Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ What's This Life For? ❯ The Evil Makes Itself Known ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2: The Evil Makes Itself Known

Disclaimer: I don't own the FF9 characters, Squaresoft does.......

Steiner and Beatrix stopped their chocobos on top of a hill overlooking Alexandria Castle. Smoke rose above the rooftops in a dark cloud, like an ominous prophecy of what awaited them inside the city gates.

"Look at all that damage....." Beatrix said softly, "All that rebuilding for nothing."

"Alexandria hasn't burnt to the ground yet! We can still save most of the castle!" Steiner shouted, urging the large yellow bird foreward.

"Steiner, wait!" she called, but he didn't hear her or chose to ignore her. She shook her head. "We leave the kingdom helpless at its one time of need. Princess..... Queen Garnet, where are you? Why have you left your beloved kingdom? Alexandria, please forgive us for not saving you........" She sighed, her soft brown curls settling on her shoulders. She ushered her chocobo foreward to catch up with Steiner.

When they reached the city gates, they dismounted and released their birds. "Oh god...." Steiner stepped inside the gate, only to find the cobblestone streets to be littered with the bodies of Alexandrian soldiers and civilians. There was an occasional lifeless Black Mage, but they were few and far between. Steiner drew his broadsword and stepped warily over the bodies.

Most of the buildings had been burnt to the ground, only leaving behind a charred skeleton of what used to be a house or shop.

"Its too quiet. The fighting must be over." Beatrix said.

"It would be logical to assume so. But who's responsible? We are allies with Burmecia and Lindblum, and Treno doesn't have the power to do this kind of damage-"

"Stop," an emotionless voice from behind them commanded. Beatrix whirled around, facing the threat. At least thirty Black Mages had them surronded.

"You scoundrels! You will pay for destroying the great kingdom of Alexandria!" Steiner shouted, "Beatrix, shall we kill them?"

"No." Beatrix whispered hoarsly, "It would be suicide. There are too many of them."

"What! But Beatrix, you never back down from a battle! We can take them-"

"No Steiner! Can't you see its futile to try and kill them?! We have no choice but to surrender!" she shouted.

"Capture the enemy!" One of the mages said and the others chorused back. Beatrix and a confused Steiner were disarmed and led off toward the castle.

Beatrix cast Steiner a sideways glance. //Can't he see that this is the best way to get into the castle?//

"Well, if it isn't Queen Garnet's finest?" an obnoxious voice whined.

Steiner turned to face the speaker. A young woman stood beside an unmistakable figure. "Am-Amarant? Lani? What are you doing in Alexandria? I thought you were living in Madain Sari..........." he sputtered.

"We were."

"Well, you got here just in time! Myself and Beatrix seem to be in a little scrape-"

"I don't think you understand," Lani said venomously, "we're not here to save your insignificant little hides."

"What?" Steiner stared at them, dumbfounded.

"Steiner, can't you see? They're the enemy! They were hired by whoever is controlling the Black Mages!" Beatrix cried.

"Yup, and our job is to kill monkey-tail boy. You and your friends call him...... Zidane?" Lani laughed, "Oh, will this be an exciting job!"

"Who's paying you?!"

"Oh, you'll see soon enough. It will be quite a shock. I wouldn't miss it for the world!" she giggled.

"Come on, this way." The silent Amarant finally spoke up. He ushered them toward the boat that crossed the moat to the castle. Two Black Mages bound Beatrix and Steiner's hands and pushed them into the small vessel.

They crossed the moat in silence; the Black Mage who was steering wasn't much of a convesationlist. //I can't believe Beatrix gave up like that! There was only thirty, maybe forty of them. Perhaps she saw some that I didn't notice. Yes, that must have been it!// The boat bumped the stone dock, interrupting Steiner's train of thought. They were roughly pushed off and dragged into the castle throne room. At least ten Black Mages stood along the walls, ready to blast the two Alexandrian knights with a powerful spell if they did so much as give them a funny look.

"I demand to see whose responsible for the destruction of Alexandria!" Steiner shouted. The Black Mages stared at him blankly.

"You wish to see me?" A curtain was drawn aside and a figure stepped out into the sunlight.

Beatrix and Steiner instantly reconized the figure. Each familiar step, the way her dark hair settled on her pale shoulders, the way her soft dark brown eyes seemed to sparkle when she smiled.

"Queen Garnet?" Beatrix questioned softly.

"Greetings General Beatrix and Captain Adelbert Steiner," she smiled and stepped foreward. She wore a pure white dress and her hair was adorned with a crown of delicate white blossoms that shed petals behind as she walked. Her expression was cold and very un-Garnet like.

Steiner was speechless for a moment and just stared at her, anger building in his heart and his face flushing. He finally found his voice, albiet the slight tremble to it. "Princess..........."

Her eyes flashed. "Is that all I shall ever be to you, Steiner?!" she spat, "Just the little child; the delicate, helpless little princess that needs protection? I am 17, and Queen of Alexandria!!"

"Is that why you destroyed Alexandria!? Just because you felt that you were not being treated like an adult?! That sounds very childish to me, Princess." he bellowed. Beatrix stood back, silently watching. She felt numb to what was unfolding before her.

"I am Queen!!!"

"Queen of what? All's I see is the smoking ruins of a once great kingdom, one that I protected with my life......."

"Then where were you when my magnificent army burned your "beloved" kingdom to the ground? When all your soldiers cried out in pain as I killed them, one by one?"

Those cold words struck a nerve. Steiner visibly shuddered, letting out his anger in one low sigh, and sorrow overtook him. "I was seaching for you, Garnet........" he said softly.

But his tender words were lost as Garnet began ranting. "I shall show you, Zidane, everyone who's ever doubted me, that I shall become Queen of Gaia!!!"

"So that's what this is about! Some thief steals your heart and runs off and now you want to take out you anger on the world! That makes absolutely and completely no sense! Princess, listen to yourself!!"

"Shut up!! Get them away from me!" The mages maved foreward, dragging Beatrix and Steiner off.

"I am not done speaking!" Steiner struggled to get away, the ropes finally giving way. He rushed at Garnet, grabbing her shoulders and shook her violently. "Wake up, Garnet!!!!"

"Get off of me!" she yelped. One of the mages rose his stave.

Beatrix finally shook herself out of her stupor. "Steiner, look out!"

"Thunderaga!"

----------

"Oh god! We have to get there as quick as we can!" Zidane ran to the door, but Cid stopped him.

"I think I may have a faster way. Follow me." They entered the lift and Cid pressed the button to go to the airship gate dock. "I've been examining the blueprints for the Invinsible and the Hilda Gardes, and I may have created the ultimate airship!"

"That's great! Perfect timing-"

"There's only one problem......"

"Damn, I should have known there would be a catch......" Zidane sighed.

"It hasn't been tested yet." Cid said sheepishly.

"You want us to fly in another untested craft?" Freya stared at him like he was crazy.

"Well," Cid shrugged, "we were lucky with the Hilda Garde, perhaps we'll be lucky again!"

"And if we're not?"

"Then we crash and die."

Zidane sighed and Freya looked shocked. "Well...... we don't have much of a choice, do we?"

"Zidane, you're fearless."

"Well, here we are! My beloved Hilda Garde 4!"

"It looks more like a bucket of bolts," Zidane mumbled, "or the world's largest coffin......"

----------

Steiner opened his eyes to stare at a grey stone ceiling. He groaned and sat up, looking around. Beatrix sat on the floor beside him. "Are you all right?" she asked, gently placing a slender hand on his broad shoulder.

//My head aches horribly.// "I'm alright," he said. He rolled his shoulders back, attempting to release the stiffness in his upper back. All's he succeeded in doing was have a sharp pain flare up along his neck and back muscles, and have his armor shreech in protest. He winced, then leaned up against the wall with a groan.

Beatrix watched him quizzically for a moment, then smirked.

"Hmmm?"

"Your feather, " she laughed, "its singed."

He chuckled, the tense wrinkles on his face softening. "That's it! That's the straw that breaks the camel's back. This is officially the worst day ever........" They laughed for a moment, until Beatrix stopped abruptly.

"Did you hear that?" she whispered.

"No......?"

"Mr. Steiner......" a weak voice said.

"That sounded......sounded like Master Vivi!"

"Y-Yeah, its me........ You need to listen for a moment. You're in grave danger." Vivi said solemnly.