Chapter 13
After a few hours, the group reassembled at the Inn. When Samus told the others of their encounter, all seemed without any possible answer.
"It doesn't make sense. The magic would have required a source. A point of origin to be cast from." Cloud said.
"I agree," Terra confirmed. "Though from what they tell us, there was none." Tifa nodded her confirmation.
"I can't sense anything either." Barrett said, removing the materia from his gun attachment. "Whatever it was, it's either gone, or beyond the sense materia's ability." Terra got up to get some tea for herself. As she returned to the table, however, she dropped the cup and it shattered on the ground.
"Terra!" Sabin cried. "Are you alright?" He stood up to help her, but something held him back. There was no life in her eyes. She stared straight forward, not blinking in the least. Then she slowly raised her hands and started to cast a spell.
"Everyone move! That's ultima she's casting!" Tifa cried, running from the building. Sabin and Shadow took more direct action. They lunged at her, hoping to disrupt the spell. They hit her both high and low, taking her to the ground. Terra cried out when they hit her, the wind knocked from her lungs as she went down. When they were sure the spell had been cancelled, they slowly looked her over. Through the fear in her eyes, they knew she was just as confused as they were.
"Why are you guys on top of me?" She asked. "What's going on?"
"We could ask you the same!" Mog asked. "If they hadn't stopped you, you would have obliterated this town!"
"What are you talking about?" Terra asked.
"You had started to cast Ultima, Terra!" Cloud said. Her face froze in horror.
"I… What?" She stuttered. If she hadn't been sitting on the ground, she would have fallen backwards.
"What is it Terra?" Sabin asked, truly concerned.
"It was that dream again. Kefka was there, he ordered me to destroy my father… I started chanting… and then I saw you two diving at me." She explained. Sabin looked from the group to her.
"Terra, you were casting that spell for real. Except it wasn't your father that was the target. It was us!" Samus said.
"Do you think Sepiroth did this? Or Mother Brain?" Tron asked. The others shook their heads.
"The Brain doesn't have that kind of power. As for Sepiroth, he doesn't resort to such tactics. He's more direct." Samus and Cloud replied. Terra started to shake. She had almost killed her entire group of friends in the blink of an eye. The dream had been more than a dream this time. It's like she was living it. Or even worse, being controlled by it.
"Cloud can I borrow your summon materia again?" Terra asked. Cloud held back, but decided that if she went berserk, Sabin would be able to stop her in time.
"Which one would you like?" He asked. She requested Ifrit, Ramuh and Shiva. She placed them in a semi-circle in front of her and closed her eyes. Sabin had placed his hand on her shoulder and his eyes also closed. Soon Terra was spiraling downwards into the darkness of her mind. She felt her spirit land softly on a rock and she stood. In front of her were the three espers she most closely knew, besides her father of course. The three were quiet and communing amongst themselves. Upon her arrival, they seemed even more disturbed.
"Terra we can't keep meeting like this. It is very taxing for all of us. You, most of all since your magic abilities are steadily weaker." Shiva said calmly.
"I understand that, but I must know what has been happening to me. It's more than a dream isn't it?" She asked the group. Ramuh hesitated. He looked amongst his kind, not sure of how to proceed. Finally Ifrit stepped forward.
"You feel it as well. As you know, magic flourishes in this world, though not quite as we could experience it back in ours. With magic being able to exist…" His words began to falter.
"If magic exists, then he does as well…" Shiva muttered.
"Who exists?" Came a voice from beside Terra. Sabin sat beside her, looking up at the group.
"He mustn't be here!" Shiva cried. "Even now he is endangered by the evil one's spirit." The goddess of ice held her hands forward and sent Sabin's spirit flying backwards. As his spirit did, so did his body. He slammed into the nearest wall, his eyes remaining closed.
"What's his plan?" Terra asked. She saw in the eyes of the espers the answer she already knew. She slowly opened her eyes as the others stared at her. Shadow and Mog were helping Sabin to his feet, while Cloud snatched up the Summon materia.
"What did you find out?" Samus asked, helping Terra stand.
"Something I feared more than anyone or anything." She said, extra emphasis on "thing". Sabin moved to her side.
"Kefka is alive." He stated.
* * *
After a lengthy description of Kefka from Sabin's group, they had suddenly become aware of an increasingly loud noise off in the distance. It also seemed to be coming closer. They stood from the table and walked outside to see a massive flying craft land a short ways from the town.
"Well it's about damn time!" Barrett said behind the group. They made their way to the Highwind and stepped aboard.
"Welcome aboard everyone. This is only a temporary fix for her, but she'll hold. We couldn't repair the Falcon just yet. Need more supplies." Cid explained. Setzer nodded, while he watched out the windshield.
"The repairs weren't too severe, and with our combined knowledge, and a lil luck mind you, we got her off the ground. Now if you'll excuse me, nothing beats the feeling of that wind whipping around your body." Setzer said, heading for the stairs to the deck.
"He seems to be in better spirits as soon as he's in the air." Cloud commented. Terra nodded her agreement and moved to the front of the craft. She had been unusually silent since her meeting with the espers.
"You okay Terra?" Tifa asked, coming up beside the green haired woman.
"I… No. No I'm not okay." She said, hesitating.
"What is it?" Cid asked moving forward. They told him about the experiences at the Inn. He hardly could believe that a spirit could control something mortal.
"Sabin, I want you to put me in a place where I can't hurt anyone!" Terra cried, falling to her knees. "He controlled me twice already, and I'm sure he'll try again!"
"Twice? There was only that once in the Inn. Wasn't there?" Cloud asked. She shook her head and told them about how she had cast the magic that threatened Tifa and the others. She started to softly cry trying to keep her emotions in check, but the pain pushing through.
"Terra, we're here together. We'll keep you under control." Sabin suggested. She looked up at him, almost angry.
"No you won't. You can't watch me all the time. As soon as your back is turned, that's when he'll strike. I just know it. You don't know him like I do. I was under his power. I've seen the terrible things he's done!" She screamed. The others shrank back from her at this outburst. Sabin tried to go up to her, but when he saw the fire in her eyes, he flinched and backed away.
"There is one place we could take her." Cloud said softly. He slowly walked to the helm, watching Terra as if waiting for confirmation to follow through.
"Do it!" She said coldly. Cloud set the controls for the northern continent. He couldn't think of a place further from civilization. If this Kefka did take control of her, and he was capable of the things she was talking about, innocent lives would be lost. He couldn't allow that to happen. No one moved towards Terra, at first. Then, after a moment, Sabin got fed up and walked up to her. Her icy cold looks did nothing to hold him off this time. He grabbed her by the shoulders and lifted her to her feet. He prayed she would forgive him. He raised his hand and slapped her across the face.
"By the name of Figaro, snap out of it Terra!" He roared. "You've never shown weakness like this. We've defeated Kefka, we can do it again. I will not let you be reduced to this state!" The others held back, waiting for the outburst that would surely ensue. But nothing happened. She simply fell into his arms and started sobbing uncontrollably. Sabin nodded to Cloud and he reversed course.
"Sabin I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened to me. I was just so scared!" She cried, her face buried into his shoulder.
"It's okay. We'll fight this together. All of us." He said softly. He led her to a room where she quickly fell asleep.