A/N: (you can tell how many times I've had to re-open this document given how long the preface is)
headdesk headdesk headdesk headdesk
Plot bunnies. They've been plaguing me since September, and goodness, I just want post-game fic to be here NOW. I know, I know, I keep saying that…but I've already written upwards of 12k of it in the past two months and I can't POST IT ANYWHERE. Furious button mashing!
Oh wait! Some of it has been posted! (see Porom and Palom fic) Granted, that isn't a continuation of any of this, but…le sigh.
Also, in preparation for this chapter, I had to skim back over some parts of TSL to get myself back into the groove of the Feymarch and…awww that was so long ago! Three years, friends! THREE. So sorry it's taken so long just to get back to this point…and the research took a while…Anywho. Rydia gets to shine in this chapter :)
I kind of wrote this chapter in reverse…and in pieces. And there's a lot of dialogue which I also wrote in bits and pieces and good grief…took forever.
OMG WHEN DID THIS TURN INTO A BLOG ENTRY D:
Quick note: the website keeps garbling my italics. There ARE supposed to be spaces between my words, not sure why this strange quirk has been such a plague for the past few months…might be a doc vs docx issue.
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Chapter Nineteen
It was Cecil who won the right to pilot the airship after the argument at the helm lasted nearly half an hour. Rydia had cast some rather spectacular magic that had caused them all to pause long enough for Rosa to speak sense.
In the intervening hours, Kain and Edge had both taken to sulking, and Rydia had decided to try her hand at navigation. It was an arrangement that suited her, as it kept her occupied, and it kept Edge and his unusual solicitations at bay. They had returned to the air hours ago, following land until it melted again into the magma sea. Great columns of earth rose out of the sea and reached up to the ceiling of the Underworld like great trees and Cecil flew around them easily while they scanned the magma below for signs of land.
Cecil flew them east and south, and it was some time before they finally saw land again. This time, it was Rydia who saw it first, and this time, she was the one who demanded they set down.
Once the ship's landing gears had all engaged and the ship's propellers were rotating to a slow stop, did Rydia practically run down the gang plank.
"Rydia?" Cecil asked, walking more slowly behind her.
She had a broad smile on her face as she turned to face him and the rest of the group. "It's alright," she assured them.
"What is?" Rosa asked, quizzically.
"I know where we're going," Rydia explained.
Cecil and Kain both looked in all directions, finally seeing the outcropping of rock where the entrance to another cave could be seen.
"This isn't the Sealed Cave," Edge pointed out. "There are no plateaus of any kind."
"No, this isn't the Sealed Cave," Rydia admitted. "But you'll just have to trust me. Come on!" she said, picking up the pace and leading the way to the mouth of the cave.
She knew her request must have sounded insane, but at the moment, she wasn't particularly bothered. She knew this island—she was so close to the Feymarch for the first time in weeks. She hadn't realized how strong her home-sickness was until now, and all she wanted was to open the door to the house she'd grown up in, see Black curled up in a pool of sunlight on the floor, and smell all the ancient tomes she'd spent hours and hours poring over. Ramuh would offer her a cup of strong tea, and Shiva would listen gravely to all of her comings and goings with a curt nod at all the appropriate places, while Mist would smile knowingly and probably remark on how much she'd grown.
"Rydia?" Rosa asked again, trotting to keep up with her.
Rydia looked at her friend, not realizing how quickly she'd been walking.
"It's been a long time since I've seen you this excited. Where exactly are we going?" the white mage asked, a confused grin on her lips.
Rydia's smile widened. "It's a surprise," she answered.
They entered the cavern, and Rydia stopped, taking in a deep breath. It had the same earthy ancient scent that she remembered—almost like that of a long-forgotten tomb.
"Rosa, you'll want to cast Float," she advised, remembering the perils of the cavern floor.
Rosa cast her a bewildered glance, but obliged. Once the five of them were suspended a few inches off of the ground once more, did Rydia lead them onward.
"Are you going to explain any of this?" Rosa asked, her gaze flitting about to different corners of the glowing cavern.
"Rydia," Cecil added from behind. "I'm not sure we really have the time for any more detours."
A grin crept back onto her face and she shook her long hair. "Where we're going, time won't matter so much," she explained, ignoring the peculiar looks given by her friends.
It wasn't a particularly long journey through the cavern, but it was an arduous one, as Rydia refused to summon any of her Eidolons. This surprised the group, but Rydia passed it off as a chance to practice and sharpen her other spells rather than rely on her Eidolons in battle. What she neglected to tell them was that she didn't want to reveal to any of her companions in the Feymarch that she was on her way home.
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Just before they were about to step onto the portal that led to the Feymarch, Rydia halted.
"Rydia?" Cecil asked, both curious and concerned. The chamber they had entered was small and there was nothing else in it save for the placard on the floor. "Are you sure you know this place and where that device will take us?"
Her breaths had become shaky, nervous. "It's alright," she assured him, but by now she was trying to convince herself more than anyone else. In truth, she had no idea what the Eidolons would think of her arrival; least of all, their opinion of her companions. She was taking an awful risk by bringing them here, but she wanted to introduce them to her family, to her world.
"It's just," she added after a moment's pause. "Once we're on the other side, if you could let me do the explaining."
No one said anything, waiting for her to take the lead.
With a steadying breath, she stepped onto the portal and was whisked away from the cavern environs and into the place she knew so well.
Once she was standing within the Feymarch, she moved away from the portal, granting her friends room to disembark. They followed one by one, Cecil first, Edge last, and once they were all standing beside her, they were all looking about them in complete and utter amazement. Rydia felt giddy with excitement—she had gotten them all this far!
"Come on," she prodded with a smile, leading them away from the portal and onto the main avenue. She wondered how long it would take for someone to realize she had returned. Not long, she imagined.
Sure enough, the moment she rounded the corner of one of the Feymarch's buildings, she saw Shiva striding toward her along one of the intersecting paths.
"Rydia?" Shiva asked, one delicately sculpted brow suspiciously arched. "I had heard—" and then she stopped, suddenly seeing the others. Silver blue eyes locked Rydia under their scrutiny. "No warning, Rydia?" the Eidolon asked through tightly pressed lips.
Rydia smiled her most disarming smile. "Surprise!" she said, though her tone was lacking its normal buoyancy. "You're furious with me, aren't you?" she asked, her voice much smaller than before.
Shiva just looked at her, unimpressed. "Oh, girl, you have much explaining to do," the woman sighed. "First, you should follow me before the sight of your friends causes a scene, if it hasn't already," she ordered, beckoning curtly for Rydia to keep up as she wheeled away and strode down the road along a route that Rydia knew so well, she could have followed in her sleep.
Shiva led them through the streets of the Feymarch at a brisk pace. They walked past the homes with all of their architectural eccentricities, the buildings where curios and goods were kept, and the meeting places where many Eidolons spent hours ruminating about the outside world. The wooden planks made interesting creaks underneath their feet, from the clicks of Rydia's own boots, to the rhythmic thumping of Cecil and Kain's armored feet. There were very few Eidolons in the streets, but Rydia could feel their invisible eyes. It was the same with most places she had traveled—the unseen scrutiny of the community. She felt very self-conscious, anxious, for her friends. She wanted to introduce them properly, but feared she'd made a terrible mistake by not warning any of the Eidolons she was coming.
She followed Shiva, head held high, and avoided the curious glances she was no doubt receiving from her friends walking behind her.
Shiva brought her to the house Rydia knew-the diamond shaped window above the door just as she remembered. They stepped inside and she saw her bed against the right wall, and the table stacked high with old books just as she had left them. Shiva stepped into the center of the room and allowed the five humans to filter in behind her. Once the five of them were all in the room, with Rydia and Shiva standing to one side, the door slammed shut with the arrival of one more, a lithe feline form weaving between the legs of Kain and Cecil. Both the men jumped when they saw what they thought to be a couerl walking with unflagging steps toward Rydia.
It was Rosa who finally broke the silence. "Rydia? What exactly is this place and who—?" she asked, gesturing toward Shiva and Black.
Rydia cast a hesitant glance toward Shiva, who looked back at her blandly. "This is the Feymarch," she explained, nervously. "And this is Shiva—though in a different form than you're used to."
"What, are you just going to forget about me?" Black asked tartly from his vantage point on the floor.
Rydia felt a small smile spread across her lips. "And this is Black, another of the Eidolons."
Rydia saw the brows of all of her companions rise with incredulity. "Eidolons?" Cecil asked, flabbergasted. "This is—I thought—"
Rydia wrung her hands together. "Technically, it is forbidden for humans to enter this realm…"
"Technically?" Shiva asked, unamused.
"It was on the way," Rydia explained with a sideways glance.
"Rydia, in a thousand years, I've never known someone willing to break quite so many rules with quite so little thought," Shiva replied, her tone flat.
"I was never expressly told I couldn't bring anyone past the portal," Rydia argued. "Besides, I wanted to speak to Leviathan and Asura," she added, trying to add credibility to her visit.
"Oh?" Shiva asked. "And were you planning on walking your companions into the throne room unannounced?"
Rydia rested her hands on her hips, and exclaimed with as much exasperation as she could manage, "It was a last minute decision!"
"May I speak with you in private?" the Eidolon asked, indifferent to Rydia's distress, and gestured her toward the door.
Rydia exhaled sharply through her nose and followed Shiva out of the room. Before she left, she turned back to everyone. "Just wait here," she requested. "I'll be back."
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Edge watched Rydia leave with the woman she claimed was Shiva, intrigued. His gaze flicked from the door to the remaining three companions, and then around the room. This was the Feymarch? It wasn't at all how he'd imagined it to be from Rydia's description; and this house just felt so, well, normal. He took a few more steps into the room toward the table piled high with books. He was under the impression that Shiva wouldn't have led them to this particular house if it hadn't been of significance to Rydia. Was this where she had spent the last ten years of her life? Had she paged through each of these tomes? He was about to flip open one of the books' covers when the coeurl jumped atop the table and put both of its front paws on top of the book with a cool sort of look in its amber eyes. Edge stared at the coeurl Rydia had identified as "Black" and retracted his hand slowly.
"You're a curious one," Black observed sourly, his whiskers dipping into a frown.
"So are you," Edge countered. "You're not what I expected from an Eidolon."
"Why, is it my form that surprises you?" Black asked idly.
Edge made a thoughtful expression. "More your size," he answered with a sly smile.
The two of them gauged each other, narrowing their eyes, until Rosa threw up her hands in exasperation.
"Only five minutes in, and you're already goading someone!" she complained.
Edge cast the white mage an unruffled glance, still curious at what was written on the pages in the book. Obviously it was sensitive material, and he didn't think the Eidolon would be too keen on him seeing it.
Black was still looking at him in the way cats do, assessing, calculating, but Edge did his best to ignore it. "You are all Rydia's companions. The ones she spoke of," Black said after a minute.
"Yes," Cecil confirmed, stepping forward. "My name is Cecil, and this is Rosa, Kain, and Edge," he added, gesturing to where Edge was standing by the table.
Black looked at each of them, his tail twitching authoritatively against the tabletop. "The first three names I recognize. The last?" he said, sliding his glance to rest back on Edge, "I do not recall."
"Recent addition," Edge supplied dryly. For reasons he didn't comprehend, he disliked the pint-sized Eidolon. It felt like they were being interviewed by a protective sibling and it was a dynamic that made it difficult for Edge to know where he stood.
"Please pardon us for coming unannounced," Rosa said, trying to smooth things over. "We had no idea."
"So long as you don't interrupt our lives here and so long as you don't touch anything," he added, looking again at Edge, "Your stay here shouldn't be a problem. However, that's between Rydia and the king and queen now."
"The king and queen?" Rosa asked.
"Leviathan and Asura, of course," Black explained.
"Leviathan—" Cecil started.
"And Asura?" Rosa finished, both of them stunned.
"They govern this realm, yes," Black answered.
Even Edge was surprised. He recognized one of the names, but not because of Rydia. His people often told tales of Leviathan and many ships lost at sea from the fury of the mighty sea dragon. The notion that the creature of legend from the Upperworld could be the very same Eidolon king bent his mind in strange ways. But then, it probably shouldn't have surprised him after what he'd already seen in the past few days.
"And you're one of the Eidolons?" Cecil clarified.
"I thought we'd already been through this," Black replied.
"Why is it we've never seen you among any of the Eidolons Rydia has summoned?"
Black swished his tail back and forth. "Rydia does not have leave to summon me."
"I don't understand," Rosa said, "Doesn't she just call your name and you answer? Aren't you contracted to respond?"
"A summoner must call us by name, yes; but it is our true name they must know. Without that, a summoning is merely words."
"And your name is?" Edge asked with a sly smile.
Black gave him another sharp look. "Sneaky, but a waste of breath," he warned, the hint of a growl in his throat.
"Rydia doesn't know your true name," Rosa realized, redirecting the conversation.
Black nodded. "An Eidolon's true name must be earned."
"And how exactly does one accomplish such a feat?" Rosa asked.
Black swished his tail a few times before answering. "I'm sure you'll find out soon enough." He then turned to Cecil. "How is it that your group came upon our cavern?"
Cecil shrugged, at a loss. "Rydia, really."
Black rolled his eyes. "Of course—but what I meant was, where were you really trying to go? Surely the Feymarch wasn't on your itinerary."
"We're traveling to the Sealed Cave," Cecil explained. "The directions given to us by the Dwarves weren't particularly helpful, so we've been flying for a while now with no success."
"The Sealed Cave?" Black asked. "It sounds familiar, but I've never been to it myself."
"Do you know which direction to travel from here?" Kain asked.
Black shook his head. "Unfortunately, I'm not the one to ask for directions. I rarely venture forth from the Feymarch. There is another Eidolon or two who could help you, but until you're given permission to do anything within the bounds of this realm, you won't be able to speak to them."
"What should we do in the meantime?" Cecil asked.
"You wait."
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"Rydia, what were you thinking, bringing other humans here?" Shiva asked, incensed.
Rydia took a few steps back, and turned on her heel, pacing. "I couldn't just wander through the cave by myself, and what did you want me to do, leave them by the portal?" she asked, turning to face Shiva again.
"Yes, that's exactly what I would have wanted," Shiva retorted, blue eyes cold.
"They're not a danger to you—to any of you!" Rydia exclaimed. "These are the people who are fighting Golbez!"
Shiva studied her shrewdly for several minutes. "Cecil and Rosa, yes. But what about the other companions? Are you not traveling with the man who betrayed his friend? And with a stranger who could just as well betray you also?"
"I'm undecided on Kain, I admit," Rydia conceded, "But on the others, I'm certain."
"That's wonderful, because I'm not."
Rydia looked hard at Shiva, trying not to let her gaze waver. They had been through this before, this battle of wills, and Rydia was determined to win this round. Eventually, she broke her gaze when she noticed Mist past Shiva's shoulder, walking toward them.
"Rydia!" Mist announced, closing the distance between them until she was standing beside Shiva. Mist took a moment to look Rydia up and down with concern, while Shiva rolled her eyes.
"Mist!" Rydia said with a smile, stepping forward to hug her friend.
"The rumor was that you'd returned, but I didn't expect to actually see you here," the Eidolon commented, running fingers through Rydia's long green hair as a worried parent might.
"Yes, and she brought guests," Shiva added dryly, arms still crossed.
Mist's brows rose as she looked first at Shiva and then Rydia. "Guests? You brought humans here?"
"Cecil and the others," Rydia explained.
Mist's gray eyes narrowed and she took a step backwards. "The two responsible for trapping me in the Void are here," she clarified.
Rydia took a deep breath. "Yes," she answered, daring to meet Mist's gaze.
"Rydia, what were you thinking—bringing them here?" Mist demanded, a sudden flash of anger painting her words.
"Cecil is not the same man that he was," Rydia said hurriedly. "He walked away from that life."
"And what about the man named Kain? I heard he was a part of your traveling group. Is he not the same man that he was?"
Rydia set her jaw, torn between defending one friend and wondering if she should even bother mounting a defense for Kain. "Kain is…he has his flaws, but I don't believe him to be a threat any longer."
Mist tossed her snowy hair. "Rydia, did it ever occur to you that any one of them could be a spy for Golbez?" she asked. "They should leave. Now," she added, glancing back at the door to the house where Rydia's companions had been left to wait.
"None of them is a spy for Golbez," Rydia argued, her tone a little desperate. "Why don't you just speak to them," she pled, reaching out to grip Mist's hand.
"I will fight by your side, but don't expect me to exchange pleasantries with the men who stole my life and caused me to dwell in a nightmare land," Mist hissed, drawing her arm back, and unexpectedly turning away to leave the way she'd come.
Rydia looked at Shiva, but the other woman had nothing to say.
"I know you're not happy with me, and I know you and Mist both have your reasons, but I would not have brought them here if I didn't trust them," she expressed to Shiva, her voice tight with emotion. "Can we at least stay the night here?" Rydia asked. "I still want to speak with Asura—it's important."
"Mist is right, you know," Shiva replied. "Any one of them could be a spy. They should spend the night in the caverns, or better yet, on whatever manner of transport you used to reach this island."
"Then I go with them," Rydia said flatly. "At least one night," she tried again. "And could you at least tell Asura that we're here?"
Shiva pursed her lips, her eyes frigid. "Why I take any risks for you at all," she muttered at last. "One night," she declared. "But they stay where they are and no one leaves that house unless escorted by me."
Rydia nodded. "I understand," she replied. "I'm sorry, Shiva—really."
Shiva shook her head. "I'll come for you in the morning with news, but don't expect anything other than a trip back to the caverns," she said, striding away.
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Rydia returned to the house, opening the door to find all of her friends standing about the room waiting for answers.
"Is everything alright?" Cecil asked.
Rydia slid her gaze to the side with a grimace on her face. "We've been allowed to stay the night, at least," she answered.
Black dropped down to the floor from his perch atop the table. "Shiva scolded you thoroughly, I gather," he said.
Rydia sighed. "It was Mist, actually."
Black studied Rydia's face for a moment, swishing his tail back and forth. "Curious."
Rydia made a face at him and walked to the table, pulled out a chair, and flopped down on it. "She'll come around. I know it," she said.
"And Shiva?"
Rydia crossed her arms defensively. "It'll work out."
"What happens tomorrow?" Rosa asked.
"Well, if Shiva insists on being difficult, we'll be asked to leave. In the meantime, we have the night to stay here. If things go well, tomorrow we'll be allowed to see the king and queen and I might have the chance to introduce you to some of my family," Rydia explained.
"Pardon me," Black interrupted. "I'm going to have a few words with Shiva while the rest of you talk."
They all watched him leave the room, and once he was gone, Rosa fixed her attention on Rydia again.
"How does Black fit into your family?" she asked.
Rydia smiled, losing herself in her thoughts. "He's kind of like a brother," she explained. "A very annoying brother," she added, laughing.
Cecil and Rosa both looked at her curiously.
"And what about Shiva?" Edge asked.
"Shiva was my teacher mostly, but I suppose she was also like a sister to me."
"Rydia, you really lived here all those years?" Rosa asked, looking around the room. "Was this your house?"
Rydia took a moment to look around as well. "Yes, it was. I learned to read and write and recite incantations here."
"And you didn't get bored, being here for ten years?" Edge inquired, a horrified expression on his face.
"It's not like I was trapped in this one room," Rydia replied. "I was allowed to explore the Feymarch and to even leave and venture into the caverns on occasion. I was never completely bored."
"But what did you do—for fun, I mean," Rosa added after a minute.
Rydia tilted her head to the side, considering. "I spent a lot of time just talking to the Eidolons," she admitted. "There's so much history here about both them and my people; that I would sit for hours and hours listening to all the stories."
"What kind of stories?" Cecil asked.
"Where the Eidolons came from and how the Summoners learned magic. Where magic came from," she went on.
"The origins of magic?" Rosa asked. "You mean, all magic? Their memory reaches that far?"
"The Eidolons are ancient," Rydia explained with a laugh. "And they are also wise. Well, most of them, anyway. There are a few who would be considered young, but even they are many hundreds of years old."
"How is that even possible?" Rosa asked, crossing her arms.
"They live off of magic," Rydia added. "This entire realm is maintained by magic and by the symbiotic relationship between the Summoners and the Eidolons. They hardly age. In fact, they're practically immortal."
"And they told you about the origins of magic?" Rosa asked, incredulous.
"I was told that magic entered the world when the Crystals appeared," Rydia explained. "It was so long ago hardly anyone remembers when exactly it happened; but the Crystals caused creatures to be changed into beings of great power and magic. Some of those creatures became fiends. Others became Eidolons. And finally, magic came to humans. A few humans learned to harness magic as the mages do, and there were a few others who were born to magic."
During the telling of her tale, Rydia noticed all of her friends leaning forward, engaged in the story. She happened to notice Edge's scrutiny of her intensify most of all, but she couldn't imagine why.
"People born into magic," Rosa repeated. "I've never met someone with magic born to them. Do such people even still exist?"
Rydia's expression fell as she remembered Ramuh telling her of the Great War and the massacre of those who were magic-born. The Adrin.
"I don't know," she answered. "Not even the Eidolons know if any such people remain in the world."
"What happened to them?" it was Cecil's turn to ask.
Rydia allowed her gaze to fasten itself to the far wall, not really focusing on anything in particular. "War," was all she said.
Everyone fell silent after that, imagining a long-lost society and a world they'd never know.
"It always comes back to the Crystals," Cecil reflected at last. "They were the origin of magic, the reason for wars, the balancing forces of nature, and now, somehow, they share a connection with the twin moon. Where on earth did they come from?"
"Who built the Tower of Babil?" Edge asked from his side of the room. "Find the answer to that question and you might find an answer to the first."
Rydia and the others looked at the ninja prince.
"It's true," Rosa admitted. "We have no idea who constructed the tower. Perhaps they were our ancient ancestors?"
"But where did they get the crystals from?" Edge asked again. "I have a feeling that whatever plot Golbez is hatching will lead us to some very interesting answers."
Cecil sighed deeply. "This conversation is tying my thoughts into knots. I think we should get some rest before we get lost in a sea of questions."
Rydia laughed. "Can you see now, why I was hardly ever bored?" she asked.
Rosa smiled back at her, her eyes twinkling. "I definitely can," she replied.
Rydia looked about the room and was suddenly dismayed. "Oh," she said, realizing. "There's only one bed!"
Cecil and Rosa both stood, as they had been sitting on the bed during the discussion, and moved their packs in the process.
"You should have the bed, Rydia," Cecil told her.
"Me?" Rydia asked, aghast. "But you are all guests!"
"This is your home," Rosa assured her. "It's only right for you to have the bed."
Rydia looked both her friends in the eyes. "Are you sure?"
"We've slept on rocks and uneven ground for days. Sleeping on a floor is a vast improvement," Cecil told her.
When the four of them began to unpack their bedrolls, Rydia felt a bit guilty. She found her own pack and began to unclasp her own bedroll.
"What are you doing?" Rosa asked.
"I've slept on that bed for ten years. I can sleep on the floor for a change," she said firmly.
Rosa and Cecil both shared a look and then Rosa laughed, and the sound of it filled the house. "Oh, Rydia," she said warmly. "I'm so glad you're with us."
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They awoke the next morning to a knock on the door. Shiva strode into the room without invitation, and everyone sat up groggily from where they had spent the night on the floor.
"Good morning," the Eidolon greeted them, carrying a tray of food to the table in the middle of the room.
The smell of it made everyone sit up a little straighter.
"I've brought breakfast, as it is only a customary offer one makes to guests."
"Guests?" Rydia asked, suddenly interested. "Does that mean we've been granted permission to stay and speak with the king and queen?"
Shiva's expression was pained. "Yes. And no. I wish to be more certain of your intentions before I allow you before the king and queen."
Rydia kneeled and then stood, walking to the table. "You want to ask questions?" she asked, tearing off a piece of bread and nibbling on it.
"I do."
"We'll answer whatever questions you wish to ask of us," Cecil told the Eidolon, who looked back at him, seeming pleased by his response.
"Very well," she replied. "I'll return in a while after you've had a chance to awaken some more."
Rydia watched Shiva leave and then returned her attention to the food on the table. There was fresh fruit, bread, a pitcher of what looked to be some kind of milk. She was amazed, as she always was, at how the Eidolons had such foods when they didn't need to eat food for nourishment themselves."
"Are those—grapes?" Rosa asked, prying herself away from her bedroll to investigate the spread. "I haven't seen fresh food for so long," she said with longing.
Rydia giggled. "You don't have to just look at it, you can eat it," she informed her friend, as Rosa hesitantly reached out to grasp a sprig of grapes and popped one of the small fruits into her mouth. The white mage rolled her eyes in ecstasy.
"After so many days of hardtack and stale food, this is unbelievable," Rosa said in amazement.
Cecil joined her a few minutes later, savoring the fresh food on the table.
Rydia took a moment to notice Edge and Kain still sitting on their bedrolls, unmoving; the former pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Are you alright?" she asked Edge.
He cast her an annoyed glance and waved her off. "Fine," he said, distractedly.
Rosa turned to look at him. "Headache?" she guessed.
"I'm sure it'll pass," he muttered.
"You should eat something," the white mage suggested, taking an orange and tossing it to the prince who caught it in mid-air without even having to blink.
"Kain, are you going to join us?" Rosa asked.
Kain groaned something incoherent and stood, walking silently to the table. Rydia had observed that while Kain was already a man of few words, he was of even fewer words for the first few hours he was awake.
Shiva, true to her word, gave them about an hour before she returned to the house. By then, everyone was mostly awake, though Edge still seemed to be suffering from his headache.
"You said you would answer any questions that I had," Shiva said, seating herself importantly on one of the chairs at the table.
"I did," Cecil answered.
"But what about the rest of you?" she asked, looking at Edge and Kain.
"We will," Cecil said, answering for everyone.
"Very well," Shiva replied. "You are Cecil, and you must be Rosa," Shiva said, looking at the couple.
"We are," Rosa answered.
"The two of you are from Baron. And you," Shiva said, nodding in Kain's direction, "are also from Baron."
"Yes, the three of us are," Rosa supplied.
"Why is it that you hunt so ardently for Golbez and the Crystals he has seized?"
Rosa looked at Cecil, who then looked at the Eidolon. "He wrongfully initiated a war that has now consumed the entire world," Cecil said simply. "Whatever his plans for the Crystals, his blatant misuse of power and the loss of innocent lives must be stopped."
"You were a dark knight," Shiva said. "You were a pawn to your king, and you even took part in the beginnings of the war. Did you not shed innocent blood yourself?"
Cecil stared at his hands, but then resolutely lifted his eyes to Shiva's face. "This quest is my atonement for those crimes," he replied.
Shiva nodded, and then turned to Rosa. "And you, a white mage. You accompany him on this journey? For what reasons?"
Rosa blushed. "A knight must always have a white mage," she answered a little nervously. "And besides, I knew that wherever Cecil's duty led him, that I would follow."
"I admire your loyalty, but do you know what you've gotten yourself into?" Shiva asked.
"I would not still be here, sitting within this room, if I didn't already know what I had gotten myself into," Rosa honestly replied. "I will go to whatever ends to see this madness ended."
"Now answer me this, dragoon of Baron," Shiva said, turning her attention to Kain who was sitting off to a corner. "Not very long ago, you too were the enemy's pawn. How are we to trust the intentions of one who doesn't even know his own path?"
Rydia glanced in Kain's direction and she could have sworn she saw the man's pale face blanche. It wasn't often that she saw him without his fearsome helmet, but this was one of those times, and he seemed oddly exposed.
"I was tired of being a pawn," he said bitterly.
"And yet you follow your friend because you believe it is easiest to follow the path already carved out for you?" she asked.
"I follow because I believe it to be a just cause."
"Even when it is most dangerous?"
"Yes. Even then."
Shiva's gaze was intense, and Kain could only meet it for a moment before returning his own gaze to his hands.
Rydia could sense the Eidolon making judgements, though it was an exchange that was beyond her. Finally, Shiva turned to Edge.
She stared at the prince with an eyebrow raised, and he stared back at her in return.
"Your part of the tale is unknown to me," Shiva said measuredly, studying Edge as one studies an opponent.
His gaze was unflinching, and Rydia was surprised. Most people couldn't meet the gaze of the Eidolon with as much confidence as he was.
"Where is it you come from?"
"The kingdom of Eblan," he answered.
"And your trade? What stakes do you have in this quest of all-importance?"
"I came to avenge the death of my parents—and the deaths of my people."
Shiva paused, as if remembering something. "A Son of Shadow," she mused. "A gatherer of secrets, a dweller of nightfall; and often, a soldier of fortune."
Edge didn't reply, but Shiva seemed to learn everything she wished just by looking into his eyes. "Interesting," she said after a moment.
"Well?" Rydia asked. "Do they have your permission to stay?"
Shiva pursed her lips and looked at each of the companions in turn. "I wish to speak to the two of you some more," she said to Cecil and Rosa. "The other two, the dragoon and the son of shadow, will wait here. They do not have my permission to wander the hallowed streets of the Feymarch."
Rydia was about to open her mouth in protest, but Shiva raised a hand to stall her. "Come. Let us continue this interview while we walk a bit," she said, inviting Rydia, Cecil, and Rosa to the door.
Shiva then turned back to Kain and Edge. "I don't advise leaving this house unless you wish to incur the wrath of the Eidolons. Not accompanied by myself, you will be viewed as a deviant, and as such, a threat. Keep that in mind," she said before leaving the room.
Rydia looked at Edge over her shoulder and shrugged. He seemed annoyed but resigned, still pinching the bridge of his nose. Rydia would have cared more, were it not for her relief to be free of his uncanny stare for a while as she followed Shiva out the door.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Shiva led them away from the small house and onto the main thoroughfares of the Feymarch. They passed several cloaked Eidolons on their way, but none of them paused to speak, even though Rydia was walking among the group.
"It's beautiful here," Rosa said, looking around at all of the buildings.
"I suppose it is beautiful in its own fashion," Shiva replied.
"The streams and terraces are gorgeous," Rosa added, sweeping her gaze from side to side.
"It's the effect of the Mind Mirror," Shiva explained. "The magic of this realm can be influenced by thoughts. The Feymarch is showing you what you wish to see."
"You mean it isn't real?" Rosa asked, fascinated.
"It is illusion, yes," Shiva replied.
"How is it that I also see streams and terraces?" Cecil asked.
"It is rare for two people to share the same illusion, but it must be a real place you are imagining. A place of great importance to you both."
"It reminds me of Baron—as it used to be," Rosa answered wistfully, still admiring the illusion.
"What do you see, Rydia?" Cecil asked, turning to her.
Rydia smiled. "I see a forest with a canopy the green of summer," she told him.
"A forest?" he asked.
"Ramuh used to joke that it was my element—wood, that is. Ever since, I've always seen a forest here in the Feymarch."
"So even the sun is an illusion?" Rosa asked.
"Even the sun," Shiva confirmed.
"This realm is truly astounding," Cecil observed as they continued walking.
"Tell me, where else have you traveled in the Underworld? It has been some time since Rydia has summoned any of us."
"In truth, we've been lost for several days. After leaving the Dwarves, we flew what we thought was west and discovered a cavern that was not, in fact, the cavern we were looking for."
"Another cavern?" Shiva asked.
"The floors glowed green," Rydia explained. "And there were faeries there who weren't exactly welcoming."
"They had one of our former companions in their keeping. Do you have any idea who those creatures were?" Rosa asked.
Shiva furrowed her brow. "Faeries," she murmured. "The Sylves?"
Rydia's eyes both widened. "Those were the Sylves?" she sked. "That explains a lot, then!"
"Rydia, you knew what those creatures were?" Rosa demanded. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"I didn't put it together at the time," Rydia said by way of apology. "They're not dangerous," she added.
Shiva nodded. "They are a secretive community and wary of humans; but they are also very nurturing. If your friend is with them, they will care for him as one of their own."
"Is there a way to get him back?" Rosa inquired.
"He will be released when he is ready to be released from their care. They are similar to healers in many regards, and protective of their wards. You were strangers with swords invading their sanctuary. It's not surprising that they wished you gone," Shiva explained.
"I'm glad, then, knowing that he's in good hands," Rosa admitted with a relieved sigh.
"Black tells me that you were headed to a place called the Sealed Cave. Is this true?" Shiva then asked.
"The final Crystal Golbez is seeking resides there," Cecil answered.
"And you wish to acquire it before he does?"
"Yes, that was the plan."
"And what would you do with it if you had it?"
"Go on the run. Stay on the move and keep it beyond his reach."
Shiva hummed. "Your plan sounds incomplete. A man cannot run forever. Sooner or later, he will catch up to you, and he'll have all of the Crystals in his grasp. What happens then?"
"We have friends throughout the world who are making plans of their own. They will mount a last counter-attack against Golbez before we allow him to open whatever path he intends to open to the Moon."
Shiva sighed, and shook her long dark hair. "These are uncertain times to be sure."
They walked onward a ways before Shiva suddenly nodded in the direction of a crossroad, and Rydia saw Mist approaching them from the other path. She felt her heart quicken with anxiety. Mist's expression was set, difficult to read, and Rydia waited until the Eidolon was closer before speaking.
"How are you?" Rydia asked, keeping her tone light.
Mist looked at her and the slightest hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "I am well. And you?"
"Very well," Rydia answered.
Mist then turned to Cecil and Rosa. "You must be Cecil," she said, inclining her head in a curt bow.
Cecil followed her example, as did Rosa.
"I am," he answered.
"I am Mist," she introduced herself. "The guardian of Rydia's homeland, though you might know me better as the dragon you encountered those many months ago."
Cecil swallowed hard. "You are the Dragon of Mist."
"I am," she replied.
"I am sorry for the pain we caused you," Cecil expressed with remorse clear on his face. "We were ignorant of Summoners and their ways when we sought passage through your cavern."
"Very much pain and inconvenience, indeed," Mist answered. "And yet you have Rydia's respect and trust. The very fact that you have been allowed into the streets of the Feymarch as Shiva's guests says much about your character. I am not quite ready to forgive all, but I'm willing to make an exception of you and at least tolerate your company."
Cecil bowed deeply. "We are in your debt," he told her.
Mist nodded, and then turned to Shiva. "Where is it you're taking them?" she inquired.
"It's a surprise," Shiva answered with a smile. "You're welcome to join us."
Rydia smiled, too. "Come with us, Mist," she prodded. "It's been a while since we've had the chance to do any catching up."
Mist gave the girl a sly look. "Strange, it feels as though you never left."
0-0-0-0-0
Shiva continued leading the group through the Feymarch, and this time Mist accompanied them.
For a time, no one said a word, and Rydia eyed the Eidolons to her left and her human companions to her right.
"Cecil, maybe you can ask what you asked me earlier," Rydia suggested, hoping to break the ice.
Cecil glanced at her, and then looked at Shiva. Shiva waited expectantly.
"What is it you know about the crystals?" he finally asked.
Shiva nodded gravely. "Ah, I wondered when you would ask me that question. The crystals' beginnings were far before my own, unfortunately. I only know that it has been many thousands of years since they came to be, and many years since their power has waned to what it is now. There was a time when they shed far more light and gave more of their power than they do now. Magic like the kind found in this realm were once more common. Now there exist only pockets."
"So you don't know what they were originally used for? Were they always on the earth or did they come from the moon?" Cecil asked.
"Your guess is as good as mine. Although, I do recall an ancient race of humans in a time when the Eidolons were young. Their appearance and the appearance of the Crystals and the Tower of Babil were all concurrent."
"An ancient race of humans?" Rosa asked.
"It's been ages since I've seen them, and I don't know what became of them. Whether they were your ancestors or a different race entirely, I don't know."
"I can't imagine what Golbez is trying to achieve by opening a path to the moon," Cecil said.
"That is a mystery to us as well, but I sense an ancient power sleeping there. It's been there since I can remember, like a second tide."
"Something is on the second moon, something he wants to reach," Cecil repeated.
"What Golbez wants and what exists may be two different things. The Twin Moon is more than one thing. It is a spiritual place, but perhaps there is something in particular that he wants there."
Rydia looked at Shiva, then. Again, she was amazed by how little they knew—of the Crystals, of the Tower of Babil, of the world itself. History had a way of shrouding itself at every turn.
When they stopped walking, Rydia was surprised to see a place she hadn't seen since just before she'd left the Feymarch. The tree that Leviathan and Asura had blessed, stood tall and magnificent in the light. Its leaves flickered silver and fluttered in a wind that Rydia could see but not sense.
Everyone paused beneath the tree and gazed up at its branches.
"Breathtaking," Rosa murmured.
"This tree is a symbol of our rebirth," Shiva explained. "A renewed oath from Summoner to the Eidolons—a gift from our queen. We will defend this realm to our very ending. My question for you is, will you enter into this oath with us? To protect this realm? By doing so you are also taking full responsibility for whatever actions your other two companions take," she elaborated. "Think hard before answering. It is not unknown to me that you have a former traitor in your midst, and it is my experience that former traitors are, more often than not, prone to repeat the same actions. Can he be trusted?"
Cecil looked at Rosa and then at the great tree that rose above them to touch the dome of the sky. "So much of the world is in need of rebirth," he said slowly. "To lose anyone, be they Eidolon or human, is a grave loss. We will do whatever is in our power to ensure that your people are kept from harm from any of ours."
"Very well. They are your responsibility now. I will speak to Asura and Leviathan on your behalf and they may choose whether or not to grant you an audience," Shiva replied.
"You will speak to them?" Rydia asked eagerly.
"Yes, child, I will speak to them. I understand enough of your true purpose and the intentions of your friends to know that whatever reason you have for speaking to the king and queen must be important."
"Thank you," Rydia said with relief.
"What purpose do you have in speaking to them, Rydia?" Rosa inquired.
"I want to ask for their help."
Rosa wrinkled her brow. "Their help—do you mean…"
"It's complicated. I can explain more later," Rydia said. "But it is important, of that you can be certain."
Cecil and Rosa shared a look.
"It's alright," Rydia assured them. "Everything will make more sense tomorrow," she promised.
"I think it's time we began to head back," Shiva suggested.
Rydia nodded absently, and the five of them started their journey back. After a few turns, Rydia slowed to a stop. Shiva stopped with her. "Was there something else?" she asked.
"There's someplace I'd like to visit before going back," she said. "I'd like to talk to Mist, if I could."
"You can take the others," Mist added. "We will be back soon enough."
"Very well," Shiva replied. "Come, then," she prodded to Cecil and Rosa. "I will return you to your friends."
0-0-0-0-0-00-0-0-0
"So it's just us," Edge mused, walking around the edges of the room.
Kain sat down on the bed and crossed his arms. His helmet was resting at his side, and the dragoon's lips were pursed together in a frown. Edge flicked his gaze in the other man's direction from time to time. The man had a well-defined jaw, strong features, and sandy blonde hair that he'd never realized was quite so long. He was the kind of man you didn't want to pick a fight with if you could help it. Broad shouldered, tall—hell of a heavy hitter. Edge had been wary of him from the beginning, but he couldn't help but needle him. Leastways, Kain left himself wide open to verbal attacks, and Edge found this interesting—a man who kept himself physically impervious, and yet rose to the slightest barb. There was some kind of guilt to be exposed and whatever it was, it lay very close to the surface.
"I can understand why they don't want me running amok in their city," Edge opened, "But I can't figure out why they'd lock you indoors, unless it's because of that scowl of yours."
Kain threw a glare in Edge's direction, and Edge noticed the red-rimmed eyes and the gauntness that accompanied many sleepless nights. Hell, he probably didn't look much better either, and his headache from earlier still hadn't gone away for that matter. Did he dare pick a fight with a fatigued giant? Of course he dared.
"What did you do—brood at one of them?"
"Do you enjoy talking just to hear yourself talk?" Kain asked bitterly.
"All the time," Edge shot back. "How else do you think I maintain perfect elocution?"
Kain shook his head, and Edge could have sworn he heard the man mutter, "ass" under his breath. He smiled. At least the dragoon could call it like it was.
Edge leaned against the table in the room, crossed his arms, and stared at the door, then at the dragoon. "You still haven't answered my question."
"It wasn't a proper question to begin with."
"Ah, so there's a sense of humor buried somewhere in there," Edge prodded. "Why don't the Eidolons trust you?"
Kain shrugged tiredly. "Does it matter?"
Edge studied the dragoon for a moment, noting the dejection that clung to him like a damp cloak. "It matters to you," he observed.
Kain glanced up at him, blue eyes fierce. "It's none of your business," he snapped.
Edge just stared back at him, unbothered. He was used to these kinds of encounters—he'd had them all the time with his father and that man was implacable.
"You were the other knight," he said simply, thinking aloud.
Kain pinned his gaze to the floor and it was all the confirmation Edge needed.
"You were the other knight in Mist, one of the two sent from Baron."
"Who told you about Mist?" Kain asked, pained.
"Who else?" Edge returned.
Kain grimaced. "What we were asked to do—it was unconscionable. But I—I had an oath to fulfill. Does Rydia blame me for what happened?"
"She left you out of her tale," Edge assured him. "But she left enough clues. You weren't there when she left with Cecil—when Cecil defected."
"No, I wasn't."
"Where were you? Why would you return to the kingdom that had betrayed you?"
"Some oaths are harder to break once made. You may not understand."
"Oh, believe me, I understand," Edge retorted.
Kain glanced up at him again, trying to assess whether or not Edge was playing with him. Edge kept his gaze level.
"There was an earthquake," Kain said after a moment. "I found myself on the wrong side."
"In more ways than one, I take it," Edge added.
Kain let out a sharp breath. "I was found unconscious and brought back to Baron. There was an inquisition."
"An inquisition?"
"I was the last to accompany a traitor on a mission that failed. We had both failed, but only one of us fled."
"When Cecil left with Rydia," Edge surmised.
Kain nodded.
"And then what? Clearly, you escaped Baron, but I can't imagine that they'd take kindly to two of their officers defecting so easily."
"It's complicated," Kain answered, unwilling to say anything else.
Edge sighed, sensing that the other part of the tale would have to be ferreted out at a later time. "And because you were one of the two who attacked Mist and then returned to Baron, Rydia never forgave you. And neither did the Eidolons."
"Are you enjoying yourself?" Kain asked dourly.
"Just trying to patch together some holes," Edge replied with a shrug. "I'm surprised you haven't asked any questions of your own."
"Questions of my own?" Kain asked, giving Edge a speculative look.
Edge quirked his lips into a grin. "I can tell I'm exactly the opposite of what you expected of a ninja. Do explain, where did your previous notion of my kind come from, anyway?"
"Just stories," Kain answered quietly. "Stories from long ago."
Edge raised a brow. "That's not illuminating at all. And here I was expecting a barrage of questions demanding to know why I don't ascribe to all that you believed and thought you knew to be true."
"I admit, I'd thought your people to be a proud and taciturn lot. A people of few words and decisive action. All I've seen so far from you is a lot of talk and not much else."
Edge's grin turned wicked. "Nicely put," he said, but then added after a moments' reflection, "If a little sparing in your lack of attention to details. I'll have you know that I've been immensely useful in the past few days."
"At what exactly?"
"Who got you into the Tower of Babil?" Edge pointed out. "And who found an airship just laying around? And let's face it, the four of you were in sore need of some levity. My talents are vast."
Kain laughed—the man actually laughed. Edge was so shocked, he nearly fell off the table he was leaning against. "I have never before encountered someone so completely and utterly in love with themselves," Kain admitted, still laughing. "It's amazing that anyone in your own country can stand you, let alone respect you."
Edge let the affront wash past him, relieved that he was finally getting some honesty out of the man. "If I can be frank," Edge said. "When you've lived your entire life in the shadow of laws and oaths and traditions, however you can find a way to free yourself, you do so."
This seemed to strike a chord with the dragoon and he stopped laughing, his expression becoming thoughtful. "Freedom?" he scoffed. "Isn't it just an illusion?"
Edge tilted his head to the side, considering. "Is it?" he asked and then sighed, staring around the small room. It seemed, to Edge, that it had shrunk in the last few hours, and his headache was beginning to build behind his eyes. To his chagrin, even the tomes he had been so curious about, his one source of entertainment, had been removed. When it had been done, he wasn't sure, but it had been done with skill worthy enough of his own kin and he found he was annoyed.
"Speaking of freedom," he added. "It's about time I saw more of this place than just these four walls," he said, pacing along the room's perimeter.
"I wouldn't bother," Kain cautioned idly. "The Eidolons are not beings to trifle with. I won't come save you should you find yourself dealing with more than you can handle."
"I wouldn't ask you to save me anyway," Edge grumbled. "What do I look like to you, a princess?"
"You're certainly vain enough," Kain volleyed back.
Edge simply smiled as he inspected the room for other possible exits. When he approached the back corner of the room, he paused. There was a pile of rolled up rugs and poles, and after moving a few of them aside, Edge saw a small hatch near the floor, a half-door.
"Huh," he muttered, and pried more of the rugs away until the door was fully accessible. He jiggled the latch and the door swung inward, revealing a small chamber with another door at the other side.
"Don't, Edge," Kain warned.
"Oh, ye of little curiosity," Edge remarked, stepping into the small chamber and fiddling with the latch of the second door. When it opened, he poked his head into a small alley behind the house. "Are you sure you don't want to take a look around?" he called back to Kain.
"You're digging your own grave, prince," Kain retorted.
"Suit yourself," Edge answered, squeezing through and shutting the doors behind him. When he emerged on the other side, he found himself wedged in the alleyway. A stone wall faced him, and once he'd stood and could see over the wall, he saw foothills spread out before him with mountains beyond those. He blinked. Had this landscape been here all along and he just hadn't noticed? He rested both hands on top of the wall, peering over, and when his fingertips brushed just past the far edge of the stone, the landscape rippled like still water disturbed. He retracted his hands, startled. The Feymarch was clearly filled with more mysteries than he realized.
He inched his way to the side of the small home, glancing around the corner toward the main road. There were a few cloaked figures ambling to and fro but none of them were looking in his direction. He took that to be a positive sign, as he tried to figure out how he was going to be able to walk much farther without being detected. Using ninjutsu and concealing one's footsteps was easy enough around humans, but around magical beings? Edge had never tried such a feat before and was admittedly a little eager to try. He dashed across the space between his current hiding place and the next building over, hiding the sound of his footfalls with the skill years of training afforded him.
He peered around the corner of the second building, weaving in and out of barrels and crates that had been stacked in the alley between the building and the peculiar stone wall. There was a considerable distance between where he was hiding and the intersection he longed to reach, and he took a moment to take a measure of his surroundings. He was about to take a chance and dash to his desired destination, when he spied a bundle of dark brown cloth laying on one of the barrels near him. Curious, he picked it up and unfolded it. A long brown hooded cloak fell to his feet, and two silver brows rose as a plan formed. Could it really be that easy?
Edge stepped onto the main thoroughfare in plain sight, delighted by the convenience of his disguise. Most of the Eidolons on the roads wore cloaks of varying shapes and colors and none of them paid him any attention. He strode among them; shoulders squared, and tried to act as normally as possible. His next question as he navigated the plank roads—where had Rydia gone off to with Cecil and Rosa?
He had walked for a while before he saw Cecil and Rosa returning to the house with the Eidolon Shiva. Edge continued walking normally, but he couldn't help but glance at them from beneath his hood. They passed each other by, and Edge released a slow exhale of relief that Shiva hadn't detected him. Though, he couldn't help but wonder where Rydia was. Was she still wandering the Feymarch? Visiting friends perhaps? Curiously, he continued through the Feymarch's streets until he caught sight of her. She was walking with a woman with snowy white hair and gray eyes. The Eidolon was beautiful in her own way; slightly built, but she walked with the dignity of a grander creature. It was her hidden identity that made Edge regard her with caution. The Eidolons were seldom what they seemed in their human guises. He didn't have long to wonder which among Rydia's Eidolons the woman was before he nearly lost the two of them.
He followed them down a long road until Rydia and the Eidolon passed through a high wall into a section of the city he couldn't see. Edge clung to the shadows and followed them, making sure not to draw attention to himself as he snuck after them through the gap in the wall.
When he emerged on the other side-he found himself in a place he least expected.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Rydia and Mist parted ways with Cecil and Rosa mid-way through the city. Shiva accompanied her friends back to the house they had stayed in, and now she was left alone with Mist.
Rydia decided to meander to one of her favorite places—the garden where she often went to think.
"I apologize for what I said earlier," Mist offered after a few minutes' pause. "It was unjust of me."
Rydia looked at the Eidolon walking beside her. "I don't blame you," she admitted. "I shouldn't have tried to force you to speak with one of the people who had caused you so much pain."
"He truly seems a good man," Mist said, smiling. "I can see why you are loyal to him and his cause."
Rydia smiled shyly back. "I trust him with my life," she said.
They left the plank streets behind and stepped into the garden with its pond and rocks. Rydia ran forward, twirling around with her arms outstretched.
"I've missed this place so much!" she declared, approaching the pond and bending low to dip her fingers below the surface of the water.
Mist shook her head. "You have the entire world as your playground, and yet this of all places, is where you still long to be," she said with a small laugh.
Rydia fished around in the water, watching how the light flickered on her hands below the rippled surface. "Because this is where my family is," she answered truthfully.
Mist walked to a large boulder and sat down on it, folding her arms. "And this is where we'll always be," she added a little sadly.
Rydia looked over at the Eidolon, but her blue eyes never really reached Mist's face. "I know that this is only temporary," she admitted. "I know that you won't let me stay here, but…" she trailed off, trying to think of how to proceed. "I couldn't leave things as they were. I didn't want my two worlds to always be apart."
"So you flew over our little island and decided to take a chance—to introduce your human friends to the rest of us, regardless of the consequences."
Rydia made a thoughtful expression. "I don't like leaving things undone," she admitted.
"It was very bold of you," Mist pointed out.
Rydia laughed suddenly. "I'm sorry—I just can't stop thinking of Shiva's face when she saw me," she said, still giggling.
Mist tried to give her an admonishing look, but the gesture proved ultimately futile. The Eidolon's face also broke into a smile.
"I can only imagine," she admitted. "Still, you should have warned us! Someone might have met you at the portal, had we known."
"And shooed us out again?" Rydia complained.
"Maybe not immediately," Mist conceded. "But at least we would have been able to welcome you properly before all of this."
Rydia nodded. "I'm sorry I didn't send word. I was afraid you would react badly."
"I suppose we did," Mist agreed.
They both fell into companionable silence until Mist looked at Rydia with a question on her mind.
"Rydia, what is it you plan to do once the war is over?" she asked.
The question took Rydia by surprise. "What makes you think we'll succeed?" she asked.
Mist tilted her head with a knowing smile. "Always have something to hope for," she said.
"I suppose—" Rydia began, but never finished.
A voice from nearby in the garden startled both her and Mist.
"Is this one of yours?" Black announced from behind.
Both Rydia and Mist turned to look, alarmed at the intrusion. Rydia stood, outraged, when she saw Edge stand up from behind a flowering shrub, and lower the hood of a long brown cloak in the process.
"You!" she shouted, taking a few steps forward. "What on earth are you doing here?" she demanded.
Edge raised his hands in surrender, a helpless grin on his face.
"You were told to wait," Mist accused, her gray eyes narrowing.
"Waiting was never one of my stronger suits," Edge admitted, walking toward them with Black at his side, glaring up at him.
"What business have you here?" Mist insisted, and Rydia could tell the Eidolon was making up her mind about whether or not she wanted to harm the man.
Edge flicked his gaze in Rydia's direction. "To be honest, I was curious to see what Rydia's stories were all about. I never imagined there was a society such as this tucked away in the world."
"Aren't you from an isolated society yourself?" Rydia scoffed.
"Different kind of society," Edge elaborated.
Rydia narrowed her eyes at this, her hands resolutely on her hips. "I can't believe you'd do something so stupid," she hissed.
"I think you've seen enough," Mist declared. "Black, escort him back."
Edge looked at the Eidolon near his feet, disinterested. "Well, at least it was an eye-opening, if short, adventure," he said.
Rydia made a disgusted sound and whipped around, not bothering to see him escorted away.
Mist regarded the entire scene with a curious eye, and it was only after Black and Edge had gone that she picked up the threads of their previous conversation.
"I'm surprised he made it this far," she mused.
Rydia groaned and rolled her eyes. "He's always two steps behind me," she complained. "Always following me around."
Mist then raised a silver brow and smiled. "Tell me, Rydia, if you had someone waiting for you, would you be more inclined to stay in the Upperworld?"
"I have Cecil and Rosa and Yang and Edward; but I still don't know—this is home."
"No, Rydia. I mean, if you found love?"
"Love?"
"A mate."
Rydia looked thunderstruck. "Why on earth would you say a thing like that?"
"Just a question," Mist answered not-so-innocently. "So this companion of yours—you've never mentioned him."
"What's to mention? I don't know him particularly well, and what I do know, I don't like. He's obnoxious."
Mist had a peculiar glint in her eye, but she didn't elaborate whatever was on her mind.
Rydia couldn't help but wonder if she'd missed something again. There had been far too many knowing looks given in her direction in the past few days.
"Is there something you aren't telling me?" she asked, a little heatedly.
I'm sure you'll figure it out on your own," Mist replied with a smile.
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Edge found his escort to be a little insulting. It was bad enough he'd been caught, but now he was being taken for a walk by a cat—clearly, he had some work to do to regain his dignity. They had walked about halfway, when the Eidolon decided to begin an interrogation. Edge's headache wasn't having any of it.
"Very interesting," Black observed.
"What is?" Edge asked.
"I've met another like you recently."
Edge held his tongue just long enough to think the Eidolon's words through properly without resorting to an automatic retort. He had a few ideas of what Black could be referring to, but he suspected Black meant his magic.
"Really," he said, "And where was this?"
"The Tower of Babil."
Now Edge's interest was piqued. "That can't be," he said.
"I can recognize another born to magic as easily as I can breathe. Your magic, in particular, is most interesting."
Edge felt the urge to lie come on as a reflex. There were secrets among the Shinobi of Eblan. Secrets that ran deep, and some secrets that were never to be revealed; specifically, about ninjutsu. It was a magic different from mages and summoners. It was unique to each caster because it was born to each caster. Edge had never before encountered a being that knew and understood the nature of his magic.
"What, in particular, is so interesting about it?" Edge asked, hoping to dissemble a while longer.
"It's entirely a part of you. Fire, if I'm not mistaken. Or something similar to fire, more wild perhaps. It courses through your veins and affects your senses. I imagine it's what's causing your discomfort."
Now Edge was annoyed. What did this Eidolon presume to know? He chose to ignore the Eidolon's accurate accounting of himself and focused instead on the other part of his tale.
"How could you have met another like myself? We are all accounted for, or dead."
"Perhaps it was time you checked your records again," Black suggested.
Edge thought furiously, who it was that could have been inside the tower beside himself—a rogue perhaps?
"She was gifted, extremely gifted," Black went on. "I haven't met a natural born caster of her caliber in many years."
Edge's thoughts swam—there were many gifted shinobi born to this generation, but there were only three, maybe four, whom he would consider prodigies. One was dead; one, he despised; one hailed from another clan; himself of course, and perhaps another member of his own clan.
Among the living, two were kunoichi, but why any of them would be in the tower—or how they managed to gain entry before he had…
"She," Edge said carefully. "What did she look like?"
"As a human, I have no idea, though her skill as a shape shifter showed much mastery."
Bells of alarm went off in Edge's head. It wasn't possible… "How recently?" he asked, his tone still guarded.
"A few weeks, I think. It's hard to recall with the time lapse between your realm and ours. She escaped on an airship from the tower with my assistance, but whether she was re-captured or reached safety, I'm unsure."
"Why were you, an Eidolon, sent to aid her if you were not summoned?"
"We were in her debt," Black explained. "She served as an informant to us of the enemy's movements and when it was clear she herself was in danger, we chose to assist her. They must have really valued her to have kept her locked away as she was—took hours to find her."
"Her name, did she ever tell you what it was?" Edge asked, his pulse thrumming in his ears.
"She never said."
Edge sighed deeply, looking around at the Feymarch but not really seeing it. There was only one person he knew who could shape shift, but that person couldn't possibly be alive. If they were, how had it happened? Why? For what purpose—experimentation? What collateral damage would come of this? And yet…the idea that the person in question was the very same person he was thinking of gave him some reason to hope. Perhaps he would find her himself someday, alive and well, as the Eidolon had.
"Was she someone you knew?" Black asked, disturbed by Edge's long silence.
"Knew, yes," Edge answered quietly.
Suddenly realizing where they were, Edge noticed a large burly man standing in front of the door to the house they had spent the night. He had a scowling face and wild red hair with arms the size of clubs crossed against his chest. Edge eyed the guardian warily, and then looked down at Black, who trotted forward.
"Give it a rest, Ifrit," the small Eidolon complained. "This one's with me," he explained, waiting for the large Eidolon to open the door.
As Edge slowly made to enter, Black gave him a knowing look. "Rest assured, we'll be watching the back door as well."
Edge stepped through the door, somewhat abashed, but also amused that he had fooled the Eidolons at least a little.
Kain was still sitting on the bed when he entered, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.
"I'm surprised you're still alive," he said without opening his eyes.
Edge grinned, a gesture lost on the other man. "Worth every moment," he said lightly.
"Where have you been?" Cecil asked angrily, and Edge remembered that he had already passed the couple on their return to the house.
"Getting to know our captors," he replied.
"Do you have any idea what trouble we went to to gain the Eidolons' trust?" Cecil asked. "You could have just cost us whatever good will they had toward us," he snapped.
"Somehow, I think their minds are already made up no matter what I would do," Edge answered dryly. "It's Rydia's request that they're honoring, not ours."
"Did you see Rydia?" Rosa asked.
"She was with an Eidolon I didn't recognize. Why, what's going on?"
"We may be given an audience with the king and queen," Cecil explained. "That is, of course, if Shiva hasn't decided against it after your actions."
Edge's brows rose. "Well," he said, pulling out a chair and sitting down. "Wouldn't that be fun?"
The annoyed looks from his companions spoke volumes. This was clearly a high stakes game, and he had potentially thrown a kink into the plan. Still, he didn't regret his little excursion.
Edge had only been back for a short time before the door opened again. Everyone expected Shiva to come storming in with bad news, and for them to be hastily escorted out of the Feymarch. Instead, it was Rydia who returned alone with a resolute look on her face.
"Well?" Rosa asked.
Rydia first glared at Edge, and then looked at Rosa with a tight grin. "We're going to see the king and queen," she replied.
Edge looked at the young summoner and thought he saw lines of strain on her face. What on earth were they about to do that had her both eager and concerned? What was she about to do?
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A/N:
Sorry, friends. I meant to update sooner for this fic and got a bit distracted by NaNo and Thanksgiving…and life :) (In good ways…mostly good.) To make it up to you, I made this chapter extra long. I think this is the longest chapter I've ever written in my life. Lol.
Weirdly, this ended up being a chapter in which Kain got some love. I haven't given him hardly any dialogue in a while. Not that his character is particularly garrulous to begin with, but…more introspective-ness! He totally reminds me of Boromir…
As far as updates are concerned, you can usually find something new on my profile from time to time. I tend to make a new update on it at least once or twice a month (or more), so if you're feeling bored and wondering, what IS she up to these days? Just scroll down and you'll find more of my musings and plans. Also, I've got a name replacement in mind for Ceodore, and if you don't like it and you don't PM me, you CAN'T COMPLAIN when I use it later on!
And…Happy Holidays! (I say this because this update has now spanned waaay too many months).
ALSO OMG KITTY. OMG OMG OMG I have a writing companion ! He keeps my lap warrmm (granted, he's nowhere NEAR as sassy as Black, but he'll do :P)
Thanks for being patient, friends! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Till next time,
~myth