"Please... This time let us save Final Fantasy..."
Firia slowly lifted her eyes open. She could feel her body. She could think clearly and see through her velvety blue eyes. She slowly lifted her head, breathing softly. She gasped and put her hands on her face and lips. When she looked back on her white, gloved hands, there was not a drop of blood. Her legs were smooth and not a single scar remained as though nothing had touched her. She would walk again! She wasn't dead or in heaven! She was alive!
She timidly stood, relieved that there was not an ounce of pain. Even so, her muscles were tense and sore. It wouldn't easy to move, but even so, it was a miracle that she could walk again. She looked around the silent room that was almost empty now, and a sudden thought hit her.
"Edgar, Sabin, where are you?" She said frantically. She thought back slowly from when she had woken up from Bahamut's message to her. She could remember Edgar holding her... Then he and Sabin were both hit down by Jirasu and taken away into the depths of the fortress with her screaming louder than a banshee in grief.
She took another glance around the room. In the far corner, she thought she spotted Zangulas holding Martina tightly to his chest in the groaning darkness. She sobbed loudly with him still trying to comfort her. They were one of the only ones left and they felt incredibly guilty, besides that, their burns stung horribly and there were no more healers with them. They didn't know what to do... They couldn't just leave all of their friends but...
Firia dashed to them urgently, her hair flowing behind her. It was refreshing for her to run again. It felt so good. She slowed and stopped near them. She dropped to the floor beside them and placed her gentle hands on Martina's burns as she closed her eyes in deep concentration. Martina slightly wiped her tears away and gasped.
"You... The dragon girl who was staying in my room at the palace... You're alive?" She whispered slowly, almost afraid. Firia slightly nodded, a light growing her hands over Martina's wound. The healing felt cool and refreshing. Martina sighed and slid back in Zangulas's arms in relaxation. Firia smiled at herself.
"It should feel better soon. Gold Dragons are excellent healers. Zangulas, let me heal you up next." She said hastily. He gently set Martina down on the floor as the scars began to vanish slowly, one by one. Firia placed her hand on Zangulas and continued to heal the deep burn in his skin. "I know it sounds weird..." She began. "But I really was dead... Look at me! I had such a battered body and now I look as though no one even touch me... I think someone saved me. But who?" She asked more to herself than Zangulas.
"Kefka has taken everyone... Only the ones without magic or one who had very weak magic were spared. No one could have..." He paused. "Brought you back after you were dead, eh? But that's impossible. Even Martina and I have experienced that, and the only thing that brought us back was the Lord of Nightmares. That can't be it..." He said in a voice full of wonder and question.
"It can happen!" They all turned, seeing Gau sitting before them on the floor. His body was healed as well, but his eyes looked more wounded than any scar. His eyes were tearstained, tired, and full of rage. His emotions were more visible than ever now. "Gau die and Ameria bring back... It can happen! She was captured because she was so weak from casting the rebirth spell. It all Gau fault! All Returner gone too!" He continued as tears spurted from his eyes.
Martina inched toward him on her knees and put her arm around his shoulder comfortingly. She wiped his tears away with the back of her gloved hand in obvious sympathy, almost ready to cry herself. She pressed her cheek against his, feeling strangely guilty that she had not helped fighting off the soldiers. She had done this when they fought Phibrizo too... Why didn't she just stay out of it?
"Don't cry, Gau. It won't bring them back. We have to get on our feet now and search for where they have taken them, even if we have to chase them down until the end. They might not be dead yet. Never assume the worst that way." She said in a soothing voice.
Firia looked back at her with trembling eyes remembering that she felt guilty for Edgar and Sabin's capture as well. Why was the Empire doing this to them? She spun around and looked about the room once more. Two more figures left. She ran to the first one she saw, not recognizing him at first as she drew closer to it. When she stopped and dropped to the floor beside it, she finally recognized the person sitting before her.
"Gourry-san, are you all right? Please speak to me!" She yelled urgently. He slowly opened his eyes with a small moan. She began healing his scarred body as he drew himself up in soul-killing pain, slightly screaming. She went on, pulsing the spell stronger in sympathy at the fierce burns. He quietly spoke the events of the battle and about how he was too weak to save Lina when she needed him the most and that he had no more right to call himself her guardian. Kefka had everything planned out perfectly and they couldn't beat him now.
"Don't say that." She said in a soft voice. "There is still hope." She continued as she stood up from the floor and gazed around for the last figure. She thought back to what Gourry had said about the battle and urgently ran to the cowering body shouting, "Relm-chan! Hang in there, Relm-chan!"
She helplessly flew down beside Relm's tattered body and hastily began healing without a thought in mind. Relm slowly turned over on her back and stared up at Firia with startlingly, frightened eyes. Tears formed behind them and she threw her arms around her.
"Big sister, I'm scared! I'm so scared!" She screamed frantically as Firia put her arms on Relm's back and gently stroked her hair in comfort.
"I see... So, that's why you joined Kefka. You never really meant to cause the Returners harm or the Slayers except for Lina, I suppose. At least you have a reason, but I'm still opposed to it, and I don't like it. Even so, you won't have to fight with her if you don't want to. Just help me save her... And the Returners, and everyone else." Terra said slowly. Valgarb shrugged as she slid into his arms as he lay on the floor with his cape around her. She smiled up at him affectionately. She could she the Airship outside of the window already. He was going to help her now even though he was confused and upset. She would help him through it even if it costed her life, and she promised herself that. The love she felt for him was unlike any other.
"I do want to finish her off myself... But I'm still wondering if this is the right path for me. Kefka is the enemy here I suppose, but something doesn't seem right to me." Valgarb replied in a soft voice. She tightened her arms around him and pulled herself up to kiss his forehead sweetly. Bahamut's took an effect on her extremely this time. She had only felt love for children, not ever for another man. Now she knew what it was like.
"I know that I will get out of here alive with the rest of the Returners now that you're with me... Even when you do have to go home to the New World, I will wait for you to return to me. I know it may take some time for you to get over everything that happened to you in the past and what is happening to you now, but I also know that Bahamut will mend us together until the end of time. He'll link us to each other through telepathy. We will be able to speak to one another whenever we wish. Just you wait and see, Valgarb..." She said in a hushed voice.
"Terra... It's time to go." He said as he stood up, blushing shyly from all of her romantic talk. She giggled slightly because she could tell by the look in his eyes that he was speechless at her affectionate speech, and he had no idea what to feel or say at a time like that. Normally she wouldn't either. Bahamut was taking over her now. "I'll take you to the laboratory. You'll be able to save your friends then. There's an emergency escape on the next floor. You lead them through there and I'll meet you in this chamber before we head off to fight Kefka." He explained. She nodded in approval. "Now hold onto me, tightly now, so that I can teleport with you." He said hastily.
She grinned she pressed up against his chest and felt his magical power flowing through him and into her as they vanished from the room. She couldn't feel herself for a bleak second and with the blink of an eye, she found herself in another room of the fortress, still clinging to Valgarb's chest.
A quiet, dark room, with floor and ceiling made from pure silver metal, that was soundless as you stepped over it. A room surrounded in capsules, test tubes, and Magictek armor. Each capsule contained one of the fighters. Tubes stuck in all over their bodies, sucking them dry of magic and weakening them. They looked so horribly helpless. The liquid around them made it so that they had to where oxygen masks over their mouths to keep them alive. The capsules glowed with each ounce of power fused into the wires. The wires connected into the main control panels of the surrounding Magictek armor, giving them new spell power.
Terra slowly walked to Locke's capsule where Celes was kept beside him. She gently touched the glass with trembling fingers. Her eyes gleamed in guilt because she had not helped them before this happened. Valgarb had explained to her before what was happening to them. How could Kefka do this? Take their magic from them and use it for his benefit! At the rate they were being drained at, they could possibly die before her very eyes! She pounded on the glass with her fist in rage at the thought, letting out a small shriek of anger. She drew back with a light of fire growing within her hands. Valgarb came up beside her.
"It won't do any good. The glass is too strong to break and magic won't work on it." He stated in a soft voice. She turned to him desperately.
"Then can you switch off the computer and get them out?" She asked hastily. He shook his head.
"Kefka has a security lock on it. I can't get in without the password. He never trusted me enough to give it to me." He explained.
"That means-" The left and right walls both busted open abruptly as Terra began again, in a deafening explosion. On the left wall, two sets of Magictek armor emerged with guns in hand, after blasting open the wall. On the right wall, Firia dashed in with the other fighters following her. Terra gasped as the Magictek armor approached them with guns in hand, not noticing Firia and the others. She put her hands up to guard her face and screamed. Valgarb laughed.
"Don't worry. Their friends," he said as he hastily took the guns from Jirasu and Kurabos, and offered her one. She lowered her hands.
"Friends?" She questioned. He nodded proudly.
"I'm glad that you're all right, Valgarb-sama. We barely escaped after Kefka betrayed us! In the time that he captured Lina, we escaped. We wandered around until we wound up here and found you. I think Kefka is really over his head!" Kurabos explained. He turned to Terra. "Who is she, Boss?" He asked. Terra grinned and hugged him around the chest. Valgarb smiled.
"The esper girl that Kefka spoke of often. Her name is Terra and she's with us now! We have an agreement. As for you two, you had better escape before Kefka beheads you!" He said hastily. Jirasu shook his head.
"We can't leave you here alone, Boss!" Jirasu objected.
"Terra, you really sided with Valgarb?" Relm asked from behind. Terra gasped and slowly turned around and saw the group staring at her with shocked eyes.
"All of you!" She exclaimed in a surprised voice. Firia approached her.
"Put all explaining aside! We have to save them!" She declared.
"How do we do that?" Martina asked.
"Martina, use Zomel Gustav to try to break Shilfiell out!" Zangulas suggested.
"Zomel? Do you think it will work?" She asked.
"We have to try!" Firia said as she lifted her mace out from under her skirt. "I'll try to get Edgar and Sabin out!" She said as she dashed over to their capsules. Wires stuck in all over their bodies and they looked so weak and helpless that Firia felt sick to her stomach. They looked like corpses waiting inside there to rot. She shivered as she punched at the capsule glass. Not a scratch. She could sense the magic barrier over it and gritted her teeth in anguish.
She drew up her mace and let out a shriek as she smashed it against the glass. Still not a crack. She persistently swung again with so much force that her left shoulder went temporarily numb. A crack this time. Firia breathed hard with exhaustion as she aimed for it again. She thought that she would break her arms from stress, even with her great dragon strength! It just wasn't enough, and Edgar was waiting inside there for her. It made her feel sick again... Edgar was trapped in there waiting to die and she didn't have enough power to save him. She put her hands on the glass, silently grieving until she threw up against it in trembling sickness. Terra ran up behind her.
"Firia, stop it! You can't get them out that way! You'll end up killing yourself first!" She exclaimed. Valgarb handed Terra his extra gun.
"Leave her be, Terra! Come on!" He said as he led her over to Locke and Celes. Firia clenched her fist.
"I will set you free!" She promised in her mind. "Since I came to Figaro, I never felt happier. When Edgar led me down the main hall for the first time, I was so embarrassed and happy that I couldn't help myself. Even the time when I hit Sabin up on the roof and he fell down looking up my skirt..." She continued, smiling warmly as tears ran down her cheeks in remembrance. "Because I do have enough love to do it!" She exclaimed as she thrust mace back at the glass with so much force that she had to scream in sore pain from her shoulders as more vomit poured from her mouth and down her delicate lips.
She looked up frantically as the glass began to crack apart. Water poured out onto the floor rapidly and Firia slid and fell helplessly in. The water soaked down her clothes, hair, and body, as she breathed heavily, trying to escape its grasp. She closed her eyes, just listening to the flowing water, until she heard it no more. Firia used all of her weak strength to lift herself up out of the liquid, the weight hard to lift from her dripping cape.
She gasped as she saw Edgar's body hanging limp by the wires, looking weaker than ever. She slowly trudged through the water in her long skirt, gasping for air with great effort as she slowly reached him. She thrust her arms around him with on last push of her legs. She carefully began to tear the wires out of his arms and legs, her hands shaking as she tried to so it as gently as possible. To cause him pain... Her stomach heaved with another disturbed feeling and she turned away and found herself throwing up more vomit into the water. She grasped, her chest still feeling nautious. She just couldn't stop.
Firia tried to ignore it by closing her eyes as she removed the last few cords from his body, and he fell free into her arms from the shattered capsule around him. She sighed with relief as she lowered herself to the ground, holding his stoned body to her chest comfortingly. The water was so cold that she could feel her legs numbing as she sat there holding him, but it didn't matter to her. She couldn't heal herself now; she had to heal Edgar's weakened body. A light glowed at her hands as she began to heal his wounds while her own deepened in pain.
Valgarb approached Locke's capsule with Terra following her. He lifted his gun and began instructing her.
"Aim for the capsule until the target reaches it exactly. You have to wait or you'll blow out the ceiling and arouse Kefka. Make sure you aim it for the top of the capsule to break off the top or you'll end up shooting through the glass and possibly killing one of your friends. They are strong firepower. After it's broken, the computer will shut down eternally and the capsule will slide open on its own. Make sure to disconnect the wires as soon as possible and get them out before their oxygen tanks run out." He explained. She gasped.
"You mean, he was planning to have them suficate after all their magic was drained?' She exclaimed in a stunned voice of anger. He nodded.
"I'd bet on it." He replied as he aimed his gun for the top of Locke's capsule with Terra following for Celes's. She patiently waited for the targeter to reach her desired place even though her thoughts were frantic. As he said, both computers shut down and Celes and Locke were automatically released from the glass prison. They hurriedly removed the wires from their bodies. Terra glanced over and noticed Jirasu and Kurabos breaking Cyan, and Setzer out while Zangulas used a successful Howling sword to set Strago free along with a weak Zelgadis. As soon as they broke them free, Valgarb ordered them to escape to the Airship and escape with it for after they won the battle. Even with their objections, they slowly left them.
Martina timidly looked down on Zomel and concentrated all of her emotion within it. Shilfiell had been her friend when they traveled to find Gourry. She was the only other fighter who was hesitant like she was. She and Zomel could do this, and she convinced herself that. She felt a throbbing between her fingers as a light set out from the medallion and shut down the computer system on Shilfiell's capsule. The capsule opened and more liquid poured out as Martina set Shilfiell free of the wires.
"Big Brother..." Relm whispered as she stared into the capsule. "I will not let you die!" She shouted as she lifted up her paintbrush. She tried to use her magic on her paintbrush to break him out, but the shield caught her hand in the middle of the process. She screamed as the light of the shield held her arm there like glue. She couldn't move from stress and she thought that her legs would give out from beneath her. She squinted her eyes and pressed her arm into the shield further. The pain was unbearably shocking to her entire body as she forced herself into it inch by inch. She felt her Memento Ring on her finger tingle with a slight sensation.
"Mother..." She whispered. "By the love that I feel for Big brother, let's go!" She declared. She let out a yell as her ring forced the shield in, like a permanent dent. Everyone spun around and watched her as she continued to break through the magical force. "Love is stronger than any spell!" She yelled as the shield faded within her ring. Her brush finally met the glass in a violent clash. The glass shattered, scratching her cheek slightly as she made her way straight for Zelos through the piercing water.
Gau also broke Ameria free by forcing his entire body weight against the glass; bruising his whole body, and making it go numb from stress until the glass finally broke from his force. He rocked her sleeping body in his arms after he released her in everlasting comfort, knowing that she had brought him back from the dead because she cared so much... About him...
Gourry violently shoved his body against the capsule continually until it released Lina from its shell. He disconnected her wires hastily and ran his fingers down her face, crying in grief as he held her limp body... She was going to live... Live and travel with him again like she always did.
"It will take them a little while longer to wake..." Valgarb told Terra as she continued to hold Celes in her arms. She turned to him with glowing eyes. She began to cry in gratitude and he took it as her thanking him for saving them. He smiled to himself, knowing that if Armesiu ever found out about his helping them, he might be exiled or killed. "Kefka has something up his sleeve. There was no way that he wouldn't hear us breaking them out. He's very tricky." He continued as he laid Locke down. He looked toward her and noticed that she was no longer looking at him. She was looking at Firia, who was sobbing over Edgar and Sabin's bodies before her on the floor.
She slowly stood and walked to her. Valgarb bit his lip as he saw her do it. He knew that Terra wouldn't be able to hold it back... Not after Bahamut showed her that macabre scene with vivid pain. Firia looked up at her with blurred vision as Terra lifted her hand and slapped her across the cheek. Firia slowly lifted her trembling fingers to her scarred face in confusion as Terra clenched her fist as though to punch her as well.
"You lied to me, Firia!" She screamed at her. "You and your damned people!" She began to rise her fist to punch her until she heard Valgarb begin to plead to her from the other side of the room.
"Stop it, Terra! She had nothing to do with the war! Only the older dragons! Just calm down. I'm really not that angry with her..." He said softly. She turned to him with frantic eyes.
"Maybe not you, but Bahamut is!" She continued in an exasperated voice.
"You're wrong! Bahamut only works through my emotions now! It was because I let my anger go that Bahamut brought her back to life... To save Final Fantasy. That was my wish, not his own. He is controlled by me now!" He pleaded. He grabbed her shoulders. "So, please get a hold on yourself! She died!" He said in slightly melancholy voice.
"Died... Firia died?" They all looked down on Edgar, his lips moving slowly. "Firia, you're alive..." He said in a confused voice. She hugged him affectionately, forgetting about Terra and Valgarb who stood before her.
"Don't concern yourself with that now..." She said in a soothing voice. "Everything will be explained... I promise. I think Sabin is beginning to rouse as well." She said in a relieved voice.
"Everyone is. If we had been a few more minutes late, they would have all died from sacificating." Valgarb said as he led Terra away from them to help heal Celes and Locke as they roused from their sleep. All of them moaned as they each woke. Zelos stroked Relm's face in reassurance when he woke as she cried upon his gloved hand. Gau and Ameria hugged each other in silent relief followed by Lina and Gourry. They had all forgotten about the battle now.
"So, what happened?" Celes asked. Terra sighed and went on telling the story about how everyone was captured, killed, and reborn. She also explained the strange reason of why she was with Valgarb. Firia looked more guilty than ever as she spoke, everyone else was speechless in shock that she had joined an enemy. Jirasu and Kurabos loaded their guns as she explained with Valgarb handing his gun back to them, agitated at their reactions and even more angry that Lina was so close to him.
"Terra, have you gone crazy?" Locke exclaimed with a shocked look on his face. Firia shock her head as she wiped the vomit away from her lips with her wet cape.
"She's right... I'm the one who was really at fault here... My people have done an unforgivable thing and Bahamut has now shown me that. Valgarb isn't the enemy. If we're both after Kefka then why can't we just join forces for this once?" She asked in a desperate voice. Edgar looked down on her.
"What your people did wasn't your fault." He replied.
"But I'm willing to take the blame for it..." She said in a soft voice. "That horrible death was punishment enough... I understand now. Valgarb, I'm sorry!" She said in a pleading voice as she gazed up at his beautiful, golden eyes.
"Still... All of these puzzle pieces don't fit together. There's so much more to this. What is really up with you, Valgarb?" Lina asked as she stood up from Gourry's arms. He grunted and turned his back on her. "Don't you give me that! If you're siding with Terra then that means that you're siding with all of us too!" She declared. He shot an angry glare at her.
"Never..." He said in a grudging voice. "I owe loyalty to Terra and no one else out of all of you! I don't need your help to defeat Kefka! I can do this with Terra alone, without you!" He continued in a furious voice. "Right, Terra?" He glanced over at her and she stood.
"You shouldn't concern yourselves with the details right now!" She said in a irritated voice. We have to go and destroy Kefka before anyone else dies!" She continued. "We'll beat Kefka once and for all. The rest of you need to escape before more havoc wreaks. Please think of your safety." She whispered. Locke clinched his fist.
"And what about YOUR safety? Kefka is all of our enemies! Just Valgarb has finally taken our side doesn't mean that we have to do everything he says! We can do this together with our continent's history combined, we can do it!" He declared.
"He's right. We can't leave you... Not until we find out what the meaning of our meeting really is. The Slayers were brought to us for a reason..." Celes said as she stood up from the ground. "Not that all of our wounds have healed, we must turn them into courage! Kefka is my ancient enemy! I refuse to leave without you, Terra!" She declared.
"That's right! Think of what we have survived for this." Sabin said with Edgar nodding in agreement.
"Firia and Gau were both killed by this horrible fight. We can't let him get away!" Edgar said. Valgarb hung down his head.
"Firia died because of me not Kefka..." He said in a melancholy voice. Zelos grunted.
"Such concern for her... It's disgusting! Even though the Karyuohs killed off your people? Why don't you give yourself in and become a monster like me? You'll be able to fulfill your revenge." He said slyly. Valgarb turned to him with angry eyes and smashed the glass wall behind Zelos with furious fingers. Zelos backed away as a shard cut his cheek like Relm's. Valgarb pulled back and gritted his teeth.
"Shut your mouth, Zelos! You the general and priest of the Beast Master, takes too much pride in being a monster! Why try to take me down with you?" He screamed. Relm gasped and ran in front of Zelos and spread out her arms as though she were protecting him.
"What do you know? YOU'RE the monster!" She remarked shrewdly.
"So, hiding it?" Valgarb asked as he backed away casually.
"What do you mean?" She asked curiously.
"It's okay, Relm-chan. Let it go." Zelos said as he grabbed her shoulders. "I'm not going to lie to you, but you have to promise not give me the cold shoulder got it?" He said in a cheerful voice. She nodded with a worried face crossing her. "Like he says... I'm a Mazoku from the other continent. I've been searching Valgarb out since our two masters were enemies. I sorry for diceiving you, but your eyes made me not want to leave so quickly." He said slowly. Her eyes gleamed and she hugged him.
"That's all right, Big Brother! I still trust you!" She said happily. Valgarb grunted.
"Oh, please! Zelos, you look like you're in a self help booklet, all innocent will a kid like that! Wait until the Beast Master hears about this!" He said slyly.
"Shut up, Valgarb! I'd like to see you get some affection!" He backfired. Valgarb laughed and put his arm around Terra.
"What do you call this?" He asked as Terra hugged him sweetly. Zelos opened his mouth in shock.
"I really hate you!" He said as he looked up and noticed Strago standing above him. He hit Zelos over the head. "What was that for, Strago?" He asked furiously.
"So, you finally show your true self! I knew that there was something fishy about you!" He said as he slightly smiled. "I still don't like you!" He said persistently. Zelos and Relm laughed together as they both stood up.
"Dragons and monsters? No wonder Firia hated him so much," Sabin said happily. She slightly smiled as she and Edgar stood as well.
"What's scarier, Kefka or Darkstar?" Lina asked with a wink. Firia giggled.
"I don't know!" She admitted.
"Probably Kefka knowing our luck!" Gourry said with a smile as he put his hand on Lina's shoulder. Cyan patted Ameria and Gau on the back as they stood up smiling with Zelgadis following.
"We're not going to let you go alone, Terra!" Zelgadis said persistently.
"But-" She looked around and gasped as the room began to change shape in hazy figures of magical power. Black surrounded them as a wind blew angrily at them. The all screamed as a new room appeared around them, still not even a dim light showing. Terra looked up with frantic vision and saw Kefka awaiting them atop a darkened staircase, looking down on them with sadistic eyes.
"I think that I've waited long enough, listening to your blabble in MY laboratory!" He said smugly. "Ruining my beautiful Magictek project by breaking down my computer system! I should have known that Valgarb wouldn't be loyal! Bahamut will no longer allow me to use his spells and it's obvious that he has linked himself into Valgarb's body, which is the cause. He can do things through Valgarb or Valgarb can do things through him now, I suppose. They are one and the same thing! I heard it all!" He continued. Firia stood with her teeth gritted.
"Bahamut doesn't deserve to side up with the lights of you!" She declared as she clenched her fist.
"Oh, so the Dragon Girl lives... Just in time to die!" He said smugly.
"Don't count on it!" Lina said as she winked at him. "Let's see how good you are when the best sorceress in the world is your opponent!" She continued as she placed her hand on her hip.
"I'm not fighting with that little bitch! Kefka is mine!" Valgarb yelled.
"Don't start with me! I'm not fighting with you right now!" She replied shrewdly. "Just shut up, fight, and keep your eyes open!"
"So, this is it... The final showdown..." Celes said hesitantly.
"Kefka, you won't get away for what you've done!" Terra called up to him. He laughed.
"Every hero says that! Prepare yourself, Terra Branford!" He challenged. Kefka held up his hands and a triangle of power surrounded him like a shield. The group backed away, knowing that he wouldn't hold anything back. A black portal grew at his hands and Zelgadis and Strago began creating spells to backfire it. Celes put up a shield followed by Ameria while Lina powered up a FireBall.
"Train!" Kefka cried.
"Oh, no! Anything but Train!" Celes cried as the black portal grew in giant sparks. Rain poured upon, only a mere illusion with blinding lights like a train. The sparks flew down to the ground, going into their bodies instead of attacking them, causing them to have difficulty seeing and silence from magic spells. Lina came up in front of them grinning as she held up her hands. An orange and red glowing light appeared around them, making it hard for Kefka to see. He grinned knowing that she couldn't cast it without announcing the spell name. He slightly giggled at her. The light grew and he gasped as an enormous circle of fire blasted at him. A huge explosion aroused in affect, destroying the black ground beneath him. The fire grew further, almost hitting the Returners and The Slayers as Lina laughed.
"Have a taste of my specialty! A Dragon Slave!" She said proudly. Shilfiell stood up shocked.
"Lina-san, are you trying to kill us too? Control the spell!" She exclaimed. Terra finished healing Relm of the affects, finishing off all of the Returners from the treacherous spell as Lina bought them time.
"I guess that spells from here don't take much affect on us!" Lina said cheerfully as the fire cleared. Kefka floated in the air, still surrounded by a triangle of power. He grinned at her and she gasped. "No affect from a Dragon Slave?" She screamed. Gourry sighed.
"It never works..." He said simply. She turned and hit him over the head shrewdly.
"Shut up, Gourry! You can't even use magic!" She yelled. Ameria shrugged.
"Now is not the time to argue!" She objected.
"Lina, quit fooling around!" Martina said in a scared voice. "He looks serious!"
"I can see that you don't lack any skill..." Kefka said in an amused voice. He turned to Valgarb and Terra. "The esper girl and the half monster half dragon. This will be fun!" he said as he licked his lips. Valgarb grinned and pulled the Sword of Light from his cape slyly and help it up and swinging it in the air.
"I don't enjoy being the entertainment of this matter so... Light come forth!" He said. An enormous light aroused from the sword as he announced it. He lifted himself into the air, his cape flapping behind him as he flew. Ameria, Zelgadis, and Terra rushed forth with their hands up. Ameria and Zelgadis casted a Ra-Tilt together while Terra called out Ramuh to use a lightening spell on the sword. The light absorbed the magic and he struck it out at Kefka. He smashed it into his shield, trying to push it in enough to break it. Strago gasped.
"A magic shield... Relm, use the ring!" He cried. She slowly nodded and rushed to their sides urgently, holding up her ringed finger.
"Please, Mother... Help us..." She pleaded. The ring lit up with a light, her finger throbbing with an affectionate feeling. Her mother's love for her... The light struck into the sword from her finger. The shield was immediately dented in until it couldn't take the stress. It broke in and the sword went straight in for Kefka. It sliced into his arm with violent force. He screamed and moaned as he shoved the sword out of his body, and knocked Valgarb down to the ground. Terra rushed to him as he hit. She threw her arms under his head for support. She looked up and saw Gourry.
"Give it back to me, Valgarb!" He said as he tried to grab it out of his grasp. Valgarb lifted his leg with his fangs sticking out of the sides of his mouth in anger as he kicked him in the face, away from it.
"Forget it!" He declared. Lina dashed to him and jumped on his chest, causing him to choke.
"Give me MY sword!" She cried. He gritted his teeth and punched her off.
"Don't you DARE touch me!!" He shouted as she fell over, head first. Terra grunted.
"Let it go! He's hurt you know and he just got our first hit in!" She cried as she began to heal the wound. She looked up, hearing Kefka laugh.
"Pathetic... Don't take this situation lightly..." He said as an evil look crossed his lips. A light glowed at his hands in sparks, crawling like a snake up his arm. "You won't come out alive!" He declared as he thrust the ball of light at Relm. She gasped trying to run out of the way, but it was too fast, even to put up a barrier... It blasted through her chest, making her trip in her steps and fall over violently on the ground, blood surrounding her body in no time at all. She coughed up blood from her lips, weakly. She trembled in pain as more blood flowed from wound, mortally damaging her weak body. Everyone gasped, trying to run to her at once.
"Relm, hold out!" Edgar cried as he and Firia began running to her. Strago turned with a stunned look on his face as she ceased to tremble in pain and close her eyes. Terra looked up with terrified eyes at the sight. She looked over at Zelos and saw him put his trembling hands on his face in shock... He could move, couldn't speak... His feet buckled under him and he fell to the invisible, black ground. She could see him slowly crawl to her.
"Relm-chan... Relm-chan is... NO!! Don't leave me alone!!" He cried as he finally reached her. He placed his hand on her chest, blood oozing onto his glove with gleaming eyes. "DON'T!!" He screamed loud enough to make someone go deaf, tears beginning to form in his eyes. "Not after you just promised to love me even though I was a monster..." He blurted out between sobs. He hung over and no one could move or speak at that moment. Zelos slowly stood, with unstable legs. He lifted up his arms, black forming around him. "I won't let you die!! I'll take you with me!" He cried.
Firia gasped, realizing what he was trying to do. She shook her head and ran to him screaming as the black grew more and more. She ran up behind him, grabbing his neck and squeezing him harshly, still screaming as more wind rushed up against them. He calmed down, breathing hard in stress as the portal broke along with his concentration from Firia's interference. He turned to her with melancholy eyes, still tearstained.
"Firia..." He whispered. He heard her sobbing onto his shoulder, frantically digging her nails into his shirt.
"Don't!" She cried. "I know how much she means to you, but to try to turn her into a monster to save her life is wrong! She wouldn't want that! Let us find another way!" She pleaded. Terra sighed, remembering the same scene when Maryuoh made Valgarb into a monster... So terrifying. Shilfiell approached them.
"We can save her!" She declared. "Firia, let us save her together! With both of our healing we can do it!" She said in a determined voice. Firia calmed down as well and loosened her angered grip on him and nodded as she wiped her tears away. "To make a monster cry... She must be important to him..." Shilfiell continued in a soothing voice. Firia nodded.
"Save her!" Zelos pleaded. "Please!" He continued. A loud crash let out in the room and he spun around frantically. The black ground began to collapse from under them, to suddenly to stop.
Kefka laughed hysterically and they all screamed, trying to run away from its wrath. Lina screamed loudly as she lost her footing on the edge and began falling in. Gourry gasped and dashed to her, barely reaching her hand as she began to plunge into the darkness. He tightly grasped her hand against his trying to lift her back up. He was too terrified of letting her go that he couldn't even move, and he knew that her head was too frantic to cast a spell. Locke gasped as he watched them, memories Rachel falling into the darkness of the pit flashed through his mind and he couldn't hold it in and he screamed.
"Don't let her go!" he screamed.
"I won't! I promise!" Gourry said, trying to organize his thoughts.
"Gourry!" Lina screamed as tears spurted from her eyes.
"Gourry-sama!" Shilfiell exclaimed.
"We have no time, Shilfiell! Hurry!" Firia exclaimed. She nodded and they both closed their eyes and focused their powers toward their emotions. A seal formed around her body. The seal of the Karyuoh combined with the seal of the great Shprahim from Shilfiell. A red light glowed on the lines of the picture, around Relm body, absorbing the wounds of her body within it. Zelos tried to glance back at them as he teleported around the room to keep from falling. The seal protected them from the breaking floor. Firia glanced down on Relm's ring and noticed that it was glowing with the spell. Her mother was going to help them save her.
Locke grabbed Celes and pulled close to him. Gau, Cyan, Zelgadis, and Ameria all held onto each other with Edgar and Sabin staying together tightly. Strago refused to leave Relm's side as they healed her, tears running wildly down his face. Zangulas held onto Martina as she held Zomel Gustav to her chest frantically. Terra gasped as the ground broke beneath her like Lina. She barely caught the edge of the darkness, screaming. Valgarb spun around with angry eyes. He lifted himself into the air, the shape of a dragon forming like fire behind him. His shirt tore off as he screamed in more frantic rage. Two large black wings grew on his back, looking like feathers. His arms transformed into a dragon's, claws arousing from his hands with black scales.
He howled dove down for her and lifted her into his arms, holding her comfortingly. She gasped as a pink light glowed around her when he touch her. She felt a trembling inside of her as her clothing ripped off and her skin changed into white and pink fur, with frantic pink hair, flowing out wildly. Her esper form... Both howled like beasts and a ring of fire struck out at Kefka he gasped and fell over as he watched them land.
His concentration broke and the ground reformed as Gourry finally pulling Lina up with the last effort of his love for her. She fell helplessly into his arms, gasping for air. Relm's last wounds healed within the seal and it slowly faded. She slowly opened her eyes and Zelos dashed to her and hugged her around the shoulders immediately as Shilfiell and Firia let go of the force of the spell.
"Thank God, Relm-chan! Don't do that to me!" He said between more sobs.
"Big Brother..." She whispered softly as she put her arms around him. Zelos looked up at Firia with gleaming eyes.
"Thank you so much, Firia, Shilfiell... For now and always..." He whispered. They both smiled and nodded. Edgar dashed to Firia and grabbed her shoulder.
"Firia, look! At Terra and Valgarb!" He cried. She gasped and turned around with Shilfiell following. The ancient dragon holding the esper in affectionate as they sat there watching Kefka in delight as he moaned in pain. Firia tried to think back...
The time that her power combined with Zelos's and Relm's espers, an esper with her power to heal Relm, and now Valgarb and Terra... She stopped and looked around her. Black with snow brushing against her face. The ancient dragons dead all around her... Valgarb as a child sitting in the darkness... It all fit together!
"We can do it! We can defeat him!" She declared proudly. "It all makes sense! All of it!" She cried. "The power of a human, the Gold Dragons, the Ancient Dragons, the Monsters, and the Espers! If we combine them!" She cried.
"What do you mean?" Edgar asked.
"I'll call up the Karyuoh's power! Zelos call up the monster! Valgarb and Terra will arouse their kind and Lina will be our human! If Gourry combines it with the Sword of Light and each of the Returners call up an esper, Martina uses Zomel Gustav to multiply it, and Zangulas uses his Howling Sword within it, with Relm's Memento Ring, we can't lose!" She explain. Edgar gritted his teeth.
"Can we...?" He began. Lina nodded.
"I'll do it!" She cried. Gourry agreed. He looked up and notice the Sword of Light being thrown to him. He barely caught it and looked up and Valgarb ahead who was grinning back at him. Gourry smiled back as he called out the light. Firia dashed to Terra and Valgarb's side with Zelos and Lina following.
A black light glowed off of Zelos, a red light from Lina, A golden light from Firia, an orange light from Valgarb, and a pink light from Terra as they aroused their people's power from within themselves, concentrating deeply. Sparks began to ran between them in blinding light. Kefka gasped and lifted himself up. Gourry lifted up his sword ready. Ameria and Zelgadis held up their hands for a Ra-Tilt, Shilfiell aroused Sraphim once more, the angel shining behind her. Martina held up Zomel with Zangulas holding out his sword, making a wind. Locke called out Phoenix, Edgar calling Starlet, Sabin calling Siren, Celes calling Shiva, Cyan calling Ifrit, Gau calling Stray, Setzer calling Phantom, Relm calling Odin, and Strago calling upon Fenrir of the moon. All of the espers howled as they released their power, sparks surrounding the room. Kefka gasped in disbelief as the whirl of power came for him.
A wind blasted into the faces as the light faded into Kefka, his scream piercing the black world of nothingness. The light blinded them, blasting them into another... World? Green trees and colorful plants of all kinds with beautiful scenery. A greenhouse type place with a window that looked down on Final Fantasy... Terra slowly lifted herself and looked out at it. So, beautiful... She sensed Valgarb behind her as he wrapped her within his cape, slightly kissing the back of her neck affectionately. She sighed with longing.
"Now I see... You're people are a part of us. Our lives are one with the Esper's lives... Monsters on your continent made a seal around your continent that allowed the people to use magic like them. The wreaked all over the world and stained it with war and evil, but the humans like Lina were there to strike them down with the power that was given to them by the monsters. The espers evolved from the monsters and dragons like your people who had your own kind of magic apart from the monsters that made you different from monsters and human. You were all granted that power after Bahamut evolved from you. He is the god of all dragons and he granted you that gift.
"They inhabited Final Fantasy and made it their world until humans came and started the war of the Magi. Even now the espers still live on up to their name after all of the torture that the humans have caused them. I know now why they do... Because they fight for all of you on the other continent who they evolved from. They want to protect your world as well as ours from destruction because we are all linked as one. We are from the same family, evolved from one another.
"The espers wanted your people to come and meet us for a purpose. For our destinies to collide and bond together as one like it should be. Kefka was disturbing that balance, but he will no more. It's finally over now..." She said softly as she gazed over Final Fantasy with gleaming eyes.
"Our Earth... Bahamut has drawn you to me, Valgarb... He finally got to inhabit the body of one of the people he evolved from instead of a human, that multiplied his power and allowed him to send me and Firia messages. He saw the ancient wars from you and sought revenge on Firia for it. He casted that spell through you, and he showed her an image of all the dead Ancient Dragons with you as a child sitting in the darkness crying. It showed her what happened in the battle. When she finally awoke, she was dead. After he showed me the picture of the war, it released his anger inside of you and you calmed down to your normal self, as though you were Valteria again. You both wanted to save Final Fantasy from Kefka's grasp and that made it so that Firia was reborn to help save it with that spell." She finished. "I wonder why everyone else was brought here..." She concluded softly as Valgarb kissed her on the cheek lovingly.
"That's right." Terra and Valgarb spun around and saw Firia standing before them. "You're right about that, Terra. Now that our two continents have reunited, the espers can calm themselves from their rage and sleep until someone disturbs our link again like Kefka did. Bahamut's job is finished. He will probably leave Valgarb's body now." She said slowly as she gazed down on Final Fantasy with melancholy eyes.
"But what if we never meet again? Where will Bahamut's love for Valgarb go? He wanted the espers and the dragons to be together like the way he was! We can't be separated now!" Terra said in an exasperated voice.
"We all will." Sabin said as he and Edgar aroused from the darkness of the room. "Firia was brought to us because the gold dragons needed to see the love between a dragon and a human. They never thought of anyone but themselves when they killed the Ancient dragons. Now they know what it is like." He finished. Edgar nodded.
"Firia will give them that feeling as a gift when she returns to the New World." He hugged her tightly. "We feel no depression when she leaves now. She will return to us as soon as her destiny at the New World is fulfilled. We will miss her desperately..." He continued. Locke entered the room with Lina at his side smiling.
"We'll all return someday! Because I needed to know the friendship of another who had lost something important to them and was still happy. I needed to know that to recover from the shock of the wreck. Without Locke I would have taken my own life." She explained simply as Locke smiled down on her. Celes appeared with Shilfiell at her side next.
"Brought together by the knowledge of the espers... Sraphim can finally sleep in peace now after she trusted me to help her fulfill her destiny to kill Kefka and be free in the sky. This place you see here is the place that the espers always dreamed of returning to after Kefka was killed. Now they can gather here until next time." Shilfiell said softly as Gau and Cyan came in with Ameria following.
"Gau needed Ameria to show him that humans can fall in love with beasts! I loved her and now I need to let her go knowing that! I'll meet another like her someday..." Gau said as Ameria bent down and kissed him on the forehead affectionately as he blushed. Cyan nodded as he put his arm around Ameria.
"She's shown me what it's like to be a father again." He said sweetly. She nodded and Mog danced in with Gourry tripping after him.
"Someone on other continent meet Mog and love him as friend! Happy, happy!" He said excitedly as Gourry smiled down on him.
Setzer slowly walked in with Martina and Zangulas at his sides.
"Wealth doesn't matter as long as there's someone there for you..." He whispered as Martina and Zangulas nodded. Zelgadis stepped in.
"All of us are beasts on the inside sometimes, but some of us are forced to be them on the outside as well. Terra accepted me for who I was that way!" He said proudly. Relm, Strago, and Zelos walked in together grinning..
"A monster becoming attached to a child and loving her will change the impact of the monsters on the other continent. It will help the people there survive. Zelos will leave me with few regrets," Relm said in an adult voice. Strago nudged Zelos.
"This doesn't mean that I like you..." He said. He laughed and then grabbed Zelos head, jabbing his fist in his hair. "Oh, yes, it does!" He finally admitted. Zelos laughed at the thought, and then turned and stared out of the window.
"We'll wake up soon..." Valgarb said softly. "But with Kefka dead we will have few regrets left..."
Valgarb slowly lifted his eyes open. The sun was shining over him, making him hot, his vision blurry, sweat pouring down his face. He sat up on the ground and gazed up at the sky, silently thanking Bahamut who had left his body now. He felt like a part of him was slightly missing. He turned and saw Jirasu and Kurabos walking to him with wide smiles on their faces. He gasped as he saw them.
"Jirasu and Kurabos! You made it! I'm relieved!" He said in a soothing voice. Jirasu nodded cheerfully and lowered himself to the ground and threw his arms around Valgarb. He smiled warmly. "I'm glad that you're all right..." he continued as he stroked Jirasu's fur gently. Jirasu slowly let go and stood up, helping Valgarb to his feet, Kurabos letting him support his body weight on him.
He gazed out at the rest of the team awakening from their deep sleep... From the dream sent to them from the espers. The Slayers and The Returners were one and the same. The Airship was nearby, waiting for them. It was all over now... Valgarb knew that as he left Kurabos and helped Terra to her feet gently.
"It's all over..." Ameria said sadly as she looked up and Gau and Cyan with gleaming eyes, almost ready to cry. Gau shook his head.
"It isn't. You have your own destiny to follow on New World now. Gau wait for you to come back as soon as you finish. You come? You write while travel?" He asked anxiously. She nodded with a single tear falling down her cheek. Cyan wiped away as he soothed her. Zelgadis approached Gau. He looked up at him.
"Zelgadis, Gau let you take care of Ameria now. Don't let me down!" He declared. Zelgadis turned away and blushed trying to hide his face.
"All of us will keep in touch." Firia promised as she looked up at the Airship, still being held by Edgar. "Let's go home now. Now that we know where our destiny lies." She said softly. Everyone nodded as the slowly boarded the Airship. Setzer was more than happy to sit in the pilot's seat again as he took off without looking back at Martina and Zangulas in grief.
"Go to the main continent first. I will be leaving there along with Martina and Zanulas." Shilfiell said. She turned to the others. "I will miss you all deeply and will wait for your return from the New World." She finished. They all nodded in agreement. Gourry looked down on the Sword of Light proudly.
"Since you gave it back to me does that mean that you won't try to bring Darkstar back again?" Gourry asked hopefully. Valgarb shrugged.
"Don't press your luck!" He replied. Lina gasped.
"You're gonna' put us through this AGAIN?" She screamed. He simply nodded and she fell over Locke's arms with exhaustion at the thought.
"I guess that we're all going to the New World to settle it then. Right, Lina-san?" Firia asked cheerfully.
"Oh, this is just great..." Lina said in a tired voice as the ship landed on the main continent.
"I'll miss you two, so take care and write me!" Setzer said as Martina and Zangulas made their way off. They both winked and nodded as they stepped off the ship as Shilfiell left Celes and Gourry sadly. Shilfiell would go for new studies... Martina and Zangulas would find a home and most likely have children from there.
"Valgarb... We're almost to the New World now..." Terra whispered. "Bahamut told me that he would keep a telepathic link between us until we meet again. We may speak to each other whenever we wish." She said as she kissed his forehead. "Watch yourself. You too, Jirasu, Kurabos!" She finished as she nodded to them in goodbye. They smiled at her as Valgarb grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her goodbye.
"I will come back someday..." He promised as he let go of her hand. Relm kissed Zelos on the forehead, telling him not to forget about his "Little Sister" he promised he wouldn't as Strago hugged him. Lina slapped hands Locke in a smiled of friendship as they prepared to leave. Firia hugged Edgar and Sabin each, kissing Edgar slightly on the cheek, blushing unbearably. Ameria did the same with Gau and Cyan as Zelgadis hugged Terra goodbye.
The ship slowly landed as the Slayers went out to seek out their destinies: Lina, Gourry, Ameria, Zelgadis, and Firia would seek out Arumeisu and Valgarb to save the world from destruction yet again. Zelos strikes out at another attempt to make Valgarb a mazoku, and Valgarb returns to Arumeisu who would only harass him in complaints over the Sword of Light.
And the Returners would wait for them... Forever...