“Rydia!” Kain shouted at the sight of his ensnared friend; weary, tired and abused. He would have charged towards this mysterious sage, his lance ready to split him from head to foot, if it were not for a more levelheaded Decca and Valzer holding him back.

“So, I take it you know this child?” Olvin tighten his grip around Rydia’s neck with a smile on his face, as if toying with the warrior intentionally. “But you must know, boy, the brave are always the first to die.”

“Who are you?” Kain demanded, his Spear of White still positioned at the newcomer‘s heart, all intentions of killing in his icy stare. Decca and Valzer readied their weapons now: bow and arrows and sword respectively.

Olvin merely smiled as he moved closer to Kain. Though his face was guarded by the impenetrable shadow of the wizard‘s hood, his smirk was as visible to Kain as Rydia in his grasp. He wasn’t much taller than Kain, once he stood before him, face to face. The fact that his face could not be seen was what unnerved the group the most. He was shrouded in dark gray and from the opening within his cloak, they could easily tell of his plated armor beneath. The breastplate was of such a dark gray, it appeared black within soft lighting that now crawled in the heaven's clouds. He circled Kain, slowly, catlike.

Rydia’s attempts to scream were in vain, for his grasp deliberately strengthen around her neck. She could feel his nails through the gloves, digging, piercing her skin. Or was it merely her mind telling her this was so? She no longer knew. The faces of her apposed allies blurred before her. She could feel every moan, every cry, echoing within the haze of her mind. Then the relief of desired sleep rushed over her, her body falling limp in his grasp.

“Such a small thing.” Olvin, despite his obvious need to destroy her, placed the unconscious Rydia gently upon the ground, wielding his sword above her. But he was not watching Rydia, or even Kain, his gaze fell upon Decca. The cold chill found its way to her, it always seemed to, even in her darkest of dreams. Their gazes locked, their eyes both detached from anything around them. And then as fast as his stare came, his words echoed within the caverns of the forest--The forest had been so beautiful before, now it seemed only as their deathtrap, “And as we know, the smallest ones are the most trouble, Decca.” He still watched her with his unseen eyes.

How does he know my name? Before the question could be put to words, Olvin’s sword was falling down upon Rydia. On some subconscious level, Decca knew what she was thinking, what she was attempting to do, but it still seemed only a dream to her. She reached out her hand, as if that mere action would stop the falling blade. Burn...!

Olvin’s sword was a lit with flames, growing as they reached their way up the blade’s handle. With nothing but a small gasp, the sage dropped his sword, allowing it, with much displeasure, to fall upon the scorched earth. He smiled, turning his head once more to regard the elf. “Child, I wouldn’t have done that if I were you.” His words were not what caused a chill through her body, but the tone in which he had said them.

Decca showed no terror, only an impassive expression upon her face, holding her bow and pointing an arrow towards his throat. “You are in no position to sprout threats, sage.” Olvin began to reach for his sword, but Decca only pushed the arrow’s tip deeper into his flesh. Though most of his skin was either covered in armor or shrouded in shadow, she knew she drew blood. And the thought of this caused her to smile.

Who wouldn’t? It was her instinct to smile in victory, especially when she had the upper hand over the enemy. “I would rethink that,” she said, her grin vanishing. “Now, I don’t think we caught your name.”

“But you already know my name, Decca.” He grabbed the metal tip lodged in his throat and guided it slowly away from him, twisting the weapon from out the elf‘s grip. The crimson stained arrow fell upon the ground with a small thud.

“How do you know me?” Decca tried to reach for another arrow from her quiver, but Olvin was holding onto her arm much harder than she had expected, causing her to drop her bow from the other hand as well. She winced as he pulled her wrist back further. Before Olvin had the chance to inflict more damage, before Kain and Valzer had the chance to react, Decca took from the heel of her boot a smaller blade and with a slight grunt forced it into Olvin’s upper arm.

He finally released his hold, but not because of the dagger now sticking out from his arm. He merely pulled it from his flesh and handed it, blood soaked, back to her. “I am Olvin, master sage. And much to your distress, master swordsman.”

“Why do you want Rydia?” Kain’s voice cut through the already dense air. Decca backed away slightly and gave Kain the opportunity to thrust his weapon towards Olvin. “I asked you a question, master sage.”

“And you will receive no answer from me, Dragoon.”

“Master swordsman you say?” Kain blew the strands of hair from out his beautiful, yet determined eyes, smiling brashly. “Let us see how you stand up to a real swordsman.”

Olvin found no need, nor had any desire, to battle the Dragoon, even if to prove himself. Though any other mission would permit him the pleasure of beheading the Dragoon, indeed proving to himself that he was the better swordsman, this mission was what came first at this present moment. And that mission did not allow the luxury of time. “For someone so young, you tend to think much of yourself, and at any other time, I would agree with a good battle. But unfortunately my time and patience run thin.”

As Olvin spoke, Valzer had lifted Rydia into his arms and he, the unconscious girl, and Decca were a good distance away, waiting for Kain to move. With a small glance of understanding, Kain decided better to move and move fast. “Same here, Olvin.” Kain swung his lance around, slashing Olvin from ear to mouth. Then with a small smile, went sprinting after his friends.

Though they were a good distance from him, Kain still called out, “Keep moving!”

But Decca, the stubbornness of her kind showing quite well, had stopped running, causing the wizard with the girl in his arms to halt as well. The elf aimed with her bow towards Olvin, who was growing with rage behind Kain. Much to Kain’s fortune, the elf’s arrow hit well the sage’s shoulder, stalling Olvin and allowing Kain to catch up with his comrades.

Valzer, who had been carrying Rydia thus far, handed her over to Decca. With Kain’s help, both he and the elf dragged her as fast as they could manage. As Decca pulled Rydia’s arm over her own shoulder, she glanced back; Olvin had disappeared into the shadows once more.

Rydia’s breath came out in unstable, labored gasps, causing Decca to spare a glance towards her. “She’s not doing well, Kain.” The Dragoon could only exchange a look towards his friend, as if to say "we’ll make it, we always do". Decca nodded, “Well, at least we put some distance between us and him--”

The ground before them split, sending all four backwards onto the earth. From out the pit of fire emerged Olvin, angered and quite displeased with how his mission had been turning out. “I was quite foolish to allow this to happen. My prey never gets the better of me. It would do you well to understand this. Hand over the girl so I may continue with the reason to why I came here in the first place.”

“And what would that be, Olvin?” Decca withdrew another arrow from her quiver. But she already knew the answer and it swirled almost sickeningly throughout her mind. She was his original mission. He came here for her. Decca’s throat tightened at this thought, but her weapon remained steady in her grasp.

Olvin hovered over the fiery inferno as if he was the devil emerging from hell to claim his souls. He looked the devil, the light from his flames playing over his face, glowing off his features. From this light, you could barely make out the face beneath the hood. A hard face, one that had much done to it in a short time. And for this brief moment, Kain thought he was looking at his own soul: the same tortured being doing the biddings of his master. With a flick of a hand, a wall of fire surrounded the group of four.

Damn... Kain swung back around to Decca, his hair falling into his eyes once more. For a moment, her breath caught and she swore she was watching an angel before her. His face was a glow with orange, his eyes hard with the will to live and with his determination to make sure each and everyone lived to tell this great battle to another. “We have no choice but to fight!” Kain’s grip tightened around his lance, and he closed his eyes as if in silent prayer. Perhaps he was. He flung the lance with every bit of energy he could spare towards Olvin.

The sage noticed this action too late to react and he cried out, in spite of himself, as the spear ripped through him. Clutching the wound with a gloved hand, crimson seeping from this fatal injury, Olvin glared down towards Kain. The fire wall around them grew with its flames and inched closer to the group.

“He must be weak against something!” Decca cried out, trying to make her voice heard.

Valzer shouted back to her, his voice straining to reach above the crackling manmade flames, “use ice magic!” It seemed logical. Olvin looked to be an entity that used only fire magic. If this were true, ice would surely destroy him, if the wound through his stomach hadn’t already begun to.

Answering Valzer only with hopeful eyes, Decca closed her own. This was not how she pictured her day. With a deep breath, she summed up most of her energy to make this blow one that would finish him off. On her knees, rocking gently back and forth, she let her magic flow through her body and twirl around her in a slight glow of blue. Her spell came, falling from the heaven’s above, showering down upon Olvin.

He barely flinched, he barely blinked. Such a powerful spell did nothing to him. But it did distinguish the fire wall encircling them.

The wind about them picked up, the sky darkening with the falling of the sun and the gathering of charcoal clouds. Lightening broke through from the heavens and rain cried down upon the world.

“Here!” Kain handed the hardly conscious Rydia into the arms of Valzer once more. “Get her out of here!” Kain knew well he was forsaking their survival by sending their powerful wizard friend off with Rydia instead of battling, but he also knew Rydia’s death would complete one of Olvin's missions. And that would force him to seek to complete his first mission: Decca. Kain could see well just by how Olvin watched the elf that he was here for her as well. Kain would rather be damned to the world Olvin came from than watch as he took Decca from him.

“Decca.” Kain reached out to her face as if to stroke it, but instead he recoiled, resting his hand upon her shoulder. “I need you to do what you did before. Light your arrows on fire and send them into where Olvin’s wound already lies. If this works, we should be able to slip by him.”

Decca found herself lost within his eyes again, but she tore herself away. He needed her to do this. And if he bid this of her, then she would do this simple task without delay. Devoid of words, she took two arrows from her quiver, lit them with fire and released the miniature torches towards Olvin.

This time, though, Olvin was quite ready for them. He lifted a hand before him and the arrows stopped in midair. The Sage smiled, an action that was now beginning to annoy Kain. But all he could do was watch as Decca’s arrows fell down upon the ground, charred with once lit flames. Kain never felt more helpless.

Decca merely stared in disbelief. “How...?”

Kain grabbed the elf’s arm hard enough to seize her attention. “Come on!” His voice could barely be made out above the shrieking winds. But Decca's keen ears picked up his words quite well and she followed along, her hand clutching his tightly. Part of Kain feared that if he was to let go, somehow Olvin would capture her. They both ran towards where Valzer and Rydia were, desperately trying to reach them. They had gotten further away than expected.

But their attempts were hopeless, for as they tried, Olvin had already spotted them. The dark clouds above trembled with veins of light, like tiny fingers sifting their way through. The flashes of lightening threatened, showing over all who stood beneath them. Then came in vain the cry of the heavens, pouring down upon them.

Olvin tore the spear from out his stomach, showing no signs of defeat. Wordlessly he flung it through the damp air, the droplets from above clinging to its crimson surface. And much to his pleasure, Decca cried out as the lance found its way to Kain’s back, ripping through to the other side. The Dragoon fell upon all fours onto the wet grass, his blue eyes wide.

“No!” Valzer’s words wrenched from in his throat. He accidentally dropped Rydia. He steepled his fingers, his brow furrowing and small beads of sweat and rain forming on his distraut face. Valzer summoned a great fire spell to enclosed Olvin, the enchantment's heat seeping into every crack and crevice of Olvin’s armor, burning his flesh beneath.

Tears fell from the emerald eyes of Decca as she knelt by Kain, his own eyes closing slowly to the world around them. “Kain?” She whispered, leaning over him. She knew well he would not whisper back to her. The elf rested a hand on the broken chestplate of Kain, still able to feel the warm blood that flowed from its divide. With her the sky wept tears of defeat. Decca breathed in, the air around her filled with death, loss, downfall... And yet from this, she drew hope, her own eyes no longer full of tears, but glowing with the reflection of the blue stone around her neck. “Please let this work...”

Taken from the last ounce of magic she possessed, a glow of white from beneath her hand began to show its stunning light. And she spoke, but in words none could understand, her own native tongue. ”Tubera sera ta šenala...”

“Elvish...” Valzer watched Decca at work; even after all these years he was amazed at her understanding of a language basically dead to all.

The wound healed under her touch, leaving nothing but a small hand print of white upon his armor, fading with the glow of the blue stone around her neck. Kain’s eyes fluttered opened, at first reflecting the stone’s once bright shine. “You’re okay...” She wrapped her arms around him, Kain instinctively doing the same, only tighter, the new night’s happenings but a daze to him.

Valzer breathed a sigh of relief at seeing his friend alive and seemingly well. Then his gaze fell to the girl moaning at his feet. “Sorry about that...” The wizard bit his lower lip, scooping up Rydia again in his arms and carrying her over to where his comrade lied.

Kain held Decca’s face in his hands, studying her features with a small smile. Decca’s hand still laid resting on his chest as he sat up straight. “I thought I lost you.” Her voice came out only as a small murmur.

He noticed her hand on his chest and he placed his own over hers, watching Decca with sad eyes. She had used magic on him that had been buried deep within herself, magic unknown to her. He couldn’t help but wonder if that was what Olvin had wanted.

Valzer helped them both up. Everyone had been weaken by this great battle, and would need time to regain their strength once more. Rydia was waking to the forest around them, leaning on Valzer for support. He turned his head back to where Olvin stood, but again he was no longer there. “We better get back to Mysidia.” With a nod from his allies, they began the long journey back home.

***

Edge’s head rose into the damp night’s air. “Whoa... Did you hear that?” Cecil and Rosa stopped walking as well and looked around in surprise. The forest lay silent once more; such a noise had thundered through it. “That reminds me of an old cliché: if a tree falls when no ones around, does it still make a noise?--hey!”

Rosa grabbed Edge’s arm, pulling him along with her and her husband. “We cannot waist time, Edge. Something's amiss and if Cecil is correct and Kain is here then we must move if we wish to catch him in time.” Rosa watched as her husband’s figure became blurred by the mist about them.

The smell of charred flesh and wood flooded the air with the howling winds. They were still some distance away from Kain and his group, but the wind had carried the scent of the battle down as far as the campsite. Cecil knelt by the ring of stones, touching with his fingers the ash within the circle. “No wood?”

“Magic fire.” Rosa knelt down besides him. “Kain?”

“And others.” Cecil lifted his nose to the air. “There are people with him. How many, I do not know.” He squeezed the ash within the palm of his hands, watching as it sifted through the cracks of his fingers. “We’re close.” Cecil eyes went soft, his kingly air lost for a brief moment. I’ll find you...

Rosa rested a hand on his armored shoulder, bringing Cecil out from his musings. “We must move and fast if we wish to catch him. There is a battle within the walls of this forest. I can smell it in the air. Where it is lies a mystery to me. But Kain might have something to do with it.”

“This way then.” Cecil rose to his feet, dusting his hands from the ash of a once brilliant fire. They came this close, and Cecil would not allow anything more to slow them down. His own determination clouded his judgment and Rosa and Edge could do nothing but follow along through the fog, alit by the new moon’s glow.

Fog...

Not fog. As they grew closer, it was obvious that what encircled this area of the woodland was not mist, but smoke. This caused Cecil’s throat to tighten. Was he too late? Growing impatient by the blinding smoke, Cecil broke into a run, losing his wife and Edge somewhere in-between him and the campground.

Cecil stopped his running once he reached a pit, which split the ground before him. The fire that once grew abundant within the abyss was no longer. Only smoke filled this creator, steaming out from it in ringlets. There was no sign of the sage who had made them.

“What happened here?” Edge’s voice found its way to Cecil’s ears, but he seemed deaf to answer. He could only stare at the pit and wonder if it was what destroyed his friend. For the first time in six months, Cecil questioned if his friend indeed still drew breath.

Panting from the length of the run, Rosa stood besides Cecil, watching the creator with the same fixed eyes. “Cecil...”

“We keep moving.” The King did not bother to regard either of his comrades, he simply continued walking, his pace no longer hasty, as if he now dreaded finding the reason to why he started this quest to begin with. But their walking again became sprinting as Cecil made out what looked to be four figures trotting slowly along.

All three stared in disbelief, but called out the same name: “Kain!”

The Dragoon, leaning on Decca, turned around at the call of his name by the cries of three familiar voices. But the one he spotted first confused him the most. “Cecil?”

***

It seemed as if years had passed since Kain had dared to lay eyes upon Cecil, mostly out of fear of what the consequences would be. Would he be so overpowered by guilt that he would simply turn away yet again? Or was he over this blame and ready to move on with his life? All this warrior knew was that without the aid of Decca and Valzer, he wouldn’t be able to see another day through to its end. They were the reason he went on. He now had something to fight for. He hadn’t for such a long time and it made him feel almost human again.

Their trip on the Falcon was one of complete silence. All that could be heard was Edge attempting to comfort the half conscious Rydia with tales of the past. Edge was worried about Rydia, but he could only show this in the way of excessive talking. Perhaps this was why she never showed any interest in the ninja king, for he presented himself as one who lacked morals.

Olvin was not destroyed, this was a certain; rather, he was wounded severely. When they finally reached Mysidia, Cecil paid for their stay in the Mysidian inn, bringing Rydia to one of the back rooms. Laying her upon the bed, they could hear the distinct sound of the rain as it poured now upon the wooden roof. The threat of the sage remained and now the people Kain had spent a good six months avoiding had shown up, offering help. Much to Kain's dismay, it was not under lighter circumstances.

“Do you know why Rydia had been searching for you?” Rosa broke the awkward silence that filled the small room. Kain had explained only a little of who Olvin was and why he thought he might be following Rydia, but he himself did not know of why the girl had come to him instead of Cecil and Rosa, who she was closer with.

Kain shook his head, black hair in his eyes again. Rosa noticed for the first time, but did not questioned, that this Dragoon no longer bore the blue armor and helmet. Instead he wore black armor, as if forever in mourning, but nothing to cover his face anymore. “All I know is what Decca and Valzer told me.”

Kain watched Rosa, who was now sitting quietly on the edge of the bed. He thought if he was to lay eyes on her again, he would be flooded with a wave of anger and jealousy. But now as he looked upon her, he felt nothing more than friendship. He had never loved Rosa, it had only been lust. This was relief to him, for now he knew for sure he had moved on, in that aspect.

“Decca? Valzer?” Rosa shook her head of golden curls, causing Kain to laugh.

“Ah yes, I have not properly introduced you all.” Kain rose from the bed, motioning for his allies to come by his side. “Cecil, Rosa...Edge.” The Dragoon placed his arms around Valzer and Decca as he stood between the two, smiling broadly. “This powerful wizard here is my good comrade, Valzer.”

Valzer laughed, teasingly squeezing out from under Kain’s arm. “The most powerful wizard. He forgot to mention my rugged good looks.” He sighed, brushing back his hair with his fingers and bowing slightly to the three before him.

Kain rolled his eyes, keeping an arm, still, around the elf. “This is my...friend,” that caused a snort from Valzer and a jab in his gut curtesy of Kain, “Decca. The lovely enchantress.”

Decca outstretched a hand to the three, which was clasped in the hand of none other than Edge, who kissed it softly. “And who might you three be?” She asked, trying to pull away from the ninja king.

“This is King Cecil, his wife Rosa, and some guy they picked up from off the streets of Baron.” Kain simply said.

Edge frowned, then coughed and turned away from the small group.

Their lighthearted introductions were cut short by the heavy coughing of Rydia. She strained to open her eyes and to look around the blurred room was more of a burden than talking. But she managed to squeeze out a few words. “Where am I?” Her voice was horribly raspy. Much to their surprise, she tried her best to sit upright, as if afraid of who surrounded her, but failed, falling back onto the bed.

“I would not try to do that again if I were you, Rydia.” Decca sat upon the foot of her bed, opposite Rosa, looking up at the group around her and the girl. “Is she staying with us or with them?”

Kain’s fingers were stroking the new stubble upon the bottom of his face, as if in deep thought, and he came now besides them both. “I’m not much for babysitting someone who can barely move, but she is my friend and I am curious to why she has followed me all the way to Mysidia.” And how she found me, Kain added to himself. His gaze fell not on the bruised body of Rydia, but to the watchful eyes of the man who would have followed him through hell.

“Cecil...” Kain began, now turning to him with that expression on his face that Cecil knew all too well. “It’s nice to know you have my back when I need it...but I have my life to live now. And I would appreciate...if we try to make our visits not as frequent.” It seemed painful for the knight to even say those words.

Cecil bowed his head to Kain, him too noticing the change, not only in his armor, but now in the way he carried himself. And he couldn’t help but to feel pride for this warrior who had truly been through the Abyss and came out standing. They had spent their childhood telling stories of how great they would one day become, and looking at Kain, he couldn’t help but wonder if he had the same regrets as him. “I understand. But just remember, whenever you need me, I’ll know and I’ll be there.” He grabbed Kain's arm, pulling him closer, “remember that. And be careful, my friend.”

“You too.” Kain could do nothing more but smile at the man that had been a brother to him. He knew it was not easy to let go, especially when he was the one who left, but there was nothing more for Kain back at Baron, nothing but the painful memories of a life once lived and left behind. “Don’t get yourself into too much trouble, ya here? Because I won’t be there anymore to get you out of it.”

“Hey, half of the trouble I ever have gotten into was because of you.” Cecil smiled, catching that small twinkle in the eye of Kain, which had been their since they were children.

“At least I was always there to get you out of it.” Kain let go of the Paladin’s arm, his hands falling by his sides. Then with a laugh filled with remembrance, “try to comfort Cid. I know the old bastard must be crying tears since I have gone.”

It was decided that Rydia would stay with Kain and his group. They still needed to piece together the puzzle that was Olvin. His threat remained a certain, and as long as he did, so did Kain. Cecil and his team made ready to leave, for it was not yet their battle to fight. As the rain became nothing more than glistening dew upon the town of Mysidia, they borded the ship. Kain watched Cecil leave from the window of the inn and did not look away until the Falcon became no more than a mere dot upon the horizon.