Chapter 14: Your Soul is Black and Devoid of Warmth

The sun had fully risen on the kingdom of Bern, and it was the start of a new beginning for its people. Little did they know, however, that the day of Prince Zephiel's coming-of-age ceremony almost never came. Neither did their queen, for some reason.

Eliwood and Hector were back in their lordling outfits, while Lyn changed back into Sacaen garb. The prince's coming-of-age ceremony was to be held at 1400 hours sharp, so they decided to address the queen and return the Fire Emblem in the morning, well before the main festivities took place.

"My apologies for the wait," one of the queen's attendants addressed Pent and Louise, who were leading the young lords to see her. Stretching out his hand courteously, he led them into the room.

Knowing that it would be pointless to be angry with Jaffar, Hector resumed the day as if he knew nothing of what happened the night before. While Eliwood was used to Hector's various mood swings, Lyn had expected him to wake up on the wrong side of the tent, especially with only around three hours of sleep.

"Hector is always like that..." Eliwood assured her when she questioned whether Hector was okay. "He would usually hide his feelings from us if he thinks they are harmful to the rest of us. I expect him to be cursing Jaffar and the Black Fang in his heart right now, but he won't let it out in the open."

As they walked into the manse to where Queen Hellene's office was, Hector and Lyn were both covered in goosebumps. "The queen of Bern..." Hector exhaled uncomfortably. "I know this is supposed to be a private audience, but courtly niceties aren't my strong suit." Lyn could only nod in agreement. She had caused quite a significant amount of embarassment for her grandfather while in court simply because she was not accustomed to the behaviours required for a Lycian noble-lady. Although Lord Hausen was patient, knowing that she was brought up in Sacae, the rest of the population were more inclined to gossip about the eccentric behaviour of their marquess' granddaughter.

"Ah, so you have returned!" Queen Hellene boomed regally as she greeted them. "Were you successful? Did you recover the Fire Emblem safely?"

'Nothing about how we saved the life of her son last night?' Eliwood pondered in surprise. "It is more than an honour to meet you, Queen Hellene," Eliwood returned the greeting with a bow. "More importantly, has no one told you about what happened here in the manse last night?"

"You mean something about assassins sneaking in, right?" Hellene replied dismissively. Waving her hand, she continued: "I have no time for such trifles... quickly, hand me back the Fire Emblem!"

Obediently, Eliwood pulled the blood-red gem from his pocket and presented it to her, using both arms and kneeling on one knee with marked respect. "Hahaha... without a doubt, this is the Fire Emblem!" Hellene laughed hysterically as she examined the gem. "With this... my Zephiel holds rightful claim to the succession! Now... it will never pass onto that annoying Guinevere! Mwahahaha!"

Eliwood stood frozen to the spot. 'Does she care about her son at all?' he thought to himself. "Pardon me, Queen Hellene, but..." he began when she looked at him with crazed mirth in her eyes.

"Oh yes, I had forgotten," she said quickly. "You would want your promised reward, right? Zephiel's throne has been saved, of course I'll keep my word. It was supposed to be the road to the Shrine of Seals, was it not?" Getting up, she walked over to a private cabinet and retrieved a book with directions to the shrine and presented it to Eliwood. Eliwood, however, stayed put.

"What is it?" she snapped. "Do you want more?"

Shaking his head, Eliwood looked Hellene straight in the eye. "I have a pressing question to ask you first, Queen Hellene, and I hope you'll forgive me for asking it," he told her seriously. "What is His Royal Highness Prince Zephiel to you?"

Hellene's joyous expression flicked immediately. "His Highness Prince Zephiel is your trueborn son, isn't he?" Eliwood drilled on. "Is he your son, or is he, like the Fire Emblem, nothing more than a tool for securing the throne?"

"How dare you!" Hellene screamed at him as all traces of happiness evaporated instaneously. "Such insolence! Who do you think you are talking to?"

"This has nothing to do with title!" Eliwood retorted indignantly. "You are free to possess your desires and aspirations, but your own innocent son... how could you not care when His Highness' life was placed at risk?"

With a look of confusion, Hellene could only stammer: "What do you mean? How has Zephiel been threatened?"

Watching the queen turn so sour was a very ugly scene indeed, and to the family- and clan-oriented Lyn, it was too much to bear. "Didn't you hear us?" she snapped at Hellene. "Assassins broke in last night, and nearly killed..." She was unable to continue when Eliwood suddenly raised his hand to silence her.

"Lyndis, that's enough..." he sighed in defeat. "I beg your leave, your Highness." With a swish of his cloak, he tore out of the room, Lyn, Hector, Pent and Louise all following suit. Seeing the lordlings leave, Hellene could only ball up her fists in fury.

"Stop right there!" she called. "We're not finished yet, you need to explain yourself! Someone stop those insolent children, someone!" A guard was about to go and bring them back when a purple armoured knight walked into the room and stopped him. Turning to Hellene, he bowed courteously.

"My lady queen," he greeted. "I apologise for overriding your order just now."

"Murdock!" Hellene returned the greeting in surprise. "I thought you were summoned to the castle by His Majesty the king!"

Murdock nodded in acknowledgement. "I was," he replied. "I've only just returned. One of my men informed me everything that happened last night in the manse." His expression turning dark, he continued: "There is something that I must inform you of, your Highness. Assassins from a terrorist organisation called the Black Fang broke into the manse last night. Their target... was Prince Zephiel."

Hellene felt like the roof had just caved in on her. "What?" she stammered. "Surely you're joking me!"

Murdock shook his head. "I confirmed this with Prince Zephiel and my men when I returned. According to them, he was saved by the those young people that just left the building. Aye, my lady queen, I must apologise right now. I failed in my duties and almost allowed Prince Zephiel to be assassinated." Pulling his sword from his sheath, he held it to his own neck. "On my honour as a knight, I will pay for my incompetence here!"

"Stop it!" cried Hellene as she listened to Murdock's recount in terror. "I forbid you to carry through with this!" Tears flowed from her eyes as she slumped against her seat. 'I blamed those children wrongly...' she thought to herself as shame filled every corner of her being. 'Zephiel, oh Zephiel... how your mother has failed you!'

"Is he your son, or is he, like the Fire Emblem, nothing more than a tool for securing the throne?" Eliwood's question echoed again in her mind. 'What is Zephiel to me?' she questioned. 'Of course he is my son! However... have I really acted like his mother? That boy is right... my ambitions have truly blinded me to my responsibilities! My son is truly to be pitied... his father actively hates him, and now he has me, a worthless snail of a mother who neglects him! You're also partly the reason that the king hates Zephiel so much, Hellene! If you didn't spite him so much, then Zephiel would not have to suffer so much!'

"You are not to blame, Murdock," she said after collecting herself. "Everything that has transpired is my fault. I have neglected in my duties as the queen of Bern, and as of Zephiel's mother. I truly deserve to pit into the deepest layer of hell!"

"My queen, you must not say that!" Murdock interrupted. "You have done nothing to risk Prince Zephiel's life. Had I known that the prince would be endangered last night, even if it were to cost me my life and disobey the king's orders, I would have stayed with the prince until the end!"

Hellene could only look at the ground pensively. Getting up, she walked over to the her draw and pulled out a large seal and placed it inside the book that gave directions to the Shrine of Seals. "You do not know the details, Murdock," she said finally. "I have not been the loving mother that I am supposed to be." She walked quickly from the drawer to the door, hoping that she was not too late. Turning around, she told the general: "I do not have time to argue with you know, Murdock, but I wish you to do me a favour. Those children who in here just before... I want you to pass down the command, that no soldier of Bern are to lay a finger on them in the next three days. I also want you to send Zephiel to me, I wish to talk to him shortly. Understood?"

Not completely understanding why she would give such an order, Murdock could only bow courteously in acknowledgement. "Yours will be done, your Highness," he replied. Satisfied, Hellene rushed through the door, hoping that Eliwood and his friends had not yet left.

Fortunately for the grateful queen, they had not left. Eliwood crouched on the ground with his head in his hands, cursing himself for being too idealistic and too nosy for his own good.

"Well... that's that, isn't it?" Hector sighed with marked disappointment is his voice.

"Lord Pent... Lady Louise," Eliwood groaned apologetically. "I'm so sorry... I wasted such a perfectly good opportunity, after all the trouble you went through to get it, I threw it away, just like that..."

While he was not very happy about the lost chance to get to the Shrine of Seals, Pent did not think Eliwood did anything wrong. 'I guess he's just a young man who's a bit too nice for his good,' he thought to himself. 'However, he had no ill intent behind it... he will grow to be a great leader, should he gain a bit more life experience.' "Don't beat yourself up over it," he assured the young lord. "You said nothing that I did not agree with."

"Lady Hellene has changed..." Louise sighed sadly. "Before she was married, she was a very kind woman who only wanted to be a dedicated wife and a loving mother. She and the king are ill-matched, and so she has suffered much. Now... all she is obsessed with is the succession, such a sad life..."

"Both his parents are alive..." Lyn whispered pitifully. "Yet, they're both awful, I feel so sorry for him."

"Still..." Eliwood brooded regretfully. "Even if it was justified, I really should have left it unsaid. After all, who am I to butt into other people's family business, especially that of Bern's royal family? I angered the queen, and in doing so, we've lost the aid we had in Bern."

"Oh well, it's over and done with," Hector shrugged. "There's no sense worrying about it now. We need to consider our next course of action."

They were about to leave when a strong female voice clipped the air: "You haven't lost your aid in Bern, go no further!" Turning around, they were surprised to see Queen Hellene sprinting toward them, alone.

"Queen Hellene!" Eliwood stood to attention with marked surprise in his voice. "What are you... where are your guards?"

Hellene had not sprinted as hard as she did for many, many years. Out of breath and panting, she pushed on her knees with her arms to try and catch her breath. "Your name..." she chuffed as she reached into her coat, taking out the book containing the map to the Shrine of Seals. "It is Eliwood, yes? Take this book and this seal. It is my reward to you. The book contains the map to the Shrine of Seals. The seal was a wedding present from Count Reglay from Etruria. I was saving it for Zephiel, but I believe that right now, you need it more than my son does. Furthermore, I have guaranteed that your path will remain clear for the next three days. No matter what happens during that time, Bern's forces will not move. I can make no promises about the king's personal troops, though."

"You have done more than enough," Eliwood replied gratefully. He had already lost hope that they would reach the Shrine of Seals, and was rather taken aback by Hellene's sudden change of heart. "You have my heartfelt gratitude, but, your Highness, why all of this for us?"

Hellene's closed her eyes serenely. "I want to thank you, not as the queen of Bern, but the mother of Zephiel," she said gently and compassionately, no trace of the sour, angry queen remained in her expression. "You saved my son, as well as waking me up to who am I really am. I am forever in your debt, and I also wish to apologise for my behaviour. Now... shouldn't you be going to your destination?" With this, she handed the book to Eliwood, swept her cloak and walked straight back to the manse.

Eliwood and the others could only watch Hellene walk away with amazement. "So this book is a map..." Hector mused as he examined the book in Eliwood's hands. "What is this 'seal', though?"

Opening the book, Eliwood let out another gasp of surprise. "It's a Heaven Seal!" he stammered. "To think that we could receive something so valuable..."

"She must really have listened to you then, didn't she?" Lyn finished for him. "Let's take these go as soon as possible!"

"Hold on," Pent noted. "While Louise and I would like to go as much as you do, we do have to keep to our appointment, which is to attend Prince Zephiel's coming-of-age ceremony. It would severely hurt the relations of both our countries if I declined now. Would it be okay if we departed tomorrow?" The lordlings did not think it would be too much of a hassle, so they agreed.

Back in the royal manse, Zephiel paced around the room patiently. His mother had sent for him, but for what reason? Surely she knows that he is a man now.

"Zephiel," Hellene called as she entered the room. The sight of Zephiel brought a whole new feeling now. While it used to be a symbol of her pride, it now brought her relief, regret and ruth.

"Mum, what's wrong?" Zephiel asked gently as he watched his mother's eyes sparkle as tears started forming. Hellene could only walk up to Zephiel and embrace him tightly, knowing full well how close it could have been that she would never be able to do what she was doing again.

"Zephiel... my dear, irreplaceble son..." she sobbed quietly. "You've... you've endured so much heartache because of me. I really do not deserve to be your mother..."

"That's not true!" Zephiel countered. "Without you, without father, where would I be?"

Hellene took no heed. "From this forward, I want your father and I, and your sister, Guinevere, to live as one loving family," she choked. "I am ashamed at the way I have behaved. The king may not forgive me for being the woman that I have been. However, I will make recompense for my mistakes, no matter how long. I want to change, and if I speak to him from the heart, I hope that he will understand someday. After all, we are a family."

Zephiel almost fainted in bliss. After all, isn't this what he had been praying every night for over fifteen years? "That's right!" he agreed. "He will see, we will be together as a loving family!"

o0o

The sun had set, and Prince Zephiel was now officially recognised by the Kingdom of Bern to be the heir to the throne, much to King Desmond's disappointment.

"We need to leave as soon as the sun rises tomorrow morning," Eliwood noted. "The quicker we get to that Shrine, the better. Let's get a good night of rest, so we'll be fresh tomorrow morning." He was about to order everyone to get to sleep when suddenly, Legault rushed into the room and informed him: "Bad news, Lord Eliwood! Nino just ran off by herself!"

Anxiety spread through Eliwood and Lyn like wildfire, as well as a slight sense of annoyance, while Hector would could only slam his hand into his face. "Where is she going?" Lyn asked.

"She said she wanted to see her mother for the last time," Legault replied. "I tried to restrain her, but she proved stronger than I imagined. Also, after hearing that she went alone, Jaffar followed her as well."

"I'm interested to know why she's going to meet Sonia in the dead of the night," Lyn moaned. "Nino... don't you realise that you're just sending yourself to die?"

Eliwood nodded in agreement. "I agree," he concurred. "There's no way Sonia will be moved by her feelings. We're going to have to follow them right away."

"Hold on a minute!" interrupted Hector irritably as Eliwood and Lyn rushed for the door. "Why are we even bothering? Jaffar is a killer, Eliwood. He's slaughtered our friends, I can't forgive him! I know Nino is another case, but is all this necessary? Do we need his strength so much that we must now rescue him?"

Eliwood raised his eyebrow. He knew Hector was upset that they had accepted Jaffar, but he did not expected that Hector would hate him so much that he would openly talk about it. "That's not it, Hector," he replied. "I just want those two to live on. Their lives have been so hard, and that is why I said and did what I did. My feelings were confirmed in Bern. The Black Fang are not all evil, they are just being manipulated by Nergal. Some of them must be fighting against their better judgement."

"Is that what you believe about Jaffar?" Hector retorted grudgingly.

Eliwood shrugged in response. "I'm not sure..." he answered. While he did despise Jaffar for killing his friends and barring their escape from the Dragon's Gate, he knew that not everything Jaffar did was his fault. He wasn't the ruthless monster that Eliwood had first envisioned him to be.

"You've seen how he behaves around Nino," he explained. "He seems like a completely different from the man we fought at the Dragon's Gate. He seems... to have purpose now. Before, he killed because Nergal ordered him to, he didn't know any better."

Lyn nodded her agreement. "I feel the same way," she concurred. "What do you think, Hector?"

Hector crossed his arms angrily, nose flaring as his breathing became heavy. "He has killed my friends," he heaved stubbornly, face bright red, fuelled by his fiery heart. "He is my enemy. No matter what happens, that will never change!"

"So you'll just watch them die?" Lyn questioned.

"That is not what I said!" Hector argued. "I want him to stay alive, so he can suffer for everything he has done! Are you satisfied?" Letting out a deep sigh, he went on, this time with no malice whatsoever: "I'm done, I won't do any more ranting. I'm sorry about that. You two going to come, or what?" Grabbing his axe from the table, he walked straight out of the inn, leaving a stunned Eliwood and Lyn in his wake.

o0o

Crickets were chirping as Nino stormed through the Bern countryside, her mind in total chaos. What happened in the early morning had left her completely shattered. "Why won't you just die as my Lady Sonia wishes?" Ursula had spat. While she knew Ursula was her enemy at the time, she also knew that the Blue Crow was not a dishonourable woman. She was surely telling the truth. However, if she was, then what did that mean for her? Had Sonia really ordered her death? Why would she do that? She was so troubled that she did not even hear footsteps closing in on her, only jumping when a hand reached her shoulder.

"It's very late," Jaffar said coldly. "Where do you think you're going?" Nino could only stare at him sadly, unable to say a single word. "You're going to see Sonia?" Jaffar concluded, as she nodded. "Do you know where she would be?" he asked her.

"The mountain fortress has been discovered," Nino sighed. "So, I think she would be in the other place."

"Are you talking about the Water Temple?" Jaffar questioned. "What are you going to do when you get there?"

Nino twidled her thumbs, trying to think of what to say. "I haven't told them..." she mumbled. "They're all good people, the Black Fang, so they would know that I'm not lying. Still, I want to see my mum. I want to hear the truth from her."

Jaffar closed his eyes and shook his head impatiently. "Nino..." he sighed with genuine concern. "Sentiment will not protect you from that woman." Having seen her angry rant about her own daughter first hand, he knew that Sonia was as good as her word.

"I know that!" Nino retorted. "But... she's my mother! I'm her daughter, she's the only family that I have!"

"That is something I cannot understand..." Jaffar exhaled sadly. "I won't let you go alone, if you go, I'll come with you, is that alright?" He did not even need an answer to know that she approved.

o0o

The Water Temple was another huge, imposing structure that the Black Fang had decided to use as a base. From the outside, one would easily be fooled into thinking it was a mere cave under a waterfall, but once they stepped inside, awe would grip any first-time visitors. The temple had twelve huge orifices in which water ran into the giant chamber in a controlled fashion. Four gated channels was present in each corner which drained the water away from the temple. It was here that Sonia had decided to take refuge. Looking into the water, she felt white, hot rage exasperating from everywhere in her body. The water surrounded her began to bubble as if in response. How could have everything gone so wrong? Nergal had ordered that they must have the king in their debt. It should have been a rather easy mission to undertake, considering how Jaffar was able to kill virtually anyone. Yet, Prince Zephiel's coming-of-age ceremony had clearly gone ahead, and now the Black Fang were branded enemies of the state and everyone of them were to be captured dead or alive. What could possibly have gone wrong? Her question was answered when an underling informed her of the events that happened the night before, which brought her anger to unfathomable heights.

"Nino... that failure!" she screamed as she blasted her informant into the water, killing him instantly. "I knew Lord Nergal made a mistake in her! A worthless piece of trash as she always is!" What she was unable to comprehened, however, was why Jaffar did not finish off the prince, and supposedly spared the stinking trash that her daughter was. What could have come over him? Wasn't he the Angel of Death, the most feared assassin in all of Elibe?

"Sonia," called a voice from behind her. Limstella had just warped in, the usual expression of indifference on her face.

Sonia's face soured as if someone had just poured vinegar straight down her throat. "Hmph, pay attention on how casually you call a human by her name, you stupid puppet," she spat. "What do you want?"

"Eliwood is still alive," Limstella casually informed her. "Lord Nergal's orders have not yet been fulfilled."

All the colour flushed from Sonia's face immediately. Limstella had reminded her of her negligence without any hint of accusation whatsoever, but she would have preferred it that Limstella shouted them at her. "Shut up, you abomination!" she retorted. "I know that! I know the Four Fangs are gone... but I'm still here. I will finish Eliwood and his friends with my own two hands!"

Limstella was about to wish her luck when a door slammed shut from next to them. Striding in, axe tightly in hand and shaking with fury, was the hulking form of Brendan Reed. Jan had returned with information about Sonia's past, and it was not something he enjoyed reading at all.

"Sonia, I must speak!" he called as he paced toward them. "It's about something I found..." Eyes flickering around, he saw Limstella standing next to Sonia. "Who's that?" he asked suspiciously.

Looking around, Sonia snorted with satisfaction. 'At last, something will go right for once,' she thought to herself. "Oh well..." she snickered. "I suppose it's best I was done with you now, anyway. Hehehehe... those annoying brothers were all that prevented me from acting sooner." Her heart jumped even higher when she saw Brendan's look of shock and surprise.

"I got close to you so I could take control of the Black Fang," she revealed. "Take a look around you. You don't have a familiar face to be seen, don't you? I've been replacing your little group of do-gooders with Lord Nergal's puppets, his morphs!" With this, she burst into a crazed laughter.

Brendan could only take the information with quiet acceptance. He always suspected that Sonia was up to no good, but he had always made excuses for her. Why? He did not know. 'It must be because I found her to be too sexy and irresistable...' he berated himself. He shook with fury, partly at Sonia at Sonia's betrayal, but more because of his own weakness to temptation. Now, he truly knew the danger that a woman can pose to anyone, but he also knew it was way too late.

"So... you have betrayed me," he nodded.

"It took your fucking time!" Sonia sneered. "What a fool you are, Brendan Reed! Your own sons suspected me right from the beginning! Every minute spent with you, every little caress, every night of indulgence for you... revolted me to no end! You do not know how long I have dreamt for this day!" She spat at the ground straight in front of him.

"It was all for Lord Nergal," she continued. "It was all to control the Four Fangs. Now it's over! Why don't you die for me now? Die for your beloved wife!"

With this, the full realisation that he had lost everything hit Brendan Reed, causing him to lose all composure. "Sonia, you inhuman bitch!" he roared. Raising his axe, he charged straight at Sonia, who immediately a bolt of bright-blue lightning at him, causing him to double over in agony. Walking over to him slowly, Sonia examined his seemingly incapacitated form gloatingly.

"Not so strong, now, are you, commander?" she laughed. "Oh, I'm going to make you suffer for I have been forced to go through!" When she got within a metre of the man, though, Brendan suddenly leapt at her, axe coming straight down at her head. "Oh shi-" Sonia let out a scream before attempting to dodge the attack. However, she had allowed herself to get too close to the Black Fang leader, only being able to stop her head from becoming mince-meat. However, she was not quick enough to avoid the axe altogether, with it coming down on her left shoulder, fracturing it immediately. Letting out a scream of pain and fury, she gathered as much power into her right arm as possible and sent powerful freezing magic at Brendan, freezing all of his major arteries and veins. 'Lloyd... Linus... Forgive your foolish father...' he mused to himself as he froze to death.

"Brendan Reed..." Limstella piped up greedily as she began drawing the life energy from Brendan's still warm corpse. "What magnificent quintessence! I will deliver it to Lord Nergal at once."

"Hmph!" Sonia snorted in contempt. "Don't forget who actually killed him, you dirty puppet! Make sure you tell him I'm the one who killed him!" Before she could go on, the blood and pain gushing from her injured shoulder had caught up with her, and with adrenaline quickly draining from her circulation, she doubled over and clutched it in agony.

"Why couldn't that idiot just die?" she cursed. "He had to be the leader of the Black Fang leader even to the bitter end..." She started circulating her energy toward her shoulder in an attempt to ease the pain when a loud roar of anguish filled the air.

"Commander!" Jan screamed. "No, you monsters!" Picking up his own axe, he sprinted toward the door as fast as he could, only stopping when Nino and Jaffar walked in and blocked his way.

"Uncle Jan!" she greeted cheerfully. Seeing Jan's hysterical expression, her face was replaced with look of concern. "What's wrong?"

Jan let out a scream of despair. "Nino?" he gasped. "Why have you come back? Get out of here, now! The commander... that woman..." He was immediately cut off when Sonia and Limstella both materialised in between him and Nino.

"What were you going to say about me?" Sonia growled with her hand cupped on her shoulder. Jan's heart almost jumped out of his mouth. Raising her hand, she fired a beam at his head, knocking him out immediately. However, she was not able to do it without letting out a painful grimace.

"You appear to be injured," Limstella noted. "Do you want me to take over your duties?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Sonia spat angrily. "I will never let a creature like you seize the glory that is mine! I was chosen by Lord Nergal himself, a perfect being!" Sighing in defeat, Limstella disappeared to deliver Brendan's quintessence to Nergal.

As soon as she watched the other woman dematerialise, Sonia rounded on Nino. "Nino," she growled menacingly. "You failed once again, and you've tarnished my reputation."

While Nino was drawing on her courage to confront Sonia and demand the truth from her, once she was in front of her mother, she could only cower in fear as Sonia scolded her, every ounce of courage disappearing. "Um... mum..." she began, only to receive a hard slap to her face.

"Shut up!" screamed Sonia with vitriol. "You are a thoroughly useless little girl! If only I'd known how trash you were, I would have sent you off to meet your true parents!"

Nino had expected to get beaten, as she so frequently did for failure. She would have even accepted it if Sonia killed her as punishment. However, Sonia's bile-filled revelation took her completely by surprise, and admittedly, had hurt more than any beating ever will. She would preferred if Sonia carried out her punishment like she normally. It was like she had just been hit by a tsunami. Jaws numbing, the only thing she could utter was a stunned "What?"

Sonia expression lifted as she watched Nino's expression. "Hmph, how much could the truth hurt now?" she spat. "Your true family was for generations was the most famed house of magic wielders in all of Lycia. They alone guarded the secret of dragons. Thirteen years ago, Lord Nergal and I stole that secret!"

Bam. Another giant wave had hit Nino's conscience, causing her to shake uncontrollably. "Hahaha!" Sonia continued. "No matter how wise they were, they were only human. I had held their child as a shield, and they were powerless to act! I used the child to force them to tell us everything they knew! Then, the father, the mother, and the child, were all slaughtered by my very hands!"

Nino did not know how much more she could take, in the space of a minute, Sonia had already inflicted a thousand times, no ten thousand more pain than all the beatings and scoldings in her thirteen years under her care combined. Unable to keep her posture or voice straight, she could only mutter: "I'm not your daughter?"

Sonia spat on the floor. "How the hell can something as useless as you ever be worthy of something that I am a mother of?" she growled, hate and contempt spewing out of her like a fountain. "There were two children in the family, a boy and a girl. The mother fought so desperately to save one of them, since I already killed the other, ha! She held her daughter so tightly when I killed her! That girl, Nino, was you!"

"No!" The confirmation had finally come, the one truth that she had fought so desperately to deny had finally exposed itself, causing Nino to implode with despair. Falling to her knees, she could do nothing but weep bitterly, her body shaking violently as tears flowed like the orifices of the Water Temple. Seeing the little girl completely break down, Jaffar could only feel a stabbing pain in his own chest, as if Nino's anguish was like an infectious agent that had suddenly taken hold of him as well. Squatting down, he tried his best to try and comfort her while staring at Sonia with pure loathing.

Sonia watched Nino's distraught form with great amusement. "You were still a mewling little whelp, but we took you with us," she continued, feeding off Nino's pain. "Lord Nergal thought you might be useful, so he let you live. Had it been up to me, you would have rotted away then and there! I hated the very thought of it, but it was Lord Nergal's wish that I raised you as my daughter. We were so wrong about you! Stupid and useless beyond reason, an utter bag of shit! All you did was get in the way!"

Watching Nino's broken form with nothing but pity, Jaffar finally understood what went on in her mind when she refused to kill Prince Zephiel. Getting up, he pulled his dagger straight from its sheath and pointed it at Sonia. "So that's why you wanted her dead," he whispered angrily, feeling the justice ring in his voice. "You're inhuman. Your soul is black and devoid of warmth!"

"Oh?" Sonia let out a gasp of surprise. "I've never expected to hear something like that from you, Jaffar! Before, you killed without hesitation at Lord Nergal's command, what happened to the man feared by all, my Angel of Death?"

"Nino has given me purpose," Jaffar declared. "I am no longer Nergal's killing machine, but my own man! For Nino's sake, I will kill you, Sonia!" Turning to Nino, he ordered her: "Stay back, I will take care of this woman."

Sonia tilted her head back and laughed. "Stay back?" she sneered. "How rich, how noble! Shall I pass judgement on you, as the Black Fang does with traitors? I sentence you to death!" Pointing her finger at Jan, she shot another beam straight into the injured man's gut, waking him up and eliciting a loud scream as a hole was drilled in it.

"This is just the beginning! Here is what you'll both receive as your sentence!" Sonia declared sadistically. Without warning, she fired a few more beams at Jan, causing him to blackout from the pain again.

"Stop it!" Nino cried. Standing up and shaking, she had had enough. This woman that now stood in front of her, was nothing more than a wolf in sheep's clothing. Seeing Sonia torture one of her last remaining links to the Black Fang, the one place where she has ever found happiness, pushed her over the edge. Drawing on her power, she fired a bright red but intense bolt of pure energy at Sonia, catching her off guard and pushing her back at least ten metres.

"Nino?" Jaffar gasped as he watched her eyes stare Sonia down with pure hatred. Nino was feeling it too, and she was afraid. She had never felt hate for anyone, and now it was gripping her like a storm, causing her the water around her to swirl. However, she knew that this was not the time to feel fear of hate, especially not when the hate was now a way for her to unleash her power and break herself free. The monster in front of her taken everything she had held dear away, and she would pay it all back, with interest.

"Take Uncle Jan to Lord Eliwood and the others, Jaffar," she told him with a shaking voice. "Do it before I blow up with rage!" Jaffar stared at her new-found resolve with amazement and concern. Surely someone as pure and innocent as Nino engrossed with this much hate was not a good sign? 'Then again, no-one would have expected you to feel compassion, either,' a voice countered in his head. What should he do? If he left, she would probably die to Sonia before he came back. If he stayed, she could probably lose control and destroy everything.

"I want to stay with you, Nino," Jaffar said finally. "But I understand your grief. I'll come back as soon as possible. You are not allowed to die on me." Lifting Jan up with both hands, he quickly sprinted toward the exit.

"Do you think you can escape that easily?" Sonia laughed as she pointed her right arm in Jaffar's direction, ready to blast him to smithereens. However, she was surprised, once again, when a thick ball of pure energy hit her again.

"I've had enough with you!" Nino screamed in fury as she focussed more energy into her palms. "How many more innocents are you going to hurt?" Electricity crackling from her fingers, she just could not take the anger and grief in herself any more. "I..." she exhaled at the top of her lungs. "I... I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, SONIA!" Her declaration echoed off the walls as she fired another intense wave of energy at her adopted mother. However, this time, Sonia was prepared. Waving her hand, she dispelled the blast, albeit with difficulty. 'How did this little runt gain so much power?' she wondered. 'Or has Brendan injured me so much that I couldn't use my full power?' She was right that Brendan had hurt her enough that she could not unleash her power without feeling significant pain and exhaustion. While she was miles in front of Nino in terms of fighting ability, in terms of raw talent and power, she didn't eclipse her adopted daughter at all. Even though she had never taught Nino anything, the young girl had natural ability, which augmented her inner magical strength as she aged. Even though she knew next to no techniques, one would be hard pressed to take her blasts of pure energy head on. It was like the difference between using a sword with finesse and using it with brute strength. Ignoring the pain on her shoulder, Sonia sneered evilly.

"You're going to kill me?" she snorted incredulously. "Only a disgusting trash bag like you could ever be so naive! Do you really think you have the ability?"

Nino replied by unleashing a few blasts of fire at Sonia. "Maybe not, I don't know if I can beat you even with your injury or not," she retorted loudly. "However, there is one thing I do know, and that is the fact that you and I cannot co-exist on this Earth!" As she finished speaking, she leapt from one platform to the next, continuing to draw on her hate to push more and more powerful blasts at the older woman. Sonia retaliated by firing her own ice magic at the girl, ones which were deflected. After about five minutes of trading fire, Nino was finally able to land a hard blow to Sonia's chest, causing her to scream shrilly in pain. Collecting herself quickly, she snarled with rage.

Clasping her chest with her free hand, she let out a long scream. "That actually hurt me..." she muttered. "THAT ACTUALLY HURT ME, YOU STUPID LITTLE BITCH!" Leaping at her adopted daughter, she raised her hand and raised the water around Nino, encasing her in a spherical dome. A split second later, she sent electricity coursing through her fingers and straight at the watery dome she had encased Nino in.

Blood-churning screams filled the air as the watery dome collapsed in on Nino, electrocuting her. Hearing her screams allowed Sonia to calm down somewhat. Laughing maniacally, the evil woman amped up the power in her hands, sending more lightning to zap the poor girl. "Stupid little bitch, how dare you hurt me?" she hissed angrily. She watched the little girl roll around in agony, laughing at her suffering.

Nino's mind almost exploded from the pain of being electrocuted. 'Mother, father,' she thought as she rolled around the floor. 'Your daughter is useless, I'm so sorry.' However, another voice popped into her head. It was her own voice, but loud and confident.

"You are better than this, Nino!" it called. "How can you face your parents in the afterlife if you die here? How will they be avenged? Fight back! That woman robbed you of your family, she robbed you of your friends! Remember all the pain she's caused, and make that your power!" Gritting her teeth, she focussed as much of her power into the centre of her body as possible. Pushing as hard as she can, the lightning streaming from Sonia's hands were slowly pushed back, allowing her to stand up. She focussed her power again, and launched another concentrated wave of energy at Sonia, this time taking her completely by surprise, flinging her across the room and slamming her against the back wall. Exhausted of all her energy, Nino could only collapse onto the ground, breathing heavily.

Getting up from where she was, Sonia's fury had shot through the roof. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, she slowly hobbled across toward Nino's lying form, gathering her power as she did so.

"You little slut... how dare you... how dare you!" she rambled hoarsely. "How dare you do this to me, the perfect specimen!" Raising her hand, she was about to fire the finishing blast at the little girl before a foot made contact with her face, kicking her away. Jaffar had returned.

"Rotten woman... you will not hurt Nino," he growled. "Nino, are you okay?" While Nino had collapsed on the floor, she was still conscious, only lacking the energy get up. "How's Uncle Jan?" she asked softly.

"He's safe," Jaffar replied. "Eliwood and the others are tending to them now. They are just outside, fighting with Sonia's reinforcements." Turning straight back to Sonia, he leapt at blinding speed at the older woman. While Sonia would have the edge if she were not injured, after taking Brendan and Nino's assaults had slowed her down considerably. Unable to defend herself, she quickly succumbed to a stab to the chest by Jaffar.

"The Fangs let none escape," Jaffar declared coldly before closing in for the final blow. However, just as he was about to follow through, Nino called out to him: "Wait, Jaffar! Don't kill her just yet!"

Turning around, Jaffar looked her in absolute incredulity. 'Don't kill her?' he wondered. 'Wasn't that what you were trying to do all this time?' Raising her arm, Nino requested quietly: "Can you please help me up Jaffar? I want to see what she has been reduced to." Curious on what she meant, Jaffar walked straight up to Nino and helped her into a sitting position.

"How do you feel, Sonia?" Nino whispered with clear exhaustion. "How does it feel to suffer?" Sonia replied by coughing up a large mouthful of blood. Turning to Jaffar, Nino continued: "Jaffar, she's not long for this world. I think her pride would be destroyed by what has happened today. Let her live her last few moments in humiliation, okay?" With this, she used up all her remaining energy and fainted in his arms.

"You... bitch! How dare you!" Sonia growled with gritted teeth. Try as she might, she could not move an inch closer to the unconscious girl. Picking Nino up, Jaffar stared at Sonia with utter contempt.

"Disgraceful woman..." he snorted. "Be thankful Nino has allowed you live this extra bit longer. If it were up to me, you would be suffering in hell right now." Spitting in her face, he turned around and walked out of the Water Temple, leaving Sonia suffer her last moments alone.

Not long after Jaffar and Nino left, Limstella returned from sending Brendan's quintessence to Nergal.

"Leave me... alone... you accursed puppet..." Sonia spat. "Lord Nergal... help me..." Seeing Sonia's pitiful form crawling around on the floor, Limstella could shake her head in an artificial emotion that was closest to what humans called contempt.

"You are no longer of any use to Lord Nergal," she declared. "Puppets have no essence to harvest."

The words that came out of Limstella's mouth, the words that were said with no emotion whatsoever, cut Sonia deeper than any blast or blade that Nino and Jaffar used against her. "What did you say?" she screamed hoarsely. "I am a human, the perfect being! What do you mean?"

Turning her back on Sonia, Limstella replied coldly: "Think about the rest for yourself," before disappearing. "Wait!" Sonia called, tears of frustration and humiliation finally welled up as she breathed her last.