Orn stood with a group of Radiant Heart reinforcement soldiers on the edge of the Hoan Dor forest. He gripped his battle staff nervously as he looked about at the soldiers around him. They all looked so calm, standing there chatting quietly with each other. Some talked about strategy, some technique, others, the night they spent before and the lady they spent it with. Orn felt Reggie's large head nudge his arm.
The bear spoke into his mind, 'Brother, relax. You must stay calm. You are using too much energy before the battle has even started.'
Orn looked into the eyes of the bear and saw deep caring there, where there was normally just joy and mischeif. Orn took a deep calming breath and nooded. Orn reached his mind out to the surrounding trees, listening to their ages old calm. The petty squabbles of men were like the buzzing of a passing fly to them and Orn gathered that serentiy within himself.
'You're right Reggie. We've been training for this for weeks. I am strong. I am ready. I told my Mom... my clan, I would help and that's what we're going to do. This is the right thing, for the people.'
Regggie nodded to Orn with a hint of a smile on his bear face. 'You are strong Orn and I am proud to be your brother. Even though you aren't a bear, you have the heart of one within you... Now when can we go kick these Vectorian intruders out of our territory?' Reggie bared his teeth in a grin.
Orn couldn't help but return the grin. 'We're just waiting for General Buxbaum to...' At that moment the booming voice of the General sounded from somewhere before them.
'Troops assemble! We're moving out! It's time to cleanse the city of these Vector swine!'
Orn took a deep breath and steadied himself as a cheer sounded from the soldiers around him. It was time.
The west gate was open for them when they arrived, thanks to the undercover work of Vorcet, yet the Vectorians were far from caught unaware. Troops from both sides swarmed the streets but Orn and Reggie were trained and ready. Orn would gave a command and Reggie would launch his massive bulk at a Vectorian, sending the soldier reeling toward Orn where he would find Orn's staff buried deep in his gut.
Orn was in awe of Reggie's ferocity in battle, yet the bear never once took his eye off the young man. No soldier could hardly get within two feet of Orn without catching a massive paw across the face or a mighty shove in the back. The pair felt unstoppable until they rounded the corner onto Market Square.
Orn had heard of Kefka before, but the man had seemed more like a myth than a real person. Like a story told to young children to keep them in line, yet here he was. Dressed like some kind of deranged clown and mounted upon a two legged mechanical monstrosity. Already, many of the liberation force were headed directly into the fray to face this greatest threat. Orn and Reggie looked at each other and no words needed pass between them. With a simple nod, they charged ahead.
The fight was tougher than anything Orn had envisioned during their training. Powerful beams of magic shot from Kefka's armor, and the mad clown fought toe to toe with the liberators despite it being one against many. However, Orn could see they were having an effect. Blood tricked from Kefka's mouth and his magitek armor staggered with blow after blow.
Just as Orn thought they were about to taste victory, something horrific happened. Kefka's armor shattered as a bolt of lightning struk down from the heavens upon him. The mad clown lifted into the air amongst a gathering of dark clouds. When they cleared, what came to rest before them could only be described as a god.
Orn looked to Reggie, dirty sweat dripping from his brow and already panting in exhaustion. The bear looked back and spoke into Orn's mind, 'Orn, go. When you said you would help, this isn't what you agreed to. I'll stay. I'll see this through.'
Orn shook his head without hesitation. 'No Reggie, we will both see this through.'
The pair turned to face the newly ascended Lord Kefka even as more brave souls joined the fray. The battle seemed to rage for an eternity and the atrocities were endless. Massive swarms of meteors fell from the sky upon the liberators and Orn saw lives simply sniffed out with but a flippant quip from Kefka.
Yet they persisted, all of them. This was the time. Orn pushed through his exhaustion, calling upon reserves he didn't even know he had until finally, miraculously there was a brilliant flash of light as the god Kefka exploded in a shower of magical fragments.
Orn dropped to his hands and knees in exhaustion, his chest heaving. 'Reggie... we did it.'
There was no reply.
Orn looked over to where he expected Reggie to be, where Reggie had always been since Orn was a small boy, right beside him, but the bear wasn't there.
'Reggie?'
Orn scanned the square and spotted a large smoking lump of fur about 20 yards away. He ran over, his exhaustion forgotten, and rolled the lump over, taking a large bear head into his hands. Tears streamed down Orn's cheeks as he looked upon the face of Reggie.
Orn looked about frantically. 'A priest! I need a priest here! Please!!!'
'Orn... brother...'
Orn looked into the fading eyes of the best friend he had ever known as tears clouded his vision and sobs hitched in his chest.
'It's ok... don't cry... we did it... we...'
Then Reggie was gone and Orn's life changed forever.
