Notes: Sorry for the long wait...had a long to do and a lot to update. MagitekElite has given the account fully to me (she's mentioned me before. I even had a full fanfiction on this account about Squall and Terra, but I removed it, wanting to make my own. But instead, she gave me the account! She also promised to continue to help me... :D)

Since its really, really hard to maintain (unless my readers want me to continue) I will be losing as much of Locke's accent as possible. I normally had full help with that, but I'm not very good with that type of accent. If anyone would like to help me out a it, that would be great!

Anyways...thanks for waiting! Please review and I'll try not to wait so long! lol

Chapter name: A Worthy Sacrifice

Their plan was simple; head out and find Terra. They knew she had went south, but where? Witnesses told them the next morning that they knew for sure she was heading south. Edgar gave Cyan and Sabin a large bag of money and told them to buy what they would need to get to Figaro quickly. Sabin bought chocobos, food, new weapons and sleeping gear. Celes healed Locke and Edgar the best she could, which helped a lot. Locke was in working order, barely though. So, when everyone was gathered around, Edgar laid a map of the world down on the table. He circled the possible areas.

"Now, there could be many places Terra found as a asylum." he pointed to South Figaro. "And I mean any where. We can't leave a place unchecked. I think the best possible solution would to be to check out the cities by the fastest form of transportation. Chocobo being the wisest choice." Celes raised a hand.

"Wouldn't that take too long?" Celes asked, confused. "By that time, something could happen." Edgar frowned and shook his head.

"That's why we have the birds, Celes. Quick and effective. We'd do a quick swoop for people who have seen her." she rose her hand again.

"Couldn't we split up in two groups, or more? It would save time instead of having all our forces on one city at a time-"

"Celes," he calmly said, his eyes agitated. "Please allow me to finish before you ask another question." she nodded and crossed her arms. She didn't want to upset him more than he already was. "Now, that was my plan, but you wouldn't allow me to finish." he sounded annoyed. "But thank you for bringing it up, I'd like to discuss that." he pulled another piece of paper up. "Now, I was thinking, Narshe will need a team as well, so I figured that same team would be the ones to check South Figaro and the surrounding villages - big or small. I need to determine the team, of course." he glanced at Cyan and knew, as much as he'd hide it, that he wouldn't like to help save someone he barely knew who was apart of the Empire.

"I've decided to keep Cyan and Gua as the Narshe team. I've seen them fight, they are extreme fighters, I trust them. Team 2, or 'Cole', will be of Sabin and Locke. Celes will be with me-" Locke's eyes sharpened with jealousy.

"Why is that, Ed?"

The king looked up at him. "I've no time for your silly arguments, Cole." he growled. "I picked the teams based souly on their properties. Sabin is brute force with healing energies. You fit better with him."

"How!"

"Because you need brute strength and curing abilities." he muttered, as if he already explained it. "Do I have to elaborate myself more than once?"

"And I suppose you are the `brute force' in our team?" Celes asked, her eyes sparking with rage.

"Actually," Edgar glared at them. "I am. Are you forgetting my tools and sword? I am far more experienced in this sort of thing than either of you! So you will follow my direct line of orders or I'll look for Terra by myself!" the room was stunned, but no one dared to question his orders again, without a fist fight or worse. "The first place team Cole will check after we arrive at Kohlingen," Locke gasped. "will to be to gather information." Everyone sighed. "Celes and I will head down to Jidoor. A week after we split up, if that's the need, we'll meet up at the center of Jidoor, understand?"

"Yes," they all said, except Gua jumped up and bellowed as his affirmative. Edgar nodded and looked down at the map. I'll find you Terra...I promise.

The travel to Figaro castle the next day went fairly fast. They had the fastest birds in Narshe, so their travel wasn't prolonged or shortened in anyway. The castle welcomed Edgar and Sabin and hugged them and kissed their cheeks, but Edgar said he would not be staying because he was looking for a teammate and that he would not give up until he found her. Alarmed at first, they asked of the situation and when it was described in full, they were immediately on board to saving the girl. They came to his group with stronger forged weapons and leather armors for sensitive places. They had Celes a frail which curled into a neat ball to be buckled to her side. They explained that when they press the button on the left of the handle of the frail, it would shrink into an iron orb which could be unshrunk by touching the little bump on the sides of the orb. The woman who gave it to Celes, also handed her a special weapon she said she found in the sands outside of Figaro. It was a hilt of a sword, which looked like it never had a blade attached to it. She put it in her bag and thanked the woman before hurrying off with the others, who had just equipped themselves with fresh weapons, garments and leathers.

They decided (well, Edgar did) that they would take the tunnels to Kohlingen the next day, Sabin and Gau complained that they tired, so Edgar bought them a few rooms and headed off to his room, and barred the door.

Sabin had told them he was going to take a stroll through the castle, for a little bit, so they shouldn't wait on him to sleep. He walked the halls until he stopped before the doors of the throne room, his heart aching heavily.

The young man gently sat in the throne chair to the left of the room and closed his eyes, sighing tiredly. Everything is so different... "...everything has changed. Mom and dad are gone, nothing will ever be the same again..." he could still remember everything, it was so fresh and vivid in his mind.

(...tonight...worst he's been... ...so...if he should...)

The younger Sabin started to shout. "No! You're lying, father would never leave me alone, its not true!" and then he turned, ripping from the old, caring woman's hands and down the hall, his eyes blurred by the tears, his heart racing, his body trembling. He crashed through the gate doors and into his older brother by a few seconds and they collided into the stone ground. The young boy quickly got up and started to run again, but young Edgar tried to reach out ofr him.

"Sabin...! Sabin, wait!" No, he thought grimly, Dad couldn't have...died...Edgar raced after his brother and stopped him right before he ran out the doors. The young boy was sobbing, his heart hurt beyond repair. Edgar laid a hand on his shoulder. "So...dad didn't make it...?"

"E-Edgar..." he sniffed, wiping the back of his hand against his nose and eyes.

"Prince Edgar! Prince Sabin! There you are," the priestess came running in, holding the tips of her dress up. "Your father had spoken his final words," she glanced down at Sabin, her own eyes betraying her. "...he has left instructions that you and your brother are to share and lead the kingdom together-"

"Is that all you g-guys care about!" Sabin snapped, turning to the kind priestess he thought he knew. "You all make me so sick! Everyone is talking about how the Empire did this to dad, how they poisoned him, and all you can think about is who will lead next? I bet none of you are even sad!"

Edgar looked away, the priestess reached out to pat his shoulder, but he shrugged her away. "I bet none of you were even sad when mom died giving birth to us!" the two gasped. Sabin was glaring at her. "You're just as bad as the Empire is...!"

"That's Not-" she tried to defend herself, but Edgar held a hand up, to stop her.

"Sabin..." he muttered, trying to calm him.

"They are an Empire of murders, Edgar!" he gripped his hands, anger boiling inside of him. "They will not get away with this!"

"Priestess," Edgar looked over at her. "leave us." she waited a few seconds, but then nodded, bowed and then hurried away. "Come Sabin," he walked over to the staircase and waited for his brother to follow before continuing.

When they were standing on the tower top, Edgar smiled gently at his brother, worry and grief struck him. He didn't want his brother to be in pain anymore, and he knew the kingship life would destroy him. When Sabin glanced up to his taller brother (at the time) he sniffed again. "You know," Edgar started, looking toward the fading sun across the desert sea. "father wouldn't want you to be angry at Priestess..."

Sabin gripped the railing of the tower and then suddenly looked over at Edgar. "Let's leave this place! Let's forget this crazy kingdom, and live our lives how we want to!" he softly laughed, looking away from him and then back. "You said you didn't want to be a king, right?" Edgar chuckled, as if saying it was a bad idea then.

"A life of freedom, huh?" he asked silently, Sabin nodded. "...What do you think would happen to Figaro if both of us left?" Sabin fell silent and looked down at his feet. Edgar could see the sorrow in his eyes...the pain and the loneliness he would feel if he was to share the throne. "There'd be no one to take the throne. Dad was counting on us to take care of the kingdom...we were picked as our father's heir, he intrusted the lives of our people and our people's children's children to us...would you honestly leave them with no hope?" Sabin swallowed.

"I...I can't handle this, Edgar...I can't..." Edgar sighed and then laid a strong hand on his frail brother's shoulder and then looked him deep in the eyes for a few seconds before laughing and digging through his pocket. Sabin was confused. Edgar pulled out a gold coin, a little bigger than his thumb. "Sabin... Let's settle this with the toss of a coin. Dad gave me this one." Sabin's eyes went wide, a smile appeared on his face as he reached out to touch the coin, but recoiled, not wanting to miss him more.

"I remember him giving me the coin. He said `son, now make sure you take care of your brother. He will need you and you will need him...' I never understood what he meant then, but now, its as clear as if I knew it the whole time." Sabin watched as Edgar placed the coin on top of his thumb and index finger. "If it's heads, you win. Tails, I win. The winner chooses whichever path he wants...no regrets, no hard feelings or pain and worry. Okay?"

Sabin slowly nodded and took a few steps back. Little did he know, that when his brother said: "Here we go...!" it would lead to his freedom, his ten years of rough traveling and training. The training that would one day, crush the Empire.

Sabin wiped some tears away, shaking his head as he gently laughed.

"And...you chose your freedom." Sabin gasped and looked up from the chair, spotting Edgar with two classes of wine, a weak smile on his face. He started over, holding a cup out to him. "It's already been ten years... That little shrimp has grown into a whopping lobster!"

Sabin laughed, taking the cup. "And you're a king crab!" they shared a laugh and then everything went quiet. Sabin shifted, uncomfortable. And then he heard Edgar's soft, sorrow filled voice.

"Sabin... Do you think Dad would be proud of me?"

Sabin gasped, but reached out to pat his hand, a proud smile on his face. "Don't you ever doubt that! I'm sure he's beaming with pride, wherever he is."

Edgar chuckled and leaned back, sipping off his cup. "Ten years..." he muttered again, as if teasing his brother.

Sabin didn't bite, but nodded. "Where has the time gone...?"

Raising his cup to his brother's, Edgar laughed. "Here's to a couple of confused grownups! Drink!" and then he pressed it to his lips. "Here's to Dad!"

Sabin did the same. "To Mom! And...to Figaro!"

Celes couldn't get any sleep...her dreams were haunted by Terra, by her past and all the experiences - bad ones - she endured. All the painful memories came flowing back, bringing fresh wounds. She could recall times when Terra would sneak into her room, frightened by a nightmare, and would crawl into her bed. She laughed gently when she always remembered waking up the girl cuddled up in her blankets beside her. The annoyance Celes had so many times was now a sweet memory she wished would happen again.

Someone knocked on the door and Celes turned, walking over. It was Locke, he looked tired. I wonder if he got sleep...she thought, frowning. "What do you want?" she asked, not coldly, but tiredly. Locke looked away.

"Its time...Ed said to come and get you. We're heading out to Kolhingen." he turned halfway and then paused. "I...miss her too." and then he started off. Celes got up and glanced out the window of the stone room. She sighed and then followed after Locke.

(-)

"So I really have to go with you?" Sabin whispered in Locke's ear. "I was hoping to get some time to talk with my brother about a few things..."

"Sssh," Locke muttered as they filed into the underground room. "Don't tell Ed, but I'm not planning on headin' into Kolhingen with you, no offense, mate." Sabin chuckled, shaking his head as he watched an old man pulled a few levers. He spotted Edgar out near the back, he was pressing a few buttons on a control panel. "I don't want Celes to hear how screwed up our little 'king' gets when he's upset over something. I've had eight-nine years to deal with his hormones - its no easy task." Sabin nodded.

"He's been like that since he was boy. Should have seen him with Jeffery-" Sabin suddenly paused. "I can handle my brother, so maybe we can pull a switch. I dunno how, but I think I have something we can work off of. How long do we have?"

"The last time Edgar tested this, he said it took about five hours."

"Good enough," Sabin sighed. "Maybe when we get there, we can distract him and then you can try to convince Celes Terra's whereabouts could be located at Kohlingen and then when you two are runnin' away, I'll convince Edgar to let me go with him instead." Locke smacked his forehead.

"That's dumb...but it'll have to do. I'll start dropping hits at Celes." he slid over to Celes and started to tell her how Kohlingen would have seen Terra.

"Edgar...?" Sabin headed over to his brother. "You look so tired...maybe you should get some rest?"

"I'm fine, Sabin, really."

"You know," he crossed his arms. "Terra wouldn't approve of this." Edgar glanced up, a weak smile on his face.

"I know...I don't want to be asleep when we arrive."

"I'll wake you then...just promise me you'll get some sleep, or when we find Terra I'll tell her and she's never stop bothering you." Edgar laughed and then nodded, leaning against the walls. Sabin always knew how to make him feel a bit better.

"Thanks, Sabin..."

Sorry again that I updated so late! I'll make sure that it won't happen again! :D

Please, please, please review! C: