Destruction Preventer: Lunar Salvation

Destruction Preventer: Lunar Salvation
Chapter 8 - Betrayal


Outside, the three men waited by the front gate. They were on their toes, their attention drawn by any little noise or movement.

Cecil feared Edward would collapse from the tension. The prince's green eyes wandered left and right; he lacked confidence in his own abilities. Cecil thought about sending him back with the women, but but they needed every fighter they could. Baron's army was not one to take lightly.

Suddenly, a Fabul guard posted near the gate, turned towards the trio. Without any warning, he charged at Yang. The man retaliated fast and kicked the guard down. "They're coming!"

"Or rather, were already here..." Cecil added. He unsheathed his sword and slashed towards another guard. The monk split in two, splattering blood over the grass. To his right, two more monks were bracing themselves for another hit. However, they were also the first ones to charge. A rough flurry of kicks to Cecil chest knocked him down. The knight got up and brought his blade down his foe's leg. It left a large gash in the limb, and the man dropped to the ground in agony.

Yang spotted more soldiers coming towards them. He nudged Cecil. "Let's go back inside," he urged. He then ordered his warriors to block the door and stand ground as long as possible.

Then came the bombs. The three of them rushed inside, hoping the walls would stand.

The closed door didn't provide the much-needed protection. A mangled, bloody body flung itself through the door. Immediately, it got back to its feet and advanced towards the trio. Edward screeched and nearly fainted at the sight, while Cecil readied himself for more enemies, his sword raised in the air.

They came through the hole in the door, then simply busted what remained of it. Overran, they had no choice but fight a few as they headed for the second story. But by the time they reached it, even more waves had rushed in as well.

Yang motioned them to follow him, and they climbed to the third story. They were ambushed by two floateyes who were just done feasting on the two guards. The pair had been guarding the throne room. Slowly, the bombing stopped, and there were no more enemies to be seen nearby.

"Safe at last," the knight sighed. He was about to take his helmet off when the guard behind them locked the door and faced them. Cecil groaned and swung his blade hard in the man's direction.

Behind the door, a new wave was trying to break through. "We've no choice," Yang reluctantly stated.

On the verge of despair, the three men pushed the door open. The King had already retreated in the area. He stared at the Crystal with tired eyes. "We cannot let them get their hands on this."

"And we'll make sure of it," Yang reassured.

Behind them, the wooden door flung opened. A lone man stood in the frame, dark blue helm covering most of his face. Using his spear as a walking stick, he stepped inside and calmly scanned the room, barely bothered by the ruckus outside.

"KAIN!" Cecil ran to the man. It took all his power not to hug him and nuzzle his neck. Instead, he stopped in front of his friend, eyes wide. Kain was alive, well, and most important, he was here. "You came to fight!"

"Indeed." Behind his helm, Kain raised his eyebrows. "The one I came to fight is you, Cecil."

A quiet scoff of disbelief passed the dark knight's lips. "What are you talking about...?"

The blond smirked. He had been waiting for this moment for far too long. The thought of Cecil pleading for mercy, submitting...

If Cecil wasn't his, he'd be no one's.

His heart raced at the man's sight. His knuckles quickly became white from clutching his spear. Today, he would have Cecil Harvey begging to his knees, or he would kill him.

"Draw your blade!"

Cecil obeyed reluctantly. His hand grasped the dark sword's hilt, and he unsheathed the weapon. The metallic sound sent shivers down his spine. Honestly, he didn't want to fight Kain. Dueling with a friend was fine; fighting for his life was another.

But he had to do it. He had a duty to fulfill.

Cecil could only watch as Kain jumped high in the air. He braced himself for the upcoming blow, raising his shield above his head. After having known Kain for so long, he knew how deadly the man could be. Their friendly knighthood rivalry had landed both of them at the infirmary more than once - and it was only for play.

It didn't mean he wouldn't go down without a fight.

A blur landed in front of him and struck him with a spear. Cecil flew off the ground and landed on his back. The air was knocked off his lungs. He arched his back under the pain.

"Kain, what's the meaning of this?!" he croaked, trying to control his emotions.

But Kain was already back in the air.

The dragoon came crashing down on him again. His shield offered little protection, and the recoil hit more than he thought it would. "Kain, listen to me..." Cecil pleaded.

"Shut up!" It was pointless. Kain jumped once more.

Helpless, Cecil looked to the ceiling. His friend had gone mad.

Once Kain landed, he thrust his lance in Cecil's direction. The knight barely avoided a blow. Kain proved to be much more nimble and alert than usual. Considering he was already a great fighter, this unusual display of fury topped it all.

The dark knight changed his stance, but he still couldn't hit Kain. Not while the man was airborne. Every hit stunned him, prevented him to move. He was sent to the floor over and over again. Every muscle and bone in his body ached... but it was a fight he couldn't afford to lose.

The pain was more than physical.

The spear hit his stomach and knocked the air out of him, once again. Cecil fell to his knees and gasped. His head spun. His eyelids felt heavy, so heavy...

"This is the end, Cecil..." Kain's voice sounded so distant, distorted. Evil, even.

On his knees, Cecil coughed. He felt the spear on his neck. Was he doomed to die by his best friend's weapon? The man he loved, turned into a killing machine for his enemy? He couldn't even fathom what was going on in Kain's head at the moment.

"Let me ease your suffering..." The words were harsh.

But the blow never came. Cecil dropped to his stomach, weakened. Afraid.

"Stop!"

Through half-lidded eyes, Cecil saw two figures rush into the room; one dressed in white, the other in green and yellow. The latter was smaller, a colorful dot in the dark blue background.

Surprised, Kain spun and faced the door. "Rosa...!"

"Why are you doing this?! Tell me you haven't betrayed us, Kain..." Her voice trailed off, and she choked a sob as her blue-green eyes filled with tears. Her fists balled, but she simply stared at him.

The dragoon snarled, unable to find words.

Another voice boomed from the doorway; a deep, dark and cold voice. "Why do you hesitate, Kain..."

A man, hidden under a massive black armor, assessed his surroundings. He swiftly moved into the room, seemingly floating above the crystal floor. Shrouded in darkness, he pushed his cape to his back.

Cecil managed to raise his head, still weak from the blows. "You... you are Golbez!" How he wanted to get to his feet and slay the man! "The usurper..."

"So you are Cecil Harvey." The giant turned toward him. Cecil could feel the dark aura surrounding him; definitely more powerful than his own. "Allow me to give you a gift to remember me by..."

The large figure towered over him – Cecil felt no more than an insect compared to the mass in front of him. Not even a meter separated them. As Golbez's hand rose in the air, the whole atmosphere shifted; from the soft, warm glow of the Wind Crystal, to a cold, disheartening feeling of pure evil. Above Golbez's left hand, Cecil saw the beginning of a purple sphere, which grew bigger and more intense as the seconds passed.

Golbez lowered his hand in Cecil's direction.

Pain jolted through his skin and bones. His frame shook from the powerful dark magic. Despair, cold and emptiness rushed through his entire body. Sapphire eyes shot open, in both pain and realization; he was going to die here.

"Don't do it, Kain!" Rosa urged. She stepped forward, but she was stopped in her tracks by Golbez's arm. Against him, she looked like a mere child. His palm covered her whole face. Shushed, she struggled in his arm.

"Rosa..."

Golbez's gaze drifted back to Cecil. "You care for her, don't you? I shall take her with me, as collateral."

Cecil's eyes widened. He couldn't let Golbez do it. He pushed himself back to his knees and used whatever strength remained in his body. Dizzy, his body wobbled and he fell forward. His chest hit the ground.The armor felt heavy on his back, and kept him pinned down to the crystal floor.

The warlock shook his head at Cecil's display of weakness. He scoffed in disgust. "Enough of this. Kain, bring me the Crystal."

Rosa struggled again. Golbez backhanded her, then held her head up high and squeezed her neck. It was enough to make her pass out.

Keeping calm, Kain did as told; he walked towards the Crystal, grabbed it, then turned around. A trace of a grin appeared on his face as he marched back. Pride. He had accomplished his first mission for Golbez, and knew he was going to be highly rewarded for it. The thin hair on his arms prickled in excitement.

Cecil could only watch the scene from the ground. The room's lighting had dimmed significantly in the past minute. The last thing he saw was Rosa being hauled on another man's shoulder, and Golbez's arm  around Kain's waist as they walked out of the room.

The sounds grew distorted, quiet, as if he was underwater... gently lulling him to sleep...

He blacked out.

~

Rydia peaked out of her hiding spot. The large decorations on the Crystal's pedestal had been perfect for her. The enemy gone, she stood up and walked to the remaining members. She poked Edward with her finger, and waited till the man rose out of his stupor. She held out her small hand. He grabbed it, unable to utter a single word.

Yang scrambled to his feet. Red eyes scanned the room, looking for any damage beyond the missing Crystal and the knight on the floor. The King, who had found refuge in a far corner, was escorted by four royal guards. He seemed shaken, but well.

The knight, however, had completely stopped moving. Yang brought his ear close to his chest; despite the sheet of obsidian metal, he could hear the man's breathing and heartbeat. He'd live through it.

He turned to Edward and Rydia. "I'll show you rooms where you can sleep tonight, safe and sound." On the little girl's face, he read worry. "I'll take care of Cecil myself. He should be back on his feet in no time." He picked the frame up in his arms, struggling a moment to keep his balance.

~

Yang took Cecil to a room, and quickly escaped to find two more; one for Edward, the other for Rydia. When he came back, the youth hadn't even moved. With all the commotion, he barely had gotten to see what he even looked like. He remembered blue eyes and a very pale face, but that was about it.

He gently removed the man's helm. The sight threw him off – he hadn't expected the knight to look so feminine. Thick wavy silver hair flowed out, down to his shoulders. Thin, purplish lips parted as Cecil breathed. His brows were neatly trimmed, and his long lashes only reinforced the man's androgyny.

'Shit. He's... pretty...'

He took more of the armor off. Despite the man's quite curvy body, some signs did not lie about his gender. The Adam's apple which bobbed every now and then as Cecil swallowed, the neck, the obviously flat chest, even the delicate hands had something more masculine to them. At first glance though, one could easily mistake him for a woman.

But completely naked, there was no doubt. Yang covered him with a thick blanket, and drew a chair from the small table at the other end of the room. He'd keep and eye on the boy for a while.

~

Cecil stood up in his room, naked. In front of him stood an equally naked Kain. The older man smiled at the sight and wrapped his arms around Cecil's frame. He ran his lips across the pale neck, his tongue leaving a wet, shiny trail over the soft skin.

Kain pushed him onto the bed with a playful laugh. Cecil landed on his back with a soft thud. He watched as Kain moved towards him, his left hand going for the youth's erect member. He gave a few lazy strokes, then slowly moved to cover it with his mouth.

"Oh god, Kain..."

Cecil's breath hitched. It felt so good, so right. Kain's warm hands traced his sides and thighs, a touch he longed for.

The blond withdrew his mouth from his partner's member, a grin on his face.

"You wanna suck too, don't you." It hadn't been a question – it was a simple statement.

Cecil nodded, eyes wide with desire.

The grin on Kain's face grew even more. He ran his hand down Cecil's shaft, and dug his nails in the man's groin. Blood flowed from the wound. In one motion, Kain tore the delicate skin apart, exposing his pelvic bones and muscles, as Cecil's screams of pain and agony tore into the night.

Annoyed by the cries and sobs, Kain got to his knees. He hovered above Cecil's shaking frame and literally shoved the boy's own cock in his mouth to silence him.

Screams echoed in the room. Cecil thrashed in the bed, his body shaken by a mix of convulsions, pain and raw fear.

Yang jumped to his feet and bent over the frail figure. He grabbed the boy by the shoulders and roughly shook him. Whatever terror plagued him had to come to an end. "Cecil!" he called to the youth, holding him at arm's reach. "Cecil!!"

Cecil's sapphire eyes shot open. Panicked, he pried Yang's hands off his shoulders and kicked the blanket away from his legs. He threw frantic looks across the room and over his own body; he still felt Kain's iron grip on his genitals. But there was no hand. Everything was in its place.

Relieved, he forced himself to stop the tears from flowing on his cheeks, and bit his own lower lip in an attempt to stop screaming. The pain in his groin subsided.

As scary as the nightmare was, it was only a nightmare.

Slowly, his breathing returned to normal. Drenched in cold sweat, Cecil fell back to the bed. White hair clung to his face. When he realized he was naked and Yang was still in the room, he blushed and drew the covers back onto his lower body. "I-... I'm sorry..." he mumbled, embarrassed by his momentarily display of weakness.

Yang's eyes never left Cecil's frame, as he sat back down on the chair. "You don't need to be. You've had a long, eventful day."

'I don't see you having nightmares...' the knight kept to himself. In the darkness, he rolled his eyes. "Haven't you slept yet?" he asked, shifting to his side and propping himself up on his left arm. A dull pain brewed in his shoulder, but Cecil ignored it.

The monk shook his head. "I may have dozed off a few times, otherwise no. If I do, I'll never get up tomorrow morning." Yang chuckled. "I tend to sleep in."

Cecil's features softened. "As long as you have someone to wake you up." He recalled Kain's visit in his room, the day he took off for Mysidia, and smiled at the memory.

"My wife does, but I'd rather not wake up to her frying pan." He paused, a smile growing on his lips as well. Once Cecil had been settled in his room and stabilized, Yang had gone and checked on his wife. She was well – she even had fended soldiers off on her own. "She's quite something."

With a sigh, Cecil shifted. At twenty years old, he never even had a lover. Most boys his age were at least trying to get girlfriends... then again, his preferences never included women. His mind was set on Kain. Was set. It was a sacrifice he now had to make.

"I imagine you think the same of Rosa."

Cecil's eyes gew as wide as saucers. Why did everyone pair him off with her? Couldn't the world accept a man and a woman were simply friends?

Now if only he could make her understand...

"She's not my lover," he firmly stated. The darkness hid his blushing cheeks. "A very good friend, but definitely not a lover."

Yang sensed it was sensitive territory – why, he couldn't put his finger on it. He changed the topic. "Which reminds me... you seemed to know the dragoon who accompanied Golbez. Who was he?"

Another, deeper sigh emanated from Cecil's lips. "Kain Highwind. My best friend, or so I thought he was... He was my partner back at Mist, and in many other missions. After the whole Mist incident, we swore we'd fight against Baron, together."

The monk nodded. Cecil was leaving off details, but Yang was still able to make links. "Even if he's on Baron's side, you're willing to fight him?"

Cecil agreed with a nod. "I have to. I can't let Golbez get his hands on all Crystals. Which means he's going for Troia next. Which means we'll need an airship to access it. So we'd have to go to Baron..."

"And what would be the best way to do so? Surely not back by foot..."

The boy sat back on the bed and stared off in the distance, deep in thought. "Baron's main force is the Red Wings. It's useless to go on foot and assault the castle. However, their naval defenses are weak... if we could get a boat, we can make it to Baron City and find our way within the waterworks."

In his chair, Yang stretched. He was growing tired. "I can talk to the King about lending us a boat. After all you've done for us, I highly doubt he will refuse the favor."

Cecil smiled at him. "That would be truly appreciated."

There was a moment of silence between both men, and it took a while for either of them to say something.

"Don't worry, I won't tell."

The knight quirked a brow. Eyes settled on Yang's muscled frame. He took a moment to understand, then literally melted to the bed in embarrassment. "How did you-..."

"I won't. You can trust me." Yang got to his feet, stretched again, and walked to the bedroom door. Hand on the doorknob, he stopped. Cecil looked even more like a lone little boy than he did earlier – and it had been hard to beat. "You need to rest more. Our trip is going to take a few days."

Cecil opened his mouth to dismiss the idea, but his body told him otherwise, and a yawn escaped his lips. "I guess I do need sleep." His eyes dropped to the covers, then fluttered back to the doorway. "Yang?"

This time, it was the monk who quirked a brow.

"Thank you."

~

The early morning sun reflected on the water. On the dock, Cecil, Edward, Yang and Rydia were making the last preparations before boarding. The bard eyed the boat warily. He gulped and squeezed Rydia's hand

"Quit being scared of everything," she scolded. "I'm not scared. I bet it's fun!"

Without his armor, Cecil was barely recognizable. His equipment was stashed away. Today, and for the next few days, he was a simple civilian boarding a trip to Baron. If word reached that Cecil Harvey, ex-Lord Captain of the Red Wings, was on his way to Baron, he was sure he wouldn't make it.

"Rydia's right," he added, his foot tapping the wooden deck. Under any other circumstances, he would have been patient with Edward. But right now, all he wanted to do was push the older man in the boat. "You'll be fine. If everything goes well - and according to the captain, it will – we'll reach Baron in two to three days."

A few feet away from them, Yang laid his hands over his wife's shoulders. Blue hair brushed in his fingers. "I hope everything will be alright, Sheila..."

The woman gave him a death stare. "And if they're not, as if in Baron attacks again, I'll show them the door with my frying pan. Now you go!" She pushed him away with a smirk.  Her voice had dropped to a whisper. "Watch over the others, will you? The blond pretty boy seems like he's going to be sick already..."

"I'll make sure he's fine. I think he's in good hands with Rydia."

Sheila scoffed in disbelief.

Yang shook his head. "Just trust me. I'll come back once this whole ordeal's over." He hugged her again, and stepped on the boarding plank. "Come on up, ladies and gentlemen."

Cecil tugged at his wool coat, trying to keep warm in the cool breeze. "Right behind you, Yang." He followed the man around, until they reached the poop deck. In front of him stood miles and miles of calm blue oceans.

At the wheel, the captain gave a signal to the sailors. "Ah'll bring 'em back safely, m'lady Sheila!" he yelled through his thick blond beard. "'Specially the pretty woman." Grey eyes met sapphire blues.

Cecil bit his lip.

Rydia tugged at Yang's red pants. She bore a broad, mischevious grin on her pretty face. "I bet you 100 gil the captain doesn't live through the trip, with Cecil aboard."

"200 gil and you have a deal. And another 100 gil for every dead sailor." Raising the stakes didn't hurt. He knew Cecil wouldn't pay too much attention to the crew's remarks, even less kill them for it.

She whispered in his ear. "Deal."

The man couldn't help but chuckle. He ruffled the child's hair playfully, and joined Cecil by the ramp. Just in time for his wife's last message.

"I'll be remarrying if you don't come back! You hear me, Yang Fang Leiden?! There's plenty more guys in this town!"

He brought his palm to his forehead. To his right, Cecil chortled.