Chapter Seven- Banon, Leader of the Returners
The sound of washing water could be heard even before Terra, Edgar, Sabin, and Banon reached the back entrance of the Returner's Hideout. The hidden exit was in Banon's room, and it was actually a small ledge that was right above a raging river outside that ran through the Sabil Mountain Range. Tied below to a hammered-in post was a wooden raft, made for such an emergency as this.
"Oh my goodness..." Terra trailed off.
"This raft will take us to Narshe!" Sabin exclaimed, and prepared to leap onto it from above. "Here we go!"
With that, he jumped off the ledge, landing onto the raft smoothly. Edgar and Banon soon followed, and Terra realized it was her turn. Taking a deep breath, she put on a strong smile for everyone, and gracefully took a leap onto the raft. When she landed, she nearly screamed and lost her balance as the raft shook slightly from her body's impact, however, Edgar and Sabin both grabbed one of her arms to keep her steady. Terra let out a breath of relief and gave them each a smile.
"Thanks guys!"
With that final remark, Banon kneeled down, quickly untying a small knot that was keeping the raft tied to a hammered-down post on the right side of the river. When it was released, he took a few steps back, towards the center of the raft, and cheered as the strong water current immediately took over and began to pull the raft and its passengers away, further and further down the Lete River...
Terra sighed happily and sat down on the raft, the rushing warm wind of the river blowing into her face and causing her ponytail to go flying like a shining flag of a most precious green shade. For some reason, she suddenly felt at ease...for the first time ever since this all began in Narshe. Why did she feel this way? She couldn't imagine why...perhaps it was because she knew that soon, she would see that Esper again...
Suddenly, Terra's heart skipped a beat, and she felt her face flush over. That Esper...she didn't even remember it, and yet, a strange feeling of remembrance had washed over her. It was calming as well...
"Hi Terra!!" Edgar exclaimed loudly from behind her, making her nearly leap off the raft and into the water. Terra whirled around and smiled weakly, raising a hand to wave.
"Hi Edgar." She said.
"What are you up to?" Edgar asked slyly, crossing his arms over his chest. Terra blinked and lowered her hand back into her lap.
"What exactly can one do on a raft as small as this?" Terra counter- questioned, and Edgar smirked a little, as to disguise the fact that Terra totally stumped him.
"Definitely not like the other girls I know..." He murmured under his breath.
"Did you say something, brother?" Sabin asked from the side of the raft, his hand acting as a visor over his eyes to block out the late-noon sun.
"Erm, no..." Edgar began, when suddenly, a loud splash in the currents ahead of the party silenced him. Everyone looked up ahead, Terra nearly screaming when she saw what was approaching them from a short distance. It was something purple, slimy, and....it had 8 tentacles.
"What in blazes is THAT?" Banon cried, instinctively pulling out his ruby-crowned battle rod.
"What....WHAT IS IT?" Terra squealed, and leaped to her feet, nearly toppling Edgar over behind her as she readied herself in a defensive stance that seemed to come to her naturally. It must have been a result of training in the Empire...
Suddenly, the purple thing rammed into the front of the raft, the force shoving the entire raft back against the flow of the current and slamming it into some slippery rocks, pinning them there with his huge body. At a closer view, the party could clearly see that this 'thing' was an over-grown, purple octopus...with blazing yellow eyes and the ugliest set of crooked, rotting teeth one ever did see in this day and age of fine dentistry and oral hygiene.
"Uweee-Hee-Hee...Game over! Don't tease the octopus, kids!" It squealed in a very annoying, high-pitched voice similar to an insane- clown's that Edgar and Terra only knew too well now.
"Game over?" Sabin asked, scratching his head.
"Kids!?" Edgar cried, deeply offended. "I'll show you the power of the KING of Figaro!"
"What a delicious morsel!" The octopus exclaimed. "Let me get my bib! My name is Ultros, by the way! And you had better not forget it....not that it will do you any good in my stomach!" Ultros let out another peel of laughter, his wretched breath hitting Terra and the others full-force.
"We must work together to get this thing out of our way!" Banon cried. "If we do not hurry to Narshe, we'll live to regret it soon!"
"Who said anything about you living?!" Ultros exclaimed, and suddenly snapped on of his tentacles at the raft like a whip. It stuck Banon and knocked him down, continuing to coil around his leg as Ultros reeled him in towards his gaping mouth like a fish on a fishing line.
"Banon!" Terra cried, and held out her hands hurriedly. "FIRE!"
With that, the flames only familiar to Terra emerged from her fingertips, encircling the tentacle that held Banon captive. It made a soft sizzling noise as it fried the octopus, making it shriek in horror and pull back further into the water, releasing Banon instantly. Sabin managed to take Banon by the shoulders to pull him towards the back of the raft to safety, the old man being shaken by both Ultros' sudden attack and Terra's amazing abilities.
"Stand back!" Edgar exclaimed, and pulled out a most interesting tool from the flaps of his cape, an auto-crossbow. Holding it up so that the crosshairs of the bow lined up with his eye, he aimed at Ultros, bringing a finger to the trigger.
"What's that?" Terra asked worriedly, stepping back further on the raft to get out of his way.
"Don't be afraid, it's simply one of the many tools I've invented!" Edgar exclaimed. "This will take him out for good!"
"Ha! I'll make you into Seafood Soup!" Ultros growled, still nursing his burnt tentacle in the cool waters of the river. However, that didn't stop him for puckering his lips, about to spit an ink ball out at the entire team to blind them.
"Take this, slime ball." Edgar smirked, and pulled the trigger on his tool, causing a fury of metal arrows to shoot out and strike Ultros every-which-way. Ultros let out a loud cry and sank back into the river before their very eyes with a huge splash that sprayed the entire raft. Terra coughed out the water that had flown into her mouth and narrowed her eyes, looking around.
"......Is everyone ok?" She asked worriedly.
"I guess we thrashed it." Sabin said, helping Banon to his feet now.
"Don't bet on it." Edgar smirked. "It's probably just hiding from us!" Suddenly, Terra felt something cold and slimy on her leg, pulling her down.
"EW!" She cried. "Something is stuck to my leg!" She frantically tried to pull back, without much luck.
"Terra, over here!" Edgar said, and took her under her arms, pulling her back forcefully, and breaking her free of whatever was coiled around her leg. She let out a deep breath and sighed, bringing a hand to her chest, as if she could manually try to calm her beating heart by herself.
"It's alright now." Banon assured her.
"No way!" Sabin said, and rubbed his hands together. "I'm gonna hit it with a blitz! Watch out!"
"No, Sabin!" Edgar cried. "That's not necessary...!"
"Don't distract me, brother!" Sabin said, and gave a sly-half smile to everyone as he leaped off the raft and dove into the river gracefully. Terra gasped, her face white with fear.
"....Hmmm, he's always been a tad zealous...." Edgar mused.
"SABIN......!" Terra cried, bringing her hands to her face. What had just happened here?
"Don't worry about him!" Banon exclaimed, making both of the troubled youths turn to him.
"Are you sure he's ok, Banon?" Edgar asked suspiciously. Banon grinned and crossed his arms over his chest.
"You should know better than any of us! Any moment he'll flop right onto the raft!" Banon exclaimed. As if on cue, Sabin suddenly came shooting out of the water at a brilliant speed...past the raft...past where Ultros had been positioned...and right back into the river.
"What the...?!" Sabin squealed as he descended down, down...
"Splash!"
"......" Banon shook his head and tried not to laugh.
"Seems a little too perky...Ha!" Edgar giggled, and Terra looked between Banon and Sabin, horrified. Was Sabin really ok, or had they gone crazy?
"SABIN!" Terra cried, pushing past them to the edge of the raft, as Sabin waved from the river that was rapidly pulling him in a totally different direction than Narshe. Edgar stepped beside Terra and cupped his face in his hands.
"Sabin! Take care of yourself!" Edgar exclaimed. Soon, Sabin had completely disappeared from sight. The remaining party members turned to each other.
"We should continue on." Banon said. "First, we have to find a way to push off of these rocks. Then, when we are back in motion, we must use my rod to push us in the proper direction of Narshe. If we go Sabin's way, we will be seriously lost!"
"Alright, Banon." Edgar agreed, and looked to Terra. She sighed a little, and then realized who she was fretting about. It was Sabin, for goodness sakes! From what she had already seen, she knew he would be just fine! Besides, there was no time to worry or fret...Narshe was not far away now!
**********
The chilling winds of Narshe had already begun to bite into Terra, Edgar, and Banon's bones, and they were only at the city entrance gates. They had long since abandoned their raft at the end of the Lete River and hiked up to the mountains that Narshe was nestled in. Evening was falling quickly, and a soft snow had also begun to drift in. They would have to hold off their Esper expedition for the next morning...
"We'll go right to Arvis' house." Banon said as they approached the guards at the gate.
"You know Arvis?" Terra asked. "That's the old man that told Locke about me, right?"
"Heh, old indeed!" Banon exclaimed gleefully.
"Hold your tongue...old timer." Edgar joked playfully, but the laughter stopped as they tried to get through the gates into the city, only to have spears pointed at their heads by the guards.
"...Hey!" Terra cried, her eyes widening as she took a step back.
"Hey yourself, lady." One guard snapped, lowering his spear only slightly.
"Didn't you just bust in here a few days ago wearing Magitek Armor?" The other asked.
"Wait a sec!" Banon cried, but the guard who had lowered his spear decked him in the face, knocking him down instantly.
"Get out of here!" The other guard cried. "If you don't..."
"Hold on." Edgar said calmly as Terra struggled to assist Banon. "I'm King Edgar of Figaro...."
"Liar!" The other guard cried, and took his turn, striking Edgar. Edgar stumbled backwards and fell on top of an already hurt Banon and a flustered Terra. With that, the two guards retreated further back into the city. Terra could hear them calling for reinforcements...
"Lets go." Terra said quickly, pulling them both up. However, she wasn't quite sure where they could hide. She then remembered the path that Locke had taken out of Narshe, and decided to try her luck with that. She took off running down the snowy path, Banon and Edgar desperately trying to keep up with her. Once they were safely around the corner of a high stone wall and the rocky Narshe mines, Terra stopped to catch her breath.
"Aye yai yai..." Banon huffed.
"That kind of attitude is deadly!" Edgar cried, slamming his fist against a wall. "They won't even listen!"
"It's all my fault..." Terra moaned, and folded her hands in her lap. "Anyway, are you two ok?"
"A little sore!" Banon said, rubbing his right cheek. Edgar nodded to agree, and Terra sighed, whispering a few soft words.
"Eh?" Edgar asked, but suddenly, he found himself and Banon surrounded by a green glittering light.
"Cure!" Terra exclaimed, and in just moments, the light disappeared, along with Banon and Edgar's new bruises.
"....Thank you, Terra!" Edgar exclaimed. "I feel good as new!"
"...Extraordinary power..." Banon said softly. "However, now is not the time for the discussion of thank you's and what-not. Somehow, we must get into Narshe!"
"Hmm..." Edgar began to think, while Terra looked about their surroundings. All she could see was cold rock and snow...They were even too far away to see the city lights of Narshe...
"By the way, this secret entrance might be useful some day. Don't forget about it!"
"Oh!" Terra suddenly cried, her face lighting up. Edgar and Banon both turned to her, startled.
"What is it?" Edgar asked. Terra turned away from him and began to run her hands over the mine wall in front of her.
"When Locke first helped me, he fiddled with something right around here." Terra explained. Edgar nodded when Banon looked at them in confusion.
"Knowing him, there's probably some secret switch in this rock wall..." Edgar trailed off. As if on cue, Terra's hands went over a particular part of the wall that felt colder and slicker than the rest. When she grabbed hold on it and pulled down, she found it to be Locke's secret switch! Instantly, a hidden door slid open, leaving a gaping hole in the mine wall to it's entrance.
"We can travel through here to Arvis' house, I bet!" Edgar exclaimed.
"Good job, Terra." Banon said. "Let us proceed."
The three entered the mines, with Terra leading most of the way, her fuzzy memories providing a faint map for the team. The trip was uneventful....it seemed like there was not a soul alive in the mines now. The only sounds beside their footsteps were the sounds of dripping water from the ceilings and Banon's haggard breathing. Terra turned with a concerned look on her face.
"Are you alright?" She asked.
"Of course, please lead on." Banon said. "I promise to rest once we arrive at Arvis', alright?" Terra nodded and smiled, when suddenly, Banon grabbed her shoulder and stopped her from proceeding on.
"Ahhh, what?" Terra cried, and Edgar stopped as well.
"Look ahead." Banon said. Terra turned and saw that they were about to enter a new section of the mines. However, right ahead of them, blocking their way through the door to the next area, was a golden, shimmering light. It suddenly leaped in place and began to fly away through the columns in the next room.
"...Goodness." Edgar said.
"What's that?" Terra asked.
"I think it's a security checkpoint." Edgar explained. "Right, Banon?"
"Correct." Banon said.
"I'm sure the soldiers of Narshe know this light's pattern." Edgar said. "If we can follow it's path exactly, we should be ok. But if we make a wrong turn, the light will surround us...and well, who knows what will happen then? I have only seen this kind of technology in more sophisticated places..."
"Narshe has money." Banon said dryly. "Why do you think it is a target of the Empire? Even without the Esper, this place is perfect for a new Imperial Base."
"Yes...isolated and in the freezing cold..." Terra trailed off, a shiver running through her spine.
"I'll lead." Banon offered, and stepped ahead of her. "Now everyone, follow me closely! We won't be in the clear until we pass through this room!"
Carefully, Banon stepped ahead of Edgar and Terra, looking about him. The security system's weakness was that it actually left behind a slight trail to its followers of glittering dust. It would remain in the air for a few moments after the light flew by, and then dissolve. Banon, having trained and focused eyes, managed to spot this trail and gestured for Edgar and Terra to follow. After an excruciating, silent 10 minutes or so, Banon finally reached a new doorway all the way across the columned room and threw it open. The three emerged into the new scene, everyone letting out a sigh of relief in unison.
"....Oh, I definitely remember this place!" Terra exclaimed, running ahead a bit. "This is the room where I fell..." Her glance towards a large hole in the corner of the cave confirmed this, and she nodded to herself. "That means that Arvis' home is right down this path...lets hurry!"
A new energy filling them, Banon, Edgar, and Terra took off running down the rocky mine path to an opening that led them outside in the fresh, chilly air. After crossing over the same wooden plank path that Terra had used to escape from Narshe guards, Banon pushed ahead and barged through Arvis' back door, much to the poor old man's surprise, who was sitting down at a desk, writing a letter. He looked up sharply from his letter, only to gasp and leap up in surprise when he saw the face of his old friend Banon. However, it wasn't just him...
"Banon!" Arvis cried, running over to them. "King Edgar! And...Terra!" Terra bowed quickly and shut the door behind them, eliminating the chill they had let in the house.
"Arvis!" Banon exclaimed. "What's happening here in Narshe?"
"The town remains neutral." Arvis explained, and sighed a little. "I've tried to get the people to side with the Returners, but... Anyway, why on Earth have you come here?"
"No, first, how are your people doing?" Edgar asked.
"They all went...slightly berserk when the Esper was discovered." Arvis confessed. "It's worse now that the Empire has made its advances on us."
"We believe this young woman is our only hope of reaching out to that Esper." Banon explained, placing his hands on Terra's shoulders. Arvis nodded in agreement.
"My people are dying to know what this Esper looks like..." He said. "Perhaps Terra can help restore some order to our town...?" Terra also nodded. She would do just about anything...maybe then the people of Narshe would see that she was not the monster she was made out to be...it would certainly remove a lot of complications. Edgar took a step forward, his hand on his chin.
"That Esper is either going to save us..." He trailed off and looked straight to Arvis. "....Or dig us an early grave..."
The sound of washing water could be heard even before Terra, Edgar, Sabin, and Banon reached the back entrance of the Returner's Hideout. The hidden exit was in Banon's room, and it was actually a small ledge that was right above a raging river outside that ran through the Sabil Mountain Range. Tied below to a hammered-in post was a wooden raft, made for such an emergency as this.
"Oh my goodness..." Terra trailed off.
"This raft will take us to Narshe!" Sabin exclaimed, and prepared to leap onto it from above. "Here we go!"
With that, he jumped off the ledge, landing onto the raft smoothly. Edgar and Banon soon followed, and Terra realized it was her turn. Taking a deep breath, she put on a strong smile for everyone, and gracefully took a leap onto the raft. When she landed, she nearly screamed and lost her balance as the raft shook slightly from her body's impact, however, Edgar and Sabin both grabbed one of her arms to keep her steady. Terra let out a breath of relief and gave them each a smile.
"Thanks guys!"
With that final remark, Banon kneeled down, quickly untying a small knot that was keeping the raft tied to a hammered-down post on the right side of the river. When it was released, he took a few steps back, towards the center of the raft, and cheered as the strong water current immediately took over and began to pull the raft and its passengers away, further and further down the Lete River...
Terra sighed happily and sat down on the raft, the rushing warm wind of the river blowing into her face and causing her ponytail to go flying like a shining flag of a most precious green shade. For some reason, she suddenly felt at ease...for the first time ever since this all began in Narshe. Why did she feel this way? She couldn't imagine why...perhaps it was because she knew that soon, she would see that Esper again...
Suddenly, Terra's heart skipped a beat, and she felt her face flush over. That Esper...she didn't even remember it, and yet, a strange feeling of remembrance had washed over her. It was calming as well...
"Hi Terra!!" Edgar exclaimed loudly from behind her, making her nearly leap off the raft and into the water. Terra whirled around and smiled weakly, raising a hand to wave.
"Hi Edgar." She said.
"What are you up to?" Edgar asked slyly, crossing his arms over his chest. Terra blinked and lowered her hand back into her lap.
"What exactly can one do on a raft as small as this?" Terra counter- questioned, and Edgar smirked a little, as to disguise the fact that Terra totally stumped him.
"Definitely not like the other girls I know..." He murmured under his breath.
"Did you say something, brother?" Sabin asked from the side of the raft, his hand acting as a visor over his eyes to block out the late-noon sun.
"Erm, no..." Edgar began, when suddenly, a loud splash in the currents ahead of the party silenced him. Everyone looked up ahead, Terra nearly screaming when she saw what was approaching them from a short distance. It was something purple, slimy, and....it had 8 tentacles.
"What in blazes is THAT?" Banon cried, instinctively pulling out his ruby-crowned battle rod.
"What....WHAT IS IT?" Terra squealed, and leaped to her feet, nearly toppling Edgar over behind her as she readied herself in a defensive stance that seemed to come to her naturally. It must have been a result of training in the Empire...
Suddenly, the purple thing rammed into the front of the raft, the force shoving the entire raft back against the flow of the current and slamming it into some slippery rocks, pinning them there with his huge body. At a closer view, the party could clearly see that this 'thing' was an over-grown, purple octopus...with blazing yellow eyes and the ugliest set of crooked, rotting teeth one ever did see in this day and age of fine dentistry and oral hygiene.
"Uweee-Hee-Hee...Game over! Don't tease the octopus, kids!" It squealed in a very annoying, high-pitched voice similar to an insane- clown's that Edgar and Terra only knew too well now.
"Game over?" Sabin asked, scratching his head.
"Kids!?" Edgar cried, deeply offended. "I'll show you the power of the KING of Figaro!"
"What a delicious morsel!" The octopus exclaimed. "Let me get my bib! My name is Ultros, by the way! And you had better not forget it....not that it will do you any good in my stomach!" Ultros let out another peel of laughter, his wretched breath hitting Terra and the others full-force.
"We must work together to get this thing out of our way!" Banon cried. "If we do not hurry to Narshe, we'll live to regret it soon!"
"Who said anything about you living?!" Ultros exclaimed, and suddenly snapped on of his tentacles at the raft like a whip. It stuck Banon and knocked him down, continuing to coil around his leg as Ultros reeled him in towards his gaping mouth like a fish on a fishing line.
"Banon!" Terra cried, and held out her hands hurriedly. "FIRE!"
With that, the flames only familiar to Terra emerged from her fingertips, encircling the tentacle that held Banon captive. It made a soft sizzling noise as it fried the octopus, making it shriek in horror and pull back further into the water, releasing Banon instantly. Sabin managed to take Banon by the shoulders to pull him towards the back of the raft to safety, the old man being shaken by both Ultros' sudden attack and Terra's amazing abilities.
"Stand back!" Edgar exclaimed, and pulled out a most interesting tool from the flaps of his cape, an auto-crossbow. Holding it up so that the crosshairs of the bow lined up with his eye, he aimed at Ultros, bringing a finger to the trigger.
"What's that?" Terra asked worriedly, stepping back further on the raft to get out of his way.
"Don't be afraid, it's simply one of the many tools I've invented!" Edgar exclaimed. "This will take him out for good!"
"Ha! I'll make you into Seafood Soup!" Ultros growled, still nursing his burnt tentacle in the cool waters of the river. However, that didn't stop him for puckering his lips, about to spit an ink ball out at the entire team to blind them.
"Take this, slime ball." Edgar smirked, and pulled the trigger on his tool, causing a fury of metal arrows to shoot out and strike Ultros every-which-way. Ultros let out a loud cry and sank back into the river before their very eyes with a huge splash that sprayed the entire raft. Terra coughed out the water that had flown into her mouth and narrowed her eyes, looking around.
"......Is everyone ok?" She asked worriedly.
"I guess we thrashed it." Sabin said, helping Banon to his feet now.
"Don't bet on it." Edgar smirked. "It's probably just hiding from us!" Suddenly, Terra felt something cold and slimy on her leg, pulling her down.
"EW!" She cried. "Something is stuck to my leg!" She frantically tried to pull back, without much luck.
"Terra, over here!" Edgar said, and took her under her arms, pulling her back forcefully, and breaking her free of whatever was coiled around her leg. She let out a deep breath and sighed, bringing a hand to her chest, as if she could manually try to calm her beating heart by herself.
"It's alright now." Banon assured her.
"No way!" Sabin said, and rubbed his hands together. "I'm gonna hit it with a blitz! Watch out!"
"No, Sabin!" Edgar cried. "That's not necessary...!"
"Don't distract me, brother!" Sabin said, and gave a sly-half smile to everyone as he leaped off the raft and dove into the river gracefully. Terra gasped, her face white with fear.
"....Hmmm, he's always been a tad zealous...." Edgar mused.
"SABIN......!" Terra cried, bringing her hands to her face. What had just happened here?
"Don't worry about him!" Banon exclaimed, making both of the troubled youths turn to him.
"Are you sure he's ok, Banon?" Edgar asked suspiciously. Banon grinned and crossed his arms over his chest.
"You should know better than any of us! Any moment he'll flop right onto the raft!" Banon exclaimed. As if on cue, Sabin suddenly came shooting out of the water at a brilliant speed...past the raft...past where Ultros had been positioned...and right back into the river.
"What the...?!" Sabin squealed as he descended down, down...
"Splash!"
"......" Banon shook his head and tried not to laugh.
"Seems a little too perky...Ha!" Edgar giggled, and Terra looked between Banon and Sabin, horrified. Was Sabin really ok, or had they gone crazy?
"SABIN!" Terra cried, pushing past them to the edge of the raft, as Sabin waved from the river that was rapidly pulling him in a totally different direction than Narshe. Edgar stepped beside Terra and cupped his face in his hands.
"Sabin! Take care of yourself!" Edgar exclaimed. Soon, Sabin had completely disappeared from sight. The remaining party members turned to each other.
"We should continue on." Banon said. "First, we have to find a way to push off of these rocks. Then, when we are back in motion, we must use my rod to push us in the proper direction of Narshe. If we go Sabin's way, we will be seriously lost!"
"Alright, Banon." Edgar agreed, and looked to Terra. She sighed a little, and then realized who she was fretting about. It was Sabin, for goodness sakes! From what she had already seen, she knew he would be just fine! Besides, there was no time to worry or fret...Narshe was not far away now!
**********
The chilling winds of Narshe had already begun to bite into Terra, Edgar, and Banon's bones, and they were only at the city entrance gates. They had long since abandoned their raft at the end of the Lete River and hiked up to the mountains that Narshe was nestled in. Evening was falling quickly, and a soft snow had also begun to drift in. They would have to hold off their Esper expedition for the next morning...
"We'll go right to Arvis' house." Banon said as they approached the guards at the gate.
"You know Arvis?" Terra asked. "That's the old man that told Locke about me, right?"
"Heh, old indeed!" Banon exclaimed gleefully.
"Hold your tongue...old timer." Edgar joked playfully, but the laughter stopped as they tried to get through the gates into the city, only to have spears pointed at their heads by the guards.
"...Hey!" Terra cried, her eyes widening as she took a step back.
"Hey yourself, lady." One guard snapped, lowering his spear only slightly.
"Didn't you just bust in here a few days ago wearing Magitek Armor?" The other asked.
"Wait a sec!" Banon cried, but the guard who had lowered his spear decked him in the face, knocking him down instantly.
"Get out of here!" The other guard cried. "If you don't..."
"Hold on." Edgar said calmly as Terra struggled to assist Banon. "I'm King Edgar of Figaro...."
"Liar!" The other guard cried, and took his turn, striking Edgar. Edgar stumbled backwards and fell on top of an already hurt Banon and a flustered Terra. With that, the two guards retreated further back into the city. Terra could hear them calling for reinforcements...
"Lets go." Terra said quickly, pulling them both up. However, she wasn't quite sure where they could hide. She then remembered the path that Locke had taken out of Narshe, and decided to try her luck with that. She took off running down the snowy path, Banon and Edgar desperately trying to keep up with her. Once they were safely around the corner of a high stone wall and the rocky Narshe mines, Terra stopped to catch her breath.
"Aye yai yai..." Banon huffed.
"That kind of attitude is deadly!" Edgar cried, slamming his fist against a wall. "They won't even listen!"
"It's all my fault..." Terra moaned, and folded her hands in her lap. "Anyway, are you two ok?"
"A little sore!" Banon said, rubbing his right cheek. Edgar nodded to agree, and Terra sighed, whispering a few soft words.
"Eh?" Edgar asked, but suddenly, he found himself and Banon surrounded by a green glittering light.
"Cure!" Terra exclaimed, and in just moments, the light disappeared, along with Banon and Edgar's new bruises.
"....Thank you, Terra!" Edgar exclaimed. "I feel good as new!"
"...Extraordinary power..." Banon said softly. "However, now is not the time for the discussion of thank you's and what-not. Somehow, we must get into Narshe!"
"Hmm..." Edgar began to think, while Terra looked about their surroundings. All she could see was cold rock and snow...They were even too far away to see the city lights of Narshe...
"By the way, this secret entrance might be useful some day. Don't forget about it!"
"Oh!" Terra suddenly cried, her face lighting up. Edgar and Banon both turned to her, startled.
"What is it?" Edgar asked. Terra turned away from him and began to run her hands over the mine wall in front of her.
"When Locke first helped me, he fiddled with something right around here." Terra explained. Edgar nodded when Banon looked at them in confusion.
"Knowing him, there's probably some secret switch in this rock wall..." Edgar trailed off. As if on cue, Terra's hands went over a particular part of the wall that felt colder and slicker than the rest. When she grabbed hold on it and pulled down, she found it to be Locke's secret switch! Instantly, a hidden door slid open, leaving a gaping hole in the mine wall to it's entrance.
"We can travel through here to Arvis' house, I bet!" Edgar exclaimed.
"Good job, Terra." Banon said. "Let us proceed."
The three entered the mines, with Terra leading most of the way, her fuzzy memories providing a faint map for the team. The trip was uneventful....it seemed like there was not a soul alive in the mines now. The only sounds beside their footsteps were the sounds of dripping water from the ceilings and Banon's haggard breathing. Terra turned with a concerned look on her face.
"Are you alright?" She asked.
"Of course, please lead on." Banon said. "I promise to rest once we arrive at Arvis', alright?" Terra nodded and smiled, when suddenly, Banon grabbed her shoulder and stopped her from proceeding on.
"Ahhh, what?" Terra cried, and Edgar stopped as well.
"Look ahead." Banon said. Terra turned and saw that they were about to enter a new section of the mines. However, right ahead of them, blocking their way through the door to the next area, was a golden, shimmering light. It suddenly leaped in place and began to fly away through the columns in the next room.
"...Goodness." Edgar said.
"What's that?" Terra asked.
"I think it's a security checkpoint." Edgar explained. "Right, Banon?"
"Correct." Banon said.
"I'm sure the soldiers of Narshe know this light's pattern." Edgar said. "If we can follow it's path exactly, we should be ok. But if we make a wrong turn, the light will surround us...and well, who knows what will happen then? I have only seen this kind of technology in more sophisticated places..."
"Narshe has money." Banon said dryly. "Why do you think it is a target of the Empire? Even without the Esper, this place is perfect for a new Imperial Base."
"Yes...isolated and in the freezing cold..." Terra trailed off, a shiver running through her spine.
"I'll lead." Banon offered, and stepped ahead of her. "Now everyone, follow me closely! We won't be in the clear until we pass through this room!"
Carefully, Banon stepped ahead of Edgar and Terra, looking about him. The security system's weakness was that it actually left behind a slight trail to its followers of glittering dust. It would remain in the air for a few moments after the light flew by, and then dissolve. Banon, having trained and focused eyes, managed to spot this trail and gestured for Edgar and Terra to follow. After an excruciating, silent 10 minutes or so, Banon finally reached a new doorway all the way across the columned room and threw it open. The three emerged into the new scene, everyone letting out a sigh of relief in unison.
"....Oh, I definitely remember this place!" Terra exclaimed, running ahead a bit. "This is the room where I fell..." Her glance towards a large hole in the corner of the cave confirmed this, and she nodded to herself. "That means that Arvis' home is right down this path...lets hurry!"
A new energy filling them, Banon, Edgar, and Terra took off running down the rocky mine path to an opening that led them outside in the fresh, chilly air. After crossing over the same wooden plank path that Terra had used to escape from Narshe guards, Banon pushed ahead and barged through Arvis' back door, much to the poor old man's surprise, who was sitting down at a desk, writing a letter. He looked up sharply from his letter, only to gasp and leap up in surprise when he saw the face of his old friend Banon. However, it wasn't just him...
"Banon!" Arvis cried, running over to them. "King Edgar! And...Terra!" Terra bowed quickly and shut the door behind them, eliminating the chill they had let in the house.
"Arvis!" Banon exclaimed. "What's happening here in Narshe?"
"The town remains neutral." Arvis explained, and sighed a little. "I've tried to get the people to side with the Returners, but... Anyway, why on Earth have you come here?"
"No, first, how are your people doing?" Edgar asked.
"They all went...slightly berserk when the Esper was discovered." Arvis confessed. "It's worse now that the Empire has made its advances on us."
"We believe this young woman is our only hope of reaching out to that Esper." Banon explained, placing his hands on Terra's shoulders. Arvis nodded in agreement.
"My people are dying to know what this Esper looks like..." He said. "Perhaps Terra can help restore some order to our town...?" Terra also nodded. She would do just about anything...maybe then the people of Narshe would see that she was not the monster she was made out to be...it would certainly remove a lot of complications. Edgar took a step forward, his hand on his chin.
"That Esper is either going to save us..." He trailed off and looked straight to Arvis. "....Or dig us an early grave..."
