Chapter 93

Aftermath

For a whole week now, the western continent had been free from tyranny. The Federation of Timber had been restored, with its new borders in accordance with the Trilateral Agreement. With more than a year remaining on her official term, Francesca DiMarco had been reinterred as its President, and Cassandra Elderwood had been renamed head of a self-defence force.

Going into retreat after receiving a new level of power was become a pattern of behaviour with Sorceress Ultimecia. Though all across the Forested Plains, her forces had been faced with annihilation. She had ordered a full withdrawal to the eastern shores in order to regroup at Balamb. Hearing tidings of an ailing imperial force and given further confidence by the devastation of the marine legions posted there, Balamb's resistance had openly declared for independence. They had imprisoned the Governor and the many Esthari aristocrats who had taken up residence in the wider Albatross, and for forty-eight hours, the Balambi had believed that they too were free.

The imperial legions at Yaulney Canyon were all but abandoned. Facing certain defeat, they begun a haphazard retreat into the Roshfall, where even more traps were sprung by the natives. Very few made it to the other side, and there were still hundreds of them evading capture on the wider plains.

In southern Timber, Selena had successfully gathered the legions available to her, clashing with Centrans and Forest fighters in an open battle on the plains between Redwood and Timber City. The discipline of her forces, aided by the Temple Knights, had won over the ragtag coalition of guerrillas and foreign nomads. First-hand witnesses spoke of the Shieldmaiden single-handedly holding off the two demi-GF bearers Princess Relm and Prince Noctis, in a battle where Thalassa and Gilgamesh were notably absent. Still, the ranks of the Forest fighters swelled, with every able man and woman across Timber arriving to fight for freedom, and Selena had not the legionnaires to hold them a second time. Instead, the colonel took the port town of Arrowfall, accepting the surrender of five hundred Forest Stag, who she held hostage until her force evacuated from the harbour. True to her word, every single one was released once her force was safely away. The Temple Knights had returned to Nanchuket Island, which had been placed under blockade by the Allies.

Farther north, Reinhardt had not been so merciful. Word had it he had realised Tyris had abandoned Jericho City, and he tried to infiltrate Galbadia Garden to finish his destruction of the Garland Regiment. Though he had been thwarted by Cerberus, who had taken up guard in the same atrium where he met the Children of Fate. Reinhardt had almost retaken Jericho in Tyris' absence, though begrudgingly left it for the Saronans, who did not pursue him east. Sleipnir led the charge for Vesper Bay, wherein every last Saronan soldier was brutally slain.

All of the fleeing imperial ships in the Central Ocean were instructed to bear north for Balamb. An obsidian figurine emerged from the lead ship and laid waist to all of the gunboats seized by Balamb's resistance in a shower of swarthy energy rays. This altered Empress then led her fleet from island to island in a brutal campaign of suppression, flattening many structures with outbursts of power, helping her become used to the output of her new body. When Ultimecia finally got to where Governor Vergillia was imprisoned, she was said to have turned Vergillia's body inside out for gross inkompetence, appointing a new replacement on a whim. The citizens dutifully went back to their homes, the ones that were still standing, able to only hold to silent prayers that the two surviving Children of Fate and the new Sorceress Tyris would be their salvation.

Meanwhile, 'Baron' had become the shortest lived Esthari province. With only a token force remaining to hold southern Galbadia once Selena had redeployed its legions, the Galbadians had retaken it three days ago, simultaneously launching an amphibious invasion while a coalition ground force forced their way through Lollapalooza Canyon. Even if it was now just many acres of scorched earth, it was Galbadia's land, and President Martine had wanted it back – especially after seceding the Monterosa to New Sarona.

In the south of the World, ill sentiment was rife. Of the fifty thousand Centrans who had sailed off to participate in a foreign war, less than half had returned, and there was little stomach for further participation. Knowing there would never be a better opportunity, Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn of Blauehaven had sent a trick sparrow to Lenown Castle signifying her intentions to breakaway from the Kingdom. The Esthari colony in the Shire of Yorn had done much the same, declaring themselves the independent city-state of 'Palamecia', and had forcibly ejected any royalist forces from their capital. The faerie tale of the Restoration was rapidly being unravelled, forcing King Steiner and Queen Beatrix to return to Lenown and carefully plot their response.

White SeeD had effectively disbanded, following the events at Redwood and the destruction of their home. Thalassa had disappeared before the clash with Selena on the plains; none had seen her leave, and Gilgamesh became preoccupied with a frantic search. Most of the surviving White SeeDs had successfully requested transfer to Battleship Island, with Squall even allowing them to retain their uniforms and trademark berets. Ellone had brought Ifrit Almasy and the rest of the children from FH to train under Squall, too.

Ultimecia was now back within Esthar. In a shock move, it was announced on Esthar 24 that Leonidas Christophe was now High Commander of imperial forces, who was credited with defeating the Guardian of Trabia and the Autumn Knight. Many had expected Selena Vlahos to succeed the fallen General Zebalga, though despite her gallant performance, it seemed she was to be scapegoated for the loss of Redwood, the capture of Admiral Ramius and leaving Baron defenceless.

Tyris Almasy, now the Sixteenth Descendant of Hyne, was still comatose and safely under Kadowaki's care in Battleship Island's infirmary. Curiously, the day after the imperial retreat, the near permanent pall of storm clouds over northern Galbadia had begun moving west. Six days later, they arrived at the shores of the eastern continent, and had almost wholly blanketed Esthar City. The Heart of the Empire could not be seen from outside of the veiling hologram curtains, but all forecasters could see it was being buffeted by repeating chorus of rolling thunder, jagged lightning, and heavy downpours, a mood-dampening song that showed no signs of abating.

As soon as healing spells could be bestowed on him, Ballad Deling had disappeared from Galbadia Garden. He had neither attended the mass internment of the fallen Garlands at the Tomb of the Unknown King nor tried to gain access to Tyris' bedside at the docked Battleship Island. As Ballad had not formally requested leave or discharge, Headmaster Biggs had little choice to class him as AWOL.

The single-story cottage had remained in good condition over the past several years, looked after by the moogles in the area and a couple of moomba caretakers. Open layout, Dingo rugs, duck-egg walls and handcrafted units from sustainable sources. There was an empty chocobo stable adjoining to it and a path from the backdoor leading to the tranquil Obel shore.

After politics had forced Rinoa and Squall to leave Balamb Garden, Squall had used his mostly unspent 30,000 gil bonus from achieving A-rank as the deposit. In learning his daughter had become a Sorceress, Fury Caraway had finally relinquished some of the death grant he had gained from the death of his first wife, Julia. It was a small fraction of what Rinoa believed she had been entitled to, but it was all she was likely to receive, and they had provided the cost of the refurbishment and the furnishings.

The wake was to be held there, but for now, they had the ceremony. Down a tended path a hundred yards from the cottage was a glade that also backed onto the lakeside. There were magnolia trees here, making it a passable place of rest for one of the two about to be interred. By rights, Selphie and Rhodry should have been buried in their beloved Trabia. Though Adaryn was under occupation, as was most of the Whitelands itself. With the imperial fleet between the Allies and Trabia, they had had to look at other options. President Martine had offered to do a public, televised ceremony for them at the Tomb of the Unknown King, but Squall and Rinoa had opted for a more private one. Thus, there were very few actually in attendance.

Those that were followed Rinoa into the glade, where Squall was already waiting in his casual attire. While Rhodry was to be buried in his old Trabia Garden SeeD uniform, Selphie was in her favourite battledress, boots and hat. Though the nature of their wounds meant that both caskets were closed.

Rinoa was followed by Doctor Kadowaki, dressed head-to-toe in a white Balambi mourning robe – the total opposite of western funeral fashion – and wearing her clan headband. Then the Trabian SeeDs Morfydd and Derfel, as those siblings couldn't not be in attendance. Raine, Liu and Zhang followed them; while Zhang was still among Neo-SeeD's ranks, Squall had accepted Raine and Liu's discharge five days past. Ellone, Fujin, Ifrit and Edea; Ellone in particular wore a deadpan expression, having now lost her only son in addition to Raijin. Then there was Francesca DiMarco, the First Family and General Elderwood; the Silver Vixen being the only guard they needed. Sir Laguna, as Selphie had always called him, arm in arm with Euthalia Chrysanthe. And of the Kingdom of Centra, Prince Noctis and Princess Relm. Jericho Vossler and the Dragoon, Luna. Damian had almost arrived late, his motorcycle roaring to a stop outside the cottage, and now he was bringing up the rear; as Selphie had helped him reach the end of the Jade Passage, he had felt obliged to pay his respects.

Nida's body had not been recovered. One reason was because it was not inanimate. There were reports that the Ghost of Amaterasu was wandering the Forest Plains, in relentless pursuit of Esthari soldiers that had been left behind. While many might think Nida was doing the westerners a favour, he had suffered a mortal wound and was effectively what his people referred to as an onimusha. He was also now highly dangerous, and when the last of the imperials were taken care of, Amaterasu's spectre might turn her fury upon innocents for want of purpose. Understandably, Instructor Aki had wanted to put his son to rest immediately, but without a GF, it would be a suicide mission; Squall had been forced to detain Aki in the brig, which was why the Instructor was not present.

'Thank you all for coming,' Squall said mechanically, after Damian formed the end of a semi-circle.

There were two neat, rectangular graves dug by the moombas. The GF Shiva was standing motionless between the holes that contained two of her last vessels, holding Selphie's weapon. Vossler had summoned Siren earlier, who was seated on a rock by the lakeside, playing a gentle tune that fitted the tranquillity of the scenery. Rinoa moved to stand at her Knight's side, dropping two handfuls of earth into each hole.

'When I told Edea that I wanted to divide my power,' Rinoa said, 'she told me that she could think of none better suited to receive it than Selphie or Quistis.' Her eyes became noticeably dewy, her ordinarily high voice croaking. 'They gave up a normal life for me! Every day, Squall and I remember what they did for me. I remember their sacrifice! Nida's and Irvine's, too!'

Squall placed a steady hand on Rinoa's shoulder, taking over.

'Selphie was,' he begun, finding his words. 'a treasured friend. A heroine. The Guardian of Trabia. Although she only resided at the Island for a short time, she had a deep impact, and the void left by her passing can never be filled. The Divide kept us apart for most of two decades, but in no way weakened the bond between us. She was strong-willed, kind, and resourceful. Her energetic nature lit up everywhere she graced. Her music festivals are among my most cherished memories. It took a while, but her positive energy grew on me during our SeeD missions, and she bettered our moods even during the bleakest of situations.'

Then he gave a rare smile. 'She thought I was joking when I told her Trabian friends that she had been a great asset. 'Rinoa and I will never recover from her loss, but we can take a measure of comfort in knowing she is reunited with Irvine.

'And Rhodry,' Squall continued. 'I still remember the day he, Glyn and Anwen came to Balamb Garden. After I saved him at the Battle of the Gardens, he told Selphie he wanted to be like me; he wanted to fight alongside me someday, refusing to let his age be a barrier. Even as a child, he strove to be the best at everything he did, and his training paid dividends when he became the second one to make SeeD by fifteen. In adulthood, there was no one that could best the Abadon of Adaryn at the sword,' Squall paused. 'Myself included. The Battle of the Great Plains may well have been lost if not for his bravery, confronting Selphie alone, forced to fight the one he treasured as another sister. Not only did he stop her, he saved her! He brought his Guardian back to us!'

Derfel started keening, unrestrained wails that pierced around the circle of trees. He sank to his knees. While Morfydd had a hand below his neck, she looked to be quivering too, and her face was reddening. Shiva was looking at them both. She started to walk, stopping in front of them.

'Now, now,' she said. 'Derfel. Your name means 'strong' in the archaic Trabian tongue, does it not? You need to be just that in the wake of Selphie and Rhodry's departure.' Her words had enough of an impact to sunder him to silence. She looked to Morfydd. 'Your mentors had a dream for their homeland, one that the two of you need to see realised. That for Trabia to rise as a nation, its sovereignty respected by the rest of the Planet, its hard-bred people robust enough to drive out those unwelcome trespassers from warmer pastures that would seek to seize their hard-won bounty. For its robust defenders to be sowed in a replanted Garden.'

The Guardian Force looked between them, and Derfel got to his feet, wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

'That day lies some way into the future,' Shiva told them. 'But for now, Trabia needs a new Guardian.' She looked at the shinobou hanging from Morfydd's belt-ring, one that had also once belonged to Selphie, then presented her with Strangevision. There was a quick flash, and the emerald ends became a light blue, the same cornflower as Morfydd's eyes. 'Your Commander has a mission for you, Morfydd. To walk the Whitelands with my ice in your heart and Strangevision in your hand and spread the word of what befell the Guardian and the Abadon. You will gather every able-bodied Trabian on its western shores, for when the time comes to sail on Balamb. United, the northpeoples will bring a snowstorm upon the fleet of Ultimecia unlike she has ever known.'

Astounded, Morfydd stood as frozen as the Bika Snowfield. Her expression both incredulous and one of wonder. From the gravesides, it was Squall who spoke. 'Take it,' he said.

'Yes, sir!'

When the Trabian girl's hand touched Strangevision, Shiva disappeared into it, then up Morfydd's arm and the rest of her body. She gave a single shiver, then was still, meeting her brother's eyes.

'Is there anything you would like to say, Morfydd?' Rinoa asked her.

Shiva's chosen Summoner walked to the open graves, standing before them, looking down at the closed caskets.

'None that I have not already repeated a hundred times over,' she said. 'Selphie and Rhodry's heroics saved us at Trabia Garden. Not to mention Irvine's. Everything we have done from that fateful day, becoming SeeDs, continuing to resist the Empire, has been in attempt to earn our deliverance where so many other of our comrades were killed.' Morfydd turned to face them all. 'With my new power, I will see the collective dream of the Trabians realised, and its Garden risen from the ashes as a symbol of strength through the long nights.'

Derfel walked to join her now, turning to the rest of the attendees. 'The ones we lay to rest gave me the courage to achieve everything I have up to this day. As my sister says, we will stoke the fires that give life to Trabia as a sovereign state, and we will not rest until their visions are fulfilled.'

The rest of the attendees followed, each with a choice few words and two sprinklings from the mounds of earth behind each hole. With just one handful, all Fujin said was, 'Rest.' When it was Ellone's turn, she said nothing. The young Edea had known neither Selphie nor Rhodry that well, having spent most of her life in Winhill. Ifrit, however, had lost his second mentor, and when the time came for him to give a choice few words, he bawled and ran after Fujin. 'Why did Rhodry have to die, Mom?' he wailed. 'He was the best swordsman in the World!'

'Sir' Laguna hobbled forth on his cane, cleared his throat, and begun reading from an overly long paper in a monotonous and somewhat waffly speech, praising all of Selphie's known accomplishments, whether they be at Garden, Battleship Island, Trabia or on the Network. The rest of them waited patiently, for if anything, it served to ensure the ceremony was not over too quickly. Eventually, Laguna folded the paper and placed it in his back pocket. Awkwardly, he straightened, switched the cane to his other hand, and reached into his other back pocket for another. After a moment, his mouth parted in horror and his wrinkled face went as crimson. 'Damn it!' he exclaimed. 'I don't have Rhodry's!'

Euthalia sighed, perhaps in relief.

'It is okay,' she said, taking her recently wedded husband's hand. 'From what we know of Rhodry, he was a chivalrous blademaster and a heroic commander, looked upon highly by the younger generations of his organisation. Veteran of the Battles of the Bika Snowfield and Balamb Garden's fall. The sole survivor of the Adaryn bloodbath, known as the Abadon to the Esthari who fought there. The Hero of the Great Plains. The bane of the Ist Legion. And he was perhaps the greatest swordsman who ever lived, humbling anyone else who had to audacity to claim that title, including Leonidas Christophe and Mitsuhide Akechi. I regret to say I only met Rhodry in passing, but all attest to his kindness and humility of his character, who is finally reunited with his compatriots in the Netherworld.' She smiled at Laguna. 'I believe that was what you intended to convey, my love?'

'In much fewer words, yes!' Laguna said, still abashed.

Euthalia locked her elbow within his and tugged to drag him away.

Damian was last, pausing by the holes. 'Thanks for getting me through the Jade Passage, Selphie. You kicked ass!' He walked away from the graves with his chest puffed out, his jaw wired shut in defiance of his reddening face and the moistening of his eyes.

The wake was both modest and cheerful, prepared by the moogles and moombas. The fish and game had been caught in the predawn, the vegetables had been plucked from the patch adjoining the empty stables, and the wine had been maturing for several years in the cellar. There were not many seats, so most remained standing in the farmhouse kitchen, while welcome Nobuo Uematsu hits sounded from a vinyl player once belonging to Rinoa's mother.

'I love this picture, Aunt Rinoa!' Edea called out, from the lounge.

On the lounge's wall was a hand drawn picture of Rinoa, Selphie and Quistis, penned by the artist Massey when they had vacationed in Dollet City. It had been after the latter two had finished their trained with Edea Kramer and was actually the last time all three of them had been together, a 'girl's holiday' away from their new husbands and Knights. And what had happened in Dollet that week had stayed in Dollet; Squall had never asked, and Rinoa had never told.

'When you become a SeeD, you can have it in your new cabin,' Rinoa promised, winking at Edea.

They all made as merry as they could. While the battles for the western continent had been won, the Third Sorceress War was not yet over. As soon as the next day, many of them would be departing on new journeys. Morfydd and Derfel to Trabia. Squall and Rinoa would be scouring the Forested Plains for Nida, and they planned to ask Damian for help. Raine willed to foray deep into the Grandidi to reach the Eldertree – with Ialantha, no less; Raine had refused to leave the Golden Raptor at the mercy of the Galbadians, and she was also incarcerated at Battleship Island. Luna and the other Dragoons would be undertaking Tiamat's trial at the Island Closest to Hell. Liu and Zhang would be going to the Tomb of the Unknown King, to earn their unions with Sacred and Minotaur. All before the Allies sailed for the long overdue liberation of Balamb.

Ellone had been sitting by the unlit hearth with Kadowaki, as deadpan as ever as she stared at the logs and saying very little, absently spinning her flute glass around with her fingertips. Raiden's body, like Tian and Sendo's, had not been recovered; what had remained would have been consumed by the fastitocalons. She rose slowly and took her now empty glass into the kitchen, walking up to Squall and Rinoa.

'Any sign of Thalassa?' she asked them hoarsely.

They shook their heads. 'I've got a direct line to Kintara,' Squall told her. 'We'll know as soon as he knows.'

Ellone inhaled briskly. 'What about Tyris? Is she still asleep?'

'We haven't heard otherwise,' Rinoa replied. 'The Infirmary's under instruction to contact us as soon as she awakens.'

'Tomorrow, I want to see her,' Ellone said.