They had arrived swiftly and now Edea, Squall and Jessie were stood facing Dominic's Barrier. Irvine had tried removing Jessie by force but after receiving a painful groin-related injury he had decided not to try again. Dr. Kadowaki had stitched Jessie's wound and instantly the young girl had ran all the way back down to the Training Area. Edea was stood with her hand on the barrier. Today she wore a long red dress that made her look incredibly beautiful; like Squall and the others remembered her from when she was their matron. From where they were stood they could see Dominic through his secondary protective bubble. The teenager was unconscious on the floor near the boulder they had been sat on. He was flat on his back and his hands were clasping one another on his chest. Once Edea had entered the room a three meter wide barrier had popped up around Dominic; it had sensed Edea's power. Slowly Edea lowered her hand
"What do you make of it?" Squall asked
"It's a very powerful barrier" said Edea "Who was here when it happened?" Jessie raised her hand
"Me, miss" said Jessie. Jessie knew about Edea and that she had been a sorceress and so thought highly of her.
"Do you know if anything happened before hand?" Edea asked her softly
"It was when Squall went to get that crystal" said Jessie. Squall remembered the crystal that he had in his pocket and so fished it out. The crystal was blood red and pendulum shaped and it hung on a cord of gold thread from its thickest end.
"A summoning crystal" said Edea examining it "These were used to summon Guardian Forces, this was before they learnt about junctioning"
"So there is a GF in this?" Squall asked looking at it
"No" said Edea "Who knows how long it has been in that pool?" the woman lifted the crystal and examined it "It would have left aeons ago" Edea looked at Dominic then back at the crystal.
"Step back please Squall and you miss" said Edea holding the crystal in her palm like a knife. Squall and Jessie took two steps back.
"No" said Edea "Go to the entrance, I don't know what is going to happen" Squall and Jessie complied. They moved very far back but not too far; they wanted to make sure Edea was okay and, in Jessie's case, Dominic.
Edea pulled her arm far back and stabbed the barrier with the crystal. Squall and everyone else in the building heard a deep explosion which instantly changed into a deafening bang. A white flash filled the room and many items that were not bolted down were sent crashing into walls. Squall and Jessie looked up to see Edea gone. At first Squall thought the worst but then saw that Edea was stood inside the newly widened barrier. Edea walked forwards cautiously and put her hand on Dominic's secondary barrier. Edea did nothing but stay silent as she watched him.
"What is going on?" Cid asked as he rushed over
"I don't know" said Squall. Everyone present watched as Edea turned around and walked out of the barrier before walking over to them.
"Everything is alright" she said "He's in a sort of magic induced slumber; in a few hours he will be fine" Edea handed Jessie the summoning crystal
"When he awakes, give him this" Edea said "Now can you leave Squall? Let Cid and I retire in peace"
"Yes, matron" said Squall bowing.
Edea and Cid left the Garden and it began its journey back towards Balamb. Edea and Cid walked through the door into their newly built house when Edea collapsed.
"Edea" said Cid kneeling beside her. Edea shook her head.
"Where are they?" she asked
"They've just left" said Cid confused "What's wrong?"
"He was in control" she said wiping tears from her eyes "He's got so much darkness inside him; we have to get to them before he wakes up"
Dominic's eyes snapped open; his pupils were wide and his magic was welled up inside him ready to burst.