As we hurried onto the Falcon, Setzer's airship roared its engines and shook slightly as it toke off, soaring in the direction of Figaro Castle. The world had become almost completely normal, and as the Falcon hovered over Figaro Castle, some of the men below waved, recognizing us. Locke leaned over the edge and called out to the consular, who was on one of the towers.
"Hey, Consular! Can we see King Edgar, Sabin, and Celes please?!"
"I would love to, but the three are taking their morning ride on their chocobos right now!" I joined Locke and leaned over edge, smiling and waving to the consular.
"That's alright, Sir! Can you tell us which way they went though?!"
"They went in that direction, not that long ago actually, so you should catch up to them quickly!" I turned and signaled Setzer to go left, towards the mountains. As we left the castle, I looked down across the desert and could see three small figures dashing across its surface, only about a mile or so from the castle.
"Setzer, I think I see them! Land, please!" The airship struggled at first, cranking as it first slowed to a crawl, nearly floating down to the desert sand. When we landed, the sand kicked up and whirled around us like a sandstorm, so I covered up my face to keep my eyes from getting harmed. As the sand started to settle, I could see three figures on chocobos leisurely approach the ship; Edgar, Sabin, and Celes smiled as they noticed me and Locke hanging over the edge. But once the sand settle, the three laughed as Shadow, Strago, and Relm came to the side and waved to the others.
"Our friends, what are you doing here? What brings you to Figaro Castle...well, more like the desert of Figaro Castle?" Edgar chuckled as his chocobo hopped a coupled more feet to the airship before turning towards the others.
"We need your guys' help." Shadow alleged, anxiety coming from his voice, making the three wary.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?" Sabin started and was about to continue but I cut him off.
"Kefka is back..." Once those words left my mouth, Edgar nearly fell of his chocobo while Celes gasped in horror; Sabin just remained unmoved, startled about what I said.
"Back...Kefka is back?!" Celes called out, dread in the tone of her voice. I looked down, realization finally coming.
"Either that or...he was never taken care of in the first place." All of us looked at each other precariously. Edgar, Sabin, and Celes hopped of their chocobos, told them the way back home, and rushed back onto the ship.
"Setzer, my old friend, let's go and get Cyan and Gau!" Sabin cried out, making his way below decks, but before he did, Setzer responded to him in an old and cranky voice.
"First of all, I will. Second, we're not friends, Sabin my dear boy." Setzer smirked at him and as he made his way to the door, he replied once more. "We're acquaintances."
"After all these years?!" Sabin huffed as the rest of us slipped past him and into the ship. We all went one floor below decks and into the large, lunchroom; we usually held meetings there, and we were doing it again. We all toke our seats around two tables; me, Locke, Shadow and Strago sat on one side of a table while Edgar and Celes sat on another side of another table, and Relm and Interceptor laid on the floor between.
"So, how do you know that Kefka is back anyways?" Edgar asked me, watching Relm stroke Interceptor's neck. I sighed and that made him eye me.
"He came to me in my dream...and, told me something...disturbing." I looked at Relm from the corner of my eye, trying not to draw attention to her, but both Edgar and Celes saw this and looked at her with fret. Relm looked up at us but almost fell over when the ship rocked a couple of times. Sabin then strolled in and took a seat next to Edgar.
"What are we talking about?" He smiled, but almost immediately grimaced when he saw Relm hugging Interceptor, nearly bursting out into tears. "No, seriously...what are we talking about?"
"Kefka...he did something, to Relm." Celes claimed. Relm looked up at Celes and nodded, confirming her estimate.
"What did he do? And, how?" Sabin questioned, taking in a deep breath and letting it out again, preparing for the answer. Shadow looked away in shame before he responded.
"Relm has been having nightmares because of him...I don't know how, but it must be because he still has..." Shadow hesitated at the last second, so I finished it for him.
"Magic." I rolled my eyes to the floor...of course, if anyone in this world could somehow still have magic, of course it'd be Kefka. Suddenly the ship rocked again; Relm looked around in distress but shadow touched her shoulder and smiled. Relm relaxed and continued to pet Interceptor.
"Turbulence...it's probably just wind turbulence, Relm. No need to worry." Shadow tried to keep his smile, but it forced itself to leave and he sighed in silence, desperate to let his daughter have at least a decent night of sleep. "I hope we'll get there soon..." Shadow whispered to himself, but to no attempt as we all heard him and Locke patted his shoulder before answering.
"Don't worry, Shadow. We should get there sooner than last time, for the lands are closer together. We'll be there soon." Right when Locke finished saying those words, we heard a loud thump as we all nearly flew into the air about a foot off the ground.
"What was that about!? Not, another meltdown!" Sabin cried out in frustration, jumping to his feet. Edgar grabbed his arm and pulled himself to his feet, chuckling.
"Sabin, I think we just landed."
"You got to be kidding." Locke replied, helping me and Strago back up. "We just left I think, ten minutes ago. Maybe even less!"
"Guys, we're here." Setzer declared, leaning in the doorway, confused. Sabin puffed up with anger, walking up to Setzer.
"You're joking right?"
"No, we're right next to Doma Castle..."
"What!?" Sabin pushed Setzer out of the way and rushed onto the decks, us all following close behind. Once on deck, we staggered near the edge and gasped; the Falcon had indeed landed right next to Doma Castle. We all turned and stared at Setzer, who somehow made his way to the deck above. He leaned over the edge and chuckled.
"Told you. I get to places quickly in lands that I know."
"No kidding." Edgar agreed but not in anger, but in awe. We all turned back to the castle and noticed that some of the men were rebuilding the wall where we killed the Behemoth King. It was nearly finished, but it would still take them at least another week to get it done. Gau suddenly climbed up onto the edge and sat down, smiling.
"Gau's friends! It's been awhile, how have Gau's friends been?" I laughed, walking over to Gau.
"Oh, we've been fine...sort of."
"Gau don't understand."
"You will soon enough, Gau. Where's Cyan?" Strago asked, looking towards the castle, hoping to see him. But then he jumped when Cyan appeared on the deck, with his long, curved sword in his left hand, somehow avoiding his gaze.
"It has been awhile, thy friends."
"I know it's been awhile when I'm not used to your accent, Cyan." Sabin groaned, shrugging his arms to Cyan's puzzled look.
"Did thou all want something...or did something happen to thy?" Cyan put the tip of his sword on the deck, barely holding it anymore, but Setzer saw it and yelled out to him.
"If that foil instrument scratches my deck, you're paying for it Cyan!"
"This is a sword, Sir Setzer." Cyan corrected him with slight annoyance in his voice.
"I don't care if it's the key to forever peace for the world...don't scratch my ship!" Setzer let out his warning before he treaded back inside. Cyan shook his head, sighing, as he sheathed his sword.
"So, why is thy here?" Cyan restated his question.
"Kefka is still alive and we need your help..." Celes began but stopped when Cyan turned around to his people. He took his sword out again and raised it into the air.
"My people, Kefka lives!" Cyan repeated, and I could hear groans as some of the people waved their weapons into the air as he did. "Yes, thy Kefka does...but not for long! Thy shall return once thou is forever gone. Then, thou all shall have everlasting peace!" Cyan yelled out, then the people of Doma Castle roared out in gratitude, faring their Cyan good-bye. Gau jumped down, following Cyan who walked past us and stood at the center of the ship. "Sir Setzer!"
"What?!" Setzer called out, banging the door open.
"Take us to Kefka's tower, once again."
"Oh...ok then." Setzer looked away, ashamed for yelling, as he went back inside. Cyan looked at us, beckoning us with his hand.
"Shall we go below?" I nodded my head, and we all followed him back down into the ship. We decided to leave Mog with my children, and we headed to Kefka's tower which was now Vector once again.