Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Cross Sword x Lion ❯ Chapter 4

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

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It woke up, slowly shrugging away the last remains of the Sleep spell that had held it prisoner inside this closed up cave for over a millennia. Looking up the menace saw a crack of light that came from the quake that had released it from its spelled slumber. Silently it debated on the action of exiting this cramped cave for the world outside, then decided against it.

They were most likely still out there...in some form waiting for such an action. If they caught it once more it would be put back to sleep or even killed this time around. It was about to settle down into a more natural slumber when the power flashed across its awareness. More than that it had a deep hatred twisted within it. The menace licked its lips and glanced back up at the light again. It had been too long since it had fed.....far too long indeed...

Slowly, it unwound itself and its shimmering coils. Coming up slowly towards the crack, it slipped out and let its eyes adjust to the sunlight. Slinking through the crack in the ground, it coiled once more on the hard earth taking in its surroundings. Much had changed it seemed, the grass, trees...the signs of life had disappeared from the land. It frowned slightly and stretched out its awareness to search for the power it had tasted.

It found the signs of a rather large city not far from it. Then the menace smelled the blood, it allowed a small smirk to shape its serpentine lips as it sank to the ground shifting its color to match that of the ground as it sensed the blood carrying beings moving closer to its location. It would feed and then search for that great powerful hatred...and then.....then it would search out *Them* and kill them. It would be free of their threat then...free to feed to its heart's content.

Odine paced in front of the large desk. "Ze quake spilt a good amount of land in ze largest of ze Islands. I vould of liked to show you my dizplay but since you insisted on speaking here. Oh vell...I do the best I can. I received some newz from the guards that were sent down there. Ze crack is about a mile wide and about two miles long. Ve should be getting a tranzmission any time now from them on what's inside it if anything."

He glanced at the two men that stood off to the right of the large desk that the President sat at. He was slightly surprised the younger man was sitting still for more than a couple minutes. He ignored that fact and turned on the radio he had brought with him. Tuning it slightly he spoke into it. "Iz this the captain speaking? Good...Vhat have you found so far?"

The radio crackled once and the man on the other end began giving his report. "We found nothing Sir, besides a few bones and they look to be hundreds of years old." Suddenly there was a scream in the background.

"Shit! Sir...We got something here...it just took down two of my men! DEAR GOD IN HEAVEN! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING! RETREAT NOW! OH DEAR GOD IT ......." the radio cut off suddenly into static and Odine looked up to see the President standing up staring at the radio.

Kiros quickly composed himself, replacing his expression of horrified amazement with his normal serene mask. '...may the fates have mercy on their souls ' The guard's voice had been filled with terror, and enraged denial...the sound of a man who knew he looked death in the face and stood helpless before it. There was no doubt in Kiros' mind that the small contingent of guards Laguna had ordered to the quake site was already dead. Laguna remained composed, only a slight strain around his eyes and a brief loss of color had betrayed that he knew his men were dead as well...and that they had died while following his orders. 'Oh Laguna...'

Kiros glanced from the stricken president back to Doctor Odine and it was all he could do to keep from walking over and throttling the weasel. It wasn't *quite* excitement or pleasure that colored the gleam in the scientist eyes. It was more like sly speculation and a sort of anticipation. 'Of course. He cares nothing about those men...this is merely some new mystery for him to explore. Something unknown for him to pursue...gods I wish Laguna had placed *him* in a seal '

A subtle movement announced the silent presence and Kiros felt a moment of surprise to realize that at some point Ward had entered the office behind the scientist. It never ceased to amaze him how a man of Ward's impressive size could move without making the smallest of sounds. He met his friend's gaze and read the unspoken question before he allowed his eyes to drift from Ward back to Laguna and then finally to Odine. The smallest of nods gave the unspoken command and he saw Ward grin slightly before lifting Odine into the air and escorting him from Laguna's office, sealing the doors behind them.

Once the Doctor's enraged squawking had faded away, Kiros turned and walked to his friend's side. "Sir...they may still be alive." His voice sounded unconvincing to his own ears but he was desperate to do something to ease the pain behind his friend's oceanic eyes. He laid a comforting hand on Laguna's shoulder, wanting to pull him into his embrace but knowing that he didn't dare risk their friendship. This was all there could ever be between them and no matter the pain, he was just grateful that he could be by Laguna's side.

To help him whenever he could and to be his friend...and to dream of what could never exist between them. "It was not your fault, S...Laguna. You had no way of knowing those men would be in any sort of danger...but you must give orders. The sooner we deal with this and find out what just happened, the better."

Laguna's hair shifted with his movement and the silken strands fell across Kiros's hand, causing him to curse softly and snatch his hand away as if he'd been burned. He coughed slightly trying to cover the sudden flush to his cheeks and then cleared his throat, cursing himself for a fool and praying Laguna would not think anything amiss. 'Damn...I've got to stop touching him...its torture' He cleared his throat once again and crossed his arms over his chest to hide the faint trembling of his hands, his voice strained, "What are your orders, Sir?"

Laguna flinched slightly as he felt Kiros jerk his hand away from him. He looked down at the desk silently, keeping the tears that threatened to break him inside. He knew Kiros was right...he had to do something to find out *what* had attacked them. 'My orders....I wish I was never made President....so many things have gone so wrong...Squall....and now this...' He *wanted* to leave Esthar and go bury himself in Timber writing...failing that he wanted Kiros to take him in his arms and make him forget this ever happened...it would still be there staring him in the face in the morning...but if he could get one night of peace he could deal with it.

' Of course ...I know if I was to even hint about *anything* of that nature I would most likely lost a very good friend....so...what am I going to do? ' He gave a soft sigh and sank back into the chair. 'Everyone I attempt to get close with gets hurt or killed...maybe its best if we remain apart...' Like that captain that was most likely laying on the barren ground of the Centra Island and bleeding his life away.

One night...that was all it took it seemed for fate to make its harsh judgment. He closed his eyes and felt one of the tears behind his eyelids slide out and fall over his cheek. He remembered the Captain's dark eyes...so much like the man standing not far from him. Dark hair spilling over the shoulders of the constraining outfit the guards wore. He had been restless, unable to sleep. Both Kiros and Ward had been asleep, so he had made his way through the various levels and rooms of the Palace. He hadn't watched where he was walking and so ran into a guard that was coming off duty.

'Ryan...' He sighed softly and then shoved the rest of the nights events from his mind before he completely lost his control and broke down in front of his friend. 'Besides...you know he was just a replacement for what you really wanted...' the thought came as he opened his eyes again and sat back in the leather chair the sky showing through the glass-like ceiling of his office. He knew why his son kept everyone at arms length now...it hurt less when they weren't so close to you. At that thought he suddenly realized he had the answer to what to do about the problem awaiting at Centra.

"Kiros...call Squall...tell him I need to speak with him about hiring a few of his SeeD's."

It licked its talons and glanced once more around the barren landscape. Looking down at the man that must have been the leader of this pack of Humans. It had been too long since it had fed like this. It snorted slightly at the blank terrified face that stared up at him sightlessly. 'Well...'Ryan'....your dear 'President' will await my arrival at his city...I shall give him my warmest welcome..' It snickered slightly as it laid down on the hard earth and allowed the scales to harden.

Soon enough they broke apart and he pushed himself out of his scales and stretched the wings that once more graced his back, arching over his shoulders. The wind dried his wet hair and skin as he stood next to the coiled skin that laid on the ground discarded. He then ran a taloned hand though his reddish gold hair and smirked slightly as he walked away from the quake site.

Snapping his wings once he rose into the air and stretched his senses out once more searching for the power he had felt when he first woke up. Now that he was born once again in this form he would be able to make *Them* pay....now that he knew who *Them* were in this time...he would be able to kill them and then...

There would nothing to stop him...he would feed to his hearts content and complete his plans that had been interrupted the first time...only now there was a new king on the throne of what was now called Esthar. This promised to be fun he thought licking his lips.

She didn't know how far she had flown or where she was for that matter. After fleeing the garden, fleeing her sin and the hatred in her beloved's eyes, she had fallen into a trance-like state that had allowed her to continue her journey, ignoring the pain of her wounds and numbing the agony of her soul. She closed her eyes against the blinding glare of the sun and began to weep again.

Had she killed him?

Was Seifer dead?

A part of her prayed he was and that she had sent his soul hurtling into the jaws of hell, but another part was locked in just as fervent a prayer that he still lived. Even for their betrayal, she still loved Squall and a tiny part of her still felt for Seifer as well.

' Squall...I...'

She continued flying until her wing was soaked with her blood and her body began to tremble from the shock. She knew she would have to find a place to rest, a refuge, before she fell into the sea. Her eyes drifted open once again and she cried out in shock as she recognized the coastline before her.

How had she come so far? It was if one instant she was gazing at the sea and the next she had fallen to her knees in the field of flowers that sprawled across the barren landscape beyond the orphanage. Fitting that she find her way here...to the site of their first vow to each other.

' I' ll be here.....I'm here Squall....Why?...because I've lost you forever. '

She collapsed in a shivering ball of grief, the voices of their past mingling with her own tormented thoughts.

' I' ll be 'waiting' here... I am waiting, beloved. For what... I'm waiting for you to come to me, to find me. I' ll be waiting here.... for you to fulfill your destiny, my beautiful Squall ...for you... to come and destroy the sorceress. So... come to me, my love, drive your blade into my heart. If you come... I will not fight you. You will find me... and I will not fight you again. Never again, Squall.... I promise.'