Baron's citizens had been in awe of her airships since their birth only a generation prior. It was custom for family and friends to gather in the airship bay, waving goodbye to soldiers leaving on long or especially dangerous deployments. There were rarely tears, the folk of Baron being a stoic lot, but it was not unemotional. Children often cheered with pride; fellow soldiers might watch with envy, having missed out on the desired assignment; lovers exchanged final longing looks, neither wanting to be the first to turn away.
None of those were gathered today, as lines of soldiers streamed into the waiting ships. These marines were the deadly cargo to be carried to Fabul, not bombs as had been in Damcyan. Kain vaguely heard it was because Fabul's Crystal Shrine was harder to access from the outside, and bombs would not penetrate through. He wondered, trying to keep the thought small and private, if it was because the Engineers refused to assist in loading the bombs, especially with Cid still imprisoned.
In fact, as Kain looked around the airship bay, he realized he saw none of the engineers present, only countless soldiers. When had Baron's army grown so large? Before the war started, Kain could recognize and name most of Baron's Red Wings marines and castle's royal guards, even while wearing their helmets and armor. But in the recent weeks, even before Cecil's desertion, there were too many new recruits to keep track of them all.
Until now, Kain had successfully ignored how these unknown soldiers seemed to move oddly in their armor, their gait too stiff, their stance too rigid. Seeing them all together, he could not deny how suddenly alien they all seemed to be. Kain still had not met the troop he was to command; the idea of leading such a group sent an unexpected shudder of dread through him.
Then, Kain spotted a familiar twinkle of brightly colored armor in the noon day sun. He watched the Dragoons – his dragoons, Kain thought, feeling wounded again – make their way through the crowds of anonymous soldiers, going to the last dock and ship in the bay.
Kain recognized each of their armor, his heart filled with joy to see them still alive. Until he spotted three following up the rear – Albert's green, dark and jewel tone; Finn's bright red, like a cardinal awing (someone else must be wearing it, Kain reassured himself, knowing Finn was dead); then finally, Richard's new armor, funereal black, as foreboding as an open grave.
Recognition slammed into Kain – Richard's armor resembled both Cecil's and the mysterious dark knight's armor. At first, Kain thought the knight might have been Richard, and for a hopeful second, he was moved by the notion that his father would protect him at all costs. But as Kain pushed his way through the crowd and drew closer, he saw that Richard's armor was too bulky for the deadly grace Kain had witnessed that bloody night. Furthermore, his father had no dark knight abilities and Kain was certain he had seen the figure use Darkness.
Kain was determined to reach them, to ask what had happened, how they had survived, who was in Finn's armor, and why Richard was leading them now. But Kain saw now who walked behind the Dragoons, though cloaked heavily – Rubicante, his blue horns poking up the edge of the hood; and Scarmiglione, his dingy grave shroud dragging along his boots.
At their designated ship, the Dragoons began to board, each disappearing below deck. It seemed somehow sacrilegious that they would not stay on deck, faces upturned to the sky, breathing the wild winds as the ship ascended; up, where the air was cleanest and a dragoon could fill their chest with the wind itself; up, where a dragoon could see all around in every direction, defying the meaningless boundaries that each country claimed; up, where the Dragoons belonged, ruling the skies. Why would they hide away from such splendor?
"Tell Lugae he'll have more ssspecimens ssooon," Scarmiglione rasped, drawing Kain's attention back to the dock, where Richard, Scarmiglione and Rubicant stood together. "If you can take Eblan."
"We will," Richard said, voice muffled within his dragon's helm.
"How did you get Barbariccia to lend you her pet?" Scarmiglione asked, his hooded head inclined toward Rubicante, directing the question at him and specifically not Richard.
"She is too busy preening in her new tower to care about discarded playthings," Rubicante replied, although there was no malice in the words, as if Rubicante truly spoke over a dumb animal who did not understand the conversation. Richard started to take a step forward, inhaling to speak, but Rubicante held up a hand. "Enough, waste your anger not on me or Scarmiglione, but channel it into defeating those who would thwart our Master's plans."
Richard halted, then took a step back. He did not speak, only nodded, then turned to board the boat.
"As for you," Rubicante said, now turning to address Kain, who had stood still in the chaos of the moving crowd, easy to pick out simply because he did not rush toward a destination. "This is not your mission to worry about. Go to our Master, who waits for you. Be honored and humbled he chose you, above all, to witness his glory. Make sure you earn that privilege, there are some who think you undeserving," Rubicante paused in his lecture, as if wondering if he should say more, but instead said, "And hurry — Lord Golbez is not known for his patience when he is expecting obedience."
Like father, like son, Kain thought bitterly as he nodded and dashed off, blending back into the crowd, moving back up the docks. After a distance, Kain slowed, looking uncertainly over his shoulder, but no one followed.
Filled with trepidation, Kain approached the ship whose name was on his deployment papers. As Kain boarded the Scarlet Prelude, Cecil's flagship for the Red Wings, Kain wondered if Golbez had planned this deliberately. And if so, did Golbez do it to fan the flames of Kain's jealousy and resentment by dangling another of Cecil's possessions in front of him; or because Golbez wanted to show Kain, and everyone else in Baron who watched, who was truly in charge.
Both, Golbez answered in Kain's mind, sharply reminding Kain that none of his thoughts were truly private anymore. Kain looked up to see Golbez, clad in his dark armor, at the ship's railing, on the side facing the docks – to be noticed and seen by the citizens and soldiers of Baron. As Kain came closer, crossing the deck to the sorcerer, Golbez spoke again, although out loud this time, his voice toneless, "Are you ready to seize the world?"
"Yes," Kain said. He didn't have to answer with words spoken out loud but wanted to say them because the glory of the moment somehow demanded it, like it could somehow breathe his desire into the world, forcing it to be true. Kain felt a sudden surge of patriotism in what Baron had accomplished and would soon do; of pride in how the citizens of Fabul would tell stories about the day Baron darkened their skies; in curious desire, to finally know what sort of power all the gathered Crystals would bring. "Yes," he repeated, this time breathless.
"Good," Golbez said, and somehow, Kain sensed that Golbez smiled within his helmet, although Kain could not say how he would know, given Golbez's always neutral tone.
By contrast, it had always been easy to tell when Cecil smiled, damn helmet or not, because Kain could tell in Cecil's tone, somehow lighter. An image came unbidden to mind, small and circumspect, trying to stay hidden: Cecil pulling off his helmet, hair sweaty and plastered to his face and neck, but smiling in gratitude – he'd always thank Kain for grounding him with their sparring after dark knight training when Cecil had something to prove. Kain's heart fluttered at the sight, and he knew then it would always—
"What's that?" Golbez asked suddenly, breaking Kain's concentration.
"Nothing," Kain said too quickly, banishing the thought and longing somewhere deep down, hoping Golbez would not follow it. Instead, Kain brought forward another thought – Cecil, kneeling on the floor in front of the Wind Crystal, trying to protect it with his last sputtering breath, spraying bloody spit down his chin. Kain stood in front of him, lance drawn, ready to finally end their long-standing rivalry, to show the world who was better.
"You'll get your wish soon enough," Golbez said, apparently satisfied that this was what Kain was hiding, not probing deeper. "The white mage, too, was seen traveling with Cecil to Fabul. Will you prove yourself worthy and show them both?"
The airship's engines roared to life, the deck vibrating under Kain's feet. The ship began to rise, taking them up, away from Baron, into the sky, to Fabul and the glory of the battle there, to Rosa, who had thankfully survived, to Cecil…
Kain kept the thought small, a tiny seed of hope germinating, praying it would go unnoticed: with the three of them finally together again, perhaps they could pull Kain back from this madness and somehow purge the poison from his mind when Albert and the Dragoons could not.
"Kain?" Golbez said, drawing Kain's attention back, away from the dangerous thought. "Come along, there are battle plans to review."
"Yes Master," Kain answered, not daring another stray disobedient thought.
The Red Wings sailed on, speeding along toward Fabul. The day bled into night, and eventually, Golbez dismissed Kain from the Captain's cabin. Golbez had spent hours poring over maps of Fabul and detailed blueprints of Fabul Castle. Absently, Kain wondered how Golbez had come across such plans, but did not want to risk breaking Golbez's concentration. Consequently, Kain said little, offering feedback only when Golbez directly asked.
Below deck was dark, with no lanterns to light the way; the risk of fire was too dangerous for an airship. With only slivers of moonlight through portholes to guide him, Kain fumbled his way into an empty hammock bed, preferring to swing in rhythm with the air's currents than risk being tossed out of a bunk if the pilot took a sudden sharp turn.
Tonight's passage through the sky was smooth, the gentle sway of the hammock lulling him to sleep in minutes.
Kain feared his dreams, where there seemed to be an endless stream of selfish memories and guilty desires, all on parade for Golbez to catalog for future use. Tonight, however, was blissfully dreamless, but still Kain did not rest easily. He feared his vulnerability in sleep, unable to control what might drift to the surface, tensely too aware of himself and what might be lurking nearby.
When still nothing happened and Kain had no sense of Golbez's magic nearby, Kain reached timidly through the darkness around him, groping blindly for whatever connection linked Golbez's mind to his. Golbez's magic had driven deep grooves into Kain's psyche, so it was not especially hard to trace them back.
Golbez dreamed, Kain realized, sensing the shape of it around Golbez's mind. Could he watch the dream, Kain wondered, viewing as Golbez did to Kain? Could a door first opened from the outside, then be opened from the inside? Not sure of what he was doing, Kain followed the thread that linked him to Golbez, and peered inside.
The forest's canopy was thick, and despite it being mid-day, only allowing thin slices of sunlight in between the curtains of green. The pattern of bright spots on the forest floor made Kain dizzy as he watched them pass by, too quickly, he was running – no, someone else was running.
A boy stumbled through the forest terrain with his hands clasped to his ears. He tripped over an exposed tree root, sending him sprawling in the dirt. With ears uncovered, the boy, and Kain, could hear the panicked, screaming cry of a child, somewhere nearby. The sound drowned out all other thoughts, crowding out the ability to think.
So pathetic, so low, crawling like a worm on its belly, look at you, came an insidious whisper, between the wailing cries, somehow more piercing than the baby's high-pitched screams. You could be so much more, you could be…
"My name is Theodor," the boy said as he staggered to his feet, covering his ears again. "My name is Theodor," he repeated, this time his voice shaking and unsure. "My name is Theodor," he said again, the last breaking off into a sob.
The crying, both the baby's and Theodor's, continued, on and on, driving needles into Kain's mind. The dark voice, too, scared him, whispering degrading things to Theodor, things Kain tried not to hear but could not help. Was this Golbez who tormented this boy, Kain wondered, but then was not certain. Golbez was cruel and exacting, but there was a vicious delight in this darkness that Kain had never sensed from Golbez. He could not tell.
Unable to bear more, Kain fled the dream, abandoning the boy named Theodor to whatever torment awaited him.
Kain woke, gasping for air; he tasted the musty air of the lower deck, of too many bodies too close together, all struggling to sleep. There was an unusual brininess aftertaste riding faintly under everything, which Kain found odd at first, but then figured it was their proximity to the ocean below them.
Fighting his way out of the swinging hammock, Kain eventually got to his feet, balancing carefully through the ship's gentle swaying. He needed the sky, feeling suddenly claustrophobic in the cramped quarters, his chest tight with strained breathing.
Kain made his way to the deck and felt immediate relief, finally able to take a full breath. As his eyes adjusted to the nighttime darkness, he saw a figure standing at the railing. They apparently needed the fresh air as much as he did, Kain thought, as they reached up and pulled off their helmet. The soldier was a woman, Kain realized, long hair streaming down her back and around her shoulders, looking sickly yellow in the dim light of the distant Moons. Her hair seemed to pour out like vapor, floating effortlessly in the wild wind around the ship.
Kain blinked hard and looked again, thinking himself still groggy from the strange dream, but the effect was only more intense – Kain was sure he saw a yellow-green cloud forming around the woman. Just as he was about to step forward and ask if she was all right, she collapsed, armor clattering nosily on the deck.
"What in the…" Kain started to say, but trailed off as the cloud started to reform, its upper half solidifying into a woman's bare torso, then her head, the same long, wild yellow hair surrounding it. Her bottom half remained misty vapor, curling around almost like a tail.
Hearing Kain, she whirled around, and Kain saw the horror of her fully: her clawed hands, her snake-like hair and vapor body. She wept openly, tears streaming down her cheeks, her mouth open to show a terrible black void within. It was only then that Kain recognized her.
"Kain!" Rosa said, pointing emphatically at the open book before him. "Pay attention. This is a Leshy. They're supposed to spawn from the heartache of women who have lost children. It's said that if a bereaved mother cries into the wind, her sorrowful tears gather into a new monster." Rosa paused the lecture, chewing on her lip as she thought. "Also called a Weeper, depending on the region."
Kain squinted at the text, then frowned. "It says here they wander the cave systems north of Damcyan. When will I ever be there? Why do I need to know this?"
Rosa shrugged. "Who knows?" she said. "Life can take you strange places. Besides, it's on the test."
Kain reached for a weapon, only to belatedly realize he had left it below deck. Still, he had his fists; he could hold off the monster until the Red Wings crew heard his shouts for help and came to assist. He tried to remember more about what Rosa had said about the Leshy, what her weaknesses or abilities might be, but Kain could not conjure more of Rosa's wisdom.
"Calm yourself," Barbariccia whispered by Kain's ear, breezy fingers tugging on his hair to draw him toward her, away from the ship's railing and the Leshy floating beside it. "She is one of mine; I'll take care of this." She sounded surprisingly maternal, her tone soft and reassuring. It was effective, Kain's muscles loosening and relaxing in response.
Barbariccia drifted from him to the Leshy. Kain could not hear their conversation, their words too quiet for the consuming winds around them. Finally, the Leshy withdrew, her form gone misty again, seeping back inside the discarded armor. The armor began to fill with shape, then stood awkwardly. After a few unsure steps, the Leshy-turned-soldier found her balance, thought her gait was stiff as she walked away, back below deck.
"How many?" Kain choked out the question, the realization having finally dawned on him. All those new soldiers, always in their armor, awkwardly shuffling about, never speaking much to others. Were they all like this, monsters disguised by magic? "How? How could this be possible? And why? Why would Odin use monsters to fight for Baron instead of our soldiers?"
"To avoid bloodshed," Barbariccia said, as if the answer were simple. "To spare your fellow soldiers from the horrors of battle. Why send men off to die when so-called monsters can take their place? And most will fight better than your average unsure man."
"You mean, they will fight better than men who believe this is unnecessary warfare," Kain spat back. "They won't question orders, as brave men might."
"Oh, don't get sappy and philosophical about this," Barbariccia said with an exaggerated pout. "Master Golbez plans to repurpose the world. All creatures, monsters or not, will have a role. Isn't that so much better than endlessly killing each other?"
Kain found he had no answer for that. The mention of Golbez's name paralyzed him, suddenly realizing what he risked, standing here and questioning Barbariccia. He swallowed hard, then quietly asked, "How are they disguised? Is it your doing?"
"No," Barbariccia said with an envious sigh. "Not my magic but Cagnazzo's. As the Water Archfiend, he can change appearances, his own and others."
"How?" Kain asked, incredulously. He had wondered why he had not yet met the fourth Archfiend, and now wondered if he already had.
"Think of it like water in a glass," Barbariccia said, taking his hands in hers, palms up and fingers curled. "If you change the shape of the container, then water will change to match it." She moved his hands together, forming a larger shape with his joined palms. "Cagnazzo is much the same. If you pour yourself into someone, you will take their shape. So Cagnazzo borrows others' shapes, for himself and our loyal 'monsters', as you call them. So, they can help carry out our Master's plan." She dropped his hands and looked up at him, yellow eyes surprisingly serious. "Do you understand? Isn't it better this way?"
"What happens to the people?" Kain asked. "Whose bodies are borrowed? Do they live when their parasites are done?"
Barbariccia shrugged, indifferent. "I do not know," she said, but meant I do not care with her tone. "You would have to ask Cagnazzo."
Kain hesitated, unsure if he wanted to ask his next question. But his curiosity was too powerful, drawing him in. "Who is Cagnazzo?" he finally asked, holding his breath for her answer.
Barbariccia looked aside, frowning thoughtfully. Then, she shook her head. "If neither Cagnazzo nor Master Golbez has told you yet, I will not risk defying them. Cagnazzo will reveal himself to you, in due time."
"It seems unfair that you know so many of my secrets and I know none of yours," Kain said, hating that he sounded like a sulking child, but unable to help himself. "You cannot tell me this one thing?"
"Ah." Barbariccia smiled, fangs flashing in the moonlight. "But that is not my secret to tell. I hear all that is confessed to the wind, but that does not make it is mine to share. Ask something else."
Kain didn't hesitate. "Is Barbariccia your real name? You call yourself a wind goddess, but what is your mortal name?"
Barbariccia looked surprised – not feigned or exaggerated, but genuine. "It does not matter," she said, sounding small.
"It does matter," Kain replied.
"A name is a powerful thing," Barbariccia said, emotion forgotten. "What you ask is too costly to be bought with your petty mortal secrets." The winds picked up around them, and she seemed taller, as if she drew in power and strength into herself with each inhale from their powerful gusts. "Bring me the Wind Crystal from Fabul, and I will grant you this boon." Her feet weren't on the ground anymore, Kain realized, as she leaned down, hair swirling around them both, and kissed him. It was a surprisingly chaste kiss, a sort of prayer whispered into his mouth, a goddess' blessing to the dutiful hero before his quest.
Barbariccia broke it quickly. "Bring the Wind Crystal to the Tower of Zot," she sighed her command beside his ear in a tickling breeze. In the next breath, she was gone in a strong and wild gust of wind that sent Kain stumbling.
"I will," Kain said, breathless, but knowing she heard him anyway.
Kain did not sleep, standing at the ship's railing, watching the horizon. Eventually, dawn broke out across the world, spilling golden light across the land below. To the north, Fabul Castle was visible, beyond the wide plains that sat between its three surrounding forests.
Kain thought of the battle to come, of the Wind Crystal in his grasp, of the glory of victory, and especially, of seeing Cecil and Rosa again, whatever that might mean.