Edge passed through the metal barrier as though it was not there at all. 
      Looking about frantically, Edge was less than pleased with what he saw 
outside the hospital.  Large piles of rubble lined the dusty, vacant streets.  
Almost all of the buildings of Thamasa had somehow been levelled.  Bodies lay 
scattered throughout the city.  The stench of death and the cries of the 
scavengers filled Edge's metallic body.
     "W... What happened here?!"  Edge asked aloud.
     The steel door slid open.  A group of soldiers marched out, surrounding 
a man wearing violet robes.  The soldiers were poorly armed, clutching 
crudely-made spears and wearing broken pieces of chain armour.
      "Sir... do you remember me?"  the robed man asked.
      Edge looked at him, and squinted.  Through his red-tinted eye, the man 
appeared to be covered with a grid of green squares.  The form seemed to 
flash, then words appeared above it:  ID confirm... Dr. Tingley.
      "What the hell...?"  Edge thought to himself.  Normally, green grids 
and words did not flash into his vision.  "Are you... Doctor Tingley?"  Edge 
asked, confused.
      The man nodded.  "That is correct.  Sir, I tried to explain the 
situation of Thamasa to you, but you were crazed and uncontrollable.  I 
believe you to be a good man.  Please, let me take you to the people that 
found you and we can discuss the current events."
      "Thank you, Doctor, I'd like that..."  Edge said wearily.
      The troop led Edge and the Doctor down the street.  Several minutes 
later they reached a building that somehow was still standing.  There was no 
door, only a small hole in the floor.  The Doctor gestured to the building, 
and spoke, "The family that found you, among others, has taken refuge inside 
this building, afraid that the Empire might return and capture them.  Please, 
go inside."
      "This had better not be a trap, Doctor,"  Edge warned, "or you'll be 
walking funny for the next few weeks."
      "This is no trap, sir..."  Dr.  Tingley walked in and leapt through the 
small hole.  From below, he called, "Come on, then.  They are waiting."
      Shrugging, Edge entered the building and tumbled through the hole.  Edge 
fell several feet and landed on the earth below.  Rising to his full height, 
Edge scanned the room.
      An eerie darkness greeted Edge.  Wary of a possible trap, he was about 
to comment on this darkness when his red-tinted eye flared to life.  The room 
appeared to look crimson through his Magitek eye, but he could clearly make 
out distinct objects.  His natural eye took longer to adjust to the 
semi-darkness.
      The room was musty and damp, its walls and floor being nothing more than 
dirt and rock.  A dozen people sat scattered about the room, speaking quietly 
to one another or keeping to themselves, knees tucked to their chests, leaning 
against the wall.  Upon Edge's arrival, one of the twelve people stood and 
approached him.
      "Hello again, sir."  The man named Roger greeted Edge.  "I hope you're 
feeling well..."
      Edge sighed.  "Oh, about as well as one can feel, wrapped up like a can 
of sardines..." 
     "Roger, we have to fill in this man about what's happened here at 
Thamasa,"  Dr. Tingley said.   Several soldiers came through the hole, 
watching Edge as they fell.
      Roger nodded.  "Okay, sure... c'mon over, sir." 
      "My name is Edge,"  Edge supplied.
      "Ah... you remember who you are?"  Dr. Tingley asked.
      "Of course, why wouldn't I?"
      Dr. Tingley rubbed his hand under his chin, pondering.  He nodded to
himself, then said, "Hrm... the scientist said that you may have suffered 
memory loss due to the operation... but it is of no matter now.  You seem 
fine."
      "Gee, thanks."
      Roger brought the doctor and Edge over to a blanket upon which Roger's 
wife and child sat, cooking something in a small tin pot.  The boy, Timon, 
jumped to his feet and smiled at Edge.  "Hey there!"  he said cheerily.
      "Hiya, kid."  Edge smiled.
      The woman chose to ignore Edge, and concentrated on her cooking.
      "Kin I get you anything to eat, there, Edge?  We haven't much, but we're 
always willing to share..."
      Edge shook his head.  "You need it more than I do, friend."
      "Edge, you will have to eat," Dr. Tingley said, "You are still partially 
human."
      "It doesn't matter... just get on with the story."  Edge said 
impatiently.
      "Okay, then... here it is in a nutshell."  Roger began.  "'Bout three 
weeks ago, Thamasa was stormed by two soldiers of the Empire, Sascha and 
Afkek.  Don't know why they did it, but they did.  Their men plundered the 
city and razed the city with their airships.  Some people tried to stop them 
with their own airship, but they failed.  I haven't seen them in a while, but 
I think they knew you... in fact, my boy pulled one of 'em over to help carry 
you to the hospital."
      "Really?!"  Edge asked excitedly.  "Did they say who they were?"
      Roger scratched his beard.  "Nope, but I know what they looked like.  
Two women, one with green hair and another with long, blonde hair.  Both of 
'em were beautiful..."  Looking over to his wife, he quickly added, "... but 
not as beautiful as my wife, of course."   His wife threw a ladel at him, 
jokingly adding, "Hah!  Took me ten minutes to find your eyes after you saw 
them... don't be tellin' me about who's prettiest!"  Grinning, Roger handed 
the ladel back to his wife and kissed her on the cheek.  "I love you, too, 
dearest."
     Dr. Tingley continued the story.  "One of the women was a highly 
experienced White Wizard.  She tried to help you herself, but her power was 
somehow ineffective on you.  Desperate, they brought you to our hospital.  It 
was there that we treated you as best we could, but it seemed useless."
     Edge was only partially listening to the story.  "Rosa and Rydia, here, 
in Thamasa!" he thought to himself.  "I remember now... We were flying to 
attack one of the airships, but I fell... then I was in the Inn room, and then 
Cardia..."
      "Later, a man came in dressed all in red, and said he had a solution to 
our medical dilemma.  But, he added, it was extremely risky and there was 
almost no chance of it working.  With no other options, we agreed to let him 
work on you.  This next bit might be a bit hard to swallow, Edge... you sure 
you want to hear it?"
      Edge snapped out of his reverie.  "Wha...?  Yes, yes, go on, please."
      Dr. Tingley nodded.  "Well, this man was experimenting with the 
technology known as Magitek.  Using machinery combined with his medical 
knowledge, he constructed an artifical body that was directly linked to the 
brain and nervous system of the patient.   As well... he seemed to know that
you could use magic, so he directly infused your body with Magitek.  I believe
that this Magitek is what allows you to use your magic."
      Edge pondered this.  "But if magic was destroyed by the Espers, then 
what does the theory of Magitek work on?"
      Dr. Tingley shrugged.  "We don't know... the man told us that he had 
knowledge beyond our time, and we had no reason to argue with him.  We're only 
doctors... not engineers.  The only place I know of that has knowledge of 
Magitek is... The Empire."
     Edge sat silent, absorbing everything he was being told.
     Timon walked over to Edge and plopped down beside him, cross-legged.   
"Edge, were you serious when you told me that I was to become a hero?  I mean, 
I'm only a kid... I still have to get past Grade Nine!"
     Edge smiled at Timon.  "Well, let me put it to you this way.  I had a 
vision where I was whisked away to a whole new world.  I met a boy who pulled 
a sword from a stone and released monsters into his world.   He was then 
banished from his village and told to visit a woman in a shrine.  There, he 
learned that he had to restore the sword's power through a force known as 
Mana.  His name was Timon.  I don't know if I was dreaming or if I was on some 
sort of spirit journey, but that's what I saw."
     Timon beamed.  "Cool... I don't think I've ever had any dreams with you 
in it, Edge... but if I do, I'll come looking for you."
     "Heh, okay, hero, sure."  Edge ruffled Timon's hair.
     Footsteps could be heard from above, then a voice.
     "Hello?  It's us, Rydia and Rosa!  Can we come in?"
     "Of course,"  Dr. Tingley called,  "And we have a friend for you as 
well."
     "Really?!"  Rydia said, ecstatic.  "You mean Edge is up and around?"
     "Umm... yes, you could put it that way..."
     Rosa was the first to leap into the hole, landing gingerly on her feet.
     Suddenly, Edge's right eye covered Rosa's body in a green grid of 
squares.  Words flashed across the vision:  ID Confirm... Celes Chere.  
     Edge leapt to his feet, and took a fighting stance.  
     Rosa stared at Edge, confused.
     One word crossed the ninja's eye... Threat.
     Edge ran at Rosa and leapt, foot extended for a vicious flying kick.