Chapter 36 The Headless Gigas And The Dragon

The next morning, Locke woke and headed to Terra's tent. She wasn't inside, but Mog

was, so he asked where she went. "Woman time." He replied as he stretched his little

legs and paws. Locke asked what he meant. Mog told him she went to look for a lake

or pound. Locke sighed. "Alone?"

"Yep!"

"How long ago?"

Mog thought for a minute and shook his body. "An hour and twenty minutes ago.

Kupo!" Locke smacked his head and turned. Right in front of him, was Terra, her old

cloths wet on her arms, while she was dress in a plain black tank top and her old black

pants and her red heeled boots; Which didn't match her attire.

She smiled as she found her tiny pack and looked up at Locke.

"Good morning Locke. How did you sleep?"

"Like a hippo."

She laughed at his reply and took her cloths out side, Locke following her, along with

Mog. Locke helped her put her cloths on a branch to dry and asked why she didn't tell

him he was leaving. She told him she didn't want to wake him because he needed the

sleep. She blushed a little and looked down. "Men aren't very...Polite..."

Locke raised an eye brow. He knew why she said it. Oh, no! "Why didn't I see Edgar

when I woke?"

Terra's blush deepened. "I woke him to tell him where I was going..And he said he'd

join me..." She could feel the heat to her cheeks and turned completely. Locke grunted

when she finished. "Did he follow you?"

"N-No...I lost him down by the end of the valley..Took me a while to get away..."

Locke's worry grew and anger that he'd do this. "Are you sure he didn't follow you?"

"Yeah..I had to bathe in the shallow water so I could reach my cloths if he came..."

Her heart beat grew as each word left her mouth. "I didn't feel very good with him

breathing down my neck..So I had to...To.."

Locke's eye narrowed when she didn't finish. "You had to do what?"

Terra took an breath and stuttered. "I..I kind of..Knocked him out In the valley I left

him in."

"How?" Was Locke only reply, which was emotionless and toneless. Locke grabbed her

last clothing and hung it up when she couldn't reach. "How, Terra?"

"I..."

"She used magic on me." Edgar's voice howled as he came into view.

Locke smiled, laughing when the king showed waking eyes.

"Sleep, to be precise." Edgar muttered, rubbing his neck as he glared at Terra's guilty

eyes. Terra frowned. "I'm sorry Edgar..Really..."

"Aye, my lady, tis fine. I was only coming to make sure Setzer didn't follow you."

Terra smiled. "Oh, that makes me feel even worse for what I did...'

Edgar chuckled. "Actually, I like seeing a purplish, blue smoke engulf me and send me

into a deep slumber that could of killed me."

Terra gasped. "I would never kill you!"

Locke immediately grabbed Terra's hand and soothed her worried soul.

"Terra, Luv. He was joking."

Terra laughed with an hand over her heart. "Oh..."

Locke informed Edgar that when Terra's cloths dried, they would head out and work

there way through the rest of the valley and be in the destination in a few hours.

After they ate and the cloths drying were done, they packed up and headed off for

their mountains. Mog rode on Terra's head, while Setzer kept looking at Terra.

Edgar made sure he never got to close, Locke and Sabin stayed ahead to scan the area.

After what seemed to be hours of hurtful wondering, they finally meet the glen they

were looking for. Edgar read a broken sign and itched his head musingly.

It read: "- Icemickle Mountain's deadly glen.

Beware of the Imperial guards:

Dragin Aevis and the Blood Gigas. -"

Edgar sighed as he showed Locke the sign. "Well, I know if we show Terra and Mog,

they'll get scared about it." Locke insisted as he broke the sign off an dropped it on the

ground, under the thin snow that fell on the ground earlier that morning. After he

covered it and disposed of any evidence of it, he went to Terra and told her a fake story,

saying. "Their might be enemies up ahead, be prepared."

Tera practiced with her sword, showing Mog all her tricks, even the ones Edgar showed

her, then she did ones she remembered doing in battles in the Empire, although she

didn't tell Locke or Edgar she remembered something, she loved that she at least got

that memory back. Most of the reason she didn't tell them, was because the memory

was terrifying and hurtful to think of. They were deep in the mount now, a shivering

an foot stopping wind pushed at them heavily as they went on, holding their arms

around their bodies. Mog curled up in Terra's arms, which were clutching at her torso.

Edgar pulled his cape around him more, while Sabin ignored the wind. Locke buckled

his jacket up and felt nothing afterward. Setzer also buckled his gentleman's jacket up

and pulled his sash off and wrapped it around his neck and chin. Terra stared hungrily

at their warmth and cursed herself for not bringing warmer cloths. She ran up to Locke

and huddled next to him and shivered. "I-I'm c-cold Locke..." She muttered through

chapped lips. He turned and frowned at her when he saw her cloths. "Why didn't you

bring warmer cloths?" She shivered again and replied sadly. "I didn't know that it was a

cold, snowy mountain made for coats and capes, along with little furry animals...I

thought we were heading through a glen..."

Locke chuckled. "This is a glen, mate."

Terra groaned as she pulled closer to him, praying for warmth.

Edgar looked at her quivering body and sighed.

Damned and blasted!

Terra felt a warm cape spread around her shoulders and turned to look into deep

sapphire blue eyes that belonged to the king of Figaro. She smiled sweetly and thanked

him, and tried to take it off to give back, but he tied it around her and said no and

demanded that she wore it. She listened to his angry voice and kept it, Mog hiding

inside happily as the heat grew from her own body to his. When they hid inside a tiny

cave to eat and get warmth, Edgar 's teeth shook and hit the top of his mouth in

exertion to stay alive. Terra coughed as her eyes gazed over at Edgar. He was shivering

and breathing hard. Terra frowned, putting Mog down near Sabin, she walked over to

Edgar and smiled down at his white, cold face. She bent down and wrapped her arms

around him, covering him with the cape. Edgar gasped lightly when she laid her head

down on his shoulder. "I'll keep you," She yawned tiredly. "Warm Edgar..."

He smiled faintly. He soon found his arms around her. The eyes that watched him didn't

faze him, he didn't care any more, not in order to sacrifice his life for some

embarrassing moment. Mog cried madly and dug in between them and started to purr

blissfully. Edgar's smile ended when they heard a loud growl and thump outside of the

cave. Terra shot up, causing Mog to fall backwards and hit his little head. Locke found

his Falacata and gripped the handle. Sabin slid his gloves on and watched the entrance,

while Setzer and Edgar got their sword in attack mode. A second growl came and then

something crashed into the cave's opening. Edgar immediately went to Terra and

covered her while rocks fell. She cried out in pain when a rock fell on her head. Edgar

used his chest as her shield, while his back was facing the danger. His hands reached

for the cape and threw it over her body so the tiny, sharp pieces didn't cut her or Mog.

After the rampage halted, Sabin's eyes opened. He searched the cave and saw Locke

covered in tiny rocks and dust, Setzer was fine, but laying on the ground. He saw a pile

of rocks and swiftly ran over, pushing and kicking the small boulders off the people

under. He gasped when he saw his twin brother on top of Terra with his head slightly

bleeding. He lifted his brother up and gently laid him down on the ground, then laid his

hand on his forehead. "Cura." Sabin whispered, green light cleared away his cuts and

the bleeding. Edgar coughed at the stale air around him and slowly sat up, rubbing his

head.

"Uh...What happened?" The king asked.

Sabin shrugged. "I don't know," He looked around and nudged his head at Terra.

"But I think we should hurry and take our leave. Before what ever it was comes back an

kills us. I will wake the others..." He got up and walked over to the other fallen

Returners. Edgar sighed and carefully went to Terra's side. She had a few cuts, but

would be fine, Mog was under Terra; Completely fine. He pulled the fur ball out and

asked if he was okay. Mog jumped up and scanned the area. "Kupo! What was that?"

Edgar hung his head. "I don't know. Go see if Sabin needs help." Mog nodded and

glided over to the prince of Figaro. Edgar turned to Terra and gently shook her till she

stirred. Her eyes shot up. She sat up and hugged Edgar. "Oh, Edgar, What was that?

Are you hurt?" She asked, carefully looking over his body for injuries. He chuckled.

"No, my lady. I am not hurt, only my soul hurts...I feel bad I didn't cover you in time.

I am sorry." He looked down and sighed.

Terra shook her head. "I'm alright Edgar. You saved me, thank you." She hugged him

again and asked if he needed to be cured, but he told her no and helped her up to her

shaky feet. Terra coughed and helped heal Locke's broken arm and ribs. Once they were

done, they headed out and made sure nothing, or any one wasn't there before leaving

the cave. Terra kept Edgar's cape; Because he said he'd burn it if he had to take it back.

So she wore it and stayed close to him and held Mog in her arms, trying to keep him

warm and herself calm. After an hour or two, they found a small stream, frozen over by

a light sheet of ice. Sabin broke it and refilled their water skins, then and went onward.

Terra stood on top of a hill and gazed amazingly at the taller mountain peaks that

towered over the rest. She gawked when she couldn't look up far enough.

"It so tall..."

"Yeah," Mog awed as he understood her shocked look. Edgar and Sabin came up to

her left side, while Locke and Setzer to her right. "You know," Edgar started, pointing

to a tiny gap. "That gap is where we are headed. We are almost there. A couple of hours

away, I assume." He itched his head at the distance. Sabin sighed.

"Ter?"

Terra looked to her right at Locke, her eyes narrowed a bit so the sun didn't burn them.

"Yes?"

Locke grinned, pointing to a flower on the floor. Its pure white pedals shined in the

as the sun melted the snow away, leaving a beautiful dew.

Terra smiled, bending over to pick it up. "It's...So pretty..." Mog countered with a

"Yep!" She picked it and smelled it. A raspberry scent filled her nose. "It smells good."

Edgar smiled, about to say something when a loud thunderous howl filled their ears.

They turned and saw a headless Gigas, swinging an ax around, and a Dragon with a

large hammer for a arm with two long, curved horns on its jaw. Its neck was covered in

armor, while the Gigas was tall and well built. Terra's heart stopped at the monsters.

The Gigas screamed, swinging its ax down towards the ground.

"Contemptible humes! Turn back or compensate with your existence!"

The Dragin announced as its hammer grew hot and fiery. Terra froze, her body shaking

and trembling. Edgar stared to scream, but Terra heard nothing as the Gigas ran

towards her, slashing its ax at her. Edgar immediately shot his cross bow out and

pointed it at the headless monster and let the trigger slid, sending an army of arrows of

different sizes and elements at the Gigas. The monster howled in pain at the attack and

spun around to send his eyeless gaze at him, the back of his ax hit Terra, sending her to

fly back and hit the mountain rocks. Edgar gasped. "Terra!" He saw blur of blue and

tan ran pass him and jumped on the beast. It was Sabin, his arms were glowing red and

orange. "Sabin!"

He looked down at his twin and smiled. "You get the other!" Edgar nodded before

looking at Terra one last time before running over to the other monster with Setzer,

Locke and the flying Mog. Edgar pierced the Dragin with his arrows and chainsaw,

cutting cuts in its metal like skin. Locke threw his boomerang at the head and jumped

back when its hammer arm flew at him, smashing the ground under him to bits. Setzer

pulled his lucky ace card out and loaded it with a paper bomb, then threw it, sticking to

its back and exploding, braking chunks of its armor off. Mog watched the creatures

moments and danced them out, chanting a mystically language. A giant fire beam shot

from his snout and hit the Dragin's legs, causing it to pound the ground with its

hammer in anger and hurt. Edgar smiled. "We're winning!" He looked back at his

brother and saw him using more chakra to burn the Gigas' stomach, but it started to

laughed at him and consume the energy and shoot it back at the prince of Figaro. Sabin

jumped up and used aura bolt. A lighting bolt engulfed his body as he flew down on his

prey. He hit the monster on the chest, but shot backwards and landed into a pile of

snow, unconscious.

Edgar gasped, and turned to see his team losing too. Mog was kicked by the Dragin's

massive legs and thrown it the sky. Setzer was smacked away with the beast's good arm.

Locke was being chased by lighting bolts. Damn! Edgar screamed in his head as he ran

in front of the Dragin. Edgar pulled the trigger and yelled in anger as a

green cloud of smoke engulfed the monster. The Dragin swung his hammer and hit

Edgar, sending him flying off and into a wall. The guardians of Icemickle started to

laughed at the humans. Edgar's eyes opened slightly when he heard strange, but

beautiful growled come from behind him. He heard the rapid footsteps and turned his

his head. A snow white creature was standing next to him, but was on all four limbs,

hissing and watching the monsters madly. Edgar gasped. It was Terra! In her Esper

form! Her magenta hair was lightly covered with snow. Her sharp teeth were showing

while she dug her claws into the snowy ground. Suddenly she jumped up fifty feet in

the air and screamed, holding her arms above her head, snarling and as her breathing

got louder. She started to chant then pointed an index finger at the Dragin's head, right

between its eyes. "Firaga!" A thin pillar of fire shot from here finger, and went straight

through its head, killing him instantly. She turned to the other and flew toward it,

carving a blade out of thunder. She landed gracefully at the Gigas' feet and jumped

back a few feet and screamed her war cry. Edgar's eyes were attached to her, his mind

was wondering how she got this power, but at the same time happy she had to kill this

monstrous beast before them. The Gigas growled, bringing its ax up to cleave her body

in half. Terra suddenly charged her blade, making it stronger, then she ran forward and

stuck the lighting blade through the silver, metal eye on it's stomach. The Headless

Gigas gasped as its body began to twitch and crumble into thousands of pieces, leave a

thin bladed dagger, which used to be a horn on it left elbow. Terra sighed, dropping

down to her furry knees and then onto the snowy bed. She felt the cold and welcomed

it instead of the heat she felt from morphing into her Esper side. Her body resembled

the Esper still. Her long fingers and claws were digging into the soft dirt of Gaia as she

closed her barberry hued eyes. She heard footsteps and stood up, thinking she forgot

one, she spun around and held a fire ball inches from Edgar's face. He grabbed her

finger and pushed downward in time so it didn't burn his face. She faintly, but gleefully

smiled at the king and staggered forward and fell to her knees. Edgar gently wrapped

his arms around her and pulled her in to a embrace. "You did good, Terra." He

whispered.

He felt the fur on her arms and back change back to cloths. He felt her warmth through

her attire and unconscious blushed. Terra's tired body rested against his, her head

laying on his shoulder. Her body was shaking. He pulled her away and looked at her

face. Her eyes were half open. His mouth fell open. Her eyes were a solid

black, hued with Valhalla blue. He cupped her chin and made he look at him. Her eyes

were drifting pass him. He shook her. "T..Terra? Are you alright?"

"...Yes..." She muttered in her sweet timbre voice he recognized. He smiled, pushing

some of her golden locks behind her ears. "...You can see me...Right?"

"Yes..." She replied faintly as if she were trying to hold on to something else and was

answering him instead. Edgar looked behind him and saw his friends finally getting

back up. He only suffered a couple of bruises and one very painful sore spot on his left

leg. Terra's breathing faded. He quickly looked back at her and sighed when he noticed

she was only sleeping her exertion off. He pulled her in to his arms and lifted her off

the ground. When he turned, he saw Locke's worried eyes on him. Edgar slightly

allowed a smile to appear and walked over to them. He explained what happened and

shifted Terra around in his arms. She gripped his shirt and and sighed silently. Locke

grinned. "She really did that? Whoa, damn girl got power!"

"Ssh..Jeez." Edgar mumbled when she stirred to Locke's yell. Sabin came up, along

with Setzer, who was holding Mog. "Bro, I need to talk to you..." Sabin muttered,

itching his neck. Edgar placed Terra in Locke's arm and followed his twin over to a

private area, far from ears and scrutiny. Sabin started with a sigh and then a sorrowful

look. Edgar asked what the problem was.

"Edgar...Its about..Terra..."

Edgar's mind focused when her name was called Into sentence. "...Yes?"

Sabin looked down at his feet. "I don't know how to say this," He blurted out.

"But..I was reading her chakra when I woke-Completely by accident!" He replied

quickly when Edgar' face grew angry. "And...I was reading a lot of bad stuff...Like..."

He wondered off and took a deep breath. "Like?" Edgar pushed, crossing his arms.

"Anger..Anger and hate..But thats not what got me...I was reading her and she knew, I

mean she was watching me..With those eyes...Uh," He glanced up at his caring twin.

"She said something..I didn't really..like..Edgar."

Edgar thought back when he was talking to her as she was gazing off behind him. Now

he knew...He knew she was being read by his twin..And she didn't like it.

Edgar closed his eyes. "What did she say? Did she yell at you for doing it?"

Sabin's face and knuckles paled as he uttered the next words, like it was a curse that

would doom them all. "...She wanted to..She said the next time I attempt that..She'd

kill me." Edgar's heart stopped.