I can't remember if any years are mentioned in this chapter, but how many years ago Gehrich was kicked out might be. So as a forewarning I'll tell you that I believe I changed the years slightly. Maybe not his, but I'm pretty sure I did. Mostly I messed with Claire's runaway time because it seemed too short to explore the world (if the bridge in Fletz was in fact named after her), fall in love, and then have a kid. Just a heads up.

They all sat around on the changed ground, contemplative expressions plastered across their faces. It wasn't that they needed to rest so much as they were waiting for Shana to feel ready to move on. She had felt weak after what had happened, whether from shock or actual fatigue was unknown. All they knew was that she needed to come to terms with the event, much like themselves.

Rose stood farther from the others, leaning against a rock that had been upturned by the Virage as it fell. Just like the others, her mind was still focused on Shana and her freaky power. "The power that can awake the sleep of eleven thousand years…" she breathed to herself, frowning lightly. "Is that rancor against us…? The rancor against Dragoons awakening the Virage?" She shook her head faintly, frown deepening as her foot began to tap. "Or…is it something to do with Shana?"

Dart sat on a part of the unsettled ground, arms crossed firmly over his chest as he lifted his head toward the sky. "Shana…" he whispered to himself, a soft sigh escaping him.

Meru sat directly to his left, swinging her legs back and forth as she sat on a rock raised higher off the ground. She could barely get herself to tear her gaze from Shana. It had been so weird. But as Dart made a small movement it caught her eye and she swirled around, straddling the rock to face him better. "Dart!"

Dart turned his head about some so as to see her from the corner of his eye. "Hmm?" He murmured distractedly, raising a brow.

Meru grinned broadly at him despite her inner feelings. "Thanks to my guiding you it was totally thrilling!" She laughed softly, smile spreading and eyes lighting up. "Wasn't it!?" She leaned forward.

Dart managed a small smile in response to her overflowing cheer. "Yeah." He nodded.

Meru tilted her head upward, the faint traces of sun catching them at just the right angle so that they glowed. "Yeah! And now we can go straight to the Gehrich Gang!" She pointed past Dart. "Lynn! We're nearly there!"

Dart chuckled, shifting his gaze back to the sky. Yeah. Lynn and his Dragoon Spirit and all that. He gazed back over at Shana. Still, there were more important things for him to focus on at the moment. He even rose to go to her, but for some reason his legs carried him elsewhere.

Albert had been half standing half sitting when he heard the pitter-patter of footsteps. He looked up, knowing there was only one person it could be. "Hey Dart." He stood to his full height. "What is it?"

Dart twiddled his thumbs, unable to look up at Albert. "I…" he sighed heavily, hanging his head. "I don't know."

Albert grimaced, his eyes drifting upward as he tried to formulate a proper response. "We were saved by Shana." He looked back at Dart, forcing a smile.

Dart smiled in the same fashion back at Albert. "Yeah." It wasn't one of his most articulate moments, he admitted it.

Albert sighed softly. "But it seems that this is not that simple for her." His gaze flickered over to Shana. No, not simple at all.

Dart couldn't find words to speak, too entranced be Shana as she sat there. Yet he couldn't say he was as pleased as he might have been before this mess. She just looked so sad the way her eyes gleamed with tears and she remained hunkered over. It made his heart ache.

Albert figured that despite his spacey behavior, he was still listening. So he went on, "The existence of Dragoons and the existence of Virage should have ended eleven thousand years ago." He shook his head. "But they were brought to life around us." A pause. "I think we have to go forward to find out more about this."

Dart nodded faintly, glancing back over his shoulder at Rose. She seemed to be especially pensive.

Rose instantly felt when Dart's eyes were on her and she couldn't help but lift her gaze to see where exactly he was. He wasn't close enough to talk, so she simply raised a brow in question.

Dart wandered over to her, settling against the same rock as Rose. "Hey." He murmured. "Do you know what's going on?" He tentatively asked.

Rose knew she shouldn't say what she was thinking, but she did it anyway. "There must be something wrong with Shana." Her expression intensified.

A flash of anger filled Dart's face, his eyes catching fire. "What?" His teeth gritted as he stared her down.

Rose shrugged, pushing up off the rock. "Sorry." She looked past him to Shana, cringing as she saw how badly this was affecting her. "But you can't deny it."

Dart's fists clenched and trembled as she refused to take back the statement.

Rose shot him a look mimicking his own, daring him to act on his misguided anger over this confusing mess.

In the end, Dart couldn't do it. His body untensed and his expression lost its fire as a miserable sigh escaped his lips. "No…" He murmured as a late reply, body slumping.

Rose frowned faintly. "And she definitely sees it." It hurt to say it, but it was true. It was just as true as what left her lips next, "Everybody knows it."

Dart looked up bitterly, lost for words.

Despite the truth all her words held, she couldn't help but feel nagging guilt in the back of her mind. "Look." She sighed, laying a hand on his shoulder. "You can't change the fact that she has something odd going on. But you can ease her and your own pain by just being there for her." She made her best attempt at a smile. "After all, that's all she really wants."

Dart didn't know what to say at first, eyes wide over how helpful and caring Rose managed to be with her suggestion. It wasn't that he didn't believe she was capable of such a thing, he had just never seen it as of yet. "O…Ok." Dart smiled warmly. "Thanks." He thoughtlessly laid a hand on top of hers.

Rose nodded. "No problem." She slipped her hand from underneath his, stepping back once.

Dart stared at her a moment more, tenderness spilling forth from every inch of his face. It only died as he looked back at Shana for the umpteenth time. He knew he needed to go over to her, especially after what had happened. Still…he wasn't ready yet. So he wandered over to Haschel.

Haschel was sitting down with an arm resting on his raised knee as he saw Dart coming up on his. "Hey." Haschel smiled faintly.

Dart waved absently, taking a seat across from him in the same position.

They didn't say anything for a time, unsure of what was considered right and what was taboo. "Dart…" Haschel tentatively said, forcing himself to look at Dart.

Dart perked, looking up. "Hmm? What is it Haschel?" Was he going to preach to him about Shana's powers too?

"Shana has changed." His expression went stern. "She has obtained more strength."

Dart's mouth stretched in a flat line across his face. "I know." He admitted, nodding slowly.

Haschel clasped his hands together, tapping his fingers on the back of each hand. "I don't know what is happening to Shana." He didn't think any of them did. "But…she is trying to figure that out alone. She has become a woman."

Dart frowned deeply. "I guess." He shrugged. Spending so much time with her he hadn't really given thought to how, if at all, she was changing. You just don't realize it when you are constantly around a person.

Haschel let sigh pass his lips. How should he say this? It had to be said. Things were too weird as they were. Still, was this the right moment? "I…I know it's not the time to talk about this. But…" He grimaced unintentionally. "It's time for you to change to."

Dart started, making a face. "Me?"

Haschel nodded. "Mm-hm." He nodded stiffly. "It's too hard on Shana if you continue to tease her like you've been doing. It's even a little unfair to Rose." He chuckled at the last bit, faintly smiling. "You have to choose."

Dart ducked his head. He tried not to think of this dilemma as much as was possible. It was just too complicated. He loved both women dearly in more ways than he could count. It made it impossible to choose which he wanted more. Should it be Shana, the woman he had looked at as a sister for nearly all his life, or Rose, the highly irresistible but impossible to tame woman who he owed so much more than his life?

Haschel instantly saw the turmoil written across Dart's face at the mention of the subject. He grimaced at his bad choice of timing. "Never mind." Haschel waved his hands dismissively. "It doesn't matter." He stood to his feet and stretched. "Your Dragoon Spirit is waiting."

Dart struggled to keep himself from frowning as he realized he had no one left to talk to but Shana. His hands trembled faintly and he couldn't keep from rubbing the back of his neck as he made himself walk over to her.

Shana was so intent on staring at the ground beneath her feet, hands on her knees, that she almost didn't see Dart as he approached. "Oh." She squeaked, smiling ever so slightly.

"Hi." Dart murmured, taking a seat beside her.

Shana sighed heavily, launching right into what she needed to say. She had had plenty of time to practice what with his pussy footing around their talk. "Dart, after you came back…a lot of things started to happen." A string of images flashed before her eyes, retelling the story of her life starting with her capture.

Similar images passed through Dart's mind. Yes, it was true. It all started with him and Rose saving him and then somehow stretched on until now. And it would keep on going until they caught Lloyd. His fists clenched and eyes narrowed at the thought of the fiend.

Shana was oblivious to Dart's sudden surge of anger. Instead she continued, wringing her hands as she spoke. "But we have overcome everything." Her mind lingered on the first Virage they fought.

Dart snapped out of his heated mood, smiling lamely at her. "Yeah, and we will continue to." He stopped, adding one more thing after a moment. "As long as we have each other."

Shana perked, her eyes shining. "Mm-hm. Because I am not alone now." Her sweet smile widened. "Everybody is with me. And…I have you…Dart." She turned her head away from him, blushing lightly. "You make me strong."

Dart smiled warmly, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her close to him. "And I'll always be here." He whispered in her ear. "No matter what happens to you, me, or anyone."

Shana sighed in content, lying in the crook of his neck. "Ok." She purred before leaping up out of his hold and to her feet. "I can do it!" She threw a hand in the air. "I can leave any time!"

Dart stared up with slightly widened eyes. She had so much energy for someone that had been through such a scary experience. "Alright." He got up to stand by her, moving a hand down toward hers.

Shana took his hand happily. "Ok!" Shana chirped. "Let's go everybody!" She pointed forward. "The Gehrichs will be just ahead!"

Everyone rose from their positions, falling into line by the one they most desired to be by. Dart with Shana, Albert with Rose, and Meru with Haschel. This was in part due to the lack of space, but each wanted to be by their choice to at least a degree.

"What did you say to him?" Albert whispered to Rose.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Nothing. Just what needed to be said."

Albert snorted. "Yeah, ok. That's why you're all tense, right?" He smirked, struggling to hold back a laugh.

Rose scowled bitterly, smacking him inconspicuously in the side. "Shut up." She hissed. "It doesn't matter. All that matters is getting back his stupid Dragoon Spirit."

Albert shook his head in amused disbelief. "You know, it's ok to like him. It won't kill you."

Rose started, eyes widening. Won't…kill me? A picture of Zieg came to her. That's what he'd said, almost exactly. He was being conceited though, talking of himself instead of how Albert spoke of Dart.

Albert's brow furrowed and he leaned forward a bit to see her expression. "What? Did I say something wrong?" He chuckled nervously.

Rose mechanically shook her head. "No. No…it's nothing." She breathed. "I just felt lightheaded."

...

Walking into their destination after another day's trek, they were greeted with a sight equivalent to ruin. While the buildings of brown clay still stood, nothing else seemed to. Oversized pieces of statues and other decorative stone objects were scattered all over the ground. There were some even blocking the slightly larger than normal doorways of the buildings.

"Amazing…" Shana breathed, hands clasped at her chest. "Everything is so big."

Meru ran to the front to get a better look for herself. "It's like giants live here or something!" She giggled. "Wouldn't that be cool!?" She spun around and stared wide eyed at Dart.

Rose stared intently past her head at the adobe buildings. "Yes." She nodded faintly. "For once you're right."

"Hey!" Meru scowled darkly, hands clenched at her side.

"Gigantos live here." Rose muttered coolly, ignoring her whining. "Or at least they used to."

Dart raised a brow and cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean 'used to'?"

Rose frowned deeply. "Just as I said." She shrugged. "They used to live here, but from the looks of it no one has lived here for quite a while."

Shana sucked in a sharp breath, eyes wide. "You mean…they were killed?"

Albert grimaced. "More likely annihilated." Although he had no concrete proof, he swore he remembered his uncle mentioning something about the Gigantos at some point when he was young.

Meru's eyes caught fire. "That's just wrong!" She huffed. "No one should have the right to wipe out an entire race!"

Rose snorted and rolled her eyes. "Tell that to the Winglies. They killed whoever they wanted, whenever they wanted." She shook her head. "Extinction was not an issue in their eyes."

"We're going back to the Dragon Campaign then aren't we?" Haschel asked gruffly.

Rose nodded, eyes narrowing slightly. "Yes. That was when Winglies dominated over all species and decided what happened and anything else they wanted to."

"But those times are over!" Meru insisted. "Winglies don't have that kind of power anymore!"

"True." Rose murmured. "Still…it doesn't wipe them clean of their sins nor does it change the horrible things they did. History remembers."

"Hey!" Shana perked, pointing ahead of them. "Look! There goes somebody!"

They all looked up, just catching sight of a person in animal skin as he disappeared over the rise of stairs. "Probably another filthy bandit!" Meru growled, whipping out her hammer without a second thought.

"Let's follow him." Dart suggested, setting off in a run.

They took chase up and down sets of stairs, coming up closer on the bandit with every step they took. The only factor that could ruin them was unforeseen obstacles.

After so long of running, they came up on a high rising wall of the sorts. It was composed of large stone heads each with a different expression. However, the center place where one more should have rested there was an empty place leading past the wall. It had obviously been busted. And atop the wall sat the upper halves of two stone men. Each held an ax, one missing the head of the weapon.

As close as they were to the bandit, Dart forced them all to stop abruptly. "Wait." He warned in a low tone, looking around suspiciously. "I sense the enemy's presence."

Rose immediately drew out her sword and jumped to the front. "There's nothing we can do but stay alert." She growled softly.

"You're right." Dart drew out his own sword. "Let's keep going."

They took no more than three steps forward before they were assaulted by a barrage of arrows, maniacal laughter following an instant after.

Everyone scrambled backward just in time to avoid all the arrows. "What the-" Dart started, stopping as his and everyone else's eyes found the source.

Seemingly from nowhere a group of bandits had appeared atop the wall, their devilish eyes focused on Dart and his friends. ""Lookie here brother!" One screamed. "We got us a group a trespassers!" He pointed down at them, bursting out into laughter again.

"Yeah!" A second sneered, laughing all the same.

A third, one who seemed to be the most calm and serious of the bunch, talked directly to Dart and the others. "I don't know what you want…!" He barked. "…or how you managed to get all the way here!" He raised a trembling finger up at them. "But you're in for it now!"

Another one nearly fell over the back of the wall in cackles. "We should play with them a little!" He suggested after regaining his balance, smirking cruelly.

All of the bandits gathered on the wall drew out their bow and arrows, swelling with sinister laughter.

"Yo men!" The collected one snapped. "Don't kill 'em! Remember, that's what our boss said!"

A bandit that had previously been absent appeared then. "But…" he snickered. "Why don't we stomp them till they hate being alive!"

They all burst into maniacal laughter, readying their weapons.

"Shoot 'em!" The ringleader ordered, bringing his arm downward through the air.

"Get out of the way!" Dart shouted, shooting into a run.

Everyone darted for the opening in the wall. If they could only get past it, then they would be done with this nonsense.

Suddenly a large cylinder shaped object was rolled from behind one of the heads into the opening, clicking as it sank slightly into place and cut off their only way forward.

The bandits burst out laughing, pointing as they taunted. "You thought it would that easy!? Don't be stupid!"

The leader raised his arm and dropped it again. "Shoot 'em!"

Without a word Dart was able to get everyone turned around and headed back down the path they'd taken to get here. It wouldn't do them any good with progressing, but it was the only way out.

A large square stone was dropped from the sky, blocking them once more.

"Damn…!" Dart hissed, spinning around to be sure he was aware of every move the bandits could make against them.

The bandits cackled like hyenas. "Where do ya think you're going!?"

The arrows rained down on them more so than before, the bandits driven by the fact that their opponents had nowhere to run and very little space to maneuver.

They all scattered, only Rose and Shana staying in a pair. "We need to kill them." Rose hissed in Shana's ear before bolting with her to avoid an incoming set of arrows.

"I can't do it moving like this." Shana reasoned with a faint whine. "I'll never hit!"

Rose jumped again, stifling an irritated growl. "Do it anyway!" She snapped, dodging more arrows. "No one else can get up there!"

Albert wasn't close enough to hear Rose, but it seemed almost like a reaction to her as he reached for his spirit dangling from his neck. It shined brightly in his hand, the light spreading over his whole body before it suddenly died.

Rose jerked her head in the direction of the surge, eyes wide as she saw Albert.

Albert was down on his hands and knees, breathing ragged and eyes wide in extreme pain. "W-What?" He spit out, his body starting to tremble.

Rose let go of Shana and sprinted over toward Albert. "I knew it." She breathed to herself, taking a firm grip around Albert's neck without pausing for the slightest second.

Albert made a strange grunt-like noise as he was jerked from his fallen position. Although he could not gripe since she saved him from arrows by a mere second. "W-What was…?"

"Didn't you feel it?" She hissed, jumping again.

"Feel?" He grumbled wearily.

"When we came here." She reiterated. "The atmosphere was different. Not like in the valley, but just as bad. At least it is for us."

Albert tried to see what she was saying, tried to focus in on how he felt now compared to before. But he couldn't really tell much of anything, he was just so drained. "I don't know."

Rose would have normally bit his head off, but she could feel the pain coursing through him. Not just that, but she had been through the same thing long ago. "I'll explain later." She said through gritted teeth, stumbling as she jumped up to get them out of fire. "Just don't try it again."

One of the bandits lowered their bow, body shaking. "Darn!" He stamped a foot. "Those nimble rats!"

The rest of the bandits stopped soon after, the leader turning his head to cry, "Yo, brother!" He waved a hand to beckon to him. "Take care of them will ya!?"

All the bandits broke into wild cheers and their bodies bounced up and down as a man of much more foreboding stature walked down the thin strip of the wall.

The man didn't stand hunched over like the others and he was much taller because of this. He didn't wear a shirt, just like the man who stole Dart's Dragoon Spirit, and he held his black hair up in a ponytail. "Yeah!" He laughed, waving to the bandits. "I'll get 'em!" He hopped down to Dart's level.

Everyone readied their weapons, prepared for anything he might try.

The gangster flashed them a wicked grin, a faint chuckle passing his lips. "It's been a while." He cracked his knuckles and neck. "I'm aching to get 'em!"

Dart growled angrily, pointing his sword toward the man. "Let us meet with your boss! We have to talk!"

The gangster threw his head back in a loud cackle. "There will be no talking!" He started moving in a strange manner in place, even strange for martial arts. "You've disturbed our territory!"

Haschel started, eyes widening. "That pose…" He breathed. "It must be from the Rouge School!"

The gangster snapped to attention, standing still again. "What!?" He cried. "How do you know about that!?" He pointed a finger at Haschel.

Haschel's eyes narrowed into slits and a snarl formed on his lips. "That's my question!" He snapped. "How did you find out about the Rouge School!?"

"Humph!" The gangster crossed his arms. "Who cares?"

Haschel struck an offensive pose similar to one that the bandit had moments before. "I do!"

The gangster snorted superciliously. "If you really wanna learn about it…" He smirked. "Then tussle with me!"

The bandits from the wall and even others that had remained hidden suddenly swarmed them, filling the tiny area to a near bursting point.

"Kill the small fries first!" Rose ordered, leaping to her feet to stand over Albert. She had to protect him. "And do it quick!"

Shana hurried to the farthest corner from them, letting off arrows as fast as her arms would let her.

Dart swung his sword around like mad, barely paying attention to what he was hitting. All he went by was the noise they made after they fell to their knees.

Meru was doing a pretty amazing job as she swung her hammer wildly about, even knocking some heads off. "Opps…"

Haschel somehow plowed through the most. One hit to the stomach and they were out cold. And he quite honestly preferred not killing them. They hadn't exactly done anything wrong.

The gangster used this distraction as a way to make his way toward who he perceived to be the weakest – Shana.

Shana saw him coming before it was too late, taking a quick shot at him before she was forced to fend off the other bandits who never seemed to end in numbers.

The gangster ducked to the side and kept on running, a smug smirk on his lips.

Shana whined fearfully, frantically smacking her bow at the bandits surrounding her. She needed to create another opening for her to hit at the quickly approaching gangster.

Rose ran her stiletto through another set of the bandits, the number surrounding her quickly dwindling. "Pathetic." She scoffed.

"Rose." Albert wheezed, pulling at her urgently. "Shana." He pointed.

Rose's brow furrowed and a slight frown formed as she stared at him. Then she understood. She snapped her head up, alarmed. "Dart!" She screamed.

Somehow Dart knew near instantly what she was trying to tell him and spun around in the direction he knew Shana would be.

Shana got one last chance to shoot haphazardly, unable to focus.

Her arrow stuck fast in his shoulder, making him stumble and grumble in slight pain. "Stupid girl." He seethed.

Dart sprinted to reach the gangster before the guy could get any closer to Shana, but he had a feeling he didn't have a prayer.

Albert struggled up, supported only by his elbow. He held his javelin in his other hand, positioning it at the best angle he could the way he laid. And he thrust it with all he had in him.

A groan caught in the gangster's throat as the javelin stuck in his leg and he fell flat on his face.

"Got him." Albert sighed, smiling faintly.

Shana took this momentary reprieve to hit her way through the remaining bandits and rush the short distance over to Dart.

Dart pulled her close, cutting his sword through the group that had followed Shana to him.

The gangster staggered to his feet, nearly falling back down as an unbearable pain shot up his leg.

Haschel was on him a moment after. He delivered a bone shattering blow to stomach, feeling absolutely no remorse.

The gangster was knocked off his feet, an agonized moan passing his lips as he skid across the rough ground and slammed into a wall.

The remaining bandits stared with fearful wide eyes at everyone. "R-Run!" One screamed.

They all yelped sharply before scrambling like a herd of spooked creatures back into their hidden nooks and cranny's.

The gangster's eyes slowly fluttered open; his head swimming as his world slowly came into focus.

Haschel flipped over the bodies strewn across the ground and landed feet in front of the dazed man. "Hey!" He snapped, hitting his fist on his palm. "The Rouge School of Martial Arts is a tradition found only in my village." He bent over to get closer to the man's face. "All the people who use the Rouge style from outside of my village must have a connection there!"

The gangster ripped the javelin from his leg, barely about to keep the agonizing pain from escaping his lungs in the form of a scream. He then tried to scramble to his feet, only managing to scoot to the side some as the terror plastered on his face and in his eyes intensified.

Haschel followed him, expression intensifying tenfold as a snarl formed on his lips. "Do you know a woman fighter called Claire!?" Despite his expression his voice came off strangely excited and desperate.

The gangster scooted farther to the side. "I-I don't know any such woman!" He shook his head fervently. "I learned it from my boss, Gehrich!"

Haschel stood up straight, a perplexed look taking the place of his angry one. "Gehrich…" he murmured thoughtfully to himself as he tapped his chin.

"Y-Yeah!" He barked. "My boss used to study it seriously, but was kicked out twenty two years ago." He shuffled some more. "Then he became a bandit!"

Haschel's frown deepened. "Kicked out…" he snapped his fingers. "Now I know! That Gehrich!" He nodded firmly. "Yeah! He must be the man who was once my disciple!"

Dart walked forward with Shana still in his arm and his sword held threateningly in the other. "He is over there, right?" Dart nodded over to the cylinder object completing the wall of heads.

"Y-Yeah!" The gangster nodded shakily. "But…you cannot defeat my boss!" His meek voice turned strong and sure. "My boss is ten times as strong as me!"

The glare returned to Haschel face as he reared his fist back as if to strike the gangster. "It's my fist that decides if I can defeat him or not!"

The gangster swallowed hard, finally finding the strength necessary to leap to his feet and ignore the pain in order to flee just like the others.

Albert was still lying on the ground, the pain in every muscle of his body slowly but surely lessening. "Hey, Rose." He was managing full sentences now. "Are you going to tell me what happened to me?"

Everyone else made their way over to where Rose knelt down with Albert, equally intrigued.

Dart made it first. "Is Albert alright?" He cocked his head, brow furrowed.

Rose had been staring intently at Albert, looking up only as Dart's voice reached her. "Yes." She nodded. "It'll just take a little while. But nothing too serious."

"What the heck was that all about anyway!?" Meru cried, eyes large as bowling balls.

Rose rolled her eyes. "So none of you felt it either?"

They all stared blankly at her.

Rose sighed heavily. "Well, back in the Dragon Campaign some species put up magical barriers to protect themselves from invasions of the Winglies." She gazed up at the sky as if reminiscing. "Of course it blocked not only Winglies, but any creature with magical powers over a certain limit."

"So, are you saying that we can't turn into Dragoons?" Shana ventured tentatively.

Rose nodded. "Yes. That is unless you want to end up sapped dry and in immense pain like Albert." She started to help Albert up to his feet, keeping an arm around him in case he still couldn't support his own weight.

"That's going to make things interesting." Dart noted, letting go of Shana in order to walk over toward Albert and get a closer look at him.

"I'm alright." He insisted, waving Dart away as he staggered farther from Rose.

Rose knew what it was like to feel so weak and helpless, so she didn't move to help him. If he wanted to try and go on his own already it was fine by her.

Haschel thought of something then. "But if there's a barrier here, why is everyone dead?"

For once Rose couldn't say for sure. "I don't know." She begrudgingly admitted. "Maybe they aren't dead, maybe they just moved away from this place." She shrugged. "Or perhaps this is the doing of humans. We can be savage creatures when fighting for something we find worthwhile."

"That doesn't make sense." Albert dully shook his head. "Gigantos are huge, especially adults."

Dart instantly agreed. "You should know that." He half smiled at Rose. "You were there when Kongol nearly killed me and we had to fight him in Doel's castle."

Rose snorted. "You are one man." She pointed at him. "Men who desire to conquer others don't go as one or even in groups of five. They attack in hundreds."

Shana and Meru ducked their heads and grimaced as images of armies slaughtering helpless people of all sorts flashed before their eyes.

"Regardless of what happened, they're gone now." Rose said matter of factly, resting her hand on Albert's arm as he swayed. "But we need to focus on getting to Gehrich. The past is irrelevant."

"She's right." Haschel stretched out each of his arms. "And we're on our way." He then strode over to the cylinder block in the wall.

Dart blinked in confusion as he watched Haschel go. "What are you doing?"

Haschel smirked smugly as he clenched his fists tightly and bent over, concentrating with all he had in him. "I'll show you what the real Rouge School is like." His body quivered as a power rose within him and he was given amazing energy. And he released a furious punch on the stone.

A small crack split the cylinder and quickly stretched the full length until the stone fell two ways back behind the heads of the wall.

Haschel turned around, smiling in triumph. "Shall we?" He motioned to the now clear path.

Everyone stared blankly at him for a moment, amazed by the strength someone of his age possessed.

Haschel laughed loudly. "What? You look like you saw a ghost or something."

Meru burst out, "Uh, yeah!" She grinned. "Cause that was totally amazing!" She sprinted over to him. She then twirled about in front of him once before stopping and laughing again.

Haschel grinned broadly, hands clasped behind his back. "Just a taste of my power."

"Which is good." Dart smiled faintly. "No one else besides maybe Meru could have done that with the barrier."

"Now come on!" Meru cried, bouncing up and down. "We have to hurry and save Lynn!" She spun around and darted through the opening without waiting for anyone.

"Wait up!" Haschel yelled.

Rose watched lazily as everyone ran off after Meru, her eyes drifting back over to Albert.

Albert was a bit slower going, still not fully recovered. But unless you saw his face you couldn't see how painful this really was.

Rose strolled nonchalantly to his abandoned javelin and bent down to pick it up for him. "You forgot something." She reminded him, not even needing to walk faster to catch up.

Albert looked back over his shoulder, smiling despite himself. "Thanks."

Rose shrugged. "I wouldn't want you to end up worse than you are now because you went into battle like an idiot without a weapon." She handed it over to him.

Albert snorted, taking his javelin.

Rose noticed he was still limping and was far too slow to ever catch up with the others if they didn't stop and wait. "Are you sure you don't want some help?"

"No, really." He waved her suggestion away. "I'll be fine. I swear."

Rose shook her head. "Whatever." Even though she understood men and their stubborn nature since she shared that quality, she still didn't like it. "But you're going slower than a snail."

"Gee, thanks." Albert growled. "That's the encouragement I was looking for."

"Shut up." Rose rolled her eyes. "It's nothing more than the truth. And you know it." She sped up her walk, quickly moving from his side with zero effort.

"Rose." He sighed, lifting his arm up as if to reach for her before promptly giving up.

Dart and the others were lingering around a mine shaft as Dart saw Rose appear. "Hey, where's Albert at?" He frowned deeply. "Rose…" He sighed. "Did you really leave him?"

"No." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I just wanted to prove a point."

"Go get him." Dart pointed back behind her. "Besides, it's not safe being alone right now." His grip on his sword tightened. "Especially when we never know where they could be hiding."

"Fine." Rose rolled her eyes, turning to go back. "But it's not like he can't defend himself because of what happened." She said without really believing it.

Albert had nearly made it to them by using his javelin as a walking stick when he saw Rose reappear. "Oh, so you decided to come back?"

"Oh, hush." She scoffed. "Do you really think I'd leave you?" She placed her hands on her hips.

"Maybe." Albert shrugged, smiling.

Rose shook her head. "Come on." She latched onto his wrist and jerked him forward with her.

"Hey!" Albert yelped, body aching. "Watch it!"

"You didn't want me to help." She reminded. "So I'm having to drag you in order to do as you want." She almost felt like laughing.

"Is it too late to change my mind?" He half joked.

"Hey guys!" They heard Meru as she jumped up from the ground where she'd been sitting and ran toward them. "You have no sense of time!" She tapped her wrist as if the time were there.

Rose raised a brow. "Would you like me to do to you what happened to Albert? Then we'll see how well you are with time."

Meru cowered slightly before tossing her nose in the air. "Humph! Whatever!" She stomped back over to where Dart stood.

Albert rested his arm on Rose's shoulder in order to keep off of his full weight as he looked around. Everything was strangely quiet. "It seems obvious there are bandits hiding." He noted.

They all nodded in agreement.

"Let's look in this mine shaft." Dart motioned toward it and slowly went to enter.

Shana smiled warmly at him as she prepared to follow next, pausing as a soft groan caught her attention. "What's wrong?" She tilted her head and looked in concern at Haschel.

Haschel rubbed his back as he failed at hiding the grimace on his face. "I think I did too much." He half laughed. "My back hurts."

"Oh!" Shana turned around, hand on her lips as her brows rose farther on her head. "Will you be alright?" There was nothing she could do to help this time either. Not having her Dragoon powers made her feel so useless.

Haschel waved away her words. "Don't worry." He slowly moved over to a nearby rock. "I'll be all right if I rest a little."

"Humph! Men!" Meru rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You should've thought about your age!" She spun around and pointed an accusing finger at him.

"We can't just leave him, can we?" Shana worried, looking back and forth between Dart and Haschel. She supposed she could stay.

"Go ahead!" Meru shooed them. "I'll take care of him." She placed her hands on her hips, nodding firmly.

Haschel glanced up at her. "Hm, you will?" He clasped his hands and rested his chin on them. "I think I can wait here by myself."

"No way!" Meru fervently shook her head. "We don't know when they'll come back! And you'd need help beating those thugs!" She smiled widely. "That's where I come in." She pointed at her chest.

Dart shrugged. "We have to leave them then."

Shana agreed, moving into his arm. "We'll be back if something happens." She promised.

Meru gave a one syllable laugh. "If they come back, I'll destroy them!" She pumped her fists and stretched in anticipation. "So just be good, Haschel." She chuckled, walking ahead of him so she could see both sides around them.

After no more than a few seconds Haschel rose slowly to his feet and padded quietly over to where she stood. In one swift movement he slammed his hand into the back of her neck.

Meru's eyes went wide, her mind instantly going hazy. "Ah…" She murmured, swaying before she fell over on her front in unconsciousness.

Haschel frowned deeply, eyes equally as sad. "Sorry about that." He whispered. "But you left me no choice." He then ran as fast as he could up the stairs and into the doorway he knew had to lead to Gehrich.

The path in the mine shaft Dart and the others had taken ended abruptly only a few feet in. "Oh well." Dart shrugged.

"I guess there are only Rock Fireflies here." Shana murmured.

"Perfect." Rose smirked, waving her hands around to unsettle the tiny creatures.

"Rose, what are you-" Albert stopped as the fireflies burst with light not unlike Shana's healing powers and he felt all his muscles relax and his perfect health return.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Rose commented, staring almost mystified at the fireflies. "That such tiny creatures can possess such incredible healing powers is unfathomable even to me sometimes."

"And best of all, I feel great!" Albert exclaimed, stretching out all of his limbs as if he hadn't been able to move all his life. "I only wish I could carry these guys around everywhere."

"Well, we should go on back to Haschel and Meru." Dart turned them all around. "Then we can hurry and find Gehrich."

A sharp cry escaped Shana's lips as they walked far enough to see out of the darkness.

"Meru!" Dart rushed over to where she lay, kneeling down to turn her over and hold her up slightly.

Meru groaned loudly, rubbing her head tenderly as she picked herself up out of Dart's hold to sit on her knees. "Ouch…"

"What happened!?" Albert demanded, extremely on edge about the fact he didn't see Haschel anywhere around. Had something happened to his friend?

"Um…" Meru struggled to get her thoughts together. "Something bumped into me." She slowly remembered. "And…Oh boy!" She shrieked, jumping to her feet. "Where's Haschel!?"

Dart started. "Did he go by himself!?" He jerked his head toward the doorway up the stairs.

"What an idiot." Rose growled, shaking her head. "He's going to get himself killed."

"Don't say that!" Meru and Albert snapped in unison.

Rose scowled at them. "You know it's true. With him unable to turn into a Dragoon he doesn't stand much of a chance."

"To make sure that doesn't happen, let's get going!" Dart interjected, directing their attention up the two higher levels with stairs connecting each.

Albert shot ahead of Dart, taking the lead. "Hurry!" He barked, temporarily forgetting his place.

"Yeah!" Meru urged, fast at his heels.

"So stupid." Rose sighed, last in line. "So unbelievably stupid."

So how was it? Think the barrier idea was cool? There's just no way the Gehrich battle would have been hard enough without it. And I hope this made you feel better ArcaneMaverick. :) Please review!