DISCLAIMER

Emerald, Princess of Vernea, does not own Final Fantasy 8 and is not associated with it or its creators in any way. This is a novelisation of the game and Emerald only lays claim to the written form and original scenes and dialogue that do not appear in the game. Everything else is copyrighted to SquareEnix, the creators of Final Fantasy 8.

Final Fantasy VIII [3rd Instalment]

Grace Barton

Part Eight: The Search for Esthar

Chapter One

It was the morning following the battle. Squall was in his dormitory, lying back on his bed with his arms behind his head. He stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought.

Is it over… Squall wondered.

The events that followed the battle's conclusion were a bit hazy for Squall. He remembered Quistis shouting to him about Rinoa, and the sorceress, calling about Ellone. He had gone over to Rinoa to find that she had collapsed in the middle of the floor, and despite all their efforts she refused to wake up. Squall had left Galbadia Garden carrying the unconscious Rinoa in his arms.

They had taken Rinoa straight to Dr Kadowaki. The doctor examined her thoroughly but was unable to find out what was wrong with her. Eventually she had shooed Squall and the rest of his friends out of the Infirmary, insisting that Rinoa needed to rest and that she had other patients to attend to. She kept Irvine behind, tending his sprained wrist.

When news of the sorceress' defeat had spread, the Galbadian army withdrew their forces for Balamb Garden and left in disgrace, taking Galbadia Garden with them. It was an unfriendly parting, without so much as an apology for their actions. Squall had let the soldiers go, for as far as he was concerned they had done their task. The sorceress was defeated.

But for Squall, the battle was far from over. All that evening and all through that night, his thoughts kept drifting to Rinoa. He was unable to sleep. Thoughts of her lying in that hospital bed kept entering his mind and preventing him from sleeping. Even when he took a hot shower to refresh himself, it did nothing to clear his mind. He spent the rest of the night lying awake on his bed, watching the clouds drift across the sky from his open window. He had watched the dawn approach and the sun's first light drift across the sky.

He kept replaying the last moments of the battle in his mind, trying to find some clue behind Rinoa's sudden collapse. He could think of nothing. Rinoa had dealt the final blow, but she had been standing when she went over to Seifer (who had also gone missing following the battle). When Seifer had gone she collapsed, and that was all he knew.

What happened… Squall asked himself. He rolled onto his side, drummed his fingers against the pillow, and then sat up on the bed. He stared at the floor. Rinoa… What happened to Rinoa…?

Ignoring the pain of his aching muscles, Squall got up from the bed. He frowned, bit his lip, and then strode out of the room.

He went to the Infirmary. Dr Kadowaki was nowhere to be seen—no doubt making her rounds to those students who were resting in their dorm rooms.

Rinoa was in one of the private examination rooms. Angelo was sat by her bed, as he had done all night, keeping a constant vigil over his mistress. Squall slipped into the room and closed the door behind him.

The room was very quiet. A window had been opened to let in some fresh air, which carried with it the scent of the ocean. Rinoa was laid out on the bed next to the window. Her arms were folded neatly across her stomach. Her skin was pale and cold. Only the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed showed that she was still alive. But beyond that, she showed no other signs of life.

Squall stood by the bed, looking down at her. As he watched her, he felt his heart wrench inside his chest. Rinoa looked as though she was dead. Squall swallowed and he reached out to take her hand. Before he could touch her, the intercom sounded and Quistis's voice called out to him.

"Squall, can you hear me? Head to Edea's House at once. The Sorceress Edea… Matron is back at the orphanage."

Squall paused, letting his hand fall back to his side. Matron… So she had returned home. He knew it was important to speak with her about what happened, but he could not bear to leave Rinoa behind. Perhaps Matron would know what had happened to her, and then they could wake her up.

After promising Rinoa he would come back soon, Squall turned and walked out of the room.

Edea's Orphanage was almost exactly like Squall remembered it. After the Gardens were built, the orphanage had stood empty. Time and weather had taken its toll on the old building. The walls were beginning to crumble; the wooden doors were rotted and hanging on their hinges; windows were smeared with dirt and sand, and many of them were broken by fierce storms. The gardens, once the Matron's pride and joy, were neglected and overgrown with weeds.

Squall, and the others behind him, had a sombre face as he looked around at the ruins of his old home. Each one of them was recalling the memories they had formed here, in this house. The good times, and the bad times; they remembered them all. It was here that they had all met, and so it seemed only fitting that they should come here now, when the battle was finally over.

They approached the orphanage from the main gate. As they entered the overgrown gardens they spotted Headmaster Cid standing in an open doorway. His face was solemn as he watched them approach, and before anyone could say anything, he turned and walked into the building.

As the headmaster closed the door, Quistis put her hand on her chest. Her fingers were trembling. "…I feel uncomfortable seeing her," she confessed.

They entered the orphanage. They felt like runaways coming home after a very long journey. Each step was familiar, and as they gazed upon the things that had seemed so large to them in the past they became increasingly aware of how much time had passed since they were last here.

The interior of the orphanage was just as dilapidated as the exterior. The entire back wall had fallen away, letting in the ocean air. Weeds pushed through the edges of the concrete slabs, and the floor was thick with dust. The dust was disturbed in parts, marred by a set of heavy footprints—the headmaster's—and an odd-looking trail where the dust had smudged—belonging to the sorceress.

As the companions closed the door the headmaster reappeared, entering via a side doorway that led out to the backyard. Quistis, Zell and Selphie at once came to attention and saluted the headmaster, while Irvine tipped his hat in respect. Only Squall did not move, giving the headmaster a grave look.

Headmaster Cid gave them a weary smile and bowed his head. "…Many thanks for your hard work," he told them, and his voice was filled with gratitude. Seeing the grave look on Squall's face, he chuckled and scratched his head. "…Hahaha… Are you angry with me?" he asked. When Squall did not reply he laughed again. "Haha… I can't blame you. All I do is talk big, but in times of trouble, I run away."

The headmaster paused and coughed. Squall noticed that he still looked as weary as the last time they saw him, though it seemed the burden on his shoulders had been lifted a little.

"I was in a no-win situation…" Cid explained. He removed his glasses and rubbed them clean with a handkerchief. "Your defeat would be the end of you. Your victory would mean losing my wife… I just couldn't bear… to face either outcome. I don't care about myself…" he said, pocketing the handkerchief and replacing his glasses. "But… please forgive Edea…"

The headmaster turned and walked from the room. Squall folded his arms across his chest and sighed. Forgiving Edea was a task easier said than done. Still, something about the sorceress' demeanour had changed after her defeat. When that last blow struck it was as though something within her had been vanquished, and Edea had suddenly returned to the kind and gentle person they had always known her to be. Squall could not wrap his head around the change, but even so, it did not excuse what she had done.

They followed Cid through the orphanage until they reached the backyard. Sorceress Edea was waiting for them here, her back to them, looking around at what was once her beautiful orphanage.

Cid walked over to her and placed his hand gently upon her shoulder. Edea turned, and her eyes fell on them. As she met their gazes, her eyes filled with tears of love and regret. Squall was amazed. She looked nothing like the evil sorceress they had been fighting all this time. There was no cruelty to her face, not malice in her eyes. Any anger Squall may have felt towards her right then slipped away in an instant. This was the Matron he remembered.

"My children…" Edea said, and her voice was soft and melodic. She clasped Cid's hand and then walked past him, crossing the yard towards them. "Please forgive me… I raised you as my own, yet still, I…"

Squall interrupted her with a wave of his hand. "We feel the same way," he said.

"We fought you, too," said Zell, "knowing you were our Matron."

Zell went silent as Irvine brushed past him. He went over to Edea and took her hands in his own. Hands that were once so small now encompassed hers. Irvine held them close to his chest. "Matron…" he whispered, bowing his head.

Again Edea's eyes filled with tears. She was overwhelmed by the love and affection she had from her former children. Reaching up, she laid a hand on Irvine's cheek and brushed away a single tear that rolled down his face.

"You are SeeDs," she told them. "You cannot back out of a battle, I know. You were magnificent. However, it's not over yet. At any time, I may…"

She hesitated, biting her lip. Irvine opened his eyes and looked at her, confused. Edea closed her eyes and pulled her hands from Irvine's, holding them close to her own chest. When she had composed herself she reopened her eyes and looked at them all, her face set.

"…I have been possessed all this time," she declared. "I was at the mercy of Sorceress Ultimecia. Ultimecia is a sorceress from the future. A sorceress many generations ahead of our time."

At this sudden announcement, everyone began to murmur. Irvine stepped back away from Edea. Squall tilted his head, confused. She was possessed by a sorceress from the future? Was that even possible?

Even while they continued to murmur, Edea carried on. "Ultimecia's objective is to find Ellone. She is after Ellone's mysterious power. I knew Ellone very well. Ultimecia is a very fearful sorceress. Her heart is filled with anger and hate. There was no way I was going to let Ultimecia get a hold of Ellone. The only thing I could do was… surrender my soul to Ultimecia and lose control of my mind. That was the only way I could save Ellone. And the end result…" She hesitated, looking uncomfortable. "Well, you all know."

Slowly, everyone nodded. They, and the world, would remember the results of Edea's possession for a long time to come.

"The sorceress that appeared in Galbadia was in fact Ultimecia… inside my soul…" Edea continued. "Ultimecia has yet to achieve her goal. I believe she may use my body again to carry out her plans. I plan to make a stand this time, but… if that does not work…" She paused, looking at each of them in turn, letting her words sink in. "I may have to face you in battle once again." Edea spread her hands, as though reaching out to them. "I ask for your support, young SeeDs."

Everyone nodded. Everyone that is, except for Squall, who was staring right ahead.

Edea bowed her head. Then she frowned, as a thought occurred to her, and she raised her head. "Have you all heard of Sorceress Adel before?" she asked them.

Squall frowned and crossed his arms. Sorceress Adel… he thought. No, he could not recall hearing that name before. Was she another sorceress from the future?

Zell's arm shot into the air. "She was the ruler of Esthar during the Sorceress War," he answered, looking proud. "No one knows her whereabouts…" The fighter then paused as he glanced around him, seeing the amused looks on his friends' faces. He lowered his hand. "That's what I learnt," he confessed, a sheepish look on his face.

A small smile appeared on Edea's face. "The Galbadians must have thought I was the sorceress who received Adel's powers," she explained. "However, that is not the case. I received the powers of the previous sorceress at the age of five."

Squall frowned. He did not claim to know much about the ways of sorceresses, and he was not sure if what he knew was truth or merely legend. What he did know was that a sorceress had to pass on her powers to a successor before she was allowed to die. If Sorceress Edea was not the successor to Sorceress Adel…

Quistis folded her arms. "Which means…"

"I believe Sorceress Adel is still alive," Edea said. "And that Ultimecia released my body in order to… To use the body of Sorceress Adel… Sorceress Adel is the type who will not hesitate to use her powers for her own selfish desires." Her face then grew grave. "Should Sorceress Ultimecia from the future bequeath her anger and hatred unto Adel, their power would be unimaginable…"

A long silence fell. Then Squall, who had listened to Edea's words with a distracted look, turned and started walking away.

Selphie turned to him. "Squall, we're leaving already!" she asked, shocked.

"Squall," called Zell, "I'm sure Matron has much more to say!"

Halfway across the yard, Squall stopped. He took a deep breath and sighed. I've heard enough, he thought. He took a few more steps, feeling the ground crunch beneath his feet. He could not concentrate; his thoughts kept diverting. I understand that listening to what Matron has to say is important, but Rinoa…

Thinking of Rinoa in that hospital bed made his heart wrench with pain. It was the same pain he had felt before, when Ellone had left the orphanage and left him alone. Squall swallowed, his mouth dry, and clenched his fist.

"Matron," he began, turning back, "do you know what's wrong with Rinoa?"

Edea crossed her arms, frowning in thought. "Rinoa is the girl in light blue? I vaguely remember… What happened to her?"

"She was with us when we fought you," Squall explained. "After the battle… Her body was cold… She didn't move…"

Cid gasped. "Did Rinoa die!" he asked.

"NO!" Squall shouted back.

The sorceress closed her eyes and bowed her head. "Forgive me, Squall," she answered. "I don't think I can be of any help."

Squall stepped back, unclenching his hands. He did not mean to shout. He knew it was not Cid or Matron's fault. "…It's all right," he said in a low voice.

At that point Cid coughed, and he came forward to stand beside his wife. "Squall," he began, "I understand how you feel. But you are in a position of leadership. The other students at Garden have a right to know about the outcome of the battle and what's to come. Take whatever information you can get here, back to Garden. Remember," he stressed, "it wasn't just Rinoa. Everyone fought."

Squall scowled and put his hand on his hip. "I understand," he said. "But…"

The headmaster waved his finger. "But, but, but… That isn't something a leader should say," he told him.

For a moment, Squall said nothing. Then he gave an angry yell and he turned to punch his fist against the wall, making Selphie jump.

…Dammit, Squall cursed.

Everybody watched as Squall fought to calm himself down. They knew just how he felt. It was frustrating; not knowing what was wrong with Rinoa, not knowing what to do to help her. But the headmaster was right: they needed to listen to what Matron had to say. Headmaster Cid placed his hand on his wife's shoulder. Edea gave a nod and she continued with her story.

"Ultimecia's objective is to find Ellone," she continued.

First time we met was the day I became a SeeD. We met again… in Timber…

"Ellone's mysterious power… Sending one's consciousness back into the past."

"So, Ultimecia wants to use Ellone's power, right?"

We had a lot of arguments at first. But in time, things began to change.

"I get it. Ultimecia wants to send her consciousness from this period further into the past."

"What's she going to do in the past?"

You were looking at me… You smiled when our eyes met.

Edea's voice: "Time compression."

"Time compression?"

It made me feel calm, tranquil.

"It's time magic. Past, present and future get compressed."

"What's going to happen to the world? Why do something like that?"

Rinoa… Give me another chance.

"I can't even imagine a world where time is compressed!"

"Yo, Squall!"

Squall turned away from the wall, broken from his thoughts. Everyone was looking at him again.

Seeing the blank look on his face, Selphie glared and put her hands on her hips. "You're not even listening!" she accused him.

Squall responded with a grunt. "So basically all we have to do is prevent Ultimecia from getting a hold of Ellone," he summarised.

"Yes, but…" Quistis began, but Squall interrupted her.

"We're going back to Garden. We have to let everyone know."

"Hey," Irvine called after him, as Squall started to head off again, "we're worried about Rinoa too, y'know?"

Squall stopped. He spun around to face Irvine. "Then why don't you…!"

He stopped himself just in time. It was not Irvine's fault. It was not anybody's fault. That was what was so frustrating. There was no one he could point to and go 'Why did you do this to Rinoa?' The headmaster was right: they did need all this information. Irvine was right, too: Squall was not the only person who was worried about Rinoa. But that did not make him feel any better.

"Forget it," he said curtly. He then turned and stalked out of the garden.

His friends, the headmaster and his wife, watched him as he left.

"That about covers the update," Squall concluded, standing over the intercom. "Our task at hand is to find Ellone. Then we'll deal with Ultimecia. I believe that Ellone is on the White SeeD ship. We're setting out to look for it. I wonder where it could be? We'll gather information for a while. Be prepared for battle at any time." He paused, another thought occurring. "And… Sorceress Edea is back at her home. She's probably not our enemy anymore. Let's just leave her be."

He closed the microphone and let out a sigh. He knew he was asking a lot, asking everyone to stay alert for battle. They were still recovering from the battle with Galbadia. The initial rejoice following the battle's end was beginning to drop, and they were weary. Squall hoped they could last just a little longer.

As he had relayed Edea's story to the Garden, he came to realise just how farfetched it sounded. It sounded almost like a fairy tale from a book. A sorceress many generations ahead of their time, using magic to come into the past in search of Ellone, who would take her even further into the past, and then using her time magic to compress past, present and future into one single time. Under normal circumstances Squall would not have believed such a story. But Edea had no reason to lie, and it also explained why the Matron had done the things she had done, and how she could forget the knowledge that she, of all people, should have known. Her being possessed by a sorceress from the future was the only way to explain all of that. He had no choice but to believe her.

He turned away from the microphone and faced Quistis, Xu and Nida, who were standing behind him. Quistis had been amazed when Squall was able to relate the story to her, and had confessed that it did not make much sense to her, either.

As for Xu and Nida, they had been more than a bit suspicious when they discovered the story's source. The optimistic Nida had eventually accepted the tale when Quistis explained the circumstances to him, but Xu remained concerned. Even when Squall stepped down from the controls she had a torn look on her face, gripping her clipboard.

"I don't want to say this in front of Quistis and you," she began, sounding hesitant, "but… I don't know if some people will be so forgiving."

Squall looked at her, and Xu turned her eyes away. He could not blame her for still being concerned. Possessed or not, Edea had done a lot of terrible things that would take a long time to forgive. It was for that reason that Edea had chosen to remain in the orphanage, away from the rest of the world. Aside from the threat of Ultimecia taking over her body again, she also knew that the world would need time to forgive her for her part in what happened.

He gave Nida instructions to keep the Garden in its current location and then Squall left the bridge, heading back to the Infirmary.

Rinoa was still sleeping on the bed. Angelo lay on the floor next to the bed, his head resting on his paws. There was a bowl of water and a bowl of broken up biscuits and a few strips of cooked meat. No doubt left by the reluctant Dr Kadowaki, Squall thought with a smile, remembering her protests when he had asked that Angelo remain by Rinoa's side.

As Squall entered the room, Angelo opened his eyes and looked up at him. He whimpered. Squall met his sorrowful gaze. Angelo was also suffering; he knew that something was not right with his mistress. Kneeling by the dog, Squall gave him one of the treats Rinoa always carried with her. The dog accepted it and then pushed his nose into Squall's hand. Recognising the gesture he often gave to Rinoa, Squall stroked the dog's fur and gave him a scratch behind the ears.

When he was done comforting Angelo, Squall moved to kneel beside Rinoa's bed. He looked her over. There had been no change. Rinoa was still perfectly still, her skin still so pale. He noted that someone had brushed her hair and had laid it nearly on the pillow, spilling over her bare shoulders.

Squall's eyes moved down until he saw her silver chain still around her neck. Hanging from the chain was his ring, resting alongside Rinoa's. The two rings were side-by-side, almost touching but not quite. Squall felt like that right then. He was so close to Rinoa, but she seemed so far away.

He tore his eyes away from the rings and looked at Rinoa's face. Her expression was so smooth. Her eyelids did not even flicker.

He remembered Dr Kadowaki's words when she had examined her: 'It's very strange. She has very few injuries, yet she seems to be locked in a deep sleep. All you can do is hope, and wait for her to wake up.'

Wait? How long? Squall had asked those questions over and over, but he had gotten no answer.

He took off his glove and pressed his hand against Rinoa's forehead. A chill crept through his fingers, sending a shiver down his back.

Rinoa… You feel so cold, he thought. He took her hand, caressing her fingers. Are you going to be like this forever?

He looked at Rinoa's face, but he got no answer from her. Squall squeezed her hand.

"Isn't there anything I can do!" he cried, making Angelo flinch. The swordsman stood. "You were so full of life. Now you don't even make a sound… I want to hear your voice."

But Rinoa still did not answer.

This is like talking to a wall, Squall thought.

He had never understood why people spoke to those who were unconscious or in comas. He knew why, of course, but how could they keep talking, day after day, without ever knowing if the other person could hear them? Some found it comforting, he supposed, but Squall was not like that. He did not want to talk to Rinoa, only to be met with silence. He wanted to hear her voice. He wanted to hear her laugh, or to hear her scolding him for being cold and callous. He wanted to see her smile again. But, more than anything else, he wanted her to say his name again.

Squall leaned over the bed, looking into Rinoa's peaceful face.

"Rinoa…" he whispered, his voice pleading. "Call my name."

Rinoa did not answer.

Squall's heart sank. He did not even notice when the high-pitched whistle began to ring in his head. His head started to swim, and he fell to his knees. Spots danced in front of his eyes, and everything blurred. He started to fall. He reached for Rinoa's hand, and his fingers brushed hers as he fell onto the floor.

Squall fell, once again, into the 'dream world'.

A Note from the Authoress

Happy New Year, everyone! Yes, it's a month late, but Chinese New Year was only last week, so let's go with that! Year of the Dragon, yay! I'm an Ox, though…

So, anyway, welcome at last to the final instalment of this Final Fantasy VIII novelisation. This will cover the last parts of the game, Discs Three and Four.

As mentioned last time, I have been writing chapters throughout my 'break'. I've just finished chapter fifteen. So I will try to keep this gap so that there are always updates in the event that writer's block hits me at some point. It hit me a bit this month, which is why I only have a couple of additional chapters completed.

Oh, and I know someone mentioned it in a review of the second instalment, but I thought I'd just mention it. I didn't forget the GF Alexander. I decided not to draw him. I figured there was no need for me to actually go out and get every GF. Plus, considering Squall and everyone were too busy trying to fight a sorceress, it wasn't practical to have the distraction of drawing a GF from her. It's not likely I'll be using Odin, and I won't be getting Bahamut, either. I will be getting Alexander, but I'm using a different method for that one, which shall be revealed in later chapters. I haven't got to that bit myself yet, so you'll just have to wait.

But anyway, on with the fic! I hope you all enjoy this last instalment. I'm now being tormented with which story to do after this. I promised I'd do Crisis Core, but now Final Fantasy 13 is tugging at me… as is Dissidia. Darn it—too many games, not enough years in my life to write them all!