Chapter 15: Preparations at Eblana
"General Chalmers, take your men into town and fortify it strongly. Make sure you set up as many armaments as possible around the perimeter and within the town square. I also want sentries patrolling the southern woods as well as the plains as far as a mile all around; Captain Jensen, I need you to take about a dozen men to the ramparts and set up as many cannons as possible. Make sure that you are well stocked with ammunition and I also want a few signal flares up there as well; Admiral Sternguard, I want at least five airships patrolling the skies at all times, setting up a perimeter at a three mile radius. If you see anything, anything at all coming this way, you signal us immediately—I don't care if it's friend or foe."
Edge Geraldine commands his leading officials with authority and confidence; a stern, solid voice that marks the maturity that's grown on him in the past seventeen years—the voice of a man of action; the voice of a king.
His soldiers salute their leader, and head off in various directions to take to their tasks. After news of Baron and Fabul arrived from Queen Rydia, these men feel for the first time, that they may see battle. Most of the soldiers in Eblana's army were mere boys and girls when the Zeromus War plagued the planet. Now as men and women, after years of extensive training in all types of fields, in all arts of war, they are battle ready, but not battle tested. And deep down inside, that fact has Edge a bit worried.
"Danson," Edge addresses his most trusted advisor. "I want you to send messengers throughout the kingdom. I want the airship manufacturing plant shut down, all the schools are to be closed as well as the library, I need the underground shelters checked of their stock—food, water, clothing and such—I want the town square to be sealed off to the townspeople, and I want everyone to pack up their necessities in preparation for an evacuation."
"An evacuation? But to where my lord?"
"To the underground tunnels beneath this very castle. The entrance is located in the second basement level, near the cellblocks. There's also another entrance in town, in a small empty shack next to the armory. Any sign of an attack and we'll have all the townspeople gather in the tunnels, and out of harms way."
"You think it's wise to cause such a panic amongst the town?"
"Baron and Fabul have already fallen, and I will not let my kingdom go about toiling in their daily routines, only to be caught off guard by this malicious menace that's tearing these communities apart."
"As you wish." With that, Danson is off to relay the King's message, his long, silk cloak flowing behind him.
Edge looks out one of the war room's northern windows that overlook the town. Guess it's not going to be a boring day after all, he thinks to himself. I'm just glad Rydia made it out alive.
"Edge?" Rydia walks towards her husband with bulky Cid Pollendina in tow. "Are you going to send anyone to Fabul? Maybe we should send word to Toroia or Agart?"
"All my military resources are being used at the moment. I need to focus my attention on protecting my people first," he keeps his gaze outside the window as five airships take off to begin their surveillance. "If what you told me about the other attacks are true, then we're going to need every single soldier and airship we can muster. I lost my kingdom to ruin once, and I'm not going to let it happen again; not after all we've accomplished."
Rydia takes to heart the tone in her husband's voice. In years past, his outward voice had garnered that of an outlandish and boastful youth; carefree in conscience, and oblivious of his rights as royalty. But now that egotistical boy is hidden behind the façade of a man made ruler, with a deeper, stronger voice, with character and charisma, with solidarity and security.
The way he speaks, the way he carries himself, in a way reminds Rydia of Cecil. She saw the difference, all those years ago, when she first met the dark knight from Baron—lost and unknowing, youthful and careless—and then saw the vast change in Cecil, when he ascended the ranks and donned the glorious pageantry of the paladin line. His leadership was second to none, his bravery was matched by none other…and no other could have saved the world from Zeromus, but he.
"If Cecil's on his way to Fabul, and he's probably already there, he'll know what to do about the situation," Cid pulls up on the belt around his waist to lift his pants up to a more comfortable level. "As for me, I'm off to Baron."
Edge glances over in slight surprise at the burly mechanic.
"We could use your help here as well big guy." Edge remarks.
"I know, but you guys are pretty well stocked, and you've got a fine bunch of engineers here. Hell, they were trained by the best after all," Cid points a large, stubby thumb to his chest and smiles proudly. "Besides, I think they could use some help with the relief efforts, and I can help repair whatever airships they got left. The place probably looks like shit on a hot summer day. I'm kinda dreading going back; seeing what's happened; but it's something I have to do. It's my home after all."
"We'll pray for you and Baron." Rydia clasps her hands within Cid's.
"Put in a prayer for the rest of the world too would ya?" Cid smirks slightly. He looks over Rydia's shoulder to Edge who, with a wave of his hand, says a silent goodbye to the engineering master. After a nod in compliance, Cid makes an about face, and is off to his airship.
Rydia watches as Cid leaves the war room, wondering whether she'll ever see any of her friends again. Ever since Cid has come to work in Eblana, he's treated Rydia like a daughter—telling her stories, teaching her about the things he's learned in his time, shooing away any teenage onlookers trying to get a glimpse of the beautiful, young Queen. Cid would always be there to console her in grief and to listen to her problems, just as any father would have. The time they spent together sometimes made Edge a little jealous, but Cid paid it no mind. He knew the young King was full of pizzazz and spunk, but most of it was for show—a big ego booster. But he also knew that Edge was now mature enough to not make a big deal out of the whole situation.
Cid never married and never had children of his own to take care of. His passion for his work got in the way of all of that, which is something that he regrets from time to time. He loves children and he's always wanted some, but he never found the right woman to make that dream come true. Or rather, "the right woman never found me," he always said.
Rydia turns to Edge with tear-filled eyes and a somber look on her face, as if she knows she's never going to see Cid again.
Edge opens his arms to her and she dives head first into his chest, breaking down into sobs. Her silky, green hair flows across Edge's cheeks, her arms are closed tight around his waist.
"I know you're scared Rydia," he caresses her pale cheek with the back of his hand. "But we've been through this once before, and we've come out of it victorious. You must believe that we can do so again," he lifts her head to face him, and looks into her watery eyes. "Once we start believing we can't win, then we've already lost."
Rydia nods in compliance; sparkling droplets cascade like little waterfalls down her face. She wipes them away with her glittering sleeves and tries to sniffle her worries away.
"Every step of the way…you and me, right?" Her voice trembles with emotion.
"You know it baby."
Edge smiles to her in reassurance and comfort, and she returns it with a loving kiss and a gentle hug.
Interlude
"Where am I?" Palom's voice is barely audible. He finds his throat a bit scratchy from inhaling some dirt when he was thrown off his chocobo and throttled to the ground. He presses a hand to his forehead, which at the moment, feels as if it were caught in a vice—one with an extra large grip.
"This is the worst hangover I've ever had," Palom turns on his side, gritting his teeth from the sharp pains to his back, like a hundred needles piercing him all over. A slight nauseous feeling comes over him, but quickly subsides as he eyes an indistinct figure sitting in front of him. "Lyrca, I know I told you I wouldn't drink that much anymore, but you know how it is with the guys," he mumbles to the figure. Palom finds it a little hard to speak as his mouth and cheeks are red and swollen, like most of his battered body. "I can't help myself sometimes…I'm sorry sweetie."
"Just rest, Palom of Mysidia."
Palom's eyes widen in surprise at the realization that the voice does not belong to Lyrca. He turns his gaze back to the cloaked figure. He tries to discern the person's identity, but his vision is slightly blurred by the puffy eyelids he received in battle.
"Who are you? Where am I? Where are Lyrca and the others?"
"They are all safe. You have no need to worry about them," the voice is slightly soothing; a softer tone which echoes that of a young woman. "As for where you are—you are in a shallow cave at the eastern base of Mt. Ordeals.
"Mt. Ordeals…" Palom begins to remember what had transpired before he was knocked unconscious—the search for the Elder, the cat with the golden eyes. "That damn cat…knocked me off my bird…tore my legs to shreds." He reaches down to feel the wounds on his thighs, but there are none.
"I've healed most of your wounds already. The four of you are very lucky to be alive right now."
Palom uses his fingers to open his eyes wider in order to get a clearer view of the cloaked woman. If this were a lighter situation, this would look very comical and would no doubt deserve a reprieve from Porom.
"I've seen you before somewhere," Palom can just make out a few facial features—brown eyes, slightly tanned skin, crimson lips, all framed by her glossy black hair. "You were in the town square at Mysidia last night. You were watching me by the water fountain."
The cloaked woman remains silent.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Kara," she answers. "I am a sister in the magical order of the Herrizah located to the north of Damycan."
"Herrizah? Ok…what is that?" Palom releases his eyelids as the strain to see the woman was causing more pain than good.
"The Herrizah is an ancient order of female magicians born over a thousand years ago. For a great while the order was broken for reasons unknown, and has resurfaced about a decade ago. We started in Toroia, sharing in each other the love of magic, both white and black, and created a sisterhood to protect those in need. However, our magical specialties hang far above those that you normally know of. Our magic is that of a new breed; a sort of mixture between the two extremes; and far more powerful than either."
"So you're from a woman's club huh? No testosterone allowed?"
"Do you mock the order?" Her voice is a little stern, but in more of an amused sense.
"Considering the situation that I'm in at the moment…no of course not," Palom slowly sits up with little regard to the pain still coursing through him. He can see the lighted opening to the cave, as his eyes start to slowly regain their vision. "But I am wondering something," he looks to his right, and sees his three companions lying side-by-side, unconscious but breathing normally. Whatever physical injuries they were dealt by the cougar are nothing more than red discolorations on the skin, like slowly fading memories. "What is a woman of the order of Hersa…"
"Herrizah." The woman corrects him.
"Yeah. Well, what are you doing here, and why did you save us?"
Kara stands from her perch and approaches Palom. Her long flowing cloak folds under and around her as if it were alive. Her scent is sweet and a little tingly to the nose, but very nice according to Palom's standards. He knows he's smelled that fragrance before but he can't quite grasp the name of it. As Kara kneels beside him, Palom's male instinct leads his eyes in search of a V-neck and some cleavage, but to his disappointment, the darkness of the cave and his puffy eyes obscure his vision of her.
"Right now," she says. "All you need to know is that you're all in danger, and that my presence here is a blessing to you and your friends. The time will come when you will need to be heroes once again."
Palom stares into her brown, piercing eyes.
"Rest Palom. You're definitely going to need it for all the days to come."
End of Interlude
"No, you're not coming with me and that's that, ya hear?"
"But I want to help too Cid," Hanlen keeps close to Cid as they make their way to the airship launching area. "Besides, there's nothing for me to do here if they're going to shut the town down, and send everyone underground like you said."
Cid stops for a moment a gives Hanlen Wallister a stern glance.
"Now look kid, remember all those stories I've been telling you about the war and all the shit that happened? Well, the sequel to that story has begun, and I don't know how it's going to end; which means you're better off staying here with your family where it's safe…for now anyways."
"But Cid…" Hanlen starts, but doesn't know how to convince Cid to take him along.
"Look, that's the best way that you can help right now. Keep an eye on things over here and prepare for the worst. If you want to become a great mechanic like the fantastic Cid Pollendina, the first step is keeping yourself alive. You got that kid?"
Hanlen lowers his eyes, conceding the fact that he can't follow Cid back to Baron. He nods in agreement and lifts his arm to shake Cid's hand.
"Will I see you again?"
"You better believe it ya little runt. There's still a lot of shit I gotta teach ya, so you better be prepared."
After they share a smile and a quick hug, Cid makes his way up the ramp of his airship; hoping upon all hope, that what he just told his most promising young student, wasn't a lie.