- Final Fantasy III - Final Fantasy VII - Breath of Fire III - Megaman X - The Little Mermaid -

Someone Else's Life
A Prequel to Final Fantasy III and Worlds Away From Reality

Leo couldn't eat. He stared at the food on his plate without seeing it. He periodically peered across the table at General Celes, in utter disbelief. Just today she had returned from Maranda, after razing its houses and murdering its innocent people. Simply because a few men, just a few, uttered words of an uprising against the Vectoran Empire. Celes had no problem eating, however. She had no heart, felt no remorse. Leo absolutely hated her. She killed, without thought, without need. As if her sword's life depended on the blood she fed it.

Celes didn't understand why Leo wasn't eating the delicious garlic chicken that sat before him. She would very well clear her plate, easily, and go to bed awaiting her next orders. She hated Leo. What a wuss! Given the orders to defeat the army of a realm, he would hold meetings, casual meetings, even parties with his opponents and strike up a peace treaty. As if any enemy of the Empire signed a peace treaty with their heart in it! No, the only way to defeat a foe was to kill it. Death ended all thought, and that was the only way an uprising could be put down.

"You gonna eat that?" Celes muttered, swallowing the last bite of food on her plate. She looked longingly at Leo's food.

Leo shook his head. "You sicken me. You thoroughly sicken me!" Leo stood up and left the room in a rage. Celes shrugged and attacked Leo's plate, enjoying an extra meal.

Leo fell onto his bed in his small bedroom in Vector. He was a soldier of the Empire, that was that. But never did Emporer Gestahl say, "Kill everyone you see, Leo. Murder without malice! The blood of hundreds of innocent people will bring us honor!"

"You looked stressed, Leo," said a voice from the doorway.

Leo jumped up with a start. Terra Branford stood in front of him, dressed in the same battle garb that Celes had worn on her conquest today. Terra invited herself into the room and sat down next to Leo on his bed. She put his arm around him and said, "Maranda was your hometown, wasn't it?"

Leo nodded weakly. "I wonder if some friends of mine got out? Probably not. If I were a worse person I would grab that pudgy little runic bitch and throw her into the Esper Research Lab's radiation chamber. It's almost like she's not... human."

Terra shook her head. "You mean not humane."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"I know. There are many soldiers like Celes in the Empire. It's amazing that His Majesty even trusts her."

Terra looked into Leo's eyes and smiled. "Not like you. You are what this Empire needs, Leo. You've got some old Middle Age knight in you, don't you?"

Leo laughed. His family heritage did lead back as far as the Middle Ages, but he didn't know if anyone in his bloodline was a knight or not. "I'm glad you see it that way."

Terra was about to say another word of consolement when an Imperial soldier appeared in the doorway. "General Leo! Lady Terra! Gestahl insists your presence- right away!"

Leo and Terra exchanged glances. "We're on our way," said Leo.

"This is a list of the Espers we are currently studying in the lab," said the Emporer, handing his five most trusted soldiers a piece of paper, full of names of Espers...

The three Imperial generals were Celes, Kefka, and Leo. The other two soldiers were Terra and Cid. Cid was the head of Vector's Esper research team, extracting magic from the beings and leaving their carcasses for dead.

Terra... no one knew why Gestahl was so interested in her. She was a failed Magitek knight, so to speak. She had been injected with the Magitek power of the Esper Maduin... this not only gave her magic powers that far surpassed any of the other Magitek knights, it turned her hair into a pale green.

"Yes," said Cid. "But I'm sure all of us have these Espers memorized by now, so why bring it up again?"

Gestahl sat in his chair and took a long drag on his pipe, realeasing a melancholy smoke ring into the room's dismal atmosphere. "Recently, a Figaroian contact of ours has told us of a major discovery."

A tall man dressed in black armor with a long curved sword at his side entered the room. He held another man by the collar, this one kicking to get free... he looked ragged and desperate, obviously a prisoner.

Gestahl nodded once, and the man in black armor left the room. The prisoner looked around in a fit of paranoia, as Gestahl introduced him. "Jake here is a miner from Narshe. Our men found him snooping around one of the newer mines around there. The mine went into the earth just a scratch before the project was scrapped. There was nothing of value, and besides, the mayor of Narshe wanted to protect the small village of moogles down there.

"I couldn't give a damn about the moogles, but for some reason some Narshian experts continued digging. To found out why I sent our spies who caught our new friend."

The Emperor knelt by the prisoner, whose arms were tied firmly behind his back. "Jake has agreed to tell us why that mine has continued, in return for his life. I'm sure you all will find it intriguing."

Jake sighed deeply and gathered his wits. "Yeah, up in Narshe they kept the mine goin' cuz they found one of them Esper deals down there, all frozen in the rock."

The five gasped and exchanged looks. "An Esper? Frozen?"

Gestahl nodded. "That's right, an Esper. Far more powerful than anything we have in our labs. Only a handful of people within the Empire know about this. I trust you will keep it under your wing untill we decide what to do with it."

Suddenly the prisoner screeched. "Naw, man! Don' attack Narshe! All my friends and junk are there- my life! Please, I..."

A swift kick in the face with Gestahl's boot silenced the man. He fell to the ground, unconscious, his nose bleeding.

The Emporer stood up and nodded in the direction of his soldiers. "Terra, I leave you in charge of the safe return of that Esper. Your magic is strong enough to fight it if you have to. I will have three suits of prototype armor made up for you, and two soldiers chosen to accompany you."

Terra nodded. "It shall be done, Your Majesty."

"Good. You are dismissed." The five began to file out when their liege spoke again: "Kefka, you stay behind, I have a special mission for you."

Gestahl led Kefka over to a chest of drawers. He opened the top drawer, which was full of medals and patches, and flipped a hidden latch in the back. Kefka heard a strange clicking sound. Gestahl removed all of the drawer's contents and removed its bottom- revealing a folder.

He handed his trusted general with this folder and said, "I no longer require Terra's special skills. After this mission, the Empire will have all it needs to win the war."

"Where do I come in?"

"I want you to take this key-" he produced a small silver key- "and go into the vault containing your records. This key will open the drawer containing Terra's permenant record. Burn that record, replace it with this one."

Kefka smirked as he accepted the key. "Why? What's so special about Miss Goodie-two-shoes over there besides her defunct hairdo?"

Gestahl shook his head. "That's what I want to prevent people from knowing. And do yourself a favor, leave your nose out of that file before you destroy it. If, at any time, I find out that you have read it you will be charged with treason."

Kefka nodded. "You got it, sir."

Celes slowly and soundlessly closed the meeting room door. Eavesdropping was one of her favorite hobbies, as she knew a little blackmail went a long way in the Empire. "Terra, huh. What's he tryin' to hide?"

The lock on the file was no problem for Celes' magic. She simply chanted a quick word and it unlocked without a sound. Inside she found a rather thick folder. "Branford, Terra..." she read out loud as she thumbed through the file. "Age, 18. Birthdate, July 16th 1640. Eyes, blue. Hair, green due to..."

Celes expected to read the words "Magitek infusion." What she read instead startled her. "Esperian heritage? What the hell!"

Celes continued to read. She read about the treck into the Esper realms, which she knew about. And the Espers taken hostage. But she read some unreleased information as well. "Due to the presense of a human-Esper relationship within this realm, Terra was born to a human mother but an Esper father, Maduin. Holy mother of God!"

Celes' knees nearly buckeled and she almost dropped the whole file. She read on. "Mother, unidentified. Died at Emperor's hands after asking him to take care of her daughter. My God!"

Celes quickly set the file back and relocked the door. "I don't believe it! That filthy bitch! How dare she look down her nose at me! For years I thought she was simply a better Magitek knight. All this time she's been a damn Esper."

She raced up the stairs.

Seconds later, Kefka emerged with the silver key. No questions asked, he replaced the file and said, "I wonder how much I would get if I threatened my dear little Terra with this information?"

Celes knocked loudly on Terra's door. "Open up, Terra! Now!"

Terra, who was in the middle of a journal entry, called back, "Not tonight, Celes. I'm too tired to argue with you."

"I said open the door! If you don't I swear to God I'll break it down!"

Terra rolled her eyes and closed her journal. She opened her door a crack, staring right into Celes' enraged visage. "Celes, what do you-"

Celes screamed as she put a well-placed kick directly into Terra's door. Both the door and the girl fell backwards with a thud. Terra instantly scrambled to her feet crying, "What the hell is wrong with you, Celes!"

Celes drew her sword. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Celes was about to rush her rival when Kefka stepped into the room. "Naughty, naughty girl. Celes, you are quite the dickens!"

Celes spun around. "What do you..."

She gasped as Kefka produced the file. "I'm afraid that with a simple figerprinting I can have you put away for life, General. Maybe excecuted. Breaking into confidential Imperial files is strictly against the law."

"And I could say the same for you!"

Kefka chuckled and shook his head. "I have Gestahl's permission. And Terra- oh, the double life you've led."

Terra, still somewhat dazed, sat on the edge of her bed. "I don't know what either of you are talking about."

This only enraged Celes further. Forgetting her current legal position, she turned and screamed, "I don't believe this! About your father! About the Espers! You kept it hidden from us, letting us believe you were just damn good at what you do! Well, it's gonna end, Terra. Now. I'll release this information to all of Vector."

Kefka waved the file in Terra's face, his mouth curling into an evil grin. "I don't think our little Esper friend knows of her heritage, General. Perhaps she is as in the dark as we were. At any rate, I have the dirt on both of you gals now."

He dropped the folder on Terra's pillow and whispered to her, "You had better read this. See just how loyal this Empire has been to you!"

Kefka left the room, and with another hypnotically angered glare so did Celes. Terra picked up the file. On its cover, stamped in red, was the word "Confidential Imperial File."

"Empire of lies. Empire of evildoings. Of hidden truth and broken promises. I don't need this," Celes said to herself as she finished her letter. She was on the brink of a lifetime change. Staying in the Empire would mean death at Kefka's extortion, or a life of misery as his slave. So she had only one other option.

She had written a letter to the king of Figaro.

King Edgar Roni Figaro April 4th I am writing this letter as a plea for help. In your northern province of Narshe there has been found a frozen Esper of immense power- power Emperor Gestahl cannot do without. He has assigned some brutal forces to raid Narshe and get the Esper "with any force necessary." I hope this letter reaches you in time, and I hope you can believe me as an Imperial citizen. There isn't much time. General Celes Chere, Imperial Magitek Knight

She signed the letter and placed it in an envelope. With an Imperial stamp, it was closed. "See if you can deal with this, Kefka."

Leo had spent two hours in Terra's room in utter disbelief. She spent most of that time crying, and Leo could offer little comfort. Upon reading that file, Terra had found out that her life as an orphan, as a Magitek Knight, was all a lie. She had been used for the past 16 years by the Empire, in hopes that one day she would use her Esperian powers to seize the monopoly on the planet that Gestahl desired.

It would lead to the reinactment of the War of the Magi.

"Leo, I have this mission coming up in Narshe. You can't possibly expect me to do that now..."

"If you don't then Gestahl will know you have been snooping in Imperial files."

"But it's my life we're talking about here! Leo, don't you understand?"

"I wish I could. Terra, I dispise magic. This whole deal with Espers and magicite is so... dangerous, and I don't want a part of it."

"Then help me! Me and you, we'll leave the Empire and start over somewhere."

"I can't leave! Gestahl has given me so much... since my childhood, after my father was killed. I have to stay."

"Leo, I..."

Leo tried to see it from Terra's point of view. He didn't understand why anything had to change. "You want to start a rebel movement agaisnt the Empire?"

Terra shook her head. "I don't know what I want to do. I know this though- I alone cannot save the Espers. My father... but I can't just sit back and let them do these terrible things to the Espers. I... I'm so confused."

Leo nodded. "I can imagine. Look, Terra. You're a smart woman. It's your decision. But I can't promise that I'll stand beside your decision... I have too much to give back to His Majesty before..."

Every word Leo said seemed to cleave into Terra like a knife. It was as if he didn't care at all what she did, what she was going through.

Seeing he was more of a hinderance than a help, Leo bowed his head, said his good-byes, and took his leave.

Terra picked the thrice damned file and stared at it. One word, she knew, and it would burst into magical flame.

How could she stay in the employ of an Empire that was so ambitious over Esperkind if she was an Esper herself?

Kefka watched from below Celes' window. He anticipated some kind of counter strike against him, and was paranoid as to her viscious temperment. Celes was better built, more cunning, more respected, a lot more ruthless, and had more knowledge of magic than he. Quite frankly, Celes scared him.

But with this accusement of treason, Celes was under his fist. What would he force her into. She was rich, of course. He could extort a few hundred thousand gil if he wanted. Favors, perhaps. He could move up through the heirchy of the Empire with her power.

Of the three generals, Kefka had the least power. He tended to botch things up. Gestahl only trusted him with the simplest assignements, as one to deliver messages and idle threats. Only Celes and Leo had any real bearing on how the war was played out. This annoyed Kefka to no end. He deserved more respect! He...

"What's this?"

He watched as Celes released a carrier pigeon into the air. Kefka sneered and, after a few seconds of waiting, pulled out a crossbow (which was his favorite weapon and one he was quite proficient in) and fired an iron shaft into the bird.

The chased the pigeon down and read the letter- signed with Celes' signature and her stamp.

"Celes, Celes, Celes. Just digging yourself deeper and deeper into this hole."

Terra had made her disicion. She had a bag packed. She had heard of rebel movements around the globe opposed to the Empire- she would simply join one and help it grow into a great force. "Good-bye lies," she said simply.

When she turned and faced her door (which was still off its hinges) she faced two Imperial guards and her emperor.

"Terra, you are under arrest for treason," said one of the guards. They were about to advance, but Gestahl shook his head. "Terra, I never told you about your past for your own protection. Don't you understand that?"

"You lie. You never told me for your own gain."

"Whatever my reasons, they were mine. And I will not have one of my most trusted soldiers telling all of the Imperial secrets to some rebel group. Hopefully, after keeping you in prison for awhile your head will clear."

Terra tried to contain a tear that was forcing its way through her eyelash. "How did you find out?"

Terra gasped as Leo presented himself behind the two guards. "Terra," he said, "I'm sorry but... but I..."

"Leo I thought I could trust you..." she whispered so she wouldn't break into sobs.

As the guards escorted Terra to a prison, Gestahl turned to Leo. "You've done the right thing, General. You will be richly rewarded."

Leo nodded weakly. As Gestahl walked away he sunk to the ground and sunk his face into his arms.

Kefka approached the emperor with a huge grin on his face. "Good day, Your Highness!"

Gestahl sighed and said, "Kefka, I'm not in the mood for any of your senseless blatherings."

"Oh, but I have a juicy tidbit of information concerning our dear Snow Queen Celes." Kefka handed the letter he had stolen to his king. Gestahl donned his reading glasses and scanned the letter. His head shot up, a look of dispair and disblief crossed his face. "Celes? A traitor?"

Kefka smiled even broader than before. "Yup. Isn't that just a kick in the balls."

Gestahl frowned. "Treason, eh. It seems that is the newest trend in my Empire."

"Whatever do you mean, Sire?"

"Something concerning Terra. It's not your business."

Kefka nodded once. "I see."

Gestahl sighed deeply. "My patience has run out. Arrest Celes immeadiatly and have her taken off the seizure of South Figaro right away."

"Of course, Sire."

Gestahl began to walk out of the room. Kefka scratched his thin beard. "Hmm... Your Majesty?"

Gestahl stopped and acknowledged Kefka without turning around.

"Don't worry about Terra. I have a way to keep her on that oh-so-important mission to Narshe."

Terra was dragged into Kefka's quarters by two guards. The general sat on a small chair in front of Terra. "Thanks, boys. Now get out of here."

Terra looked up at Kefka. Her hands were still cuffed behind her back, leaving her unable to do anything...

"What is this about, Kefka?"

"It's about Narshe, of course. His Imperial Highness still deems you worthy of stealing that frozen gem of an Esper."

"I'll do nothing of the sort!"

Kefka stood up and walked to his dresser, talking as he went. "I think you will. All this business about treason and betrayal recently has been just peachy for me. Celes' excecution in Figaro, Leo's little trip to Doma, it's all just a chance for me to get a step closer to my good friend Gestahl."

"You're slime."

Kefka pulled a round, metal object out of his drawer and knelt next to Terra. Even this low to the ground she towered over him by four or five inches.

"I know. Ain't it great?"

"What is that?"

"Don't worry. It won't hurt- much."

Kefka dropped the ring onto Terra's forehead and