Chapter 18: Edgar's Redemption ------------------------------ Edgar rode into South Figaro and pulled his hood tightly over his face. He looked from side to side, and then headed towards the inn. Suddenly he stopped and fell to the ground, sobbing. He had killed Celes. He had tried to do the same to Setzer, and he had destroyed two entire cities. "Oh, goddess," he moaned softly, "how can I hope to repent? How can one do penance for the death of thousands? How can one as evil as I turn back to the Light?" He cried into the coarse wool of the robe. "I can never truly return. I have crossed too far into the Shadow. But I can bring the others to Hades with me. Those demons I summoned! They will be the first. I must destroy Takar! I will kill you, Takar! Do you hear me?" screamed Edgar into the empty street. "Sir?" asked a young boy, rushing over to Edgar. "What is the matter, sir?" Edgar looked up, and as he did his hood fell from his face. "EDGAR! It is the Demon!" The boy kicked Edgar in the face, then sprinted down the street screaming for help. Edgar contemplated silencing him, then cried again. "Never again!" Edgar clutched the Orb of Magic and spoke, "Vanish." He disappeared from the street, casting only a faint shadow on the cobblestone road. "Where is he?" shouted an armored man. "Damn you, Edgar! Show your face! You killed my family hiding in your evil citadel, but I will have revenge! For the people of Doma!" Edgar recognized the man as a Doman sentinel, probably from Ambassador Masini. Another blight on Edgar's name. Edgar sprinted down the street, faster than any human, perhaps faster than an Esper. He paused, not to rest, for he hardly needed rest any more, but to survey his surroundings. A building marked Cafe rose to his left. He could never enter there. Another with only a crystal on its sign, boarded up, stood farther to his left. He again turned down the idea of taking refuge there. Suddenly an awful odor filled the air. "Demon!" thought Edgar, unsheathing the Shadow Blade. He watched as an old friend walked down the street. Keyla's father! "Oh god, have I killed his daughter too? Is the demon stalking him?" thought Edgar to himself, ignoring the obvious truth. The old man froze and sniffed the air. "Perhaps he smells it too?" He turned in Edgar's direction, and charged forward, shifting as he ran. A huge wolf took Edgar down, unsheathing him from Vanish, and opening numerous wounds along his chest. "The Demon!" Edgar swung the Shadow Blade across its head, but watched as the weapon did no good. He threw it away, and drew a dagger from his boot. "Beast," he hissed, "you have lived your last day." "Master Takar?" exclaimed the monster, turning into its humanoid form. "Forgive me, I did not sense your..." Edgar plunged the dagger into its chest and leapt back. The blow did little harm. "So it is truly Edgar, King of Figaro. We shall see which of us is the better now, pawn of Darkness." "Yes, we shall," replied Edgar. He crouched and leapt forward, tackling the mighty demon. But he was a mortal, and it was an Otherworlder. It grabbed him easily and hurled him into a wall. "You never were anything without Takar," laughed the Demon. "Now we shall finish this." The Demon changed into a hideous parody of a man: eight arms, scales across its body, hollow eyes. It was larger than the Figaran King; it hissed with glee. "Drop the dagger, mortal." Edgar dropped it. "Me versus you, Demon. We shall see who is the better indeed." Edgar began to circle the monster. He wasn't sure which of them was stronger, but he was faster, and he hoped smarter. The Demon lunged at him, its arm oozing and becoming a chain which struck at Edgar's head. Edgar ducked and kicked it in the chest. His foot sunk in, as he watched in horror. Its chest slowly began a massive mouth, and it bit into his calf. "You cannot win, Mortal." The Demon hurled him by the foot, rending hunks of flesh as it released. Edgar landed and cast Cure2. His wounds closed. "We shall see." Edgar lifted the Orb aloft and spoke, "Ultima!" A huge corona of expanding blue light enveloped the Demon. It laughed maniacally as the attack faded, leaving the demon healed. "Merton!" shouted Edgar, cascading waves of fire upon the monster. Nothing happened. "I told you. Now I shall strike you dead." The creature slowly began to change into a mass of churning fangs and claws. "Ice3!" screamed Edgar, watching sheet upon sheet of ice surround the monster. It stopped. It froze. And it began to die. Edgar returned the Orb to his cloak and looked at the frozen monster. "Just like Tritoch." He turned and began to walk away. He heard moaning from within the block of ice. "I... am... not... I cannot... die... I will... not... I... shall... not... DIE!" The Demon burst forth and landed inches away from Edgar. He pulled out the Orb but the Demon tossed it into the street. "I warned you, Edgar. I am too strong for you!" Edgar closed his eyes and thought of all of the deaths he had caused. All of the misery. As he struck forward, he struck out against what he had been, what Livouf Takar had made him. The Demon's eyes grew wide as it felt the force of the impact. It moaned as a hole was ripped through its chest. Edgar dove and grabbed the orb. "Goodbye, Demon. Ice3. Ice3. Ice3." Edgar exhausted the last of his magic, but watched satisfied as a veritable glacier engulfed the shape-shifter. "Heh. It though it was good, but I showed it. You are next, Livouf. You made me, and I will unmake you." Edgar walked away as the ice receded, leaving a frozen puddle of lifeless ooze in its wake.