Chapter 7

Hidden wounds

Cecil sat in the castle kitchen, trying to clear his thoughts – this room was often the only place in the castle where he could reflect without being disturbed by his friends. But this time, this turned out to be a mistake, as suddenly Edge stormed into the room, exclaiming he was needing a drink after all this fuss about the earthquake. Without a word, Cecil tossed the key to the wine cellar to him.

Before Edge left the kitchen again, happily clutching some bottles to his chest, he informed his friend that the airships already were on their way to Agart.

"Don't you want to join us in the meeting room?"

"No... I am feeling a bit tired and things run without me, anyway. Just inform me if something happens ..."

"Uh - sure man ..." The blue haired ninja hastily started to leave the room, not wanting to disturb his friend any longer. He came not far - WOOM - the kitchen door swung inwards, sending him onto the floor, and the bottles flying into the air...

"What the heck?!" Edge shouted angrily, rolled around and caught two of the bottles in midair. The third landed with a crash at his feet, leaving a red puddle on the floor. "Arg - I should start to train again..." He stared angrily at the mess.

"Cecil! Edge! Here you are!" Cid was standing in the doorway. His face was red and he was breathing heavily.

"Come quickly! The castle is being attacked!!!"

Cecil sprang to his feet, gripping Legend's hilt. "Attacked!? By whom?"

"Monsters! All kinds of - probably twenty or so... "

Suddenly they heard loud shouting and the sound of splintering wood.

"They're breaking the front door!" Cecil exclaimed. "Quickly!"

The three men ran towards the castle courtyard, Edge pushing the wine bottles in the hands of a castle servant. "Take good care of them!"

In the courtyard, ten guards had already lined up. Cecil searched for his friends:

Yang and Edward were standing next to him - the young Bard looking slightly afraid as always when battle was near. At the far end of the corner he could see Kain, holding tightly on to his lance.

"At least he's fighting with us..." As they had rushed outside he had caught a glimpse of Rosa, who had been hurrying to the sick quarters, to prepare everything in case someone got hurt.

"Cecil - what are you thinking of?!" Cid shook his shoulder: "Here they come!"

With a great crash, the big wooden front door was cracked open and a dozen monsters poured into the courtyard. Cecil lunged forward with unsheathed sword and separated with a quick blow the head of a skeleton from its body. The next swing hit the chest of a goblin. A bit behind him, Rydia was preparing a spell: "LIT!" she shouted with outstretched arms: With a loud bang, a lightening bolt hit into a Gazer.

"Hey! Yang - look at this!" Edge shouted loudly, pointing at a wild struggling monster he had pinned with some shurikens to a wall.

"Don't talk - fight!" the King of Fabul shouted back and smashed the bones of another skeleton with a good dealt kick.

"Hey! Are you having fun without us?" a voice could be heard somewhere.

Cecil whirled around. "Palom! Porom! Go inside at once - this is no place for kids!"

"Ah, don't worry about us, dude!" the little wizard laughed and disappeared, his sister following him into the fighting crowd.

"I'll take care of them, Cecil ..." Cid called, as he rushed forth, hitting various monsters with his big, heavy hammer.

"NOOOO!" It was Edwards scream. Another skeleton had surprised him from behind and was now raising his rusty sword to deal the King of Damcyan a mighty blow.

WUSHHH! A lance rained out of the air and got stuck in the monsters bony chest. With a quick motion the lance was pulled up and broke the bones.

"Are you alright, Edward?" Kain helped the bard up.

"I don't understand him ..." Cecil thought, while hacking frantically at a group of goblins.

The monsters were no match for the mass of Baron soldiers and the combat skill he and his friends possessed. After a while, the fighting noises were fading away - most monsters were dead or had fled.

"Whew!" Cid wiped off the sweat from his forehead. "Seems like we did it – wasn't so hard after all ..." Suddenly he was knocked over by some unseen force! "Ugh - what..."

"Shit! Spirits!" Edge shouted and started to wave his sword around wildly in the air... Suddenly some of the skeletons came back to life.

"The black energy of the spirits feeds them!" Cecil shouted. "Watch out - we must get rid of them!"

"Wish I could, Cecil!" Yang was kicking at a blurred form in the air. "But they are immune to normal attacks - your holy sword should do the trick, though ..."

"You're right - just leave it to me!" Cecil gripped Legend more firmly, lunged himself at one of the ghosts and prepared for a mighty blow.

Sheeesh... The blade went right through the creature - with no effect.

"Wha - what ..." Cecil gasped in surprise. The ghost gave an angry howl and then knocked Cecil with full force from his feet. The paladin rolled aside quickly, and soon was on his feet again. "Yang! It does not work! Legend has no effect on them!"

His friend shot him a surprised look. "And what now?"

"Don't worry - they have another weak point!" Rydia prepared another spell: "IFRIT!"

In midair a flaming creature suddenly appeared and burst forward, sending fireballs in all directions. In the instant of a second the monsters were burned and only some black bones of the skeletons remained.

"Huff!" Rydia looked around. "That was close! It took me awhile to summon a monster - contact is difficult these days. It was a good thing that there had been only few spirits..."

Edge beamed at her proudly. "Good work Rydia!" He tried to hug her. With a giggle, Rydia ducked under his arm and instead joined Cecil, who stood in the middle of the courtyard. The paladin was staring blankly at Legend's blade.

"It has stopped glowing!" he murmured. His friends looked at him in wonder. Rosa had appeared in the castle entrance and was watching him, too, with a frowning expression.

"What do you mean, Cecil?" Edward asked softly, breaking the silence.

"Look - the magical glow it normally has... has disappeared..." He held the sword up - its blade was dull...

"I didn't notice it until now..." Cecil continued. "Legend receives its power from White and Holy magic - if that magic disappears--"

"--it's just a normal sword ..." Yang finished the sentence. "That's why it couldn't kill the spirits..."

For a moment, everyone was silent, thinking.

"Maybe it just needs some powering up!" Edge exclaimed suddenly, looking very proud of his idea. "You probably just need to put it back in the stone it came from and wait some time and then ..."

"Stop it, Edge!" Rydia cut him short. "A holy sword is not something you just power up ..." She looked worried.

"That's right, Miss Rydia..." The Elder had appeared beside her, looking concerned as well. "Legend is getting fed by the power of goodness of his owner and the power of the shrine on Mt. Ordeals - when the sword's power disappears, something is very wrong..."

"Maybe the dumb black wizard was right after all ..." Palom murmured. "Though I don't like the thought... Hey Cecil! Have you done something bad during the last few days - like...kicking a cat or something like that?" he asked loudly.

"Palom!" Porom slapped him. "OUCH!"

Cecil stared at the two blankly.

"Your sister is right ... That is nonsense!" Rydia pressed her hands to her hips. "He didn't mean it that way, Cecil ..." She smiled at him.

"Yes - sorry dude!" Porom said sheepishly, looking in fact sorry.

Cecil nodded. "Yeah - I know ..." He stared again wordlessly at the blade.

"So what do we do now ..." someone asked.

"Why did these monsters attack us anyway...?"

"It is just as we suspected!" the Elder said. "The earthquake and the attacks on Mysidia were just the beginning ... Lets go inside and discuss what to do next - we still have to concentrate on the happenings in Agart." Everyone nodded.

"Message from the troops should be here, tomorrow. Let's save our powers till then."

He went into the castle, the others following. As Kain passed Cecil, he wanted to say something, but let it slip the last moment. The blond fighter hurried towards Rosa, spoke a few words to her and then went in, too. Rosa looked for a moment at her husband, somewhat looking sorrowful and then followed.

"Cecil – don't you want to come with us? Soon the sun will set and who knows what will come out of the woods again?" Rydia asked softly but had to giggle at her last words, trying to cheer her friend up. Cecil, who was still looking at the dull blade, shook his head.

"Thank you, Rydia - but I need some time alone ..."

Rydia nodded understandingly and left for the castle as well.

"Rydia!" Cecil called after her.

She looked back "Yes?"

He tried to smile. "Promise to take care of yourself - will you? That goes for all of our friends!" As he saw her frowning, he quickly added: "We don't know what perils will await us this time - do we ..."

Rydia's frown disappeared at once. "Sure!" she said seriously. "We'll all take care – don't you worry about us, Cecil." She entered the warm lit castle.

The paladin stood in the courtyard till the sun has nearly set. Then he hurried to the Royal chambers to pack some things; took a black chocobo out of the stables and quickly left the castle without anyone noticing him.

On a hill he stopped for a moment, glancing down at the majestic castle he called his home, wondering if he ever would see it again...