Chapter 2

Terra shivered as she felt the cold air hit her bare arms, and reached upward to close her window. Her thin, flowing green dress had no sleeves, made in the world of Balance, for the World of Ruin was cold, always cold. She caught her hand in midair as she saw two, no, three dark figures making their way across the desert of Figaro. One was clothed entirely in black. As she watched them she saw they were obviously coming to Figaro castle.

Tentatively she closed her hand over the sword hanging at the doorknob and thrust it into her belt out of habit. Her feet tapped softly on the marble floor as she made her way quietly through the darkness to the front gate. She swung it open gently and shut it firmly behind her. Automatically she hurried toward them, confidently. Despite the loss of her magic, she was still skilled in the use of the sword, after having faced monsters and dragons and even Kefka.

As she neared them she observed, definitely, that the one in the front was Sabin. The other two seemed to be Locke and… a dark-clothed man. Oddly, the two's wrists seemed to be tied together… Locke's as well. And Sabin was holding the rope.

She ran the last distance as she recognized Shadow's unmistakable mask. Shadow was dead… even she could admit that. And Sabin had tied both of their wrists together. She drew her sword quietly but did not hold it menacingly in front of her yet. Then she realized Shadow was staggering… injured? She became conscious of the dark stains on his clothing… and the gashes. The dark reddish trail on the sand behind him. Tense, she took a defensive stance.

"Terra, it's me." Sabin held his hand up with his palm flat towards her. He pulled the claw off his hand and placed it in his bag. Terra relaxed her grip. "Shadow's… alive. I swear to god this is him. He's been injured… I don't think he can walk anymore. Just carry him in. And I found Locke. Let me explain later. Just… I have to keep an eye on Locke, okay? Tell the guards to watch Shadow too, injured or no."

"All… right." She said uncertainly, looking again towards Locke…she couldn't see his face, because he was looking down and his hair fell forward to block her view. But Locke… Locke was so kind, carefree, protective… what could make Locke dangerous? Possibly the wounds on Shadow… if it was Shadow. No, Locke would never do such a thing.

Shadow suddenly swayed to his left, and collapsed. She lifted him, feeling the folds of his clothing, the lack of heat in his body. Yes, it felt like Shadow. He was light, possibly from loss of blood, but Shadow had always been fast and light. Agile. That was the word. A strange rippling fear ran throughout Terra's body. Shadow was dead. Otherwise, if he had escaped the tower, why had there been no trace of him the last year? In other words… what had he been doing? She had no idea what Shadow was capable of, nor his ambitions.

The guard on watch was sleeping. She'd actually missed that as she came out. But now, with only weakened monsters to worry about, and occasional bandits, guards who slept on watch were not punished harshly. Before, they may have been demoted or had their pay cut for a month. Now, they were made to double-shift a night or maybe two nights. She nudged him gently.

"What? Oh… I…!" He stumbled up and grabbed his sword. "Forgive my behavior, Lady Branford—"

"Wake up one of the doctors. I have to take this man to the infirmary. Post a guard outside the infirmary and tell him to keep watch. And wake the King. Tell him it's…important."

"Yes, my lady." He scuttered off.