garden stretching out, and beyond that she saw the fields as they rolled by. "…Wow!" she said in awe.
"Unbelievable," said Quistis, looking out of the other window.
Once clear of the shockwave, the Garden ceased shaking. It settled into a steady rhythm, moving almost smoothly across the land. Squall could not begin to guess just how high above the ground they were. The fact was that they were above the ground. It was unbelievable. To think that the Garden was able to do this, all this time…?
The headmaster took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I wonder what is going on outside?" he wondered.
Squall folded his arms. That was right… They were in the midst of an evacuation when the Garden started moving. What had happened to all the students?
Rinoa turned from the window. "Come on, Squall," she said. "Let's go." She ran over to a small lift at the end of the platform. It activated automatically when she stepped on it, and carried her back down to the office below. Angelo stood at the edge and barked as his mistress disappeared.
Quistis also turned. "Squall, let's go see," she said.
Still, Squall hesitated. He looked to the headmaster.
Cid nodded. "I'm concerned about the others," he said. "Can you go check?"
Squall hesitated again, but then he nodded. "Yes," he agreed, and then he headed over to the lift. Quistis got on after him, followed by Angelo, and the lift carried them all back down to the office where Rinoa was waiting for them.
They took the lift back to the 2F. A number of both SeeDs and students had gathered in the corridor there. Some were standing around in shock, while others ran about the corridor and shouted in amazement. One female student grabbed hold of Quistis and told her she absolutely must look outside. She directed them to the emergency exit at the end of the corridor. The group hurried towards it and they ran out onto the balcony.
Rinoa gasped. She ran forward and stopped at the edge of the balcony. She leaned far over, her eyes bright as she took in the view around her.
The sight they saw was breathtaking. Balamb Garden was moving steadily across the Alcauld Plains. The fields passed by beneath them, and they could see the grass blowing in the breeze. Seagulls native to Balamb's shores flew alongside the Garden, drawn by the spectacular sight. They flew so close to the Garden that Rinoa could make out their faces and the way their wing and tail feathers moved to adjust to the air currents. It was all so wonderful, she thought, watching the birds as they flew by.
A breeze blew across the balcony, rustling her hair. Rinoa ran her fingers through it, brushing her hair away from her face. She then turned to Squall, who had come to stand beside her. Their eyes met, and Rinoa smiled.
Squall stared back at her, but he said nothing. Rinoa just continued to smile at him, her dark eyes large and full of warmth. The swordsman held her gaze and then tore his eyes away from her. He'd seen all that he needed to. Squall turned his back on the balcony and headed back into the Garden. Quistis went after him.
Rinoa, though, remained outside. She took one last look at the fields, taking in the scenic view for a moment longer. Then she sighed and she also turned from the balcony, hurrying back inside the Garden. Squall and Quistis were waiting for her, and when she joined them they started to head back up the corridor.
"Squall!"
The companions stopped and looked ahead. It was Xu. The SeeD was running down the corridor towards them, her face white.
"It's the headmaster!" she said as she stopped beside them. "Get back to the bridge on the double!"
Squall frowned. The bridge…? Where was that? Figuring she must mean the headmaster's office, Squall ran back up the corridor towards the lift, with Quistis and Rinoa running behind him.
When they reached the headmaster's office, they jumped onto the platform lift and headed back up to the 'bridge'. Headmaster Cid was standing in front of the control console, tearing at his hair. He turned as they came up, and Squall noted there was a look of panic in his eyes.
"Squall! The controls aren't responding!" cried Cid. "I don't know what to do! We're going to crash into the town of Balamb if we don't do something!"
"No way!" gasped Rinoa. "Can't we do something!"
"We have to do something, fast!" said Quistis.
Headmaster Cid stepped away from the controls. He gestured to Squall. "Squall, can you think of anything?" he asked.
The swordsman stared down at the console. …No!
Rinoa ran to the window and peered out. The Garden was on a direct collision course with Balamb, and they were closing in on it fast. The headmaster was right: if they didn't get out of the way now, they would crash into the town. Many innocents would be injured. Rinoa clenched her fists.
"Squall, do something!" she cried.
"Squall!" shouted Quistis.
Squall heard them calling to him. …How should I know! he thought.
Everyone's eyes were on him. They were expecting him to come up with an answer. Squall frowned and clenched his fists. He knew as much about this whole thing as they did, so what did they expect him to do! His fists started to shake.
"DAMN!" he yelled.
He ran to the controls. He pressed any button he could find, flicked any switch, and touched anything he could lay his fingers on. With all his might he willed for something—ANYTHING—to happen. They were almost upon the town.
All of a sudden the Garden shuddered. Squall stopped what he was doing and stepped away from the console, looking around in alarm.
Quistis also looked around her. "Now what!" she asked.
"Yes!" yelled Cid, who was looking out of the window. "We're turning!"
Everybody looked out. Sure enough, Balamb Garden was beginning to turn. Rinoa held her breath as the Garden started to veer to the left, away from Balamb.
In the town, people stopped and stared as the Garden flew overhead. It passed by the north-eastern edge of the town, narrowly missing a building. The Garden moved away from the homes, leaving them unharmed.
"Squall, you did it!" Quistis cheered.
But it was not over yet. Rinoa leaned over the rail, her eyes wide. "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed. "We're gonna crash into the sea!"
Everyone ran to her and looked out. The Garden was approaching the Balamb docks, and the ocean that lay beyond.
Cid grabbed hold of the console. "Everybody hold onto something!" he ordered.
Quistis grabbed onto the rail, and Squall also held onto the edge of the console. Rinoa knelt beside the rail, tightening her grip. Angelo whimpered and ran to her side, burying his head in her waist. Rinoa released one hand and put her arm around her dog, holding him close.
On the docks, fisherman stared in wide-eyed astonishment as Balamb Garden passed over the docks. When it passed over the edge the engines started to power down, and the Garden began to descend towards the water. The engines submerged first, sinking into the water. The floating circle followed, still turning, causing the water to churn.
As the Garden landed on the water, a strong wave formed and hit the shore. Boats moored to the docks rocked back and forth as they were thrown about by the wave. Even the Garden bobbed on the water, like a massive cork. Beneath the water's surface the engines still hummed. Vents opened, forcing heated air out. The Garden began to move away from the shore, heading out to sea.
When the Garden finished rocking, Headmaster Cid let go of the console and got onto his feet. He pushed up his glasses and noticed that his hands were still shaking. He let out a sigh. "…Phew. Squall, everyone, a job well done. I think the worst is behind us now."
Squall turned to the headmaster and folded his arms. "…Where are we heading?" he asked.
The headmaster scratched his head, thinking. "We'll drift along for the time being…" he said, after a moment. "Until we figure out how to manoeuvre the Garden." The headmaster sighed again and eased his shoulders. "So, it looks like we can finally relax for a while," he said. "And spend some time considering what to do next."
Headmaster Cid paused. He looked around at the platform on which they now stood.
"So much for my room," he remarked. "Where am I going to change now?" He laughed.
Rinoa and Quistis laughed with him.
And so, Balamb Garden left the shores of Balamb and headed further out to sea. Once it was clear of the shore the engines powered down. The Garden drifted along the water, heading towards its next destination.
A Note from the Authoress
Apologies for the delay in getting this chapter up. I've been suffering computer problems and had to have the entire laptop wiped. Luckily I had all my work copied! So you're getting two updates to make up for the lack of update for last week.