Disclaimer: All characters, as well as the original story, are owned by
Squaresoft.
Prologue
*****
Long ago, the war of the Magi reduced the world to a smoldering wasteland, and Magic simply ceased to exist.
1,000 years have passed...Iron, gunpowder, and steam engines have been rediscovered, and high technology reigns.
But there are some who would enslave the world by reviving the dread, destructive force known as "Magic".
Could it be that those in power are on the verge of repeating a senseless and deadly mistake?
*****
Three figures stood on the icy ridge, the chill wind whipping their hair and clothing about as it went whistling past. Two of them were men, large and muscular. They were both wearing the same apparel: black clothing with brown trappings and helmets, and darker leather boots and gloves. The third, a young woman, had no such uniform. Instead, she had on a red dress that reached to mid-thigh and was simply yet beautifully made, belted at the waist and accented with a pale purple sash. Her ankle-high boots were also red, with gold colored trim, much more delicate than the ones her companions wore. Her attire offered much less protection from the elements than that of the two men, but, oddly enough, she didn't seem to feel the cold at all. She had a fair complexion, with delicate features, and her greenish-blonde hair, which fell almost to her shoulders, was tied back from her face. Her eyes, a light emerald green, seemed to focus on nothing. Around her head was a narrow, metal band.
One of the men, whose name was Biggs, was peering into the distance. Small lights could be seen, the only signs of life in the vast, dark night.
"There's the town," he said, pointing.
The other man, who was named Wedge, stepped forward until he stood beside him. "Hard to believe an Esper's been found intact there, 1,000 years after the War of the Magi," he murmured, also looking intently at the distant glow.
"Think it's still alive?" Biggs asked, glancing at Wedge, who nodded.
"Probably...Judging from the urgency of our orders."
Biggs finally tore his eyes away from the lights and turned to look at the girl. She had neither spoken nor moved--it was as if she hadn't even heard the conversation. "And this woman, this...sorceress. Why's she here?" It was clear that her presence made him uncomfortable. "I heard she fried fifty of our MagiTek Armored soldiers in under three minutes."
Wedge smiled darkly. "Not to worry," he replied. "The Slave Crown on her head robs her of all conscious thought. She'll follow orders." He looked at Biggs, who still looked a bit wary. "Speaking of MagiTek Armor, we'd better get back into ours."
The girl was still standing there; she seemed oblivious to what was going on. "You! Get moving!" Wedge said sharply. She didn't acknowledge him, but followed the men silently to where three massive, dark machines stood waiting in the snow.
They were at least five or six times as tall as the people who had ridden them here. They were made of some kind of black metal, and stood upright on two gigantic legs, each ending in a huge, single-clawed foot. They looked as though they could have been alive, except they did not move; they were like monsters from some hideous nightmare.
Biggs, Wedge, and the girl each climbed up into one of them. At the touch of a control, the monsters roared to life, shaking the ground with each step as they were steered down from the ridge.
"All set?" Wedge called to the other two as they fell in behind him. He saw Biggs nod. The girl again gave no sign that she had even heard him, but guided her machine into step with Biggs. "We'll approach from the east!" he ordered. "Move out!"
Snow began falling, thick and heavy, as the three of them started across the frozen landscape.
Prologue
*****
Long ago, the war of the Magi reduced the world to a smoldering wasteland, and Magic simply ceased to exist.
1,000 years have passed...Iron, gunpowder, and steam engines have been rediscovered, and high technology reigns.
But there are some who would enslave the world by reviving the dread, destructive force known as "Magic".
Could it be that those in power are on the verge of repeating a senseless and deadly mistake?
*****
Three figures stood on the icy ridge, the chill wind whipping their hair and clothing about as it went whistling past. Two of them were men, large and muscular. They were both wearing the same apparel: black clothing with brown trappings and helmets, and darker leather boots and gloves. The third, a young woman, had no such uniform. Instead, she had on a red dress that reached to mid-thigh and was simply yet beautifully made, belted at the waist and accented with a pale purple sash. Her ankle-high boots were also red, with gold colored trim, much more delicate than the ones her companions wore. Her attire offered much less protection from the elements than that of the two men, but, oddly enough, she didn't seem to feel the cold at all. She had a fair complexion, with delicate features, and her greenish-blonde hair, which fell almost to her shoulders, was tied back from her face. Her eyes, a light emerald green, seemed to focus on nothing. Around her head was a narrow, metal band.
One of the men, whose name was Biggs, was peering into the distance. Small lights could be seen, the only signs of life in the vast, dark night.
"There's the town," he said, pointing.
The other man, who was named Wedge, stepped forward until he stood beside him. "Hard to believe an Esper's been found intact there, 1,000 years after the War of the Magi," he murmured, also looking intently at the distant glow.
"Think it's still alive?" Biggs asked, glancing at Wedge, who nodded.
"Probably...Judging from the urgency of our orders."
Biggs finally tore his eyes away from the lights and turned to look at the girl. She had neither spoken nor moved--it was as if she hadn't even heard the conversation. "And this woman, this...sorceress. Why's she here?" It was clear that her presence made him uncomfortable. "I heard she fried fifty of our MagiTek Armored soldiers in under three minutes."
Wedge smiled darkly. "Not to worry," he replied. "The Slave Crown on her head robs her of all conscious thought. She'll follow orders." He looked at Biggs, who still looked a bit wary. "Speaking of MagiTek Armor, we'd better get back into ours."
The girl was still standing there; she seemed oblivious to what was going on. "You! Get moving!" Wedge said sharply. She didn't acknowledge him, but followed the men silently to where three massive, dark machines stood waiting in the snow.
They were at least five or six times as tall as the people who had ridden them here. They were made of some kind of black metal, and stood upright on two gigantic legs, each ending in a huge, single-clawed foot. They looked as though they could have been alive, except they did not move; they were like monsters from some hideous nightmare.
Biggs, Wedge, and the girl each climbed up into one of them. At the touch of a control, the monsters roared to life, shaking the ground with each step as they were steered down from the ridge.
"All set?" Wedge called to the other two as they fell in behind him. He saw Biggs nod. The girl again gave no sign that she had even heard him, but guided her machine into step with Biggs. "We'll approach from the east!" he ordered. "Move out!"
Snow began falling, thick and heavy, as the three of them started across the frozen landscape.