Fire Emblem 1. Default Chapter

Fire Emblem A New Tactician's Journey  
  
By MacrossGreen  
  
Author's Note: After several chapters of working with a pokemon fanfic (which I will return to working on soon), I have decided to try my hand at a much older series of game. Strategy RPGs, I have found after several attempts, are quite difficult to work with, when it comes to writing fanfics based on them. However, I do believe that unlike the Shining Force series (of which I attempted one or two fanfics), this one lends itself much better to this kind of work. Fire Emblem quickly became my favorite Strategy RPG series- unlike many other Strategy RPG games like Shining Force and FFT, a dead character stays dead. Because I enjoy a game where characters can die (for example, Monster Rancher), the strength of that character can be that much more appreciated. If you can resurrect a character, then that character's overall importance is diminished and one can take certain liberties regarding their use. The setting I'm using is about 45 years after the ending of Fire Emblem 7 (AKA, Fire Emblem 1 for America).  
  
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In a valley in the depths of the Ilian mountains   
  
It was the cool, yet crisp mountain air that made its presence known to the young man as he stepped out from his home. It was a quaint little house, hidden in a snow-covered valley within the depths of the many mountain ranges of Ilia. A small garden behind the house provided vegetables, and hardy fruit trees were aligned carefully around the garden. This was his home, a place he had rarely ever left, save to go to the few towns that could be reached by a day or two's journey in any direction. The Pegasus Knights of Ilia flew overhead often, some coming down to meet with his father or himself at any given time- thought mostly to speak with the young man, for his skills were what they hoped to employ some day. The father was often away at arenas or at a job, for a mercenary often required a job that lasted a long time in order to make any real gold these days.  
  
This particular boy is the grandson of The Tactician, all in Ilia knew. The Tactician, as the stories go, was the mastermind of the military tactics that allowed the then lord of Pherae, Lord Eliwood, and his company to defeat the evil man known as Nergal, who wished to bring the dreaded dragons of legend back into the world of men. After that great deed was accomplished, he retired back to Ilia, to the home his own family had built. The very house that his grandson now stood outside of, now standing there and looking at it carefully. It was well constructed and could withstand almost any amount of snow. This is what a carefully planning tactician could do, if given enough time and material to do it. Build with the utmost planning, then, when finished, see the finished product as a work of beauty and force capable of deflecting the harshest conditions.  
  
And that was what this boy wished to do- to follow in his grandfather's footsteps, so to speak, and become a great tactician in his own right. A gust of wind sent a chill along the young man's spine, and he shivered before looking back. He could hear the gentle 'clopping' of hooves upon the hard, frozen ground, and the rustling of wings as they were closed against the Pegasus' sides. On the Pegasus' back was a girl he had known now for a while, a good friend of his. She had dark green hair, a color that reminded him of the forest, which reached down along her back in a tight, yet large braid. She carried an iron lance in her hand, a weapon not pointed at him, thank Elibe.  
  
"Good day, Kiri." He said to her, bowing low to the Pegasus Knight that had just been knighted and must now find a house of nobility to work with. Of course, that requirement had been waived once it was found that The Tactician's grandson would soon go out on his journey of learning. The Pegasus neighed slightly, tossing its mane as it stomped the ground with a hoof. "And good day to you as well, Hewn. You know I was not ignoring you." Was the young man's response to the Pegasus, who just snorted in reply to the pleasant greeting. Kiri, the Pegasus Knight upon Hewn's back, just laughed softly.  
  
"Well met, Loedan. And do not worry about Hewn; he is just anxious to be off. You are not the only one curious about the world. We have not seen anything of other places other than these mountains, after all." She said. Her voice was clear and somewhat commanding, almost regal even. Of course, Loedan's voice was rather soft but could be very commanding as well, in time of need. A tactician required a voice that could be heard by all on his side, so he could place his troops where they were needed most. Loedan nodded- as the tactician's son, he could show little to no hesitation when it came to quick decisions, though this was a decision long in the making.  
  
"I see. Well then, shall we go, my friend?" he asked the knight, who simply nodded in response. He walked over to the Pegasus' side and was offered the knight's hand, which he gladly accepted. Though Pegasi suffered only women to ride them, they did not mind giving a lift to men as long as their riders agreed to it. Or so it seemed, for the three had known each other for a very long time. The sky was clear and the sun was up, beating down upon them with a heat that was uncommon this early in spring- the snow would melt soon, if the heat picked up much more.  
  
"Up you go! And yes, we shall be off in just a moment. Be sure to hold onto me, Loedan, I want no harm to come to you should we experience some tough winds. We are going southeast, are we not? To Sacae?" she asked her friend now, who slipped up onto the back of the Pegasus. He weighed less than he might seem- he was of average build, of course, but most tacticians seemed to be overweight. His grandfather had the trick of wearing armor beneath his robes, causing him to be too slow to be much more than a tactician during his travels. Of course, Loedan was a different type of tactician in training. Unlike his grandfather, he would be a tactician that would fight alongside his troops, rather than solely directing them. At least, he would find out if it was a feasible plan or not.  
  
"Yes, to Sacae. I wish to see the plains, an ocean of unending grass… that would be a sight that I have longed to see for a very, very, long time, Kiri." He replied, wrapping his arms around her waist. It was a gesture not meant for anything other than securing him to the Pegasus' back and to keep him upright, for with a motion of the knight's legs against the Pegasus beneath her, Hewn's wings began to beat up and down quickly. They were soon airborne, and the Pegasus neighed in triumph as Kiri brought it around in a slow, wide circle that would lead them to a direction of southeast. He had his grandfather's journal with him, something that The Tactician had kept secret throughout his travels, despite the fact that there had been several thieves with his troops.  
  
This journal, he hoped, would serve as a guide as to where to go and how to get there. Bern was not the most peaceful place to be, now that the wild wyverns had begun to rebel against the humans that were expanding their cities and influence into the wilderness. There was talk of unrest in the eastern parts of Lycia as well, including Pherae and Caelin. The tribes of Sacae, however, were at peace with one another, as they had been for as long as any could remember. Bandit attacks seemed to be increasing once more, however, from the information he had heard in town. Though too young (officially) to drink alcohol, it was simple enough to listen to those who did drink the stuff. Their throats were loosened by such drink, and the news of other places that they had been to and gone through would be divulged to him.  
  
As The Tactician had done, and had had said about him, a Tactician's eyes must ever be vigilant and open. Loedan knew these rules well, the rules of war. The different weapons that could be used to defeat others types of weapons, what would do well against certain types of people. For instance, one would not send a mage to battle a shaman unless all other options could not be used. A Pegasus Knight, however, thanks to the magical nature of their Pegasi, could withstand even the strongest magic attacks, given enough experience, and still deliver a strike to the magic user who would attack her. A tactician required the abilities to plan not only for victory, but for retreat if necessary. To keep stock of items, money, and such like that. Money would be a constant concern, of course, for any mercenaries.  
  
To these things, Loedan paid little heed- he had no troops other than himself and his good friend Kiri at the moment. They had no battles to wage or opponents to defeat, but simply a long distance to travel. It was the distance that his grandfather had gone on foot- no wonder he had collapsed when he had reached the middle of the plains, for there were very few streams or rivers flowing to the east from Ilia. Most that did ended near the border of the lands of Ilia and Sacae, and he had not been able to stop to restore his supplies, for there were no villages between here and Bulgar, the largest city in all of Sacae.  
  
The air became cooler as Kiri urged Hewn higher into the sky, causing Loedan to shut his eyes as he held on tight. Kiri smiled as she felt his arms warm around her waist, coming taught against her stomach as he held to her tighter. She was glad for this chance to leave the 'nest', as it were. She had lived in these mountains and seen little else in her life, and as a curious girl, had always wanted a chance to travel. Now, with her friend behind her, she had that chance. She hadn't really wanted to become a mercenary, but as a Pegasus Knight, she had certain obligations to work outside of her country and send the money she earns back, so that her people could live a better life.  
  
For, after all, life was harsh where there was little food that could be grown successfully. Food to be imported, and little that could be sent from the mountains, save by those who mined metals from them. Ilian steel had a good name for itself, and sometimes gemstones were found as well. But for the majority of the money that the country earned, its own Pegasus Knights would be sent out as mercenaries to make the money for their country. There really was very little that could be done about it. For the longest time, a Pegasus Knight has always been a mercenary. None could deny that fact. For instance, 3 Pegasus Knights had accompanied The Tactician's group when facing Nergal. That was how The Tactician became known to them, and why his family had always been held with respect by the Pegasus Knights, while they did not care much for others who were land bound.  
  
Loedan however, much preferred being on the ground rather than high in the air. It wasn't that he disliked flying (far from it!); it was simply the fear of falling from such heights. Kiri had learned long ago about this particular weakness of the beginning Tactician, and so enjoyed teasing him about it in a friendly (if misguided) effort to cure him of his fear. The feel of the cold air as it settled about them allowed Loedan to open his eyes slowly from being shut, and his breathing became a little harder- the air was a little thin, this far up. Then Kiri urged her steed forward, and together they swept towards the southeast, their speed causing the wind to pass by quickly. Colder now that the wind had picked up and they were moving quickly, his arms tightened a little more around the Pegasus Knight's waist, and he was slightly surprised when he felt one of her hands clench his and squeeze.  
  
They were going so quickly that it was quite unlikely that he could hear her speak to him even if she tried to, but the squeeze she gave his hand comforted him somewhat. It was nice of her to be concerned for him, he thought, though once they were in battle, he would be the one worried about her. She used a spear, and he used a sword. He could also use a bow, but did not actually own one because bows are rather rare in Ilia- seasoned wood of the correct type was difficult to come by, after all, in a country that had but two seasons- frozen and snowy.  
  
So they traveled most of the day, stopping only once in a forest near the foothills of the mountainous region of their home. His house was not even in sight any more- something that frightened Loedan more than the fear of falling had. He knew now that he may never see his family's home ever again. But then, his father knew that he would have left before he could return from his latest job. Perhaps now, the house would simply become a relic? No, not likely, for Kiri's family had elected to look over the house while they were away. It was a large place and even had some stables behind it, where any Pegasus Knights that required lodging for the knight could leave their Pegasi during the night. It was in good hands, he knew, as he lifted the skin of water to his lips and drank sparsely.  
  
Outskirts between Ilia and Sacae   
  
"How do you feel, Loedan? Now that we can't even see the valley we once lived in?" came Kiri's voice, and he looked up from where he stood, leaning against a tree. The entire area was warmer than he was used to so early in the season. In fact, there was hardly any snow, and he could hear the rushing of a river not far away, filled to overflowing by the snow that had melted from the mountains already. Hewn was resting comfortably for the moment as its rider stood beside it, the butt of her lance resting upon the ground, the tip in the air, above both their heads. Loedan, in response, was about to say something, when he heard something moving nearby.  
  
But then he blinked, looking around quickly as a hand went to the hilt of his blade, drawing it upwards slightly. He glanced back to Kiri and then around again as he quietly unsheathed the blade. Kiri was instantly on guard as Hewn woke, and with a quick leap, was astride her steed as Loedan looked in the direction he'd heard the rustling. The glint of sunlight off of metal could be seen, and his eyes narrowed. The terrain of the area came to mind from what he had seen in the air and since they were on the ground. There were clearings in the vast forest not too far from here. The forest was thick- it could provide anyone trouble to attack another inside of them. The mountains behind them would be unable to provide any protection. There were no caves or boulders nearby to provide cover. The sound of grumbling could be heard, and the tactician could hear at least four, perhaps five distinct voices. One was the leader, and he trailed the pack, from the sound of it.  
  
"Come on, boys! That Pegasus knight oughtta be around 'ere somewhere! Find 'er and capture both her and the beast. We'll make a bundle!" the voice said, and the others laughed. Now Loedan knew there were five in total, thanks to the laughter. He looked over to Kiri and motioned for her to stay low and to keep Hewn as quiet as possible, even as he slipped away, closer to the sounds of the searching bandits. It was a surprise to him when a bandit appeared in the clearing just beyond the trees that they were occupying, and Loedan knew that he'd have to deal with the man. He carried an axe, after all.  
  
Just then, he was spotted as well! "Found 'em!" was the cry, but the man who said such was dealt with swiftly as Loedan attacked, his iron sword maneuvering inside the brigand's axe blade to strike home in a powerful thrust. The blade struck the man's left side, leaving a large wound that caused him to stagger back slightly before he swept his axe up and then down towards the aspiring tactician. Just barely, the young man managed to avoid the attack by drawing his blade back and stepping aside from the attack. He lunged forward as the brigand attempted to regain his stance, his blade scoring into the man's just below the man's right shoulder and with a cry, the man fell forward, dropping the axe and coughing up blood.  
  
An arrow went past him a second later, and Loedan cursed as a second managed to find its mark, barely. His sleeve ripped by the striking arrow, he clutched his sword arm with his left hand, feeling the scratch left along his arm. It bled freely- no poison, it seemed, and thank goodness for that. With a yell, three more bandits came into sight- one archer and two more brigands. "Now, Kiri!" he yelled, and Loedan circled around the brigands faster than they could react, finding the archer immediately as he fumbled with his next arrow to bring to his bowstring. The bandit gave a cry in surprise as Loedan slashed with his blade, a small nick becoming apparent along the blade itself as it cut deeply into the bandit's right arm.  
  
The archer was forced to lose the arrow, and as a result, became an easy target for the Pegasus Knight who swept up to him from behind and stabbed the man with her lance, finishing him up as the tip barely protruded from the man's chest before being pulled back out again. He didn't even know what finished him off, Loedan knew, but then he ordered Kiri away again as the two remaining brigands came charging through the forest and into the large clearing. He saw what one of them was carrying- a hand axe!  
  
"Oh great." He muttered, and waved for Kiri to fly higher. But, it was too late, and the bandit threw the axe with great strength, even as his partner darted in towards the tactician. A cry came from the air, and that caused Loedan to spare a glance to Kiri in the sky. She had managed to miss, just barely, and the hand axe was returning to the brigand who had thrown it. Loedan turned his attention to the man he now faced, and as the axe bore down on him, managed to deflect the attack with his own sword. Still he felt an ache in his shoulders as he had to use both hands to stop the brigand's attack. "Kiri, get that one!" he yelled out to her, before having to step back to let the man's axe fall free, and then he attacked in return.  
  
Loedan's blade cut into the man's armored torso, leather armor absorbing much of his strike. Loedan withdrew his blade and then slashed again at the same spot. It was at this time that he became aware of movement behind him, even as his blade slid into the opening that he had created but a second ago and carved a small chunk from the bandit's side. He grunted in pain, and then sprinted off towards Kiri, who was now locked in a battle with the hand axe-wielding brigand.  
  
"You'll not live if ye fight, boy. Give her and 'er beast up and we may yet let ye live." a gruff voice behind Loedan proclaimed. The tactician knew that this man would be stronger than the ones that they had faced yet. In response, Loedan ran after the brigand that had gone towards Kiri, even as he yelled for her to get away. Another strike from Loedan's blade struck the man in the back- a fatal mistake for the brigand, as he fell, blood staining his clothes and the ground beneath him where he lay.  
  
It was then that Loedan gave a cry of pain, a sound that had never before left him. A normal tactician remained out of sight, directing battle from the relative safety of being near someone. A combat tactician, on the other hand, was vulnerable to attack. And so he was struck hard, a searing hot pain coursing through Loedan's thigh as he felt a chunk of his own flesh forced from him as a hand axe caught him unaware. He staggered and nearly fell- only the feeling of the moving air around him managing to make him stay upright enough to avoid the second hand axe that was thrown at him.  
  
Indeed, the leader of this small group of bandits had a hand axe and had used it. The man was old and tough, and knew well this weapon of his trade. His conspirator, after throwing the axe, wound up on the end of Kiri's lance, the man's attention taken by his attempt to strike at Loedan. Kiri, seeing the wound that had nearly toppled her friend and tactician, strode forward to help him. Loedan waved her off, seeing the old man catch the hand axe- A Pegasus might dodge arrows well, but not a hand axe, as it had an outgoing and incoming trajectory back to the one who threw it.  
  
"Give it up! You're dead, and yer pretty friend 'ere is gonna earn me a pretty price. Her beast, too." The man said again, and then laughed. Loedan shuddered, feeling the sticky warmth of his blood seeping along his leg, staining the fabric of his pants that he wore. Kiri hovered just beyond range of that deadly weapon that the bandit had, concerned for her friend's safety but also for her and Hewn's own safety as well. It was then that Loedan did something to fix the situation, and he reached to his side, pulling out a vulnerary and downing it in one gulp. The healing strength of the liquid in the vial coursed through him- the scratch on his arm was gone and all that was left of the wound that had been inflicted was a slight scratch and scar. His stance became steady once again as he threw the now empty bottle aside and took the sword in both hands.  
  
"I think not." Loedan replied to the bandit leader, who now was rather angry because of the tactician's use of a healing item. The old man had the battle in the bag- if he could deal with the sword user; he had little to fear from the flying strumpet who used a lance. Now outnumbered two-to-one, the man had no choice but to run or fight- running would make him a laughingstock among his peers, and so he came forward, dropping the hand axe to the ground and pulling out an iron axe that he had had strapped to his back. The movement was all that Kiri and Loedan needed, and both came forward.  
  
Loedan ducked to the side of the awkward downward strike of the man that had attacked with all his might. Another error, obviously- when one strikes downwards with full strength, their balance is affected, and they cannot change direction so easily. And so Loedan's sword cut deep into the man's non-axe arm, causing the man to cry out. But then a splash of blood erupted from between the man's lips, and he fell to the ground. The tip of Kiri's lance had lodged itself into the back of the brigand's neck, and not only did blood seep from the man's mouth, it poured from the throat as he staggered to the ground and twitched in his death throes before going still a few seconds later, suffocating on his own blood.  
  
Loedan was breathing hard before he fell back to the ground, wincing as he shivered slowly. Then, as he forced himself to look upon the man that they had killed, and to the others that they had killed, he felt a sense of revulsion boil up inside of him. He had actually killed another person! The meal he had eaten hours ago began to come up, and he quickly turned around and couldn't help it. On his hands and knees, his meal escaped him the same way it had gone down the first time. Bile was what he could taste as his stomach heaved, and his body shuddered violently even as he felt a pair of hands on his shoulders.  
  
"Loedan… it was self defense. You know that." She told him, and though the tactician knew that she was right, he couldn't help but feel that perhaps there was another way… but there wasn't. In a world like this one, living and dying took place everyday. These brigands had likely slaughtered their own share of innocents, he thought, even as he was urged back onto his feet. Still, the stench of death was in the air, and he shuddered, having to take deep breaths of it. He knew that he would need to become used to such scenes, if he was to become a tactician, to be able to order others to do as he and Kiri had just done. Protect themselves and others. Those who attack with the intent to kill should be ready to die as well, he knew, and with a swallow of the ill-tasting sweetness he felt erupt from him a moment ago, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve.  
  
"You are correct, of course. Thank you, Kiri." He said to her quietly. Then, he walked from her grasp and over to the fallen archer and picked up the bow and quiver from the dead corpse. "May this bow and these arrows serve me better than you served them." He said to the dead man, sliding the quiver around to his back, settling the strap along his shoulder. The bow he slung across the other shoulder, and he sheathed his blade after wiping it clean on the back of the leader's tunic. Then, with a turn to Kiri, he nodded slightly to her, his breathing having returned to normal once more.  
  
Kiri wore a grim expression on her face as she nodded in return. She had felt her heart skip a beat when she had heard the sound of pain come from her friend, her tactician. This young man, who was supposed to lead a troop, not from the front but from safety, had put his own life on the line to keep her safe. And when confronted with the fact that he had killed another man to do so, after the heat of battle, had been filled with such revulsion… She could tell that he hadn't fully expected this to happen. The sounds and scent of battle, of dead people lying in one's wake as they stride towards their goal; it wasn't something he was entirely prepared for. The Pegasus Knights knew, however. They were trained from the beginning to learn to deal with this fact of life.  
  
Mercenaries knew this code better than most. The nobility knew little of this. They would send their guards to defend them. Most earned their titles simply from being at the right time. Few, if any, ever actually earned their honorific titles, such as Paladin or General. Kiri moved back to Hewn and jumped astride him, urging him forward on the ground over to where Loedan was taking one last look to the bodies that were around the area. "We must go, Loedan." She said, holding her hand out to him as she awaited a response from the man. The brown haired young man looked up to her and nodded once, slowly, before moving to mount the Pegasus behind her. His arms went around the Pegasus Knight once more, and then they were off again as Kiri urged Hewn to gain some more altitude.  
  
Sacae   
It was not until that night and many miles away from the forests that we stopped for the evening. Kiri built a fire as I put the bow to a test against some hapless rabbits that I found- a pair of rabbits skinned within an hour of beginning the hunt, and they were cooking nicely. I worked on removing the blood from the fur of the rabbits, and then tucked them into my pack. They would become something later on, when a needle and thread could be found and utilized. She cooked the meat as we both whistled an uplifting tune that the Pegasus Knights would often play on strings and winds.  
  
"Kiri… did I do wrong earlier?" Loedan asked her as the rabbits that were being cooked began to finish baking in the fire. He couldn't help but think that he'd had done something wrong, that he could have done more to keep her safe. The Pegasus Knight, her braid of hair falling over her shoulder to display the deep green hair that she had. She shook her head to the young man before moving over to sit beside him.  
  
"No, Loedan… you did what you could. But you are only one person, and we were only two against five. You were lucky that things turned out the way they had, even though you did suffer a bad wound." She said. Kiri wasn't one to mince words often, and this was no exception. "You could have allowed me to battle them a bit more than you did, though. There is very little a single person can do against five, even if you do have someone around to keep all of them from attacking you at once." She told the tactician, and he nodded slightly. The wind on the plains picked up, and they listened to the song it played along the tall grass as the air weaved between the strands.  
  
"I suppose you are right… I am sorry, Kiri. But I know that you cannot handle axes all that well." Loedan said in response, before standing and walking over to the fire, reaching to the meat that he had caught with his arrows, and he nodded, sensing that they were done as he touched them with his fingers lightly. "And my display after that; imagine, a tactician of war so repulsed by the sight and stench of death and blood that he must lose what he had already eaten earlier that day? My grandfather would likely laugh at such a showing." He said, taking the meat that was cooking on the spits and walking back over to his friend and companion, offering her one of them.  
  
"I doubt it, Loedan. Your grandfather was a wonderful tactician. Everyone says so. But everyone begins somewhere, do they not? There are no records of his work before others decided he was important. I find it likely that he liked peace more than war. Certainly, one would think that he fought for it. Our historians say as much, after all." Kiri replied, taking the offered spit with the meat on it. "You are worrying too much, Loedan. Relax. You are not being compared to your grandfather." She told him.  
  
That was a lie, of course. But at least it made him feel a little better, as he took a bite from the meat that he had caught. He chewed it carefully, sitting down beside the Pegasus Knight. She knew just what to say, he thought, and he smiled a little. To have a friend like her was a wonderful thing. But still, he knew that he would have to remain serious about continuing on his quest to become a real tactician.  
  
"I will take the watch tonight, Kiri… I want you to get some sleep." He told her, smiling after they had eaten in silence for several minutes, their meal soon gone- he had only managed to catch a pair of thin rabbits, after all, and they had not much meat on their bones to go around. But it had been enough for him, at least. Kiri shook her head and grinned.  
  
"Oh no you do not, my friend; four hours of sleep only, and then I shall wake you, Loedan. You sleep first. A tactician who has not his wits about him during a battle is not as sharp as you may think." She replied, scolding Loedan as she watched him. He couldn't help but to laugh, and then smile to her. She was right, he knew. Why was it that in battle, he was overprotective of her, but outside of it… he still was? Perhaps it would be a good thing to consider sometime.  
  
"Fine… As you command, oh fair knight of Ilia." He replied sarcastically, and they both laughed before he rolled out his bedroll on the ground close to the fire. When he was all settled, he looked back to Kiri, who was now fiddling with the end of her braided hair, and he smiled again before pulling out his grandfather's diary. And then, he started with the first entry.  
  
Tactician's Diary   
Day 1  
  
My name... it is something I cannot remember well. I believe that it is Mark, for it was the name that this large book had within it. This was one of my few possessions left to me after I was found by this girl, Lyn of the Lorca tribe, of the Sacae plains. She found me on the plains after I had passed out from exhaustion and thirst. I had come from Ilia, to pursue my career as a tactician, though I have had little to no practical experience yet on the subject. Lyn is very attractive girl, with a glint in her eyes that were not meant for simply any man. She carried with her stance a sense of nobility, I thought, the day we met. Thank Elimine for watching out for me on that fateful day, when I had collapsed from exhaustion after passing along the plains, so far from my home.  
  
She cared for me for but a short while before some noise from outside the tent in which I was resting and she lived in drew her outside. Bandits, she told me, and so we both went outside. She was right- three axe wielding brigands were headed for the Ger that was Lyn's home. With a look of steel, she brought the fight to them, and I was only of limited help as she fought the bandits. The last, a man who called himself "Batta the Beast," proved to be the most trouble for Lyn, despite her skill with her blade and the speed she carried naturally. However, a missed opportunity by the bandit allowed the girl to score her victory, using a special maneuver that cut through the brigands' defenses in several locations and severing life from his body in the same instant.  
  
I was, of course, impressed with this girl's tenacity. Unfortunately, as weak as I was at the time, I collapsed soon after returning to the Ger with Lyn. It was the next day by the time I regained consciousness, and we spoke again. She wished to become stronger, to go on a journey of training... and she wished for me to take her with me. I told her that I would, but only if she had permission from her parents, for at the time she could not be much more than 16 or 17 summers old. When she told me her tragic story, of how her family and her tribe were slaughtered by Taliver bandits, I could not help but be moved, and immediately allowed her to come with me. Two strangers united by something... perhaps a bond of fate, perhaps not, but we were unlikely allies as we took down the Ger and packed our valuables, this book among them, and headed for Bulgar.  
  
It seems that to me that I should continue to write in this book, for perhaps someday when I am old and have need of remembering days long past, that this shall contain the truth and strength of the times when I travelled with Lyn. No matter what, though we have only known each other for two days now, I know I will treasure my time with this young girl... though really, I am not much older than she. I only hope, when she reflects upon her time with me as well, that she might think the same as I do.  
  
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Author's Note: Well now, this is my first attempt at a Fire Emblem fanfic, as I said. I could use and reviews that can be given, so feel free to blast away with your opinions. I'm getting into the swing of things with this particular style of writing, so please forgive any inconsistencies that there might be. I'm still looking for certain storylines from previous games to help add more depth to this one, including official storylines from the Sword of Seals game to help make this one feel more correct than it is. 


	2. An actual beginning

Author's Note: Yes, I am accepting ideas for characters. Keep in mind that when I created Loedan and Kiri, I was using the stat system from FE 7, to give me an idea of how best to keep the characters 'average', so to speak. I have no lords in this fic (not yet at least), so I have to be sure to keep things mostly standard so far. Of course, the tactician could be viewed as a lord, at least, so maybe I should just use him as such.  
  
Chapter 2: An actual beginning  
  
It was by the dawn of the morning after their arrival in Sacae that Loedan was awakened. The sun was low on the horizon, and cast shadows from the few trees that could be found on the plains. With a yawn, Loedan awoke and smiled, watching the sun that slowly made its presence known to this place where the sun could call home. Looking over to the stump that had been found, from a fallen tree, he saw his friend Kiri sitting upon it. She watched the sunrise as well, sparing the training tactician a glance before looking back to the sunrise. He smiled still, walking over to sit beside her on the stump before looking back to the sun. The rays of light burst forth and weaved through and over grass and tree, shadows behind each in comparison to the sun.  
  
"A beautiful morning to you, my friend." he said quietly to the pegasus knight. She smiled and nodded, just watching the sun. It took a moment for Loedan to look over to her and realize that she had tears in her eyes, and he had to wonder as to why she was crying. Kiri blinked, and then as if only now realizing the moisture on her cheeks, wiped at them with the back of her hand quickly. When Kiri found that her friend, the tactician, was watching her, her cheeks flushed softly as she shook her head slowly.  
  
"It is the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen, Loedan. To watch the sun itself come up over the grassy plains... I am now, more than ever before, glad to have gotten away from the mountains, if only for a short while. This sight will always be special to me, and I will treasure it always." she said quietly, even as she held herself up on the stump with both hands. Loedan nodded, and looked behind the stump, to where Hewn was resting on the ground with wings tucked in to his sides. He gazed back towards the sunrise, and found himself agreeing with his friend. Indeed, this was a spectacular sunrise, with only a few light clouds drifting along. To compare to the bloodshed yesterday, this was a reason to live and keep others alive as well.  
  
One must find a way to keep on going, Loedan had once read from one of the several books his grandfather had studied from. A battle, though harsh and bloody, must always be balanced with peace and time for reflection. With those of the group, friendships and alliances must be formed. One must always watch out for the others, and the others must care for the ones who cannot fight. Only by working together, one goal for all, might there be a chance to survive a battle, no matter how great or small. Take every challenge and learn from it, and practice caution. Losing a member of your group will never be acceptable. One person for the lives of many must never be allowed, though the risks may be great. A life is worth more gold than anything else in the world: treat life as such.  
  
Loedan remembered these words of wisdom, strength inside them and a message that could never be forgotten by a tactician. He was not only in charge of a battle, but also for the safety and well-being of those fighting for him as well. Of course, for a tactician as he wished to become, keeping himself safe from harm was another constant concern. But then it took a moment for the combat tactician to realize something, and he looked back to the Pegasus Knight who was still watching the sunrise. "Why did you not wake me, Kiri? You let me sleep through the night."  
  
The girl looked at him sheepishly and shrugged. "I was thinking, Loedan. By the time I realized that I had not woken you, the sun was rising." she replied, and Loedan sighed softly. Great. A tired Pegasus Knight would not do so well in battle, should they need to enter into one soon. She saw the look on his face and knew exactly what he was thinking- in a tactical sense, she knew he was right, but as a friend, she knew that he had needed his sleep. He had done more than his share of the fighting yesterday, after all. "Relax... I will sleep tonight, alright? You may take the first watch." she told him, and Loedan was forced to agree with her on this, or else risk an argument with his friend. With a stretch, he stood back up and looked around slowly. He hadn't heard anything or anyone earlier, save for the wind.  
  
"Pardon me for a moment, if you would, Kiri." Loedan said, blushing slightly as he walked to the nearest tree, quite a ways away. The girl just watched him until her stopped at the tree, wondering what he was going to do and why he had gone that way, before realizing his intent. Her cheeks flushed a deep red; the Pegasus Knight looked away to her Pegasus and just watched that way as the lance she carried swayed from side to side against her lap. Well, most people did prefer their privacy when dealing with their morning 'problems', after all. Loedan wasn't but a moment before he walked back, the once steady pressure now dealt with as he felt a bit lighter in his steps.  
  
"All taken care of now?" she asked, in a voice loud enough that would wake Hewn, who snorted loudly before rising to his hooves and stretching out his wings. Loedan blushed and nodded in return- neither cared to speak of such things, really, even though they'd been friends for such a long time. She laughed softly and slipped to her feet, one hand taking the lance and spinning it once until the lance tip was pointed to the air and the butt of the weapon rested upon the ground at her feet. "Good... then, once Hewn is fully awake, we shall be off towards Bulgar." she replied, stretching as well. She was definitely tense, and if Loedan didn't mistake the heavy look to her eyes, tired as hell.  
  
"That sounds like a plan to me... I did see a Ger, maybe a mile past that tree. Not sure though, hard to judge distances here on the plains." Loedan commented, looking back over towards the tree he'd 'visited' a moment ago. The cool air did wonders to make them wide awake, though one of the two was certainly very tired anyway. An uneasy feeling passed through the tactician, causing him to shiver- it wasn't the cool air, however. To begin with, the air was still much warmer than the very cold air back in Ilia. He thought he could feel some sort of... thundering? But no, as he looked to the sky to be sure, there were no storm clouds overhead. He blinked and felt it again, and then heard a whinny from a horse- not a Pegasus, however.  
  
Kiri had noticed this much sooner, of course, having been around horses and Pegasi all her life. "One horse rider... a knight, maybe." she told him. She would have information like that before him, thanks to her own training- the light galloping of a hoofed beast often would make such information known. She shook her head slowly, smiling even as she went over to her steed and jumped astride Hewn. "Coming towards us, if I hear correctly." she told him, and Loedan took his bow and pulled an arrow, notching the arrow to the string carefully. If they were about to be attacked by a single horseback rider, then perhaps this day would start out badly after all.  
  
It took but a moment longer before the rider became known to them both. The sun had rose enough to provide enough light for them both to see who it was- a rider clad in dark red armor, the horse itself also wearing the same color of armored plates. The coloring struck Loedan as odd, yet somehow familiar. That in itself got him wondering about who it could be, for as far as he could remember, Loedan had never actually met a cavalier. Yet, somehow, this rider seemed to be more experienced than that. Once the rider had crested the hill, he had begun coming towards them at a gentle gait, barely moving at all it seemed. A leisurely ride, perhaps, by the rider? It seemed hardly possible, but Loedan knew that everyone had their reasons to do the things they do.  
  
Loedan and Kiri watched as, for the next five minutes, the rider came closer and closer to them both. In that time, Kiri came up alongside Loedan and the tactician set away his bow and the arrow was placed into the quiver again. Obviously, unless this was a trick, the knight coming towards them meant them no harm. The one thing that cinched it for Loedan, however, was the fact that there was no menace in the air or about the rider. Oftentimes, he could sense such things before one came too close to him, allowing him the ability to prepare for any trouble that might arrive. When the knight came up before them, he raised his hand to show that though he was armed, he meant to offer not trouble to them.  
  
"Hello, sir and lady!" came an old man's voice from within the helmet of the knight's figure. "Good madam and sir, I am sorry for intruding upon you without introduction. We were out for a bit of a ride, and by Elimine, you surprised us both! If I was younger, I am certain I would have seen you, but my good pair of eyes here did. See Rook? You were right, there is a Pegasus Knight here." he said, pulling his helmet off. He was a fairly old man, though quite possibly older than he looked- a Paladin, Loedan realized. No wonder he was more sure of his gait than some cavaliers could be. A shock of red hair surprised him, and as Loedan gazed upon the man, he was suddenly aware that he seemed awfully familiar.  
  
From behind the man, a young girl slid off from his steed's back to stand beside the paladin. A native of Sacae, if her garb was any indication, Loedan noticed, as well as the color of her hair, which seemed to only be rather common in the northern regions- a green color, not quite as dark as Kiri's. Her garb was a light tan color, with a blue trim that covered her body beneath the cloak she wore of the same coloring. "Yes, I told you I thought I saw a Pegasus Knight, uncle. We of Sacae do not lie, remember?" she reminded him, almost scolding but obviously just being playful with the old knight, who chuckled in response. The girl wore her hair in two long braids that reached down to her knees- she must not have ever had her hair cut by anyone, Loedan thought to himself, before he looked from the girl back to the paladin again.  
  
"Ah yes, I do remember hearing that from your grandmother when first we knew one another, Rook." he said, reaching down to squeeze the girl's shoulder softly. Loedan looked to Kiri, who was watching the exchange with an amused expression in her face. The tactician looked to the knight again, who had now looked back to them; mostly to Loedan, however, a thoughtful look in the old paladin's eyes as the sharp blue eyes, though obviously near-sighted now. "My... you look familiar, somehow. Have we ever met before, sir?" was the question asked of Loedan by the paladin, and then all eyes were on the young tactician. He thought for a moment how best to phrase his response, and then let fly, as if firing an arrow into the wind.  
  
"I am afraid not, good sir. My name is Loedan, and this is actually our first day away from Ilia." he told the Paladin, smiling a little to him before bowing and continuing. "This is my good friend Kiri, and it is a pleasure to meet you both." he says, standing slowly up... only to find himself to blink at the point of a blade that had presented itself in front of him. Loedan looked to the one holding the blade- the girl, of course, and he wondered, as he watched the Sacae girl's blue eyes, a brightness that reminded him, somewhat, of the man she called her uncle just a little earlier. "Ah... is the blade necessary right now?" he asked the girl, who just giggled and sheathed the blade quickly, almost too fast for his eyes to follow, really.  
  
Rook watched the young boy... young man? Hard to tell. He was a bit short and had a young-looking face. He wore a bow slung across his chest and had a sword on his belt- an unusual combination outside of the Nomadic Troopers that one could find here and there within the boundaries of Sacae, she knew. Obviously not too quick, she thought of him, before her gaze was drawn to the Pegasus and the Knight who rode astride it. Her grandmother's best friend had been a Pegasus Knight. It was a beautiful beast, the Pegasus... She had been captivated by the chance of seeing one up close, and now that she was almost close enough to touch it, it was difficult for the young girl to keep her hands to herself. The woman riding upon it looked nice- almost like her grandmother, really, because of the color of her hair.  
  
"Ah! Mercenaries heading for Bern then, I wager?" the paladin asked, an almost disappointed tone in the old man's voice as he shrugged- an interesting feat for an old man wearing fairly heavy armor, mind you. Loedan could tell that the man must still train, even now, to be limber enough to do battle, as it seemed he was still capable of doing. "No matter... my name is Kent, former captain of the knights of Caelin. This is Rook... granddaughter to one of my greatest friends, the Lady Lyndis of Sacae and Caelin." the paladin spoke, fond memories bringing back the friendliness of his voice again. The words that the paladin spoke caused Loedan to blink in surprise and his jaw dropped as well. The expression on the tactician's face was priceless- both Kiri and Rook giggled as they saw the look on his face  
  
It took the aspiring tactician a moment to say anything after that. "The same Kent who traveled with The Tactician... Mark?" he asked quietly, hope entering his mind and voice. Kent nodded slowly- the tactician's name was not widely known among many people. Mostly, only lords and families that had been directly touched or directed by the man's orders knew his name these days.  
  
Yet, how would anyone from Ilia know the tactician's name, from so long ago? Loedan smiled warmly and bowed again to the paladin. "My grandfather... his name was Mark, Sir Kent." he says, and quickly went back to where he had kept his grandfather's diary overnight. Loedan picked it up, and carried it back over to the paladin, holding it out so that the brave man could see it. "Does this look familiar to you at all?" he asked... and then shivered a little as he looked about slowly, his senses taking a moment out of this moment to check on their surroundings.  
  
Kiri watched these proceedings with a small smile- the name of Kent was known to her family as well, for her own mother had, at one time, met a man by that name. However, for he had been smitten with another woman, her mother had given up upon the paladin, returning home and raising a family in Ilia instead. But she had never known that he remained alive- her mother would be overjoyed to learn that the man she once loved was still alive and well even now! If she had a chance to do so, she'd definitely send word back to Fiora so she would know what she had just learned.  
  
"Why is there black smoke back the way you came?" Loedan asked now, unable to wait for a response from Kent. Rook gasped and looked back towards the smoke, and jumped as she saw about where it was coming from. Obviously it was a place important to the young girl… possibly to them both? Kent looked to Rook, who did the same, and the girl nodded to him before quickly getting onto the horse's back, behind Kent.  
  
"The bandits must have found our Ger while we were away. I am afraid that I may not be as young as I once was, to beat back bandits with ease... might I ask for your help, sir and lady?" the Paladin asked them. Loedan only glanced to Kiri, who nodded slightly to him before he looked back to Kent and Rook.  
  
"It would be an honor to help those who met my grandfather." he replied, grinning slightly. Kent's eyes went foggy for a moment, as if remembering the old days, before nodding and smiling in return. Then, with a flick of the reins, they were rushing back towards the Ger. Loedan was surprised as he heard the thundering of hooves behind him, and then was snatched up by his tunic by Kiri, who set him on Hewn's back before taking off into the air. "Never a dull moment, eh?" he asked sarcastically, to which he heard no reply, but Kiri did smile ruefully at.  
  
At the Ger ---  
  
About ten minutes later, Kent and Rook arrived at the Ger that they lived in. There had been no sign of any bandits about save for the trampling of grass- many had come, but none were still in sight, strangely. Kent's horse slowed as they came closer, Kent looking about as Rook jumped from the back of the steed to run over to the collapsed and still-burning tent. It was obvious that nothing inside was left, from the way that everything was burning. Oil and fire had been used, a lethal combination upon anything even remotely flammable- paper, parchment, rug, clothes... and people. Rook fell to her knees as Kiri came up close, Hewn landing on the ground and Loedan slipped off of the Pegasus now as well, surveying the damage for a split second before shuddering, feeling as if they weren't the only ones here.  
  
Rook began to cry, not for lost belongings or memories, but for her parents- they had still been asleep, still in bed while recovering from an illness. Kent was turned away from the tactician and the Pegasus Knight, his head held low. Obviously, he'd felt like a guardian for this family, and not just for the girl that had called him uncle. Loedan sighed softly, before looking to the sky. Hadn't the bandits been mostly wiped out here on the plains? Obviously, not anymore...  
  
And now, there was no illness, but an eternal release. "Mother Earth and Father Sky..." Loedan said quietly, quoting his grandfather's favorite saying from the plains, closing his eyes before he opened them and looked about quickly. Plains as far as the eye could see. This burning wreckage of a home. Rook in a state of shock. Kiri was looking about as well, and Kent was on the other side of the burning ger now. Then, to Loedan's surprise, he found that they were practically surrounded by an oncoming horde of bandits, as they popped out of concealment within the tall grasses.  
  
"You four won't leave here alive... 'er Grandmother's knight wiped our leader's clan out almost completely. We've been waiting for years to get even... By killing that woman's entire line!" the leader said, a man who carried a sword on his shoulder. Many brigands lined him, nearly a dozen in all surrounding the now broken down Ger. Loedan swallowed slowly- eleven bandits, not including the leader. 3-to-1 odds, though the tactician knew that we had a distinct advantage thanks to Kent's superior skills and training. An odd sense of calm washed over him suddenly, as his mind gave in to the urgings that he hadn't felt before yesterday.  
  
"Kent! Kiri! We need to protect Rook until she can fight again! Engage the enemies that come near, but don't let them through to her!" he cried out to his group, to which he then drew his bow. An arrow left the quiver quickly, and he notched it to the bowstring before aiming at the nearest brigand. The brigands then began to almost march forward, rushing headlong into the battle. Kent was the first to engage the enemy, and with his beautiful silver blade, parried the brigand's attack and then lopped his head off with a quick and deadly strike. Kiri was in luck- her opponents were the furthest away, so she would have time to prepare for the onslaught of 3 axe-users.  
  
Then, it was time for Loedan to attack, and he let the arrow fly at the oncoming brigand. No sooner was it let loose than he set the bow across his shoulder, slinging it before drawing his sword. The brigand managed to avoid the arrow easily, and as Loedan heard another death scream from Kent's area of defense, the first brigand made it to the tactician and attacked. Loedan was barely ready for it, and managed to duck under the wild swing before swinging his own blade low, striking at the man's knees with the iron sword. He connected this time, blood seeping from the wound and causing the brigand to fall to his knees, crying out in pain before another slash of the sword brought about a wet sound rather than the coarse yelling that had once come from the living man. The brigand fell to the ground completely, clutching at his slashed throat that was now pouring blood from the severed artery.  
  
Another brigand found his way to Loedan as he had finished his strike, and swung the axe he held in hand at the tactician's side. It was almost a direct hit, if not for Loedan's seeing the movement just in time. The Ilian quickly moved aside, but not before feeling a scratch at his side, part of his cape and tunic gone now as he groaned slightly and counter attacked. His blade went forward, thrust towards the brigand's chest, to which the man dodged by ducking downwards. Loedan, the faster of the two, slashed down now, bringing the blade up and then sweeping downwards before the blade connected with the brigands' spine. The pain that coursed through the man was all he could feel, for a split second, before Loedan pulled the tip from where it had lodged itself within. The bandit fell to the ground, the second of the axe users gone now.  
  
"Kiri! To me!" he cried, knowing that the bandits would reach her soon, and that their axes would deal with her lance easily. Loedan spared Kent a glance and saw that the majority of the brigands were concentrated on him, though the Paladin knew what he was doing, obviously. He was protecting the girl, who was now watching the battle raging around her, the state of shock obvious in her eyes. With a sigh, the aspiring tactician darted over to her and knelt beside her- a relative calm in the storm as the winds raged around them. "Rook, please... I know this is painful for you, but we must have your help!"  
  
Rook flashed him an almost evil look, her eyes red and cheeks moist with her tears. "You... have no idea how painful this is..." she said, quietly. Loedan had to concede that point, but knew that if she didn't get to her feet, then any reinforcements would likely defeat them. "My mother... my father... both were inside the Ger, ill. Now they are gone..." and she started sobbing again. The tactician sighed as he looked to where he heard Kiri land beside them, and he stood up, looking over to where her axe-using opponents were making their way closer to them now.  
  
"Let them come to me... stay with Rook, Kiri, and protect her." he said, and then darted off to stall, perhaps even defeat, the oncoming bandits. Kiri looked to Rook and sighed, wondering just what to do in a situation like this? It was something that had never before come up, after all, in her years of training to become a Pegasus Knight. So, she surveyed the battle, her eyes coming to rest on the Paladin who had successfully defeated half a dozen of the bandits already, and was rushing towards the leader, who remained a supposedly safe distance away.  
  
Loedan now faced three more bandits. His side hurt- the 'scratch' now was bleeding somewhat, not too much but enough to make it noticeable as he moved. He held the sword in his hands, raising it as he ran to the first one, the one in the middle of the three who were moving towards him in almost a 'V' formation. He strode forward once more before swinging down at the oncoming bandit, the blade slashing deep across the man's chest before swinging free again, to be drawn up to Loedan's free arm before slashing horizontally across the bandit's stomach in another swift movement.  
  
The bandit fell, of course, to the swinging blade. Its effectiveness astounded even Loedan- adrenaline rush, he told himself, before he looked to the bandits who were now on either side of him with their wicked axe blades held towards him. As soon as he tried to step away, the one behind him struck and Loedan cried out in pain for the second time in as many days, feeling the edge of the axe within his side. The tactician managed to somehow avoid the slash of the one before him as he turned away from the axe that had struck him when it left his body. It left a large gash that he could feel was bleeding freely.  
  
The shock of the strike began to take over his body, but it wasn't fast enough to stop the young man's counter attack. With a yell, he grasped the hilt of his blade with both hands and swung once more, slashing at the one before him wildly. Of course, he missed, falling to the ground and dropping the blade. He cursed his numbed fingers as he shuddered there, writhing in pain on the ground as he looked up to see the pair of brigands hovering over him, as though they were vultures circling a carcass.  
  
A cry of anguish could be heard, and to Loedan's surprise, it wasn't his own. No, it was the sound of a woman's voice, and then another, as both Kiri and Rook launched themselves into the fray. Kiri's target was immediately skewered from behind, much as she'd done the day previous to this to the leader of the group that had been targeting her. Rook's opponent found himself with multiple slashing cuts along his sides, arms, and legs before a final one brought her back into sight. The man had only begun to bleed slightly along those visible cuts before his throat erupted, blood pouring from it to splatter on Loedan before the now dead brigand fell to the ground.  
  
Loedan's consciousness began to flee as he felt the warm, sticky fluid of another's life splatter on his face in a few drops. His own blood was escaping, and the way his body shuddered told him that soon his mind would be gone as well, into a shock that he could not afford to slip into. He felt a pair of hands on his shoulders, even as he managed to speak. "Kiri... get the... mer... ce... na...ry..." he managed to gasp out between ragged breaths, his chest heaving up and down even as his sight left him, and then all was dark.  
  
Much later that day.  
---  
  
The afternoon was winding down as the sun began to dip beneath the mountains in the distance. Inside a tent, two young women were tending to a fallen man. He'd grown feverish, even after the bleeding had been stopped, and now lay on the ground with a blanket about him, a cold rag wet with river water set upon his brow. Rook was kneeling beside him, watching over the tactician carefully. The Pegasus Knight stood near the tent's doorway, looking out upon the plains. Both were very worried about this boy- Kiri had known him for years, but Rook had barely met him at all this very day before having to enter into a battle with the brigands that had destroyed her home and family.  
  
The sound of hooves played lightly upon the ground as Kent arrived at the tent, and he allowed his passenger off at the entrance. Kiri stepped aside and then outside, holding the flap of the tent open for the two who would enter, seeing the robes that the visitor wore- a sister of St. Elimine, she could tell, and then Kent followed the cleric into the tent. Upon seeing the harm that had been done to the man (though to be fair, she could not see the extent of the damage because of the blanket), she held her staff up and breathed a prayer to her faith. An aura of blue light erupted from the staff, escaping to encompass the hurt tactician that was resting. The wound was gone as the aura covered the tactician, all other bodily harm gone in an instant. The pain ended and a groan escaped the young man that lay there. All waited for him to open his eyes, which he did within a few moments. His sight did not return quickly, all was hazy as he reached up with his right hand to rub his brow slowly.  
  
Then a sudden weight could be felt on his chest- not a foot, but a body, and Loedan's hand went to the arm that he felt wrap about him- who was this? His eyes could not focus yet, even as the shock and pain was gone from his body. He felt wetness, even through his tunic, from the person who was lying upon him. "Wha... Mother Earth and Father Sky, who is this?" he asked quietly. His gaze began to focus as he blinked a few times, and he found himself looking to the girl of the plains, Rook, as she held to his waist. "Rook?" he asked now, before smiling a little, more surprised than anything else by the way that she held fast to him.  
  
"Are you feeling better?" a young woman's voice asked him, and Loedan looked up to see the Elimine cleric kneeling beside him now. He nodded a little bit to her, and then blinked, wincing once as he felt Rook's hand graze by where there once had been a very grievous wound. It took only a second for him to realize what had happened since he had been knocked unconscious. Someone, likely Kent, had gone to a shrine or temple that was reasonably nearby and summoned this cleric to heal him. Loedan's face flushed as looked to the floor. The stress of combat and ordering troops had overcome him... or had it been the bloodloss? It could very well have been a combination of the two as well.  
  
"Milord..." came Kent's voice, proud as he came into sight before kneeling beside the cleric. "Milord Loedan, thank you for your help this day in battle against those bandits. I fear I would not have been able to protect Rook by myself without your and Kiri's help." the proud Paladin said to him. Loedan shook his head slowly and smiled gratefully to the powerful man who had dealt with the majority of the bandits earlier in the day. Loedan had only been more of a liability than an asset in this battle, after all.  
  
"I did nothing extraordinary... I did what needed to be done, but all that was to simply get myself into trouble and endanger your lives." was the tactician's response as his eyes locked to the floor. Kent simply shook his head and then rapped his sheathed blade against his armored leg to get the man's attention again. Loedan silently muttered before looking up to the Paladin, who now had fire in his eyes. Obviously, he was going to go ahead and say something supposedly uplifting to the man who had risked his life to save the one left whom he had sworn to protect.  
  
"No, milord. Your sword and bow were the deciding factor against the enemy this day. I could never have protected anyone from so many brigands at once. Kiri's lance would never had stood against the brigands, either, and Rook was in no position to protect herself..." the man said, and then reached over to place his hand on Rook's back, gently rubbing now. "Your grandfather," and Kent nodded at that, as if confirming to himself that he now believed it, "Your grandfather was a great tactician, leading the lords of Pherae and Ostia, as well as the lady of Caelin, and the troops into battle with precision and daring. His strength lay within the ability of the troops to do as directed, to take a risk every now and again. A failure was only a minor setback- he would redraw his plans and go back into battle with a new strategy to get things done right. You took a risk when you knew it must be gambled, to save your friends and my charge's life."  
  
Kent bowed his head, closing his eyes after that, before speaking again. "For your bravery and strategic sense, milord... and for saving Rook from those bandits, I would offer the services of an old knight of Caelin. I cannot leave my charge, the last of Lady Lyndis' line, however, so I must simply offer you my undying thanks." The Paladin looked back up, and stared into Loedan's eyes, to burn into his mind that he was not in any sense jesting of this matter. The cleric had left, stepping outside and leaving the three alone inside the tent as they talked.  
  
Outside the tent ---  
  
Kiri was sitting down on the ground, her Pegasus resting comfortably beside her as she wrote in her own book the events of today. She had written already the events of the day before, when the tactician she traveled with had risked his own life to protect hers from brigands. At the sound of the cleric stepping out from the tent, she set aside the small book and stood, bowing to the cleric before looking to her hopefully. The cleric nodded, and Kiri sighed in relief as she knew this meant that her friend and comrade was no longer in mortal danger.  
  
"Thank you, milady." was the Pegasus Knight's words to the cleric, who simply shook her head. Kiri had no tears to shed for her friend- at least, it did not look as if she had shed any for him. But if one could see within the book that she had just closed, then they might find small patches of moisture upon the pages within it, the drying of which would cause several pages to stick to one another before a little effort would be able to pry them apart.  
  
"No, it is not a problem at all, milady. It is an honor to help the one whose grandfather saved the temple of the Mani Katti." the cleric said, smiling softly. Kiri blinked, not having heard this story before, and shrugged a little bit. If you say so, she thought to herself, though the saying could almost be heard by the cleric from the knight's body language. The cleric giggled a little, her long pink locks falling straight down along her cheeks and down behind her back shuffling slightly in the process. "Oh yes, the resemblance is there, milady. According to Lord Kent's accounts of the battle you four were in, there can be no doubt. Besides, Lord Kent was one of the two knights who helped defend the temple from the bandits who had entered to steal the Mani Katti before the spirits found the Lady Lyndis to be the sacred blade's rightful owner."  
  
Kiri was speechless at this- she'd never heard of the old tales of The Tactician's first battles. Only the ones of his battles after helping the Lady Lyndis had ever fully been accounted by others. The Lady Lyndis' best friend was a Falcoknight of the highest order back at home- few had ever received the honor of meeting Florina, the youngest of the three sisters that had gone with The Tactician's group. Not since it was found that despite her brilliant battling techniques, she still could not handle working with men very well, at least. None know from where that fear stems from, not even her own mother- Her Aunt Florina would never tell a soul.  
  
"I... I see." Kiri replied, nodding slightly. She would have to ask Lord Kent to tell her about those days sometime. The battles of old was a subject that Kiri loved to discuss. However, after this latest battle, she'd had to return to the campsite that they had left behind and recover their things- bedroll, packs, and even Loedan's book. She looked to the cleric and smiled a little as she lifted the rather large book from her side, and turned the cover over. At the signature on the back of the front cover, the Pegasus knight nearly jumped- and even upside down, the cleric could recognize the name that rested upon the page in ink.  
  
"T.. the Tactician's diary?" the cleric gasped, stepping closer to look more carefully. Indeed, it was that, and the two sat down, side by side, as they began to read the diary of Mark. Kiri's curiosity was too great now- she had never before seen this book, nor had the chance to read it before. It was now that she could indulge herself before giving the book back to her friend, and read of battles long past. First, she read of the day when Mark met the Lady Lyndis, and then...  
  
Day 3 ---  
  
Lyn told me, as we neared the city, that Bulger was the largest of all cities in Sacae. Of course, I believed her, for I had not seen any larger in my travels in this direction. Once in the city, we wandered about to try and find anything that would be of use to us, supplies to help us on our way, but Lyn was stopped by a man in green armor. His brown hair was well kept, and a youthful face was brimming with hope. However, the way that he tried to compliment Lyn told me that there was something... odd, to say the least, about this knight of Lycia. Lyn just shrugged him off and pulled me by the hand with her, away from the man and towards the edge of the walled city.  
  
But lo, what should we find but that same man and another beside a pair of horses, speaking to one another as we neared the entrance to town? This one had quite nice red hair, and seemed somewhat sophisticated- a rather unusual pair they were, it seemed to me, but at least this one had manners. Though when the red haired knight said that he had thought he had seen Lyn sometime before, she took offense (saying as much to him as well) and dragged me off, it seemed to me that he did not mean that in the same light as the green armored one.  
  
Once out of the city, we found ourselves surrounded by even more brigands! What was more surprising, however, was the fact that their leader called Lyn by a somewhat different name, Lyndis. Just when I thought I might have to try my hand at fighting as well against these hopeless odds, despite the vulneraries that Lyn had with her, reinforcements arrived in a peculiar manner. It was the pair of knights from before, and I was introduced to them. The green armored knight, a louse and a hopeless womanizer, was called Sain. An interesting play on the word vain... I wonder if his mother and father planned it that way? The red haired and armored knight was called Kent, and he at least knew his way around a battle, I found, as he provided Sain with instruction regarding how to defeat those who used axes. He was also very serious and quite well trained in more than simple battle. He seems to be an honorable man, almost the opposite of Sain in practically every way.  
  
With their help, and timely use of Vulneraries, we all managed to triumph over the bandits. Then it was time for the knights to share their story- that Lyn's real name was Lyndis, and she was named after her grandmother, a once noble woman of Caelin. Her mother, Madelyne, eloped with a nomad, and came to Sacae. Lyn's parents were killed months ago. Then Lyn learned she had a grandfather, and her eyes were alight in a different manner than they had been before. Family was something that I no longer possessed in my life, though Lyn had become much like a sister to me in the three days we had known one another. I could appreciate it when she decided to travel with the knights to meet her grandfather, but when Sain, the knight with the looser tongue, spoke of her grand uncle...  
  
---  
  
"What are you two looking at?" came Loedan's voice, a cheerful smile on his face as he walked slowly out from the tent. Of course, when he saw the somewhat guilty expression on the cleric and knight's faces, as well as the large book that rested in Kiri's lap, Loedan blinked and he seemed almost angry about what was obviously going on. But then, as he sensed Kent and Rook walk out from the tent behind him, he shrugged and smiled softly to the two. "Ah... I see. my grandfather Mark's journal. I knew you loved the old stories, Kiri, but I hadn't read the book in a long time, myself. I did not want to keep his diary a secret from anyone. And I suppose that is no longer possible, is it?" he said, before chuckling softly and walking over to where his weapons had been placed while he had been resting.  
  
Kent walked over to the two and just chuckled softly- unlike in the book, he seemed to have picked something up from his old companion Sain, and become much more friendly towards others, less strict even. "I wonder what my old tactician wrote about me, hm?" he asked, and winked to the knight before walking towards his horse. The cleric stood, thanking Kiri for the chance to read with her, and quickly moved after Kent to get a ride back to the temple.  
  
Rook, looked from Kent to Kiri, and then to Loedan again. She was a youngster, of course- not old at all, not in the slightest. Her cheeks were streaked with moisture, her eyes red as if she had been crying all day. And, of course, she practically had been, first at the Ger and then as she kept watch over the young man that had helped to save her life as she had been motionless from shock and grief. But when she saw that man fall in battle, a voice sang in her head to get up, pick up her blade and save him. Where the voice came from, she didn't know, but it was somewhat familiar. It hadn't been her conscience. It hadn't been common sense (or had it?). The voice hadn't even been her own, to tell the truth. But when she felt the brigand's flesh cleaved in two from her strikes, she knew she had done what she had been told to do in her head.  
  
She was not sure why that voice had been able to shake her out of the reverie that had claimed her in the beginning of the battle. But it had done its work, and in a rage, she had even taken out the mercenary before Kiri could do it, as she'd been instructed by the tactician that had fallen. She'd never felt that way before- detached from her body, almost, as it did what was required to avenge the man that had protected her. She'd never felt so vulnerable before, when she'd seen the man fall while attacking three brigands. It was a feeling that she never wanted to feel again, either. And so, she had made a vow to Mother Earth and Father Sky, repeating it many times as she had knelt beside the young tactician before Kent had returned with the cleric. She vowed that she would never again be so weak as to rely only on others for her own protection. Never again. She would become stronger to protect herself from now on.  
  
"Hey... Rook? Would you like to read from this book as well?" Kiri asked her, and Rook smiled softly, blushing a little bit. "Your grandmother is in here, too. Did you know that your grandmother and Loedan's grandfather helped each other on the plains a long time ago?" she asked the plains girl, who shook her head but smiled happily and walked over. Rook's clothes had been stained lightly in places with the blood of the two men she had killed earlier in the day- later on, they would have to see about cleaning the blood stains out somehow.  
  
The sound of a horse galloping away could be heard, and that meant that Kent and the cleric were heading back to the temple that she had come from.  
  
"I'll start from the beginning then." Kiri told her, and then began to read from the day that Mark had met Lyn, to the passage that she and the cleric had read through, and then further into the diary. Rook was captivated, enthralled by the way that the tactician himself had described her grandmother and 'uncle'. Loedan, however, was nowhere to be seen, as the two continued to read. He was sitting off to the side of the tent, unseen by the two who were reading his grandfather's diary, as he rested, legs crossed and eyes closed as he attempted to find focus within himself that had been fleeting earlier today.  
  
Dear grandfather, he thought to himself. Am I doing well? Should I be allowed to continue this path if I continue to put others in harm's way like that which has happened already. By Elimine, am I so unsuited to this calling that I have already been involved in two battles in as many days? What is this world coming to?  
  
---  
  
Author's Note: Yep… a self-doubting tactician. Of course, when you're not part of a 'Tactician's Guild', and you weren't really taught to be a tactician save from self-studies, can you blame the guy? Please Read and Review! 


	3. To the largest city in Sacae

Author's Note: I'd like to thank the few who have taken the time to review my fanfic so far. I'm hoping for more reviews, so I guess to do that I'd better write more chapters! Oh yes, this one will be a little shorter than the previous chapter, so maybe it'll be an easier read...?  
  
Chapter 3  
  
The next day ---  
  
Loedan was awake, having taken over for Kent an hour ago as the others slept soundly in the tent. He sat on a log, eyes open and ears alert as he watched over their small encampment. It was amazing, really, the fact that these three trusted him as much as they did. He was practically untested, as a warrior or as a tactician, and although he could account for Kiri's believing in him, he couldn't help but wonder why the others could. Rook was young, perhaps she didn't know better yet? No, for she was not that young at all, and had a mind of her own. Kent had seen many battles and had traveled with his Grandfather- surely the old Paladin could see flaws in his strategies, such as they were?  
  
It was tearing the young man up inside. The thought that he could lose these friends that he'd made in the course of the day was quite hard to him to even think of. But, he found himself nearly comforted by the thoughts of where they would go. Loedan simply wanted to tour the lands, from Sacae to Bern, to Lycia, Nabata, and even to Etruria, perhaps ending up back in Ilia when the time was right. He would be a wandering tactician- he didn't really want to lead an army into battle or war, after all. In peacetime, tacticians were only really found in their guildhalls, teaching noble children and learning from one another.  
  
He'd never been part of the guild, he thought, as he gazed into the starry sky. Nary a cloud wandered into his sight as he looked to the moon high up in the heavens, staring to it as if he was trying to eke out some answer from the distant saucer of pale white. His grandfather had had very little contact with the guildhalls after becoming a studying tactician and his 'walkabout', as Mark had called it. His walkabout had been well-timed... or had it been ill-timed? Well-timed for the fact that he met many people and influenced battles that had dire consequences, ill-timed because he then became so sought after by Bern and Ostia that they had nearly gone to war over the strategist.  
  
By all that was holy, by Mother Earth and Father Sky, let that fate not by mine own. The tactician thought to himself, closing his eyes for the briefest of moments. That fame had nearly ruined his grandfather's life. It was that fame that drove him to seek isolation within the depths of the Ilian mountains, to his family's retreat within that country. There, he built a humble life where he could spend the rest of his days away from war. Eventually, the battles over him ended and the searches cut off. Only the Ilian Pegasus Knights knew where to find the 'manor;' of those, only the three who had been part of his troop knew him at all well.  
  
Florina, Fiora, and Farina. The strength and beauty of these three sisters had been known throughout the lands after the battles they had fought in for Mark. Florina was a woman of strong morals and shy dealings, whereas her eldest sister, Farina, was a woman who gave her services for no less than 20,000 gold to a cause she could believe in. Fiora, the calm and collected one who takes her duty personally, retired a few years ago to care for her family. Following in this trio's trail was Kiri- one of Fiora's daughters. The others of her family were still very young.  
  
Only these three had any real dealings with Mark, and on occasion, Loedan had met with them as well upon their visits with his his grandfather. Farina's gruff attitude towards money and amused expressions, Fiora's serious nature, and Florina's shyness were contrasts with one another, but never had there been an opponent, human or otherwise, that could tear their sisterhood apart. Loedan smiled a little, opening his eyes as he watched the skies still, and then looked back about the small camp. It was not near morning yet in the slightest, as the moon remained high in the sky and showed very little signs of its slow movements down towards the mountains.  
  
He slid a hand along his side, shivering as he felt the cool air along where there should have been a scar. That axe had cut deeply into him, and by all rights, he should have died from the wound inflicted upon him by that brigand. Only the timely intervention of Rook and Kiri had saved his life... Well, not to mention the arrival of the cleric from the temple of the Mani Katti. Kent had held off so many of the brigands on his own that now he had to worry about supplies- did they have enough? Mark had mentioned that while traveling with Eliwood, he'd had a transporter named Merlinus to carry the extra things that his troops had needed. Food, weapons, tomes of magic of the various sorts, staves, items of healing and the like.  
  
They had no way of transporting such items easily: Rook was too young to carry much, Kiri could carry more but still not much, or else could not fly. Kent could likely carry the most, but he was old and would require mobility on the field. Hauling supplies was not something just anyone was easily capable of, and Loedan himself knew his own limitations. If he carried much more than he did now, there was no way he could successfully give orders and fight at the same time without physical and mental stress wearing him out quickly on the field.  
  
Then there was their monetary situation. He hadn't much money, maybe a thousand gold at most- enough for lodgings for a night or two and a replacement bow or sword. Kiri didn't have much either, and asking people you have just met to find out their situation with money simply wasn't polite or feasible at a time like this. With a sigh, the tactician hung his head. There was little he could do at this point, really. Perhaps stopping at Bulgar would enable them to fill their pouches with gold, if there was an arena to fight in. But only Rook would not be allowed to enter into such a tournament- the risk of life and limb was too great to allow just anyone to attempt such tournaments in an arena. Kent might be able to survive there, however, but he wasn't in his prime.  
  
"Ah... Mother Earth and Father Sky, forgive a foolish student tactician." he said quietly, looking to the ground beneath him. A snort to the left came from Kent's horse as it slept near Hewn, and he chuckled softly before shaking his head. There was no point in worrying about this now, fortunately. In days such as these, one must think ahead when possible, but also simply live in the present. Opportunities shall present themselves later on. Perhaps they should pick up the weapons that the brigands had no use for, and sell them to an armory in town? That could provide plenty of gold, if they were still in relatively good condition...  
  
And so he stood watch over them all, as a tactician should while in battle. A hand on the hilt of his iron sword, his gaze swept over the plains, dark sky lit up only by the moon and the stars above. And he waited, mostly unmoving and keeping his thoughts to himself, as the moon began to fall behind the mountains in the distance slowly.  
  
In the morning ---  
  
Loedan was still sitting there, his bow slung across his lap as he heard the first stirrings of life from within the tent. The sun had just come out from beneath the horizon, dawn settling across the plains. He smiled, watching the plains as a slight breeze picked up. Another beautiful morning... would its brilliance be marred by another battle today? Only time could tell, but for Loedan, he was hoping that he could rest this day from the stress of battle planning. His grandfather might have been able to handle his battles blindfolded and with a gag over his mouth, but for once, Loedan simply wished for a simple day of traveling and storytelling.  
  
At that, Loedan chuckled softly. He'd only been away from home for two days! Why was he hoping for a little less adventure already?  
  
"What is so funny, Loedan?" came a woman's voice from the tent, and he turned to look to it as Rook came out. Her braids that kept her hair from her eyes in battle swung with the breeze, ever so slightly, as she rubbed her eyes and looked to the aspiring tactician. She smiled softly as she came up to sit on the log that Loedan had been sitting on, and then stretched.  
  
"Nothing at all, Rook... I was simply thinking that it has only been 2 days since I left home, and I was hoping that today we might not have to face any more bandits." he replied, smiling sheepishly at the plains girl. She nodded and grinned at his remark- what was so funny, he wondered?  
  
"There really aren't many bandits around... those bandits that found us though? They were once part of an old bandit clan called the Taliver. They've hated my family ever since the old general Wallace came up and nearly destroyed every member of those bandits. The remnants of the clan took a long time to build their clan back up to the numbers they have today..." she told him, and then sighed softly. "They would rather kill than steal. Like they did yesterday. I must thank you, Loedan, for saving me."  
  
Loedan blinked in surprise- did she remember what had happened yesterday at all? "I should be thanking you, Rook. If you and Kiri had not killed those two bandits after I had fallen, I do not think I would still be speaking with you today." he responded, looking to the ground, away from the young girl sitting beside him. He was startled when he felt a warm palm upon his cheek, and he turned his face towards the girl whose palm belonged to. He found her smiling softly, and when their eyes met, she shook her head before withdrawing her hand from him.  
  
"Perhaps, but you attempted to save my life, and that in itself deserves my thanks, Loedan. If ever you have need of my help, you have but to tell me or ask for it, and you shall have it." she says, making that vow to the tactician. He smiled softly, and then the clinking of armor was heard as the one who wore it strode towards the two. Both looked over to see Sir Kent smiling. Rook was smiling back, but Loedan just watched the aged paladin come closer.  
  
"Well said, Rook. My services, such as they are, are indebted to you as well, for you saved the sole remaining survivor of the Lorca clan... the Lady Lyndis' clan." the old man said. From Mark's diary, Loedan knew that the people of Sacae tell no lies, and this particular knight of Caelin does not give his services without cause to people her barely knows. Loedan nodded to the knight, smiling gratefully to him and then to Rook as well.  
  
"I thank you both... my friends."  
  
To Bulgar ---  
  
The day was surprisingly peaceful, Loedan thought to himself, as he rode on horseback behind the aged Paladin. Rook was in the air with Kiri, and both seemed to be enjoying themselves as they flew in the air on Hewn. Loedan chuckled softly, glad that the two were having fun, though he was thinking about what they should do once they reach the city. The largest on the plains, Mark had noted in his diary. How well stocked might they be? Both Kent and Loedan were weighed down by carrying as many of the weapons as they could, taken from the fallen members of the bandits that had attacked them yesterday. A total of five axes in two bags (three in Loedan's, two in Kent's) swung from their backs and along their sides.  
  
These, they would sell at an armory in town. There was no need to leave a landscape littered with such weapons, after all, to show where a battle had taken place. But, though Kiri had taken the sword that the mercenary that had led the group once used (as a replacement for Loedan's sword, when he would need a new one), the rest of the weapons had been left there. They simply couldn't carry so much and yet be able to fight should the need arise. The tactician closed his eyes and let his senses fly: Nothing. There were no immediate threats, none that he could sense at the moment anyway. Perhaps this day would simply pass by without any battles to mar the beauty that Mother Earth and Father Sky had seen fit to provide?  
  
In the Air ---  
  
"Kiri, this is wonderful!" the young girl, daughter of the fallen Lorca clan, exclaimed as she held onto the Pegasus Knight's waist tightly. The knight simply smiled and nodded at her passenger's words, giving the reins a small jump in her hands as well as a nudge with her knees to tell Hewn to go slow down a bit so that they could actually speak with one another.  
  
"I am glad that you enjoy this, Rook... There are few who would care to actually fly so high." the knight replied, looking over her shoulder as Hewn just flew almost lazily, above Kent and Loedan on the ground below. "What do you think of Loedan?" she asked the girl, who just smiled back to her. Oh, she had heard the knight easily enough, but what exactly did she mean by the question? The way he looked? Or the way he had taken control of the battle before falling yesterday? Rook had to think about it for a moment before actually responding to the woman in front of her.  
  
"I like him... he's nice, and seems to do fairly well in battle. The way he swings his sword though, it almost seems as if he has not been trained well in its use. I could have dodged what he could not, yesterday, but we are quite different. His attacks are effective... when they actually connect, anyway." was the measured reply that Rook gave the Pegasus Knight. Kiri smiled a little- how right the girl was! Loedan's father was a mercenary that taught Loedan only the basics of swordfighting, and not any of the finer points of it. His grandfather had taught him how to use a bow.  
  
Mark himself had used a bow after his travels to save the continent from Nergal. With the bow, he saved himself numerous times from bandits, and became quite proficient in its usage. There was not much to teach his young grandson before he wandered off again, to die or travel once more, but he did what he could. What he had done before, however, had inspired his grandson to become a tactician as well. However, Loedan was significantly different from his grandfather in that he believed that a tactician should fight alongside his troops if possible. One should not send others to do what he would not be able to, after all.  
  
All this, Kiri had learned from her mother, who often met with Mark before his disappearance met with surprised reaction from the other Pegasus Knights of Ilia. They had kept close contact with the man, hoping one day to have his brilliant mind help them with their mercenary guilds. But when he was found missing by Loedan one day, a country-wide search had been initiated. It was a failed attempt to retrieve The Tactician, of course. Loedan knew that if his grandfather wished not to be found, then by all means, he would not be found. Nothing could have kept his grandfather from leaving when he wanted- nothing short of another Nergal could have stopped the tactician from leaving.  
  
"Why do you ask, Kiri?" Rook asked, snapping the knight from her reverie before she could respond. Kiri just shook her head a little before looking straight ahead again. She was not entirely sure why she had asked that question- just to make conversation? That was quite possible, and a likely excuse to be true.  
  
"I was just wondering, that's all, Rook. Loedan hasn't met many people, so I just wanted to know how others might think of the Tactician's grandson." was the knight's reply. Rook smiled a little bit, behind her back. Young she might be, and know better? She might know that, too, but one could not blame the mischievous girl as she held the knight's waist a bit tighter so that she knew that she had the rider's attention. Kiri was immediately wary of the girl behind her- she'd proven to be a little nosy earlier, and this sudden attention made her think that she was thinking of something...  
  
"Oh, I see..." she said, acting coy as she rested behind the knight. "I just thought you may be wondering about more than that about him, hm?" she asked, teasing the knight. She could feel the girl in front of her tense up, and then Rook laughed aloud. Kiri had to tell herself that she was doing this to tease her and to keep her mind off of her parents from yesterday... if Kiri had been forced through an ordeal like that, she'd likely be doing the same thing as well. And when she heard her laughter die off and felt the girls face pressed against her back, she knew that she was right.  
  
And so, like that, the day went on as the small group wandered towards Bulgar.  
  
Nearing Bulgar ---  
  
"I remember the day the troops landed first on Valor, milord. It was a day most unlike this one, with fog creeping over the land and a forbidden forest as far as the eyes could... though, like I said, it was foggy so one could not see very far inland anyway!" and Kent laughed as he slowed his great war beast to a trot, and then to a standstill. He'd been providing his old war stories to the grandson of the man who had led him into battle throughout the trip to the large city. Now, as Kiri came to a halt beside the Paladin and his passenger, they gazed upon the large city that had been proving to become closer and closer as they progressed.  
  
"The city of Bulgar. The largest city in all of Sacae, and the city where I met the Lady Lyndis in for the first time. Before that time, I know little of her adventures with Mark, but Sain and I were soon involved in her quest to save her own grandfather, old Lord Hausen, from his very brother. May I never see a day where family turns upon family again." Kent proclaimed, looking to the ground. His thoughts turned to those he had served with in battle in his life.  
  
Of the old knights of Caelin, only two were alive to this day. Wallace had met his end living a peaceful life, and had passed on his sleep while clutching the spear and the Manual of Knightly Prowess. The book itself was retired from service, though it is said that the lords of Caelin passed it down from one generation to the next as a way to provide those who wish to become great generals the rules required to become such. All generals and paladins of Caelin are required now to pass the tests described in the manual. As such, the numbers of generals and paladins dwindled.  
  
Of Sain, the less said, the better. One day, he finally met the girl of his dreams... and no, not on the five times daily basis he usually met the girl of his dreams, either. This girl learned how the knight lived, operated... how he would never be completely loyal without a leash tethered about him. And so she ensnared the louse with her charms, and they lived a happy life. Sain retired a happy man... especially when he managed to escape their cottage to visit the village girls and try his rotten luck with them. Sain also died in his sleep only a year ago, an end that he had never thought could happen to him. The man who had become smitten with practically every woman in the lands of Caelin was revered, and his family survives him.  
  
Wil. The archer from Pherae returned to his homeland after several years of serving the house of Caelin, until Lyn left after her grandfather's death. At the funeral, those who had helped Lyn to save her grandfather had arrived- including Mark, the Tactician of reknown. Wil was the last to leave the burial grounds. As Kent had trained him and Lyn had provided him with friendship and courage, he was also one of the last to leave the service of the house. He returned home and made up with his family. Now, he serves as an archer of the highest order among the Pherae Knights, teaching his skills to the younger generations.  
  
Kent smiled a little before looking up, his eyes opening again. The old man had been past his prime for almost 20 years now. His duties to his kingdom were long over, but the duties of his heart remained. He had loved the Lady Lyndis, almost since the day that they had met. He realized now that his stoic manner and strict adherence to the rules had destroyed that chance that might have been his with Lyndis, but he did not regret his decision. He had his own family as well, still living in Caelin, and he hoped to see his own granddaughter soon.  
  
Loedan patted the Paladin on the back before clasping his shoulder. "Shall we be going, Sir Kent?" he asked quietly. He knew that the man was remembering things as the way they once had been, in times of turmoil. Kiri and Rook watched the old man as well, both smiling softly to him. The voice of Sain came to haunt the old paladin, urging him to say something to the two girls on the pegasus beside him, to comment on their beauty.  
  
As always, Kent simply smiled grimly and nodded to them each, a look of thanks in his eyes for their humoring an old man. His pride and resolve as a knight had always kept him from complimenting others for their particular physical fairness, and so he kept his peace. He was not Sain, nor would he ever be. From what he had heard, Sain's own son was quite a lot alike his father had been. Was it a good or bad thing? Only time and meeting the young man could tell. "Quite right... let us be off." Kent said, and then they began to trot towards the city wall, cresting the hill after a second and then down it again towards the largest city on all the plains.  
  
Bulgar ---  
  
It was a very warm day here in Sacae- warmer than it had been yesterday by far, for a breeze could not be effectively felt within the confines of the walled city. No, it was a very warm day that had Kiri and Loedan sweating, for after all, they both came from Ilia. From a land that was almost always covered in snow to one that rarely saw it other than on mountaintops, there was a huge difference in climates. Loedan found himself having trouble staying awake- always, when he was warm or heated, he found himself becoming drowsy. His senses diminished as a result. Thank goodness that they were in a city, where it was rather unlikely that a band of bandits would bother to attack them in.  
  
Rook looked about as she smiled- she knew this city like the back of her hand. She'd come here with her grandmother from time to time, listening to Lyndis' stories when she was a young child. How she'd met Sain and Kent, how she had met Mark and everyone else in the self-proclaimed 'Lyndis' Legions.' She'd giggled at Sain's lame attempts to flirt with her grandmother... an act that more often than not nearly got the man at the end of Lyn's blade in an attempt to make him stop. Lyndis was a beautiful woman, even as a grandmother- full of life and still active in her age. But none had seen her for years now, since before Kent had arrived to serve her family, as he had for Lyndis, long years ago.  
  
Kiri was having the most trouble here. Whereas she was used to cold air, thrived in it even, it was the heat that positively destroyed her. Oh, if it had been a magical heat, it would be different, but this was completely natural. Though she knew it to not be the case, it felt as if she was on a spit that was being turned slowly over a fire within an inn on a cold day outside. The breeze that could sometimes be felt was the only thing keeping her from almost fainting, and she simply hoped that they would rest soon. That was rather an unusual thing for her, for she would never complain normally. This was a test that needed to be passed, for she must be ready to go to places much warmer than this should she become a full-fledged mercenary knight of Ilia.  
  
Kent smiled- he was unaware that his own passenger's grip had lessened, figuring it to be because he was just looking about. Kent was known in this city as the only paladin in all of Sacae; Nomadic Troopers and Troubadors were rather common here, but none, thanks to the way that the people of Sacae lived, ever became Cavaliers. Metal weapons were infrequent- oh, certainly there were axes and swords and lances, but lances were almost never used, in exchange for bows or staves instead. The people of Sacae fought from a distance, only to protect themselves or fend for themselves. As one who fought from horseback, in a way more befitting a soldier, Kent had been known to help the city's defenses against bandit attacks every now and again.  
  
Loedan's eyes shut as he swiped a hand across his brow. He must have looked quite the sight to anyone who watched them as their steeds took them deeper into the city. A man with a bow and a blade? Such a thing was unheard of outside of the Nomadic Troopers... and Lady Lyn, of course. He'd read about the day that Mark had Eliwood give her a Heaven's Seal from his gradnfather's journal, and instantly she'd gained some sort of uncanny ability with a bow. Indeed, she had gone from being a simple lord of Caelin to what his grandfather had termed a Blade Lord- her speed and accuracy astounded all. Armor had never been worn by the woman, as she usually avoided any and all attacks, magical or physical. Mark was instantly glad that he had been able to, finally, provide Lady Lyn with the strength she had so oft desired, and had asked to travel with him to gain.  
  
Of course, the tactician here was neither a Trooper or a Blade Lord. He was a travelling tactician, though he would look more like a mercenary than anything else to tell the truth. The people milled about, going on their own business. Some of the children stopped playing long enough to wave to Kent, who smiled and waved back to the youngsters in turn. He'd often provided the children here with stories of his battles and sparring with the local militia to improve them and keep his own edge. Soon, the horse that Loedan and Kent were riding on came to a stop as Kent urged it to do so, and Loedan looked up warily over the man's shoulder. "Here we are... let us get rid of these weapons, sir Loedan, and let us get some suitable accomodations." the paladin said, and the tactician nodded.  
  
Loedan slipped off of the horse, wincing as he landed on the ground- on his feet, fortunately. Too bad the ride had been long but on even ground- his thighs hurt from the long ride to the city. Overhead, the sky was turning an interesting shade of orange and red as the sun began to set. "I shall be back." he told them, and he hefted his bag of axes over his shoulder, shivering a little as he walked into the armory that Kent had stopped them in front of.  
  
---  
  
It was about 10 minutes later when Loedan managed to walk back out and took the bag from Kent as well, walking back into the shop. He'd walked out without the bag he'd gone in with- obviously, some sort of haggling had taken place during his time inside the establishment. With a smile on his face, Loedan walked back out, almost 2000 gold richer. This he had hidden within his cloak, resting it at his side, so as not to bring attention to the money that they now had access to. "All done... managed to get a good price for them, too. What say we find an inn and get something to eat, hm?" he asked them all. The dull ache in his thighs was gone by now, but he dreaded getting on the horse again for even a short distance now. Kent nodded and pulled his steed up alongside the tactician. He simply shook his head and smiled a little. "If it is all the same to you, sir Kent, I would rather walk to the inn... my legs could use the exercise."  
  
Kent chuckled softly and nodded to the man, bringing his horse around before leading the way back down the street slowly, so Loedan could keep up with them. Kiri brought her Pegasus around as well, and then Rook slipped from the Pegasus' back, coming up alongside Loedan to walk with him. "What is the matter, Loedan? Are you not feeling well?" she asked him, obviously concerned for his welfare. He was touched, and he looked to the girl before shaking his head slowly.  
  
"Nay... I am well, Rook. I am just not used to riding a horse much, to tell the truth. Hewn, I have gotten used to, and it is not such rough riding as being on the ground as horses must be." he replied, smiling sheepishly to the girl. He felt his own cheeks begin to color a little before he shook embarassment away with a rolling of his shoulders, coming to stand straight again. She giggled a little and flashed a mischievous grin that faded almost as quickly as it had appeared. "Oh, leave me be..." he muttered, but just barely loudly enough for the young girl to hear him and burst out laughing.  
  
"Kids..." he muttered under his breath, hand coming up to rest his brow upon his palm as the apprentice tactician moved ahead of the group. He found himself having to step aside quickly for a person whobrushes past- immediately, Loedan's hand went to the coin pouch he carried to check on it. It was there, and with all the coins still inside. A smile spread on his face, a look of relief unseen of by the others in his eyes as he thanks the sky and earth for the fact that that which they had earned was not stolen.  
  
He couldn't help but spare a glance to the person he had passed just a second ago. A cloaked individual, and he couldn't see any details other than the person's purple cloak that he or she was wearing. With a shrug, Loedan gazed back to the inn, and walked on in, leaving the other three outside while he goes to get them rooms in the inn and in the stables for the steeds.  
  
Later that evening ---  
  
Two rooms, a large and very filling dinner later, the four were in their rooms in the inn. Kent and Leodan share in one room, while Kiri and Rook share the other. Kent was downstairs at the fireplace, providing stories to those who cared to listen about the past. Kiri and Rook were in their room, likely asleep already if Loedan was correct. And the tactician himself was busy with a book of his own, one that he knew he should keep. There was little that could be done, but as a tactician, he needed to keep track of that which was material. Weapons, money, supplies...  
  
Equipment List:1800 gold  
  
2 Iron Swords 1 Silver Sword 1 Iron Bow 2 Iron Lances 1 Iron Axe 4 packs of Vulneraries (10 total)  
Food enough for a week  
  
By Elimine... was there enough for now? Once they left, they would follow the mountain range into Bern, and then down towards Araphen. The food wouldn't last that long, but they would pass through several villages along the way, if what his grandfather had written in his journal held true. Bern's campaign a little over 20 years ago, to take over the whole of the continent, had destroyed many different villages in several kingdoms. There had been so much turmoil in that war- Loedan's father, a mercenary of no reknown, had played a part in the war on Lycia's behalf, but had been injured early on. It was from him that Loedan received his information regarding the war that had gone on, and now he worried over it.  
  
To reach Caelin- a good place to rest once past Bern, he thought. It would take several weeks, if not a month or two, at a steady if slow pace. Loedan set his book aside and picked up Mark's journal, flipping to the pages just after those that had been written after he and Lyndis had met the knights from Caelin. What could he expect from the land that they would need to traverse? Plenty of hills and forests, of course... a village with shops, perhaps? "Let me see..."  
  
Tactician's Journal ---  
  
Day 4  
  
Just as we headed east enough to get around the mountains that proved the border between Lycia and Sacae, Lyn wished to stop at a shrine to pray for blessings on her journey. The religion in this region were very well kept up, it occurred to me, and I no sooner gave my consent than we found ourselves asked to save an old man in the temple. When we were told that bandits were attempting to steal an ancient blade called the Mani Katti, I knew something was going on that was larger than all of our small group. An ancient blade, a woman with an unusual ancestry... Of course, I know not what exactly would happen.  
  
Glass was the name of the bandit's leader, and he was not exactly the smartest mercenary I'd ever met. Lyn and Kent cut him through, even as Sain mopped up the bandits outside the shrine. We had to open a new entrance in the temple's west wall, a fact that I am sorry to say but it had been required, or else Lyn would have had to deal with at least three bandits alone. The priest inside forgave me my decision, at least, after the Mani Katti was found to be Lyn's by right of the spirits who judged her when she held the blade in her hands. A sacred blade, perhaps the strongest in Sacae, was now in the hands of the young woman in our party... Only I could guess as to why.  
  
She is a virtuous girl, honest, and attractive in demeanor and looks. Her determination for nothing more than to meet with her grandfather and become strong enough to not be defeated must have won over the spirits of the blade. Later on, when I had a chance to speak with Lyn shortly after receiving the blade, I had her pull the blade out once more and she presented the weapon to me. I set my hand upon the blade- nothing but cold and sharp steel could I feel from it, but I could almost sense a presence within the blade itself. To Lyn, I looked into her eyes and told her again that I would be with her until this was over. She smiled and set the blade away, blushing ever so slightly, before heading away to join the other two. I followed after them, and we wandered southward.  
  
The land and weather held out- no swamps or wetlands did we cross over. Sain could not help himself from trying to 'influence' Lyn's way of thinking about him. I believe he did little to better himself in her eyes, especially after she threatened to leave him at the shrine, so he could become a monk and serve the world by becoming celibate. It was shortly after that Sain came to me and said that he hoped that other women might join our troup... he seemed to know when he'd been reprimanded, at least. And with that in mind, two knights of Caelin and a worried woman as our leader, we progressed southward past the mountains.  
  
Day 7  
  
No sooner had we set south for Caelin than did we find a village that was burned to the ground. There looked to be nothing left over within the ruins, but then again we had little time to consider what to do. A few moments after we had arrived, a pair of bandits and a pegasus knight (coming from Ilia, I know quite a bit about them, but nothing could prepare me for this particular knight) could be seen. Lyn exchanged a few words with them and managed to save the pegasus knight. Florina is her name, and though a capable if fragile knight, she seems to have this insane fear of men that stems from... well, even this tactician's eyes cannot see why, just yet.  
  
During this battle, we also found an Archer by the name of Wil. I also found that Florina is deathly afraid of archers as well as of men in general, so when Sain attempted to compliment Florina, it was I who had to drag the louse away while Lyn calmed the pegasus knight down. She seemed to get along with me- perhaps it is because she does not see me as a threat to her? I hope so. Wil seems rather talkative, and although one might not think it, seems to get along with Florina as well. Florina listens to Wil as he speaks to her, though he does seem to ramble on at times. I think Florina's simply trying to get over her fear of men. Wil speaks of our small group as Lyndis's Legions... interesting name. I hope that it does not become popular.  
  
Sain arrived to me late in the day with a black eye- not an injury provided by a bandit, but from Kent after Sain attempted to, 'compliment' Florina and coerce her into dancing with him. He complained to me about the entire thing, but I simply told him that if he gets hurt by doing it, then don't do it. Sain just said that I was the same as Kent, and that both of us would become old before our time. I simply replied that common sense was something that he would need, if he were to survive these battles. Heroic actions are not really heroic, I told him. To be smart about your actions at the time, and let others judge those deeds to be heroic... that is the way to do battle. Think of the moment while in battle, and do not worry as to how others think of you afterwards. I know not if those words meant anything to the retreating knight, but I think he calmed down for the next day or two.  
  
Florina's meek personality intrigues me- her lightly colored hair reminded me of a light purple, and her short stature makes her seem to be of little threat. However, her Pegasus, Huey, is a totally different story. Combined, their abilties in battle proved to best even the strongest foe in battle, with a little help from our brown haired archer. Wil is a little talkative, and Sain seems to have taken to him as best friends. At the least, he is good for morale, and somehow seems to be making some headway with the Pegasus Knight, getting her to talk at least a little bit every so often. Lyn told me just before I began writing this that she hadn't seen her talk so much to men since the last time that she had come to visit the Lorca.  
  
Lundgren will pay. Though I am nothing more than a tactician, leading others on the field of battle to attack others, I will be sure to provide Lyn the chance to prove to herself that she is strong and that she can do what is needed to get to her grandfather.  
  
---  
  
Loedan put the book away, smiling a little. His grandfather certainly had a way with words, he thought to himself, as the tactician closed his eyes and tried to envision the people that had been described in the journal. The last passage of the journal was something that he didn't remember reading before... perhaps he had merely skipped over that part, the last times he had read it? It was certainly possible, he thought, even as a wave of warmth washed over him. The apprentice tactician yawned, and then lay down upon the bed beneath him.  
  
Loedan was not fond of performing inspections, but this time he came up with one that he could relax while doing. He found himself studying the darkness that was before him, his eyes still closed. And while studying the insides of his eyelids, the young man fell asleep.  
  
---  
  
Author's Note: Well now, I'm glad that my previous two chapters have gathered a few reviews! As for taking character ideas, I'd like to receive them in e-mails, please. Red Mage Neko, I think something can be arranged as far as the first two characters- however, the other three I think I'll keep in mind for later on in the series. Don't be surprised if I change their names though (just a little, I swear!). Surprise... no fighting in this one! I'm better with characterizations than with battles, to tell the truth. Also, I think I'm getting into the swing of writing in this way, so it should be easier for me to keep writing new chapters. I'd like to get more signed reviews, if possible... that way, I can actually respond to you guys easier! 


	4. Through the Mountains

Chapter 4  
  
Author's Note: Alright, I couldn't wait. I started writing this chapter immediately after finishing with chapter 3, and here it is. I know, these are getting shorter and shorter, so I plan on writing a longer chapter next time. I think that this is of a pretty good quality, myself, but I'd like to get more reviews and see what others think about it! Please read and review!  
  
---  
  
It was morning. The youngest one was the first to awaken, and so it was Rook who was first to step out from the room. In Bulgar, she remembered. The last thing that she remembered doing late last evening was reading from the diary that the young tactician had brought with him, the one written by Mark, the Tactician that had traveled with her grandmother for so long. It was unknown just who she had finally settled down with in the end, as both had to go their separate ways after several years. Even Kent, ever Lyndis' friend, faithful paladin, did not even now know the man that Lyndis had fallen in love with and married. Lyndis did, however, have two children- twins, one each of boy and girl.  
  
Rook always did wonder what happened to her uncle; for she rarely heard of him, save from Lyn herself, years ago. She tried not to wonder about it too much, but also wondered if they were ever watching the same stars or even in the same country. Rook found her way to the washing room and let herself in. She was, perhaps, 17 years old, and held much of the same beauty that her grandmother and mother had, though her hair was not nearly as dark. The fight the other day... it had been the first time that she had ever had to protect herself from being attacked by others.  
  
She began to undress, to let herself into the tub that was always ready for anyone wishing a bath. Before much longer, however, she realized something and went back to the door and locked it from the inside- this way, she was by herself and would remain that way. She had lost it, her edge had been dulled and gone when she found herself in a situation where there was no one in her family left. Her grandmother might still be alive, but no one knew where she could be. Once she was nude, the sunlight that came in through the dirty window played upon her fair skin as she slipped into the tub, sighing softly. Her mind raced over that which had happened but the other day.  
  
---  
  
Her family... the ger was burned and her parents, sick in bed, had been killed in the destruction of the ger itself. The shock had gone straight to her heart, and she had been unable to move from where she had fallen to her knees, even after the brigands revealed themselves. The sounds of battle barely made any impression in her mind as she remained there, paralyzed to that spot until the tactician found his way to her after vanquishing a pair of opponents. His words had forced her out of her reverie, and she watched as he dashed off into battle afterwards.  
  
When Kiri came over, she had gained most of her bodily processes back. But when she saw the young man dash into the midst of three brigands, a part of her heart seemed to cry out. Did she want to see another, even someone she had only just met, die? He was attempting to protect her, but he was no Paladin, no expert myrmidon or mercenary. He was simply a tactician that was also a bit of a warrior as well, and when he fell to a vicious strike of an axe, she felt pain in her own mind. A pain that she knew she could have prevented, but no, her emotions had taken hold of her until now.  
  
A new emotion arose. Her body warmed quickly as anger took hold. Kiri was already on her way, urging Hewn, her steed, into action as she held the lance out front to aim at one of the brigands. She was disobeying Loedan's orders, but without the tactician, none of them would likely survive against them for long. A low guttural sound escaped Rook, her face twisted into a look of pure rage and hatred as she quickly stood and then strode forward, pulling out the blade only as she neared her target's back, even as the man raised his axe to deliver a finishing blow to the tactician who had fallen.  
  
Her speed was something that surprised even her. She felt her sword arm go lax as she drew the blade and the blade fell behind her in stance before the fluid movement of her left arm swept forward. Her sword came to point forward as well before she danced faster than her opponent could see. Four times she struck out with her sword, and four times blood came pouring from two stabs and two slashes of the blade. The axe man fell at the same time as the other did, from Kiri's attention with her lance to the man she had aimed for. Without looking to Loedan, fearing that if she did she might cause his death just by a glance, she looked around until she found the mercenary that was leading them all. It took less than a minute for her to reach the man, who found out just too soon how very bad it was to anger a swordswoman of Sacae.  
  
The man died in the same manner as the other had, and she turned even as the man fell, clutching at his neck where her blade had pierced the soft skin and tender linings within. It was only after this happened and the remaining brigands fled did she look over to the still burning wreckage of her home, and then to the man who had fallen while attempting to keep her safe. Her heart seemed to skip a beat as she saw both Kiri and Kent over there, checking on the fallen man.  
  
"Please, don't let him be dead... let him live, oh, Mother Earth, Father Sky, let this boy live..." she found herself saying before she realized it, speaking to herself and under her breath as she walked over quickly, sheathing her bloody blade. He face had blood all over it, she knew, but at this point she did not care in the slightest. She found herself kneeling in front of the tactician, watching as Kiri poured a vulnerary down his throat. The slight magic within the liquid made itself known, healing only some of the deep wound that the axe had caused to the young man. Kent told them that they need to set up camp, and that he would be back with a cleric from the temple.  
  
---  
  
The young girl shivered as she remembered this, and then found that she needed to start cleaning up. She was not one to waste time while bathing, but her remembrance must have taken at least 10 minutes. A few minutes later, she was clean and refreshed,she left the wash room to go back to the room she shared with the Pegasus Knight. She still did not know how she had done what she had done to save the man, but was grateful to say the least that he was indeed saved. Never again, she told herself. She would never stand afraid or in place by emotion alone again. As her steps took her up to the second floor to where their rooms were, she had a stern look on her face as she came to her door and then opened it, stepping inside and locking it behind her.  
  
Never again.  
  
---  
  
It was two hours later before everyone was ready to go. Loedan had done some shopping in that time, for he had woken up shortly after Rook had. His day had been planned- more vulneraries, for starters. An extra sword. Another lance, for Kiri's was getting badly mauled from fighting the brigands that they had faced so far. Unfortunately, this took their gold down to very low levels, but they had nothing else to really do at the moment save to prepare for their journey through Bern. It was still a military country, and so caution was warranted when traveling through even for a short while through even the outskirts. Bandits also roamed there constantly...  
  
"Is everyone ready to go?" he asked them all. Kent simply nodded in agreement. The Paladin always seemed to almost be 'born ready.' Rook responded by climbing up behind Kent and hugging the paladin. Kiri looked at him with an expression of amusement, and Loedan chuckled softly, holding his hands up as they left the stables. "Yes, yes... I suppose that was a redundant question, was it not?" he commented to her, and his best friend just grinned and nodded at that. With a sigh, he pulled himself up and behind Kiri on Hewn's back. They knew where they had to go now: with only Rook remaining from Lyndis' line, there would need to be some support gained in Caelin. Now, it seemed, the Lorca clan would have to wait yet another generation before it could begin to rebuild once more.  
  
They would take Rook to Caelin: once there, Kent and Rook would remain, so that Rook could be taught that which she wishes to learn. After all, as a member of the house of Hausen, if she so wished to take over affairs of the state, she could be in line to inherit the whole of Caelin. All that would be required is training and time, something that Rook would have plenty of in such a safe place. For Kiri and Loedan, a stop in Caelin would be a stop along the Tactician's route. The walkabout had taken him to most everywhere on the known continent, after all, and Caelin had been one of his first actual stops.  
  
With a sigh, Loedan closed his eyes as they slowly made their way out of town. There was little left in this small city- indeed, Kent had recalled the cities of Ostia and Araphen, the largest cities in the Lycian League. Loedan had never been to a city bigger than Bulgar, and could only wonder at the grandness that these two cities must hold. He held onto Kiri's waist a little tighter as he felt a wave of doubt pass through him. There was really very little that he could do to combat it at this point.  
  
Was he leading them in the right direction? Yes, of course. To get through Caelin, one would have to pass through the mountain ranges to the south. Was this what Rook wanted? Loedan didn't know. She had seemed to accept the idea easily, but he wasn't too sure she was interested in the plan that much. And, what about Kiri? She'd been rather quiet as of late... perhaps she just wasn't talkative around others whom she barely knew? A possibility, he conceded. Were their supplies going to last? It was just the beginning of spring. Chances are, they could hunt well enough to feed themselves if required.  
  
"I just hope I'm doing the right thing in battle." he muttered, his eyes open as he says this, speaking almost against Kiri's back as he tries to relax a bit. She squirmed a little, not quite hearing what he said, but looked back to check on her passenger as they came out past the city's southern gate. It was here where Kent, Sain, and Lyn had begun their journey- and now, they were headed in the same direction, to the same place... hopefully, they wouldn't have to worry about anything other than how far they can travel in one day and about their food stores until they arrived in Caelin.  
  
Of course, Loedan knew better- reports of bandits had increased along the Bern-Lycia border for years now. Most likely, they'd have another battle on their hands before too long.  
  
2 days later, crossing the mountain range ---  
  
The path that had been chosen to travel on was very narrow- Kent said that this wasn't the route that he remembered taking to get through Bern and get to Lycia. The route that Kent remembered was the way closest to the old shrine that had held the Mani Katti once, but the shrine had been rebuilt elsewhere, leaving only a relic there now. Bern had invaded that area as well during the last war, and that was why the shrine had been rebuild elsewhere.  
  
Rook and Loedan were walking ahead of the group, while Kiri flew overhead- If Kent wasn't a Paladin, Loedan wouldn't have suggested this particular route the other day. Rook had remained quiet this whole trip, and when they set camp, she had been practicing with her blade for hours on end. Loedan had wanted to talk with her, but wound up keeping his peace as they continued. What would he say to her... what could he say to her? She'd just lost her family, after all. He'd lived without a mother since the day he was born- she died when complications arose during childbirth. His father was often gone, a mercenary for hire.  
  
But losing both parents in one day... Loedan knew when not to bring it up. Only ashes remained of her parents now. There was little that one could say to someone as young as Rook, though for some reason, the aspiring tactician wanted to try. Say something... anything! But no. He held his peace as he walked along the path, sharp inclines that led up to the tops of the mountains on either side. There were no bandits who could or would attempt to take over these mountains as a base of operations: too far from town and not enough flat land to build even a small camp on for their people.  
  
The mountain air was getting to Loedan- a crisp breeze made him smile, and on more than one occasion today, he'd breathed deeply of this sweet mountain air. It was a good day for both himself and Kiri- now that they were no longer on the heated plains, and in the mountains, their faith and resolve came back to them with renewed vigor. Kent did not seemed bothered by the cooler air; he seemed to be relatively at home in any condition other than rain. Rook on the other hand, was often seen shivering from the cooler air and lower temperatures. Finally, Loedan had a thought.  
  
"Here, Rook." he says, sliding his heavy cloak off of his shoulders, coming up behind the girl and setting it onto her shoulders. He smiled as he saw her hands move to pull the cloak around her tightly before she glanced to him and smiled appreciatively. Her gaze soon moved back to the mountain path before them and away from him. That was fine, at least now she wouldn't be nearly as cold. "Next time, just ask, Rook. I do not mind lending my cloak to someone who isn't comfortable with the cold air like this." he told her, and he patted the girl's shoulder.  
  
She blushed a little and nodded slightly at his words, hugging the cloak to herself. Hewn overhead neighed loudly enough for them all to hear, the cry echoing off the mountaintops as both Rook and Loedan stopped in place to look up to the Pegasus Knight. She swooped down quickly, smiling as she lands Hewn in front of the small group. "We have company, my friends. Looks like merchants up ahead, with guards. No more than maybe an hour away, and they seem to be settled in a clearing." she told them, and then took off again, urging her steed into the air once more.  
  
She always was a serious one, Loedan remembered. He couldn't help but to wonder how she felt now that they were in the mountains again- a terrain that they both knew very well, much more than they knew about the plains. Places to look for food, where to hunt and how to trap game. The mountain air that always tasted sweeter than the air of any other places... well, that he knew of so far. With a smile on his face and a bit of a faster step than before, the tactician picked up his pace and even stepped along the path faster than Rook had been. One hand on the hilt of his blade, the other swinging idly at his side, he was enjoying this leisurely hike.  
  
Kent, on the other hand, was swearing under his breath. The reason that he, Sain, Lyn, Wil, and Florina had gone the other route at the time was because mountain paths made any horse move slowly along it, and this was no exception. He didn't show it outwardly, but the Paladin hated heights. He had to be very careful along this rocky trail, for a horse could easily become injured if there was a fall or stumble for any reason. He groaned, thinking as to when he had been with his many friends... and then remembering Sain's bungling attempts at attacking when first they encountered bandits when they met Lyndis. It was slow going along the mountain paths for his horse and himself.  
  
About an hour later.  
---  
  
Loedan had to admit that Kiri was right- leave it to the Pegasus Knight to judge distances perfectly while in the mountains. About an hour after she had told them that there was a group of people ahead, they ran into them. Two travelling merchants with mercenaries for bodyguards as they went through the mountain range. After some negotiating, Loedan convinced them that they would earn their keep around the campsite in exchange for camping with them.  
  
The merchants seemed nice enough, though obviously in the business of earning money. The first was a woman named Lidea. She had pale skin and straight black hair, and wore a light blue kimono more reminiscent of those worn by Myrmidons or even like what Rook was wearing. The other was her husband, a man named Mickal. He had light blue hair and dark skin, and wore the same kind of clothes as his wife, though of a darker shade of blue. They had done business between Sacae and Ostia for years now, and this time had hired mercenaries to provide protection. They only had half a dozen mercenaries with them- two mages, a single cavalier, and three soldiers.  
  
It was enough protection as long as they didn't run into a swarm of Brigands, Loedan saw immediately. But, if the brigands brought their own magic users, it wasn't likely that the guards that the merchants had hired would last too long. Loedan began wandering about the expanded camp slowly, looking to the mercenaries that had been hired. One of the mages was speaking with Rook, and the two were involved deeply in a conversation. Kent was with the soldiers, sparring with them. Kiri was tending to Hewn near the tents, and he walked that way, smiling a little as he neared his friend. Kiri sensed his coming her way, and looked over to him as she used the horse brush to brush along Hewn's body slowly, each stroke done in a lingering way so as to smooth out his coat.  
  
"So, Kiri, how much longer would you say until we are out of the mountains?" he asked her, watching as she brushed the Pegasus' coat gently. She shrugged a little, not really up for saying too much at the moment as she focused upon brushing Hewn's coat until it was clean once more. Loedan sighed inwardly, his eyes moving to gaze at the sky as the light descended, leaving the dark of the night sky to be seen as he searched for the stars. Kiri watched him for a moment as he became distracted, and smiled slightly.  
  
"Another day of marching should get us down from these mountains, actually. Longer if we keep you and Rook from riding on horseback, though. Day and a half at most." she replied casually, and Loedan smiled softly as he looked from the sky and to the green haired knight once more. He nodded his thanks, and went off back along the trail a bit, out of sight of the rest of the camp as he drew his blade from its scabbard. He began his own practicing, on his own, as he closed his eyes, letting his senses fill with what might be around. A sharp incline and decline on either side of the trail. The camp behind him, the way back to Sacae before him. He had spent far too little time in Sacae. It was a beautiful country as far as his eyes could see. He would see about returning, some day.  
  
His blade swept forward from where he had held it defensively in front of him. Diagonal, it had been, from his right hand to his left shoulder, centered before his chest. He held it with one hand as he swept it forwards, his eyes opening as he swept the sword that way. Only air was cleaved through when the blade slashed, and then it was moved back as the blade was then thrust forward. The tip cleaved air, and Loedan knew that he'd become rusty. He was slow. His blade was weak. And he couldn't trust in his ability to finish up a battle, obviously. The brigands he had fought so far had not been very strong, as he knew that the ones he had managed to defeat could only be considered weak in comparison to most of the enemies that were to come.  
  
Wars in Bern and Lycia provided others with enough experience to provide power renewed. Mercenaries became known as Heroes. Myrmidons became Swordmasters, Monks became Bishops. Lords became Saviors. Loedan? I am but a tactician, nothing more. No tactician in history known had ever been of use in combat, save to direct others to battle. I aspire to become more... but, what could there be that I could do, to gain the experience I desire? To be not only a man who directs others, but to fight alongside them as well?  
  
These questions the man asked himself in his mind, his strikes becoming more graceful and swung with greater speed. An untapped resource within himself that he knew not of yet had begun to let itself be known. His mind was busy on its own as his steps took him about, his blade parrying an unknown foe. It is said that only fear itself may be feared. However, this tactician had doubts about his own abilities, his decisions. Tacticians from the guildhalls did not leave their halls unless they were ready- mentally, that is. Loedan aspired to be a combat tactician, to try and direct his troops and provide support in a way other than a simple strategist normally does.  
  
When Loedan's blade was met by another, the sound and feeling caused him to come back to himself. It was another sword that had met his, and as his eyes found focus upon the one who had parried his strike, they widened slightly in surprise. It was Rook, and she was smiling as she usually did when she looked at him. "I see that woke you, Loedan... supper is ready." she told him, and then backed away, quickly sheathing her blade. He had no idea that she'd been trying to get his attention. Looking to the sky, he found that it was completely dark, with the stars out to shine now. He had been practicing for quite some time, obviously, and he fell in behind the plains girl.  
  
"Your style is unusual, Loedan. They remind me of what my grandmother taught me, long ago, but different still." she told him, looking back over her shoulder to the tactician. "Almost as if you had not been trained in just a single style..." she trailed off, and Loedan chuckled softly, sheathing his blade now. Indeed, his grandfather had taught him one style, and his father had taught him another. But at this point, he needed to prove to himself that he knew what he was doing, either in combat or by directing a battle. Luck can only get a person so far, after all, before it runs out.  
  
"Yes... I had heard that some of what I have learned about using blades came from Sacae, but the rest was taught by my father. He is a mercenary, and his swordsmanship is quite different from those who come from Sacae. I haven't seen him in quite some time, though." Loedan told her in response. He sighed softly- perhaps if he had seen his father more often, he'd not be here now? No matter; here he was, far from his home. Directing a small troop of people as they went on their way towards Caelin from Sacae. Rook stopped and turned around, the smile that had been on her face gone now as she just stepped up to him and embraced the young man.  
  
Loedan was caught off guard as he felt her arms slip around him, but as he heard her sniffling, he couldn't help but to realize that his talking about his father had reminded her of several days ago. "I... I am sorry, Rook. I was not thinking..." he said, trying to apologize for bringing up the bad memory even as his arms moved about her waist, holding her close. She just shook her head and buried her face into his tunic, which quickly became a little moist as she cried silently. They just stood there for a few minutes before she stepped back, her arms moving from around him as she wiped her eyes off on her sleeve. Loedan took his arms from around her and she smiled a little bit.  
  
"Thank you, Loedan." she said, watching him for a moment before turning and rushing back to camp. Loedan sighed softly, then smiled, knowing that he had done nothing really to help her save to let her have a tunic to cry on. He didn't want to see that happen to anyone else again- the pain on a person's face was far too much for him to bear. With that in mind, he walked soberly back into camp, where Kent would have been the one who had cooked tonight. The scent of roasted meat came to him, and strangely enough, it didn't smell burnt. Tonight, they would probably eat well.  
  
That night ---  
  
The light of the fire outside the camp had dimmed- Loedan was still awake, along with one of the soldiers and one of the mages that the merchants had hired. They were out walking around the camp while Loedan sat near the fire, looking into it. The others were already asleep, sharing the one tent they had at the moment between the three of them. He couldn't help but to keep thinking about things. What would he do once they reached Caelin? What would Rook do? And Kent? Kiri was coming with him until such time as she wished to go back to Ilia... What if he was on his own after they arrived at their destination? He knew no one in Caelin, having been isolated in Ilia for so long.  
  
The 'what ifs' began to pop into his head, the door now thrown wide open by the doubt he had allowed in. What if he neglected a small detail in battle and it turned out to be a deadly mistake? What would happen if Kent died? If Rook died? What if Kiri took off, became a mercenary, and they were reunited later in life, as enemies? What if they were ambushed again by some group as they went along the mountain pass towards Araphen, where they would emerge from the mountains?  
  
With a sigh, the tactician shook his head and looked to the sky. Mother Earth and Father Sky, please protect my friends, he thought, a silent prayer offered up for the protection of his friends. As a tactician, he had little knowledge of his own worth in battle, save that his directions could kill any of his friends that he would be ordering into battle. He couldn't afford to place his friends on the line to protect himself. They had no cause to fight, save to keep themselves alive against attacks made against them. There was no Nergal, no morphs to defeat. No dragons to kill, no deadly warlord attempting to enslave the continent. Instead, there was self defense against bandits. He was an apprentice tactician during peaceful times, and he liked that.  
  
It was proving to himself that he could do his chosen job if required that frightened him. There were far too few battles and wars that could season a tactician into a respectable man or woman that could lead the troops under his or her direction. The strength of a tactician lay within his people's abilties. Tacticians were known for keeping their people alive, or not, as the case may be. For daring to throw people into the wind and expect them to strike at the opponent in the hopes of defeating them, despite the cost. Loedan was of the train of thought that keeping his people alive at any cost was worth any risk... even his own life. If he could, he would provide his friends the vulneraries required to heal any wound, to take a strike meant for another.  
  
He had done so once or twice already, and paid the price. The second time had nearly been his death, as he rushed a trio of brigands to keep them away from Kiri and Rook. Though a death-fearing man, he knew that if it was required of him, he would sacrifice himself to save an ally. "By Elimine, let such a thing never happen." he said aloud, though quietly, to the fire as he looked back to its dimming light. He used his blade to reach into the fire and move the embers about somewhat, pushing unburnt wood into the middle. Soon, he sheathed the blade, still cool, and pulled out his grandfather's diary, reading from it a passage or two further along in the book than he had been yesterday.  
  
Tactician's Diary ---  
  
Day 9  
  
We were attacked again last night. Bandits came pouring from all directions as we holed up inside an abandoned fort that Sain and Wil found. Inside, we found a woman named Natalie who was searching for her husband. A fighter named Dorcas, and we would soon find him much easier than his wife might have thought. He needed money in order to help his wife, whose legs were in dire need of special healing, but the cost of the services would be quite expensive. Turns out that he was one of the bandits that we fought against, though thanks to Lyn's quick recognition, we managed to convince him to join us.  
  
Everyone became a bit more experienced that day, as we held the fort, so to speak, while Dorcas and Lyn made their way to the leader of the bandits and slayed him quickly. Our knights held the main entrance to the fort while Wil protected the west wall from being destroyed by the bandits that were attempting to bring it down. Florina was sent to the east side of the wall, and flew over the trees nearby as the bandits' mercenaries appeared, one by one. She was becoming quite the tough little pegasus knight now, everyone could tell, as I paid careful attention to the girl. If the bandits had come up with any archers in that area, I would have needed to get her out of there. Fortunately for us all, none arrived with the reinforcements that simply poured in.  
  
She even, finally, came up to me to talk. After an introduction from her that lasted 10 minutes of stammering, I motioned for the girl to simply have a seat on my bedroll. I had been busy taking inventory of the items we had, as well as keeping sure as to our monetary situation before she came in, and as usual, I am becoming quite tired. I asked her to lie down on her back on the bed, and she did so, seeming to relax a bit. Then, she finally opened up (after about 15 more minutes, mind you), and told me that she was glad that I was leading the group, that I would give her a chance to protect her friend. I simply told her that I was glad she decided to join us, and that she could protect her friend no matter what my orders were, as long as it was necessary at the time. I also asked her to respect my judgment on these matters, for though I am only a student of military strategy, I do have the ability to see the battlefield better than anyone else in the group. She replied that she does understand me, and that she would do that.  
  
She began to fall asleep, and I kissed her forehead before saying goodnight to the knight. She fell asleep quickly, and I walked out of the tent and over towards Kent, who was serving as a night watch. Together, we kept watch for several hours into the night quietly, before he went to get Wil to take over the watch. Dorcas, I found later on, and we talked for a while before he suggested that he come with us. I told him that I would be happy if he would join the group, but that he would need to speak with Lyn in the morning. I was restless, and found myself near the fire as it burned, looking up to the stars. I have been getting less and less sleep these days... just what shall I do, if I am burned out? I could hear Sain speaking of an inn not too far away- I shall have to order the group to rest there for a day, if possible. Though I must say, I certainly hope that he doesn't get drunk.  
  
Day 12  
  
Well, I was right. Sain had calmed down considerably, though he couldn't wait to get to the inn we are staying in this night. I couldn't blame him, really, and neither could anyone except Kent. He hadn't even attempted to seduce Florina or Lyn since yesterday... but then again, we received another pair of travelers within our growing group. Erk is a mage- pretty good kid, really. Maybe no more than 15 or 16 years old? No matter, he is much more mature than his companion is. Serra. I was once told, by my mother before she died years ago, that if one cannot say something nice about another, then the smartest tactical decision was to say nothing at all.  
  
However, though I will not say it, I will write it in this book. She is without a doubt, the most annoying, self-centered woman I have ever met. She believes that though she is a cleric, that she is better than others since she is religiously working for Elibe to heal others. So why would she say that she would not charge money to heal Erk, for free? Truly, if Erk had even a slightly shorter amount of patience within his body, he would use his Fire tome to either smack her upside the head or to cast the spell itself to get her to simply shut up. Fortunately, though I hate to say it, Sain has come around to begin working on Serra. The two seem to have hit it off, though I somehow doubt that Sain will ever consider her seriously to court her.  
  
Erk was happy to be in the company of people who are much more... calm, shall I say? He has been speaking with Lyn for a while now, and the two seem to get along quite nicely. Florina has been casting glances at me as well, as if she wants to say something but cannot bring herself to do so. I wonder what she wishes to say to me? I think tomorrow, if we are not attacked by bandits again, I will go to ask her what she would wish to speak of. The strain of these battles is getting to me now that I have more people to order about the battle field. I can tell that my skill is improving, but I shall have to learn more to become stronger, as Lyn wants to be. I think we shall need to hurry, soon.  
  
By Elimine... I just had a run in with Serra. She barged into my tent and demanded to be allowed to sleep in the same tent as Lady Lyndis, instead of with her 'escort', Erk. As Lyn and I share this particular tent, as we have since first we met, I had to deny her request, and tell her that she would be better off sleeping with her escort, rather than with Lyn. She simply stormed out, and I can't help but to feel sorry for Erk, who would likely not obtain sleep of any sort as a result of the woman's mood. Mother Earth and Father Sky... tell me she's a monk and not a cleric? How could such a woman be a healer? At least now I can say that Sain will at last have a receptive ear for his advances.  
  
---  
  
After reading this little bit from the diary, he closed the book and sighed again. Then, with heavy steps, the young tactician headed to the tent to bring himself to sleep once more. Crawling into the bedroll and setting the book beside him, Loedan's eyes closed and he was soon asleep. Unfortunately, he began to dream of a time when Serra was belittling him and attempting to get her way. It was such a nightmare... would it never end?  
  
---  
  
Author's Note: Yeah, I know, another non-active chapter. Can't have fights everyday... right? Right? Anyway, I'm hoping that I'll get more reviews with these two chapters up, so please leave a review! I may also post the full 'Lyn's Story' diary as well, after I've finished with the different journal entries in the first chapters of this fic. I've actually finished that part of the diary... hehe. 


	5. and Through the Woods

Chapter 5

...and Through the Woods.

Author's Note: I'll have to start having review replies at the end of my fics, I think. I don't have any muses at the moment: there's been an empty space driving me to work on my fanfics for about two years now (which explains the absence of any new fics for about that long). What happened to my last one? Well, her name was Tron Bonne, and I'm happy to say that she and Trigger are living happily at the moment (Sorry Rock! I had to bribe her off!). Most likely, only those of you who are interested enough to find out what I mean actually know what I'm talking about right there. It's mostly an inside joke dedicated to those who remember me as a good fanfic writer. I'm looking for another muse/scapegoat/motivator... and sorry all, I don't think I want Serra at that place. So, here's an idea: Gimme a suggestion!

Past the Bern Mountains ---

It was strange. The skies had remained mostly clear, though a rather bad looking storm seemed to be coming on the horizon. Thunder flashed, but in their relative vicinity, the small group composed of a Pegasus Knight, a Paladin, a Myrmidon, and a young Tactician, found themselves bathed in strong sunlight. They had spent the better part of two days getting out of the mountains, and had only a few hours ago parted ways with the merchants that they had been traveling with. No bandits, brigands, or anyone like that had bothered them. All seemed peaceful, a welcome change from the bandits that had attacked them two days in a row at the beginning of the journey.

During this time, it became apparent to Loedan that battles did not still rule the land these days. Oh sure, they were a necessary evil, but it seemed that there wasn't any particular force in the world actively seeking for power or venegeance. That in itself made him a little wary- history showed, through the eyes of all tacticians, that every generation resulted in a man or woman, ruler or not, possessed an individual who could stride taller than all others.

Nergal. Zephiel. They were the enemies of the last two generations. Nergal had been 500 years in the making, and Zephiel came as a side effect of that dark man. Loedan could guess that last bit quite easily, as his grandfather, Mark, had written that the Black Fang had had their own hand in the politics of Bern. The 'Fang no longer existed as it once had. Ostia's elite warriors had been given that particular title about 20 or so years ago, to honor the family Reeds younger years, before the corruption of the fang came in the form of a shell.

But now, Loedan smiled, walking behind his friends as they scouted ahead. A sea of trees extended before them now, reaching in all directions save behind them too far along the mountain itself. He felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, a pressure gone now as they came down from the mountain path to a path that would lead into the forest. Today was a good day, he thought to himself. The others seemed to be in a good mood as well- they hadn't been attacked in several days, not since before they had reached Bulgar. And now, they were in Lycia territory, nearing Araphen.

That in itself stopped Loedan in his tracks. And the sound of his no longer moving alerted the alert young girl who had been walking ahead of him, and Rook glanced over her shoulder to gaze at the young man, who was now pulling out his grandfather's journal and leafing through the first few pages to try and find something that he had just remembered about Araphen. She walked back, not saying a word, though obviously she would want to do so, but moved to stand beside the tactician, reading along with him as he found what he was looking for.

Tactician's Log ---

Day 13

The morning began almost as normal, though now I have a thoroughly irritable mage and and an irritating cleric to boot. I certainly felt sorry for Erk, and could be found speaking to everyone during the day. It was decided afterwards that Erk could sleep in the same tent as Kent, so that Sain and Serra could have a tent to themselves. I give Sain a week, at most, before the knight would crack and be coming to me for permission to go back to the tent with Kent.

Serra, in a change of attitude since yesterday, didn't want anyone else to be in the tent with her other than Erk. The look on Erk's face said what he wanted to speak aloud, but did not for fear of incurring the girl's wrath. I still cannot get over the "I'm generous to a fault" that she said yesterday, about healing the mage. I was very nearly ready to empty our coffers in the shops that we passed to buy vulneraries and send that cleric on her way. Of course, I did no such thing, as she was providing her services of her own accord. I, on the other hand, suspected some sort of plot on her part. I have no evidence, but I am certain of it.

We travelled the day without incident other than Sain's bungling attempts to woo Florina or Serra on at least a dozen occasions... each. All he got for his trouble were several slaps from Florina, whose meekness could not stand in the face of Sain's ploys. She was certainly warming up to Wil lately, and I even saw them both conversing as we marched on. Kent remained at the lead, with Lyndis close behind. I remained at the rear of the troop with Erk, talking about our lives. We became rather fast friends, especially since I managed to get him away from Serra for such a long while. Of course, Sain did do his part, I admit... giving Serra a ride on his horse as she talked the day away. I swear, if she hadn't volunteered her services, we all would have shoved her down a hill and then ran away in the other direction.

---

"No, no... wrong passage..." he muttered under his breath, and flipped the page. He knew he was close to the passage that he thought he'd remembered. Ah, here it is! The day that they met with the marquess of Araphen. Had he remembered correctly about the man? Rook stood beside him, reading what he had already read (he was the faster reader of the two), and she giggled as she read about Sain and Serra's machinations.

Back to the Log ---

Day 15

Florina spoke to me today, after what I assumed was some encouraging from Lyndis. She wanted to get some carrots for Huey, so I gave her a few gold to go ahead and purchase some from the farmers that we passed by. Surprisingly, she asked me to go with her, and so I did, leaving the troop under Lyn's watchful eyes. I couldn't help but to compliment the girl on how far she had come, to be able to talk to me without taking 15 minutes to come up with more than two words. Her response was simply to blush and look away from me.

Cute. Simply adorable, this pegasus knight. We spoke afterwards, and I learned that she had two sisters who were also pegasus knights. I wonder if I might ever meet these two others?

We made it to Araphen today, and Kent went on ahead to speak with the Marquess. Supposedly, we were to procure supplies from him, but a sudden fire and attack on the castle left us with a battle on our hands. It amazes me to say it, but a man attempted to kill Lyn today, and very nearly did if it hadn't been for the nomad from Sacae, a very silent man named Rath who was captain of the guard. An archer on horseback... Well, at least he could avoid attacks, unlike Wil. His mobility came in very handy as we searched for the switches that would open up the hidden entrance that would lead into the castle.

The soldiers that we had to face in battle today were little more than a joke. However, when one of Lungren's knights appeared after we opened a secret passageway, the joke was over. Between Dorcas, Erk, Wil, and Rath, however, we chipped away as the man stood in place, as if he were a statue built there to only stand in that one location. It didn't take long to defeat the villain after that. Lyn spoke with the Marquess, who had been ready to provide us with aid on our way to Caelin, but I could not help wanting to take Lyn's sword up and sliding it forcefully into the man's chest. He was a lout that could make Sain look as if a noble and honorable person, with his words of hatred for the people of Sacae.

I rather doubt many would say as they did to the man's face as Lyn did this day. I was proud of her, her honor, and her own pride in her people. And, I must say, I became proud of the fact that our resident 'thief', a man known as Matthew, convinced me that there were a few things worth taking from the Marquess. An Angelic Robe is a device that can increase the overall hardiness of an individual, and an Armorslayer is a sword that does very well against Knights. I certainly hope that these will be of use- who shall I give the robe to?

---

Loedan sighed softly, closing the book after he had finished. "Oh, perfect. We are walking into the lands of people who hate the people of Sacae." he said aloud, for more his benefit than Rook's. The young girl looked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, to which Loedan jumped slightly and looked to her, as if he hadn't noticed her there in the first place. And he hadn't, actually. His cheeks flushed, realizing that his heart had begun to beat faster in surprise. She just smiled a little bit before speaking quietly to the young, flustered, man.

"No need to worry, Loedan..." she told him. He just smiled weakly at those words. How could he help not to worry? She was a good person, but if they should be caught inside the walls of the city of Araphen with her, they would undoubtedly be forced outside unless something had changed the royalty's opinion of the horsemen of Sacae. She wore her clothes proudly, as she should. Her heritage was obvious. Her demeanor and fighting skills all pointed to her original home of Sacae. She just grinned and wrapped herself in the cloak she was wearing, and then the tactician laughed.

She was still wearing his cloak! Of course, that would help her hide her otherwise obvious homeland from those who might question her origins. Still, perhaps the current Marquess would not think the same way as the elder Marquess from the book? As Loedan set the book away, he certainly hoped that would be the case. He did not like the idea of having to protect his friend from people who would dislike her simply for where she came from. But he would, of course. If needed, he would direct his newfound friends into battle, as he had done before.

Rook simply gave the boy a hug and smiled before she dragged him with her along the path. Loedan looked along the path, and was surprised- Kent and Kiri were nowhere in sight. "Ah... where are they?" he asked, and both continued along the path quietly. Even Loedan was quiet, despite not really learning to move silently from anyone. Their friends must have gone ahead, he thought to himself, even as he felt a hand on his arm begin to squeeze slightly, in urgency. Loedan looked to Rook, and she to him, and he nodded slightly, both of them picking up their pace quickly.

It was quiet ahead- not even the sound of hooves upon the ground could be heard. And then there was a scream of pain, though not one from a human. Then they released one another, and then drew their blades before running forward towards the sound that had been inescapable. In Loedan's mind, he knew that his friends could be in trouble, and that he would be needed to help them. In Rook's mind, a single thought came to mind- protect her friends. Together they ran, side by side, to catch up with their friends.

---

"Milady Kiri, if I may, may I ask you a question?" Kent's voice came from behind the helm that he wore, his head turning so that he could look to the Pegasus Knight who rode beside him. Hewn's wings had become sore from flying overly much, and so was now taking the land route. Kiri didn't mind- this was beautiful country, with such majestic trees surrounding them. She looked to the Paladin and shrugged slightly, her hair tumbling over her shoulders as she swept the braid so it rested upon her shoulder. The rest of her hair rested between arm and chest, as she held the reins for her beast of flight.

"Of course, Sir Kent. It would be an honor to answer the question of a friend of my family's." she replied, smiling softly. Had the paladin known how close he could have been to being her father? Indeed, her mother, Fiora, had often told her about her feelings for a man that was so close to her in manner that her own sister, Farina, had commented upon the uncanny likeness. Kent blinked in surprise, and then smiled as if she had practically answered his question already.

"I see... might you be related to a knight, by the name of Fiora? I see her honor and duty in you, if I may be so bold." he asked her. Of course, the paladin knew better than to say more. Though he had loved Fiora in his own way, it was their paths in life that had conflicted with one another. It was also her older sister that had stayed him from the course of pursuing the pegasus knight more strongly. As it was, he had been trapped between his love for Fiora, and the duty and love he had for the Lady Lyndis, and the path he had chosen for himself led him this way.

The Paladin had married after the battles against Nergal, however, many years ago, but now was alone. His wife had died giving him a baby boy to raise. And he had raised him into a fine young man, a cavalier in service to Caelin's lords and ladies. He had a wife of nearing 15 years now as well, and Kent had a granddaughter. She was turning 16 soon- a beautiful age, and the grandfather expected to pay her a visit where she was learning to become a warrior of sorts in Caelin when the group arrived.

"Indeed, milord. She is my mother, and I am the eldest of her children. She has told me much about you, and I find that she did not exaggerate in the slightest." she replied. Neither had noticed, since they had begun talking, that the other two that had been with them had fallen behind and now were out of sight. Kent did something that he hadn't done in years to say the least, and would remain hidden from anyone who looked at him, thanks to the helm that he wore. He blushed!

"Ah, I see! And how is the lady Fiora these days, if I may ask, milady Kiri?" he asked her, smiling again after the shock had fully registered and escaped him again. Indeed, the paladin had been surprised. He had no idea that the knight had been thinking of him these past many years as well. But then he looked about, a faint sound he heard from not too far away. His hand was on his lance as he stopped his charge, holding the reins as his beast snorted and just wanted to continue on. "We are not alone." he said quietly.

The change in Kiri was quick- she grabbed her iron lance and gazed about quickly. The sound became louder after a moment; it was the beating of wings, but not the sort that belonged to a Pegasus. Then Kiri gave a cry as two arrows sank into the ground beside Hewn, and quickly moved the Pegasus behind a tree to provide themselves with better protection. Kent, however, simply raised his plate shield and deflected a third arrow. The trajectory was off. Whoever it was attacking was aiming to high to be trying to hit them. They were trying to hit the ones in the air.

---

A guttural growl, loud and seemingly in pain, came from a stricken beast, and just before them a great serpent fell from the sky. Winged, long, and strong in wing and body, the scaled beast crumpled to the ground, the rider falling from his mount as a result. The 'monster' gave a shriek in pain and lifted its head towards those that had fired at it. It was not dead, not at all, but its rider was certainly unconscious. Another had managed to crawl away from the carnage, and it was apparant that this one was quite able to attack. He pulled out a tome of magic, and with a chanting of mystical words, carved into the air a rune that was visible for but a second before disappearing. Flame appeared above the man's head and then was sent into the forest- the screaming of a man in pain erupted from a target that apparently had been hit, and then there was no more sound from him.

Half a dozen men came from the forest and into view around the mage- three Archers, one Shaman, and two Mercenaries. The mercenaries were in the front, and were grinning. The mage backed up, unaware that there was support not too far away, and soon found himself pinned against a tree even as he cast his spell again. His target, one of the archers, managed to dodge the attack. None attacked the mage yet, as the mercenaries moved ever closer. The archers moved to surround the wounded wyvern and the shaman took residence near the fallen rider.

It was a complete surprise to them all when out of the sky swept a Pegasus Knight, Iron Lance striking the archer that the mage had attacked a moment before. The archer was dead before he could even scream, but the mass of the beast was great enough that none could miss or mistake it. A yell erupted from the paladin as his silver lance flashed out from the sunlight, the bright and sharp end of the weapon finding its way not only past the mercenary's armor but through it, the tip emerging from the man's back. Blood poured from the wounds of both who had been attacked- both died immediately, slipping from the ends of the lances to land upon the ground. Another attacker arrived- another Wyvern rider, and that rider's lance struck deep into the chest of one of the other archers.

---

The sound of fighting came quickly to the two who were running towards the battle. They both entered the forest side by side, leaving the trail, only to find themselves face to face with a group of five brigands. The two watched the brigands as they began to deploy themselves to flank the tactician and myrmidon, and Loedan smiled slightly. "Attack, Rook." he told her, and they went on the offensive. Rook went straight forward, as did Loedan, and both paired off against one of the brigands. To deal with them quickly would allow them to negate the possibility of being harmed later when they were tired.

Rook's sword flashed as it struck her target, sinking deep into the ugly man's left shoulder. The man cried out in pain and then she stepped aside from the clumsy strike that had been made against her. Too easy, she thought, as she spun and then sunk her blade into the man's stomach. The brigand slumped back a little, her blade coming from where it had drawn life's blood itself from the man, and then fell to the ground unmoving. She looked to the two who had watched this, and then smiled, taunting the pair to come in. "Taste my blade!"

Loedan, however, was facing the other two. He struck first, and his blade cut into the man's side. It did not dive into the flesh with the same zeal that Rook had attacked with, however. The target, another brigand whose scars seemed to be about body-wide, simply grunted and then grinned, swinging the axe hard at Loedan's neck. With a gulp, he managed to swing his blade free from the man and then slip underneath the strike. The momentum of the man's swing forced him to expose his side, already struck by Loedan, and the tactician went to work. One thrust found the same point he had struck, sinking in deeply, but the second thrust, after he had pulled the blade back, found a nice open spot along the scarred man's spine, the edge cutting through skin and between vertebrae.

Of course, that man fell down and was out of the battle- if not dead, certainly in no position to stand or use an axe anymore. His friend dove in quickly, and Loedan found himself easily dodging the clumsy strike, his own blade coming out. With a swift strike, his iron blade fround unprotected neck, and the blood seemed to gush from severed arteries before the man fell, clutching at his neck for a short moment before crumbling to the ground, dead within a minute. He was breathing hard- was he faster now, than he had been in the last battle? It certainly seemed that way, and the tactician turned to face Rook's challengers. His face paled as he saw something he didn't expect, his eyes widened in shock and amazement.

---

The Shaman was all that was left after a moment longer- Pegasus Knight, Wyvern Rider, and Paladin coming alongside the mage as the shaman began to back up to head away quickly. Then Kiri leapt to the fore, striking the shaman with her lance. The spellcaster's robes deflected much of the attack, and then Kiri was struck by a spell that emerged from beneath her, a sphere of darkness erupting around the knight before collapsing, the chill of the spell upon her very being causing her to cry out in pain before moving away again. The Wyvern Rider flew forward, and the spear that the rider had found its mark a bit easier than Kiri had- from skill or luck, one could not tell from Kent's vantage.

An agonizing wail of pain came from the shaman, who collapsed inside the robe. He wasn't dead- the steady rhythm of breathing within it suggested he was still alive, but no counter attack came from him. Kent had heard of this from an old scholar friend of his, one who had turned to the Elder arts to become closer to his wife. Canas had been his name, a member of the company that had faced down the Dragon at the 'Gate. Something about the Elder Arts taking those who were too weak to resist the powers that the ancient magicks into their hold... Kent knew not how often it struck those who used its arts, but it had taken hold in this case. The man would bleed to death, if not provided it, before he would be released from the hold of the elder magicks.

It was a fiery death that the mage prescribed for the shaman, using his tome of magic to light the now nearly dead man on fire. Not a sound escaped the shaman as the blaze incinerated him, leaving only ashes as the magic fire did its work. The Mage and the Wyvern Rider wandered to the fallen Wyvern Rider, the wyvern itself walking to the fallen one. The remaining archer had fired at the wyvern and the rider that had been upon it- during the battle, none had the chance to see if the man had hit his targets before the wyvern rider had run him through as well. Kiri had killed the other mercenary with a swing of her lance to seperate arm from shoulder, and then ran him through the heart.

---

Rook had dispatched her two remaining opponents with an ease that one would not expect from a woman of so little training. Both had taken but a single strike, one that caused her to move quickly and strike four times. Two thrusts and two slashes had found their marks, and as she moved to the second to repeat the process, the first fell to the ground, blood splattering to the forest floor and onto the girl's cloak. The second fell in the same way, this time a spray of blood jumping into the air from a severed artery to nearly cover the girl with blood. At least, that was what it looked like to Loedan, who had watched her do this.

She was bent over somewhat, looking to the ground as her blade rested idly in her hand, held over her last kill. She breathed deeply, shoulders moving up and down before she slowly stood up. He watched as she looked slowly about, and then to Loedan. The look in her eyes as they made contact was startling. Compassion was something he could not find within those orbs, he thought, as he stepped back a little from the girl. That look in her eyes lasted a moment longer as her breathing returned to normal after a few more seconds, and then he saw recognition flash within her eyes. She took a step towards him and fell, slipping on the now slick ground from the blood she had spilled.

The girl landed and groaned softly, muttering under her breath. Loedan sighed and walked over, looking to his cloak before his eyes landed upon the girl who wore it, and he knelt, one hand extended to help her up. "Are you alright, Rook? Have you been hurt?" he asks her, smiling softly to his friend as she extended her own hand. Slick wetness and warmth were what he felt as their hands clasped, and he pulled her up as he stood, helping her to stand as well. She shook her head at his question, but said nothing, obviously unsure how to actually answer him.

Rook took note of herself, and condition. She hadn't been touched by the brigands that had attacked her. But she had felt a sort of calm rage take over her- her body responded without her mind directing it while she battled the last two brigands. She had defeated them without command of her own limbs to will them to do the deed. It frightened her, until she remembered what her master had once said, the one who had trained her in becoming a myrmidon. "Let it do the deed, should the need arise. If you feel yourself lose control over the strength and speed of your body, allow it to do is it needs to defend yourself. Once you have mastered this skill, when you can control what happens when you let go, you will be ready for the next step."

She nodded to the young man, and smiled softly. So, she was learning and becoming stronger. It was good to know that she had something to gauge herself to, but then she became aware of the concern in her friend's eyes, and she blushed, her cheeks turning a slight shade of red. "I am fine, Loedan. But, where are Kent and Kiri?" she asked. They'd both heard yells of pain from further in the forest, but hadn't paid them much attention as they had been a little preoccupied at the time that they'd noticed them. Loedan closed his eyes for a moment, and seemed to be concentrating.

Then, he opened his eyes and smiled to her. "They are not far away, Rook. I don't know how well they fare, but I know that they are not alone. We had better hurry." he tells her, and she nods, grim determination in her eyes. Quickly, both headed into the forest again, Rook following Loedan's lead. It was uncanny, this location sense of his. He knew not what had come over her a few moments ago, but he hoped that it wouldn't happen again. He disliked the look he had seen in her eyes. If she hadn't regained control, the tactician feared that she might have...

---

An arrow shot out from the forest, followed by three more. Kiri cried out in pain as she was struck, the arrow forcing her off of Hewn, who quickly ran behind a large tree to try and shield his bulk. The other arrows struck the mage- the mage managed to narrowly avoid the first of the three, but the other two darted into his shoulder and thigh. The mage cried out in pain, and fell to the ground. Kent and the Wyvern Rider gave a yell and darted forward before more arrows could be fired, and they soon found another four archers. Only one was about ready to fire his arrow, and did so at Kent.

The Paladin simply took the arrow in the shiled, which just bounced off. Iron-tipped arrows found no purchase in the steel of the shield he used, and then Kent strode forward, towards the other three, leaving that one to the Rider. A wet-sounding splash and the lack of a yell told Kent just what had happened a second later, even as he speared one of the archers in the chest. The man slumped over, and Kent tugged back on the lance, forcing the dead archer off of him.

The Wyvern Rider was obviously furious. Two of the rider's comrades had been hurt, if not killed. The man on the horse obviously was quite skilled with a lance- a paladin usually was, of course. As the Rider shoved the dead archer from his spear, where it had torn straight through the throat of his target, he spun his serpent around, urging it into the air. The Wyvern took off, and was directed to the remaining pair of archers. The Rider was grateful that the two who had found them had decided to help them against these bandits, for on his own they would likely have died from relentless attacks. The rider noticed a commotion further in the forest, as if another scuffle had erupted, but as he forced his spear into the chest of another archer, he found the last one raising his bow and drawing back on the bowstring. The iron-tipped arrow gleamed in the sunlight from his vantage point- too close to dodge!

---

Rook had gone away to deal with a pair of brigands that had come to threaten them as they made it closer to the battle that had Kent and Kiri swept away. Loedan found himself in a clearing and with a quick look around, saw the massive beast of a Wyvern not too far away. He saw Kent also aiming his lance towards an archer that was somewhat hidden by the trees between Loedan and the opponent. Making a snap judgment, the tactician sheathed his blade quickly and pulled out the bow and an arrow. His fingertips placed on the sides of the arrow firmly, he set the shaft to the bowstring, iron tip aimed at the archer, and then he let the arrow fly as the string came back far enough.

The arrow flew accurately enough, and the tip forced itself into the archer's shoulder. The bow was lowered as the arched fell forward in pain- and was immediately skewered by Kent's lance as a result. With that done, Loedan quickly looked about, wondering where Kiri was, even as Kent thundered closer. "Where is Kiri?" he called to the man, who simply sped past on his way to helping Rook. The Wyvern Rider landed beside Loedan, spear at the ready, pointed at the tactician's chest. This close, and with the scent of death in the air, Loedan had no reservations as to how well he could possibly last against this Wyvern Rider.

Then, he heard the Rider's voice. "My friends and yours are back that way. I will help the paladin." the voice told him, and Loedan nodded in response to the rider. He told the Rider that there was a girl with a blade already attacking the remaining bandits, and the rider nodded, urging his wyvern into the air. It was afterwards that Loedan headed towards the location that the Rider had specified that he realized something unusual about that Rider's voice. But he couldn't fully place it yet, for some reason. Perhaps he had simply been hearing things? No matter. He needed to see if Kiri was alright- as well as the Rider's friends.

---

Kiri was on her back, an arrow shaft protruding from her left shoulder. Her lance lay on the ground beside her as she lay there, gasping for air. The arrow had lodged itself dangerously close to her heart, and her breathing was strained. There was no sound to hear from nearby, no one moving about. The only sound was one of that wyvern's death cries before it too fell still and silent. The mage, she could see sitting against a tree, either unconscious or unable to move at the moment. Whoever it was, for whatever reason, was not mobile, and was bleeding as well from the arrow that had struck him shortly after she had been hit.

Then, she heard it. Rather, felt it, soft steps upon the ground, though they became louder as whoever it was came close. Her eyes closed as she willed her hand to reach for the lance- she would die with a weapon in hand, even if she could not defend herself. When the steps stopped and the sound of labored breathing could be heard, there was something familiar about the presence that she felt beside her. "Oh Elimine! Kiri?" the voice asked, and her eyes fluttered open even as she felt a searing pain where the arrow had forced itself into her body. Then there was a flash of cold that penetrated within her own heat, a pain that forced her to cry aloud quickly. The heat quickly returned afterwards, a splashing of some sort against the wound. It closed up quickly, warmth returning as the Vulnerary was applied to the wound.

Her sight returned gradually, her breathing slowly returning to normal from the nearly hyperventilating gasps that she had been reduced to a moment before. She thought she had seen Loedan a second ago, but he was away by the time she could focus her gaze again. Never before had she felt that way, and now she hoped she never would again, either. She managed to pull herself up to sit upright, her lance used as leverage before the pegasus knight could stand and look about. There was her friend; over with the mage, using another vulnerary on the man in the robes. Kiri groaned softly, standing carefully and looking around carefully. The sound of hooves came to her ears, the feeling of hoof upon ground coming to her easily. Hewn had wandered back over to her, and nudged her side gently.

Kiri smiled and turned, on hand rising along the side of Hewn's long face to give the Pegasus a hug. Then, she was astride the beast, just barely in time to avoid a spear of sorts landing on the ground where she had been standing. Loedan blinked and watched from near the mage, as a man on horseback came up. The man there wore black armor, scratched and holed from obviously numerous battles. The same color of armor covered several areas of his steed that were otherwise quite vulnerable to attacks. She gasped, looking on at the cavalier. The spear he had thrown, a Javelin, was now tucked away, and the man grasped a wicked looking sword. A jagged edge along one side and the other looked to be extremely sharp as he grinned at the pegasus knight before him.

"You! Kneel before me and I shall let you live... as a slave. I'll sell your Pegasus too, and we'll make quite a bundle off of it!" the man exclaimed. He'd been after a pair of wyverns. Obviously, however, oen was dead and the other not here at the moment. Loedan smirked slightly- stupid man, he thought, as he watched the cavalier, hidden in the shadows with the mage within the shade of the tree that they were beside. Kiri hefted her lance and shook her head, determination evident in her eyes. The man laughed lightly. "I see, fight still in you, is there? Well then, I shall simply have to beat it out of you!"

With that, the man kneed his horse into charging at the Pegasus Knight. The sharp side was held outward, to strike at the knight's lance as she held it almost clumsily. Her shoulder still hurt, and without the use of both hands to use it fully, she would likely be hit by the man's attack easily. Loedan recognized the blade as the man charged, and then pulled an arrow from his quiver, bringing it to his bow as the bow was swept upwards. The iron tip was aimed ahead of the man, his aim moving to follow the cavalier's momentum before he fired. The arrow flew, speeding through the air to strike the cavalier's thigh, blood seeping from the wound that appeared there.

There were then words spoken aloud that he had not heard before. The words escaping the cavalier was cursing at the pain, the horse he was on rearing up as it to felt its rider's pain. For the arrow had actually gone through the thigh, and the iron tip imbedded itself into horseflesh. No, the words that were being spoken were gone, and then a flash of light appeared beside him before disappearing a second later. Intense heat he felt from above, and Loedan glanced up to watch a fireball form and then dash at the cavalier, a small explosion nearly tearing the man from his saddle as he yelled in pain from the burn. A familiar cry was heard, to Loedan at least, and the cavalier was dead after Kiri's lance found purchase within the man's chest.

Tha cavalier was beyond hearing within a few seconds, and then was slumped over his horse's neck. The horse ran off into the forest, dragging its owner's dead body still on top of it with it as the beast sped towards the stables that it would call home. Kiri sighed, slumped against Hewn's neck as she patted the side of the great beast's neck, giving it encouraging words as she looked over to the mage and tactician. Loedan sighed, sliding the bow over his shoulder. Sweat beaded on his brow and trickled down along his face as he looked to the mage, who smiled to the man and clasped his shoulder.

"My thanks, good sir, for your use of a vulnerary." the man said to him, and Loedan simply nodded. All three heard as the flapping of wings of a Wyvern came from overhead, and then the serpent settled there. A man came from upon the back of the great beast- not the same one Loedan had spoken to. No, this particular man wore different armor of a grander scale, and the wyvern wore armor as well, protecting its long, thick neck, tail, and junctions of its wings. This man wore no helmet, leaving paled green hair with a shocking white stripe to be seen. The man was old, and both man and serpent had seen many battles. With a start, Loedan realized who this must be.

A wizened old man with armor that was of a dark purple color. Lined with white. He'd heard of this man before. He was a Wyvern General! And indeed the man was, as he came to the mage and spoke with him. The mage told him all that he knew, and as the sound of horse and wyvern came back to them, three people coming through the forest, the general turned with spear in hand and sword at side. Loedan watched as Kent saw the man, and the general saw the Paladin, and they both broke into smiles as they neared one another.

"Well met, lord Heath!" Kent called out, coming up close. At his side was a tired and very dirty Rook, blood smeared all about the cloak that Loedan had given her to wear. Heath grinned and then came alongside the old paladin, helping the man down before they embraced. Old comrades in arms, Loedan knew. Not just from their comaraderie, but from the diary of his grandfather. Heath had been a Wyvern Rider then, but had risen to become a Wyvern General afterwards with some direction and training. According to the journal, the rider had found his way to Caelin after the final battles, and had become employed there.

"Well met, lord Kent! I certainly hope that those bandits were not a match for you or your friends here!" the man replied, grinning as he stepped back, releasing the paladin. Loedan sighed softly, just falling down to sit at the base of the tree. Today had been draining- tomorrow would come too soon. As he heard Kent introducing the wyvern general to the Lady Lyndis' granddaughter, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Loedan's eyes opened slowly, and then he blinked as he saw an armored woman he had never seen before. She took off her helmet and smiled slowly to the tactician, who just sat there as she stood before him.

---

The wyvern rider climbed off of his wyvern after Heath had made himself known to the small group. After making sure that Sterra would stay, the rider walked to the one who had just sank to the ground, and the rider chuckled softly to himself. Surely he wasn't exhausted just from this excursion? Nay, he seemed more stressed than anything else, but the rider had something that needed to be said to the young man. The rider came before the man and reached down, tapping him on the shoulder.

It was then that the helmet came off and the rider was shown not to be a he, but a she! Long and deep red hair cascaded down along her armored self, reaching a point along her back that the tactician could not see. A smile on her face showed that she was being friendly, but there was an air about her that the tactician would recognize. Twin stripes of white lined the very sides of her hair, obviously not artificial but natural to her hairstyle. "Well met, milord. My name is Mahri." she said, and knelt before the tactician, who just looked as if he'd been slapped. Was he surpised at being treated like this? Most likely, she thought to herself, her smile creeping wider as she watched him, quite amused.

"Well met, milady. I am called Loedan." he said, and then the girl felt the presence of a man's hand upon her shoulder. She stood up quickly and looked to see who it was, and the girl smiled warmly as she noticed the Paladin who had helped her before. The tactician watched these proceedings, wondering what was happening here...

Then the Paladin spoke, a smile in his eyes and on his face. "Mahri? I am Kent... it is good to finally meet you, my granddaughter." the old man said, and then the girl's face lit up. Kent?! She'd heard his name from her mother and father many times, but never had she the chance to meet him before. The wyvern rider looked to Heath, and the general nodded, confirming the hopeful look on her face before smiling. The girl wrapped her arms around her grandfather and hugged him emphatically, an unusual laughter of pure happiness coming from the girl.

---

Rook was nearby as the introductions were made- she bowed to Heath, but before she could, he knelt before her, one arm crossed over his chest as he bowed to her in return. She had blinked in surprise, and found herself realizing that this was one of the people who had actually traveled with her grandmother. His words still sang in her head, "It is an honor to meet the granddaughter of the Lady Lyndis. I am honored to now know her successor." She had simply blushed and nodded, looking to the ground. It was unusual that she had felt so embarassed before, but at the moment she couldn't help it in the slightest.

She watched as Kent's granddaughter embraced the old paladin, and she seemed to beam as she saw the obvious family resemblance. Kiri came over, clutching her side as she came to rest with Hewn beside Rook and the mage that seemed to have been forgotten. "A family reunion, it seems?" she asked aloud, and Rook nodded, unaware that she now had tears escaping her. The Pegasus Knight chuckled softly, and then all watched what happened next.

---

Loedan stood slowly, watching as the family met for the first time, and smiled as he looked from them over to the Wyvern General. Wordlessly, the man knelt before him in the same manner as he had to Rook a moment or two before. "I thank you, milord, for saving these two." he said, and then he stood again and grinned. "I must say, however, that I never thought that I would meet the family of our great tactician. You have your grandfather's blood in you... As well as that of another I believe I know as well." he said to the tactician, and the young man blinked in surprise.

What had this man meant, 'of another I believe I know as well?' Loedan couldn't tell what he meant, and from the obvious confusion on the tactician's face, Heath chuckled softly. "If you know not what I mean, milord, then perhaps it is best kept that way for the nonce. Come! Let us all go to Caelin. Mahri, Harry, Laine and I were out on a training mission... Unfortunately, we must give a proper burial for Harry before we move on. Let us make camp for the night, and give my apprentice a funeral. Then, we shall lead the way back to Caelin. Araphen still has not forgiven the people of Sacae, despite the changes in leadership over the years." the general said, addressing everyone.

It was sound advice, and as the others began to do their work at setting up camp, he spared Loedan one last glance before turning to help with the preparations. Strangely, they did not try to get him to help, not a single one. Rook came to stand beside the tactician and looked up to him, and he looked to her, wondering still what the Wyvern General had meant.

---

Author's Note: Well, there we go. It's a bit longer this time, isn't it? I finished this within a few hours. If you don't know how I work on these, well, I'll tell you now. I let my fingers do the typing. No, seriously. I start writing down an idea, and I let it just flow from there. I'm sure some of you know how that is. Feel free to review! Of course, I'm kinda wondering why I haven't been flamed or anything yet. lol 


	6. On to Caelin!

Chapter 6

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, everyone. Red Mage Neko, I think you know which character you helped to make that appeared in the last chapter. The addition of Heath was last minute, I admit, but he'll make a good plot device. Of course, I'm fairly certain that it's pretty obvious as to what's going on by now regarding certain characters. I plan on having an entire story plot regarding the character's backgrounds available soon (I've already got all the characters introduced so far, minus the bandits. This includes Kent and Heath, of course). Suggestions for characters will be taken, but please send them in e-mails. As for Heath, I know the game calls them Wyvern Lords, not Wyvern Generals. Personally, the term 'Lord' should apply to an actual 'Lord.' One last thing- I think Rock's gonna send me to hell. Him or Roll. I just know it.

---

It was the middle of the next day when the group was ready to go. The night before, a large bonfire had been constructed around the fallen Wyvern, and the rider's body was set into the middle. A fire was started around the dead wyvern rider by the mage, and the departed wyvern rider was soon reduced to ashes. That night, Loedan had given an account of their journey so far- leaving Ilia to go to the plains, Kiri and Loedan's first battle. The second battle, the following day, after meeting Kiri and Kent. Loedan's near-death experience from that battle. Their traveling to Bulgar, and then from Bulgar and across the mountains. And then Kent told them of how Kiri and himself had found themselves helping Laine and Mahri.

Then Loedan told them of how he and Rook had found themselves under attack as well. He left out Rook's lack of control, of course, when she had attacked her trio of brigands. Then he'd found Kiri and the mage, and they'd been found by a cavalier after Kiri and Laine had been healed. It had taken all three of them to take down that cavalier, but they had managed to defeat the man. Heath sat beside his wyvern, Hyperion, as he listened. Mahri sat beside her grandfather, listening intently to the combined stories as she stroked the muzzle of her wyvern.

The general seemed to be surprised at Loedan's story, but just smiled a little bit before shaking his head. Certainly, this boy was his grandfather's family, he thought to himself. Mark always seemed to have a knack for dealing with the battles that they'd found themselves in constantly. This boy was doing something almost entirely new though, not only directing battles but joining in them as well. The woman he had traveled with... Kiri seemed somewhat familiar as well. Daughter to one of the pegasus knights that had been traveling with the old troop? Quite possible. The color of her hair pointed his thoughts in Fiora's direction, for she had been the one that would most likely have ever settled down with a husband.

Rook... the general wasn't entirely sure what to make of her. Granddaughter of Lyn, one of the few survivors of the Lorca clan. He hardly knew Lyn at all, for he had never really been stationed beside the young woman during their battles. His thoughts had, at the time, been too focused upon his honor, but for good reason, of course. Rook was a pretty girl, one that he would have wished to get to know better, if he was young again. But now, he had to go by what he knew of her, and from Loedan's accounts, she was a very good fighter. A much better swordsman than the tactician, obviously.

---

Mahri sat beside her grandfather, happy to be with her grandfather for the first time in her entire life. She had awaited this day for years, ever since she was a young child. She had been told about Lady Lyndis and her group, Wil's affectionately named Lyndis' Legions. She had heard all the tales about them, of when Kent, her grandfather, first met Caelin's real claim to fame in Elibe. The wielder of her family's crest, the Mani Katti, and the Sol Katti.

And not only did she get to meet him, but others who were families of the others who had gone on that quest! Kiri was Fiora's daughter- and according to her and Kent, she was almost a spitting image of the beautiful and serious knight herself. Rook was Lady Lyndis' granddaughter- a direct descendant of the house of Hausen. One who could actually be the leader of Caelin! But she was a simple girl from the plains, with no actual plans at the moment. Mahri had been saddened to hear about what had happened to her parents on the plains, about a week ago.

Then there was Loedan. Something of a mix between a tactician and a mercenary, it seemed. She like him- he was quiet, maybe a little moody. There was something about him that intrigued the girl, to say the least. From what she had heard Commander Heath say, and then to have it backed up by her own grandfather, he was of the Tactician's line! It was enough to leave her in awe of the young man for the remainder of the night. He was always looking around, his eyes sometimes lingering upon the funeral pyre that was burning- though really, the flames were gone and the embers began to die down as well.

There was something unusual about the boy, she considered. He was... distant. He was nice enough when spoken to, and was obviously honest with his answers, but more often than not, when he was not being addressed, she caught him gazing either at the pyre or to the sky. Something troubled the lad, it seemed. But, should she ask him about it? She sighed, looking to her wyvern as it rested its head in her lap. The young serpent was obviously tired and perhaps a little cold, and so wished to be near where the heat was to be found.

In her mind, she remembered the day's fighting. There had been nothing that could be done about the other wyvern rider- he had been hired recently by Caelin. She'd hardly known him, but seeing him die had sent her into a frenzy. Swooping into battle as she did, against archers and a shaman, had been folly, no doubt about it. Not even her grandfather could approve of such recklessness. But she had anyway, and went on the offensive to deal death back to those who had sought it of her. Where had Commander Heath gone?

Ah, yes. He'd been given a message for the marquess of Araphen from the current Marquess of Caelin, and had gone to deliver it. It was not exactly normal to leave three members of Caelin's guards outside the city, but as most Wyvern Riders these days were mercenaries or still serving as part of Bern's army, it was rare that they were allowed within a city that bars the entrance of most 'unusual' outsiders. Araphen had extended its policy from simply barring the nomads of Sacae from entering, to those who come from Bern or even Ilia. Only people from from Lycia were allowed within the city walls, save for those on official business as Commander Heath had been.

The girl's gaze moved back to Loedan now, her interest coming back as she tried to forget about Araphen once more. She was pulled against Kent's side, and giggled as the old paladin gave her a hug. She was very happy today, even though her comrade in arms had been killed. She simply hadn't seen her grandfather ever before, and now was glad to meet him. His armor did not possess the symbol of their family, she noticed- it was the same armor that he'd had since before his battles against Nergal. His shield itself, however, had the symbol instead, and the Mani Katti symbol was also on the top of his helm that was set beside the old man.

---

And so the evening went, old stories being told anew by all present. Heath couldn't help but to watch Loedan carefully, feeling as if he knew where certain features of the boy had come from... He knew that Mark had been his grandfather, thanks to Kent's introduction of the young man, but the grandmother must have been someone he had known somehow. It was rather confusing to the wyvern general, and Heath was fairly certain he knew who the grandmother must have been. If he was right, then perhaps he might be able to inform the boy when the time presented itself to be correct.

The next day ---

Loedan was standing watch in the early hours of the morning. He was the only one not asleep at this point, and as such, had taken it upon himself to get a breakfast going. His pack held that which he would need most when cooking- flat metal surface for cooking on, a large knife only good for cooking, not for stabbing armor, and a fork that he could use to move that which he would cook upon the metal surface. Right now, the fire was building and the plate was set on top of the heated embers, flames coming up along the different sides. Salted meat was taken from a smaller pack that he'd had with him, and within moments bacon began to fry upon the metal sheet.

Then, he took potatos from a small piled that he had found, and cut off all the roots that had escaped from within it before cutting them in half and placing them on the board as well. The grease from the bacon sizzled as the vegetables made contact, and he smiled a little, watching as the bacon started to actually grow smaller from the heat of the fire and the metal itself. He heard a pair of growls from nearby, and Loedan turned to see Hyperion and Sterra watching him as he cooked. As creatures of habit, they had smelled the scent of meat coming from the fire and had found it, he thought, even as he grinned. "No, my friends, these are not for you. I believe your riders have your food." he told them, and Hyperion simply growled at those words.

Loedan remembered a story that his grandfather had told him about Hyperion. He'd eaten much of the stores of food one time, though none knew that had happened save for Heath himself and Priscilla. How had his grandfather known about it, at the time? Well, the wyvern wound up coughing some of its ill-gotten food onto his tent after a small war in the beast's stomach. The tent never was quite the same after that, but Heath had sworn the tactician to secrecy over that. With a sigh, he lopped off two fair-sized chunks from the bacon and threw them both a piece. Hyperion nabbed the first piece from the air and began chewing on it, even as Sterra chomped down on the second piece that had been thrown.

A giggle came from the direction of one of the Caelin tents, and Loedan gazed over, idly turning the bacon on the metal as well as several of the vegetables. He found Kent's granddaughter coming closer from that direction, and he had to wonder if he had woken her up. "I apologize, milady, if I woke you." he said to the woman, for she seemed older than he was. To that she shook her head and came up close to see what was being made.

"Such a meager amount... Here, go hunt, and I will watch what is cooking, milord." she said, taking the knife and fork from him and then pushing the tactician out of the way lightly. He grinned and bowed to her, heading towards the woods to start his own hunt for elusive prey- meat of some sort, that would fill the belly of all in the camp, including the wyverns. Was there possibly such game to be found in this forest, so soon after the battle that had taken place?

---

It was about an hour later that he returned, almost empty handed. Mahri stood at the plate still, though now it was cooling off as it said beside the fire and not on it. The meat had finished cooking, fortunately. The wyvern rider looked over to the man who had just returned and smiled as she saw what dangled from his hand. It was a very large bird, of a variety that she had not seen for quite a while. "A turkey? I did not know there were many in this forest!" she commented, even as he grinned slightly.

"Aye... well, this will have to do for now. There is little game in this area, thanks to that battle that we waged but yesterday." he replied, sighing softly. The bird wasn't all that heavy, but it had been a long haul back from where he had found it. "And now, I shall have to feather the bird before we can cook it." he said, and dragged the bird towards the fire a bit closer before he started plucking feathers from the headless bird. It had been cleaved off, the Mahri could see. The things gave out so much noise when struck that it was said that it continued to make that noise once the head was cut off. Fortunately, that is not the case.

"Ah... let me help you, milord." came her voice, and Loedan looked up to her, smiling softly as he nodded to her. He grabbed the quills of the bird and pulled downwards and then up, the feathers coming out easily enough. Still, there were many more to take off the downed beast, but between the two, it was not long before the bird was basically naked, bereft of any feathers that would otherwise make it look like the bird that once it had been.

"My thanks, lady Mahri." Loedan said to her, smiling as he takes his blade out. And down lengthwise it sliced along the bird's body, cutting the remains of the bird in half. Then, as he took out a cloth and put the already cooked food inside, he set one slab of bird onto the plate. After packing the cooked meat away, he set the other half of the bird onto the plate, and then lifted up and onto the fire once more. With a sigh, he wiped his brow, the heat getting to him rather easily. When he saw Mahri look at him as if she was rather amused, he chuckled softly. "Well, I am from Ilia. You should have seen me when we were in Sacae!"

This brought laughter not only from Mahri, but from Kent as well, who came from his tent with a smile on his face. "Good morning to you Loedan, and you as well, my granddaughter." he said to them, coming close to give the young woman a hug in greeting. Loedan was surprised to see the man so physical with another, but then again, they are family. Loedan felt a twinge of regret- he hadn't anyone at home that he could be so familiar with. Not since his grandfather had left the house, years ago. Not even his own father had greeted him so warmly before. Mahri looked happy, and smiled as she returned the embrace.

This seemed to wake everyone else, from Kent's voice, and the sounds of those who had been asleep now waking up emerged from the tents. With a small smile, Loedan turned to continue watch the bird as it cooked. No need to burn it, right?

Midday ---

The bird had been well-done by the time everyone was awake, and portions were spread out. Cooked bacon, potato, and turkey for everyone. Loedan, however, had not been very hungry, and found himself wandering along the outskirts of the camp. His steps were slow, his mind weighed down by thoughts of what Heath had said to him. What had the man meant by those words? "You have your grandfather's blood in you... As well as that of another I believe I know as well." he muttered under his breath. Was there some hidden meaning behind those words that Heath had uttered, or was he simply worrying too much about it?

"A coin for your thoughts, milord Loedan?" came a voice, and Loedan stopped short, looking up to see the Wyvern General watching him. Loedan shook his head slowly, smiling a little bit to the older man. Just the man that the tactician did not want to talk to at the moment, of course. It usually wound up like this, after all. Perhaps he should begin to bet with the others in the camp regarding this sort of thing?

"That may be all they are worth at the moment, milord Heath. I am simply considering your words from yesterday." he replied, as politely but honestly as he could. The man nodded to Loedan, and smiled a little. Loedan was not sure if he was amused or just surprised that the tactician was brooding over his cryptic remark, but hoped that he would not leave him in the dark as to the meaning behind his comment, if indeed there was one to be found.

"All shall become clear with time, my friend. Time reveals many things... including the ancient archsage Athos." Heath said, and Loedan chuckled softly. The general was a man with a sense of humor, obviously

"Yes, but I must hope I should not need to wait over a thousand years to have the answer revealed to me." was Loedan's reply, to which both men laughed. The tactician still wanted to know what Heath meant, but as the wyvern general walked away, he kinda got the impression that he'd have to wait again before getting any more of a hint from the old man. There were several things he'd like to ask- perhaps he could while they were on the march. For instance, what was Caelin like? Kent didn't talk about it too much, and what he did speak about had been about 20 years ago or so.

---

"Loedan? Everyone is ready to be off. Are you ready to go?" Kiri told the boy as she came over on her winged steed. Hewn snorted, seemingly wanting to get going as well now. Rook was behind her, the girls arms wrapped about the waist of the rider as she smiled over Kiri's shoulder to the tactician. Loedan nodded to them, smiling a little, and then started towards the group that was just about ready to go. It looked like most everyone was packed up and ready, fortunately. Kent had the mage set up behind him, so Loedan's normal ride was taken. Who would he be riding with, if with anyone, he wondered? A soft cry came from Sterra as her rider urged her forward, towards Loedan, and then had her sit down beside Loedan.

"Come, milord, we must be off." Mahri told him, and she extended a gloved hand down to the young man. Loedan was surprised, to say the least, at this development. Still, he nodded and took the woman's hand, letting a mutual pull of their arms bring him up behind the rider. His arms immediately went around her waist, and he felt the woman stiffen for a moment before relaxing again. Finally, Heath took off, winging into the air thanks to Hyperion, and Hewn was not far behind. Sterra was next, and then Kent wheeled his steed about to continue along the trail that led southward.

The plan was to bypass Araphen to the west by traveling far enough south, and then head west towards Caelin. With the mountain behind them and a steady breeze bringing some turbulence, they moved. Loedan was not so sure about his seating upon the back of the wyvern, however. He had never been on the back of a wyvern before, to tell the truth, and as such knew not how to move while on one's back. It seemed that the one before him could tell, thanks to the turns she made with the wyvern to glide upon the wind. He shivered a little- a bit cooler up here than it had been back in Sacae, obviously.

Still, he hung in there, and soon had the motions down as to how the wyvern moved when in flight. The muscles were strong and the great beast was obviously quite maneuverable. Almost as maneuverable as a Pegasus, but far too strong to be quite as agile. The beast also, from notes he had read that had been written by his grandfather, could not take magical attacks nearly as well as Pegasi could. Pegasi were mystical beasts, whereas the Wyverns used their strength to give them their abilities.

Now he could tell for himself that his grandfather had been correct with his notes. Loedan would have to be sure to keep any wyvern rider away from any magic users if at all possible. The great beast shifted upwards slightly as a draft took them higher, and then he thought he heard laughter before Sterra started a nose dive towards the ground. The speed was astounding, and when Loedan caught sight of the trees below, couldn't help it as his arms wound up tighter about the wyvern rider's waist. His hands clenched at his own arms as he felt himself begin to lift somewhat from the back of the wyvern, and he had to fight the urge to clench down on the wyvern's body with his legs. Mahri grinned, though Loedan could not see that, and then brought Sterra back up to level out, just above the treetops.

"Thank Mother Earth and Father Sky," he told himself under his breath, eyes closed as he swallowed back what remained of his breakfast before he could show the entire region what he had had to eat. Laughter erupted from the side, and warily, he slowly turned his head to the right and found the origin of the laughing. Heath, Kiri, and Rook were there, flying alongside them. They had obviously been watching during the whole time, and Loedan knew he must have looked sickly from the way they were looking at him. Heath was laughing heartily, while Kiri and Rook were giggling. "I shall never live this down." he said quietly to no one in particular, his grip finally relaxing upon Mahri as he sighed softly, looking to the treetops below them.

3 hours later ---

A halt had been called by Kent- the ride towards Caelin had been a rough one for him, since he was on the ground. They all settled near an old fort, long past useful and now only ruins, as Kent lay upon the ground, with his eyes closed. He was breathing heavily, for some reason rather fatigued. Heath came over, not astride Hyperion, and checked him out carefully. Loedan watched as the wyvern general checked the man's pulse and lungs with his fingers set to various positions. There was no known reason for it, the man decided. Unless he had been attacked in the woods, but the mage that had ridden with the paladin said that they hadn't seen anyone at all.

"Hmm... If I did not know better, he looks as if he may be poisoned." Loedan commented as he walked from Sterra and over to the old paladin. Mahri wasn't quite as calm- she'd just met her grandfather, and was rather worried about the old man. Family was family, no matter how little one knew the other. Loedan knew that much was certainly true. She knelt beside her grandfather, who opened his eyes and smiled with a gentleness in his eyes that Loedan was sure he had never seen such an expression before. They spoke, and Mahri nodded to her grandfather before standing up slowly. Loedan walked over to see Kent for himself, the wyvern general looking through his belongings to find something.

"Milord. I fear 'tis not poison that ails me, but age itself. If I should fail to return to Caelin... please, grant this old retainer a last request. Watch over my granddaughter and Rook." he said, and Loedan shook his head, barely restraining tears that threatened to seep out from his eyes. This tough old paladin, die? From old age? Not likely. The man would die in honorable battle or in his sleep, of this the tactician was absolutely sure.

"Kent, you were, and always will be, a stubborn man. My grandfather said as much in his diary. You will see this task through, and I will make sure of it, even should I need to hold you steady upon your very horse." Loedan replied, to which Kent laughed weakly before degenerating into a coughing fit. Heath just smiled slightly at those words, knowing them to be true. He had seen the cavalier, and then paladin later, as he protected the Lady Lyndis as well as the others of their troop. He had taken hit after hit, but continued to defend. After Wallace, one could say that the Paladin was the true 'Crag of Caelin.'

"Well said, milord, but I am also a man who recognizes limitation. At my age, I am nearly more trouble than I am worth. Almost... I believe I told Sain as much one time, too. Funny, that I would say such about myself, after so long." he said, and Loedan smiled. Heath grinned too, but soon both tactician and wyvern general were helping the old man to his feet. Kent was breathing easier now after a rest, and then Mahri came over, helping the two by going to Loedan's side to keep the old man standing straight as they manuevered him to his horse's saddle. Up he went, with both Mahri and Heath's help, Loedan unable to reach all that high thanks to his height, but able to keep the paladin steady before coming up behind him to help keep him upright.

Kiri and Rook watched on from the back of Kiri's Pegasus, and Rook was practically crying. This man, she had known for years- had been part of the family. She had called him uncle often, and considered him to be such. But now, she knew that her uncle did not lie. Though not a man of Sacae, the paladin could not lie. It was a breach of honor to do so, and honor was something that kept him from many things in life. He had not much of a life, following his duties to the very end as he always had done. As he would always do. If his name held any power within Caelin these days, perhaps something could be done for him. Surely there was someone within the territory who could help ease any pain he might have?

On the march, several hours later ---

They rode on now, at a slower pace than before. Loedan now rode behind Kent, helping the old knight to stay upright in the saddle as they travelled at an easy pace. Hewn was beside them, not traveling through the air for two reasons. The first was simple: Rook had asked that they stay closer to her grandfather. The second was from Kiri- she wanted to keep an eye on the man who may have become her father a long time ago. Fiora would be saddened to hear of Kent's deteriorating state, and her daughter would be sure to send a message to the halls regarding their progress, the state of the lands that they had passed through, and regarding Kent for her mother to learn.

Heath had the mage sitting behind him now, and both wyvern general and rider were aloft, gliding on a little ways ahead of the small group. There were mountains around them now as the shifted southwards, following the valley that would lead them towards Castle Caelin. Loedan held now no doubts that they would reach the castle in time for Kent to see it again, but also knew that travelling in this area at night would be folly. Heath and Mahri knew this better than he, of course, and Mahri was sent down to inform them that they would be stopping at a small hall that the Marquess kept in the northern reaches of the territory, where they could rest for the final march to the castle.

It was another hour later, when darkness approached and the sun itself shied away from it, that they reached the hall. It was a large place, almost a village unto itself thanks to the many houses that surrounded the area. No shops, however, and that was unfortunate. At the very least, if there had been a town nearby, they could have restocked supplies and eaten fresh food today. But no, the few people who had watched them pass by simply were too busy preparing the fields. None but the oldest would remember the battles between the Lady Lyndis' and Lundgren's forces, many years ago. Few even knew of Heath and fewer of Mahri, but the lord Kent had been gone from the country for so long that only the very oldest would remember the old paladin.

They stayed there for the night, Heath volunteering himself, Laine, and Mahri for night guard duty. Kent was set upon a cot that had been found in the hall, and made as comfortable as possible. Without his armor on, he did not look his age in the slightest. Still strong but now somewhat wiry, the knight rested on the cot, his eyes closed and his breathing light as he slept. Loedan watched over the man, with Rook and Mahri as well. They were his family, and he had no right to be here, but as he went to leave, both girls took his arms and made him sit between them as all three kept watch over the old paladin.

Loedan pulled out his book, grandfather's journal. Rook and Mahri each held a candle close to the book so he could read, and he did, speaking aloud words written long ago by his grandfather during his first journey with Lyndis and her 'Legion.' He knew that his grandfather would approve of this, that he would want his old companion to remember the old times, times that had provided life and action to the old man. Mahri and Rook listened as the tactician read aloud several passages from the book.

Tactician's Log ---

Day 17

The day started out fine. Erk commented that he got a full night's rest. Wil went hunting. Lyn practiced her sword techniques. Serra complained about sleeping on the ground and not getting enough sleep. The normal morning rituals. Matthew had since told me that he knew who Serra was, and he obviously couldn't stand the girl any more than anyone else possibly could. Once everything was packed again, we headed off once more.

Should've known that there is no such day as a free one. We were met by a young boy, no more than maybe 10 years of age, if that, as we attempted to go through a village. But when the boy told us his sister was abducted, well, Lyn took charge of the whole expedition. Of course, even Sain was willing to do something to save the boy's sister as well. The boy is a bard, and his flute seems to work some sort of magic on whoever he plays for... a strange little tune, one I had never heard a bard play before. It was unfortunate that we began to face an enemy called a shaman- a magic user who uses Elder magic, if I remember the term correctly, to defeat Anima magic.

Elimine be praised, for we obtained the services of a monk who wished to help the boy. The boy's name is Nils (such pale hair and skin. Where is he from exactly? Ilia?), and the monk's name is Lucius. I sent Florina southward to scout past the mountains- she came back with a few scratches obtained by fighting a Shaman that she found there. As a result of that and the number of brigands that she had seen as well, I kept her in the back line. I had Rath and Sain sit this battle out, for they had been injured slightly in the last battle in Araphen.

We defeated our foe, only to find that the lad's sister was nowhere to be found... At least, not until a red-haired stranger in garb befitting only nobility showed up with a pale haired young woman in his arms. And when it was learned that he was the sone of the Marquess of Pherae, I was rather impressed. He seemed to be a nice enough person, and I would have like to speak with him a few moments longer than I had. However, news came to my attention from Lyn that some ring called Nini's Grace had been stolen from the girl. I took a look at my notes regarding our equipment, and found that we could easily stand a day or two worth of marching, and another battle, to reclaim the stolen item for Ninian.

Day 19

We gave pursuit to the ones who stole Ninian's ring, and soon found ourselves at a rather old fortress, obviously abandoned over time. But from the tracks that Wil and Lyn had managed to follow, the thieves were inside somewhere. The inside provided our group with an advantage- they could only defend themselves by attack one of us in a one-on-one confrontation. They did have a few mages and archers, but nothing that Kent could not handle.

When we defeated their leader, I was very disturbed that the man commited suicide rather than be left alive, as Lyn had promised to leave him if he left the children alone. Kent was certainly right about this man, he must be a part of a well organized group of some sort. We took the ring and quickly headed west, to try and get to Lady Lyn's grandfather before it was too late. I certainly hope that we can make it there quickly... Lyn is becoming very anxious. Not even Florina can get too close to the girl now, and they are best friends! If this keeps up, I shall have to keep Lyn from entering another battle until she relaxes a little.

What was that? Oh... it seems that Sain was attempting to flirt with Ninian just now, and the crack I heard was simply Nils' spare flute being broken over the poor knight's skull. Caelin knights are made of very stern stuff, I have learned... and this particular knight knew nothing other than to try and win the hearts of the few maidens that have joined our group. On the other hand, I cannot blame the poor fool for being smitten with the pale beauty of Nils' sister. There's something unusual about these two siblings... and I do not mean the color of their hair and skin. Mayhaps I am simply imagining things. I had better go check on our equipment now, I believe some of our weapons are finally becoming too well used to be used much longer.

Day 20

No longer heading south, we change our destination to the west, to Castle Caelin. However, it now seems as if our coming is known by Lundgren, for he has managed to employ, of all things, a siege engine against Lyn and her legion. Oh no... I just called our group what Wil calls it. Ah well, I suppose it was inevitable.

This was a brutal battle. Most of the enemies were equipped with weaponry that caused the strengths and weaknesses of weapons to be switched. Those who used lances had what is called an Axereaver, others had Swordreavers and still others had Lancereavers. And for fear of the ballista (as I also had fear of a ballista. If the user had targeted myself, I know not if I could have dodged it in time), I had to do as Sain suggested (amazing how he can come in useful at times) and kept Florina out of he battle. At least Nils and Ninian's special ability to sense danger enabled them to warn Lyn before she could be run through by the giant bolt. Though I am grateful for it, that is just another one of those things that I just can't explain as to why they would have such an ability.

Fortunately, the abundance of forests in this battle made the archer manning the ballista unable to fire with any reasonable accuracy at all. It did manage to barely graze Kent once when he was caught in the open (a mistake on my part, unfortunately), but a quick visit (and for everyone in camp, any visit with Serra is just that, if possible) to our resident cleric found him to be good as new within a moment's time. Then he was back out to the front of the battle with Sain, who was holding up on his own surprisingly well. It was Dorcas who did the majority of the work, however, since most of the enemies had lances.

Day 21

This day we met with Eliwood again in an effort to keep Lundgren from gaining reinforcements from the other nations of the Lycian League. With their support, the mad man would likely be able to keep Lyn from reachign her grandfather. The young son of the Marquess of Pherae continues to impress, first saving Ninian from the black-cloaked people and then by keeping the other nations neutral during our conflict with him. Florina was impressed enough to thank the man personally... of course, it took twenty minutes, but she did manage it. Eliwood, of course, did not laugh, though I was positive that he would later on. It took all my skill and patience to keep myself from laughing aloud right then and there!

Lyn pulled me aside after our meeting with the young lord. She told me that she wanted me to stay by her side from now on, instead of directing the battle from a safe corner. The look in her eyes told of worry and shame that she could not have been counted on to simply watch over me carefully. I told her that I would go with her, if she wished, but I did not want to make her more of a target than she already was while in battle. If they got her, they would get me as well, after all. Then she did something I didn't expect in the slightest. She just clasped my arm with both hands and pressed to me, holding me in place as she just stayed there. I could do naught but turn to her and embrace the young girl. She was frightened, and as I was the one she had met before all this, had brought me back from where I likely would have died, I was indebted to her.

I would not leave her until after this battle of hers was over. I told her this as I held the young woman close, and she looked up, grateful to me for my words. It was then that she stepped back, away from me, and then wandered back towards where everyone else was. I think that if Sain had been there, he would have said something that would have made me want to run his own lance through his stomach and add a twist afterwards. It was the most tender moment in my life, and I will treasure it always.

It was shortly after this that we found ourselves in another battle, and then 'he' found us. A bald man with silver armor. A Knight. His name is Wallace, and his attitude made me cringe. Of course, he was about twice the size of even Kent, and much more muscular. He'd trained both Kent and Sain, and it seemed that the man is hell-bent on training everyone else in the troop who uses weapons. Dorcas seemed to pass his inspection, though now he seems to be trying to torture Wil. At least he hasn't... ah, drat.

Wallace found me and attempted to put me through some sort of physical training. Wil had been stuck doing push ups as well, but as soon as we found ourselves stuck, we were rescued by Kent and Sain. Thank Elimine for those two- I will not begrudge our lout ever again. Wil and I struck a bargain- if I can keep Wallace away from him, then Wil will do our hunting every day and do the cooking. As he seems to be a better cook than anyone else (other than myself, it seems. Sain is barely passable, and Kent can only do a few things. Lyn's cooking is alright, though suited mostly for stews. Little Florina has yet to cook for us- she's too jumpy to keep at it), I readily agreed to his terms.

Florina and Erk have been spending more time with one another lately. As such, I can often hear Serra's voice even over the clanking of Wallace's armor as he runs around the camp, as he does to keep himself training to keep in shape. I don't know what exactly they have been doing, but it is nice to see the girl opening up to more men than just myself and Wil. She speaks of her sister Fiora, who she says is a lot like Kent. Another duty and honor-bound knight? Well, I can't say that it would be preferable to Sain's flirting, but at least it would provide another person interested in keeping us safe at night. As it is, Kent and I spend most of our time at night on watch, while the rest of the troop sleeps. Though, I must admit, Lyn has been having Sain take over watch duty at night so I can get some rest. For some reason, I cannot sleep as long as I used to. Must be the travelling life getting to me.

Day 23

Finally, after nearly a month of travel, we are at the foothills of Caelin. Lundgren would pull out all the possible reinforcements that he has left from his own forces in an effort to stop us. As such, we spent all day yesterday preparing. Old weapons that I could break over my knee (only Lyn's very used sword and one of the iron lances fit into this category), I threw away. I had Erk, Lucius, and Serra go over their magical tomes and staff, and they seemed to be well. I distributed the remaining vulneraries to everyone, including Rath and Wallace, the two most unapproachables in the group.

The impending battle was thick in the air as we rested. None knew if any of the others would die the today. Apprehension had ceased our mages and Wil, his ever-present smile gone as he checked his bow for imperfections, and practiced his aim. Lyn and I practiced, she using her Mani Katti and I used Sain's iron sword. Her speed astounds me still, and though I could not even provide a proper training, I did give her a good work out. My own defense against even her speed was considerable... I suppose that explains why I am usually slow moving, save for when it came to keeping up with Lyn. Florina and Kent came over to provide further training for her, and I retired to the tent to take a nap. Lyn's request, of course, for I knew that I should be doing other things instead of resting.

The battle begun, and with everyone healthy and rested, we proceeded to go into battle. The rain slowed things down, the weather turning bad every so often as we rushed through the remaining defenses of Lyn's granduncle. Kent and Sain swept through soldiers, archers, and mercenaries. Lucius and Erk took out the few magic users that Lundgren had employed. Dorcas found an Energy Ring in the nearby town, and I had him give it to Lyndis, who used the item. The ring vanished, and she was stronger because of its effects.

It came down to Lyn and Lundgren, as I had known it would. As she knew it would be. Kent and Sain each traded blows with the powerful General, and then I sent in Lyn to deal with him. She wanted it this way, had wanted it since learning that that which had befallen Lord Hausen was not illness, but poison. They traded attacks- Lyn's Mani Katti struck through his armor, and her speed allowed her to avoid his counter attack with a Silver Lance. It was immediately afterwards, when Lundgren threw his lance out, that I saw that Lyn hadn't been ready after his feint- the spear was coming straight towards her! Immediately, I threw her to the ground, falling with her. The lance hit not the girl but me, though the tip did miss me. The length of the wood struck instead, and caused me a glancing blow, knocking me to the ground.

Matthew was over to help me to my feet afterwards, after the battle had been done. Lyn was there too, and the three of us went to sieze the castle. That day, we all met the ill lord Hausen who, with Lyndis' help, began to get better almost immediately.

Day 30

A week has passed since last I wrote in this journal. I have been staying away from everyone who remained in Caelin- Dorcas left to return to Bern to care for his wife a while. Rath disappeared shortly after the final conflict. Erk and Serra went on to Ostia, and from there, I know not where either will go to. I wish Erk the best of luck in keeping his sanity in the danger of travelling with that cleric alone. Lucius left yesterday for Araphen, saying he had some business there. Matthew left the next day, claiming that he had places to go, chests to pilfer, and the like. I just hope he doesn't see fit to take from my pocket in the future. Finally, Nils and Ninian left after a rousing performance last night, and were gone this morning for a location that they did not provide to us.

And now... I have left as well. Only Lyn found me as I went to depart- the others were busy elsewhere. Lyn knows me well, it seems. We exchanged embraces, and though we did not say farewell to one another, I felt as if I was leaving a part of myself in her hands. She said that she knew that we would meet again, and I found myself agreeing with her. Whether by fate of Elimine or my own two feet, we would meet once more. So, I left the country, and am now heading west towards Ostia. Perhaps they might require a tactician there? I know not, but I certainly know that I will be in training for years to come.

---

Loedan's voice trailed off as he read off the final passage of his grandfather's journey to Caelin with the Lady Lyndis. Mahri had listened intently, though her eyes remained upon her grandfather's sleeping form. Loedan closed his eyes slowly. "May Mother Earth and Father Sky see fit to protect you to the end, milord Kent. You shall make it to the castle Caelin before tomorrow's day is done. This I swear to you, in my family's name." he said to the man. Though Kent slept, Loedan smiled as his eyes opened to find Mahri looking to him now. Rook gave the young tactician a hug, embracing him tightly- words that he said coming from her now, a vow given by Lyndis' heir. Mahri debated for a moment, whether to hug the young man or not. The debate came to a close as she hugged both Rook and Loedan for a short moment, and then went off to stand over her grandfather.

Rook released Loedan and smiled softly as she stood to walk over and stand beside Mahri, her eyes upon her uncle. His armor rested upon a table nearby, and Loedan walked over to it. It was old, as old as he had been wearing it for the first time. It had been repaired many times, and was now scratched and marred. The shoulder pieces were about ready to fall off, and Loedan smiled, reattaching the pieces one at a time. This man would reach Caelin tomorrow... even if the Tactician had to pick him up and carry him into the castle himself.

---

Author's Note: Depressing, isn't it? I think I'll have something more ready for the next chapter, though. I know, I've kinda had to set Kiri to the side for now, but she'll be making a comeback soon enough, I think. The next chapter will be the Lyn's Journey Tactician's Log. After that, I'll actually continue with the fic again. Please, read and review! 


	7. Mark's Log

Tactician's Diary

Day 1

My name... it is something I cannot remember well. I believe that it is Mark, for it was the name that this large book had within it. This was one of my few possessions left to me after I was found by this girl, Lyn of the Lorca tribe, of the Sacae plains. She found me on the plains after I had passed out from exhaustion and thirst. I had come from Ilia, to pursue my career as a tactician, though I have had little to no practical experience yet on the subject. Lyn is very attractive girl, with a glint in her eyes that were not meant for simply any man. She carried with her stance a sense of nobility, I thought, the day we met. Thank Elimine for watching out for me on that fateful day, when I had collapsed from exhaustion after passing along the plains, so far from my home.

She cared for me for but a short while before some noise from outside the tent in which I was resting and she lived in drew her outside. Bandits, she told me, and so we both went outside. She was right- three axe wielding brigands were headed for the Ger that was Lyn's home. With a look of steel, she brought the fight to them, and I was only of limited help as she fought the bandits. The last, a man who called himself "Batta the Beast," proved to be the most trouble for Lyn, despite her skill with her blade and the speed she carried naturally. However, a missed opportunity by the bandit allowed the girl to score her victory, using a special maneuver that cut through the brigands' defenses in several locations and severing life from his body in the same instant.

I was, of course, impressed with this girl's tenacity. Unfortunately, as weak as I was at the time, I collapsed soon after returning to the Ger with Lyn. It was the next day by the time I regained consciousness, and we spoke again. She wished to become stronger, to go on a journey of training... and she wished for me to take her with me. I told her that I would, but only if she had permission from her parents, for at the time she could not be much more than 16 or 17 summers old. When she told me her tragic story, of how her family and her tribe were slaughtered by Taliver bandits, I could not help but be moved, and immediately allowed her to come with me. Two strangers united by something... perhaps a bond of fate, perhaps not, but we were unlikely allies as we took down the Ger and packed our valuables, this book among them, and headed for Bulgar.

It seems that to me that I should continue to write in this book, for perhaps someday when I am old and have need of remembering days long past, that this shall contain the truth and strength of the times when I travelled with Lyn. No matter what, though we have only known each other for two days now, I know I will treasure my time with this young girl... though really, I am not much older than she. I only hope, when she reflects upon her time with me as well, that she might think the same as I do.

Day 3

Lyn told me, as we neared the city, that Bulger was the largest of all cities in Sacae. Of course, I believed her, for I had not seen any larger in my travels in this direction. Once in the city, we wandered about to try and find anything that would be of use to us, supplies to help us on our way, but Lyn was stopped by a man in green armor. His brown hair was well kept, and a youthful face was brimming with hope. However, the way that he tried to compliment Lyn told me that there was something... odd, to say the least, about this knight of Lycia. Lyn just shrugged him off and pulled me by the hand with her, away from the man and towards the edge of the walled city.

But lo, what should we find but that same man and another beside a pair of horses, speaking to one another as we neared the entrance to town? This one had quite nice red hair, and seemed somewhat sophisticated- a rather unusual pair they were, it seemed to me, but at least this one had manners. Though when the red haired knight said that he had thought he had seen Lyn sometime before, she took offense (saying as much to him as well) and dragged me off, it seemed to me that he did not mean that in the same light as the green armored one.

Once out of the city, we found ourselves surrounded by even more brigands! What was more surprising, however, was the fact that their leader called Lyn by a somewhat different name, Lyndis. Just when I thought I might have to try my hand at fighting as well against these hopeless odds, despite the vulneraries that Lyn had with her, reinforcements arrived in a peculiar manner. It was the pair of knights from before, and I was introduced to them. The green armored knight, a louse and a hopeless womanizer, was called Sain. An interesting play on the word vain... I wonder if his mother and father planned it that way? The red haired and armored knight was called Kent, and he at least knew his way around a battle, I found, as he provided Sain with instruction regarding how to defeat those who used axes.

With their help and timely use of Vulneraries, we all managed to triumph over the bandits. Then it was time for the knights to share their story- that Lyn's real name was Lyndis, and she was named after her grandmother, a once noble woman of Caelin. Her mother, Madelyne, eloped with a nomad, and came to Sacae. Lyn's parents were killed months ago. Then Lyn learned she had a grandfather, and her eyes were alight in a different manner than they had been before. Family was something that I no longer possessed in my life, though Lyn had become much like a sister to me in the three days we had known one another. I could appreciate it when she decided to travel with the knights to meet her grandfather, but when Sain, the knight with the looser tongue, spoke of her grand uncle...

Day 4

Just as we headed east enough to get around the mountains that proved the border between Lycia and Sacae, Lyn wished to stop at a shrine to pray for blessings on her journey. The religion in this region were very well kept up, it occurred to me, and I no sooner gave my consent than we found ourselves asked to save an old man in the temple. When we were told that bandits were attempting to steal an ancient blade called the Mani Katti, I knew something was going on that was larger than all of our small group. An ancient blade, a woman with an unusual ancestry... Of course, I know not what exactly would happen.

Glass was the name of the bandit's leader, and he was not exactly the smartest mercenary I'd ever met. Lyn and Kent cut him through, even as Sain mopped up the bandits outside the shrine. We had to open a new entrance in the temple's west wall, a fact that I am sorry to say but it had been required, or else Lyn would have had to deal with at least three bandits alone. The priest inside forgave me my decision, at least, after the Mani Katti was found to be Lyn's by right of the spirits who judged her when she held the blade in her hands. A sacred blade, perhaps the strongest in Sacae, was now in the hands of the young woman in our party... Only I could guess as to why.

She is a virtuous girl, honest, and attractive in demeanor and looks. Her determination for nothing more than to meet with her grandfather and become strong enough to not be defeated must have won over the spirits of the blade. Later on, when I had a chance to speak with Lyn shortly after receiving the blade, I had her pull the blade out once more and she presented the weapon to me. I set my hand upon the blade- nothing but cold and sharp steel could I feel from it, but I could almost sense a presence within the blade itself. To Lyn, I looked into her eyes and told her again that I would be with her until this was over. She smiled and set the blade away, blushing ever so slightly, before heading away to join the other two. I followed after them, and we wandered southward.

The land and weather held out- no swamps or wetlands did we cross over. Sain could not help himself from trying to 'influence' Lyn's way of thinking about him. I believe he did little to better himself in her eyes, especially after she threatened to leave him at the shrine, so he could become a monk and serve the world by becoming celibate. It was shortly after that Sain came to me and said that he hoped that other women might join our troup... he seemed to know when he'd been reprimanded, at least.

Day 7

No sooner had we set south for Caelin than did we find a village that was burned to the ground. There looked to be nothing left over within the ruins, but then again we had little time to consider what to do. A few moments after we had arrived, a pair of bandits and a pegasus knight (coming from Ilia, I know quite a bit about them, but nothing could prepare me for this particular knight) could be seen. Lyn exchanged a few words with them and managed to save the pegasus knight. Florina is her name, and though a capable if fragile knight, she seems to have this insane fear of men that stems from... well, even this tactician's eyes cannot see why, just yet.

During this battle, we also found an Archer by the name of Wil. I also found that Florina is deathly afraid of archers as well as of men in general, so when Sain attempted to compliment Florina, it was I who had to drag the louse away while Lyn calmed the pegasus knight down. She seemed to get along with me- perhaps it is because she does not see me as a threat to her? I hope so. Wil seems rather talkative, and although one might not think it, seems to get along with Florina as well. Florina listens to Wil as he speaks to her, though he does seem to ramble on at times. I think Florina's simply trying to get over her fear of men. Wil speaks of our small group as Lyndis's Legions... interesting name. I hope that it does not become popular.

Sain arrived to me late in the day with a black eye- not an injury provided by a bandit, but from Kent after Sain attempted to, yet again, 'compliment' the Lady Lyndis and coerce her into dancing with him. He complained to me about the entire thing, but I simply told him that if he gets hurt by doing it, then don't do it. Sain just said that I was the same as Kent, and that both of us would become old before our time. I simply replied that common sense was something that he would need, if he were to survive these battles. Heroic actions are not really heroic, I told him. To be smart about your actions at the time, and let others judge those deeds to be heroic... that is the way to do battle. Think of the moment while in battle, and do not worry as to how others think of you afterwards. I know not if those words meant anything to the retreating knight, but I think he calmed down for the next day or two.

Day 9

We were attacked again last night. Bandits came pouring from all directions as we holed up inside an abandoned fort that Sain and Wil found. Inside, we found a woman named Natalie who was searching for her husband. A fighter named Dorcas, and we would soon find him much easier than his wife might have thought. He needed money in order to help his wife, whose legs were in dire need of special healing, but the cost of the services would be quite expensive. Turns out that he was one of the bandits that we fought against, though thanks to Lyn's quick recognition, we managed to convince him to join us.

Everyone became a bit more experienced that day, as we held the fort, so to speak, while Dorcas and Lyn made their way to the leader of the bandits and slayed him quickly. Our knights held the main entrance to the fort while Wil protected the west wall from being destroyed by the bandits that were attempting to bring it down. Florina was sent to the east side of the wall, and flew over the trees nearby as the bandits' mercenaries appeared, one by one. She was becoming quite the tough little pegasus knight now, everyone could tell, as I paid careful attention to the girl. If the bandits had come up with any archers in that area, I would have needed to get her out of there. Fortunately for us all, none arrived with the reinforcements that simply poured in.

She even, finally, came up to me to talk. After an introduction from her that lasted 10 minutes of stammering, I motioned for the girl to simply have a seat on my bedroll. I had been busy taking inventory of the items we had, as well as keeping sure as to our monetary situation before she came in, and as usual, I am becoming quite tired. I asked her to lie down on her back on the bed, and she did so, seeming to relax a bit. Then, she finally opened up (after about 15 more minutes, mind you), and told me that she was glad that I was leading the group, that I would give her a chance to protect her friend. I simply told her that I was glad she decided to join us, and that she could protect her friend no matter what my orders were, as long as it was necessary at the time. I also asked her to respect my judgment on these matters, for though I am only a student of military strategy, I do have the ability to see the battlefield better than anyone else in the group. She replied that she does understand me, and that she would do that.

She began to fall asleep, and I kissed her forehead before saying goodnight to the knight. She fell asleep quickly, and I walked out of the tent and over towards Kent, who was serving as a night watch. Together, we kept watch for several hours into the night quietly, before he went to get Wil to take over the watch. Dorcas, I found later on, and we talked for a while before he suggested that he come with us. I told him that I would be happy if he would join the group, but that he would need to speak with Lyn in the morning. I was restless, and found myself near the fire as it burned, looking up to the stars. I have been getting less and less sleep these days... just what shall I do, if I am burned out? I could hear Sain speaking of an inn not too far away- I shall have to order the group to rest there for a day, if possible. Though I must say, I certainly hope that he doesn't get drunk.

Day 12

Well, I was right. Sain had calmed down considerably, though he couldn't wait to get to the inn we are staying in this night. I couldn't blame him, really, and neither could anyone except Kent. He hadn't even attempted to seduce Florina or Lyn since yesterday... but then again, we received another pair of travelers within our growing group. Erk is a mage- pretty good kid, really. Maybe no more than 15 or 16 years old? No matter, he is much more mature than his companion is. Serra. I was once told, by my mother before she died years ago, that if one cannot say something nice about another, then the smartest tactical decision was to say nothing at all.

However, though I will not say it, I will write it in this book. She is without a doubt, the most annoying, self-centered woman I have ever met. She believes that though she is a cleric, that she is better than others since she is religiously working for Elibe to heal others. So why would she say that she would not charge money to heal Erk, for free? Truly, if Erk had even a slightly shorter amount of patience within his body, he would use his Fire tome to either smack her upside the head or to cast the spell itself to get her to simply shut up. Fortunately, though I hate to say it, Sain has come around to begin working on Serra. The two seem to have hit it off, though I somehow doubt that Sain will ever consider her seriously to court her.

Erk was happy to be in the company of people who are much more... calm, shall I say? He has been speaking with Lyn for a while now, and the two seem to get along quite nicely. Florina has been casting glances at me as well, as if she wants to say something but cannot bring herself to do so. I wonder what she wishes to say to me? I think tomorrow, if we are not attacked by bandits again, I will go to ask her what she would wish to speak of. The strain of these battles is getting to me now that I have more people to order about the battle field. I can tell that my skill is improving, but I shall have to learn more to become stronger, as Lyn wants to be. I think we shall need to hurry, soon.

By Elimine... I just had a run in with Serra. She barged into my tent and demanded to be allowed to sleep in the same tent as Lady Lyndis, instead of with her 'escort', Erk. As Lyn and I share this particular tent, as we have since first we met, I had to deny her request, and tell her that she would be better off sleeping with her escort, rather than with Lyn. She simply stormed out, and I can't help but to feel sorry for Erk, who would likely not obtain sleep of any sort as a result of the woman's mood. Mother Earth and Father Sky... tell me she's a monk and not a cleric? How could such a woman be a healer? At least now I can say that Sain will at last have a receptive ear for his advances.

Day 13

The morning began almost as normal, though now I have a thoroughly irritable mage and and an irritating cleric to boot. I certainly felt sorry for Erk, and could be found speaking to everyone during the day. It was decided afterwards that Erk could sleep in the same tent as Kent, so that Sain and Serra could have a tent to themselves. I give Sain a week, at most, before the knight would crack and be coming to me for permission to go back to the tent with Kent.

Serra, in a change of attitude since yesterday, didn't want anyone else to be in the tent with her other than Erk. The look on Erk's face said what he wanted to speak aloud, but did not for fear of incurring the girl's wrath. I still cannot get over the "I'm generous to a fault" that she said yesterday, about healing the mage. I was very nearly ready to empty our coffers in the shops that we passed to buy vulneraries and send that cleric on her way. Of course, I did no such thing, as she was providing her services of her own accord. I, on the other hand, suspected some sort of plot on her part. I have no evidence, but I am certain of it.

We travelled the day without incident other than Sain's bungling attempts to woo Florina or Serra on at least a dozen occasions... each. All he got for his trouble were several slaps from Florina, whose meekness could not stand in the face of Sain's ploys. She was certainly warming up to Wil lately, and I even saw them both conversing as we marched on. Kent remained at the lead, with Lyndis close behind. I remained at the rear of the troop with Erk, talking about our lives. We became rather fast friends, especially since I managed to get him away from Serra for such a long while. Of course, Sain did do his part, I admit... giving Serra a ride on his horse as she talked the day away. I swear, if she hadn't volunteered her services, we all would have shoved her down a hill and then ran away in the other direction.

Day 15

Florina spoke to me today, after what I assumed was some encouraging from Lyndis. She wanted to get some carrots for Huey, so I gave her a few gold to go ahead and purchase some from the farmers that we passed by. Surprisingly, she asked me to go with her, and so I did, leaving the troop under Lyn's watchful eyes. I couldn't help but to compliment the girl on how far she had come, to be able to talk to me without taking 15 minutes to come up with more than two words. Her response was simply to blush and look away from me.

Cute. Simply adorable, this pegasus knight. We spoke afterwards, and I learned that she had two sisters who were also pegasus knights. I wonder if I might ever meet these two others?

We made it to Araphen today, and Kent went on ahead to speak with the Marquess. Supposedly, we were to procure supplies from him, but a sudden fire and attack on the castle left us with a battle on our hands. It amazes me to say it, but a man attempted to kill Lyn today, and very nearly did if it hadn't been for the nomad from Sacae, a very silent man named Rath who was captain of the guard. An archer on horseback... Well, at least he could avoid attacks, unlike Wil. His mobility came in very handy as we searched for the switches that would open up the hidden entrance that would lead into the castle.

The soldiers that we had to face in battle today were little more than a joke. However, when one of Lungren's knights appeared after we opened a secret passageway, the joke was over. Between Dorcas, Erk, Wil, and Rath, however, we chipped away as the man stood in place, as if he were a statue built there to only stand in that one location. It didn't take long to defeat the villain after that. Lyn spoke with the Marquess, who had been ready to provide us with aid on our way to Caelin, but I could not help wanting to take Lyn's sword up and sliding it forcefully into the man's chest. He was a lout that could make Sain look as if a noble and honorable person, with his words of hatred for the people of Sacae.

I rather doubt many would say as they did to the man's face as Lyn did this day. I was proud of her, her honor, and her own pride in her people. And, I must say, I became proud of the fact that our resident 'thief', a man known as Matthew, convinced me that there were a few things worth taking from the Marquess. An Angelic Robe is a device that can increase the overall hardiness of an individual, and an Armorslayer is a sword that does very well against Knights. I certainly hope that these will be of use- who shall I give the robe to?

Day 17

The day started out fine. Erk commented that he got a full night's rest. Wil went hunting. Lyn practiced her sword techniques. Serra complained about sleeping on the ground and not getting enough sleep. The normal morning rituals. Matthew had since told me that he knew who Serra was, and he obviously couldn't stand the girl any more than anyone else possibly could. Once everything was packed again, we headed off once more.

Should've known that there is no such day as a free one. We were met by a young boy, no more than maybe 10 years of age, if that, as we attempted to go through a village. But when the boy told us his sister was abducted, well, Lyn took charge of the whole expedition. Of course, even Sain was willing to do something to save the boy's sister as well. The boy is a bard, and his flute seems to work some sort of magic on whoever he plays for... a strange little tune, one I had never heard a bard play before. It was unfortunate that we began to face an enemy called a shaman- a magic user who uses Elder magic, if I remember the term correctly, to defeat Anima magic.

Elimine be praised, for we obtained the services of a monk who wished to help the boy. The boy's name is Nils (such pale hair and skin. Where is he from exactly? Ilia?), and the monk's name is Lucius. I sent Florina southward to scout past the mountains- she came back with a few scratches obtained by fighting a Shaman that she found there. As a result of that and the number of brigands that she had seen as well, I kept her in the back line. I had Rath and Sain sit this battle out, for they had been injured slightly in the last battle in Araphen.

We defeated our foe, only to find that the lad's sister was nowhere to be found... At least, not until a red-haired stranger in garb befitting only nobility showed up with a pale haired young woman in his arms. And when it was learned that he was the sone of the Marquess of Pherae, I was rather impressed. He seemed to be a nice enough person, and I would have like to speak with him a few moments longer than I had. However, news came to my attention from Lyn that some ring called Nini's Grace had been stolen from the girl. I took a look at my notes regarding our equipment, and found that we could easily stand a day or two worth of marching, and another battle, to reclaim the stolen item for Ninian.

Day 19

We gave pursuit to the ones who stole Ninian's ring, and soon found ourselves at a rather old fortress, obviously abandoned over time. But from the tracks that Wil and Lyn had managed to follow, the thieves were inside somewhere. The inside provided our group with an advantage- they could only defend themselves by attack one of us in a one-on-one confrontation. They did have a few mages and archers, but nothing that Kent could not handle.

When we defeated their leader, I was very disturbed that the man commited suicide rather than be left alive, as Lyn had promised to leave him if he left the children alone. Kent was certainly right about this man, he must be a part of a well organized group of some sort. We took the ring and quickly headed west, to try and get to Lady Lyn's grandfather before it was too late. I certainly hope that we can make it there quickly... Lyn is becoming very anxious. Not even Florina can get too close to the girl now, and they are best friends! If this keeps up, I shall have to keep Lyn from entering another battle until she relaxes a little.

What was that? Oh... it seems that Sain was attempting to flirt with Ninian just now, and the crack I heard was simply Nils' spare flute being broken over the poor knight's skull. Caelin knights are made of very stern stuff, I have learned... and this particular knight knew nothing other than to try and win the hearts of the few maidens that have joined our group. On the other hand, I cannot blame the poor fool for being smitten with the pale beauty of Nils' sister. There's something unusual about these two siblings... and I do not mean the color of their hair and skin. Mayhaps I am simply imagining things. I had better go check on our equipment now, I believe some of our weapons are finally becoming too well used to be used much longer.

Day 20

No longer heading south, we change our destination to the west, to Castle Caelin. However, it now seems as if our coming is known by Lundgren, for he has managed to employ, of all things, a siege engine against Lyn and her legion. Oh no... I just called our group what Wil calls it. Ah well, I suppose it was inevitable.

This was a brutal battle. Most of the enemies were equipped with weaponry that caused the strengths and weaknesses of weapons to be switched. Those who used lances had what is called an Axereaver, others had Swordreavers and still others had Lancereavers. And for fear of the ballista (as I also had fear of a ballista. If the user had targeted myself, I know not if I could have dodged it in time), I had to do as Sain suggested (amazing how he can come in useful at times) and kept Florina out of he battle. At least Nils and Ninian's special ability to sense danger enabled them to warn Lyn before she could be run through by the giant bolt. Though I am grateful for it, that is just another one of those things that I just can't explain as to why they would have such an ability.

Fortunately, the abundance of forests in this battle made the archer manning the ballista unable to fire with any reasonable accuracy at all. It did manage to barely graze Kent once when he was caught in the open (a mistake on my part, unfortunately), but a quick visit (and for everyone in camp, any visit with Serra is just that, if possible) to our resident cleric found him to be good as new within a moment's time. Then he was back out to the front of the battle with Sain, who was holding up on his own surprisingly well. It was Dorcas who did the majority of the work, however, since most of the enemies had lances.

Day 21

This day we met with Eliwood again in an effort to keep Lundgren from gaining reinforcements from the other nations of the Lycian League. With their support, the mad man would likely be able to keep Lyn from reachign her grandfather. The young son of the Marquess of Pherae continues to impress, first saving Ninian from the black-cloaked people and then by keeping the other nations neutral during our conflict with him. Florina was impressed enough to thank the man personally... of course, it took twenty minutes, but she did manage it. Eliwood, of course, did not laugh, though I was positive that he would later on. It took all my skill and patience to keep myself from laughing aloud right then and there!

Lyn pulled me aside after our meeting with the young lord. She told me that she wanted me to stay by her side from now on, instead of directing the battle from a safe corner. The look in her eyes told of worry and shame that she could not have been counted on to simply watch over me carefully. I told her that I would go with her, if she wished, but I did not want to make her more of a target than she already was while in battle. If they got her, they would get me as well, after all. Then she did something I didn't expect in the slightest. She just clasped my arm with both hands and pressed to me, holding me in place as she just stayed there. I could do naught but turn to her and embrace the young girl. She was frightened, and as I was the one she had met before all this, had brought me back from where I likely would have died, I was indebted to her.

I would not leave her until after this battle of hers was over. I told her this as I held the young woman close, and she looked up, grateful to me for my words. It was then that she stepped back, away from me, and then wandered back towards where everyone else was. I think that if Sain had been there, he would have said something that would have made me want to run his own lance through his stomach and add a twist afterwards. It was the most tender moment in my life, and I will treasure it always.

It was shortly after this that we found ourselves in another battle, and then 'he' found us. A bald man with silver armor. A Knight. His name is Wallace, and his attitude made me cringe. Of course, he was about twice the size of even Kent, and much more muscular. He'd trained both Kent and Sain, and it seemed that the man is hell-bent on training everyone else in the troop who uses weapons. Dorcas seemed to pass his inspection, though now he seems to be trying to torture Wil. At least he hasn't... ah, drat.

Wallace found me and attempted to put me through some sort of physical training. Wil had been stuck doing push ups as well, but as soon as we found ourselves stuck, we were rescued by Kent and Sain. Thank Elimine for those two- I will not begrudge our lout ever again. Wil and I struck a bargain- if I can keep Wallace away from him, then Wil will do our hunting every day and do the cooking. As he seems to be a better cook than anyone else (other than myself, it seems. Sain is barely passable, and Kent can only do a few things. Lyn's cooking is alright, though suited mostly for stews. Little Florina has yet to cook for us- she's too jumpy to keep at it), I readily agreed to his terms.

Florina and Erk have been spending more time with one another lately. As such, I can often hear Serra's voice even over the clanking of Wallace's armor as he runs around the camp, as he does to keep himself training to keep in shape. I don't know what exactly they have been doing, but it is nice to see the girl opening up to more men than just myself and Wil. She speaks of her sister Fiora, who she says is a lot like Kent. Another duty and honor-bound knight? Well, I can't say that it would be preferable to Sain's flirting, but at least it would provide another person interested in keeping us safe at night. As it is, Kent and I spend most of our time at night on watch, while the rest of the troop sleeps. Though, I must admit, Lyn has been having Sain take over watch duty at night so I can get some rest. For some reason, I cannot sleep as long as I used to. Must be the travelling life getting to me.

Day 23

Finally, after nearly a month of travel, we are at the foothills of Caelin. Lundgren would pull out all the possible reinforcements that he has left from his own forces in an effort to stop us. As such, we spent all day yesterday preparing. Old weapons that I could break over my knee (only Lyn's very used sword and one of the iron lances fit into this category), I threw away. I had Erk, Lucius, and Serra go over their magical tomes and staff, and they seemed to be well. I distributed the remaining vulneraries to everyone, including Rath and Wallace, the two most unapproachables in the group.

The impending battle was thick in the air as we rested. None knew if any of the others would die the today. Apprehension had ceased our mages and Wil, his ever-present smile gone as he checked his bow for imperfections, and practiced his aim. Lyn and I practiced, she using her Mani Katti and I used Sain's iron sword. Her speed astounds me still, and though I could not even provide a proper training, I did give her a good work out. My own defense against even her speed was considerable... I suppose that explains why I am usually slow moving, save for when it came to keeping up with Lyn. Florina and Kent came over to provide further training for her, and I retired to the tent to take a nap. Lyn's request, of course, for I knew that I should be doing other things instead of resting.

The battle begun, and with everyone healthy and rested, we proceeded to go into battle. The rain slowed things down, the weather turning bad every so often as we rushed through the remaining defenses of Lyn's granduncle. Kent and Sain swept through soldiers, archers, and mercenaries. Lucius and Erk took out the few magic users that Lundgren had employed. Dorcas found an Energy Ring in the nearby town, and I had him give it to Lyndis, who used the item. The ring vanished, and she was stronger because of its effects.

It came down to Lyn and Lundgren, as I had known it would. As she knew it would be. Kent and Sain each traded blows with the powerful General, and then I sent in Lyn to deal with him. She wanted it this way, had wanted it since learning that that which had befallen Lord Hausen was not illness, but poison. They traded attacks- Lyn's Mani Katti struck through his armor, and her speed allowed her to avoid his counter attack with a Silver Lance. It was immediately afterwards, when Lundgren threw his lance out, that I saw that Lyn hadn't been ready after his feint- the spear was coming straight towards her! Immediately, I threw her to the ground, falling with her. The lance hit not the girl but me, though the tip did miss me. The length of the wood struck instead, and caused me a glancing blow, knocking me to the ground.

Matthew was over to help me to my feet afterwards, after the battle had been done. Lyn was there too, and the three of us went to sieze the castle. That day, we all met the ill lord Hausen who, with Lyndis' help, began to get better almost immediately.

Day 30

A week has passed since last I wrote in this journal. I have been staying away from everyone who remained in Caelin- Dorcas left to return to Bern to care for his wife a while. Rath disappeared shortly after the final conflict. Erk and Serra went on to Ostia, and from there, I know not where either will go to. I wish Erk the best of luck in keeping his sanity in the danger of travelling with that cleric alone. Lucius left yesterday for Araphen, saying he had some business there. Matthew left the next day, claiming that he had places to go, chests to pilfer, and the like. I just hope he doesn't see fit to take from my pocket in the future. Finally, Nils and Ninian left after a rousing performance last night, and were gone this morning for a location that they did not provide to us.

And now... I have left as well. Only Lyn found me as I went to depart- the others were busy elsewhere. Lyn knows me well, it seems. We exchanged embraces, and though we did not say farewell to one another, I felt as if I was leaving a part of myself in her hands. She said that she knew that we would meet again, and I found myself agreeing with her. Whether by fate of Elimine or my own two feet, we would meet once more. So, I left the country, and am now heading west towards Ostia. Perhaps they might require a tactician there? I know not, but I certainly know that I will be in training for years to come. 


	8. The night before Caelin Castle

Chapter 7

Author's Note: Since I have taken a two day weekend from working on the fic, chances are that I haven't had a chance to see any reviews on the last two chapters. hehe. This is also my largest (if not longest) series now! I hope you guys like this chapter as much as I did writing it.

2 nights after arriving at the hall ---

A flash of light appeared as the tactician stood in a place that was completely black. Time itself seemed to have no meaning as he stood there. The man's eyes opened, and suddenly the surrounding area came to his head. It was as if he was in the air, looking down upon an area that one could see anyone from his vantage point. In the air, an ominous cloud. The tactician looked down as if from up high, higher than any pegasus or wyvern could fly. The people below looked as if they were nothing more than simple dolls or toys. Others became apparent quickly, slightly larger than the others. Pegasus Knights, Wyvern Riders were the largest. A Paladin and Wyvern General as well, and a Myrmidon.

Then, others appeared. A General. Many Cavaliers, a Shaman, and more than a few brigands and archers. A trio of mages as well. The tactician had never seen so many opponents in one area at a single time. Then he spotted a Sage and a Bishop close to the others that he had noticed before the rest. Spells were cast, and both thunder and lightning came down upon the Wyvern Rider and the Myrmidon. Shrieks erupted from both and then they fell, not rising afterwards. The tactician had been unable to do anything but watch, to watch as those who were outnumbered were taken down in simple attacks. Archers advanced, targetting the winged ones- the Pegasus Knight fell first, and then the Wyvern General was down as well. The riders cried out as their mounts toppled to the ground, and the cries were killed as they themselves fell from their saddles and no longer moved.

The Paladin withstood many attacks. Magic, Spears, Swords, Lances, and Arrows. But the Shaman had a book of Luna, and the Paladin fell, his horse consumed by darkness and his very being struck to the core by the onslaught. Arrows in shoulders, legs, and chest. Cuts along his armored region. Deep cuts where jagged punctures in the armor stuck inside the man. But in the end, the General won. The voices came to the tactician, who had watched this in horror.

"You failed..." they said in unison, all voices of those who had fallen in battle. The words resounded in his mind, lightning flashing all about him. Then, he found himself on the ground, in a grassy area. The place stunk of blood and battle, the stench of death all about him. From all sides he found himself surrounded- not by trees, but by people. Brigands and cavaliers boxed him in. Behind them, the Sage and Bishop, as well as the archers. Standing taller than all, the tactician's gaze found the General, who was laughing.

"You have failed! You could not save your friends, the ones who fought for you. What makes you believe you can save yourself without their help?" the General called out, and his minions laughed. The shaman stood beside the General and smiled knowingly before vanishing. The General raised both spear and axe, and from nowhere, a whistling sound could be heard. The tactician turned just in time to realize what was coming, and then found himself struck, pain erupting from his chest where a bolt had lanced straight through him. Then his eyes closed, with the sound of laughter from more than a dozen others echoing through his mind.

---

A startled cry startled the small company awake. Bolting into a sitting position, the tactician then collapsed into his bedroll again. His mind raced- a nightmare, he knew, but as two came close to him whom he could not see, but could hear, a scream erupted. His eyes had attempted to open, to see what the scream was about, when he felt his body just give it up. The scream ended abruptly and then there was the sound of some sort of sound, like that of someone falling onto the floor. Breathing, he realized, was more difficult than he could remember. Then there was a searing pain that he felt as something was pulled from his chest, cold air rushing to fill the void that was now filling with blood.

Loedan shuddered as he lay there, breathing in short, sharp gasps. He realized now that he had been attacked by someone, for some reason. But logical thought escaped him as he felt himself slip, thought processes stopped, and voluntary movement failed. Words he attempted to say found no way past his throat, and a hacking cough developed, causing him to curl into a fetal position on the bedroll. Hands he felt beside him, on his body, as whoever it was attempted to do something to him. But then, darkness took over his mind, and nothing remained as he lost all thought.

---

Mahri had been awake the whole time, having taken over watch of the door in place of the Wyvern General. Her mind had been filled with concern for her grandfather, who had been ill since the day before. They were so close to their home, she thought, and she smiled softly. To think that she could take walks with her grandfather now, in the land that both were born in. To be with one of the heroes of the battles with Nergal, to talk to him and share with him her own hopes and dreams, and to hear what his were as well.

Her thoughts drifted to the tactician now as well. He had been very concerned about her grandfather, this young man from another country. She had listened to this boy from Ilia as he told them all about where he and Kiri had come from and what had happened since they had left there. His reading of the battles before Nergal, just last night, of her grandfather and the Lady Lyndis. He had the log of the Tactician with him, and read of his beginning battles. It was an unfortunate thing when she was snapped out of her reverie by a sharp cry of pain, her head snapped towards the sound of the very person she had been thinking of.

What was it? She took off running, iron lance in hand as she found herself soon in the room with the young man. Something stuck in his chest, she saw, and then there was a small sound. A slip of foot upon floor, she realized, and then she turned in time to see someone there. With the lance she struck at the dark figure, knowing that none others were yet up to be in the room with the two. A grunt came from her target as the tip of her lance embedded itself into the person's chest, and then a knife fell to the floor. A shriek came from the doorway and Mahri allowed a glance to the person. It was young Rook, and she darted over to Loedan. She pulled the knife from her friend's chest, and Mahri's heart softened, her serious facade weakening and then crushed completely as she saw the young man curl up into a ball. The smell of blood was already in the air. What had made this assassin attack the man?

"By Elimine..." she whispered to herself, and her hands flew to her pouch even as she quickly moved over to the two. Rook was kneeling beside Loedan, trying to get him to move onto his back. Blood seeped from the wound that had been inflicted, and as Mahri knelt beside him as well, she had pulled out a Vulnerary from her satchel. Sounds of feet running came to the rider, and she quickly poured the vial's contents onto the deep wound. The magic contained within it began its work, but then the tactician shuddered and curled tighter into a ball. Rook turned towards the sound of those who were coming, and Heath was the first to show himself. He took one look at the situation and cursed aloud before calling for Hyperion.

Mahri sat still, watching the young man, and so she was unprepared when she was attacked. Rook, however, was, and with her blade drawn she launched herself at the attacker. The assassin fell to a combination of slashes from Rook's swordplay before he could even swing his knives again. Mahri could tell that something needed to be done, but it would have to wait until these assassins were dealt with. A deep cry from the adjoining room bside this one was heard, and Mahri paled. That was her grandfather!

---

Kent had awoken to find four black robed people surrounding him. They said something to one another, and then one of the black robed people pulled back the hood that covered his face. The resemblance of the man to someone he had once met was not lost on the Paladin, whose eyes went wide in surprise and he grasped for his sword, drawing it from his sheath. He was never without his blade, not even while asleep. The man who had appeared simply grinned and took up a fencer's stance. The Paladin was without his armor, and as he swept himself onto his feet, the other three attacked. All three had lances, but Kent's trained reflexes took over.

His blade flashed out and batted the first's lance away before driving his blade into the man's stomach. Then the old man turned in time to narrowly escape a lance thrust to his side, only to find himself impaled on the third. Kent's blade shot out and found the second soldier's throat, even as he cried out in pain, collapsing against the side of the cot he had been resting upon during the night. The man that had not attacked did not do anything but chuckle, even as the door between Loedan's and Kent's room was opened. From it came the wyvern rider and the plains girl. Both took stock of the situation, and then sprung into action.

Rook pulled out her blade and immediately went after the man without a hood on. Her blade lashed out in a swift arc that was actually dodged, and then Rook found herself barely avoiding a return attack from a blade as well. Mahri's lance found purchase deep within the soldier's chest, ripping past armor and into the man's chest. The soldier fell without a word, but with a grunt. Mahri turned around quickly to face the man that Rook had engaged, and found herself unable to move. Kent was up again, breathing deeply and carefully as he held his blade to his side.

The man had Rook before him, held against his chest. Her blade was held numbly at her side, her sword arm numb from the pressure that the man had on her. The edge of the man's vicious blade was held against her throat. The frightened look in her eyes stopped both Kent and Mahri, and the man who held her captive smiled malevolently. "Ah, yes... ever the heroic knight, are you not, Sir Kent? You who denied my father's most generous offer. And your granddaughter as well, eh? I think I shall take my father's revenge on you both, as well as this girl... a cousin of mine, if I am not mistaken? All these Sacaen mongrels look alike, after all." he said, and grinned. His back was to the door that Loedan was still in, and as far as any knew, was still hurt badly. The others, the two could hear, must be busy dealing with other people further in the hall.

"Oh yes, the stench of Lyndis' claim is strong in this girl. I shall enjoy killing her, as her family has been." he said, and then Kent's eyes went wide as he realized what the man meant. The man saw the realization dawn in Kent's face, and he simply smiled slowly. "Indeed, I bought the services of the bandits that attacked you and your group, Kent. As I bought the services of these sellswords to kill you all here tonight. The man in the next room? I know of his lineage as well. My father's old advisor keeps very good records of such things. And now, your poor tactician is dead as well!" he bragged, even as his steps carried both himself and the girl towards the door. "One false move... anything said or any weapon raised against me, and I shall slay this girl as we speak."

---

Light came back into Loedan's mind, the healing magic of a vulnerary having managed to rouse the tactician from what would otherwise have been his grave. A slight groan escaped him, even as his mind roused from the combination of just coming awake and from the sounds of battle around him. His eyes opened this time, and he saw the door to Kent's room open, and a man's back in it.

"Oh yes, the stench of Lyndis' claim is strong in this girl. I shall enjoy killing, as her family has been." he heard the man say, and Loedan's blood seemed to freeze. To his bow he reached, and from the quiver, he pulled an arrow. "Indeed, I bought the services of the bandits that attacked you and your group, Kent. As I bought the services of these sellswords to kill you all here tonight. The man in the next room? I know of his lineage as well. My father's old advisor keeps very good records of such things. And now, your poor tactician is dead as well!"

The old fool knew not what he spoke of, Loedan thought, though he knew exactly what he meant. The arrow was swiftly notched to his bowstring, and as the man finally now warned them about attacking him, Loedan waited for the right time. He did not want to have any harm come to Rook, whom he realized was being held hostage by the man. Elsewhere in the hall, the others were battling cavaliers and mages, as well as thieves. Fortunately, between Heath, Kiri, and Laine, they were holding their own while protecting Loedan's room from further intrusion.

The arrow seemed to twitch somewhat, Loedan's calm mind coming to the fore as he loosed the arrow upon the man's back. His aim seemed true, and he simply hoped that no harm would befall his friend.

---

Rook hadn't known that the older man could move with such speed- it was a surprise to her when he wound up behind her, dancing beyond sword reach so fast that it was a surprise when she felt the cold steel of his blade against her tender throat. Breathing was slow and ragged as she was held against the man's chest. The cold of armor beneath the robes he was wearing could be felt, and she had to fight the urge to shiver as the blade pressed tighter against her skin. She felt a bit of blood escape from a small cut, even as she heard the man's voice. It was an evil voice.

"Ah, yes... ever the heroic knight, are you not, Sir Kent? You who denied my father's most generous offer. And your granddaughter as well, eh? I think I shall take my father's revenge on you both, as well as this girl... a cousin of mine, if I am not mistaken? All these Sacaen mongrels look alike, after all." the man said. She felt herself become much colder, the fright of death in her blood as he forced her to take a few steps backward. Her blade was of no use- circulation to her sword arm was somewhat cut off thanks to the hold that the man was using to keep her against his armored chest.

"Oh yes, the stench of Lyndis' claim is strong in this girl. I shall enjoy killing her, as her family has been." the evil man said, and Rook's eyes went wide. Warmth returned to her veins, a fire burning in her eyes and body now as she was held against the armor. Death no longer seemed to bother her- she would kill this man to avenge her mother and father's deaths! "Indeed, I bought the services of the bandits that attacked you and your group, Kent. As I bought the services of these sellswords to kill you all here tonight. The man in the next room? I know of his lineage as well. My father's old advisor keeps very good records of such things. And now, your poor tactician is dead as well!"

Now her blood began to boil beyond the hatred she had felt a moment ago. Loedan was... dead? He was still among the living when she had found him laying in the room beside this one, but not moving in the slightest. No, he was alive. He had to be! He had protected her, and she had vowed to herself that she would protect him as well. Had she failed already? Could her friend be beyond hearing so soon? No. It was a feeling she couldn't explain, but she knew he wasn't dead yet. Her heart told her otherwise, and from this she drew courage. She would attack if given half the chance, but as the blade at her neck drew closer inwards to her soft flesh, she knew that any wrong turn would simply cause him to slit her throat.

---

The evil man was beside himself with happiness. Finally, Lundgren's family would have their revenge on Hausen's line! Oh no, Lundgren had denounced his brotherhood to the old lord of Caelin. The pain of the old man's death at the hands of a mere Sacaen nomad had grown deep within the old general's son. For many years, he trained and planned. His hired scouts, bandits and mercenaries, scoured the continent in search of Lyndis and her family. Last year, they had found their prey thanks to one of his people tailing the old Paladin from a trip that had been made to the shrine of the Mani Katti.

Lundgren's son, Luin, bided his time until such time that he could be sure that he could strike a decisive blow. He sponsored the creation of a bandit clan from many survivors that had been from destroyed bandit clans, and trained them as befits bandits. Against small villages he sent them, biding his time until just the other week, when his men stormed the Ger of the girl's parents and killed them as they slept, ill and in bed. It was just, a viable killing to substitute that which his father should have done to his brother when he was poisoned and in bed, clinging to life like a man clings to a rock in a river.

And now, he held the last of Lyndis' lineage in his arms. His arms tightened like a noose about the girl's chest, a slight attempt at crushing the breath out of her lungs. The man in the room directly behind him was dead, and he taunted the knights of Caelin before him. His family had been cast out of the territory after the death of his father, and had wound up in Araphen. When he realized that his prey had wandered into his own backyard, the chance to kill them was too great to be ignored. Luin ordered the attack this night, knowing where they would stop for the evening. And now, his revenge was nigh completion. He would kill this girl, and the line of the Tactician and of Lyndis would end completely and utterly. His family would return to Caelin and take over the territory, his rightful place upon the throne of the country.

So could one blame his cry of confusion and pain as he staggered forward, blade falling away from the girl's neck? Another cry joined his last, and a groan escaped him as he turned to face the direction that the pain had come from. The girl was released before his turn, and Rook fell to the floor between Luin and the knights. Two arrows had forced themselves through the man's armor, and stuck from his back near his spine, only noticed as the old man turned to face the archer. His eyes went wide as he saw the stance that the man took.

It was that tactician! No tactician ever used weapons such as a bow. The attacks had hurt, but they were not fatal, and the tactician knew this, he saw. The boy before him had fired with precision, however, and the tips of the arrows were fully imbedded in his flesh. He could feel his life drain from him slowly, and Luin grinned as he raised his blade. "So, the tactician wishes to join the actual battle, rather than direct from the rear? So be it!" he said, and then gave a yell as he darted forward. The tactician notched another arrow to his bow and pulled back on the string before letting it fly. A grunt escaped the armored man, forced back a step from the arrow that had flashed into his sword arm. It struck just below his shoulder, deeply into his chest.

With realization dawning in the man's eyes, Luin knew it was just another few seconds before his revenge could be complete. It was then that he saw the tactician do something he hadn't expected- he let his bow fall to the floor, and then draw an iron sword from his side. Luin knew of very few professions where they would utilize bow and sword, but the ones he had heard of came from the plains of Sacae. A look of his own, of realization, came to his eyes, and he swung his heavy weapon, the steel blade, down at the already injured tactician.

A ringing sound erupted into the air between them His blade had been parried! This tactician was quick with the blade, he found, as he found himself struck upon the already injured shoulder. Luin knew that he could outlast this lad- the arrows had stung. The blow with the sword, however, lacked the strength behind it to pass through his heavy riding armor. Luin grinned, knowing that the lad was going to die here. He had his blade raised, and then swung downwards again, impacting the young man's blade once more with such force that he was sure that it would almost break the iron weapon in half. It did not, however, and the tactician struck again, swinging his blade for his slightly-less armored legs. The boy's strength had not fully returned to him after his nearly mortal wound had been somewhat healed.

That weapon did nothing to harm him this time, Luin had been expecting a precision strike and stood against it easily. "You shall not harm me, boy. I shall kill you... as my father should have done to your grandfather, long ago!" he exclaimed, the braggart swinging his blade in a crescent shape before the steel blade, sharp and obviously deadly, was swung in a direct line for the boy's neck. The tactician saw this coming, however, and managed to avoid, for the most part, the wild strike.

Then there were multiple pains erupting from the old man, a yell of surprise and anguish escaping his throat. His armor was pierced several times from behind, twice to each side, and he fell to his knees before turning and swinging his sword at the one who had attacked him. It was parried by a silver weapon, the light of torches playing upon the lance to show as if it was actually on fire. Luin knew now the fate of his family's adversary. The families of two of his most hated enemies. The realization was playing in the back of his mind even as he saw death stare at him.

It was as if time had slowed, as the Sacaen girl stood before him. The lance belonged to Kent, and he had parried the old man's attack with it easily, as if it took nothing from him to block the strike. The girl's eyes were red, reflecting fire, pain, confidence, and anger within them as she drew back somewhat. The blade in her hand switched from pointing behind her to pointing at him, and then Luin lost track of the girl. It was but a second later when he cried out, a roar of pain coming from him as he felt four more strikes along his arms and legs now, not killing him but bringing to him much pain. Then, from behind, he felt a sword cleave through armor and bone. His legs went numb, blessed relief from their ache and hurt before more erupted into his pain-addled mind. He fell forward, unable to stand any longer, as blood flowed from his mouth. His surroundings were growing dim, his eyes failing him.

"Father... I come to your side now. Forgive your son for failing your revenge upon these mongrels." he said, almost too quiet to hear, and then Lundgren's son died, his body falling still. The sounds of battle no longer raged throughout the hall, and quiet death was what one could say that they felt in the building. Luin was beyond hearing after a moment, and then, a few seconds later, beyond living in the slightest.

---

Loedan fell after that last attack he made. If it hadn't been for Rook, he would have died there and then. It had happened like that before, after all. The tactician smiled slightly to the Paladin who had stopped the strike from the madman towards Rook, and to Mahri, who had been about to attack when he had finished the fight. Then he smiled warmly to Rook and simply fell to the ground, alongside the now dead man that had been after their blood. A collective cry of surprise came from the three, and the Loedan was gone from hearing once more. Blood loss had taken its toll upon him once again, and he shuddered as he rested. Not in danger of dying now, but saving and restoring his strength all the same.

The tactician was quiet for a moment, the three kneeling about him worried that he was dying. Kent saw the wound in the young man's chest and immediately went about bandaging it to keep it from being infected. Rook and Mahri watched quietly, silent as they waited. Heath arrived, Kiri following him in after a moment. Both arrived on foot, and Kiri looked to the boy she had known for years who was laying upon the floor. Her breath caught in her chest, heart skipping a beat as a result as she saw the harm that had been done to him.

"By Elimine..." she whispered softly, watching as Lord Heath and Kent addressed the young man's wounds. She stood by the door, heart beating fast, as she watched and waited with the others. Laine remained outside, leaning against the wall as he listened to what was happening within the room. It was a tense moment, after the bandaging had been done, as they waited for a moment for any sort of sign from the young man who was upon the floor.

But then, a noise erupted from the tactician. And it sounded almost as loud as if someone was riding at a gallop in the middle of a valley, without anything or anyone else making sounds to drown out the hoofbeats. Loedan began to snore. With a smile on their faces, Rook and Mahri looked at the young man and then at each other before they just began to giggle. Heath laughed and Kent grinned, while Kiri just smiled and sighed in relief. This lasted for a good, long while as they remained in the room, everyone soon laughing with one another. Through it all, the young tactician continued to sleep.

Two days later ---

It was early in the morning when Loedan stirred from where he had been set during their time at the hall. He had been very tired, sleeping a dreamless sleep as he wasn't moved an inch. The dead were dealt with and the stench of blood was gone from the hall after this time had gone by. He felt a hand upon his back and then was urged to take a drink from a mug of some sort, as he began to sit up. "Ohhh..." he moaned slightly, his eyes opening as he looked to the one who was giving him water. It was Kiri, and he smiled weakly to the pegasus knight as he took a sip from it.

"Easy now, my friend. Are you feeling better now?" she asked him. He nodded slightly, and then looked to his chest, where he had felt the dagger had been the last time he'd been awake. Nothing at all, not even a bruise. Kiri noticed his glance, and then smiled a little. After another vulnerary had been used to heal the remainders of his wounds, the bandages had been cast away. She rubbed his back a little, to which he winced slightly, not quite sure if what he felt was pain or relief... but any pain gave way to relief as he sighed softly.

"We had to use another vulnerary to heal you up, Loedan. Funny, you seem to be the one who always gets hurt the most during these battles. Perhaps you should just direct others from now on?" she asked him, trying to be helpful. Loedan smiled slightly and shook his head at those words. Didn't she realize that, in all the time that they had known one another, that he wasn't about to change? He couldn't force others to do battle when he couldn't do it himself. Even if he directed the battle perfectly, he would have his own doubts about his own abilities. He knew he could fight. It wasn't really difficult to realize that. He'd done his fair of fighting so far, but he had usually wound up being the most badly injured as well.

"No... I do not mind directing others in battle, but if I left the battle to do it, I could never respect myself for telling others to do that I am not doing, Kiri. We have talked about that before, remember?" he asked, and she nodded sadly. She had remembered that, had been thinking of it for a while now since she had seen him so badly wounded during that last fight. "Are we to head to Caelin today, Kiri?" he asked her quietly now, changing the subject quickly. Tacticians needed to know how to fight their battles, and the way to escape the argument that would have begun was to change the direction that she was thinking in.

"Yes, if you are able." came a voice from the doorway. Kiri had been about to say the same thing when the man's voice answered for her, and both looked over to see Commander Heath there. He walked in and sat down beside the two, looking at the tactician carefully. "Kiri here is correct, you know. A tactician should not be in the front lines. Perhaps use a bow, but if we let you use your blade, then it is likely that you will become an easy target for those with half a brain, my friend. We cannot lose you in battle, for we most likely cannot see what you can during one. We can see what we can, but only tacticians can see the entire battle at any time. It is a valuable trait, you know. If we lost you, we might also die as well." he told him.

It was an argument that Kiri had put to the young tactician years past as well. Every few months, she would attempt to dissuade him from attempting to become a fighter in addition to becoming a tactician. It never helped her, but he had, and as a result she couldn't say everything she would want to say to the young man about how much his fighting in the front worried her. Loedan nodded slightly- this was the argument he had heard over and over from Kiri. But, this was coming from someone with quite a lot more experience in the matters of war. He shook his head afterwards, and Heath chuckled softly. "I respect your decision, Loedan. But from now on, you must be sure not to rush into battle on your own. As our tactician, you will need someone beside you in battle so that you may not need to fight your own battles. I know of doing such on my own at times."

"Honor comes for those who choose that path, my friend. I had to learn that after joining a mercenary band that Laus had hired, back before the battles with the Black Fang began in earnest." the Commander told him, and Loedan crossed his legs, listening to the older man. Heath told of how he had lost his honor and his post with the military of Bern, and how he had been forced to leave the country afterwards. When he was ordered to attack women and children, he had left the service of the mercenaries and joined the three Lords' company. And now, he was here.

---

It was later in the morning when Loedan was cooking breakfast again when Rook came out from her room (which she shared with Kiri and Mahri). She saw the tactician there and stood as if paralyzed for a moment. When he finally heard her gasp in surprise, Loedan turned and found himself staring at a young girl who had just launched herself at him, and both landed upon the floor with a resounding thud. Both groaned as they landed, the collision not harming much but they would both have a bruise or two as a result. "Ah... Mother Earth and Father Sky! Rook, you did not have to do that!" he exclaimed, but chuckled softly as he gave the young girl a hug. Rook giggled a little and winked at him before getting off of him, and Loedan soon followed, getting to his feet.

"Oh, I know, Loedan. But I was very afraid for you, you know." she told him, and then smiled as she went over to pick up a tray. It was shiny, made of steel, and then stood side by side with Loedan as she looked into the reflection of them both. Funny, they looked a lot alike. Strange, Loedan thought, as he saw that as well in their reflections. Kiri came by as they looked at it, and then she looked at the tray as well before snatching it from their grasp and grinning.

"Will there be breakfast or staring today, hm?" she asked, teasing the two as she grinned. Both Loedan and Rook blushed a little before the tactician started on finishing with the preparation of the meat that was going to be for breakfast. Rook glared at Kiri after that for a few seconds before she grinned and punched her on the arm lightly and walking away. Kiri just laughed afterwards, shaking her head slowly. "You know, you two do look a lot alike in some ways." she commented, and then shrugged. "Maybe you were meant for each other?" she says, and then just giggled as she set the tray over the fire that was burning. "Meat, cheese, and bread for breakfast? Sounds good to me." she said, and then walked away to inform the others that breakfast would be served soon.

Much later that day ---

"This is where we began the last drive against Lundgren's men, that fateful day when Lady Lyndis arrived at the home of her mother, the Lady Madelyn." Kent told them, giving them all a tour of the lands closest to the northeast of Caelin's territory. The mountains slowed things, but at least there were no clouds in the sky. The last few nights had brought rain, and so now with the weather having played its hand, it was easy riding to the castle. Commander Heath had gone ahead with Laine to report to the acting Marquess, and it was just the original company with Mahri now. Elder villagers came out from their homes, from working in the fields, as the old Paladin reminisced about the old days.

And he told the story in detail, the battle against Lundgren's forces while it had been raining. Some villagers even came out to bid him welcome, and Kent did the same, a smile on his face the whole time. Loedan was smiling as well. Though this was not home, it was a very welcoming territory to say the least. Kent had been hailed by many as one of the 'Crag of Caelin' during the Bern war, and many who remembered that particular event also remembered Kain's involvement within it as well. Kent told them about those times as well, when it had been himself, Sain, Heath, and Wil protecting their lord-in-hiding during the Bern occupation of the territory. They were the 'Crag of Caelin', in honor of General Wallace, and protected their lord and the citizens as best they could from the Bern soldiers.

They would attack the strongest of columns and destroy Bern's mercenary troops. The four battled against as many as six times their number, and emerged victorious due to Heath's planning and their combined strengths. The local Eliminean shrines and temples proved to be their homes away from home, providing a roof over their heads as they stalled the Bern advance for months until some other group had defeated Zephiel, the leader of the Bern. The Bern army left and the lord of Caelin was brought back into power as a result, restoring the land within record time thanks to the efforts of the remaining knights of the kingdom.

Loedan smiled- they hadn't had a tactician then, it sounded like. Perhaps people are more observant than they think, he thought to himself, and as he rode behind Mahri on the wyvern, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of reception they might receive at Castle Caelin. They turned to the west after passing by a village, crossing a bridge into a dense forest that Kent said that they could go through quickly to get to the castle faster.

It took little over an hour to emerge from the forest, and soon they were within sight of the castle. Banners waved in the wind above the turrets, travelers filing into and out from the castle idly as they came closer. Some turned as they passed, seeing the paladin that was riding before them, and waved to the decorated man of Caelin. "Sir Kent has returned!" the rumors began, from when they had first wandered into the northeast territories near the castle, and then from the castle itself when Heath had returned to the castle. None of the younger people knew or really cared who Kent was- they were too young to know much about him at all. Kent was still happy, no longer talking about the old days but looking about the castle as they went over the drawbridge.

Loedan had never been in a castly before, and Mahri flew them over the wall, waving to the soldiers that manned the turrets and the wall itself as she descended in a lazy circle, having Sterra land in the middle of the courtyard. A single soldier stopped them as they came to a stop inside the courtyard, and Kent's face held a look of surprised that Loedan had never seen him wear before. He was looking at the soldier, and then his own face wore a mask of shock, even as he slipped off of Sterra's back to stand on the ground. Mahri did the same, and Sterra walked over to the stables where she had her own place to call home. Kent's stallion moved after its rider and passenger slipped from its back, but remained beside them. Kiri dismounted the pegasus and stood beside it, hand sliding along the feathered wing slowly to calm it in this new place.

The soldier wore green armor, from head to toe. He wore no helmet, but held it under his arm. His brown hair moved with the breeze that filtered through the courtyard, and he wore a grin of mischief on his face as he looked from one person to another. It was that smile that he had that Loedan was surprised about. He'd seen this smile before, but where? Wait... his grandfather had sketched each and every person that had been part of their company. Only one person came to mind, but could it possibly be?

Mahri walked over and saluted the soldier, who then put on a serious face which was but a mask for the smile that he seemed to continually wear. The soldier then blinked, seeing a bit of a resemblance between the Paladin and the Wyvern Rider, and did a double take. But then he did something none expected- he dashed over to Kiri and knelt before her! "Milady, such beauty demands my tribute! May I have the honor of knowing the name of a woman whose beauty has captivated my mind?" he asks her, and Kent's jaw just dropped as he watched this man do something he hadn't seen in years, to say the least.

"By Elimine... you are... nay, you must be! You are Sain's son!" he exclaimed, and the young soldier, distracted by Kent, looked to him and stood, bowing to the Paladin in return before he would respond. His hair was in the same style of his father's hair, his armor had been his father's, no less. And he grinned a little bit before he actually did respond to the older man.

"Yes, I am Sain, son of Sain, milord Kent. I heard many things about you from my father long ago, and I see that he was correct. It is an honor to finally meet my father's commander and closest friend." he says to the paladin, smiling still. Kent managed now to actually regain his composure, which he had lost for a moment there. Kiri was still in shock from what the young man had said to her. He couldn't even be past the age when one's voice changed! But flattery, though it would not get one far with her, did have its effect upon the Pegasus Knight. She had heard of this young man's father from her Aunt Florina, and so she could only hope that he did not take after him completely.

Kent nodded, and strode forward, his arm extended as he waited for the boy's hand. The boy shook his hand firmly, and Kent sighed inwardly. He was obviously no Cavalier, but he recognized the armor he was wearing easily enough. "It is good to meet his family, finally." he began, but then the boy was gone, going over to Rook and attempting to flatter the Sacaen. Loedan sighed softly and smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand lightly, shaking his head afterwards when he hears a slap upside Sain's cheek. 'By Elimine, Sain, your son is as much a lout you were!' both paladin and tactician thought to themselves. Mahri simply giggled and Kiri watched in shock.

Sometimes, nothing ever changes!

---

Author's Note: Well now, how's this for a little bit of fun, eh? Sure, it started out kinda dark, but I think I like my ending for the chapter here. Please review! Constructive criticism is always welcome, of course. My music selection for this chapter is "Blue Reflection," a remix of a certain Mega Man X soundtrack from Have a listen to the mp3 sometime, it's a really funny one (and the person who sings it is actually a gamer, and he sings very well)! 


	9. Just in time for what!

Chapter 8

Author's Note: You might think that by now, I'd know better than to start on another chapter right after the last one was finished. Eh, I am a patient person, but I'm not -that- patient! Kinda gave you a cliffhanger when I ended the last chapter by introducing a 'new' character, huh? I have an actual question to ask though. Do you think I'm overpowering Loedan? I've read reviews for other fics that say that the author over-powers the tactician... Now, I know I've created a hybrid, but I just want to know what you guys think.

---

The next day found everyone nicely. It was very nice out, only a few fluffy white clouds out and about. Loedan awoke in his own room- one of the castle's visitor rooms, where visiting nobles would normally spend the night (or, most often, even longer) while visiting with the current Marquess. The tactician stretched slowly, slipping from the bed and to he window to watch outside for a moment. There was a small company of soldiers on the ground, being led in exercises by a man wearing rather heavy armor- a Knight, he could tell. In the air were the few Pegasus Knights and Mahri on her wyvern. Kiri was even in the air with them, and practicing with everyone there.

Loedan smiled, and went to his clothes, which had been cleaned and set out for him overnight. He wasn't naked at the moment, but he wasn't wearing too much. It was rather cold right now, as the day began, and he got dressed. He was barely finished with that when he heard a knock upon the door, and he turned to it. "Enter!" he called out, as he went to his pack to check on his things inside. The door was opened and he heard a rather cheery good morning from an old paladin. Loedan grinned and turned to see Kent there, who was smiling as well.

"Did you sleep well, Lord Loedan?" the old man asked, to which the tactician nodded in response. Indeed, he hadn't slept so well since leaving his home back in Ilia only a while ago.

"Yes, I did, Sir Kent. And how do you feel now that you are in your homeland once again, hm?" he asks the paladin. Kent smiled and raised his arms, as if to encompass the entire castle and Caelin in general. Loedan continued to grin before he shook his head slowly.

"I am happy to be back among the people I served for so long, milord. It is a pleasure to return home after so long. I met with Lord Reissman last evening and we spoke for a long time. Today, I plan to visit my son and his wife with Mahri. I am so proud of my granddaughter for becoming a knight of Caelin." he told the tactician, who nodded and smiled slightly. He rather liked that particular girl, though he wasn't quite sure if she liked him as well in return. Loedan had little experience around women or girls in general, save for Kiri, whom he had been friends with for a very long time. As a result, he didn't know quite what to look for in the way of signs as to that 'problem.'

"I am happy for you, Kent. I am honored to have had something to do with bringing you and your family closer to one another... and to have been able to help Rook come to this place as well." the tactician said aloud, though he suddenly felt uneasy saying so. With that in mind... a change of the subject was in order. "Lord Reissman is a great man, but he does not seem to wish to be the leader of Caelin... the chancellor, perhaps, but not the marquess." he says, changing the subject somewhat. Kent nodded and smiled- he'd been told as much by his old friend last night, one who had served under Lord Hausen as well, long ago. Loedan pushed his brown hair back idly after a few strands fell in front of his eyes, and he chuckled softly. It had been a while since last he had manged to cut his hair, so perhaps now would be a good time to deal with it.

"Ah, well, to be fair milord, Lord Reissman wishes to speak with you about something later today, when you have fully rested and are recovered." the paladin told him, and Loedan nodded slightly. He could only wonder what the acting-Marquess would want to speak with a simple tactician about. Kent smiled a little bit. "No need to be worried, milord. Perhaps he wishes to ask you about your grandfather?" he suggested, to which Loedan shrugged slightly. It was certainly a possibility. Most anyone who had met Loedan often asked him questions about the Tactician himself. Mark was not spoken of by many people these days, but most people know of him, at the least.

"Very well.. perhaps at breakfast, or afterwards?" Loedan asked, and Kent nodded once more. Loedan had a few things on his mind, things that he should truly begin to write down after this portion of his journey had finished.

"Of course. There is much being done for food this morning, since the Marquess has decided to provide a feast today for our arrival here. Eat lightly this mornings, milord, for you are sure to want much of what the feast tonight will bring!" Kent said, and then he bowed to the tactician before heading back to the door to walk off. It was a moment later that he came back and looked chagrined. "Sain will be by very soon to take you to the baths, milord. You will wish to freshen up before the feast, I believe." he told the young man, and then this time he was gone for good.

Loedan sighed softly. He absolutely hated fancy outtings... and he had nothing to wear! What could he do about this? "Mother Earth and Father Sky... please, give me the strength to outlast the ordeal set before me this day." he said, looking out the window and into the blue sky overhead. The door was still open, and so it was easy to hear someone wearing armor behind as he walked into the room. Loedan turned, and it was Sain who stood there, in full armor, a lance in hand as he smiled nonchallantly.

"Shall I take you to the baths now, milord? You do not want to offend the ladies with the scent of traveling 'musk' from days of walk, correct?" he said, and Loedan couldn't help but to chuckle softly. The man was indeed his father's son. What a lout! Always talking about the women. He had attempted to woo Kiri and Rook just yesterday, and not just when they had first met one another. At least on three other seperate occasions each he had tried, and while Kiri hadn't done anything to try and stop him from attempting to get in her favor, each time with Rook had ended with a slap and a threat that if he continued, he would be in need of a few new fingers, or even an entire right hand.

"Yes, please do... And no, I do not wish to offend the maidens that will be joining us all at the festivities tonight. But, tell me please, what the occasion is? It cannot simply be that the Marquess wishes to honor our arrival in such a lavish fashion." he asked, and the soldier shrugged a little before grinning slightly.

"It is true, this has been in the planning for several months. You simply arrived at the right time, for Marquess Reissman's daughter is to be wed this day." Sain told him, and Loedan groaned slightly. Sain grinned again and looked the young man over. "Hm... your clothes are fine for traveling, but not for formal occasions, milord. Methinks we should find for you a suit that befits your status, mm?" he commented now, and Loedan simply hung his head in defeat. Tacticians need to see the entire battle, but formal occasions often were a battle and a half in and of themselves. And if there was to be dancing, as he had heard that many weddings had afterwards? He shuddered as he had to think about such a problem.

"Yes... I suppose you are right. I suppose a beggar's garb would be about right? I possess no actual status of royalty, after all." he replied, and Sain shook his head in response. The man probably knew who the best seamstresses were in this land, thanks to how he enjoyed being a womanizer. Most likely, he realized, he'd be in a shop all day to get something new to wear. Sain seemed surprised at the young man's words. Not royalty? Yet, he was the grandson of the Tactician! The one who led his father, among many others, to defeat that heinous villain Nergal! He had status to him, of this the young man was sure. Perhaps not as much as the beauties that would be arriving this day, but Sain was not one to shirk his duty even when tempted by beauitful women. Unlike his father, from what his mother had told him...

"No milord, for all here know the officers of this castle. And most know any other officer in Caelin that will be here. We shall need to find you a whole new set of clothes. Lord Reissman has already given myself and others permission to find for you and your companions clothes befitting your status for the wedding later, and we can use the gold that he has provided to do it." the soldier said, and the tactician's shoulders slumped in defeat. Damn. No way out of it now, was there? He failed to find one without actually having to run from everything going on this day.

"Damn... well, lead me to the baths first, and then we shall go find something for me to wear, alright?" he said, giving up on any chance of actual survival and escaping from this particular duty. Who could have known that he would be stuck going to a wedding?

Elsewhere in the castle ---

"Excuse me... Mahri, could you say that again?" Kiri asked. The three- Rook, Kiri, and Mahri- were in a secluded portion of the castle. They'd seen the preparations being made for this day, but Rook had no idea what was going on. Kiri, on the other hand, had an inkling, but only Mahri knew what exactly was happening. Mahri smiled slightly, even as Rook listened and watched the older girls, wondering just what Kiri was so upset about.

Mahri nodded and had to keep herself from smiling. She could tell that Kiri wasn't too happy about such short notice that they would want to attend a wedding, and the young girl, Rook, didn't seem to know what all the fuss was about. "Of course, milady. The Lord Reissman's daughter, the Lady Alira, is to be wed this day in the courtyard outside. I have been instructed by Lord Reissman himself that I am to see to it that both of you are to find garments suitable to the day ahead. We have some of the finest seamstresses on the continent, and can get a dress done within only a few hours. We must go into the city and have you both fitted for formal wear."

Kiri was almost beside herself, very unhappy with this situation. She hated weddings- she had attended many weddings in the past several years, mostly of friends and family. They were long, and usually uneventful. That meant rather boring, before, during, and afterwards. But, she could see that they had an obligation to attend this function. After all, the Marquess could have simply given them rooms in an inn to stay at, rather than here at the castle. With a sigh, the anger in her face disappeared and a look acceptance took over. "Very well..."

Rook glanced to the two, wondering what the big deal was. On the plains, weddings were done with a select group of people and the tribe's leader. What was the big deal with a wedding here? Surely it could not be that much bigger, simply because nobles were getting married... right? When Rook saw the look on Kiri's face, she couldn't help but to cringe as she realized that the wedding was going to be much, much larger than she had originally thought. Still, the thought of new clothes did catch her attention, but was it likely that they would be of any use outside of a social standpoint? Not likely.

She looked to the wyvern rider and couldn't help but to feel a little worried about this, from the broad smile that the girl had on her face.

Mahri grinned as she saw both of the girls before her get used to the idea of having to go to the wedding today. "Very well, we must get going! We shall have you be fitted first, and then you may bathe a while to freshen up for the wedding." she said, and grabbed both of the girls' hands. She winked to them, much to their surprise, but then both were struggling to stay up straight as they got dragged out towards the gate that would lead them to the road that they could take to get into town. These girls were about to undergo a degree of torture neither had ever thought of before- power shopping!

An hour later ---

"What in Elibe are you two doing here?!" Loedan's voice rose as he said this, surprise and a little bit of fear creeping into his voice. Sain was standing beside him, rather amused as well as watching the girls get fitted ahead of them. Rook and Kiri were looking into mirrors, unable to turn to face their friend as their measurements continued to be taken. Mahri was off to the side, wearing about the same expression as Sain was before she just laughed softly.

"Oh, calm down, Loedan. All three of you need to be fitted for new garb this day, according to the orders of Lord Reissman." she told him, and Loedan sighed softly. The girl then started talking with Sain, and they wandered outside as their conversation turned towards the upcoming marriage between Lady Alira and Lord Helton from Kathelet. Then their voices were gone after the door was closed, and a pair of attendants came forward to take the stunned man to another section of the room.

"Mother Earth, Father Sky... lend me aid, to survive this torture." he muttered under his breath, stepping up onto the platform that the two women led him to. With a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes and did as instructed by the women to do.

"I see you are not nearly as happy about this as those other two are, milord!" Kiri called over, and Rook giggled as he groaned in response. She knew quite well how often he went to formal occasions. The only other time he had gone to any sort of formal function was when she had been knighted as a Pegasus Knight, and even at that time he had not enjoyed himself much. She had been off with others, dancing and chatting, as he sat with the few from the Ilian Paladins and Knights that lined the walls. The Pegasus Knights remained with their own kind, the Knights and Paladins, with theirs. Why? Mobility, supposedly, but more likely it was due to friction between the three classes. The Pegasus Knights often considered themselves above the others of their land, bringing their small country money to actually survive with.

"Well, you know me, Kiri. I barely know how to dance. I wonder what would happen if a noble woman asked me to dance and I accidentally stepped on her feet?" he asked, grinning slightly. Kiri and Rook giggled at his comment, and he knew that he'd had the right effect on the two. At least they didn't seem to be nearly as bad off as they had thought they would be. At least the tactician would be suffering, right along with them. Perhaps this was simply another type of battle that their friend would face with them? "Ah, so you two can still laugh! I am glad to hear it... it has been rather quiet this day, without being around anyone other than Sain. He was off chasing the maids earlier. It is amazing, how like his father he seems to be, according to my grandfather's diary."

And so the midmorning passed to early afternoon, the sun rising past the midsky and moving down towards a downward trek on its way back down from the heavens to the horizon once more. They were forced to endure several hours of standing as their garments were practically sewed onto them as they stood there. Fortunately, with enough talking between the three, they all managed to stay awake and alert as they waited for the seamstresses to finish. Finally...

"Milord, miladies?" the head seamstress came up and smiled to them, bowing to the trio as they stood in the foyer. "Milord, your garments shall be done within a few hours, so you may leave if you wish. Miladies, please stay here a while longer, we must determine a few... other... things." she says, and Loedan smiled a little. Freedom! It sounded good, though he would rather at this point simply relax in the castle's library during the wedding's reception after the event was finished. He glanced to the other two, and he smiled sheepishly as they seemed to glare at him. The look on their faces said it all- 'Don't you dare leave us here alone!'

"Well... I should probably be going. Lord Reissman did wish to speak with me earlier." he replies, and bows to the head seamstress before winking to the two girls. Rook looked strained- as if she couldn't take another moment of being so confined in a small space such as this. And, to tell the truth, Kiri looked even worse than that! So, Loedan did the only thing he could think of- he took his leave, heading out the door.

The door shut behind him quickly, and the tactician looked about- ah, there was Sain. Loedan chuckled softly as he saw the young man busy speaking with a few young ladies who were about his age, from the looks of it. It also looked as if his cheeks were red, from this vantage, though it may simply have been the sun upon the boy. If Loedan stayed outside much longer than he had already, chances are that he would also wind up with a touch of the sun, for it was quite warm this day. He couldn't help but to wonder why the original Sain, the boy's father, had named him after himself. But then, he remembered an excerpt from his grandfather's diary and grinned. 'Vain' is an understatement!

Back in the castle ---

The tactician was brought to the throne room. Once there, he found himself in an enclosed room after the guard had left. Kent stood to the left of the throne, and on the left stood Heath. Both wore full armor, both carried a lance at their sides. A silver lance. And neither looked to be used often. Between the two, upon the throne, sat an old, rather thin man. A man that Loedan knew little of, truth be told. Warnings began to file into the tactician's mind, though why he should feel threatened was simply beyond the young man. Then, the oldest man in the room spoke- and behold, that was not Kent.

"Well met, grandson of Mark. It is an honor to meet one of his line once more while I yet still walk upon Elibe." the Marquess said to him. Loedan at least knew when he needed to reply, so he bowed to the old man, a serious look on his face as he watched him all the while. "I must thank you for bringing to this old man the granddaughter of the Lady who helped to keep our territory alive on many occasions. It is good to meet young Rook, who in her own lineage may become the Marquess of Caelin if she so wishes. I will not live forever, and my own daughter will likely go to live with her husband in Kathelet."

The old man seemed to be sorry to say this, perhaps even wishing that he didn't have to. With a sigh, he looked from the floor before Loedan and up again to look into the young man's eyes. There was a steel there, resolve that one would likely not have expected to find. "I have no other heirs. My wife died while giving birth to our daughter. There are few others in this land with the possible bloodlines to inherit this throne. Kent spoke to me about the man who attacked you the other day in the north. Lundgren's son. With that rash man gone the way of his father now, the line of Hausen is nearly finished. Only Lady Rook remains within reach, and would be accepted by all contenders." he told him.

Loedan was not all that surprised, really. He had expected such since his hearing that the girl descended from Lady Lyn. He simply nodded, quiet as the old man gathered his thoughts and spoke once more. "However... she is yet young, and knows too little to govern this realm effectively. The three of us shall be unable to stay with her long enough to see that she will be trained well. The youth of her generation will outlast those of ours, and there is nothing that can be done about that. Heath?" the old man asked, and the Wyvern General stepped forward from beside the throne, only a few steps now closer to Loedan.

"Sir Loedan, tactician grandson of the tactician Mark. We know of your lineage from your grandfather. Know you who your grandmother is?" he asked, and Loedan was forced to shake his head in response. He had always wondered who his grandmother had been. Heath nodded slowly, and then spoke one again. "No records of whom Mark had married ever made themselves known, either to the Eliminean church or to those of this house, whom he had spent the majority of his time with. The Tactician always was cautious- that was how we who were part of the troop survived the war with Nergal. Not one of his soldiers perished on the battlefield. You have shown, according to sir Kent, a remarkable flair for the same tendencies that your grandfather had."

Heath broke for a moment, looking back to Marquess Reissman. The old lord nodded, and Heath nodded in return before looking back to the young man before them. "It is our lord's wish to ask you to stay here and help with milady Rook's education. You are barely older than she, but are quite capable, both in thinking and in battle. However, it is the battling portion that we must worry about. You cannot keep your mind on simply the battle, but the entire battle, and that may yet be your downfall."

Loedan nodded, and then blinked finally. He felt a shiver along his spine and he couldn't help but to look behind himself and to the right as he felt something... strange. The other three looked, and then there was a rune of some sort that appeared on the ground, pulsing a light blue color. It was something that Kent and Heath had seen before, but neither Loedan nor the Marquess had ever seen. "What in Elibe is that?" the young man said aloud, the old Marquess' asking the same thing before the rune traveled from where it was set on the floor and upwards, a flash of light causing all to cover their eyes. Save for Loedan. He watched as two figures emerged from the light, the rune disappearing almost immediately.

"I certainly hope that we have not come too late! We both have several friends who shall be at this wedding, you know." came a woman's voice, and then a deep chuckle from her companion, who had his arm about the woman's waist. Loedan found that their clothes were somewhat familiar, though newer than he might have thought in one's case. The woman smacked lightly at the man's hand, and a small yelp was given out as the man slipped his hand from her side- obviously, she was not used to such intimacies in public? Then she saw the four others in the room, and the woman smiled brightly. The man she was with did the same.

"By Elimine!" cried Kent, who quickly walked from his post and over to the two newcomers. He knelt, and looked up to the two. These people he knew too well, whom he had served in the past. People he had thought long dead! "Milord, milady! I had feared you both dead long ago!" he said, and rose as the man bade him to do so. The two smiled to each other and then to the paladin.

"Well now, lord Kent, lord Heath, and Marquess Reissman! It is good to see you in good health once more. Forgive our entrance- I had meant to transport us to the courtyard, so we would not interrupt anything if you were indeed busy this day." the man said, and then he and his companion bowed. The man noticed the young man who stood in the center of the room with the look of shock on his face, and smile grew on his. "I see my grandson has managed to find his way to Caelin, much as we did long ago. I am proud of you, Loedan." the older man said, and the young tactician simply wasn't sure about what to do next.

"Gr... grandfather?" he asked hesitantly. He hadn't met the great tactician in years! Indeed, almost ten years had passed since last he had met the man. His eyes were so fixed on the tactician that he almost did not notice the woman who had stepped forward. At her side was a large rapier, longer and stronger than the standard ones he had seen before in all but one book. The guard of the rapier was gold, with jagged edges, as if they were the sun's own rays. There was but one wielder of that blade, if Loedan's memory served him correctly, and he blinked as he looked to the woman. She smiled tenderly, one hand raised to comb her fingers through his hair. Her own reached the floor, a forest-like green color that was rich and full, set into a pigtail.

Then it was Reissman's voice that came from the throne, and all turned to look at him. "Lord Mark and Lady Lyndis. It is good of you both to have arrived for my daughter's wedding. I am glad indeed that our invitiation reached you in Nabata." the old Marquess said to them, and Lyn, the woman with the beautiful hair, walked from beside the young man and to the Marquess. The Tactician himself came up beside the young man, with Kent beside him, and the tactician in training looked up to the older man. This was the man who had nearly had several countries attempting to fight over him! The one man who had managed to plan any strategy in any style, according to the task at hand no less!

"Why, it took me three days to convince Mark to come here... you know how stubborn he's been, ever since certain countries have wanted his services." Lyn said, a giggle in her voice. It was amazing, Loedan had to concede. Neither of them looked anywhere over 40, and yet both must be in their mid-fifties at least. It reminded him of Mark's last sentence in his diary. 'Those who fight and live never fully die. They remain but fade, as if a mirage that one is not certain that they have ever seen before in life.'

"Well, love, give me some credit. I would be flattered about the attention a public appearance might provide me, if not for the fact that it could trigger another war." he told her, and there was a hint of laughter in his voice. He was modest to a fault, this great tactician. His words were all so true, of course, and both he and Lyn were risking quite a bit to come out from wherever they may have been. Lyn smiled back to Loedan's grandfather- wait, did he say love? Loedan couldn't help but to feel a bit light-headed. For one who could deal with battle, this was quite an unusual turn of events. Heath's laughter rang out as he alone noticed the young man's trouble to comprehend much more than he had already.

The others looked to the general and then to the young man, who was holding his head and groaning slightly. Lyn came over, instantly worried, and gave the young man a hug. "Well now... I did not expect to meet you here, grandson. Is your cousin here as well?" she asked, and then smiled to him warmly. Loedan nodded, just barely, his thought processes currently frozen. Wha... what? Cousin? Oh, his mind was working triple-time now. That word rang out through his mind.

Then, the tactician spoke once more. "Yes, that is right, Loedan. Lyn here is my beloved wife, and you are not only my grandson, but hers. Just as Rook is our granddaughter, and your cousin. I wish we could have provided a reunion between your two families, but your father is always away, and now our own daughter and her husband are gone. I would never have guessed it had been the son of Lungren's doing, who had bought the services of bandits to kill them, but thank you for dealing with him."

It took only another second for them to realize that Loedan was barely understanding a word that was being said. Mark chuckled softly and Lyn giggled, releasing the stunned young man. "Too much in far too little time, eh? I think he needs to be shown to a place he may rest awhile, before the wedding ceremony begins." Lyn said, and Mark nodded, having come to the same conclusion. Kent looked to them both and then walked over, setting a hand on Loedan's shoulder lightly.

"Come along, milord. Let us get you someplace where you can sort out all of this." he said, and then Heath was there too, and between the two managed to take the young man, rather dazed, away from the audience chamber that was Caelin's throneroom. And now, for the first time, Loedan truly had no idea what he was doing other than walking between two of the most powerful people he'd ever known in his life.

Elsewhere in the castle ---

"Mother Earth, Father Sky, please never let me have to go through such torture in my lifetime again!" Rook's voice called out, which was followed by laughter from the other two girls. Kiri and Mahri were there as well, resting in their room after Rook and Kiri had been subjected to hours of standing without anything else to do. They would have talked, if not for Loedan who'd been stuck in the same outfitting room with them. But no, with him there, there was actually very little to talk about for they had been embarassed while they were having their measurements taken.

But now, finally free of where they had recently dubbed the 'torture room', all three were spending their time relaxing while waiting for their dresses to be made. "Oh! I bet neither of you knew that this was Lady Lyndis' room, back when she used to live here when Lord Hausen was the Marquess." Mahri told them, and Rook blinked once and looked around slowly, smiling a little. This... was the room that her grandmother had lived in, long ago? Why, it was nothing extravagant, like what she would have expected from a royal family member. Though, it did make sense- it was open, and there was a small taste of the plains thanks to the portraits that lined the walls. It was actually very comfortable to her.

"It was? I just thought this was a simple visitor's room!" Kiri said, and laughed softly. Mahri joined in, while Rook stood up from the large bed that they were resting on. She began to wander, looking about slowly as her fingers swept over a table. Had her grandmother used this table as well? Mahri and Kiri's laughter died down and they began to whisper with one another as Rook walked slowly around the room. It was like a whole new place, this room, now that she knew that it had once belonged to someone who had been in her family.

So lost in thought was she that she did not notice the soft sound of footsteps behind her. Barely restrained giggles were lost as well, and Rook turned in time only to find herself under attack! By large, fluffy white pillows that had been taken from the bed! Laughter erupted as the pillows were swung faster and harder, deadly damage inflicted by the goose-down pillows that were the weapons of choice, and even Rook took a few more hits as she ran for the bed to get a pillow of her own. The pillow fight was on as soon as she grabbed the pillow, and then it was everyone for themselves! The victor would only be decided by the time that the attendant showed up with their new dresses.

Three hours later ---

The courtyard was filled. The sky had remained clear all day, and even now it was the same. The wedding had been prepared for, and now it was showtime. The bishop had arrived, and stood now at center stage. The husband-to-be stood to the right of the bishop, and both were speaking with one another. In the front row sat the guests of honor: Lady Lyndis and the Lord Mark, tactician of fame. Sir Kent and Commander Heath were there as well. Sain and Mahri were on the other side of the aisle. Of Loedan, there was little sign save for the sight of his dark hair as he sat at the far end of the row. He had not seen Kiri or Rook since he had left them at the seamstress.

His new clothes itched terribly- they needed a wash badly. They were of a green color, a deep green though not like that of a forest as Lyn's hair was. They were stiff and still needed a good battle to set them straight, it seemed- even attempting to loosen the clothing against a wall, his bed, and a door had done nothing but tire him from the strain. He had come to terms that he was actually Lady Lyn's grandson now as well, though he knew not if Rook knew that yet also. Perhaps they had not been able to find her while she was getting her dress done? It was quite possible, and then everyone rose as the announcement was made that Lady Alira was entering. Loedan rose quickly as well, unable to seen anyone or anything from this vantage point.

He had never been to a wedding before, but at this point it was simply a bore. The young tactician began going over the strategy practices he had come up with, sitting down when the others in the audience did. He went over the practices, using those he'd met as the people he could send into battle- an exercise that his grandfather had introduced him to. He started simply, with a trio of brigands who were stupid enough to attack him head on, one-on-one. Then from there into larger numbers of allies and enemies.

By the time he had finished, the wedding ceremony was practically over. The bishop, with long, flowing blonde hair cascading nearly to the floor that made him look like a woman, now told the two to kiss. Loedan smiled a little, watching as the bride and groom did so- he'd missed the vows and the part with the rings. Then as the others in the audience clapped, he did as well. Fortunately for him, he'd had something to do as the two that had gotten married proclaimed their love for one another. The ceremony wasn't very interesting, and then there was a ruckus as everyone helped to move the seats away from the center of the courtyard to make room for the next event. And this one would be even worse!

It was at this time that Loedan had to try and escape, and quickly his steps took him from where he had helped move the row of seats he had been in to the door that would lead into the castle. Unfortunately... "Well now, Loedan! Where are you going, hm?" came a voice, and he cringed. Dammit! The young tactician turned, and behold, there were his grandparents. Double dammit! He looked at them sheepishly, like a lad who had just been caught by his mother while attempting to take sweets.

"Ah... I, ah, just thought I would go visit the library, grandfather." he replied, telling the truth, and inwardly he kicked his own ass. Oh yeah, real good... but then again, he had been raised not to lie, especially to family. And now he knew he was also part Sacaen, so that might have had something to do with it. Lyn simply laughed and so did Mark- the two had proven to be mostly inseperable, it seemed. Between Lundgren, Nergal, and certain countries attempting to start a war over the tactician, the love between both Lyndis and Mark had prevailed. What chance did anything else have of separating them? None, obviously, and now the two were about to force him back out to where the dancing would begin.

"Ah, I see... Mark, our grandson knows not how to dance!" his grandmother said. And it wasn't even a comment that sounded like a guess, either. It was a fact, and now they both knew it. Loedan shrugged a little, and Mark smiled slightly. All around the courtyard, preparations were being made for the bards and dancers so that all would become ready for the dancing that would soon take place.

"Well, if I remember correctly, milove, neither did I when we first danced together the night we became wed." was his grandfather's reply, and the two shared a quick kiss before both simply grabbed one of Loedan's shoulders and led him onto the courtyard. "Besides, we must have this grandson of ours introduce us to his cousin!"

---

Author's Note: Yeah, short chapter, I know. Still though, I wasn't able to simply let things flow for much longer. This fic will not take much longer to complete, I think. A few more chapters, maybe. If I get enough positive responses, maybe I'll even write a sequel series. I'm thinking that this would be like the stories in FE 7- ten for the beginning and whatnot. Recommended anime- El Hazard (OVA), by Pioneer. It's a bit strange, but it is my favorite series out of any anime series ever! Recommended music selection- Suikoden 3 Opening Theme. PS: Did anyone see a cameo made by another FE 7 character? hehe

Review Responses: A nickname for Sain Jr? Well, I'll think about it. And no need to worry about this one never coming to a close. Unlike my other series that I began but never really finished (and there's about 3-4 of 'em), this one will receive an ending. I'd like to thank the reviewers that I have had since the beginning of the series, as well as the few new ones that arrived as the series continued. Personally, I've been hoping for constructive criticism regarding my writing style, but I'll take compliments as well, of course. 


	10. The end of the story

Chapter 9

Author's Note:

Yes, this will be the last chapter in the series. I can't promise that there will be another to take place afterwards, as I am just about out of ideas, at this point, for more writing. Not a single one of the characters I've introduced have been promoted, and only the ones I've used from the series actually start off that way. It's my hope that the characters that I and others have thought of have at least brought me much closer to working on Fire Emblem fanfiction as a whole, and that those who have read these chapters leave with a small attachment to one or more of them. Perhaps I will continue this again. I personally like the characters I created, though I must say that I rather doubt I got any of the FE 7 original characters' personalities down at all.

I do plan on starting work on a one shot or two of fanfics based off of certain characters from FE 7. I believe I'll start with Guy- and I'll warn ya now, I don't do any slash or yaoi fics, so don't expect that sorta thing. Guy's the kind of character I can relate to: ensure of himself, always looking for his way among anything else he does. He's a good guy (no pun intended), but can be led astray. Honest and trustworthy. I'm thinking that after him, I might try Erk. His particular dour mood reminds me of my own moods when I'm half asleep, so I can probably get his personality down even easier.

If you guys, those who read and review, care for me to continue with this series, let me know. I am still looking for constructive criticism, as always, though I must say that I haven't received much from this go with my fanfiction. Am I actually doing good at this? I have been told before by the old groups of reviewers I've had (check out my Searching series- 33 reviews!) that I was a decent writer... two years ago. I don't really know about that, to tell the truth, but any reviews can be helpful.

Anyway... before my previous Muse arrives, on with the final chapter!

---

It was a hectic night this night. Laughter and merry making was taking place in the courtyard of Caelin's old castle. New friends and old conversed and danced as the bards played, dancers on the stage taking their beat to provide entertainment. The bride and groom, finished with the first dance, now sat at the main table with their familes, just in front of the stage. The courtyard was filled with pairs of people who were dancing, and a few who at least attempted. All were having fun, save for a select few.

Sain was one of these, and was at the moment sweating enough to possibly fill a small moat. Everywhere he looked, there was a woman he wished to dance with. Yet, time and time again, he has been rejected. Long dresses and low cut sections of them caused his face to redden. The young man had been told by his mother that she would not stand for any of his attempts to woo a woman on this night. He combed his fingers through his hair, relaxing against the wall of the castle as he watched the others. Young he was, but not so young that he could not enjoy the sight of such comely lasses as they danced the night away.

A sigh escaped him- ah, such sweet beauties, frolicking with the lords and gents as the guards were stuck to watching the shadows and lands about the castle, to deny any who might wish to attack the guests inside any entry. But this night, there were none to be found, not even a stray thief attempting to take his or her fill of silver from the castle kitchen. He looked to the sky, knowing that if he left his post he could very well get into trouble. "Elimine, why do you torture me so?" he whispered, a hand reaching to the moon so far above.

It was at about this time that he felt a smack upside the head and the soldier spun, hand on his lance as he came to face with the one who had struck him. It was a woman, but as he gazed at her, his eyes went wide in surprise for a few seconds. He shuddered a little, though not in honest attraction. How could he not have noticed this woman's arrival? Purple hair that led to her shoulders before being cut short. A strict haircut, one that would not impede sight nor sound. A cloak of dark purple about her shoulders, lined with golden threads. A sage that the young man knew, and knew all too well, for it was...

"Well, Sain? What are you mumbling about this time? Escort your mother in, be a dear." she ordered him, and Sain nodded, his lance at his side held in place easily and close. His mother! Dear Elimine, what business had she here? She had not told him that she was to be part of the festivities at all. Indeed, he would otherwise have had the evening off if not for this wedding. But his mother? Surely they did not need the Lady Alira's mentor here, right? With a shrug of his shoulders, barely perceptible, he took his mother's hand with his free hand and led her into the crowds, towards the main table where her newly married student could be found.

However, they ran right into an older couple before even reaching halfway through the crowds. An older woman and man, both seeming in their late thirties, perhaps early forties, seemed to be dragging poor lord Loedan through the crowd as well. The older woman and man looked at Sain and blinked in unison before looking to each other. They stopped in midstride, and thene Loedan noticed who it was who they were looking at. "Mother Earth and Father Sky! The resemblance is remarkable!" the older woman exclaimed, taking a good look at the young soldier who held an older woman's hand in his.

"By Elimine, you are right, my dear... he looks exactly like our old friend Sain!" the man said, and Sain blinked in surprise. How would these two have known his father? His mother gave a soft laugh and smiled sweetly- oh, how unlike how she really was most of the time, Sain knew. She was about to say something that the young man would likely regret later on. Perhaps he could at least swear Loedan to secrecy? He was a nice enough sort, if perhaps a bit too underwhelming in both appearance and demeanor. How he could garner attention from the ladies, the young soldier may never realize.

"Ah, I see that you both must have known my late husband." came the mother of Sain's voice, and then the reaction to be seen from the two whom she had spoken to was a sight to behold. The old man grasped his heart, seeming to be feeling pain from the look on his face and the way he stepped back a little. Loedan moved to him, putting his arm around the old man's back to try and comfort him. The lady, rather attractive for her age, stepped back as well as she gasped. Sain's mother simply laughed harder now before grinning. "Yes, you must have known my husband from one time or another. Most who did reacted much the same as you both do now."

"Milady... We do not wish to be rude, but... Sain? Please tell me, milady, that our ears heard you right? You married the lout of Caelin?" came the woman's voice, and Sain's face became quite red. That was a nickname that the current Sain was beginning to earn on his own, but to hear it said of his own father? Well, his mother hadn't hidden that name from him, and had in fact awarded it to her son the first time it had been said. It was almost like a badge of honor that had become their family's tradition. Still, for his father, now gone from this world, to be called such...

"Yes, milady." came Sain's voice, steadier than one might think for one whose face remained rather red. "My father's name was Sain, as is my own. It is a pleasure to meet a friend of my father's." he replied, bowing deeply to the three before them. His mother looked to him, a rare look of pride in her eyes and face as she watched her son and then looked to the three whom they had intersected with.

"Friends, yes... Comrades, more." came the old man's voice as he regained his composure. He came forward and bowed to the two. "It is more the honor to meet the woman who managed to tame the Lout of Caelin's heart and their son. My name is Mark. This is milady Lyndis, and this is our grandson Loedan." the old man said, and Loedan's face was rather red this time. Lyn smiled softly and bowed to the pair as Mark had done, her forest green hair moving along her gown slowly. Neither wore strictly fancy garb- they wore what was functional and nothing more. It was obvious that years of training had finished off any sort of thoughts as to excess.

Sain's mind simply melted as he heard the old man's words. His jaw fell lower, mouth hanging open as a result of shock that rather knocked his head for a loop. His mother was almost in as much awe- but, as the woman who had, as Mark had said, 'tamed the Lout of Caelin,' she managed to stay mostly under control of herself. It had been quite the shock, however, and it took her a moment to respond. "It is an honor and a privilege, milord and lady, to meet such honorable persons as yourselves."

The awe was evident in his mother's voice. Sain could not blame her- never before, even when meeting with Commander Keith or Sir Kent, had either met such powerful people in the course of history. The Lady Lyndis, one of the three who had fought the dragon under the leadership of the one man who now stood beside her! It was difficult to take it all in at once, but Sain accepted it as truth- his father had nothing but admiration for the people of Sacae. Beyond possessing extreme beauty in land and women, they were the most honest people to be found in the world today. No person of Sacae tells a lie, nor would they tolerate one told to another or by another they were with.

"Pardon me, Sain? Perhaps you could tell me where we might find Rook and Kiri?" Loedan asked, speaking up finally. He glanced to the younger man's mother and smiled politely, and she caught his eyes and smiled back gently. Then the young aspiring tactician looked back to Sain, who nodded slightly. It was as if he knew where every woman on the grounds were- and that was quite likely true, if he kept as much an eye on the ladies as his father once had.

"Of course! The lady Rook and Kiri are with Mahri, last I saw them. They should be near the tables, I believe... I have not yet seen any of them dancing, but with their beauty, it can only be a matter of time. Perhaps I should go over and see if... ack!" he cried, having moved slowly away from his mother. The young soldier had been about to make a run for it, but a sudden pinch in a tender spot caught his attention. And it was more severe than that, actually. His ear was pulled with that pinch, and his cry of pain caught him short, keeping him from going further than he already had. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!"

Lyndis and Mark laughed openly, seeing now much more reason as to how this woman must have been able to catch the one man whose very attempts to woo women caused them to escape as quickly as possible. Save for Serra... but that one cleric was a story in and of herself, of course. She seemed to have preferred it that way from the beginning, after all. "Well, we must be going, milady. It was a pleasure to meet you and your son." Lyndis said, and the three bowed to them again as Sain clutched at his ear, tears threatening to escape his eyes. His mother was worse than any instructor he had faced in battle! Surely, not even the fabled Wallace could match her strength when it came to pressure points such as this! The three walked on, Loedan glancing back to Sain apologetically before he had to lead his grandparents to where the new Lout of Caelin had said that his friends would likely be.

---

Kent remained at his post, near the wine kegs. Indeed, it was a troubling position, but one that was required by the lord Reissman. Too often had their guards and officers lately slacked off and allowed the younger members of the court to partake of the wine. None could think of a better guard than the paladin who had staved off Sain, the original Lout of Caelin, for longer than any could remember. Of course, he had been a little late to the post, having had to take care of a few things with the guards first...

He did not notice that his granddaughter, Lady Kiri, and young Lady Rook each had a small glass of a suspiciously colored liquid with them as he passed by to the keg. The three sat down at a table and began to gossip, sipping from the glasses ever so slightly after a few moments. The unusual taste forced Rook to very nearly spit the stuff up- Mahri and Kiri, on the other hand, simply hid their faces behind their hands when they coughed lightly. Rook shivered, feeling a little warmth travel through her as she looked to the stuff she had gotten from the keg of refreshments. This was rather peculiar; she thought to herself, before dumping the rest of it onto the ground under the table and set the glass, now empty, upon the table.

She was bored now- where was Loedan? Whenever he was around, she felt more at ease. It was strange, really, how she had come to rely on the young man so quickly. Kiri and Mahri were talking, speaking to one another about the men that they had seen during the wedding and now were now dancing on the lawn. Rook smiled a little- the music she could hear over the din of those who were speaking was wonderful, though a little odd. She was used to much different music, such as that which the Kutolah tribe was known for on nights of celebration. Only those who felt unwell or were elderly did not join in the dancing then, and she was feeling left out as she listened to the music, sighing softly. None here danced alone, unlike on the plains.

It was a tap on her shoulder that got her attention, and Rook turned to face the one who had tapped her shoulder lightly. A smile escaped and she jumped up, blue and tan dress that was almost dangerously low cut pressed against the young man who had got her attention. "Loedan! I was beginning to wonder if you were even to show!" she said, eyes closed for a moment as she felt her boredom leave her. She felt his hands on her hips and she blushed a little, though was a little disappointed when he slipped from her grasp a little. It was then that she opened her eyes and saw the two people who were standing behind him. The one on the right she knew, the one on the left, she did not. And it was the smiling woman on the right that she gasped at and moved around the young tactician to hug the older woman tightly.

Kiri and Mahri had stopped talking as they looked over to see the three who had arrived, and both were wide-eyed. Mahri knew the woman too well. A portrait of her likeness hung in the castle beside that of old Lord Hausen. There was no mistaking her hair, her eyes, and the air about her that was much like a dangerous beauty. The man she knew not of. Kiri, however, knew him as Loedan knew him. "M, m, mi, milord... Mark." she stammered, finally managing to say the words she meant to. Loedan and Mark nodded at the same time, Mark smiling a little and Loedan blushing slightly.

"That is right, Kiri. It has been many years since I saw you last. You and my grandson have certainly grown!" he said, and winked at the girl who had been smitten with him when last they had seen one another. Of course, she had spent so much time with his grandson that she was like a granddaughter to him as well. The knight beside Kiri blinked, looking to Mark, and then put two and two together. The likeness between the old man and his grandson was quite remarkable, to tell the truth.

"L... Loedan?" Mahri asked, and then Rook smiled a little as she came back to the seats, pulling one out at the table even as Loedan smiled to Mahri softly, face still a bit red as he pulled out another chair. Together, both Mark and Lyndis sat beside each other in the chairs, and turned to face the only one that they did not know. Mahri looked to them nervously, and then to Loedan, her face very much red. "I..."

"This is my granddaughter, milord and lady. I present to you my granddaughter Mahri." came the voice of their old friend, and both Mark and Lyndis smiled as Kent made himself known, coming to stand behind the young woman. She looked down now at the table, face red as a tomato, feeling about a foot tall (if that!) as she could tell that all eyes were upon her now. Her grandfather's gentle grasp, though reassuring, was not helping all that much at the moment. Her eyes glanced upwards and found Loedan's... and then she looked to the table again. Unbeknownst to her, Loedan looked to the table as well.

"I believe I knew from the beginning that we would all meet once more as we certainly have now, Lady Lyndis, Lord Mark. From the beginning of our times together, indeed." the old paladin said. Under the table, both tactician and blade lord held hands, and Mark squeezed her hand gently. Both smiled warmly as they listened to the paladin speak. "I knew from the beginning of your family, Lady Lyndis. I regret only that I could not protect them in the hour they needed me most." he said softly, voice trailing off.

"It is no fault of yours, Kent. Always, you have strived to protect me and my family. Our daughter and her husband might now be gone, but Rook still lives. And we do love you Rook. I am sorry for the hardships that you have had to endure during our absence from you, but you would have been in far more danger had we been at your side." Lyn said to her, quietly. Rook nodded a little, her happy mood dampened quite a bit by her grandmother's words. She was her only family now. Mother and father, gone. Her unborn sibling as well was gone, as her mother had been with another child for a month or so before the attack came.

"But, though we must leave again shortly, young one, we do not leave you without hope nor family." Mark told the young girl, whose head tilted back up to look at the tactician of fame. She had no idea what he meant- if her grandmother was to leave, then what family here was there? She knew no one, and the one man who might have claimed kinship with her, Lundgren's now dead son, was no longer among the living. She knew of no others of her family, either. The Tactician was well aware of the confusion that could be seen in her eyes, and he smiled softly, though obvious with some pain.

Kiri and Mahri listened intently as they spoke with the plains girl. To Mahri, this was of critical importance- that Rook was of Lyndis' lineage was obvious, but there was another person, another member of her family? To Kiri, this was beginning to unfold in an easy-to-see manner, and a smile was slowly making its way to the fore. Loedan sat in his chair, arms crossed under the table as he preferred to inspect the clean tabletop for any miniscule amount of dirt or crumbs.

"Mahri... this is Mark. My husband. Your grandfather." Lyn said, smiling softly as she spoke to her granddaughter the truth that Sacaens only told. "As well you know, Mark has a family. We had two children, my lovely granddaughter... our mother, and her brother. She was an archer, as you know, but her brother became a mercenary and went to live in Mark's old home in Ilia." she told the young girl, who was now visibly trembling. Loedan saw this and slipped from his own chair, walking over to his cousin, who was soon to have that news broken to her. "Our son still lives in Ilia, though he rarely ever is there. That is where Loedan came from, and of course, that means that Loedan is our grandson... your cousin."

Rook couldn't take anymore, and she stood, about to run out- but she hadn't noticed her cousin's approach. Her mind had practically shut in on itself. How could they have never told her before? How come she had never met her own grandfather? How could Loedan be her cousin? The answers, she knew, but she rejected each one, even as her eyes closed and she cried to herself. A pair of arms went around her, holding her against the person who held her, and she took enough time to sniffle, wiping the tears from her eyes and cheeks before opening them to see the one who held her. It was her cousin, and he smiled softly to her.

Time seemed to stand still for the pair. She held him tightly and he embraced her, family reformed thanks to their grandparents. Mark and Lyndis smiled to each other while they watched this heartwarming scene. Indeed, they knew that their days in the sun had reached their climax long ago, and now others would be able to bask in it. Tactician and Lord had done what they came to do- for they had watched from a land far to the west of this place, where only peace remained and no war or prejudice could touch. Mahri and Kiri smiled softly- both knights now knowing the full truth about their friends. Kent smiled as well, watching the two finally united by blood and family.

It was a tender moment that could never last forever, though in that one moment all time was still for them. Slowly, the separated, and both smiled to one another before Rook took her seat again. It was obvious she was still getting over it- unfortunately, now Loedan's green tunic was rather moist from his cousin's tears. Words could not describe that particular moment, though now the young tactician was thinking that he wouldn't be able to do a thing about drying off now.

With a giggle that startled those who were still in a somber mood, Mahri quickly got up and moved over to Loedan before he could sit down in his chair. "Come now, let us dance!" she told him, and Loedan's eyes widened at her sudden command. Kent was surprised as well, but grinned after a moment- the girl knew how to take advantage of such a perfect situation, it seemed. Commander Heath had begun walking over, and was forced to step out of the way as his protege pulled the young Loedan out to the courtyard with her quickly. Soon, the two were lost from sight, and those left at the table just laughed. Heath was grinning as he neared the table, a hand combing his fingers through the long green hair he had, a bit of a long white streak within it. Rook took one glance at him and then to Kent, and made a sound as if she was thinking.

Unfortunately, she was beat to the line as Kiri got up and grinned mischievously. "Commander Heath, shall we dance?" she asked, curtsying to the commander. As Mahri had done with the only man their age at the table, she immediately walked forward and grabbed Heath's hand before he could respond, and eagerly, playfully, pulled the older man to the lawn as well. Lyn and Mark laughing loudly now, but neither would believe it as Kent came up to Rook and winked to her.

"Lady Rook, might I have the honor of this dance?" he asked her, looking into his young charge's eyes. She grinned and winked back before getting to her feet and curtsying, much as Kiri had done (the dress was so stiff! It scratched at her back somewhat). Then she took the paladin's outstretched hand in his, and was led to the 'dance floor'. Left to their own devices, Lyn looked to Mark and smiled slyly.

"I do believe that everything shall turn out fine, my love." she said to him. Her smile was sly, but her eyes shone with love and admiration. Their children's children had turned out well after all, despite the hardships that they had had to face so far. Mark nodded to his wife, and they shared a slow yet chaste kiss before he smiled in return.

"I believe you are right, milady Lyndis." he says, winking to her playfully. All he received in return was a light punch on his shoulder as a result of that little tease.

"You know I do not like you calling me that, Mark." She scolded him, even though she was smiling at the same time. Mark just smiled back in the same way, something that they had learned to do early on in their courtship.

"Yes, I know, Lyn. My love, oh light of the sun and beauty of the moon..." he replied, winking to the blade lord. Oh, he knew how to sweet talk this lovely vision from Sacae, and her cheeks flushed a shade of red that he had expected to emerge. Oh, how well he knew this woman; how much he loved her, more than anything in this world or another.

"You had better return us home now, my love, or else we shall need to find a private place to continue this conversation." was the coy response from Lyn. Love was obviously in abundant supply, and soon they were both gone from the courtyard, and then gone from Caelin. They had done what had needed to be done, after all, and now had something else that was needed to be finished as well.

In times of peace, those who once were held in high regard during war are neglected and forgotten. However, they never really leave the minds of those they had made an impact on. And so the night wore on, dancing and music playing in the background as the stars above twinkled and shone brightly. The moon watched as it danced its own pattern in the sky, slow as if to watch every bit of this peaceful outing. One knows not what the morrow brings...

---

Loedan, Tactician in training Level 6 B- 11 W- 4 L- 2

The young tactician agreed to Marquess Reissman's terms and between himself and Rook, began training in earnest to become lords that could take over for the aging Marquess. The two often take the time to train with the knights of Caelin as well as learn their duties as members of the House of Hausen. He still cannot dance well.

Kiri, Knight of Ilia Level 8 B- 16 W- 10 L- 0

The mercenary knight remained in Caelin for a short while before a summons from Ilia took her back home. She keeps in touch with her friends in Caelin by carrier pigeon, and writes as often as she can. She has since been rumored to be traveling with a squadron of pegasus knights in Ostia.

Rook, Swordfighter of the plains Level 7 B- 10 W- 7 L- 0

The young woman from the plains learns quickly to become a noblewoman of standing. However, she cannot stand formalities, and is often the first to skip away from the instructors in preference to training in the outdoors with her blade. Her cousin assists her in all things, save dancing.

Mahri, Wyvern Rider of Caelin Level 6 B- 12 W- 5 L- 1

The unusual wyvern rider outside of Bern continues to train with Commander Heath. She spends much of her time training with the cousins within the castle, and has become fast friends with both. She tries to be with Loedan more often these days, but cannot bring herself to speak with him long. She still cannot manage to teach the young tactician to dance.

Kent, Paladin of the Crag of Caelin Level- ?  
B- ?? W- ?? L- ??

The aged paladin lives still, though is retired from active duty. His new role is as an instructor, bringing back into use the Manual of Knightly Prowess that had been retired since his own instructer, Wallace, had died years ago. The newest knights of the kingdom now fear this manual as much as Kent and Sain did, long ago.

Heath, Wyvern General of Caelin Level- ?  
B- ?? W- ?? L- ??

The Wyvern General remains in service to castle Caelin. His honor and friendships with those of the house have led him to many skirmishes with bandits, and he is feared by many bandit clans that have attempted to operate in the territory. He often thinks of his home in Bern, and would one day wish to return before his days run out.

Mark, the Tactician of Legend Level- ?  
B- Too many. W- All of them. L- Never.

Mark, the tactician from the days of the battles with Nergal, lives now in Nabata in the ancient and protected city of Arcadia with his love, the Lady Lyn of both Sacae and Caelin. Together, they live in harmony with those of the city, and strive for the day when the lands could be at peace at last for everyone.

Lyn, the Swordswoman of the sun Level- ?  
B- Far too many. W- All of them. L- Never

The Lady Lyn, or Lyndis, met Mark when he was collapsed on the plains of Sacae. From then, their love for one another steadily grew until it bloomed after the defeat of Nergal. To defend their children from those who would wish revenge, they left their families almost ten years ago. They live together happily, though both wish to be a larger part of their grandchildren's lives.

---

Author's Note:

Yeah, a very short chapter, especially for what I've been doing recently. Still, it does convey what I wanted to write. Plus, I suck at endings! hehe. Anyway, so ends my NTS series. Reviews are most welcome, and I hope that you who have taken the time to read this entire fic have enjoyed what I have written. I just wish I could have given Sain jr. here a bigger role. Of course, if i write a sequel to this series... well, what can I say? I probably will, and if I do, I'll be sure to expand on him a lot more, okay? I still have more characters that I completed for this particular series, and if I make a sequel, I'm pretty sure they'll make an appearance. And to the mage fans out there, I'm sorry, I know I didn't have much of any magic in this one. Perhaps another time. hehe

I'm rather proud that I managed to finish this. It's not often that I manage to fully complete a series, so I am very happy that I have managed to do so. And in a total of 10 chapters, no less! Just like Lyn's story. Anyway, please review, if you feel like doing so. I'll probably take a day or two off from writing much of anything else, so suggestions are welcome: E-mail them to me if you have any, please. Anyway, I'm done. Thank you for reading!

Fin -----

Tron Bonne: Hey! What the heck do ya think you're doin?

MacrossGreen: Oh great... I thought I got rid of you?

Tron: Yeah right... you can't get rid of a Bonne that easily!

MacrossGreen: Wanna bet? You already missed the end of the fic, Tron. You'd better go and have fun with Trigger some more or something. I'm goin' to bed, and I ain't about to finish Battle for Terra yet. Too tired.

Tron: (pissed beyond words) ... Dammit! walks away

MacrossGreen: Hehe. So much for the muse, eh? This one's for you, CP! Cheers! 


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