Chapter 46

The Uncrowned King

The White SeeD Ship was within sight of the Cape of Good Hope. It was afternoon, and the sky was almost clear. Yet, much to the horror of the White SeeDs, neither the stone building nor the lighthouse appeared on the horizon as the ship got closer. Edea's House had reportedly fallen in disrepair over the past dozen years, though the lighthouse had always stood proud regardless of the state of the ancient Centran temple. And now they were gone. The eldest of the White SeeDs, a lot of whom had once lived at that orphanage, were particularly angered at its apparent disappearance.

Rhodry was not as familiar with the Centran landscape as many of the White SeeDs, though he would never forget this particular backdrop from his youth, as it was more distinct than the rest of the subcontinent. The way the curvature of the beach had ended with the lighthouse and the old wooden jetty, overlooked by the stone house atop the hill; the large prairie running several miles from the east of the now missing house to a round forest. He had initially witnessed the Cape from Balamb Garden's Quad, when the Children of Fate had first relocated their childhood home, the morning before the Battle of the Gardens. Fujin and Ellone were there to behold it again, too.

'Rage!' Fujin snapped.

The two widows had opted to induct Ifrit and Edea into White SeeD early, who, ignorantly but innocently, were sparring with wooden weapons behind their mothers. A sword for Ifrit and a staff for Edea. They had been belowdecks with the other youths until recently, and so far the White SeeDs had been impressed with their enthusiasm.

The maimed Fujin had refused to sit on the sidelines. She wished to hasten White SeeD's mission by lending Pandemonium to their sails, in addition to bolstering their defense, should they meet any enemy vessels. White SeeD had been delighted at Ellone's return, and Fujin's knowledge and expertise had been highly valued for aiding the development of the younger crew members so far.

'This must the work of Ultimecia!' Rhodry heard Kurin saying.

He approached the Captain, who was with Celes. 'When were you last here?' Rhodry asked.

Celes answered. 'We last paid our respects on what would have been Matron's sixtieth nameday. Tyris said the house was rundown, not wholly destroyed!'

Rhodry did not like this. There was little doubt Ultimecia would have anticipated the Allies rallying the remainder of the free GFs. If Alexander had fallen to her snare, that was a major blow. And it was possible she had lain a trap, knowing how sentimental the stone house was to Edea's SeeD. To the outside observer, the ship was invisible with its emulation of Esthari cloaking, and their reprogrammed drones allowed them to avoid enemy shipping lanes, even though the ship's wake left a telltale trail through the water that enemy scouts would have already seen from the coast. If there were any Esthari in the area, they would already know of a ship's presence. Yet Shiva could sense nothing near the beach, aside from wildlife. Rhodry informed the White SeeDs of that much, and Fujin said much the same with less words.

'Would you like Raine and I to scout ahead?' Rhodry asked Kurin.

Kurin hesitated. 'You can take point, but we'll follow.'

Rhodry nodded. He found Raine at the ship's stern with Raiden, along with Xu's daughter, Tian. Tian bore a strong resemblance to her mother and shared her dark eyes, but she was taller with lighter skin, and her hair was brown rather than black. Raine had her father's staff in hand. Her skin, like Edea's, had darkened to match Raiden's during their days on the ship. She still wore that more serious countenance that had been prevalent since her father's death and her role in Dollet's liberation. Raine had recounted the tale of that adventure and the Children of Sarona to the crew during their voyage.

Like Rhodry, she was in her SeeD uniform. The White SeeDs never seemed to dress casually unless they were undercover. To appear more professional, Rhodry had said they had best follow their sister organisation's example. Though their contrasting uniforms made the two of them stand out, something which went against the nature of being elite soldiers.

Raine's hazel eyes met Rhodry's blue ones. 'Does the captain want us to take the lead?' she said matter-of-factly.

'Yes. They will be following.'

'Mog can't sense Alexander,' Raine mentioned. 'If he were still masking his aura, Mog would at least be able to recognise the veil, even if not the exact location. The Holy One is simply not here.'

'I know,' Rhodry said resignedly. 'Shiva and Pandemonium have said as much. I fear we are too late.'

The two waited by the gangplank for the ship to dock. With the lighthouse obliterated, the helmsperson had to carefully manoeuvre to the old jetty beyond it. As soon as the gangplank was lowered, they stepped down to the warped wooden beams. The SeeDs looked left to where the jetty abruptly ended. Raiden and Tian followed some distance behind them.

The lighthouse was gone. Not just in ruins, but struck by a powerful enough blast to be completely obliterated. Shiva could feel traces of Eden in the air; her Elder would have the power to perform such a feat. Rhodry feared that the stone house above had met the same fate. The rest of the White SeeDs had a good enough view from portside, so they waited for Rhodry and Raine to turn and lead the way from the jetty. At the end was some stone steps leading away from the beach, up to the house's old western entrance. All the White SeeDs departed their ship, trusting Ellone and Fujin to stay behind with the children.

As they crested the hill, they beheld a huge crater where Edea's House had once stood, mirroring the two that were now in the middle of Galbadia City. As soon as Kurin and Celes had witnessed what little remained of their childhood home, the two had run in front of Rhodry with anguished cries.

'That hellspawn!' Kurin shouted.

'Why?' Celes cried. 'Was murdering Matron and Cid not enough for her!'

Kurin ran into the crater. 'Alexander!' he roared.

The incensed captain ran around the crater in every direction, Celes following, the two crying the Holy Sentinel's name several times. The younger White SeeDs were perturbed at seeing their leaders lose their composure. Their chief white mage, Minwu, was also a former resident of Edea's House. But along with Relm, he tried to restore some calm. Rhodry reluctantly joined Kurin and Celes in the crater.

'I am truly sorry,' he said, 'but it would appear the Holy Sentinel has been taken. And you are merely alarming your people.'

Their shoulders dropped with acceptance. As they returned with the crew, Rhodry searched the surrounding area with Raine. The only thing to have escaped the demolition was a gleaming marble tomb in the prairie. The two SeeDs read the epitaph, after Rhodry silently paid his respects to Cid.

'This must have been what Tyris witnessed,' Rhodry commented.

Raine nodded. 'I also knew the truth, from my own parents. Mom said it wrenched Edea's heart to have to give up Tyris, but she was able to spend her final year with her. Even if it was not as her mother.' She sighed. 'Mom decided not to take revenge on Tyris, and I have to respect her decision.'

'I know your plight,' Rhodry said. 'If not for my respect for your uncle, I would have killed Tyris already. I'll have to find comeuppance for my townsfolk by striking at Vlahos, along with those who gave the Colonel her orders; the same duo that enslaved Selphie.'

Within a few minutes, the White SeeDs had joined them at the tomb. One of the younger SeeDs passed a wreath to Celes, who approached to place it at its base as Rhodry and Raine stepped away. The Deputy Captain drew her rune-engraved sword – given to her by Sorceress Edea on her fifteenth nameday – and held it before the marble with her head bowed. Kurin followed to stand at her shoulder, and they were also joined by Minwu, who removed his turban with the ruby at its centre, lowering his balding head. The two men bowed in the Balambi manner. The White SeeDs followed their elders' example in twos and threes. Relm, Raiden and Tian approached together.

Rhodry watched for a time, before he began examining the prairie. He found the charred remains of what must have been a Valkyr airship. The green, steel fragments were now only warm from the sun, and had been here for at least a few days, serving as more confirmation that Esthari had come between Tyris' and their visit. He also found the tracks of six individuals and deep recesses where Alexander had taken form. There was one set of feline paws and five pairs of boot prints, one of which was larger than the others by a margin. Two of the tracks were smaller than Raine's boot size. Rhodry motioned with his hand for Kurin, Celes and Minwu to come over, and Raine joined him too.

'Ultimecia was here, with Christophe for sure,' Rhodry said, 'The largest boot prints are his. One of the smaller ones likely belonged to Colonel Vlahos. Ultimecia waited until Eden was at full power and brought all her GF puppeteers to ensure Alexander's capture. The Holy Sentinel took form here–' Rhodry pointed at the round depressions, '–and likely destroyed the Valkyr.'

'Hynedamn her!' Minwu said, finally able to exasperate away from the others. 'We must make haste to Cactuar Island!'

Tian was running toward them.

'Captain!' she called out. 'The Uncrowned King is approaching the orphanage! He's got thousands with him now!'

'Then we will meet with our ally!' Kurin said.

The White SeeDs met Steiner of House Christophe at the forefront of his people, out on the prairie. He was tall and broad, towering over most of the other Centrans by at least six inches; a Son of Almaj, as his ancestral people were known. He had a haggard look with afternoon shadow darkening his strong jaw, and wore old plate armour that was rusted in places. There was a bastard sword sheathed behind his back.

At his side was his wife, Beatrix of House von Heiligeberg – technically his queen consort. She was fiercely striking with wavy chestnut-hair, adorned in an off-white cape, scarlet breeches and silver light-armour. An old injury had blinded her, and a silver tiara covered her missing eye. The jewel encrusted broadsword at her waist had been passed down through her House, gifted by Paladin Jericho of the Holy Dollet Empire; it shared its name with golden whip of Quistis, Save the Queen.

It seemed that Steiner had been uniting every nomadic tribe in southern Centra in anticipation of an Esthari push south. Although the Mother of all Lunar Cries had killed more than ninety-nine percent of the Lost Kingdom's population, a century later, tens of thousands of the survivors' descendants were arrayed behind their leader. Enough to repopulate the nearby ruins of Lenown.

First, the monarchs were greeted by their firstborn Noctis, who had earned his White Beret some years before. In addition to their niece, Relm. Two young girls, no older than ten, detached from the frontmost Centrans, squealing with delight as they jumped and embraced the royal cousins. Tian explained that they were Noctis' sisters, Garnet and Eiko. Rhodry had known of Noctis, though had had no inkling that Relm was of the royal bloodline.

'Captain Kurin, Lady Celes!' Steiner called. 'Edea's SeeD is looking as formidable as ever!'

The Uncrowned King spoke with the high-inflected Centran diction, but it more well-rounded than the way some of the Centran White SeeDs spoke. Rhodry had noted the bastardised form that Gerra and Leo spoke with.

'It's good to see you again, Your Majesty!' Kurin said.

'Please, Captain, you can call me Steiner,' he lessened. 'The Kingdom was lost with my great-grandfather, Adelbert. What brings you all to Edea's House, so soon after the Esthari?'

Celes answered. 'We came to seek Alexander's power, Sire, but we were too late. Sorceress Reina was here, wasn't she?'

Steiner now held a grim expression. Beatrix answered for him.

'We saw a single green zeppelin fly by us some days before,' she said. 'Our scouts witnessed the Eidolon of Holy and the fabled Eden in battle. After, they saw a silver-haired woman adorned in red, flying above the ruins with raven wings. She destroyed the lighthouse and the old temple with silver light. We have never laid eyes upon Sorceress Reina ourselves, but we presume it was her.'

'It most definitely was her, Your Majesty!' Rhodry called from the side of the White SeeD leaders. 'She now goes by her true name, Ultimecia. She is Adel's trueborn heir.'

Steiner looked bewildered. 'Sorceress Adel had an heir? How?'

'The same way Seifer was born to Edea and Cid,' Rhodry answered. 'Esthar and their blasted technology, which has done the Planet much more harm than good!'

Steiner turned to look offshore, frowning at the fading trail left by the invisible White SeeD Ship below.

'Ultimecia.' He pronounced the name slowly. 'Sorceress Adel's mother was called Artemisia, which is similar sounding. She was the first wife of Emperor Axtius.'

Beatrix continued when her husband trailed off. 'We've heard the name Ultimecia before. Dear Thalassa always insisted her father and his friends travelled to the future, to defeat a Sorceress by that name. That this vile Sorceress had been meddling with time, living in a dark castle that stood upon this very ground.'

Steiner gave a hearty laugh, putting his large hand on his forehead as he turned back to them. 'I always thought that were just a night tale her parents told her! But after what happened to the Armageddon Fist, I did not want to take her perception of her heroic father from her!'

'It's complicated, Sire,' Kurin said, 'but those two Sorceresses are one and the same. We beat Ultimecia back in Galbadia, but she now commands Eden, the most powerful GF of all. Except for perhaps Griever. We are in a race to recruit the rest of the free Guardian Forces!'

Steiner now surveyed the crater. 'If what you tell me is true, if this witch is truly the heir of Emperor Axtius, then she would presume to hold dominion over my people. I began unifying our fragmented tribes after this Ultimecia colonised the north of Mother Centra, subjugating some of our more far-reaching people.' The Uncrowned King turned back to them, looking at Kurin. 'When we realised that you were here, Captain, we desired to approach Edea's SeeD about an alliance. As you know, we are a hard-bred people, the descendants of a once great kingdom. My people are warriors first and craftsmen second. We share a common enemy with the noble tonberries, too. If you can aid us in retaking the north from Ultimecia, we can bolster the west by tens of thousands when the time comes to march on Esthar.'

Kurin only shared a fleeting look with Celes and Minwu.

'Then you shall have it!' he said delightedly.

Rhodry stepped forward. 'I cannot speak for the western leaders, Your Majesty. Their priority will be liberating Timber and southern Galbadia, but northern Centra will be an excellent springboard for the Allies to move on Fisherman's Horizon and Balamb! Although I trust that my own leader, the Lionheart, will be glad to assist you in the meantime!'

'Speaking of the tonberries, Sire,' Celes said, 'their overlord has recently been freed from Ultimecia's control. Do you know if the Tonberry King has returned to the Necropolis?'

'We would not know,' Steiner replied. 'We have not returned to the northern lands since the Esthari came.'

'We're not presuming to junction with the Tonberry King,' Rhodry clarified. 'It's his army we seek. Along with the Wraiths of Zefer. The old Centran hoplites contained some of the greatest warriors who ever lived, their tactics used for millennia until advancing technology forced a change in warfare. Though we now live in a restored melee era. The wraiths were attacked by Ultimecia when she took the Tonberry King before; they are familiar with her. If they realise she is Adel's heir, we hope they will also join the Allies.'

'That will not be easy,' Steiner warned. 'The Wraiths of Zefer despise mortals after the curse Adel placed upon them. They still feel bound to defend Centra City even though it has long fallen into ruin, millennia after the flesh fell from their bones. Although they tolerate the tonberries that migrated there from their caverns, they were kept in check only by Odin.'

'We plan to sail to Cactuar Island first, Sire,' Kurin said. 'Thanks to Fujin, we should reach the other side of this landmass in record time! The Jumbo Cactuar was also a slave of Ultimecia until her Galbadia campaign.'

'Cactuar Island? Ramuh's beard! I would rather take my chances at the Necropolis!' Steiner responded, then said, 'Well, I bid you good fortune, Captain! The day wears on, and your crew are welcome to treat with us for the night!'

Beatrix looked at her husband. 'Aren't you forgetting why we are here?' she said.

Suddenly, Steiner looked embarrassed, scratching his face.

'Good Captain, I have another request of you,' he said to Kurin. 'Might you bestow us with some of those small… communication machines?'

Beatrix smiled softly. 'The Kingdom was lightyears ahead of any other nation before the Calamity, yet much of our old technology no longer works,' she explained. 'We will head north on the morrow, but otherwise, we have only Mognet and trick sparrows for keeping in touch.'

The contact methods of the Centrans would have been adequate during the Great Interference, but some of the younger White SeeDs looked incredulous. They must have believed that life would now be unfathomable without their personal devices. Their Captain returned Beatrix's smile, giving the distinct SeeD salute, Celes and Minwu following suit.

'I'll see what I can do!' Kurin said. 'And thank you both, Your Majesties! Edea's SeeD will be honoured to go to war with you, and Matron herself smiles upon us!'

Steiner stood to attention, giving a wider armed salute that was typical of the Centran army, still practiced since the Kingdom's fall.

'Captain Kurin, the honour is ours!'