Chapter 24

Wrath of the Elder

The pod glided rapidly over the Dingo Desert. While only a fraction of the size of the Kakashbald, it would still have been too harsh for them to traverse on chocobo, and their party had lacked adequate nutrition.

Aside from the square and rectangular walled military compounds marked by giant satellite dishes, the Dingo was only populated by nomads. They were not as swarthy skinned as the Grandidi or Kakashbaldi people, but dressed in a similar robed fashion, their garments woven from the hides of chimeras and abyss worms. The nomads largely shunned the modern world, ignorant of the titanic battle that was about to happen. They passed one such curious nomadic caravan, who waved weapons at the alien pod. Most had likely not seen an Esthari aircraft before, and their elders would not have seen one for four decades.

Then they witnessed a herd of deadly chimeras. Sometime later, an abyss worm popped its enormous head out of the sand as the pod reached the fringe of the dunes, its hyper acoustic hearing attuned to the low hum of the pod's stealth engine.

The party cleared the desert and reached the aptly named Locomota. The sprawling platforms of the train station on the west side of town were visible from their pod miles before they reached them. The station had been largely disused for many years, only a third of it still operational, walled off from the rest of Locomota to keep the monsters out. Only delinquent youths now congregated in the abandoned sections, and that had mostly ceased following rumours of paranormal activity. Now there was only one train remaining, and Locomota itself looked eerily empty.

Seifer's group waved them down from the town's main market street. Thalassa recognised the salmon of Quistis' clothing, Fujin's blue attire as well as Seifer's trenchcoat immediately. She spotted Raijin, Rhodry and Nida standing farther back. Xu set the pod to land in the middle of the street. There was enough electrical charge remaining to get the ones who would not be staying to the capital, but away from Esthar's mobile docking ports, there was no way of replenishing it. As they all exited, Seifer predictably gave a smart remark. It was directed at Xu, who had always held him in contempt.

'How's it going, Instructor? You get Cerby back on a leash?'

'Screw you, Seifer!' the veteran SeeD riposted sharply.

Xu had not forgotten Seifer had commanded the Galbadians at the Battle of the Gardens, and held him personally responsible for all those SeeDs and cadets who had not survived. She had frequently visited the memorial plaque before Balamb Garden's defeat, and would never forget the names of the fallen. Rhodry would also be among them, had Squall not reached him in time. The Bloodhound's presidential pardon meant nothing to the Torama Fang; twenty years on, she would happily execute him herself.

Raine ran to her father, and they both embraced.

'You got the moogle, huh?' Raijin said. 'And now you're a SeeD! Me and Mom are so proud, ya know!'

'How is everyone? How are things at Wilburn?' Raine asked.

'They're okay,' Raijin answered. 'They're in a nice house, with Laguna. But that place is way too cramped, with all those people in a walled city. Like tinned salmon, ya know!' He laughed.

Seifer stared at Damian; they had not met before.

'So, you're the Wraith of Winhill, huh?' he asked. 'Funny, you don't look like a phantom!' Seifer inclined his head toward the abandoned section of station. 'Have you checked out the train graveyard? They say it's haunted.'

Damian grunted. 'You don't look much like a dog, either, Bloodhound.'

Anger momentarily crossed Seifer's face. He hated his moniker, as it deservedly reminded him of his past deeds. Damian, they knew, embraced his. Though it had been Seifer's own fault, having first vowed to become Edea's Bloodhound whilst torturing Squall.

Rhodry had approached Thalassa. 'I'm so sorry, Rhod. About Adaryn,' the White SeeD said.

The Trabian just shook his head. They shared an embrace, too, and Rhodry clasped hands with Damian.

'How fares Commander Leonhart?' Rhodry asked Rinoa.

'Squall's waiting for Esthar's fleet with Captain Kurin and the others,' the raven-haired Sorceress explained. 'He intends to confront Ultimecia early, not wait to meet her at the capital.'

Seifer looked at the silent Gerra, who had stood by the pod, warily watching them all.

'To change fate,' Seifer stated.

Gerra looked at his ancestor, saying nothing.

'What's your name, Knight?' Seifer pressed.

'Gerra,' he offered simply.

'Gerra what?'

'Phoenix,' Gerra lied.

Seifer chuckled. 'Like a bit of fire? You know, my boy is called Ifrit. If I had another, I would have called him Phoenix. Fu wanted Pandemona for a girl, 'cause that's what our… never mind,' he trailed off.

'I got a message from Ty,' Thalassa said carefully. Seifer and Fujin looked at her instantly. 'You already know she's here, but she said she's coming home soon.'

Fujin just put a hand to her chest, and Seifer took the other one. Seifer's two eyes met Fujin's one.

Seifer turned to Gerra. 'So, is Reina really Ultimecia?' Gerra nodded. 'Man, I feel for you! I was once Ultimecia's Knight myself, and it cost me nearly everyone and everything I'd ever known!'

Everyone except Raijin and Fujin regarded Seifer, as it was the first time they had heard him openly express regret for his past actions. Then Quistis finally spoke, addressing Xu and her fellow Sorceress.

'Thanks for getting here,' she said. 'The rest of you need to get to the Galbadian camp!'

'But what about me and Lassa?' Raine said. 'We can fight with you, too!'

'No, Raine!' Quistis said assertively. 'I've got no doubt in your two's ability, but you're a SeeD now, and you already have your first mission. We have enough power to take out the Dollet force, and you're needed at the defence of the city.'

Raine opened her mouth to protest, wanting to remain with her father, but Thalassa touched her arm.

Raijin said, 'It's okay, honey. We'll fight together soon.'

'You'll get your chance to shine, Raine,' Nida assured her. 'If you recall, I became a SeeD the same day as Squall, Zell and Selphie. The next day, they were dispatched to Timber, and I was not. I was left wondering why, doubting myself – especially when I heard that Squall fought Sorceress Edea. But just days later, I was caught up in NORG's Uprising, and there was no question of me being disloyal to Cid. I was chosen to pilot Garden, after. I started out as just another SeeD, but in the end, I stood out.'

Seifer chuckled, perhaps remembering that Nida passed the Dollet exam in favour of him.

'He's also a crack shot, a Sorceress' Knight, and a GF bearer,' he lauded. 'Fly Boy ended up with more distinction than all of us!'

'Impressive,' Fujin agreed, and Nida smiled faintly.

Raine reluctantly nodded, looking back to Raijin. 'Fine. Don't die on me, okay? Especially you, Dad.'

'We won't,' Seifer said. 'Now get out of here! I wanna get back to the bar before happy hour's over!'

He gestured over his shoulder to the empty pub across the street.

'Come on,' Thalassa said, reboarding the pod first. 'We'll see you all at the city.'

The days spent marching across the Monterosa made the Esthari no less fearful. Without cyborgs, Lunarians and Adels to embolden them, the regular army soldiers had long since lost their swagger. And now they dared not disobey her. Hikaru had ignored Tyris' advice the previous night, powerful painkillers barely easing the pounding of her head, and sweat glistened on her olive brow. Tyris made sure to remain at her side, at the heart of the misshapen force. She knew that Hikaru was immeasurably grateful for it, saying little.

Although they saw no hostility, large patches of ground would intermittently part at their feet, swallowing hundreds of soldiers. Sometimes thousands. Surrounding troops would be blighted by sudden hurricane winds, even more falling into the chasms. Then the cracks or fissures would close in upon themselves, trapping the Esthari beneath the surface. The wind would instantly reduce to a light breeze.

What an awful way to die, Tyris thought.

She did not need Ramuh to tell her that this was the rage of Gaia, aided by Pandemonium. The soldiers watched the arid ground as though they were stepping through an endless minefield. Tyris was forced to summon Ramuh's lightning whenever any soldiers broke from the force, keeping them terrified, but in line. 'Stormbringer,' she had heard some of the Esthari calling her. Tyris was now effectively in command.

Barely any of the soldiers spoke, making no sound until the earth-elemental GFs struck again, this time signified by a chorus of screams of the southern side of the lines, immediately silenced as the ground snapped shut.

'We just lost over a thousand, ma'am!' the frightened voice of an NCO sounded in her earpiece.

'General Zebalga has demanded that we proceed!' Tyris responded, not for the first time.

The NCO said nothing more. There were two more smaller scale attacks on the force, but never near Tyris. She was forced to kill any soldiers that strayed from the march, Ramuh's bolts of judgment smiting them down. As the sun set, she gave the order to make camp.

Where is my father's party? she asked Ramuh.

You will see them again on the morrow, her GF replied.

At mid-afternoon the following day, the eight GF bearers were as calm as they could be as they faced the still substantial Esthari force marching towards them. They were all apprehensive, despite their experience. There had never been such a large force assembled since the First Sorceress War, and an even larger, untroubled one was now marching north through the Great Plains of Galbadia. Even if Quistis' plan was a complete success, Zebalga's army still had to be defeated in the field.

Sacred and Minotaur had reluctantly left the Esthari alone since the previous day, replenishing their power for their next act, which would require a great amount. When they were within sight of the Esthari and shouts sounded from the front of the line, Rinoa summoned Brothers. She was no longer with them, having made herself invisible to fly unseen over the great army.

Rhodry saw the distant navy glow of the two minotaurs appear at either end of Esthar's rear. Having gathered a colossal amount of energy, they hefted their great maces and poured their utmost energy into a single blow. They struck the ground with such force that the earth beneath them immediately caved in, expanding to create two deep, merging canyons that swallowed tens of thousands of soldiers. The resulting earthquake was so loud it blocked out the screams, but like the holes opened throughout the plateau earlier, this great fissure remained gaping.

Then, Quistis summoned Eden. The gigantic form of the Elder Guardian Force instantly appeared above the front of the army. Those Esthari who recognised its image from art reacted in absolute horror, knowing their end was nigh.

A secondary deafening noise was Eden's attack, which had to be one of the strongest ever unleashed throughout history. At first, there was the translucent image of a pentagram appearing at the front of the army, quickly falling to cover nearly half of it. This was followed by a vivid flash of silver light, shooting from the oval at the centre of Eden's angelic base. Nearly half of the force was vaporised as the light radiated out from the Elder GF, with only a deep crater remaining where the soldiers had been. Many more were injured by the fallout. Most of the survivors backed up in a bid to escape, sending thousands more falling into the other great wound in the earth.

It's massive reserves of energy depleted, Eden disappeared and returned to his summoner. What came next was an artificial monstrosity that looked just as menacing as Eden. Galbadia Garden had appeared from the beneath the sea to the north, where it had been lying in wait the entire time. It had started approaching before Eden appeared, heading for the army's new line at full speed following the blast.

The Garden moved parallel to Brothers' Canyon, as it would no doubt become known. The revolving, golden halo encircling it was the only weapon it needed to wreak devastation upon the remainder of the force. Legions more were cut down as they could not hope to outrun it, and just as many were driven into the deep canyon. After one complete pass from north to south, the Garden moved a hundred yards beyond the end of the Esthari line, circling for another pass without losing speed. Its powerful shields easily absorbed the hail of Esthar's plasma cannons.

As the Garden passed, the GFs of Rhodry and the others were summoned to tear into the remainder of the force. Cerberus led the charge of its brethren, the Gatekeeper running towards the Esthari with silver rays and projectiles spewing from its maws. It was joined by the golden, feathered snake-like being of Quetzalcoatl; the more bestial half of the GF Raijin, summoned by its namesake. With a shuddering cry, Quetzal flew over the soldiers so rapidly it could barely be seen, a black cloud expanding behind it, uncountable thunderbolts raining death from above. Shiva, Siren, Ifrit and Pandemonium all joined the fray, attacking just as mercilessly as they had done against the vanguard before.

More Esthari fell beneath their combined fury before the Garden returned with its deadly plough. By the time the Garden completed its second pass, the once awesome force had been almost completely diminished. The canyon was piled with bodies, and less than a tenth of the force remained above it. The survivors ran north and south, some clearing the canyon. The GFs used the last of their energy to launch attacks at these haphazardly fleeing pockets of soldiers, then returned to their summoners. The Garden headed back to the cliffs, now set to join the western fleet.

When Rinoa appeared before them, Fujin ran to her.

'Tyris?' she asked desperately.

Rinoa shook her head apologetically. 'Brothers said she fell into the canyon with Akechi, that Ramuh is shielding them.'

'Where?' Fujin demanded.

Rinoa just raised her hands and shook her head again. 'I don't know. I'm sorry, Fu.'

A sharp gust from Pandemonium lifted Fujin from the ground, and she flew all the way to the edge of the canyon, landing on the edge. Seifer followed on foot.

Rhodry looked at Quistis again, who had her back to the crater caused by Eden's holocaust. Nida and Xu stood by her. Eden had dealt the biggest blow by far, perhaps altering the course of the war with that devastating blast, and Quistis had been his summoner. Rhodry did not need to be told that the Blue Mage had vowed to be a righteous Sorceress, like her Matron before her. But she was still human and relatively young, now in the possession of immense power.

Xu tried to reassure her close friend. 'You had to do it, Quis.'

'Was their truly no other way?' she asked.

'There wasn't,' Nida said. 'Ultimecia would surely have defeated us in an honest battle, with those numbers. Now, we have hope. And we all played a hand in this, my love.'

Quistis walked further away from them. Harbouring the power that killed so many had to have irreversibly scarred her soul. With Eden at her beck and call, she was the most powerful being on the Planet.

Tyris and Hikaru had been in the middle of the force. They were slightly ahead of the rear that fell into Brothers' Canyon. When Eden appeared above them like a seraph of destruction, they had been able to do nothing more than watch as he had annihilated half the army in the blink of an eye. Galbadia Garden had emerged, rising over the northern crags like a red tsunami and cutting deep into the troops that had survived Eden's attack, forcing the lines further back into the gaping fissure. Tyris also sighted the multi-coloured explosions of raw energy as the free GFs attacked.

She gripped Hikaru's arm tightly as the line of soldiers in front nearly knocked them off their feet to get away from Garden's deadly halo.

'Into the canyon!' Tyris said desperately in Hikaru's ear. 'We'll be fine!'

The ground disappeared beneath their feet seconds later. They fell with the rest of the soldiers, but both drew on their GFs to cushion their fall. Landing on the growing pile of bodies, Ramuh erected a protective ball of lightning to shield them from the dropping bodies above, and Hikaru bade Jumbo to strengthen it.

At first the Esthari slid off the spherical barrier, giving them a window of the sky. But as the corpses piled to either side of them, they were quickly closed in. Claustrophobic, Tyris had let go of Hikaru's arm and hugged her knees in the darkness as Ramuh attempted to ease her mind. They remained within that cocoon for almost an hour, according to their watches. But it seemed to stretch on forever. Tyris said nothing to Hikaru, who was sitting in a similar pose, her eyes deadpan.

It is over, Ramuh informed her. The GF bearers and the Garden have cleared the area.

And my parents? Tyris thought back.

At Locomota, the Old One replied. I reached out to Pandemonium and Ifrit, assuring them that you would approach your parents when you are ready. They know you are safe.

Tyris turned to Hikaru. 'Summon Jumbo now! He can move the bodies above us!'

Hikaru's vacant stare swept over her, and she nodded faintly. The Jumbo Cactuar's towering form materialised above Ramuh's sphere, parting the bodies over their heads. Tyris had never been so grateful to see the sun as they were bathed in light, chasing away the oppressive darkness. Hikaru recalled Jumbo, and Ramuh appeared above them, absent his staff. He bent to take their hands and flew out of the canyon with the two officers dangling from him, landing softly on the eastern side.

Tyris looked in the direction of Locomota but could see no one. Hikaru dropped to her knees, the expression of despair returning. She looked at the smoking crater caused by Eden, and the countless bodies within the canyon, so deeply laid that they could not see the bottom.

Half of the land army, gone. Half a million soldiers. Tyris wondered if she were ultimately responsible for this, by leaking the invasion plans to Thalassa. Tyris knew Hikaru's shame would now know no bounds, and that nothing Tyris could say to her friend would ease it. Hikaru alone would be made the scapegoat for leading half a million troops to death's door. At best, Hikaru would spend the rest of her life in the mines. More mercifully, she would be put to death. Either publicly executed by the Empress' chief Judge, Gabranth, or given the option to take her own life. It would not matter that Hikaru had urged Memnon to allow her to divert her force, or that there was nothing she could have done to prevent the losses.

What few thousand troops that had survived would be deserters. They would either head back to the now black Yaulney Forest or pillage the scant settlements throughout the Monterosa. Tyris would round them up later, but Hikaru would neither have the desire nor the inclination to pursue them. Tyris believed the only thing that stopped Hikaru casting aside her slave crystal and falling from the cliff was the image of her family. She had taken a photograph of Mitsuhide and her three children from a pouch on her armour, and was gazing at it intently, her fingertips running over it.

'I don't know what the better option is,' Hikaru said weakly, her voice a now croak. 'Whether I take my own life now, and my children grow up believing that I was killed by Eden. Or that I survived, to join the coming battle. That I charged the Blue Mage to defend what little shred of honour I had left.'

Tyris had long since accepted that it could come to this, that in turning on Esthar she would end up facing Hikaru or Selena on her path to Zebalga or the Empress – who's deaths were the only thing she truly cared for. But a despicable sneak attack on her friend was not something Tyris had anticipated having to do. Even so, Esthar's forces losing two more officers and their captive GFs would certainly turn the odds against the Empress. In less than a second, Tyris rationalised that the ends justified the means. She tightened her grip on her spear.

It would be a mercy killing, child, Ramuh communicated.

Hyne, forgive me!

With Hikaru's unbroken gaze still on the photo, Tyris drove the spear into her back. Hikaru died almost instantly, crumpling to the hard rock with blood pooling from the deep thrust. That same blood dripped from the spear tip as Tyris stared at her friend's body, her mouth agape. She carefully moved to the cliff edge, her legs like lead as she knelt and wretched over it. Panting, she turned away from the edge and the view of the broken bodies below, as well as Hikaru's corpse.

After a short time, Ramuh said, I regret that you had to do that, child. I know you were fond of her. When you are ready, take her magicite, and know you may have averted a kamikaze charge that would have cost many lives.

'And the Jumbo Cactuar?' she asked weakly, aloud.

You can set him free. Alternatively, you can use his aura to veil my own until you are ready to rejoin the free forces. I will touch Jumbo's consciousness and assure him his liberation is nigh. I leave it to your discretion.

Tyris did not trust her discretion.

Do not doubt yourself, Stormbringer. I never would have leant you my power if I doubted you had what was necessary to see this war through to the end.

'Thank you, Ramuh,' she said earnestly.

Tyris forced herself to stand, looking to the sun. With the sky now clear over the Monterosa, it bathed the whole area in an alternative light. When seen from above, the sun would draw eyes to Brothers' Canyon and Eden's Crater, now distinct depressions in an otherwise uninteresting landscape.

She looked at Hikaru's corpse again, then the photograph that was the last thing Hikaru had ever seen. Thankfully, it was free of Hikaru's blood. Tyris tried to remember the children's names as she studied it, her eyes filling with tears as her fingers traced their faces. Jubei, Kaede and... Tenkai, he was the youngest. She vowed one day to seek them out and tell them the truth. Tyris found the Jumbo Cactuar's magicite in one of Hikaru's pouches. Then she moved the body into a more respectable position. She closed Hikaru's eyes, placing her sheathed katana on her chest with both hands. She knew a thrustaevis or another beast would ravage the corpse within the hour, but the dignity was the least she could spare.

She would gather what pocket of troops she could from the Monterosa, before they could cause too much havoc, and continue the march into Galbadia. Tyris knew that if she joined the battle alone, questions would be asked about the fate of Hikaru and the others. If she turned up with ten thousand, it would be looked upon more favourably. As Hikaru had been in command, Tyris need not fear reprisal. Another factor was that leading the deserters into the battle, where many of them would die, was the preferred option to leaving them to loot and pillage the unfortunate populace who had been unable to flee west.

Tyris took a small comfort in the thought that she only had to keep up this farce for a little longer. Perhaps only long enough to join the battle. Either way, she had done it all for Matron and Cid. And for Thalassa, to a lesser extent. But Tyris' avengement would never be fulfilled until Zebalga and the Empress lay dead at her feet, the way the demonic duo had left Matron and Cid all those years ago.