They approached. Squall felt nothing, not even a twinge of nervousness.
"Instructor Trepe and candidate Leonhart, requesting entry for the prerequisite exam," Quistis said.
One of the faculty members stepped forward. "State your time limit."
Quistis turned to Squall. "How much time do you want for the exam? 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, or 40 minutes?"
Squall didn't hesitate. "10 minutes."
The faculty member's posture shifted. Even Quistis raised an eyebrow.
"Confident, aren't we?" she asked.
Squall shrugged. "I came prepared."
The faculty member made a note on his electronic pad. "Very well. Ten minutes it is. Your objective is to reach the center of the cavern and defeat GF Ifrit. Your time starts..." He checked his watch. "Now."
The two robed figures stepped aside. Squall and Quistis entered the cavern.
Heat slammed into him immediately. The temperature difference was shocking, like walking into an oven. The cavern's walls glowed with veins of magma, casting everything in a hellish red light.
"Remember," Quistis said, uncoiling her whip, "don't waste time on unnecessary encounters."
Squall nodded, drawing his gunblade. The weight felt right in his hands. Comfortable and familiar.
They hadn't gone far when the first Bomb appeared, a floating, fire-red orb with a wicked grin. It pulsed, swelling as it prepared to self-destruct.
Squall raised his hand, focusing on the water magic he'd stocked. The Bomb was surrounded by a veil of shimmering water, raised on high, and then slammed into the pathway before them.
It shrieked, its fiery mass hissing and contracting as the water evaporated into steam. Before it could recover, Squall lunged forward, gunblade slashing and then firing. The creature's inner light went out as it fell.
[Bomb defeated. Obtained: 1 Fire Stone.]
Quistis nodded. "Good use of elemental weakness."
They pressed deeper into the cavern. The path twisted downward, the heat intensifying with each step. Sweat beaded on Squall's forehead, but he remained focused.
Two more Bombs appeared, along with a Red Bat. Squall dispatched the Bombs with water magic, while Quistis handled the Bat, her whip cracking.
"Seven minutes left," she called out.
The tunnel widened into a series of interconnected chambers. Lava pools bubbled and spat, forcing them to navigate carefully. A group of Buels, plant-like creatures somehow thriving in this infernal environment, blocked their path.
Squall didn't break stride, casting a Water spell on one, and ending the other with several perfectly timed stike. Quistis followed up with a thunder spell, taking advantage of their weakened state.
[Buels defeated. Obtained: 2 Magic Stones.]
"You're making good time," Quistis said, a hint of admiration in her voice. "Not bad for someone who couldn't be bothered to prepare until today."
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Squall didn't waste breath responding. They were almost there—he could feel it. The cavern grew wider, the ceiling higher. The air shimmered with heat.
"Four minutes," Quistis announced.
They rounded a corner and found themselves in a massive chamber. A stone bridge stretched across a lake of churning lava. At the center of the bridge stood a raised platform.
"That's it," Quistis said. "That's where Ifrit will appear."
Squall nodded, checking his junction one last time. Water magic linked to elemental attack. Shiva was ready to be summoned.
He started across the infernal bridge, Quistis a step behind.
When they reached the platform, the lava around them surged. The entire cavern trembled. Then, with a deafening roar, Ifrit erupted from the molten pool.
The Guardian Force was massive—a hulking, bestial form with curved horns and a mane of flame. Its eyes blazed like twin suns as it regarded the humans who dared to challenge it.
"PUNY HUMANS," it growled, its voice like grinding stone. "YOU DARE DISTURB MY SLUMBER?"
Squall stepped forward, gunblade ready. "We're here to challenge you. Submit or be defeated."
Ifrit threw back its head and laughed, sending embers flying. "IMPUDENT WHELP. I WILL BURN YOU TO ASH!"
Ifrit slammed a massive fist into the platform, sending shockwaves that nearly knocked Squall off his feet. He rolled to the side, coming up with his gunblade raised.
He unleashed a Water spell. It struck Ifrit squarely in the chest, steam billowing where it connected.
The Guardian Force roared in pain and anger, its mane flaring brighter. It conjured a ball of concentrated flame and hurled it at Squall.
"Look out!" Quistis shouted, diving forward. Her whip lashed out, wrapping around Squall's arm and yanking him clear as the fireball exploded where he had been standing.
Squall didn't waste the opportunity, slinging several more Water spells in Ifrit's direction.
Two hit in quick succession; Ifrit staggered, its fiery aura dimming.
"INSOLENT...I WILL NOT FALL SO EASILY!"
It summoned a ring of fire that expanded outward, sweeping across the platform. Squall braced himself, taking the hit but focusing through the pain. He was glad to still have Fire junctioned to Elemental Defense.
Quistis cracked her whip, the tip catching Ifrit across the face. "Now, Squall! Summon Shiva!"
Squall closed his eyes, reaching deep into his junction link.
[Summon Shiva.]
The temperature plummeted. Frost coated the stone beneath their feet. A crystalline form materialized before them—Shiva, the Ice Guardian Force, elegant and deadly, her blue, feminine form glittering like diamonds in the firelight.
She regarded Ifrit coolly, then raised her hand.
[Shiva uses Diamond Dust.]
Ice crystals formed around her, coalescing into a massive shard that she hurled at her fiery counterpart.
The impact was devastating. Ifrit howled as ice encased its limbs, steam erupting as fire and ice battled for dominance.
"Finish it!" Quistis called.
Squall charged forward, gunblade raised.
[Trigger!]
He activated the ability, his gun blade slicing and dicing through the weakened Fire Guardian Force. Ifrit dropped to one knee, its flames sputtering.
"ONE MINUTE," announced a disembodied voice. The faculty outside monitoring their progress.
Ifrit looked up, meeting Squall's gaze. "IMPRESSIVE...A HUMAN WITH SHIVA..." The Guardian Force struggled to rise, then slumped in defeat. "VERY WELL. I YIELD."
Its massive form dissolved into pure energy, condensing into a glowing orb that floated toward Squall.
"BUT KNOW THIS. SHOULD YOU CALL ON ME IN BATTLE AGAINST ONE WITH SHIVA JUNCTIONED... YOU WILL PAY."
[Obtained: GF Ifrit]
[Obtained: Ifrit Card]
The red orb merged with Squall, the power flowing into his mind, establishing the junction link. Along with it came something else—a card, materializing in his hand. The Ifrit Card, glowing with the same fiery aura as its original. The holographic display was majestic under the firelight.
Quistis checked her watch. "Nine minutes and twenty seconds. Impressive."
But Squall wasn't listening. He was staring at the card, a rare slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. The Ifrit Card. Combined with his Minimog... his deck was starting to look formidable.
"Squall?" Quistis prompted. "Did you hear me? You passed. With flying colors."
He tucked the card into his jacket pocket. "Whatever. Let's go."
As they made their way back through the cavern, Squall felt the new presence in his mind—Ifrit, a power of raw destruction now at his command.
But it was the card that truly pleased him. Another piece of his collection. Another step toward... what? He wasn't sure. But it felt right.
Quistis studied him as they walked. "You know, for someone who acts like he doesn't care about anything, you seem pretty excited about that card."
Squall shrugged. "It's rare."
She smiled, but said nothing more. They emerged from the cavern into the daylight, where the faculty members noted their time and confirmed Squall's successful completion of the prerequisite exam.
"Report to Headmaster Cid tomorrow for your team assignment," one of them said. "The SeeD field exam will begin as scheduled."
Squall nodded. One step closer to becoming SeeD. One step closer to... whatever came next.
And one more rare card in his pocket.