Locke looked over his shoulder, again, and shook his head with a deep breath. The group was headed for Jidoor, much to Locke’s surprise, and had left the airship at Zozo for Edgar. Setzer hadn’t been too thrilled with the idea of leaving it, but had given in to the common sense of the situation. After all, Interceptor was a miraculous beast, but he couldn’t follow a trail that was on the ground when he was in the air. Not only that, Locke had wanted to leave Edgar a quick way to Figaro Castle in case Terra was hurt or dying.

“Cole, what’s wrong,” Setzer asked. “You’ve been silent and distant the entire day.”

“I don’t like leaving them.”

“I can assure you that the rest of us don’t like it either. We didn’t have a choice.”

Interceptor grumbled at Shadow about the noise and Shadow stroked the beast’s head. “The trail is stronger. Prepare yourself for the unexpected,” he warned.

“If it’s unexpected,” Setzer countered, “how are we supposed to prepare ourselves. That’s what I’d like to know.”

Shadow ignored him.

“Are you sure this is the place?” Interceptor sent Locke a dirty look and he raised his hands. “No offense. It’s just that we came here first and Terra was positive the guy wasn’t here.”

Shadow glanced at Locke sharply. “Terra?”

Locke examined Shadow’s eyes before answering. “Yeah. She took one look at the place and said it was too quiet for anything to have happened recently. She also brought up a good point: why would the slaver bring his business there when they don’t use slaves.”

Shadow refocused his haunted eyes on the town of Jidoor. “Ledo is no slaver, Locke Cole. His one desire is power and that is what he wishes to receive from Terra.”

“But what about her kids?”

“They are still at home.”

“What?” Locke turned Shadow around with a hand on his arm. “What are you talking about?”

“I suspect the urgency of her children’s disappearance was a ploy to lure her from the safety of her home.”

“Are you telling me Terra wouldn’t notice her kids still at home before leaving to get us?” Locke asked doubtfully.

“If Ledo is involved, many things will not be as they appear. He is an expert at deception.”

“So you’ve said.”

Setzer came up to the two and gave them an incredulous stare. “Are you hinting at ‘brain-washing’?”

Shadow turned and began walking for Jidoor once again. “I mean mind-control.”

Locke and Setzer exchanged a glance and then hurried after him.

“Mind-control? Are you crazy? How? When could he have gotten to her?” Locke made a move to grab Shadow’s arm, but he turned sharply, a dagger at the ready as Interceptor growled with a snap of his teeth. Locke backed off with raised hands and shocked gray eyes. “Easy, Shadow. Easy.”

“Do not doubt my words and knowledge so easily, Locke Cole,” he said in tight tones. “I know this demon Ledo, and I know what he is capable of. I know he was once an Imperial dog who would have sold his own nation’s soul to Hades for power. I know that Technology is his mistress and he is fully aware of what it can do. I know that he can toy with a person’s mind using tools we cannot understand and thinks nothing of killing children and babies. I know all these things and more.”

Locke examined Shadow’s face as he lowered the dagger. “This woman Ledo mentioned...”

Shadow turned away without an answer and Locke sent Setzer a look. The ninja had always been a mystery to everyone in the large group of friends, and no one had ever known how to talk to him about his past. No one had really thought about it much, either.

“What do you think,” Setzer asked nonchalant. “Should we ask for an explanation now or later?”

“Either time would be a risk to our lives,” Locke said. “He’s like that and you know it.”

“We need answers, Cole, and you know that. Stumbling along blindly is not my idea of a well-thought-of plan. Neither is trusting Shadow’s twisted sense of justice.” Setzer gestured after the ninja and his eyes narrowed. “This whole thing stinks to high heaven. You know it. I know it. Hell, Interceptor even knows it! We can’t fight as a team if we don’t act like one.”

Locke gave Setzer a helpless look. “Don’t you think I know that? What do you want to do, Setzer? Shadow isn’t a force to be reckoned with.”

Setzer turned to stride after Shadow. “Don’t be too sure,” he tossed over his shoulder.

Locke stared after the gambler in surprise before following. “What do you mean by that?”

“I guess you don’t find it the least bit strange that good old Shadow took time out of his busy schedule to track Terra down by himself?” Locke remained silent and Setzer continued. “Sure, he said Interceptor smelled trouble, but wouldn’t they have needed to be at Terra’s home in the first place in order for the beast to smell at all? Wouldn’t that explain him knowing the kids are safe?”

Locke watched the ninja and his dog as they carefully examined a shack outside of Jidoor. “Go on.”

“Didn’t you notice Shadow’s change of mood when he suggested we leave Zozo to follow this trail? That man cares what happens to her just like the rest of us.”

“So?”

“So?” Setzer was shocked. “So? What are you, Cole, a blasted ignoramus or something? If he has a weakness for Terra, that means that we may be able to get the guy to see he’s not doing her any favors by keeping the information a mystery. He’ll start talking.”

Locke shrugged. “I doubt it, but, sure, why not.”

The two strode up to the dark pair and Interceptor bared his teeth. Shadow didn’t even pass them a glance.

“Shadow,” Setzer began, “if you know so much, why are you keeping it to yourself? Teamwork is needed to beat this guy and, right now, we have anything but.”

Shadow sent them one of his infamous guarded looks and Locke picked up where Setzer dropped off.

“We respect your obsessive desire for privacy, but Terra’s life is at stake here. How do you expect to save her by yourself---”

“I have defeated Ledo before,” he said coolly.

Setzer and Locke let out an exasperated breath.

“Well, he’s back again, isn’t he?” Locke said. Interceptor snapped at him. “Stay out of this,” Locke ordered. He turned back to Shadow. “So you’ve got a score to settle. So it’s a pride issue. Join the club, Shadow. Terra is our friend and this blasted techno-freak got to her through us. You can’t get all the vengeance. Give us some information, Shadow. Trust us for once in your life!”

Shadow faced the two men with a cold stare, his presence distanced from them though he stepped closer. A chilled breeze ruffled a gloomy, dark embroidered sash at his waist and it did nothing to relieve the feeling of doom blanketing the group. “Do not attempt to understand that which you could not possibly comprehend. My life is my own and it shall stay thus.” Shadow paused, barely. “Terra is my friend, yes. This I will not deny for she has risked her life for mine many times, as I have done for her. Now I do this for that honor she has shown me. For the compassion she has given. For the welcome she has offered.”

“Let us help, Shadow,” Locke pressed. “We agree with every thing you just said, so quit making us stumble around in the dark! Give us a clue!” Shadow pulled out a dagger and turned, slicing several snake-like wires that trailed from the side of the shack to a mansion on the outskirts of Jidoor. Locke sighed with clenched teeth and glared over at Setzer when Shadow headed toward town. “Now what?” Setzer only shrugged. “Oh, you’re a big help. It was your idea in the first place.”

“I never said it would work. Shadow exists. Period. No one knows anything about him and he never offers any inside information.”

“But what about that Relm connection we always wondered about?”

Setzer shrugged again. “Who knows? We can’t ask her because she’d have been too young to remember anything. We can’t ask Strago because he never gives us a straight answer. And we certainly can’t ask Shadow because... Well, because he just doesn’t talk about it. We’ve just got to go with the flow, Cole. There’s no other way.”

“That doesn’t help. Not a bit.”

“I never said it would.”

Locke shook his head and strode toward Jidoor with a glare. “If he doesn’t start giving us a clue as to what the plan is, I’m going to kill him myself.”

“Setzer thinks Locke is crazy.”

“Right now, I don’t care what you think,” Locke said. “If he wants to save Terra so bad he can trust us with some info. You see him doing that?”

“You never know, Cole, he may be doing just that in his own way.”

Locke let out an exasperated breath. “Yeah. Yeah, I know. It just pisses me off to know that he doesn’t trust us after all we’ve been through.”

“For someone like Shadow, trust is a hard thing to earn. Or give.” Setzer paused and squinted in the distance. “What the---”

Locke looked up and followed Setzer’s gaze. An eerie glow of gloomy purple radiated from one of the houses. “That’s not good. It’s the same light that was in Zozo.”

“Did you notice it here before?”

Locke shook his head. “No. No, I didn’t. Do you think it could have been here when... you know. When Terra said the guy wasn’t here? Do you think that same light had something to do with this mind-control Shadow was talking about?”

Setzer nodded slowly. “I think it does. Coincidences such as this just don’t happen. Not to me.”

They entered Jidoor at the back and caught sight of Shadow gesturing to them from behind another small shack similar to the one outside the city. They rushed over to him and skidded to a halt at the smiling faces that greeted them.

“Sabin! Celes!” Locke’s face broke out in a grin. “What are you doing here?”

“We came to help.” Sabin stated the obvious in his usual get-down-to-business way and gestured to Celes. “She got your note and had some pretty good ideas of what to do.”

“Locke,” Celes said carefully. “Locke, Terra’s kids are still at home.”

“Yeah, so Shadow just told us,” Locke said somberly. “And when we saw the purple light outside... Well, we think we know why Terra was so sure this wasn’t the place now. Someone put the thought in her head.”

“Just like the thought about her kids being missing?” Sabin asked the question with a nod. “It makes sense. We don’t really know what they did to her while she was with the Empire.”

“Well...” Celes dropped her eyes. “I have an idea.”

Setzer smirked. “Why does this not surprise me?”

Celes stepped forward suddenly and pulled Locke aside as Sabin went into further details of how the duo had tracked them to Jidoor. “Locke, don’t leave me behind when something like this comes up. Okay? I’m anything but a helpless woman, and I think I deserve to be included. Besides, Terra is my friend too.”

Locke flushed with embarrassment and glanced over his shoulder to see if the others were hearing their conversation. “Sorry, princess. I lost my head.”

Celes smiled and caressed his cheek. “I’m not mad. I was a little annoyed, but the fact you sent me a note helped me get over that fast enough. You never thought you’d be doing that, I bet.”

“Doing what?”

“Checking in with the ‘misses’ before running off on some glorious adventure.”

Locke chuckled and planted a kiss on her upturned lips before grabbing her hand and leading her back to the group. “Hey, you’re not the old battle-axe yet. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with that. And the benefits are worth the change.”

It was Celes’ turn to flush and she smacked him upside the head. “Not in front of everyone, Locke.”

Setzer chuckled and shook his head. “Now that the lovers are reunited, can we get back to the business at hand?”

Shadow knelt and sketched a rough outline of the city of Jidoor, as well as the shack positioned on the outside of the city. “The lines from this shack run to this house here.” He drew an ‘x’ on a square that represented the building across from them and then placed his palm on the shack they were using as cover. “This shack holds a power source, as well as the connecting lines from an additional power source in the shack outside Jidoor to Ledo’s house there.” Shadow gestured to the same house.

“Power source,” Sabin repeated. “What power source? Like in Narshe?”

“No. Not steam,” Shadow said.

“Then what?”

Locke looked over at Celes and noticed her faraway expression. “What’s wrong?”

Celes faded back into the conversation with a start. “Hmm? Oh. I’m sorry. I was thinking.”

“About what?”

“You mention a power source, but the only ones we’ve ever seen have taken up rooms. Like the generator for the engine of Figaro Castle. Or the multiple steam-generators in Narshe.”

“Okay.”

Celes looked over at Setzer. “You have an ear for news, Setzer. Don’t you remember hearing about some new type of power they’d been using in Vector? Something that took up less space than what had ever been done before.”

Setzer frowned and stroked his chin. “Now that you mention it, I do recall something about that. What did they call it... Some kind of new liquid fuel.”

Celes nodded and then looked down at Shadow. “If this is the power source, then we’ve got to make sure we know who we’re dealing with. Only the Empire knew about this new fuel and I’m talking the high-ranking officials like Kefka, Leo, and Gestahl.”

“And you,” Sabin reminded with a smile.

Celes grinned. “I kept my ears open. One never knew when their usefulness would be up in the Empire.”

Shadow continued to stare down at his rough map. “I know who we are coming against,” he said darkly. “Ledo is the inventor of this new power.”

“I didn’t think any of the Imperialists survived,” Celes stated.

“Ledo survives all things.” Shadow’s voice was different from it’s usual calm detachment. “Fire, disease, famine, disasters. Evil survives evil.”

“Do stop being such a doomsayer, Shadow,” Setzer complained. “Just get on with it.”

“I cut his main power source.”

“So we noticed,” Locke said.

“One of you must remain outside, ready to cut his final power as a diversion.”

“Diversion. Good idea. Who’s going to stay,” Sabin asked slowly.

Locke looked at Celes and she scowled at him. “Don’t even think of asking me, Locke Cole. I’ve already missed out on the trip to Zozo.”

“Celes, it’s going to be dangerous---”

“Of course it’s going to be dangerous. That’s why I’m going. I was a general in the Imperial army, you know. I can handle myself and any others that get in my way. The last thing I need is an overzealous man telling me when it’s too dangerous for me to do what I do best.”

Setzer and Sabin chuckled under their breath.

“But you can’t use magic---” Locke began.

“Is that the best you can do?” Celes’ face hardened and she put her fists on her hips. “Locke Cole, I was a soldier first and foremost. Just because I can’t use magic now, doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten how to swing a sword. I’m going and that’s the end of it.”

Setzer put a hand on each of their shoulders. “Locke, you better stop protesting or she’s liable to leave you at the altar. And you...” He looked at Celes with a wide smile. “You should appreciate his concern. You mean much to him, Celes, and he is only protecting that which he loves.”

Celes smiled mischievously. “Setzer, for a lady’s man you certainly don’t know much about women.” Setzer raised an eyebrow and she continued in a lower tone as she leaned toward him. “Locke and I enjoy the make-up after a... disagreement.”

Sabin threw back his head and laughed, slapping Setzer on the back who only shook his head with a chuckle. Shadow sent Sabin a hard look, which made him quiet down, and Locke shrugged Setzer’s arm from his shoulder.

“Fine. Fine. You can go. Setzer can stay behind since he thinks he knows so much.”

“It will be my pleasure,” Setzer said between chuckles.

When Edgar cleared Zozo, he immediately knelt on the ground and set Terra down. He bent over her, placing an ear close to her mouth to listen for breathing as he watched for the rise and fall of her chest. There was nothing. Edgar clenched his jaw and tilted her head back, then pinched off her nose and covered her mouth with his. Once. Twice he breathed air into her lungs. Then he watched for the rise and fall of her chest once more before beginning again. Edgar could feel the beat of her heart through the fingers on her throat, but she wasn’t breathing.

“Come on, Terra,” he whispered as he again bent close to her mouth. “Don’t let this devil win. Come on.”

Edgar tried to ignore the rising panic, but with each passing moment it became more difficult. Especially when he noticed the bleeding from her ears and nose. ‘Blast. What did that man do to you?’ Again and again he breathed air into her lungs with no response from her. Edgar didn’t know what else to do. He couldn’t let her die. He couldn’t give up and let her slip away from him. There was still no reaction and Edgar pulled her into his arms to rock her back and forth, his eyes tightly closed.

“No,” he said harshly. “No, Terra, do not die. Do not leave me alone again. Not now. Not when I have not yet told you I love you.” He struggled to his feet, determination hurrying his steps toward the airship. When he boarded, he paused in shock for the briefest moment before placing Terra beside the wheel. “Cyan?”

The Doma swordsman straightened with a grim look at Terra. “Does she live?”

“Her heart’s beating, yet she doesn’t breathe.”

Cyan knelt beside her and placed his fingers on her throat. “Hurry, sir. Time is of great import. Fly us to Kohlingen, the home of the alchemist.”

“The one who assisted Locke with Rachel?”

Cyan nodded and gently positioned Terra on her side before carefully prying her mouth open, two fingers disappearing inside. “The very one. Be quick, highness. Her life is dependent upon your speed.”

Shadow led the three around the back of the house and knelt, touching the ground with his fingers as Interceptor searched the path ahead. The ninja searched the area with his eyes and then pointed at a small object with a red glowing center.

“A trap. Break the connection and a silent alarm sounds.”

“Does that mean we can’t get in this way?”

He shook his head to Celes’ whispered question and made a sign at Interceptor who looked up, watched Shadow a moment, and then disappeared around the far side of the house.

“Where’s he going?” Locke asked.

“He has a job to do. As for this simple trap, step over it. This is only for catching those who do not pay attention.”

Locke, Celes, and Sabin stepped over the red light without a problem and proceeded to wait as Shadow searched the remaining distance to the door before following.

“Do you think Ledo knows we’re here?” Locke asked.

Shadow didn’t answer. He traced the frame of the door with his fingers before tapping a section twice. He removed a dagger from a hidden sheath on the back of his neck and drove the blade into the center of the section, then cut a deep gash to the floor. The trio watched Shadow’s ritual in amazement, then shook their heads when he opened the door and stepped inside.

“What was that all about?” Locke asked.

Again, Shadow didn’t answer. Locke made an angry noise as Sabin passed them to follow Shadow and Celes placed a hand on Locke’s arm. She sent him an understanding glance when his angry eyes focused on hers. He examined her face, nodded with a deep breath, and then followed Sabin as Shadow led them further into the house. There was a strange and soft humming that was unfamiliar to the group and Shadow put a hand out to stop their progress.

They listened. After a moment more, Shadow knelt and began to lightly touch the floorboards beneath their feet. The trio was careful not to move. Just as he had on the door, he tapped a small area of the floor twice and inserted his dagger. This time, however, he left the dagger and stood to gesture to a far room. Locke, Celes, and Sabin followed him with hurried steps.

Machines and crystals, glass tubes and strange lights were arranged around the room haphazardly with wire spread snake-like throughout it all. Locke went to different areas and touched the machines with a shake of his head.

“What is this?” Sabin asked with a harsh whisper.

“It’s a laboratory,” Celes whispered in amazement. “It’s like the one I saw in Vector. Where people were... injected.”

Locke looked at her. “What?”

“These are the same kinds of machines I saw when I escorted people to be injected with magic from an Esper. I’m positive---”

“You are correct.”

The group turned sharply, weapons at the ready as they faced the owner of the voice. It was Ledo.

Setzer shuffled his cards with a yawn, his eyes occasionally moving to the house to wait for the signal. When he focused on a great black and brown beast running toward him, he palmed three cards.

Interceptor paused with a raised eyebrow and tilted head.

“Sorry, my friend,” Setzer said with a smile. He put the cards back in the deck. “No offense.” The massive dog jogged the remaining way toward him and looked up at him expectantly. Setzer shook his head. “I’m working now. I can’t follow you.” If it was possible, Interceptor looked annoyed and gave a little growl. “I must wait for the signal and then---”

Interceptor grabbed Setzer’s leg in his strong jaws, ignoring the gambler’s shout of surprise, and proceeded to pull him toward a house.

“I should have known I wouldn’t be rid of you so easily,” Ledo said in a lazy voice. “Ah well. It doesn’t matter whether it is later or now. You shall be taken care of just the same.”

Celes pressed her lips together and swiped the air with her sword. “I don’t think so.”

“Ditto,” Locke put in.

“No doubt,” Sabin agreed. “Is he crazy or something? Doesn’t he know who we are?”

Shadow stepped forward from behind Ledo and the tall man turned to face him. “As you can see, demon, your power has come to an end.”

Ledo chuckled, his arms crossed tightly. “So little you know of me and my power, Shadow. Even then your mind could not handle the truth.” Ledo leaned toward Shadow with a condescending sneer, his hard eyes pitying as they focused on the ninja’s. “How does it feel to know you are the reason she died?”

A quietly building rage sparked from Shadow’s veiled eyes and he held Ledo’s gaze without a cringe. Locke and Celes exchanged a wary glance and took up better positions on either side of the techno-mage while Sabin absently clenched and unclenched his fists, the muscles of his arms rippling.

“You better not be talking about Terra, mister, or you’re in a world of hurt,” Sabin warned through clenched teeth.

Ledo straightened with an air of boredom as his black eyes took in Locke, Celes, and Sabin. It even appeared that he restrained a yawn before refocusing his attention on Shadow. “These children you spend so much time with... I often wonder what you hope to accomplish by it.” Silence. Ledo began to slowly pace, the sound of his footfalls echoing like hollow laughter. “I often wonder if you are hiding from your past, Shadow. After all, it would be so easy for you to---”

“Be quiet, demon,” Shadow shot at the tall figure. “You have been the hell to my soul long enough. Your reign of terror has finished and I shall be your undoing.”

Ledo appeared genuinely amused. “Little Shadow,” he chuckled. “Still you do not understand.” The man turned and pushed a button. “Welcome to hell.”

A glass box came to life and the group noticed an odd familiarity about it. Or rather, with the information displayed. There was a still picture of a young woman and then several graphs and meters that were strangely still. Another glass box displayed a single, red word. Danger! Locke hurried to the console as he sheathed his blades, ignoring Ledo who silently smiled on. The treasure-hunter examined the screen and then turned to Shadow with a pale face and haunted expression.

“It’s Terra. He’s killing her.”

“How,” Sabin asked harshly. His eyes never left Ledo’s face. “How can he be killing her when she’s not here?”

Locke shook his head and turned back to the console with it’s many displays and odd-shaped buttons. “I don’t know,” he growled. “I don’t know!”

“The Esper is mine, Shadow. If you wish her to die, remain. However, it will have been you who killed---” Ledo turned in surprise and his eyes focused on nothing. “You! What are you doing here?”

Locke and Celes exchanged a glance before he hesitantly reached out to touch the dark figure. It flickered. “He’s not here! Again!”

Sabin examined Ledo’s face. “Then, wherever he is, someone is there with him---”

“No,” Ledo screamed, his hands raised in defense. The figure wavered, then vanished and the group heard the tail end of a screech from somewhere outside the house.

Shadow gestured at the console. “Save Terra. I will find Ledo.”

“Whatever’s left of him. I think Interceptor was pissed.” Locke reluctantly smiled, then turned back to the console. The smile disappeared. “Blast! I hate this techno trash.”

Celes came to stand beside Locke as Shadow disappeared from the room. “I know, babe, but you’re the only one besides Edgar who understands this."

Locke looked over at Sabin. “You’re his brother---”

“Hey, don’t look at me. I don’t get this junk either. You’re the brains of this crew.”

“I don’t know jack about this techno--”

“Locke.” Celes turned him to face her and held his gaze. “Locke, you know many things. I know you can do this.”

He let out a deep breath and nodded as he faced the console again. “All right, Lady Luck. Let’s do this thing right.” Locke examined the few instructional plaques and then flipped a few switches.

“Well? What do you think?” Sabin asked the question hesitantly.

“I think...” Locke’s hand paused over an odd-colored switch highlighted by a flashing light. “I think it’s this one.”

He pushed it.

“Well, well. What do we have here?”

Interceptor’s grip around Ledo’s throat tightened and the mage tensed as he lay on the floor. When Interceptor had begun dragging Setzer to the small, abandoned house on the opposite side of Jidoor, the gambler had been sure the beast had finally lost touch with reality. Then Setzer had seen an odd assortment of wires snaking their way along the ground, hastily hidden under molded pieces of wood specifically designed to conceal them. Coincidences didn’t happen to him.

Picking the lock had been easy enough, thanks to Locke’s good-natured tutelage, and then the mystery had been solved as soon as Interceptor had dashed through the gaping door into the technological wonderland to pin it’s owner to the ground with a death-grip to the throat.

“Patience, my friend,” Setzer told the growling beast now. “He won’t be much use to us dead.”

Interceptor grumbled his complaint, but relaxed his grip, barely. Ledo’s gloved hands were held carefully away from the beast, and his eyes were wide with terror. Setzer chuckled and came to stand by the mage, examined his dark metal gloves, and promptly pulled them off. The gloves were connected to the mage, however, by several thin, multi-colored wires that ran from inside his ‘armor’ to the gloves themselves. Setzer retrieved a card from his pocket, cut the wires, and tossed the gloves away. Ledo watched every motion with glazed eyes.

“I must say that you’ve been a cunning villain,” Setzer remarked calmly. He propped one foot up on the seat of a chair and leaned his arm on it as he stared down at the mage’s white face. “But you do realize that it’s highly unlikely you’ll leave here alive, of course. You see, Terra is a part of our family. A sister to some, friend to most, but most of all a woman of quiet passion and sincerity whom we all love in our own way.”

Ledo was silent and Interceptor adjusted his hold.

“Whether her Esper power is simply dormant and waiting to be released or lost forever we don’t care. We love her for who she is and not what she can or cannot do. It’s too bad that you don’t understand this for you could have saved yourself a lot of grief.” Setzer shook his head and gestured at the high-tech consoles, monitors, and miscellaneous objects with a barely lifted finger. “At first, I wanted to know what you had in mind for our little woman, but you know, I don’t really care anymore. I know you’re slime and I know you’d do it again if we gave you half a chance. So, tell you what. You tell me why Terra is acting so blasted crazy and how to fix it, and I’ll persuade Shadow there not to kill you.”

Ledo’s eyes strayed to the ninja who had just appeared in the doorway and the panic made his muscles quiver. Setzer glanced over at Shadow and watched his eyes. A war was being waged beneath the ninja’s calm exterior and Setzer knew there was no way for him to help. Shadow had chosen long ago to keep his past to himself. The group had guesses and half-solved clues, but nothing to prove that what they believed was true.

It was simply another mystery in the area of ‘Shadow’s Life’. They all knew it was off-limits.

“Any problem with me calling off your pooch,” Setzer asked finally. Shadow only gestured. Interceptor reluctantly released Ledo’s throat, but rested a foot on it instead. Setzer smirked and withheld a laugh for the sake of seriousness. “There now, wasn’t that sporting.”

Ledo’s eyes switched to Setzer. “You are all fools---”

“None of that,” Setzer cut in. “I’d say we have the upper hand at the moment. Tell us what we want to know and we’ll let you bow out.” Setzer paused, his pale eyes taking in Shadow’s expression. “Perhaps. The house is still out on that.”

Ledo clenched his jaw and his gaunt face hardened with hatred. “I shall tell you nothing.”

Setzer nodded slowly. “I see.” He glanced at Shadow again and shrugged. “I guess he’s all yours, Shadow.” Setzer straightened and strode lazily toward the door. “You sure picked the wrong card, mage. Shadow here is the card of death. He’ll get you to talk and it won’t end pretty.”

Setzer left the room just as the screeches began.

“Edgar.” Cyan placed a hand on Edgar’s shoulder. “She asks for your presence.”

Edgar turned in surprise. “She’s awake?”

Cyan nodded, his face grim. “Yes, but thou must still prepare thy heart for the worst. Terra bleeds more than what is natural.”

“Where?”

“Her ears.” Cyan scowled, his hand resting on the hilt of his katana. “This puzzles me greatly for she shows no wounds, yet the bleeding continues. I have dressed her ears, yet I do not believe it has helped.”

Edgar relinquished the wheel of the airship to Cyan and hurried below, his mind puzzled. Her breathing had resumed halfway to Kohlingen, but Cyan and Edgar hadn’t been able to determine a reason. ‘I am simply glad that she is yet alive,’ he told himself firmly. ‘Locke and Setzer will deal with the reasons why.’ In fact, some part of Edgar knew they were responsible for her being awake and breathing.

“The sleeping beauty awakes, I see,” he said with a gentle smile. Kneeling beside her makeshift bed, he took her hand and caressed her pale cheek. “You gave us quite a fright, my lady. I should have you clapped in irons for a month for terrorizing me so. You showed this king no mercy.”

Terra’s unique eyes glistened with tears and her lips trembled as she clutched his hand tighter. “I’m scared,” she whispered. “Cyan won’t say anything, but I can see it in his face. I-I’m dying, aren’t I?”

The question hit Edgar like one of Umaro’s fists and he couldn’t suppress the cringe fast enough. She saw it and closed her eyes, turning her head away from him.

“All the time I’ve wasted and now... Now what do I get? A death sentence by the Empire that destroyed itself years ago without realizing it.” Terra sighed and the sound resembled a whimper. “It’s not fair. All the things I’ve wanted to do...”

Her words faded, replaced by the soft tears she still attempted to hide from her closest friend. Edgar watched her and his soul hurt. For the first time in his life he no longer surrendered to the easy answer or the empty words of nonsense to comfort her. She deserved truth, integrity, and passion. She deserved all he had never given her. ‘Is there time for that now? Would the bittersweet emotion of a too-short romance be worth the pain of the memories?’

“Tell me what you wanted to do with your life,” he asked quietly. “Terra, tell me your dreams.”

She wiped the tears away with a choked sigh. “Why? What’s the point?”

“Because I wish to hear them. I wish to help you fulfill them.”

Terra looked over at him and examined his face. Edgar held her gaze though he knew his own true feelings showed. Something registered in her face and her cheeks colored a little before she dropped her eyes to their clasped hands.

“Do you know why I didn’t visit you after the final fight with Kefka?” Edgar’s question was hesitant and Terra peeked at him out of the corner of her eyes before shaking her head. “I no longer knew how to talk to you.”

Terra looked him full in the face, her eyes registering surprise and confusion. “What?”

He smiled and brushed a damp tendril of hair from her face. “You had been through so much, Terra, that I had lost the common ground on which we once stood. You had lost your powers and I didn’t understand how to move past that.”

“B-but...”

Edgar stood and walked to the window that gazed down on the recovering landscape below. “People change, but I always fought it as a rebel army fights the Empire. I was comfortable where I was and didn’t want to take the risk. Not even once you and I became so... such close friends. It was easier to let you drift away than to admit I was afraid and ask you to help.” Edgar faced her and caught her eyes. “I am sorry for that. You deserved more than what I was willing to give you and I didn’t see that until it was too late to change it.”

“Y-you mean... You didn’t mean all those things you said?”

Edgar’s brow dropped in confusion and he came to stand over her. “Things I said? What things?”

“You said that you were tired of me hanging all over you expecting your help. Y-you said I was wanting you to baby me and you wanted no part of it---”

Edgar knelt down and took her hand. “I never said such things, Terra. You said much the same to me.”

Her eyes widened. “What?”

Relief flooded through his mind and he smiled as he caressed her jaw. “It seems we’ve been fooled.”

“Fooled? By who?”

“By a techno-mage named Ledo Grikea. I don’t know how, but I’m almost positive that would be who is responsible.”

“When did this happen?”

Edgar kissed her cold fingers and began the story.

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