A radiant sun rose up through a hole in the sky above Castle Baron, shining its eternal rays of light across the land. Both of the moons were being closely held by the afternoon sky, and the fresh smell of roses surrounded the area. 3 Red Wing ships left Baron and headed towards a North-Eastern direction, away from the sun. As the day was like every other, the bored King roam throughout the Castle in an attempt to heighten his interests. Cecil Harvey, once a Dark Knight now turned Paladin, found nothing of any interest or importance as every part of the Kingdom bared the same image as of all of those years ago. Being a King was boring, or so Cecil found out a year earlier. The large wooden doors that led to the Throne Room lay open for him to pass through, and 2 guards stood by the sides as still as statues. Their blood red armor reflected King Cecil's face as he continued towards the room where he spent most of his life after the events a year ago - the days when he finally found out about Theodore being who he was to him. Still, life had been the same ever since and no form of excitement struck him or the Kingdom. Harvey came to a stand still as his Paladin-armored body passed through the doors and into the room. His sapphire-like eyes wondered around to gaze at everything he had seen a thousand times before, until boredom took him to his throne. As his eyes closed for him to think about what to do, a Red Wing soldier rushed into the room in a hurry - saluting towards his king for him to not give off any signs of disrespect.

"Please, do not salute..."

"Apologies, my King. I have urgent news."

Cecil's eyes slowly opening up to the sound of the word 'urgent' and 'news'. Surely this may be of some interest to the King, if not anything else. No matter how bored he was, Cecil needed to be active - just like his former self.

"...Do my ears deceive me...? Urgent news? Pray tell."

"Two of our soldiers have found three people in our prison cells. It's strange, due to the fact that there is no way to get in except by passing them - therefor we had to place them in a prison cell."

"... But?"

"-But all three of them were unconscious, but showed signs of life. I personally took the liberty to put them in a spare bed each before coming to you."

"... And as a King, I must visit the sick? At least this is better than nothing at all. Come, show me these three men. I'm interested to listen to whatever story they may present once they wake from their slumber."

Lifting himself up from his throne, King Cecil Harvey yawned and rubbed his eyes before leaving with the Red Wing soldier. They paced through the corridors past the two guards by the doorway, and turned right towards where they kept spare beds for the sick and the wounded. Turning the corner, King Cecil's eyes focused on the three males lying on their beds. With much curiosity, he made his way over towards the one most furthest away from the entrance and looked down at the face of the young man. The unknown young man wore black leather pants, boots, gloves, had brown medium-length hair, and a jacket. Around his neck was a strange pendant which held the engraved face of a lion, and on his forehead was a scar in between his eyes heading down towards the bottom of the right eye running down from the top of the left. The King knelt down and placed his hand over the young man's head to check his temperature, but found nothing unusual about it. His attention was brought towards three blade-like weapons behind him which seemed to draw him in every time he layed his eyes upon them. Rising up from the scarred male, King Cecil's legs brought him towards where the three weapons were leaning against the wall. In the center of the three, a giant sword stood in between the other two like a king. The sword itself seemed to be based and made up of four blades and seemed to attract the attention of Cecil as to how something could have been constructed and imagined. To the right of the huge blade, a strange but sorter blade leaned up against both the wall and the four-pieced blade. Young Harvey slowly ran his fingers down the engraving of a lion on the blade - presuming that this one was the young male in black leather's sword. As he reached the bottom of the blade, his sky-blue eyes looked at the hilt with a confused look upon his face - this blade was built with the power to fire things. Never before had such a thing been seen in his world, therefor questioning himself if these men were from another place, why did they end up here in the first place? Cecil Harvey shrugged the thought off as the final weapon stood up against the large sword and the wall from the left. This blade was as if someone had attached two daggers to each other and used it like a lance or something similar to what Dragoons used - but yet daggers often symbolized Thieves.

"King Cecil, those weapons were found with these three men when we uncovered them in our prison area."

"...I gathered... Amazing at how these weapons seem so very similar to our own, but yet... so very foreign..."

The room fell back into complete silence as the soldier watched his King examine the blades. Noticing that the King was in no danger as such, the crimson armored soldier slowly left the room - leaving Cecil alone with the three unknown males. A sigh came from behind the King, and instantly the King arose from his position and titled his head towards the young male in black-leather as he sat up on the bed. Beside him was a table with a glass of clear sparkling water and a group of roses to make the room smell just as the throne room did. The gloved hand of the young man took ahold of the glass and held it towards his mouth, taking a sip of water before placing it back down on the table beside him. Their eyes fixed on each other as the King turned around fully to see the man his soldiers had looked after.

"... I was wondering when they'd leave..."

The male in black leather slowly looked up at the King who was beside his blade, almost as if he was glaring at him.

"I am King Cecil Harvey of Baron."

"...Whatever..."

"Your ignorance is understandable. Even I, myself, would feel the same way if I suddenly found myself in an unknown location."

He made his way towards the side of the bed, lifting up his cape as he sat down on a chair beside the young man.

"Please, do tell me your name. I'd understand if you decide not to, but getting on a name-to-name basis is better than nothing."

"... Squall Leonhart... I'm a SeeD from Balamb Garden."

"SeeD...? Balamb Garden...? I have never heard of such a thing or place. It is just as I thought, you are not from around these parts - nor are these others. Do you know them?"

The SeeD tilted his head towards the other two males, shrugging moments after. Sighing, the King's eyes turned towards the other male closest towards them both. He had medium-length blonde hair, and wore a green jacket with a white shirt underneath. He looked younger and shorter than Squall, and wore grey gloves with navy blue wristbands, and white boots. His vision was interrupted for a moment as the figure wearing black leather walked by his face and towards the weapon with the engraved lion on the blade, taking it by the hilt and leaning it up against his shoulder.

"Where am I...?"

Cecil's sky-blue eyes turned towards the male on the other side of the youngest as he sat up holding his head. A smile of happiness came about on his face as the blonde spikey-haired man looked up at Squall and then down towards the King.

"You're in Castle Baron. I'm King Cecil Harvey, and this is Squall Leonhart. Me and my men found you, Squall, and this boy in our prison area, but it is unknown to us about how you go there."

The spikey blonde haired male arose from his bed and looked across towards Squall. He, too, wore black leather, and wore a lot more black that Squall himself.

"I'm Cloud Strife. He's a soldier, too? I though he seemed to good to be one."

"...Whatever..."

"No, he isn't one of my men. Squall is one of you, but whatever that is remains unknown to me at this moment. I'm a King, but yet I cannot even figure out something that's staring me in the face... How I wish I were still Lord Captain of the Red Wings..."

As the King looked down onto the concrete floor in disappointment, Cloud walked over towards the giant blade constructed of four separate blades, placing the sword on his back.

"...If we want answers, then it's no good sitting around doing nothing. Looking is the best option we've got."

"I hear you, Squall."

A new voice other than the three came from within the room. All heads turned towards the youngest who was sitting up on the bed with his arms behind his head, relaxing as if nothing was a care in the world.

"Zidane's my name, and earning a living and picking up girls is my game!"

As quick as an Oglop, the young Thief moved around towards his blade, separating them into two daggers and placing them on his belt before jumping up and hanging off of a chandelier by his tail.

"You know, he's right there, your Majesty."

"But of course we need to know what our situation is before we do what we do."

"Zidane, Cloud's right. Therefor we need to know what's going on, otherwise nothing will be done and you will walk endlessly until it's too late."

Looking back, Squall Leonhart turned and sat on the bed closest to Cecil, putting his blade down beside the bed. The former Shin-Ra MP made his way towards the King, and leaned up against the wall.

"You have a way with words, King Cecil."

"It was how I was brought up, Cloud. Anyway, as you already know, my men found you in Baron's prison area. But the question we must pose to acquire the answer is how did you get there?"

The room fell into total silence as the young King finished. Through the windows, the scenery was a beautiful as can be. Several birds flew by as the sun lighted up both of the moons in the afternoon sky.

"... I... I was with... someone very important to me, but for some reason... her face... I can't picture her, or her name..."

Cloud's face suddenly became emotionless as the memories of those who were most important to him were fading out, replacing their faces in his mind's eye with blurred faces. It was truly painful. Suddenly, Cecil Harvey's attention turned towards Squall who looked at his gloved hands in horror.

"... No... Why can't I say their names or see their faces...?! I fought with them against a Sorceress who... I can't even picture her as well...!"

"Cloud, Squall... it's also effecting me... I try to picture someone who I loved, but they just don't appear in my mind... as well as anyone else who I once knew..."

Zidane dropped down from the chandelier and sat on the floor, trying so hard to picture his friend's faces, but to no avail. At this moment, the mood of the room turned sour with disgust in each and everyone's mouth. It was hard to swallow, and it hurt when they did. Confusion was mounted on Cecil's face as it only happened to Cloud, Squall, and Zidane - those who appeared from out of nowhere. Instantly, a Red Wing Captain burst in through the door of the room and saluted.

"... Please, Captain, restrain yourself from saluting..."

"A thousand apologies, my King. We have un-covered something within our prison area, something strange."

"Strange?"

"Indeed, my King. I have come to you to receive orders about what to do."

"I'd rather look at it myself."

King Cecil arose from the chair he sat on, and looked at the three males in despair. He felt their sorrow and his face showed it most of all. Even as a King, Cecil still kept his emotions as his once did, and so walked over towards where the Red Wing Captain was standing.

"Squall, Cloud, Zidane... this may concern you as well. Please, do come."

Without a word, the three young men stood up from their current positions and followed the King out of the room and continued down towards the Prison Cells. Walking by a guard beside the door, Cecil turned the corner to gaze at what had apparently appeared.

"Hmm...?"

A strange dark aura emitted from a darkened hole coming from the back of a cell. It was as if darkness itself was seeping in and out of this strange hole. Could this be the abyss that awaits all at the end of their lives? Or perhaps oblivion? Maybe even the void itself? Whatever it was, it made everyone in the Prison Area feel uneasy. Without a second thought, Cecil turned and walked past everyone and up the steps towards the hallway. There, he took a few deep breaths. It was as if that dark hole was choking him, but only a little. As strange as it was, he didn't dare go back inside. It wasn't long before everyone who had gone in with him emerged from the darkness of the Prison Area, having the same reaction as Cecil - all except for the Red Wing Soldiers and their Captain. After taking one last breath, Cecil Harvey placed his gloved hand on the shoulder of the Captain.

"Please, I'd like you to go and call everyone back to the Castle. I plan to go with these young men. They need answers, and I'm glad to be a part of their lives at the moment. But in order for me to go, I'll need Kain to come back to Baron along with the others. I feel connected to these men somehow, but I'm unsure as to why - therefor I must go. I must follow my heart."

With a silent nod, the Captain paced down the hallway and turned out of sight. Not long after, Zidane walked up towards Cecil.

"That dark hole... did you feel it too? Did it show you what I saw?"

"If you are referring to those negative feelings and those strange visions... then yes. I gather you two also saw them?"

The blonde spikey-haired male, and the SeeD nodded silently as they looked down on the shining floor of the hallway, looking up at their reflections.

"Then that settles it. We'll go through the dark hole, and go wherever destiny takes us."

Squall looked up with a face of steel.

"... Destiny? I'd rather call it fate... Why would you call it destiny?"

"A good question to pose, Squall of Balamb. And a question I'm stuck at answering, also."

The King smiled joyfully at the SeeD, but didn't receive as much as a positive look from him. Whilst he smiled at trying to think of an answer, Cloud's voice took the attention of the three.

"You are able to shape destiny. Fate is a set path... Or at least, that's how I see it."

With that comment, Cecil could clearly see the reflections of all three men smiling. That was a truthful fact, but can it be so much as shaping ones destiny? These questions would be answered eventually. The leather from Squall's and Cloud's clothing shone slightly in the light of the hallway, and their buckles reflected the light coming from a large window above them all. King Cecil walked into the light coming from above, and addressed the three swordsmen fated to meet.

"Please, rest for tonight and prepare yourselves for the day to come tomorrow. When the morning sun in the west crosses over to and is held by the sky at noon, we leave Baron and let destiny take us to wherever the winds may blow. I bid you farewell."

With that, the young King left the three young men along in the corridor together. His footsteps echoed as they faded out until there was complete silence. Moments past as the silence grew common. With the silence broken by Zidane, he walked down the corridor towards the room where the beds where.

"I'll see you guys back where the beds are. I'm gonna hit the hay. Seeya!"

His figure disappeared as he entered the room, shutting the door. The two men in black leather stood opposite to each other, both of them looking down onto the marble floor. Both Cloud and Squall enjoyed the silence as much as anybody did, making them seem like ignorant people due to not talking much with anybody - but many people understood, and some were confused.

"... So... where are you from?"

Squall Leonhart's voice echoed through the silent corridors of the castle, slowly fading out at it reach the end of each hallway. His head moved up slightly to look into the Mako-eyed Cloud Strife, who gazed at himself in the reflection being cast on the smooth surface from where he stood. It was only a long pause later when he decided to lift up his head, still keeping the defensive look with his arms crossed.

"... The people never really had a name for my planet, we just called it by 'the Planet'. Though, I guess Gaia was its name for a while... My hometown - Nibelheim, a small village that held many mysteries before and after its supposed destruction by this man... I can't even picture him at all, not even remember his name - but yet, it's at the tip of my tongue."

"I know how you feel, Cloud. It's the same with me. It's as if my tongue turns sour with disgust that I want to spit it out because it feels lifeless... It's just... strange..."

The SeeD paused for a moment as he ran his tongue along his top row of teeth, swallowing the seemingly sour mouthful of his disgust at not remembering anything about anyone important to him.

"...So, Nibelheim... sounds like a nice place, a little back-water I must say, but a nice name. I'm from Balamb Garden where I trained as a SeeD - a little long to explain what it is, so just think of me as a warrior out to stop any serious threats."

He looked over to Cloud as he brought up his head and shared a brief smile with him before going back to his usual enigmatic self. Those words of Nibelheim sounding like a back-water place made Cloud feel as if he should know somebody who once said that to him, but a blank face only came into his mind's eye. They stood in the hallway like statues, and were noticeable by any who walked by as their dark leather reflected the light of the midday sun. Meanwhile, Cecil Harvey himself marched through towards his chamber, passing a few guards on the way who gave him a welcoming salute. A sigh came from the restless King.

"For the last time... please, restrain yourself from doing that."

Passing through, his cape lifted up very gently and flowed like the calm waters of the sea as it slowly dropped down again. His fists were clenched with the veins clearly visible from his burst of calm excitement. Never before had Cecil known about something that had always been just over the horizon. Curiosity and excitement made him very joyous and incredibly enthusiastic about going through to wherever it leads to, but being an adopted son to the King made him more mature than anyone in the entire Kingdom of Baron, therefor young Harvey was able to keep his emotions concealed. His shadow passed over his bed as he made his way towards the window, looking up at the sky. It was still early to be going to sleep, but getting rest for a journey is more important. No matter where you may go, there could be anything lurking around, and things just awaiting to be discovered. New worlds, new people...

"...Cecil?"

His head turned towards the feminine voice coming from the entrance. To his joy, his beloved Rosa was stood with her harms beside her side, and a polite smile upon her face was clearly visible in the light coming through the windows.

"Rosa!"

He made his way towards his wife and held her tight in the dazzling rays of the eternal light of the sun. Within an instant, they both shared a passionate kiss from the time they had been apart as she had many things to clear up after the events that took place 1 year ago. As their soft lips moved away from each other, their faces were clear in each other's eyes, and they both smiled at each other with much joy from their hearts - soon to allowing them to hold each other close within their arms infront of the midday sun.

"Rosa... I'll be leaving Baron tomorrow morning with the three men I'm mysteriously tied to. They came out of no where, and yet, I feel somewhat connected to them."

"It's alright, Cecil... Do what your heart wants to do. I'll be fine looking after Baron whilst you are away with those men. I, too, have seen them... strange, but normal at the same time..."

"Exactly. Our destinies are tied in a knot with no loose ends... You understand, don't you, Rosa?"

He pleasantly nodded as she turned to look at Cecil with a smile. Reflecting the same smile upon his own face, Cecil Harvey, King of Castle Baron, soon slumbered along with his wife in the bed beside the large window as the 2 moons became clearly visible once more in the approaching night sky - a few hours afterward. The night grew dark and the moons reflected the dim pale light onto the land. A dark figure bathed in the darkness of the night sky, standing on a balcony overlooking the courtyard of Baron. Squall's face was expressionless, and his eyes remained shut as the calming, gentle breeze touched his face. His Revolver Gunblade shone in the twilight. The air was fresh, clean as it were. Taking a deep breath through his mouth, he let it out through his nose. Soon after, his eyes opened up to reveal his dark brown eyes which reflected the moonlight, just as his leather clothing did. Leonhart's figure stood as still as a statue in the moonlit night.

"... Did you even get any rest, Squall? You were here the last time I saw you."

The figure of young Zidane Tribal jumped down behind him.

"... Sure, Zidane. I did get some rest, but more enough I need... Hey... Zidane..."

"Don't tell me, you wanna go through that hole now, don't you? Huh?"

"... No, not that...Do you think that we'll ever... regain our memories?"

"Sure we will, don't sweat it!"

"No... seriously... Do you think we will?"

The young 16-year old sat down on the edge of the balcony.

"... To be honest, I don't really know. But we've gotta try... right?"

"... Right..."

Looking back, Zidane saw Squall hide a slight smile upon his face, being hidden by the shadow of his hair cast upon his face by the moonlight. The sound of boots came slowly towards them both until it stopped just by the doorway connecting the Balcony to the room. Instantly, Zidane spun around, landing side-by-side with Squall as he faced Cloud as he leaned up against the wall beside the doorway.

"Hey there, Cloud."

"Ah-huh."

"... Something the matter?"

"No, not really. I just want to get back to my Planet again, to see my friends, to help people, to be myself... but I can't bear to face people without remembering who they are... do you understand?"

"Sure I do, but I've made a few changes in my life. Never to go around trying to remember a pretty girl's name who I can't remember until I've seen her from a while back for starters!"

"I guess... that's pretty much the same in a sense..."

The 3 mysteriously connected young men stood within the moonlight as the seconds turned into minutes, until finally a familiar voice came from the doorway. Zidane looked up to see King Cecil Harvey holding a staff, along with a sword upon his belt, as well as wearing the armor he had previously seen him wear, but seemingly cleaner. Tilting his head, Squall noticed the King standing beside Cloud and behind himself with a pleasant smile across his face. He turned fully to see him, as did Cloud Strife, pulling down on his black leather gloves. Cecil Harvey looked around at the three men in the dead of night, sharing a smile with each and everyone of them.

"... Alright, let's go."

"... Did you address your wife before leaving?"

"I did, and thank you for your concern, Cloud. Let's leave."

Without another word, Cecil lead the way out, followed closely behind by Cloud, Zidane, and Squall. All 4 of them were like creatures of the night as they paced the Castle towards the Prison Area of Baron, not making so much as a sound. Eventually the party of 4 came towards the Prison door, stopping as Cecil took out a set of keys from his belt, and opened up the door. The door itself was as dark as coal as the darkness within the hallways made everything seem a little more darker than what it seemed. The door swung open, as a single light stayed on within the Prison Area, casting some light on their darkened faces and momentarily making them cover their eyes from the light for a brief second. Their footsteps echoed through the Prison Area as each step got longer and longer, until they reached the very end of the road. There it was. The eternal abyss. It stared into us. And we stared back. A figure of black leather with a trench-coat passed by the group, and looked into the darkness seeping in and out of the hole appearing from nothingness. His head turned back towards the group, looking at King Cecil dead in the eye.

"Do you still want to come with us? You should know that you will see many things, things that we may not feel comfortable about. We may find anything through the darkness. Do you still want to come?"

Cecil stood forwards boldly with a proud smile.

"Let's go."

The King of Baron made his way towards the dark hole and continues on walking - even when his body came close to the darkness, even as he passed through it. No traces of Cecil were seen as his entire figure seemed consumed by the dark abyss. Moments after he passed through, the former Shin-Ra MP closed his eyes and held a brief smile of happiness as he turned away from the rest of the group and trailed after the King as his figure was also consumed seconds after entering. The two remaining men stood infront of the dark hole in the fabric of reality. Dashing towards the mysterious hole, the young 16-year old Zidane Tribal spun around, grinning for a split second, before he also entered. The Gunblade was leaning up on the shoulder of the last remaining male. The SeeD's face showed some happiness, licking his lips in a silent excitement, soon to rub his head seconds after.

"... Man... what have I got myself into now?"

His words held a more joking tone of voice. Squall's legs moved without hesitation towards the dark abyss, soon to be completely consumed by it. Silence. The portal disappeared. Baron lay in silence. Hours went by after their early leave from the Castle, and the morning winds came in from the west, towards the east - along with the radiant morning sun arriving thereafter. In Cecil's private room, his Queen, Rosa, lay in her sleep as the sun's dominant rays shine through the window, slowly reaching the King-sided bedspread. Beside her was a small table which held a vase of fresh roses, an empty glass, and a piece of paper - with writting in the same format of a letter.

~Dear Rosa

If you are reading this now, then surely I have left the kingdom for a short while. But please, do not fear. I have gone with the three men we found the other day, Cloud, Squall, and Zidane - these people seem to have a connection with me, but I fear I do not yet know. This journey is about trying to find out my connection with these men, or at least, that is my objective. I do not know when I'll be back, but the other day, I told the Red Wings to return back to Baron. In my absence, if Kain is to return, he shall rule the kingdom, whilst you are the overall important person within our kingdom - therefor, please set an example to others. Incase of any form of attack on Baron, please tell our old friends to stay until I return - therefor we have the best chance of a celebration upon my return, with our friends. And on a final note, I will always love you - there is nobody in the world who I would want to spend my life and share my kingdom with the most other than a kind, gentle, and loving person like you.

All my love,

Cecil Harvey, King of Baron.

P.S - Please inform the guards to restrain themselves from saluting whenever they approach me.