Cure Ring - 2
By: Liv
"Huh?! Locke? He must be searching the world for the fabled treasure. Find the treasure, and you'll find Locke!"
"My arse!" Sabin shouted as he watched Celes open the treasure chest near the bridge. He had remembered what the patriarch from Kohlingen had said. "There's GOT to be a lotta treasures 'round here! How would we know where Locke is??"
"I think he's in this cave." Setzer said as-a-matter-of-factly.
"And what makes you think so?"
"He took everything but a weapon." Celes pointed out showing to everyone the Wing Edge. "And to think he's the only one who can wield this!"
"Guys??" Terra called from below as she remained standing on a plaque of some sort. "Can we go now??"
Sabin turned to Relm. "Can you...go and step on the plaque?"
"Why me??" Relm whined. "You've got a very big body! Why don't you do it??"
"Relm--"
"C'mon now!!"
"Sabin..."
Sabin looked at his brother who was getting impatient himself.
"Just go to the plaque and let us go." Edgar was obviously bored. He was leaning against the wall. No fear of monsters can be seen on him.
Sabin muttered incoherently and stomped to wherever the plaque is. It made a sound of detection.
"Thanks, bro!" Edgar waved and was the last in line in Terra's party as they all hurried off.
When they were all through with Sabin, he stepped out of the plaque and returned to his party. "Well? Are we done here?"
Setzer smirked. "You seem to be very bored Sabin. Cyan's waiting in the airship, you wanna get him down here and watch the Falcon for me instead?"
"No way! That's punishment! I'm born for ACTION! Not for waiting!"
Setzer turned serious. "Good! Now stop whining and shut up if that's all you can do."
Sabin muttered as he watched Setzer approach Celes. He listened to them talk.
"Celes," Setzer began. "Are we ready?"
Celes nodded, finally done studying the Wing Edge. "Locke is waiting."
*****
"Maybe I should have really taken that thing." Locke told himself. The monsters were terrible and all he had with him was his trusty Hawk Eye and Kirin the Esper. He was picking the lock of a chest on a rock in the middle of the lava. Upon successfully doing so, he pushed the lid open and carried out a red shield. "Cool! A Flame Shield." He held it with his left hand and felt comfortable with it around. "Hey...not bad." He slowly wore a smile. "Well! Off to look for the fabled treasure again!" He closed the lid and stood up. He readied himself for the leaping action back to land.
*****
"Are you sure you can still make it, Strago?" Terra asked the old man who seemed to be overworking himself. His arm was on her shoulders.
"Of course, I can!" Strago said arrogantly. "I can't let Relm beat me."
"I told you he's an old fool..." Relm spoke and felt a nudge from Celes.
"You know what?" Edgar told Celes who looked at him. "I'm beginning to wonder how Locke made it into the core without any help at all?"
"He's a bloody thief!" Sabin pointed out. "What can you expect? Nobody survives a life like a thief if they're not witty enough!"
"He probably took a boulder and placed it on the other plaque." Setzer guessed, now the one who is bored.
Terra left Strago to Edgar's assistance. "Ready, Celes?"
Celes had been waiting for Terra on her plaque. She nodded.
Terra stepped on the second plaque. Both watched the huge rock in front of them slowly sink and match the level of their ground. She looked at Celes. "Go on ahead. We'll watch your back."
Celes nodded. "Thank you, Terra..."
*****
"Just...a little bit...more..." Locke bit his lower lip. He heard the rewarding click of the lock and wore a wide smile. "Eureka!"
"Locke!!"
"Ahhh!" Locke leapt in surprise and turned around to his callers. His heart skipped a beat as the familiar people stood in front of him. "You're all safe!" But he was too excited to even hug them or what. Quickly, he turned around and took his treasure. "Behold..." He revealed the stone to everyone. "A legendary relic that can restore life..."
Sabin, still in his place, studied the relic. "That looks like..Magicite..."
"Correct!" Locke continued. "Legend has it that ages ago, the Phoenix was turned to stone. And many legends are based in facts..."
Setzer couldn't understand what he was getting at.
Locke noticed something in the Magicite and studied it closer. His heart fell. "This has some major cracks in it, though. I fear it may have lost its power in time..." His voice was softer.
"Locke..." Celes spoke. "That's for Rachel, isn't it...?"
Locke didn't nod...but Celes was right. "I wasn't able to save Rachel. I've lost all sense of purpose. My life will have no meaning until I can right this terrible wrong."
Setzer cleared his throat. "Will you come with us? Only as far as Kohlingen."
Locke turned to Setzer...then nodded.
*****
The patriarch was as always, guarding Rachel's body. He heard loud footsteps from above and looked at who was coming. *Locke?!*
Locke zoomed to Rachel's side, excited. He took the Magicite from his pocket and got Rachel's cold hands to hold it tight.
But none happened.
Dismay can be seen in Locke's eyes and his breath slowed down.
The patriarch sighed. "If only the Magicite didn't bear those deep cracks..." He turned stern. "I think you've been wasting your time, Young man!" Suddenly, the Magicite erupted into crystals. "Uwaaaaa! The Magicite's gonna shatter!"
*****
Celes was waiting in the main floor when she saw the bright blue light. She gasped and rushed down. But before she could even arrive to the basement, she had stopped to watch...hidden.
The aura of the Phoenix was around them.
Rachel's eyes blinked open. "Locke..."
Locke's heart jumped as he heard the voice. "Rachel!!!
Rachel's eyes turned to where the manly voice came from and saw her beloved. "Locke...I've dreamed of seeing you...I wanted to hear your voice."
"Rachel..."
"The Phoenix has given me so little time...I have to leave again soon..." Rachel saw his sadness through his eyes. The news was so much for him to take. "But I have something I must tell you."
Locke was silent, no words came out of his mouth as he waited for Rachel to speak.
"Locke..." Rachel began. "With you, I was so happy...in that instant that the accident occured, I thought only of you...and about the joy you brought me." She swallowed heard, knowing her life was going. "Thank you, Locke...I'll never forget you..." Soon, the aura had gone.
"Rachel!!!!" Locke shouted.
"I have to go now. You must now cast off the anguish that you've been harboring inside for so long..." Rachel choked as he began to cry. "Today, I set your heart free. You must learn to love yourself again, and regain your self respect." Her eyes closed.
"Rachel!!!" Locke saw Rachel's body float and begin to blink.
Celes felt her heart being crushed as she watched Locke's desperate actions. He was calling for the Phoenix to return. She wanted to stay longer...but could not take anymore of Locke's pain.
She had to ranaway.
*****
Celes found the silence calming. Soon, she heard footsteps. Ready to face the comer, she watched him approach the table. "Locke..."
"Thanks, I'm okay..." Was Locke's automatic reply. His voice was soft. He knew Celes was concerned of him...and was glad she had waited for him. "I feel lighter than air..."
Celes blinked.
Soon, Locke's voice sounded decisive. "From here on, I'll be all right." He turned around to Celes with the same determined look he had worn when he met Celes. "Let's go! We have work to do!"
Celes felt a smile curl on her face.
*****
Celes left the house with Locke. Their footsteps were synchronized, then one pair left the other walking alone. She turned around to Locke with a questioning look. "What's up?"
Locke gestured for Celes to wait for him and re-entered the house. He returned with a group of items.
Celes' eyes enlarged. She approached the items and studied them each.
"X-Potion, Fenix Down, X-Ether, Elixir, Flame Shield, and Valiant Knife!" Locke introduced each. He saw Celes look at him and winked handsomely. "The treasures of the Phoenix Cave!"
It made Celes smile.
Locke kept each item and nodded at Celes. "Right! Let's move out! We have an appointment with Kefka!" He walked ahead of Celes and heard her giggling. "Huh?" He turned around. "What is it?"
Celes smiled sweetly. "Aren't you forgetting something...BANDANA-boy?"
"Huh?" Locke held his forehead and found it bare. "Oh, yeah! My bandana." He saw Celes reveal to him his gear and found a ring around it. "Hey, cool! A relic." He took his bandana and slipped the ring out of it. "What's this?" He studied it in different angles allowing the sun to shine on it.
"It's a Cure Ring." Celes approached Locke and studied it with him. "It's something I bought from South Figaro for you."
"For me?" Locke slipped the ring onto his right finger and felt his energy gradually coming back. "Hey, cool!" He smiled at Celes. "Thanks..."
Celes nodded. She felt her mission completed. She held on the Cure Ring ever since she had bought it. It had given her strength and hope that one day, the man she is looking for will wear it.
And that day...is today.
- End -
Most of their dialogues here are taken from the game itself. I hope you enjoyed. :)