(I knew I forgot something last chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or the countries! That belongs to…um…yeah, you know what I mean. I do, however, own the characters for this story.

Also, I noticed that fanfiction doesn't support the tilde or arrow keys or the dash mark which I had used for A/N ID, thoughts, and time jumps respectively. Thus, I will use:

"Italics": thoughts

Bold: A/N ID

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o: time jumps/new POV from now on. I may eventually get around to editing the first chapter with these things in it but that's a big eventually.

Now, time to follow Lia and Lana for a bit. SSF)

Chapter 2: Skull Fu-

Lana watched Rin fly off into the clouds with worry in her eyes "I hope they get there safely."

"Now, quickly. We must prepare you two to follow," came the voice of Chiaro breaking up Lana's thoughts. She turned to see him and Lia walking back into Chiaro's house. She took one last worried look at the clouds and followed.

She joined Lia at the door, who was now glaring at the old man with annoyance. He was feeling along the wall as if looking for something. A small "Ahah!" confirmed that suggestion. The two women watched as Chiaro opened a hidden door in the wall and glanced as they saw a much larger room with weapons stacked along the walls.

"No wonder it looks so big from the outside." thought Lana, intrigued. Chiaro walked in, followed soon by the other two.

"Obviously this is our secret weapons stock. These are what we will be using to combat Rausten." He walked over to a section that held a wide array of bow styles and sizes; he took an unusually large bow with a shining bowstring. "A long bow, designed to shoot farther than normal bows would ever allow. The bow string is also made to give more distance." He handed it to Lana. She examined it and tested the string, mimicking the actions of cocking an arrow, the weight was greater but still within a comfortable range for her.

'It doesn't seem as strong, but it certainly will make the distance,' she thought as she let the string from her grasp with a calming snap. Satisfied, she slung the new bow over her back, resting right beside her trusty iron bow.

Chiaro then walked over to another rack, this one was covered entirely with blades and swords all of strange and unique designs, from simple iron swords to elaborate broadswords with emblems of a thousand different meanings. He searched shortly before plucking a naked one; its blade was broad and flat, ending with a wicked curve. He grabbed a matching sheath and handed it to the ever silent Lia. "A steel blade, designed to be slow but effective.

Lia took the weapon and sheath, giving both a once over. The blade was powerful, there was no doubt. The only problem was that Lia loved her speed and wasn't sure if she would actually ever get around to using it. She sheathed the blade and locked it to her sword belt. Its large amount of weight took a second to adjust to, but soon it was an oddly comforting pressure.

"Take these with you," surprised Lia looked up barely in time to catch a canteen and bag that arced her way, catching them as they landed on her chest. She looked up to see Chiaro leaving the room with Lana trailing behind him. Lia stashed the rations in her cloak and the water on the back of her belt and rushed after. "My son will be your guide to the Frelian border. Past there, you'll be on your own."

He motioned for them to go over to Scuro, who was standing next to a small path facing the northwest through the forest. He stood there ready to go with his own bag over his left shoulder and a lance resting on his right. When they were almost close enough to touch he said, "You sure you're ready to do this?" Both Lana and Lia nodded. "Good. Now, follow me." There was a brief pause in which he turned around and began walking with the women on his heels. "I'm hoping we will see the army heading towards the village sometime soon. I know someone there that may be able to take leave to guide you through Frelian territory."

So began the long walk down the dirt path in absolute silence. They walked for what seemed like hours but could well have been only a few minutes. Lana looked up at the sky and judged the time around 11:00; they'd left no later than 9. 'No wonder I'm getting so tired. I haven't needed to travel on foot since I met Rin.' Her calves and thighs were stiff and ached with pain, every step adding to her discomfort. She glanced at Lia, who was as silent as ever, walking in the same steady pace as she had when they began the trek. 'Man I really need to get back in shape,' Lana thought to herself with a silent sigh.

A few minutes later they heard the steady beat of synchronized footsteps in front, or rather Lia did. It was a few more minutes before the marching clanks came to Lana and Scuro's ears. Lia took a shaded hiding spot in the forest to her side, still managing to keep pace with the other two. Lana took out her bow and listened intently. Soon, the droning sound grew from steady foot fall to thundering boom as hundreds of more feet came into earshot along with the feet fall of iron clad hooves. Lana let loose her unknowingly held breath and placed her bow again on her back while Lia snuck back from the forest and stood beside the exhausted archer, both watching carefully for the battalion of the Renaisian army heading there way.

Moments later the first platoon walked around a bend 50 yards ahead of the company of three. It was led by a stout looking man covered head to toe in shining silver armor. He had seen them and turned around to call out his orders.

"I hope we appear as friends. It would be most unfortunate to be struck down by allies," whispered Scuro more to himself than anyone.

The platoon's leader stepped forward with his helmet held low over much of his face. Scuro saluted, soon followed by the general.

"Is Captain Annind among you?" asked Scuro.

The general paused for a moment before lifting his helm to show his face and responding, "You wouldn't happen to mean General Annind?" a wide grin lay plastered on his gruff face.

"Old friend!" He stepped forward and the two embraced in the half hug, half shake that men found appropriate. Lia rolled her eyes at this pointless show of affection.

"So, how have you been Scuro?" he began walking forward, motioning his men to follow. Scuro, Lia, and Lana turned and walked beside him.

"I'm sorry Annind, I don't have the luxury for small talk," he paused for breath and nerve before continuing, "I'm guiding these two young ladies to the border with Frelia, I was actually hoping to get you to take them farther into Frelian territory. But from the looks of it you won't be getting any time for leave."

"Oh really? Unfortunately, I'm quite tied for time. You know if in any other situation I would love to help these beauties and have –"

"No, don't continue. I cannot allow you to put your life in danger unwittingly," Scuro interrupted in a soft voice.

"Ah, anger problems, eh? Whoa!" Lia had turned and seemingly appeared in Annind's face, holding one pick up at his neck and her dagger at a lower angle and directed at his groin.

"Say something like that again, and you'll be choosing which head I'll be taking," she hissed softly. The soldiers behind the general had stopped and drew their blades.

Lana grabbed Lia's shoulder, "Down girl, let's just relax for a second. It's just words, nothing more, let it go." Lia's shoulder relaxed slightly and replaced her pick and dagger in her sleeves. "Shouldn't we be heading toward Frelia Scuro?" she asked trying to change the topic and leave.

"Oh, yes…Goodbye, Annind. I pray that you return safely…Come ladies, this way." With that the tree walked down along the lines of men. Annind blinked in surprise; he then shrugged and again motioned his men to follow him.

Scuro led them to the bend where the soldiers had first come down, though he kept going straight through the forest. Lia didn't even hesitate before leaping to the forest's low branches then landing on the underbrush below her. Lana, on the other hand, stopped at the trail and looked at them puzzled.

"Scuro… wouldn't it be faster to travel on the path?"

"Only if you'd rather go to the Renaisian castle. We need to continue northwest to get to Frelia as quickly as possible. The path would just lead us a large ways around where we want to go." Lana gave the nice and smooth looking path a longing glance before following, her legs throbbing with pain whenever she took a step, but she shoved these annoying thoughts to the back of her mind. They would do her no good for now.

They walked for miles on end taking breaks every hour or so, mostly for the tiring archer. After a while, Lana could no longer feel her legs and was forcing herself and pushing her body to the limit. When the sun finally rested below the horizon, Scuro set up what appeared to be a camp, their shelter for the night appeared to be two thick blankets on opposite sides of a spot obviously for a fire. Before he'd even got the tinder to spark Lana had sprawled out on one of the blankets and fell into deep sleep.

"The long travel must've been hard on her," started Scuro, a little concerned. Lia was silent so he looked over at her. Her eyes were quickly darting left and right at each and every sound, most of which escaped Scuro's ears, keeping a close tab on what was happening on every side of her to prevent any attempts of a sneak attack. "I take it you still don't trust me enough to let me stand watch?"

Her glazed eyes rested on him for a brief second before she spoke, "Get your rest, you damned fool."

"Figures…Well, wake me if you want a turn to sleep." He laid down on his side on top of the blanket and let the darkness flow over him and take him to sweet sleep, leaving Lia sitting next to the dwindling flames. She listened to get a mental bearing of the activity around her.

It wasn't long before her eyelids began to droop; she leaned forward slightly and felt the darkness dull her sense of the world around her. She quickly whipped her arm out and grasped the solid ground in front of her to keep her head out of the small but still dangerous fire. She stood up and set about to pacing around the perimeter of the encampment trying to keep herself awake.

That idea didn't last long; she once again sat by the fire after a few laps around the area. "Gotta stay awake." She slapped her cheeks softly then stopped and listened. She heard soft mutterings behind her, along with several deep breathes that were attempting to be silenced, and then finally on her left and right, more muttering.

She drew her iron sword with her right arm, and a pick slid easily into her left, all the while continuing to imitate the signs of fatigue. The oncoming group was highly experienced and picked out this attempt to lull them into false security and halted their movement. Lia gave up the tired façade when the group stopped and waited, tensing to ready for what was about to happen. Neither group was willing to move, waiting for the other party to make the first action.

Finally, Lia's rash nature provoked her into moving first. She threw the pick in her left hand and ran to the right. The pick flew true and scored its mark on Scuro's palm. "YOWCH! What the heck?" Scuro grabbed his lance and jumped up to his feet in a ready position. "Can't you just yell to get me up like any rational person!"

Lia grinned at this, but quickly returned her attention to the person in front of her. The person who'd taken to the shadows to hide himself without success took a quick dash toward the resting figure of Lana. Lia did the same, gaining godly speed along the way. Even with the head start, the two reached Lana at nearly the same time, but Lia was far more nimble. She jumped over her sleeping companion's form and swung at the masculine figure, who quickly pulled his sword to block her blow, staggering back at the speed and strength of the blow. Lia took this break in stance to launch herself head first into a blinding assault.

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Scuro held his lance by the length of his fingers, holding the weapon at ready in front of him. He could make out at least 3 enemies, one in front with another to his right, and off to his left was the third that Lia was already in skirmish with.

The one on his right acted first, charging at Scuro, swinging his heavy axe above his head. Scuro quickly turned and jabbed out to his full length with his right arm. The enemy strafed to the right and brought the heavy slab of steel down at Scuro's head. The lancer fell backwards enough to dodge but toppled over, his opponent quickly tried to take advantage of this mishap by bringing his weapon vertically down once again. Scuro rolled clumsily sideways and tried to jump to his feet, but his foe stepped forward and grabbed him by the collar, and threw him backwards. Scuro only tumbled back two steps before the other warrior's chest slammed into his back, who quickly wrapped his arms around Scuro's armpits and locked his hands behind his neck, forcing Scuro to release his lance.

The axe wielder began to laugh with cruelty. "Man, this was easier than I could have hoped for! I at least expected a half-decent bodyguard." Scuro glared at the man angrily, realizing that it was a man, and that the one behind him was also male, making it all he could do to hold back the slight grin from spreading across his even face.

His chest then felt as if it was ready to explode, the bulky axe wielder had dropped his weapon to instead deliver painful punches to his chest and abdomen. "Feel the pain the Android bandits can bring!"

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Lana was woken up to the image of a grotesque man standing over her, she reached for her bows that she had laid beside her, only grasping at a few twigs and blades of grass. "Looking for these?" the man asked holding both her bows and her quiver.

Lana let a threatening growl rise from the depths of her throat. This action had amused the man as he laughed sarcastically. "I don't want to harm you, a face as pretty as yours would be a waste with a bruise on it," he tossed her weapons a distance behind him, earning him a blazing glare from the woman before him.

"Where are Lia and Scuro?" she managed to say with as little growl as possible.

The man motioned on either side of him, "Look around." She dared to look across the fire and saw what was Lia, and whoever she was fighting, both moving incredibly fast, both looking equally matched. She found Scuro on the other side of her, being held from behind by one man, while another proceeded to pound him ruthlessly.

"Scuro!" she sat up and was met with a very sharp blade resting on the skin on her neck.

"I'm sorry, I can't let you do that. You might hurt yourself. Now, be a good little girl and just sit still," the man said with a lusting smile on his face, Lana leered for a moment before watching Scuro again.

"Come on Scuro…"

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Lia swung her sword at the man's head again; he dodged skillfully to the right, keeping her attention completely focused on him. After several more ducks and near misses he tried a thrust at her stomach, but Lia twirled slightly to the side and ushered the man forward as a graceful matador would to a clumsy bull. She quickly countered with several slashes in alternating slices of vertical and horizontal, aiming for the small stretch between the bone of the hand and the wrist. He withdrew his blade and parried her slashes, pushing upward and forcing Lia back.

The two jumped back and stood in a semi-stand off. Lia felt the adrenaline pump to every inch of her body, after so many years of assassinations and slaughter of the weak political figures, she'd missed the thrill of an even fight, though the fact that this stranger managed to keep even with her pace left her slightly annoyed. 'Time to kick this up a notch' she thought to herself, stepping backwards in preparation. The man, seeing this as a sign of weakness blitzed forward, which Lia dashed around him in a tight circular motion, even with his speed he lost track of her, barely able to bring his weapon to block the swift attacks. Before he had a chance counter or guard again, Lia slashed sideways and left a long gash across the top of his chest. She continued through the slice, landing less than a few feet behind him.

The man looked down and took a moment's assessment to determine that the blow wasn't fatal but would be if he didn't wrap it up quickly. He turned to face this foe, but as he lifted his leg to make that first step, he felt a sensation that was quite unlike anything he'd felt before. He'd stepped out of his leg from his knee down, the useless stump wiggled as it tried to hold the weight that had been shifted to it, but failed, sending the man falling forward where his other leg fell off from his knee. "Talent without skill to match is still a waist," the cold assassin said as she stood over the bleeding man, she drew her new weapon and brought it down faster than any human eye could have ever followed, splitting the man in half down the center. She hefted the blade out of the soil before the man's blood could stain its tip; she sheathed the clean blade and turned back to examine the scene behind her. She didn't notice anything at first, but her senses soon brought the image of Lana kneeling with a man holding a sword to her throat in a seemingly exclusionary style. 'SHIT!' she thought as she darted at her new target.

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Scuro felt another explosion in his intestines as the man withdrew his fist again. "Given up already?" taunted the man holding him down as he lessened his grip slightly.

"Not likely!" he jumped backwards, throwing his entire weight onto the man holding him, and kicked out with both feet, planting them in between the assailant's legs causing him to drop like a rock. The man holding him lost his balance and started to topple backward. Scuro followed through with the original motion of the jump, turning the man's shoulders into a jumping pad, launching himself a little further back and slamming the man head first into the ground. Scuro rolled, again harnessing the momentum of that first jump to heave him forward, grabbing his lance on the way. Now that he had his weapon and was a few steps away from his foes, he planted the spear into the ground and spun around it in classic fashion.

Both men were back on their feet, one holding his crouch and the other trying to hold his head from spinning. The man grabbed his axe and tried to bring it down on Scuro's head, only to strike air from where Scuro had sidestepped, bringing the butt of his lance down on the nape of his foe's neck, slamming the man in a face-vault.

The other man drew out his sword and charged in a fevered blitz, Scuro first blocked the blow with his lance held out, then spun the lance making it parallel, jabbing the spear head into man's upper arm. The man's bloody scream echoed throughout the forest as he dropped his blade to the ground, pulling the lance from its lodging in his left arm tore more flesh out, causing the man to scurry away with his eyes tearing up in crippling fear.

Turning from the man, thinking he'd run out of terror, Scuro faced the axe-wielder again, just in time to avoid a blow at his neck. Scuro ducked away then rolled backwards, jumping up at the last roll, and jabbing at the man's torso. The man blocked his attack with the broad side of the axe. Scuro continued his assault, but each blow was blocked, until one stab slid off the surface instead of being repelled back, the point pierced in the man's bicep, causing him to fall forward and drop his axe, only catching himself with his other hand. Furry bellowed from deep within Scuro as he pulled his spear back and rammed it through the bent over man's skull, with a last twitch of life, the man's body fell limb on the forest floor.

Scuro fell forward on his hands and knees as he tried to catch his breath, he stayed there trying to collect himself when a sickening sound rang out as a sword jettisoned through Scuro's rib cage. As he fell, he turned slightly to allow him a glance at his murderer, the same man he'd thought had run in fright held the sword, grinning in triumph. Scuro willed all his energy in his arms, to try and lash out at the man, but to no avail, only barely able to glare at the man through the darkness that had entered his eyes. 'So… this is how it ends? At the hands of a coward…' the man raised the sword above his head and with one sweeping motion, decapitated the bleeding man.

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Lia felt the weight of her body as she sped toward Lana and her captor, her legs burned as the muscles were pushed above and beyond the rate that even she could with stand. Her excellent sense of smell gave her a vital piece of information as to the man standing over Lana. He'd started sweating as male hormones started to elevate, giving him that 'just want to get laid' smell that Lia had come to recognize in cities all too often. The up side to this was that his increased scent showed that the only part of his body unprotected was his face, and his hands, and only one of which Lia could strike from her position. She hauled back and flung her iron sword at the man's sword arm, the swift moving blade split the veins carrying all blood to his hands, and every shred of flesh from the right wrist. It was a full minute almost before the man noticed the missing appendage, but Lana still stood completely frozen. Lia spared no time in jumping between the man, now holding the bleeding stump in disbelief and Lana.

'Why isn't she moving!... Her bows!' Lia found the bows several paces behind the bleeding man. Again she darted around the man, grabbing bows and quiver in a sleek motion, but by the time she started around again the man had grabbed his sword with his other hand and prepared to swing it, this time she brought her dagger to halt the steel from digging into her flesh. She brought her foot around in a round-house kick to the side of the man's face, before dodging to the side and hurrying toward Lana. She dropped the weapons at the frozen girl's feet. 'WHAT'S WRONG!'

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The sight replayed in Lana's mind again, the horrid but swift movements of Scuro's final moments. 'No! Don't make me watch it again!' but it played through again, and in the background, she heard a slight scream that she hadn't heard before. "Huh?..." She allowed it to play through again without argument. Only this time, she listened to it intently. This time, she heard no scream. She began to feel herself coming back to reality with the realization that something must be going on. Suddenly, she felt a kick in her left hip and her body falling sideways. Her face hit the ground with a thud, and her full consciousness was back.

"Wake up, you idiot!" Lia screamed from right beside her. She groaned as she felt her stomach muscles twinge after being kicked, or was it that image that refused to leave the back of her eyelids? She glanced left only to see Lia's rear right in her face, but Lana was still too traumatized to care. "GET AHOLD OF YOURSELF!" bellowed the assassin. Lana snatched up her bows and shouldered her quiver, before she could remember what happened she heard metal clashing behind her and realized Lia was no longer beside her. She stood up and found a sword again resting on her throat. She glared sideways at the same man that'd held her back from Scuro.

"Look at what that bitch did to me!" His stump was forced into her face, blood pumping out of it quicker and quicker. He held his voice to let the effect sink in.

But Lana didn't let him continue, her hatred had started to bubble up throughout her body. "Aww…poor baby" The man screamed in rage and swung his sword at her. Lana ducked and pulled an arrow out, along with her iron bow and began to roll backward. She felt her rear hit the ground and released the cocked arrow into the man's jaw, all in one fluid motion. Bile formed in her mouth as the man's head looked over at her, giving the same look Scuro had at his death. As the man fell forward she began to say something that she never imagined she would say. "Like getting skull fu-?" She stopped herself realizing what she was about to say. "I have got to stop letting Rin rub off on me like that…" she thought. She then turned to do what she could for Lia; she couldn't take another death of a friend.

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Lia easily parried the man's attacks with her knife, before countering with swift slashes at his face and joints. He backed up and grimaced at the pain of the cuts now littering his body. Lia grinned like a maniac, this man might have some strength, but he was slower than a slug to her, she took her time slashing into his flesh, making sure not to hit anything vital and not going too deep, his entire body was covered with his own blood from the numerous shallow wounds. Lia peeked over at Lana to check on her, and saw her put the arrow through the man's head. Lia frowned. She didn't want Lana to see the torture she'd been inflicting on the man. She brought her knife across the man and cut him into at least 8 different pieces, turning him into a pile of bloody flesh in an instant.

Lana walked over to Lia and stood there in silence, using all her will power to keep the tears from cascading down her face. Lia quickly noticed the absence of the third member of their party, and asked "Where's Scuro?"

Lana couldn't hold it in anymore, she fell forward and let loose the dammed up flow of tears. Dhe hadn't even known him long, but she'd already grown to trust him, and now he died just because he was helping them.

Lia was surprised by this outburst, but quickly realized, that instead of their being the 4 bodies of the attackers, a fifth lay beside one of them. The young man's body lay less than three feet from them, "Damn…" was all Lia could say.

After a long pause Lia spoke up, "We need to move, someone might have heard the skirmish…" She grabbed the packs and blankets, and finally took Scuro's pack and valuables along with the sword she'd thrown. "We'll set out after the sun rises. We need to get to Frelia." Lana watched as Lia said all this with an even face and cold eyes, she mechanically followed, knowing Lia was right, but all the while she kept wondering if Lia even had a heart.

(Another thing I forgot last time…Ending notes. Well, I hope you like it so far. I'll try to update soon. Sorry it took so long this time. My editor took a rather long vacation. glares at Blaze (What? I can't help if my parents wouldn't let me take my laptop Blaze) Whatever…These are long chapters anyway, so don't expect three day updates like you get from those other crazy authors. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! Review and wait for the next installment please. SSF)