A/N: As mentioned in my profile…this is truly evil on my part. This is a short, short chapter. Like…ridiculously short. But…it actually works as a transition for what's to come, and it's been finished for quite some time now. SO. Rather than make you wait another two months, I'm just posting it now.
Theme of the fall (Myth is posting whatever she has regardless of it being finished, lol).
And seriously, all, I might not have the rest of this scene posted until close to Thanksgiving…. Life. Teaching. Insanity.
Thank you for your patience!
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Accusations
Rydia bit off a curse as she tripped over a fallen cable in pursuit of the others. She had found herself at the end of the line as the five of them sprinted over what remained of the CPU. The fumes from leaking coolant made it hard to focus or breathe, and she tried furiously to keep up lest she be left behind in the confusion. A narrow catwalk linked the CPU's central chamber to maintenance tubes and scaffolding, and they ran across it into a small cage with a transporter device set into its floor. Kain waited until they were all together, keeping a noticeable distance, before pointing down to the device.
"Where will this take us?" Cecil demanded, holding Rosa protectively behind him and staring at Kain with a look of such menace that Rydia wasn't sure if she still needed her weapon.
"No time," Kain replied, pointing again at the device. "Unless you want to stay here and be crushed by the Giant as it collapses."
"I've had enough of lies," Cecil said angrily.
"Truth takes time," Kain answered more quietly, holding his ground.
The Giant shook violently and another line in the main chamber exploded, hissing with contents under pressure.
"We can sort this out later," Rosa said, stepping out from behind Cecil. "There's a lot to tell on both sides, I'm sure. But not right now."
"Somebody go!" Edge snapped impatiently.
Kain looked at Cecil, who looked back evenly.
With a sharp sigh, Cecil finally stepped toward the device. Rydia watched him go, all the while keeping the dragoon fixed in the corner of her eye. If he betrayed them now, she was more than prepared to unleash the fury of another Eidolon against him. She had certainly summoned enough of them today, but as hesitant as she was to set an Eidolon against another human; with Kain, she might make an exception.
Cecil was whisked away in a beam of light that faded into a silvery glow of sparkling motes.
"Rosa, go," Edge said, not bothering to look at her as he spoke. He was too preoccupied with glaring at Kain.
"It's safe," Kain assured her, flicking his gaze in Rosa's direction before returning Edge's glare.
Rosa took a step forward, but paused, looking at the two men. "I expect to see the both of you," she warned. "There's no reason for bloodshed. Not now."
"Go," Edge and Kain both told her in unison.
"And take Rydia with you," Edge added.
Rosa gripped Rydia's hand and tugged her forward, bringing them both to stand on the transporter.
Rydia stared back at Edge worriedly, catching his eye before the transporter sent her out of the Giant, away from the alarms and the toxic fumes.
She and Rosa were deposited into a different chamber altogether—one that looked eerily familiar.
They hastily stepped off of the device, finding Cecil only a few steps away. His arms were folded and his lips were pressed into a thin line.
"We're in the Tower of Babil," he told them angrily, staring at the teleporter with impatience. "Where are the other two?"
"They were just behind us," Rosa said, resting her hand on his arm. "Cecil don't act out of vengeance. Think this through."
Cecil's gaze had turned frigid, and Rosa removed her hand as if burned. "Haven't I been betrayed enough already?" he asked. "First by Kain, then by my own brother."
"He wasn't under his own control," Rosa said anxiously, trying to diffuse Cecil's anger. "There were other factors involved, other manipulations."
"How many times do I allow such wretched behavior to be excused by 'mind control'?" Cecil seethed. "My own brother abandoned me and left me to die!"
"He was a boy!" Rosa cried. "A boy who had lost his parents to the cruelty and greed of men. He was taken advantage of by a mind that even the Lunarians couldn't quiet."
Their conversation was cut short by the device activating again, depositing Edge and Kain on the platform behind them.
Rydia tensed, seeing Kain; and then felt a thrill of surprise as Edge delivered a decisive jab to the dragoon's throat. Kain choked out a frantic gasp for air and crumpled to his knees.
Rydia stood where she was, torn between offering assistance or cheering, but it was Rosa who intervened instead.
"Stop!" the white mage shouted, bolting between the two men with her arms outstretched.
Kain wheezed, gripping his adam's apple; unable to do anything but stare up at Rosa and glance at Edge in shock. By contrast, the prince looked satisfied.
"We're not out of danger yet," she argued with them, directing her comment at the prince. "We're still in the tower—in the enemy's territory. Until we are back among our allies, this fight can wait."
"We should kill him and be done with this," Edge seethed, searing Kain with a dark look.
"Why now, Kain?" Cecil asked, coming closer. "Why now?"
"No longer…" Kain whispered, still gasping. "Under…his…"
"Control?" Edge snapped. "Bullshit. You lied to us before. You cost us the final crystal and a great deal of time."
"If you…wanted…me dead…why not just do it?" Kain asked in gasps, gazing up at Edge.
"You should suffer first," Edge retorted, hands on his hips. "Suffer for all the lives you helped destroy. My kingdom is all but dust and ash because of what you've done."
Kain blanched, but said nothing.
"How do we get out of here?" Rosa said instead, interrupting their conversation.
"Your ship…" Kain whispered. "Does it have a teleporter?"
Rydia glanced at Cecil, who in turn glanced at Kain. The idea hadn't occurred to any of them that their Lunarian vessel might very well have such a device on board.
"No," Cecil answered hesitantly. "It does not."
Kain made a face, stymied. "There is another," he said, looking at Edge.
Edge frowned, not liking the implication in Kain's expression. "Where?" the ninja asked hotly.
"The same one Rubicante used when he invaded your kingdom," he said, waiting a full minute for the gravity of his statement to sink in.
Edge released a heavy breath, staring at Kain with narrowed eyes before forcing himself to walk away, clenching and unclenching his fists as he did.
"So that's-" Edge trailed off, emotion choking his words to silence.
Rydia watched him; afraid to get too close.
Finally Edge turned back around, schooling his expression. "This device will take us to the castle," he stated, looking at Kain directly.
The dragoon nodded.
"So do it," Edge commanded.
"Where else might it take us?" Cecil said suspiciously, glancing at the console that controlled the device. "You could be lying and leading us into another trap."
"Where has Golbez gone?" Kain asked instead. "Is he here fighting you? He isn't. What possible purpose would I have in keeping you here?"
"Your own personal gain," Cecil snapped.
"I have nothing more to gain from your misery," Kain said heavily. "All I have to gain is redemption, but I can't explain that properly until we're out of this place."
"They've gone to the moon," Rosa explained. "Golbez and FuSoYa."
"The moon?" Kain asked, perplexed.
Edge scoffed, more furious than amused. "Don't pretend to know nothing about it," he said.
Kain frowned. "I admit, I do not."
Rydia sighed, loudly enough to be noticed by the others. "How much longer are we going to argue about what to do next?" she asked. "Are we going to follow Golbez or not?"
The others stared at her in surprise, until Rosa pried her gaze away to look at Cecil. The paladin remained indecisive on the matter.
"We're going to follow them," Rosa decided on Cecil's behalf. "We can't leave the fate of our world in the hands of another."
"This is his fight," Cecil retorted angrily.
"This is our fight," Rosa corrected him, not letting him break free of her gaze. "You won't learn anything if he dies."
"His death might make right the deaths of everyone else he's murdered," Cecil answered sharply.
Rosa narrowed her eyes. "Will it?" she asked. "Will it put your doubts and anger to rest?"
Cecil opened his mouth and then closed it again, unable to answer.
"We're going to follow them," Rosa said again, and then looked at Kain. "Can you program the device?" she asked.
Kain stood hesitantly, and walked over to the console.
"I thought the devices didn't respond to humans," Cecil noted curtly.
Kain absently shook his head. "Lugae made modifications," he said, altering coordinates on the screen and rubbing his injured throat with his free hand. "There," he said gruffly.
"This will take us to Eblan?" Cecil asked.
"It will," Kain answered.
They all stared at each other for a long moment, and then it was Edge who impatiently strode forward. "We don't have time for this," he complained, walking onto the device. It activated at his presence and enveloped him in light as he was whisked away.
"Kain," Cecil challenged, nodding toward the device. "I don't feel comfortable leaving you behind."
The dragoon nodded mutely and stepped obediently onto the device.
"Rydia," Cecil prodded next.
At the last moment, she glanced back at the two of them. "He is your brother, Cecil," she reminded him. "The least you could do is learn the whole truth."
Cecil gazed back at her sadly, offering her a tight-lipped smile in return. "I know, Rydia."
She sighed, and allowed the device to take her away, blinking in surprise at the darkness that greeted her on the other side.
"Careful," Edge warned, taking hold of her elbow and guiding her for a few steps.
"Where exactly are we?" she asked.
"The lower annex," Edge answered, sounding about as perplexed as she felt.
"Is there any way to get light down here?" Kain asked off to their right.
Edge released Rydia's arm and took a breath. A few seconds later, ribbons of flame jettisoned from his palms to ignite sconces set into deep recesses in the stone walls. Rydia glanced at Edge in surprise.
"When did you learn to control your magic like that?" she asked archly.
Edge glanced back at her with a bored expression. "Tell me your secrets, I'll tell you mine," he answered.
"Yes but—" she began, only to be interrupted by the arrival of Cecil and Rosa who stood hand in hand.
"We need to find the fleet," Cecil announced, stepping quickly off of the platform and guiding Rosa with him. "We need to return to the Lunar Whale if we plan to follow Golbez."
"You are going, then?" Edge asked.
Cecil paused, uncertain for a moment, before looking back at Edge. "Yes," he answered. "I am."
"Follow me," the ninja said, striding along the torch-lit hallway through Eblan's dark underbelly.
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The journey to the Lunar Whale was done in silence. Smoke rose from the plains in the distance, still smoldering in the aftermath of the Giant's destruction. It was an acrid stench and it made Rydia want to cough from the noxious fumes.
Rydia kept to Edge's side, angled between him and everyone else—especially Kain. She knew the ninja's wrath had reached its boiling point, and she didn't want another fight to cause complications before they had gotten more answers out of the dragoon.
Kain wisely kept his mouth shut and himself at a distance, but Rydia had a hard time ignoring him. If anything, she noticed him more. Why had he saved them? And what would become of him now?
They had only walked so far before Cid intercepted them with the Enterprise. He set it down nearby, and they all shielded their eyes at the dust the propellers churned up.
"Dammit, you're alive!" Cid shouted at them, galloping down the gangplank the moment it touched ground.
His stout form bounded across the space between them, his rust colored beard bobbing right along with him. When he noticed Kain, he slowed to an uneasy, broken trot.
"Cecil," Cid said, staring intently at the dragoon once he'd come to a stop. "What is that treacherous asshole doing with you?" he asked snappishly.
Kain said nothing.
Cecil glanced sideways at Kain and then at Cid. "He owes me a debt," he answered at last.
Cid puffed out his cheeks. "Does he now?" the engineer blustered, resting his meaty fists on his hips. "Kain, I should kick your ass right here and now!" he threatened. "But instead I'll settle for you being put in stocks and sentenced for your crimes!"
Rydia looked at Kain whose lips had been pressed into an indiscernibly grim line. He remained silent on the subject, as if whatever was decided on his behalf, was fitting.
"Golbez has gone to the moon," Cecil explained.
"For what reason?" Cid asked, his eyes scouring the rest of the group with a glint of annoyance. "And what about the Whitehair?"
"FuSoYa has gone with him," Cecil elaborated.
"Old Graybeard has gone back to the moon and taken our sworn enemy with him," Cid summarized, and then crossed his arms to wrestle with the idea. "Again—for what reason?"
"A Lunarian is there," Rosa explained. "One who masterminded this entire world war."
Cid stared at her for a full minute, taking in a deep breath and then releasing it. "So, you're telling me that there's another sociopath behind this sociopath who's trying to take over the world."
"Yes," Edge answered at Rydia's left.
"Just how many heads do we have to cut off before we cut off the main?" Cid complained, eyes narrowed.
"Which is why we have to go to the moon," Cecil said, walking around Cid toward the Enterprise.
Cid pivoted to shout at him over his shoulder. "And you're going to just help yourself to my ship, are you?"
Cecil looked annoyed. "I can't do much worse to it," he said, pointing to the scorch marks and holes in the planking.
The others followed after Cecil and Cid joined them, trotting alongside. "At least when I fly her, she can still fly by the end of the day!" the engineer complained.
Cecil ignored this and climbed the gangplank, striding with purpose for the controls, only to be impeded by one of Cid's apprentices.
The paladin whirled to glare at Cid, who had joined his crew in a fanned out circle around the party, apprehensively avoiding the dragoon.
"He can't go with you," Cid said matter-of-factly, nodding at Kain.
Cecil glanced at his silent companion. "What did you have in mind?"
"The Elder of Mysidia has taken leadership of the fleet," Cid informed them. "Kain should answer to him for what he's done."
"He's taken leadership of the fleet?" Cecil asked in surprise.
"He's the only political figure in the world still alive and in one piece," Cid explained.
"How did that happen?" Edge muttered under his breath.
"But if we leave him in the hands of the Elder—" Rosa said.
"It's the right thing to do," Cid interrupted her, pointing angrily at Kain. "He's betrayed us twice, and brought this monstrous machine down on us. The least he can do is answer for these crimes."
Rydia understood the argument—felt her own convictions on the subject move her—but she also felt a surprising amount of sympathy.
The emotion startled her; made her frown for even considering it, but now that she stood beside Kain and saw what his choices had wrought, she pitied him. Golbez, the man they had chased and who had caused so much grief, had been only a pawn—and he was Cecil's own brother. If a Lunarian couldn't stand against Zemus' power, how was one ordinary man supposed to?
"What good would it do?" Rydia asked, speaking up for the first time.
"I'm sorry, what?" Cid asked, trying to see her over Edge's shoulder.
"What good would it do?" she said again, only louder.
Cid stared at her with unappreciative and narrowed eyes. "It's called justice," he answered. "It's closure."
"But the war isn't over yet," Rydia replied, looking meaningfully at Cecil. "This isn't closure, it's a way to place blame."
Cecil didn't look pleased by her words, but he also didn't refute them. Cid glared at him, waiting for a favorable answer.
"Kain owes me a debt," he repeated.
"He owes the world a debt," Cid decided. "What becomes of him after that, is up to the Elder to decide."
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A/N: As I said…evil. Apologies for the length. But thank you to my readers! You are truly wonderful!
~Myth