DISCLAIMER: The characters of Wild Arms are owned solely by their respective copyright and trademark holders. I do not own nor make any claim to them.
"Wait! Lucille!"
Footsteps could be heard scurrying down one of the massive hallways in the Rygs mansion. Portrait after portrait flashed before the eyes of a lovely young maiden, but only appeared as mere blurs through her tear-filled eyes. Suddenly, the door at the end of the hallway flung open, and the young lady quickly made her way through the parlor and outside.
She gasped as she was greeted with a fierce clap of thunder. She fell to her knees in the massive courtyard, and began to weep uncontrollably. This was the third time this week that she had fought against the man she so desperately loved. As if the very heavens understood her pain, the already heavy rain quickened its pace, and raindrops began to flow down her hair of green to merge with her own tears of heavy despair.
It had already been one year since her love had left his most cherished military position as second-in-command of the very world that had rejected him. The girl smiled as she recalled the moment when the one she so adored returned to her. He had found a new conviction, a new duty, in protecting the one he cared about the most. Now, it was just a fond memory.
After the ancient technology that had drained the life from Filgaia was destroyed, there was joy among humanity, for a time. However, their bliss was short-lived. A new plague had settled on Filgaia, draining the life of all beings set upon her soil. Nothing could be ascertained as to the source of this malady, known as Fede Dimenticata, or FD Syndrome for short, even among the vast knowledge of the Baskars. Human and Veruni alike fell prey to this vicious disease, which drained the very life force from all it afflicted, resulting in a slow and painful death.
"Lucille!"
The distant, melancholy state of mind in which Lucille found herself was broken as she heard a strong, distinguished voice from behind her.
She stood to her feet, turned around, and was greeted by a pair of eyes that shone like the starlight amidst the cloudy storm. His hair matched the mood that nature had decided to grace the world with on that solemn night, but glistened like silver as the rain trickled down onto his gentle, handsome face.
"Yes, my Lord Fereydoon?"
"Come now, Lucille. You know I've been trying to put aside such formalities since I left the military. Further, you're no longer my servant."
"I'm sorry, my lord," Lucille replied. "It has become such a habit for me. Do you need something from me?"
Fereydoon frowned. It was completely natural to hear someone address him as such, but to hear it from the woman he was fond of set small punctures in his life of strict consistency.
"Yes, my lady. This storm is quite unpleasant, and you look chilled to the bone. Please do not do anything to worsen your condition."
Lucille sighed. She was actually quite fond of the rain, in contrast to the man by her side, who was making a futile effort to shake all the rain off his clothing. She gazed into his eyes again, and saw the same concern she had been seeing on his visage for the last six months, ever since she had been diagnosed with FD Syndrome. Not wanting to worry him further, she conceded.
"Very well, then. Let us return."
With a relieved look on his face, he offered his arm to her. This was always a mildly sorrowful experience for her. She longed for them to walk together, hand-in-hand, even if but for a moment, but she knew that he considered it improper to do so. She smiled feebly, accepted his gesture, and they returned to the mansion.
"Have a seat, Lucille. You don't look well. Loretta!"
A middle-aged maid promptly entered the parlor. "Yes, my lord?"
"Bring us some tea at once, and take care that it is very hot."
"At once, my lord," the maid replied.
Fereydoon settled back in the blue velvet couch that he commonly found himself on of late, exhausted from the day's events. He spent most of his time assisting the Baskars these days, desperately trying to find a cure for the one he made a vow to protect. Time was running out for Lucille, and Fereydoon found himself spending less and less time with her, and more time fulfilling his duty.
He sighed. Deep down, he knew he had not really changed at all, despite his attempts to do so. He was still a man of infallible duty, and unable to make attachments to those he cares for because of it. He wondered from time to time if he was the same as the man who had abandoned Lucille in the past. He turned to look at Lucille, and could see, as always, how alone she truly felt.
As they took turns glancing into each other's eyes, Loretta returned with piping hot tea, and the two engaged in idle pleasantries in an attempt to forget about their previous malcontent. Each retired to their own chambers, as Fereydoon readied and resolved himself for a very big day tomorrow.
The next day, Fereydoon made his way to the research center that his former military colleague, Elvis, had created to combat the FD phenomenon. Inside was a team of over two thousand people, composed of both humans and Veruni, who had agreed to put aside their differences and work together towards a force that threatened them all.
"Good morning, my lord!" A rather intelligent-looking man approached Fereydoon, hundreds of papers in a scattered mess in his right hand. He had a gentle smile on his face and an energy drink in his left hand. "You look exhausted. Maybe this will perk you up a bit."
"Thank you for your consideration, Clive. Is everything ready for the experiment?"
Before Clive could answer, a confident-looking woman appeared inside the door of the primary R&D room of the facility. "Yes, everything is prepared, thanks to my hard work. You know, Clive, you really shouldn't spoil Fereydoon like that. He gets enough of that at home."
Her words did not seem to faze Fereydoon at all, who was rather eager to get on with the experiment. "Good work, Emma. Has the boy arrived yet?"
"Yes," answered Clive. "He is currently in meditation in the restricted area."
"Very well, then. Clive, Emma, we will begin the experiment in exactly thirty minutes. Inform Elvis and make sure you are all present. Do not be late, no matter how much creative inspiration you discover. Understand?"
"Yes, sir," replied Emma with a distinctive smirk.
Fereydoon quickly made his way to the restricted area, the events of the past few weeks still fresh in his mind. It had begun with the discovery of a staff, sealed deep beneath the earth. The staff was approximately six feet in length, adorned with illegible writing on the side, incomprehensible to even the Baskars. A green stone of unknown origin was set in the center of the staff, and it was this very stone that was at the core of the present study into FD Syndrome.
It had begun with the discovery of the staff by a young, quiet drifter who was traversing the wasteland. The ground beneath his feet had given way, leading him to an ancient passage beneath the earth. It was there he found the staff, and returned with it to a nearby village. A young boy, suffering heavily from FD Syndrome, had asked to see the staff in excitement. To everyone's amazement, the boy exclaimed that he felt no pain at all while touching the staff.
Naturally, this came to the attention of the Baskars, who secured the staff and began to analyze it in great detail. One of the Baskars in particular, a young boy with unusually strong faith, resonated with the staff, along with the rune he carried as his most treasured possession. The rune was linked to an ancient group of beings known as "Guardians" by the young boy, who were considered to be pure myth in the present day. A machine had just been finished which could analyze the results of this resonation, and was the foundation of the upcoming experiment.
Fereydoon entered the password "silhouette" onto the panel outside the restricted area door. The door slid open, and inside he found a small boy sitting down in front of the mystical staff in deep meditation. The boy's trance was broken, and he turned around just in time to see a tall, imposing man address him. "How do you feel, Tim?"
"I'm fine, Sir Fereydoon. Are you ready for me yet?"
"Not yet, Tim," he replied. "We will be ready in approximately twenty-five minutes. Is there anything you require?"
"No, sir," the boy meekly answered. "I hope I meet your expectations."
Fereydoon smiled at the well-spoken lad, and gave him a firm nod. "If there is anything you need, let one of the scientists know," Fereydoon remarked, as he made his exit.
Twenty-five minutes passed, and everyone gathered into the restricted area to commence the experiment. The machine was powered on, and Tim once again used his energy to resonate with the staff.
"Well, what is the result of the analysis?" Fereydoon asked impatiently.
"You can't rush genius, you know," Emma answered with a wink. "But, if you insist. I'm picking up a highly abnormal transfer. Energy from the staff appears to be entering and exiting the boy's sub consciousness. It's happened four times already, but at the present there seems to be no interaction."
"Is the boy in danger?" asked Fereydoon with mild alarm.
"No," replied Emma. "Well, it's not an unacceptable level, anyway."
Fereydoon had a slight moment of uneasiness, as guilt came over him from his previous actions concerning "acceptable losses." He sighed, and as he did, the resonation between Tim and the staff ended.
"I regret to say that we did not obtain any relevant data from this experiment," Clive said ruefully. "At least the boy appears to be safe."
In response to Clive's concern, the boy stood up, and turned his glance in Fereydoon's direction. He gave a very warm smile to the former sentinel, and said, "Don't worry, sir. Hope often finds us at the most unexpected of times."
Fereydoon smiled back. He was mildly encouraged by the boy's tenacity, but also acknowledged his remark as innocent naiveté.
The day ended without any new developments on FD Syndrome, and Fereydoon began to head home, still morose at the experiment's outcome.
"Are you going to walk home, my lord?" Clive asked, concerned.
"Yes, I feel like walking this evening," Fereydoon replied. "Twelbit is only a couple of hours walk from here. Good evening to you."
"I would tell you to be careful at this hour, sir," Clive responded, "But I know you of all people will have no trouble getting home."
Fereydoon smiled at Clive's attempt to cheer him up. "Good night, Clive."
Fereydoon glanced up at the sky as he made his way home, which was considerably clearer than it was the previous evening. Thoughts of Lucille filled his mind, along with anger at himself for failing her yet again. His anger drove him to hasten his pace, and he did so in order to rid his mind of the despair that had begun to surface.
Suddenly, he heard a sound that sent a chill down his entire body. It was a howl like Fereydoon had never heard before, and he was quite used to all varieties of Filgaia's creatures. In a sudden flash, the very air around Fereydoon appeared to close in around him, and he lost consciousness.
Fereydoon groaned as he recovered his senses. He stood up and looked around him, and came to the logical conclusion that he was dreaming. As far as his eyes could see was a river of the deepest red, separating a field of brilliant light from a field of absolute darkness.
"Welcome, Fereydoon."
Fereydoon quickly turned around to behold a creature of great magnificence and beauty, which bore a striking resemblance to a wolf.
"Are you the one who howled before? Why have you brought me here? Who are you?" demanded Fereydoon warily.
"Please do not trouble yourself. After all, your heart called me here. I am Lucied, the Guardian of Desire."
Fereydoon was awestruck. "Was this a result of today's experiment?" he wondered. "Do the Guardians truly exist?"
In response to the ponderings of his heart, Lucied answered, "Yes, Fereydoon, we have always existed. We have been the Guardians of Filgaia since time immemorial. The Filgaia you see before you today is a result of humans turning their hearts from us to pursue their own needs and desires, without regard for the consequences."
Barely able to speak, Fereydoon asked, "What is this place?"
Lucied answered, "This is the sub consciousness of humanity. As you can see, there is both light and darkness running through every heart. They cannot stand apart. To truly understand yourself, you must acknowledge this truth."
"How do you mean, to understand myself?" Fereydoon replied. "What exactly do you want me to do?"
Lucied smiled and responded, "The Guardians have seen that you have a strong and just heart. It is, however, clouded with despair and fear at both your past and your present. If we Guardian Lords can all be awakened, we can end this cycle of destruction that has plagued Filgaia. It will be up to you humans to build the future from there."
Fereydoon was filled with both awe and indignation. "The Guardians truly have this power?" he asked. "Why then, have the Guardians disappeared from our midst, and this fate befallen us?"
"The source of the Guardians' power comes from the faith of humanity," Lucied answered. "None have yet appeared with a heart strong to awaken us. The Guardians have chosen you for this task, as we conveyed to the pillar of faith."
"Very well," said Fereydoon. "I do not fully understand this, but if it will help to restore the planet, then I will assist in any way I can. It is my duty."
With that, Lucied vanished, and Fereydoon found himself becoming very dizzy. In a bright flash of light, everything vanished, and was replaced by a field of deep, soft red.
Fereydoon looked around and saw a young girl, on her knees, weeping endlessly. "Lucille!" he exclaimed, as he hurried over to meet her. "Why are you crying?"
"You failed today's experiment," she answered. "Why have you not found an answer? Why do you not love me?"
"Lucille, I…" Fereydoon was at a complete loss for words. "I apologize for my failure. We will find a cure, though. The Guardians will help us!"
"No, Fereydoon, I'm tired of waiting!" replied Lucille angrily. "That's all I hear from you. I apologize, or I will not fail. I'm tired of it! You are a failure, and I would rather spend the rest of my life alone in agony than be with you!"
Fereydoon fell to his knees. "Lucille, please, tell me, how I can prove that I do indeed love you?"
"Why do you care?" answered Lucille? "Oh, yes, that's right. It is your sworn duty to protect me. You leave me alone to fulfill that duty, detaching yourself from me more every day. I never wanted that, Fereydoon! I don't care what you've done in the past. All I've wanted is for you to hold me in your embrace, with no pretenses. How can you possibly say you're saving the world out of duty when you can't even protect the hearts of the ones you claim to love?"
Her words pierced Fereydoon's very soul, as the gravity of what he had been doing came to his full realization. For the first time in as long as Fereydoon could remember, a solitary tear rolled down his right cheek. He temporarily relived the events since their fateful encounter so long ago. At that time, her heart belonged to another, one who in his own fear of attachment abandoned her. He recalled how distrustful she was when she first arrived at the mansion, but how their fondness of each other grew, despite his own actions against humanity at the time. She accepted him, and loved him, through his failures and successes. It was then that he realized his folly in likening duty unto conviction, instead of realizing that his conviction is what allows him to do his duty, his greatest of which is protecting the happiness of those he loves.
Suddenly, a red light descended down in front of Fereydoon, and manifested into a creature likened unto a beautiful woman. "I am Raftina, the Guardian of Love," it said. "I have seen the love in your heart, and have responded to its call."
Fereydoon once again became dizzy, and the soft, red field around him changed to a fierce yellow.
He looked around him, and to his sheer amazement, he beheld the Lady Diana, his departed grandmother.
"Lady Diana!" he exclaimed. "How is this possible? Have I done something to rouse you from your eternal slumber?"
Diana looked at him with a stern expression, and said, "Yes, I am here for vengeance. Why did you kill me?"
"I…I did not!" he cried. "It was Lord Volsung who destroyed the Cradle."
"You're a coward!" she yelled. "Were you not Volsung's right-hand man? Do you expect me to believe that you had no part in this? You helped him from the beginning to exterminate humanity, and even after he killed me, you still helped him in his lust for destruction."
Fereydoon was taken aback. He knew what his grandmother was saying was true, but his pride would not permit him to accept it. "I did what I believed was right at the time," he replied. "I had no idea he would end up destroying the Veruni as well."
"You're a liar!" she exclaimed. "You made a conscious decision of your own conviction to help Volsung accomplish his goals. Eventually, you came to know that his intent was the end of everything, and yet still, you continued to follow him. Your conviction was your duty, and you followed it, ignoring the consequences you knew would follow! Admit it, you coward!"
Fereydoon winced at the harsh truth. "You're right," he said. "I have been a coward. The life of a soldier is one of duty. You obey your commander without question, and his conviction becomes your own. But, in the end, we all have to accept responsibility for our own actions. I was not forced into the life of a soldier. It was a choice I made, and in the name of duty, I ignored the painful conviction that I felt. But, not anymore! I have made up my mind what my duty truly is, and I will follow it and accept the consequences."
Suddenly, a yellow light descended down in front of Fereydoon, and manifested into a creature likened unto a fierce lion. "I am Justine, the Guardian of Courage," it said. "I have seen the courage in your heart, and have responded to its call."
Fereydoon's lightheadedness returned, and the fierce, yellow field around him changed to a vibrant green.
Fereydoon was filled with horror at the sight around him. People, as far as his eye could see, writhing in pain and agony. He ran up to them to help them, but no matter who he went to, he was greeted with anger and hatred.
"Go away, you murderer! It hurts! You hurt us, so make it stop!"
Fereydoon fell to his knees once again and was struck with tremendous conviction as he realized that these were victims of Zopt Syndrome, a result of him assisting Volsung in draining the energy of the planet to save the Veruni. Men, women, and children were screaming out in a symphony of horrid cries, and the weeping of those who had lost or were losing loved ones rang out in a melody that would make Death itself mourn on their behalf.
"What's wrong, you murderer?" they cried. "You'll really be crying when Lucille joins us among the dead!"
"No, I will not let that happen!" screamed Fereydoon, as tears began to stream down his anguished face.
"What can you possibly do?" they said mockingly. "You can't even save the life of the one you love. Look around you, for soon many shall join us."
"No," Fereydoon said boldly, standing to face his tormentors. "My hands are stained with the blood of countless innocent people. Nothing I resolve to do will bring them back, but I will not give up! I live in a world where people are divided one from another. Despite that, there are people that have refused to give in, and are working hard to break down the wall that separates us. I will join them, not because it is my duty to do so, but because I, Fereydoon Rygs, am a citizen of Filgaia, and will do my part as one who has something to protect!"
Suddenly, a green light descended down in front of Fereydoon, and manifested into a creature likened unto a magnificent dragon. "I am Zephyr, the Guardian of Hope," it said. "I have seen the hope in your heart, and have responded to its call."
In a beautiful prism of light, all four of the Guardians appeared before Fereydoon once again.
"Well done, Fereydoon," Lucied said. "You have conquered the darkness that lies within your own heart. You have proven that you know how to love, are able to accept responsibility for own actions, and will never give up. We, the four Guardian Lords of Filgaia, acknowledge that strength of heart, and grant you our power to restore Filgaia, for a time. It will be up to you humans to hold these virtues in your hearts so that Filgaia can continue to prosper. Return now to Filgaia, and seek the counsel of Tim, the pillar of faith. We have told him what to do."
In a sudden flash of light, the ground beneath Fereydoon disappeared, and he fell into a realm of unconsciousness.
When he came to, he was back in Filgaia at the very place he heard the howl of Lucied. With a new resolve, he looked up into the sky, which appeared clearer than it had ever been before. He hurriedly returned to the research center, and found Tim waiting for him outside.
"Tim," he asked, "You knew this all along, did you not?"
Tim giggled. "Yes, sir, I did, but it was something you had to discover for yourself. Now that you have awakened the Guardian Lords, it's my turn. Let us go to the Staff of Virtue, and fulfill our destinies."
Fereydoon opened the door to the facility, and the two of them started their walk back to the restricted area. Fereydoon was tingling with anticipation at what awaited them, and he was even more eager to return and see his precious Lucille.
"Here we are," said Fereydoon, as he opened the door to the restricted room and beheld the Staff of Virtue once more. "Now," said Tim, "Let us take the staff in our hands, and convey our wills to the Guardian Lords. Hold the center of the staff, and we shall do what must be done." Fereydoon complied, and soon the room was filled with the same prismatic light that Fereydoon had witnessed before. Tim placed his hand on the top of the staff and began chanting in a language long since lost to humanity. As he did, the writing on the side of the staff began to glow, and the staff disappeared from sight. "Let us go outside," Tim said.
What Fereydoon and Tim saw was a sight beautiful beyond measure. A bright beam of light shot across the sky, covering the entire atmosphere of Filgaia, and every star in the heavens glistened brightly. Red, yellow, and green pearl-like drops began to fall, and the surface of the plant was covered with a radiant rainbow of the Guardians' colors. Fereydoon and Tim watched in awe at the spectacle, which seemed to last only moments.
"Now," said Tim, "It is done, but we are not done yet. You have awakened the Guardians with the power of your heart, but we must continue to work on breaking down the walls that separate us. Although her people will recover soon, Filgaia's recovery will be a slow one."
"Indeed," replied Fereydoon. "Only by working together will we be able to carve the way to Filgaia's prosperity. Thank you, Tim, for everything. Now, if you will excuse me, there is a beautiful young maiden who requires my attention."
Tim giggled again. "Yes, now is the time to be with those we love. Farewell for now."
Fereydoon, now imbued with a new sense of resolve, made haste to Twelbit. At the gate, he was greeted by a familiar, cherished face. "Is it you, my Lord Fereydoon?" Lucille inquired. "You have been gone for a long while. I was worried about you."
"Yes, Lucille, it is me," he replied. "Come to me, I have something I want to give you."
Curiously, Lucille approached him, and was awestruck when she was whisked away into his arms. "My dear Lucille," he said, "I have been blind. I have been foolish for forsaking you to do research in the name of duty. I have also been foolish for hiding behind that veil, and not following my own conviction. Now, I have a request for you. I would be honored to be your husband, so that we may share our happiness and sorrow, and embrace each other in true love, without pretenses."
Lucille began to fall, and was caught by the man in whose eyes she now saw a new purpose. She began to weep, and placed her arms around him as he held her close. "Yes, Fereydoon, I will be your wife, and we shall be together until the end of our days."
"That shall be a long time, dear Lucille," replied Fereydoon, as he relayed the events of what had transpired that evening to her.
She laughed in excitement at his words as she jumped back into his arms. "Yes, my dear Fereydoon, until the end of our days." They returned to their home, hand-in-hand.
One full cycle of the seasons has passed, and once again Fereydoon is impatient. "My lord," said Loretta, "If you keep pacing like that we will have to replace the floor quite soon."
"How much longer must I wait?" Fereydoon replied, with a half-smile. "Until your baby is ready, my lord," answered Loretta with a grin. "It will not be long now, I'm certain."
Suddenly, the faint, yet strong cry of a baby was heard from upstairs. Fereydoon made haste, and entered the room where his wife had just given birth. "It's a boy, Doony-pie!" exclaimed Lucille proudly. "Look at how handsome he is, just like his father! What are we going to call him?"
Fereydoon pondered for a moment, and then decided to name the child after the boy who had found the Staff of Virtue. "His name will be Rudy," he said.
"Oh, that's wonderful!" Lucille exclaimed. "My dear little Rudy has been born!"
Hope was renewed throughout Filgaia, and although the wall is still being broken down, and the planet reviving her energy, the now healthy inhabitants are closer together than they have been in a very long time.
The End