A little twist of fate
I was sitting in the bar again that night, out drinking with my buddies and having a good time. Well, they were the ones who did most of the drinking. I never was that fond of pouring alcohol down my throat until I couldn't feel my legs and I passed out on the floor, having to be dragged out of the city and out to the camp to be reprimanded by the officer the following morning. That just wasn't my style.
They were always drinking, though, some of them more than others. I guess it was their way of coping with the war. When you're drunk, you don't see the world clearly. You get lost in a blur where you're free to believe what you want to believe, create your own reality and escape from the troubles that await you once you're sober again. I spared myself the pain of rediscovering the war every morning. Drinking will do nothing but add to an already long list of problems.
John was laughing hysterically about something, gulping down yet another glass of vodka. I sat in my own corner of the bar, my gaze following him as he got up from his chair and staggered unsteadily across the room, heading to another table where a young woman was sitting. The other guys started shouting and cheering him on. I noticed the bar host was starting to get nervous, but he didn't dare argue with a gang of President Deling's soldiers. He never did. The woman was alone, and she looked up as John sat down on the couch next to her without warning. He grinned at her, and I could quite clearly imagine the stench of alcohol reek from him strongly along with his non-good intentions. Her dark eyes filled with worry and she drew back as he started touching her, pressing his body closer and closer to hers. She squirmed, tried to slap him or push him away, but he held her arms so she could not move. I could tell he was beginning to get angry. His voice rose, and even through the loud music, I could hear him call her 'Bitch'. With a swipe of his hand he knocked over the glass of wine that stood on her table. He was getting dangerous. This is what alcohol does to you.
If no one else was going to interfere, I would.
Walking over to the table I grabbed the back of my fellow soldier's shirt and yanked him up from the couch, "Leave her alone, John. Go home and get some sleep," I told him.
John frowned and looked me up and down, stroking a hand over his beard as he seemed to consider something. Probably if he was strong enough to beat me in a fist fight, "I do whateva' I wanna do," he growled. I didn't move.
Eventually he understood picking a fight with me might not be such a good idea, and quietly cursed me before sneaking away. The others mumbled something, disappointedly, then turned back to their own drinks.
I looked at the woman. I guessed she was somewhere in her early twenties, possibly a few years younger than myself, and instantly I knew she was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. Her face was round, perfect in shape, and her skin was smooth and pale with slightly flushed cheeks. Large, dark brown eyes watched me, and long, raven black hair hung down to her waist. A perfect, slim waist. I realized I was staring, and cleared my voice.
"Are you all right, miss?"
"Yes. Yes, I am," she said quickly, turning her eyes down shyly, "Thanks to you."
"It's no big deal. John does things like that all the time," I answered and offered a smile, "You look lonely. Mind if I join you?"
She shook her head, and I pulled out a chair and sat by the other side of the table. Snapping my fingers for the waitress, I ordered two new glasses of red wine, before returning my attention to the woman, "I've never seen you around here before."
"No… I don't go to places like this very often," she admitted. A pause, then she looked up at me again, "You're a Galbadian soldier, aren't you? Like all of them?" she motioned to the table where my comrades were sitting. I nodded.
"They usually come here in the evenings whenever they can, and I come with them. Usually we go to the bars in the other towns, though. Right now we're here because of the war," I explained.
"The Sorceress war…," she said slowly, "I didn't think there were any Sorceresses here in Deling City."
"Well, neither did I. But this is a special assignment…," I hesitated to continue. I wasn't supposed to tell people about our mission, but what harm could it do to tell this one woman? "See, we're not sure what we're looking for this time… Have you heard of Sorceress Che'echa?"
She blinked and didn't reply at first as the waitress returned with our drinks. Lifting the wine glass to sip at the red liquid, she finally nodded, "Yes."
"She was defeated sixteen years ago, and her powers was transferred to some little girl," I continued after taking a sip of my own drink, "But the thing is, this girl disappeared, and no one knows where she is."
"I see," the woman replied thoughtfully, "Do you know what she looks like? Or her name?"
I shook my head, "Only her name. But I'm not supposed to say."
"Oh."
Silence followed for a few seconds. She seemed uncomfortable for some reason, and I didn't know what to tell her. I just couldn't stop watching her. There was something dark and mysterious about this woman that I couldn't quite explain. I liked that.
"I must apologize for John's behavior," I said after a while, "But not all of us are like that. He's not really like that, either, he just gets that way when he's drunk… It's his way of running from his problems. The men are always afraid, you know. They're afraid they might die at any moment and they're afraid they'll never see their families again… I don't blame them. It's a harsh world out there," I sighed.
"And you?" she asked, "Are you afraid?"
"I don't have anything to go back to… My mother died a few years back, and she was my only family." I kept my voice free of emotion.
She seemed to be taken aback by this, "I'm sorry…," she said, "But still, aren't you afraid? I know I would be… Out there fighting every day, knowing each day may be my last…," she glanced down at the table, then back up at me, a small smile suddenly resting on her lips as she let her glass of wine dangle from her hands just below her chin, "It would be a waste to have a handsome man like you fall in a pointless war, wouldn't it?"
It was my turn to be surprised. Was she flirting with me? I smiled in return, "No one can go through life without being afraid. But it's always better to face your fear than run from it."
"Don't you want to do something different with your life?"
"Well, I…"
"Being a soldier doesn't really suit you," she said smugly, "Behind that tough mask of yours there's a soft hearted kind of guy, I can tell. A man who probably cried when his mother died. A man who wants to do something big and important for the world's safety and peace other than being a mere tool in the hands of President Deling. Am I right?"
I was speechless. How could she know things like that? And that strange glow in her dark brown eyes… They seemed almost yellow now. She leaned forward and took my hand in hers.
"I bet you love children, too. And flowers. Yes, you definitely like flowers, but you'll never admit it."
"I-" I began, but she shook her head and put a finger to my mouth, briefly.
"It's not impossible," she whispered, "You don't have to fight this battle. You don't even know who you're fighting. This Sorceress you're looking for, how can you know she is so bad? If no one has ever heard from her since, she can't be that much of a threat, can she?"
"I suppose not…" The woman's insight in my personality was just incredible. Almost frightening. I wondered for a moment if she could read my mind, but pushed that thought aside. That was ridiculous.
Suddenly, she turned and glanced towards the stairs, seeming to be looking at something in the shadows that I couldn't see. Abruptly she let go of my hand and stood up, smiling at me, "I have to go."
I blinked and rose as well, "Wait – Will I see you again?"
"Perhaps," she started to walk away, but stopped and looked over her shoulder, "What's your name?"
"Cid… Cid Kramer," I answered, "What's yours?"
She winked at me, "Edea. Just Edea," she said, then continued towards the stairs, before disappearing out of my sight as she reached the shadows.
I froze. Edea? But… that was the name of… It couldn't be?
I stared after her. There was no doubt in my mind – I had to see that woman again.
And the following morning all my commanding officer found was a notice of resignation on his desk.