Hello all. Have fun with this next chapter. Sorry it took forever. Please review.

You know what I've realized? I forgot something crucial.

In case it wasn't clear, I do not own the vast majority of this story, from characters to places to plot points, etc. I don't intend to make a profit from this, just to tell a story about a very interesting franchise. Please don't sue me.

Combat was never easy on the body or the mind, but Cordelia had never felt quite like this. The physical toll of fighting on the back of a pegasus had combined with the mental and emotional exhaustion of the last few days. She had experienced fear, sorrow, and hope all at once, but now she felt empty. She was exhausted. In an ideal world, they would have had time to rest after escaping from the Plegian siege. Unfortunately, the nature of the war they fought prevented such pleasantries, and she found herself still in the saddle, unbearably close to home and yet unable to reach it.

The knights had fared relatively well in the skirmish to escape, managing to outmaneuver the Plegian forces before they could react properly. They had not been without losses, however, and the eight knights that set out of the tower now numbered seven. Those that survived headed towards Ylisstol, flying nonstop for the half-day of travel. They needed to warn the capital, and even though their escape had thrown part of the Plegian army into disarray, Cordelia had no doubt they would soon be nipping at the knights' heels.

And so they found themselves here at last. Cordelia had hoped for some rest, but fate, it seemed, had other ideas. Ylisstol was in chaos and disarray, with small conflagrations casting smoke into the sky and gates burst open. Thaneta, Cordelia, and Shione had landed in the courtyard while the other knights left to stable their mounts. They had been immediately addressed upon landing by two city guardsmen, one of whom was now speaking to the captain while Shione and Cordelia watched.

"I apologize, captain, but the Exalt is gone," explained the guard, "We were told to inform you of such if you arrived here, but you cannot under any circumstances spread that information around. The Exalt fears for the morale of her people." The captain nodded, somewhat aggravated by this sudden change of plans.

"Can you tell me where she is? I have important information that must reach her. Failing that, I need to speak to Captain Phila." The guard looked at his comrade before answering.

"The Exalt and her family, along with the detachment of Pegasus Knights assigned to her, headed to the Eastern Palace this very morning, after an attempt on her life last night. Since then, we who remain have been dealing with several small skirmishes and instances of sabotage, likely by the same group responsible for the attack, all across the city. Why they would choose now to attack, however, is beyond me." At this, Thaneta cursed. The guard paused a moment, taking a few seconds to consider the knight before him. "I am curious, however, why you are here, Captain. From what I understand, you were stationed by the border." Thaneta shook her head, worry and anger seeping into her voice.

"The border has fallen, guardsman. A Plegian army marches on Ylisstol as we speak, and if what you say is true, they have agents within the city who are trying to weaken our defenses. We have two days." The guard grimaced, coming to terms with the new information. Thaneta continued. "As none of the royal family remains, I seem to be the highest ranking military official present. Therefore, I'm ordering an emergency evacuation. Ylisstol won't stand long against the Plegians, and I will not see our people captured. I don't care how you get them out, but have them pack what they need and prepare for a journey east. With any luck, they needn't be absent from their homes for too long." The guardsman saluted and made to march off, but his comrade spoke up.

"The capital's in danger and you want us to run away? There's no way we're going to comply with that order!" Thaneta turned to him, her anger slowly simmering.

"I lost more than half the troops I commanded to their first attack. We are militarily at a huge disadvantage. If you stay here, you will die, and anything you wanted to defend will fall," she said, her voice intense but not harsh. "The heart of Ylisse has always been with its people and its Exalt, not with this city. I am not suggesting that we run from the Plegians with our tails between our legs, but that we protect what is truly most valuable," she finished. The guard gulped, his earlier defiance gone in the face of her temper.

Thaneta paused for a moment, and then continued on more calmly. "Once that's done, we can withdraw, head east and regroup with the Exalt and any other remaining Ylissean forces for a counterattack. With our full might, we might have a chance to push them back. But we'll need everybody alive, yourself included." The guard, deflated, nodded.

"I'll rally the rest of the men. We'll get everyone out before dawn tomorrow." He ran off, and Thaneta returned to Cordelia and Shione.

"We'll be staying here, to help with the evacuation," she said. "They're going to need a lot of help if they're going to pull this off. But I want you," she said, pointing to Cordelia, "To take our newest recruit and find the Exalt. Warn her of what's coming. And before you protests, don't worry, we'll stay safe. If all goes according to plan, we'll be out of the city before the Plegians can get to it. From there, we'll meet up with you at the Eastern Palace." Cordelia didn't like it, but orders were orders, and Thaneta seemed to be telling the truth when she said that they'd stay safe, and so she nodded. She walked off, intending to prepare for even more traveling. It seemed she wouldn't be getting any rest after all.

The first guardsman, the one who had greeted them when they landed, rushed over to Shione. The newest recruit for the Pegasus Knights had seemed worried, but hadn't responded when Cordelia asked him about it. Now, he turned to the guard's call, confusion replacing worry.

"You must be Shione, correct?" the guard asked, grunting when the recruit nodded. "You were the person we were specifically told to expect, in fact. Didn't know these others were coming, not that they're unwelcome. Some friends of yours told me to inform you that they're traveling east with the Exalt. They said you'd recognize this," the guard added before taking out a small multicolored talisman hanging on a leather cord. Shione took the object before nodding. His confusion faded, quickly replaced by determination. When he turned to Cordelia, new energy was apparent in his motions.

"Come on then," he said, "we have our orders, and I'd rather not leave the Exalt waiting."

"Damn, I really wish people would write this stuff down," Martin said. Cainne agreed, but there wasn't much else that could be done. They were talking in hypotheticals to pass the time as they marched onward, the rest of the Exalt's convoy stretching out both before and behind them.

The small group that planned the trip to the Eastern Palace last night had quickly snowballed as word spread. The group now contained the entirety of Emmeryn's palace guard, including the Pegasus Knight group under Captain Phila, the workers that had to attend to the logistics of maintaining the ill-used palace and the garrison it would soon contain, and a few trusted nobles and their retainers that had caught on to the plans. Interspersed throughout the various wagons, carts, and horses walked a few others, mostly Shepherds under Prince Chrom's command. He'd emptied their barracks for this, as he wanted everyone available to protect the Exalt. Cainne, Martin, and Lyta were also part of the convoy, and as of this morning were being considered as temporary members of the Shepherds, though their membership was tenuous at best. The others weren't still sure how to react to them, and Marth's reaction at their arrival hadn't exactly helped. As a result, they had mostly stayed separate from the others, though some sort of interaction was inevitable.

For now, though, Cainne had managed to avoid it. She was not looking forward to explaining herself to Chrom, or worse, to Panne. Fortunately, the long march to the eastern palace had occupied everyone's attention, and no one had tried to press her for information. Instead, she found herself checking in with her teammates, and while Lyta was fine on her own, Cainne and Martin had started talking to keep the monotony of the march at bay.

"I mean, everything would be so much simpler if they would," Martin continued. He'd been on this subject for the last few minutes, and showed no signs of stopping. In truth, Cainne suspected he just wanted something to do. "Here we are with the huge advantage of being from an alternate timeline, so you'd expect that we'd be able to use that knowledge to some extent. That's what I thought, at least. But last, I checked, we've been able to predict exactly nothing, correct?" he looked over to Cainne, expecting an answer.

"To my knowledge, no, we haven't," she answered, already aware of what was coming next.

"Meanwhile, Marth somehow knows exactly where and when she needs to be to stop an assassination. What does she know that we don't?"

"I don't know the extent of her knowledge," Cainne answered, "but I think I understand the gaps in our own. You've heard Chrom talk about the war his father fought in, correct?"

"Yeah, I have," he said, nodding. "The war fifteen years ago, the one between Plegia and Ylisse. What about it?"

"Well, that's the essence of what everyone says about it, that it was fifteen years ago, involved the Exalt and Plegia, and was dangerous. People don't particularly want to relive those times, and so it isn't brought up often, and when it is, not too much is said beyond the basics. Looking back, or I suppose forward, it seemed people talked about this war in the same way. No one told us exact dates or times, just general events. We don't have enough information to act on."

"I suppose you're right," Martin lamented. "No one thought that such information would be useful to us, at least not in the way it is right now. Too bad." He shook his head in remorse. Before Cainne could say something else, his eyes widened. "We'll talk later, but I really should get out of here before things get…tense." Before Cainne could ask what he meant, he sprinted off behind a wagon and out of sight. Her question was answered a moment later, however, when a very determined Taguel managed to push her way through the crowd moving in the opposite direction, making a beeline for Cainne as soon as she was spotted.

"Cainne. I wish to speak with you." She said, quickly closing the gap and falling into step. Cainne supposed this conversation was inevitable, but she hadn't wanted it this quickly. Unfortunately, she no longer had a choice.

"Hello, Panne," she replied, keeping her facial expression neutral.

"I desire to know what your tribe is like. Until I met you, I believed the Taguel to be nearly extinct. You seem to be proof that they aren't." At least she was straightforward. Cainne took a deep breath. She'd known this was coming.

"I wouldn't know," Cainne responded with a sigh. "My family wasn't very welcome within our tribe, so my experience with them is limited. I have no idea how the tribe fares, or even if they're still alive. Those who targeted your warren may not have acted alone. Even if they are alive, they live across the sea."

"So, you do not know of your own tribe?" Cainne asked, after a pregnant pause.

"No, and I am sorry. I wish I could help you."

"I see. That is...disappointing." Panne turned away with a huff and disappeared into the crowd. Cainne understood her disappointment. The Taguel had lost her entire warren, her entire race, and then found a spark of hope in Cainne. A spark that Cainne had just extinguished.

"I doubt that will be the end of it," said a voice from behind her. She turned to find a soldier falling into step next to her, his blue hair rustled by the breeze and his sword strapped to his waist.

"My Lord," Cainne greeted, somewhat surprised by the meeting. Chrom turned to her.

"You two seem very different. I did not expect that."

"Of course we are different," she responded. "I am no more like Panne than you are like Vaike. Species should not define who we are."

"I misspoke," Chrom grimaced. "I apologize, for I meant no offense."

"I take none, Prince, and I understand what you meant." She hadn't meant to shame him in truth, but she seemed to share Panne's bluntness. "Panne has had a truly unthinkable experience with humans, and it has marred her interactions with them. I have not, and so do not share the same biases. Often, we are defined by our experiences." Chrom nodded.

"Wise words, and they seem to have won you the support of others. Your friends seem to consider you the de facto leader of their group." Cainne looked at him, her surprise showing through her expression. "It's true. I spoke with them earlier, and both agreed, independently."

"Strange that they would think so highly of me," she mused. "Do not worry, though. I defer to your authority."

"Now it is you who misunderstands me," Chrom smirked. "I do not desire to usurp your command; that would be a quick way to earn the ire of everyone involved. I merely wanted to get a judge of the character of you and your friends. You seem like good people."

"We mean well," Cainne responded. "And we do mean to provide any help we can."

"I appreciate it. You said there were four of you, correct? You three and then the one who you left the message for in Ylisstol?"

"Yes, well…" Cainne trailed off, and then sighed. "There was another, a swordsman."

"Was?" Chrom asked. "What happened? Err, if it's no trouble." Cainne waved away his concern.

"He is still alive, if that is what you're worried about. In fact, he is the reason why we're here." Chrom nodded, relieved, and Cainne continued. "The five of us met some years ago, we all happened to be in the same place at the same time and got pulled into a strange plot. As a result, we became good friends, and worked with each other a few other times over the years. When people started talking about strange lights and monsters in this continent, we decided to investigate."

"And here you are, right in the midst of it all. What happened to the swordsman?"

"He stole something…Its value is mostly sentimental, though he could make some coin from a particularly unscrupulous salesman." She shook her head. "I do not think he means to sell it, though. Either way, he betrayed us, and we need to find him. We had just lost our only lead when we stumbled onto your cultist friends yesterday."

"So what, then, brings you to travel with us?" Chrom asked.

"I may not be native to this land, but I can tell that this war is not right. I want to do my part to keep the innocent safe." Cainne paused for a moment, then smirked. "Not to mention, all this traveling might help us find my errant friend."

"Well, your assistance is appreciated, by myself at the very least," Chrom responded. "Perhaps when this war ends I can see if we can help find him."

"Thank you, Prince Chrom."

"And for what it's worth, I think I can see why your friends look up to you." With that, he strode off, and Cainne was left alone with her thoughts.

While the details that he had about this war were sparse, Martin did have something to work with. Specifically, he knew that this whole trip was not going to succeed. People spoke about many events in this war, however vaguely. But he had never heard mention of this Eastern Palace actually being put into service. That could mean many things, not the least that the castle was a successfully-kept secret. But Martin didn't think that was the case, and if he was right, it meant that the caravan wasn't going to make it much further. As such, he was preparing for an attack.

However, he didn't know what kind of attack to expect. If the Plegians had heard about the Exalt moving, they would be eager to intercept and capture her, there was no doubt. But Martin had no idea how they would even know, considering that no one who wasn't vital to the mission had been told about the column. Even if the Plegians did somehow find out, they would be hard-pressed to catch up to the caravan. Wyverns or pegasi could make the trip, but that alone wouldn't be enough to defeat Emmeryn's guard, let alone the Shepherds. There had to be something already in place between them and the Palace. But what?

Martin didn't have an answer. He had some fragments of the greater picture, but he couldn't see how they fit together without the pieces he was missing, at least not until it all played out.

He was pulled from his thoughts as Lyta walked by, moving in the opposite direction of the convoy. As usual, her hood was covering her face, but it looked like she was doing her best not to draw attention as she passed. He sidestepped into her path before she could pass by.

"East is that way, actually." Lyta looked up.

"Oh, hey Martin. Don't mind me. I'm just headed for the end of the convoy."

"Why?" Martin asked. "Is something wrong?"

"Not really," she replied. "People just keep trying to talk to me." Lyta made to pass Martin. He knew that Lyta wasn't very fond of…people. When faced with someone new, she would rather disappear entirely than suffer through introductions. It had taken him a solid week of effort to get her to say a single word to him, and he'd been persistent. Once she started to speak with someone, then she would have no problem opening up, but getting her to take that first step was abnormally difficult. It didn't help that she was so good at disappearing. Martin even wondered if this sort of situation was where she had perfected that particular ability.

"Come on, Lyta." Martin said, placing himself directly in her way. "We don't know how long we'll be in the Shepherd's company. It might be a while. It'll be good to make friends, you know. Especially when you might be fighting with them in the future."

"Do I have to?" She asked, the effect of her pleading expression somewhat lost because of her cowl.

"It'd make my job a lot easier," Martin responded, somewhat sarcastically. "If you need someone covering you, I'd rather it be someone you know than someone you don't, or worse, someone that distrusts you."

"Alright, fine," Lyta answered with a sigh. "I'll do it because you asked me to, but don't expect me to like it." She turned around and wove back into the crowd ahead. Martin smirked. Having friends was good, and in this line of work it paid to have connections. It was too bad he couldn't make friends with someone who could help him reveal the future.

Or could he? An idea stirring in his mind, Martin headed towards the center of the column, hoping to find the only other person he could entrust this problem to.

Well, here it was, just as the priest had said. Aiden found himself facing the trap he knew would be here. Now he just had to make sure he didn't spring it.

The road west from Spine's End, in reality little more than a footpath, had been mostly clear, and Aiden had made good time. Knowing that the priest had said that Vanir would be a day's walk away, Aiden had left the trial a little before noon, in order to avoid walking into any ambush that might have been prepared for him. After some time in the desert sands, he had circled around, back towards the trail.

Now, the trail was in sight, but so was something else. Some distance from the road, the ground sloped downward into a small canyon, rock embankments forming a natural barrier on either side. From the road, the desert sands would have made it invisible. Nestled in the center of the canyon was an armed encampment.

The camp was surrounded by a mud and stone wall of the variety common to Plegian towns and cities. Inside the walls were an orderly scattering of tents and buildings of the same material as the walls. There was a thick wooden gate that opened to a path connecting to the main road, and this was watched by a small group of armed guards. However, the rest of the camp was left unwatched, a sign to Aiden that the occupants were confident in their secrecy. Armed individuals walked to and fro between the various structures in the camp. It was a bandit hideout, albeit a fortified one. If Aiden hadn't been on the lookout for a trap, he would have had no chance.

But was this Vanir's work? Unless Bron's forces had more men than they let on or Vanir had been planning his betrayal for a long time, the few days since Bron's death would not have been enough time to set any of this up. This was probably the work of an entrenched and powerful group in the region, not an unlikely situation in this lawless section of Plegia so close to a black market hub. If Vanir was here, he had fallen in with them. Aiden wondered what he had offered them, and considered if it was maybe the same thing Aiden himself sought.

Barging into an armed camp with no clear goal would be suicide even with the element of surprise, and Aiden wasn't even sure that Vanir was even here. He wasn't going to rush into this like he had with everything else so far; doing that had only gotten him in more trouble. For now he'd wait, taking advantage of his positioning and the bandits' negligence to gather information, and then he'd make his move, assuming what he saw was suspicious enough. If he saw Vanir, all the better. It would mean he was in the right place. He could plan from there. But for now, Aiden took shelter under an outcropping of rock. It'd be a while.

Robin felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked up to find Martin, apparently mulling something over.

"Oh, hey. It's good you're here. I was actually hoping to ask a few questions." Martin nodded, but hesitantly.

"Alright," he responded, "but I need to ask you something too." Robin nodded.

"This won't take long. I just need to get a sense of what roles you and your teammates fill. It'll help me do my job better, and make sure you all get to do what you're best suited for." He needed to do this if the new people were going to be anything of a more permanent fixture in the Shepherds. As it was, although he'd seen them fight, he barely knew what they preferred to do in combat.

"Yeah, I get it," Martin responded. "Happy to be of service." Martin seemed to fill the same role as Robin himself, a sort of battlefield tactician. As such, Robin hoped to better understand his viewpoint.

"We'll start off simply," Robin began. "What do you find yourself doing on the battlefield, Martin?"

"Well, I do whatever needs doing," Martin answered. "I know how to cast a spell and swing a sword, among other skills. I'm not as adept at either as some of your Shepherds, but I can multitask. In short, you can put me wherever you want, and I'll do my best." He finished, though for a brief moment it looked like he wanted to add something else. Robin nodded, choosing not to press further.

"If I may ask, do you have any experience with tactics or strategy? I got that impression from your group." Martin shrugged.

"I manage our group's tactics, yeah. In an unofficial sense, anyway. There has to be someone, or else things fall apart at the first sign of trouble. But I guess that's your job now, isn't it?" Martin smirked.

"I suppose so," Robin replied. "But tactics aren't fixed in stone. The best ones are flexible, to allow for changes in the tide of battle. If you see an opportunity or a risk, feel free to take action, so long as it's within reason. Prove to Chrom that you can handle it, and eventually you might find yourself where I am now. I didn't have any qualifications when Chrom found me in a field, and it'd be nice to not constantly be in charge of everyone else."

"In a field?" Martin chuckled. "And Chrom thrust you into the position of tactician, right there?"

"Yeah, it's a little strange, isn't it?" Robin grinned.

"Definitely," Martin responded. "But it's worked so far. Can't argue with results."

"I guess. Anyway, what about your teammates? I'd like your input, seeing as you have planned around them longer than I have." Martin nodded.

"So, Lyta specializes in stealth tactics and archery, correct?"

"Yeah," Martin responded. "That should be about it. Anything else?"

"Just one more question, something Frederick wanted me to ask," Robin said. "Do any of you have ties to Plegia? It's a strange question, I know, but we don't call him Frederick the Wary for nothing."

"Not that I can think of," Martin answered. "At least, nothing that would interfere with the Shepherds or your war effort."

"Alright, thanks. Frederick just wanted me to make sure you weren't spies. It seemed silly to me, but the Exalt's trip does need to be kept secret." Robin turned to Martin, only to find him holding his hands to his temples, eyes wide. "Didn't you have a question?"

"Not anymore," Martin said, running off. "I think you just answered it!"

He walked on, the path stretching ever onward in both directions. The sun was beginning to set, but its heat still beat mercilessly down on him. He was surrounded by supposed friends, though he knew not if he could really trust them. For though the enemy could lurk behind any corner, a far worse threat had insinuated itself among those he would consider his allies. He could strike down Plegians with little difficulty, but the true foe could not be touched with a blade. They were too devious, too vicious, too-

"Hey there, friend."

Too right next to him.

"Silence, huh? Alright. Name's Lyta." At this, the hooded woman who had appeared sitting in the wagon before him extended her hand. He made no movement. After a moment, she withdrew her offer. "Judging by the stony silence, you must be Lon'qu."

"…Yes," he growled out.

"You don't talk much, do you?" she asked.

"Not with the likes of you," he answered, turning away. He walked past another wagon, turning behind it so that he was out of sight, and then grabbed onto the back as it passed. He should be safe inside he-

"You're going to have to do a lot better than that, friend." She was here! Lon'qu jumped out of the wagon, rolling as he hit the ground. How had she done that? Did she possess some form of witchcraft? He didn't wait long to find out, quickly getting to his feet and sprinting towards the rear of the caravan. He doubled back, turned right and left, dodged carts and travelers, and eventually found himself climbing onto the top of one cart, lying flat so he couldn't be seen. She couldn't possibly find him now.

He waited. Nothing. Good. He'd actually escaped this time.

"I'll admit, that was funny." Lon'qu turned around to find the cloaked woman, staring at him from her perch on the cart. "You looked kind of like a chicken running around without its head." Lon'qu, defeated, remained silent. "Look, I know that for some reason you fear women. Gossip like that doesn't take long to travel. But I'm not leaving."

"Why must you insist on tormenting me?" He finally asked? "Do you find it humorous?" Damn women and their games!

"No," she innocently replied. "I'm curious. I normally avoid conversation altogether. But here I am, talking to you like you're an old friend. I feel at ease talking to you, and I don't even know why. What is it about you?"

"I don't know," Lon'qu growled. "I can provide no answers to you, woman. Leave me be!"

"You have issues, my friend," Lyta told him, but couldn't say more before someone called out to her.

"Lyta? What are you doing?" She looked over at the new arrival, a man wearing a dark coat over a set of light armor.

"I'm making friends, like you told me to!" She responded before jumping off of the cart.

"It looks like you're terrifying the poor man. But come on, I need your help with something." The newcomer motioned, and Lyta started to walk away with him. Lon'qu grunted, and slowly got down from his perch. He feared that he hadn't seen the last of that woman.

"Alright, Martin, what did you need?" Cainne asked as she approached. Marti nodded to her in way of greeting, and she looked over to see Lyta waving to her as well.

"Sorry to cut short your introductions, but I think we have a problem." Martin led the group from the rest of the column, away from prying eyes or ears. Cainne guessed at his intent.

"I take it that this involves what we discussed earlier?" She asked.

"Yeah," Martin responded. "This convoy doesn't make it to the Eastern Palace, but I didn't know why. I've been thinking it over, and I think I know what goes wrong. The Plegians would need airborne troops to keep up, and so a direct confrontation would not be favorable for them. But according to our orders, we'll be reaching a mountain pass tomorrow. It would be a fantastic place for the enemy to lay an ambush, especially if they don't have to worry about the steep terrain. I think we're going to be attacked tomorrow."

"But how would the Plegians even know about us?" Cainne asked. "We've covered our tracks well, and we left very quickly. They'd need a prophet to figure out where we were. Or a spy."

"Exactly," Martin responded. "The Exalt is well liked by her people. But I overheard Chrom speaking about how it wasn't always so. Many didn't trust her, or blamed her for the war. Combine latent hostilities with the fear that Ylisse will lose the war, and it wouldn't take much for someone to become a traitor."

"That's where we come in, I assume." Lyta said. It was a statement, not a question. Martin nodded.

"I need you on the lookout for suspicious activity. If the Plegians are going to lay an ambush, they'll need to know where we are and where we're headed. I'm willing to bet that our traitor, if they exist, will send some sort of message between now and tomorrow. If we catch them in the act, we can turn them into the Shepherds, get out of an ambush, and show the others that they can trust us."

Cainne nodded her approval, but Lyta looked troubled.

"Is something wrong, Lyta?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," Lyta answered. "I've just been wondering if maybe we shouldn't do anything." The others gave her a quizzical look, but she continued. "We aren't supposed to be here, in this time. If it weren't for Aiden, we wouldn't be here. I'm worried that something we do might irreversibly mess everything up. What we're doing here? It feels wrong. The convoy doesn't make it, sure, but I don't recall this ever being some significant event. Everyone gets out fine. But what if something we do screws that up? What if letting Chrom know about this supposed ambush just sends us back into some larger trap? Or the Plegian Army? Should we just let things be?" Martin stayed silent for a few moments, thinking, before he tried to respond.

"I get what you're saying, Lyta," he said back, taking his time with his answer, "but I wonder if we might already be too late to let things be. Our presence here alone can change things, it already has. The sorcerer involved with the attack last night sent more men to kill Chrom not because we actually did anything, but because our mere presence gave him a bad feeling. If we hadn't been there, that attack might have succeeded." He started to be surer in his answer now, picking up speed as he went. "We had a hand in causing that, I know, but we also helped fix it. Aiden is out there doing Naga knows what, and there's no one else who can try and fix whatever he's caused. And the truth is I don't know what is 'right' here and now. We can guess, but the only thing we can do is try to do what we think is the best course of action. Sure, our actions may mess things up, but we can fix things, like we did last night. And who knows, maybe something good will come from our tampering." He finished, and then shrugged. "I mean, it's worth a try." Lyta, however, was still troubled.

"How about a compromise?" Cainne chimed in. "I think I agree with Lyta that avoiding this ambush may be worse than just fighting through it, given what we know. But I think Martin has a point. We can do some real good here, if we're careful. Here is what I suggest: we try and find the spy, and if we succeed, then so be it. But we don't take action against him, and we don't," she motioned towards the convoy, "tell anyone else about it. The ambush happens, as planned, and we make sure that as few people on our side get hurt. Objections?" Lyta shook her head, and Martin shrugged.

"And here I thought I was the tactician," he mumbled.

"Don't worry, you're still needed," Lyta responded. "At least until Cainne starts to pick up battlefield strategy." Martin's response was cut off as the wagon drivers called out their latest order: they were halting for the night. The wagons formed a defensive circle, and a camp quickly sprung up around them, with the Exalt and the royal family in the center. Martin and Lyta went to figure out where they would be sleeping, while Cainne stalked off into the brush. She had told them she was going to be hunting, but in reality she had wanted time to think, away from the noise of the humans.

Her solution to the problem Lyta had raised was a temporary one, if it worked at all. There would be harder choices to make soon, and the repercussions of their actions had the potential to change the world. Ironically enough, they were just as unsure about the future as anyone else here. But was she just supposed to stand aside and let things happen, knowing that she could make a difference, but unable to do so? In the dying light, Cainne shook her head. She would do what she had to, and do her best to deal with any consequences. But she would not be reckless. That had been Aiden's mistake, and they all had to pay for it.

Shione poked aimlessly at the fire pit, wishing that something would happen. They'd had to stop for the night to let the pegasi rest. The animals couldn't have made the trip in one flight, but Shione was still troubled by their inactivity. Rationally, he knew that they had plenty of time to reach and warn the Exalt before the Plegians could reach Ylisstol, but it still felt like every moment sitting here was time wasted.

They'd left the capital that afternoon, after stocking their supplies and helping the remnants of the squadron start the evacuation. They'd made good time, and it looked like they would reach the Eastern Palace before dusk tomorrow, even with this rest. For Shione, it couldn't come quick enough.

Shione had volunteered for first watch. He couldn't sleep in the state he was in even if he had wanted to. He kept thinking back to the attack, little more than a day ago. The fact that so many of the squadron were still alive was a miracle, in part thanks to him. Some of the knights saw him as a hero even, but he knew better. He was a damned fool, not a hero, and what he'd done had been stupid, incredibly so. He'd acted cocksure and haughty in front of the knights, yes, but he hadn't felt it. It was an act so that the knights, already beleaguered and saddened by the loss of so many, wouldn't have to see their new ally already on the verge of breaking.

His stunt had almost killed him, to be sure. It wasn't just the wounds he had sustained, either, though those were bad enough. What had almost broken him was the mental toll of that fight. When he had seen the situation the knights were in, something had snapped. It had reminded him too much of…no, he couldn't think of that right now.

In any event, he'd charged in, uncaring of what happened to himself so long as he gave the Ylisseans an opening. He hadn't been so foolish as to draw the whole army upon himself. Even as stupid as he had acted, he hadn't had a death wish. Instead, he'd snuck towards the outpost, taking whatever opportunity presented itself. Many of the Plegians had landed to pillage the town before it turned to ashes, so he had targeted them first. He'd picked off wyverns and their riders one at a time, striking isolated individuals from behind or inside mostly intact structures. He'd collapsed a barn on a Plegian raiding party at one point to great effect, but it had the unfortunate side effect of bringing everyone else in the area to investigate. He'd hidden in the burning wreckage, mere feet away from the bodies of the men he'd killed, while their comrades swept overhead looking for signs that is was anything more than an accident. They'd left, and he'd moved on.

Next came the men stationed near the tower's main entrance. He had crawled on his hands and knees to the nearest one, not even daring to breathe if anyone looked his way. He used the scrub to catch any grounded wyverns by surprise, taking out the rider before they could raise an alarm. It took a long time for word of the disappearances to spread through the disorganized Plegian forces, but when it did, Shione's cover was blown. A group of riders were dispatched to hunt the cause down, and they found him all too quickly. There had been three. He caught the first off guard when they got overconfident, but the others were better prepared. Not only that, but they were angry. An axe blow cost him the use of his left arm, and a lucky jab hit him in the back. If the pegasus knights guarding the gate hadn't helped fend the last Plegian off, he would have died. He was losing consciousness by the time he had climbed the stairs and gotten the aid of a healer, amazed at his own ability to even stand.

What kept him up was the memory of those he had killed. Seven Plegian wyvern riders and five infantry soldiers. Possibly more, if the one he had left unconscious on the mountain hadn't made it. He wouldn't have acted differently, if given the chance. They were the aggressors in a war that threatened too many innocent people, and he couldn't have turned around and let the Ylissean knights die. Some of the wyvern riders would have been the kind that the world was better off without, to be sure. The Plegian army had a habit of recruiting that sort. But others were just soldiers, following orders and doing what they thought was right. Like the Ylisseans, like him. Just acting under the orders of the mad king who sat on the throne.

"Your watch is almost up." It was Cordelia, walking over. She sat down next to him. "I'm almost glad. Couldn't sleep. Might as well put my restlessness to use."

"Thinking about yesterday?" He asked. Cordelia nodded.

"It all seems so strange. A few days ago, we were at peace. Suddenly, we're at war, and I have to wonder if I'll see the next sunrise."

"I don't think anyone expected this." Shione said, knowing that it wasn't true. "I'm not even native to this land, and I've been caught up in events."

"I speak for everyone when I say that we appreciate it. If you hadn't been there…" she trailed off, lost in thought.

"You would have made it, I'm sure of it." It wasn't the whole truth, but it was what she needed to hear. Cordelia nodded.

"It's funny," she said after a moment. "Everyone always looked down on me back at the outpost. They thought I was a geni… thought I was talented and that I looked down at them because of it. But they were all willing to give their lives so that I could escape. Why would they do that?"

"I don't know," Shione responded, "I haven't been around you all long enough. But if I had to guess, I'd think that, beyond their teasing, they care for you. They value your potential, so when it came down to it, they were willing to trust the most important job to you."

"Do you think so?" Cordelia asked, suddenly unsure of herself. "They almost died… they thought I could carry on their legacy… but can I? Just when they all needed me the most, I waited around for us all to die and then prepared to run away. How could they possibly have any faith in me?" She seemed to be on the verge of tears, the exhaustion and emotional distress of the last few days catching up to her. Shione would be lying if he said he didn't feel the same way, but Cordelia needed help.

"You didn't run away, though. I heard you all the way from the tower's ground floor. You didn't want to leave. Your sisters believe in you, and I think they're right."

"Maybe," she said, calming down slightly. "But that's easy for you to say. You're the one who barged in and saved us all. You might even be more talented than me!" Shione grimaced to himself, somewhat annoyed to be praised for the very thing he had just been berating himself for. But Cordelia seemed to be getting more and more animated as she continued, so he didn't say anything. "This means I have more work to do! I need to keep up! That's it, from now on, my goal is to beat you! My pride depends on it!" For someone who didn't like her skill being pointed out, she was very enthusiastic about trying to outclass him. Maybe she just took pride in being the best that she could be.

"I, uh… yeah, sure. We can be rivals, I guess." Shione started to get up. "Since it's your turn at watch, though, I'll try to get some sleep." He walked towards Anem and Cordelia's mount, both already fast asleep. He had lost consciousness before he even landed on his sleeping roll.

The sun was barely over the horizon, but Aiden had already started moving. It had been a good idea to stay back and watch the encampment. Not long after he had settled into position on the canyon rim above, a group of bandits had left through the main gate and started to patrol the roadway. If Aiden had tried to infiltrate the camp then, he would have been caught between the two groups. His suspicions about the place were confirmed some time later when a man dressed as one of Bron's outfit and carrying a bow had appeared from one of the structures. Aiden couldn't be sure it was Vanir from this distance, but the man seemed similar enough to warrant further investigation. Also, crucially, his hours of observation had shown him a way in. He'd found a small natural descent on the canyon wall, too narrow and steep to be of regular use for anyone. However, for someone who just wanted to get to the canyon floor undetected, it would be perfect. The bandits didn't seem to care about watching their walls, but the rear of the encampment was especially devoid of movement. If Aiden could get over one of the walls there, he'd have a few moments to find cover without being seen.

Now, Aiden was on the canyon floor, making his way towards the encampment. The sun had not yet risen above the canyon walls here, casting long shadows onto the ground. Assuming he was careful, Aiden could use them to approach unseen. The camp didn't seem very active this early, and he was soon standing under the wall. The rocks were weathered and timeworn. The barrier probably served just as well at keeping out sand and wind as it did at keeping out foes. The elements couldn't get it, but they might help him to. There were cracks and pits in the wall at regular intervals, and if he could find the right approach, they could help him climb up without making too much noise.

He would have preferred running start, but there was too great a risk of making noise. Instead, Aiden placed a foot in one crack, reached up and grabbed onto another, and hoisted himself up, quickly planting his remaining limbs where he could. He reached up and grabbed another depression in the wall. His body was trained for fighting, and that strength and endurance kept him aloft now.

It was slow going, though. He just placed one hand above another, foot after foot, but eventually he could go no higher. The handhold he reached for was the top of the wall. Slowly, he pulled himself over. For a few moments, he straddled the top of the wall. Just as he had hoped, there was no movement to be seen, especially at this end of the encampment. He hadn't been discovered. Aiden dropped down, tucking into a roll. He came up ready with his hands on his weapons, ready to draw. He needn't have worried, there was no reaction. It looked like he was in the clear.

His target was one of the larger structures at this end of the compound. He'd seen the bowman he suspected going in and out of the building multiple times during the day. It was either his quarters, or something very important to him. Either way, Aiden would be there the next time he showed up. The building was built into the corner made by the intersection of the wall he had just scaled and the wall to its left. From where Aiden was, it wouldn't be a long walk.

He took his time getting there. It wouldn't be good to mess up after taking so many pains to remain undetected. Not when he was so close. Luckily, it seemed like he was walking through a rather unused part of the camp. There was no movement, and though that could have been due to the early hour, it didn't seem like anyone, not even anyone asleep, was present in the buildings he saw. There were fewer tents here, as well, instead being replaced by more solid and permanent buildings.

A peek inside one building yielded some answers. Inside was a small mountain of grain, bundled up in sacks in a pile reaching up to the ceiling. Another building contained a stockpile of weapons of all varieties: swords and shields, axes of all kinds, clubs and maces, lances and polearms, and even a pair of ballista-like weapons that had been mounted on rotating bases. This part of the camp was where they stored everything they needed to keep the fort running, a stockpile of necessities obtained in any number of ways, many of which Aiden was sure were not legal. This place was ready for a war.

But were they working for Plegia? Aiden would have expected the brigands to be marching out to fight the Ylisseans if they were. Could this just be an incredibly successful band of pirates, or were they preparing for something else? Aiden didn't know, and he wasn't sure he wanted to find out. In a few moments, he had severed the bowstrings on the ballistae. If the worst happened, he didn't want those turned on him.

Nevertheless, what he sought wasn't here. He crept out of the armory, drawing the door closed behind him quietly. The building he was looking for was nearby, just across the way from the armory. A quick look around the corner revealed that the camp had yet to wake up, so he quietly approached the building. On a hunch, he stopped next to the door. Aiden pressed his ear to the wood, hoping that he wouldn't hear anything. It was not to be.

"…Supposed to be here by now, right? That's what you told me." Aiden didn't know the voice, but it didn't sound happy. The person sounded like a native Plegian, or at least someone who'd lived here a long time. "My men have been patrolling the road for days now, and we haven't seen anything. It's starting to look like your promise is worth even less than you are."

"My contact sent me notice two days ago!" Responded another voice. It was Vanir. The rat sounded like he was trying to act tough, but his voice was quivering. "Our quarry should be here soon, if he hasn't shown up already. I was told he left town yesterday, following the main road like I predicted. He'll be dangerous, but once we capture him, you'll see. It'll be well worth your time." Aiden was starting to worry. Were they talking about him? And who was Vanir's contact?

"That remains to be seen," said the other, "and I'm starting to regret letting you live for this long. Why should I trust you about this big score when you've already come here with something that could set me up for life?"

"Because you can't get much out of this alone. Who could you possibly sell it to? Assuming you can even figure out how to use it. But if we can get its previous owner, all that gets answered. They'll be much more valuable as a package, I promise." Was Vanir talking about the tome? Damn. At least he had it. Aiden might walk out of this whole experience only a little worse for wear, assuming Vanir had also kept the package. From the sounds of it, though, he'd have to deal with this other guy, too. That could be problematic.

"Your source, are you sure he's reliable?"

""He won't fail us." Vanir replied. "One of the few 'good' people left in the country. But he can't run his charity operation without money, which I was too happy to provide in exchange for a little…help." Damn, he was talking about the priest. Aiden had been correct in his suspicions. "And he knows what will happen to his precious downtrodden if he betrays us. A lot of stuff can happen 'by accident' in a town full of criminals." It seemed like the priest had been coerced into this. Maybe his cryptic messages had been a warning. Either way, Aiden had found this trap before it could be sprung. But what did he do now?

"We need to work quickly. The authorities are circling, and I'd rather not be operating with the Mad King breathing down my neck. There's a war on, you know." There was a grunt from Vanir, and the sound of footsteps.

"And once this works out, I'd recommend you reevaluate my usefulness." Vanir responded. "I'm not foolish enough to try a coup against you. My former employer deserved what was coming to him, but I've no quarrel with you. I could see a partnership proving very useful to us both."

With no one around, Aiden could catch them as they walked out the door. He could strike them down before they could react, and then hope that the package was inside. It'd be a gamble, but he might be ab-

Everything went to hell.

A pillar of magma burst out of the ground near the front of the camp. Aiden watched as splinters of the gate fell to the ground, their fall seeming surreally slow. There was a strange moment of silence, and then an uproar. Aiden dove to the side and into the shadows as the door flung open. Vanir and another individual burst out of the room, looking at the commotion. Before Aiden could move, both had sprinted off, out of his reach. Aiden slunk into the shadows cast by the slowly ascending sun as the camp came to life with a stir. He was no longer in any sort of ideal position. Then, a voice boomed out through the canyon, echoing unnaturally from some point beyond the main gates.

"By order of His Majesty King Gangrel, in service of the divine Grima, you all are henceforth ordered to lower your weapons and surrender. Resistance will be met with deadly force. You have fifteen minutes to comply."

The Royal Guard had arrived.

"Alright everyone, up and at 'em! We'll be moving soon!" The man-spawn, whom Panne had heard called Stahl, was met with the grumbling of those who were still awake. Those who were still asleep nevertheless started to rise and prepare for the day's marching. She herself had been awake since sunrise, as was the norm amongst her people. She had not been the only one awake at the time, as many of the humans were busy packing up their campsites from the previous night. However, she had purposely isolated herself, preferring the company of her thoughts to that of the people who had wiped out her kind.

Not all of them, Panne remembered. The Taguel from across the sea was evidence of this, though she seemed reluctant to speak more of the matter. Panne knew that she hadn't told the truth, or at least not the whole of it. Panne had been able to hear the pounding of her heart and seen the signs of nervousness. But Taguel did not lie to each other without reason, so she would respect Cainne's wishes, for now. One day, though, she would find any Taguel who yet lived, if indeed there were any to be found.

Unfortunately, that day would not be today. For now, she would see the human Exalt to safety, as was her duty. The strange human that had foreseen the attack had been insistent on her cooperation. It had been an interesting experience, but at the end Panne had sworn to him that she would do all she could. She intended to see her promise fulfilled, even if it meant traveling with the rest of these man-spawn. Not that he would notice if she left, considering he had disappeared entirely after she had agreed. It was for the better, though, as his crows had nearly driven her mad.

If she was to be entirely honest, though, something else had kept her here. The woman who she was sworn to protect had defied Panne's expectations. Unlike what Panne had seen of the rest of the man-spawn, Emmeryn was kind, well spoken, and refreshingly honest. She, like her kin, was prone to confusing and concealing with speech instead of taking action, but Panne could tell she meant what she said, and she had truly been saddened by the fate of the Taguel. Panne did not wish to be pitied, but she had not expected empathy.

She may have not liked her company, but Panne realized that it did not matter. What she did now was for the Exalt, not for the rest of the man-spawn. The man-spawn had betrayed her, but Emmeryn was not one of those who had acted. Despite herself, Panne had somehow come to respect a human. And the Taguel were nothing if not loyal.

What the hell was the Plegian Royal Guard doing here? And why now of all times? Aiden stood against a wall as another group of brigands ran past, in too much of a hurry to pay him any mind. He could tell how his would play out. These people were probably accused of so much that they wouldn't get off with slaps on the wrist. They might be able to get away by bribing the guard, but that wouldn't seem like the best choice. After all, the brigands were in a fortified encampment and outnumbered the enemy force. They'd use the fifteen minute grace period to prepare their defenses, and then they'd attack the Plegian Royal Guard.

And they would be slaughtered.

The Royal Guard were well trained and ruthless. They had to be to get their post. Gangrel didn't accept anyone but the best or the worst he could find. These bandits didn't know what they were facing. At best they'd heard the stories. It wouldn't be enough

Perhaps this could work for him. While everyone else was busy fighting and dying, Aiden could try and find what Vanir had stolen. He might even be out before the fighting finished. Fate owed him at this point, so he could always hope.

With that in mind, Aiden crept back into the building Vanir had come from. He wasn't interrupted, everyone else was busy preparing. Perhaps his luck was really starting to change. He was met with what must have passed for the war room of the camp when he crossed inside the structure. Candles cast sufficient light to reveal a heavy wooden table on which rested what seemed to be a map of Plegia. On closer inspection, Aiden could make out a series of indecipherable marks that had been written on the map. Many of them were close to the location of the camp, so Aiden guessed that they were promising targets or troop locations. Where the capital was, someone had driven a dagger into the table. Aiden shook his head. It was a nice symbol, but a waste of a perfectly useful weapon.

A few seconds later, he spotted it. The bundle he'd worked so hard to acquire, leaning right against the wall. He walked over and picked it up. A quick check revealed everything he needed to know: everything was there, and some enterprising soul had thought to package the tome in with the rest. That was convenient, for now at least. Perhaps his luck really was turning after all.

Then there was an explosion. It wasn't far off, probably the Plegians and the bandits kicking things off. That wasn't a concern, but the dagger which had only moments before been embedded in the table ricocheting off the wall mere inches from Aiden's face was. He whipped around and drew his weapons. Vanir stood at the table, somewhat shocked. Aiden figured he hadn't meant to miss.

"Gods damn it all!" The traitor shrieked. "It wasn't supposed to happen like this!"

"Surprised, Vanir? After walking into everyone's traps, I figured it was time to mix things up a bit."

"I'm going to kill that Plegian rat!" Vanir responded.

"I figured it out by myself," Aiden responded. "As for you, I'm surprised to see you here. Shouldn't you be helping out your new friends? Or are you trying to sneak off while they die?"

"Aren't you doing the same? These people were a means to an end. Once you were taken care of, they meant to challenge the king. It would have never worked. The Plegian Guard has just expedited their death." That was not what Aiden had expected. Rebels? And he'd disabled their most effective weapons. What the hell had he…no this wasn't his fight. They would have been doomed anyway. He was here to deal with Vanir and his stolen property, nothing else.

"It doesn't matter." Aiden responded, keeping his composure. "You won't get away. Not again." He lunged forward, slicing at Vanir. The archer leapt back, out of the way. He drew an arrow and nocked it. Aiden wasn't close enough to strike before he had fired. The swordsman ducked to the side as it passed, embedding itself in the wall. Vanir was slipping.

Or perhaps not, Aiden realized, lunging forward. One blade slashed downward toward Vanir's head. He sidestepped, only to find Aiden's other blade sweeping towards his leg. He barely dodged the strike. Aiden realized that he'd never actually seen the archer fight. Everything he'd done had been accomplished through trickery or surprise, not skill. And for once, he'd caught the archer off guard. Vanir wouldn't be able to keep up.

The archer tried to draw another arrow, but he was too close. Aiden's blades swung up. Vanir blocked the strike with his bow. One sword deflected off the metal grip and the other bit into wood. Aiden yanked it back, and it tore free. Vanir threw the now ruined bow towards the swordsmasters' feet, using the few seconds it bought to draw his dagger.

Aiden swung once, twice, three times, to no avail. Vanir, fighting for his life, was using his dagger to great effect. He'd parry Aiden's strikes with just enough force to drive the blow away without overextending himself. Aiden swung downward, and as Vanir once again deflected the blow, he brought his shoulder down and charged. The bull rush caught the archer unprepared, and he stumbled back out of the doorway.

Vanir fell to the ground outside, unable to keep his footing. Aiden charged out behind him, meaning to take advantage of his foes' compromised position. Before he could reach Vanir, the air sizzled and a pressure wave knocked him to his knees. Ears ringing, Aiden took a moment to look around.

The Plegians, evidently, had gotten past the walls. Brigands, or perhaps more accurately rebels, fought Plegian troops everywhere he looked, and they weren't doing well. Yellow runes blinked into existence around a Plegian sorcerer, and then a bolt of energy arced out directly towards one of the bandit fighters. The smell of burnt flesh filled the air as another pressure wave rolled over the swordsmaster. There were powerful spell casters here, most likely high-ranking Grimleal. Anything that wasn't stone was on fire, though Aiden wasn't sure if magic was responsible the blaze. Smoke clouded the air and billowed up into the sky. Wounded or dead rebels lay on the ground where they had fallen.

Shaking his head to try and clear the ringing, Aiden slowly got to his feet. Nearby, a few of the rebels helped Vanir to stand, while another tossed him a bow scrounged from the fallen. There were four of them now. Great. Aiden circled the group, looking for a vulnerability. The three bandits stayed near Vanir, acting as bodyguards. Aiden assumed that they didn't know Vanir had been just about to skip out, not that he could convince them otherwise. That would make things more difficult.

An arrow whistled past him, landing somewhere far beyond his caring. Of course, now that Vanir was once again armed, Aiden couldn't stay at a distance. He darted forward, just out of reach of the enemy, hoping they'd charge him. One rushed forward, thinking he saw an opening. Aiden pivoted out of the way of the first clumsy strike and struck out with his blade. It hit armor, but not much else. The brigand swung again and Aiden rolled under the strike. He quickly turned around and struck at the bandit's exposed back with both swords. The thug fell to the ground, lifeless. Hopefully, that'd attract the attention, and the ire, of the other two.

Someone certainly noticed the skirmish, but not who Aiden had expected. A pillar of flame burst from the ground, knocking Vanir and his lackeys off their feet. Aiden flew back, tucking into a roll as he hit the ground. As he stood up, he found himself right next to the culprit: the Grimleal sorcerer from before. He braced for an attack, all too aware of the fate of the sorcerer's last target.

"Who are you!?" It was more a command than a question, but at least he hadn't been fried yet. Now that he was closer, he realized the sorcerer was a woman, a rather short one at that. Beyond that, he couldn't discern anything beyond the dark robes and helmet that her order often wore. In the early morning shadow, he couldn't even see her face.

"Someone who's found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time!" Aiden yelled back. "I'm after that archer there!"

There was no response from the sorcerer, but the fact that she hadn't attacked him was promising, so Aiden turned back to his quarry. Where Vanir had stood was a smoking hole in the ground. The brigands and the archer had been scattered around, somewhat charred but alive. Aiden ran forward, hoping to reach Vanir before the archer could get up. The archer, up on all fours, saw him coming but couldn't regain his feet. Instead, his hand reached toward his belt and then swung towards Aiden. Aiden didn't even know what had happened until the dagger embedded itself in his side. In shock, he dropped his swords.

Adrenalin coursing through his system, Aiden didn't even feel it. There was a blast of magical energy behind him, probably the sorcerer attacking the remaining brigands. He didn't care. He surged on, crashing into Vanir. His momentum carried the two of them forward until they fell to the ground, Aiden pinning the archer. His weapons gone, he tried to pummel Vanir with his fists. Wounded but still very much alive, Vanir grappled with him, keeping the worst from hitting. Aiden reared back and slammed his head forward, hearing bone crunch. For the second time, he had broken Vanir's nose.

With the archer reeling, Aiden reached down to his side, finding the hilt of the dagger still there. He yanked it out with a gasp, suddenly feeling the pain very acutely. Stupid! His thoughts were blurring. Something on the knife, probably. Damn, he…he had to finish this. He brought the knife up, and then down. The light left Vanir's eyes, and his head rolled back. Aiden rolled off the archer, vision darkening. With the last of his energy, he reached for his pouch. If he could grab a vulnerary, he could…

He…had…to keep…going. Only…a little farther. Right?

"Ugh, my poor feet! I've got blisters the size of eggs!" Lissa moaned. Robin had to agree. Yesterday's pace had been manageable, but after an all too brief rest, Chrom had doubled their marching speed. They hadn't stopped yet, and Robin was starting to feel fatigued. As such, when Chrom stopped to turn around, Robin was all too relieved to stay in place.

"Oh, it's not so bad, Lissa," Chrom responded. "Just a healthy little stroll! How are you holding up, Robin?"

"My legs feel like pudding," Robin answered, catching his breath. "Your endurance astounds me, Chrom." The rest of the caravan seemed ready to give out, but Chrom hadn't even broken a sweat. It was fascinating. Chrom laughed it off.

"Should I carry you?" He asked through a grin.

"You can carry me!" Lissa interjected, also grinning, before she became suddenly dour. "No, seriously. I would really be okay with you carrying me." Honestly, if Robin were in her same situation, he might have said yes to Chrom's joke. But he had his dignity to maintain.

A green-robed man walked past the group, preoccupied with his own thoughts. It was only when he almost bumped into Frederick that he noticed where he was, stepping back quickly.

"Is something troubling you, hierarch?" Frederick asked. "You keep glancing up at the peaks." Robin himself looked towards the mountaintops above them, though he couldn't see anything. He was somewhat worried himself. This mountain pass was the quickest way to the Eastern Palace, but it wasn't easy to cross. At its narrowest, four men could walk comfortably abreast through it, but a wagon would barely squeeze through. On one side of the road, the mountain dropped away steeply. Any fall there would be deadly. To the other side, the mountain's peak rose high above them, as did the peaks of every mountain that surrounded this pass. It would be trouble enough to bring the convoy through here, but if any rocks were to dislodge themselves or any particularly enterprising bandits attack, it wouldn't be easy to fend them off in such cramped conditions.

But that was why he, Chrom, and the others were ahead of the caravan. If there was trouble, they'd spot it first. But why was this hierarch here? Robin walked over to Chrom.

"Chrom, who is that?" he whispered.

"The hierarch?" Chrom answered, loudly. "He's been a friend of House Ylisse for many years. He guided Emmeryn during the early years of her rule. Why do you ask?"

"I can't quite say why, but something doesn't feel right," Robin responded. "I don't think I'm the only one, either. I saw Martin staring at the hierarch very intently over breakfast this morning."

"Hmm," Chrom grumbled. "I don't know, but if you're curious, we can enquire more. Speaking of which, have you seen those three? They disappeared after we broke camp."

Before Robin could respond, a rough call sounded out. A pair of men, heavily armed, charged around the bend. On a hunch, Robin looked up the mountain, only to see what had to be a squadron of wyverns summit the mountain and come flying directly for their position. A trap!

"Time to die, princey!" the nearest bandit called out, drawing his weapon. Chrom responded in kind, with Robin the other Shepherds following his lead. Farther down the path, a few of the wyverns landed, brandishing their weapons and proudly displaying the Plegian emblem on their armor.

"Plegian soldiers? Damn!" Chrom cursed. "How did they find us?"

Before Robin could respond, the hierarch rushed past Robin, barely avoiding running into him. The thugs in front of Chrom caught him as he ran past, though he tried to struggle out of their grip. One wyvern rider approached, his armor more ornate than that of his brethren.

"Hold, sir!" The hierarch called out. Robin didn't like where this was headed. "I am the man King Gangrel told you about! Did you not receive orders to take me into your protection?" Damn! That explained it. The man was a traitor. That could be a complication in the future if he got away.

"I've orders to protect a man, true." The rider, who must have been the leader of the group, responded. "But I see no man here! Only a pig! A rasher of traitorous bacon that sold out his own sovereign! And what do we do with little piggies, hmm?" Robin could tell that this was about to be very bad for the hierarch. But he wasn't sure if he should try to stop this, let alone if he even could. At least he knew that this particular Plegian preferred to send a message as opposed to the very real tactical advantage such a high-ranking traitor would provide.

"Well, you…" the hierarch could feel the noose tightening, but he was trying desperately to escape. " I mean, perhaps… you let them go free?" He stammered, the last sentence barely audible.

"Oh, are you a chicken now?" the rider taunted, imitating a rooster before continuing. "We've a whole barnyard in our midst! Well, it doesn't matter what you are. The axe will fall just the same!" He gestured to the brigands, one of whom pushed the hierarch down while the other raised his axe. From this distance, the hierarch would be dead before anyone could even take a step.

Suddenly, a shaft sprouted from the wrist of the axe man. A split second later, another arrow struck the second thug in the chest, spinning him around and making him lose his grip on the hierarch. As for the hierarch himself, he could only sit there, paralyzed with fear.

Martin slid down the few feet of slope that he stood upon and slowly stepped into the center of the path. Behind him and some distance up the slope stood Lyta, while Cainne came to a halt nowhere next to the hierarch.

"There have to be better spies than him," Martin said, motioning toward the man kneeling nearby. "And there have to be better ways for you to deal with them. Perhaps killing your one source of information isn't the best idea?" He turned to the hierarch. "Get to the rear of the column. I can't say the Exalt won't do anything to you, but she won't kill you." The hierarch nodded, stumbling as he rose to his feet. As quickly as he could, he started to sprint towards the column.

The Plegian rider looked onward at the new arrivals with some indifference, taking a moment to examine his axe before hurling it towards them. Martin and Cainne ducked while Lyta shot an arrow, but they weren't his target. The throwing axe buried itself in the hierarch's back, knocking him to the ground. Lyta's arrow shot past the soldier's face.

"You'll have to try harder than that, Ylisseans." He spoke, his voice calm. "All that effort, and still your hierarch is dead while your own doom approaches. Give me the Fire Emblem and your wench of a ruler, and spare yourselves a gory end!" Robin saw Chrom grimace. Without waiting for an answer, the Plegian climbed into his saddle and took to the skies.

"Phila, take Emmeryn to the rear of the column," Chrom ordered. "We'll fend of these blackguards! As for you three, fall in!" As the Shepherds took battle positions, Robin turned to Martin.

"How'd you figure out that was going to happen?" He asked.

"Just found out. Lyta saw him send off a message on a bird, so we were suspicious," Martin answered. "We were just observing from over the ridge when the Plegians showed up. Sorry for the entrance, it was quick thinking." Robin nodded.

"Just try to give us some sort of sign next time, alright? We could have helped." Martin shrugged sheepishly. Moments later, the first of the wyverns attacked. Robin rolled out of the way as one landed where he had just been standing. As Robin prepared a wind spell, arrows flew out overhead, reaching for the wyverns. Good, Virion and perhaps Lyta had found firing positions. Robin felt a surge of energy from the tome, channeling it through his arm as he read the words written there. Runes encircled him and a crescent of wind as sharp as a knife cut towards the wyvern.

It hit the wyvern on its side, shredding its wing. But as it had already landed, the wyvern merely roared in pain as the rider spurred it towards the tactician. Robin drew his sword, noticing as he did that a smaller white shape joined the battle above. Sumia had taken off, then. As he rolled out of the way of a blast of fire, he found himself wishing that Phila or her knights had done the same. They were standing guard near the first wagons, blocking the path from a few more ambitious Plegians instead of taking to the sky, but they could use more people occupying the wyverns in the air.

"I-I think I see something!" Shione shouted into the wind. Cordelia, flying just ahead, turned to him. Seeing he had her attention, he gestured ahead, to where he could occasionally see what looked like something moving. It was too far to discern anything more, but they were supposed to be on the same path through the mountains that the Exalt take to the Eastern Palace. Therefore, it was worth checking out.

After a few moments of scanning ahead, Cordelia nodded in affirmation. She saw it too. The two knights spurred their pegasi, sweeping lower as they sped up. Soon, they saw the cause of the commotion: a flight of wyverns circling something. Spread out some distance away was a wagon convoy, seemingly untouched by the wyverns. As Shione approached, he could make out figures on the ground, apparently fighting the wyverns.

"Those might be the Ylisseans!" Cordelia shouted. Shione nodded.

"If that is them," he responded, "then those wyverns have to be Plegian!"

"Plegians here as well?" she yelled, incredulous. "We have to warn the Prince!" Shione nodded, and they dove into the fight.

The raider fell to the ground, blood pouring from his wounds. Robin shook his head before scanning for the next enemy. Out of the swirling shapes above him, a white blur resolved into the outline of a pegasus with a rider. Robin almost called out, but the figure on the back didn't look like Sumia. She seemed much more determined than Robin's friend, and more comfortable in her saddle as well.

"Prince Chrom! Captain Phila!" She called out, drawing the attention of both. "We're here to aid you! Allow us to help!" with that, she flew off. Robin turned to Phila.

"Was that- gods, Cordelia?" she asked with a mixture of shock and confusion. When Robin cast her a bewildered look, she turned to him. "She's one of my knights. Young, but gifted. But she was stationed on the border! Why is she- oh, gods, could it be?" Before Robin could inquire further, another group of brigands charged into battle. Troubled by Phila's outburst but unable to focus on it, he prepared another spell. It seemed his wish had been granted, but at what cost?

Cainne's lance flashed and spun, barely staving off the wyvern rider's swings. He was hovering right above the ground, using his wyvern to simply fly out of reach of any of her attacks. Cainne could use her lance to keep his strikes at bay, but he wouldn't stay still long enough for her to land a hit.

She ducked as the riders' axe whistled over her head, and then lunged forward, catching him by surprise. The lance struck forward, only to hit armor as the rider started to move out of the way. The force of the strike combined with repeated usage from the last few days, and with a resounding crack, the wooden haft splintered in two. Cainne, suddenly weaponless, followed through with her lunge and rolled under the wyvern, trying to stay out of reach of the beast's talons.

The wyvern rider, all too aware of his advantage, turned around to face her. Without her lance to ward him off, he was free to be as reckless as he wanted. It took all of Cainne's skill to avoid the attacks. She jumped away and back from one swing, hoping to put some distance between them. Before he could close the gap, the rider was ripped from his saddle as a furred form the size of a horse leapt over the wyvern, grabbing him. Cainne watched as Panne finished the Plegian off and turned to her.

"You fight with man-spawn weapons?" Panne asked, her voice distorted by her transformation. "Why do you not fight these foes as a true Taguel would?" Cainne could hear the disappointment in her voice, but Panne did not give her time to respond before the massive rabbit had already leapt away. Cainne shrugged, scanning the field for something to fight with.

"That was a hell of a risk you took," a familiar voice called out as the sound of wings beating drew closer. Cainne looked over to the speaker, surprised. Sure enough, Shione had somehow snuck up on her, but more interesting was the pegasus he rode atop.

"How did you manage to pull this off?" she asked, gesturing to his new mount.

"Impressed?" he asked playfully. "It wasn't much, really. I just saved a squadron of pegasus knights from their certain doom."

"You…what?"

"We can talk about it later," he said, suddenly hesitant. "Besides, I'm not the only one here to take unnecessary risks." Shione reached into a saddlebag, pulling out a small talisman. It gleamed softly in the sunlight, as colorful as any other beaststone. "What was this for?"

"It seemed like a good way to get in contact with you," Cainne responded. "This way you would know for sure it was us."

"And you almost got killed as a result," Shione retorted. "Please, take it." He tossed the stone to her. She snatched it out of the air, quickly retying it around her neck.

"You have my thanks," Cainne stated. "And… I'm glad that you're back."

"Wow, I'm impressed. The bunny actually cares?" Shione snickered.

"Don't push your luck, horse-spawn," Cainne countered.

"Horse-spawn?" Shione asked, incredulously. "Ouch. I've heard better, but there's a battle to win, so we can work on your insults later." Before taking off, he turned back to Cainne. "And I'm glad to be back. Save a seat for me at the table, we've got a lot to discuss." Then, with a blast of wind, he was gone. Cainne nodded. With Shione back, their group was together again. It was a good feeling.

Shione spiraled upward, Anem working to gain altitude as quickly as possible. The enemy was causing a great deal of difficulty on the ground, so he was going to make sure they didn't make it. Just above him, enemy troops spiraled through the air, locked in an intricate dance with Cordelia and another knight he didn't recognize. He would not be left out of this fight.

One of the riders noticed him, pulling his mount into a dive towards Shione. He was cocky, but Shione was prepared. He flew straight towards the oncoming rider, lowering the grip on his axe. He held onto Anem tightly with his legs as his other hand left the reins and gripped the axe. The rider had a lance, pointed straight at Shione. At the last moment, Shione leaned to his side. Anem responded as best he could, rotating in midair so that Shione was almost parallel to the ground. He flew under the lance, swinging with his axe as he passed. Anem righted herself, and Shione watched as the wyvern tumbled out of the sky.

He hadn't known if that would work, but that just meant the Plegian hadn't suspected it. Shione took a moment to pat Anem on the head. If the pegasus hadn't responded, he might have well been skewered right now.

Cordelia flew past, a wyvern close behind. Shione pulled Anem into a turn, maneuvering to follow the Plegian. Cordelia was giving the rider a hard time, using the pegasus' superior agility to stay well out of his reach. She suddenly turned upward, flying into a low cloud. The Plegian, stupidly, followed, Shione not far behind. A moment later, the wyvern rider cleared the cloud, only to find that his quarry had disappeared somewhere in the cloud bank. He didn't notice as Shione burst through the cloud just behind him. Just like his kin, he too fell from the sky a moment later.

Moments later, Shione pulled into formation behind Cordelia. The skies looked clear.

"Well done. Those Plegians didn't know what hit them." Cordelia nodded. Before he could say more, Shione was distracted by something. It sounded like a voice, but he couldn't make out the words. He looked around, searching for the source. It wasn't hard to spot another pegasus, the one he hadn't recognized, making a beeline for them. The rider was flailing about, motioning almost as if…

Shione yanked Anem to the side, barely avoiding the wyvern rider as he shot right between the pegasi. He pulled his mount around, coming face to face with Shione and Cordelia. For a brief moment, the three hovered there, motionless except for the beating of wings. The Plegian grinned.

"I'll splatter you across the canyon floor!" He shouted, gesturing at Shione with his axe. This had to be the one in charge of the enemy forces, by his armor. He spurred his wyvern on, charging directly for Cordelia. She dove out of the way, avoiding the wyvern's claws by a hair. Shione charged at him, only to have his axe nearly yanked out of his hand by a skilled deflection. The rider went on the offensive, bringing his wyvern to face Shione. Anem desperately tried to keep out of the wyvern's reach, but this rider was skilled. Shione could barely keep him at bay, let alone strike back. Cordelia had fallen a great distance with her dive, and she hadn't yet regained their altitude. The other knight was still some distance away. Shione had to hold him off for just a few more moments.

Anem dropped a slight distance in an evasive maneuver, only to have the wyvern rider fall in behind him. Shione flew to the left and then the right, but couldn't shake him. He tried to get a view of Cordelia, but there was no sight of her down below. Only the wagons and their defenders, unable to reach him all the way up here-

He had an idea. It was stupid, but it might just save him.

With the wyvern still just behind him, Shione dove towards the ground, sharply. The earth drew increasingly close with every passing moment, but he didn't pull up. He could now make out the shapes of some of the people below him. There! That black hood. Shione dove straight towards it.

When his every instinct told him to stop, Shione pulled sharply on the reins. Anem jerked upwards, and Shione soared forward, far too close to the ground for comfort. The wyvern rider was still too close, having pulled out of the dive at a much safer distance but still too quick to escape. But Shione didn't need to escape. He flew right over Lyta, watching as she quickly took stock of the situation. A moment later, an arrow reached out towards the wyvern rider as he obliviously soared right into its path. Judging by the roar, it had hit somewhere important. A moment later, another archer fired at the wounded creature, finishing it off. It tumbled onto the ground, the rider flung free of his saddle.

Shione took his time circling back towards the crash, noticing the others already gathering around. The fight was over, it seemed. Adrenaline still coursing through his veins, Shione brought Anem to the ground, landing and trotting the rest of the way. As he drew close, he noticed someone else approaching the dead wyvern, a tall woman with a serene gaze and ornate robes. It had to be the Exalt.

The wyvern rider struggled to rise up from the ground. He was battered and bloody, but the fall hadn't been quite enough to kill him.

"You doves think...killing me will change anything?" The man, half delirious, chuckled. "Even now, my brothers storm across your precious border..." He looked to the Exalt, spitting on the ground as he stared her down. "Go on, dear exalted coward! Run! Flee while they slaughter your subjects! Save yourself... Let their faith in you...bleed away...with the rest..." He, too, bled away, his life slipping away. The lifeless corpse fell to the ground, but his message had already been delivered. The Exalt stared at the body coldly, her thoughts somewhere else.

"They're gone." Chrom spoke. Martin nodded. The body had been taken away, but the Exalt still seemed lost in thought. Martin worried that he knew what would come next. Behind him, a red-haired woman approached, Shione close behind.

"Your Grace, my prince," the woman spoke, bowing. "We have come to report that the Plegians march on us. We do not have much more than a day, at most." Phila approached the speaker, concern apparent in her expression.

"Cordelia, what are you doing here?" she asked. "Tell me the border remains secure!"

"Would that I could, milady!" Cordelia responded with a salute. "But it would be false. Gangrel himself led his might against us! A few of my knight-sisters and Captain Thaneta escaped as well, thanks to the intervention of our newest recruit," she gestured towards Shione. Apparently, he'd been busy with his time away. At least he'd managed to get a pegasus. But Martin was troubled by the implications of Cordelia's tale. He'd have to talk to Shione about it later.

"How many were lost?" Phila asked, her tone somber.

"Only seven remain of the garrison," Cordelia answered, "myself and Shione included."

"Their sacrifice will not be in vain. Summon Thaneta and we can join her forces with ours." Cordelia shook her head.

"I cannot. Captain Thaneta and the others bade us to go ahead and warn you: The Plegians now march on Ylisstol. My sisters are organizing an evacuation as we speak. The Plegians will be upon the city very soon, and I believe they will send forces after you as well." Phila nodded, but Chrom swung at the ground.

"Damn those monsters!" he cursed. Martin grimaced. He hoped the Ylisseans had made it out in time.

"I must return to the capital," Emmeryn stated. She was not loud, but her words carried force behind them. They all turned to her, stunned into silence. After a moment, Martin started to speak, at the same time that Phila tried to protest.

"They just said the capital is under-"

"Your grace, I cannot advise-"

"I should never have left." She cut them both off. "The Plegians are after me, not the people. If any innocents are left in the city by the time they arrive... They'll tear the city apart. More Ylisseans could needlessly die." She strode towards Chrom, bearing a flat golden object. "Here, Chrom. I entrust this to you." Chrom took it carefully, holding it with a sort of reverence.

"The Fire Emblem?"

"Take it to Ferox-to safety". Chrom looked at her, shocked.

"And leave you? No, Emm."

"No part of House Ylisse matters more than the Emblem." she responded. Her tone left no room for argument. It possesses tremendous power. But too much blood has been shed over it already." She shook her head ruefully. "I hope it finds a better guardian in you than it did me."

"Emm, come on. You can't…" Chrom trailed off, shaking his head. "Don't talk like that! You sound like you're ready to give up!"

"I am not giving up, Chrom. I am only giving what I can." Martin wanted to argue, to stop this, but the words wouldn't come. He didn't know what to say.

"Emm, please!" Chrom pleaded. "This is madness!"

"Sis, wait!" Lissa ran towards Emmeryn. Robin held her back, though she struggled against him. "Let me go with you!"

"Stay with Chrom, Lissa." When she didn't stop fighting Robin, Emmeryn spoke again, more forcefully. "I command it."

"This isn't fair! It's not fair!" Lissa sobbed, falling to the ground. "I know our people need you, but we need you too!"

"Dry your tears, love. This is not goodbye." And like that, it was decided. No one spoke against the idea.

"Your Grace," Phila spoke up, "the Pegasus knights will accompany you to Ylisstol." Martin nodded. If Emmeryn was going back, she would need help.

"Very well, Phila. Thank you."

"I will keep the prince and princess safe, Your Grace." Frederick spoke. "You have my word."

"I know you will, Frederick." Emmeryn replied. "Thank you."

"It is my honor." The knight answered, standing at attention.

"We will stand with the prince, your Grace," Martin finally said, unable to think of anything else to say. "To the end." Emmeryn nodded.

"Cordelia." Phila called out. "You and the newest recruit will stay here with Chrom."

"But Captain-" Cordelia made to protest, but Phila wouldn't have it.

"This is how it must be. We will meet up with Captain Thaneta, but I want you to stay with the prince. Do not leave him unguarded. Tutor the new recruits."

"…As you command, Captain." Cordelia answered. "I will pray for your safety."

Come, Phila." Emmeryn spoke. "We must go."

"No!" Chrom called out one final time. "You don't have to go! This is absurd!" Emmeryn only shook her head.

"Chrom, you don't-"

"Walking to your own death will not bring peace to anyone! Ylisse needs you. We need you! Be selfish for once in your life!" Chrom was in pain. For once, Martin didn't know what to say. For a moment, Emmeryn did not either.

"... I love you, Chrom." She finally spoke. "Both you and Lissa are my everything. As for the peace I seek...You cannot see who it is for. I have to go. I'm sorry-I truly am. Let us embrace again in Ylisstol when you arrive with Feroxi reinforcements. I know you will come." Chrom, defeated, sighed.

"This is a terrible plan," was all he said. Martin agreed, and he was sure many others did at well. But he could see no alternative. The Exalt was set on it.

"The blood of the first exalt flows strong in us. You and I will keep Ylisse safe. I believe it with all my heart. Safe journey, Chrom. Safe journey, Lissa." With that, Emmeryn turned, and walked away. Phila followed close behind, calling to her pegasus knights as she went. Robin placed a hand on Chrom's shoulder in an attempt to reassure him. Martin stared at the ground, and walked away. He was silent the entire time.

Once more, Aiden was woken up by a dull ache. His side hurt, and his thoughts were slow. That knife was probably poisoned, so why...?

"Whoever you are, you're a damned fool." It was a man's voice. Old and gruff. Aiden opened his eyes. The sun was higher in the sky, but he was lying under some sort of shade. He was on the ground, lying on something much more forgiving than the bare soil.

"What…happened?"

"I was hoping you could tell me," the man said. "My men found you delirious in that camp. Said you helped them take down one of the brigand's leaders. We don't know how you got there or why you were there. What I do know is that you took a poisoned dagger to the side. Wouldn't have survived without a skilled healer." Aiden reached to his side, fumbling towards the wound. There was a gash in the clothing, but only smooth skin underneath. His worry must have been apparent, because the man put out a hand. "Don't worry. All it took was a staff. Nothing major. You should be fine. But I'd like you to answer a few questions for me."

"…why?" his throat was parched, but he managed to croak out the question anyway. How long had he been lying in the heat for?

"Just a formality. You're not our prisoner, don't worry. The one who healed you personally vouched for your intentions in helping us. We'd just like to clarify a few things. You answer our questions, and we'll try to help you out as best we can."

Aiden nodded. He'd cooperate, but he would be careful.

"My men were here to put down a group of brigands that had been terrorizing this region for a while. But why were you here? From all accounts, you aren't one of them. Care to explain?"

"They…they stole something of mine. I needed to get it back."

"And so you charged in, unassisted, against a whole camp of brigands?" the man laughed. As Aiden began to focus, he could see the questioner better. He was a large man with close-cropped grey hair. He wore a massive suit of armor and had a triangular shield strapped to one arm. "You may be crazier than I first assumed, yanking out a dagger from your side for a weapon. That was some stunt, but we appreciate the help. I don't know if you understand this, but one of the men you fought against was a suspected ringleader of this group. Can I assume, then, that you were also responsible for sabotaging their defensive weapons?"

"I…uhh…" He wasn't sure what this man, who he assumed to be the leader of the Plegian forces here, wanted. He seemed charming enough, but it could be a ruse. "Who…are you?"

"Pardon me, where are my manners! My name is Campari. Leader of the Royal Guard. We wouldn't normally be this far from the palace, but we'd heard some…unfortunate…rumors about this particular band. Well, they won't be troubling anyone anymore."

"Aiden," he said, extending his hand slowly. The man shook it, seeming not to react to the name at all. Good, perhaps Vanir really hadn't gotten that information very far. These Plegians had tied up that loose end very neatly. "Who...who was the one who saved me?"

"Ah, want to thank them? They're already gone, unfortunately. Some sorcerer who said you helped her fight." It had to be the woman he had seen casting those spells. "She and the rest of our Grimleal are already headed back to the palace." Ah, so she was Grimleal. Rather kind of her to take up healing, then.

"My equipment?" Aiden asked, slowly standing up. He still had his clothes, but he'd dropped his swords during the fight with Vanir. And he was slowly starting to wonder what had become of the package.

"We've got it here, don't worry," Campari gestured behind him, were Aiden's blades were resting on a piece of sackcloth. There was no package. "As for your stolen goods, I'm afraid I don't know what those would be. Aside from a few special items that the Crown has requisitioned, everything that survived the assault is still being sorted through. Let the quartermaster know what you're looking for; he'll help you out."

"Special items?" Aiden asked, hoping he wasn't treading into dangerous territory.

"Hell if I know," Campari responded, uncaring. "I'm not allowed to ask questions about it. Anything the king wants is long gone with the Grimleal, anyway."

Damn! It seemed like every time he was close to recovering his stolen goods they disappeared again. Aiden thanked Campari and checked in with the quartermaster. As he feared, there was no sign of his package. He did, however, manage to claim some foodstuffs recovered from the camp under the pretense that they were his "stolen" goods. After all, it wouldn't do well for this Campari to think that he was connected to what the Grimleal had taken, it seemed like he had yet more traveling to do. The next stop on his journey would be the Plegian Capital. It was less than ideal, but Aiden had gone too far to give up now.

And the same goes for me. I apologize for the wait. Two months is kind of ridiculous to ask of you, I know. I'm sorry. But I assure you, I am far from dead. And I plan on finishing this story, even if it kills me.

This chapter was somewhat…difficult, I think. Beyond the basic plot of "Shepherds find stuff, and kill it", I didn't have too much planned. I wanted character conversations, integration of the three new arrivals into the shepherds, and I had a basic idea for that, but not much else. I knew I wanted Vanir gone soon and Aiden headed towards the Plegian capital (for reasons that should be apparent if you've played the game), but again I wasn't quite sure how I'd do it. So this chapter was a generally hazy plan in my head. When I started it, I was on break. Then college came back with a vengeance. That didn't help. Combined with my naturally procrastinatory nature (I'm working on it), this chapter took far longer than it should have. I didn't think it'd even break 10000 words, but once again I surprised me.

Next chapter will be more of the same, but hopefully shorter. Aiden won't have too much going on, there'll be some more support conversations, and a fight with an old kid and a not-Russian. Not much else. As it is, I worry that an oncoming wall of assignments will stall my progress, but once that's done I should get quicker.

Then comes the really fun stuff. I've got solid, planned out, and hopefully interesting plots in mind for the chapters after next. Things are going to start ramping up. Then, after 3 chapters of crazy, it's the interlude. Wow. Time sure flies.

See you next time. Hopefully sooner than this last time. Please, review this at the very least. I've got one follower now (you know who you are, thank you for believing in me), but I'd like at the very least to get a sense of what other people think. Your input can only help, people. Please, just take a few moments to let your voices be heard.

As usual, there will be author's note stuff to be found on my bio page, if you fancy a look behind the curtain. And assuming this gets up on time, happy Saint Patrick's Day, for those of you who care.