Chapter 1: The Search

Dark clouds rolled above the desolate kingdom of Alexandria. Large blobs of rain came crashing down over broken spires and shattered towers. The Paling was destroyed; no shield protected the kingdom as waves of imperial warships hovered over the capital. No knights guarded the barren streets that were littered with debris, broken glass and large chunks of stone. The crown was broken and the king was dead. It was only fitting the kingdom should soon follow.

Thunder shook the skies and several wails cried out as thousands of people were corralled along the center of the capital. Many were farmers and others were nobility. Some were peasants and others merchants; all had been citizens of Alexandria. All would soon become slaves of the Empire.

Thousands of armed soldiers dragged and pushed their prisoners along, forcing them into clustered lines where they were processed and chained. From there, they would be thrown into caravans and transported to the Empire.

Fear permeated the air. Children screamed as they were torn from their weeping mothers. Men and women cried under the heated iron brand that marked them. Families were forced apart. Some were beaten into submission and others tortured just for sick pleasure. All were made to know the utter futility of their resistance.

But in the shadows, not far from the processing center, two cloaked figures stood atop the crumbling ramparts, hidden behind the rising parapets. Large chunks of the stonework were charred with the scars of war while other parts were broken or caved in. The destruction gave the two cloaked figures the cover they needed.

A large warship hovered slowly overhead, it's rotors buzzing loud against the thundering storm. Combined with the falling rain, it made any other sounds more difficult to hear. Which was just as well for Agrias Oaks and Aerith Gainsborough. The two woman watched pensively as people were ravaged and treated like animals. Agrias gripped the hilt of her sword from beneath the folds of her cloak and dashed her sleeve across her soaking brow. "What does the Mist show you?" She whispered, looking down at her silent companion. "Can you see her?"

Aerith minced her lips as fresh rain rolled down her pale face. Her emerald eyes blinked rapidly, but her focus was sharp. She took another moment to concentrate before shaking her head. "No, Preceptor. I can see no sign of her."

Agrias nodded firmly. "Nor can I. She must be elsewhere." The older woman rose to her feet, ignoring the cold chill of her soaking wet cloak. "We'll try the castle next. Let's move!"

Agrias turned and took two steps before she realized her apprentice hadn't moved from her spot. She turned sharply, a few strands of her errant blond locks pasting against her wet brow. "Aerith!" She hissed. "We're moving!"

Aerith flinched and shifted her head slowly. "Preceptor…" She began pensively. "Those people… what will become of them?"

"It is just as you see. They will be sent to the Empire."

Aerith clenched her gloved fingers, feeling the tension rising within. "Isn't there anything we can do?"

"Aerith!" Agrias glared and her voice was sharp but low. "Focus! We have a mission!"

"But those people!"

"Are beyond our ability to help for the time being! We did not come here to liberate a fallen kingdom!"

Aerith deflated at the reprimand of her mentor and suddenly the rain felt too heavy for her shoulders. "What good is our gift if we can't use it to help people?"

"And what would you have us do?" Agrias was angry now. Every second they wasted with this debate was a greater risk they took of being discovered. But she couldn't help it. In all of her years of training her young apprentice, Aerith had always been compassionate and held a special place in her heart for the downtrodden. It was one of her best qualities and one of her greatest flaws. But this time, Agrias would not allow her apprentice to let her emotions get the better of her.

"We are surrounded by Imperials!" She continued. "Alexandria's soldiers are dead. The Guardians of the tower are dead. The king is dead. There is only one person who can save this land and her people; that is who we must protect!"

Aerith hesitated. She knew her mentor was right, but she still couldn't release the pang of regret she felt deep within her heart.

"Come!" Agrias urged. "There is little time. It won't be long before they realize something is amiss and if they send an Elite after us, all will be lost! Now COME!"

The blond woman snatched her apprentice by the shoulder and it was enough to jerk Aerith into action. The young brunette nodded her head sharply and fell in step behind her mentor.

"Forgive me, Preceptor." Aerith whispered in a chastened voice. "I overstepped my bounds."

"This is not the time." Agrias replied in low sharp tones. "Remember your mission. Let nothing else fill your mind."

"Yes, Preceptor."

Agrias rushed swiftly down the narrow path of the rampart. The parapets continued to cast their shadows over the two women but Agrias was still worried. The war had aged the buildings beyond their time and every step they took struck heavily against the loose stones. She could only pray that the deep rumble of the warships would mask their movement.

She rounded a sharp corner and came to a stop at the edge of the building. Several feet away, the next building stood higher with its own shattered rooftop. Agrias wasted no time. She closed her eyes, searching deep within herself for that familiar spark that she knew was there. The scent of the Mist invaded her nostrils. The Mist was fueled by the crystal towers and while none but the gifted could ever harness that power, for those who could, it was as clear and present as the very rain that seized them. It was their mark; the mark of a Guardian!

Agrias harnessed the strands of Mist that bubbled deep within her and when her glowing eyes snapped open, ethereal coils wrapped around her body as she leapt over the edge of the building. The flow of the Mist swept her up and her body sped through the air on the wings of her spell before she buckled her body and tumbled over the cobblestones of the second tower. She rolled with the fall, making little noise as she rounded on all fours. She turned with satisfaction as Aerith rolled into her own landing, just as silently. Her young apprentice was more in tune with the Mist; more in tune than any other Guardian since Ajora's time. Agrias knew why but she dared not reveal it to her apprentice, not yet.

The blond woman rose silently to her feet, passing her apprentice a sharp nod, before she sped down the second rampart and sprung from it's ledge to the next building. Aerith followed close behind. Together, the Guardian and her apprentice leapt from tower to tower beneath the shadows of the city walls, swiftly making their way towards the tall structure that was Alexandria Castle.

A flash of lightning marked the sky and illuminated the outer walls of the castle. The stonework was still brilliant and majestic but the signs of it's defeat were evident. Torn banners flailed under a snatching wind. Large chunks of the wall were gouged out where cannon fire had torn into the massive castle. Many of the flying buttresses were shattered or fractured and the giant, iron sword emblem that once stood high at the center of the castle's face was now torn down, it's iron broken in two as one half stood buried into the pavement at it's base and the other end was buried deep into the moat surrounding the rising structure.

Agrias stopped on the rooftop just before the moat and gazed out at the decadent ruin. Aerith stopped next to her, her green eyes shimmering in the darkness.

"I sense her!"

Agrias whipped her face towards the young brunette. She didn't sense anything. But Aerith was more sensitive to the waves of the Mist than she was. "Are you sure?"

Aerith closed her eyes for several moments. Rain fell heavily against her cowl and face but she remained crouched. Slowly, she opened her soaked eyelids and nodded. "Yes. She's there. I'm positive!"

Agrias narrowed her eyes. "Then that's where we'll go."

"Preceptor, I can sense several Imperial soldiers around every corner of the castle. How will we get in? They'll spot us as soon as we traverse the moat."

Agrias rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Then we won't traverse the moat."

"Preceptor?!?" Aerith blinked.

"We'll go under it! Every castle must have an aqueduct, especially one that sits within a moat. We'll make our way into the castle through there." Agrias flashed her apprentice a rare grin. "Never fail to think outside of the box, Aerith."

The young brunette nodded enthusiastically. "Thank you, Preceptor. I won't forget."

Without another word, Agrias leapt from their building, this time plunging towards the earth. Again she searched within herself, grasping the coils of Mist that blossomed around her, softening her landing. From there, she dashed along the building, keeping to the shadows. Aerith was right behind her.

They could hear the imperials marching in the distance. Aerith held her breath and moved closer to Agrias. But the blond woman shook her head slowly and held a finger to her lips. They continued to move along the side of the wall until they stopped several feet before an outcropping of trees that stood just before the ledge dropped off into the moat. Both women tapped into the Mist and tracked the soldier's movements. Four of them were in the clearing. For any normal person, it would have been impossible to get to the moat without being spotted. But for those tied to the Mist, it required only patience.

The instant all four imperials looked away, both women dashed to the ledge. Agrias jumped first, letting the Mist cover her body as she slipped into the water without a sound. Aerith followed right behind with equal silence. Thunder struck against the gray clouds and more rain fell. The Imperial soldiers continued on with their patrols, unaware of the invaders.

Beneath the rolling waves, both women swam deeper. The waves were rough and the currents fierce but with the Mist guiding them, neither one was worried. Agrias slipped out of her cloak as she swam, her blond locks billowing with the waves. She strained her eyes, searching for the opening. Aerith swam next to her, letting her own cloak slip away.

Together, they swam closer along the rocky surface of the castle's base. It was a long swim and their reserves were wearing thin. Even with the aid of the Mist, they could only hold their breath for so long. Finally Agrias spotted the soft bubbling of water in the lake. She nudged her apprentice and swamp towards the oval opening carved into the rocky surface of the castle's foundation. Aerith followed close behind.

Agrias linked her hand over the edge and immediately felt the force of the water pressure. It was harder to focus while holding her breath but she had survived far worse than this. Concentrating, she grasped the Mist and felt her body propelling upwards through the tunnel, against the currents. Aerith sailed more smoothly but the young woman stayed right beside her.

The aqueduct was dark and thankfully neither one of them had to touch the gritty walls. They continued to rise until finally both women broke through the waves. Agrias sucked in waves of air and blinked her bleary eyes above the water, scanning their surroundings. Aerith gasped beside her and shook her wet locks. The room was cavernous but there was a tempered elegance to the room's natural luster. In between the multitude of stalactites, there were ribbed arches spanning across the walls and in the distance, she could see a level surface walkway made of stone.

"Preceptor!"

"I see it." Agrias nodded. They swam towards the walkway now and Agrias was the first to push herself out of the water. Her golden tresses clung against her scalp and she pushed several strands away from her eyes then checked her waist, making sure her sword was still strapped to her belt.

Agrias was dressed in a knee length, blue overcoat with overlapping coils of armor strapped about her. From the waist, below her belt, her coat was tapered and hemmed with armored beads where they fell over brown leather leggings, just above the knee bracers of her armored boots.

Aerith wore a similar blue overcoat, but instead of her mentor's overlapping armor, Aerith coat was securely buttoned and she wore a thick leather belt around her waist which held her sword. She also wore similar leather brown leggings and boots.

The young woman grabbed a handful of her hair before wringing it out. She winced at the sounds of water splashing against the pavement. She hoped no one was near enough to hear it. Just then, she realized her mistake. She hadn't searched the Mist for any signs of life yet; she'd been so happy to see land that she just assumed! Her face stricken, she immediately took a cautious step back and whipped her face towards her mentor. "Preceptor!?!"

"We're fine." Agrias waved her hand reassuringly, understanding her apprentice's fears. "I checked the mist when we first came up. No one's here."

Aerith released a sigh of relief then lowered her eyes in shame. "Forgive me, Preceptor. I let my guard down."

Agrias shook her head. "Just be sure to not repeat the same mistake." She looked over their surroundings, taking slow steps down the walkway. "This room is old. I doubt the Imperials waste their time coming anywhere near it." She looked up watching as large pockets of water fell from oval openings in the surrounding walls where they all dumped into the lake they'd swam from. The thought sickened her and she wrinkled her nose. "Be sure to wash up at the nearest lake when we get out of here."

Aerith blanched at her mentor's statement, suddenly feeling sick.

"Nonetheless, that will have to wait." Agrias continued. Once more, she tapped into the Mist, but this time the strands were harder to grasp hold of. Her body's fatigue sapped her focus and despite her efforts, the threads were as fragile as the strands of a spider web. As soon as she wrapped her mind around the Mist, she could hold it for only precious few seconds before it dissipated from her thoughts. Agrias narrowed her eyes, struggling to focus more but her breath fell in harsh gasps. She drew a shaking arm across her brow and swallowed the heavy lump in her throat. Had she reached her limit already? That couldn't be it. Something else was happening.

She looked back over to Aerith and her apprentice was watching her carefully. "The Mist eludes me," She explained. "Can you tap into the Mist? Can you find her?"

Aerith furrowed her brow before closing her eyes. Several moments passed and Agrias could see the lines of tension crossing the young woman's forehead. It made her worried. Aerith hardly ever had troubling connecting with the Mist. Agrias was about to stop her when the young woman's eyes suddenly snapped open. They bloomed with an ethereal green hue and by her posture, she looked as though she were still concentrating.

"I see her!" Aerith gasped. "It's hard… something is repelling the Mist… I… can't hold it long… but I see her… the second floor, left wing!"

And just like that, the glow dissipated from Aerith eyes. As if the very light had been holding her upright, the brunette fell to her knees and crumbled onto her hands, gasping for air.

Agrias rushed to her side and knelt down. "Aerith!"

"I'm alright, Preceptor." She breathed, drinking air as though it were water. "But something is wrong with this castle. I don't know what it is… something repels the Mist."

Agrias eyes grew somber and she nodded stiffly. "Yes. I felt it as well. And whatever it is, it may have noticed our efforts just now. We should hurry!"

Aerith nodded, sucking in one last breath of air.

"Can you stand?"

"Yes, Preceptor." Aerith slowly rose to her knees, waving her mentor's hand away gently. "I will be fine now."

"Stay alert. If there is a trap waiting for us, we should not rule out the possibility that the Empire has deployed Elites as well."

Aerith blanched and gave her mentor a cautious stare. "It won't be so easy getting out of here, will it?"

"Just focus on the mission." Agrias turned and started towards a pale opening at the end of the walkway. The young woman followed her mentor without further delay. Agrias was grateful. If they really couldn't harness the Mist in the castle, the situation had just become that much more dangerous. Nevertheless, they 'would' accomplish their mission; the fate of all Ivalice depended on their success!

XXXX

Garnet knew something was wrong; she could feel it! Only she wasn't exactly sure what it was. One moment, all was silent and as normal as life had been in the past two years since she'd begun hiding out in the large castle that once belonged to her father. She had just finished her prayers in the ruined chapel of the castle when she felt it; a tickling sensation that ran up and down the length of her spine. It felt like an army of ants racing along her skin.

The raven haired young woman of eighteen shivered in the dark shadows. Dressed in faded olive-green leggings and a white blouse with a frilly collar, she slowly leaned into a standing position. Her eyes glanced over the aging pews. The brown oak was once beautifully polished and as a child, she loved to race up and down the rows. But now the red carpet was stained with dirt and debris. The ceiling caved in at the center where cannon fire had scorched the stone and brought down large blocks of masonry to rest against the shattered chairs. The few chairs that remained intact were dusty, cracked and rotting with neglect. The red carpet was stained in blood; the bodies had long since been carted off. Several of the columns that lined the chapel room were scorched and nicked where swords had chipped away at them in a fight that ended long ago.

While the alter had it's own share of damage, it still remained whole. And beyond the alter, there was a small oval window that looked out into the sky. The stain glass had been shattered but Garnet loved the view even still. It gave her hope that life still went on and as long as the stars glittered in the night sky and the sun blossomed in the day, she would keep on living, she would keep on resisting, and she would never give up.

But that didn't stop her from balking under the weight of her fear. Her hand wrapped over the small talisman that she wore around her neck. Long ago, after the death of her father, she had been approached by a man. She was only fourteen and she feared she would share in her father's fate. But instead, the man took pity on her. She wasn't sure why or even if he knew who she was. But he had given her the talisman and told her where to hide. He'd instructed her never to take it off and that, if ever there came a time when the talisman shimmered, she should hide and hide well, because someone was tapping into the wells of the Mist to find her.

In two years, she'd never had to worry about that and she had almost forgotten entirely. But now, as she saw that thin sliver of stone beginning to glow, the memories came flooding back and her eyes shook with fear. Quickly, she rushed over towards the nearest chair and snatched up the pale grey cloak that had been resting there. She threw the dusty cloth over her shoulders, raised the cowl and pulled the drawstrings taunt against her chin. Her eyes scanned again over the darkened hall but nothing jumped out at her; at least not yet!

Garnet wasn't going to take any chances. She rushed across the room towards the shadowed corner where she knew a hidden door lay. Over the past two years, she had time to explore all of the hidden passageways her father had built into his castle walls. Her father had been a practical man and he tried to prepare for everything. Garnet was grateful for that caution and she was equally careful to always cover her tracks; it kept her alive this long and if she had her way, it would continue to keep her alive even longer.

She pressed against a square block of stone where she knew it would depress. As it did, a small portion of the wall slowly shifted in. she was careful not to press too hard and once the opening was big enough, she slipped her thin frame through. As soon as she let go, the wall carefully shifted back into place. The hallway was dark but she was used to it by now. She knew no one could see the light from behind walls but she wouldn't take any chances.

She sprinted down the narrow hall, feeling her shoulders brushing against either sides of the walls. The thought had crossed her mind to simply stay put behind the walls and wait for a time. But this was the first time anyone had tried using the Mist to find her. And if there were more powerful people searching for her, she wanted to know who they were. Had the Empire finally deployed Weavers? Of course she had only heard of such beings; creatures who could harness the Mist just like the guardians, only without the rigorous years of adaptation and training. During the war, she had heard people speaking of such beings and she wasn't sure if they were entirely human. Only Guardians were capable of controlling the powers of the Mist but they had all been wiped out when the Empire raided the Crystal Tower in Alexandria and broke through their ranks during the Great War. So if anyone was tapping into the Mist now, it had to be Weavers.

The thought sent fresh chills down her spine. If there were Weavers here, what would she do? She knew she couldn't fight them. As it was, she could barely even hold a sword. Garnet bit the edge of her lip and narrowed her eyes. No! She wouldn't give up! Even if there were Weavers, she would fight till the bitter end.

That train of thought encouraged her for what she was planning to do. She paused at the second opening to her right and turned in the darkness. The glowing talisman helped to light her way and she had mixed feelings about that. The man had said to hide but he didn't necessarily say that the talisman would protect her if anyone tried to use the Mist to locate her position. She only hoped it would. She ran faster, pushing those sinking thoughts from her mind.

Her journey lead her through a series a turns and twists. A few times she carefully moved from one hidden passageway into another, making sure none of the imperials on duty noticed her. She kept moving, never pausing. If she did, she was afraid her courage would fail her. She had to stay focused. If there were Weavers on her trail, she needed to outsmart them!

The passageway curved in a half arch and as she followed the bending hall, she paused half way where the wall to her left dipped out into a shadowed ledge. She scrambled up the ledge and felt her way as she crawled forward. After several paces, several pearls of light segmented the shadows into a latticed framework. She was more careful now, as she continued crawling. Before long, she was moving precariously atop the stonework that made up the ceiling of the antechamber which lead into the entrance of the castle.

Garnet hated climbing atop this structure but if the empire did send Weavers, they had to have passed through here.

Below her, Imperial guards stood watch at the entrance, casually talking amongst themselves. She glanced around but past the debris littered landscape, the charred walls, the torn tapestries and the shattered stone floor, she could see no one else. It didn't look any different than usual and that wasn't right. Search parties came looking for her before and every time they did, there was always some kind of commotion around the antechamber.

Something was different this time. And that brought fresh waves of fear. Garnet shook and her eyes darted everywhere. What could it be? The possibility that these Weavers weren't human filled her mind with new horrible ideas. Were they here right now? Were they watching her? Perhaps they found her already and were baiting her to come here!

The thought was revolting and she immediately covered her mouth, feeling sick. But when she leaned back, the edge of her boot scraped against the stone. She froze!

'No, no, no!' She screamed in her mind. Panic seized her and her eyes widened with fear. 'Please don't let them hear that! Please don't let them hear that!'

"Did you hear that noise?" One of the soldiers queried.

"Yeah. Think it was a mouse or something?"

Both Imperials were looking up now and Garnet couldn't move. She was frozen with fear and she could only pray the shadows hid her well enough that they wouldn't see her.

But luck was not on her side, when one of them suddenly pointed up. "That's no mouse! Up there! It's a straggler!"

"What? How the hell did we miss that?"

"Never mind that! Shoot him down!"

Garnet snapped. Fear sped her on. Immediately she twisted and scrambled back the other way. She heard the sharp hiss of an arrow shaft as it stabbed into the stonework behind her. She crawled faster, releasing a startled yelp as she moved. She felt hot tears springing to her eyes. She knew it wasn't the time for tears but her body had a mind of it's own. Two more arrows sliced through the lattice but neither one found it's mark. Garnet rolled the rest of the way onto the narrow hall and she could hear the sounds of clapping boots as the guards raced to find her.

"Where did he go?" One of the voices echoed.

"Couldn't have gone far! Somewhere up in the rafters! Alert the commander and have him send backup! We're not losing this mark!"

"No!" Garnet hissed. How could she have made such a mistake? How could she have been so stupid!?! She scrambled back onto her feet and rushed down the dark hallway, blindly racing through the corridor. She had to hide. She didn't know where. All she knew was that she needed to hide and she needed to hide fast!

Behind the walls, she heard more boots racing back and forth and muffled orders were being thrown around.

"Did you find him?"

"No! Simmons said he ran into the rafters!"

"Maybe the walls then?"

Garnet couldn't stand it anymore! They were going to find her! They were going to find her!! She couldn't breath. A mangled sob tore from her throat and she fell against the stone floor.

'Get up!' a voice hissed from deep within her mind. 'Get up now! You can't give up! Keep fighting!'

Tears fell to the floor and Garnet covered her mouth behind another sob. Even if she kept running, there were Weavers after her too! What could she do? Where could she go? Was she just delaying the inevitable?

The sounds of racing boots grew louder and in the distance, she heard the sounds of someone bashing something against the wall. Startled, Garnet dragged herself up to her feet. 'I'm not done yet! I can't. I can't just give up!'

She dashed through the corridors, passing through several corners. She wasn't sure where she was going. She'd lost all trace of direction and now all she knew was that she needed to get away; far away. Suddenly the hall ended and she gasped when she realized she was facing a wall. Did she dare try to pass from one passage to the next? It didn't matter. The Imperials knew about the corridors. But not all of them.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she pressed against the stone trigger and the door jerked open. She took a quick glance and sighed inwardly when she saw no activity in the darkened hallway. She quickly dashed from the opening over to the other wall and pressed her hand into the second trigger. Her heart raced and the seconds it took the wall to open felt like a lifetime. As soon as the opening was wide enough, she rushed through and delved into the shadows. She couldn't hear the Imperials anymore. All she could hear was the thundering of her own heart. But she couldn't stop now; she wouldn't stop. No matter what, she would never stop running!

XXXX

"Wait! Did you hear that!?!" Agrias frowned and crouched low against an aged wall. So far, she and Aerith had been lucky. There was light security and the Imperials they did see made careless sweeps along the halls. It gave them the advantage they needed to sweep through the darkened halls of the first floor.

The castle was eerie and the halls gave off a haunted atmosphere. Fluid shadows danced under the glow of interspersed torchlight and the storm's winds added their own resonance as they filtered down the darkened passageways from some unseen opening.

But that wasn't the noise Agrias was talking about. As soon as the two women had ascended to the second floor, she felt, more than heard, the soft rumble of armored boots crashing across the cobbled stone floor. Regardless of how lax security was down below, that was definitely not the case now.

The blond woman pressed her back against the wall and thinned her lips, feeling for the hilt of her blade. "Soldiers." She whispered to her apprentice.

But Aerith had also heard the urgent steps and was mimicking her mentor's posture. Together the two women clung to the shadows, waiting and watching for whatever was coming their way.

From across the hall, a band of soldiers came rushing past them. The illuminating torchlight glistened off their black armor and the crimson uniforms they wore underneath. Their faces were completely masked behind the polished steel with only a narrow slit for their eyes. The imperials gave them no indication that they'd seen them. Instead, they all stormed up the stairs leading towards the third level.

Aerith watched after them until they were completely out of sight before releasing a dull shudder. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing good." Agrias' face was pensive and Aerith noticed her mentor clutching the hilt of her sword tightly.

She bit back her own tension and swallowed the lump in her throat. "Do you think they're after us?"

"No." Agrias shook her head. "We've been lucky so far and nothing we've seen would indicate otherwise. Something else is going on." The older woman narrowed her eyes. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Aerith nodded slowly. "What should we do?"

"We stay low and stick to our original plan. With any luck, the child will be where you last sensed her."

But Aerith knew she wouldn't be and so did her mentor. Something was blocking the Mist and now something had also riled the Imperials. Whatever was going on, one thing they were both certain of was that their predicament would become far worse before it got better; 'if' it got better. Once again, Aerith wondered if they'd get through this mission alive.

Not to say Aerith feared death. For the last five years of her life, she and her mentor had constantly been forced into life and death situations while struggling to evade the shadow of the Empire's most dangerous faction of soldiers; The Elites. Together, they had escaped many harrowing situations and won several battles they otherwise should have lost. Every day she could wake up and draw breath was a gift. No; by now, Aerith was used to the idea that her next meal could possibly be her last. What frightened her was the sheer magnitude of their mission. If they couldn't find this child, this Princess of Alexandria, it could spell doom for the resistance and all of Ivalice. The thought of Midgar continuing their rampage, unfettered by any hope of their defeat, was more harrowing and disturbing to her than anything else.

So it was with firm conviction that Aerith tightened her fingers into fists and reached for the hilt of her own concealed sword before nodding with purpose towards her mentor. "We will find her Preceptor… we have to!"

A shadow of a grin played across Agrias lips. But it was gone a second later. The blond woman pushed away from the wall and sped down the desolate halls of Alexandria's castle. Aerith followed close behind. They ran past several rooms and from what she saw, she couldn't help the sinking feeling that festered at the pit of her stomach . Torn banners. Doors cleaved through by some jagged weapon. And in some rooms, she saw the rugs and bed sheets stained with dried blood from years ago. They never had a chance.

But the princess did! Aerith centered her thoughts the way her mentor often instructed her. She couldn't change the past; it was done and buried. But she could do something about the present. Their actions now could save thousands from ever enduring a travesty such as this. This thought encouraged her but only a little.

Finally Agrias stopped just within the shadows of a wide intersection. The blond woman trained her eyes on their surroundings but the hallway was barren, no sounds of armored boots on the soft carpet, nor the sight of any Imperials on post. Aerith breathed a sigh of relief. At least for now, they were safe. But she blanched when she saw her mentor staring back at her.

"We're at the west wing." Agrias explained. "Where to now? How far along did you sense her?"

Aerith nodded. "It was in a large room. I couldn't make out much more than that."

"That should be enough." Agrias mumbled thoughtfully. Without further preamble, the blond dashed forth once more and Aerith shadowed her steps. They ran several more feet and passed door after door but none of them gave any indication of leading into anything but private quarters.

Finally, they saw the shadowed impression of wide double doors along the right side of the wall. "That must be it." Agrias mused as they came closer. They fell to measured steps now and the older woman coiled her gloved fingers around her sword's hilt, leaning her shoulder against the right side of the door. "Be prepared."

Aerith nodded, swooping down along the left side. Agrias carefully reached out, pulling the door open. It immediately produced a grating noise which she stopped as soon as it had started. Aerith licked her lips and Agrias tried again. This time, slower. The noise came once more but with less volume. As soon as it was wide enough, Aerith rushed through first and pulled her sword from it's sheath.

The room was cold and carried the faint scent of oil and mold. Aerith's bright green eyes ran the length of the room while she drew pensive breaths. Her sword was poised in front of her and she carefully looked over every shadow. The room was full of shattered chairs. Large chunks of debris riddled the floor from the gaping hole in the ceiling. She slowly walked around the rubble and continued looking around.

Behind her, Agrias was also entering, and was now taking slow steps down the other end of the room. It was quiet and Aerith was beginning to doubt anyone was here.

As if reading her thoughts, Agrias relaxed her shoulders and stood a little straighter. "She must have fled by now… I can see why she would hide here though." The blond absently fingered a trail of dust along the back of an oak pew. "There are many shadows and if they're not looking, it is an unlikely place for the Imperials to visit."

Aerith's face sank. "But if she's not here, how will we find her? We can't use the Mist in here."

"There's more than one way to track someone down, my young apprentice." Agrias knelt down towards the floor, brushing her hand across the dusty stones. "Tracks…" She whispered more to herself but Aerith heard her easy enough.

Agrias rose and walked forward, following the footprints. Slowly she sank into the shadows of the room and Aerith followed pensively, curious what her mentor might find.

It didn't look like she would find anything. By the décor, she was certain this room must have been a chapel at one time. But past the debris and the ruin, she could discern nothing that would lead her to believe there was anything more that she might be missing. Not that that was saying overmuch. Most of the room was dark enough and she could barely make out anything. Nevertheless, she kept close behind while scanning the areas she 'could' see in case an ambush waited for them.

But Agrias didn't seem worried. Instead, the older woman reached out and pressed her hand into the darkness before brushing it up against a shadowed wall.

Aerith paused when her mentor stopped. Even in the shadows, both women could see there was no other way to go from there.

"Dead end." Aerith muttered. She moved towards the other direction but stopped when Agrias made no motion to follow.

"Preceptor? We should move on shouldn't we? There isn't much time!"

"No." Agrias flattened her palm against the cool stone wall and shook her head. "Something isn't right. Those tracks lead here and tracks do not lie."

Aerith frowned but nodded despite her reservations. "Ok. But now what do we do?"

Agrias didn't answer. Instead, she continued to slide her hand along the wall. Aerith gazed on in perplexity. It almost looked as if her mentor were making a patter; perhaps a sigil? But that couldn't be right. The Mist was still being blocked.

Unsure of what else to do, Aerith turned her attention towards the entrance of the chapel. She was fairly certain the guards were probably all on their way to wherever they were going, if they weren't there already, but it didn't hurt to be extra careful as her mentor would say. And besides, at least this gave her something to do. The dilapidated room made her uncomfortable. Not the pews or the alter or any of it's original décor, but the fact that it was so completely ruined and that its remains had been neglected for so long. It reminded her of the dead forest. It was unnatural and carried the weight of some inexplicable wrongness.

Aerith shook these thoughts from her mind. They shouldn't be here. Not while the Imperials were still roaming around and innocent people continued to suffer under their iron fist; not while the life of this unknown princess still hung in the balance. They were wasting time!

"Preceptor, we shouldn't stay here! We're not accom-"

Just then, a loud 'thunk' shook the walls behind her. Aerith turned towards the shadows and she could only gape at the scene that continued to unfold before her eyes. Very slowly the shadowed wall shifted, revealing a darker cavity within it's bowls. The grating sound of stone against stone was low but it still gave her goosebumps. How could a secret entrance be so completely unperceivable?

She rushed towards her mentor, fumbling her sword back into it's sheath while shaking her head in wonder. "Wha? … How?!?"

Agrias grinned but didn't turn to face her apprentice. "Smart girl. She must have been using these secret passageways to elude the Empire. I doubt the Imperials would have ever found this."

She turned and smirked. "You see Aerith, every question has an answer. All you need to do is look."

Aerith dipped her head low, humbled. "I will remember, Preceptor."

Agrias nodded and turned back towards the dark opening. "Now let's move. We still have a long way to go and we haven't a moment to waste!"

Together, the two women hurried into the dark depths, oblivious to just how very true Agrias words were.

XXXX

They were coming! With every heart wrenching step Garnet took, she was more convinced of this. She could hear the faint sounds of pounding and each resonant crash made her heart skip a beat. She had to escape! She had to keep running.

'I'm not going to die here!'

Her mind reeled as she raced down the narrow passage that dipped into the lower levels. She would escape! She had to! But, if - no - 'when' they broke through the walls, they would know all about her secret tunnels. She would never be able to return. More than anything, this sent fresh waves of horror through her mind. Where would she go? How would she survive? For as long as she could remember, the castle had been her domain, even after the Empire had seized control of it. She knew where the stores of food were kept. She knew the secret entrances and exits and she learned the Imperial soldier's patrol routes. It had been a hard life, but one she had mastered and learned to live with. Was she ready to face the unknown?

Garnet bit her lip. She had to be! There was no choice. If she stayed here, they would find her. There was no avoiding it.

'Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!' she berated herself, furiously. 'If only I hadn't made that noise! Why did things have to turn out this way?'

She was so deep into her own thoughts that she didn't notice when the distant crashing sounds stopped; nor did she catch the intermittent claps of armored boots echoing behind the sounds of her own heels racing against the stone floor.

She turned left, knowing the routes of the tunnels like the back of her head even in the darkness. The route dipped again and automatically she leaned with the tilt. She knew where to go. She would head straight to the catacombs where the tunnels ran straight until they opened out into the dead forest. But she paused before she took the left passage that would lead her there. She couldn't just leave with nothing but her thin cloak. She needed provisions.

'I won't be long.' She told herself. 'I'll just grab a few rations and other essentials I'll need. The Imperials don't know the tunnels and I do. I can afford the time to get prepared.'

Making her final decision, Garnet turned right. She would cut through the chapel. It was safe there and she'd have time to make her way to the tunnels that would take her down into the lower passages where she kept her food supply.

That plan was forming nicely in her mind and she was just beginning to feel the first embers of control returning to her rigid nerves when she caught sight of the dull shift in the darkness. Garnet jerked to a stop, her eyes widening.

"Down this way!" A voice echoed in the darkness.

Garnet froze with utter fear! How had they gotten so close?!?

"I swear I heard something!" The voice continued. "He's gotta be down this passage!"

Garnet couldn't breath. For a heart wrenching moment, she couldn't even think. What had she done? How could she have missed it? Had she lead them there???

Garnet started to back up then paused. They had heard her running! Suddenly, she didn't trust her own feet. 'What do I do!?!'

"Watch your step. Yeah, he's gotta be this way!"

The sounds grew louder and suddenly, she could see the dull blossom of torchlight in the distance. She couldn't take it anymore! She didn't care if they did see her now! She wasn't going to get caught! They wouldn't catch her! Not when she was so close!

Garnet turned sharply and prepared to move when suddenly a firm hand seized her in the darkness! Her eyes widened and her heart squeezed. 'NO! This couldn't be happening!'

Garnet would have kicked! She would have bitten, and stomped and flailed about; but instead, all she could do was gasp as a sudden sharp pain buried itself in the back of her neck and then, she knew no more.

XXXX To Be Continued XXXX

Author's Note: Thank you for reading. Please stay tuned for chapter 2.