I woke up with a sudden gasp. I was lying on the ground staring straight up at the sky...my helmet was a few feet away and damaged pretty bad.

I tried to roll over and pick it up but my arm was useless.

I had little memory of the past few hours...everything hurt and I was sure my arm was broken.

I sat up and suddenly the memories of the past few hours returned...My best friend, Cecil and I had killed a mist dragon in a cave outside the town of Mist and didn't realize it was a summon.

Then, the package we were to bring to Mist suddenly opened and began torching the entire village. The whole town went up in flames...Then the screaming women and children were burning...I remember Cecil and I trying to save them from burning...but the magic was too strong...we used every potion we had...but it did no good.

Then we heard someone screaming and found a small girl hovering over her dead mother. She said someone had killed her mother's dragon. That someone had been us. We tried to help her, but she attacked and summoned a giant monster to her aid...Cecil and me refused to hurt her...but she was enraged and attacked us.

Cecil...wait...where was Cecil?

I managed to get to my knees and l didn't see Cecil anywhere...although there had been a rockslide...the whole path towards Kaipo was now blocked. Perhaps he managed to get through before the slide began.

But...but why would he leave me behind if he did? We were supposed to go back to Baron and confont the King together.

"No...please...don't! We have done nothing wrong!"

I turned and noticed the Red Wings had touched down at some point...perhaps to ensure we completed the mission.

It seemed they were finishing off those the package didn't kill...I couldn't believe what I was seeing...so this is what Cecil must've saw when taking the crystal.

I began to limp towards the soldier, my anger was at a boiling point as I was too injured to pick up my lance...and it looked far too damaged to be useful as it was. Luckily, I carried a short sword that I could use with one arm. I removed it from its sheath prepped to fight if I had to.

"I suggest you leave the poor man alone. He has done nothing wrong."

The soldier turned and gasped. "Dragoon Kain? What are you doing? You dare go against the King and his wishes?"

I nodded. "I do...what are you going to do about it?"

The soldier began to back away and I began to laugh.

"That's what I thought...nothing. I cannot believe any of this...what in the world happened to the King?"

"Nothing is wrong with him Dragoon...and I suggest that you drop the sword and put your hands on your head."

I turned around and noticed a whole squad of archers with crossbolts aimed right at me.

Shit.

I dropped my sword...I was far too injured to fight them off...and I didn't want to hurt them...I'd gone to school with some of them...

"Smart move Dragoon, now come back to the airship with us...we have someone that wants to meet you."

"What? Who wants to meet me? There is no way the King had time to get a new Commander of the Red Wings in such a short amount of time!"

"That is where you are wrong...we do have a new commander...and he demanded that we bring you straight to him if we found you here."

This made no sense...but I didn't have much of a choice. I allowed them to lead me into the airship...I'd figure out just who this new Commander was...and when I had the chance...I'd take him out.

Once inside the ship, I was left with one guard...I wasn't sure why they thought only one guard could stop me. Once I knew we were far enough away I knocked out the guard and took his dagger.

I limped to the Captain's cabin and it still had Cecil's name on the door...I didn't hear anything...I wondered if he was in the village assisting in the killing of those innocent summoners.

I slowly opened the door and saw a large man in full armor looking out of the porthole.

"Ahh...Kain...you've arrived." The man's voice was deep and seemed to echo from his helmet.

"Wait...how do you...?"

I started to back away...but something...something made me stop.

"What are you waiting for Kain? Aren't you going to come in and meet your new Commander?"

This was so wrong...but his voice was demanding and I obeyed. I felt odd as I entered the room, but I shook it off.

I gripped the dagger tighter in my good hand...why didn't I pick up my lance?

"Kain. Drop the Dagger, you seriously don't think you could do anything to me with something so small do you?"

"I won't know until I try!" I growled. "Who are you? How did you already take the Red Wings? My best friend had only lost the position a few days ago! What was the King thinking?"

The dark knight...or dark Mage...I wasn't sure which turned...he was at least a foot taller than me...his armor had to weigh as much as I did!

"I am Golbez...and the King is nothing but my puppet...as you will soon be!"

I threw the dagger and tried to turn but the door swung closed and would not open...I tried desperatly to break it down, but it was no use with only one working arm.

I watched the large man raise his right hand...it begain to emit a dark magic...I closed my eyes.

If Cecil had died...I'd be joining him shortly. If not...I hoped he was faring better than I.

I suddenly felt the dark magic hit me...I screamed and then everything went dark as I fell to the ground.