Chapter 5
(Thanks to Lunauc for reviewing my story. It is indeed good to know that someone is reading your work.)
"Impossible." Strago Magus shook his head at the gathered visitors. "There are no more mage warriors."
The others stared at him blankly for a second. They were in Strago's back garden, since there hadn't been enough space in his small living room for all of them.
"What, that's it?" Said Locke. "After what we just told you?"
"This Cerro may think he's a mage warrior, but the last of them, excluding the people of Thamasa, died out centauries ago."
"How can you be so sure?" Celes asked. "What if they've been concealing themselves, just like you did?"
"I'm sure because I spent all of my youth searching for other mage warriors." Strago replied sternly. "I roamed far and wide. It was my life's ambition."
"But Grandpa, I thought your life's ambition was to defeat Hidon." Relm said from her spot on the grass. Interceptor was resting his head on her lap.
"I did have a life outside of that!" Strago replied. "I needed something else to do while I was traveling the world and since I'd always been curious about whether or not there were any other mages, I figured -"
"Strago!" Edgar cut in. "I think we're getting a little off topic here. Now, there's a chance that you're right and there are no more mages, but I cannot simply ignore the possibility that there are. Especially if it means that my friends may be in danger from them." He nodded towards Terra and Celes.
"Anyway, after everything we've been through, I for one believe that anything is possible." Celes added. "Can we, at least take a look at your maps and see if there's anything you missed?"
Strago seemed to take a slight offence at this. He huffed,
"Fine. Come on, I'll show you." As he led them inside, Terra could hear him mumbling, "Oh, sure. I spend my whole life searching the world, but there must be something I missed that only they can spot. Honestly, this generation…"
He walked to his study and opened a small door that none of them had ever noticed before. Everyone's jaws nearly hit the floor when they saw what was inside. The whole room was stock full of maps, scrolls and charts. They were rolled up in bundles, spread over the only small table in the room and some were pinned on the wall.
Strago looked at his friend's faces and couldn't help but grin.
"Well, here they are. Over fifty years worth of geographic charts and detailed maps of every cave, mountain range and wasteland on the planet." He headed back outside, waving over his shoulder as he went. "Enjoy."
The Returners looked at the forest's worth of paper lying before them.
"This may take a while." Said Sabin.
(Many hours later…)
Setzer groaned and let his head fall to the table.
"I think my brain's stopped." His muffled voice came from the pile of papers his face was pressed against.
Locke was drawing on a blank sheet while looking at two very different maps. One was a map of the world as it had been before that little incident with Kefka and the statues, and the other was one that Setzer had drawn while they had been traveling the world afterwards.
"Okay, I got down every island or landmass that remained intact after the world ended." He had to stop and think for a moment about what he'd just said.
"Great. Now all we have to do is go through every one with a fine tooth comb." Celes said, gloomily.
"And we've already been to most of these places." Edgar added. "Hey, Strago." He called out the study window to where the old mage was dozing in the sun. "Didn't you do any exploring after the world changed?"
"Of course not." Strago replied. "I was too busy planning to overthrow that tyrant Kefka."
"No you weren't! You joined his cult!" Relm was standing by her easel, painting the landscape.
"Relm! How many times have I told you not to interrupt your elders!" Strago replied, going slightly red in the face.
Setzer rested his head on his hand.
"I don't think this is doing us any good." He said. "If the mages had a village above ground, I'm sure I would've spotted it from the Falcon. I've been everywhere in that ship."
"And we've spent more time underground than anywhere else in the past year." Locke added. "If their home was underground, we'd probably have fallen into it by now."
"What about water?" Everyone's attention was once again drawn to Gau, who was relaxing on the window sill. He looked at their expectant faces and smiled. "If they not on land or under it, they must be in water."
"What? You mean, living on the ocean floor and only coming up for air?" Relm commented, earning a small bop on the head from Strago.
"No, wait a minute." Terra spoke up. "Didn't Phunbaba first appear on the snake trench? And that was underwater until Kefka altered the world."
"Yeah, and Hidon lived on Ebot's Rock." Relm added. "He managed to survive just fine when it went underwater."
"Hmm, now that thou art mentioning it," Cyan rubbed his chin. "I do remember there being many underwater tunnels beneath the veldt."
"That's right." Said Sabin. If we hadn't had a map with us, showing the way to Narshe, we'd probably have never found our way through."
"And aren't monsters attracted to magic?" Locke's face was starting to brighten. "This would explain why there have always been so many monsters in the veldt! Yes!" He stood up and happily pounded the table. "Somebody slap my hand. I think we've done it!"
Everyone joined Locke in his celebrations, until they were interrupted by Strago.
"Hold it! In case you've all forgotten, you're talking about going underwater. Now I know you're not seriously considering swimming the whole way, and it's not like Setzer's airship can take you."
The sudden realization of what he was saying instantly killed everyone's good mood, except for Edgar, who seemed to be staring off into space with a slightly glazed look in his eye.
"So, what we'd need," He spoke more to himself than anyone else. "Is a ship that can sail under water."
"Oh boy, I know that look." Said Sabin.
Sure enough, Edgar suddenly grabbed a blank parchment, snatched Locke's pen from him and started scribbling furiously. Everyone just watched him, as he seemed to have forgotten they were all there. Terra made to ask him a question, but Sabin held up his hand and gave her a wink.
Finally, Edgar slammed the pen down.
"I have it!" He announced.
After a moment's silence, Locke spoke up.
"I'm almost afraid to ask, but what do you have?"
Edgar turned the parchment around so everyone could see. On it was a very detailed sketch of what looked like an airship.
"But we already have an airship." Said Setzer.
"It's not an airship!" Replied Edgar. "It's a ship that sails under water! Look, these propellers drive it forward, like an airship, except the controls are on the inside. Also these tanks are hooked up to these pipes that keep it full of oxygen, and these smaller propellers can cause it to rise to the surface, where it acts like a normal boat. Do you see?"
Locke picked up the parchment and looked it over.
"You thought all this up just now?" He said, flabbergasted.
"My friend, you should know by now that I am a man of many talents. A wise and noble king, a legend among women, but most of all, a keen inventor."
"Not to mention, the proud owner of the world's biggest ego!" Celes whispered to Setzer.
"So, how long d'ya figure it'll take to build this thing?" Locke asked.
"Hmm, let's see. There's building materials, calculating the power of the propellers after estimating the gross weight…" Edgar looked like he was doing some calculations in his head. "I can have it ready in two weeks."
"Wow! That soon?" Edgar grinned at the look on Locke's face.
"Indeed. And once it's ready, we shall set off to find these mage warriors."
"We going on adventure?" Gau asked with a smile on his face.
"That's right, my boy." Setzer clapped him on the shoulder. "And I for one can't wait!"
Suddenly some barking sounded out. Everyone looked out the window to see Interceptor yapping his head off at a falcon that took off from Strago's roof in a hurry.
"Interceptor! Leave that poor birdie alone!" Relm said, sternly.
"That's strange. We don't get many falcons out here." Strago said to himself.
"So Strago, will you be coming with us?" Terra asked.
"Hmf! I suppose I'll have to. No telling what trouble you lot will get yourselves into without me."
Everyone laughed and Edgar rolled up the plans for their new vehicle, already going through in his head how to go about building it.