Mobliz was much as Edgar remembered it; ruined buildings covered in scorch marks from Kefka's Light of Judgement, weeds growing unchecked and not a single creature moving, save for Edgar and his companions. There was something different, though, about the ruined city this time. The air itself seemed charged with a malevolent energy. Ahead, the remnants of the Lord Mayor's house still stood, half-collapsed and roof sagging, like a beacon. Sabin had assured him that Terra had hidden the children in the basement there and that she was caring for them, along with two others.

"You're sure she was in there?" Edgar asked as they neared the ruined house.

"Last Celes and I saw, yeah," replied Sabin. "Don't worry, Ed, I'm sure that she'll be-"

Sabin's reply was drowned out by a bestial roar as the ruin was bathed in a sickly yellow light. A cloud of dust rose from behind the house and a deep laugh echoed through the wrecked buildings. Sabin cursed and began running toward the ruin, Celes right behind him. "Come on!" she shouted over her shoulder, "It's that demon again and Terra's going to need our help!"

Edgar and Setzer followed quickly behind and, as they rounded the corner, Edgar stopped short at the scene in front of him. Terra was laying amid a pile of broken brick and masonry dust, Sabin kneeling over her. Celes, her sword held in a guard position, warily approached a massive green creature that was thrusting its distended belly obscenely toward her.

Setzer pulled a broad-bladed dagger from a sheath under his coat and charged the creature as Edgar ran toward his brother and Terra. Sabin looked up from Terra to his brother as Edgar skidded to a halt beside them. "She's OK," he said with a small smile, "I think he just knocked her out. I magicked a barrier around her, so she won't get hurt if he starts throwing us around, too."

Edgar nodded at his brother, and grimaced as he looked at Terra. An ugly, purple bruise was starting to form along her neck and the right side of her head, but she was breathing steadily. He began chanting a healing mantra over her as Sabin looked back to where Celes and Setzer were circling the creature. The demon batted Celes' sword out of her hand and tossed her casually to the ground. Cursing, Sabin got to his feet and charged the demon as Setzer sunk his dagger into its belly.

A faint green light bathed Terra as Edgar finished chanting the mantra. He leaned close and whispered something in her ear, then stood and drew his sword. The beast had Setzer in one hand and Sabin in the other; the white-haired man was hacking desperately at the thing's wrist while Sabin was struggling to pry the thick fingers away from him.

Celes and Edgar charged the demon as it flung Sabin and Setzer to the ground. A deep, choking laugh rumbled from the creature as it casually swatted Celes to one side and faced the two men. Setzer leapt toward it and was slammed to the ground by a massive fist as Edgar rammed his sword into the thing's sternum.

The demon stepped back and stared dumbly at the heavy sword jutting from its chest for a moment and, still laughing, wrapped its hands around the blade. As it pulled the weapon free, the demon began gasping for breath. Edgar grinned as the creature tossed the blade to one side and staggered toward him, thick green blood bubbling at its chest. Surely he must have damaged the thing's lungs.

Edgar was still smiling when the demon sucked in a deep breath and sent him careening into a ruined building as it exhaled.

Edgar's world flashed to black.

Edgar's eyes opened slowly, his head and neck throbbing dully. He was in a cave, flickering torchlight throwing shadows across furnishings that had clearly been scavenged from ruined buildings. His vision swam as he tried to sit up and a cool hand pressed him back into the bed. "Shhhh," came a woman's voice from beside him, "Rest now. We can talk when you're better." He tried to turn and face the voice, to make sure it was her, but his vision flared white and he sunk into unconsciousness again.

He awoke again, moving slowly this time, although the throbbing in his head and neck had subsided. The chamber he was in, now that he could see clearly, seemed to be the remains of a fairly opulent home - most likely the Lord Mayor's. A bookshelf stood in one corner, a table in the centre of the room was set with chipped, mismatched place settings and a battered tea service waited on its cart near a fireplace. All the amenities a King could ask for, given the situation.

Edgar stood shakily, and noted that his clothes and armour were piled on the nearest of two chairs at the table. He move toward the chair and began pulling on his trousers as the cracked door at the other end of the chamber squealed open. The door quickly slammed shut before Edgar could see who it was that had opened it. Tugging his shirt over his head, he walked to the door, pulled it open and leaned against the rough frame as casually as he could while still letting it take most of his weight. Outside, the cave was fairly bustling with activity. People - mostly young children and a few teenagers - were hurrying back and forth, carrying clay jugs, scrap timber, bags stuffed to bursting and a wild assortment of tools.

At the far end of the cavern, he saw Terra and his breath caught in his throat. The bruising from the demon's attack had faded to a faint yellow mottling across her pale skin. She was wearing a ragged piece of cloth as a scarf to hide what he assumed was the worst of the bruising, and the rest of her clothes were in similar condition - torn and worn through at the knees and elbows. She was dirty and looked as ragged as her clothes, but she was still beautiful.

Edgar made his way shakily down the cavern-hall to where Terra was standing with a pair of older girls – sixteen or seventeen at the outside, he guessed, and one of them clearly pregnant. She had not noticed him emerge from his room and inhaled sharply as the pregnant girl gestured toward Edgar's room.

Terra's eyes met Edgar's and she smiled with relief, her entire body relaxing, as she moved toward him. Edgar opened his mouth to speak as a wave of darkness washed over his vision. He leaned heavily against the wall of the cavern as Terra reached him and propped him against her. "You shouldn't be up," she said quietly, her voice still the soft, soothing sound he remembered. "I'm taking you back to your room."

Edgar shook his head, staggered and steadied himself against the slick cave wall. "Well," he said, his voice thick from disuse, "It's rather forward, but I suppose that if m'Lady wishes..."

Terra smiled as she led him back to the small room at the end of the hall. "You've not changed a bit, Edgar," she said. "I...I'm glad that you're all right."

Edgar smiled as they crossed the threshold into the small room and Terra led him to the small bed. "M'Lady, Terra," he said, "Of course I'm all right." He sighed as he sat on the lumpy mattress and looked at her. "After all, I couldn't go and die if I wasn't certain you'd be safe. What kind of Gentleman leaves a Lady like that?"

Terra shook her head and laughed quietly. "You never stop, do you, Edgar?"

"Not if I can help it, m'Lady."

"Well," she replied, taking his hand in hers, "I'm glad for that. I...Your brother said you were looking for the others. That you wanted to stop Kefka."

Edgar nodded as his smile faded. "That, or die trying, m'Lady. I just wanted to make sure-"

"Well, I'm going to help. I can't let you all risk yourselves and just stay here."

"M'Lady, it's-"

"Just as dangerous for me as it is for you, Edgar. The children will be all right. Duane and Katarin can take care of them, and they've enough food and water to last months without even having to hunt."

Edgar looked at Terra mutely. He'd not intended for her to come with them. Truth told he'd not intended for anyone to accompany him, apart from maybe Sabin; the risk was was far too great. He shook his head slowly. "No," he said. "I can't let you do that. I thought I'd- we'd lost you for good once. I won't let that happen again."

"Oh," she retorted, her eyes flashing, "So I'm too delicate a flower to fight now? Is that it? I survived a year out here, alone, protecting these children. I fought off that beast a dozen times over. Remember, I saved you last week. Not the other way around."

"M'Lady, I-"

"You what?" she replied, her voice hard.

"I want you to be safe!" he shouted.

"Why?"

"Because I...Because..." his voice trailed off and he shook his head

"Because what?" she asked, her voice softening. "Because I'm 'too important to risk'? Because 'my powers are too unique?' Because I'm like Kefka?"

"No, Terra, that's not it."

"Then what, Edgar? What is it? Why did you even bother coming here to find me if you didn't want my help?"

"Because I... Because I care about you, Terra."

Terra became still and stared at Edgar. He gave her a small, lopsided smile and shrugged his shoulders. "That's not exactly the way I had planned on saying it, but..."

She stood quickly and looked down at Edgar, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I...I don't know what to say, Edgar. I...I've never...I mean..."

Edgar shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "I don't rightly know what to say either, m'Lady. I mean...I just know that I've not felt like this about any other woman. I know it's...I just wanted you to know. Forget it."

She shook her head and smiled. "I won't, Edgar. You've been kinder to me than anyone else. It's just that this is...well...I don't know what I should say. But," she said as she leaned down and kissed his cheek, "I do know that you need to rest. We can talk more when this is all over. I...I'd like to, at least."

"I'd like that, m'Lady." Edgar said as he nodded.

"Then I'll be coming with you." She said as she made her way to the door. "To make sure that we can both be there to have that talk."

Edgar watched as Terra closed the door behind her, put a hand to his cheek and smiled.