[Author's note: This Chapter is rated MA: Mature Content (18+). Scenes of extreme violence, not suitable for sensitive or young readers, will follow. Please skip this Chapter if you are not entitled to read it. The most important event is: Noah and his mother have to flee occupied Landis to the Archadian Empire, while Basch escapes on his own to Dalmasca, as mentioned in Final Fantasy XII.]
Waldgott Town, 687 (o. V.)
I had not been able to fulfill my promise to the Drimers. Basch was not accompanying me for the visit. Well, he went to Waldgott as well, but he escaped midway to go to Bolesław's Weaponry, as during the good old times. It seemed he would never get tired of endlessly watching the same weapons. But since that made him the happiest boy in the village, I let him go and promised I wouldn't tell Mom.
Very little had happened since my last visit to Cirla and Margit – I only had a couple of funny stories at work to tell – but I wanted to go nonetheless. I was curious about what happened after the parents read the professor's praising letter about my paper, but that was not the main reason. Did Cirla and Margit keep the same dreams for their future, or had they changed their minds already? Was Cirla still blindly in love with the same girl for years, or did he understand he didn't stand a chance? Or maybe it's the girl that understood her luck and decided to take her opportunity. That would be so cute. Did Margit cook that light cake she had told us about so many times? Did she request her mother's help to do it, or did she become a great pastry-cook by herself? What about the dancing class? Mom told me recently it was supervised by the Empress herself. Did Margit know she could meet the Empress? Or maybe she did meet her since the previous time. What about her weight loss? Well, that was none of my business. But you know what? I didn't need a reason to go see them. They were my best friends after all – apart from Nareszcie of course.
At the entrance of the city, I recognized the cart and its driver and the chocobo, the ones that led Naria and I to Waldgott the first time we went to sell goods there for the harvest. I waved hello to him and he replied with a slight nod, his face all grim. What could he have? Maybe he was sick. Or that everybody had greeted him that morning and he was tired of answering. But I felt something else in his look. As if he was… worried. Why? I had no idea.
All above, several airships were spanning the sky; they had strange and rather modern forms. Those were certainly the new models from the East Ivalice Company, for the aerodrome was not far away. There were more airships than usual, and some of them were not too high above our heads. Maybe that was what's bothering the cart driver? I should ask Cirla about that, maybe he knew something.
I arrived at the private housing estate where the Drimers lived, and turned at the first street. I noticed, with some surprise, a group of people running away and shouting, but no one was following them. The estate seemed perfectly calm otherwise. I kept on walking and eventually turned at the street the Drimers were living in. I rang at their door and waited for an answer, but it didn't come.
'Err… Mister Drimer? Cirla? Margit?'
I walked along the chain-link fence and stopped at the little steel door that was guarding the garden: it was slightly open. Did a member of the family forget to close it?
I waited ten full minutes, during which nothing happened, then decided to go inside. The house was very quiet. After having rung multiple times, no one had opened the door: they were certainly all gone on a little family trip. However, after randomly checking the grass, I noticed a familiar head.
'Margit!'
I ran towards her.
'Where is your brother? Cirla!'
No one answered while I was taking the few meters that separated me from her.
I let out a big laugh: her body was entirely underground; only her head topped the soil.
'Why are you hiding in the dirt? Are you playing hide-and-seek with Cirla? I thought you considered yourselves older than that!'
I kept on laughing until I reached her, but her head didn't move by a single inch. She was looking at the opposite side, so only the hair above her neck was visible to me.
'Hiya! It's me, Noah; I'm here!'
She stayed motionless.
'Fine then, I'll pull you out of here.'
I kneeled down and put my hands down her chin, then carried out my word.
I would never, in all Ivalice, have expected what I saw.
The head came up alone.
Narrow red threads were still attached to it, the skin had been harshly ripped, and when I looked at my hands, they were stained with blood.
I screamed for several seconds and let the head fall on the grass.
'No… NO! MARGIT! NOT YOU!'
I randomly shook the soil under the grass and stumbled upon the rest of the body. The beheaded body.
'No… What's happening… What can I do?'
I yelled the parents' names but this was certainly pointless: it was so atrocious they had to be aware already. But on the other hand, they hadn't shown up during all this time. Were they both outside calling for help? Something was going on.
'Cirla!'
I ran towards the house in all haste.
'Cir…'
As soon as I began calling, I saw him. His body was pierced by a spear which end was hanging on the outside wall. Blood was flowing straight from his heart, down along the white immaculate wall, in width-varying lines. I followed these lines and found the said heart, at the bottom of the wall. It was pierced as well, but still beating. I raised my eyes once more and noticed the rest. The rest was the deep gashes all along his arms and legs, the bloody hole at the missing heart's place on his chest, and… and then there was his head. His ears had been completely sliced from it, his nose was bleeding as well, the mouth bore a large cut across the two lips, and the once-clever eyes had been utterly torn out from the skull. The eyeless head was, by some miracle, slightly risen up, so it was as the vision of horror was observing me.
I screamed even louder and went to the other side of the house, where the main door was. Seeing it was wide open, I didn't stop and entered. I, maybe naively, kept on calling the parents, as I was jumping on the stairs, rather than walking on them normally. With extreme fear, my head pivoted right and left before I kept on running through the main hall, right to the room I had never entered before, but that I had the urge to check at that precise moment: the parents' bedroom. I quickly opened the door and realized the truth: they weren't there.
'Raaaaaaaah! What the hell is happening here?'
I stomped on the ground, not even fully feeling the tears that were falling down my cheeks, then tried to calm down. Nothing could be solved by screaming and getting angry. But my heart couldn't stop beating at a crazy pace. I took a look left and right again, then remembered, with mixed feelings, a wide office where the Drimers used to work together. It was located on the other side of the hall, next to the room where I used to study with my friends – and where I would never study anymore. I walked there with trembling feet, then gasped and opened the door completely.
'No… No!'
The couple was lying on the ground, holding hands and almost smiling. As usual, the mother was wearing a beautiful skirt and a simple white shirt while her husband had his elegant blue suit on. Unlike their children, their heads were unharmed. I felt like I had all eternity to look at their serene expressions. From a first look, all I could tell is that they were sleeping – on the cold ground, so a bit eccentric way to sleep, but still sleeping. I looked better and noticed the several shots each one of them had all across their chest and belly. It took the killers almost twenty bullets to get rid of each one of them. Each one of them, each incredibly active contributor to the Landisite economy, each kind and caring parent, who even had success wishes for a poor boy like myself… was dead and would never wake up from their peaceful slumber.
This time, I was desperate. I let my arms fall and my knees' strength slowly faded away too. For a moment, I saw everything. I saw the Drimer parents naturally getting up, in that same office where they were lying a few seconds ago, and walking down the stairs to go to work. Mrs Drimer had her lovely smile on her face, and Mr Drimer was waving goodbye and asking his children to take care. The said children were there too, of course, in the room next door. They were working on some important paper to show to the Archadian professor. And, of course, they were talking to me. The three of us were laughing. Nothing could disturb our joy. Nothing.
I suddenly heard a shot in the street. Immediately, other shots could be heard as well. People were screaming and fleeing from something. I turned my head towards the window; every vision of peace had disappeared. I saw the dead bodies of the parents again, and when I reached the ground floor, I couldn't avoid passing next to the torn body of the promising young man and the lonely head of the cheerful girl. I saw the moment they died in. I could hear their cries…
As soon as I reached the garden's open door, everything began to take place in a sort of fast forward mode.
As soon as I reached the garden's open door, in the outside world, I saw a little boy being slain ten meters away by a lone man with a giant axe. The child was running and crying just before the blade hit his neck.
As soon as I reached the garden's open door, an entire troop appeared behind the kid slayer. They were wearing similar clothes as him, and were holding all manner of weapons in their hands.
As soon as I reached the garden's open door, another group of men came from the other side of the street. But this time, I recognized them from their armors: they were the Landis army. Dad's army.
As soon as I reached the garden's open door, eventually, one of the Landisite soldiers, probably a captain, ran ahead of the group and stabbed the body of one of the foreign men, who had taken a step forward as well, with his spear. The body collapsed between the two groups, then there was a silence. Suddenly, the army captain let out a scream and invited his comrades to strike, but the strangers decided to flee in all directions.
The captain looked kind of relieved. He sighed, ordered a portion of his men to follow the strangers, and lowered his sight to me. I gasped as he walked towards my place.
'This is war, my boy. The Archadians came and are making a razzia in northern territories. Their regular army began their invasion from the villages south of here, but these ones are no army, no!'
'They are Urban Units!' shouted a soldier behind him. 'I heard of them! They are the vilest of all the Empire rats!'
'They can kill widows and orphans without regret! What are they doing here, Captain?' asked another.
'Silence!' the captain said. 'For now, all we have to do is protect Waldgott's citizens, before the Empire reaches the capital. Move, boy! If you're from Kalthof, you should make haste and get back to your peers before fights begin there.'
And the group went away, leaving me alone in a world that never was.
Out of some impulsion, I let myself kneel on the ground and realized I had been afraid to breathe. I breathed in and out, in and out again, feeling my lungs replenish and the sound of air leave my mouth in fragile harmony. I was about to get up again when I noticed something white near the body of the fallen Urban Unit member. It was a piece of paper. I looked at the silence around me, then I knelt until I reached it and put it in my pocket before standing and taking a larger look at the town's buildings around me.
War.
Invasion.
Began in villages.
South of…?
'Mom!'
Without thinking, I took a step aside and began running in turn. The southern villages were the ones on the other side of the forest; that is to say, Uwielbinie! I couldn't stand the sight of the place where I was born mistreated and sullied. But, as I was crossing the town's main plaza, where most of the shops were, I saw the colorful sign of Bolesław's Weaponry.
'Basch!'
I entered the shop and quickly scanned the empty shelves and broken glass cases, but no sign of Bolesław anywhere. The place had been stripped of the majority of its once-radiant weapons, and there was a smell of burning all over. I moved forward, near the counter, and abruptly heard a muffled sound.
'Mister Bolesław?' I asked as I made an effort to lift myself to look on the other side.
The shop owner was lying behind the counter, motionless; a heavy brick was near his head – I guess he had the misfortune to receive it as it fell from above. But that was without mentioning what was happening outside. Any madman could have taken the opportunity to enter and hit him. Was he… dead?
'What… do you want?'
'Bolesław!' I smiled.
'Didn't I tell you to leave? Why did you come back?' he frowned.
'That was my twin brother, Basch', I explained. 'We're both from Uwielbinie. Did Basch tell you where he was going before leaving the shop? Please, remember!'
He let out a deep sigh as he tried to get up in the middle of the wood and stone fragments. I lent him my hand to help him out and he finally managed to get on his feet.
'Who did you say you were again?'
'Noah. Fon Ronsenburg. From Uwielbinie. Nevermind, I'm the twin brother of the boy who came to the shop earlier. That's why we look alike.'
I was so much in a rush to get this damned answer that I did not exactly know what I was saying. And I did not care much.
'Wait, wait… What did you say?'
'Please, remember!' I repeated, joining my hands in a useless prayer.
'Oh, yes, a boy! You say he is your brother? But that was you! No way… How did your hair grow so fast?'
'Please, tell me what did this boy… or I tell you the last time we met!'
'But… Uwielbinie… Yes… You told me you were going there as soon as you saw the army outside! That you had to go back there.'
'Thank you, Bolesław!'
I left him scratching the top of his head in confusion.
He was right. Basch had to have the same idea as me: that he had to go back to the village. I continued running south until I reached the edge of the forest. I could already hear the noise of battles, so I systematically chose the opposite way to where they came from. That made the journey a little longer, but I had to avoid fights by all means. Like, what was I even supposed to do if some Archadian bucket head appeared in front of me with a sword? I wouldn't stand a chance. So I ran.
I entered the wood with a feeling of sweat rolling down my back. The evidence was there: I did not know who could be hidden in the bushes, where the safest way to home could be, or even if such a way existed. I was only used to crossing a small portion of the forest while visiting Naria, and never paid attention to its size while going to Waldgott with the cart. Crossing it entirely, all afoot, seemed for me impossible. But the thought of my mother being alone with the Archadian soldiers was even more impossible. I tried to focus on this thought and moved forward.
I was walking at a fast pace, approximately knowing where I was going. As I kept going, I could hear far-away noises. I walked farther and understood there were noises of battle. As of that moment, I felt stunned and my legs wouldn't move. Battles… near home? Could I still call this place home at the moment? No, but there was Mom. Mom! I could never let my mother down and run away after all she'd done for Basch, for me, and for so many others. Where would I run away, anyway?
'Aaah!'
I let out a frightful scream as soon as I heard a gunshot just some meters away. As I heard footsteps coming from the same place, I jumped in the nearest bush and kept myself hidden.
'Hey! Did you hear that?'
Someone was indeed there. I heard another person sniffing before answering:
'What?'
'That sound.'
Archadian accent. I gasped.
'Wait, did you just say there was someone here? Come on mate, there's just the two of us waiting for orders as we've been told two hours ago.'
'But… Maybe you're right. Two hours, you say? I'd have sworn it was rather two days…'
I sighed, as quietly as I could, and kept on listening to the voices slowly fading away. I remained concentrated until I could hear them no more. Then I stood up, first inside the bush, and after making sure there was nobody, outside of it. I removed the leaves stuck on my skin by sweat, and began running. I had to make haste: if the Archadians were indeed in Uwielbinie, the situation could be far worse than what I had imagined. I ran for an unknown duration; as I was too busy observing the surroundings to have the slightest idea about time. At times, I would stop, listen carefully to the battle noises and adapt my path accordingly, without straying too much. But I kept on running. Slowly, I began to realize I had travelled a big part of the distance to the village. Half of it – maybe two thirds. Which meant one hour. But I didn't have time to feel terror's shiver shake my legs and scream to stop. Nor had I the right to feel any kind of exhaustion or discouragement. I had to make it, just like Basch had to make it. We would both make it. And join Mom. That was all.
Suddenly, I joined a portion of the forest where birds were leaving the trees by ranks. I took fright and hid again in the closest bush. But after a minute, I noticed there was no one around. I left my hideout carefully and put, once again, my feet on the ground. I took the time to breathe a little before concentrating on what could be happening. I was about to give up and hide again – too afraid to run where there could be soldiers – when I heard a group of voices. I turned towards them – they were hopefully far away from me, at least three hundred meters. That's when I saw them: several men, maybe a dozen, aligned in front of shorter humans… children.
I heard them laugh and talk to the children, who could be friends or part of the same family. I could not, however, distinguish their words, for they had been mixed with the sudden sound of guns and steel, coming from a further distance. The children were gathered between a couple of trees, and didn't seem to move. Then one of the grown-up voices barked something and the kids screamed. I tried to observe them and, from what I could see, noticed the eldest of the group could be my age or younger than me. The adults began to make big gestures and move along their line – and I realized they could easily turn their heads and see me. I tried to hide behind a tree and continued observing – for running at that moment was far too risky, and my legs wouldn't follow.
The path of the adults led them to the group of kids, with each one eventually holding one of them as they were probably trying to escape. Each adult led his hostage to a tree in front of him and ropes appeared. It was inevitable. The adults were certainly Archadian, but why weren't they wearing armors? And… And why children? I suddenly felt that if I was in Basch's company, I would have tried something to help them, to take them out of there, no matter what was going to happen. But I was alone. All alone. And I was a coward. I knew that any attempt would lead to nothing but my mother losing a son. So I kept on waiting. Yes, I waited.
My fears were suddenly shaken by the foreigners laughing again. I held my breath and raised my look to the scene. Between two gunshots, I heard:
'Let's go! Let's do it!'
'Isn't this what we came here for?'
'Nobody can see us!'
I held the tree tightly with my hands until they began to hurt. The ropes had been tied to the trees, and now the Archadians were approaching them to the children's necks. One after the other, the kids had been tightly fastened, and all their moves were soon in vain. I could hear some of them cry, others began to panick and screamed at the top of their lungs. But it was too late. It all happened too quickly.
'All at once! All at once!'
'Slowly… don't kill him yet! Oh, this one's dead, dammit. Let's play with the other!'
My stomach began to send alarm signals. I kept my eyes wide open and abruptly felt like struck by a thunderstorm: I knew these kids. They were… They were the group of boys Basch used to play with.
'Come on, let's not miss it, this time! One! Two! Threeee!'
'Hahaha! Almost perfect!'
They were the ones who applauded at my dance with Naria during the village feast.
'Look, this one's still jiggling! Should we try something?'
'Wait! I have an idea!'
Riza. Masyn. Kovt. They all had names and families that were closer to me than I could have imagined.
'This one's colour is so funny! Does it remind you of the same thing…?'
'Heh heh heh! Ho ho… To adjudge, I want to see him naked!'
'All naked! All naked!'
And they began stripping the boys of their clothes. One by one. They continued to laugh, and my mind was devoid of thoughts when I suddenly heard a child's cry. My nausea accentuated and I felt like I could take no more. But there was no way out; there was nothing I could do, and nowhere I could go safely. I was forced to see and to hear what I was seeing and hearing, and that was tearing my body to pieces.
'Good boy! Aren't they better when they're dead?'
'Hah! Are you even sure he is?'
'Doesn't matter… Give me the dagger! I want his hand apart. I want a Landis hand in my living room.'
'Let's cut all their parts! A distinguished treat!'
I hadn't even felt the vomiting come. I threw up all sorts of food and emotions against the tree and immediately after my legs moved all by themselves. They certainly had seen – or heard – me so it was useless to hide anymore. I ran and ran until I noticed a clear path in front of me: it was the path to the Olszewski farm. But most importantly, it was on the opposite way of the Archadians, so I followed it without hesitating. As I was trying to breathe properly, I realized Naria's farm was the logical way to reach home, since it was just north of it. What would she say if I told her what I saw? How could I ever tell her anyway? I had to hurry to talk to her and make sure she's okay before heading to Mom.
At some point, I decided to stop and catch my breath. I turned back: no one was following me. At least something good: I had escaped… But there had to be soldiers – or maybe crueler men like the ones I saw – in Uwielbinie Village, which was not far away at that moment. What catastrophes were awaiting me there?
I took a long breath and hurried up towards Naria's farm. That was my first step, and the sooner I'd check what was happening there, the sooner I'd be at Mom's side. I almost smiled when I heard frenetic screams from my favorite chocobo:
'Kweh! Kweh! Kweh!'
Book was trying to say something as he ran towards me.
'Good… Good chocobo. Where is Naria?'
'Kweh! Kweh!'
Book's state was far from normal. He was possibly terrified – but I did not want to believe that something bad had happened there. Not there too. So I thought he might still be sick, or surprised. But that was no reason to slow down: I continued running until I reached the big property's limits.
As soon as I entered, I noticed the ravages made in the fields. There was absolutely nothing remaining: the flowers, the vegetables, the grains… all were severely damaged, upside down, as if a group with the sole purpose of ruining the harvest had passed.
'What is this?'
I turned left, where the workers' leader's hut was. I wondered if he was aware of the situation, and if he had warned his little mistress about it. Maybe he didn't want her to be involved in this most horrendous thing? Anyway, someone had to tell her, at least to take her to a safe place – although I did not know one.
'Aaah!'
I let out a scream of terror at lowering my eyes. Sydor was there, outside the hut, lying on the cold ground. He had been stabbed on the chest and was motionless. Only blood was flowing outside his body.
'Sydor! Sydor!'
I tried to wake him up but it was too late. Where were all of the other workers? They certainly had run away when they saw the soldiers. Why did this lovely farm have to endure this too?
'Naria!'
If Sydor was dead, that meant Naria was in great danger! I had to figure out where she was.
I finished inspecting the garden and the fields, and apart from desolation, I saw nothing special. If Naria was still in the property, she had to be inside. So I ran into the house where we celebrated so many birthdays, organized so many eating contests, and played so much, under the constant rumbling of Karol Olszewski against the Ronsenburg offspring.
'Naria!'
I jumped over the stairs, heading towards her bedroom, which, surprisingly, I did not know so much. I shook away the sheets, opened the cupboards, looked under the bed, but had to admit the truth: she was not there. I then examined the late parents' bedroom, the old attic, the bathrooms, but still found nobody. Disappointed, I returned on the ground floor, entered the kitchen, the utility room, and the main living room, and concluded Naria had escaped – which was good. Indeed, if she could escape Sydor's fate, and run to hide in my house with my mother, or elsewhere, I could hope for nothing better. I could already see the scenario: Sydor defended her and the farm against the Archadian soldiers, and stood fast in front of them while allowing Naria to flee. That's why I could not find her in the…
I suddenly gasped.
She was there.
In the small second living room of the house, behind the main one – the one where we used to play hide-and-seek and have a snack in the afternoon – I saw her.
A young girl, with scruffy blond hair hiding her face, was standing against the bottom wall. I approached and understood Nareszcie was not standing. Her wrists and ankles had been nailed down to the wall; thin lines of blood were running from the cold grey nails. Like the children in the forest, her clothes had been torn off – I could still see a portion of her white dress hanging over her left shoulder; she was otherwise completely naked. I soon noticed they didn't just stop there. The ones who hung her left a big slice between her two little breasts, going all the way down to her belly. Blood was flowing from there too, in big quantities. The red liquid was also present down her neck and shoulders, along with bruises which were testament to a long struggle against her attackers. I followed the trail of the blood, lowered my look, and saw it was also pouring down her legs. I followed it on the other side, and… and saw the place between her legs. Bruises were also present there – what could it mean? The place was… like a war scene itself. There were cuts everywhere, the colors melted one into the other: blue, red, black, yellow… I could barely see her white skin. I noticed that her legs, while hung, had been widely spread. Without breathing anymore, my eyes caught the sight of the floor right below her, and I immediately understood. There was a huge puddle of blood, the blood that was pouring from… that place. My shoes left a red trace when I made paces backwards. I caught my breath with something heavy stuck inside my throat, and raised my eyes again. I wanted them to catch the beautiful look of my friend, one last time.
'Naria…'
I tenderly moved her hair away and… and smiled when I recognized her unique face. It was maimed as well, but I couldn't help smiling nonetheless. Naria. Nareszcie. The courageous farmer. I called her one more time, and waited for an answer, which didn't come.
'Naria?'
Of course. She was dead. How could one survive such a big cut in the chest?
There, just like in the forest, I felt like I could take no more. But that time, instead of my stomach, it was the thing blocking my throat that suddenly released and gave the signal for my tears to go out. I cried until I realized I had wasted too much time: I was forgetting the most important person's safety to check: my mother's.
'Naria…'
I tried to cause a reaction on her face but it remained emotionless. Still crying, I held her in my arms and hid my face on her shoulder. I couldn't even hold her properly due to the nails hindering any move of her arms; but still, I had to do it. I looked at her one ultimate time and noticed something rather surprising: her lips, which I hadn't actually observed, were almost shaped into a smile.
I left her with this vision in mind, and ran towards home.
'Mommy!'
With this cry for help, I let the tears flow again; the subject was too sensitive. With Cirla dead, Margit dead, Naria dead; what if I found my own mother dead too? I could not bear it. I could not bear it a single second.
I think I threw all the energy I had left in that final race to home. When I arrived at our little farm, I was exhausted, all soaking in sweat and tears, and I had no idea where my mother could be.
'Mom!'
As in the other cases, I began by examining the garden, the flock – they were still at their usual location – and the places around the house, before entering into it. The surroundings seemed somewhat untouched. Could that be of good omen for Mom? I was hoping with all my heart that it was.
'Mom!'
She was not in the living room. Bad sign… I entered all the bedrooms – mine was surprisingly messy – and called her in vain. There were few chances she'd be there at that moment…
'Mom!'
I was about to give up and go to my room, without a precise goal, when I remembered the other place Mom spent a lot of time in. The kitchen! My heart was beating faster than ever.
'Mom!'
'Noah!'
I burst out crying when I heard my name spoken with the blessed voice. I rushed into the kitchen and found my mother lying on the ground, visibly weak, and almost unconscious. However, I still hid into her arms as I'd have done if she had been in good health. As soon as I caught my breath, I began talking:
'Mom! They raped Naria, they tortured Cirla and Margit, they killed their parents! There are Archadian soldiers everywhere, not to mention those evil Urban Units! They were in the for…'
'I know. Basch told me everything.'
'B… Basch?'
I hadn't completely forgotten about my brother, of course, but after searching for him in Waldgott, I had thought he would have been hidden somewhere in the village. Actually, I was expecting to see him there, in the house, looking after Mom.
'Where is he, Mom? Did he come here?'
'Y… Yes… He came and… He went…'
'Where?'
'I… don't know…'
'And you just let him out, did you!' I said, moving out of her arms in awe.
My mother sighed and tried to sit down on the ground.
'Please… understand me. I have had a crisis this morning… little time after you went out. I have been sick since then… Didn't have the energy to move. Basch found me in the same place you did… and after talking about what's outside… he said he would check something in his bedroom. Can you go and tell me… if he's still there?'
'Of course he isn't anymore! He just…'
I had no idea what he did. Is it him who had left our bedroom in such a mess? Because Mom had no reason to do so. But neither did Basch…
'Sorry, Mom. I shouldn't talk to you this way.'
I caught her arm and helped her walking towards the living room.
'I've been told in Waldgott that Basch had come here, but I didn't expect him to go so fast. To where? There isn't even a single safe place out there anymore.'
'I know…' Mom replied. 'If your brother has indeed left the house, I am severely worried. He was carrying a sword when he came here.'
'Don't… worry about the sword, Mom', I said in a somewhat reassuring tone. 'I'm sure he knows how to use it now, considering how long he's been practicing.'
I said this but of course, I was scared as hell myself. Basch was the only brother I had. He had to be alright. And come back soon to us. Eventually, I couldn't help but share some of my anxiety with her:
'Oh Mom, why did this have to happen? An invasion! What do these Archadians want? Why are they killing so many people? That's not fair! That's not justice!'
'Each of the persons in charge has their own definition of justice… I am afraid.'
'But that is wrong! It's written in the 7th article of the…'
'Hush… Someone.'
I felt like my blood turned cold. I kept quiet and lowered my head. I dared to look outside the window… but there was no one.
'I thought… I thought someone was coming', my mother eventually said.
'Don't give me a scare like that!' I whispered, still frightened.
I lent my ear carefully and heard, indeed, some footsteps.
'They're not here', I whispered again. 'But they are close.'
Mom nodded.
'I still wonder why Basch went away without telling you anything!' I said angrily, forgetting my vigilance. 'And after seeing you on the ground! If you hadn't called me, I'd have thought you were dead.'
I was meaning every word. Why did you leave her, brother? Wasn't she the most valuable woman in your life, as she was in mine? Didn't you say to Bolesław you had to go back home? Where the hell had you gone, at that precise moment where we needed you? At that precise moment where we needed to stand together as a family?
'I don't know if it's safe… to stay here', Mom suddenly said.
'Why do you say so?'
'Open the door!' yelled a voice with an unfortunate typical Archadian accent.
All of my respiratory system stopped working. That was it. I was dead. We were all dead. Unlike Basch, I did not know how to fight, so I was useless to Mom. I would have hoped for a thousand better deaths than this, but it was too late. We were dead and there's nothing I could do.
'Smash it open!' said the voice, which visibly did not wait for my thoughts to get in order.
'No!' suddenly yelled Mom.
I stood there gaping. Why did she talk? Did she want a quick death?
'My son, go and open the door.'
'But! They are Archadians…'
'I know. Just do it. Please.'
For a second, I thought to refuse, but after all, we were all going to die. She was right: better sooner than later. With undead-like gestures, I walked to the door and opened it.
As soon as the lock was released, one of the soldiers rushed inside, rapidly followed by the other. No one else was following: they were only two.
'Who's there?' barked the second one.
Hiding behind the door, I could only catch my breath. Feel life one last time.
'Here I am', my mother said, who was not hiding at all.
'Who are you? Speak!'
'My name is Linda Gabranth. I am an Archadian citizen.'
Wh… Why on Ivalice did she say that? Did she have no pride? And even without considering the question, wasn't she in Landis at that moment? What reason did they have to believe her?
'Heh!' the soldier said. 'And I am the Emperor's son. Say who you are or the boy is dead!'
I gasped: they had seen me. I was right and they'd seen me. Both were holding rather scary swords. I could indeed be dead in a second.
'I swear I tell no lies! My first name is Lindiwe and I have grown up into House Gabranth, of lesser nobility, but still a noble house of the City of Archades! We used to live in Trant!'
'You can lie all the time you want, no one here is going to believe you!' the soldier replied harshly. 'Gruff, we do as Judge Petra said. Let's…'
And he took out his sword. I screamed.
'Wait', the other soldier said. 'I had a colleague in the capital who'd often talk about a friend of that name.'
'Which name?' the other said. 'Don't make us lose time!'
'Gabranth!' Gruff replied with some sort of impatience. 'I had seen him a couple of times; House Gabranth indeed exists, they live in the Trant neighbourhood, they're all blond-haired, like these two, and my memory just made the link with their lineaments.'
'So she speaks the truth?' asked the other with the same annoyance.
'Possibly.'
The soldier looked daggers at me, waited several seconds in a warrior position, then finally sighed and put his weapon back in its sheath… before taking it out once more.
'What about the boy?' he asked, pointing the sword at my mother.
'This boy is my son! Come here, Gabranth!'
Why was she calling me by that name?
'Come on!' she added.
I obeyed, gulping when I passed in front of the two dreadful men.
'Here he is. Gabranth.'
'I thought Gabranth was your family name!' Gruff said.
'That is correct', answered Mom. 'But I also gave my son that same name because I am much attached to my Archadian sense of belonging. My family has always been faithful to the Emperor.'
Where did she come up with all these lies? And above all, why was she telling them?
'Well', Gruff said, 'what say you?'
'Hmpf! There's nothing to be said', the other replied while eventually putting his sword away for good. 'I doubt Her Honor would be glad to hear some people close to His Excellency have been harmed. Let's move!'
And both headed outside. Was it too good to be true?
'If I were you, I'd move away from here as fast as possible.'
'Gruff is right! Our comrades may not be as lenient as we are.'
And on that note, they left the house. I let myself fall on the ground. What a relief! I had really thought we were done for. But now… did we have to leave?
'Ah!'
Mom had fallen on the ground too, but not out of relief.
'Mom!'
I tried to put her back on her feet but this time, it seemed she had lost all the energy she had left.
'Gabranth… I cannot…'
'What are you saying? Come on! We have to g… We have to do something! We have to look for Basch!'
'No… Go alone… Ah! If only I knew someone alive I could entrust you to. You must look for your brother and leave. I would only halt your advance.'
'Mom! Don't ever say that again! I will go nowhere without you, understood?'
She began to cry but soon, her sobbing was stopped by her breathing difficulties.
'Mom! Are you alright?'
'I… I am not, my son… I…'
'I'll go see if the doctor is still in the village!'
'No, don't… He… has certainly gone… Like the others…'
'But what are we going to do, then?'
My mother tried to speak but all of her words were swallowed by an internal force that consumed her very life. No! Not now! She never had so sharp a crisis before, I was sure. Why was her health fading all of a sudden?
'Mom. Listen. I will try to bring some help from the village. And at the same time, I'll try to find Basch! We're all going to be fine, okay?'
Of course, I did not believe a single word of that last sentence but I wanted to reassure Mom with all my heart. She simply nodded while letting her head fall down. This vision of my mother, once so strong with land work, housework and kids upbringing, made me want to cry again but I managed to hold back my tears and go out.
I had decided to take paces outside, but it didn't mean I wasn't still terrorized. There could still be soldiers anywhere – and this time, Mom wasn't there to persuade them. Fortunately, I saw none at the farm's surroundings, so I headed towards the village's central place. I passed the path to the northern forest with teary eyes. Naria… So Basch knew! Why would he leave us at such a moment, knowing what had happened to our dearest friends?
'Hey, you! Stop!'
My heart was about to obey as soon as I heard the manly voice. I gulped, then, while turning back, I realized the voice had a Landisite accent.
'What are you doing? This is no place for kids!'
'Sorry, I'm Noah, Linda's son. Did you see my brother, Basch fon Ronsenburg?'
'I didn't. Now leave!'
The man turned left, looking at all directions – certainly preparing to defend against an Archadian opponent. I began moving backwards, then, when the man disappeared, I pursued my track.
I found several other men from the village near the central place. Some were taking out their weapons; others were placing their wives and children on carts pulled by visibly exhausted chocobos. I asked each person I could approach, but none had seen Basch that day. I also asked about the doctor, of course… But people's faces were rather dull when I evoked the subject.
Ultimately, I reached the central place. I soon understood I shouldn't have.
There were Archadian soldiers everywhere, fighting Landis's army. The so joyful place of the feast had become the main battlefield of the whole country's invasion. Landisite soldiers were falling one after the other – it seemed no one stood a chance. Was it that the Archadians brought more potions? I did not know a bit about battle rules. If only Basch had been there, he'd have explained everything. Basch! I had to ask about him. But how could I? Blood and despair were surrounding me at that moment…
'Linda's son!'
Was it an angel's voice coming from the skies?
'Linda's son!' screamed the voice again.
I turned towards it and saw a short Landisite warrior wielding a stick.
'Flee! Flee at once!'
'You… You know my mother? She is currently suffering from a severe illness! Where is the doctor?'
He looked at me with rolled eyes.
'The doctor is the first they slayed while arriving at Uwiel', he answered.
'But what can I do to help her?' I said, on the verge of bursting into tears.
'You and she must leave Landis at all cost!' he said in a most anxious tone.
'Leave? But I'm looking for my brother Basch!'
Of course. Another 'I don't know about him' and 'Go'.
'Basch has gone. You should follow his example and quit the country.'
Wait. Wait. Was this for real?
'WHERE IS HE?' I screamed with all my lungs.
'I don't know, but far from here! He jumped into a cart that was going to Dalmasca, that's all I could see!'
'To… to DALMASCA? Are you certain?'
'Yes! Please take Linda far from here and run! It's a matter of minutes before they raid your home's area! Don't waste a single…'
An Archadian soldier suddenly appeared from behind, holding a war hammer above us. I began yelling and putting my hands above my head… Several seconds later, I was still alive.
'Run! Run!' the short man repeated.
He had stopped the hit at the right moment, with his bony stick.
This time, I didn't think and ran. I ran as fast as I could, until I reached home again.
'Mom?'
Thanks to the gods, if they did exist, she was still alive in the living room. She even somehow found the strength to sit down on the armchair. Now I had to announce what I had heard. How could I? I sighed and eventually spat it out:
'Basch has fled to Dalmasca.'
'To… Dalmasca? But why?'
'I don't know, Mom. What should we do? I've also heard… the doctor's dead.'
'Then… we will leave too.'
'Leave? Where to?'
She didn't answer and tried to get up. Of course, she didn't manage to and I had to help. She led me to my bedroom and showed me a medium-sized bag on my bed.
'I gathered some of the clothes you'll need. Let us go at once.'
'But… Mom… Basch!'
'Basch has not left alone, yes? I think… I think he'll be just fine. We will… contact each other later.'
'That's right… He went with some people on a cart. But who are these people? Why did they accept to take him with them? What if he is actually in danger right now?'
'I have all faith in people from the village', she simply answered.
While I was talking, she had moved, with difficulty, to her own room, and taken out a similar bag from it.
'We… we have to go', she repeated.
I followed her, speechless, as she carried the bags, went out of the house and locked all of its doors.
'We… We aren't going to leave forever, are we?' I asked.
'Gabranth… We…'
She suddenly fell on the ground again.
'Mom! No!'
I released her from the bags and made her sit in the garden. With a sign of her hand, she made me understand that she needed time to breathe properly again. Meanwhile, I turned around the house, with heavy steps, thinking about an idea.
'Kweh!'
Before reaching the back of the house, I raised my eyes and saw him: Book, Naria's faithful chocobo.
'Book…? So you followed me all along?'
He seemed still panicked, but otherwise in a better shape than next to the Olszewski farm.
'I know! We will use Book to escape to the nearest safe place! Mom! Have you heard?'
I was too far. I brought the chocobo with me in front of the main door and repeated.
'F… Fine…' she said.
'Where are we going?'
'To… To the east', she quickly replied.
'East?' I repeated while attaching the bags to Book's back. 'But east, there's the Archadian Empire! They will kill us even faster there! How are we supposed to move to the enemy's place?'
'That's… that's the only way…' she said.
I gathered all my strength to lift my mother up in front of the bags; my first attempt was successful. To Archadia? Was this a joke? I could never stand living in Archadia, even temporarily! But I was too scared to stay in the village, and if the way east was devoid of fights, that was indeed the only path we could take.
'So… so we shall go?'
'Yes', answered Mom one more time.
'Alright.'
I jumped over Book in my turn, and, with much emotion, gently hit the chocobo's flank so we could go.
'Kweeeeh!'
I didn't have an exact idea of where the east was, so I asked my mother. I waited several seconds for an answer but it didn't come.
'Mom?'
I turned around and noticed in alarm that her loosened body was about to fall from the animal.
'Mom! Mom! Can you sit?'
'N… No, I'm afraid…'
'Then come in front of me! I'll hold you until we arrive! Book! Stop!'
It was a pathetic sight, to be honest. The poor woman could not even raise her head… I tried to disregard this and kept to my word. I held Book's harness with one hand and Mom with the other arm, and there we went off.
We had been riding for half an hour when my mother regained consciousness.
'Where… are we?' she said, while holding her forehead.
'East of the village. You were right: there's not a single battle here. But starting from now, I don't know much where to go so… it's a good thing you're back, Mom.'
She turned to me and smiled.
'I will not fail you, my son. I… I think I will hang on. We will stay together and arrive safely to our final destination in…'
She suddenly stopped. There was much noise around us… the noise of battle. Mom turned forward and faced the sad landscape I was facing myself. Everywhere, other chocobos were running, and on them, Archadian soldiers. With their sparkling armors, they were largely dominating the field, leaving only a few Landisites standing. And those who were still standing did not seem to make much advance. Their peers had fallen in various places like shooting stars around us – it was only them in the field. And blood. Much blood.
'Gabranth!' Mom yelled.
An Archadian was riding right in our direction. In all haste, I hit Book with my leg and we began moving to the right.
'Kweh!'
Our chocobo kept running, followed by the Archadian's one, and we escaped just as the latter was about to slice us in two with his greatsword.
'Come on Book! Faster!'
The animal seemed somewhat startled. Not again! I kept on trying to command him and he eventually ran faster to the other side of the field. Of course, we were still chased by the other madman, ever determined, but with so many fights still occurring around, he ultimately lost our track. As we continued to escape the struggles, I slowly realized that, had I not met Naria, I would never have known how to ride a chocobo with ease. And at that moment… Mom and I would have probably been dead.
'Gabranth…' Mom repeated.
'We're safe', I said, not sure about why she kept saying her maiden name.
She let out a deep sigh and entered her KO state anew.
'Mom!'
It was useless. She was still breathing, but the shock and the travel certainly did not help her feel better than in the house. If only we weren't in midst a war! There had to be a white mage somewhere…
'Blind!' someone shouted.
I let Book rest for some seconds and turned towards the voice's provenance. That wasn't exactly the kind of magic I was asking for, but it caught my attention nonetheless. Especially since the person who cast the spell wasn't a male. Of course, I knew there were female warriors, and that was a good thing, but to be honest I did not hear of many of them in the Army. I approached her with care – she was on a chocobo as well and had a giant bow on her back – and the first thing that struck me was her height. She was way above two meters tall, and it seemed she could not find clothes of her size because she was rather… lightly dressed. Two bunny ears topped her head.
'You, there!'
She turned to us in a flash – there was lightning in her hazel eyes. I was about to say something to defend Mom when I let out a scream: the viera in front of us was not on Landis's side. The spell she had cast was over a group of my country's soldiers, who soon fell on the ground, unable to hit her.
'Is she awake?' the viera asked with a cold voice.
'No', I replied.
'Where are you going?'
'To Archades', my mother's voice suddenly rose up.
'Mom!'
With much effort, she put weight to Book's back and managed to raise her head a little bit to face her.
'We go to the Imperial Capital. We are… We are Archadians.'
'Then you seek Mallicant.'
The viera emitted a piercing sound with her mouth.
'Mallicant!' she called, after waiting for a short moment.
Immediately after, a big green horse with a dozen heavy tentacles appeared out of the blue, its snout right against Mom's head. My mother screamed and lost consciousness again.
'What is this? What have you done?' I asked, beginning to panick.
'Mallicant has always been curious about white magic. You will ride her.'
'What? Me? This thing?'
'Mallicant knows the way to Archades. That's where we come from. You can leave this chocobo and ride her until the capital.'
'I will never abandon Book!' I said vigorously.
She gazed at our chocobo, visibly dismayed at how tired he was.
'If you're keen on keeping this animal, then you can stay on it and follow Mallicant to Archades.'
'Why would we do such a thing? We know nothing about you! I don't trust you at all!'
I wasn't sure if this was the reaction Mom would have wanted, but I was all alone to make decisions now.
'Then stay here and die!' the viera said, turning angry. 'There's nothing for you here anymore. Landis is dead! If you wish to keep this woman alive, you had better hurry to the Empire.'
I randomly caressed Book's feathers. What should we do? Trust an Archadian viera, or go elsewhere? What if the battles would be following us wherever we went? If only chocobos could talk and give advice…
'Please leave at once', the viera suddenly ordered.
That did it!
'There's no way we're following that thing! This is a trap! If you know the way to the Empire, why not show it to us yourself?'
'Because if we keep talking like this, many wounded people here who await help will never be rescued!'
She didn't seem to be joking. Rescuing? Why not rescue Mom first, then? Wait… that was a bad idea. I wouldn't let this woman touch a single one of my mother's hair.
'Aaaargh!' I screeched. 'Fine. I'll make Book follow your horse.'
Without facial reaction, she bent over her beast and said:
'Take these people to the Mistress. She will know what to do with them.'
Without looking at her as she was taking out her bow, I pulled Book's reins and we went past the remaining fight scenes, following the steps of the green beast, that was already far.
All tossed around, Mom's body was still at the front with the bags, and I tried my best to hold it firmly so it wouldn't fall again, as we were passing the last groups of warriors.
The green horse galloped and galloped, and arrived at the edge of a moor that was spanning till the horizon. The border with the Empire had to be close.
Steadily sitting on Book, I turned around to see my country one last time.
Cries of despair, pain and dereliction invaded my mind. It seemed they were all that was remaining of Landis at this moment. Nothing could breed anew in these lands anymore. The landscapes I was seeing were condemned to eternal mourning, and then to oblivion. A strong wind had begun to blow against my neck. I closed my eyes and replaced my head forward. I did not know exactly where I was going, nor the reason I was leaving or if I would ever turn up somewhere alive. I didn't know exactly what I would miss, what was to regret. I didn't know exactly if this was a new departure or a new end. But there was one thing I knew, one bitter truth that undeniably would not be swallowed easily, even after a hundred years. I opened my eyes and glanced at the crimson sky as I reflected upon what would become the biggest question mark in my life.
'BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASCH!'
I think… This was the end of my childhood.
[Author's note: Musical Theme – Childhood's End by Iron Maiden (Album: Fear of the Dark, 1992).
I would like to warmly thank everybody who read my story until this point. This is the End of Part I: Noah in Landis. Please leave a review and speak your mind about what you found, what you felt, and what you expect to see in this little corner. Part II is in progress. And it may blow minds. - Ety]
