Ch6-4: The Power of Anger
“Cecil!” Golbez hissed through the damp dungeon air, “It vanished!”
“What? What vanished?” the Paladin’s head swerved tensely. His eyes latched on to the dim image of his brother’s face where it hovered, lit from below by the strange device. “What are you talking about?”
It took the Master Wizard a moment before he seemed to realize that Cecil was addressing him. Then, with a morose face, he replied, “Incrytan… it’s not here in the castle anymore!”
Edge’s glance took in the brothers, mostly because they had stopped walking and were now blocking the entire narrow corridor in front of him. Pressing his shoulder to one wall, the Ninja found no way to squeak his way past the two Half-Lunars, who stood fixated on the small crystal device in the Wizard’s hand.
Damn Golbez’s big arse!
“How do you know?” Cecil was asking.
“It’s not showing on the tracker anymore,” Golbez grimaced.
“Hey, let’s move it!” Edge growled, trying to peer over the tall Wizard’s shoulder without success. A veil of green cloak filled his sight. And his words went unheard.
Come on! Come on!! Who cares about some stupid rock – we’re so close to finding Rydia!
“How could that be?” the Paladin’s face oozed concern. “Something like Incrytan just doesn’t vanish in a moment, does it?”
Golbez pursed his lips. “I have my theories…”
“That’s nice… now move the hell out the way!” Edge gave the Wizard’s shoulder a sharp nudge.
From behind the Ninja, Chase blinked at Porom with a concerned glance.
Golbez turned in response to the prod. His green eyes glittered down at Edge, almost spectral in the glow of the crystal device as the stern lines of his face were accented sharply in discontent. For that passing moment, it felt as if the presence of the Dark Lord had suddenly reawakened.
He’s really pissed about this Crystal thing… isn’t he?
The Ninja forced his feet to remain rooted to the slippery, mossed stone, though his initial reaction was to flinch. Grey eyes sharpened as tension trickled through the corridor.
Maybe I should have kept my trap shut.
Cecil must have sensed it, too. His hand was already clamped to the Wizard’s upper arm as if to command away any dark urges his brother might have. His voice was nervous, but soothing, “Golbez…”
The Ninja felt his own hand straying near the hilt of his blade.
We’re so close, Rydia. I’m not letting this dark-hearted bastard get in my way…
“Edge…” Cecil’s voice turned on him, as if sensing the Ninja’s train of thought. “Not now. Both of you.”
The Wizard gave a long, shuddering breath. When he dropped his eyes from the conflict, there was a hint of what seemed embarrassment.
“I don’t think you comprehend the situation here,” Golbez’s deep voice was thick. Concerned. “Incrytan is our goal here. Anything else is moot beside it.”
Edge felt his heel grind into the stone. His eyes flashed, “It’s just like Golbez to say something like that!”
“Hun?” the Half-Lunar stared, a sudden baffled expression flooding his face.
He really doesn’t get it, does he?
“You’re the one that doesn’t understand,” Edge shoved a finger forward and waved it sharply. “Someone’s life is at stake here! One of our own is taken prisoner… and that means nothing to you? You’re so obsessed with finding your stupid magic trinket that everything else besides that is moot – even human life?”
“W-wait. I didn’t say–” Golbez looked taken aback.
“Yes you did. Your own words,” the young king snorted, pushing past the drapes of green and white cloaks in disgust.
Opal’s violet eyes were wide as the Ninja strode past her, towards the dripping darkness. “Wait, where are you going?”
“To find Rydia,” he muttered. “Since no one else seems to care.”
“Edge!” Cecil’s tone was pleading. “We gotta stick together!”
“Yeah, well, Paladin,” he turned on his heel, “I thought it was your job to protect people who are in trouble? Not to mention your friends? What happened to all that mess? Or has your brother influenced the way you think so much that you–”
Golbez’s voice suddenly surged into the fray, “How dare you suggest that I would–”
“Hey! Hey!” Caught in the middle, it was all Cecil could do to dodge the heated glares. “I said, not now!”
“You can fool everyone else Golbez, but you don’t fool me!” Edge had turned around and was storming back. His fingers brushed the notch of the hilt on one blade.
Because of you… I lost everything!
Heated anger flushed his face. Anger. Disgust. Hate… for the one that pulled the strings that ultimately led to the death of his parents… the destruction of his home.
I’m not going to lose Rydia, too.
It was a pleasing feeling to see the Wizard reach back for his own weapon in response to his advance.
The world seemed to blur as his slick palms closed in around the damp cloth wrapping of his sword hilts. Like old friends, the katanas responded. His body made forward motion, vision stained in red with fury.
Finally… it’s just you and me, bastard!
Everything narrowed, tunnel vision as his focus fell upon the once Dark-Lord who stood before him. A flooding moment of glory as the blades began to hiss, just beginning to break free from their sheathes… the blood-high he always felt when—
Kid!?
Standing now between the Ninja’s advance and the Master Wizard was the little Baronian Page boy. Chase.
How’d he get there? I didn’t even see…!
The boy’s golden eyes lifted, meeting Edge’s startled gaze. And dropped what felt an immeasurable weight upon the Ninja’s soul. Then he spoke, “No.”
A single word. Not a command. Not an argument. Just a simple word with the power of the universe behind it.
“Chase..!” Golbez’s voice wavered, green eyes wide with apprehension. In fear that the boy would be harmed.
Golden eyes remained locked upon the Ninja’s face. Edge felt shivers rising over his skin as his hands pulled away from the hilts of his swords.
“King Edge,” Chase’s voice was distant. Slightly hollow, but direct. “The ones who were really responsible for your pain have already met their end. Now let your departed loved ones rest peacefully in your mind, for they have long-been avenged.”
The Ninja released a shallow, startled breath as he took a step back. “How did you know that I…?!”
“It’s written all around you,” the boy answered simply.
Edge’s eyes flickered up to the Master Wizard where he stood, one hand on Chase’s shoulder. A momentary resurgence urged the Ninja to accuse the once Dark Lord of using the young boy as a guise of treacherous illusion. But something inside of him knew that it was Chase, and Chase alone, who spoke.
I should have known… only creepy kids would want to hang around Golbez.
“Edge… what’s going on?” Cecil frowned, as if he had no knowledge of what was just about to take place.
Cecil didn’t see?
The corridor back the way that Edge had just come was lost to shadow — so it was possible that the Paladin had not clearly seen him as he had reached for his blades. Besides, it had only been a momentary thing.
“I… well… nothing. It was nothing.” Anger had fast drained from the Ninja’s limbs as the Page’s golden eyes studied him. And once Chase’s words had found their way into his consciousness, Edge couldn’t shake the feeling that the boy spoke the truth. In some odd, off-hand way.
Maybe the kid is right..?
Golbez, however, seemed quite aware of how close it had come. There was a silence about him as he turned his gaze away from the Ninja. Something that seemed almost sad. Withdrawn.
What the hell did I think I was doing? Attacking Cecil’s brother…
Edge grimaced.
And here I am, getting distracted like this on the way to save Rydia!
“Edge is right,” the Master Wizard spoke, his rich voice stirring the rest of them back to their senses. The words came slow and deliberate. Thoughtful. “Incrytan… may be beyond our reach now. We should be concerned for… the welfare of…”
Edge peered over at Golbez as he stumbled on his thoughts. The Half Lunar obviously didn’t know how to put words to the concept he was trying to voice.
“A dear friend?” Cecil supplied, face also lost in thought. As if pulled back to where his own priority should lay.
“…A dear friend…” Golbez echoed, as if the words were foreign to him.
Opal let out a short, impetuous sigh. She, too, for all her talk of intuition seemed not to realize what had almost happened. “So are we all agreed now?”
“Yes,” the Wizard murmured, green eyes flickering on Edge for a moment. “I believe so.”
“Good… then, follow me? We’re getting real close to the jails,” the young Cleric chirped, turning on her heel and leading the way further into the narrow tunnel.
The group remained silent as Opal directed them down the slick incline of stone. The distant sound of dripping water echoed from the dark, looming walls and the low-rising ceiling. In many places, a stream of trickling pebbles pattered from above, warning of weaknesses in the castle structure.
None of these things registered upon the Ninja. Though it was unlike Edge to let himself get lost to thought so much that it would sacrifice his usual leet perceptions, he couldn’t help but ponder.
Why did Golbez agree with me? Is it some sort of trick? Or maybe…
Edge’s glance stole over towards the large Half-Lunar. The flicker of memory — Golbez’s expression of fear and concern for Chase as the boy stood between the two of them back in the corridor.
Just maybe… human life isn’t as moot to him as he likes to claim.
“Here!” Opal hissed suddenly, motioning forward towards the darkness. “I think someone is here!”
The dim light prevented them from clearly making out what was ahead. Edge could sense more than see that they were no longer facing a corridor, but rather a large room made up of smaller compartments. Many of these smaller rooms were barred off, the black metal lines of the jail cells seeming somehow darker than the dungeon shadows.
In the cell furthest away, a pale trickle of light streamed through a warped, barred-up window. A shimmer of soft green reflected from within. That’s all Edge needed to see.
“Rydia!” he shouted, breaking into a dash.
If they’ve hurt her… I swear I’m going to hunt those Daear down one by one!
“Rydia, I’m here!” Edge slid up to the front of the cell to grip the bars. “I’m gonna bust you out of this joint… just hold tight.”
I’ll get to save her with my uber-cool lock picking skillz! This might not be such a bad thing afterall… Maybe I’ll even steal a kis–
As his hand touched the bars of the door, it swung open easily.
“What?!”
The flow of soft green hair turned and the woman in the center of the cell slowly stood in response to his voice. As the steely gaze met his own, Edge felt a lump grow in his throat. The eyes were unfamiliar.
“You’re not Rydia!” was all the Ninja could manage to say before the point of her spear leveled at his chest.