The next chapter's ready. I don't have much to say here, but I hope this turns out to be enjoyable. I may not remember the exact directional location for each boss, but I will try my best.

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy IV: The After Years was created by Square Enix.

Heaven and Hell's Purgatory

"How did it go?" Palom asked as Ceodore's group returned to the camp.

"The crystal blocking our way forward was guarded by a armored man in silver, called himself Garland. I suspect that those crystals do not just call forth enemies from our memories, judging by the appearances of those new monsters."

Cecil shrugged"We'll need to try and proceed with caution, then. Let's go a little further and make camp at the next possible site."

The group broke camp and proceeded down the previously blocked staircase. The next chamber consisted of a maze-like corridor, prompting them to split in groups from time to time to find the exit, quickly.

"Worst complex I've ever seen" grumbled Edge.

"At least we're getting somewhere" smiled Rydia, hopeful.

The party soon came across a pair of Chaos Knights and several Dark Sages. Rydia swept them away with Leviathan's Tsunami, only for some Amazons and a Red Dragon to attack the group.

"All right, then" Edge charged at the dragon, slashing it before having to dodge a nasty flame attack. Palom blasted the dragon with Thundaga, knocking it down. Kain, Ceodore, Cecil and Yang duked it out against the Amazons, dodging their attacks and wearing the monsters down.

Ceodore parried a few blows before managing to cut down one Amazon. Yang and Cecil easily dispatched two more of the monsters, while Kain fought two more Amazons, using his jump attack to his advantage. Yang bested his opponent and rushed with a roundhouse kick at one of the remaining Amazons, knocking it down. Kain nodded his thanks to the monk before finishing off the other monster.

"Next time random monsters show up like that, I'll blitz'em myself" muttered Edge.

"Go ahead if you want to risk your life on your own, we can't afford to have any of us die and take the time for a burial" retorted Rydia.

"Heh, point taken" flushed the ninja king.

The group headed down another floor, coming to a darker chamber than the last one had been. Another central platform waited for them with another anti-monster barrier. Most of the group went to set up their tents. Rosa and Cecil prepared a quick vegetable soup for dinner.

After dinner, Cecil and Kain elected to take the first watch while the others rested. The Paladin addressed his longtime friend"Its been so long since we last talked like this."

Kain nodded"Indeed, it has."

Cecil didn't say anything more for a moment before speaking"I... I'm sorry."

"Hm?" Kain frowned, wondering what that was about.

"I don't know what the enemy was doing to my mind, I lost control of myself, and look what had happened" Cecil explained"If you hadn't come down from the mountain, I would've been lost."

"Quit it" Kain grumbled.

"In fact, without you, Rosa and Ceodore may have been beyond rescue by now" said Cecil.

Kain was silent for another moment"I wasn't doing it all just for you. Baron has always been and will always be my motherland."

"Even so, I am glad for your return. So, what do you think about Ceodore?" The baronian king asked.

"Ceodore is talented and every bit as earnest as you. I suppose that stubborn streak of his comes from Rosa, however" replied Kain.

"Indeed" acknowledged Cecil.

The two men were silent for a while longer before Kain spoke"We have to stop this moon."

"Indeed, we may even need to step up the pace a little, keeping in mind that we can only accomplish so much before we wear out" acknowledged Cecil, going inside the tent he was currently sharing with Rosa, Ceodore, Rydia and Edge"Good night."

The next day found the group eating a light breakfast before discussing who should investigate the next four side pathways. Another unlit crystal was blocking the passage leading further into the depths.

"I will take charge of one group like last time. Kain, you lead another group" acknowledged Cecil.

"Very well" nodded Kain"I will take Ceodore, Yang, Rosa and Rydia with me."

"I'm honored" acknowledged Ceodore.

Rosa acknowledged"I'm fine with this arrangement. But who should go with Cecil?"

"I'll go. Leonora, Porom, Luca, what about you?" grinned Palom.

"Fine by me" nodded the dwarf princess.

The members for each group gathered while their companions stayed at their campsite, just in case. Cecil led his group southwest to find a crystal with the same coloring as one of the dark crystals. The area darkened as the crystal shattered, and a monstrous behemoth-like creature emerged from the shadows.

"This is no garden variety monster" murmured Porom.

Cecil drew his sword"Magic will be our best bet. I will try to cover you guys as best I can, this looks to be a more fearsome behemoth then any I've seen before..."

The King Behemoth roared as it stomped toward Cecil's group. Porom readied a Protect Spell and cast it on her allies while Luca got out her tomahawk. Palom and Leonora readied their spells.

"Bring it, beefsteak!" Palom taunted the monster before shooting forward a Firaga spell. The Behemoth countered with a claw attack, barely grazing Palom before charging at Leonora. The Epopt squeaked and barely got out of the way.

Luca tossed her tomahawk, staggering the monster slightly. The King Behemoth retaliated with a swipe attack before turning its attention to Cecil and clawing at him. Cecil barely dodged the attack and quickly cast Cura on himself and Luca. Palom had shot a Thundaga spell at the King Behemoth, Leonora pitched in with Firaga and Blizzaga. The Behemoth reared back and attempted to stomp Palom, who jumped back before the monster landed its front paws.

Cecil slashed at the King Behemoth and narrowly dodged its counterattack. Leonora cast a few high-powered black magic spells at the monster while occasionally firing arrows at the creature.

"Right, that does it" Palom shot King Behemoth with Bio before addressing Leonora"Want to try Particle Bomb?"

"No problem" replied the blond Epopt.

Cecil had slashed again at the King Behemoth, which countered with another vicious swipe before attempting to attack Luca. The dwarf barely managed to dodge with only a minor scratch before attacking again with her Tomahawk.

Leonora and Palom concentrated a fire and ice spell respectively and shot a fireball encased in ice at the King Behemoth. The combined spell exploded against the monster's chest, staggering it enough for Cecil to finish it with a thrust. Battered and dying, the Behemoth summoned meteors to try and bring down the group with it as it perished. Porom quickly cast Shell to minimize the damage.

"Everyone all right?" Cecil addressed his companions, he had been knocked off his feet for a moment.

"I think so, let's go back to the camp and rejuvenate" suggested Porom.

Ceodore's group headed northwest to where they found what looked like a dark crystal. As it shattered, a gigantic bug-like creature appeared. Rosa and Rydia were slightly grossed out by this monster's appearance.

"What manner of creature Is this?" Kain readied himself.

Beelzebub cast Blizzard and Fira at the party, prompting Rosa to respond with Curaga and hurrying to cast Shell on her allies. Ceodore slashed at the bug-like monster, with Yang following suit with a roundhouse kick and a double punch. The monster rammed Yang backwards and cast Flare at Kain. The Dragoon staggered from the spell and jumped, landing his feet on Beelzebub, knocking It back.

"Blizzaga!" Rydia had attacked the monster with an ice spell before preparing to summon Leviathan. Beelzebub interrupted with Flare knocking Rydia to her knees. Ceodore quickly administrated a Hi-Potion on Rydia before moving to attack the monster. Kain followed suit with his lance. Beelzebub attacked with Firaga and proceeded to cast Flare at Ceodore. The prince barely survived that.

"You cannot expect forgiveness for this!" Rosa fired a Holy Spell at Beelzebub before healing Ceodore with Curaga. Rydia blasted the monster with Thundaga, staggering It enough for Yang to get in a cheap shot with a powered up punch and roundhouse kick.

Ceodore and Kain assumed a stance at the same time and dashed forward, simultaneously slashing at Beelzebub. Rydia and Rosa followed suit with Holy Burst, frying Beelzebub into oblivion.

"Looks like we're still good to go, let's try the northeast path" said Yang.

"Good idea, but first" Rosa said a holy prayer to rejuvenate herself and her allies before they left the area.

Cecil's group patched up their wounds and slept in a tent for an hour to regain their strength before moving on to the southeast path. The dark crystal there shattered to reveal a bluish black iron humanoid with a giant sword. Porom cast protect on herself and her allies while Palom and Leonora opened up with Particle Bomb. The Iron Giant slashed viciously at Cecil, driving the Paladin back while it prepared a deadly meteor attack. Porom quickly made sure that Shell was still in effect.

Luca attacked the Iron Giant with her tomahawk, only to receive and near-fatal sword slash from the monster. Porom healed the dwarf princess while Cecil slashed at the Iron Giant.

"Thundaga!"

"Firaga!"

Palom and Leonora's spells staggered the Iron Giant, which retaliated with Meteor. Porom cast Curaga on the group while the rest of her teammates struck back. The monster swung its sword, driving the group back. Annoyed by this, Palom hit the iron Giant with Bio and Thundaga. Leonora threw a high-level Flare at the monster, staggering the Iron Giant enough for Palom to get in a Thundaga, causing the monster to collapse.

'That giant was nothing like the ones on the Lunarians' moon' thought Cecil before addressing the others"It looks like its done with. Let's head back to the campsite and rest." The others nodded.

Ceodore's group reached the northeastern crystal, which shattered and a seraph monster with wings and blond hair emerged. Astaroth stood before the group.

"This is new" remarked Rydia.

Kain nodded and quickly assumed a battle stance.

Astaroth brandished a lance and jabbed at Kain, who blocked and stabbed back at the monster. Astaroth flew back and attempted to cast a petrification spell on Ceodore before jabbing at Rosa and casting Holy on Rydia. Rosa barely dodged and quickly cast Esuna on Ceodore. Astaroth flew back and threw Firaga, followed by Flare. Rosa healed her allies while Ceodore and Kain darted at Astaroth with a Cross Slash.

The Seraph monster staggered and unleashed a final fiery attack, scorching the group. Rosa healed her allies once more while Yang staggered Astaroth with a double punch. Kain put an end to their opponent with a jump attack, causing the monster to disintegrate from its injuries.

"He wasn't much of a monster..." Rosa mussed.

"Whatever he was... It seemed otherworldly" murmured Rydia.

The group returned to the campsite to meet with the others. Cecil's group was busy tending to each others' bruises and smaller injuries. The Paladin acknowledged Ceodore's group"A behemoth and a iron version of the giant monsters we encountered on the Lunarian Moon appeared from the crystals we saw."

"The two monsters that my group fought were strange, nothing like the creatures we've seen on our planet" grunted Kain.

Rydia shrugged"The monsters we fought so far... Do you suppose they were guarding something?"

"Sounds plausible, but at the same time, it makes little sense" said Yang, thoughtfully.

"The crystal that's blocking the staircase ahead may be lightened up now" remarked Palom.

"My team should be able to do this" said Rosa.

Ceodore nodded"I'm good to go."

Cecil acknowledged"Be careful."

Rosa led her group down to the crystal that was blocking the way forward. A voice rang out as they approached it"Such petty ideals of rebellion are no more than a childish fantasy! If you do not accept me as master, than you will all pay for your arrogance!"

Before the group's eyes, an aura of darkness and light shattered the crystal and formed into a man-shaped mist for a moment. A gold and purple armored figure emerged with a staff in hand, a malicious look in his eyes.

"Flare!" Rydia attempted to catch the Emperor off guard. The man staggered and countered with Starfall and Thundaga. Rosa healed her allies with Curaja while Yang and Ceodore rushed the Emperor with attacks of their own. The Emperor staggered and retaliated with a Flare spell at Yang. The monk was blasted back, but used a Hi-Potion to heal himself.

"Tsunami!" Rydia summoned Leviathan to attack the Emperor with his water magic. Rosa followed suit by blasting the gold-armored man with Holy. Ceodore slashed at the emperor, who dodged and struck back with his staff. Ceodore parried and kicked the Emperor backwards, countering with a thrust. The Emperor staggered and retaliated with Flare.

Yang jump-kicked the Emperor back, staggering him enough for Ceodore to slash the demonic man. Rydia followed up with Firaga and Rosa with another Holy spell. The Emperor countered with another Starfall, prompting the group to fall back and recover.

"This guy's getting on my nerves" groaned Rydia.

"Wait, I have an idea. Rydia, Ceodore, use a thunder-based attack to distract him, I'll take it from there" said Rosa, pulling her bow out and readying an arrow.

"Understood" Ceodore readied his blade. Rydia concentrated and channeled a Thunder spell onto Ceodore's sword. The blue-haired swordsman then threw a bolt of lighting at the Emperor, stunning him. Rosa took her shot and nailed their opponent with her Yochi arrow.

Collapsing onto his knees, The Emperor groaned as his body started to spark with bursts of light and dark auras"How... How have I possibly have lost... Not once, but twice...? UAARGH!"

As the Emperor's body vanished in an explosion of light and darkness, Kain frowned"Lost twice? who defeated him before?"

"Ideals of rebellion... What was he on about?" Ceodore muttered.

"I'd never bow before such a dark creature" said Rydia.

Rosa shrugged as she put away her bow"His aura was neither darkness, nor light. But somewhere in between."

Yang bowed his head'Strength without compassion does not a just ruler make.'

The group headed back upstairs to meet up with their companions, once more.

Finally, I got this chapter up. I'll try to be quicker about getting the next one ready. I know I didn't exactly have Ceodore say what Infinite and I had planned after the emperor's defeat, but what can I say?

I kind of had Palom quote one of Rikku's lines from FF X-2, by the way. As for the Emperor, I used his first form from the game, though I guess I could've dragged it out better using his Dark and Light forms. Note that his light emperor form is only fought in the PSP bonus mode, Soul of Rebirth as far as I know.

I might use Neo Exdeath rather than Exdeath's first form, but I guess that would be redundant, since the final boss of the After Years' third form looks sort of like Neo Ex. I might even use Kefka's angel/god-like form from FFVI's final battle, but we'll see.

Please feel free to review if you'd like.