Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Celestial Rise ❯ Bitter ( Chapter 13 )

Llurd finally slept after the long days of deprivation. But it was not a sound and peaceful sleep. An empty bottle of hard liquor lay beside him. His glass was smashed on the floor along with the clutter of books, torn pages, his prized war relics, and his medals. They were ripped off the walls and shelves in a violent fit of rage. The glass window to his office was smashed, too. A tell-tale broken chair lay outside. His desk was overturned, and his sword stuck through the thick door of his office. That could not have been easy to do, and yet he did.

His office looked like what an aftermath to a tornado would look like. Perhaps, it had been a tornado. Not of wind, but of fury. It was a tornado of strong emotions that he had been careful to control but had proven to be quite overwhelming. There was nothing worse than the fall that followed great expectations. His pride was wounded and bleeding.

There was an urgent rapping on the door. The rap felt like it came from the inside of his head, and it would not stop. He winced in pain as he covered his ears with his hands. The rapping sound transformed into a high-pitched squeal that was more than he could bear.

"Enough!" he bellowed. "Leave me alone!"

The sound of his voice made it worse. He groaned as he rolled off his back.

"Sir?" came a voice from the outside. "Is everything all right, Colonel?"

Stupidest question I've ever heard! I should have him executed!

"Go away, Barnes!"

"Harold, it's me!" said a different voice from outside.

"Colonel Blaey, sir, Colonel Llurd is not feeling well," said Barnes again but it was addressed to the other person outside his office.

Blaey? What is he doing here? Come to see me as a wreck--I have no time for this!

"Harold! Don't you want to hear the news? Don't you want to know who our new general is?" Blaey asked in a tone of pleasure. Though he himself did not get promoted to a general, knowing that Llurd didn't either brought Blaey unusual satisfaction.

"I don't give a damn, Saric! Get the hell out, or I'll run you through with my sword!" Llurd said, vehemently. He went into a fit of coughing before throwing up on the floor. It felt like he just threw up portions of his brain, and all that was left inside his skull was the portion responsible for interpreting pain.

"Very well, Harold. Just make sure you attend the ceremony. I'd like to see the look on your face when you finally see what's going on!" Saric laughed contemptuously and left.

The room was quiet again. Quiet, except for his breathing. He was in no shape to get out of his office. He looked like a destitute drunkard out on the street. The smell of his vomit in the air did nothing to make it better. He had drunk hard liquor many times before in his life, and yet never had he experienced such a hangover. Perhaps it wasn't at all due to the alcohol. Perhaps it was due to what had happened last night… or rather, what didn't happen last night.

He wanted to disappear for a while. He looked like a fool in front of many, and the humiliation was just too much for him to carry at the moment. His men, though almost as disappointed as he was, would be regarding him with pity. He hated to be pitied. The others in the Army who had heard of the rumors would be staring at him, perhaps in amusement. The two other colonels were already gloating at his... defeat. He wanted someone to pay. The problem was, he did not know who to vent his anger on. It was clear that General Cristophe was the one who had ruined his chance.

He's the one who disbanded the Old Council. He's the one who appointed the new one! Curses to each and every one of them! I will see them rot before my very eyes!

His threat was empty, however, and he knew this. He knew that he could not touch General Cristophe. And he knew that the New Council members were very well-protected. His hope was gone. A stronger voice--one that he could not influence--had spoken.

Llurd picked himself up from the floor of his office with much struggle over the pain in his head. His eyes were bloodshot, and there was a cut on his forehead. He was oblivious to both of these facts. He sat on a comfortable chair (as comfortable as it could get), and buried his face in his hands as he fought to stave off the lingering discomfort.

Last night he thought of several plans to win the hearts of the New Council and the promotion. He plotted to assassinate them all as vengeance. He thought of ways to kill himself and ways to escape the impending humiliation. That morning, none of them made sense. They were all the plans of a drunk, not the shrewd, clever tactician that he was. It made him sicker than he already was. He hated himself for it. He had lost control, and he felt disgusted at himself.

I've fallen deep enough! There is no room for self-pity. I've lied, cheated and murdered people before to get to where I am now. I can do it again! I just have to wait. I just need to survey the present battlefield and form my strategy. I--

"Harold Llurd," said a voice from behind him.

Llurd stood up and spun around quickly, his hand, reflexively going to his sword that wasn't there. The sudden movement sent a spike of pain up into his head. He staggered backwards, but caught himself before he fell.

"Who the hell are you?!" he growled at the man before him. His vision blurred slightly but still recognized the man to be a Fanatic.

"My name is Tayan, and I bring with me a message from my master," Tayan said very calmly.

"How did you get in here?" he demanded. "Speak!"

"It is not important how. Are you ready to hear the message?"

Llurd was too confused and angry at the intrusion to be curious to hear Kefka's message. When his vision cleared he glanced at the door to his office and saw his sword still sticking through it. He took several shaky but determined steps towards it and started to pull it out.

"Trespassing into a high ranking officer's office is a punishable offense, Mr. Tayan! I suggest that you--" Llurd made a grunting sound as he pulled with all his strength to free his sword from the thick door. "I suggest that you get out of my office the way you came in before I find a more suitable target to stick this sword through!"

Tayan regarded him in silent amusement as Llurd continued to struggle with his sword. Llurd had not yet regained his full strength. Tayan noticed that the colonel's face was red with fury.

"My message is short, and so I will just say it," Tayan said clearly. "My master has a proposition that he thinks you might like." Tayan wasn't sure whether Llurd was listening. He observed the colonel placing his right foot against the door to gain more leverage. Tayan continued. "It concerns the new general of the military."

The sentence was a cue for Llurd to become interested. He stopped with his struggle with his sword and looked at Tayan. "What about the new general?" he asked grudgingly.

"To put it quite simply, my master does not feel it was right for General Cristophe to interfere with the Old Council proceedings."

"And?" Llurd asked impatiently. He was eager to hear the rest.

"And my master would like to do something about it," Tayan said with a sly grin.

Llurd did not yet fully understand what this was all about. It was clear, however, that it involved him. He stepped away from the door and towards Tayan in the most intimidating way possible. Tayan held his ground... unintimidated.

"And this concerns me how…?" he spoke, his breath still reeked of a sickening mixture of stale whiskey and vomit.

Tayan glanced pointedly at the mess in the colonel's office. "I think it's pretty obvious, Colonel Llurd. You want that job," Tayan said matter-of-factly. He walked past Llurd and slowly picked up a gold and silver medal among its ruined glass container. "And we know you'll go to great lengths to obtaining it." Tayan turned around to face him again, flashing the medal to the colonel. "Just like when you did everything you could to obtain this particular piece."

Llurd squinted to see clearly which medal Tayan was holding. His visual acuity had not been completely restored due to his aching head. There was a short but sudden intake of breath as he recognized the medal, however. It was a medal of honor which reminded him of a lot of dark secrets. It was a gold fist gripping a silver hammer.

Tayan did not give him the chance to say anything after that. He grinned and said, "You recognize it, I see. Tell me… are the memories still vivid in your head? Do you still hear their screams? Smell the smoke and taste their blood?"

"I do not know what you're talking abou--" Llurd said quickly as he faced away. He choked the last word.

Tayan was pleased. He had expected him to react strongly about it, but this was more than he had hoped for. It was all going to be easy for him. "Of course, not, Colonel," Tayan spoke slyly. "Such secrets are not meant to be a topic of any conversation. Especially if such a horrible secret resides in the mind and guilt of a high ranking officer such as yourself."

"Enough!" Llurd shouted angrily. "I have nothing to hide! Your accusations ar--"

"Accusations?" Tayan interrupted. He grinned again. "I'm not accusing you of anything, Colonel. It was just a question--a question that a cultist such as myself find very intriguing. I'm sure you did all you could to get there in time," Tayan said mockingly. "Maybe, something came up and held you back, thus, forcing you to arrive late at the scene."

"I have listened to you long and patiently, and you still haven't told me how this whole thing concerns me," Llurd said with a voice forced between his gritted teeth.

"My master applauds both your tenacity and ferocity. What you did that day… you think nobody witnessed. But you're wrong, Colonel. We watched just as you would spy on those whom you wished to control. Oh, but don't get all excited! It wasn't just you. Don't flatter yourself by thinking that this arrangement was entirely exclusive. We all watch high ranking military personnel--not just you."

"Thank you for telling me that--get to the point! What does your precious master want of me?"

"My master wants a different person to be seated upon the position of generalship. And the only way for that to happen, considering how well-protected the new general is, is through--how should I put this? Unconventional tactics. And both you and I know that you are the master of unconventional tactics."

"Your master wants me to be the new general? To do what? To serve as his lackey? I don't think so, Fanatic. I am no one's servant. I do things for myself alone."

"My master doesn't care about who gets to be general in the end, Colonel, as long as it's not the Council's appointed."

"I don't do favors for anybody," he said in disgust. It was against his pride and reputation.

"It's such a pity that you would rather look at it that way. A prudent tactician should call it a… partnership."

"I play alone!" he snarled.

"A temporary partnership, then. Surely, even with your extensive and shadowy resources you cannot possibly find it easy to do this on your own. If you accept this alliance, Colonel, my master assures victory. The new general will be dethroned, and you will rise up as the replacement. Also, note that time is a factor. The longer the new general stays in power, the harder it will be to get rid of her."

"Her?!" Llurd asked, dumbfounded.

Tayan pulled out a folder from the folds of his cloak. It bore a seal of high importance. It was not meant for their eyes. Tayan held it towards Llurd, who reluctantly took it from him. He regarded Tayan with great suspicion. How could a cultist have such access to top secret military files?

Llurd opened up the folder and started reading the documents. The first thing he noticed was a photo of the new general at the top corner of the file. It was a picture of a young woman in military uniform. He did not understand it at first, but as he read on, his face contorted to an expression of disbelief. He flipped through the rest of the pages, reading only the important parts. In the end he was flabbergasted. "You cannot be serious!"

Tayan was chuckling cynically. "This is exactly the kind of expression, the other colonels wanted to see from you the moment you discover the truth."

Llurd's eyes widened and in self-consciousness he wiped off the astounded expression from his face. He replaced it with one that flagrantly showed anger and extreme disapproval. "A lieutenant?!" he exclaimed. "They chose a lieutenant over the colonels? Over me?!" His face was redder than usual. He dropped the files on the floor and started pacing back and forth. He started to ramble on. "They cannot do this to me! This is not acceptable. It's a joke. It's a huge mistake…"

Tayan calmly picked up the files and with a word of command he set it aflame. He walked over to an empty metal trash bin beside the upturned desk and dropped it there. The smoke drifted up and out through the broken glass window. It didn't take long before the confidential files were vaporized.

"I will kill them! I will kill them all! I will march straight to the New Council office and slit their throats!"

Tayan rolled up his eyes and sighed in exasperation. "Then I'm asking the help of a fool!" Tayan said harshly. He turned around and started towards the door.

"Wait!" Llurd called out. "Where are you going?"

"My master has overestimated you. You are useless to us," Tayan replied without turning around to face him.

"You self-important bastards! I will show you and your master what I can do. I will have the New Council killed first… and then I will kill the new general myself," he said menacingly.

"Did you really think your men would risk their lives for you in such a reckless undertaking? Then you've really lost it!"

"I have connections! I have people outside the military who work in the shadows for me. They will--"

"Die!" Tayan interrupted. He stopped by the door on his way out. He turned towards Llurd to deliver a final note. "You underestimate your enemy. They are not the weaklings that you're accustomed of seeing in the Council. They are protected. They have appointed mage-knights who follow them around invisibly as guards. Your 'shadowy connections' cannot do anything for you. You are so out of your league to handle this on your own." Tayan turned around to exit Llurd's office and added, "Besides… Master Palazzo would never let you near her if your intentions are such. He wants her out of the military--not dead." Tayan started to walk away, leaving the door open as if to allow Llurd to follow.

Llurd bit. He stormed out of the office after Tayan. "Where do you think you're going?! Where do you get the nerve to enter and leave my office like that on your own volition?"

He grabbed Tayan by the arm roughly to stop him. Tayan simply met his angry gaze with his own cold, reptilian stare. There were two other soldiers outside Llurd's office. They were his guards waiting outside. They watched them with curiosity. Llurd noticed this and sent them outside immediately, ordering them to have everybody else vacate the vicinity.

"I come and go as I please, Colonel… because I can!" Tayan hissed as he held the colonel by the wrist with his free hand. There was a sizzling sound and the smell of burning flesh filled the air between them. Llurd's face contorted to an expression of pure pain. He pulled back his hand, releasing his grip on Tayan. Tayan released him in turn. Llurd fell to his knees looking at the burn mark on his wrist.

"I will go to Colonel Blaey," Tayan said. "Maybe he will be more grateful of my master's offer. Like I said, Colonel, it doesn't matter who becomes the new general for as long as it's not her."

Tayan walked away, leaving Llurd still groaning in pain on the floor.

"Wait!" Llurd gasped. "I'll do it!" Tayan stopped dead in his tracks but he did not turn around. "I'll do it. I'll cooperate!" Llurd said finally.

Tayan half-turned. "Get sober. And then we'll talk."