A water drop from a crystal stalagmite dripped on the face of the sleeping man.

The eyelids of the man began to tremble lightly, and a soft moan escaped his lips.

Slowly, the man opened his eyes... For a moment he just watched the crystalline ceiling of the cave he was lying in, listening to the quiet, soft voice in his mind:

"Time? Time for what?" His lips formed the words slowly; his eyes still rigidly fixed to the ceiling. "Is this a dream?"

The voice inside his head ceased, as he tried to sit up... His limbs hurt terribly...

"FuSoYa?" he mumbled weakly "Is it you?"

There was only silence around him and the dripping of the water...

"Uncle? Why am I awake?"

The man slowly turned his head. In the wall next to him several sleeping people were laying in niches. As he turned around, he looked in an empty one...

"I wonder how I got on the floor..." he mumbled, still feeling sleepy and dizzy from his long slumber. He stood up and walked a few steps, his boots cracking the crystal floor slightly, as he suddenly heard a soft hum...

"FuSoYa?" As the man followed the noise, he passed the sleeping place of a very old looking man with flowing white hair and beard. He did not move an inch.

The man raised an eyebrow, then turned his attention to the noise again. On the opposite side of the room stood a mirror...

Cautiously he stepped up to the device and peered into it:

In the reflection he could see himself: He was a tall man about thirty with long, black hair, which fell freely over his shoulders and was disheveled due to his long sleep. He was slender but looked strong and was clad in black armor that made him look impressive. The man was studying calmly his reflection with his two highly intelligent looking eyes, which had also a soft touch in them as though they wanted to betray the remaining appearance of the man. Their softness disappeared though, as the man raised an eyebrow, an ironical smile on his lips, nearly haughty. Suddenly the reflection blurred. The man frowned slightly and reached out for the mirror with a slender hand - as his fingertips touched it, the blurring changed slowly to a lush forest. His smile vanished, his expression suddenly a grieving one, and he lowered his gaze as if he was dwelling on memories of the past. He slowly began to trace the outlines of a tree with his finger, his eyes lost in a darkness only known to him, as suddenly his hand went through the mirror like through water.

Before he could pull his hand back, someone, or something seemed to pull him inside it. The man ached as he tried to fight against it, but it was too late - he was already surrounded by swirling magic energies which were filling him as well. The last thing he perceived before he dropped unconscious was the voice which had woken him up:

"Join us..."

The golden autumn sun shone warmly, bathing the courtyard of the massive castle Baron into a warm light. Rydia, the green-haired young caller was sitting on her cloak under a tree, surrounded by fallen leaves. Her eyes were closed and except for a little stir now and then, she was completely motionless. Slowly, a smile curved on her lips.

"Surprise! Surprise!" a male voice shouted suddenly from behind her, followed by two hands laid on her eyes.

"IEEE!" Rydia screamed and jumped to her feet at once, throwing her "attacker" to the ground.

"EDGE! Are you mad?" the girl spun around furiously and faced the young, boyish King of Eblan who sat flat on his back and was rubbing various parts of his body due to the fall.

He looked up at her with an mischievous grin: "Yep - I am mad, dear Rydia, mad for..."

As he saw Rydia frowning, he decided to skip the rest of the sentence. "Uh - I just wanted to see how you were doing - since your arrival here at Baron Castle two weeks ago, you seem to avoid me...Even now you don't seem to be very happy to see me..." He sounded hurt and looked at her reproachfully.

Rydia wasn't impressed in the least. "Well no wonder, Edge! You are really a big oaf! I was just about to get in contact with Queen Asura - you know that the connection to the Land of the Summoned Monsters is difficult these days due to the magic fluctuations in the air. It took me two hours to get this far and then you come and break my concentration! I haven't spoken to any of my friends from the Underwold for nearly a week, now..." She looked to the ground and shoved some leaves with her foot aside in a way a stubborn child would do.

"My - she's so sweet..." mumbled Edge, as he took a step towards her and carefully touched her shoulder.

"Well, seems that a certain, very talented and beautiful green-haired caller is homesick, ain't I right?" He bent his knees a bit so that he could look into Rydia's down-turned face from below. "How can you feel lonely when not only your normal friends, but your best friend as well is with you? And now: SMILE!" He grinned broadly, his blue-gray eyes sparkling as always when he praised himself...

Rydia watched him sulkily at first, but soon had to laugh. "You jerk! You're making fun of me!" She gave him a little push which sent the young man to the muddy ground, again.

"OUCH! No need to do this twice!"

"Serves you right - I was really looking forward to speaking with the Queen..." Rydia looked a bit sad again. "You know, Edge - it really was a shock for me to hear that the entrance to the Underworld got buried during the earthquake at Agart..." She leaned against the tree, her big green eyes staring into the morning sky.

Edge sprang to his feet and cleared his throat - he wasn't used very much to "this kind" of serious conversation. Still, he could try. He leaned against the tree beside her and started to stare in the sky, too, wondering what Rydia could see, what he could not.

"Don't get so depressed! I am sure we will find a way to open the entrance up again... Besides..." He searched for words "Besides... your place is here - here on the upper world, with us! Why did you had to leave here one year ago, anyway?"

The ninja became silent at once, as he noticed that his words had sounded more accusingly than encouraging. For a moment there was an icy silence. Finally Rydia pushed herself away from the tree and faced him.

"Why I left here? Well, my village was destroyed and all the women were killed - except for me! I am the only caller left... What should I do here? Teaching kids magic they won't be able to use ever?" Her voice was still calm, but already had a dangerous quiver in it.

"It is great Edge, that YOU of all people know where my place is - I surely do not know..."

"So... sorry, Rydia..." stammered Edge - making apologies was hard for him... "I didn't want to hurt you..." He carefully laid his arms around her - the caller did not protest, and only turned her head away a bit.

"Yep- this is going fine!" the ninja thought happily and stepped a bit closer, tightening his embrace.

Rydia started to sob quietly.

"Err..." Edge gave a help searching look to his surroundings - as much as he enjoyed holding Rydia in his arms as much the situation irritated him - he somehow had to comfort her...

"Well, look, Rydia..." he started, trying to sound as encouraging as possible "I know that you have endured much hardship, but life goes on... And really - such a pretty and intelligent girl as you are should start to have some fun... Like wearing nice dresses, going dancing and so on instead of living in a dark hole in the midst of people which have 3 eyes and a spiky tail..."

Rydia sobbed again. "They have what?"

Edge became more agitated. "What I mean is that they are not normal! It's nice of them to help us out in a fight once in a while, but that should be enough! They live in another world - they are not human - they are monsters!"

Rydia's sobbing ceased at once. With a violent motion she teared herself away from Edge.

"They are monsters? "They" are my friends... If they are monsters and not normal, am I a monster, too?" she hissed, eyes flashing furiously, cheeks red.

The ninja king watched her baffled. "Well - no... I didn't mean it that..."

"You didn't mean it - didn't mean it? You, you..." the caller was snapping for air and for words "You childish excuse for a king! You're the greatest monster of all! Leave me alone at once, or you can meet one of my monster friends!" She started to move her arms as if preparing a spell.

Edge backed away at immediately - he knew about Rydia's temper. "Alright, alright- I am going..." With a boyish grin he added: "But you know- I do like when you are angry! You look really cute then..."

He started to run as sparks of flame emerged from Rydia's fingertips.

~*~

As Edge entered the castle he nearly ran into his friend, the paladin Cecil.

"Edge, why are you in such a hurry?"

"Fleeing from Rydia- she's in a bad mood today... Be careful!"

The paladin's lips curved in amusement "You don't happen to have angered her again, have you?" he asked, slightly reproachful.

Edge turned around and held his hands up, smiling broadly "Cecil- As if would I ever..."

Still grinning, he walked away.

The white haired paladin sighed. The caller had been in a good mood at her arrival some weeks ago, but since then, she had become more and more sad day by day. Cecil didn't really knew why, but he suspected that everything, including the buried entrance to the Underworld, was a bit too much to handle for her.

Leaving the castle, he started to look for Rydia and found her near her most beloved tree in the courtyard, sitting against the trunk, knees clasped in her arms. As he approached her, she didn't look up. Slightly frowning, Cecil sat down next to her and laid an arm around her slender shoulders.

"He went too far again, am I right, Rydia?" he asked softly.

Rydia nodded solemnly and leaned against him.

Cecil squeezed her supportively. "Don't take it too serious... You know how he is.. He only likes you..."

Rydia knew pretty well that the ninja liked, possibly loved her, although she herself was unsure of her feelings. Love - she didn't really know what that meant, having had no time in her life to grow up normally. In fact she didn't grow up at all - the magic from the underworld had changed her from an eight year old girl to one of 18 - on the outside. That Rydia still seemed quite grown-up was due to the hard experiences she'd made early in her life and the company of her older friends. She felt friendship for Edge - nothing really more... The person closest to loving was - or had been probably Cecil in whom she saw an older brother.

"He surely wanted only to cheer you up, but he got it all wrong as usual." Cecil continued and then laughed softly. "Yesterday he went into the wine cellar and locked himself into it, as he'd lost the keys. He pounded on the door for more than one hour and would have broken it, if a maid hadn't rescued him. He told her that it had been really worse to see all these bottles without being able to open them properly..."

"What a jerk..." Rydia mumbled, but suddenly had to laugh to. She raised her head, her eyes still full of tears, although she was smiling again.

"See - no need to cry, at least you are laughing again..." The paladin started to wipe the tears with the folds of Rydia's silken green cape. The girl watched him with big eyes.

"Cecil?" she asked meekly.

"Yeah?"

"Will I ever get back?"

The young king of Baron stopped cleaning her face and studied her fearful expressions for a moment, thoughtfully. "You're missing the others...Aren't you?" Rydia just nodded.

"I understand - things here on the upper world are different from the world below, I guess... But although both are different they are part of your life - deciding living in one or the other can be hard..." He took her cape again.

Rydia nodded. "Yes.. That's it... How do you know?" she sighed.

The paladin had to smile. "I've often wondered what would happen, if I'd lived part of my live on the moon... As I've spent my whole life here, I would never question "where" I belong or where I would want to be, as there is no necessarily choice to make. Your situation is difficult, as your bonds lay in different worlds... I guess if my broth... if Golbez would ever come back, he would have similar problems... And I could get some, too..." He had finished wiping the tears away.

Rydia was looking happy again. "Thank you Cecil..." she exclaimed. "When I am talking with you I really have the feeling that you understand how I am feeling!"

"Well - I am doing the best I can..."

"It's right - I am missing my friends down there once in a while... Although..." she added quickly. "I like being here with you all, too... Even Edge... I guess the problem at the moment is just that I couldn't go back even if I wanted to..."

"Don't worry about it... I am sure we will find a way!" the paladin exclaimed confidently and stood up.

"Thanks Cecil- you have always time for me... You sure have enough own problems... Are things alright again between Rosa and you?"

The paladin felt himself blushing a bit "Yeah... Couldn't be better..."

Cecil knew that the quarrel between his wife and him and his overhasty trip to Mt. Ordeals had worried his friend greatly.

"Kain is worrying us a bit, though..."

Rydia shrugged her shoulders. She didn't care much for the dragoon.

"I guess she blames him more than me for the death of her mother..." Cecil frowned.

"She looks so sad again..." Suddenly he remembered why he'd left the castle.

"By the way - I guess a little distraction would do you good... We have decided in a conference this morning to visit the site of the earthquake at Agart. We want to see how everyone is doing and examine the buried crater. Care to join us?"

Rydia frowned. "Ah - I don't know... is Edge coming, too?"

"Do you want him to come?"

"I don't know... Can you hinder him?"

Cecil thought for a moment. "No......So it's settled then, right?"

Rydia laughed. "Alright! See you later... I'll have to tell Diane right about what Edge did yesterday..." She sprang to her feet and hurried away.

Cecil smiled. Diane, Cid's daughter, and the young caller had met each other just some days ago and had already become good friends. Diane's calm and friendly person was a good addition to Rydia's lively but also capricious one . They would often take long walks or sit giggling in a corner, laughing about Edge, Cid or anything else funny. Cecil and Rosa were very happy about it - as the events at the moment with the coming of the moon, the destroyed shrine of Mt. Ordeals and the earthquake at Agart were dire enough, they didn't have much time for their friend... Rydia was in her heart still a bit of a child and took things personally very fast - Cecil was happy for every distraction his dear friend could get. With a sigh, he set out to find the others...

Rosa carefully opened the door to the study, only to see her husband sitting hunched over a sheet of paper, writing concentrated with his back turned to her. She slowly approached Cecil, her white slippers making hardly a sound and peered curiously over his shoulder, curls of her golden hair falling into his face.

"Here you are... What are you writing, darling?"

The paladin blew some golden hair out of his face and signed the letter. "It's a message for the Elder of Mysidia. I would be grateful if he would inform us on anything his scholars find out..." He folded the paper. "So, ready!" he exclaimed, looked up and bent down the head of his wife for a tender kiss. "Sorry that I've been away the whole morning, but there was so much to do..."

"Don't worry... I've been busy, too." the beautiful Queen of Baron laughed, circled the chair and dropped in her husband's lap. Since Cecil had come back from Mt. Ordeals, the relationship between the couple was better than ever before.

"I heard from Rydia that you comforted her... You're really sweet..." Her blue eyes sparkled warmly.

Cecil blushed a bit and took her hands. "No big deal... We both know that she is having a hard time at the moment and thus needs all the support we can give... I wish all this hadn't happened." Once again he felt how the weight of the current situation was pressing on his shoulders.

Rosa squeezed his hand "Hey - now don't start to ponder again... Is Edge coming with us

to Agart, too?"

Her husband smiled - Edge seemed to be a main problem for everyone - not only for Rydia. "Guess..."

Rosa sighed. "Well - I hope he behaves. Do you think he will ever grow up?"

"I don't know - he was very happy to get invited. I hope it's not just because of Rydia, but because he slowly understand his duties as a ruler..."

The looked at each other for a moment; then shook their heads: "It's because of Rydia.."

Both had to laugh.

"He just can't express his feelings..." Rosa stated and added with an mischievous grin "We know how fast misunderstandings occur, don't we; my dear Cecil?"

Cecil grinned back. "Now don't start with that again..."

"Don't worry, I've better things to do!" Rosa bent down and kissed him passionately.

"Ahem..." a familiar voice could be heard from behind. "I... I am coming back later..."

The couple loosened his grasp at once and exchanged knowing glances.

"No Kain... You are disturbing no one!" Cecil said hastily. Rosa quickly wiped away some traces of lipstick she had made on his face and then jumped to her feet. "Cecil is right... Please come in..."

The man with the long blond hair in red uniform still stood in the doorway, frowning and looking a bit afraid. "I don't know..."

Rosa rushed to him, followed by Cecil. "Now don't be silly! We're friends. The King and Queen of Baron grabbed the baffled looking fighter on each side at his arms and dragged him into the room.

"Sit down, Kain..." The Ex-dragoon was pushed on a chair, flanked by his two longest friends which seated themselves beside him.

"What can we do for you?" Cecil asked, smiling.

Kain exchanged quick glances between the two warm-lit faces of his companions.

"You're really overdoing it, you two..." he mumbled.

Since the time he had confessed to Cecil his true feelings for Rosa but also his wish for friendship, the paladin and his wife had done everything they could to make him feel "home" again - as well as to help him getting over his feelings for the young queen...

Rosa looked at him in concern and grabbed his hand, but seeing Kain blushing, pulled it away swiftly. "Err... Nice to see you, Kain... How was the ball, yesterday?"

"What ball?" the dragoon asked, slightly angry. He suspected what was coming now.

"Well the festival at the town market place..." Cecil informed him.

"Oh, that..." Kain said, tyring to build up suspense. "I.."

"Yeess?" Rosa asked curiously.

"I wasn't there..." Kain replied with a grin.

"What a pity... " Cecil sighed "I've heard that many young ladies..." Rosa glanced at him. "Err...I've heard that many nice people were there..."

"It's hopeless, Cecil. I wish you two would stop trying to marry me off to someone... I don't deserve this much attention from you..."

He dropped his gaze.

"Sorry Kain... Maybe we are really overdoing it, but we only want to help you. We think that you should get more under people..." Rosa said softly.

"Sorry, but I need some time alone after all what has happened. That's why I' m here. I heard that you were forming a party to go to Agart - I won't be coming..."

"What?" Cecil looked at him, his eyes big "But Kain, why? We can need every helping hand..."

"Sorry if I let you down, but I just don't feel like it... I guess many of our friends are still angry about what happened after my return and besides I feel responsible for the happenings at Agart... If I had told you everything sooner, maybe..."

"Stop it, Kain... It wouldn't have changed much - we all know this. Anyway, if you insist on staying here..." Cecil sighed, knowing that Kain wasn't likely to change his opinion.

"Thank you, you two..." Kain stood up, bowed slightly and started to leave the room. As he reached the door he turned around and managed a smile: "I really don't deserve your understanding at all... Please take care..."

"So do you..." Rosa shouted after him, then looked at her husband "I feel sorry for him..."

Cecil stared at the door: "Yeah - it's a difficult situation for all of us... Maybe it will do him good to be alone for a few days..."

His wife nodded: "We'll see. Anyway, we should finish our preparations... The airship will start soon." She stood up and straightened her dress. "By the way... I was wondering why you didn't protest when I decided to come with you..." She studied him curiously.

Cecil looked at her, confused. "Well... It's just a scouting trip, nothing dangerous at all..."

"So if it was a dangerous trip, I couldn't go?"

"I didn't say that..."

"Maybe it gets dangerous..." Rosa said provocatively, causing her husband to frown.

"You sound as if you want it to get dangerous...".

"No, but I want you to understand that I can take care of myself..."

Cecil stood up. "I know this..." he said tenderly, then added with a quick grin "And if you can't, there's still me, Yang, Cid, Rydia and Edge to take care of you."

He dashed out of the room, laughing before his wife could reply anything...

3.

At the airship landing place of Baron Castle was a big turmoil. It had taken several days to repair the damage that Edge's ship had caused and still parts of wood and metal were lying around. Cid stood on the plank of his airship Falcon and shouted instructions to his workers, helped by Cecil and Rosa which made last checks.

From out of the castle two laughing girls came, one being Rydia, the other, red- haired one being Diane, Cid's daughter. Edge was at their side at once, miraculously. He bowed exaggeratedly, then faced Rydia with a nearly embarrassed expression: "Still angry with me?"

Instead of an answer both girls burst out laughing. "Is it right that you locked yourself in the wine cellar and were only worried that you couldn't open the bottles?" Rydia laughed.

"I was thirsty..." Edge muttered. "Why does everyone know this story, anyway..."

"We shouldn't be too hard on him..." Diane smiled.

"Ah - you're too soft hearted Diane..." Rydia replied. "Our hot shot here needs some cooling down - right Mr. Monster?" She gave him a little nudge and then hugged Diane. "I must go now... Bye!"

"Yesb- take care Rydia... And you, too Sir Edge..." She made a courtesy and disappeared into the castle.

"Hey- did you hear that Rydia- she called me Sir..." The ninja grinned. "Rydia?"

But the caller had already hurried away, laughing. "Talking with yourself?" she shouted.

"Well, at least she is cheerful, again..." Edge followed her.

"Well, everything is ready, captain!" Cid exclaimed, as he jumped from the ship and joined his friends.

Cecil ran a hand through his hair: "Alright- everyone seems to be here as well... I guess we can..."

"Are you going without saying good bye to me?" A sharp voice asked.

"Mother!" Rosa turned around. "Surely not, right Cecil?" She gave her husband a little nudge.

"ER, right darling..." the paladin replied, trying to look as friendly as possible. "How nice of you to visit us, Ms. Farrell."

During the last few days, Cecil had managed to get at least a half way friendly relationship with his mother-in-law, starting with visiting and apologizing for what had happened at the dinner a week ago. Rosa's mother had not reacted really friendly, but had admitted that she, too, hadn't been very "obliging"- she also had taken the flowers he brought along without complaining - and sneezing. The effect of this visit was that Cecil was not calling her Ma'am any longer - although he hadn't come farther in his diplomatic efforts than Ms. Farrell...

"Well, my dear Cecil..." Mrs. Farrell snapped. "I hope you take good care of my daughter..." She studied the huge airship. "Never trusted these things..."

Rosa interrupted her. "Sure he will take care of me - besides I can take care of myself..."

Her mother looked at her, skeptically. "Yes, yes darling... Still - your husband can fly, can he?"

"Yes, I can fly, Mrs. Farrell" Cecil, replied, slowly getting impatient "But do not worry. Cid will fly it..." He stared at her, waiting for a reaction.

Margaret opened her mouth; then shut it.

"Goood..." she said, finally, then embraced her daughter. "Still I will worry about you, Rosa..."

"Don't mom!" her daughter laughed. "Besides we'll only be away for three days, or so..."

"That I'll hope..." Margaret glared at Cecil.

As she shook her son-in-law's hand, he had for a moment the feeling that she grabbed it harder than necessary... "Will she never trust me..."

He boarded the ship with his wife.

"So, everyone on board?" Cid shouted. Yang, Edge and Rydia were already standing on deck.

"Father, wait!" Diane shouted, waving one arm wildly, with the other one dragging a toolbox behind her. "You've forgotten some of your equipment at home."

"What I fine daughter I have!" Cid exclaimed proudly as approached her and started to pull some mysterious looking tools out of the crate. "Well, well, I am getting old... How could I forget this... and this..." he mumbled while he rummaged through the crate. "Thanks Diane! What would I do without you..." He laughed heartily.

"Well - you would probably starve" the pretty girl answered with a smile and handed him a small package. "Here - some of your favorite cakes... Just be careful..."

"Oh - don't worry about me.. Try to get some rest while I'm away - carrying tools after one's father isn't exactly what a fine girl like you should do all day!" He grinned broadly, kissed her on the cheek and boarded the airship.

"Everything ready? Then let's start!" he shouted. With a load roar the ship rose into in the air.

"We're going to... Agart!" Cid shouted and steered the ship in the right direction. Soon the Falcon had disappeared behind the trees around the castle, and was only a little, colorful spot against the air.

Kain had watched the departure of his friends from afar. He leaned against a castle wall, his long hair flowing in the autumn wind, and watched the ship disappearing behind the clouds.

"Uff..." he sighed and did not really know why he felt so relieved due to the departure of his friends. "I guess it's because they wanted to help me all the time..."

This was mainly that way because Cecil and Rosa believed that the only way, to "cure" Kain of his love for the young queen of Baron was to find another girl for him. Hardly a day passed on which they didn't tell him to go a ball, a meeting or some other place to meet new people. What had started as a well-meant help to make him feel home again at Baron, had changed into a "game" for some of his friends. Palom and Porom, the twin wizards even asked girls on the street if they liked the young fighter of Baron Castle and if they wanted to meet him. Most girls wanted, only that Kain had no interest in them.

"It's hopeless with me..." he thought. " I will never love anyone else than Rosa... She's beautiful, she's warm hearted she's... she's just everything one can wish for... Why can't Cecil understand... He himself can't love anyone else..."

He often had argued this way when speaking with his friend, but the paladin had always insisted that Kain's love wasn't "real", but an overreaction towards a life long friend.

"I wonder if he really thinks so... Only a Paladin would treat someone like me that nicely after all I've done..." He had to smile. Although the whole situation didn't really please him - being back in Baron with his friends was much better then living alone on a mountain. Especially Cecil and Rosa did everything they could to make him feel home again. He only just wasn't happy...

"Well, I don't need to be happy... I can hardly imagine when I've been in a really good mood at all... Serves me right..." he pondered sullenly as he slowly crossed the landing place. He wished Dawn was here, the young mysterious woman from Mt. Ordeals with the power to see into the souls of people. "She understood me./"

Suddenly he heard a crash, followed by the loud sigh of a woman. "What a mess!"

Before him, a red-haired girl was kneeling before the remains of a crate, which had obviously slipped out of her hands. Kain looked around. No one seemed to notice the girl, as everyone was busy with their own work.

He approached the girl. "Can I help?"

As the girl looked up, Kain noticed for the first time how pretty she was, with her big brown eyes and deep red hair. At the same time he thought that he'd seen her before.

"I know you... Di... Diane? Cid's daughter?"

"Yes - that's right. I am Diane!" The girl stood up, cleaned her hand in her red-white dress and extended it towards the ex-dragoon: "Pleased to meet you. You're Kain, right?" As she laughed, her lips gave way to a perfect line of white teeth.

"Yep- that's right..." Kain shook her delicate hand. "We haven't seen each other for a long time..."

Although Diane was Cid's daughter, Kain hadn't seen her very often, just from time to time from afar. The reason for this was - partly - that she spent most of the time in the house, helping her father and caring for the household since her mother had died early: The other reason was that Kain hadn't been very often at Cid's house - unlike Cecil and Rosa who had been constant guests of Cid and knew Diane pretty well, Kain couldn't be called a "real" friend of Baron's chief engineer. While Cecil had been interested in airships very early in life and liked to rummage as a kid through his workshop while Rosa couldn't get enough of Cid's stories of foreign lands (which weren't always true...) he had prefered to stroll outside. Dark, cold winter evenings had thus been the only moments when the three, otherwise inseparable friends, hadn't been together - while Cecil and Rosa were visiting Cid and Diane, Kain had explored the nearby woods, training with his spear while imaging wild monsters behind every tree.

"Still I didn't know she had become so pretty!" the young man thought now, as he studied the laughing girl in front of him, who was about to continue cleaning the mess at her feet.

"Well - let me help you..." Kain added quickly, but not too friendly "Doing such a kind of work isn't right for a girl like you..." He tried to smile, knelt down, too and started to put some tools in the box.

"Oh - I'm not as weak as I look: I am used to cleaning up behind my father... He is such a scatterbrain..." She stopped for a moment and glanced at her "helper".

"Uh... Aren't you supposed to be on the ship? May I ask why you' re here, Sir Kain?"

Kind looked at her, irritated. "Just Kain... You can call me Kain... Theoretically we know each other since our childhood... Well... ER... I am here because.."

"You're here to get your thoughts free... And because you wouldn't stand being with Rosa on the ship where you would have to see her all day... And because Cecil would try everything he could to make me feel better although he should know that's is of no use... And because it is probably partly your fault that so many people died or got hurt due to the earthquake..." he thought.

"Er... I guess... I wanted to be alone for a while..." was everything he said...

"Oh..." Diane smiled. "I understand... I heard that there was a great fuss about you as you came back... I guess it's only natural that you need some time alone after that... I myself like being alone once in a while... Although..." Her brown eyes sparkled. "Although I get hardly the chance when my father is around..." She laughed.

Kain looked at her in amazement. "I understand", she'd said. No one besides Cecil and Rosa had ever really inquired how he had felt upon returning to Baron and seeing all his friends again...

"So where have you been the last year? Mt....Mt...." Diane inquired again.

"Mt. Ordeals..." Kain informed her quickly.

"I hope she doesn't want to know more about it..." he thought. He wasn't at least in the mood for talking about THAT at the moment.

"It... it was very lonely there..." he added, to say at least something.

"Hmm... I guess so... But sorry, I am talking too much. And you surely do not want to talk about such things at the moment.. Better finish work..."

She started sorting faster.

Kain stared at her, irritated. How could she know that he did not want to talk about it? Why didn't she inquire more? Most people weren't so considerate towards him - they asked question over questions on the pretext of wanting to help him - mostly they were just being curious.

"No... you don't ask too much..." he replied and grabbed a dirty tool, absent-mindedly.

"Careful! There's oil at the handle!" Diane informed him.

"What? OH..."

It was already too late - a big oil stain had soaked deep into the right sleeve of the red uniform Kain was wearing since he'd thrown his dragoon armor away.

Diane stared at the mess. "Oh I am so sorry, Sir... I mean Kain. You shouldn't have helped me while wearing such an expensive looking uniform... If you would accompany me to my house I could clean it right away..."

"ER... That's not necessary..."

Kain somehow didn't like the idea of visiting Cid's house. "I wanted to be alone for a while..."

"Oh please! It's no big deal for me, really..." The red-haired girl heaved the crate up.

"Alright.. But I'll carry the crate. It's much too heavy for you..."

Kain hastily took the box - he was amazed how heavy it really was. "Well, now you're into it... But you can't let her carry the thing alone, can you..."

He smiled slightly "Lead on; Diane..."

"Thank you! You're really kind..." The young woman rushed forward.

"Kind?" Kain smiled bitterly "She thinks I am kind... What a joke... I wonder how old she is..." he pondered, as he followed her slowly. He only knew that Diane was older than Rosa, who had been the youngest of the three friends.

After a while they reached Cid's big workplace in Baron Town. "So - already there! I hope the walk wasn't too long.."

Kain dropped the toolbox with a sigh. "Huff... No, not too long... Still I am wondering why Cid lets his daughter carry so heavy weights..."

"Well - he has no one else to help him... It's not that dire... Please come in!" Diane motioned inside.

"No... It's not necessary..."

"But the stain..."

"It's not big... I'll let one of the castle maids clean it..."

"No don't be shy Sir... I mean Kain... Such stains must be cleaned at once or they will never disappear. Please, I have to do something in return for helping me..." She reached for one of his arms, though rather hesitating, as if she was afraid to touch him.

"Alright, alright... But just for a moment..."

"Great! I'll just clean the stain..." Diane laughed. "Oh, and please excuse the mess..." she blushed a bit.

The dragon couldn't help but chuckle: "Well, being Cid's house I expected no less... What the heck?! " Kain stared in amazement at the room he was standing in. What he had expected to be filled with dirt, metal parts and oil tubes, turned out to be a very nice and tidy, bright room with flowers in every corner and a cozy fireplace.

"I didn't know that Cid was living in such a nice house..." he gasped.

"Oh - this is only our living room... His workshop is next door- take a look at it and you won't find it so nice anymore! But please sit down..." Diane smiled and led him to a soft cushioned chair at a table. "I am with you in a minute..." She hurried away, her long red hair trailing behind her.

Kain used the time to take a closer look at the room.

The evening sun fell through a big window beside him and bathed the room in a golden, very calming light. A sweet smell lay in the air which obviously came from the various flowers in the room, which were standing in full bloom even at this time of the year. As Kain looked closer, he saw plants which could only be found in the woods.

"I am back..." Diane had a bowl with a strange liquid in one hand and knelt beside him. She started to rub at the sleeve. "It will just take a moment..."

"Sure... Take your time...." Kain felt somehow uneasy. Sitting in Cid's nice, tidy house with his daughter cleaning his uniform wasn't something "appropriate" for a decent fighter like him. He decided to ask something to hide his embarrassment.

"Nice flowers... I wonder why they are still in bloom..."

"Oh - I'm always keeping as many flowers here as possible - they drive out the oil smell... Some of them are very rare."

"Yes... I believe I have seen them in the woods around the castle..."

"That's right. You must be a keen observer. I picked them there and planted them in jars..." Diane sounded suddenly very happy.

"Are you often in the woods?"

"No... There's always so much to do, that I hardly leave the house." She sighed. "I do love the woods. The silence, the trees, the smell of earth... "

"It can be dangerous for a young woman like you in the woods... Aren't you afraid?"

"Oh no! I never venture far into them... My father would die of fear.... Though I would like to go really deep into them just once... I am sure that there must be really fascinating flowers... You have surely seen all this, haven't you?"

"What? Oh... Yes, it's nice..." In fact, Kain knew places were certain flowers were growing, but they had never interested him much.

"So, good as new!" Diane had finished. Actually, no trace of the stain was any more visible. "And now I won't hold you up any longer. You sure were on the way to somewhere when I met you... Well, anyway - nice to have met you..." She led him to the door.

"Yes- sure...Goodbye...Maybe we'll meet again" Kain tried to smile.

Diane smiled back, than lowered her gaze a bit. "Mmm... Maybe you could tell me about the forest sometime..." She blushed a bit. "Only if you want..."

"Er... sure... I guess I could take you even with me on a walk, if you wish so..."

Diane's eyes started to sparkle. "Really? That would be great!" Suddenly she got very serious. "Ah, forget what I said... A fighter such as you has surely better things to do... Good night!" She smiled again and shut the door.

Kain stood for a moment in the descending darkness, wondering if he should feel good or bad, then wandered into the pub to drink something.

Cecil was standing at the railing of the airship and surveyed the woods below. Yang steeped up to him. "It has been a long time since we all traveled together; hasn't it my friend?" he asked friendly.

Cecil gave him a smile. "Yeah- it's a pity that Kain is not with us..."

Yang looked at him, thoughtfully. "You are worried about him, aren't you?"

"Yes... I fear that he gets too isolated. I am always trying to tell him that his love for Rosa isn't "real" but at the moment I am not so sure myself... I mean if someone would tell me to stop thinking of HER..." He gazed lovingly at his beautiful wife, who stood laughing beside Cid and obviously was enjoying herself.

Yang had to smile due to Cecil's reaction- it was always amazing how emotional the normally calm Paladin got when talking about Rosa.

"You think too much, Cecil... I am sure that Kain will get over it and will fight with us again... By the way, what exactly are you planning to do when we've reached Agart? It seems that you didn't tell us every one of your thoughts at the meeting this morning..."

"Well...". Cecil smiled due to Yang's good sense of observation.

"First of all it's important to see how the rescue teams are doing... The people of Agart shouldn't be too long without a roof over their heads. I would also like to ask some of the survivors how the earthquake took place..." The deep blue eyes of the Paladin stared thoughtfully at the landscape below..

Yang sensed that something was wrong with his friend. "Cecil, you don't think that the earthquake was only the effect of the moon which is coming nearer, do you?"

The young king reflected for a moment before he continued "I don't really know what to think, but all the things that have happened during the last days can't be coincidences. Sure the moon is coming nearer for unknown reasons, but that does not explain the increasing monsters or the magic fluctuations in the air. And then there was this mad sorcerer on Mt. Ordeals which tried not only to charm me, but Kain before... I cannot believe that this wasn't planned... He also said that this was just the beginning... Scary, huh?" He shuddered.

Yang watched him attentively. "You're sensing something, do you..."

"Yeah... Since the... happenings... on the mountain my powers seem to have increased... I can feel things very clearly now and right now I sense... disaster..."

"If you say so, my friend, then it will be so... I trust you fully and I am very glad that your powers have returned..." Yang slapped Cecil friendly on the back.

Cecil smiled gratefully. "Yes - it was all a matter of trust..." He watched his wife again. As Rosa caught his eye, she smiled and blew a kiss over to him. Cecil winked back and looked then to the far end of the deck, where Rydia and Edge were standing and talking. Well, in fact Edge was talking, while Rydia took her best to ignore him.

"Maybe we'll find find a way into the Underworld, if we search close enough..." the paladin mumbled.

Yang nodded. "Even if we don't, Rydia may be able to contact Leviathan and Asura better from near the entrance... She told me that she had have problems lately..."

"Yes... She seems to be homesick... And there's something else, I don't know how to describe it. It's just that I have never seen her so... unstable... since back then when her mother died..." The paladin lowered his head: Thinking of the night in Mist hurt.

"You do worry too much, again... Maybe it's just the magic fluctuations in the air... " Yang tried to calm him.

"WILL YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE FOR A MOMENT!" Rydia's clear voice could be heard.

"...And Edge..." Yang added grinning. He and Cecil glanced at each other, nodded and then walked slowly towards their friends to prevent a fight.

Rydia was furious again.

"Look, I didn't mean it that way, baby..."

"I am not your baby... And if you don't mean the things you say you don't have to say them at all!"

Tears were standing in her eyes as she rushed away and nearly bumped into Cecil and Yang.

"Rydia..." Cecil was surprised. "What's the matter?"

Rydia looked at him defiantly. "I am sorry; Cecil... I just need some time alone..." She rushed down the stairs leading under deck. The paladin started to follow her, but was held up by a soft hand clutching his arm. "Don't darling, I guess she really needs some time alone. I'll talk with her later..." Rosa had appeared beside him.

"If you mean so- still I wonder if everything is alright with her..." The paladin frowned.

"Edge! What did you do now, boy?" Cid shouted heartily from his place at the steering wheel.

The ninjas eyes widened: "Me? I did do nothing..." As he saw the skeptical looks of his friends he added: "Well, at least nothing unusual... for me... I just asked her, if her monster friend really never were eating chocobos... I wanted to cheer her up..." He looked as innocent as he could, but failed completely.

"Tsch, Edge..." Rosa sighed. "When will you ever learn not to talk from Rydia's friends as monsters..."

Edge stared at her: "Well, but that's what they are...Literally spoken..."

The next day the reached the Island of Agart. Already from above one could make out the mess - chasms ran through the island and from the once beautiful town of Agart only some ruins remained. The sight shocked all on the airship - no one had expected that things were that worse and Rydia gasped, as she saw that the entrance to the underworld had become a mountain of earth and pebbles.

Rosa rushed to her side to comfort her, but the caller tried to pull herself together. "I am alright...It's no complete surprise to me... I knew what was awaiting us here...Still..." She looked sadly at the land below.

"Don't give up now, Rydia..." Cecil tried to console her. "Lets land and examine the things from near... Hey- have you seen the twinkle, there?" He pointed towards the land near Agart.

The others rushed to the railing but could see nothing.

"Maybe it was the sun..." Rosa suggested.

"Yeah... Maybe... Cid! Prepare the landing!"

Still the paladin had the feeling that there had been something... Something which did not belong here...

~*~

The recovery work at Agart was going fine. Helpers from all part of the Blue Planet were building temporary accommodations for the homeless victims of the earthquake, tending the wounded or clearing away rubble. Yang hurried towards the beach to meet with Fabul's fleet, Rydia searched for a quiet spot to contact Asura, while Rosa was inspecting the sick quarters.

Meanwhile, Cecil and Edge inquired the survivors of the earthquake about information. Mostly, the people told them that the earthquake had been a sudden one, with no following quakes - it was a miracle that only that few people died, as it broke out so suddenly...

Nearly the whole evening passed by with such actions.

"We're not getting any further... Although the earthquakes were too sudden and strong for normal ones, no one has noticed anything unusual at all..." Cecil ran a hand through his long white hair, looking worried.

"Maybe it was just an accident at all..." Edge mumbled, looking tired and slightly frustrated from running around all day in the rubble, too. Suddenly he felt someone pulling on his blue cloak.

As he looked down he saw a little girl. "Hey, Mister..."

"Bugger off..." The ninja said dryly. The child looked at him with big eyes.

"Have you no parents?" Edge was getting impatient.

"Edge!" Cecil hissed beside him. "Maybe she really has no parents..." He gave him a meaningful look.

Edge got red in the face at once. "OOPS! Right... Sorry..."

Cecil glanced at him angrily, then bent down to the girl.

"Hi! What's your name?"

"Lucy..."

"Fine, Lucy. I am Cecil and this is Edge... Edge, say hello to the little lady..." He gave his friend a painful push.

"Ouch... Why is everyone pushing me these days..." The ninja sighed, then bent down, too.

"Yes - I am Edge - famous King of Eblan, well-known ninja and..."

"Edge, stop it..." Cecil sighed.

The little girl laughed. "You have funny blue hair..."

"What?" Edge looked offended, causing Cecil to grin.

"You have funny hair, too..." The girl pointed at the astonished looking paladin.

"He he..."giggled Edge. "You know Lucy, he is a Luna..."

Before he could end the sentence the paladin had pushed him again.

"No time for jokes, Edge... We both had our fun..." Still he was looking quit embarrassed.

"So..." Cecil asked carefully. "Where are your parents, Lucy?"

"There..." the girl pointed at some people near them...

"What luck..." Cecil felt relieved. "They're still alive.

"Tell me about the earthquake..."

Edge rolled his eyes. "Oh Cecil, come on - do you really think that this girl knows anything at all? I'd rather search for Rydia...."

"Well, then go...You don't know if this girl really knows nothing... Children can be very sensible..." the paladin replied, feeling slightly annoyed. Even though he liked the ninja, getting along with him was never easy.

"Alright, alright... Take your time... I am waiting..." Edge muttered.

"So Lucy- what about the earthquake..." the paladin repeated his question.

The girl reflected for a moment until she replied, her voice full of excitement:

"I was scared - all people were screaming and running around, and everything was shacking. But Mommy and Daddy are alright and I have found my Twinky!" The child happily held up a stuffed bunny, which surely had seen better days.

"And now I am glad that there has been this earthquake, as all these people have come here, and the boats and the funny wizards and..." Lucy chattered on and on.

Edge grinned. "Oh what about "Children are so sensitive!", now, Mr. Paladin... All we got to know till now is that her bunny is named Twinky..." he whispered.

Cecil turned red "Yeah... You're right...For once..."

Edge made a noise of triumph. "You should have listened to me from the beginning, Cecil... Come on, let's search for Rydia... Maybe she went into the woods..."

The girl suddenly stopped her listing. "Woods? Do not go in woods... I come from there... Me and Twinky have seen dark, scary man..." Lucy looked deadly serious at the two men in a way only a child could look.

"Well, that's all we needed, alright... The big, dark man... Hey Cecil! Can you believe that? The big, dark man..." Edge started giggling.

"Shh...Let her speak...Where have you seen this man, Lucy?" The Paladin got attentive.

She pointed west: "Not far from here... I was playing when I saw him... He didn't saw me, but he made me afraid, so I ran..."

"Thanks Lucy, you've been a great help... "

Cecil wondered if this "man" had anything to do with the things he had seen.

"Edge, I am going into the woods..." he stood up.

"Cecil! You must be kidding! Kids see things all the time!" Edge protested.

"Well, you can search for Rydia..."

"And let you go all alone?"

"What's the matter here?" Yang, having finished his inspections, approached the two.

Cecil filled him in shortly, disrupted by Edge's satirical remarks.

"So... you think that there really is someone in the woods? Why should a villager go there?" Yang concluded the report.

"That's the point... And you know what I've told you before... Something feels... strange..." Cecil sounded worried.

The king of Fabul nodded. "Alright... I'll accompany you. See you later Edge!"

Cecil looked at his friend gratefully. "Yang never lets me down."

Thus, the paladin and the karate master ventured into the thick, dark woods.

Kain had been up early this morning, although his head hurt, having drunk one or two glasses too much yesterday...

"It's a luck Cecil and Rosa are not here - they don't like me sitting alone in the pub all night..."he thought, hitting the straw fencing dummy with his spear - combat training in the early morning hours had become one of his favorite actions during the last few days. Mostly he didn't got to it as his friends wanted to have breakfast with him... Not that he didn't like being together with them, but since Cecil and Rosa knew everything about him, they always had an expecting look in their eyes.

He hit the doll again, angrily for thinking in such a way of his best friends. "They do everything to help you though you don't deserve it... You should be more grateful..."

All of a sudden a friendly, clear voice pulled him out of his brooding:

"Good morning, Kain! You're up early..."

Diane was standing at the far end of the courtyard, her long deep red hair tied together as usual and carrying a basket over one arm.

"Oh! Good morning Diane - I am always training at this hour..."

He wiped the sweat from his face. "So... you've answered he r- now let her go..." a voice inside of him said.

The pretty young woman looked at him cheerfully:" Well - but it's quite frosty this morning. Better take care not to catch a cold..."

He had to think of Rosa's sudden outbursts...

"Oh - don't worry... I am used to the cold..." He nearly smiled bitterly due to the double meaning of his words. "A cold heart..."

Diane still looked at him, expectantly. Kain felt the urge to say something. "Uh - what are you doing here? I've never seen you at the castle..." He approached her slowly as shouting across the courtyard made him feel silly.

"Mostly I use the back entrance to the kitchen - I am helping out the castle cooks with some self-baked cakes..." She pointed at the basket.

"Cakes, huh... Ahem... Well- let me carry the basket for you..."

Diane looked at him; surprised. "No... no... You don't have to... I didn't want to interrupt you..."

"You haven't. It really is frosty this morning... I'd like to get into the warmth..." With a slight smile he took the basket out of her hands.

"Thank you very much... Diane made a slight courtesy and smiled broadly.

They walked silently towards the castle.

"So..." Kain started, just to say something "It's strange that we've met each other this late..."

"Well..." Diane suddenly lowered her gaze. "In fact I have seen you quite often, but..."

For a moment she looked nearly shy, and then smiled, sheepishly. "I've never had the courage to talk to you..."

"Oh - why that..." Kain asked as casually as possible. Her statement was no surprise to him - many people went out of his way... The thought him to be in a bad mood, aggressive, ominous. He himself thought of him that way, often...

Diane's next remark surprised him, though: "I... I just thought that you wanted to be alone... You always look so thoughtful, as if you had suffered much..."

Kain suddenly had to grin broadly as it had been his habit once ago. "Thoughtful..."

No one ever called him "thoughtful", but always "depressive" or "grumpy". It somehow occurred funny to him. He couldn't stop grinning.

Diane watched him "Hey- it's right... Your smile really is something special as the two... ups... Forget what I said..." She blushed a bit and lowered her gaze again...

"Let me guess... Two little kids, one girl, one boy caught you at the street and told you about a poor lonely fighter at Baron Castle?" he asked sourly.

"Yes.. exactly... Though I thought it to be a joke... Surely a man as you has a girlfriend..." She let it sound so obvious as if saying her own name.

"ER... sure..." Kain lied.

Cid's daughter showed no visible sign of emotion but smiled as usual.

"She really knows nothing of you..." In the last few days it had often occurred to Kain that everyone at the castle and at town was knowing about his feelings for Rosa... He knew that this was impossible - his friends would never let out such things, but he couldn't help feeling that everyone around him knew more about his inner state of self than he, himself.

They had finally reached the kitchen door.

"Well- thanks for carrying my basket..." Diane sounded still a bit shy.

"No problem...Err... Diane..." Kain asked carefully.

"Mmm?"

"Would you still like to see the inner forest?"

"Yes?" it sounded more like a question than an answer.

"Maybe... maybe I could take you with me... Let's say tomorrow morning?"

For a moment Diane seemed to hesitate, but then smiled. "Yes - I would like to go very much... See you!" She disappeared in the kitchen.

"Why did you do that?." Kain leaned back against the wall. Suddenly he had to grin again. "Maybe it's just because she called you thoughtful..."

The woods around Agart were dark and dense. Cecil and Yang were already searching them for a quite a time now, and it was slowly getting dark...

"Cecil.. Are you sure that you are not mistaken this time? Maybe the man was really just a child's fantasy..." Yang asked. He was starting to feel exhausted.

His friend looked at him pleadingly, though it was obvious that he was tired, too. "Please Yang... Just a little bit longer... I am sure that... There - did you hear that?" He stood still.

"Damn thing... Where are you?" a voice could be heard nearby.

"Yes..." whispered Yang. "I think it came from there..." He pointed towards a group of trees. Slowly the two approached them. Some feet away from them a tall, strong looking man with long, black hair was obviously searching for something. Cecil suddenly started to shiver. "There's something strange about this man..."

"That must be the man the girl was talking about..." he whispered.

"Maybe we should watch him for a while..." Yang suggested. "He hasn't noticed us yet..."

"No... If we wait too long he will surely go away and following him in these woods without getting noticed is not possible..."

"I must know who he is..." Somehow, the paladin felt an urge to talk with him.

"Cecil... Wait..." Yang hissed, but his friend had already stepped out from behind their hiding place.

Yang frowned. "Strange... Normally he is much more careful..." He hurried after the paladin.

"Well met, stranger..." Cecil exclaimed loudly.

The tall man flinched due to the sound of Cecil's voice and whirled around. His piercing blue eyes grew wide and for a moment he just stared at the paladin, his harsh features a mask of surprise and bitterness.

Finally he spoke "Cecil... To meet you here of all people..." His voice was deep and strong, even booming when whispering as now...

The young paladin got pale. "This cannot be..." But the feeling he had before became stronger...

"Gol... Golbez? ...Brother...?" He stared in shock at the man before him, hardly able to speak.

"Hey- what's the matter, Cecil?" Yang steeped up to him and eyed the black haired man skeptically. "Have we met, before, Sir?"

The man grinned. "I believe so, honorable Sir Yang. I am the one who helped bringing chaos over your world one year ago..." It sounded mocking but also bitter.

"Golbez!" Cecil gasped. "I... I didn't think I would ever see you again ..."

"Nor did I... Although I am not really sure if I am welcome here... You don't look very happy, Cecil..." Golbez smiled slightly.

Yang frowned. He didn't liked Golbez's tone. Besides, he hardly looked like Cecil's brother at all with his black hair and harsh features, which were so different from the paladins white hair and his almost soft face...

While Yang was still studying wordlessly the tall man, Cecil seemed to regain his composure again.

"Well - you are certainly welcome... It is just so... surprising..." He swallowed and then tried to smile. "Now get a hold on you, Cecil... No evil is emanating from him...Just something else disturbing..." He took a step forward and, as Golbez didn't move an inch, extended a hand.

"Welcome home... brother..." To his surprise he sounded officially.

The man showed no emotion as he returned the gesture, but as Cecil took his hand he felt that it was shaking. Yang gasped as he saw Golbez' features from close - his eyes were deep blue like Cecil's and looked almost soft in the harsh but not unattractive features of him.

"He really is Cecil's brother..." he murmured.

The paladin must have thought just the same as he was smiling more freely now and clutched warmly Golbez's hand in his. His brother managed now a slight smile of his own, though rather sadly. "It seems you are real paladin after all - greeting a man who has hundreds of lives on his mind and tried to kill his own brother more than once, can't be called anything else than holy and noble..." He uttered a bitter laugh again and drew his hand away as if afraid to show any more emotion.

"We can talk later about this... How did you come back, anyway?" Cecil asked, shaken.

His brother shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know... I woke up and heard this strange calling... And then there was this mirror..." He raised an eyebrow. "Funny an experienced magic user like myself would fall for such a petty teleport trick... As I regained my senses I found myself here in this forest... I've been searching for a gate back for several hours now...

Cecil looked at him in disbelieve: "A gate... back?"

"Somehow I thought that meeting my brother would be different..." He suddenly felt very alone.

Yang noticed the confusion of his friend. "But good master Golbez - you do not intend to leave your newly found brother alone again?"

The man stared at him coldly: "Very noble words, Sir, but I am not sure if it wouldn't be better that way... You couldn't possibly have forgotten what I did...and Cecil sure the least..."

As he saw his younger brother bowing his head slightly his gaze became more warm and sad. "I am really not sure if I should go with you..."

"And what else will you do? My long lost brother appears just out of the nowhere, says "Hello" and disappears then without giving me even a chance to understand what is happening just now..." Cecil looked at him despondently "If you're only half as confused as I am you would know why I am acting so strange..."

He approached the tall man and touched his black armor clad arm carefully after just a moment of hesitation.

"Please come with us and meet the others... Somehow... somehow I wished meeting my "real" brother, even though I am a bit... afraid right now..." he said in a low voice, speaking out what he seemed to feel.

The honesty of the paladin's words seemed to affect Golbez somehow and his features lightened up for a moment, making him look nearly afraid. "Alright... But I cannot promise anything..."

"What does he think is expected from him..." Cecil frowned.

"Well - I'll lead the way..." Even Yang seemed to feel slightly confused by the unexpected behavior of Golbez.

With a nod the tall man followed, only now and then looking at his younger brother who walked next to him and was trying to sort his thoughts. "Why does he behave so strange? I mean - sure I didn't expected him to give me a warm welcome...But he is so... cold... Curse s- I worry too much again... You yourself didn't behave very friendly. He surely has a lot on his mind and is unsure how to behave..."

He watched the expressionless features of the man. "So - that's my long-lost brother..."

Somehow, he knew it would take a long time to understand that.

Rydia sat down near a rock formation at the feet of the former entrance to the underworld which was now just a big mountain. She sighed and closed her eyes, trying to get in telepatical contact with Queen Asura or King Leviathan. It was pretty much the way she used for calling lower monsters to aid her in battle. But today nothing seemed to work. She had changed her sitting place 5 times during the last hours, trying if various places would help her in getting contact with the Underworld due to their different magical energies.

After a while Rydia's eyes flashed open again... She just couldn't concentrate.

Behind her, she heard the cracking of twigs.

"Hey Rydia! Here you are!" Edge shouted, grinning as usual.

As he heard the summoner sigh, he added quickly: "I hope I do not have interrupted you again..."

"No, you haven't - somehow nothing works today. I thought that being near the entrance

would help contacting the others, but it seems even to work less... I wish I knew why..."

Tired, she dropped her head between her knees.

"Oh..." Edge sat down on the ground next to her. "I had a hard day, too. Cecil and I walked between rubble, dust and dirt all day, interviewing the survivors of the earthquake... It was pretty depressing..."

Rydia frowned. She wondered if anything really could depress the ninja...

"And then there was this little girl who said that she'd seen a big, dark man in the woods and know what? Hah - Cecil and Yang went into the woods to search for him... Can you believe this!?"

Edge let himself fall back to ground with a laugh and looked in the muddy and gray sky. "Hey Rydia... Do you think Cecil has had to much stress lately? I mean running after a child's fantasy is pretty dumb, don't you think..."

"Maybe..." Rydia mumbled between her knees "But he normally has a good feeling for what is important and what not... Maybe the girl really saw something..."

"Uh... Maybe..." Edge mumbled, not wanting to anger her. Besides she was right - Cecil had a sense for such things.

For a moment both said there, silently.

After a while Edge cleared his throat: "Err, Rydia?"

"Yes?"

"Sorry for what I said yesterday..."

Rydia raised her head and looked at him, surprised. "Oh that... It's... alright..." she said. It was a lie as it wasn't alright at all, but since she knew how hard apologizing was for the young ninja she didn't want to discourage him. Besides, she was much too tired for another quarrel.

"Is it really alright?" Edge asked carefully.

"Yes... I wasn't in a good mood, too..." she said to console him.

"Yep - right..." Edge grinned.

"What do you mean with that?"

"I mean that you can behave pretty childish and stubborn when you..."

He wanted to add "when you're angry, but you're looking real sweet then..." but he didn't get that far.

"Childish?" Rydia said loudly. Her fatigue had disappeared completely. "If anyone here is a child it's you!"

"No... Wait... Let me end the sentence..." Edge frowned. "But hey! I am not childish! I am a king!"

"Oh what a fine King! If Chamberlain wasn't there you would hang around all day and your Kingdom would lie in shambles!" the caller gifted.

"That's not true! Take that back!"

"No!" Rydia started to sulk and wrinkled her snub nose.

"At once! Take it back!" Edge sounded hurt, although he liked Rydia when she looked like that.

"No! Cause's it is the truth!" repeated the caller.

"Hey - can't you two be a bit quieter? It's hard to concentrate by such a fuss!" a male voice suddenly said, loudly.

Edge pushed himself in a sitting position at once and looked around.

Near a tree not far away a man in expensive looking clothes was standing. In one hand he held a large wooden staff with an emerald at top. His hair was clipped short and was green like Rydia's -as well as his robe and cloak. Two green and sparkling eyes in a handsome face were looking amused at the two young people before them and the thin lips of the man were curved in a smile.

"Sorry if I have frightened you, but you really were a bit too loud..." His voice had a clear and intelligent tone.

Edge started to mutter, but was cut short by Rydia.

"Sorry if we have interrupted you..."

She stood up and approached the man, ignoring Edge's skeptical look.

"I am Rydia of Mist and this guy back there is..."

"Hey! I can introduce myself!" the ninja muttered and was at her side at once, fearing that Rydia in her rage might introduce him not "properly".

"I am King Edge of Eblan, master Ninja and one of the five heroes of the battle against Zeromus!" he said proudly. As a King he always liked the introductions best. "And who are you to dare to interrupt us in our doing?" he added for a dramatic effect.

Rydia rolled her eyes and looked at the traveler, apologizing "Ignore him... He's always like that..."

"Hey..."

The traveler started to laugh quietly... It was a youngish laugh, making it hard to say how old he was. "Oh - it's alright! Lady Rydia, your majesty..." He bowed slightly. "I am Kieran of Devonshire, mage and scholar..."

Rydia clapped her hands together: "A mage? I am a mag... I can use magic, too... This is so exciting! Don't you think so Edge?" Since Tellah's death she had hardly met wizards who could cast magic as advanced as hers.

"Mmm... If you say so..." Edge muttered. Even though the fellow had called him "your majesty", he didn't liked him.

Kieran smiled "So - what are a pretty magic user and the famous King of Eblan doing in the wilderness like this?" Rydia giggled.

"You asking pretty much questions..." Edge snapped.

"Edge!" Rydia hissed. "He's only trying to be polite!"

The wizard was still smiling "Oh, if your friend feels bothered by my questions I must apologize again: It may be true that I am asking too much, but I guess this is just my nature..."

"Wow! He's so polite!" Rydia was fascinated. "But... but no... Surely you may ask... We're here together with Cecil, I mean with King Cecil of Baron and King Yang of Fabul to examine the earthquake at Agart..." she said with haste.

"Oh - so you, My Lady must be the one of the five heroes, too - the beautiful summoner Rydia... Forgive my ignorance..." He bowed again and flashed her a charming, but not impudent smile.

Rydia blushed. "Hey - have you heard how he called me?" She whispered to Edge. The Ninja just grunted.

"And what are you doing here?" he asked cheerlessly.

"Oh, me? I am examining the earthquake, too, ordered by the council of Silvera...If I may I'd like very much to meet your friends... Maybe we could share our informations..." the young man replied.

"Yes! Surely! You can..." Rydia beamed of joy.

"Hey - now wait! We do not know this man!" Edge hissed.

Kieran looked at him, friendly "Is there something wrong?"

"Yes... You said we broke your concentration... What were you concentrating on?" the ninja inquired.

"Oh... that... I... I was testing if the magical fluctuation in the ether have changed due to the earthquake..." Kieran seemed nervous.

"Hmm..." Edge looked at him skeptically.

"It's difficult to explain..." The man gave a help searching look to Rydia.

The Caller smiled: "It's alright! Come on Edge, don't be so unfriendly. Wizards always have their little secrets..." She winked at Kieran. "I think Cecil and the others will be happy for any help they can get..."

Rydia nudged the Ninja in the side and then set up her sweetest smile: "Pleeaasse..."

"Yes... Yes... Alright..." the ninja sighed - he couldn't possibly deny Rydia anything.

"Great!" the girl laughed "You lead on Edge - I'll follow with Sir Kieran - we sure can exchange some magic knowledge!" The handsome man bowed and offered her his arm: "If I may, Lady Rydia... By the way, please call me Kieran..."

Rydia giggled and took his arm. "And you can call me Rydia! Edge, what are you waiting for? Soon it will be dark!"

The ninja snorted angrily and lead the way.

Cecil, Yang and Golbez had nearly spoken a word during their walk out of the woods, Cecil only reassuring his skeptical looking brother now and than that he really would be welcome.

"We'll see..." the black haired man replied calmly with a raised eyebrow.

"How can he be so calm..." Cecil felt still confused, although a strange happiness filled him. In the last weeks many things had happened on which he did not knew nor to exactly react on - Kain's return, the quarrel with Rosa and now the return of his brother. "It seems that when I've just sorted the first thing out, another follows..."

They reached their friends, which were standing in front of the airships, talking just before the darkness descended. Rosa ran towards them to greet her husband... "Cecil- here you are! We were already worried!" She fell around his neck. As she noticed him blushing and shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot, she knew that something was wrong. She suddenly noticed the tall man, who was standing behind the paladin in the shadows...

"Cecil..." she said, slowly releasing him. "Who's that?"

Cecil looked at her. "That's...my..." He hadn't to continue, having talked so often with his wife about Golbez.

"That's... Golbez?" Rosa whispered.

The man stepped from out of the shadows. "I presume you are Cecil's wife, Lady Rosa?" he said plainly and extended his hand. Unintentionally, Rosa took a step back, the appearance and manner of the man being frightening and overwhelming. As she took her courage together and looked him right in the eyes, she seemed to relax.

"Yes... that's right..." She stepped forward and took his hand, friendly: "Nice to meet you Golbez... I think I hadn't have the pleasure to meet you in this "appearance" before!" She smiled at him winsome. Golbez smiled in return, and for the first time it was one of amusement and not of bitterness.

Cecil stared at his brother in amazement. "It is really good that Rosa manages to stay so calm..." He was happier than ever to have taken her with him. His wife returned to him and took his arm supportively.

"''Tis Golbez?" Cid approached the group of people.

The black.haired man raised an eyebrow again: "And you are?" he asked casually.

"That is Cid, one of my oldest friends and chief engineer of Baron. You may not know him, as he wasn't with us in the tower of Zeromus..." Cecil informed his brother friendly. Seeing Golbez smile and the support of Rosa had helped him in regaining his usual calm and confident composure again.

"Oh - pleased to meet you, too. I believe we have met once - but my memories of what happened while I was "lost" are very sparse..." Golbez said, half excusingly.

"Lost?" Yang asked.

"I believe he means the time he was under hypnosis... Ain't I right, Golbez?" Cecil tried to help.

His brother nodded. "Yes... though it was rather a complete other personality in me rather than just hypnosis - or so I wish to believe..." Bowing his head slightly he said in a lower voice: "Still I know very well what I did and that there's no excuse for it..."

"Seems you're brothers at all, Cecil!" Yang said friendly. "That's a favorite line of you, too..." He obviously was thinking of the incident with the Mysidian delegation.

The Paladin wanted to repeat something, but knowing that Yang was just helping to lose the tension, just nodded slightly.

Golbez looked thoughtfully for a moment at his brother. "Is it that way?" he mumbled.

Cecil hadn't heard the remark. "You shouldn't worry too much about the things that happened back than... Many people got manipulated back and I for one can say that no one here is holding a grudge against you..."

Cid and Yang nodded.

"Yes- Cecil is right... We should concentrate of your reunion and not dwell on the past..." Rosa said.

In return Golbez managed a smile again "Thank you very much... I suspected that my brother would have fine friends..."

Cecil smiled "He slowly comes out of his shell..."

"There sure is much to talk!" He took is brother by the arm- now without hesitation. "Please tell us how you got here exactly - you, see we have problems here at the moment as well..." The two man followed by Rosa who hang at her husbands side, as well as Cid and Yang, they started to walk towards some shelters, interesting listening to Golbez's calm and patient explanations of how he had come here.

~*~

After a while Rydia, Edge and Kieran had reached the landingplace of the airship as well, Rydia and Kieran talking intesitely over the problems of casting a "Frog" spell, while Edge muttered quietly to himself. Rydia spotted Cecil amongst their friends under one shelter.

"There they are! Soon you will meet Cecil - he's a wonderful man and sure will be very interested in hearing what you know about the earthquake... You know Edge, Kieran thinks that..."

"Tell that Cecil, not me... If he's interested at all... Looks like something has happened..." Edge frowned.

Kieran nodded. "Yes, seems so to me, too... Maybe I should visit your friends later?"

"No - not at all... Cecil will surely have time for you..." She smiled due to her words - the paladin really always had time for her.

As the three reached the tent the king of Baron was the first to spot her, although he seemed to be listening attentively to a tall, black-haired man: "Rydia, Edge? Where have you been? You know, my..."

Rydia was so excited that she cut him short without listening: "Cecil! We've met a mage named Kieran - he's a scholar and thinks that the earthquake..."

The paladin looked at her irritated and wasn't listening at all. "Rydia... I..."

"Hey! Cecil! Don't you want to say hello to him?" Rydia was confused - her friend never behaved like that.

The paladin sighed and nodded towards the smiling green-haired man. "Nice to meet you. We can talk later..." he said friendly, but also a bit impatiently. He turned his attention again to the black haired man who had stopped his explanations for a while. "Sorry.... Please go on..." Golbez nodded and started to describe the mirror he had come through, his blue, intelligent eyes resting calmly on his brother.

"Well, seems your friends are occupied at the moment, Rydia..." Kieran said.

"Sorry..." Rydia sounded confused. "Normally, he isn't like that..."

Meanwhile, the dark-clad man had finished his story. "So, since I was sleeping all the time I've not noticed any movement of the moon at all..." he concluded.

"Hmmm... strange..." Cecil frowned.

"Hey? What's going on, guys?" Edge broke his thoughts.

Suddenly the paladin became aware again of the three people who were standing next to him.

"Sorry that I haven't introduced you right away: "Rydia, Edge: this is my brother Golbez!"

Golbez nodded politely.

Edge just stared at the man: "This... this is Golbez? He doesn't look like your brother at all!" As he saw his paladin friend frown, he muttered at once: "Er.. sorry Cecil.. I didn't want to sound impolite..."

Golbez had to laugh loudly - the others looked at him in surprise. "No need to apologize, King of Eblan..." He got serious again, although his words were accompanied by a dry smile: "It seems that the dark side changes the appearance of a person very much..."

Cecil looked at his brother with concern, though he didn't understand his words completely.

Edge just skipped the remark - Rydia's new friend Kieran occupied him more than anything else.

The caller just stared wide eyed at Golbez and had stepped a bit behind Kieran as if being afraid.

Cecil turned his attention back to her, being sorry for his rather rough behavior some minutes ago. "You have met someone, too, Rydia? What was your name again, Sir? Kieran?"

The wizard who had listened attentively the whole time stepped forward and bowed: "Yes, your Highness... I am Sir Kieran of Devonshire, mage and scholar and here on behalf of the city state of Silvera to examine the recent earthquakes..."

Cecil nodded friendly "I am pleased to hear that Silvera is also still interested in solving the current crisis... Have you come to any conclusions, yet?"

"We, so far we believe that it must be the effect of the moon coming nearer and nearer..."

Yang added.

Golbez nodded approvingly "Although I know little of the situation on earth the coming of the moon is a disturbing sign, indeed... Originally it should reach the earth again in more than 50 years..."

Kieran stepped a bit closer: "The moon surely could be the reason, though I've come to a different conclusion..." he said, smiling. "I believe that it was caused by a malfunctioning of the tower of Bab-Il which leads down to the underworld..."

"Nonsense..." Golbez interrupted him.

The smile on Kierans face faded: "And what brings you to this opinion, Sir?"

"The tower of Bab-Il has no machines which could cause an earthquake of this size...." the man replied calmly, fixing Kieran intensely.

"And how do you know that, Sir?"

Golbez smiled bitterly. "I am the one who operated it..."

For a moment no one said anything...

The silence was suddenly broken through a loud crash from outside and the screaming of some people:

"Oh my god! What's that?"

"It's a monster!"

Without a moment of hesitation the friends grabbed their weapons and hurried outside: Golbez seemed to reflect on something for a moment and then followed them as well as Kieran.

The cries and shouting outside came from the nearby shore: In the darkness a giant snake was towering against the sky.

"It's a giant sea snake!" Cid gasped.

"I thought they were extinct? Is it a summoned monster by any chance, Rydia?"

Cecil asked.

Rydia stared at the giant creature. "I... I guess no... Cecil. I... I can feel nothing...." The girl was still confused by the sudden appearance of Golbez.

The sea snake threw it's fish like head back and uttered a loud, howling cry. It's long tail with a fin at the end hit the roaring waters around it and caused a big wave which destroyed some of the shelters near the shore. Everywhere, people were running around screaming.

"Yang, Cid!" Cecil shouted against the noise of the tide. "Try to calm the people and bring them to a safe place... The rest of us will deal with the monster... Golbez?" He looked questioningly at his brother.

Golbez calmly nodded: "I am at your side..."

"Count me in, too!" said Kieran, clutching his staff tightly.

Edge grinned: "You don't intend to fight this thing with that, do you?" The ninja let appear some shurikens in his hands with an unbelievable speed. "That's magic, don't you think?"

Kieran just stared at him: "We'll see..." he said slowly.

"Now don't start to quarrel!" Rosa shouted. "Everyone , be careful!"

While Yang and Cid tried to get the people in safety, the rest of the party rushed forward.

Cecil watched the monster, frowning. "It is too dangerous to go near it... We have to fight it from afar..."

Rosa came aprubtly to a halt and took her bow from her shoulder: "Maybe I can hit it right between it's eyes..." She drew the bow and tried to aim. "Ah - it's so dark... I can hardly see..."

Cecil, who had stopped next to her, closed his eyes and started to mumble quietly some incantations: "LIGHT!" Between his palms a glowing sphere appeared, which bathed the surroundings in a soft glow; making the snake more visible, it's yellow-green eyes looking hungrily.

Rosa licked across her lips as she took aim: "Yess..." The arrow shot towards the snake got stuck next to one of his eyes. The creature uttered a cry again, but did not return to the sea. It turned a bit and hit the beach with it's tail and sent a cripple of sand towards Rydia, who was preparing a spell.

"Rydia! Watch out!" Edge spurted towards her, put one arm around her waist, and hurled her away while he threw with his other hand some shurikens at the beast... The sharp throwing objects got stuck in the thick, oily and scaly skin of the sea monster.

"Curses!" The ninja hissed. "Cecil - what are we doing now? This thing just seems to be too strong and won't disappear..."

The paladin unsheathed his sword: "Well... seems like we have no choice but to fight it from up front..."

"Cecil, are you mad?" Rosa said startled. "You don't intend to go any more nearer to this creature, do you? It will crush you!" She grabbed his arm.

The paladin looked her in the eyes: "I know that it will be dangerous, but if we don't drive away the monster soon, it will probably destroy the whole shore..." He carefully tried to pull her arm from her. Rosa clutched it even stronger: "This is suicide! I won't let you go..."She exclaimed angrily.

"Ah, come on Rosa!" Edge shouted "We have no choice..." He unsheathed his two ninja swords. "Come on Cecil - let's make some sushi!"

"Cecil, Edge!" Rydia gasped, who was still standing a bit beside herself.

"The girls are right, Cecil..." It was Golbez's calm voice. "There's no need to risk his own life needlessly... Let me try..."

He took a step forward, stretched his armor clad arms to the sky and mumbled one or two short phrases, eyes closed. The air around him suddenly began to glow softly. The half-lunar opened his eyes and extended a hand forward with a little hiss, sending a flash from out of his fingertips towards the creature, then another and another within seconds. The missiles hit the sea snake and the surrounding ocean with a tremendous amount of power.

The others stared at him in amazement, as the tall man seemed not to tire in the least.

"Brother..." Cecil whispered, feeling Rosa clutching his arm tightly. "This is unbelievable..."

"I've never seen someone casting high level lit spells in such a speed..." Rydia gasped.

The sea snake screamed louder and louder, head and tail whirling wildly...

"It's still no use!" Edge shouted "It's not disappearing... and not dying either..."

Golbez slowly lowered his arm - the bolts ceased. "Yes..." he said, only a hint of exhaustion in his voice "It seems to have some kind of magic barrier around it..."

"Strange... I've never experienced this before..." Cecil stepped up to his brother. "Are you all right?" he asked, concern in his voice. Golbez gave him an irritated look: "Sure- why shouldn't I?"

Cecil gasped.

"If we can't kill it we can maybe drive it away with something?" Rosa proposed.

"Yeah!" Edge shouted "Rydia! Can you call some of your mons... friends?"

"I... I can try..." Rydia said meekly. She put herself in spellcasting stance: "Seeker of Flames come and lend me your power: IFRIT!" Nothing happened. "I can't seem to get in contact with him..." Rydia sounded desperately.

"Maybe he's out..." Edge joked.

"Very funny..." Rydia hissed and tried to summon Ramuh... Again she failed: "I don't know what's the matter..." She was short before breaking into tears.

"Rydia..." Cecil tried to calm her.

Suddenly Kieran stepped forward. "Let me try..." her said smiling and raised his green staff in the air. "Spread you wings, oh ancient one and lend me the power of destruction: BONEDANCER APPEAR!" he sang in a strange way.

The air high over him began to swirl all of a sudden, magic flashes in the air everywhere: With a loud roar a giant, dragon-like monster with leathery skin appeared and flew towards the sea snake. Everyone had taken a step back - the creature looked very powerful...

The hurt sea snake screamed of fear as it caught sight of the attacker and dashed into the sea... As Kieran opened his eyes again the other monster disappeared, too...

"How...how did you do that?" Rydia couldn't believe what she had witnessed.

"But Rydia..." Kieran smiled. "You should understand that very well..."

The girl stared at him in amazement: "You're a caller, too?"

The wizard nodded.

"Good work, Sir Kieran!" Cecil was the first to congratulate.

"Yes - it was a luck that Rydia and Edge met you..."Rosa added, beaming happily that everyone was still safe and sound.

"Yes, yes... Not bad..." muttered even Edge.

Golbez was watching the whole scene silently.

"Hey you guys did it!" Cid screamed from afar. "Here's everything right, too - no one got seriously hurt!"

"Fine!" Cecil sighed. "I guess after this experience we all need some rest... I would propose that we return to Baron tomorrow - seems there isn't much we can do at the moment..." Everyone nodded in approval.

"That's right boss! I for one, am needing a drink..." Edge announced loudly. "Hey Rydia - care to come with me?" The caller frowned. "Alright.. I understand..." He turned to Kieran: "You can come, too..." he said, sourly.

The wizard smiled: "It would be my pleasure...King Cecil, would you also allow me to come with you to Baron? It seems that we could work together..." He glanced at Golbez.

The paladin smiled friendly: "Certainly, Sir Kieran. It would be an honor." Rydia smiled happily while Edge grunted, again. "Really need a drink now...

He, Rydia and Kieran walked of, while Yang and Cid went to the airship to do some checks. "Darling, I am going with them, too. Maybe I can help." Rosa said and kissed her husband on the cheek. "See you later!" She gave him a meaningful look. "You, too, Golbez!" She walked away, leaving the two brothers standing alone on the beach.

"She's nice..." Golbez said casually after a while.

"Wh..what?" Cecil stared at him. He had been deeply lost in thoughts.

"Your wife..." Golbez repeated patiently "She is a nice person..."

"Yeah... I know." Cecil had to smile unintentional.

Golbez raised an eyebrow: "May I ask what's so funny?" He sounded interested, not hurt.

"Oh... I mean it's just..." Cecil said sheepishly "It's just that from what I know of you until now, it's funny that you would say such a thing..."

Golbez looked at him, a slight hint of irritation in his eyes "Yes?"

"I mean - showing some emotion..."his brother continued, weighting his words.

Golbez seemed to reflect on something for a moment "Yes... maybe it's unusual for me... But that's probably how I am...Without much emotion..."

Cecil shook his head: "That's not true... You're only confused. For me it's only the shock of seeing my brother again, but for you this all must feel much more irritating..."

Golbez smiled slightly: "If you would like to think so..." It sounding mocking.

Cecil frowned - the reaction of his brother angered and confused him. Still he had the feeling that their relationship was better than some hours before. He decided to finally speak out what he'd wanted to ask Golbez all along:

"Golbez...Come with us to Baron..."

The tall man turned his back to his brother and stared out on the sea.

"Why?" he asked plainly.

"Why?" Cecil stammered. "You ask why? Because you are my brother, whom I never really met..."

"But you have met me before, haven't you? And fought?" Golbez sounded amused.

Cecil felt blood rushing in his cheeks, slowly. "That wasn't YOU. That was someone else... You've said yourself that you were "lost". I don't understand you... I thought you'd like to get to know me better, too. Our good-bye at the crystal tower wasn't a very "satisfying" one, was it? But now everything is different... What are you afraid of? Why not live with us for a while? You've seen that the others wouldn't mind... Don't you want a family?!"

Cecil's voice trailed off. He knew that he'd probably gone to far. "Sorry..." he mumbled. "Guess I am confused, too..."

Golbez laughed quietly again. "So it's settled... I am going with you to Baron..."

"Why the sudden change of mind?" Cecil stammered.

"What could I probably say against your words, Cecil..." Golbez turned around and faced his brother, suddenly a deadly serious expression on his face which the Paladin had never seen before.

"But know..." Golbez said calmly "That I do not belong here..."

A cold wind from the sea came suddenly up, and made the paladin shiver...

"I am going for a walk, Cecil... I haven't seen human dwellings for a long time. You should go to your wife - she surely is waiting for you.." Golbez smiled and started to walk away.

"Brother!" Cecil called after him.

"Yes?" Golbez stood still, but did not turn around.

"Thanks for helping us out during the fight..."

The tall man chuckled slightly "Well - why shouldn't I help my little brother...It's the least I can do." He paused. "Maybe I want to have a family after all - at least partly..."

He walked away.

"Partly?" Cecil tried to get meaning into the words but didn't succeed. "I wonder if it was right to just blurt out my feelings..." he frowned. For a moment he was not even sure if it really had been his feelings, or if it had been just things he felt he had to say. He'd said that their last meeting on the moon hadn't been very "satisfying" - truth was that it had been that way because of a certain tension between the brothers back then, which mainly had gotten out from... him... He still remembered very clearly how he had been torn between a familiar feeling and the will to forgive on one side, and a deep uncertainty paired with rage on the other side.

"But now, it's different... I've learnt a lot during the past year- I have forgiven him..."

Still some uncertainty remained...

"You must know that I do not belong here" Golbez had said. "It had sounded as if he wasn't human like me.."

With a sigh Cecil decided to let things rest for now, fatigue and cold feeding on his nerves enough. He hurried to get in the warmth.

"What the hell made you invite her for a walk through the woods?" Kain thought, as he put on his long, black boots, sitting on his bed in his small quarter. Although Cecil and Rosa had often enough offered him to move in some of the fancy guest rooms in Baron castle or rent a little house in town, Kain had been insisting on moving to a little officer's quarter near the castle barracks. The room was very small and had hardly any furniture except for a little chair and table, and a small cabinet. On one wall several lances were leaning - Kain's quarter wasn't cozy in the least but the ex-dragoon liked it well enough the way it was - in his opinion he needed nothing else.

Right now he was preparing for his walk with Diane and had just put on his traveler clothes, being more suitable for a venture in the woods than the beautiful red clothes Rosa had ordered for him after his return from Mt. Ordeals.

He sullenly left his room and walked to the castle front gate. Diane was already waiting for him. She had bound her long hair tightly together in a net and wore some white trousers, a red blouse and solid shoes instead of her usual gown. Kain couldn't help but stare at her - in this outfit she seemed more lively and fresh as ever.

The young woman blushed a bit and shifted from foot to foot, uneasily. "Good morning, Kain... Sorry about the outfit, but it was the most suitable I have..."

Kain shook his head, irritated. "No - it's fine... Really - just right for the woods..."

She smiled gratefully. "Shall we go then? I've taken something to eat with me..." She pointed to the basket in her arm.

"Oh... good..." Kain grumbled. Taking a picnic basket to a walk in the woods wasn't something he would ever dream of, but he didn't want to hurt her feelings. After all she was Cid's daughter and he had no interest to trouble the engineer.

It was a beautiful autumn morning - though it was cold, the sun was shining and the trees in the woods seemed like an ocean of gold, the fluttering leaves being the waves. Kain informed Diane casually about this and that, telling her of the dangers the woods contained, which animals could be found in it and where the best places for hunting were. The woods had been his favorite place since he was a little kid, and he knew them better than the winding corridors of Baron castle. Diane listened attentively as usual and only fell out of pace when seeing an especially rare flower amongst some leaves. Kain secretly wondered how persistent she was - he had feared that she would be tired after half an hour or so...

It had become midday by now and they had already ventured pretty far in the woods as they reached a light -flooded clearing.

"Huff... Can we make a pause for a while? Seems I'm not used to long walks like this..." Diane looked at Kain, apologizing.

"Oh... but you were... not bad..." he said more casually, than friendly.

"Thank you very much..." the red-haired woman smiled, and sat down near some trees, ignoring his tone. She started to rummage in the basket. "What would you like to have? A sandwich, or some fruits, maybe? Or some of my favorite cakes?"

"Oh, I am not hungry..." Kain mumbled, still standing.

Diane looked at him disappointed. "Really? Well I am hungry for sure, having walked all this way..." She started to wrap open one of the packages. "Are you sure you really don't want anything?"

The smell of fresh oven-backed bread tickled Kain's nose. His belly grumbled. In fact he was hungry, having eaten nothing the whole morning. "Ah what the heck...I hope know one ever gets to know of this! Kain - the solitary ex-dragoon making a picnic amidst the woods..."

"Alright... Maybe I could need a bite..." he grinned and sat down beside her.

Diane smiled broadly and gave him a sandwich. It tasted wonderful...

They ate silently for a moment, as Diane suddenly became interested in the sword that Kain had laid beside him. "It suits you..." she said between two mouthfuls of cake.

The blond man stared at her irritated "What?" He too, stared at the sword which was plain simple with a leathery bound, being totally different from swords like Cecil's Legend which were richly decorated. "It's just a plain sword..." he said, chewing.

"That's what I mean.. It suits you... A plain simple weapon without much decor around it... You're also not the type to talk around things long and you' re rather... rough... like the sword..." She leant her head to one side and watched him thoughtfully.

"Oh - you mean that..." Kain replied a bit unsure. He'd never thought about it like this - most of his weapons were this plain - they should only be functional.

He took another one of the cakes which were really excellent. Diane smiled happily "I am glad you had some hunger at all..." In fact Kain had nearly eaten all contents of the basket...

The fighter had to grin... "Yeah... seems so..."

"May I take your your sword for a while?" Diane asked suddenly. "I've never touched one before..."

"This girl really has strange ideas..." Kain thought, but did not know what to say against her request. "Sure... go ahead..." he sighed.

He leant back, chewing against a tree and watched how the delicate girl heaved up the sword. "Oh - it's heavier than I thought..." she ached. She went a few steps with it and tried to take a swing, which resulted only in falling flat on her back what she did very elegantly, though.

Kain chuckled slightly. "That will teach her, surely..."

To his surprise the girl only laughed, stood up again, brushed of her clothes and took the sword again. After a while she had even managed to put it in a half way decent fighting stance. "Is it right this way?" she said out of breath, trying concentrated to balance the sword.

"Guess you should help her - she might hurt herself... Cid would kill me..." Secretly he couldn't help but acknowledge again her persistence. He put the rest of his cake beside and walked slowly up to her. "Your grip on the handle is not stable enough..." he said, inspecting her stance.

Diane licked her lips in effort "Is it right this way?"

Kain shook the head. "No... you must do it like this..." He helped her holding the sword correctly. "And now take a swing..."

Diane frowned "How?"

Kain sighed, walked around her and reached around her from behind, laying his hands over hers. She felt warm and soft and smelt pleasantly of flowers.

Kain felt himself blush a bit - he wasn't used in being close to another woman except for Rosa.

"Do it this way..."

He helped her to wield the weapon and after some tries Diane had obviously understood how to do it...

Still she was exhausted. "Huff... Please let's stop. I am not used for this kind of thing..." she ached.

Kain nodded and released his grasp. As he faced Diane he noticed that her cheeks were more reddish than usual, too. For a moment they stared at each other. Diane opened her mouth as if to say something, but shut it after a moment of reflection and smiled instead.

Kain grinned mischievously in return - his once usual smile showing more often in the last few days. "Let's get back..."

Diane nodded and started packing the things together. "Can your girl-friend fight with a sword?" she asked casually.

"My... what?" Kain stammered.

Diane did not look up. "Your girlfriend... You said you had one... Sorry if I ask too much questions, but she must be an interesting person... If you don't want to talk about it..." she said in her usual friendly way.

"Well..." "Better tell her the truth... If Cid gets wind of this..."

"Truth is, I have no girl friend..."

Diane seemed to stiffen for a moment, but otherwise didn't react. "Oh..." she just said plainly.

"And you? Already engaged?" he asked, just to say something, although he knew the answer.

The girl shook her head. "No... I do not get around much...Besides..." she took the basket "In my spare free time I like to be alone, caring for my flowers..." She shrugged her shoulders. "It's just how I am, I guess..."

Kain nodded. He understood her very well in the need to be alone sometimes, though silently wondered that such a pretty and hard working girl as she had no boy friend.

The two young people slowly made their way back. For a long time no one said anything, and though Kain wasn't interested in carrying on the discussion the had have earlier, a question was still nagging inside of him:

"What did you mean as you said earlier that my girl friend must be an interesting one?" he blurted out suddenly, and hated himself at once for this question.

Blood rushed in Diane's cheeks "Oh... I..." She breathed deeply and then said, weighing her words carefully "I guess being together with you can be... let's say it can be difficult... Not every girl could do it... You're often so cool, and unapproachable. It's as if you're hiding something..." She lowered her head. "Sorry... I shouldn't say these things... I really talk to much. Please don't be angry..."

Kain had stared at her for quite a time now, looking really surprised. "No one except for

"I am not angry..." he said calmly. "It's right what you said. I've always been a bit of a loner... And yes - I have something on my mind... It's a... lost love..."

"It's alright - you really don't have to talk about it..." Diane said seriously.

Then she brightened up again. "Look! I can already see the town!" she exclaimed. "Thank you again for taking me with you... It's only a pity that I didn't take any flowers at all with me due to the whole sword fighting stuff...Well, can't be helped!" she laughed.

"Well - we could go again... Tomorrow if you wish, same time?" Somehow Kain had felt the urge to ask this.

Diane looked at him more surprised than ever "You... you would? Really? Great! And this time I can leave the basket at home... I guess picnicking in the woods isn't something for a fighter like you..."

"By any means, take it with you!" Kain grinned. "And don't forget these little cakes - they really tasted good..." Eating in the woods hadn't been as bad as he'd expected.

"Su..Sure..." Diane beamed happily. "See you tomorrow than... Hey, Kain?" she suddenly sounded serious again.

"Yep?"

"This long lost love of yours - is she a bad person?"

Kain looked confused. "No... Not in the least..."

"Then... she surely wouldn't like to see that she is worrying you so..." Before Kain could reply anything, Diane had turned away and was hurrying towards town: "Bye!"

"Bye..." Kain murmured and tried to understand why he just couldn't be angry on her.

"So - you are a caller, too?" Rydia asked curiously, her green eyes sparkling with fascination.. She was sitting next to Kieran on the deck of the airship, which was about to return on Baron. Edge was standing on the reeling and was watching the two, frowning.

"Yes. I am a caller." Kieran replied smiling, his eyes sparkling like hers.

"But you're a man..." Rydia said importantly, wanting to get really sure.

Kieran had to laugh. "Yes, that's true, but I am no caller in the ordinary sense. Did you know the monster I summoned?"

Rydia denied. "I've never seen a monster as this before, and I've lived quite some time in the land of the summoned monsters..."

"That is because it's not from there, but from another dimension..."

The caller started at him wide-eyed :"Another... dimension?"

"It's hard to explain... Only few people have this gift and these do not likely talk about it. That's why I reacted so evasively as we meet in Agart. The thing I was concentrating on was a monster for training reasons... You yourself may have noticed now and then how people react when meeting a caller..." he said, a serious look in his eyes.

"Yes - that's true... They just don't understand you..." Rydia glared at Edge. "But still it's great to have met another caller! I thought I was the only one!" she exclaimed happily, but suddenly got sad again "Although I can't seem to be able to call at the moment..."

"Ah...don't feel down - I am sure that you are only too tensed... In a few days everything will be alright again..." He gave her a supporting smile, which lightened up Rydia's spirits at once.

"Hey, tell me again about the tower of Bab-il and what it has to do with the earthquake. I find your theory quite interesting..."

Kieran started to explain, trying to ignore Edge's muttering.

Rosa had watched her three friends for quite some time now. "Hey, Cecil..." she said to her husband who was standing next to her "It seems Rydia is making new friends very fast these days. First Diana and now Kieran as well. Maybe it will help her getting over the homesickness..."

"Mmmm..."

"Cecil you're not listening again...!" She sighed. "It's about Golbez; isn't it?"

She had already noticed that the paladin was staring thoughtfully at the dark clad man; who stood with his back to them at the reeling of the airship and was watching the landscape below, his long black hair flowing in the wind like an endless, dark stream. He had stood there this way since the airship had started at midday.

Cecil sighed. "I do not understand him... Neither his behavior nor his words..." He had already told his wife about the discussion he has had with Golbez the night before, but Rosa couldn't get more sense in it than he.

"Yes - he's a strange person... But at least you could convince him to go to Baron with us..."

"Yeah... I hope he and Kain will get along..."

Rosa got a doubting look on her pretty face. "I hope so... He still does not seem so... stable as he used to be. It will probably be a shock for him to see the man who partly maneuvered him in the situation he is now. And how will your brother react?"

Cecil nodded. "So many problems... And we still must find a way to the underground..." He pressed his wife against his side. "I am just glad that you're here..."

Rosa smiled "Hey - we'll go through this all together. By the way, have you already told Golbez about the broken shrine on Mt. Ordeals?"

"No... I didn't want to shock him anymore. Maybe I'll tell him that now... I wanted to speak with him anyway..." He released his wife and walked over to the reeling...

"Hey Rydia! Look at this!" Edge shouted. He'd been trying for some time now to direct the attention of the girl from Kieran to himself.

"Edge! I am listening to Kieran..." the caller hissed.

"Please! Just one look!"

Rydia sighed and turned her head. "Alright! One look!" Kieran watched the ninja, too, looking amused.

"Great! So this is my double- ninja somersault!"

Edge started to run, jumped; but landed with a loud crash on the wooden planks of the airship after what could hardly could get called a somersault... He slid against Cecil who lost his balance.

"Edge!" the paladin exclaimed angrily. In this moment the airship made a turn and he fell backwards towards the reeling. Rosa uttered a loud scream. "Cecil!"

"Got you!" a calm voice said. Golbez had gripped his brothers with a strong arm, thus preventing him from getting to close to the edge of the ship.

Cecil gasped. "Thank you... That was close... Edge! How often have I told "No running and acrobatics when being on the deck of an airship! You'll kill us all someday..." he told the ninja.

Edge looked embarrassed "Sorry Cecil... I won't do it again..."

At the far end of the ship, Rydia sighed desperately....

Golbez grinned. "Seems I am of some use after all..."

"Yeah... Sometimes Edge can be very trying, but otherwise he's just a nice guy..."

"If you say so..."

Cecil decided to skip this remark "Er... there's something I must tell you..."

"Oh - seems to be something unpleasant by the sound of it..." Golbez chuckled.

Cecil frowned. "Yes... You see the shrine on Mt. Ordeals where I met father is... destroyed..."

His brother showed no reaction.

"It doesn't mean anything I guess, but it will be problem to get in contact with him aga..."

"Why would you believe that I wanted to get in contact with him?!" his brother asked suddenly, sounding nearly sharp.

Cecil backed away due to Golbez's reaction. "I was just presuming..."

"Then stop presuming thing!. Why should I probably want to talk with my father? And

about the shrine - serves the old man right..." He grunted.

"What? This "old man" is our father!!" Cecil stared at him in disbelieve.

Golbez fixed him intensively. Even his eyes had lost any warm glow completely. "And what has this father of ours done for us?" As he saw his brother opening his mouth, he interrupted him with a bitter laugh. "Oh I forgot - he made you a paladin and gave you this nifty sword - what a strenous action to tell someone "Now you're a paladin" or whatever he said to you. Do you really think that you would be someone different as you are now, if he hadn't said it to you? It was you who decided to be a paladin, not he..."

Cecil stared at Golbez aghast, totally surprised by his brother's reaction.

"Let me tell you something brother..." Golbez continued in a low voice "You can thank him for having to fight your own brother and seeing him again just now and for all the sacrifices you had to make.. And I can thank him as well: For killing hundreds of people and frightening them like I did with your wife and then waking up in cave full of sleeping old lunarians and not knowing a bit what the heck is going on! As... As he separated us after his birth, as he decided to give me away, and as he never in all these years helped any one of us!"

Cecil felt anger rising within him due to these words "Golbez! You can't possibly blame our father for the things that have happened! He's helping us in any way he can..."

Golbez smiled bitterly. "And where is he now? Where was he back then as I nearly killed you in the tower of Bab- Il?"

"He was there! Or you would have killed me!" Cecil repeated angrily.

Golbez leaned closer to his brother's face. "Then pray that he will be there again when I lose my senses the next time..." he whispered. He straightened himself and added a quick grin "what won't happen, I hope and if, you surely will do the right thing..." He laughed again, turned around and continued watching the landscape.

"You can't be serious..." Cecil had problems to stay calm.

"Hey darling..." Rosa asked softly. She knew from the posture of her husband that he was angry and had rushed to him immediately. "What's the matter?"

"Tell it to her, Cecil...Maybe you even want to get me of the ship..." Golbez chuckled again.

"Does he want to provoke me?"

The paladin breathed in deeply. "It... it seems that our friend Golbez here is a bit... nervous..." A slight smile crept across his face "Maybe he has some emotions at all..." Golbez seemed to stiff a bit. "Come Rosa... Let's ask Cid how long the voyage will take..." With a last look at his brother, the paladin and his wife walked away.

Golbez raised an eyebrow "Well done, little brother... It's just what I deserve... although... I'd rather like it if you would hate me..." he whispered.

The next day, Kain was up early and was just about crossing the castle courtyard, whistling a merry tune, as he met Edward. "Oh up so early, Kain? Training again?" the bard asked with his melodically voice, sitting on a bench, harp in one hand.

"Oh Edward! Good morning! What are you doing here?" Although the King of Damycan and he hadn't much in common, they respected each other - and if it was to please Cecil and Rosa.

"Oh- I just felt the urge to play some music on this wonderful morning..."

Kain only gave a polite nod "Liar... He probably had to think of this girl of his, Anna again..."

"And where are you going?" Edward asked, wanting to change the subject.

"Oh... On.. on a walk... in the woods... Right..."

"Alone?" Edward frowned. "Ah well I forgot! Cecil told me... You're doing this often...." He started to play a soft tune on his harp.

"Huhuh! Kain!" Diane shouted cheerfully from the castle gate. "I am here already!"

"Ahem..." Edward smiled "Alone; yes? You wouldn't be supposed to go..."

"It's not how it looks!" Kain snapped. "Besides - this is none of you concern..." He hurried towards Diane.

Edward just shrugged his shoulders and continued playing. "Don't get upset! Just be back in time! Cecil and the others should come back today..."

The ex-dragoon just muttered something unfriendly.

As Kain was out of hearing range the bard had to smile: "Oh my....Haven't I seen someone blush?"

~*~

This time, they ventured even deeper in the woods as Kain knew the best places for some special flowers. By Midday, Diane had a full basket of beautiful plants and the two settled down again to eat. They had talked and laughed a lot over this and that but hadn't gotten over chit-chat. Still, Kain felt in a good mood today and talked more than he usually did although the things that Diane had said yesterday hang foreboding in the air. Diane seemed to sense this. As they said down eating she suddenly became very still.

"Your cooking is really great Diane! No I know why Cid is so fat!" Kain grinned.

Diane smiled; almost shyly. "Are.. are you angry with me about what I said yesterday? You know... with your lost love..."

Kain shook his head "No... I like people who are straight forward..."

Diane nodded "Phew... Good... I just... I just like you much better when you're grinning like that...Ouch! Something's fallen on my hair..."

She removed the net and tried to get a little leaf out of her hair, but in the end had to loose it completely. Kain gasped as he saw the silky red mass of hair flowing over her shoulders gently.

Diane looked at him questioningly while combing her hair out with her fingers. "Everything alright?"

"You... you are very pretty, you know that?" Kain said and then hastily took another bite of his sandwich. "This is really good!" he said while chewing.

"Thank... thank you... You're quite handsome, too..." Diane said softly beside him.

Kain swallowed and looked at her again. She was watching him attentively, only smiling slightly.

"Well you're handsome when you grin..." Diane added and suddenly laughed.

"Kain?"

"Yes?" Kain tried to sound as calm as possible, though inside he suddenly felt excitement, nearly anxiety...

"Lets... lets be friends..."

Diane suddenly looked unsure "Did I say something wrong? I... I am sorry to have asked..

You're a famous fighter with enough problems of your own and I am just a simple girl... I am not like Rydia or your other friends... I can't even hold a sword..." She hastily tied her hair together and was about to stand up.

"No...no... Now wait!" Kain stammered "I... I was just in thoughts - there's nothing I would like more than being your... friend!"

Diane's eyes sparkled. "I... I am so glad...Oh - shouldn't we go back? Father and the others are coming back today..."

Kain stood up with haste, too "Yep - right, let's hurry..."

~*~

The others had arrived earlier. As Kain and Diane reached the castle gate, they were already greeted by their friends. "Kain... Here you are!" Cecil exclaimed: "We were already searching for you, when Edward told us that you were taking a walk in the woods, alone..." He looked at Diane, surprised. "Why hello, Diane!"

Edward smiled mischievous, but flinched as he noticed how angry Kain was looking at him.

The young woman made a courtesy "Welcome home, Cecil! Where's father?"

"He's still at the airship!" Rosa informed her.

"Hey Diane!" Rydia shouted. "Look whom I've met!" Diane rushed to her friend. "See you later Kain!"

"See you later Kain? Oh - you have become friends! This is so great!" Rosa beamed happily.

"Err... no, not exactly... Er..." Kain stammered nervously, wondering how he should explain everything.

"Not? More than that?"

"Ah - Rosa stop it! It's a long story... We are friends, all right?! Nothing more..."

"Really? You're blushing..." Rosa giggled.

"Really...I am not blushing - I've been outside all morning- it is normal to have red cheeks... Cecil, tell her to stop!" He grinned at his friend, who was deep in thoughts. "Why this serious face?"

Suddenly Rosa got serious, too. "Oh I nearly forgot - sorry Cecil... Important things first..."

"Important things?" Kain asked warily.

"Kain..." Cecil said "Golbez is back..."

Kain stared in shock at his friend "Golbez!?"

His two friends filled him in.

"He... he may be hard to get along with... But... but please try..." Cecil said, but secretly wondered how Kain possibly could do this. He himself had problems getting along with his brother.

Kain nodded seriously "I'll try as best as I can... Where is he?"

"At the castle - he was tired and wanted to rest a bit... We'll have a meeting later this evening to discuss what to do next - why not meet him then?" Cecil said.

"Alright!" Somehow Kain felt as if he could take everyone on, today.

Rosa and Cecil exchanged glances as they walked in - they had not seen their friends so self confident for a long time.

The friends met in the great hall of Baron Castle. Golbez didn't seem to notice Kain until the blond man approached him with a greeting: "Long time not seen, Golbez - or should I say master..."

The tall man chuckled slightly "You seem to have kept some humor at least... The dark side can be so corrupting - I hope the weight on your shoulders is not too great!"

Kain frowned. Cecil was right - Golbez was really strange.

"You're really straight forward, are you? I had some problems, but your brother was so kind to forgive me for my doings and is helping me, together with Rosa, greatly..."

"Yes - Cecil is that way... I hope it helps..."

"Well excuse me but..."

Golbez behavior angered and confused Kain - what was this man thinking!

The tall man raised a hand "No insult meant - If I haven't done it before I would like to apologize again to you for what I did, though I would understand also, if you would like to beat the hell out of me..."

"He sounds as if he's accepted everything he's done in a strange way- as if there had been no other choice..." Kain studied him coldly "What's done is done... Time will prove if we can get along..."

"Fascinating!" Golbez laughed. "I didn't think that you would react that cool - from what I remember, you used to be quite a hotspot. Maybe my brother's efforts weren't in vain after all..."

"Yes he's right... I am very calm... I wonder why?" Still, he did not like Golbez's way and secretly wondered why Cecil had brought him with him.

"Cecil has done very much for you and I am sure that his "efforts" could help you as well... Golbez. As much as I understand Cecil's desire to see his brother again, as much I hope that you won't disappoint him..." Kain grinned and started to walk back to the others. "The meeting is starting - you should come, too...

"Well done dragoon- you do not disappoint me- fight me with all you've got... It is the best you can do..." Golbez murmured quietly and followed him, smiling dryly.

The meeting started. Cecil and the others informed Edward, Palom and Porom as well as Kain shortly what had happened at Agart. "As Golbez didn't sense anything unusual at the moon, we can assume that the problems - or at least the reason for the increasing monsters lie somewhere else... Am I right; Brother?" Cecil said with a sharp glance at Golbez: He still hadn't gotten over what the other had said about their father the day before. His brother nodded calmly.

"All these things - the earthquake, the monsters, the burnt shrine, the magical sea snake can't be just coincidences. And worst of all the magic fluctuations in the air make it harder and harder to cast certain magic spells..." the paladin continued. "Kieran here had an interesting theory concerning..."

"And I say again that it's is completely nonsense!!!" Golbez interrupted him in a sharp tone.

Cecil's face grew hard "Would you be so kind, Golbez to let him speak, please?"

"As you wish, Cecil..." He seemed nearly happy about the scolding.

The tension between the two brothers was very visible now and unnerved the others. They were not used to Cecil talking in that way.

Kieran bowed slightly, though his face showed no sign of triumph due to Cecil's scolding.

"Yes... well - I believe that the tower of Bab- Il is causing all these problems of late due to a mechanic malfunction. As you must know, the tower contains ancient technology - a weapon system or something like that may have gone out of control and is not only causing the earthquake but also an unusual amount of static energy which is causing the magical fluctuations..." the wizard reported in a calm voice. For a moment there was silence.

"And why the destruction of the shrine?" Edge asked sharply.

"Probably just the work of a madman..." the green-haired man proposed.

"No.. I don't believe that... Dawn... a person I met at Mt. Ordeals knew the man - there sure is more to it..." Cecil argued.

"I agree. This man, who also tried to corrupt me surely was acting on purpose... He probably planned to separate us..." Kain added.

"Oh - so he was another manipulator...Interesting..." Golbez frowned. "May I now speak, Cecil?" It sounded serious.

The features of the Paladin softened a bit "Maybe I am too hard on him..." He tried to smile.

"Surely, brother - your advise is welcome..."

"As I said before - the tower of Bab-Il has as far as I know no technology which could be responsible for an earthquake or such... I believe that your suspect that the moon is causing all this is right... It still does not explain everything... All I know is that I, too, are likely to have been brought to the Blue Planet by purpose rather than accident, which means that something here must be clearly wrong..."

Most of the others nodded in agreement.

Edge seemed to be skeptical "That's all fine, but what are we doing now? Waiting for the next catastrophe to come could be a mistake..."

"I would propose to visit the tower of Bab- Il right away - not only that it could solve all problems, we could also try to re-access the underworld through it..." Kieran proposed.

"Really?" Rydia stared at him in disbelieve.

"Most of the tower of Bab- Il lies in ruins... We do not know if there even is an entrance at all..." Edward considered.

"I agree... Maybe it would be better to visit the Elder of Mysidia again... Word from him comes only very sparely... Maybe something happened... We also could find this "Dawn" you were speaking of, Cecil." Yang said.

"Yes - it is probably the best thing to do... The theory with the tower of Bab-Il is too vague..." The paladin looked thoughtful.

"May I ask your Highness why you don't intend to at least try entering it? Surely the wish of Miss Rydia to return to the Underworld is known to you, as I understand you' re friends..." Kieran demanded. Rydia stared wide eyed at him - to speak in such way with Cecil...

Unlike Golbez's case, the paladin stayed calm, though "Yes - she is a very dear friend... Netherless the risk is too great unless we have no other options left... Surely Rydia will understand that as well..." He smiled at the caller, who nodded, though seeming to be sad.

"Sir Kieran... May I ask where you knowledge of the construction of the tower comes from?" Golbez studied the man amused.

For a moment Kieran stared hatefully at him "You may... In the library of Mysidia I have found ancient constructing plans for a tower very similar to Bab- Il. One can assume that there has to be a connection between the two..."

"Hmmm... Interesting..." Golbez murmured, leaning back in his chair.

"Er... so it's set then? We're off to Mysidia?" Rosa seemed to tire of this constant bickering.

Everyone agreed - except for Kieran: "And I say it again... It's a mistake, your majesty..."

Rydia looked at him, concerned.

"For now let's rest..." Yang proposed "Tomorrow will be soon enough".

Everyone nodded and left the table. As Kain was about to leave the hall he was stopped by Parom and Palom. The two twin wizard hadn't been at the meeting "For a good reason, probably" Kain frowned.

"Hey Sir Kain! Won't you thank us?" the little boy asked.

"Thank you? For what?" Slowly it dawned on Kain.

"Well that you're together with Miss Diane..." Palom stated.

"What?!! I am not together with Diane..." Kain said aloud and cursed himself at once for this. "Hope nobody heard me..."

"What's with me daughter?" Cid approached the group.

The twins giggled.

"Nothing..." Kain answered quickly.

"She is his new girl friend!" Porom blurted out.

"You brat... That is not true!" Kain bellowed, head deep red.

"See - he is blushing!" Palom laughed.

Cid stared at him stunned "I hope this is a joke!"

"Really Cid! I... We've just become normal friends during your absence... You know that I love only..." As he saw the twin wizards blinking curiously at him he frowned. "Well- you know what I mean..."

This seemed to calm down the sturdy engineer.

"Good - hands off from her... She's a good girl - nothing for you..." Cid grunted and walked away. He and Kain had never got along very well, Cid being some what old fashioned while Kain had been quite a hot spot in his youth. Only their friendship to Cecil and Rosa held them together, though Kain often had the feeling that Cid never really had forgiven him for what he'd done to them... especially the quarrel between the couple due to Kain's return.

"You will regret this..." Kain hissed to the children, which started giggling even more.

The ran away, singing "Kain has got a girl friend, Kain has got a girl friend!"

"I believe the two are still kids after all..." Kain smiled. Nothing could reach him today....

Cecil breathed deeply. The situation at the meeting table had showed even more that he had to talk with his brother. "He just interrupted me and I got nasty with him... All this provocations- he sure is only trying to hide his inner self..." As paladin - and brother Cecil felt compelled to do something. Still he wondered why he was so nervous.

He swallowed hard and knocked on the door. "Golbez? May I come in?"

"Sure..." a voice sounded from within. Taking another last, deep breath, the paladin entered the guest room of his brother. Golbez was sitting comfortably on a chair and was smiling at him as usual. His dark armor lay in a corner and he now was wearing plain clothing which made him less fearful - still he was an imposing figure.

"Cecil - it's your castle... Why do you knock?"

"Golbez.. Please stop being so cynical... Even being a King gives me no right to enter the room of ... strangers..." Cecil let himself fall down on the bed.

"So... I am a stranger to you..." Golbez spoke the words monotonously - it nearly seemed as if he didn't care - or had expected such words from his brother.

"No... not exactly... but all the things you do - or say are not like my brother at all..." The paladin spoke softly, an expression of sorrow on his face.

"Hmm - you sound as if you would know your "brother"- maybe you're just wishing for someone I cannot be..."

"I am a Paladin and I can sense evil! And I know that you're not evil! Why can't we use this chance of reunion?"

Golbez stood slowly up and turned to look out of the window. "Cecil - you have become a wonderful man... You are King of a beautiful country, have a wonderful wife and good friends... There's no need for me..."

"You're my brother!" The paladin sounded desperately.

He wanted to clear things once and for all, although it seemed hopeless at the moment.

Golbez laughed softly. "Oh what a great brother I am - destroyer of nations, unable to give my dear little brother at least a warm welcome..." He suddenly whirled around, pointing at his chest "I am dead - here... All that remains is my brain and my wits - maybe there was never anything else, maybe there was. Logic is the only thing left in me..."

"He hates himself..." Cecil bowed his head "Your words... frighten me..."

"They should... Hate me Cecil- with all your might... See in me what I really am - a puppet of others... Of Zemorus, of the other lunarians, of anyone you like...!

The paladin shock his head. "Why are you doing this to me?" he whispered.

The voice of Golbez suddenly became so soft as it had never been before "Cecil- why can't you leave me alone? What is it that drives you, that let's you endure my behavior, my mockery? What are you searching for?"

The Paladin stood, his face a mask of grieve, tears of anger and sadness in his eyes.

"Maybe I am searching... for you... And I won't hate you nor give up..." he whispered, turned on his heels and left the room, unable to say any more.

Golbez put a slender hand to his forehead, the sorrow of ages seeming to lie in the gesture. "Then search forever- I am lost..."

~*~

On his way across the hallway Cecil stumbled into Cid.

"Hey Cecil! Good to see you! Could you have a talk with Kain, please? It seems he's been dating my daughter during our absence! I mean - I believe him that they only friends but still: Diane is a fine girl - I don't want Kain to spoil her..." the sturdy man babbled outragedly.

Cecil, who was still feeling completely down only nodded absent- mindedly. "Cid - not now. I need some time alone..."

"But..." Cid started to protest.

"Kain has changed - and your daughter is grown up, too..." the paladin cut him short.

"Cecil! What do you want to say with that?"

The paladin sighed and held up a hand - until now Cid hadn't noticed the distraught look in his friends face. "Give me a break - I'll talk with him, later..."

Not waiting for an answer he went down the hallway and disappeared around a corner, noticing no one around him.

"Huah- why is everyone so nervous today?" Cid muffled and went home.

~*~

"Kieran? Are you in there?" Rydia asked carefully.

"Oh... It's you, miss Rydia - please come in..." a friendly voice replied.

Rydia swallowed hard and entered the room. Kieran of Davenshire was sitting cross-legged on the floor, eyes half closed. There was a certain aura around him, something brilliant, but also mysterious. Rydia had problems to turn her eyes away from the man before her.

"Am... am I disturbing you?" she asked carefully, finally.

The wizard's eyes flashed open:" Not by any means - I've always time for another caller...Please sit down..."

Rydia joined him on the floor. Kieran watched her curiously with his sparkling, green eyes.

"I.. I don't know how to put it, but... Is it really right that one could reach the underworld through the tower of Bab-Il?" she asked, feeling strangely fascinated by these eyes of his.

Kieran's smile vanished. "Yes, I believe so - though you have seen that the word of a scholar seem to count less than that of the others..."

Rydia blushed a bit "Oh - normally my friends are not this way..."

"Rydia- I am sure your friends are great, but do you think they really understand you?" Kieran reached out and laid his hand on her arm... His touch was light as a feather but had also something electrifying, as if his whole being was pulsating with magic energy.

"Well - some do, some don't..." Rydia stuttered, his touch confusing her.

"No..." Kieran leant closer "Can they feel how it is to be a caller? To have the power to travel between planes? To feel the eternal loneliness of not knowing where to belong?"

"Loneliness..." Rydia's lips trembled. Yes, she was feeling lonely, often...

"Yes - loneliness... We believe that we belong here, too, but this is not the truth... We may be human, but we are not used to live in this cold world. Our destiny lies with them - in a world more full of magic than anything else..." The sentences were whispered, a strange, ensnaring sound of words.

"A...cold... world? But... I have my friends here...Cecil, Rosa, Diane, Edge..." Rydia tried to clear her thoughts - the things he said were so... persuading.

Kieran looked at her compassionately "Rydia - if they were really your friends they would do everything to get you back! Why does King Cecil does not want to go to the tower of Bab-Il?"

Suddenly the spell was broken. "Because it's too dangerous! He's said that... If there would be a way he would take it...He would never betray me..." Rydia said dedicatedly. Cecil had become one of the few persons she trusted nearly completely.

Suddenly Kieran's voice got more sharp, too "He's the one, together with this Kain, who murdered our kind in Mist - and your mother..."

Rydia frowned. She did not like talking about this incident, as it was in fact the only "problem" in her friendship with the paladin. She knew that Cecil would never forgive himself for what he had done, as well as she could never forget this night...

"How...how do you know that?" she asked Kieran, her voice trembling.

"I am a caller, too. We know many things..." Kieran smiled.

Rydia lowered her eyes " Yes - it's true that he did that... But it wasn't on purpose... He's done so much for me..." Although it had been hard for Rydia to trust Cecil at first, she didn't hate him for what had happened - unlike Kain, he had tried to help her.

"If he hadn't been there, Kain might have killed me..." she whispered.

Kieran's eyes became soft "Yes - I believe you...I am sure that the King wants you no harm, but don't you think that his behavior is more based on compassion than on real sympathy?"

Rydia stood up "No... That's not true... They're my friends - I am as human as they are!"

Kieran looked up at her "Maybe you understand them - but they can never understand us! I think they don't want to go to the tower of Bab-Il because the don't want to let us go back... To let you go..."

Rydia stared at him, trembling. "Why do you say such horrible things? You appear so aggressive all of a sudden - and I thought you were like me..."

Suddenly there was a change in Kieran's appearance and he bowed his head in grief.

"Rydia..." he swallowed hard. "I've lied to you all - I am no Silveran scholar... I am a fugitive..."

Rydia gasped for breath.

Kieran ignored her and continued to speak, obviously totally absorbed in his tale.

"I've traveled the upper world to gain knowledge, but all I learned was pain and suffering... One night, I was staying at an inn in a little hamlet near Mysidia..." He laughed bitterly. "You know how suspicious people can be in these outskirts - and then me with my green hair... Still they let me alone... Till, till some monsters attacked the hamlet... There were screams everywhere.. I ran out at once - next to me there was a little boy calling for his mother... She was attacked by some horrible fiends..."

Rydia got pale. "Mother..."

"Without thinking, and though tired I called a monster - the other creatures fled in vain, but... but the woman I wanted to save started panicking..." He began to sob quietly

"I couldn't stop my monster in time... It...it killed her... I never wanted to..." he buried his head between his knees.

"Kieran - I didn't know..." Rydia fell back next to him, feeling an incredible urge of compassion. She carefully laid a soft hand on his hand. Kieran looked up and clutched his hand in hers.

His voice was hoarse as continued "Thank you Rydia, but that was not all... The people accused me of having been responsible for all the monsters - They said that I had called them and that I was only toying with them... They attacked me with weapons... and fire..."

"Yes..." with a trembling hand he pulled back the robe on his arm, wordlessly... The flesh was dark and scarred.

"Oh my god!" Rydia gasped.

"I could flee just in time- though the Elder of Mysidia sure will be searching for me... that's why I went to Agart - I want to go back, too...."

"The Elder? But he's never told us about someone like you..." Rydia said, disbelief in her eyes.

"Yes- because I am not allowed to exist... What would the people say if they knew there was someone like me? The say they accept us, but in truth we're only useful if we're domesticated!" Kieran's voice had become sharp, again.

"Do... mesticated?" Rydia withdrew her hand.

"Yes - we're like animals, monsters to most of them until we do not use our powers for their wishes..."

"I don't believe you..." Rydia shook her head.

"Rydia - your friends may like you, but they're afraid to let you go back.. They fear losing you forever - to a world they don't understand, which frightens them... They cannot imagine why you would want to be there - they're deciding things for you..." Kieran stared at her with his penetrating eyes, his look full of pain and anger.

Rydia had tears in her eyes and turned away, unable to stand his gaze. "Kieran - it's horrible what you're telling me; but you're wrong with my friends... Sure they often call the others "monster", but they would do everything they can to help me...I'll ask Cecil tomorrow..." She felt unbearable sorry for Kieran - it was no wonder that he hated other people.

"Yes, do that... But, please Rydia - not a word about what I've told you..."

Rydia looked at him questioningly "But why- he sure would help you... It was an accident..."

"I... I think he has enough problems right now... My person can wait..." Kieran had regained his composure again, although he was still looking very serious.

"If you think so..." Rydia wiped away her tears and left the room.

The next morning Kain was training again at the courtyard. Being in a good mood, he had liked to have breakfast with one of his friends, but the castle had been like dead.

He looked at the sun. "Well - time to meet Diane, today I'll show her an especially beautiful place in the woods..."

Whistling, he went to the castle front gate, after carefully checking that neither Edward, nor pains in the neck like some certain little twin-wizards were around. They were not - unfortunately, Diane wasn't there, too. "Maybe she's forgotten me... I'll check her home..."

As Kain approached the house, he could already hear the loud shouting of a familiar voice

It was Cid's voice. "Ah! Curses... I've nearly forgotten that this stubborn old man is back again.. I hope he isn't angry on me any longer..." Kain carefully crouched towards a window and peeked through it...

Diane was standing in a corner, staring angrily at the wall. "I've promised it to him... You can't force me... I am grown-up, father..."

"Yes - you are, Diane, but believe me - Kain is not right for you... He's just a rough fighter with no manners..." Cid sighed, trying to stay calm.

"So that's what Cid thinks about me..." Kain grinned, and upon hearing Diane's next words felt even some pride:

"I am only going on a walk with him, father... Besides he's not so rough... He can be very nice..."

"Just going on a walk with him? That's how all starts... From all possibly man in the world why has it be him?" Cid asked, now gesticulating wildly.

Diane stayed unimpressed. "I did not say that it would be HIM! I just like him... He's interesting and mysterious, likes to be alone just like me and knows so much about nature!"

"I am mysterious and interesting?" Kain smiled. No one had ever spoken of him that way.

"Diane - I think we're talking of different persons.. Your Kain has betrayed many people..." Cid said gravely - it slowly had dawned on him that shouting didn't help persuading his daughter in the least

Kain got pale. "I wonder how she will react on this... She's so pure..."

Diane just shook her head. "I've heard such things... But he has changed - he deserves another chance..." she just stated.

"She knew all the time and still..." Kain felt a warm feeling flooding through him.

"Diane! He will make you unhappy..." Cid started to sound desperately "Don't be so stubborn..."

"Stubborn, like you, old man..."

"I am going now..." Diane started to rush out of the door.

"Diane - wait! It's true what I said... He will never love you!" Cid called after her.

The girl came to a halt. "Wh...why do you say that, father?"

Cid breathed deeply "Because he's mad for Rosa! Was, is and will always be!" He lowered his gaze. "I would have liked to avoid telling you this, but you leave me no chance..."

"Shit!" Worlds were breaking apart in Kain. "I should have told her everything..."

"What..." Diane's lips started to tremble, her eyes filling with tears. "He told me of a lost love, but I didn't knew it would be..."

Cid sighed. "Diane, please - forgive me, but I don't want my only daughter to throw her life away!"

"Leave... leave me alone... I don't want to see anyone!" the young woman rushed out of the door, tears streaming down her face. She ran directly into Kain's arms.

"Diane..." He grabbed her at her shoulder.

The girl started to struggle at once, trying to get out of his gentle, but firm grasp. "Kai... Kain... Please let me go... I've just had a quarrel..." She did not dare to look at him.

"Yes, I've heard it...It's all my fault... I never wanted to make such a cheerful girl as you cry..."

"That... that's not right...When you've heard everything, you know it... You played with me all the time...You could have told me that..."

"Shh - I know. It's right that Rosa is the love of my life..." Kain interrupted her.

She sobbed hard, still trying to struggle free "So why concern yourself with a country girl? Rosa is perfect - she's not such a homely girl like me... But I deserve it. I shouldn't have even thought of becoming friends with you...Please... please promise me only one thing..." She looked at him pleadingly and bitter "Never betray anyone again..."

The ex-dragoon gasped "That's her only wish...Not to... betray anyone..." Kain loosened his grasp, thus allowing her to run away.

He watched her for a moment, her loose hair flowing in the wind, her stature as if all the pain of the world would lie on her shoulders. Though it were only his lies, his betrayal that had hurt her - and was hurting him...

He remembered Dawn's words "trust yourself" she had said. He had always distrusted others as well as others had distrusted him...

And now was the time...

He ran after the girl. "Diane! Wait!"

He had reached her very quickly, took her carefully by one arm and whirled her around.

"Diane... I won't betray anyone else, not myself...I..."

She looked at him in despair. "Don't say anything! Even in this moment you're lying... You said that she was the love of your life..."

Kain pulled her closer. He sounded as serious as never before "That was a life long ago... I only didn't have the courage to start a new... But we can do this, can we? We have the power to determine our lives - we can decide... Will... will you help me?"

"Kain... you... you talk weird..." Tears welled in her eyes again "We're just friends, right?"

"Yes, friends..." Kain whispered, drawing even nearer to her, till their lips nearly met- Diane did not drew away. "Father will kill me for this..." Her lips trembled as they met Kain's - a soft kiss, very careful.

"No... He will kill me..." Kain whispered. Suddenly he grinned "Probably both of us..." Diane stared at him wide eyed, cheeks slightly red, choking away some tears. Suddenly she had to smile too "Yes, probably us both..." They kissed again, this time longer and less carefully.

Kain had problems to hold his tears back, a warm feeling flooding through him that he'd never felt before... To him it seemed that he was doing for the first time in his life the thing he wanted without hiding behind something in order to protect himself. Be it hate, guilt... or an affection which had become nearly unreal through the years - only another wall to hide behind. In that moment the wall shattered and something fell away from him - a longing for something unreachable. As this moment was real...

From across the field, Cid was standing at the door way of his house, trembling with rage and anger as he watched his daughter in the arms of Kain. "This... this is an outrage... I won't let it happen..." With a wild look in his eyes he left for the castle.

"Cecil! Here you are..." Rosa carefully entered a small tower chamber in the oldest parts of the castle. Her husband was sitting at the windowpane, face leaned against the glass, looking tired and sorrowful. He probably hadn't slept the whole night. "You didn't come to bed last night- I was worried..." She looked tired, too.

"Sorry..." her husband said with a hoarse voice. "I just needed some time alone..."

Rosa stepped closer to him and stroked his check softly. "Yes- I suspected so... Cid told me that you had been in a bad mood..." She sighed. "Golbez, I suppose..."

Cecil nodded. He'd pondered all night about the discussion they had the day before. As he thought about it, he felt again rage mixed with sorrow well up in him.

"He makes me so angry...What he says about father and himself and..."

"Cecil - please don't get so upset...He's just confused..."

Her husband frowned. "If you say so..."

Rosa sighed again, knowing how sensible her husband reacted on everything that had to do with his brother. She carefully turned his face to her - his skin felt cold...

"You're looking terrible, darling... Sometimes I wish you would act at least a bit like Edge or Kain and go drinking in the pub when feeling down; instead of pondering all night alone in a cold room..." she looked at him half-reproachfully, half concernedly.

Cecil managed a faint smile, happy to change the subject. "I thought you hated pubs..."

"I do, but at least you're smiling again..." Rosa replied mischievous. "You should really get some rest now... You've said yourself yesterday that we'll a all would deserve a rest now - and that does not exclude you..."

"Alright - can't say anything against your wisdom..." the paladin nodded and left his sitting place.

Before he and Rosa had even reached the door, Cid stormed into the room.

"Cecil, Rosa... Something terrible has happened.... This damn... I mean Kain - he's standing out there and... and..." he breathed heavily "He's kissing my daughter, Diane!!!" He looked at his two friends as if the world was falling apart.

Rosa and Cecil exchanged glances.

"Looks like a certain someone is in love against all odds..." the paladin smiled. "At last welcome news."

Rosa's eyes sparkled. "This is so wonderful... Diane is such a nice girl... She surely will..."

"Rosa! That's the point! He'll spoil her! This bastard... I am away and what does he do... He seduces my daughter!" Cid was red with rage.

Rosa stared at him "Cid - calm yourself... I didn't know you thought of Kain that way..."

Cecil helped his wife "Cid, there's no need to talk to Rosa like that - Kain surely did not intend to "seduce" your daughter - sometimes love just strikes..."

Cid stared at the paladin in disbelieve "Love just strikes?! I hope Kain gets striked - by a thunderbolt! You are some friend! You promised me to talk to him..."

Cecil ran a slender hand through his hair.

"Listen Cid..." he said patiently "I thought you were just upset without a reason - Kain isn't as bad as you suppose..."

Rosa nodded in agreement.

"Who's your friend, Cecil, Rosa - me or Kain?" Cid snapped.

"Cid..." Cecil frowned "What's that for a question?"

"You're both our friends..." Rosa said softly.

Cid was silent for a moment. "Then it's time to decide for one or the other one... And as long as you don't, do not expect any maintenance of the airships!" He puffed furiously and rushed away.

For a moment Cecil and Rosa were staring at each other, wordlessly.

A castle servant entered the room.

"King Cecil, Queen Rosa!" Some of your people are waiting at the throne room - it's audience day today..."

"I am going after Cid..." Rosa sighed.

"And I am doing the rest..." Cecil concluded her sentence. He embraced his wife and hurried towards his duties. Just before he could reach the throne room, desperately trying to get at least a half decent look again, Rydia approached him. "Cecil - we really need to talk!"

"Not again..." the Paladin sighed quietly. "Rydia - I am sorry, but right now some people are waiting for me.. I can't let slip my duties as a King..."

"But as a friend?" The caller demanded and was sorry at once for her words as she saw the sorrowful look of her friend.

"Please don't say this, Rydia... Duty is duty..."

She looked at him pleadingly "Just a minute..."

"Yes alright..." her friend sighed. He was wishing now, too, that he had slept last night a bit.

"What is the real reason for not wanting to go to the tower of Bab-Il?"

"You must be joking Rydia... I've told you before..." Cecil was nervously eyeing the entrance to the throne room, where he was announced just now... "It's too dangerous!"

"Kieran said... I mean you're doing everything you can to bring me back home?"

"Ye... Yeah... Rydia - please have more patience... This is your home, too - the Underworld is not running away..." he said hastily, hoping to satisfy her.

Rydia wasn't satisfied at all with this answer and looked at him, warily "Cecil - why do you call me your friend?"

The herald had stopped announcing Cecil.

"Rydia - now it's enough - you know what happened back in Mist and that... Curses! I have to go...Let's talk later..." He patted her on the shoulder and hurried to the throne room...

"Why was he so rough... "You know what happened in Mist..". Maybe it's true after all what Kieran said..."

"Rydia - have you seen Cid?" Rosa's friendly face appeared beside her.

"Rosa! Have you got a moment time for me?" From somewhere one could hear someone swearing...

"This must be Cid!" Rosa sighed. She kissed the green-haired girl on the cheek..." Not at the moment- sorry..." Before Rydia could say anything, she'd hurried away.

"Why I am feeling so lonely all of a sudden... They should see that I am in need of someone... In the monster world there had always been someone to speak to..."

She felt the need to see Diane... After a while of searching she found her, sitting- totally unusual for her on a bench in he castle courtyard.

"Well hello Rydia!" her friend exclaimed excitedly "You don't know what just had happened..."

"What?" Rydia tried to sound as interested as she could. "You look as if you'd cried..."

Her friend blushed "Yes, that too - but do you know what... Kain and I..." She told her in short the whole story.

The caller got pale "Kain?" she uttered horrified. She never really had forgiven Kain for the assault at Mist, knowing in her heart that Cecil alone had saved her from death.

"You know what he has done, don't you? He has not only helped burning my village but has betrayed several of our friends!"

Diane looked at her surprised "Rydia - what's the matter... I thought you would be happy for me... He's changed... I love him!"

"Well, then... I wish you fun..." Rydia snapped and rushed away.

"Rydia... Wait!" Diane shouted after her. "Maybe it was too hasty to tell you all this - you seem to have own problems... Please... Tell me!..."

Unfortunately, Rydia was already too far away to hear her.

She ran to her guest room and threw herself on the bed, crying.

She thought of the things again that Kieran said to her... "They don't understand you..., they won't let you go..." Could it be true?

Kieran, at least seemed to understand her... She started to brood, felling totally depressive.

"What will the others say if I lose all my magic abilities and I am of no use? Or what would happen if the same as the poor Kieran would happen to me and I would misuse a spell?" Tears were filling here eyes again...

"Rydia? Why are you crying?" a surprised voice came from the door. It was Edge.

"Edge..." Rydia mumbled. "I... I don't know - I just feel so alone..."

"Hey girl! no need for that! Your long time friend Edge is here!" With a jump he landed directly next to Rydia. "Did you know that I am also a really good listener?"

The caller had to laugh and wiped her tears away.

"No..." she sniffed.

Edge looked at her reproachfully, but his eyes were smiling. "What's the problem?" As he saw Rydia hesitate, it suddenly seemed to dawn on him. "It was this Kieran guy, wasn't it..." he demanded angrily.

"Yes... But not as you think... He really has made a through a lot..."

Edge wasn't interested in the least of someone he saw as a death rival, so he interrupted her. "Listen Rydia - this guy is just weird... Have you looked at the monster he called at Agart? This Bonedancer thing, from what he says it comes from another dimension? I mean some of your monsters can be scary - but hey - if anyone croaks in the castle I will surely suspect him...Rydia?"

The callers smile had completely vanished and she was about to cry again. Without a word she left the room.

She stormed into Kieran's quarters absolutely desperate. "Kieran... I..." she sobbed.

The wizard smiled, than looked at her in concern and carefully wrapped her arms around her... "Hey now... No need to speak... I know..." he said in a low whisper, rocking her gently.

The caller let herself go completely and sobbed in his shoulder - for a moment she had the feeling of absolute safety. "What am I to do now? They are my friends, but they behave so strange..."

"It always starts this way... Rydia - come with me... Together we can not only return to the Underworld but also possibly save this whole planet... and your friends, if you want..."

Rydia hesitated - though she was unsure of her feelings at the moment the thought to go against Cecil's orders disturbed her "I don't know... Maybe they are all to busy at the moment... If I just go away they will be sick for worry... I should speak with them again..."

Suddenly Kieran released his grasp. "Yes - you're right. Sorry that I asked you to come...You're still young and I can understand that you have certain... obligations to these people - you must decide yourself where you want to go...I for one, am going..." He took his staff out of a corner.

"Kieran.. Wait...This... this is much too dangerous. You've never been in the tower..." Rydia stared at him wide eyed.

Kieran laughed bitterly "I have no where to go else... If I stay here they'll hunt me down..." He left the room. "Goodbye Rydia and take care..."

"Wait!" She hurried after him till they reached the place where the chocobos were kept.

"Well, I need one black, I think..." Kieran entered the stables.

"Kieran! This is stealing!" Rydia followed him and was greeted by an especially nice looking black chocobo with a loud "Squak!" It was Night Mist, Rydia's favorite animal.

Kieran studied the bird "Oh - is it the only black chocobo here, at the moment?"

"Yes... I guess so..." Rydia nodded.

"Would you..." He looked at her pleadingly.

"What will you do if I won't give it to you?" Rydia asked. She knew what was coming now.

"Probably taking the airship, which I can't fly, or swimming which I can't do very well either..." Kieran said grinning mischievously.

"I can't let him die...He needs me... He has no one else..."

"Well - I guess I'll give it to you then. Under one condition..."

"Which would be?"

The caller swallowed "Take me with you..."

"Rydia... I don't know if I should..."

"Please... I want to know the truth... and if there really is no way back we can still return here and get help from Cecil... Maybe..." She frowned.

"Alright - get on... We callers have to stick together, have we..." he replied friendly, helping the caller to mount the chocobo...

"Cecil - it's no use... Cid won't listen to me! He says that Kain is a bastard and that he'll never allow him to be with his beloved daughter... As Diane won't obey him, he demanded that we should take care of the Kain..." Rosa sighed as she informed her husband of the current situation.

Cecil looked was sitting in his throne, looking still tired as the audience had exhausted him very much. He tried to think clearly. "This is bad news, darling... I don't want to lose Cid as a friend - more worse we need him to take care of the airship... I can fly such a thing, but I am no engineer... But we also cannot forbid Kain to see Diane... I wish Cid wouldn't be so stubborn..."

Rosa agreed. "Yes - I am so happy for Kain..."

"Thanks for your support, but I guess I caused you only trouble, again..." Kain entered the throne room, looking concerned. Still there was a sparkle in his eyes that his two friends had never seen before.

"Oh Kain - I am so glad - Diane is such a nice girl..." Rosa embraced him warmly. Upon her touch Kain did not even flinch - though Rosa was as beautiful as ever and he's always cherish her as a friend, the former affection he'd felt for her seemed to him like twisted dream...

Cecil patted him on the shoulder "See- it was right what I told you..." he whispered.

Kain blushed slightly and grinned "Yes, yes - probably the providence of a paladin - you should go to a carnival with that number..." He smiled mischievously.

"That's just the Kain I know..." Cecil grinned.

"Yep - guess I'm back... Sorry anyway that Cid is so angry on you... I wish it would just be me..."

"The problem is that we need the airship to go to Mysidia as fast as possible..." Rosa said.

"We could use the Serpent Way..." Kain proposed.

Cecil reflected for a moment "It will be very strenuous... But I guess we have no choice." He sighed deeply.

Kain looked at his friend with concern "You look as if you have problems right now - and not only with Cid..."

"Yes... that's right... I had a quarrel with Golbez..." the paladin admitted.

"Golbez, huh!" Kain shrugged his shoulders. "He's a strange fellow... If you wish me to..."

"No... Please don't Kain..." Cecil held up a hand. "That's not necessary..." He didn't want to talk about his brother right now, having other problems to solve. "Tell Yang, Edge, Palom and Porom to meet at the entrance to the Serpent way... Will you be coming with us, too?"

Kain nodded and smiled. "Hey! What a question! I am still a fighter - and your friend! Count me in..."

"Fine - Rosa, will you stay here and take care of things while we're away?"

"Sure... Didn't want to come anyway.. it's just a terribly boring diplomatic visit..." she joked.

"Hey Rosa- since when do you make fun of your husband?" Kain grinned.

Cecil sighed, though had to hide a grin. "Since ever... She just didn't show it..."

The three friends had to laugh.

"It's just like in old times..." Rosa smiled.

"Yes... I hope just that all these problems at the moment will prove to be harmless; another war would prove to be fatal..." Cecil said thoughtfully.

"Fatal it would be, too if you don't get started, now... I'm coming with you to say goodbye to you two..." Rosa said.

As they left the room Kain studied the sorrowful face of his ever-been but now new found friend "Cecil... You said something about a war... You suspect that there's something wrong, do you..." he asked.

The paladin's deep blue eyes fixed him seriously "Yes... Though hope that I'm wrong..."

~*~

The friends met at the stone entrance in the middle of the town in Baron. The sky was gray and full of clouds and it was raining slightly.

"Hey Cecil! Edge exclaimed. "Why have we to use the serpent way? You're a King - you have airships! Or did you forget?" He shivered in the cold.

"Well, Edge...There have been certain problems..." the paladin felt embarrassed.

"Problems..." the King of Eblan frowned.

"Stop it, Edge! Cecil has his reasons..." Kain helped his friend.

"Since when are you so understanding?" the Ninja gifted back.

Kain sighed. "Please Edge - there is no time to quarrel - Cid won't care for the airships at the moment..."

"Oh..." Edge gasped surprised.

"Huhu Kain!" a female voice shouted excitedly.

"Diane" Kain gasped as Diane fell in his arms.

"You did not tell me that you were going..."

"Err. Have it failed to realize something?" Edge looked confused.

"Well..." Both Kain and Diane were blushing.

Rosa leant against Cecil's shoulder, beaming of joy for her friend.

Edge kicked angrily a stone on the ground. "Well, just great! Seems like anyone except me is having a great time..." he mumbled. " He thought of the quarrel with Rydia.

It started raining harder.

"We should really be going now..." Cecil grabbed the handle of the stone door leading to the serpent way. To his surprise, the door flung open by itself...

"What the hell..."

A gazer popped out of the entrance, moaning fearfully, followed by several other creatures. Diane let out a scream.

"Monsters! The serpent way is full of monsters!" Edge shouted in horror.

"Someone close this door, fast. We are in the middle of the town!." Cecil ached, already battling some of the creatures. Kain showed the shivering Diane aside "Run back to the castle, quickly- it's too dangerous for you here." The girl nodded, pale.

Meanwhile Edge and Yang were pressing against the door. "It's no use... The monsters are too strong- they're blocking the entrance!!!"

"I'll try dragging them back!" Kain thrust his lance in the mass of some the creatures...

"I am going to get help!" Rosa shouted from somewhere. As the monsters had appeared she had taken some steps back, having neither a weapon nor the combat experience for close combat... She backed of carefully, watching the mass of monsters attentively but a bit afraid.

"Hurry!" Cecil screamed while burying Legend into an imp.

"Well at least there are no undead between the creatures..." Edge mumbled, preparing a lightening attack.

A giant rat bit him in the leg. "Ouch - damn vermin! Has Baron become a giant sewer?" he hissed.

"I heard that Edge! Maybe you would like something bigger to deal with..."Cecil shouted back. The paladin was fighting with an enormously huge, slimy jelly.

Secretly he was wondering how he would explain this to the town citizens which had already noticed the new "guests" in town and were running around, screaming.

"Oh oh - one of the monsters is running towards the houses! YAA!" Kain jumped high up in the air, lance pointed downwards and thrust the weapon into the creature.

"I am getting tired already..." Edge muttered as he smashed some smaller creatures with his unbelievably fast shurikens. "Where's Rosa with the help?"

"These are all I could find!" Rosa said apologetically as she appeared again, followed by Cid and Golbez.

"Great..." Cecil mumbled. "Of all people these two.."

"Don't think that I am doing this for you, Kain!" Cid snorted as he readied his giant wooden hammer "I wouldn't mind if you got hurt badly!"

"Well - you'll have to wait forever for this...." Kain grinned and jumped aside to dodge the attack of an imp captain.

"We must close the door as fast as possible..." Golbez said, calm as ever, as he stepped next to his brother, arms folded, as if there was no danger at all.

"We've had the idea, too! It's just not so easy!" Cecil hissed, sweat running down his face.

"Maybe you could do something instead of just standing there!"

"Please calm down..." Golbez sounded amused. He went slowly towards the door of the Serpent Way.

"What does he want to do?" Rosa wondered, watching the scenery from afar.

To the surprise of the others the monsters did not attack the black-haired man but scuttled back to where they had come from as if being afraid. Calmly, Golbez followed the path until he stood just before the entrance, then raised his hands and let some fire rain down on the creatures before him.

"Now's our chance to close the door!" Cecil nodded towards Yang and Edge.

"Cid and I will give you rear cover!" Kain threw his lance away and unsheathed his sword.

Cid grumbled but went in battle stance, too. It was raining hard now, and all were wet to the bones.

"One, two, three, push!" the three men shut the door with much force; trapping the creatures inside the stone building which were now fighting madly to get out again under loud howling and screaming.

"What are we to do know?" Edge shouted back pressed to the door. "We can't stand here forever..."

Yang and Cecil stood beside him, rain dripping down their faces.

"The muddy ground makes it hard to hold the footing..." Yang remarked. "Whatever we do, we should do it fast!" The banging and shaking of the door got stronger.

"Maybe we can block the door with something..." Cecil ached.

"How about that?" Kain thrust his sword in an open crack, thus blocking the door for a while.

"It'll last at least some minutes!" Edge exclaimed.

"Well, that will be enough... Please step all aside..." Golbez, who'd watched the whole scene silently, raised his hands.

Cecil, Yang and Edge obeyed his command and sprinted aside.

"I call you forth power of Earth which can crush even the sky, a monument for eternity - STONE!" Suddenly the ground started to shake causing pebbles and plaster raining down from the nearby houses.

"Not again!" Cid gasped. From somewhere Rosa uttered a faint scream.

"Don't worry my friend - look!" Yang whispered.

With a loud CRASH! the earth before the Serpent way building cracked open, giving way to two stone pillars which emerged from the ground with an incredible speed and blocked the entrance. Then there was silence again. Golbez sighed relieved - casting two powerful spells without a pause had exhausted him.

"He is human, after all..." Cecil thought.

"Golbez... How'd did you do that?" he gasped.

"Oh... this..." his brother said a bit out of breath and stroked a wet strain of hair out of his face: "Just a little trick of mine- you'll be in trouble if you ever want to enter the building again, though..." He smiled.

"We are in trouble already... Look at the houses! It will take weeks to repair everything!!!" Cid said sourly.

"It couldn't be helped..." Rosa tried to calm him. "At least no one was hurt..." She looked around, her golden hair hanging heavily over her totally soaked gown. "Are all monsters gone?"

"Seems so..." Kain mumbled "Wait... what's that?" From above the flapping of wings could be heard. "Oh no! A wyvern and it's flying directly to the castle!"

"Where does that thing is coming from?" Edge shouted.

"Don't care at the moment! After it!" Cecil had already started running.

"Hey Cid! Maybe it destroys one of your airships!" Kain grinned.

"Maybe it feeds on you!" the sturdy man gifted back, but hurried also after his friends.

As the aching group could already see the castle gate, a female voice screamed loudly.

"Diane!" Kain and Cid uttered at the same time. Quite a bit away from them, they spotted the young woman lying lifeless on the grass. Over her the giant bird- monster was towering.

"Diane!" the two man screamed in shook again and ran towards the creature, which was about to attack it's prey.

"The creature is too far away! They'll never reach it in time!" Cecil gasped.

"That's right..." Again his brother was next to him, calm as ever, his dark armor making the raindrops rinsing from it black.

"Golbez! You..." Before the paladin could utter more, his brother had held up his hand, indicating him to be silent. For some reason, Cecil felt inclined to obey.

Golbez smiled and closed his eyes, his lips forming words one could not understand.

"Oh my god..." Rosa sobbed and turned her head away as she saw how the giant bird started to flatter, then raised it's head for an attack

"NOOO!" Kain screamed in rage.

Suddenly the bird hesitated and looked in the direction where the others were standing.

"It's going to attack us..." Edge stuttered.

"No - it isn't..." Cecil said very calmly, suddenly.

His brother raised an eyebrow in surprise and opened his eyes again.

The wyvern soared up in the sky with a loud cry and flew away.

"Diane!" Kain was the first to reach the field and snatched the limp body of the girl in his arms.

Cid fell next to him and turned the girl's head towards him. "Diane... Say something... Are you alright!?" Tears were running over his bearded face.

"She isn't moving... She feels so cold..." Tears were standing Kain's eyes, too.

"It's.... it's your fault if anything had happened to her!!!" Cid stared in shock at his daughter.

Kain bowed his head, his hand stroking softly Diane's arm. "Yes... I... I did tell her to run to the castle... I am destroying the life of everyone I meet..."

A friendly hand was suddenly laid on his shoulder. "Kain - please move aside so that Rosa can check Diane..." Cecil said softly and pushed his friend carefully away, taking the young woman from him. The ex-dragoon let it happen.

Rosa knelt beside her husband. "Cid... Please move away, too - I need some room..." The sturdy man didn't react. Rosa softly patted his shoulder "Cid - it will be alright..." Her eyes sparkled warm and confidently. The man looked at her fearfully, then moved away a bit.

During Rosa's examination there was a fearful silence - only the rain could be heard.

"She's alright..." Rosa exclaimed after a while. "A few bruises and her left arm seems to be sprained, but there are no serious wounds. I guess she just fainted out of shock, the cold or due to the fall...We came just in time..."

A sigh of relief went through the group of friends.

"Really?" Kain wiped some tears from his face. He'd never cried in public before.

Cid only sobbed.

Rosa cast a cure spell on the girl. "That should wake her up..."

The red-haired woman slowly opened her eyes. "K... Kain..Help!." She mumbled weakly.

"Diane! You're alive!" Cid rushed to her side.

"Father... What happened? Is.. is Kain alright?"

"I am here Diane..." Kain's voice sounded besides her. The blond man stroked her cheek "I am so sorry, Diane... It was all my fault..." He bowed his head.

"Kain..." Diane tried to reach for his hand and gasped in pain.

"We really should take her inside! She's totally soaked wet - as we all..." Rosa exclaimed.

"I'll carry her..." Kain took the girl out of Cecil's arms.

Cid blocked in his way "No- you won't, dragoon. Don't touch my daughter!"

"Cid! Don't be silly..." Yang said.

"Father - please let him carry me... It's alright..." Diane said weakly.

Cid gasped, head deeply red with rage.

"It's enough, Cid!" Cecil grabbed the arm of his friends firmly and dragged him away.

"Cecil! Let go of me or you'll pay for it..." Cid was by far stronger than the paladin, but still had problems to escape his firm grip.

"Yeah, yeah whatever..." his friend grinned absent-mindedly.

His thoughts were by his brother.

~*~

One hour later the friends met again in baron's great hall, where a chimney fire had been lighted. Diane was laying in the sick quarters, sleeping. The whole day had exhausted her very much, as well as it had the others, which had changed into dry clothes.

"There were monsters in the serpent way?" Palom asked.

"Maybe something has happened in Mysidia..." his sister looked concerned.

"We don't know that..." Edward patted the girl on her back. "Maybe they also sealed the entrance..."

"I wonder where the big bird came from..." Rosa frowned. "As far as I know, they live only in the forests of Toroia..."

"Yes... I've heard that, too." Edward nodded. "They can be very dangerous. It's just a luck that it disappeared in time... It just flew away you said? That's strange..."

Cecil looked uncomfortable.

"Hey Golbez- maybe the work of you? Boy- did he frighten the monsters!" Edge was standing with his back to the fire, trying to get warm.

Golbez stiffened a bit.

"It probably flew away because it got frightened by Cid's and Kain's loud shouting..." Cecil said hastily without looking at his brother.

Golbez smiled at him, looking surprised.

Edge frowned "Really? But..."

Cecil glared at him "Edge - please; no long discussions now...We have other problems!"

"Alright, alright! Don't be so rude..."

The features of the paladin softened "Sorry, Edge... I guess we're all exhausted..."

Edge grinned. "Already forgiven - so if I am not mistaken we need to go to Mysidia more than ever?"

"That's right..." Cecil nodded. "And for this we'll need the airship..." He looked at Cid.

The man gasped. "No!" he crossed his arms.

"Cid. Don't be silly - we need it!" Kain said angrily.

"You shut your mouth you, you little..."

"Cid! It's enough!" Rosa blurted out suddenly. "Like it or don't like it - Diane and Kain love each other... You're risking many lives with your behavior!"

"Diane... and Kain..." Paloms eyes sparkled unexpectedly. "I thought it was a joke..." Porom giggled.

Kain sighed "Rosa - you couldn't have said it - you know- more quieter?"

Rosa gave an regretful look while Cid seemed to ponder over something.

"Alright..." he mumbled after a while. "Take yer airships - but don't think that I'll accept your relationship with Diane!" He glared at Kain.

"Thanks Cid... Let's start as soon as possible. I'd liked to invite Rydia to come with us and maybe Kieran - where are they anyway?" Cecil smiled.

The others shrugged their shoulders, Edge started to whistle nervously.

"Alright - I'll send someone for them..." The paladin winked at a servant.

"We'll meet in a hour or so again. Maybe we can start already this evening. Try to get some rest..." The friends scattered apart.

As Cecil was about to leave the room, Golbez approached him. "Can I have a talk with you, brother..."

"Ye... yes, sure..."

The two man went into a quit corner.

"What is it?" the paladin asked without looking at his brother, though he already knew what the other wanted to know.

"You're covering up for me, Cecil..."

Cecil gave a nervous laugh. "What do you mean?"

Golbez looked amused "Don't try to play games with me... You know pretty well why the bird flew away, don't you?"

"Yes..." Suddenly Cecil stared hardly in his brothers eyes. "You can still manipulate minds, though in a less stronger form than you used to do..."

Golbez nodded. "You know this and still cover up for me? Why?"

Cecil shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't know how the others would react on that..."

"Interesting... Aren't you forgetting the code of honor of a paladin? I seem to spoil you..."

"There's nothing wrong with not blurting out everything..." Cecil replied angrily. "Besides I will tell it to them someday - your ability could become very useful..."

The smile on Golbez faced vanished, reminding Cecil of his brother's reaction as it had come to their father "Useful? Never say that my ability would be useful! It's a curse - a thing which could be your doom..." He grabbed the arm of the paladin hardly, his fingers burying in the flesh.

Cecil moved not an inch, his blue eyes fixed hard at the man before him. Though he felt no immediate danger the sudden outbreak of violence horrified, nearly disgusted him.

"Don't think that I will scream of pain...As my inner pain is much greater than any wound could be..." he hissed, feeling helplessness, though also aggression.

Golbez released his grasp at once "I do not intend to hurt you." He was calm again, though the tone of his voice and his smile were bitter as he continued.

"Though know that your pain is only a rain drop in the ocean of mine..."

"Then don't drown in it..." Cecil bowed his head, not knowing how to win this fight against the despair and hate inside his brother if not with his "weapons".

Golbez looked at him skeptically "Cynism is not becoming you, Cecil - I really seem to spoil you... Don't let this happen... See you later..." He walked away.

"Damn - why does he make me so angry?" The paladin rubbed his arm. "He's my brother...I wonder if I was wrong? If he is lost - really..."

One hour later all met again.

"Where's Rydia?" Rosa exclaimed.

"Your Majesty!" a castle maid hurried in the room. "Miss Rydia is nowhere to be found as well as Sir Kieran! And..." she was totally out of breath "And Miss Rydia's chocobo is away, too..."

"What?" the friends exclaimed

"This damn wizard ran off with her!" Edge exclaimed furiously.

Cecil shook his head. "No - she wouldn't do that... Although... She seemed strange this morning and asked odd questions..."

Rosa nodded "Yes, that's right - she seemed to be nervous... Edge, have you spoken to her?"

The Ninja looked embarrassed. "Er... yes... well - she was crying in her room and I wanted to comfort her... Er... we had a quarrel again..." He hung his head.

"Edge..." Edward sighed.

Cecil looked sorrowful. "It seems that it is not only Edge's fault... I was pretty rough to her, too..."

Rosa nodded "She wanted to tell me something, but I hadn't got the time..."

"I hadn't time for her, too - though she seemed to have problems..." a weak voice came from the door.

"Diane! We told you to stay in bed!" Cid said, surprised. Kain rushed to her side and laid his cape around her shoulders. "You'll get a cold..."

She smiled weakly. "I've never seen Rydia like this..."

"So where could they have gone to?" Cid murmured, watching Kain and Diane out of the corner of his eye.

"The tower of Bab-Il! Sure!" Cecil jumped up suddenly. "That's why she was asking me about it... What a fool I was... Poor Rydia..."

"It's not your fault, darling..." Rosa hugged him. "Any way... let's go after them..."

"And Mysidia?" Kain asked.

"I know that it's selfish..." Cecil said "But I cannot let her down in the condition that she's in. She's one of our best friends..."

The others nodded.

"So who is going?" Cecil asked.

"Me!" Edge blurted out. "I'll show this Kieran who I am!"

"Edge, please - you don't know if he's evil..." Cecil calmed him.

"I am going too..." Rosa exclaimed.

Cecil sighed "Rosa; please..."

"I am going... Why should this trip be dangerous? The tower of Bab-Il is empty and Rydia and Kieran probably just ran off because they were homesick..." Rosa smiled at her husband.

Cecil sighed again. "Alright.. Kain?"

"Going too!"

"No!" Cid exclaimed. "I am only flying the airship if he stays here..."

Kain looked apologizing at his friend. "Alright - then I'll stay here with Dian..."

"NOO! Come along you dirty womanizer..." the sturdy man grumbled.

"Just be careful, Kain...Look after my father, too" Diane said.

Kain grinned "Don't worry- I'll take care of him... But you should get some rest now..." Diane nodded, kissed him on the cheek and left the room.

"One person more to go..."

"I guess I should go..." Golbez exclaimed.

Cecil looked nervously "I don't think that..."

"Hey Cecil - he could be quite useful... Edge exclaimed. "He knows the tower better than we..."

Rosa gave him a nudge: "He's right..."

"Good..." Cecil mumbled reluctantly. "Let's go..."

"Kieran, are you really sure that this tower is the reason for the earthquake? It looks pretty "dead" to me..." Rydia whispered and shivered a bit. They had entered the tower through a hole at one side, which must have appeared because the metal of the building was rotting away. Rydia had been glad about it - she had already feared to have to take the way to the tunnel system they had conquered more than a year ago. Still, she currently wished that she hadn't entered the building at all... "It's so dark..." she whispered again, her steps echoing on the metal ground.

Kieran laid an arm around her shoulder. "Don't worry!" He held his staff up high and murmured some incantations - the emerald at the tip of the staff began to glow softly, illuminating the surroundings. The tower looked as cold as Rydia remembered it - only that the machines with their once flashing and summing lights were turned of or broken...

"I wonder if there are still monsters..." She nestled deeper in Kierans side to feel at least a bit protected.

"I don't think so... There's nothing to get for them anymore... Just metal parts..." the other said confidently.

Rydia nodded and loosened herself from his grasp. "You're right - how foolish to be afraid..."

"Still I wish that Cecil or Edge were here..."

"You're thinking about them, again..." Kieran said in a low voice.

Rydia blushed. "Yes.. That's right. I still cannot believe that they would not want me to return home... Sometimes I don't know myself where to go...I cannot say that..." she swallowed "that I felt completely happy at the Underworld..."

Kieran stopped suddenly and embraced the surprised looking caller- "Kieran..."

"Rydia!" He said, his voice a charming whisper again "I guess you felt alone at the Underworld, too. I... I know how this feels... We two - we are of one kind... That's why..." He looked at her, his green eyes looking more fascinating than ever "That's why I would like you to stay with me..."

"Kieran... I..."

"Rydia - when we reach the underworld let us search for a place to live, together. Think what we can do - you're a talented magic user as well as me... We can make wonders come true with our power!" His handsome face was flushed with enthusiasm, his speech being full of conviction.

"Maybe... maybe I could fall for him..."Still everything was going a bit too fast for her taste.

"Kieran...I don't know - this is all so sudden... Let... let me think about it for a while..."

The wizard nodded. "Yes - sorry.. I guess I was too rash, but I've never met a girl like you before... You have all time of the world to think about my proposition... For now let's find a way to go deeper into the tower..." He smiled sweetly.

Rydia smiled back, happy that he was not rushing her.

~*~

Cecil and his group reached the base of the tower of Bab-Il in the middle of the night.

Rydias chocobo, who was tied to a tree proved that the caller and Kieran were here, too. Cid proposed to stay on the airship in case anyone would get out.

"So how do we get in?" Cecil gave a look of wonderment at the massive structure before him.

"Maybe there is a hole somewhere in the tower wall..." Kain frowned.

Golbez shook his head "Yes maybe, but if we want to catch up with your friends, we need to take another way in..." He reflected for a moment: "I guess this Kieran guy will try to get as deep inside the tower as possible - there is a control center at the base of Bab-Il... If I remember correctly, there should be a tunnel system leading right into it from this mountain... It was used for emergency reasons..."

"So let's look for it!" Edge was unusual serious - the disappearance of Rydia seemed to trouble him greatly. "Hey - if we need anything to dig a hole with - my castle, Eblan is near... We sure have some equipment..." he offered.

"Sure - probably some shovels..." Kain grinned.

Edge glared at him. He didn't liked Kain's recently good mood at all.

"No need to dig..." Golbez said and tracked with his hand along the muddy stone wall in front of him. "It's right... here!" he exclaimed and pointed to a wall section. "Cecil - If you would..."

The paladin frowned, unsheathed his sword and jammed the handle against the indicated point. After a few knocks, the loam wall crumbled and gave way to a dark, foreboding tunnel...

"The poor Rydia- I should have taken more care for her, instead of worrying too much over Golbez..." Cecil whispered to his wife as they entered the whole. "I guess it's my fault she ran away..."

Rosa shook her head. "No - I guess we all could have been a bit nicer to her... We and her friends at the underworld are her only family - and she needs a family..." Her husband nodded. Although Rydia looked like 18, she still was a girl inside of her which needed a family greatly.

"And don't forget this Kieran! He'll pay for taking Rydia with him!" Edge hissed. "Although I wasn't nice to her, too..."

Rosa smiled - Edge seldom apologized.

Led by Golbez, the group ventured further into the depths of the tower.

~*~

"Hey Rydia.. Is there something between Edge and you?" Kieran asked as he helped her down a ladder.

"No... no - why do you ask?"

"Oh - I was just curious..." the wizard laughed. "Look- I guess this is the control center at the base of the tower- I saw it in the construction plans..." Before them lay a round room full of mechanical instruments which seemed to be out of function.

"Let me see..." Kieran approached the control panels, while Rydia settled herself against a wall, tired from the long walk.

"Look at this, Rydia..." Kieran exclaimed after a while. "There's our gate to the underworld. He pointed to a closed door. "But it looks too sturdy- even for magic..." He bit his lip. "We need to activate the machines again..." He knelt down and rummaged through some cables.

"What are you doing, Kieran?" Rydia inquired curiously.

"If we send a strong magical impulse through that... Rydia - could you cast Bolt over and over at this cables, until I am ready here?"

The girl hesitated for a moment. "The machines look pretty dangerous - are you sure you can handle them?" She thought of the cannon the dwarfs were threatened with. In this room some similar looking things were installed at the ceiling, too.

Kieran smiled winsome. "Rydia - it's just a little step towards returning home... Please!"

"Alright!" Rydia knelt beside him and began to cast Bolt.

The machines started to blink and to hum loudly.

"Good girl! Now let me see!" Kieran studied the machines, forehead laid in wrinkles.

From somewhere near familiar voices could be heard. "Rydia? Where are you?"

The caller got pale "Kieran - my friends are here..."she gasped between some incantations.

"Rydia, please don't stop casting that spell - they're here to get you back. I told you!" Kieran said pleadingly.

Rydia nodded. The voices came nearer. "Rydia! Here you are!" Edge was the first to burst into the room. "Kieran- why did you take her with you! I'll kill you for this!"

"Edge!" the caller shouted. "Don't!"

Suddenly the wizard grinned "She's right - don't!" He pointed his staff at the ninja - a bolt of lightening coming out of it struck Edge down.

"Kieran! What are you doing?!" Rydia screamed.

"Please Rydia- I didn't hurt him much - I won't let anyone hinder us from returning home- just hold out a little longer..."

Somehow Rydia still trusted the man, though she swallowed hard "O... Okay..."

Edge mumbled something.

"Edge - what happened?" Cecil and the others entered the room. "Rydia? Kieran? What are you doing here?" He approached the wizard.

"Welcome your majesty!" Kieran bowed deeply. "Let's give you a proper welcome... Let's see it's this, I think..." He pressed a button and one of the mysterious installments at the ceiling moved humming in the direction of the friends.

"How about that?" Kieran laughed. A fire bolt shot out of the strange device and burned the floor a few feet from away from Cecil.

"Kieran! Why are you behaving so strange all of a sudden?" Rydia gasped.

"I am only trying to get you back home, Rydia..." The man had suddenly a hard gleam in his eyes.

"The machines he's using are quite dangerous..." Golbez hissed.

"Rydia!" Cecil shouted, ignoring the wizard. "Please come here... This tower is dangerous..."

"They're trying to trick you, Rydia! If you stop casting the spell you'll never get home again" Kieran said.

"Is... is he right-You- you don't want to let me go home, or?"

Cecil looked confused. "Rydia - what are you talking about? I promised you to get you back to the Underworld - sorry that I had so little time for you during the last days..."

"Remember what he said...and Edge..." Kieran hissed.

"I... I want to believe you - but I am afraid... You didn't really listen to me and... and Edge- he said such worse things..." Rydia started to sob again, barely able to hold the spell.

"Rydia, please..." Rosa pleaded.

"I... I am sorry, Rydia..." Edge staggered to his feet. "Please, please come back..."

"I've got enough of this!" Kain exclaimed and approached the wizard and the caller "I am going to fetch Rydia right now!"

"No - you won't..." Kieran laughed softly. The device from the ceiling shoot another fire bolt, which Kain could dodge just in time.

"Kieran - stop... You nearly killed him!" Rydia cried.

"But that's what he deserves, right? He killed your mother - and he wanted to kill you as well..."

Kain swallowed hard. "Rydia..."

"I...I don't want any more... deaths..." Rydia stepped away from the cables, but the machines didn't stop... "What?!" she gasped.

"Foolish girl! Your energy was enough to let the machines run some time longer! And now let's try out something else..." He studied the controls, his hand still on the button for the firing device.

"Kieran... stop..." Rydia went slowly towards him, extending a hand. "You're lost - there's so much hate in you because of what happened to you near Mysidia... Please, I am here..."

"Rydia, don't go closer to him!" Rosa screamed "He's mad!"

"No - he isn't, Rosa... You don't understand. He was attacked in a hamlet near Mysidia..."

"Rydia!" Kain said dryly "There is no known hamlet near Mysidia in the range of several miles..."

The girl looked at him wide eyed, than she looked at Kieran. "Kieran... Why?"

The man had suddenly a cold gleam in his eyes, his smile now an evil one - a mirror of his true self. With a laugh he snatched the caller and held a dagger against her throat.

"Rydia!" Edge could barely hold himself back.

"Don't come any closer, or this nice girl is dead..." Kieran hissed. "You're really naive, Miss Rydia... It was such a fun to stir you up against your friends, and it nearly worked..." He whispered to her in this strange voice of his, suddenly smiling again charmingly

"I am such a poor scholar Rydia... We are one of a kind... We belong to a world of magic..."

Rydia started to sob even more.

"Kieran! I'll kill you for this!" Edge exclaimed furiously.

Kieran ignored the comment. "It was so easy to lure you, caller... Although making the wound did really hurt... It was clear that you would fall for my story, since your friends were so busy with their own problems and Golbez's return that..."

"What do you know about my return?" the black haired man hissed.

Kieran just smiled evilly and pressed the knife a bit harder to Rydia's throat. The caller winced.

"It doesn't matter now... "

"Why... Kieran..." Rydia closed her eyes, barely daring to breath.

"Because I needed your power to activate this tower again - you seem I am far away from being a good magic user as you... I just know some tricks... And if your friends hadn't arrived just know, I would have also used your magic for ...other purposes..." He grinned madly again "I thought that my friends would hold them back longer... Summoning this wyvern was pretty good, wasn't it?"

"You're responsible for all the monsters, then?" demanded Cecil.

Kieran frowned "No - only for the sea snake to gain your trust and for the wyvern - but we are many and we had some help... But enough of this... You see, Rydia - you're alone again... You were so afraid that your friends were only using you, that you didn't see who was really betraying you all the time..." The girl sacked down a bit in his arms, the realization of the things combined with fear being too much to handle for her.

"Let her go, Kieran!" Edge screamed.

The green-haired man only smiled "Surely - she's no danger in her state..." He threw the dagger to the ground and flung the girl into a corner, taking his stance at the controls again.

"Don't get any wrong ideas!" he smiled. "There's still work for me to do..."

"Who are you really?" Cecil inquired. "What do you want?"

Kieran glanced at him. "My real name matters not but know, King Cecil, that we, from the order of the Dark paladin will change the world... And I will be starting by setting another sign... Let's see, I guess it's this one..." He pressed just another button.

"Order of the Dark Paladin?" Edge laughed, though glared concernedly at Rydia's limp figure at the end of the room. "What a stupid name! What can you possibly do, you idiot?"

"Pretty, much young ninja..." Golbez remarked dryly. "He's about to operate the giant cannon of Bab-Il tower and it looks like the coordinates are set at... Eblan..."

"WHAT!?" Edge exclaimed.

Kieran smiled approvingly. "It seems you still know a lot of this tower, Master Golbez... Yes - it's true. Burning Eblan again will strike fear to the hearts of people. And even more - the mightiest rulers of the Blue Planet can only watch it... People will loose trust in you...Maybe it was a good thing after all that you arrived just now! Say goodbye to your castle, ninja!"

"No - I won't let it happen!" Cecil rushed forward.

His brother caught him by his arm. "Cecil - don't be foolish. He'll have pressed this button before you can reach him..."

His brother glared at him "Don't tell me what to do, Golbez!"

Kieran laughed softly. "Charming! Yes - the master was right... It would be shame to kill you... You can be so useful for us..." He smiled at the two brothers. "So don't worry... I'll just end my work and then disappear from here through that door..." He pointed towards the exit to the Underworld. "Maybe you want to come with me after all, Rydia? Might be your last chance...Ah - I guess I'll just take you with me if you want or not. My master has need of talents like you..." He chuckled.

"Can't we do anything..." Rosa whispered. Edge was standing next to her, quivering with rage "Damn- we're so helpless..." Golbez was still holding tight on to Cecil, who could also watch the scenery only in horror, as did Kain. Rydia moaned slightly in the corner.

"It is such a gift to manipulate others minds... isn't it Golbez?" Kieran said, obviously wanting to cost out the moment of triumph.

Cecil felt his brother stiffening beside him, tightening his grip around him as an advice for the paladin not to say anything.

Golbez raised an eyebrow. "Don't know what you mean..." he said coldly.

Kieran smiled knowingly. "Oh... I forgot... You're a good guy now..."

Rydia stood up slowly. Her hand was trembling as she picked up the knife from the floor.

Cecil gasped as he saw the caller.

"It was so sweet to manipulate Rydia's mind... the mind of a child in the body of a beautiful Lady... It is so pure, so utterly sensible to all influences..." Kieran went on fiercely, not noticing the girl behind him.

Rydia raised the dagger high above her head, still trembling. Her eyes were full of tears as she brought it down deep into his back: "I...I am sorry... Kieran..."she sobbed. "But...I... would never betray my friends..."

The wizard gave low sound of pain and turned slowly around, his face a mask of surprise - and triumph. "That... that's a surprise..." He laughed hoarsely. "So... how does it feel to kill... that way?" He slumped down, but not before pressing a triangle shaped button. Suddenly a loud siren started to ring.

Edge spurted to Rydia, catching her before she broke down. "Damn- he has turned on the cannon!!!" he shouted, aghast.

"No...It's not the cannon.." Golbez said.

"Huh - what a luck!" Kain sighed.

"No need to relax... He started the self destructive mechanism of the tower only I should know about..." Golbez continued calmly. "In approximately 10 minutes every machine here will blow to dust..."

"WHAT?" Cecil gasped. "Can't you stop it?"

"No... It was never intended to get used..."

Kieran laughed softly. "Yes! Wth that the last chance to get to the underworld will be gone for you, Rydia... Think wisely of what to do..." he ached, still breathing. "The button to the door is there..."

Rydia released herself from Edge's grasp and walked towards the button.

"Rydia if you go now, we may never see each other again!" Edge pleaded.

Rydia bowed her head. "I know..."

"Edge..." Cecil looked at his friend. "We have not much time. It may be the only chance for her to return to the Underworld..."

"Cecil..." Rydia sobbed.

The paladin looked sad and swallowed "We'll miss you, but it is your decision where you want to go as long as it makes you happy..."

Rosa had tears in her eyes "Rydia we'll always be friends... no matter where you are..."

"Er... Rydia... I know that it doesn't change much, but... I just wanted to say that I am sorry..." Kain murmured, but then grinned again "But just keep on hating me..."

"You... you all..." The caller glanced alternately at the exit to the underworld and at her friends, not knowing what she should do.

"Rydia...It's time to go... Cecil is right.. The most important thing is that you're happy... I'll press the button." Edge was still standing next to her, looking at her shyly. "I... I'll never forget you..." He sniffed.

For a moment Rydia seemed to reflect and suddenly looked very sadly. "I think I..."

"Don't say a thing..." Edge cut her short and extended his hand towards the control panel. Before he could reach it, Rydia had slapped his hand away.

"OUCH! Rydia?" he uttered surprised.

The caller had an angry gleam in her eyes: "You... you think I want to return to the Underworld... after what.... you all... all my friends said... You.. you dumb..." She started to sob again and fell in his arms. "I... I am staying here..."

"Rydia... Are you sure?" Cecil asked, but could not help smiling.

"You said you wanted me to be happy... And I am happy... here... with you all!"

the caller smiled.

Edge pressed the girl a bit closer to him, a real look of relief on his face. "Rydia... I..." Rosa gave him a warning look. "Err... I am so glad that you're staying here, and I am sure that we'll find another way to the underworld..."

Rosa smiled. "That's right!"

"We should go..." Golbez disrupted the friends impatiently.

"Yes...go..." Kieran ached. He was still alive... "Go and meet the others... and my master...It has... begun..."

Cecil whirled around - he'd nearly forgotten the man.

He rushed to his side. "Who's your master? Claudius was one of you, too... Tell me: Who is your master?" he inquired furiously. Kieran smiled slightly "Ask... ask your friend... Paladin..."

"My friend? Which friend?" He grabbed him by the shoulder.

As Kieran felt the paladin's touch, his man looked at him wide eyed, and full of pain.

"Her... She knows... You'll see..." With a sigh, he died - his eyes looking soft all of a sudden..

"Not again..." Cecil stared in horror at the person before him. "He had looked as if he suddenly realized something... Realized himself..."

"Cecil! What are you standing there?" Rosa called from the door. "We must hurry if we want to get out of here!" The paladin nodded and followed the others.

They left the tower through the tunnel just in time. Behind them the machines were exploded due to a giant electric shock, the wave of the explosion burying even the tunnel, they had come through.

Rydia, who was supported by Edge stared dully at the buried entrance. "Kieran... How could I be so foolish..."

"Rydia..." Cecil laid a warm hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry..."

Golbez cleared his throat. "He was a cunning man, Miss Rydia; and highly intelligent on top of that. He knew even how to operate the tower - it's a mystery to me... Most people would have fallen for him... That you, in the end did the right thing, speaks for your person - you seem to grow up..." He smiled slightly.

The group watched him amazed, hearing such words from his mouth.

"Well... thank you... Golbez..." The caller stammered, suddenly looking a bit more cheerful.

Golbez only nodded and started to walk towards the airship without a word.

Cecil stared after his brother with a pensive expression. "I don't believe it..." He sighed.

"Sometimes, your brother can be really unpredictable" Rosa said with an amused smile, only getting a frowning look from her husband in return.

"That's what worries me so much.. Let's return to Baron..."

"Rydia..." Kain said carefully as the walked towards the airship "While you were away, Diane... Diane got hurt and..."

Rydia looked as if she would faint just again and grabbed hard onto Edge arm who groaned in pain "What? Oh my god... I...

"Kain! Later! Edge gifted "You'll only upset her needlessly..."

"No - no I want to know..." Rydia inhaled deeply.

"She's alright, but... but... Er... how do I put it... You're her best friend and she likes you very much, so please don't judge her because of me..." He looked unsure - a rare sight.

Rydia smiled relieved "Oh I am so glad, that she's alright... I wasn't fair to her... Don't worry Kain... You really seem to care for her..." She looked at him curiously, discovering sides on him she didn't know before. Kain grinned embarrassed and walked a bit faster.

"I wonder what Cid is thinking of the two?" Rydia murmured.

Edge grinned. "Just listen!"

"I am not starting with that good for nothing brute on board!" Cid's voice broke the silence of the night.

"Cid - don't be silly again!" Cecil sighed.

"Well then, fly... I am taking the chocobo..." Kain proposed. "It's much safer anyway..."

"What?" Cid boomed. "The only thing you have to fear is my fist! Get on board! ALL!"

The airship left the crumbled heaps of Bab-Il tower behind...

The evening of the next day, Cecil was taking a slow walk in the outskirts of town - this time being the only one where he could visit the town undisturbed by Baron's population. All had needed a rest, especially Rydia and though time was precious, the flight to Mysidia had to wait until tomorrow. Questions were nagging at the Paladin but no answers came to his mind. His greatest problem at the moment turned out to be his brother - he tried to get out of his way. If Golbez had any questions, which was seldom as he seemed to know everything, Rosa or Yang mostly helped out, knowing that the two brothers quarreled very easily. He wondered if his friends would blame him for his behavior. Rosa, at least seemed to understand him a bit, though he didn't quite understood himself...

"Strange that I of all people have the most problems getting along with my brothe r- and vice versa..." the paladin pondered. This morning he had even watched Rydia talking intensely with Golbez about some spells... "Rydia... I am so glad that she stays here... This Kieran was a really dangerous fellow - why didn't I feel his evil aura?" He thought of his last words again, which had been very similar to these of Claudius "This is just the beginning... It has begun..." Cecil shuddered.

"This dark-paladin society or whatever they call it is sure no harmless organization, and we do not even know their purpose... We know nothing, except that their members seem to be highly intelligent and powerful magic users... Having an enemy and not knowing where it will strike next..." He walked towards the town gate, inhaling deeply the fresh, cold evening air: "Ask her..." he'd said... I wonder if he meant..."

His thoughts were broken by a loud moan near the entrance of town. As he looked in the direction of the sound he could make out a crumpled figure lying in the grass. The paladin rushed to the injured person and knelt down beside her. As he carefully removed the person's hood, waves of silvery, long hair flooded out of it. The paladin gasped. "Dawn..." he stammered.

The young woman looked at him with broken eyes full of tears "Cecil... Tororia..." She fainted in his arms...

The moon still was towering silently in the night sky, unimpressed of what happened on the Blue planet and still a remembrance of what to come...