Final Fantasy VI will belong to Square forever and ever.

Of Light and Tears

Even though the wind bit through her clothes, Terra couldn't feel the cold. Instead, in its place, was a burning fire that inflamed within her body. Gathered at the top of the mountain of Narshe, the party reached the frozen Esper. Immediately, Terra could feel a connection between her and the creature. She felt it during her first rampage of Narshe, and the moment she entered the city itself the second time with Edgar and Banon. It was something unspoken, but the connection pulsated through her body. It touched her ever so softly, but as she neared the frozen calamity, the pulse was beating in her like a drum.

She was behind everyone else as they inspected the summon beast, speculating at its gigantic form.

"Can it…still be alive?" murmured Cyan, as he circulated the Esper.

"Impossible…right?" said Sabin, while he knelt in front of it. He titled his head, examining the bird's face.

Terra touched her head. The pulse was stronger now, and it seemed…to almost beckon her. She looked up through her winced eyes, and saw that the majestic bird was looking straight at her. His ice blue eyes met her green ones, summoning her to come towards him.

She took a stumbled step forward, and then another, while still holding her head. You know me…she thought towards the Esper. Terra slipped past Celes and briskly passed Locke, knocking her shoulder against his as she staggered forward.

"Terra!" he shouted after her, "What is it?" He reached for her wrist, but she stuck her hand out behind her as a sign for him to stop. She shook her head in response. Locke's hand stopped short and he slowly let it fall to his side. Why? He thought, as he watched her continue to make a slow way up to the Esper. He clenched his fist as he saw Sabin and Cyan part away from her, I promised I would…

Terra then stopped in front of the ice-covered creature. A burning sensation coursed through her veins as she felt something rise within her. It came within her soul, and it silently channeled throughout her body. As she continued to stare at the Esper, she heard a faint singing in her head. It was angelic, and yet sad, as it continued to resonate within her head. She knelt on the snow covered ground, grasping her head again in pain. Wh-what?

Then, overlapping the chant, she heard a voice. It was low and majestic, but faint.

Remember.

At once swirls of images flooded her mind that was too fast for her to understand. She looked at the Esper again, hoping to seek answers within its metallic dead eyes. This time, the voice was louder.

Rise once again.

And at that command, the burning feeling that flowed through her body began to quicken. She felt her blood bubbling and the rise of heat emanated from her skin. With alarm, Terra quickly wrapped her arms around herself.

"NOOOO!" she screamed, as she tightened her hold against herself. However, the red aura continued to surround her body. She felt it ascend above her and slowly envelop her in a cloak of crimson red. Behind her, she heard the others cry a surprise.

"Terra….and the Esper…"

"There's….some kind of reaction!"

Reaction?

Terra slowly raised her head and saw a blue chain of light connecting her to the Esper. Closely, she saw a current flowing towards her through the string from the frozen being.

Terra didn't like it. The current that was rushing into her body was overflowing her with…something. Something that she didn't like. She willed herself to keep it at bay, but in a few moments she knew she would not be able to keep it in much longer.

"What..? What am I feeling?" she clenched her teeth as more and more of the stream surged inside her body. She swiped her hand in front of her trying to cut the connection, but it went right through her. It was a translucent link. Desperately, she turned towards the party behind her, and involuntarily searched for Locke.

Locke immediately locked his gaze with hers and he could see the fear within her eyes. Tears were forming at the brim of her eyes and he saw her mouth quiver,

"…Wh-what's happening…?" he barely heard her whisper.

Then something broke within Locke as he looked at Terra's small hunched body. Instinctively, his feet started moving. Locke stumbled towards her with his hand outstretched. He opened his mouth to say her name, but was then pushed back from an incredible force. It knocked the wind out of him and he slid across the icy ground and toppled over the edge. At the very last second, he grabbed hold of the cliff rock making his right shoulder scream with pain. Locke quickly shook away the blotches of stars that were forming at the edge of his eyes.

Groaning, he craned his head and saw that Sabin, Cyan, Gau, Edgar, and Banon were lying a great distance away from the ice figure. Edgar was struggling to get up and Locke could feel Celes slowly pulling him up. He panted heavily as he reached level ground and he looked over where Terra was, still in front of the Esper but with a red aura surrounding her.

Terra clutched the ground in front of her with both of her hands, "Please…," her voice was shaking, "…Tell me! Who am I?! WHO?!" she bellowed. Tears were fully streaming down her face and tendrils of green hair were slapped around her cheeks.

Locke tried to get up, but his limbs were like lead, "TERRA!" he hoarsely shouted. It was all he could do to make her know he was there. What else was he supposed to do? The force that drove him away zapped all of his energy.

Terra then felt a touch within her mind's eye, and a voice was murmuring softly. She sat there, frozen in place. The voice felt so familiar.

"An Esper…," spoke Celes with a low sound. She was lightly gripping her head as she looked towards the beast with wide eyes, "I can actually feel its mind…"

Locke looked at Celes, and then immediately to Terra with horror. If Celes could barely feel it, then how would Terra feel? She must feel the full force of the Esper's will resonating inside of her.

As Terra felt the voice grow louder within her, the aura surrounding her engulfed her completely. She was encircled by a flaming wall. Her ears were buzzing like a swarm of angry bees and muffled within it she heard Edgar desperately warning her.

"Terra…step away from the Esper…" he said, with a careful effort in his voice.

But Terra couldn't. The Esper that was linked to her had rooted her within her spot. She had to know. For so many months she wanted to know who or what she was. And this Esper was the key to her identity. But as she probed the Esper with questions, inside of her she felt a fear rise up to her throat.

Then the voice spoke again.

Return to what you once were…

Then, like a seed cracking open, a rush of heat overflowed Terra's body. She screamed from the intense blow and grasped her head in agony. She threw her head back and she continued to scream at the top of her lungs. Tears were streaming down her face like a waterfall as she felt her body heat intensify.

Terra could feel her body changing as she screamed. She felt every cell within her body bursting like stars. Her clothes burned off of her and the ribbon that kept her green hair tied, untwined, releasing it like an endless flow of water. Terra then felt another surge of power go through her and she screamed. Out of desperation, she shot a mental backflow towards the blue link, which burst and severed it.

The burning feeling ceased but Terra could still feel the overwhelming temperature reside inside of her. She looked at herself. Her skin had turn a pale violet, her hands and feet were slightly elongated and had claws extending from the end of it, and her hair—that was now a light purple—freely flowed from her shoulders.

Terra turned towards her companions—who looked at her with utter horror. Fear coursed through her as she looked at each of their faces. She then finally looked at Locke, who was staring at her with pure shock, as if he has never seen her before.

Locke stared at Terra's newly form. She was burning with a bright white light that surrounded her violet body. Her eyes, that were as green as trees, were burning a blood red. The halo of green hair was now an entanglement of purple hair that rippled like a porcupine's spines.

But even through this new form, Locke knew it was still Terra. It had to be. This is the same Terra that he protected against Kefka's men, the same Terra that he patted on the head reassuringly to wait for him in Narshe, the same Terra he took around the Castle of Figaro, the same Terra that he found in the Mine's of Narshe, beautiful and confused… It was still her, no matter what form she was in. He took a step forward, his arms outstretched.

But Terra cowered away; she couldn't bear for him to look at her. She was a monster. She now knew who she truly was and she turned into a monster right in front of his eyes. Terra grabbed her head with both of her hands and screamed. Fresh tears cascaded from her eyes as she rose up to the air.

Don't look at me…don't look at me….she channeled towards Locke. She saw him running towards her, but she turned around hastily and took off in the air screaming. Terra could hear Locke shouting her name but she didn't look back as she tore herself away from the mountains.

Don't look at me…not like this...

…Not at what I am now.

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A/N: This fic's overall vibe was inspired from this song "Hotaru no Mori" from the Kobato OST. Search it up, you may like it as much as I do. I always like to go into Terra's and Locke's head during major events like these. Yes, I am a Locke and Terra fan. Sorry to you all Celes and Locke fans out there. But this was a classic scene I could not pass up! :)

I will always support the not-so-supportive couples. :D

And after dinner, I would love to have some feedback for dessert. :9 They're delicious.