A/N: Hey, everyone. Yeah, I know. I'm late--again. And, just to add insult to injury, this chapter is a measly 2862 words long. Remember what I said about stress? Yeah. There you go. Oh, just to make matters worse: I'm sick. Not good. I have the typical back-to-school cold. Not fun. At all. I should apologize for a crappy chapter (at least, that's how I see it), but I'm too miserable to try. Well, enjoy (if you can).

Disclaimer: (throws used tissues at disclaimer) Get out of here; you're ruining my day. A shame that it's already a bad day. I don't own anything. Now, go away.

34) Awake

"It has been brought to my attention that the capture of Nianna has been successful." Thalos rasped in his dead voice.

The Council of the Undead was meeting again in their usual clearing encompassed by trees. The council had four less members where Farrik, Bire, and their captains had once stood. Those clans had been two of the larger tribes, but it seemed size didn't make up for lack of skill where the Renais Army was concerned. Of course, being unfamiliar with the humans' fighting style was probably one of the reasons for their defeat. Only Zinneth and Drengar knew of their enemy's strategies. However, that didn't mean they would willing share this information.

Zinneth ran a clawed hand over the serpent's head that served for her right limb. She was rudely reminded of Nianna's previous remarks. Impost, fake, charlatan . . . The list went on. Grimacing, she spoke up. "Yes, Thalos, Nianna is in my possession as we speak. She will not escape again."

Pedirot grunted, shifting his leathery wings discontentedly. "I should hope not."

Ruby eyes scorched beady rust-red ones, but the deathgoyle did not avert his gaze. "I guarantee she will not leave this mountain alive." She hissed, her locks echoing her with a soft chorus.

The deathgoyle general snapped his jaw shut with a click of his teeth. His nostrils flared and his eyes sent a challenge. However, much to his agitation, the gorgon ignored the look. Instead, she pretended to whittle runes with her nails into the bark of the fallen tree that served as her podium, so to speak.

The empty eye sockets of the draco zombie general seemed to glower at them with impatience. "If you are finished . . . ?" He drawled with a grating voice.

Zinneth didn't look up from her carving. "Quite. Please continue."

Thalos bobbed his skeletal head slowly. "Now that Nianna is with us once again, we must discuss our next maneuver. Zinneth, you will do as you see fit with Nianna. All I ask is that she does not . . . wander away again; she is valuable to us."

"Yes, Thalos." The half woman, half serpent creature replied with a tone that suggested boredom.

"We must resume our attack as soon as possible. Ryfon-Zahn-Syn, your scouts have reported that the humans are within the vicinity, correct?" Thalos turned his rotted head toward the three headed general.

Ryfon, the middle head, nodded. "Yes, General. My captain, Sithca, has been on border patrol. This morning he has told me that the human army has advanced. They are residing in the human city known as Rausten Court."

"They are quite close." The right head, Zahn, commented. "An attack should be simple to set up."

"Idiot!" Syn growled. "Have you learned nothing from what Zinneth has taught us?! Rausten Court is a city built on the holy powers of that accursed human god, Latona. If we try an attack while they are hiding away in that city, it will be a death wish for us all." The left head shook, his green mane waving furiously. "No, we will have to draw them out."

"That will not be necessary."

The entire council turned to watch the gorgon at the sound of her confident tone. Zinneth's lips curled into a cunning smirk and she raised her blood-red eyes slowly.

Curiosity piqued, Pedirot grumbled out, "What do you have in mind, Zinneth?"

"We have Nianna in our possession." She stated clearly, implying a plan not one of them could unravel.

"Yes . . ." Drengar said from his station by a boulder. "We do."

If Zinneth hadn't been so satisfied with herself, she could have snapped at the maelduin for sounding so condescending. However, her rare good mood made her patient.

"I would not expect any of you to know; you do not have a connection with the girl." She told them almost cheerfully. It was . . . unnerving to say the least. "I, on the other hand, do and I have viewed her memories while she slept. There is a human she has . . . grown attached to and vice versa. Should this male ever recover from the Possession I administered, he would undoubtedly try to rescue her." Her face split with a grin too wide to be appropriately happy, but not manic enough to be psychotic.

"Humans in love." Zahn spat the word as if it were foul in his mouth and shook his head with a wrinkled muzzle. "There is nothing more revolting."

"The feeling is mutual, dear Zahn." Zinneth murmured, still keeping a good-natured persona.

The right head of the gwyllgi general gaped openly, blinking in shock. He turned to his middle head. "Did she just call me . . ." He trailed off as if unsure it had happened in the first place.

Ryfon smirked, a curling of his lip. "Yes, Zahn, she did call you 'dear.'"

Syn snickered at the right head's speechlessness. "I do believe Zinneth is very confident about this plan."

Recovering a little, Zahn muttered to himself, his voice still holding a stunned tone. "I think it is a sign. Perhaps it means the humans will triumph . . . Maybe we will all be obliterated by the human gods . . ."

Ryfon snorted. "That is preposterous! Stop being so ridiculous!"

Undeterred, Zahn continued to mutter. "It is a sign . . ."

Zinneth only listened to the general in amusement; she was far too upbeat to be annoyed by the heads' bickering. "As I was saying, the humans will try to take her back, thus leading them from the palace. If we set the trap, we only need them to come and take the bait. We ambush them, close off their retreat, and push them into a confined space." Her serpentine eyes lit with excitement. "It will be marvelous..."

Pedirot huffed and crossed his arms, unimpressed. "Another ambush scheme? The last one did not go so well. How many will be close this time? Three clans? What makes you think this one will work?" His small eyes narrowed and nearly became indiscernible from the rest of his animalistic face.

Zinneth leaned eagerly over the tree trunk. "It will work because this time we have something they want. They will come and we will be ready." Her gaze flittered over to Ryfon-Zahn-Syn. "Keep most of your scouts in place. Move half of a dozen mauthe doogs as far forward as possible without risk of exposure. I want daily reports. I want to know the minute the army leaves the city."

Although Zinneth wasn't technically the head general, no one questioned her when she gave an order. She had reminded them several times of her power and none of them wanted to test her.

"And once they do leave?" Drengar questioned. He seemed almost as anxious as Zinneth, but not quite to her level.

"Once they leave the city . . ." She trailed off with a silky, muffled laugh. "We will be ready."

Lute looked down at Ewan, sorrow filling her heart. Vacant claret eyes stared back up at her without actually seeing her. His face was ashen and blank, empty. Others had explained Ewan's condition to her. Every one of them described him by saying his soul had fled from his body. And, indeed, it appeared as though only a shell was left behind. He looked so small and broken lying on the bed that it made her want to cry. However, this was not the time. She had to fix this; she was the one who ruined it in the first place.

"What do you plan on doing?" Saleh asked quietly from his seat near his ex-student.

Lute glanced over at him, studying his somber expression. "I plan to rectify all of this. I'm the reason why so many are suffering. I could not look beyond my hatred and it has led to this. It only makes sense that I put together what I have broken."

His gaze became mournful. "Natasha told me there was nothing she could do. Only Ewan can heal himself." His voice dropped to a tortured whisper. "What can you do?"

Lute gave the distraught sage a small smile. "I know what I'm doing, don't worry."

Saleh only nodded and said nothing more, choosing to sit quietly and watch the proceedings. The mage knight took Tethys's unoccupied chair and pulled it closer to Ewan's side. Lute took his hand, rubbing the back of it absently with her thumb. They boy had retreated within himself. It was Lute's job to bring him back. It wouldn't be pleasant and she hated herself for what she would say next.

"Ewan?" She questioned softly. As expected, there was no response. Lute drew a breath before continuing. "Ewan, what do you think you're doing?" Her voice was still soft with only the slightest hint of reprimand in her tone. "Why are you doing this? We need you, Ewan! We're not the only ones, either." She leaned forward, hovering above his ear. "Kayll needs you, too."

The hand she held twitched. She smiled.

"Yes, Ewan, you did hear right. She needs you too. But, what do you think you're doing? How could you be so selfish?"

The hand flinched again.

"You should see her, Ewan. She's so bitter, now. Guilty, to. She thinks she's betrayed you. She wishes she could have protected you. She's suffering, Ewan, and you're here wallowing in your pain."

The more Lute said, the harder her voice became. Ewan's hand was still beneath hers. The magic user could see the others in the tent frown in disapproval. She ignored them.

"Yes, what happened to you was horrible in every sense of the word. But Kayll . . . what happened to her was so much worse. She needs your help, Ewan. Some of us may not have noticed it, but she's . . . different without you. Guarded and wary more than usual. I don't think she knew what she was doing when she told me about herself, but I believe she had hopes I would tell you. As a result, you would go to her. I believe she wanted this, subconsciously. How could you deny her like this? Didn't you know she would need you, especially now, or were you too absorbed in yourself?"

Brow furrowed, Saleh pushed to his feet. "Lute, please stop. This isn't helping. In fact, I think you're only making things worse."

Tethys, uncharacteristically infuriated, crossed her bracelet-adorned arms over her chest. "His spirit was broken, no his leg!" She spat. "He can't just put this behind him! You can't expect him to just—"

"Sh—she needs me?"

Saleh strode forward with shock-widened eyes. "Ewan!"

Dumbfounded, Tethys gaped. "Ewan?!" She, too, rushed toward the boy.

Lute, meanwhile, was moved aside in none too gentle a manner, but she didn't notice. Artur moved awkwardly bedside her and laced his fingers through hers. She shot him a smile and looked on as Saleh and Tethys smothered the redhead.

Natasha rescued the now-aware Ewan, moving forward to pull his harassers back. "Please, give him some space. Don't overwhelm him."

Tethys and Saleh obeyed, but jittery relief and adrenaline tensed the air. Lute could see the two were itching to crowd the patient again. When she turned to study him, she found his eyes locked onto hers. The look in those red orbs stole her breath. His wine-red eyes were dark and haunted, as if he would never be at peace. Something more intense than hope lurked just behind the pain. It was desperation. His gaze asked her silently, begged her to tell him the answer honestly. Lute knew, somehow, that he wasn't reiterating his previous question.

"Yes, Ewan, she does."

His whole body seemed to relax like he didn't have any strength left. Ewan's eyes closed and Lute saw his throat convulse as he swallowed thickly. His hands fisted the sheets around him. She would have thought he was in pain if it weren't for the tiny, shaky smile curving his lips. However, two certain people didn't notice this small detail.

"Ewan, are you all right?"

"How are you feeling?"

Lute shook her head at their concern. "He's fine." She told them with a quirk of her lips.

They glanced back at her, doubt written clearly over their faces.

Taking a deep breath and opening his eyes once more, Ewan spoke. "I'm all right, Teacher, Sis." He struggled to sit up and waved Tethys away when she moved to help him. "I'm fine." His ruby eyes found Lute's vibrant purple ones. "I need you to take me to her."

Both of his guardians squawked loudly in protest.

"No! Absolutely not! I won't stand for this!"

"I forbid you from getting out of bed!"

Ewan lifted his eyes to them, the expression on his face silencing them immediately. "She needs me."

Trading careful glances, Tethys and Saleh spoke falteringly, still uncertain as to what to think of the strange girl.

"Ewan . . . I'm sure she'll be fine."

"She did want to go back."

The troubled gaze fell onto his hands. "That was an act. We forced her to go back. I don't know a lot about her, but I know enough." His hands clenched the linen sheets, knuckles turning white. "That's why I'm going after her."

Ewan's room was quiet, the air thick with apprehension. The royals standing near the door remained neutral in this situation, preferring to watch rather than contribute. Ephraim knew he would give Ewan permission to do his will even if the prince didn't think this course of action was wise. Lute and Artur stood only a few feet from the bed. They, too, were watching. They knew they couldn't interfere as this didn't concern them. Saleh and Tethys felt the strain in the room more than anyone else; they were the ones who had to finalize things even though the outcome was already decided.

The mountain sage sighed. "You've grown." He murmured, looking down at his former student with a bittersweet feeling of pride and loss. When had he become so mature? Why haven't I noticed it?

Ewan's mouth tilted up in a small smile. He looked up at his sister.

Taken aback, she glanced from Saleh to Ewan. She knew what she had to say and she didn't like it in the least. Tethys released a soft, sad sigh. "I guess I don't have to look out for you anymore, huh?" He doesn't need me. I never would have thought this day would come so soon. He's matured while my back was turned. I don't know if I should laugh or cry.

A radiant smile brightened his features and Tethys did cry, a half sobbing, half laughing kind of crying. Ewan reached up and tugged her down into a hug. "Thank you, Sis. I promise I'll be back soon, okay? Then you can scold me for nearly worrying you into an early grave—how does that sound?"

The dancer held back her tears long enough to glare at him in mock anger. "If you come back with so much as a scratch, you'll regret it!"

"I know, Tethys." He said as he slipped out of her grasp. "Don't worry."

Ewan stood a little unsteadily, but his determination kept him upright. He turned to Lute. "I need a few tomes before we go anywhere."

She nodded. "I have plenty."

Artur suddenly frowned, coming to a realization that didn't sit well with him. "You're leaving now?"

The crimson haired magic user nodded firmly. "Yes, we are."

"So soon?!"

"I see no reason why we should wait."

Artur glanced around wildly as if to find those reasons in the air. "Well, I mean you just—you aren't—you shouldn't—!" Floundering, he looked to Natasha pleadingly. "Please tell him he can't leave!"

Natasha smiled gently at him. "I know you're concerned, but I can assure you that she'll be fine."

The copper haired man blinked. "'She?' I meant Ewan, not Lute!"

The cleric shook her head. "Your true concern is for Lute. I tell you she will be fine because she's capable of looking after herself." As an afterthought, she added, "And Ewan has no physical injury. If he believes he's up to it, then I don't see why he shouldn't go."

Panic bubbling in his chest, Artur's frantic eyes landed on Lute. Her expression was calm, patient, reassuring. He chewed the inside of his lip anxiously, pleading with his eyes. He couldn't let her go out there alone again. He wouldn't stand for it.

Drawing a breath, Artur composed himself. "If you must go, then you won't go alone."

She beamed at him. "We never said we would." Lute shook her head at him with amusement. "Did you honestly think Ewan and I would storm the hiding place of the fiends alone?"

Embarrassment heating his cheeks, Artur averted his eyes. "Well . . ."

Lute wrapped her arms around his torso and rested her head in the crook of his neck. "You're coming with me; I wouldn't have it any other way." She smiled when his arms squeezed her tightly. She knew he worried about her and she would try not to make it so hard for him. Besides, she wasn't going back to that horrible place without him by her side.

A/N: Again, give me a few weeks to adjust my schedule. And if that doesn't work out, you'll have to look forward to Sunday instead of Saturday.

Ewan's feeling better--wish I was too. (groan) I hate being sick. Please leave a review if you care. Or, if you're feeling really generous, send a box of tissues with the review. Please.