Fade To Black Chapter 13
By Xyris
Once the passengers of the Falcon ascertained that the radical effusions of evil had subsided from the sky, they touched down just outside Doma. Still grieving over their lost comrades, the Returners were met with more hospitality than originally expected from the Doman commonwealth. Enterint the throne room, the head Returners (that is, Locke, Setzer, Terra, Clyde, Gogo, and Banon) saw that Cyan was beside himself with worry as Talia continued to feed him the endless reports of dismay around the world.
"Banon!" Cyan's ensign cried merrily, running down to embrace the Returner leader. "Where's Trevon?"
All the Returners bowed their heads down, revering the price Banon's lieutenant had paid for their freedom.
"My sincerest condolences, Talia," Banon commiserated, placing Trevon's engagement ring into her hand. "Lieutenant Trevon sleeps in the heavens now."
Looking down at the ring in her hand, sadness descended onto her comely face as an eclipse would cast darkness on the sun.
"We were going to get marrie din Nikeah," she needlessly explained with tears in her eyes. "We planned to get wed down by the harbor on a moonlit night and then set sail for South Figaro - our new home. Why did they take them from me?"
Banon held the mourning woman in his arms while Terra watched on, drawing herself closer to Locke. She didn't want to lose him like Talia had lost her fiance.
"Boy are you guys a sight for sore eyes," Cyan said at last when Banon escorted Talia back to her quarters. "How long has it been?"
"Too long," Setzer retorted, offering a handshake that fostered into a reminiscent embrace.
The same course of actions followed with the rest of the Returners, save for Gogo. He was unusually stoic in the background of the room.
"Cyan?" inquired Locke, somehow sensing that Cyan knew about Celes.
Straightaway, the king of Doma stepped from the pedestal of his throne and shrouded his arms around the time-worn treasure hunter. "It's alright, Locke. She's in a better place, now."
All of Cyan's comrades seemed to accept his gracious choice of words. But only the Retainer of Doma that night could contemplate the true fate of Celes Chere. It was a fate that was sure to be at the end of their tunnel as well.
666
When the knights of Doma took them all to their accomodations that evening, Terra refused hers. Instead, she requested to be with Locke. Grudgingly, the Doman attendant obeyed her wish, for secretly, Cyan had brought it to the attention of his men to do whatever she said for her own safety. Blissfully, she went to Locke's side on his bed and was soon asleep. Such an endearing creature, he thought, as he too readied himself for sleep. Their slumber, however, would eventually be disturbed when Gogo walked past the doorway, did a double take, and frowned incredulously at them.
"A rather inappropriate time for such nonsense, wouldn't you think?" he said to him, as Locke rolled over on his side to face him.
"It's nothing. We're just friends," he protested for his sake as well as hers.
But Gogo's eyes beneath his mask narrowed in suspiciously.
"I just came to tell you that Cyan is placing Terra under maximum security until the arrival of the new millenium. The knights of Doma are at her disposal until then, he reiterated.
"Fair enough," Locke yawned, prior to sleep.
"And Locke?"
"Yeah?"
"Sleep tight," Gogo exclaimed, the tone of his voice unusually dark.
666
If it weren't for Gogo's dark exclamation, Locke might have gotten to sleep. None came that night at all that night. As for Terra, aside from her feelings for Locke, she too was perturbed subconsciously with the sudden peculiarity of Gogo's voice. It had something that it never had before. Was it. . .familiarity?
That it was, but only her esper side would come to recognize it.
.