FF6-The Divine's Embrace

by Frozen Aura

Sequel to The Balance and Contrast of Yin and Yang. The Returners have sampled but a taste of the Darwinistic Nyufalng, but are their new opponents totally unfamiliar after all? And what is the 'Divine? Social revolution, natural disasters, and scientific anomalies may interweave in a chaotic mix beyond all control...

13. Calling of Chaos

Chapter 13: Calling of Chaos

It didn't seem possible. In a previous time, less than a year at most, I'd have written this off as a calculations error. But now, on the heels of unnatural beast mutations and man-made earthquakes, it served as the final touch.

Mt. Agudir was a volcano in the northern reaches of the Hyaxulan Mountains. It hadn't blown its top since my father's time, when Sabin and I were but sixteen years old. While it was known for its violent shaking and eruptions that covered the sky with a coat of black dust, Mt. Agudir had been dormant for well over a decade.

Until now.

All those tremors here in the capital, quakes that grew in their intensity, were an omen perhaps, foretelling Mt. Agudir's revival. And if my hunch was correct, it was directly my fault.

My fault or otherwise, the growing problem had just reached a turning point. Ever since increasing taxes, I'd been losing popularity among certain residents. Their grudges culminated in feuds, and my control began slipping. More power was lost when the earthquakes hit the different regions of town, bursting the waterlines and causing the riot literally at my doorstep. My authority as a credible monarch was steadily going downhill, with increasing speed. Now, with an eruption from Agudir on the horizon, it was time to cut the losses and take the final drastic action.

But I'd never done such before. I'd never even theorized on it, as I'd hoped to avoid such an overkill solution. But, maybe it wasn't overkill after all...

I read the report again, dismissing the messenger. No sooner had she left when Rodney Hayne joined me in the training room. "Sir, we just got word from Locke n' Celes. They're awaitin' ya' in the rad-coms room. It looks like the Nyufalng ain't takin' sick time. They're on the move, though maybe not towards here."

"What?" Then...where the hell are they going?" I followed Rodney to the radio chamber. Even if Baokiydu's ill symptoms were shared by his comrades, they weren't backing off. Surely the Nyufalng were heading this way, even if appearances didn't verify such. Speak with Locke and Celes could shed more light on this unexpected move.

That drastic solution wasn't overkill. I just hoped it would be enough.

change in s & n

Yet another large tent was erected, with Qaurjaeda assisting in hoisting up its support frame. This rural area was a prime spot for our temporary camp, a camp much like the one we established on the forested mountains north of Tzen, just before storming the political district. This area had been abandoned years ago. All that remained was a dead husk of a former town. After being ravaged in the great collapse, what survived was too minimal to count as a functioning city. No greater entity laid claim to this far-removed region, hence no attempts to rebuild it were made. The only remnants of this ex town's livelihood were long-forgotten buildings, overgrown with moss and ivy, some barely recognizable. They were too few and too dilapidated to serve any use.

Another airship landed just past the limits of the ghost town, shuttling another company of Nyufalng troops and creations to our camp. On-site personnel were rushing to and fro amid the large black tents, carrying boxes and carts of supplies inside.

"They'll never suspect us here," chuckled Sdalsyra, wheeling a cart full of armor. "If they gave a shit, they'd have come back to revitalize the place. For all we know, they believe we're still down in Albrook."

"Maybe, but it's rash to just assume." From around a tent corner appeared Ruqojjen, carrying his favored daukaisna, the Jrysthovuhn longsword that could tear through shields and armor if used in expert hands. "Let them make the presumptions. We can't get cocky, especially now. Most likely, they're up to something, given this new disturbance upon them. They surely know about it, to some degree."

"All the more reason they're preoccupied, and have less resources to focus on us," I put in, arranging supplies in one of the storage crates. "I'd say it's almost too easy, but the new disturbance is fucking with us as well." I rubbed my temples, conjuring memories of a small headache. Even a recipient of minimal augmentation, like myself, was feeling the disturbance pressure at this point.

The Nyufalng leader gripped his spiked longsword with both hands, holding it parallel to the ground at stomach level. "Be that as it may, they're going to act, especially if they sense the disturbance. Edgar and his followers are likely training overtime, anticipating we'll come crashing through their door."

"At least we know Baokiydu's still alive, as his usual abrasive self," acknowledged Sdalsyra. "Yithadri's last telepathy trance verified both." The Honored Shamaness wasn't coming along for this big-time assault. She stayed behind in Albrook, keeping our defenses ready, just in case.

"Just keep your guard up, especially if you want to free him." Ruqojjen jabbed with his daukiasna quickly, displaying expert control with the sharp, hefty blade.

Sdalsyra acknowledged the advice and wheeled the cart into one of the tents. Like houses of a spacious residential district, the large black tents formed a makeshift town of their own, appropriately fitting amid the ruins of a former town. Ruqojjen and I went about the temporary base, watching as Nyufalng men and women fill the cloth structures with weapons, protective gear, communication equipment, medical supplies, and MRE rations.

The newest of arrivals were approaching. "High Shenthaxa, more numbers looking to join the fray." The Moihzadu dashed ahead of the new crowd. "The augmented troops and full creations are ready and willing to leave their mark."

Behind Goda-Gorshim, the newcomers filed into the camp. Creations snorted, rasped, and made various other noises, but their appearances didn't cloud their deep understanding of what lie ahead. "How much longer?" asked the Moihzadu. "Less than a week, obviously."

"Correct," verified the High Shenthaxa. "Our total numbers are almost fully amassed here. Once the entire assault force gathers, we'll move out."

"What of the Divine's disturbance?" I asked. "Will that play a role?"

"Maybe, though we can't predict how that will unfold exactly. Even Yithadri and I couldn't get a fix on when and how the next pulse of the disturbance will play out." Ruqojjen's face hardened, his pale skin giving him that 'stone' expression. "Hence, we must act quickly."

Goda-Gorshim flexed his fingers. "Whatever the next pulse does, we'll be effected, even if we've hardened ourselves to feel no physical sensations. As far as I know, the Returners have no touch with the Divine, so their fighting capabilities won't suffer when the next pulse hits."

"But it will hinder them nonetheless, disrupting their resources and manpower," I pointed out. "That's one thing to be said for the Divine's pulsations of illness. They don't play favorites, not even with us."

"And none can control them," added Ruqojjen. "We can only tap into the Divine's Spirit Stream and control our bonds with it. Should it suffer enough, it'll chew us all up and shit us out before perishing itself."

The Moihzadu led the newest arrivals into the camp. As they departed, Dyal'xern approached, with Chithagu trotting just behind on all fours. "I don't think I've ever seen these numbers," stated the tall Air-smasher. "Even our assaults against Albrook's political district, House Virnone's stronghold, and Sindreo Geminsa's last fellowship weren't this massive."

"The Figaroan fuck-up king and his Returner band weren't among them," I stated. "That and our numbers have grown since we demolished all three leaderships down south. We have a larger force to strike a more endeared, more experienced, and more resourceful enemy."

"You know Ajalni, you make it sound like the Fuck-aros are superior to the Jrysthovuhn Council and its loyalists." Dyal'xern put his hands on my shoulders. "Maybe, if were make it through this pending assault, we'll have proven ourselves tougher than the Council and its lackeys back home. After that, removing those outdated control freaks from Jrysthovuh's government should be a piece of cake, eh?"

I could tell he was moderately joking. As Goda-Gorshim already pointed out, the Returners had zero understanding of the Divine and it's energy workings. Even if the Narshe Coward supplied them with a copy of the Ts'aosra'iy, the tome was plenty vague. Those who controlled its production also control what it said, and omitted. The Council refused to share its secret knowledge with outsiders, but were happy to show off their assets, without revealing how to achieve such grand enlightenment. The Ts'aosra'iy would educate others on what the Council had, while rubbing it in that such wisdom was the Council's alone, for them to keep and others to envy.

Without understanding of the Divine's cosmic mysticism, the Returners were still small timers next to Jrysthovuh's unmatched leadership. But Dyal'xern did have a valid point. Taking down the Returners would better prep us for the next conflict.

Chithagu wagged his tail. "We strikes dummy land. Eats king and Fuck-aros for munchies." Dense or not, he got the point, and looked forward to snacking on Returner 'munchies.'

change in s & n

I kept staring at the spectacle. I still had trouble believing it. Figaro City was just short of its fourth birthday. Maybe a few months ago, in a time when the word 'Nyufalng' didn't exist in our vocabulary (had it only been that long?), this would've seemed impossible. People had flocked to this desert en mass, with hopes of building a new city to commemorate Edgar's victory against Kefka, and hopes of a bright and prosperous future. After leaving Mobliz in the wake of the orphans' adoption, I witnessed close-up the town's initial growth.

Now, people were leaving this city, in the very same numbers by which they arrived.

The threat of a Nyufalng attack on this capital was imminent. They'd already struck the Shedairah base almost a year back, and had plans to spill more blood on Figaro soil. That was dangerous enough, but the new addition of Mt. Agudir presented a whole new list of dangers to the Figaroan capital. The earthquakes could very well foreshadow Agudir's first eruption in over ten years. And in Edgar's own words, it was he, not the Nyufalng, who was likely responsible for resuscitating the volcano. All his digging of the streets to lay new pipelines had stirred the sleeping mountain, somehow. Even the King was confused on this.

But one thing was clear. Even of his credibility was lost, Edgar was still responsible for the safety of Figaro City's population. Trapped between 'two rocks and a hard place', there was only one option left, a dramatic necessity to ensure the public's well-being.

A massive, organized exodus from this capital.

The lines at the nearby train station were almost a mile long, and the trains had been modified in kind. More cars had been linked up to ferry the massive numbers of people out of the endangered capital. The average train was ten cars in length. Usually, ten cars was a rare maximum. Some of the cars were stained and faded. Even aging, unsightly railroad facilities were called back into service, as the need for transportation was at a record high.

For some people, leaving town was a given. Edgar's name had become a profanity in the lest few months, and even before we learned of the Jrysthovuhn zealouts down south, dozens of families had left in great resentment, no longer willing to shell out their savings on Edgar's plumbing tax.

Others needed some time, as they didn't have readily available places to stay outside of the capital. On that note, Edgar ordered that inns and hotels in other Figaroan cities prepare to house large numbers of refugees. Quildern, Kohlingen, Narshe, and even South Figaro were now receiving displaced citizens of this capital. Some people were even going as far as Illstenham and Spervang, independent city-states which had recently been absorbed into Vardigga.

And others flat-out refused to leave. As Edgar put it, setting up the exodus was probably easier than convincing certain people to clear out. The hardline patriots refused to leave the city founded by their idolized King Edgar, refused to leave the monarch's side. Many wished to join the army, to give their all in support of the glorious 'Kefka Killer'.

But Edgar didn't see it that way. Even though he appreciated the support, he was adamant that all civilians leave town, under threat of arrest if they refused. Even military recruits below a certain level of training were ordered to leave. There was just no time to complete their essential training at this point. They were too fresh and inexperienced to provide any worthwhile military help.

The trains obviously were running on a new emergency schedule. To get here from Narshe, Leonard and I had to rent a chocobo carriage. I watched the line of citizens file up the stairs of the elevated train platform and into the awaiting train. Soldiers were keeping the evacuation orderly and smooth. Some troops were on foot, ushering in the awaiting locals. Others were mounted on chocobos, and even riding combat walker units, keeping order amid large crowds of tense people. The recruits who'd joined early enough to complete basic training were getting a real workout now. Even their more-experienced superiors were facing a first-time task of phenomenal magnitude.

Behind me, the dojo doors opened, offering a brief distraction from the monotonous line of evacuees. A tall woman exited the training hall, her dark hair in a long braid, and a large haversack in her hands.

Sabin's girlfriend Marielle was taller than me, but shorter than the muscular Sabin, who followed her outside. The blitz master exchanged a look with the soft-spoken woman. "You care darling, and so does my brother. That's why he wants you to leave with the others. You have a place to go. Your family in Illstenham will take you in." Sabin smiled, but the gloom in his eyes was undeniable.

Marielle's look also bore concern. "I...just can't leave you like this, can't leave this town while you and Edgar and everyone else will stay behind." Her shoulders quivered.

Sabin pulled her close. "Think how Edgar feels. He's the one asking people to leave their homes, even if they have nowhere else to go. The burden is his. Be happy that it's not yours, and that you have a place awaiting you outside the town." He pointed at the long line of designated refugees. "Many of them do not, and must resort to temp housing at the inns and lodges elsewhere."

The tall woman blinked a few times. "It's not that Sabin. It's..." She cupped her lips. "You're going to fight again, aren't you. And with the enemy coming this way in probable mass numbers, it's more likely you'll die."

Sabin's head hung, though he still looked at the shorter woman before him. "You understand Marielle, and I won't make any promises I can't keep. But I'm needed here. Even at the cost of my life, I have to help make a difference. I don't really have a choice. The Nyufalng are out for my blood as a Returner, literally. They want my blood in beer stein." He placed his hands on her chest. "But you aren't on their shit list. You must get out of here while you still can." When Marille did nothing but sigh deeply, he added, "I'll think of you, and I'll be in touch if I survive this onslaught. I've been through a lot, and you know it."

Marielle tried smiling. "I'll be...waiting...for you." She grabbed Sabin with her hands and embraced him. I felt like turning away, but as she let go of the blitz master, she addressed me. "Terra, best of luck. You'll need every bit." Her arms enclosed around me. Then she hoisted the sack on her shoulders, walked down the dojo steps, and made for the end of the massive line at the train stop. She vanished around the corner of a building.

We stared after her, until the line stopped moving. The train was full, and would now carry its passenger load out of town. Most of the people were from the northeastern district of town, closest to the newly-awakened volcano. As such, Edgar made evacuating them a first priority.

Footsteps approached. It was Leonard, carrying bags of take-out food he'd purchased from a nearby diner. "It's pretty tame here. I've heard it's like a mad house in the center of town. Merchants are liquidating their stock, and people are buying a surplus of essentials, anything they'll need upon relocating." As he said this, I noted the crowd standing almost parallel to the elevated train tracks. Many of them had large bags along, though nothing to massive that would take up extra train space.

Sabin pushed open the dojo doors. Relm sat behind one of the tables. Normally, she'd be in school at this time, but the youth academy had closed for obvious reason. As a Returner, she was undoubtedly the only school pupil not joining the mass exodus.

Leonard placed the food bags on the table and started removing the sodas, biscuits, soup tins, turkey pieces, and his favored grilled cheese sandwich with bacon. "So, what now? Did you brother give us any standing directives?"

Sabin popped the seal on his drink. "Unfortunately, we can't do much now, expect keep our minds and skills sharp. That and make sure the exodus goes according to plan. But the army's keeping tabs on that, and making sure no additional riots or looting breaks out amidst the rush to leave."

"Edgar believes the Nyufalng will strike this capital before considering any of Figaro's lesser towns," Relm put in, buttering a split biscuit. "In a way, this volcano eruption just might, might, be fortunate. It's prompting him to move those he seeks to protect. When the Nyufalng descend upon this town, the civilians will be miles away, split up among different cities. Hell, some have left Figaro completely. I heard Vardigga was a popular place of refuge."

Vardigga. Charise's homeland in which Edgar was very unpopular, a mindset shared between them and the Nyufalng. "That reminds me. Since Vardigga and the Nyufalng mutually loath Edgar, the King presumed the militants would try appealing to this shared animosity. Charise tried warning their Parliament about rumors against Edgar's name, rumors which the Nyufalng might spread around Vardigga. Her plea was brushed off."

"What the hell? Why?" Chewed sandwich almost fell from Leonard's open mouth.

I bit into a glazed turkey breast. "They believe Edgar put Charise up to it, issuing warnings about some non-existent organization just to keep his name shiny. Of course, as he's not popular over there, Vardiggans will probably welcome any truth about Edgar's mishaps."

"Fuckin' shit. That's cold." Leonard frowned. "And here I thought I was a victim of societal prejudice. She's their own citizen, and a Queen-by-marriage to boot, and they deem her as following Edgar's lead in a mere cover-the-ass game."

"Like Terra said, Edgar's popularity in Vardigga in almost void, if anything." Sabin licked gravy from his mouth. "I won't go into the details. You understand enough, being no stranger to public bias. As far as the present goes, Edgar's not pressing the matter of convincing Vardigga. The Nyufalng may not be planning for that now. According to the transmission from Locke and Celes, the Nyufalng aren't sitting around in Albrook. They're moving out in mass numbers, numbers too large for a simple propaganda campaign in Vardigga. Their destination isn't known yet, but it's not here."

"Then, where the hell is it?" I asked, gulping down my turkey bite. "Are they planning an attack on some other place too?"

Sabin downed some cola. "We don't know. Edgar's next directive was for Setzer, Locke, and Celes is to follow one of the departing ships from Albrook. A destination may reveal the enemy's intent."

Relm stirred her soup. "Their intent is obvious. Attack anyone they don't like and deem 'inferior'." Her fist tightened. "And drain my dad of his life blood."

With a deep breath, Relm contained any rage the might've brewed within. Any feelings of hate and resentment she'd long harbored for Shadow were gone, transferred over to his Nyufalng captors.

And we still had one of their own, the Sensorian Baokiydu. He remained locked up in a basement-level dungeon cell, with high-tech gadgets installed to specifically counter his abilities.

I was nonetheless uneasy with the newly-active volcano up north. It wasn't the Nyufalng's doing, but it was the ultimate wild card, uncontrolled and unpredictable. Its quakes and potential eruptions would provide greater setbacks to us, upon which the Nyufalng would surely capitalize.

change in s & n

"Stay low," I advised. "We don't want to be seen."

Setzer cracked a half-humored, half-annoyed expression. "Well duh Celes. I'm not about to call out 'Hi Nyufalng, here we are'."

"Sorry. I don't mean to sound redundant." I leaned back in the seat next to the pilot's chair. "I'm just...tense."

"We've been tense for...how long now?" Locke asked to no one in particular. "Ever since the monsters massacred Shedairah, Cid's lab, and the arena booth? Since Leonard vanished? Since feuds broke out over the plumbing tax? Since discovering the Nyufalng? Why is being tense now even worth mention?"

I looked through the windshield of the cargo vessel. "Because this is a turning point. Something will go down, something major and decisive. The Nyufalng are done with planning. They're now acting on their plans. We gotta discover them...fast."

We flew north, on the distant trail of yet another airborne vessel departing from Albrook. It was off to our left, and far ahead in the distance.

"It's not bound for home," Locke stated. "The ship's going straight north. Figaro is diagonal from Albrook."

"So, where are they going?" Setzer adjusted the ship altitude ever so slightly. "I'd say Nikeah, for motives unknown. But they're not turning, and Nikeah is also due northwest from Albrook. What does that leave us?"

Locke bit his lip. "Thamasa."

"But why?" I blinked a few times. "While the Nyufalng dubbed magic as a 'foreign virus', magic went extinct from this world four years ago. Thamasa is not a major player in world politics either. It's a backwater city-state, at most."

Going after Thamasa would be a waste of resources and effort, even for sociopath zealots like the Nyufalng. What dangers could Thamasa present? The three major powers of the southern continent had been annihilated, and they'd all been far more advanced and significant than Thamasa had ever been. Unless...

"If the Nyufalng are well-versed in our backgrounds, than Relm and Strago's lineage is not lost on them," I theorized. "Maybe they're going to the Magi city to choke off what they believe could be funding. They might suspect Thamasa will provide aide to Figaro."

"Well, Thamasa's never actually done so," Locke put in. "And the Nyufalng would be well-researched enough to understand that. What could some isolated overblown village provide for the greatest technological kingdom of Sayitheren? The Jrysthovuhn rejects know the answer; absolutely nothing."

Locke was right, that Relm's hometown had nothing to provide Figaro. But I couldn't shake the feeling that our enemies had the Magi town in their sights. "Okay, there are no resource lines to cut off. Maybe they'll seek out recruits, or some kind of resource for themselves, in preparation to fight Figaro's army."

"Really?" Setzer glanced through the corner of his eyes at me. "Such as? If Thamasa has nothing to offer Figaro, what could they offer the Nyufalng? Why would they seek recruits from a Returner's hometown? Why would Thamasans join a bunch of strangers with foreign names? Thamasa is and always has been a neutral entity. And unlike Vardigga, they don't curse any names of our membership." The gambler kept the ship on its northward course. "No, a far-removed place with few resources and no affiliation has no reason to join the fray, or be a target. Until we have evidence to the contrary, I'd conclude Thamasa doesn't factor into their plans."

We could also scratch Doma off the list. Doma had fallen after Kefka poisoned their water supply. Survivors had fled to start anew, mostly in Nikeah. Others followed Cyan's path and put down roots in Figaroan cities, while others pushed west into Jidoor and Vardigga.

The Nyufalng vessel kept northbound. A distant land formation appeared on the horizon to the northeast. Crescent Island, where Thamasa was located, had been trimmed down to size after the great collapse. Much of its western coastline sank into the ocean, and had yet to reform itself. The Nyufalng ship paid it no attention. In fact, as we drew closer, the vessel started angling to our right, westward in a very subtle turn.

"The Veldt," announced Locke excitedly. "It figures. They're looking for more wild beasts to catch and mutate for their army."

Indeed, the ship was descending. Locke was onto something. The Nyufalng were monster-hunting in the Veldt, seeking a different kind of 'recruit' most likely.

"I'm heading east, a little." Setzer began steering the ship towards Crescent Island. If that ship is landing, we'll have to put more distance between us and it if we're to avoid being seen. And chances are, another ship will be heading this way, going back to their Albrook HQ. We know their destination. Let's dock far from it and plan our next move."

"How about on Cresecnt Island?" Locke pointed east. "The enemy's not there, and if we need to restock, we can just shop in Thamasa."

"Right." Setzer began descending. The airship's engine hums changed.

As we started landing, I had this vibe, a curiosity. I had no idea why, but instinct was pushing me to look out the side window at the Veldt, just to get a better glimpse of Nyufalng activity if possible. I grabbed a telescope and strode over to a window that provided a generous view to the west. I just had to see.

"Okay. There's a lot of activity on the Veldt's eastern edge. Another airship is docking, and a third is taking off." I turned the focus ring on the scope to zoom in. And then I saw it. "Damn!"

"What?" Locke was out of his chair and at my side.

"I thought Mobliz was a ghost town, but it appears the Nyufalng have pitched a marshaling camp amid its remains. And it's a big camp." I gave Locke the telescope.

He looked through it, and shared my reaction. "Fucking hell. It's like a city of tents down there. That's too large for a beast catchers camp. They are moving out, with one objective in mind."

Edgar had theorized about this outcome, a full-scale Nyufalng assault on Figaro's capital. Now, it was imminent. Time was no longer of the essence.

"All the more reason to lay low," added Setzer. The airship dropped some more. "We land, restock, and play it by ear."

"And contact Edgar," I put in. "I just hope his mass exodus completes before the Nyufalng depart their camp."

change in s & n

At least one thing was going right. The exodus was proceeding as I'd planned. South Figaro had actually chipped in, using its own ships to ferry people out of town. Some had grown impatient and were using their own chocobo carriages and boats, if they had any. All non-military government officials, such as the Chancellor, guild leaders, and ministers had fled immediately to secret locations.

The Nyufalng hadn't struck yet, but that was definitely around the corner. Locke, Celes, and Setzer had uncovered a Nyufalng camp on the Veldt. Their next objective would be the hard part; sneak in, get information, and delay the enemy's assault in whatever ways possible. If any of us could do such, Locke was the grandmaster.

Tremors occurred here and there amid the city in short bursts, now with much fewer people to notice them. Mt. Agudir remained inert, but I wasn't holding my breath for too long. If most of the people could evacuate before the big one, I'd feel satisfaction. To keep order amid the exodus, I said nothing about the imminent Nyufalng attack or the looming eruption. I merely spoke of the increasing tremors and failing pipelines, not to mention the various incidents of civil unrest. As these were enough to drive people away, the civilians didn't question my orders to clear out. Those who needed some prodding left upon getting it.

I sat in the library, overlooking the exodus reports, signing in relief. Between the all-day train runs, sea vessel routes, and private transport measures, the town was ninety-five percent evacuated as of the report's writing. With Narshe and Kohlingen booked up, most people were now fleeing to South Figaro aboard sea ships. I could not oversee camps and lodging amid the other towns. Local governments were dealing with that. My task was now here, guarding against the Nyufalng offensive.

Charise leaned against a tall shelf of books. "You did it," she said. "You've gotten people out."

Her joy was brief. She knew this was a marginal accomplishment. I still didn't know how Mt. Agudir had reawakened, and was even less sure about how to make this town safe again. The broken waterlines wold have to be dealt with eventually, and the earth quakes could very well perpetuate even after this whole fiasco with the Nyufalng come to a close.

And my name had already been smeared enough. Restoring my reputation was yet another task upon my shoulders. At least I still had some cred amongst the hardline patriots, those who'd refused to leave town at first.

I walked out of the book aisle, with Charise right behind. "You know, in times like this, we often overlook what matters immediately around us." I took her hand. "We should be grateful we have each other in this time."

She leaned in, then suddenly stopped. "What was that? I felt motion."

"Well, of course. I took your hand, then you leaned forwards," I stated, unsure if she referenced those actions.

"No, I felt it below me, as if something moved under the floor." She looked down. But the gold and green carpet remained motionless. Her eyes went wide. "There it is again!"

This time, I felt the movement as well. It was a vibration, as if the whole floor was shifting back and forth on a certain axis. The floor moved again, and I realized what could make an entire room and floor quiver like so. Rumbling sounded throughout the library.

This was it.

"Under there!" I shouted, almost pushing my wife against a large table next to the wall. I threw the chairs aside, dropped to my knees, and pulled her down. She huddled next to me, as the rumbling and motions increased.

Mt. Agudir's pivotal moment was at hand. I'd been lucky that this much time had passed before its due. A full collection of encyclopedias fell from the bookshelf and onto the floor where we'd stood not ten seconds ago. More books followed suit, tumbling in waves from their bookcases. Chairs from other tables slid outwards, then back again, banging against each other. Ceiling lights swung from side to side as more books toppled off the shelving below. With one hand, I gripped Charise. With my other, I gripped the table, to keep it in place above our heads. A practical decision, as something hit the tabletop above with a loud, sharp thud. Something broke after that.

The noises went on, and then, the lights went out. The library was plunged into near-total darkness. Only distant windows provided lighting now. I could see very little, but could hear plenty. Wood furniture bashing against itself, the moaning of architectural beams and panel twisting with the quake's motions, the rumble of the quake itself, my wife's heavy breathing, my own. I stopped counting. Time was meaningless. I could only hold my breath, my wife, and the table shielding us from above.

After some time interval that was lost on me. The noises began to soften, the shaking grew less violent, and gradually stopped, far different than its sudden beginning. The castle moaned one last time, its framework settling back into place following the earthquake. Creaking from beyond our table, swinging lights overhead also came to a halt. Normally, a wave of shouts and screams would've filled the area, inside and out, panicked locals trying to grasp the powerful event.

But there was silence. Most people who would've reacyed in confusion had departed the city by now, as to avoid this very disaster. Even my castle was minimally occupied.

I breathed heavily, still clutching Charise and the table leg. The lights were still out. The dark silence all around was nerve-wracking. I had to know, what was going on outside?

"Ed-gar," choked Charise. "Did it pa-ss?"

The floor was still, until another rumble and tremor came and went, an aftershock from the main quake. There could be more. I was unmoving, but my heart beat like a dozen factory pistons on overdrive. Holding Charise, I could feel hers beating similarly.

Another aftershock tore through the castle. The lights flickered on, then died. I slowly crawled out from under the table, ready to duck back underneath if the next aftershock hit. A vague tremor shook the floor, and was gone before I could join Charise under the table. "I...guess it's clear to come out." I reached and helped her up.

The open windows shined some light onto the floor, and I used those to guide us to the exit, bumping into various toppled chairs and fallen books on the way.

The hallway outside was also shrouded in darkness. A few lights on the wall near the floor glowed, as low-power emergency markers. I used them to reach the end, holding Charise's hand all the while. She was no seasoned adventurer, though she was getting a crash course. She wasn't panicking, maybe thanks to my presence.

Finally, we reached the castle exit and walked out onto the street, into daylight..except not for long.

A dark gray blanket was puffing up from the north. Mt. Agudir had blown at last. The ash from the eruption was now blanketing the sky.

Something in my coat pocket shook and buzzed, my hand radio. I grabbed it and pressed the talk button. "Edgar here. Talk to me."

"Sir, it's Frennard. Agudir just blew."

"Yes Colonel. I can see the dust cloud from down here on Citadel Boulevard." Jerom was part of a recon team of sky armor units in the northern mountains, keeping tabs on Mt. Agudir. They were in the air now, as I could hear propellers in the background of Jerom's transmission. "Do you have visuals of the lava flow?"

"Thus far, it's only going up high and coming back down," said the Colonel. "There's no specific direction, for now."

For now. I wasn't betting it would stay like that. And the power outage was a hindrance by itself. Was it confined to my castle, or had it spread to the whole town? "Keep me informed Colonel. I'm radioing the others." I tapped a different number sequence on my radio. "Sarholme, do you have power?"

After a few moments, Deanne's voice came through. "Negative King Edgar. The command center's back up generators are still inactive."

"Copy that." I peered inside the front doors of the castle. The lights were still dead. Pressing another sequence in the radio, I said. "Hayne. How goes at your twenty?"

"We almost got the last ship filled Sir, but the people are getting' spooked because o' that shaker," Rodney stated. There was lots of chatter noise behind his voice. "You might wanna come down here and calm the poor folks."

These were the last of the people to be evacuated. This close to completion, and this close to the much-feared eruption, I couldn't allow for any setbacks. "Understood. I'll oversee that last phase of the exodus myself. Hold tight."

The chocobo stables were behind the castle, and didn't use large amounts of power. The yellow birds were squawking, but were otherwise unharmed. A stable worker was organizing the tools and riding gear sets thrown loose by the earthquake. He pulled two gear sets and selected a pair of birds for Charise and I. We'd both make sure the exodus was completed as planned.

By the time we reached the harbor, people were more spooked over the creeping dust cloud than the prospect of more quakes. Over half the sky above the capital was engulfed in blackness now. Streetlamps glowed to life. The power was coming back on.

My presence somehow expedited the last stretch of the exodus. I watched the ramp withdraw into the last ocean ferry as the boat horn sounded and the ship pulled out of the dock. Exodus complete.

I leaned against a dock warehouse and breathed heavily. Coordinating this evacuation was the easy part. Next up, fight the Nyufalng head-on.

My radio sounded off. I pressed the button. "King Edgar."

"Sir, we have a problem," Paul Edderbricht's voice came through the radio speaker. "I found two dead guards down in the dungeon."

I gulped, hoping it was anything but what I feared. "Earthquake casualties?"

"Negative. One's been decapitated, the other's skull has been split down the center." The 2LT verified their causes of the death.

"Can you ID them?" I asked, somehow knowing the dreaded answer.

"Aye Sir. Cordova and Rems. One appears to be missing a radio."

It was true.

change in s & n

One ship had already flown northwest out of the Veldt. The Nyufalng were moving out their attack force already.

Setzer docked the air vessel amid the Veldt's northern perimeter, next to a rough patch of mountains forged by the great collapse. A long forest reached from this mountainous patch to the old city limits of what used to be Mobliz, and was now the Nyufalng camp. We sneaked into the camp from the timber line.

"What now?" asked Celes in a hushed voice. "Your brilliance got us in here, so you'd better have a plan of action."

"First we should try listening in," I whispered. "We might overhear crucial battle plan details. We should also get a look at what's coming our way."

"We'd thrown on overcoats and hats to disguise ourselves, but would still keep distance for obvious reason. Our disguise didn't fit the look of militants preparing for war, and if we got too close to anyone, we'd be recognized instantly.

We crept around one of the large black tents. A lot of chatter could be heard within, but it was all in Jrysthovuhn. Unable to translate the language, we moved on to the next tent.

Growling emerged from here, probably some breed of Nyufalng war mutation. Cautious, acting like grunts running errands, we went inside the entrance, just enough to see inside.

I'd been correct. War beasts had been making those noises. One looked like a red-skinned humanoid bull with clawed hands, a lower body clad in thick brown fur, hoofed feet, and some odd appendages growing from its palms. I could best describe them as spiked bone chunks attached by a membrane with its own thorny covering. This beast had its own organic swinging weapons, and plenty of bulk to use them. Even with its legs bent, it could top Sabin by my estimation.

The second creature was a large blue-scaled snake with fangs, glowing red eyes, and a blade on its tail. But its most unique feature was a pair of bat wings, themselves lines with blades, becoming weapon all their own. It was munching from a box, and paid us no attention. If we lingered for too long, we'd become its next meal.

"Excuse me." A woman strode past us carrying a saddle. She ignored us, and went about strapping the ride gear on the blue snake. A Nyufalng flying mount. We split before she finished.

"So, what shall we call those things?" I asked quietly. "We should have code names for all the new monsters we find here."

"Winged snake and minotaur man." Locke's terms were specific and to-the-point.

We kept our faces covered with out coat collars, moving about the camp. Outside one of the tents, an armored soldier oversaw a sparring match. Two armored combatants were practicing with weapons, an obvious dry run for the real thing against Figaro's finest. A crowd of other troops formed a circle to watch. "Don't stop in one place for too long," advised the armored referee, who was likely an officer. "Unless you plan to lure the opponent in, then dodge at the last moment when they can't react, but wait to long and their attacks will hit."

We moved on past the demo, seeking more beasts to observe and describe. Several tents down, two men were leading one such creature into a tent, something as large as a stagecoach. It looked like a woman with bug eyes and the lower body of a praying mantis. Its long arms ended with large sickle blades, and spikes protruded out from its chest. I could easily guess their function, knowing how the late spy Morris Tanrevilt had similar mutations. From what I could tell, more similar creatures were within.

"How about sickle mantis for that one?" I asked.

"Fine by me," agree Locke, tugging at his collar to keep it up. "Call these things as you see 'em."

Behind the 'mantis tent' was something else massive and freakish. Its skin was rough and colored like citron, a dark mix of orange and green. It had a long featureless tail, smaller appendages that I guessed were arms, and a rounded mouth lined with fangs. Something flashed within its maw, probably projectile weaponry of an organic breed, worthy counterparts to our combat-walker artillery.

As this thing belched, we dubbed it 'big maw' and left it behind. Our next specimen of battle was rolling about in front of more troops, who were studying its movement and performance. When it uncoiled, it looked like a centipede with an apple-green carapace. Spikes and studs littered its back, an offensive measure to be sure.

"Blade roller," Locke mused. Beyond the spiked insect was a less bizarre creature. It looked like a giant silver wolf, complete with its own rider. The beast open its mouth, looked at a pile of empty, broken crates, and breathed out a gold bolt of lightning. The crates were reduced to a piles of glowing shards. "Thunder breath," I called this one, another equal to our military tech.

"We're getting a fine tour of the bestiary, but we should also get a sample of the strategy," Locke pointed out.

We strode about some more, always keeping the north end of the camp in our mental compass, the way back the forest, and the airship, in case we had to bail quickly.

A bunch of laughing caught our attention, just outside another tent. A pile of crates separated us from the source. We knelt down and listened.

"We'll attack those shits from the hidden route. From what Tanrevilt said, they're guarding the ports, assuming we'll come that way." I didn't recognize the voice, but the words were enough. The Nyufalng weren't going to attack Figaro's heavily guarded ports along the southern beach. They were planning something else, but what? Footsteps came from beyond the crate pile. We pulled out before the speaker had a chance to find us.

"What do you think?" I asked. "Should we go back the airship and update Edgar?"

"Not a bad idea." Locke squinted. "This place is starting to creep me out. I can't help but wonder if these monsters can smell us. We need to brainstorm what 'hidden route' could mean."

We retraced our steps back to the camp's northern perimeter. "Need a hand with something?"

We stopped cold. A masked soldier stood behind us, arms folded.

"Thanks, but we're good," answered Locke in a gruff, pseudo hard-ass voice to disguise his real one.

"Are you lost?" inquired the masked man? The voice was decidedly male, and raspy.

"No, but I think we lost something out in the woods." Locke pointed at the trees.

"Need a hand in finding it?" The man was curious, too much for comfort.

I shook my head. "No thanks, we'll find it before long. I'm sure you have business in the camp, and I don't wish to detract you from it. Thanks anyway though."

"Okay. Good luck." The masked troop walked behind one of the tents. We pressed into the forest, heading back to the airship.

"That was close." Locke mumbled, thumbing his sheathed Atma Weapon. In a militarized camp, we could carry our weapons without looking suspicious. We hoped having them would negate a need for them. They'd get a real workout soon enough.

We cleared the forest and saw the cargo vessel, grounded in the shadow of a mountain peak.

"Leaving so soon, General, Thief?"

We stopped again. The voice was loud and gruff, even more so than the masked man's. And those titles weren't spoken respectfully. They weren't random titles either.

We'd been spotted, and identified. Maybe someone had followed us, or had been in the forest as we'd passed, but how they see through our disguises?

There was no point in denial. Locke and turned in unison, him drawing his Atma Weapon and me unsheathing the Starto.

Baokiydu the Sensorian stood in the clearing, rough spikes extended from his palms. Next to him was the masked man from earlier, holding a flail with three chained weights. We had been followed!

"What the fuck?" Locke held Atma steady. "You're supposed to be rotting in the Figaro dungeons."

"And I was, until Mt. Agudir blew. The earthquake knocked out the power and rendered the cell devices useless. I burned through my chains, cut through the door, killed the guards and bailed. It's like a ghost town over there, all evacuated." The Sensorian advanced.

The one ship that had left the camp earlier suddenly had new meaning. "Did you contact a ship to pick you up, after your escape?"

"That I did, and as we flew back, we noticed a strange airship parked near those mountains, and two figures depart from it. Our ships would have no reason to hide away like so. We waited for the occupants to go back, and I can smell your unique stench."

We hadn't planned on this, on Baokiydu escaping, getting air transit to the camp, and seeing us trespassing from above. There was no point in fighting. He and the masked man would radio their comrades, if they hadn't already. We'd have the entire Nyufalng breathing down our throats in minutes. We had to flee.

The mystery man charged Locke, while Baokiydu rushed for me, hand spikes out. I stepped back and held my katana defensively. The sensation of heat was getting intense, just like it had when we'd ambushed Baokiydu in the mountains east of Figaro City. This time however, we didn't have noise horns or flashers to exploit his augmented senses.

I charged my weapon for a Shock, my best option to get Baokiydu off my back. I stayed beyond the reach of his hand spikes. I didn't know if the fat Sensorian possessed long-range attack options, and I didn't care to find out.

But I sort of did. The Sensorian's heatwaves reached beyond his physical self. I could feel the heat even with over a dozen feet between us. He was probably channeling the energy into a narrow but long-reaching target field. I could feel sweat on my forehead, the sword heating up in my grip, just like last time. Anymore waiting and my chance to release the Shock might be lost. I stopped moving, let the Pung Thoshidei advanced a few steps, and made the pass.

Maybe I'd been dizzied from the heat wave. The Shock went forward at a downward angle, striking the ground before Baokiydu. Still, despite not hitting directly, the Nyufalng being was thrown for a loop. Dirt and gravel were thrown about as the chubby mutation was thrown off his feet. For now, that was enough. I grabbed the radio. "Start the airship, we've been spotted," I almost yelled to Setzer.

Locke was tangling with the mystery man, literally. One of the chains was wrapped around his sword arm at the wrist. The masked Nyufalng man was pulling Locke off balance, while swinging another ball-and-chain. Instead of struggling, the crafty treasure hunter ran with the enemy's momentum. As the distance closed, Locke's free hand made a swift motion, almost overlooked by the drastic one of his mock sword thrust.

The opposition suddenly growled out. A bladed ring was stuck in his shoulder, one of Locke's favored throwing weapons. As the man staggered, Locke shoved the pommel of Atma into the guy's mask, forcing him down and backwards. The chain on Locke's hand came loose.

"Let's bail the fuck out," I called. "We're gonna have lots of company in a minute or less."

We didn't even look back. The airship's ramp was already down as we approached, the engine already humming.

"Go!" Locke bellowed as we rushed inside the vessel and slammed the door closed. The ramps started retracting as our ship moved upwards. In record time, Setzer maneuvered the cargo vessel around the mountains. We fled west, leaving the Veldt, the camp, and the amassed Nyufalng behind.

"It's a good thing I'm used to hasty takeoffs," chided Setzer. "Any other pilot would've taken their sweet time in starting the vessel."

"Not with that kind of pressure," I said back jokingly. "Unless they had a death wish, any other pilot would've done what you had. Advanced takeoff preps are part of pilot school, so I hear."

"Since when did you attended pilot school?" The gambler was tongue-and-cheek, for now. Well all knew what lie ahead, and our clash outside the marshaling camp most likely hastened it.

change in s & n

This was it. The inevitable was happening. As frightening as battle could be, waiting on the edge for it was outright nerve-wracking, for there was no time to get scared on the battlefield.

Power was restored to the town, partially. At least the communication systems worked, as did factory munitions. With the town evacuated by the larger civilian populous, the little power available could be used in full on military measures, a small fortunate twist amid this darkened circumstance.

Locke and Celes flew back here in haste like I'd never seen, confirming Baokiydu's escape from their side. Having seen two Returners in their camp, the Nyufalng were surely on their way.

Under the ash-covered skies of this abandoned capital, we'd make our stand. I'd already delivered the speech to the remaining military personnel. They knew damn well they might not survive this onslaught, and that didn't frighten them in the least. They vowed the Nyufalng wouldn't make it past our lines, even if those lines were broken. I accepted the grave burden that I'd probably send hundreds if not thousand of men and women, some barely into their twenties, to their graves. Their response was matter-of-fact; the Nyufalng had already carried out massacres in Shedairah, Olistes, and Fondanin, and that was just on this continent. If they wanted blood spilled, they'd get it, including their own. To back away from this clash would just delay the inevitable. The Nyufalng had placed Figaro on their shit list. We were targets enough already.

Fondanin would not be along for this, to no fault of their own. We still couldn't prove that the Zozoan gangs cooperated under Nyufalng orders, so the Jidooran city-state was going to sit this out. Local authorities were guarding others town like Narshe and South Figaro, in addition to organizing the placement of evacuated locals. Their best defense was here, us. The Returners and Figaro armies were all that stood between the Nyufalng and the rest of my kingdom.

Rodney Hayne met his wife and daughters in Quildern, halfway between here and Kohlingen. Jerom Frennard bid his wife and daughter farewell during the exodus, as Deanne Sarholme did with her two sons. My brother saw Marielle off too, promising to contact her if he survived. Paul Edderbricht and Ziegfried Morersch had no partners or children, as they lived the 'adrenaline' lifestyle. They'd get an overdose of that shortly. Locke and Celes had proved themselves worthy time and again, as had Sabin. Setzer also agreed to join the fight, as a ground trooper. Terra and Leonard were also pumped for combat, having trained in Sabin's blitz derivative. Cyan was his usual battle hardened-self, and Relm agreed to give what she could, with Interceptor loyally coming along.

Mog offered his aide as well, but with so much going on up in Narshe, I asked that he stay out of this one. He'd have to fight if the Nyufalng got past us and made their way to the mining town. Umaro was still locked in a basement-level dungeon, still too much of a liability right now. Mog had spoken to him, but the sedated yeti didn't respond.

Locke and Celes had offered some worthy descriptions of the monster they'd seen in the Nyufalng camp on the Veldt, and spread word the 'hidden route' into the city. It wasn't to the south. The beach provided no such cover. To the east and west were mountains, with large land masses beyond. No army could sneak in from those directions, not the Imperials, Cult of Kefka, or the Nyufalng. And the Hyaxulan Mountains lined the northern limits of the town. However...

"Edgar." Charise was at my side, joining me on the roof of a castle tower. "If it's any consolation, I will remain at your side. As Queen, it's my duty. Even if our loyal warriors die for us, and for me, I must watch with indifference and gratitude."

I closed my eyes and looked down. With the Aura Lance in my right hand, I reached out with my left. "Dear, such is the burden of royalty. Our people willfully put themselves in danger so that you may carry on. They fight, bleed and die, not just for country and decency, but for us, for you." She took my outstretched hand. "But if worse comes to worse, I want to no questions." I fixed my gaze on her teal eyes. "If I say you must flee, do so. Don't linger, just go, even if I must remain behind. This is my kingdom, not yours. I don't expect you to die here."

Hers eyes looked wet. "But Edgar, I thought we shared this nation, together."

"We do, even if my name and this town have been dragged through shit thrice over." I stroked her cheek, understanding her inner dilemma. "But your place is in Vardigga. You'll be safe there, probably safer than me. I don't want you punished for my failures."

She said nothing. After a sniffle, she leaned in and kissed my lips. "I have a team of guards on standby," I explained. "At a moment's notice, they'll usher you to a small boat at the southern harbor. You sail to the outskirts of Jidoor, and contact Vardigga from there."

My wife was silent. Words could not express her feelings anyway, so it didn't matter. She nodded in understanding, torn emotions or not.

One last detail of battlefield preparation had been considered. Before they joined the exodus, Cid's weapons development team made some final adjustments on the late Professor's last project. He'd experimented with it up to his death, and his team deliberated with if afterward, seemingly lost without his senior guidance. But if there was a time for testing the new battle tech, it was now. We had enough auto-crossbows, drill pikes, lightning guns, bio-blasters, noise horns, flash bombs, and gas grenades to compensate if the new piece failed.

With a deep breath, I stood there, Charise behind me. The wait was almost over.

change in s & n

Baokiydu had a slight limp when he returned to the marshaling camp. Still, he rejuvenated himself before we broke down the camp and moved out. Unfortunately, Goda-Gorshim had limited stamina and less-than-stellar means of healing himself. The chakrum thrown into his shoulder hadn't been fully charged with soul energy, but it created a big enough would to cripple the Moihzadu for now. As such, he would not be joining us for the big one. A second air vessel carried him back to Albrook, while the other ships ferried us to the marching point. Packing my rangamju, kalsahun, special tongue, and an 'armor bra' beneath my tight shirt, I was ready.

"They may think like insects, if that. But they'll fight with conviction," predicted Sdalsyra. "They won't retreat, no matter what."

"Fabulous." Qaurjaeda palmed his fist. "More dummy ass for me to kick."

"Oh you're not getting all the glory." Dyal'xern snapped his fingers. "I'll be there too, taking 'em out like the sub-roaches they truly are."

Ruqojjen stared ahead. The big chief of the Nyufalng wasn't sitting on the sidelines for this one. "In any case, they might've overheard our plan while sneaking around the camp. The element of surprise may not be ours."

"So? We're still going out there and fucking shit up." Baokiydu extended his palm spikes, and his Pirusymn stone glowed. "I doubt they'll fully brace themselves for all this."

Every man woman, and creation from the camp was here, minus Goda-Gorshim. The strike force had amassed, and was now in place. The High Shenthaxa faced the gathered Nyufalng and cleared his throat. "Brothers and sisters, the time is now. You may face death, but you can also bring it, and it will surely matter here." His voice resonated again, as though the Divine itself was pulsing through him. It probably was. "Fear not your demise, for if your time comes upon you in this land, know you'll have died for a purpose, and you'll be one with the Divine if that is to be. The enemy is beyond, aware of us by now. It's their time to die when we say so, and we say that time is now. Fight who you must, but remember, the King is mine." He gripped his daukaisna in both hands, his eyes shimmering limey green with energy. "Go forth, and don't just take their lives. Take their value."

When his last words finished echoing, Chithagu started wagging his tail with anticipation. I reached down to stroke his hide, and a thunderous applause burst from the attack legions. The Divine was in for a generous meal of Figaroan blood.