The RPG Place - Final Fantasy VI - Fanfics - Untold (the Final Fantasy VI Novelization), Chapter One

Notes:
Final Fantasy and all related characters are © Square
This story will eventually encompass the entire FFVI Storyline.

The questions were brief flickers across the girl's mind, and fleeting, staying only long enough to be thrown out. They left as much of a mark on her mind as a bird might leave by perching on a branch, only to take off again moments later. Such thoughts never lasted.

She did not know who she was, not even her name; nor did she know who the two men at her sides were, or their purpose.

When she thought to question it, it slipped from her mind like sand through an hourglass, so swiftly that she could not even recall having had the thought in the first place. Later, when the thought entered her mind once more, it would leave again in this same manner.

It was the only thought that lasted. Silent words whispered into her ear from an unseen mouth. She did not know who the voice belonged to, or even if it was a person planting the words in her mind, only that she must do as the voice commanded.

The sound of the word echoed through her head. Forward. Go forward. Nothing else mattered. Staring forward, her large turquoise eyes were clouded and vacant. She never seemed to blink.

She didn't seem to care. Fulfilling the mission was her only purpose. She stared out in front of her, not glancing to the left or right even enough to see the armor-clad soldiers at her sides, though she knew they were there. She was a machine, only created with living flesh instead of cold steel.

Ahead of her she saw a magnificent city. Underneath her feet she felt the clank of metal. Somewhere, a dark corner of her brain registered the name of the city: Vector, The Imperial Capital. This was where her mission directed her. As soon as she was aware of it, that thought was also taken from her. She was not allowed to have any thoughts. Nothing.

Soothed by the ringing of the solid metal underneath her feet, she continued forward. Ever forward. Until she was given new instructions she was programmed to do as she was told without fail. Just like a machine.

She heard the soldiers whispering to each other. Her ears heard the sounds, but her mind did not understand the words. They were merely flies buzzing about, none of her concern. She noticed only the hushed tones of the whispers. There was fear in the voices, fear and urgency.

She seemed to remember fear from some time long past. Her cloudy, turquoise eyes flickered and resettled as yet another thought was plucked from her mind. She could have no thoughts but what He gave her. She must do as He said. He was her master.

The soldiers continued to lead her through the city, their boots on the cold black metal sounding a lullaby of sorts beneath their feet, a new note made with each step. Dilapidated buildings housed poor residents, clothed in rags, their faces filthy. Small children did not run and play, they huddled in their mothers' skirts. People's faces filled with fear as they saw the two men and the woman pass by.

Their gazes were not concentrated on the men. They had seen men like these too many times to count. Imperial Soldiers. Dressed in the plain brown leather of Imperial soldiers, these men were dangerous, but not a threat to the people. They were carrying out their business.

She was dusty and travel-worn, but radiant. Her large, liquid turquoise eyes, now clouded, were reminiscent of some windswept ocean. Her hair was straight, shoulder-length, and straw-colored, functionally pulled up and away from her face. A tight-fitting red leather dress covered her lithe form, the skirt a few inches above her knees, short enough so as not to hinder her movement. Steel shoulder plates decorated with glass and metalwork strung on chain links were attached to the front and back of the dress, holding a thick, dusty red cloak in place.

A thin, golden chain hung around her neck; Clasped to it was a sparkling red pendant, nestled between her breasts. The jewel of the pendant was in the shape of a teardrop, blood-red, and sparkled brilliantly. A billowing violet fabric belt was strung on a chain through a loop of leather at the waistline of the dress and draped lightly around her legs. She wore fingerless gloves laced to the shoulder, fashioned of red leather and tied by leather thongs glossed with oil. Her boots, also fashioned of red leather, were also glossed with oil. The tops of the boots were not turned down, and reached only to her ankles, displaying her slender legs, covered in sheer fabric, completely from mid-thigh to ankle. Her complexion was light, and she fairly radiated a dim glow underneath the layer of dust and the smudges of dirt on her face.

The look of her was not frightening, but people knew what she was capable of. Fear gripped all whom she passed by. After she had passed, they were grateful that she had not gazed into their eyes, with the demonic stare she possessed, that stare they whispered about in the shadows.

They neared the center of the city. The buildings were richer, and no beggars littered the streets. All was quiet. The only audible sounds were the creak of oiled uniform leather and the clanking of steel underfoot. The three walked briskly through the streets to a building singled out from all the others. Soldiers guarded the building heavily. All of them were dressed in the same brown leather uniform.

At the sight of the girl all the soldiers gave way for her and her accompaniment to pass. Now the metal clank died as the thin carpeting underfoot muffled the sounds of the hard steel. They continued past more and more soldiers, all in uniform.

In a temporary moment of consciousness the girl had come up with the thought, and it was not ripped away quite as quickly as she was accustomed to. The cloudiness abated in her eyes and the clear liquid quality returned to them.

She blinked. Once. Twice. She turned her head to look at the soldiers that were escorting her. Indeed both soldiers looked exactly the same, save the fact that one was a scant inch shorter than the other. Both were clad in the plain, dirty brown leather uniforms of the Empire. They wore brown leather caps, brims shadowing the top halves of their faces, brown leather jackets, pants, and boots, all well oiled and showing signs of wear. Dusty white collars and sleeves peeked out from the leather jackets. Even their grim expressions mirrored each other. They were the expressions of men who had been in the army and seen far too much for far too long.

Suddenly, consciousness was once again violently torn from the girl's mind. She jerked, as if in the throes of a seizure, and stared forward once again. The cloudiness once again returned to her eyes, and she thought of nothing but her mission. The two soldiers at her sides did not even give her a second glance. They had seen this happen to her many times, a side effect of the Slave Crown on her head.

It was a rather noble name for a piece of metal that gave them access to her mind. It was forged of steel, simple and solid. It had been sealed on with a hot iron while she slept; completely unaware of what was happening to her. When she awoke, she had no mind of her own. She had become theirs.

They reached a large hallway with heavily bolted double doors at the end. It was well guarded. The guards there took one glance at the woman and shifted uneasily. One of the men guarding the door gave a signal for the others to back away. This woman was allowed through the doors. The leader of the guards pushed his cap up from his forehead and motioned the men and the woman to come closer.

"Lord Kefka is in the main machinery storehouse, waiting for you. You'd best hurry." He leaned forward closely to one of the soldiers. "You know what happens if you're late…" His eyes shifted, and he licked his lips anxiously.

Anderson looked up at the soldier that had spoken and nodded briefly. His body stiffened and he stood up straight. He saluted.

The soldier called Vicks nodded to the other. "Come on, Wedge, you heard him. We don't want to be late." Wedge merely nodded and followed Vicks' lead into the machinery storeroom. The girl followed suit.

They walked into a huge expanse of a storeroom. There were machines of every size, shape, and type, some that still remained nameless. The room reeked of machinery oil, gaseous fumes, and cold steel. Men were rushing around, working on the machines, oiling, tightening bolts, and testing machines. They were all covered in oils and dirt from working with machines, and glistening with sweat. They all wore Imperial uniforms, though in the olive green color of lower-ranking officers.

Lord Kefka waited at a pedestal on one of the upper ledges in the room, surveying the men working in his customary and entirely bored manner, tapping his long lacquered fingernails on the steel railing. Wedge, Vicks, and the girl climbed a set of stairs, their feet once again clanking loudly on the steel plates and vents. They walked across several makeshift bridges of metal planks and reached Lord Kefka. His back was turned to them, but neither soldier spoke to get his attention. Neither of them had any desire to rouse Lord Kefka's anger.

They weren't. Kefka was early. Of course, neither Wedge nor Vicks was going to argue with Lord Kefka's statement. That could lead to unpleasantries.

"We've brought you the girl, Lord Kefka." Both soldiers echoed the message in unison, hoping the statement about their tardiness would be forgotten.

At that moment Lord Kefka turned around to face the two soldiers and the girl. Wedge and Vicks had to hold themselves steady with every ounce of soldierly conviction to keep from stepping backward. The sight of Lord Kefka's face was repulsive.

It was not the man's natural features that were nauseating. The man was, in fact, handsome… underneath all the grotesque paint.

His face was painted stark white. In contrast to that his eyes were lined with black then layered with enormous amounts of blood-red paint, as were his lips. His hair, naturally ashen blond, was dyed in places with blue and red, in addition to having blue and red feathers woven into it.

His clothes fit him perfectly. His cape was enormous, circling his neck in layers of padding colored with bright green, orange, and red stripes. It flowed out behind him, trailing onto the floor. The clothing he wore beneath could not be fully seen, except for a black lace collar edging out on the sides of the cape as it covered his neck and shoulders.

Vicks and Wedge shuddered internally. For a man to dress himself this way on the outside, what must he be like on the inside? The thought was quickly banished. They did not want to find out.

"Will that be all, Lord Kefka?" Wedge's voice was steady, though he felt nauseated. He shifted his weight from foot to foot uneasily as he waited for the response. He averted his eyes from Kefka's disgustingly painted face

"Then what is our mission, Lord Kefka?" Vicks asked, hoping it would not have anything further to do with the mysterious girl, also hoping not to provoke Kefka by asking the question.

Kefka grinned wickedly, his painted lips curling. "Your mission will be a simple one, especially since she will be going with you." He gestured one white hand, pointing with long, lacquered fingernails. Vicks and Wedge didn't need to see where he pointed to know what person he was referring to.

As Kefka spoke, he eyed the girl lasciviously. "Considering her reputation, it will be no problem at all to attack the city of Narshe. You boys shouldn't even have to lift a finger. You're only going with her to make sure she doesn't slip the crown. A trifle mission, really." He continued to stare at her, and she proved no resistance.

She probably doesn't even know I'm looking at her at all. Kefka grinned inwardly. What luck, to have had the opportunity to crown this one. Magnificent. Never in a million years would he have believed his luck. All his plans were coming to fruition, all of them perfect.

He once again focused his stare on the two men. "You'll be taking the MagiTek Armor machines with you. With the girl piloting the Armor, Narshe's pitiful defenses won't stand a chance."

Kefka grinned evilly, the tips of his blood-colored mouth curling into a half-sneer, his eyes sparkling with malicious glee. "Kill as many of them as you can. I expect a count when you return. If I deem it unsatisfactory…"

Kefka trailed off the end of the statement, leaving Wedge and Vicks to the horrors of their imagination. No matter. What he would do to them was worse than anything that they could imagine anyway. Let them squirm.

"Yes, Sir." It was the expected reply. Neither of them would cross him. They were too afraid to. He thought he could hear their knees shaking underneath all that heavily worn leather.

"I will remain here until you leave. I wish to see how the girl handles herself with the MagiTek machines." The soldiers nodded, not wishing to betray their fear and disgust by speaking.

"Oh, damn it!" Kefka's exclamation, more one of irritation than genuine anger, and the sight of his eyes narrowing made the soldiers wish they had moved more quickly. "I've got to brief the girl again." Kefka turned sharply around, grasping the wrist of the closest soldier, which happened to be Vicks. He spun the man around to face him, jerking him close enough that Vicks could feel Kefka's acrid breath down his neck. He cringed internally, trying to remain unshaken on the outside to listen to Kefka's orders so that he could be away from him as soon as possible.

The two soldiers saluted and briskly walked off before Kefka could direct any of his impatience at them. If there were anyone more unsavory as a human being than Kefka, neither of them could imagine who it might be.

Kefka watched the soldiers run off to start the machines. When they were out of sight, he turned back to the girl. She was still standing off to the side, leaning back against a wall, staring straight ahead. Her eyes were still blank, full of the cloudiness that was the effect of the Slave Crown. He stepped in front of the girl and ran his long fingers along the sides of the crown; it still felt smooth and seamless. It was working like a charm. He could feel the sheer power of the crown vibrating beneath his fingertips. The people that lived during the time of the War of the Magi must have been amazing. This relic had survived the Apocalypse and had found its way to him. And he had figured out how to use it. He smiled grotesquely. The fates were with him. All of his plans would be fulfilled.

Shaking himself from his reverie, he turned to the task at hand. He stroked the bracelet on his right arm. The metal finish of it matched that of the Slave Crown around the girl's head. It was the key to using the crown.

The Slave Crown and bracelet were relics from a time long past, at least a thousand years ago, linked together by magic. The person wearing the crown was completely at the mercy of the person wearing the bracelet. They would obey that person's orders at all cost. Once he gave her orders while wearing the bracelet, she would obey them until given new ones or the old ones were carried out. Even if he gave the bracelet to someone else, she would carry out the orders until instructed again. He wore the bracelet. The girl wore the crown. She belonged to him.

A living machine at his disposal, programmed to do his whim. The power he felt at being able to control her was overwhelming. Controlling any human being would give him a rush, but being able to control this girl…

His fingertips moved down the sides of the girl's face to the underside of her chin. He lifted her face, examining her as if she were a horse. She proved no resistance at all. If he didn't know better, he might think she was unconscious. He looked into her eyes, making sure they were still clouded. He turned her face to the left and right, and then broke his hold on her chin, letting it drop. Her face was smudged with dirt and dust. He noticed the radiance to her skin, evidence of what she was. No human being ever born displayed that glow. It was very subtle, more of radiance than an actual glowing of the skin, but it was noticeable to those who knew about it. Knew what she was. They all knew what she was; he had made certain of that. She was his instrument of striking fear into the hearts of the people, the first task in his grand plan. And rumors fly fast among the mouths of frightened people

He knew about the rumors. Most of them were true. Rumors about the girl, what she was, what powers she had. She was more powerful than he could have imagined. And again, the thought entered his mind. She was his, until he chose otherwise. He felt like a god. She was one of his mere pawns, moved by his hand as a piece on a chessboard.

Now it was time to instruct her again, for her newest mission. Conquering a city had never seemed so easy. With her piloting the MagiTek Armor, the pitiful army of Narshe stood no chance. He imagined the frightened soldiers of Narshe and their paltry defenses shaking at the sight of her in the Armor, their flesh being sliced through, the lifeless bodies falling to the ground and being trampled underneath the huge machines as she paraded through the city, wreaking havoc. He was tempted to go along just to see it happening.

The MagiTek Armor machines were powerful enough with anyone piloting them; they were designed to be that way. An army of them was nearly invincible. But…the girl…with her powers…

The MagiTek machines were imbued with the life forces of Espers, magical beings of long ago, who no longer lived among the rest of the world. They had exiled and sealed themselves away decades ago.

Kefka, genius that he was, figured out a way to break their own seal, the seal that had kept the world free of their powers for years. He captured countless numbers of the poor creatures and slaughtered them mercilessly, like animals. And why not? They weren't human, they may as well be animals, lucky that he had decided to use them for his own ends rather than let them carry out their meaningless existence. Their life essence was trapped inside crystals and used to power their huge MagiTek machines.

The girl's power was amplified tremendously by the crystallized essence of the Espers held within the armor machines. And he knew the reason why. No one else knew of it, he had never let the information leak out. It was his alone to know, until he decided otherwise. He had the entire world waiting for him.

His lips once again curled into a half-smirk, half-sneer. He thought carefully of the words to program the girl with. This mission was vital for him. Conquering Narshe was the first step in his takeover.

The Esper had been found in the mines of Narshe during a recent mining expedition. Narshe was a vital city in the coal trade for the rest of the world. Its mines were bursting with the substance, and coal was in great demand, especially in Vector, where all their machines required oil and coal to run. Lots of people were using coal to heat their homes, and for many other things as well. The many uses of coal were just newly being rediscovered, and the trade was booming. Considering the small economy of Narshe, it would be catastrophic if something happened to their coal supply. Coal was the basis for all of their economic support.

All the more reason for the Empire to step in. They would take over the coal trade from Narshe, of course taking most of the ore for themselves. They would pay Narshe a pittance in return, and have the small town under its control. They would prove little resistance, Kefka was sure.

With all the money they saved on coal, the surplus could be used for other expenditures, possibly more research and experimentation on the MagiTek machines, more funds for the MagiTek Research Facility.

But, his first mission was to get that Esper. The rest would follow later. The Esper itself would not be a problem; it was frozen solid in ice. It would be sent to the MagiTek Research Facility and thawed, and studied. They could drain its power for all sorts of experiments. This was no ordinary Esper, either. It had been frozen for years, most likely for several thousand years, from the time of the War of the Magi, or even earlier.

The power encased within that Esper was beyond his imagination. He simply could not wait to have it analyzed. He would, of course, take the first cut of its power; he always did. After all, he was the one carrying out all the plans; he deserved the power. He had had countless MagiTek infusions. With each one he gained more and more power. He was only waiting for the right time to execute his plans. Everything would be his.

And the girl… She would remain his. He would use her to his own ends, as a living weapon. She was the most powerful one he'd ever laid his hands on. He'd raised her from birth, brainwashing her from the first day he'd found her, molding her susceptible young mind to his purposes.

And the Emperor… Kefka had the old fool wrapped around his finger, just as he had the girl. For the Emperor, he didn't even need the crown. Outwardly the Emperor was the ruler, but Kefka was calling the shots. Now, when he gave an order, even the Emperor jumped. Gestahl was one of his puppets, just like the girl. He was amassing quite a collection.

Being a General of the Imperial Army, Kefka had certain privileges and advantages that allowed him to seep his influence into everything around him. Some of the soldiers followed him out of duty, some out of fear, some for their own ends and greed. Whatever the reason, he had enough support to not be ousted by the army members that knew what a wretch he was.

The other Generals in the Imperial Army were no match for him, even though they were opposed to him. Celes was being taken care of. Maybe after being chained and beaten for days, or even weeks, she would come around and join him. If not, she'd have to be wiped out. He couldn't afford to take chances with traitors, especially one of her caliber. She had also received MagiTek infusions, and had amassed a great deal of power, although nowhere near to what he himself possessed.

Leo was another matter. He opposed Kefka wholeheartedly, but his sense of duty was too great. He would never let his personal feelings interfere with his orders. As long as he fed Gestahl what he wanted done, Leo would do it. Leo was a problem easily handled. Having Leo on his side would have its own advantages, if Kefka could manage to turn him. Even though he had refused a MagiTek infusion, he had the morale of many of the soldiers on his side. If Leo went over to Kefka's side, all his loyal soldiers would follow. He would not have to worry about dissention in the ranks. Unfortunately, Leo probably would not. He'd have to settle for feeding him orders through Gestahl.

As for Celes, she'd either join him or die. He had her exactly where he wanted her; she would be his, or no one's. The Generals were of no more importance than an insect buzzing around his ear. He didn't need to swat them until they began to bite. And the chances of them biting were slim. His plans were flawless.

After contemplating on his plans, he was ready to give the girl instructions. He touched a knob on the bracelet at his wrist to a groove on the left side of the crown on the girl's head. There was a small click as he twisted the bracelet 90 degrees to the right. He stepped back and stared directly into the girl's eyes, forging a line of communication directly to her. Her eyes cleared, and she was ready for instruction.

"You are going to pilot the MagiTek Armor machine into the Coal Mine city of Narshe. You are to go through the city until you reach the Coal Mines. Destroy everything in your path. Leave no man who confronts you alive. You have the power to do it. If you do not, I will know. You know what will happen if you disobey my orders."

The girl did not seem to acknowledge the orders, but he knew she would carry them out to the letter. She always did. He decided to test her.

"Do you understand my orders? Repeat them back to me as I spoke them to you. If you repeat one word incorrectly you will be punished." The girl did not move, but opened her mouth and spoke in a monotone voice.

"These are the rest of your orders. After you reach the mines, you are to enter inside the mines and locate the Esper frozen in ice. You are to take the Esper from the city and return here to me with it intact. After that, your mission will be fulfilled, and you will await your new orders. Now you will go to the MagiTek machine that Vicks and Wedge have prepared for you. You know how to work the machine. Vicks and Wedge will be your escorts into the city of Narshe. If they direct you, you will do as they tell you, but you will ultimately carry out my orders." He felt that the instructions were specific enough and covered all the bases. The soldiers could direct the girl to the city, and she would take care of the rest. He could feel the Esper's power before him already.

"You are to do this right now. Does not delay or you will be punished." The girl did not speak, but merely walked briskly down the stairs toward the MagiTek storeroom. The guards would let her pass. Kefka walked over to the railing, looking over the complex. The girl was already halfway to the entrance of the MagiTek storehouse. He walked down the stairs, careful not to catch the train of his overly long cape on the heels of his boots and he descended the staircase.

He followed the girl at a distance, and passed by the guard soldiers without a word, just as the girl had. None of the soldiers made eye contact with Kefka as he passed; none of them wished to attract his attention any more than necessary. These soldiers were some of those that followed Kefka out of fear, and Kefka knew it. He enjoyed the fact that they flinched every time he walked by. It was just one of the examples of how powerful he was. Sometimes he would stare directly at one of the men, not speaking a word, just to test the man's will. He would see how long the man could stand it without turning away. He especially took note of the ones that remained stoic enough that he tired of the game and walked away.

He walked past the guards, through the doorway into the compound housing the MagiTek machines. Half a dozen of them were stored in the back, and another half dozen were in the front of the compound, to be readied to go at a moment's notice. The scent of machine oil and coal was heavy in the air, heavier than in the other parts of the machinery storehouses. None of the machines in this room were ever allowed to be unattended, and none of them were allowed to sit useless. All of them were run regularly as part of their maintenance. If any of them were found to not be in working condition, or that they were let to sit unused for too long, the guards tending them were severely punished by Kefka himself. None of the soldiers ever shirked their duties, unless they had a death wish. Kefka was not widely known for his mercy.

The girl spotted Wedge and Vicks standing in front of three of the prepared machines. Even as she walked over, three machines were pulled out of the storage and being tested to replace the three that were being taken for the Narshe mission. Three other machines from the auxiliary storage were being taken to replace those three. There were a total of twenty MagiTek machines in the compound. Every single one of them was kept in running condition. Kefka made a routine of coming into the compound when he was least expected and examined the machines and had the soldiers test run them.

Kefka climbed a stairwell at the side of the compound, resting his hands atop the railing when he reached the top. His fingernails tapped the steel impatiently while he watched the soldiers assist the girl climbing atop her machine. Two soldiers clothed in olive green leather wheeled over a long ladder to the machine. They saluted Wedge and Vicks, and quickly returned to their duties. Wedge and Vicks held the ladder as the girl climbed up and into the piloting seat of the machine. The seats were uncomfortable to say the least, but the girl didn't seem to mind. She placed her hands at the controls comfortably, as if she had been used to piloting the machine for years. She sat straight up in the seat and looked to the soldiers, to see if they were ready to depart.

Wedge was in the seat of his machine, and Vicks was climbing the ladder to his seat. As soon as each of the three was securely seated in the machines, two soldiers, again clad in the olive green leather, came to take the ladder out of the way of the MagiTek machines. Wedge glanced over to Vicks, who nodded. Vicks then, in return, glanced to the girl and gave her an affirming nod.

At the signal, the girl pushed some of the controls on the panel, and her machine started up, sputtering and groaning. The grinding of the metal parts was cut in part by the fluids of lubrication between the gears. Vicks and Wedge also started up their machines.

The MagiTek machines were nothing short of amazing. Each was about half as big as a normal-sized house. Each pilot was seated atop the entire mass of moving steel parts imbued with Esper crystals for magical reinforcement. The small piloting chamber was nothing compared to the overall size of the machines. There were countless knobs, buttons, and levers on a control panel in front of each pilot's seat. These controls were intricate; they operated all the functions of the MagiTek Armor machines. The three pilots were used to the controls; they had used them many times. The girl had used them more than either of the soldiers, more than just about anyone in the city, except for Kefka. He had been instructing her on their use as early as she could walk and talk. She knew every inch of the machine like the back of her hand. The machine itself felt like a kindred spirit, its cold steel eerily soothing to her ravaged mind.

Kefka stood on a steel catwalk ledge above the three pilots, watching them as they started the machines. He especially watched the way the girl handled the machine-like an extension of her own being. She knew every lever and switch as she knew her own arms and legs. She was brilliant.

The machines began making their way out of the compound, through the back door, which was designed specifically for the MagiTek machines to fit through. They were going to have to pilot the machines to Albrook and take a ship from there. The ship would stop in Nikeah and then continue from there to South Figaro. They would have no trouble in South Figaro, seeing as the King of Figaro was an ally of the Empire.

Perhaps 'supposedly an ally' was a better term. Kefka never caught the young king in any traitorous deals, but he would bet his best pair of boots that the king was dealing with the opposition on the side. He only needed to catch him doing it…he'd slip up sooner or later.

He couldn't stand the thought of being played for a fool by this arrogant young dandy of a king. No one made a fool of Kefka and lived to boast of it. He couldn't possibly understand why the young idiot would make an alliance with the Returners.

The Returners were what they called themselves. They weren't worthy of the name, in Kefka's opinion. They were nothing more than a bunch of ruffians trying to make something out of their pitiful little group. They were jealous of the fact that Kefka had made something so powerful out of himself, and in their jealousy they protested that they stood for what was 'good' and 'right'. That, of course, made Kefka the one that they saw as 'evil'. They didn't even have the sense or tact to end it at that. They blamed the entire Empire for all the evils in the world. They exerted all their efforts into foiling the Empire's plans in every way they could. How could such a tiny organization, if you could even call something that small an organization, possibly think that they could beat him?! They were nothing more than foolish children, not even worthy of a second thought on Kefka's part, less than an annoyance.

And he would catch that fool King one day, or he would die trying. And he was not about to die before he had the pleasure of enjoying his supreme power. He was confident the traitorous king would be careless, and would be caught double-crossing the Empire soon enough. Then he'd have his head on a pike. Coincidentally, the pike was a favored weapon of the king.

At the thought of the disembodied head before him, Kefka smiled wickedly. He could see it on a pike, its dead, vacant eyes staring straight ahead, warm red blood draining from the slashed veins, trickling down the base of the pike. Yes, he'd impale the bastard king's head on his own favorite pike, the initials of the poor dead king embossed right into the shaft of the weapon. He could see the blood coagulating into a sticky mess while he watched the rest of the decapitated body twitch, each nerve ending dying one by one. He imagined reaching into the traitor's chest and ripping out his double-crossing heart from its living body and feeling it throb with the last pulses of life in the palm of his hand.

Kefka's eyes glinted maliciously as his grin widened, displaying perfect white teeth underneath his painted mouth. If anyone could have seen his facial expression at that moment, they may very well have run away screaming. Considering the intensity of his bloodlust at the fantasy of murdering Figaro's king, it would be a wise decision.

He whirled around to descend the stairwell as the MagiTek machines left the compound, the features of his face still distorted into a wicked smile. He went down the stairs and continued down the hallway towards the throne room. It was time to check on Gestahl, his puppet king.

A handful of soldiers that dared to look into the Lord Kefka's face as he passed turned livid and pale at the grotesque vision they saw. None of them wished to know what thought had been in Kefka's mind to distort his expression so hideously.

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~*~ Chapter One ~*~

~~ Chapter One ~~