Hydaelyn's Wing

Part 1: The Heart of the Empire

Chapter 6

Edge didn't know how to feel about being back in Ala Mhigo.

Their mission in the Imperial Quarter, which involved breaking into a Garlean officer's personal home and stealing military data, had mostly been a success. They managed to get the data, but a battle had broken out. Thankfully, several Resistance members had appeared to back them up, but not before Azionne cast an explosive fire spell and damaged the officer's home. That had earned her respect points with Cole.

After they made their escape, Cole gave them free rein to explore the city. Azionne went off by herself, but Edge decided to show Styrm around a little bit. As the day went on, though, Edge decided he wanted to be alone as he revisited the places he recognized from his youth.

His old home, in the Undercity, had a new family taking up residence now. His mother would like that. The alley where he and Ashe and all of the other city kids used to play was still filled with children. He wondered if he knew their parents. He tried to find Ashe's house, too, so he could tell her about it when he returned, but he couldn't remember how to get to it. He had been only five years old when Ala Mhigo fell, after all.

Now, he found himself closer to the outskirts of the city, aboveground, in one of the few patches of green that existed after the Garlean occupation. It was Edge's favorite place – a hill with an old cedar tree at its crest, where he and Ashe used to play all the time. When they were young, the two thought they could see all of Ala Mhigo from there. Now, he realized the city was much bigger. As he sat down and leaned against the tree's trunk, looking at the Garlean-built towers and walls and searchlights that clashed so horribly with the rest of the city, it really hit him how much it had all changed. He was glad that this place had stayed the same, at least.

He leaned back and sighed, just absorbing it all, when he heard his linkpearl ringing in his pocket. He jumped up and fished it out, nearly shoving it into his ear. He hadn't even thought to check it before this.

"Hello? Ashe?"

An excited gasp came from the other end, and it exploded into sound.

"Edge!"

"'E's okay!"

"Where are you? Did you make it to Ala Mhigo?"

"How's Granny?"

"And Styrm!"

"Is Azi with you?"

Edge's face lit up as he listened to the jumble of voices, struggling to hold back tears of relief. Finally, Ashe's voice broke through the din. "Everyone! Let him speak!"

"Everyone, I'm… I'm so glad you're all right!" The ache in his chest that he didn't know he felt until now dissipated. His eyes stung. "Where are you? Did you make it out okay?"

Ashe responded first. "Oh, gods, Edge. It's so nice to hear you. We managed to get a temporary hideout, but I don't want to say where it is in case the Garleans intercept this. We have some wounded, but for the most part we made it out of the Goblet just fine."

Edge rubbed his eyes, smiling so widely that his face hurt. "We made it to Ala Mhigo and met the Resistance. Ashe, you'd never believe where I am right now."

She chuckled. "I think I know." He struggled to find words, wishing so much that she was right there with him. "Magic is still uncontrollable here so it took a while to get the linkshell figured out, but we managed. We've been laying low, so I don't know how things are in the cities, but as a whole things seem bad."

"We'll get that artifact back," Edge said, clenching his fist. "We will. And everything will be okay."

"Having trouble hearing you, damned connection," she grumbled. "We'll talk soon. Come home to us safe."

"I will," he said. "I miss all of you."

"We miss you too, Edge!"

"And Granny and Styrm! Even Azionne!"

"Give them our love!"

"Well, maybe not Azi…"

"I'll see you all soon!" Edge called through the din. He heard a crackling sound. "Shite, connection's gone."

The linkpearl went silent. Edge leaned back against the cedar tree, smiling as he felt the wind on his face and listened to the leaves rustling in the wind. Maybe everything would end up being okay.

"Edge Marbrand. I figured I'd find you here."

He turned to the source of the voice, spotting the dancer from the Resistance walking up the hill towards him. "I don't recall ever introducing myself to you," he said.

She smirked. "You didn't have to. Baithin mentioned your name. After that, I put it together."

He tilted his head. "Do I know you?"

"Aw, you don't remember me? I'm hurt," she said, pouting. "My name's Amalia. We used to play together."

It took a moment, but the memory of a young girl a couple of years older with a wild mane of hair appeared to him. "Oh! I remember now!"

She smiled and sat down next to him. "We called ourselves 'The Undercity Rats,' with all those other kids. Those were the days."

"That's right," he said. "You were an Undercity kid, too." He couldn't recall where any of them lived, or even most of their names. "And you bullied me!"

Amalia laughed. "You made it so easy."

Edge folded his arms. Figures. Two of the girls I grew up with went on to become members of anti-Garlean rebellions. "Just because you were older."

She looked over the city, smiling. "The girl Ashe that was in our group… Is she the same Ashelia that leads the Riskbreakers?"

"She is," Edge replied. "And we're to be married."

"Ha! Look at you two. I could've seen that coming." She brushed her hair behind her shoulders. "I'm glad you both made it out of Ala Mhigo when it fell."

"It took us years to find each other," said Edge, shrugging. "Looking at Ala Mhigo, it doesn't look 'fallen' to me, at least not as much as I expected. There's just Garleans added into it."

She pursed her lips. "Just Garleans, you say?" she said, rocking. "Though I guess you're right. Life went on. But we'll keep fighting."

"Of course," said Edge. "So will the Riskbreakers." They were both silent, calmly resuming their gazes at the city. He didn't know what else to say to someone who he had not seen in twenty years. "So when will we be able to meet your leaders?"

"As soon as we head back," she said. "You all did well today. And since I know you, I put in a good word. The sun's setting, so the curfew aboveground will begin soon."

"Right," said Edge, standing. He offered her a hand and pulled her up with him. "Then let's go, Amalia."


Amalia had led him back to a separate hideout in a different part of the Undercity. As they walked, they reminisced about the way their lives used to be and caught each other up on how they both came to join the Riskbreakers and the Resistance. It wasn't the same as when he reunited with Ashe, but it was nice to see Amalia again nonetheless.

This hideout was larger than the last, built into the expansive waterways that ran beneath the city. The flowing water and complicated gate system helped hide their location while the monsters that roamed the sewers helped deter anyone from trying to find it. It was damp and cold, but the Resistance members made it work for them. Only Azionne surveyed the area around her with disgust, but that was nothing new.

Edge and Baithin slapped their hands together in greeting once Edge arrived. "Is everyone here?" Edge asked.

Baithin nodded. "Yeah. We were just waiting on you." He stood with the stowaway, Ndai, who Edge was surprised to see still with them. The Miqo'te girl avoided his gaze.

Gogonegi stood surrounded by a small crowd of admirers who praised his accomplishments with repairing the sewer's sluice gates. Flustered and blushing, he waved his hands as if trying to ward away their compliments. Further away, Granny Moss seemed like she was getting chummy with a younger group of Resistance members, laughing with them over something while Styrmyrgan worriedly watched over her.

Azionne approached Edge, Baithin, and Ndai. "Well? Are they going to let us meet their leaders or continue to make us wait?"

Amalia put her hands on her hips. "They're coming now."

Sure enough, Cole appeared in the passageway, leading two people who regarded the rest of the Resistance with steely gazes. Both seemed to be about middle-aged and covered in battle scars. The first one was a woman with loose, curly strawberry-blonde hair, tall and elegant with a longsword at her belt and a buckler on her arm. Fully armored and gleaming silver with a blue cape billowing behind her, the Highlander woman cut an impressive figure, but most striking of all was her single green eye. An eye patch covered the other.

The other, another Highlander, was one of the biggest men that Edge had ever seen. With his large nose, close-cropped blond hair, and unexpressive visage, he looked like he was carved from stone. His armor gleamed gold and he also had an impressive knightsword at his belt.

Cole bowed to them all. "Today marks a momentous day for the Resistance. Finally, our sister company, the Riskbreakers, have decided to reach out the hand of friendship to us. Conquerors of Castrum Meridianum, they will prove to be valuable allies in our war against the Garlean Empire."

Edge and Baithin exchanged glances. They did not come here to partner up with the Resistance. He wondered where they got that idea.

"Now may I present to our Riskbreaker friends the three people who keep us going in these trying times," Cole continued. He gestured to the woman with the eye patch.

Before he could introduce her, she stepped forward. "Enough with the theatrics, Cole. My name is General Beatrix, a former soldier in King Theodoric's army and a captain of his Kingsguard. You are welcome among us as friends, Riskbreakers."

The stony-faced man nodded. "And I am General Leo, also a former soldier and Kingsguard captain." His voice was not as gravelly as Edge had been expecting. "And, lastly…"

Amalia joined them at the front of the chamber. "I'm Amalia, though most of your group knows that by now." She winked. "Sorry for being all secretive."

Edge gaped. "Both you and Ashe? That's it, I'm going to go make my own anti-Garlean movement…"

Ndai clapped her hands together. "Wow, Amalia!"

Azionne waved her hand as if swatting a fly away. "Yes, yes. Now tell us everything you know about the black-robed mages with Terra and Celes." Edge nodded – he was glad she was getting right to business, for once. He composed himself, figuring there was time to talk about it later.

General Leo crossed his arms. "I'm afraid we can't tell you much, except that we know they're not Garlean. They've been with Terra and Celes ever since they came to the city."

Azionne rolled her eyes. "Thank you, we never would have guessed that they weren't Garlean. How many Garlean mages do you know?"

General Beatrix clenched her fist. "Silence. We've done our research on you, Azionne of Ishgard's House Melisandre. You are a heretic to the Holy See, and while I do not care much for Ishgardian politics, you are lucky we've allowed you to roam free among us."

"Is that a threat?" Azionne simmered, but instead of casting a fire spell, like Edge expected, she turned to him and the others. Did she learn self-control in her time away? "Come, let us return home. Those black-robed mages are unlikely to be Ascians at all. This has been an enormous waste of time."

"We don't know that yet," said Baithin.

Granny put her hands on her hips. "We should at least listen to what they have to say before we give up this journey as a lost cause."

Edge looked at Amalia. "We're sorry. Please, continue."

Amalia scrunched her nose at Azionne, but nodded. "Well, first, we wanted to tell you about the current state of affairs in the rest of Eorzea, like you asked the other night."

"Hasn't been pretty, with magic unusable," Cole said.

"Based on our intelligence reports, Limsa Lominsa has been engaged in a naval battle with the Garlean XVth for nigh on two days now. The Maelstrom has decided to make up for their loss of magic by playing to their greatest strength. So far, they are doing well, but we are unsure how long they will last." General Leo spoke loud and smooth, and much more eloquently than Edge expected.

"They have been isolated, though," said Beatrix. "Kan-E-Senna and the Adders have been occupied and unable to help Limsa. Garlean forces directly from Ala Mhigo joined with those at Castrum Oriens to mount an assault on Gridania. Surprisingly, Ishgard has come to their aid. But they have become desperate enough to petition Sharlayan for help. Foolish move, since Sharlayan has little military power to speak of."

Granny clasped her hands together in worry. "Did they evacuate the citizens?"

Cole nodded. "We think Ishgard took 'em in, but they're fighting two wars now. When Gridania falls, Ishgard will be next." Edge frowned, noticing Cole's use of 'when' instead of 'if.'

"And Ul'dah?" Edge asked. His mother lived there.

Amalia looked at him. "Fallen. Flame General Raubahn has vanished without a trace, and the rest of the Flames barely put up a fight."

Beatrix put a hand on the hilt of her sword. "And we have Legatus Terra xia Rozarria to thank for all of this."

Edge stared down at the ground, fists clenched. Everyone else was silent. That Eorzea had fallen so easily, despite its leaders pushing for an unstoppable alliance… He choked back his worry for his friends in the Riskbreakers and his mother in Ul'dah. "What can we do?" he asked, voice low.

"There must be something," said Styrm. "I want to help."

Amalia flicked open one of her fans, smirking. "Three days from now, there's going to be a parade to celebrate the coming of Terra and Celes to Eorzea and the appointment of the new viceroy for Ala Mhigo."

"A parade? Before they've even won?" Baithin asked.

"Perceptive of you. It won't be a victory parade," said Leo, nodding. "A display of strength, more like. Terra's promise to the Garlean Empire."

"She came to Ala Mhigo and went right to work with her invasion," said Amalia, fanning herself. "As much as I hate to admit it, I gotta admire that. All the pomp comes after. She's making a statement."

Gogo gently nudged Edge in the leg and stepped around him. "Three days… What's going to happen?"

Beatrix fixed him with a stare and Gogo quailed in response. "An assassination. With Terra out of the picture, Celes may return home. While the two share an equal rank, Terra is the mastermind behind them. The invasion will fall apart. Of course, if the opportunity arises, we will take out Celes as well, but Terra is the priority."

Ndai smirked. "I love parades!"

Leo crossed his arms. "And then, with all of the soldiers who once occupied our city marching to the west against the rest of Eorzea, we will take back Ala Mhigo!"

The Resistance erupted into cheers. Gogo clutched Edge's leg, but Edge felt hope rising in his chest. "And after that?" he asked.

Amalia smiled. "We will join the Eorzean Alliance and drive the Garleans from our lands once and for all!"

More cheers erupted and even Edge felt compelled to join in. He lifted Gogonegi up onto his shoulders, beaming, as the Lalafell clutched his head in fear. "For Eorzea!" he said, joining the chorus of shouts.

Azionne, not partaking in the revelry, crossed her arms. "Let me guess. You need our help for this."

Cole leaned on one leg, offering a lazy smile. "Well, the Resistance working together with the Riskbreakers would be a good first step to a truly united Eorzea, don't you think?"

"We would very much like your help," said Amalia. "All seven of you."

Ndai looked around. "Wait, even me? But I'm not a Riskbreaker!"

Granny put a hand on her hip. "What will you do once you've taken back Ala Mhigo? What of the Garlean citizens who have come to live here these past twenty years? Who will become its leader?"

"The Garlean citizens will be given the opportunity to submit to our rule or we will force them to leave," said Leo. "Easy."

"As for the leader?" Amalia snapped her fans shut. "It'll be me. I'm going to assume the throne and bring back our country's monarchy."

"You?" said Azionne, incredulous. "Leading a rabble of resistance fighters is nothing like leading a country."

Beatrix turned to Amalia. "Now is as good a time as any," she said. She regarded the whole crowd of them with her single eye. "Everyone. Amalia, like her father and brothers before her, is not who she has always said she is." She knelt.

Leo followed, dropping to one knee. "May we present to you the youngest daughter of Prince Wilhelm and only living heir to the throne of Ala Mhigo, the lost Princess Sara."


Author's Notes: So. You may have noticed that I'm referencing quite a lot of past FF characters - Terra, Celes, Amalia/Sara, Beatrix, Leo... And there will be more to come throughout this entire fic. That's intentional not only as a shoutout, but to help all of you keep everyone straight. I figured it'd be easier to make associations with existing FF franchise characters to better keep track of everyone in this story. Their characters won't be exactly the same, but they have enough similarities that I hope it'll be easy to remember who's who.

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