Author's notes: This is a submission to Fanfiction profile's "Descendants" contest. It tells of Ceodore Harvey, son of Cecil (protagonist of Final Fantasy IV) and Rosa, currently the king and queen of Baron and considered heroes who saved the world. Ceodore (15 years old) is featured as a playable character in FFIV: After Years.

~*~*~

"Ceodore is so cool! I can't wait to see him in action today!"

The young man in question smiled with pride at the discussion drifting in through the open window to his room as he fitted on his armor. In the past two years he had gone from a nervous recruit to an idol for the new ones. Admittedly there had been lots of trials to overcome, with the appearance of the True Moon and The Creator attempting to wipe out their planet completely.

"Of course he is! He is the son of the king and the queen, both renowned war heroes."

Ceodore's face fell. That again...

Quickly he walked up to the window and closed it. It always came back to his parents after all. Then he slumped to sit on his bed. He shouldn't be jealous, he really shouldn't, but he couldn't help it.

"Damn it!" he yelled and threw a piece of his armor at the opposite wall.

A moment later there was a knock on the door. "Ceodore? Are you alright?"

He instantly recognized the voice. "I'm fine, father," he called back.

Cecil opened the door and stepped inside, noticing the discarded armor plate. Then he moved to sit on the bed next to his son. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's nothing..." Ceodore muttered.

Cecil waited patiently in silence.

"Will I always be seen as 'the son of heroes'? I hate it." As his father breathed in slowly, he hurried to add, "I don't hate you and mother, I never would! Just...no matter what I do, it always comes down to my heritage."

Cecil wrapped one arm around his shoulders. "You have already proven yourself many times over, son. You will always be 'the son of heroes', but also a hero by your own right."

Ceodore smiled. "Thank you, father."

Cecil stood up and retrieved the stray piece of armor. "Your captain is waiting for you. The Red Wings are ready to depart for Damcyan."

Ceodore blushed slightly and hurriedly grabbed his sword. A soldier should never make his commanding officer wait. If not for his personal relations, the airship would have certainly left without him. Which made him feel like an idiot again.

"I'll be going! Please tell mother I'll be careful!" He hurried out of the door the moment he had all his gear mostly on.

He was halted right outside his door by a strong arm across his chest and pulled to a sweet kiss.

Kain...his captain. His mentor and friend. And more recently...his lover. His hands wrapped around the dragoon's neck, fingers toying with his long, blond ponytail.

Cecil just watched the brief moment of intimacy between his son and his closest friend with a gentle smile playing on his lips. It had come as a surprise, but if it made them happy, there was no reason for him to say no. Besides, Rosa had made it very clear that she'd never forgive Kain if this was nothing more than misplaced longing for her. Cecil believed it was not, that Kain truly loved Ceodore.

Then he cleared his throat. "Damcyan?" he suggested.

Kain broke the kiss and looked at Cecil with his expression completely professional. The commander of the Red Wings to his liege. "Of course."

~*~*~

As they approached the desert castle, they could see the reason for Edward's request for help even up in the air. The sand around it was churning like waves of the sea, and large bodies alternatingly surfaced and dove back under. Sandworms.

"Take us as close as you can," Kain commanded the crew.

The airship could not land on the sand, but as soon as they nearly touched the ground rope ladders were lowered and the soldiers of the Red Wings hurried down them and to assist the people already engaged in combat.

Kain dispatched the first monster he encountered with his spear in a single strike. Ceodore quickly followed and chose an opponent of his own. The power of Lunarians he had inherited from his father pulsed in his veins, urging him to release it, but he resisted. For now. That ability had saved his life more than once, but when it wore off, he was always left as weak as a newborn.

Several more worms were killed in quick succession. Then the remaining ones suddenly buried themselves into the ground almost as one. Everything was calm for a brief moment.

Suddenly the ground shook much more fiercely than even during the mass retreat. Kain hurried to Ceodore's side. Something huge was moving.

The next instant a single sandworm at least 30 feet long and with a gaping maw large enough to swallow them both whole emerged right next to them, raising a dust cloud that clouded their vision completely. Both warriors dodged right on time as the humongous body hit the sand where they had been standing.

Kain looked at Ceodore as the dust cleared and nodded. Ceodore instantly understood without being told. He raised his sword. Cross Slash. The simultaneous dash and slice at the enemy.

"Out of the way!" someone yelled. A still boyish voice of a young man. 

Coupled with the intense sensation of powerful black magic fast approaching, Kain immediately recognized the speaker. Palom. And no doubt with Leonora. Those two could also combine their powers.

Without thinking he grabbed Ceodore around the waist, pulled him close and jumped. Right on time as the sandworm was enveloped in a magical blast below them.

Ceodore's breath caught in his throat as they soared towards the sky like the wyrms dragoon were named for and after what felt like an eternity landed near the two casters - and a small group of other old friends.

Rydia whacked Palom upside the head. "Just what were you thinking?!"

"Ow!" Palom exclaimed dramatically and held his head with both hands.

"We're alright," Ceodore hurried to assure them.

Palom studied Kain curiously. "Hey, you're still looking like a lady. Is that some Mt. Ordeals thing? Holy dragoon or whatever. Cecil turned pretty too when he became a paladin."

Rydia whacked him again.

"Argue after that thing's dead!" Ursula, already a monk of great ability much like her father, told them.

"She's right," Edward supported her as he started to run his fingers across the strings of his harp in an uplifting melody. "Please focus."

Ceodore nodded and called on the power in his blood. He would protect his friends.

~*~*~

A long fight later Ceodore collapsed to the sand, all his strength gone. After they had defeated the huge one - probably the mother of the others -, Rydia had flushed out the rest with the help of the eidolon Titan.

Kain knelt by his side without a word.

"I'm fine," he said. A few cure spells and he'd be as good as new-

He sighed. He had spent all his magic in the battle too. What an embarrassing mistake. "Would you get a healer?"

Kain smiled softly. Then he hoisted the young man on his arms. "I got you. You can rest on the way home."

Ceodore leaned his head against Kain's breastplate. It was warm from the scorching sun. An idle thought passed through his mind - the dragoon should have known some healing spells too and he hadn't used any during the fight -, but he shooed it away.

This was just fine.