Well, I didn't get too many reviews for the last chapter, but I hope that more will come with this update. Again, people, please submit reviews if you loved it, hated it, thought there was a part that really stuck with you, or whatever. Your reviews help me shake off writer's block. In any case, thank you and enjoy.
Arvis was so nervous that he was surprised that sweat wasn't beading down his face. He and Banon had discussed many times whether to speak to Elder Kendrik as quickly as possible, or to wait for Locke. Banon had argued forcefully that they wait, and so they had given Locke and this stranger, Sabin, nearly a month to make it back to Narshe. But finally, even Banon had acknowledged that they could wait no longer.
Immediately, Arvis had called a meeting of the Elder's Council to address the matter of the Esper. Now Elder Kendrik and three other members of the Council had gathered to give Arvis and Banon the chance to speak.
The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. Kendrik did not trust the leader of the Returners, nor the Imperial witch who had wrecked havoc in the town less than three months ago. The people of Narshe, being very insular, had very long memories. Not even the presence of King Edgar Figaro had mollified Elder Kendrik's aversion to the situation.
"I understand all of what you're saying, General," Kendrik said, addressing Banon by his long-surrendered title, "However, we here in Narshe are a peaceful people. We have had nothing to do with the Empire since its inception. So how can you expect me of all people to begin encouraging war and bloodshed?"
"I never said that, Elder. Not directly nor did I hint at it, and you know it!" cried Arvis, hoping to sway the other Elders.
Kendrik was a man approaching seventy summers of life, whose hair and trimmed beard had turned as white as the mountain snows. Long ago, his arrogance and aggression had brought pain and death to Narshe. Since then, Kendrik had been a stalwart pacifist, and had become the de facto leader of Narshe in the years since.
His eyes narrowed as he gazed at Arvis, one of his rivals within the town for the hearts and minds of the people. He had to prevent anyone from harming the people of Narshe. This had been his duty for twenty years, and not even his old friend would be allowed to risk the lives of the townspeople.
"Well it was something along those lines," he said quietly.
Banon sighed and turned half away from Kendrik and the other Elders. "He's right you know," he said quietly.
Arvis gasped at this apparent betrayal. "Banon!"
"Our blood will spill because of you, Kendrik!" cried the leader of the Returners.
Elder Kendrik nearly growled in anger. "We in Narshe learned our lesson in violence years ago."
"Have you learned your lesson in apathy yet!" retorted Edgar.
"Quiet boy!" called one of the other Elders.
"You know as well as we do that Emperor Gestahl is racing across the world to acquire the secrets of magic and use that to enhance his already formidable Magitek forces," argued Banon.
"They knew of my power when they had me controlled by the Slave Crown," agreed Terra, trying to lend her own arguments to convince the people to help, "By sending myself and the other soldiers through here with no compunction against slaying your people, the Empire has proven that it won't respect your town's neutrality."
Banon nodded, memories of the good man that Gestahl had once been forcing their way into his thoughts. "Gestahl will stop at nothing to retrieve the Esper your people found, Kendrik. Magic has been his obsession ever since the end of the Urthmen War. In the end, it won't matter if you fight alongside us or not. If he continues to obtain magical items at a similar rate, Gestahl will undoubtedly release it through his military might, a situation that will certainly lead to global destruction."
"The War of the Magi," agreed Elder Kendrik quietly, "That mythical war set mankind back a thousand years. Will we never escape the war's shadow? How can this be happening again?"
There was silence in the room for several moments, each person absorbed in their own thoughts and reflections on the ancient War of the Magi.
"Brother!"
Edgar and Terra spun around, mouths ajar, just in time to see Sabin's massive frame squeeze through the door.
"Sabin!" cried Terra. Nearly in tears with relief, she ran over to the martial artist and wrapped him in a hug. "You're all right! We were so worried about you."
Sabin gently returned her hug and smiled. "I'm fine. Don't worry, I won't be jumping into any rivers in the near future."
He looked up and met Edgar's smiling gaze. They nodded, but shared no words of greeting. They didn't need it.
"I'm glad you're safe, little brother," said Edgar, "Now who are these gents with you?"
So relieved to see that Sabin was safe, Terra hadn't noticed the other two follow in behind him. The black-haired older man was outfitted in full iron armor, while the boy that trailed behind them was clad in nothing more than animal hides.
"I am Cyan, former retainer to King Gareth of Doma," answered the knight, his chin held high and his back straight.
"Gau! Gau!" cried the boy, hopping up and down, "Friends with Mr. Thou!"
Terra smiled and held out her hand to the young boy. "Hello there, Gau. I'm Terra."
"You Miss Terra!" said Gau happily, "You Mr. Thou friend too. You pretty!"
Terra blushed at the boy's comment. "Thank you, Gau."
Sabin smiled at the interaction between Terra and his young friend, but his demeanor turned deadly serious as he turned to Banon. "Doma's gone. It was completely wiped out by the Empire."
"All dead?" gasped Banon in horror.
"Kefka," said Cyan tightly, fighting hard to keep his tears hidden, "He… poisoned everyone. Even my wife and son."
Elder Kendrik felt ready to throw up. "Barbaric!" he cried.
Banon gazed deeply into the other man's eyes. "Elder?"
The leader of Narshe met the other man's gaze steadily, and knew what lay behind that questioning look. But as much as his morality screamed to take action, he could not. He had to think of his people first and foremost. He would not bring death and destruction upon them again.
"Doma was attacked only because King Gareth was collaborating with the Returners," said Elder Kendrik, looking for some excuse, "With you, Banon. If we don't make that mistake, then we'll be safe."
"That's nonsense!" cried a new voice.
Everyone in the room turned to the door as Locke burst in at a near run.
"Locke!" exclaimed Terra happily. She'd had to wait almost a month, but all her friends were reunited.
"The Empire is poised to attack Narshe even as we speak! We made it here just ahead of their scouts," he reported, not purposefully ignoring Terra, but this was much more important than exchanging pleasantries.
"Locke, how do you know that?" asked Edgar.
"From Celes here," answered the young rogue, stepping aside so that the others could see the young blond woman for the first time.
A spark suddenly seemed to go off in Terra's mind as she saw the girl, who looked to be the same age.
I recognize her, Terra knew, but how? Where could I have known her?
"I found her imprisoned beneath South Figaro," explained Locke, "she used to be one of Gestahl's generals."
"Aha!" cried Cyan, "I knew thou was familiar, foul witch! Stand aside, Sir Gau! She is General Celes, she who put Maranda to the torch! She must be an Imperial spy!"
The elder knight drew his sword and advanced on Celes, but Locke threw himself between them. As Cyan advanced, they backed up until Celes was pinned against the wall.
"Wait, whoever you are!" he pleaded, "Celes turned against the Empire! She's joined us, she's now a Returner. She's fighting with us now!"
"I shall not be dissuaded by thee, rogue," growled the knight.
Locke whipped out his own knife, which after a moment he realized was pitifully small compared to the older man's sword.
"I can't let you do this," he said firmly, "I promised Celes that I would protect her, and I will not go back on my word!"
Far from the commotion, Edgar heard his old friend's words, and instantly knew the meaning behind them. A promise Locke had once made that he felt he had betrayed. Someone who he felt he'd failed to protect.
Oh, Locke my old friend, are you still thinking about that? wondered Edgar.
Cyan heard none of the younger man's protests. All he knew that there was an Imperial general standing before him, someone who was every as responsible for Elayne's death as Kefka. Moving with a speed that caught Locke by surprise, he pushed the young treasure to the side and brought his sword down towards the young general's head.
Suddenly, Cyan felt the blade come to a halt and distantly heard a grunt of pain. His vision had been clouded by a blood-red mist, only the Imperial had existed in the fog. Refocusing his eyes, Cyan saw that his sword was encased by Sabin's massive hand only a few inches above Celes' skull.
Blood trickled down the blade.
Cyan instantly relaxed his grip on the weapon, and Sabin released the sword. Blood seeped out of the gash across the young warrior's palm. Terra came up instantly and began wrapping a bandage around his hand.
"Good sir," said Edgar as he moved next to Cyan, "I know this must be difficult for you. Yes, this young lady may have been an Imperial general, but now she wants to bring down the Empire just as much as you do. Trust Locke. I've never known him to be mistaken about a person. I will always trust his instincts."
Finished bandaging Sabin's hand, Terra also came up to the older knight. "I was also an Imperial soldier," she told him.
"What?" gasped Cyan.
Edgar nodded. They seemed to finally be getting through. "The Empire is evil. We can all agree on that, but not everyone who is a part of the Empire is evil as well."
"The soldier in Mobliz," said Sabin simply.
Cyan took a deep breath, calming himself, then sheathed his sword. He then moved to help Locke up off the floor. True, the soldier in Mobliz had been a good and decent young man, forced into fighting on behalf of the Empire. He doubted this was the case with General Celes. Still, it was possible that King Edgar was right. Nonetheless, the Imperials, both young women, would still bear watching. He would not be blinded by idealism.
"Emergency! Emergency!" cried a voice outside.
"Oh, what now?" hissed Locke.
"The empire is coming! Elders, come quickly!"
Banon pushed his way through the younger freedom fighters, followed quickly by Elder Kendrik. The rest of them followed, racing out the doors and up another story. They looked down into the southern valley.
"Bloody Ancients," muttered Edgar.
Before, the Empire had only sent in Terra and two soldiers. This time, there was a small army approaching the town, Imperial flags at its head. Kefka's personal banner flew at the forefront.
"Didn't take Kefka long to get the rest of his army here," muttered Sabin. He could feel Celes, standing next to him, tense.
Elder Kendrik looked at the approaching army, feeling a tear drip down his face and into his beard. Twenty years of leading Narshe peacefully, avoiding conflict of all kinds, and still he could not prevent war from finding his home. Pacifism could no longer protect his people, it seemed.
"Ancients protect us," he prayed quietly, "Very well, it seems as though we no longer have any choice in the matter. We must prepare for battle. Arvis, you and the other Elders find the Marshal-Captain and have our guards evacuate the people to the lower mines. Prepare the choke points and destroy the Imperials who penetrate to the second level. The Imperials will never find the secured tunnels."
"They'll be going after the Esper," Banon told him.
Elder Kendrik nodded. "After the first attempt, I had the Esper moved up into the hills. We thought it would be safer there."
"Then let's go after it," said Edgar.
They grabbed coats for the snow-covered peaks and moved outside.
Kefka rode at the head of the Imperial forces, making his fearsome and imposing visage clear for all the soldiers to see. He wanted to make sure they feared him. Fear of him got them to do everything he wanted them to do. So much better than having the men respect him like General Leo, the weak fool.
Nearby, the Magitek-infused hounds were pulling against their restraints. Their enhanced intelligence and aggression gave them the ability to sense when violence was coming. They could sense it now, and wanted to do nothing more than to tear into those they were directed against.
Kefka grinned cruelly. The hounds were almost metaphorical of the whole Empire. Everything was just waiting to be unleashed at his command. He turned to the captain of the Magitek troops.
"Now listen to me, Captain," Kefka nearly spat, "I don't care what you or your soldiers do here. Your sole mission is to get me that Esper!"
The captain was an honorable man who had learned much about making war from General Leo, a man he idolized, not like this painted fool. "But my Lord General, the civilians of Narshe are no threat to the Empire. It would be a massacre."
Kefka did not deem the man worthy enough to even look at. "Exterminate everyone," he said quietly.
The captain tried one more time. "But Narshe is neutral, General! They've ignored pleas from the Returners for help, and so they don't…"
This time Kefka whirled on the soldier and fixed him with a cold stare. The captain felt the fear go through his whole body, and which seemed to make even his bones get cold. "Idiot!" cried Kefka, "Now read my lips you moron! This is an order, dispose of everyone who opposes us, or the force will be looking for a new captain. Now march!"
The captain knew that his time was over. This wasn't what he had signed up for. This is not what General Leo would have wanted for his soldiers to do. If only this madman would understand any of it.
The nine of them hurried through the northern part of the village, watching as the guards were evacuating the town's inhabitants as quickly as they could. The Marshal-Captain glared at seeing Terra and Locke, but quickly continued with his duties. As they made it into the foothills, Sabin moved to the front to forge as wide a trail through the snows as he could.
The winds were cold and harsh, biting into skin, stinging eyes, and chapping lips. Snow continued to fall lightly, but once caught by the wind could thrown into their faces. Terra, Celes, and Gau had draped themselves in warm furs, while Edgar and Cyan were both kept warm by several layers of robes and their armor. Locke and Sabin wore lighter coats of leather.
Edgar ended up behind Celes, and took a moment to admire the view. He considered himself fortunate that both young ladies in the group were extremely attractive. He would have a fun time convincing either one to join him for some private time in the royal bedroom back in Figaro. Then again, as Terra might incinerate him and Celes could probably turn his blood to ice just by looking at him, maybe flirting should be the limit.
Taking a few quicker steps, he came up alongside Celes. She turned to look at him with narrowed eyes.
"So," he began uncomfortably, "you were an Imperial general, huh?"
"That's right."
Edgar shrugged. This might be a little more difficult than he'd thought. "You know, umm… Locke has a pretty complicated past. I've got some trouble thinking he'd go after someone like you. I just… well I don't want you think he's fallen for you, or something."
The young woman appeared to be confused for a moment, then understanding appeared in her eyes. She turned back to Edgar with an ice-cold smirk that sent chills down his spine. And it wasn't because of the sudden cold wind.
"Why would that concern you? I am a soldier of the Empire," she said, with as much arrogance and authority as she could muster, "not some love-starved twit! Never mention this again!"
Celes quickly moved away from him, pushing past Locke and then Gau. Edgar gave a low whistle. "Ouch. Cold as ice."
Celes pushed her way through the others, ignoring any of their protests. Eventually she found herself walking along next to Terra. She felt the green-haired girl staring at her, as though trying to recognize her. Neither one of them seemed to notice the biting wind. Celes had never been bothered by the cold, and Terra… well, there was certainly a fire raging behind those emerald eyes.
"Locke has spoken about you a great deal," said Celes, "I know that you were born with the gift of magic. Yet you have amnesia, and have forgotten all you know of magic's bounties. Isn't it such a lovely gift? The power to do what others consider impossible?"
Terra's eyes widened in surprise. Of all the people that Terra had met on this journey, this halfway familiar ice-queen was the last person she would have expected to know anything about magic.
"You… you can use magic, too?" stammered Terra. Perhaps this other girl could help unlock some of the secrets within her, and maybe answer some questions that Terra felt deep in her heart.
Celes looked straight in front of her. The look on her face confused Terra, unable to tell if the blond was proud or pained as she spoke.
"When I was just a baby, Gestahl's scientists artificially infused the power of magic into me. From that day forward I was raised as a Magitek knight. I was to be the symbol of Gestahl's power. The personification of his will. Nothing else, no one else, was deemed worthy enough to even matter."
Terra began to wonder if she had ever been like Celes. Did she have a family somewhere that might be waiting for her? Or was she alone, raised only to be a weapon of war?
If I get my memories back, wondered Terra, will I become like Celes? Will I be as cold to everyone? Will I feel anything?
Lost in her musings, Terra didn't pay attention where she was going and nearly tripped. Celes gave a quick save and kept Terra on her feet.
"Thanks," she breathed, "Celes, have you… I mean. Have you ever… you know… loved anyone?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" demanded Celes.
Embarrassed, Terra muttered something under her breath and then broke away from Celes. As the former general watched her move away, she didn't see Cyan come up from behind her and forcefully grab her upper arm. Celes' head whipped around and fixed the elder knight with a cold stare, one which was easily returned.
"Do not make the mistake in thy thinking that thou art trusted by me," advised Cyan, "Perhaps the others believe thee because thou hath joined the Returners, but I am not so blind. Treachery once, can lead to treachery again."
Celes wrenched her arm out of his grasp. "Fine. Use your own eyes after this is over, and then you can decide for yourself."
Ahead of the others, Banon hurried forward, to where Sabin was forging a path through the snow.
"At one time, I was truly afraid that you would never pick sides in this war," he said to the martial arts master.
"At one time," said Sabin slowly, "you would have been right. Long ago, in the beginning, a part of me thought that Gestahl's dream sounded reasonable. I couldn't bring myself to accept his offer or to fight him."
Banon nodded thoughtfully. "Long ago, Gestahl's dream was reasonable."
"The best intentions," muttered Sabin in agreement, pushing the snow to the side without thought, "Master Duncan used to say that good men could often be corrupted for having the best intentions. He would tell us that a man's intentions cannot justify his actions. Your actions must always be in harmony with justice and temperance."
"Gestahl's peace was once a noble goal," commented Banon.
Sabin's eyes hardened. "Peace without justice becomes tyranny. That is what Gestahl's peace has brought to the world."
Banon looked closely at the younger man. His brother-in-law had chosen a fine man to trust with the future of the Ironhand legacy. Sabin had a strong sense of justice, a lust for freedom and the right of people to make their own choices. Maybe it came from his connection to the lifestream, a connection he had shared with Duncan. Banon had to wonder if his nephew Vargas would have been like Sabin had he learned the secrets of the Blitz, the secrets of becoming one with the lifestream. It didn't matter now. Vargas had betrayed his father, leaving Sabin as the last of the Ironhands. Though he might never bear the name, indeed, Sabin didn't feel as though he was worthy of the name, Banon knew that Sabin was worthy of the thousand-year legacy. He would be as great a hero as Duncan had been, perhaps greater.
"He'd be proud, Sabin," Banon said to the younger man, "Duncan could not have made a better choice than making you his heir. I know of what Gestahl offered to you and Vargas, and threats he made. It took great courage for you to stand up to him at that young age. Even that long ago, I think you'd convinced Duncan that you should be the heir of the Ironhand."
Sabin nodded his head in thanks. The wounds on his spirit from Vargas' betrayal and Duncan's death would likely never heal. Hatred for Vargas still burned furiously in his heart, but Sabin had long ago learned to channel his passion rather than let his passion control him. He could only hope that Vargas had taken his last breath in the Sabil Mountains.
"Hey Sabin!" called Locke, "Elder Kendrik and some of the others need to rest."
Coming to a narrowed part of the mountain path, Sabin brought the group to a halt. Elder Kendrik immediately slid down to sit on a large rock, trying to catch his breath. Cyan and Edgar hunched over to catch their breath. Sabin and Gau stood on the edge of the cliff and looked down into the valley.
"What can you see?" asked Edgar.
"Waroo! Many little men!" called Gau.
"They've broken up into teams," explained Sabin, "and they've split up, each team taking a separate path up the mountain."
"We have to go down and meet them," said Celes quickly. Several turned towards her with questioning looks. She knew she had to explain. "Right now they are divided, and each team is relatively small. We can take them on individually. But if we wait until they get up here, then they will regroup and once again have the advantage of numbers. We must go on the offensive."
"All right," said Edgar, "Terra, Celes, Sabin, the four of us will go down and make the assault. Locke, Gau, Cyan, the three of you stay here with Banon and Elder Kendrik to protect them."
Cyan immediately saw the logic of the decision and nodded, despite not liking having the Imperials out of his sight.
"Why us?" asked Locke.
"Because your talents don't lend themselves to a direct assault against Imperial soldiers," replied Celes.
"If any soldiers make it past us then you'll need Cyan's experience and sword arm," elaborated Sabin.
"And snow covered mountains don't seem to be Gau's terrain of choice," finished Terra, casting a glance at the young boy, who despite the heavy furs on his shoulders was still shivering in the cold wind.
Locke clearly seemed disappointed, not happy at all at being left behind. But he could find no fault with their logic.
"Well, will you at least let one group get past you for us to fight?" he asked with a grin.
The young Returners were fortunate that the majority of Kefka's forces had been sent into the mines to kill the townspeople. Kefka's arrogance might make it easier for them, and they didn't have to be too worried about the rest of the army. After the last invasion, Elder Kendrik explained, he and the Marshal-Captain found long-forgotten plans for the defenses and hiding places within the mines. Defenses that hadn't been needed in Narshe since before the Urthmen War.
Two hours after they had left Elder Kendrik's home, the four of them encountered the first enemy soldiers. There were only ten of them, their dark uniforms standing out in the pure white snow. Edgar had elected to stay with his autocrossbow, firing repeatedly at several soldiers, the heavy steel bolts piercing armor as though it wasn't even there. Terra chose to use her magic to begin, letting the fires erupt from her hand at the soldiers before her. Sabin chose to keep them at bay, summoning strength from the depths of his spirit and the power of nature, then releasing in a beam of pure good spiritual energy that could vaporize a man.
As the four of them continued to make their way down the mountain, they continued to face the Imperial soldiers and their Magitek-infused hounds. The warriors of the Empire were skilled, and against ordinary opponents would have been nearly unstoppable. But these four heroes were not ordinary opponents.
Only one of the Imperial teams made it past them, but they were certain that Locke and the others would be more than capable of stopping them. The concern of these four was now to get to Kefka and stop him from bringing any more pain to the world.
Finally they reached him. Quite unexpectedly, as they rounded they saw Kefka, guarded by only a token number of soldiers; nowhere near enough to deter the four warriors.
Edgar let loose with a volley from his autocrossbow while the others leapt into battle. Terra and Celes met the soldiers with their blades flashing, but Sabin ran straight through them, his eyes seeing only a tunnel with Kefka at the far end. Before the villainous general could react, Sabin slashed across his chest with his claws, leaving a trio of bloody cuts.
Kefka cried out in pain and took several steps backwards. Edgar took the time to finish off the soldiers.
"You bloody fools!" screamed Kefka, "You cannot hope to… Terra. It has been too long, my dear. Far too long for you to be out of my grasp. Tell me, how did you manage to overcome the power of the Slave Crown, hmm?"
Terra stared at the foolish-looking, but still terrifying general in shock and horror. "You… you were the one who controlled me."
Kefka let loose with a maniacal laugh. "Of course I did! The old fool Gestahl was right for once. He knew that the coward Leo would never make use of your full potential. Hahaha! And General Celes, you are more of a bloody fool than even Leo, daring to defy Emperor Gestahl. You should know what happens to people like that. After all, did you not take care of those protesters last year personally? Mwa hahaha!"
Celes hung her head in shame. She knew that Kefka, though malignant and insane, spoke the truth. She had been responsible for permanently silencing dozens of people who had protested against the Emperor's campaign of conquest. At the time, she'd been certain Gestahl had been right, it was a necessary evil to protect the righteousness of the Empire. What else could she have believed? Her entire life had been a lesson that Emperor Gestahl was right and his dream of a world united under his rule was worth any sacrifice of morality.
But in her mind, Celes knew it was no excuse. She had to wonder if she would ever be capable of escaping the sins of her past.
"King Edgar," continued Kefka, "How is your lovely Figaro? I hear that there are more Imperial soldiers in South Figaro than there are Figarans. Have my men torched the city yet? No? Oh well, it's only a matter a time. I must say the women of your kingdom are lovely. Figaro should serve well as an Imperial outpost. Perhaps we could make it a recreation area for soldiers who have been without female company for too long."
Edgar's face burned with rage and hatred, his finger inching every closer to his weapon's trigger. He had ruled his father's kingdom for ten years, the latest member of his family wear the crown of Figaro. It was his home, and the people who called him their king trusted him to ensure their safety. Edgar was willing to die for Figaro; he was more than ready to kill this arrogant villain for Figaro.
"And dear Sabin," Kefka went on, "you should have accepted Gestahl's more than generous offer. If you had, I might have left your mentor alive. It was delightful to see his heart break when we told him that his own son had betrayed him to us. Duncan's struggle was so feeble, one has to wonder how he gained renown as the greatest warrior in the world."
Fury burned in Sabin's heart. Duncan had been more than his master, he had taught Sabin everything in his life that was worth knowing. He had been a mentor, a guide, and a father. Sabin drew in the calming energy of the lifestream. Duncan would never have condoned vengeance.
Revenge is for the proud and the weak, Sabin, Duncan had once told him, Those who are strong know that revenge will never bring peace to one's heart. Vengeance brings nothing but death.
"You will not survive this war, Kefka," growled Sabin, "You will pay for your crimes. You may live until tomorrow, or the next day, or next year. But before this war is over I will stand over your corpse."
Kefka smirked. "Bold words, Sabin. I look forward to ramming them down your throat."
The five warriors all stood ready, and the battle was joined.
Kefka drew his sword and charged, while Sabin ran at the general full tilt. Edgar let loose with his autocrossbow, but Kefka's armor managed to protect him for the most part. Terra let the flames erupt from her palm to strike at Kefka, while Celes eyes seemed to gain a coating of ice, and frost began to cover spread up Kefka's legs. Both spells were enough to make the maniac pause momentarily, and Sabin used the opportunity to make his move.
Opening himself to the lifestream, Sabin focused the energy for a Blitz, and then he exploded into terrific speed. He could see Kefka's life-force spring from a point just below his heart, and Sabin lashed out with a furious series of blows. They came with speed granted from nature, in such harmony and coordination that they were merely a blur to the others. The attack would have killed four lesser men.
But Kefka, in his own way, was an extraordinary individual, and though Sabin's final kick sent the villain flying back, Kefka survived.
Edgar had just finished reloading his autocrossbow when a sudden pain in his leg made him cry out. Sticking out of his thigh was an arrow.
"To General Kefka!"
Sabin turned to see a large force of soldiers charging them just before one of the Magitek hounds pounced on him. The creature was the size of lion, with jaws even wider. Plate armor seemed to grow out its very skin, protecting its shoulders and torso. Momentarily weakened from the Blitz, the giant hound knocked Sabin to the ground, then snapped its jaws shut around him.
Sabin screamed in pain, and then the hound threw him into the center of the group like a child's doll.
Three swordsmen had descended on Edgar before he could draw his own weapon. One of them cut him across his forehead, and the dripping blood clouded his vision before the other two fell on him and began to beat him with their fists.
Terra and Celes faced the rest of the soldiers, letting loose with their magical powers. Fire streamed across the battlefield, and soldiers froze into place as they became covered in frost. But the two women could not keep the dozens of soldiers at range for long, and soon they found themselves back-to-back.
Celes' swordsmanship was remarkable, but suddenly she felt Terra stumble back into her, obviously having parried a very powerful strike. But this in turn knocked Celes slightly off-balance, and the soldiers surrounding the two women took the opportunity to strike at her arms and legs.
One soldier managed to slice lengthwise down Celes' forearm, and her body's natural reflex had her dropping her sword to the ground. Immediately she was hit over the head with a sword pommel, falling to her knees. A moment later, she felt Terra fall beside her, an ugly gash across her back. Someone had attacked her from behind.
Edgar and Sabin were dragged over to them. As the soldiers backed off, Edgar managed to tear off a strip of his robes, tying it over his forehead to halt the bleeding from blocking his sight. Sabin tried to push himself onto his knees, but Celes could see what the Magitek hound's bite had done to him. She doubted that a weaker man would have survived it.
Kefka pushed his way through the soldiers. Only a dozen or so survived, plus the hound, out of the 50-60 that had attacked them to start.
"Do you see your folly?" jeered Kefka, "You are no match for me, because I have an empire behind me! Mwa hahaha! I shall have you all made into examples for the world to see how pathetic you are. Edgar, we will lock you away in your own dungeons. Sabin, we keep you on the brink of death for the rest of your days. Celes, you will become a slave to our whim. And Terra, sweet little slave Terra, you will help us finish conquering the world! Then, and only then, will we be merciful enough and execute you!"
He erupted into maniacal laughter, and the soldiers around them joined in.
Sabin felt the rage building within him. He will not do this to them! He could not let Kefka harm them! The fires within him began to build. He had always felt the fire, had used its power to drive him to greater strength, to fight against evil. Most people equated fire with destruction, but Sabin also knew fire was purifying. A forest fire might destroy much, but it was necessary to remove that which could harm the forest. Fire was a part of nature, it was a fact he could not deny. And within the depths of his spirit, the fires grew.
Burn him, Sabin, he seemed to hear as the power of the lifestream coursed through his wounded body, Burn him with the fires of your spirit.
And so Sabin took the fires within himself and pushed them outwards with a roar that carried the power of all predators.
Edgar turned quickly as his brother cried out, and was shocked to see Sabin's skin seem to glow red, like the burning embers of a fire. A wave of heat passed over them and Edgar started to sweat, then there was a second wave.
The second wave of heat was like an inferno. The snow around them vaporized in an instant and the ground baked as though a desert sun had shone overhead for centuries. The soldiers began to scream in pain as steam rose from their open mouths, their eyes, and their ears. The Magitek hound howled as the plates in its skin seemed to melt and burn away its skin.
Kefka felt his skin sizzle and burn, and watched in horror as his fingers began to char. Screaming, he fled as fast as his feet would take him. His victory had been snatched away! He would make them pay for this humiliation!
I will not forget this! he raged to himself, They haven't won anything!
Moments later, the heat vanished. Edgar and Celes looked around. Every soldier was dead, their skin was charred black and steam still rose from their bodies. Some of the clothes they wore were still smoldering.
Edgar turned to Sabin, who was gazing at the bodies with a calm look to his eyes. The two brothers met each other's gaze, but Edgar couldn't find any words. Had Sabin done this?
"Potions," Sabin said calmly, then promptly pulled one out of his backpack and quickly drank the contents, and the bite marks faded quickly.
Edgar did the same, but he saw Celes lay her left hand over the cut down her forearm. A soft glow shone against her arm, and when Celes pulled her hand away, the wound had healed.
"Magic," said Edgar with a rueful smile.
Sabin poured a potion down Terra's throat, then helped her up as the wound across her back closed.
"Where's Kefka?" wondered Terra, looking around for the villain.
"He's gone," answered Celes, "We should get back to Locke and the others. They're probably worried about us by now. We should relieve their fear."
Edgar had one question before they left. "Sabin, did you…"
"The Blitzes are powerful," said Sabin with a nod, "That, was my Fire Aura."
"Terra, are you all right?" asked Sabin. She hadn't said a word for twenty minutes after beginning the trek back up the mountain; she just kept staring at the ground.
"That has to be… the most evil man I have ever met," she said, her voice revealing her horror. "To know that there is a possibility I served him, and obeyed his orders… I can only imagine what terrible atrocities I've committed."
"Terra, you need to understand that you haven't done anything wrong," said Sabin, putting a hand on her shoulder, "you've been the victim of that madman's evil. Kefka is a monster of the greatest order; he revels in chaos and destruction. He enjoys the destruction not only of our lives, but also of our minds and everything we love and hold dear. We will be here for you, Terra. I promise you that."
Terra gave him a weak smile. "Yeah, I've already had people saying they won't let anything happen to me."
"Well I won't be making that promise," he replied, "I can't and won't guarantee that nothing will happen. However, I can guarantee that I'll be there for you. If you need a friend, a confidante, or a shoulder, I will do all I can for you."
Terra looked up at Sabin's face. His eyes were softer than she'd seen before, even when they were in the Returners' hideout in Mt. Kolts. She could still tell that others feared her, that she was a mystery they were worried about solving. Heck, sometimes she even scared herself, but Sabin clearly was not afraid of her. Terra wondered if he feared anything.
She had seen the look in Edgar and Celes, however. For the moment, Terra was certain they were more afraid of Sabin.
"You know, I'm really glad you're on our side," she told Sabin, who smiled, "I just can't help thinking that there will be people out in the world that will see me as a villain because of what I've done. Or they'll see me as a monster because of my… my abilities."
Sabin laughed heartily. "If it's universal love you're waiting for, Terra, then you'll probably be dead long before you get it. If I had a piece of silver for every time someone had spat on me or insulted me, I would have a big pile of silver outside my hut. Even being a student of Master Duncan won't make you accepted by everyone. You can't worry about what people will think about you. You just have to accept it, and not let it bother you. The only opinions that should matter are the opinions of your friends. And if we truly are your friends, then your abilities don't make you a monster to us. If they did, heck, we'd all be monsters. Edgar would probably be the richest monster, but I still doubt he could pick up a girl that didn't want to be a king's playmate."
Terra couldn't help herself from giggling, and the pall of her poor mood was broken. She smiled up at Sabin and gave him a fierce bearhug. He returned it with a tender smile.
"Waroo! They come!" cried Gau. He was hunched on a rock overlooking the path down the mountain. Years of surviving alone in the plains of the Veldt had given the young boy the keen senses of the animals. What would just have been specks to another human's eyes were clear images to him.
Banon finished using his healing powers on Locke. The group of Imperial soldiers that had made it to their lookout had been quite skilled. Gau had surrendered to his rage, and paid to attention to tactics. He simply hammered away at an enemy until he was dead. If Locke were to admit it, he wasn't the best fighter in the world, especially in a stand-up fight. That had left only Cyan to go head to head with the Imperials. The older man was a masterful swordsman, and years of developing his own special techniques had helped to dispatch the soldiers rather quickly. Locke however, had tried to go toe-to-toe with a pair of soldiers, only to get cut up rather badly until Gau had used a claw swipe rage against them.
Now the other four were finally returning.
"Sir Sabin," greeted Cyan, "how didst your battle with the villainous Kefka end?"
"The bloody bastard escaped," answered Edgar dejectedly.
"He who fights and runs away…" said Sabin.
Locke nodded. "Yeah, I think we all know the rest of that one."
Banon turned to Elder Kendrik. "I think it's time we stop wasting time. The sooner we get to the Esper, the better. If anyone can help make sense of it, and be able to protect us at the same time, Terra and the rest are the ones."
Elder Kendrik sighed. Even after leading them into the mountains, he'd still held some hope that this could all be swept aside. But there was no chance of that anymore. The time had come.
"Very well," he said sadly, "follow me."
The trek to get closer to the summit was slightly more treacherous, as the snow fell heavier here and the higher winds limited vision to less than ten feet at some points. Elder Kendrik led them into a passage that took them out to a ledge that was protected from the heavy winds by the mountain cliffs. The triangular ledge jutted out perhaps a hundred feet from the tunnel exit. Past the edge was a straight drop of several hundred feet.
Towards the end of the ledge was the Esper. Its body was obscured by the ice that completely encased it, but from what they could tell, the Esper looked something like a cross between a bird and a dragon out of the storybooks.
Terra looked at it, her mouth ajar in awe at the creature. Recognition rose in her mind, a sense that she had seen this creature before, but Terra could remember no specifics.
"That was far too close of a call," commented Edgar as they formed a loose group around the Esper, "Kefka and his fellow maniacs made it much too close."
Cyan was keeping a respective distance from the Esper, even as he tried to get a better view. "Is it possible that thou creature remains alive?" he wondered.
"It can't be alive," said Sabin, his eyes narrowing as he looked closer, "I mean it's got to be a thousand years old, at least. It would be impossible for it to survive that long. Right?"
Terra stared deeply at the frozen creature. The power emanating from the Esper went right into her very bones. The fire in her blood began to rage uncontrolled. She found it impossible to concentrate, and so she took a few steps back.
Come… come child…
Locke saw Terra move out of the corner of his eye, and he walked up to her. "Terra?" he said to her, but he got no response, "Terra, what is it?"
Suddenly, light flashed from the Esper. Everyone had to blink several times to clear their eyes. All except for Terra, who continued to stare unblinking at the Esper. A moment later, a blast of blue-white lightning leapt from the Esper to the ground around them, forcing everyone back. Terra remained motionless.
Sabin wanted to reach for his claws, but was worried that the Esper was still conscious and functioning. He didn't want to provoke it.
"That Esper," he whispered to himself, "Terra?"
"There's some kind of reaction!" cried Edgar, backing up a few steps.
Locke shook his head as he watched the Esper continue to emit light. He couldn't believe it. Why was it targeting Terra?
Terra took a few steps closer to the Esper as she peered deeply into it. A field of blue energy suddenly surrounded the Esper, and a moment later, surrounded Terra as well. Locke reached out to touch her, but a small bolt of lightning jolted into him, forcing him a few steps back.
"What?" breathed Terra, her eyes never leaving the Esper, "What am I feeling! What's going on? What do you want?"
She paused for a moment, pain and confusion clear on her face. She looked desperately at the ancient creature.
"Tell me!" she screamed, "Who am I! Who!"
Locke tried to impose himself between Terra and the Esper, but some unnatural force prevented him from approaching.
"Terra!" he cried.
Suddenly another blast of lightning shot out of the Esper, striking Locke full in the chest. He flew backwards into the cliff wall, then slid to the ground unconscious. Celes knelt next to him to make sure he was alright. Except for a light bump on the back of his head, there was nothing to worry about.
Celes began to shake her head. An immense pressure seemed to settle on her mind, forcing its way past her intensive mental training. She began to hear something, something that could make no sound.
"The Esper," she gasped, causing everyone to turn and look at her, "I can feel it… I can actually feel its mind."
"What do you mean?" demanded Cyan.
"I was infused with the power of the Espers," explained Celes, "Part of me is reacting to its power. I can't explain it! I don't know what it is that I feel!"
"It doesn't matter!" cried Edgar. He looked at the creature that held his friend so firmly in its mystical grasp. He had to help free her from this thing. "Terra! If you can hear me, get away from the Esper!"
Sabin felt power gather in the lifestream, and knew instantly that whatever was going to happen, would happen right now.
Beams of blue-white light shot out from the Esper. They circled in the air overhead before swooping down and surrounding Terra. The light spun around her, climbing into the sky. Her bright green hair flew out of its ponytail and floated about as if in a non-existent wind. The light became brighter and brighter until everyone had to shut their eyes against it.
When the light died away, everyone gasped. Where Terra had stood only moments before, there was a figure of her general height. However, this figure had light, pinkish glowing skin, and solid milky-white eyes. Her hair floated behind her, bobbing and waving in an unearthly manner.
"Terra…" breathed Edgar.
The figure stared at each of them in turn, then suddenly let out an ear-piercing shriek, forcing them to cover their ears. With a nearly explosive burst of power, she rose from the ground, soaring up into the air. She circled the air once, then shot off towards the west.
Celes could only stare after her in awe.
Terra was gone.
