Passing through Araphen and Khathelet, Lyn and her friends arrive in Caelin. However, Caelin is now under the rule of Lord Lundgren. Lundgren's henchmen lay in wait to assassinate Lyn. They wait for her approach and ready a special weapon.

Our travelers briefly stopped to take a break. They had finally arrived in Caelin. Lyn held Sion's hand, then took a look back where they had come from. Sion looked down at her hand, then looked into Lyn's face.

"Look, Sion!" Lyn pointed to the mountains they had arrived from. "The mountains seem so far away now. We've come such a long way..." Lyn smiled to herself, then let go of Sion's hand as Sain approached them.

"Milady Lyndis! Sion! We can't be very far from the castle now!"

Kent spoke to Lyn. "By my reckoning, we can reach Castle Caelin in two days, if we hurry."

"Two more days... Hold on, Grandfather. Please..."

Sion, in an attempt to cheer Lyn up, wrapped her in his arms in a comforting hug from behind.

"Frowns do not suit your pretty face." Sion whispered in her ear. Sion looked up as Florina approached. She spoke to Lyn.

"Cheer up, Lyn. If they see you looking so sad, the entire company will lose heart."

"Sion... Florina... You're right. There's nothing to be gained by worrying. We just have to press onward."

Florina beamed a smile, "That's the spirit!"

Nils began holding his head, almost as if he had a headache. "Lyn... Danger approaches..."

Sion let go of Lyn, then ran to Nils's side as Lyn followed her.

"What did you say?" Lyn asked.

Sain looked around a bit, "I don't see anything. Are you sure?"

Ninian walked to Nils and Lyn. "I feel it too. I'm sure of it. Ah!"

Ninian picked up her head, then urgently spoke to Lyn. "Milady, don't move!"

"Hm?" Lyn asked.

Sion stared wide-eyed in the air. He noticed a huge arrow coming down from the sky. He screamed to Lyn, "Lyn! Do as she says! Don't move! Don't even breathe!"

Suddenly, the arrow pierced the grass right next to Lyn's right foot.

Lyn gasped, then looked at the large arrow. "What inWhere did this bolt come from?"

Kent gaped, then recollected himself as he spoke. "They have a ballista!"

Sain frowned, "Lord Lundgren is getting serious. Deploying siege engines is no mean feat."

"What is a ballista?" Lyn asked.

"Bad news, that's what!" Sion shouted slightly.

Kent, ignoring Sion, explained, "It's a weapon designed for long-distance attacks. Only archers can use them, but they can be devastating."

Sain spoke to Florina. "Florina! You must stay aground! Do not take to the air! The ballista would target you in an instant!"

"Eeek!" Florina shuddered, then buried her head into her pegasus's mane.

Lyn asked, "Is there a way to combat it?"

"The safest course is to use someone with good defense as bait, so the enemy wastes arrows." Kent said.

Sain grinned, "Then you can walk up and knock the fool on the head."

Lyn turned to Wil. "Wil, can you use a ballista?"

Wil thought, then said, "I've never tried, but... It's just a really big bow, right? I should be able to figure it out."

"All we can ask is that you try... Let's see what we can do!" Lyn shoted.

Matthew ran up to Lyn and Sion. "Ah, Lady Lyndis! Sion! I have some minor... business... to attend to. I'm unable to join you."

"Hm..." Sion crossed his arms and stared at Matthew suspiciously. "Oh well." He just shrugged his shoulders as he watched Matthew run off into the town.

Sion thought for a moment then formulated a plan in his head.

"OK, look. If we can get control of the ballista, it will make things a lot easier. Kent, Sain, if you can block off the bridge, you can force the enemy to come one at a time I know you can wipe them out easily that way. Rath, take out the archer in the ballista. Lyn, you go for the knight over there.

Kent gasped, "Yogi... what..."

Sain asked, "What's wrong Kent?" Sain just stared as he saw Kent point at Yogi commanding the troops to attack.

"Kent, he's the enemy now. We must attack, he isn't holding back, and neither will we." Sain said as he galloped to the bridge. Kent understood, then followed, preparing his lance.

Lyn shouted as she took out a knight. "Nils, Ninian! Stay close to us!"

The siblings nodded as they followed.

Dorcas prepared his hammer axe as he cut down several knights. Lucius and Erk managed to deal with the magic casters.

"What are you curs waiting for? They're nothing but fleas! Call up for reinforcements, and rush 'em!" Yogi yelled, as he watched his men die.

Rath shot the Caelin archer in the neck, then watched as Will pushed him out and rode the ballista, and fired at Yogi, hoping to penetrate his armor.

As the bolt soared through the air and got Yogi's leg, he swore. "Curses! The ballista must have been taken... What's going on here? Somebody get the girl!"

With his preoccupation for his reinforcements, he didn't notice as Sion tacked him to the ground and shouted, "Lyn! NOW!"

Yogi turned with a petrified look on his face and watched as Lyn thrust her sword through the piercing in his armor with her amrorslayer sword, tearing the top half off. Then the threw her blade through his heart.

Coughing up blood, Yogi garbled. "Lord Lundgren... I've failed you... I pray you hurry... with those reinforcements... you promised."

With that, Yogi died. Sion got up and looked to Lyn, then everyone else as they began wrapping up their last soldier.

"Is it over?" Lyn asked as the last Caelin soldier fell to Sain's lance.

Kent looked around, "Yes. I see no more enemy soldiers. However, something is bothering me."

"What is it?" Lyn and Sion asked simultaneously.

"I noticed it during the fighting. Our opponents... They were soldiers of Caelin. I even recognized some of those we fought. I trained with many of them... And yet they attacked us without hesitation." Kent spoke.

Sain spoke to Kent. "They're black-hearted traitors who've joined Lord Lundgren. Good riddance, I say. It also means less resistance at the castle."

"I hope you're right..." Kent sighed.

Lyn smiled, then turned to the siblings. "I'm just glad Nils and Ninian were with us. If that first shot had hit me, I might not have survived."

Sion beamed, then smiled at the siblings. "Thank you."

Ninian bowed, and then gave her normal look, despite the fact she was happy. "We are honored to have served you well."

Nils grinned with a smile ear to ear. "We won't let you down!"

Lyn laughed. "I know. I'm relying on you."

Matthew came rushing back.

"Hah! The chicken returns!" Sion laughed.

Matthew looked at all the Caelin corpses on the plains. "What's this? You dealt with the ballista, too? Nicely done!"

Lyn looked at Matthew suspiciously as Sion did. "Matthew, where were you during all this?"

Mathhew grinned. "I went to the village to sniff about for information. I got some interting news for my trouble, too."

Sion grinned. "Let's hear it!" Lyn shouted.

Matthew gave a serious look as he spoke to the both of them. "First, about Marquess Caelin's illness. He really is unwell. He's been abed for nigh on three months."

"Oh, no... Grandfather..." Lyn looked down at the grass. To comfort her, Sion held her hand.

Matthew continued. "I heard an interesting rumor about his condition, though. The people believe that someone's been poisoning the marquess..."

Lyn screamed, still holding Sion's hand, "He's being poisoned?"

Matthew kept on talking, "And this someone... Well, everyone's too afraid to mention a name. However, they say that, as soon as the marquess took ill, a certain noble took control of the castle as though it were his own. I fed a hungry innkeeper some coin, and he fed me a name. The marquess of Caelin's own brother, Lord Lundgren."

Lyn distraught, asked, "How can this be? How can they allow him to get away with this? The villagers know he's the one poisoning my grandfather, and yet, no one raises a hand against him? Why?"

Kent explained. "They are afraid, and they lack proof. The whisperings of the common people means nothing."

Matthew sighed. "That's the truth of it. And of the marquess's loyal retainers who might have lent credence to these rumors, there is no sign."

Lyn, unable to bear anymore, fought hard to hold back her emotions. "Are you sayin they've been silenced?"

"It's a fair assumption." Matthew said.

Kent spoke, "This is beyond believing."

Matthew said, "The worst news is yet to come."

Sain yelled, "What? There's more?"

Matthew said, "An imposter's appeared, claiming to be the marquess's granddaughter. At least, that's the story Lundgren's telling to all who'll listen."

Lyn asked, "What does that mean?"

"It means that people are waiting for two traitorous knights and a baseborn child to appear and lay claim to Castle Caelin."

Sain got upset. "But... But that... It can't be!"

Kent yelled, "Traitors? Us? Ridiculous!"

Lyn sunk into disbelief, "He says... I'm an imposter?"

Matthew asked, "Don't you have anything that proves your lineage?"

Lyn sighed, "When my mother joined the Lorca, she brought nothing of Lycia with her."

Sain intervened, "Milady, Marquess Araphen himself remarked at your resemblance to Lady Madelyn! Your face is your proof!"

Kent said, "They'll say we found a look-alike somewhere... We're seen as betrayers of our knightly vows. Our word means nothing. No, our only hope is to see Marquess Caelin himself."

"We must hurry. If not, my grandfather..." Lyn threw her arms around Sion. She spoke into his chest. "I must see him! With my last breath if need be." Sion held her back, resting his chin on her shoulder.

Matthew shouted, "But we must formulate some manner of plan! Even if we set out for the castle, the troops patrolling the area will cause no end of problems. You have been branded as oathbreakers, after all."

Lyn rested her head against Sion's chest, then suddenly, her eyes widened. "I've got it! Eliwood... He seemed sympathetic to our plight. He should still be in Khathelet. If we can talk to him, he might help us!"

Sion beamed as he let go of Lyn. "Good thinking, Lyn."

Kent beamed."Of course! A sound idea!"

Sain shouted. "Let's hurry!"

Lyn smiled. "Yes! Back to Kathelet!"

With that, everyone got on a mount and galloped back, hoping to find Eliwood.

Now that our travelers know exactly both points of view, they turn to the noble Eliwood for their assistance... Will Eliwood's position be able to allow Lyn to pass through to meet her grandfather directly? Will Lyn's plan seal a horrible fate for our travelers? Find out in the next chapter, A Grim Reunion.