epilogue

EPILOGUE – THE PATH THAT DIVIDES

[Expect landfall by tomorrow morning. In the meantime, you'd better come up with a way to get that sphere back! And Ellone!]

Yes, Matron. I won't let you down again.

[No, you won't.]

With that, her mental influence receded. Seifer exhaled and opened his eyes. A look around the Lunatic Pandora's command center assured him no one had taken notice. The officers and sorceress knights all continued manning their diagnostic stations, their efforts ensuring the Lunar Cry's sustained descent. And indeed, it was on its way.

Just as before, a multitude of images had flashed through his mind's eye. Visions of the planet, moon, stars, and Adel's frozen figure held within a ringed containment unit remained imprinted in the back of his retinas. He had no further context beyond what orders Edea had relayed to him; her impositions both times were fleeting, providing him only whatever information she deemed necessary. Fortunately, it was enough.

He stared out the view-port at the Esthar plains. Desolate wilderness stretched on for miles to the southern peninsula, the widest expanse of barren land he'd seen firsthand since the D-District Prison. It would be swarming with legions of monsters by sunrise. Allegedly, the Pandora's outer shielding combined with the energy field produced by Tears' Point would keep them safe from harm. Though he took Edea at her word, the hull breach they'd suffered 15 minutes before gave him some cause for concern. And still, there remained the challenge of locating and retrieving Adel's body from among the ravenous horde. He almost felt sorry for whichever squad he would end up assigning to the task.

On the bright side, with the containment unit finally pulled down out of orbit, the radio interference which had plagued every frequency for 17 years was at an end. The airwaves would soon be clear for his declaration to the people of the world. None could stand against the Pandora's destructive might. It was only a matter of time before SeeD and Esthar buckled, and were forced to accept whatever ultimatum he laid down for them. Ellone and that elusive holy sphere would be his soon enough.

"Sir Seifer!"

He spun around. From atop the elevated command deck, he peered down the steps to the entrance. A group of four strode inside from the parted double doors. All were knights, and yet two so unexpectedly familiar he had to do a double take.

"Fujin! Raijin!" he called out to them, moving to stand at the stop of the stairs. "What are you two doing here? How did you get in?"

"They were the cause of the hull breach on the 29th floor," one of the accompanying knights informed him. "The capsules they used to punch through are Esthar make and model, but they claim to be on our side. At least a few others recognized them from Balamb."

Befuddling as the guard's account was, these were indeed his nearest and dearest friends who stood before him. Slowly, he descended the steps.

"Well, I certainly wasn't expecting to see you guys again so soon," he admitted on the way down. "But it's good that you're here! I could always use a couple more hands to keep the troops in line."

"Listen, Seifer," Raijin spoke up. "We've got your back, y'know? Always have. But me an' Fujin… we're here to tell you we've had enough, y'know?"

Seifer stumbled to a halt; he just barely kept himself from tripping down the rest of the stairs.

"What… what are you talking about?" he stammered incredulously.

"We ain't been sure what's right or wrong ourselves lately, but… this ain't it. You've gotta stop this, y'know? You're goin' down a road there's no comin' back from, an' me an' Fujin are tellin' you it's time to turn around."

Never before had Raijin gone against him. The muscular young man might have been speaking a different language altogether for how incomprehensible it was to Seifer. His eyes swiveled between him and Fujin. Nothing remained of the enthusiasm they'd shown as he'd left them in charge of Balamb three months ago.

"I don't believe what I'm hearing," he spluttered, throwing out his arms. "Don't you guys trust me? We've always stuck together through thick and thin. And as long as we keep on sticking together, I swear we'll make it through this, too. Come on, guys! What's the matter with you? I thought we were a posse!"

"Posse…" Fujin echoed.

She stepped forward from beside Raijin, and made her way to the base of the stairs.

"We are… and we always will be."

Seifer's mouth parted, and hung open in awe. Not since he'd inadvertently put out Fujin's eye all those years ago had she ever spoken a full sentence to him, nor anyone else. The seriousness in her remaining one as she glared up at him was likewise unmistakable. Again they were young teens, entrenched in an argument along the rocky shores that would soon turn to bloodshed.

"And it's because we're a posse that we want to help you," she went on. "Whatever it takes, we're willing to do. But… you're being manipulated, Seifer. You've caused so much pain and suffering to so many people, and for what? You talk about sticking together through thick and thin… did you ever care how we feel? What we want? Were you thinking about us when you let the sorceress launch missiles at the Garden? Or when you brought this… thing out of the ocean for her? You're just eating out of her hand. You've lost sight of yourself, and your dream. So, please… call this all off so we can go back to the way things were. We want the old you back!"

Fujin had just uttered more words than in the last 3 years combined, leaving Seifer grasping for even a single one to counter her. He'd indeed paid them little heed over the last several months. He'd gone along with the bombardment on Balamb Garden without a thought given to their safety. His reunion with Edea had taken priority above all else. But did it still? He'd spent so long in the company of those who feared him, but not a one who respected him. The hole their absence left in his life couldn't be filled by any number of obedient drones.

And yet, a placeholder they'd ultimately been for Edea. Their friendship couldn't come before his loyalty to the woman who'd raised him as her own son. Nothing could. He'd come too far, and given too much to let anyone stand in the way of his ambition, his romantic dream. Even them.

"Fujin, Raijin… it's been fun, you guys."

TO BE CONCLUDED

IN THE LIONHEART SAGA (FINAL FANTASY VIII NOVELIZATION)

VOLUME IV – VINOSEC

(See Updates Page/Foreword for details)