Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, yada yada, let's just get on with the story! YOU KNOW THE DRILL!


Chapter 12: My Choice, My Reason

"We're under attack!" Daven screamed as he raced down towards the entrance. "Everyone, we're under attack! Get ready for battle!" He ignored the looks that several of the men and women of the monastery were giving him, knowing that if he slowed down to try and explain what was going on, they wouldn't have time. "Arm up and meet me out fron- oof!" He stopped and nearly tripped over himself as a figure clad in brown suddenly ran in front of his path, the butt of his spear sticking him in his stomach. "Ah, gods… Albert, what are you doing?" he asked, rubbing the spot where a bruise was surely forming.

The young cavalier stopped in his tracks and brought his lance to his side. "I would be asking you the same thing, since you're running through these halls shouting like a madman, but then I've already seen the problem." He shook his head and rubbed one of his temples. "Just… how? How did so many Plegians manage to get on Ylissean soil? I mean, the border guard should have alerted us to something like this!" He clutched his weapon tightly and looked down at the ground. "They outnumber us way too much. If we don't think of something fast, we'll all get crushed." Frowning, he looked up and looked past Daven. "Hey, where's Kale at? Isn't he rooming with you?"

Daven crossed his arms and frowned at the cavalier. "Why do you care? Want to try tackling him some more? Or did you just miss getting kicked repeatedly in the stomach?"

Albert winced and grabbed at his midsection. A large bruise covered the majority of it, a result of being kicked in the same place. If he had to give Kale credit for anything, it was that he could give one hell of a kick. "No, it's just… Look, I don't have time to explain why I acted the way I did towards Kale, alright? Just know that I don't hate him… Okay, I don't hate him completely. That's why I wanted to know where he's at, to tell him that."

Daven pushed past Albert and motioned towards the front doors. "Then I hope you're well and prepared for battle; I saw Kale heading out to face the enemy. Alone." The cavalier's eyes widened in shock at the news. "Yeah. So, let's get moving!" Albert nodded and ran alongside Daven, ready to face the oncoming enemy and, possibly, save Kale.

Though, Albert may or may not have been considering that as a side goal.

Regardless, the two of them burst through the doors leading outside, Albert quickly placing two fingers and his mouth and whistling for Alexandria. A whinny was heard, followed quickly by the sound of hooves hitting hard ground, and within moments Albert was sitting atop his faithful steed and companion, leading the charge towards the enemy with Daven trailing behind the two of them. Looking behind him, he saw a small group of monks, headed by Brother Libra, charging out from within the monastery. A grim yet determined look came over his face as he looked back at the approaching Plegian force, who had stopped just short of-

"What is he doing?" Albert muttered as they watched Kale addressing the enemy force.

"In the name of Arashi, I will crush you!" Kale shouted, pulling a sword from its sheath. A blinding white light enveloped him, forcing Albert to shield his eyes.

"Kale!" Daven and, surprisingly, Albert both cried. Albert heard the sound of footsteps to his side, followed by labored breathing, and realized that Daven had caught up with him. "Oh gods…" he muttered, shielding his eyes from the light. Slowly, it began to fade, revealing Kale to be standing in front of them completely unharmed and appeared to seemingly be normal. The sword he wielded, however, was anything but normal: its dull gray blade was stained with patches of dark red along the length of it, the blade itself looking more akin to a butcher's knife than a sword. The hilt was covered in bandages that wrapped around Kale's right hand and trailed along the ground. Hearing his name, Kale twisted his head around to look at the two of them, his eyes making their blood go cold. They were devoid of any emotion and appeared to lack life itself. "K-Kale?" Daven took a step towards the young swordsman, only for Albert to place the shaft of his spear in front of him.

"Wait, something's off here." Daven rolled his eyes at how obvious the statement was but he made no comment.

The man leading the Plegian force stepped forwards, still slightly stunned by the blinding light that had appeared only moments beforehand. Looking at Kale, he sneered. "Well, that was some parlor trick, boy, but I'm afraid it will do you no good." he stated in a somewhat high-pitched voice. "We still outnumber you, 900-to-1. Give up now, and we'll make sure to end the lives of everyone else in that monastery relatively quickly." Kale said nothing, but instead directed his lifeless gaze towards the man, who unconsciously took a few steps back. "Fine then: men, atta-" He was cut off as a feral growl tore from Kale's throat as the young man launched himself forwards, crossing the distance between himself and the army surprisingly quickly.

"Kale, no!" Daven cried, reaching out towards him as a group of Plegians ran in front of their leader, cutting off Kale's path. "Albert, come on!" The cavalier nodded slowly as he readied his spear. With a war cry, the two of them charged at the enemy, only to stop as they saw Kale begin his attack.

To say it was vicious and brutal would be an understatement. Lifting the large blade like it weighed nothing, Kale cut straight through the line of defenders, their blood staining the blade together with the red patches. A man attempted to stab Kale with his spear from behind, only to have his arms lopped off before the tip of the weapon was run straight through his chest. Another man screamed in agony and dropped his axe as his stomach fell onto the ground in front of him, and yet another man was unable to even make a sound as Kale brought the blade down on his head, cutting deeply into it. As the last of the defenders fell to his blade, Kale stopped and looked around, his eyes still devoid of any emotion. At this point, the monks from the monastery had caught up with Daven and Albert. Several of them were uttering quiet prayers at the very sight while others forced themselves to keep from looking away. A cold laugh erupted from Kale, surprising everyone, though what he said next made everyone, even the Plegians, flinch.

"So, this is what true power feels like… The ability to crush any who oppose me, without any fear or worry of death… I could create an entirely new world with this blade, one devoid of people who would harm me… In fact, that's a wonderful idea. Once I'm done here, what's stopping me from going out and making the world one where I have no fear? Yes, I like that idea, I like it quite a bit." He hefted the blade onto his shoulder and looked towards the Plegians. "Now, who's the next person on the chopping block?" Before any of them could react, he threw himself forwards.

Daven and Albert shared a quick look before throwing themselves into the maelstrom caused by their ally, though this time, it wasn't to save him from the Plegians.

They were going to do everything in their power to save him from that blade.


"Oh, my head…" I mutter as I get up from the ground, the soft grass making for a surprisingly comfortable bed. For some reason, my head feels like its been split open with an axe, a possibility which I quickly dismiss after running my hand through my hair. You can't really be too careful in a world like this. "Now, what happened to the enemy… The last thing I remember is Randell coming out to face me… I drew the talking sword, called out for Arashi and whatever power its supposed to grant me, and now…" I snap my fingers as I realize that's the most likely reason that I blacked out. Looking around, I notice that the ground is littered with various weapons and pieces of armor. Did I do all this? Whoa, that Arashi guy actually did give me a serious power boost. But, why can't I remember any of it? Then again, does it really matter? If I won, then I won. I shrug and prepare to turn back to the monastery when I spot the sword that I'd taken out into battle lying on the ground, still in its sheath. "Might as well bring it back…" I mutter to myself, kneeling down to pick it up before turning around and-

And the monastery no longer exists. I feel my eyes expand to the size of dinner plates at the ruins of the monastery. Entire chunks of stone have been torn from the walls and small fires are still burning. I can smell what smells like burnt meat, making me really thankful that I skipped last night's dinner and breakfast this morning. "What the hell happened? I-I thought I'd protected it! Why-why is it destroyed?!" I shout. My voice echoes around me, causing me to realize the truly strange thing about this place: there's no sound. I tap the sheathed blade against the earth and jump as I hear the thud it makes echo. "Something's seriously off here…" I mutter to myself.

"No shit, Sherlock!"

Wait, who said- there! My heart skips a beat as I see a figure standing in front of the doors leading to the monastery ruins, his figure- at least, it looks a lot like a guy- silhouetted by the fires. "Hey, who are-" The moment I open my mouth, he turns around and charges straight into the fire. I blink in surprise before running after him. I don't plan on losing my only lead as to what's happening around here. I run through the doors of the monastery, shielding my face from the flames…

And now it's raining.

…What?

I open my eyes and, instead of seeing a burning monastery, a mountain covered in storm clouds sits before my eyes.

…Again: what?

If I turn around… I twist my head to look at where the- oh, what do you know, the doors aren't there anymore. …Alright, where's the sign that says 'Welcome to Mind-Fuck City'? Because that would be seriously appropriate right now! Uneasily, I look back towards the mountain, when a brief flash of lightning illuminates a figure standing at the edge of a small cliff. Halfway up the mountain. Because, of course, it had to be halfway up a mountain. One does not simply… That quote doesn't quite apply here, I suppose. Damn, I've never had a chance to use it… Sighing, my eyes fall to the ground, landing on a step that's been cut into the rock. I let my eyes travel up the steps and my heart sinks as I realize I've got a lot of climbing in my immediate future. "I'm going to be dead by the time this is over, aren't I?" I murmur before, quite literally, taking the first step.

I can't help but let out a bitter chuckle as I see a sign appear with the next flash of lighting on the side of the path proudly declaring: 'Welcome to Mind-Fuck City.'


The battle of the monastery was not going well for either the Plegians or the defenders. After their initial shock at how Kale had acted, the monks that had taken up arms to defend their home had charged, only to find out that the young man saw everyone as an enemy. His blade soared through the air, shedding the blood of anyone that he came close to, though now he was seemingly in a deadlock as both Albert and Daven fought him, Albert having sent Ally away after nearly losing her to one of the weapon's attacks. "Kale, what are you doing?!" Daven screamed as he locked blades with him, his face inches from Kale's. "This isn't you, I know it isn't! This sword, it's changed you somehow!"

"You're right, it has!" Kale laughed emotionlessly. "It's made more powerful! It's given me the power to ensure my life! I won't die by anyone's hands!" He screamed before shoving his opponent forward, throwing him off balance. Taking the opportunity, he raised his blade and brought it down, ready to cleave his enemy in half, when a spear butted him in the side, causing his attack to only graze Daven's chest, the sound of metal scraping metal slightly as something fell from around his neck. Turning his head, his dark eyes locked on Albert who gritted his teeth as he prepared for Kale's next attack. Instead, he just turned his head and frowned. "Why did you not try to kill me?" he asked. "Don't you hate me for what I did? For causing the death of your mentor?"

"I… I…" Albert faltered for a moment, his gaze lowering. With a growl, he looked back up, locking his eyes with Kale's. "Shut up, just shut up! That's not what this is about, damn it! I'm here to try and get that damned sword out of your hands!" With that, he launched himself forwards, aiming the point of his spear so that it would strike the blade of Kale's sword. Kale simply spun around and slashed, his attack blocked by Daven's own sword. Settling into stances beside each other, the two of them shared an uneasy glance as the same thought ran through their minds:

How do we stop him without killing him?


"Damn it all!" Randell growled as he backed away from the massacre that was taking place. He was at a complete loss as to what he should do: where was the boy that he'd been hunting for so long. Looking around, he grimaced as he realized that any of the men that he sent in after the boy would be massacred, just adding to the red stains on the blade he wielded. "Men, don't get near the whelp! Focus on the monks, and once their dead, we can decide on what to do with the boy!" he commanded. His men all gave out battle-cries, signaling that they'd gotten his message. Turning to his rear-guard, he cupped his hands and gave them an order that he'd planned on holding off on giving.

"Signal the reinforcements! Have them take the monastery now!"


Garrett watched as a small plume of smoke rose up over the horizon, his face indifferent as he ran a stone over the blade of his axe. So, the boss-man's giving the attack order, eh? Well, time to get moving. Standing up, he gripped his axe tightly and moved over to where the force of men he'd been placed in charge of, numbering about fifty in total, were awaiting their orders. "Alright, all of you, get off of your asses and stand at attention!" he barked. They all immediately obeyed, readying their equipment. "Randell just sent up the signal, meaning one of two things: A) He's ready for us to swarm the monastery or B) The battle's turned against him. And while I hate to admit it, with how little time has passed, I think it may be the second option." He waited for the nervous murmurs to die down before speaking up again. "Now, I don't know what could be causing this, but I know one thing: he's counting on us to go down this hill and take that monastery! If you're a proud warrior, raise your weapon high into the air and give me your best war cry!" A smirk came over his face as all of his men did just that, though it quickly changed into a frown. "Although, it's just occurred to me that we can't just leave the prisoners behind… Now that I think about it, when I was with these idiots, we sent two of our own ahead because one of them was sick. Now, how many of you would rather deal with one weak, feeble girl who probably can't even leave her bed right now instead of three capable fighters?" A general muttering of agreement reached his ears, making him smile widely. "Well, then it sounds like we don't have much of a use for those three, now do we?" He snapped his fingers and pointed in the direction of where Marco, Myra, and Genevieve were all being kept. "Grab them and bring them here! Men, time to show you all just how savage I can be!"

Another cry tore through the air as a group of his men ran to fetch the prisoners. Within moments, they were all brought before him, Genevieve and Myra struggling against there bonds while Marco simply stared daggers at the man he'd once called friend. "Garrett, you bastard… What the hell do you think you're doing?" Myra screamed.

Garrett rolled his neck, popping a few bones. "Oh, nothing much… Just going to get the men's blood pumping before the attack. Tell me, have you ever witnessed an execution before?" As Myra's face began to pale, he let out a laugh. "Guess this one hasn't! Well, then we'll make sure she knows what one's like before it comes time for hers." He gestured at two of his men with his hand. "Take those two bitches over there." he ordered, thumbing at a small area behind him. While they did that, he pointed at another man. "You're going to be the one that holds them down while I make the cut, got it? I don't want anything to go wrong with this." The man nodded and pressed his boot against Marco's back, who growled as his head was slowly forced towards the ground.

"Why are you doing this?" he demanded. "Garrett, why can't you understand why I lied? If I had told you that both my sister and I were from Plegia, you would have-"

"Oh, shut up!" Garrett said, rolling his eyes. "You don't know shit about how I would've reacted. For all you know, I wouldn't have cared one bit, but if there's one thing in this world that I can't stand, it's a traitor." He gave a bitter chuckle as though some sick joke had just hit him. "Then again, I suppose that means I can't stand myself… Ah well, never was one for self-esteem." Hoisting his axe over his shoulder, he looked back towards where both of the girls were being held. "Now, you two little ladies just sit tight and enjoy the show, alright? It'll be your turns soon enough."

"In Naga's name, I beg you to stop this madness!" Genevieve pleaded.

"Garrett, please… not Marco!" Myra sobbed, tears forming as Garrett raised the axe over Marco's head.

The big man let out a wild laugh. "Sorry, what was that? I couldn't quite hear you. Did you say 'not Marco'? Sorry, but I don't take requests." With that, he brought down the axe. Myra shut her eyes and screamed as the men in the camp all shouted in anticipation.

She heard the sound of a blade tearing through flesh, followed by something hitting the ground and the screams of the men around her.


"I must have died back on that battlefield, because I'm pretty sure this counts as Hell!" I shout, my voice taken from me by the winds of the storm. Freezing cold rain keeps striking me, making me even more tired as the cold and struggle of climbing the mountain take their combined toll on my stamina. One does not simply climb a stormy mountain… Hey, it actually kinda worked that time! I smile despite myself, though it quickly fades as I see the end of the stairs just before me. A quick burst of energy propels me up the last few and within seconds I'm on the landing, a decently large chunk of earth carved from the side of the mountain. Standing at the edge is the figure that I saw earlier, his back to me. "Hey, who are you and just what the hell is this place?" I shout over the winds, which have seriously picked up at this point. The figure slowly turns around, and I have to hold in a scream of panic.

It's me. Or, it's a copy of me, done in complete grayscale. His skin's the color of chalk and his hair is pitch black. His eyes are pure white with black irises filled with, if I had to guess, pure hate. I think what surprises me the most, oddly enough, is the fact that he's wielding what looks like a smaller version of Pyramid Head's Great Knife with bandages wrapped around the hilt and his right arm, the longer ones trailing along the ground. I've got no idea where that came from. Then again, I always did like Pyramid Head as a monster… wouldn't have objected to getting to swing around his Great Knife either. "Ah, took you long enough to make it here. Didn't think you'd actually have the guts to face me." he says, his voice exactly like mine.

"Tell me who you are!" I demand, though I instantly regret it. This type of scenario instantly becomes familiar to me. I swear, if he starts going on about he's 'my Shadow' and 'my true self,' I'm throwing myself off of the mountain. I'm already dealing with Fire Emblem; I could really do without Persona right now!

He laughs and throws his arms out to his sides. "What, not obvious enough for you? I think it's pretty damn clear that I'm you… for the most part." He plants his sword into the ground and leans against the pommel. "You see, I'm both you and I'm not you. Consider me… what you could be: powerful, unstoppable, a true force to be reckoned with."

I shake my head. "Okay, give me one good reason as to just why I'd want to be like you? Besides, you don't look any different from me, aside from needing a good-" I'm cut off as he suddenly rushes forwards, grabs me by the collar of my shirt, and runs with me, slamming my back into the wall of the mountain. Painfully. "-tan…" I croak out, my ribs stinging.

He releases his grip on me and sneers as he walks back towards his own weapon. "What, other than that? Like I said, I'm what you could be. I have power, power beyond your wildest dreams, all given to me by- you know what? Why spoil the surprise?" he says with a chuckle. I just glare at him. "Fine, if that isn't reason enough, how about this: because if you're like me, you won't have to fear anything ever again."

I groan as I stand, my ribs still aching. "What the hell do you mean, I won't have to fear anything?" Sighing, he snaps his fingers and a small rectangle of air shimmers, changing shape and colors until- is that Daven and Albert?! "What the- Who are they fighting and what's with all the other people around them!?" His response is to just point at himself and then to me. I gulp as cold realization hits me. "They're fighting… me?" He nods. "Why?" I ask.

He shrugs. "Oh, I don't know. It could be that you went psychopath on the Plegian army and the monks and now they're being forced to fight you before you slaughter all of them." He throws his hands up into the air as if at a loss. "But hey, that's just my opinion. Even if it is true." What he says makes no sense: why would I go crazy and start attacking everyone? …That fucking bastard of a sword! If I manage to figure out some way of getting out of here, I'm melting it down into a bedpan! Then, I'm finding the nearest wyvern and having it- "Oh, stop blaming mystical, magical swords for getting you into this mess." I'm shaken out of my thoughts by what he says. "You have no one else but yourself to blame for what's happening. You chose to take the easiest way out instead of facing your problems. You took that sword of your own free will; the only thing it's guilty of is giving you the option." He picks up his sword from the ground, the earth falling from its blade, and points the tip at me. "You were too much of a coward to actually fight. You ran from danger instead of facing it head on, like a man, like a warrior, would. The moment you drew that sword, I was given control, albeit limited, to fulfill your greatest wish: to live without fear. It's just your fault that you weren't very specific about that wish and now, your friends are going to pay the price."

"Over my dead body!" I scream, gripping the hilt of the sword that I've been carrying this entire time and tugging on it- which soon becomes futile as the damn thing won't come out of its sheath! Well, if there's a lesson to be learned, it's to never trust talking inanimate objects. …Actually, that's a lesson I should've probably known beforehand. "Give me back my body and leave them alone!" I cry as a flash of lightning blinds me. It's only for a moment, but as soon as my eyes are able to see again, I'm put on the ground. Looking up, I see my doppelgänger standing over me, his sword pointing at my heart. I start to breathe heavily as I realize that, well, I'm probably about to die. His eyes seem to shine for a moment, like he realizes what I know is about to happen.

"Ah, so you get it." he states, a smirk on his face. "If I were to kill you right now, I'd take full control of your body. I'd be allowed to do whatever I chose to with no real consequences… at least none that I'd suffer. Your friends… now, they'd suffer quite a bit. But, there is another option." His smirk fades from his face as he brings his sword to his side. "Accept the fact that this is your fate, that I am the power that you so desire, and I will spare you. Of course, you'll be forced to do as I command for the rest of eternity, but that's a small price to pay to avoid death, isn't it?"

I have to admit, neither option is very pleasing. If I die, he gets full control over my body. If I live, I'm his slave for an eternity. Either way, I'm likely going to be forced to kill if what's happening with my friends is any indication. The only real question I have to ask myself is this: do I live for an eternity with the guilt of killing innocent people hanging over my head or do I choose to take the easy way out and die, allowing this thing to go crazy?

The best choice doesn't take even a minute to form in my mind.

"My choice… is neither!" I scream, lunging up at my clone. I take him by surprise, knocking him to the ground and as I fall on top of him, I start raining down blow after blow with my fists. "This. Is. MY. BODY!" I scream as I bring both hands together and bring them down onto his face. There's a satisfying crack, though he quickly throws me off. Rolling to my feet, I feel a smirk of my own as I see a trickle of blood running from his nose. Damn, what is with me and breaking people's noses? First Randell and now this guy… "You want me to choose? I choose option three, also known as option 'Go fuck yourself!'" I undo the sword from my belt and hold it in front of me. Even if it's still sheathed, I can fight with it.

My opponent stares me down before laughing. Then, with sudden speed that I forgot he had, he has me by the throat, his knock-off Great Knife pointed at my throat. "So, you think you can fight against me? You think you can defeat the very thing that gives you power? I AM MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER BE AND YOU WOULD FIGHT ME!?"

Well, this is it: game over. Guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Death comes for everyone in some way, shape, or form. I just didn't quite expect my death to come in my own shape. I smile as our eyes lock and I say the last sentence I'm sure will ever leave my mouth.

"Like I said, option 'Go fuck yourself.'"

He lets out a growl and brings back the blade, ready to end me.

I just close my eyes and let it come.


Both Daven and Albert panted heavily as they retreated from Kale's latest assault, both of them bearing fresh wounds that, while not fatal, still drained their stamina. "So… how much more… do you think… he's got in him?" Daven panted, trying to make the most of their situation. "I mean… surely… he's getting tired by now… right?"

"I really… wish I shared… your sense of humor… Daven." Albert replied, planting the butt of his spear onto the ground and resting against it slightly. "Because then… I wouldn't want to… kick your ass so badly…"

Daven let out a light chuckle, even though he knew that Albert was right. They were fighting a losing battle: no matter how hard they pressed the attack, Kale never seemed to tire or lose ground and not once had they been able to inflict an injury to their friend. It wasn't as if they were trying to, but it was still unsettling to see him deflect their attacks so easily.

Seeing how tired they were, Kale let out another cold laugh. "Like I thought, I no longer have anything to fear. The two of you, along with anyone who would harm me, will die- AGH!" He suddenly screamed, grasping at his chest with his left hand as he plunged the blade in his right deeply into the ground. The bandages attaching the sword to his arm seemed to lengthen and tighten around his arm as he screamed in agony, his face slowly turning pale. "How-how can this be?!"

His two opponents shared a glance as another thought ran through their minds simultaneously:

Now what?


Randell covered his ears at the screams that were coming from the middle of the battlefield, though he smirked at who he saw was screaming: the whelp was kneeling on the ground, writhing in pain. Drawing his sword, he prepared to advance and end the boy when a sudden thought struck him. "Where the hell are the reinforcements?" he wondered aloud.


15 minutes earlier

All the men howled as Garrett brought the axe down, ready to take off Marco's head, their blood pumping as they prepared to see the man's head rolling at their feet. The screams from the man's younger sister were drowned out by their cries of bloodlust. With a sickeningly wet noise, Garrett's axe passed clean through the meat of the neck and a head fell to the ground.

Only, it was the wrong head.

The men all screamed in anger as their ally's head stared up at them with cold eyes, his mouth still wide from a cry of surprise. Looking up at Garrett, they all saw his frame shaking as a laugh erupted from his mouth. "Ya know, I didn't actually think this would work out so well. It's hard to pull of a successful triple-cross nowadays." With that, he took the smaller throwing axe from his side and hurled it into the skull of the man holding Myra before charging forwards and lopping off the head of the man who was keeping Genevieve. "I've got some explaining to do, to be sure, but I'd appreciate it if you saved all questions for later!" Genevieve merely nodded and grabbed her fallen captor's sword while Myra ran over to her brother and quickly began untying him. Running over to protect the two of them, Garrett and Genevieve both took up defensive stances. "Alright, I promised to show you guys why I'm called 'Savage' and I hate to disappoint. So, who's first?"

One of the men charge forwards, his spear lowered to skewer Garrett, when the head of it suddenly fell off, leaving him clutching a useless stick that he looked at in surprise. "What the- How'd this happen?"

"Oh yeah, I may have taken the liberty of fixing up everyone's weapons while Randy was gone. You're welcome." Garrett smiled as he watched all fifty of the men look at their weapons, finding parts of them broken or their blades dulled. "So, Genny, you want the right half or the left half?" he asked the thief over his shoulder.

"I'll take… right. And stop calling me Genny!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Still smiling, he let out a cry as he and the lady thief charged their enemies. The battle, if it could even be called that, was sort and bloody, especially after Myra managed to untie Marco and the large man had managed to get his hands on a sword that wasn't in terrible condition. When the last man let out his death cry, Garrett was covered from head-to-toe in blood, mostly the Plegians. "Now that… is what I call savagery. Wouldn't you agree, guy- OH GODS!" He fell to the ground as Myra suddenly ran up to him and delivered a swift kick to… his Sacred Stones.

"You rotten bastard!" she swore, looking down on him as he clutched at the area in agony. "If you were going to try something like that, the least that you could have done is told us! What, did you not trust Marco and I just because we're Plegians?"

Swallowing the pain and trying to hold back the tears that were forming, he shakily rose to his feet. "Look, if I can have a chance to ex- OH GODS!" He fell again as Genevieve brought up her foot from behind, causing a fresh surge of pain to go through his body. "This is because I called you 'Genny', right?" he asked, his voice an octave lower.

She made a show of adjusting her cloak. "That, and for that horrid title that you called both myself and Myra by." She sniffled slightly. "Though, I am thankful that you decided not to carry out your dreadful intentions regarding Marco and the rest of us."

Not even bothering to rise to his feet, Garrett let out a sigh. "They never were my intentions. I said and did all of those things to play the idiot and his men. I needed you all to be as believing as possible, so I decided not to clue you in. I knew that we wouldn't be getting out of here easily, so I figured, 'Hey, why not try and join them? Win their trust and then get all of us out of here, now there's a plan!' I just wished I'd known it would've cost me any chance of ever having a kid…" He doubled over slightly as a fresh wave of pain went over his body, his eyes watering. "Trust me, while I'm not exactly happy to have never been told that you two were Plegian, it doesn't really bother me all that much. Hell, I'm a bandit; I'm pretty sure that makes me the worse when it comes between you and me. Still, sorry for not clueing you in. Probably would've been a better idea…"

Marco shook his head. "No, I feel like I should be apologizing. Not for the girl's actions, as I'm pretty sure that's justified, but for not trusting you with my- our secret." He looked at the two allies that he'd somehow gathered. "If I'm willing to have the two of you protecting my back in the middle of a fight, then I should also be willing to trust you with all of my secrets, even the place where my sister and I were born and raised." He offered the fallen man a hand. "Now, I think we need to get to this monastery; I think Kale and Albert could use our help." Garrett smiled and nodded, taking the hand and rising to his feet.

*BAM*

Flexing his fingers, Marco looked down on Garrett, who was clutching at his stomach. When the bandit's eyes met his, he just shrugged. "What? The girls get a bit of payback and I don't? Just be glad I chose your stomach and not somewhere else." With that, he moved past his friend, patting him on the back, and began heading towards the monastery with Myra and Genevieve falling in behind him.

"Fair enough, fair enough…" Garrett muttered as he, slowly, followed them.


Why does death feel like normal? I mean, I would expect a bit of pain or something. I just got stabbed by a sword, so I should at least feel a small portion of agony. Unless… Am I alive?! Cracking open one of my eyes, I see that the doppelgänger's sword has stopped only inches from my heart. Looking at his face, he's wearing a satisfied smirk. "Um… what?" is all I can manage to ask.

He laughs and lets me go, gently dropping me onto my feet. "Man, never thought you'd actually try and fight against me! Ah, that was absolutely amazing! Look at you, you've finally grown a pair!" He clasps my shoulder and smiles. "Congratulations, Kale, because you've passed the test."

…WHAT?

"Wha-what test!? You just tried to kill me!" I scream. "What kind of sick, psychotic, Jigsaw-type test is that!?" He just shakes his head and lets me go before walking towards the edge of the- wait, when did those stairs appear? The sign did say Mind-Fuck City. Guess this is to be expected. Slowly, he starts to ascend them, motioning for me to follow after him. I just shake my head and trudge on after him. Surprisingly, it doesn't take me any time to reach the top and when I do, he's standing in the center of the plateau that makes the summit, his sword planted in the ground in front of him. "Okay, I want some answers. What kind of test was that and why were you testing me in the first place?"

He shrugs. "Well, to be fair, I wasn't."

"I was." The entire mountain shakes as lightning flashes all around me. My double slowly fades away into mist, leaving his sword behind, as two… really big… scary looking… glowing red eyes appear out of the storm clouds, looking straight at me. …help me… "I wished to test your courage and your determination to see if you truly were worthy of my blade." the massive figure booms. "And I am pleased to acknowledge that you have, without a doubt, passed. I deem you worthy of my blade, Harbinger."

His blade? Then that must mean- "You're Arashi?" I ask, trying to keep from fainting in terror. Seriously, I dare anyone to try and stand on a mountain that's covered in storm clouds while some giant… thing with glowing red eyes looks down on them and see how long they last. I'm actually impressed with myself. Under normal circumstances, I would've been fleeing in terror.

The eyes, or the creature that they belong to, laugh. "Yes, young warrior, I am Arashi, the Beast of the Heavens. It is a pleasure to finally be able to meet you, though my fang proved a fair enough medium for me to guide you."

"Your fang?" I cock an eyebrow. I feel my hand warming up and look down to see the sword, that I've somehow still been carrying, starting to glow a bright gold. I release it from my grip and it floats into the air, coming to rest in front of the pair of eyes. "Wait, that sword is your fang?"

The eyes bob down and up, which I'm assuming means that Arashi just nodded. "Yes, it is. This weapon was carved from a tooth that was stolen from my mouth long ago. My essence still flows within it, allowing me to use it as a medium to communicate with those who may be potential Harbingers." The sword falls to the ground, coming to a rest just in front of my double's. "Tell me, why do you think I would test my Harbinger?"

I shrug. "I don't know. Maybe to weed out someone who would use your blade for evil?"

"Yes, there is that, but there is more to it than what meets the eyes. The avatar that I created to contact you on this plane was a manifestation of your fears and desires. It's job was to test and see if you would falter in the face of death and if you would give in to your terror and accept a horrible fate. If you had chosen to live under its possession, I would have destroyed you on the spot." I hear a rumbling, though its not thunder: it's laughter. "Though, I never would have expected you to act so defiantly. No, that was truly a surprise."

"Wait, so you wanted to make sure that I wouldn't chicken out? Am I getting this right?" The eyes bob again. "Again, what's the point of that? And why would you have destroyed me if I'd chosen to live as a slave?"

"Because, one who gives into his fears and chooses to live in subjugation is weak and undeserving of power. As to the point of my test, well, tell me: do you believe someone who knows no fear is powerful? That someone who isn't afraid of anything is the ideal warrior?" I start to nod, only to realize something. If you aren't afraid of anything, then you won't have anything holding you back from doing whatever you want. You wouldn't be an ideal warrior like that, you'd be a maniac! "Ah, so you do realize the truth. Yes, a warrior who knows no fear is not a warrior but a man with power. A true warrior is the man who faces his fear and, though he may not conquer it, he will fight past it in order to achieve victory. You proved to me today that you have that quality, that you are one that knows fear but will not be ruled by it."

My mind flashes back to that day at the mansion. "But I was ruled by fear, wasn't I? I ran for my life and left my friends to die."

"But you admit your faults. Kale, no warrior is without fault, and though you may feel guilt for what you did, you should not let the past burden you. Yes, you ran from what you were afraid of, but were you not willing to trust me in order to gain the power to protect all of those around you? Wouldn't you trade your life to protect someone innocent? Someone that you care about? Is this the reason that you have fought so boldly?"

My eyes close as I remember how I'd run away. "I ran for my life that day, all because I couldn't control my fear…" I flash forwards to how I chose to reach out to the sword in order to protect the monastery. "And it was only out of fear that I chose to draw your blade…" I look up and open my eyes, feeling the warm tears rolling down my cheeks. "But you're right, I would die if it meant protecting someone!" The image of the woman who died protecting her baby flashes through my mind. "People who hurt other people just for their own selfish gain… I won't allow those people to get away so easily! If it means I can protect someone, then I would gladly lay my life on the line! That's why I first drew a blade, why I first took a life, and…" I close my eyes and sigh before walking over to where the two blades are. "And I'd do it as many times as I needed to in order to protect people. Yes, my reason for fighting is to protect others!" I hear a roar as the two blades in front of me lift into the air, both of them glowing bright gold, as they slowly float into one another, creating a blinding golden light.

"Then reach out and take the power to do just that! Fulfill your reason, your goal, with my power!"

My hand stretches out towards the golden light as the entire world fades to white.


Albert and Daven were still fighting against the Plegians, who, after Kale had fallen to the ground, had gotten their courage back and were fighting furiously. Both of them struggled to survive the onslaught of foes, often times barely avoiding a killing blow. As Albert pulled his spear from the stomach of a myrmidon, he whirled around to check on his partner when his eyes widened in shock: another swordsman, the one who had led the Plegian army, was advancing on Kale. "Daven, he's going after Kale!" he shouted.

Cutting down the fighter he'd been struggling with, Daven immediately whirled around and charged the man who was stalking towards his friend. "Get away from him!" he yelled, bringing his sword down. The man spun around and he let out a sudden cry of surprise as a sharp pain pierced his side. Looking down, he saw the blade of the man sticking into his right hip. He fell backwards as the man slid out the weapon. "N-no… this can't… I still have to find him…" he whispered as his blood slowly flowed from his body.

The man let out a laugh. "You're out of your league, boy. You would have done better than to mess with me." He turned towards Kale, a smile on his face. "And now, this bastard will learn the same thing." He raised his blade in the air, ready to bring it down, when a piercing golden light began to shine from Kale's blade. He was forced to shut his eyes as it began to glow brighter than the sun. "What the hell is this?"


"What the hell is this?" I hear Randell shout. A small smile plays across my lips as I stand up, the bandages that were tightened around my wrist falling to the ground. I'm surrounded by a ball of pure, radiant light and my body feels warm, like I've just gotten out of a hot bath. The light slowly fades away, revealing a stunned Randell and Albert. "What the- What is this!?"

I look down and my eyes widen in surprise at my new wardrobe. I have on an emerald green tunic under a golden coat that hangs down to my ankles. A large red sash with gold designs is tied around my waist, over the coat. Loose black pants and brown and black boots finish off my clothing. Raising my hands in front of me, I see that they've been covered in a silver and gold type of armored glove that exposes my fingers. "This," I start, looking up and locking eyes with Randell, "is who I am." My hand flies to my side and wraps around the hilt of the Blade of Arashi. "And I am the one who is ending this!" I draw the sword, which glows brightly for a moment before dimming down.

The sword is nothing like it was. Before, it looked like a normal short sword in its sheathe, but now, it's in a category all of its own. The blade is a bluish silver that extends from the mouth of a golden dragon with red eyes. The dragon itself is curled around the actual hilt of the blade, with the tail forming the pommel with a large green gem on the end. Even though the dragon's body forms a complete circle around where I hold the weapon, it doesn't interfere with how I hold it.

"So, this is the form my fang has taken while in your grasp. Quite interesting."

"Arashi? So, I guess you're part of this whole new ensemble, huh?"

"Consider me a guide, if you will. You do not yet know how to control your new powers as my Harbinger, and thus, will need my guidance. I might suggest that you help your friend before you engage your foe; it appears he is gravely wounded." I look down to see Daven staring up at me, his eyes wide and his face pale. There's a large gash in his side, courtesy of Randell if I had to guess. "Flip around your weapon and hold the gem aloft." Nodding, I do just that, turning over the sword so that I'm holding it in an underhanded fashion. Raising it into the air, the jewel begins to glow as a green and gold aura washes over Daven. He grits his teeth in pain but the wound quickly closes and soon, it's gone completely. "Healing, one of the many interesting abilities this blade seems to possess. However, before you begin to ponder its many mysteries, I suggest you ready yourself for battle."

I nod and turn to face Randell, my face hard. "Randell of the Dunes, I hereby accuse you of preparing to commit genocide against an entire country as well as attempting to harm my friends. What do you have to say?"

He laughs bitterly. "Boy, I don't know what you're on about. But yeah, that's my plan: to wipe Ylisse off of the maps. You want to know why? Vengeance!" he screams, clenching his fist. "The Ylisseans tore across Plegia, burning homes and killing innocent men and women. My own mother… I lost her at the same time that Gilroy lost both of his parents. On that day, we swore a blood-oath, an oath to destroy Ylisse, no matter what it may cost us." He looks at me, his eyes boring into me. "We were more than ready to die for this cause, but for him to die to you, a mere child who got a lucky shot? I will never allow that to go unpunished." He lifts his blade and settles into a fighting stance. "Now, prepare for your demise!"

I flip around the Blade of Arashi and settle into my own stance. The fighting around us seemingly stops as both sides realize that the enemy commanders are preparing to fight each other. He makes the first move, cutting overhead. I block and duck under his arm, spinning as I do so in order to position myself for an attack. Just as my blade is about to meet his exposed back, he spins around to block it, though just barely. I push forward, knocking him off balance, before spinning around and swinging my sword at his neck. He manages to guard, though the blow knocks away his guard. He realizes this as his eyes widen. I take a step backwards before dashing forwards, going past his broken guard and cutting across his exposed midsection. "That's the end of your story!" I shout, a small smile playing on my face as I realize that I just hit my first critical. Odd to be thinking of that at a time like this, but okay.

"D-damn you…" I hear him mutter. Turning around, I see him kneeling down, clutching his wound. "I-I suppose that it may not have been such a lucky strike after all… F-forgive me, my brother…" he mutters, falling backwards. I slide to catch him. "W-what are you doi-"

"Did you believe in your cause? Did you believe in why you chose to fight?" I ask. He nods weakly. "Would you change any of the things that you've done if it meant never reaching this point?" He shakes his head slowly. I offer a kind smile. "Then rest well. You've got nothing to ask forgiveness for. You fought for your reason and you fought well, as I'm sure your brother would have wished."

He chuckles weakly and tries to smile. "I-I was w-wrong about you… Y-you're n-not a b-boy… You've got t-the makings of a tr-true warrior…" He shudders once and then, he's still. I run my hand over his eyes, shutting them like I've seen done in countless movies and TV shows, and gently place his head onto the ground before standing.

"Most impressive, Kale. Not many people would give such kind words to the man who had tried so desperately to kill them."

"Even if I didn't agree with what he wanted to do, he fought because he believed in his cause, in his reason for fighting. Just as I do now. He deserved a bit of relief for his soul before he died." Looking around, I realize that I'm still in the center of a Plegian army, all of them shocked and angered that their commander is dead. "Well… we go from a touching moment to my death… figures."

A few men rush towards me, only to be stopped by a hoarse voice. "Cease your attack at once." A dark pillar shoots up from the ground, and as it disappears, the grip on my blade tightens as I recognize the mage from the mansion. "I have direct orders from King Gangrel himself, stating that in the event Randell should fall, I am to take direct command of this force and order it home. Will there be any arguments?" he asks. It's still surprising to hear him speak, though its clear that he has the entire group's attention. "Very good. Now, this will only hurt for a moment…" He holds up his hand and gathers black and purple energy into it before throwing the sphere that's formed their to the ground. All of the remaining Plegian soldiers are immediately swallowed by darkness, leaving only the monk defenders, Albert, Daven, and myself with the mage. "Now that that's been taken care of…" he says quietly, holding up his hand again.

"Wait!" Daven cries out, lunging at him. The mage snaps his fingers and disappears into a column of darkness, leaving Daven to grasp at the air. "Damn…" I hear him whisper. Before I have the chance to ask him what's wrong, he turns around and passes straight by me, a dark look plastered on his face. I start to go after him, only to hear the best sounds I think I've ever heard in my life.

"Kale!"

"I can't believe it! It's really him!"

"It is a truly divine miracle that we should be reunited."

"So, this is where you went, eh kid? Didn't think you were one for slacking off."

I turn around to see Marco, Myra, Genevieve, and Garrett all running down a hill towards me. A smile as wide as the Grand Canyon goes over my face as I rush to meet them, a single thought in my mind.

These are the people who I will protect. Them, and everyone else that I can.


Obviously, this is the longest Chapter I've written so far, and I apologize if there was too much to it, but hey, when big things happen, you get longer Chapters.

And HOT DAMN, if I didn't have fun writing this Chapter! God...This is one of the moments of my story that I've been waiting the most to write, simply because it was one of the ideas that stuck in my head for so long. I really hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it.

Now, before anyone decides to try and call me out for making Kale 'overpowered', let me say this: Yes, Kale does have a bit of a power boost, but trust me, it comes at a price. You'll all see what it is shortly, so leave the idea that I'm turning on 'God-Mode' for him at the door. ...erm, link to this story, I suppose...

One last thing before I end this little note, and I really need you people to talk to me about this: what should I do with Kale and the group? SHOULD they become Shepherds or SHOULDN'T they? Your input on this decision is seriously appreciated, as it's something I've been debating over a lot lately.

Alright, that's all I've got to say, so let's wrap this up. The Chapter's long enough without this little note here at the end. I'd like to thank each and every one of you who have come to read this story. I would like to ask if you'd kindly leave a review, as every bit of support or criticism helps big time. Anyways, I hope you all have an awesome day.