Chapter 3: A King, a Thief, and a Jester Walk into a Castle (and Have a Puppet Fight)
A/N: This chapter is when the story really starts to get moving! The past two chapters were mostly devoted to getting readers familiar one of our most important characters, Terra. This chapter will build on both Edgar and Locke (although it is, by necessity, more Edgar focused than Locke focused).
Key thing to note in this chapter is that you get more of a feel for Kefka and a new player, "Unit C." I imagine Kefka as having a variation of his Dissidia voice (i.e. its his Dissidia voice, but slightly altered to make him more like the "Dangerous Butt Monkey" he was more most of FFVI).
Synopsis: Terra and Locke arrive and Figaro Castle, meet a flirty King, and deal with the machinations of Kefka and his 'Badass Soldier who is totally better than the robot girl in every way'
Terra and Locke's hike from Narshe had taken them a couple of days. Thanks to the beat up pair of tents Locke had brought with him, the two had made the trek in record time. It had been a difficult trip, but they were finally at the edge of the proverbial 'City in the Sand,' Figaro.
Located in the middle of the desert, Figaro was a large and sprawling town. The buildings were low, no taller than one or two stories each, and they had few windows. In contrast to the old-fashioned wood and stone structures of Narshe, most buildings in Figaro were constructed from metal and were more functional in design. There were two main streets the cut through the town, each crossing across the other and dividing the town into large quadrants. The town was bustling, with many people shopping, mingling, and going about their business.
Compared with her experience with Narshe, which was cold and sparsely populated, the large crowds of Figaro took Terra's breath away. As she and Locke walked up the main street, she took in the sights and sounds. Customers haggled at a bazaar and kids played with each other in a nearby neighborhood square.
Although she was excited to see and explore this new place, Terra felt like something was...off about the experience. Like she was missing out on something. When she looked at the happy people of Figaro, such as a mother playing with her child, she felt...nothing. Not happy, not sad, not angry, just...nothing. She looked to Locke, a hardened traveler who wasn't from this town, and was surprised to see that even he smiled at the sight. Why couldn't she?
How can I be so interested in this place and yet...not its people? Is there something wrong with me?
She was torn from her thoughts by Locke. "So, what do you think about Figaro? Its a pretty different from Narshe, eh?"
"Yes..." she replied hesitantly, "its much larger...and all of the buildings look so...different."
"Ah, that," replied Locke. "The King of Figaro is kind of a 'gadgeteer-genius'. When he took over the Kingdom he rebuilt nearly everything here. He once told me that he wanted Figaro to be some kind of 'futuristic oasis in the desert'," as he continued, humor was evident in his voice, "whatever that means!"
"I've always thought that an oasis was a pretty place that's hard to find..." Locke said, thoughtfully, "I'm not sure how that could apply to a town. Its hard to hide a place that you could find on any map!"
Unsure how she should respond to Locke's comment, Terra allowed the conversation to die.
Soon, the enormous Figaro Castle came into view. The large multi-tiered castle was surrounded by a large defensive wall, and was only accessible through a large main gate. Made of metal, much like the rest of the town, the castle gleamed in the sun. It was almost too much for her to look at directly, and she kept her gaze low as she followed behind Locke.
Once Terra and Locke reached the castle, they were quickly whisked away to a large and ornate room. Columns composed of both metal and stone framed the room. Large blue and white flags, shaped like downward pointing arrows, lined the walls. Two passageways were located at back of the room, one each at both the far left side and far right side. A long and decorative red rug directed Terra's line of sight to a recessed dais at the other end of the room. Atop this platform sat two identical looking thrones.
Sitting in the throne on the left was a man. He had long blonde hair, which was pulled back in a tight ponytail, that was as bright and vibrant as the sun that hung above the desert. His outfit was a combination of both military and ceremonial design, featuring body armor over his chest and a long flowing cape that fell to his feet. The man's uniform was composed primarily of a mixture of blues, both light and dark, with the occasional accent of red on his armor and yellow on his cape. Pointed white boots, lined with yellow and gold, completed the ensemble.
This man must be the King that Locke told me about earlier, considered Terra. He's much younger than I expected...
The man appeared to be deeply engrossed in reading the paperwork contained within an official looking binder. It seemed that he hadn't even noticed them enter his throne room.
Locke gave Terra a look and held up his hand, gesturing for her to stay. He then strolled casually up to the man and whispered something in his ear. The man suddenly perked up and gazed in her direction, his eyes wide. "You mean, this young woman is...?" he replied to Locke, before quickly standing up from his throne. He set the binder down and walked over to Terra.
He stopped before her and gave her a once over, appraising her from a distance that was somehow both respectful and yet still claustrophobic. Feeling uncomfortable at the unwanted attention, Terra decided to interject, "Uh...who are you? And...what are you doing?"
The King appeared flustered as he took a step back. "Oh! Uh...my apologies!" he turned away from her to collect himself. After only a moment, he flipped back around to face her again and said, in a smooth voice, "How rude of me to turn my back on a lady during our very first meeting!" He put on a confident smile and continued, "I am Edgar Roni Figaro, the King of Figaro."
How confusing...
Locke strolled up next to Edgar, wearing a slight grin. "Heh," he chuckled, "Surprised that someone like me knows a king?"
Yes?
Edgar turned to Locke and whispered something to him. Locke looked a little annoyed, but accepted it with a shrug. "Hey Terra, I have something I need to take care of quick." He turned and headed out of the throne room, yelling back "I'll catch you two later!" as he left.
Before Terra had an opportunity to contemplate that she was without Locke for the first time since he'd saved her at Narshe, she was dragged into a new conversation with Edgar.
"So...I hear that you're an Imperial soldier, right? I know that the situation has been a little…hectic for you as of late, but you don't need to worry about Figaro. We are allies with the Empire, so please feel free to stay here as long as you'd like." He gave her a playful wink as he said, "It's not in my blood to harm a lady!"
Terra was frustrated, with furrowed brows and a slight frown adorning her face. Why are people winking at me? What does that mean? And why be so helpful to me? I have never done anything to help Edgar or Figaro before, so why go out on a limb for me? After considering the situation for a moment, she was hit with a sudden realization, my powers…could it be because of the powers I used earlier?
Confused and struggling with a bitter feeling she didn't really understand, Terra challenged Edgar in as forceful of a voice as she could muster. "Why are you being so kind to me? Is it because of my…abilities?"
Edgar didn't miss a beat with his response, which was quick and confident. "I'll give you three reasons." He held up one finger, "First of all, your beauty has captivated me!" He grinned as he held up a second finger, "Second…I'm dying to know if I'm your type!" He crossed his arms and sounded disinterested as he finished with, "I guess your…abilities…would rank a distant third."
Terra had no idea how to respond to that. The bitter feeling was drowned out entirely by the overwhelming sense of confusion she felt regarding this whole situation. She gave him an utterly bewildered look as she responded, "What are you talking about? That doesn't make any sense," sounding more harsh than she intended.
She almost regretted her tone when she saw the slightly deflated look on Edgar's face. He quickly composed himself, apparently used to this kind of response despite his confidence, and muttered "Guess my technique's getting a little rusty…" to himself. He took on a more serious tone and said, "I have some business to attend to myself. Why don't you take a chance to explore the castle a little bit and get to know the people of Figaro? The high priestess was asking about you the other day, so I think she'd appreciate a visit if you have the time."
After Edgar left the throne room, Terra looked at the ground and addressed her troubled thoughts. He was hitting on me…I suppose a normal girl would have felt something, hearing those words from a handsome king…but…I didn't feel anything at all.
Breaking out of her troubled thoughts, Terra asked a nearby guard to direct her to the High Priestess. She might not be able to understand herself or her lack of emotions, but she could at least do what Edgar asked of her. He was putting up with her, so she thought it was the least she could do.
The sun blared down on a troupe of four soldiers as they traversed the hot desert sands of the Figaro desert. Two soldiers lead the formation, appearing sweaty and tired in their bulky brown armor. Immediately behind them trudged an annoyed looking man, his heavy makeup bleeding and his elaborate clothes sticking to his form. He didn't seem as miserable as the two who marched before him, but he certainly didn't seem happy about their current predicament. The oddest reaction, however, came from the last member of this squad, a man carrying an enormous sword on his back. Although he was sweating, much like the others, he seemed almost entirely unaffected by the heat.
The overdressed man in the middle was the first to break, screaming out "PHOOEY! Emperor Gestahl's stupid orders!" His allies all stopped at the outburst, the two soldiers in the front both glancing at each other before looking back at their leader.
Said 'leader' continued to rage, "Edgar, you pinhead! Why the hell do you live out in the stinking desert? These recon jobs are the pits!" As he finished his rant, the man noticed the two toadies in the front had started walking forward again.
And just what do they think they're doing?
"AHEM," he cleared his throat loudly, immediately drawing the attention of the now terrified soldiers before him. He pointed a finger dramatically at his feet and announced, "There's SAND on my boots."
The soldier's moved with a purpose, quickly running up to him. Both of them quickly and thoroughly cleaned the sand off of his boots. Once done, one of the soldiers stood up and saluted the man, before saying, "All gone, sir!"
Kefka, the man in question, gave them a look of disdain before waving his hand to usher them forward. He smiled darkly to himself, and then burst out, "Uwee-hee-hee-hee! How pathetic."
Kefka quickly gathered himself and continued marching forward again. He had business to attend to with that pinhead of a King.
As Terra returned to the throne room, she considered what the High Priestess had told her. Edgar had a twin brother…Sabin. And they lost their father when they were young. That's such a heavy burden to carry…
When she arrived Edgar was sitting back in his throne, reading the same binder he had been reading earlier. He perked up as she arrived, and greeted her with a confident smile. "Well, Terra? How do you like my castle? I fancy myself a bit of an inventor, so you'll find it is more advanced than most places."
Before she could respond, a Figaro soldier stormed into the room appearing panicked. "King Edgar! Someone from the Empire is here to see you, sire!"
Edgar's demeanor quickly shifted from confident and engaged to frustrated and annoyed. "Well, that figures. No doubt the Empire sent that stooge Kefka." He gave Terra a serious look and said, "Stay with Locke. And don't leave the castle until after I give you the go ahead."
As Edgar left the throne room, Terra felt an odd feeling – fear? – at that name. Kefka…I've heard that name. It's a bad name…
As soon as Edgar entered his castle's courtyard, he knew that this meeting was going to be an...interesting one. The courtyard itself was located near the front of the castle, immediately behind the main castle wall, and was decorated with trees and other shrubbery. A large square fountain sat in the center of this space completed it's 'oasis in the desert' look. On the other side of the courtyard stood a man in messy clown make-up flanked by two angry looking Imperial soldiers.
Kefka...that means this meeting can either be dumb or it can be dangerous. There's no middle ground with that man.
He approached Kefka with pleasant smile plastered on his face. "Ah, Kefka! What brings Emperor Gesthal's own court mage to my humble castle?"
Kefka narrowed his eyes at Edgar, before responding in an annoyed tone, "A girl of absolutely no importance recently turned traitor and fled from the Empire." Kefka's mouth shifted into a cruel smile as he continued, "We heard that she found refuge here. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you, 'King Figaro'?"
Ah, so word really spread that fast. Not good. Kefka isn't here to play around then. I'll have to be careful.
Edgar decided to play the part of the 'gossipy royal' in hopes that he might appear ignorant. He then addressed Kefka in a conspiratorial tone, "This...wouldn't have anything to do with that 'witch' everyone has been whispering about, would it?"
Kefka appeared scandalized, and responded as such, "A witch!? Lies! Slander! Misinformation!" Kefka quickly calmed down, before continuing, "We in the Empire don't believe in silly little stories like that. We're not superstitious, unlike certain less...educated peoples."
Edgar appeared as calm as ever despite the jab at him and his people, although one who knew him well might have noticed his fist clench ever so slightly.
Kefka continued, "This girl merely stole something from us," before quickly adding, "something of minor value!" His eyes narrowed, staring directly at Edgar, as he asked "Is she here?"
If I mess with Kefka a little bit, I might be able to throw him off the girl's scent. He has pretty thin skin, so lets see what I can do...
"Hmm...that's a tough one," Edgar considered thoughtfully, "there are more girls here than grains of sand in the desert! A man couldn't possibly keep track of them all!"
"Oh Edgar!" Kefka drawled, "you might think you're being 'cute' by playing dumb, but you and your kingdomonly stand to lose by hiding her from us!" Kefka finished with a dark laugh, "Uwee-hee-hee-hee!"
"I'm not sure how worried I should be," Edgar responded disinterestedly, "I don't have the girl, first of all, and even if I did it doesn't seem like the Empire sent their 'big guns' to get her back."
That broke through Kefka's silly facade. The errant jester gave Edgar a hateful look, before responding, "Big guns!? I'm the biggest of guns, Figaro! I don't need to be belittled by a miserable 'second choice king!'"
"And am I to be threatened by a 'second choice General?'"
"ARGH," growled Kefka, "you dumb, miserable, disgraceful welch. I have something that will put you in your place and show you that the Empire means business!" He turned behind him and yelled, "UNIT C, get your butt in here!"
Edgar kept up a confident demeanor, but inside he felt anything but confident. Unit C? Is that some type of new Imperial weapon? I can handle Kefka and his soldiers, but this might complicate things...
Above the courtyard, hidden in an alcove nearly three floors higher than the soldiers below, Terra and Locke tried to listen in to the confrontation below.
Locke looked over at Terra, before asking her, "This might be a stretch, but do you remember anything about a 'Unit C?' Kefka just called it his 'big gun' for tracking you down."
Terra looked down sadly, before responding, "I'm sorry...no, I don't remember anything like that..." She turned away from Locke before she continued, "You and Edgar have done so much to help me...and all I've done is put you both at risk..."
Locke turned to Terra and gave her a confident smile. "You don't need to worry about that! We want to help you, so any risks we've taken are on us, not you" His smile turned slightly cocky as he continued, "Besides, what kind of Treasure Hunter would I be if I let myself be taken down by that clown!"
She gave a slight smile at his response.
The two turned their attention back on the courtyard as a man strode in through the main gate.
To say that Edgar was worried would be an understatement. As the man who Kefka referred to as 'Unit C' strode into the courtyard slowly, Edgar took note of his visible features. The man looked strong and lean, and appeared to be armed with the largest broadsword that Edgar had ever seen. That would be concerning enough on its own, but what really worried Edgar was the man's uniform. His helmet, the darkly colored sleeveless sweater, the baggy pants...there's only one military outfit that has uniforms like that, and if they're working with Gestahl...that would be disastrous.
In contrast to Edgar's worry, Kefka seemed to be on top of the world. Ahh, wonderful! Its time to show the King of having sand in your shoes the consequences of crossing the Empire!
The soldier in question walked up next to Kefka and saluted. Kefka dramatically waved his hand at the soldier, seemingly trying to get him to stand at ease, and the soldier dropped his hand.
Kefka appeared cocky as he addressed Edgar, "So Edgar, do you like my new toy? This guy here is a very special weapon, and he's here to make sure that we bring that girl back!"
"Well Kefka...his sword certainly seems impressive, at least..."
"His sword is the least of your worries, Edgar!" Kefka dramatically wagged his finger, "This man here is my own personal SOLDIER! Super strength, flashlight eyes, the whole package! And I can assure you that he's much better than any insignificant girl you might be trying to hide from me!"
"A SOLDIER?" Edgar sounded skeptical, "Now how did you get your hands on one of them? I've heard that Shinra keeps them under lock and key...why would they lend one to the Empire? Are you sure he's even a real SOLDIER?"
"That's none of your business!" Kefka responded quickly. "I can guarantee he's the real deal!" "C!" Kefka commanded, "Take off that ridiculous helmet!"
The soldier complied and moved his hands to the base of the helmet. He pressed a release which caused the helmet to loosen, and slowly pulled it off of his head.
Terra froze as she took in the sight of spiky blonde hair. She knew this man.
He's the man from that dream...then that must mean that dream was real...
The SOLDIER appeared much like he had in her dream, but there were differences. His face, while still appearing oddly impassive, now appeared more focused and stern. His skin, although still pale, was no longer pallid. It was his eyes, however, that captured her attention. In her dream, one of them had been an intense blue and the other one had been an odd green, with the green one having a slit-pupil. Now, both of his eyes were green and they both had slit-pupils.
What...happened to him?
Terra recalled the sad blue eye she had seen in her dream, and the look he had given her. She felt an unfamiliar pang in her chest at the thought, although it was dull.
Am I...sad that this happened to him? Is this how he felt when he saw me with the slave crown?
Confused and the feeling and unsure how to proceed, Terra focused her attention back on the scene unfolding below.
"Glowing eyes..." muttered Edgar. "I thought that was just hearsay...nothing but a bluff by Shinra to make it seem like they had some legendary power like magic."
"Legend-smedgend, Edgar!" Kefka mocked, "SOLDIERs are as real as you and me, and I have one!" Kefka looked Edgar straight in the eyes, before continuing, "Now that you know I'm not playing around, you can make a more...informed...decision! My 'friends' and I will be camped outside of town for the night, so you have until tomorrow to double check and see if you can find that 'grain of sand.'"
Kefka ushered for his soldiers to follow him as he made to leave the courtyard. He stopped for a moment and yelled back, "I would hate to see something happen to your 'precious' Figaro!" before continuing out.
Edgar strode back into his throne room with purpose. He marched over to Locke and asked him, "Did you hear?"
Locke seemed troubled when he replied, "Yeah...I didn't like the sound of that. And that guy he had with him...he looked like trouble. Just the sight of him spooked Terra."
"Speaking of Terra, where is she?"
Terra, upon hearing her name, got up from a decorative looking bench that sat under one of the throne room's large flags. She appeared sullen as she approached.
Edgar looked over to Locke, "Take her to her her room." He turned to Terra and said, more confidently than before, "I'd love to stay and chat, but the Chancellor and I need to do some planning now." He feigned an exhausted tone as he continued, "Sadly, being a King is not all tea and crumpets."
"Now, if you'll excuse me..." he finished, as he turned to leave.
Left alone once again, Locke lead Terra to her room.
Terra's guest room was far fancier than anything she had experienced in the few days since she'd regained her faculties. The bed was large and was adorned with an elaborate white throw. She noted that the blankets appeared thinner than what she'd experienced at Narshe, likely due to the hotter temperatures.
She sat on the edge of her bed and faced Locke, who was leaning against the wall with a solemn look on his face. He appeared like he wanted to say something, but unfortunately for him Terra had a few things she needed to get off her chest too.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to drag you around like this without giving you a chance to rest. I'm—"
Before he could finish, Terra interrupted him. "Locke..." she began, forcing a strong edge to her normally soft voice, "I heard a few things about you. Is it true that you're a thief? And Edgar...if he's really allies with the Empire, why is he helping me?"
Locke was taken aback by her statement, and took a moment to consider what she'd said before responding. "First of all, I'm a TREASURE HUNTER, not a thief! There's a big difference!" He tamped down his annoyance and continued, "Second of all, Edgar is only pretending to support the Empire. Truth is...he's actually collaborating with an underground resistance faction called the Returners. I'm their go-between. The old coot you met in Narshe, he's one of us too."
Terra thought about what he said. They're against the Empire...and the Empire is out to get me...but...aren't I an Imperial soldier?
"That...doesn't make any sense!" she protested, "I...I'm an Imperial soldier, right? So why is the Empire out to get me? And why are you helping me?"
He gave her a sympathetic look. When he spoke, his voice was softer and more understanding. "Not anymore. They were using you, that's all! Things are different now. You're free to do what you want now."
That last statement upset Terra even more. "It's just...I don't know what I should do. Whenever I try to think about anything like that, it just makes my head hurt even worse..." She felt miserable admitting that fact. It seems like the only thing I'm good for right now is asking questions...
Locke responded in a gentle tone, trying to comfort her through his words. "All that matters now is that you make your own decisions from now on. You don't have to think too hard about it right now. You'll know what you want to do when the time comes."
Locke's words did little to placate Terra, and she sat there stewing in her emotions. He took note of this and, deciding that it would be best to allow Terra to work through her emotions, he got up and left the room. It would be a long night and she clearly needed time to think.
Terra considered what Locke had said after he left. Her head hung low, and all she could think was, But...how will I know which choice is right...
Edgar was having a...frustrating morning, to say the least. One could argue that it was downright enraging thanks to that idiotic clown.
The King tried to stifle these thoughts as he focused on the matter at hand. Moments ago, a series of large fireballs flew out from the desert and collided with the side of his castle. Edgar was now in the process of directing impromptu fire crews throughout the castle in order to fight the fire.
Edgar was interrupted by one of his soldiers who, by the nervous look on his face, bore bad news.
"Sire!" the soldier announced, "Lord Kefka has arrived and is currently standing outside the castle's main gate! He has demanded an immediate summons!"
Edgar immediately stormed to the front of his castle, and soon found himself the edge of the castle's main defensive wall. He was standing directly over the main gate, which was now closed in anticipation of another attack. He looked down and quickly identified the source of his current problems. Kefka, a look of cruel glee painted on his face, stood between two large machines. Behind him stood two chocobo, one of them being ridden by the SOLDIER.
Those chocobo could be a problem...but I might have something that can take care of them...
"Kefka!" Edgar yelled down at the clown-man, "what is the meaning of this!?"
"Bring me the girl!" bellowed Kefka. "NOW!"
"I have no idea what your talking about!?" Edgar replied, sounding bewildered.
"Oh? Then...how about we have a nice Figaro Barbecue!" screamed Kefka. "Uwee-hee-hee-hee!"
Kefka strolled casually over to one of the Magitek Armors. He leaned against the armor and inspected his finger nails disinterestedly. He looked up at the soldier and said, "Give him five minutes. We'll let them sweat it out before we smoke them out!"
Edgar turned and waved at the field commander in charge of this detachment, and the man ran to him. "Get 'her' ready, and sound the alarms. I want everyone prepared to move."
Edgar walked back towards the edge of the castle as klaxons began to blare in the background. As he reached front of the castle wall, he watched Kefka excitedly jump from his position and yell up to him, "So, had a change of heart?"
Edgar wore a sad frown as he responded, "It...seems I have no choice..." he walked towards the the western edge of the castle wall, further from Kefka, and stood up near the edge.
Down below Kefka couldn't contain his excitement.
I might have just driven the King of Figaro to take the fall for his Kingdom...LITERALLY! Now, I just need the girl...
Kefka's excitement ended as quickly as it began, however, the moment the King jumped. Time seemed to slow as he watched Edgar dramatically jump off the castle wall and land...comfortably on the saddle of a riding chocobo.
As he landed, Edgar yelled out to Kefka, "...or perhaps I do!" The King's chocobo, followed by two others, followed behind and ran around the castle.
Kefka was speechless. The cowardly King was going to run?
Quickly recovering from his surprise, Kefka looked at the soldiers stationed on the castle wall and yelled, "Oh,my! The brave and noble king abandons his people to save his own skin! How utterly delightful!"
He cackled in delight imagining the despair those soldiers were likely feeling, "Uwee-hee-hee-hee!"
...at least, he was until he saw something horrible come around the eastern edge of the castle. In the front was Edgar and his chocobo, followed by another chocobo ridden by a scraggly looking man wearing a hideously ugly bandana. At the rear of the pack, though, was...
The girl!?
Edgar, armed with a crossbow, launched a barrage of arrows at Kefka's two chocobo as he and his two allies passed by. One of the chocobo was hit directly and immediately passed out. The other chocobo, however, was protected by the SOLDIER, who swung his sword out and used it as a shield to block the arrows.
Kefka was now speechless AND pissed.
He hit MY chocobo!? Why couldn't he have hit one of the Magitek soldiers, I at least have two of those! Now I'll have to ride with sword breath! Dammit!
Before he could order a proper response, Kefka heard something else that, at this point, he knew was going to piss him off.
"All right! Sink her into the sand!" Edgar hollered back to his soldiers on the castle wall.
One of the soldiers then announced, "Figaro Dive Mode engaged!"
What is that?
Kefka watched in horror as the entire castle sank into the sand like some kind of sand based submarine.
What was that!?
He heard noise behind him and turned to watch the town of Figaro begin to sink into the sand too. Each of the town's four quadrants seemed designed to independently sink, one at a time, into the sand.
Why!? How!? What!? What is going on!?
Bewildered, annoyed, confused, enraged, and most of all PISSED, Kefka yelled at his Magitek soldiers. "Go, you idiots! Kill them!"
As his two Magitek soliders hurried after the King, Kefka turned to his SOLDIER. The man was just about to follow, so Kefka quickly stopped him and said "Not you, you sword-curious dolt! Let me on that chocobo first, then we follow them!"
Edgar turned around and saw the two Imperial machines come close. They were closing in on them faster than he'd expected.
We won't be able to outrun them. So we'll have to fight. And we'll have to do it before Kefka gets here.
Edgar signaled for Terra and Locke to stop, and turned his chocobo around to face the Imperial soldiers. He jumped off and watched as Locke and Terra followed his lead.
The soldiers saw this and shifted into attack positions. Edgar moved to face the machine on the left and motioned for Locke and Terra to handle the one on the right.
Edgar wasn't familiar with these Imperial machines but, considering how quickly they set his castle ablaze, he assumed that they must be equipped with flamethrowers.
That's a lot of firepower. We'll have to make this quick. I think I have just the tool to take at least one of them out.
Edgar pressed a button on his belt and, in a flourish, a long metal tube popped out from the right side of a pack he had hidden under his cape. He grabbed the metal tube, which remained connected to the pack, by its handle and aimed it forward towards the Imperial mech. He pulled the trigger and the tube launched a cloud of green gas, directed and contained within a type of energy field, towards the mech's pilot.
The Imperial soldier, unable to dodge the BioBlaster's attack, began coughing and wheezing. The man tried to grab at his controls to do something, anything, to defend himself, but was finished off by an arrow to his exposed neck. He fell onto his controls, driving the machine 'face first' into the ground.
Spooked at how quickly his ally had been downed, the other Imperial soldier shifted his attention to Edgar. Unlike his compatriot, though, this soldier had time to charge his Magitek system and prepared to unload a fully powered fireball at Edgar.
Edgar's eyes widened at the sphere of energy that opened up in front of the mech.
What in the world...just what kind of technology does the Empire have its hands on?
No! I know that attack from my dreams, Edgar won't have time to escape!
Terra was frantically trying to think of a way to save Edgar. She had seen the Magitek Armor charge its attack and knew that there was no way Edgar would survive a direct hit.
Terra felt a familiar warmth flow out from her chest and, at that moment, she realized that she might actually have the power to save Edgar. She drew on that warmth, and her right hand began to glow a hot orange.
He saved me from that man...I can't let that thing kill him! I won't!
She thrust her arm out and launched her own fire attack. The scorching ball of fire quickly engulfed the Magitek Armor, the soldier inside screaming in pain as the heat overwhelmed him. The Armor, having shifted position due to the heat melting its legs to slag, now faced skyward as it unleashed its own fire attack. Weakened by its summoner's demise the Armor's fire attack fizzled out and died, coming nowhere close to Edgar.
Terra held her hand close to her chest and panted as she tried to catch her breath.
I...I used too much energy...I'll need to be more careful if I need to use that attack again...
She turned to see Edgar looking at her with unconstrained shock. His eyes were as wide as saucers and his mouth was ajar.
Locke on the other hand was beaming. He was just about to walk over to thank Terra when he noticed Edgar standing there, mouth opened wide like a guppy. Although confused at Edgar's shock, Locke sounded happy as he asked, "What's the matter Edgar? You kinda look like you've seen a ghost!"
"D-d-did y-y-you just see what I saw?" stammered Edgar, "You did, right? Right!?"
"Yeah," Locke responded appreciatively, throwing a look at Terra, "this kid's really something, huh?"
"REally...something!?" Edgar looked at Locke like he had grown a second head, "Do you know what that was!? That was magic! MA-GIC!"
Now it was Locke's turn to freak out, and he responded, "M-M-M-M-MAGIC!? She used magic!?"
Terra watched, bewildered, as the two huddled together and whispered something to each other. Edgar looked up first, and then broke the huddle as he walked closer to her.
"Terra..." he began uncertainly, "what...uh...what exactly did you just do?"
Caught off guard, and confused at Edgar and Locke's odd behavior, Terra stuttered slightly as she responded, "I-I'm sorry, I..." Her voice died in her throat.
Did I do something wrong? Did I scare them with my fire attack? Oh no...
Locke quickly interjected, "No, we should be apologizing!" He looked a little ashamed as he continued, "I didn't mean to make such a big deal out of it. It was great, Terra."
Edgar jumped in as well, "Nor did I, it just...surprised me. I mean I've never actually seen magic before!" His voice gave away his barely constrained awe."Where did you...?"
Terra was speechless and opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She had no answer for his question. In fact, it was a question she wanted the answer to as well.
Locke, noticing her discomfort, moved to change the subject, "It doesn't matter, does it, Edgar? Terra can use magic and we can't. That's all there is to it." He then gave Terra his most confident smile as he added, "The fact is...her magic could really help us right now."
Edgar nodded, and responded "You're right...thank you for saving my life, Terra." He smiled at her as he finished.
Although still unfamiliar with her emotions and confused by her powers, Terra understood what Locke and Edgar were trying to say.
They're accepting me and my powers...I haven't even accepted them myself, and both of them have already put their trust in me...
Feeling more confident, Terra smiled brightly at the two men. "Thank you, Locke! Thank you, Edgar!"
Maybe this is the right time to do 'that'...I hope I do it right!
Taking a little bit of a risk, Terra winked at the two men as she thanked them.
A myriad of emotions flashed across their faces as Edgar and Locke processed what had just happened. First surprise and then amazement. Terra watched, bewildered, as the two men practically swooned over her.
Edgar was the first to break. "Uh...ahem!" he cleared his throat, breaking Locke out of his stupor. "Now that those soldiers are taken care of, we should get moving again. Kefka's SOLDIER will likely be right on our tail!"
Sobering up quickly, Locke agreed, "You're right, let's get moving."
The three hopped on their chocobos and kept moving.
It only took 10 minutes for Kefka and the SOLDIER to catch up to them, and when they did, Kefka looked angry. He had one arm wrapped around the SOLDIER's waist and in his free hand he held a morning star.
Terra focused her attention on the SOLDIER, the man she had met in her dream. She watched as the man unsheathed the large sword from his back and held it out to his side as he pushed his chocobo forward. She noticed two odd green lights on the sword, near the base of the blade and just above the handle. Unlike Kefka, who had only done horrible things to her in her dreams, the SOLDIER had shown her remorse. She wasn't sure how to handle this man, one who didn't seem bad like Kefka and who might know more about her past.
Something was wrong with him at the castle...I don't think I want to hurt him, but...I can't let him hurt Edgar and Locke, either!
As the SOLDIER came closer to them, Terra heard Kefka yell, "Focus on the pinhead! I have a bone to pick with him!"
The SOLDIER lifted his heavy sword up with ease, and swung it in a wide arc towards Edgar's chocobo. Locke moved to intercept and used one his larger daggers to block the attack as Edgar quickly swerved out of the line of fire. The dagger barely held back the enormous sword and, realizing he'd be overpowered easily if he kept this up, Locke pulled his chocobo back and narrowly avoided getting struck.
"We need to keep our distance!" Edgar announced. "That sword will easily overpower us if we're not careful!"
"Blah blah blah," hollered an annoyed Kefka as he and the SOLDIER made another beeline towards Edgar. "Sword too big, blah. Death is scary, blah! MY HAIR LOOKS DUMB, BLAH! That's what you sound like, you dip!"
"You know Kefka, it occurs to me that you really love the sound of your own voice!" Edgar responded in a surprisingly good natured voice.
Kefka growled and Terra watched as Edgar dodge another one of the SOLDIER's sword strikes. Edgar pulled away from the clown and fidgeted with something on his belt. Suddenly, the left side of the pack Edgar kept hidden under his cape opened up and another metal tube shot out. This tube was more narrow than the tube he had previously used, and it had winding curves that reminded Terra of some kind of instrument. The tip of the tube unfolded, shifting until it looked like a large concave dish. Edgar grabbed a handle on the tube and aimed the dish towards Kefka's chocobo.
"What the hell is that!?" bellowed Kefka, "Are you trying to play me a song or something!?"
"In a manner of speaking!" responded Edgar in a playful tone. "I figure if you can be loud and annoying..." Edgar pressed the trigger on his NoiseBlaster and, as the air around the dish began to pulsate and ripple, he yelled, "...then so can I!"
The directed soundwaves hit Kefka and his SOLDIER. The SOLDIER appeared unaffected, but Kefka grabbed his ears and cried out in pain. The two hit a bump in the sand and Kefka, who was no longer holding onto his SOLDIER, was roughly jettisoned from the back of the chocobo.
The last thing Terra heard from the demented jester was, "I'LLL KILLLLLL YOU FIGAR-", his angry promise ended abruptly as he flew face first into the sand.
Now it was just the three of them against the lone SOLDIER. Although she was still conflicted on how to handle this man, she decided that it was secondary to protecting Edgar and Locke.
I don't want to hurt him if I can avoid it...but...I'll do what I need to do to protect Edgar and Locke, even if it means I have to hurt him!
The SOLDIER once again moved into an offensive stance, holding his sword out to the side and pushing his chocobo forward to target Edgar. It seemed that he was still following Kefka's last orders and was focused on the King.
The SOLDIER swung his sword forward and, in response, Edgar quickly pulled a decorative staff out from behind his back and used it to parry the blow. The SOLDIER pressed his offensive and continued swinging his sword forcefully at the King, who tried to pull away from the assault as he barely blocked the heavy blows.
Terra followed Locke's lead and moved to intercept the SOLDIER. Locke pulled a dagger out and came in low, trying to quickly disarm the SOLDIER. But, just as he was about to strike the SOLDIER's wrist, the SOLDIER suddenly swung the pommel of his sword at Locke's face. Locke almost fell off his chocobo as he avoided the strike and didn't have time to react to the SOLDIER's follow up attack. Terra intercepted the strike with her sword before Locke could be cut down, and pushed the heavy sword back.
The SOLDIER seemed to realize he wouldn't be able to get to Edgar with Terra and Locke getting in his way, and swung his sword directly up in the air. Terra watched as one of the green lights on the sword begin to glow. There was a loud sound, like the sound of a whip cracking, and suddenly the sword was engulfed in sparkling electricity. The SOLDIER turned and swung his sword towards Terra and Locke, and launched a bolt of electricity at them.
"He has magic too!?" screamed Locke as the bolt shot off. He was caught completely off guard by the strike and was knocked off of his chocobo. He lay on the ground, electricity coursing through his body.
"No! Locke!" yelled Terra as she dodged the attack. She counterattacked by launching a fireball at the SOLDIER, and then hurried over to the downed thief.
The SOLDIER lifted the flat side of his sword to block the attack, but the flames licked his exposed arms and seared his chocobo's feathers. The bird panicked and knocked the SOLDIER off of its back. He tumbled to the sand roughly, but quickly recovered. He had taken some damage from the attack, so he lifted his sword and activated the second of two green spheres slotted into his sword. Green magic flowed from his sword and encircled him, healing the charred skin on his arms. The visor piece on his helmet was broken, so he tore the helmet off and threw it to the ground.
He didn't bother dusting any of the sand off as he started moving towards the trio Kefka had told him to attack.
By this point, Terra and Edgar had both reached Locke and were trying to tend to his wounds. Locke's arms were shaking and his movements were sluggish. Edgar looked over at Terra and asked, "Do you think your magic might be able to heal this?"
"Yes, think so...," Terra confirmed, before continuing hopefully, "I've been able to heal myself before, so it might work on him, too!" Terra was still recovering from her earlier magic attack, but she could feel that power welling up in her again. She'd be ready to heal Locke soon.
"T-t-that's good to hear!" stammered Locke, "that guy got me good. I-I-I didn't expect him to have magic."
"I'm sorry..." Terra spoke in a sad voice, "I should have been able to stop him..."
I hesitated...I felt a build up of energy before he attacked. But...that energy felt different from mine...it was cold and scary...I...I didn't know what to do...
"It wasn't your fault, Terra," Edgar responded authoritatively, "None of us knew he could use magic. Speaking of our 'friend', though..." he pointed to a figure walking towards them in the distance, "I think he's finally recovered."
Seeing the SOLDIER return, Edgar and Terra moved to defend Locke. The SOLDIER broke into an open sprint, holding his sword in front of him like a shield while he closed the distance. Edgar fired several shots from his auto-crossbow at the SOLDIER, but each shot was blocked by the SOLDIER's enormous sword.
"Terra, see if you can distract him!" commanded Edgar, "I'll see if I can get a clean shot!"
Terra gave Edgar a look, unsure if she could handle that request. Deciding there was no other option, she drew her sword and rushed forward. The SOLDIER swung his sword down at her forcefully and she raised her sword to block it. Metal clashed against metal as she tried to hold him back, but it was clear that the SOLDIER was easily overpowering her.
I-I can't hold him back! He's going kill me...
Terra was saved at the last second when a barrage of arrows flew at the SOLDIER. He kicked her away and raised his sword to block them, but one arrow still managed to pierce his left arm. He stumbled back as Edgar lunged at him with his spear. The SOLDIER barely dodged the attack, rolling to the side and pulling his sword up to block any further strikes.
Terra took a moment to recover, and moved up next to Edgar. The two stared down the SOLDIER, weapons at the ready.
Edgar glanced at Terra and said "Terra, I'll press our advantage! Go heal Locke, and then we'll finish him off!" She nodded at the command, and ran to attend to Locke.
She kneeled next to Locke and placed her right hand over his chest. A warm and comfortable feeling erupted from her chest and expanded throughout her body, moving up through her arm until it reached her hand. It began to glow a warm green as the healing magic collected.
I have to be careful not to wear myself out in case I need to quickly heal again...I'll try to use less power than I used earlier...
She was just about to release the healing magic on to Locke, when she felt a spike of energy overwhelm her senses. She glanced in the direction of the SOLDIER and was startled to see that his eyes were somehow glowing brighter. An energy enveloped him and his sword, lightly emanating blue and white. He held his sword forward over his right shoulder, pointing the blade at Terra and Locke, as a heat caused the tip to glow orange. He spun around, lifting up into the air as the blade launched forward. Realizing she had no time, Terra released the healing magic with her right hand and held her sword up in her left hand. She knew she wouldn't be able to stop this attack, but she didn't have time to get Locke out of the way.
The SOLDIER's blade came down in an arc, generating a streak of flames as it descended, and was barely blocked by Edgar's staff. The force of the attack knocked Edgar back, the flames singeing his sleeve. The SOLDIER twisted around a second time and slashed the sword in an angled arc, generating more flames as it moved in a downward motion and before shifting up like the bend in an 'L' towards Edgar. This strike slammed hard into Edgar's staff, and knocked him away forcefully.
"Edgar!" Terra screamed, as the King was thrown several feet away. She watched the flames dance in the air where Edgar had parried the SOLDIER's first two strikes. It looked like an unfinished symbol, carved through the air by a magical flame.
The SOLDIER held his sword in position at his inside right, and prepared to strike forward. Just as he was about to meet her blade with his final strike, something happened that caught Terra by surprise. As the SOLDIER's sword came close, his right arm passed into the field of her healing magic. The SOLDIER recoiled, as if struck, causing the trajectory of his blade to shifting dramatically. His attack missed her and Locke and he tumbled painfully to the ground, gasping in pain as he clutched his head.
What...what just happened!?
After writhing in pain for a moment, the SOLDIER tried to collect himself, and Terra watched as the SOLDIER struggled to get to his feet. He stood shakily, and looked her directly in the eyes. What she saw left her speechless.
His right eye!? It's...blue. It's blue like his eye was in my dream. Did...my magic do that?
The SOLDIER looked at her, conflicting emotions of pain, confusion, and anger were warring across his face. The effect, when combined with his differently colored eyes, made it look line the SOLDIER had two different personalities waging war with one another. One was sad and confused, and the other was angry and cruel. She found the sight discomforting.
The SOLDIER sluggishly lifted his blade and lunged at her, but was easily blocked by one of Locke's daggers. The newly recovered thief glanced at her and said, "Thank's for healing me, Terra!" He forced the weakened SOLDIER's blade away and yelled, "Now it's time for me to return the favor!" as he lunged forward with his dagger.
The SOLDIER barely blocked the strike and was knocked on to his back by a firm kick to the stomach. Locke raised his dagger and moved to finish off the disoriented SOLDIER.
Is Locke going to kill him!? No...I...I don't want that to happen! That man was in my dream, he might know about my past! And...I think something is wrong with him...like someone is controlling him...like they controlled me...
"Locke!" Terra yelled at the thief. "Please don't kill him!"
Locke nearly stumbled as he turned to face her, wide eyed. He sounded bewildered when he replied, "Wait, what did you say?"
"Locke..." she spoke softly, looking down sadly at the SOLDIER as he struggled to get to his feet, "I...I don't want him to die! I remembered him in...I think it was a memory, and I think he might know something about my past!" As she finished, she gave Locke a pleading look.
The thief stared at her gravely, before responding, "Are you sure about that? That guy nearly electrocuted me and just about rag-dolled Edgar." he glanced at the King, who had since recovered and was steadily approaching them. "He might look weak now...but he did just try to make mincemeat out of us." He pointed to the SOLDIER, who had failed to get to his feet and was now on his knees supporting himself with his sword. His eyes were clenched in pain as he held his head with his free hand.
"I...I think something is controlling him!" she responded, "I think my healing magic did something to weaken that control...I want to see if I can break it before..."
"...we kill him," Locke finished. He sighed, and turned to Edgar, "Did you hear all of that?"
"I believe I heard enough. Terra wants to save that SOLDIER." He appeared thoughtful, before continuing, "I'm not the biggest fan of this idea, but...if he is being controlled and she can break that control, he could be an asset to our cause."
"I guess it might be worth a try," Locke replied reluctantly.
"Then we have a plan!" Edgar announced, before turning to Terra and adding in a smooth voice, "Terra, our SOLDIER friend here looks pretty...ragged, why don't you give your healing plan a try."
"Uh...yes, I will! Thank you Edgar!"
As Terra moved over to the miserable looking SOLDIER, she heard Edgar speak to Locke in a knowing voice, "Ah, I suppose it is true what they say...women truly are the fairer sex!"
She barely heard Locke's exasperated reply, but it sounded a lot like, "Oh, shut up."
As she approached the SOLDIER he tensed up, his one green eye glowering at her. He was having trouble moving, but she kept a safe distance as she neared him.
She drew forth on the warm and comforting power once more, and watched as her right hand was enveloped in a familiar green glow. The moment the SOLDIER saw this, his left eye grew wide and he fell away from his sword. He tried to crawl away, but was not fast enough to escape from the green light that soon enveloped his form. He cried out in pain, screaming so loud that it caused her to flinch.
Am I doing the right thing? He looks like he's in pain!
After a few moments his cries died down and he lay still in the sand. Terra rushed over to make sure he was still alive, and was relieved to see that he was still breathing. He was unconscious, but he was alive.
Locke and Edgar approached cautiously, and watched as Terra tentatively rolled the man onto his back. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the anxiety she felt bubble up, and checked his eyes.
They're both blue! It worked!
She smiled, relief coloring her features as she turned to face Locke and Edgar. "His eyes are both blue now! I think it might have worked!"
"It looks like you saved us again, Terra," Locke replied, a small smile on his face.
"Agreed!" agreed Edgar, enthusiastically, "At this rate, I might need to award you with some kind of Figaro Medal of Honor!"
Embarrassed, Terra looked away with a small smile on her face. "Thank you...both of you..."
Locke pulled a rope out of his pack and walked towards the downed SOLDIER. "Since we're only 'kinda sure' he's alright now, I think it makes sense to tie him up. I'll secure him to my chocobo and then we'll take him back to base." He got to work securing the SOLDIER's arms and legs.
"Speaking of that," Edgar added, before turning to Terra, "there's someone that we'd like you to meet...if you think you might be up for it."
"Yeah," agreed Locke, "like I told you before, we're members of the Returners..."
"Yes...do you think you would be willing to meet our leader?" Edgar asked Terra. His voice was serious as he continued, "We think that magic is going to be the key to winning this war...and we think you might be able to help."
"Magic..." Terra turned that word over in her head, considering its meaning. Even though she could use magic, she probably knew less about it than they did.
"We heard about what happened with the Esper and how it reacted to your magic..." Edgar added, his voice stern, "there has to be some kind of relationship..."
"I don't know any more than you do," Terra responded defensively. "These powers just...they just come naturally to me! I don't really understand them..."
"But no human is born with the powers you have!" Edgar shot back. She flinched at his harsh tone, seeming to wilt like a dying flower. Edgar calmed himself down and, in a more sympathetic tone he said, "I'm sorry...that was unfair."
Terra was hurt and confused, and held one of her hands up to her chest in distress. Before Edgar could say anything else, she asked him, "...what should I do?" in a small voice.
"The Empire will be coming after us." he answered matter-of-factly. They want your powers for their own. And if they get them, this world is done for." He looked her straight in the eyes and asked, sympathetically, "Terra, you want to understand your own powers, don't you?"
Yes...I do...
She nodded in answer to his question.
"Then I think you should meet with Banon." Edgar continued. "He may be able to help you find out more about your powers and why you have them."
Terra looked down, a heavy frown on her face, as she thought about what he was asking her.
I...I don't know...should I go with them? I don't know what to do...
She was jolted from her thoughts by Locke, who put a hand on her shoulder and, in an uncharacteristically soft voice, asked her, "Please...Edgar's right."
She looked away, feeling small. She didn't want all this attention. She didn't want any of this. But...she did want answers. She looked at Edgar and tentatively nodded her head.
It seems I have no choice...
Edgar nodded and took charge once again, "There's a cave just south of here that leads to South Figaro. Let's head in that direction. Once we're their, we'll head up through Mt. Kolts to Returners headquarters."
They followed Edgar's lead and mounted their chocobos, Locke double checking to make sure that the SOLDIER was still out cold and secured.
As they moved, heading back the way they originally came from, Edgar's mood seemed to perk up.
"While we're headed this way, I think I want to make a small detour quick! I have someone I'd like to see!"
Confused, Terra and Locke followed behind the King.
What a ROTTEN day, groused a miserable looking Kefka. Sweat had caused his makeup to run, making him look more ridiculous than usual. There was sand stuck in his hair from his earlier tumble.
As he made his way, slowly, in the direction he thought the chocobos had traveled, he considered his present situation.
Humiliated by that putz of a King, abandoned by that dumb sword wielding puppet, and the first AND PROBABLY ONLY IMPERIAL COMMANDER TO HAVE AN ENTIRE TOWN UP AND RUN FROM ME. How HUMILIATING.
Kefka was torn from his thoughts by the sight of potential salvation in the distance. A chocobo! And the rider has blonde hair! That sword swallowing idiot killed them and has come back for me!
But, as the bird came closer, Kefka noticed something was off.
Why is his hair long? And is he wearing blue now? Just how long have I been lost in the desert!?
Then it hit him...that's not his SOLDIER, that's the King!
But how!? That SOLDIER was magical! He should have used the King's ugly hair to mop the floor with them!?
As the King rode by, he hollered "Bravo, Figaro!" at Kefka.
"SON OF A SUBMARINER!" he screamed at the King, "You slithering sandworm! You despicable BRAT."
A moment later the scraggily haired bandit rode by and yelled, "Thank's for the two magical soldiers, Kefka!"
Wait...two magical soldiers? They only stole the girl, who else could they have...
His eyes bugged out as he noticed the SOLDIER, HIS SOLDIER strapped to the back of the theif's chocobo.
"WHAT!?"
And then, just to rub salt over his already sandy wounds, the girl rode by. She at least had the decency to look nervous as she passed him.
Well, she always did have good manners for a slave.
Wait.
She's getting away! And they're getting away!
Some say Kefka's scream of frustration could be heard from miles away.