Chapter 52 Remembering Death's Invite

Terra was standing in a smog of black clouds, sounds whistled pass her. Whispering

was made clear when she heard a scream. She turned an gasped. In front of her was a

mother holding her child in her bloody arms, pleading for the soldier to take her life

and not her son's. The soldier reached in and ripped the boy away. Thrown to the

ground the boy cried for his mommy. The Soldier unsheathed his sword and slashed the

woman down with no feelings. Then turned and gave the boy the same treatment.

Terra's eyes went wide. What monster could kill children like that!? She screamed.

The soldier took his helmet off and searched the surroundings. Terra's heart stopped.

The soldier was her! She killed them! She murdered a mother and her kid!

Terra fell to her knees, crying and watching the soldier take down more people.

Terra's evil double stopped in front of a fallen woman, with raven colored hair and big

hazel eyes that pleaded for safety. Her simple dress had stains on them, blood and dirt.

The town was on fire, from Terra's doing. In the background, she heard Kefka's

laughter. Terra rose her arms and stabbed the woman in the chest. The raven haired

woman gasped and fell backwards, holding onto the sword, she whispered.

"Locke..."

Terra woke up screaming and crying, holding herself tightly. She started to cradled

herself back and fourth, crying for death to take her. Suddenly, two men and a woman,

an a Moogle ran in. The tall blond man frowned when he saw her crying and pulled her

into a embrace so tight, Terra thought she'd die from suffocation. Locke sighed, patted

her back. "Terra?" Some one asked.

Her body shook from pain as she looked up at steel eyes. Her dream came back to her.

Terra rose her arms and stabbed the woman in the chest. The raven haired

woman gasped and fell backwards, holding onto the sword, she whispered.

"Locke..."

Terra cried and held onto Edgar's arms, hiding her face in his shoulder, wiping her

tears on his shirt. Edgar's arms tightened around her slim, delicate frame. She felt so

cold in his arms, so sad and lonely. Her cries became more painful for her and Edgar,

so he pulled her away, un-did her fingers from his skin and sighed, wiping tears from

her red cheeks with his thumb. "Terra...I'm sorry that you had to do that..."

Terra sobbed and pulled his hands toward her chest, laying it on her heart. "It hurts..."

Edgar and everyone gasped lightly. "W-What?"

Terra fell into his arms and started to cry again, weeping in his arms, muttering that she

hates it. "Please..Save me..." She pleaded, rubbing her face on his chest, her eyes

burning. Locke and Celes stayed near, holding Mog as they waited. Edgar held Terra in

his arms till she fell asleep, whispering that she was sorry every now an then. Edgar

sighed and asked Locke to get a bed ready for her. The bedroll was the best out of all

the bought. They deemed it fit for Terra to get, considering everything she went

through.

Edgar sat by her and turned his head toward his team mates, now that Shadow was

there, their team was bigger now. He sighed, running a hand through his muddy hair.

"So...What do you think she meant by 'Save me'?" Edgar asked his friends.

Locke groaned, rubbing his neck. Celes shrugged, Shadow muttered a nothing.

Mog licked his paw and said, cleaning his face. "Maybe she meant 'Save her from the

pain', ya know like..Killing her to end it..." Mog suggested sadly, adding a of course

we won't do that! Edgar didn't think of that and gripped his hands. I can't let her feel

pain...Not this kind! "I think...We should send her back to the ship..."

"How?" Locke asked weirdly as he chewed on some meat. Celes nodded, wanting to

know too. Mog simply stated that he could fly to the ship and asked Setzer to come

close enough so she could jump aboard. Locke said that he could get her aboard then

come back. Celes looked over at Terra's sleeping body. A wry frown was on her pale

face. Her breathing was slow, but steady. Occasionally, her hands grip the blanket

below her, her eyes would tighten their close grasp. Celes sighed, her heart couldn't

stand the sight of her childhood friend- Her only one, at that-Hurt or in emotion pain.

Celes heard Edgar say that was going to be the plan. But Terra would want to come!

Celes screamed in her head. No!

They turned to gaze at her. "No! She has to come! She'd want too! To..To help us..To

help the world..." Celes muttered.

Edgar sighed, shaking his head. "No..She can't fight..."

"Yes she can! Didn't you see her kill that thing!?" Celes yelled, causing Terra to roll her

head. Edgar hushed her. "That'S the reason she can't fight! She lets that evil win Celes.

If she continues..She'll..She'll be like Kefka..." Edgar mumbled sadly, his navy blue

eyes sought out Terra's fragile hand. Locke grunted. "...I wished that she wasn't like

this... That she wasn't half Esper..."

"Don't say that! Kupo! The half of Esper is what makes her Terra! You can't change

her!" Mog angrily screeched. Edgar agreed, gripping Terra's cold hand. "I...Want her

to be happy..To be herself..To..Live her own life the way she wants too." He smiled

when she sneezed in her sleep. "I want her to be..Terra." Edgar added, smiling as his

eyes fell over her face. Her little rounded nose, her little chin, her red lips, her perfect

shaped eye brows and her cute little, red cheeks. Edgar's wasn't aware that he stopped

mid-sentence until Locke coughed really loud. Edgar blushed, looking away from Terra

and hiding his face by looking down at the ground. "I...I just want some rest..." He stood

up and walked away.

Terra woke up in a cold sweat, unconsciously crying. Her vision was slurred from the

tears that wouldn't stop. She looked around the small camp and saw no one. Her heart

beat quickened. They had left her. She panicked,and started to breath harder. She stood

on her weak feet and tripped over nothing, crying as she realized they weren't here.

She crawled over to the fire and hiccuped. She searched for signs o f her friends and sat

down, hugging herself to stay warm. She heard crackling an glanced behind her

-Nothing. She sighed, looking into the fire's beautiful flames dance in and pop.

Fire..Fire was what she was made of. Her essence. She knew it and dreaded it. Fire

caused pain to everything it touched. She thought back at the day they escaped Figaro

when she burned that man in the Magitek armor to save her friends. When she fell

down that hole in Narshe and remember killing so many men with the same deadly

force that was fire. And the new dream- The dream where she murdered a mother and

her son, then a defenseless woman that knew Locke. Tears rolled Terra's rosy red

cheeks and down her throat. Why had she been the one to kill?

Edgar walked back into camp and saw a figure near the fire, holding its head in its

hands. Edgar gasped. It was Terra! He ran over and gently touched her shoulder,

causing her to jump up. "T-Terra?" He asked, watching her amethyst eyes close.

He sat down and hugged her tightly, not wanting to let her go. "Please..Tell me what

you want Terra." She leaned into his warmth and sighed. "I thought you guys left me..."

Edgar frowned. "We'd never, dear Terra." He felt her back shake with a little laugh and

smiled. He held her closer, wrapping his cape around her lean shoulders. "I bet your

hungry, huh?" The charming king asked, pulling a piece of bread from a bag near him

and the fire. "Here," He offered it to. Terra took it and sighed, bitting into the chewy,

soft bread core. She smiled, eating the rest. Edgar heard her stomach cry for more and

chuckled not noticing her blush. He handed her more and rubbed her back while she

ate. When she finished and yawned, he asked. "Feeling better?"

"No..Yes..I don't know." She revealed sadly, leaning against him. "Where are the

others?" Edgar smiled and retrieved his hands back to his side. "They went ahead to get

some thing to eat- I stayed for two reasons, one being the most important- You – And then

to guard the camp..." Edgar said through a laugh. Terra swallowed and asked.

"...Did Locke have a girlfriend or sister..?"

Edgar's heart sank. "..G-Girlfriend? Um..N-Yes. Why?"

Terra gasped. "What'd she look like?" She sounded panicked.

Edgar chortled. "Um..." He thought back. "She had..Black hair, with brown

eyes..Why?" He asked sweetly and calmly as he could, careful not to scare her.

Terra sighed, puffing out a sob. Edgar gripped her hands with his own. "Why did you

want to know?"

Terra broke out crying, screaming an yelling that she killed her, killed her without

mercy. Edgar couldn't understand what she was saying, but knew it was important and

tried his best to fully except it. "Please, dear Terra. Your not making any sense..."

"I..I killed her...I murdered Locke's girlfriend..."

Edgar gasped, pulling away. "Wh...What? Are you serious?"

Terra nodded. "I was there when his town was attacked...I was leading it..."

Edgar's mind tried to wrapping its fingers around what she was saying, but all he heard

was Terra saying she murdered people. Terra looked up at him with swollen red eyes

and rubbed back tears. "He's going to hate me...Isn't he?" She croaked out hoarsely.

Edgar didn't know what to say. 'Oh, yes Terra, he will. He might even kill you for it.

He loved her so much.'. Was that what he was suppose to tell her? Tell her that she was

going to lose a friend? "I...Don't know Terra..."

"What do you think? I'm a freak..Right? I murdered all those people..." She heard

laughing and turned to see Locke and Celes walking together, Mog resting on top of

Celes' shoulder. Terra jumped up weakly and gasped, watching them come closer till

they stopped and asked if she was okay. Edgar rose when Terra didn't respond.

"Cole...We need to talk..Now..." Whispered the king, sadly.

Terra gasped, grabbing Edgar's hand. "Please don't tell him!? Please!?"

Celes and Locke stared at Terra like she was crazy. Locke shrugged. "Alright. I'll talk to

you when I come back, kay Terra?" She went wide eyes at that and stormed off to her

bedroll, searching through her things.

Edgar took Locke far away from the camp encase he freaked out and went after Terra.

They sat down near a hill, overlooking their camp site. Edgar thought about what he

was doing and just told himself to say it. "Cole?"

"Hmm?"

"I need to tell you something important.." King Edgar muttered. Locke raised an eye

brow. "Yeah, I'm listening."

Edgar gripped his hands. Let him take this right gods!

"Remember when Kohlingen was attacked by the Empire?" Locke nodded sadly.

"Do..Do you know who killed her?"

Locke sighed, scratching his head awkwardly as he kicked the dirt below him.

"Nay. Do you?"

Edgar told him not to freak out or do something he might regret and whispered, sadly

watching his friends eyes. "I know who did it...It was a woman.."

"Right?" Locke pushed, getting mad that he wouldn't spill it already. Then it struck

him. "It wasn't ...Celes..Was it?"

Edgar shook his head sadly. "It was Terra..."

Locke laughed, standing up he glared down at the king. "You expect me to believe

that?" Locke crossed his arms, walking away. "Man you need help-"

"I'm serious, Cole! She told she did!"

Locke stopped, he slowly turned toward the king, his eyes wide. "Wh-What?"

Edgar sighed, his wiped his palms on his pants and stood, looking down toward the

ground. "She said she...Lead the group that attack Kohlingen, Cole. I think...She was

under the influence of the crown though...She killed her..." The king gasped when

Locke screamed that he was a lier and ran off toward camp.

Terra looked up and saw Locke charging up to the camp, fists curled into a ball.

The hybrid looked down, knowing that he was angry and that he knew she murdered

his girlfriend. She gripped the necklace around her neck and wished she was far away,

when a male's voice rang in her ears. "Terra...?"

She gazed up and sighed. "Yes..Locke?"

"Is it true?"

Terra swallowed. "Is..Is what true?"

Locke frowned. "Did you really kill her!?"

Terra gripped her necklace and cried a little. "Yes."

Locke stepped back. "Why!?"

"I couldn't control myself!" She shot up and grabbed his hand, gaining Celes, Shadow,

Mog and Edgar's attention. "I tried not to but he made me! He made me kill her and

children! I'm sorry Locke, I'd never hurt you or anyone, especially someone you cared

about!" She hugged his arm frantically and cried. "I didn't mean too Locke! I'm so..So

sorry!" She gripped his hand and looked up at his eyes. "Please..Say something..."

Locke felt like his own sister stabbed his heart and left him to die slowly, rotting on the

dirt like an animal. How would she feel if he killed someone she cared about?

He changed his gaze and gripped her hand. "I need time..." He let her hand drop to her

side and walked off with out another sound. Terra watched his figure disappear in the

darkness of the morning and fell to her knees. Celes came up in shock at what she

heard and knelt down to touch Terra's shoulder lightly, to comfort her. "Terra, are you

okay?"

"I killed her..And now he hates me..." The hybrid whispered lowly. Celes pulled her

friend in a hug and sighed. "He doesn't hate you..."

Terra wiped her eyes and hugged Celes back. "...I wish I was never born with these

powers..."

Celes patted Terra's back and looked over at Edgar, then she glanced back down to her

friend and shook her head.

Edgar kicked the dirt and walked away, to find Locke. Edgar made it pass a small hill

and down a narrow hole. It lead to an opening that hung over a large mountain. Sitting

on a log, was Locke, holding his head in his hands. "Why...? Why..?"

"Cole?"

Locke looked back and scoffed. "What do you want!?"

Edgar sighed, leaning against a broke tree that died when the island left the solid

ground. The dying leafs made a shadow over Edgar's face. "You know it wasn't her fault,

right?" Asked the subdued king. His navy eyes look black in the shadows.

Locke slowly nodded, and gripped his hands. "I know..But its so..Hard. Ya know?"

Edgar agreed as he walked out from the shade and over to his friend, not sitting down

he took a breath. "She feels bad about it...That's what she was talking about that

morning, Cole. She would never kill someone or hurt them."

Locke nodded again, dully as if life left him. "I..Loved her so much..."

"I know, pal. But don't you think it happened for a reason?"

"What? No I don't think that, Ed!" Locke threw his fist into the log. "I was going to ask

her to marry me that day! Then she fell and I came back and she was killed by the

Empire- By Terra!" Locke settled down to his seat and shook his head. "She was like..

I don't know, fifteen? Oh could child being able to kill a full grown man or woman?"

Edgar scratched his head. "Magic, Cole. She had that with her. Rach-Er...She must of

fell or something and Terra took it..As a sign..To..Kill." It was hard on Edgar to say that

about Terra, but he had to show Locke that she didn't do it, Kefka did.

Locke laughed madly. "You know? I thought she died from a man...Seeing the blade

hole I just...Thought a man had that kind of emotional emptiness to senselessly kill."

Edgar licked his lips to stay calm. She didn't do It on purposes! Damn Cole!

"..."

Locke frowned at his silence. "I thought she was...Put on the crown at eighteen..I guess

I was wrong..Ha, shows me..." Locke muttered coldly. Edgar just listen to him ramble.

Locke stayed silent for a couple of moments, then he sighed. "I..I don't want to see her

right now..."

"That'll make her feel worse, Cole." Edgar noted sadly. Locke shrugged. "I just need

time-"

Edgar stomped on the dirt. "You can't let her stay alone that long and let her try to guess what

your feeling! If you hate her, get it over with and tell her! If you love her still," Edgar

took another breath. "Tell her your not angry with her, and that you don't hate her for

something she couldn't control."

Locke knew Edgar's words were the right thing to do, but his heart couldn't take it.

Couldn't take the chance to walk up to her and say he wasn't angry, when I fact he was.

But he still loved her like sister..Just needed time from her, thats all.

"We are leaving in three hours, Cole. Kefka won't stay on the is piece of land forever."

Edgar said as he walked away, his hands in his pockets.