The Final Betrayal

A/N: Well for all of you amazing Final Fantasy IV fans you should remember when Kain returns back to the party for the final time he told Cecil to kill him if he betrayed them again. Well for everyone who played the ds version if you always read what the characters were thinking, you'd notice in the Lunar Subteranne Kain seemed to be struggling with himself. Well I was wondering what would happen if Kain had lost it and the darkness took over his soul in the final dungeon. Would Cecil be able to keep his and parties' promise? This is as in character to the game as I could get. Enjoy! :D

The party walked through one of the many basements of the Lunar Subteranne as they headed towards Zeromus and the final battle that would either save the world or send it to its doom. The eerie stalagmites of rock and crystal dripped small droplets of water all around them; the only sound other than their quiet footsteps. Edge walked behind everyone else, keeping a close eye to their backs so no monsters, like Dinozombies or Dragons, tried to sneak up on them; especially a Behemoth. Rosa and Rydia were in the middle of the small group, so they would be the last ones to take any hits from surprise attacks and so they could easily jump to the back when a battle started. The blond white mage held her grand Artemis bow tightly as she stood beside the young Rydia, her motherly instincts prepared to take any hit before they reached the young summoner, who was walking excitedly with her hand twitching towards her Flame Whip in her readiness for Zeromus himself to pop out from behind a crystal.

At the head of the group were the two leading opposites; a holy Paladin and a Dark Dragoon. Cecil and Kain had always been friends, despite their differences and the many betrayals. The Paladin, Cecil, was always prepared to allow Kain back into their party even after he kidnapped Cecil's beloved because he always saw a bright light in the dragoon hidden behind his night blue armor and mask. The light was very small, but it was still there. Cecil remember back in Mysidia that despite all the darkness in his tainted heart that he was forgiven and bless with the holy powers of a white knight. He wasn't about to let his best friend suffer the same way he did. Kain was even obviously sorry about all that he had done. He even forced Cecil and Edge to promise him something great; to take his life if he had betrayed them again. Kain knew that if Cecil swore to him, as a Paladin he would never break that oath no matter how much the job would pain him. The dragoon had to be well again if he put so much on the line to gain Cecil's friendship.

But, Kain was all but well.

The dragoon was slowly losing himself to Zeromus, the darkness too much for his torn heart to bear. It seemed that with every step he took towards their final boss, Kain Highwind was dying and something far more terrifying was taking his place. He was greatly please that his dragon shaped helmet covered enough of his face to hide the pain and agony in his features from his friend. Kain was hoping he could make it long enough for them to stop Zeromus so he could finally be himself again. The dragoon fought the darkness with thoughts of defeating Zeromus and returning to his home of Baron with Cecil and Rosa. He also thought of proving to Edge and Rydia he wasn't the same dragoon he used to be and he had changed. But that thought only lured in the darkness because how could he show he changed when he didn't?

Kain…. Stop them do not allow them to complete their quest… That Cecil was never your friend anyway… Hissed the piercing, and oh so familiar voice in Kain Highwind's thoughts.

No… I won't give into to your demands!

Kain walked on, clutching his lance tightly in the glove of his right hand as he fought with himself, No, with the darkness flooding his head.

As the party finally reached the first room made entirely of crystal, from the floors floating in the air to the rocks clustered around, Kain finally gave up and clasped onto his hands and knees with a loud thump as his metal knees hit the crystal.

"Kain!" Cecil was the first to run to his friend's side, followed almost immediately by Rosa as the others only took a step forward.

"Get… Away!" hissed the dragoon as he fought to add in a few more words before he attacked all of his friends. "… Cecil now is time for you to keep your promise to me…!"

The Paladin stumbled away, and shook his head. "Kain! Come now friend, you cannot be losing this fight so soon…!" Cecil looked fearfully at his friend. He couldn't believe that it might actually have to come to him taking his golden Ragnarok and slaying his best friend.

"Kain! You can fight this! You have before!" Rosa placed one of her pale hands on the cool metal of the dragoon's shoulder.

"I… Said to get away!"

Edge rolled his eyes and pulled Rosa back. "Can't you see it's a losing battle for him! He already lost control, what, four times?"

Kain grabbed his lance and rose to his feet, clutching it tightly as he glared straight at Cecil through the eye slits in his helm. "Cecil… Do it… Now!"

Cecil drew Ragnarok against will and stared pleadingly at his friend. "Kain, you can fight this…" Cecil said more to himself than the dragoon. The Paladin saw the light barely alive in his friend now, and it pained him to know what must come next.

"Damn it Cecil!"

Cecil jumped to the side as the dragoon came charging at him full speed, the sharp tip of the lance aimed for his heart. The paladin quickly swung Ragnarok at the lance, hoping to disarm his friend so he wouldn't have to stain his hands with his friend's blood. Kain however, expected this and pulled back his lance to jab once again at the white armor covering the paladin's chest.

The party watched in horror as the two friends danced together violently. Rosa let tears fall down her cheeks at the sight and kept yelling for them to stop. Kain seemed to be dominating the fight, slowly pushing Cecil back towards his friends. The Paladin was not willing to keep his promise to Kain, even though it was clear now all the light in his heart was devoured by darkness. Kain jumped into the air and disappeared from sight as he performed his famous jump.

"Cecil move!" Edge shouted angrily as he watched the other man stand there waiting for the dragoon to come down. Cecil remained where he was, looking up into the darkness in an attempt to see his friend so he could ready himself for a counter attack.

A few moments later Kain dropped down into the waiting Cecil, hitting him with his lance hard enough to dent the white metal over his heart but not hard enough to kill him for all the strength in him left the instant he came close enough to the paladin. Still kneeling over Cecil, Kain looked down to see Ragnarok piercing through his stomach. He choked on blood and looked into his friends pain filled gaze.

"C…Cecil…" Kain managed to choke out, scarlet blood splashing onto the brilliant white armor from his mouth and from where Ragnarok still rested. He weakly pulled back and would have fallen if Cecil didn't quickly catch him in his arms. His chest moved raggedly up and down in his attempt to keep breathing.

"…Kain, forgive me?"

"I have nothing… To for…. Give…" Kain closed his eyes as tiredness overwhelmed him and a peaceful, welcoming darkness took him in.

"Kain?!" Cecil held back all his sorrow as he watched his friends chest stop rising. The Paladin quickly placed him down and pulled out his holy sword. "Cura!" he shouted as he placed his white gloved over the wound in an attempt to close it. He pulled back his now scarlet gloves to see the wound still there.

He looked over at his beloved Rosa, who was already chanting a healing spell. "… Arise!"

Cecil looked back down at Kain, his wound still there and his chest still motionless. The Paladin hissed and tried to use a phoenix down but that also failed. "Kain! Come friend you must wake!"

"…Cecil it's too late he is already gone…" Edge's voice sighed from right behind the paladin. Cecil knew it was too late for Kain, but it didn't mean he shouldn't try with all his powers to bring his friend back. He wouldn't be able to live with himself knowing he hadn't tried everything he could to save his friend.

Cecil clutched the handle of Ragnarok tightly, the lust for revenge trying to stain his pure heart. The Paladin had near lost himself to the thought of avenging Kain's death and nearly lost all the light in his heart.

"Cecil… We should not dwell here… It is not safe there are monsters everywhere." Rosa's sweet voice said from besides him, "Come, we must stop Zeromus and save everyone else. For the world's sake we must stop this chaos! If not, Kain's passing would have been in vain. You cannot give up your light now Cecil…"

The Paladin nodded in agreement and pulled away from his friend's lifeless body. He stood and cleaned off Ragnarok, "Let us go then. We must stop Zeromus before we lose any more friends…" Cecil examined his three remaining friends blankly and turned towards the direction they would have been heading. He stops next to Kain's body, hating to leave his friend there but unable to bring him back to the ship or carry him around the dungeon.

"…Wait."

Rosa rushed over to Kain, cleaned off his blood with one of her white rags, and repositioned him with both of his hands over his wound and holding his lance. She made it so he looked peaceful, almost like a king being readied for his final rest.

"Teleport!" She shouted, and the body disappeared from its spot in an instant. The only evidence of Kain's death was the puddle of blood on the crystal floor and the blood covering Cecil's armor and gloves. "I sent him back to the Lunar Whale… Now when we return home we can give our friend the proper burial he deserves." Rosa walked over to the paladin and handed him a rag to clean himself off with.

Cecil gave his beloved a small smile out of his gratitude and took the cloth. After wiping off all the scarlet from his armor he cautiously led his party towards the deepest basement of the dungeon.

… I will save Baron for you Kain… Please help me through this battle…

Well the end of the fic and Kain T.T I hated killing off Kain but I pictured his happening and felt like writing it. Well review please! I appreciate them! :3