"Where did this come from?"

They stood near the hovercraft, which was resting patiently in the sand of the Kaipo Desert. Rosa stared at it in awe.

"Damcyan --" Edward replied, climbing onto the vehicle. "--It had never been used, so we decided to make use of it…"

Rydia leaped up behind him.

"I drove it first!" she declared proudly, gazing back at Rosa. "--Didn't I drive it first, Edward?"

The prince grimaced but nodded nevertheless.

"You certainly did…"

Rydia grabbed Rosa's hand and pulled her toward the vessel.

"Come on Rosa!"

Rosa climbed in with a smile, followed by Cecil, who closed the hatch behind him and tossed the furry cloaks onto the floor. The knight started toward the control panel so the little girl wouldn't decide to drive…she was seated on the floor, squirming with excitement.

"When does it get real cold, Edward?"

The prince pointed in the direction of the Northlands.

"Soon…probably sooner than we would like…"

Rydia's eyes lit up.

"It'll be snowing, right?"

Edward nodded without as much enthusiasm as the little girl displayed.

"I'm afraid snow is only a small part of what we'll encounter…"

Rosa turned to him.

"Why can't we just take the hovercraft to Fabul?"

Cecil glanced back…he had been wondering the same…

"Well…Mt. Hobs is the main peak of the mountain range on the peninsula…the mountains form a sort of bridge across the gulf of Damcyan between the Northern continent and the Eastern continent…"

He frowned thoughtfully.

"Fabul is on the Eastern continent…and between it and the Damcyan is the gulf…"

Rosa nodded.

"So Mt. Hobs is a natural bridge connecting the continents…"

Edward nodded a little regretfully.

"It's the only way to get to Fabul unless we had a ship…"

"Edward?"

Rydia, who had been staring across the land, suddenly piped up.

"Was Anna your girlfriend?"

Edward looked away quickly…

"Rydia…I --"

Rydia sprang toward him quickly.

"I just wanted to tell you I thought she was real pretty and you --"

"Rydia --"

Rosa spoke to the little girl gently as she noticed Edward's reaction.

"--Maybe Edward would rather not talk about --"

"No --"

Edward said hastily, shaking his head.

"--It's okay…"

It was obvious that it really was not okay…his tone of voice gave that much away…the prince walked toward Rosa and Rydia, his head lowered… He sat beside them and remained quiet for a few minutes. As the hovercraft approached the ruins of Damcyan, Edward could not bring himself to look at it…Rosa was shocked when she saw the ruins…Damcyan…it had once been so beautiful…now…it was hardly recognizable…She said nothing…

"Damcyan --" Edward whispered sadly…he glanced at Rosa with tears shimmering in his eyes. "--It is difficult to lose everything you love in a matter of hours…"

Rosa nodded sympathetically…Why am I nodding like I understand? I've never been through this…I can't pretend like I know what it feels like…

"My mother…my father --" Edward continued. "--They passed away only a short time before the Red Wing attack…I had not spoken to them very much --"

He sounded regretful…

"--They were frustrated with me…since I was the prince of Damcyan and should succeed my father as king --"

Edward kneaded a piece of the cloak in his fist.

"--I never really wished to be king…So we disagreed often. --"

He sighed.

"--I told them that if being the son of the king of Damcyan meant that I would later become the king then I would rather not be the king's son…"

He shook his head in dismay and laid rested his head in his hands…"

"Does this mean that my wish has come true?"

No one spoke…even Rydia was silent…at last Edward turned to Rosa, a look of despair etched on his young face:

"Rosa…if you knew someone…someone you loved so much that you were willing to die for that person…do you believe that he or she would know, even if you ---"

His voice faltered.

"--Even if you could never --"

Edward's voice trailed off but Rosa nodded with a sad smile.

"I believe she would know…"

Edward smiled weakly and sighed.

"I think that I may never love someone as I have loved Anna…"

Before Rosa could reply, Rydia turned to him seriously.

"Edward --" she said, placing her small hand on his shoulder. "--You're real nice…I know you'll find another girlfriend --"

She leaned close to his ear and whispered:

"--And I think you're handsome too!"

She giggled and smiled broadly. Edward blushed and shook his head.

"No…I am certain that there --"

"Edward!"

Rydia sprang to her feet.

"Don't be so scared!"

She thrust a finger in his face to scold him.

"--Anna showed you how strong she was!"

The little girl put her hands on her hips.

"--Now you have to show her how strong you are!"

She glared at him for a moment before she started prancing around in the hovercraft. Edward watched her and lowered his head. Rosa stared at him intently and finally the prince looked at her.

"I have lost everything because of Golbez --"

He dropped his head in dejection.

"--But what will I do if I ever confront him?"

He shrugged, looking ashamed.

"I have left it in the hands of a poor old man…"

Rosa frowned…'poor old man?'…she hadn't heard anything about the old man…

"Do you remember Master Tellah?"

Cecil spoke at last, glancing back, his hands on the wheel. Rosa nodded, quite shocked.

"Y-yes! I know him --"

She stood quickly.

"--He used to be my mentor when I was studying to be a cleric."

She nodded again as if she were remembering everything.

"--But when I was young…we called him Father Tellah…"

Edward stared at her in surprise…

"You know Master Tellah?"

Rosa nodded again.

"I know he had a daughter several years younger than me…He always talked about her, how he loved her and how beautiful she was; and how much she looked like her mother…"

She lowered her head sadly.

"--Her mother passed away just a little while after she was born --"

Rosa looked at Edward to see if he could provide any further information but he stared at the floor.

"--Father Tellah was depressed…after that he vowed to protect his only…daughter…"

"He is a wise man…"

Edward's whisper was barely audible…he kept his gaze on the floor…

"--Father Tellah always said his daughter wanted to study to be a cleric --" Rosa explained with a hint of sadness. "--But she worked hard for her father so they could survive --"

Rosa sat down again, leaning against the wall of the hovercraft.

"--I do remember seeing her a few times…but I don't remember her name --"

She looked up thoughtfully.

"--Now that I think about it, she looked a lot like Rydia --"

Rosa was watching the little girl hop around the hovercraft.

"--You know...with that childish charm and --"

"It was Anna --" Edward remarked suddenly. Rosa stared at him in astonishment and he laid his face into his hands.

"--Master Tellah had a daughter named Anna --"

Rosa noticed his trembling voice but she gazed at him blankly.

"But…you said…another…Anna --"

"--It was Master Tellah's Anna…in Damcyan…"

He turned his head away when Rosa gasped.

"Oh no…"

Rosa whispered softly.

"--Father Tellah must have been crushed…"

Edward nodded.

"His daughter is…gone…because of me --"

Tears were in his eyes.

"-But I will find Master Tellah again and explain everything --"

A tear made its way slowly down his cheek.

"--I deceived him and I always mistook the protection of his daughter for --Oh I don't know-- jealousy, perhaps --"

He looked at Rosa.

"--Maybe I thought he wanted his daughter to love him and only him…"

Rosa said nothing…Edward gave a small scornful laugh and continued:

"Why did I ever imagine she needed me?"

He shook his head as though he were answering his own question.

"I was forced to travel as a bard in order to see Anna --"

He clenched his fist angrily.

"--So I deceived her and her father…but she later found out who I really was…"

A pause…

"I took away Master Tellah's child --" Edward stated, ashamed. "--I took away all that he had left and since I am not strong enough --"

His eyes fell to the floor again.

"--Master Tellah is seeking to avenge his daughter alone…"

"Father Tellah will stop at nothing --" Rosa assured them. "--I know him well enough…"

Edward looked at her hopefully.

"Perhaps he too believes that Golbez will strike Fabul next --"

The prince stood hastily.

"--Perhaps he is on his way there now!"

Cecil shook his head in disagreement.

"He'll never make it alone --"

His words had an awful sound to them…It gave the old man no chance if he were headed toward Fabul…

"You are right --" Edward sighed and made his way toward the pilot seat. "--Even a strong old man like Master Tellah could never make it through the mountains alone…"

"But I don't think he'll travel to Fabul --" Cecil declared. "--He knows something more…he knows there's something more to this than collecting the crystals --"

He glanced back at Rosa and Edward.

"--Master Tellah is one step ahead of us…"

Cecil's words died away and soon the humming of the hovercraft filled the silence…No one spoke for a while…Cecil hoped the old man wasn't on his way to Fabul…he was almost certain he wasn't on his way across the mountains…

"Look!"

Rydia's voice broke the silence. She was pointing frantically out the front window.

"Is that the mountains?"

She indicated a snowy peak resting between pillows of clouds in the distance. Edward gasped as everyone gazed out the window.

"It is Mt. Hobs!"

He shook his head in disbelief.

"It is a monster looming over us in the horizon --"

He looked at Cecil hopelessly.

"--We cannot pass through…"

Cecil turned to answer him when the hovercraft jolted violently, tossing Rosa and Rydia onto the floor. Edward snatched at the pilot seat and managed to remain on his feet while Cecil latched to the steering wheel, determined not to lose control of the trembling hovercraft.

"The hovercraft's not agreeing with this weather!"

Cecil swore and stared out the window in concern. It was terribly misty…almost so thick that they couldn't see through it…Another gust of wind blasted the hovercraft…it lurched wildly…Rydia grabbed Rosa's leg as they tumbled across the floor, and the little girl giggled merrily the entire time. Cecil gritted his teeth, bracing himself as he clutched the steering wheel…

"We have no choice but to stop!"

Edward held the pilot seat and shouted earnestly into Cecil's ear. Cecil yelled something back to him but his voice was lost in another snowy gust of wind. The hovercraft jarred to a screeching halt in the hills of snow. Flurries swirled around the craft and clung to the windows.

"Look Rosa!"

Rydia climbed up from the floor and snatched Rosa's hand, pointing gleefully out the window.

"Snow!"

Edward strained to glimpse the landscape through the foggy glass.

"We are near the base of Mt. Hobs, I believe…"

Rydia was shouting for someone to lift her up to the exit hatch.

"Come on!" she urged, leaping up and down. "We have to hurry!"

Edward sighed heavily and trudged to her; and Cecil glanced at Rosa, his eyebrows raised…Rosa shrugged indifferently and grabbed the cloaks from the floor of the hovercraft. She shoved one into Cecil's hands, smiling. As they made their way out the narrow hatch, a chilling gust of wind blew through, and Cecil clenched his teeth as the air stung his face and hands…He pushed his dark helmet over his head and surveyed the surroundings…the hovercraft was being showered with snow, and Cecil noticed hopelessly that the craft would be buried in only a couple of hours…He shielded his eyes with one arm and gazed up to get a better view of the mountain chain…The swirling snow made it difficult to see anything and soon his eyes burned from the cold so he couldn't look toward the mountains anymore…Rydia clung to Edward miserably, shivering.

"It's c-c-cold out here…" she stated, smiling nevertheless.

Edward squinted his eyes to keep the searing wind from drying them and he gazed at Rydia, quite concerned.

"Great God!"

He extended his hand to Rosa.

"Let me have one of those cloaks…Rydia's lips are turning blue!"

"They are not!" Rydia declared indignantly, but she allowed Edward to drape the thick cloak over her thin shoulders. She thanked him bashfully and bundled up in the warm fluffy coat.

Cecil offered his cloak to Rosa, who refused…Cecil placed it forcefully in her hands with a rueful smile…and she knew there was no arguing. She thanked him graciously, her eyes sparkling.

"We must hurry!"

Edward stepped close to Cecil, shouting over the howling wind…

"Soon the hovercraft will be useless!"

Cecil nodded.

"Where do we start?!"

Edward frowned and turned toward the mountains.

"Wherever we can…"

He started trudging toward the tremendous snowy peaks…looming over them like creatures…Rydia was close at his heels…Cecil watched them with dismay…he almost changed his mind about the whole ordeal…

"Come on --"

Rosa's voice drifted through the howling wind.

"--We don't want to lose them in the snow…"

She pulled the cloak tightly around her shoulders and hurried after them. Cecil followed behind hesitantly…

They walked for what seemed like hours, faces down to block out the biting wind…their bodies were still numb and their fingers and cheeks and toes tingled as the feeling came and went…Finally Cecil heard a surprised cry ahead and he raised his head, eyes squinted…

"What's wrong?!"

He started toward the prince of Damcyan…it would have been useless to listen for a reply in the roaring wind…

"I think we are at the base of the mountains!"

He held both arms in front of him.

"There must have been an avalanche!"

Massive mounds of snow blocked any path that might have been there…

"W-we have no choice but to dig our way through!"

Edward started toward the snowdrifts but Cecil clutched his shoulder.

"Wait!"

He gazed up warily, the wind cutting into his skin.

"An avalanche? That means it can happen again, right?"

Edward nodded without glancing at the knight.

"We c-can only pray that it doesn't!"

Cecil groaned inwardly…Rosa appeared beside him and plunged her hands into the snow.

"We've got a long way to go..." she observed, raking snow onto her boots…after a moment Edward stood, rubbing his hands together.

"Dear God! It is frozen solid!"

He blew hot air onto his numb fingers and stepped back.

"We can never dig through this!" he exclaimed hopelessly. Rosa withdrew her hands, looking at Cecil reluctantly.

"Edward's right…"

Cecil shook his head vigorously…

"No! There has to be a way through!"

He plunged his hands into the barrier of snow and instantly jerked them away as he felt the frozen layer of ice…solid…a total barrier surrounding the mountains…Edward lowered his eyes and turned away.

"It is hopeless…"

"No!"

Cecil glared at the wall of snow and ice…it couldn't be hopeless…not now…He kicked at the impenetrable ice wall with his boot.

"It's not hopeless!"

He lashed out again but it did nothing…Rydia looked at the barrier of ice, her eyes glimmering…

"What are we gonna do?"

Cecil had never before heard the little girl sound so…helpless…not even when her mother was…gone…now even she didn't believe they could cross the mountains…Edward shrugged, his cheeks were pink from the cold wind…of course he would have no suggestions…Cecil glanced at Rosa…Rosa looked at Rydia curiously…

"Rydia --"

Her voice rose with excitement.

"--You studied the art of summoning, didn't you?"

Rydia nodded meekly. Edward looked up as if he understood what Rosa as saying.

"You should know the magic of fire!" Rosa declared, holding a hand toward the ice wall. "Why can't you just --"

"No!"

The little girl shook her head vigorously. Rosa stopped.

"Do you mean that you don't know --"

Cecil lowered his head as Rydia started crying. Rosa glanced at him for a moment then understood…she knelt beside the little girl, holding her arms toward her sympathetically…

"What's wrong, Rydia?"

The little girl threw her arms around Rosa with tears streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't answer as she sobbed but Rosa held her close, looking at Cecil with a questioning glance. Cecil stared at the ground…my God, don't tell me I'll have to say this again…

"The fire…in…Mist --"

He felt so awful…ashamed…

"--But…we…didn't know…"

Cecil's voice trailed off uncertainly. Rosa nodded but said nothing, hugging Rydia closer.

"It's okay --" she whispered gently as Rydia's face pressed into her shoulder. She stroked the little girl's hair soothingly…and once Rydia lifted a tear-stained face to gaze at Rosa…

"I h-hate…fire…"

She buried her head into Rosa's shoulder again, and Edward bowed his head.

"Poor child…"

Rosa remained kneeling with Rydia in her arms and a tear trickled down her own cheek. Everything seemed hopeless…there was no way through the wall of ice and no way to travel to Fabul and soon Golbez would gather the crystals…and what happened after that they didn't know…Rosa looked at Cecil but he didn't even raise his head…Rosa bit her lip to keep herself from crying but she knew there was nothing left for them to do…She turned her eyes to Edward…He stared numbly at the wall of ice and snow…At last he turned and started toward Rosa and Rydia. Rosa watched him in surprise…His boots made a soft crunching on the frozen ground…

"Rydia --" he said earnestly, kneeling beside Rosa and Rydia. The little girl didn't listen for a moment…then she slowly raised her head and glanced at the prince.

"--Rydia," Edward gazed intently into her shiny hazel eyes; "-You are our only hope for making it through the mountains --"

Rydia said nothing but stared at Edward, her lower lip quivering. Rosa stood and backed toward Cecil. The prince laid his hand the little girl's shoulder, his hand buried in the soft fur.

"Please Rydia --"

He tried desperately to hold back tears of frustration and sadness…

"--If we cannot make it to Fabul, many more people will be hurt…"

Edward gazed at her tear-stained face, pleading silently…Cecil and Rosa watched them silently…the little girl lowered her head, and Edward brushed away strands of shimmering green hair from her face and looked into her eyes again…

"Rydia --" he started solemnly. "--Do you remember when you told me to be strong..?"

He watched her for a reaction…she lowered her head and said nothing…at last she glanced at Rosa and Cecil…then she looked at Edward…a faint smile made its way to her childish face and she nodded…

Then with a look of determination she stepped toward the ice wall…she hesitated…but Edward knew she would not turn away…

A wave of relief washed through the prince as Rydia began to softly murmur the words of magic…the ancient language…he was so relieved that he was exhausted…he backed away and watched, silently and fervently praying that the ice and snow would melt…

Rydia held her hands toward the barrier, her middle fingers pressed into her palms, and suddenly hot flames licked out from the snow…a hissing sound echoed through the air around them and steam billowed forth from the snow and ice…instantly the ice wall was engulfed in flames and it shrank…water gushed around their feet but they paid no attention…Edward felt his stomach churning with excitement and despite the cold, he leaped into the air with a shout of joy…Rosa clapped happily and ran to the little girl's side…

"Rydia!"

Rosa held the little girl close.

"You did it!"

Rydia smiled weakly and beamed with pride. Cecil hurried toward them.

"We can pass the ice wall now…"

He indicated the path hidden behind the mounds of snow and ice. It was lost in a thick shower of snow but he could tell that it swerved sharply then disappeared behind jagged rocks…

Edward approached Rydia and knelt at her side his eyes sparkling like the tiny flakes of snow…he grabbed her shoulder, staring into her tear-stained face:

"Rydia…if you believe in yourself anything is possible!"

Rydia looked at him and burst into joyful laughter, flinging her arms around his neck. She leaned close to him and whispered:

"Anna would be proud of both of us, Edward!"

Edward nodded silently and stood, brushing tears from his eyes.

"Yes…she would…"

"Rydia --"

Finally Cecil spoke…he didn't know what to say…he seemed to encounter that problem often…I can make it as simple as possible…

"--Thank you --"

He stammered…there was more to say…so much more..

"--I --"

"No time for that!"

Rydia insisted, smiling broadly…

"We've gotta go!"

She snatched Rosa's and Cecil's hands and started skipping through the snow…A rueful smile crossed Cecil's face as he glanced at Rosa…

"Sometimes I think she's smarter than me --"

"--And cuter!" Rosa declared, nudging him playfully in the side…they let themselves be led away by the little girl as snow swirled around them…