Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Hidden Pasts ❯ Foes And Allies ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter Five

"So what is this guy looking for," asked Zell.

They were in the Headmaster Cid's office having a meeting.

"The stone of Viviah," explained Andria, "legend tells that he was an evil sorcerer who tried to rid the world of good. He made this stone and gave it great power. It is full of so much evil that no one good can touch it, they would instantly die."

"Do you have it?" Selphie asked.

"Not exactly," said Andria, " however I did entrust it to someone else for safe keeping."

"Well let's go find this person, before he does," said Zell.

"No need to leave," said Andria.

Everyone looked at each other wide eyed.

"It's in here," and from behind her back Andria produced Squall's Griever ring.

A gasp sounded. Squall looked at his hand and back at Andria, shocked.

"What? How?" Squall stared shocked at the ring, it had been on his hand a minuite ago.

Putting it on the table everyone gathered round. With her finger Andria traced around the image of the lion and then put her hand on top of the ring. She then took it away and there lay a tiny black stone on the desk. It glinted in the light.

"How did you hide it there," asked Seifer. "My mother did. She gave it to Edea to take care of. Edea must have trusted you to take care of it Squall."

Squall stared at the ring, unbelieving of what he had seen, and the secret that his ring had held.

"I thought you bought it somewhere," said Zell questioningly to Squall.

"No," answered Squall, "the day I left the orphanage, Edea gave it to me, said I should look after it. I didn't understand why at the time."

"So what do we do with it?" asked Quistis, "destroy it?"

"No!" said Vincent loudly, "wouldn't that do something really bad."

"Like what," replied Quistis.

"Vincent's right," said Andria, "the sorcerer designed the stone, so that a curse would fall on whoever tried to destroy it. Anyway, if we were able, then it would need someone with great magic concentration, or pure evil would be released."

"Well that's apparently gonna happen anyway…" began Seifer, "so why bother."

Andria gave him a withering look.

"No we have to hide it," said Sia.

"Well, it's so tiny it should be easy to hide," said Irvine.

"Actually," answered Andria, "it acts like a magnet, evil gets drawn to it."

A voice suddenly called out from the comm. It was Dr Kadowaki.

"Squall, we need your help, there's a creature attacking the students."

The voice sounded urgent and pleading.

"On our way," he replied.

"I'll come with you," said Andria, quickly picking up a crossbow, "Ling you and Sia stay here."

They started to protest, but were cut short with a wave of her arm. Seifer motioned for his comrades to also stay and the rest piled into the elevator.

*****

Running quickly they arrived at the Infirmary. Dr Kadowaki was attending to a patient.

"Where is it?" they asked, bemused.

"Didn't you call," asked Quistis.

"What are you talking about," said Dr Kadowaki, shaking her head, "you come pounding in here. Is there something wrong."

Andria and Vincent turned and sprinted back to the elevator, realising that Leraikhe had tricked them. They heard the first shout as the elevator door opened.

Leraikhe had lifted Raijin effortlessly off the floor and threw him against the wall like he was a doll. When Vincent rushed at him, a backhand from Leraikhe made him join Raijin, unconscious.

Sia was cowering in a corner, blood pouring from a wound at her temple mixing with her light auburn hair. Fujin and Ling had pulled out their weapons and where standing near the door which Squall and his friends now entered. Behind Andria Squall and Seifer pulled out their gunblades.

"Your crude weapons cannot hurt me," snarled Leraikhe.

"Andria he has the stone," cried Sia from her corner.

The blood was flowing more profusely now. It had stained most of her clothes.

"Come sister, come join us. You were meant to be with us," Leraikhe taunted, moving towards her.

Andria took a step forwards to meet him. Without warning he suddenly launched an attack at her. Blow after blow he came at her, it was hard for her to block them they were so fast.

*****

Seifer and Squall were about to join in when there was a clicking noise behind them. A strange creature suddenly latched itself to Irvine's leg. He cried out in pain and fell.

It was small and black like a bundle of fur. When he tried to grab it, teeth grabbed his hands and wouldn't let go. Screaming he beat the creature off the floor.

The odd demons also attacked Selphie, Rinoa, Seifer and Quistis.

Seifer picked up his fallen gunblade and started to slice away at the creatures that came for him.

Rinoa, Selphie and Quistis tried to pull them off each other.

Because some of the creatures went after the unconscious Raijin and Vincent, Squall and Fujin tried to stop them from reaching them.

Ling pulled the one off Irvine. He then picked up his gun and tried to shoot them, but he found it hard pulling the trigger with his wounded hand.

*****

Andria wasn't fairing much better. She was exhausted and Leraikhe was strong than last time she had fought him. She was frightened now that she might not live through the battle.

Kicking him fiercely in the chest, he fell against the table, then turned to her and beckoned. Not wanting to disappoint him she ran forward and did a flying sidekick towards his head. He moved swiftly to one side. She landed badly on leg, but got up anyway.

The ankle hurt a lot, she had definitely twisted it, but she fighting on she punched him on the side of the face, but as she brought her hand away, Leraikhe caught it and twisted it round.

"Hurts does it," he sneered, "it won't hurt as much as when my master finishes with you."

"Still his lapdog," Andria whispered, trying not to let the pain show in her voice.

Leraikhe kissed her forehead then pulled her arm. There was a popping sound as the arm dislocated. Andria slumped to the floor.

Leraikhe took a step back and called of his creatures and disappeared again with them, knowing his master would be pleased at his victory. There would be many casualties from this battle.

The only people still standing were Squall, Selphie and Quistis. The creatures had done great damage.

Selphie got on the comm. to the Infirmary to call for help.

Seifer was dragging himself along the floor although he couldn't do anything, Fujin and Irvine were bleeding badly from their injuries, and they were literally covered in blood.

Selphie ran over to Seifer to try to help him. Rinoa's wounds flowed with blood where they had bitten into her. Squall ran over to her, but she faded into unconsciousness.

"Squall I need you over here," called Quistis.

Slowly he walked over to Andria, not wanting to leave Rinoa.

Andria's arm was hanging limply at her side; it was obvious that it was dislocated. She was in a lot of pain, but not wanting to show it so she was biting her lower lip to stop herself from crying out.

"I need you to hold her Squall and make sure she doesn't move."

"What are you gonna do," he asked her.

"I'm gonna pop it back in," she replied.

Carefully holding the arm, Quistis checked where it had come out and with a sudden yank; she popped it back in place.

Squall realised why Quistis had asked him to hold Andria for when it was pulled back, she screamed and writhed in agony, then fell unconscious.

*****

"This is wonderful, what are we supposed to do now," shouted Seifer, panicking slightly.

Almost everyone was in another meeting, apart from Sia, Irvine and Rinoa. Dr Kadowaki wanted them to stay a bit longer as they weren't full recovered.

Everyone was okay apart from some really nasty bites and some cuts, Andria's arm would be fine as she regenerated quickly, although they had to put her arm in a sling. Vincent and Raijin had nasty bruises from being thrown against a wall.

"What were those things," asked Zell.

"Dark faeria, nasty creatures," said Vincent.

Andria was looking outside, but there wasn't anything there when he strained to look. Everyone stared at her.

Looking back she smiled at them and said, "I have to take a walk, be back soon."

She then walked quickly out of the room. Squall and Seifer stared at one another.

"No one's answered Seifer's question," said Selphie, "what are we gonna do?"

*****

Andria followed the music she heard. She knew where she had to go. Down to the second floor and along to the balcony. "She" was waiting there.

As Andria stepped out of the door she saw that there was no one there, but she knew not to be fooled by her eyes.

"Sati, show yourself," she commanded to the wind.

It blew in a tornado on the deck in front of her and a tall woman materialised. The tornado then subsided.

Her long black hair hung loosely down to her waist. Her eyes were dark brown, almost black. Her clothes, a long white dress right down to the floor covering her bare feet.

"You called," she whispered.

"Only to ask what you are doing here. Up to your old tricks again, I suppose. What are you gonna do this time."

"Maybe," said Sati, "I could help you get what you want."

"How could you possibly know what I want?"

"I see your dreams, your fantasies, your desires." Sati walked away from Andria in slow graceful movements.

"Alright, so you know what I think. Listen now, you don't talk to anybody, or do ANYTHING."

Andria emphasised that last word then turned on her heel and stalked off.

"When has that ever stopped me," Sati muttered in her quiet voice.

*****

"There's a message for you."

Nida shook Andria.

"Thank you," she said and smiled at him, "who is it?"

Nida took a second to think, "…Dr. Odine."

Could it possibly be about Genesis, she thought. Thinking about the project. She followed Nida.

*****

Squall was feeling dizzy. It had only come about a matter of minutes ago. He wasn't sure if he was really standing there or asleep. He felt tired all over.

Rinoa had just gotten out of the Infirmary and was hungry so they went to the cafeteria and now he was standing in the queue for her. The feeling had now got a lot worse. He closed his eyes for a second, and then he collapsed.

*****

"Come quickly, Squall's collapsed," cried Quistis to Andria, rushing to the room.

"I'll be there in a second," said Andria.

She finished off her conversation with the person on the other end, and then hurried to the Infirmary.

*****

"Could this be Ellone doing this," said Selphie, "well, she did do it before."

"It's not Ellone," said Andria, walking in at that point.

"How do you know?" Quistis said arching her eyebrows.

"Because I just talked to her after YOU came rushing in disturbing me."

Quistis just shrugged her shoulders.

Author's Note

The project that Andria is involved in is not to be found out until the sequel of this fanfic. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing for it and it will be out when this fanfic is finished.