Chapter 8

Silver fire

"Master Golbez, castle Damcyan is in sight now," the young officer stated, shouting against the loud roar of the airship. Although the boy's voice was disciplined and strong, he was eying his black armoured master nervously.

Golbez stared impassively down at the man through the little slits of his helmet. He had been sensing the unrest of the soldier for a long time now.

 /I need to strengthen the mind control on him at the next opportunity…/

"Sir, should we land and prepare to storm the gates?" the officer asked; he was used to the fact that his master spoke only when utmost necessary.

"No..." Golbez closed his eyes, making the blackness in and around him complete. "We're not landing; open fire until the castle lies in shambles."

"But this will cost many innocent lives..." Now there was a tone of protest in the young man's voice.

Golbez raised an eyebrow, unbeknownst to the soldier, who had never seen his master without the frightening black helmet.

/He is arguing? It seems that strengthening the hypnosis might not be sufficient. I will send him with the frontlines in the next attack and shall ensure that he will not make it back./

There was no emotion in this thought, just blank reason; nothing and no one was allowed to interfere with the plan.

"Officer, are you questioning my orders?" Golbez's voice sounded hard and hollow. "This is a good opportunity to demonstrate our might and the possibility to attack them by surprise. If we give them any time to prepare for our troops, they might be able to bring the crystal to safety and it will be difficult to follow them if they send out their chocobo runners."

Such an easy plan, so logical. Just destroy, clean things, take what you want. It was all possible with the power he held.

"As you wish, then…" the officer sounded strained, but still, only moments later, Golbez beheld how flashes bathed the sky above him in bloody red and how bombs turned the castle below him into an ocean of flames.

"Beautiful… So warm…" Golbez inhaled deeply the gunpowder-filled air. It was a scent that was so refreshing, making him aware of his surroundings when otherwise, in endless hours in the tower of Zot, he felt like an empty shell sucking in every emotion.

But now he could feel, perceive with every one of his senses and he knew that he would feel even more alive when wandering through the destroyed castle to get the crystal:

Now, his ears were only filled with the sound of thunderous explosions, but soon the desperate screams of people and sounds of torment would mingle with it and create a beautiful symphony of despair…

Now, he could only see the bright flames consuming the castle, but soon he would behold an even greater fire--it was the flame of life still burning in some of the attack's survivors. It would be a pleasure to extinguish this flame of hope and to see how the fire was going out in their dying eyes…

Now, he could only watch, but soon, standing in the shattered halls of Damcyan, he would reach for the crystal... His fingers stretched expectantly in their armoured gloves, anticipating the touch of smooth polished jewel…

And the smell… Soon he would be able to inhale the smell of destruction and the sweet smell of burned flesh…The smell of death…

Suddenly, the helmet seemed to tighten around his head, deafening his hearing, the slit of the visor closing. He tried to fight against it, this nothingness, this darkness, but it was to no avail.

The sharp iron smell of the armour mixed with the musty smell of decay and he had trouble breathing. Nausea overcame him and he tried to cry out, but the helmet muffled his cries--he could dimly make out someone calling for him and he tried to remove the helmet, but strangely he no longer knewwhere his hands were…

/Can't breathe…can't see… can't feel…/

"Sir, are you alright?" Suddenly, the helmet was lifted from his head and the blurred vision of a silver haired woman came into view.

/So familiar… this feeling…/

The screeching sound of metal cutting through his armour filled his ears before a sharp sting went through his chest and burning pain spread through his whole being.

/The smell… of blood…/

Of his blood.

Another wave of pain filled him, as the sword was removed from his chest.

She was looking down on him, looking on this weak body of his, which had betrayed him despite the power he wielded and was now convulsing with the spasms of death. Her voice was hard and hollow like his as she spoke:

"You disgust me, Golbez."

"Golbez? Golbez?"

"What?" Golbez's dark blue eyes flashed open.

"Are you alright? I've been shaking you for quite some time now to get you awake…" Leah was looking down at him, frowning slightly. "You were mumbling strange things in your sleep and thrashed around… Did you dream of your…. past?" She uttered the last word nearly reverentially.

"Is this what is expected of me?" Golbez smiled slightly and got to his feet.

"Well, the major of Kaipo was always preaching about how dreams of bad deeds will haunt you…" Leah shrugged, then lowered her gaze. "I wish my ones would… Then I could maybe remember…"

"Believe me, you wouldn’t want to dream what I dream…" Golbez pressed his slender fingers to his temples as if he wanted to squeeze the recent images out of his mind. Lately, he dreamt about his past deeds nearly every night, though every time the end of the dream was strangely twisted and ended with his death… Also, the clarity in which the nightmares let him experience his past disturbed him; it was nearly like someone was looking into his mind, pulling forth every memory from under a thick layer of repression and oblivion. Suddenly, Leah's gaze seemed to weigh upon him…

"I think King Edward is about to awake now…" she said. "Let's see if he feels better."

Edward's fever had subsided indeed, which stirred up new suspicions in Golbez. Although Leah presumed that she probably had seen the grass lying on the table of the village's doctor, Golbez just couldn't believe this. Still, he kept the doubts to himself, even more so as Tristan had reappeared again, asking Leah about the state of their "famous" patient. Golbez, he ignored completely...

"Good, one person less to worry about…" Golbez tried his best not to feel guilty for insulting the young man like he had done.

"Ugh… Where am I?" Finally, Edward opened his eyes.

"In the Water-Ways of Kaipo," Leah informed him. "You were bit by a poison rat, but should feel better again, soon."

"Who are--wait, I know you from somewhere. Dawn, was it? I thought you were dead…"

The young king closed his eyes again, still exhausted.

Golbez, who was watching the whole scene with folded arms and leaning against a wall, could not help but smirk.

"Not you, too…" Desperation darkened Leah's face. "I'm not Dawn. My name is Leah… I think…" Her shoulders slumped down, nearly defeated.

"Hey, hey!" Tristan came to comfort her. "You see that our friend here is still weak and if you really resemble that mysterious woman so much, it's no wonder if he mistakes you for her…"

"Yes… that's right… My sight is still a bit clouded, as are my thoughts…" Edward apologized, swallowing. "Besides you don't sound like Dawn…"

Golbez's smile disappeared. Was he really the only one who thought that Leah resembled Dawn's most important aspects? Hadn't they all seen often enough how manipulation magic worked? How voices and looks could change during memorization?

"So what were you doing here in the caves, King Edward?" he asked, changing the subject.

"I could ask you the same thing…" It sounded nearly defiant and Golbez wondered once again when exactly Edward had found so much courage.

"We were on the way to your Kingdom to politely ask for permission to use the Hovercraft, Your Majesty," Tristan joined into the conversation.

"You wanted to say "steal it", right? But that was a wrong move, boy… Edward would never give the hovercraft to the likes of me, unless Cecil asked him, of course…"

"The hovercraft, you say? Fine, fine take it!" Edward made a derogatory movement with his hand and tried to propel himself onto his elbows. "I'll give you my official permission and then you just let me continue my way towards Kaipo."

"But you are no match for the remaining way, Your Majesty!" Leah protested. "We must bring you to Damcyan where you can rest fully…"

"No." Edward's normally soft and melodious voice was very strong all of a sudden.

Golbez frowned. Why was the bard so roused? He knew that Anna had come from Kaipo, but why would Edward take the dangerous way through the caves instead of going there by hovercraft over the shallow cliffs near the continent?

"You have no choice in this matter, King Edward," Golbez said. "You're too weak and in no condition to travel through the rest of the caves and it would be illogical to leave you here after we have saved you once."

Looking at his travel companions, Golbez realized that he was probably the only one able enough to support Edward, so he helped the man up, grudgingly laying an arm around his shoulder.

Edward flinched at the black haired man's touch and tried to get away from the other, but there was no way he could escape Golbez's iron grip in his weakened state. He let his golden curled head sink in defeat. "It seems that lately, life doesn't give me much room to choose…"

Golbez chuckled, unmoved. "Isn't life always like this?"

xOx

As the group reached the exit of the Kaipo caves only half an hour later, burning heat welcomed them--it was hard to believe that just some days ago Golbez had started his journey in the snowy Baron. No one was complaining about the high temperature, though, which had to do with the fact that the group atmosphere lay below zero:

Tristan still wasn't speaking to Golbez, whichthe dark wizard didn't mind much, though; Leah was mostly talking to Tristan and Edward had made it clear that he didn't want to talk at all and seemed to hate every step he had to do with Golbez's help.

Golbez himself was not thrilled withhaving to supportEdward, as well; the King of Damcyan looked even frailer than Golbez remembered and he had to take care not to hurt the young man by tightening his grip around the other's shoulders too much. He regarded Edward out of the corner of his eye: The nearly feminine face, the blue eyes which were staring blankly at the sand below them, the drool down shoulders…

"Some people are really not cut out to be rulers… Cecil may be a penetrating idealist, but at least he has the power to--"

"I know what you think, Master Golbez," Edward's quiet voice broke his thoughts. "You're wondering how such a weakling who gets beaten up by some rats could ever fight alongside your brother and gain the throne of a kingdom, right?"

Without giving Golbez the chance to say anything, Edward added, "As you said, life doesn't grant you the opportunity to decide for yourself, but decides for you. At least when you are weak. Not everyone can have your power… "

Was there fear in Edward's voice? Anger? Golbez did not know--the King of Damcyan seemed so different from the person Golbez remembered, but then again, he had never really talked to the bard since his return to the Blue Planet.

"I don't know what exactly you are referring to, King Edward," Golbez said calmly, "You shouldn't worry about what I think or not, but about returning to your Kingdom where we finally can loose this forced collaboration. I cannot blame you for your feeling of hate against me, but I cannot do anything against it, except for leaving you as soon as possible."

"He really makes things easy for himself, doesn't he?" The words came not from Edward, but were spoken quietly by Leah to Tristan. Although the two were walking behind Golbez, the dark wizard had understood the remark nonetheless.

"I'm making things easy for me? What does this naïve girl know about my guilt, my constant fight, not only against my past deeds but against myself?"

"If I'd like to make things easy for me, Miss Coven, I wouldn't travel with you all," he said sarcastically aloud.

"Well, then why don't you go?" Leah retorted back. Golbez noted, annoyed, that the girl was getting bolder by the minute, and behaved in a way that had not been Dawn's at all.

"Shh… Don't tempt him like that or he really might leave!" Tristan hissed, but Leah's temperament had already been ignited too much.

"I'm not tempting him! You are the one who doesn't talk to him anymore and with good right, I have to say!"

Golbez let out a deep sigh--now Tristan and Leah seemed to be against him. Although this pleased him as he had once again succeeded in keeping others away from him, the other side of the coin was that he still needed Tristan's knowledge and help… As for Leah, he wasn't yet sure if he wanted her to go or to stay… She was of no real use to him, was she?

"I'd propose that we delay this "Tyrant Golbez" discussion, though I can assure you that this title is not out of place, until we have brought our patient here to safety…" he grumbled. "As far as I remember, the building before us is castle Damcyan, isn't it?"

It had been an unnecessary thing to say and Golbez wondered why he had done it. Edward stiffened in his grasp, obviously painfully remembering the attack on his Kingdom over two years ago.

Amidst the wide sea of sand, the massive Castle of Damcyan stood not like an alien sight, but like the desert itself had built the sandy coloured stone fortification.

"It looks like it was never destroyed…" The visions of his dream last night came painfully into remembrance again and he feared that any stay at the castle would bring forth more memories.

"When did you become such a wimp? These memories are your heritage and reminder… You must carry them as much as you must carry the disgust of the people and your disgust of yourself. This is your punishment…"

However, it were not the memories he feared, but the feelings they could bring forth within him… Somewhere, beneath the grey of his soul, he felt something lurking… It was something red, something which was just waiting to get ignited to consume him with a fiery flame…

"It's huge!" Leah stopped and looked upon the building in awe. "Oh look, there is someone coming!"

"King Edward!" Two guards were running excitedly towards them, followed by the brown bearded chancellor of Damcyan. "Your Majesty! And--" They froze as they beheld the tall black haired man supporting their King.

"Seems that I'm as welcome here as everywhere else…" Golbez noticed dryly and set up his best arrogant smile.

"You--" the chancellor pointed at him with a rage-trembling hand: "Have you come to torture us yet again?"

The smile gave way to weary seriousness. "No. This time I have not come to take, but to give." Golbez shoved Edward rather roughly into the arms of the chancellor. "We found him in the Water-Ways where--"

"Don't…" Edward's soft voice cut him short.

The chancellor frowned, all the while not letting his gaze go from Golbez. "The caves leading to Kaipo? What business did you have there, Your Majesty? You left the castle so suddenly without any guards and without taking a chocobo or the hovercraft! We were so worried and also had to cancel several audiences and a conference with your advisors!"

"He ran away?" Golbez raised an eyebrow. Now this was an interesting fact, although he had suspected something in this direction… Something about Edward's air was very familiar to him, although he hadn't been able to pinpoint what and why, yet. 

"I'm sorry, Chancellor." Edward sounded miserable. "However, the Kingdom probably got along without me…"

"What are you talking about? You must be feeling sick--come, we'll bring you to your quarters." The chancellor eyed his King with worry. "And I'll beg you to leave..." He faced the rest of the group.

"No…" Edward's voice sounded again. "It is getting late. They can stay the night in the castle and leave tomorrow."

"But Your Majesty!" The chancellor as well as the guards were looking at him, shocked. "He's the man who ki--"

"I know…" Edward calmed him gently, then he added with more stress, "but he's also the brother of Cecil…"

The expression of the chancellor softened. "I understand, Your Majesty." He sighed. "Friends of the Paladin King Cecil Harvey are friends of ours, too. The guards will show you to your rooms, then."

The chancellor led the way, all the time, whispering insistently to Edward in a voice between worry and slight reproach. The bard did not seem to listen and only nodded apathetically now and then.

"Sounds like everyone is very fond of your brother. The Elder spoke well of him, too. I guess I'd like to meet a real Paladin. Maybe he could help me… Somehow…" Leah reflected aloud, while they were passing the big wooden gates of Damcyan castle.

"Seems that everyone only trusts me because of Cecil… It seems that I'm dependent on his help, after all…" Golbez did not like the way Leah spoke about his Cecil… "She couldn't-- No, she only said she would like to meet him… That was all… Get a grip on yourself!"

However, there it was again, this tiny red flicker stirring in the murky bottom of his soul.

xOx

While Edward rested in his quarters, the group was led to their rooms. Since part of Damcyan's interior was not fully restored even two years after, Tristan and Golbez had to share a room...

"Try not to quarrel too much!" Leah winked before leaving the two. Again, it was amazing how her anger from before had evaporated, leaving behind a woman who was unusually cheerful and calm, for someone who had lost her memory.

Shaking his head in incomprehension, Golbez closed the door behind him. He turned around, facing Tristan, who had his arms folded stubbornly and a reproachful look on the face.

"I bet that it's quite hard for him to keep his mouth shut this long..." Golbez regarded the other expressionlessly, though behind his cool façade he wasn't looking forward to sharing a room with this young pain-in-the-neck.

Tristan held the stare and started to blow at a strand of fair hair, which had fallen before his forehead.

Golbez chuckled inwardly. "He's trying to make me nervous…He probably is very skilled in this… It must be due to this entire card gaming…"

"If you're trying to unnerve me, be assured that it won't work…" He said with a raised eyebrow. "You see, I do not feel very much--there is hardly any emotion left in me since Zeromus' control over me was broken. " His voice got menacingly low. "And even then, I felt very little when destroying or killing…"

As intended, these words seemed to frighten Tristan, and the young man turned around, now facing the window. However, the flaxen haired swindler began now to watch Golbez on the reflection of the glass.

"Don't you want to take a look at the castle?" Golbez asked into the silence. "It might be your chance to find a suitable replacement for Mary or Cindy or whatever she was called."

Tristan did not move.

Golbez shrugged and sat down on a chair. "Fine with me, then just stand there and stare at me. I'm used to that..." Golbez crossed his black boots and folded his arms.

After about half an hour of silence, Golbez decided that sitting in such a way only brought him to brood over too many things… In view of his reputation, wandering in the castle was no option as well and thus he decided to sleep, and lay down on the bed without caring to undress much. He closed his eyes, but sleep wouldn't come--often, he wondered if the year he had slept on the moon had been sufficient for his whole life, but maybe he just was afraid of having yet another dream. Still, just as he was about to drift away, a metallic noise pierced his ears. He opened his eyes and propped himself on the elbows. Tristan was sitting on a chair and sharpened his knife.

"Is everyone around me getting too bold? I need to be more disgusting…" Golbez fell back into the bed again, but the noise reminded him so much of the sound of the blade cutting through his armour in his dream that he was completely awake, again. Finally, he catapulted himself from the bed with an abrupt movement and approached Tristan.

"Listen boy, don't toy with me and don't provoke me. I warned you before that I'm unpredictable and that my old self could come out any time. And you don't want to be around then."

Tristan put the knife back into his pocket and stood up to open the window.

Golbez sighed with relief. Finally, the man had stopped his staring.

Then, Tristan began to whistle.

Golbez placed a hand on his forehead in exhaustion. "This all is a bad dream… This man is worse than all of Cecil's friends together…" Still, he could think of no more threats to get the other to leave him alone--at least of no more verbal ones… But violence was no real option especially in a place where everyone was just waiting for him to hurt and destroy… So there was only one way left.

"If it satisfies you, I take back my former words. I just wanted to show you that your constant lying and swindling isn't helping anyone…" Golbez admitted defeat in a low voice, trying not to sound too apologizing. "Besides, you talk too much. Why did you have to tell Leah everything about Dawn?"

"Okay, okay I'm sorry for that, but it was such a nice chance to start a conversation with her…" Tristan had stopped whistling, but did not care to turn around.

"Could you leave me, please, out of your seducing strategies?" Golbez's voice was sharp now. It upset him to no end that Tristan had actually managed to unnerve him.

"Hey, now what would you call your constant "You are Dawn, the woman I love" stuff?" Tristan now faced him and gave Golbez a horrid grin.

The dark wizard's expression filled with rage. "For the last time: I never said that I loved her. She was only a person who helped me to find some things I had lost…"

"Only to lose them again as she disappeared."

"But there was no love…" He suddenly got calmer and turned away his gaze from Tristan, bitterly. "I don't even know what that is… Love… I'm just trying to find out who Leah is."

Tristan clicked his tongue. "Okay, surely. Works well for me, pal. It would be a shame if someone as pretty as her would be left behind by someone going to the moon." Realizing what he had said, he quickly changed the subject. "If you give me a little apologizing fee, I might consider talking with you again." He held out his hand with a kind smile.

"You are already talking with me, pal. And watch your mouth, who says that I might not consider killing you and taking the hovercraft by myself?" Golbez growled.

"You don't know the way--only I do! And what would your brother say to this? And King Edward?" Tristan grinned insolently.

"You…." Snorting, Golbez poured some gold into Tristan's outstretched hand. "And now leave me alone for a while!"

"Of course! I'm pretty sure that I can find another bed for the night, if you know what I mean..." Tristan was already confident of his victory.

"Sure…" Golbez called after him. "As long as you leave Leah's room alone…" he involuntarily thought.

Only shortly after Tristan had left, there was a knock at the door.

"Golbez?" It was Leah's voice.

"Come in…" Golbez sighed. He was feeling so tired, again.

"It must have to do with all this unusual amount of talking I have to do lately…"

The young woman slipped through the door carefully, nearly hesitant and avoiding his gaze.

"Yes?" he asked impatiently, as Leah did not leave her place in the doorway.

"I… I just wanted to know if it is goodbye for me here…"

"Well, Tristan hired you only to bring us to Damcyan, right?"

"What are you saying? You don't want her to leave until--"

Leah raised her head and looked him in the eyes, bitterly. "I know that I'm only a hindrance to you. Tristan is as well, but you still need him. You don't want to be with anyone, but I… I really don't know where to go… Although it frightens me to travel with you... But you are going to Mysidia, right? Maybe the scholars there can help me to find my memory…"

Golbez said nothing, waiting for her to continue. The sound of her voice had changed--although she said that she was frightened, she didn't sound like it…

"I want to know who I am and since you and now also King Edward constantly compare me with this Dawn, I… maybe I'd like to know more... Because… because...I could be her… I don't know any more…"

Golbez was surprised; first she had been so rejecting and now this?

"I mean--" Leah got more agitated now. "Do I really look like her? I cannot understand that you can't remember!"

Golbez shook his head. "Don't you know--no of course, you have no memories of the past altogether, but don't you know that memories can deceive you? Your eyes are the same, same height as well, but you often act differently and your hair--" He wanted to reach out for her, but hesitated.

"Of course, just go ahead." Leah smiled encouragingly. "I'd do much to find out who I am and letting my hair get rearranged shouldn't be so bad, unless you pull out scissors…"

Golbez raised an eyebrow. He felt slightly uncomfortable touching her, but after all he wanted, needed to know, didn't he?

He approached her and started to order her chin length hair so that it framed her face. Her silvery white looks felt soft and as light as feathers on his fingers.

"It was like this… I think…" He murmured, regarding her skeptically while Leah was watching him attentively, trying not to move. "No, wait I…" He froze and let go of her strands.

"What is it?"

"I just can't remember. She had very long hair--"

Leah suddenly burst out laughing. "Well, if I travel long enough with you, lets say several years, maybe things will be easier for you…"

"I won't be around long enough for you to even let your hair grow one centimeter…"

Despite the thought, Golbez had to grin, as well. "I don't think that even that would help… More than Dawn's outer appearance, the memory of her being is still in me… But even this memory might be deceptive, since she was able to wield manipulative magic... Maybe in reality I never knew her real character, but only the one she wanted others to see…"

Leah was very excited all of a sudden. "You mean I could have magic abilities?" She cleared her throat. "Er, I mean just theoretically… For the unlikely case that I am her…"

Golbez regarded her sudden eagerness with a frown. "I don't know, but you seem to posses many skills a normal person does not have. When you killed the rat, you had the air of someone who used to fight. And you helped Edward with your healing. And…"

"And?" Leah cocked her head.

"You are not afraid… Dawn wasn't as well…" Suddenly, Golbez felt lost in the way Leah was standing before him--it was so like her…

"These blue eyes…"

They had just gotten an earnest look to them. "So… Since I'm not afraid, I'd like to travel with you further," Leah said. "Besides I don't believe that you would hurt me--especially not if I was this Dawn, right?"

"No… that is not true…"

"Listen, Leah…" Golbez took s step back, realizing that he had been standing very close to her. "No matter what you believe--never believe that I wouldn't hurt you… It may not be in my power to…" He suddenly was curt. "If you want to travel with us further, do so. But be aware. My main objective was not Dawn, but to find a way back to the moon and I won't show consideration for anyone. I also do not know what dangers, besides me, will await us on the way."

"I understand. Still I will travel with you in the hovercraft tomorrow." Leah nodded and wanted to turn for the door, but then stopped and faced Golbez.

"Tristan told me that you're going to Mysidia to search for someone to get some things cleared and since this Dawn is either dead or… well, here, I was wondering who this person is…"

"There is nobody…" The words formed in his mind and left his mouth as a cold, dead echo.

Leah regarded him with the strangest of smiles. "I think you are lying." She quickly left the room.

A shudder passed through Golbez as he stared after her. She couldn't know that he wanted to look for his father on Mt. Ordeals, could she? Unless she had looked into his soul…

"But then again, she would have known, too, that you haven't been lying to her…"

Because although Golbez's mind knew that Klu Ya was his father, his heart was refusing to know the man. He was just a nobody…

xOx

Later that day, Golbez was informed by a nervous maid that Edward was wishing to dine with everyone. The dark haired wizard wanted to refuse at first, but since they wanted to lend the hovercraft, he decided to behave socially--also, he didn't want that Cecil would have to deal with even more bad rumours about his person.

"I wonder what horrible accounts of my travels have already reached him…"

In such a renewed mood of guilt and annoyance Golbez made his way to the dining room where Leah and Tristan were already seated at the table together with Edward. The young King of Damcyan was looking healthier than before, but still the whole posture of the man seemed broken and feeble.

"Master Golbez…" the King greeted him without looking up.

"King Edward, I'm not sure if I should attend this dinner--"

Edward held up his slender hand. "No, please sit down. I cannot overlook that you saved me in the cave… Besides, I guess that it would be in Cecil's best interest if we let the past rest, at least for now. "

"So it's all about Cecil again…" Golbez thought, amused, as he took a place next to Leah. It was a well known fact that Edward looked uponthe courage and wisdom of the younger Paladin, even more so as Cecil had helped to restore parts of Damcyan. Still, Golbez could not quite believe that Edward would really forgive him for the Paladin's sake, as well.

"I heard from Sir Tristan here that you want to examine some reefs near the coast with the hovercraft?" Edward asked while he started to pick absent-mindedly at his food. He had something in common in this with Golbez, who was usually not feeling very hungry and refused most offered food, while Tristan and Leah both had a good appetite.

"Yes, Tristan here claims that a secret teleport magic exists in one of these caves…"

"I understand." Edward nodded and poured himself some wine. "I've heard of this rumour, too, though no one has ever found the cave. The reefs are just too dangerous and the amount of isles are too great. It is said that the cave was a refuge for the first Lunarians who arrived here on the Planet, so the chance of finding artifacts and magic is indeed great. Where did you hear the story, Sir Tristan?" He looked up, but even now not a sparkle of interest could be found in his dead eyes.

Tristan cleared his throat. "Like I told Golbez here before, I met this scholar and… er.. was able to acquire this highly helpful book …"

"Just admit that you stole it…"

"It's alright if you don't want to tell." Edward reassured the man. "Anyway, if this magic really exists, you want to use it to go to Mysidia in order to try talking to Klu Ya, right?"

Golbez's fork fell, clattering to the table. "Who told you this?"

"Only Cecil had known this… But he wouldn't tell it to Edward, would he? Could Leah have…?"

He had the impression that the young woman had just given him a triumphant wink over the edge of the wine glass at her lips…

For the first time, Edward showed any real sign of emotion and he now looked genuinely shocked and afraid. "Oh, I'm sorry if your companions didn't know about it. I just presumed that if you only wanted to return to the moon, it would be sufficient to use the Lunarian teleportation magic, which is supposedly hidden in the caves, to go there right away… Sorry, I talk too much." He bowed his head.

Golbez tried to stay calm. "Well… we don't know if the magic is really that strong… But since everyone seems to know it--yes, I want to visit Mt. Ordeals and try to speak with Klu Ya before I leave the Blue Planet…"

"So no matter what Klu Ya tells you, you are inclined to leave? But Cecil was hoping that--"

Golbez interrupted Edward with a shake of his head. "Don't you think that it's mysterious that the moon is still there? Maybe FuSoYa or other Lunarians are already looking for me… You should know best that with the things I have done there is no place for me here, King Edward. Cecil is too good natured. I may be his brother, but I still am the Dark Wizard Golbez, the man who has destroyed whole existences."

Edward nodded, lost in his own world for a moment. "Yes, I understand. Let's not talk further about this. As I said before, I'm willing to give you the hovercraft. However, I fear that my advisers wouldn't agree with my decision. Thus we have to take unusual measures… Please leave the castle at midnight. The craft will stand ready for you in an old shack in the outskirts of the Damcyan." He rose. "If you will excuse me now... I'm still feeling tired." He nodded to the group and left the dining room.

The three left behind at the table were silent for a moment, a bit surprised by Edward's sudden departure.

"For that you killed his beloved, he is mighty helpful, don't you think?" Tristan asked cheerfully to the group, after a while.

Golbez shrugged. "He's doing it only for my brother..." Still, it amazed him as well that Edward would so lightly go even against the wishes of his advisers…

"But we shouldn't worry about King Edward's motives. The only thing of importance is that we have the hovercraft. I think we all should rest before tonight." He prepared to stand up.

"Golbez…" Leah held him back. "Don't you want to tell us who Klu Ya is?"

"So she just guessed after all…"

"He's Cecil's father. That's all that I want to say." Golbez replied and left the room without giving the others the chance to react.

Leah looked after him, puzzled. "Well, since Cecil is his brother, it means that Klu Ya is his father as well…"

Tristan leaned, grinning, back in his chair. "Yes, one would think so. Unless the Lunarians are as unstable in relationships as humans..."