“Beavis! Butt-head!” the man finally yelled. “Get over here, on the double!!”

The two soldiers heard the shouts and came running. They came to a stop in front of the general and saluted. “Yes, Sir Kefka!” they said in unison.

“It’s time to leave! Where have you two been?” Kefka demanded. The two looked sheepishly at each other, and Kefka frowned again. “Don’t tell me. You were busy setting fire to things again, weren’t you?” He received no answer, which was answer enough. “All right, you’ve wasted a lot of my valuable time, and I will deal with you later. Now, though, we have to get going. Move, before I smash your heads!” He marched out the door.

Beavis and Butt-head put impressively solemn looks on their faces and followed Kefka.


Back at Figaro, Terra calmed down enough to face the king again. She entered the throne room and found he had returned. “Well,” Edgar said, “how do you like my castle?”

Just then a guard rushed in, and Terra turned around quickly, alarmed. “King Edgar!” he shouted urgently. “Someone from the Empire to see you!”

Edgar made a face. He so hated these Imperial visits! That was one reason he had built his castle in the desert, so as to avoid frequent checks into his activities. That tactic had once worked before, but now even the desert wasn’t proving to be much of a deterrent now. He guessed that with Terra’s escape, he would be carefully watched over, due to his proximity to Narshe.

“Probably Kefka!” Edgar said in disgust. “He’s the most insane man. How he got to be general, I don’t know.”

Terra was worried. “Why is he here?” she asked.

The king looked at her steadily. Finally, he said, “I’m sure this isn’t just a routine check on my activities. The Empire is making sure to investigate all areas near Narshe in order to find you.” He stood up. “The man who brought you here, Locke, is known to be a thief, and he has taken some valuable items from the Empire before. I don’t know whether he’s had any successes with the Empire lately, but they might use that as a pretext for searching Figaro. And while they’re searching, they’re going to find you.”

She was terrified. “But...in that case...”

Edgar turned to her. “Don’t worry. I’m not planning on letting him enter, much less giving him the chance to find you. Just stay here in the throne room with the Chancellor, and leave things to me and Locke.” Terra bowed her head in compliance, and Edgar hurried out of the room.


Kefka and his soldiers were halfway to Figaro when he paused and sat down on the sand. The soldiers stopped as well, waiting respectfully for the general to finish resting. He wished they could have ridden chocobos, but the Emperor had insisted they maintain a low profile. “Phooey!” Kefka said with a pout. “Emperor Gestahl’s stupid orders!” He was tired from all the walking he’d been forced to do. Kefka jumped back up in annoyance. “Edgar, you pinhead!” he yelled. “Why do you have to live in the middle of nowhere? These recon jobs are the pits!”

It made him feel better to vent his anger. He was about to continue the journey, then he glanced down and frowned. “Ahem... there’s SAND on my boots!”

The two soldiers, startled by Kefka’s sudden displeasure, jumped into action. Beavis carefully cleaned off Kefka’s right boot, while Butt-head meticulously polished the left boot. When they were done, they stood at attention beside him and saluted. “Yes, sir! All done, sir!” they said.

Kefka was gleeful to have such control over the soldiers. He cackled and said, “Idiots!” He began walking to Figaro again, and the soldiers followed.

Some time later, the three reached the castle. After some hours of walking through the desert, Kefka was actually glad to see civilization again. Remembering his orders, he laughed evilly and tramped up the fronts steps.

The guard stopped them in surprise. “Sir Kefka! What on earth do...”

Already irritated with his long walk through the desert, Kefka was no less annoyed with this man who now blocked the entrance. “Outta my way!” he interrupted, shoving the guard aside with such force that the man was barely able to keep himself from hitting the wall. Kefka burst through the doors and finally came out into the main hall of the castle, where Edgar was walking down to meet them.

The king wasn’t at all pleased to face Kefka, as well. Hoping to delay the interview, and wanting more information, he spoke to the soldiers, who stood at attention at either side. “I thought we were allies! What are you doing in my domain?” Edgar asked the first soldier, but he remained coldy silent.

The second soldier was even less help. “You’ve been busy down south! Looking for more cities to destroy?” Edgar taunted, hoping to trigger a response. But all the trooper said was, “That’s for us to know!”

Edgar finally realized he was going to have to speak to the general. “What brings Kefka, humble servant of Emperor Gestahl, into our lowly presence?” he asked with all the politeness he could muster.

Kefka narrowed his eyes at Edgar’s apparent impertinence, but he got straight to the real purpose of his visit. “A girl of no importance recently escaped from us. We heard she found refuge here.”

A small smile showed on the king’s face as he regarded Kefka with a raised brow. “Hmm...This wouldn’t have anything to do with this ‘witch’ everyone’s been whispering about, would it?” he asked innocently.

“Lies!” the general screeched, flustered. Then in a calmer tone he said, “She...merely stole some items of minor value. We are here to escort her back to the capital city of Vector so she may be given a proper trial in an Imperial court.”

Edgar nodded. “I see...”

Kefka, thinking the gesture was one of acquiesence, asked curtly, “Is she here?” It was a loaded question.

The king made no reply for some moments. He cocked his head to one side, tapped his chin with his finger, and walked slowly around as if he were in deep thought. “That’s a tough one!” he finally said. He took a few steps forward, smiling in a friendly manner. “You see, there’re more girls here than grains of sand out there. I can’t possibly keep track of ‘em all!” The smug smile remained on his face.

Kefka narrowed his eyes menacingly at the flippant response. “I wouldn’t want to be you if we found you were lying!” he warned Edgar.

The other man narrowed his eyes as well. “And what do you mean by that?” he demanded.

Kefka started to leave. His only response was, “I truly hope nothing happens to your precious Figaro...!” With that ominous rejoinder, he and his soldiers left.

Edgar, although outwardly composed, was shaken by the encounter. He knew Kefka to be ruthless, and if the man were to make good on his threat, anything could happen. He clenched his fists and walked back to the throne room.

Locke stood just outside the anteroom doors. He had overheard the conversation and couldn’t believe Kefka’s fanaticism. “I’d say that guy’s missing a few buttons,” he muttered to Edgar.

But it was that very insanity that worried the king. “Where’s Terra?” he asked. Locke opened the doors, and she came out.

Terra was afraid as well. During the confrontation between Edgar and Kefka, she had gone up to the main tower and peeked out at the men through the parapet, although she was too far away to hear what they were saying. Kefka had seemed to emit an evil force, and she had felt a flood of revulsion rise within her and run throughout her entire body, yet she could not quite understand why that had happened. Something in her subconscious was trying to tell her about that man, but it had not quite been able to do so...Terra had shaken herself to try and get rid of the feeling that was leaving her skin tingling with emotion, then had returned to the throne room, more bothered than ever.

Edgar sensed that Kefka’s presence had stirred some kind of loathing within Terra. He gave Locke a significant glance, and the two men walked some distance away. “We must have time to plan,” he told Locke softly. “For now, take her to her room.” He nodded assent, and Edgar returned to Terra. “I’d love to chat with you, but the Chancellor and I must plan our strategy,” he said. “Sometimes I hate being a king! If you’ll excuse me.” He gave a small parting bow, and she watched as he disappeared into the anteroom.

Locke came up to her and said, “Follow me.” Still a bit dazed, she did so, following as he went through the library and down a staircase she hadn’t noticed before. Once again she went through the desert and finally entered a private tower, which had a cozy room. Locke stood at the foot of the stairs, waiting for her to catch up.

Seeing Terra’s confusion, Locke tried to comfort her. “Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing!” he said, hoping to take her mind off the recent events. “I’ll...”

But Terra was unable to contain herself, and she cut in with a question. “You’re Locke, right?” she asked. “Edgar told me about you. Is it true you’re a thief?” But instinctively she knew the answer. Now she understood what he had been doing when he stealthily came up behind monsters and did not attack.

“That’s TREASURE HUNTER!” he admonished.

But she wasn’t satisfied. All the time she felt as if he were reacting personally to her situation, but she decided not to bring up the subject now. She asked the question that was next on her mind. “If Edgar is an ally of the Empire, why didn’t he tell Kefka I was here?”

Locke contemplated his answer, then decided she should know some of the truth. After all, she was an integral part of it. He slowly walked away as he replied, “On the surface, Edgar pretends to support the Empire. The truth is, he’s collaborating with the Returners, an organization opposed to the Empire. I am his contact with that group.” He inclined his head toward her. “The old man you met in Narshe is one of us.”

The woman listened carefully, absorbing it all. Then she was shocked as she came to a realization. “Empire?” she said. “But... I’m a soldier of the Empire!” Her bewilderment grew. If they were against what she was working for, then why had they risked their lives to save her? And why should she trust them? There must be something they weren’t telling her. Her mind reeling, she bowed her head.

“That’s not true! They were using you!” Locke exclaimed. Then in a calmer tone, he said, “Things are different now.” Seeing her so lost and miserable, he hated to keep much of the truth from her. He wished he could to tell her more, but Locke feared her lack of understanding and loss of memory would only serve to confuse her more.

Terra shook her head. “I don’t understand...What should I do?” she asked piteously.

Locke came up to her, and she turned to him sadly. “I can’t tell you what to do,” he said gently. He paused. “You don’t have to decide right now. You’ll soon find your way...” He then left the room after giving her a comforting pat on her shoulder.

She stood there and watched him leave. “But how will I know which way is right?” she whispered, bowing her head again.

Finally, tired, confused, and frightened, she tumbled into bed. It was some time before she fell into a dreamless sleep, still tossing and turning restlessly.