Chapter 17: On Our Way
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Rosa opened her eyes, not sure where she was. For the past few weeks, she had been locked in a dungeon somewhere in the Tower of Zot, praying that Cecil and his friends would come find her somehow.
Then she remembered that they had come and found her. It had been early in the evening when they had reached the top, dark when they had freed her, and late at night when they had finally left the tower. She had recited her Teleport spell on the whole party and whisked them away from the tower and to the first place she thought of: Cecil's bedroom in the western tower of Baron castle.
There they had drilled all the juicy information out of herself and Kain until they knew for sure what Golbez was planning to do next. Without a doubt, now that he had all the crystals in the Overworld, he was headed for the Underworld to retrieve the dark crystals. What for, neither of them could say.
Once this was settled, Yang set about writing to the family of Tellah, the eccentric old sage that she had heard so much about from Cecil, Rydia, and Edward. Rosa stayed up with him, helping him write the letter and then sending it on its way with her Teleport spell. By the time this was done, it was almost two o'clock in the morning and she felt like she could sleep forever.
After a brief mention of the fact that there were five people and only one bed, the men all decided that Rosa should have it for so many reasons.
And this was where she woke up that next morning, her head on a soft pillow and buried beneath warm blankets against the chill of the late fall morning. She sat up, peering through the faint morning light, trying to identify each of her comrades asleep on pallets or in chairs. Draping the blanket around her shoulders and trying to ignore the icy cold of the stone floor, she slid out of bed and stood up. It occurred to her that she didn't know what time it was, or even the date. She walked silently over to the clock, which told both the date and the time. It read 7:45 on November 14.
Cecil and Kain first left for Mist on June 18; I remember, she thought. Have we really been away for so long? The last time we spoke, on the night of June 17, was in this room; the moon was full, and we were both afraid. We were right to be.
She heard footsteps behind her and turned to look. While she hadn't been looking, Cecil had woken up and come to stand beside her.
"You seem troubled," he whispered; she guessed he didn't want to wake the others.
Rosa smiled tiredly, and wondered suddenly if she was dreaming. She hadn't seen him for so long; when last she thought about it, she had lost all hope that he would find her. She had even wondered if he was still trying to. He must have sensed her feelings, because he took hold of her hand and held it tightly.
"You don't need to worry anymore," he whispered. "Nothing is going to separate us again."
"Are you sure about that?" she whispered back teasingly.
"Positive."
Even though the possibility of capture or even death was cripplingly high for both of them, Rosa couldn't help but feel that Cecil was right. So long as he had a say in it, she would probably never get out of his sight again. And it didn't bother her at all.
The door suddenly burst open, waking all the others with a start and more than a few shouts of surprise. Kain was so startled that he toppled out of the desk chair he had fallen asleep in, and his armor (Most of which he hadn't bothered to remove) clattered noisily on the stone floor.
There in the doorway, regal as a queen and shocked as a lightning bolt, stood Georgette Farrell. She looked rightfully paralyzed, her mouth open to say something but her tongue unable to move. She had carried a candle to see in the dark of the tower staircase, but she dropped in onto the floor; if it had rolled to either side, it would have set either the hem of her long dress or the rug on the floor on fire. She didn't seem to notice as she stared from one party member to another, gazing the longest at her daughter.
As she looked around, unable to say much other than stare at them, Rosa could read what was going on in her mother's head just by looking at her: one, she had returned, and that was amazing all by itself. Two, most of the party that had left a week and a half earlier had materialized in the tower, which was also amazing by itself. Three, where was Tellah and why had the traitorous Kain returned in his place?
Everyone else seemed just as surprised and awkward at the mage's appearance. As soon as everyone had recovered from shock and realized that Georgette was there, they seemed unsure of what to do. Feeling that the task of breaking the uncomfortable silence rested mostly with her, Rosa waved weakly and tried to smile under her mother's penetrating gaze.
"...Hello, mama. How are you?"
That was the dumbest question ever! Gone for five months, kidnapped for two of them, and all I can do is greet her as if I never left?!
Georgette snapped out of her stupor and flew across the room to embrace her lost daughter.
"I was so scared!" Georgette sobbed into Rosa's shoulder.
"Mama, I can't breathe," Rosa said, though her voice was muffled a bit. "And I haven't had a chance to bathe in two weeks."
Georgette released Rosa and stepped back to examine her. Rosa hadn't thought much about it until just now, but her face was dirty and her hair was a mess. Her clothes her torn and smelled of damp and mildew. She also noticed that she had a few cuts and bruises on her legs and arms from a botched escape attempt a few days earlier. She felt slightly embarrassed to have been in the company of her friends in such a state for so long; she was glad they had been so understanding.
"You do look terrible," Georgette agreed, regaining some of her composure and wiping her eyes. She glanced around at the others and said, "You're all a mess as well; and starving, I shouldn't wonder. All of you come downstairs and get something to eat. I want to know everything that's happened."
Oh boy. Here we go, Rosa thought, wondering where her mother expected them to start.
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Cecil felt a shiver run down his spine and he looked up at the nearby clock, which read 9:13. Even though he had eaten recently and had just finished his first real bath in half a week, he still didn't feel well rested. But with this icy sensation came a burst of energy that made him feel wide awake. He wondered where it had come from; neither Rosa nor Georgette was nearby to cast a Cure spell. Besides, he could feel a very strong presence, stronger then either of them. A presence that was comfortingly familiar.
Could it be?
Hoping that his friends wouldn't worry if they found him gone, he left the white magic lab and headed for the castle wall. He cast a nervous glance behind him before he walked out of the courtroom, at the door that led to the throne room. On the door was a wooden plaque inscribed with red letters:
Access only to members of the Faraxhae family and white mages of the court. Thank you for your cooperation.
Knowing what lay beyond that door made Cecil want to cry again. He forced himself to turn back around and walk away.
Outside in the courtyard, it was peacefully quiet. The usual sounds of mallets against metal and birds chirping echoes like bells in the vast space. It was still cold; Cecil scolded himself for not remembering to bring a cloak or a jacket. The wind blew quickly past, shaking some of the few remaining leaves off the trees around. He looked around to see if anyone was there, but he seemed to be alone.
"Ahoy! Your majesty!"
Cecil looked up to see Allun standing on the wall, waving frantically at him. He waved back. "Hey, Allun. How are things lately?" he called back.
"A lot brighter since right now! I didn't know you got back! Did you and those guys finally rescue Rosa?"
"We did," Cecil answered.
Allun crowed victoriously and ran down the nearest staircase so fast that he nearly tripped several times.
"That's awesome, man! Now you'll have a queen!" Allun said as he skidded to a halt beside Cecil.
"I never said anything about being the king," Cecil pointed out. "Golbez isn't finished fighting yet; we don't even know if Odin is really dead." To this, Allun gave a 'Please get real' sort of look and Cecil had to agree that the chipper blonde guard was right.
Allun sobered suddenly and cleared his throat. "I, uh... Mrs. Farrell told us what happened in the hallway. You know, with those little kids and all."
"I had a feeling she would. Their mother and uncle are powerful mages; they're coming here to try and revive them."
"Really? 'Cause I just saw two strangers enter the gate a few minutes ago; one was an old guy with a beard and the other was a woman with brown hair. They were carrying all these books and magical-looking equipment with them on float spells."
Cecil's eyes went wide. "Was the woman wearing purple?"
"She was. Think they were the ones who are coming to revive the kids?"
"Without a doubt! Which way did they go?"
"I sent them to Mrs. Farrell," Allun answered. "She told us to send them to her when they got here."
Without bothering to say goodbye, Cecil dashed off toward Georgette's room, excited to see Rai and Mira again.
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"This must be the room," Rai said definitely, regarding the plaque on the door. It bore the name Georgette Farrell and her status in the court.
"So knock," Mira insisted.
"She's talking with someone. It could be important."
Mira sighed, exasperated with her brother and went to knock herself. She rapped sharply on the wood door and the conversation inside came to a stop. There were footsteps and then the doorknob turned. A young woman with wet blonde hair greeted them. Dressed in a bathrobe with a towel draped around her neck like a scarf, she looked slightly embarrassed to greet company in such a state.
"Good morning. Can I help you?" she asked sweetly, wiping away a drop of water from the side of her face with the corner of the towel.
The brother and sister looked at her quizzically. This woman couldn't be older than 25; wasn't Mrs. Farrell supposed to be much older?
"...Georgette Farrell?" Rai asked.
"No, no, I'm her daughter, Rosa. My mother is inside."
"Ah," Mira said understandingly. "I read in Yang's letter yesterday that they had finally rescued you. My name is Mira Faraxhae, and this is my brother, Elder Raidon Faraxhae," she introduced, extending her hand to Rosa.
Rai cleared his throat. "Just Rai, please."
"Oh," Rosa breathed. "Mama had mentioned that you would be here. Please, come in." She opened the door wide to let the mages inside. The room was fairly large, serving as a bedroom, study, and kitchen for the occupant. At the small table on the other side of the room was another older woman, who looked so much like Rosa that they could have been twins.
"Mama, the mages you had told me about have arrived," Rosa announced, gesturing to them. The other woman rose from the chair and smiled.
"It's a great honor to finally meet you," she said with a polite bow. "I'm Georgette Farrell; I've been expecting you for two and a half weeks, now." She turned to Mira and said gravely, "I understand that you are the twin's mother."
Mira replied with a stern, sad expression that was clearly meant to be a confirmation. She had been so excited to arrive at last, but now that she was here she felt withdrawn and nervous.
"I might understand how you feel," Georgette insisted. "When I found out that Rosa had been kidnapped, I thought I was going to die from worry." Rosa smiled comfortingly at her mother.
"The loss of a child is one that no parent should have to bear… alone," Mira agreed. "Happily, I see that Rosa was delivered back to you safely. We all had a good feeling that she would be; it was all that Cecil talked about while he was in Mysidia."
"It was a very close call," Rosa admitted, "but we survived; so will your children."
Mira was grateful that the Farrell's had so much faith in the mission; it was certainly more than many Mysidians had. She wondered if everyone that Cecil knew had faith in the impossible. It was a quality that most of them seemed to share. Whatever the task, no matter how difficult it seemed, they could do it when they pulled together.
Rosa had a wonderful point: against impossible odds, staring death in the face, the Farrell's had been reunited. She would see Palom and Porom again. Soon.
"Where are they?" she asked, still nervous about facing her petrified children for the first time. "We're starting the rite today."
Georgette led them out into the main courtyard, nearly colliding with someone as she turned the corner. As the person leapt back in surprise, Mira was pleased to see that it was Cecil.
"You're running awfully fast for someone who just came back from the Tower of Zot," Georgette reprimanded. "What are you doing?"
"Don't yell at him," Rai insisted, laying a hand on Georgette's shoulder and moving her gently to one side. "I had a feeling he'd show up. How've you been, Cecil?"
"Since Mysidia?" Cecil asked, out of breath and trying to find words to answer. "It hasn't been easy. It's just not the same without one of you around; I've missed you all... When did you get here, anyway?"
"Just this morning," Mira answered.
"Yang just sent you a letter last night."
"We've been ready to go for almost half a month now," Rai explained. "Ever since we got the letter about the twins, we've been set to go at the signal."
"We were on our way there," Mira added.
Cecil looked around the group, onto which Rosa had also tacked herself. "Do you mind if I come with you?" he asked hesitantly. "I had wanted to go there myself—to see them—but it didn't seem right to go alone."
Everyone turned to look at Rai, who also looked over at Mira. As the mother of the patients, she had the final say in who could come and who could not. Though she was sort of glad that Cecil wanted to come. She understood what he meant. She would not have wanted to go into that awful place alone either.
"I feel that he should come with us," Mira insisted to her brother. Rai looked at her quizzically, amused. She knew why he made that face at her: not so long ago, she had wished every gruesome death known to man upon this paladin, and now she considered him a friend of the family. Nonetheless, Rai obviously agreed with her.
"Come on," he said, and the five of them were off.
Georgette brought them into a courtroom inside the main building with a wooden set of double doors in front of them. Tacked upon one door was a wooden sign painted with red letters:
Access only to members of the Faraxhae family and white mages of the court. Thank you for your cooperation.
Georgette made a face. Rosa shivered and Cecil pulled her defensively close, as if protecting her from an unseen menace. Mira felt it too, something terrifying and electric in the air. This was the final threshold; she wondered if she had the nerve to cross it.
"I... don't know if I can go through those doors," she admitted.
"We're all beside you, sister," Rai reminded. "You're not going in alone."
Even though she knew her brother was right, she was still nervous as Cecil and Georgette pulled the doors open. As it was, the hallway beyond was dark and smelled of stale dust. The light that poured in seemed to permeate a darkness that had been there for several lonely years, like a hidden vault keeping a secret treasure safe.
And, of course, the treasure was revealed as the hallway was thoroughly illuminated: Palom and Porom, three and a half feet and 198 pounds a piece of gray stone, still holding the walls back, dead as stone for time being.
Mira wanted badly to shed at least one tear at the sight of her children, stone statues braced against the walls. She felt like she was going to cry, but she simply couldn't; she had already cried so much that her eyes were like sand.
Rai cleared his throat. "Help me get this cauldron set up," he said soberly, hauling the large iron pot into the musty hallway on its wheeled platform. "The sooner we set up, the sooner we get them back."
Cecil glanced back at the numerous pieces of heavy equipment they had hauled through the castle on Float spells. "Let us help you," he offered, helping Rai push the cauldron.
"Give me just one minute," Mira said quietly and retreated to the farthest wall away, which happened to have a set of stairs that led down to the black magic lab. Curious in spite of her grief, she walked down the stairs and into the deserted lab. She had to admit it was a comfort to be surrounded by the sense of magic once more. She casually picked up a textbook on the small refractory table in the center of the room and flipped to the table of contents. She could remember using this tome when she was about 10; her copy was old and worn with love and use, but she had always intended for Palom to use it when he was a little older.
Somewhere above her she heard voices mention her name and she shut the book, paying close attention to the conversation and not caring that she was eavesdropping.
"They seemed like such sweet children; the little girl, Porom, reminded me of you when you were that age."
"And how did Tellah tie into this again?"
"He was their uncle."
That's Rosa and Georgette, Mira thought.
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"It's a shame," Rosa said slowly, feeling a sense of loss. "I've heard so much about Tellah from everyone else, and I never got a chance to meet him."
Georgette cleared her throat. "It's a terrible loss for us all, to say the least," she agreed. A silence passed between them. "But it's a blessing to have you back at long last," she said finally, hugging Rosa again.
I don't like where this is going, Rosa thought nervously, returning the hug.
"Now then," her mother said, releasing her and regaining her dignified demeanor, "as soon as they finish setting up in there, we need to find out what they need us to do for them. Reviving someone from a voluntarily-petrified state can be done, but it takes patience and a lot of time. We need to help these people in every way that we can."
I figured this would happen, Rosa thought sadly. She thinks I'm planning to stay.
"Mama, I'm not staying," Rosa announced gently.
Georgette looked at her confused. "What do you mean you're not staying?"
"I mean that I'm not staying," Rosa repeated. "Cecil, Yang, Cid and Kain are all leaving to travel to the Underworld in a few days. And I'm going with them."
"When was this decided?" Georgette demanded.
"Last night, after we got back. Golbez is going to the Underworld to hunt down more crystals; we have to stop him."
"That's no place for you; you're staying here in Baron, where it's safe," Georgette said stubbornly.
Oh dear. I didn't think this was going to be easy.
"Mama, I have to go with them," Rosa insisted.
"You only just got back!" Georgette protested. "Last time you left, you were supposed to come right back; you were gone for five months! I'm not losing you like that again!"
"I have to do this," Rosa repeated, beginning to wonder if she would be locked in another tower for this. "Without a strong white mage, how will they get by?"
"She has a valid point," added a voice nearby. The two turned to see Mira appear from the stairs that led to the black magic lab. "If what I know of her, from Cecil's stories, is all true," she continued, "her friends need her help. Rai and I can get on fine here without her help."
"Did you hear all of that?" Rosa asked, feeling blood rushing hot into her face.
"Most of it," Mira agreed. "And I agree with you; your friends need you more there than we need you here. You should go with them."
"But she—" Georgette started, but Mira stopped her.
"I know. You've been terrified about your child's state for a long time. It's hard to think about sometimes. But Rosa is a grown woman now, capable of making her own decisions. And she'll be with people who care for her very much."
Rosa sighed inwardly, glad that at least one person was on her side. Whether or not her mother would agree with Mira, she didn't know.
Georgette sighed. "She's right, Rosa: you are a grown-up now, and I can't tell you what to do anymore... The choice really is up to you, not me. Though I really hope you change your mind."
Not a chance of that. I love you, Mama, but there's just no way I'm changing my mind. They need me where they're going. And anyways, I would follow Cecil to either moon and back. Maybe you don't understand it—maybe you'll never understand it—but I do love him that much.
She turned to Mira. "Is there anything I can do while I'm here?"
"You can get some rest," Mira informed understandingly. "You've had a rough few months."
Mira was absolutely right. After several months hiking across deserts and mountains and many weeks being trapped in a dungeon, Rosa still felt like someone had let an elephant step on her. Despite her fatigue, she wished that she could do something for Mira; if she hadn't stepped in, she might not have won this argument.
I must think of a way to thank her. Mama's right about one thing: it's going to be dangerous. When we leave, we might never come back; I have to do something before we go. I wonder what…?
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Several weeks had passed. It was now the middle of December, though the exact date was a mystery. The time wasn't certain either, in the dark Underworld, lit by the artificial sun the dwarves called Magma.
They had been intent on stopping Golbez before he could get to any of the dark crystals, but they were already late when they got there: the dwarf king informed them that he already had two of them.
That was when Yang had gotten the strangest feeling that they were being watched. He had felt it creep up his spine and make all his senses go acutely alert for the slightest sign of alien movement.
"You're imagining things," Kain had naively suggested.
Of course, Golbez showed up, with a small army of demonic little dolls. In the end, he had taken the crystal hidden in the castle, but not before being kicked around a good deal.
It wouldn't have been possible if Rydia hadn't shown up, totally out of the blue, summoning all kinds of strange creatures for help and flaying the worm-like dragon Golbez called up with her whip.
It took the better part of the night for Rydia to explain what had happened to her. "Leviathan, the king of the summons, attacked our ship to come and get me," she had said. "He took me to the Feymarch, the land where the summons reside, and they taught me everything they knew about summoning and black magic. I don't know any white magic now, but my summoning skills and black magic are stronger than I ever dreamed they could be."
"But you're so much older," Rosa pointed out. Rydia had been seven years old when she was taken; today, she looked only a little younger than the white mage.
"Time passes differently there; I'm almost 18."
Yang had also noticed with a twinge that Kain seemed unable to take his eyes off of her. Did the dragoon remember her at all? Even faintly? All grown up or no, Rydia was still a precious little gem and he would not allow Kain to hurt her.
I still don't trust that man, Yang thought to himself.
Upon discussing their next move against Golbez and his minions, Rydia suggested that they travel back to the land that she had just come from, the land she called the Feymarch.
"I can ask king Leviathan and queen Asura if they will help us," she offered. "If they agree, they'll be two of the most powerful allies we could have."
It was agreed upon in a matter of minutes: as soon as they had the supplies they needed, they would set out for the Feymarch. The only person who disagreed with the plan was Kain.
"It could get very dangerous. And what if they refuse to help us? It will have been a complete waste of time," he had argued.
"You can always stay here while we go," Yang suggested dryly.
"What a great idea," Kain shot back.
And there they were, two days later, wandering around in the chasms and tunnels that led to the Feymarch, without Kain. On their own they would have gotten lost, but Rydia seemed to know exactly where she was and where she was going.
After navigating the tunnels for several hours, the party suddenly emerged into a large arena-like space where two monsters were battling each other. The monsters stopped their battle to stare at the party inquisitively, making most of the humans draw weapons or begin healing spells.
"Hi, guys," Rydia called to the monsters. "I'm back, and I brought some friends with me this time!"
"Well, fancy that," said one monster, a purple and red striped sandworm, in a female voice. "Didn't reckon to see you again, 'least not for a good long time. These the folks you keep talking about?"
"Uh-hu," Rydia agreed.
"On a mission, are we?" guessed the other monster, a male zu bird. "If we know you, you're always up to something or other."
"Yep, big mission this time."
"Say hi to everyone," the sandworm reminded as Rydia led her friends toward thee exit.
"I will," Rydia called back.
"Don't mind the monsters," she cautioned her companions, who now found themselves surrounded by many of the monsters they were used to fighting. "All of these creatures are summons; a lot of them are friends of mine," she explained, waving to several people who called her name.
"Teehee; I'm famous!" she smiled to herself.
"Well, look who's back!" called yet another creature from nearby. This creature happened to look like a human, dressed in farmer's clothing, standing at the fence of a small house.
Rydia lit up and ran over to the fence with a squeal of delight.
"It's good to see you back, Rydi," the man called out from the gate, waving cheerily. "We were afraid you wouldn't be back for a good long time!"
Rydia laughed as she ran up to the man and gave him a friendly hug. While Rosa watched, looking very touched, Cecil and Yang could but stare at the man. If they didn't know any better, they would have said that he looked vaguely familiar. There as something about his little nose, his big smile, and the color of his hair that made him look a lot like…
Rydia turned back to the others, her arm still around her friend's shoulder. "Everyone," she said, "this is Jackie; he's one of my best friends."
This didn't mean anything to Yang, but it seemed to mean a lot to Cecil.
"Jackie Faraxhae?" the paladin asked.
Jackie tilted his head to one side. "Yeah, actually. How do you know that name?"
"I know Mira, and your children."
Jackie's brown eyes grew as big as plates. "You do?"
"They all think you're dead! What are you doing here?"
Yang began to realize what was going on. This guy is Palom and Porom's father? What is he doing here?
"Maybe you'd all like to come inside for a bit?" Jackie suggested, gesturing toward the door to his house. "I want to hear everything!"
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AngelWings 008 guessed it! I've been saving Jackie for just this moment for about two months now! I've been dying to get to this chapter so I could bring him into the story. I still think it's a shame that they never touched on Palom and Porom's parents in the game; those game programmers have to leave all the fun stuff up to the fanfickers… but that's not such a bad thing, huh?
A note about the chapters, my unofficial deadline is New Years Eve; I'd really like to get this story done over Christmas break. As far as my outline goes, there isn't much more to tell. However, due to chapter length, there may still be three or even four chapters to write. They won't be long, it's just that I want to elaborate on a few key points and it may take more than 8 pages to do so. Don't be intimidated; I won't pull anymore 14-pagers on you. XD
Also, I don't count my notes or previews as part of the story. Speaking of which, let's get those going, eh?
In the next chapter…
Mira and Rai are having problems with their restoration rite, and the only one who can solve them is Jackie!
"I had done my research," Rai insisted, pacing the floor. "The substitution should have been sufficient; I don't understand it…"
Mira felt despair wash over her. It had nothing to do with the concentration of genes in the blood, it was the principle of it. If the rite called for the blood of the mother and the father, it meant the mother and the father. Not the brother, not the uncle, not the grandfather, the real biological father.
But where were they to find it?
But, now that Jackie is finally coming home, that despair will be fairly short lived; Palom and Porom will be revived!
It felt like he was floating back into consciousness from the blackness of a dreamless sleep, returning to a cold shell. Colder than it should have been. Why was it all so dark and cold, even though he was waking up?
What's going on? He felt himself think, though it felt strange, as if the concept of thought was foreign to him. Foreign but somehow comforting and fun. He began thinking all kinds of thoughts:
Why is it so cold? What is cold, anyway? And who am I?
It was growing warm, at last. And his memories began returning as if they had been frozen in a glacier and were returning as the ice melted and flowed down into the ocean of his mind.
Oh yeah…My name… it's Palom, isn't it? And I have a sister, don't I? A twin sister…? What was her name? It was like mine, wasn't it…? I think it was…
Porom! Where is she? She was right beside me! We were…
He remembered everything.
Stay tuned! The Faraxhae Family Circus will return after this short break! (Until Christmas break, anyway! -.o
Brought to you in part by…
Randomness! The number one comic strip by DragonSapphira and Frieda Right, the fanfickers who brought you Across Two Worlds (Tamora Pierce fandom). Join the intrepid duo and their new friend Stuart, as they plot to take over Kingdom Hearts, Rin, and the Final fantasy worlds with their army of cake-clones! Don't miss Randomness, not coming soon to bookstores and black market manga dealers everywhere!