Author's note: After getting a review… I kinda got too pumped up. Two weeks? More like five days! Now, I just wanna say. I changed the time between RD and this by one year. Two years would clash with what I have in store.

Radiant Fantasy

Act 1: What Lies on the Other Side

Chapter Two

Hero of Blue Flames

"Water, water, water! Where's the damned land? Elincia might be in danger right now and Ashunera forbid if I have to inform Ike something happened to her!" Tibarn cursed as he flapped his wings faster and faster. He was still in his humanoid form to avoid wasting energy before battle. Contrary to popular belief, Formshift did consume energy, Kings could just whether it a lot better than the other members of its tribe.

"Well, that's not like you Tibarn, to actually fear a beorc?" His little brother figure, Reyson mocked. He was truly a heron with the heart of the hawk. Beneath that simple white dress, smooth and fragile appearance with his white skin, wings and blonde hair was a fighter, pity his body was so frail. He was still improving, but a heron would never match a Hawk.

"I don't Reyson, but those news would thrash him." The Hawk King told the heron. "Also, Elincia's one of my favorite beorcs, it would be a shame to see her die." He completed, turning his face to the other side.

"The great King of the Skies is finally developing a sensitive side? Today is truly a miraculous one." The prince mocked.

"Shut up! It's yours and Leanne's fault!" The distressed laguz replied in a final try to save his reputation as the one-who-didn't-care. "Ah, land!" He continued, trying to change the subject.

"KIIIIING!" He heard a very familiar voice call. Behind him, going as fast as they could came the already shifted Janaff and Ulki, his right and left arms, eyes and ears.

"What is it?" Tibarn asked as they reached him, wheezing and puffing out of exhaustion.

"Not long ago I saw and Ulki heard something very preoccupying. " Janaff began but was too caught up on his hot bloodedness to form a coherent thought.

"Tibarn, what Janaff was trying to explain is that, even though we are only now reaching Crimea, we felt the repercussions of the battle." The silent hawk explained, arousing the Hawk King's curiosity and worry.

"Is it good?" Tibarn asked in a false hope.

"I heard a massive explosion, superior to any supreme class tome of magic. Janaff claims to have seen a tower of unrecognizable crimson energy ascend towards the heavens. I highly doubt this was the work of Crimea, Gallia or even Goldoa." Ulki stated stoically, he was never one to sugar coat it.

"Reyson… go as fast as you can." Tibarn said as he became engulfed in a green light. On the corner of his eye he could observe a familiar giant black crow pass them with a mocking look tailing its beak. "Don't you dare taunt me Naesala!" He shouted as he blew up in the energy, manifesting the majestic Hawk that was his shifted form. To contrast with all the hawks and even his own wings, this form was a massive hawk of mostly green tonalities, the only zone where he was brown as his human form wings pointed out was the middle of his body. The point of his wings, head and tail were all green. Still, this isn't the time for a description as, with a screech, the bird bolted towards the bridge on the other side of Crimea. Maybe Hawks aren't as fast as Ravens, but Tibarn trained every single day of his life, Naesala didn't and relied more on his cunning, this lead to Tibarn actually seemingly matching the Raven King's speed, maybe not in combat due to maneuverability, but Tibarn could travel just as fast as Naesala now. The two kings crossed the countryside at an astonishing speed, leaving most beorc confused about what just had flown by. "Don't die on me Elincia!" He shouted as he picked up speed, Naesala doing the same. He didn't want to show it, but he felt grateful to the band that had helped him break his blood contract, even if Micaiah played a bigger role on it than Elincia, Ike and her were the main reason for that to be even possible.

"She won't, damned beorc is too stubborn to die, Ike rubbed that on her." Tibarn turned his beak to the side in complete shock. Was NAESALA reassuring HIM of all people while speaking good of people? Just what had happened in this past year? He decided to not prod deeper as this was not his main goal. Instead he simply nodded as they reached their maximum speed, for now at least.

A seemingly young, black haired teen walked swiftly down the hallway of a castle, all eyes concentrated on him, full of silent expectation. Wearing the same robes as his father did, albeit scaled to his size. Black cloak with dark blue markings that covered a coat, this one brown with golden edges. His trousers were simple white ones with boots matching his top cloak.

"Your Majesty, where is the wind taking you?" Another seemingly young teen asked. She was wearing a dark blue dress with golden markings and had her whitish pink hair tied in a ponytail. You could tell she was a laguz just by her pointed ears, meaning that her appearance betrayed her age. She was being seen nurturing a small baby who was immersed in a blissful sleep.

"Ena, I know I wasn't the only one to feel that. I can see it in all your eyes." The King of the strongest of Laguz tribes answered preoccupied. "And I am disappointed at your lack of reaction, did I not make it clear that we wouldn't follow my father's passive ways anymore?" he wasn't as much addressing his right hand tactician as he was addressing the laguz around him, all of which bowed down in shame.

"Kurthnaga, you must understand that your father King Dheginsea was king for a thousand years. Almost seven hundred of which were lived in forced neutrality. Old habits die hard." The woman replied as she caressed her baby.

"I do know that Ena… it's just that… I feel like you are really the only one who sees me as KING Kurthnaga, not Prince Kurthnaga." He lamented as he took his hand to his forehead, the crowd fell to their knees in a silent apology.

"Not everyone." A gruff voice said from behind. Kurthnaga turned to see the massive spiky red haired man behind him. His most trusted advisor behind Ena and Nasir, Gareth stood. "You remember when you showed concern about the situation in Daein two weeks ago?" He asked as he received a nod. "I took the liberty of sending two messengers directly to the Apostle showing our support and care for the cause. The messengers came back today with a very special guest."

"The Empress?" Kurthnaga guessed.

"Not exactly…" Gareth replied in fake tone of disappointment.

"Then who is so special that even you Gareth would acknowledge it?" He interrogated. From behind Gareth appeared a person from his past, a person that had seen him grow and was one of his father's dearest friends. "Lehran?"

"I still go by Sephiran in Begnion, but yes, I am here Kurthnaga." The thousand year Heron replied.

"You still live in Begnion? Shouldn't you be living in Serenes forest?" The king asked.

"I should… but the Apostle is my descendant, and I look at her like my own daughter. I cannot leave her. For that reason, everyone involved let the part where Sephiran was Lehran slide into the darkest annals of history and I continued to live as the Duke of Persis." The Heron explained.

"That makes sense. Very well… Goldoa will treat you as Sephiran in public." Kurth promised.

"I thank you, but onto more pressing matters, I suppose you will participate on this war by our side. If it goes as far as being a war that is." Sephiran asserted.

"Of course. This time, Goldoa WILL move!"

The last of the enemy soldiers that remained on the other side of the bridge fell, leaving only their commander behind, the others had either retreated at his order or fled before he gave the order to retreat. Both he and a tattooed, violet haired woman walked around in a circle, assessing each other. The woman was dressed in a way she could survive the weather on the desert, just a black top and two skirts, one red and one beige. Her right eye however, was covered by golden and black cloth, a pity, for her other emerald eye had a captivating wild beauty to it. But her biggest defining features were her violet tail and dog ears that arose from the top of her head.

"So, I take it you're the boss of this little pack over here. Guess they wouldn't let you take the main force out of Daein, huh?" She questioned as she kept her laguz blood from making her shift and tear his neck out.

"Exactly. They said we could win by using other… methods." He said as he looked pass the bridge. "I do not agree with those… but I am not someone who can agree with them for I am nor a king nor a high ranked noble. To be a commander is already a privilege only given for my teacher's standing. Were I the one on the throne, I would never resort to such brutal, unforgivable methods." He spoke truly, this tactic sacrificed his own men as well.

"So you still have some honor left in ya. Alright, Volug, this boy's mine, go help out Ike." She told her retainer, one who simply nodded in his wolf form and ran across the bridge. "Is your master as honorable as you?" She asked the man.

"There is no human more noble than general Cidolfus Orlandeu." The man replied.

"Good, then give me your name, I'll be sure to tell him you died honorably!" As the woman descended on all fours, slowly transforming into her wolf form, she took a good look at the man she was about to fight. His torso was clad I black armor while his waist was red, a Capricorn motif was found on his chest. His limbs were protected by an azure tinted armor and his hair was a clean, round blonde style.

"Ramza. Ramza Beoulve. Now, in case I win, your name." he demanded as he unsheathed his unnamed sword.

"Hah, you got confidence, I like that boy. I am Nailah, Wolf Queen of Hatari, if you do walk out of here alive, tell my subjects that I had an honorable and enjoyable death! Now, let's dance!" The now wolf-shifted Nailah spoke, lunging at her opponent.

"It shall be done! Rest in peace!" Ramza shouted back, running to meet her challenge.

The two jumped and clashed in midair, just who would be the last one left standing?

A red headband tied his hair that surged in a messy way. His left arm and his lung area were covered in clear blue and silver armor, just as his knee pads. The rest was a rag tag of clothes on brown tones. Still, what really made his stand out was the long, red cape that he wore, one that divided into three tails at the end, golden embroidery on the edges. Yes, that was Ike. His quite literally "blazing finish" to the war had granted him the title of Hero of Blue Flames. What he accomplished made legends look like crap. He did everything. Ended wars, defeated the best of the best and did what even gods couldn't, bring a hateful strife between two species to an end. Still, he was a strange character, not being raised as a noble was one thing but completely ignoring noble code at every given chance, backtalking at the most powerful politician in the continent and casting aside one of the rare promotions to nobility was another completely different thing. Ike abhorred nobility, and that's what worried Elincia the most. He did seem to make exceptions, but he never liked the castle, or Melior for that matter. Then there was the part where one of the interest parts was extremely shy and the other was as dense as a diamond. AND she was completely off topic again. It was just weird how fast she could think and connect everything that involved Ike. When did this start? Maybe it was when…

"Elincia… Elincia!" Lucia called, snapping her from her Vanguard induced trance.

"Y-yes?" She asked, blushing immensely at the look her sister was giving her.

"Wipe that silly grin of your face and drink this." Lucia told her as she gave her a blue bottle. "I don't need it. Just remember that we're not in the clear yet." Elincia nodded and drank up the elixir. For some reason, a part of her disagreed with Lucia, but her logical side knew she was right. Ike wasn't invincible, not matter how strong he had gotten.

"Or how toned those mus…. I'm doing it again!"She screamed in her mind, almost spitting the elixir off in embarrassment.

"Since you obviously can't concentrate if you continue like this, let's go see if Mist's staff is still there… you CAN still heal, can't you?" It was true that once Elincia took the fields mainly as a healer in the Mad King's War, but in the War of Order and Chaos she was already spending most of her time in the front lines, that and since she trained as a Trueblade with Stefan made her doubt her healing capabilities.

"O-of course! Let's go see her!" She exclaimed, shaking her head for concentration as she took Lucia's hand and started running around the battle to Mist's location. "Please be safe… Sir Ike…"

Ah, the battle, well, as much as a narrator can't interfere in the story, I must say that in my humble opinion this could go either way. Terra had grabbed the spinning opener from Ike, but the sheer power behind such a blow had forced her to her knees. Ike then took advantage of it by letting go of the Ettard and using the remaining momentum to land behind the young woman. He saw that beneath her was indeed, his father's axe, the Urvan. He quickly picked up and delivered an upwards slash as he got up, deeply slashing the transformed woman. The ensuing shriek could be heard from a mile away, but Ike didn't expect the berserker like attitude that came from it. Groaning in fury the girl turned at an inhuman speed, planting her left foot's claw into Ike's face, sending him hurling backwards. Before he even hit the ground she appeared on top of him and smashed his head into it. Ike gasped but had the presence of spirit to dodge the incoming stab from his own sword by rolling sideways.

"Hey! That was my father's!" He protested as he heaved the Urvan onto his shoulder. "Great, now even the weapon triangle is against me…"

"F-father?" The girl replied in an unusual turn of events. Deep inside her mind something had been stirred.

"Who's my little star?" A tall, muscular man with an emerald mane asked the small blonde girl in his arms.

"I am!" The girl replied cheerfully as she hugged the man's neck with all her might, which wasn't a lot for such fragile looking child.

"Oh oh! Look who's overconfident! I was talking to your mother!" The man quipped playfully.

"O-oh…" The child stuttered as a saddened look took over her face.

"Maduin! Don't tease Terra like that!" A blonde woman wearing an apron and simple brown clothes shouted from inside the kitchen.

"Sorry Madeleine!" The topless man replied, scratching his head with his claws, avoiding his horns. "I was joking Terra, there's nothing that matters more to me than you."

"Even mom?" Terra asked as she wiped away tears.

"Even mom…" Maduin agreed as he pulled her into a hug.

"D-dad?" Terra mumbled, looking at the Ettard deep in thought.

"Huh? Yes, that's my dad's, would you please give it back or at least lay it down?" Ike told her, surprised at her sudden change of attitude.

"Why hello… dearest friends!" Screeched inside of her mind.

"What do you want Kefka?" Her father replied in a menacing tone.

Terra began screaming as she clutched to her head, her leg's losing their strength as the tiara on her head began sending electrical shocks all over her body.

"What's happening to my kitty?" The clown asked angrily, grabbing the orb with such force it started to crack.

"Maybe the very mention of her father was enough to cause a malfunction in the Slave Crown, you do know that the crown was made for HUMANS, don't you Kefka? You know, people whose magical powers aren't enough to level a country. Her trance state MIGHT be a little too much for the crown to keep in check." Oh he was getting a SICK pleasure out of this. Just the way Kefka's face twisted as he realized that he might have sent their greatest asset right onto enemy hands was priceless.

"RAMZA!" He shouted, now switching focus to the man fighting the Wolf Queen. "Get your ass out of there and go fetch the girl! We can't be too sure of what's happening."

"Well, I apologize, but as you can see, this giant wolf wants more than a few cuddles." He replied truthfully, but enjoying every second. To further prove his point, he did what he had done a minute ago so he could show just how hard it was to defeat Nailah. "Hallowed bolt!" four bolts hounded the wolf, if you can call following and failing to hit their target miserably. Even the massive sword at the end was easily dodged. "I will not be able to finish this soon."

"If you don't…" The jester began an empty threat.

"What? Really, I'm curious. You took my sister away for god knows why, you force me and my friend to follow you like dogs and you turned my other childhood friend into THAT!" He pointed towards the sparks on the horizon. "What are you going to do to me next?"

Kefka grunted no answer to be given.

"Thought so… Nailah, let us continue." The Wolf Queen nodded and they continued their dance.

"Hey… you alright?" Ike was genuinely worried about the girl, yeah she had tried to kill him and mostly everyone he knew but something was wrong with her. Still, just as walked up to her she began trembling even more.

She could see fire, she could hear screams. She found herself a laboratory, scientist poking away at every part of her body. Needles everywhere, both inside and outside of her body. She could remember the last day she thought for herself. She could see Kefka slowly making his way with a tiara towards her. The same that she was wearing. She couldn't even distinguish reality from fantasy as she saw Kefka in Ike.

"NO! GET AWAY!" She screamed, a cyclonic wind now flying around her. "The fire! Make it go away!" Her memories were just too strong for the crown. The only thing the crown was doing was constantly increasing the volts on the electric current. "THE PAIN! MAKE IT STOP!" She screamed as she reached for the tiara.

"No no, YOU stop! Get your hands off that precious tiara!" Kefka shouted but it was counter-productive to say the least. The very sound of his voice was enough to make Terra snap.

"Kefka? KEFKA? KEFKA? I'LL MAKE YOU PAY! GRAAH!" with a final roar she broke the crown herself, the energy she expended doing so catapulting even Ike backwards as several strands of energy flew from her, burning everything in their path.

From the corner of her eye Elincia could see the bolts heading straight for the fallen girl that Ike called his sister. There was no way she was going to let that happen.

"Elincia! Don't!" Lucia tried to dissuade, but Elincia had already dove towards Mist, grabbing her on the nick of time and rotating her body so she could dodge the blast. She could smell burnt hair. The blast came in so close it burned the strands of her hair which fell in front of her face during the battle.

"That was… close…" She sighed. Still, she sought Mist's staff, only to find it completely destroyed on the path of destruction the ray had left. "We're on our own Lucia…"

Lehran quickly jolted his closed eyes open as they waited for Begnion's Pegasus to pick them up.

"Lehran, is something the matter?" Kurthnaga asked, noting the terrified look on his face.

"Can't you feel it?" Lehran asked? Seconds after all the dragons on the room felt like a needle had been plunged onto their heads.

"What is this?" The newly crowned king asked as he clutched his head.

"Chaos. Pure Chaos. Unchained emotions, and most of all, power. Dragons and herons are the most susceptible, but every laguz and even the beorc will feel it if it goes on for long. It's not like how we felt like Ashera or Yune went on a rampage, but it is too close for my tastes… It may even begin to sway our temperament and judgment. Sanaki, please hurry." The heron begged as he looked on the distance, the faintest trace of red covering the horizon.

"The hell is this?" Tibarn asked as he felt the same feeling.

"I don't… know…" Naesala replied, trying to shake off the pain. "But it gets bigger the more we get closer.

"We can't stop though!" Tibarn said determinedly, Naesala nodding as they continued to their destination.

"Nailah, watch out!" Ramza screamed. He was having a test of strength with the wolf, her maws versus his blade, but he saw from the corner of his eye, the eye Nailah had covered, a ray of red energy coming their way. Using all his strength he pushed them both out of the way, much to the queen's surprise.

"Why would ya help me?" She asked confused.

"That would be an injust ending…" Ramza replied, more thoughtful on the other side of Riven bridge than the queen. "Now if you'll excuse me…" He began before noticing the alluring un-shifted queen by his side.

"You saved me, now I help you. I guess that you have a friend over on the other side. And I can guess she's the cause of this. I'll help you get her back, you have my word." She promised. She had un-shifted to conserve power, that and because she was near insanity with the energy in the air.

"I thank you… Don't worry, I'll get her back." He told nothing, knowing he was being watched.

"LIKE I WANT HER BACK!" Kefka shouted as he stormed out of the room. "Stupid girl and her stupid powers and her stupid freedom."

"Go get her Ramza." The man told his friend, now turning to the window. "Was that?" he rushed to the window and looked outside, finding nothing. "Weird… I thought I had seen a tail…"

"Way to go monkey! You almost blew our cover!"

"Shut up, "sky pirate without ship"!"

"I'm afraid of heights..." A third one remembered as they sat on the highest tower of the castle.

"Oh just shut up Butz…" Both his companion told him with annoyed expressions marking their faces.

"You promised to not make fun of my middle name!" He replied in a shocked way.

"I lied!" The man with the monkey tail replied devilishly.

"What the heck just happened?" Ike questioned as he found himself being held by Volug, his hand being the one thing stopping him from plummeting to the river below.

"I cannot… maintain my laguz form… too many dark thoughts…" Volug explained, pulling him up. "Here it is… your sword." He said, giving Ike the Ettard. "Your axe… is craved there…" The normally silent laguz said, pointing bellow the cliff, where the axe was stuck. Ike would need a Pegasus or a bird laguz to go get it after this.

"Thanks Volug… you're a lot more talkative now. Just stay back okay? You can't do much un-shifted." Ike told the wolf, heaving his sword behind his back like he always did. "She doesn't seem friendly yet…" That was the understatement of the century. Terra was practically oozing crimson energy as she rose to her feet.

"I'll make… everything… GO AWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" She screamed, extending her arms to the sides with such power they caused shockwaves.

"She isn't giving me much of a choice… try to survive…" He wished as he pointed his sword once again at her. With a power driven shout he threw it upwards, the sword spinning so fast it was naught but a blur of silver. It was time for his signature attack.

"How long has it been since we've seen that?" Lucia mused.

"Three hundred and sixty eight days." Elincia spouted, much to her and Lucia's surprise.

"Really, Elincia? Really?" Lucia reprimanded.

Ike folded his legs to gain the spring effect and jumped high up, five meters into the air. He grabbed his spinning sword and began a spinning motion himself as he descended at his unsuspecting target.

"Aether!" He shouted as his sword made contact with her skin, maiming the right side of her body and causing an inhuman shriek. As much as it pained Ike to do it, the attack wasn't over yet as he used his arms to catapult himself upwards, applying the Luna part of Aether, one that was even more deadly than the Sol one. This one made an even deeper scar to her left side.

"He won!" Elincia and Lucia exclaimed as they hugged each other. Ranulf cheered and Soren just nodded. But Ike felt something was off as he prepared to land. And it was. Completely disregarding the wounds, just as Ike was landing Terra lunged at him, swinging her claw. Ike did his best to block but the Ettard didn't hold more than a touch, breaking and sending the blade to scar Ike's left cheek. That was the least of his preoccupations as he soon knew that her claws had touched his stomach, creating a massive explosion that sent him flying into the ground. Just as he landed however, Terra landed on top of him, immobilizing his muscled arms with only her legs and chocking him with her claws.

"No! Sir Ike!" Elincia exclaimed as she drew the Amiti and began to run towards them. If losing him temporarily hurt so much then she couldn't imagine if it was definitive. Still, both her and the ones running to the scene watched in horror as the monster decided to go with the quick route, raising her claw for the finishing blow. Was the miracle just a teasing from destiny? Was Ike going to return just to die in front of her? If only she was stronger. It was then that it happened, quick, huge, strong, brown and green. This object had rammed itself against the girl, one that Elincia recognized as… "Tibarn!" She called.

The Hawk King's tackle had sent the girl whirling into midair, where Naesala was waiting. With immeasurable speed he tore through her, not once, not twice but three times. Terra felt her consciousness slip away as she fell almost lifeless on the floor.

"Damn… this was though…" Tibarn cringed as he returned to human form. "Almost went insane…"

"Don't complain… I touched her three times…" Naesala retorted as he did the same, both kneeling on the floor, gasping.

"Still, good to see ya Ike… Elincia…" The Hawk King said, regaining his composure.

"Yeah, likewise, but what do you mean by "insane"?" Ike asked in a morbid curiosity.

"Didn't you feel it? That girl is like a slightly human Lehran's medallion." Tibarn blurted. "Only being near her almost made me insane… it's going away now, so it's alright."

"Oh, oh! The flying chickens!" Nailah joked as she arrived to the group. Ramza ignored her and ran to Terra.

"Who's he?" Ike asked.

"The enemy commander." Nailah replied in an oh so casual way.

"WHAT? What are you doing woman?" Tibarn roared, readying himself to punch Ramza's head off.

"Calm down bird brain, he's not evil. He was just forced… just like the girl." She explained as she restrained the Hawk King.

"How do you know that?" Naesala asked, a master of deceit himself, he knew better than to trust so easily.

"Because he saved me… when he didn't need too." She answered, embarrassed that she DID need saving.

"HAHAHAHA… So much for "The Great Wolf Queen"!" Tibarn managed to say in the midst of his laughter.

It wasn't over yet though.

"Terra…?" Ramza called as he examined the fallen body. "NO!" He screamed a she saw her still cat-eyed pupils turn to him as she bore her fangs.

"AGAIN?" Kurthnaga yelled in anger, falling his knees just as he was greeting Sanaki.

"Don't let the chaos get a hold of you." Lehran told him, being a heron that was no more than a disturbance, he was immune to influence from chaos. Still he was preoccupied, if the dragon ever fell into a rampage…

"H-hello?" A fragile voice snapped Lehran from his dark thoughts.

"Yes Leanne?" he asked the younger heron.

"Can I… he-help?" She was getting increasingly better on modern language. But the most important part was that her proposal… was perfect.

"Rafiel! Come here!" he ordered as the peace loving laguz made his way to him. "We need to end this right now." The duke of Persis pulled out a bag. One that his friend had used long ago before his death at Ike's hand.

"GRAAAH!" All the laguz on sight screamed as they clutched their heads.

"What the...?" Ike questioned as Ramza barely missed him, flying against a nearby tree. "You just don't give up, do you?" he exclaimed, reaching for his sword, remembering how it was broken he groaned.

"Here sir Ike." Elincia said as she did a gesture that almost made Lucia explode in rage, she gave Amiti to Ike.

"Elincia!" Lucia exclaimed.

"This isn't the time for formalities Lucia!" Elincia shouted back. Lucia understood that it was a necessity, but well, she felt sorry for Geoffrey when he knew about this.

"Thank you… now take cover." Ike told the duo. He looked around, even Soren was on the ground, maybe because he was branded. Looking at the sword Ike noticed. This sword wouldn't work in his current fighting style. This weapon was fit for a… Lord. Without thinking twice he changed his posture to meet the one he had used in the Mad King's War. A much more refined one, even if that strayed from Gawain style, it had to be done. The girl lunged and Ike did the same, meeting on the center and commencing to exchange blows. Right from the beginning Ike knew… it was a losing fight, but he had to be strong and fight. His life wasn't the only one in danger… that's why he disliked having an army or being a general, too much pressure, but he would take it as long as he could… even if he had to kill a little girl. "I'm gambling everything on this!" With all his might Ike pushed her away. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Every scream of the pained laguz was muffled. Every cackle of the fire. Every cry of warning from Elincia and Lucia. He only heard Terra. On the precise moment she pulled her arm back, his eyes jolted open. "Goodbye… GREAT-!" He roared, pulling his arm back as the solo air friction lit the sword aflame.

"Ike! That's enough!" A familiar and formerly hated voice rang in his ear.

"Lehran?" Ike asked, dumbfounded. It was enough for him to forget he was about to get tackled, but Nasir and Skrimir arrived just in time, resisting the madness the best they could in their shifted forms.

"Tibarn… Naesala… Nailah… help us. Ike too… restrict her!" Nasir pleaded.

"But Nasir, I can barely think!" Tibarn roared in irritation caused by the chaos.

"JUST TRY! IT'S JUST FOR A FEW SECONDS!" The royals trembled, if Nasir was like that, they had not much time left.

"Fine! Let's go!" They all shifted and did their best to keep her still. Tibarn and Naesala got the shoulders, Nailah and Skrimir the legs and Ike got the torso.

Lehran looked to the sky and saw the person he had just contacted by her sister's galdr arrive just in time in his transformed form.

"Reyson. I am glad you're here. Assume your position please." He said in a tone of urgency. The four herons then quickly formed a square around the laguz and the girl and started to tone their voices. "Lorazieh… let us see if your galdr was enough…" He hoped so as he manifested his black wings.

The four herons looked at each other and, upon seeing the suffering in front of them closed their eyes and began.

imisanakikeganonawot

orokokumorodametemotowikot

uaerufetotetiarahowimay

hekilledmami

All of the laguz felt the chaos in their head be slowly swept away by the Galdr of Rebirth, even Terra stirred. The beorc began to awaken at such a beautiful song, a once in a lifetime chance to ear four herons singing.

ikemazasanoyuosasumezak

otegakomoukuyirutsuinuzimadat

usawurufimimeokonotihonak

uremishika desoyiruketedikasibuy

Terra's eyes returned to normal as she remembered all the good times she spent with her family in peace, that and playing in Beoulve manor with her three best friends. Then she met that "thief" that all it needed was a home and made friends with an Imperial girl. Good times…

etitomikuuyami

uamaro sawasabutikotemisamiorokok

uamaros

uamaros

"It's a miracle…" Ramza said as awoke, seeing a now normal Terra crying herself to sleep on Ike's shoulder, even though her wounds could be mortal.

"It sure is…" the man who Kefka had ordered around said. "Still… I can't tell Kefka the effect she has on laguz…"

"It has ceased…" Kurthnaga commented as the pegasi flew towards Crimea.

"Just as expected… Never doubted Sephiran." The girl by his side said as she released a haughty laugh.

"Neither did I Empress, neither did I."

"Sir Ike… you're bleeding!" Elincia exclaimed as she saw the Hero's right arm clawed to a horrifying extent. That's what he got from holding her torso when Naesala couldn't hold the arm correctly.

"Don't worry, it's just a…"

"We have to stop the bleeding!" She exclaimed, reaching for her arm and from it detaching a piece of green cloth Ike quickly recognized.

"You tied my former headband to your arm?" He shouted, red as a tomato.

"If you left it for us to remember you, why not carry it around? Your first one is on Mist's arm as well." She replied, looking to the ground in embarrassment.

"Awwww, aren't you two the cutest?" Nailah teased as Elincia tied it to his arm to stop the blood flow.

"No they are not!" That reaction could only come from one person. One that ike cringed at seeing.

"Geoffrey…" Ike said, more embarrassed than anything.

"Ike…" The general replied in a very threatening tone. "Good to see you fare well…" That tone was dripping with sarcasm.

"Thanks…?"

"Hey!" Mist called. "Girl bleeding to death here!" She had recovered most of her trauma with the help of Rhys, but there were wounds staffs couldn't cure.

"Damnit! We have to get her to a bed! Is there any house around here?" Ike questioned.

"Well, there's the Solum estate, but I doubt…" Lucia begun, but Ike had already jumped on Titania's horse and pulled Elincia to the front.

"Lead the way!" He said.

"Of course!" She replied as she rode towards the noble's house.

"Ike and nobility? Especially Duke Solum? This is so bad…" Lucia lamented.

"Lord Kefka, we have confirmation. The army was wiped out. Commander Ramza rebelled, the survivors are heading here." A faceless soldier told him.

"So Kefka… how are you going to respond?" A smug voice asked from the other side of an orb.

"With fire and brimstone…" Kefka said in a much darker tone than usual.

"That said… Orlandeu, should punish you right now. But I am afraid that after Sephiroth's punishment the crowd will think the God Generals are weakened, so for now, you are excused. Report to me in a week's time and present your proposal for atonement… you may go." The shadowy figure told the old man as he crossed his hands. "Now… representative of Pherae… where were we?"

Next Chapter:

A girl whose only sin was the way she was given birth awakens from a near death experience. Will she be able to forgive herself? The young rulers of the broken country encounter a trio that might represent the pillar in which Daein shall rise again.

Who is the man pulling the strings? Ike's journey… is there a connection?

A plea from a Goddess.

Next time: Goddess of Blue Flames

"You're a HOT queen, you know that? Shut up monkey boy!"

"I have to atone…"

"The Holy Blades. Ragnell and Alondite."

Post-chapter note: Well, another chapter done. Depending on the reception, I might or might not pull another fast one on you guys, you know how human psyche works, so tell me your every thought, was it as good as the first? Better? Worse? Did they both suck? I'm all ears. Other than that, the plot will unravel, just not yet…