Chapter 2: Memories and Questions
"Focus Terra. This isn't like throwing a punch. You have to focus first in here" Sabin pointed at my forehead, then to my outstretched fist "before you can get the results from here."
"Using magic was no different. We had to command something to happen before it actually would take effect," I said, drawing analogies.
"Indeed. But remember that blitzes are not derived from a magic source, but from that of one's mental spirit. The command comes from somewhere else. Focus on mind more than soul. It is connected to discipline rather than emotion."
Finally, I was getting familiar with the mental aspects of the blitz art. Until now I'd only been training physically. I suppose being half-esper gave me enhanced physical capabilities beyond those of a normal woman, enhanced stamina, agility, speed, and the like. I accomplished flips without using my hands, or jumping against a wall and then cartwheel off, managing to land on both feet. Upon mastering these agile maneuvers, I learned to impale and behead burlap practice dummies with my bare feet and hands.
Still, I'd never attempted the sophisticated practices, such as the Aurabolt. I always knew the blitzes were different from magic, but I'd never considered how that was. "Well okay, Sab. What say I try again?"
"Sure. Remember. Mind, not heart and soul. Disciplined thought, not emotional feeling." He spoke over my shoulder as I extended my clenched fist again. I'm so glad that Marielle taught him the proper use of tooth paste and breath mints. The last thing I needed was to have my old friend, and new blitz sensei, giving me instructions decorated with barbeque sauce breath. How many other people eat spare ribs for breakfast anyway? At least she taught him there's such a thing as body odor, and that he in particular had a nasty one. Even if her status as a priestess forbade marriage, they were essentially still partners, in every other sense of the word.
This time I noticed something different. Granted, it wasn't much, but it was something new. An orb appeared at the tips of my knuckles, in a shade of silvery green, not the whitish silver of the Sabin's Aurabolts. The orb grew larger until it was three times the size of my hand. Then it shot forward, slamming into the large gray obelisk that I'd been aiming for. It collided with a brilliant flash, and fragments of the stone sprinkled to the dojo room's marble floor. The flash vanished and there was a huge spider web crack in the stone's center.
"Right on Terra!" Sabin said, a large smile on his face. "You pulverized that stone's ass." He clapped his left palm against his right fist to stress his point.
"Huh? I only cracked the surface. It's still standing, and mostly in one piece."
"But you got the basics of the technique. It took me longer to learn it. I didn't do that much damage on my first try, as you just did." He patted his large hand upon my shoulder.
"I guess that displays how great my teacher is, and how much his late teacher would be proud". About three months after I'd left the Mobliz and arrived in Narshe, Sabin's teacher Duncan had passed away. The doctors said it was heart failure, possibly caused by physical overexertion. Prior to his death, his desire was that his students begin a school of their own. Sabin set one up north of Figaro Castle, in the area that would later become the immense capitol. He'd mentioned this to me in a simple conversation during one of my visits. He was seeking potential students, and at that moment, I had the idea to be one of them. I felt it would give me something to focus on in life, a goal, something to keep me from falling back into the timid oh-woe-is-me crowd and show me just how much there was to life. I did little more than sleepwalk for the first eighteen years of mine.
Naturally, Sabin was enthused that I'd be his first pupil. And he even made it worth my while, omitting all the strict aspects that served no purpose but to make one feel resentment towards their instructor, much like Vargas had against his own father, Duncan.
"Yay Terra. You're the m…..WOMAN!" Gau was smiling and clapping his hands, cheering me on. He was dressed much like Sabin. A tight shirt with the sleeves torn out, loose silk pants that tightened at the waist and ankles, and brown low-cut leather shoes. After Kefka's death, Gau took residence in Figaro to be with Cyan, Edgar and Sabin. He went to a Figaroan youth academy and became civilized. He bathes, eats with utensils, talks normally without referring to himself in third person, and has discovered the proper use of the toilet. He hasn't shaken the idea of the wilderness being the perfect urinal, but that idea is engraved in the minds of all men.
"God damn it. Hold still!" I turned from Gau to the direction of that energetic, high-pitched voice commanding him not to move. Relm sat cross legged against one of the dojo's marble pillars. She has grown quite a bit, and is only an inch or two shorter than myself despite the eight years between us. She was dressed casually in her typical dark purple bandana tied around a lavender head scarf, a pink tank top, faded jeans, and black sandals. Pencil and sketch book in hand, she'd been drawing a sketch of Gau, until he began applauding me for my very first Aurabolt. Just a month after she and her grandfather Strago returned to their hometown of Thamasa once Kefka fell, Strago came down with health problems. He was soon unable to eat solid foods and became limited to fluids. His cause of death was some kind of liver disorder. I thought Strago's passing would bring Relm closer to her father Clyde a.k.a. Shadow, but she still had yet to reconcile with him. Though she no longer despised him like she did when he first broke the news, there was still a huge amount of tension about her whenever he was present. She also relocated to Figaro, to be with Gau.
I looked Relm up and down as she lectured Gau on how to be the proper drawing subject. She hasn't changed as dramatically as him. Her short blond waves have now grown to long blonde locks that hang just below her chest. She is not a pure blond like Celes, but more of what I would describe as 'caramel blonde'. She was ranting to Gau in the type of speech she used when exited, be it from jubilation or discontentment. Her words get spoken a mile a minute and get decorated with plenty of hand, and in this case, foot stomps. I couldn't help but notice the worn out condition of her jeans. The leg openings were mostly frayed, there was a hole in one knee, and another near one of the back pockets that looked as though it would burst open if subject to any more physical abuse. I then looked at Sabin and asked, "Break for a little while?"
He nodded and called out, "Relm. Terra and I are going to rest for a bit. Bring us some of your finest". He walked over to a small table with a few chairs around it and took a seat. I followed.
"Oh. Um…okay". She ceased scolding Gau and ran out of the training room in a more joyous manner.
"Relm's more than just an artist now. She has been spending lots of time in the castle's kitchen studying the art of food". Sabin licked his lips. Anything food-oriented made him hungry.
Minutes later, Relm returned carrying tall glasses filled with ice cubes and yellow liquid. She placed them at the table between Sabin and I. "Here you are, Sensei and Big Sis," she referred to Sabin and I respectively. "Arrowny's finest. Delish' and nutrish'. Good for mind, body, and soul. Fresh squeezed iced lemonade a-la Relm". She smiled, showing off her dimples, and bowed forward as performers do after giving a performance. I wasn't surprised at what I heard next.
A loud ripping sound from behind her.
Her eyes suddenly widened, and her mouth dropped open. She squinted, feeling about behind her, where Gau appeared with a mischievous grin. His eyes glanced to a direction that he knew they shouldn't. Relm's cheeks reddened. "Ummmmmm….I'll….be….back". She stuttered, then turned to Gau with a voice that mixed teasing and embarrassment. "You….didn't see shit". She bolted out the door again, this time covering her ass with one hand.
"Awwwww. C'mon toots. You know me". Gau followed her trail in a more leisurely paced walk.
Sabin laughed as he took a sip of 'Arrowny's Finest'. "Yep. Those kids never cease to humor me, though they're not quite kids anymore. Not like when we first met them anyway." He abruptly stopped laughing and looked over at me. "Oh sorry. I forgot. The talk of kids isn't an easy subject for you, considering that you miss yours."
I sipped my drink and returned his concerned look. "Sabin. Talk of children is okay. But referring to those I once cared for as 'mine' is what I seek to avoid. They're not my children and they never were. I only called them such because I was overly emotional back then. I realized such when that man showed up."
"What man?" Sabin looked blank.
"I thought I'd already told that story".
"I was either not around or just plain oblivious. If you're okay with doing so, tell me again."
"Not a problem." I took another sip of lemonade and began the story that brought me around to reality almost three years before.
Begin flashback
It was a few weeks after I retuned to Mobliz upon Kefka's demise. There were plenty of demanding tasks at hand, but I felt it was all worth the hassle, as I was doing it for the children. There was the reconstruction of the damaged buildings, the revitalization of the crops, the issue of safety from veldt creatures, the issue of the childrens' schooling. So much to do that I knew nothing of where to start. Duane had been relentless on rebuilding, so I left that and all relevant tasks to him. He insisted that we all stay in the village, but Katarin was equally adamant that we relocate. I sided with Duane on that issue, since I had no idea where else we could go and where we'd stay. Nonetheless, staying right here presented a slew of other problems that would have to be dealt with one by one.
I'd taken to the crops, since I felt the urge to be outside overseeing the children. During that time, I'd routinely seen the second oldest child after Duane and Katarin, a twelve-year-old named Kevin, looking out at the ocean for long periods of time. I thought nothing of it, and just believed he enjoyed the view. But as time passed, he was soon joined by his eight-year-old sister Brittany, to whom he'd say "Soon. Not much longer." Still, I never thought to question either of them, as it seemed trivial, maybe just their way of dealing with their parents' death. The reality of their situation was beginning to sink in.
And then it happened.
On this day, the children were out playing under my watchful eyes while I attempted planting some wheat. Kevin and Brittany were both standing near a hedge with anxious looks on their faces, looks of restlessness more so than worry. Then they walked over to a dead oak and sat with their backs to me.
I stood from my improvised planting and heard something. The children typically paid it no attention, but I had specifically trained my ears for it. It was the dogs at the village entrance. They were barking, just as they had when an unfamiliar person entered, or when Phunbaba would invade. I looked to the entrance pathway. A tall man in his late 30's or early 40's with short-cropped blonde hair walking toward the village. For a gut-cold second I thought he was a surviving Imperial soldier, because his clothing resembled that of the Empire's troops. But as he got closer I could see his uniform was more of a dark blue than brown. Still, I wondered who he was and what business he had coming here. I walked into my house and looked at him through the window. I pulled the scimitar from the closet and went back outside, prepared to do whatever was necessary should he become a threat. He stopped and cleared his throat. "Kevin. Brittany." He called their names in a somewhat raspy voice.
I tensed up, not sure what to think. I pulled the scimitar from its sheath. How could this stranger have known their names. Just who was he?
I got my answer a second later, when both the children he called turned around to face him. Their faces brightened into ear-to-ear smiles and they ran up and greeted him with hugs. Brittany then shouted out "Uncle Richard!"
I relaxed, let out a deep breath, re-sheathed the scimitar, and put it back in the house. This man was the uncle of two of the orphans, and they clearly were overjoyed to see him. He patted both children on their shoulders. "I heard all about the huge bright beam that spread destruction wherever it touched. I wished I could've come sooner but with all the chaos from various monster attacks and the need for my presence elsewhere, I could do little more than read your letters. I had so little time to even respond. But I am here now. So is it true, there are only children left in this town?"
His niece and nephew both nodded in unison. I just stood there out of sight, still catching my breath. I also felt it wise not to invade their little reunion.
"I see," Richard replied. "You know what this means? Pack what you have." Kevin and Brittany exchanged blank looks, and Richard explained more. "Your father told me once that if anything were to befall him and your mother, he wanted me and Aunt Stefania to take you in. It's come to that eventuality".
All at once, I realized what this meant. My emotions took over and all logic in me was voided for the moment. "No! You aren't going to take my children from me! You can't do that!" I ran up to the trio, suddenly gasping and trying hard to keep my balance.
Richard looked over at me. " 'Your' children? And who might you be?"
I had slowed my breathing in an attempt to speak clearly, but I stuttered a little. "T-T-Terra. My name is Terra. I've been caring for all these children for the past year, ever since I stumbled upon this ruined village after the great collapse."
He eyed me. "So you've been taking care of them while awaiting me to show up?"
I paused, trying to find the right words. "Well, not exactly. I had no idea you were coming at all. I simply felt needed when I arrived here. The children immediately took to me. Most of them began calling me 'Mama' and continue doing so."
Richard laughed, but then his face bore a serious look as he asked me a question. "Mama? Terra, how old are you?"
I could tell he was analyzing me. I was reluctant to answer him but somehow I managed. "Nnnnnnnn-nineteen. Why?"
I knew what was coming. Reality was now coming back to me, as much as I tried denying it. Simply hearing Brittany say 'Uncle Richard' had opened my eyes to something I'd never considered before. These two children had family in other parts of the world. Others probably did too.
Richard spoke again. "At your age, being a 'mama' shouldn't be a concern. Aside from being far too young to be a mother figure for one child, what have you done in your life that makes you feel you're worthy to take on the motherly role for all these orphans?"
I hesitated. I thought to mention that Katarin was an actual mother two years younger than myself, but that would do little to answer his question. I ingested his words and tried thinking of a worthwhile answer, and it hit me. What had I done in my life that would have me deserving the 'mama' title? Only a year prior, I'd said my name for the first time in my whole entire life. I knew little of my own background. Once I became aware of it, I felt like an outcast, a human-esper hybrid crossover, a freak of nature, an isolated majority of one. To top it all off, I had few memories of my own mother. I began wondering if the answer to Richard's question was more for my benefit than his.
I finally gave the best answer I could think of, still an honest one, but unsatisfactory all the same. "I felt they were in need and that I should help out. I just wanted to lend a hand." My voice was weak and shaky.
Richard nodded. "I appreciate your concern, and understand your willingness to care. And I applaud you for your efforts. But if you truly care about all these children and their wellbeing, you'll hand over the caretaking to those better suited for the task. There are far too many children here for just one person to take care of, and this village is too far gone to rebuild. It's too dangerous out here on the veldt. The children deserve better. They need both a mother and a father figure in their lives, for they have emotional needs that you yourself simply can't meet. And Terra," he looked me in the eyes directly "from the looks of things, you also have emotional needs you must deal with. If you truly care about the children as you claim, you know this is what's best for them, and for you".
I looked at Richard's jacket and saw something that I'd missed before, an insignia of sorts. I'd seen one exactly like that before in South Figaro. There was a naval port near there, where naval ships often docked, some local, some from Nikeah. The staff at the port wore a uniform much like his, and I put the pieces together. Richard was a naval officer, a Lieutenant judging from the stripes on his sleeve. I was talking to a military man, someone who had knowledge and expertise comparable to the late General Leo. I now understood why he could read me like a book, even though I gave such miniscule answers to his questions. Who was I to argue with him? He was twice my age at least, and he was the uncle to a pair of the children after all. In Kevin and Brittany's case, he had more of a right to take them in than I did.
"I understand". My voice was little more than a whisper and my legs were so weak that I had to sit on a nearby rock for support.
"Very well. I've been preparing for this occasion for some time now. Back home in Nikeah we've put up a boarding house for the children to reside in while they await adoption from extended family or otherwise. Organizing all of this is partly the reason for my long overdue visit. I have a ship docked just south of the village. Brittany, go to the others and tell them I've arrived, and that I'll take them all to Nikeah where they'll find new homes and families."
The eight-year old nodded and ran to tell the others. I looked at Kevin and simply asked, "How? And why didn't you tell me?"
The first part was simple. Kevin explained that he knew how to catch use carrier pigeons because he'd often sent letters for the injured ex-Imperial soldier who was bedridden before the collapse. A plant full of berries which the pigeons ate had survived the attack, and the birds were taken as carriers when they'd flock to the bush for feeding.
The second part of my question had a more complex answer. "I wasn't sure how to explain it since you were happy with us around. I thought if I told you beforehand, you wouldn't believe me, or that you'd feel hurt in some way because we'd be leaving. I just thought it was best that you only find out once Uncle Rich here," he gave his uncle a pat on the back "stopped by in person. I knew you'd find out, one way or the other". Kevin finished his explanation and ran back to the village, leaving me with Richard.
All I could do was nod my head. I was still numb. My sole purpose of living during Kefka's reign and after his death was now being taken from me, and I'd never seen it coming. The very people who helped me discover the essence of love, my first and greatest desire in my under-privileged life, were now going away. And I'd only hurt them if I tried stopping it. I wanted the best for them, and there was no way that I could deny them that just to fill a void in my own heart. At the moment, that void was growing larger than I thought it ever could, even larger than the one I felt after learning of my crossbreed heritage.
The children had very little to pack up. Much of what they once owned was destroyed, and considering the peasant state of Mobliz even before the collapse, they had very little possessions to begin with. I watched with tearful eyes as they walked towards the awaiting ship, carrying bags of their limited belongings, two of them taking their pets, the guard dogs. I gave each child one last hug, which they returned twofold. Finally, after they all boarded, Richard turned to me. "Thank you for all that you did, but realize that you've done all you can now. The rest is out of your hands. You have a kind heart Terra, and I admire you for it. But now must search your heart and your feelings. Your place may not be here, but you have a purpose. One day I'm sure you'll find your missing link."
"Thank you," I replied through sniffles.
"With time you'll heal. Farewell, Terra." And with that he turned and walked off toward the ship, and the awaiting children on board. I watched him enter, and watched more as the ship pulled away and sailed off into the ocean. I stared after the boat until it vanished amid the sparkling blue waves, and continued staring for an undetermined amount of time afterward.
I lost track, but once the sun had set and the sky darkened, I heard Katarin's voice behind me. She, Duane, and their child were now the only ones left in this village, other than myself. "It's getting dark. I know you must be depressed beyond belief right now, grieving so much that words cannot describe your heartbreak, but it will do you no good to dwell on this and absently gaze out at nothing. Come in. I'll make you supper."
"Thanks," I answered with a shaky voice "but I'm not hungry." I started walking back to my house, than stopped to look at Katarin. "You can relocate now, as you've been wishing for some time. There's no reason for you to stay here any longer."
"What about you?" she called after me.
"I need to be alone now. My services are no longer needed. Just leave me be." I walked into my house and shut the door behind me. Then I laid down on my bed and cried.
The next several days were a blur. I became totally withdrawn, doing little more than cry while awake. I only got up to eat whatever Duane and Katarin made, since I wasn't making anything for myself. One night I went to sleep and woke up the next morning to find my pillow and sheets soaking wet. I'd been crying in my sleep and didn't even realize it. I was hiding from the world, sulking in the most heartbreaking ordeal I'd ever experienced. I felt totally self-conscious, a grown nineteen year-old woman quivering in bed like a cowardly girl, too frightened and weak to cope with life. I was totally ashamed of myself for being so reclusive, so helpless, and so unable to control my emotions, or even understand them. The children would be happy where they were going. I couldn't figure out why I'd become saddened.
One day, Duane came to my bedside and announced that he, Katarin and their daughter were leaving Mobliz for Tarynsen, a suburb of Nikeah where his grandfather once had a carpentry business. They urged me to leave Mobliz as well, saying I had to move on if my shattered heart were to mend itself, and that staying here wouldn't help the healing process. We said our good-byes the next day, and I looked at the pigeon aviary, finding one last bird. I wrote to Edgar, explaining how the uncle of two of the orphans had come from afar and had taken all the children with him to be put up for adoption, that Mobliz was now deserted, and that I just wanted to leave it behind and head to Figaro for the time being. I sent the letter off with the bird, packed my limited stash of belongs, and waited. Setzer arrived with the Falcon three days later.
end flashback
"And you know the rest of the story, I'm sure." I took the last sip of my lemonade.
"Intriguing story," Sabin replied as he finished off his own drink.
"I soon realized why I felt so depressed. It wasn't the loss of the children that hit me, but more the realization of just how much I hadn't lived up to that point, that I put so much stock and emphasis into discovering love that I thought of nothing else. I'd gotten emotionally dependent upon the children whom I cared for."
"But don't think it was a total waste. After all, you learned a valuable trade while there, and you've put that to good use. You've made a healthy amount of GP playing 'Aunt Terra' to the children of Figaro's finest while they attend to business. You no longer need Edgar to finance your pad in Narshe. Plus you don't have to be so busy anymore."
"Yeah, that's true. More free time is always a pleasure, but I still have yet to find…..whatever else it is that I am lacking".
Sabin put his hand on my shoulder again. "Well Terra, you can always count on us. I know that what we've been through, all that we've done together, has taught you that". I heard the sound of flip-flopping sandals coming closer and saw Relm appeared, in a new pair of jeans, to remove the empty drinking glasses.
"I guess break time's over now. Shall we continue?" I stood up and stretched.
"Certainly". Sabin got up and we returned to the obelisk.
A few more greenish-silver Aurabolts did the trick, shattering the six-foot-tall stone into a slab surrounded by head-sized rocks and gravel. I was so grateful for Sabin's blitz training. I'd finally learned some of the emotional discipline exercises to contain my depression bouts. Anytime I got into a bad train of thought, I snapped myself out once I became aware that I was resuming old habits again.
"Looks like we're out of time for today." Sabin glanced at the clock, than gave me a smile. "You've done enough damage for this session". He pointed at the shattered obelisk and admired my handiwork. Gau appeared, loading the larger fragments into a trash cart and sweeping up the gravel with a broom and dustpan.
"I'd best be off". I grabbed my purple sweater off the back of the chair and slipped it on.
Sabin gave me his signature 'big brother' hug. "Feel free to stick around or wander about. Stop by and see my brother. Goddesses only know what he's producing in the workshops now. Something that makes life easier in any case. See ya' next session."
I waved goodbye and walked out to the street. I did feel like going to the castle as Sabin had mentioned. I flagged down a southbound chocobo carriage and stepped aboard. The train I took to and from Narshe had yet to be extended all the way to the castle. Like so many other projects, Edgar most certainly had railway expansion in the works.
The carriage dropped me off a couple blocks from Figaro Castle's south entrance. I walked a little before stopping a corner. Something there caught my eye, a newspaper machine displaying the day's paper in the window. The front page headline grabbed my attention, so I pulled a few coins from my belt purse and dropped them into the slot. The Daily Voice of Figaro was printed in large black letter font across the top of the front page, the title of the capitol's newspaper. I scrolled down to see the headline I'd noticed before, appropriately titled 'Tension Grips Southern Region'.
Riots in the Albrook area were escalating. These had been going on for a while now, what with the underclass rioting against the wealthy nobility and government officials, but the violence that accompanied such protests was increasing in ferocity. A government office had been firebombed, a noble couple was beaten and stabbed to death by an armed group of underclass, their children were kidnapped to 'find new recruits', and an uptown commerce plaza had been vandalized by some extremist guerrilla group that was a total enigma.
I felt reluctant empathy. Having been used and abused by the wealthy Empire, I could understand that the lower classes of society would naturally hold grudges against those in power. The fall of Kefka and the Empire resulted in no centralized government in the southern land. Noble houses had been quarreling for a position of leadership and often used the innocent underclass against one another in their struggles for influence. Still, I truly believed that riots, anarchy, and criminal violence was not solving anything. There had to be another solution.
I'd had enough of the front page article, and decided to flip the page. As much as the Albrook riots were disturbing, the next article had a very puzzling twist to it. A Jidooran military outpost in the city of Foraziale, a few miles outside of Maranda, had been attacked. Not by rioting underclass, but from what appeared to be wild monsters.
I closed the newspaper. These two articles were cause for concern, even if their events happened on the other side of the world. I had questions, and was a stone's throw away from whom I wanted to ask them. Surely he was aware of the current happenings.
I entered the castle, and went to the throne room. Edgar was nowhere in sight. There was only one other probable place to find him, so I retraced my steps across the commerce hall and courtyard to the engine room in basement one, and took the stairs down into basement two.
The workshop and drafting rooms were busy as usual. I went with my hunch and found Edgar in a munitions room, standing over a table wearing thick brown gloves and a steel mask, welding torch in hand. The room was crowded, but the other tech workers were pre-occupied, so I figured I'd have Edgar's undivided attention, at least for a moment.
I tapped him on the shoulder. The welding ceased and he turned to remove his mask. "Why good day, up-and-coming blitz mistress Terra. Has my little brother been training you to your heart's content?" Though Edgar had tossed out the empty flattery for the most part, he still did it jokingly with old friends like Celes and me.
"The training's going fine Edgar. I'm here to ask about something else entirely."
"Oh," he replied, pulling off his work gloves. "What's up?"
I handed him the newspaper. "Have you read the front page?" I asked. "What's going on down there is quite chaotic, to say the least. A combination of civil unrest on one end of the continent and the anomalous outpost attack on the other. As a King, don't you think you should lend a hand down there?"
Edgar scratched his chin. "Terra, what goes on down in the southern land is none of my business. We haven't done trading with any of the lower countries, or city-states, if you get technical. We're currently on neutral ground with them, and they've not asked Figaro for any assistance in the matter. Power struggles between smaller nations for establishment of centralized leadership are best left alone by outsiders. The last thing my glorious dynasty needs is to get involved in a civil dispute that concerns it not."
I sighed. He had a point about staying out of conflict that didn't concern him. But the outpost attack was something else. I couldn't help but wonder if there was some odd connection, even though logic would dictate it was just coincidence that they took place in the same region around the same time. "What about the attack in Foraziale? What if something like that were to take place here, at one of Figaro's or Narshe's assets? I vaguely recall a place in the Hyaxulan Mountains that you often supply with machinery in exchange for products, some kind of mining colony. Don't you think a monster attack could happen there?"
"You must be referring to the Shedairah Mining Facility." He smiled. "I am touched by your concern, believe me. But understand, the mining place you speak of is underneath the Shedairah Military Base, under the guard of Narshe's finest. Every person there, civilian and soldier alike, knows how to deal with such matters. Their commander is an experienced combat vet. Thought his squared face is about as appealing as his snobbish personality, Major Bozwensc is no softy. Remember Terra, monsters are little more than animals, big dumb animals. The folks up in Shedairah are more than capable of dealing creatures that wallow around in their own dung. They're part of the Figaroan Monarchy, and that alone means something."
"Okay Ed. I guess you're right. You'd know better than me, of course. I shouldn't be such a worrywart."
He patted my cheek. "Gotcha. Hey, I don't mean to shoo you off like this, but I have to get back to the munitions. You know how it is. I still sometimes hate being a king."
I nodded and turned to leave. "Have fun," I called over my shoulder as I left. Maybe I was worrying for no reason. I would know. How much did I worry back before the collapse? What did it accomplish? All it did was make me unhappy and insecure. I was glad to have stopped. Maybe that's what Relm meant on the numerous occasions when she'd say 'Terra, loosen up, and get a life, 'kay?'
I left the castle, thinking to myself. Edgar knows what he's talking about. This stuff, like politics and diplomacy, is his stock and trade.
This put me at ease. Monster attacks were trivial nowadays, save for the veldt. And what logical connection could there be between the Foraziale incident and the Albrook riots? They were totally different in nature. The answer was none.
