Burning from Within

by Bravo_Figaro

Summary:

Terra starts her new life without family, friends, or even an identity. With no other options, she accepts the Returner's protection as she tries to uncover her past. The more she learns about herself - the fire, the anguish, the beast inside - the more she comes to dread. It's not easy to open up to her new friends. They have their own issues and agendas, and Terra can't be sure how she fits into their lives. The same is not true of a young monk whose life is as open as hers and whose support is unburdened by geopolitical machinations. Deciding to take her life into her own hands, Terra allies herself with the former prince and joins the growing band of heroes.

This is a retelling of Act 1 focusing on Terra's perspective, fluctuating from canon to suit my selfish motives. This Terra will be noticeably different from the one in the game - more adult themes require a more adult character. Although Terra is still at her core a brave and caring person, her thoughts and actions are influenced by trauma she can't fully remember and powers she can't fully understand. This may sometimes sound and feel like a gritty reboot, but I promise to always swing back to positivity.

Notes:

If you're just starting this, thanks for checking it out. Try to be patient with me on the first few chapters - I was pretty rusty when I wrote them, and I let the narrative wander a little to understand where I wanted to go.

Chapter 1: Awaken

“Do you remember your name?”

Her mind reeled from the simple question. She tried to focus through the pounding ache in her skull that resonated from a sharp pain in the temples. What do others call her? What does she call herself? “Terra,” she said, not fully aware of how she found the answer.

The two men spoke amongst themselves in hushed tones. Terra could hear the words but could not process them. Fragments of memories flashed across her mind’s eye, accompanied by echoes of pain and fear, of fire and metal, of screams and blood. And behind it all a haunting laugh. Why did she hurt those people? Where did she get that power? Terra groaned as she sat herself up on the bed and placed her feet on the floor. Whatever strength and power she felt in her memories were gone now. She wasn’t sure she could stand.

“Whoa, hold on there. You need time to recover.”

The man sounded kind and concerned. He put his hand on Terra’s shoulder with the gentle intent of getting her to lie back down, but Terra rose anyway. After a moment fighting off dizziness, she stood firmly on her own. “Who are you two? Why am I here?”

“It’s … complicated. My name is Arvis, and this is Locke. We want to help you.”

Terra took some careful steps towards a window. She glanced outside and saw a dark, snowy street spotted with lamplight. There were men moving in groups across the streets, wearing a uniform that she could recall only in flashes. The memory, like so many others, was tainted with fire and death. Her fire; their death. The man she understood to be Locke drew the blinds in front of her.

“We’re trying to hide you,” Locke explained. “You were part of an Imperial attack on the town. It’s not your fault - the Empire used you as a weapon, controlling you with this device.” He held up a strange crown, bent and broken beyond repair. Many wires ran the length of it, leading to nodes on either side with a short spike pointing inwards. The spike was still stained with blood, and Terra instinctively reached to her head, feeling the moistened bandage at her temple.

Locke continued, “Those guards won’t understand your situation. They’re angry and afraid. We don’t want them to find you - nobody else needs to be hurt tonight.”

The pieces came together in Terra’s mind. “Why are you hiding me? It must be dangerous.”

The two men shared an anxious glance. Locke spoke up, “Arvis and I oppose the Empire. We wanted to know more about you because of … what happened … inside the mines, where we found you. It’s difficult to explain, but the Empire attacked the town just to bring you in contact with something deep inside the mine, and we don’t really know what happened or why. We found you unconscious, and the other Imperial soldiers were dead.”

As he spoke, her memories took form. It happened earlier this night, but it felt like a different life. She marched with the others through the town, crushing its defenders with their war engines. They advanced through the caves, breaking down barricades and destroying great monsters meant to repel them. Then they met the creature - a magnificent beast encased in ice. Terra watched herself as she stepped towards it - completely removed from her own will in more ways than one. A voice pierced her mind, a great and terrible speech she couldn’t comprehend. Bursts of energy and destruction followed, but she couldn’t break her gaze on the creature. The voice called for her, but it didn’t say what it wanted. Before any words could take shape, she reeled back from an explosion. The voice and the lights faded into darkness.

“You want to know more about me,” Terra said. “And I don’t even know about myself. I can’t explain what happened. I don’t remember a thing about myself.”

The two men shared an anxious glance again. Arvis spoke up this time. “You may remember more later. I don’t know what you’re going through, but I’m sure you’ll get better soon. And we’re going to help you along the way. There’s something special about you, Terra.”

‘Special’ - Terra winced at the word. He meant ‘different’, and even then he wouldn’t be completely right. As little as Terra knew about herself, she was deeply aware of her magic. With such unnatural powers, could she even be human? Terra breathed in deeply, manifesting her energy as healing magic. She felt the pain in her head dissipate, and various cuts and bruises across her body cleared up. The two men weren’t sure what they just saw - none of the wounds on her body were clearly visible, but Terra was bathed in a faint glowing aura for a moment as the spell took effect.

Before they could speak, an armored fist pounded on the door. “Open up!” a voice yelled. “We know you’re holding the witch! Bring her out now!”

“Shit” muttered Locke. He grabbed Terra’s wrist and pulled her towards the back door. Arvis gave them both a knowing nod as he walked to the front door, shouting back some confused nonsense to stall the guard. Locke peered through the back and said, “We need to go.”

“Wait!” Terra demanded as she pulled herself free from Locke’s grip. “How do I know I can trust you? How do I know you’re not planning to use me or kill me?”

He paused for a moment. “Right now, neither of us have a choice. I’ll try to earn your trust, but in the meantime you can either escape with me or stay here and get us all killed.” He extended his hand to offer his help.

The shouting from the front of the house grew louder. Terra considered her situation. Those guards could try to take her, but they’d face her fire first. Even dazed and wounded, she knew a deep well of power resided within. She didn’t know these men claiming to help her - why should she trust them over her own magic? Her fists clenched and she could feel the heat rise in her hands.

“Terra!” Locke interjected, breaking her train of thought. “Nobody else needs to die tonight. Please, trust me.”

His expression disarmed her. As much as he was offering his help, he was asking for hers. She breathed out, releasing the anger that was building inside, and took his hand. He must have felt the excess warmth on her palm. “Let’s go.”

They fled across a catwalk, making their way to the caves. Guards shouted and pointed at them from the street below, scrambling in different directions to intercept. Locke cursed again, darting into the rocky passage with Terra by his side. He stopped for a moment to consider his knowledge of the Narshe mines.

“I need to distract them,” he explained. “I can lead them through the maze by the moogle nest. They should be easy to lose. Then I can meet with you again.”

“So I run out on my own? I have no idea which way to go!” she whispered urgently.

“There’s a passage through here,” he said, pointing to a narrow gap in the rocks. She would barely fit in the tunnel. “I know it’s tight and winding, but they won’t think to search it while I’m leading them on. At the other end there’s a secret door. I’ll meet you there and then we escape. Understood?”

She wanted to argue, to find any other way out of here, but she had nothing to propose and the echoes of distant marching silenced her protests. She peered into the narrow tunnel and cringed at the thought of forcing herself through it. “Yes,” she said reluctantly and pushed herself inside. “Hurry!” she called back before he disappeared from view.

The sounds of shouts and hurried footsteps passed behind her. The guards took Locke’s bait and ran after him. That left her alone in this cramped passage, squeezing her way through the rocks. Tight twists and sudden hurdles slowed her to a crawl, turning a short distance into a torturously long journey. Even worse, she traveled in total darkness. It didn’t take long to lose all the light behind her, and there was no light ahead to know where she was going - if indeed, she was headed anywhere at all. Tendrils of doubt creeped into her senses, since nothing else did. Would Locke be waiting for her? Would he succeed in his escape? Was he even trying to help her? Was this a trap the whole time? Would she find imperial troops waiting for her on the other side? What was that horrible laughter echoing in her mind?

Without even realizing, she found the end of the tunnel and stumbled out. Surprised by the sudden change in space and footing, she fell forward and landed with a loud thud. A voice called out from around the corner. “Is that you, David?” The sound of approaching footsteps quickly followed.

Terra’s hands found a dagger at her side - she wasn’t even aware of it before this moment. Without thinking, she stalked forward towards the corner to meet the incoming guard, surprising him with a deadly strike before he could raise an alarm. His eyes widened with shock as the steel plunged into his chest. The warmth of blood ran over her hands as she pressed the blade to the hilt. A wave of horror crashed into Terra, and she released the weapon. His face froze in a state of pain and panic. She realized that she knew this very look - a man realizing he’s in the last few seconds of his life. To see this look on such a young face, though...

He staggered backwards with a few steps and fell to the floor. He reached a weak hand towards her. It seemed like desperation, not anger. What would his own killer do for him now? Terra came to him and tried to listen to his words, but he spoke in a doomed tongue that only the dying know. She could help him - but what then? What would stop him calling for his comrades?

Only when she looked into his eyes did she notice the tears blurring her vision. She couldn’t bear the sinking weight in her heart. She placed one hand on his chest. Her other hand slowly pulled the blade from his body. She chanted as she did so, channeling the impulse to care for this man into a healing spell. To her relief, the wound closed up as the dagger came out. The dying man found his next breath came easier, and so did the one after that. He smiled, almost delirious with joy as the darkness receded from him. Then he cast a confused and worried look towards Terra.

“Be quiet,” she said. “Please.”

He nodded. Was it fear or appreciation? She couldn’t tell.

The fast sound of running feet approached. Terra turned to see Locke rounding the corner. He smiled when he saw her, satisfied that his plan worked. Then he leaned slightly over to see the fallen guard beside her. His hands went to his own daggers.

“No!” she said, gesturing for him to stop. He paused as he looked upon the young soldier. “He’s not a threat.”

“Good,” Locke replied. He didn’t fully understand the scene before him. Blood ran down the young man’s uniform and all over Terra’s hands. Tears streaked his face, and more blood spilled from the corners of his mouth. This looked a lot more like a murder than a surrender. He wanted to ask what happened, but there was no time. “We need to go.”

Chapter 2: Figaro

Summary:

After arriving at Castle Figaro, Terra decides to learn more about the men claiming to protect her.

Terra paced anxiously in the luxurious bedroom. The fineries of Castle Figaro did not distract from the feeling of being a prisoner. Locke brought her here so they could meet the King, who was somehow his friend. But the meeting was about her, not for her. They ushered her into this room and a guard stood watch outside. She may as well be in the dungeons below, with all the other people too dangerous to walk free.

“‘Scuse me, miss?” asked a knock at the door. She opened it to see the guard placed at her door offered her a plate of hot food. She breathed in the aroma of herbs, roasted vegetables, and seared meat. A simple meal, but an unfamiliar delicacy to her. She took the plate graciously, surprised that the guard didn’t seem nervous in her presence.

“Thanks,” she said. “Could you get me something to drink?”

“I’d have to call the serving girl… I can’t leave my post.”

She shook her head, disappointed that she couldn’t get him to leave. So she risked her magic instead. She closed her eyes and reached toward the man, her fingers pushing forward a dizzying enchantment. He blinked in amazement and then did nothing else. Terra sampled the delicious meal, making sure the guard wouldn’t snap out of her spell. Satisfied that he was fully entranced, she led him out of the room, carefully guiding each footstep, and leaned him against the wall outside. She snuck away, eager to indulge her newfound freedom.

It was quiet and dark throughout the castle. Terra crept through the halls, her bare footfalls making no sound. Distant conversation - or maybe merriment - echoed through the halls, drawing her in. She recognized Locke’s voice, as well as the King. They spoke and laughed the way friends do, which is unfortunately a manner Terra was unfamiliar with. She put her ear to the door to the Grand Hall, and the clear sound of the voices confirmed they were just on the other side.

A woman emerged from a doorway, holding food and drink on a tray. Terra ducked around a corner, praying she wasn’t noticed. The woman opened another door across the hall, and the voices from inside the dining room boomed loudly through the castle. Terra carefully pushed open the door she eavesdropped from - just far enough to peek through. As she hoped, she found a darkened corner of the Grand Hall. She slipped through and listened in - the King and Locke were too engrossed in their conversation to notice her moving through the shadows.

“Of course he doesn’t believe me,” the king spoke. “That cruel little clown can’t be swayed by deceit, sincerity, or even the truth in front of his eyes. He wants to crush us and he’s got those war engines ready to do it.”

The girl set down a plate for Locke, then she leaned conspicuously close to the king to serve him. He smiled and shot her a sly wink. To Terra’s surprise, the girl winked back. The king handed her an empty wine bottle and gestured for another one. She nodded and left to retrieve more wine. The king watched her backside as she walked out. She must have known he would, because her hips swayed with unmistakable intent.

“Then we need to escape.” Locke replied. “Is the contingency plan for the castle ready?”

“Designed, reviewed, tested, and retested. They don’t call me the King of Machines for nothing. I’ve been so very eager to debut this marvel to the world.”

“Good, then that just leaves us. We’ll need to sneak through the cave pass to South Figaro and then across Mount Kolts. The hideout’s on the Lethe River. We’ll need to act quickly. I have no doubt the Empire’s ready for war, and there’s no stopping them once they move.”

The king sighed. “This false alliance has brought me nothing but pain. Gestahl’s armies have always been an order away from seizing my lands and my people. That cursed magitek can’t be beaten…”

“Maybe that can change,” Locke chimed in hopefully. Terra understood that she was the only reason he’d say that.

“Speaking of her… what do we know of the girl?” the king asked. They were finally having the conversation Terra needed to hear. She listened carefully, hoping to glean their true intent.

Locke sighed. “Nothing. You just met her - you probably know just as much as me, if not more.”

The serving girl returned with a fresh bottle of wine. She poured a glass for the king, who handed it back to her. Then he stood from his chair and pulled back a seat for her at the table, offering it with a courteous bow. Her face beamed with joy at such an opportunity, and she sat with the two friends at the king’s table.

Locke seemed hesitant to proceed, choosing his words carefully. “Are you sure we should discuss such sensitive matters with…”

The king balked at his concern. “I trust every soul in this castle. The beautiful ones more so.” He took the chair next to the serving girl rather than returning to his place at the head of the table. “Jane here has my full confidence, and I’m eager to hear her perspective. Tell me my dear, what do you think of our green-haired guest?”

She blushed at his words. Terra recognized her as the girl who showed her around the castle. What could she have to say about Terra? They hardly talked.

“Highness,” Jane started. “Your guest carries deep wounds in her soul. She keeps a considerable distance from you and Locke - that’s to be expected from anyone in her situation. Vulnerable women know to fear powerful men. But she kept that distance with me, too. I think she’s never had anyone she could trust, and I’m afraid the memories sealed within her mind are more painful and terrifying than anything I could dream of. She’s on her own, and I have no idea if you can change that.”

Terra gritted her teeth as she heard these words. She wanted to lash out, hurt and angry at the obvious truth. The little she could remember was enough to know that she didn’t want any more. But to hear her predicament spelled out so plainly by a stranger who did little more than show her to her room… that tore at her.

Locke spoke up, “We need Terra if we hope to turn the tables on the Empire. She must have played a part in their development of magitek. Why would they risk such a valuable asset in their attack on Narshe?”

“Maybe it didn’t seem like a risk,” the king replied. “Narshe’s defenders didn’t stand a chance. They only failed because of the event with the …” he trailed off, not certain if he had the right word.

“Esper,” Locke said for him. An ominous dread fell over the conversation. “Yes, I saw it myself. It couldn’t be anything else.”

The word rang in Terra’s mind like a bell. Unlike most other things in this world, she didn’t need it explained. Creatures of awesome magical power that wreaked havoc in times long past - allies and enemies of humans in a great war that can’t be confirmed as history or denied as myth. Memories of the night in Narshe shook in her head, rattled by the bell. She could remember the creature herself - a brilliant bird locked in ice. It tried to speak to her, through some kind of connection she couldn’t understand. It sounded like a pained scream piercing her very soul. The pain was unbearable, and the memory ended in a flash of light. What was the esper doing?

Jane muttered, “Espers aren’t even supposed to be real.”

“I’m not sure what to believe in the stories of the War of the Magi,” the king said. “It would be comforting to reject it outright, but Gestahl clearly knows something we don’t. There’s little doubt his secrets of Magitek are founded in real magic. It must have something to do with espers. They’ll come back to Narshe, and we need to stop them.”

“Agreed,” replied Locke. “We’ll meet with Banon and coordinate a defense with Narshe. He’ll need to convince them to join our cause. And maybe Terra will know what to do with the esper.” He stood up from the table, ready to leave. “It’s been a rough journey, I’m going to get some comfortable rest while I still can. We need to be ready tomorrow morning.”

The king nodded. “Tell the councilor to meet me in ten-” he started, his eyes running over Jane intently, “-thirty minutes. I have more to discuss with Jane.”

Locke rolled his eyes and waved a dismissive hand as he left the dining hall. Terra wondered if she should slip back out to make sure he doesn’t try to check on her. But she got distracted by Jane, who nearly leapt from her chair and landed directly on her king’s lap. Her legs straddled his waist and wrapped around the back of his chair. Her arms rested around his shoulders. Her breasts nearly pressed into his face - it seemed like they would if he hadn’t leaned back and looked up to meet her eyes. Her lips descended onto his, speaking to him in ways that words can’t. Terra watched in amazement, her heart pulsing with a strange sense of excitement.

“My dear,” the king said, barely above a whisper. “I actually have matters to discuss with you.”

“Oh?” she replied, planting kisses down the side of his neck. “You’re not going to ask me to invite my sister again, are you?”

He cleared his throat, trying not to acknowledge his own embarrassment. “No, you were clear the first time. But this is about your family - all your friends and loved ones, in fact.”

Jane pulled back from her amorous embrace. “What do you mean?”

The king spoke with a somber tone. “This is the eve of war for Figaro. A war I have no clear vision of winning, and we all will suffer because of it. Imperial armies will take our cities, and there is nothing I can do to stop it. Everyone in my kingdom will taste the cruelty of Imperial rule.”

“Why are you saying this?” she asked. The joy was drained from her voice.

“Because I have a mission for you,” he explained as he removed one of his many rings and handed it to her. “Tomorrow, go to Kohlingen. Present this ring and my words to the viceroy - take the treasury and immediately disburse it to the citizens. Organize a network of communication and support for all the people of the city. You must all do your best to take care of each other in any way you can. I need to give you the resources to do so.”

She sat speechless, still in his lap. She took the ring and felt it against her finger. The way she cradled one hand in the other made it seem heavy and burdensome. “Why,” she uttered, not sure how to finish the sentence, “why would you ask this of me? I’m just a common wench…”

He smiled, trying to project confidence. “Because you know how important it is that people like your family make it through these hard times. My commanders care for their armies. My governors care for their office. My engineers care for their machines, and I care for you! We only care for what we know, and nobody else in these halls knows what it means to be common.”

Jane got up from his seat. She steadied herself on the table, still somewhat disoriented from this new responsibility. After a moment to regain her composure, she said, “I won’t let you down, my lord.”

“Please, call me Edgar,” he said. “Go, prepare for your journey tomorrow.”

Terra watched as the girl left the dining hall, distraught by the turn the night took. Edgar seemed equally displeased, hanging his head into his hands as he sat in silence. She thought about everything she had just seen and heard. She expected to find some indication that her new friends were not to be trusted, but instead she learned of their own predicaments. She slinked out of the room, and quickly returned to her chambers. The evening of eavesdropping left a sour taste in her mouth, and the cold plate of food waiting for her didn’t help.

Chapter 3: Magic

Summary:

Terra reveals her powers to Edgar and Locke. How will they react?

They had trouble believing their eyes, even though Terra’s powers were something they expected to see. A charred corpse smoldered and sizzled inside the wrecked hulk of the magitek war engine. Moments earlier the pilot was screaming in agony, trapped inside an arcane conflagration that appeared from nowhere. Moments before that, he was bearing down and firing powerful blasts of energy on the three of them. In mere seconds Locke and Edgar experienced terror, followed by relief, followed by disbelief.

“... Magic?” Edgar asked, to nobody in particular.

Terra’s hand, still outstretched from the spell, fell to her side. She did what had to be done, and though she felt no regret or shame for incinerating that man, she hoped to keep her powers secret. Or, at least, reveal them in a less terrifying setting. Now her companions were terrified of her rather than the enemy.

The war machine whistled with tension, like a tea kettle left unattended. The sound intensified to a piercing screech until the whole machine exploded. Smoke billowed towards the sky as the wreckage burned, its unstable fuel cells sparking intense flames of many different colors. The spectacle was sure to draw the other Imperials. But rather than act on the need to escape, Edgar and Locke focused on the scene of destruction. Then, as Terra dreaded, they turned their gaze to her.

"I wouldn't have believed it without seeing it," said Locke. "I heard the stories in Narshe but that was easy enough to dismiss in the chaos of battle. This is something else entirely. You're a…"

His pause, just momentary, stuck in Terra's throat. Thoughts of the vile words he could say rushed through her mind, with 'freak' seeming the most likely and hurtful.

"... amazing," he finished. Her apprehension vanished, and she thanked Locke with a sincere smile.

Edgar’s face betrayed nothing of his thoughts or feelings. Locke and Terra waited for him to speak up, and when he finally did he only stated the obvious. “We need to leave this place. They’ll be here soon.”

The rest of the day disappeared into the desert. Even with the assistance of their aviary steeds, the journey was strenuous and exhausting. They had to shield themselves from the elements - desiccating heat and blistering sandstorms. Between the cloth covering their faces and the wind battering their ears, there was no room to hold a conversation. It didn’t take long to escape their pursuers, but they kept traveling at a brisk pace to escape the desert before nightfall. Their efforts paid off, as they could see lush prairie in the distance as the sun set behind them.

The journey served as a good distraction from the awkwardness and tension from before, but, now that they were making camp for the night, Terra felt the weight of the moment all over again. Edgar remained silent on the matter, focusing instead on setting up their admittedly comfortable tent and preparing a delicious and nourishing supper. He played a perfect host, even outside his castle.

Terra didn’t know what to make of his silence, and she couldn’t tell what Locke thought of it either. The two of them spoke about the specifics of their journey, planning out a timeline and discussing the dangers they might face. Monsters in a cave. Imperials in South Figaro. Bandits in the pass of Mount Kolts. She knew nothing of these places and thought very little of the threats - after all, if she could rely on nothing else in this world she still had her magic. She knew that Edgar held some concerns about that magic. They loomed over her all day, and as more time passed without clearing the air she only grew more tense.

They all settled in for the night. Edgar had a series of traps and alarms meant to keep them safe while they slept, but there were no contraptions to make Terra feel comfortable sleeping next to a man who thought of her as some kind of witch. She lost track of time and she lay awake, wondering what Edgar might try to do with her guard down. The minutes bled into hours with nothing happening but bodies shifting in their sleep.

Terra needed to get away: have some fresh air, feel the cool night, and maybe see some stars. She indeed felt much better out of the tent, away from Edgar. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply and slowly, putting her mind at peace for the moment. A chirp from her chocobo steed brought a smile to her face, and she went over to the friendly bird to scratch its head and feed it a cracker.

"Her name is Becka."

Terra turned to see Edgar, freshly emerged from the tent. Ever the courteous host, he carried a tea set with him. "Cute name. I get it," she said.

"I owe you an apology," he said, taking a seat by the remains of their campfire. He started tinkering with the embers to get enough heat for the water. "I should have told you immediately that your... abilities... are not a problem for me."

Terra joined him. She extended her fingers over the embers and ash, evoking a minor spell to revive the flames. Edgar gave her a small nod and set the kettle by the fire.

He continued, "These things you can do, I simply don't understand it. That's all that magic is - doing what others can't understand. In my life, I'm supposed to be the magician. I have the wealth of a nation at my disposal to shower my friends with luxuries. I’m an expert engineer and inventor. I’m a deft politician who manipulates his enemies into false alliances. I’m supposed to understand everything and everyone. But I don't understand you, Terra."

“You could have talked to me sooner.”

“Yes, and I should have. But I wasn’t ready to explain myself. You put me in a very unusual situation. I’m in control of everything in my kingdom, but I have no power over you. Furthermore, I’m powerless against you. None of my charms, wiles, or even treasures could stop you from doing anything you want.”

“So… you are afraid of me,” she sighed.

Edgar matched her sigh with his own. He poured each of them a cup of tea, and pondered his reply as he took a cautious sip. “People are always afraid of what they can’t understand or control. Being afraid is not a choice, but acting out of fear is. I’m choosing to ignore my fear and to trust you.”

“Trust me to do what?” she asked. In the days that had passed since they left Narshe, Locke explained what he could of the Empire, the Returners, and all the people in between. But she still had no idea how she fit into any of this - other than as a weapon for someone else to use.

“To do what’s right for you and your friends. I hope we can be friends.”

Edgar offered his teacup for a toast. Terra smiled and clinked his cup. “Today, I burned down an experimental war machine and helped make some tea. You made a castle disappear. I think we’re both magicians.”

Chapter 4: Shadow

Summary:

Terra recalls her first memories when seeing a familiar set of eyes in a tavern. The man behind those eyes haunts her memories.

Notes:

I'm playing with the idea that Shadow has a significant role in Terra's past. As a mercenary in service of the Empire, his actions should have a direct and negative impact on others.

Terra fidgeted with the wrap around her head. It concealed her hair, just as a veil concealed her face. She glanced over to Edgar and Locke, both dressed in the same garb. She hoped it didn’t look as silly on her as it did on them. She actually liked the veil.

They stood at the entrance to South Figaro. Edgar released two of their chocobos as part of their false identities. Merchants would have just one steed to carry their wares. He often travelled incognito across his own kingdom, and to his knowledge it always worked. They needed to stop for supplies and to gather some information. Edgar was hoping to hear about Imperial movements now that his kingdom was at war against a terrifically mightier foe.

“I’ll take Becka here to the stables. We’ll stay the night and then head out early in the morning. Make sure to keep a low profile.” Edgar explained to Terra. She nodded, already piecing together the details from his previous conversations with Locke.

Locke swooped his arm around hers, joining them at the elbow. “Let’s buy a room for the night. Everyone’s on the lookout for a strange girl, so let’s make sure that when they look at you they see us as a couple. You’d be surprised how often these simple tricks work.”

She nodded again. She leaned into him a bit, trying to play the character of an adoring wife. “Like this?”

“Yeah,” he replied. She took on the role better than he expected.

“Good,” Edgar chimed in. “I’ll meet up with you two soon.”

Locke led Terra through the bustling streets. Everyone seemed to have somewhere to be or something to do. The noise and the chaos almost overwhelmed her, and she was thankful to have a good excuse for Locke to physically guide her through the city. Every passing wagon threatened to run her down. Every shouting merchant tried to accost her. Even the pedestrians cast a dreadful gaze on her. She closed her eyes, keeping the frightful images out of her mind.

“Hey, you ok?”

She opened her eyes and found herself indoors. She didn’t even notice walking through a doorway.

“Yeah…” she said, clearly recovering from a daze.

“Give yourself a minute,” he offered sympathetically. Locke had no idea what rattled her, but he understood that she needed to gather herself. “This is the ground floor of the inn. You’ve just got a flight of stairs and a boisterous tavern between here and a good night’s sleep, ok?”

Terra nodded quietly. She nearly chastised herself for panicking so thoroughly. Hopefully a good night’s sleep would help, and the morning wouldn’t be so bad. She tried to swallow her anxieties and said, “I’m ok. Let’s go.”

As they walked up the stairs she heard the cheers and the music from the tavern growing louder. When he opened the door, it hit her like a crashing wave. A handful of dancers kicked and twirled for the crowd’s entertainment. Men shouted and whistled from the nearby tables. The few coherent cheers applauded the dancer’s legs and backsides. Terra cast her eyes aside. She had no interest in this spectacle. Locke agreed and pulled her around the back tables, avoiding the stage. Then she saw the dark-clad man and froze mid-step.

He seemed just like any other traveller in the bar. She could only recognize him by his eyes, but she knew that cold, uncaring stare immediately. Memories of him flooded her mind. He seemed to wear darkness itself as his uniform. He watched her from afar. He watched her from up close. His piercing gaze stalked her through the night. She couldn’t escape him. Was she running? Was she running from him?

He was watching her now, his eyes meeting hers. Like he knew. He always seemed to know.

“What is it?” asked Locke, eager to get out of the public eye.

“You need to go ahead,” she said grimly. She grasped his cloak to keep him from turning. The dark-clad man would see his face if he did.

“What are you talking about? We’re staying together.”

“No, we’re not,” she said with uncharacteristic certainty. She kept her eyes on the dark-clad man while commanding Locke. “Go find Edgar now. I’ll be here. There’s something I need to do.”

Locke looked around, but Terra’s hand kept his face away from the dark-clad man’s gaze. It was bad enough the dark-clad man could recognize her - she had to keep him from identifying her friends. She gave him one last word. “Now.”

He backed away, confused but convinced. Trying to seem inconspicuous, he walked back the way they came. She heard his steps hurry down the stairs.

Terra approached the dark-clad man and took a seat at his table. She’d never seen his face before - it was surprisingly plain. He drank from his bottle of beer and set it back onto the table. “Witch,” he said, like a greeting.

“Shadow,” she replied, knowing no other name to call him.

“I heard there’s a lot of people looking for you. There’s a fortune on your head.”

“How did you find me?” she asked. The fear crept into her voice.

“I’m not looking for you,” he answered. “You found me.”

Terra was taken aback. “Then what are you doing here?”

“That’s between me and my employer.”

“The Empire? Gestahl?” she asked. The memories were crystallizing as she spoke. Shadow worked for them. She remembered him receiving orders and payment, then returning and receiving more payment. Whatever he did, he did it well.

“What’s it matter to you?”

“I can’t let you do it,” she spoke, the fire audible in her voice. “You won’t hunt me down again. I’ll burn this place to the ground and everyone inside… if that’s what it takes. You know I can.” She focused her energies, fully prepared to release an inferno. The fear and anger from her memories fed the fires growing inside her. She’d rather die here and now than to feel so scared and helpless again. A growl beneath the table broke her concentration.

“Down, boy,” he said. The growling stopped. “You don’t need to worry about me, Witch. Not today. Like I said, I’m not looking for you, and nobody needs to know I saw you. That’s not my mission. We can both leave this place alive. They can, too,” he said, gesturing broadly everyone else in the tavern.

“Do you expect me to forget?” The pieces of her memories shifted into place. She was young - still a child. And she was free - or at least she felt free. She must have escaped from them somehow. But he found her, and no matter how fast she ran or how well she hid, he still found her again and again. He always brought her back to them, and that’s where the memories faded.

“I don’t expect anything from you,” he replied. “The only thing you should expect of me is to do my job.”

With that, he placed a stack of coins on the table and rose from his chair. He walked past Terra, not looking back as she watched him with a hateful gaze. The dog stopped for a moment before leaving with his master and looked back at her. When she looked it in the eyes she felt a pang of sympathy from the beast. Then it quickly returned to Shadow.

The dog’s sincere pity broke her bitter pride. The deep well of rage from her new memories soured into despair. She collapsed into tears, burying her face in her arms, sobbing into the table. She was a fool to think she would ever be free from the Empire. All they need to do is send the Shadow after her.

A reassuring hand fell on her shoulder. “Oh, sweetie,” an unfamiliar voice said. “He’s not worth it.” The serving girl picked up the coins from the table and moved on to the other patrons.

Chapter 5: Instinct

Summary:

The party encounters Vargas in a windy mountain pass. Terra wonders if her magic can save her.

Travelling through the pass at Mount Kolts proved far more dangerous than Terra expected. Venomous plants, giant wasps, cave bears, and even simple bandits harassed them every step of the way. She had no idea how the bandits managed to survive among these beasts - sometimes even attacking alongside them.

The constant fighting put a strain on Terra’s powers. Her allies needed healing, either from injury or poison. Enemies that got too close needed to be incinerated. She felt her energy running thin, and she was not ready for the ferocity of the mad monk blocking their path.

He stood at the end of the pass. The wind howled around him, his loose clothes flapping wildly but his stance completely steadfast. The forces of nature converged on this one spot, and the mysterious man seemed to be their master. Edgar, Locke, and Terra all shared a concerned glance. Whatever came next was not going to be easy.

Edgar tried to shout to the man, but even Terra couldn’t hear Edgar’s words over the gale. Deciding that diplomacy was not an option, Edgar readied his machine crossbow and fired. The bolts flew wide, deflected by the intense winds. In response, the man turned his body and gestured gracefully towards Edgar. His hands redirected the winds into a focused attack that struck Edgar square in the chest, dropping him to the ground. Terra came to his aid, worried that she wouldn’t have any arcane power to spare for healing him.

Locke shielded his eyes against the blistering winds as he stepped forward. Each step proved more difficult than the last. The man at the end of the pass responded with subtle movements, channeling the stream to resist Locke’s approach. His shoes slipped against the ground, testing his balance and setting him back, but he kept moving. Step by step his body pierced the buffeting winds until he was finally within arm’s reach of his foe. Locke tested his opponent with a quick swipe of his off-hand dagger, which prompted an evasive counter from the man. The two combatants began their dance, dodging and striking to a tune that only they could hear.

Terra took this opportunity to run forward herself. Edgar was going to be fine, and now Locke needed her help. Battling Locke had distracted the monk from channeling the powerful winds, so this was her opportunity to strike. She focused her energies into a growing ball of fire in her hand, looking for a safe moment to release it. The passage was too narrow for both Terra and Locke to outmaneuver the monk. She waited behind him, wincing in frustration as he moved too quickly and wildly to give her an opening to attack.

The monk resolved Terra’s dilemma, but not in the way she hoped. He bested Locke in their deadly dance, grabbing his wrist and twisting until he heard a terrible cracking of bone. Locke screamed and fell forward, meeting a swift kick to his core. His body crumpled to the ground. The monk faced Terra with a victorious sneer, and she replied with a fiery blast. His reflexes saved him from the worst of her flames. He channeled the gale forces in the pass and sent her and Locke flying back, hurtling toward the precipice behind them. Terra shrieked as she saw the edge of the cliff, knowing she couldn’t stop herself from falling over. Her last sight before tumbling down was another man stepping forward into the pass, yelling to the monk.

“Vargas!” the unfamiliar voice shouted.

Terra saw the ground hundreds of feet below and closed her eyes. Before she could process any thoughts of her impending death, she felt a powerful tug on her arm. Her freefall stopped abruptly. She looked up to see Edgar holding her wrist tightly. She immediately grasped on to him.

“It’s ok,” he said with a weakened and raspy voice. “I got you.”

She met his eyes and nodded. He started to pull her back up, but was clearly struggling to summon his strength. It felt like an eternity, but he managed to bring her back up to the ledge. She clamored onto the rock, thankful to feel solid ground. She breathed in deep to calm herself. Panic and vertigo still coursed through her body and mind. She looked up to check on the mysterious man fighting the monk, but focused on another unconscious body rolling towards the cliff. “Locke!” she screamed and dove to catch him, grasping the collar of his jacket as his body slipped over the edge.

She held tight to Locke, but had nothing to hold for bracing herself against the downward pull. Her body slid as she flailed against the dusty rock. Inch by inch, she felt herself losing ground to her doom below. A hand grabbed her ankle as the precipice met her waist.

“Hold on!” Edgar shouted.

“I can’t pull him up,” she yelled back.

“I know…” he responded. “Please, just hold on to him.” She could hear the desperation in his voice.

His grasp on her ankle felt unsteady. She struggled to pull herself back onto solid ground, but the smooth rock gave her no opportunity. Edgar must have slipped an inch or two because she did, too. Her eyes closed to spare her the sight of the rocky abyss below.

“Edgar…” she called back, voicing her concern without putting her thoughts into words. Her hand was weak and heavy from the tight grasp on Locke. His weight pulled her deeper towards oblivion. There was a simple - yet grim - solution to this riddle.

“I’m not letting go! We’re in this together, you hear me?” Edgar pleaded with her.

She understood. She placed her second hand on Locke’s collar to strengthen her hold. She slid a little more, and then a little more after that, but she steadied her breathing and kept holding.

A vision of falling played out in her mind as she felt herself dipping further over the edge. The vision brought a sense of calm rather than panic, because she saw herself soaring across the rocks below. Supported by magic alone, she flew through the air, saving herself and her friends from this deadly predicament. The vision felt more real than the fear of falling to her death. She knew she could trust in her magic, and if she had the power to let go, she would have.

“Edgar,” she called out. “Let go… I’ll take care of Locke.” He didn’t respond.

She slid again, but this time away from the abyss. Another hand grabbed her other leg, and together they all pulled her from the brink. Her vision of flying snapped back to reality as her weight rested entirely on solid ground. Strong hands pulled her up by the shoulders and took Locke back over the edge, too.

“I’ve never been so happy to see my brother!” Edgar hugged their rescuer. Terra looked on in amazement as she saw the two men weeping with joy and relief. After a heartfelt hug, Edgar turned to Terra and introduced him. “Terra, this is my little brother Sabin.”

Little was not the word she would have chosen.

******

They made camp on the other side of the pass. Sabin led them to a sanctuary. His fellow monks used to meditate here, until the very recent schism with Vargas. He explained the situation as they started a campfire. Distracted in her own thoughts, Terra didn’t actually hear much of what Sabin said. Something about Master Duncan being slain by his own son Vargas, and Sabin hunting him down into the pass. The rest of his words passed right through her.

She sat with Locke by the fire. She stared deep into the flames. Fire had a way of soothing her - not with light or heat, but its mere presence. Like being home.

“Thanks,” Locke said, breaking the silence. “For everything.” Even though she healed his broken arm, Edgar insisted he keep it in a sling. It was a vicious injury.

“It’s them you should be thanking,” she replied, gesturing to the twins engrossed in their own conversation. Terra thoughts focused on the terrifying impulse she felt earlier. She was ready to fall, to trust in her magic alone to save her. She didn’t know any spell or power within her to fly, and for all she knew she would have fallen with Locke to their deaths on the rocks below. Even so, she still felt the certainty of the moment. Somewhere within her, she could fly.

“I’ll thank them too. But you’re the one who caught me. You’re the one who held on when I was pulling you down.”

She kept her eyes on the flames. “You would have done the same for me.” After all, she thought, Edgar did.

“But I got you into this mess in the first place. I shouldn’t have charged in like that. It was reckless, and I forced your hand to follow and support me. You could have gotten hurt because of me,” his voice trailed off, like the words weren’t really meant for Terra.

She didn’t look away from the fire. “You did what you had to at the time. So did I.”

“Please,” he said, “don’t get yourself killed because of me. I can’t stop myself from diving into danger. It’s this reckless instinct… and it gets people hurt. People I care-”

Terra's eyes stayed on the fire. "Instinct," she said to nobody in particular, but the word interrupted Locke’s soliloquy. That explained it perfectly. She stood and looked upward. Through the dark of the night sky she spotted a bird - a river gull gently gliding on the breeze. Her fingertips pressed towards the ground, tense with magical energy. She closed her eyes and visualized her intention, just like when she dangled from the cliff. A force buoyed her from below. Her weight lifted from her feet. The many sashes and scarves around her waist floated upward. So did her hair. This felt right. She could do it. Any moment now, her body would soar upwards until the sky, and there would be no limits to what she could do.

Any moment now…

So very close…

It's going to happen...

"Amazing!" Sabin shouted, breaking her concentration. Her heels fell to the ground, and the entirety of her body weight with them. She opened her eyes to the disappointing fact that she never left the ground. The energies around her dissipated into a mist of twinkling motes that only she could see. All that remained was the hollow sense of unrealized potential.

Chapter 6: Returner

Summary:

Sabin convinces Terra to join the Returners.

Banon gave Terra a lot to think about. She needed to clear her head, so she stepped out of the hideout cave and walked out to the river. It was her first time alone for days.

The old leader of the Returners was not what she expected: maybe a mighty warrior, or a clever spymaster. Certainly not an old man with a blunt demeanor who hasn’t used a comb in years. Regardless, they respected him, so she did the same. If a king can listen to an unkempt mountain man, so could she.

Her memories from before awakening in Narshe had not returned. Supposedly she was an Imperial prisoner, weapon, test subject, and who knows what else. The little she could recall supported that story. Short flashes of pain and rage, passing images of death and destruction. It was enough to know that she had to stay away from them. Banon was asking for something completely different - not to avoid the Empire, but to confront them.

The Returners risked a lot for her. Arvis hid her from soldiers who rightly wanted her dead. Locke escorted her throughout this journey. Edgar put his kingdom in open defiance of the Empire, turning a fraudulent alliance into open war. They did this all for her, and she had two ways of looking at it - either they see her as a valuable ally or as a desperate victim. Neither interpretation rang true to her - their kindness and consideration were too sincere to consider her as nothing more than a potential recruit, but they put too much on the line for just some girl in need.

Terra’s wandering thoughts led her to the riverbank. Lethe River ran through the mountains, breaking into a waterfall and dangerous rapids just outside the hideout. At this point, though,it was a gentle, inviting stream. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one who thought of coming here. Sabin, the king’s brother, sat by the river to enjoy a quiet snack.

Terra knew very little of Sabin, but she immediately liked him. It was obvious from a glance that he was a Figaro - the same blonde hair, bright eyes, and natural charm. But his personality and demeanor differed so greatly from his brother. He wore simple, loose clothes to focus on his physical movements, not tight, bright patterns to accentuate his physical features. He kept his hair short to keep it out of his way, not long enough to fashion and care into an elegant ponytail. And even though he worked his body into a powerful and graceful form, he didn’t flaunt it to catch a lady’s attention, whereas everything Edgar says and does drips with seductive intent.

He noticed her approach well before she expected. “Hey there,” he called out, inviting her next to him. With unmistakable Figaro hospitality, he offered her some grapes to enjoy as they sat by the river. “How did your talk with the old man go?”

“I’m not sure,” she said. “He asked me to join the Returners. He seemed both callous and caring when he told me about my options here. I guess that’s what the truth sounds like.”

“Yeah, he doesn’t sweeten his words. You can always count on his candor. That’s why they all look to him as a leader. Well, I guess now I do as well.”

“You joined? Just today?” Terra assumed he was a Returner already, like his brother.

“Of course. My training is over - whether I like it or not - and my brother needs me. What else could I possibly want to do?”

“The whole world is open to you. Travel away from the Empire and this war. Find a home in another country. On another continent. Settle anywhere you want - Edgar would see to it that you have enough money to get a new life started. You could be safe and prosperous.You could have a life of peace and happiness,” she said, slowly realizing this was her own foolish dream.

“I’m happy now. I’m with my brother for the first time in years.”

“And you’re going to risk it all to fight the Empire? How can you make that decision?”

Sabin planted his hand on Terra’s shoulder. “I think this is a question you mean to ask yourself. Everything about your history leads back to the Empire. Who you are, where you came from, why you have these powers - they hold all the answers to your past. How can you run away from your own truth? How will you find peace if you can’t find yourself?”

She didn’t expect this from him. Apparently he absorbed the wisdom of his teachings, too. “I know,” she relented. “I know I have no other choice. I’ll never be free while Gestahl’s minions hunt me.”

He gave her shoulder a sympathetic squeeze. “I’m sorry about all of this. You seem so nice. And brave. And strong. A good person like you doesn’t deserve all this trouble.”

“Thanks,” she said. “I hate to say it, but my fears and doubts center on the Returners, not the Empire. How do I know I can trust Banon, or your brother, or even you? What’s to stop all of you from exploiting my powers?”

“My brother wouldn’t do that,” Sabin said truthfully. “If he tried, I’d beat him up.”

Terra tried to stifle a chuckle, but it grew beyond her control into a full-fledged laugh. “You would, huh?”

“I’ve done it before, when we were kids. Seems like I’ve got more of an advantage on him nowadays.” He smiled at the memories from years past, and the potential for them together now, too. His positive attitude was infectious, and Terra was catching it.

“Well, suppose you’re not around to protect me. Maybe the loss of his beloved brother turns his thoughts dark, and in a time of desperation he looks to me as his final weapon.”

Sabin cast her a dubious look. He started removing his shoes as he spoke. “Am I dead? How did I die? Surely I set some brave example to inspire his better nature. Or maybe I left him with wise words to guide him in my absence. Or maybe I’ve already given him a beating so severe he learned his lesson.” He moved to the edge of the rock and dipped his feet in the water. “Come join me over here.”

She scooched over to the edge of the rock alongside him. She looked at the water with suspicion. “How cold is it?”

“Don’t worry about that. Just take off your boots and dip in.”

She took her boots off her feet and set them aside. For all his wisdom, Sabin hadn’t considered her stockings. She reached under her dress and pulled them down from her waist. He glanced over and cleared his throat, suddenly realizing he was asking her to undress significantly more than he thought. He didn’t realize how the different elements of her outfit worked together to hide the fact that her dress was so very short. After some wriggling, she freed both her feet from the lengthy garment and set that aside, too.

“Good,” he said, his voice noticeably shaky. “Now let the water run over your feet.”

She carefully stretched her foot down to the water, testing it gingerly with her toes. It was as cold as she feared. The freezing sensation ran from the tips of her toes all the way to her chest. She retracted with an alarmed shriek. With a hint of betrayal in her voice she yelled, “F-F-Fucking freezing, Sabin! Why would you do that to me?”

“It’s a metaphor. Or an allegory. Or maybe a parable…” his thoughts drifted back to lessons from his royal tutors buried under years of intense monastic training from Master Duncan. Terra’s impatient glare snapped him back into the moment. “Anyway, you can see my feet are fully in the water, and it doesn’t seem to bother me. Why do you think that is?”

“Maybe you like the cold. Maybe you’re just playing a trick on me. Why should it matter?”

“Well,” he admitted, “I do like the cold. It’s refreshing. That doesn’t mean I don’t feel the initial shock, but if I let my fears and my doubts guide me, I’d never know how wonderful the water feels.”

She tried to relax and heed his words. The tension from before hadn’t left her body. Her foot carefully reached towards the water again. The stream splashed gently over her, and the shock ran through her again. This time, though, she didn’t withdraw from the water, and let her whole foot sink in. She gritted her teeth and shivered, letting the sensations run their course. After an intense few seconds, the shock dissipated and a soothing feeling remained. After days and days of hiking through the country, she didn’t realize how much she needed this. Satisfied with the result, she dipped her other foot into the water. The cold ran through her body again, but this time she knew what to expect and let it pass through her.

“Well?” he asked. “How do you feel?”

She looked at him with a genuine smile. He hadn’t seen her smile like that before. “It’s nice. So this is the kind of thing you learn as a monk? That cold water feels good if you let it?”

He smiled back and laughed. “Yeah, that’s about it. Almost seems like a waste of time when you put it that way.” Of course, she could see the lessons of his training written across his entire body. Such a physique seemed impossible, capturing strength and grace in equal measure. He even had the humility to not mention it when prompted. Maybe he just didn’t realize the effect he had on others - or on Terra, right now.

“So the lesson here-” he began.

“-What about the rest of our bodies?” she interjected, basically blurting out the words. He looked puzzled. “The water, I mean. Will it feel this good on the rest of me?”

His eyes ran down her at the mention of her body. He traced the lines of her delicate features, from her shoulders to her neck to the top of her red dress. Then down the curves of her breasts and hips. Then down the length of her legs, noticing her bare thighs for the first time. Then he realized what he was doing, and met her eyes again. “Well,” he said, trying not to stammer, “we could go for a swim and find out.”

“Could you go first?” she asked, carefully navigating the moment. The obvious question of what to do with their clothes hadn’t been asked. “I’ll need you to tell me if it’s too cold.”

“Sure, but… I don’t want my clothes to get wet. Do you mind if I…” he let the rest of the sentence go unspoken. Nudity wasn’t uncommon between groups of people traveling across the open country, but Locke and Edgar had kept up some propriety in their travels with her. They arranged privacy for her to bathe and change. Sabin didn’t know if she wanted to maintain this veil between them.

She nodded, suppressing her grin. “Yes, go ahead.”

He unbuckled the light breastplate and removed it from his chest. Then he stood up to undo the sash securing his loose pants around his waist. He turned away from her slightly, feeling awkward about the performance of disrobing in front of a woman. As he pulled the pants down to his ankles, Terra watched the network of muscles across his body coordinate the motion. She wanted to reach out and touch his thigh. Instead she ran her fingers through her hair, fumbling with the ribbons securing the loose ponytail on the top of her head. He stood before her fully nude, not so shy as to cover himself with his hands, but not so confident as to know which way he should be facing.

“Jump in,” she said. “Then tell me to join you.” Terra dropped the pretense and deniability in her wording and her voice. She wanted him to know what she wanted - him.

The eagerness on her face made his heart race. He took a deep breath to calm himself, purging his nervous energy. He wanted this too, after all. With his eyes closed and awareness centered, he dove into the river. The cold rushed over and through him, sparking excitement across the entirety of his flesh. He surfaced with a vigorous exhale as the tension left his body. She watched from the edge of the rock, waiting for his response. She had already let down her hair and was in the process of removing the sleeves that draped her arms separate from her red dress.

“Yeah,” he called to her. “You’ll love it in here.”

She carefully removed the bundle of scarves and beads around her waist so only her dress remained. Hooking her thumbs into the neckline, she gently pulled it down, arcing her body to and fro to get the tight fit down across the contours of her silhouette. She paused with the dress bunched around her waist to look at Sabin, who watched her with baited breath. She kept her eyes on him as she pulled the red floral-print cloth completely down past her hips, letting it fall at her feet. Then she leapt into the water, ready for anything.

The frigid water crashed against her flesh, swallowing her whole. The fire she always felt in her core flashed through her, banishing the cold from her body. In the span of a heartbeat she transformed from shocked to energized. Still underwater, she found Sabin’s legs and slowly rose to meet him above the surface. His arms were already around her body before she took her first breath. His lips were on hers just after.

The warmth of her body pleasantly surprised him. Everywhere he touched brought relief to his cool skin. He pressed his fingers into the softness of her flesh, enticed by her unnatural heat and her natural touch. His hands ran across her hips, her thighs, her butt, her breasts, and then back to the start. She held him only by his neck, cradling his head in her palms as their tongues met in mutual passion. Terra wrapped her legs around Sabin’s waist, pulling their bodies together. His skin felt cool against hers, even the shaft of his cock pressing up against her backside. They both paused and gauged the other’s reaction.

“Do you…” he asked. She did, and indicated so by biting her lip and nodding.

Sabin pulled their entwined bodies back towards the shore. She clung to him as their bodies left the water. He helped support her weight with his hands on her rear. The fire inside her raged as his fingers dug into her buttocks. She closed her eyes and saw the swirling flames of her soul. The blaze surrounded her, drawing closer in, but she didn't fear it. The fire only brought comfort, heat, and power. It never burned her… would it burn him?

She opened her eyes again as Sabin laid her down on the cool grass on the riverbank. He leaned over her - his hips pressed against her inner thighs, his arms supporting him on each side of her, and his face less than a breath from her own.

"Ready?" he asked, pressing against her. She saw something strange in his eyes but realized this is just what a Figaro man looks like when he's eager and nervous. She answered by reaching down and gently guiding him in.

He started with slow and steady thrusts, careful not to hurt her. Terra held tight against him, her fingers pressing into his back. “Faster,” she moaned, and he complied. Like bellows to a hearth, his passionate thrusts fed the inferno inside her. The heat spread from her core to her fingertips - a feeling so tangible she knew Sabin must feel it, too. She cried out with each new flash of heat and power. She closed her eyes again and watched the flames envelop her. Her outstretched hand caught fire like tinder, and her flesh burned away. The burning spark ran from her fingertips down to her wrist, leaving a path of ash in its wake. She clenched her blackened hand into a fist and released. The ashes crumbled. Something bright and pink remained. Terra blew away the rest of the ashes from her hand, revealing the alien body beneath: pink scales and fur, long fingers ending in sharp talons. The conflagration took her in, and she felt the entirety of her flesh igniting-

-Terra snapped back to reality as Sabin groaned, pulling out of her before succumbing. He kept grinding between them as he climaxed, spilling more and more of his cum on her. She caught her breath, enjoying the spreading chill on her belly and breasts. Compared to the feverish heat of her skin, every part of Sabin was cool and refreshing. Eventually he stopped throbbing and looked at her in amazement. Terra kissed him as she unwrapped her legs from his body. He sat back so she wouldn't be trapped under his powerful frame.

"I didn't know if I should have…" he sheepishly explained.

She nearly giggled at the embarrassed boy in front of her. "It's okay," she said, sitting up. She wiped away a small handful of his semen from her chest. "You were going to explain the lesson of the parable, but I'm pretty sure I understand it," she said with a wry smile.

"Yeah…" he replied. "I think I learned something new myself."

Notes:

Did my best to sidestep the fact that these two have a lot of virgin energy to them.

Chapter 7: Ultros

Summary:

Ultros antagonizes the party as they flee down Lethe River. Sabin is forced into a reckless attack that separates him from the raft.

Terra wondered if they would have been safer fighting the approaching Imperial army rather than taking a simple wooden raft through monster-infested rapids. Between the constant barrage of hulking crabs and tiny dragons, there wasn’t any time to consider where to steer the raft. She had to defend Banon from the onslaught, along with Edgar and Sabin. At least he kept them in good spirits and health, calling upon the power of natural spirits to heal their wounds. The brothers did well at keeping the monsters at bay, alternating between volleys of crossbow bolts and a blast of focused qi energy.

With such amazing powers in the world, Terra didn’t know how she could be considered so special. She reserved the use of her magic for specifically dangerous moments, budgeting her energy to make sure it would be available if needed.

The last few hours were a haze. After her vigorous swim with Sabin, Terra returned to Banon and pledged herself to the Returner cause. Banon called a quick conference to reiterate their overall strategy of entreating Narshe to ally with the Returners and to get Terra back to the Esper and determine the exact relationship she has with these mythical beings. Before any details of this plan could be ironed out, sentries raised the alarm. Imperials had already taken South Figaro and were headed straight for the hideout. They only had time to flee.

“What’s that?!” Edgar shouted, barely audible above the roar of the rapids. He readied his weapon towards an indeterminate shape tinged with purple. Sabin interposed himself between the approaching threat and Terra. She likewise protected Banon and readied a spell just in case.

A large tentacle slammed into the raft, knocking everyone off-balance. Edgar responded immediately with a burst of bolts that nailed the tentacle to the logs. The rest of the octopus surfaced with a shriek. “Yeeeeouch!”

Everyone paused and shared the same surprised expression. Did they just hear an octopus scream? The creature cleared any doubts for them by proudly exclaiming, “Kneel you fools! You’re in the presence of octopus royalty!”

A powerful tentacle swept across the raft, knocking Edgar off his feet. Terra planted her sword into the raft and held firm as the creature sliced off its own appendage. Sabin leapt over the rest of the pseudopod and landed a solid punch right to the creature’s head, prompting it to let go of the raft and drift away, screaming a streak of profanity about “muscle heads”. Then the creature dove under the water, its silhouette disappearing in the violent rapids.

Sabin lowered his stance and kept a wide vigil. “Everyone okay?” he called out. Edgar mumbled and got back on his feet. Terra checked on Banon, who kept up his prayer to the ancients throughout the scuffle. She saw the wriggling tip of the tentacle still flapping wildly on the raft and kicked it away out of sheer disgust.

A tentacle crept up the far corner of the raft, only to be met with Edgar’s crossbow fire. It retracted while another slammed into Edgar from the opposite side, launching the weapon from his grasp and into the waters below. Then two more purple lashes attacked from the other sides of the raft, flailing blindly at Terra and Banon. Quick swipes from her sword kept the tentacles at bay.

Sabin surveyed the scene and kept himself ready to respond to the beast as it resurfaced. He scanned all around, knowing it could show up from any side. He felt a dip in the water as it moved beneath him and he twirled, immediately focusing an aurabolt between his palms. The octopus revealed itself and the two of them met the full force of the other’s attack. The creature reeled from the energies and impact, and Sabin fell back with a face covered in sticky ink.

It mocked Sabin as he desperately tried to clear his eyes, “Uwee hee hee! That hurt but it was worth it!” The laughter stopped as a streak of flames seared his body. It dove back underwater, either wounded, scared, or simply repositioning.

Terra ran to Sabin’s aid. “Are you hurt?” she asked, surprised at how much it hurt her to see him in pain. He shook his head, still pawing at the blackness over his eyes.

“He blinded me, but I’ll be fine. You need to keep an eye out, he’ll be back.” He slowly got back up. She noticed the unsteadiness in his feet.

She stayed by Sabin’s side, readying her blade to defend him. Edgar stood to protect Banon, armed with a spear rather than his trusty machine crossbow. His expression was noticeably less confident with this simple weapon. “There!” he shouted as the octopus surfaced again.

It flailed at the party with its many tentacles, opting for a direct assault. It giggled with glee as multiple appendages lashed at Edgar and Terra, the only active combatants on the raft. “You’re not gonna make seafood soup outta me!” it screamed as it scored hit after hit on her, battering her arms and legs as his many lashes outmaneuvered her single blade. Terra winced with each strike, but kept faith in Banon’s continued prayer to keep her from suffering any meaningful injury. The beast advanced onto the raft itself, its weight tipping everyone toward it. She lashed out with spells as well as steel, but no combination of fire and blade kept the tentacles away.

One purple lash wrapped around her sword arm, ending her defensive strokes. Another wrapped around her leg, and a third around her neck. It lifted her into the air with another hideous laugh. “What a delicious morsel…feels nice to have my tentacles wrapped around her,” it spoke with malice dripping from every word. The tentacle around her throat tightened with crushing force. She struggled against the loss of breath, barely noticing the tentacle slither up her thigh. It laughed as her eyes exploded with panic. “Let’s make surf and turf!”

With a roar Sabin leapt onto the beast, blindly pummeling its face with a flurry of fists. It shrieked and retracted, trying to swipe at him, but he was too close, too fast, and too strong. Terra fell back onto the raft as it released her, desperately focusing on the furious monk beating it senseless. It retreated into the water, and Sabin sank with it.

“Rene!” Edgar yelled running to the edge of the raft and looking down. Flashes from Sabin’s qi blasts lit up the depths. The struggle continued.

Terra wheezed desperately. Banon’s magic lifted the pain from her throat, healing her crushed windpipe and bruised bones. That octopus could have squeezed the life out of her if it had more time. She called to Edgar, “Where is he?” Edgar turned to her with a look of concern but no other answer. She ran over to look herself. There was no sign of Sabin or the octopus beneath the rapids.

“He’ll be ok,” Edgar said, trying to believe his own words.

Terra glared at him, not sure whether to be sympathetic or furious. “We’ve got to do something!”

He gestured back to Banon, “There’s more at stake here. We have a mission.”

Their eyes locked, exchanging more with their expressions than their words. She saw the conflict of hope and fear in him. Sabin could take care of himself, but this was an extraordinary circumstance. Surely he cared for his own brother as much as she did, if not more. She wondered for a moment what he saw in her eyes. Did he know why she suddenly cared so deeply, why losing Sabin would hurt so much?

“Is that him?” Banon shouted, interrupting their wordless debate.

Sabin resurfaced downstream. He struggled against the rapids, but had no idea where to go. “Roni! Terra!” he called out. They shouted back, but he couldn’t hear. He had a hard enough time keeping his head above water. They watched as the rapids pulled him eastward, but their destination was westward.

Edgar turned to Banon. The old man spoke before he had a chance. “You know we need to stay the course to Narshe.” He was already steering the raft to the westward fork. Edgar turned to Terra.

“Remember what you said at Mount Kolts?” she asked.

He nodded. “We’re all in this together.” He pulled her in for a heartfelt hug, taking only a moment to express his thanks. “See you in Narshe.”

Banon tried to shout his objections, but Terra paid no heed. She leapt into the rapids, racing to reunite with Sabin.

Notes:

Still not sure about making Ultros so gross, but I adapted most of his lines directly from the game dialogue.

Chapter 8: Madman

Summary:

Sabin and Terra need shelter after surviving the Lethe River rapids. They go to the only cabin in sight.

It felt like an eternity, but she eventually reached Sabin. He struggled constantly against the rapids, unable to see incoming obstacles or hear her cries to him. She fared better through the water, but it took everything she had to keep her eyes on him and stay afloat. He held tight onto a rock after crashing into it, like so many others - maybe he finally heard her, maybe he needed to catch his breath. Regardless, Terra took the opportunity to catch up to him.

“Sabin!” she shouted, mere feet away. His head darted around even though he was clearly still blinded.

“Terra?” he asked, not sure if he could believe his ears. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I might ask you the same thing!” she replied.

He laughed, coughed, and then laughed again. “That damned octopus was being a dick!”

She put her arm around him and laughed as well. He felt cold and somehow weak. His breaths were quick and shallow, and his arms shook from exhaustion. He was holding on to the rock for dear life. “You can’t go on like this…” she said, her heart heavy with sympathy.

“Probably not,” he agreed. “Please tell me you’re doing better than I am.”

“I’m fine,” she said. Which she was, but she’d be lying if she said she’d be okay doing it all again. “How much farther does this go?”

“Until it reaches the ocean, same as any river,” he said, his spirits fading.

“We’re not going to the ocean, Sabin.” This was not a good time to be patient.

“Yeah, sorry,” he mumbled, trying to think. “I’m not sure how far exactly, but this goes on for tens of miles. The good news is the rapids will run that in a few hours. The bad news…”

“...is that we can’t survive that,” she finished for him. Terra had no idea how long they struggled against the water to get this far, but realistically it couldn’t have been more than half an hour. “Hey, look at me,” she said. Maybe she could at least solve his immediate problem.

His face turned to her. The ink was all but gone, but it left a stain across his skin and his swollen eyes still couldn’t open. As she looked over the rest of him she saw the splits, bumps, and bruises across his body from blindly crashing into rocks. She pulled closer to him and placed her hand over his eyes. She whispered a remedy spell, trying to mend his body beyond the simple wounds he bore. A shower of stardust spread over them, bright and colorful as a rainbow. Maybe next time he’d get to see it. She planted a caring kiss on him and pulled away, giving him a chance to open his eyes. He blinked, adjusting to his returned sight, and smiled when he recognized her.

“Thank you,” he said, his smile breaking under fresh tears.

She put her hand on his cheek. “We can do this, ok?” He nodded. She pulled out one of the long scarves around her waist and tied it to another, then tied that one to his sash. “We’re in this together.”

They held each other close as they enjoyed a few more seconds of calm before heading back into the rapids.

******

The cabin on the horizon beckoned them onward. After the torturous sojourn down the river, they wanted nothing more than to lie still and let sleep take them. Unfortunately, due to the cold mud of the riverbank and the descending chill of night, there would be no respite without shelter. They each struggled to rise to their feet and press onward, desperate for a stranger's hospitality.

Huddled together on the porch, their clothes sopping wet, they knocked on the door. An older voice answered, “Took you long enough!” Sabin and Terra shared an alarmed glance - who would be expecting them? The old man opened the door and nearly yelled, "I’ve been waiting for hours! Or is it weeks? Get in here and fix that stove!”

Sabin put on a nervous smile and tried to clear the air. "I'm sorry to bother you, sir. You must have us confused with someone else. We just came down the river and desperately need shelter. Might we impose on you for the night?"

The old man scrutinized Sabin from head to foot, and did the same for Terra. “Seems like you’ve had a rough day. Sure, come on in and get some rest. You can fix the bathtub in the morning."

They stepped inside. The hearth radiated a comfort they dearly needed. "Thank you, sir. My name is Sabin, and this is Terra. Your kindness may have saved our lives tonight. Could I get your name?"

The old man shrugged as he prepared hot tea for his guests. "Oh, don't worry about that. It seems you and your lady need some new clothes. I'm sure I can provide something for the two of you. You might find my trousers a bit tight, but the woman who used to live here left plenty of clothes that should perfectly fit your lady." He stopped abruptly, his lost mind wandering even farther. "I sometimes wonder where she went…"

Sabin and Terra exchanged an awkward glance as the old man searched through his belongings. They each shrugged, agreeing that their need for the old man's hospitality outweighed the bizarre discomfort of his delusions. He returned with his arms full of a set of clothes for each of his guests and a heavy blanket for them to share. He presented the offerings to Sabin and closed his eyes.

"I'll give you all the privacy you need," he said, stepping back into a chair facing the furnace.

Sabin leaned forward to keep a close eye on the old man. He quickly slipped out of his wet clothes and squeezed into the tight trousers and shirt. Terra watched the old man closely, deeply anxious about changing here and now. She met Sabin's eyes and gestured to the old man. He crept into the den, checking on their host. Sabin gave her a quick nod, so she disrobed as quickly as possible, donning the simple blue gown set aside for her. The old man was right, it fit well indeed - except for the vast empty space around the belly, clearly meant for a mother-to-be. Nevertheless, she was grateful for dry clothes, and so was Sabin. He opened his mouth to speak, but the old man interrupted him with a roaring snore. Sabin sighed with relief, motioning Terra to come join him by the fire.

They settled together on the floor. Terra leaned back against him, nestled in his arms. The blanket covered them both. The haunting memory of the Lethe River rapids faded as their bones warmed back up. They even got comfortable enough to forget the awkward presence of the sleeping old madman in the same room.

"What do we do now?" she whispered.

"We find our way to Narshe. It's gonna be a long journey, we're in the middle of nowhere…"

She turned back to look him in the eyes. "That's not what I meant."

"Oh," he replied. "I'm not exactly sure. This is new to me." He held her tighter, his body speaking for him.

She wriggled back in agreement. "Yeah, I don't know either. I'm just glad for what we have now." The way her backside pressed into him prompted a swelling in his groin. Before she was sure of what she felt, he put his hand between her thighs, massaging her through her borrowed dress. "Seriously? After the day we just had…" she whispered back to him.

"We made it, didn't we?" he replied. His other hand cupped her breast, sneaking through the neckline to touch her bare skin. "How are you always so warm?" he murmured approvingly.

Terra had no way to explain the fire inside. Fortunately he didn't want an explanation, he just wanted her to know he liked it. She sighed, trying to imagine they were alone, but the old man's deep snoring distracted her. "What about him?" she asked.

Sabin nuzzled her neck. His short beard teased as it passed over her skin. "He's fast asleep. Try not to wake him up."

Terra arched her neck to invite gentle nibbles and kisses. She kept an eye on their host as he dozed in his chair. Sabin’s lips teased her softly, sending a shiver across her body. His fingers pawed at the skirt under the blanket, pulling it further and further up her legs until he could finally reach past it. She exhaled, voicing a quiet but pleased sigh as he pressed his fingers between her labia. Writhing against him, she felt the hardness of his cock and wondered just what Sabin thought might happen here. The aftermath of his pulsing orgasm smeared on her wet body flashed in her mind.

“We can’t do this now,” she whispered. “We can try to be quiet, but I can’t have you making a mess in this poor man's room…"

He hummed in agreement. “Don’t worry about me. I want this for you.”

She closed her eyes and melted into him. Her head fell back onto his shoulder and turned to meet his lips. As they kissed, she ran her hand over his and gently guided him over her clit. His enthusiasm to please her outpaced his familiarity with her body, so her help was appreciated. Satisfied with his movements and forgetting the sleeping old man, she relaxed and let him kindle her fire.

Sabin felt the growing warmth in her and grinned. Her responses were otherwise muted, but he could count on the heat against his fingertips to let him know he was on the right track. It wasn’t just between her thighs - the heat radiated from her whole body. His other hand felt the warmth across her breast, even on the nipple he delicately teased. The heat from her neck warmed his nose, his lips, and his cheek. Her back pressed into his chest and warmed his core. After such a cold and exhausting day he couldn’t think of anything more pleasing than her warmth.

He pulled her inward and reached further down. His middle finger delved into the inviting heat and moisture of her pussy. She let a pleased moan slip through - not loud enough to wake the old man, but loud enough to be unmistakable if he had heard it. Sabin shot a quick glance to their host to make sure they hadn’t disturbed his slumber. The old man shifted slightly, mumbled something, and resumed snoring. Sabin continued his work on Terra, probing inward with a second finger and curling upward. Before another moan could slip through her lips, he covered her mouth with his other hand.

“Quiet,” he whispered to her, the word softer than his breath. Her breathing quickened, but she didn’t dare voice a sound. His hand moved down to her neck, holding her against his lips as he breathed, kissed, and nibbled against her. Encouraged by the noticeably escalating heat against his whole body, his probing fingers quickened their motion. The underside of the blanket became a sauna.

Terra bit her lip and held her breath. Despite her best efforts, a soft whine snuck out through her nose. Her fingers dug into his arm as he tended the fire inside, and soon she squirmed against him with every muscle in her body. She gasped and sighed each second. Sabin held her tightly - both to contain her movements and to draw her ecstasy closer. His body was boiling against her, but he wouldn’t have it any other way right now.

The room brightened with a flash of light and shadow. The dying embers in the furnace ignited without apparent cause or warning. Sabin froze in shock, still holding Terra tight as she writhed in his arms. “Terra…” he whispered, trying to bring her back to reality. “Did you do that?” Her breathing slowly calmed, and she opened her eyes to see the light from the furnace.

“No,” she whispered, a devious smile on her lips. “You did.” Their impending kiss was interrupted by the surprised exaltations of the old man, suddenly awake and bolting up from his chair.

"Oh, you actually did it!" he exclaimed. "That furnace hasn’t worked right in days… or maybe years. My clock hasn't worked either, so it’s hard to tell exactly!" He chuckled to himself as he got up and went into his kitchen. Before Sabin or Terra could respond, he returned with tea for both of them. He smiled at the two of them together under the blanket and set the tea on the floor. Both their faces burned red, glowing with sweat. “That must have been some hot work there. Maybe I should fetch some cool water for you.”

“No need, sir,” Sabin said, trying his best to contain his nervous embarrassment.

"I’m glad to see a young couple like you two. Such a powerful love, full in bloom. It reminds me of better days..."

“Thank you,” Sabin replied, not sure what to expect next from the old man.

“Tell me, how long have you been together?”

They shared a nervous glance. “It’s hardly been a week,” Sabin replied, suddenly realizing how little they knew each other.

Terra took a cup of tea, glad to have something other than river water to drink. She was reluctant to speak to the delusional old man but decided his many kindnesses warranted some returned politeness. “This dress is lovely, thank you for letting me use it.”

“You’re welcome, m’am. I figure my dear lady wife won’t mind if you’re using it in her absence. I’m hoping she’ll be back soon, but you can keep it for the night regardless.”

“That’s good to hear. I was worried you were alone out here,” she replied, genuinely relieved that he had company in the middle of nowhere.

“No, of course not. She had to head out some time ago because of the…” the old man’s eyes reached upward, trying to find the memory in his head. “Demon child. Yes, that was the problem. This house was haunted by a ferocious little creature. I called the exorcist to come take care of it but it was no use. I had to take care of it myself.”

Terra’s hand went to the loose cloth at her midsection. “Demon child?” she asked with tangible concern.

“Yes, we’ve had lots of problems in this house. That furnace goes out all on its own. The clocks are too fast and too slow, never seem right. And that one incident with the demon child.” He leaned back in his chair, lost in thought. “Now that I think about it, she’s been gone for a long time. I wonder if she knows I got rid of that little fiend.”

“Where,” Terra began, deeply troubled that she already knew the answer to her upcoming question. “Where did the demon child come from?”

The old man seemed to ponder this question, rummaging through the mess of his mind to find the answer. He didn’t provide one. An awkward silence followed.

“Sir?” Sabin finally asked, hoping for a reply.

The old man spoke without looking at either of them, his voice somber and clear. “Make sure you leave as early as you can in the morning. This house is cursed. There’s no love to be had here, only pain and loss.” His eyes welled and overflowed with quiet tears.

Terra looked to Sabin, both at a loss for words. She went to the old man’s side and took his hand, but he didn’t respond to her presence. Whispering a spell into her fingertips, she touched his forehead and he closed his eyes. The tears dripped down the side of his face and stopped.

“What was that?” he asked.

“Peace,” she said. “If only for a night.” She returned to their blanket on the floor, back into his arms. Her hands gathered the empty fabric at her belly, and she softly cried for the old man as they drifted to sleep.

Notes:

I couldn't decide on a theme for this chapter - sex or sorrow - and apparently went with both. Definitely had to acknowledge the sad story of the old man in the cabin and his demon child, but also wanted my characters to have a little fun before the next few chapters.

Chapter 9: Honor

Summary:

Terra and Sabin attempt to sneak their way through an Imperial army camp. They overhear a terrible scheme and decide to intervene.

“Impossible!” Sabin nearly shouted upon hearing the news.

“I’m sorry friend,” the travelling merchant replied. “The Empire has marched all the way to the gates of Doma Castle. The siege started only yesterday. Not a soul in Doma can help you get back to Narshe.”

“How did that happen?” he asked, still somewhat incredulous. “Doma kept the Empire at bay for years. Why are they falling now?”

“In a word? Magic.”

Terra winced. She listened only half-heartedly until that point, but suddenly felt her ears ablaze. "What exactly happened?" she asked, stressing the word 'exactly'.

"The Imperials got a new commander, although it's hard to call him that. He ordered an all-out assault, ending the stalemate. He waltzed into the middle of the battlefield in his crazy outfit and tossed around deadly magics like confetti. The cruel laughter alone must have routed the Domans."

Terra's eyes narrowed. "Crazy outfit… like a clown?"

"So you've heard of Lord Kefka?"

She recognized him just by reputation without even knowing his name. Even thinking about him evoked his haunting laugh in her memory. Every shrill chortle brought fresh images of humiliation, pain, or death. Sometimes all at once.

"Yeah," she said. "I'm familiar with him."

******

They spied the Imperial camp from afar. It didn't seem so imposing - just a bunch of tents, some improvised fortifications, and a handful of soldiers milling about.

"Their forces must be out at Castle Doma for the siege," Sabin theorized.

Terra agreed, "It does look empty…"

"It sounds crazy, but I think we could pass right through. They're clearly not expecting anyone. With a little stealth and a lot of speed, we can dart right through before they could organize a response."

She focused on the perimeter. "I don't even see any sentries. What is going on?"

"Whatever it is, we need to take advantage of it. Are you ready?"

"What, dressed like this?" she asked. Their clothes may have been a little worse for wear, but the bright and rich colors still showed through. "We'll get spotted immediately."

"It's broad daylight," he responded. "Unless we're in an actual Imperial uniform I suspect they'll spot us regardless of what we wear."

“Then we wait for nightfall?” she offered.

He started to suspect her concerns weren’t actually tactical. “I’m not sure we have any other option, fireball.”

“It’s slow going, but I think we can cross the mountains and -” she started before fully processing what he just said. “- did you just call me ‘fireball’?”

“Yeah,” he smiled. “An endearment.”

“No, not accepting that. Did it just come to you?”

“That’s not important,” he said, satisfied that he derailed her defensive responses. “Did you want to discuss unrealistic alternative routes, or did you want to explain what makes this Kefka so terrifying?”

She looked away. “I don’t want to do either.” She took a deep breath to quell her fears. That damned laughter stayed with her like a malicious earworm. “I just remember he was so … eager … to use his magic. To hurt people. To make himself laugh at their pain.”

“We’ll avoid him, ok? It sounds like he should be easy to spot, and he won’t be hiding.”

“Right,” she replied. “Just… promise me something. If we get into trouble down there, and it seems like we can’t get out,” she met his eyes before finishing her thought, “help me kill him, no matter the cost.”

Her expression burned with a violent intent. This was not something he’d seen in her before. “I promise. But that’s not what we’re here to do, right?” He extended his hand to lead her forward into the camp. She nodded and took it.

******

“Sir, I won’t accept orders from that clown!”

Listening from behind nearby crates, Sabin and Terra waited for the conversation to pass. They didn’t dare peek and risk being spotted.

“That’s insubordination, and I’ll accept none of it,” replied another voice, commanding like a lion.

“He’s going to get so many people killed! It’s blind luck that his offensive worked. He plays with our lives like a child with figurines!”

“And that’s exactly what I’m going to say to the Emperor when I return, but for now Lord Kefka is your commander and you will follow his orders. Understood?”

“Sir!” the first voice replied, not happy with the result of the discussion. The sound of footsteps followed, disappearing into the distance.

Terra peeked from behind the large box to get a glimpse of the commanding voice. A tall officer with darkened skin, flat-topped hair, and an olive coat. He seemed so familiar. Unlike the other recollections that flashed through her brain, his face seemed distant, dispassionate, oblivious. She remembered him as the man who wouldn’t look at her.

Sabin gave her a quick tug back into cover and mouthed the words, “What are you doing?!” He snatched a curl of her green hair and brought it in front of her eyes, reminding her just how noticeable she is. She wanted to explain the need to investigate and how she might recall more of herself from these surroundings, but there was too much to say with voiceless words. She just shrugged and gestured that he should be peeking.

“It’s clear,” he said softly, leading her across the first row of tents. Terra glanced down the row, hoping to catch another glimpse of the officer, but he was gone. The hard part was coming up - two more rows of tents, and then the bridge. If they got past that bridge, they could flee without turning back. But if they had to face the Imperials at the bridge, there’s no way the two of them could overcome even this lightly-manned camp.

They found another set of crates to hide behind as more passing troops wandered the row ahead of them. Terra heard the footsteps of the soldiers, but they didn’t pass. Sabin risked a peek, and dropped back out of sight with a look of consternation. He tried to form symbols with his fingers, but didn’t express anything Terra didn’t already know. Two soldiers waited just on the other side of the crates.

“Oh crap,” one said. “It’s him.”

“What?” said the other. “Oh, that guy gives me the creeps.”

“Shut up, he’s coming this way.”

Terra’s heart leapt into her throat. Who but Kefka could they be talking about? Sabin placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Her knuckles whitened as she clenched her fist around the grip of her sword.

The first guard audibly spat. “Mercenary,” he sneered.

Approaching footfalls stopped just beyond their hiding place. Terra didn’t even hear anyone walking towards them.

“You got a problem, imp?” Terra’s panic only heightened upon hearing this voice - Shadow.

“Yeah, I got a problem. I get paid a gil a week to fight just like you. What do you get? A hundred? A thousand?”

“You don’t fight just like me.”

“Bullshit. I’m out here baking in my armor and you’re doing what? Recon in pajamas? At least I actually get dressed in the morning.”

The second Imperial laughed. Shadow’s hound responded with a low growl.

“Easy boy,” Shadow said to the dog. “You know, the captain was looking for an assault group to test the defenses at Castle Doma. You two should sign up. Can probably get some shade under those castle walls.”

“Make me.”

They heard a whistle of quick motion through still air followed by two alarmed yelps. Armor clanked as the two guards assumed a fighting stance.

“Put your weapons down,” Shadow told them. “This fight is already over. If you want the antidote to the poison in those darts, report to the Captain. Otherwise you should just roll yourselves into the river, spare someone else the hassle of picking up your twisted corpse. Those spasms are going to hurt.”

“You’re lying!” the belligerent guard spat. Then he gasped in agony and fell to a knee.

“Believe what you want,” Shadow spoke as he walked away - directly past Terra and Sabin. Her shaky hand started to draw her sword, but Sabin’s reassuring hand stopped her. They watched him walk away, frozen in suspense. If he just turned back to face those guards, he’d see them huddled together behind a crate. The dread hung over her like a sword suspended by a fraying string.

“It’s not worth it,” the second guard told the first, his voice crooked with pain. “Let’s go!” Panicked footsteps ran off.

The dog followed its master, but stopped after only a few steps. It turned to Terra and Sabin and looked Terra dead in the eyes. She remembered that moment in the tavern, seemingly a lifetime ago, as it met her hateful gaze with unprompted pity. She thought of what it must see now - a terrified woman hiding for her life. Would he alert his owner of their presence? Her teeth clenched in frustration knowing that this dog would only know her at her weakest moments and her life seemingly depends on its sympathy.

“Come, Interceptor!” Shadow called back. The dog turned to him, glanced back at Terra and Sabin, then faithfully but silently returned to its master. They disappeared behind a tent, Interceptor stealing one last peek at them.

Sabin finally exhaled and relaxed his hold over her. She didn’t even realize he was holding her with such anxiety. “Who is that guy?” he whispered. He must have felt her tension.

“One of them,” she said, trying to avoid more detail. There was no time to describe the dread he evoked in her.

Sabin quickly peeked over the crate and pulled her up. “Let’s move.” They hurried past this row of tents and crept up behind cover to the last row before the bridge. Sabin saw the familiar figure of General Leo and motioned down to hide once more.

“Come out here, Kefka!” Leo called into the command tent.

A high pitched voice sang out, “Ahhh, if it isn’t the sweet General Pussy. How can I be of service?”

Sabin hazarded a look at the clown. He almost couldn’t believe his eyes. Covered in facepaint and flamboyant colors with discordant patterns, this supposed general seemed better suited to a children’s party than an army camp. He shuddered at the thought of the horrible parents that would bring such a grotesque persona near their child.

“I was hoping to impart some sense of responsibility to you before I left,” Leo said.

“Oooooh, you’re leaving?” Kefka replied, feigning sadness. “Did our great and powerful emperor summon you to ask you why I succeeded in 2 days where you stagnated for 2 years?”

“Don’t mistake luck for success, Kefka.”

“Why not?” he asked. “You’re mistaking honor for purpose.”

“Honor is a purpose. It keeps us human in the midst of war. It keeps us sane.” Leo failed to contain his disdain.

“You know what sounds crazy to me?” Kefka asked, walking a circle around Leo. “Looking at these bugs crawling over this country and thinking they’re human. Or - if they are human, that we’re human, too. Look at yourself, Leo! The mightiest blade in the world. Gestahl’s Lion! And what do you do with this magnificence, this power? You sit on your ass for two years and have your army make a desert out of grassland just to satisfy your opinion of what war should be.”

Leo stopped Kefka in his tracks, grabbing him by the arm. “War is not a game.”

“Is that what you really think? Then why are there winners?” Kefka said, vainly gesturing his fingers towards himself, “And why are there losers?” he finished, waving back to Leo. “Now go tell the Emperor I said ‘You’re welcome’”.

Leo grumbled, “If just one of our people dies from your foolishness, I’ll come for you with everything I’ve got.”

Kefka nearly fell forward with a hearty chuckle, then flung himself backward as he left out a maniacal laugh. “Oh you don’t need to worry about that. Your precious troops will be fiiiiiiiiiiiine.”

Sabin ducked back behind the crate as Leo walked away. There was no sound of Kefka leaving, and once it seemed Leo was out of earshot Kefka started speaking to himself for all to hear.

“Why is everyone but me such a ---fucking--- idiot?” he asked, maybe rhetorically, maybe not. “Oh, boo hoo, these Domans are holding their ground - Well push them back!” he shouted. “Waaaahhhhh, their castle is too strong, we can’t attack - Well get past those walls!”

Sabin peeked to see exactly what kind of man would talk to himself like this. Terra glanced as well, her curiosity besting her fear.

“Next they’ll say, ‘No Kefka, don’t poison their water! Think of the children!’” he waved his arms dramatically. “So I’ll reply, ‘That’s a great idea! I’ll think of their cold little bodies and laugh and laugh and laugh’!” which he did, and did, and did.

“No!” Terra whispered. “We can’t let him do that!”

Sabin gritted his teeth. He knew she was right. “Well,” he said, trying to lighten the mood. “I never did like clowns.” He looked Terra in the eyes and realized there was no time to say what he wanted her to hear. But maybe she already knew.

They stepped out into the open. Sabin cracked his knuckles. Terra drew her sword. Kefka stopped his twirling dance upon seeing them and his mouth fell open. “You came back to me, girl? But it isn’t even my birthday!”

“You’re not going to poison those people,” she replied, ignoring his jests.

That hideous laugh spilled from his lips. “Oh, you poor sweet thing. This is soooooo funny. You think you and your beefcake boyfriend can stop me?”

“She’s stronger than you think,” Sabin replied.

“Fool! She’s stronger than -you- think. But that’s not the punchline! Gahhhhh, I hate having to explain jokes to morons!”

Sabin humored him, “Go on then, smart guy. I’d like to get a laugh from you before breaking your bones.”

“I poisoned them yesterday,” he said with a smile his face could barely contain. “I’m sure they’re all quite dead by now.”

Notes:

Shadow may be a bad man (for now), but Interceptor is such a good boi!

I had reservations about writing dialogue for Kefka, but I think I found the proper voice for him.

Chapter 10: Vengeance

Summary:

It's too late for Terra and Sabin to save Doma, but it's not too late to make Kefka pay for his misdeeds.

Kefka watched the two of them consider his words. “What’s the matter boys and girls? Did I just ruin your fun?”

Sabin spat, “You’re lying. Not that it changes anything.” He approached Kefka without caution, style, or haste - only menace. Terra had no doubt in her mind that Kefka spoke the truth and that Doma was no more. She could see the satisfaction on his face.

“So the big mean bully is gonna beat up poor little me, and then what? You think you slip away from this camp? You get to ride off like the hero you are and show your special lady the time of her life?” Kefka’s hands grabbed an imaginary backside and thrusted his pelvis towards it. “Like this, right? Or is she the dirty type?” he asked as he adjusted himself above the pantomime ass and thrust downward into it.

Sabin swiftly dropped his stance and unleashed an aurabolt on the crude mime. Kefka’s eyes widened in shock as he exploded from the impact, leaving behind a showering cloud of blinding glitter and colored smoke. The dreaded laughter emanated from the cloud, and when the dust settled he was still here, humping an imaginary mouth on a pantomime head. “Stay back!” he cried, “I’m so close! Uuuueeeee Heeheehee!”

Klaxon sirens flooded the base before Sabin could charge the clown. Kefka spun in a pirouette, expressing his sick glee. “Sounds like your time is up!”

“INTRUDER ALERT,” blared a voice from many surrounding megaphones. “Armed response needed at the west gate!”

“West gate?” Terra thought aloud. They were still on the eastern half of the camp. What was happening at the west gate? Sabin looked back at her with a similarly confused expression.

“No, you idiots! They’re here!” Kefka shouted back to the megaphones, stomping with both feet at once. Sabin and Terra approached him with renewed confidence. His face twisted into a falsely contrite smile. “You guys know I was only kidding, right?”

An arc of fire slashed towards Kefka, and he barely dodged with a desperate dive to the dirt. He scrambled back up to his feet and ran away, sprinting across the central bridge of the camp. They chased after him.

Sabin realized they were running westward. “He’s drawing us to the west gate - to the rest of his forces!” He tried to slow his pace so they could at least consider their actions before diving into battle.

Terra kept running, undeterred by the danger. The fire raged inside her, fueled by the look of true fear in Kefka’s eyes. She never imagined turning the tables on her tormentor, so she never expected it could feel this satisfying. This was her chance to right so many wrongs, and she feared it may never come again. “Let him,” she said. “They can all burn.”

Sabin looked with concern into her eyes, but she did not return his glance. Her gaze was focused on that twisted clown.

Kefka passed by a handful of guards. “You!” he cried to the group. Then he pointed back. “Get them!” They turned to the incoming Returners, barely noticing Terra before bursting into flames. Kefka leapt backward with a shrill yelp, patting out a fire on his sleeve. “Weaklings!” he shouted to the men writhing in fire and agony before continuing his retreat.

Terra didn’t lose a step. She ran past the dying soldiers with Sabin in tow. He looked upon them and knew he was in deeply over his head. Terra had his undying support - but to do what? What could he do if she decided to take on the entire Imperial army?

Kefka pointed to the commotion at the west gate. “Oh no! Won’t somebody help that poor man?” He turned and ran in the opposite direction, laughing and prancing more than he should be able at that speed.

A single swordsman stood at the center of a swirling melee at the west gate. He wore the colors of Doma, barely visible under streaks of blood. He fought with focus and purpose, putting little regard into his own safety. Imperials surrounded him, doing their best to contain the threat, but he steadily moved from man to man, dispatching them with precise strikes and vicious counterstrikes. His skill clearly outmatched his foes, but soon their numbers would simply overwhelm him.

Sabin grabbed Terra by the arm before she could continue after Kefka. The heat coming off her nearly burned him. “Wait! What about him?” he asked, gesturing to the lone Doman fighting off the rest of the Imperial camp.

She turned to him, frustrated that he would stop her at this moment. “What about him?” she asked, her inflection reversing the assumption that she should care.

“Terra,” he pleaded. “We can hurt someone right now, or we can help someone.”

“Don’t do this,” she replied.

“We’re in this together...”

That maniacal laugh faded into the distance. Terra sneered and slashed her sword, venting fiery rage into a nearby tent. She turned back to the lone swordsman and surveyed the scene. He continued his implacable assault, but she saw weakness taking hold. Some of his opponents managed to score a minor hit or two on him before being slain, and those injuries were taking their toll. Not afraid a little overkill, a squadron of Magitek Armor suits started powering up, their pilots scrambling into the machines.

“Get me into one of those,” she said. “I’ll take care of the rest.”

Even though Terra and Sabin stood plainly in the open, the Imperials paid them no mind. They had orders to respond to the intruder at the western gate and nothing else. Their rigid command structure works well to keep them focused on a single objective, but they fail to adapt to unexpected situations. So when Sabin and Terra approached the Magitek armor squadron, the nearest one just watched quizzically.

“Hey!” he shouted. “Who are you?”

Sabin reached around the rear of the machine and ripped the man from the cockpit, flinging him backward and crashing him into the dirt with both their weight focused on his face. Terra climbed into the cockpit and reviewed the controls. Her left hand settled on the throttle, her right on the joystick. As she expected, it felt very familiar. While the other Imperials struggled to respond, she pulled on the throttle and started firing.

Dazzling beams of elemental energy cut through their ranks. The Magitek squadron fried in their cockpits as lightning ripped through their machines. Shock troops froze in place and fractured into pieces. Guards surrounding the last Doman fell to focused flames, the heat so intense it melted armor to bone. In a horrifying series of moments, Terra had laid waste to every Imperial in sight.

Sabin kept as much of this out of his mind as possible. He ran to the Doman’s assistance, who fell to a knee and struggled to support himself. Without any foes to slay, his dogged resolve was finally giving out. Sabin knelt to meet his eyes. “We’re here to help. Let’s get you out of here.”

“No,” the man said, sparing precious breath. “I came here to die.”

“Lotta that going around…” Sabin muttered as he pulled the man up.

“Stop!” he demanded. He tried to lift his sword in defiance, but failed to do so. He was slipping fast.

With the man’s arm over his shoulder, Sabin returned to Terra. Destruction rained from her mech, obliterating whole sections of the camp. Whatever Imperials remained didn’t dare to approach. He climbed onto the back of the machine, holding the Doman with him.

“Terra!” he shouted, trying to be heard over the roar of fire. She turned, her eyes bloodshot and weary. However this machine worked, it sapped a lot out of her. Maybe that explained the devastation she wrought. “I’ve got him,” he said, referring to the swordsman. “They’re all gone,” referring to the mess of death around them. “It’s over,” referring to the rage burning in her heart.

She nodded, steering the machine out of the gate and marching away from the camp. Sabin was wrong about it being over. The sounds of pain and chaos echoed in her mind, some fresh from today, some from a previous life.

******

Terra hadn’t spoken a word since the battle. Or massacre, to be more accurate.

They abandoned the Magitek armor at dusk, just outside the forest. Its power supply was all but depleted, but there was enough left to overload the engine. She disengaged the safety controls and set it to melt itself. It seemed like she knew everything there was to know about this machine. He didn’t ask about it.

The swordsman alternately flirted with consciousness and death. Sabin bound his injuries, and Terra spent what little energy she had left keeping him alive. Every burst of healing brought him back to the waking world. He uttered sounds that couldn’t be discerned as words. His eyes fluttered open, and he tried to rise, but each time he’d sink back into unconsciousness. After she scuttled the mech they shared his weight over their shoulders as they stumbled into the forest to make camp.

The night air in the forest managed to be cold and uncomfortable regardless of blankets or body heat. They didn’t dare start a campfire. Surely Imperial scouts and assassins would be after them. Instead they found a tight cluster of dead trees and jagged rocks to stay out of sight as Terra and the swordsman got their much-needed rest.

“I’ll keep watch,” he told her as he laid out the bedroll. “If our new friend needs anything I’ll wake you.” He kissed her forehead. She was hot - feverish even - but she was clearly burning with exhaustion, not excitement. And it didn’t stop her from shivering in the cold still night.

Sabin tried to meditate on the day’s events: the drastic consequences of the fall of Doma, the ineffable tragedy of its people, and the awesome power Terra unleashed. He heard the voice of Master Duncan tell him not to ponder while he meditated. The mind must be emptied, he said. The mind is a strange kind of muscle, and it needs rest too. Like all muscles, it will still work when not exercised. Let it idle, and you can observe yourself with new thoughts after. Unfortunately, emptying the mind is easier said than done.

He knew so little of Terra. Her mystery drew him in, like a seductive veil covering a beautiful face. Maybe if they had more time together, he’d understand her better. Or maybe not - she scarcely understood herself, only gathering hints of her own story as her trauma revealed itself. Is her painful journey the only path for her? Is it now his path, too?

Then he asked himself a question he wished he hadn’t. Did he make a mistake falling for this woman? He wasn’t sure where or when it happened. Obviously their intimate dip at the Lethe River ignited their shared fire, but that’s not how it kindled - or why it still burned. He was drawn to the fire itself. If he had the day just for her, he’d spend every hour tending the fire. Would it one day burn him?

He couldn’t help but notice the absence of fire on this cold night.

“Sabin?” she asked softly.

He reached over and held her hand in his.

“I want you to know… I didn’t choose to be like this,” she whispered.

“None of us get to choose,” he replied, trying to be reassuring. “That’s part of being human.”

“What if,” she paused. “I’m not human?”

“You’re not a monster. Whatever you’re feeling right now, just remember that. Underneath everything they’ve done to you, there’s still a brave, powerful woman inside.” He spoke louder than he probably should, but he needed to be sure these words were clear to her.

Terra wanted to believe him, but the truth was in front of her closed eyes. The pink scales, the fur, and the claws: the same monstrous visage she saw in her mind as Sabin laid into her by the Lethe River. She drew too deeply from her fire today, and she could feel it burning away the thin layer of humanity over the terrible beast.

Deep inside, this is who she was. What would become of her when it finally came out?

Notes:

I asked myself what would happen if Terra had access to a Magitek Mech. The answer was obvious.

Apologies for this not being a "fun" chapter. I'm looking forward to when the mood can lighten up.

Chapter 11: Haunted

Summary:

Terra, Sabin, and Cyan board the train in the Phantom Forest, chased by an Imperial assassin. They encounter familiar souls of the departed among the passengers.

The morning didn’t break the cold in the air. It only brought enough light to see the haze clinging to the trees. The forest remained dark and quiet, seemingly devoid of life. There was little rest to be had through the night. Terra still felt somewhat spent from the previous day, and Sabin was freshly fatigued after keeping a watchful eye until morning. Neither of them were sure about getting up until the Doman stirred.

“Can you help him?” Sabin asked.

“Yes, but I'm pretty drained already. I won’t be able to do much else.” Terra’s familiarity with her powers had expanded greatly in just the last few days. Since she’d been with Sabin, now that she thought about it. The swordsman’s injuries were extensive. Furthermore, he needed to be revived. This was a greater feat than she’d accomplished before, but she knew it could be done.

As she chanted her spell, Sabin noticed a peculiar firefly lowering onto the swordsman. It descended in a spiral, leaving a trail of shining golden sparkles. The firefly landed on him and seemingly disappeared inside. He jerked upward, gasping in a full breath for the first time since yesterday. Eyeing Terra and Sabin with confusion and alarm, his hands scanned the ground, searching for his weapon. Sabin presented it for him as a token of trust, and the swordsman took it with a sense of appreciation.

“Who are you?” the swordsman asked.

“My name is Sabin, and this is Terra. We’re Returners, and we want to help.”

“There’s no help to be had now. All is lost,” he spoke with his eyes cast down.

“All?” Terra asked.

His silence confirmed it.

“There’s still you,” Sabin offered.

“Me? All of Doma gone, and there’s still me?” His voice rose in anger. “My very heartbeat is proof of my failure. I’m a knight who lost his lord. A husband who couldn’t protect his wife. A father…” he grimaced, "who outlived his son. No, good sir, there’s nothing left of me, because everything that makes me who I am is gone.”

Silence followed.

His words haunted Terra. She thought about all things in her life she wasn’t just missing, but never even had. What kind of person would she be if she grew up with family, friends, and a place among her people, whoever they may be? She couldn't comprehend his loss. She didn't even understand what he had in the first place.

"What's your name?" Sabin asked.

"Garamonde," he said. "My name was Sir Cyan Garamonde, retainer to the kingdom of Doma. I suppose now I am simply Cyan."

Terra wondered about the father she must have had. What became of him? Did he see his daughter taken from him? She hadn't thought about the people in her past that must have existed, that must have loved her. Witnessing Cyan's grief firsthand made her feel for the father she never knew. He must have felt the same … if he loved his daughter … if he lived to know of her fate.

Her gentle sobs broke the silence. Sabin placed a caring hand on her shoulder, but that only made her break down more. She flung herself at Cyan, wrapping her arms around him. He instinctively returned her embrace, hoping to comfort a crying woman. Cyan almost forgot that he was the one in distress. Her crying escalated beyond her control or understanding, shaking her body - and his.

Cyan looked to Sabin for some kind of explanation, but he seemed just as concerned, if not more so. “My lady,” he started. “Please…” but he had no idea what to say. He simply held her tight and let her cry.

“I’m sorry,” she said. Which she was - deeply. But what she was truly sorry for was that her tears were for a man in her own imagination, and not the man who just lost everything. But she couldn’t hug her imaginary heartbroken father, she could only hug him.

“The Empire has taken everything from Terra as well,” Sabin tried to explain. “I think she understands your loss.”

Terra didn’t explain how he was wrong. She simply held Cyan until he cried, too.

******

“The forest has been dead for years,” Cyan explained as he led the way south. “Everyone avoids it since the incident.”

“Incident?” Terra asked.

“Forgive me, of course you haven’t heard of the Transcontinental. It was meant to be a wonder of industry, a gift from Vector to the world. The rail line would connect Doma to Mobliz, enabling travel and trade through the Baren mountains. At the time, Doma cooperated with the industrialists from Vector. They hired our people to build the rails and the engine. Once the line ran through the forest, they organized a maiden voyage of sorts to celebrate the accomplishment. They didn’t mention an experimental power source for the train engine - one of their special magitek artifacts, a kind of coal crystal. Just that one rock would power it for years, maybe decades. They apparently misunderstood the crystal’s properties. The train departed from Doma with over two hundred souls. It arrived at the other station empty.”

“What happened to the passengers?” Terra asked.

“Nobody knows,” Cyan said. “People say the train took them to the other side. The place we all go when we die.”

“People say a lot of things,” Sabin replied. He wasn’t ready to admit that this forest gave him the creeps.

“The disaster instigated the war between Doma and the Empire,” Cyan continued. “We condemned their reckless use of magitek power, their disregard for our people's safety, even their treatment of our workers. Everything that followed was a result of their refusal to accept responsibility for their actions… and our attempts to hold them accountable.”

“What do you think happened?” Terra asked. “To the passengers.”

“I don’t have the luxury of guessing,” he replied. “I only know they’re gone.”

Terra’s head snapped to the side at the sound of a dog barking. It had to be him. Sabin met her eyes and put the clues together. “Shadow?” he asked. She nodded, scanning the distance as she hid behind a gnarled tree trunk.

“What is it?” Cyan asked as a shuriken ran past his head. If he hadn’t turned a moment before as a response to Terra’s alarm, it would have struck him in the neck. He drew his sword and faced the direction it came from. “Stay behind me!” he said to Sabin and Terra.

“Why did the dog bark?” Sabin thought aloud. “Was that a warning?”

Terra had no answer. She only knew that Shadow could strike again from anywhere in these cursed woods. “We need to run!”

Cyan’s blade flashed, deflecting a shuriken. “Go quickly, I’ll cover for now.”

Terra grabbed Sabin’s hand and darted away, running through the haze. Just past the next patch of trees was a clearing of sorts. She ran too quickly to notice the change in the ground - cobblestones rather than forest floor. She reached the stairs of the platform before she felt Sabin trying to pull her back.

“Terra…” he said, his eyes wide.

A magnificent train waited for them atop the platform. The length of the machine disappeared in both directions, lost in the mist. Ornate cabin cars gleamed with inexplicable shine. The letters “TRANSCONTINENTAL” ran across the top of each cabin, as brilliant and proud as ever. Time had taken no toll on the marvel of industry. It seemed ready to take passengers to their next destination.

Sounds of barking deeper in the forest compelled her forward. She couldn’t hide from the Shadow in this dead, dark forest. The mist, the trees, the dread silence - seemingly everything but his own dog worked to his advantage. At least in the train cars he’d have to show himself, to stand in the light and fight in tight quarters. She could make her stand there.

One way or another, she could be rid of the man that haunted her.

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of going in there,” Sabin said.

“I’m not staying out here!”

Sabin gritted his teeth and looked around, hoping for some other option to present itself. Cyan came back into view, withdrawing to catch back up with them. Terra pulled on his wrist, but he didn’t budge. “There must be some other way…” he started.

She wanted to tug with all her might. His resistance wounded her - with the threat of Shadow looming over them, she needed his support now more than ever. She pulled his eyes to hers and told him plainly. “I’m terrified of him,” she admitted, “but I’m not running anymore. We can’t fight him out here. He’s everywhere and nowhere, we’ll never see him until it’s too late. If we force him onto that train, he’s just another man.”

Sabin watched as Cyan continued deflecting shurikens. He couldn’t keep this up forever. He wanted to discount the train as just another spooky story, but he found its presence so imposing and ominous. Terra squeezed his hand, her eyes pleading with him. He tried to swallow his fears and nodded. “You’re right. We can’t stay out here.” He followed her to the top of the platform. The train waited for them with open doors to the cabin, an obvious invitation. They took their first steps in, tense with dread. Neither knew what to expect, but they certainly didn’t feel safe.

“No!” Cyan shouted. He darted after them, abandoning his defense against the incoming shurikens. Spinning razors grazed him as he fled. He set foot onto the train and immediately felt a chill run through his bones. “We can’t be here…”

His words were cut short by the doors swiftly closing behind him. The lights came on, flooding the cabin with spectacular incandescence. Sounds of a bustling crowd seemed to materialize from nowhere. Wispy shapes took form around them - ghostly images of passengers milling about the cabin. Children ran in circles around their parents. Travellers sat quietly with their luggage. Young couples walked hand in hand, either enraptured with the opulence of the Transcontinental or each other.

A figure stepped through the crowd. He wore a conductor’s hat and a clean-pressed uniform with the word “Transcontinental” finely stitched above the breast. He greeted the new passengers with a welcoming bow. “Welcome aboard the Transcontinental. Please make yourself comfortable, our next stop is the final destination of your journey. If you’ll follow me…” he said as he led them through the cabin.

Terra may have been alarmed and enthralled by the train coming to life, but she didn’t forget about Shadow. She peered out the windows, but only saw her reflection looking back at her. Sabin tested the doors that closed behind them, but couldn’t open them with all his might.

Cyan, on the other hand, scanned the faces of the spirits. He mumbled their names as he recognized them. “These are my fallen comrades,” he said. “I saw them just yesterday. And here they are.” Terra and Sabin saw his heart rise in his chest. The last knight of Doma was among his people once more.

“Sir Garamonde,” the Conductor said, waving his hand into a cabin. “Your party has been waiting for you.”

Cyan peered into the cabin, and his expression melted with bittersweet joy. “Elayne? Owain?” He stepped inside, embracing an apparition of a smiling woman and cheerful young boy. Terra watched and smiled, happy for a moment to see Cyan reunited with his family. Maybe this train wasn’t haunted. Maybe it was just taking them home. If the land of the living held nothing for them anymore…

“Prince Figaro, Lady Branford,” the conductor continued, leading them to the next car, “please follow me.”

“Branford…” Terra whispered, recognizing the name as hers but not knowing before hearing it. Who did the conductor have waiting for her? She followed him to the door, and Sabin followed her. He kept close to her in a vain attempt to keep her safe, but he had no idea what to do about any of this.

The door to the next car opened, and they saw the passing trees of the forest. The train was already in motion, and they hadn’t noticed. As Terra stepped across the short bridge between the cars, she heard screams from above. It sounded like Shadow’s voice. Sabin’s fists clenched and he eyed the tops of the cars.

“You don’t need to worry about that. His party has already found him,” the conductor assured them. He opened the door to the next car and said, “Welcome to the dining car!”

Terra stepped inside to see a packed banquet hall. A ghostly man and a woman waited to greet them with wide smiles. Terra didn’t know either of them. The woman stepped towards Terra, arms reaching out to hold her. Confused, she accepted its embrace. The spirit had no presence, no touch to speak of. The contact was hollow, even if sincere. As she pulled back and took Terra’s hands, her face started to feel familiar. Terra realized she saw her own features in this woman - the same rounded eyes and pointed chin, the same long hair and gentle curls.

“... Mother?” Terra asked, her eyes welling up with tears. The spirit nodded, and Terra pulled in for another tight embrace. She squeezed so very hard, trying to feel more than the numbness of the ghost’s presence. The empty touch wasn’t much, but it was more than she’d ever known.

“Terra,” Sabin spoke. She looked over and saw him with an arm over the ghostly man’s shoulders. The apparition wore the recognizable colors and style of a Figaro. “This is my father,” he said, his voice trembling with emotion.

The two apparitions shared a warm smile. The elder Figaro gave the Branford women a deep and respectful bow, and Terra’s mother returned with a polite curtsy. The two beckoned them to the main table. Sabin took Terra’s hand and held tight. A long line of Figaros lined the table. Terra took the seat next to her mother.

It seemed like a wonderful dream. As her mother spoke she made no sound, but Terra seemed to grasp the words. “I’m so glad to see you.” - “How have you been?” - “That dress looks lovely!” - “What a wonderful man you’ve got there.” - “Have you seen your father?”

Terra smiled and nodded, basking in the implicit love of her mother’s presence. But she sprang at the question about her father. “No, wait … who is my father? Where can I find him?”

The spirit of her mother paused. “Your father was so handsome and kind.” - “I thought I’d see him by now.” - “He must be so worried.” - “I think he’s with his people.”

Terra tried to focus these answers. “Who are his people?”

Her mother smiled, speaking pleasant vagaries. “I found them across the gate.” - “I don’t think they cared much for me, except your father that is.” - “If you get the chance, you really should see him." - "I see his strength in your eyes."

Terra's smile started to waiver. Was this actually the spirit of her mother? Could she be reached? It seems she wasn't entirely here, like a hollow shell of a soul. On the outside, at least, there was a caring mother. Terra took her hands again and looked the spirit in the eyes, sharing an affectionate smile.

"Pardon me, lady," Cyan said, his fingers on her shoulder. "Could I have a word?"

She turned to the knight, his face cold and stoic. She nodded, fearing that she already knew what he had to say. Cyan led her away from the table to express his concern.

"These spirits aren't our loved ones. They're close, but inadequate. We have to leave before this train takes us away forever."

"I know," she replied. Terra looked back to her mother, beaming a loving smile back at her. And to Sabin, busy laughing and crying with his elders. "What do I tell him?"

"Tell him to say goodbye. That's all we can do."

"But…" she uttered. "I just said hello."

Cyan took her hand to let her feel human contact again. "I'm sorry, my lady. I understand this is terribly difficult. If it helps, I left the spirit of my wife and son because staying would be a great insult to the memory of the real people I loved."

She nodded. It broke her heart, just as it must have broken Cyan's. Now she had to do the same for Sabin.

"Terra!" he called back. "Come meet my mother!"

Sabin's smile lit his face like never before. He held a half-eaten drumstick in one hand and his mother's hand in the other. It almost seemed like he forgot his table manners in his excitement, which she thought would be unthinkable for a Figaro. But Sabin was definitely unlike all the Figaro men she saw before her.

"Hi…" Terra began, worried about interacting with these partial souls again.

"Sabin tells me so much about you!" - "I just love that hair, you need to tell me how you did it." - "How did you two meet?" - "I hear you practice magic, that sounds amazing."

Terra smiled and leaned in to Sabin. He spoke before she could. "My father says he's proud of us… me and my brother."

She put her hand on his shoulder. "That's wonderful, Sabin, but -"

"- I was really worried because of how I forsook the crown. I thought he might be upset, but he understood and he's so happy with the man I've become."

"Sabin, we need to -"

"- I can't wait to tell Roni. He would be so happy to know. It would probably move him to tears, too."

"Sabin!" She nearly shouted.

His shoulders sank and he looked down onto his nearly empty plate. His mother's spirit put a hand on his back to comfort him, but he could barely feel it. "I know what you're going to say. I see it, I hear it, I feel it. But I can't let go."

"Reach out and touch her," she told him, gesturing to his mother. "How can you let go of what you can't even hold?"

His outstretched hand brushed against her cheek, but his fingers passed into her form rather than touch her face. His smile soured with grief.

"I'm going to tell my mother I love her and goodbye. I hope you can do the same. There's nothing else for us here."

Terra hugged the apparition and whispered into its ear. She couldn't know whether this was her mother, a fragment of her, or nothing more than her own imagination, but she was glad to have met her. It felt comforting to think she was born into a world of love, that she wasn't some strange and dangerous creature pulled from the wild or crafted in a lab. Terra grabbed Sabin’s hand and they rose together, leaving the table.

******

Outside the dining car, the sounds of machinery spinning wheels and wheels hitting track flooded their senses. A steam whistle blew ahead of them, not far away. The door to the car ahead opened, and the conductor stepped out.

"Pardon me sirs and lady, but you should not be out here. Please return to your party."

Terra stepped through him - just an apparition like the rest. She pulled on the door behind him but it didn't open. The conductor disappeared before she could ask - or demand - him to open it. Sabin struggled against the door as well, but it was not locked by any earthly mechanism. Instead he found a maintenance ladder to reach the roof of the car.

"We can go across the top!" he shouted, trying to be heard over the sounds of wind and locomotion. Terra nodded and started climbing, but she nearly fell from shock as she peeked over the top.

Shadow's dog crouched by his fallen master, growling and snapping at a ghostly highwayman. The spirit lingered over them, pulling tendrils of life force from Shadow as he lay dying. Interceptor saw Terra and immediately barked for her - not at her. Its eyes pleaded for assistance. The dog seemed to know that she owed it a great debt, and now he demanded payment.

Terra watched the fading presence of the man who instilled mortal terror in her just minutes ago. She would love nothing more than to be rid of him and the constant threat to her well-being he posed. But Interceptor saved her life yesterday - and again today. Cursing under her breath, Terra stepped forward and called to the apparition.

"Leave him alone!"

The spirit turned to her. Its visage bore a pain that defied the stillness of death. “This man is not your friend… He’s just a coward who leaves everyone that needs him!”

It sneered and wailed, calling forth other spirits to fight. They appeared as if from nothingness: dark wispy forms with harsh claws and malevolent eyes. They launched forward with a painful screech, but quickly vanished in flashes of flame, steel, and fists.

Interceptor barked in approval, but continued to express its master's need for assistance. Shadow twitched and writhed on his back, trapped in shock and agony.

"It's not right to leave an enemy so," Cyan said. He stepped forward and readied his blade. "Shall I end him for you, my lady?"

"No," she said. "I'm going to help him."

"What?!" Sabin cried. "Why would you do that for him?"

"I'm doing it for the dog."

Sabin lifted a hand to object, but Terra was already kneeling at Shadow’s side. Interceptor sat with her, overcome with sympathetic whimpering. Sabin sighed and went to help, holding Shadow down to keep him from writhing more and to restrain him once healed. Cyan stood above them, keeping his blade ready just in case.

Terra focused the little power she had left and muttered a healing spell. A wave of blue-green energy rippled out from her hands and into Shadow. The writhing ceased. He looked upon his rescuers with the same cold gaze as always.

Sabin broke the ice for him. “You owe that dog of yours the finest steak in the world.”

“I’ll consider this even for him ruining my ambush.”

“What about us?” Terra asked. “Should I expect you to do your job? Or will you help with stopping the train? It seems the people waiting on the other side don’t have any kindness for you.”

“You make a good point, witch - aaaAAAA!”

Sabin twisted the ninja’s arm into a painful - but not damaging - configuration. “I think you know her name. I advise you use it.” Terra smiled at both Sabin’s strength and Shadow’s pain.

“Apologies,” he spat. “Terra, I will help you stop the train.”

“And what about after?” she pressed him. “Do you return to the Empire? Do you ever hunt me again?”

“Yes, I return to the Empire. No, I don’t come for you anymore.”

She needed more. “Swear it. Swear it on the spirit we just saved you from.”

“What makes you think that matters?” he asked.

“We’re only haunted by those closest to us. He was close to you, don’t deny it. Swear on his name!”

“I swear,” he paused, “on Baram’s painful death.”

“Let him up,” she told Sabin.

Sabin lifted the assassin onto his feet and none-too-gently brushed the dust off his outfit. Cyan sheathed his sword, but did not remove his hand from it. Shadow glanced at each of them, as uneasy with his new allies as they were of him. “So what’s the plan?”

******

It wasn’t easy reaching the engineering cabin at the train engine. The conductor locked them out every step of the way, forcing them to take alternate - and sometimes dangerous - routes around the train cars. The spirits populating the train blocked their way as well, resisting them with force. With Terra’s powers depleted, every fight took a little more out of them.

Terra expected the door to the engineering cabin to be locked, but it was stuck ajar, blocked by a familiar corpse. Cyan pulled the lifeless body of the conductor from the doorway while Sabin forced the door open, ensuring their entry. The spirit of the conductor waited inside.

Sabin had tried to attack the conductor each time he appeared to discourage their progress, but the blows passed right through. The conductor remained incorporeal, threatening them with nothing more than his presence. This didn’t stop Sabin from trying again, just to make sure. Everyone else did their best to ignore him.

Cyan looked upon the maze of switches, gauges, and dials. Frustrated by the complexity before him, he wildly manipulated any control he could reach, starting with the largest and most imposing. Nothing seemed to have any effect.

“The controls have been disengaged,” the conductor explained. "The previous conductor tried to interfere with the true purpose of this train. I had to lock him out."

Terra brushed past him and looked inside the furnace. The interior was pitch black, darkness so thick it may have been opaque. She carefully touched the grill to feel out the temperature, and quickly retracted. Her fingertips burned from the chill, the flesh shifting to hues of purple.

"It's dangerous in there," the conductor warned. "The previous conductor tried to remove the crystal. It consumed his mortal soul, and now his spirit is doomed to oversee this train forever. Be careful, or you might be next."

Terra blocked him from her mind and opened the furnace, protecting her hand with as many layers of cloth as she could manage. She could barely see the crystal inside. The faces gleamed with shades of green against a jet black surface. Cracks ran through it - barely visible through the darkness. Deep inside, a gentle pulse of red pierced the darkness, waxing and waning like breathing.

"Why is it cold?" Shadow asked.

"The crystal’s broken," Terra reported. "And darkened. Corrupted."

"Then how does it work?"

"I don't know!" she replied, exasperated. "I'm still figuring out magic, I lost all my memories a month ago!"

"That's not what I mean," Shadow explained. "If the furnace is cold, how is the train moving?"

Terra considered his point. “Sabin, go check the engine. Cyan, cover him.”

“And leave him with you?” Sabin asked, somewhat incredulous that she trusted Shadow.

“Yes! Hurry!”

Terra turned back to the furnace, inspecting the crystal. Her eyes narrowed, focusing on the pulsing red light inside. The color bled through the cracks in the crystal. A horrible wailing followed each pulse. She heard some strange words buried beneath the otherworldly cries, and leaned in closer to hear it.

“------ release me ------”

Her lips moved to the sounds of the crystal, whispering something she recognized as an incantation. The chant drew her in, narrowing her awareness to crystal itself. It spoke to her, like words carried on the wind. It felt so very similar to what she remembered from the esper in Narshe, but more like a dying whisper than a furious scream.

“------ who are you ------ why are you here ------ where are the others ------”

She had no means to reply to the crystal, except to keep speaking the chant.

The sounds of blades unsheathed broke her concentration. A spike of fear pierced her spine. Why would Shadow betray her now? She twirled around, expecting to see those cold eyes and her own blood, but instead found the conductor reaching a decaying hand towards her, desperately flailing. Shadow held him back, tearing into the already-deceased body with his knives. After a flurry of vicious strikes, Shadow flung the conductor’s body against the controls and kept attacking.

“I’ll take care of him,” Shadow said. “Keep finding its weakness!”

Terra ran to check on Sabin. He stood on top of the engine, peering into an open panel. “What are you seeing?” she shouted.

“There’s some kind of ghost engine at work! I can see spectral pistons firing, but the real ones aren’t. What does that mean?”

“It means…” she realized, “that we aren’t really moving!”

Sabin stared at her blankly. Her hair whipped in the blowing wind as they sped through the forest. The trees passed by on either side, blurred together by the speed. The train swayed with each gentle curve in the line and bumped with each imperfection on the rail.

“...It feels like we’re moving…”

“It’s not real, Sabin. It’s an illusion!”

She ran back to the cabin to check on the crystal. Shadow still grappled with the conductor, his weapons doing little damage to the already-dead. She knelt at the furnace and spoke the incantation again, this time loudly and clearly. She knew there was some spirit inside the crystal, begging to be freed. Maybe if she could get it out, the ghost train would vanish and the real train would remain.

“------ call me forth ------”

As she continued the chant, she saw the spectral form of the train breaking from the real structure. The crystal lit the inside of the furnace with the colors spilling through its cracks, which widened before her eyes. Sounds of cracking stone broke through the cabin. Terra covered her face with her arms as it finally shattered, releasing a disorienting ripple of magic.

“------ thank you child ------”

A phantom emerged from the furnace, but immediately faded away as if it were no longer trapped and could finally go home. The steam whistle on the ghost train wailed in agony. The conductor fell to his knees and grabbed for his heart, feeling the absence of his power. The spectral form of the train itself shook with tension. There was one thing left to do. She darted outside the cabin.

Sabin and Cyan worked together to sabotage the spectral engine. They pried, bent, and smashed any of the mechanisms they could. The engine seemed to retaliate with sprays of volatile chemicals.

“Sabin!” she called. “We need to derail the ghost train!”

“What?!”

“Just the spectral form! Rip it from the structure of the Transcontinental.”

She saw an unexpected twinkle in his eye. “It’s just an illusion, right?”

“Yes…”

“Then it can’t be that heavy!”

Sabin leapt off the engine car. His feet landed steady and firm even though the ground beneath seemed to pass by at the speed of steam-powered locomotion. He grabbed onto the front grill and pulled upward, lifting with all his might. The entirety of the spectral engine car rose into the air, its wheels spinning in vain. Sabin pulled his weight back, sending the ghost train into a downward arc behind him, and the mechanical apparition disintegrated as it crashed into the earth. The illusion lifted - the trees and ground stopped moving, and the whistling winds fell still. All that remained was the rusty, decaying frame of the Transcontinental sitting idle at the same platform they boarded from.

Sabin looked back at the three pairs of eyes staring at him. His wide smile broke into a hearty laugh. “Nobody’s gonna believe that happened!”

Cyan sheathed his sword and disembarked. He started walking the length of the platform. Terra decided to follow, worried about him being alone after their collective ordeal. He returned to where they originally boarded the train and stepped inside. The car was a mere shell of the luxury and glamor from before. He walked a short distance through the cabin and stopped at the doorway to a private room - the same room the conductor ushered him to before. The only thing waiting for him now was emptiness. Terra saw the sorrow in his eyes that didn’t show on his face.

“I’m so sorry,” she said. She felt his loss more deeply now.

“Perhaps obscured by the veil between our worlds, or maybe a mere shadow of their living souls,” he started. “Do you think it was really them?”

“Yes,” she replied truthfully.

“Please wait for me outside,” he requested. “I need some time.”

Notes:

Soooooo many feels! Sorry if that was too much, but what else could be done with this episode? The good news is we're over the last emotional hurdle before the end.

This chapter was a freaking monster to write. I'd normally split it into two or three chapters, but I didn't feel there was any appropriate breaking point in the mood or pacing. I'm honestly proud of myself for getting through it. If you're reading this, I'm glad you did, too.

Chapter 12: Waterfall

Summary:

Sabin meditates at the cliff over Baren Falls. Terra finds a way to reach the Veldt from there.

Sabin couldn’t have asked for a better place to meditate.

It took them a day to get through the rest of the forest, and another day to reach Baren Falls. The roar of the water drowned out any other distracting sounds. He was free to concentrate on nothing at all, to turn his awareness away from his senses, his thoughts, and even the passage of time. He sat before the edge of the waterfall - still and clear - as a rough and powerful stream of water fell hundreds of feet below, battering the very earth into submission.

******

Master Duncan asked him again. “What is the most powerful substance?”

Sabin was no good at his master’s riddles. When he said “metal”, his master heated a tin cup and crushed it with a gloved hand. When he said “fire”, his master filled that same crushed cup with water and doused the flame, extinguishing it.

“Stone?” Sabin offered, knowing he had to answer even though he only had the wrong answers.

“Very well!” Master Duncan declared. He presented a block of granite that must have been twice his own weight. “Break this, and you will be more powerful than stone. Then you will have proven that it is not the most powerful substance. But you cannot use metal or fire, as doing so will prove them stronger than stone, and we already know they are not the most powerful substance.”

At first he tried striking the block with his feet and fists. He figured he could strengthen himself against the block - hardening his resolve and even his bones with each impact. But the stone did not yield, and he knew no amount of training would make his body stronger than a rock.

So he changed his approach. Every day, he lifted a rock above his head. He chose heavier and heavier rocks to lift this way, until one day he could lift the block itself. He shook the ground by dropping the block onto other boulders, but this did not work as well as he hoped. The block was cut into a clean cube and had no actual weakness in its structure. Whenever he dropped it onto a boulder, the block’s edge would invariably strike first and split - and usually shatter - the boulder. He spent a whole week pulling the block up to the highest cliff of Mount Kolts and tossed it over, watching with dismay as it remained intact after landing with a deafening crash.

He returned to his master the next morning, overcome with shame.

“I can’t break it, master. I need you to show me how.”

“What are you talking about, boy?” Master Duncan replied. “You can’t break a rock that size!”

Sabin’s face sank. “But you told me to!”

“No, I told you to break it without using metal or fire. What else can damage rock?”

“Nothing, master! It’s too strong.”

Master Duncan shook his head. “Go to the river, cool yourself off. You have worked too hard for too long to see the simple solution. Just relax and open your mind. Something in the river has the power to break stone.”

******

“What are you doing?”

Her voice stirred his consciousness back into place. He remained seated and still, his eyes closed. “I was meditating… I’m not anymore.”

Terra huffed as she looked over the edge of the cliff. “It seems there’s no other way around. Cyan is looking ahead for a convenient - or at least safe - path downward, but I don’t expect he'll find anything. This is so infuriating! I can see the Veldt grassland just past the water!”

“You’re overlooking the obvious solution,” he said. “We could follow the water.”

She looked at him, and then looked down. “Jump?”

“Why not?” he asked.

“You crazy?”

He smiled; she didn’t. “I’m open to other ideas,” he said.

She did, in fact, have another idea. “I think I need to get in touch with myself… kind of like when you meditate. Can you help?”

“Are you asking me to show you how to meditate?”

“Not exactly...” she said. She had plenty of time for introspection in the last few days. The ordeals changed her: the Imperial camp, Kefka, Doma, Shadow, and the ghost train. She felt the fire running through her like never before, reaching from her heart to her fingertips. Pathways inside her had opened, allowing power to flow freely. She was becoming a truer version of herself. The kind of self that was inside her all along.

“Well what is it?” he asked.

“Open your eyes,” she told him.

She stood at the edge of the cliff, facing outward but looking back. The wind buffeted her hair across her face, but he still saw her fiery eyes and her wanting grin. Her skin nearly glowed - picking up the mist from the waterfall and the light from the sun.

And except for a single sash around her waist, she wore nothing at all.

“So this is getting in touch with yourself?” he asked.

“Yes. And I need you for it.” The way she stressed the word ‘need’ pulled him forward. He paused as he got within arm’s reach of her, nervous about her positioning at the cliff. Just one little slip…

“It’s fine,” she breathed. He took a careful step forward and reached out to hold her. She stopped him, “Not yet. Stay still.”

Her eyes followed her finger, running underneath the straps across his shoulders. She continued across his chest, feeling the contours of his muscles through his top. The heat from her fingertips bled through his clothing, sparking a familiar and pleasant feeling underneath. The motion continued down his abdomen to the sash at his waist. She unfastened the knot and slowly unwrapped it, letting Sabin’s mind wander with the possibilities of what she would do next. Tension built in his hands - he needed to reach out and touch her, feel her, hold her.

“Remove your top,” she instructed. He did as she told, thankful to direct his energy to something. She took his sash and wrapped it around her own eyes, letting the length of it fly in the wind along with her hair.

“What are you doing?” he asked, but she answered only by pressing her lips to his neck and pulling her bare chest to his. His skin burned with excitement. She kissed him down his body, running from his neck, across his chest, a peck at his nipple, and a gentle grazing across his abs. As she knelt before him, pulling his pants down across his backside and eagerly kissing his hard cock through his pants, Sabin begged for something to do. “Please… let me touch you.”

“Not yet,” she said. “Stay still.” His hands clenched.

She pulled his pants just low enough to free his dick, and it bounced with excitement and appreciation. She wrapped her fingers around the middle, feeling the quivering intensity running through Sabin’s entire body. She kissed the tip of it with sincere tenderness. The hint of hot moisture between her lips set him on fire. He gasped as if in pain, but they both knew it wasn’t. She opened her grip on his cock to let her tongue run across it, burning a line of pleasure into him. Finally, she put her lips around it and took him into her mouth. His entire body shuddered, including his voice as he moaned. Her fire always felt so good.

“Please, Terra,” he pleaded. He wanted everything from her in this moment, and if she kept going like this he’d have nothing to give in return.

She relented, giving him one last kiss on his cock and then bringing herself up to meet him. “Hold my hips,” she whispered, “and kiss me.” He grabbed onto her like she was the only thing he needed, and met her lips with his own. Her tongue nearly burned against his, but not quite - like a perfect cup of tea. “Now pull me up,” she continued, “and don’t let go.”

He lifted her entire body - not a difficult feat for him. Her legs wrapped around him, holding him so close he could feel the searing heat from her pussy. He readied himself, his cock waiting eagerly at her slit, and she told him, “Wait.”

He looked at her with needing eyes, even though she could only look back through a blindfold. “What is it?” he asked, desperate to proceed.

“I want all of you. Do you understand? Don’t hold anything back. Don’t pull away.”

His heart skipped a beat. “Are you sure?”

“Like never before,” she said. She gathered the length of the sash around her waist and tied it around him, connecting their bodies at the midsection. “Keep your hands where they are now - don’t reach out for me.”

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“Magic,” she replied simply, and dropped herself onto his cock for him. She locked her fingers behind his neck and leaned back, taking in his entirety. His mouth fell open with a moan and slowly turned into a smile, finally free to hold her tight and vent his passion into her. He watched her body bounce against him, thrusting with the natural rhythm of her heaving breasts. Her escalating moans tempted him to go harder and faster, but he strove to control himself.

The length of the sash around her eyes started to rise, lifted by some unknown force. Her ponytail rose as well. Sabin felt a sudden release across the back of his neck, and he nearly panicked. Terra fell backward, her arms wide as if sinking into a massive cushion. Her body leaned past the edge of the cliff, suspended over Baren Falls by nothing but magic. She smiled between gasps and moans, basking in her ability to defy gravity.

Sabin fought every urge to reach out - to touch her glistening body, to pull her to safety, to hold her close as he built to a climax. Instead he simply stared, awestruck at the sight before him. As her moans escalated to cries, she sank further back, lying nearly horizontal against an invisible surface. Her legs tightened around him, and he thrust as deep into her as he could.

"Gods, Terra," he uttered, leaning into her as he pushed himself towards climax. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him to the fire so they could burn together. They panted with the same breath, cried with the same voice, shook with the same passion. He drove quickly, deeply, desperately as he lost control, finally releasing into her as she cried out his name.

He held her tight as they rode through the aftershocks of their orgasm. When he came to his senses, he realized her magic supported his weight as well as hers. Rather than pull their bodies from the precipice, he stayed with her in the moment, resting against her bare chest and the magic within. Their bodies glided gently back to solid ground.

Terra removed the sash from her eyes, looking upon herself. She breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her smooth human flesh and not the feathered scaly monster she saw every time she closed her eyes these days.

"Can you do this… without having sex?" he asked. "To get us across the water?"

"I hope so…" she replied, catching her breath. "Otherwise that could be awkward for Cyan."

Notes:

Finally, right?

Chapter 13: Feral

Summary:

The party takes their first steps into the Veldt. They soon realize they are not alone.

Gliding is not the same as flying, but it suited their needs.

Terra’s feet landed gently on the grassland across the falls, followed shortly by Sabin’s and Cyan’s. She looked back to the edge of the cliff hundreds of yards above and imagined the insanity of leaping into the water from that point. Their sojourn down the Lethe River was more than enough watery adventure for a lifetime. The men released their grip on her hands - which was understandably tighter than she was comfortable with - and tried to process the experience from the last minute. If Cyan was awed by Terra’s magic, he kept it to himself. Terra considered that he might have agreed with her proposal of floating off the cliff because of the distinct possibility that it would kill him. Now that they arrived safely on the other side, he gave her a respectful nod.

Sabin, on the other hand, pulled her into his arms and hugged her so enthusiastically that she had to push back a little to breathe. “You. Are. Amazing!” he shouted, projecting his voice upward so the world would hear it. She couldn’t help but giggle as he twirled her around. Their eyes locked, and they shared a long, tender kiss - the kind that had the potential of sparking something much more intimate. Neither chose to break it off - it took Cyan clearing his throat to pull them out of the moment.

“Indeed, my lady. That was a very astounding display.”

“Thank you,” she said. Sabin blushed as he realized he had just made his own astounding display. Terra did not.

Cyan brought them back to reality. “Unfortunately, this brings us no closer to Narshe. We must head east to Mobliz. From there we can at least find some contact with the rest of the world, but there is no promise of reaching Narshe. The Veldt is a vast, wild land. We shall not see another soul for at least a week.”

“At least we’ve given the Empire the slip. They can’t follow us here,” Sabin reminded.

“Cyan’s right, we need to get moving,” Terra said. “There’s no telling how little time we have to reach Narshe before it’s too late.”

******

Cyan summarized his knowledge of the region. “Anybody who claims to understand the Veldt is a liar.”

Monsters great and small from all around the world found a common home in the Veldt. Encounters with rats, wolves, mammoths, and even the occasional Belmodar came as no surprise. But creatures known only in other environments wandered freely through the Veldt. Spritzer and Poplium wisps normally haunt caves and dark forests, but they floated through the sunny air of the grassland. Nautiloids and Exocites crawled through narrow streams, even though these aquatic beasts should require great and violent waters. Even the malicious spirits from the ghost train lingered on the fringes of vision - until they attacked.

Everyone understood very quickly this was not going to be a relaxing journey.

It seemed that the monsters took shifts attacking. Two or three times a day, a cluster of beasts came for them, as if they had some duty to harangue the people that dared enter their territory. Once the attackers were dispatched, they had proven their right to cross this land - at least until they reached the next section of the Veldt where other beasts might try to repel them.

Sabin seemed particularly unnerved by the attacking monsters. After defeating the first group, he searched the immediate area and scanned the horizon - much more so than necessary to ensure there were no others. When asked if he saw something, he just shook his head.

“Maybe I’m just imagining it,” he said, rubbing his eyes as if to clear some imperfection. But from then on he kept a watchful eye. His vigilance worried his comrades.

The night was at least comfortable, if a little anxious. Sabin thought it might be best to keep a low profile and avoid a campfire, but Cyan suggested that the monsters probably saw better in the dark than the three of them could see in the light. Keeping a fire would at least let them see incoming threats. They agreed that this would be best and spent short turns in the night keeping a watchful eye over their sleeping companions.

After the first watch, Sabin roused Cyan from his light slumber, passing the responsibility of the night watch to the elder knight. He sat up and nodded, resting his sword against his shoulder. He had not released it in his sleep. Sabin took his place by the campfire and tried to make himself comfortable in his makeshift bedding - a well-worn bedroll and an increasingly dirty blanket. He looked at Terra peacefully resting on the other side of the fire and smiled.

“What are you doing?” Cyan asked quietly.

Sabin turned to look at him with a confused expression. “I was going to sleep.”

“So far from her?”

He looked back to Terra. “I thought… out of respect…” he said, not sure how to articulate his reluctance to share his affections in Cyan’s presence.

“Sir Figaro, I request you do not treat me as a burden - out of respect. Love is meant to be shared, not hidden. It is easier to watch over the two of you when you are closer, anyway.”

Sabin sat up. “Love is a strong word,” he said.

“So it is,” Cyan replied. “Is it too strong? I did not figure you for having a weak heart.”

“No,” Sabin said softly. “I know I love her. I know nearly nothing else about her, but I know that.”

“Undoubtedly you know all that you need to. Learning the rest is simply a pleasant journey.”

The older knight was right. He knew all that he needed about her quality as a woman - that he could trust her with his life, that she was brave for others rather than herself, and that she would always deserve his support. With an appreciative nod, he brought his bedding to Terra’s side and joined her in sleep. It came faster in the comfort of her presence.

Cyan watched over them until the sun rose. He was supposed to give the watch to Terra before then, but decided to let them rest together.

******

On the second day, Terra found herself as startled as Sabin was the day before.

After defeating the last of a feral pack of ghosts, she felt like she was being watched. In the distance, concealed within the tall grass, she saw a pair of eyes gazing upon her. There were so many eyes in the Veldt - many of the creatures had more than two - but none looked upon her so specifically and intently. With curiosity. With intelligence. Was that a child’s face?

As the eyes recognized her staring back, they disappeared. A faint howling sound took their place.

“Uwaooooo!”

Terra took some cautious steps forward. She wanted to make chase, but she knew there was no way to follow. “Did anyone else see that?”

“So you saw it, too?” Sabin asked. “I thought I was crazy.”

Cyan sheathed his sword. “I saw nothing but the enemy. What did you see?”

“There’s someone among the beasts,” Sabin replied.

“A child,” Terra said, having trouble believing her own words.

******

They made camp at the first body of water they found. The plains dipped slightly into a very wide basin with a surprisingly clear pond waiting at the center. While they had enough supplies to last the week of travel they had planned, fresh water was always worth stopping for.

This was also an opportunity to bathe. Even Cyan appreciated that. They arranged to take turns and used the natural scenery as a privacy screen. Cyan insisted the lady take the first turn and would not budge on the point. Terra brokered a compromise by demanding she take the first watch - she wouldn’t let Cyan sacrifice more rest on her behalf. She looked to Sabin with questioning eyes before leaving for the water, and he motioned for her to proceed without him. She raised an eyebrow in response, leaving with an unsatisfied frown.

None of this was lost on the older knight. “I thought I told you not to let me burden you,” he said.

“Actually,” Sabin said, “I hoped we could talk more.”

“And why is that?” Cyan asked.

“I wanted to apologize to you, for when we first met.”

“Pardon me?” Cyan replied quizzically. “You saved my life,” he continued, trying to sound appreciative.

“And it was wrong of me to do so,” Sabin replied. “You’ve devoted your entire life to honor, and honor demanded that you die the way you intended that day. I shouldn’t have taken that from you.”

Cyan sat in silence for much longer than Sabin felt comfortable with. He knew this line of discussion was a gambit, and he worried it may have gone the wrong way in the older knight’s heart. The tension to speak something in the meantime nearly overwhelmed Sabin. He clenched any muscle he thought would escape notice to try to hold his tongue.

“Thank you for your apology,” Cyan said. Sabin kept waiting. “But it is unwarranted. I believe it is for the best that my honor remains unsatisfied if it means I live to fight with you.”

Sabin exhaled the breath he was holding for longer than he noticed. He could finally release the worry that he had talked his new comrade further towards dark thoughts and a violent end. “I’m glad to hear that. Would you mind if I talked to you about my father? It might help to know that I still think of him.”

******

Terra looked back towards the camp as she stood at the water’s edge. She couldn’t help but think of that day with Sabin by the Lethe river. When they first got to know each other, in so many ways. She wanted him to join her in the water again, even if that made their new companion awkward. He’s certainly old enough to understand. She sighed and started undressing, deciding that a lonely bath was better than none at all.

Perhaps it was this distraction that kept her from noticing the eyes watching her again.

The boy had not seen people like this before. Occasionally he saw hunters from the colony towards sunrise. Those people he knew to avoid. They treated him as one of the beasts - which was fair. But the way they treated the beasts was not fair. If they just stayed in their colony and out of his home, things would be so much easier.

These people, however, were very different. They came from the sunset. Nobody comes from there. And they wore such strange furs. The sad one even wore a shiny shell and used a long shiny claw. They didn’t belong here. They must be trying to get to the colony where the other strange people live - not as strange as them, but stranger than himself.

But this green-haired female… she was a good kind of strange.

The green of her hair was so very different from his. It was shiny - and curly - and flowing - and bouncing. Kind of like the female herself. The boy worked very hard to get his hair the color of the grass. He needed to tear, crush, and chew the grass to pull the color from it and rub it into his hair. His hair was dulled and flat. This was the way he fit into his home. She could fit in too, if she changed her furs. The red was very pretty - and she was pretty in it - but it was too bright, too strong. It drew attention to her - his attention, but also the beasts.

“I … Gau…” he said softly, rehearsing his introduction. He listened to their speech and knew he couldn’t speak the same way. So fast, so many words, such big words he did not know. But he knew he could talk even though he’d never had anyone to speak to. “Heeeellloooo…” he tried again, shaking his head at the result. His words were clumsy and awkward. They would not accept his speech like this. Now is not the time to talk to her. But he could still provide a gift. This gift was shinier than whatever her big dumb mate could provide. She would see that Gau is best.

His heart beat wildly in his chest as he watched her in the water, waiting for a moment where he could dart into the open. If she saw him she would be surprised - maybe scared, maybe angry. Neither would be good for Gau. The female submerged herself in the water, and this was as good a moment as any. He scurried over to the waterline, where she left her red furs. He paused - forgetting to leave the gift. This was closer than he’d ever been to her. He smelled her on the red furs … and on the pale dotted furs that covered her legs so tightly.

Against his better judgement, he stayed to smell her more. The scent was exotic. And sometimes intoxicating. He picked up a long and slender portion of the red that she wore over her arm. It was soft and smooth, the kind of fur people make from plants. He brought it to his face and inhaled deeply, closing his eyes to focus on the scent. He felt like he was getting to know her. When he opened his eyes, he found her staring back at him, her head just over the water.

For a brief moment, neither knew what to do.

“AAAaaaa!” Gau shrieked, much to his own surprise. It was his first time being mortified - and it happened in front of the female. He scampered away as quickly as possible, not even realizing until much later that he still held his gift and the long red fur. He felt bad for having taken it, but also glad to have it.

This was a confusing day for Gau.

******

Cyan faced out from the water, surveying the horizon for any interloping children. His face was nearly as red as Terra’s dress. Responding to the shriek was the most awkward task he’d undertaken in a long time. He was duty-bound to protect a lady’s life, but also her dignity. Thankfully he found a way to satisfy both impulses - to avert his eyes and watch for danger.

“So you’re saying he stole your sleeve?” Sabin asked.

Terra nodded, still drying herself sufficiently to get back into her clothes. She was just as eager to relieve the old knight of his tension as he was to be relieved. “He must have been shocked. When he knew I saw him, he just screamed and ran. I’m not sure he meant to take anything at all.”

Sabin had to state the obvious. “... I don’t like that this kid is watching you bathe.”

“And you think I do?” she said, not as a question.

“We should try to avoid him. And keep a closer eye out, especially around you.”

She declined to point out that he could have been with her in the water. “It’s not right to leave a child to live alone out here. We need to talk to him,” she said.

“If he can even talk at all - what would he say? He lives with beasts and monsters under the open sky!” Sabin did not like where this was going.

“Maybe he can help us. This is his home, he would know the best way through it.”

Sabin shook his head. “He’s dangerous. Uncivilized. Feral. And so young, too. He’s a… a…”

Terra found the words he meant to avoid. “A demon child?”

He slumped his shoulders and sighed. “... so what’s the plan to catch him?”

******

Gau wished the monsters would leave the pretty female alone. He tried warning them about her powers, but the monsters never listened to him. He tried to entice, distract, or even scare the monsters away from those people, but nothing seemed to work. All he could do was watch … and help, if he had to. While he held a certain kinship with his fellow beasts of the Veldt, he would tear them all to pieces if the female wanted.

Gau felt almost sad that they did not need help. He wished her mate would fall or flee - something to prove his inferiority to Gau. Then maybe he could leap to the rescue, chasing away the attacking monsters - maybe even destroying them, if it would please her. Afterwards, he would introduce himself.

“I’m Gau!” he said to himself. The practice was working - he could speak his practiced words with confidence. “Sorry for take!” he said as he extended his arm, returning the slender red fur she kept around her arm. “This for you…” he continued, extending his other hand to present the gift. The female would love the shiny gift.

She would smile at Gau. Then she’d say her pretty words, and somehow Gau would understand them all. And he would know her name. It would sound perfect when he heard it, and again when he said it. Then she would bring her lips to his.

Her mate would be angry, but he could do nothing. The female has chosen Gau, because he is stronger and smarter and younger than the dumb mate.

He snapped out of his daydream as he noticed the female shouting. She pointed to the distance - away from Gau - and commanded the males. “Over there,” she yelled. “I saw more of them.” The males chased after monsters into dense brush, but Gau knew there was nothing over there. The people were strong, but not smart.

Gau had his chance again.

He approached the female when the males were out of sight. He crept nervously through the grass, wondering when to announce his presence. Is he too far? He might have to yell, and that could startle her. But if he got too close, he might startle her anyway. And what if he startled himself again? That would be bad; the female would think he is weak.

She stood not too far from the edge of the tall grass. He took a careful step out into the open. His heart stopped as he realized nothing stood between himself and the female. If she just turned her head, she would see him. Then there would be no more hiding and pretending.

Gau took a deep breath and chose to be brave. “Hellllloooo,” he said, almost happy with the way it sounded.

Notes:

So this took much longer to write than I expected. I let another project dominate my imagination, so if you want to see why this took so long, go read "True Knight". I'm quite proud of it.

I should be back in gear to finish this story. Hope everyone else is excited for the conclusion.

Chapter 14: Shiny

Summary:

Gau presents his gift to Terra and brings everyone to Crescent Mountain to use the shiny.

Gau froze for what felt like hours as she turned to face him. She looked so very different up close, in clear daylight. Her eyes revealed some strange feeling toward him. Not fear - Gau knew what fear looked like in any creature’s eyes. This was different: friendly, but also gentle. Like she wanted him to be healthy and happy. He wasn’t sure there was a word for that.

He was going to say the words he practiced, but then she smiled. Suddenly he was no longer frozen - instead he was melting. His jaw went slack, his shoulders sank, and his knees wobbled. Summoning all his strength, he feebly raised his arm to extend the red sleeve towards her.

“Sorrrry… for take,” he mumbled. He thought she understood the words, and that hope boosted his spirits. She took a slow step towards him - cautious not for her sake, but for his. He swallowed whatever feeling was stuck in his throat and took a step to meet her. Gau was brave.

“Thank you,” she said, taking her clothing back. Her fingers touched his. “My name is Terra. What is your name?” she asked as she ran her naked arm into the sleeve.

Gau’s hand clenched around the shiny treasure. He prepared the script so carefully in his head, and she was jumping ahead. He was supposed to give her the gift first. As he struggled to adapt, a word slipped out his mind and through his lips. “Shiny…”

“Oh,” she said. He saw the confusion in her eyes, but her smile remained. Lightning raced through his head as he hoped to find any way to correct this before she called him “Shiny”. Maybe it was an epiphany, or maybe he was losing it, but Gau started laughing. He laughed too loudly for Terra to speak, and too suddenly for her to understand.

“Noooooo. I’m Gau.” he said. That was a close one. He focused on his breathing, making sure to stay calm and clear.

“Okay,” she replied, resuming her pleasant smile. “Nice to meet you, Gau. Thank you for returning my sleeve.” She spoke slowly and carefully. Gau could tell.

“Wait,” he said. He held up the gift with his other hand. “This is shiny. Shiny for Terra.”

Her eyes grew wide. She stared at the shiny gift in his palm. The gentle glow faded from her eyes, and the smile receded from her lips. Was she amazed? Grateful? Oh no - was she worried? Gau hadn’t seen her worried before, maybe this was it. Hopefully she was just hungry.

To his great relief, she took the gift into her hands and gazed deeply into it. She could see… the shiny has power, just like her. Gau smiled wide, satisfied that she loved the shiny.

The smell hit him at the same time as the sounds of their footsteps. The males got behind him. They tricked him and Terra! He spun on his hands and feet, backing up to protect the prized female. The older sad male kept his distance, but the dumb mate approached. He thinks he’s strong because he’s so big, but Gau knew better. Big means slow. Slow means weak. Gau hissed at the mate. “Terra not want you! Terra want Gau!” he howled, the words forming in his mind and flowing across his tongue faster than he thought possible.

“It’s okay, kid,” Sabin started, his arms wide and his hands open. “We just want to meet you. I’m Sabin, this is Cyan.” He looked to Terra for some support, but her eyes were locked on something strange and shiny in her hands.

Gau’s stance lowered. Already on all fours, his chest nearly touched the ground. He growled through bared teeth. Sabin continued taking careful steps forward, only to receive a feral bark from the child. He stopped. “You’re just a kid,” he said, not proud of where this attitude would lead.

“And you,” Gau returned, “Afraid of me!” The boy pounced, forcing Sabin to leap back to avoid him.

Sabin looked to Terra again, but she was still captivated by whatever the kid gave her. A man of his training should know better than to meet Gau on his own level, but his better nature lost out to the simple animal we can all be. “You want some of this?”

Gau leapt toward him again, prompting more retreat from Sabin. “Me not want hurt you…” he spoke truthfully. Those claws and teeth indicated he certainly could, but Gau only wanted to embarrass him in front of Terra. His eyes narrowed as he held Sabin’s gaze. Sabin had never seen anyone so confident and eager to bring him down.

“Stop looking at me like that!”

Gau pounced, tackling the powerful monk. They rolled on the ground, each struggling to overpower the other. The wild child ran across Sabin’s body with remarkable speed, slipping through Sabin’s grasp each time he tried to restrain the boy. Gau, in turn, tried to find any hold he could apply to his massive opponent, but Sabin countered every move to pull his arm, twist his leg, or press his neck.

Cyan stepped forward to try to interject, but there was no way to pull the boys apart. They bounced around the grass together, grunting and growling and cursing and … laughing? Gau leapt off of Sabin’s chest, landing in a playful crouch a few feet away. He kept laughing while Sabin caught his breath.

“That fun! You strong!”

Cyan had enough. “Simmer down, sirs!” He planted himself between the two. Sabin rubbed his face, trying to pull the embarrassment from his expression. He turned back to Terra who only now looked up from the shiny treasure in her hand. Her eyes look past Sabin’s, meeting the child’s gaze instead.

“Gau, what is this?”

He scampered over to her in excitement. “Magic… like you!”

She held up a brilliant gem for all to see. The edges formed a circle from finely-cut faces. A flat oval shined with the captured light around it. It was meant as some kind of lens, but the inside swirled with murky shadows. "Where did you get this?”

“Great Monster!” Gau said. He pointed to his face. “Magic Eye.” He gestured wildly with his arms, trying to describe something beyond his vocabulary. "Monster from mountain. But eye sees all. Monster reach from mountain … through sky … into Veldt."

Sabin's brow furrowed as he tried to grasp this explanation. "What happened to the monster?"

"Time," Gau replied, smiling. "Monster old. Like you. Died before Gau."

"The Eye works at the mountain?" Terra asked. She seemed to understand something about Gau’s explanation.

"Yes, Gau can show… but maybe need help remember. Maybe kiss from Terra help?" He smiled mischievously as he leaned forward. She planted a quick kiss on his forehead, and he chuckled with glee. He smiled back at Sabin, gloating. Sabin rolled his eyes.

"You think this'll help us get back to Narshe?" Sabin asked. “Heading to the mountain costs time that could be spent checking Mobliz.”

Terra answered with surprising certainty. "Yes."

"Why?" he asked. He saw nothing but an intricate crystal.

"Because I see Narshe through it," she explained. She decided not to mention that she didn't see the town - only the frozen esper. It almost seemed to stare back.

******

Gau watched Terra in the light of the campfire. She gazed into the shiny. He wanted to sit closer to her, but somehow it felt wrong. She cared for Gau, but showed no desire to mate. He saw this behavior in other beasts - when the unwanted male continues to bother the female, she usually hurts him. Maybe a loud rebuke, maybe something worse. Then the unwanted male gets pushed away by the rest of the herd. Gau swallowed the pain of rejection; he wanted to finally be part of a herd. As the feelings went down his throat into his empty stomach, he realized just how hungry he was. He turned away and groaned.

“What’s wrong?” Sabin asked.

Gau looked up to Sabin with sad eyes and a hand over his tummy. "Gau hungry…"

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Sabin replied as he opened his knapsack. "What would you like? Bread? Nuts? Fru - hey!"

Gau snatched the bag from him and rummaged through it. "Yummy smell…" he muttered as he tossed various foodstuffs out of the way. He finally reached a piece of jerky and held it aloft, as if victorious. "Gau need meat," he muttered before his teeth tore into the only dried meat Sabin had left.

Sabin looked on as the teenaged beast tore through his provisions. His hands rose and his mouth fell, but he couldn't bring himself to object. Considering the circumstances, the kid was clearly on his best behavior. Sabin relaxed into a grin and ruffled the boy’s hair as he chewed on the jerky. Gau looked back at him with kinder eyes - but somehow expressed that he is not sharing the meat.

"Sir Gau," Cyan began, not sure of how to properly address a young man such as him, "How long have you lived here in the Veldt?"

Gau looked to Cyan and kept chewing the meat. "Awl lwife," he said, his mouth too full to speak clearly or politely. "Veldt ish hooome." Even Gau realized with the long ‘O’ that he needed to swallow before speaking more.

"But what of your parents?”

The boy looked quizzically towards the older man.

“Who took care of you? Who raised you into the young man you are now?”

Gau looked around. “Veldt raise Gau. When Gau hungry, he find food. When Gau thirsty, he find water. When Gau lonely… he look in shiny.”

"What do you see in there?" Sabin asked.

"People. Any people. Gau watch to learn. Learn words. Learn faces. Happy face. Sad face. Learn friends. Learn family."

Sabin and Cyan glanced to each other upon hearing this answer, and then back to Gau. They weren’t sure to be sad or proud for him, taking care of himself for so long on his own.

“Do you want to join us, Gau?” Sabin offered. “We want to leave the Veldt. I know this is your home, but I would like you to come with us. Maybe we could be friends.”

Gau gnawed on the remainder of the meat as he pondered his response. Sabin had to take it on faith that Gau listened to him and understood the question - as well as its implications. There was no outward indication of the deep reflection underway in the feral child’s mind. He waited respectfully for an answer for longer than he hoped necessary.

Gau immediately knew he wanted to go with them. He paused to consider the risks. Already his hopes of mating with Terra were dashed. What if he failed to be friends with people, just as with the beasts. What if he left his home for the first time and didn't find a new one? What would become of Gau in the cold, uncaring, civilized world? He looked the males in the eyes, scrutinizing them for apprehension. If they trusted him, he could do the same. Gau decided it was time for a new life.

“Where we go?”

Sabin struggled to explain the world outside to Gau. Fundamental concepts escaped him: right and wrong, peace and war, justice and corruption. Gau reframed the ideas in his primitive perspective - struggles for territory, resources, and status. Cyan had to assure him there were principles beyond those beastly matters, important principles that guided their actions. Gau was skeptical, but intrigued. His curiosity wore on into the night, until eventually he laid down his tired head in the middle of Sabin explaining mining in Narshe. There would certainly be more questions in the morning.

All the while, Terra stared into the crystal.

“My Lady,” Cyan began. “It is time we get our rest.”

She looked up to see Sabin and Cyan looking upon her with serious concern. The bizarre gem had just taken the last few hours of her life, and they had no clue what she got in return.

“You go ahead. I’ll take the first watch,” she said.

Sabin hated to question her, but didn’t want to leave such a task to Cyan. “You’ll need to actually watch something other than the crystal for that…”

She flashed him a frustrated look. Then her expression softened. “Here,” she said, handing him the crystal. “We’ll need it tomorrow, I suppose I should stop for tonight.”

Sabin held it in his hand and inspected it. “I still don’t see anything…”

“I saw everything,” she said. This was not much of an exaggeration. She learned to control the visions in the crystal, focusing on distant people she knew and places she remembered. She saw Edgar and Banon bickering with the elders of Narshe. She saw Locke and a woman in a white cape - somehow familiar - creeping through a cave. She saw a still lake looking for her mother. She saw a sprawling Imperial complex looking for her father. But mostly she watched for him, dreading the clarity of the image. A steam ship, stocked with Magitek armor, blazing a course westward. They would see him again soon, and this time he’d be ready for a fight.

"What did you learn?" Cyan asked.

“Kefka is headed to Narshe.”

******

The cave in the Crescent Mountain brimmed with mystical energy. Terra felt it with every breath - and somehow Gau did, too. A winding path led through the cave, from an entrance by the grassland to an exit with running water waiting below. Terra glanced down and winced. Anything but more water…

Gau led her away from the ledge and back inside. “Somewhere… the shiny go somewhere. Then magic happen!” He sniffed at the floor, searching for some trace or clue.

“Where exactly does it go, Gau?” Terra asked.

His face sank. “Gau … forget.”

The men groaned, rolling their heads back in unison. Terra examined the cavern, trying to understand in her mind what she could feel in her body. Her fingertips ran across an imaginary line, feeling a strand of arcane tension running across it - like a string to an instrument, or maybe like silk in a spider’s web. She pulled on it and passed through, not bending or breaking the strand. She glanced across the length it ran - if it were real. Nothing stood out.

“Sabin,” she said, reaching out for him. She pulled him into place directly in the path of the strand. “Stay here, and look that way. Keep yourself pointed there.”

“Uhhhh,” he replied, not sure where this was going. “Okay.”

She motioned the others to follow her. Gau darted forward, stopping at the next strand before she identified it. “Magic line?” he asked. His face shined with self-assurance and an eagerness to please. She nodded, so he made himself comfortable at the spot. “Gau wait.”

Cyan followed Terra but couldn’t understand the procedure. Terra guided him around a bend in the cavern - supported by flimsy planks over a dangerous chasm. The walls bore symbols from the people that populated this cavern untold ages ago. Terra stopped at one in particular, running her finger over a simple but elegant carving into the rock. Wavy lines intersected at the center of concentric circles, like curved spokes on a wheel.

“I know this symbol…” she said.

Cyan agreed. “I have seen this once before as well. It is a rare enchantment, placed on precious stones. Using it provides arcane transportation to safety. They call it a -”

“-warp stone,” she said. He nodded.

Terra found another strand once they reached solid ground. They must have been getting closer to the center - the tension was stronger, and it was almost difficult for her to pass through it. She placed Cyan on the line and pointed him down the path of it. She saw what must have been the vertex of all the strands - a simple patch of earth illuminated by a beam of sunlight infiltrating the rocky ceiling above. She held the crystal in her palm; it nearly shook from the reverberating energies within.

Each step towards the light tested her power, like trying to walk against an arcane current. She pushed herself through the tension of each magic strand as she reached the center, holding the shiny gem aloft into the light. It rose from her hand of its own accord, floating before her eyes and spilling power into the cavern. She glanced at each of her comrades, seeing the paths of the magic strands leading through them and back to her.

Everyone watched the moment unfold, enthralled by the spectacle. The visions were no longer private to Terra. A hazy image of a snowy mountaintop projected outward from the crystal. The esper in the icy prison sat patiently at the top, gazing upon Terra through this wrinkle in space. Despite hours of trying, Terra couldn’t picture anything in her mind as clearly as this. The esper was her strongest connection to Narshe, and it was their best shot back. She swallowed the dread welling up in her throat as it watched her. It was now or never.

“Hold on!” she shouted. With a quick swing of her sword she shattered the crystal, releasing the powerful magics within.

Each strand lit up with the light and energy of the crystal, feeding directly into everyone’s bodies. Sabin felt the strand for the first time as he saw it running through him. He felt stuck in place - trapped by the energy of the magic. His vision blurred from the edges as space folded inward. His body tried to scream, but couldn’t hear himself. The sights and sounds of unadulterated chaos flooded his senses as he plunged through a void where time and space held no meaning.

After a dizzying flash, the cavern was empty and dim.

Notes:

This might have felt a little far out there, but I did what I had to do. This chapter somehow has the most and the least adherence to canon of anything I've written.

Chapter 15: Warp

Summary:

As Sabin and Terra slip through a dimension without time or space, they revisit the past.

“So you said ‘stone’ too, huh?”

Sabin turned to see Vargas standing over him. He went to the river as Master Duncan had instructed and took his stone block with him. He set the block by the riverbank and sat on it to reflect. Something in the river could break stone… he wasn’t strong enough to do it on his own.

Sabin remembered this moment from months ago, and yet here he was, living it all over again. He replied with the exact words he spoke, unable to veer from the events as they actually happened. “Yeah. I’ve spent weeks on this thing and haven’t made a dent. He told me to come to the river and clear my mind.”

Vargas sat opposite him, his back to the river. “And how’s that going for you?”

The Sabin of the past snorted. “It’s not.” The Sabin reliving the moment wished he hadn't spoken to Vargas that day.

“I remember this challenge. The old man must have spent months carving that damned rock. I wonder if I was able to break it faster than he made it.”

Sabin cringed at hearing Vargas speak of his father that way. Even then, especially now. “I know he’s your dad, but could you at least call him ‘Master’? That’s what he is.”

Vargas always laughed when Sabin did that. “It’s ok, buddy. He’s not here. You don’t need to keep kissing his ass. I won’t tell if you need to blow off some steam.”

Sabin sighed. As he watched now, he remembered the feeling. Weeks of struggling against a literal chunk of granite, and nothing to show for it. It was hard to keep the faith in his Master. “Well then,” he said, wishing from the future that he hadn’t, “what’s the answer?”

“Whoa there,” Vargas said, smiling smugly. “You know I’m not supposed to tell you that.” The look in his eye made it clear he just wanted to rub it in.

“Don’t be like that, Vargas. You win. Tell me what’s stronger than stone.”

“I am.” The smile on his face flattened. It wasn’t a joke anymore. It was a boast.

Sabin stared back incredulously. Feeling this all over again, he wanted to scream. There must have been something different he could have done, something to change what happened after. Something that could have saved his friend Vargas and Master Duncan - especially from each other.

Instead, he said what he felt at the time. “Bullshit.” He stood up from the stone and offered it as a challenge to the only student of Master Duncan he admired.

Vargas stepped confidently towards the block. He laid a hand on it, sensing something Sabin couldn’t. After a moment of concentration, he closed his other hand into a fist and slammed his knuckles into the stone with a downward strike. The blow was impressive - and doubtlessly painful - but nothing happened. Vargas took a step back and looked upon the stone.

“That was it?” Sabin asked. “You don’t think I tried hitting it?”

Vargas kept his gaze on the stone. Sabin - watching now - read the arrogance on his face.

The Sabin of the past didn’t see anything other than foolishness. “Thanks a lot, Vargas. You think this isn’t hard enough for me? And you come here, throw one damned punch at a block of stone - to what? Mock me? Get out of here, I need to concentrate.”

“Not yet,” Vargas replied.

“Or what?” Sabin said, not really asking a question. He tried to shove Vargas, but the more skilled martial artist merely flowed back a step in response.

“Look,” Vargas told him, gesturing to the stone. “It’s about to happen.”

Sabin turned back to see the start of a crack forming. The block quivered with tension - a movement so slight only the most perceptive could see. Then it erupted in a thunderous clap, splitting neatly into two pieces across the center. The lesser half of the block slid down and fell over.

“The old man won't teach you that,” Vargas sneered as he walked away.

Sabin stared at the stone in disbelief. He screamed and kicked it, pushing it over and hurting his foot. He continued, striking the remainder of the block with an uncoordinated - but powerful - series of strikes. He screamed with each impact. As he stopped to catch his breath, he felt the blood spilling from his knuckles. He knew he had broken a few bones.

As Sabin watched himself vent his frustrations, he wished that he only had the slightest bit more patience. He was so close to the answer; he stumbled on it purely by accident. To this day he felt he didn’t deserve his Master’s wisdom.

He picked up the pieces of the block. He decided to hide it. He would not tell Master Duncan what happened. He had no greater plan than to hide his failure. He stepped into the river, walking to the deepest section to drop the rocky fragments. With his hands full, he failed to notice the large stone blocking his path mid-stream. He tripped and fell face-first into his own rocky shame.

Resisting impulses to keep striking the rocks, scream out any obscenities he could imagine, and simply cry out in despair, he looked back to see what dared to trip him. It was yet another rock, but not like any of the river rocks. This was the same granite he held in his arms. Unlike the block - or its pieces - it was smooth. Somewhat square, but with rounded edges. He took a closer look, lifting it from the water. The bottom was just like his block - wide with sharp edges. The top though, around the water line, was worn down. The stone must have rested here for years. Maybe decades.

“Put it together, numbskull,” Sabin told his past self, watching the wheels in his own mind grind far too slowly.

Something in the river could indeed break stone - the water itself. Sabin forgot his shame and his wounds as he laughed with excitement. He ran to return to his master, but felt a sudden shock transcending time and memory. Sabin heard a terrible scream from a voice he didn’t know at this time, but he knew intimately now. He jerked his attention towards the cry and shouted back.

“Terra!”

Rather than his head turning, the world did. The disorienting effects of the warp overtook his senses, pulling him deeper into the unknown and unknowable.

******

“Please don’t scream, girl. It’ll be over soon.”

Terra would have sneered if she could spare the effort to concentrate. The pain at her temples pierced her very mind. She struggled to free her arms from the chair, but the bonds held her tight. Her cries echoed off the cold rusting steel walls. The scientist watched her with a sense of regret in his eyes, but nonetheless cranked the dial higher to increase the power of the slave crown. The pain intensified beyond her understanding of bearable agony.

Terra watched herself suffer with an odd sense of detachment, like it was happening to someone else. She felt a sense of deja vu many times since awakening in Narshe. Memories could seem nearly within her grasp. This moment was similar, but far more powerful.

“It’s ok, please don’t worry. The pain will pass, and so will the memory. It’ll be like it never happened. Celes is proof of that.”

He paced around the room, concerned far more with justifying his actions than anything happening around him. She hated his facade of empathy more than anything else about him. If he cared, he could simply stop inflicting this pain upon her. If he dared to feel any real sympathy, he wouldn’t cover himself from head to toe in that hazard suit. The thick protective layer did more to isolate him from her pain than her power. He cared so very much about protecting himself from what he was doing to her.

“We used these new drugs for her surgery. Anesthesia. It worked wonders. I remember being so reluctant with that scalpel, dreading the first cut. When I finally summoned the courage, she didn’t flinch. I saw the pain in her eyes and it nearly tore me apart, but I kept going. The drugs did their job - she kept still and silent, and once they wore off she didn’t remember the pain at all. Even though I saw her paralyzed agony… it was like it never happened. Just let the electro-shocks do their work, and you’ll be out of here in no time. Best of all, you won’t remember a thing.”

He wasn’t wrong. Exhausted from the writhing and flailing, Terra slumped forward. Every ounce of resistance was spent. She could even feel herself forgetting as the shocks from the crown petered out. Nothing remained in her once the agony faded away.

“Can you hear me, Terra?” the scientist asked.

“Yes, Doctor Marguez.” she replied.

“Call me Cid. Tell me you’re alright,” he asked, not worried about phrasing his question as a command.

“I’m alright, Cid” she replied obediently. Terra seethed as she watched the events unfold, struggling to break through the barriers of time and memory to retroactively lash out.

Kefka applauded from his shadowy corner. “Excellent work Cid! I knew you could work wonders with the right motivation!”

Cid glanced over his shoulder. He dreaded the man just as much as Terra. “Don’t congratulate me. Do your examination. The crown works perfectly, I assure you.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, Doctor. You sell yourself short. Your contribution to the Empire has been invaluable. If this slave crown works as well as you claim, then our little esper girl can investigate that frozen little curiosity in Narshe. Your precious Celes won’t need to ‘volunteer’ for that mission.”

Cid stood silently against a wall, distancing himself from the two powerful mages in the room.

“Terrrra?” Kefka said, crouching to meet her eyes. “What’s your favorite food?”

“Soup,” she said without hesitation. Terra remembered that she got the same soup every other day, and she preferred it to the loaf they fed her the other days.

“And which of the guards do you hate most?”

“Lucas,” she replied. He kept her awake at night by slamming his baton against her door, or screaming obscenities at her, or even throwing rotten fruit through the window.

“I’ll let him know he’s doing great work. And what about your favorite guard?”

“Gerald,” she said. He confronted Lucas about his abuse a few weeks ago. Ever since, he let Terra sleep in during the morning. He even gave her extra food sometimes.

“Oh, I’ll need to take care of him. Thanks for the tip. Now I want you to concentrate on the next question. Are you ready, Terra?”

“Yes,” she said.

“You’ll love this,” he spoke to Cid from the side of his mouth. “Terra, if you could kill anyone in this room right now, who would it be?”

“...” she murmured quietly. Cid held his breath, dreading the cruel joke Kefka meant to play on him now. Would she choose him over Kefka?

“SPEAK UP!” Kefka demanded, slapping her across the face with the bony back of his hand. His sharp nails left three cuts across her cheek.

“ME!” she screamed. Cid’s eyes widened in shock.

Kefka smiled and stood back up. “Everything checks out, Doctor. This could be your finest work yet. I’ll sing your praises to Gestahl myself!”

“You’ll do no such thing!” Cid spat. “I won’t have my name associated with this project. This is all your idea. Take the credit, take the blame, I don’t care. Just leave me out of it.”

“Is that how you really feel?” Kefka asked in a pitiful tone. “Fine by me. But just so you know, now is the wrong time to find your conscience. You can’t uninvent your Magitek. You can’t undo the infusions in Celes or myself. You can’t stop what you started two decades ago. The only thing you can manage now is ruin what would otherwise be a very fine retirement as the most respected scientist in a new global Empire. Your work is nearly done, Doctor Cid. Wouldn't it be nice to rest comfortably for the rest of your days?”

Cid stormed out of the cell. Kefka laughed at his departure.

“Come, Terra. Let’s go introduce our newest weapon to the troops. Gestahl gathered everyone in Imperial Square just to meet you.” He released her bonds and lifted her up from the chair. She followed him outside to the main complex. The daylight blinded her; she took every step forward only with Kefka’s guidance. When her vision returned, she found herself standing shoulder to shoulder with the Empire’s highest generals, Leo and Celes. The commander from the camp and the woman in the white cape from the vision…

“And remember, brave soldiers, it is you that support our mighty Empire!” Gestahl shouted from his dais, his voice booming into the square for the thousands of troops in Vector to hear. “Our mighty magitek and great generals mean nothing without you! It’s your strength, your will, and your blood that makes Vector the highest power in the world! You are the greatness of Vector!”

Shouts and cheers boomed throughout the square. Kefka whispered a command into Terra’s ear and her arm shot up in a salute. Leo and Celes did the same, followed by the thousands of soldiers below. They collectively pledged their fealty to Gestahl’s vision of violence, conquest, and cruelty.

A cold hand grasped Terra's arm and pulled her away. It was Celes, with Leo and Kefka following close behind. Kefka cast her a not-so-reassuring grin, pointing to the wide corners of his mouth to tell her to smile. Out of view of the crowd, Celes slammed her into a wall.

"Just what the fuck do you think you're doing, Kefka?" she demanded, keeping her eyes on Terra. "Why would you bring her to Gestahl's Proclamation of Conquest? She could've ruined it with one simple spell."

"My dear general," Kefka replied, "you misunderstand. She's on our side now, ready to serve my every whim. Terra… please tell Celes you want to melt her icy heart with your hot body while Leo and I watch."

"I want to melt your icy heart-" Terra started before being cut off with a sharp slap to the face.

"What game are you playing? How did you get her like this?" Celes demanded.

"I'm innocent!" Kefka cried, holding his hands up. "I just got her that wonderful little crown. It's my own design, you know. She was so grateful, she decided to be my slave from now on."

Celes gazed into her eyes, and Terra stared blankly back - at that time, anyway. Now Terra watched the woman closely, desperate to remember more about her.

"Dammit, Kefka, she's still bleeding," Celes finally spoke, touching Terra's temple.

"She doesn't mind," he said, waving dismissively. He proceeded to dance around Celes. "You should be happy. She can pick up all the little errands of war that you're too important for these days. You can focus on leading our armies and crushing any who dare oppose us. Terra, tell Celes that you're volunteering for the raid on Narshe."

"I'm volunteering for the raid on Narshe," she repeated.

Celes frowned in disgust. She looked to Leo, who simply looked away and left. He never let these matters interfere with his duties or loyalties. She looked back to Terra. Celes looked like she wanted to say something to her but knew there was no point.

"This isn't right," she finally spoke.

"That's a shame," Kefka replied. "I'll go tell Cid to fire up the extraction chambers. Terra’s no good to us anymore. We'll suck out all her magic essence and whip up another batch of infusions. You wanna go halfsies on it? I've always thought you'd look great with a little fire in you."

"... You really think she can reach the esper in Narshe?" Celes asked, still watching Terra’s eyes, still searching for some way to reach her.

"Of course. Those pathetic miners couldn't keep out a Leaf Bunny. I'm more concerned about the esper reaching her. Terra, when you talk to that esper in Narshe, tell it to come back with you to Vector. Say we want to help it get home. Can you do that?"

"Yes," Terra answered.

Celes finally turned away. "You're a sick fuck, Kefka. I hope one day you get what's coming to you."

"Me too, dear general," he said with a smile. He wrapped his arm around Terra and led her away.

“Terra!” she heard from outside her sight. Sabin called for her. She nearly forgot that she merely watched a memory - that she had a life of her own outside the warp. Terra pulled away from this waking nightmare and towards the sound of Sabin’s voice, leading her back to the swirling arcane maelstrom. If this was any indication of the memories she lost, the rest could stay forgotten.

Notes:

My apologies to anyone who sincerely loves Cid. It takes a certain amount of moral compromise and self-delusion to thrive in the Empire. It's going to look particularly ugly from the perspective of a victim.

Chapter 16: Summit

Summary:

The Returners unite with the people of Narshe. Sabin demonstrates his feelings for Terra.

Notes:

Hopefully worth the wait.

Terra landed on the frozen mountaintop after falling through the end of the warp. Her fingers slipped through a thick layer of snow, making a soft crunching sound as they pressed in. She rose to her feet and found the esper waiting in its icy prison. It was so close she could reach out and touch it. Sabin placed a supportive hand on her back, letting her know he was close but not getting in the way. His other hand held back Gau as the boy tried to approach the esper, probably to lick it.

She looked up and met its gaze - if it indeed had one. The pale eyes set inside its vibrantly colored face seemed to watch everything. As if to confirm her fears, its great and terrible voice boomed in her mind.

--- You have returned, young one. ---

Fractured memories of the last time she saw the beast flooded her mind. Flashes of pain and terror accompanied them, and the feelings lingered like an aftertaste. She pushed through the chaos and asked a simple question without a simple answer.

"What happened to me?"

--- Your captors sought to capture me. I tried to liberate you, but you were not ready. ---

The pieces of her memory crystallized into a cohesive moment. The arcs of energy running between her and the esper. The screams of her escorts as powerful magics dissolved them out of existence. A violent conflagration in her soul that burned away the tattered remnants of humanity she still felt. And, of course, the mortal terror gripping her mind as the slave crown refused her transformation.

“Who am I?” she asked in a voice too quiet to hear.

--- You are your mother’s child. You must become your father’s child, too. ---

She barely knew her mother, if the spirit in the train was indeed her mother. She knew nothing about her father. "Tell me about him," she said, speaking without voice.

--- Words are not sufficient. You will understand only by embracing the truth of your existence. Are you ready? ---

The hairs on her neck stood on end. Ribbons of energy already started between her and the esper. "NO!" she shouted as soon as she could. To her relief, the energies dissipated. "I'm needed here," she explained.

--- You must face your truth. Deny yourself at your own peril. Do not return until you are ready. ---

The esper seemed to ignore her now. Was it indifference… or disdain?

"What did it say?" Sabin asked.

"It wants me to become something," she said. Terra couldn't find the words to explain the powerful beast she saw inside herself. It never felt like the time or the place to talk about it… and even if she did, she had no idea what to say.

Sabin understood better than she might expect. Whether she dreaded or embraced her own nature, Terra always seemed more than human. They couldn't ignore it forever, but they at least had something to take care of first. He finally said, "Let's meet back up with Edgar and Banon. Here, put on this cloak..."

******

The meetings had gone on for days. Somehow Banon maintained the elder’s commitment to discussion but couldn’t get him to yield anything in the negotiations. Edgar started to wonder if the Narshe leaders simply lent an ear in the hopes of gathering vital intelligence - something they could use against the Returners in later talks with the Empire. Banon asked him to perish the thought, but the concern lingered. As today’s discussion progressed, he fiddled with a familiar coin in his pocket, wondering when his brother would arrive… if at all.

And, of course, Terra. All of this was for nothing without her.

“I understand all of it, except,” the elder spoke, “how can we encourage bloodshed? We declared our neutrality years ago, and the wars that ravaged the other continents proved the wisdom of that choice. Joining your cause invites ruin and sorrow to our community.”

Arvis raised a hand to object, but Banon shut him down. “Blood will spill regardless of your choice. Ours, yours, even the people of the Empire. The question is why and how. Emperor Gestahl is racing to acquire Magitek power. Narshe has already experienced your first taste of his greed. He’s set his sights on that great frozen creature you found. If he gets his hands on the esper… it could lead to global destruction.”

A hush fell on the room. Nobody had yet uttered the word ‘esper’ in these talks. Banon hoped to get them on the side of the Returners without evoking such a dangerous idea… and without revealing his knowledge of their secrets.

“The War of the Magi,” the elder said quietly.

A councilman voiced his disregard, “It’s little more than a myth - and you would have us commit to war because of ancient stories?”

“People will never learn,” the elder continued, paying no mind to his dismissive comrade.

An awkward silence followed. A pounding on the door interrupted everyone’s tense thoughts. The Narshean guards immediately went to arms. “Edgar! Banon!” shouted a familiar voice. “Let us in, it’s freezing out here!”

Edgar disregarded diplomacy or tact as he pushed the Narsheans out of the way. “Step aside!” he commanded as he did so. “That’s my brother!”

He yanked the door open and found Sabin and several strange faces waiting in the cold. Snow clung to their hair - all manner of hair on them - and they seemed like they might shiver if they weren’t actively projecting strength and confidence. Edgar looked on the face of an older, dignified knight and a younger, less dignified savage. He nearly asked about Terra before seeing a sliver of her face peeking out from a heavy cloak. He smiled, recognizing that glint in her eye. Edgar wasn’t sure if they’d know to keep her incognito; he regretted doubting his brother’s wits.

“Rene, you’re alright” he said softly, scooping his brother in for a hug. “It looks like we’ve got some new friends,” he spoke to the rest.

Edgar quickly ushered everyone inside, brushing past the guards yet again as they stood too confused to enforce their order. Sabin led everyone to the center of the room to meet Banon.

The elder knight spoke first. “I am Cyan Garamonde, retainer to the lord of Doma.”

“Gau!” the boy chirped, somewhat excited by the crowd of people around him. "GAU!" he repeated, for good measure.

“And this,” Sabin started, somewhat nervously, “is my special lady Tina. Apologies, the journey has been particularly hard on her and she needs the warmth and privacy of my cloak.”

“Your ‘special lady’?” Edgar inquired, his eyebrow raised with keen interest. It was a good cover for Terra, but his brother was not inclined to lie.

“Well,” he said with a shrug and a smile, “I guess I’m a Figaro after all.”

“We’re glad to see you all,” Banon said, spreading his arms with a wide greeting. “I’m sure there’s much to tell about your journey, but may I start by asking… what is a great knight of Doma doing here?”

Cyan’s head lowered. His mouth opened as if to speak, but the words didn’t come. Gau crouched low enough to look him in the eye and held his hand reassuringly. Sabin put his hand on Cyan’s shoulder and then spoke for him.

“The Empire has committed a grave atrocity,” he said. “killing all the people of Doma. Lords… commoners… women… children. Only Cyan remains.”

“Kefka,” Cyan spoke, forcing out each word. “Poisoned. Everyone”.

A silence descended, so dread and still that the sounds of the snowfall outside seemed deafening by comparison.

“Barbaric,” the Narshe elder finally uttered. Banon glared back, letting the Empire’s crimes speak for themselves.

“But that was only because Doma was collaborating with the Returners!” shouted the councilman. “You come here to ask the same? If we make that mistake...”

Terra held her tongue. The images from the crystal flooded her mind - Kefka’s army was headed to Narshe this very moment - maybe even making landfall already. Nothing these Narsheans chose to do or not do would keep them safe from Kefka’s sadistic glee.

“That’s nonsense!” shouted yet another familiar voice. The sound of the door slamming open followed - perhaps pushed for dramatic effect, or maybe blown open by the blizzard outside. Two people entered: Locke, and a mysterious woman in a white cape.

“Celes…” Terra whispered.

“Locke!” Edgar shouted, welcoming his friend. This was turning into a good day indeed for the king of Figaro.

“The Empire’s moving to attack Narshe as we speak!” Locke continued, eager to get his message out before embracing his friend.

“And how do you know that?!” shouted the obstinate councilman. “Our scouts have seen nothing headed our way. This could just be a ploy to pit us against the Empire!”

“This is General Celes Chere,” he said, gesturing to the woman in the white cape. “She saw the orders for conquering Narshe!”

“What?!” Cyan growled, stepping past Gau to confront her. His hand went to his sword but he had yet to draw it - such an act would be irreversible. “You would come here after what happened to Doma?! You would dare show your face after what you did to Maranda?!”

Celes looked upon him dispassionately. Something about her seemed so passive, defeated. Her hands didn’t move from her sides - not to her sword, nor to signal apology or surrender. As if she awaited judgement.

Locke stood between Cyan and Celes. “Wait,” he said, holding his hand out. “She’s defected from the Empire. She’s one of us now!”

Cyan sneered in response. “I do not know you, sir. But we all know her. It would be best if you stepped aside.”

Edgar stepped forward to intervene, but Banon stopped him. Everyone watched the confrontation, waiting for something to bend or break. Nobody noticed Terra as she stepped forward, her small and unassuming frame moving out of view until she stood next to Cyan. She put her hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see her undoing the cloak. His eyes begged her not to, but she pulled back the hood to reveal her shining green hair. She cast aside the rest of the cloak as the Narsheans gasped, seeing the Imperial Witch in their midst.

“Cyan, please stand down,” she said. Locke smiled at Terra, but she did not smile back. The hope in his eyes faded as he realized she wasn’t here to ease the conflict, but rather to seize it. “You too, Locke.”

“I promised I’d protect her…” he started.

“You made a similar promise to me,” Terra replied. “Some things can’t be fixed with promises.”

Locke crumbled under her gaze, shaken by her determination. The woman standing before him was so unlike the Terra he remembered from only days ago. He wanted to plead, to beg for some kind of peace - anything to let him keep his conflicting oaths. Celes relieved him of his burden, gently pushing him aside. Seeing Terra again roused her spirit, moving her with something other than grim acceptance. She stepped forward to meet her, as if for the first time.

The entire room swirled with tension like a tornado about to take form. The Narsheans readied their weapons, distrustful of the Returners for bringing dangerous Imperial mages into their home. The Returners likewise assumed a defensive stance - intentional or otherwise. Sabin glanced helplessly towards Terra as she confronted Celes. Though only feet away, a battle line coalesced between them, with him at the front and her at the core. He had no way to protect her from a fight that could erupt at any moment.

Terra knew precious little of Celes, but she held such a firm impression of the woman in her mind. Somewhere between a rival and a nemesis - a magitek knight who served as her opposite. Where Terra had fire, Celes had ice. Terra’s power flowed naturally; Celes’s abilities came from experimentation. Even though Terra had unfailing faith in her magic, she knew Celes could dispel her with a runic blade - absorbing Terra’s magical energies as if she were designed to contain her inestimable power.

The recent memory from the warp consumed Terra's thoughts. Celes had looked upon her freshly-crowned head with such pity. She wanted to say something to Terra at the time… but what? Terra struggled with the question forming in her mind. What could she ask Celes now to understand what they both were, and what they both could be?

Celes assumed a proud posture, resembling a hero from a propaganda poster. Instead of resting her hand on her sword, she extended it forward - not as a handshake, but an invitation. Terra cautiously accepted, and their hands clasped around each other’s fingers. "I'm glad you're free," Celes finally spoke. Her eyes bore a deep well of sorrow as she continued, "I only wish I'd helped."

Suddenly Terra recognized her; years of familiarity condensed into that single expression. The ever-present sorrow in those eyes captured a thousand lost moments. Even on that dais, lauded as a hero of the Empire, she looked outward without joy or pride. Only regret. This was the Celes she knew.

Gestahl had imprisoned them both.

Terra wrapped her arms around Celes and held her close. After a brief hesitation, she responded in kind. Such a thing was new to Celes, but she was happy to try it out. “You can be free now, too,” Terra whispered.

A shout from across the room broke the moment. “What is the meaning of this, Banon?” the councilman demanded. “You warn us of coming war with the Empire, and bring two of their most powerful weapons into our home? I see more of a threat before my eyes than your unfounded reports of an Imperial attack!”

Terra turned away from Celes and shouted back. “It’s not just any Imperial attack headed this way, it’s Kefka himself. With a full contingent of magitek armor!”

“How could you possibly know that?” the councilman replied, shouting over the raucous commotion of his fellow Narsheans.

“I saw it myself. Through a magic crystal.”

“And I assume you can show this to us?”

“No,” Terra answered. She realized the explanation would not improve the situation, but she saw no reason not to speak the truth. “We had to consume the crystal’s power to get here. And even if I had it, only I had the power to see through the stone.”

A roar of jeers ran through the house. The councilman deftly replied through the chaos, encouraging the outcry while still being heard, “And we should take your word after you led the attack that killed our brothers, fathers, and sons? You slipped through our fingers as we sought justice, and now you ask our faith and respect? We ought to take the revenge we were denied earlier!” His words sharpened the collective will of the guards - their drawn weapons eager to see blood.

Edgar saw that look in his brother’s eyes. He tried to grab Sabin’s arm as his burly figure pushed forward, but he was never able to restrain his brother before and today was no different. Sabin pushed aside the swords pointed in his direction - and the swordsmen, too. Holding the floor, rhetorically and tactically, he spoke his mind.

“You know what your problem is?” he roared to the councilman. "You're hopeless! You don’t believe in a better world, and who can blame you? It’s hard enough to survive; forget about fighting back. After everything you've seen and heard about the Empire, how could you dare oppose Gestahl?"

Sabin turned as he spoke, addressing all the Narsheans directly. "But you're still so angry. The violence of their conquests, the injustice of their rule… it seemed so distant until they finally reached across the world and attacked your town. You look at her," he said, motioning to Terra, "and all you see is the end of your peaceful dream and the beginning of a brutal nightmare. But she's not the harbinger of your doom, she's the ray of hope you've been waiting for."

Sabin looked deeply into her eyes before he continued. The words came easily to him as he thought of their brief time together. “In fact, she’s what we’ve all been waiting for: someone to bring us together. A spark of fire on a cold, dark night. A reminder that magic is real, and for once it’s on our side. A beacon of courage and kindness that can’t be broken by terror and cruelty. A testament to how strong we can be, even after everything’s been taken from us. She can change your world if you just give her a chance.”

She returned his gaze, struggling to hold back feelings meant only for him. Her lips betrayed the slightest smile; her eyes blinked to contain welling tears. They nearly forgot the battle threatening to erupt all around them.

“Your faith in Terra is moving - even admirable,” the elder said, choosing not to let the belligerent councilman push any further. “But we can’t take your word for her powers or her character. Narshe knows her only as a killer. How can we accept your tales of magic and mind control? If we had just one person in our community who could speak on her behalf, we could listen. But there is nobody in Narshe who has any reason to trust her.”

“I trust her.”

All eyes turned to one of the Narshean guards as he said these unexpected words to his comrades. The guard pulled away his cloak to reveal his deeply stained vest. The dark red of blood had turned brown with age. Terra recognized the young eyes behind the wrapped mask of the Narshean uniform.

“I ran into her on the night of the attack, while she was escaping through the caves. She must have been as startled as me, but she was quicker … and drove her blade straight into my heart.” His fingers went to his vest, demonstrating the hole at the top of the bloodstain. “She … she couldn’t bear what she’d done. I saw it in her eyes. Maybe she never meant to hurt me, maybe she regretted it, but either way she chose to use her magic to heal me before I died. She risked her safe escape to keep me alive.”

The councilman saw the tide turning against his anger. “And you let her go? You didn’t call for your brothers in arms?”

“No sir, I did not call for them,” the young guard replied. “She saved my life.”

“You fool,” the councilman sneered. “She dealt you the mortal blow in the first place. She spared your life.”

“That’s not how I see it, sir,” he replied.

The elder called for attention, striking the floor with his ceremonial staff. “I have made my decision. We fight alongside the Returners. The Empire will not take the esper. Let’s make ready for war!”

******

Terra turned to close the door behind them. She smiled to herself, satisfied to finally have the comfort of an inn. They’d never shared the luxury of privacy and a bed. She slowly closed the door, letting her heart flutter with anticipation. She looked back to Sabin, reading something new on his face, an expression he’d never worn before. He placed his hand over hers and forced the door shut, just shy of slamming it.

He held her in place, facing the door. His body pressed against her: his chest against her back, his waist against her rear, his lips against her neck. Warmth spread across her skin as her heartbeat quickened. His lips, his teeth, his tongue went from hot to cool against the nape of her neck. He hummed with approval as he felt the change in her body. She sighed with eagerness as she felt the change in his, pressing through his pants and against her ass.

His hands ran down her arms and across her sides, arriving at her hips. He deftly undid the knots holding her many sashes in place. They fell to the floor in quick succession. Terra closed her eyes and breathed. Her hands remained at the door, forced to support herself against the pressure Sabin exerted from behind her. He never used his strength like this before. She never knew she wanted him to.

"What do you want from me?" she asked, an invitation more than a question.

“Not from you,” he said. “For you.” He leaned back, but only to turn her around. His body loomed over hers. She realized now, trapped by his presence, just how imposing Sabin could be if he chose.

Sabin crouched down before her, reaching under her dress to find the top of her stockings. He swiftly pulled them down to her ankles. She steadied herself with one hand on his head and another over her own eyes. As the garment gathered at her feet, she instinctively raised one leg and then the other so he could fully remove the stockings. Sabin swept her up, resting her legs on his shoulders and her back against the door. His short beard tickled the inside of her thighs, which eagerly opened wider. She nearly slid off him in doing so, but he caught her by her backside, happily supporting her as he tasted the heat of her pussy.

Terra relied entirely on his strength to keep her from falling over, and she fully embraced it. She held his head with both hands as his tongue worked her clit. Her quickening breath ignited excitement into pleasure. She hummed, then moaned, then groaned as he continued, testing new combinations of motions and pressures to elicit greater responses. His passion fed her fire, and she let it burn freely. Her hands released his head and grasped her own, her grip tightening around her hair as she closed her eyes and gasped with each desperate breath. Suddenly her thighs closed around him; her entire body tensed before writhing in rapture. Sabin held tight as she rocked against him, making sure to keep her pinned between himself and the door. She had to push him away to get her spasms to subside.

He hoisted her body over his shoulder as she still squirmed, lifting her butt-first into the air. Before she had a chance to catch her breath - let alone ask what he was doing - she fell gently onto the bed. Terra watched as he stood above her, disrobing. She pushed herself up, regaining her composure. Her hands went straight to his pants, pulling them down as he removed his sash. She grabbed his rigid cock and looked up at him with a smile.

“What can I do for you?” Terra asked, her lips so close that the heat of her breath tantalized him.

His hand reached under her chin and held her face up. She looked up to his eyes, expressing her desire to please him. He bent down to meet her for a kiss. Their lips met slightly open, each pressing hungrily into the other. Terra grabbed the back of Sabin's head to hold him close. She tasted herself on his mouth, and this sparked an even greater need to have more of him. He slowly pulled away, but she wasn't ready to let him go. Her teeth held his lower lip, reluctantly releasing him from her grasp.

“Lean back,” he said. Her fingers slipped off him as he gently pushed her back onto the bed. “Take it off,” he continued, tugging at her dress. She did as he said, pushing her dress down her chest as he pulled it completely off her body.

Sabin leaned onto the bed, resting a knee next to her so one hand could reach forward and hold her down while the other reached back and kindled her fire. His fingers traced the length of her slit - warm and moist at the top, hot and wet at the bottom. He carefully pressed a finger in and then another. Slowly but firmly, he pushed upward as he pulled back, then pushed inward as he pulled upward. All the while he locked his eyes onto Terra’s. She watched his expression as his fingers moved inside her. His cocky grin contrasted against his caring eyes. Was this power? Was this love? What possessed him so?

He watched her back, and her face betrayed the smoldering ecstasy inside her. Her eyebrows raised and her eyes widened - almost as if worried, but actually weak with joy. Her mouth fell open as her breathing deepened yet again. Wordlessly she begged for more, but he continued with his slow, firm, deliberate pace. Her legs squirmed against his hand. She grasped the bedding with tight fists. She bucked vainly against his might. Still he continued, his fingers working her to a frenzied simmer, his eyes holding her down as firmly as his muscles.

“Fuuuuuuuuck, Sabin… please...” she groaned. Her hips rocked to make her own rhythm, but he merely compensated against her movements. She reached under him and grasped his cock, stroking with the same pace she needed for herself. He did not respond in kind. As her expression melted with yearning and frustration, his eyes softened - maybe apologetically - but he did not relent. His gaze never broke from hers, and his grin grew ever so slightly as she frantically tried to get him to...

“Why won’t you go faster?” she cried, too weak to scream, too desperate to plead.

"I need something from you," he said, his voice yet another aspect of the strength he exerted on her.

"Anything," Terra breathed. Her mind reeled with possibilities, both tender and depraved, each more appealing than the last.

He leaned in, bringing his lips to her ear. "Burn for me," he whispered.

The words struck her like a spell. She gasped as fire shot through her bloodstream. He barely spoke over his own breath, but he conveyed a depth of desire she didn't know existed in him. He brought his lips to hers to taste the burn. He had to pull back at first - the heat was too intense; he needed to acclimate himself. Nearly laughing at his hubris, he smirked as he braved her scalding hot kiss again. Finally his fingers gave her what she craved, and she nearly exploded with relief. Terra breathed deep and fast, her senses reeling from the fire boiling her blood, scorching her skin, consuming her mind. She moaned and cried softly as she burned away, less and less aware of anything but her bliss.

Sabin carefully pulled away once she had enough. His hands ached with her heat; he had to make sure he wasn’t burnt. Except for her deep breathing, Terra didn’t move. She laid back with her eyes closed, still moaning with each exhale. He leaned over her and carefully kissed her neck, her cheeks, her breasts. She nearly burned to the touch.

“Terra?”

“Hmmm?” she asked, not bothering with words.

“I’m not done with you,” he said.

“Please,” she sighed. “I’m yours.”

“Face the headboard,” he said, guiding her up to her knees. “And bend over.”

Terra complied, presenting herself to Sabin as he kneeled on the bed behind her. He marvelled at the sight: her hair, her back, her ass. He lined himself up to her slit, his cock aching with anticipation. Even after everything he’d done tonight, he still felt nervous. “Ready?” he asked.

"Don't make me beg again," she replied, looking back to him with exasperated eyes.

He pushed forward, sliding himself into her slowly but firmly. As his hips met her buttocks he paused. He wanted to gauge her wetness, her heat, her reaction… but mostly he just wanted to enjoy the moment.

"Sabin…" she moaned urgently, and he started thrusting in response.

They groaned together as his hips repeatedly slapped against her cheeks. Sabin’s patience finally wore out, and he increased his pace and his power with each subsequent stroke. He grabbed hold of her hips and pulled her forward with each impact, driving himself deeper and deeper. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, letting the pleasure run through him as he greedily drove his cock into her.

Terra buried her face into a pillow and muffled her groans, cries, and screams. She braced for another impending orgasm, but as the rising energy mounted the tension didn't release. The fire inside roared beyond her control. She frequently pushed the boundary of her power, but this time somehow felt different. This was the same feeling from a shattered memory, with a painful crown biting her skull and a frozen esper igniting her soul. Sabin sparked an inferno that threatened to consume her… and perhaps him, too.

Even so, she craved the thorough fucking. She panted as he continued thrusting, his cock testing the depths of her pussy. Her voice trembled as she struggled between moans. Should she cry out in joy and embrace the fire or cry out a warning before it was too late? Stuck between an emphatic 'yes' and a terrified 'no', she simply shrieked as she finally climaxed. Sabin growled in agreement, falling forward as he released inside her. They gasped and moaned together, their bodies writhing as one through the waves of their shared ecstasy.

Terra turned over and looked at Sabin. To her surprise, the whole world looked different, as if viewed through a flickering haze. Objects in her vision seemed to bleed wisps of faint color. Sabin radiated a vibrant sea blue; her own skin gave off a fiery orange aura. She scrambled out of bed and searched the dresser, hoping to find a mirror.

"What’s wrong?" Sabin asked as he sat up. His voice carried a blend of worry and guilt.

Terra looked into her own eyes and saw the fire inside seeping out. Her irises flickered outward like a circle of flame. The intense burning of their passion was subsiding, but a sense of dread remained. The esper's warning rang in her mind. How much longer could she pretend to live as a human?

She turned back to him so he could see her eyes. “Something is happening to me,” she finally admitted. She looked down to her hands and imagined pink scales, feathers, and talons. Her altered vision supported the image all too well.

Notes:

The difficulties I had writing this chapter are numerous and kinda hilarious. Since we're nearing the end of the story, I needed to plan out the few remaining chapters to make sure I'm capturing the intended themes and fitting in all the important narrative moments.

Then I get to writing the sex and I drew so many blanks and wrote out so many missteps... it turns out I struggle writing the man in the dominant/driving role and even if I think of something that sounds super fucking hot I get stuck with simple matters of pacing.

Anyway, only two chapters left. Please be patient, we're almost there.

Chapter 17: Wisdom

Summary:

Sabin struggles to accept Terra's fate as the Returners defend Narshe from invasion.

Notes:

In this story ostensibly about Terra, I wrote a chapter entirely about Sabin. Ooops.

“Brother, we need to talk.”

Edgar greeted Sabin and Terra at the bottom of the staircase. They were supposed to meet for the battle plan in just a few minutes. Sabin didn’t like the tone in his brother’s voice. Edgar had something unpleasant to share.

“Can’t it wait until after the briefing?” Sabin asked.

“It’ll just be a moment. Terra, could you tell everyone in the meeting room that the Figaro boys are having a quick chat?”

She looked to Sabin, picking up on his reticence but not knowing how to help. “Sure,” she said, offering an apologetic frown. He nodded for her to go. Edgar watched as she walked down the hallway to joined the rest of the Returners.

“Out with it,” Sabin said. His patience seemed particularly short this morning.

“It’s about the battle plan. I’ve been talking with Banon, Sir Garamonde, and General Chere. There’s a great deal of military experience and skill at our disposal here, and it’s best we defer to them on tactical and strategic matters. You agree, of course?”

“Yes,” Sabin replied, waiting for it.

“They’ve worked out the details of formations and positions. We’ll meet the enemy in the rocky hills beneath the summit. Their numbers will work to their disadvantage, and we can hold the passes with just two teams.”

“Go on…”

“You and Terra … you’re deploying to separate teams.”

Sabin glared back. “You’re expecting me to fight without her by my side?”

“That’s the thing - it's not a fight. It’s a battle. I’ve also been training in this last decade. A king must know the ways of war. You know all there is to know about fighting, but what do you know of formations? Drills? Maneuvers? Signals? Fights are won by skill and strength. Battles are won by strategy and discipline.”

Sabin raised his voice, “What does this have to do with me and Terra?”

Edgar sighed. “Do you remember Lord Commander Lazarro? He used to say that a battle is lost the moment someone chooses passion over discipline.”

“Just fucking say it,” Sabin sneered.

“The two of you mean more to each other than anything else,” Edgar replied, keeping his cool. “And that includes this mission, maybe even this war. If you had to choose in the blink of an eye - lose Terra or lose the battle - which would you pick? How could you live with either choice?”

Sabin looked back to his brother with the frustrated expression of a man who knows he can’t win this argument.

“And that’s why we can’t have you in a position to make that choice. You’ll fight alongside Cyan and Gau. The three of you can hold off the advance of their infantry and beasts. Listen to Cyan’s orders, ok? You couldn’t ask for a better leader in your position. And make sure you take care of that kid, too. He shouldn’t be on a battlefield, but we can’t really stop him.”

“What about Terra?”

“Terra will join Celes and Locke, and me. We’ll break through the magitek armor line and defeat Kefka. Without their commander, the imperials will break.”

Sabin nearly yelled, “The mechs and Kefka?!”

Edgar continued, “Celes is our secret weapon. She has abilities that can neutralize their magic power.”

Sabin shook his head and turned away. He couldn’t refute his brother’s points, but he couldn’t imagine Terra fighting this battle without him. He needed to be there - not necessarily to keep her safe, but to know she’s safe.

“Don't worry, I’ll be there to look after her for you," Edgar tried to reassure his brother.

"She’s too strong to protect, Roni. You can't do it, and neither can I." Sabin couldn't explain what was happening to Terra. Even if he truly understood, it wasn't his place to say. She swore him to silence; she didn't want her comrades to worry for her or to keep her out of this critical battle. Terra knew she was needed, and nothing else mattered. And now she was the linchpin of a plan that could stretch her powers beyond her tenuous control. What if she loses herself before the end? What would happen to her? What would happen to all of them?

"Have faith, Rene. We're all in this together, remember?” Edgar put his hand on his brother’s shoulder, but this did not soothe him. As Sabin walked away, he added, “I need you to tell her. It would be best coming from you, as this did from me.”

He stopped mid-step and noticeably suppressed an outburst of anger. His arms tensed to keep his fists still and his shoulders heaved with deep breathing. He spoke in a grave tone, “You wear that crown with too much ease, brother. You don’t realize when you ask too much.”

******

The words echoed in his head. He asked with a broken voice, “Be careful, ok?” She nodded, tears welling in her eyes.

“Sabin!” Cyan shouted, pulling him back to the present. "Withdraw!”

He looked up and saw the approaching forces - a pack of attack dogs and a squad of armored infantry. Cyan waved him over to the rocky outcropping, their next point of defense. Gau peeked over with nervous eyes - nervous for Sabin’s sake, not his own. Sabin scrambled back to join them, meeting a fresh admonishment from Cyan.

“Focus!” he said sternly.

Before Sabin could respond, Gau hissed at the oncoming beasts. He readied himself with a pouncing position. Cyan spun in a deadly arc, dispatching the first armored bulldog to round the corner. Sabin and Gau indulged their brawling nature and met the rest of the pack, exceeding the brutal strength of the canine soldiers. The armored infantry watched with shock as their attack dogs fell one by one to inhuman savagery, and they quickly fell back to safety rather than engage such powerful foes. Cyan watched them reconsider their approach, and called Sabin and Gau back to cover.

“Gau, go watch that side. Shout if you see them coming.”

The boy nodded. While he struggled to understand most others, he seemed to follow Cyan perfectly. "REEE-DEEE-PLOY!!" he shouted, enjoying the new words he learned for this battle.

Cyan turned to Sabin. He spoke in a firm yet understanding tone, “Whatever happens with Terra is out of your hands. I need you here with me.”

“It’s not so simple,” Sabin explained.

“I never said it was. But caring for her now means winning the battle. Put her out of your mind and focus on our mission.”

Sabin nodded. Cyan returned the nod and peeked towards the enemy again. There was no movement across the other side. “I suspect they plan to reposition,” Cyan explained.

Sabin responded, “You should join up with Gau. I’ll watch and call out if they advance here.”

“Very well. Do not fall to any distractions.” The elder knight ran off to meet with the feral child.

Sabin carefully watched for the enemy, taking short peeks from different vantage points. Nothing, not even an imperial peeking out from the other side. These seconds of vigilance dragged out to feel like hours. With a lull in the fighting, he couldn't help but think back to what may have been their last moment together.

He looked in her eyes before they parted. The color still flickered ever so slightly; he wouldn't notice without knowing to look for it. How could someone seem so powerful and vulnerable at once? "In case something happens out there - just know," he said, "I love you."

She paused, her lips quivering. "I… love you too," she replied, embracing him. They knew to share nothing more than a kiss. If these were indeed their last words together, at least they chose the right ones.

A desperate scream woke Sabin from his daydream. He cursed himself for being distracted yet again. Then he realized what he heard: a woman's scream, coming from the enemy line. Not just any woman's scream…

"Terra?!" he shouted, emerging from cover. He saw nothing but snow and rock, just as before, but he heard the scream again. It was definitely her. Panic shot through him as he heard her pain and fear. Visions of her face wracked with agony tore into his heart. He darted forward, disregarding the intricacies of battle. Cyan shouted from across the field, but Sabin didn’t listen. She needed him, and nothing else mattered.

He crossed the no-man’s-land between the battle lines, reaching the rocky outcroppings that could conceal any number of threats. He peeked across corners, but found nothing waiting for him. Sparing nothing more than quick glances, he followed the sounds of her pain. It wasn’t screaming anymore, but rather a tortured groan that hurt all the more to hear. She must be close.

Then he paused. None of this was right. Where were the imperials? Why was Terra here? Where was everyone else? Sabin scanned around him, hoping to find anything to explain what was happening. There was nothing here except the pure white of snow, the jagged gray of rock, the pained cries of the woman he loved… and the cruel laughter of a sadistic clown.

“Kefka,” Sabin muttered, his breath heavy with rage.

He sprang forward, finding the son-of-a-bitch around the next corner. Kefka trapped Terra under an arcane storm - arcs of lightning shot from his outstretched hands and caged her with excruciating power.

“Sabin!” she cried, and he responded.

He tackled Kefka with a violent lunge, breaking the electric bonds. As they crashed into the ground, Sabin brutally twisted the maniac’s arm to make it match his soul. The appendage gave him no resistance, bending and turning as if filled with nothing but air. Sabin expected the sounds of snapping bone, but instead he got the comical squeak of inflated rubber running against itself.

He looked up to Terra as the illusion faded - her face dissolving into a smooth rosy surface. The details of her image disappeared and all that remained was a long red balloon with four rosy-fleshed appendages and a head marked with a frowny face. The decoy took flight as the pressure escaped its body, twirling into the air with a rude noise. Sabin’s face sank with horror as he realized how gravely he erred. Before he could get up, the inflated Kefka burst, saturating him with noxious fumes and sinister toxins.

He rolled away and struggled for breath. His hands clutched his throat and refused any conscious effort not to. His chest heaved with desperation, but his lungs still burned for air. Paralysis consumed each of his limbs, reducing him to agonized helplessness.

The laughter returned. Kefka - in the flesh - stood over Sabin and glared down with a smile wider than his face.

“Did you hear the one about the fool that went fishing and caught the idiot? Pretty funny, right?!”

The laughter sounded more and more distant, even though Kefka’s gloating face lowered directly over Sabin’s. Light and sound echoed inside his skull; his awareness receded into nothingness. Everything slowly went black - or white, it was hard to tell - as he slipped from this world into the next.

******

Sabin’s breath returned to him as a complete shock. He gasped as he bolted upright, taking in warm fresh air with indescribable relief. His senses returned, revealing a bright blue sky - not the cold gray of Narshe. His fingers ran through vibrant green grass, not harsh, thick snow. The wind felt soothing against his face. He knew this environment more intimately than any other.

Of course his paradise would be Mount Kolts. No place in this world meant more to him. Nature itself welcomed him to a simple remote life, giving him a freedom he could never know in a harsh desert castle with the finest riches known to man.

Sabin rose to his feet. The fear and the agony from mere moments ago were gone. What remained was peace… but not contentment. He had failed, and utterly so. He let down his friends, his comrades, his brother, and Terra most of all. What would happen without someone who understood her?

As he did whenever he had questions he couldn’t answer, Sabin went to his master. He always knew where to find the old man. On a pleasant day like this, he'd be sitting on the porch of his cabin, sipping his favorite tea and indulging a casual smoke from his pipe.

Master Duncan did not seem surprised to see his favorite pupil. "Sabin, my boy, what brings you to me? Surely you have more important things to do than visit an old, lonely man."

"I don't think this is a visit, master," he started. "I think I'm here to stay."

Master Duncan looked him over sternly. The old man always saw right through Sabin - not that he made any attempts to hide his thoughts or feelings, but he often lacked the insight to understand his own mind. The master must have seen something very grave indeed. “You should have a seat. I think it might be time you started calling me Duncan.”

“What do you mean?” Sabin asked, worried for his master.

“I’m not anybody’s master anymore, least of all yours.”

“That’s not true!” Sabin replied. “You always have my respect and faith. I still have so much to learn!”

“Then you choose to live in my shadow. Say what you will of Vargas; at least he tried to reach his full potential!”

Sabin was taken aback. “But… his ambition was your undoing! And his own! He tore the school apart because he spurned your wisdom!”

“You’re not thinking, Sabin. It’s well past time you view me with a critical eye. Vargas was my pupil and my son. His misdeeds are a product of my failure as a teacher and a father. Maybe I tried too hard to forge him into the greatest martial artist the world has ever seen. He exceeded my abilities too young. In my excitement to make him strong I forgot to teach him humility, and it was too late once I tried.”

Sabin remembered the last time he saw Vargas. Standing above his rival’s broken body, his mind stewing with dark thoughts of justice, vengeance, and blood - he considered how it all happened in the first place. He saw in Vargas a boy who lost his father, and suddenly he understood the anger. Duncan chose to be a teacher rather than a father, and Vargas resented him for it. Even worse, he treated Sabin as more of a son than his own. How could Vargas not be furious with his father, and with Sabin, too?

In that moment, Sabin could not return the rage in Vargas’s eyes. His bitter fury demanded death; he could not live with the shame of what he’d done. Sabin refused him - maybe more as punishment than mercy. “I understand Vargas better than you may think. With any luck I managed to teach him humility. But I would rather be angry with him than disappointed in you, Master.”

“Don’t call me that,” he replied. “And you dishonor my teachings by ignoring my faults. What did I tell you about truth?”

“Truth is rarely difficult to find,” Sabin recited. “It is often difficult to accept.” He sighed.

“It’s time for you to move on, my boy. But what do you say to one last lesson, for old time’s sake?” The old man offered a friendly grin as he stood up from his chair and motioned towards the cabin door. Sabin smiled. He hadn’t realized how much he missed Master Duncan. He loved the idea of one last moment as a teacher and a pupil.

A rich scent of dust, dirt, and plantlife wafted from the open door of the cabin. Sabin recognized the complex smells of the old man’s butterfly garden. A momentary storm of fluttering wings ran through the cabin, forming and dispersing so quickly Sabin barely understood what he saw. Duncan walked calmly through the chaos, somehow undisturbed by the butterflies and not disturbing them in return. He motioned for Sabin to join him inside, gesturing towards a cluster of plants as he spoke.

“These are the most fascinating creatures in the world,” he began admiring a butterfly perched on his finger, “but they don’t start their lives this way. They emerge from their eggs and start the simple, monotonous process of devouring enough nutrition to grow and progress to the next step of their lifecycle. Our own lives tend to change slowly. We try our best not to change at all. These creatures have no such choice, and the transformations are so sudden and traumatizing it’s easy to understand why we work so hard to stay the same.”

Duncan pored over his plants, finding the ideal specimen for this lesson. “Here!” he said, pointing to a particularly plump caterpillar dangling from a twig. “It’s already anchored itself. Come close, take a look. Remember, this is a living creature; try to imagine what it feels.”

Sabin wore the persona of a pupil better than his own clothes. He studiously watched the creature, opening his mind to its experience. The caterpillar hung upside-down and started convulsing downward. Sections of body visible beneath its skin pushed towards its head, as if gathering itself. This became more evident as the thin carapace split and the rest of the body slowly extruded from the rupture. The convulsions increased, and the body flailed to and fro. It seemed like a strategy to force more of itself through the growing rupture of the carapace, but the desperately flailing antenna could only be understood as agony.

The process continued - too quickly to look away, too slowly to see the end coming. The carapace gathered around the hind section, seeming more like discarded clothes than the creature’s own flesh. The body that just moments ago was the interior of a caterpillar formed the structure of a chrysalis. It took a new shape, still writhing desperately to free itself from the remains of its previous form. Finally, it shook the carapace loose. A stationary organic structure sat where there had once been a caterpillar in its seeming death throes.

“What did you learn?” Duncan asked, humoring Sabin with the voice of a master.

“That was… terrifying.” Sabin replied.

“Do you think that’s what the caterpillar wanted?”

“Of course not.”

“What would you do if you felt yourself changing like that?”

Sabin remembered the last time he felt so trapped, like some living nightmare closed in from every side. Nearly a decade later, he still recalled every sight, sound, and feeling like it could be happening now. His own life was changing so drastically - the kingdom that supported his days as a happy young prince now demanded a king. The responsibilities that accompanied his privilege weighed on him, and he found he could accept neither. He couldn’t command his countrymen into hardship or sacrifice. He couldn’t stand in judgement of other human beings. He couldn’t enjoy the comforts of wealth knowing it came from the poor. The night he left, he stood in front of his mirror and donned the crown. He expected to see Edgar staring back at him, but he only saw a vision of the man he refused to be.

“I’d do anything to escape it,” Sabin replied.

“But the caterpillar could not escape,” Duncan spoke solemnly, “because this was not a culmination of its choices. This was its very nature. Nothing could stop it from this path, from the horrifying and painful experience of being one thing - and then another thing entirely.”

The master motioned to another chrysalis which started shaking as he spoke. The bright colors of the wings seeped through the thin casing - the chrysalis no longer contained a mystery. The butterfly within slowly - and more calmly - emerged from the casing. Its newborn wings could not fly; it clung to the empty shell to keep from falling. It began to unfurl its wings, like a sail taking shape against a fresh wind. The delicate structures fell into place, and before long the thin, flat, colorful wings shook and took flight. Sabin extended his hand and the creature landed on his palm. He carefully brought it before his eyes and examined it wistfully.

“Is there anything left of the caterpillar in the butterfly?” Sabin asked.

“Who’s to say?” Duncan replied. “I can tell you that the caterpillar does not grow into the butterfly. The chrysalis destroys it and builds a butterfly from the remains. But this does not mean the resulting creature has no connection to the previous one. It only means the process is both destructive and creative.”

Sabin nodded. The object of this lesson did not escape him. “Change feels like death,” he muttered.

Duncan agreed. “This is why we avoid it at all costs - until we are ready to lose the piece of ourselves that changes.”

Sabin blew gently on the butterfly in his palm and it disintegrated into motes of colorful dust that fell away into nothingness. This surprised neither of them. He looked to his mentor and asked a pointed question. “Why would you teach me this now?”

“What do you mean?” Duncan asked.

“I mean what good is it to me now?” he demanded, raising his voice. “I should be with her as she faces her own change! Maybe I can lend her some comfort or some courage. Maybe having someone who loves her can ease the process. Maybe there’s nothing I can do but watch as she burns away into whatever she’s going to become. But I should be there anyway!” He ran himself out of anger and passion and spoke his more sullen thoughts. “Instead I’m stuck here in this false paradise ... knowing that even if she makes it through this battle, she’s confronting her terrifying fate alone.”

“Entirely possible,” Duncan replied. "What makes you think you're stuck here?"

Sabin looked puzzled. "Master… you're dead. If I'm talking to you now…"

Duncan chortled in response. "Am I now? You're sure about that? Never count me out, lad - not until you know for sure. And you shouldn't count yourself out, either."

"But…" Sabin continued. His last memory still played out in his mind. Gasping for air he couldn't breathe, struggling in agony without moving, watching Kefka laugh at his demise. "There's no way I survived that…"

"You think so? Don't you have just a single ray of hope?"

Notes:

The next (and last) chapter will take some time. I've set up some challenging hurdles, thematically and stylistically speaking.

In the meantime, maybe a lazy live-tweeting of my latest FF6 playthrough might entertain you. Details in my profile.

Chapter 18: Trance

Summary:

Terra starts what she fears is her last day with Sabin. The imperials are better prepared to fight the Returners than expected, so Terra gives in to the fire in the hope that she can make a difference.

Notes:

Oops! This isn't the last chapter after all! It turns out that I can't fit everything I intend to happen into one chapter.

The good news is that I have what will *actually* be the last chapter fully drafted out. Now I just need to turn bad writing into good writing.

They didn’t have a drop of sleep to share between them through the night. Between the impending battle and whatever was happening to Terra, there was no space to relax their minds, their bodies, or their souls. They had the comfort of each other’s embrace, but little else. As the soft glow of the morning sun bled through the curtains, they both felt like their last day together had begun.

Terra rose from the bed first. A splash of cold water against her face did little to refresh her. Sabin sat up and watched her prepare herself for the day. She pulled her hair up, leaving just a few curls dangling down. She slipped on her stockings, her dress, her boots, and her sleeves. Each article of clothing required the slightest bit of teasing to work out wrinkles. Her face showed the slightest bit of consternation and then satisfaction as she perfected her look. It would be nice to watch this routine again and again, every morning for the foreseeable future.

“What if you didn’t fight today?” Sabin asked.

She paused while wrapping a scarf around her waist. “What?”

“What if you just need to give magic a rest? Fighting demands too much from you. You demand too much from yourself. What if you left the battle to us, and maybe whatever you fear is happening to you… won’t.”

Her lips curled into a soft frown. “This war is not a luxury to refuse. Your friends need me. Who might die because of my absence? What if Kefka wins? Do you think I would be safe then?”

Sabin refrained from saying what he felt; he needed her too. He looked deeply into her eyes. It was faint, but he could still see the fire. Her irises gently flickered. “It’s too dangerous…” he insisted, knowing he has nothing to refute her.

“Always has been,” she replied. She saw the scrutiny in his eyes. She greatly preferred his look of affection. With a sigh, she came to the bed and sat next to him. “I can’t have this argument all day. I need you to accept this. I need it to stay secret.”

“But -” he tried to object.

“- Promise me,” she insisted. There was nothing to discuss or negotiate. She knew what she was doing and what she needed from him.

“Terra … I still see it in your eyes.”

“I’m fine,” she assured him. She wasn’t sure if she expected him to believe it.

Sabin took a deep breath and tried to let the fear and sorrow pass through him. There was nothing else to do with these feelings. “I promise,” he said, taking her hand. “Just be careful for me, ok?”

She nodded. They both ignored that there was no way to carefully fight Kefka.

******

Terra felt Sabin’s absence the moment his brother pulled him away for a chat. Catching a glimpse of their talk, she saw tension on Edgar’s face. He did not intend a pleasant discussion. What else could be expected before this battle? She pushed aside any darker thoughts on the subject and entered the meeting room with the rest of the Returners.

Her friends and comrades sat around a large table, waiting for the rest to begin the mission briefing. Cyan greeted her with a stern nod. There was something off about his expression though - not dispassionate or stoic, but subtly empathetic. Like he felt sorry for her. What did he know?

Terra looked around the room and saw the others doing their best to quietly ignore her. Locke glanced away from her. Celes stared at the maps and tokens on the table, as if concentrating on a complex puzzle. Banon spoke to Arvis in hushed whispers. Only Gau offered any warmth, hugging her as if he knew she needed it. Thankful, but confused, she took a seat and waited quietly for Edgar and Sabin to return.

Maybe this is just what war is like. Awkward and cold, even among friends.

Reminded of the looming battle, she reviewed the table. She recognized some of the landscapes on the maps and pieces representing people and objectives. A chunk of cheap crystal at the mountaintop - the Esper. The hills leading down from the summit to the town - she walked them just yesterday. Different tokens of white, blue, and brown - various fighting units from Narshe, the Returners, and the Empire. And a small child’s toy, a clown figurine - a whimsical representation of the dreaded Kefka. She couldn’t help but smile. He didn’t seem so scary like that.

Sabin entered the room. She saw the anger written all over his face. He was never good at concealing himself. He softened when he looked at her, and a bittersweet smile crossed his lips. He took the seat next to her and held her hand. The grip was tight, possessive, maybe even fearful? Why did he not speak? What dark secret had soured everyone so, and why was she kept from it?

Edgar followed soon after. She saw him banish some kind of wound from his expression and beam out a confident smile. “It looks like we’re all here. Let’s begin.”

“Arvis, you’ve done a great job coordinating with the Narsheans. You’ll work with them to provide reconnaissance and intelligence support. The militia can hold the high ground above the town. From there you can watch enemy movements and signal that to us. If the Imperials decide to attack the town itself, the militia is the first line of defense. Understood?”

Arvis nodded.

“As for the rest of us, we’re holding the hills. They want that Esper; they need to go through us. This is the narrowest defensive position available, but it’s still too wide for us to work together as a single force. We’ll split into 2 separate teams.”

Edgar motioned to one side of the map. “This team, by the tighter pass, will hold off the enemy infantry … and whatever monsters they’ve pressed into their ranks. This is a strictly defensive point. This team’s only job is to make sure none of the enemy get by.” Then he motioned to the other side of the map. “This is our assault team. The terrain on this side is less dense, more forgiving. This is where magitek armor will advance. The assault team has the difficult job of engaging the augmented forces, breaking through them, and defeating Kefka.”

Edgar picked up a blue token from the table and pushed it through a mass of large brown tokens. The forceful gesture toppled a handful of them. Then he brought it to the clown figurine and knocked it over. With a satisfied smile, he placed the blue token down triumphantly, like victory was already theirs.

“Does everyone understand the plan?” he asked. Terra realized this explanation was more for her benefit than anyone else. She and Sabin may have been the only people in this room that didn’t have a hand in crafting their strategy… and it seemed he already knew something about it. He must have been upset because they would be in the assault team - a dangerous role that would tax her powers. She nodded, considering the gravity of the situation and accepting it. If this is what they needed of her, she was ready.

“Very well. Sir Garamonde will lead the defensive team. Sabin and Gau go with him. General Chere will lead the assault team. Terra, Locke, and I follow her. Now let’s review the signal codes and contingency maneuvers…”

She went pale and couldn’t hear the rest of the discussion. She lost all awareness of anything but a sinking feeling deep in her heart. Sabin squeezed her hand a little more, and she squeezed back. The moment melted away as she struggled to hold back tears. Was this their last day together, and they had to live it apart? How was she going to do this without him? What if she finally broke, and he’s not there to help her through it? What would her friends do if she burned away into that monster? What might she do to them?

The meeting must have concluded at some point, because she realized everyone else had left the room. Only Sabin and her dark thoughts remained.

“I’m … so very afraid,” she finally admitted. “Afraid of this battle, afraid of Kefka… and afraid of myself. Now I’m afraid for you.”

“Terra,” he tried, finding no other words.

“I don’t think I can do this alone,” she spoke softly.

“You won’t be alone,” he said. “This is a good plan. You’re partnered up with Celes because the two of you can handle this together. You can count on everyone else just as much as we can count on each other.”

“What if I can’t hold on anymore? What if the last thing I see is their horrified faces as I become the beast?” She didn’t mention worse possibilities, like what the beast might do to them.

“That’s not going to happen,” he reassured her. “We’ll get through this battle. Our friends will be there for us. And then, if you need me to, I’ll take you to the Esper. We’ll get through whatever happens next. I’ll be there for you.”

She buried her face in his chest, letting herself finally weep. She could almost believe him, but not quite.

“Be careful, ok?” he asked, his words heavy with worry.

She nodded. She had nothing to offer back except her tears. She knew her eyes still burned, perhaps even more so now. He looked into them, but not with fear or pity. His heart shined through his eyes.

"In case something happens out there - just know," he said, "I love you."

"I… love you too," she replied, holding him tighter. They parted with a kiss, fearing it was their last.

******

“You’re still doing it wrong. Turn your body, shoulder towards me. Good. Now raise your arm. Higher. Pull your elbow back a bit. Put your other hand on the flat of the blade. Don’t be afraid of it, you won’t cut yourself. Keep your fingers flat! You don’t want me cutting you either. Good. Now you can block my stroke. Remember, you’re not stopping me, you’re deflecting me. Turn as you catch my sword. Left or right, there’s no wrong answer. You’ll feel it instinctively, one hand will bear more force than the other and that’s where you give. After that, your retort is obvious.”

Terra stood as Celes instructed, holding up her sword to deflect the mock attack coming her way. Celes carefully drew the motion of a downward swing with her blade, letting Terra see and feel the technique. She blocked the strike and turned, letting the slash complete its trajectory in a harmless direction. After safely turning away her attacker’s sword, Terra saw her opportunity to continue spinning and brought her blade about in a potentially deadly arc.

Celes smiled approvingly. She stepped back and assumed her ready stance. Her sword gleamed in the cold daylight. "Good. Again. Faster."

Terra readied herself as Celes stepped forward, bringing her sword downward. The blade moved faster than Terra felt comfortable with, but she braced her sword just as Celes taught. The blades connected and she pushed the attack to the side. Feeling relief after deflecting the slash, she forgot to continue the motion to counter.

Celes looked at her coldly as she stepped back. "You didn’t counter. A wasted opportunity. What happens if your opponent doesn't give you another?"

"I… I don't know," Terra answered.

"You lose," Celes explained bluntly. She readied her shining blade. "Again. Faster."

The attack came before Terra readied herself. She raised her sword, forgetting to support it with her other hand. The urgency of the moment banished the lesson from her mind. The two blades met with a crash. Her wrist strained under the impact. Maybe she had the wherewithal to continue her motion to push the attack aside, or maybe she just had momentum from bringing her defensive sword up so quickly, but she managed to push it away. Still, she stepped back rather than forward, unable to press a counter after barely deflecting a killing blow.

Her withdrawal prompted Celes to advance again, this time swinging from the side. Terra panicked and darted backward. This wasn’t the same defensive drill anymore. She readied her sword, unsure of what could happen next.

“Your blade is short. Distance is not safety,” Celes explained. To illustrate her point, she lunged forward, thrusting the tip of her sword the entire distance between them in a single motion. Terra parried the thrust and stepped forward, applying the lesson. Deflect and counter. Unfortunately, Celes was right. Terra couldn’t reach her target from this far. Celes’s blade was ready for her swing. As their crossed blades pressed against each other, Terra faltered under the dispassionate gaze looking back at her. Was this swordplay so trivial that it roused no sense of urgency or excitement? Or would Celes wear the same cold expression in pitched battle?

Terra must have let her thoughts wander too long. She found herself falling onto her back, only vaguely aware of the sweeping kick behind her knees that felled her. Celes placed the tip of her gently curved blade over Terra’s heart to indicate her victory. “Why did you pause?”

Terra couldn’t explain. “I … got distracted.” She motioned to get up, but Celes denied her. The brilliant sabre pressed through her dress and firmly into her flesh. What was she doing?

“Are your thoughts always so scattered? Do you need that terrible crown on your head to keep you focused?”

Her steel needled into Terra along with her words, prompting alarm and anger.

“Stop it,” she demanded. “You’re hurting me!”

Celes yielded nothing. Her cold eyes expressed cruelty far too easily. “You have enemies out there that seek your blood, not your submission. What are you going to do against them?”

Terra knew how to handle such foes. Celes left her no option. Her heart caught fire as she focused power into her open hand. Celes saw the shift in Terra’s expression and quickly pulled her blade back to catch the incoming spell. A spike of flame shot towards her and spiraled into her runic blade. Absorbed energy surged through her veins. Her eyes widened - barely, but noticeably. Could this spell have killed her?

Terra bolted upwards and rushed her enemy. Celes found herself on the defensive, blocking a storm of fiery steel. What Terra lacked in technique she made up for in fervor. Celes parried each strike less readily than the last, unable to press back against her opponent. This shouldn’t be happening - where did Terra get this speed, this strength? Even accounting for adrenalin, panic, and rage, Celes couldn’t understand the savagery raining down on her. She fell to a knee, blocking a strike with her sword braced against the ground. Terra pressed harder, both hands pressing down on her blade. Her eyes burned with some frightening mixture of fury and power. Even so, Celes maintained her cool expression over gritted teeth and tight breath.

“Terra! Stop!” Locke yelled. The sparring had clearly gotten out of hand.

Terra blinked and awoke, as if from a dream. She stepped back and turned away. Memories of the past few seconds washed over her as she caught her breath and settled her nerves. Was the fire still spilling from her?

Celes stood back up, brushing dirt and snow from her knee. She wasn’t sure what she saw in those few hectic moments, but she knew she saw something. “Terra,” she said. “Look at me.”

With a deep breath, Terra turned and met her gaze. Celes’s eyes narrowed, scrutinizing her. Terra quieted her anxiety and smothered whatever fire she could. It must have worked, because Celes didn’t press her with any questions. Instead, she swung up her sword to the ready position and assumed a fighting stance.

“Again,” she said. She let a smile cross her face. ”Slower this time.”

******

It was hard to say when the battle began - or even if it had. Terra waited in position with the rest of her team. Was waiting part of the battle? Being ready to fight the enemy at first sight? The way her heart beat in her chest - and the burning that came with it - made it seem so.

An arc of rich green fire shot from the hillsides above. A signal from the Narsheans. Edgar coordinated the signals with them. His lips moved while he watched the flare sear the sky as if he were reading a book.

“Enemy spotted. Close. Magitek. Maybe half a dozen. In this visibility, who can say for sure?”

Locke peered past the rocks to see ahead. A thick haze of snowfall obscured anything he might hope to see. “Nothing. I should scout forward.”

“Be careful,” Celes reminded him. He smiled and winked. She rolled her eyes.

“Doesn’t sound like something I’d do, but I’ll try.”

He scurried forward, keeping low to avoid notice. Given his wardrobe choices and the ubiquitous snow, it probably didn’t matter. He crossed the short pass between rocky outcroppings and peered around. Something startled him, and he immediately turned back, darting across the field. An armored magitek walker stepped out and fired, scorching the landscape with a fiery beam from its main cannon. Locke scrambled as he ran, diving for safety back behind rocks as another frozen beam traced a quick path behind him. Jagged ice sprang up from the footsteps he placed a mere heartbeat ago. He looked back to his comrades with a vaguely embarrassed expression for so narrowly avoiding death.

"There's a bunch back there. Sorry, didn't have time to count," he explained.

Celes turned to Terra. "Are you ready?"

She nodded. They worked through the routine dozens of times. "You are the shield, I am the sword. Together we can defeat anything." she murmured.

Celes raised her runic blade and stepped proudly into the open, inviting the Imperials' wrath. Two beams converged on her at once, both dissolving harmlessly and dissipating into her own spirit. Terra followed shortly thereafter, locking her gaze onto one of the pilots and clenching her outstretched fist. His body erupted in fire, the machine writhing in agony with him as he clamored against the controls before dying. The other mech withdrew, quickly realizing this was not an advantageous position. A hail of crossbow bolts crashed against it, but to no avail.

Edgar cursed as he reloaded his weapon. "General?" he asked.

"Advance," Celes replied, eyeing the distance for any new threats. Quickly, they crossed the empty space between the rocks, taking cover behind the rocky outcropping that Locke had just run from. Celes gestured silently to one side, signaling to Edgar and Locke to be prepared, and they readied themselves for any approach from that direction. Then she turned to Terra, wordlessly asking the same question as before. Terra nodded.

Leading again with her gleaming sword, Celes rounded the corner to meet the enemy. As before, a deadly blast of magic dissolved harmlessly against her blade. Terra followed her again, choosing one of many targets. She shot a bolt of fire in its direction, but to her dismay the spell crashed against an arcane shell that snuffed the flame before it reached its target. The walker fired back, but not with a magitek beam. A deafening boom of black powder rang across the battlefield followed by the hauntingly quiet sounds of Celes groaning and falling. Terra caught her as she collapsed, warm blood spilling over her cold body.

Terra remembered the feeling from earlier today, with Celes’s sword pressed cruelly against her breast. Without a moment to consider alternatives or consequences, she drew from her fire and channeled all the power she could muster into a focused inferno. The blaze sprang forth from below the walker, breaking through the shield and obliterating machine and man alike. A dizzying explosion followed, magical energies radiating in all directions through a kaleidoscope. Or maybe it just seemed that way to Terra.

Locke ran to Celes, seemingly aware of her injury without any means to sense it. As he did so, another walker attacked from the other side, taking a shot at his back. Edgar responded quickly, firing his crossbow with urgent aim. As the magitek beam traced its path towards the self-proclaimed treasure hunter, several bolts struck the pilot. The beam veered harmlessly away as the imperial slouched forward, the remnants of his life spilling onto the controls of his war machine.

Terra pulled Celes back behind cover. She felt blood against her dress - the shot ran through. The frosted white glow around her seemed to falter as well. Terra gazed into the wound, somehow oblivious of Celes struggling to breathe. A steady flow of her icy essence sprayed out like cold steam from a frozen kettle. She reached her hand over it, feeling the chill through her own fiery aura with morbid curiosity.

Locke skidded to a halt next to her, his hand already rifling through an alchemical satchel. “Terra!” he shouted, the sound of his voice somehow distant. She looked up at him to see his eyes widen - he must see the fire pouring out from her eyes. A gentle green glow surrounded his body, forming small currents twirling in all directions like an indecisive cyclone. “Hey!” he shouted again, commanding her attention. “Cover us!”

Ominous sounds of heavy mechanical footfalls steeled her focus back to the moment. The dread machine stopped just before the craggy edge of their cover. Terra felt the intensifying charge of the magitek cannon, both attracted and repulsed by it, like how a magnet might feel another of its kind. Knowing there wasn’t a moment to spare, she darted towards it. As she rounded the rocky corner, she met the pilot’s eyes, barely visible under the imposing brown helmet. His face paled at the sight of her - the witch that killed dozens of men just like him. His fighting instincts guided his actions through whatever mortal terror overtook him, and the machine turned and fired during this fraction of a moment. Terra raised her arms over her face in a feeble attempt to protect herself. The tension in her body projected through her soul, and the fiery essence surrounding her intensified.

Shards of ice pelted her like a single-minded hailstorm. Frozen daggers shredded the sleeves around her arms to pieces and were no kinder to the flesh beneath. She thought she might scream but instead found herself strangely calm. Where was the pain for these wounds? The flurry of jagged crystals felt like nothing compared to the surge of cold against her body. She remembered the victims of this weapon all too well - bodies frozen solid, cracking and shattering like bloodstained glass. The chill started to feel like a burn. She lowered her arms as she realized burning was her own making; the fire protected her, even without being called to do so. Freezing energy splashed harmlessly against the bright, powerful fire engulfing her body. The stunned pilot drove the machine backwards, hoping to flee the wrath of the witch. She shouted at the magitek monstrosity, fire seemingly on her very breath, and the machine burst into flame.

Several imperials in the distance immediately fled for cover. She watched for any indication they might attack from another direction, but saw none. The searing heat receded from her skin. She looked to her feet and saw the snow around her melted into a shallow puddle. The fire was no mere projection of whatever she saw in her aura - it manifested to protect her like the reflex that brought her arms over her face.

Had she already pulled too deeply from the fire? It coursed through her, inside and out. She inspected herself, wondering if she would see her own hands or those terrible feathered talons. She saw only her own flesh, blood red rather than bright pink. The pain returned to her lacerated arms, and she nearly laughed in relief. Human bodies are supposed to hurt when damaged. Maybe she’d still be okay, at least for now. After taking a moment to heal - and calm - herself, she retreated back around the jagged rock.

Terra gasped when she saw Celes. Was she so entranced that she forgot to care for her friends?

Locke held her head in his lap, propping her upward so the potion would go down her throat. Edgar pressed a handful of soft red feathers against the vicious wound in her chest. The down glowed as it met her torn flesh and spilling blood, returning enough vital energy to Celes that she could sit up and cough. Without even catching her breath, she took the remainder of the potion Locke was trying to sneak into her and drank it thirstily - like her very life depended on it. She continued coughing and wheezing as she took to her feet.

“They were ready for us,” Edgar said.

“Ready for me, more like,” Celes replied between desperate breaths.

“... and ready for me,” Terra added. “Kefka must know I’m here.”

“How could he possibly know that?” Locke asked. He glanced to Edgar, who in turn glanced to Celes. Locke refused the accusation before it could be spoken. “Not a chance, Edgar. She fights with us!”

Celes’s cold expression betrayed nothing.

“Of course,” Edgar said. “She clearly gained nothing from a supposed betrayal, anyway.”

Locke stared back with barely contained outrage. He wondered how trusting Edgar would be if anyone but Celes were the grievously wounded one.

“We need to rethink this battle,” Celes spoke again, resuming her role as commander and not suspect. “Aggression has proved too risky. We need to focus on defense, hopefully break them through slow attrition rather than shock maneuvers. Until we can identify which of their mechs have powder cannons and magic shields, Terra and I can’t…”

Her words trailed off as a bright red streak soared across the sky above. Another signal flare, but this time not from the Narsheans.

“What is it?” Locke asked.

“Distress,” Edgar muttered. “Something’s happened with the other team.”

“Sabin,” Terra whispered. If anyone were in trouble, it would be him.

The others spoke concerns, weighed choices, and argued options. Terra didn’t bother to hear any of it. She thought of her own choices, of possibilities and consequences available to her and nobody else. She closed her eyes and went to her fire. It burned stronger and brighter than she’d ever known. She reached toward it, like she had done many times before, whether in bliss or rage. What could she do with only the powers she already knew? Sabin needed her now. She couldn’t spare the flirtatious dance with the fire, the balancing act between her innate power and her tenuous humanity. It was time to finally give in.

The fire understood her intention. It drew a ring around her, encircling her. Then it closed in, ready to consume her entirely. She thought of Sabin as the flames touched her. She reminisced on the mere days they had together, which amounted to most of her known life. Her fingertips sparked into bright pink flames, spreading up her arm. She wondered about the days that could have been - maybe a peaceful life in a rural cottage, maybe another adventure across the world, or maybe even more dark days of war but with the comfort of each other’s love. Her legs ignited as well, the pink fire running up her body and leaving a flaky layer of ash where flesh had once been. She remembered his warm smile, his eagerness to help, his relentless drive to support her, seemingly from the moment they met. Not because he loved her - not yet at least - but because he couldn’t live his life any other way. The fire engulfed the rest of her body and suddenly vanished as if she were a blackened wick on a spent candle. The soot fell from her body, revealing the terrible beast she had come to respect and fear. She thought of Sabin as the talons ran over her body - its body now - brushing away the ashy remnants of humanity. Would he still love her after sacrificing herself to the beast?

Terra opened her eyes and knew the world would never be the same.

She looked at her comrades and saw their essence bright and clear. She recognized the wisps of pale green wind surrounding Locke and the frosty haze around Celes. Edgar’s body glowed a bright yellow with sparks flying outward and shocks running across him. The auras shined through the snow, their clothes, and even the rocky terrain around them. She counted the glowing figures in the distance - prismatic spectres of fiery red, icy blue, and electric yellow. The magical aura of a magitek engines. There must have been a dozen of them out there, as well as one other with a peculiar dark aura, as if it had no magitek cannon.

“Listen,” she spoke, her voice too steady for the severity of the moment. “There’s about a dozen more magitek armors out there. One of them has a powder cannon - watch out for it. They’re still regrouping, but they’ll press a new assault before long.”

“How do you know this?” Celes asked.

“I can see them - their power,” Terra responded.

“Terra, look at me,” Celes commanded. She met Celes’s gaze and made no attempt to hide her nature. Again, Celes’s cold expression betrayed nothing.

“... our intel was wrong,” Celes explained, starting with an inaudible curse. “This is their main attack force. We can’t shrug them off and break through. We need to resist them here and now - they intend to seize the esper.”

“What about Kefka?” Locke asked.

“Not here,” Terra answered. She knew she would see him if he were. She knew where to find him. “I’m sorry… I have to go.”

The words slipped carelessly through her lips. She wasn’t sure she actually said them. Her mind dwelled far away from the present. She stared into the distance, towards the source of the flare - where she’d find Sabin and Kefka. She took a few steps back. Her gait seemed awkward, as if she were disoriented or even drunk. Edgar and Locke shared a concerned glance.

“Terra, you can’t go anywhere in your current state. Please…” Edgar snapped his fingers toward Locke, prompting him to search for some kind of concoction in his satchel to cure her condition, whatever it was.

She paid less attention to him than her own balance. She focused solely on the power burning through her. She took clumsy steps and wobbled slightly in her boots only because she had so much trouble keeping her body on the ground. Whatever she had just unleashed was still awakening, and she hoped to avoid rousing it until her task was done. She just needed to know that Sabin would be safe.

Locke finally found something he thought might help, but, as he offered it to Terra, Celes pushed his hand away. She saw what the others didn’t - the fire bursting through Terra’s eyes. Celes knew the look of power when she saw it, and she also knew she had no right to command it.

“Go. Do what you must. We’ll hold them off as best we can.”

Terra nodded. Her body slowly rose from the ground as she let the magic guide her movements, then she took flight across the battlefield. It felt as natural to her as breathing.

Chapter 19: Shard

Summary:

Terra considers every option to save Sabin and herself, regardless of how horrible it may be. When she finally decides to accept her fate, Sabin stays with her to the end.

Even through the haze of thick snowfall, even over unfamiliar ground, even with a primal blaze spreading through her body, Terra knew exactly where to find Kefka. His presence stained the distance with an inky gloom. She chased it like a dark beacon across a white sea. It took her no time at all soaring over the craggy hillside, skipping through the jagged terrain and enemy positions. If she could do this quickly - defeat Kefka and force an imperial retreat - she may even save her friends from the deadly magitek armor assault they had to endure.

But first, Sabin.

She slowed to a hover as other imperials came into view. Their auras seemed so faint compared to the blinding ichor seeping from Kefka. The blend of colors and textures surprised her - she saw all the familiar auras and even a few new ones. The sight was so mesmerizing she forgot to assess them as an enemy force. It wasn’t until they started pointing and shouting that she recognized the threat they posed.

“It’s her!” one screamed.

“She can fly?!” another cried, his voice blending awe and fear.

They started to scatter for safety - they had no training for how to handle an airborne witch. Terra winced as she observed their terror. They feared her more as a monster than a human.

A shrill laugh pierced the battlefield. The imperials froze in shock; Terra tensed in anger. Dressed in bright archmage robes but still painted as a joyful clown, Kefka approached her with a wide, sinister smile. Sabin moved with him, suspended mid-air by magical force from his outstretched hand. She barely saw the watery blue aura around his body, and her heart ached as she considered his weak grasp on life. Suddenly Sabin’s body jerked upright and his eyes opened wide. He pointed a poisoned finger towards her and shouted in Kefka’s own voice, “Get the witch! I want her alive! Uweeee heee heee heeeeeeee!”

Terra hesitated as Kefka leered at her from behind Sabin’s broad shoulders. She knew that mocking smirk better than her own smile. Her fists clenched as she half-remembered the pain and anger that accompanied so many memories of that hateful grin. A fiery spell gathered in her palms, but she couldn’t unleash it at him - not without harming Sabin. He used her love as a shield, and that hurt all the more.

Something coiled around her ankle and dragged her downward. A sneering imperial tugged at the rope ensnaring her. His courage emboldened his fellow troopers, several of whom rallied around him with their own ropes and nets and batons. As Kefka ordered, they sought to subdue her, not kill her. She stared pitifully at them, wondering if they knew the futility of their mission. With a mere word she could reduce them to ash, but she had no such wish. Such power coursed through her that she couldn’t fear them as she had before, and likewise couldn’t hate them. Trapped between a deadly witch and their own sadistic commander, these men could only choose their doom.

“Stop…” Terra pleaded with them as she cut the rope at her foot. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Two other ropes bound her wrists, and they managed to pull her down to their level. She glanced around and saw others closing in, wielding magitek mauls sparking with energy. The ropes pulled her arms to either side, trying to keep her trapped and helpless. They failed in this task; Terra yanked her swordarm with surprising strength, pulling the imperial on the other end to the ground, and then used the slack to cut her other arm free. She unwrapped herself from the binds just in time to face the first attacker, catching his overhead swing and deflecting it to the side. She spun to counter just as she was taught, but chose a relatively kind elbow to the midsection rather than a blade to the heart. He crumpled to the ground, wheezing for breath. She packed more force into the strike than seemed humanly possible - especially for a woman of her size. The other imperials paused, glancing to each other to see who would move first.

“Stay back,” she tried, keeping her sword close and ready. She watched them carefully, reading the intent on their faces. They each hesitated, except for one. He stepped closer, holding his maul high in the air.

“For Vector!” he cried before charging forward, instigating a collective assault on the witch.

Terra gritted her teeth as too many of them attacked her at once. Would Celes berate her for not killing them when she had the chance? Surrounded and outnumbered, she didn’t even have the option to vent her rage and burn them all down. She focused on the first belligerent trooper, meeting his charge with her own and cutting him down. Then she turned as the others caught up with her, blocking their strikes as quickly as she could. One of her parries proved too slow; the maul struck her shoulder and discharged. The flash nearly blinded her foes; the pain nearly stopped her heart.

She shrieked as she fell back. Her sword fell to the ground; her arm no longer followed her commands. Fire gathered in her other hand, flames swirling about her as she chanted. Her eyes closed as the blaze consumed the imperials, but that didn’t spare her from their screams. She didn’t want it to come to this.

Kefka’s hideous laughter replaced their cries of agony as their bodies burned on the snowy ground.

Only a few troopers remained. They dared not move as Terra slowly got up, healed herself, and picked up her sword. She glared at them, furious that her pleas for peace didn’t matter. Imperials only spoke the language of power and terror.

“Run.” she commanded.

Before they could turn to flee, a deafening crack split the sky. A bolt of lightning struck the troopers, forking to catch them all at once. Kefka laughed at their synchronized doom. It seemed the only thing funnier than his men dying by her hand was them dying by his instead.

Terra fixed her gaze on Kefka. She considered what cruel madness he had planned for her. Whatever it was, it wouldn’t work. She no longer feared him; she could think of nothing more frightening than her imminent metamorphosis. Her body twitched with excess energy. She thought back to the dark promise Sabin made with her before they entered the imperial camp. She asked him to die with her if it meant killing Kefka. Such a trade seemed unthinkable now.

“It’s time we had a chat, my dear,” he spoke, spectral venom slipping out of his mouth with each word. “These Returners,” he could barely speak the word without spitting, “they’ve treated you so terribly. Look at yourself, shaking in your cute little dress, shivering under your blanket of fire.” He shifted from a caring to scolding tone; his painted lips leveled out from a mocking pout to a cold sneer. “You dug too deep inside, didn’t you? Pulled out too much magic too fast, and now you’re losing control… Something else is taking over, isn’t it?”

She winced as the poison in his voice seeped into her. Kefka’s words could be as insidious as his magic. He always seemed to know her darkest fear… why would today be any different?

“Did you really think your power came without a cost? That’s not how it works, sweetie!” he said as he let out half of a laugh, but he caught himself. The theatrics fell from his face, and he spoke in a sullen tone. “You know, I thought I’d love seeing you this way. To see your inheritance finally catch up with you. I hated-” he broke his subtle demeanor for a quick outburst, “-HATED-” and returned seamlessly to his somber mood, “-you for your gift. Born with it… so natural, so pure. Not at all like me…”

Terra considered for a moment that she might strike at him. Kefka wandered away from his living shield as he spoke, lost in his own twisted thoughts and feelings. Could she fell him in a single spell? If not, Sabin would certainly pay the price of her failure. She looked at his pale face locked in vacant agony. The darkened veins under his skin horrified her the most. He wasn’t even clinging to life; death had him in its grasp, toying with the idea of letting him go. Her hand twitched with power she couldn’t contain or control. She couldn’t risk it.

“... But now I’m just so sad for you. All alone, even among your so-called friends. Nobody understands you. They don’t know where you came from. They didn’t realize you’ve been burning from within this whole time,” he paused to let the truth sink in.

Terra gritted her teeth as he approached her, standing nearly within arm’s length and outside the safety of his human shield. “This would never have happened if you were still in my care. I know all these things that your friends - and even you - still don’t know about you. I understand the distress you’re feeling right now, and I can help you.”

Kefka reached into his robes. Terra gasped as he revealed a crown. Any monarch would be proud to wear such a fine crown made from polished gold and brilliant gems. Unfortunately all the finest jewelry in the world couldn’t hide its sinister purpose. This was indeed a slave crown, as terrible as the last.

“I’ll spare his life. All you need to do is kneel and accept the crown,” he said with his familiar, cruel-hearted smirk. “I’m not offering you a trade, princess. This is an opportunity. You know the crown is your only way through this. I’d hate to watch the magic burn you away, to see you become some ugly monster rather than the enchanted little girl I’ve always…” he paused as he struggled with the next word, “envied.”

Terra couldn’t tear her eyes from the crown. She seethed at his offer, more angry with herself for being tempted than with him for his twisted agenda. If anybody else made this offer, she’d take it. She’d gladly trade her life for Sabin’s. What’s more, she’d do anything to stop the beast from consuming her. Could she trust Kefka to hold up his end of the bargain?

“Show me you can save him,” she demanded.

Kefka smiled as he pulled Sabin to his side with a simple wave. He placed his hand above Sabin’s head and wiggled his fingers, drawing the darkness from the veins and out the mouth. Sabin wheezed painfully and desperately, trying to pull in a real breath of air. Satisfied that he made his point, he quickly withdrew and the venom returned to its victim. Sabin slumped back into a dread stillness.

“Kneeeeeeeel,” Kefka replied, stretching the word for his own enjoyment.

She thought of any other option. Her hand balled into a fist, and fire erupted through the gaps in her fingers. It was getting harder and harder to contain the power. She felt herself slipping further and further away. She had little doubt she could best Kefka with whatever time she had left, but she wasn’t willing to lose Sabin in the process. What more could she ask than to solve all her problems? All it would cost is her freedom, her happiness, her life. Her knees weakened along with her defiance.

“Pay no heed to his deceit!” Cyan called out.

Kefka sneered at the intruder, furious that a mere mortal would interrupt the dealings of gods. He sank back away from Cyan and Terra, pulling his human shield back in front of him. Cyan stepped forward, coming to Terra’s side. He walked with the spirit of his people behind him. He focused on Kefka without fear or trepidation. He drew his sword as he spoke, “There is only one way to deal with a foe that has no honor.”

“Please don’t,” she begged, thinking of Sabin.

Cyan shook his head apologetically. “Please stay back - you are our last hope if I fail.”

Kefka laughed as he realized who dared to interfere. “You must be the last Doman! Oh dear, you must be quite upset with me. I must say I’m truly embarrassed that I left the job unfinished. Thanks for coming to me… now I can finally close the book on Doma.”

Cyan charged forward, choosing conviction over caution. With one hand Kefka held Sabin between himself and Terra; with the other, he flicked his wrist towards Cyan and unleashed a spray of toxic ichor. The proud knight faltered as he ran through the vile spell. His steps slowed before he reached his target, and with a pained expression he collapsed. Kefka laughed as he gathered the energy to destroy Doma once and for all, but a wild howl distracted him.

“Uwaoooooo!”

Gau leapt from behind Kefka, flying over and past the mad jester. The boy tackled Sabin and freed him from Kefka’s arcane grasp. Gau dragged his much larger friend to safety as quickly as he could.

Nothing stopped Terra from unleashing herself at Kefka now. His eyes widened as he reached the same realization. The fire obliged her, channeling all her frustration and anguish into a blazing stream. Kefka shrieked as the spell crashed against his arcane shield. After a blinding flash, he opened his eyes to find himself alive and intact. Enraged by Terra’s audacity to attack him, he returned the favor. Lightning crackled down his arms and shot forth, striking Terra right over her heart. She winced as the arcs of energy ran over and through her body, but she suffered no serious harm. She was rattled and hurt, but not injured. The two of them looked at each other, considering their next move.

Terra grasped her sword and shouted, bringing her blood to a boil. Kefka raised his arms and a fallen soldier sprung up from the snow, its lifeless body floating in the air. With a few plucks of his fingers, Kefka manipulated the body into attacking Terra. She easily blocked its clumsy blows, but her stabs and slashes mattered little against a corpse. Infuriated, she disarmed the corpse by severing its arm and kicked it aside. Her gaze burned into Kefka as he continued his macabre puppet mastery.

She didn’t notice the second corpse behind her until it struck her in the back, discharging the maul at full power. Terra screamed as she fell to her knees. Time slipped away as she struggled to breathe. Kefka approached her. Each time she blinked he seemed to travel half the distance between them. When her wits returned, he stood above her, crown in hand.

“You won’t remember this, but I want you to know now,” he whispered with a sneer. “You’ll be aware and helpless the whole time, just like you were before. That’s my favorite part.”

He reared back for his infamous sinister laugh, but a sudden surprise drained all the humor from him. He looked down with horrified eyes at a blade of fine Doman steel protruding from his chest. He touched it delicately - perhaps hoping it was a mere illusion - and his fingers came away red.

“B… blood?” he gasped before screaming in mortal terror. No more jokes, no more sarcasm, just a man scared to die.

The sword retracted from his chest and he fell to his knees. Cyan stood behind him, his flesh a deathly color from the poison magic running through him. Even so, he stood firm in his resolve to avenge everything dear to him. Kefka desperately fumbled for something inside his robes. Summoning all his strength, Cyan slowly raised his blade for the killing blow. Before the blade could fall, a swirling vortex of magical energy sucked his nemesis away through the warp.

Somehow, Cyan managed to look satisfied. He didn’t avenge his people, but he managed to save his friends. Finally yielding to the poison in his blood, he fell to a knee and fumbled for an antidote potion. Terra looked to him, thankful beyond words, but he simply waved her away. “I am not the one who needs you,” he said in a strained voice.

Gau crouched over Sabin’s body, sniffing him closely. His face showed a combination of disgust and concern. Terra came to his side and put her hands to his cheeks, happy to feel him again.

“You can make ok?” Gau asked, worried and hopeful.

“Yes,” she replied. She didn’t know exactly how, but she knew she would.

“I see you fire,” Gau whispered. “Are you burn?”

She looked at him and smiled with sorrow. She had no other response. He frowned and hugged her, understanding her pain with words he’d never heard.

“The others need you two,” Terra spoke to Cyan. “Please, help them. I’ll do my best with Sabin.”

Cyan nodded, already restored by the antidote. He motioned to Gau, who came quickly to his side. He must have understood the gravity of the moment, because he paused to speak before leaving.

“We owe everything to you, Terra. Thank you.” Before she could reply, he ran off with Gau following close behind.

Terra turned her attention back to Sabin. His skin was so pale and cold he might have faded into the snow if it weren’t for the darkness staining his veins. The small puffs of warm fog from his lips were the only sign of life. She started with a spell to cure poison, but it had no effect. Whatever Kefka did to him was much more insidious. She tried again, this time with a spell to revive him. His breath sputtered as his body tried to rouse from near-death, but it wasn’t enough. Frustrated, she poured everything she had left into a panacea spell. She found the end of her fire as she gathered her power. Her efforts made her cold and weak. She saw the blackness receding from Sabin’s veins, so she kept going. If this is what it took...

With an outstretched hand she pulled the toxic curse from him. It seeped out from his skin and burned away once it reached her hand. Her body shook as she struggled to maintain the spell. She held her breath to focus. Dark spots crept into the periphery of her vision. She needed to hold out long enough to save Sabin. If she passed out now, she knew it wouldn’t be her that awakened later.

Sabin bolted upright and gasped like he hadn’t breathed all day. His hands went to his chest as if to prove to himself that he was still alive. After a few more desperate breaths, he turned to Terra and smiled. She struggled to return it. Relieved and delighted, they embraced each other, letting themselves forget for a precious moment what must come next.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered, “I had to give in.”

“I know,” he whispered back,”It’s not your fault…”

Sabin looked her in the eyes as they pulled away. He expected to see the color of her eyes blazing outside the rims of the iris, but instead saw faded tones of the beautiful colors he expected. She saw the realization on his face and turned away.

“Terra… I promised I’d take you to the esper when the time came,” he started.

Still turned away from him, she stood up and took a few clumsy steps.

“That time is now. I know it’s scary, but I think you’re going to be okay,” he continued.

She reached into the snow to retrieve some trinket. It felt so very heavy. With her eyes cast down she weakly walked back to him.

“I know I’ll never understand what you’re feeling now, but I’m going to help in any way I can. You can get through this.”

She sat back down beside him and revealed the crown. He paused, worried what she meant to do awful with this device. She confirmed his fears by saying, “The crown can stop the change. It has before.”

Her eyes pleaded as she offered him the crown. She trusted him with it, with her body, mind, and soul. As miserable as Kefka would have made her, Sabin could make her happy instead. She could stay with him, at least in some form, and she could even be there for when their friends needed her. Even though this would cost her everything she gained in the last few weeks - the only life she could remember, and the only life she wanted - it would be worth it. They could be together. She may not be herself, but she wouldn’t be the beast, either.

Terra didn’t speak any of the words in her mind, but Sabin understood all of it.

He imagined that cursed crown on her head and knew he couldn’t bear it. She wouldn’t be the woman he loved anymore. The crown would snuff her very soul, and she’d be little more than a puppet. Would he command her to eat, drink, or sleep? Would she ever smile without being told? Could she truly love him, even if he ordered her to? How could he bring himself to touch her - or have her touch him? He’d die if he tried; they’d be dead inside together.

He couldn’t say any of these terrible thoughts. Terra read his concern on his face.

“I’ve seen the beast - with my eyes closed and the fire swirling around me,” she said. “I know what I’ll become. It’s terrible. Claws and talons, scales and feathers. It’s magic made flesh. It’s a vicious monster. I’m afraid of what it can do. It might hurt you, Sabin. Do you think you could stop it? Would you even try?”

“No… I wouldn’t dare,” he explained. “This thing you call the beast - this terrifying creature - it’s still you! It’s something that’s always been a part of you, and when you change I know you’re going to be a part of it. I’m not afraid of any part of you. I trust everything you are and anything you might become.”

Her heart trembled as she considered his words. “People have always been afraid of me,” she started, voicing a deep pain that followed her everywhere she went.

“And they’ve always been wrong,” Sabin replied. “Even when one of those people is you.”

Terra closed her eyes, taking another look at the beast. Rather than behold the alien and terrifying features, she looked for herself behind them. She brought the clawed hand across an arm. While slender like her own, it was far tougher and stronger. Her touch continued across the body. The scales grew smaller at her abdomen and chest - enough to make it feel tender and vulnerable. It was not unlike touching her own skin. The claws ran smoothly across, not catching on any flesh or causing any discomfort. Then she brought the hands to its face. She had no idea what the beast’s face looked like, but it was no different than touching her own. Maybe she was touching her face after all - with her clawed hand, on her feathered arm, from her scaly body.

Terra opened her eyes and dropped the slave crown. Sabin took her hand, unsure whether to be thankful or just relieved. Regardless, the worst for her had yet to come. He held up her face by her chin and asked, “Are you ready?”

She let the tears fall from her eyes as she nodded. Whatever strength she once had was gone. Only magic remained in her world, and all of hers was spent. Sabin helped her to her feet, but even then she couldn’t support herself. Terra wrapped her arms over his shoulders and held tight. He picked her up and started walking her to the mountaintop. His aura soothed her with sensations of warm water across her body. She closed her eyes and wondered if this was what she always felt in his arms. It was as if she were carried by a loving river.

Terra knew she was slipping away. The moments passed by with each of his steps, with fewer and fewer left. The dream of being human was coming to an end. “Do you dream, Sabin?”

“Of course,” he replied.

“If you dream of this moment, don’t take me to the esper. Take me somewhere nice and comfortable. Somewhere we can live in peace. Somewhere we can be with each other for as long as we want.”

“Home, Terra. I’ll take you home,” he promised.

She smiled; that was the word she wanted. “Tell me about home…”

“It’s a quiet cottage in the alpines. Not too far from South Figaro, but far enough to be ignored by the world. It’s little more than four walls and a hearth. I make my own tea; I think you’d like it. There’s a small garden for herbs and vegetables. The woods outside are serene and bountiful. I could show you Mount Kolts in the spring. We could invite our friends to visit, or we could just keep all the days to ourselves.”

“It’s a lovely dream,” she sighed. His arms tightened around her in response.

Even with her eyes closed, she saw the esper. Its power radiated brilliantly, beckoning her like a bonfire in the snowy mountains. In her weakened state the power comforted her, but as they got closer it became overwhelming.

Sabin stopped. He struggled to tell her they had arrived, but she knew. “Set me down,” she said.

Maybe Terra found strength in his arms, or maybe she couldn’t bear the weakness any longer. She stood before the esper and saw its true form in its aura. Whatever great beast she feared she might be, this creature was far more awesome. Powerful elements emanated from it: lightning dancing across its wings, fire running along its back, ice forming in its breath. Without being obscured or contained by its icy prison, she saw the great feathered dragon as it once was, and may one day be again.

--- Are you ready to accept your birthright? ---

Terra nodded. "What will happen to me?" she asked. Even though it was too late to do anything about it, she wanted to know.

--- You will become whole. ---

Arcs of energy shot from the esper into her body. A bright pink fire engulfed her body. The flames didn't burn, but she knew they would consume her. It already started at her fingertips, tingling up her knuckles and leaving ash in its wake.

Terra turned to look at Sabin one last time. Tears streamed down his face, both fresh and dry. He should have stayed back for his safety, but he couldn't leave her. The fire crept up her arms and legs, but she paid it no mind. She focused only on him.

As she thought of the home that could have been theirs, her hands came together. The ash fell away to reveal her new body beneath. The clawed hands responded to her wish, but she didn't fully understand how or why. Magic flowed from her new body into the space between her palms. More and more energy gathered as the transformation progressed. As a creature of magic, this felt more like instinct than a spell: something this part of her knew how to do without being told. When the burning threshold crossed her chest and consumed her heart, she felt exactly what was happening. The energy her body gathered wasn’t an expression of her power, it was the essence of her very being.

A fragment of herself crystallized in her hands.

She reached out to Sabin and begged him to take it - a simple piece of magic crystal. The flames of change reached up from her neck now - the metamorphosis was nearly finished. He took the shard and held it to his heart. Was this something to remember her by, or was it the key to understanding her new self?

There was no time to ask. She smiled lovingly as the change consumed the last of her, and their moment was done. Finally birthed into this world, the scaled beast released a terrifying cry. The power knocked Sabin back so far he nearly fell off the ledge. The bright pink flames intensified, and she blasted upwards into the sky. She soared faster than anything he’d ever seen, burning a colorful path towards the setting sun.

Sabin watched the shooting star disappear into the distance. He gripped the crystal shard in his hand as if it could pull her back to him, but the bright dot in the sky didn’t return. It only warmed his heart with the memory of her.

Notes:

I'm not exactly sure why I started this story, but I'm glad I did. I'm even more glad to see it finished.

Thanks to everyone for commenting, supporting, liking, or even just lurking. I wouldn't have kept going without you. Check out my profile if you want to connect with me. Just getting started with fandom social media. I've got some FF6 sprite emojis on discord I'd love to share.

I have some other stories forming in my head, but it'll take some time for me to properly build them out. I hope to see everyone again in my later fics.