Edgar's eyes shot open in time to hear himself moan loudly. It took him a
few minutes to orient himself, and when he did, he realized his hand was
pumping his limp cock furiously. He pulled off the covers and found his
blankets, sheets, and thighs were smeared with cum. With a sigh, he got
out of bed and walked over to the washstand.
He wet a cloth and started cleaning himself up. "Damn, it was just a
dream," he grumbled. "And just when I finally got to screw Carla with that
new dildo. If I could only convince her somehow..." He shivered as he
splashed the cold water onto his dick, feeling it run down his legs and
into other areas where even he hadn't pleasured himself.
With a last swipe, he tossed the cloth into the basin. Faint streaks of
pink were just beginning to show on the horizon, mixed with tinges of
orange. Suddenly he stiffened. He wasn't sure what exactly alerted him,
but surely some of that beautiful orange color was not quite
right...
Edgar for once got dressed, his senses alert. Flinging open his bedroom
door, he heard and saw it plainly: the crackling, snapping sounds of
Figaro Castle on fire!
He ran to the main hallway, bumping into guards frantically rushing for
water. Some carried buckets of sand to smother flames. His heart leapt
with fear. Was Terra safe? Had she and Locke prepared themselves?
In the main outdoor hall, a burst of color came through the smoke.
"Kefka!" Edgar growled. "I should have known it was you!"
The general cackled. "No more games! I want the girl NOW!" he
screeched.
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Then...welcome to my barbecue! Hahahaaa!"
Behind him, Kefka's two cronies carried large torches and were gleefully
setting fire to everything. They swiped at any guard who came near them,
setting their clothing ablaze. The screams of the women filled the
air.
Edgar whirled around and rushed up the steps. Locke was already there, he
was relieved to note. "Get ready!" the king shouted. Locke nodded and
hurried away.
Kefka came up behind him. "Finally giving up? That is wise of you!" he
laughed.
The king hung his head. "I guess I have no choice..."
Suddenly, Edgar turned, leaped onto the parapet, and he whistled sharply.
Three chocobos ran up, and Edgar jumped neatly onto one of them. Terra and
Locke were already on the other two. The king saluted to Kefka. "Or maybe
I do!" he yelled up.
Kefka ran up just in time to see the king land on the bird. "Abandoning
your people, I see! How shameful!" He caught sight of Terra and gave a
queer gasp, his eyes turning suddenly fanatical. He screamed to Beavis and
Butthead. "Forget about the damn fire! Get the Magitek and get them! Don't
let them get away!"
The castle started rumbling. "What? What's going on?" Kefka
shouted.
Figaro's towers pulled in, compacting the castle. People disappeared down
stairways, which were immediately shut and barred. "Commencing transform
mode!" a guard announced.
"No one can touch the people of Figaro!" the Chancellor cried out before
taking shelter within the castle.
The outdoor hallway Kefka was standing on started to disappear, and with a
shock he realized he would be crushed by the towers if he stayed there.
Picking up his robes, he ran full-tilt toward the front door. The handle
rattled; it was locked.
There was only one other way out. It took all his strength to vault off
the side of the parapet, and he screamed as he fell into the desert sands.
"Curse you, Edgar!!"
Figaro disappeared below the desert, the only traces of its location
quickly obliterated by the wind.
"Let's go!" Edgar shouted, and the three spurred their chocobos, riding
into the depths of Figaro Desert.
But a steady boom...boom...boom behind them told them they had little
reprieve. Terra glanced behind. "Magitek!" she screamed as the machines
barreled down on their prey.
There was no choice but to fight. The three leaped clear of their
chocobos, and the birds took off, squawking. Edgar pulled out his
autocrossbow and shot wicked steel arrows that buried themselves into the
machines before they could turn around.
Beavis and Butthead turned and gave chase again. Edgar shot more arrows,
one of which buried itself in Beavis' control panel. It smoked and gave
off sparks. Beavis jumped away, and the Magitek veered crazily off before
exploding.
Locke gave chase to fight Beavis in melee. He dodged Beavis' first
gunshot, then jumped forward to deliver the final blow.
Meanwhile Terra, moved by some inner desperation, began chanting strange
words. She flung her hands in front of her and shot bolts of fire at the
remaining Magitek. Butthead screamed as he caught on fire, but managed to
hold his course at them. She and Edgar jumped aside, and she shot another
at the sparks emanating from where Edgar's arrows had pierced it. It blew
up, and the man fell to the ground, twitching.
Edgar whistled sharply, and the chocobos trotted up. The three quickly
mounted. The king oriented them to the south. "This way!" They followed
after him.
Locked closed his eyes and felt the breeze rush past his face. "Ahh..."
He shook his head. "That was rough. Think we'll have anymore
trouble?"
"Yes," Edgar answered, and there was a grimness in his voice none of them
had heard before. "I can see now why the Empire's after Terra. You were
incredible back there," he said, slowing down a bit to come alongside
Terra's chocobo. "Where'd you learn that?"
The woman blushed, not sure if he was referring to her sexual performance
or her display of magic. Either way, the answer was the same. "I don't
know. It just seems natural that I have the use of this power..."
Locke, who as yet didn't know what Edgar had done back in Figaro, said
rather absently, "Yes...you saved our lives, you know..."
"But no human is born with those powers..." Edgar began.
Terra lost the rest of his sentence as she hit on one word: human. This
seemed to clinch matters. She relaxed her grip on the chocobo's reins,
and the bird slowed down and finally stopped.
The two men quickly reined in and came back to where she sat, lost and
troubled. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." Edgar trailed off, anguish in his
voice.
She shook her head. "It's not your fault. I knew in the back of my mind
that I was different, but I never thought about it because it was never an
issue. But now...now that I've got my mind back, I'm wondering where I
came from..."
"Look," Locke piped in. "The only difference between us is that you can
use magic and we can't. That in itself is powerful, but there also must be
something else. I know the Imperial Generals have magic powers also, but
Kefka's utterly insane about getting you back."
"I think the best thing would be to come with us to the Returners'
hideout," Edgar suggested. "You can meet our leader, Banon. He's studied a
lot about Espers. Maybe he'll have an idea of the connection between you
and that Esper in Narshe."
Terra nodded. It was probably her best chance to find something about her
origins. "All right," she agreed.
"Good! We just need to continue to the South Cave. From there, we'll stop
off at South Figaro, then journey through the Sabil Mountains to the
hideout."
They whipped the reins and were once more speeding through the
desert.
At South Cave, a Figaro sentry stood guard with her chocobo. "King Edgar!
Is everything all right?"
The three dismounted, and the chocobos ran off with a squawk. "Yes; the
plan went off well. We managed to get rid of Kefka's henchmen, although
the general slipped through our grasp. Return to the castle, and tell the
others we're safe."
"Yes, sir!" The sentry leaped on her mount and rode off.
Terra peered into the cave. She had no doubt that all sorts of monsters
lived there. She unsheathed her short sword. Locke had already palmed
his dagger. The ends of Edgar's mouth quirked slightly with an undecided
grin. "Yeap, it's not going to be easy," the king said, arming himself
with a mythril pike.
They took a short break at a spring near the cave entrance. Edgar filled
his water skin and went to scout ahead. Terra splashed her face with
water, hoping that this was all just a dream and that the coldness would
wake her up. She washed the sweat and grime from her neck. Surely this was
all too insane for real life, especially with the confused pieces floating
in her mind...
"Need any help?" a husky voice said behind her.
She craned her neck and saw just the edge of Locke's dark blue shirt and
his wild blond hair. "No thanks, I'll manage," she said as he knelt beside
her. He scooped up some water and splashed widely, shaking the extra drops
from his hair.
"Ahh...after so long on the road, that feels good." He sat back and
watched Terra as she lifted her hair and wet the back of her neck.
"Do you care very much for civilization?" Terra asked him
suddenly.
He was taken aback slightly. He stared at the back of her head as he
considered his answer. "I can't say I really do," he said slowly. "At
least, maybe not modern civilization. It's the past...the past that's
always fascinated me. And what past people have left behind."
Terra turned a sneaky grin at him. "Is that why you're a 'treasure
hunter'?"
He couldn't help but grin back. "Partly." Then his smile faded. "But it's
not just that. It's also because the ancients were wise...they have ways,
methods that might be useful to us now..."
"Anything in particular you're thinking of?" she asked, noticing the queer
note that had crept into his voice.
He shook his head. "No...nothing at all..." he said firmly. He felt his
chest tighten, his breath came in gasps, and urgency filled his whole
being. He came up behind her and grabbed her to him suddenly. With a
gasp, she tumbled back against him. Locke reached into the pool and
drenched the front of her dress. Her nipples reacted instantly, hardening
painfully against the cold. She sucked in her breath as he fondled her,
his fingers pinching hard. She twisted against him, suddenly very
aroused.
"Locke!" she moaned as he pulled up her dress and rubbed her suddenly
exposed buttocks. "What..."
Locke pushed her onto all fours and quickly pulled down his pants. He was
so hard he felt like he could fuck a hundred whores and still not be
satisfied. He rubbed the tip of his penis down the back of her legs,
around her ass, then plunged deep into her in from behind with a grunt.
Terra moaned and pushed back against him. He reached in front and slid
his finger inside her, feeling her wetness.
She felt her liquid warmth rolling down her thighs, and she was surprised
to also feel them rolling down her cheeks. Tears. She closed her eyes
and moaned.
He pulled out of her ass, came around her front and forced himself in her
mouth just as he came. He shot his load down her throat. Terra rubbed
her tongue against the tip, feeling the cum squirting out around it.
Oblivious to what she was doing or feeling, Locke pulled out before he
finished his orgasm, and the rest of his cum spewed over the
ground.
He turned away, facing the spring. The woman fell back, confused,
breathing hard. She gulped, clearing her throat of the last of the sticky
cum, then spit out the thick gob in her mouth. She quickly dressed and
cleaned up, washing her mouth out with springwater.
They remained like that for some time: her sitting back, him standing and
staring out across the narrow spring to the rock wall just a few feet
ahead. Finally she found her voice. "Locke..." she croaked.
He turned around slowly, and her eyes widened at the fleeting expressions
of disgust, pleasure, and sorrow flit across his countenance. He opened
his mouth to respond, but Edgar's echoing voice interrupted.
"I've found a path and it's pretty much clear," he called out. "So it
should be okay..." He rounded the corner, saw the two of them with shocked
expressions on their faces, and stopped short. "Hey, what's wrong? Did
something happen?"
"No," Locke answered quickly. "We just...ah...didn't expect the echo here
to be so loud. We, uh, almost didn't recognize it was you. We thought we
were being surrounded or something."
The king grinned. "Yeah, I forgot about that. Been some time since I came
here," although he had very pleasant memories of that last time, "and I
forgot to warn you about it. Sorry 'bout that. But anyway, if we hurry, we
can make it through in a day. We don't have much time, but I think I
remember the way."
He walked off as Terra stood up. But Locke once again grabbed her and
rubbed her breasts. The rough cloth against her nipples began to hurt.
Her painful whine seemed to recall Locke to his senses, and he let go of
her abruptly. He came around in front of her, and she quickly pulled her
cape over her dress. His eyes looked agonizingly into her confused ones.
"Let's go," he said, whirling around and running after Edgar.
More bewildered than ever, Terra caught up to the men, and they started
off into the cave.
It was easy going for the most part. Edgar's memory had not failed him
(partly because his past memories of South Cave were extremely pleasant),
and the path he'd marked took them around most of the monster lairs. They
did encounter some Brawlers, demi-humans that were as quick as thieves and
amazingly skilled swordsmen despite their primitive look. But it was
their piercing battle cries that affected them most, especialy in the
hollow cavern, where their voices bounced off the walls. They sliced as
rapidly as possible through three mobs and ran off.
Edgar veered off the trail at times to pick up supplies that he himself
had placed in the cave years ago, before he'd become king. He'd been a
reckless lad, fond of keeping his treasures to himself, so anything as
small as a potion he'd hurried off to hide in the cave. But they were put
to good use now; any little thing could help.
Near the exit was a wide ledge. Nearby was a hole that opened up to the
sky; they saw bright light streaming through it. "Probably near noon,"
Locke said. "I think we should spend the rest of the day here, and head on
out near dusk. It'll be safer."
The king nodded. "We can probably hold this ledge well enough. Our back
will be against the cave wall, so no one can sneak up on us this way. Just
keep away from the sunlight so no one sees us."
They looked at Terra, who had been silent throughout. They sympathized
with what she must be thinking. She looked completely worn out. "Best to
take a break," Locke said gently. He brought out a small folded fabric
from his pack and set it on the ledge, where it magically expanded into a
tent. "Come on; you look like you're about to drop."
She smiled. "Thanks," and disappeared inside.
The two men sat some distance away, each keeping an eye on a different
cave passage. "What do you think?" Edgar asked, nodding toward the
tent.
"Hard to say. What I want to know is why they had to use a Slave Crown on
her. As far as I know, that crown hasn't been used in fifty years. They've
got much more sophisticated brainwashing techniques. That crown's
old-fashioned. What's different about her that makes her immune from all
other types of brainwashing?"
"Well, if she has magic powers..." Edgar hesitated.
Locke shook his head. "Even if she were infused with Esper powers, that
wouldn't change her biological makeup. No...it's as though...as though she
has two modes of thought...when one is taken over, the other kicks in.
Could she be...?"
He stopped, and the men looked at each other, for some reason not wanting
to verbalize their suspicion. "Maybe," Edgar said slowly, and they fell
silent.
After some time, Locke took out his water skin. "Damn, it's empty. I'll
have to go back a bit into the cave to fill it."
The king nodded. "Be careful."
He watched Locke walk away, then he abruptly stood up and silently entered
the tent. Terra slept peacefully. Edgar fumbled in his shirt and drew out
a small vial. Uncorking it, he passed it under her nostrils, and she
sighed and settled down even more. His mouth quirked. He reached down and
pulled up her dress, then slid down his pants.
He thrust into her, muffling his gasps as he pushed in and out. She sighed
and moaned. Gods, how he'd been wanting this. He'd watched her all
throughout their journey in the cavern, each turn, each slice of her sword
had aroused him further. She was beautiful in battle and was great in bed,
with her delicious moans and overwhelming sexual power, as he'd found out
during that trial in Figaro Castle. Ah, if Locke only knew the power she
had...
Edgar quickly found his release, pent up for hours. His cock quivered with
a final spew. He pulled out, then knelt down to clean her up in the only
way he could without arousing Locke's suspicion. He licked her soft pussy,
licking up all traces of his seed and her cum, nibbling her thighs.
He stood up with a satisifed sigh. "Ah...I'm not finished with you yet, my
dear," he said softly, looking down at her. "And I don't think I ever will
be." He grinned and took out his water skin, taking a few swigs of the
wine he'd filled it with. Edgar adjusted his pants, then stepped out of
the tent to wait for Locke's return.