Chapter Twenty-Two- Madonna, Keeper of the Ruby Pendant
"...The Esper World..." Locke trailed off, his voice barely audible as he repeated Terra's words. At that moment, all the Magicite the Returners possessed began to softly glow in unison, including the piece in Terra's lap. The scenery about them began to fade away, and replaced the dreary, drippy Zozo apartment with a warm, cozy scene of a small village with little bridges that crossed the rivers and spacey hilltops adorned with flowers and little people running about, screaming and laughing. The homes scattered throughout the village were simple and looked as if they had been pulled out of a story book. The sky was a soft blue, and clouds lazily hazed in with the pale smoke that was coming out of all the houses' chimneys. A rather large cave could be seen tucked behind everything else, it being the only dark and looming presence in the whole village.
Is this the Esper World? Locke thought to himself. The place my Grandmother always told me stories about?
The magic of the Espers is letting us see their world! Edgar's thoughts raced excitedly.
I feel like a ghost...No one can see us. Setzer closed his eyes and reopened them slowly to make sure this was real.
Suddenly, a new figure appeared in the scenery, running down a long path that appeared to lead to the exit of the village, and turned a corner, nearly running into a tall figure that could only be an Esper. The first Esper bowed in apology to the bigger one, and pointed worriedly to the path he had been running down.
The Espers...they look nearly human. Cyan noted to himself. Actually, they look a lot like Terra does now...
"Maduin, just the esper I wanted to see!" The running Esper cried. "There's an emergency! Something is coming through the gate!" Maduin looked shocked and reached up to straighten the beautiful jeweled head piece he was wearing.
"I'll go investigate." Maduin finally replied, and patted the shoulder of the smaller Esper as he took off running down the long path, finally reaching the looming cave in the back of the village. Heaving the rock door open, Maduin stepped inside and looked about. The cave was dark, and the only thing in it was a long rope bridge that led from the door to the Esper's World to the other side of the cave, where the Humans lived. However, sunlight was now pouring from the door of the Humans, and lying there, collapsed in a mess of golden hair and red silk cloth was a young human girl. Maduin blinked and crossed the bridge to investigate, both frightened and entranced at the same time. He slowly reached down to brush her hair from her face, the light now falling upon her closed eyes and soft pink cheeks. Maduin felt a flush of embarrassment come over him as the first thought that came into his mind was "She is breathtakingly beautiful." However, Maduin had been taught better than to submit to what pleased the eye rather than what pleased the soul and the benefit of others, so he carefully took a step back and stared down upon her with clearer, wiser eyes, trying to decide what step of action he should take next.
"Listen well, and think clearly!" Maduin said aloud to remind himself. "What will you do?" He sighed and looked down at the floor of the cave, his silver white hair falling in his eyes. He couldn't just leave her here, she would surely end up dying. But if he took her back, what would the other Espers say? Humans were hated in the village...it was known that all they caused was destruction and corruption.
But this was just one girl.
She couldn't do anything...could she? Not in her injured state...
"Alright, in you go." Maduin sighed and reached down, picking up the girl and resting her over his shoulder as he carried her back to the village.
**********
"She's still pretty weak. Better let her rest here for a moment." Sairys said, a young Esper with light blonde hair that was pulled into two buns. She was a type of fairy Sylph Esper with little delicate blue wings that matched her dress, and she was also very kind hearted, so Maduin was sure to bring the human to her house. However, Sairys' husband, a brute Esper named Ran, was like her polar opposite, and not happy with Maduin's guest being in his home.
"You'd better do away with it!" He barked. "Humans and Espers are incompatible!" Maduin looked to him worriedly, and right then the door of the house flew open, and the village elder came in, an elderly Esper named Tenteki, and approached Maduin slowly.
"Did I hear there was a human here?!" He asked, a mix of fear and excitement in his tone. Maduin pointed to the girl and shrugged.
"Probably wandered in here by mistake..."
"Ohhh...."
The Espers in the room gasped as the girl suddenly emitted a low moan, and began to open her eyes, which were a sparkling amber color. She slowly reached up to feel what was on her forehead, a damp cloth that Sairys had provided, and turned her head to face Sairys, who was smiling at her brightly. Maduin turned around, ignoring Tenteki, and walked over to the girl, who was now sitting up in bed and holding the cloth to her forehead. Maduin gave the others a look, and at once, Sairys, Ran, and Tenteki filed out of the home to leave them alone.
"Did I wake you?" Maduin asked, and she shook her head. Her eyes slowly trailed over his body to the beautiful ruby pendant resting around his neck. It was like nothing she had ever seen before!
"You're...an Esper?" She suddenly asked, and Maduin nodded. She smiled a little and reached out, gently brushing the jewel of the pendant with her fingertips.
"What is this pendant?" She asked excitedly, and Maduin was so happy that she was awake and speaking, he stopped listening to his inner, more conscientious self and reached down, pulling the pendant up and over his neck, handing it to her.
"It's yours now!" Maduin smiled. "It helps protect the Esper World." The girl widened her eyes a little and looked up at Maduin in disbelief as she gripped the pendant tightly.
"Esper World...boy, did I take the low road or what?" She suddenly asked, and laughed a little. Maduin blinked, not getting the joke, but suddenly joined with in her laughing, just because it was so addictive. However, he knew that he had to get to more serious issues with the girl before the other Espers burst in on them again and start firing questions to her their own way.
"The Espers are pretty upset...you being a human and all..." Maduin trailed off, and the girl blinked.
"And you...you are the one that saved me?"
"Well, yeah...I am Maduin..."
"I'm Madonna!"
"Madonna...I tired of living in the human world....It is filled with desire, greed, and loathing...It's highly infectious. But sometimes I wonder...are Humans and Espers really so different?" However, Madonna looked slightly hurt, and crossed her arms over her chest.
"So, I'm an example of all the evil in this world, huh?" Madonna asked, and Maduin jumped a little.
"No! I mean..."
"I'll return to my world tomorrow!" Madonna cried, and flopped back down in her bed, pulling the covers up over her head. Maduin gulped and rested a hand on his hip. He didn't know quite what to say. Finally, he sighed and looked down at the floor.
"You'll need a guide..."
**********
The next day, Maduin slept in later than he had planned, and it was the mid-afternoon sun that finally woke him from his slumber. He sat up and yawned, reaching up to rub his eyes. He had spent all of the previous night thinking of that human, Madonna... Her name had been on his lips and the lips of every other Esper in the village all night, and the sound of it made his heart race and ache all at once, in a way he had never imagined one could feel. He couldn't understand what was wrong with him...why, he had even given her his pendant, one of the most sacred treasures he had ever owned! Her eyes had danced so delightedly when he handed it over, and it had made his heart soar. But Maduin suddenly remembered that Madonna was planning on making her leave today, and that he had promised to take her home. He let out a low moan and leaned back against the headboard of his bed, looking up at the ceiling sadly.
"I wonder...if this is what they call...love..."
"WHAT!? The human is gone?!"
"What the hell?!" Maduin cried, jumping out of bed and running outside of his small home, where Tenteki and Sairys were arguing right out front, and loudly enough for everyone to hear who wanted to. Tenteki looked up at Maduin and waved his staff frantically.
"Madonna disappeared!" He cried, and Maduin blinked. He was too shocked and saddened to say anything in reply.
"How did a human girl in her condition make it all the way through the gate?" Sairys questioned, and with that, Maduin took off running as fast as he could, on the path to the gate that separated the Esper World from the World of the Humans... Along the way, he could hear other Espers whispering and gasping in frightened tones.
"If this generation of humans knew about out abilities... And decided they wanted to utilize our powers... It would be a total disaster!"
"Everyone here's feeling uneasy."
"The link between worlds has surely weakened over the past 1000 years."
"Why has this happened now after all these years?"
Huffing and puffing, Maduin finally reached the gate and pushed past the guard for the day, which was his youthful friend from yesterday, who's name was Yura.
"Maduin, wait, what's wrong?!" Yura cried, but Maduin merely grunted a reply as he shoved open the gate door and ran inside the cave, nearly crying out in joy when he saw Madonna, who was heavily struggling and gasping with the door to her own world. She finally gave up, letting out an exasperated breath, and leaned back against the door as she slowly slid down until her rear hit the rocky floor of the cave. She began to sob quietly in the lap of her dress as she pulled her knees up to her chest. Maduin took in a deep breath and walked over across the bridge to her slowly, not wanting to startle her. However, even his gentle footsteps were not quiet enough in the echoing cave, and Madonna looked up, rubbing her cheeks furiously to banish her tears.
"What?!" She sniffled, and Maduin stopped a few feet in front of her, his eyes falling on the pendant now resting around her neck, the ruby jewel resting right above the neckline of her dress.
"Uhhh..." Maduin struggled for a few moments, until he finally cleared his throat and spoke.
"If you don't want to go back to your world...you may stay here."
"But..." Madonna blinked and looked up at Maduin, not really knowing what to say. "But...humans and Espers...they can never coexist...!" She let out a small gasp as Maduin suddenly stooped down and wrapped his strong arms around her, pulling her close against his chest. Madonna blinked again and slid her arms around his waist, nuzzling her head against his soft hair as he slowly stood up with her and pushed her hair away from her eyes.
"....How do we know...unless we observe for ourselves...?" Maduin smiled softly as he gazed into Madonna's eyes, his heart beating so hard he thought it would echo throughout the cave like any other sound. Madonna smiled in return and reached up, touching the pendant on her neck with her fingertips as she leaned in slowly and closed her eyes.
...How do we know...
Maduin leaned in as well and slowly ran his fingers through her hair, gently tilting her head back.
...Unless we...
Madonna murmured Maduin's name as his lips pressed to hers, firm and yet with touch as light as a feather as their embrace around each other tightened, waking and enlightening every sense in their bodies as the kiss deepened, and everything in the setting around them disappeared with the exception of each other's presence. Her lips, his touch, their love was all they could both see, smell, feel, hear, and taste.
...Observe for ourselves...?
The scene began to fade in darkness, causing the Returners to all blink and look about.
"Is it over?" Locke asked, a little stunned. As if to answer his question, the scenery about them began to fade back in, and the Returners found themselves back in Maduin's house, with him pacing and jumping about happily as Madonna sat up in bed, holding a squirming bundle of blankets in her arms with Sairys cooing over her excitedly. The baby girl was curiously tugging at a pendant that had been placed around her neck by her mother.
"...I've decided on a name." Maduin said, and Madonna and Sairys both looked over at him.
"What is it dear?" Madonna asked happily, and Maduin grinned.
"Terra! Not bad, huh?"
**********
The scenery faded once more, and the constant ticking of a clock could be heard as the Returners continued to observe, realizing that time was now flying past them. The Esper World resurfaced once more, only this time, things were different... Drastically different...
Imperial Soldiers were now pouring inside the village through the Gate, screaming and shouting at one another as they pulled out swords and crossbows, shooting at every Esper they could find. The Espers were screaming and crying too, some dying in the streets while others fled for their lives. The village was in complete chaos, and flames began to erupt on the straw roofs of some homes thanks to the Imperial Soldiers, who would smoke out the Espers in hiding.
"Humans!!!"
"The nexus between our worlds has opened again!!"
"The wind... so odd... just like two years ago... But everything's different now..."
"Troops have come seeking our magical power!"
"Blast it! They've made it as far as the Elder's house!" An Esper screamed, as the Imperial Soldiers broke down Tenteki's door to his little house and streamed inside, the sound of furniture being destroyed ringing out everywhere. While the Imperial Soldiers were busy in the town, one last lone figure emerged from the gate, a tall, ancient in appearance man with heavy black and red robes and a matching hat. He had long, almost dirty pale blonde hair that tumbled down his back and dangled from his beard, and while it was tidy and kept nice, it still seemed to almost consume all of his wrinkled, bitter face. His eyes were as dark as a black marble, and his mouth was pressed together in a straight line. Taking small steps out of the gate, his mouth suddenly curled into a small smile, and he began to chuckle to himself madly.
"Aha! We've finally found it! Those ancient writings told of this world, and described the awesome magical properties of these beasts!" He laughed louder and cupped his hands over his mouth to make himself heard among the chaos. "Grab them! Riches to any man who captures an Esper! GO!"
Meanwhile, in Ran and Sairys' house, Madonna, Maduin, and Tenteki (who had luckily not been in his house when it was attacked) were discussing what they could do to stop the humans. Ran and Sairys had gone outside to fight, but had not come back yet. Terra had just gotten done wailing uncontrollably from all of the commotion and screaming outside. Madonna cradled the infant in her arms and tried to soothe her the best she could.
"Terra's alright..." Madonna murmured as Terra began to slide her eyes shut. At that moment, Ran burst in the house, a worried expression on his face.
"Soon the humans will arrive!" He cried. "Sairys and I can't hold them off much longer!"
"We've no choice..." Tenteki trailed off and sighed. "We must do what we've been avoiding..."
"You mean...the magic barrier?" Maduin blinked, and Tenteki nodded.
"Here's the plan: We'll cause a tempest that will sweep all the nasty creatures out of our realm. Then we'll seal the gate... I am the last of our kind that is able to cast this magic seal, so we must do it immediately."
"But in your state, you just might..." Maduin began, but Tenteki interrupted him.
"...Pass away....yes, but at least we will finally be safe." Maduin looked as if he were trying his best to hold back tears as Madonna spoke up.
"I, for one, will not miss the other side." She said firmly, and Maduin turned to her worriedly.
"Madonna...."
"Lets do it!" Tenteki cried. "We really have no other choice." With that, the Elder made his leave of the others, without even saying his good-byes.
"AHHH!" Ran suddenly cried, and Maduin and Madonna turned to him, only to face his angry glare. Ran crossed his arms over his chest and glowered heavily at them, especially Madonna and Terra.
"This is all because of that human girl!" Ran screamed, and Madonna turned white while Maduin leaped from his chair in shock and anger.
"Nonsense!" He cried in Madonna's defense.
"I'm SURE she helped the others find us." Ran added bitterly.
"Get a grip on yourself!" Maduin cried worriedly. "Madonna is one of us!"
"NO! She's one of THEM!" Ran screamed, and shook his head. "Soon she'll be wearing our hides!" At this final remark, Madonna let out a struggled cry and suddenly leaped up, pulling Terra close to her chest as she pushed past Maduin and Ran and burst from the house, taking off as fast as she could towards the gate. Ran blinked in surprise while Maduin let out a growl and pushed past Ran as well to go after her. But by the time Maduin had managed to get to the gate after clearing all the Imperials in his way, the Elder was there, his hands locked together as he began to cast the spell. A low moaning sound began to emit from the mountain gate as gusts of winds began to form within it, creating a small sucking tempest that gained strength by the second. Maduin was almost carried off of his feet as he rushed towards the tempest, and the Elder gasped, dropping his hands when he saw that Maduin was heading for the gate.
"Where are you going?!" Tenteki cried, and Maduin looked back to him.
"Madonna is getting drawn into the next world...!" He struggled to cry over the winds.
"Impossible!" Tenteki screamed. "It's too late! I've already began casting the barrier! There is no turning back!"
No! Maduin thought alarmingly. There is no way I can leave Madonna behind! I can't let her and Terra go back! They belong here with me...the two people I love the most belong here with me, in OUR WORLD!
"...Fool..." Maduin groaned under his breath, and with that, took off running again just as the tempest gained a new level of power, lifting Maduin from his feet and sucking him into the cave effortlessly. There at the end of the drawbridge was Madonna, Terra, the bearded man, and a few Imperial Soldiers gathered around her. Madonna wasn't moving, and Terra was remaining silent.
"Look what popped out!" One of the soldiers cried, and pointed to Madonna as she groaned and struggled to sit up. But before anyone could lay a finger on her, another gust of wind ripped through, pulling the bearded man and his two soldiers through the last gate that acted as the barrier between the humans and the Espers.
"NOOOO!" The bearded man screamed, his voice fading with the winds. "Just as we were in reach of a veritable bonanza....!"
"Madonna!" Maduin cried, and ran over to her, taking her in his arms. "Madonna!"
"Maduin...I'm not their friend..." Madonna moaned, and Maduin nodded while putting a small naive smile on his face.
"I understand that!"
"Thank you..." Madonna sighed and cringed in pain, feeling as if every joint in her body had been crushed from the impact of the tempest wind.
"Can you make it back here?" Maduin asked soothingly, and Madonna nodded, standing up slowly with Terra still locked in her grip.
"Sure..." Madonna moaned, and with that, the two began to walk back slowly towards the drawbridge that would lead them home. Suddenly, there was a burst of sparkling light as the tempest reached it's full force, and a roaring wind began to rip and tear at Maduin and Madonna as they struggled to go against it to reach the Esper gate. However, Madonna's strength had been dangerously drained, and in the blink of an eye, she let her grip loosen, causing little Terra to go flying out of her arms and back through the same gate the Imperials had been sucked through.
"TERRA!" Madonna shrieked, and jerking away from Maduin's grip, let herself be blown away with her daughter through the gate as well, disappearing in seconds from Maduin's sight.
"MADONNA!" Maduin cried, and with that, let himself be sucked through the gate as well to go after them. The force was so great that Maduin blacked out immediately as he was thrown from the gate and into a small forest that rested outside of it in the human world. Madonna was there also, still barely awake, as well as the bearded man, who was gathering his wits. He shook his head and slowly stood up, brushing off his robes as he looked about and spotted Madonna and Maduin, his eyes lighting up in delight. He approached her slowly and kneeled down to her side, trying to determine whether she was alive or not.
"A...human girl!?" The man gasped, and blinked in surprise. "Wh...Who is she?" Madonna groaned and slowly opened her eyes, only to realize that she could see nearly nothing. Her world had turned into a faded gray-ish black. She had become blind. Slowly reaching out, Madonna could feel the foot and the leg of someone, and by the silkiness of the clothes and scent, she could tell they were human. Madonna grunted and felt around with her other hand, revealing Terra who had been caught in the winds and tucked away safely by her chest.
"Please...take care of my baby..." Madonna moaned, and the man's smile suddenly lit up as if it were a Christmas tree. It all came to him immediately, making him practically shake with excitement as he reached down and grabbed hold of Terra, gazing upon her admiringly.
"YOUR girl!?" He squealed, and laughed softly. "Hmm...so she's half human and half...OH! How absolutely fascinating! Mwa ha ha ha ha...she will help us realize our dream faster than we ever imagined!" At the sound of his voice, Madonna suddenly realized who was beside her, and let out a gasp as she reached out and clawed at Emperor Gestahl's robes.
"NO!" Madonna cried, and blindly tried to strike Gestahl so that he would drop Terra. However, Gestahl only began to laugh louder, and he bent down, picking up a sword that had probably belonged to one of his soldiers that had been blown out with him. He smiled sweetly at Madonna's useless struggle, and raised the sword over his head.
"Quiet, my dear!" He cackled, and with that, brought the hilt of the sword upon the back of Madonna's head, a sickening crack ringing out in the forest that was only beaten by Madonna's scream of pain as she was struck. However, it was short-lived, and a moment later, Madonna's head hit the ground, her eyes sliding shut forever as a trickle of blood trailed out of the corner of her mouth. Gestahl began to laugh manically as he tossed the sword aside and clutched onto Terra, who had begun to cry again. One of his Imperial Soldiers emerged from where they had been tossed, and immediately ran over to Maduin's still body, preparing to shackle him up for Emperor Gestahl.
"WE WILL OWN THIS WORLD!" Gestahl exclaimed proudly, breaking out into even more laughter. It echoed on and on as the scenery began to fade again for the final time. A few moments later, the Returners were back in the Zozo apartment, a crash of lightning outside making them all jump as they realized they were back in reality. Terra was still sitting up in bed, only now, she was back to her old green-haired human self, and instead of the Magicite, she was clutching to the ruby pendant around her neck. Her eyes were wide and there were little beads of sweat that had gathered at her temples and forehead.
"That was my father...?" She whispered. "I am...the product of an Esper and a human..." She shook her head and looked up at the others, who remained absolutely silent. "That's how I got my powers... And now I understand. I finally feel as if I can control this power of mine... For it is MINE, and not stolen from the blood of an Esper. Maduin's power courses through my veins, as well as my mother's...my poor, poor mother..." Edgar stepped up to Terra's side and gently pushed her bangs out of her eyes as she looked down to her lap sadly.
"So Gestahl must of known the secret of the Esper's power way back then." Edgar said. "It was nearly 18 years ago when Madonna found Maduin and had Terra. A couple of years after that, Gestahl attacked. I have no doubt in my mind he had already begun testing the infusion process as soon as he got a hold of Terra."
"He had to of known about the infusion process." Locke said dully. "Celes told me that she had had her powers since she was a little girl. If she and Terra are both 18, then that means that Celes was one of the first to get infused. Her power came at the expense of an Esper..." At that, Terra looked up from the bed, and looked about, confused that Celes had not spoken up for herself. When Terra noticed Celes wasn't there, she was about to open her mouth and question it when Sabin slammed his fist against his hand and growled.
"They can't get away with this!" He cried. "We have to strike back!" Terra blinked and looked to him worriedly.
"What is happening in Narshe?!" She asked, and Locke rested his hands on his hips.
"Hmm...maybe we should head back that way now..."
"The airship is ready!" Setzer announced, and Terra smiled a little, yanking the sheets off her legs and jumping out of bed.
"Come on!" She exclaimed happily. She couldn't wait to catch up with the others about what had happened. As they walked down the hallway of the apartment to go outside, Terra felt as if her heart were about to soar right out of her chest.
My friends...my wonderful friends came for me...were worried for me... What is this I am feeling right now? It's so warm and comforting... To know that they care...
Is it...love...?
**********
Back on the Blackjack, more introductions were made as well as tearful reunions as all the Returners fawned over Terra, asking her twenty times over if she was ok, if she felt hurt, if she was hungry, thirsty, so on and so on. Gau climbed on Terra's back and happily tugged on her hair as she tried to listen to the stories the others had to tell her, her heart and mind overwhelmed by everything happening around her. She found Setzer charming and polite as he introduced himself and kissed her hand like a true gentleman, making Edgar turn red in fury.
"I thought I was the ladies man here!" He whispered to Sabin, and Sabin tried not to laugh in his face.
" I don't know what to tell you, brother." He smiled some, and Edgar crossed his arms over his chest like a jealous little boy.
"Don't forget who saved you, Terra!" He cried, and Terra turned to him, smiling wider than he had ever seen her.
"I am grateful to everyone!" She exclaimed, and Edgar nearly fell over. Sabin laughed more and looked away from his brother for a moment, only to see Locke silently retreating down the stairs that led to the lower deck of the Blackjack. Not having seen his friend in quite a while, Sabin decided to follow him, asking Terra if he could excuse himself for a second. Terra nodded and was practically dragged away by Setzer a moment later, who was dying to show his airship's controls off to someone new.
Below the deck, Locke sighed and shoved his hands further down in his pockets as he collapsed in a soft red chair and leaned back, closing his eyes. There were so many thoughts running though his head at that moment, he could barely pick them apart to make them make sense for him. He was overwhelmed with happiness that Terra was safe... At least he hadn't of failed in his mission to bring her back to the real world with everyone else. However...now there were more serious things to think about. This Emperor Gestahl seemed to be another dangerous character that the Returners would surely end up facing soon, and while they had Terra back on their side as well as Setzer, he had the sinking feeling that their luck would not improve much. What if the Empire was still going to try to steal Terra back? Locke was sure that the news of Terra becoming a flying white creature in the sky had been brought to their attention by now. And how long would it take for the Empire to make a counter-attack against the Returners for raiding and destroying the Magitek Research Facility?
And then there was Celes... There would be no time to even search for her...
"Locke Cole!" A bright voice exclaimed, and Locke whirled around his chair, only to see Sabin's smiling face.
"Hey Sabin." Locke smiled back a little, and patted the chair next to him. Sabin took a seat and let out a loud yawn, slumping back in his chair.
"How are you feeling?" Sabin asked as he turned to Locke. "You look tired."
"I am tired." Locke admitted. "I haven't gotten more than an hour of sleep these past couple of days, it seems. I keep hoping we will have some sort of a break so that we can relax, but... It doesn't seem likely anymore."
"Yeah, tell me about it." Sabin sighed and rested his hands behind his head. "Keeping guard at Narshe wasn't exactly easy either. Everyone there was so paranoid...Gau and I were running around checking stuff out all day and night. Hopefully things will calm down again when Terra returns. I really think the town is beginning to look up to her as their savior."
"We can't let anymore burdens fall on her shoulders." Locke suddenly said, and Sabin blinked.
"Well of course not Locke, we'll all do our best to protect her..."
"...I hope so." Locke murmured, and Sabin narrowed his eyes in concern. It was not like Locke Cole to get so distraught especially after just the joyful event of rescuing Terra. There was more on his mind than just the Empire.
"...So..." Sabin stuttered awkwardly, but was interrupted by someone else.
"Locke, where is Celes?" Terra asked softly from the foot of the stairs. "I really want to thank her. I noticed she was not with us in Zozo, so I figured she was sleeping on the ship..." Locke widened his eyes and Sabin looked over to Terra worriedly. She was no longer smiling as brightly as before, but she still did look a little happy. Terra's gaze flickered from Sabin's to the back of Locke's head. She walked over slowly and stood behind Locke, resting her small hands on his shoulders from behind and gasping a little at how tight and clenched his muscles felt.
"Locke..." Terra trailed off. "...Will you please answer me?"
".....I don't know." Locke moaned. "I guess you two still don't know...but while we were at the Magitek Research Facility, there was an accident and Kefka revealed to us that Celes was still with the Empire." Terra blinked, feeling her breath get caught in her throat, and Sabin nearly choked on his own spit.
"What?!" Sabin cried, and Locke continued staring down at the floor.
"But we don't know if it was a lie or not... Things get blurry after that...there was a battle...I thought I heard Celes saying something to me, but I can't really remember what it was she said. A few moments later, she had disappeared in a spell that she had cast with Kefka, and we haven't seen her or Kefka since." Terra sighed a little and Sabin bit his lower lip, trying to put together the broken story in his mind.
"So Celes is gone..." Terra trailed off and squeezed Locke's shoulders a little. "Gone...and may or may not have been a traitor..." Locke moaned, and Terra put on a small smile.
"But don't worry...if Kefka really was lying, then I am sure that Celes will make her way back to us!" Terra smiled even more at her solution, and nodded to herself. "Why, I know that she would not want to stay away from you very long, Locke Cole! You must have faith!"
"That's right Locke, faith is what has carried us so far." Sabin smiled, and Locke closed his eyes.
"That would be true Terra...if I had only had faith in her first..." With that, Locke stood up and walked away, leaving Terra and Sabin behind. Sabin seemed mildly confused, but Terra could immediately sense at what Locke was trying to get at, and pressed a hand to her mouth in surprise.
"...Oh dear...what is going to happen to us...?" Terra closed her eyes and clenched at the back of the chair Locke had been sitting in, trying to fight the stinging tears that were forming behind her eyelids.
Please Gods...please let the Returners stick together through the trials we are to face in the future... Everyone...is here for a reason...and to win, we will need to fight together...
Please make our hearts strong and true. Please protect us from the Empire's traps and snares, both physically and soulfully. If we were to fall apart... Disaster stand in our places. Please let our hearts all heal from the past few days events, especially my friend Locke's. Fill us with courage and peace, and the wisdom we need to fight.
....And please, most of all, let us be together again. But, let Celes be safe, if nothing else...
"...The Esper World..." Locke trailed off, his voice barely audible as he repeated Terra's words. At that moment, all the Magicite the Returners possessed began to softly glow in unison, including the piece in Terra's lap. The scenery about them began to fade away, and replaced the dreary, drippy Zozo apartment with a warm, cozy scene of a small village with little bridges that crossed the rivers and spacey hilltops adorned with flowers and little people running about, screaming and laughing. The homes scattered throughout the village were simple and looked as if they had been pulled out of a story book. The sky was a soft blue, and clouds lazily hazed in with the pale smoke that was coming out of all the houses' chimneys. A rather large cave could be seen tucked behind everything else, it being the only dark and looming presence in the whole village.
Is this the Esper World? Locke thought to himself. The place my Grandmother always told me stories about?
The magic of the Espers is letting us see their world! Edgar's thoughts raced excitedly.
I feel like a ghost...No one can see us. Setzer closed his eyes and reopened them slowly to make sure this was real.
Suddenly, a new figure appeared in the scenery, running down a long path that appeared to lead to the exit of the village, and turned a corner, nearly running into a tall figure that could only be an Esper. The first Esper bowed in apology to the bigger one, and pointed worriedly to the path he had been running down.
The Espers...they look nearly human. Cyan noted to himself. Actually, they look a lot like Terra does now...
"Maduin, just the esper I wanted to see!" The running Esper cried. "There's an emergency! Something is coming through the gate!" Maduin looked shocked and reached up to straighten the beautiful jeweled head piece he was wearing.
"I'll go investigate." Maduin finally replied, and patted the shoulder of the smaller Esper as he took off running down the long path, finally reaching the looming cave in the back of the village. Heaving the rock door open, Maduin stepped inside and looked about. The cave was dark, and the only thing in it was a long rope bridge that led from the door to the Esper's World to the other side of the cave, where the Humans lived. However, sunlight was now pouring from the door of the Humans, and lying there, collapsed in a mess of golden hair and red silk cloth was a young human girl. Maduin blinked and crossed the bridge to investigate, both frightened and entranced at the same time. He slowly reached down to brush her hair from her face, the light now falling upon her closed eyes and soft pink cheeks. Maduin felt a flush of embarrassment come over him as the first thought that came into his mind was "She is breathtakingly beautiful." However, Maduin had been taught better than to submit to what pleased the eye rather than what pleased the soul and the benefit of others, so he carefully took a step back and stared down upon her with clearer, wiser eyes, trying to decide what step of action he should take next.
"Listen well, and think clearly!" Maduin said aloud to remind himself. "What will you do?" He sighed and looked down at the floor of the cave, his silver white hair falling in his eyes. He couldn't just leave her here, she would surely end up dying. But if he took her back, what would the other Espers say? Humans were hated in the village...it was known that all they caused was destruction and corruption.
But this was just one girl.
She couldn't do anything...could she? Not in her injured state...
"Alright, in you go." Maduin sighed and reached down, picking up the girl and resting her over his shoulder as he carried her back to the village.
**********
"She's still pretty weak. Better let her rest here for a moment." Sairys said, a young Esper with light blonde hair that was pulled into two buns. She was a type of fairy Sylph Esper with little delicate blue wings that matched her dress, and she was also very kind hearted, so Maduin was sure to bring the human to her house. However, Sairys' husband, a brute Esper named Ran, was like her polar opposite, and not happy with Maduin's guest being in his home.
"You'd better do away with it!" He barked. "Humans and Espers are incompatible!" Maduin looked to him worriedly, and right then the door of the house flew open, and the village elder came in, an elderly Esper named Tenteki, and approached Maduin slowly.
"Did I hear there was a human here?!" He asked, a mix of fear and excitement in his tone. Maduin pointed to the girl and shrugged.
"Probably wandered in here by mistake..."
"Ohhh...."
The Espers in the room gasped as the girl suddenly emitted a low moan, and began to open her eyes, which were a sparkling amber color. She slowly reached up to feel what was on her forehead, a damp cloth that Sairys had provided, and turned her head to face Sairys, who was smiling at her brightly. Maduin turned around, ignoring Tenteki, and walked over to the girl, who was now sitting up in bed and holding the cloth to her forehead. Maduin gave the others a look, and at once, Sairys, Ran, and Tenteki filed out of the home to leave them alone.
"Did I wake you?" Maduin asked, and she shook her head. Her eyes slowly trailed over his body to the beautiful ruby pendant resting around his neck. It was like nothing she had ever seen before!
"You're...an Esper?" She suddenly asked, and Maduin nodded. She smiled a little and reached out, gently brushing the jewel of the pendant with her fingertips.
"What is this pendant?" She asked excitedly, and Maduin was so happy that she was awake and speaking, he stopped listening to his inner, more conscientious self and reached down, pulling the pendant up and over his neck, handing it to her.
"It's yours now!" Maduin smiled. "It helps protect the Esper World." The girl widened her eyes a little and looked up at Maduin in disbelief as she gripped the pendant tightly.
"Esper World...boy, did I take the low road or what?" She suddenly asked, and laughed a little. Maduin blinked, not getting the joke, but suddenly joined with in her laughing, just because it was so addictive. However, he knew that he had to get to more serious issues with the girl before the other Espers burst in on them again and start firing questions to her their own way.
"The Espers are pretty upset...you being a human and all..." Maduin trailed off, and the girl blinked.
"And you...you are the one that saved me?"
"Well, yeah...I am Maduin..."
"I'm Madonna!"
"Madonna...I tired of living in the human world....It is filled with desire, greed, and loathing...It's highly infectious. But sometimes I wonder...are Humans and Espers really so different?" However, Madonna looked slightly hurt, and crossed her arms over her chest.
"So, I'm an example of all the evil in this world, huh?" Madonna asked, and Maduin jumped a little.
"No! I mean..."
"I'll return to my world tomorrow!" Madonna cried, and flopped back down in her bed, pulling the covers up over her head. Maduin gulped and rested a hand on his hip. He didn't know quite what to say. Finally, he sighed and looked down at the floor.
"You'll need a guide..."
**********
The next day, Maduin slept in later than he had planned, and it was the mid-afternoon sun that finally woke him from his slumber. He sat up and yawned, reaching up to rub his eyes. He had spent all of the previous night thinking of that human, Madonna... Her name had been on his lips and the lips of every other Esper in the village all night, and the sound of it made his heart race and ache all at once, in a way he had never imagined one could feel. He couldn't understand what was wrong with him...why, he had even given her his pendant, one of the most sacred treasures he had ever owned! Her eyes had danced so delightedly when he handed it over, and it had made his heart soar. But Maduin suddenly remembered that Madonna was planning on making her leave today, and that he had promised to take her home. He let out a low moan and leaned back against the headboard of his bed, looking up at the ceiling sadly.
"I wonder...if this is what they call...love..."
"WHAT!? The human is gone?!"
"What the hell?!" Maduin cried, jumping out of bed and running outside of his small home, where Tenteki and Sairys were arguing right out front, and loudly enough for everyone to hear who wanted to. Tenteki looked up at Maduin and waved his staff frantically.
"Madonna disappeared!" He cried, and Maduin blinked. He was too shocked and saddened to say anything in reply.
"How did a human girl in her condition make it all the way through the gate?" Sairys questioned, and with that, Maduin took off running as fast as he could, on the path to the gate that separated the Esper World from the World of the Humans... Along the way, he could hear other Espers whispering and gasping in frightened tones.
"If this generation of humans knew about out abilities... And decided they wanted to utilize our powers... It would be a total disaster!"
"Everyone here's feeling uneasy."
"The link between worlds has surely weakened over the past 1000 years."
"Why has this happened now after all these years?"
Huffing and puffing, Maduin finally reached the gate and pushed past the guard for the day, which was his youthful friend from yesterday, who's name was Yura.
"Maduin, wait, what's wrong?!" Yura cried, but Maduin merely grunted a reply as he shoved open the gate door and ran inside the cave, nearly crying out in joy when he saw Madonna, who was heavily struggling and gasping with the door to her own world. She finally gave up, letting out an exasperated breath, and leaned back against the door as she slowly slid down until her rear hit the rocky floor of the cave. She began to sob quietly in the lap of her dress as she pulled her knees up to her chest. Maduin took in a deep breath and walked over across the bridge to her slowly, not wanting to startle her. However, even his gentle footsteps were not quiet enough in the echoing cave, and Madonna looked up, rubbing her cheeks furiously to banish her tears.
"What?!" She sniffled, and Maduin stopped a few feet in front of her, his eyes falling on the pendant now resting around her neck, the ruby jewel resting right above the neckline of her dress.
"Uhhh..." Maduin struggled for a few moments, until he finally cleared his throat and spoke.
"If you don't want to go back to your world...you may stay here."
"But..." Madonna blinked and looked up at Maduin, not really knowing what to say. "But...humans and Espers...they can never coexist...!" She let out a small gasp as Maduin suddenly stooped down and wrapped his strong arms around her, pulling her close against his chest. Madonna blinked again and slid her arms around his waist, nuzzling her head against his soft hair as he slowly stood up with her and pushed her hair away from her eyes.
"....How do we know...unless we observe for ourselves...?" Maduin smiled softly as he gazed into Madonna's eyes, his heart beating so hard he thought it would echo throughout the cave like any other sound. Madonna smiled in return and reached up, touching the pendant on her neck with her fingertips as she leaned in slowly and closed her eyes.
...How do we know...
Maduin leaned in as well and slowly ran his fingers through her hair, gently tilting her head back.
...Unless we...
Madonna murmured Maduin's name as his lips pressed to hers, firm and yet with touch as light as a feather as their embrace around each other tightened, waking and enlightening every sense in their bodies as the kiss deepened, and everything in the setting around them disappeared with the exception of each other's presence. Her lips, his touch, their love was all they could both see, smell, feel, hear, and taste.
...Observe for ourselves...?
The scene began to fade in darkness, causing the Returners to all blink and look about.
"Is it over?" Locke asked, a little stunned. As if to answer his question, the scenery about them began to fade back in, and the Returners found themselves back in Maduin's house, with him pacing and jumping about happily as Madonna sat up in bed, holding a squirming bundle of blankets in her arms with Sairys cooing over her excitedly. The baby girl was curiously tugging at a pendant that had been placed around her neck by her mother.
"...I've decided on a name." Maduin said, and Madonna and Sairys both looked over at him.
"What is it dear?" Madonna asked happily, and Maduin grinned.
"Terra! Not bad, huh?"
**********
The scenery faded once more, and the constant ticking of a clock could be heard as the Returners continued to observe, realizing that time was now flying past them. The Esper World resurfaced once more, only this time, things were different... Drastically different...
Imperial Soldiers were now pouring inside the village through the Gate, screaming and shouting at one another as they pulled out swords and crossbows, shooting at every Esper they could find. The Espers were screaming and crying too, some dying in the streets while others fled for their lives. The village was in complete chaos, and flames began to erupt on the straw roofs of some homes thanks to the Imperial Soldiers, who would smoke out the Espers in hiding.
"Humans!!!"
"The nexus between our worlds has opened again!!"
"The wind... so odd... just like two years ago... But everything's different now..."
"Troops have come seeking our magical power!"
"Blast it! They've made it as far as the Elder's house!" An Esper screamed, as the Imperial Soldiers broke down Tenteki's door to his little house and streamed inside, the sound of furniture being destroyed ringing out everywhere. While the Imperial Soldiers were busy in the town, one last lone figure emerged from the gate, a tall, ancient in appearance man with heavy black and red robes and a matching hat. He had long, almost dirty pale blonde hair that tumbled down his back and dangled from his beard, and while it was tidy and kept nice, it still seemed to almost consume all of his wrinkled, bitter face. His eyes were as dark as a black marble, and his mouth was pressed together in a straight line. Taking small steps out of the gate, his mouth suddenly curled into a small smile, and he began to chuckle to himself madly.
"Aha! We've finally found it! Those ancient writings told of this world, and described the awesome magical properties of these beasts!" He laughed louder and cupped his hands over his mouth to make himself heard among the chaos. "Grab them! Riches to any man who captures an Esper! GO!"
Meanwhile, in Ran and Sairys' house, Madonna, Maduin, and Tenteki (who had luckily not been in his house when it was attacked) were discussing what they could do to stop the humans. Ran and Sairys had gone outside to fight, but had not come back yet. Terra had just gotten done wailing uncontrollably from all of the commotion and screaming outside. Madonna cradled the infant in her arms and tried to soothe her the best she could.
"Terra's alright..." Madonna murmured as Terra began to slide her eyes shut. At that moment, Ran burst in the house, a worried expression on his face.
"Soon the humans will arrive!" He cried. "Sairys and I can't hold them off much longer!"
"We've no choice..." Tenteki trailed off and sighed. "We must do what we've been avoiding..."
"You mean...the magic barrier?" Maduin blinked, and Tenteki nodded.
"Here's the plan: We'll cause a tempest that will sweep all the nasty creatures out of our realm. Then we'll seal the gate... I am the last of our kind that is able to cast this magic seal, so we must do it immediately."
"But in your state, you just might..." Maduin began, but Tenteki interrupted him.
"...Pass away....yes, but at least we will finally be safe." Maduin looked as if he were trying his best to hold back tears as Madonna spoke up.
"I, for one, will not miss the other side." She said firmly, and Maduin turned to her worriedly.
"Madonna...."
"Lets do it!" Tenteki cried. "We really have no other choice." With that, the Elder made his leave of the others, without even saying his good-byes.
"AHHH!" Ran suddenly cried, and Maduin and Madonna turned to him, only to face his angry glare. Ran crossed his arms over his chest and glowered heavily at them, especially Madonna and Terra.
"This is all because of that human girl!" Ran screamed, and Madonna turned white while Maduin leaped from his chair in shock and anger.
"Nonsense!" He cried in Madonna's defense.
"I'm SURE she helped the others find us." Ran added bitterly.
"Get a grip on yourself!" Maduin cried worriedly. "Madonna is one of us!"
"NO! She's one of THEM!" Ran screamed, and shook his head. "Soon she'll be wearing our hides!" At this final remark, Madonna let out a struggled cry and suddenly leaped up, pulling Terra close to her chest as she pushed past Maduin and Ran and burst from the house, taking off as fast as she could towards the gate. Ran blinked in surprise while Maduin let out a growl and pushed past Ran as well to go after her. But by the time Maduin had managed to get to the gate after clearing all the Imperials in his way, the Elder was there, his hands locked together as he began to cast the spell. A low moaning sound began to emit from the mountain gate as gusts of winds began to form within it, creating a small sucking tempest that gained strength by the second. Maduin was almost carried off of his feet as he rushed towards the tempest, and the Elder gasped, dropping his hands when he saw that Maduin was heading for the gate.
"Where are you going?!" Tenteki cried, and Maduin looked back to him.
"Madonna is getting drawn into the next world...!" He struggled to cry over the winds.
"Impossible!" Tenteki screamed. "It's too late! I've already began casting the barrier! There is no turning back!"
No! Maduin thought alarmingly. There is no way I can leave Madonna behind! I can't let her and Terra go back! They belong here with me...the two people I love the most belong here with me, in OUR WORLD!
"...Fool..." Maduin groaned under his breath, and with that, took off running again just as the tempest gained a new level of power, lifting Maduin from his feet and sucking him into the cave effortlessly. There at the end of the drawbridge was Madonna, Terra, the bearded man, and a few Imperial Soldiers gathered around her. Madonna wasn't moving, and Terra was remaining silent.
"Look what popped out!" One of the soldiers cried, and pointed to Madonna as she groaned and struggled to sit up. But before anyone could lay a finger on her, another gust of wind ripped through, pulling the bearded man and his two soldiers through the last gate that acted as the barrier between the humans and the Espers.
"NOOOO!" The bearded man screamed, his voice fading with the winds. "Just as we were in reach of a veritable bonanza....!"
"Madonna!" Maduin cried, and ran over to her, taking her in his arms. "Madonna!"
"Maduin...I'm not their friend..." Madonna moaned, and Maduin nodded while putting a small naive smile on his face.
"I understand that!"
"Thank you..." Madonna sighed and cringed in pain, feeling as if every joint in her body had been crushed from the impact of the tempest wind.
"Can you make it back here?" Maduin asked soothingly, and Madonna nodded, standing up slowly with Terra still locked in her grip.
"Sure..." Madonna moaned, and with that, the two began to walk back slowly towards the drawbridge that would lead them home. Suddenly, there was a burst of sparkling light as the tempest reached it's full force, and a roaring wind began to rip and tear at Maduin and Madonna as they struggled to go against it to reach the Esper gate. However, Madonna's strength had been dangerously drained, and in the blink of an eye, she let her grip loosen, causing little Terra to go flying out of her arms and back through the same gate the Imperials had been sucked through.
"TERRA!" Madonna shrieked, and jerking away from Maduin's grip, let herself be blown away with her daughter through the gate as well, disappearing in seconds from Maduin's sight.
"MADONNA!" Maduin cried, and with that, let himself be sucked through the gate as well to go after them. The force was so great that Maduin blacked out immediately as he was thrown from the gate and into a small forest that rested outside of it in the human world. Madonna was there also, still barely awake, as well as the bearded man, who was gathering his wits. He shook his head and slowly stood up, brushing off his robes as he looked about and spotted Madonna and Maduin, his eyes lighting up in delight. He approached her slowly and kneeled down to her side, trying to determine whether she was alive or not.
"A...human girl!?" The man gasped, and blinked in surprise. "Wh...Who is she?" Madonna groaned and slowly opened her eyes, only to realize that she could see nearly nothing. Her world had turned into a faded gray-ish black. She had become blind. Slowly reaching out, Madonna could feel the foot and the leg of someone, and by the silkiness of the clothes and scent, she could tell they were human. Madonna grunted and felt around with her other hand, revealing Terra who had been caught in the winds and tucked away safely by her chest.
"Please...take care of my baby..." Madonna moaned, and the man's smile suddenly lit up as if it were a Christmas tree. It all came to him immediately, making him practically shake with excitement as he reached down and grabbed hold of Terra, gazing upon her admiringly.
"YOUR girl!?" He squealed, and laughed softly. "Hmm...so she's half human and half...OH! How absolutely fascinating! Mwa ha ha ha ha...she will help us realize our dream faster than we ever imagined!" At the sound of his voice, Madonna suddenly realized who was beside her, and let out a gasp as she reached out and clawed at Emperor Gestahl's robes.
"NO!" Madonna cried, and blindly tried to strike Gestahl so that he would drop Terra. However, Gestahl only began to laugh louder, and he bent down, picking up a sword that had probably belonged to one of his soldiers that had been blown out with him. He smiled sweetly at Madonna's useless struggle, and raised the sword over his head.
"Quiet, my dear!" He cackled, and with that, brought the hilt of the sword upon the back of Madonna's head, a sickening crack ringing out in the forest that was only beaten by Madonna's scream of pain as she was struck. However, it was short-lived, and a moment later, Madonna's head hit the ground, her eyes sliding shut forever as a trickle of blood trailed out of the corner of her mouth. Gestahl began to laugh manically as he tossed the sword aside and clutched onto Terra, who had begun to cry again. One of his Imperial Soldiers emerged from where they had been tossed, and immediately ran over to Maduin's still body, preparing to shackle him up for Emperor Gestahl.
"WE WILL OWN THIS WORLD!" Gestahl exclaimed proudly, breaking out into even more laughter. It echoed on and on as the scenery began to fade again for the final time. A few moments later, the Returners were back in the Zozo apartment, a crash of lightning outside making them all jump as they realized they were back in reality. Terra was still sitting up in bed, only now, she was back to her old green-haired human self, and instead of the Magicite, she was clutching to the ruby pendant around her neck. Her eyes were wide and there were little beads of sweat that had gathered at her temples and forehead.
"That was my father...?" She whispered. "I am...the product of an Esper and a human..." She shook her head and looked up at the others, who remained absolutely silent. "That's how I got my powers... And now I understand. I finally feel as if I can control this power of mine... For it is MINE, and not stolen from the blood of an Esper. Maduin's power courses through my veins, as well as my mother's...my poor, poor mother..." Edgar stepped up to Terra's side and gently pushed her bangs out of her eyes as she looked down to her lap sadly.
"So Gestahl must of known the secret of the Esper's power way back then." Edgar said. "It was nearly 18 years ago when Madonna found Maduin and had Terra. A couple of years after that, Gestahl attacked. I have no doubt in my mind he had already begun testing the infusion process as soon as he got a hold of Terra."
"He had to of known about the infusion process." Locke said dully. "Celes told me that she had had her powers since she was a little girl. If she and Terra are both 18, then that means that Celes was one of the first to get infused. Her power came at the expense of an Esper..." At that, Terra looked up from the bed, and looked about, confused that Celes had not spoken up for herself. When Terra noticed Celes wasn't there, she was about to open her mouth and question it when Sabin slammed his fist against his hand and growled.
"They can't get away with this!" He cried. "We have to strike back!" Terra blinked and looked to him worriedly.
"What is happening in Narshe?!" She asked, and Locke rested his hands on his hips.
"Hmm...maybe we should head back that way now..."
"The airship is ready!" Setzer announced, and Terra smiled a little, yanking the sheets off her legs and jumping out of bed.
"Come on!" She exclaimed happily. She couldn't wait to catch up with the others about what had happened. As they walked down the hallway of the apartment to go outside, Terra felt as if her heart were about to soar right out of her chest.
My friends...my wonderful friends came for me...were worried for me... What is this I am feeling right now? It's so warm and comforting... To know that they care...
Is it...love...?
**********
Back on the Blackjack, more introductions were made as well as tearful reunions as all the Returners fawned over Terra, asking her twenty times over if she was ok, if she felt hurt, if she was hungry, thirsty, so on and so on. Gau climbed on Terra's back and happily tugged on her hair as she tried to listen to the stories the others had to tell her, her heart and mind overwhelmed by everything happening around her. She found Setzer charming and polite as he introduced himself and kissed her hand like a true gentleman, making Edgar turn red in fury.
"I thought I was the ladies man here!" He whispered to Sabin, and Sabin tried not to laugh in his face.
" I don't know what to tell you, brother." He smiled some, and Edgar crossed his arms over his chest like a jealous little boy.
"Don't forget who saved you, Terra!" He cried, and Terra turned to him, smiling wider than he had ever seen her.
"I am grateful to everyone!" She exclaimed, and Edgar nearly fell over. Sabin laughed more and looked away from his brother for a moment, only to see Locke silently retreating down the stairs that led to the lower deck of the Blackjack. Not having seen his friend in quite a while, Sabin decided to follow him, asking Terra if he could excuse himself for a second. Terra nodded and was practically dragged away by Setzer a moment later, who was dying to show his airship's controls off to someone new.
Below the deck, Locke sighed and shoved his hands further down in his pockets as he collapsed in a soft red chair and leaned back, closing his eyes. There were so many thoughts running though his head at that moment, he could barely pick them apart to make them make sense for him. He was overwhelmed with happiness that Terra was safe... At least he hadn't of failed in his mission to bring her back to the real world with everyone else. However...now there were more serious things to think about. This Emperor Gestahl seemed to be another dangerous character that the Returners would surely end up facing soon, and while they had Terra back on their side as well as Setzer, he had the sinking feeling that their luck would not improve much. What if the Empire was still going to try to steal Terra back? Locke was sure that the news of Terra becoming a flying white creature in the sky had been brought to their attention by now. And how long would it take for the Empire to make a counter-attack against the Returners for raiding and destroying the Magitek Research Facility?
And then there was Celes... There would be no time to even search for her...
"Locke Cole!" A bright voice exclaimed, and Locke whirled around his chair, only to see Sabin's smiling face.
"Hey Sabin." Locke smiled back a little, and patted the chair next to him. Sabin took a seat and let out a loud yawn, slumping back in his chair.
"How are you feeling?" Sabin asked as he turned to Locke. "You look tired."
"I am tired." Locke admitted. "I haven't gotten more than an hour of sleep these past couple of days, it seems. I keep hoping we will have some sort of a break so that we can relax, but... It doesn't seem likely anymore."
"Yeah, tell me about it." Sabin sighed and rested his hands behind his head. "Keeping guard at Narshe wasn't exactly easy either. Everyone there was so paranoid...Gau and I were running around checking stuff out all day and night. Hopefully things will calm down again when Terra returns. I really think the town is beginning to look up to her as their savior."
"We can't let anymore burdens fall on her shoulders." Locke suddenly said, and Sabin blinked.
"Well of course not Locke, we'll all do our best to protect her..."
"...I hope so." Locke murmured, and Sabin narrowed his eyes in concern. It was not like Locke Cole to get so distraught especially after just the joyful event of rescuing Terra. There was more on his mind than just the Empire.
"...So..." Sabin stuttered awkwardly, but was interrupted by someone else.
"Locke, where is Celes?" Terra asked softly from the foot of the stairs. "I really want to thank her. I noticed she was not with us in Zozo, so I figured she was sleeping on the ship..." Locke widened his eyes and Sabin looked over to Terra worriedly. She was no longer smiling as brightly as before, but she still did look a little happy. Terra's gaze flickered from Sabin's to the back of Locke's head. She walked over slowly and stood behind Locke, resting her small hands on his shoulders from behind and gasping a little at how tight and clenched his muscles felt.
"Locke..." Terra trailed off. "...Will you please answer me?"
".....I don't know." Locke moaned. "I guess you two still don't know...but while we were at the Magitek Research Facility, there was an accident and Kefka revealed to us that Celes was still with the Empire." Terra blinked, feeling her breath get caught in her throat, and Sabin nearly choked on his own spit.
"What?!" Sabin cried, and Locke continued staring down at the floor.
"But we don't know if it was a lie or not... Things get blurry after that...there was a battle...I thought I heard Celes saying something to me, but I can't really remember what it was she said. A few moments later, she had disappeared in a spell that she had cast with Kefka, and we haven't seen her or Kefka since." Terra sighed a little and Sabin bit his lower lip, trying to put together the broken story in his mind.
"So Celes is gone..." Terra trailed off and squeezed Locke's shoulders a little. "Gone...and may or may not have been a traitor..." Locke moaned, and Terra put on a small smile.
"But don't worry...if Kefka really was lying, then I am sure that Celes will make her way back to us!" Terra smiled even more at her solution, and nodded to herself. "Why, I know that she would not want to stay away from you very long, Locke Cole! You must have faith!"
"That's right Locke, faith is what has carried us so far." Sabin smiled, and Locke closed his eyes.
"That would be true Terra...if I had only had faith in her first..." With that, Locke stood up and walked away, leaving Terra and Sabin behind. Sabin seemed mildly confused, but Terra could immediately sense at what Locke was trying to get at, and pressed a hand to her mouth in surprise.
"...Oh dear...what is going to happen to us...?" Terra closed her eyes and clenched at the back of the chair Locke had been sitting in, trying to fight the stinging tears that were forming behind her eyelids.
Please Gods...please let the Returners stick together through the trials we are to face in the future... Everyone...is here for a reason...and to win, we will need to fight together...
Please make our hearts strong and true. Please protect us from the Empire's traps and snares, both physically and soulfully. If we were to fall apart... Disaster stand in our places. Please let our hearts all heal from the past few days events, especially my friend Locke's. Fill us with courage and peace, and the wisdom we need to fight.
....And please, most of all, let us be together again. But, let Celes be safe, if nothing else...
