Chapter 9: The Final Act

Gogo appeared in Terra's chamber. Zeromus looked up. "Hmm...one of Lugae's creations?"

"I recognize him, Dark Lord. That is Gogo...he...she...uh...it, is a warrior of Light. We must destroy...uh...it!" Terra hated not knowing the gender of Gogo.

"Hello Zemus d'Luna. Poltergeist bids you regards. You will now join her."

"HAHAHAHA!" Zeromus drew a black sword from his belt. Even as a human this creature was no match for Zeromus, lord of Dark.

Zeromus watched Gogo draw raise his hands. Sheets of electricity engulfed the evil Lunarian. "You cannot win, Lord of Dark. You cannot

destroy this world."

Zeromus dropped to one knee beneath the tumult of energy.

"You...are...nothing!" Zeromus suddenly exploded. Acrid sulfur filled the air and Gogo lowered his arms.

"It is over, Terra. I now must cleanse you, to purge this world of his evil." Gogo raised his arms again, preparing to strike down his once ally.

"Please." Gogo spun around. A hulking mass of churning green flesh

stood before him. "This is the true Zeromus! With every scream of

agony ever heard, ever mother's tear for a child dead, I grow stronger! Do you hear me, soldier of Light! I cannot lose again! This world," a tentacle gestured expansively, "so full of sadness, is so full of power for ME! I will corrupt it and then destroy it. And then I will kill every Lunarian and destroy every world in creation!"

"No. You must not. I will stop you!" Gogo dropped his flesh and stepped out in his true form. "This is my destiny!" Gogo pulled energy

from every system, and in a flash of blinding light fired it all into Zeromus.

"Sna...oh?" asked Umaro. He started dancing around. Mog groaned.

"Keep mining, kupo! Hear me? This is no time to joke around!"

"Ung'h! Umaro..like..sna..oh!" Umaro grudgingly went back to work.

And then Mog began to scream.

"Setzer, the water is rising."

"I see that, Shadow. But there isn't anything we can do about it."

Setzer walked up towards higher ground. Already most of the cave had two or three inches of water in it.

"Couldn't we get trapped? If the water level rises too high, we'd have to swim quite a ways to get out. And you aren't exactly in your prime."

Shadow leaned against the wall and sighed.

"Outside we stand risk of getting caught in a sand storm, or any other weather problem that's causing this. If the water rises too high, we simply leave."

"Very well. Tell me about Darryl, Setzer. I was...busy...when you explained your history to the others."

"It's a long story..."

"Come on, you big monster! Too afraid to attack me?" mocked Edgar. He was sweating even in the rain, but he was uninjured. The same could NOT be said about the beast.

"Why do you keep fighting, Human? Even if you kill me, the Dark Lord

will kill you!"

"Dark Lord? Ha! I brought Kefka to his knees. I've destroyed Goddesses. And you think I'm afraid of a little moon man?" Edgar lunged and jammed the Lance into its chest.

"You...will...die for this. Even now...Figaro...burns.." The dark blood of the beast coated the rocks.

"Oh Goddess, let it be a lie!"

Edgar dove into the water and started to swim.

"Lord Garamonde?" asked as soldier. "Where are you going?"

"Do you hear that sound?"

"No...what are you talking about?"

"Screams, Corporal. Thousands of screams. Tell the army to be ready. Something very wrong is happening in Figaro. We leave in the hour. Now go!" Cyan slid his blades into his belt. He looked up, about to snap out, when..

"It can't be!" shouted Cyan, embracing the woman in front of him.

"I have so little time here, Cyan, my love. You are correct about Figaro, there is great evil afoot. Higher forces than those of men are at war, and where I am...bad things have begun. There is a Master there. A Lord of Death and Justice that wishes you to have this blade. It is called the Gray Blade. In it are the powers of life and of death. I must go now, Love, but...for me...and Owain...save the world..."

"Elayne!" screamed Cyan. "Must I lose you again, my love?"

"Good-bye..."

"What is the problem in Figaro?"

"I don't know, I was just...I can't explain it," the man told Gau.

"Very well." Gau walked to the corner and spoke briefly with the guard.

He then returned.

"You are being taken to the jail. I am going with fifteen men. If this was a trick, my men have orders to kill you. Do you understand?"

"Perfectly, Lord Gau."