Again, Kain returned to the Tower of Zot.
It called to Kain, not as a seductive woman, but as a stern father, ready to judge the returning son for his failures. Kain stood in the tower's cold shadow and suppressed a shudder of dread, trying to ignore his terror at what awaited him inside.
The Tower of Zot, with its strange interior walls and floors of too perfectly aligned brown stones, unnerved Kain in a way he could not articulate. The walls were carved with designs and patterns from a culture Kain did not recognize, and held large, spinning gears, propelled by the perpetual wind within. It felt otherworldly, in an uncanny way that made Kain uneasy.
At the top of the tower was Golbez's war room, where the sorcerer would likely be. Kain felt an urgency to find Golbez, and wondered if that was his own organic impulse, or if Golbez prompted him to hurry. He hastened past patrols of monsters – more of Barbariccia's creatures, no doubt. Knights in dark armor that hid their grotesque bodies walked alongside immense turtles with deadly spikes on their shells.
As Kain climbed the stairs to another floor, the air carried a strange odor. The pungent smell grew thicker as Kain continued up, until he found himself suddenly short of breath. He stopped, leaning against the wall of the narrow staircase, struggling to fully inhale.
The artificial lighting overhead seemed dimmer, Kain thought, his sluggish brain struggling to comprehend. As his eyes watered, Kain realized that the room was filling with Gas. He had enough presence of mind to recall the effect: Curse, a weakening of all things – physical, mental, magical.
Kain staggered and caught himself on the stairs, his head rattling within his helmet, teeth clicking painfully. With his weak muscles protesting, Kain climbed the remaining stairs on his hands and knees, his armor feeling impossibly heavy. He managed the last step, then stumbled into the room, greedily gulping the clean air.
But there was a new smell with the grateful lungfuls – the smell of damp earth. Kain looked up to see Scarmiglione, cloaked as always in his dingy funeral shroud, pointing a clawed finger in accusation. "You lost all my power!" Scarmiglione rasped, outraged. "You left behind my champion and the Earth Crystal, do you know what you've cossssst me?"
Before Kain could answer, Scarmiglione lunged forward, throwing Kain against the wall, surprising Kain with his inhuman strength. A twisting tentacle emerged from the dark of Scarmiglione's shroud and yanked at Kain's helmet until it came free. Scarmiglione tossed the helmet aside, then pushed the tentacle against Kain's throat, cutting off his air.
"I will watch the light in your eyes sssssputter out and die," Scarmiglione rasped beside Kain's ear, cold breath tickling his exposed neck. "Then I'll drag you back and do it again." Scarmiglione's tentacle leaned harder against Kain's throat, and Kain's vision dimmed.
Scarmiglione's hood had fallen back, and for the first time, Kain saw Scarmiglione's face. His skin had rotted and peeled away from two thirds of his face, exposing red muscle and white bone beneath. His bony jaw held a mouth full of terrible, sharp teeth, his nose entirely gone, and one eye missing, the socket empty. The other eye, filmy and yellow, watched Kain's assessment with amusement. Kain saw faint movement but could not make it out at first; he squinted, looking closer, and saw little white worms – maggots wriggling within the decaying flesh. Kain's stomach churned, threatening to come up his throat.
"Enough," Barbariccia's voice was all around them, chiding but gentle. She materialized beside Scarmiglione, sighing with sympathy. "Master Golbez will be furious with you if you hurt his precious pawn."
"He will find another," Scarmiglione hissed. His grip loosened, however, his tentacle no longer squeezing Kain's neck.
Kain gasped in a relieved breath, while Barbariccia frowned. "So will you," she said, pointedly. "Do not mourn Elena Highwind so deeply – you will find a better champion. And once we've finally acquired the Earth Crystal, your increased power will only heighten your resurrection skills."
Scarmiglione took a step back, releasing Kain entirely. "Perhaps a white mage?" Scarmiglione suggested, as he pulled his hood back up, masking his horrifying face. "For you, I'll make her first death especially gruesome."
"Leave Rosa alone—" Kain started to say, but Barbariccia's loud hushing beside his ear made him stop abruptly.
Scarmiglione laughed, a dark, wheezy chuckle. "When he sees the girl next, do you think he'll demand the same of Master Golbez?"
"Enough, Milon," Barbariccia said, this time more sternly, stressing emphasis on the more familiar name. "Kain knows not to make demands on our Master." She looked at Kain, brow furrowed. "No matter what he may witness," she added, this directly to him.
Kain swallowed hard, unsure of what they spoke of – was Rosa being mistreated? He wondered but did not ask, only nodding because he knew Barbariccia expected it.
"Good," Barbariccia said, seemingly satisfied. "Now, Golbez requires your presence."
"What news?" Scarmiglione asked.
Barbariccia smirked, pleased with herself. "I've finally located Cecil Harvey, approaching Mount Ordeals. I'm guessing Master Golbez will want you for this mission, Milon. Slay the Dark Knight and take him for your new champion if you want. Take the girl too, and then you'll have a pair. Do this for Master Golbez and you can have whatever you desire."
"Yesssss…" Scarmiglione agreed, then turned to walk away. As he did, the shadows under his hood shifted, and Kain saw Scarmiglione's face again, his bony teeth pressed together in a horrible smile.
Kain shuddered, unable to help himself.
Scarmiglione, seeing Kain's reaction, paused. His smile widened, his mouth open to an empty, black void within. "Come along, Kain. Don't want to keep our Master waiting."
"Come forth, Scarmiglione!" Golbez's deep voice commanded them, as Scarmiglione and Kain entered the war room. It was strangely dark, despite the daytime hours, with all the tower windows closed and only a single lamp on the table, lending its light in a wide circle that did not include the room's corners. Kain could not make out if anyone else was present.
Kain assumed Barbariccia lurked somewhere, perpetually eavesdropping. Golbez stood over a table with a large, detailed map of the world unfurled on it. Small figurines were placed throughout, in tight groups – airships, knights on chocobos, a few Dragoons, some strange creatures Kain did not recognize. The area between Baron and Mist had been drawn over, crudely indicating the new terrain.
"Scarmiglione of Earth, at your command," Scarmiglione responded formally, bowing low before Golbez.
"Cecil aspires too much," Golbez said; he leaned over the map, tapping it for emphasis. "He ascends Mount Ordeals as we speak." Golbez looked up from the map, addressing Scarmiglione directly only. He did not even spare a glance toward Kain, as if Kain did not exist yet. "I shall clip his wings now."
"So, he desires to become a paladin," Scarmiglione said, the air thick with the smell of soil.
"Dispose of him," Golbez commanded with a casual wave of his hand. "His dark sword should be all but useless against your undead."
"I shall return with his head," Scarmiglione said, words weighty with the promise. He bowed again, then turned to go. As Scarmiglione passed Kain, he hissed low, "This isn't over."
"This is getting interesting, wouldn't you say, Kain?" Golbez asked, amused – but at what, Kain was not certain. Golbez beckoned Kain closer. Hesitant, Kain stepped closer; he saw the full layout of the table now. A second map was next to the first, but it was not any territory Kain recognized, with its strange orange oceans. Golbez moved most of the airship figures from Baron over to an unknown castle, with a large tower beside it. Then, Golbez picked up the lamp and moved it to the opposite side.
As the swinging shadows settled, Kain saw the side of the room that had previously been dark. A tall wooden cross stood at the wall, a figure standing against the post. For a terrible moment, Kain thought it was Marion, her dead gaze accusing him again. But as the light flickered, Kain saw golden glints, like a crown around the person's head. Without thinking, he picked up the lamp himself, directing the light toward the cross.
Rosa.
With her arms behind her, Rosa was tied to the post, wearing a crude gray prisoner's shift, her hair hanging in limp locks around her shoulders. As Kain started toward her, Rosa shook her head quickly, then nodded upward. Kain looked up, and saw now that a large, curved blade hung ominously over her head, held in place at the crossbeam.
Don't, Rosa mouthed, her blue eyes full of fear.
Golbez wanted them both here, Kain realized, using each to torture the other. What did Golbez get out of this, Kain wondered, to what end did Golbez seek out such hurt and humiliation? Moreover, how could they escape Golbez's twisted games of warfare and mental torment? Would Rosa or Kain leave this tower alive?
Suddenly, fiercely, Kain missed Cecil. He had always been the one to plan and decide how they would proceed, and Kain desperately wanted Cecil's wisdom and guidance again. Cecil could figure a way out of this, with Rosa unharmed and Kain fully back to his senses, without Golbez's influence.
Kain turned back to Golbez. The lamp swung with the movement, casting wild shadows through the room. As the light settled, Kain saw Golbez again; he had taken off his helmet, and now regarded Kain with serious gray eyes that only made Kain miss Cecil even more.
"Cecil might still prove to be quite a formidable opponent," Kain said, breaking the tense silence. It was a gamble, to bait Golbez so openly, but Kain had an idea – a dangerous idea, but an idea, nevertheless.
"You dare question my judgment?" Golbez asked, quiet but menacing.
"No, sire!" Kain said quickly, inwardly wincing at the prospect of Golbez's anger, expecting the needle prick of pain into his mind.
"Scarmiglione is one of the four Elemental Lords," Golbez continued, as if he spoke to a child. "He will not fail." Golbez looked past Kain, to Rosa behind him. A hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Rosa will bear witness as well," Golbez said; it was both a statement and an order.
"Sire, please grant me a second chance!" Kain hated how he sounded, like he was begging; it didn't matter. All he needed was for Golbez to send him on this mission, so Kain could find Cecil. Together, they could fix this terrible mess. "Instead of Scarmiglione, allow me the task of slaying him!" Kain blurted out. He heard Rosa's sharp inhale of surprise from behind him and hated himself for it.
"Just be grateful I let you live after your blunder," Golbez said, looking back to the map. He waved at Kain dismissively.
Kain said nothing.
"Cecil..." Rosa called out softly from the darkness.
Kain ignored her, pretending he did not hear, and it did not break his heart. He turned away from Golbez and his machinations, from Rosa and her misery. He just needed to think of another way, Kain told himself, to get out of the tower and find Cecil before Scarmiglione did. With only his dark blade to defend himself, Cecil would be no match for the Archfiend. Kain would rescue Cecil, and together, they'd rescue Rosa. He just had to figure out how, without Golbez's awareness lurking nearby.
Kain left the war room, and as he descended the stairs and exited into the lower floor, he nearly collided into another body. Taking an abrupt step back, Kain saw it was Richard, wearing his black dragoon armor, looking like a hell demon.
"Kain," Richard said, sounding relieved. He leaned in closer, his voice lowered to a whisper. "You saw Rosa?"
Kain nodded, not trusting himself for words.
Richard reached out and took Kain's gauntlet and pressed something into his palm, then closed his fingers around the object.
"Wh—" Kain started to ask, but Richard held a finger up, and mutely shook his head. Kain glanced into his hand and saw a small brass key. He looked back up to Richard, who nodded up toward the war room door.
"Barbariccia reports unrest in Baron, with both soldiers and civilians," Richard said, his voice normal. "Golbez will leave tomorrow, to re-establish control and prepare for the attack on Troia." Richard paused carefully, then continued more quietly, "While he's gone, your assignment is to guard the prisoner."
Richard's mention of Barbariccia reminded Kain of the stirring wind constantly present in Zot, and Kain realized why Richard was being so cautious with his words.
"Why?" Kain asked, unable to ask anything else without risk. How could they communicate with Barbariccia possibly listening?
Richard seemed to understand anyway. He reached up and pulled off his helmet, holding it at his side. "Why?" Richard echoed. Kain saw Richard's weary eyes and concerned brow. "Who else?" Then, he mouthed the word: Joanna.
"Still?" Kain asked, surprised. Did Richard still feel an obligation to Joanna? Some sort of paternal affection for Rosa, whom he missed watching grow up? Was Richard's obsessive love for Joanna the same sort of sick desperation Kain felt about Rosa and Cecil?
"Always," Richard answered solemnly, then put his helmet back on. "Go, and rest for your first shift."
Kain nodded in understanding. He turned to leave, but Richard's hand on his shoulder stopped him. "You cannot fail again," he said, words heavy with warning. "Golbez's tolerance for you grows thin."
"I won't," Kain replied, hoping it could be true.
Golbez left as the morning sun came up and shed enough light in the sky for takeoff. Kain watched the Red Wings ship disappear into the clouds around them. He waited there for a long while, as if afraid they might come back. But then the thought of Rosa, helpless and scared, came to mind, and that made him hurry off the dock and back inside.
Kain walked carefully through the tower. He'd left his armor behind and moved more quietly. He hoped it was enough to keep Barbariccia unaware of his movements through the tower, then wondered if it didn't matter, if she waited, amused at his pathetic attempts at heroism.
Kain held his breath as he unlocked the door and slipped into the room. The wall sconces had been left lit, perpetually burning with either advanced technology or magic, Kain was not sure. He only knew Golbez left the room like this on purpose, so Kain could not avoid looking at Rosa while he stood guard, and so Rosa could see him.
Rosa was where he had last seen her, bound to the cross with the wicked blade overhead. She looked up as Kain entered, and Kain saw her uncertainty and cursed himself for it, for having gone so far that Rosa could not tell if he was ally or adversary. He was not even sure himself.
"How does it work?" Kain asked, moving toward her. Immediately, Rosa looked relieved, and that eased his guilty heart somewhat.
"There's a catch holding the blade in place," Rosa said. "You need to—"
Kain held up his hand and Rosa stopped. Kain gestured vaguely around him, trying to indicate Barbariccia somehow, but Rosa only looked confused. Kain pulled his hair forward over his shoulder, then fanned it loosely over his chest. He waved his arms around, trying to imitate Barbariccia's suggestive wiggling, but stopped at Rosa's suppressed giggle.
Rosa bit her lip to keep further laughter contained, then nodded in understanding.
Kain approached her slowly, as if afraid that any sound might betray him. Rosa's wrists were bound behind her, but it was a simple knot; Kain easily plucked it loose.
Rosa, with her hands freed, took several cautious steps away from the cross. The blade overhead remained still. She met eyes with Kain, then gestured toward the door. Kain took her hand in his and squeezed her fingers; she squeezed back. Together, holding each other's hands, they left the room.
Kain led Rosa silently through the tower. He kept wanting to look back, to assure himself that she was still there, but knew he had to keep his eyes ahead and guide them to safety. He knew the patrols and their routes well and knew what halls to take to avoid them. They made slow progress through the tower.
Finally, they came to Kain's intended destination: the chocobo stables. Letting of Rosa, Kain grabbed a fresh Sword Rat from the stall, and headed outside. Looking perplexed, Rosa swallowed her questions down and followed.
Outside, Kain held the Sword Rat up into the air and shook it, sending the smell of its blood into the surrounding winds. He was rewarded with a triumphant bellow overhead, a streak of dark blue coming closer. Val swooped down and plucked the Sword Rat out of Kain's hands with her grasping talons.
Rosa was already shaking her head.
"We can't take an airship," Kain said, out loud. "They're too guarded."
"Shh!" Rosa shushed, a finger to her lips.
"It doesn't matter anymore," Kain said, watching as Val tussled with her food, rolling under and over it, shredding the Sword Rat's belly with her claws. "Barbariccia will have heard the dragon. She'll come soon to investigate. We either leave on the dragon right now or we don't leave at all."
Kain saw Rosa's struggle between dual fears of either staying or leaving. Neither prospect must seem good to her, Kain thought.
"You might kill us both," Rosa stated, matter of fact. "But it's riskier to stay here."
"C'mon, Val," Kain called to the dragon, with a confidence he did not feel. Could he really ride a dragon? While she was still a youth, she looked large enough to easily carry them both. She stopped playing, head perking up at Kain's call. "You ready for a ride?" he asked, wondering if she understood.
There were varying theories on how intelligent dragons might be. Some proposed that all dragon species were little more than animals or monsters, while others believed dragons to be more advanced thinkers than even people. Kain wasn't sure what he thought, he only hoped Val could understand. Then, Val rolled to her belly, and Kain lit with hope.
Carefully, Kain swung a leg over Val's back, then settled down. He gestured to Rosa, who climbed on behind him. She circled her arms around Kain's waist and clung tight to his back. He tried to ignore the feeling of her body pressed against him, focusing on only the task at hand. He leaned forward against Val's neck and said, "Fly."
Like a loose arrow, Val took off into the sky, nearly unseating Kain with her suddenness and speed. Kain held on to the edge of Val's scales going up her neck, fingers straining. Rosa held on tight behind him, fervently praying.
The wind buffeted them, sending Kain's hair whipping around his face and neck. Rosa buried her face against his back, to protect herself from the greedy winds. Val flapped her wings and eagerly sped toward the thick clouds around the tower.
For one glorious moment, Kain felt a taste of true freedom, as the Dragoons did in the days of old, riding their own dragons. With the bright sun on his back and fresh air in his lungs, Kain dared to hope he might finally leave Golbez and Zot behind. He'd find Mount Ordeals and help Cecil slay Scarmiglione, eliminating that horror from the world finally. He and Rosa would sort out their complicated relationship, and finally -
The wind shifted suddenly, throwing Val's flight off course. Val scrambled to right herself, but the winds pushed hard from the other direction now. Kain looked up in horror as he saw the clouds start to funnel toward them, a column of wind becoming visible. It swirled around them, the winds now violent, and Kain realized they were beside a tornado.
"Did you really think you could leave so easily?" Barbariccia's angry voice demanded, all around them, booming like thunder. "If I am trapped here, so are you."
Val struggled to stay level, but the wild winds proved too much, pulling them into the circling tornado. Rosa screamed as she was torn from Val's back, thrown haphazardly aside, disappearing into the column of whirling wind. Kain was similarly yanked away from the dragon and tossed a different direction.
The tornado stopped abruptly, and Kain found himself falling freely through a clear blue sky. Below, he saw the ocean, sparkling in the morning sun, promising oblivion if he just continued falling.
"Call my name," Barbariccia demanded, whispering hotly into his ear. "Beg to be saved and swear fealty to me." Kain seemed to pick up speed, falling faster. "Worship me, and I might spare you."
The ocean became bigger as Kain fell further; a few more seconds and it wouldn't matter anymore. Would that be so bad, Kain wondered? His torment would finally end. Kain closed his eyes, trying to imagine never opening them again.
A sudden claustrophobia seized him, stealing the breath from his chest more effectively than the screaming winds around him. His cowardice cried out, unburdened by his imprisoned shame still, terrified at the thought of his impending death; it would drive him to terrible depths and deeds if it only meant his survival.
"Barbariccia!" Kain cried out, voice lost to the surrounding winds. He sobbed her name, dissolving into incoherent pleas for his life, to do anything she wanted, to be devoted, to never again betray her.
The ocean loomed dangerously close, and Kain could taste the salt in the air. Just as Kain was about to hit the churning waves, a strong gust of wind scooped him up, shooting him back up toward the tower. It dropped him unceremoniously on the dock, where Barbariccia stood, crackling with power.
"If I am bound, so are you," Barbariccia said, her voice low in warning. "While I control the skies, you will not leave here."
"Rosa…" Kain choked out, pushing himself up off the ground.
"The Delta Sisters are returning her to her place," Barbariccia told him, as her hair swirled wildly around her. "And you will go to yours."
"The dungeon?" Kain asked, guessing.
Barbariccia laughed and the sound sent a chill through Kain. "As Richard told you, Golbez gave you an assignment. You are to guard the prisoner."
"But…" Kain started to protest, not understanding.
"The Tower of Zot is my prison," Barbariccia interrupted. "And the top of this tower will be yours. You will stay, and watch, and witness her hope wither and die with the news of Cecil's death. And you will thank Master Golbez for the privilege."
"Don't do this," Kain said, though weakly.
Barbariccia smiled, bearing her fangs with an eerie grin. "Go, Kain, and be the symbol of her torment." When Kain did not move, Barbariccia hissed, the wind picking up around them again. "Go," she repeated, the wind cutting into him sharply. "Or I'll push you off this tower and leave you to your watery grave."
Kain didn't answer, only silently went inside, as he was told.