The Esper's Call
By Sara Michelle
The cool breeze combed through the tree tops, making a soft, pleasant rustling. The glow
of the spring sunrise glistened off the dewy grass. Terra Branford sat alone watching the sun
slowly begin it's journey across the morning sky.
Kefka and his tower were gone, and the heroes were spread across the world. But, they
still were able to visit each other often. Each had dedicated themselves to something. Sabin, to
Gau. He had become a model father teaching the boy everything from reading to the martial arts
Duncan had taught him. Cyan had married the young woman from Maranda and began rebuilding
his home. Locke and Celes were in Narsche , Strago and his granddaughter were staying with
Edgar, who was as always dedicated to his country and people. Terra, dedicated herself to her
children. She lived still in Mobliz caring for her orphans, helped by Duane and Katarin.
The children were wonderful and Terra knew that any other normal woman would feel
complete. But, she was hardly normal. Since the destuction of the tower Terra had traveled the
world to find orphans and herself. She found orphans, but, not the latter. A piece of her was gone.
Never to be seen again. Forget it. It's no use crying over it. She said to herself, wiping a lone tear
from her cheek. She leaned against the tree trunk behind her and hugged herself. Feeling more
empty now than ever.
"Mama?"
Terra turned toward the soft, voice sighed and shook her head at the sight of the bare-foot
two-year old.
"Lorelei, what are you doing out here?" Her voice was tender, and her eyes held the
maternal love she felt for all her children. The little girl held her arms out indicating that she
wanted to be held. Terra smiled and gently lifted the child in her arms and began carrying her back
to the main house. Lorelei was a new child to the orphanage. She had been rescued from a
Magitek laboratory months before Kefka disturbed the Goddesses. Her hair was a strange silver,
and was as fine as moonbeams. Her eyes were a strange and familiar pale blue, with such an
intelligence behind them it made one feel as if the child knew their very thoughts. She was quiet,
graceful, and intimidating.
"You sad?" she asked in her whisper of a voice. Terra hugged her gently as they entered
the house and moved towards the girls' bedroom.
"No, I'm not sad," Terra said as she tucked the girl into bed.
Lorelei knitted her eyebrows together, "lie," she said softly, as she touched Terra's cheek.
A shockwave of emotions through her. Pain, fear, solitude, depression...... death. Images of iron
bars, metal doors, and blinding white hallways flashed in her mind's eye. Nausiating, piercing
screams of creatures being tortured rang in her ears, and as suddenly as it happened, it stopped.
Terra's body was shaking, and sweat clung to her skin. Lorelei looked up into Terra's face
calmly, and as if she could read her thoughts she said softly, " Don't be scared, Mama."
Terra found her voice and shakily spoke, " Lorelei - "
" Magic coming back," she whispered, " magic come back, and mama no sad."
" Lorelei, what did you do? And how are you able to do it?" Terra asked shakily.
" Espers."
Terra's breath caught in her throat, " Lorelei, Espers are gone forever. The bad man made
them go away." Terra's jaw clenched at the thought of all the things Kefka had done and the pain
he had caused.
" Mama, they told me that the bad man wasn't really bad," Lorelei whispered. " They say
he need help. You help." Her voice was pleading.
" Lorelei, who is they?" Terra asked as a new fear began to claw at her heart. "Who is
telling you these things?" Her voice was hushed, but, frantic.
" Can you hear, Mama? They talking now. They want you help bad man." Lorelei
whispered, " Bad man is sorry."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
" That weird little girl said all that?" Sabin asked. Sabin and Gau had stopped by to visit.
They sat on the back porch watching Gau play with the children. Lorelei sat alone under a tree
watching a bluebird hop across the ground.
"Yes," Terra said softly, turning her eyes from Lorelei to her friend. " Do you think she
could be magic?" Sabin looked down at his coffee, a thoughtful frown on his face.
" Honestly, I don't know. We destroyed the statues-
Terra looked back at Lorelei. Gau was now sitting cross-legged next to her. The
conversation was forgotten as a distant, fuzzy memory came back to her. A small girl about ten,
with vibrant, green hair sitting in a metal room. A young man, about thirteen, sat next to her. He
had long, blonde hair and gentle eyes.
"Terra!"
The sound of Sabin's voice brought her back to reality. That couldn't be.......
"You okay?" Sabin asked, "you look upset."
Terra shook her head and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, " I'm fine.
That couldn't be........
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
" Is this who I think it is?"
" Yes, sir."
" Is he alive?"
" Yes, sir."
" Good."
*End Chapter 1*
By Sara Michelle
The cool breeze combed through the tree tops, making a soft, pleasant rustling. The glow
of the spring sunrise glistened off the dewy grass. Terra Branford sat alone watching the sun
slowly begin it's journey across the morning sky.
Kefka and his tower were gone, and the heroes were spread across the world. But, they
still were able to visit each other often. Each had dedicated themselves to something. Sabin, to
Gau. He had become a model father teaching the boy everything from reading to the martial arts
Duncan had taught him. Cyan had married the young woman from Maranda and began rebuilding
his home. Locke and Celes were in Narsche , Strago and his granddaughter were staying with
Edgar, who was as always dedicated to his country and people. Terra, dedicated herself to her
children. She lived still in Mobliz caring for her orphans, helped by Duane and Katarin.
The children were wonderful and Terra knew that any other normal woman would feel
complete. But, she was hardly normal. Since the destuction of the tower Terra had traveled the
world to find orphans and herself. She found orphans, but, not the latter. A piece of her was gone.
Never to be seen again. Forget it. It's no use crying over it. She said to herself, wiping a lone tear
from her cheek. She leaned against the tree trunk behind her and hugged herself. Feeling more
empty now than ever.
"Mama?"
Terra turned toward the soft, voice sighed and shook her head at the sight of the bare-foot
two-year old.
"Lorelei, what are you doing out here?" Her voice was tender, and her eyes held the
maternal love she felt for all her children. The little girl held her arms out indicating that she
wanted to be held. Terra smiled and gently lifted the child in her arms and began carrying her back
to the main house. Lorelei was a new child to the orphanage. She had been rescued from a
Magitek laboratory months before Kefka disturbed the Goddesses. Her hair was a strange silver,
and was as fine as moonbeams. Her eyes were a strange and familiar pale blue, with such an
intelligence behind them it made one feel as if the child knew their very thoughts. She was quiet,
graceful, and intimidating.
"You sad?" she asked in her whisper of a voice. Terra hugged her gently as they entered
the house and moved towards the girls' bedroom.
"No, I'm not sad," Terra said as she tucked the girl into bed.
Lorelei knitted her eyebrows together, "lie," she said softly, as she touched Terra's cheek.
A shockwave of emotions through her. Pain, fear, solitude, depression...... death. Images of iron
bars, metal doors, and blinding white hallways flashed in her mind's eye. Nausiating, piercing
screams of creatures being tortured rang in her ears, and as suddenly as it happened, it stopped.
Terra's body was shaking, and sweat clung to her skin. Lorelei looked up into Terra's face
calmly, and as if she could read her thoughts she said softly, " Don't be scared, Mama."
Terra found her voice and shakily spoke, " Lorelei - "
" Magic coming back," she whispered, " magic come back, and mama no sad."
" Lorelei, what did you do? And how are you able to do it?" Terra asked shakily.
" Espers."
Terra's breath caught in her throat, " Lorelei, Espers are gone forever. The bad man made
them go away." Terra's jaw clenched at the thought of all the things Kefka had done and the pain
he had caused.
" Mama, they told me that the bad man wasn't really bad," Lorelei whispered. " They say
he need help. You help." Her voice was pleading.
" Lorelei, who is they?" Terra asked as a new fear began to claw at her heart. "Who is
telling you these things?" Her voice was hushed, but, frantic.
" Can you hear, Mama? They talking now. They want you help bad man." Lorelei
whispered, " Bad man is sorry."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
" That weird little girl said all that?" Sabin asked. Sabin and Gau had stopped by to visit.
They sat on the back porch watching Gau play with the children. Lorelei sat alone under a tree
watching a bluebird hop across the ground.
"Yes," Terra said softly, turning her eyes from Lorelei to her friend. " Do you think she
could be magic?" Sabin looked down at his coffee, a thoughtful frown on his face.
" Honestly, I don't know. We destroyed the statues-
Terra looked back at Lorelei. Gau was now sitting cross-legged next to her. The
conversation was forgotten as a distant, fuzzy memory came back to her. A small girl about ten,
with vibrant, green hair sitting in a metal room. A young man, about thirteen, sat next to her. He
had long, blonde hair and gentle eyes.
"Terra!"
The sound of Sabin's voice brought her back to reality. That couldn't be.......
"You okay?" Sabin asked, "you look upset."
Terra shook her head and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, " I'm fine.
That couldn't be........
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
" Is this who I think it is?"
" Yes, sir."
" Is he alive?"
" Yes, sir."
" Good."
*End Chapter 1*