Author's Note: Hello my loyal readers. Terribly sorry about the long delay but again I have been super busy of late. No worries though, I am back and ready to write…hopefully. Anyway, before I begin this chapter, just a reminder to everybody that FFXIII comes out in 26 days! I cannot wait!

Well now that I got that aside, I want to thank all the people that reviewed the last chapter; Krimson, Duelist of the Dawn, superloser, zephyr51 and newcomers Hareru1995, Yvi-sama, and EightTailedWolf. I greatly appreciate you all taking the time to read and review this story. Special thanks to Yvi-sama, her demand for an update is why I finally buckled down to finish this chapter. BE WARNED THOUGH! This is the chapter before the start of the tournament so there is no action….yet!

Well anyway, now here for your disclaimer is Bodan

Bodan: Solark does not own anything related to Final Fantasy. All properties related to Final Fantasy are the sole ownership of Square-Enix. Solark does own his own characters; Bodan, Alana, Nathan and Krim.

Solark: Thank you Bodan!

Bodan: Word.

Solark: Really dude? You had to say that?

Bodan:…

Solark: Seriously?

Bodan:…

Solark: Honestly?

Bodan:…awkward…

Solark: On with the story!

Chapter 17:

The Dream Revealed

"Dagger…," echoed a voice that seemed distant and faint. She could barely make out the voice or where it was coming from.

Was this a dream, she thought, have I been dreaming this whole time? She knew in her heart that she had not. She could not have been. She remembered clearly the entire event; the fear, the panic…the pain.

"Dagger…," repeated the voice, trying to draw her out from her consciousness. She did not want go back to reality. She did not want to face the truth of what had happened.

Beatrix…

She was the great Alexandrian General, one of the most feared warriors of her time. She was a leader and a personal bodyguard to the queen. But more then all that, Beatrix was her friend; perhaps the closest friend Garnet ever had. Of course she had many other friends but Beatrix was different. She was always there for her, not just because her duty required it but because she wanted to be. And Garnet wanted her there too.

Now, she was gone…

Murdered; right before her very eyes in cold blood.

She did not want to wake up. She did not want to ever wake up. Dying would kill the pain that was now slowly breaking her heart. Yes, she just wanted to die, to end anymore suffering.

And what about the last statement the figure said before they hideously plunged the sword into Beatrix's heart. If she resisted, would more die the same way? She could not handle being responsible for the deaths of anybody else, let alone her friends and those she loved.

"Dagger…," beckoned the voice, sounding even closer and clearer than before.

Leave me alone… I just want to be left alone…

"Dagger…wake up!" pleaded the voice, louder than ever.

No…I don't want to wake up…I don't ever want to wake up…Just let me go…

Beatrix…

"Dagger, wake up!!!" cried the voice again in her head.

Suddenly her eyes fluttered open as the world focused back into existence. As her vision cleared, she saw two bright turquoise eyes staring worriedly back at her.

"Dagger, are you okay?" whispered Zidane, his voice full of concern. She must have passed out after what happened and fell to the ground once the mysterious person vanished and let go of their hold on her.

"No…," she muttered, not able to produce anything more than a whimper. As soon as the memory of what happened came back to her, tears flooded her eyes and ran down her face. She allowed him to help her up from the floor even though she did not trust her legs to carry her. He sensed this and held her arm while rubbing her back in support. She noticed through her blurred vision that the crowd was still there, although they were silently in shock.

"Dagger, what happened?" asked Zidane while he continued to rub her back.

"Beatrix…" she cried softly through her sobs and tears. Her voice was broken and barely recognizable.

"Yes, my queen?" came a familiar voice from behind her.

Garnet froze in shock and quickly turned around to come face to face with the great Alexandrian general. Her heart pounded in her chest and her knees threatened to betray her. She could not believe what she was seeing. She had watched that evil person run the general's very own sword through her heart. She should have been dead.

But here she was; alive and standing right before her.

Without thinking, Garnet threw herself at Beatrix; embracing the general in a way she never had. She hugged her tight, believing only minutes before that she was forever lost from her life.

Beatrix stood there, embrace by her queen, with a shocked expression. But almost as if it was necessary, she returned the gesture and placed her hands on the young girl's arms, giving them a gentle squeeze.

"Is everything okay, my queen?" asked Beatrix as she looked down at Garnet. The young summoner looked up at her friend with tear filled eyes. The pain of her emotions from before burst out like a waterfall; out of control. She had though her friend was dead…taken from her life forever. The pain in realizing that had been so great that she wished her own life to end as well.

Now, as if a miracle had happened, her friend was right there and she never wanted to let her go.

A hand gently brushed her back as she slowly released her embrace on Beatrix and stepped back. She looked to see Zidane right next to her; a look of extreme concern deep in his eyes.

"Dagger…," whispered the thief, wanting to comfort her but needing to know what was wrong.

Garnet finally noticed a presence all around her. Everybody that was on stage had gathered around her, their faces etched with concern. Zidane, Beatrix, Steiner, and all the members of Tantalus were near her now, making sure she was alright and wanting to know what happen. They deserved to know the truth. They all did and she was selfish for not telling anybody.

With a deep breath, Garnet tried her best to regain her composure. She wiped the remaining tears from her eyes, trying to clear her vision. She then turned to Zidane and nodded.

"We need to talk," Garnet whispered as she looked into his eyes. He nodded in response all while continuing to rub her back.

"Everyone," she added as she scanned her friends that were all around her. They looked on without saying a word but their faces revealed the urge to know.

She needed to tell them.

They deserved the truth.

Two hours later, just before midnight, the courtyard where the play had taken place was vacant. Only the theater ship remained as well as the castle staff, which were in the midst of the post party clean up. Nearly everyone that had come to the celebration was gone save for only a select few. They were all gathered in the castle meeting hall that lie adjacent to the library on the first floor.

Garnet sat at the head of the table with her hands folded on her lap. She looked up to see all the faces staring back at her, eagerly waiting to hear what she had to say. All of her friends were present, from Regent Cid and his family, to Freya and Fratley, all the way down to Zidane and Tantalus. She made no qualms about leaving anybody out. They all were her friends and they all had an equal right to know.

As she shifted in her seat, she noticed a figure walk into the room. She recognized the deep blue eyes and strong posture, and watched as Nathan stood next to his cousin at the opening to the hall. He did not make any eye contact with her but she did not object to his presence. Maybe he could even be of some help.

Slowly she stood, her hands still folded in front of her.

"I would like to apologize for what happened earlier,' she started, trying her best to display sincerity. "I know it is late and you all would like to get some rest or go back to your homes-"

"Nonsense!" interrupted Cid from across the table. "Even if I did go home, I would not be able to sleep. Not with knowing there could be something wrong with my niece or…or even worse."

"He's right," added Zidane, who was seated to her right. "None of us would be able to sleep knowing you could be in danger. Whatever is happening, you can tell us; we can help."

"I know," nodded Garnet, "that is why I wanted to talk to you all. I need to tell you something."

She quickly gathered her thoughts, deciding to start with the basics and lead from there.

"As some of you might have noticed," she began, taking a quick glance at Beatrix and Zidane, "lately I have had a lot on my mind, especially with the party and all my other responsibilities."

"But that's not all," inserted the thief beside her. She could tell by his voice that he had already known there was something disturbing her. She silently appreciated the fact that he had the patience and respect not to pressure her about it.

"No," she confirmed, deciding to get straight to the point. "About a month ago, I had a dream."

She paused to see if anybody said anything. They all stayed silent, so she continued.

"At first I thought nothing of it, believing it to be just a random nightmare. But then the dream kept occurring over and over. Each time it would be longer then the last; with the latest and most detailed episode happening last night."

"What happened in these dreams?" asked Freya, as she stood to the side of the large meeting table. "Do you remember anything?"

Garnet then went into more detail about the dreams, leaving out nothing. She told them where she was in them and about the dark setting. Eiko gasped when she told them about the Alexander summon spell and the old man with the horn but nobody said anything when she mentioned the dark mysterious voice and the words that it spoke.

"My queen, why did you not tell us about this sooner?" questioned Steiner, who was standing next to Beatrix. Many others in the room nodded and murmured in agreement.

"I know…I should have and I am sorry," stated the young summoner. "I just did not think anything of it and believed they were just random nightmares that I was having. I thought they were occurring due to the stress I was under from all my duties. I did not want to bother anybody if that was the case." She looked down at the table before adding, "I fear I was wrong in doing so."

The room was silent for a second after her last statement. She hoped they believed her and did not think she was crazy.

"What about what happened out on stage?" Zidane asked, begging the question everybody wanted the answer to.

"That I believe was something entirely different, yet I feel was somehow connected to those dreams," Garnet said, as she looked back up at everyone. She paused again, not sure how to explain what happened and wondering how they all would take it.

"Go on, my dear," insisted Cid, breaking the short silence that temporarily held the room.

"Well it happened when I was giving Zidane his gift," she began, gesturing a hand towards the blonde next to her. "As I watched him admire the daggers, I looked into his eyes and noticed that he was staring right back at me; unmoving. When I looked around, I saw that everybody was still…even a bird was trapped in mid flight. That was when I realized that a stop spell had been cast."

"That's impossible," interrupted Eiko from her seat. "We would have felt it if a spell was cast on us. And even so, in order to stop the entire courtyard…the spell would have to have been extremely powerful."

"She has a point," added Hilda next to her. "Even if there was somebody or something out there that was strong enough to cast that spell over everything in the area, we surely would have felt the magic afterwards."

"Unless they erased all traces of the magic after it was removed," Garnet guessed, trying to plead her case. "I know what I saw and that was definitely a stop spell. They cast it on everything around me at once."

"Maybe they did not cast a spell on everybody," said Beatrix from her post. All eyes turned to face the general. "Maybe they cast a spell on you alone, my queen."

"Time magic…," murmured Nathan from her side.

"Exactly; if this person knew how to wield time magic, they could have created an illusion in your mind-"

"Impossible!" spat Cid as he leaned back in his chair. "Time magic is an ancient art that has not been seen for ages. There are no mages that have that type of power anymore."

"So you think," said Beatrix quietly as she glared at the Regent with her one good eye. "I happen to know a bit about time magic and while that art is extremely dangerous to perform; there are powerful spells that could perform tasks just as this. It is a possibility."

Her last statement was spoken slowly, as if to dare anybody to question. Nobody did.

"Before we jump to any conclusions, I think Dagger should tell us the rest so we know the full story," stated Zidane before turning to the young queen. "Go on."

"Okay," nodded Garnet, grateful that the thief was on her side. "Once the spell was in effect, the person responsible appeared and caught me off guard. They cast another spell on me and I could not do anything but watch or speak."

"W-what did this person look like?" asked Gene in her tiny voice.

"I could not see their face. They were covered in a dark robe that hid their features. The only part of their body I saw was their hands."

"How do you know this is connected to your dreams?" asked Freya.

"Because they mentioned them," answered Garnet, as she looked back down at the table again. She did not want to remember the next part or relive the pain. Tears started coming back as she tried to get the words out. "Then they…..they…"

"They what?" pressured Zidane but not in a menacing way. He reached out and touched her hand, reassuring her that everything was fine. "It is okay, Dagger. You can tell us; we are here for you."

She took a deep breath and nodded. "They pointed at me and said, 'The time has come. Your kingdom will fall' and then turned around and grabbed Beatrix sword from her side."

The general's hand went for her sword; her hands brushing against the familiar object. "Why did they do that?" she asked, her tone becoming hard.

"To show me what would happen if I resisted," stated Garnet, the tears coming freely now just like before. "They plunged the sword into your heart, Beatrix. I screamed and cried and tried to get to you but I could not move…there was nothing I could do. I thought you were dead." She covered her face in her hands as she fell back into her seat, her back heaving as she sobbed openly.

"My queen…," pleaded Beatrix as she took a step forward, the hardness gone from her voice.

"I am fine," insisted Garnet, as she sat up straight and wiped the remaining tears from her face. "The last thing I remember was the person disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke. After that, it was like I was lost in my own consciousness. The pain of what had happened was too much. I just wanted it to end. I did not want anyone else to suffer because of me. That's when I heard your voice," she added as she looked at Zidane. "You brought me back from the dark place I was heading."

As she finished, the room remained silent for a while, everybody lost in their own thoughts, trying to piece together what she had told them. Beatrix was the first to speak.

"That definitely sounds like time magic," she stated, taking another step forward. "Whoever this was, they used very powerful and dangerous magic to create an illusion in your mind. What seemed like minutes to you was only a fraction of a second to us."

"I believe you are right," agreed Cid as he shifted in his seat. "Time magic seems to be the only thing that fits. But it does not make any sense. That form of magic has not been seen for ages…centuries even. Why has it come back now and why are they targeting you?"

"I don't believe they are targeting just Dagger," spoke Zidane. He had been very quite after Garnet had told them about the incident on stage.

"What do you mean?" questioned the Regent.

"Don't you remember?" he retorted as he turned to look the ruler of Lindblum in the face.

"I'm afraid not."

"What that strange figure said," he paused as his eyes spanned the room. "The mysterious person from our incident with the airship said the exact same thing. They said, 'Her kingdom will fall again.'"

"You are right…I remember that part."

"And then they d-disappeared," added Gene, "in a cloud of purple smoke just like the person Dagger saw."

"You're right, Gene," exclaimed Zidane, having nearly forgot about that part.

"So what are we saying," posed Cid from the far end of the table. "Are we saying that the events of tonight and Garnet's dreams are connected to what happened to Zidane on the Forgotten Continent and the destruction of Conde Petie?"

"Is the evidence not clear enough," pushed Zidane, a hint of irritation creeping out. "All this happening in such a short time period cannot be taken lightly. The facts are just too similar to ignore. We must take the appropriate precautions necessary."

"Well, what should we do?" asked Garent, her voice much clearer now. "The opening ceremonies for the Royal Alexandrian Tournament are tomorrow evening. There will be thousands of people here for the festivities."

The regent seemed to take a moment to ponder before continuing. "I can spare some of my troops for added security. Not so much as to cause any kind of alarm but enough to help protect in the remote case that anything happens."

The rest of the room voiced their agreement with the regent's choice.

"This in no way means that I believe something bad is going to happen," he added, silencing the room once again. "But I do agree that the events of the past two weeks are enough to warrant a level of concern. Hopefully we can find out whoever is behind what has been happening before anymore harm can be done."

"And when we do," spat Beatrix from her post, "I shall run my blade into their heart for threatening my queen!" Her anger was evident as she balled her fists. Steiner placed a hand gently on her shoulder, in a vain attempt to calm her down.

"Thank you, all of you," stated Garnet, her voice full of appreciation. "We should all go now and get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a very busy day."

With that, everybody got up and made their way out. Some came over to the young queen, with looks of concern in on their faces. She appreciated their worry and told them that she was fine when they asked if there was anything they could do. Nearly all of them would be here tomorrow and she would be in better shape to talk then.

As they all left, Cid came over to Garnet and placed his hands softly on her shoulders giving them a gentle squeeze.

"You know," he started with a smile; "Hilda and I are always here if ever you need to talk. You have a lot of responsibilities for somebody your age. You don't have to do it all alone."

"I know, Uncle," she sighed, returning his smile with one of her own.

"I will see you tomorrow, dear," he said before giving her a soft kiss on the forehead and turning to leave.

"Bye…," she muttered as she watched him leave the room. For a second she thought she was now alone until she heard a noise come from behind her. She turned to see Zidane standing there with the black box resting in his hands.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, a hint of lingering concern still evident in his voice.

"I am," she answered, appreciating his concern. He was immature at times but his heart was always true. He cared deeply for his friends and would do anything to make sure they were safe.

"Well," he added as he walked towards her, "if you need any company because of the dreams-" He was abruptly interrupted by a loud grunt that came from the outside doorway; where Steiner and Beatrix were standing.

"I'm only kidding," he stated, loud enough so that they could hear.

Garnet gave a soft giggle at the incident; reminding her of how simple and fulfilling life could be if you lived it to the fullest.

"Enough about me," she started, trying to change the subject. "I want to know how you like your gift." She motioned with her head to the box that the blonde thief carried.

"Oh," he answered as he looked down at the dark box that he carried. He laid the box on the table and opened the lid, revealing the two daggers resting within. He reached in and picked up one of them by the hilt. He instantly noticed the rush of magical power flow from the weapon and into his body. The sensation was cold, yet oddly not like any normal object that was cold felt. The feeling sent tingling chills down his spine that would normally cause somebody to flinch but not him. "I love them, really I do; but you did not need to do this. I know how much those gems mean to you and your heritage. I don't know if I can accept a gift like this."

"Don't be silly," hushed Garnet with a stare. "Those are only shards of the original gems. Remember they broke apart when Alexander was overtaken by the Invincible. The remaining majority of the crystals are locked away in the castle."

"But still, wouldn't you want to keep it all together. What if they could be fixed? Would you not need all the pieces?"

"Zidane," started the young Queen softly, taking a step towards the thief. "I had those pieces infused with the daggers because I wanted you to have them. If it was not for you, we would not be here today. This is not only my gift to you but a gift from the whole of Gaia."

She took another step towards him and slowly removed the dagger from his hand. Giving him a smile, she turned to place the dagger back in the box; closing the lid after. She then took the dark box and gave it back to him.

"Besides," she added with another smile. "The gems were but a tool to help teach us how to call the eidolon. The ability to perform the summon now lies with Eiko and I, and us alone."

"Thank you, Dagger," Zidane said before walking towards the door. He got halfway there before he stopped and turned around. "One thing though?" he began as he looked at her with his bright turquoise eyes.

"What is it?" she asked him back.

"When I held the dagger, I sensed an awful lot of power surging through them. It was unlike anything I have ever felt before yet it was oddly familiar. Who made them?"

"Ah, that I cannot tell."

Zidane sighed as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well can you tell me what the power is that I am feeling when I hold them?"

"That," she began in a playful tone, "you will have to find out on your own."

"Fine!" he said in a sarcastic tone as he rolled his eyes. "You're a tough one to crack, Dagger."

"I know," she replied with a shrug. "I learn from the best."

Zidane could only smile at her comment. She sure did learn from the best. Not only that. She was a very tough individual; with a will as strong as iron. That was what he loved the most about her. But that had its negatives sides as well. He was not going to get anything out of her anytime soon.

"Alrighty, you have a good night and I will see you tomorrow," he said, tucking the dark box under his arm.

"You too, Zidane," she answered.

"Later," he added before turning and walking out the door.

The queen of Alexandria now stood alone, her thoughts the only thing between her and total silence. She had a lot on her mind but not enough time to process anything. Tomorrow was another day and a busy one at that. Alexandria was going to become the central focus of all of Gaia. She needed to get as much rest as she possibly could.

Sleep.

That was something she avoided lately but now desperately needed. She had been afraid of sleep due to the dreams but now she was determined to overcome them. The events of today would bother her no more. She would not be bullied or intimidated any longer.

She had get to the bottom of what was going on and do her best to protect her friends and her kingdom. That was her duty as a queen…and as a friend.

With a new resolve, she headed out of the room and towards the grand staircase, nodding to Beatrix and Steiner as she made her way to her room for the night.

Tomorrow was another day and she would make sure everything went exactly as scheduled.

The room was dark, the only available light coming from the open window as the blue moon pierced its way through. Alana shifted in her bed, trying her best to get comfortable. She could hear the slow breathing of her sister in the bed next to her as Mikoto slept soundly. The younger genome wished that she could to the same but her mind was racing after the events of tonight.

She turned on her side to face the window; away from her sister. After Garnet revealed what had happened, she had become silent and afraid. Not because of what the young queen was telling her but from what she did not tell everybody else.

She had seen the entire thing.

She watched as everything happened on stage. Her body was frozen for reasons she did not know but she could clearly see what was going on. She watched as the dark figure stabbed the general and then disappeared. She heard Garnet scream and her eyes closed as she passed out.

And then in a flash, everything was moving again. Zidane was lowering Garnet to the floor, catching her faster than Alana had ever seen anybody move. Beatrix sword was at her side; not in her chest like she had seen.

Alana was shocked and confused, unable to understand what she just saw. That was until Garnet told everybody about what had happened.

But still she remained silent.

Why did she see the events that unfolded while everybody else did not? If the spell was indeed and illusion caused by time magic and targeted solely on Garnet, was it somehow targeted at her as well? If so, why did the person responsible want her to see it?

All the questions bursting from her head were starting to cause a dull pain in her temple. She pulled the covers of the bed tighter around her, as she sunk into them. She wished sleep would come to clear her mind but knew that would not help.

Sighing, she looked at her night stand, noticing the object she had placed there before lying down. The rough outline of the stone she found near the dwarf village was hidden in the darkness, but its surface reflected bits of moon light as they filtered though the curtains.

Slowly she reached out and removed the stone from the stand, bringing the object closer to her so she could see it better. The stone felt cold in her hand, sending a chill through her arm. She ran her fingers along the roughness of the stone, feeling the sharp edges and smooth flats. A smile came to her lips as she silently held what she had found. Her sister had told her when she came across the gem that if it brought her happiness she should keep it. So she did and now every time she held the stone she could not help but smile.

As she lay in bed, something caught her attention. She did not notice it at first but as she listened closer she heard it again.

Someone…or something was whispering.

Instantly her instincts kicked in as she shot up in bed, her dagger in her hand. She strained to listen, hoping to hear the voice again and at the same time fearing not to. As seconds dragged into minutes, she did not hear a sound save for the wind brushing the curtains as it passed through. Alana let out a sign and lay back down, her dagger still in her hand. Her mind must be playing tricks on her, especially after the events of today. Sleep would not come easy tonight.

Frustrated, she brought the stone that was still in her other hand closer to her face so she could see it. If she could not sleep then see could at least look at her prize. As her eyes followed the outline of the object in her hand, she heard the noise again.

Only this time it seemed to come directly from the stone itself.

Her eyes widened as her grip tightened around the hilt of her dagger. Was somebody playing a trick on her, or did the stone possibly have some magical properties still dormant inside of it?

As she looked closer, a faint flicker of light emanated from the stone. Shocked, her instinct was to drop the stone but curiosity got the better of her.

Suddenly a deep humming filled her ears and she knew something was dreadfully wrong.

Before she had any time to react, the light from the stone engulfed her and plunged her world into darkness.

Author's Notes: Well this cliffhanger is nowhere near as bad as last chapters I admit but it's still bad. Yes Beatrix is alive; let me know if you liked that little twist. I am evil! Anyway, as per usual, please leave a review if you can. I am always striving to improve so any form a criticism is appreciated. This was the chapter that caused me to most grief to write, mainly because it is where Garnet finally opens up to everybody, in more ways than one and it is the chapter that leads into the tournament…FINALLY!!!!!! Action will be heavy in the upcoming chapters so stay tuned!