A/N: Hey, guys! In the previous chapter, Terra, Locke, and Mog set out for the Crescent Island to search for information about the Espers. Arriving at the village of Thamasa, inhabited by people who are forbidden to use magic in public, they met Strago Magus and his adopted granddaughter Relm, but they received no clues. During the night, they were awakened by Strago due to a fire in the largest house in the village, inhabited by Relm's neighbor, with whom she had gone to play, but they managed to escape only thanks to Shadow's intervention. Before waking up, Shadow dreamed of his past, and it appears his dog and Relm have recognized each other. But why? Is there a connection between them? We will find out later in the story. Now that Terra and her friends know Thamasa's secret, will they be able to find the Espers? Let's find out!

Chapter 20: Relm Arrowny: Young Pictomancer

(''Village of Dali- Final Fantasy IX OST'')

The next morning, Terra, Mog and Locke woke up. ''Are you alright, everyone?'' Terra asked.

''Could be better, kupo.'' Mog replied.

''I'll live.'' Locke said.

''I'll be fine. '' Said Strago. His gaze fell on Relm, who lay unconscious in her bed. They were back in the inn, and aside from the ash in their faces, they were fine, while Relm was a bit worse.

''That was too close for comfort. I don't even know who saved us.'' Locke said.

Strago shook Relm lightly. ''Relm. Relm, wake up.'' he said.

The little girl opened her eyes and saw her grandfather's worried face. ''Grandpa... what happened...?'' she murmured.

''Relm! I was so worried about you when that house caught fire!'' Strago exclaimed, hugging her tightly.

''Are you okay, Relm?'' Terra asked.

''Yeah, I think so.'' Relm replied, pulling a few golden curls away from her eyes.

''I guess you now know about the secret of Thamasa.'' said Strago. ''But I still don't understand why the search for the Espers is so important.''

''We were sent here to try to negotiate a peace. We are from the Returners, a group of rebels fighting the Gestahlian Empire, and I had called some Espers to help us, but they got out of control and destroyed the capital, Vector. Emperor Gestahl has asked General Leo, Shadow, and our friend Celes to escort us here. We thought the Espers were somewhere on this island.'' Terra explained.

''You've been through a lot for sure.'' the wizard commented.

''Yeah. We have been in business for about three years, and I think we will need more help. Strago, I think your powers can be very useful to us.'' Locke said.

''You saved Relm, so I will help you out. That's the least I can do.'' said Strago.

''I'll help out too!'' Relm declared.

''No way, young lady! You're too young for such a trip! '' Strago told her, and the little girl frowned.

''We haven't found any traces of the Espers so far, kupo. Where could they be?'' asked Mog.

''I think they went into the mountains west of here. According to legend, the first Espers came from there.'' the old man replied, and the four left his house and met Shadow, who was tending to Interceptor's burns. ''Shadow. If I hadn't intervened, we wouldn't have made it out alive. Thanks.'' he said to him.

Shadow turned away from them. ''Don't misunderstand me. I only went there to look for my dog. He wasn't with me when I woke up. ''He said. ''I'm going to find the Espers on my own.''

Mog watched Shadow go, followed by his dog, and turned his gaze to Strago. ''Do you know him, kupo?'' he asked.

''He is an old acquaintance. It is not the first time he's here in Thamasa. Years ago, he came here and fainted in the square.'' Strago replied.

Terra was a little perplexed. ''Does Shadow always act like this?'' she asked Locke.

''He does things better on his own. He was already with us when we were supposed to look for you in Zozo, and after we found you, he left. He'd do anything if he got paid, but he'd rather do things by himself.'' replied the treasure hunter.

''We need to find all the Espers and calm them down. Only then can we restore peace.'' Terra declared, and the four left.

Meanwhile, Celes and General Leo were still in Thamasa, and they came across the house which had burned down the night before, and which was in rubble from the fire. ''Looks like a bad fire has taken place. ' Leo said.

A passer-by who had witnessed everything said that Relm was trapped in there, and that her grandfather Strago had entered to save her. He also said that there was a green-haired girl and a man with a bandana with him, but he hadn't seen them come back, and the house had exploded. Upon hearing this, Celes was shocked. He recognized those descriptions: they were Terra and Locke! ''Terra... Locke...'' she murmured.

Leo saw her on the verge of falling. ''Celes! Are you okay?'' he asked in concern.

The girl was breathing heavily. ''Where are Terra and Locke? Tell me they're not dead!'' she said.

''Whoa, Celes, don't panic. I am sure they are alright. I know them, especially Terra.'' Leo said. Celes calmed down a little, but she was still really worried.

(''Village of Dali- Final Fantasy IX OST-s '')

(''Sunrise Spring- Spyro Reignited Trilogy OST'')

(Objective: Go to the mountains to look for the Espers.)

Characters:

Terra

Locke

Mog

Strago

''So, why is it forbidden to use magic in Thamasa?'' Terra asked.

'' The War of the Magi. Everyone knows it. We all know that humans killed Espers and used their power to become what we know as Magi, humans capable of using magic, and the murder of some Espers caused the Espers to declare war on the humans. It was a war between humans and Esper, and when it ended, the world was devastated. Those who could not use magic feared the Magi, and a kind of witch hunt began: the Magi were held responsible for the war, and a large part of them was executed and killed, and without a trial. What could be called trials were just ceremonies. The few surviving Magi fled to this island, where they founded Thamasa, and fearing that they would be persecuted again, they established the strict rule that prohibited the use of magic in public unless there was an emergency. Their descendants live in Thamasa, capable of using magic in a natural way. Our magical powers have weakened with the passing of the generations, but they are still strong.'' Strago explained.

''The Esper may have declared war, but the Magi are not innocent. If they hadn't killed those Espers and used their power for themselves, this war would never have happened.'' Locke said.

''I don't question the fact that our ancestors are blameless.'' Strago sighed.

''The citizens of Thamasa are not the only ones who can use magic naturally, kupo.'' Mog said.

''How come?''

''You may not believe it, but I'll tell you right away: I'm half-Esper.'' Terra replied.

''WHAT?!'' Strago shouted, shocked.

''No, it's all true. Terra is a special girl. She is the daughter of a human mother, Madeline, and an Esper father, Maduin. Beacuse of this, she is the only one able to use magic naturally apart from the inhabitants of Thamasa. You see, ever since the Magi took refuge on Crescent Island, magic became extinct, and became legend along with the War of the Magi. Hardly anyone knew about the island in a thousand years. '' Locke said.

(''Sunrise Spring- Spyro Reignited Trilogy OST-s'')

The old wizard couldn't believe what he had heard. ''That's unheard of! I thought that the magic was only from us too!'' he exclaimed.

''Take a look.'' Mog said.

(''Terra's Theme- Final Fantasy VI OST'')

Terra took Maduin's Magilite and rubbed it. ''Father?''

Maduin, summoned by his daughter, assumed his physical form. ''Yes, Terra? I'm here.''

"Now I believe you." Strago said, surprised to see an Esper in person.

The young woman had a worried expression on her face. ''Banon's plan did not go as planned. The Espers I called destroyed Vector, and now we're on Crescent Island trying to negotiate a peace.'' she said.

''Something troubling you?'' Maduin asked.

''I want a peace between humans and Esper, but the thing I don't like is that it was Emperor Gestahl who commissioned it from us. Father, we are carrying out the orders of the enemy, of the one who killed your mother and used you as meat for slaughter and then let you die when you were no longer needed! Some of our friends have stayed behind to investigate, but I don't know what happens! They may have been killed in secret!'' Terra exclaimed, breathing heavily in agitation.

The Esper reached out a hand. ''Stay calm, Terra. Thinking like that isn't good for you.'' he said.

''Sorry. It's that I don't want the world to be destroyed, as half-Esper and bearer of their blood, it is my responsibility to protect the World of Balance, but I don't want my friends to be killed.'' Terra sighed, breathless.

Maduin lifted her daughter's chin so that she looked him in the face. ''Terra, look at me. I need you to keep calm. I agree with you that Emperor Gestahl is lying, but I don't think he will kill your friends. If that's what you all suspected, then be on your guard.'' he told her calmly.

''Do you really think I can do it?''

''I believe you can do anything. Find the Espers you called and tell them you want a truce, they'll understand. That's what you want, and I know you can do it. We are all counting on you. Good luck, my dear daughter.''

''Thank you, Father.''

Maduin smiled as he transformed back into Magilite. '' Now I believe you. '' Strago said, shocked by the fact he saw an Esper in person. ''So, you wanted want to discuss a truce? '' He then asked.

''It happened two days ago, after Terra got her memory back. The Empire did terrible things to her, leaving her orphaned, stripping her of her innocence and making her lose her memory. She joined the Returners because she thought it was the right thing, and when we found out she had Esper blood in her veins, our leader, Banon, proposed a plan: Terra would communicate with the Espers to propose an alliance with them and defeat the Empire, but something went wrong, and they destroyed the capital of the Empire. Emperor Gestahl has apparently regretted what he has done over the years, but we are all suspicious that it's a deception. We were escorted here because the Espers are supposed to be around here.'' Locke explained.

''Strago, what kind of magic was that you used? It doesn't look like ordinary magic.'' Terra asked.

''Ah, you're curious!'' Strago chuckled. ''You realized that it is neither white nor black magic. It's a blue magic spell. Blue magic is very different from others, and consists of various abilities used by monsters. Blue wizards can learn several of these techniques by seeing them in action(1), and each has its own effects. ''

''You seem very expert on monsters, kupo.'' Mog said.

''I am. My friend Gungho and I used to go monster hunting when we were young, and I've spent my entire life studying monsters. I still have my old whip with me.(2) Relm is also capable of using magic, but I still don't know exactly what it consists of, and she certainly doesn't have my powers.'' Strago said.

''Bring back peace. This is what I want. Let's find the Espers and negotiate a peace with them. The Returners have been active for about three years, and if we do not succeed in our intent, a second War of the Magi will break out, which we cannot allow.'' Terra declared, and the three nodded.

(''Terra's Theme- Final Fantasy VI OST-s'')

It took Terra and her companions an hour to reach the mountains, but they were attacked by a large menacing monster. It had the body of a lion, the wings of a dragon, a snake's tail, and a goat's head sticking out of its back. '' What is that thing, kupo?!'' Mog exclaimed.

''It's a chimera! It can spit flames from its mouth, and its tail snake has a very venomous bite. It can also use Aqua Breath and its attacks are powerful, but it has neither weakness nor resistances. Use every single technique you have!'' said Strago.

Dealing with the chimera was difficult, especially as Terra was poisoned during the battle and all four were injured, but they managed to kill it and healed before reaching the mountain and entering a cave.

(''Route 225 (Day) - Pokémon Diamond & Pearl OST'')

''Is this the place?'' Locke asked.

''I feel a large amount of magic in the air. The Espers are probably in these caves.'' Terra said.

''Then let's find them, kupo!'' said Mog.

Strago noticed that Terra seemed to be looking away. ''What's wrong, Terra?'' he asked.

''It's nothing. I thought I glimpsed something.'' Terra replied.

The four made their way through the caves, full of monsters. A mandrake, a climbing plant that grew in the mountains and mutated because of the magic in the place, grabbed Mog and petrified him, but Terra brought him back to normal with the Stona spell, which she had learned during the time she was in Zozo, and Locke cut it to pieces with the Ultima Weapon, a hideous vulture-like bird released poisonous dust, and after being hit by Mog's Blizzara spell, it used a healing blue magic spell, White Wind, which Strago learned before defeating it using a blue magic that had to do with stones. Eventually, an armored creature threw them away with what appeared to be a sneeze, but the Returners came out unscathed.

At one point, they came across three golden statues, and Locke immediately ran towards them. ''I think we have found some treasure!'' he exclaimed.

Strago gasped. ''The statues of the Warring Triad! We found them!'' he said.

The three statues, which depicted humanoid figures, were arranged in a triangle. The one on the left depicted the Fiend, a humanoid figure with four arms, demonic wings and a skeletal chest. The one on the right depicted the Demon, in red armor, with white wings and armed with a large scythe. Finally, the statue above depicted the Goddess, a beautiful brown-haired woman, dressed in a long blue fabric that covered her private parts. They also had names: the Fiend was called Sefilos, the Devil was called Zurvan and the Goddess was called Sophia.(3)

''The Warring Triad... we heard Kefka talk about it, kupo! He says he wants to use their powers!'' Mog said.

''Strago, what is the Triad of Discord? Are they really the origin of magic?'' Terra asked.

''It's a long story. But yes, the magic was born from them. Over a thousand years ago, even before the War of the Magi began, these three gods descended from heaven, and fearing each other's strength, they faced each other in a full-scale war and involved mortals, forcing them to fight for each one of them as their slaves. These mortals became Espers. Some retained a humanoid appearance, others changed form. The war continued for a long time, without any of the three gods being able to prevail. The gods were Sefilos the Fiend, Zurvan the Demon, and Sophia the Goddess, and at one point, realizing that their power struggles were destroying the world, they set themselves in a specific spot, freed the Espers from their control, and they petrified in this triangle position, saying they must never be awakened again. This laid the foundations for the War of the Magi, which began some time later due to the assassination of some Espers, thus prompting them to declare war on humans. After the War of the Magi, the surviving Esper sealed themselves in a portal and created their own world to live in peace and prevent humans from using them again for their own purposes. There is one more thing you need to know about the Warring Triad, which is their placement: when they petrified, they positioned themselves like this to keep the world in balance, and this is how the World of Balance got its name. Whoever moves the statues will absorb the powers of the Triad, ousting them as the god of magic, and not returning them to their original position will have disastrous consequences on the entire world, with masses of land that would break away, continents that would deform and mountains that would sink underwater. The power of the Warring Triad mustn'tt fall into the wrong hands or this will happen. These statues are a replica, and the real ones are in the deepest areas of the cave.'' Strago explained.

''Can you imagine Kefka Palazzo as god of magic? Me, worshipping that clown face as the god of magic!'' Locke snapped. '' And they killed my girlfriend!''

''Who is Kefka Palazzo?'' Asked Strago.

Terra sighed. ''Kefka Palazzo is a general of the Gestahlian Empire. He is cruel, ruthless and unscrupulous, and no one in the Empire tolerates or stands him except Emperor Gestahl. I have had bad experiences with him, and if the power of the Warring ended up in his hands, the world would go into chaos. We have to stop him. If the statues have anything to do with the Espers, I'm sure they'll be up ahead.'' she said.

('' Route 225 (Day) - Pokémon Diamond & Pearl OST-s'')

Suddenly, something large and purple fell on top of the group. It was Ultros, who had tried to launch a surprise attack from above, but failed. ''Ouch!'' Locke exclaimed.

Strago got up and spat out some dirt. ''Yuck! I have dirt in my mouth...'' he complained.

Ultros saw the statues and giggled. ''Hihihi! With these statues, I will win Siegfried's trust!'' he chuckled. The others had no idea what he was talking about.

''Ultros! You never learn, goo brain!'' Locke yelled, annoyed.

''Seriously, kupo? That octopus again?'' Mog murmured.

''You thought I was done for, but I have more lives than arms!'' said Ultros.

(Objective: Ultros is back! Defeat him!)

(''Mini-Boss- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker OST'')

Ultros attacked first, throwing a rock with its tentacles, but Terra grabbed a Fire Shield and blocked it before striking him with her sword. Locke cast the Fira spell, hitting him in the face, infuriating him, and he was slammed head-on against the wall.

Mog began to dance and unleashed the power of the earth, dropping a stalactite on the octopus, but when he tried to hit him with his spear, Ultros stretched his tentacles to trip him. ''If you don't like me, then I understand! And I'm sorry for you!'' he said, before whipping the group with his tentacles, hitting them repeatedly. Terra was able to protect herself better with the shield, but she couldn't fight back. Ultros then threw a rock that hit Strago straight in the forehead, leaving him stunned and with a bruise the size of a sword pommel, and then released a bolt of lightning that Locke managed to dodge before hitting him in the tentacles with his dagger.

''Ugh, what a nuisance he is!'' complained the treasure hunter.

Mog saw that Strago was still stunned, hit him on the head with the handle of his spear. ''Snnap out of it, old man!'' he shouted at him.

Strago recovered from his daze just in time to notice that a large fire was aimed at him, and was about to non-verbally cast Idrorespiro when Terra leapt in front of him. ''Strago, watch out! '' she shouted. She thrust his shield forward, blocking the fireball, which exploded, but it managed to absorb the attack. ''This elemental shield could be useful against magic.''

''I'm alright now. Thanks, Terra.'' the old man said.

Terra used the Thundara spell, and Strago, via the Magicites, cast a Thunder spell that empowered the former causing serious damage to Ultros.

''Enough playing, Ultros! Get out of the way, kupo!'' Mog ordered.

The four were repeatedly hit by Ultros' tentacles, and were now exhausted. Strago tried using Idrorespiro, but it had no effect. '' We need help here!'' He said.

Terra took a Magicite, that of Kirin, and began the summoning process. ''Oh, holy beast, release your aura and heal the just! Kirin, give us your help! ''

Kirin appeared, stood up on his hind legs and released a regenerating white aura around the group. The girl stroked him and Kirin transformed back into Magicite. They continued to cast spells, but it was clear that they were starting to have enough of this.

''Don't you have anything better to do than pissing on everybody's parade?'' Locke asked.

''Forget it, you and the old geezer! You won't stop me! And I-ACK!'' Ultros shouted suddenly.

(''Mini-Boss- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker OST-s'')

''What was that?'' Mog murmured.

(''Relm's Theme- Final Fantasy VI OST'')

Something, or someone, had jumped into Ultros's head. ''Grandpa! I found you!'' said the voice. It was Relm.

''Relm? What are you doing here?'' Terra asked.

Strago was not at all happy that Relm had disobeyed his orders. ''Relm! I told you to stay home!''

''You're kidding, right? I can't miss the opportunity to practice my painting! After all, I'm a budding virtuoso, and I want to be a professional!'' said Relm. she picked up a large brush, which Terra and Locke were looking at curiously. They had never seen such a large brush, as it was as long as Relm was tall.(4) He turned to Ultros. ''Hey, what's your name?'' she asked.

Ultros was furious. ''You dare ask me what my name is?! How dare you! I am the great Ultros, don't forget that! And don't ignore my existence!'' he shouted.

Locke sighed. ''Relm and Ultros. A little virtuoso and a self-centered octopus. Who's next? Do we really have to know what's going to happen next? '' he commented, shrugging.

''Uncle Ulty... Why don't you strike a pose? I'll take a portrait of you! Do you want one?'' Relm asked.

Hearing that nickname, Ultros was even more furious. ''ULTY?! You, little doll! I'm not your little friend, and I don't want to be. AND I DON'T WANT YOUR STINKING PORTRAIT!'' he screamed.

Shocked by that response, Relm turned and began to sob. ''Who cares then! I won't do the portrait for you!'' She said sulkily, and walked over to the edge. ''I'll jump off this ledge so I don't bother anymore!''

The others were shocked. Strago let out a sharp scream and put a hand over his heart, almost having a heart attack. Terra immediately ran to the girl. ''No! Relm, don't do this! Don't jump! '' she cried out

Relm had an idea and whispered something to Terra, who nodded. The half-Esper turned to Ultros with her hand engulfed in flames and...

*SMACK!*

she gave him a fiery slap right in the face, which caused him a lot of pain. ''YEOUCH!'' Ultros yelled.

''How dare you treat a little girl like that?! I'll never forgive you if something happens to her because of you, you rude octopus!'' Terra scolded. She looked really angry.

Ultros's grin was replaced by an expression of shame. ''I don't... I mean... What do you want me to do?'' he stammered.

''Let her paint your portrait. Maybe it portrays you well.'' Locke said, arms folded. "Seriously, so you're heartless."

The octopus was silent for some time, and everyone didn't know what it was doing. ''Alright then. Uncle Ulty wants to have his portrait done.'' He said, with a sigh.

''Great! Stay still, like that!'' Relm said, again in a good mood. She took his brush, a small canvas and went to work. Different colors began to come out of the brush, and when she finished drawing, a second Ultros came out of the girl's painting and hit the other several times with his tentacles, then disappeared.

''The portrait has come true!'' Terra exclaimed, amazed.

''Whoa... that is magic...!'' Locke murmured, equally astonished.

''How is it possible? I'm just a stupid octopus... '' Ultros whined, before retreating.

(''Relm's Theme- Final Fantasy VI OST-s'')

(''Dragon Roost Island- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker OST'')

Terra and Relm burst out laughing. "I can't believe you just did that!'' Terra exclaimed.

''Did you see how good I was? Wouldn't I be more useful than the old man here?'' Relm asked.

'Excuse me?! You insolent young lady! You almost gave me a heart attack, ya happy?!'' Strago snapped.

''Strago, I don't see anything wrong with taking her with us.'' Locke said.

''She is only ten! She wouldn't survive!'' the old mage replied.

''So? We know someone who had to survive alone throughout his childhood. And besides, Strago, I sence a very powerful magic in Relm, maybe even stronger than mine.(5)'' Terra said.

''Alright then. You wouldn't stay home even if I ordered it.'' Strago sighed, and Relm cheered.

''Now that I remembered, we haven't even introduced ourselves, Relm. I'm Locke, and they are Terra and Mog.'' Locke said.

''Were you guys with Grandpa?'' Relm asked.

''Yup. He woke us up last night when that house was on fire. We went to rescue you, but the house collapsed and we passed out. Good thing Shadow brought us to safety.'' Locke replied.

''What was that thing you did, kupo?'' Mog asked.

'' Yeah, I'm curious. It's not ordinary magic. '' Terra added.

''Oh, that? It's pictomancy. You see, even though I'm young, I am known to everyone in Thamasa for my painting skills. I'm a descendant of the Magi, and my magic manifests itself mainly in what I draw with my brush: when I draw something, it takes on a life of its own, and when used on monsters, it could be useful to us, as it has now.'' Relm explained.

''Interesting. Thanks to the Magicites we have, you can take advantage of your magic by learning black and white magic spells.'' Locke said.

''I don't want anything to happen to you, Relm. You can come with us, but stay close to us.'' Strago ordered.

''Yes, Grandpa.'' Said the little girl.

(The Pictomancer Relm joined the party!)

The mission was progressing, and in addition to Strago, Terra and her friends had a new ally, who would become powerful thanks to the spells learned from the Magicites.

(''Dragon Roost Island- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker OST-s'')

A/N: Surprised by Relm's powers? Quite unique, although her Sketch skill in the game doesn't do much good because it uses the enemy's stats instead of her own, and in most cases, they don't hold a candle to the party's stats, but it doesn't matter. Terra and the others are getting closer to the Espers, and now that they know all about the Magi and the Triad of Discord, will they be able to convince the Esters to make a truce? Is Gestahl's repentance true? And what became of Kefka? Find out in the next chapter! See you soon!

(1): The learning of blue magic changes by game: in Final Fantasy V, the blue mage must take blue magic to learn it, as well as in Final Fantasy X-2 if the character suffering it is in the Gun Mage Dressphere, in Final Fantasy VII, it's possible by equipping the materia that allows to learn them, in Final Fantasy VIII, it can be learned from Quistis through cards or special objects obtainable from enemies and in Final Fantasy IX, it can be learned from Quina by eating enemies. In Final Fantasy VI, Strago learns blue magic techniques simply by seeing them in action. However, if he is blinded, petrified, rendered a zombie, asleep, confused, immobilized, frozen, or defeated, he will not be able to learn that blue magic technique unless he suffers one or more of these states from it.

(2): In Final Fantasy VI, there are no whips to use, but a character not present in the final version used a whip as a weapon.

(3): These names were given by Tetzuya Nomura in the concept art. The name of the Fiend, in particular, is very similar to Sephiroth, the villain of Final Fantasy VII and its spin-offs.

(4): In Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia, the magic brushes that Relm uses as a weapon are much larger and longer than regular brushes, as they are as long as she is tall.

(5): Terra's base Magic stat is at 39, but she's not the best in that field: in fact, with a base Magic of 44, five points higher than Terra's, Relm is the best mage of the cast, but unlike Terra and Celes, she starts with no spells.