Smoke gushed from the bowels of the huge castle…ashes and dust hung densely upon the morning air…one entire tower of the castle was demolished, lying in rubble below, and several sections of the body of the castle were obliterated…

A lone flag with the seal of the family of the von Muirs fluttered pathetically in the breeze…

Cecil stared dumbly at the destruction…the ruins that were once the magnificent castle of Damcyan…destroyed…He could do nothing but stare…it couldn't be real…he had to wait until he could awaken…this was a dream…

"What in God's name happened?"

His voice spoke…emotionless…God, it is real…I've never been able to speak in a dream…or in a nightmare…The old man was so badly shaken that his frail body quivered uncontrollably…He won't be able to speak for awhile, Cecil thought ruefully…

"…Movement…"

Tellah's voice at last returned…he uttered only one word…senselessly, yes…but it was a word that might prove that someone were there; and someone might be able to explain this…

A miracle, Cecil thought vaguely as he hurried toward the smoking ruins…blackened craters were pressed into the courtyard…as if violent explosions had ripped through the ground and incinerated everything in the way…Fires burned in various places…it didn't matter…the damage had been done…Cecil gasped for breath in the smoky air…

He didn't notice the body until he stumbled over it…

A man was sprawled on the stairs in the courtyard, a shattered sword lying near him…his youthful face was filthy with soot and blood and tears…the dark blood matted to his sandy hair and pooled around him on the stones of the courtyard...Cecil gaped at the young man…he was disgusted at the sight…he had seen dead people before…many times…but this young man was not dead…

He was dying instead…no hope to live again…dying…Cecil knelt beside him anyway…

"Your…Highness…?"

The injured soldier groaned and stirred as his glazed eyes stared numbly at Cecil…

Cecil shook his head quickly…As the soldier studied the Knight through his dully-shining eyes, he drew away from him in terror…

"God have mercy…"

The youth coughed spasmodically and blood dribbled from his mouth.

"What…more…do you….want…?"

Cecil frowned…the boy must be delirious…

"What are you talking about?"

He glared at the soldier…he heard the sound of Master Tellah's quick breaths as he arrived at Cecil's side…

"The…the crystal is…yours --"

The injured man convulsed and coughed before continuing.

"--What more…is…there?"

Suddenly it made sense…it was so clear…too clear…

"No --"

Cecil shook his head…he thinks I'm…still…one of the Red Wings…

"No!"

Cecil pounded across the stairs and into the stronghold of the castle of Damcyan…

"What is wrong?"

Tellah started after the Knight, his voice high-pitched from fright…

"Where is my daughter?!"

With unusual speed for such an old man, the sage limped after Cecil…leaving Rydia in the courtyard…she gaped at the dying man on the shattered steps…It was not making sense to her…a little girl…she shuddered, her eyes still fixed on the young man…

Suddenly his eyes opened again, his empty gaze shifting to the little girl…

Rydia screamed and scurried after Cecil and Master Tellah…

* * * * * *

Cecil charged madly through the halls and chambers, stumbling over dead bodies which were strewn about the floor…the smell of blood and smoke and death lingered everywhere…In some sickening moments Cecil's gaze fell upon parts of bodies…a grisly scene…human body parts littered across the floor…his stomach turned and he felt that he would vomit…

Master Tellah followed close behind…neither man was too eager to be the leader of the grim exploration…

"What is wrong?"

Cecil couldn't answer the old man…he didn't want to try…

Cecil at last smashed through the door of the throne room…he was instantly sickened by the sight of bodies heaped against the walls, lying across the stairs, in the doorways…debris mingled with the bodies…

The Knight collapsed as he entered the chamber…he drew deep breaths, his hands pressed to the floor tightly… Tellah entered shortly after Cecil, breathless; he uttered a cry of despair as he gazed at the horrible:

"Oh, Anna!"

He hurried to the body of a young girl lying motionless in the center of the throne room…her white dress was stained with blood so dark and thick that it was nearly black…Her hands were pressed tenderly to her stomach, and her knees were curled up close to her as though she were in great pain…her face, young, beautiful, filthy from the ashes and blood and soot…light brown hair spilled around her shoulders…

"Anna!"

Tellah knelt beside the girl with a look of terror on his wrinkled face…he gently cradled her head in his arms…

"My child!"

Tears trickled unchecked down his face.

"I am sorry I could not come sooner!"

Tellah wept bitterly and stroked her hair…

"—My poor little girl…"

A slight scuffling drifted from the adjoining room, and a young man in tattered clothes…ragged…dirty…bloody…shuffled toward the injured girl. He cradled a bowl of water in his hands…

When his eyes fell on the old man kneeling at the girl’s side, he gasped…the bowl dropped from his hand…splashing water onto the floor…

"Master Tellah!"

Tellah lifted his eyes from the girl in his arms and turned slowly toward the unexpected voice…his glittering eyes narrowed…burned with hate…

"You!"

Tellah gripped the wooden staff in a frail hand that quivered so violently that he could hardly hold it…

"You are the boy who took my baby girl away from me!"

He took a feeble step toward the stranger…the young man only stared at him…

"Damned bard!"

Tellah struck the young man on the shoulder with his staff…

"Master Tellah!" he winced but didn’t move. "Please listen –"

The enraged old man swung the wooden staff again, striking the young man once more on the arm…The bard clutched his arm painfully but took an urgent step closer to the sage…

"Please! Master Tellah!"

"Rogue!"

Angry tears poured down Tellah’s cheeks.

"You have led my little girl to her death!"

He gripped the staff with both hands and swung it with all of his might, lashing the cheek of the young man…He gave a cry of pain and fell heavily to the floor. Blood immediately seeped from the gash on his cheek…and it mingled with tears as he pleaded with the old man:

"Listen Master Tellah! I –"

Tellah approached him again, his face flushed an ugly red; but a cry from behind stopped him.

"Father! Edward! Please stop!"

Tellah turned with a cry and rushed to Anna’s side…

"Oh Anna, my dear child!"

Tears streamed down his wrinkled face as he dropped to the ground beside her…

"I have come for you!"

A faint smile appeared on her pale face.

"Father, I am sorry I never told you –"

She paused with a glance at the young man, who had approached them wordlessly.

"—Edward is the Prince of Damcyan!"

Tellah stared at his daughter numbly…

"It was against his wishes to be the prince –" Anna continued weakly. "—So he was disguised as a bard when I met him in Kaipo!"

She struggled to lean forward but coughed hoarsely and fell back. Tellah wept bitterly and clutched her bloody hand into his…Edward stayed away…watching the scene without a word…

"Father, forgive me for leaving Mysidia!"

Anna’s voice was softer…

"A messenger from Damcyan met Edward to tell him the awful news: he needed to hurry to the castle in order to attend the funerals of his Father and Mother, the King and Queen of Damcyan!"

Tellah frowned…nothing seemed to make sense to the old man…Anna gave a soft moan and clutched her stomach in pain…Edward limped slowly toward the two figures…

"Please, Father –" Anna spoke in a shaky whisper. "—do not be angry at me for what I cannot control! But I love Edward!"

Tellah dropped his eyes toward the ground…

"We were going to return to you but –"

"—One adorned with the double-cross of Baron –"

Edward suddenly spoke in a hushed voice.

"—A man by the name of Golbez…he led the Red Wings to Damcyan…"

"Who is Golbez?"

Edward looked toward Cecil in alarm…he had obviously not noticed the presence of the Dark Knight…the young prince shook his head sadly, running one hand through his ivory locks of hair…

"He is a heartless beast…"

Edward stepped closer to Anna and knelt beside her, touching her pale face gently.

"Why did he choose to attack Damcyan?" Cecil persisted…Edward looked at him with a mournful look upon his face.

"He…came for the…Crystal of…Fire ---"

A tear rolled down his cheek and Cecil’s eyes narrowed…

"—Anna shielded me from the arrows!"

He burst into tears and grasped one of the girl’s hands as she started to cry…

"Oh Anna –"

Edward pressed her hand to his cheek.

"—My love…"

The old sage covered his face with his feeble hands and wept bitterly…his sudden outpouring of emotion made Anna open her eyes...the pale blue irises sparkled dully…

"Dear Father! Please forgive me!"

Her eyes glinted then dulled again…

"Please tell me that you...forgive...me…Father…"

Her eyes close wearily…peacefully…Tellah knelt beside her with a cry of despair.

"My sweet child! Oh dear child!"

The old man sobbed woefully.

"I do forgive you!"

He lowered his head toward her until his wispy gray hair touched her face.

"I forgive you!"

He closed his eyes with a gentle whisper into her ear…Dreary silence settled in the chamber…when Tellah rose again there was a strange light glittering in his eyes…he backed away with nothing else to say…

"…Anna…"

Edward remained at the side of the girl’s lifeless body…his eyes stared numbly at her…he was stunned…paralyzed…he had not absorbed what happened…that would come later…

"Who is…Golbez?"

They were the first words Tellah had spoken to Edward ever since his frustrated assault on the young man…Edward sniffed, stroking Anna’s hair gloomily.

"It was...said…that he is trying...to capture…the Crystals –" his voice quivered. "—by using Baron’s Red Wings…" At last he stood, his head bowed.

Tellah turned on the prince furiously.

"Stop crying, you silly boy!"

The old man shoved Edward to the ground.

"Your tears will not revive Anna!"

He snatched the wooden staff from the floor in anger. Edward watched him…

"Golbez!"

Tellah screamed hoarsely into the air.

"Hear me well!"

He drew a deep breath…he was so angry…so furious…

"As long as my heart continues to beat, I will seek you and avenge my dear child!"

He turned with new determination toward the door of the throne room…Cecil saw his eyes flaring an unearthly color…

"Do you hear me, Golbez?!"

The old man waved a fist into the air.

"I am coming to avenge my daughter!"

Never before had Cecil heard such forceful words spoken by a man who had seen so many years…it was frightening…

But Cecil knew that every word he spoke was the truth…

As the old man strode angrily toward the door, Cecil cut him off and grabbed his thin shoulder.

"You can't go alone!"

Tellah's eyes flashed maliciously.

"I need no one's help!" he snapped. "This is my own affair!"

He pushed the Knight aside and disappeared down the hall. Cecil started to hurry after the old man, snatch his arm and drag him back, screaming Master Tellah come back do you want to end up like your daughter Master Tellah...she's dead…do you understand…she's DEAD and you will be too just come back old fool…

Cecil said nothing…he didn't even turn toward the hall…He just stared blankly at the prince of Damcyan…and Rydia…the little girl was standing near Edward…

"Anna…"

Edward wept miserably over Anna's body…

"...Oh my love…"

He laid his head upon her chest and moaned:

"Forgive me, Anna…dear God…forgive me…"

Rydia approached him, her hands on her hips.

"Crybaby!"

Edward looked at her, startled.

"You're a grown-up, Edward!" she declared…she was almost as stunned as he was…

"You aren't supposed to cry!"

Edward stared at his hands, ashamed.

"You are right --"

A pause…

"--I am a coward!"

He sniffed…tears fell from his eyelashes…

"But I don't care! I will stay here and die beside Anna!"

His senseless promise angered Cecil, and the Knight approached the young man vehemently.

"You won't get anything done if you stay here and die!"

A flicker of hurt passed across Edward's face…

"Help us find Golbez and put an end to all of this!"

Cecil clutched Edward's shoulder and glared at him…God, he was so angry…how dare the young man just throw aside his responsibility to his kingdom…to his parents…to the girl whom he loved and her father…

Edward said nothing and Cecil released his shoulder…

"I need you to tell me where to find a sand ruby…"

Edward frowned and at last lifted his eyes to the Knight...He obviously wondered why the Dark Knight was in search of a sand ruby...

Cecil explained everything…

"--A friend has the desert fever and now she's in Kaipo…very sick…"

…Dying…a voice mocked his hopeful words…she's not just very sick…she's dying…possibly dead now…

"--Will you help us?"

Cecil forced the words out so he wouldn't have to think about Rosa anymore…Edward bowed his head again…

"You want….my…help?"

The young man was surprised…but Cecil nodded earnestly…

"Not only for us but for Damcyan…and all of your friends who…died…here --"

Cecil waited…he thought his own words sounded brutal…uncaring…but he was speaking the truth…Edward already knew…

"--Help us …for…Anna…"

The words finally seemed to sink in…Anna…she was dead…dead…here she was, lying in front of him but she was not moving…not speaking…not laughing or teasing him or singing with him as she often did…

Anna was dead…never again would she be there to do those things…

"How do I know that you can be trusted --" Edward started at long last, not attempting to hide the tremor in his voice. "--since you also wear the double-cross of Baron upon your armor?"

Cecil shook his head grimly.

"You don't know --" he replied simply. "You can only take my word for it…"

For once in his life the words actually sounded sincere…no empty promise…He was determined to break free of the burden of his past as a Dark Knight…

Edward said nothing…his eyes fell on Anna and remained there for a long time…There were so many words left unspoken…and he could never ever tell her…or her father…

"The person you spoke of sounds very important to you --"

The prince of Damcyan finally rose with a shaky sigh.

"--We...should hurry…before you lose a loved one…"

"Does that mean you'll help us?"

Cecil tried to contain his excitement but ended up sounding too eager. Rydia stared at Edward, waiting for his answer. The look on her face clearly said that 'No' was not an option…Edward nodded meekly.

"I must find Master Tellah and redeem myself to him, or I shall never forgive myself for Anna's death…"

Cecil offered his hand in greeting…

"I'm Cecil Harvey…"

The words sounded unfinished, so he guiltily added:

"--Formerly the Captain of the Red Wings…"

Edward clasped Cecil's hand…he seemed to not care that Cecil was once the Captain of the Red Wings or even a former member of the Red Wings…

"And I am, as you have certainly heard by now, prince Edward of Damcyan --"

He glanced around sadly.

"--Though after the deaths of the King and Queen, I should succeed to the throne --"

Edward smiled ruefully.

"As it is, I am to rise to the throne as king of nothing…"

Cecil thought of some encouraging words to offer the prince; there were none…he could offer none without lying…Before he had to stammer an answer, Rydia hopped toward Edward, extending her small hand.

"My name is Rydia!"

Edward managed a weak smile and shook her hand.

"Rydia," he mused thoughtfully. "That is a pretty name for a pretty girl…"

She grinned bashfully.

"I'm not as pretty as Anna…"

Edward bowed his head.

"She was an angel…she was my angel…"

He looked back at Rydia again quite curiously.

"But…your name…it seems rather antiquated --"

Edward peered at her.

"--What region are you from?"

Rydia smiled broadly.

"I'm from Mist!"

As she knelt beside Anna, Edward turned to Cecil in bewilderment.

"--Mist?!" he repeated. "Then she is --"

"--A summoner…" Cecil nodded, glancing at the little girl, who was twirling Anna's soft brown hair between her fingers.

"--Probably the only one left…"

Edward frowned in amazement.

"She is truly gifted…"

Rydia leaped to her feet quickly and grabbed Edward's hand.

"Edward, do you know where a sand ruby is?"

He nodded.

"A sand ruby is made by the ant lion like a pearl is made by oysters in the sea --"

Rydia listened intently.

"--The caves are in the east, but it is impossible to travel there by foot --"

Cecil frowned and Edward hastily explained:

"--It is on an island surrounded by dangerous shallows --"

His face brightened.

"--But we can use the hovercraft to cross the shallows!"

Cecil frowned again.

"Hovercraft?"

He never knew Damcyan would have such vehicles…Edward nodded again.

"Damcyan Castle received the hovercraft as a gift several years ago, yet it has not even been used!"

He lifted a finger at Cecil.

"I believe it was a gift from the King of Baron, if I remember correctly…"

Cecil smirked.

"I wouldn't trust it if it were a gift from King Odin…"

The harsh words sounded awful…Cecil never dreamed that he would openly insult the King of Baron…Edward, however, shook his head earnestly.

"It is okay…It was given to Damcyan before…"

His voice trailed off uncertainly…but Cecil knew what he was going to say…

Before the king...changed…

"Wait a moment and I shall lead you to the hovercraft…"

Edward turned and disappeared into the door from which he came. While he was gone, Rydia skipped around merrily.

"Cecil, we get to ride a hovercraft!"

She grabbed his hand.

"Won't it be fun?"

Cecil could not help but share in the girl's enthusiasm.

"We can finally make Rosa better!"

That was why Cecil could share in her enthusiasm…they were now on a quest that was worthwhile…no stealing…no killing…he was searching for something that would cure Rosa…

Edward entered the throne room again and in his hand he carried a wooden harp, the body deeply scarred and faded. A leather strap dangled from it, and the luster of the strings was anything but magnificent.

"Wow!"

Rydia charged toward the prince, her eyes wide in excitement.

"You have a harp?"

Edward nodded, his face flushed.

"It is a hobby to which I have taken quite a fancy –"

He glanced down at the instrument in his hands.

"—Though it is unusual for the royal prince of Damcyan to enjoy such a past time…"

Rydia reached out and plucked fiercely at the strings.

"Can you play it good?"

Edward drew the harp hastily to his chest.

"Perhaps at a later time I will entertain you with a simple melody; although it is not an elegant instrument and I am far from a musician…"

Cecil knew the prince was being modest as he spoke…he must have been an excellent musician to remain disguised as a bard for so long…

"But now –"

Edward started again, changing the subject.

"—We must hurry to retrieve a sand ruby…"

Cecil agreed and scooped his dark helmet from the floor. Rydia skipped playfully beside him as he turned toward the throne room…Edward stood motionless for a moment, brooding…

"Before we go –" his voice quivered as he spoke: "—May I have a moment to give Anna a decent burial chamber?"

He sighed gloomily.

"Not for my sake but for the sake of her heart-broken father…"

Cecil nodded solemnly.

"We’ll wait outside in the courtyard…"

He motioned for Rydia to follow, and to his surprise (and relief), she followed.

"Rydia –"

Edward held the harp toward the little girl.

"—Do you mind holding this for me while I am gone?"

Her eyes lit up as she snatched it from his hands.

"Thanks Edward!"

She immediately began clanging on the worn strings. Edward could not hide the faint smile as he glanced at Cecil and Rydia.

"…I shall not…be…long…"

Rydia pulled the leather strap of the harp around her thin shoulders then she waved happily to Edward before she and Cecil left the throne room of the castle of Damcyan…