Outside the walls of Marlind, hellions abounded, almost more than there had been during Niko's speech the previous day. Finally, something I can actually handle myself, Eizen thought as he charged into battle. Somehow, he got the sense that Sadie felt similarly. Being the Shepherd was already nothing like what he'd expected; so far, his seraphim had done most of the work, and he felt more like a figurehead. But now, Edna was too tired to join in the fights, and Zaveid was too grumpy to speak except to declare his attacks; Isan's warning hung heavy on Eizen's shoulders, but with his katana in hand, smiting malevolent creatures and returning them to their true forms, he felt as if he had some amount of control.

They made their way south, slowly, quelling anything they found. As they passed by a fork in the road, Sadie spoke up for the first time in a long while.

"What's that way?" she asked, gesturing to the east path.

The Bors Ruins, came Edna's answer. There's a secret path into Rolance through there, but there's no reason for us to not cross the official border. We have no need to go that way right now, even for training - there will be plenty of hellions in Glaivend Basin.

"What kinds?" Eizen asked her.

Spirits of dead soldiers, walking suits of armor, that sort of thing, she replied. Battlefields are breeding grounds for malevolence and restless souls, and a lot of battles have been waged in there. I'm sure Niko found plenty to corrupt.

"But those battles are centuries old at the earliest," Sadie said as they approached the border.

That doesn't matter; the resentment lingers, Edna told her. Malevolence doesn't fade on its own, and will always be eager to grow when given a chance.

With this ominous declaration, Eizen approached the knights who stood in a solid wall between the southern hills and Glaivend Basin.

"Who are you?" asked one knight gruffly. "What do you want?"

"My name is Eizen; I am the Shepherd," Eizen replied, keeping his voice neutral. "This is Sadie, my Squire. We have fought off most of the malevolence here in Hyland, and now we need to lend our Rolance neighbors aid. Please let us pass."

"The Shepherd, huh?" glowered another. "The hellion-spawn, you mean?"

"Yes," Eizen sighed, "my parents were hellions for centuries. The Lord of Calamity we stand against is my sister. What difference does that make? I am the Shepherd now, and I have a duty to perform."

"If you won't listen to him, listen to me," Zaveid said, emerging to stand before the guards. "I'm the Prime Lord. Let us through."

No one moved.

"Why wouldn't you let us pass?" Zaveid asked them. "It's not like we're about to defect to Rolance, our nations are at peace. We have battles to fight…battles you can't fight yourselves. That's our job; let us do it."

"If they want to go in there, that's their choice," one of the knights remarked to another, and he broke formation to stand aside. Others followed suit, leaving enough room for Eizen and Sadie to pass, but Eizen stood where he was.

"What's going on?" he asked the knight who had been the first to move. "What's so dangerous that we wouldn't want to pass through? Has there been word from Rolance?"

"There's been word," the knight replied, "rarely, from their sentries. Anyone we've sent to verify what we've heard hasn't come back, though, so we don't know for sure what's really happening in the Rolance Empire."

"I see," Eizen said slowly. "Well, we have to go that way no matter what. Thank you for the warning."

It was a warning they could easily have given us without being asked, Edna pointed out as they made their way past the line of guards into the neutral zone between the two nations.

Yes, but at least he answered when I did ask, Eizen responded.

As his boots began to crunch through the sand of the barren wasteland, he found himself wondering if maybe, just maybe, he'd be better-received in Rolance. Did the people there know he was hellion-spawn? Would they care? If there was some monster that was keeping Hyland sentries from returning, maybe the people of the Rolance Empire would be too grateful to him for quelling it to judge him for his blood. That would certainly be nice…

Once the last trace of green was far behind them, nothing but sand and lifeless dirt all around, hellions started appearing - undead and walking armor, like Edna had predicted. Glaivend Basin was a lot bigger than Eizen had thought, and a lot harder to navigate too, but Zaveid knew which ways to go, and he spoke up whenever Eizen started to get turned around.

The journey took a few hours, slowed by the hordes of hellions that wandered around in here. Despite the clear skies, the entire area had a somber feel, not quite a malevolent domain but unsettling nonetheless. There were no incidents, however, and by midafternoon, Eizen could see greenery on the horizon.

Wait.

Eizen and Sadie stopped as Zaveid emerged to confront them.

"I don't think we should go much further until morning," he said.

"Why not?"

"If there's a chance things are gonna be, let's say, not exactly pleasant in Rolance, I don't want us charging in there after dark," Zaveid answered Eizen's question. "I'd rather we rest and wait until daylight. If something nasty's waiting for us, at least it won't be able to hide as easily."

"Something nasty like what, Lord Zaveid?" Sadie questioned.

"I don't know, but it's good to be prepared," Zaveid stated. "We're this world's only hope and all that. And if no one from Hyland has come back since this mess started, we need to be on our guard."

Eizen considered this. "But…where are we going to stay?" he asked. "We can't just lie down out in the open, not with all the hellions wandering around out here."

I can help with that, Edna spoke up. Get in a corner and armatize with me, I'll do the rest.

"Do we have tents?" Sadie asked. "Sleeping bags? Something for a fire? Anything that might make for a suitable camp?"

"No," Eizen admitted. "I…I didn't think of that."

"Of course you didn't," she scowled. "What more could I expect of hellion-spawn? You've probably never slept in a bed in your life."

"Sadie…" Eizen shook his head, tired of her prejudice. "Of course I've slept in a bed. I'm used to having a room, I guess to the point where I took it for granted; that's why it didn't occur to me to get that kind of supplies."

You didn't think of it either, Edna added to Sadie.

"Can we continue this conversation once we have some shelter?" Zaveid asked. He kept glancing around uneasily, as though expecting something other than run-of-the-mill hellions to attack them.

"It's not like you to be so jumpy, Zaveid," Eizen remarked, frowning. "What's gotten into you?"

"Obviously, Lord Zaveid has read the wind and detected something dangerous up ahead," Sadie huffed. "Everyone knows wind seraphim can sense things far out of sight."

"It's true that we can, but I can't see quite that far, I have a range," Zaveid informed her. "To answer your question, Eizen…" He sighed and shook his head. "Just think for a minute. What exactly is it that Niko wants?"

"She…wants a world full of malevolence," Eizen answered, surprised.

"Yeah, but how does she want to go about doing that?" Zaveid pressed. "Does she want to just force it on everything, or does she want people to follow her willingly?"

"Follow her willingly," Eizen replied.

"Exactly. Now, think about what that knight said," Zaveid went on: "No one from Hyland who's gone across the border has ever come back, and the only news we get is what their sentries tell us. Why do you think that might be?"

Understanding dawned on Eizen, dark and cold. "You think the Rolance Empire already serves her," he breathed.

"I think it's a possibility that we have to be prepared for," Zaveid stated. "Now, I can read the wind, the dark doesn't make much difference to me, but I can't be the eyes for both of you at once…and not everything that's dangerous can be seen by the wind. Across this wasteland might be enemy territory, and for you, it's foreign territory; the people of Rolance will have a massive advantage over you there, with or without me. Given all that, is it really wise to approach the other side of the border just before nightfall?"

"No…you're right," Eizen agreed. "We'll wait until morning."

An actually intelligent and well-thought-out battle strategy, Edna remarked to Zaveid as Eizen headed for a corner between two cliffs. I'm impressed. Maybe you aren't such a worthless Prime Lord after all.

"Ouch," Zaveid chuckled. "Always with the backhanded compliments, Edna."

"We still don't have the makings for a proper camp," Sadie pointed out.

"I know," Eizen sighed, quickly armatizing with Edna, "and I'm sorry. We'll have to rough it for the night."

When Sadie approached Eizen, presumably to say something spiteful, he followed his big sister's guidance and planted one giant hand on the ground, summoning the earth into stone walls that rose up and curved around them, making a roughly domed shelter with a hole in the top that encapsulated both the Shepherd and his Squire, as well as his seraphim.

"Nice going," Zaveid commented as Eizen de-armatized and Edna took her place within him again. "Nothing should be able to get us in here." And he vanished to rest in his own spot in Eizen's chest.

For a long minute, the two humans stood in the enclosed space. Sadie folded her arms and glared around at the rough walls of their shelter, the sandy floor with nothing on it but the occasional rock. When it became clear that Zaveid's praise was enough to keep Sadie quiet, Eizen sat down cross-legged and took out his katana, inspecting the blade in the shaft of sunlight still pouring into the hut. It was remarkable how fresh and undamaged it looked, considering he'd been swinging it at hellions for days now; still, his bouts with David and Sadie had left a few dings, and he took out a whetstone, a bottle of clove oil, and a piece of wool, and began tending his weapon, wincing at how angry his father would be if he knew Eizen had gone so long without sharpening the sword.

Then he remembered that his father was a hellion, and that line of thinking ended.

The sound of stone against blade scraped through their shelter, but at least the walls didn't echo too well. Eventually, Sadie sat down as well, stiffly, watching him with almost wary eyes.

"You need to sharpen your ax?" he asked her. "The flames of purification should have protected it from battle damage, but you can never be too careful with a weapon."

"Don't patronize me, hellion-spawn!" Sadie snapped. "I'm perfectly capable of tending my own weapon!"

This, Eizen decided, was going to be a very long journey.

When the light coming from above grew too weak for him to examine his blade any longer, he rubbed it down with clove oil and wool, then put away his blade and supplies and took out a few rations he'd had the foresight to buy.

"You hungry?" he asked Sadie, holding out a paper-wrapped sandwich. "I got enough for both of us."

"I don't want food from you," she sneered.

How stupid could you possibly be? Edna asked. We seraphim may not need to eat, but you humans don't have that luxury; if you don't eat now, you'll feel weak tomorrow, and the battles are only going to get worse from here on out. You're really going to turn down a meal just because Eizen brought it?

"I don't know where it came from," Sadie glowered. "For all I know, his mother made it."

Eizen laughed. "I wish," he said, setting down Sadie's sandwich in front of him just in case she changed her mind. "My mom makes much better food than this."

"By whose standards?" Sadie countered.

By my standards, Edna stated.

"And mine!" Zaveid added, emerging again and grinning. "I've been around the world, but I've never tasted food half as good as what Eizen's mother makes. I swear her quiches are made of ambrosia straight from the Heavenly Realm."

Sadie pondered this for half a moment, then scowled, though she was clearly careful to aim the expression at Eizen. "For seraphim, the mind controls the body, right?" she said. "I'm sure the food you eat tastes however you want it to."

A stunned silence resonated from within Eizen's chest, a feeling not his own.

"Huh," Zaveid finally remarked. "I never thought of that."

Me either, Edna concurred.

"But…I'm pretty sure that if we don't actively believe something, we just kinda default to whatever's normal for creatures of flesh," Zaveid went on, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "So we probably taste the same things a human would, unless we convince ourselves of something else. That's a good point, though…I'll remember it."

We're lucky enough to call Velvet family, she'll cook for us anytime, Edna pointed out dully. What use do you have for this revelation?

"Oh, I'm sure I'll think of something," Zaveid smirked.

"Guys," Eizen sighed, biting into his own sandwich, and the budding argument stopped before it crossed into dangerous territory.

The meal passed in relative silence, as did the dusk. As Eizen packed away the wrappings from his sandwich, though, Sadie spoke up.

"Can I ask you something, hellion-spawn?" she questioned.

Sighing heavily, Eizen turned to her. "If you want to ask me something, could you please not call me hellion-spawn when you do it?" he asked.

Her lips curved into a spiteful sneer. "Did you expect me to call you 'Shepherd'?"

"I'd be perfectly fine with you calling me by my name," Eizen said.

He was named after a seraph, if that helps, Edna informed Sadie; my seraph brother was named Eizen. And no, before you start, she added as Sadie opened her mouth, his parents didn't name him after a seraph; I did. I was the first to give him his name when he was born.

"You can ask me whatever you want, Sadie," Eizen said before either of them could go any further along that tangent, "but I'd appreciate it if you stop insulting me every time you talk to me. I'm not hellion-spawn; my parents were purified about a year before I was even born. You don't have to like me, but…if we're going to travel together, please call me by my name."

Dark brown eyes, almost black in the faint light that was now more moon than sun, turned away from Eizen's face as his Squire shifted uncomfortably. "…Eizen," she ground out, as though it physically hurt to say. "I was just wondering…Lady Edna said that your sister, the Lord of Calamity, is thirteen years old. Is that true?"

"Yeah," Eizen replied. "Why?"

"I heard her speech outside Marlind yesterday," Sadie said slowly. "She didn't talk like a thirteen-year-old."

"She's just trying to sound older than she is," Eizen dismissed. "I swear, I never heard her talk like that before she turned, but now that she's the Lord of Calamity, she probably thinks that means she's an adult."

"And what about your speech?" Sadie challenged. "When you became the Shepherd, you talked like her."

"You can thank Zaveid for that," Eizen answered with a small smile and gesturing to the wind seraph who was standing back with folded arms. "He can get pretty eloquent when he tells stories, we've been listening to him recite poetry our whole lives. Niko probably just thinks that's how adults talk…and I guess I kind of wanted to sound older than I was when I became the Shepherd, too."

"So you really did grow up with the seraphim…" Sadie said slowly.

"He sure did," Zaveid grinned. "I watched all three of 'em grow up, and gave 'em all the guidance I could. 'Course, no one could handle Niko."

"Has she always been like this?" Sadie asked Zaveid.

"Yeah," he shrugged. "The kids might not be hellion-spawn, but Niko's always been a handful. I remember the first thing in her life that ever made her smile was pulling my hair."

A surprised giggle escaped Sadie's lips before she clapped a hand over her mouth, and Eizen smiled. Maybe she really would understand, eventually.

"My…My apologies, Lord Zaveid," Sadie managed after a moment. "That's horrible. I'm sorry you had to put up with that."

"Nah, it was nothing," Zaveid dismissed. "But it's nice to hear you laugh for once. I didn't know ya knew how."

"I…try to keep my emotions in check," Sadie said slowly. "My father always taught me that to feel is to fail."

"Emotions are part of being alive, Sadie," Eizen said. "My father always taught me that we need our emotions in order to go on living, just that letting our emotions control us leads to mistakes."

"I'd expect nothing more out of a hellion," Sadie scowled.

"When my father became a hellion, one of the things that happened to him was that he lost his human emotions," Eizen said. "And Innominat, the leader of the Five Lords before Maotelus, existed to suppress all emotion so that humans would destroy themselves. Emotions are important, Sadie, important to life without malevolence." He sighed. "My father taught me that if I ever feel something so strongly that I can't think straight, I should take a moment to just let myself feel it; if I do that, it'll burn itself out before too long, and then I can take back control. Control is important, don't get me wrong, especially in battle, but that doesn't mean it's bad to feel things."

"Whatever," Sadie sighed, clearly done listening for the night.

"Let's get some sleep," Eizen began.

"Sleep?" she exclaimed. "Sleep on what? The ground?"

Zaveid smiled wickedly at her. "You can sleep on me instead, if you'd like," he offered.

"Uncle," Eizen groaned.

"What?" he protested. "A lady shouldn't have to sleep in the dirt, that's all I'm saying! I'm just offering to be a pillow, nothing more than that."

"Lord Zaveid, no, I…I couldn't possibly demean you like that," Sadie managed to say, her blush visible in the increasing moonlight.

"Nothing demeaning about it," Zaveid smirked. "In fact, I-"

Before things could go any further, Eizen pulled off his cloak. "Sadie," he said, folding it into a bundle before holding it out to her, "here, you can sleep on this. I know it's not much, but…it should keep your face out of the sand, at least."

"A Shepherd's cloak?" Sadie asked, glaring at him. "Does your duty mean so little to you?"

Shepherds' cloaks are of exceptionally high quality, intentionally designed to be incredible durable so that they might serve a Shepherd wherever he may go, Edna told Sadie. They're resistant to wear and tear, any form of weather, battle damage, bloodstains…you could toss and turn all night and drool on it and it wouldn't be any worse for the wear in the morning.

Sadie's glare didn't waver. "You expect me to trust you, hellion-spawn?" she asked in a low voice.

"You don't have to trust me," Eizen sighed. "I'm just offering you something to sleep on, since you said you didn't want to sleep on the ground. Again, I know it's not much, but it's all I've got. You don't have to take it if you don't want it."

There was a long, tense minute spent in absolute silence; even Zaveid didn't interject. Then, finally, Sadie leaned forward and yanked the bundle out of his hand, and Eizen let loose a pent-up breath. Maybe it was too hopeful of him to think that this might be a sign of peace, but it felt like progress…especially when she hesitated, then swiped up the sandwich he'd left on the ground for her before retreating to a far corner of the shelter, digging into the food ravenously.

Zaveid returned to rest within Eizen, where Eizen could feel his uncle gloating. I make a pretty good wingman, don't I? he boasted, the comment clearly shielded from the Squire.

If you expect us to believe that you made that offer so she'd take Eizen's cloak, you've got something else coming, Edna told him.

Oh come on, why is that so hard to believe? Zaveid asked.

Three reasons, she replied: One, you made your offer long before Eizen made his; two, you oversold it; and three, you're the same guy who nearly assaulted her just for calling him impotent.

I did no such thing! Zaveid exclaimed, genuine indignation pouring out of his place in Eizen's chest. What kind of man do you think I am, exactly?! I would never do something like that!

Then what were you planning to do if I hadn't stabbed you? Edna demanded.

I…! Zaveid faltered, and Eizen frowned. I would have…provided visual confirmation, nothing more, the wind seraph answered at last, and while this was the least horrible possible answer he could have given, Eizen grimaced.

Oh, well, that makes it okay, then, Edna said sarcastically. Yeah, nothing would have been traumatizing about that at all.

The point is, I wouldn't have touched her, Zaveid snapped. Would you rather I'd planned to?

I'd rather you stop being a gross pervert with a disgustingly human sense of man-pride, Edna glowered at him. You're lucky I'm too tired to manifest right now, or I would have stabbed you again for offering to be a "pillow". If Sadie loses her mind completely, she'll be useless to us, and you nearly shattered her sanity yesterday. At least wait until we don't need a Squire anymore before you torture her again; for now, she's off-limits.

You're never gonna let this go, are you? Zaveid sighed resignedly. Honestly…I would have thought having a boyfriend would mellow you out a little.

Isan is not my boyfriend, Edna stated; we haven't even gone on a single date yet. Maybe after he and I start dating, you can reevaluate.

Grumpy vibes poured out of the space where Zaveid lived inside Eizen, and the Shepherd couldn't help smiling at it a little despite the topic of conversation. His uncle and his big sister bickering with each other was and had always been a constant in his life, and to hear them sniping at each other was incredibly grounding, even if he had to tell them to stop when it threatened to traumatize Sadie. Despite everything he had lost, everything the world stood to lose, Edna and Zaveid's arguments made it feel like this life was still his own.

The Shepherd was about to add his own input to the discussion, but a crunching sound caught his attention, and he glanced up to see Sadie balling up the wrapper from her sandwich and stowing it away before turning her back and setting down his cloak beside her. Then she reached up to her bun and unpinned her hair, letting the golden curls come loose.

Eizen's breath caught at the sight, and he prayed she hadn't heard him. That golden hair had been the first thing he'd noticed about her during his first year of school, when she happened to pass him by at lunch, the only time their paths would cross since she was two years ahead of him. In the moonlight, though the color was bleached, he could see the way those curls cascaded down to the small of her back, and he could imagine their color just fine on his own…rich and shiny, like sunlight mixed with the most precious of metals…

Laughter from within him shook him out of his trance. So that's what you're into, huh kiddo? Zaveid chuckled.

Uncle! Before the blood pooling in his cheeks could burst through his skin and kill him from blood loss, Eizen turned away from the sight of Sadie as she lay her head down on his cloak, rolling onto his side, his back to his Squire.

Hey, nothing wrong with knowing what you like, Zaveid smirked.

Eizen took a breath, then let it out, long and slow. Yes there is, he said. For me…there is.

How come? his uncle challenged.

Well, for one thing, she's engaged to another man, Eizen pointed out.

She's in an arranged marriage, Zaveid dismissed. In my experience, there are only two reasons why someone would willingly agree to an arranged marriage: either they don't think they'll get any prospects otherwise, or they've been brainwashed into thinking that there's something more important than love when it comes to getting married. Now, a pretty girl like Sadie? Definitely not the former. Her fiancé probably is - most noblemen have the charisma of a dinner plate - but Sadie…well, she's been raised wrong, in a lot of ways. And one of the great things about her taking this journey with is us that we're getting her away from the idiots who raised her and showing her what the world's really like. You have an entire quest to change her mind, and if she decides she doesn't want to go through with the wedding, no one can force her, it's against Hyland law.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with Zaveid, Edna concurred. There are a lot of things she needs to learn about life; the fact that agreeing to an arranged marriage is probably a bad idea is just one of many.

Even if you're right, Eizen thought, and I'm not saying you're not, because you probably are, Zaveid, but even if you are, that doesn't mean…that doesn't mean I can ask her to marry me.

Because you're hellion-spawn? Edna asked. That's just another thing she needs to learn isn't true.

No, Eizen replied; because I'm the Shepherd.

Neither seraph responded to this.

The Shepherd's duty is to stand alone, between the light and the dark, a shield and a sword to the people, people who will never thank him, never accept him as one of their own, Eizen recited. Sorey always said that.

Sorey had a lover, Edna pointed out.

Yeah, but…it was different for Sorey, Eizen sighed internally. The love of his life was a seraph, for whom he could serve as a vessel…Mikleo could go with him wherever, and besides, they grew up together. But to have a human life, a human love, a human family? As a Shepherd, that's not my fate. I accepted that when I drew the Sacred Blade. I hope Sadie will understand that she shouldn't marry someone she doesn't love, too, but even if she does figure that out…her love won't be for me. It can't be for me.

Why the hell not? Zaveid asked. She's your Squire, it's not like she's just some random nobody who doesn't understand the Shepherd's duty. Hell, if we manage to get some sense into her head, she'll probably have nothing but respect for you. Why couldn't she love you?

Because… Eizen sighed, out loud this time. Because when this quest is over, either I will have killed my own sister, or my sister will have killed me.

Both seraphim fell silent again as he confessed what he knew would be the end of his journey. He hadn't actually admitted it, not to them and not to himself, before now, but he'd always known.

Either way, I don't have a future. Not with Sadie…not with anyone.

Baby brother…

It's okay, he told them before Edna could start trying to comfort him. Like I said, I accepted it when I decided to become the Shepherd. Better me than anyone else. I mean, if I hadn't become the Shepherd, I'd still be the Lord of Calamity's brother, as well as another Lord of Calamity's son. There was never going to be a happy ending for me; I'm just going to do what I can to make the best use of the life I've been given.

There was no more response from either seraph as his eyes slid closed; the sand underneath was just soft enough that he could rest his tired muscles and relax. As he drifted off to sleep, he felt his family's respect, their sorrow, and that was enough for him.

~o~

Morning dawned bright and hot, even in the little stone hut Edna had helped make. Eizen was the first to rouse, and he wiped the sand off his face before untying his short ponytail to brush the dirt out of his hair as Zaveid and Edna emerged.

"Feeling better, big sis?" he asked his sister as he tied his hair back again.

"Much better, thank you," Edna replied, opening her umbrella and twirling it over her shoulder. "What about you?"

"I'm fine," Eizen said softly. "I'm…fine."

"Rise and shine, sweetheart!" Zaveid chirped from across the shelter, leaning down to shake Sadie awake. "We've got ground to cover and a world to save!"

Sadie groaned, then sat up, rubbing her eyes and brushing loosely through her curls with her fingers. Desperately trying not to be hypnotized by the movement of her golden hair, Eizen walked over to her.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked.

"Well enough," she yawned. Then she frowned and added, "You can have your cloak back."

It wasn't a thanks, but at least she hadn't snapped at him. Withholding a sigh, Eizen picked up his cloak, shook it out, and pulled it back on, while Sadie tied her hair back up.

"Is it safe to take down these walls, Zaveid?" Edna asked. "Anything waiting to pounce on us?"

"Hmm…" Zaveid's eyes went distant for a moment as he focused on reading the wind. "We're good," he said at last. "Nothing noticed us."

"Alright then." Edna planted her umbrella in the ground and closed her eyes, and the slabs of stone that had sheltered them for the night retreated back within the earth, leaving no trace behind.

The sudden, unobstructed sunlight was almost blinding, but Eizen blinked it away and turned for the strip of green in the distance. "To Rolance, then," he said. "We just have to come down this hill and we'll be there, right?"

"That's right," Zaveid confirmed. "But be on your guard, kiddo. Remember what we agreed yesterday."

"Yeah." Edna and Zaveid retreated within him, and he started walking, Sadie behind him.

There were a few more hellions along the path, and quelling them helped Eizen wake up fully. Then, around a bend, he came into sight of a blockade much like the one on the Hyland side of the basin, this one lined with a contingent of Rolance soldiers, decked out in scarlet hues instead of blue, though their helmets hid their faces as effectively as those of Hyland knights. They stood shoulder to shoulder, an impassible wall, as though they were waiting for him, and Eizen approached with as much confidence as he could muster.

"Halt," barked one as he drew close. "Who are you? Identify yourself."

"My name is Eizen Rangetsu-Crowe; I am the Shepherd," Eizen told the guard steadily. "This is my Squire, Sadie Halloway, and these…" He gestured to his seraphim as they emerged. "…are my Prime Lord and Sub Lord, Zaveid and Edna. We are here to help with the damage caused by the Lord of Calamity."

"Shepherd, eh?" grunted one of the soldiers. "You took your sweet time showing up."

"I came as quickly as I could," Eizen stated with a slight bow. "Please, may we pass?"

"Andre!" barked a soldier, turning to his right. "Escort the good Shepherd to Lastonbell. Make sure he meets with General Donovan."

Something about the way the man emphasized this last set Eizen on edge, and he knew Zaveid and Edna were wary as well.

"Sir!" the soldier named Andre saluted with his sword, then broke formation along with the others near him to create an opening for Eizen and his allies. "If you would follow me, noble Shepherd," he said with a slight bow.

"Of…course," Eizen said slowly, glancing at his uncle. Zaveid gave him the tiniest of nods, and Eizen followed Andre across the last of Glaivend Basin, Sadie and his seraphim in tow.

Just beyond the edge of the wasteland was an incredibly lush forest, with trees that were all nearly as big as the one that had held Eizen's home up once, though these were of a different color and texture entirely. Eizen knew what this place was, of course - Volgran Forest, the beginning of the territory belonging to the Rolance Empire - but seeing it with his own eyes was nothing like reading about it in class.

"No time to gawk," Edna told Eizen maybe a split second after the Shepherd had stopped in his tracks. "There will be hellions around. The malevolence is stronger here."

"I'm thinking the local Lord of the Land ain't doing so hot," Zaveid muttered. "Hey Andre, you wouldn't know anything about the Lord of the Land around here, would you?"

Andre flinched, almost leaping off the ground, and Eizen put a hand to his katana. "N-No!" stammered the soldier. "No, I…I wouldn't know anything about that. What's a Lord of the Land?"

"Come on, man, how dumb do you think we are?" Zaveid demanded. "You don't get to be a Shepherd - or a Prime Lord - by being a complete idiot."

"Debatable," Eizen heard Edna mutter under her breath.

Andre stopped short, his back still to his charges. The four heroes halted behind him, and waited for a long minute.

"You have your oath, Prime Lord," he finally said softly, "and I have mine."

And that was all he said before he started walking again. Everyone exchanged glances, but no one could think of anything to say, and they followed him.

After a short ways, what seemed to be corrupted tree stumps with faces emerged from the dirt and attacked Eizen and his group. Taking it in their stride, the team fought back, though Eizen noticed that Andre stood to one side and made no motion to help them. When the plants were quelled, the soldier blanched with alarm that was clear even despite his hidden face.

"You purified them," he breathed. "You really are the Shepherd…"

"Are you telling me you just let us fight hellions without actually believing we had the power to stop them?" Zaveid exclaimed. "What are you trying to pull?"

"I can do nothing against hellions," Andre stated, though his voice sounded oddly pained. "I…I am glad that you can, though. Please, come with me, Lastonbell is still a ways through this forest…and there will be more creatures to fight."

Zaveid and Edna retreated to rest within Eizen as they kept going. I think you were right, Zaveid, Eizen remarked between hellion fights.

Yeah, Zaveid sighed. Being right kinda sucks sometimes.

Eventually, they reached the gates of Lastonbell. As they drew close and fought off the last few hellions, Andre slowed, then stopped.

"Are you sure you wish to proceed?" he asked them. "You don't have to be here. You can go home."

"We don't have that option," Eizen stated.

"Please…Please, noble Shepherd, please reconsider," Andre rasped. "For all your good intentions, you…you will not be welcome here. Turn back, and save those who are worth saving."

"As the Shepherd, it is my duty to protect all of the world from malevolence, whether someone deserves it or not," Eizen said. "Even if that wasn't the case, I have to take the trials to the southwest if I am to stop the Lord of Calamity. We have no choice but to proceed."

"Then…know that I wish you the best of luck," Andre said, his back still turned. "And that you will need it. Stay on your guard. General Donovan…has been waiting for you."

With that, the soldier raised one gloved fist and pounded on the gate. It opened, and another soldier emerged; the fact that Eizen couldn't see anyone's faces was starting to unsettle him.

"What is it?" demanded the new soldier gruffly.

"The Shepherd has come from the Kingdom of Hyland to aid us against the Lord of Calamity," Andre replied stiffly, gesturing to his charges, "along with his Squire. The sergeant has tasked me with ensuring the Shepherd meets with General Donovan."

"I see," the soldier said slowly; through the slits in his helmet, Eizen felt malicious eyes rake over him. "I will take them to see the General. You have done your duty well."

"We all must do our part," Andre stated, clasping a hand over his chest and bowing slightly. Then he turned away, sparing only one invisible glance at Eizen and his group before heading back to Glaivend Basin.

"Come in, noble Shepherd," said the new soldier. "We've been waiting for you." And he pushed open the massive door a bit wider. Taking a breath, Eizen crossed the threshold into Lastonbell, the border city, Sadie right behind him.

On the other side, Eizen was met with an unexpected sight: a bright, happy-looking town, full of smiling people going about their business. Had he not been the Shepherd, he would have assumed all was peaceful; the malevolence in the air clashed violently with the spectacle of a thriving community.

"If you'll follow me," the soldier stated, and he started walking without waiting for a reply.

Eizen followed the man, and Sadie followed Eizen. Lastonbell was unlike anything Eizen had ever imagined before: it was a full-blown city, just like Ladylake, but since it was built on solid ground and not constructed to stand in the middle of a lake, there were hills and curves in the roads, and trees and grass grew all around, even between the stone buildings. He tried not to focus too hard on the architecture and instead focus on the people they passed, all of whom seemed to be normal, untroubled humans; the malevolence around them was too thick for him to be able to tell if anyone he saw was secretly a hellion.

"What in the world was Andre talking about?" Sadie muttered to herself behind him. "It looks like everything's fine around here."

You really are stupid, Edna remarked. Can't you feel the malevolence? It's so thick I'd probably be sick if I tried to manifest.

"But everyone seems pure and happy to me!" Sadie protested.

Things aren't always what they seem, babe, Zaveid told her. If you only trust what's on the surface, you're gonna get killed. Keep your guard up.

"Are you…really that sure it's a trap?" Sadie asked softly.

I'd bet three pretty ladies, a dozen good fights, and a bottle of whiskey that it's a trap, Zaveid stated.

Seriously? Edna asked as Eizen shook his head and smiled to himself.

Absolutely! Zaveid replied. Do you think it's not a trap?

No, it's obviously a trap, but that's really what you consider high stakes?

Well, what did you expect me to bet? Zaveid chuckled. My life?

"Guys, enough," Eizen muttered. "Let's focus on what we need to do here. Sadie, it's like Zaveid says, we need to keep our guard up; the amount of malevolence in the air means that things aren't okay here, despite appearances, and we need to figure out where the problem is."

I'm looking forward to meeting this General Donovan, Zaveid remarked darkly. I can think of a few questions he needs to answer.

I'm more interested in talking to the Lord of the Land, Edna said.

What, looking to impress them too, maybe even get a harem going? Zaveid asked sourly.

Have you forgotten that the Lord of the Land for this area is a woman? Edna responded.

What does that matter? Zaveid grumbled. Apparently, anyone's fine so long as it ain't me.

Edna's laughter rang through Eizen's head, and it took every ounce of self-control he could muster not to join in. Even Sadie, from behind him, made a brief choking noise, and when Eizen glanced at her, he saw that her hand was clapped over her mouth, her cheeks a brilliant red as she struggled not to embarrass the Prime Lord further.

Oh, so that's funny, is it? Zaveid glowered. Yeah, let's all laugh at the guy who's been trying his damnedest and rejected for years only to be upstaged by a guy who didn't do much besides exist. Ha ha ha.

Indeed, Edna giggled, it's hilarious. You really need to get over this.

Zaveid, Eizen thought, not trusting his voice, we have more important things to worry about right now-

Suddenly, Eizen walked headfirst into the soldier who had been leading them through Lastonbell; he'd been so caught up in his family's drama that he hadn't noticed their guide stop short in front of a door set into one of a pair of stone towers that supported the massive bells the town was known for.

"S-Sorry!" Eizen stammered, stumbling back.

"Watch your step, Shepherd," the soldier told him. Something about the way he said it, like he'd barely even noticed nearly being bowled over, sent a shiver down Eizen's spine, banishing the last remnants of his amusement at his uncle's plight. "General Donovan has been waiting a long time to meet you. You wouldn't want to incapacitate yourself before introductions are even made."

"Why has this general been waiting for me?" Eizen asked, careful to keep his tone neutral.

"You are the Shepherd, and the Lord of Calamity has been very active across the continent," the soldier replied. "We have many things for you to do here. I only hope you won't disappoint us."

There was nothing precisely wrong with the words themselves, but Eizen couldn't fully suppress a shudder. It didn't take Zaveid's life experiences to tell him danger was imminent, and he took a moment to steel himself as the soldier opened the wooden door and walked into the tower before following.

Inside, the building was austere, only a few pieces of furniture adorning the space. Most of the room was dominated by a thick contingent of Rolance soldiers, all fully adorned in armor, their faces covered. They all stood so still, it was as if the room was full of mannequins.

"General Donovan," their guide said, addressing a soldier who sat against the far wall - a soldier, Eizen noticed, with slightly more ornate armor than the rest. "The Shepherd has come to aid us."

Without saying a word, the man in the ornate armor stood, then walked up to Eizen with slow, deliberate steps. Eizen desperately wished the malevolence around them would clear a little so he could read if this man was a hellion.

"Shepherd," came the general's voice. "So good of you to come here at last. We've been waiting a long time for you."

His armored hands rose, and he pulled the helmet off his head. Eizen flinched, but to his surprise, the face underneath looked entirely human, if not exactly pleasant. He had a shock of coarse red hair that stuck up in all directions, brown eyes, and a hint of stubble that was stark against his pale, pasty skin.

"My name is Donovan," the general stated. "I'm very glad to see you."

"M-My name is Eizen," Eizen responded. He gestured to Sadie. "This is my Squire, Sadie, and…" Zaveid and Edna emerged from within him. "…my Prime Lord, Zaveid, and my Sub Lord, Edna."

"Prime Lord, eh?" Donovan asked, eyeing Zaveid strangely.

"That's me," Zaveid confirmed, crossing his arms, "and I've got a few questions for you, Mr. General."

"I will answer them as best I can," Donovan said with a bow of his head.

"First of all, since when does the general of Rolance live in Lastonbell?" Zaveid asked. "I thought all the big names lived in Pendrago."

"I'm not the only general in the empire," Donovan stated; "Lastonbell is my responsibility, but not much more. You're thinking of the captain of the guard, Martin, who is stationed in the capital."

"Alright…well then, what the hell is going on in this town?" Zaveid demanded. "The malevolence around here is so thick I can hardly breathe!"

"We would like to see the Lord of the Land," Edna spoke up. "We're concerned for her well-being. You wouldn't be able to help us with that, would you?"

"The Lord of the Land is currently ensconced in the Sanctuary," Donovan stated. "She is…indisposed, at the moment."

"Well then, let us see her," Eizen said. "I'm sure we can help her with whatever's wrong."

"Perhaps," Donovan said slowly. "But I would be neglecting my duty if I forced such a large responsibility on you without some proof of your abilities. If I may ask for your help…hellions have abounded of late, and we've done our best to contain them, but the prison is very nearly overflowing. The power of purification would be greatly appreciated, if you would grant it to us."

"Of course," Eizen said, though he kept his guard up. "That's our duty. Take us to where you've been keeping the hellions, and we'll take care of them."

"If you will follow me, then, noble Shepherd," Donovan said, and he turned to a door Eizen hadn't noticed before.

It was a trap. It was so obviously a trap. But what other options did they have? Eizen turned to his uncle and raised his eyebrows, asking without speaking. Zaveid's orange eyes were sharp as he watched General Donovan open the door, which revealed stairs that led down into what must have been an underground prison; then, the Prime Lord returned Eizen's look and nodded.

We might as well play along for now.

Returning the nod to show he understood, Eizen followed the general down. Mercifully, Sadie didn't question anything that was happening, following them without a word, and at the back of his mind, Eizen wondered what she was thinking. He acknowledged the thought, then set it aside, gripping the hilt of his katana: Focus now, think later.

What they found at the bottom of the steps could only be described as a dungeon - damp stone, iron bars, torches that seemed to give off no warmth casting a dim, flickering light. Eizen could see inhuman shapes moving in the shadows beyond the wall of bars in front of them. Hellions. That much, at least, is true…so we'd have to come down here anyway, trap or no. But what could the trap be? Knowing a trap exists doesn't make it easy to spot…

"I do hope you won't disappoint us, noble Shepherd," Donovan remarked as he took a ring of keys off his belt and made to unlock the door in the wall of the massive cell. "Capturing and containing these hellions has been a tremendous ordeal."

"I'll do my best to live up to your expectations," Eizen said, keeping his tone carefully neutral.

The door opened, and Eizen stepped forward cautiously. As soon as he was across the threshold, the door slammed behind him, and a click told Eizen that Donovan had locked it again.

Zaveid chuckled from the other side of the wall. "Nice try, pal," he told the general before retreating to rest in his place in Eizen's chest. Understanding, Eizen turned to the door and summoned his uncle's power, merging with the wind as he swept forward, melting through the bars and emerging on the other side without any trouble; behind him, hellions launched themselves at the cage wall, just barely too late to assault him. Once he was back across, Zaveid emerged again and folded his arms. "Now how about we cut the crap already?"

Donovan didn't seem in the least bit perturbed. "Are you not going to quell the hellions, Shepherd?" he asked Eizen.

"You just tried to lock me in with them!" Eizen exclaimed.

"No, I was trying to keep them locked in," Donovan said patiently. "I'm aware of the Shepherd's powers, that bars could not contain you. And even if I could, why ever would I try to lock you in a cage?"

"Because you were trying to separate Eizen from his Squire," Edna answered coldly.

"Separate? Heavens, no!" Donovan exclaimed. "I thought this wallflower would be of little use to you here. What good is a woman in battle?"

Sadie gave an indignant cry of protest. "Sadie is a fine warrior," Eizen stated, "and a fine Squire. Don't ever insult her again."

"My apologies," Donovan said with a bow. "But if you don't mind, we would greatly appreciate help with these hellions we have captured. Can you purify them or not?"

Eizen held the general's gaze for a long minute, thinking. "Purifying hellions is our duty," he said slowly. "I will cleanse the ones you have gathered here. Don't bother opening the door for me again, Sadie and I can get through without your help." He turned his eyes on his Squire and gestured with his head for her to come closer; Zaveid and Edna returned within him. "Come over here, Sadie, and I'll get us both through."

The Squire nodded and approached, and Eizen called on the power of his wind seraph before melting into wind and breezing back through the bars, this time catching Sadie and bringing her with him. On the other side, Zaveid and Edna emerged, and the four of them stepped forward into a crowd of rabid hellions.

There were a lot, Donovan hadn't been lying - beasts of all sorts writhed among each other throughout the room, struggling to be the first to face the intruders. Eizen slashed the nearest one with his katana, losing himself to the flow of battle, and they spread out, taking down the hordes of monsters. Luckily, though the prison was crowded, the monsters were about as strong as Niko's rock golems, maybe a little weaker, and the Shepherd and his allies were stronger now, not to mention twice the number that had faced that threat. After taking down a few, Eizen lifted his left hand.

"Hephsin Yulind!"

Blasting the nearby monsters with punches, Eizen and Edna fell into a rhythm, working in unison to cast artes and land blows. Eizen felt potential power grow within them, and he tried to access it, but nothing happened.

Can we not cast Mystic Artes, big sis? he asked Edna.

Not yet, she replied. That's another reason the trials are so important: to cast Mystic Artes while armatized with a seraph, you need the blessing of the Great Lord of the seraph's element.

Do you know any Mystic Artes? Eizen asked. On your own, I mean?

Of course.

Eizen severed the connection, and they split back into two. His katana found its mark on several other hellions, and then Edna shouted, "Get down!" A domain froze time, leaving only his big sister in motion. "And stay down," she commanded, stomping one booted foot hard enough to crack the earth below. As stone columns rose around her, she twirled and launched a bomb of earth mana from her umbrella at her target. "Terra Mine!"

This Mystic Arte had a blast range, and a whole cluster of hellions were dispatched in one fell swoop by Edna's power. Though the prison was big, the numbers were noticeably reduced already, and they kept fighting, confident in their victory. Then, at last, there were no more foes attacking them, and Eizen and Sadie came to rest, taking stock, her armatized with Zaveid, him armatized with Edna.

The sound of a key turning in a lock fell on deaf ears as Eizen stared around him in disbelief. Though the hellions they'd hit were felled, none of them had resumed their natural forms. Instead, the whole cell was filled with twitching, spasming hellion bodies, helpless but far from purified. Here and there, little traces of the flames of purification danced along them, as though trying and failing to burn through a thick coating of some sort.

"What the heck?" Eizen asked as he and Sadie both de-armatized. He turned around, only to see General Donovan standing in the now-open doorway to the cell. "What's going on here?" he questioned.

Donovan tilted his head. "Remarkable," he breathed. "You are truly her brother. She told me it wouldn't work, but I had to try…"

"What is all this?" Eizen demanded of him, raising his voice as he stepped closer to the enigmatic soldier. "Answer me!"

"You wanted to meet the Lord of the Land, noble Shepherd?" Donovan smirked. "Well…" He spread his arms. "Here he is."

Before Eizen could even ask, Donovan's entire body began to jerk unnaturally, as though something was forcing its way out through his skin. His body morphed, malevolent flames dancing along his figure as he transformed into a terrible hellion. Now, his head was shaped like that of a boar, though he had scales everywhere except for the shock of red bristles on top of his head; that and the forked tongue and fangs he revealed when he opened his mouth were more reminiscent of a snake.

"This land is under my domain," Donovan told them. "This is the gift our Lord of Calamity granted me. No hellions can be quelled here, no matter what you do."

"But we quelled the hellions in Volgran Forest!" Eizen exclaimed.

"Volgran Forest is the edge of my domain, and we were not expecting you so soon," Donovan hissed. "I have already undone what you think you did there. This land will be kept pure under my rule, purely dark, so long as I breathe."

"Then we'll just have to make you stop breathing!" Sadie shouted, brandishing her ax.

"I would like to see you try," Donovan sneered as soldiers began pouring down the stone steps. Then, he turned and ran, soldiers pushing past him.

"Sadie, go after him," Eizen commanded; "take Zaveid with you. Edna and I will handle these guys."

"But-"

"Go!" Eizen ordered, raising his hand and calling Edna's true name again. "Now, Sadie!"

She met his gaze for a moment longer as the soldiers bore down on them, then nodded. "Fylk Zahdeya!" she shouted, diving into the crowd, and Zaveid merged with her as they blasted their way through the contingent, wind mana granting them all the power they needed to keep up with their quarry.

Armatized, Eizen and Edna started hitting the soldiers that swarmed them, all of them apparently focused on the Shepherd and not paying any attention to his Squire. They were stronger than the hellions Eizen had just fought, but there were also fewer of them, and the narrow cell door created a bottleneck. It was strange, to see his enemies fall and not transform or get back up when he was done with them, but even those he took down appeared to still be breathing, writhing on the stone floor in what looked like tremendous pain. Once we take down the general, will everyone we've defeated be quelled all at once? he wondered briefly before refocusing on the battle.

Though he was battered by the time the soldiers stopped coming, Eizen managed to stay standing long enough to knock down each and every one. He de-armatized, and Edna sheltered in his chest as he picked his way over the fallen enemies as quickly as he could and dashed up the stairs, popping the last of his gels as he ran. There were more writhing bodies up top, and the door was surrounded by even more. Outside, the malevolence felt even thicker, not choking like Niko's domain but heavy, a blanket of pure evil.

One good thing did come of the strange state of the town: a path of defeated people led Eizen straight to where Sadie had gone. None of the humans on the ground looked like hellions, though they still had little white embers dancing on them as they twitched underfoot.

These are the same people we saw happily living their lives earlier, Eizen thought at Edna.

Yeah, all an illusion I guess, or something like it, she remarked. Zaveid's going to be proud of himself. Don't worry about it, baby brother, you know what you need to do.

The path led Eizen to an old building that he guessed had to be the Sanctuary, just a little ways down the street from where he'd emerged into the town. Even in that short distance, though, any trace of the bustling people he'd seen before was gone, save those Sadie had taken down in her pursuit of General Donovan, lending the foreboding atmosphere an even more chilling air. Through a courtyard, Sadie and Zaveid were pounding on the ornate door to the Sanctuary, which refused to budge.

"What's going on?" Eizen asked, Edna emerging.

"He sealed himself inside," Zaveid growled. "Cowardly bastard…"

"You can probably use my power to break through," Edna told Eizen, and she retreated within his chest again. It's the same way you use Zaveid's power, she went on in his head. Just channel me, and use Giant's Strength to punch through a wall. This place is old, it shouldn't be too difficult.

Eizen nodded, called on the power of his earth seraph, and thrust a hand forward at the wall next to the wooden door. The stone shattered, leaving a hole big enough for one person to walk through; Eizen prayed the whole building wouldn't collapse. Inside, all was dark, but they had no choice but to enter and face whatever waited for them there. Edna emerged one last time, and they walked into the Sanctuary in single-file, Eizen at the front.

"So, it cannot be stopped."

The voice, clearly recognizable as that of General Donovan, hissed through the darkness.

"Very well," he went on. "Behold, the one you came to save. Guardian seraph Sindra, give us some light!"

Fire erupted in the distance, spreading across the room as it lit torches and sconces everywhere, but Eizen kept his eyes on the source: a large, scaly beast was breathing the flames from its fanged mouth.

"A dragon?" he whispered, his heart sinking.

"No," Zaveid told him, "it's just a drake. We can still save her."

"Not as long as Pighead's around," Edna remarked. "We have to focus on taking him out first."

"So what, we just ignore the giant almost-dragon breathing fire at us?" Eizen asked Edna as the beast's inferno faded, leaving the room lit.

Demented laughter caught his attention, not quite as hellish as Niko's but still unsettling. Donovan sneered at them through his pig snout and snake fangs from the center of the room, standing between them and the drake that had once been the Lord of the Land. "I am not much weaker than she," he told them, drawing his massive sword. "And we will not be alone, either."

Globs fell from the ceiling around them, surrounding the room and lining the walls: slime hellions, lots of them.

"Can you fight all this?" Donovan jeered. "Come now, Shepherd, and see how your powers match up to the gifts our lord gave us!"

"Spread out," Eizen told his allies as he drew his katana. "Sadie, try to keep the drake distracted; Edna, Zaveid, clear out those slimes, then help Sadie. I'll focus on the general."

Without waiting for them to agree or protest, Eizen charged at the corrupted soldier, their swords clashing together hard enough to drown out the sound of the drake's roar.

Though Eizen was a Rangetsu and had been trained to fight like one since birth, General Donovan was an older, experienced warrior who had seen real combat many times in his life, and all the focus and technique in the world couldn't replace that. Eizen struck fast, but Donovan hit hard, hard enough to jar Eizen's grip on his katana; and unlike Eizen, Donovan's blows dealt real damage, slicing his tunic and bruising the skin under his cloak. Sometimes, it was all Eizen could do to protect his head from the two-edged blade. Still, there was nothing else he could do but focus, only occasionally glancing around to see how his allies were faring, and even that much often cost him. Sadie, Edna, and Zaveid were following his plan, the seraphim quickly dispatching the horde of slimes while the Squire kept the drake busy. Every now and then, one of the seraphim would cast a healing arte on Eizen, and he knew that without that aid, he would not have won this fight, as the general was relentless.

Suddenly, a dark domain froze time, and Eizen couldn't move.

"Feel the power of our lord and savior!" Donovan hissed, black fire erupting along his mouth as he opened his jaws wide, as wide as a snake could, the massive fangs filling with dark energy. "Dark Venom!" he shouted, spearing his teeth through Eizen's shoulder.

Malevolence poured through Eizen's veins, fighting the seraphic fire he channeled as Shepherd; he fell to his knees, his body burning, all but helpless as the general slashed at him hard enough to knock him across the room. Mercifully, his cloak caught the brunt of the blow, but as he gritted his teeth and forced the darkness out so he could struggle to his feet, he felt battered, as though he might have broken several bones.

As the general charged for him again, mana suddenly swirled around them, knocking the monster back and healing some of Eizen's wounds; he looked, and saw that Sadie and Zaveid had armatized and cast a Rejuvenation arte on him. It was just enough, and Eizen dove back into battle, even more determined.

The slimes seemed to be downed, though of course they weren't purified; in the background, the drake's roar told Eizen only that the beast hadn't been defeated yet as he swiped at the dark general, darting around as quickly as he could. There were advanced moves his father had been teaching him that he hadn't quite gotten the hang of yet, but fear and danger were stronger motivators than his father's strictness, and he managed a perfect Form-8 cast for the first time in his life. I have to do this. It's all up to me.

When another domain froze time, Eizen felt a flicker of panic, only to see that it was Sadie who had cast it, dancing around with her battleax as she bashed the corrupted seraph.

"Let your blood bleed silver in the moonlight!" she declared, mana gathering along one of the blades of her two-headed weapon. She twirled, launching a massive saber of energy at the drake. "Wolf's Bane!"

Was that enough to defeat the beast? Eizen didn't bother to check, returning his focus to Donovan as soon as the Mystic Arte was cast. It seemed as though the dark general was starting to slow down, and Eizen redoubled his efforts yet again, attacking too fast for Donovan to counter him. Yes, his foe was definitely weakening, if he could just hold out for a little longer…

Finally, one final blow sent General Donovan to his knees. Eizen felt the flames of purification course through the hellion…and nothing happened.

"So," Donovan rasped, glaring up at him, "it has come to this. Will you learn the lesson your sister charged me with teaching you?"

Eizen stared.

"I will not be quelled, Shepherd," Donovan sneered. "I will not be silenced. If you want to subject this land to your foolish idea of salvation, you must kill me."

"Donovan…" Eizen shook his head. "I don't understand. Why are you doing this? Why did you side with my sister?"

"Because she was the first to side with us!" he spat. "You know nothing, Shepherd Eizen. We all toil in obscurity, struggling and sacrificing so that we may build a society, hoping that our feeble efforts will grant us some form of recognition in the end. I have given myself entirely for this wretched Empire, slaved away and obeyed every order I was given, sacrificing my time, my body, my life! And for what? A foolish, cursed world that will only ever fall, be it sooner or later. Even if you stop your sister, another Lord of Calamity will rise, this is inevitable; the cycle never ends, and we all live our meaningless, empty lives in fear of it. The Lord of Calamity will free us of this fate, free us of the shackles of society, that we may at last pursue whatever brings us fulfillment without any worries or cares!"

"A world full of people who only think of themselves would be hell, for everyone," Eizen stated. "Maybe we all have to…to make sacrifices, but…" He trailed off, thinking of Sadie's engagement, and then of the people of Hyland who called him 'hellion-spawn' because they didn't understand his parents' past. Life in the treehouse to the east was so far removed from living in a town, living in a society, that, Eizen realized, he really didn't understand what the general was talking about.

"Do you understand now, just how little you know?" Donovan asked. "It is not too late. Submit to us, join us, and you will not come to harm. Nothing will ever harm you again."

"No," Eizen stated firmly. "I may not know a lot about the life of a commoner, but I do know that a world without society is no world at all."

"So too is a world without malevolence," Donovan hissed. "Do you really think a perfect world can ever be made? Why, then, has it not already come to pass?"

"I don't know," Eizen answered honestly. "And I don't know if I can make it happen. But I can try, and I will."

"Then kill me," Donovan said. "Go on, then. Look me in the eye and end my life, if you are so convinced of your answer."

"I don't have to kill you," Eizen said softly. "Please, just…let yourself be purified. Stop this madness."

"Am I the one who is mad?" Donovan chuckled. "Or are you?"

"Stop this, General Donovan, please," Eizen begged. "No one has to die here today."

"Everyone has to die, according to your beliefs," Donovan retorted. "Prove that you mean what you say."

There was no getting through to him; Eizen knew it, but his hand shook as he raised his katana. For all his battle training, all his work quelling hellions thus far, he had never had to end the life of another living thing before. Killing hellions was something his father did, to protect the treehouse, but Eizen had never even watched.

"Will you kill me or not?" Donovan jeered. "Go on then, noble Shepherd, show me your resolve."

Desperately, Eizen turned to his comrades, half-hoping someone would spare him the choice. What he saw chilled him: little white embers danced along the body of the drake - it had clearly been defeated - yet it kept attacking, jerking and thrashing with unnatural movements as it continued assaulting his allies, the massive tail sweeping around and knocking them back within its range as they tried to flee.

They couldn't help him. He could only help them.

"I…I'm sorry," Eizen sighed, turning back to Donovan. "You leave me no choice."

The monster just snickered.

Though he was tempted to close his eyes, Eizen resisted the urge, instead looking directly into the hellion's own slitted pupils as he raised his katana. For a long moment, he hesitated, struggling with himself, with what he knew he had to do…and then, in one quick motion, he decapitated the general, who collapsed to the floor. The thump of disembodied head on stone was echoed by Eizen falling to his knees.

I killed him.

Shock and horror numbed him, almost to the point that he couldn't feel the malevolent domain break, the flames of purification that had been struggling to act suddenly finding purchase in all the hellions and corrupted substances and burning the darkness away. The drake's body erupted in silver flames before fading and leaving only a seraph in a simple seraph-robe, Eizen's Squire and seraphim alive and safe. It was all distant background noise; nothing was real except the corpse on the floor of the Sanctuary, the corpse of a man Eizen had willingly slain.

I just killed someone. Me.

"Baby brother?"

Eizen blinked, emerging from his daze to look up at Edna, who put a hand on his shoulder, her blue eyes sad and understanding.

"You did what you had to," she said. "He made his choice."

"Big sis…" he whispered.

"You gave him every chance you could," Edna went on. "If he was so determined to die rather than go back to his human life, well, you gave him what he wanted. Everyone in Lastonbell can live their lives free of malevolence now, because you did what had to be done."

"I know," he said distantly. "I know…but…"

"But nothing," Edna stated, and she leaned back so she could jab him in the arm with her umbrella. "Come on, get up."

Her stern, toneless voice and gentle prod made him laugh despite himself. No matter what happened, his family was a constant he knew he could rely on, and he pushed himself to his feet. "Thanks, big sis," he said softly.

"Yeah, and thank you for stopping the drake from crushing us," she said. "Of course, I'd prefer that to being smothered by slimes."

This managed to coax another laugh out of his throat, and he turned his back on the fallen general to approach his Squire and Prime Lord, who were helping the Lord of the Land to her feet.

"Guardian seraph…Sindra, was it?" Eizen greeted as he approached. "Are you alright?"

"I will be now, thanks to all of you," Sindra replied. "You came just in time; I might have finished turning any day if you hadn't saved me."

"Glad we got here when we did," Zaveid remarked.

"As am I," Sindra said with a slight bow.

Eizen noted the color of her hair and robes, both a bright blue. "You're a water seraph," he remarked.

"I am…" she said slowly.

"Would you be willing to join us?" Eizen asked her. "We need a water seraph if we're to attain the full power of the Shepherd."

"No," Sindra replied, shaking her head, "I am no warrior. Besides, I'm needed here. You defeated the Lord of Calamity's general, but there are plenty of hellions still within range of my domain; I need to grant the land my blessing so that what remains doesn't spread."

"Wait, the Lord of Calamity's general?" Sadie repeated. "Lady Sindra, was General Donovan not one of Rolance's soldiers?"

"He was," she replied sadly, "but he wasn't a general under the Rolance Empire. I have felt his malevolence for a long time - his bitterness, his hatred. When the Lord of Calamity came to us, he stepped forward and accepted her horrid demands on behalf of the entire town; he was so determined, none of the citizens or other soldiers could stop him."

"I see…" Eizen mused. "Well, it's over now. Everyone in Lastonbell can get back to their lives."

"How's Pendrago doing?" Edna asked.

"I don't know," Sindra replied. "I have been sealed in here, desperately trying to battle the malevolence Donovan kept forcing on me; I know nothing of the land beyond my domain, even now."

"Well, we should probably clean the town up first," Zaveid stated. "There are a lot more people who were corrupted that we didn't purify on our way over here."

"Indeed," Sindra confirmed, nodding, "there are still hordes of hellions in Lastonbell, former citizens and animals alike. If you could quell them all before moving on, I know everyone would be very grateful."

"We will," Eizen promised. "Thank you, Sindra."

"Thank you, noble Shepherd," Sindra told him, meeting his eyes. "Really and truly. And the rest of you, too," she added, glancing at Sadie, Edna, and Zaveid. "All of you came here just in time; everyone free of malevolence is and will be in your debt."

A collection of "you're welcome"s were offered by the small party, and then they turned to head for the doors. Eizen did his best not to look at the floor where Donovan's remains lay.

"You…"

The sudden, unearthly voice rasped through the air as Eizen reached the hole in the wall. Turning in surprise, he saw nothing that could have made the sound.

"Prime Lord…"

It was coming from underfoot. Looking down in horror, Eizen saw the eyes in Donovan's decapitated head fixed on Zaveid, who had just finished walking past him.

"You talkin' to me?" Zaveid asked the dead soldier.

"Zaveid…" the head hissed, its jaws moving just enough to make a sound. "Prime Lord…"

"Yeah, that's me," Zaveid said cautiously.

"A joke," Donovan croaked.

"Huh?"

"You…reject light," the thing gasped. "You were…supposed to be…the first to fall. The first…to join us. You…were not meant…to fight back. That you are Prime Lord…is a joke…"

"What can I say?" Zaveid shrugged. "Life's pretty good at telling cruel, sick jokes. Have you heard the one about the decapitated snake-pig who wouldn't stop talking?"

Black fire exploded from the bodiless head, and Zaveid yelped and jumped back as it floated into the air, the skin peeling away under the dark flames.

"Why do you fight us?" the unholy thing asked Zaveid, no longer rasping, its voice twisted into something otherworldly. "Come, Son of the Wind, enough of this charade. Join us. We can give you everything you've ever wanted, make all your dreams come true."

"Now, see, if a pretty lady made me an offer like that, I wouldn't say no," Zaveid chuckled. "You should've sent a different messenger."

"Your jokes cannot hide the truth," spat the blazing head, which was now little more than a skull under all the dark fire. "You cannot deny who you are, or what you want. Enough with this foolishness, Son of the Wind; join us."

"Why don't you quit while you're ahead?" Zaveid smirked.

Despite everything, Eizen heard Edna groan.

"Oh come on, he walked right into that one!" Zaveid exclaimed defensively, sparing her a glance. "Well, y'know, floated…"

"Join us," the head repeated. "Join us, Son of the Wind, as you were always meant to do. It is inevitable."

"Yeah, see, I'm not really the kinda guy to put much stake in prophecies," Zaveid remarked.

"But I do not speak of a prophecy," growled the thing in the black flames. "I speak of what has already come to pass…of the choice you already made, so very long ago."

Eizen had kept his eyes on his uncle the whole time, so he saw the exact moment when all the amusement was wiped from Zaveid's face, like a candle snuffed out between cold, wet fingers. The wind seraph stumbled back a step, gasping, his eyes wide, and in his expression, Eizen saw something that alarmed him far more than a decapitated head floating off the ground and burning with black fire while it talked:

Zaveid was scared.

"Your choice has already been made," hissed the monstrosity. "You need only to understand your choice, and when you do, you will join us. Or, join us now, and all will be made clear without any further nonsense. You know who you are, Son of the Wind; you know what you did. Join us, and take for yourself everything you've ever wished for. Become the Son of Shadows, the man you have always wanted to be. Join us, and leave all your failures behind."

Without saying a word, Zaveid took a step forward, and then another. There was nothing Eizen could do as his Prime Lord approached the talking head, coming to stop right in front of the horrific thing.

"Join us…" it whispered.

Zaveid lifted a hand, and white fire lit in his palm. "Go to hell," he growled, and he thrust the flames of purification at the burning skull.

Silver fire cascaded from the Prime Lord's hand, blasting against the malevolent lump; in response, the black fire sputtered, but kept burning.

"You cannot lie to yourself forever," roared the voice. "You cannot escape who you are. Sooner or later, you will join us, and this miserable world will be made pure at last."

"I said go to hell!" Zaveid shouted, raising his other hand and unleashing a torrent of white flames. His eyes blazed with something Eizen had never seen there before: rage, mixed with pain and regret and traces of terror, as though his uncle was trying, not to purify a hellion, but to destroy some old, painful memory, some hard truth he refused to accept.

No more words came from the malevolent head; there was some laughter, but then the flames of purification engulfed it, the darkness extinguished. Zaveid kept blasting it for another minute, and then his arms dropped, the power severed. When the light faded, Donovan's head fell to the ground once more, no longer that of a snake-boar hellion, but of a man with red hair, the man he had first appeared to be, his lips frozen in a sneer.

Eizen looked at the fallen head once, then returned his focus to Zaveid. His uncle was slumped over where he stood, his arms and hands limp; his chest heaved as he panted for breath, as though he'd just run across the entire continent without using his wind powers to aid him.

"Uncle Zaveid?" Eizen eventually asked, taking a step closer to the wind seraph. "What…what was all that about?"

For a moment, Zaveid didn't respond. Then, he lifted his head, and Eizen saw the naked emotion there for a split second before it was wiped away, replaced by a calm, uncaring mask. "I don't know," Zaveid replied. "Just a…bunch of nonsense. Nothing you should think about."

It was a lie. But what else could Eizen say?

"Let's get going," Zaveid went on, straightening the rest of the way up to turn away from the fallen general and head for the exit. "I want the whole town quelled before nightfall so we can rest at the inn without worry."

"That…makes sense," Sadie agreed with a hesitant nod, and she followed him.

Eizen stood frozen. When Edna finally approached, he turned to her. "Big sis?" he asked softly. "Do you know what that was all about?"

"No," she replied. "I have no idea."

"I…I'm worried," Eizen said lamely.

"I know," Edna responded, and he could see in her blue eyes what she wouldn't say: that she was concerned, too. "But if he won't tell us what the deal is, we can't do anything about it. It's up to him. Let's just do what we can."

"…Right," Eizen managed, and they left to hunt the hellions remaining in Lastonbell.


Trophy earned for this chapter: [image of a snake-pig head burning with black fire] "For Whom the Bell Tolls" - Proof of taking down one of your sister's most vital allies, despite the sacrifice you had to make in doing so. Your trials have only begun.