Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Final Fantasy 8 Continues ❯ A Beginning and A Loss ( Chapter 1 )

Chapter 1

A Beginning and a Loss

The night was a quiet and yet roars and evil screams could be heard on the Centra Plains. A woman's heinous laughter mingled in with the growls of dread. The moon shone intensely smiling down at the scene that would destroy human kind… Odin's domain trembled as the ground ripped itself open. New species of noxious creatures emerged and their hunger cried out for blood. One beast in particular arose from the green depths. Its body swirled with red and black; long black ragged mane flew from behind the beast. Gnarled horns protruded out of its head and his face was depraved. It was Hades himself possessed, but he laughed, his emerald eyes sparkling with immoral glee.

"Spread out my minions and annihilate all in your path! Crush and devour! Our empress demands it!" he commanded. The creatures gave out their howls and began their journey to freedom. They would finally be able to do as they wished and not be held behind bars from the earth's surface. The brute watched as his army left with hatred and ill joy in their thoughts.

:Good child, you have done as your mother has asked of you. Now finish the rest and do not fail me.:

"Yes, my empress. As you command." He murmured. His eyes gleamed and looked up toward the town of Seavron. "The end shall come to you soon enjoy while you humans can."

On that same night a child was awoke screaming. She trembled with fear as her mother came running in. She was afraid…afraid of a monster in her dreams.

"Eve, what's wrong? Did you have another bad dream?" her mother asked.

"Mom, there was a monster… and he wanted to kill everyone. I'm scared." The little girl said as she hugged onto Rinoa's arm. Rinoa kissed her daughter's head and whispered assurance to Eve. Finally Eve fell asleep once more. Squall came rushing in, "What happened?" he whispered. Rinoa tucked in Eve and stood up.

"She had a nightmare about some monster again. She's only eight years old and she shouldn't be having these nightmares." Rinoa whispered back. Squall closed the door to Eve's room and hugged Rinoa.

"Don't worry, it will pass." He said. Squall looked at Rinoa and thought of how he could cheer her up. Instead he couldn't resist staring at her. She was just so beautiful! Being married wasn't that bad as Zell had assumed. So far it has been eight years and their love only grew stronger. It took a tremendous leap when Rinoa gave birth to his daughter, Eve. Oh how he remembered that day; he was absolutely clueless at what was going on. All he remembered was Rinoa's screams and the pain he went through when she grabbed a hold of his hands! When he saw his daughter he almost cried but could not. The strange thing was that she had a pale mark on her forehead. It looked like the lion called griever. What a crazy time.

"I hope your right Squall. Come on let's go back to bed…" Rinoa said. She turned toward Squall who was thinking and looking down at the floor. She sighed, when would he ever express his feelings? "Are you going to just stare at the floor? Because if you want I'll give you a pillow to sleep on while I sleep alone in bed." She pouted as Squall suddenly looked at her and then she threw him a sly smile.

"I'm coming." He said. He jumped up and chased Rinoa back into their room. He caught her and tickled her waist. She giggled and almost laughed out loud but Squall shushed her. Eve was asleep and they didn't want to wake her up. They both smiled and savored their night.

Eve awoke at dawn and yawned. She remembered her awful dream and shuddered at the thought of the demon. It was only a dream nothing else. She would not become afraid of a dream. She walked out of her room and Angelo greeted her. He scratched the door and that gave Eve a clue that Angelo wanted out.

"All right boy, I'm coming. Cross your legs while you're waiting." She suggested. Angelo cocked his head and waited impatiently for the little girl to open the door. Angelo ran out and something caught her attention. The Centra Plains were still and the birds weren't chirping. What's going on? Why is everything so damn quiet? Angelo was not far off and he was sniffing the air cautiously. He began to growl between his teeth. Hmm… something is out there… might as well go see and find out what. I'm fearless and this little jaunt will prove that.

She marched off toward her room and threw on a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. Eve remembered hiding her secret weapon underneath her mattress. She walked over and dug it out from underneath. It was a medium sized blade and well sharpened. The handle was pure titanium and polished. It was a gift from her grandfather Laguna. He was the President of Esther and she hardly saw him anymore. But even though he couldn't make it to her birthday party, which she didn't want, she cherished the blade. Eve couldn't wait until she would become a soldier! It was her dream! She tip toed past her parent's bedroom door and ran when she was outside. She looked back at her home, which formerly belonged to Edea. The air was heavy and still but that didn't stop her. She stumbled upon a monster, which she didn't know about. Eve drew from it and got a magic called Blaze. She drew out as much as possible. The monster just stood there peering at her. It got bored and swiped her with his pinchers. She fell down and got angry. No creature dared to strike her! All of them knew that! Now she would have to teach it a lesson! She began to attack it with her dagger and finally the creature died. Smiling, she gathered anything that could be useful. After searching, she had two potions and a glistening silver feather that was strong as steel. Just as Eve was done she began her mission through the plains. It seemed like hours before she came towards Odin's old domain. There was a large void nearby. Sea green mist rose from its hollow. Something grabbed her from behind and she squirmed to get its claws off her. She was thrown down a few feet away from the crater. Eve felt a sweet and tangy liquid run down her face and down her chin. Blood! Her legs and arms were scratched and bleeding slowly. But pain would not stop her! She looked upon her enemy and came face to face with her nightmare. The demon in her dream was real and so it was a vision she had last night!

"Child, what are you doing here away from home?" he said through clenched teeth.

"I dreamt of you and I have come to defeat you! This is my test…" she answered while trying to stand up. The beast began to laugh with all his might, "You? Defeat me?" he kept on laughing. His demonic laughter made her blood boil. She stared at him in defiance and her head began to throb. She felt nauseous but she kept her eyes on the fiend. His laughter stopped short and he looked down upon her to see the little girl staring at him. Her forehead glowed with anger and a black sign flared to life. The symbol of Griever!

"Be gone my foe and someday when your older I will be delighted to battle you." He said. Eve grabbed her dagger and cut his arm. The blood sped down his hand and onto the ground. Therefore burning the earth's floor. "Aggressive aren't you…" He waved his hand and she started to feel sleepy; she fought to stay awake but it was no use.

Eve awoke in a forest and she stumbled when she stood up. She felt taller…she had to go back home. The sun was setting and her parents would be worried to death! She trudged back down through the waist high grass toward her home. She could see it far back in the distance. She smiled and already knew what kind of lecture she would get for wandering about in the plains. Her clothes felt tight on her and her bruises were healed. Damn! That was some fast healing! She remembered that beast…wait till she would get her hands on him again! She finally made it to her house. The house looked like a tornado hit it! Well kind of…weeds and shrubs grew on the sidewalk and the flowers were all dead. Hmm…what has mom been doing? The lights were on and she could see her mom washing the dishes. Eve walked up to the door and opened it. She passed the kitchen, "Mom! I'm home!" Eve suddenly heard a few dishes crash to the floor. She hurried over to see her mom staring out the window, pale as a ghost.

"Mom? What's wrong?" Eve asked.

Rinoa turned around to see a thirteen-year-old girl standing in the kitchen. Her eyes rolled and she fainted.

"Mom!" Eve yelled out. She ran to the living room and snatched the phone. She dialed for the Seavron town's doctor. The number, which she called, was unable to connect. She called for her father who worked as a trainer and a woman picked up the receiver.

"Hello? May I help you?" she asked.

"Squall Lionhart please, I'm his daughter." she said.

"I thought his daughter…wait forget it. I'll get him on the phone right away. Hold please." She said. Eve heard the lady put the phone down and call for her father. "Mr. Lionhart?"

"Yes? What is it?" he asked.

"Sir there is a young lady on the phone who claims to be your daughter. She wishes to speak with you." The woman said. Eve could hear running as her father came and picked up the phone.

"Hello? Who is this?" he asked suspiciously.

"Daddy, something is wrong with mom! She fainted in the kitchen! Daddy, come home quick!" Eve said. She looked at her mother who was on the floor. She just noticed that her mother didn't look twenty-six but older. The line on the phone went dead and Eve dialed the number again.

"Hello?" it was the secretary again.

"Is my father there?" Eve asked again.

"I'm sorry miss, but he just left." She answered.

"Thank you." Eve put the telephone down and walked over to her mother. She put Rinoa's head in her lap. Angelo came trotting down the stairs and when he saw Eve he almost jumped on her with bliss!

"Calm down boy! You act as if you haven't seen me in years!" she laughed. Eve heard the sounds of tires screeching and footsteps running towards the house. Her father ran in and stopped dead in his tracks. He faced her and his face looked older but his eyes showed no emotion.

"Dad, mom fainted." Squall ran and hugged his daughter until she thought she couldn't breathe. Rinoa awoke a few minutes later and screamed.

"No! This can't be happening! You were dead…gone… What's happening???" Rinoa sounded frantic.

"Mom, I was gone only since morning. I fell asleep and I woke up when the sun was setting." Eve explained. Rinoa looked at her more closely and began to cry. She stood up and hugged Eve tightly. "We thought you were lost…all those years of searching for you…" Rinoa said between her sobs.

"What are you talking about? What do you mean years? I was gone for only the day…" Eve said. Thoughts and visions came rushing back to her, the beast! She ripped herself away from her mother and ran upstairs and into the bathroom.

"No! What happened to me!" she shrieked. Squall and Rinoa were in the doorway. "You have been gone for five years…we thought you were dead." Rinoa explained.

"This can't be possible, that monster! He did this to me! I'm, suppose to be eight not thirteen." Eve said. She wanted to cry but she couldn't her body began to shiver violently.

"What are you talking about? What monster?" Squall asked.

"Nothing…" she whispered. Anger arose within her and she wanted to kill the demon that did this to her and her family. Her parents hugged her and she hugged them back. "I'm so sorry…" she said.

Eve found out about how the whole town searched for her and that no one could find her. She listened like a statue and she felt ice clasp her heart. She would defeat the demon and the only way that would happen was to train herself and become her dream, a soldier.

Over the next year or so, she taught herself secretly in the arts of war and battle. Her parents would never approve of her fighting; they never did even when she was eight. She went to school and was the most intelligent one there, but she was a lone wolf. Her long lost friends wanted to be with her but she refused. She didn't want emotions and teenage stuff to interfere with her fighting. Eve's parent's had never told her of their past. She became curious and finally searched their room. She found a gun blade that sparkled in aquamarine. At the end of the handle was a lion chain. Her father was a soldier! From then on she practiced her skills with the sword.

Two years pass and Eve's parents are happy and so is she even though her hatred grows. Rinoa gives birth to another child, a boy. They named him Riva and Eve was happy that her parents would get on with their lives. Her five-year disappearance was never mentioned and she was relieved that almost everyone forgot about it. When she heard that monsters had invaded Seavron she decided to put her training to the test. A week later the monsters were exterminated by Eve and the town thanked her. Therefore revealing her fighting secret to her parents.

So what if I am a fighter? I willbecome a soldier and I will travel the world searching for that demon. No one can stop me! I have much magic saved up from all those monsters I defeated. I will avenge my parents…

"Who taught you to fight? You are only fifteen years old!" Squall yelled out at her.

"Your Father is right, we don't want to end up loosing you…again. We forbid you to touch a weapon of any sort. Do you hear me?"

"No! I don't hear you! You lied to me! You were a soldier daddy and so were you mom. I can be whatever I want to be. I will be a soldier."

"That's enough!" Squall shouted, "Never will you be what we were. When we traveled the world it wasn't for fun. It was dangerous and you are not going to live what we went through! Go to your room, now!" Squall commanded.

Eve wanted to object, but kept her mouth shut. Anger was all she felt and she stormed off to her room.