FF3 Novella

by Martin Haller



Introduction:



I finished FFIII on a saved game today and said to myself: "That ending

was nothing!"  I was pretty annoyed that the designers felt they could

mess around in Mode 7 and call it an ending for a game that had an

incredible plot.  The B&W sequences were DECENT but left you craving for

more.  For instance Locke and Celes had a great ending, but what did

Sabin and Edgar's tell you?  Or Mog's?  So I came up with a story.



Chapter One:



The young king, Edgar Roni Figaro, sat heavily upon the throne.  He had

enjoyed over a year of peace after the defeat of Kefka and the

rebuilding of Figaro and South Figaro was now complete.  He sighed again.



His life had very little meaning any more.  How he longed to have the

freedom Sabin enjoyed, lost to him by a false coin.  He looked across the

court to where the Chancellor stood.  "Chancellor, what is the situation

with the disarmament of our Chocobo legions?"



"Sire, they have all been released into the wild, and have started to

flourish in the Veldt.  Councilor Gau could tell you more, being the

range warden there."  The chancellor looked a bit disgusted at the

mention of the new advisor to the king.  Edgar saw his look and frowned.



"Chancellor, take over the court for me, I wish to take some time off."

Edgar stood and smoothed his cape, walking across the room in a languid

pace.



***



"Oh your highness, you are SO witty," the young woman stared across the

Cafe table with looks of adoration.  Since the burning of Vector she

hadn't had any place to work, and this Cafe had been the perfect

opportunity.  She wondered if Edgar remembered their previous meeting.



"Well, I am at my best when with a ravishing woman like yourself,

m'lady."  Edgar flashed his winning grin, and took another sip of tea.



"What was Prophetess Terra like before the Parting, Edgar?" Lucian asked

the king.  Edgar smiled and leaned back in his chair.



"She was incredible.  You remember the boy, Gau?  She had his wild

instinct, but controlled.  She was like a tigress," an odd look filled

Edgar's eyes.  "The Parting took that from her, Lucian.  She lost her

animal instinct."



Lucian nodded.  At least he remembered when they met before.  She saw his

cup was empty and passed the kettle.  He thanked her and poured himself

another cup.



"It wasn't the Parting that did all of it, though.  When she returned

from her journey, the children of Mobliz had grown up.  No one needed her

anymore.  That's when she became the Prophetess."  Edgar looked up at the

water clock.  Another hour before he had to get back to court.  The

innkeeper here had a standing tab...



The doors of the Cafe burst open and a young man dressed in a black suit

entered.  Gau.  Since Setzer took him under his wing it was hard to

recognize the boy who once merely shouted "Uwaoo."



"M'lord!  I have just come from the Veldt, and I have horrible news to

announce.  The settlement of Cresentia was attacked and destroyed.  The

signs show..."  Gau trailed off, looking around the room.



"Show what, Gau?"  Edgar was beginning to feel worried.  Gau, his most

exuberant of advisors was rarely one for tact.  "Tell me."



Gau's voice dropped to a mere whisper.  "Edgar, it looks like Vector

after the Sealed Gate was opened.  If it wasn't impossible, I'd call this

an Esper attack."



Chapter Two:



Edgar leapt up from his seat.  "ESPERS!  Impossible."  He then looked

over at the crowd of staring people and groaned.  Wagging his finger he

said, "Sorry, that was Espers are impossibly interesting to study."  The

crowd snickered at him, but went back to conversation.



"King Edgar, if I could find any evidence to the contrary I wouldn't have

even suggested this.  But the city was DEMOLISHED.  There were bodies

burned beyond recognition, floods WITHIN buildings.  If it wasn't Espers,

what could it have been."



"I can only think of one person who can understand this."



***



"Come in Edgar," intoned the white garbed woman.  Dressed like the White

Magi of yore, the woman could not be seen under the hood and cloak.  But

Edgar recognized the voice perfectly.



"As stunning as the day I met you, Terra.  How did you know it was me?"

Edgar sat himself down on the cushion on the floor.  The Sanctuary was

even more beautiful than Figaro Castle.



"Who else wears a cape, Edgar?  Who else would come to me to find out

about Crescentia?"  Terra seated herself and drew back her hood, her hair

cascading down her shoulders.



"How could you know about Crescentia, already?" replied Edgar, creasing

his brow.



Terra merely grinned.  "You aren't the only one with helpers, Edgar.  My

advocates are very sound investigators."  She stretched and stood.  "I

will tell you what I know.  The attack on the village could only have

been magical.  The fact that excluding Kefka, myself, and Celes no one

could have self maturing magic, that rules out Magi.  The only people who

had magic other than Celes and I were the rest of our friend, and all of

us lost that power.  That leaves only Espers as a viable source."



"Gau surmised that," interjected Edgar.  Terra truly had changed.  The

old Terra would have just told him, not gone through this intrigue.



"Gau?  Ah yes, I had forgotten Setzer had tutored him."  Terra lay back

against her cushion, looking much like the cat Edgar had compared her to.



'You remember perfectly well,' Edgar felt like saying.  But he knew he

could not.  Even if they were at odds now, he and Terra were old companions.



"Espers are indeed the likely source, but they have departed from this

realm of existence, or so my father told us.  Even so, they would not

have done this kind of violence.  Therefore, we must look to the other

half of history: MagiTek machinery.



Though the Empire destroyed theirs after the war, it was never proved

that it failed to function after the Parting.  Therefore, it may be

possible for MagiTek weaponry to still exist."  Terra shook her head

sadly.  "If this is so, there must be another Kefka planning another War

of the Magi.  As secular leader of the people, you must remove this

threat.  King Cyan is still too weak, and the other city states have no

army."



"My army is disbanded.  Even so, I would not thrust my kingdom into war.

It must be a small party, once more to remove this threat, if one even

exists."



Terra shook her head again.  "That worked only when we had magic, Edgar.

Against Kefka's true soldiers we wouldn't have lasted a minute.  You know

that."



"We shall see.  Perhaps my brother can lend aid."  Edgar stood and turned

to leave.



"Oh, by the way, King Edgar.  You forgot something last time you came."

Edgar turned to look at the Prophetess.  She handed him a two headed coin.



Chapter Three:



Edgar paced into his throne room.  "Chancellor, take note of this and send

it to my brother.  Ahem.  'Dearest Brother, it is I Edgar.  Recently a

city under my rule has been attacked and destroyed by magic wielding

foes.  I shall meet you in Thamasa, where I will gather Relm and Strago.

Please bring Celes and Locke along as well.'  Do you have that, Chancellor?"



"Of course, your highness.  I shall send it promptly."  He walked out of

the room towards the couriers section of the castle.  Edgar continued to

pace anxiously...



***



The wind whipped back the black clothing of the man upon the airship,

Falcon.  "Setzer, what makes you think that your beloved is still

alive?"  Shadow leaned back against the bulwark and stared down at the

sandy region below them.



"A note a received.  It says that she is alive and waiting for me in a

cave just south of here."  He pointed to a small hill becoming visible.

"In there."  He steered the ship down and executed a perfect landing.  He

and Shadow took note of their bearings.



"Would you like me to guard the airship, Setzer?" asked the once

mercenary.  Shadow looked bored.



"Yes, I'll only be a moment..."  Setzer leapt over the side and walked

into the cave.  Ten minutes passed.



"Interceptor...go in and find Setzer."  He slapped the hound on the side

and it charged in.  A scream followed.



Shadow leapt down and ran into the cave, swords in hand.   It was

completely dark around him.  "I've waited a long time for this, Clyde..."

boomed a voice from the darkness.  "I'll do for you what you wouldn't do

for me."  And from the shadows stepped...





Chapter Four:



"No, no, no!  Step up with the left foot then change your weight to the

right, and leap forward.  Now do it again."  Sabin groaned and leaned

back against a tree.  Ever since Duncan passed the duty of training more

Blitz Masters he hadn't gotten a minute of rest.



Duane and James were his first students; of the two, Duane was far more

dedicated and powerful, but James had natural talent which he believed

made him perfect.  "Master Sabin, I have perfected the Suplex technique."



Sabin walked over to James and said, "Try it."  James spun forward,

grabbing Sabin's leg in one arm, his head in the other.  Shifting all of

his weight backward, James sent Sabin flying over his head and into a

tree.  Sabin got up unscathed.  "Good.  Now do it fifty times to the dummy."



Out of nowhere the sound of Chocobo riders filled the forest.  Two

couriers on the giant birds arrived, leaping off in great haste.  "Sabin,

a note from your brother, the King."



Sabin sat upon a rock and read the letter, then turned towards his

students.  "I must go now.  Train, and when I return we shall continue."

Sabin headed at a jog towards the bridge connecting the Veldt to the

mainland.



***



Locke paced furiously around the living room of his house in Kohlingen.

Why hadn't the doctors told him anything?  What were they waiting for?

He nervously tossed a knife in one hand, and stared out the window.  His

life had begun anew, but he couldn't help but remember old loves...



"Mr. Cole?  I believe you should come upstairs."  The doctor motioned

Locke over.



"Is something wrong?  Is Celes all right?"  Locke was frantic, his hands

shaking in terror.



"Locke...you have a new baby boy."



***



"How dare he!" shouted Terra.  "He has no right!"  She turned towards the

servant who had brought the message.  "You are sure that our ally in

South Figaro has turned coat?"  She stared with fiery eyes at the messenger.



"He has, Prophetess.  He says he will not embrace the teachings of the

New One."  Beads of sweat ran down the man's face.



"Why will he not!  Why does he refuse the absolute rule of Zeromus?!"



Chapter Five:



High above the world four beings stared at each other.  One towered over

the rest, and dark, malign power oozed from his very being.  He laughed

and turned towards one of the three.



"You three have opened the way, now.  Once you thought the binding could

hold me!  And once it did!  But Kefka has set me free!  And your own

disciple, Terra, has given me the strength I need to bring an end to this

world!"



"No!  You cannot do that, Zeromus!  We created you and your kind!  You

cannot do this to us!"  Poltergeist stared at the Evil One and prepared

to defend herself, knowing she could not win.



"Fools!  Once you ruled the Lunarians!  But my power has grown beyond

that!  Your statues were all that kept me from this world!  I have been

stopped from feasting once already, and now I will have my fill."



"We cannot allow you to do this, Zemus of the Lunarians," spoke Doom.

She raised her hands above her head, and in unison the Goddesses hurled

their almighty power against the being.



To no avail.  "And now it ends, Mothers."



***



"Baram?" Shadow stared at the figure before him.  "Why do you hide your

face from me, Baram?"  The man stopped.



"You left me to the mercy of Doma's torturers!  I have scars outside, and

within!  Never!  Never will I forgive you!  You will pay for your evil,

Clyde.  Or should I say...Shadow."  Baram lunged forward, only to receive

a harsh kick to the gut for his efforts.  Lying on the ground, gasping,

Baram stared up.



"I have become more than I ever was before, my friend.  What have you

done to Setzer and my dog?"  Baram laughed.  Shadow kicked him in the

face.  "I learned a lot, since then, Baram.  I was a soldier of the

Empire once, Baram."  Shadow drew a knife.  "And I learned a lot about pain!"



"You...can...do no more to me!"  Baram screamed and stood up.  "Your

friend's blood will feed the Dark One, along with your own!"  And Baram

began to shimmer....



***



"Oh Celes, I'm so happy!"  Locke grabbed Celes and spun her in the air,

tears of joy in his eyes.  "What have you called him," said the thief,

grinning and looking at the young, sleeping baby.



"Leo."



***



Sabin reached the Veldt Bridge and crossed to Nikeah, taking a ferry to

Kohlingen...



***



And deep in the ground, within an ancient city, an army massed for war.



Chapter Six:



The long awaited(I hope;)) continuation of FINAL FANTASY III NOVELLA.



King Edgar and the South Figaro fleet arrived at Thamasa on a windy day.

The four flagships soared the flags of Figaro high above the mast,

boasting the prosperity of the oldest kingdom in the land.



Relm Arrowny came out to meet them.  Strago did not.  Edgar rushed

off the ship and approached the girl.  "Your grandfather?" he asked,

brushing off his tunic.



"My grandfather has gone to Eboshi Rock.  It is time for his passing."

Relm looked oddly relieved at the news.  Edgar grimaced.



"I have no time for ancient customs!  One of my cities has been

destroyed, and by the Goddesses, I WANT TO KNOW WHO DID IT!"  He suddenly

calmed down.  "How long until his soul joins the others?"



"Five hours."



"Then we have no time to lose."



***



The massive for of Baram hulked above Shadow, his arms mighty pythons,

and his lower body a massive tail.  His head that of a hooded cobra, and

he hissed with malign intent.  "Clyde.  Revenge isss mine.  You left me!

Now the One has given me the forsse to ssstrike you down."



Baram's arms shot out and grabbed Shadow around the chest.  He gasped for

air as he was pulled into a lethal embrace.  "Why, Baram?  We were

friends..." his voice died as he could fight no longer.



Baram laughed, a sibilant hiss.  "You left me.  You would not kill me!

You left me for Doma'sss men!"  With that he reared his head and prepared

to strike a death blow to the ninja.  A blow that never fell.  Before he

could strike down, a shimmering rectangle slid through it's throat.



A razor edged playing card.



***



"Locke!" shouted Sabin, banging on the door of the cottage.  Locke came

rushing to the door.



"Be quiet!  You'll wake the baby."  Locke grinned slyly.



"BABY?  I guess you beat Edgar in the race."  Sabin clapped Locke on the

back, and entered the house.



"I was a perfect gentleman," replied Locke, imitating the Figaro King

perfectly.  "His name is Leo.  Celes is still sleeping, and I was just

making some eggs for breakfast.  Do you want some?"



"Sure.  But I have business to deal with first.  Crescentia has been

attacked and destroyed.  I was sent here to look for help.  Can you come

with me?  Can Celes?" Sabin asked the questions, fearing the response.



"I may be able to go.  Celes will not leave.  I am sorry."



***



"Lord Cyan of Doma!" boomed the messenger.  "King Edward Roni Figaro bids

you greetings.  His city of Crescentia has been attacked and destroyed.

He regrets that you have no army to help, but says that you should 'ware

attack yourself."  The messenger bowed before the King.  "He also said

to beware the Prophetess."



"Terra?  Oh, Elayne, has it started again?"



***



And beneath the earth, a leader arose.



Chapter 8 [rewrite]



Here it is...



----



Edgar rowed across the sea to the ancient rock of Thamasa.  Long before

anyone could remember it had been there, and Thamasan legend said that

the Goddesses themselves had created the world from that very stone.  Now

they were gone...



"Strago!" shouted Edgar, staring at the withered old man.  The years had

not been kind to Strago Magus.  War, oppression, lynchings; for his

almost one hundred years he had never known peace.  And now on the verge

of his death, the horror had started again.



"Edgar...how nice it is, to," Strago coughed twice and continued, "to see

a friendly face.  Relm, I could not bear to see her anymore.  Not like

this...a young guy..like..me," Strago was interrupted by a fit of coughing.



Edgar knelt down and stared at him.  "Strago, I need your help.  My

city, Crescentia, was destroyed by magic.  A foul magic."



"Oh...goddesses.  I wished I could leave Relm a better world...then when

I was born.  It...seems man can..never have peace.  I cannot...aid you

now, Edgar.  I am too far...beyond.  But I must tell you something."

Strago leaned back against a stone.



"Relm is not my grandchild, Edgar.  I...love her more than anything, but

she is not mine.  Shadow..is her father, Edgar.  He fell in love..with a

young girl, a magus.  She was hunted, by Doman troops...when she died, 

Shadow killed his emotions.  He left Relm behind...for me.  I never had any

children...it was the greatest thing that ever happened...but now, she

must know..."



Edgar held Strago's hand.  "Good-bye, old friend.  I will tell Relm the

truth, sleep well."



Strago passed away, and Edgar felt his pulse stop.  He stood and prepared

to leave, but a chill wind made him turn back. Strago stood in front of him.



"Lord Edgar of Man.  I am Poltergeist, you know me."



"I killed you, brach.  You are gone from here."  Edgar drew his weapons.



"Put those down, Lord of Man.  I was not killed, my idol was destroyed.

By this act, you released a very ancient evil.  Zemus d'Luna."



"I've never heard of him.  Why should I be afraid of some moon man?"



"Zemus...no, he is Zemus no longer.  Zeromus is a man of evil.  He IS

evil.  He is everything that Kefka was personified.  He is more powerful

than anything this Earth has ever seen, and his sole wish is

destruction.  He will feed off the grief of the dying, and use the power

to rule the Cosmos."



"And you think I am afraid of him?"



"If you are not, you are a fool, Lord of Man.  I am dying now.  Zeromus

killed me.  He killed all of us, at once, in our own home and we COULD

NOT HARM HIM.  Do you understand, Lord of Man?  I am now passing to a

place where no light ever touches the ground.  I will live a life of such

torment you COULD NOT BELIEVE.  And it will never end.  Unless you wish

this fate upon this world, you WILL listen.  Garner your forces, Lord of

Man.  The destiny of all of Creation lies in your hands.  Ignore me, and

let it all fall under the shadow of evil.  Or you may heed my warning and

stop it.  What will it be, Lord of Man?"



"Tell me."



"Zeromus has been killed before.  On many worlds, he was been defeated.

His kind, the Lunarians, use a different source of magic than you.  A

very potent form of Neutral magic, based on the moon."



"Neutral?  But he is evil."



"He may heal and he may destroy.  But to destroy him, you must utilize a

higher force.  We Goddesses are not of the Existence.  But a more

powerful being created us.  Into our hands he gave a single crystal,

which we divided into many parts.  Upon this...NOOOO!!!!  He comes Lord of

Man!  'Ware, for he is quick and deadly when he strikes.  You must stop

him..."



And the voice of Poltergeist faded from human ears forever.



***



Gogo stepped into his cavernous chamber.  He dropped his robes and felt 

pseudoflesh slide from his body.  Gogo was neither male, nor female.  It 

was a robot, a creation made for one purpose, the hand of the Goddesses.



It was Gogo's role to stop Kefka from exploiting the Goddesses' powers.  

Silently guiding, he eventually turned the tide in the favor of the 

heroes.  Now, he relaxed.



"Gogo."



"Miztrez Poltergeizt.  At lazt I hear from you!" Gogo said with the 

characteristic buzz of an artificial life-form.



"Gogo, I am about to die.  My life is over and I must give my duties to 

you.  The Dark One has arisen once more.  He is more powerful than I have 

ever seen him and it is he who has slain me."



"NO!  How iz it pozzible?  How could he kill you?  Miztrez!"



"I understand Gogo, but forget me.  You must save this world.  Use your 

powers once more to destroy Zeromus and save this world.  I am counting 

on you Gogo...please, save my planet..."



And if robots could shed tears, Gogo would have cried.



***



"Setzer, is rain common to this region?" asked Shadow, looking out the cave.



"No...we're in a desert."  Setzer stared out.  "Damn!  This is a hell of 

a storm we've got brewing."  He leaned against the wall.  "We might as 

well wait it out here."



"Why?  Why not go into your airship?" Shadow was annoyed when people 

decided to "rough it."  He never understood why.



"Because in the airship any weather can hit us.  In here, we're safe."



"Okay, but remember that I warned you..."



***



Locke and Sabin walked out to the docks.  "Strange weather, eh, Locke?"



"Certainly.  This kind of storm usually doesn't hit Kohlingen.  Very odd."



Locke and Sabin approached a portly looking captain, sitting on a 

barrel.  "How can I help ye," asked the old man.



"I need a ship to take you to Thamasa," stated Sabin, simply.



"Har, har, har!  That's a good one!  Look at the sky," said the sailor, 

gesturing to the north.  A huge storm was brewing.



"Yeah, but Thamasa is to the south.  And the south is..." Sabin stared 

south.  "Oops."  Another massive storm was heading from the south.  "What 

the hell?"



"I know.  Very strange."



***



Martin strode up to the Chancellor.  "You called, Lord?"



"Yes, this awful noise is making it impossible to work!"  He gestured at

the pipes.  "Does it not disturb you?"  A strange moaning noise filled

the air, originating from the pipes.



"The price of technology, Lord Chancellor.  There must be a clog in the

system.  What do you want me to do about it?"



"You insolence borders on treason, Guardsman.  Tread carefully, for you

are on thin ice."



'Damn egotistical bastard.  I can't wait till Edgar gets back,' thought

Martin.  "Yes, Lord Chancellor," sighed the soldier.  "I still don't see

how I can help you."



"Talk to the engineer, Private Martin.  Tell HIM to fix the problem."



***



Martin marched down the hallway, heading for the engine room.  The damn

sound was even worse in here.  "Damn Chancellor thinks the world revolves

around him!  I wish I could.." Martin's mumbling trailed off as he

entered the engine room.



"Engineer?"



"Yes?" replied the somewhat strange man.



"Fix the pipes."



"What's wrong with them?"



"The blasted sounds!  Can't you hear it?"



"Yes..."



"Well fix it!  Chancellor's orders."



"But...."



"No buts, Engineer.  This is of the highest priority."



"PRIVATE Martin.  As I was trying to say, I checked the system.  There is

nothing..."  A scream cut him off.



"What the hell!" shouted Martin rushing up the steps.  "Oh..Goddesses.  How

can it be?"



Martin died in a moment.  For others, the battle lasted a few minutes.

But within the span of an hour, all of Figaro was dead.  And within the

streets, it was the dead that ruled.  An unstoppable, undead army.  Bent

on destroying the world.



Chapter 9:  A Time for War



"Strago?" Edgar looked down at the man.  The host of Poltergeist.  He was 

dead now.  Hopefully, he had gone to a better place.  Now Edgar couldn't 

know for sure.  "Sleep well old man."  Edgar closed Strago's eyes and 

placed him on his boat.  The raft floated out to see and vanished beneath 

the rising waves.



"I have to get back!" Edgar rushed towards his boat, only to watch a wave 

shatter it against the rocks.  "By the Three Goddesses!  Damnation!"  

Edgar scanned the Rock.  He saw the entrance to Hidon's Cave, and rushed 

towards it.



"Edgar..." said a voice from behind.  So soft.  Edgar spun around.



"Mother?" Edgar began to cry.  "Mother!"  He rushed forward to the 

beach.  "I've missed you..."  Then he noticed the stench of rotting 

flesh.  "Oh Goddesses..."



Edgar's mother grew massive, a hideous creature covered in tentacles and 

claws.



"It's time to die, King Edgar," laughed the beast.



"We shall see, monster."



***



"Damn it, Edgar's going to need us, Locke!"  Sabin stared out at the ocean.



"What can we do about it?  Not even an airship could fly in a storm like 

this.  We'll just wait it out.  There isn't any immediate threat is there?"



"I don't know, Locke."  Sabin heard footsteps and spun around.  "Hello, 

Celes.  How are you feeling?"



"Fine, thank you.  I'm sorry about the storm.  Something just isn't 

natural about it."



"Magic?" asked Locke, his eyes wide.



"Maybe."



"Then...could you Runic it?" Sabin asked, hopefully.



"I can try, but it won't be easy."



"Celes, I can't let you put yourself in danger!" shouted Locke.



"I must, my love.  Don't worry."



"CELES!!!"



"Runic!" shouted Celes, drawing her sword from the mantle above the 

hearth.  Locke watched as it began to glow.  Sweat beaded down Celes's 

forehead, and an aura of green light surrounded her.  "It's...working..."



Sabin looked out the window.  No immediate effects where visible.



"So much power...I have to get to the source..." Celes clinched her 

fists.



"Celes, stop, you're hurting yourself," warned Sabin.



"I feel the source...I must get closer...."



"CELES!" shouted Locke again.  "Celes, no, I can't bear to lose you..."



"I have it!  What...Terra?"



***



Gogo slipped on his robe and voice modifier.  "I must save this world for 

you, Mistress," he promised, stepping out into the rain.  He stared at 

his wrist for the location of Edgar.



"Thamasa."  Gogo whistled a strange noise and a shadow descended from 

above.  A Drake landed and Gogo climbed on.  He whistled again and the 

flew off towards Thamasa.



***



"The Dark Master comes, disciples!  Feel him!  Hear him!  He is here!" 

screamed Terra.  And it was true.



***



Art ran down the streets of South Figaro.  How could he have gotten 

caught up in such a stupid cult?  But something very wrong was 

happening.  This rain had come from the Prophetess, he knew it.  He had 

to find Councilor Gau.



"Gau!" he shouted.  From an alley, the boy emerged.



"You called."  Gau loved making entrances like that.



"The Prophetess is doing something, Councilor.  Something very evil.  And 

she is targeting South Figaro.  That is what the rain is.  It is a 

by-product of the spell.  Something very evil."



"Who are you?  How do you know this?" questioned Gau.  He stared at the 

man, an animal gleam in his eyes.



"I...I helped her.."



---



Okay, so the war didn't REALLY start.  But everyone is getting in position.







A Long Dark Day:



Zeromus calmly looked over the crowd of chanting worshippers.  "Very 

good, my Prophetess."



"That you, o Lord of Dark and Evil."  Terra dropped to her knees before 

the dark one.  She solemnly kissed his feet and stared at the ground.



"Very nice.  But they are not useful to me in this form."  Zeromus 

surveyed the crowd.  "Bakers, blacksmiths, HUMANS.  No, these will not 

do.  I need the help of an old friend."



"Who, my Master.  Can I help you?" Terra begged.



"No.  Stand back."  Terra scurried to her feet and knelt behind the 

altar.  "From the Dark, I call the ghost of Rubicant."  The Lord of Fire 

appeared and bowed.



"Lord Zeromus.  I have awaited your return.  How may I serve you?"



"Lugae.  Your 'doctor.'"  Rubicant shuddered at the mention of the 

monster's name.  Rubicant was a man of honor, though he was of the Dark.  

"I see you remember him.  He made...creatures out of humans.  I need 

more.  Do you have any records of his techniques."



"Master Zeromus, as much as I desire to aid you, I do not feel that it 

would be justi..."



"SILENCE, FIEND OF FLAME!  You were created to serve.  I could not 

correct your sense of honor, but I intend to ignore it.  Give me Lugae!"



Rubicant trembled; his fear of the Dark One far outweighed his sense of 

honor.  "It is not magical, m'lord.  He uses genetic merging.  It is 

rather simple.  Here are the designs for the machine."



A scroll appeared in Zeromus hand.  "You may go now, Rubicant.  Return to 

your eternal torment."



"But..."



"I don't need any of you anymore, Fiend.  Good-bye."



***



"NO!!!!" screamed Gogo into the sky.  "I must hurry.  The Dark One has 

arrived and I must stop him."  He whistled and the dragon landed.  Gogo 

raised his hand above the drake.



"Beast of Sky, upon you I give the intelligence of man!"  The drake 

looked confused, then growled:



"Who...am I?"



"That is unimportant.  I am now transferring information as to my mission 

into your brain.  You will not forget it."



A glow suffused the dragon's head, and he felt knowledge flood in.  

Horrible knowledge of killing and destruction, but somewhere inside, the 

power excited the beast.



"Good-bye.  Warp!"  Gogo disappeared.



Chapter 10: The Final Act



---



Gogo appeared in Terra's chamber.  Zeromus looked up.  "Hmm...one of 

Lugae's creations?"



"I recognize him, Dark Lord.  That is Gogo...he...she...uh...it, is a 

warrior of Light.  We must destroy...uh...it!"  Terra hated not knowing 

the gender of Gogo.



"Hello Zemus d'Luna.  Poltergeist bids you regards.  You will now join her."



"HAHAHAHA!" Zeromus drew a black sword from his belt.  Even as a human this 

creature was no match for Zeromus, lord of Dark.



Zeromus watched Gogo draw raise his hands.  Sheets of electricity 

engulfed the evil Lunarian.  "You cannot win, Lord of Dark.  You cannot 

destroy this world."



Zeromus dropped to one knee beneath the tumult of energy.  

"You...are...nothing!"  Zeromus suddenly exploded.  Acrid sulfur filled 

the air and Gogo lowered his arms.



"It is over, Terra.  I now must cleanse you, to purge this world of his 

evil."  Gogo raised his arms again, preparing to strike down his once ally.



"Please."  Gogo spun around.  A hulking mass of churning green flesh 

stood before  him.  "This is the true Zeromus!  With every scream of 

agony ever heard, ever mother's tear for a child dead, I grow stronger!  

Do you hear me, soldier of Light!  I cannot lose again!  This world," a 

tentacle gestured expansively, "so full of sadness, is so full of power 

for ME!  I will corrupt it and then destroy it.  And then I will kill 

every Lunarian and destroy every world in creation!"



"No.  You must not.  I will stop you!"  Gogo dropped his flesh and 

stepped out in his true form.  "This is my destiny!"  Gogo pulled energy 

from every system, and in a flash of blinding light fired it all into 

Zeromus.



***



"Sna...oh?" asked Umaro.  He started dancing around.  Mog groaned.



"Keep mining, kupo!  Hear me?  This is no time to joke around!"



"Ung'h!  Umaro..like..sna..oh!" Umaro grudgingly went back to work.



And then Mog began to scream.



***



"Setzer, the water is rising."



"I see that, Shadow.  But there isn't anything we can do about it."  

Setzer walked up towards higher ground.  Already most of the cave had two 

or three inches of water in it.



"Couldn't we get trapped?  If the water level rises too high, we'd have 

to swim quite a ways to get out.  And you aren't exactly in your prime." 

Shadow leaned against the wall and sighed.



"Outside we stand risk of getting caught in a sand storm, or any other 

weather problem that's causing this.  If the water rises too high, we 

simply leave."



"Very well.  Tell me about Darryl, Setzer.  I was...busy...when you 

explained your history to the others."



"It's a long story..."



***



"Come on, you big monster!  Too afraid to attack me?" mocked Edgar.  He 

was sweating even in the rain, but he was uninjured.  The same could NOT 

be said about the beast.



"Why do you keep fighting, Human?  Even if you kill me, the Dark Lord 

will kill you!"



"Dark Lord?  Ha!  I brought Kefka to his knees.  I've destroyed 

Goddesses.  And you think I'm afraid of a little moon man?" Edgar lunged 

and jammed the Lance into its chest.



"You...will...die for this.  Even now...Figaro...burns.."  The dark blood 

of the beast coated the rocks.



"Oh Goddess, let it be a lie!" 



Edgar dove into the water and started to swim.



***



"Lord Garamonde?" asked as soldier.  "Where are you going?"



"Do you hear that sound?"



"No...what are you talking about?"



"Screams, Corporal.  Thousands of screams.  Tell the army to be ready.  

Something very wrong is happening in Figaro.  We leave in the hour.  Now 

go!"  Cyan slid his blades into his belt.  He looked up, about to snap 

out, when..



"It can't be!" shouted Cyan, embracing the woman in front of him.



"I have so little time here, Cyan, my love.  You are correct about 

Figaro, there is great evil afoot.  Higher forces than those of men are 

at war, and where I am...bad things have begun.  There is a Master 

there.  A Lord of Death and Justice that wishes you to have this blade.  

It is called the Gray Blade.  In it are the powers of life and of death.  

I must go now, Love, but...for me...and Owain...save the world..."



"Elayne!!!" screamed Cyan.  "Must I lose you again, my love?"



"Good-bye..."



***



"What is the problem in Figaro?"



"I don't know, I was just...I can't explain it," the man told Gau.



"Very well." Gau walked to the corner and spoke briefly with the guard.  

He then returned.



"You are being taken to the jail.  I am going with fifteen men.  If this 

was a trick, my men have orders to kill you.  Do you understand?"



"Perfectly, Lord Gau."



Chapter 11:  For the Memory



Locke paced furiously.  "Damn it, when will this rain stop?" he asked Sabin.



Sabin shrugged.  "Beats me.  Apparently it was more magic than Celes 

could absorb.  Strange, huh?"  Sabin sat down.



"Very.  I watched her take an Ultima from Kefka.  If this spell is that 

powerful...who would have the power to create it?"  Locke stared out the 

window.  "Not Terra..."



"Unlikely.  She lost her Esper half, didn't she?"



"LOCKE!" came a scream from upstairs.  Locke and Sabin leapt up and ran 

up the stairs.



Sabin never made it.  A massive Gigas swung its fist into his back and 

crushed him against the wall.  He never moved again.



***



The snow was burning his hair!  His precious hair!  "Umaro, let's get out 

of here, kupo?"



"Un'g!  We go!"  Umaro grabbed the ore and trotted down the mountain 

side.  Mog rushed after him.



"Boss?  Wha that?" said Umaro, staring at the massive dragon in front of him.



"Aieee!" shouted Mog.



***



Edgar dove into the water and swam frantically for shore.  Even at the 

peak of his health, it was a hard swim.  He was panting furiously and he 

was only half of the way there.  A huge wave knocked him under, and he 

came up spitting out sea water.



"What the..." Edgar saw a massive shadow moving towards him.  A boat!  

One of his boats!



"DOWN HERE!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.  But they didn't hear 

him...and they were headed straight towards where he was floating!



Chapter 12:  Tears for the Dead, Death for the Living



---



Sabin fell to the ground, white light filling his vision.  He tried to 

move, tried to help Celes, but it was so cold.  He twitched his neck, but 

couldn't turn to look.  So cold...



Locke stared at the two Gigi that stood before him.  He looked at Sabin,

still on the ground.  "Whoever sent you here, beasts, he will join you in

hell!"  Locke pulled a dagger from his belt and dove towards the first.



It laughed and pounded him to the ground.  With a relaxed kick, it sent 

him flying into a wall.  These were not the Gigi he had fought in Zozo, 

no they were far more powerful.  Filled with the dark power of Zeromus, 

they were more than he had ever seen.



"NO!!!" screamed Celes, charging with a scimitar in hand.  She slashed 

through the first one's neck, leaving it dead.  "Locke!" she moaned, and 

stared at the remaining Gigas.  "For love, I will kill you!"  Celes 

charged forward, lightning fast.



The Gigas moved faster.  Rolling to the side, it caught her ankle and 

crushed it.  In another second, it slammed her head against a table.  

Rising, it stared at the destruction.



And then it heard a child's cry.  Its target.  On the ground, the 

warriors moaned, incapable of doing anything.



***



"We must hurry," ordered Cyan, charging towards the ferry.  "Faster, 

men!"  The soldiers leapt aboard in a moment, not doubting for a second 

their leader's order.



The ship set sail for Figaro, and as they drew closer, the screams grew 

worse.  "Everyone sharpen your blades.  What we go up against is more 

powerful than anything we ever faced.  I have been given the power to 

destroy it, and destroyed it must be.  For Doma!"



"FOR DOMA!" cried the soldiers.



"For peace!"



"FOR PEACE!"



"For victory!"



"FOR VICTORY!"



And the ship plowed through the storm, preparing to destroy the menace of 

Figaro.  For good or for evil, Doma had gone to war.



***



"Damn it, I'm down here!" screamed Edgar.  A sailor looked down.



"By the Goddesses!  Stop the ship!  King Edgar is down there."  The ship 

swerved to the side, and a rope was dropped.  Edgar grabbed the rope and 

ascended onto the ship.



"We must sail for Figaro.  I have a horrible feeling that something is 

wrong."



---



Part Two:  Requiem for the Robot



---



Gogo stared at the smoking mass of flesh before him.  "It iz too late, 

Terra.  Turn away from the evil.  Pleaze.  Terra..."  Terra stared at the 

twitching robot, its shimmering silver skin dented and scratched.



"You have killed my Master!  Bastard!" Terra kicked Gogo's head and sent 

it flying across the room.  It hit the stone wall and exploded.  

"Master?" asked Terra kneeling by the corpse.



No response came from it.  "Chant, disciples!" cried Terra to the horde 

of followers.  "Chant!  Inuma morta!  Kiam suzak!  Pretia chufa!" Terra 

screamed.  The crowd followed.



And by the will of the souls of hundreds of people, Zeromus began to 

heal.  One by one the people fell, their bodies exploding in balls of 

flame.  And the oozing mass of flesh began to jiggle.



As the last corpse fell, Zeromus was born again.  By the death of his 

followers, he could destroy this world and rule the cosmos.



***



"So you and Darryl met in a race?" asked Shadow, after Setzer finished his 

story.  Bored as he was, Shadow was still curious about this strange 

relationship.



"Yeah.  That was how we met, and how we parted."  Setzer stared away.  

"But perhaps we shall meet again.  Let us go to the airship, this rain is 

getting too heavy to stay in here."



Setzer and Shadow headed towards the entrance with Interceptor in tow.  

"The airship..." whispered Setzer.



"Oh my god!"  The airship was melting away.  The rain was...acid...



---



"Dragon?" asked Mog, staring at the massive beast.



"Gogo sent me here.  You must come with me."  The dragon gestured towards 

his back.  "Climb on.  I must find the others as well."



"Ha.  Get him, kupo?" said Mog, gesturing to Umaro.



"Uwaoo!" shouted Umaro, jumping at the beast.  A huge burst of flames 

enveloped him.  It did no damage.  "Ung'h!" the Yeti yelled, throwing 

the dragon to the ground.



"Now we talk business, kupo?"



***



Gau's men marched through the dark cavern.  "Fan out," said Gau, drawing 

a sword.  He preferred not to use his Rage unless he had to.



"What smells?" asked Renald, one of his men.



"Beats me.  Just be careful."  The smell was awful, choking the group as 

they moved in.  It was like nothing he had ever smelled before, even in 

al of his days on the Veldt.



They reached the exit and stared out into the desert.  Swarming forth 

from the castle were thousands upon thousands of corpses, armed and ready 

for battle.



"Oh shit," they all said in unison.



---

Chapter Thirteen:



{The prophesy is at hand, my brothers,} whispered the voice, silently.



{It cannot be.  So long after the Dragon bore the burden.  We have grown 

weak,} moaned the Dark, sadly.



{It must be.  If a world falls under the Shadow, all is lost.}



{Light is not the only Good.}



{Nor is Shadow, my brother.}



{A balance must be maintained,} sighed another, from the Light.



{But we are weaker...even before, it took the most powerful of Mankind.}



{We cannot allow the balance to fall.}



{But should we be defeated....}



{Then all is lost.}



{But....}



{There may no longer be doubts, my brothers.  Join with us.}



{I am afraid of the Light, my brother.  Will it not drown the Dark?}



{It cannot, so long as the balance is maintained,} groaned the Fire.



{Please, give me time.  I cannot risk...}



{You must!  All is lost if He does what he wishes.  It was the wish of 

the Creator.}



{We do not know that!}



{So speaks the Prophesy,} cried the Water, giver of Life.



{So be it.  Let us join as once before.}



***



"Oh Goddesses, Figaro is destroyed?" whispered Cyan.



"I'm sorry sir," said one of the Guards.



"I must....I must...."



"There is nothing you can do, sir.  The cave is closed.  Until they come 

through...there is nothing you can do, I say again, sir."



"Damn it all!" shouted Cyan, drawing the Gray Blade.  It hissed to life 

and seemed to writhe like a serpent.



"What in..." the guard backed off.



"I don't know.  Thou must help me.  It is doing....AHHHHH!"  The Gray 

Blade shot a beam of dull light into the sky, and Cyan, Lord of Doma, 

watched as it hissed into the cave.



"Noooo...." moaned the guard.  For he, like Cyan, knew that somehow the 

Blade had opened the cavern.



***



"Setzer, your airship...."



"NO!  I cannot let it be destroyed!"  Setzer rushed into the rain, and 

instantly fell back, his face pock-marked where drops had touched it.



"I'm sorry, Setzer.  It was the last bit of Darryl you had."



"I can't believe it!  We're stranded."  And then he saw them.  Fifteen 

men, riding upon huge chocobos, riding straight towards them in the rain.

Shadow's sword hissed as it scraped out of the scabbard.



"The Reaper has arrived."



"What did you say?"



"Nothing.  Just talking to myself."



***



"How long 'til we reach South Figaro," Edgar queried a sailor.  He 

shrugged.  "Damn it, how long!"



"I don't know, my liege.  Without MagiTek, we cannot reach the speeds of

which we were once able."



Edgar growled and paced toward his cabin, again.  He froze suddenly.  

MagiTek.....Terra mentioned she had a large network of spies.  He began 

to chuckle to himself.



The Captain froze as a huge broadsword was brought to his neck.  "Where 

are you taking me, you son of a brach?" hissed Edgar from behind.



"South Figaro....m'lord."



"TELL ME, OR I'LL SLIT YOU FROM NAVEL TO NECK!" shouted Edgar.  Everyone 

turned and stared at him.  "TELL ME!"



***



Mog and Umaro were enjoying their ride upon the Dragon, however it was 

becoming more and more worrisome the more dives he chose to take.



"Look, kupo.  Where are you taking us?"



"Edgar."



"Why not just go to Figaro, kupo?"



"He's not there."



"Kupopo!" cursed Mog in Moogan.



"We go sna'oh?" asked Umaro.



"No, kupo!  No snow!"



"Umaro like sna'oh.  Sna'oh hot."



Mog sighed.  Why did he hang out with this delinquent?



"Dragon, why are you trying to find Edgar?"



"It is what I was told to do."



"Hmmm....so you are a slave, kupo?"



"No."



The Dragon suddenly took a steep dive, and Mog screamed in horror.  They 

were crashing down into the ocean.



Chapter Fourteen:



{Locke!} called the voice once more.



Locke looked up from his chair, his face pale and drawn.



{Answer me, Locke!} it whispered, yet shouted.



Locke's gaze spun as far as he could crane his neck, yet still he saw 

no one.  "Why must you torment me!  Have I not be punished enough?"  Locke 

stared down at his now useless legs, which he could neither feel nor move.



{I am not here to torment you, Locke.}



"Who ARE you?" Locke reached for the Full Moon which rested next to his 

chair.



{I am who we are.  I am the Light and I am the Darkness.}



"Do not tell me riddles.  I have lost my son!  My best friend!  My 

Goddess damned legs, and you seek to speak to ME IN RIDDLES!  Why must 

you toy with me?" Locke sobbed.



{You can not understand the workings of the Universe, Locke Cole.  Do not 

try to.}



"Damn you!"



{We are here to stop the Dark One.}



Locke sighed.



{And restore the Balance.}



"I am no longer a hero!  I am a cripple, damn you!  My wife...oh god, and 

my wife can move nothing!  Her face alone!  And you come here to tell me 

to restore the fucking balance of the Universe?"



{Nothing in life is easy, you should know that, Locke.}



"Oh, do I know that!"



{Then help us, so that we may aid you.}



"How?"



{Listen.}



***



"Who are those people, Shadow?" murmured Setzer, slipping into Clyde's 

old name.



"I do not know.  But they are well armed."



"Can you tell if they are hostile?"



"Tell me this, Setzer:  If a horde of armed men comes rushing you on 

chocobos, do you think they're hostile?"



"Sorry I asked."



"I does not matter.  The Reaper forgives all."



"What is you obsession with Death, Clyde?"



"Sometimes it is easier to die than live, Gambler.  Now ready yourself.  

The enemies arrive presently."



Shadow readied himself and leapt into the air, soaring onto the back on 

one of the massive birds.  His katana cleaved through its neck, and left 

it headless, squirming, on the ground.



Setzer, on the other hand, merely reached into his large belt pouch.  He 

withdrew a handful of coins and tossed them into the coming horde.  Each 

slammed into a target.  Each fell as heads, upon the desert sands.



But as gallantly as Shadow and Setzer battled the unknown riders, their 

energy began to wane.  And it was as both Shadow and Setzer fell to the 

ground, that the lead rider withdrew its mask.



***



"M'lord, I know not what to say?  I take you to the port of South 

Figaro, as you ordered me to do."



"Liar!"



"I speak the truth," screamed the Captain, prostrating himself.



"You cannot!  Why did you speak of MagiTek!"



"I told you before..."



"WARE, KING EDGAR!" screamed a sailor.  From above the clouds, a massive 

flying reptile descended, slamming into the deck with jarring speed.



"I speak for the Goddesses, King Edgar Figaro.  Drop this man, and lend 

me your ear."  The dragon spoke in a roaring voice, its red eyes drawn 

into tight slits.



Edgar lowered his weapon.  "You have my attention, friend dragon.  And do 

get down from there Mog, you look like an utter buffoon."



"Ba'foo'oon!" shouted a voice from behind.



"Umaro too?"  Edgar groaned.  "My, my, we have a regular reunion."



***



"What have I done?" whispered Cyan, staring at the now immobile Blade.



"I do not know," replied the guard, equally shaken.



{I have cleared the way, Lord Cyan Garamonde.  I am the Gray Blade.  I am 

Death and I am Life.  You have bonded with me.}



"What?" shouted Cyan.



"What is the problem, Lord Cyan?" asked the guard quickly.



"One moment, sir."



{Thou art the Blade,} replied Cyan, mentally.



{Yes.}



{And thou hast cleared yon cavern pass?}



{Yes.  Would it please you if I spoke in Archaic phrases?}



{Hmmm?}



{Thee, thou, prithee, methinks, you know what I mean?}



{Art thou mocking me?}



{Never, m'lord.}  Cyan could almost imagine the Blade grinning.



{To business, anon.  Thou hast cleared the cave, then surely those that 

live in death do come upon us?}



{Aye.}



{How may I strike them down.}



{With fire, beheading, and piercing of the heart.}



{That is all?}



{Or, by my power, I may will them all dead.}



{Thou art so powerful?}



{Aye.}



{Then kill them all.}



{You are sure, Lord Cyan?  Should I return them to death, you will absorb 

their souls.}



{WHAT??}



"Lord Cyan?" asked the guard, who had been staring there, mutely, as he 

watched Cyan mouth words.



"One moment, friend guard."



{Anyone you kill with my power shall give their souls to you.}



{Any?}



{And all.}



Cyan sighed, pondering a question that meant Life or Death to hundreds.



***



"Oh, how your power shines, Dark Lord!" swooned Terra, watching Zeromus 

mutate the people of the Temple into hideous creatures.



"I am pleased you see it this way," replied the now humanoid monster.  He 

stroked his chin thoughtfully.  "Perhaps you may serve me in another matter."



"How, o great one?"



Zeromus mutated another man, then sat down upon his golden throne.  "I 

am deeply distressed as to the actions of the now recently deceased robot."



"How is that?  He is dead now."



The Lord of Evil sighed.  Why where humans so invariably stupid?  "I am 

not worried about the robot itself, Terra.  You see that robot was to 

someone as you are to me."



"I do not understand," replied Terra, deeply wishing that in some way she 

could.  She knelt before Zeromus begging forgiveness.



Zeromus sighed once more.  "My child.  The robot...Gogo you said it was 

called?"  Terra nodded.  "Gogo served someone I believed dead."



"Who, my master?"



"The Triumvirate.  The Three Goddesses.  I slew them in the place you 

call 'space.'"  Zeromus stared at Terra.  "But he...it was following 

orders.  Orders that could only have been given AFTER their distraction."



"I see, Lord.  You worry that they still live?"



"Yes.  You are very smart," Zeromus congratulated, patting her on the 

head.  Terra gasped in pleasure at his touch.  "They were one of the few 

forces that could defeat me."



"You may be defeated?  Impossible!" Terra blanched at the concept of a 

world without Zeromus.



"Yes.  But the other force lies far of in the cosmos, on a world where 

they must remain for eternity."  Zeromus was never sure about this.  

Were the crystals indeed still upon the Blue Planet?  Or had they been 

put upon the Lunar Station.



"So you are safe."



"Yes, Terra.  And soon, this entire world will be within my grasp."



---



Chapter Fifteen: The Crystal War



"Give me your powers, and I shall slay your foe," whispered Locke, hatred 

burning in his heart.



{He will be useful,} the Dark told the others.



{Must you always use?  'Twas our power that created Zeromus.}



{Given to this Mortal, might it not do the same?} moaned the Water.



{Does it matter?  This time, we shall destroy him before he gets too 

powerful,} answered the Dark.



{It must be done,} answered the Light.  And so it was.  As the had done 

only once before, the Crystals of Light and Dark allowed their power to 

be drained into a mortal.  And under the light of the moon in Kohlingen, 

Locke Cole began to laugh.  His revenge was at hand.



***



"The Goddess Poltergeist has sent me, King Edgar, to aid you in the 

preparation of your armies.  The city of Figaro has been destroyed," at 

this Edgar wept and moaned, for with the death of Figaro was the death of 

his love.  His dream of a kingdom in which everyone could enjoy freedom 

and happiness shattered.



"Then what armies do I have!" shouted Edgar, slamming his fist into the 

wall.  "None!  Who attacked!  Who?"  Edgar's eyes scanned warily around 

the room.  Umaro sat picking his teeth with a carved piece of bone.  Mog 

was merely listening.  Silent.



"The forces of Zeromus."



"I have heard that name before.  A voice told me of him.  So he is to blame?"



"Some would say his is to blame for all evil in this Universe.  My 

mistress did not think this.  Zeromus lives off pain, suffering, and 

hatred.  He would see this world thrown into anarchy and live off its 

agony.  With that power, he could conquer the world that was once his.  

And wreak vengeance on his brothers of old."



"These brothers?  Where are they now?"



"They fly through the cosmos, searching, some say, for a world in which 

they can live alone with their sins."



"What sins?"



"Let me tell you about Zeromus..."



***



An icy wind whipped over the small outpost.  Word had just arrived, the 

unknown forces had ravaged their world.  FuSoYa stared into the darkness 

of the monitor.  He knew what had happened.



The crystals of Light and Dark.  Why had they brought them together?  In 

so doing, they had already condemned themselves to Hell.  But 

then...Zemus.  Something in the crystals connected with him.  He had 

never been strong, not for one of those in Lunar Station.  Lunarians, 

they called themselves.  Once that had been funny.



Zemus had been allowed to study their crystals.  He said they spoke.  

Everyone had laughed.  FuSoYa had dismissed it as the ramblings of a mad 

man.  But Zemus kept working, through the night.  And one day the 

crystals stopped shining.



FuSoYa had ordered Zemus sent back to the homeworld.  The ship came to 

take him away that day.  Three days ago.  Now the homeworld was 

destroyed.  Such power as FuSoYa couldn't believe existed had been 

unleashed.  The world was dead.  And the ship was returning.  Returning 

with Zemus.  'Zemus' meant joy in their language.  How ironic.



Zemus arrived that evening.  He destroyed the primary lunar base with the 

raise of a finger.  FuSoYa tried to fight him.  Even with the aid of all 

of the others, FuSoYa only slowed him down.



He sent CluYa, his assistant, to go to the Blue Planet they orbitted.  

He entrusted his disciple with the crytals, and told him to safeguard 

them, to scatter them across the face of the planet, and beneath its surface.



Then FuSoYa realeased the spell of Sleep.  All who were upon that cold, 

red moon fell into slumber.  For one thousand years...



***



"You are telling me Zeromus only just woke up?" asked Edgar, still pacing 

nervously.



"No, he attempted to regain the crystals on that world.  But he was 

defeated by warriors of Light.  Rosa, Kain, Cecil, Rydia, and Edge.  

Apparently Zeromus fled here and killed my mistresses, sometime after 

Kefka caused so much misery."



"But he was defeated?"



"Yes."



"Tell me."



And through the night, the dragon told Edgar everything about the first 

Crystal War.  About the trials of Paladin Cecil, and his love for the 

white mage Rosa.  And of how they fought Zeromus.  And as the ship neared 

South Figaro, Edgar began to develop a plan.



***



The rider lifted the veil.  Behind was the face of the most beautiful 

woman Setzer had ever seen.  A little older than he had remembered, 

but..."DARRYL!" he screamed, rushing towards her.



A group of three scimitar-bearing soldiers dissuaded him.  "Darryl, I have 

missed you so.  Oh Goddess, how I have missed you."  Setzer took a step 

forward, hesitated, seeing the look of incomprehension on her face.



"Who are you?" she asked, staring at Setzer.  "I am Jaharin Selan.  I am 

the ruler of this band, and ruler of this desert.  You are foreigners.  

Why are you here?"



Shadow moved forward.  Soldiers stepped before him, but he ignored them.  

"We are here to find you.  Do you not recognize this man, Setzer Gabianni?"



"I have never seen you before, either of you," she replied, wary.



"Don't you recognize this pendant?" pleaded Setzer, raising his finding 

to her.  "It was ours!  Don't you remember anything?"



"I have never seen you before!"



"Damn it, you have!  Can you remember anything more than twelve years 

ago!  Can you?"



"I was left here by the god of the sky twelve years ago.  He brought me 

down in his solid cloud."



"NO!  That was your airship!  Don't you remember?"



"No."



Setzer fell to his knees, sobbing.  The soldiers looked on him with 

disgust.  They could not understand his agony.  To have finally found his 

love, only to find she did not remember him.



"Will you at least listen?" he asked.  She nodded, tersely, and replied, 

"Follow us to our camp.  You dark friend fights like an ifrit.  He will 

be a welcome addition to our band."



And off they went.



***



The dreams came on Relm from nowhere.  Shadowy dreams, of...something... 

something evil, calling her.  But the voice was so soft, like Terra's, 

that she couldn't help but follow.  Yet the voice was always just a bit 

ahead, leading her farther and farther into the darkness.



The place she arrived in was filled with the dead.  Her dream could not 

be broken.  She found herself trapped within the confines of a mausoleum, 

all alone, and frightened.



That was when she saw her mother.  Illuminated, glowing, like an angel, 

she beckoned.  But just as Relm reached out to touch her, the image 

disappeared.  A cackle filled the hall.  She recognized the laugh.  Kefka....



***



Gau and Cyan stood alone before the onrushing throng of undead.  Despite 

his attempts to send him off, Cyan could not convince Gau to leave.



"I'll not leave you to face them alone, my friend," said Gau, smiling 

lopsidedly.  "And if anything goes wrong..."



"Naught shall go wrong, that I know," said Cyan, turning away.  {Art thou 

ready?} he asked the Blade.



{Always.  You realize what you seek to do?}



{Aye.}  Cyan raised the blade, and corpse upon corpse began to fall.  

"Gau, it is, so, cold, Elayne...oh Goddesses, Elayne help me."  The 

specter of his fallen wife seemed with him, somehow.  For her, he knew he 

must do it.



"Blade of Life and Death, give me your power!" he yelled into the 

onrushing wind.  Beams of energy sprayed forth, destroying the legions of 

zombies.  Cyan laughed, a cold, angry laugh, and turned to Gau.



Gau looked into his eyes.  They were no longer pale blue.  Now they were 

Gray.  "My friend?" asked Gau, looking away.



"I am here.  And I am not.  I feel so strong," he mumbled, as he 

collapsed to the ground.  Gau bent down.  He was not dead, only fainted.  

But Gau had to wonder if that was good, or bad.



Chapter Sixteen: Weapons of Light



"Kefka?" shouted Relm.  "Why are you here?"  She scanned the shadows, and 

watched as the coalesced into the infamous villain Kefka.



"To teach," was the simple truth.  He stared at her.  Very young.  Almost 

as young as he had been.



"I am not going to learn from you," she warned, stepping back a few paces.



"Yes you are."  Kefka disappeared and reappeared behind her.  "You will 

learn everything I know.  Every dark art and evil cantrip.  Because you 

know you're going to need them in the War."



"What war?" Relm asked, jutting her head towards the madman.



"The Crystal War.  Your grandfather died to aid the cause.  You father 

wanders the southern realms for it.  Will you not help save your world?"  

Kefka grinned and laughed.  Relm knew the laugh.  He laughed the same way 

when he turned the Espers to Magicite at Thamasa.



"I'll not walk in the Shadow, fiend."  Relm drew back again, this time 

dropping into a fighting stance.



"Why not?" he asked, his voice an evil caress, tempting Relm to lower her 

guard.  "You could be stronger than the Prophetess.  Stronger than your 

grandfather.  You could rule them all."



"I don't want to rule!" cried Relm, fleeing into the Darkness.



"Yes you do.  Come back, little Relm.  Kefka won't hurt you."  She slunk 

back into the halo of light that surrounded Kefka.  Another memory.  

Kefka atop the Tower of Corpses.  Laughing, winged like an Angel.  "These 

things I'll destroy..."



"What is this war?  And you mentioned my father.  Who is he?" Relm shot 

off the questions, staring belligerently into Kefka's mad eyes.  He smiled.



"All in do time, kitten.  Now listen to me.  This is how you create fire."



***



"What is your name, Northerner," the large man asked Clyde.  He was badly 

scarred, it looked as though he had been in a knife fight.  Clyde 

smiled.  He liked it when little men thought they were tough.



"Shadow," he replied.  "How about you, Southerner?  Or are you too 

ashamed?"  Shadow leaned back, his muscles rippling beneath his Ninja 

suit.  He smiled darkly.



"You son of a jackal!  You'll pay for your insult!"  The desert dweller 

drew his scimitar, faster than Shadow had ever seen anyone draw a weapon.



Shadow had never looked in the mirror.  The man's hand dropped from his 

wrist, as blood spewed out from severed arteries.  "You'd better get 

that cauterized, little man, before you bleed to death.  Heh."  Shadow 

turned away, walking towards the tent in which Setzer and Darryl were 

speaking.



***



"Do you remember the cliff?  We made love upon it, under the light of the 

stars.  We flew forth in our airships, racing, competing, hurling insults 

at each other.  We always made up in the end.  Don't you remember, Darryl?"



"My name is Jaharin Selan.  I am the daughter of the Sky God.  I do not 

know who you are, and I have never had carnal knowledge of a man.  

Perhaps you mistake me for a northern hussy, Ser Gabianni, but I do not 

find your words amusing."  Darryl stretched back on the cushion she 

rested upon, sleek as a cat.



Setzer stood, pacing nervously.  "Would you come north with me?" he 

begged her.  He dropped to one knee before her.  "I ask you to do this 

for me because I love you.  Because I think I can help you regain your 

memories."



Darryl stared at him appraisingly.  "My band has tried to cross the 

Northern Sea many times, but the weather prevents our passage.  Do you 

have one of these 'airships' you spoke of?  Could it carry my band across?"



"It was destroyed in the acid storm.  But if you have wood and steel..."



"In a desert, Ser Gabianni?  You are as crazy as I thought."  At this 

point Shadow stepped into the room, smiling still from his encounter 

outside.



"Ms. Darryl, Setzer," he said, nodding to each in turn.  "I have been 

ungraciously eavesdropping outside, and I couldn't help but to hear your 

difficulty.  I know of a way.  It is called the Madman's Path."



"How ironic," replied Darryl, smiling.  "So tell us of it, Ser Shadow."



***



By the time Edgar had arrived in the South Figaro harbor, Cyan had just 

recovered from his battle with the undead.  He stood alone atop the 

wall, his hair flying behind him as he regarded the sunrise.



"Elayne, can thou hear me?"  No response came from the mountains or the 

sea.  Cyan smiled.  "I know thou canst, my love.  I believe I am coming to 

thee.  I cannot fight the Blade much longer.  Each day, the urge to feed 

it again grows.  I must go to Zeromus.  And when I do, I shall die."



The wind sighed.  Cyan smiled again, wanly.  "How do I know this?  Never 

have I met a better swordsman.  I can defeat anyone in a battle 

of steel.  But I have no way to fight Zeromus.  And the Blade cannot slay 

him, as it did the dead.  I am cursed, then, to die."



At this the wind picked up, howling around him in a fury.  He suddenly 

burst into tears.  "Elayne, I'm so afraid!  I've never feared anything so 

much.  Zeromus....he eats souls, Elayne.  I cannot stand the thought of 

never seeing thee again.  Should I fall in battle 'gainst him, he shall 

take me into his inferno, where I shall reside alone forever.  I am 

afraid, Elayne, that I cannot tell thee how much I have loved thee."



<Wait for King Edgar, Cyan.  Go with him to Figaro.  There you will be 

given the means to combat Zeromus.>



"Elayne?  But thou said I would never hear thee again!  Oh Elayne, canst 

thou speak to me once more?"



<Nothing is written in stone, my love.  We will see each other where the 

train tracks end.  I'll be waiting.>



Cyan leapt from the wall and rushed to the harbor, where King Edgar arrived.



***



"King Edgar!" shouted Cyan, panting.  "It is a pleasure to see thee 

again.  I am sorry 'tis in such sad times."



"Yes, old friend," Edgar replied.  "I have consulted with the Drake," he 

said gesturing towards the dragon.



"The Drake?" questioned Cyan, his face showing his puzzlement.



"It embodies the knowledge of the Goddesses.  It has told me much.  We 

are to go to Figaro."



"This I know.  The Shade of my love spoke to me."  Cyan looked towards 

the ground.  "That is where we must be when the Harvest Moon rises."



"That is two nights from now."  Edgar was willing to move fast, but 

tactics had to be developed, forces mustered, and all of his other plans 

put together.



"The Harvest Moon, King Edgar.  That is when we must be there.  This, 

too, I know."  He stared at the smoky sky, to the northwest.  "Locke 

will be there."



"Locke?  I thought he was in Kohlingen, with Celes!"  King Edgar's life 

was never easy.  Sometimes he wished he could be in Sabin's shoes.



"I have been told this."



The statement seemed to end the conversation.  The Drake, however, 

stepped towards the two.  "Mog, Umaro, and Gau will protect South 

Figaro.  With the Guard here, that should not be to much of a trouble.  I 

can take you to the city, but then I must leave."



"Where?"



"My time has come.  I go to meet the Goddess."



"I think I understand," answered Cyan, enigmatically.  'I think Edgar 

does too,' he said to himself.  'We all have felt the need to leave this 

mortal coil.'



"The end of what I know comes, Edgar," said the Drake.  "Beyond that, all 

is chaos."



***



"Take me to Zeromus!" Locke told Air.



<Go first to Figaro.>



"No!" shouted Locke.  "My revenge first!  Then your games of power!  

Zeromus must pay!"



<Even now, you would fall before him.  He has more than your power.>



"Then how can I kill him!  Is this all a joke to you!  Do you seek to 

leave me to die?"  Locke spat on the ground.  He stood three miles out of 

Kohlingen, alone in the clearing near Darryl's grave.



<No.  Go to Figaro, there you will learn all you need to know.>



---

Chapter Seventeen: Christmas Special



The winds of departed souls swept the sand across the face of Figaro 

castle.  No other sound split the silence of death.  It had rested, thus, 

for two weeks now, with nothing but rats to rule over its once mighty 

towers.



Ruled first by life, then death, Figaro marked the Golden Age of peace 

that lasted so shortly, after the death of Kefka.  Now, it marked the 

Reign of Zemus, and the destruction he had wrought.  But as the wind 

howled over the stone and steel, two men, on foot, approached.



***



"King Edgar, I'm so sorry," said Cyan, staring at the ravaged castle.  "I 

had known it was overrun, but the magnitude...I did not know."



"I did.  I could feel it here," said Edgar, thumping his chest with a 

gauntleted fist.  He stared into the sand, his face hidden behind a 

visorred helm, no flesh showing beneath his pitch black mail.



"We will pay him back, Edgar, tenfold.  For this and more.  For each 

death, he shall suffer an eternity.  It is for this that we were made.  

All our lives, all our triumphs, all for vengeance.  We shall not fail."



"No," whispered Edgar, marching forward.  "No, we shall not."



***



Atop the tower, Locke Cole, reborn, watched the two kings.  Such weak 

fools, he thought.  I am the only true power in this world.  Zemus and 

I.  That is all that matters now.  And Celes...



<Take me to them,> he told the Crystal of Air, harshly.  Small zephyrs 

became torrents of writhing air as he was thrust violently into the 

chambers beneath.  Waiting.  Waiting for his old friends.



***



"Locke?" called Cyan, shouting into the shadows.  "I know you are here.  

We must speak of our war."



The shadows parted to reveal Locke, his body glowing with red light as 

his pure white eyes stared, at what, Cyan could not tell.  "I am here, 

Lord of Doma.  My friends told me to come here.  I do not know what good 

you and Edgar shall do."  Locke swiveled his head to face the King of 

Figaro.  "Your brother lies dead, Edgar, buried in Kohlingen."  At this, 

Edgar cried out, in pain.  "Dead by the same hand that crippled me and 

destroyed my wife."



"Why...who...how?" questioned Edgar, his voice filled with agony.  Locke 

merely smiled.



"Servants of Zeromus.  Now why are you here?  I am far more powerful than 

ANYTHING you have ever seen.  Kefka was like a child to what I am now.  

The powers of the Crystals flow through me!"  To emphasize this point, 

Locke hurled fire and ice into the air, tearing apart the ceiling.



"Locke.  They are using you.  The Crystals.  They created Zeromus, turned 

him to the Dark Path.  Don't let them do the same to you," implored 

Edgar, removing his ebony mask.  "Don't let them destroy you."



"DESTROY ME!  Do you know what destroyed me, Edgar?  The weakness of this 

world!  Of its petty Goddesses!  We were meant to be ruled by violence!  

The strong shall ever rule the weak, thus it has been, thus it must be.  

Because we failed to follow the natural order, the Empire nearly claimed 

all of our world!  The Empire took Rachel away from me, Edgar, because 

you, and your weak nation, couldn't stop them!  You, Cyan, you and your 

petty noble notions of honor and valor, these did you no good when your 

wife and son lay dead at your feet!  Look around you, Kings of Weakness!  

We LET Zemus come and destroy us!  Seeking the advice of the weak, we 

strove only to become weaker, to become mere shadows of what we could 

be!  No, I am what I must be, a tool of Destruction!  That is what we all 

must be, until our fury, and that of this world, has been vented.  Then 

the cleansing fire of War may be completed, and our lands may once again 

be their own!  For this, Edgar Roni Figaro, and Cyan Garamonde, for this 

and this alone do we fight!  Not for vengeance, but to set this world 

right again!"  Locke stopped, panting for breath.  Edgar had tears 

streaming down his face.  In Cyan only anger was alive.



***



"You know fire, now, Relm.  Now you must learn what creates fire.  Not 

wood, flint, and steel, but the soul.  It must come from within, Relm.  

You cannot make fire from a soul of ashes.  Only those with the power can 

do it," at this Kefka laughed, a soulless sound.  "I can make fire no 

longer, my kitten.  Nor can Terra.  She is just a pawn of the Black King, 

Zemus.  You, you will be my Queen.  Do you play chess, Relm?" asked 

Kefka, his eyes clear with a sanity she had never before seen.



"No, Kefka.  No I do not."  Relm sat down, cross-legged, expecting 

another lecture.  But Kefka was telling her things.  Dark things, only 

whispered in shadows before, but things she had never known about 

herself.  And he said he knew her father.



"In chess, my dear, the King is the ruler of all.  He is, nominally, the 

most important piece.  But the Queen, Relm, the Queen may move anywhere 

she wishes.  And she kills, Relm, the Queen kills them all.  Even the 

mighty King, he too must fear the Queen."  Kefka laughed, and the madness 

returned to his voice.  "You must burn, Relm, you must burn them all.  I 

set you free, now, to go to Figaro.  When you are there, then you shall 

learn the truth about your father."



Relm stood, staring up into Kefka's eyes, her own filled with fury.  "You 

said you would tell me!"



"I never said I wouldn't lie, now did I, my kitten?"  Kefka smiled, his 

white teeth gleaming in the shadows.  "Now go to Figaro, and bring your 

fire, Relm, for they await you there."  Kefka suddenly faded back into 

the shadows, and Relm found herself alone, in her bedroom.



***



"The Madman's path, it's called, because it is treacherous beyond 

belief.  It is underwater, used only by the most foolhardy smugglers.  

Within it, the Empire conducted all of its experiments in magic, many 

monsters and horrors remain.  I myself never dared to risk traversing it, 

nor would if there was any other choice."  Shadow sat on one of the 

velvet cushions.  "Will you do it?"



"Why would I, Ser Shadow?  Do you think I am crazy?"



"A little, yes.  You long for power you may never have here, in this 

wasteland."  Shadow stood again, pulling a piece of lint from his black 

clothing.  "Power is not all that you think it is, Ms. Darryl, or Ms. 

Selan, if you prefer.  But if it is power you want, you must go to the 

north."



Darryl leaned forward, staring into Shadow's eyes, barely visible within 

his mask.  She wanted this man, more than anything she had ever wanted 

before.  She wanted to take her men to the north, and conquer, with this 

man ruling at her side.  All that stood in the way...



"Will you do it, my love," asked Setzer, breaking her concentration.  

"Please, I feel that when you stand under the clouds of the north, you 

will remember our love, what is was, and what it will be again."  Setzer 

was wild now, standing, pacing the room, "Please, I know in my heart that 

you will remember!"



Darryl sighed, looking at Setzer.  "Very well, Northerners, I will take 

my band to your home.  To madness, my associates, and the fruit it 

yields!"  Darryl stood smiling at Shadow.  "Let us tell the others."



---

Chapter Eighteen: The End Draws Near



"So, Locke, thou seemst to be most pleased with thy self," hissed Cyan 

through clenched teeth.  "Power hath corrupted thee, and I intend to sever 

this corruption at the source."  Cyan began to circle Locke, blade drawn, 

ready to strike at any moment.



"Oh please, Garamonde, a SWORD?  How quaint.  Let me show you what true 

power is!  Fire, Ice, give me your power!"  Sheets of energy flew from 

Locke's hands slamming Cyan into a wall and buffeting him with their 

unrelenting force.



"This is what I was made for, Cyan, Edgar!  You cannot hope to compare to 

me!  I will destroy Zeromus!"  Locke screamed his triumph into the empty 

halls of Figaro.  The echoes were all that answered for a long time.



"Locke.  We are here to kill Zeromus too," Edgar whispered, barely 

containing his rapidly growing anger.  "Look at my city, Locke, and tell 

me that I have not suffered as much as you!  Alone, Zeromus will crush 

you.  This I know.  Together, perhaps we may send the fiend into the Abyss."



Locke lowered his hands, and Cyan slumped to the wall, panting and 

bleeding.  "Speak quickly, Lord of Figaro, before I lose patience."  

Locke smiled.  "You would not want to get in my way."



"He need not speak, Slayer," boomed a voice from the darkness.



"Zeromus!" shouted Locke, calling upon the power of the crystals.



"No, merely a tired man."  From the shadows stepped a tall man, hunched, 

bearing a red cape over his body.  "My name is Rubicant.  Fiend of Fire."



Images flashed through Edgar's mind.  Forced to serve Zeromus, yet not 

giving up honor as had the other Fiends.  Caught under the anger of a 

young prince, Edge, slain with the others in the Giant of Bab-Il.



"You are alive?" asked Edgar.



"The Dark Lord gave me life again.  To take from me a the fruits of a 

mistake I shall pay for for all eternity.  I wish to kill Zeromus, as do 

you three, and as does the fifth, who shall arrive presently."  Rubicant 

raised his tired body, standing almost ten feet.  He did not look so 

tired now.



With a sweeping bow, he dropped to one knee and whispered, "My Queen 

Relm," as a great fiery portal opened.  And cloaked in the blue robes of 

her father, Relm stepped out into Figaro Castle.



***



"Gau, I do not like this."  The guardsman stared at the frothing sea.  

"Can you not see those shapes in the water?"



Gau shook his head.  "You're just nervous, Kal.  Relax."  Gau stared out, 

trying to see what Kal was talking about.  "Describe what you think you see."



"It looks almost like...like...hmmm, lumps?  They're moving beneath the 

surface of the waves, heading for the shoreline.  I swear to you, Gau, I 

see them."  Kal shuddered.  It was very cold and wet out, but Kal was 

used to it.  The frost he felt came from inside.  Foreboding.  Warning him.



"Very well.  Guardsman Lance, sound the alarm!  Ready the guard!"  The 

clarion call of the trumpet split the night, followed by the sounds of 

armor being girded and weapons drawn.



"Kal, come with me, to the front ga....by the Goddesses!"  Upon the beach, 

great rotting carcasses of serpents washed to the shore.  As they split, 

great pus oozed out, followed by hordes of monstrosities, mockery of 

human shapes.



"Weapons ready, men.  We're gonna have a hell of a night."



***



Shadow stared at Jeharan, smiling.  She was like him, he realized.  She 

lived for the rush of danger.  She smiled back, looking very feline with 

her grin.



"Ser Shadow, come here."  Shadow quickened his pace, moving to catch up 

with her in the long procession.  For six days they had been within the 

sea tunnel, four had died already, from what, he could not say.



"Why is Gabianni so upset, Shadow?" asked Jeharan, knowing the answer 

without asking.  She smiled, as Shadow answered "I do not know."  He, too, 

knew the answer.



"Well, forget Gabianni and shed this dark mood, Shadow.  Why do you look 

so sad?"



Shadow looked at her.  'Forget the past,' his inner voice urged.  'Forget 

what you have lost, and take what you have found.'  "No reason," laughed 

Shadow.  He felt himself regain some of the emotions he had killed.  

"Tell me, Jeharan Selan, how you came to be queen of this band."



"It is a long story..."



***



Setzer stared at Shadow and Darryl flirting ahead in the tunnel.  "Fine, 

let her," Setzer muttered to himself.  Setzer stared at the ground, his 

vision red and anger filled.



That Shadow should stab him in the back like this rose an ire in Setzer 

he had never before experienced.  "I trusted him!" Setzer whispered.  "I 

believed he was a friend."  Now he had lost it all.  His airship.  His 

love.  Everything.



All because of Shadow.  Or so he told himself.  Perhaps I should forget 

the past forever.



***



"My Lord Zeromus, I feel something evil is happening."  Terra wept, 

kneeling at he master's feet.



"Calm yourself, Terra.  What you feel is the wheels of destiny finally 

connecting.  The prophesy draws near.  Do you have it on this world?  

'One to be born of a Dragon...'  How foolish of Cecil to think it meant 

him.  A Lunarian?  A Dragon?  Ha."  Terra felt better, now that she knew 

Zeromus was unworried.



"This prophesy foretells the coming of a hero, born of a dragon who will do 

many great things.  Heal the moon of its sins.  That means killing me, 

Terra.  He thinks he can kill me!"  Zeromus raised his hands above his 

head.  "The audacity!  I am the Chosen of the Crystals!  It is I who 

united them, and bonded them within me!  That this dragon-born would slay 

me, 'hoisting the Light and the Dark'!  I shall show them darkness, Terra!"



Terra shuddered at his feet.  "May I help you, my Lord?"



"Oh yes Terra, you will help me more than you could ever believe."



----

Chapter Nineteen: And Beyond...Chaos



Here it is, the final conflict.  Thanks to everyone who sent me poems.

----



	One to be born from a dragon

	Hoisting the light

	And the dark

	Arises high up

	In the sky to

	The still land.

	Veiling the moon with

	The light of eternity

	It brings

	Another promise

	To mother earth with

	A bounty and mercy.



---



"Relm!" shouted Edgar.  "Why...why are you here?"  Edgar stared into 

Relm's eyes, and saw something changed.  Something dark, that he had seen 

once before.



"Vengeance.  Rubicant, now."  Rubicant dropped to the ground, and then 

leapt up, encasing everyone in fiery spheres.  "Thank you, Rubicant.  

Now, Edgar, Locke, Cyan, Rubicant, we five are here, united, warriors of 

the Light, slaves to the Shadow.  Do you understand?  It is the light 

that causes the shadow, but the light that hides it and purges it.  Do 

you understand?  It took me many painful nights to, but now I do.  It is 

time, my allies.  We go now."



Fire erupted into the sky, illuminating the entire world for a brief 

moment.



***



"I see them!  Men, to arms, to arms!" screamed Gau.  "We must attack 

now!"  The small guard force rushed forth from the gates of South Figaro, 

overwhelming the first batch of demons.  Where Mog and Umaro were, Gau did

not know.  Perhaps they slept, undisturbed by the alarm.



"Lance, there, to your left!"  Lance spun, only in time to see a huge 

claw fly into his face, ripping it to shreds.  The giant, lizard-like 

being marched towards Gau, grinning.



"Rage of the Behemoth, fill me!"  Gau rushed forward knocking the beast 

to the ground and slamming his armorred fists into its eyes, blinding 

it.  He screamed, feral, and bit into its neck, ripping out its jugular.  

Red glazed his vision, as he fell on demon after demon, but somewhere, 

inside, he could see his men falling, one after another, until only he 

and Kal fought, back to back, hopelessly.



***



The marble halls of the Prophetess's Temple seemed to be filled with an 

evil miasma, and Edgar shuddered, for through an open portal he could see 

the stars.  "Calm yourself, Edgar," muttered Locke.  "We have nothing to fear 

from such things as Zeromus can send against us."



{Is that true,} asked a voice in his mind.  {No, you know it is not.  

Succumb to your impotence, Locke, like your wife did, and Sabin, and your 

son.  And you.  You cannot fight.  Surrender.  Kill them and I shall 

spare you.}



"NOOO!" screamed Locke.  His eyes rolled back in his head, and when he 

stared again, at his companions, they were crimson red.  "Die!"  A huge 

blast of wind pinned Relm and Rubicant to a wall, and he spun towards 

Edgar and Cyan.



"Move!" Edgar shouted, running at Locke.  Cyan leapt to the side, 

watching helplessly as Edgar was consumed in a massive fireball.



"Bastard!" screamed Cyan.  "For this, thou shalt suffer.  For this, thou 

shalt die.  Sword of Life and Death, strike him down."  The Gray Blade 

began to glow, preparing to draw forth the life from the demented Locke.



"No, Cyan, stop!" cried Relm, imploringly.  "We need him!"  Cyan lowered 

the Blade.  "Explain yourself, Locke.  Fast."



"I must...kill you...I cannot defeat him."



"You're right," answered Rubicant.  "You can't.  But we can, Locke, 

together.  Open yourself, and let us join, and you will see."  Locke 

lowered his head, and suddenly smiled.



"I see.  Then, let Zeromus meet our power."  He leaned over to help Edgar 

from the ground.  "I apologize...my friend."



***



"Shadow, do you hear those sounds?" questioned Setzer.  "Something is 

going on outside.  We must hurry!"



"Very well.  Jeharan, mobilize the men!"  Darryl quickly barked orders to 

her troops gathering them into formation.  The group rushed forth from 

the tunnel, weapons aloft.  Confronted with a vision of hell.



Corpses of men and demons alike covered the ground, and blood was 

everywhere.  In the midst of a clump of easily thirty demons stood what 

seemed to be some beast, covered in blood and gore, hissing and growling 

over the body of a fallen man.



"Gau!" screamed Setzer.  The man turned, as did the demons.  Half broke 

off to charge the bandits.



"Well, this is it, Setzer.  We fight now for our lives."  Shadow drew his 

katana and saluted the demons as they rushed forward.  "For love," he 

whispered, stepping forward.  "For you."



***



"How cute," muttered a voice from deeper within the temple.  "Come, come, 

I await you, Locke.  You five shall be crushed!  Forever!"



"Now, my friends, we fight for all of Earth.  For the past, and the 

future.  For all that have died before us, to quench this black flame.  

We fight now to kill Zeromus!" spoke Edgar.  "Let us attack!"



Forward marched the five, the Chosen of the Light, into the shadows, into 

the darkness of Zeromus.



The room was a scene from the nightmares of every man and woman.  

Tortured victims were depicted in grotesque frescos, showing horror that 

would destroy the mind of anyone who ever saw it.  Horror that existed 

only in the most depraved beings, beyond anything Kefka could ever 

create.  Bodies with oozing innards flowing forth from festering tears in 

their sides.  Mad demonic shapes consuming still living human flesh, and 

in the center, a shadowy form was drawn.



Almost a man, but with something wrong, inverted knees, no lips, or hair, 

claws for hands, Zeromus.  Evil incarnate.  Grown fat and powerful on the 

evil of the hearts of men.  Smiling, standing over the scene of his 

victory.  The death of all hope.



"Welcome, friends," hissed the shadows.  And flanked by Terra, and a 

strange boy, Zeromus stepped forth.



***



Spinning and slashing, a whirling beam of light and steel, and darkness, 

Shadow killed, again and again, in a fury matched only by Gau.  Setzer 

danced, hurling razor edged cards, and the bandits of Selan fought, 

killing, with Jeharan leading them in the lethal dance.



But more and more demons poured forth from the rotting leviathan corpses, 

and the bandits died, leaving only Selan, Setzer, Shadow, and Gau to face 

them.  And fight they did.



Charged with desperation, it seemed that Setzer transformed, executing 

killing flicks of his wrist with speed unmatched by anything ever seen.  

Shadow seemed fueled with an inner fire, never tiring, and Selan matched 

him, killing with undying ire.  And demons fell.  But demons kept coming.



***



"Do you like your son, Locke.  His name is HuInay, the Killing Shadow.  

Bow to your father, Hu," the boy nodded towards Locke, smiling.



"Can I kill him, master?  Can I feast upon his flesh?"  Zeromus smiled, 

patting the boy on his head.  "Soon, my boy, soon."



"Damn you, Zeromus!"  screamed Locke, hurling force jets of energy.  

Easily blocked by Terra.



"Please.  You are nothing to us, Locke!"  Terra stepped forward, her face 

wrinkled and haggard.  It seemed she had gained decades since Edgar had 

last seen her.



"You are mine, Terra," hissed Relm.  "You were the one who sent the 

mind-sickness that killed my father!"



"Your father was old and useless.  I merely inspired him to leave this 

world.  The ritual was his own."  Terra smiled.



"I am here to kill you, Zeromus, and with my mistress Relm, you will not 

be able to stop me."  Rubicant stepped forward.  "Now I fight with all my 

fury!  My power, my fire, my life, I give to you, Relm.  My soul, it is 

yours.  See that I die not in vain."  Rubicant rushed forward, charging 

Terra.



Two bolts of ice struck him down, but as he died, Relm felt herself 

filled with inner fire.  "Now Terra, let us do battle."



***



As Terra and Relm began to fire bolts of energy at one another, Locke, 

Edgar, and Cyan faced Zeromus and Leo.  "See his power, Locke.  I have 

given him forces you would never believe possible.  He is so far beyond 

what you are.  Take him,  Hu."  Hu rushed forward, engulfing Locke in 

fire.  Locke reeled backwards, stumbling and falling.



"NO!" he screamed, standing again, and meeting the fire with his own.  It 

was no match.  "NO!  So be it!"



{He is taking our powers!} screamed the Dark to the Light.



{There is nothing we can do,} moaned the Air.



{We should have foreseen this.  As always, we fail.}  This from the Fire.  

The crystals shone, silently, on their far off world, as each shattered, 

gone forever.



***



"We can't hold them off forever," Setzer called to Shadow.  He was 

feeling his strength fade.  He could not last much longer.



"We must try.  There can't be too many left."  But there were.  It seemed 

that the demons were limitless, pouring forth from some hidden darkness, 

some malign source.



The four continued to fight, and kill, but their energy waned.  It was as 

Setzer said.  Nothing lasts forever.



***



"You have dealt with the others, Zeromus," Edgar challenged.  "But that 

leave us to battle.  Do you really think you can face us?"  Edgar drew 

the AuraLance and bowed.  "This shall be the last you see."  He and Cyan 

rushed forward, hacking at Zeromus.  He merely laughed, throwing them back.



>From the corner of his eye, Edgar could see Locke tiring, his energy 

slowly disappearing.  "Cyan, they can't hold out much longer.  We must 

destroy Zeromus and end the horror."  The two rushed again, Edgar 

impaling his lance into Zeromus's heart.  The man fell.  Dead.  The 

monster rose, incarnate.



The gigantic demon, the true Zeromus, the Hatred, rose, its green flesh 

stinking, its hideous face smiling.  This was the final horror.  This was 

the true darkness.



***



"Please, Terra, stop this madness," implored Relm, dodging to the left, 

and firing a Merton wave of fire at her.



"Never.  The Dark Lord gave me my life.  He is my master."



"The Goddesses gave you life!  Your father and mother did!  Remember, you 

were a being of peace!"



"NO!  I am a being of darkness!  EVIL!  HATE!  HUMANITY!"  Terra raised 

her arms, and shot forth pure darkness.  "NOW YOU WILL DIE!"



"No Terra, I cannot.  I must destroy you, if you will not cease."  Relm, too, 

raised her arms, and prepared to use the powers given to her by Kefka, 

the mad one.  Preparing to kill.



***



"My son, please, help me destroy Zeromus," begged Locke, as his energy 

was slowly pushed back towards him.



"You are not my father.  I am of your flesh, but of his soul.  He is my 

lord."  Leo, HuInay, pushed forward.  "I hate you!  You couldn't save me, 

but he did.  He saved me from the burning Light.  I despise you.  I will 

destroy you."



"Then let me be destroyed." Locke lowered his head, smiling.  All that 

was Locke was gone, destroyed.  Now, only Vengeance remained.



***



Cyan dodged to the side, catching a claw across his ribs.  He was 

bleeding from multiple wounds now, but so was the demon.  He felt Elayne 

with him now, giving him power.  He slashed again, severing a hand from 

the demon.  He smiled.



Edgar plunged the Lance into one of Zeromus's eyes, watching as black 

ichor oozed forth, staining the shaft, and burning the steel.  He pulled 

it out, regaining his balance, and prepared to strike again.



The chance never came.  The world suddenly twisted under him, as if 

everything started moving backwards.  He toppled, and watched Zeromus 

bend down and grab Cyan, crushing him in his one remaining claw.  Edgar 

screamed as blood gushed from Cyan's open, silent mouth.  Zeromus dropped 

Cyan's tortured body, and Edgar could swear he heard the words "I'm 

coming at last, Elayne.  At last we can be together."



The demon only smiled.  



***



Locke suddenly seemed to catch as second wind, forcing back Leo, slamming 

him into a wall.  He cackled madly, screaming "DIE, DIE, DIE!" as Leo 

groaned for air, rolling to the side, barely evading death.



"You will not kill me, Father, I am too powerful."  Leo fired, back, but 

Locke deflected the blow, charging again, and again knocking Leo to the 

ground.  "DIE!" he screamed again.



"For you, Celes," he hissed, filling himself with all the power of the 

crystals.  "For you."  And streams of light began to pour from his hands.



***



Relm collapsed to the ground, drained of all power.  The spell was cast, 

and Terra lay crushed, blackened and burned by her side.  How could she 

have done it?  How could she have killed her friend, one of her 

companions of old.



Relm wept, tears running down her cheeks and cutting little ravines in 

the ash that covered her face.  She would have seemed very young, if 

anyone were watching.



***



Edgar dropped to one knee, letting go of the dissolved Lance.  He had no 

other weapon, so he rolled, grabbing a hold of Cyan's fallen Blade.  A 

look of recognition and terror appeared in Zeromus's eyes, as he saw 

Edgar rise from the ground.



"Now, Zeromus, we shall truly battle."  Edgar leapt into the air, hacking 

off one of Zeromus's putrid legs.  He smiled, seeing Zeromus fall back in 

agony.  But Zeromus would not be bested so easily.  He slashed down with 

his arm, slamming Edgar into a wall and knocking the air out of him.  

Edgar felt ribs shatter, crushed to powder under the force of Zeromus's 

attack.  But he stood back up, swinging with the blade, this time 

slicing off the arm that had just struck him.  Zeromus screamed.  Edgar 

laughed.



Now Zeromus fell to a defensive posture, trying to shield the myriad of 

blows that fell upon his massive body.  It was a futile gesture, and both 

could see who was to be the victor in the battle.  Zeromus rose, howling, 

as Edgar slashed through his throat.



He fell, blood gurgling forth, and Edgar smiled.  But some life seemed 

left in the demon, some power, for across the world, the words "As long 

as there is evil in the hearts of men, as long as there exists pride, 

hatred, greed, as long as men possess their humanity, I shall be 

Zeromus!  I shall live again!"  And with that, the black flame of Zeromus 

was quenched.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------

It's only so often that I get to finish a story, so I'd like to start by 

saying thank you to everyone who e-mailed me with criticisms, 

compliments, complaints, and requests.  I like to think that maybe I 

started a tend with FF stories, but I think that's a little arrogant.  I 

don't think I would ever have finished this story without you guys, so 

muchas gracias.  I would appreciate any overall responses to the story, 

now that it is done.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Epilogue



In a flash of light, Edgar, Locke, and Relm found themselves returned to 

Figaro castle, as the evil of Zeromus collapsed in on itself, crushing 

the Prophetess's Temple.



Locke stood over the charred body of his son weeping.  With the rage 

gone, Locke felt empty, left with no power, no family, no soul.  In his 

anger for vengeance, he had become the very monster he sought to 

destroy.  Everyone was dead:  Sabin, Cyan, Leo, Terra, and the old man 

Strago.  'How many of those are my fault?' Locke asked himself.  Too 

many.  It was time to redeem himself.  



"Edgar, give me the Blade!" shouted Locke, from across the room.  Edgar 

looked up, shocked.  "Now, Edgar."



Edgar stared, sadly, at Locke.  "I can't, Locke.  I cannot trust you any 

more.  You are not who you once were.  The crystals burned your soul away 

Locke.  I'll not create another Zeromus."



"Please, Edgar, as your friend, I beg you..."  Locke knelt by his son, 

staring into the mutilated face.  "Please?"



But Edgar only looked away, sadly.  "Locke, if I give you the Blade, how 

can I know you will not use it?  I remember your speech in Figaro.  Why 

should I make you any stronger?"



"Give it to him," called a voice from outside.  Edgar spun around, seeing 

Relm, exhausted and disheveled.  "Give it to him, Edgar.  He has wronged 

you, but do not wrong him.  He has been reborn.  Please, Edgar, give him 

the Blade."



Edgar dropped to one knee, and handed the Gray Blade to the stooped 

Locke.  The power to give life, and to take it...



***



"They're dying!" shouted Setzer, whooping with joy.  The rotting 

monstrosities which had nearly killed him, Gau, Clyde, and Darryl, were 

burning away under the bright sun.  It had been too long since a day like 

this had graced the world.  Too long by far.



"My love!" screamed Darryl.  Shadow looked up, smiling, but then frowned, 

as Darryl turned not to him, but to Setzer.  "What has happened, Setzer?  

Why are we here?  I remember a race...and fire...but...what is this place?"



"Darryl!" cried Setzer, rushing to embrace her.  He clutched her in a 

passionate hug, as if trying to keep her from ever leaving him again.  

"We are in South Figaro.  Your ship crashed and fell in a distant land.  

But you're home now, and we're together!"  They kissed, deeply, as Shadow 

turned away, donning his black mask.



"Setzer, Darryl, may I interrupt?" hissed Gau.  "We still have to get 

back to the city.  There may be more of these beings coming.  And did you 

not hear that voice, only moments ago?  'As long as there is evil...'?"  

Gau trailed off as he realized the two were paying no attention to him.  

He grunted, and began to walk back towards the city, alone.  Where had 

Shadow gone?



***



Shadow walked, alone, towards the city of Figaro.  That had been where 

Cyan was going.  Evil and hatred.  Such weak emotions.  All emotions were 

weak.  He had been foolish to break his solemn oath, to think he could 

return to the life of a normal man.



It was too good to be true.  A woman he loved.  She loved him.  What more 

was there to ask?  He'd had it before.  That was true.  But...things were 

different.  He'd been on the run.  It wasn't his fault he had to leave, 

to leave her at the mercy of harsh Doman troops.  She has gone to a 

better place.  A place I shall never see.



Clyde walked with his back to the sun, following his shadow to Figaro.



***



"Thank you, Edgar.  Now please, step back."  Locke pushed Edgar, gently, 

backwards.  "Do you see the words upon this Blade?  Of course not.  They 

are here," he said, tapping his head.  "The key to life.  Now please, 

cover your eyes."  Edgar stepped back, shielding his face with his 

tattered cape.



"What is broken,

 Let it be whole.

 What is gone,

 Let it return.

 What I have done,

 Let it be undone.

 Return to us,

 Leo

 Sabin

 Cyan."  Locke intoned the sacred prayer in a wavering voice.  At first 

nothing happened, then a shade, a vision of Cyan appeared before him.  



"Please, don't make me return."  This, Locke could not deny.  But slowly, he 

watched Leo Cole's wounds close, and watched as he took a breath, as if 

nothing had happened.



As Sabin slowly began to form out of the light, Locke felt his own 

strength fail.  He smiled.  This was how he must leave.  The world was 

saved, and, perhaps, in the hearts of his loved ones, he might be 

remembered as a hero.



***



Shadow entered Figaro to see Locke collapse before the glowing, 

screaming Sabin.  "Noooo!  I was not meant to return!  Don't you see, I 

don't belong here.  Everywhere I look, I see death.  Please, kill me!" 

begged Sabin.



"But, brother, we are united once more!" moaned Edgar, rushing forward to 

embrace his kin.  Sabin pushed him away.



"No!  Please, I don't belong here!"  Sabin leapt to his feet and charged 

out of the building.  Shadow followed, and overtook Sabin.



"Don't do it, Sabin.  I've been where you're going, and now I must 

return.  It is not a nice place.  It is beyond any horror you will ever 

feel or see.  You will be more dead than when you went to the world beyond."



"I can't stay, Clyde.  This is no longer my world.  I must find someplace 

else, where I can forget the horrors of this place."



"I am Clyde no longer.  I can say no more.  I leave to follow the winds 

of death."



"Then let me follow."



"You will not like it."



"I do not want to."



"Wait here, there is one more thing I must do."



***



Shadow returned to Figaro castle, one deed left unfinished.  "Relm!" he 

called into the empty halls.  His voice echoed, mocking its source.



"I am here, Shadow," replied Relm, from just over his shoulder.



"Relm, my daughter.  There is so much I must explain.  But I have not the 

time.  Please, try not to remember me.  I wish...I wish it could have 

been different.  I meant to spare you pain, but it seems I am always 

doomed to fail."



"Fa...father?" cried Relm, rushing to clasp her arms around his neck.  

Shadow allowed her to, but merely stared onwards.  He could not allow 

himself a single tear.



"I must go now.  Please, try to forget me.  And maybe, some day, you can 

even forgive me."  Shadow turned and rushed out, and together he and 

Sabin left.



Two men, cut off from love, never again to feel the warm glow of 

affection, or even sadness.  Both casualties of the long chaos of the 

world's history.  Relm watched them leave.  Why must it always be thus?



***



As sunlight began to fail, and the darkness grew in the poorly lit halls, 

Edgar sat alone on his throne.  A king of a dead city.  "Perhaps Locke 

was right.  Perhaps we are nothing.  All my life I fought for peace, the 

dream of a world of equality and brotherhood.  Now look upon the 

ruination I have caused.  My city, a home only to the dead.  My brother, 

left, ruined by my inaction.  My friends, half dead, now soldiers of this 

undending war.  When will it stop?  How can I ever forgive myself, or 

fate, for bringing this horrible pestilence?"  Edgar rested his head upon 

his hand, and tried to rest.  But sleep would not come.



			T H E		E N D

			---------------------





Dreams Never Fade



I have found that while it is easy to satisfy people in many ways, happy vs.

sad endings remain a mystery to me.  About half of my mail regards their

hatred of the happy ending, while the other half berates my ignorance in

writing the sad.  Here is the happy, so that you may see both.

---



The Temple was collapsing, that much was obvious.  Edgar scanned the room,

looking for an exit, but found none.  Where were Locke and Relm?  Or that

strange man, Rubicant?  He needed their help, and they were nowhere to be

found.  He looked down at the fallen body of his comrade, Cyan, who had given

his life to defeat Zeromus.  "Don't let it end like this," he prayed,

kneeling to shield Cyan's corpse from falling rocks.



And then it was over.  A flash of white light.  No pain.  Edgar opened his

eyes, finding himself in Figaro Castle.  "What magic is this?" he muttered.

Had the Goddesses truly heard his soft call, from so high up.  He stared into

the air, as he stood, almost happy, for the first time since he had left

Figaro.



"Edgar!" came a desperate cry.  Edgar looked up, opening his eyes, and saw

Locke.  "The sword, Edgar, the Gray Blade.  Give it to me, now.  Please, I beg

you, please!  I need it, Edgar."  Edgar looked with pity upon look, groveling

on the ground, almost as if trying to cover something.  Then he saw it, the

scorched corpse of Leo Cole, Locke's son.  His look turned to disgust.



"I don't trust you any more, Locke.  I heard your speech, your mockery of

peace and Light.  Why should I make you any stronger than you already are?

I'm sorry, Locke, but I can't give this to you."  Edgar raised the sword at

Locke, menacingly.



"Then you will have to kill me."  Locke stood, and Edgar prepared for attack.

None came.  Locke merely stepped forward, then knelt at Edgar's feet, baring

his neck for the final strike.  "Kill me now, Edgar, for I cannot live with

the pain I have caused."  Locke was weeping, his voice scratchy, and for a

moment Edgar hesitated.  Then he remembered the fire in Locke's eyes as

during their fight at Figaro.



"I will make it quick, Locke," whispered Edgar, raising the sword above his

head.  His muscles groaned under the strain, but he held it aloft, muttering

a prayer to the Goddesses.



"STOP!"  Edgar quickly lowered the Blade, and turned to face the voice.  It

was Relm this time.  "Edgar, give him the Blade.  Can't you hear it in his

voice, Edgar?  Locke isn't possessed any more."



Edgar looked at her, ashamed.  "I heard it.  I'm sorry Locke, that I couldn't

trust you."  He handed the Blade to Locke.  Locke merely shook his head.



"Edgar, it is I who should be ashamed.  Please...try not to remember me as I

was when the Crystals ruled my soul.  Now Edgar, Relm, please step back."  He

raised the Gray Blade, his face covered in soot, streaked with tears and blood

and smiled.  His redemption, at last.  The power to give life, and to take it.



***



"They're dying!" whooped Setzer leaping into the air.  It was true.  The light

of the sun was dissolving the strange vessels, and the few surviving beasts

that had poured out of them.  He laughed for pure joy, the joy of seeing good

triumph over evil, and felt energy return to his exhausted muscles.



"Setzer?  What is this place?  Oh, Setzer!" cried Darryl, rushing to him.  He

felt her arms wrap around him, pulling him tight.  "Setzer, what's wrong?"



"Nothing, nothing at all, my love," he replied, returning the embrace.  He

stared in silence as he saw Shadow don his mask and leave to the north west.

But he wouldn't let it change the moment.



"I remember a race...and fire...but...what is this place?" she shook her head,

trying to clear away the confusion of memories.



"We are in South Figaro.  Your ship crashed and fell in a distant land.  

But you're home now, and we're together, and nothing will ever take you

away again, my dearest.  I swear it."  And then he bent his head, and put his

lips to hers, and kissed her deeply.  The fire of love still burned deeply

in them both.



***



"Clyde!"  Shadow kept walking, ignoring the annoying voice behind him.  He

continued towards Figaro.  "Clyde!"  He spun around this time, towering over

Gau, who had been dogging his every step.



"My name isn't Clyde, kid.  It's Shadow.  Now stop following me."  He spun

around and kept walking.  Ignore the past.  Forget the pain.  Love, joy, all

these hurt far more than any wound.  Ignore them, that's the true pleasure in

life.  Oh, why was it so hard to believe that now, now when he had been so

close, so happy.  Forget the past.



"Clyde!  Stop!"  Shadow kept walking.  "Clyde, I'll follow you!  I'm not going

to let you leave, not now, not after you've come back."  Gau followed after

him, crunching the sand of the desert.  Shadow kept walking.



***



"What is broken,

 Let it be whole.

 What is gone,

 Let it return.

 What is done,

 Let it be undone.

 Return to us,

 Lost ones.

 Leo Cole, my son.  Hear the voice of a father's love.

 Sabin Rene Figaro.  Hear the voice of a friend's call.

 Cyan Gar..."



"NO!" yelled Edgar.  "Not Cyan!  He's at peace now, in the heavens.  Don't

take him away from his family, from his joy."  Locke looked at him, with more

understanding than Edgar believed possible.



"Lost ones,

 Return.

 Return to life.

 Return to joy."



Relm and Edgar stared in amazement at Leo Cole, as the hideous wounds began

to close, not as if healing, but as if time was moving backwards, as if it was

all truly being undone.  They watched as his life came back to him, as his

breath, ragged at first, once again filled his lungs.  And they smiled.



And as they watched, they did not see Locke, who, like the morning dew, was

melting away before the wonderful light of Leo's rebirth.  They did not see

him smile, his face filled with such joy that it would have burned their eyes

as surely as the sun.  They did not see him disappear, laughing, to the

heavens he so greatly deserved.



Nor did they see Shadow, as he entered, trailed by Gau.  "Relm...Edgar?" he

asked, confused.  They both looked up, shocked.  And when he saw Relm's face,

so young, innocent even beneath the bruises and cuts, he felt his vows waver.

Why did it hurt so much to be with emotions?  Oh, to be blind again, to never

have felt the fire of love, so that it was so cold to leave it.  He could not

return to the ice now.  Never again.



"Relm...daughter."  He tore off his mask, casting it to the ground, and 

rushed to hug her, lifting her into the air and spinning her about like a 

child.  "Oh, dearest Relm, there is so much I would love to tell you.  So 

much time lost.  But we will make it up!  Oh Relm, my beautiful, beautiful 

daughter."  Tears of joy poured down his face as he hugged her, kissing 

her blood-stained face.



***



It had taken time to find his students again, but he had all the time in the

world.  After he found them, and continued their training, he found that more

and more flocked to the school.  Sabin Rene Figaro was at last finding joy,

seeing the same pleasure that Duncan must have felt from teaching him.  He

looked with pure adoration upon these students, as if each was his own son.

Not that they didn't misbehave, or fail at times, but this was his joy, his

life.



"Very, very good, Gregory.  Now, I believe, you are ready to begin learning

the technique of the Bum Rush."  He smiled, showing the boy the motions, slow

at first, but with greater speed each time.  Yes, this was what he was meant

for.  He couldn't remember what it was like, beyond this world, but it had not

been right.  Merely a waiting room, waiting to return to this joyous place.

Now, back in this world, he had the role he most enjoyed.  No, Edgar was

indeed suited for his job, King, much more than Sabin ever would have been.



"Though I don't envy you this event, Edgar.  Good luck, big brother," he

chuckled, saluting south west, towards the distant castle of Figaro.  And

then he returned to teaching the students.



***



"Your mother is making miraculous recovery, Mr. Cole," told the doctor, as Leo

handed him a purse of gold.  "I don't understand it, but it is incredible."

He turned to leave as Celes slowly walked towards Leo.  It was truly

amazing.



Leo stared out into the night sky, wondering which of those distant stars

was his father.  They all glowed so brightly, filling the black void with

points of hope.  He smiled.  Somewhere his father was happy.



"You seem distracted, Leo," commented Celes, limping over towards him.  Still

crippled, Celes managed to retain her beauty and grace.  Even with a limp, she

moved like a dancer, fluid motions marking her every step.



"I was thinking of father."  He looked into the sky again, a tear shining on

his dry cheek.  "I guess I shouldn't brood on the past."



"Your father wouldn't like you to feel sad for him.  I wonder though, if up

there he still remembers us.  If he feels love towards those he left behind. I

don't know if I'll ever be sure."  Celes stared into the sky; the

constellations seemed to look like his face.



"I'm sure somewhere up there he still smiles on you, Mom.  He's waiting.  One

day, you'll be together again and your brightness will fill the heavens with

joy.  For all eternity, you'll illumine our distant Earth, filling us with

hope, no matter what happens."  Leo fell silent.



Celes turned away, unable to face her son.  "He's grown up so quickly."  Celes

turned back to him and smiled, embracing him, remembering Locke.



***



"And so then Dad pulled the old miser's hat down, and grabbed the gold pouch!"



Both guffawed.  Relm's stories were always hilarious, and it seemed she had

so many to tell, now that Clyde was back.  Gau smiled at her.  "I can't 

believe how much he's changed since returning.  The Thamasan Guard seems 

to get better by the day, and it seems your father just gets younger and 

younger.  I saw a girl make eyes at him, the other day."



Relm laughed again.  "I'm sure you've had more girls stare at you than any

other man in this city."  Gau smiled.  "But no one has changed more than you,

Gau.  Wild boy."



Gau grinned, "At least I didn't wear a fake mustache and wield paintbrushes!"

Both laughed, then sighed.  Remembering the wars always did that to you.  Gau

smiled again.  "But then again, there's still quite a bit of animal left in

me," he said, winking at her.



"You dirty little boy!  You'll have to do better than that to catch this

prey!"  Relm leapt up, giggling.



"There isn't an animal alive that can escape Gau, the Master Hunter!" he

cried, rushing towards her.  He grabbed her in his arms, and she looked up,

smiling.



***



"I'm rich!  You can't bother me, kupo?" Mog challenged the salesman.  He gave

Mog a weird look.  "I'm the great Mog, hero of the Wars!"  The salesman

looked astonished.  "I'm also the richest man alive!"



"Ungh'!" came the cry from the parlor.  That was what finally got the man to

leave.  Umaro lumbered out, wearing a golden jacket.  "More foo'ood!" he

shouted to the servants, who rushed off to get more venison.



Mog smiled, staring out at his estates.  Ever since finding that ore vein on

the mountain, he had been rich.  He was living it up, but still he felt

bored, and he seemed to be going bald.  His life still felt incomplete as

he looked out his window.  He was lonely.  But then he smiled, looking back

at his old friend Umaro.  Together, they would find the other Moogles.

Somehow.



***



"Today, we remember the defeat of the Tyrants:  Gestahl, Kefka, and Zeromus.

We do not remember their fall, for we do not wish harm on anyone, but instead

we remember those people, who through their enormous effort changed the face

of this world."  The crowd roared, and Edgar paused, surveying his people.



The city had grown.  Ever since the end of the last war, hundreds had rushed

in to fill the streets of Figaro.  It seemed almost as good as new, the old

horrors fading into nothing.  He smiled, then motioned for silence.



"This statue, to be unveiled now, is our physical memory of those who gave

their lives for this cause.  Hundreds did, but I feel that none more than

these four.  Strago Magus gave up a quiet life to help defeat the Empire and

Kefka.  He worked himself to death, using more energy than anyone I have ever

seen.  He is a model for all who wish to grow old with dignity.  He was a

friend, and a mentor, and I will never forget him.  Terra Branford found her

own happiness, but gave it up to return to war with Kefka.  At the expense of

her joy, she labored until the end, saving us from the madness of the Light

of Judgment."  Those who still harbored resentment towards Terra remained

silent, and the cheers were deafening.  Edgar beamed, feeling intense joy,

both for the memories of his friends, and for pride of his people.  "Cyan

Garamonde was a warrior, but he never gave up honor.  His skill with the

sword was unparalleled.  He fought on, even when sadness overwhelmed him.

His power was the death of Zeromus."  The crowd went wild.  Cyan was the

great hero of the war: he appealed to the people as a traditional warrior,

and his honor made him a role model.



Edgar paused and waited for the cheers to stop again.  "Locke Cole was my

best friend.  More than anyone else, he sacrificed everything to defeat the

Dark One.  He gave up his joy, his life, his friends, everything.  His power

was incredible.  It is only thanks to him that we defeated Zeromus, and it

is only thanks to him that my brother lives this day.  I shall never forget

Locke Cole, his dreams, his life.  I implore you not to either."  The crowd

was pensive.  Very little was known about Locke, but Edgar's final lines

made them feel...something.  He unveiled the statue and they all gasped.



No human hand could create the beauty of the statue.  Carved with such life-

like precision, yet such an angelic quality, it was hard not to sigh every

time one saw it.  Edgar smiled, and shouted: "NOW LET THE FESTIVITIES BEGIN!"

As the crowd screamed its approval, he ducked back into his chambers.



"I always thought that I had the surest hand in the world, but I could never

have created such a magnificent piece.  You are truly incredible, my friend."

Edgar smiled, looking at his friend, drawing new plans.



"Well, Edgar, whatever you say, I know I could not have created a living

automaton, the way you did.  And the data recovery!  I have nearly 93% of

all my memories."  Gogo smiled up and Edgar, his strange face more human

than it ever had been.



"What are you working on?" Edgar asked, trying to decipher the plans.



"A cheaper, smaller form of these trains we have running.  I figure that in

two decades these trains will all be outmoded.  And the chocobos aren't

nearly fast enough to make up for them.  So I'm working on these mobiles."



Edgar sighed, looking away, into the sunset.  Gogo truly was amazing.  But

he had been wrong when he said Gogo had the surest hand.  It was those who

had worked to make this world that were truly unbelievable.  Their work had

created a beauty that neither he nor Gogo could ever hope to match.  Trees

grew, the land prospered.  Everyone had enough to eat.  The world was

almost perfect.  Edgar smiled, brushing down his shirt, and headed for the

door.



"Where are you going, King Edgar?" asked Gogo, without looking up.



"Why, I have a date with Lucian Malere, the most beautiful girl in all of

Figaro."  Gogo sighed as Edgar spun, his cape billowing, and left the door.



			T H E		E N D

			---------------------





*****************************************************************************



I would like to clarify the nature of the Prophesy which appears within 

the story.  For those who played FFII, you will recognize it as the 

Mysidian Prophesy, which also appears on Cecil's sword.  Its relevance 

to the Novella is unclear, unless you look very carefully at the events 

and their importance.  Here is a summary of the lines and an explanation 

of each.



One to be born of a dragon		Edgar receives his memories from the

					Drake as to the Crystal War



Hoisting the light and			The Gray Blade is neutrality, or the

And the dark				light and the dark



Arises high up				In last chapter, it mentions that

In the sky				Terra's Temple was somehow cast into

To the still land			space by Zeromus.



Veiling the moon with	 		As mentioned by Zeromus, this means

The light of eternity			the redemption of the moon, or 

					his death



It brings 				Edgar mentions that his hope and

Another promise				promise of creating a nation of peace

To Mother Earth with			has been ruined.  Now, with Zeromus's

A bounty and mercy.			death, this dream is recreated.