Disclaimer: I own the character Brandt, but that's just about it.
After rereading this chapter and some of the previous ones, I realized that Edgar comes off as kind of an ass. Rest assured, it's not that I don't like Edgar, it's just his concern for the Returner cause that colors his attitude towards Celes. He'll come around. Finally, a relatively long chapter! And they'll stay longer, I promise.
Chapter Thirteen: Devil's Workshop
Celes gazed pensively across the waters. In the distance, the spire of the Imperial Fortress peeked over the horizon, and the body of the iron and bronze giant rose up with it. Columns of smoke lifted into the atmosphere from the many of Vector's industrial factories, casting a dull haze over the Vectoran plains. Even as far away as Albrook, the fortress searchlights could be seen sweeping across the capital and surrounding lands.
She remembered her ten-month trek across the Imperial continent—her first campaign as general—and how she had welcomed the sight of the colossal palaceupon her return. She remembered the intense pride she had felt as she rode through the city gates beside Leo and Kefka, successful in their quests. The sun had shone down on the rolling green plains, the eagle had cried out its majesty, and the generals had been exalted for their triumphs.
"So that's home, huh?"
Celes' reverie shattered at Locke's voice, and she was brought back into the gray, smoggy present. Setzer had landed the airship a couple miles outside of Albrook, not wanting to attract the attention of either the occupied city or the Imperial capital.
"Yeah, I guess," she responded distractedly.
The thief walked to her side. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine."
Locke watched her carefully. "Celes, why are you doing this? If someone recognizes you—"
"It doesn't matter."
"It matters to me!"
Celes turned to him. "Why? Why does it matter?"
"We've gone over this—"
"No, tell me why."
"I promised to keep you safe. I don't go back on that!"
"Locke, it's fine if you feel you have to try to protect me; I don't care either way. But there are some things you can't protect me from."
He met her gaze, surprised at the gentleness in her voice. "…I just don't think it's a good idea for you to go back."
"To Vector? Locke, I know the place inside and out."
"Yeah, I'm sure you do…"
Something about the way he said it seemed odd to Celes. She tilted her head when the realization dawned on her.
"You don't trust me…"
"I thought you said in Narshe you didn't want us to trust you," Locke countered quietly.
The general opened her mouth to say something, but she hesitated. "…Yeah, I did."
The thief remained quiet with his words. "Do you want me to trust you?"
Locke kicked himself for personalizing the query, but Celes hadn't been listening, rather lost in thought for a moment.
"What?"
"I said, do you want…us…to trust you?" he repeated, rewording carefully.
Celes had no response, and they held each other's gaze, searching for some clue as to what the other was thinking.
Setzer tactfully cleared his throat. "Edgar wants to know if you guys are ready to go."
Celes was the first to break eye contact. "Yeah, we're ready."
((ooo))
Leaving Setzer with the airship, the four made their way to Albrook to pick up any last minute supplies before their hike to Vector. The men noticed a slight apprehension arise in Celes as they neared the port city, and she drew up her hood to hide her face.
The group was ignored by the Imperials for the most part. If they gave any interest at all, it was for Celes, for one reason or another. It wasn't until they were about to leave the city that they were actually stopped by an Imperial sentry.
"And where are you gentlemen headed?"
"Our hometown, just a few miles west of here," Edgar replied.
The sentry narrowed his eyes. "Really. And which town would that be?"
"Laurel," Celes answered softly.
The guard lifted an eyebrow at the young woman, but she kept her head lowered.
"Heh, who's your friend?" he asked, reaching to pull back Celes' hood.
"Hey!" Sabin batted away his hand. "That's not very polite," the martial artist reprimanded.
The grunt reached for his sword. "I'll teach you polite—"
"Jameson!" a voice barked. "What did I tell you about harassing civilians?"
The man withered under the glare of the newly arrived officer. "Sorry, sir."
"Don't apologize to me."
Jameson bit back a growl and apologized to Celes and Sabin.
"Get back to your post," the officer ordered. "And you four, come with me."
Strangely, he led them into a nearby alley. When he was sure they were out of sight, he took off his helmet.
"Celes, what are you doing here?"
The three Returners exchanged nervous glances, and Celes tilted her head in surprise.
"Brandt?"
He gave her a small smile. "You shouldn't be here. The Imperials are tearing the world apart looking for you with orders to kill you on sight."
"I'm aware," she muttered, pulling back her hood. "Don't worry about why I'm here. What happened to you? Last I heard, Kefka had ordered the deaths of those closest to me in South Figaro."
"He did. General Leo came into port just in time…for most of us…"
"Baxter?"
Brandt nodded sadly, and Celes lowered her head.
"When Kefka couldn't kill me, he decided to have me demoted instead. I'm still trying to figure out which is worse," he joked.
"Well, I'm glad you're all right."
"You too. Now get out of here before someone else recognizes you!"
Celes put a hand on Brandt's shoulder. "Thank you."
"Take care, Celes." Brandt put his helmet back on and disappeared around the corner.
"What the hell was that?"
The starkness of Edgar's question startled her. "What? It was nothing. Look, we're never going to get through this if you don't trust me!"
"You mean trust you while you fraternize with your old buddies?"
Sabin tried to intercede. "Brother…"
"He was a friend," Celes insisted. "One of the few people who stayed loyal to me when—" she cut herself off abruptly.
"When what?"
"Forget it."
Scarcely a word was spoken between the four as they made their way across the Vectoran plains towards the capital. Celes had them veer off to take a less direct approach, dodging the searchlights and occasional scout crafts buzzing overhead. When they reached the outer wall surrounding the city, they stayed in its shadow until they were within sight of the guards at the main gates.
Celes motioned for the guys to stay behind her. They watched curiously as she knelt down and put her hands to the ground. The earth under her froze, and a trail of ice skimmed the surface of the dirt, stalking directly towards the sentries. The ice branched off to each one, and when it reached the guards, it erupted from the ground in deadly spikes, killing them instantly.
Celes looked back at her companions. "Let's go."
Except for the few Imperial patrols scattered throughout the city, the streets were deserted. Houses and buildings were boarded up, either destroyed by fire or abandoned. Every once in a while, a stray dog or cat could be seen scampering down an alley or slinking in the shadows. They passed by the ruins of a once beautiful cathedral, the remains of the white marble charred and crumbling.
Sabin paused in front of it. "What happened?"
Celes hesitated briefly mid-step, but continued walking. "It was burned to the ground during the Purging of Vector almost two years ago."
The martial artist sprinted to catch up with her. "Purging of Vector?"
"Result of Gestahl's paranoia. It was his way of weeding out the nonconformists."
"Ah."
After nearly an hour of traversing the city's maze-like streets, they came within sight of their goal.
"So what's the plan?" Locke asked. "Unless you were thinking of just walking through the front door."
Celes spared a small chuckle. "I wish it was that easy. No, we go up."
With the help of a rope and Edgar's crossbow, the group scaled the eastern outer wall of the fortress, taking care to stay out of view of the guards and searchlights. A few well-aimed arrows from the crossbow took down the Imperials closest to them with hardly a sound.
"We have to move quickly," Celes whispered. "It won't be long before someone notices the missing sentries."
Keeping low, they made their way to the door that led directly into the research facility. Failing to notice the security camera trained on her position, Celes swiped the access card—taken from one of the guards—in the control panel, and the door slid open.
"Well, that was easy," Locke said.
Celes was less enthused. "Yeah…"
She chose not to mention the fact that it should have been next to impossible to breach the facility, and the thought nagged at her relentlessly.
When they entered, they found themselves on a catwalk above the factory where Magitek was integrated into various weaponry, including M-Tek Armors. A team of scientists was busy below, oblivious to the intruders through the noise of the many machines working their wiles.
"We need to get to the labs," Celes told the men. "They're on the other side of the facility, and getting there won't exactly be simple."
Directly under them, a conveyor belt ran perpendicular, transporting an assortment of parts to the lower level. Celes motioned for the three to follow her, hoping they would do so without question. She climbed over the rail of the catwalk and dropped down onto the conveyor belt, Locke, Sabin, and Edgar soon behind her. Riding it to the bottom, Celes jumped off and moved to the wall, walking cautiously along it until coming to a yellow door. It hissed open on its own, and the four slipped inside.
The room within was relatively small, with only a single computer console and a circular impression cut into the metal floor.
"Celes, where are we?" Sabin wondered.
"The garbage chute."
"Oh, great."
"It's the only way we can get to the lab wing without being detected," she explained, walking over to the computer.
Locke crouched next to the closed chute, inspecting the pie-sectioned surface a foot below and seeing a small screen on the rim across the way that read zero.
"Locke, don't get too close," Celes called.
Ignoring her warning, Locke hopped down, watching as the number on the screen rose to sixty-six point eight kilograms.
"Hey, look, it's weighing me!"
"Locke, get out of there!" Celes shouted.
An instant later, the floor opened up, and Locke barely grabbed onto the ledge to keep from falling into the pit. Looking down, he saw streams of fire blazing horizontally. Celes held back a bitter chuckle as the thief fought in blind panic to pull himself up. When he finally clambered back onto the platform, he was met with a skeptical glance with a ghost of a smirk.
"…Graceful."
"Shut up. I could've been killed, you know."
"All the more reason for you to listen to me. The trap door is on a pressure switch, and I have to shut off the incineration cycle before we go in."
Locke grinned sheepishly. "Oops."
"Curiosity killed the thief," Edgar teased.
"Hey!"
Before an argument could break out, Celes intervened. "Gentlemen, please. The more you bicker, the greater the chance we have of being caught. Now stop distracting me." She worked her way into the computer system and shut off the incinerator. "Now we can go."
By the time all four dropped into the chute, it had cooled to a tolerable temperature. Celes led them northwest through the slightly complicated underground network of separate trash compartments until they were under the laboratories. A single conveyor belt draining into the room was the only way out.
A snarl came from the shadows. "Humans?"
The men reached for their weapons, but Celes stopped them.
"Careful, Ifrit," a female voice warned. "These aren't just ordinary humans."
From the darkness emerged a large creature with a fiery mane. "They possess magicite?" the beast growled.
The woman, blue from head to toe, came into view. "Among other things."
Celes took a small step forward, her manner suddenly subservient. "Shiva..."
The men had never seen the general so humbled by another's presence. The Esper of ice looked upon the men with disdain, but upon Celes with a measure of respect, affection even.
"Child. I told you we would meet again."
"Why are you down here?"
"The professor feels we have surpassed our usefulness."
"You're dying…?"
"I will soon leave this world and return to the eternal realm of my kin, as will my brother," she added with a nod to Ifrit.
"I'm sorry," Celes whispered.
"It works out for the best." Celes quirked a brow, eliciting an explanation. "The scientist has yet to learn of magicite. If we had not been discarded, I fear what could have resulted… Time is running out. Not just for us, but for all Espers."
"What am I supposed to do?"
"Awaken the Angel of Hope. For now, this is her time."
"But—"
Shiva shook her head. "The time for your choice will come, Child. Until then, let the purity of the diamond dust guide you."
"You're giving yourself to these humans?" Ifrit asked angrily.
"I trust no human with my powers," Shiva hissed back. She turned and met Celes' gaze. "Except one. My power is yours, Child, as it always has been."
The ice goddess held up her hand, and Celes hesitantly, reverently, reached out with her own. Fingers touched, palms pressed together, and the general's eyes closed of their own accord as a chill ran through her. Her mouth hung slightly open and she seemed to pant from the simple contact, while the others looked on in perplexed concern.
Shiva, too, closed her eyes in concentration, and a soft light arose from their now interlocking hands, suddenly growing into a blinding flash. When it subsided, the icy deity no longer stood before them, but was rather replaced by a familiar pendant glowing faintly in Celes' hand. The general was still for a moment, seemingly frozen in place, until she began to sink to the ground. Locke caught her from behind and eased her down slowly, holding her protectively against his chest. Her breaths were heavy and ragged, and her eyes were glazed.
"Wow," she breathed.
The thief glanced down at her worriedly, but said nothing. Celes stared at the object in her hand through slightly unfocused eyes, and when it looked as though she was slipping back into whatever euphoria she had felt, Locke lightly shook her by the shoulders to get her attention.
"Celes!"
Her eyes snapped open and stared directly into his, her focus slowly returning.
"Sorry. That was just…powerful…" Celes finished in a whisper.
As soon as she appeared recovered, Locke put an arm around her waist and helped her to her feet.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Locke. You can let go now."
"You sure?"
"Let go, please!" she pleaded almost urgently.
"Alright! Don't get so excited!"
"Locke, being held by you is not what I'd call a thrill."
"Sorry." The thief gently fingered the pendant in her hand. "So what is it?"
"A rose bud inside an ice crystal molded from Shiva's essence. Terra gave it to me for my sixteenth birthday."
"And now it's magicite?"
"I guess."
Ifrit sighed. "My sister trusts you with it… I suppose I must as well. Save our friends, and they will add their power to yours."
Another light flashed, and a glowing crimson rock lay where the fire-Esper once stood. Sabin bent down to pick it up but recoiled when his fingers were burned, forcing him to wait a minute before he could pick up the still-warm stone.
A warning buzz sounded, and red lights flashed.
Locke looked around. "What the hell is that?"
"The incinerator!" Celes cried. "We have to get out of here!"
"How?"
"Up the conveyor belt, go!"
They made a run for it, climbing onto the moving line and struggling against its downward flow. Just as Locke scrambled up the last few feet and out of the chute, the panels below opened, releasing the scorching flames once again.
"That was close," he breathed.
Celes looked over her companions. "Everyone all right?"
"I think so."
Edgar looked at the magicite Sabin still held in his hand. "What was that all about down there, Celes? 'Your choice?'"
She turned away. "It's not important."
"Who's this Angel of Hope?" Sabin asked curiously.
Celes was silent for a moment. "…Terra."
Before more questions could arise, Celes walked out of the room into the laboratories beyond. Edgar, Locke, and Sabin traded glances before silently following the general. The three shuddered as they passed empty glass capsules, examination tables rigged with restraints, and bulky machines with large needles attached to them. Vials of various-colored fluids lined shelf after shelf, and indescribable instruments were laid out on trays scattered throughout the lab. Passing through a door, they came into a long corridor lined with occupied glass tubes.
"Are these the Espers?" Sabin asked quietly.
"What's left of them," Celes answered.
A figure in a lab coat ran towards them. "Hey, you can't be here! This is a restricted area. You have to leave."
With a sigh of regret, Edgar reluctantly took out his auto-crossbow and aimed it at the scientist. Just as he was about to fire, Celes' hand clamped around the mechanism. The king sent her a questioning glance, and she shook her head in warning.
"Celes?" the scientist called.
She turned to him. "Professor."
"Thank the gods you're safe!" He drew her into a brief hug, and Celes surprised her companions by returning the gesture. "What are you doing here?"
"Helping a friend."
"Celes, don't you know how dangerous it is—"
"Yes, Cid," she interrupted, "and we don't have a lot of time."
Cid debated his situation. A convicted traitor had broken into the Empire's most secretive facility, but that traitor was Celes, the closest thing he had to a daughter. His deliberation was short-lived.
"What do you need?"
Celes faltered. "I…I-I can't tell you."
"Why not?"
She looked over her shoulder at her companions for support, and Cid followed her gaze, wondering what the young woman had gotten herself into.
"I just can't."
"But Celes…"
Cid trailed off, the pendant around Celes' neck catching his eye. He recognized it, but he didn't recall it having such a strong glow.
"What's that?"
Celes instinctively reached for the pendant.
"The necklace Terra gave you?" Cid pondered. "There's something different about it…"
"Cid…"
A bright flash off to the side drew their attention. One of the capsules was now empty, a glowing rock replacing the creature that once inhabited the space. Cid adjusted his glasses and walked up to the shell.
"My word…"
Celes cursed under her breath. She looked back at the Returners and knew they were thinking the same thing: Cid could not be allowed to figure out what had happened. Remorsefully, Celes came up behind the professor, apologizing quietly before running her elbow into the back of his neck. She caught him as he slumped down, unconscious, and dragged him to his nearby desk chair.
A voice entered their minds, strong but gentle. "You want to help us…?"
Other than Celes, who was occupied with Cid, Edgar was the first to recover from the initial shock of the Esper's telepathic communication.
"Yes. And we want you to help our friend."
"Then we will join Ramuh and the others before us."
Every Esper in the lab abandoned its corporeal form, leaving only a gleaming stone in its place. Celes turned her attention to Cid's computer. After typing in a command, the glass shields lifted from their place, allowing the other three to collect the shards.
When Celes turned from the computer, she saw a painfully familiar figure standing before one of the capsules, his hands folded casually behind his back as he examined the shimmering stone.
"Welcome home, Celes."
He turned around, a giant grin plastered across his face, and Celes took a step back.
"Kefka."
"Oh, don't look so surprised, Celes. You don't think I knew you'd come here? Why do you think it was so easy for you to get in?"
The former general found her bravado. "Well, I just figured your arrogance had made you grow lax in security."
"Ha! Talk about arrogant! You're the one who has grown sloppy, Celes. I remember a time when you were great, and I actually admired you back then. But now, what, you're trying to take the 'moral highroad?'" He scoffed. "You know as well as I do that can't last."
Celes sensed Locke and the brothers come up beside her, but she said nothing.
"Did you tell them, Celes? The truth about South Figaro?"
Celes glanced at her companions, but still no words would come to her own defense.
"No, of course you didn't. The truth would give them reason not to trust you, wouldn't it? Would make them wonder how they allowed an Imperial general into their midst, one who would just as soon see them dead."
"Celes…?"
The woman winced. Even in that single word, she could hear Locke's uncertainty surface.
"Or perhaps that's already an issue," Kefka gloated. "Well, no matter, because you'll all be dead anyway! But first, you have something I want. The Espers."
Celes stepped between Kefka and the Returners. "Take me to the emperor."
Kefka looked at her in surprise. "What?"
"Celes, what are you doing?" Locke whispered fearfully.
Kefka was still unsure he understood. "You…you're surrendering yourself to me?"
"Take me and let them go."
The Imperial looked incredulously at the blonde, then laughed. "Oh, you are good."
"Come on, think about it, Kefka. What'll make you look better: three rebels and some rocks? Or the Imperial traitor?"
"Celes, don't do this," Locke pleaded.
Kefka stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I can't say I'm not intrigued… And I suppose you won't let me have both… Oh, Celes, this is so you. Alright, I'll take you to the emperor…with your head on a silver platter." He chuckled. "And I'll even allow the Returners out of the city before I hunt them down like dogs."
"Celes—"
She turned to Locke and the brothers, pretending she didn't see the thief's tears.
"Take care of Terra."
She stepped back to Kefka's side, and both Edgar and Sabin had to hold Locke back to keep him from tackling the latter to the ground. Feeling the raw power of Shiva coursing through her, Celes raised a hand towards the Returners and muttered a few words. Sooner than they could protest, a blue light encased them, and they faded from the room.
Kefka smiled at Celes. "Shall we?"
Elsewhere, Locke sat down on the deck of the Blackjack with his head in his hands, Celes' words plaguing his mind.
There are some things you can't protect me from.
"…I failed…"