Stealth
Chapter xxxvi
By YuriNigasa
*standard I don't own FFVIII, Squaresoft, characters, etc. applies from now until whenever I decide I'm done*
Stealth
Chapter xxxvi
By YuriNigasa
"Seifer! Take it down a notch!" Elijah called out.
I lowered the rope in my hands slowly until I heard the clink of the tooth slipping into the cog.
"Alright! Looks good," he said. "Tie it off!"
I knotted the line securely and moved to stand under the shelter. The shade did little to appease the sheer heat radiating off the sand, but at least it kept the sun out of my eyes. Turning to Elijah I asked, "Did they head in yet?"
He turned and shrugged. "I think Citan may have gone in and I think Quistis was with him." I quirked an eyebrow. "I know," he said, "I think it's a mutual thing." Go figure. Never knew Quistis had it in for the older guy, although he did seem nice enough, if one were into the scholarly types.
"Want to head back and see how they're doing?" I asked.
"Sure, just let me grab my pack and a light."
I strapped Hyperion to my back and picked up one of the spare flashlights. Never can be too careful in dark caves. Following the emergency lighting beacons made it easy to figure out which direction they had gone. I heard the soft click as Elijah engaged the safety of his machine gun. I wondered if machine gunners named their weapons like the rest of us? Somehow I just didn't see a machine gun as being as personal as my gunblade, or Quistis' whip, or Irvine's shotgun. "Hey," I began, "This sounds strange, but did you name your weapon?"
"You mean like 'Hyperion' or 'Exeter' or something along those lines?"
"Yeah, don't worry, you don't have to answer, it was a silly question."
He laughed, "Well, I did actually name her. 'Unmei'," he spoke the word almost reverently. "It's Shumi, means destiny or fate. At the time I just though it sounded nice, now, it's taken on a whole new meaning."
"You could say that." We walked along in silence. In the distance I could hear voices. "That must be them," I said.
"Probably. Hey! You guys hear us?" he called out.
"Over here!" Quistis called out. "You really need to see this, it's amazing!"
I looked at Elijah and shrugged. We reached a sort of doorway hewn from the rock and I led the way through. As soon as I saw the room I hand entered, I stopped. I heard an 'oof' from Elijah as I felt him run into me. "Sorry," I murmured on reflex. Then I heard him gasp. I guess he noticed it, too.
To say the room was in need of repair was an understatement, but that in no way diminished the effect of the ancient ruin. The ceiling had to be over twenty meters high. I could barely make out the lights reflecting off the polished stone above. The area was easily thirty meters across, and a good fifteen meters deep. It almost looked natural, except for the fact that I'd never seen a cave with straight walls and ninety-degree corners. The statues, which I had only seen images of, were astounding. There were seven of them, and I could tell immediately that we were standing in a memorial to the fallen Guardians.
To my left was a statue that was shorter than the others, but broader by half than any of the other two put together. He had bulging arm and chest muscles that looked like mountain crags, a face that could have been, and actually was, I noted wryly, carved from stone, squat, powerful legs that instead of tapering down, as most did, actually got wider at the base. He clothing seemed to be hides, and slung across his chest was a string of polished gems, each bigger than both my fists pressed together. It must be Taethen, the Mountain Guardian.
Next was a lithe form, lightly muscled, but with the face resembling a hawk. His arms were crossed in front of his chest, and he didn't seem to have hands, but rather talons, each tipped with an edge that could rend most anything. A loincloth draped down from the slender hips and was being pushed to the right by the raised left leg. The feet, much like the hands, appeared to be talons, although about twice as large. Sprouting from the back were huge wings, not like a dragon's, but extending from the back exactly like a bird's. Each feather glinted in the light, and seemed to be threaded throughout with the finest gold. Vach.
Third was a being that didn't seem human at all. Instead it appeared to be nothing more than tightly constricted vines wrapped over the shape of a man. At the feet lounged the largest wolf I had ever laid eyes on, even if I reduced the statue to human proportions. On the shoulder perched a raven, and around the arm wound a snake, its head raised, as if peering at those of us who dared to intrude on this sacred place. Flowers of every imaginable type bloomed across the body, and leaves from all sorts of plants sprouted from the vines. A wild guess, but I was guessing it was Zacheu.
To my far right I saw the form of a mermaid. Her hair draped down her body in gently cascading waves. The scales of her tail seemed to have been inlaid with mother-of-pearl, giving it an iridescent sheen. In her right hand she held a trident, and in her left, a conch shell, poised to be raised to her lips. At her neck the barest hint of gills could be seen, and hanging between her breasts was a flute carved from coral. Merhanna, Guardian of the Oceans.
The branches of a tree arched upward in the next statue. From the trunk emerged the nubile form of a dryad, with skin like bark and hair like moss. The tree itself looked as if it was constantly changing from season to season. The bare branches of winter were on the far left, then the new buds of spring, the full bloom of summer, and the falling leaves of autumn. Around the trunk were gathered the small creatures of the forest, finding protection and shade in the arms of Enania.
Next was the form of a woman wrapped in a cloak, leaning forward as if facing into a strong wind. No face was visible. I could only tell the form was female by the telltale curve of the body. Long, shaggy, hair trailed down from under the hood. One hand was raised, upholding a globe. No, not a globe, a full moon. On the other forearm was perched an owl. Within the folds of the cloak sparkled crystals, reflecting the light like stars. The domain of the night, Haiea's realm.
My eyes then drifted to the center. A figure that was stooped like an elder, but with the face of a child, stood looking outward, as if absorbing the goings-on of our expedition. It was wearing robes that completely concealed any gender identification. In the crook of the left arm was a huge tome. I couldn't tell what, if anything, was carved into it. In the left hand was a lantern, and in the right hand, a staff. It must be Heroth, the Guardian of Knowledge.
I was suddenly daunted by the absolute truth portrayed before me in solid stone. More and more I was finding myself with fewer and fewer reasons to doubt what I had been told.
I walked up the Ragnarok's ramp and into the bunkroom. As the door closed behind me I shivered. It was almost as if something was in the room with me. Something foul that made my skin crawl. I shook my head to clear the feeling from my mind. I was being ridiculous.
"Catalyst," a voice hissed.
I whipped around, scanning the room. Nothing. "Come on, Squall," I chided myself mentally. "Pull it together, you're being paranoid."
You may run, but it is futile. You gave your bond, Catalyst. You are sworn to me, your life and his in the balance."
An insubstantial form hovered in the center of the room. I felt nauseated. This wasn't the woman I had seen before, yet somehow I could tell this was something I was familiar with.
A hideous laugh came from the unformed mouth, "You are bonded, and will remain so despite your best efforts to ensure otherwise. Memory or no, you are still the Catalyst and your time will come."
I felt a massive pain in my chest where I had been hit with the ice shard in Deling City. The figure dissipated and I found myself leaning on the bunk for support. I though that I had gotten rid of that thing that had followed me this morning, that creature. I shuddered as I thought back. I had just started clearing the perimeter of monsters. That Cacuatar had run off and I had turned back to continue on my way, then I had felt that shadow cross my path. Something called my name in that same voice and I ran, terror transforming to adrenaline in my veins. It hadn't been the first time I had heard that low, hissing voice. I had heard before... in my nightmares. I pressed my hand to my still aching chest, nearly vomiting with shock, when my hand came away from my shirt sticky with blood.