Fragile Snow
Storm
Everything throbbed. The air crackled with static much like before a rolling thunderstorm through the plains. The hairs on Terra's neck stood straight like soldiers. The energy was so strong, so tangible that she could almost see the magic ruffling through the air. But magical energy felt very different from mere static electricity. Magic had that something, that substance to it that made her blood rush to her head. It made her own magic surge rapidly, and she had to make a conscious effort to not unleash her own powers and become a ball of fire.
Even Locke, who did not have a strong aptitude for magic, could smell the storm coming very quickly their way.
"Ter, what's going on?" he asked with an anxious edge in his voice. Locke touched her arm beneath her cloak and retracted his hand quickly. She was on fire. Almost literally.
"Something's coming. It's powerful, too." She replied softly as she scanned the skies and horizon.
Then it came. Magic heaved to the east of them in a concentrated bolt and struck something that had to have been at least fifty miles away.
And yet, Terra could feel it all.
"Get down!" she cried, yanking Locke with her by the jacket sleeve to the stony ground. The waves of energy blew past them with enough force to cause their bodies to skid away from the impact several yards. The roar was deafening and lasted for what felt like several minutes.
"What the heck was that?!" Locke yelled over the crash, his arm wrapped around Terra's shoulders in a vice grip. The wind moaned angrily above them before calming somewhat. Terra opened her eyes and saw the grim red sky with clouds that spilled all over one another like torrents in a river. Terra shook, and for the life of her, she could not get his high pitched cruel laughter to fade from her ears.
Like mice! Scurry! Flee!
"That was the Light of Judgment…" she breathed.
Locke's grip tightened even more on her shoulder, "That monster." Locke pulled Terra to her feet after a moment of waiting for anymore blasts.
"C'mon, let's get as far away as we can." His hand did not release hers. She hesitated, looking towards the blast site.
She felt the energy still. Knew that the target was completely leveled. It was a full blast, not a weaker one like he used on Albrook or Tzen. Not one that he used to merely scare the people into submission. Blood was not even left on the ground. And Kefka knew she was witness to it. The laughter did not cease.
She let Locke lead her along north. A mere glance at her face told Locke that she had pulled inwards. He'd seen that look on her face before when she first heard Kefka in the Figaro castle courtyard. And he knew better than to ask how she was feeling.
Especially when she teetered off to the side a ways and vomited onto the barren ground. He held her bangs back as she trembled and used his sleeve to wipe her mouth. Handkerchiefs were in short supply. When she was finished, they continued on north. Terra still felt that aftershock in her veins, and knew in her heart that this would not be the last time they saw Kefka's destruction.
A/N: I think I'm going to keep going with chapters like this. I had originally wanted to make this one big oneshot. But for now, little chapters like this can work. This chapter is set a few months before the first. Thanks for reading!
-Moogle