Final Fantasy IV – To Change the World

Prologue – The First Crystal

The Red Wings were approaching Mysidia. The airships soared across the sky lit up by the light of the two moons that shone brightly above, displaying the fine work of Baron's craftsmen in all its glory. Tearing across, they burst clouds and shocked birds – what could be a finer life than that of those men who stood on the deck far away from the trouble brewing below? The advent of the airship had marked the realisation of man's greatest dream - to become like birds and enter the purest element of them all.

The men on the deck extended the sails and skilfully drew out the wings below as they flew towards Mysidia which had been sighted a few hours ago. The fleet numbered more than a hundred and represented the pure power and strength that Baron's military possessed over the other nations. The Mysidians had absolutely no idea of the approaching danger and of the trouble that would come with its arrival. The men themselves were afraid of what they might be made to do to demonstrate their loyalty to Baron.

On the Invincible at the core of the fleet, Cecil Harvey, Captain of the Red Wings and Dark Knight of Baron stepped out onto the deck and smelt the musty magic-infused air. He carried his dark sword at his side always for fear that his inferiors may one day decide that he was no longer necessary. Clad in a set of Baron's finest dark armour, he strode towards the front of the ship. Cecil's mind had been severely damaged by the rigorous trials needed to pass to become a dark knight but he had succeeded, trained by the king of Baron himself. He had proved his loyalty time and time again to the royalty of Baron but still, the king refused to give Cecil his full trust and grant him the greatest honour a dark knight of Baron can have – Commander of the Red Army. So, here he was again on another mission where he would be forced to spill the blood of innocents in the name of the Red Wings and once more cast fear into those in the surrounding countries. The more Cecil killed, the easier it became and the worse it got when he returned home and faced his friends and loved ones.

The king had given him a new mission one month ago – to travel to the country of Magis and retrieve the crystal of water from its capital Mysidia. He was to not spare anybody who stood in his way. When Cecil had asked of their magic, the king merely laughed and told him that they were too weak-minded to fully master the power. The kingdom of Baron had grown strong enough to stand against any magic that they may cast.

The king had grown so powerful that he now only feared a single type of magic – that of the summoner. The ability to bring forth monsters from beneath the Blue Planet's surface and bend them to your will - he had always envied those who lived in Mist slightly. Eidolons, these creatures, had besieged the city of Baron not long ago and slaughtered many of its citizens. They had repelled the attack using the Red Wings (another battle that Cecil had shown his loyalty in). The king bent to a map of the central continent and carefully studied the position of the Mist valleys, wondering how he could destroy the mages. The king's loyal commander of the Samurai entered the throne room, a man by the name of Baigan.

"We have received contact from the Red Wings," he told the king. "Cecil assures us that Mysidia is in sight and the crystal of water will soon be securely on board the Invincible. He also writes that there have been increased monster sightings in the air – although I am sure that this is of no real consequence to your majesty."

"Thank you, Baigan," the king said. "I fear that those foolish mages will try to fight back against us. More pointless slaughter – if only they would simply surrender."

"The country of Magis is far away from here," Baigan told him. "I fear that the news of the kingdom's might and the creation of our airships is yet to reach the ears of those in Mysidia." The king laughed upon hearing this.

"Well, that won't be true for much longer," he told Baigan. "If Lord Cecil goes through with what I have commanded him to do then we will be on the lips of every person in the entire world."

"I sincerely hope so," Baigan said. "But only if he has the guts to go through with it. For a dark knight, the man is far too soft for the country's progress – begging your pardon, your majesty."

"No, you are quite right," the king agreed. "It is only a matter of time before he caves. When he returns, I will send him on a mission to truly test his loyalty. If he fails, we know what his punishment will be." Baigan nodded.

"Apologies, your majesty, but I am currently supervising the construction of Captain Pollendina's new ship. I think that it might be best if I was to return to him."

"Go there, Lord Baigan and I will take your advice into consideration. I only hope that we won't have to go to extreme measures in our quest for world conquest." Baigan opened the doors and exited the throne room. As they shut behind him, Baigan spoke aloud to himself.

"I think that perhaps we already have," he said and then hurried down the stone steps.

The Red Wings fired their cannons into the walls of Mysidia – watching them cave despite the presence of white mages sustaining protect spells around the city's perimeter. The core of the fleet descended, led by the Invincible, towards the square below as the main fighting force prepared to enter the city below.

Cecil slid his visor down over his eyes and then drew his sword, ready to eliminate anybody who stood in his way. The Red Wings leapt from their perches and shot down towards the streets below, landing with a crash in front of a large force of startled time mages. Cecil found himself faced with a barrage of slow spells and felt his body go heavy and his mind dizzy. Moving forward, he struck out against them and they clattered apart like rag dolls, smacking into the walls around the square.

The force regrouped and pushed forwards towards the sanctuary on the far side of the city where the crystal was being held. Moving as one, they darted through the streets, avoiding any black mages as the airships above bombarded the great buildings of the city with cannon balls. In the Ancient Library, glass smashed and tomes exploded to life as they were sent hurtling from the shelves. In the hallowed halls of the church, the few knights were crushed when a great stain glass window depicting the eidolon Bahamut came hurtling down towards them. In the inn, drunken mages were roused from their sleep and the air was soon thick with spells flying everywhere as they struck each other in their search for a foe that was not present.

The Elder left his house at the top of the hill and hurried down towards the sanctuary. He saw wounded mages down below and witnessed cannons blow most of the city to pieces. Crying in shame and fury, he burst through the doors and into the sanctuary where the most elite of the mages were waiting for him. A barrage of panicked voices hit him, asking questions to which he did not know the answers. The Elder raised his hand and the noise died down.

"Quickly!" the Elder told them. "We must secure the crystal! These fools from Baron do not know what they are doing."

The mages began to barricade the sanctuary, afraid of the terror that was rapidly approaching from the outside. Many stockpiled ethers from the stores below in preparation for a battle. The Elder oversaw all that was happening and when the sanctuary was secure, he led a few of the mages into the crystal room in the back of the building. The doors were sealed and the mages moved to positions in preparation for battle.

Witnessing the destruction dealt to the city, Cecil called off the airship assault and contacted Biggs and Wedge, telling them to meet the ground force outside the sanctuary once they had the water crystal. They began their march up the hill towards the building that dominated the whole of the town, passing wounded mages who made final attacks on the Red Wings and many already dead. Cecil could not help being affected by the scene around him. What had these people done to wrong them? Why would the king want this?

They penetrated the walls of the fortress easily and the mages within stood little chance with their magic in such a confined space. The spells struck metal and stone, missing the knights that they were aimed at. Leaving many wounded, Cecil and the others hacked down the door towards the chamber where the crystal was.

Inside, they found themselves in a huge vault and face-to-face with the Elder of Mysidia. He blasted the Red Wings with a firaga spell and for the first time, they felt the power of magic that the city was supposed to hold. Cecil put up his hand and halted their advance, waiting for the spells to stop. The air cleared and the Elder took a step forward.

"Come no further towards the crystal, dark knight!" he roared. "Baron shall not have our crystal! Why have you come here and destroyed our city? Why do you now seek the power of the crystals? Answer me, fool!"

"You do not understand," Cecil told him calmly. "The crystal is the rightful property of the Baron Empire. Hand it over and we will not hurt you as well. The crystal holds secrets that you Mysidians could not possibly begin to imagine." The Elder's face contorted into a snarl and he stepped up towards the platform where the crystal was.

"I know all about this crystal," the Elder said, stroking the delicate object. "I have nurtured and cherished it for all my life and I have taken care of it since I was a child. I have researched the truth about the crystals in the Ancient Library – do not think me to be clueless about what they hold."

"We have no choice," Cecil sighed. "Red Wings, prepare to pick us up."

Cecil drew his sword and marched forward, swatting the spells that shot towards him away with his sword. He approached the altar and then raised his fist to the air. It began to burn with a dark power and very soon, the same power spread to Cecil's entire body. The Elder conjured a firaga spell but he was too late as Cecil sent the man hurtling across the room and into the wall.

Cecil stepped forward and drew the crystal of water from the altar, feeling and sudden cool and refreshing aura surround him. The room began to dim as he strode back across to the other Red Wings and they left. The Elder crawled across towards them but he was too weak to cast any more spells.

Seizing a few mages as they left the sanctuary and dragging them on board the airships, the Red Wings prepared to take off. Cecil strode onto the deck of the Invincible where Biggs and Wedge were waiting for him. He could see that his two companions were upset. They nodded to Cecil but he did not nod back.

The Red Wings rose away from the smoking city of Mysidia below as the mages crawled out from under debris and desperately tried to help the others out as well. They stood and watched the might of Baron leave as Cecil stood on the deck of the Invincible and watched the ruins of Mysidia below get smaller and smaller and smaller until they were barely visible.

The dark knight didn't feel any better.

He never would.