THE ZODIAC WAR
^ _ ` a b c d e f g h i

Chapter 51: Embodiment of Fire

Parties where united and they all met in the chapel-like area and discussed what to do next.

"Well, now that we have all the keys," Delita said, "I guess it's time for us to find the door they open."

"I think I know where we need to go," Seifer said, "That bridge leads somewhere and I'd like to know where."

The party marched up the Clock Tower steps, up through the ticking clock gears, and found the rickety old bridge covered in fog.

"This thing is as rickety as they come, so be careful guys." Zidane warned.

So as not to break the bridge, each party member walked, one at a time across the bridge. It was Garnet who had the hardest time crossing since she was the most scared of heights. But even though she crawled across, they all made it.

It had turned out to be another Clock Tower, except this one seemed to be ticking--backwards?

They knew they had to be close, circling around the back of the clock, they found a ladder. Climbing up to the top of the tower was tedious, and quite a ways up. When they reached the top, the party stopped for a rest.

"Man! This is not an easy fight is it!" Said Zidane between breaths.

"It'll probably get a lot harder as we go further." Delita said.

Reis tightened her spear in nervousness, that is, until Beowulf touched her hand. "Ultimecia won't be a walk in the park, but with you, I think I'm gonna have some fun."

She smiled weakly then pecked him on the cheek with a kiss.

Standing up and swinging his gunblade up on his shoulder, Seifer said, "Lock and load everybody! We got a sorceress to kill."

Marching in formation, the party walked across a large stone bridge lined up with fearsome looking gargoyles that almost looked to be Ultima Demons.

"Brings back memories of home." Ramza wryly commented.

On the other side of the bridge the found what appeared to be a massive bedroom/hall with two massive doors with 8 symbols and 8 keyholes.

"I guess this is where we use our keys." Delita said, "Everyone get ready."

One at a time each key was presented. Heart, Soul, Mind, Strength, Light, Dark, Life, and Death.

The door opened. Everyone readied their weapons. Looking up, they saw her, sitting complacently upon her throne.

"How nice of you to come, cursed braves!" Unfolding her black wings, she gracefully descended near the braves. With a wave of her hand, she cast Haste, Wall, and Reflect all in one sitting.

Charging forward with his Griever's Heart, Seifer slashed down deep into Ultimecia's barrier, cracking it some.

"Ah, my courageous knight! Why have you turned on me so? Right when I am about to ascend to power in the heavens with Altima as my guide, you stand to defy me?"

"I defy you because you abandoned me for power. Griever, help me overcome this evil."

The massive Lion appeared and lunged at Ultimecia, lashing out on her, but her Haste allowed her to easily evade the attack.

"You forget I once possessed Griever, I can regain control of it again!"

"Not if we can help it!" Delita said, filling with rage. A wide arced swing from his Legend sword caught Ultimecia off guard, and broke away at the integrity of her barrier.

Cloud and Sephiroth, seeing their opening performed a cross-strike on her barrier shattering it.

"I…see you are strong…but they do not call me Ultimecia casually."

Raising her arms in a high arc, she cast the most powerful of spells on the entire party.

Apocalypse.

The blast was deafening as this was even more powerful than Ramza's Ultima attack. It surrounded each warrior in an aura of pain. It appeared as if all the Braves would drop to their knees, that is, except for Seifer.

"I won't give up!" Seifer's arms were charred by the blast, but he still held firm to his gunblade. Raising it high into the sky, he pleaded, "Griever, give me strength!"

A yellow Aura surrounded Seifer as he raised his Griever's Heart, crying a roaring scream, he charged up to Ultimecia, and hit her high in the air with his blade.

Leaping up to follow her, he performed slash after slash, cut after cut, finishing up with a massively charged energy slash that would cut any normal being in half.

It cut Ultimecia in half.

Kneeling down, Seifer crouched in exhaustion. The party, nearly annihilated, be still hanging in there, got up to see what Seifer had done.

But she wasn't finished yet.

The two halves burst in flame, and the two flames became whole, a whole being of flame.

"You…hurt…me….I will never let you leave here alive."

Ultimecia raised what appeared to be her arms and thrust a massive arc of flame towards Seifer.

Like a javelin of fire, it struck home.

But just as it struck. Seifer plunged his gunblade into her heart. Grinning he said with a mock kiss.

"I'll see you later…in hell."

The red flame burst into blue flame, as the sorceress of fire vanished in smoke.

The party ran up to Seifer to see what happened. But they were surprised to find Seifer had fallen, his chest scorched in flames.

"…G--Grace…you know…what…to…do." He looked pleadingly at Reis.

Reaching down, Reis touched him, and almost like casting a cure spell, she fully healed him of any fatal wound that Ultimecia might have stricken him with. The only sacrifice was that he had fully passed out.

"Well," Zidane said, "I guess we could all use a rest."

"You said it," Aeris said, holding Cloud's hand, "Let's rest here, Delita."

"Alright, until Seifer wakes up. Then we get out of here."

For the first time in many days, the group slept inside the former Ultimecia's chamber, some propped themselves up against the walls, others the pillars and décor. Still others used their weapons to lean on, while they snoozed.

The only person still awake was Delita, as he silently watched his comrades-in-arms as they slept. Even Sephiroth had a peaceful look upon his face. The kind of peace one needs to fight a war.

Delita had a lot of weight on his mind, so much change in his life had taken place in what? A matter of days? He was off to kill a fallen Angel that his trusted friend Ramza had fought five years prior, and yet, they were going to destroy not only Altima, but also the fiends who were controlling the elements. Not only that but restore the elements to their proper forms. Not easy considering the fact only they as Braves had the power to do so, and only after they defeated each fiend.

The heaviness finally caught up to him and he slept next to Alma, curled up next to him.

After a time, party awoke to a loud rumbling.

"The castle's falling apart!!!" Delita yelled, "We need to get out of here!!"

"Alright! Everyone get your stones ready!!!" Alma ordered, the braves followed in sync. In a flash of golden light, the 13 Braves appeared in front of an alive-and-well Nanaki,--Red XIII to Cloud and Aeris, in Cosmo Canyon.

"Welcome back, my friends, I am glad you are safe."

"We are too, I think," Delita said, "That was a close one."

"I noticed you defeated the Fiend of Fire. Very well done!"

"How would you know? We were in the further future!"

"Take a look around you my friend, notice something different."

As Delita looked about, he did note something different. Snow in Cosmo Canyon? But the place was so warm before, almost like a desert.

"By defeating the Fiend of Fire, you destroyed all control she had over fire, basically shutting fire off in all the eras."

"Oops! Sorry!"

"Not to worry. We knew you would come here to restore our fire. And we know that you seek Jenova."

"Thanks for being patient, I…"

"You have been gone from this time for less than three days, you know."

"Three days? It was weeks for us!" Zidane said open mouthed.

"That just shows you the power of time that you possess, it has much more power than that, but any more knowledge I give you could be dangerous."

"I see," Alma said, "As for restoring the Fire, we'll get right on it."

Sephiroth, Beowulf, and Seifer lined up with their stones, and raised them to the sky. Each making a powerful wish for the element of Fire to be restored.

In a flash of red light the snow was gone, and the Meeting Fire was as bright as ever.

"Boy, that was quick." Seifer said in surprise.

"Of course," Nanaki said, "Fire is swift, and can be restored easily."

"We would ask you and Cid a favor, Nanaki…" Ramza said.

"No favors tonight, Ramza, tonight you rest."

"But…?"

"You always rest in Cosmo Canyon." Nanaki said proudly, "Besides, with all the victories you won, we need to celebrate. We have all the time in the world you know."

"Er…yeah…I guess."

On to Chapter 52 >>>>

Back to Chapter Index >>>>