Chapter 3: Shadowscapes ----------------------- Cordain rolled over in his sleeping bag and looked around. Everyone was sleeping and all was quiet. He got up and stepped over the sleeping Dreyfus and Jimmy, then over several guards. He waved at the guard who was sitting half asleep by the exit of the large tent. The guard waved back, allowing Cordain to pass. Cordain emerged from the large tent to see Cam Bruggelman loading an autocrossbow. Without looking up, Cam asked, "Why are you up so late?" "Thought I'd sleep out under the stars tonight," Cordain replied. "So what are you doing up?" "I thought I'd do some... hunting." "And what were you expecting to hunt?" "Things like that!" Cordain instinctively jumped to the left and pulled out his rapier as the young man pointed the weapon at him, but then, looking in surprise, he saw that the boy had shot a small field mouse that had been scurrying behind Cordain. "Of course, they won't be that small... I probably find a nice, plump nohrabbit in the forest up north.." "As long as its just small animals you're hunting.." Cordain replied, looking suspiciously at the formerly annoying kid turned experienced and dangerous assassin and mercenary. "I'll try and watch out.." with that, the young Cam Bruggelman pulled himself up, hopped onto a chocobo and rode off. "I'll meet you at the caves!" he yelled back, as if an afterthought. "Odd kid.." Cordain mused. * * * 'Odd lady..' the man silently mused. He was hiding in alleyway, watching this strange woman move about. He wore dark gear and dark cloak, which made him look like one of those two imperial loonies up north- the female general, particularly. He also, however, donned dark leather boots, a dark hood, and a black scimitar. The only thing not black that the man had on was a bright blue jewel ring. The man studied the woman and noticed that she was desperately trying to conceal something strapped to her waist. Before he could depict what it was, though, her eyes began to dart about, and he receded back down the alleyway. 'Ladies around here don't usually come out at night..' he thought. Whoever she was- and whatever she was trying so desperately to conceal- it looked like trouble.. * * * Cordain looked into the small pool of water that had collected from the ocean. The moon reflected off of its cool, still water. A single drop of rain fell from the black night sky, causing the water to ripple outward from where it impacted. He shivered involuntarily, then stifled a yawn. "I'll just lay back awhile.." Cordain laid his blue jacket out on the ground and used his pack as a pillow, carefully taking the Tempest from it. Cordain quickly fell asleep, the Tempest at his side. * * * "Sir Cyan! It looks rather busy down at the imperial base-- could be trouble!" the young man said pointing across the glistening Doma river. "What?" the older retainer of Doma inquired. "See? That looks like Prince Sabin of Figaro.. and that's the assassin Shadow. But.. who's that guy- in the mid-winter holiday robes? He's dumping something in the river.. it doesn't look safe.. Sabin and Shadow only have one Templar left.. one of 'em could go stop that guy.." "Look!" Cyan exclaimed, "Look at the water, sentry --Cordain-- it looks odd.. poison!" "Cyan! All the other sentries.. they're dying.." "Our Liege!" they both exclaimed simultaneously. They both ran down the stairs, into the castle. The king, the royal guards, even Cyan's own family- they were all dead... he watched as Cyan charged into the imperial camp and slaughtered dozens of soldiers, and as Sabin and Shadow finally helped him after standing around unintelligibly, instead of stopping the man with poison wearing tacky clothes. "How could they? They could of stopped him.. they could of stopped him..." * * * Cordain woke up with a start. It was the same painful dream he had every night. "Why didn't they stop him? Why didn't they stop Kefka?" "Didn't they?" Cordain whirled around in surprise. It was Dreyfus. The odd colonel who Cordain knew the best, yet knew the least about, stood quietly, as secretively as when the first met, leaning against a tree. Cordain looked about and saw that the sun was beginning to rise on the horizon, but the moon was still high in the sky. "What time is it?" "It's about four in the morning, Cordain. Now, come on. You'll need some rest, and you certainly won't get much out here.." * * * A man sprinted stealthily down the streets of Jidoor- through the alleyways and down side streets, into vacant lots and behind dark, sleeping houses. He peered down into one of the main streets and saw a man with a strong air of leadership rush out of a building and proceed to shake a guard awake. "They're coming!" he heard the leader yell. The man thought for a moment, 'Who's coming? Of course! Sascha and Akfek, those two imperial loonies from up north... I'd better get word to my client.. he'll probably be interested..' * * * The Figaran force waited at the entrance to the cave as Dreyfus entered with the dynamite. Cordain looked up at the morning sky. A black pigeon approached from the west.. 'odd..' It carried a note... 'hmmm... must be from my source..' The bird swooped down onto Cordain, picked the note off of it, unraveled it, and said aloud, "Goddesses damn! He really has gone too far this time- even the note's black!" 'Cordain Daunkipre- It has come to my attention that a certain "NEW EMPIRE" has launched an attack on a certain "RETURNER" base. Odds against the "RETURNERS" are high. -End Message' "Hmmm.. I don't see why I would care, but Dreyfus might be interested..." Cordain went up to the guard and asked if he could talk to Dreyfus. The guard glared at him and said, "I've told you already-- NO ONE CAN TALK TO THE COLONEL UNTIL HE IS OUT OF THE CAVES SAFELY AND I SAY 'PUSH'!" "Did you say push?" Jimmy asked. "What? No!" the guard exclaimed. But it was too late. An explosion racked the cave and caused the ground to shake violently. Cordain and the guard both looked into the cave in horror. Gasps were heard from the soldiers lined up around them. "Colonel Dreyfus?!" the guard yelled. "Colonel Dreyfus?!"