A/N: Hey, guys! In the previous chapter, after escaping from Vector, the Returners returned to Zozo, and Terra's memory returned after she interacted with her father's Magicite. She also discovered a new power connected to her Esper blood, which is to temporarily transform into an Esper. But now, how could the Empire be stopped? And how are things going in Narshe? Let's find out!

Chapter 17: Banon's plan: Alliance between two races

(''Airship- Final Fantasy I OST'')

(Objective: Return to Narshe.)

Characters:

Terra

Locke

Mog

Edgar

Sabin

Cyan

Gau

Setzer

As Setzer steered the Blackjack towards the mountains to the north, the airship was full of voices. Everyone was thinking about Celes, Locke in particular, and they were certain that with Terra's Esper blood, they could defeat the Empire once and for all.

''Now that I think about it... remember what Celes said? She can use magic, but that's only because of the Magitek experiments. Which means her power was at the expense of an Esper.'' Locke said.

''And if we don't stop the Empire, who knows what repercussions it will have on the world.'' Cyan added.

Sabin clenched his fist on his hand. ''Emperor Gestahl and Kefka will pay for what they have done! I hope they are ready to taste my punches!'' he said, full of anger towards the Empire.

''Yes, kupo! Let's take them out!'' Mog exclaimed, and Gau howled.

Terra was on the sidelines, lost in her thoughts. Despite her contribution in protecting Valigarmanda, she did not know how she would be greeted in Narshe, and the others noticed. ''Everything OK?'' Gau asked.

''Something wrong, Terra?'' Mog asked, concerned.

''I'm fine, I was just thinking.'' Terra said. ''I don't know how the people of Narshe will welcome me.''

''But you protected the Esper with us, you know. Banon and Arvis will be very worried.'' Locke told her.

''I know, but I'm the same soldier on a Magitek Armor who invaded Narshe last week. If you didn't know it, when I, Mog, Edgar and Banon returned to Narshe a few days ago, the population received us terribly.'' the girl replied.

''What happened?'' Setzer asked.

Edgar sighed. ''Maybe none of you would like to hear it. They threw everything at us from the balconies. Pots, pans, pieces of glass, vases, chairs... Banon was injured after a piece of glass got stuck in his arm, and they even threw expired eggs in our faces, but because of Terra's role in that failed siege of Narshe, she got the worst punishment. It also turned out that just after the siege, the guards had threatened Arvis to hand over Terra or they would have reported to the Elder to have her sentenced to death, and the Elder himself received threats as well, as they had told him that if he would not signed her death sentence, they would have done it themselves.'' he said.

The others gasped, their expressions mixed between horror and disgust. ''This is why I prefer life outdoors. It's because that way, I won't hear about this filth!'' Sabin commented, sticking out his tongue.

Terra sighed, and her companions, thinking they made her feel worse, worried. ''Don't get me wrong, I do want to go back to Narshe, so we will know how Banon and Arvis are, but I don't know if in here, people will welcome me with open arms for defending the Esper, or with torches and pitchforks for what I did last week. Sure, I was used, but I did it anyway, and I'm afraid they might overreact because of my presence.'' she said, trying to lighten the mood.

''Worry not, Lady Terra. I talked to the guards just before I left Narshe, and if anything happens, we will intervene.'' Cyan told her.

''Let's just hope everything goes well.'' Terra murmured.

"It's going to be okay, Terra.'' Edgar said.

''They're right. I bet they will understand.'' Setzer added.

The hybrid felt calmer, but still remained a little worried, not knowing how she would be received.

The journey lasted a few hours, and by the time the Blackjack reached the mountains, it was evening. Setzer landed the airship near the city of Narshe, and the group went outside.

(''Airship- Final Fantasy I OST-s'')

(''Stardust Speedway Good Future- Sonic CD OST'')

When the Returners, with Terra in front of everyone, arrived in Narshe, they were caught up by a soldier. ''You're back. Banon and Arvis are waiting for you at the Elder's house.'' he said, escorting everyone around the city. Terra was taken aback by the welcome received from the population: several people, outside or from the balconies, cheered her, and for the excitement, the young woman released a fireball towards the sky with the Fire spell, then used the Thunder spell to release lightning at it, and the result was a series of fireworks. She did that again and again, creating even more effect in the atmosphere in the city.

''You didn't expect this triumphal entry, did you?'' Edgar commented.

The hybrid nodded and looked around confusedly. ''What happened? Why are they happy to see me?'' she asked.

''Lady Terra, before we left, I spoke to the city guards. After what you did to protect that Esper, and the help you offered us in battle, I reassured the others that they could trust you, and that what happened last week was not your fault. I took a while to do so, but they realized that it's the Empire's fault, and that blaming you wasn't fair.'' Cyan replied.

Terra smiled at him. ''Thanks, Cyan.'' she said.

''Hey, it's nothing. You have done a lot to help us during the battle, and you have also healed my wounds, so you have all my confidence, and it seemed right to return the favor.'' the samurai said.

The Returners entered the Elder's house, and when Banon and Arvis saw Terra, they were very happy about it. ''Terra! You're back!'' Arvis exclaimed happily, and they both went to give her a hug.

''Welcome back, Terra. I was really worried when you flew away.'' Banon said, relieved.

(''Stardust Speedway Good Future- Sonic CD OST-s'')

(''The Returners- Final Fantasy VI OST'')

"So, did something happen in our absence?" Edgar asked.

''Yes. It wasn't easy, but we managed to convince Narshe to join us in the battle against the Empire. There was an invasion, but no one was hurt, and after helping us, Umaro went back to his cave in the mines, next to the one where the Moogles live.'' Arvis replied.

''With this, we have more allies, but I don't think it will be enough.'' Banon added. ''What happened on Vector?'' he then asked.

''Terra was in Zozo, and the Esper Ramuh took care of her, then transformed into a crystal known as Magicite, the remains of a dead Esper. He then gave us the mission to rescue the Espers that were imprisoned in the Magitek Research Institute, and we freed a lot of them.'' Locke said, pulling the seventeen Magicites they had out of his pockets. ''However, Kefka ambushed us, and Celes had to sacrifice herself to stop him from stealing the Magicites and giving us time to escape, as the Magitek Research Institute began self-destructing. She's not with us for that reason, and we haven't seen her since.''

''Who is that guy?'' Arvis asked, referring to Setzer.

''Oh, sorry. I haven't even introduced myself. I'm Setzer, owner of the Blackjack. When they had to go to Vector, they convinced me to help them.'' Setzer introduced himself.

''I understand. Well, we have another ally, then.'' Arvis commented as Setzer signed the list with the names of the members of the Returners.

''I remember everything now. For starters, I'm the daughter of an Esper, Maduin. I recovered my memory by interacting with his Magicite. '' Terra said.

Arvis was very shocked. ''What?! You mean you're half-Esper?!'' he exclaimed.

''Exactly. My father protected the portal between the two worlds, and now that I understand my past, I can transform into my Esper form whenever I want, but I have to use these powers sparingly.'' the hybrid replied.

Banon had a brainstorm and wrapped an arm around Terra's shoulder. ''Terra, you just gave me an idea! Even with Narshe on our side, I don't think we can defeat the Empire. If we can forge an alliance with the Espers, we may have a chance, and this is where you come in. As you have Esper blood in your veins, you can communicate with the Espers, and you will be our ambassador.'' he said.

Terra thought about it. It was a big responsibility, and it could be dangerous, but she was the daughter of an Esper herself, and if her parents hadn't met, she wouldn't have been born. ''I'll do it! I'm the only one who can do this! I accept this responsibility!'' she declared.

''Thank you, Terra! I knew you would say that!'' Arvis said, happy to hear it.

''Where is the portal that separates the two worlds?'' asked Sabin.

''To reach the border between our world and the Esper World, head to the southern continent, east of Vector. You will find a cave there, and the portal that separates the two worlds will be nearby. '' said the old man.

''Terra we are counting on you. Good luck.'' Banon said.

The group said goodbye to Banon and Arvis and left Narshe with a new goal. However, a pickpocket, the werewolf Lone Wolf(1), kidnapped Mog and took him to the nearby cliffs, offering a golden hairpin in return, but Sabin reacted quickly, throwing himself at the thief and taking the golden hairpin, while Terra brought Mog to safety with her magic. After this little vicissitude, they returned to the Blackjack.

(''The Returners- Final Fantasy VI OST-s'')

(''Sunny Flight- Spyro the Dragon OST'')

''Our destination is a long way away, I'd say we'll be there in the morning.'' Setzer said, as he headed the Blackjack to the south.

Terra rubbed her father's Magicite. ''Father? Are you there?''

Maduin assumed his physical form. ''I'm here, Terra. Do you need anything?'' Maduin asked.

''Arvis and Banon would like me to act as ambassador tomorrow to discuss diplomacy with the Esper and forge an alliance with them.'' Terra replied.

''And this worries you. '' Maduin said in a given-of-fact tone.

''Yeah. I don't know if Kefka is following us or not, and I'm worried about something unexpected. It could be really dangerous.'' his daughter said.

''Every mission has its dangers, my daughter.''

''Do you think everything will be okay?''

''Of course. If something happens, you and your teammates have to watch your back. Beware of Kefka, he is more dangerous than you can imagine.''

The conversation ended, and when her father transformed back into Magicite, Terra saw her mother's spirit, if only for a moment.

''Lady Terra, I advise you to be careful. The fact is that in order to access the cave leading to the portal, we must pass through a small base under the control of the Empire. They keep their resources there, and since you are a former Imperial soldier, they might recognize thee.'' Cyan said, warning her.

''I know that. But my father is an Esper, and there is no one who can do this for me. I can no longer allow the Empire to exploit me for their purposes, and I will fight!'' the girl declared firmly.

''You're truly one of a kind, you know?'' Edgar commented.

''Edgar, what are you saying?! This is no time to flirt!'' Sabin scolded him.

''I'm not hitting on her, I say things as they are!'' the older brother replied.

Gau looked down nervously and shivered. ''I think he's afraid of heights.'' Cyan said, staying close to him. ''Sir Gau, don't worry, you won't fall. At least I think so.''

''By now, the entire southern continent is under the direct control of the Empire. They might ambush us when we least expect it.'' Locke said.

''That Kefka gives me goosebumps, kupo!'' Mog exclaimed.

''It's better if we have dinner and then go directly to sleep. I'm exhausted.'' Locke cut short, and everyone went to sleep once they had dinner.

(''Sunny Flight- Spyro the Dragon OST-s'')

Hours later, Terra woke up after hearing a scream. She checked the grandfather clock. It was 2 AM, and Sabin was also awake, coming out of a room nearby. ''What's going on? Are you awake too?'' she asked him wearily.

''I think Cyan had a bad dream. Hang on a minute.'' the monk replied. He went to Cyan's room to calm him down and then returned to her. ''I'm really sorry. In the Doma massacre, Cyan lost his wife Elayne and his son Owain. And Owain was no older than seven. Since they were all dead from the poison, when Kefka cast the Poison spell, and Cyan was the only one apart from me who hadn't been poisoned because I pushing out of the way, he freaked out. Because of what happened, he suffers from toxiphobia and post-traumatic stress. Last night, after we got Setzer to help us, we went to sleep at 1 AM, and after two hours, Gau woke me up because Cyan woke up screaming bloody murder in the middle of the night because he had a nightmare, and I'm sure it was about the poisoning of his kingdom.'' he explained.

''I feel really sorry for him.'' Terra said sadly. ''Is it really that bad?'' she then asked.

''I'm afraid so. After we woke up at 3 AM, Gau and I had to stay up all night because he didn't go to sleep anymore, and around dawn, he looked gloomily at the window. '' Sabin said. ''Anyway, I think he's calmed down now. Better go back to sleep.''

''OK. See you in the morning.''

''See you tomorrow.''

(Objective: Get to the portal.)

(''Surface of SR388- Metroid: Samus Returns OST'')

The next morning, Setzer warned his comrades that they had arrived at the checkpoint of the Empire. ''That's strange. No one is here.'' Edgar said, noticing the absence of Imperial guards.

''I will lead you to destination. Follow me.'' Terra said, leading the group to the east.

Shortly after, they reached the cave. It was filled with molten lava, with a series of bridges connecting different areas. The place was filled with Antares, which were scorpions with a soporific sting, skeletal beings that floated in the air, some ghosts, and even the skeleton of a dragon, which the Returners managed to defeat with difficulty. A bridge collapsed, blocking the road, and only Sabin made it to the other side.

''We won't be able to jump to the other side, it's too far.'' Locke said.

''And my Moogle wings are too small to fly, kupo.'' Mog added.

''No one can fly, Mog.'' Edgar told him.

Suddenly, a fireball popped out of the lava and hit Locke in the rear, forcing him to do somersaults to put out the fire. ''I burned my backside!'' he exclaimed, and seeing Edgar laugh at his misfortunes, he elbowed him in the chest.

''What now?'' Setzer asked, as Gau, calculating the distance, doubted he could jump to the other side.

''I know a spell that could help us to get over the lava.'' Terra said. ''Float!'' A white light enveloped the cave, causing little angels to appear. They raised their hands, releasing sparks that enveloped everyone and then disappeared. When the light disappeared, they noticed that they no longer had their feet on the ground: they were floating in midair thanks to the spell from before, easily reaching the other side.

''You are amazing, Terra! You always have the spells to use in any situation!'' Locke exclaimed.

''Well, when I was in the Empire, I was known as a Magitek Elite. Those who have this title are the strongest Magitek Knights in the entire Gestahlian Empire, and are known as Magical Warriors.'' the girl replied.

Levitating in the air, the eight continued to explore the cave, and stumbled upon a treasure chest.

''I wonder what's inside. '' Edgar said.

Locke opened the treasure chest, and when he saw the contents, he gasped. Inside, there was a blue sword with a golden hilt. He took it and the sword became a large broadsword. ''I don't believe it! It's the legendary Ultima Weapon!'' he shouted, out of breath.

''The Ultima Weapon?!'' Cyan exclaimed, amazed. ''I've heard of that blade!''

''Exactly! In the War of the Magi, two Ultima Weapons were created. One is a magical beast and a weapon of mass destruction, while the other is this sword, whose strength depends on who wields it: if the owner of the Ultima Weapon is in excellent condition, it will become a very long, huge broadsword with devastating power, but fatigue and damage will progressively reduce its power and length, and if the user is very tired and/or seriously injured, it will become a tiny and painfully weak knife, so it might be a good idea to pass it on to someone else if the user is not in good condition.(2)'' explained the treasure hunter.

''Stroke of luck!'' Setzer said, but Locke wasn't so convinced. ''Anyway, it could be very useful to us. Let's take that weapon with us.''

After battling other monsters in the cave, the group moved on, but an explosion caused part of the rock to collapse and Gau fell into the lava, then shot out where he was before, engulfed in flames. ''Oh, no! Gau!'' Sabin gasped.

''He's on fire! Do something, I beg of you!'' cried Cyan, who, like Sabin, was very worried.

Edgar took a bottle full of water, uncorked it and poured the water over the flames, without success. The flames were too intense, and Gau kept screaming, growling, wriggling and rolling in a desperate attempt to put them out, without success. ''This water is not enough to put out the fire!'' the king of Figaro exclaimed.

''Terra, do something! Hurry, or he'll die!'' Sabin cried in panic.

''I know what to do. Give me a sec.'' Terra said, concentrating magic. ''Water!'' A small jet of water shot from her hands, heading towards Gau, and extinguished the flames that enveloped him.

''That was close, kupo. Too close.'' Mog murmured, sighing in relief.

Worried about the wild boy, Sabin went to check on him. ''Gau... are you alright? Can you get up?'' he asked.

As he coughed, Gau managed to get up, but with difficulty, and almost fell to the ground, full of burns along his body. ''He has some nasty burns.'' Setzer said.

''Terra, would a Cura spell work?'' Edgar asked.

''It might work, but I don't know if it would be enough to completely heal him. Besides, using magic too often in short periods of time causes fatigue, and recovering magical energy, or mana, takes time or the use of an ether or an elixir, so I don't think we should abuse it. '' Terra replied.

Locke took a vial containing a green liquid and passed it to Gau. ''Gau, drink this. It's a hi-potion.'' he said, and the boy drank the hi-potion. Some burns disappeared, but others didn't. '' I think he needs help. He's still hurt.''

''I'll take care of it.'' Cyan offered, getting on his knees and looking behind him. ''Sir Gau, get on my back. I'll help you out. ''

The samurai placed his hands on Gau's thighs, and the boy climbed onto his back, clinging to his shoulders. From there, he felt safe, protected, and held a tight grip, but...

''Ow! Watch the hair, it hurts!''

While holding on tightly to Cyan, Gau had accidentally pulled his ponytail, and when he realized that it, he was ashamed. ''Sorry...'' he murmured.

''No, it's OK.'' Cyan replied.

''Trust me, Gau, you shouldn't pull Cyan's hair or mustache, it's really painful. Can you imagine how my brother would react if I pulled his ponytail myself? He wouldn't like it at all. I understand that you are hurt and you feel protected when you're with him, but be more careful.'' Sabin told Gau in a calm tone.

The wild boy nodded, and throughout the rest of the journey, he clung tightly to the warrior's shoulders. ''You'll be fine, Sir Gau. Thou art safe.'' the samurai told him.

(''Surface of SR388- Metroid: Samus Returns OST-s'')

After crossing several bridges that appeared and disappeared, and an ambush by a ninja, the group finally managed to reach the huge portal that separated the two worlds.

''Here we are. I hope there are no unexpected events.'' Terra said. She transformed into an Esper and prepared to use magic to telepathically communicate with the Esper and open the portal. Unfortunately...

(''X Invasion- Metroid Fusion OST'')

''MWEE HEE HEE HEE!''

A mad laugh broke the silence. It was Kefka. ''Kefka! You again!'' Edgar yelled, drawing his crossbow. Gau hissed menacingly like an angry cat, and Mog took his spear.

''Well, well, well, you fell into my trap again! Seriously, how stupid are you guys? We were just waiting for you to get here!'' Kefka chuckled.

''We're tired of you, Kefka!'' Sabin shouted.

Cyan was gritting his teeth, and looked as if he was about to swear at the crazy clown who had taken everything away from him. ''Not you again, you demonic harlequin!'' he growled, holding up his katana.

''You won't get away with this, Kefka!'' Setzer said, pulling out his deck of magic cards.

''We will not allow you to exploit the Espers anymore, kupo!'' Mog added.

''Have it your way. So I can kill you!'' the demonic clown said, pulling out a mace with metal spikes.

(Objective: Fight Kefka to give Terra time to open the portal!)

Edgar fired darts from his crossbow, but while some hit Kefka, others missed him completely, and was hit in the shoulder by his mace. Sabin made him pay for it by releasing a burst of light on him his palm at close range followed by a Raging Fist, Locke hit him with the Ultima Weapon, but was hit by a Fira spell, and the sword shortened.

''Don't think you will stop me! BIO!'' Kefka yelled. A green bacterial cloud surrounded the group, but with a leap, they managed to avoid the direct hit. However, some of them were hit by the toxic splashes.

''Cyan, move!'' Sabin shouted, noticing that Cyan did not move. The samurai saw the massacre of Doma again, and was nearly hit, forcing the monk to push him away to prevent him from being poisoned.

''Hurry up, Terra!'' Locke exclaimed in panic.

''I'm trying, Locke, but the portal is very difficult to open! We need a very powerful magic.'' Terra replied.

''We will try to distract Kefka long enough for you to open the portal, Terra. Do what you have to do!'' Edgar said, as he fired his gun and Setzer threw his cards, with different effects.

Gau activated the Leaf Bunny Rage, and his front teeth became longer. He lunged at Kefka and bit him repeatedly on the arm.

''GET OFF OF ME, YOU BRAT!'' Kefka yelled. He hit Gau in the head with his mace, slammed him violently to the ground with magic and then against the portal, causing a strong impact before hitting him with a Thundara that caused him to collapse. ''Dark!(3)'' He then released a dark hand that grabbed the boy and slammed him to the ground.

''No! Sir Gau!'' Cyan yelled in horror, as the decimation of Doma flashed before his eyes again. He immediately went to check on him and saw that he had a nasty bleeding bruise on his forehead and the remaining burns were getting worse. ''Sir Gau! Don't leave me too!''

''Keep it together, Cyan, he's not dead! He's still alive, but he's unconscious.'' Sabin told him.

The samurai held Gau's unconscious body close with one arm, using the other hand to hold his katana, and turned to Kefka with fury in his eyes. ''Don't touch him, you monster! Leave him alone! DRAGON!'' he roared. He swung his katana, summoning a green dragon, and then, while still holding Gau, he slashed outwards and hit Kefka with a Bushido Dragon technique.

Terra continued to use her magic, and telepathically communicated with the Espers in the portal. ''Heed my call... I am the daughter of Maduin, an Esper who was abducted from this world and died recently. I wish your help in defeating the Empire. I wish to make an alliance between humans and Espers... please, listen to me...''

The portal opened, and many Espers emerged, some humanoid and some more beastly, as the half-Esper tried to communicate with them. However, one of them hit her hard, returning her to normal, and they all got hit, falling to the ground.

''Terra!'' Locke exclaimed.

Kefka laughed like a madman for what felt like the thousandth time and jumped in excitement before being hit by another Esper, and the portal closed.

(''X Invasion- Metroid Fusion OST-s'')

Terra got up out of breath. The transformation and the efforts from before had tired her a lot. ''What... what will they do...?'' he asked.

(''Taking Over The Halberd- Kirby Super Star Ultra OST'')

''There's no time to lose! Let's go back to Vector!'' Edgar said.

''We have to get back to the airship right away!'' Setzer declared.

The Returners ran as fast as they could, facing the pitfalls of the cave again as they made their way back. ''What happened? Why did the Espers fly away like that?'' asked Sabin, holding the still unconscious Gau in his arms.

''I don't know, but I have a bad feeling about this. It's like they're scared of something, or maybe they want to find the Espers in Vector.'' Terra said, running faster and ignoring her exhaustion.

''The situation is getting out of hand, kupo! I wasn't expecting it at all!'' Mog commented.

''I can't take it anymore! If I see Kefka one more time, I swear I'm gonna flip!'' Cyan yelled.

''There must be a reason for that reaction from the Espers. Come on!'' Edgar said.

After a while, they finally made it to Blackjack, and Edgar let it fly high.

''I don't like this.'' Terra murmured. ''Do you feel it?''

''What?'' Locke asked. Suddenly, he raised his head and saw a large, dragon-like Esper. ''The Espers! They're coming this way! Terra, look out!'' he shouted, knocking her to the ground just in time to avoid the assault.

''Everyone, put your heads down!'' Mog ordered, and they all did.

Terra tried to communicate with the Espers, telling them to stop, but it was all in vain. ''I think they are angry...''

Strong jolts were heard from inside the Blackjack, making the entire ship vibrate. ''What's going on? Why is everything shaking?'' Setzer asked.

Edgar tried to figure out what was wrong, in an attempt to control the ship. ''Setzer! The Blackjack has some problems, I can't control it!'' he shouted. The airship swooped down, and the king of Figaro could no longer control its trajectory.

''WE ARE GOING TO CRASH!'' Cyan screamed.

There was no longer a ounce of control. ''What a mess... it wasn't supposed to end like this...'' Terra murmured.

''You did your best, it's not your fault.'' Locke told her.

''The town of Maranda is down here! Prepare for the worst!'' Sabin warned, holding Gau to his chest in an attempt to offer him some protection.

The airship crashed and everything went black...

(''Taking Over The Halberd- Kirby Super Star Ultra OST-s'')

A/N: It seems that Banon's plan went differently than usual. But what happened? Let's find out in the next chapter! See you soon!

(1): Lone Wolf appears in the prisons of Walse Castle in Final Fantasy V, where, if he gets freed, he will steal the contents of five chests, namely four cottages and a Shocking Whip, which cannot be obtained in any other way outside of stealing it from a Flamemancer, an enemy that can only be fought much later.

(2): In Final Fantasy VI, the Ultima Weapon is found much earlier than the other games in the series, and calculates the damage very differently: in fact, in addition to ignoring defenses, its power depends on the level of whoever uses it, becoming more powerful from level 64 up, and how many HP the character has compared to the maximum ones, changing length and power based on these attributes: if it is short, it will not inflict more than 500 HP of damage, then reaching up to 1000 if it is of medium size, and if it is long, it is very powerful, exceeding this figure. If the character using this weapon has all HP when using it, the Ultima Weapon is longer than the character's sprite.

(3): This is an arcane magic spell from Final Fantasy XII, and deals dark element damage.