A/N: Thanks to everyone who Reviewed. The original chapter was a bit long so I cut it in half, and the rest of it will be completed soon and uploaded as the next chapter. Also, congrats to those of you who got the Garland reference in Ch.3. ^-^ Made my day that someone actually noticed!

Warning, this chapter can appear a bit "angsty" depending on how you interpret it but I think it's pretty clear. With all the fluff in the previous chapters I wanted to balance it out a bit. Anyways, enjoy.~

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy, or its characters.

The deafening sound of hollow, white noise filled her ears and she lay there, face buried in her arms, emerald hair draped over her face in a mess, like an obscuring curtain. Terra forced her eyes open, and willed herself to sit up, feeling as though her entire body were made of sand. Sleep clung to her eyelashes, as she raised a heavy hand to rub her face and cradle her forehead, her eyelashes still batting as if in a drunken haze.

"What...happened..."

Was that her voice? It sounded so distant.

She was now aware, as she slowly stood, that a fizzing heat stirred inside her and made her nerves constrict, feeling out of mind and angry, but for a reason unknown.

She didn't know where she was, or what had happened prior, but it didn't seem like enough to get her this upset and feel a distant rage building in her, held at bay. A rage so fierce the foreign thought of smashing the stone, and deep black tile beneath her crossed her mind. But why? What was going on?

Terra wasn't feeling too well. The anxiety she already felt for the confussion of not knowing where she was, was mixing with the anger she felt deep inside, for an uknown reason.

Quietly she gasped, resting a hand against one of the many stone pillars surrounding her in the almost darkness, trying to steady herself as she gazed at the floor.

In contrast to the dark floor, the pillars were twisted and deep purple. Terra decided to advance down the eerie hallway, noticing a long rug stretching down through the endless hallway, made of patterns and colors, which suddenly made her even more anxious, causing her to feel slightly sicker.

You're alright. Just breathe. She told herself internally. You can do this...

The walls were changing now as she walked further down. Light flashed like lightning and suddenly there were duplicates of herself standing everywhere, copying her frightened gestures.

Reflections.

Terra timidly approached one, as it did her, seeing the sheen of the glass of the mirror. As if testing it, she slowly placed a hand up against it and watched herself stare back in confusion.

"Why don't you just give up?!"

Terra jumped at the sound of the shrill and chiding voice behind her. The air flew out of her lungs and she gasped, whirling about staring at what seemed to be...herself.

The mirror image of her was glaring at her with disgust, moving of its own accord, and it wrinkled its nose at the sight of Terra.

"Look at you, you're helpless." came its flippant retort as it continued, "You don't even know where you are. How worthless. You're no help to anyone, not even yourself!"

Terra's eyes were wide in shock, her heart-rate was inceasing, the anxiety rising and the foreign anger deep inside was pounding on whatever it was that was holding it back.

She suddenly took off running down the hall, passing mirror after mirror, all of them vissions of herself whispering about her, calling out to her the words that had been lurking in her heart.

"You destroyed, everything! Anything that you get your grimy little hands on, you destroy!"

Terra stopped, holding her face in her hands, her knees somewhat bent as she tried to drown them out. Her skin suddenly felt like it was on fire.

"No! You're wrong!" she meant to shout, but it only came out as a strangled whimper.

The feelings inside lashed around like some uncontrolled beast, its searing tendrils wrapping themselves around her heart which kept beating faster.

She gasped and turned, meaning to run but she ran into another mirror, the reflection casting her a disgusted gaze.

"No one wants you! Just go away! They don't want a weak, ugly, insignificant piece of filth like you!" it screamed in genuine, harsh, rage, "They're better off without everything they live for destroyed by the ugly abomination you are!"

"No...!" Terra cried. She was giving in, the anger inside making her, as it forced the strings of her mental state to snap. Her hands, shaking, flew to her mouth,her azure eyes squinted and brimming with tears not understanding what was going on.

Frantically, eyes locked onto the image before her with fear, she backed up into something solid.

Terra turned around and met the half-lidded eyes of an image of the Onion Knight, blood running in thick lines from scars on his face, his gaze broken and bruised.

"I don't even know why I protected someone like you Terra." he spoke in a clearly dejected tone. "...You couldn't even protect me!" he suddenly screamed, lashing out at her in rage, he came more into view, armor broken, and once youthful body stained with blood.

Terra fell backwards screaming, scrambling on the floor, sobs breaking from her in a mad frenzy of fear and panic.

He was right. She failed to protect him. She was worthless...She destroyed him...

Memories of Locke and Celes; of Sabin and Edgar raced through her mind in a whirl of madness. The memory of the World of Ruin. Towns ablaze, people dead and dying...

It was her. She did it. She'd ran from that fact for so long, she'll never escape. She'll keep doing it again, and again! Destroying those she would ever care for.

The strange, dark anxiety and anger inside flared and gripped at her mind and heart, making every inch of her feel pain and start to glow. It was so intense she felt as if it would rip her in half, until...

Her hand gripped something familiar. She held tight to it and looked at what she held: a long blue drape. She followed it up to where it lead, her eyes widening in shock and jumbled-up emotions as her eyes, now streaming with tears met with Firion.

He was standing before her, a vission, glaring down at her, and he tore his cape from her hands. He closed his eyes and turned his face from her.

Terra reached out desperately, tears flowing free from her eyes. Just the sight of him rejecting her made something in her crack and shake uncontrollably.

Firion...

He turned his back on her, cape fluttering, and his voice echoed in the darkness.

"I would never share my dream with you Terra. You would only seek to destroy it, just like you destroyed your home world..."

Terra's heart broke, the only thing holding the darkness within her back. The rage burst forth from her then in the form of madness. A deafening scream burst from her lips as she arched her back in pain and flame. Maroon light erupting from her in a blinding flash and a sparkle of wild electricity.

Firion turned, a smirk broad on his twisted lips, his eyes flashing a hideous, scarlet, before crimson lines fell from his eyes like tears and wove themselves into signature, filigree patterns under his eyes.

Shrill maniacal laughter errupted from him then, and mixed with the screams of the tortured and transforming girl at his feet. His form swirled in a mix of color and pattern, skin becoming powder white, as his cloak fluttered revealing his true self to be the Phantasmal Harlequin.

Kefka stood there now, shed of his illusions, cackling, his plan succeeded and he watched Terra's skin become riddled with violet fur, her nails lengthen and become sharp like elongated knives, and her eyes become feral and glow with an out-of-control force.

In his hands he held her crystal, the magicite which was glowing with a corrupted black light, from it generating the madness that was seizing Terra's heart and blocking her will from her. Showering her with illusions of hate and self-loathing, fueling her anger and pain inside.

Violet flame swarmed around her as a flash of silver and familiar words filled her mind, spoken by a firm yet gentle voice, in her madness she could barely recognize. Her heart's last attempt at regaining control was consumed, and the last of her consciousness fell into darkness.

***

A figure whipped by in a haze of sky blue and red, running as if flying on wings of stealth and hurried grace. It raced through wood, grass, and metal, along a trek of fire. Blood soaked his brow and remnants and shards of glass dusted his clothes and clung to his weapons. He had fought through manikin and man alike to reach where he came to a halt outside a twisted labyrinth-like tower known by its name as Pandaemonium.

Firion's piercing gaze ran up the tower, a grimace forming over his face at the grotesque sight of twisted crystals.

"You never let it go, do you, Emperor." he growled in disgust.

Albeit this was not the real and original "Pandaemonium". Apparently while The Emperor stayed in this land which belonged to the gods, he saw it fit to replicate the accursed structure for dwelling purposes during his stay. It was mere shadow, a reflection of the real one which was destroyed by The Wild Rose back in Flynn.

***

Climbing the endless stairs and halls felt extremely redundant to Firion. Everything was exactly the same, he knew when to turn right, when to keep going straight, there was even an upside-down version of the Jade Passage, which brought a cynical smirk to the weapon master's lips.

What wasnew however was, there was no demons or ghosts haunting the halls, only those of his memories. Firion came to a slow halt as he realized this. It was so quiet. He wouldn't be complaining if it wasn't so eerie to him that it even made the small silver hairs on his neck raise.

Looking around he could see his murky reflection in the dirty crystals, and watch the silent flow of disrupted atmosphere dance and twirl in a dying way. He blinked at the ominous display, a gasp settled in the back of his throat before he shook himself out of his trance with a grunt.

"I don't have time for this."

With that, he threw the unnerving sense that he was walking within his own memories away. That was then, this was now. Terra was his present and future, he wasn't about to forget that. Determination sparked in his eyes and he sped off into a run climbing stair after stair, busting through crystal walls and shattering anything in his way to reach where he knew the egomaniac himself would be sitting.

With a kick of his heel Firion sent forth the throne room doors right unto the long luxurious carpet. The sound of shattering hinges and intricate weaving skiting across the carpet, stirred a great flaring mass of color and spikes on the other side of the room. Rising elegantly like some otherworldly peacock rose a great silhouette from a great contorted throne, and graceful headdress and flaring hair like the rays of the sun turned around. Painted, pointed eyes dismally glared at the weapons-master panting in the doorway, in his silver eyes, the same look the Emperor was giving him. A look of loathing.

The Emperor Mateus, now fully turned around, with long striped cloak in his painted claw-like fingertips, dropped his cape and it fluttered behind him, elegantly draping himself as he raised his head to look pointedly down at the young man across the hall, a pretentious sneer forming on his lips.

"Well, well," he said, his tone condecending, low, and floaty as usual, "What have we here? Has the puppy come home to aknowlage his master at last?"

Firion straighted up, and glared, his eyes darkening to a stony slate color as he began walking forward, with a deathly brisk and determined pace. The low, cruel chuckling of the clearly amused Emperor bouncing off the crystal walls and into Firion's ears.

"Cut the crap, Mateus." he growled through clenched teeth, "I beleive you have something I want. I'm here to take it from you. Consider this a conquest." Edging the most of his hatred toward the other man in his last word, Firion flicked his wrist and drew his sword with a flash pointing the tip right at Mateus' nose.

The emperor gazed down the scarlet-hued blade right into Firion's piercing eyes, boredly, and unflinching. He slowly swerved his head to the side and looked at him dangerously through the corner of his ultraviolet eyes.

"What are you talking about, dog?"

Firion, lowered his head, eyes still baring holes in the Emperor's face, grinning almost sadistically if one didn't know better. A little amused huff escaped from him as he did so.

"Don't play stupid. I already know that what with your nature, you preside as leader over the rest of the Legion of Chaos like some self-assumed, pompous, king." Firion mused, "Therefore..." his tone changed into a growl, "You know where each and every one of your 'subrodinates' are so you can stick your nosey face into their business to keep and eye over them."

Firion lowered his sword to his side and Mateus' faceted eyes sparkled with a hint of amusement, a small smirk playing at the corner of his violet-lipped mouth at the fact Firion was actually acknowledging his superiority in a small way.

"Tell me where the Phantasmal Harlrquin is!"

The Emperor raised his hands, and staff, in a flamboyant gesture, pretending to be at loss, with a false sigh and moan.

"Ohhhh...is that what this is about? I'm afraid, you're barking up the wrong tree." he leered with a smirk when Firion growled at the remark. "I haven't the slightest idea what that insane little buffoon is up to, even if it may or may not involve totally corrupting the essence of a crying, helpless, little girl..."

A flash of red and the sound air and metal set a small dribbling line of scarlet into the air, flowing from the Emperor's immaculate cheek as he fluttered backwards on invisible steps into the air, to dodge Firion's furious blow. The Emperor raised a thumb and wiped the blood from his cheek placing the digit over his lips subtly licking the substance dirtying his violet nails, and he scowled down at the young man with furry and disgust. The thought of the gall that he would dare scar his perfect visage made his iris' glow with an angry violet fire.

"Hmph. What a tool you are, enslaved mindlessly by something so frivilous. I'll make you beg for my reign over you when you realize this, you worthless insect!"

Frivolous? No. These things, love and dreams, these were the few things worth fighting for in a world full of fraud, greed, and hatred. The only diamonds in a world full of filth, things that could give a man power, true power. Things, the Emperor would never understand.

All his jeers only earned Mateus a look of pity from the weapons-master. All the wretched man wanted was power, when he didn't even know its true meaning. He didn't know then, he didn't know now, and he would never know, therefore. At this Firion smirked at him.

Mateus, frustrated at Firion's inability to crumble like most did before him, lost control and a huge loom of energy wove behind him and tautened letting loose spiral after spiral of energy hurtling towards the young weapons-specialist. Firion effortlessly ducked low and sped out from underneath the rain, with a swipe of his sword he dispersed the rest of the aura in his way, leaping upward toward where the Emperor twisted out of the way as Firion came down with his sword, pulling free his spear and aiming a stab right Mateus' preemptive energy veil.

The veil waned changing color from violet to black as it was disrupted. Mateus flung forth his hand which sparked with a dark light and erupted the space around Firion, who fell in a tumble from the air and landed on his knees on the stone below. Before Firion could lift his head, he was already met with a sweeping blow which caught under his arm and threw him backward into a glass pillar. The impact forced the air from his lungs and suddenly he felt as if his trachea would break as a force was slammed up against it. Darkness shrouded him and the closeness of the Emperor could be felt, along with the hatred he felt crackling like fire in his aura, causing Firion a great deal of physical and mental pain as he was held there.

"What is lovenow?" chortled the Emperor darkly, as he snarled and crushed his staff against Firion's throat harder.

"Ugh..." Firion scowled in disgust at Mateus' proximity, "Look it up."

Liquid splashed at freezing temperature around his left fist and Firion drove it forward with staggering speed. His knuckles hit the barrier hard, and upon impact water froze into jagged, blocks of ice and erupted, shattering the barrier with a sound of bursting ice and glass. Sparkling shards, frozen, sprayed in all directions as the Emperor spiraled through the air backwards shrouded in wounded energy, glowing red with pain and agitation. Mateus fell, doubling over on the the other side of the hall twisted in his own garments and pain, face contorted in rage, and shock, as what was left of his protective aura crumbled around him, robbing him of his radiant glow.

Firion shook out his left hand, and cracked his knuckles, wiping the blood from his lip as he took a shuddering breath that was more like an over-exerted sigh, glaring over at the sad sight that was Mateus, as the Emperor struggled to rise to his feet.

The Emperor, disgraced, fumed with rage, the last blow not only knocking asunder his body, but also his pride. Raw energy flared from him causing the atmosphere to become radioactive, and dangerous. Before a great calamity was unleashed that would have indubitably demolished Firion, the tower and himself along with it, Firon's shoulder was already knocking him back to the floor, stone met his back and pain shot up through and out of the Emperor. The energy locked- up and dispersed backward and into the Emeror's psyche, his mind taking a blow at the amount of raw energy that was suddenly forced back into him, and he faultered greatly. A gale of blades cut at his face and all over and ice broke under his skin. Firion's blade pierced through his ornate, shattered chest plate, pinning him to the floor, and the weapons-master's eyes were in his face, glaring at him with that same determined conviction, that he would never come to understand.

"Tell me." he threatened dangerously. "Now!"

The Emperor called out shamefully as Firion played at twisting his blade within him, and the Emperor flared and growled with feral rage at the pain and defeat. Mateus, never broke eye contact with the young man, hatred radiated from his eyes and loathing soaked in it. His lips twisted in a snarl of disgust and with a burst of shadow and black light, The Emperor vanished, escaping, leaving only black flames to dance and smolder where he once lay.

Firion cursed and got up, shocked and angry. Gripping his sword and looking around and up to the domed ceiling when he heard The Emperor's last laugh, before he was gone, and Firion was left alone.

The air stilled, all was silent. Firion stood, leering up at the ceiling, lips pressed together in disappointment. In defeat The Emperor, even then, would not allow Firion his way. He would take his knowledge of Terra's whereabouts with him into void, leaving the young man at loss. In the end, The Emperor had taken from him and gotten away with it, again.

Firion clenched his teeth and balled his fist, stepping away with an furious swagger in his step as he suddenly turned and dug his fist into the nearest crystal pillar, knocking a huge glass chunk from the mass which shattered and broke into pieces as the chunk hit the stone floor with an echoing smash.

"Damn!"

Firion crossed his legs and fell to the floor, sitting with his hands holding his head, looking down into his lap with a frustrated expression over his face. He heaved a shaky sigh and ran his hands through his silvery hair, fists clenching again as a million thoughts ran across his mind. He couldn't believe it, what was he supposed to do now?

Nothing ever goes according to plan. He had messed up and underestimated Mateus' cowardace. Running at the small chance that he could lose to Firion. What else should he have expected...

Now he had no lead to where Terra could be. She could be anywhere.

Firion opened his hand in front of his face gazing at his palm. The image of her small face cupped in it ghosted across his mind, and he blinked his eyes slowly, a doll like expression across his face as if he were in a trance.

His fist closed tightly again and he looked down, sighing raggedly.

"Firion..."

Great. Now he was even starting hear her voice.

"Firion. Stand."

Firion's hazel eyes snapped up identifying that voice to its true owner at once, looking around for the voice, before he gasped, light flooding his vision. He shielded his face with the back of his hand, as his eyes focused on what was now floating before him.

The wild rose.

Firion blinked and got up hurriedly, approaching it as he gently placed his hands underneath the bloom, holding it as if it were a tiny bowl. The light radiated around its petals, bathing his fingertips in a warm light, washing away his panic and self-doubt clouded by a darkness that The Emperor left behind.

Firion saw now, what he had to do before Cosmos spoke again within his subconsciousness.

"Follow your dreams Firion." He closed his eyes, listening to her voice, "They'll always lead you to what you desire most. Remember."

When Firion opened his eyes again, the determined fire was returned to them. How could he forget?Firion closed his hand, in it, the rose, vanished in a sparkle of light and he flew down the steps, disappearing into the darkness in the direction of the way he now knew Terra would be.

Cosmos was breaking the rules a little, it took all the last of what was left of her to give Firion the reassurance and direction he lacked. She had to allow him to first find this conviction himself, being the Goddess of Harmony, it was how she brought about balance, but giving him the nudge he needed was an act of leading him towards his destiny, which was more than acceptable according to her divine terms, she convinced herself.

Firion was lost before, but now he could feel something within him guiding him.

Even as the crystal tower began to fall down around him in Mateus' last attempt to stop him, he harbored no doubt or panic, however he couldn't help but apologize to Terra inwardly anyway. He just wanted to save her so badly, he was trying everything, but he wasn't perfect...it just took him a while to figure out how.

Firion leaped from a mangle of twisted glass and burst out from the collapsing bodice of structure with a rain of falling crystal. His feet caught onto the rims of the tower's exterior and he slid down the railing as it came down around and beneath him. Swiftly he drew his bow and released an arrow towards where he was heading, shattering a sheet of crystal in his way before he slid straight into it. When he reached the end of the rail he jumped, the chambre' crashing down dramatically behind him as he fell a few feet before he hit the ground running as swiftly away from the enclosing mass. When he turned around brushing silver strands from his eyes, and shaking shards of glass and sand from his cloak and hair, he watched as the last remnants of the shadow of Pandaemonium shattered. Firion stood in the distance, wind whipping by in pulses before he turned to leave, gazing down at the radiant rose in his hand.

"Hang on." he whispered.

He closed his fingers, the rose vanishing in a flurry of gleaming petals, and he took off running once again- a blur of sky blue and silver.

***

Back at the camp Tidus was looking out into the sunset, the little Onion Knight beside him. Cloud had left, venturing his own path as each was meant to do. The Onion Knight had been upset and furious at Cloud for coming off apathetic. Instead of going after Firion and Terra, he did nothing...none of the adults were doing anything about it. Being so young it was a hard thing for the Onion Knight to understand. Weren't friends supposed to help each other?

"They'll be alright, little guy." Tidus offered, grinning as he looked down at the small boy.

The Onion Knight narrowed his eyes and almost went off on Tidus, before he regained his cool and growled. "Why are we just sitting here?! It doesn't make any sense! They're in danger!"

Tidus' face went serious and he regarded the small knight with a gentle and somber tone.

"Yeah but they'll overcome it. Together. This is something that they have to figure out on their own. It will bring the two of them closer together. This is their story."

The Onion Knight blinked, and looked down, thinking over what Tidus just said carefully before choosing his next words, as if it somewhat finally clicked in his head and made sense to him at last.

"Yeah. We just have to have faith in them."

Tidus nodded. "Now you're getting it."

The two watched in long silence as darkness settled, light fading, as Tidus folded his arms behind his head. The Onion Knight sighed and spoke after a long while of quiet contemplation.

"But...what if...he messes up?" he asked, quietly, looking up at Tidus with worry. Tidus just smirked, and dropped his arms, swinging them. He then turned and tousled the smaller boy's blonde bangs roughly.

"Then I guess you'll just have to kick his ass!"

The Onion Knight huffed with a wide grin, and laughed, narrowing his acid-green eyes mischievously, as he humored the thought, and secretly relished it.

***

Miles away, shrouded in darkness, the young weapons-master cautiously made his way through a series of halls containing tangles of machinery and glass tubes. The air was thick, and the smell of rust was strong, and almost unnerving to the senses. A shallow dripping noise could be heard in the distance, but its true direction remained unknown as it echoed in the hollow chamber.

Further along, a twisted path made itself known. Firion emerged from the darkness from an over pass standing on a railed balcony. He looked below, into what seemed like an endless chasm of bridges and mechanical walls, from its depths it belched forth a gust of air that smelled heavily of rust and earth, making Firion shield his face and nose with his forearm, as he grimaced into the darkness.

"..."

Before another step was taken, a resounding crack broke the air and Firion whipped around.

Perched like a bird of paradise on a glass tube, with his face tilted to one side, was the grotesque form of Kefka starring at Firion with a cracked, curious grin and one eye opened a lot wider than the other, presenting a very curious and demented sight to the young man.

Firion adopted a look of confusion, wariness and disgust as he watched Kefka stand slowly, popping his joints like some reviving wind-up doll, which made the young man take a step back in spite of his usually stoic-nature.

"Hellooooo!!!" cooed the harlequin with a dark chuckle.

"Sorry, but I'm afraid she's grounded. She can't come out to play today." Kefka pouted teasingly, crossing his arms and turning his head away.

"I'm so sick of this! All of you act like patients out of some mental facility!" Firion growled, bending low into a stance to draw his sword, resting his fingers around his blade's hilt.

Kefka burst out with a loud, long, dramatic gasp, his hands on his chest and his colorful eyelashes fluttering as if in genuine shock.

"How dare you! I'm not mental," he spat, hands on his hips and leaning forward, stomping his foot. "I'm colorfully sane! Get it right!" With that, Kefka snapped his fingers and a ball of lightning crackled forward, which Firion knocked away with his buckler sending it crashing into a wall near by.

"Nggh...how clever." Firion sighed with sarcasm as he shook out his shield arm and drew his sword with the other, crouching low, "Where's Terra?!"

Kefka floated in the air, throwing him a wide smile, that twisted up his face and touched his cheekbones.

Firion glared, and then suddenly gasped, his hazel eyes wide as he turned around, quickly.

There standing in the dark doorway was a slim figure made of abyssal fur and fire, eyes wide and feral, fangs bared and standing in a haze of maroon flame.

"Terra..." Firion whispered, his voice shaking, with shock and worry.

Terra snarled, the dancing fire flaring around her, and ripples of energy pulsed from her like a heartbeat, bending the air around them in a strange "kaleidoscope" effect.

Firion shook his head in disbelief and held his breath, his brows knitting as his eyes flared with determination, locking onto the hollow yellow orbs that were currently replacing the gentle blue that he knew should belong to his Terra.

Slowly he willed himself to endure the sight before him. Slowly he raised his crimson blade before him, holding it horizontally in front of his face, his piercing gaze visible just above the blade of the sword.

"I promise I'll save you from this. Terra..."

Firion clenched his teeth and watched as the fiery silhouette rose up off the ground slowly and brought her arms up, splaying her hands out and arching her claws forward half growling, half screeching. The young man braced himself, and watched her rush at him airborne, as if in slow motion. Firion narrowed his eyes and crouched, maroon light filled his vision and an angry scream filled his ears.

"...just wait for me! Just a little longer."

A/N: TBC.