"Espers!"
"That's correct," the purple female glided up to Terra. "You are Maduin's daughter, are you not?"
"Yes, I am," Terra answered tentatively.
"You are the half-human half-esper?" the esper that looked like a lion asked.
Terra looked at the orange cat face that stared at her and nodded.
"You are Edgar, the king of Figaro?" the female's eyes bore into Edgar's soul.
Edgar bowed, "Yes, indeed. What may we call you?"
"I am Laga, and this is Modi," the female motioned to her partner.
"Can we get you anything? A drink? A seat? It is not often that we entertain espers," Edgar offered"We felt a disturbance in the natural flow from this world, the human world. We have stepped through the sealed gate to investigate," Modi's gravelly voice stated.
"The fire?" Terra asked.
Laga shook her head, shaking her light blue curls from side to side. "The fire was nothing compared to the danger you will face."
"What exactly are we about to face?" Locke asked.
Laga gazed around at the curious onlookers closing in on them. "Perhaps it would be better if we were to talk some place more private. We can explain and discuss more, then."
The crowd looked at Edgar. He straightened pulling down his jacket from the front. "That is acceptable. Let us meet in an hour at the," he glanced around the half burnt town with temporary tarps and tents arranged randomly. "How about that tent over there," he points at the largest tent in view.
"Acceptable," Laga agreed.
The tent, which had originally been set up as a massive sleeping area for 12, was now arranged with bunks lining the walls, the center left bare. Edgar and Terra found their seat in the bunk in the middle back, Locke, Celes, Cyan, Relm, Sabin, and others found seats leaving the center open for the esper guests. Each of their eyes was heavy as the events of the day wore them down. Edgar found himself rubbing his eyes before addressing the espers.
"Now, Laga, if you would be so kind. Can you tell us what dire circumstances we find ourselves in this time… and then we will get to how you and Modi came about here?" He asked smoothly.
"After the gate was opened and then sealed again about twenty years ago, there were a small number of us left behind. We hid and stayed as far away from the opening as possible. We have lived a secluded and human free life for several years, but then we felt the disturbance."
"Disturbance?" Terra quirked an eyebrow.
Modi nodded gravely. "Yes, and even though we had vowed to remain free of the humans who would use and abuse us, Laga and I," he nodded up to his purple companion, "were drawn to warn you of the dangers we have sensed and you now face. This could lead to the destruction of not only the human world, but of our world as well," Modi growled.
Sabin cleared his throat, "I apologize for our past transgressions, but please, do tell us what we are about to face."
Laga turned to face him. "It is best described as Death magic."
"Death magic? Like doom?" Celes queried.
"No," Laga shook her head. "Although, I can understand making the association. This is magic having to do with the realm of those who have passed on. Their spirits travel on beyond this realm, a realm shared by human and esper alike. There is a realm specifically for those like Kefka, whose minds are so chaotic and poisoned by hatred and perversion."
At the mention of the name, everybody's eyes widened and sat up straighter. They exchanged looks with each other. Terra felt a chill rip down her spine.
"We felt a rip in the seal," Modi explained.
"What are you saying?" Edgar stood abruptly.
"Kefka is loose within your world,' Laga replied simply.
"They know now," Kefka eyes flashed open from his constant meditative state. He stood looking into a mirror. His features were becoming less like Felix's and more like his own. "Doesn't matter, soon the world will know."
"Deren," he snapped the name of one of his personal guards.
"Yes, my lord," the guard bowed.
"Prepare the dungeon for a very special guest. Heavy chains and other restraints and anything else unpleasant you can think of," Kefka grinned.
"Yes, my lord," Deren nodded in acknowledgment.
Edgar's face frowned with concentration as he slumped forward, leaning his arms upon his legs. Terra reached over gently clasping his hand within hers. Several gasps of horror were emitted from the people in attendance. Celes practically growled underneath her breath.
"How?" Locke said after the whispers died down.
"He couldn't do this on his own. Elder Sirus suspects he has had help from this realm. Someone who was using the death magic to contact him. Or rather, he's been waiting for someone to call upon anybody within his realm by using the death magic. Someone who probably lusted after power using death magic."
"How did the person use the magic?" Sabin asked.
"There are old tomes stored in the ancient castle with the images of Odin a thousand years ago," Modi explained with his growling voice.
Edgar closed his eyes and sighed, "Yes, I know what you are referring to." He looked around at his friends. "Some of the researchers at the castle brought up some of the books from the castle. I warned them to be careful, but they have convinced me that the knowledge kept within them would help maintain the peace within the realm."
"It didn't occur to you that this information could be dangerous?" Celes eyes sharpened focus upon him.
"No, not really," Edgar admitted bitterly.
"This is not his fault," Laga calmed Celes. "The woman who was your queen…"
Edgar nodded rubbing his forehead absently.
The sympathetic purple esper nodded and continued, "Kefka's hold on this realm is still not complete. He has to spend hours upon hours focusing and meditating to keep from slipping back. His body in this realm is not his own, at least, not yet."
"So, he's using someone else's body?" Locke frowned.
The esper bowed her head in agreement.
"Do you know where he or she is?"
"We believe he is at the Castle Figaro. That seems to be the location closest to the disturbance. The rift between this realm and the death realm…"
"The death realm?" Celes frowned.
"It's the realm outside of the life stream, yet not among the living. There is a special area dedicated to those who have had their soul eaten away by evil."
"I'm not sure if I believe any of this," Celes shook her head.
"Believe or not, human. You do realize that you are in trouble and must stop Kefka from returning fully to his body, or he will succeed in the world's destruction. You have noticed that you are able to touch magic again after so long."
Celes shifted in her seat and nodded. "Kind of like falling off an airship..."
Laga nodded her acknowledgment, although not quite understanding the ice knight's reference.
"So what do we do?" Edgar asked weakly. His resolve was failing. He couldn't help but feel souly responsible for the actions caused by their former enemy, as if he personally paved the way for Kefka's return.
Terra squeezed his hand and gave him a reassuring look.
"Kefka needs to be returned to the death realm. Elder Sirus has constructed a special piece of magicite," Laga pulled a small crystal out of the pouch she wore around her neck. "It isn't a fallen esper as past magicite stones have been. This one was created with the barrier magic, much like the barrier between the human and esper world, this one binds the one charged, in this case Kefka, back to the death realm. At that point, the gods of that realm will deal with him accordingly." She handed the magicite crystal to Edgar.
Edgar clasped it between his fingers tentatively.
"We have to take Kefka down, use the crystal to bind him to the death realm?" Sabin recapped.
Laga and Modi nodded. "If Kefka were to conquer this world again nothing would stop him from breaching other realms wrecking chaos where he chose to go. We must stop him here, now," Modi hoarse voice replied.
Edgar handed the crystal to Terra. "How do we know whose body has been possessed by Kefka?"
Laga shook her head, "There's not a definitive way to know. We hoped that perhaps you would know your own people enough to tell the difference."
"Ah, that's all," Edgar replied irascibly.
"We realize your dilemma, but that is all we have to offer," Laga placed her hands outwardly. "It's the best we can do right now."
"Thank you very much for coming to us," Terra answered gently.
"You have our help as well," Modi rasped. "We need to find our way to Castle Figaro, locate Kefka, and send him back."
The tented room silenced as each person exchanged glances with each other. "I believe our first action is to get some rest," Locke broke the silence gently. "We know what we must do." He rose to his feet.
The rest of the group acted on his queue and stood as well. "If only we could contact Setzer," Cyan sighed.
Edgar inhaled sharply to speak, but then Terra clasped onto his arm, giving him a knowing look into his eyes. Edgar relaxed. "I agree with Locke. We meet here at dawn."
The espers were lead out of the tent, others filed out after them. Sabin stood behind briefly and looked back at his brother. Edgar waved him off with his hand, a gesture meaning that he was fine, but he didn't want to talk about it. Sabin took his leave of them, Terra and Edgar were left alone.
"I really need something to hit," Edgar gritted his teeth.
"That would probably just hurt your fist," Terra soothed gently.
"This is all my fault," Edgar rubbed his eyes.
"No it's not. Even if it was, dwelling on it will not fix the problem. You are not in on this alone. We are all behind you, even the espers," Terra replied.
Edgar looked down at her emerald eyes, remembering how much he missed looking into them. He brushed a few stray green hairs back from her face lightly stroking her hairline with his fingertips. "You are too good for me," Edgar's voice was heavy with emotion.
She touched his cheek lightly. "True, but I manage," she winked.
That was it. The simplicity of her words and her touch that broke his sour mood. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close into him. "I'm never letting you go. When this is all over..."
She rose up on her tiptoes and placed her lips softly upon his. He felt her warm lips upon his and melted into her. He brought up his hand behind her neck, stroking her hair with his fingers. She pulled back, breaking the kiss, "I know. Come on," she urged.
Edgar held her for a moment longer, "I will, just give me a moment. I have to gather up some of the maps left in here."
Terra gave him an alluring smile, "Don't keep me waiting, love." She parted from him and waved as she left the tent. Edgar groaned appreciatively and turned to gather the documents. He bent down gathering the papers that they had brought with them from Captain Arnox's ship.
Then, without warning, a sound best compared to a lightening strike and papers ripping from behind alarmed him.
"What the," he uttered as he whipped around.
Long black arms with long dark fingers and long fingernails whipped out of a dark hole that appeared in thin air. Edgar swatted at the arms fiercely, however he was easily overwhelmed by the strength and number of arms that pulled him into the hole. He gasped as he reached for his neck, his ability to breathe had been cut off. He tried to call out, but he could not get the air out. Terra! Was his last thought as he was consumed by darkness.
Terra was smiling as she walked through the campsite, headed to where she and Edgar shared a tent. She stopped suddenly, a frown crept upon her face. "Edgar?" she asked looking around her. Her surroundings turned to a blur. She looked for any hint of the blue jacket that Edgar always wore. She turned back and headed towards the tent, "Edgar!"
Sabin looked up from helping with one of the fires at the campsites. He started following the green haired woman. "Terra? What's going on?"
"I don't know. I just..." she stopped and ran back where they had met just minutes previous, Sabin following right on her heels. He sped past her ripping the tent open and ducked inside. Terra followed close behind.
Terra was out of breath looking around the empty tent. "He was gathering maps... and... I don't know, I was going back... and I heard him say my name."
Sabin's hands were curled up into fists and his eyes darted around the tent. "The maps..." he pointed to several rolled up parchments scattered on the ground.
"Sabin, something has happened to him..." she scanned the tent.
"Before we overreact, let's look around for him, just in case."
"I just left him, Sabin. Something... something happened... something... dark... Something feels out of place," she looked up at Sabin, her eyes wide.
"I feel it, too. Let's find our espers," Sabin said calmly his forehead wrinkled in thought.