DISCLAIMER: I do not own final fantasy XIII

Power Of One

Chapter 6

"The keys that I grant thee,

The Sacred Land,
are dry desert sand,

on the palm of your hand"

Zell's POV

You know, it's true what they say about men, machines and manuals. We men never read the manuals, preferring to try and do it ourselves first so we can boast about it second. Most the time we have nothing to boast about since we have wrecked the poor machine so badly that it's near impossible to fix.

It would seem I'm no exception.

So far I've caused no more than three alarms, the most serious of which was a self-destruct sequence. You can imagine team's faces out there (I can see them wandering about on the monitors in the control room). Quistis' face had to be the most amusing. I have never seen her eyes quite that big. Her face turned an interesting shade too, never seen it turn to white then to red in three seconds before...

Well, seeing as that my brilliant plan to lock the bathroom doors was ruined due to my lack of knowledge about…. G4L84D14 (!?)– computers, I have decided to read the manual. Where do Galbadians keep their manuals?? Where would methodical military minds store their valuable documents? …under the forlorn leg of a wobbling table, of course. These Galbadians have no respect for books. I guess that none of them have read it either. Seems like men are men wherever they're from.

Now let's see….

'Starting the G4L84D14 – computer', no need to do that…

'Air conditioning settings', better leave them be, I'd probably just kill us all by suffocation… 'saving' no,

'loading' no,

'intercom settings' already know this shit,

'self-destruction command' no thanks, I can handle that on my own…

'Counter-attacks against cactuars'….Riiiiight.

'Basics - Doors'…. Bingo!

…

…!?

…?!?!?

This manual is completely, utterly ridiculous. The subjects aren't in a logical order and the text doesn't make any sense… '…to lock the doors you need to push buttons 3dA, 8hK and 9oP on the red area which is located on C-panel. After that push buttons 7jK, 9iO and 2tU which are found on the blue and green area of panels A and C. Make sure that the input is correct or it will set off the alarm. If sequence is incorrect twice in a row the system will overload and the computer will crash.'

…

OVERLOAD AND CRASH?

Ah well, there's always next time.

***

It's been boring. Really.

You'd think that even Galbadians would have better guards on their newest weapon but so far the only thing I've had to do is knock out a few guards, they changed shifts, it seemed. Seifer took care of the rest and like the gentleman he is, he made some improper hand gestures to the camera, and through the camera, to me.

Well, Seifer and Quistis – "fine". The others, going towards the objective. It seems they have finally reached their destination. They climb into the secret passage that can only be accessed from this floor.

You open the door by pushing a button that's hidden in the wall. So clichéd.

This is where things get rather difficult. I have no way of seeing what's happening on their end since there is no camera in the hidden room. It's their secret weapons arsenal-control-something room. I'm not good with technical terms. They should be setting off a few bombs that are set to explode in 15 minutes. During that time, they'll escape via the lift in here. I'm supposed to give some sort of a signal, to Quisty and Seifer indicating that Team Couples has succeeded in their mission. I decide to check everything once more. Seifer and Quistis are playing cards now. Lucky bastards, getting the easy job! I hope they're playing poker, Seifer will never win, she's got the best poker face in this world, years of working with Squall and Seifer do that to you.

It's all going well I-th-

*BREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE*

"The HELL-!?!?!"

It's the frigging alarm! I didn't touch it! I swear! Everything was going perfectly!

On the monitors I can see nine guards running towards the others, they must have accidentally set the alarms there off. Maybe I can…

…

…

Not good. NOT good I tell ya; "…the secret room's alarm system can only be shut down by using the secret code, given to the one in control of the base…"

"Chicken wuss! What the hell are you doing!?" Oh great, company… "Shut this damn alarm now!!" He's seething, I just glare at him.

"I can't! It needs a special code and I don't have it. I can't procure it from nowhere!"

Quistis entered. "Stop arguing you two! It's too late now!" She was pointing at one of the monitors.

"Sir! Where are the intrud-" We all turn to look at the Galbadian soldier who was momentarily too stunned to move.

"Uh oh" Was all I could say before the man snapped back to reality.

"INTRUDERS IN THE SURVEILLANCE ROOM!!" And hell broke loose.

They have us surrounded now. And one of them is speaking through the intercom, giving away the situation and the location of the Couples team. Dang it!

"You didn't really imagine getting away with such a stupid plan, did you?" One of the Galbadians said. He walked to Quistis and smirked. "Stupid Balamb SeeDs… You should've just waited, we would have come to you in a few weeks. Revenge is always so sweet…" He raised his hand to stroke Quistis's cheek.

"Don't you touch her!"

The quiet rage in Seifer's voice could have soured milk. The man turned to look at Seifer and all the others raised their guns. The Galbadian soldier scowled, spat at Seifer's feet and reeled back ready to strike, crying "Shut your mouth and die in peace!" This was my moment. As fast as I could I punched the soldier to my left then crouched fast and swept Seifer's legs from under him just as the other soldiers started firing. Quistis was quick to act and used her whip to catch one of the men's guns while he was still firing. She pulled hard, making him point towards his own comrades, killing most of them. Seifer rose and slashed the remaining men smoothly to their deaths.

"Quistis, Seifer go outside and keep this place secured, the others are almost here!" I shouted and ran to the panel and flipping the manual's pages, trying to find a specific code.

"And what the hell are you going to do?!"

"I'm taking us up! Or would you rather dig a passage way up by hand while me and Quistis hold them off?!" I heard Seifer curse but he and Quistis left the room and soon I could hear them fighting just outside the door. "C'mon, c'mon…." I flipped the pages faster now, ripping some of them in the progress. I looked at the monitors again. Squall and the others looked exhausted. Selphie had given up with supportive magic with the constant attacks from both sides which Rinoa could no longer hold alone. Squall has a nasty gash on his thigh and it's giving him a slight limp, getting noticeably worse.

"It isn't here!!" I throw the damn manual against the wall and run to the door. "Seifer! Throw me a guard!" Seifer did what he was told, too busy to start a fight. I looked at the man who lay on the floor, face down. I turned him over and took the damn helmet off to see empty eyes staring to space. I could feel a vein throbbing, ready to pop. "A live one, thank you! Alive and conscious!" I could see Seifer smirk and then he tripped a guard so that he flew right in front of me. I quickly kicked his gun away and send an annoyed look at Seifer before turning to the guard again.

"How do I get this thing to go up?!" I yell at the guard back in the control room.

"I- I'm not telling!!" I have to give the man some credit for loyalty. But I really need that code. And I need it now. I took his hand, and he was watching in fright and confusion. I grimaced and broke one of the fingers and he screamed.

"After I've broken all you fingers, one by one, I'll start breaking your limbs and after that I'll get creative, got it? So tell me that damn code NOW!" I must really seem frightening, the guy looks ready to piss himself…. I break two more of his fingers and he screams again. After 7 fingers the guy is wailing on the floor, snot dripping down from his nose mixing with the tears.

"Fine!! I'll tell you! Just… stop it, please!" I still my actions for a while, waiting for the code. "7jK, 5oP, 1iJ on the blue, then 6yH, 9uP from the yellow."

"That better be the correct one or I let Seifer skin you alive…!" I push the said buttons and to my great relieve, the words 'going up, fasten your seatbelts, please' flash on all of the monitors. With a great shake and noise the base starts moving, drilling its way back towards the surface. "how long does it take to get back up?"

"A-about 15 minutes!" I nod in approval, then knock the guy unconscious and join Seifer and Quistis in their fight.

"Well done Zell!" Quistis says. I grin at her while dodging a Galbadian soldier's sword and then executing a chop on the neck, knocking him out instantly. "How're the others?"

"They should be here any moment! I think we should hide in the surveillance room when they get here, you all need a break." I answer her. Seifer snorts at my suggestion but doesn't argue back. Hah., trying to act like a tough guy as always. Quistis nods and casts a cure spell on herself and I cover her for a while. She then repeats the spell, this time curing Seifer and mutters his thanks.

"Zell! Seifer! Quistis!" I turn my head to see Selphie waving quickly at us before blocking an attack with her nunchuks. They were quickly approaching us from Seifer's side and when they reached us Quistis directed them to the room. They all entered and started pushing the door shut, leaving it only slightly ajar so Seifer and I could get in.

"Chickens first!" Seifer shouts while cutting two guards down. I growl at him but go inside, starting a fight now could be hazardous. He follows and all the others push the door shut.

"Get out of the way for a bit." I say, concentrating on the blizzaga spell, sealing the door with a thick layer of ice. I can hear the Galbadians hitting the door on the other side. We all let out sighs and sit on the floor. We were safe, for now.

I look at my comrades: they were all exhausted and bloody but it seemed that no one was fatally wounded. I cast cura on Squall, Rinoa, Selphie and Irvine. They nod their thanks. A moment passes and no one says a word, everyone's still processing our situation. Squall lets out another sigh, looking at me. "How long 'till we are on surface again?" I look at a clock that hung on the wall. It was slightly damaged from a few stray bullets but it still worked. I shifted my eyes back to meet Squall's grey ones.

"It takes about 15 minutes to get this thing on the surfaces… there should be 6 minutes left." Squall nods and we sit in silence once again. All we can do is wait… somehow the silence is louder than the roar of the drills.

Suddenly it broke. "I'm sorry, this is my fault. If I hadn't screwed up we wouldn't be in this mess!" Rinoa suddenly speaks. "I- I fell down and somehow triggered the alarm. I'm so sorry!" She looks down tears welling.

"It wasn't your fault! I almost fell down too! The floor was wet and slippery, if Irvy hadn't caught me I would've fallen too!" Selphie said. I can't bring myself to say anything since I'm not clear on what really went on there. I'm sure it wasn't Rinoa's fault.

"…Do you smell that?!" Seifer is right, something smells in here… melting metal!

"Get away from the door!" Quistis shouts, just in time before the upper part of the door blows up and Galbadian soldiers start flooding in.

Seifer was near enough to use his characteristic attack, a sort of spin, avoiding enemy attack and then executing a powerful slash upwards, usually making fatal wounds.

"A few minutes guys! We can get out of here!" Irvine joins Seifer, shooting like crazy and occasionally batting some of the soldiers with his gun. The girls nod and join the fight, all of them clearly set on surviving.

"Zell, be ready to open the door the moment we're up! Make sure that we are the only that get out of here!" Squall runs to help Rinoa battle three guards. I can't help but to watch all of them for a while. It was somewhat nostalgic, and I feel a sudden thought creeping from somewhere.

Maybe they all looked forward to this mission, not because they felt like showing off or something but because this is a battle we can fight together. A mission with all of us again. A mission where you know that you can risk your neck for others and know that they'll do the same.

Just like before.

Nothing's changed.

---except for Seifer, and that's all positive!

Well, no time for me to stand and stare. I glance at the clock. Three minutes till we get out of here. I make sure the way to the exit is clear. And I open all the locks so there is no need to do anything but the wrench the door open.

A sudden scream makes me turn my head to see Quistis collapsing, holding her stomach.

"Quisty!" Selphie screams but she can't do anything as she is fighting two guard of her own. I see tone of the guards Quistis was fighting rising his gun and laughing. And I see Seifer and Squall both turning, ready to go and save Quistis, but I know they won't be fast enough.

I didn't even notice when I started running towards her. All I know now is that even I won't make it. But just as the guard is ready to pull the trigger, a blade hits the gun, and the bullet that was meant for Quistis' heart, just catches her shoulder. This gave me enough time and I mercilessly kick the man in the gut, making him double over and rise my leg up once again and deliver a chop kick on his back. With a loud crack he falls to the floor. He doesn't move again.

After moving Quistis aside I turn to see squall, breathless and kneeling over, exhausted and bleeding from the re-opened wound in his leg. There's nothing I can do but toss him his blade back, straight into the back of a guard behind him attacking Selphie.

"Is she okay Zell!?" Squall shouts as he delivers a blow to another guard that is nearly cut in two by his still-powerful slash. Seifer and him are fighting back to back now, covering Quistis' place as well.

"I'm fine! Don't treat me like a child!" Quistis shouts and I see Rinoa release a breath she probably didn't know she was holding. She sends a powerful spell towards three guards that are now coming in from the melted door. I turn to look at the clock so I miss the actual spell but from the smell of slowly burning flesh I assume it was either a thunder or fire based.

"One minute!" I call to the others. "Quistis, can you open the door for the others, I have to fight!" I can't let her fight for the fear of the bullet still inside her making damage to the inner organs. Quistis nods and moves purposefully to the door as I throw punches and cast spells as fast as I can manage as I try to make my way towards Squall.

"Head down Zell!" I turn to look and quickly evade as a confuse spell, recognizable from its color and the sound it makes, flew over my head and hit a soldier behind me. The soldier turned on his friends and killed one next to him by pushing his sword through the other's stomach. "Thought we might use some help now that Quistis' hurt!" Selphie chirps at me and I shake my head. She's her usual singing self even when in battle.

"Squall!" I call out to him as the whole "building" starts to shake, we are nearing surface. Squall runs his gunblade through a soldier and pulls the trigger before kicking the body of the blade and turning to me. "You need to carry Quistis out when we run for it!" His eyes narrow.

"She's hurt that badly?" And he blocks another soldier as I break a red suited one's neck with a sickening crunch sound.

"No, but the bullet inside could cause internal bleeding"

"It's still inside!?"

"I can't just stick my finger in her wounds and get it out now can I Seifer? It'd probably infect her! I'm not a doctor!" I shout at the idiot. Seifer just scowls at me. And at that moment I feel the base coming to a stop. We have reached the surface.

"Rinoa, Selphie, you go first!" Squall shouts and the girls nod. I heard Quistis pulling open the door and see as the three of them step on the desert sand that's waiting outside. Rinoa and Selphie are supporting Quistis. Irvine starts backing down, quickly reloading his gun and nodding to Squall. "Let's go! He shouts and runs towards the door, me and Seifer on his heels while Irvine fires like he's never fired before. He doesn't even try to aim; just shooting near the targets is good for now.

When we are near him he turns as well. I stop at the computer and hit some buttons and the base starts trembling again I look behind me and see Squall scooping Quistis to his arms while Irvine is still firing from outside to cover for me. I can't believe it.. we're going to make it!

Just as fast as I felt my spirits rise, I feel them crashing down as I feel a bullet piercing through my knee, tripping me. As I fall I turn my eyes to where the shot came from, and I see the guy whose fingers I'd broken earlier. His remaining three had been enough to pull the trigger. I hit the floor and take another shot to my side. I hear Irvine's shooting halt. I look through the open door at my friends. I see Irvine's horrified look, and I see Rinoa and Seifer both running back and I see Squall grimly aim and shoot at the soldier, the bullet splattering out neatly from the back of his head. I can't let them come back. Not now. Squall's eyes widened as if he could read my mind, I hear him shouting "Zell, NO!" But I promised him to make sure no one else gets out but us. I heave myself up to the computer's level and hit the button. The base starts to turn its drills through the sand and I take a last look of my friends before hitting another button to shut the doors and lock them.

I know I am going to die, and I know that to save those I love, it's nothing at all. Somehow it's okay. I wake Ifrit's spirit and suddenly the irony of the name of his technique is not lost to me. Hell fire. I know the flames will erupt all around me, the blusterous inferno enough to seal all exits of the room for good. I close my eyes and embrace the thoughts of my friends as I consider their escape from this hell hole.

The screams of the weak are drowned when the great beast roars.

~*~*~*~*~

Sorry to keep all of you waiting.
I hope the length of the chapter will sooth your anger even a bit. ^_^

Thanks go to my BETA Silver Salamander for her wonderful work! Couldn't do this without her!

Now that my writer's block is over I just can't seem to stop typing! But I must since my eyes hurt.. it's 2.30 am, that means; Goodnight! Hope to hear from you!

Thank you for all the reviews you've left, it's been great to know you've liked my work so much!

This was the last chapter, but there will be an epilogue.

read and Review, please! ^_^

-Shinu can handle that on my own.. GAbutton does what