Cecil Harvey was filled with exhaustion, uncertainty, and guilt.

Mostly guilt.

After ravaging the small town of Mysidia, with the Red Wings, he felt the unmistakable line between right and wrong fade. Nothing seems right, anymore, he thought to himself, lying on the small bed in his room. I do what I’m told, and I think it’s right, but it’s not. I don’t know anymore…

Looting is out of the question.

The words burned in his ears, just as they had since one of his crew-men had said them. The crystal was in the hands of King Odin. Cecil had, whether he liked it or not, performed the will of the King. It just didn’t sit right within his soul… the innocence of the Mysidian elders and people was what made it so hard to deal with.

The elders… the elders didn’t even resist…

Cecil sighed, and rolled over. Sighing deeply, he covered his head with the blankets, yet he still felt cold inside.

Cold… just like my heart, he thought. I’ve hurt so many people. I’ve instilled pain in so many… it’s only right that I deal with the guilt. Serves me right.

The clock on the wall kept ticking, but it wasn’t as soothing as usual… it was more of an annoyance tonight. Part of Cecil just wanted to smash it, but without it, he wouldn’t know when it was morning.

He wouldn’t know when to leave.

Just a day before, everything was perfect, or at least it seemed to be so. I led that troupe just yesterday, just this morning, he thought, and now, I don’t. I almost wish it were yesterday…

The clock kept right on ticking, one second after another. And another, and another.

Time just wouldn’t pass fast enough.

There wasn’t much Cecil could do about it, either. Between staying awake all night, torturing himself with the thoughts of what he’d done, and sleeping, only to wake up to reality again, there wasn’t much of a choice.

Oh well… everything happens for a reason, Cecil thought, rolling over onto his back. He took a deep breath, and tried to get some rest.

Sleep crawled into him slowly, diminishing each of his senses. Dreams slowly took over his mind, blurring the line between some painless fantasy land, and reality.

When he heard a soft, gentle voice call his name, he wasn’t sure if it was real or if it was a part of the world he’d sunken into.

"Cecil…"

She called him again, but Cecil remained unstirred. This might just be part of a dream, he thought, and if I wake up, I might lose this…

"Cecil?"

She spoke louder, and clearer, and Cecil was jolted back to reality.

Standing in front of his bed was Rosa Farell, White Wizard of Baron.

"Rosa… you scared me, a bit…", he said, sitting up in his bed.

"Oh, sorry… did I wake you?"

"Nah," Cecil rubbed his eyes. "I was just nodding off."

Rosa nodded, and sat down on the floor, next to Cecil’s bed. "I heard about what happened."

"Most people have, by now…" Cecil looked away.

"Don’t talk like that. You did the right thing", Rosa said, softly. "Not just anyone can stand up to Odin like that."

"Yeah… sure…"

Rosa stood up. "Please don’t act like this, Cecil, you don’t understand."

Cecil whipped himself around. "I don’t understand? I don’t understand? I’m the one who walked into Mysidia like I owned the place, and took the Crystal of Water from innocent hands. I’m the one who used force on peace-loving people. It’s all my fault. Don’t tell me that I don’t understand!"

Rosa sighed. "It’s affected everybody, here. It’s all the King’s fault, and it’s affected Baron everywhere on this bloody Blue Planet. Do you know what Mysidia did, Cecil? They closed off the Serpent Road. The Wizards in the dungeon are threatening to revolt. And well, it’s hardly enhanced our reputation in the other kingdoms with crystals."

"What, did they send you here to make me feel like hell?"

"Cecil… it’s all the King’s fault. You obeyed the command, like anybody else would do. You were acting under orders, you had no idea of what was going on, just like most other people."

There was silence for a few seconds, aside from the sound of the clock on the wall, until Cecil spoke again from underneath his bed covers.

"I… I’m just a… a Dark Knight, Rosa… I’m just a Dark Knight. Without the gall to disobey the King."

He sounds muffled… Rosa thought. Maybe it’s the blankets. God I hope he’s not crying…

"Cecil, I’m sorry, Cecil. I just wanted to tell you that it wasn’t your fault, and that, well, I’m going to miss you when you go."

Rosa stood up, and sat on the edge of the bed. "Besides, I don’t want anything to happen to you."

Cecil sat up, pulling the covers off of his head. His eyes were stained with tears, and his voice was shaky, speaking through sobs.

"Well… I don’t know… I mean…"

Tears started to form in Rosa’s eyes as she looked towards the door on the opposite end of the room.

"I want you to come home safely, Cecil. If anything should happen to you…" She fell into a tangled mess of sobs, burying her head in her hands. She couldn’t even bring herself to finish the thought – the very idea of anything happening to Cecil pulled at the threads of her heart until there was nothing left.

Cecil pulled himself over to the edge of his bed, and sat next to Rosa.

"Kain’s coming with me… it’ll all be ok. I promise." He touched her hand, softly. It was cold. He held it in his for a moment so that it could become warm.

Rosa looked at him, deep into his dark blue eyes. God I wish I could just put my head on his shoulder right now… she thought, I’d feel so much better if I could just run my fingers through his hair. But I can’t. We’ve been friends for so long, I wouldn’t want to ruin that with some cheap ‘advance’.

Cecil yawned softly, trying hard to keep his mouth closed while the carbon dioxide left his lungs. Everything in the room seemed so bleak… everything except the White Wizard sitting next to him. Rosa… he thought. I hope nothing happens to me, too, Rosa. I wouldn’t be able to deal with not seeing your face again…

Rosa stood up, and headed for the door. Cecil followed her, and watched her leave. He let her get halfway down the stairs, before he called her name. She turned around, and looked up at him.

"Take care, Rosa," he said. "I’ll be okay. Please don’t worry about me."

She nodded, forced a smile, and walked down the stairs.

Even after she’d disappeared from sight, Cecil didn’t leave the doorway. He felt his eyes stained by tears as he whispered a final message to her…

"But I’m still just a Dark Knight…"