Crossroads of the Heart

Author's Note: Fire Emblem is the property of Intelligent Systems and Nintendo. There are a lot of spoilers here, as this is essentially a novelization of the end of the game.


Chapter 3: Vengeance

The Dragon's Gate: Nergal's base of operations. It was just as they remembered, an unsettling monolith not meant for human interaction. Eliwood passed by the throne where Marquess Laus had fallen so long ago, his blood still staining the carved stone. He recalled that the last time they had come to this place, Nergal had stolen his father's life... it was fitting, then, that this would be where Nergal met his end. Preferably by my hand, Eliwood thought, but there were many in their army who desired that same thing.

There was no doubt that Nergal waited somewhere within this impressive structure, likely by the Gateway itself, awaiting the return of his precious morph, Limstella. Eliwood would have liked nothing more than to charge in there at once and bring him down, but without the Durandal he'd likely have no chance at winning. The Durandal... he wondered idly if he could bring himself to wield that blade once again. He had assured Lord Athos that it would not be a problem, yet it was an issue he wrestled with daily. What if he lost control again?

He had already lost his father, and Ninian... what else could this journey take from him? Hector? He chuckled at that -- if there was ever a person unlikely to die, it was Hector. Eliwood searched his friend out, spotting him with the rest of the Ostians, as usual. He was engaged in some sort of conversation with Matthew, still studiously avoiding Oswin as he had been all day. The troubled general sat some distance away, still keeping watch as was his duty, but clearly unwelcome in close proximity. Eliwood strode toward him, determined to know the truth.

"Oswin." It was better to keep this short, and to the point. He would abide no skirting of this issue this time.

"...Lord Eliwood." The look in his eyes -- tired, resigned -- gave some hope that perhaps he would be more truthful this time.

"Tell me, Oswin. What has happened between you and Hector?"

"We are stubborn mules of men, the both of us, you understand," Oswin explained with a sigh. "There are many things..."

"There is one thing in particular, I'm certain of it. Something has happened," Eliwood pressed him, only to be met with sullen silence. "Please, Oswin..."

"Lord Eliwood, I am telling you, there is nothing--"

"It's Uther, is it not? There is nothing else I can think of."

"What? How would you... Lord Eliwood."

"If there is something the matter with Lord Uther... Hector should be at his side. Is that what is bothering him? It would be just like him to keep quiet when he should be returning home..."

"...I once thought along those same lines, Lord Eliwood." Oswin sighed, shoulders slumped. "You must not let on... but Lord Uther... he's passed away. I received word of his passing some time ago."

"...What?!" Eliwood stared, mind reeling. He had assumed that perhaps Lord Uther's sickness had taken a turn for the worse, but that he had... why would Hector keep such a thing from him?!

"It was Lord Uther's wish that I keep his death a secret from Lord Hector, at least until his quest here with you was finished. He... He knew that Hector would return to his side, but even if he had, there would have been nothing he could do but watch him die. And he would have never forgiven himself for abandoning you."

"That's... I never wanted this..."

"However, Hector figured out what happened on his own when we last stayed in Ostia. It was his choice to keep it a secret from you and the others, so that you might not feel further burdened..."

"That is ridiculous! ...But it is just like him... Oswin. I... apologize."

"...It's nothing. You would have found out eventually, I'm sure. The sickness... it was the same thing that took their parents. It spread too quickly..." Oswin looked up, having no more information to impart.

So that was it. Eliwood had half a mind to march up to Hector and give him a piece of his mind right then, but this was neither the time nor place for such childish actions. Still, before the battle... they definitely needed to talk. Uther had been, for all intents and purposes, the only father Hector had ever known. That he was gone... Lyn had been right. To lose someone so close was a terrible feeling. He had thought he would never smile again after his father's death. They each could understand his loss, yet he had chosen to keep silent... why he took such burdens on himself, Eliwood could not fathom. Were they not friends?


"Shouldn't you be, you know, caring for the wounded or something?"

"Hmph! I am always on top of my duties as the only sister in this army! I'll have you know that everyone is in perfect condition, thanks to my wondrous healing ability!" Serra sniffed self-righteously. Why was Matthew always nitpicking at her this way? "Why, just the other day, Sir Oswin complimented me on my abilities, he did! Said I was doing a wonderful job, and that this army wouldn't last a minute without me!"

"Funny, I seem to recall him chastising you for shirking your duties at the battlefront..."

"Hah! You see, Matthew, that's your problem. You're just so terrible at seeing beyond trifling words into the true meaning hidden between the lines!"

"...Is that what you call that? Unbelievable."

"And just what is that supposed to mean!"

"I don't know, why don't you try reading between the lines and let me know what you make of it?"

"Oh! You are so intolerably rude sometimes, Matthew!"

"Yeah, so why don't you go bother Erk or something? You know, I think I saw him over with Priscilla... saying something about helping her with her anima casting techniques..."

"What?!"

Honestly, was it so wrong to expect just a slight bit of appreciation? She was, after all, the only cleric currently in their ranks -- what would they do if she wasn't around to heal them after they stumbled onto the wrong end of a blade? Well, truthfully, there was that mounted strumpet, Priscilla, but anyone with half an eye for quality could see she was far too concerned with various men in the army to truly see to the needs of the wounded! It didn't help matters that the men seemed to be tripping over themselves to serve her every whim, and there she was, pretending to be so naive... oh, it was infuriating!

But, certainly, they didn't prefer her ministrations? No, she had to be mistaken. It wasn't that they were flocking to her for their ailments... it was merely that fewer people were injuring themselves lately, is all. That tends to happen, after all, after as much practice as they had been treated to on the field of battle. It made perfect sense to her.

She stole a glance over near where the Etrurians had set up their encampment, oftentimes practicing their magic or some such. If they only knew of her upbringing! Priscilla certainly was not the only Etrurian princess in their camp -- and she wasn't even a trueborn Etrurian, at that! Serra smiled smugly to herself as she sauntered over toward where Erk was indeed conducting a lecture of sorts. How boring.

"There, you see? Elfire isn't so terribly difficult a spell. Try it again." He was generally a very patient person, well suited to the art of teaching. Perhaps he had learned these skills from his own mentor, Lord Pent.

"A-all right. I shall try..." Priscilla, Elfire tome in hand. She began the incantation, eyes narrowed in concentration. A ball of light began to form about one extended hand, when suddenly the spell fizzled out, flashing harmlessly one last time before fading completely away, naught but a trail of lingering smoke left in its wake.

"Hmm, that wasn't too bad. You're making better progress than I expected," Erk encouraged her, clapping his hands.

"Oh, you don't have to sugarcoat it, Erk. That was awful. You should concentrate your attentions on that girl, Nino... she's much better at this than I am," Priscilla sighed, folding her arms. If she was crestfallen over this latest failure, Serra certainly couldn't tell. She always had that sorrowful expression on her face.

"Well, I--"

"Erk! Eeeerk!" Serra exclaimed, figuring now was as good a time as any to make an entrance. She was growing tired of watching him cater to that woman's whims, anyway.

"Wha...? Oh. Serra..." Erk eyed her carefully, taking a step back. "As you can see, I'm a little busy..."

"Oh, don't worry about it, Erk," Priscilla piped up, flashing a hesitant smile at Serra. "I'll let you two talk. I'd like to rest a bit before Lord Athos arrives, anyway..." She waved, then took off at a brisk trot in the opposite direction.

"...Wonderful. You know, Serra, she could have very well learned that spell before this next battle had you not so conveniently interrupted us..."

"Oh come now, Erk, don't be such a sourpuss. She said she was tired herself, didn't she?" Serra smiled, slinging an arm around his shoulders. He winced, attempting to step away from her, but she'd have none of that.

"Serra... look, what did you want?"

"Oh, I know! Why don't you help me out with my magic?" She smiled brightly at him. "Lucius said that he was quite impressed with my progress so far, you know?"

"You know I don't know a thing about Light Magic!" He shook away from her, glaring openly. "You interrupted our training session for this?"

"Aw, don't be mad. You know, you were in my service first!" Serra pouted, a tactic she often resorted to when things weren't going her way. "You really should be by my side more often, protecting me! I'm just the sweet, helpless cleric... what if something happened to me? I bet you'd feel terrible!"

"That's not exactly how I would put it..."

"Hm?"

"Ah... nothing. Look, Serra. I really am busy. We have a very trying battle ahead of us... shouldn't you be preparing for that rather than pestering me at every opportunity?"

"Oh, I know! We can prepare for this together! Now look here, Erk..."

He was so cute, the way he pretended not to like her so, when it was painfully obvious that he was smitten with her. Luckily for him, she easily saw through his terrible ruse. Honestly, she didn't blame him! To be in love with a blessed sister of St. Elimine! Truthfully, she was unsure of how she would deal with certain vows she had taken in her youth as of yet, but...


The atmosphere in the camp was on the whole rather somber and contemplative -- on the eve of such a battle, that was of course to be expected. Yet there were still those who chose to remain light-hearted, taking solace in their friends rather than from within. There were rumors that Lord Athos had arrived not too long ago, and Florina confirmed them herself, catching sight of the Archsage engaged in conversation with Lyn, Hector and Eliwood. They would be going in shortly, Florina knew, and she felt her heart rate speed up. She knew that not all of them could go -- their army was rather large -- and she wondered briefly if she would be among those chosen to accompany them. She fiercely hoped so; she had been longing for the chance to repay Nergal for his deeds ever since Ninian had died.

"Florina? What are you doing over here? We're assembling to attack!" Farina landed next to her, tossing her a finely crafted silver lance. "Here, Merlinus had a spare. Let's go!"

"A-all right! I'm right behind you!" Florina assured her, hefting the lance as she mounted her pegasus. It seemed to be new, in perfect condition. Her heart soared, even as it fluttered with fright. It was an honor to be chosen for this mission, but what if she messed up? No, she could not fail everyone now. The chosen attack squad came into view, gathered just outside the Dragon's Gate entrance. She saw several people she was rather friendly with -- Nino, looking just as nervous as she herself felt. Her sisters, gathered in formation, waiting for her to join them. There was Lyn, with Hector and Eliwood... and Nils, Ninian's brother. She noticed Serra, pestering Erk about something, and Rath standing diligently to the side; he was such a frightening man. Kent and Sain stood nearby, Sain looking every bit as serious as Kent for once. There were others, but there was no time to survey everything -- as soon as she arrived, everyone began moving in.

Adrenaline rushed through her as they moved forward; Nergal could appear at any minute. They moved deeper into the structure... and then, standing as though he had not a care in the world, stood the reason for all of their pain, all of their sorrows... Nergal. He eyed them as they approached, still and serene, robes framing his imposing figure. Florina felt doubt claw at her heart; could they best this man, who had lived so long, and gained so much power?

"Nergal!" That was Hector, and a typical response it was. Florina froze with fear at the sheer fury in his voice... if ever that tone was directed at her, she knew she might die on the spot.

"Pah... you're here." He sounded as cocky as ever, wholly unconcerned with the army on his doorstep. "But you're too late. The gate is already opened. I will claim the mighty quintessence of dragons. I will become stronger, and move even closer to perfection."

"You're through here!" Hector responded, and for the first time Florina noticed the weapon he held was not the Wolf Beil she had grown accustomed to seeing in his hands. This was a fearsome weapon, she was sure she could not even lift that axe if she tried. Undoubtedly the legendary axe, the Armads, she had heard of. "You've sacrificed people like they were nothing but things! What does power mean if it comes at such a cost?!"

"I am who I am," Nergal replied placidly, as unconcerned with the enormity of his atrocities as ever. "The pain of others, I do not feel." This man was truly a monster. "The sorrow of others does not touch me." An unfeeling beast, as wholly inhuman as the morphs he crafted with the quintessence of the living. "Death feeds me... no, Death pleases me! I am the essence I consume. You fools will become corpses here, because I wish it to be. Rise and come forth, my servants!"

Hector moved as though to strike him down on the spot, but Nergal merely laughed at his futile effort, employing his warping magic to move backward several feet. Around him, a truly terrible sight came into view -- Florina gasped as she realized what he had done. The pallid faces of people they had bested in the past... she heard Nino let out a sharp cry of anguish as she recognized her father and brothers among them. Reanimated corpses? Florina fought down a wave of nausea.

"This..." Hector gasped, sounded just as shocked. There were no words to describe the feeling.

"You seem impressed with my work," Nergal mocked him, a triumphant grin adding to his maddened look. "Or perhaps it's just that you've seen a familiar face?"

"Marquess Laus?!" Hector exclaimed, horrified. "And the Black Fang knaves... What have you done, Nergal?!"

"These morphs you see before you, I've given them the abilities and appearances of the people whose essences I used to craft them. Do you understand? I have power. The power to perform miracles. Oh, yes... Hector."

They stared at each other for a moment, an unreadable expression on Hector's face. Florina wondered briefly what was to happen next, her hands tightening on her lance... when Nergal's next words rang through the chamber, sending a murmur of shock through the army.

"Your brother, Uther, the Marquess of Ostia? He's dead, is he not?"

That couldn't possibly be true! They had just been in Ostia, and Hector hadn't said a word... Florina stared at him, horrified. She had heard that Uther and Hector had been very close; that Uther had raised him since he was a boy. How could he go on without... without...

"How--" He sounded equally amazed at Nergal's knowledge, and furious that this secret had been compromised.

"If you would like, I could make a morph of your brother. It would be well suited to a fragile human such as you. Perhaps a heartless puppet could ease the longing in your soul." Nergal stared at him triumphantly, smirking haughtily at the furious glare in the young Lord's eyes. Oh yes, he had struck a nerve there.

"Shut up." Hector... he sounded angrier than anyone Florina had ever seen. Not that she could blame him; what a horrifying suggestion. "A heartless puppet? That's you, monster."

"What?"

"To gain power, you think of no one but yourself. You are devoid of emotion, unable to feel pain or suffering... You are the puppet, Nergal!"

"Your weakness runs deep in you. You can never understand. The concepts of good and evil... they are devoid of any meaning, any value. These ideas prevent humans from liberating their own strengths. Such foolishness... The ultimate foolishness of the human race!"

Hector again lunged to attack, only to be held back again, this time by the Archsage, Athos.

"Nergal, after all these years..." He began, sounding rather... sorrowful? "You have not stopped to reconsider your ideas at all."

"The same is true of you, Athos! You must see the truth of it! All living creatures take energy from somewhere. We all use it to create, to change it into something better. The knowledge of Arcadia has shown us the road to the ultimate transformation. ...And yet, you will not take that road! Why do you reject the obvious?"

"I am not opposed to the quest for power, for greater knowledge. However, that quest must be driven from within. To fuel your quest with the stolen lives of others, this brings not wisdom, but abomination!"

Nergal erupted into a fit of laughter then, rambling madly about the past. Florina drowned out his words, unable to stand any more. Her mind was still reeling, numb at the news of what had happened... had Lyn known? She glanced over to where her friend stood, nearby Eliwood and Nils. Her face reflected many emotions -- fury chief among them, Florina recognized. Yet there was sorrow... she heard the quiet sobs of Nino at her back, heard the hunter Rebecca trying in vain to console her. Lyn, too, looked as though she might burst into tears at any moment... and Florina could feel herself fighting this same urge. Now was not the time for tears... perhaps Hector had known that himself. But to pretend so... as though nothing was wrong...

The argument in the center of the floor had escalated to angry shouts, and Florina was sure the fighting was soon to begin. A flash of light; and Nergal and his abominations vanished. Florina knew they were lying in wait in the various rooms that composed the interior of the Dragon's Gate; she wondered nervously where the one with the bow had disappeared to.

"This is my fight!" Hector exclaimed, furious to the point of irrationality. "Stand back, everyone!"

"Don't be stupid," Lyn chastised him, stepping forward, face flushed with fury... and perhaps something else. "We're fighting, too. We're not going to just leave you alone, Hector." There was something in her voice as she said that... Florina eyed her warily. What was it?

"I'm with you," Eliwood agreed, for once looking less sad and more determined. Perhaps even fierce, though it wasn't hard for any man to appear so in her estimation. "Before... now, and from here on, too."

"You guys..." Hector sighed, giving in.

"Don't forget me, Lord Hector!" Nils piped, peeking at him from behind Eliwood's cloak. "And... Ninian. I'm sure she's here as well..."

"Nils..."

The others gathered at the entrance were quick to throw in their support; Florina distinctly heard Nino swear vengeance for the sake of her lost family. Flustered, she scrambled for something to say. Next to her, Farina exclaimed something typical about not forgetting her bonus...

"I...I...I'll do my best!" Florina vowed, taking gracefully to the air, Farina and Fiora already moving smoothly into formation: Farina at her side, Fiora at the point. Kent and Sain moved to flank Lady Lyndis on either side; Erk and Serra moved to a safe position in the center. Nino and Rebecca parted ways, Jaffar shadowing the mage protectively as she moved. This was it; the final battle!


Lyn moved fluidly, seeing that pallid thing that had once been Uhai emerge first. He had been one of Nergal's henchman; yet he had still retained a certain honor bred in him from his upbringing in Sacae. Without his guidance, they might not have found this place the first time... She moved to attack, the Mani Katti flashing ahead of her, the familiarity of battle easing her movements. Surprisingly, he still stood following her assault; albeit barely. She saw him raise his bow -- what weapon it was, she could not say, but it certainly looked well-made -- and prepared to dodge accordingly, though arrows were difficult things to avoid, especially at such close range.

Eliwood appeared at her side, Durandal held tightly in his hands. He motioned for her to stand aside, which she did, and he charged. Lyn looked away as she heard him strike successfully; there was a muffled thud as Uhai toppled from his mount, collapsing in defeat on the stone floor. Lyn opened her eyes, and saw that he seemed... happy. Happy to be free of his hellish half-life, she was certain. Eliwood calmly wiped the blade clean, but before he could gallop away, Lyn stopped him with a shout.

"Eliwood! Wait!"

"What is it, Lyndis?" He inquired, looking back at her, an eyebrow raised quizzically.

"Is it true, what Nergal said?" She swallowed, fighting the tears she knew she could not afford at this point.

"You mean about Lord Uther?" Eliwood's face seemed to mirror her own sadness. Then it was true...

"He said he's dead... When-- Did you know, Eliwood?!" It would have been no surprise if he did; he did know Hector much better than she did. Yet still...

"...Hector has been acting a little strange... So I forced Oswin to tell me. It was the same illness that took his father. The sickness came on suddenly. It took less than a year for the disease to spread."

"So when we met him at Castle Ostia, he was..."

"He was dying," Eliwood confirmed, running a hand through his hair. He shrugged helplessly. "Yet... he... He didn't want Hector or us to know... He pushed himself too far. I'm sure he was told he shouldn't be moving about..."

"Hector." Lyn choked, still managing to hold back. "...when... when did he..."

"Only recently," Eliwood said gently, shifting uncomfortably. "He figured it out when he saw Lord Uther wasn't at the castle. He pressed Oswin to tell him. ....After that, so as not to distract us, Hector pretended that nothing was amiss..." Eliwood certainly did not look particularly happy about that, but nearby another door had opened, revealing the imposing form that had once belonged to Brendan Reed. Nino and Jaffar sprung, the latter moving in impossibly fast, the former finishing him off with a powerful ice spell.

"That's... no-- That's..." Lyn could find no words, but she knew they must return to the fight around them.

"Lyndis..." Eliwood said helplessly, unable to think of any words of comfort. He fixed her with one final look of sorrow, then galloped away, toward where Darin, the former Marquess of Laus, had emerged from his hiding place.

Lyn looked ahead, noticed Florina and her sisters diving as one at the warrior that had accompanied Brendan Reed, and just beyond them, Hector moved grimly to assist Eliwood in taking down Darin. He was heavily armored; Lyn doubted she could be of much help against such a wall of iron, as much as she hated to admit it. Instead, she sprinted at the chamber across from her, noticing the door had sprung ajar.

From within, that blood-starved raving lunatic Jerme emerged, wielding a blade that seemed by its very nature to emanate darkness. He fixed her with a sadistic, terrifying grin, pointing the blackened blade in her direction. A moment of confusion threw her off balance, and a second later she felt herself enveloped in a smothering cloud of night. A painful pressure assaulted her senses, and bright lights went off in the back of her eyes as the magic seemed to tear directly into her life energy. She staggered, dazed, as the cloud abruptly lifted, and she vaguely heard the sound of Jerme's insane cackling. Even as a morph, the man was crazy.

She was no stranger to the effects of magic, though such a thing emanating from a sword was quite unexpected. Regaining her balance quickly enough, she sprung at him, calling out a common battle cry of the Sacae as she flew forward in a blur. She felt her blade slide easily between his ribs, heard his choked gasp as she removed the blade as quickly as she had struck with it, spinning expertly to avoid his feeble counterattack. The inky cloud flashed harmlessly in front of her as she jumped nimbly backward; as it dissipated ineffectively, she dashed forward from behind it, swinging her sword and landing a fatal blow. He keeled over with a final gasp, cursed sword clattering to the floor beside him.

Lyn took a deep breath, still feeling the ill effects of his previous blow. She did not know the extent of the damage it had done -- magical damage was much harder to gauge than physical, for it was always clear when one was bleeding to death -- but she knew she should seek Serra or Priscilla out at the least.

A cry of warning at her back alerted her that something was amiss; a second later a familiar mounted archer darted by. Lyn noticed that Rath was now wielding the bow Uhai had not even had a chance to use; then he was gone, disappeared into the room Jerme had emerged from. Lyn followed him, putting off the aching in her bones out of concern for his wellbeing.

She recognized the second assailant hidden inside at once -- that was Ursula, one of the feared Four Fangs that had once stood as the pinnacle of ability within the Black Fang organization. She watched as Rath aimed his newly acquired weapon, letting fly an expert shot that would have certainly felled any normal human being. Ursula, however, was no normal being; her quasi-existence brought with it an extraordinary durability. She calmly reached for the arrow embedded in her chest, wrenching it out in a way that made Lyn wince, yet her face did not change at all. She spoke an incantation in a monotone voice, and a spell Lyn had never seen before erupted, centered on Rath.

He moved quickly, but the spell moved with near-impossible speed, blades of solidified air surrounding him on all sides. Lyn screamed a warning as they moved in, already rushing forward, already knowing there was nothing she could do. The wind blades rushed forward, slicing with frightening ease; Lyn winced as she heard Rath's horse let out a shrill scream of pain. The mount staggered as the spell faded away, and Rath nearly toppled from the saddle, his years of careful practice saving him. She heard him gasp, and noticed at once that he was bleeding; amazingly, he held his bow up again, sending another shot toward Ursula.

Perhaps even more amazingly, this shot was no less accurate than his last, but Lyn could plainly see that he would not survive another of her magical assaults. She darted forward, screaming with sheer fury, knowing that if she could not defeat this woman with this attack, either she or Rath would undoubtedly die. The Mani Katti had yet to fail her... the woman pulled at the reins of her horse, very nearly managing to dodge the brunt of her attack. Perhaps it was the damage she had sustained from Rath, but she moved merely a fraction of a second too slowly; Lyn jumped, blade flashing with a power born of desperation, knocking her easily from the saddle.

The mount darted away, leaving her crippled, bleeding on the stone floor. Ursula looked up, and Lyn saw something in her eyes... horrified, she thrust her blade downward, finishing the job. Ursula froze, and as the life passed from her for the second time, she smiled... Lyn stared at her numbly. She had done nothing but entertain ambitions... nobody deserved this fate. Nobody.

Beside her, Rath breathed raggedly.

"That was... well done, Lyn of the Lorca," He praised her, and Lyn saw for the first time the severity of his wounds.

"Rath! By Father Sky, look at you! Come!" She motioned him forward, fear pulsing through her. No, he wouldn't die. Not Rath. They emerged from the room, one after the other, back into the main hall. Lyn saw Serra nearby, her staff shining with holy light, directed at Sain, who had undoubtedly taken some damage trying to impress somebody...

"Serra!" She shouted, and the cleric looked over at her direction. For all her airs, Serra was invaluable in battle; she was all business as she sprinted at her, seeing the severity of the situation at once.

"It'll be fine," She cheerily assured Lyn, who was sporting quite the concerned expression. She closed her eyes, staff lighting with a blessed energy, and Lyn watched in amazement as Rath's wounds closed, both his and his horse's.

"Beautiful, Serra," She applauded weakly, her own wounds reminding her of their existence.

"All of the doors have been opened," Serra said quickly, for once not basking in the praise. "Hector, Eliwood and Athos are on their way to fight Nergal. Linus and Lloyd were behind the last door..."

"Oh, Nino..." Lyn said softly, thinking on what the young mage must have felt.

"She's fine," Serra said snappily. "Linus nearly killed Sain, though -- and Kent nearly did after I healed him, going on about knowing one's limits... well! You should hurry, Lady Lyn."

"Lyn."

"Rath? Will you be all right?" Lyn sighed with relief as Serra turned her attentions on her, healing whatever damage had been done earlier by that blasted sword magic.

"...I'll be fine. And you?"

"I must be strong." Lyn closed her eyes, conviction filling her voice. "I will be strong. I'll bring Nergal down myself, if I get the chance!"

"...I see." Rath nodded. "I believe it... Lyn..."

"Hm?" She opened her eyes, looking into his own.

"Don't die. ...That's all. I'll be waiting for you when this is..." He trailed off, and Lyn looked away, unable to meet the intensity of his gaze.

"I... all right. I won't."

She wasn't sure what he had meant by that, but she put it from her mind. For now, they had to focus on a certain task at hand. She approached the final chamber, where Hector, Eliwood, Athos and Nils had gathered. Hector... just seeing him... she swallowed. That blasted man! How could he keep such a terrible secret from them all?! How could he... she approached, knowing that she could not hold back the tears much longer.


"Hector... do you have a minute?" Eliwood began hesitantly. He wanted to say what he had to say... before the fight with Nergal. No one could say what awaited them...

"It's about my brother, isn't it?" He looked truly apologetic, but his flippant way of speaking... "Sorry I didn't tell you."

"It's all right. I understand you better than anyone." He paused, knowing that Hector would not like what he had to say next. "More importantly... have you settled things with Oswin?"

"...Don't talk to me about him." Just as he expected.

"Hector... You're not angry with Oswin." He opened his mouth to reply, undoubtedly to assure him that those words were in fact quite incorrect, but Eliwood pressed on, words tumbling from his mouth. "When Lord Uther was in trouble, you weren't at his side. You're angry with yourself. It's true, isn't it? I was the same way." He paused again, but surprisingly, Hector made no move to interrupt him. He looked... stricken. "I couldn't save my father..." Eliwood swallowed; it still hurt to remember these things. "I couldn't save Ninian... over and over, I blamed myself."

"Eliwood," Hector whispered, clearly not liking the direction this conversation had taken. Perhaps he had never made the connection before; or perhaps he did not want to face it...

"But, you know, that's just a way of running from the sadness of loss. I think you've realized that already. Lord Uther... and Oswin... they were thinking of you above all else. ...You must see that, but if you continue to pretend that you do not, you will lose sight of something terribly valuable."

Hector stared at him impassively, and Eliwood could not tell the effect his words had.

"That's all I have to say," He finished, looking away. He would understand... in time, he would see the truth of it. He likely already had.

Eliwood did not look back as he moved in toward where Nergal waited. If those were to be his last words to his friend, he would not regret them.

Hector watched his friend disappear ahead of him, wondering what he should make of his parting words. He knew, as much as he was loathe to admit it, that he was right. Eliwood had always been the more rational of them, but... he was still furious with Oswin. Perhaps in time, that would fade, but for now... his face tightened with anger. For now, he had a score to settle, and time would dictate what happened after that. He adjusted his armor, reigned in his resolve, and moved forward. He caught sight of that little Pegasus Knight... Lyn's friend, Florina, watching him from the corner of his eye. He briefly considered asking her what she had been trying to say -- twice before, she had done this, each time looking like she wanted to say something, and each time running away as though he were some demon bent on her destruction.

He froze as he sensed someone behind him, he saw Florina's eyes widen, and she took off again. Well, that at least had been predictable.

"Hector..." A whisper... he recognized the voice as Lyn's. He blinked in surprise as he felt her lean herself against him, her hands wrapping about his waist. What in blazes was this woman up to? Nergal was waiting for them!

"...What is it?" He snapped, anxious to be off. He certainly did not need another lecture this day.

"Hector..." she spoke again, softly. He realized that she was crying. "I'm certain... that you did not cry... So, I will. This is your share of the tears..."

There were a few moments of silence, filled only with her quite sobs. He had no idea what to say to that, so he simply stood there, dumbfounded. He hated when women cried; he had seen Lyn once before... he recalled that had led to another argument. Typical. He opened his mouth, though he wasn't sure what he was about to say, when she continued.

"Don't say anything." Well, all right. "Just for a little while, let me lean on you. For a little while..."

He could do that. If only she was this easy to please all the time. She tightened her grip about his waist, and he fought a sudden urge to turn around and return the embrace. There would be time for that later... he wondered, for the first time, if she felt... after all, there was no reason for Uther's death to affect her so. At least, not that he could figure. He had no idea she felt... this way...

"Hector..." she murmured softly, her tears subsiding. "Don't..." She trailed off, again resting her head against him.

"Hm?"

"Don't die... Please, you--"

"I know," Hector said quickly. And he thought he did, though he would have never expected it. She nodded against him, stepping away, wiping her face. He took her hand; her eyes widened. "Here..." he brushed away her tears, surprised to see his hands were trembling. "Stop that, you know I can't stand it..."

She nodded, their gaze meeting one last time... then both, as one, turned to the hall where Nergal waited. They could see Athos and Eliwood, poised to strike, and rushed to join them. Nergal spoke in a mocking tone, goading them both. Hector did not care to hear what he had to say. He rushed forward, even as Eliwood charged to attack.

As powerful as he was, Nergal never stood a chance against their combined might. His first and only attack caught Athos in a cloud of blackest energy; Hector could feel the air bend around him, it seemed that space and time were altered in the wake of this terrible magic. But Athos was, after all, the legendary Archsage; he had fought dragons in his youth, and faced things more terrible than this. He would survive.

Eliwood landed the first blow, the Durandal striking home, catching flesh somewhere within those dark, flowing robes. Nergal brushed him aside, cackling madly, too assured of his own victory to properly survey the impossibility of his situation. Lyn sprung forward, next to Eliwood, the Mani Katti exchanged for the power the Sol Katti Athos had given her prior to the battle had to offer. Her blow landed solidly, but even this second assault did not bring down Nergal. He moved to attack again, behind him, Hector could hear Athos muttering an incantation of his own.

Hector moved to attack, feeling power surge into him, no doubt courtesy of the special enchantments placed on the legendary axe he held in his hands. Nergal turned to face him, pointed with obvious purpose, and Hector braced himself for what he was certain would be a very painful blow.

Shockingly, and literally from nowhere; for no one had been looking upward, and who could blame them -- a screeching, furious Florina swooped downward. Hector saw she held in her hands the same lance Darin had used... Nergal looked upward, anxiously attempting to redirect his attack, but he was far too late. The Rex Hasta plunged forward, and Hector could swear he saw fire in Florina's eyes as she twisted the barbed head of the lance with him. Nergal grinned, surely he could see by now that he was finished.

Hector moved forward, then, taking advantage of this distraction, Armads raised overhead. This monster would die, here, today -- now!

There was a sickening sound as the legendary axe found its mark; Hector was the only one who did not look away from the sight. Nergal's eyes found his, and Hector found that he was glad his monster would know exactly who had brought about his end. He coughed, and amazingly, found the energy to speak...

"Why... must I lose? I must have power..."

He shuddered, and Hector looked upon him pitilessly.

"Why did I want... power? No, not like this! I will not die like this! With my final breath... tremble, and despair...!"

He slumped over, dead at last. At long last, their journey was at an end. Relief flooded through him.

"It's over," He declared, stepping away from the loathsome corpse.

Lyn and Eliwood moved to join him; he saw Serra tending to Lord Athos toward the entrance of the chamber.

"At long last," Lyn breathed softly, closing her eyes as many emotions embroiled themselves in her at once. Relief, sadness, and of course the happiness that comes with victory...

"Father..." Eliwood whispered fiercely, glad to have finally found retribution.

The relieved silence they lapsed into then did not last long; a powerful trembling ran through the hall a moment later, threatening to send them all tumbling to the floor.

"What is that?!" Hector exclaimed, bringing the blood-stained Armads up to bear once more.

"What on earth... what's happening?" Lyn gasped, barely keeping her feet.

"It can't be..." Eliwood whispered, looking ahead at the portal that was the Dragon's Gate. He ran forward, followed closely by Hector and Lyn. They stopped short, horrified, as a familiar glow enshrouded the gateway. They had seen this before, last time they were here -- the gate was opening! They watched in silent terror as three impossibly huge, fire breathing red dragons emerged from the gateway, emitting deafening roars.

"Th... Are those..." Lyn whispered, though her eyes plainly revealed the truth. "Dragons?"

"Nergal's final warning..." Eliwood gasped, realizing dawning upon him. "This is what he meant!"

"What a calamity!" Athos exclaimed, catching up to them at last. He had fought dragons before, but... "If dragons return to this world, the entire continent will be ash in less than a month!"

"I'll stop this!" Hector bellowed furiously. "I'll show you!!"

Admittedly, he wasn't entirely sure he could stop three dragons; but the adrenaline was flowing and he certainly felt invincible. Eliwood came up beside him, the dragons were not moving for the moment.

"So these are dragons," He muttered warily.

"Look at the size of them," Hector replied. "I've got a bad feeling about this... My... My legs are trembling just standing here."

"There are three of them," Lyn quickly pointed out. "I don't know if we can do this. I... We need some kind of help."

"I'll do what I can," Athos assured her, but even he sounded doubtful. "I'll halt the dragons. Strike there!" He warped ahead, and the dragons immediately caught sight of him, two moving in to attack. Athos stood fast against their flame breath, but it was clear that he would not stand for long.

"So powerful..." he gasped, as the heat of their breath faded away. "Can they be stopped?"

"Lord Athos, flee! The dragons are getting closer!" Eliwood rode forward, meeting the Archsage, uncomfortably close to where the dragons stood.

"If we can't stop them here, we are lost..."

A flash of light, then. Eliwood gasped, turning to see what the source was. The dragons reared back, furious and confused. There, at the center of the light... Bramimond, the most mysterious of the legendary heroes.

"Bramimond!" Athos exclaimed in greeting, though his voice no less urgent.

"Preparations... took time," Bramimond declared, in that unnerving un-voice he had. It sounded like everyone's voice... it sounded like no one's voice. "Okay. I require everyone's strength. Gather here the legendary power!"

"Ah!" Eliwood gasped, he could certainly feel some immense energy collecting in the room. But for what purpose...? "This light..."

"What... What is it?!" Hector exclaimed beside him.

"Look!" Lyn pointed excitedly toward the center of the room. Could it be? "There!"

Bramimond focused the energy collected in the room, and from some indiscernible source, a brilliant light appeared. It condensed... further and further... until it coalesced into a very recognizable shape. Hector heard Eliwood gasp harshly beside him, and he stared, dumbfounded as well. The shape the light had taken... it was Ninian. But Ninian was dead...

"Bring her back..." Bramimond intoned, his robes fluttering fiercely with the sheer power of the magic he was calling upon. The power to bring back the dead... "Let the dragon girl's soul be restored."

"Ninian!!" Eliwood exclaimed, and Hector moved aside to let him pass. Heedless of the danger before them, he ran forward, blinded to everything but the fact that the woman he loved was alive.

Nils followed him, trembling with hope, with joy.

"Where... where am I?" She spoke, sounding lost... dazed... utterly confused. She paid no mind to neither Eliwood nor Nils, her attention directed solely at Bramimond.

"Girl with the exalted blood of dragons. Use that power to appease them."

"Ah... it's not.. possible. Use my power... in this world..."

"Do you not feel it? Your power returning?"

"...What? ...Ah, Yes... I will try."

Athos moved quickly aside as Ninian approached; Eliwood stumbled away, a stricken look on his face. Ninian stood before the dragons, but there was no fear in her eyes... these fire dragons... she focused her energy, sorrow welling in her at the task she was to perform next. These fire dragons were just like her...

A brilliant blue light flashed outward from the dragon girl, and impressive columns of ice ripped forward, spun from the air itself. The fire dragons reeled away, screaming in agony as the powerful magic tore into them. Ninian trembled, then fell to her knees.

"That's enough..." she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry... this is not your fault... I'm sorry."

Two of the fire dragons fell, their final breaths rattling from their massive bodies.

"No... no more..."

Eliwood and Nils ran to her side as one.

"Ninian!" Eliwood gasped, he still could not believe that she was here... that she was alive...

"It's okay," Nils reassured him, kneeling beside his sister. "She only fainted. Thank goodness... Ninian..."

"One dragon still remains," Bramimond reminded them coolly, appearing abruptly nearby. He scooped Ninian's unconscious form into his arms. "Leave the girl to me. I shall tend to her." With that, he disappeared, with Ninian.

"Chosen ones!" Athos stepped forward. "You must stop the final dragon! You must save us all!"

The final dragon had been weakened by Ninian's magic, but it was still quite an imposing force. Hector took the lead, staring at the beast, directly at its crimson eyes. So similar to Ninian's... Eliwood appeared beside him, and Hector could see plainly that he was crying. Not sorrow, this time, though... these were tears of joy. Hector grinned fiercely at him, and Eliwood smiled back. They would not fall... not this day.

Athos was the first to attack, wielding the ancient magic that had once been used by St. Elimine herself. Searing light tore into the dragon, and it responded with a blast of fire breath, screaming with pain and rage. Athos fell to his knees as the flames subsided -- the power was immense, just a potent as he remembered from the time of the Scouring. Concerned for the Archsage's wellbeing, Hector moved forward, desperate to call the dragon's attention to something other than Athos. He heard Nils behind him, recognized the sound of the boy's flute. A strange power seemed to infuse itself within him, and he suddenly felt very powerful... The dragon was only too willing to oblige, moving to intercept Hector even as he approached.

There was not much that could frighten him, Lord Hector of Ostia... but he could feel himself trembling as the dragon turned to face him, smoke curling from its nostrils. Would he be able to stand in the face of such power? He had been training all his life... He saw the dragon breathe in, and struck. The Armads bit deep into its flesh, rending past its scaly armor, hopefully striking something vital. In response, the dragon reared back, already jetting flame, and Hector braced himself as the cone of fire swung toward him.

It was easily the most pain he had ever felt in his life; he thought it would never end. He was vaguely aware of his own voice, screaming hoarsely as the dragon's breath burned into him. The roaring in his ears eased eventually to allow him to hear Eliwood's voice, calling out something incomprehensible, and he could hear Lyn screaming something behind him. The fire subsided, and Hector felt something inside of him take hold; he summoned all of his strength, lunging forward again with the Armads. Another hit; again, not fatal, but the dragon was bleeding heavily now, its deadly breath ragged and strained.

Lyn was there, in front of him, as he felt himself fall to his knees. He wasn't sure if he was dying or not -- it certainly felt that way, and he heard her curse in surprise as she tried to put her arms around him, only to find his armor much too hot to touch. She was saying something, he could not fathom what.

He saw, beyond her, Eliwood dashing at the dragon, the Durandal in hand. He struck decisively, directly at where Hector had already bitten deep with his axe. The dragon shuddered violently, thrashing about. Its tail nearly swept his horse off his feet; they barely managed to move away. The dragon surged forward, it looked as though it would try one more attack; instead, it stumbled and fell heavily to the floor, dying.

Eliwood raised the Durandal one final time, putting the dragon out of its misery with one final, decisive blow.

"Eliwood!" Hector gasped, struggling to his feet. Lyn stood with him, and he leaned lightly on her, as he doubted she could support his full weight. "Are you all right?" Lyn shot him a strange look at that, what was her problem?

"Yes... thanks to you, Hector. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here... I truly thank you."

"Ninny, I don't need your thanks," Hector snapped, the shock of his injuries easing slightly, though they still hurt like hell. "Friends help friends."

"Well done, brave successor to Roland," Athos offered. He, too, looked terrible. The dragon had certainly done a number on them both. "It's finally over. Finally, everything is..." His eyes closed, and shockingly, he slumped forward, spent. Hector moved quickly to catch him.

"Graybeard?!"


Florina watched as the Archsage collapsed, and a collective gasp of shock erupted from their gathered army. She was crying, silent tears falling down her face. Nergal was finished... and Ninian was alive! Bramimond had reappeared, a now fully conscious and aware Ninian nearby. She was quite well, it seemed, and Florina longed to run to her, to hug her, to cry on her shoulder. She knew, however, that this was her time... her time to settle things with Lord Eliwood. Florina felt her heart soar, she was so happy for her. Finally, she'd have her chance... to tell Eliwood...

She watched as they met before the Dragon's Gate, but something seemed wrong... she inched forward, desperate to hear their conversation. Ninian was... she was saying something about... Florina gasped.

No! She couldn't leave! She and Nils were the only ones who could close the gate, certainly, but why not from this side?! The dragon children turned, facing the gate... Florina very nearly ran forward, screaming at them to stop. Instead, Nils took his sister's hand.

"Ninian..." He sounded so sad... Florina felt a moment of guilt. It was apparent what he intended to do. "The air of this world... it's changed so much from what we knew. No matter how long we stay here, we'll never adapt to it. Yet... even knowing that your life will be short... you truly wish to stay here, with Lord Eliwood, don't you?"

"Nils, I..." Tears welled in her blood red eyes. "I..."

Nils shrugged, smiling, and approached the gate.

"I'm going back alone," He announced cheerfully, though tears shone in his eyes. "Ninian... no matter how far apart we are... we'll always have our bond. Nothing will ever change that. Nothing."

"Nils..." Ninian said softly, embracing him a final time. "Thank you..." She whispered, holding him tightly.

"I want you to be happy," he explained, his voice catching. "Lord Eliwood! Please, cherish Ninian... my sister. Make her happy..."

"I will," Eliwood vowed, and Florina could see plain enough that he would. How could she not be happy, when she was free to spend the rest of her life with the man she loved?

"Ninian..." Nils smiled at her, a soft, resigned smile. "Be as happy as you can... for as long as you can..."

He disappeared, and the gate shuddered shut.

"Nils!" Ninian cried, realizing that she would never see her brother again...

"Ninian..." Eliwood said softly, behind her. She turned to face him, and they embraced.

Florina cheered silently, happier than she'd ever been. For a moment, at least... she caught sight of something else, something unexpected. There, watching Eliwood and Ninian... Lyn, her best friend... and Lord Hector. There was something about the way they looked at each other... Florina frowned, confused. Lyn had never let on anything about this...

She backed away, moving to rejoin her sisters toward the entrance. The entire army was vacating, already celebrating their victory with shouts of joy; she heard a few familiar voices break into song.

A wonderful day this was, indeed -- Florina felt humbled to know that she had played a part in an event that would undoubtedly be immortalized in the Histories of Elibe.