CHAPTER

(-7-)

The Hideout of the Returners

The next day, the four of them awoke to a large breakfast. It was late morning. The sun wasn't too high in the sky. Duncan's wife made sure they had enough to eat. They ate until they were satisfied.

"Well," Said Sabin, "I'm afraid that it's time that we must leave."

"Can't you stay? Just until lunch?"

"I'm afraid we must go."

"All right then, but before you go, I've got something for you." She stepped into the other room and came back with four pouches. They all contained two things: a potion bottle, filled with a pinkish fluid; and another bottle, filled with a soft, red, powder. "Here is a health tonic and some powdered phoenix down. These should serve to be useful on your quest. The tonic will heal most non-major wounds and restore your energy. The phoenix down will restore life to those nearly dead."

"Thank you." said Edgar. "Goodbye." They left the house and traveled all day, and arrived by night at the Returners Hideout. It was a cave in the side of a mountain. In the mouth of the cave was a bar-shaped device, affixed to a stalagmite. The ground was rough and rocky.

"What is that?" said Terra, pointing at the bar-shaped device.

"A silencing device," Said Locke "stolen from the empire. You can't hear a thing that comes from the inside of that cave. Guess who got it from them."

"Let me guess," answered Edgar, "You?"

They all laughed, including Terra. They entered the cave. There was a guard, he snapped up to attention.

"King Edgar!" he said tensely "Bannon wants to see you. This way." He led the way through the cave and into a large cavern. In this cavern, the floor was flat, and in the middle of it was a large banquet table. They went through the room and into an adjoining room. There was an old man, with long, grey hair; a moderate stature, and colored robes. On the chest of his robes was a symbol, the sun rising between the peaks of two mountains with a rainbow between them, probably the Returners' symbol.

"Bannon!" Said the guard, "They have arrived." and with that, he left the room.

"We brought her with us." Said Edgar. Bannon turned around and walked over to Terra. "Are you the one who can talk to Espers"

"Espers?" asked Terra.

"She doesn't remember anything. The empire had complete control over her."

"How do you know who I am?"

"I have got mail pigeons from Arvis telling me about you. I suspect you are also the same person who fried a squad of MagiTek armored men in less than five minutes."

"That's a lie. I... I- I Never killed any man." Said Terra, she started crying and hurriedly ran out of the room.

"Bannon!" Said Locke, "We said she doesn't know anything. She had a slave crown on the entire time."

"I should have held my tongue." Bannon said, regretfully "I will go apologize.

" He found her in a small side cave, sitting with her hands around her legs. Her eyes were red with crying. Bannon spoke, "I am sorry for my words. I shouldn't have said what I said. Will you forgive me?"

Terra nodded her head, slowly. "I have a story to tell you. Perhaps you've heard it. Once, a long time ago, when people were pure and innocent, there was this box. Everyone was told never to open it. But someone went and opened it anyway, out of curiosity. She unleashed all the evils of the world: envy, greed, hate, pride, lust, contention, violence, the thirst to control others. All that was left in the box was a single ray of light – hope."

Terra had stopped crying and was listening intently. "Now, we confront these evils. You are all we have left; our last ray of light; our only hope."

Suddenly, Sabin walked in, "Bannon! There you are. We've been looking for you."

"I'm sorry." Bannon said

"I would love to continue this conversation, but after all, I'm not so young as I once was. I must rest a while."

"We should all take a rest."

"I'll have someone guide you to your rooms."

***

When Terra awoke the next day, Her mind was very groggy from having just woken up, but something nagged at her at the back of her mind. Then it came to her, she was likely to decide whether to become a Returner. She was the only true magic-user in the world, but she was weak and so young. How can anybody put their trust in me? She thought, aside from my powers, I am weak, I have no charisma, no physical strength, no incredible smarts, nothing to make me a great leader, a guiding light to the world. How can anybody put their trust in me.

After she changed, she walked out of her room, the first person she saw was Edgar. She needed to find a reason to – or not to – join the returners.

"Edgar," She said, "Why did you become a returner? You have a comfortable life, free from all worry and care. Why should you have wanted to turn against it?"

"Why would a beautiful lady like you want to know?"

"I need help... deciding."

"Oh, Okay then. When my father died, there was a rumor going around that the Empire poisoned him. I was thinking about sending a spy or two to confirm it, but then a thought came to me. 'If you have to wonder whether the Empire actually poisoned him, they must already be corrupt enough to do it even if he died of natural causes.' Then, a month or two later, a man was on trial for siding with the returners. I visited him in disguise, and found out about them, and somehow, I found myself among their ranks."

She walked into the only other adjoining room. It was a large hall with lots of tables scattered about, it probably became a banquet hall when the need came. Sabin and Locke were eating at one of them.

"You're up." Said Sabin.

"Yes, up and hungry." Terra replied, "What's for breakfast?"

"Chocobo eggs and bacon. Go help yourself."

A minute later she returned with plate. "So, Locke," she said, "I was wondering, why did you join the returners?" Locke got one of those faraway looks in his eyes, the kind you get when you mentally go back in time. Finally, he said "Someone important to me was killed by the Empire. I've hated the Empire ever since. I joined the Returners when I realized the Empire was rotten to the core. I wanted to make a difference."

"But, I have nobody to fight for. Nobody is depending on me to join the returners."

"That's not true. I'm sure there are tons of people who feel you're important to them! You are the only person in the world with magic. Everyone thinks you're important."

"Okay." Terra said as she stood up and walked away, leaving some of her breakfast behind her. She approached a guard and asked him where Bannon was.

"Bannon? He went outside last I heard." She wound her way outside and found Bannon, standing outside staring out the mountainside.

"It's beautiful here." Said Bannon, without even turning around, "The sunrise peaks out between those two peaks. It is one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen. To me it symbolizes the new era we are trying to usher in." He turned around and seemed to notice Terra for the first time, "Ah, Terra, have you made a decision? Will you become our last ray of hope?"

"I... I... I think... I will."

"You will? Really!"

"Yes, But I'm scared. The Empire is a powerful enemy."

"We will succeed, but only if everyone works together, play off each other's strengths, protect each other's weakness. If you all do this, then you will be sure to win."

"But–"

"All will be explained at the meeting after the banquet tonight."

***

To Terra it seemed like forever for the meeting to start.

The hours dragged by, slowly ticking from second to second, minute to minute, hour to hour.

Finally, it was time for the feast to start. Bannon had Terra sit directly on his right. Towards the end of the dinner, Bannon stood up. "Fellow returners, tonight we are celebrating our new hope. That which we had but hoped for has finally come to pass. Terra has decided to join our quest." the room exploded into applause.

Everyone cheered. The feast went on happily. At the end, everyone was full. Then they all cleared away the plates and left the room, leaving Terra, Locke, Edgar, Bannon, and a few other Returner officers.

After everyone was introduced to each other, Bannon stood up. "Sirs, we might as well get to the point. We all know that the Empire is using MagiTek power in battle. The question is, how has the Emperor created it?"

Edgar spoke up "I looked into a rumor that the Empire is forcing the world's finest scholars to study Espers."

"You know," Said Locke "All the trouble in Narshe is over an Esper, too."

"I wonder if that must mean that there's a connection between Espers and MagiTek." Exclaimed a Returner officer.

Banon sat thoughtfully for a while and thought. "I can only recall one thing linking Espers with MagiTek power..."

"Oh Odin! You don't mean..." Said Edgar

"Yes, I do mean it, indeed! The ancient War of the Magi."

There were many shouts of "No!" and "It can't be!" from all over the table.

Terra spoke to Locke, "What's the War of The Magi"

"My Grandma used to tell me stories about magical machines." Locke responded "She told me this story often. Long ago, these creatures called espers got themselves involved in a war. They fought for a very long time.

"Some gave their powers to ordinary humans, and they became mage warriors. They used the mage warriors as pawns and the warriors themselves infused their power into machines. They gained the ability to breathe fire, to freeze their enemies with a glance, and to stun even the most heavily armored foe.

"They fought for ten years. For ten long and terrible years. The War of the Magi reduced the world to a scorched wasteland. For some reason, Magic simply ceased to exist, and the earth was left desolate of technology. The espers were never seen again, except in fairy tales where they grant wishes, or challenge a wayfaring traveler to a moral test while in disguise or something like that, until now."

Edgar spoke, solemnly, "Could that ancient tragedy be playing out once again?"

"All of the stories seem to be just speculation," Said Bannon, "but historical studies have provided a number of conflicting and frightening theories. According to Locke's story, humans and machines were imbued with powers drained from Espers."

"That could explain where MagiTek power came from." Terra exclaimed.

"So MagiTek Armor is machinery infused with magic power." Said a Lieutenant.

Edgar spoke "The only power we know of that can stand up to MagiTek power is MagiTek power, and magic power."

"Then we should break into the Imperial Research Facility in Vector." The Lieutenant said.

"No!" Said Bannon "We're woefully under-equipped. We'd never have a chance."

"Then what should we do? Slowly increase our numbers? We must strike now."

There was a silence in the room.

"It's risky," Said Bannon "but if Terra... speaks with that Esper, it might just wake up."

"Is that really wise? for all we know, he... she... it could fry us all into an oblivion."

"Who can say? It spared her once. Regardless, we need Terra's help."

"Terra will you-"

Locke started, but was interrupted by Terra. "I'll do it!"

Bannon spoke "Okay, then we'll--" Just then, a bell rung somewhere. "What? What is the emergency bell ringing for."

Then, a man dragged himself in. He had a deep gash in his side. His clothes were soaked in blood. "Emergency! Sir Banon..." He said

"Go on." Bannon said, urgently but gently.

The man was trembling, "S- S- South Figaro..."

"What's going on? What happened in South Figaro?"

"The E- Empire -- took Figaro – Coming – this way..."

And with that he fell to the floor. "You!" Bannon said, pointing to a Captain, "Get him some medical attention. You," pointing to the Lieutenant, "Initiate emergency evacuation procedures. Fall back to the backup hideout. Do not let anyone leave the base when you get there without my express permission. I can't risk having a leak somewhere in this hideout."

"Yes sir!" The Lieutenant said, then he ran off.

Bannon spoke again, "Locke-"

"Yes, yes, I know. Someone has to sneak into South Figaro and slow the Empire down, right? And by someone you mean me "

"It is right up your alley."

"I know, but why can't someone else do it, I'd rather stay with you."

"You are the thief-"

"Treasure hunter."

"Right, you are the Treasure hunter, and are the best qualified person we've got. Good luck!"

Locke turned and whispered to Terra, "Terra, wait for me. And please, don't let a lecherous young king, who shall remain unnamed, near you!"

"Hey!" Edgar said. "What're we going to do?" Asked Terra.

Bannon spoke "We'll escape north by raft down the Letè River, and make our way to Narshe. The rafts are kept well stocked with food and supplies. I want to see that Esper for myself. We have a raft. The Letè river is dangerous, but we are fresh out of other options."

"Let's go!"