The execution of General Duessel.

Because of an information leak, the execution was moved to Renvall for its superior defensive position.

Duessel was first up to the block at Castle Renvall. He stood, staring at the makeshift scaffold in the throne room. Windows had been carved through the stone walls to let more light in, so the assembled crowd could watch Duessel's head roll. Patrols roamed the rivers around the fort, and the ballistae were manned by expert snipers.

Rennac laid face-down at the bottom of the river, breathing through a special device Ewan had designed. Beside him was Garcia, also breathing through a device, and Ross, a Berserker. Rennac envied the berserker's excellent lung power and control over themselves, even in water.

A small fish swam past, and Rennac watched it lazily float by, then, quick enough to avoid anybody noticing, he speared it with his knife and slipped it into his pocket. He would eat that for his tea.

Duessel was led, still in his red armour, minus the helmet, to the scaffold. His eyes took in the design, and he snorted. Leah and Gelera were sitting on seats behind the block, so that when Duessel knelt to have his head removed, he would be kneeling before them. Ursal stood holding the axe, sunlight from the window directly in front of him shining off the blade and his horned helmet. Duessel made his way up the steps. The crowd was silent, and there was only the occasional murmur of fear. Duessel knew they feared Arctus, the man leading him to the block.

"Countrymen, I stand before you today as a condemned man, here to die."

Leah put her hand up to silence him, but Duessel ignored her. "I turned my back on my homeland in the war. I slew many of our army, some of which were relatives of the people standing in this room. I personally took the sword to many a brave warrior."

Neimi fired her shot silently, hitting one of the snipers hard in the eye socket. He was thrown back from his ballista. A patrol saw nothing, but heard the body fall. They went up to the ballista…

And then shouted as father and son erupted from the water. With as much stealth as possible, the two axe-wielders butchered the patrol.

Neimi climbed onto the ballista, darkness shrouding them as the moon went behind a cloud. She could not see Castle Renvall any more, but only the slivers of light from the windows and the torches within.

A single tear rolled down her cheek as she heard the voice of Duessel drifting from within the dark walls.

"I fought for my beliefs, my homeland and my species. And if I were on trial for my crimes in the war, I would plead guilty and willingly lay my head on the block. But I am not on trial for betrayal, treason and deserting. I am on trial for nothing more than being a pawn in the great plot of the witch who sits on the throne."

Rennac held Neimi reassuringly, wiping the tear from her face. The moon came out and they saw their mistake.

"R-Rennac… this isn't the right side…"

Rennac swore as he realised their mistake. The plan had been for Neimi to take the Ballista on the right-hand side of Castle Renvall, where she would have a clear shot into the back of Ursal's neck through a giant window. Now she could only see his head through the tiny slit in the wall designed to prevent archers firing into it.

"We'll have to move."

"N-no. I can do it."

"Neimi, nobody can manage that shot."

"My grandfather could." Said Neimi with a touch of iron returning to her voice as her confidence built. "Besides, I've got five shots."

"You're not the one-arrow wonder."

"Single-arrow legend. Besides, Zethla trained me. Duessel is my friend, and I will not let him die."

"There are guards."

"Deal with them."

"Neimi, we're going to move. If we stay here we'll be caught."

Rennac's eyes were drawn to a flash from the forest. Four men broke cover from behind the bushes and sprinted. Neimi angled her machine and loosed one shot for each, leaving only one in her arsenal.

"I ask you this. When Vigarde declared war, did you feel joy? When he slaughtered those of Renais, did you cheer? Or did you feel sorrow and grief? If there is any man, woman or child in this room who does not feel those same emotions now Leah is on the throne, I will lay my head on this block, and it shall say goodbye to my shoulders. I will apologise to my victims in the war personally. I shall shake hands with the Generals myself."

Ursal motioned, and Arctus grabbed Duessel's wrists. The big man was forced to his knees, head on the block. The obsidian general looked at his queen with contempt in his eyes.

"Grado is yours. The people are yours. Their souls, however, will never bow to you."

Ursal raised the axe.

Down it came.

Neimi fired. The shot raced upwards, the wind pushing it slightly left, following Neimi's desired course through the air. It met the window at the perfect trajectory, and it went through the second at speed and accuracy unrivalled.

The arrowhead hit Ursal's eye socket, forcing its way deep into his reanimated brain. The Berserker toppled backwards, propelled by the arrow. Duessel moved while Arctus still comprehended the death of his twin. The Obsidian general took the axe from the fallen executioner and swung it. Arctus' rectangular shield deflected the blow, and Duessel dodged a powerful swing from a steel axe. Duessel punched Arctus twice to the face, and then embedded the stolen axe in his chest.

No blood welled out; for a heartbeat is required to speed blood around the body, and neither of Lyon's two experiments had one. However, the Hero in class alone fell into two halves, separated by a diagonal cut in his torso. Leah and Gelera stood and strode from the room, desperately trying not to convey fear.

Rennac slipped in amongst the chaos of people fleeing the castle. Duessel had made the impression he needed, and it allowed him to slip down to the detention block. His beady, hawk-like eyes found the Berserker, rogue and paladin in each cell and with a flick of his fingers (metaphorically) had all three of them out.

Amelia was waiting by Oedipus when Leah found her mount. Vanessa was with her, her expertise with pegasi giving her the edge to control the rare black Pegasus.

Leah smirked, and drew her spear.

"It looks like the peasant's got a friend. A soldier? Quaint, commoner, quaint."

Amelia pulled her axe from a holder on her back, and removed her general's helmet. She experimentally twirled the killer axe in her hand, but knew that Leah's throwing lance could easily trump her weapon. Vanessa pulled her own killer lance out, and the odds turned.

Gelera came charging in, tome in hand, but Ross, stepping from shadow, stopped her with his muscular arms, flipping her over and throwing her into the dirt with all the fury of a boy out to save his friends.

He drew his own axe, but Garcia caught his hand before Gelera was butchered. The two locked eyes, then Ross punched Gelera before she could get up.

Leah could only watch as the numbers grew hopelessly unbalanced. Marisa and Gerik were leading the prisoners from the prison, and murder was in the eyes of them all.

There was a roar from behind her as three of her most faithful Wyvern Lords dived down, and the eyes and weapons were locked on them. Gelera picked herself up and attacked Vanessa with the thunder. The Pegasus rider dodged each shot, and then lunged forward. Gelera narrowly avoided being skewered. Gelera smiled, and then disappeared. She reappeared mounted, and pulled Leah up onto her horse, the two riding off in a cloud of dust for Grado Keep.