Oh ho! An update, finally! Nothing much to say here, although there is one thing. I decided I couldn't possibly fit the battle all in one chapter, so I'm splitting it up. Other than that, here's chapter twenty-one. Enjoy.

Ike ran over bodies and under arrows as he dashed across the battlefield. He had slid off his horse as soon as he'd entered the fray, intent on making his way to where he knew Soren would be waiting. He dodged a lance thrust from a black clad soldier, a risk of playing an enemy general, and quickly slipped around the man.

There was no time, no time at all; he had to find Soren and then move onto the next part of the plan. Ike's eyes widened as he caught sight of a flaming head of red hair before it disappeared into a sea of black once again. That would be Eliwood, or Kent, either way it should get him where he needed to be. As he moved farther into the ranks of Pherae's army, he began seeing familiar faces, men who served in the highest guard. They let him pass, recognizing him unlike the common foot-soldiers.

After a moment Ike came to a stop, tapping on a familiar shoulder.

"Ike!" Wil said, lowering his bow as he saw who it was, "Great saints, we were wondering if you were in there or not!"

"It took me longer than I thought to get out, where's Soren?" he answered.

Wil cocked his head to his right as he began to lead him through the sea of shouting faces, "Over there, with Eliwood."

The pair stopped as they neared a small thatch roof house. Wil opened the door, ushering the taller man in before closing it quickly. Inside Eliwood, Ninian, and Soren were gathered around a table, a map laid out before them. Soren was bent, drawing furiously with a piece of charcoal as he spoke.

"From what Jaffar and Volke have told me, their forces are the weakest near the mercenary barracks. It seems odd, but the soldiers are unwilling to mingle with them, and the mercenaries are only just getting organized."

The mage stopped as Eliwood and Ninian looked up and then turned to follow their gaze. Ike watched a small glimmer of relief flash in Soren's eyes before he snapped back to his emotional stonewall.

"Ike, good to see you, what news do you have?"

Ike spoke quickly, "Zephiel has joined us for now, but we need to deal with Faust and Adelaide before we can help him."

"Faust will be easy," Soren said as he walked to the window, his eyes searching the sky. "Adelaide will be the difficult one."

Ike too glanced out the window. She wasn't hard to find, red hair flying as she circled the urban battlefield. For each time her arm drew back a man fell beneath her, an arrow in his throat.

"How will we do it?" Ike asked.

Soren said nothing, but held out a hand towards Eliwood. The man reached into a pack at his side and withdrew a Bolting, handing it to the mage. Eyes narrowed, Soren leafed through the pages until he stopped near the middle of the book.

"We'll do it with this, now go," he said, gesturing with a hand as he began to chant.

A bolt appeared, barely missing Adelaide as she rolled to the side and scanned the ground for the offending spell caster. Ike saw what Soren wanted and raced towards Adelaide as another bolt thundered, driving her closer to the ground. Whenever she tried to fly higher, a bolt struck, forcing her to dive towards the earth. She could do nothing about it.

Now she was close, close enough for what Soren had in mind, and so was Ike. He leapt, rolling through the air as he tore through both of her mount's wings, causing it to fall the short distance to the ground. Ike turned as he landed and barely dodged an arrow. Adelaide had not even blinked, nor did she question his sudden betrayal. She simply notched another arrow and released. Ike's shoulder jerked as he dodged, feeling the force of the shaft glance off his armor. He leveled his sword at the sniper, who slid off her wyvern, face unreadable.

She advanced, firing arrow after arrow as Ike too drew closer, violent shafts of light screaming across the battlefield with each swing of his sword. The pair met in an open space on the cobblestone road, carved out by the intimidation they cast over all those around them. Ike swung, the blade clipping Adelaide's shoulder as she dropped before lunging forward.

Ike found himself breathless as she ran into him, knocking him to the ground in a feat of strength that he doubted even Boyd could match. He quickly found his sword arm pinned, and a pair of stoic eyes gazing into his before she bashed her forehead into his face. He heard his nose crack, but felt nothing as he bellowed, heaving her off to one side.

Ike got to his feet as Adelaide came at him again, this time feet first with a dropkick aimed at his ribs. He sidestepped and swung down, intent on removing her feet, armor and all, but the blow was off. He felt the sword's edge bite into her armored greaves, but the force of Adelaide's attack redirected too much of the strike's power. As she got to her feet though, Ike caught the faintest hint of a limp. He had at least sprained her ankle.

Ike swung again, dropping Ragnell to the ground this time as he following up with an elbow to Adelaide's face, repaying her twice over for his broken nose as he felt her cheek bone crumple under the brutal attack. Her head snapped back as she vaulted into a back flip and Ike shouted involuntarily as he watched her land, an arrow already leaving the bowstring. He could do little else but drop to the ground, and be glad the arrow caught him in the chest plate instead of the stomach. He felt the breath driven from his lungs for a second time, and knew he would have quite the bruise to show off when this was all over.

As he rolled onto his knees he felt something cut into his neck and a foot on his back force him back down. His head kicked back, neck extended far beyond its usual range of motion as a taut bowstring bit into his skin. Ike coughed violently, his fingers clawing at the makeshift noose around his neck. Forget choking him to death, Adelaide was going to behead him with nothing more than a bow if she pulled any harder; the only good thing was this meant she had finally run out of arrows.

Ike reared up, stretching farther than he thought his back could, and wrapped his fingers around the bowstring as he came back down, pulling Adelaide off balance. She flipped over him, sprawling on the ground as she landed on her injured ankle. Ike rose, gasping as he tackled her, Ragnell forgotten in the dust. He pulled back a fist before dropping his armored forearm across her neck, driving her against the cobblestone.

Adelaide's face went pale before Ike felt a leg wrap around his neck from behind, prying at him until he was forced to let go. The two rose, ragged and bleeding as they eyed each other. Ike gasped, his hand at the deep cut in his neck while Adelaide's fingers absentmindedly brushed her swollen cheek. They hadn't said a word to each other the entire time and Ike doubted they would.

Ike bent, pretending to reach for a knife in his boot, and rolled towards Ragnell as Adelaide rushed him. Ike picked up his blade and whirled around, tossing it high into the air before simply charging Adelaide. He caught her across the midsection as she hesitated, trying to decide if she should be watching the sword or Ike. He hauled her up off her feet and threw her away, catching Ragnell as it came down.

This was it. Ike ran towards her as she tried to stand, his arm drawn back as he readied himself for a thrust. At least, that's what Adelaide thought. As Ike came close enough to strike he leapt back, and Adelaide followed him. She had forgotten Soren, and as the lightning bolt crashed into her Adelaide dropped to the ground, convulsing as her eyes rolled back into her head, her armor melting at the entry point of the bolt.

Ike watched her until she grew still, motionless on the ground, armor smoldering. An angry burn covered her right shoulder, laid bare by the force of the strike, and the scent of singed hair masked all others. Her red locks were frayed and split; they clung together with blood, dark and dried from the heat of the blast. Ike felt his stomach rise into his chest as he approached, for all the difficulties she caused him the thought of killing her rankled him. She looked too much like Titania. But as he watched her chest plate, rising and falling with the each shallow breath, he knew he would have to.

Standing over her head he took a reverse grip on Ragnell, holding it high above his head before letting his arms fall. Its wide, teardrop tip cleaved her head off evenly and Ike turned, not wishing to dwell on the shallow victory. He found himself hoping Soren was right; he did not want to be that involved in Faust's death.

As he began to make his way back he was suddenly in the house, standing next to Soren.

"Priscilla is waiting for you," the mage said, raising an eyebrow at the deep gash on Ike's throat.

Ike looked around and spotted Priscilla next to Ninian, a rescue staff in her hands. She was spattered with blood and grime, but her face held a serene smile just the same.

Ike sighed, "Thanks for the help. Now, and back there. She just didn't want to die."

"It was a bit of a waste," Soren replied.

Ike's brow cocked, Soren never mourned an enemy's death, not in the entire time he had known him.

"Two whole Boltings, wasted," the mage continued, leafing through the tomes, all the pages now blank.

He tossed the books into the empty fireplace and walked back over to the table, examining the map once again. Ike just shook his head and made peace with Adelaide's death. Soren never failed to put things into perspective.

"Ike, you're swaying," Priscilla said.

As Ike looked at her he realized she was right. Plus, now there were two Priscillas. Or was it Priscilli? Ike shook his head; his mind went to the strangest places sometimes.

"I can't focus either," he added, making his way over to the table. "Lost too much blood."

The Priscillas nodded in agreement, "I wish I had a staff for that."

She took a Recover from her pack, and as she held it over him Ike felt the fatigue flee before its pale, blue light. His limbs stopped shaking, and the gash shrank until it was nothing more than small, white line. He still felt drained, but that was something only time could heal.

"Oh dear…"Priscilla said, and Ike suddenly felt heavier as she brought the healing process to a halt.

"What?" he asked, looking at her over his shoulder.

"Your nose," she said, "I didn't realize you'd broken it."

"Feels fine to me," Ike offered, reaching up to touch his face.

As his hand touched his nose, though, he stopped. It felt wrong. It felt...sideways.

"It healed the wrong way," Priscilla said, her brow furrowing as she considered her options. "Come here. I'll have to re-break it."

"What?"

Ike barely had time to register what she'd said before one of her small, delicate hands gently gripped his nose, and then nearly wrenched it off. Involuntary tears filled his eyes, even as he felt the welcome relief of her staff.

"I'm sorry," she said after a moment, her lips holding onto a small frown. "I wish there was a better way to do that."

Ike reached up and felt his nose, eyeing the small cleric warily-he had hardly been expecting that from her. He had little time to think, though, as Wil came bursting through the door.

"Priscilla, we need you back outside. Raven's taken an arrow to the side and he refuses to leave the front."

"Raymond, so stubborn…" she murmured, gathering up her staves and following the archer out the door. Priscilla's face was overcast with worry, and Ike wondered if Mist looked the same whenever he was gone.

"Better?" Soren asked, looking up from the table after Priscilla had left the small house.

"Yes," Ike answered, rising from his chair and looking over the map. "What's next?"

"I don't know," Soren answered, surprising them all, "but I will in a moment."

The mage moved to the window once again and shortly Marcus appeared, covered with mud and gore. The paladin dismounted quickly and slipped into the building.

"What's the state of Faust's mercenaries?" Soren asked after the man had greeted Eliwood.

Marcus shook his head, saying breathlessly, "Not good. I don't know how, but he's managed to get inside the keep with about half of them. The good news is it seems he left the rookies outside, your group should still be with him."

"Nasir will have made sure of that," Ike answered, "but we need to figure out how to get in there. I told him not move until we were inside the keep, I didn't want him blowing his cover if this was a lost cause."

"The gates are open, are they not?" Ninian asked.

"You can't see the gates from here, but there's a wall of soldiers we have to get through, and never will at this rate," Ike answered.

"I think Nasir will handle that too," Soren said. "You may have ordered him to wait for you, but he's not stupid. He can judge for himself if this is a winning battle."

Ike shook his head, "I don't think we can count on Nasir to do our job for us-"

He was cut off as a frenzied cheer rocked the foundations of the small house. Looking out the window, he saw Pherae's forces were all looking in the same direction, towards the rear of the city.

Exiting the house, the four saw men pouring through the city's main gates, all wearing the same charcoal black armor. At the head of the company rode a man, his blue hair standing out clearly in the mass of dark colors. With a lofty war cry, Hector hoisted his Wolf Beil high above his head and the soldiers surged forward.

"He didn't bring Armads," Eliwood said thoughtfully, more to himself than anyone else.

"Was he supposed to?" Ike asked.

Eliwood looked unsure of himself as he answered, "I told him it was his choice, but I was bringing Durandal. We don't know what Ephidel has planned; I thought it best to bring it. And considering Ephidel himself was after it, I thought the safest place would be at my side. Hector must have thought otherwise."

Looking away from the Marquess, Ike found the men were close enough so that he could see their faces, all set in the same defiant shout of men charging into battle. The group watched as Hector thundered by, only to whip his head around after catching sight of Eliwood. He looked from Eliwood to the gates of the keep, and after a moment turned around and headed back towards the house.

"What's going on?" he demanded, dismounting as he neared the group, "Why aren't you out there fighting?"

"Hector, we, or at least you and I, cannot be flippant with our identities. Bern had no idea who's attacking them, and it would be best if it stayed that way," Eliwood answered.

Hector looked incredulous, his head swiveling to look at the keep gates again, "Then why are we here at all? Couldn't we have let them do all the work?"

Eliwood shook his head slowly, "No. There may be something we are needed for…and there may be not. Why didn't you bring Armads?"

"It's sealed away, Eliwood, not to be disturbed. Unless Ephidel has made a Dragon's Gate in the blasted courtyard I doubt we'll need it," Hector scoffed.

Eliwood cast a glance at Soren dubiously, who met his gaze with mild interest.

Hector's eyes widened, "He hasn't, has he?"

"No," Soren answered slowly, "but we think he may have found one elsewhere. Based on what Volke told me he may have been planning to put it to use much later, but he could still turn to it now. If he's allowed to escape the castle, and if he has found a gate and he manages to reach it, leaving Armads behind will have been a dreadful mistake."

"Well then, we won't let him escape the castle. Does anyone have a scarf?" Hector inquired, looking around the group.

Eliwood looked like he knew where the request was leading. "Why?"

"I said he's not escaping and I meant it. I'm not sitting here like some useless oaf while everyone else does my work for me. If only Matthew was here, he'd have something I could use...this will do."

Hector pulled a cloak out of Eliwood's travel bag, donning it over his cape and armor.

"There," he said, pulling the hood up over his face, "No one will know the difference. Let's go."

"Hector!"

The group turned in the direction of a new voice to find Lyn, striding towards them with Guy, Oswin, and Serra trailing behind her. It seemed Hector's plans would have to wait.

"Hector, I told you Eliwood would be at the rear of the army," she said, coming to a stop and staring up at her husband. "You can't rush in as you please. This isn't like three years ago; you represent Ostia, and all of the Lycian League."

"I know that, did you not notice the hood?" Hector said, gesturing to his newly adorned headwear.

Lyn huffed impatiently and turned to Eliwood, "He's been like this the whole way here. Should we go inside? I'm sure there are things to discuss before we can do anything else."

"Yes there are," he said, looking apologetically towards Hector. "We can't just run in, yet."

Lyn grabbed Hector's arm and directed him into the house, which was by that point getting more than a little crowded.

"What's to talk about? We can't just sit here and wait," Hector grumbled, leaning against the wall and staring out the window towards the men at the gates. As far as he was concerned if he wasn't doing it, it wasn't getting done.

"We won't, with Ostia's forces here is won't be long before we get through the gates. We'll have to move fast then," Soren answered.

"Speaking of fast," Eliwood said, "You must have double timed the whole way here, we left days before you."

"Don't remind me," Hector said, "I'm sure I have riding sores. I just can't feel them yet. But getting back to the point, why do we have to hurry once we get through the gates? We've got Bern running scared; I'm surprised this is going so well."

"We have them unprepared, not afraid. They had no idea this was coming and they don't know how many forces we have. Do you know how many we have?" Soren asked, an eyebrow arching slightly.

"Uh…"

"About a third of what Bern has," Soren continued. "Once all our forces get inside the keep, it will be clear who would win if we don't finish what we came to do and withdraw as soon as possible."

Hector raised his hands in surrender, "All right, all right, then what's the plan?"

"That depends," he answered, turning to Ike, "You said Zephiel has joined us for now. What's he doing?"

"As far as I know he's looking for the king."

Soren closed his eyes a moment, thinking before laying out his plans, "Ephidel will be looking for the king as well. We've known from the start that he would eventually do away with Desmond, he will use this as a chance to act. We need to find Ephidel before he gets to him, assuming he hasn't already."

"I would like to look for Matthew," Hector added. "He didn't return by the time we left Ostia, and I have a bad feeling about it."

Soren frowned; another person to find would not make their job any easier.

"Fine, we'll split up. Eliwood, you look for Ephidel and Desmond. Take Ninian, Oswin, and Serra with you. Hector, you can look for Matthew, take Lyn and Guy. Ike and I will help Nasir deal with Faust. Hector, if either of us completes our first objective, we'll move on to the search for Ephidel."

"Fine, but we should meet up before looking for Ephidel. We can't all be wandering aimlessly around the castle," Hector answered.

Soren nodded, "The throne room, that's central enough, and with any luck Desmond will be there. And remember, if you find Ephidel Limstella will be nearby."

Silence fell over the room at this. They had never dealt directly with Ephidel, but other than Ike and Soren they all remembered Limstella. She was a terror, a twisted creation of men. Her power had been so great it destroyed her, and like a recurring nightmare she was back.

After a moment Eliwood spoke, pushing the issue aside for the time being, "Hector, did Kent and Sain make it back?"

The big man nodded and his face darkened, "Fiora too. It was quite the adventure they had." He spoke without humor.

"Where are they?"

Hector pointed out the window. Eliwood smiled, "I should have known they would jump into battle as soon as possible."

Hector shifted, not quite sure what to say. Even he could tell this would be awkward to say aloud. In the end, he just said it.

"They're not in battle; they're still making their way here. They lagged behind the army…Sain's not doing so well."

Eliwood looked up, startled. "What do you mean?"

"Sain was given a tome, and told to deliver it to someone. He won't let anyone touch it and he's acting like a madman. Jumping at shadows, staring at things that aren't there..."

"Who gave him this tome?"

Hector looked over at Lyn before answering, "Bramimond. And that's the second half. He's dead, Eliwood."

Eliwood blinked, and sagged into a chair, "Dead? Dead…like…"

"Like Athos predicted. I wasn't expecting it either."

Eliwood frowned, "What are they supposed to do when they get here? With Sain half crazed they'll have to watch him."

Hector shrugged, "We were hoping that would just work itself out. We couldn't leave them behind. Crazy or not, Sain's supposed to give it to someone."

"This is so…I mean, how? How could Bramimond—wait, never mind," Eliwood said, holding up a hand, "Don't tell me, it will only give me more to think about."

Hector turned away, looking out the window again. He knew what Eliwood meant. Learning all the details would only preoccupy his mind when he was supposed to concentrating. Even the thought of Bramimond's death was jarring; Hector knew it would have driven him crazy to know he'd died without knowing how. But Eliwood was different; his friend had a measure of self-control he would never understand. Even now, Eliwood had probably moved onto the problem at hand. Eliwood was good like that; he wouldn't let it get to him.

But Hector was wrong. As Eliwood stared at the flimsy, oaken door, he suddenly felt unnerved. Athos' predictions were coming true, not that he had expected otherwise, but something felt wrong. Was this the dark star rising from Bern? Were they to be the children of Roland who would once again save Elibe? Or was this something else, a precursor to a much bigger catastrophe?

Eliwood never decided, for at that moment another roar shook the small building.

"They're through," Soren said, opening the door and running out into the streets of Bern's castle town.

They wasted no time following the mage as he dashed towards the castle gates, which were now wide open. From what they could see, there was a battle on two sides of their army. One in the front, where Bern was still trying to beat them back, and one to the left, where the second half of Faust's mercenaries had finally managed to go on the offensive.

Quickly they melted into the army, deep hoods obscuring their faces as they made their way through the gates like any other soldier. As soon as they were through Soren led them away and along the castle wall until they were huddled in a corner between the ramparts and one of the castle watch towers.

"You all know what to do?" Soren asked, looking around the small circle.

After a round of nods he pointed towards the castle, "Then go. I give it an hour before this plan turns against us."

And with the mage's final warning, they scattered.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Eliwood ran towards the castle, Ninian, Oswin, and Serra close behind. Hector followed for the moment, and Ike had run off towards the gates once again.

"Hector," Eliwood said, looking at the castle doors and then towards his friends, "look how heavily they're guarded, we won't get in like this."

Hector held up a hand, pointing towards the castle doors, "Yes we will."

Eliwood looked back towards the castle as Faust came tumbling out. He slammed down onto the stone stairway, rolling halfway down before jumping to his feet and directed a dazed stare towards the castle doors. Following him out came Nasir, his gaze fixed on the mercenary general, and the rest of the Greil Mercenaries soon after.

"They're making their move on Faust, go now!" Hector hissed.

The group ran for the doors, which had now joined the rest of the battlefield in disorder as the guards no longer knew who they were guarding them from.

"Shouldn't we help them? They're right there," Eliwood asked, parrying a lance blow before thrusting through an unfortunate soldier's breast plate.

"That's not the plan, Ike will handle Faust," Hector growled, barreling over three soldiers with a single, massive swing.

With a final push they nearly fell through the doors, and were suddenly alone. The battle that raged outside seemed reluctant to disturb the stillness within the castle. Eliwood glanced about the great hall. It was enormous, with great stone pillars stretching up towards the distant ceiling. His eyes strayed across that ceiling, examining the scenes of war and victory etched into its surface, until his gaze made its way to the huge doors at the hall's end. That had to be the throne room.

"Well, this is where we part ways."

Eliwood looked away from the towering doors as Hector spoke. The man was looking off to their right, towards a staircase that spiraled down, into the torch lit bowels of the great castle.

"Remember what Soren told us," Eliwood warned.

Hector nodded, waving away the comment like a bothersome horsefly, "Yeah I remember. We'll be in and out before you know it. Save some of Ephidel for me; you act like a pious idealist, but we've all seen you with that monster of a sword."

Lyn smacked Hector's arm and Eliwood laughed, but it was humorless, and his smile did not reach his eyes.

"Just get going. And when you're done, the throne room's right there."

He jerked his head towards the large doors at the end of the hall. Hector nodded his understanding and made for the staircase, Lyn and Guy close behind. Eliwood watched as the staircase swallowed them up, and then looked around his own group.

"Right, I don't need to remind you how badly we're pressed for time. However, rushing in would be a bad idea."

Oswin thumped the haft of his lance on the stone floor, "True enough, but what are we supposed to do then? Inch the doors open, and hope we can slip in unnoticed?"

"Not quite. We never saw the throne room the last time we were here, but if it's anything like our own there will be balconies around the room's upper level. We need to find one of those, there should be separate staircases outside the throne room leading to each of them."

When no one objected Eliwood started down the hallway, his boots thumping softly on the carpeted walkway. Just before reaching the doors he veered to the right, walking along the wall until he came to a banner that hung from the ceiling all the way to the floor. Silently he pulled it aside, revealing a stone staircase leading up to another level of the castle. The others filed in, making their way up the stairs, and as Eliwood let the cloth fall back into place darkness enveloped them.

"Why aren't there any torches?" Serra asked.

"They would only use these balconies during important events, coronations and such," Eliwood answered, feeling Ninian's hand on his shoulder, "When they're not in use the servants probably don't bother lighting them. Which is all the better for us."

He stopped speaking as they came to the top of the staircase. Another banner hung in front of them, and as Eliwood carefully pulled it aside they saw a small terrace overlooking the throne room. Big enough for perhaps ten people, it extended a short ways out into the room. From where they stood then nothing but the ceiling and far wall could be seen. Sounds, however, drifted up from the room below; shouts, the clamor of swords, and a laugh.

Carefully the group crept towards the railing, crawling to where they might see duel below. As two figures came into view, Eliwood heard a sharp intake of breath on his left.

"Isn't that the king?" Serra whispered, and pointed towards one of the two men holding swords. The other was Zephiel, and as Serra had pointed out, he appeared to be fighting his father.

"Yes…" Eliwood answered, trailing off as his eye found another figure, lying motionless in front of the throne.

This time it was Eliwood who hissed as he drew breath, suddenly realizing what was going on. "No. No, that's not Desmond. Look there, in front of the throne."

"Is that—who is that?" Oswin muttered. He knew who it was, but he also knew it couldn't be.

Ninian's face darkened, and she looked from one to the other. "Ephidel…that one fighting with Zephiel, it's him. I can feel it, he is unnatural."

"Made himself king has he?" Oswin grumbled. "Well, what's the plan?

Eliwood watched Zephiel, parrying blows that would have broken a lesser man's wrist and striking back even harder. "For now, we wait. Zephiel may be able to handle this."

"Are you sure?" Oswin asked, trying to hide his surprise. "It's Ephidel, not some faceless morph."

"Yes, I'm sure. And besides that…it's as I said before. Zephiel is dangerous to us as well. It would be best if he didn't have to know of our involvement at all. He's smart, and merciless to enemies. He may be with us now, but he won't like the fact that someone spit in Bern's face and got away with it. Right now he thinks all this is Ike, but if he finds out who's really behind it he may use it to justify a war with Lycia."

"I thought it was Desmond you were wary of."

"I am. But Zephiel can't be ignored."

"We're pressed for time," Oswin reminded him.

"Yes we are, but this is important. Five minutes, that's all we'll need to tell how this is going to end."

Oswin said nothing and settled down to watch the pair below them. Back and forth, up and down; Zephiel and Ephidel were a spinning mess of blades and bodies as they moved around the throne room. Eventually though it was as Eliwood had said. Zephiel's strength was beginning to flag, his strikes held less authority, and his arm shook after each parry.

Finally they saw it, Ephidel lunged forward and as Zephiel turned away he faltered, the sword catching him across his upper arm. The cut was superficial, but as his white sleeve became stained with red Eliwood knew the time had come.

"Stay here until we need you," he whispered, looking back at Serra and Ninian.

Then with a skip and jump he vaulted over the railing and clung to the closest banner. Sliding to the floor, he drew his sword and charged, knowing Oswin was right behind him. There was no time to talk, no time to register the look of surprise on Zephiel's face or the look of disdain of Ephidel's. There was only time to fight.

Perhaps you can see why I split it up. There are just so many things to do with each group, the chapter would have been hideously long. Some of you may have liked that, but I doubt anyone would have liked how long it took to update that. Assuming you crazies still like this, for some reason or other. So, if you have the time drop me a review, I would love to know how I did. Otherwise, see you next update.

Twilight Rurouni