Umm... Hi? Long time no see... :shifty eyes: Ahh... I've been really busy lately... So yeah... I'll be going straight to the point now... This is probably gonna be a shorter chapter 'cause I had to end at a certain point for emphasis! Sorry about some of the transitions in this. I couldn't think of a better way to write them...

Please read this... If anyone wants a picture of Corey, now that his "job" has pretty much been established, please tell me and make sure that I can either find your email in your bio or in your review! Thank you!

OK... that's all! On to the fic! Hope no one minds my additions of topography details!

Chapter 7: Revelation

"Are... Are you sure about this? This discovery?"

Matthew only nodded in response to Eliwood's question, allowing the three lords some time to let the revelation sink in.

"Then, how? How are you going to do this?" asked Lyn, still a bit incredulous.

Grinning, the Ostian spy replied, "Lord Eliwood? I do believe that now would be a good time to inform Lord Hector and Lady Lyndis of the circumstances surrounding the arrival of the siblings?"

"Siblings? Does this have something to do with your "private" meeting?" Lyn interrupted.

"Yeah. But I'm just about as confused as you are, Lyn," replied Hector. "Tell us about the two, Eliwood."

"Yes, I will. But..." Turning to Matthew, he said, "I'll have to insist that you be the one to relate your part of the story. I'm afraid that I don't remember much of the details of what you said while we were hurrying out the castle."

"Of course, Lord Eliwood."

The marquess of Pherae nodded and began. "The siblings' names are..."


"Please?" Corey stared pleadingly at Erk, his eyes open as large as possible. He had tried this technique many times on the servants of their manse, and it had always worked. Well... almost always. "I really REALLY want to learn..."

Erk was confounded, quite a rare occasion for him. The request had come so suddenly that he had not as much time as he would have preferred to think over it. And it wouldn't do for him to refuse right away; he couldn't be too sure of the actual situation behind this appeal. Besides, as much as he enjoyed disagreeing with Serra, this was just a young boy who was asking him right now. However, the Etrurian mage was also not one to fall for such a trick as this; Serra had pulled the same face at him many a time. But the boy looked so earnest and he had been wanting a student of his own for some time now...

"I'll think about it." It was the best he could do at the moment, he was sorry to admit, but he really did need some more time to muse. Anima magic, just like any other type of magic, was not easy to learn, and he had to be certain of just what he was stumbling into before he began giving any lessons.

Corey lowered his eyes in disappointment. At least he'd received an answer. "All right, Mister Erk. I'll be patient."

Erk nodded and resumed reading. "Yes. Speaking of which, shouldn't you be sleeping by now? It's quite late."

"Well... yeah... But I can't find my room anymore. Auri'll be really mad at me." Corey admitted sadly.

Sighing, the mage shut his book with a thud. "Come on, let's go find Lord Eliwood; he'll know where you're supposed to be."

Corey gave Erk his largest grin. "Thank you, Mister Erk! Could you talk to Auri too? So she won't be so mad?"

Grabbing the candle holder by the handle and shoving the book under the other arm, Erk walked out of the library with Corey trailing close behind. "This Auri. Is she your nursemaid?"

"No. She's my sister."

Erk nodded and said nothing more as the two headed for Eliwood's study.

Meanwhile, running about the halls barefoot and worried was Auri.

"Corey? Corey!"

She regretted letting her brother run out alone, but she had not realized how large Castle Pherae was. Running by confused servants and nearly crashing into them several times, opening and closing doors, peeking into every nook and cranny, she was beginning to grow more and more nervous.

"What am I going to do? I... I can't ask those servants. I can't trust them. But what should I do? This is all my fault," she confessed to herself as she checked yet another unlocked room for any sign of her brother.

Finally, Auri was forced to stop near a particularly large door, completely out of breath and energy. She was not used to such strenuous running, having been pampered all her life.

"I... I know! I'll find Lord Eliwood; I can trust him! He's the only person here who respects us. He'll help me find Corey. I know he will!"

Just as she was about to run off again in search of the marquess of Pherae, soft voices from the room behind the door reached her range of hearing. Pressing her ear against the wooden door, she was surprised to recognize Matthew's voice among that of three other voices, two of which she eventually distinguished as Lord Eliwood's and Lord Hector's. However, before she could push the door open, she let out a soft gasp, having realized the topic of their conversation.

They're talking about me and Corey!

Auri pressed her ear against the thick oak even harder, attempting to discern the faint voices that were reaching her ear, having been intrigued by the conversation.

"So, Matthew. About this Wish Dragon you just told us about, how are you certain that it exists?" Hector asked.

The spy grinned. "Funny you should ask that, milord. I asked the very same thing myself."

It would be safer if I neglected to mention the fact that the siblings wish to use the dragon's power as well. I don't believe that milord, Lord Eliwood, and Lady Lyndis would be very receptive of my plans if they knew that little detail. But the two still must go with me; everything will fall apart if they were to tell.

He quickly continued without any hesitancy. "The girl, Auri, was against giving me any details, but from what I can gather from their previous conversation, the so-called Wish Dragon is but a myth. But..."

Listening outside, Auri grimaced to herself after hearing that Matthew had eavesdropped on her and Corey.

I knew he couldn't be trusted.

It was too late when she realized that she had just missed out on the rest of what Matthew had to say. She pressed against the door once more, taking care not to make a single noise.

"Yes. And I'll make sure that they are well-provided for here," she heard Lord Eliwood say.

"I'm sorry, but I think that the two should travel with us. They, especially the boy, wish to see the dragon with their own eyes. It would be safer if they had an escort to accompany them..."

"Ha. I see now, Matthew. And I'm also guessing that you want us to tell them that you'll be their escort, right?"

"There's no fooling you, milord."

"Where are you planning to go, Matthew?" Eliwood asked.

"Hmm... I've asked the siblings if they know anything about the location of the dragon, but neither could give me a satisfactory answer. So I was thinking that I could first visit Lord Pent and Lady Louise in Etruria, providing that they'll be there and not away on a lengthy trip to the Nabata Desert. Lord Pent has one of the most expansive collections of ancient manuscripts in Elibe, does he not?"

"Yes. That'd probably be the best route to take right now under the current circumstances. By the way, you don't mind if I had you bring a letter to them as well, do you?"

"No, of course not."

Lyn grinned, excited. "Well... that takes us to the next topic. Who are you planning on asking to go with you?"

Thinking for a moment, Matthew replied, "Could you possibly spare... Wil for a few months?"

"Yes, and I'm sure that Wil would be quite happy to have a bit of respite from Wallace's training sessions. Would you like me to ask Florina as well?"

"No. I don't want to attract unnecessary attention. Having a Pegasus Knight around, no matter how accomplished she is, will no doubt draw looks. And, unless it's absolutely necessary, I wish to travel by foot for the majority of the journey. The forests bordering Etruria are quite dense, and it would not be desirable terrain for horses."

Lyn nodded. "Reasonable enough."

Next, the spy turned to the marquess of Pherae. "Lord Eliwood, would you be willing to allow Rebecca to join as well? Our group will not be particularly large, so guerilla tactics will most likely be quite useful, and I can safely say that it's quite a fearful experience to have to wander into a forest and watch arrows magically sprout in your companions' bodies."

Eliwood laughed. "I fully agree with that. Would you like me to ask for anyone else's assistance?"

"No, I believe that would be enough." Turning to Hector, he continued, "Milord, as much as I hate to say this, I'm going to have to ask that you give Serra a few months' leave as well. It's always better to have a healer on hand."

The marquess of Ostia gave his "favorite" henchman a good slap on the back, almost sending Matthew flying. "Heh. Your loss, my gain. I've been wanting some peace and quiet for some time."

"Yes, but don't you think that you are lacking in axe or lance users? I'm sure that both Hector and I would be quite willing to lend a hand..." Eliwood added.

Matthew shook his head. "Please, that won't be necessary, milords. Besides, it wouldn't do for the new marquesses of Pherae and Ostia to run off on some journey just to help their retainers on some fool's errand. And I'm quite certain that the majority of obstacles we'll be encountering will come in the form of bandits, and axe-wielding ones no less. I'm pretty sure that I'll be able to handle them, and if Guy and Erk are willing to come along as well..."

"You're quite observant, Matthew, noticing all those people just from a few minutes in the same room with them," Lyn commented.

"Well... that's to be expected of a spy, is it not?"

"True. Very true. I just regret that Mark isn't here at the moment. A tactician would be quite useful..."

"Yes, but that can't be helped. Besides, I'm sure that our battles won't be anything that we won't be able to handle ourselves. We're all experienced veterans of war, are we not?" Matthew grinned.

Eliwood gave a slight laugh at the spy's comment. "Well then, it's settled. I'll have all your supplies prepared so that you can leave the day after tomorrow."

"Thank you, Lord Eliwood, Lady Lyndis, milord. I do hope I'll be able to repay you someday."

"There's no need. You've done a great service to us in our journey; it's only fair that we help you on yours," the marquess of Pherae replied. "Though... there is something else that I want to ask you."

"Ask away, Lord Eliwood!"

"The siblings... they do not wish to... use the Wish Dragon's power as well, do they?"

Matthew paused, surprised, but he did not show it on his face. "Not that I'm aware of," he answered warily.

No. I won't be stopped now. Not when everything's just about to start!

Luckily for the spy, Eliwood smiled, satisfied. "That's good to know. So... what supplies do you think you'll need?"

Outside, Auri could barely contain her glee.

Finally. Once I find that Wish Dragon and wish our parents back to life, everything will go back to normal! I won't have to deal with these insolent people anymore. I don't particularly trust that Matthew, but everything'll be all right once I make my wish!

"Auri! I found you, Auri!"

Her little brother's voice shattered her out of her thoughts as he ran up to her.

"Guess what! Guess wha-"

"Shhhh!"

Auri tried to silent her little brother's cries, but it was too late. The door slammed open, with Eliwood, Hector, Lyn, and Matthew rushing out. Glaring at the purple-haired mage, he looked like a mage judging by the clothes he wore, who had brought her brother back, she mentally prepared an excuse just in case there were any questions asked.

While the girl was explaining herself to Eliwood, Matthew took note of her ordinary light brown hair, tied in an ordinarily short ponytail, and her ordinary brown eyes, nothing like her features...

How could I have not noticed before?

He checked again. The hair that had previously been dark brown due to a layer of dirt was clearly light brown. The ponytail was in the same position, the same length. The eyes... were... brown... just like...

She- She's the girl! The girl in my dreams! She comes... before a dragon... Perhaps she will lead me to the Wish Dragon? And would that mean that her brother is the dragon? He is supposedly unlike the others in his family, after all...

He took another look at her, taking care to avoid her gaze.

Or is... she... the Wish Dragon?

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A/N: Oooo... Fun ending, huh? What do you think? Did I mess up Erk's personality? Hector's? Lyn's? Eliwood's? Matthew's? Did Auri and Corey have their personalities messed up 'cause I haven't written for so long? Please R/R and tell me what you think! And remember to leave your email if you want me to send you the picture of Corey! Thank you!