A/N: I don't own anything here except for the OCs named. This is a background story written for my D&D character before the start of a campaign. I publish this largely because the DM encouraged me to do so. I may continue with campaign events, but I find that unlikely, so I consider this complete for now. This takes place approximately 100 years after the events of FF6. I should point out I've never played FF6. Make of it what you will. I hope you enjoy!

"You wanted to see me, Professor?" Cailyn asked, entering the small office. She had been one of Professor Grant's research assistants for the last two years, and getting a sudden request was very unusual. They had usually kept to a fairly strict schedule of meetings: every two weeks, unless she was on a longer trip, the current state of their research project would be discussed. And it was only two days early, it was unlikely that anything was urgent. She was perplexed as to the call for these reasons.

"Well, it's like this…" the old professor commented nervously, uncomfortable with the discussion. His brow furrowed.

Cailyn sighed. "Yes?"

"It's about Jason. He… he's dead," the professor replied. Cailyn gasped. Jason Talmont was the other member of their research group.

"Dead? But… he should have had the easy task… that library was…"

"It's been destroyed. Burned. He was in it."

"That's… that's ridiculous. The authorities caught those responsible, I presume."

"I'm afraid not. They suspect… dragonfire."

"Dragon… Professor, which one?" Cailyn leaned over the desk intently.

"Even if I knew I wouldn't tell you, but I doubt they know. However… authorities did send me this. I think it's better in your hands. They couldn't open it, and if they had I'm not sure I would have received it." A small metal case, good for holding little but parchment. A map, perhaps, or a letter. It was an effective instrument frequently used by members of the University – only graduates knew how to open them. Cailyn opened it. It was in fact, two sheets of parchment. One was in a script… Draconic script, but not quite intelligible… perhaps a quite ancient version… or parallel. The other was Jason's handwriting.

"I think this might hold the key to what we've been searching for. The problem is that little of it is translatable. It is possible the known Dragons themselves would know, but I do not believe that they would be inclined to share. In fact, I use the case for this because I am being watched. The book had a magical trap which I foolishly triggered, but there was no apparent result upon me. Nonetheless, *something* was alerted. Who could translate this that would be interesting in helping?" Cailyn read aloud.

"I received this yesterday. I debated on whether to tell you today, or wait until our scheduled meeting in two days. However, this morning I received *this* notice," the professor handed the new parchment to Cailyn.

Cailyn read in horror. "Our research project has been… terminated? And not only that, we've been ordered by the Dean to destroy what we've done? Professor, how…"

"I agree with you, Miss Blackmoor, completely," he cut her off. "I suspect something more is afoot here. Cailyn… I think there is something more going on here. I think we're not the first to go down this path."

Cailyn nodded slowly. "Someone else discovered the answer… and has reason to suppress the knowledge… enough to kill Jason… and threaten the university Dean…"

"That is my suspicion… Cailyn, if I ended this project, I would likely have to retire. I don't have it in me for another one. We've built something wonderful the past two years. I'm going to refuse. I don't know what will happen to me. I would offer you a copy of everything we've done, but I don't want them going after you too. Whatever this force is."

Cailyn nodded. "I need to resign, don't I?"

"My dear, I think you need to go further than that…"

"Leave Irian…"

"Not just Irian, or the seventh level for that matter. I think you should leave Thamasa entirely. Get to Maranda, Jidoor, Zozo… out of the country. They won't bother to chase you down in neutral territory. I hope."

"Professor, I'm a magical researcher. There's not much call for that in the Independents…"

"There's not much call for the corpse of a 26-year-old woman, either, unless someone is engaging in necromancy. Cailyn, be safe out there."

"You… you really think it's that bad, sir?"

"Cailyn, I have never, in my entire career, even heard of the *Dean* ordering a *stop* to research with destruction of materials. No, this is serious, and potentially deadly."

"Wait, then… you're going to die!"

"That's quite possible. But I'll have lived a good, long life. You still have yours ahead of you."

"Okay… okay… I guess I can't do much about that… what I can do… is solve this anyway. Scour the world, get my answers, and laugh in the faces of our enemies while I destroy them with lightning." Cailyn grins. Yes, she was comfortable with this knowledge. This was her task now. Victory in knowledge. "They will not know what hit them!"

"That's my girl!"

Cailyn was packing. This was it, she knew. After 26 long years… she was finally leaving home. Annalise was not her mother – indeed, Cailyn did not know either of her biological parents – but Annalise had nonetheless given everything to her, and been the closest thing Cailyn had had to a mother figure.

"Annalise…" Cailyn murmured softly. It was always Annalise, never Mother. That was dishonoring her real mother, Annalise had always insisted. Never mind that she shared Annalise's last name, for lack of knowledge as to what else it could be.

"Cailyn, are you sure you have to do this?" Annalise asked softly.

"I'm sure. It won't be safe for me. And… I think it's best if you don't know where I'm going, either, or how to get in contact with me. Maybe when this is over… I'll come see you again."

"Cailyn, as long as I am alive, and in this house, you will always have a place here. When I took you in, the newborn crawling in the priory, no one knowing how you got there, I knew you were… different. Meant for something more. Something tells me I have safer on your side than that of your enemies'… and I still love you. You are not my daughter, but you could have been. If I had one I imagine she would be much like you."

"Except I'm blonde. And fair-skinned. And…" Cailyn replied with a hint of mischief.

"Yes, yes, yes, we don't look remotely alike. But it's your personality, that drive to know, to learn… you'll probably never be satisfied. Maybe it's because you started with nothing, not even the knowledge of your own bloodlines, that gave you such drive. Maybe it's my own greed for knowledge. But you will go far."

"I also wanted a good, stable life. I thought eventually teaching at the university would get me there, but now… now I have enemies, apparently, not simply academic opposition. And I will… manage."

"Of course you will manage, girl… you have your knowledge, and your magic. With that, you can do anything! Go get them, girl, and show the world why being your enemy is dangerous for them!"

Cailyn smiled. "Thank you, Annalise." She had finished packing during the conversation. "I'm ready to go now."

"Perhaps it may well be for the best that you're leaving," Annalise comments idly. "Or at least, the timing of it. Aquarius is rising, as are you."

"You're assuming I'm Aquarius, you don't know that for a fact…"

"I would be surprised if you were not. I found you towards the end of the cycle, and you looked fairly newborn to me," Annalise reminded her. "But, perhaps one should not put too much stock in such things."

"I have never been certain as to the meaning of the signs… but they seem too important to have none? I did not really go deep into astrology myself. I guess if I had gone through *those* classes at IU I would know. But I suppose one cannot know everything."

Resigning from the University was easy. Getting out of the Thamasa was easy, as they simply weren't looking for her yet. The rest of the journey was more perilous. Cailyn lacked the funding to avoid having to camp every night on her slow winding through the unclaimed lands. She resisted the temptation to try to study in the libraries of the villages and insignificant towns she encountered on the roads – if they even existed. She did not want anyone to connect her to her previous self as an IU graduate researcher, figuring that whoever was so interested in shutting down the research might be seeking any sign of her.

Over the weeks, the grasslands gave way to forest. Starting a simple fire in the forest was not difficult. The fact that it attracted a gang of zombies one night, was a pain in the neck – it had woken her up, and she was very grateful for the simple alarm system she had worked up. Some fire bolts and crossbow bolts later and they had become ash. Nonetheless, the experience had shaken her. Encountering the undead had been a new experience. They moved… but knew nothing. They had no brain, no thought, just a mindless command. She could eradicate them without hesitation, they were a mockery of life. And yet, the idea chilled her. She had heard of undead before, of course, but it was not the same as seeing it. The idea that she could die, and then someday, be this… was terrifying. This… was the ultimate loss. The worst end of existence. She hoped it never happened, or if it did, that someone would eradicate her as swiftly as she had eradicated this group.

Over more weeks, the forest gave way to rolling hills. Finally Cailyn laid eyes upon the town of Maranda. "And so it begins…"