~~~===~~~
Chapter Four: A Favor Returned, A Friendship Reforged
~~~===~~~
Gods, I was an idiot. Given the way that Edward, of all people, attacked me in Toroia, I should have known better than to stop at Mist on my way to Baron.
That, I told myself, was why I was staring down the proverbial barrel of a very pissed off Rydia Drake.
Gods, was I ever an idiot.
I should have known she'd be back here; two months would be a new record for her to stay with Edge in Eblan. She was back, she'd heard the news that I hadn't even gotten yet and, unlike Edward, she had the power to back it up. But I was not going to hurt her in order to get away. Even if she was more than willing to use her powers to hurt me.
I was lying on the ground, stunned, thinking that it was a damned good thing she was worried about collateral damage at the moment. If she hadn't been, then the Flare I'd just caught in the chest would probably have been Bahamut's hellish inferno, or one of Leviathan's tidal waves. As it was, it was only the second most powerful spell known to black mages.
It hurt worse than anything I could remember in a very, very long time. Still, I did remember the first time I fought Bahamut, and there was little denying that it hurt a hell of a lot more than this did.
"And you know what," an internal voice observed, "she can do that at least a dozen more times before she has to stop and rest." That thought was enough to bring me back to reality, as I rolled to the side just as a small tornado formed where I'd been lying. Rolling to my feet, I jumped into the air, far above what she could see to target. Or at least that's what I'd thought until I saw a faint blue figure flying towards me from the distance. Shiva, mistress of the winter winds.
At least I could hurt her without killing Rydia, so long as I was careful. I angled the Holy Lance as I reached the apex of my leap, and plummeted towards the mighty creature, who drew a breath as she flew up towards me. At the last second, I redirected my fall, so that I only caught her hip as I fell towards the ground, even as she caught me with the edge of her deadly winds. She disappeared with a shriek, returning to her home, as I continued down. That was when I realized my second mistake of the day - I'd forgotten to judge where my landing would be when I'd adjusted to keep from killing Shiva, and was plummeting towards a rooftop. I changed my angle, but it was too little, too late. I hit the edge of the roof, and felt muscles tear as I fell and rolled, a rib cracking as I hit the ground, hard. I groaned as Rydia approached me, her whip in hand.
"Stop," she said coldly, as I felt my muscles seize up, sending a paroxysm of agony through my body as they tensed in places that should have been allowed to rest. At least my cracked rib was held in place too. She rolled me over, having to use most of her strength to do so, and started binding my hands with her whip. I couldn't blame her, honestly - she thought that I'd kidnapped Rosa, who had been like a big sister to her. But I knew that this wasn't going to get me anywhere, and couldn't help but feel frustrated that I'd been caught like this, especially given that I could have avoided all of it. Then a dagger flew through the air, catching the sleeve of the Minerva gown Rydia had worn for the battle, in case I would have actually tried fighting her. With her arm pinned to the wall of the building I'd landed next to, she looked in the direction the knife had come from. I couldn't move my head enough to see, but her reaction told me everything I needed to know.
"Callista? What the hell are you doing?"
"Wondering what you're doing with my friend," said the voice that I'd rescued two months before. I would have sighed in relief, but my lungs were only moving enough to let me breathe normally, if not a little less than what was comfortable.
"He's my friend too, but that doesn't excuse the kidnapping of the Queen of Baron."
"He didn't do that," she said without a moment's hesitation. I was struck by the irony that a person I'd met once had more faith in my than my friends did. Of course, I hadn't had a chance to prove I wasn't trustworthy to her.
"I told you last night that her husband saw him take her from their chambers." What? That wasn't possible! What the hell was going on? Rydia's spell was starting to wear off, and I could feel my muscles beginning to relax. I could even move my head enough to look around, though I couldn't speak yet.
"I don't remember ever seeing you before." The look on Rydia's face was showed that she had clearly not expected that response, but Callista continued quickly. "To put it simply, Caller, you cannot use any of your true magic with your hand pinned there. If you try to free your hand, I'll tear you apart before the knife is out of that wall. And if you try to call your monsters, then you'll either destroy this village or be killed when I destroy your monster. Since you don't have any say in the matter, I'll take my friend and be on my way." There was an uncomfortable silence as they waited for the spell to end. When it did, I stood, ignoring the pain in my side. Rydia scowled at me from where she stood.
"If anything happens to Rosa, Kain, I swear -" I cut her off with my own oath.
"If anything happens to Rosa, I'll kill the person responsible slowly and painfully myself. Whatever Cecil saw, it was not me kidnapping her - you should know better than that, Rydia. I haven't had time to return to Baron since you saw me last, and I doubt that she was captured long before - if she had been, Cecil would have torn every city apart looking for her."
"She was taken just after you left Eblan. And of course you've had time, using the magic you used fighting her. I could have gone from Eblan to Baron in an instant as a child." Magic? That sealed the deal - there was no way I could have done that.
"Perhaps that's true, Rydia, but even as a child your magic was stronger than mine - you had some. I haven't used any spells of my own in my lifetime."
"That's what I thought, but there is no way Cecil would lie about something like that."
"Then Cecil must be mistaken. I'll have to correct his misperceptions myself. Thank you for the rescue, Callista." I turned, and started to walk away, fighting to keep the agony every step caused me from showing. Once I was out of the village, I leaned against a tree and rested for a moment, wishing that my non-combat gear hadn't been destroyed when Rydia's spell had hit me - the potions that would have made the trip easier were thoroughly destroyed now. But I'd just have to tough it out - at least any battles between here and Baron should be simple ones.
As I limped away, I thought I heard a rustle in the branches behind me. I turned around, the Holy Lance flaring to life as I did so, white fire coating the blade, but there was nobody there. I turned again, just as Callista dropped in front of me from the trees. I jumped back, startled, but managed to keep to my feet. She held out a familiar potion vial.
"Here, looks like you could use this." I took the bottle, undid the seal, and drank it quickly, too pained to worry about whether or not it was a trick. I felt the pain fade, my burns heal, and my bones and muscles knit, leaving me mostly uninjured by the time the magic was done.
"Thank you," I said, wiping a trace of the liquid from my lips. "For this, and for the save."
"I owed you one. Where are you going next?"
"Baron. I have to see Cecil, find out what happened."
"Are you insane? He thinks you kidnapped his wife, he'll have you killed!" I shook my head and chuckled grimly.
"No, he won't. I know Cecil - he'll give me a chance to explain what happened, at least well enough that I can convince him I didn't do it."
"I'm coming with you."
"That's not necessary, you've obviously got your own life to lead."
"Not that can't wait. I have a feeling you'll be needing some help," she explained as she walked on ahead.
"Thank you, then. By the way, I owe you one." I picked up my lance and started following her as she looked over her shoulder and grinned at me.
"Nah. Not yet."
~~~===~~~
Irony had never been my strong point, when I was trying to be that way. And, yet, it seemed that there were days when my entire existence boiled down into a moment that made me wonder if accidents were the best way to succeed. Today was one of those days.
I was sitting in the club at Toroia, having used my powers to move through the wall without bothering with one of their insanely priced passes. Normally, I wouldn't have even cared, frankly; Toroia's famous shows had never been of particular interest to me, in millennia of existence. I was there to talk to a young man, and there was the irony. Though the Prince of Eblan blamed me for Lugae's perversion of nature, and what happened to his parents, I truly had no part in that - the only role I had played in Eblan's devastation was when I led the armies that ruined the castle, and captured his parents. Honestly, I tried to minimize the losses as much as I could.
I had seen enough death at Damcyan, with the death of the king, queen, and fiancé to the prince. The man I was now speaking to as though we had long been friends for many years. Of course, Edward had not seen me from the command ship - he had seen Golbez instead.
"So you tried to bring the dragoon down by yourself?" When first the drunken ass had told me what he'd done, I nearly revealed myself and killed him where he sat, but I decided to hear why he'd attacked his friend first.
"Yeah," he grumbled. "Didn't do any good. I don't know why I even bother - it's like everything I try falls apart or blows up in my face. I just couldn't sit there and do nothing when I had the chance to find out where he'd taken Rosa." So that was it - the Queen of Baron was missing; I'd known that much from the rumors I'd heard looking for Kain. What I didn't know was that everybody thought he had kidnapped her.
Was it possible? I knew how his love for her had been perverted by Golbez to allow his dark side to dominate his honorable soul. If another being had somehow released his dark side, or something had changed his normal demeanor, it was possible that he had broken free and taken matters into his own hands.
But no, I couldn't believe that Kain had done something like that willingly. Even Golbez had been forced to restrain him on several occasions when Rosa's safety was at risk. I don't think anything would allow the darkness in the dragoon's soul to control him that much. And he knew that she preferred her life with Cecil, for whatever reason. I could never understand what she saw in the Paladin, myself, though I'm sure she had her reasons. Even Kain's descriptions of his friend didn't paint that glowing a picture of him, though I admit that Kain hadn't seen his friend after he became a paladin. Or with the eyes of a lover, for that matter, which the white mage certainly had.
"What happened then," I asked, trying to be polite as I sipped my drink.
"What happens when anybody takes on one of the heroes who saved the world. I lost, rather quickly at that. He escaped by throwing me into the guards, then jumping out the window." Though I kept my expression sympathetic, I couldn't help but smile inwardly. The boy had spirit now, that much was true. But Kain had more of it, and had used it longer.
"Well, I'll bid you a good day then, Lord von Muir," I said, finishing my drink and bowing as I stood. I walked to the door of the club, and opened it, walking out past a very startled guard, who couldn't remember letting me in - but had no clue how I could have gotten through a heavy stone door without him knowing about it.
When I was outside the city, I allowed my powers to manifest again, and floated into the sky as I stretched out with my unusual senses.
"Where are you, Kain," I asked myself. "Already I've searched for you for many days - how hard can it be to find one mortal, especially one who stands out like you do?
"A silly question, Rubicant," I answered myself, "you aren't just looking for any mortal - you're looking for Kain Highwind. Now, where would he go if he had just heard that he'd kidnapped Rosa, but hadn't?" Of course - to Baron. Why hadn't I realized that as soon as he'd heard the rumors, he'd go back there? No matter - there was little time to waste. If Cecil was as hot-headed about this as Edward had been, there could well be blood spilt by the time Kain left Baron.
And, I was sorry to admit, it probably wouldn't be the paladin's..
~~~===~~~
Kain Highwind walked up to the gates of Castle Baron with no hesitation, no pause, Callista close behind him. For days they had traveled, Kain never asking her about the quirks she exhibited, and she, for her part, had yet to question his decision to return to Baron again. She was carrying his lance along with her gear, leaving him completely unarmed. Yet, the guards snapped to attention for a moment when they saw their Captain - before they remembered that he was now the most wanted man in the kingdom, and one of them called out the alarum, both of them lowering their spears.
"I come in peace, to see the King, regarding the news I have just received about the Queen's abduction. I am unarmed," he emphasized, "and my friend shall remain outside the castle with my weapon if necessary." More guards came to the battlements, bows drawn in case their former leader should try to do anything rash.
"As though they could actually hurt me badly," Kain thought, smiling grimly. He'd expected this - but that was why he'd come like this, to focus their attention. "Still, they're more loyal to Cecil than to their captain - I must remember to bring that to his attention when their pay is prepared next. If I have the chance." He held a small object in his hand, a crumpled veil that they had left with the Great Chocobo years ago. He threw the veil up, and it disappeared in a shimmer of light as, suddenly, a pair of false Kains appeared, and the trio leaped high above the battlements.
A hail of arrows pierced two of the Kains, but bounced off the armor and shield of the third as he landed, and sprinted for the throne room, where he hoped he would find Cecil. Fists covered in dragon-scales, and a shield forged of the same, bashed guards aside as they rushed the dragoon. He threw his shoulder forward as he rushed the doors, knocking them wide open, and stumbling as a hoard of guards fell on him, trying to wrestle him to the ground. Kain held them off for a moment, moving further into the chamber, fighting against them with the raw strength that had fought against Zeromus. Soon, though, the guards dangling from him, and the others piling on, were too much, and he fell to the ground outside the door to the throne room just as they opened, revealing the paladin-king on the other side.
Kain looked up at Cecil, a searching expression in his eyes. For the first time he remembered, he saw nothing but disgust in Cecil's. A surge of anger ran through him - the one time he didn't deserve it, and what did he get?
But no, Cecil had no reason to trust him over his own eyes. "Think, you fool," Kain thought, "look at him - if he's thinking straight, it's a miracle." And it was true.
The paladin's expression, once Kain was past the anger, was that of an old man. Tired, worn, and ready to drop. No doubt he had been spending his nights searching for Rosa, while he spent his days trying to run his kingdom. But soon, he wouldn't be able to do either, at this rate. His white magic would delay the inevitable, but even Cecil had to sleep.
"My liege," Kain said, bowing his head as well as he could.
"What are you doing here," came the demand from the man Kain had once thought of as a brother.
"I heard about the Queen's kidnapping, and came to find out what had happened, if I could help. I was particularly distressed by what I heard saying that I had committed the crime."
"I saw you with my own eyes, Kain. Sitting in the tower, carrying her before you fled."
"I was camping outside of Eblan that night, my liege. It would not have been possible for me to be in both places at once."
"Assuming you were there all night -"
"Do me the honor of not calling me a liar, Cecil," he said, a hard edge creeping into his voice. "I may have betrayed you twice before, under the spells of Golbez, but I have never lied to you of my own will." Cecil paused for a moment, and for a second Kain saw his old friend, but his expression hardened quickly.
"Even so, the magic you used would have allowed such a thing with ease - it is, after all, how you avoided capture by the guards." Kain laughed bitterly.
"Have I ever used magic before, Cecil? Bring one of your black mages here, have them tell you if I have even an iota of mystical power within myself." To his credit, Cecil did motion to one of the guards to do as Kain said, and soon one of the journeyman mages of Baron's guild was there.
"Does he have any power, any ability to use true spells?" The mage looked at Kain with glowing eyes, hidden in the inky blackness under its hat. An unnerving experience, but most of his kind found it useful. Especially the spell-sight it gave them, which gave them the power to know if a foe had any power to steal. Soon, the hat turned from one side to the other, as the mage it belonged to shook his head and walked off silently. Cecil indicated for the guards to let Kain go, as his face took on an ashen cast. They left the room just before their king fell to his knees.
"God, Kain, forgive me. I saw - I thought I saw you, thought you'd been turned again. And I turned all our friends against you. I'm sorry."
"Forgiven, Cecil. I can hardly blame you, honestly. Just please tell the rest of our little band before they try to take matters into their own hands again."
"I know - Rydia sent the Sylphs to tell me what happened, and a messenger from Toroia just arrived a few minutes before you did."
"I'll go look for her, then. You can stay here and take care of yourself and your kingdom."
"I'll get the word out as soon as I can. Come on, I'll make sure the guards don't try to jump you on the way out."
"Thank you," Kain said, allowing Cecil to put an arm around his shoulders as they walked out - taking some of the paladin-king's weight as they walked. When they were out in the courtyard, Callista came running up to meet them.
"King Cecil Harvey, Callista, the friend I was telling you about." Cecil stepped to the side and bowed graciously.
"Always a pleasure to meet a friend of a friend. I apologize for any trouble you went through on his behalf."
"Don't worry about it," she answered, grinning. "I owed him." Just then, a shadow passed over the courtyard, and everybody looked up - to see the gleaming vessel of Lord Dragonheart obscure the sun. Kain paled, looking at the ship, as he heard a familiar voice in the back of his head speak - his dark side.
"I'm going to be free again, Kain, if he has his way - and not even the Meteo will stop me when this Master is through - what's left of your mind will be too busy cowering in our subconscious to care. The Master is here."
~~~===~~~
End of Chapter Four: A Favor Returned, A Friendship Reforged
~~~===~~~
Chapter Four: A Favor Returned, A Friendship Reforged
~~~===~~~
Gods, I was an idiot. Given the way that Edward, of all people, attacked me in Toroia, I should have known better than to stop at Mist on my way to Baron.
That, I told myself, was why I was staring down the proverbial barrel of a very pissed off Rydia Drake.
Gods, was I ever an idiot.
I should have known she'd be back here; two months would be a new record for her to stay with Edge in Eblan. She was back, she'd heard the news that I hadn't even gotten yet and, unlike Edward, she had the power to back it up. But I was not going to hurt her in order to get away. Even if she was more than willing to use her powers to hurt me.
I was lying on the ground, stunned, thinking that it was a damned good thing she was worried about collateral damage at the moment. If she hadn't been, then the Flare I'd just caught in the chest would probably have been Bahamut's hellish inferno, or one of Leviathan's tidal waves. As it was, it was only the second most powerful spell known to black mages.
It hurt worse than anything I could remember in a very, very long time. Still, I did remember the first time I fought Bahamut, and there was little denying that it hurt a hell of a lot more than this did.
"And you know what," an internal voice observed, "she can do that at least a dozen more times before she has to stop and rest." That thought was enough to bring me back to reality, as I rolled to the side just as a small tornado formed where I'd been lying. Rolling to my feet, I jumped into the air, far above what she could see to target. Or at least that's what I'd thought until I saw a faint blue figure flying towards me from the distance. Shiva, mistress of the winter winds.
At least I could hurt her without killing Rydia, so long as I was careful. I angled the Holy Lance as I reached the apex of my leap, and plummeted towards the mighty creature, who drew a breath as she flew up towards me. At the last second, I redirected my fall, so that I only caught her hip as I fell towards the ground, even as she caught me with the edge of her deadly winds. She disappeared with a shriek, returning to her home, as I continued down. That was when I realized my second mistake of the day - I'd forgotten to judge where my landing would be when I'd adjusted to keep from killing Shiva, and was plummeting towards a rooftop. I changed my angle, but it was too little, too late. I hit the edge of the roof, and felt muscles tear as I fell and rolled, a rib cracking as I hit the ground, hard. I groaned as Rydia approached me, her whip in hand.
"Stop," she said coldly, as I felt my muscles seize up, sending a paroxysm of agony through my body as they tensed in places that should have been allowed to rest. At least my cracked rib was held in place too. She rolled me over, having to use most of her strength to do so, and started binding my hands with her whip. I couldn't blame her, honestly - she thought that I'd kidnapped Rosa, who had been like a big sister to her. But I knew that this wasn't going to get me anywhere, and couldn't help but feel frustrated that I'd been caught like this, especially given that I could have avoided all of it. Then a dagger flew through the air, catching the sleeve of the Minerva gown Rydia had worn for the battle, in case I would have actually tried fighting her. With her arm pinned to the wall of the building I'd landed next to, she looked in the direction the knife had come from. I couldn't move my head enough to see, but her reaction told me everything I needed to know.
"Callista? What the hell are you doing?"
"Wondering what you're doing with my friend," said the voice that I'd rescued two months before. I would have sighed in relief, but my lungs were only moving enough to let me breathe normally, if not a little less than what was comfortable.
"He's my friend too, but that doesn't excuse the kidnapping of the Queen of Baron."
"He didn't do that," she said without a moment's hesitation. I was struck by the irony that a person I'd met once had more faith in my than my friends did. Of course, I hadn't had a chance to prove I wasn't trustworthy to her.
"I told you last night that her husband saw him take her from their chambers." What? That wasn't possible! What the hell was going on? Rydia's spell was starting to wear off, and I could feel my muscles beginning to relax. I could even move my head enough to look around, though I couldn't speak yet.
"I don't remember ever seeing you before." The look on Rydia's face was showed that she had clearly not expected that response, but Callista continued quickly. "To put it simply, Caller, you cannot use any of your true magic with your hand pinned there. If you try to free your hand, I'll tear you apart before the knife is out of that wall. And if you try to call your monsters, then you'll either destroy this village or be killed when I destroy your monster. Since you don't have any say in the matter, I'll take my friend and be on my way." There was an uncomfortable silence as they waited for the spell to end. When it did, I stood, ignoring the pain in my side. Rydia scowled at me from where she stood.
"If anything happens to Rosa, Kain, I swear -" I cut her off with my own oath.
"If anything happens to Rosa, I'll kill the person responsible slowly and painfully myself. Whatever Cecil saw, it was not me kidnapping her - you should know better than that, Rydia. I haven't had time to return to Baron since you saw me last, and I doubt that she was captured long before - if she had been, Cecil would have torn every city apart looking for her."
"She was taken just after you left Eblan. And of course you've had time, using the magic you used fighting her. I could have gone from Eblan to Baron in an instant as a child." Magic? That sealed the deal - there was no way I could have done that.
"Perhaps that's true, Rydia, but even as a child your magic was stronger than mine - you had some. I haven't used any spells of my own in my lifetime."
"That's what I thought, but there is no way Cecil would lie about something like that."
"Then Cecil must be mistaken. I'll have to correct his misperceptions myself. Thank you for the rescue, Callista." I turned, and started to walk away, fighting to keep the agony every step caused me from showing. Once I was out of the village, I leaned against a tree and rested for a moment, wishing that my non-combat gear hadn't been destroyed when Rydia's spell had hit me - the potions that would have made the trip easier were thoroughly destroyed now. But I'd just have to tough it out - at least any battles between here and Baron should be simple ones.
As I limped away, I thought I heard a rustle in the branches behind me. I turned around, the Holy Lance flaring to life as I did so, white fire coating the blade, but there was nobody there. I turned again, just as Callista dropped in front of me from the trees. I jumped back, startled, but managed to keep to my feet. She held out a familiar potion vial.
"Here, looks like you could use this." I took the bottle, undid the seal, and drank it quickly, too pained to worry about whether or not it was a trick. I felt the pain fade, my burns heal, and my bones and muscles knit, leaving me mostly uninjured by the time the magic was done.
"Thank you," I said, wiping a trace of the liquid from my lips. "For this, and for the save."
"I owed you one. Where are you going next?"
"Baron. I have to see Cecil, find out what happened."
"Are you insane? He thinks you kidnapped his wife, he'll have you killed!" I shook my head and chuckled grimly.
"No, he won't. I know Cecil - he'll give me a chance to explain what happened, at least well enough that I can convince him I didn't do it."
"I'm coming with you."
"That's not necessary, you've obviously got your own life to lead."
"Not that can't wait. I have a feeling you'll be needing some help," she explained as she walked on ahead.
"Thank you, then. By the way, I owe you one." I picked up my lance and started following her as she looked over her shoulder and grinned at me.
"Nah. Not yet."
~~~===~~~
Irony had never been my strong point, when I was trying to be that way. And, yet, it seemed that there were days when my entire existence boiled down into a moment that made me wonder if accidents were the best way to succeed. Today was one of those days.
I was sitting in the club at Toroia, having used my powers to move through the wall without bothering with one of their insanely priced passes. Normally, I wouldn't have even cared, frankly; Toroia's famous shows had never been of particular interest to me, in millennia of existence. I was there to talk to a young man, and there was the irony. Though the Prince of Eblan blamed me for Lugae's perversion of nature, and what happened to his parents, I truly had no part in that - the only role I had played in Eblan's devastation was when I led the armies that ruined the castle, and captured his parents. Honestly, I tried to minimize the losses as much as I could.
I had seen enough death at Damcyan, with the death of the king, queen, and fiancé to the prince. The man I was now speaking to as though we had long been friends for many years. Of course, Edward had not seen me from the command ship - he had seen Golbez instead.
"So you tried to bring the dragoon down by yourself?" When first the drunken ass had told me what he'd done, I nearly revealed myself and killed him where he sat, but I decided to hear why he'd attacked his friend first.
"Yeah," he grumbled. "Didn't do any good. I don't know why I even bother - it's like everything I try falls apart or blows up in my face. I just couldn't sit there and do nothing when I had the chance to find out where he'd taken Rosa." So that was it - the Queen of Baron was missing; I'd known that much from the rumors I'd heard looking for Kain. What I didn't know was that everybody thought he had kidnapped her.
Was it possible? I knew how his love for her had been perverted by Golbez to allow his dark side to dominate his honorable soul. If another being had somehow released his dark side, or something had changed his normal demeanor, it was possible that he had broken free and taken matters into his own hands.
But no, I couldn't believe that Kain had done something like that willingly. Even Golbez had been forced to restrain him on several occasions when Rosa's safety was at risk. I don't think anything would allow the darkness in the dragoon's soul to control him that much. And he knew that she preferred her life with Cecil, for whatever reason. I could never understand what she saw in the Paladin, myself, though I'm sure she had her reasons. Even Kain's descriptions of his friend didn't paint that glowing a picture of him, though I admit that Kain hadn't seen his friend after he became a paladin. Or with the eyes of a lover, for that matter, which the white mage certainly had.
"What happened then," I asked, trying to be polite as I sipped my drink.
"What happens when anybody takes on one of the heroes who saved the world. I lost, rather quickly at that. He escaped by throwing me into the guards, then jumping out the window." Though I kept my expression sympathetic, I couldn't help but smile inwardly. The boy had spirit now, that much was true. But Kain had more of it, and had used it longer.
"Well, I'll bid you a good day then, Lord von Muir," I said, finishing my drink and bowing as I stood. I walked to the door of the club, and opened it, walking out past a very startled guard, who couldn't remember letting me in - but had no clue how I could have gotten through a heavy stone door without him knowing about it.
When I was outside the city, I allowed my powers to manifest again, and floated into the sky as I stretched out with my unusual senses.
"Where are you, Kain," I asked myself. "Already I've searched for you for many days - how hard can it be to find one mortal, especially one who stands out like you do?
"A silly question, Rubicant," I answered myself, "you aren't just looking for any mortal - you're looking for Kain Highwind. Now, where would he go if he had just heard that he'd kidnapped Rosa, but hadn't?" Of course - to Baron. Why hadn't I realized that as soon as he'd heard the rumors, he'd go back there? No matter - there was little time to waste. If Cecil was as hot-headed about this as Edward had been, there could well be blood spilt by the time Kain left Baron.
And, I was sorry to admit, it probably wouldn't be the paladin's..
~~~===~~~
Kain Highwind walked up to the gates of Castle Baron with no hesitation, no pause, Callista close behind him. For days they had traveled, Kain never asking her about the quirks she exhibited, and she, for her part, had yet to question his decision to return to Baron again. She was carrying his lance along with her gear, leaving him completely unarmed. Yet, the guards snapped to attention for a moment when they saw their Captain - before they remembered that he was now the most wanted man in the kingdom, and one of them called out the alarum, both of them lowering their spears.
"I come in peace, to see the King, regarding the news I have just received about the Queen's abduction. I am unarmed," he emphasized, "and my friend shall remain outside the castle with my weapon if necessary." More guards came to the battlements, bows drawn in case their former leader should try to do anything rash.
"As though they could actually hurt me badly," Kain thought, smiling grimly. He'd expected this - but that was why he'd come like this, to focus their attention. "Still, they're more loyal to Cecil than to their captain - I must remember to bring that to his attention when their pay is prepared next. If I have the chance." He held a small object in his hand, a crumpled veil that they had left with the Great Chocobo years ago. He threw the veil up, and it disappeared in a shimmer of light as, suddenly, a pair of false Kains appeared, and the trio leaped high above the battlements.
A hail of arrows pierced two of the Kains, but bounced off the armor and shield of the third as he landed, and sprinted for the throne room, where he hoped he would find Cecil. Fists covered in dragon-scales, and a shield forged of the same, bashed guards aside as they rushed the dragoon. He threw his shoulder forward as he rushed the doors, knocking them wide open, and stumbling as a hoard of guards fell on him, trying to wrestle him to the ground. Kain held them off for a moment, moving further into the chamber, fighting against them with the raw strength that had fought against Zeromus. Soon, though, the guards dangling from him, and the others piling on, were too much, and he fell to the ground outside the door to the throne room just as they opened, revealing the paladin-king on the other side.
Kain looked up at Cecil, a searching expression in his eyes. For the first time he remembered, he saw nothing but disgust in Cecil's. A surge of anger ran through him - the one time he didn't deserve it, and what did he get?
But no, Cecil had no reason to trust him over his own eyes. "Think, you fool," Kain thought, "look at him - if he's thinking straight, it's a miracle." And it was true.
The paladin's expression, once Kain was past the anger, was that of an old man. Tired, worn, and ready to drop. No doubt he had been spending his nights searching for Rosa, while he spent his days trying to run his kingdom. But soon, he wouldn't be able to do either, at this rate. His white magic would delay the inevitable, but even Cecil had to sleep.
"My liege," Kain said, bowing his head as well as he could.
"What are you doing here," came the demand from the man Kain had once thought of as a brother.
"I heard about the Queen's kidnapping, and came to find out what had happened, if I could help. I was particularly distressed by what I heard saying that I had committed the crime."
"I saw you with my own eyes, Kain. Sitting in the tower, carrying her before you fled."
"I was camping outside of Eblan that night, my liege. It would not have been possible for me to be in both places at once."
"Assuming you were there all night -"
"Do me the honor of not calling me a liar, Cecil," he said, a hard edge creeping into his voice. "I may have betrayed you twice before, under the spells of Golbez, but I have never lied to you of my own will." Cecil paused for a moment, and for a second Kain saw his old friend, but his expression hardened quickly.
"Even so, the magic you used would have allowed such a thing with ease - it is, after all, how you avoided capture by the guards." Kain laughed bitterly.
"Have I ever used magic before, Cecil? Bring one of your black mages here, have them tell you if I have even an iota of mystical power within myself." To his credit, Cecil did motion to one of the guards to do as Kain said, and soon one of the journeyman mages of Baron's guild was there.
"Does he have any power, any ability to use true spells?" The mage looked at Kain with glowing eyes, hidden in the inky blackness under its hat. An unnerving experience, but most of his kind found it useful. Especially the spell-sight it gave them, which gave them the power to know if a foe had any power to steal. Soon, the hat turned from one side to the other, as the mage it belonged to shook his head and walked off silently. Cecil indicated for the guards to let Kain go, as his face took on an ashen cast. They left the room just before their king fell to his knees.
"God, Kain, forgive me. I saw - I thought I saw you, thought you'd been turned again. And I turned all our friends against you. I'm sorry."
"Forgiven, Cecil. I can hardly blame you, honestly. Just please tell the rest of our little band before they try to take matters into their own hands again."
"I know - Rydia sent the Sylphs to tell me what happened, and a messenger from Toroia just arrived a few minutes before you did."
"I'll go look for her, then. You can stay here and take care of yourself and your kingdom."
"I'll get the word out as soon as I can. Come on, I'll make sure the guards don't try to jump you on the way out."
"Thank you," Kain said, allowing Cecil to put an arm around his shoulders as they walked out - taking some of the paladin-king's weight as they walked. When they were out in the courtyard, Callista came running up to meet them.
"King Cecil Harvey, Callista, the friend I was telling you about." Cecil stepped to the side and bowed graciously.
"Always a pleasure to meet a friend of a friend. I apologize for any trouble you went through on his behalf."
"Don't worry about it," she answered, grinning. "I owed him." Just then, a shadow passed over the courtyard, and everybody looked up - to see the gleaming vessel of Lord Dragonheart obscure the sun. Kain paled, looking at the ship, as he heard a familiar voice in the back of his head speak - his dark side.
"I'm going to be free again, Kain, if he has his way - and not even the Meteo will stop me when this Master is through - what's left of your mind will be too busy cowering in our subconscious to care. The Master is here."
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End of Chapter Four: A Favor Returned, A Friendship Reforged
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