~*~Chapter Three: Searching, Part One~*~

Damcyan, the city of fire. It had been built in the middle of a desert in honor of the Crystal of Fire that was hidden within its thick stone walls. Damcyan had no town surrounding it, unlike most kingdoms. All the people of the kingdom lived in the castle or in one of the villages on the border of the desert or in and around the (slightly cooler) Kaipo Desert to the south of the Mist Mountain range.

Cecil entered the castle in normal clothes and unannounced, not caring for the senseless ceremony his visit that royal etiquette would usually require. He looked around, admiring the reconstruction of the palace and marveling how much cooler it was inside. He had heard of the ingenious pump system that brought water from the vital underground reservoir through the castle walls to cool the residents, and was surprised to see-- and feel-- how well it actually worked.

The throne room was guarded, as were all throne rooms. Cecil stepped up to them, pulled out the medallion carried by Baronian messengers, and politely said, "I would like to see King Edward, please."

One of the guards looked at the medallion and nodded, and the other went in to inform Edward of his message. Cecil simply waited patiently, trying to look like a messenger and wishing he had worn a helm of some sort. Purple hair wasn't exactly a common trait...

The second guard returned. "His Majesty will see you now, messenger. Follow me," he said. Cecil did so.

Edward was seated on his throne, studying what looked like a piece of sheet music. He put it down and looked at his visitor.

"...Cecil! Why are you dressed like that?" Edward asked, surprised to see the King of Baron when he expected a mere message.

The Paladin-King laughed. "Sometimes it's worth not getting stuck in the political mire."

"'Political Mire?'" Edward smiled. "You know, if you'd tried this with some rulers, they would consider it an insult of the highest order... But, taking into account your lack of experience in a position of power and your efforts to save the world... I guess I can let it slide." What the King of Damcyan lacked in battle skill, he made up for in diplomacy. In the first few months following the Crystal Wars, Edward had spent nearly as much time teaching Cecil some semblance of royal etiquette (so that he wouldn't accidentally cause a war) as supervising the reconstruction and upgrade of Damcyan. "So, what urgent business brings you here unannounced?"

"I wondered if you had seen a ball of blue light, around three weeks ago."

"A blue ball of light?" Edward shook his head. "I've heard of nothing of that sort. I'm sorry I can't be more of a help. But, if you're not in too much of a hurry, and explanation would be nice."

Cecil sighed. "I suppose I owe you that much, at least. Three weeks ago, balls of light appeared to Rosa, Edge, and Rydia. A few days ago, Baron was attacked, and Edge called up a giant and uncontrollable Flame spell. We've been thinking, and are assuming that one more orb of light-- of Wind-- appeared to someone who fought in the Crystal War. But as to who, we have no idea."

Edward nodded. "I'll keep an ear open for news."

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"Dude! That Flame spell was awesome!" Palom, one of the infamous Mysidian Twins who had accompanied Cecil on his quest to become a Paladin. "You have to teach me how to-- Ow!" Edge grinned, watching Palom glare venomously at his sister as he rubbed his head.

"One does not address a King as 'Dude.' You should know that." Porom turned to Edge. "Please forgive his insolence, Your Majesty." She curtsied. "What is it you wish to ask of us?"

"Have either of you seen a light blue orb of light?" Edge asked. Palom started to grab for the Mursamune.

"No." Porom said to Edge as she hit her brother again. "And I'm sure that's sharp," she told her twin.

Edge thanked them. No luck, he thought. But who else could it be?

As he passed, a cloaked man watched with relief and went in the opposite direction.

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Yang, the King of Fabul, wasn't much of a help, either. "To the best of my knowledge, the only thing of Wind we have here is the Crystal."

Rosa sighed softly. "Have you seen Kain, then?

"Not since you came to visit me in the Sylph Cave. I assume he's not yet returned to Baron?"

"No. He left without a word..."

"Oh. I'll be sure to keep an eye out, then."

"Thank you."

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"It has to be Kain," Rosa commented. The four had met back in Baron the following day, traded information, and gone to their respective rooms to rest. The only people they hadn't met were FuSoYa (whose answer was due the next day) and... Kain.

Cecil turned to look at her. "What makes you think that?"

"We overlooked the most obvious thing, that's why! Think about it: you, Edge, Rydia, and Kain all went to the moon to fight with me. That could be the link we were looking for."

"You... could be right about that, Rosa. Actually, it makes sense." Cecil sighed. "But... we don't have a clue where he went-- in fact, we don't even know where to start looking!"

"I know. But we have to try. After all, how many places could he have gone?"

"Um... about twenty. And that's just the obvious places to look. Searching everywhere there is to search could take us... years....

Where are you? Cecil thought. One morning, Kain had just been gone. He had only left a short note: "I promise to return. Do not be worried. -Kain. " Cecil had expected him to be back for the wedding, but he'd not turned up. Despite the note, Cecil couldn't help but worry...

Has something happened?

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The next morning dawned, all sunlight and Chocobo-down clouds in the sky. Rydia met Cecil out on the castle's battlements.

"Are you ready?" Cecil asked of the Caller. Rydia nodded, and started the chant to open the Summon portal. It opened, and the Dragon King Bahamut flew out, sweeping over the town, and dropped a small slip of folded paper at Rydia's feet before vanishing. Rydia picked it up, skimmed it, and wordlessly handed it to Cecil.

"Hmmm..." Cecil murmured, reading the letter.

Cecil:

FuSoYa is sleeping.. I will awaken him if you find it necessary, but I believe that if he had found such an object, he would have awakened as a result. Also, this phenomenon appears to be linked to the Elements of the Earth, and so we would most likely be well out of range.

I regret my inability to help you further.

Golbez

"Well..." Cecil said, still looking at the letter, "this is what I was expecting..."

Rydia blinked, surprised. "You were expecting Golbez to write back?"

"No. I meant I was expecting that answer."

"Oh. Well, that makes sense. So... what do we do now?"

"The obvious: find Kain."

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Rosa found herself in the garden once more, watching the maiden pour her jug of water into the fountain. Somehow, the sight never bored her.

Could it be because of the odd... elemental connection? What do those orbs have to do with anything? I wonder what the Water power I supposedly have does, anyway..?

She would find her answer soon enough.