! (I have no idea how fanfic dot net will garble that, but…EXCITEMENT!)
Also it can't be healthy to listen to the "Kingdom Dance" song from Tangled in excess of 70 times in one evening…err…make that 140…
Another long chapter for all of you. Some of you may also have noticed the use of asterisks in certain places. I've started doing that for parts that I know might spark certain questions…
The Two Edwards
They were escorted out of Fabul by guards as an honorary gesture. Many of the citizens came to stand at the side of the road to watch them pass, some waving flags and wishing them luck.
It was the first time Rydia had ever been held as a hero, and it left her uneasy. She didn't think she deserved their praise but she couldn't help but stare at the crowds in awe. The gravity of their situation struck her just then. The four of them, even Kain, were all that was standing between Golbez and his goals. Just the four of them had the means to foil his plans while the rest of the world was too beaten, too young, or too old to fight back*. A lump formed in her throat as they were led down the city streets to the main gates. These people were counting on them.
By the time they returned to the airship, the leaden clouds had darkened further. Dusk was settling over the lands of Fabul.
When they climbed aboard, Kain was waiting for them.
"Well?" he asked. "Did they agree to your plan?"
Cecil nodded. "They have."
"You have got to be joking," Kain said shaking his head. "One last suicide mission, and they've agreed to it."
"We don't have much else to lose at this point," Cecil answered, walking again to the captain's wheel.
"And now where? Not Eblan, I'm guessing," Kain asked dourly, following in Cecil's footsteps.
As if to contrast his friend's dark mood, Cecil's tone was bright. "We're going to Troia," he said. "After that, Eblan."
"So long as it's somewhere on your list of house calls," Kain muttered.
Cecil grinned and started the ship's engine, completely ignoring Kain's malcontent.
They flew for several days toward Troia. Fabul and Damcyan disappeared behind them and the vista was replaced by the sea, a long glittering stretch of it. When land again appeared on the horizon, there was a general sense of concern. Trees, whole swaths of them, were barren along the coast.
"It's not the season for the shedding of leaves," Rosa noted with a frown.
"All the trees along the border are dying," Cecil confirmed.
Rydia stared over the railing, at the verdant lands of Troia. Most of the kingdom was still cloaked in green, but the edges were brown and diseased, as if some blight had struck.
"This is the result of the earth crystal's absence," Rosa said, disgust evident in her voice.
Kain said nothing, but he too looked over the blighted land.
They flew over the vast forest until mountains appeared in the west. Springing from a high cliff a waterfall billowed mist over a lake far below. A castle and its city glimmered in the sunlight on the eastern shore of that same lake.
Cecil began their descent. He set the ship down in a field devoid of trees and they disembarked. As they approached the city, walking beneath flowering arbors, Rydia couldn't discern where the city's walls began. There was an enormous hedge of green separating them from the buildings of the city, but no stone that she could see. They walked through a large opening in the hedge and she saw a hint of mortar; but what she thought to be an innocuous hedge, was in fact a nest of thorned vines covering the city's walls. She stared at them as they walked past, entering the city proper. There were streams alongside every path within the city and each home had watermills attached to them, churning away. Everywhere Rydia looked, women were bustling about the city. Almost all of the villagers she saw were women, in fact, save for a few older men.
She looked at Rosa inquiringly. "Where are all the men?" she asked.
Rosa smiled. "Troia is famed because it is a nation of women."
"A nation of women? How is that even possible?"
Rosa shook her head, still smiling. "Well, that's…just one of the many mysteries of the world."
They kept walking, following a wide road that led to Troia's castle. It was an ornate structure, more decorative than defensive. Still, it had an ethereal quality to it. It appeared to be part of the landscape itself.
They were granted access through the castle's gates by women wearing what amounted to little more than undergarments. Their gowns were thin and short cropped and did little to hide what lay beneath. Rydia felt a blush creep onto her cheeks, and Rosa frowned, boring her gaze into the back of Cecil's head.
Cecil had the sense to keep his eyes nailed to the hallway ahead, and led them through the corridors toward the castle's west wing.
They stepped out onto a terrace that wound around to another set of rooms, but just before they reached the doors, Cecil stopped them.
"This is where Edward has been recovering from his injuries," he told them, "The doctors caring for him do not like when he is disturbed for too long, so bear that in mind."
Rydia felt a fluttering in her chest. She was excited and nervous all at once. She was excited to see Edward after so many years, but nervous because she wasn't sure how he'd react to her sudden change in age.
Cecil opened the door and stepped into the darkened interior. There were lamps along the wall burning low. A woman in long purple robes appeared before them, arms crossed.
"Back to finish him off?" she asked tartly. "If you keep showing up, he's never going to recover properly."
Cecil bowed slightly. "It's important that we speak to him," he explained. "We have good news to convey."
"Very well. But don't overexcite him."
She left the room behind them, shutting the door. Rydia watched her go, realizing belatedly that Kain hadn't followed them in.
Cecil walked around a corner and heard Edward's sibilant voice announce his surprise. Then she and Rosa rounded the corner and Rydia saw his face light up with joy and tears.
"Rosa!" he exclaimed. "You're safe!"
Rosa gave Cecil a warm glance. "Cecil came for me just as I'd hoped," she said.
Edward beamed up at the two of them. "I'm so glad—so glad you were able to rescue her, Cecil," he said, relieved.
Then he turned his gaze on Rydia and one of his brows quirked upwards. He glanced at Cecil, and then back at Rydia. Rydia felt her stomach jolt with uncertainty.
"It can't be," he said, disbelieving. "Rydia?"
Rydia nodded as tears slipped down her cheek.
Edward slipped his legs over the side of his bed and stood rather shakily. Rosa reached out to lend him support and with her help, he stepped haltingly toward Rydia, gripping her soundly. "Rydia!" he cried into her green hair.
"It's me," she assured him.
"But you've grown so tall! Look at you—a woman now!"
Rydia laughed through tears. "It's so good to see you, Edward," she told him. "I had heard you were injured, but I'm glad to see you recovering."
"How is it," he asked, sitting back onto his bed, "that you've grown so much in such a short time?"
"Magic," she answered simply, smiling.
Edward looked at Cecil for confirmation and Cecil nodded. "Rydia returned just in time to save us," he said. "She's every bit the adult you and I are."
Edward smiled appreciatively. "I'm so glad to see all of you here."
"We're glad to see you as well," Rosa told him.
He smiled, but it slowly turned into a frown. "The war can't be over, though, can it?" he asked. "And there are a few of you missing. Where is Tellah? And where are Yang and Cid?"
The mood of the room became somber.
"Don't tell me—" Edward burst out. "Tellah didn't…did he?"
"In the Tower of Zot," Cecil answered carefully. "He cast his most powerful magic. But he…he cast more than his body was able to withstand."
"No…" Edward murmured. "No, he can't have…"
"He avenged Anna to his last."
Edward buried his face in his hands and let out a deep heart-wrenching sob. "Why. Why did he have to go and do that," he lamented. "Yang and Cid are lost too, aren't they," he added bitterly.
No one had to respond. The answer was plain on all of their downcast faces.
Edward sobbed into his hands and no one stopped him. This was not the time for chastising, not the time to put a stopper on all emotion. For Edward, who had not heard any of the news along the way, it was like a hammer blow. They let him grieve for several minutes, until he mastered himself again.
" You're here for another reason than just to see me," he said thickly, tears still on his cheeks.
"Mostly, we wanted to see you," Cecil explained.
"The other reason?"
"We've become aware of another airship fleet in Baron—one that was sabotaged by Cid, but might be made to fly again. We're asking the northern kingdoms for any volunteers to fly them in the hopes that we can create a force to fight the Red Wings."
"There are more airships!" Edward exclaimed. "So you've come to Troia to ask for aide."
"We have. Baron's remaining forces are few, and we need the help of the other nations, such that it is."
"If you're planning something this desperate, the war must have taken a turn for the worse. What's happened?"
Cecil hesitated in answering. Instead, it was Rosa who explained.
"Golbez has acquired all of the crystals from the overworld, and has been acquiring the crystals in the underworld as well."
"Underworld?" Edward asked, sitting up straighter. "Such a place exists?"
"It is the realm of the Dwarves and also where they have kept the crystals safe for many hundreds of years. We attempted to steal back the crystals in the Tower of Babil while Golbez was out on a foray, but we failed. The crystals had already been moved above ground by the time we reached the tower. He only needs one more crystal to enact his plan."
"Only one crystal remains," Edward repeated. "So things really are dire, aren't they."
"We mean to speak to the clerics."
"I should go with you," Edward began.
Rosa placed a hand on his shoulder. "As a healer, I can't agree to that," she warned him.
"Another mission, and I can't be of any help to you," he lamented.
"You don't always have to fight to be brave," Cecil assured him.
"I just feel so useless laying here day after day," Edward complained.
"You've already done your part," Rydia told him fiercely. "Let us take care of the rest."
Edward smiled faintly. "You sound like Tellah," he told her, his smile crumbling. He slowly turned again to Cecil. "Where will you go next?"
"We will journey to Eblan, to find a path into the Tower of Babil."
"Eblan," Edward repeated. "That is a mysterious place. I don't think any of our people have ever dealt with that kingdom, though Fabul has on occasion."
"Cid told us that there is a supposed path under the mountains that leads into the Tower. We plan to steal back all of the crystals before he can accomplish whatever he's set out to do."
"Do you have any idea what Golbez's plans are?" Edward asked, looking at each of them.
"Something about opening a path to the moon," Rosa answered, frowning.
"To the moon?" Edward replied, confusion evident on his face. "Why on earth would he be trying to get there? Is such a thing even possible?"
"With all of the crystals?" Cecil asked. "Perhaps it's a weapon of some kind, but who knows."
Edward shook his head, a hank of his sandy hair falling into his face before he pushed it back. "I've taken up too much of your time. You should go speak to the clerics* before they retire for evening prayers."
Cecil nodded. "Will you be alright?"
Edward gave him a wan smile. "I will be," he assured them.
"Edward, please take care," Rosa told him, bending down to give him a parting embrace.
"Rosa, I hope you remind him on a daily basis how lucky he is to have you by his side."
She smiled knowingly. "Oh," she began, casting a glance at Cecil. "I most certainly do."
Edward chuckled at that and this time it was Cecil's turn to shake his head.
Rydia was next to say her goodbyes, but for some reason, no words would come out. She glanced at Rosa who laid a hand on Cecil's shoulder, steering him toward the door.
"You can stay for awhile, Rydia. We won't leave without you, don't worry," Rosa assured her, walking with Cecil out onto the terrace.
Once Rosa and Cecil had left the room, Rydia pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed, avoiding Edward's eyes.
"How are you really, Rydia?" he asked.
"Me? I'm fine," she lied. "How are you?"
"Recovering day by day," he answered, giving her a penetrating look which she hesitantly returned. "You, on the other hand. You look lost in another time, far away from here and now. Not a trait I remember seeing often in you."
"I was also seven the last time you saw me," Rydia pointed out.
"You had a strong personality, even then. Not one to give in to defeat."
"I miss Yang," she sighed. "I miss having someone to talk to. Someone not from Baron."
"He certainly can't be replaced," Edward agreed. "He was a good friend and a steady ear."
"And now we're going to Eblan," she went on. "A kingdom no one knows anything about."
"You don't want to return to the Tower," Edward surmised. "Was it really as strange as the rumors say?"
Rydia remembered the endless staircases and the unusual lights…Yang's voice shouting at them to run… "It was alien," she admitted, ignoring the sudden pain in her heart. "Unnatural."
Edward paused, thinking. "You know, I've heard that there is a crowned prince in Eblan. Perhaps he would know of a path if one exists."
"I didn't know Eblan had a royal family," Rydia answered dully.
"The Geraldines have had a hold on the throne for many generations now. They may be a secluded nation, but they are not so isolated that everything about them remains a mystery."
"A kingdom of secrets," she repeated. "But I don't think anything will be left when we arrive. We heard it was destroyed while we were climbing the tower of Babil."
"Another kingdom fallen," Edward said sadly. "So not a single one escaped the terrors of this war…"
"What will you do once you've recovered from your wounds?" Rydia asked.
Edward's face darkened as he stared at his hands. "Rebuild my kingdom. Properly honor the dead."
Rydia also stared at his hands. The hands of a bard; calloused, strong. "None of this seems real," she said distractedly.
"Rydia would you mind…my lute?" he inquired, nodding meaningfully toward where his instrument lay on a stand.
She went and retrieved it for him.
He ran his fingers over the strings, closing his eyes. To Rydia, it seemed as if he was listening to the melody of the strings before he'd even struck a chord. And then he began to play.
He played a tune so chilling, it raised goosebumps on her skin. The sound filled the entire room and Rydia imagined that it had spread across the rest of the castle as well. Rydia closed her eyes as he continued to play. Images floated through her mind, memories of all her companions. Most of them were hers, some were not. It was a heart wrenching dirge and it made her feel as though Edward's grief was her own exactly. Tears poured down her cheeks, but then he changed the tune. The chords changed, the melody quickened. Her spirits rose with the notes and rang a new but no less hauntingly beautiful tune.
Hours later on the airship flying away from Troia and its green forests, the song lingered in her mind. She stared out across the ship's railing and imagined he was beside her still plucking the strings of his lute. It brought her some comfort, but it also brought her grief closer to the surface. All of the companions they'd lost. Would she lose more of her friends? What if Cecil or Rosa-would any of them return?
She looked over at the captain's wheel and saw Rosa standing beside Cecil, both of them grimly watching the horizon. On the other side of the ship she spied Kain. He too was watching Cecil and Rosa, but the look in his eyes was remorseful, wistful. Rydia wasn't sure what it meant, but for the first time she wondered what the dragoon was thinking. What he was feeling. Was it jealousy he felt toward Cecil—was that the proper emotion? She'd spent so much time around the Eidolons that the intricacies of human interactions were foreign to her.
She returned her eyes to the ocean below. It was vast and unchanging, but somewhere in that great big blue was the kingdom of Eblan. And their next quest.
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Cecil flew the airship around the southern coast of the island of Eblan. The Tower of Babil rose from the island's mountains like a spearhead and the sun reflected off a thousand windows and spires on their heavenward journey into the clouds.
Cecil enlisted Kain's help in detaching the hovercraft from the airship, and after that was completed, the ship was again set down. Cecil chose a field near the still smoldering remains of a castle and its village.
Cecil didn't say a word once they'd disembarked, he just picked a direction and started walking. Rydia understood immediately what this place was. That what they were about to enter had once been the kingdom of Eblan. The buildings that had once stood along roads and lanes were little more than matchsticks still smoking. As they picked through the rubble, none of them said anything, but Rydia could sense the destruction of Eblan laid heavy on everyone's hearts. The damage was similar to Damcyan in magnitude, but Rydia had been told that Eblan held no crystal. They had been destroyed merely because of their proximity to the Tower.
The four of them entered the castle through its rent open gates. They listened for signs of survivors, but the devastation was total. Fire had taken most, heavy bombardment had taken the rest.
Rydia trailed fingers over a stone railing, sadness in her eyes. She thought Mist was a tragedy, but this was an entire kingdom. What had it been like before its fall, she wondered.
Hallways and corridors passed them by, but they maintained a straight course. Finally, they entered the throne room to find a toppled throne. The damage here was severe.
The invading force had left graffiti on the walls in blood, a mockery of whoever had died defending the castle. Rydia shivered and Rosa held a hand over her mouth to forestall a gasp.
Remarkably, there were no bodies to be found for all the blood. They were either buried or…Rydia didn't want to think of the alternative. The thought of the warriors of Eblan being desecrated in death was more than she could bear.
Cecil tore a map from the wall and spread it on a table that was missing a leg. There were characters written on it that Rydia had never seen. They were beautiful, but the script also had the feeling of swordsmanship, linear and precise, but…organic.
"Who were the ninja, exactly?" she asked.
"The Sons of Shadow," Kain answered, almost reverently.
Cecil looked up just then, sparing his friend a knowing look.
"Sons of Shadow?" Rydia asked again. She'd heard Edward use the name as well.
"That's how the clans of Eblan are known," Kain explained. "They are masters of stealth and their skill with blades is extraordinary."
"You've been hunting for years for information about the clans*," Cecil said with a small half-smile.
"It's true, I've studied all I could about Eblan, but it's a kingdom of two faces—the public and the private. I wish this wasn't how I would be granted access…"
"Kain, can you read this?" Cecil asked, pointing to a symbol on the map.
Kain studied the map for a minute. "Fascinating…" he mused.
"Well?"
"I can only decipher part of this, but it looks as though there are caves to the southwest just as Cid said. But how he knew of the caves…"
"Where are the shallows?" Cecil wondered aloud, squinting at the map.
"There are several trails on this map, but I would say the closest is near this castle," Kain pointed out. "Head south toward where the hills begin."
"We should take this map with us," Rosa suggested, rolling it up.
They retraced their steps through the castle and returned to the plains*, purpose driving their steps. The long grass whipped Rydia's legs as she walked. In the distance she could see wisps of flame, only these were moving. She imagined they were probably the same beasts they'd encountered in the Tower, the flame hounds that had plagued them for weeks among the endless winding stairs.
They kept their distance, but Rydia remained wary until they reached the hovercraft.
It was somewhat of an awkward business getting the four of them crammed into the hovercraft, but once they had climbed aboard and the engine sputtered to life, Cecil flew them over the grass and hills, and finally into the surf. When they had left the sand and rock of the coast and the spray of water misted their skin, did Rydia find Rosa looking at her intently.
"What are you thinking, Rydia?"
Rydia looked out at the water, a thousand things on her mind, really. "I remember when we were taking this craft to Kaipo to help you."
"When I was sick with desert fever," Rosa recalled, nodding. "When Edward found his strength and I found Cecil."
She and Cecil shared a quick glance, while Kain averted his own gaze. Rydia was beginning to understand, to comprehend, the emotion called jealousy. In fact, she felt uncomfortable on Kain's behalf. Just a little.
"You had desert fever?" Kain asked, a little heated.
Rosa blinked. "I spent several weeks in Kaipo in the care of an elderly couple. I thought you knew."
Kain shot Cecil a disapproving look. "I thought it was incurable—how did you survive it?"
"With this hovercraft," Rydia explained. "And Edward's help retrieving the sand ruby."
"This hovercraft is Damcyan's invention, then," Kain confirmed.
"It was all they had left after the bombardment," Cecil said. "I wonder if anything will likewise be found of Eblan."
"Rubicante struck with a vengeance. If anything or anyone survived, they've likely gone to ground."
Cecil nodded grimly, paying attention to the shoals that spread out for miles in front of them. After some distance, stark columns of rock rose up from the water and surrounded them on either side. The closer to the mountains they traveled, the denser the obstacles became. Waves broke on the rock pillars, splashing mist onto everyone aboard the hovercraft.
"It's no wonder no one's had relations with this kingdom—their coastline is impassable," Kain observed, gripping the hovercraft's side as Cecil sped them through the rock field.
Rydia gazed out at the rocks and waves anxiously. There seemed to be nothing but destruction in their path and it didn't bode well for their return to the tower. Would the Fiend of Fire be waiting for them?
Cecil began to angle them closer to land. The mountains were now very close, and their roots dipped into the ocean. Cliffs loomed and grottos dotted their stony facades.
"How will we know which entrance to use?" Rosa asked, looking into each one.
"They all look likely to flood once high tide rolls in," Kain said, his eyes scanning the cliff sides as they flew past.
"I think I see something up ahead," Cecil announced,flying them closer to the cliffs. Rydia didn't see what he did, but she kept looking for an entrance of some kind—ropes, ladders, anything. Cecil flew the hovercraft directly toward one of the cliffs, and at first no one knew what he was doing until he passed a bend in the rocks and they noticed a spit of land that was accessible from the water. With each yard closer, the more land was revealed to them. What at first looked like a small sandy beach, led up a steep switch-back that followed the cliff face.
Cecil flew them higher and higher until they at last hovered over a large ledge on the cliff. Here they found signs of an entrance into the mountains.
"Cecil," Kain muttered. "How on earth did you see this from down there?"
"I glimpsed the torches set near the entrance," Cecil replied, focusing on setting down the hovercraft.
Rydia turned to see what Cecil was talking about and saw the torches burning near a large cavernous hole. Vines had grown over most of the entrance and it looked like the face of some ancient beast, with teeth ready to devour them. She let out a long breath she'd been holding and followed everyone out of the hovercraft.
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When they entered the cavern, the sounds of the crashing waves below echoed like thunder. The floors were slick but passable and after a ways stumbling in the half-light, they reached an old bridge that looked to be almost as old as the cave itself. The boards creaked ominously under their feet and Rydia noticed that the pool beneath was dark. She wondered idly if anything was waiting there for unsuspecting victims to fall in.
They had just crossed to the other side of the bridge, when bats descended on them, bats with a wingspan the length of a grown man. Rydia and Rosa both shrieked with surprise.
"Get between us," Cecil barked, taking flanking positions with Kain. Rosa and Rydia both wedged between the paladin and dragoon, but not before Rydia felt a claw tear into her left shoulder. She cried out in pain and lashed out with the butt of her whip.
Rosa began an incantation of healing and Rydia's wound was soon mended, but the scent of blood had drawn others. There was a flurry of wings and claws in the dark, but Rydia was able to see Cecil cleave the wings off of one bat and watch as it fell shrieking to the ground—fangs still bared. Kain gripped the long handle of his axe and brought it down in one crushing blow, leaving the creature cloven in two.
Rosa's bowstring twanged and arrow after arrow sung through the damp cavern air.
All told, five bats lay slain. The four of them stood back to back, breathing hard. After a minute, Cecil and Kain had cleaned off their weapons, and the corpses were left behind as the group continued picking their way through the dark.
They entered a natural doorway in the rock, Rosa lighting the way with a faint seeing spell, and at that precise moment, Cecil came to a halt. Rosa bumped into him and gasped, making out a thin blade pressed with its flat against Cecil's throat. A haze or smoke of some kind had blocked out most of the passage, and when the light from Rosa's spell hit it, it diffused, giving the impression that the sword was suspended in the air.
A voice called out to them in a language that was unfamiliar. Cecil held up his hands in surrender.
"Who are you?" the voice asked again, thickly accented.
"Friends of Eblan," Cecil answered.
"What is your business in these caverns?"
This time it was Kain who answered. "To breach the tower and take back from the enemy what he has wrongfully taken."
There was quiet conversation in Eblani between their aggressor and another person, and then the sword was removed from Cecil's throat. "You may pass. The Seneschal will determine how much farther your quest will take you," the man said.
Cecil nodded, and as the smoke cleared, the passageway became visible.
The ninja led the way, and Rydia noticed that even without smoke, their clothing allowed them to blend in with the rocks. They were wearing a motley of grays and browns, and their faces were also shrouded so that only their eyes showed. It was a strange effect, and she felt she understood why they were praised for their stealth.
The narrow passageway stretched for several yards and as they continued, torchlight filtered into the path ahead as well as the scent of food and people.
Survivors?
The thought that someone had survived, cheered her more than anything had in weeks.
The passageway opened into a large chamber that was lit by many torches. Once the four of them all stood in the chamber, several hundred people stopped what they were doing to stare. Then, within an instant, swords and knives were drawn.
Cecil's hand went for his shield, when the man accompanying them held up a hand and said something else in Eblani.
Everyone stared at them cautiously, then reluctantly sheathed their weapons.
Kain explained in a whisper. "The enemy of our enemy is our friend…more or less."
"That's comforting," Cecil responded, still eyeing the villagers.
The man who had led them was suddenly gone. Somehow, Rydia wasn't surprised.
"Leave it to the Sons of Shadow to plot resistance under Rubicante's nose," Kain added with an approving smile.
"Do I hear metalwork?" Rosa asked. Sure enough, the sound of knives being sharpened on whet stones echoed away in another cavern.
"They have a whole small society down here," Cecil remarked.
"When you thrive on stealth, I suppose living underground comes naturally," Kain said. "Thank goodness. We might find help here after all."
"There must be someone in charge. Perhaps it's the Seneschal that guard told us about," Cecil added. "We should find him and see if the rumors of a passageway are true.
They walked forward, passing villagers. Most of the people they passed were garbed in simple cloth, but a small portion wore hoods and masks. There were merchants with wares and smiths with small sharpened objects that looked like darts that Rydia had never seen before. Women were sewing garments together, and children ran underfoot, making the best of their unusual living arrangements.
"Thank goodness," Rosa sighed. "Even the women and children are safe."
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They entered a smaller chamber attached to the larger one that was lined with crude beds. It smelled thickly of herbs and sickness. Men and women were rushing between the beds to change bandages and make poultices. There was no glow of white magic that Rydia could see; no magic whatsoever. She wondered if many of these people would die, or had already died, because of their lack of magic.
There was an older man with gray streaking his hair and beard standing near two masked men that were pointing in the direction of Rydia and the others. The man looked over at them and nodded, then left his companions to approach them.
Kain and Cecil bowed, and Rydia and Rosa felt compelled to do the same.
"I've been told that you are outsiders," the man said, his voice rich and deep, and indicative of one in authority.
"We are, sir," Cecil answered.
The corners of the man's mouth quirked upwards. "I see we understand each other. Tell me, where are you from?"
"We are from Baron," Cecil explained.
The man's brows pinched together briefly and he stared at each of them anew. "Baron," he repeated. "You're not much of an invading force."
Cecil shook his head. "As we told your guard, we came seeking a path into the Tower of Babil."
"What business do you have in that evil place?" the man asked. "You—two knights of Baron and two young ladies?"
"This war began because a man named Golbez coveted the crystals of power. In the past year he has put all of his effort into making war on the nations that held them and taking the crystals by force. They currently reside in the tower, and while Golbez continues to seek out the crystals, we plan to enter the tower and steal back the ones he already possesses."
The man looked at each of them. "That sounds like the highest order of foolery. Just the four of you?"
"We had heard that you were also trying to find a way to access the tower."
The man's expression darkened. "Ever since the destruction of our capitol, our prince has been overseeing the excavation of a tunnel to the Tower of Babil, that we might avenge our fallen king and queen. These caves were once mines, and rumors are that there was a long abandoned passage that led to the tower, but I highly doubt its existence. Some of these caverns are ancient and collapsed, yet still he searches."
"There's been no success?" Kain asked.
"There have been a number of injuries, talk of fires, and explosions, but no secret doorways into the tower."
"Will you allow us to travel the caverns for ourselves?"
The man sighed.
"I am the seneschal of Eblan's royal house," he explained. "It is my responsibility to look after its members, and while I believe in giving his highness some useful deployment while our people recover, I think this whole thing is a fool's errand. I've not seen him for some time now, though. I pray he's not done something rash again. If you find him, please stop him from getting himself killed. He has an ill tongue, yes, but he is a kind man and a benevolent prince and I'd very much like to see him returned. I'm afraid we can't sustain another blow after the fall of our king and queen."
"You have our word. If we find your prince, we will return him to you."
The seneschal looked them over once more, gauging them. "Very well. You may travel the caverns ahead. Be cautious, they are not for the faint of heart. I would send some of our ninja with you, but I'm afraid our forces are limited already."
"No, of course not. We understand," Cecil assured him. "We've seen our share of dangers."
"Good luck. Speak to the men at the gates and they will let you through."
The seneschal walked away, returning to the men and women in the beds whose wounds needed tending.
"To face Rubicante alone—is he mad or merely a fool?" Kain muttered, shaking his head once the seneschal had left them.
Rydia was wondering much the same thing, and she had yet to face any of the Fiends herself.
"Let's find this gate," Cecil said instead, navigating them back into the main chamber of the cave. On the opposite side, they saw men in masks guarding a gate that led into darkness. They walked toward it, and the men on guard drew their blades.
"We have permission from the Seneschal," Cecil announced, oozing confidence. Whether or not he needed to be more convincing, the men relaxed their stance at his words and slowly sheathed their swords. They spoke to each other and nodded in agreement. They budged the gate open and gave each of them a piercing look as they stood against the wall to allow their passage.
Rydia furtively glanced at each guard as they passed, feeling that somehow they knew something the rest of them did not. Nevertheless, the dark path before them left her feeling that they were about to enter into an eternity of the unknown. She hoped they didn't get lost. For their own sake, and for the sake of the prince who seemed determined to rush to his own death.
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The cave felt old, very old. Older even, than the water caverns. The air was stale, tomblike. So it made sense that its denizens were also fit for a tomb. Bats, snakes, rats, and on occasion, skeletal warriors who bore the arms of eons past, accosted them in the caverns and chambers.
They fought their way through rooms that were charred black from what looked to be explosions, and followed passages that had torches crudely driven into the walls to light the way. Light was a luxury in the confusing passages as torches were scarce and many had burnt out long before.
Hours slipped away navigating the passages. They had just passed another charred opening when Cecil nearly tripped over something, or rather, someone, on the floor.
The body on the floor moaned. Rosa immediately kneeled down to examine the man.
Rydia watched with morbid fascination as Rosa lifted tattered clothing and leather away from wounds.
She began a soft incantation and little by little the man revived.
"Who…are you people?" he asked in a heavily accented common tongue.
"We are…" Cecil began, but then hesitated, looking at Kain.
"We are enemies of the Tower," Kain finished for him.
"You are looking for a path to the tower like our prince."
"Yes," Kain confirmed, stooping low.
"Please, if you find him—" the man's rasping cough interrupted his words. "Don't let him do something rash."
"Who did this to you?" Cecil asked.
"A man, a warrior. Maybe he was greater than a man…"
"He attacked you?"
"We have been excavating these passages for weeks…and keep finding traps blocking our path. One day we found a man in red waiting for us, saying he thought he'd sensed prey wandering too close to the tower."
"Your prince, he searches alone?"
"There were…others. If they're still alive."
"Why is pursuing the Fiend of Fire so important to you?"
"You are outsiders. You wouldn't understand."
"For your king and queen. For your fallen comrades."
"We are…a proud people. To be so badly beaten is an insult to our name. Our heritage."
He coughed again.
"Why were you left here?" Rosa asked. "Did they abandon you?"
"I am-was-badly wounded. I would only have slowed them down."
"Left for dead," Rosa clarified.
"Time is of the essence. We have no mages and healers among our people. Mine would have been a noble death. A death in battle."
"You won't die," Rosa contradicted him. "I've stopped the bleeding, and you should heal on your own."
"You are a white mage, aren't you?"
"I am."
"Please. Find our prince," he pled and then lost his strength, falling into unconsciousness.
"What should we do with him?" Kain asked.
"We can't just leave him here," Rydia protested.
Rosa rummaged through her pack, as if suddenly inspired, and found a peculiar item. It looked like a small door, complete with frame and lintel. Rosa placed it in the man's palm, opening the miniature door and then stepping back.
The man was engulfed in a flash of light and vanished, taking the small door with him.
"What was that?" Rydia asked.
"An Exit charm," Rosa answered. "He should find himself on the ledge outside the cave that we used to enter."
Rydia looked at Rosa wide eyed. She hadn't known such items existed.
"We need to keep going," Kain said. "If the Eblanese are close to the tower and Rubicante has been setting traps, it means we're getting close after all. We can't let them face him alone. They'll stand no chance."
The four of them picked up their pace and carried on. Blood stains left trails on the ground and there was further evidence of fire. They found two more bodies, neither man could be saved.
"It seems the Eblanese have put up a good fight," Kain observed, searching each man.
Rydia felt bile rise in her throat and forced it down. More death. More killing. Where did it end?
The hours ticked away. The cave had become closer and closer, little more than a crevice to navigate. Torches became fewer and darkness reigned in greater stretches. The environment was playing games with Rydia's senses and she began to see shapes that she wondered were really there at all.
They were several miles deep into the caverns when light suddenly bathed the path ahead, illuminating a split in the rock that hadn't been apparent before.
There were voices as well.
"We meet at last. I've been looking forward to this, Rubicante!" shouted a sure and confident voice that echoed down the passage.
"Should I know you from somewhere?" a low and melodious voice answered.
"Don't play games—I'm Edge, prince of Eblan.
"Eblan?" the other voice asked lightly. "I'm afraid I do not know the place of which you speak."
"Then let me help you remember!" the prince's voice shouted.
Cecil's pace quickened, and they stumbled over the uneven ground in the dim light in an effort to reach the prince. A large flash of light temporarily halted them, erupting from the chamber ahead and blinding them after so much time in the dark. The roar of flames and a surge of heat flowed into the passageway and Rydia felt her skin bead with sweat. The flames dissipated and the air cooled again, like breath released. The sound of the voice who could only be the Fiend of Fire was also cool, frighteningly so.
"Pitiful," it mocked. "Allow me to show you true flame."
Another blaze blasted through the air. This one knocked everyone to their knees. The air sizzled and the cave walls hissed. Then it faded, the light dimmed, and there was an ominous pause.
"You may have strength worthy of pride, but not nearly enough to think of challenging me. Hone your skills. I'll look forward to facing you again when you have."
"Come…back here!" the prince shouted angrily.
Cecil continued their dash through the narrow passage, once they'd all found their feet, and finally breached the chamber. Bits of wood were still glowing red and a few pieces were on fire, but the room was empty save for the man lying scorched on the floor. He was badly burned. His arms and legs were blistered and his clothing was singed through in places. The cloth that remained must have been enchanted and the mask he wore over his face, had also miraculously survived. They rushed to his side.
"Are you all right?" Cecil asked.
The prince sat up, wincing. His burns had begun to ooze and looked painful. "I lost, and he got away—of course I'm not alright!" he snapped.
"We came to find Rubicante, too, and the Crystals he holds," Rydia mentioned, in the hopes that it might prove to him that they were friends, not enemies.
"Rubicante's mine!" he exploded. "You stay out of this! I'm going to put an end to him with—with my own hands!"
"Your enemy is an elemental archfiend, Your Highness," Kain said coolly.
"You've seen his strength for yourself," Cecil seconded.
The prince rolled his eyes until they rested on Kain. "Don't mistake me for some pampered prince," he sneered. "The Eblanese royal family is heir to the secrets of the ninja masters of old. I don't need help from lesser men!"
"Enough!" Rydia interrupted, exasperated. "I can't watch another person go off to die. First Tellah and Yang…And then Cid, too…All of them…all of them-!" she said, bordering on hysterics, unable to keep a lid on her emotions anymore. "Your own people have died!" she cried.
The prince's fierce expression suddenly crumbled, only to be replaced with utter bewilderment. "H-hey, I didn't…I mean…"
"Rydia…" Rosa soothed, resting a hand on her shoulder.
The prince looked each of them over with an eyebrow raised. "Who are you people?"
"Rubicante is the strongest of the four archfiends. Whether we can even hope to defeat him, I cannot say. But we have no choice. We must take back the Crystals he holds!" Cecil explained.
"Crystals?" the prince asked, frowning. He looked each of them over again, closing his eyes with a sigh. "…It doesn't look like I have much choice," he shrugged, wincing. "I can't leave a pretty girl crying. Let's do this together, then—just this once."
Kain snorted. "Too weak to stand, and still as arrogant as could be. It's nigh on comical. Rosa, do you think you could…?"
Rosa nodded and began a healing incantation—cura, if Rydia's ears didn't deceive her. The prince's burns began to close as the green glow of healing spread across his skin, his flesh becoming smooth and unblemished.
He looked at his skin in amazement, then at Rosa with wariness. In an instant, his concern was gone, and he'd brushed himself off. He stood and clasped Rosa's hand vigorously, so vigorously, that she nearly lost her balance. "Thank you, my dear!" he said with a glint in his eye. "You're not so rough on the eyes yourself!" he paused, glancing significantly at Cecil and Kain. "Right, then! Time for us to break into the tower, now that we're all fast friends!"
Rydia wiped tears from her cheeks, and glared at the prince, startled by his behavior. "That was an awfully fast recovery," she muttered.
Rosa was pursing her lips, trying to hide a blush, and followed after Cecil and Kain who were trying to keep up with the prince who had struck off without them.
"We were told you were looking for a way into the tower," Cecil called to the prince.
"Yes. I was," he agreed.
"Did you find one?"
Edge turned and flashed them a confident grin. "Of course. I don't go stumbling into the dark without making sure I find what I went in looking for."
Kain frowned. "We spoke to your Seneschal, and he mentioned why you wanted to seek entry to the tower. But why do you want in so badly that you would challenge Rubicante alone?"
Edge halted in front of a large closed doorway, hands on hips. He hung his head, staring at the ground. "When we were attacked, everyone who hadn't gotten underground was slaughtered. My parents…they were an exception."
"I thought they perished in the siege."
He half-turned toward them. "That's what I was told, but I don't believe it."
"You're planning a counterattack based on a gut feeling alone?" Kain asked.
Edge's expression turned fierce. "Among my people, it is better to die in battle than to be taken alive. There are secrets among our people that would be useful to the enemy if they were discovered. Rubicante is holding them prisoner and I won't stand for it," he said with force.
"You're seeking revenge?" Kain confirmed.
"Naturally. What, did you think that I was going to go after some crystals? That's Baron's concern, not ours. We have no interest in crystals, no need for them."
Cecil's brows drew together. "Baron's concern?"
Edge tilted his head back and made a face. "Of course. You're from Baron, aren't you? That makes sense, then."
"Why would you assume that we're from Baron?" Kain asked.
"Because he's a knight on some noble errand, and you're an ass."
Kain's lips curled into a snarl, but he refrained from rising to the taunt. Edge's eyes narrowed conspiratorially at the other man's discomfiture.
"Your Highness," Cecil said in warning.
"Call me Edge," the prince interrupted him. "And I'm only returning the jab."
"Because I called you arrogant?" Kain scoffed.
"Because you insulted my abundant talents. I won't apologize for my arrogance," he answered with a tight smile.
Rydia couldn't tell if he was being sincere or joking, but his attitude worried her.
"We were told to return you to your people and prevent you from doing anything rash," Cecil said, changing the subject.
Edge rolled his eyes.
"You can return me when the war is over," he said offhandedly.
"But your people—
"Are decimated and clinging to a thread," Edge interrupted him. "Even if I survive, if this war isn't put to an end, what point is there?"
Kain looked at Cecil. "I admit, that's the first sensible thing he's said yet."
Cecil narrowed his eyes. "As far as your seneschal is concerned, we found you in the tower."
Edge smiled knowingly.
"Cecil!" Rosa objected. "You gave your word!"
Cecil looked Edge in the eye, and the prince didn't budge. "We could use someone with his skills in the tower," Cecil said.
"It's settled then. We're all going together," Edge announced. "You can help me kill that bastard Rubicante, and I can help you steal some crystals."
"I guess we're stuck with him," Kain uttered under his breath.
Rydia arched an eyebrow. So this was Eblan's prince—an adult who acted like a child? She wasn't sure when it had started, but a headache had begun to rage at her temple. And yet, like it or not, they were now a party of five once more.
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A/N:
*How absurd is that? Only the four of us can save the woooorld! At least, I find it absurd…
*I'd forgotten that their name had been changed to "epopts"…and I don't really…well, whatever.
*The ninja clans! Mega universe expanding going on here. In my mind the kingdom of Eblan is more than just a castle and a village…. The ninja clans are very much alive and well in my mind! One of Kain's thought bubbles at this part of the game mentions that the people of Eblan are descended from the ninja clans of old.
*I skipped a part. I left out the treasure chest in the basement with the mad ogres…and the slumber sword. Generally, by this point in the game the slumber sword is very under-powered compared to the icebrand and I never use it…typically, I'll level up like a psychopath before fighting the Dark Elf, buy all the Mythril armor, foray into Eblan early, get killed multiple times, get lucky on at least the 15th try, and score the Slumber sword before the tower of Zot. At THAT point in the game, the sword is actually immensely useful. The drain lance…meh. I've honestly never used it. It's a pain to switch it in and out during a battle, especially as most of the enemies in the Eblana caves are zombies or skeletons…Therefore, it felt like a non-plot advancing element. Who knows, maybe in future revisions, I'll throw it back in.
*I kept most of the dialogue from the DS version for the encounter with Edge. Whoever wrote that new translation, if you're reading this…I 3 you.
It should be noted that when I split this chapter (yes, I split it), the second half was almost at 4,000 words ALREADY. Chapter sixteen will be soon to follow, friends.
An observation into Rydia's character…after re-reading several chapters of this and TSL, there is a large streak of Temperance Brennan from Bones surfacing in her characterization…if any of you are Bones viewers, maybe you've caught it, haha. I read some of the dialogue and went…huh. Intricacies of human behavior being lost on her…hmmmmmmmmmmm. Probably means I should stop marathoning that show so often…
Thanks for reading, all! I've really been appreciating the feedback and I'm glad people are enjoying this after all this time! Hope everyone's August is off to a good start :P