A/N: Hey, guys! In the previous chapter, Celes found out that Kefka has become the new god of magic, and that he now uses the Light of Judgment, a destructive beam, sending it against the cities that resist him, killing adults who do not worship him as a god. In the town of Tzen, which was attacked by the Light of Judgment, she found Sabin, who was trying to hold back a house that was about to collapsein an attempt to save a trapped child. After Celes manages to bring the child to safety, she and Sabin set out to search for their missing friends, starting by going to Nikeah. Will Edgar be in the area? Let's find out!

WARNING: Sexually explicit references will be mentioned in this chapter. Reader discretion is advised.

Chapter 28: The Thief of Hearts: Edgar Roni Figaro

(Objective: Head to Nikeah to look for Edgar.)

Characters:

Celes

Sabin

(''Lonely Desert- Kirby Mass Attack OST'')

After a lunch break, Celes and Sabin set off toward Nikeah, discussing about the World of Ruin and what Kefka had done. ''I didn't want to believe what Cid told me, but when I went out to get some fish for him, I knew it was all true.'' said Celes.

''That's terrible, huh? I don't recognize this place anymore, and at night, I can't see clearly either. The sun is no longer as bright as it once was, and the moonlight is too dim to illuminate the sky at night.'' added Sabin.

''But apart from that, wasn't it enough for Kefka to constantly be a pain in the neck? No, he just has to play God, that bastard! He's a blasphemy against the Warring Triad!'' Celes snapped, driven by a strong anger towards Kefka, almost hatred.

''You said it.'' commented Sabin.

As they continued, they came across Kefka's Tower and went further. However, in the Serpent Trench, Celes tripped because of a root. There were strange carnivorous plants with what looked like a flower where a face was supposed to be. They were the Leg Eaters, whom Sabin described as poisonous plants waiting for inattentive travelers to bite them in the legs. Among them was another very similar plant of orange instead of green color, a Vampire Thorn, whose bites were poisonous. Sabin was thus poisoned, but easily destroyed them with the Gigantaxe and Celes cast Poisona on him, nullifying the poison. After just a minute, however, she stopped.

''What is it, Celes?'' asked Sabin.

''I have a bad feeling about this. There's a tower down there, beyond those mountains.'' replied Celes.

(''Lonely Desert- Kirby Mass Attack OST-s'')

(''Loptous- Fire Emblem Genealogy of the Holy War OST'')

Celes and Sabin went over the mountains and reached the tower. What they saw was shocking. A group of people in green robes walked around the tower in a single file, with chants that made everything look like a demonic march, and it was clearly felt that they quoted Kefka, as a kind of worship to him. But the most shocking thing is that among those people, there was Strago. He still had his usual clothes, but above them he also had green robes. ''Strago?! What are you doing here with Kefka's followers?! Snap out of it!'' cried Celes.

''Why did you do it, Strago?! Do you hear me?! Answer me!'' yelled Sabin, shaking Strago by the shoulders.

''It's no use. He doesn't even notice our presence. It's like he's ina trance.'' said Celes. She looked better at the members of the cult and saw that their faces had an empty look on their faces or had their eyes closed. Strago also seemed to have a dull expression. It was hard to notice, but it almost sounded like he was about to cry.

Seeing that Strago was among these cultists was a shock to both of them. They left the tower to continue with their main goal. ''But how is this possible?'' asked Sabin.

"I don't know, but Relm has also gone missing. He probably believes she's dead.'' replied Celes.

''So what? Relm could be somewhere in the world, a place beyond this continent, and we know what it's like. Why should Strago give in? Do you really think he really has so little backbone to join a bunch of crazy cultists?'' replied Sabin, not convinced.

''OK, I don't doubt it, but Relm is a little girl, and Strago raised her since she was little. Getting trapped in this hell for too long can either drive you out crazy or cause you to fall into depression. During our stop in Tzen, I had heard of a depressed old man since Kefka devastated the world. I thought it wasn't that important, but apparently they were talking about Strago.'' explained Celes.

''But we can't give up, not like this!'' exclaimed the martial artist, unhappy that Strago had simply thrown in the towel.

''Also, I have no idea what this tower is. Have you ever heard of this tower?''

''It's the Fanatics' Tower. This tower was built by a sect that worships Kefka, known as the Cult of Kefka. It is said that at the top of the tower there is an immense treasure that includes the Soul of Thamasa, an ancient magical sphere from Thamasa that holds a great magical power, but there are tight security measures that prevent all those who do not know how to use magic from continuing, since the tower is full of monsters that use magic of devastating power. Regarding the Cult of Kefka, cultists are said to have sold Kefka their hearts and souls in exchange for eternal loyalty to him.''

Celes was shocked. She thought the World of Ruin was grim enough as it was, let alone with a dark sect that worshipped Kefka and kissed his backside. ''Is there a way to get Strago back to his senses?'' she asked.

''I asked for information back in Albrook and Tzen, and they told me that a member of the Cult of Kefka can only come to their senses if they hear the voice of a loved one. They also said that those who join this sect do so out of fear, they are afraid that Kefka will exterminate them and their families if they do not swear allegiance to him. Strago must have joined after he gave up, when he believed Relm was dead. This means that if we can find her and bring her here, he will leave the Cult of Kefka.'' explained Sabin. He seemed uncomfortable talking about the sect.

''Let's get out of here and go to Nikeah. We will be back here when Relm is with us.'' said Celes.

(''Loptous- Fire Emblem Genealogy of the Holy War OST-s'')

(''Lynna Village- The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages OST'')

Celes and Sabin took two hours to reach Nikeah. When they finally reached the town, they noticed that it was as crowded as ever, but there was something different about it. Among the people on the street were those who appeared to be thieves, judging by their appearance.

''I wouldn't trust them, if I were you.'' said Sabin.

''Wait. I see someone.'' said Celes, referring to one man in particular. His long hair was tied in a ponytail and he was wearing dark clothes, but these were the only details she noticed apart from the fact that he was talking with a group of what appeared to be thieves, known as the Crimson Robbers. ''That man seems familiar to me.''

''Edgar? I can see the similarity, even to me it seems familiar. Let's go to him.'' Sabin declared.

The two approached the man, looking at him carefully. ''Edgar! We finally found you! What's going on here?'' asked Celes.

The man turned around. ''Huh? I'm not Edgar. My name is Gerad.'' he said.

''Really? I don't believe it. I can recognize a person when I see them.'' said Sabin, not convinced.

''No, my name really is Gerad. If you don't believe me, then it's a shame. I have to take the ferry to South Figaro to access the cave and find Figaro Castle.'' replied Gerad.

''We'll go too. We are looking for missing friends.'' said Celes.

''Fine. But please, don't be a nag. And don't always be on me'' Gerad said with a sigh before entering a house, followed by the thieves.

''I think he's lying.'' Sabin told Celes.

''You're right, he's hiding something from us. We have to convince him to spill the beans.'' said Celes.

''Wait, but we can find something if we go to South Figaro.'' Sabin reminded her.

''Right. We'll take the ferry.''

When they took the ferry to South Figaro, the two noticed the way Gerad addressed the other passengers, especially the women. It was too similar to Edgar's, it looked just like he would, and when asked for explanations, he lied and changed the subject. ''That guy is Edgar, I'm sure he is. He can't just notbut be him, he's posing as the leader of a gang of thieves and hiding from us why he wants to find Figaro Castle.'' said Celes.

''I know, I noticed it too. He said he will go to the cave. The castle of Figaro should be somewhere in the surroundings. We arrive in Figaro Sud and follow him. If we can reach the castle, we will push him to spit the toad.'' said Sabin, preparing the plan.

''OK, but it's better that we don't get caught. Let's follow him without being seen when we enter the cave.''

(''Lynna Village- The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages OST-s'')

(Objective: Follow Gerad without being seen.)

(''Quicksand Cave - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky'')

South Figaro was not very far from Nikeah, so the ferry arrived there in an hour. When the ferry reached the town, Celes was attacked by a giant eel that she knocked out with Thundara. Followed by Sabin, she kept an eye on Gerad, being careful not to be seen, and when they reached the cave, they noticed that there was a lot of sand. Celes set foot in a particularly large mass of sand and noticed that he was no longer moving forward. ''What the...'' She looked down and noticed that she was sinking into the sand. ''I'm stuck!''

Sabin, who was on the other side, pulled Celes out of the sand. ''Watch out for quicksand, Celes. If you walk on it, you will begin to sink. It won't swallow you completely, but you may get stuck, and if you are not rescued in time, the conditions of being trapped in quicksand could cause your death. Move fast to avoid getting stuck, and if it happens, apply pressure to liquefy the sand.(1)'' warned her.

''I noticed that. Thanks.'' said Celes.

The exploration of the cave was not easy, not only because of the quicksand, but also because of the monsters. There were mutated pink monsters, strange creatures similar to chubby men, small droids, desert Sahagins and even those who looked like mutated seahorses living in the under the sand, the sandhorses.

''Have you ever done espionage missions like the one we're doing?'' Sabin asked.

''I was usually more involved in invasions, but sometimes yes, I was also in charge of espionage. When Kefka was not giving me orders, Gestahl instructed me to destroy the enemy's supplies without getting seen.'' replied Celes.

"You know, Locke was not just a simple representative and messenger of the Returners. He is also a spy and saboteur, and Banon often gave him espionage missions. The first time he met you was when you were in prison. You rebelled against Kefka, and that cost you your career.'' Sabin said.

"Yes, and he had freed me when I was sentenced to death for the next day. I hope that nothing serious has happened to him. I know he's strong enough to handle the monsters, but I'm starting to worry about him.'' said Celes sadly.

''He'll be fine, I'm sure of it. Even in the worst situations, I never lost hope.'' said Sabin.

''Well, at least you believe it for me.'' replied Celes. Hearing of his father's death, finding his father figure dead, the Cataclysm, being separated from his brother and friends, and witnessing the worst Kefka could do had not made Sabin lose his optimistic nature, and seeing him so hopeful kept her just as hopeful.

"I don't understand why Edgar impersonates someone else. What is it, lost identity?'' asked Sabin.

Celes remained silent, but shewould have laughed a little if the circumstances were different. ''We shouldn't make too much noise or they will hear us.'' she told him.

(''Quicksand Cave - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky-s'')

(''Sandopolis Zone Act 2- Sonic 3 & Knuckles OST'')

Continuing their exploration of the cave, the two avoided red and green gelatinous creatures from the flan family, including a small blue creature resembling a slime.(2) After climbing a rocky ledge, they crawled into the hole, accessing a new section of the cave. Apparently it too had been modified by the Cataclysm. Taking care of not to make noise, they reached the other side.

They heard a conversation between Gerad and other thieves and leaned forward to see what was going on. Gerad had pulled a lever hidden in an area full of sand, revealing a body of water with a turtle, taking the new road. ''Over there.'' whispered Sabin. A short distance away, they heard a splash, and realized that there was another body of water. ''We have to swim through to go on.''

They dived into the water, avoiding crabs with huge claws and moray eels that appeared from under the submerged ground. It took a while to reach the other side, to the point that Celes almost opened her mouth, barely being able to hold her breath, but they made it. But the cave did not end there, as they had to cross a room full of quicksand and sand mounds, moving quickly but cautiously to avoid getting trapped. They finally managed to find the exit, but it was blocked by a mass of sand, and they had to use their hands like moles to separate the pile of sand. ''I think we're almost there.'' said Celes, noticing that the walls had changed.

''Hopefully.'' commented Sabin.

(''Sandopolis Zone Act 2- Sonic 3 & Knuckles OST-s'')

(''Brinstar Depths- Super Smash Bros. Melee OST'')

Celes and Sabin took the road they had opened and noticed that the walls were beginning to become familiar. ''Hey, we are entering Figaro Castle! I think we found it!'' exclaimed Celes.

Sabin noticed a person who reminded him of a certain someone. ''Hey, Celes, that guy seems familiar to me. He looks like a guy I met on the Ghost Train while trying to get back to Narshe last year.'' he whispered to her.

''Are you referring to Siegfried?'' asked Celes.

''Just him. Except that what I had met was an impostor. He was so arrogant that it almost reminds me of Vargas, a former classmate of mine when I trained with Master Duncan.'' said Sabin. ''However, since we are underground, we can't go to the throne room or the other rooms above, the castle seems trapped. We have to go to the engine room. Knowing Edgar, he will want to check why the castle is stuck under the sand.''

The two went ahead, and to their surprise, they found themselves in the basement... right in front of one of the cells! Fortunately, the door was open, and they saw Gerad rescuing an exhausted or wounded thief who had collapsed to the ground. Some guards were on the ground, unable to breathe. They reached the engine room and saw something between the machinery.

''That's why the castle is stuck here! The tentacles are blocking the engine!'' exclaimed Gerad.

''The treasure we are looking for is in the back room dead ahead! What do we do, Boss?'' asked one of the Crimson Robbers.

''I will try to distract that beast! You think about getting the treasure!'' said Gerad.

''But Boss... it's too dangerous!'' objected another thief.

''It's an order! Don't worry about me, do as I tell you!'' ordered Gerad, and the thieves obeyed.

Sabin was shocked. ''They will loot the castle!'' he exclaimed.

"We have more to think about, Sabin. Like those tentacles.'' said Celes.

''Yes, but this castle has been my home for years!'' replied Sabin.

(''Brinstar Depths- Super Smash Bros. Melee OST-s'')

Suddenly, Gerad did something that caught both Celes and Sabin off guard. ''Celes, what are you waiting for? Help me out!'' he shouted, and took off his disguise, revealing his true appearance in his blue and yellow royal robes and green cloak.

''Edgar! It's really you!'' exclaimed Celes, glad to know that Edgar was fine.

In his joy, Sabin held his older brother in a bear hug, lifting him off the ground in the process. ''Brother! I'm so glad you're alright!'' he cheered.

''Whoa! Sabin, I'm glad to see you too, but you're holding me so tightly that I can't breathe!'' exclaimed Edgar, feeling his breathless.

''Oops! Sorry, it's that I've been looking for you for a whole year.'' said Sabin, letting him go.

(The machinist Edgar joined the party!)

(''Spear of Justice- Undertale OST'')

Edgar took his spear. ''Sabin, Celes, we must get rid of these tentacles! You know what to do!'' he said.

(Objective: Help Edgar destroy the tentacles!)

Characters:

Celes

Edgar

Sabin

The four tentacles became aggressive and attacked, trying to grab the three heroes, who dodged them, and Sabin rolled behind the tentacle that had targeted him before hitting him with an uppercut. He was hit by another tentacle, but counterattacked with the Gigantaxe. Despite this, the force of the blow was not enough to cut it. ''That tentacle is too strong, we can't cut it!'' exclaimed Celes.

''The tentacles that have blocked the engine are very hard. Maybe if we attack them all at the same time, we could do it. I'll try my crossbow.'' said Edgar.

''You know, over the course of this year I've learned a lot of new tricks.'' said Sabin.

The darts of the auto-crossbow were useful, but trying to attack and prevent the tentacles from grabbing the group was difficult. The spells were also inconsistent, as some were effective on some tentacles but useless against others, and close attacks could be risky if they were not fast enough. Sabin struck one of them with the Gigantasxe and followed it up with an inward slash inwards with his sword. He blocked a blow and jumped high with both weapons in his hand. After the jump, he swooped down with his sword outstretched, struck with a thrust and unleashed a second blow with both weapons.

After blocking two tentacles by rotating his spear, Edgar hit them three times and jumped high, but he had to change strategy and switch to firearms because he could not hit them without risking taking hits himself, trying with the plasma gun.

Celes managed to avoid a tentacle and attacked with spells of ice and light, but was taken by another, and in a short time the same happened to Edgar and Sabin. Celes and Edgar tried to make efforts, but the tentacles intertwined around them more tightly. Sabin, however, did not move. ''Stand still, both of you!'' he shouted.

''Are you crazy?!'' exclaimed Celes.

"I remember one of Master Duncan's teachings. What did he say? I got it! Don't move, otherwise they will crush you harder! Save your strength and wait for the right moment to attack!'' replied Sabin.

"Celes, I think we have to do what he says. He usually leaves the plans to me, but he's not stupid. With what he learned from his teacher, you should trust him.'' said Edgar, noting that Sabin had closed his eyes to focus his energies.

''I trust him, it's just that it will be risky!'' said Celes.

The tentacle that had grabbed Sabin moved down. Since his legs were not trapped, Sabin took advantage of the opportunity, jumped, thus freeing himself from the hold, and used magic to summon sharp stones that hit all the tentacles. Edgar did the same with a jump attack with his spear and destroyed the tentacle that had grabbed him with the drill. Celes was still trapped, but waited for the good opportunity and hit the tentacle with a point-blank Blizzaga that freed her.

''See? I told you it was a good idea.'' said Sabin. A tentacle moved as if to whip him, but he reacted in time and hit it with the Gaia Hammer. Edgar blocked the same tentacle with his spear and used Lancet, destroying it. Only two tentacles were missing.

Celes was grabbed by one of the two tentacles, but freed herself with a sword, also casting Diara. However, both she and Edgar were hit in the chest by the tentacles, being seriously injured in a single blow. Sabin cured them using Chakra, but it did not heal their wounds completely.

''I'm starting to feel a little tired.'' said Edgar.

''Ready, br?'' asked Sabin. Edgar nodded and jumped. Sabin threw it up and took the Gigantasha. Both turned their weapons around and then threw them, thus destroying the third tentacle.

Sabin was crushed by the last tentacle, which threw him away, but jumped from the wall closest to launch aero, inflicting damage on the tentacle. ''Tiger Blade!'' He took his sword with both hands and performed a powerful jumping slash, avoiding being hit, and a second slash during his descent.(3)

After using Spellblade to infuse her sword with the power of Blizzaga, Celes dodged an attack from the remaining tentacle and then struck it. ''I've had enough of these tentacles! Let's finish this here and now!'' she declared.

''With immense pleasure!'' said Edgar, turning on his chainsaw. Sabin swinged the Gigantaxe against the tentacle, weakening it and allowing his brother to cut it in two with the chainsaw.

(''Spear of Justice- Undertale OST-s'')

(''Conversation 1- Fire Emblem Genealogy of the Holy War OST'')

With the tentacles gone, Edgar set to work fixing the engine. ''Welcome back, big bro.'' said Sabin.

''Edgar, why did you pretend not to know us? What is the point of all this?'' asked Celes in a serious tone.

"I apologize for meeting you in disguise and lying to you. It was the only way to find Figaro Castle. I too was looking for our missing friends, but according to a map of the world as it is now, we are stuck on the main continent because the castle had disappeared. So I pretended to be the leader of the thieves you saw to find the castle faster: they had escaped from the prisons of the castle, and I thought they could help me, also because without the castle, we cannot reach Kohlingen, which is on an island to the west.'' explained Edgar.

''So why didn't you tell us right away?'' asked Sabin.

''I didn't want to blow up the cover. If I had revealed my identity, I would have compromised my plan.'' replied Edgar.

The two looked at him as if he had just flirted shamelessly. ''You could have warned us earlier.'' Sabin said, shaking his head.

''Shhh! They're coming! Hide!'' exclaimed Edgar, hearing footsteps, and all three hid behind the machinery.

The thieves called Edgar, but noticing that he did not answer, they resigned. ''I think that monster just ate our boss...'' said one.

''And he lasted even less than our previous boss... drat.'' complained another one, and all the Crimson Robbers left the castle with sacks full of treasures.

''Edgar, get them!'' cried Sabin, alarmed.

"Let them go, I don't care about the treasures they stole, not with what Kefka did. I will tell the chancellor and the royal staff to deal with it later.'' said Edgar.

''Are you kidding?! This place has been my home for years!'' replied Sabin, irritated, and when all the thieves were gone, they stopped hiding.

(''Conversation 1- Fire Emblem Genealogy of the Holy War OST-s'')

''Edgar, everything is destroyed here. The people have resigned, but we still have to fight against Kefka.'' said Celes.

The King of Figaro seemed not to know what to feel. "I would like to remain optimistic, but I don't know if we can do it. Kefka has now won, and we have never been able to defeat him, every time he has always been one step ahead of us.'' he said.

''To whom do you say that. The three of us alone cannot defeat Kefka. If I had to defeat him without first finding all my friends I would have to go prostitute myself at someone else's house.'' added Celes.

''Don't you dare say this bullshit!'' cried Sabin, grabbing her wrist tightly. ''You are a former general, you are more than that! You are not a woman who would give away her dignity!''

''Uh, Sabin? You're breaking her arm.'' said Edgar. In fact, Celes was flinching a bit, as Sabin had grabbed her wrist so tightly that it hurt, so he let go.

''What do you mean, Sabin?'' asked Celes.

''I mean that we all know that Kefka raped you in front of all your soldiers and superiors. Do you realize what you just said?'' replied Sabin.

''I know. He had sodomized me and made me the cunnilingus. I left all this behind, but despite everything, it's still upsetting. If that swine gave me the 69, he would have knocked me up!'' said Celes.

Sabin made a face as if he were about to vomit. ''Yuck! TMI! And then you two may wonder why I hate sex!'' he complained.

Edgar was confused. ''Can you explain why?'' he asked.

''A few years ago, when I was still a teenager, Master Duncan mentioned me in a certain text that is a guide for sexual acts, the Kama Sutra. He had only mentioned it, but only that had almost made my stomach turn! Of course, he apologized to me when he noticed my reaction, but it was not enough to alleviate my disgust. And let me tell you, I've never gone out privately with a woman.'' he said.

Edgar immediately looked at his brother with his mouth wide open in shock. He has never been on a date before?

''I mean, Ursula is a good friend, but that's just that. Edgar, I've never been intimate with any woman not so much because I am disgusted by the way you flirt with women, but more so because I hate sexual practices. Well, that did affect my thoughts about sex. Years ago, a girl who was here at the castle as a guest had a crush on you, and ended up mentioning dirty things, including even describing what they call fellatio, all in my presence. The result: I was so disgusted that I spent an hour in the bathroom with a bouts of vomiting, spent a sleepless night, and had nightmares about my vomiting and voluptuous dudes for a week. And I was fourteen at the time, as if the fact that I had not become taller or stronger and still looking like a helpless eight-year-old child despite puberty wasn't bad enough!'' replied Sabin, decidedly irritated by those past memories.

''Sabin... we never knew...'' murmured Celes, almost shocked.

Edgar gave Sabin a sorry look, but after a couple of seconds he couldn't help it but laugh. ''Are you serious? You can't stand issues of the opposite sex, as manly as you are?'' he said. But if he realized what happened next, he would have gladly held back the instinct to laugh and he would have just shut up.

''EDGAR! You crossed the line this time! I don't have anything against the opposite sex, but thinking about sexual acts and visible private parts makes me sick! And don't make fun of my manliness because I'm a virgin and I've never had a girlfriend, I'll just punch you in the face if you dare!'' screamed Sabin, furious.

Celes shuddered, as if she didn't want to be a part of the conversation, and although he knew his younger twin and his sensitivity, Edgar was really scared this time. If Sabin had threatened him like this, then he knew he had messed up big-time. ''S-Sabin, I was kidding... don't be so touchy.'' he said nervously.

''Shut it, otherwise he'll really smash your head in.'' Celes warned. ''As for you, Sabin, calm down. We have to think about something else.''

"Sorry, it's that I hate obscene and immoral things, especially after what Master Duncan taught me. And by the way, Kefka is making everyone suffer. It's better if we end this conversation before I get an embolism.'' sighed Sabin.

''There! I finished fixing the engine. With this, we can head to Kohlingen.'' said Edgar.

''Good. Locke, Setzer or anyone else should be here.'' said Celes.

(''Overture- Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (3DS) OST'')

Edgar directed the castle towards the Kohlingen desert, and when the three left the engine room, the chancellor, the guards and the rest of the castle staff fussed over the two brothers a bit too much. After lunch, Sabin led them to a hidden passage in the castle. There, they found a secret room, with an incredibly large family tree.

''Where are we?'' asked Celes.

''This is a secret room that Sabin found a little while ago, and he showed it to me.'' replied Edgar.

Looking at the family tree, Sabin noticed a peculiar name on top. ''Richard Highwind. I'm sure I've already seen this name somewhere.'' thought Sabin.

''And here we are too, Sabin! So this means that we are descendants of Richard Highwind!'' exclaimed Edgar.

''Does it mean anything?'' asked Celes.

''Yes. Richard Highwind was a Dragoon. These spear-wielding warriors had a strong bond with the wyverns, and were able to carry out attacks from above by jumping off their backs. The first of these was a man named Haan, who visited an inhabited island to live in and established a bond with them. The Dragoons were also involved during the War of the Magi, and had joined forces against the Magi because they had killed some of their wyverns.'' replied Edgar, picking up a book.

''What happened?'' asked Sabin.

"The Magi feared the power of the wyverns, they considered them threats. They poisoned the river of the island where the Dragoons lived. As a result, the Dragoons were exterminated, and almost all the wyverns of the island died. Richard was the last survivor along with his young son Kain, but his wyvern, on the verge of death, had laid an egg. To save the egg, he had to ask for help from three foreigners to bring it to the underground spring that favored the incubation of the egg. The egg hatched, but the mother wyvern and Richard died not long after.(4) The descendants of Kain, the last survivor of the ancient Dragoons, founded the kingdom of Figaro around 200 years ago, and Figaro was one of the four great nations of the world. Figaro had the dominant power in the north, Jidoor in the west, Doma in the east, and the Gestahlian Empire in the south.'' said Edgar.

Celes and Sabin were amazed. The royal family of Figaro descended from these warriors of the past? ''Wow.'' murmured Celes.

''I didn't even know about that!'' exclaimed Sabin. ''Edgar, do you remember when we fought on the Floating Continent? You had used a special technique that has to do with the Dragoons when your spear shone. I'm sure it has to do with our Dragoon blood.''

''I thought so too, but I had never given it so much weight. Seeing this family tree confirms it, and maybe I would make some changes to the coat of arms of the kingdom. The coat of arms has two chocobos, and I would replace one with a wyvern.'' said Edgar, putting on his head a helmet similar to the head of a dragon. ''Well, we have to go now, the world is waiting for us. We cannot defeat Kefka alone, and we still have to find our friends. Since we are without an airship, our only destination is Kohlingen, but I have something that will speed us up.''

(''Overture- Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (3DS) OST-s'')

(''Brothers in Arms- Kirby: Planet Robobot OST'')

The three prepared to go out when Edgar got something. It was a big motorcycle. ''Do you have a motorcycle?!'' exclaimed Celes.

''Surprised? Well, I've had this motorbike since before our fight against Gestahl began, I've sometimes used it to get from one place to another faster.'' said Edgar, turning on the engine of his bike.

''Sure the desert doesn't hinder the movement of the motorcycle?'' asked Sabin.

''Don't worry. This little gem has wheels that are insensitive to sand, so we won't have problems with environmental hazards.'' replied Edgar.

''Edgar, you're a genius, you know? You've always been smarter than me, and I'm sure you'll invent other things to help the kingdom of Figaro.'' said Sabin.

''Thank you, little brother.'' said Edgar with a smile. He got into the driver's seat, with his brother and Celes behind.

"The world needs us, now more than ever, and also our lost friends! Let's go!'' declared Celes.

Edgar started the motorcycle. The new hopes of the three rediscovered heroes had not yet been extinguished by the Apocalypse, and the discovery that Edgar and Sabin were direct descendants of the legendary Richard Highwind helped keep morale up as the motorcycle whizzed towards Kohlingen under the afternoon sun...

''After finding Sabin, Celes learned of the Fanatics' Tower and the Cult of Kefka, which consisted men who had completely surrendered out of fear and depression, including Strago, and in the city of Nikeah, she saw a man who looked the same in every way as Edgar. Following him, they discovered that he had pretended to be the leader of a gang of thieves to search for Figaro Castle, which was stuck under the desert sand, and when he revealed his identity, they destroyed the tentacles that were the cause of the problem. They also discovered that the royal family of Figaro descended from the legendary Dragoon Richard Highwind and his son Kain, and set off for Kohlingen to continue searching for the rest of the group...'' Mog recounted.

(''Brothers in Arms- Kirby: Planet Robobot OST-s'')

A/N: Chapter finished, finally! Certain parts of this game are difficult to write. With two allies found, there is still hope. What will Celes, Edgar and Sabin find in Kohlingen? And who will they find again? Find out in the next chapter! Until next time!

(1): In movies, people are often shown completely swallowed up by quicksand. This is unrealistic because the sand is denser than a human, and therefore cannot swallow humans completely, but only up to the level of the hips, and pulling out someone trapped in slime or quicksand requires considerable strength.

(2): The Final Fantasy series, as well as many role-playing games, is inspired by Dragon Quest. The slime, a low-level monster who plays several roles throughout the series, including that of an ally, is considered the mascot of Dragon Quest.

(3): The Tales series has special attacks, called Techniques, such as Demon Fang, Tiger Blade, Sonic Thrust, Sword Rain, Tempest, Beast and Rising Falcon.

(4): Final Fantasy II introduced dragoons, and there's an important subplot in the game that has to do with the wyverns in Deist: because of the Palamecian Empire, which poisoned the river, the dragoons and their wyverns have been exterminated, and the last remaining wyvern, which has laid an egg, is about to die. Firion, Maria and Guy must then go to a cave to incubate the egg in the spring, and the wyvern born from that egg is essential for the final stages of the game. The dragoons' special ability to use jump attacks originates from their connection to the wyverns, but only becomes usable in the next game, Final Fantasy III. Even characters that are not actually dragoons, such as the king of Tycoon in Final Fantasy V, have the surname Highwind as a reference to Ricard Highwind, the last of the dragoons who appeared in the second game as a temporary companion, and often have a connection with dragons.