The Truth?

The day after the snow incident occurred outside of Miranda, the Returners gathered in the inn to discuss what exactly was going on.

"Ok let's review what is going on here," said Edgar, "10 people died and it seems it was called by magic, especially lightning. Then yesterday it started to snow, something that never happens here and there was not a cloud in the sky. Now magic supposedly died with the statues but somehow has returned. But how?"

Celes stood up, "Is it possible that the statues and espers have returned?" Terra immediately shook her head, "No, I would have felt it."

They all sat there in silence until they heard the door open and a badly wounded man walk in and collapse. "Jules?!" Sarah ran to him and helped him up and set him on a bed. "What happened to you"?

Jules coughed, "its...its not es..pers it's a...." "What is it Jules?" asked Sabin impatiently. Though he was wounded badly, none of them with the exception of Sarah cared much for him. "It is a machine damnit, I saw it," he yelled.

Everyone was shocked until Setzer asked, "What happened to you?" Jules laughed and then cringed from the pain, "I am so glad you are all concerned about me, haha. Anyways I found a cave a few miles from the murder site and I went in. Deep inside the cave was this humongous machine. When I got near it, it started to react violently. Then I heard something from behind and as I turned around I was stabbed in the stomach. I couldn't make out the person...all I saw was a dark hood."

"So how do you know that it is this machine producing magic?" asked Strago.

"Because," Jules continued, "As I laid there the man said to me 'I see you found my contraption, it is unfortunate that you will never tell anyone about it, I think that I will test a new spell on you...yes you can be my guinea pig'. With all the amount of strength I had left I pulled out my spear and stabbed in the leg and made my way out as fast as I could."

"My goodness" said Cyan "we must find this culprit and bring him to justice. Sir Jules can you take us to this cave of which you speak of?"

"There's more, I think I know who it is using this machine. The voice was very familiar but I am not sure."

"Who, who was it?" asked Celes

Jules looked at the wall as he answered, "it sounded like....Emperor Gesthal".