AN: I don't own Final Fantasy IV or the idea that inspired the plot of this one. Square Enix owns Final Fantasy IV, and JDH1080 came up with the idea that this story will be using.

A few years ago, the author I just mentioned began work on a fanfic called The Dark Knight of the Mist, which involved Cecil Harvey being attacked on his first Red Wings mission and crashing into the Damcyan Desert. He is presumed dead by everyone in Baron, but is actually still alive. A summoner named Refia saved him from the wreckage of the ship, and brought him to her hometown of Mist. She, along with everyone else except one, was skeptical as to whether he was dangerous or not. Refia's young daughter Rydia instantly wanted to be friends with him. At the end of what was finished, Refia was showing signs of trusting the Dark Knight that she rescued. We didn't know about the rest of Mist, but in my version they will trust him as well.

The original fanfic was never finished, but the idea had a lot of potential in my eyes. So, when I created my new account, I asked for permission to use their idea, and here we are.

The chapter below is a small prelude meant to directly connect this story to The Dark Knight of the Mist. Everything after it will take place after the events of that one, and will follow the war against Golbez that occurred in the game. This might go in a different direction than their story would have if he had continued it.

Prelude

Cecil's POV:
Who was I before I lost my memory? All I have is a single name; Cecil. A young girl said that she heard me call myself that before I was completely awake, so that's all that anyone can call me until my memory returns.

I am currently living in a small village known as Mist, with a young woman named Refia and her daughter Rydia. Refia says that she found me under the wreckage of a ship in the Damcyan Desert, and brought me here.

Just recently, I recovered from a minor sickness, and a few broken bones healed. At first the villagers were a bit skeptical as to whether they should trust me, but Refia managed to convince them that I was not a threat. I think even she had her doubts at first, but Rydia trusted me right away.

Rydia was the first friend I made since losing my memory, and she told me that I'm the first one she ever made. She's a child, yet she also shows a lot of wisdom for someone her age. Like me, she never knew her father. The other villagers had him killed before she was born. After she told me this, she burst out crying, which continued until she fell asleep. All I could do was try and comfort her. I may not know who I am right now, but I know about death, and no child her age should have to deal with something like that.

I can't help but feel like I come from someplace else, and that something terrible is going on there. Every now and then images of a man in dark armor go through my head. The setting that these images are placed in feel a bit familiar to me. If that was my home once, it might not be the same when I get my memory back. As for the man in black, if he comes anywhere near Mist, he'll have to go through me first if he wants to hurt the summoners.

Kain's POV:

A lot of time has passed since we found out about Cecil's death.

The king has been acting quite strange lately. I began to notice it a little bit before Cecil's death, but it's becoming more clear to me that something in him has changed. Not quite sure what that is, but I hope to find out at some point.

After Cecil's ship crashed in the Damcyan Desert, a man named Golbez replaced him as leader of the Red Wings. I hate this man with every part of me. He does not deserve to have the position that Cecil was given. That's just disrespectful to my friend's memory. Not to mention, something about that man just makes my skin crawl. I don't know what it is, but I just get the feeling that Golbez has some dark intentions. I just wish I knew what they were.

Cecil told me before he left that if he didn't return that he wanted me to protect the woman he loved; Rosa. Of course, at the time I was certain that he would return, but none of us could have ever predicted that his ship would crash. Now that Golbez has taken my best friend's position, I fear for Rosa's safety even more. I plan to somehow get her out of Baron without him even realizing that she's gone. Right now, anywhere else would be a better place for her.