The Return

by Nathan Bounds

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Chapter 1	Chapter 2	Chapters 3 - 7	Chapters 8 - 10
Chapters 11 - 12	Chapter 13	Chapters 14 - 16	Chapters 17 - 20
Chapters 21 - 22	Chapters 23 - 25	Chapters 26 - 28	Chapters 29 - 31

Chapter 2

Edgar Roni Figaro sat at the dinner table in Figaro Castle eating fish and brocolli with mashed potatoes. The meal was well prepared, and Edgar ate it slowly, savoring every moment of it. He was in the middle of a bite of chicken when he was interrupted by a messenger bursting into the room. Edgar wondered if this had anything to do with where Sabin was.

The messenger collected his breath, and then delivered his message. "Kohlingen has been attacked by members of the Cult of Kefka."

Edgar stood up in astonishment. "Which faction?"

Since the defeat of Kefka, two factions of the Cult of Kefka had formed. The first was known as the Kefkanians. They had set aside one day a week totally devoted to their master. The other faction, the Radical Kefkanians, were constantly serving their master. They also brought it upon themselves to rid the world of the scum of the regular Kefkanians. According to the Radicals, Kefka should be worshipped in thoughts, actions, and meditations at all times. The Kefkanians, therefore, were supposedly not devoted to their master, thus rousing the anger of their Radical counterparts.

The messenger replied to Edgar's query. "The Radical Kefkanians. They killed several people, and I think you knew one of the dead."

"Who was he?"

"I don't know."

"How did you get across the water, anyway?"

"I traveled through the castle's tunnels on chocobo."

"You what? I didn't even know that was possible."

"Well, it is. Listen, we'd better get going if you want to catch those Radicals."

"You're right. Let's get this castle moving. Find Sabin for me."

 

Sabin Rene Figaro was stuck. He was wedged between two gears that helped move the castle. It was a good thing Edgar didn't have anywhere to go. Otherwise Sabin would be quite literally half a man.

Sabin struggled at the gears again to no avail. They wouldn't budge. If only he could move just enough to get into a good blitz position.

It was dark in the engine room. Sabin couldn't remember exactly what had happened to cause him to be wedged into the engine. All he could remember was two men coming up to him and asking him to show him the engine room. Sabin hadn't known where they had come from, so he had decided to take them to Edgar for permission. He told them to follow him, and when he turned around, he felt a huge thump come down on his head, and then he woke up in the position he was presently in.

Sabin pulled again to no avail. Suddenly, the engine room lights started to come on, one by one. That could only mean one thing.

A whine filled the room. Small gears started circling slowly. The moving gears got closer. Soon, Sabin's gears started moving.

Sabin screamed in agony as the gears ripped at his legs. He moved upward slowly as the gears moved. Then, with a pop, he was in a good position for a blitz. If he could only concentrate.

"Au... ra... Bol... tuh!" A white blast stopped the gears where they were. Sabin pulled himself out to inspect the damage. His legs were damaged with about a year's worth of recuperation, but he would get better. Eventually. Right now he had to get back upstairs.

"What the hell happened?" Edgar thundered. Figaro Castle had stopped moving

"I don't know, sir," said the engine manager, "but I can go check."

"Do it."

Edgar waited for about ten minutes before the engine manager came back up with Sabin in his arms.

"He's been seriously hurt," the engine manager said.