Final Fantasy VIII [2nd Instalment]

Grace Barton

Chapter Thirty-Four

It was quiet inside the auditorium. Too quiet, Squall thought, considering the battle that was still going on outside. It was as though all sounds outside had been muted out to leave nothing but an unsettling silence. The auditorium itself was empty; the many rows of seats stood empty and devoid of life. This room should be bustling with students piling in to receive their daily lectures. Instead it was abandoned, the chosen battlefield for their final battle against the sorceress.

The party piled into the chamber. They walked gingerly to silence their footsteps, yet they still echoed. Their breaths came shallow from their chests, and each was sure the others could hear the sound of their nervous heartbeats.

As the last of them entered, the door closed behind them. There was a click as it locked, sealing them all inside. Squall glanced over his shoulder. So they were trapped inside the auditorium, he realised. He laid his hand on his sword, his fingers closing around the familiar shape of the hilt. So be it…

Squall looked around him. The lights were turned off; the only source of light came from the glowing display screens scattered around the room. They cast a pale blue light over the room, giving it a ghostly, sinister feel. It made him feel nervous, and sweat ran down his brow. There was no sign of the sorceress.

The others also looked nervous. The atmosphere inside the auditorium was tense. Though she could not be seen, the sorceress' presence was like a heavy weight pressing down on them as though trying to crush them. Even Angelo could feel it. The dog lowered his head and whimpered, shifting from paw to paw whilst shoving his nose against Rinoa's thigh. Rinoa, in turn, moved her hand to ruffle Angelo's thick fur, reassuring herself with his presence. Selphie moved close to Irvine, who put a hand on her shoulder. Zell, eyes wide, raised his fists and glanced around him. Quistis kept her lips set in a firm line, suppressing her fear.

Fighting against the growing tenseness, Squall walked forward and stopped at the foot of a podium. The podium where lecturers stood to teach rose above him. It had an altar and a microphone that reminded Squall of the Presidential Residence in Deling City, where the sorceress had given her speech to the enthralled citizens cheering her ascension to power.

Standing in front of the podium, Squall placed his hand on his hip. His brows came together in confusion. What's going on, he wondered. The sorceress was here, of that he had no doubt. But then… what was she waiting for?

As though answering his thoughts, he heard a sound coming from above him. Squall looked up, and his gaze fell on one of the overhead screens. A crack had formed on the screen, causing the blue light to flicker. A shadow appeared behind it and then Sorceress Edea broke through the screen. Squall and the others raised their hands to protect their eyes as broken glass rained down on them, clattering around them.

The sorceress fell from above, heading towards the podium. She spread her arms wide and her body shimmered as she used her magic to slow her descent. Her body turned in mid-fall, righting itself. She floated down until she came to a graceful stop in front of the altar.

Squall lowered his arm and looked up at her. From where he stood, the blue light of the room cast a ghoulish pallor over her face. She looked like a living corpse, a mere puppet being moved by strings he could not see. Yet the power and the fear that she radiated was stronger than ever before.

Edea Kramer—the sorceress, their Matron—stepped up to the podium. She laid her hands on the stand, curling her long fingers around its edges. The sorceress gazed ahead and then lowered her eyes to the group standing before her.

"So the time has come," she said. Her voice was quiet, yet it seemed to echo around the auditorium. "You're the legendary SeeD destined to face me?"

She was looking right at Squall as she spoke. Those cold yellow eyes of hers were fixed upon him. He could feel, as well as see, the hatred and malevolence within her. The swordsman frowned. What is she talking about, he wondered.

Those pale lips of hers flushed pink as Edea twisted her mouth into a small, scornful smile. "I must say that I am impressed," she admitted. She started to chuckle. "…An impressive nuisance," she corrected. She raised one hand and pointed a single, long finger. "Your life ends here, SeeD."

Again she was addressing Squall, and her finger was pointed right at him. Before Squall could question this, the door behind Sorceress Edea opened and Seifer entered the auditorium. The swordsman's leg was injured and he was limping, using his gunblade as support.

Hearing him enter, Sorceress Edea turned her head. On seeing him she scowled, a hissing breath passing through her lips.

"Worthless fool."

Her words were sharper than a blade. Seifer hung his head in shame.

Squall looked hard at Sorceress Edea. You're not our 'Matron', he realised. The face was the same, though it was pale and lifeless now. The eyes, they were the same as well, though they were cold and full of hate. It was so hard to recognise her as the kind and beautiful lady who had taken them all in as orphans and raised them like her own. A woman they had all loved so dearly, like a mother, when they had none of their own.

The swordsman shook his head. He could not think of the past. This woman was not his 'Matron' any longer. She was Sorceress Edea, his enemy. As he had preached over and over, all thoughts of the past had to be pushed aside. All that mattered now was this moment, him against his enemy, the sorceress.

Overhead, the sorceress turned her eyes away from Seifer and looked back down at the group. Once more, her eyes sought out Squall's. As their gazes connected, Squall felt them surge with startling hatred. She held his gaze for a few seconds and then cast her eyes around the rest of the group. Her lips flushed to a deep crimson as she smiled once again, and she raised her arms high.

"All SeeDs," she hissed, "must perish!" And she laughed.

At her laugh, Seifer lifted his gunblade and ran forward. He ran past Sorceress Edea, who continued laughing while her knight leapt onto the barrier and then jumped over the edge.

He landed at the foot of the podium. At once Squall and the others jumped back and then spread out, drawing their weapons. Seifer started to stand but then winced and sank back onto his knees. With a great effort he forced himself onto his feet, using his gunblade as support. His face was scrunched up in pain and drenched in sweat, his blond hair falling loose over his forehead.

"I'm the sorceress' knight," he told them, his words broken by laboured breaths. "You'll never… get past me."

Taking a deep breath, Seifer darted forwards. He was able to move at speed despite his injuries, as though his own willpower and resolve gave him renewed strength.

As expected, Seifer headed for Squall first. His blue eyes blazed, not with hatred but with determination. Zell ran in front to block his approach and threw a punch at Seifer, but the enemy swordsman dodged it and kept on going. He ran in close to Squall and swung his gunblade in an upward arc, aiming for Squall's throat.

Except that Squall had already begun to move. The swordsman jumped back and raised his own gunblade, bringing it down in a counter-strike. The two gunblades clashed together, and there was a splitting screech as the blades scraped against one another.

Feeling himself losing out against his opponent, Seifer put all of his weight into the blade and pushed upwards. He managed to drive Squall just off-balance, and once that happened Seifer pulled the gunblade's trigger. A Fire-charged blank left the chamber and exploded, shrouding Squall in a blanket of fire. The swordsman gave a yell and leapt back to escape the flames.

As Squall jumped back, Seifer charged forward. He ran right through the wall of fire and threw himself against Squall. The two men fell to the floor, dropping their gunblades. Rinoa started to run forward, but Irvine grabbed her shoulder and held her back. The gunman shook his head. "For the moment," he said, "this is Squall's fight." Rinoa glared at him, but she said nothing. She turned back, though she kept her fingers close to the Pinwheel's release catch.

Squall and Seifer continued to grapple with one another. They rolled across the ground, punching and kicking, trying to overpower the other. They rolled close to where the two gunblades lay. Seifer, on top, snatched up his gunblade and Squall did the same. Seifer brought down his sword and it clashed against Squall's. A smile appeared on Seifer's face as he realised that he had the advantage. He pressed down his sword, gradually pushing Squall's back. The edge of Squall's gunblade touched his throat. Seifer grinned.

"STOP!"

A rush of blue came from Seifer's left. Rinoa slammed into him, knocking him off Squall, who sat up, coughing. He made to stand up and run to help Rinoa, but a hand touched his shoulder. It was Irvine. The gunman gave him a smile before hoisting his shotgun onto his shoulder and running across the auditorium. Squall heard a growl and then Angelo shot past him, running alongside the gunman to where Seifer and Rinoa lay.

Seifer had managed to scrabble on top of Rinoa. He raised his gunblade, the point aiming at her throat. When he looked into her face he hesitated, remembering, for a brief moment, the intimacy they had shared a year before. That hesitation was all Irvine needed. He struck Seifer around the head with his gun, and then Angelo leapt and latched his jaws around Seifer's flailing arm. He dragged Seifer off his mistress, who scrabbled away and ran over to help Squall.

This was just the opening the others were waiting for. Zell, Selphie and Quistis ran in with their weapons raised, working together to drive their foe back.

Seifer blocked each of their blows with his sword, but in his weakened state more and more of them were getting through. After a stinging lash from Quistis's whip, Zell broke through Seifer's guard and brought his knee up hard into Seifer's gut.

Seifer keeled over, clutching his gut. His muscles were burning; each breath felt like flame. That last blow had winded him, and he found his vision starting to blur. He would not last much longer, that he knew. He had already used his only Hi-Potion, and he wished he had not. He raised his eyes and glared at the group standing before him. His eyes turned to Squall, with Rinoa kneeling beside him, her hands glowing green as she healed him.

"I can't," he grunted, forcing himself to his feet, "afford to lose."

Raising his sword, he charged.

Meanwhile, overhead, Sorceress Edea watched the battle from the altar. Her golden-yellow eyes did not even move as she watched her knight battle with the SeeDs and, as always, her face remained an expressionless mask. Not a single flicker of emotion passed over her face, not even when the searing heat of Fira magic filled the air, or the rumble of Quake or Thundara magic rocked the room. The flames could not even ignite colour into her pale face. Edea remained like a lifeless statue overseeing a show that was being played out in front of her.

"Ughaah!"

The scream came from Seifer. Now the sorceress' eyes moved downwards, and she watched as a powerful lightning blast hit Seifer head on. The shock sent her knight flying across the auditorium floor. He hit the wall at the base of the podium, leaving a dent. His gunblade was thrown from his hands, clattering onto the floor. A second later Seifer slumped down beside it. Blood poured from a bloody gash on the side of his head.

Seifer put his hand to his head. His glove came back wet. The swordsman swore and pressed his hand against the wound, slowing the flow of blood. Raising his eyes, he looked up at Squall and his friends.

"…Damn," he cursed, his face burning with shame and rage. "I'm disgraced."

With Seifer now out of the way, Squall raised his head and met the gaze of Sorceress Edea. Those cold eyes of hers were fixed upon him once again. Like before, he could feel the irrational hate radiating from her like a cloud. Why, Squall wondered. Why did she hate them—hate SeeD—so much? What had happened to their Matron to instil such hatred in her heart? And why did she look only at him with that hatred?

The sorceress averted her gaze and looked down at Seifer, still slumped at the foot of the podium. Her eyes narrowed, and now it was he who was the object of her hatred and her rage. Underneath that gaze Seifer flinched, as though a sharp knife had been thrust through his heart.

"Defeated… Useless fool," Edea hissed, and then she turned her eyes back to Squall. "Enough play," she said, her lips twisting. "SeeDs must die!"

She raised her arms above her head.

At once, Squall readied his sword. This is it, he thought. Here she comes.

A wicked smile played on the sorceress' lips as she crossed her hands, extending her long fingers. Her lips parted. "Maelstrom!" she cried.

And so it began. A flash of white light surrounded the sorceress, like a flash of lightning. It was then followed by an impenetrable darkness through which they could not see. Squall looked around as the darkness surrounded him, shutting out everything except for himself and the others, including Seifer.

A strong tug began to pull Squall into the centre of the darkness. The swordsman tried to fight against the pull, but it was too strong. He was lifted off his feet and carried into the centre of the darkness. He was not along in his plight: Rinoa was alongside him, as well as Angelo and the rest of the group. Even Seifer was not spared this, as he too was pulled along for the ride.

The pull grew stronger as they reached the centre of the darkness. It seemed to close around them like a living presence. It kept them moving, orbiting the heart of the darkness, causing them to bump into one another. Zell struggled, punching and kicking, but he hit nothing but air.

Outside of the darkness, Sorceress Edea extended both her hands in front of her. She started to slowly curl her fingers, causing the pressure inside the darkness to increase. Her lips twitched and she then clenched her hands tight.

All at once the pressure increased. The pain was beyond imaginable. It tore through their bodies; crushed them on all sides. It ripped right through their flesh until it seemed to crush their very souls. Squall threw back his head and screamed, but no sound left his mouth. He writhed, but it was difficult to move.

Through the waves of increasing pain, he caught glimpses of the others. To his left he saw Rinoa, her own head thrown back and mouth open in a silent scream. To his right was Zell. The fighter had raised his arms to defend himself, but there was nothing that could stop the immense pressure from closing in on him. A bump from behind acknowledged him of Quistis's presence. From somewhere in the darkness he heard a strangled yelp that came from Angelo.

The pressure continued to increase. Just when it seemed that they would snap, Sorceress Edea opened her hands and the darkness dissipated in a flash. Squall and the others were thrown clear. They each hit the floor hard, rolling across the cold floor until they came to a stop.

With her spell over, the sorceress lowered her arms. The expressionless mask was back on her face as she looked down at them, surveying them.

Squall struggled onto his knees. Each movement was a struggle and sent a shooting pain through his muscles. Still, he could not afford to give in, not after the first attack. He dug the point of his gunblade into the ground and then pulled himself onto his feet. As he stood he gasped and clutched at his ribs. His fingertips shimmered with green light, and the pain eased.

He looked up at Sorceress Edea. She was even more powerful now than she had been in Deling City. Squall grimaced. This was the battle they had all pushed themselves to fight. They could not afford to lose now, not now they were all here. Behind him, Squall heard the others also rising to their feet, and he knew that they shared his thoughts. Quistis, Zell, Selphie, Irvine… and Rinoa. They were all here together with him. They had to fight with everything they had and bring this battle to its end. Sympathy—even for their once-beloved Matron—was something they could not show. No matter what the cost, they had to win!

Forcing himself to stand straight, Squall thrust out his hand. "Ifrit!" he called.

Flames shot forth from his hand. They swirled in front of him, growing stronger by the second. The flames then merged and took shape into the form of the Guardian Force Ifrit. The GF burst out of those flames and slammed into the ground in front of Squall. Ifrit leaned over, resting his hands on the ground, and then raised his head to the podium. When he saw Sorceress Edea standing there, Ifrit threw back his head and roared. More flames erupted over his body as he roared, his rage ignited. Ifrit smashed his fists on the ground and then leapt into the air. He landed on the podium beside the sorceress. Drawing back his fist, he punched at her with all of his strength.

Before the blow could connect, the sorceress' barrier flashed. Ifrit gave a roar as he was flung away from her. With a wave of her hand, the sorceress sent a cloud of ice wafting over to the GF. Ifrit snarled in pain as the crystals landed and encased over his body. His natural flames were put out, and a second later the GF vanished in a puff of smoke.

As Ifrit vanished there was another flash of white light as another GF, this time Shiva, was summoned into the fray. The ice maiden landed in front Selphie, flicked back her long, shimmering hair, and then headed forward. She slid across the ground in long, fluid strides across the auditorium floor. Ice grew beneath her boots with each step she took, forming into a path that stretched out in front of her. The path then left the ground and sloped upwards. It moved around the perimeter of the auditorium and then up towards the ceiling, over the sorceress.

Sorceress Edea's eyes moved as she watched Shiva slide along the path. The GF's heels stuck to the path even as it carried her up the walls and across the ceiling. Once she was over the sorceress, Shiva leapt off the path and dived towards her.

The sorceress extended her hands above her. Like with Ifrit, her barrier flashed as Shiva hit. Shiva was thrown back in an instant. Her body then glistened as it hardened over, transforming her into an ice sculpture. The ice cracked and then shattered, breaking up into thousands of tiny ice shards. Edea raised her hand as these shards fell like raindrops over her body, gathering around her feet.

With the sorceress' attention diverted by the crystals, Zell saw his chance. He ran to the stairs leading to the podium and bounded up them, taking them three at a time, until he reached the top. Once there he readied himself and darted towards her.

The sorceress turned to face him. She tried to step back, but the ice crystals at her feet had already hardened over. Her left foot was trapped inside the ice, unable to move. With a snarl Edea stamped her right foot, and a ring of fire shot out from her heel. The ice melted, freeing her, and Edea jumped back out of the way just as Zell struck. She felt the wind from the blow pass by her face. The fighter then staggered as he slipped on the melting ice, and as he did so Sorceress Edea reached out and grabbed hold of his arm. She raised her other arm high above her head, fingers stretching up.

"Thundara!" she cried.

Her fingers crackled, and lightning leapt from her fingertips. Zell stiffened and then screamed in pain as waves of electricity pulsed over his body. The smallest of smiles spread on Edea's lips. She tightened her grip on Zell's arm, her eyes shimmering as she strengthened her magic. With surprising strength she dragged Zell back towards her, turned and then threw him onto the ground. Zell hit his head on the floor and then slumped, knocked out.

The sorceress' smile widened, and she gave a low chuckle. Her laughter ceased as a bullet whizzed past her face, ruffling the thick collar of her dress. For the first time Edea appeared startled as she stepped back, missing another gunshot that whooshed past her.

Edea looked to the ground below. Her gaze at once fell on Irvine, standing at the back of the auditorium, peering down the gun-sight. The sorceress waved her hand and raised her barrier just as a third shot came whooshing towards her. The bullet bounced off her barrier with a dull ring, falling harmlessly to the floor.

A flash of silver at her other side caused Edea to ignore Irvine and turn around. Rinoa's Pinwheel was flying through the air towards her. The sorceress started to raise her barrier again but she responded too late, and the Pinwheel sliced across her unguarded arm. The bladed edge cut through the silky fabric of her gloves and across her pale flesh. The Pinwheel then returned to Rinoa, who caught it and then raised it, ready to fire again.

Blood pooled down the sorceress' arm. Edea pressed her hand over the wound and then held it up. A thick trail of blood ran down her middle finger, dripping off the tip and onto the floor. The sorceress stared in astonishment. Then her eyes darkened, blazing with uncontrollable fury. Shades of crimson and rouge suffused her lips and cheeks. Ignoring her bleeding wound, she raised her blood-stained hand high.

"Fira!" she shrieked.

Flames rose from her hand. They grew and swirled around her, forming into a whirlwind. On the sorceress' direction the flames soared and then turned into a dive, heading straight towards Rinoa. Rinoa started to brace herself for the blow, but then Quistis ran in front of her and thrust out her hand.

"Carbuncle: Reflect!" she shouted, and on her command a portal opened in the ground at her feet. Carbuncle leapt up in front of her, and the gemstone on his forehead glimmered brightly. A Reflection barrier formed in front of him, spreading to shield himself, Quistis and Rinoa.

The firestorm hit the barrier. Its impact placed a great strain on even Carbuncle's reflective magic—Quistis could feel the diminutive Guardian Force struggle to keep it in place. Just when she feared that Carbuncle's strength would give out, the flames came to an end. The barrier shimmered as it absorbed the strength of the magic and then, with a great shudder, threw the flames back out again.

Sorceress Edea had no time to retaliate. The flames hit her in full force, engulfing her in a sea of red and orange. Her silhouette could be seen inside the flames, flickering back and to. A moment later, the sorceress' scream rang out from inside the flames. It pierced through the silence of the auditorium, shattering it like glass. It was such a terrifying sound, it sent shivers down everyone's spine. Even Zell, who had now regained consciousness, cowered at the sound of it.

At the foot of the podium, Seifer forced himself onto his knees. When he heard the sorceress' scream, his head snapped up. All he could see was a tower of flame rising over him, with the sorceress' silhouette flickering within. He tried to get onto his feet, but Selphie stood in front of him, her nunchaku at the ready.

"I don't think so," she said. She flicked her nunchaku at Seifer's knees, knocking him onto the floor again. Once he was down, Selphie turned to Squall, standing nearby. "Squall!" she shouted. "Now's your chance! Go for her!"

Squall did not need to be told twice. Sheathing his gunblade, he turned and ran across the auditorium floor. "Leviathan!" he called.

The Guardian Force responded to his call at once. A globule of water formed in the air alongside him. It grew and stretched out, moving with him. A shadow appeared within the water, growing into the form of a serpent. The waters parted and Leviathan emerged, sliding out of the water like a snake shedding its skin. Long and slender, with diamond-hard scales and a pointed face, Leviathan opened his mouth and let out a screeching hiss. He spread his fins and moved alongside Squall, who jumped and landed on the serpent's back. The scales were hard but were pressed down flat so they did not cut into his thighs. Leviathan moved forward, passing close to Rinoa who, after a moment's hesitation, leapt on as well. She crawled up the scales until she was behind Squall. She clung to his jacket, holding on tight.

With his cargo secure, Leviathan lifted his body and rose into the air. A torrent of water rose with him, formed out of nowhere and rising higher and higher along with the serpent. Leviathan rose up and over the podium, moving beneath Shiva's ice bridge, which was beginning to melt.

On the podium, the sorceress was still engulfed in the pillar of flames. While Leviathan soared, a bright flash of white light erupted from within the pillar. The flames whooshed as they parted and the sorceress emerged. Clouds of ice were pouring from her fingertips as she used them to part the flames. Her purple dress was scorched and blackened, and her face was split into an expression of rage. Beads of sweat ran down the sorceress' brow as she forced her way out of the flames. Squall, on Leviathan's back, laid his hand on the serpent's neck. Leviathan nodded, understanding his thoughts, and turned his body into a dive.

As the sorceress made her way out of the flames, she heard a roar from above. Raising her head, she saw Leviathan diving towards her. The serpent's mouth was open wide, revealing rows of tiny, sharp teeth. Seeing his approach, the sorceress crossed her arms and raised her barrier, bracing herself for the attack.

Leviathan struck. Though the serpent pulled up a little at the last moment, the water he brought with him hit the sorceress head on. The water doused the last of the flames and threw itself against her barrier. The barrier strained under the force of the water, and inch by inch the sorceress was driven back. Then, with what sounded like glass shattering, the barrier broke, and the sorceress was flung backwards. She slammed against the back wall and the waters rose over her.

Overhead, Leviathan turned and swam to the side. He tilted his body ever so slightly, allowing Squall and Rinoa to jump down onto the podium. The water continued to throw itself against the sorceress, and spray fell over them. Squall drew his gunblade and held it ready, keeping his eyes on the sorceress.

Gradually, the magical waters withdrew. Leviathan, circling overhead, screeched as his body melted back into water. His body broke up into small water globules that hovered for a moment before dissolving in the air.

The sorceress stepped away from the wall. Her dress was wet and heavy; the ruffles were pressed flat and the frayed ends stuck together. Her head was low, her arms hanging at her sides, and she was breathing heavily. With a cough, she pushed herself away from the wall. Water dripped from her drenched ruffles, from her fingertips, and the curved horns of her headdress. There was a little more colour in her face now, as though life inside her was trying to break through.

Edea stopped in the centre of the podium. She raised her eyes, meeting Squall's. The rage he saw in her eyes was beyond measure. Gone was her expressionless mask, replaced with out-of-control fury. Her eyes moved from Squall and then settled on Rinoa, standing close behind him. Rinoa flinched under the sight of those eyes, and she reached out and clutched Squall's arm.

The sorceress turned her eyes back to Squall. Her lips pursed, flushing into a deeper crimson. "SeeD…" she hissed. She started to raise her arm.

"I've got you now!"

The sorceress halted and turned. She caught just a flash of movement before Zell, who was back on his feet, landed a punch on the side of her face. Sorceress Edea staggered under the force of the blow, and blood oozed from her lip where Zell's fist had busted it. There was a pained look in Zell's face as he saw it, but he drew back his other fist and punched again. The sorceress was ready this time and twisted her body out of the way of the blow. She brought up her arm in a backhanded strike. Her hand missed, but an unseen magical force hit Zell from the side and knocked him onto the ground. Not willing to give in, Zell jumped back onto his feet and ran at her again, throwing more kicks and punches.

Squall nodded to Rinoa and then ran in to aid Zell. Rinoa turned and whistled, and Angelo came bounding up the steps towards her. Rinoa knelt down beside him, popped a treat into his mouth and then whispered to him. The dog nodded in understanding and crouched down low, his ears low and fangs bared. With a snarl, he darted forward.

At that moment, Squall and Zell were working together to drive the sorceress back. With a wave of her hand Sorceress Edea struck Zell once more, knocking him aside. When he was down Squall jumped in and swung his sword. Like a puppet Edea pulled her body back, and the blade tip missed her by an inch. Squall shifted his angle and swung again, and in turn Edea swung her arm. There was a metallic clang as the sword hit something unseen, but the impact sent a powerful shock all the way up his arm. Squall clutched his shoulder but kept his eyes raised.

Angelo then ran past him and leapt at the sorceress. Edea glanced down, startled. The dog snatched up the frayed ends of her dress and tugged, trying to yank her off her feet. It worked, and the sorceress fell onto the floor. With a look of rage Edea waved her arm, and a blast of energy hit Angelo and threw him back.

A shadow fell over her. Edea at once turned and waved her arm again, blocking another blow from Squall. The sorceress then looked at the stairs as Quistis and the others reached the top and came running in to join the fray. Edea cursed and threw back her head. Her body lifted as though it was on strings, pulling her upright. In front of her Squall stared in alarm, but not more so when Edea suddenly lurched forward and stopped just an inch from his face. The sight of his former Matron's pale face up close was startling, and he froze. Her face then twisted into a malicious smile and she placed her hand against his chest. A powerful shock hit him, and Squall was thrown back onto the floor.

"Oh, no you don't!" shouted Selphie's voice, as she and the others ran in.

Selphie swung her nunchaku, but the sorceress' body seemed to swerve out of the way. Quistis ran alongside Edea and cracked her whip, but again the sorceress somehow managed to pull her body out of the way. Selphie then leapt and brought down her Crescent Wish hard, but this time the sorceress jumped back out of the way, and the nunchaku hit only the floor.

Behind Edea, Zell was on his feet again. His fist was raised as he brought it down. The sorceress turned and caught the first in her palm. Her fingers closed around his fist and she swung him around her, throwing him to the floor. There came a crack as the tail of Quistis's whip latched around her wounded arm. The sorceress winced and glared at Quistis. Fire appeared in her hands and Quistis dived out of the way, missing the fireball.

With the sorceress' attention diverted, Irvine saw his chance and ran in. Lightning crackled around his right hand as he thrust it out, but before he could strike Edea suddenly turned and grabbed hold of his arm. She pushed it away from her and Irvine skidded to a stop, face-to-face with Matron. Without any reaction at all Edea clenched her fist. There came the sickening crunch of bone, and Irvine cried out. Edea flung him aside and then swiped her other hand, delivering a backhand strike to Angelo that knocked him down.

The sorceress drew her hands towards her. Thundara magic crackled between her fingertips, gathering at a point in the centre. Sorceress Edea then spread her arms wide, and the lightning shot out around her. It struck the companions—Squall, Zell, Selphie, Quistis, Irvine, and even Angelo—in one ferocious blow. Only Rinoa stood unharmed, standing apart from the others. Rinoa watched with wide eyes as her friends and even her dog cried out in pain.

The lightning flickered and faded. The others dropped to the floor. The sorceress, with a satisfied smile, lowered her arms.

Rinoa gazed around her. All around her, her friends were in pain. Selphie was twitching, her hands were shaking, her nunchaku out of her reach. Zell appeared to be unconscious, for his eyes were closed and he was not moving. Irvine also looked to be in a bad way, as did Quistis. Angelo also was not moving, though she could hear his faint whine.

Squall had landed nearest to her. Rinoa watched as the swordsman groaned, struggling to move. With a twitching hand he reached for his gunblade, which lay just beyond his reach. Traces of lightning still flickered over his body, and he flinched with each one.

Rinoa then looked up at the sorceress, and her breath caught in her throat. Sorceress Edea was looking right at her. A stabbing chill shot through Rinoa's body, freezing her to the spot. Rinoa knew that she was trembling. Her lips were quivering and her mouth felt dry. She feared she was going to faint under the sight of that gaze.

Knowing she could not stand there forever, Rinoa swallowed. It felt like she was swallowing an apple whole. She would never know how she forced her body to move, but somehow she managed to find enough courage to raise her arm and point it at the sorceress. Moving her other arm, she laid her hand on the Pinwheel.

Sorceress Edea glanced at the weapon and then at Rinoa. She smirked, let out a 'tsk' sound and then promptly turned from her and walked over to Squall. She stopped next to the fallen swordsman and looked down at him. Squall looked back up at her, his body still twitching. Sorceress Edea's face twisted into a cruel smile as she raised her hand, preparing to bring it to an end.

"No…!"

Forgetting all about her fear, Rinoa ran forward. She ran right at Sorceress Edea, who looked up in surprise. Rinoa drew back her hand, and lightning crackled in her palm. She leapt over Squall, drew back her fist and slammed it right into the centre of the sorceress' chest.