Chapter Twenty-Four: "It’s Time We Found The Black Materia."

 The next morning everyone met back at the airship, mumbling discontentedly at having to leave. Daryl, however, was late in coming back. After several quick apologies to the President she approached Sabin. "Uh, Sabin, I just wanted to thank you," she said with genuine gratitude. "For everything."

He grinned, clapping her on the back. "So that’s why you were late. But I’m glad to have helped."

She glared at him, though he could tell that she had changed somewhat; her manner was brisk and elated, unlike the cold sarcasm that usually plagued her mood. "But really, thank you. I don’t know what to say."

"Hey, it’s nothing." He laughed. "Now pilot this ship out of here before we decide to stay for good."

"Yeah. We’ll be at the temple in about fifteen hours."

"Fifteen hours?" Locke hissed as she left, already growing pale. "I won’t make it, I swear."

Tifa moved over to Sabin as they made their way up the plank. "What did you do?" she asked. "I’ve never seen her in such a good mood."

"Her and that Setzer guy used to be an item," he explained, smiling contentedly. "I was just doing a bit of match-making."

"It was awful sweet of him," Celes added, helping Locke to his room.

Sabin stuck his hands in his pockets and made an annoyed face. "You guys’re embarrassing me," he muttered. "Can’t a guy do another guy a favor? What’s wrong with that?"

"Nothing’s wrong with it," Tifa replied. "I think it’s wonderful."

"Then let’s get over it and get the hell out of here." Still grinning he boarded the Highwind. The rest followed, and they were underway.

When they reached the island it was late into the night, and rather than start into a dangerous excursion to find the temple, Rufus decided that it would be in their best interests to stay aboard the ship until daybreak. No one protested, but they were made nervous by the wait. Over the journey everyone’s anxieties had been raised, and the thought of delaying their curiosity wasn’t a pleasant one. Aeris and Locke were most affected by the decision, as they most of all awaited the conclusion. Aeris couldn’t rest at all. She stayed on the bow of the ship all night, leaning against the rail and staring out into the lush tropical jungle that spanned for miles ahead of them. Behind her the waves crashed lazily against the sandy shore. She smiled to herself. They were close—closer than Rufus thought. She could hear the whispers growing louder, more clear, and she knew they were calling to her. She could almost feel them in the wind, they were so strong. All her instinct told her to escape the ship, to run away and deep into the forest until all that was left was the voices.

"Aeris."

Aeris felt her insides stiffen, the voice of the old man sending chills up and down her spine. She didn’t need to look to know who it was but she did anyway, and then was sorry as her fears were confirmed. Professor Hojo stood behind her, his hands interlocked behind his back and his pinched face regarding her like some interesting specimen. It was enough to unnerve even her. "Hello," she stated evenly, even as her gut twisted. More than ever she wanted to escape. Hopefully he was only about for a stroll of some sort and would continue on his way.

He didn’t. Professor Hojo moved with slow strides to the railing and set his hands upon it, standing closer to her than she would have liked. She knew that respecting normal laws of politeness didn’t apply in a situation such as this, but moving away would only strengthen the domination he felt he had over her. She would never grant him that satisfaction. "I thought you might be here," the man said, his voice low but filled with amusement. He continued to watch her, half appraising and half calculating. "In fact, I wondered if you were going to stay with us. It would be easier for you to go to the temple on your own, considering you are the only one who knows the way at all."

"That’s true." She didn’t say anything else. She’d stood up against dragons, super-SOLDIERs, Cloud’s outbursts of insanity and even the entrails of a forty-foot long swamp snake, but standing next to Hojo was almost beyond her tolerance. Had she attempted to speak more she was afraid her voice would shatter.

"So why don’t you?"

Because I want to stay with Cloud. "I want to stay with my friends," she answered.

"How noble." Hojo finally averted his gaze from her, much to her relief. Instead his obsidian eyes drifted out to view the expanse of broad-leafed trees. She wondered if he was able to see all the beauty she saw in the labyrinth of branches and thin trunks, and quickly decided by the look on his face that he could not. "Are you keeping your eye on the general?"

"Why general Celes?" she asked, though she completely understood his meaning. She’d been able to tell that there was something wrong about Celes, simply by the aura her spirit projected—to her Celes might as well have been screaming the truth in her face. She knew that the parasite was inside her.

Apparently Hojo knew as well, and knew that she knew, for he said, "Oh come now, you know as well as I do. She’d kill you if she got the chance. Jenova and Cetra are natural enemies."

"She hasn’t tried yet," Aeris replied simply. She smiled a bit. "Not all people behave the way you’d like them to, Professor."

"Yes, I suppose that is true." He turned toward her once more, and she cringed at the look in his eyes. It reminded her of a hungry cat watching the mouse it intended for its dinner. His bony hand reached out, and she suppressed the urge to slap it away in disgust. "You were like that as a child. Do you remember?"

She couldn’t help it. As his fingertips just barely touched the skin of her cheek her hand lashed out, pushing his away. She took a step away. "Don’t touch me," she snapped, but she had never been good at sustaining anger in her voice, and the words sounded more pleading than anything else. Old memories began to surface of her mind—memories of this man—and the fear she’d always held in his presence. She wanted to get away. "I’m not your experiment, Hojo. Please, just leave us alone."

"Us?" he echoed humorously, not phased by her abrupt attack on his hand.

Me. My mother. My people… But before she could form a proper response the sound of footsteps alerted her attention, as well as a familiar sense. Both looked across the deck to see Cloud walking toward them, and Hojo’s lip curled. She couldn’t interpret the expression. And just when she expected more of the Professor’s patronizing he surprised her by walking slowly away. He did, however, cast one last look in her direction, as if pleased by the effect he’d had on her. She was trembling just slightly.

Cloud glared at Hojo’s back as he left, pursing his lips. He didn’t understand what was going on, but he’d had the feeling that Aeris was distressed. Ever since the gondola at Gold Saucer he’d been able to pick up on little things such as that, almost as if they were connected now. He watched her face as he approached the railing, trying to discern the meaning of her expressions. All he could see was her gentle, relieved smiled. But on the inside she was shaken—he could tell, somehow. "Aeris?"

"Hey Cloud," she replied pleasantly, doing her best to hide the insecurities in her voice. "Looks like another sleepless night for both of us."

"Yeah." He put his hands on the rail, standing beside her. Being near her reminded him of the warmth he’d felt from her spirit, and it had a calming affect on him. "So what did Hojo want with you?"

Aeris flinched a bit, increasing his curiosity. "He…just wanted to talk," she said quietly. "We…well, we’ve known each other ever since I was a child."

"Did it have to do with the fact that Turks were trying to kidnap you?"

"I never explained that to you, did I?" she said with a smile. "Hojo’s been after me for a long time, because of his experiments." He noticed that her hands had tightened around the railing when she said that. "He wanted to study me, being the last Ancient, but I managed to keep away. I think it’s because the Turks’ leader, Tseng, felt sorry for me."

Cloud hummed thoughtfully. "But he did get you once, didn’t he?"

"When I was little." Aeris looked away as if wishing he’d change subjects, but then decided to do the job herself. "Anyway, that was a long time ago and this isn’t the time to be worrying about it. We’re going to the temple tomorrow."

He nodded, willing to give up on his curiosity for her sake. "You’re right. But…do you think Glenn was right? Will Sephiroth be there?"

"I hate to say it, but probably." Away from her own unpleasant memories she began to lighten her mood somewhat. "But don’t worry. We’ve got a lot of fighters with us, so he shouldn’t be a problem. We’ll only stay long enough to get the Black Materia."

"Yeah…but…"

Aeris smiled at him, one of perfect understanding. "I know, Cloud. You’re worried, aren’t you? Just trust me." She turned her gaze back to the forest below. "I’ll watch out for you. You’ll be fine—I know you’re strong enough."

"I hope so."

As soon as the sun had risen Locke insisted that they be underway. They weren’t inclined to resist, and quickly prepared for their hike into the dense forests. Canteens and food rations along with ammunition and other weapons were collected in packs and pockets, or strapped to belts and across backs. The Shin-ra shoulders that Rufus had brought prepared with indifference to what was happening—they were on a regular mission, after all. As they left the ship Cloud watched them. He had been a soldier like that once. Did he know any of the men there, or would any of them recognize him? None of their faces were familiar, but he noticed one or two which were watching him with strange expressions. Instead of talking to them, however, he moved near the front of the procession as they started into the forest.

"It’s just a little bit further," Aeris called over her shoulder, pushing her way through the dense, moist foliage. The leaves slapped lazily against her face, and she giggled. She felt as if they were greeting her, urging her along—the wind pushed her from behind, and stray beams of brilliant sun lit her path. She didn’t care if the others didn’t understand her excitement; they were all several feet behind, struggling to keep her pace as they had not the advantage of nature’s favor. Branches and ferns seemed to reach out, blocking their path as they went, so that Aeris was always far ahead. It didn’t matter to her, having gained back all her confidence since the night before. She pranced ahead of them, sharing secrets with the trees and insects through her laughter.

Finally Cloud caught up, amazed at her mood. "How can you be so happy in this heat?" he complained; his clothing was already soaked through with his own sweat, as they’d been traveling for several hours.

"It’s better than Midgar," she replied cheerfully. "Back there it was almost always cold."

"Yeah, but this is inhuman."

"I’ve been in worse," Locke said as he bounded up to them—he was the only one who came even close to matching Aeris’ enthusiasm. "You ever been to Mideel? That’s ever hotter than this. Hot as hell. Great people, though."

"Hey—shh." Aeris ran ahead again, disappearing into the trees. Cloud and Locke gave chase with the rest of the procession following with heavy feet. They came out of the jungle and were immediately faced with an enormous stone wall, overgrown with vines and animal nests. It was nearly thirty feet tall, and may have once been larger, as the stones were old and many seemed to have crumpled since the original building stood. There was only one entrance: a small rounded archway.

From inside came a woman’s shriek, and Cloud dashed through the opening. He was jut in time to snatch Aeris’ arm and drag her away from the edge of a tall cliff edge. She leaned against him as she caught her breath, and the rest of their group came to a halt just outside the archway. They pushed each other out of the way, trying to see.

"What happened?" Aeris whispered, all her spirit fleeing at the sight. "It’s all gone."

The huge stone fortress walls stretched out nearly a hundred feet to form a perfect square enclosure, though now they protected only an equally large barren stretch of sunken rock. Where the legendary Temple of the Ancients had once stood now there was only a deep, cracked foundation. Weeds sprung up through the cracks, and not so much as a tile was left. There was no building, no treasure, and no Black Materia.

"What the hell?" Locke pushed his way through the arch and nearly repeated Aeris’ mistake, as there was only a two-foot wide ledge to stand on before the ground ceased. His face contorted in disbelief. "Is this it? Where’s the temple?"

"I’m sure this is it," Aeris said, her voice ghostly quiet. "I can feel it everywhere—there are voices." She stepped to the edge of the pit, the toes of her boots handing precariously over the empty space. "It was here, but…something happened…and a man took it." She closed her eyes, letting the voices sink into her body. They rolled over each other, confusing her. "I don’t understand," she called, and her voice echoes against the walls. "What are you trying to tell me?"

"What is it?" Rufus called, still stuck outside with the rest. "What do you see in there?"

She was just about to answer when a cry arose from among the soldiers that had remained in the rear. The bushes began to rustle, and rifles were fired. The President jerked around just in time to see several black-clad figures leap out of hiding, brandishing sharpened metal weapons. They dodged and jumped as the soldiers fired at them, countering with flashing steel. The soldiers were cut down and several retreated into the woods.

"It’s those same guys," Sabin said, tightening his wrist bands. He indicated for Rufus, Scarlet, and Hojo to stand behind him and the two Turks. "Stay back and watch yourselves."

Three of the cloaked men charged. The first headed for Lucca, the second for the Turks, but the third bypassed them all, sprinting without hesitation through the archway and into Cloud. Caught off guard, the impact drove him backward—his heels hung over the edge of the drop. Another shove sent him over, and Aeris would have fallen too had Locke not shot forward to pull her away. He had no time for Cloud. He could only cringe at the sound of the man’s body hitting the earth that lay twenty feet below.

"Cloud!" Tifa ran to the edge, trying to see. Before she could catch sight of him, however, several rough hands pulled her back through the arch, and she found herself surrounded by the four more SOLDIER members. Once she was out of the way they scampered down the pit wall like hungry scavengers and out of sight. She didn’t know what was going on until another man passed her, one that was not bound in the cloaks. It was Sephiroth, his silver hair flowing perfectly down his back, emerald eyes blazing. He offered her a faint, twisted smile as he too leapt off the edge and into the pit.

Tifa tried to calm herself, and took a moment to see what was happening. Sabin was locked in a fist fight with the first cloaked man, Lucca watching as she gripped her arm in pain. The second was facing off against Scarlet and the Turks, dodging their bullets and Dark Nation’s claws. He wasn’t attacking, though. Rufus and Hojo stood back as the President reloaded his shot gun. The third man was still inside the archway, attempting to drive Aeris away from the edge. Celes was there as well, trying to remain balanced on the outcropping while keeping the man away from Aeris and Locke at the same time. She caught Tifa’s eye.

Tifa nodded, understanding the command. She started to climb down the wall edge.

Cloud lay on his back at the bottom of the pit. He should have been dead. The stone should have smashed his vertebrae or worse, but now he didn’t even feel the pain. He looked around him. Sephiroth was at his side, waiting patiently the way he had after fighting the dragon in Nibelheim so long ago. "Hello again, Cloud."

He regarded the man with a dull gaze, and a swell of hatred quickly rose and passed again into non-existence. He had no anger for him—it was strange, but he couldn’t remember why he would ever. This was his friend, the man whom he trusted. He was the one that made Cloud’s spirit whole

"I want you to come with me, Cloud."

"Where?"

"The Promised Land." He stood and Cloud followed suit, and the four SOLDIER members came closer. They began to drape him in the thick black coats that covered their own bodies. Each added layer was like a deep weight set within his heart, pulling him deeper into the concealing shell. Despite the stifling heat he felt cold, as if the thick material had become his new skin, an extension of his body. It was a sensation both glorious and frightening, and he didn’t have the strength to try and resist.

"You’re afraid of me, aren’t you?" Sephiroth said quietly, pulling the hood over Cloud’s head. "You shouldn’t be. You know I won’t hurt you."

Tifa jumped the last few feet to the ground, her mind whirling in shock. "Cloud!" she called desperately. She started to run forward, but was intercepted by the SOLDIERs, who crowded about her and held her still. She struggled violently without success. "Damnit, let me go!" she yelled shrilly. "Cloud! Cloud help!"

"Forget about the girl," Sephiroth advised, following Cloud’s gaze. "You’d chose her over an old friend? You were always an intelligent boy, Cloud. It would be so simple to end it here, right now. If you don’t, can you imagine what will happen to the others? To you?" His green eyes glinted. "If you don’t, you’ll always be mine."

Several shots fired that were louder than the others. On the upper level, the SOLDIER that had been fighting against Rufus’ group dropped to his knees, having been shot in the gut with one of Scarlet’s more powerful weapons. The President finished him off with his shot gun. For some reason the SOLDIER’s normal healing processes weren’t working, making the death quick. "Kill them all," Rufus hissed. "Just leave Sephiroth."

Celes felt her body stiffen, and she turned back to stare in horror at the fallen man. She shrieked as several more shots hit their mark in Sabin’s opponent. Her body began to shake, feeling their pain as the blood began to seep towards her. Internally she cried out in agony, screamed for revenge, but her lips were numb and made no sound. And then her eyes landed on the third figure whose hood had been removed: it was Ramza. The boy was watching her, and his face was filled with confusion. She pulled him quickly to her side then dropped to her knees. She couldn’t let them hurt him. Not young Ramza.

Professor Hojo, who had until then been watching the struggles with an amused expression, crept to Rufus’ side. "Don’t shoot him," he said. "Let’s see."

"Celes…?" Ramza stared into her eyes, and his face twisted. "I…what have I…"

"Shh, stop it." She hugged him fiercely. "You’re okay, Ramza. It ends here. Please, trust me."

Back in the pit, Tifa moved into a defensive stance as the men released her, preparing for some assault. None came, and when she looked up she saw they were moving away. Aeris was there suddenly, helping her to her feet. "We have to do something," she said. "Cloud is—"

"I know, I know." Cloud and Sephiroth had their backs turned and were walking away, surrounded by their black-clad body guards. She pulled the materia out of her glove that Aeris and Nadia had given to her in Cost del Sol—unused, as she was unfamiliar with that kind of power. She had always relied on her fists, but now… She held it tightly, forming a plan. "You have to kill the Father Angel," Cecil’s voice came drifting back to her. "You’re the only one that can."

"Where are we going?" Cloud asked, feeling Sephiroth’s hand on his shoulder.

"Like I said before—to the Promised Land. It’s time to go, Cloud. It’s time we found the Black Materia. You know that."

Tifa charged forward. She had a hunch—one that could prove dangerous or even lethal to her if she was wrong. She began the chant. Sephiroth hadn’t noticed her approach yet, but the others spread out of her way, and Cloud stopped walking. Her materia was now glowing intensely with the heat of its power. Strips of anxious fire sparked about her hands. Finally she was in range. Sephiroth turned, but by now she was too close, and her fists found their mark in his gut to release all her anger’s fury.

The explosion of flame sent her enemy tumbling onto his back, confirming her suspicions. "Cloud, come on!" she shouted, dragging him away. Aeris took his other hand, and together they tried to pull him to safety.

Sephiroth regained himself quickly, as the spell had not seriously affected him despite its strength. He regarded them with cold hatred. "You can’t keep him from me forever, Tifa," he hissed.

She stepped between him and Cloud. "If you want him," she replied in equal tone, "you’ll have to fight me."

His eyes narrowed, clearly tempted by the offer, but his jaw was tight, and he didn’t move to advance. An eternity passed between their hardened glares. Then a thin smile curled his lips. "Very well; have it your way." He turned his back and, very slowly, began to walk away once more with the SOLDIER members on his heels.

"Sephiroth’s…leaving me…" Cloud started to go after him, but Aeris took his arm. She began to strip the black cloaks from him, and though at first he tried to stop her, out of Sephiroth’s presence he was beginning to return to himself. He closed his eyes and allowed her to take the rest of the coverings off.

"Are you all right, Cloud?" Tifa asked once he was free. "How do you feel?"

"I…I don’t know," he admitted a bit shakily, holding his head. His eyes were still cold. "I…I was wrong. Sephiroth didn’t leave me. He’s still here."

Aeris put her hand on his arm, the contact of their skin flooding his senses with a familiar warmth and the smell of flowers. She smiled at him as he slowly opened his eyes. "You’re all right, Cloud," she told him.

Staring into her bright eyes, he was inclined to believe her. He nodded, and they started back toward the others.

Meanwhile, Rufus raised his shot gun, aiming for the last of the four SOLDIER members at Sephiroth's side. Hojo laid his hand on his arm. "There’s no need to kill them," he said. Be glad that Sephiroth is pulling away."

"Shouldn’t we go after him?" Elena asked, kneeling next to Tseng who was nursing a long wound on his forearm.

"We won’t have to." His dark eyes landed on the three figures in the pit below. "Cloud will take us."

Ramza’s agonized cry drew everyone’s attention, and they turned inward to investigate. He was gripping his stomach, and blood began to seep form the corners of his mouth. "What’s going on?" Celes demanded of the professor, her eyes filled with panic. "Do something!"

"Didn’t I tell you that the parasite rejects those followers that don’t please it?" he replied coldly. "He’s been left behind, and he’s dying, General. You can’t stop it."

She shook her head rapidly. "No, you’re wrong. He won’t—he can’t." Locke tried to take her arm but she shook him off. "It’s not fair. He’s just a boy—"

"There’s nothing you can do," Locke insisted, trying to gently pull her away. "Celes, I’m sorry, but—"

Rufus fired once, the sound of his gunpowder exploding surprising her so much that she fell onto her back. Blood splattered on her clothes as Ramza collapsed and was dead. "I just put him out of his pain," the President said, discarding the shot gun shells and replacing them with fresh ones. "I’m sorry, General."

Celes didn’t hear him. She stared down at the body, and her own numbed. She was falling. She could feel everything spinning around her. Locke supported her, but the comfort in his arms didn’t reach her. In a matter of moments she felt as if her entire world had been shattered, and the shards lay melting in the sun-boiled crimson stains on the rock. Slowly she let a deep trance envelop her mind, until the darkness claimed what vestiges of consciousness she had left.

"Fainted," Locke murmured, holding her against him. "She’ll be okay, I think, in time." His voice grew thick with emotion. "Not that you bastards care."

"I did what I had to do," Rufus said evenly, looking things over. "Miss Rannel," he called, "are you all right?"

Lucca raised her head, her glassing askew and shattered. "Yes, sir," she replied with a bit of strain. "My shoulder…it’s…"

"Dislocated, I think," Sabin answered for her. "Are we going back?"

"Yes. There’s nothing to do here. We’ll return to the Highwind." He signaled for Dark Nation to rejoin his side as Cloud, Aeris, and Tifa finally reached the upper ledge. "As soon as that man is ready—" he indicated to Cloud "—I’d like to speak with him."

Cloud returned his gaze. "Alright," he answered.

Rufus moved away then to count his losses on the soldiers as the group picked itself up, preparing for the exhausting hike back through the woods. They were all weary, physically and mentally, and defeated. Hours of marching through the jungle had led them to a ten-minute confrontation, and no closer to their goal. Aeris paused at the archway once more before continuing. Her eyes, lonely and confused, searched the area. "I don’t understand," she whispered, hoping the voices she’d heard earlier would guide her now. "What happened? Where have you all gone?"

"Glenn was right," Cloud said softly, following her aimless gaze. "Sephiroth was waiting, and the Black Materia isn’t here. We were wasting our time."

"Yes." She glanced up at him. "But are you all right now? You’re still pale."

"I don’ t really know," he admitted. "I can’t feel much of anything right now. Please, just walk with me awhile. Then I’ll be all right."

Aeris took his hand. "Okay."

Sabin carried Celes on the way back, with Locke and Tifa marching along on either side. "What you did was really dangerous," he told Tifa, having listened to how she’d managed to drive off Sephiroth. "If he had decided to deflect your magic at that close range, you could have been killed."

She nodded vaguely. "I was willing to take that risk, because of a hunch I had. And I was right." She smiled grimly. "It proves that Sephiroth has been protecting me. Did you realize that, other than that first time in Midgar, I haven’t been attacked or injured once during this trip? Even in Junon, a Shin-ra base. And Cecil risked his life to save me from the dragon. But I guess it doesn’t matter now."

"The temple’s gone," Sabin filled in needlessly. "Which means Sephiroth has the Black Materia."

Locke, who’d been uncharacteristically silent, rejoined, "Not necessarily. I think Glenn knew all along that the Black Materia wasn’t here, maybe even that the temple was gone. He…" His jaw tightened, as did his fists. "Anyway, it may be impossible to locate it. He said that when we were in Cosmo Canyon."

Tseng glanced back at them, frowning. He said nothing as Locke continued. "The best we can do is go back there and see if Belthasar or Mog knows anything."

Sabin nodded. "You might be right."

"What about us?" Scarlet asked the President, slapping at a leaf that had stuck out in front of her face. "We don’t have the materia, and we don’t know where Sephiroth is headed."

"I know. We’ll have to rely on other sources." He glanced at Hojo meaningfully. "Isn’t that right, Professor?"

"Of course." Inside his pocket he took hold of the glass capsule. "I’ll have answers for you when you need them."

Reeve waited patiently at the door for almost a minute before knocking again, and then grew anxious. "King Edgar?" he called, trying the knob. "Are you in there? It’s Reeve." He frowned as there was no reply—the guards said he hadn’t left his room in hours. "I’m coming in." He took out the extra key he’d been given and opened the door.

Edgar was seated in the chair by his desk, eyes closed and silent. He didn’t look up as Reeve entered. Reeve was about to approach him when a computer on the desk began to beep, signaling and incoming transmission. Reeve closed the door behind him and crossed to the computer’s monitor. "Who is this?"

The screen sparked to life, showing the image of a burly black man. "Who are you?" he demanded gruffly. "Where’s Edgar?"

"Reeve?" Edgar opened his eyes and gazed at the intruder curiously. "Is something wrong? What are you doing here?"

"Edgar, I need ta talk ta ya," the man on the screen said, waving his hand.

Edgar stood out of his chair, stretching lazily. "I’m afraid I’m a bit busy right now," he said, crossing to stand in front of the screen where he would be visible. "And I seem to have company." He acknowledged Reeve with a nod of his head. "Do you mind if I speak to you in about an hour?"

Reeve frowned, and suddenly the recognition came to him. "You’re that man Wallace," he declared incredulously. "The Avalanche man."

Barret glared him, but Edgar quickly ushered Reeve out of his view. "There isn’t anything to worry about," the king said grandly. "Sir Wallace, I will contact you later, and Reeve, I will speak to you presently. Is that all right? Good." He cut the transmission and turned to face his guest. "Now. What seems to be the problem?"

"There isn’t a problem, really," Reeve said, confused. Why is Edgar dealing with that man? He’s in Avalanche… "I was just concerned because you haven’t been around lately."

"Oh, is that all?" He chuckled faintly and returned to his chair. "I was just using the Cait Sith device you set up for me, and some important information came up that I was devoting my attention to. No need for concern." He grinned convincingly. "Really, Reeve. I won’t be much longer. We were almost finished."

"Almost finished what?"

"A little story-telling hour." Edgar shrugged. "I can’t tell you much more than that. I’m sure you understand. Would you be so kind as to excuse me? I’ll join you as soon as this is completed." He closed his eyes, appearing to go back into his trance.

Reeve sighed, unconvinced and a bit wary. He was afraid that Edgar used the implants too often and for too many long expanses of time. It could prove dangerous to him. But he knew that no amount of warning would change the king’s mind in the matter. Instead of arguing further he decided it would be best to simply leave. He would question Barret Wallace’s involvement later.

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