prologue

PROLOGUE – THE FAMILY MAN

"Uncle Laguna! Wake up, sleepyhead!"

Laguna shot up with a gasp. He fought to get his breathing under control as his familiar bearings came into focus. Sunlight peeked through the curtained windows, creeping across the wooden floor. A cedar chest sat at the foot of his queen-sized bed, his casual-wear from the day before left resting atop. The clothing cupboard stood against the left-hand wall, nestled between the door, and a small vanity table he'd never made use of.

A giggling little girl stared up at him from the bedside. She wore a blue button-up dress today, her devilishly cute face framed by shoulder-length brown hair.

"Ellie," he sighed, placing a hand to his racing heart. "Don't scare me like that!"

"Sowwy," the mischievous little scamp snickered. "But there's someone here to see yoo!"

His head perked back up. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach.

"To see me? What for?"

"I dunno," she ambled with her hands behind her back. "He was wearin' funny clothes. He's tawking to Raine right now."

"Over at the pub?" he asked. He threw off the covers, and maneuvered his legs out of bed.

"Yup! That's why I came to get yoo! Am I a good girl?"

"No, you're not!" he scolded her. "It's dangerous out there! What if a monster comes and attacks you? They'll catch you and suck all your blood out! And then Uncle Laguna's gonna cry."

"It's only next door," she pouted. "And if anything bad happens, I'll jus' call yoo, Uncle Laguna. Yoo'll come rescue me, right?"

"It's still dangerous, and… hey! Ellone, wait!"

The girl had already darted out the door and down the stairs. He let out a deep sigh. And yet, in spite of himself, he couldn't keep a smile from his face. It was exactly that boundless energy which had endeared her to him in the first place. He couldn't possibly stay upset with her over a little bit of recklessness.

As if I'm the guy to be giving lectures about that…

He stood up from the bed. Clad in only his boxers and white undershirt, he crossed over to the chest, and donned his casual-wear: a pair of brown pants, fingerless black gloves, and a short-sleeved, blue denim jacket left hanging open. With his clothing secured, he finally popped open the chest's lid. His assault rifle rested inside, along with his remaining ammunition cartridges. Altogether, the chest's contents were the only remaining evidence of his service in the Galbadian army; he'd long abandoned his uniform and dog tags on the shore to the south, to be consumed with the tide along with any trace of his existence. There was no one else outside the village who could know of him, much less track him down to such a remote region. Or so he'd thought.

[… am I dead?]

The feeling's back. That can't be a good sign…

He snatched up the rifle, slung it over his shoulder, and shut the lid before filing out of the room. He descended the staircase to the homey, single-room first floor. A wooden table with three chairs sat in the center, left barren of any tablecloth. Cupboards and bureaus lined the walls of the small kitchen space ahead. The fireplace took up most of the opposite side, still yet to be cleared of the charred kindling left from last winter.

Whatever cozy ambiance the home might have provided was shattered each and every time he reached the bottom of the steps. He turned his eyes to the stair-side partition leading up. Dozens of bullet holes peppered the faded, peeling dry-wall. They were not his own, nor was the house for that matter. Both were a daily reminder of what he now held dear, and all he had to lose. He trudged across to the front door, swung it open, and raised his hand to shield his eyes.

The morning sun shone brilliantly across the cobbled central square of Winhill, the sleepy old-world village he now called home. Situated far to the southwest, nestled amid acre upon acre of verdant rolling bluffs, its contrast to Deling City's urban sprawl was immense. Gorgeous flower arrangements decorated the quaint brick houses all around. Ahead, a bridge over a narrow waterway led to a winding dirt road; yet more picturesque homes and establishments lined either side as it trailed into the distance.

The square proper was largely devoid of townsfolk at this time of day. Such was the norm since the native wildlife had begun moving in. He crossed over to the pub just next door to his house, reached for the door handle as he stepped under the awning, and pushed it open.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to go out on your own?!"

The scolding voice cut through the tavern as he stepped inside. Its owner stood amid the circular bar-room tables spread about, her hands on her hips as she stared down disapprovingly at Ellone. She wore a white turtle-neck sweater with blue jeans. A yellow headband crested over top her flowing, dark brown hair. However stern her face looked now, as he'd seen it many times, her delicate features and light blue eyes had given him comfort so many more. It was she who had selflessly stepped up to nurse him back to health, just as she'd taken in Ellone well before his arrival.

"But Raine!" the girl whined. "It's only next door!"

"It doesn't matter. You promised me you wouldn't do it. Now, go to your room."

Raine pointed to the staircase in the back left corner, opposite the bar. Ellone's head sunk in defeat. She looked back to Laguna with a glum face.

"I got in twouble."

"Dat's 'cause you bwoke your pwomise," he playfully lisped back.

"Laguna, speak properly to Ellone!" Raine snapped at him. Her eyes bulged as she noticed the machine gun. "And how many times have I told you not to carry that thing when she's around?!"

"Looks like I got in twouble, too," he slumped over. The carefree, innocent smile returned to the girl's face with a giggle.

"Now, there's a voice I never expected to hear again."

[Make that two.]

Laguna raised his head, directing his stare past Raine to the bar. A tall, slender figure was seated at its end. He wore a form-fitting red and black jumpsuit with bronze body armor. His attire aside, it was the three beaded dreadlocks trailing down his back which instantly caught Laguna's attention. A knowing grin flashed across his face as their eyes met.

"It's been a long time, Laguna," he greeted him, setting his glass of red wine down on the bar.

"Kiros!"

He sped across the room, blowing by Raine before she could open her mouth. His friend rose to meet him, his eyes widening in alarm as Laguna tackled him into a bear hug. Kiros stood limply in his arms before finally reciprocating.

"Well, good to see you haven't changed a bit," he scoffed as they parted. "I was having a chat with Raine before you showed up. Sounds like you've settled in here nicely."

"You could say that," Laguna replied, noticing Ellone had trailed over to his side in the meantime. "Ellie, this is Uncle Laguna's friend, Kiros. He dresses kinda funny, but he's not a bad guy. Say 'hi'."

"Hewoo," she mumbled.

"Nice to meet you," Kiros introduced himself. He bent down to her level to shake her hand. "So, this here's your 'uncle', huh?"

"Indeed," Raine said. "And our resident comedian, to boot."

"Now, that doesn't surprise me one bit," he snorted, turning back to Laguna. "Gotta say, life's been pretty boring without you for entertainment."

"Hey, it's the first time you've seen me in, what, a year now? And that's how you're gonna treat me? I've been living a real productive life here, you know!"

"So I've heard. Word's been going around the other little towns in these parts, about the 'Monster Hunter of Winhill'. That's what brought me out here. Had to see if it might be a certain someone I used to know."

"I'll just leave you two to catch up," Raine smiled. "Ellone, I changed my mind. You can come help me with the laundry instead."

"Okay."

The two girls trailed away to the stairs. Laguna watched them ascend, and soon clear the banister to the second landing. The moment they were out of sight, he turned his attention back to Kiros.

"So, for real," he began, much more seriously. "You're… not here to drag me away for desertion, right?"

"Of course not!" his friend replied incredulously. He picked up his glass for another swig. "Relax, I'm not with the army anymore, either."

"Oh, good!" Laguna finally exhaled. He hoisted the assault rifle up and over his head, placing it on the bar. "When Ellone said there was someone looking for me, I got a little freaked out."

"Understandable. But no one else around here has reported you? That thing's clearly military issue, so they've got to have a hunch. And how did you end up all the way out here, anyway? I was sure you'd bit the big one back in Centra."

"Yeah, I kinda thought I was done for myself. I'm still a little shocked I made it out. I fought 'em all the way to that huge crystal, but got thrown off the cliff by a group of their android soldiers. I'm pretty sure my life flashed before my eyes."

"But you lived," Kiros said matter-of-factly. He set his glass down again, keeping his stare fixed to Laguna.

"By some miracle. Hurt like hell, though. It felt like every bone in my body was in pieces. Everything after that's a little fuzzy. I think the adrenaline is what pushed me to swim my way to safety. I managed to get aboard one of their ships, and just started north out of the crater. I didn't even care where I was heading, as long as I eventually hit land. I think it was five days before I ran ashore a ways south of here. I left my armor on the beach, and just started walking. My rations were all gone. The canteen was dry. I'm just lucky I found a freshwater spring, or I might've wasted away out there.

"After that, I managed to hunt myself some food. It wasn't long before the pain came roaring back, though. After a couple more days, I just couldn't do it anymore. I collapsed out in the fields around here. One of the local farmers found me and hauled me back to town. They set me up in the vacant house next door. Raine took it upon herself to help nurse me back to health. I was bed-ridden for a good few months."

"Damn," Kiros finally spoke. "And is that why you've started doing this 'Monster Hunter' thing? To return the favor?"

"You guessed it. It's the least I can do. Especially since all the young working men went off to enlist before I even showed up."

"All of them? In a little town like this? That's unusual."

"You'd think so… but that's a whole 'nother story. What about you? What've you been up to all this time?"

"Mostly traveling. Trying my hand at a few odd jobs here and there, whatever I can find. Stable employment's hard to come by these days. At least Ward's got something on that end."

"Oh, shit!"

Laguna grabbed hold of the bar to keep himself from toppling over. The ghastly picture of his comrade's bloodied gullet flashed in his mind, just as it had in his nightmares for months after the incident.

"He's alive?!"

"I'm surprised you didn't ask that sooner," Kiros frowned.

"Well, I figured since you didn't say anything that he'd… I dunno, I just didn't want to go there. But that's great! What's he doing these days?"

"Well, I patched him up as best I could. We rushed him back to base as soon as evac arrived. The surgeons managed to stitch up the wound, but… well, the damage to his larynx was beyond repair. He's completely mute now."

"You've gotta be kidding!" Laguna roared. "He can't talk at all?! That's just… man, that's gotta suck, especially with his sense of humor."

"Yeah, he got served an honorable discharge as soon as he was back on his feet, and fell into a deep depression. He's got a job working as a janitor at the D-District Prison. With his voice shot, it's about all he can really do now. It's the saddest thing. I've been out to see him a few times, and I'm getting pretty good at reading his facial expressions. Seemed like he was finally starting to come around last time."

"Well, that's good to hear," Laguna muttered. "Still… hard to imagine him mopping floors all day. Talk about a wild career change."

"If you think that's crazy, then clearly you haven't heard what Julia's been up to, either."

"What?!" his head shot up in surprise. "What's she been doing?"

"I guess you haven't turned on the radio lately," Kiros smiled slyly. "She's hit the big time. Julia Heartilly, Galbadia's newest singing sensation."

"Get out!" he gasped. "She made it?! That's fantastic! She told me all about how her dream was to was to become a singer one day!"

"Well, wish granted. She's got this one song that's getting played everywhere. You can't walk down the street back in the city without hearing it."

Laguna smiled. It elated him to learn she'd accomplished so much in such a short time. Though his own dream had fallen by the wayside, he'd since found a place of his own with his newfound family unit. So long as he could wake each morning to find Ellone's beaming face waiting for him next door, little else mattered.

"She's getting married in a couple months," Kiros snapped him out of his daydreaming. "To the colonel, of all people."

"Caraway?! How the hell does that work?!"

"Your guess is as good as mine. The world's a crazy place sometimes."

[Hold on…]

"Sometimes?" Laguna snorted, ignoring the persistent sensation. "But, if that's where her heart truly lies. As long as she's happy, that's all that matters."

"Is it?" Kiros shot him a skeptical look. "Of every reaction I was expecting to get out of you, that wasn't on my list."

"Well, I'm not the same guy I was back then. Settling in here's given me the fresh start I've needed for years. I've got new priorities now. A whole new lease on life."

"And a whole new someone to fawn over?"

Kiros' eyes were trained to the stairs.

"Why do you always gotta bust my balls?" Laguna shot back. "If you wanna see for yourself, why don't we head out and do some hunting right now?"

"You know I'm just yanking your chain like the good old days, right?" he smirked. He downed the last of his wine and set the empty glass on the bar. "But sure, I could use a bit of exercise. It's been a while since I've put my katars to any serious use."

"Great! Just let me run up and tell Raine."

Laguna turned away from the bar and crossed to the staircase. As he climbed upward, a conversation came into earshot. He instinctively slowed, muffling his footsteps. He trained his ears as his eyes cleared the boundary between ceiling and floor.

As with his own house, the tavern's upper level consisted of one large multi-purpose room. A pair of beds, one large and one small, rested against the northern side of the house, separated by a nightstand and a window overlooking spacious green fields. A clothing cupboard and vanity dresser stood along the eastern wall. The center gave way to a pair of lounge seats and a cushioned couch set around a coffee table. There the two sat, surrounded by various folded articles of clothing.

"Raine," the 4 year-old mewled. "Aren't yoo gonna marry Uncle Laguna?"

"A guy like that?" she scoffed, her tone so biting and sharp as to pierce through Laguna's chest and wrest his heart. "How could I? He was carried in here crying like a baby, and I was the one stupid enough to step up and take care of him. I can't stand how crude he is, and how every time I try to have a serious conversation, he just avoids it!"

"But he's really nice!" Ellone insisted. "I really, really like him! Raine, Uncle Laguna, and Ellie should all be together!"

"Oh, Ellone, I just don't think it could work. He says he wants to be there for us, and I think he means it. But I feel like… like he doesn't have it in him to stay in a quiet little country town like this. I think what he really wants to do is travel all over the world. Some people are just like that. Always looking for adventure, never wanting to be tied down to one place or person… oh, it makes me so mad!"

"Yoo don't like him?"

[Why am I being forced to listen to all of this?]

The question hung in the air for an uncomfortably long time. Laguna stood frozen in place on the stairs. Painful as they were for him to hear, Raine's concerns were not unfounded. His long road to recovery had put his plans on hold, as had his sense of honor to repay her and the rest of the town. And yet, could he ever truly find personal fulfillment at the cost of his only abiding dream?

"I do," Raine finally answered, her voice shaky. "I feel the same way as you, Ellone. I really do. I wish it were that simple… but it's not…"

He carefully backed down the stairs into the tavern proper, taking great pains to stay silent. Kiros had already left through the front door. After a few moments, he began stomping on the bottom step repeatedly before finally resuming his ascent. He strolled up at a leisurely pace. Raine quickly righted her slouched posture as he rose onto the second floor landing.

"Is everything alright?" she asked. Her voice had yet to completely shake off the warble.

"Yes, Commander!" he suddenly snapped into a salute with a grin. "Permission requested to take new recruit Kiros out on monster patrol!"

"Yay!" Ellone cheered. She jumped up on the couch, pumping her fist. "Go get 'em, Uncle Laguna!"

"Thank you, Assistant Commander Ellone!" he smiled.

"Permission granted," Raine played along. "Just be back by noon for lunch."

"Yes, ma'am!"

He released the salute, and turned to make his way back downstairs.

"And Laguna?"

He turned his head back to her. She held her hands clasped in front, her eyes staring directly into his.

"Please… be careful out there."

"Of course."

He gave them both a parting wave before continuing down the steps. His heart pounded all the while. He willed his nerves to calm themselves as he crossed back over to the bar to retrieve his rifle. He slung it back over his shoulder, made his way to the front door, and threw it open. Kiros waited just outside. He'd drawn both his katars, precariously twirling the weapons by their handles.

"We all set?" he asked. He promptly ceased his showboating, and sheathed the blades on his thighs.

"Yeah," Laguna said, shutting the door behind him. "Come on, let's roll out. I'll show you my usual patrol route."

He gestured along the main road leading over the bridge and out of town. The route usually took him anywhere from one-and-a-half to two hours, depending on how many monsters he encountered.

"Sounds good. Oh, and there's one more thing I wanted to tell you, Laguna. You've heard of Timber Maniacs, right?"

The very mention of Timber unsettled him; the billowing inferno still remained imprinted in his memory.

"The magazine company? Sure. They're still in business? Even after the invasion?"

"Yeah, I've been back in the last couple of months. There's been a big rebuilding effort going on. Everything's under martial law, of course. Anyway, you were looking to become a travel journalist, right? I met with the chief editor, and he said he'd be interested in any kind of freelance article related to world travel. I get that you've got different priorities now, but… well, if that's still something you really want to do, maybe you should go meet with him one of these days. You could pitch him a few stories of the places you've already been to. Who knows? It could end up being your big break."

"Could be," Laguna muttered as they came to the bridge. He stopped before setting foot on the first wooden panel. "Well… say, I went through with that… do you think I'd be able to stay local for the time being?"

"Maybe," Kiros frowned. "But that would kinda defeat the purpose of being a travel journalist, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah… I guess."

"Laguna… what's going on? Seriously, this isn't like you. What's going through your head?"

He hesitated, not meeting his friend's eyes. He instead peered over the railing to the tranquil river below; it snaked along the canal bound west for the ocean. A light breeze whipped across the bridge, causing his hair to sway. He remained standing there, paralyzed, as the world moved on all around. He could hear adventure calling to him from far down the winding trail ahead. But could he bring himself to follow?

"It's just… like I was saying before, all the young men went off to enlist a couple years back. But the reason for it… do you remember Esthar's first naval strike up north, off the Rhem Archipelago?"

"Of course," Kiros affirmed. "I was sent in with the reinforcement battalion to assist the coast guard. We intercepted their troop transports, and blew them all out of the water."

"Well, what you probably don't know is they sent a smaller detachment down here around that same time. They marched right in, and demanded every family in the village hand over their daughters."

"What?!" Kiros spluttered. His face contorted in shock. "Why? And why in a little town in the middle of nowhere like this?"

"Well, the theory is that Adel was looking for someone to take under her wing. As for why here, probably because it's so far out of the way. Close enough to home to make a clean getaway, and far enough from the capital to not have to worry about any kind of skirmish."

"But the townspeople had to have fought back against something like that!"

"Ellone's parents did. And they…"

The bullet holes ingrained into the wall resurfaced in his mind. With each morning, he would descend the stairs to stand in their presence, and be reminded of the tragedy that had taken place in that very room only a year before his arrival. Ellone's mother and father had the foresight to hide their baby with Raine, and were made to face the consequences for refusing to hand her over. She'd been too little to possibly remember, and he too empathetic to forget Raine's retelling.

"I… I'm sorry," Kiros stuttered. "That's terrible."

"And that's why I don't know if I can bring myself to leave," Laguna finally admitted. "She needs me… and I need her. I get scared sometimes. Scared of not waking up in that house. Scared of not seeing Ellone."

"Scared of not seeing Raine?"

He gripped the bridge's railing, and shut his eyes.

"I just don't know what's happened to me."

[I'd like to know that myself…]

"Laguna… I was wrong. You have changed…"