'Well', Gruff said, 'what say you?'

'Hmpf! There's nothing to be said', the other replied while eventually putting his sword away for good. 'I doubt Her Honor would be glad to hear some people close to His Excellency have been harmed. Let's move!'

And both headed outside. Was it too good to be true?

'If I were you, I'd move away from here as fast as possible.'

'Gruff is right! Our comrades may not be as lenient as we are.'

And on that note, they left the house. I let myself fall on the ground. What a relief! I had really thought we were done for. But now… did we have to leave?

'Ah!'

Mom had fallen on the ground too, but not out of relief.

'Mom!'

I tried to put her back on her feet but this time, it seemed she had lost all the energy she had left.

'Gabranth… I cannot…'

'What are you saying? Come on! We have to g… We have to do something! We have to look for Basch!'

'No… Go alone… Ah! If only I knew someone alive I could entrust you to. You must look for your brother and leave. I would only halt your advance.'

'Mom! Don't ever say that again! I will go nowhere without you, understood?'

She began to cry but soon, her sobbing was stopped by her breathing difficulties.

'Mom! Are you alright?'

'I… I am not, my son… I…'

'I'll go see if the doctor is still in the village!'

'No, don't… He… has certainly gone… Like the others…'

'But what are we going to do, then?'

My mother tried to speak but all of her words were swallowed by an internal force that consumed her very life. No! Not now! She never had so sharp a crisis before, I was sure. Why was her health fading all of a sudden?

'Mom. Listen. I will try to bring some help from the village. And at the same time, I'll try to find Basch! We're all going to be fine, okay?'

Of course, I did not believe a single word of that last sentence but I wanted to reassure Mom with all my heart. She simply nodded while letting her head fall down. This vision of my mother, once so strong with land work, housework and kids upbringing, made me want to cry again but I managed to hold back my tears and go out.

I had decided to take paces outside, but it didn't mean I wasn't still terrorized. There could still be soldiers anywhere – and this time, Mom wasn't there to persuade them. Fortunately, I saw none at the farm's surroundings, so I headed towards the village's central place. I passed the path to the northern forest with teary eyes. Naria… So Basch knew! Why would he leave us at such a moment, knowing what had happened to our dearest friends?

'Hey, you! Stop!'

My heart was about to obey as soon as I heard the manly voice. I gulped, then, while turning back, I realized the voice had a Landisite accent.

'What are you doing? This is no place for kids!'

'Sorry, I'm Noah, Linda's son. Did you see my brother, Basch fon Ronsenburg?'

'I didn't. Now leave!'

The man turned left, looking at all directions – certainly preparing to defend against an Archadian opponent. I began moving backwards, then, when the man disappeared, I pursued my track.

I found several other men from the village near the central place. Some were taking out their weapons; others were placing their wives and children on carts pulled by visibly exhausted chocobos. I asked each person I could approach, but none had seen Basch that day. I also asked about the doctor, of course… But people's faces were rather dull when I evoked the subject.

Ultimately, I reached the central place. I soon understood I shouldn't have.

There were Archadian soldiers everywhere, fighting Landis's army. The so joyful place of the feast had become the main battlefield of the whole country's invasion. Landisite soldiers were falling one after the other – it seemed no one stood a chance. Was it that the Archadians brought more potions? I did not know a bit about battle rules. If only Basch had been there, he'd have explained everything. Basch! I had to ask about him. But how could I? Blood and despair were surrounding me at that moment…

'Linda's son!'

Was it an angel's voice coming from the skies?

'Linda's son!' screamed the voice again.

I turned towards it and saw a short Landisite warrior wielding a stick.

'Flee! Flee at once!'

'You… You know my mother? She is currently suffering from a severe illness! Where is the doctor?'

He looked at me with rolled eyes.

'The doctor is the first they slayed while arriving at Uwiel', he answered.

'But what can I do to help her?' I said, on the verge of bursting into tears.

'You and she must leave Landis at all cost!' he said in a most anxious tone.

'Leave? But I'm looking for my brother Basch!'

Of course. Another 'I don't know about him' and 'Go'.

'Basch has gone. You should follow his example and quit the country.'

Wait. Wait. Was this for real?

'WHERE IS HE?' I screamed with all my lungs.

'I don't know, but far from here! He jumped into a cart that was going to Dalmasca, that's all I could see!'

'To… to DALMASCA? Are you certain?'

'Yes! Please take Linda far from here and run! It's a matter of minutes before they raid your home's area! Don't waste a single…'

An Archadian soldier suddenly appeared from behind, holding a war hammer above us. I began yelling and putting my hands above my head… Several seconds later, I was still alive.

'Run! Run!' the short man repeated.

He had stopped the hit at the right moment, with his bony stick.

This time, I didn't think and ran. I ran as fast as I could, until I reached home again.

'Mom?'

Thanks to the gods, if they did exist, she was still alive in the living room. She even somehow found the strength to sit down on the armchair. Now I had to announce what I had heard. How could I? I sighed and eventually spat it out:

'Basch has fled to Dalmasca.'

'To… Dalmasca? But why?'

'I don't know, Mom. What should we do? I've also heard… the doctor's dead.'

'Then… we will leave too.'

'Leave? Where to?'

She didn't answer and tried to get up. Of course, she didn't manage to and I had to help. She led me to my bedroom and showed me a medium-sized bag on my bed.

'I gathered some of the clothes you'll need. Let us go at once.'

'But… Mom… Basch!'

'Basch has not left alone, yes? I think… I think he'll be just fine. We will… contact each other later.'

'That's right… He went with some people on a cart. But who are these people? Why did they accept to take him with them? What if he is actually in danger right now?'

'I have all faith in people from the village', she simply answered.

While I was talking, she had moved, with difficulty, to her own room, and taken out a similar bag from it.

'We… we have to go', she repeated.

I followed her, speechless, as she carried the bags, went out of the house and locked all of its doors.

'We… We aren't going to leave forever, are we?' I asked.

'Gabranth… We…'

She suddenly fell on the ground again.

'Mom! No!'

I released her from the bags and made her sit in the garden. With a sign of her hand, she made me understand that she needed time to breathe properly again. Meanwhile, I turned around the house, with heavy steps, thinking about an idea.

'Kweh!'

Before reaching the back of the house, I raised my eyes and saw him: Book, Naria's faithful chocobo.

'Book…? So you followed me all along?'

He seemed still panicked, but otherwise in a better shape than next to the Olszewski farm.

'I know! We will use Book to escape to the nearest safe place! Mom! Have you heard?'

I was too far. I brought the chocobo with me in front of the main door and repeated.

'F… Fine…' she said.

'Where are we going?'

'To… To the east', she quickly replied.

'East?' I repeated while attaching the bags to Book's back. 'But east, there's the Archadian Empire! They will kill us even faster there! How are we supposed to move to the enemy's place?'

'That's… that's the only way…' she said.

I gathered all my strength to lift my mother up in front of the bags; my first attempt was successful. To Archadia? Was this a joke? I could never stand living in Archadia, even temporarily! But I was too scared to stay in the village, and if the way east was devoid of fights, that was indeed the only path we could take.

'So… so we shall go?'

'Yes', answered Mom one more time.

'Alright.'

I jumped over Book in my turn, and, with much emotion, gently hit the chocobo's flank so we could go.

'Kweeeeh!'

I didn't have an exact idea of where the east was, so I asked my mother. I waited several seconds for an answer but it didn't come.

'Mom?'

I turned around and noticed in alarm that her loosened body was about to fall from the animal.

'Mom! Mom! Can you sit?'

'N… No, I'm afraid…'

'Then come in front of me! I'll hold you until we arrive! Book! Stop!'

It was a pathetic sight, to be honest. The poor woman could not even raise her head… I tried to disregard this and kept to my word. I held Book's harness with one hand and Mom with the other arm, and there we went off.

We had been riding for half an hour when my mother regained consciousness.

'Where… are we?' she said, while holding her forehead.

'East of the village. You were right: there's not a single battle here. But starting from now, I don't know much where to go so… it's a good thing you're back, Mom.'

She turned to me and smiled.

'I will not fail you, my son. I… I think I will hang on. We will stay together and arrive safely to our final destination in…'

She suddenly stopped. There was much noise around us… the noise of battle. Mom turned forward and faced the sad landscape I was facing myself. Everywhere, other chocobos were running, and on them, Archadian soldiers. With their sparkling armors, they were largely dominating the field, leaving only a few Landisites standing. And those who were still standing did not seem to make much advance. Their peers had fallen in various places like shooting stars around us – it was only them in the field. And blood. Much blood.

'Gabranth!' Mom yelled.

An Archadian was riding right in our direction. In all haste, I hit Book with my leg and we began moving to the right.

'Kweh!'

Our chocobo kept running, followed by the Archadian's one, and we escaped just as the latter was about to slice us in two with his greatsword.

'Come on Book! Faster!'

The animal seemed somewhat startled. Not again! I kept on trying to command him and he eventually ran faster to the other side of the field. Of course, we were still chased by the other madman, ever determined, but with so many fights still occurring around, he ultimately lost our track. As we continued to escape the struggles, I slowly realized that, had I not met Naria, I would never have known how to ride a chocobo with ease. And at that moment… Mom and I would have probably been dead.

'Gabranth…' Mom repeated.

'We're safe', I said, not sure about why she kept saying her maiden name.

She let out a deep sigh and entered her KO state anew.

'Mom!'

It was useless. She was still breathing, but the shock and the travel certainly did not help her feel better than in the house. If only we weren't in midst a war! There had to be a white mage somewhere…

'Blind!' someone shouted.

I let Book rest for some seconds and turned towards the voice's provenance. That wasn't exactly the kind of magic I was asking for, but it caught my attention nonetheless. Especially since the person who cast the spell wasn't a male. Of course, I knew there were female warriors, and that was a good thing, but to be honest I did not hear of many of them in the Army. I approached her with care – she was on a chocobo as well and had a giant bow on her back – and the first thing that struck me was her height. She was way above two meters tall, and it seemed she could not find clothes of her size because she was rather… lightly dressed. Two bunny ears topped her head.

'You, there!'

She turned to us in a flash – there was lightning in her hazel eyes. I was about to say something to defend Mom when I let out a scream: the viera in front of us was not on Landis's side. The spell she had cast was over a group of my country's soldiers, who soon fell on the ground, unable to hit her.

'Is she awake?' the viera asked with a cold voice.

'No', I replied.

'Where are you going?'

'To Archades', my mother's voice suddenly rose up.

'Mom!'

With much effort, she put weight to Book's back and managed to raise her head a little bit to face her.

'We go to the Imperial Capital. We are… We are Archadians.'

'Then you seek Mallicant.'

The viera emitted a piercing sound with her mouth.

'Mallicant!' she called, after waiting for a short moment.

Immediately after, a big green horse with a dozen heavy tentacles appeared out of the blue, its snout right against Mom's head. My mother screamed and lost consciousness again.

'What is this? What have you done?' I asked, beginning to panick.

'Mallicant has always been curious about white magic. You will ride her.'

'What? Me? This thing?'

'Mallicant knows the way to Archades. That's where we come from. You can leave this chocobo and ride her until the capital.'

'I will never abandon Book!' I said vigorously.

She gazed at our chocobo, visibly dismayed at how tired he was.

'If you're keen on keeping this animal, then you can stay on it and follow Mallicant to Archades.'

'Why would we do such a thing? We know nothing about you! I don't trust you at all!'

I wasn't sure if this was the reaction Mom would have wanted, but I was all alone to make decisions now.

'Then stay here and die!' the viera said, turning angry. 'There's nothing for you here anymore. Landis is dead! If you wish to keep this woman alive, you had better hurry to the Empire.'

I randomly caressed Book's feathers. What should we do? Trust an Archadian viera, or go elsewhere? What if the battles would be following us wherever we went? If only chocobos could talk and give advice…

'Please leave at once', the viera suddenly ordered.

That did it!

'There's no way we're following that thing! This is a trap! If you know the way to the Empire, why not show it to us yourself?'

'Because if we keep talking like this, many wounded people here who await help will never be rescued!'

She didn't seem to be joking. Rescuing? Why not rescue Mom first, then? Wait… that was a bad idea. I wouldn't let this woman touch a single one of my mother's hair.

'Aaaargh!' I screeched. 'Fine. I'll make Book follow your horse.'

Without facial reaction, she bent over her beast and said:

'Take these people to the Mistress. She will know what to do with them.'

Without looking at her as she was taking out her bow, I pulled Book's reins and we went past the remaining fight scenes, following the steps of the green beast, that was already far.

All tossed around, Mom's body was still at the front with the bags, and I tried my best to hold it firmly so it wouldn't fall again, as we were passing the last groups of warriors.

The green horse galloped and galloped, and arrived at the edge of a moor that was spanning till the horizon. The border with the Empire had to be close.

Steadily sitting on Book, I turned around to see my country one last time.

Cries of despair, pain and dereliction invaded my mind. It seemed they were all that was remaining of Landis at this moment. Nothing could breed anew in these lands anymore. The landscapes I was seeing were condemned to eternal mourning, and then to oblivion. A strong wind had begun to blow against my neck. I closed my eyes and replaced my head forward. I did not know exactly where I was going, nor the reason I was leaving or if I would ever turn up somewhere alive. I didn't know exactly what I would miss, what was to regret. I didn't know exactly if this was a new departure or a new end. But there was one thing I knew, one bitter truth that undeniably would not be swallowed easily, even after a hundred years. I opened my eyes and glanced at the crimson sky as I reflected upon what would become the biggest question mark in my life.

'BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASCH!'

I think… This was the end of my childhood.

[Author's note: Musical Theme – Childhood's End by Iron Maiden (Album: Fear of the Dark, 1992).

I would like to warmly thank everybody who read my story until this point. This is the End of Part I, Noah in Landis. Please leave a review and speak your mind about what you found, what you felt, and what you expect to see in this little corner. Part II is in progress. And it may blow minds. - Ety]