[Final Fantasy VI] Ray of Light
Characters/Pairings: Terra, OMC
Rating: G
Warnings: Minor spoilers (first three hours of game)
Notes: 687 words. Beta-reading by first_seventhe.
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VI belongs to Squaresoft. I own neither the characters nor the setting, nor do I make any profit from my fanfiction, which is purely for my own enjoyment.
Summary: Terra is like a ray of light.
Living underground so long, you almost forget what the sun feels like. You really only see it when you go out for your turn at guard duty. You get tired of seeing cave walls and torches instead of grass and sunlight, even if it's safer that way.
She was like a ray of light when they brought her to Banon. Her skin glowed with some inner light, and the air around her seemed warmer. She looked so sad when Banon spoke to her of joining us, and she stumbled around the hideout like a lost child.
She stopped in front of me while I repaired a fastening on my armour, and watched me work for a moment. "Excuse me," she said, so softly I almost didn't hear.
"Yes?" I looked up at her, the heap of leather still on my lap.
"I'm Terra."
"I'm Gareth. Pleased to meet you." I shook her hand. The coal dust stains on my skin looked even darker against her pale hand.
"Um." She hesitated. "Why did you join? The Returners, I mean."
I shrugged. "Because the Empire's looking to take over everyone, and I don't care to be ground under Gestahl's boot. I'm from Narshe, and we've held to our independence for centuries. We won't stand long once everyone else falls. If it means joining the Returners to keep my city safe, I will."
She considered this with a solemn expression. "But how do you know that it's right?"
I usually left those kinds of questions to Banon, but she'd already spoken to him. "I don't figure it's right for one man to rule the entire world. I don't figure it's right for him to mess with powers best left alone. If it's not right for him to do that, then wouldn't it be right to fight against it?"
She frowned a little, and I wished she would smile again. "Thank you, Gareth," she said after a moment. She turned away and started to walk toward the exit.
"Terra." She paused and looked back at me. I struggled for the right words to make her understand why we needed her. "You gotta decide for yourself if it's right. If we make you join us, we're no better than them...but we'd be glad to have you."
She nodded and went outside. A few minutes later, she walked in with Banon. He looked disappointed, and she looked frankly miserable. I stood up and put on my armour; we were likely to have new orders soon.
Mitrad staggered into the hideout, clutching at a gaping wound in his side. I didn't hear the words he gasped out, but I didn't need to. The Empire had found us. For a moment a sick terror gripped me and I wanted nothing more than to flee back to Narshe and spend the rest of my life doing honest work in the mines. But that wasn't why I'd come here, and I couldn't run forever. I settled my sword belt at my waist and moved over to the group clustered around Banon and the King of Figaro.
It took them less than a minute to decide that the thief would make his way to South Figaro to foul up the Empire, while King Edgar, Banon, and Terra escaped to Narshe on the Lethe River. The rest of us would hold off the Empire as long as we could. It wouldn't take long, but it might be enough.
I walked up to her as she checked the sword she wore at her side, a plain and serviceable weapon. I pulled off the glove I wore, a Relic that allowed me to wield two swords. It'd been handed down in my family for generations, but I had no illusions about my chances of getting out of here alive. I held it out to her. "I hope this keeps you safe."
She took it, looking dazed, and the king grabbed her arm and hustled her down the hidden passageway to the river. I drew my sword and prepared to face the Empire.
The cave was far darker without her in it.
Rating: G
Warnings: Minor spoilers (first three hours of game)
Notes: 687 words. Beta-reading by first_seventhe.
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VI belongs to Squaresoft. I own neither the characters nor the setting, nor do I make any profit from my fanfiction, which is purely for my own enjoyment.
Summary: Terra is like a ray of light.
Living underground so long, you almost forget what the sun feels like. You really only see it when you go out for your turn at guard duty. You get tired of seeing cave walls and torches instead of grass and sunlight, even if it's safer that way.
She was like a ray of light when they brought her to Banon. Her skin glowed with some inner light, and the air around her seemed warmer. She looked so sad when Banon spoke to her of joining us, and she stumbled around the hideout like a lost child.
She stopped in front of me while I repaired a fastening on my armour, and watched me work for a moment. "Excuse me," she said, so softly I almost didn't hear.
"Yes?" I looked up at her, the heap of leather still on my lap.
"I'm Terra."
"I'm Gareth. Pleased to meet you." I shook her hand. The coal dust stains on my skin looked even darker against her pale hand.
"Um." She hesitated. "Why did you join? The Returners, I mean."
I shrugged. "Because the Empire's looking to take over everyone, and I don't care to be ground under Gestahl's boot. I'm from Narshe, and we've held to our independence for centuries. We won't stand long once everyone else falls. If it means joining the Returners to keep my city safe, I will."
She considered this with a solemn expression. "But how do you know that it's right?"
I usually left those kinds of questions to Banon, but she'd already spoken to him. "I don't figure it's right for one man to rule the entire world. I don't figure it's right for him to mess with powers best left alone. If it's not right for him to do that, then wouldn't it be right to fight against it?"
She frowned a little, and I wished she would smile again. "Thank you, Gareth," she said after a moment. She turned away and started to walk toward the exit.
"Terra." She paused and looked back at me. I struggled for the right words to make her understand why we needed her. "You gotta decide for yourself if it's right. If we make you join us, we're no better than them...but we'd be glad to have you."
She nodded and went outside. A few minutes later, she walked in with Banon. He looked disappointed, and she looked frankly miserable. I stood up and put on my armour; we were likely to have new orders soon.
Mitrad staggered into the hideout, clutching at a gaping wound in his side. I didn't hear the words he gasped out, but I didn't need to. The Empire had found us. For a moment a sick terror gripped me and I wanted nothing more than to flee back to Narshe and spend the rest of my life doing honest work in the mines. But that wasn't why I'd come here, and I couldn't run forever. I settled my sword belt at my waist and moved over to the group clustered around Banon and the King of Figaro.
It took them less than a minute to decide that the thief would make his way to South Figaro to foul up the Empire, while King Edgar, Banon, and Terra escaped to Narshe on the Lethe River. The rest of us would hold off the Empire as long as we could. It wouldn't take long, but it might be enough.
I walked up to her as she checked the sword she wore at her side, a plain and serviceable weapon. I pulled off the glove I wore, a Relic that allowed me to wield two swords. It'd been handed down in my family for generations, but I had no illusions about my chances of getting out of here alive. I held it out to her. "I hope this keeps you safe."
She took it, looking dazed, and the king grabbed her arm and hustled her down the hidden passageway to the river. I drew my sword and prepared to face the Empire.
The cave was far darker without her in it.