Disclaimer: Heh, one of the last for FE7! …It saddens me somewhat, leaving Elibe for a long time…I won't get back to it for a while… So I don't own it, but you knew that, didn't you?

There's something special about the ocean. The limitless depth, the endless length, the fierce storms, the gentle breeze. A place of possibilities. A place of adventure. No rules, bounds or restraints. Just…sailing. The peaceful waves and breeze were blowing this day. Not a care in the world.

For nearly everyone one on Elibe except on the Darvos.

Sailing to victory or death…that was the fate of this company.

The fate of the world.

Not an easy burden to carry, not at all.

Not one Cormag wished to carry.

Cormag wasn't one to be the hero. He wasn't the type. Eliwood, now he was the hero, almost right out of the epics. Cormag preferred to be that side character who takes you a few moments to think of. The side character that is important enough to be remembered, but unimportant enough to be forgotten.

The sea was a way to forget your troubles. At least that's what the sailors say. Cormag believed that to be true, having experienced it now.

At least, up until Corvus and Cynthar marched over to Cormag.

Cormag, who was sitting next to the railing of the boat, eyes closed, sighed as he heard their footsteps. He groaned as he got up with annoyance.

What do they want? I wasn't looking like I wanted to talk, why would they come disturb me?

-Because of me, remember? You told Cynthar you would explain me once Corvus was here. Better get your wits together kid.-

Cormag opened his eyes to see the familiar figures of his two friends. They stood in silence for a few moments before Cynthar spoke up.

"So…you promised to tell us about this…Vincent. We're all ears now Cormag," Cynthar said looking genuinely curious. Corvus wore the same expression, but with slight puzzlement mixed within.

Cormag sighed, this will be difficult. He opened his mouth to speak, "Well…Vincent is…no, that isn't right, he's…damn, this is annoying. I'll just show you." Cormag held his hand facing up in front of him. He glanced to see if no one was watching, no one was. He willed Vincent into his palm, and sure enough, in a red glow, Vincent appeared in his hand.

Cynthar's eye widened, Corvus gasped. It was understandable, a red, jagged rock appeared in front of them. Not something they saw every day.

"This is Vincent," Cormag began. Thankfully, Corvus and Cynthar seemed to be holding their questions, "He is…was a hero from a thousand years ago. Now, his consciousness lies within this gem: The Flame Jewel. He has power over fire obviously. He knows the future and was sent by the gods to help me in my quest to save the three continents…whatever those are. You were probably expecting something different, but there you are."

Cynthar and Corvus were quiet. It certainly didn't sound believable when Cormag said it, he should have let Vincent explain.

Cynthar broke the silence, "Well, I did not expect that. A hero you say? A war or peace hero?

Cormag slightly grinned, "War."

Cynthar nodded. How the hell did he just accept this? Cormag guessed being around Nergal so long made these things believable. Corvus was different.

Corvus shook his head, "Interesting joke mate, not one I'd expect from you to-," he was cut short by Cormag's hand lighting on fire.

And not burning him.

Cormag could feel Vincent taking control. Vincent said with his calm voice, one that a good leader would possess, "Believe us now?"

Corvus tried to form words, but could only come up with, "Am I talking with a rock?"

Vincent's grin could be heard in his voice, "Interesting reaction. I didn't expect you to say that. But really, do you believe us now?"

Corvus was still having trouble speaking, "How?...That doesn't…when?..."

Vincent sighed, he reached with Cormag's arm and grasped Corvus' arm. To the casual passerby, nothing out of the ordinary was happening. But Vincent was putting his gem-like form into Corvus' mind. Corvus went completely still while Cormag stumbled. He wasn't used to not having Vincent in him. It was disorienting.

Cynthar had stood by watching for the most part, but when Corvus went still, he asked Cormag, "What the hell just happened?"

"I…think Vincent is within Corvus' mind, look at his eyes."

Indeed, Corvus' eyes were a dark red. The same color as Vincent. Suddenly, Corvus' arm shot out and grasped Cormag's.

The feeling was strange. The swordmaster's arm was vibrating…but it wasn't. He could see it staying still. His mind went fuzzy. Then refocused. Suddenly, Vincent was back.

What did you show him?

-What he needed to know.-

Cormag tried to get more out of Vincent, but the hero of old had fallen silent. So instead, Cormag turned his head to Corvus, who still looked shaken up. Both Cynthar and Cormag looked expectantly at Corvus who hadn't said a thing.

"Corvus…?" Cynthar questioned.

The mercenary commander shook his head violently to get out of his daze. He looked at both of them and laughed.

A very unexpected reaction.

Seeing their confused looks, Corvus began speak, "That Vincent…is an interesting fellow. He showed me…many things. Many things which I can't explain, some of which he told me not to tell either of you mates," that thought wasn't pleasing to Corvus. But something else occurred to him, "Now mate, why didn't you tell us about Vincent earlier?"

"Would you have believed me?"

Corvus hesitated, "…No."

Cormag raised an eyebrow, "Have your answer now?"

Corvus sighed in agreement. Cormag laughed, put his arms around his friend's shoulders and began conversing about less…important matters.

Valor. The Dread Isle. A place in which no one ever wanted to go. Much less twice in Cynthar's opinion.

The cold. The torture. The laughter. The hate. It was all coming back. Cynthar needed to take his mind off the impending battle. So he thought about what Cormag had said on the boat.

Powers of flame? Maybe Vincent would allow me to fight with no consequences? I could be an actual use to this company…Elimine knows I'm useless. Sigh…no use dwelling on it. Maybe I should help Eliwood navigate…I do know this island best…

Cynthar continued thinking so much that he didn't notice that the group had stopped. To prevent himself from looking foolish, he walked right up to the front of the structure they stopped before. The lords and Kaitlyn were conversing.

"But we don't know what's in there Hector! It could be morphs or bandits for all we know," protested Eliwood.

Hector replied, "But what if there are weapons in there, we could use them against Nergal!"

Cynthar gazed at the building while the four of them continued arguing. Wait…no, it couldn't be…could it? He examined the building closer. Indeed, it was Nergal's…holding area.

Cynthar cleared his throat to get the lords and Kaitlyn's attention. Kaitlyn and Hector looked at him with distrust still, but that deterred him no less, "Milords and Ladies, should you go in there, there will be no fighting. But you will regret going in there tenfold. It isn't a place of anything remotely close to happiness."

The four of them each gave Cynthar strange looks. They unsheathed their weapons and began to walk in. Cynthar sighed as a few others went with. Cynthar followed Corvus and Cormag within, knowing that he'd be needed to answer questions.

Cynthar walked in to see the backs of everyone who walked in. when he looked at each face, each held an expression of disgust, horror, hate or all three. They had a good reason to.

This, after all, was where Nergal kept all the bodies he was going to use for experiments.

Rows and rows of bodies. Suspended in air by magic. Kept…fresh by magic.

They ranged from children to old men. No age group was excluded.

Everyone was silent, each harboring their own thoughts. That is, until Corvus screamed and ran to a body a few rows down. Cormag followed him, his face flashing with recognition. Whoever it was, it was someone they both knew.

The swordmaster and the caster both got to Corvus at the same time. He was clutching the body of a young woman while quietly murmuring through his tears, "Lynessa…no…"

Cormag turned around and motioned for everyone to leave to let Corvus be alone. The lords, the tactician, the swordmaster and the caster all left the room.

And of course, Hector being as blunt as he is, decided to ask, "Who was that Corvus was holding on to?"

What a rude question Hector, haven't you learned any subtlety?

Cormag turned to look at Hector slowly, "That was Lynessa…his little sister." Cormag turned away and left. It must have been a touchy subject for him.

Lyn turned to Cynthar, "What was that place? It was horrible! It reminds me of…never mind, but what was that hell?"

Cynthar sighed, "It is Nergal's holding chambers. He puts every person he kills in there for future experiments. Each is held aloft with magic and kept…preserved. It is…horrible within the back of the room."

Eliwood looked as though he didn't want to ask, "…Why is it worse in the back?"

Cynthar looked Eliwood straight in the eye, "That's where the ones that have been tested on already lay."

While they were talking, Corvus walked out carrying Lynessa. He didn't say anything as he passed. Cormag came up, how he had gotten in there with Corvus, none of them knew. He said, "He's going to bury her, can we take a short break for him?"

Lyn immediately nodded her ascent, followed quickly by Eliwood, and lastly by Hector and Kaitlyn.

This was it. The final battle. Victory or Death. Only one emerges victorious.

Cormag gritted his teeth as he sliced open a sniper who nearly hit Corvus. Despite Cormag's urging, he demanded to be allowed to fight.

Damn his stubbornness, as if with my eye I don't have enough to worry about, Vincent you don't think you could-

-No.-

But I didn't finish!

-Fine, finish the question.-

Could you act as my eye for just this battle?

-No. you can't learn to depend upon me. Find another to watch your left.-

Cormag groaned in frustration. Mercenary business is a bitch.

The sheer number of morphs let Cormag know that this was Nergal's last try at stopping them. More and more fell by the might of Cormag. But Corvus was a demon, he fought like a man possessed. No morph that came in contact survived the encounter. It was a might to rival Colby Arturian.

Cormag and Cynthar had both decided to watch Corvus in the upcoming battles to make sure he didn't do anything too stupid. His fighting tactics were stupid, but not excessive. They both knew he could take care of himself.

Cormag stabbed the morph through the heart after knocking him off his horse. But what was in the morph's hand? Ah! A silver blade! Barely used! Colby would be proud. Cormag took the blade and put it in his other sword's sheath, thankfully they were about the same size. Cormag didn't think he'd be sheathing his sword anytime soon.

Within the fray, a bishop had joined their side. Cormag didn't know who convinced him, but he was there. And his sheer power seemed godly. Renault he called himself.

The morphs were falling back. Strange…there are more of them than us…why back down now? Kaitlyn who stood next to Cormag was puzzled as well. Suddenly, there was a sound. It didn't sound like anything you would normally hear, but it wasn't distracting. Except to Cormag, who had heard that before.

Bolting.

Cormag gripped his arm guard tightly and dove into Kaitlyn, holding the arm guard to the sky.

"What are you-," Kaitlyn began to yell. Then the bolt of lightning struck Cormag in the arm guard, completely destroying the defensive object.

The force of the blow knocked Cormag backward. He fell on his back and had only one thought.

Lucky block.

It was a miracle he didn't die there. The bolting spell would have killed them both.

Kaitlyn walked up to him, "…You saved me."

It wasn't a question or anything, it was a fact.

"Why?" she questioned.

There was the question. Cormag looked her in the eye and stood up, brushed off the grass from his cloak, "I may come across as heartless person, but I'm not cruel. I'm not about to sit by and watch a woman die just because we've had disagreements in the past. As much as it may not seem, I do have a heart."

She looked at Cormag in a new light, "Cormag…I-"

Cormag shook his head, "Don't worry about it, you and Eliwood are happy, go be with him, don't trouble yourself with me."

Kaitlyn stiffened, "How did you-"

Cormag grinned, "I'm good at finding things out. Good day to you Kaitlyn, go direct us a victory."

Cormag walked away. If I'm not careful, all my conversations will end up like the one with Lyn. For some reason, that made Vincent laugh.

They had done it. They defeated Nergal's most powerful morph. The one with the bolting tome. Cormag never learned her name, but that was the price of being mercenary, never learned what actually happens.

Dragon's Gate lay before them. The final battle had come. It was time to punish Nergal for his sins.

Give me victory, or give me death.

Author Note: HUZZAH! Here we are again, one of the last AN of TS! So sad! But I'll stay focused! I need to ask you guys for opinions. Should I merge the Nergal/Dragon fight with the Epilogue? Or should I keep them separate?

Also, if any of you know any good sights that have the PoR map pictures, that would be great. I don't mean the ones with blipping dots, but ones that show mountains and unit types. If that doesn't exist, I'll deal with blipping dots. Please help! ;)

Well, not much further my first fanfic…it's sad really. But like hell am I done with Cormag Ravenstaff! This shows just started! But in the meantime… why don't you go on over to COOKIECHEESEMAN's A Glimmer of Hope fic! Read it! Its good! And best of all, I'm in the most recent chpt! How much better can that get!

Another surprise for you! Within a few hours, King35763 will be uploading a side story to TS called The Tactician. I betad it today…and he's is a much better writer than me XD So if you liked this, go check it out!

Wow, almost 2500 words! At the beginning, my goal was 1500 for each chpt. I guess you can say I've gotten better. After I finish this fic, I'm going to go back and rewrite that crappy first chpt…let's face it, that's why the 130 people who looked at it last month didn't read the rest of TS, only about 13 of you have consistently viewed my fic! Thank you all! It's funny to see 12 or 13 people on each chpt and then see 35 on a random one. GAH! Rambling! WOAH! Wait...I'm at 2999 views total for this story?! C'mon people! Let's get that to 3000!

Anyway, just bought Harvest Scramble pack in FE13, gotta go play that!

-CR, Final Fantasy obsessed

"Ideas are easy to come up with. A good idea? Now that's tricky."

-Cormag Ravenstaff