I sleep peacefully for hours. Until images begin flashing through my dreams, that is. Horrible, frightening images...
~*~*~
Flames are everywhere. Lifeless scorched bodies scatter the burning village. Beside a pond, by the body of a dead woman, a little girl with vibrant green hair sobs.

Behind her stand a Dark Knight and a Dragoon of Baron. Cecil and Kain. The two exchange words, and Kain raises his spear towards the girl. My hand flies up to my mouth to keep myself from crying out in shock. Cecil, also surprised, rushes forward and jerks his spear down. I can't hear what they're saying, but they're obviously in disagreement. I then see Kain's mouth move, and Cecil's head nod in agreement. The pair advance on the little girl and Cecil holds his hand out to her. She turns around, anger flashing through her eyes. She raises her hands, and an enormous being rises from the earth. A summoner... The earth shakes and shatters, and the scene turns black.
~*~*~
Airships fill the sky over Baron's horizon. Lines of men stand along the castle barracks. Archers, Knights, and Dragoons... Everyone. Even the black mages with their rods, and the white mages with their staves. Canon fire hailed down from the air. Screams follow. Among those still standing, I don't see Rosa, Cecil or Kain. Panic wracks through me. Tell me they weren't there to begin with... Screams fill the air...
~*~*~
A deep, black dragon looms over us- Rosa, Kain, and myself; along with a man who appears to be a Fabulian monk, and a man with stark white hair who wears white armor. Wait, white hair? He isn't old, about Kain's age... It hits me. Cecil?! Where is his dark armor? What has happened to him? Not that it's a bad thing- now I can actually see him.
Behind the dragon, stands a man wearing armor darker than night. The giant man raises his hand, and we are paralyzed.

"Finish them," he says in a deep, emotionless voice. The dragon rears, and slams into the monk first with an open jaw containing rows of razor sharp teeth. By the time the beast backs away, the monk lies in a crumpled, bloody heap on the glimmering floor.

Its tail swings into my sister, sending her flying into a wall. I hear myself scream. She doesn't get up. Rosa...! My sister....! Another scream is released.

Kain holds his spear as steady as possible, but his eyes are terrified, as are Cecil's. Who wouldn't be? We are sitting ducks! The dragon then slashes at Kain with a claw, slicing through his armor. His blood spurts out rapidly, staining the crystal floor. Yet another scream erupts from me as I watch the life quickly fade from his sky blue eyes, but I'm unable to do anything. None of us can do anything....

But it can't end like this... At this point, it's just Cecil and I. Everyone else, that monk.... Rosa...

....Kain... Has perished. Anger and sorrow rush through me. Who is this man to hurt the ones I care about most?! I struggle as much as possible against the spell's bonds, and somehow I break free and get to my feet, releasing an arrow at the man at that same moment. My vision shatters as the arrow hits a force field and disintegrates, and so does the dream.
~*~*~
"Gah!" I jolt upright on my cot. Sweat pours down from my brow. Just a nightmare...

I try to go back to sleep, but it was no use. So I get off the cot and climb out the window onto the roof. The double moons shine brilliantly in the dark, giving me plenty of time to study the amulet Kain gave me.

The cord is deep blue, almost black, silk. The amulet is a thin, lightweight brass rhombus in the shape of a shield. The front has the head of a dragon engraved into it. The back however, has several names. Many of the names are worn and unreadable, but there are distinct names near the list's bottom. Newer names.

Alexander Highwind
Richard Highwind
Kain Highwind

The Dragoon Commanders.... That's what this list is. It must be the proof of their leadership, so that nobody can question them. Richard Highwind... That was Kain's father. I remember he died in battle when Kain was young. The same happened to Rosa and I. It wasn't uncommon to grow up without a father if they served the military-many never returned.

Kain gave me this. In his absence, it will be my duty to command the Dragoons.

Gradually, the moons fade away as the sun begins to rise. A guard lowers the drawbridge, and two shadows march through with pride. Knowing that they won't look back, I raise my hand to salute them.

I will not fail, Commander. Return safely.

~*~*~
The men are awake in a few hours. Several are looking around because normally, Commander would've come in by now. Riley and Meriweather rush to me. "Where's Commander?" Riley asks quickly.

"He was sent on a mission with Lord Cecil. He said he'd be returning soon." Meriwether shakes his head.

"I know our commander. He wouldn't say that unless he though there would be trouble." Concern falls over his green eyes.

"Exactly what was this mission?" Riley asks. Meriwether elbows him.

"It might be classified... The more important question now is, who's in charge?"

"I am," my steady voice surprising even me. I pull out the seal as proof. "The commander entrusted me with the task last night." Riley face palms.

"Why does the newbie get to be in charge?!" He whines loudly, attracting the attention of the others.

"What?!"

"How?!"

"That's not fair!"

"What makes him better than the rest of us?!" Meriwether slaps Riley on the back of his head angrily. There's a storm in those sea green eyes, a storm that would sink a ship that even attempted to traverse it.

"Now look what you've done, you idiot." He turns to the crowd. "Alright, listen up!" The men fall silent. "It doesn't matter why Lumen was selected, but obviously Commander Kain wants him as his proxy during his absence! So shut up and do what he says!" He turns to me with a slight grin. "Better?" I nod.

"Yes, thank you." It's my turn to face the crowd. "As you can see, Commander Highwind is not here, so-"

"So where is he?!" Someone shouts.

"He and Lord Cecil have been ordered to slay the eidolon of Mist-"

"That's a fool's task!!!"

"Why would the King assign such a task?"

All these questions... I don't think they'd understand. I can't have any talk of treason- it would put everyone of us in danger if King Baron were to find out...

I hold up the seal of the Dragoons up for everyone to see. The room falls silent. "The commander gave me this last night. Until he returns, I've been left with his authority.

"Please, understand that I don't think I'm ready for this either. I actually argued with him about it-"

"At least he didn't beat you up for arguing..." Someone grumbles.

"Anyways, that's something I need to say." I pace across the floor, making eye contact with every man here. "We are the Dragoons of Baron. It is not our place to question Commander Highwind, much less our king. In his absence, we are to continue training as if Commander were here himself, alright? When he returns, authority will return to him, and I'll be one of you all again. But in his absence, we must continue training."

"Why though, Lumen?" Riley asks. "Why should we train even more than we already do?" The gruesome images of airships in the sky, and the lifeless bodies of Rosa and Kain flood my mind.

"... We train to defend Baron and all of us who call her home," I finally say. I turn away. "I'm a newbie. I told Commander Kain that I wasn't fit for the job, but he insisted. He then said that I could select one of the men to help." My body pivots, and my eyes meet Meriwether's green irises. "Would you help me?" He stares at me for a moment, studying me. He then dips his head.

"It would be an honor, Captain."

"Captain?"

"Yes. As a proxy, you aren't actually the commander, but you are more than a lieutenant. That makes you captain of the Baron Dragoons." I nod.

"Thanks. I didn't know that." I turn to the men. "What are you all waiting for? Go get something to eat, and I expect everyone of you out in the training yard afterwards. Move out!" The men rush out the door, but Meriwether stays behind with me.

"You've adjusted to this role very quickly." I shrug.

"I have to. Who knows how long the commander will be gone? He could return at any time, and a problem could arise at any moment. He may not be here when there's an issue. We must be ready."

"You know, for someone from Mythril, you seem to understand warfare much better than others. How is that?"

"My father was a knight," I admit. That much information won't give anything away. And it's true: my father was a knight, a Dark Knight of Baron- just like Cecil. Before Meriwether can ask about him though, I add quickly, "he was killed in battle though."

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't be. It's not like you killed him. Besides, it was years ago." The other Dragoon still doesn't meet my eyes.

"Do you really think something is going to happen though, Captain?" He asks, trying to change the subject. I nod.

Before I left Mythril, monsters had been on the rise. Cecil was stripped of his rank by the king, a man I know to be reasonable, and who loved Cecil like a son. King Baron loved Cecil, Kain and Rosa like his own children; he even called them the children of Baron.

The one time I met him personally, he told me that I was also a child of Baron- and to never forget that. He saw that I was smaller than the others, but he told me that I was as much a part of Baron's future as the other three. However, he had a different look in his eyes. There was no love in them, not like there was for Cecil and Kain, or even Rosa. But there was something there that told me that he believed in me. The king of Baron would never accuse Cecil of treason, command him to steal a nation's treasure, or send him and Kain on such a dangerous quest alone.
And there is the matter of those disturbing nightmares... Something is most definitely amiss.

"Yes, Meriwether," I finally say. "I think something terrible is coming, and it will start here. That's why we must prepare."
~*~*~
The story is going to be very similar to the game from here on out, but with my own plot twists.