Fan Fiction ❯ The Goddess Sagas ❯ Lone Wolf ( Chapter 7 )

CHAPTER 7: LONE WOLF

Lightning streaked the black night sky, and the already heavy rain began to pour down harder and faster, soaking the ground covered with sand and rocks.

"It's really coming down..." A small fourteen year old girl with long curly pink hair and yellow eyes frowned as she gazed out the

window of her old house. "I wonder how Squall is doing I hope he'll be ok out there."

****************************

In the woods a little ways from the village a tall boy with shiny brown hair, reaching to the tip of his ear on one side and on the

other side of his face the beautiful locks of hair reached to his chin. His face was smooth and appeared boyish

except for a long gashing scar that reached from the top of his nose and down his face until it reached the end of his cheek. His gray eyes

showed an long lasting sorrow within them. He just stood in the pouring rain letting it wet his skin. The moonlight shining down on him

making him look like an unholy god, the boy titled his head back and howled like a wolf does at the moon.

*******************************

The girl with the pink hair dropped the glass she had been washing, startled as she heard the sound.

"More wolves...? I keep on hearing them but funny no one ever sees them in the woods. I hope Squall does not get

attacked...oh brother, why is it you always go out at night to train?"

"I'm sorry Angie did I worry you?" The boy from the woods asked as he opened the door to the small house.

"Oh Squall! I'm so glad your back, it's raining very hard out there, you should take more care not to catch a cold."

"......."

Angie's eyes began to water. "Oh Squall!!" she threw her arms around her brothers waist and began to cry.

"...What is it, Angie?"

"Oh Squall, I wish you would be more careful, I always hear wolves out in those woods, it's dangerous."

" It'll take more then a wolf to put me out."

"But, I don't know what I would do without you, you're my only family left, since mom and dad died when I was nothing but a

baby. It was you who raised me dear brother, I could not bare to lose you."

"Shhhh..." Squall comforted holding his sister close, rubbing her back. "It'll be all right, I'll be more careful from now on."

"Thank you, brother, you don't know how much that means to me." Angie smiled sweetly. "I've got us supper ready, I've made

your favorite, roast beef! I even got a little wine to go with our meal tonight."

"Your wonderful."

"Thanks, but it was no trouble."

The two family members sat down at the table and began to eat, happy chit-chat could be heard coming from the partly opened

window. To bad they didn't know that the happiness would soon disappear from their hearts forever.

**************************************

"Lounaru, you failed in your first mission, but you did gather more hate for me to become more powerful on, that holder of

purity had so much hate in her heart for what we have done to her family that I had feast savoring it, but I need more hate and sorrow to grow

stronger."

"Yes I understand." Lounaru bowed.

"I have found where the orb of Friendship is located." Hikari said as she suddenly appeared into the room, a smirk on her face.

"Good job, where is it, Hikari?" Taromecika questioned.

"In the little village Tarlee, Ryan and his friends are heading there right now."

"Lounaru gather one of your four remaining master warriors and destroy that village." the demon god ordered.

"Yes." Lounaru bowed disappearing.

Hikari stood silent for a moment. "Master Taromecika, why do we attack those who hold an orb? I know eating the hate from

humans makes you more powerful, but our lesser demons are attacking everywhere, so why should we waist our time to

interfere with Ryan's mission in getting the purity orbs? Don't we already have that part of our mission under control?"

Taromecika began to laugh. " You as a demon know how good the negative human emotion feels to devour, but with those

who hold the goddess orbs, when their hearts are filled with evil and hate they taste even better, and they wont be able to use

the power of the orbs inside of their bodies and the orbs will no longer be the goddess orbs but the dark holy orbs, then I can

resurrect my love...my beautiful goddess..."

********************************

Lounaru's foot steps rang on the hard floor as he walked forward, his eyes bloodshot his face froze in cold emotion.

"Lord Lounaru, I ask if I may go to destroy that village Tarlee."

A voice asked from behind him, and the pyromaniac slowly turned around a grin spreading across his face as he spotted a large

figure in the darkness. The man was tall, his skin as brown as coffee, and he was filled with mussels, a giant of a man.

Sea-weed blond hair was cut tight above his ears, a scar spread from the top of his nose to the edge of his cheek..

" Sure thing Ganderdof, but wasn't that your home town?"

"Exactly."

"Well, well, seems like somebody wants revenge, Ha Ha!! All right, let's go burn the place to the ground!!"

"If I may request, I wish to go alone to take care of this business it is very personal."

" If that's what you really want, but keep me in mind and make sure things are really bloody."

"Yes Lord."

**********************************

The group had stopped to take a rest in the woods before they continued onto the village just ahead, for the walking and fighting off bandits and wild monsters had taken it's toll on them.

Ryan was walking threw the thick tress when the sound of a soft singing voice stopped him, and began to lure him to it like a

siren's voice lured sailor men to their deaths. He walked searching for the voice, it seemed to becoming from behind a thick

grove of bushes, pushing them aside he stopped and watched Ruto setting beside a pawn fingers dipping into the water as she

sang in a voice as sweet and beautiful as any angels.

"Time's crowd is drastic,

The city that it runs through is a savanna.

Sure news of an ill change...

We'll get used to it tomorrow, everyone will forget.

I live now, I live...

Like it's inside, something searches...

As if it were struggling, as if it were sneaking away,

It wants to test this power.

Surely, somewhere there lies "the answer,"

the answer which was born,

That is what all people wish for,

Facing the dreary dream

that they can't let go.

I'm not afraid of getting hurt,

but it's not hard to erase.

It's just the way it is without doing anything,

and I don't want any regrets.

Here we go! go! Keep on running!

No one will be able to stop us.

I want to give a reason for life

to my future self.

Don't know how big the darkness is

It makes a sound, and I face it.

Morning comes, and someone's there...

It's in my mind, vanishing in despair...

I make a very strong image,

and smile to myself...

Believe in those thoughts...

From what, from who,

approaching the dream...

Head for my goal,

even if I'm staggering...

I want new dreams to

break out from within me...

Here we go! go! Keep on running!

No one will be able to stop us.

I want to give a reason for life

to my future self."

Ryan slowly approached Ruto until he was almost behind her, the girl jumped startled as she saw his reflection in the water.

"Hey, you shouldn't sneak up on people like that, you scared me." Ruto scolded, blushing embarrassedly.

"I'm sorry, I just heard you singing and, it was so beautiful, I wanted to get closer."

Ruto's blush deepened. "Oh, thank you. I love to sing, but my father never allows me to, since my mother was singer and

all...He and my mother never got along when she was still alive."

"I'm sorry."

Ruto smiled shaking her head. "It wasn't your fault. But it was nice to talk to someone who seems to care so much."

"Ruto..."

" I know you probably think I'm foolish, wanting to stop Taromecika when all I have is a little whip and only one spell I can do

right most of the time."

"No, I don't think your foolish at all, I think your really brave."

"It's nice of you to say that, but is it really how you feel?"

"Yes."

Ruto turned to him, her face smiling. "I've never met someone like you before, your so kind...I wish I knew someone like you

growing up."

Both of them sat in silence for a few moments.

"Hey Ryan?"

"Yeah?"

" It was really nice to talk to someone without putting on the tuff act."

"Act?"

"Yeah." Ruto smiled. " My whole life I always tried to act tuff so people would be scared of me and not tease me or look at me

like a helpless little girl who can't take care of herself. I guess It was because of my father I started to fear about things like that,

but for some reason when I look into your eyes, I can see that you would not think things about me like that. Thank you, I'll

remember this talk always."

Ruto climbed to her feet and soon Ryan was alone setting at the pond in silence.

"I'll never forget it either." He whispered silently to the wind.

**********************

Mara slowly removed her dress and then her under clothes as she slowly dipped herself into the water unaware of someone

watching her from behind the tress. Keith clenched his fist.

"Ryan...how dare you capture the heart of sweet Mara, I knew her...knew her so much longer then you did...you took her

away from me."

FLASHBACK

A young Keith and Mara were playing ball in the back of the school, when Miss. Lena came walking in the back holding a

young Ryan hand.

Mara had ran over to the young boy almost immediately, telling him that she would show him around. Keith was left alone that

day, but after the tour ended Mara still stayed by Ryan's side giggling at everyone of his jokes, blushing when he would hand

her a flower that he picked from the school yard. All the young Keith knew was that he had lost his best friend the day that

Ryan had came."

END FLASHBACK

"I'm not here to stop any kind of evil, but to stay by your side, Mara."

**********************************

Mimi and Carrie we setting under a tree, relaxing in the shade as they talked about things young girls would talk about.

"So Mimi, I think that Genki likes you." Carrie smiled.

The fairy-half blushed. "What makes you think something silly like that?"

"The way he looks at you, I saw that look in my fathers eyes when he looked at my mother."

"Um, I don't think it's the same look. Genki's just a close friend, anyway I...I don't want a boyfriend."

"Why not?"

"I would never be good enough for one...I can barely do anything right, I'm tiny not to mention I'm a half-breed...I would only

end up being a burden."

".....Mimi..." Carrie frowned, feeling sorry for her friend.

*****************************

Genki sat down on the grass by himself, typing away at his lab top. If one were to read the next they would a poem slowly

being written the screen.

" Roses are red,

Violates are blue,

You're the one I love Mimi,

You, and only you."

**********************************

Angie knelt down near some bushes, picking some wild berries and dropping them into a basket.

" Summer days are just so beautiful." Angie she smiled. "I wish they could last forever."

She continued walking down the forest path unaware of someone following her, she had walked for a mile picking berries and then

decided to turn back. Halfway out of the forest the stalker attacked, grabbing her from behind. All Angie had time to do was

scream, the basket falling from her hands.

**********************************

Squall had been tending the soil in front of the farm when he heard the scream come from the woods. Horror flashed threw his

face and he turned screaming

"Angie!!"

Squall had ran all the way up the forest path and froze as he saw Angie and her captor.

"Ganderdof..."

"Oh, so you remember me, huh? This is a nice girl you got hear, improved a great deal since she was a baby." Ganderdof

grinned.

" Let Angie go, or else."

"You'll kill me? Maybe once, but now since I joined Taromecika I have became much stronger then you."

"Taromecika, have you sold your soul to the devil!?"

"What soul? A man-beast does not have any room for a thing such as a soul. Wouldn't you agree, Squall?"

"Let Angie go!"

" Why should I? You care this much for this girl? Hmmmmm, it kind of interests me to see how far you would go to save her.

Tonight when the moon is full, we battle each other. If you win you may take this girl back if not then she will make a good

mother to bare my children."

"Bastard!" Squall growled.

"Of course, I'll hold on to the prize..." Ganderdof continued.

"Not if we can help it!" Ryan exclaimed, as him and his group ran into the clearing.

"It seems like we have more quests..."

"Hey, you!!" Ruto pointed towards Ganderdof. "Let that girl go, right now!"

"Stay out of this!" Squall hissed at the group.

"No way!" Genki exclaimed.

"Well, it's seems like you'll have some quests to peel your broken body off of the ground when I destroy you." Ganderdof

mocked.

"I won't let you take Angie!!"

"Squall!!" The girl whimpered, her voice trembling.

Ryan and his group were preparing themselves to attack Ganderdof from behind when the large man stopped them with a few

simple words.

"Tell those people back there that if they make one move, I will snap this girls neck."

Ryan and his team held their attacks back, angry at the fact that they could not do anything.

"Your one of Taromecika's followers aren't you." Keith said, it was not a question.

"So you must be the rebels who defeated Freya...how interesting, such a rag-tag group...hmmm, sparked my interest, with my

new power I'm more then a match for Squally-boy hear, so if he fails I still keep the girl but if one you can stop me then I wont

destroy this village."

Squall's eyes widened in surprise. "Destroy the village!?"

"I'll see you tonight, my dear friend, then the battle will start, it will be glorious." Madness seemed to surround Ganderdof as he

threw his head back and laugh crazily.

"Squall!!" Angie whimpered getting arm loose from her captures grip, she reached out to her brother who tried desperately to

grab onto her but before his fingers could close around her hand she and Ganderdof disappeared in a flash of light.

"Nooo!! A...Angie...!" Squall fell to his knees. "DAMN YOU GANDERDOF!!!"

" Don't worry, we will help you beat him." Ruto began.

"Shut up! This is MY battle, I wont have you interfere, I will save Angie on my own." Squall hissed.

"Well excuse me!!" Ruto sniffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"But we can help you!" Mimi protested.

" I don't need help." Squall hissed bitterly and began to walk away.

"Don't turn you back on us!! We are hear to help you!" Genki exclaimed, but was ignored.

"What a RUDE person!" Mara commented.

"Poor guy...he seems afraid to accept help, wonder why..." Carrie whispered.

Keith scoffed. "He's not afraid to ask for help, he's just prideful, The matter must be very personal, and he does not want to say

he was so weak he had to get us to help him. If he wants to destroy himself, that girl and the whole town that is his choice"

"How can you be so damn calm!?" Ruto gasped, disgusted at the boys attitude.

Ryan just stared at Squall who was disappearing into the woods.

' I...I wont let him battle alone, something is just telling me that I have to help him, that I can't let him die. God knows that I will

not let Taromecika kill anyone else...Even if I have to die, I wont let anyone else die.'

*****************************

The sun was almost setting, the group had warned the villagers about the attack and most of them, save a few brave yet cocky

men who stayed to fight the rest hid in the underground cellars.

" It's soon night time...The attack should start soon." Ruto said looking out at the sun.

Keith eyed her with a scowl. "Why aren't you hiding with the other girls, your not strong, you wont be much help."

Ruto grinned. " Hell, If we loose this battle we all will die right? If we won I would live huh?"

"So?"

" So, what would be the difference if I hid or not? The worse thing that can happened to me is to be killed, but god knows I

would rather die fighting then hiding in some cellar!"

Keith grinned. " That was the smartest thing I ever heard you say."

"....I'll take that as a complement." Ruto sighed bitterly.

"Are you sure Carrie, Mara and Mimi will be all right down in the cellar's with the rest of the villagers?" Genki asked worriedly.

" No, we can't be sure of that, but we can bloody hell hope so."

"Keith you don't offer much emotional support, do you?" Ruto shock her head at the other boys statement. The girl frowned,

her pale eyes darted around herself questionably.

"H...hey, where is Ryan?"

"The chicken-wuss probably wussed out and is hiding with the girls." Keith chuckled.

"No." Ruto shock her head calmly. " He does not strike me as the kind that would run away."

***********************************

Ryan was watching from behind the bushes at Squall who stood in the center of the woods, his head titled back letting the cold

air play with his hair. He looked lost in deep meditation, but Ryan could feel the power growing inside of the boy and then

Squall's eyes snapped open, glowing blue with power. He threw his head back letting lose a loud howl, Ryan stared shocked

as the boys body glowed blue and he began to transform. Fur grew on his arms and legs, his teeth began to grow long fangs.

"...." Ryan gasped, his hand hit the dirt in disbelief, the noise altering Squall who stopped in mid-transformation and slowly

changed back to normal, he turned towards Ryan, his eyes narrowed in anger.

"What are you doing spying on me?"

Ryan climbed out of the bushes, feeling guilty and a little foolish. " I...wanted to make sure you were all right."

"...Whatever, You saw, now go."

"No! I...I won't let you battle alone. That girl...she seems to mean so much to you, Is she your girlfriend ? family member ? Look I

know how you feel, I..."

"There is no way you can possible know how I feel!!!" Squall growled ,rage within his eyes. "My sister, I let my sister be

kidnapped I was helpless, I couldn't do anything! I was weak, I was a coward!! I should have did something but I was to

frozen by fear of Ganderdof, to afraid to attack him for the love I once felt for him..." Squall finished shamefully. " This battle I

will kill my best friend...my love...then I will kill myself , Angie does not need a coward for a brother."

Ryan did not know what took control of him but he was trembling all over, and he something lash out from his side, and strike

Squall across the face. The savior of the light started in shock at his fist like it wasn't even part of his body anymore,

wondering why he did that but then his emotion over took him and he gazed intensely at Squall, tears filling his own eyes.

"I know better then you think about how you feel. My little sister Parfait was taken from me by Taromecika, I tried everything I

could to get her back, but I was to weak, I could not save her. I can still hear her screaming my name to help her, still see the

tears in her eyes as she was carried away...but I was to weak, I was to weak!! To fucking weak!!! Don't you dare say I have

no fucking clue about how you feel because I do!! I know better then anyone else, and if you don't believe me that's to damn

bad!!!!"

Squall stared in shock at the boy in front of him who now had tears running down his face. His had placed on his red cheek, as

he rubbed to sore spot in a dull daze.

' He is crying, for me? Why? Is he crying for his own lost, or because he cares about me...Can he really feel for me...no...no

one can, why would he...why does anyone care about others...but still.'

Squall gazed into the boys face, his eyes growing large in surprise.

' His scar...it is just like mine...so are those eyes...why is it he reminds me so much of me? Maybe I can trust him...Why do I

have to loose...I've already lost everything.'

" I'm no better then Ganderdof." Squall said softly.

"Huh?"

"Angie is not my real sister. She is not a man-beast..."

" Man beast?"

"You saw me transform. I'm, or rather was part of a group of man-beats. We killed humans, attacked and destroyed them without reason most of the time, but from sheer hate for the few whom attacked our kind, we hated all humans. I loved

the feel of the heart-beat beneath my jaws but then I woke up and saw the pain my pack was causing when we attacked this

large group of people who were traveling to the next town. We killed them all, or so we thought but then I found a small baby

among the dead. As I watched it crying I realized what I have done, this child had done nothing to me. It was not part of the

humans which had haunted and killed my kind for thousands of years. That baby was innocence, those people were innocent,

yet we killed them anyway. I betrayed my pack by taking the child with me and raising it as my sister. Ganderdof is one of the only remaining members of my pack.

We were friends, we were rivals, we were enemy's and we were lovers...I loved him, but...I

did not want to kill anymore... I did not want the hate between Humans and men-beast to continue anymore...I was the one

who killed Angie's family and I was the same one that lied to her, telling her that I was her brother, but I'm only the man that

killed her parents." Squall turned away, his eyes stinging with tears. "I'm nothing but a killer...I...should have killed myself a long

time ago instead of putting Angie in danger...again..."

Ryan could sense the boys need to cry, but also his stubbornness to hold back his tears so instead Ryan did the only thing he

could do, taking the boy into a hug, he allowed the man-best to cry into his shirt.

"....Why, why is it you care so much?" Squall asked, staring at him threw puffy eyes.

"It's called friendship."

" Ganderdof never did this for me........Is this what true friendship is? When you care about somebody else...When you want to

help them...?"

Ryan nodded.

"Then Ganderdof... was never my friend...I was just his little play thing, a sex puppet...I feel like such a fool..."

The two boys sat in silence, rain had began to fall from the sky and the full moon glowed down on them, being the only light in

the sky.

"Ganderdof...I swear I will destroy you..." Squall mumbled gazing up at the moon.

"Brave words, but can you do it?" A tempting voice asked the two boys, and they turned to see Ganderdof standing behind

them, his eyes gleaming with murderous delight.

"Ganderdof! Where is Angie!?" Squall demanded standing to his feet, his face in a mask of anger.

"Over there." Ganderdof pointed towards a large shining red crystal behind him, inside of it Angie was pounding and screaming

something but her voice could not be heard from behind the diamond.

" ANGIE!!" Squall cried, gazing into the sky at the crystal which floated above him.

" Have you told her yet, that you aren't her brother, but really the man who killed her parents, why did you save her? Was it a

desperate attempt to atone for your sins? Did you think that the gods would cast mercy on you for saving her? Ha! It's nothing

more then shallow deception by a man-beast!" Ganderdof accused, lightning striking the sky adding more power to his cold

words.

"Ganderdof, why? Why do you attack me? Are home, we grew up here. Sure we grew up as men- beast, and the people did

look down on us and caste judgment but that was a long time ago, it is not the same people the lives their that had done us

wrong so long ago! Why is it you can't let your hate go!?"

" FOOL! I'm not doing this for revenge on the humans."

"Then...why? Why do you attack me, I loved you...we meant so much to each other..." Squall trailed off, his eyes lowering

themselves to the ground.

" You, you always looked down apon me."

Squall looked up surprised.

"Every battle we fought you came out on top, No matter how much stronger I got you were always a step ahead of me.

Mocking me with your howl of victory. Leaving me lay beaten in the mud like a stupid little pup! I admired you and then you

left me, for the humans! You left me in the mud, never once turning back! I will prove once and for all that I'm the stronger!

Even if it destroys both of us, you will be the one to fall into the mud a whimper like a dog while you gaze up at your opponent

knowing that you'll never measure up to them."

Squall growled. " You foolish bastard...all this to prove you stronger... Well I accept your challenge, but Angie has nothing to

do with this! Let her go!"

Ganderdof grinned. " Since that is your last wish, I'll grant it for you." With a wave of his hand the crystal in the sky broke

causing Angie to fall from the sky and into Squall's arms.

"Angie!" He exclaimed holding the girl close to him.

"...Squall, be careful...please...be careful, don't...don't die. Please, brother..." Angie pasted out from the weariness of being

captured.

"Ryan, take Angie. Watch her, make sure she doesn't get hurt." Squall ordered handing the limp girl over to him.

"Ok, I know you wont accept my help in this fight, so I'll just say, good luck."

Squall nodded his head turning towards Ganderdof. "All right, this battle will decide who of us is the strongest, it will be our last

battle, it shall be glorious."

Ganderdof licked his lips. "Can't wait."

************************************

Ruto jumped as two long howls filled the sky. "Ohhh...wolves? I sure hope Ryan and Squall are ok..."

Ruto stood silently little the rain wash over her when a pain suddenly tore threw her head, and she was forced to put her hand

to her head.

FLASH

Images of Squall, Ganderdof, Ryan and Angie flashed quickly past her eyes, images of a large white wolf and black wolf

fighting, then of tears, and blood and then the final one was of Ryan looking at the ground, tears falling from his face

END FLASH

"Somebody...is going to die..." She whispered, her voice shaking.

"What!?" Genki asked alarmed as he and Keith over heard her.

"Come on!! The battle is taking place in the forest!" Ruto exclaimed dashing forward.

************************************

Ryan watched the battle threw wide eyes. Both of the men had fully transformed into wolves. There clothes laid ripped and

scattered on the muddy soil, destroyed from their transformation.

Squall had transformed into a white wolf while Ganderdof changed into a black wolf. Both of them were both breathlessly

beautiful and disgustingly horrible at the same time. They looked much like real wolves except they were larger and there legs

lacked the grace and delicacy of a real wolf for they were small and grunt. The only thing that did not change were their eyes,

eyes that were now filled with the lust for blood and death.

Ganderdof's teeth sank deep into Squall's hip, using his claws Squall slashed the other wolf across the face. The battle between

them was vicious and bloody, a vision one could only picture within their nightmares.

Squall was being beaten very badly. He could not, did not want to hurt his friend....he still loved him...

Angie moaned, her eyes fluttering opened, she turned her head to the side, staring at the battle which was taking place in front

of her.

"...Squall..." She whispered seeing the white wolf getting tossed around like an old rag doll. "Don't give up, you can win. Please,

fight brother I know you can do it. There is nothing you can't do I believe in you....Squall!"

Squall's soft blue eyes watched the girl for a moment, and nodding his head he turned towards Ganderdof.

' I love Angie...She's my friend...my best friend...I wont let her be killed, Ganderdof I'll destroy you!' Squall leapt forward, a

blue glow surrounding his body. Ganderdof's eyes widened shocked.

'He has all of his power in this attack? Why...why is it he fights to save this girl...why does she mean so much to him.'

Ganderdof thought, knowing it was helpless to avoid the attack.

Sensing the other wolf's thoughts Squall answered within his own mind. ' I save her because she is my friend.'

The attack struck Ganderdof full force and the body went flying, laying weak and scattered on the muddy ground. The black

wolf slowly changed back into Ganderdof. Staring at the body Squall allowed himself to become human again and he stared

down at the other man expressionless.

Ganderdof pulled himself to his knees. "I got what I wanted...a chance to fight you having you give your all...I wanted to see

who the better of us truly was and now that I have I got no regrets. I let the power of darkness control me...my own lust for

power had taken control of my body, I'm sorry, but there is nothing I can do now...I only wish I had the chance to get to know

humans better like you have, then maybe I would have been able to get over the hate in my heart...but it's to late for that now..."

The man fell to the ground, a puddle of blood forming underneath him.

A lonely wind blew, closing his eyes Squall stood over the body, his eyes closed. "Goodbye Ganderdof..." The boy moaned

falling to his knees gripping his hip from where he had been bitten in the attack.

"SQUALL!!" Angie exclaimed, jumping out of Ryan's arms and into Squall's.

"Brother!! Are you all right?"

"Angie...I'm fine...are you ok?"

"Yes, Oh I'm so glad your safe, but I knew you wouldn't die...you never loose." Angie stared up at him, her eyes filling with

tears. " OH SQUALL!!! " the girl buried her face into his chest.

Ryan stood watching the touching sean, only turning away when he heard footsteps running up from behind him and saw Ruto

along Keith heading towards them.

"Ryan! Hey, is that fight over!?" Ruto asked looking at the broken body of Ganderdof.

"Looks like we missed all the fun." Keith said indifferently.

"Ryan, I had a horrible vision, is everything all right...I saw, I saw that someone died..."

Ryan frowned at Ruto sadly. "If you mean Ganderdof...then your vision was correct..."

"Hmmm...Poor guy...he was evil, but still I feel sorry for him, having to die with a heart full of heart, those feelings will remain

with him forever......."

Angie pulled away from Squall, a smile on her face. "Squall, I..." suddenly the girl's eyes widened in horror and she threw

herself forward. It all seemed to happen in slow motion, Angie threw herself in front of Squall, a magical blast hitting her threw

the chest, a small trickle of blood ran out of her mouth which was opened in a silent scream. She fell into Squall's arms, blood

flowing freely from her wound.

"Angie!!" Squall cried, gripping the young girls hand. She stared up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Squall...I'm going to die...but I have no regrets dying to save you."

"Don't say that, your not going to die Angie." Squall choked back a sob.

"Squall...my brother...I love you, always have and always will."

" Angie...there is something I need to tell you..."

" It doesn't matter if we are blood relatives or not, You are my brother, you cared for me...you loved me...and I will always be

grateful, even if I'm dead Squall, I promise I will always be right next to you...forever..."

"Angie, how did you know?"

" I have always known we weren't blood relatives...but even so, there is no one else on this planet I would have rather had for a

brother....."

"Angie...."

"Squall, hold my hand, I can't see you. It is getting dark."

" I am holding it, can't you feel it? Angie, please hang on, don't die on me."

"Squall...no one ever dies unless they are forgotten, so as long as you remember me, I will always be alive...Squall...can you

smell them?"

"Smell what?"

"All....the, beautiful flowers...they all smell so beautiful..."

The girls head fell to her side ad he breathing stopped.

"A...a...Angie?....." Letting his tears fall down his cheeks Squall threw his head back and screamed to the sky.

"ANGIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Ruto sobbed, looking away from the heart breaking sean. "How horrible....So much death, for what purpose...."

Ryan and Keith turned towards the trees, that is where they had seen the attack come from.

"Show yourself!" Ryan demanded removing his sword from his side.

Lounaru stepped out from behind the tree, his eyes shining with madness.

"How I love the smell of death."

Squall turned towards the crazy boy, his eyes burning with rage. Holding Angie's body closer to his, letting tears fall from his

eyes onto her cold dead face he shouted at the pyromaniac.

" BASTARD!!"

" I can't believe that Ganderdof could not defeat a little weakling like you. He was always the weak one in my army, he was so

focused on his personal feeling though he could not bring himself to destroy you. Friendship, and love, what foolish things to

hold close to your heart."

"Why, why did you kill that girl! She was no threat to you!!" Ruto demanded, her eyes still brimming with tears.

" Would you just settle for the fact I like death? Or would you rather have a sensible reason."

" There is nothing sensible about taking anothers life meaninglessly." Keith replied sourly.

" Oh yes there is, death brings hate, more hate there is more power the great Taromecika has! The hate brought on my a loved

one's death brings fort the most darkest hate of all!" Lounaru glanced slyly over at Ryan.

"You have demon blood inside of you, you can eat others emotions, tell me, doesn't it feel good when you devour the pain and

grief of others? Don't you just want more?"

Ryan growled clenching his fists. "I'm not a demon, you here me!"

Another laughed filled the area and Hikari appeared up into the sky.

" Your just like us Ryan, your just blind to the fact, but your demon blood should awaken soon. And when it does, you will join

us, evil is bliss. Embrace the darkness."

" He's not like you, he does not kill meaninglessly, he does not take joy in death." Squall said icily, looking back and forth from

Hikari and Lounaru. "I swear, I will kill you both and Taromecika! I wont let you get away with this!!"

Hikari smirked. " So it seems that the holder of friendship has joined the others in their futile battle..."

Surprised looks flash across the groups faces.

"Come Lounaru, let them go for now. Lord Taromecika does not wish for you to kill them yet, we still have use for them."

Hikari disappeared just a soon as she came. Lounaru stared hatefully after Hikari before turning to the group a mad smile

placed on his face.

"As she said, we still have use for you. Ta-ta."

The group watched silently unmoving as the mad man vanished, the rain washed over there hot skin, as if trying to smooth the

pain in their hearts.

"Rya! Rya!" Mara called as she and the other group members ran up to them. They slowed their pace as they arrived at the

sean and watched Squall cry over the limp body of his sister.

"....No...." Mimi gasped tears filling her eyes.

"....We were to late..." Carrie turned away guiltily, letting tears slid down her cheeks.

" If only we could have done something." Genki whispered.

Mara ran into Ryan's arms, holding him close to her as she sobbed. " Such horror, why must all these terrible things happen?"

"......I wish I knew the answer to that......" Ryan said softly as he watched the still crying Squall hold onto his sisters lifeless

body.

****************************

'Angie, I was not able to protect you like I promised myself I would that day I found you. I'm sorry for not telling you the truth

while you were still alive, but somehow you knew on your own. I wonder if you also knew that I was the same man the killed

your family...would you still have gave you life for me if you knew? Angie, my sister, please rest in peace.'

Turning his head away from the bright marble tombstone her turned towards another one, the was right next to Angie's.

' I loved you....We were much more then friends but somewhere along the line we lost hold of that, I'm sorry that are love

couldn't last and that you'll never know how good it is to have no hate within you heart. I don't think I'll ever live with out the

feelings of hate and sorrow again, but I wont let it control me, for you've shown me how such emotions can easily corrupt a

person, and I vow I'll never fall into that pit of darkness. Farewell my friend, may the gods be merciful on your soul.'

Squall got to his feet and turned towards the group that stood behind him.

"Well, I guess it is time we left....I swear I'll do my best to protect the orb of friendship from Taromecika and his troops."

Ryan nodded solemnly. " Yes, we will all do our best, no matter what happens."

Squall nodded back in agreement and he and the group began to leave. Never once could they bring themselves to look back

at the two tombstones they left behind in the large field of flowers. Strangers who pasted would not know much about who laid

underneath that ground, or the stories they had held for the tombstones only held the names of the dead.

"Angie." And "Ganderdof."