Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Final Fantasy 8: Cloud of Paradox ❯ Chapter 1: A Battle of Training ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

The clash of metal echoed throughout the empty pathways of the Training Area. The two characters jumped around each other before clashing in another attempt to get at each other. After this attack, they both watched each other, defending their bodies with the sword crossed over their chest. The blonde hair boy held out his hand, sending a blast of fire at the other, knocking him to the ground. He then made his move, bringing his sword slashing down at him. The brown haired boy swung his sword up, |causing the two swords to fly into the air, and dig themselves deep into the ground at either sides of their battlefield. The blonde boy looked at his sword, then turned back staring at the brown haired boy, and then smiled, offering him his hand.
‘Nice match Squall,’ the blonde haired boy said, pulling his friend up, ‘You almost bested me!’
‘Almost?’ Squall laughed, ‘Seifer, you could have had me, but I had you the whole time!’ Seifer nodded, and then took off down the left hand jungle path, raising his hand, and waving, taking his sword out on the way.
‘Next time, we will have a definite champion.’ His white coat, with its red insignia, blew about in the cool wind blowing through the area as the door opened, and then as he walked through it closed behind him. Squall laughed, and went to his sword, pulling it out, shaking of a bit of dirt, and sheathing it. He went the other path from Seifer, and entered into an another area of the training grounds, which was set out like a jungle. As he continued on down the narrow path, walking around the fallen log which crossed his path, he reached the entrance clearing to the training area. He stared up into the sky, smiling, before making his way towards the exit door, which glistened green in the sunlight. As he made his towards it, whistling his favourite Black Mages song to himself, a roar called through the area. He snapped around, and came to face the most fearsome, and rarest, of the training ground monsters - T-Rexuar. Squall brought out his blade - the Gunblade, and faced the creature.

Squall ran at the creature, slashing at it, but doing nothing to it’s hard skin. It came for him, Squall jumped out the way, but it’s powerful tail knocked him against a rock, causing him to become unfocused. He managed to pull himself up, and avoid a quick blow from a downward smash. He tried to remember his classes, which told him the weaknesses of the training areas creatures. He ran towards the creatures split in it’s legs, and slid through, slashing at it’s underbelly, causing it to roar out in pain. It backed away, and grabbed Squall in one of it’s arms. He could smell the rotting of it’s breath, causing him to gag as he got closer to his final living moments. As the smell got worse, he knew he was getting closer, but a sudden outburst of pain from the monster caused Squall to fall crashing to the ground. Standing facing him was Irvine, a friend of Squall and Seifer, pumping his shotgun, his empty shells fallen to the floor, clinking as they hit.
‘Hey, Squall,’ Irvine, tipped his hat, ‘look like you could use a hand!’ Squall smiled and nodded, then turned to face the powerful creature. ‘Then let’s do this buddy!’ Squall held out his palm, a cold feeling rushing through his hand, with an burst of ice hitting the chest of the dinosaur. It staggered back in immense pain. Irvine blasted the creature twice in it’s recoil, then reloaded. The monster spun it’s gigantic tail, Squall managing to jump over, but Irvine got caught in the attack, and was pushed back towards the entrance, split from his shotgun. The creature made for the downed boy. Squall quickly jumped up it’s back, slashing at it’s spine, pumping the bullets as he hit, which caused the creature to stop, and collapse to the ground, letting out a long exhaling breath, spit hitting Irvine, to which he wiped off with a aggravated face. He held his thump up at Squall, before placing his hands on his knees, pushing himself up, letting his long light-brown leather coats-tail to fall to his ankles. He sorted his cowboy hat on his head, and then picked up his shotgun, putting it over his shoulders.
‘Irvine, thank you!’ Squall panted for a second, and then stared at his friend. ‘What were you doing here?’
‘I came to do some training, but looks like you provided me with it.’ Irvine made his way towards the exit, patting Squall twice on the chest as he passed, ‘Thanks Bud!’ The cowboy walked through the green doors, and they banged close behind him. Squall sighed, then followed behind him, the large doors closing shut with a clang behind him.