Chapter 10: Together Once Again

After a long and hard year of training, Cyrus made his way back towards the path of Albrook. His armor, new and polished, was a darker silver, with the same insignia on his chest plate, now wearing a chain, which held 3 'V' medals, which he had won at the Coliseum. The expression on his face was full of pride, and excitement, since it would be the first time he would see his friends in a long while. Nearing Albrook, he saw what little remained of it, which was nothing but pile of rubble on top of each other. Not believing what he saw, he ran towards what used to be the entrance, and that's when he knew. It was all clear now, that Albrook was no more.

"Agon…she… she did this…" he said, balling his fist in anger. He bowed his head slowly, and began breathing hard. The anger wiped away when he heard faint crying from within the town. "Someone must still be alive!"

With that, he ran towards the sound, and began looking for what created it. Not far after he had searched around his burned down home, he saw a woman with a white cape laying down on her knees, holding something in her lap. Slowly, Cyrus approached her, trying to see who it was. The woman heard his footsteps, and slowly turned around, revealing her pale, saddened face.

"C…Cyrus?" she said. "Is that really you…?"

"Yes, Celes… it's me…"

She smiled softly, as she set down an injured dog, and ran into his arms. Cyrus embraced her warmly and smiled.

"Cyrus… I've missed you so much…" she said. "I didn't think anyone would come back…"

"Well, I'm here." He responded. "Is that… Interceptor…?"

She nodded her head softly as they both neared him.

"What happened to him…?"

"I found him lying underneath a pile of rubble… he stayed alive because of the scattered food that was left from the eating house…"

Interceptor let out a small whimper, as Celes picked him up. Breathing slowly, he licked Celes's hand, and let out three faint sounds, then closed his eyes, dead. She buried her face in her hands, as Cyrus put his arm around her, in an attempt to offer some comfort. Cyrus looked down at the dog's body, and noticed something wrapped around Interceptors collar. He pulled it out, and opened it, which revealed the Prophet's last words.


"Mourn not for us. Fight together, strongly, and wisely. Take care…"


Celes looked at it, as Cyrus put the note in his pocket.

"Agon…" he said. "She will pay for this… with her life…"

"Let's just go wait for the others outside… I can't stand to see Albrook like this…"

They both stepped outside of the walls of their torn down home, to await their friends. They sat down under a tree, where they were first attacked by Agon, and they talked about the way they trained. A bush near Celes began rustling, as Cyrus pulled out his sword. A faint croaking was heard, as Frog came out and leaped towards Celes, causing her to shriek.

"Glenn!?"

"Yes… tis me Sir Cyrus…"

"DON'T DO THAT!"

"Sorry lass… felt like I needed a laugh, after seeing Albrook…"

"Don't worry, Glenn. We will get her…"

"I hope'th so, Cyrus…"

A sound of footsteps climbing a large pile in Albrook was heard. They turned their heads and saw the silhouette of a woman from the top of it. She froze a path downwards, and slid down, then ran near Cyrus and the others. It was Patricia.
"Hey guys!" she said with a smile, as she hugged them all. "I've missed you all so much!"

"It's nice to see you again, Patricia." Said Cyrus. "I see you've perfected your Magic Technique."

"Not really perfected…" she said, as she made an icicle in her hand. "Just got better at it."

"Doesn't seeing Albrook like this make you the least bit angry or sad, Patricia…?" asked Celes.

"Not really… You have to learn to let these things go. Anger only blocks your thoughts and robs you of your skill."

From afar, they had noticed two women heading towards Albrook. They had recognized Lucia, but not the woman next to her. The four warriors approached them, as they saw the disturbed face on Lucia.

"GUYS! ALBROOK! WHAT HAPPENED!?.."

"Agon…" said Cyrus as he handed Lucia the Prophets note.

The other warriors also read it, as they all knew that what had happened was out of their reach, and there was nothing they could do.

"She won't get away with this…" said Lucia. "We can't let her…"

"We shouldn't have left…" whispered Celes. "Maybe we could have helped… this didn't have to happen…"

"It had to…" said a voice. "If we wouldn't have left, Agon would have gotten us to…"

The warriors looked around, and began searching for who was talking, but saw no one.

"Who said that…?" they asked.

"Locke…" he responded. "Or have you forgotten me already?"

He leaped down from a tree, and crouched down slightly, as he stood up. Celes embraced him, and didn't let him go.

"I've missed you Locke…"

"I've missed you too, Celes… it's been a hard year…"

"For all of us, Locke…" added Lucia.

"Hm…Lucia, mind introducing your friend?" asked Locke.

"Oh! Guys, this is the eighth that the prophet spoke of. I gave her the potion, and I taught her to use her magic. She has been my training partner."

"Hi… My names Claribel…"

"The names Locke."

"Frog here."

"I'm Celes."

"Patricia."

"And I'm YOURS!" said Cyrus, as he grabbed her hand and kissed it. "You are by far the most beautiful woman I've ever…"
Lucia knocked him to the ground, as he laid there with his eyes open, staring at the sky.
"That's Cyrus, right?"

"Yeah." giggled Lucia. "That's him."

They all laughed out a bit, forgetting about Albrook. Patricia drifted her attention towards the forest, and saw someone in it.

"Do you guys see that?" she asked as she pointed towards the forest.

"There's someone in the there." Said Celes.

"Well, let's go check it out!" said Cyrus.

Slowly, the seven warriors entered the forest, and quickly came upon an opening, with a small pond in the middle, and Shadow standing in front of it. They paused slightly as the warriors looked at him, as he looked at them with a cold stare. Lucia stepped up from behind the group, and walked towards him.

"Hey Shadow…" she said. "It's been a while…"

"Did…you see Albrook?" questioned Celes.

"…Yes…"

"And Interceptor?"

"Yes…"


"DON'T YOU EVEN CARE!?!"
"Nothing lasts forever… expect loss when you gain something…It's as simple as that."

"You're as cold blooded as you were back then, Shadow."

"Is thine heart as black as thy tongue!?!"

"My presence is disturbing things… I'll just leave you now…"

He turned and began walking away, but he felt a hand on his shoulder, turning to see it was Patricia.

"Shadow… don't go…"

"Let him leave, Patricia." Said Locke.

"He doesn't care anyways…" muttered Cyrus.

"No!" she said to them. "We owe him our lives, guys! How can you insult him like this after he saved us!?!"
"…"

"I don't need or want your pity…" said Shadow.

"It isn't pity, Shadow…" responded Patricia. "Its our thanks."

After keeping her eyes on him since she saw him, Claribel finally spoke.

"You…you're the one that destroyed the Atma Weapon back in Gilden…aren't you?"

"…The Atma weapon was a fierce opponent… I had to put it out of its misery…"

"Well if we are going to attack'eth Agon, we should do it with haste… tis no telling what her next target is…"

"Her castle is hidden in the forest… it is undetectable from afar because she uses Magic to camouflage it…" said Locke. "If we look for it, I'm pretty sure we'll find it."

"We also need a leader…" said Patricia. "To guide us through the Forest."

"That's brave, strong, and knows his way around the woods!" Cyrus said, with a sound of pride in his voice. "And of course, its m…"

"Shadow…?" questioned Lucia. "Will you be our leader?

Feeling a bit of embarrassment, Cyrus lowered his head, as Shadow had a rather confused face behind his mask.

"Fine…"

And so, the seven warriors followed their leader into the forest, in search of vengeance, to bring justice to a dark queen, and to bring peace to the world.