Chris: Great….Another idea for this fic. Got the idea while I was thinking about some things, so I hope you like it.

CharChar Wu: -says what he said on MT…Or at school…Or on AIM- So yeah. Thanks.

Min the Noodle: Glad you like it so much. I'll keep trying to put up good chapters. And your new FE story is really good! I liked it!

Anzu Rose: Thanks for the applause. And thanks for reading it.

Inferno-Hero: Yeah, this was on MT. I think. Anyway…Thanks. And yeah, in FE 8 Berserk is really rare.


Know Your Sins, and Repent: Never Cry Again

He vowed that he would never cry again. He had cried when his father had disappeared. He had cried his father's best friend, Marquess Santaruz, had died. He had cried when Marcus, his loyal friend had died, protecting him from enemy forces. He had cried when his father died. He had cried over the injustice in this world. But then Ninian had died. That had pushed it too far. He was tired of crying, tiring of letting those tears fall from his eyes. Why cry, he asked himself. Why cry? It doesn't help you. It doesn't bring them back. Crying doesn't do anything. So he stopped crying.

Eliwood wasn't always like this, of course. He had been optimistic, caring, and always ready to prove that he could fight. He believed that justice was on their side, and that nothing could stop them. He was certain that soon, they would be able to find his father, and bring him back to Castle Pherae, back to his home. But he was wrong. His father was never coming back. His mother would be so heartbroken to hear the news. Maybe she would die also. Eliwood didn't know for certain, but that possibility loomed in his mind.

But back to the present. The army was gathered at Dragon's Gate, ready to assault the fortress. The legendary Archsage Athos had joined them on their fight, and the morale of their forces was increasing steadily. Of course, that was their morale. His morale was still down in the dumps. He still couldn't get over it. He had killed Ninian with his own hands, with his own sword. Eliwood sighed. Everyone had tried to cheer him up, but he just didn't feel like being cheery.

"Ninian…Can you ever forgive me for what I've done?" Eliwood sat on his cot, thinking about the times they spend together.

Ninian spun, swinging her shawl in a wide arc. Her shawl seemed to have a life of its own, caressing the air with its silky touch. The tassels at the end of the shawl rang, decorated with tiny bells. She moved to the tune of Nils' flute, moving her feet directly with the beat of the song. At last, she finally finished, her shawl resting elegantly on her shoulders. The sky-haired dancer stood up, small beads of perspiration on her forehead. "How…How was that, Lord Eliwood?" She looked hopefully at the lord, who was sitting in front of her.

"Please, don't call me Lord. Formality is nice in some occasions, but not between friends." Eliwood smiled at her.

"We…We are friends?"

"Of course! Anyone who helps me out is a friend of mine! And if they can dance as well as you, why, there is no doubt that they would be my friends as well. That dance was simply amazing, Ninian." Eliwood clapped his hands, smiling broadly. The red-haired lord looked at the sky, lying in the grass.

"T-Thank you, Lo-…I mean, Eliwood." Ninian curtsied to the lord and looked at her brother. Nils pocketed his flute and waved farewell to the two of them.

"Thank you for listening, Eliwood! I hope that we may perform for you once again." Nils bowed to Eliwood. "Ninian?"

"Um…There is something I wish to speak to Eliwood about." Ninian clasped her hands.

"Ah…I see." Nils winked at Ninian and walked off, whistling the tune he had played on his flute.

"E-Eliwood?" Ninian sat down next to the lord, who pushed himself up.

"What is it, Ninian?" Eliwood's blue eyes gazed back at her.

"Why…did you rescue me…a long time ago?"

"You need to ask me why? Well, for one, I saw a beautiful girl who in danger and needed help. Two, because I knew that those guys who had kidnapped you were up to no good. And three…" Eliwood grinned roguishly. "That's just the type of guy I am."

"O-Oh!" Ninian flushed. "Um…Thank you for answering my question!" The dancer ran off, her cheeks a slight pink.

"Heh heh…And four, once I saw you, I knew you were special…"

Eliwood was snapped out of his reverie when Hector lifted the flap of his tent. "Hey Eliwood. Get ready. We're about to fight."

"Okay, Hector. I'll be there." Eliwood pushed himself up, emotionlessly picking up his sword.

Hector frowned. "Well…Just as long as you are there. I don't know if I'd be able to fight without my friend."

"Thanks Hector. I'll be there."

Hector shook his head and walked outside. Eliwood gathered his gear for the battle ahead. The lord sighed. 'Ninian…Is this our fate? To live as victim and killer? One who is dead and one who lives?' He stood up and walked outside. 'If that is our fate, then it is one that I will bear without tears.'

Hours later, they were in Dragon's Gate. The first thing that greeted them was an enormous chamber with numerous rooms.

"Nergal, you blackheart! Come out!" Hector shouted, his loud voice reverberating across the chamber.

"Ah…Hector and his little playmates…" Nergal warped in, a devious smirk on his face. "And little Eliwood! With Durandal as well! I thought you weren't going to use that sword. You might kill one of your friends again."

Eliwood froze as the words reached his ears. He was plunged into another memory of Ninian.

"Eliwood?" Ninian walked up to the lord, her customary somber look on her face.

"Yes, Ninian?" Eliwood looked up from a map of Elibe. He was busy deciding where their next destination should be. A couple of marks signified where they might go next.

"Will you…Take a walk with me?" Ninian looked hopefully at the lord, who chuckled.

"Of course." Eliwood rolled up the map and slid it into a map case. "I would love to take a walk with you."

Minutes later, they were on the grassy plains outside of Ostia, Ninian timidly holding the lord's hand.

"Have you ever noticed?" Eliwood gazed at the bright sky.

"Noticed what?" Ninian looked at Eliwood, afraid that she had done something wrong.

"That the sky looks so much like your hair…And you as well. You both seem to always be there for us. Drifting through life, with not set location or feeling, except that you're just there…" He turned and smiled. "And you both seem so free…Like you can fly…"

"Ah…Thank you, Eliwood." Ninian bowed her head to the lord, who laughed.

"I mean it, Ninian. You've always been there for me. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Really?"

"Of course. I just wish you would be more cheerful sometimes. When I look at you, you always seem so sad."

"Yes…Well…That's because my homeland…Well, my people…Are not well liked. I…worry about how they are doing."

"Hey, after this war, you can show me where your homeland is! I'll make sure that your people are accepted again! Everyone deserves to be able to live freely."

"T-Thank you, Eliwood. I…I will try to help in every way I can."

"And I will love to have you help." Eliwood bent down and gave Ninian a light kiss on the cheek. "I better get back. Hector is probably wondering where I am." The lord ran off, waving at Ninian, who nodded.

"Lord Eliwood…If only you knew…Would you…Would you still like me? Would I still…Deserve acceptance?"

Eliwood snapped out of it. Nergal was still standing in front of them. The lord gasped his sword harder.

"Perhaps you'd like me to make a Morph of your brother, Hector? I'm sure your feeble human heart would enjoy it. How about you, Lyn? Would you like Morphs of your parents? Would you like to see them again? And Eliwood, maybe a Morph of Ninian could remove the longing in your heart." Nergal grinned wickedly. "How about it?"

"Nergal! Shut up! You will not trick us that way! Now stand still so we can kill you!" Hector swung his hand in front of his face. "Prepare for oblivion, you bastard!"

"Nuh uh uh…I'm not that easy to kill." Nergal snapped his fingers and disappeared. "If you want to kill me…You will find out the way. Defeat my soldiers…and maybe I will consider you worthy enough to have your blood stain my carpets."

One of the rooms opened, and the battle began. Eliwood charged in on his horse, swinging his sword at the head of his nearest enemy, which was a Sniper. The sword bit into the Sniper's neck and it dissolved into dust. Eliwood looked dispassionately at the ashes on the floor. They had no feelings, so it didn't matter how many of them he killed.

'Ninian…Why must we fight? If I knew…I would still love you. Why…Why…Why must this come to pass?'

Soon, all of the Morphs were killed, slaughtered by various army members. Eliwood, Nils, Athos, Lyn, and Hector were gathered outside of the last room. Hector looked at all of them, then pushed the heavy, stone doors open.

"I see that you made it." Nergal turned around and spread his arms wide. "Welcome…To my abode."

Hector stepped back, revulsion plain on his face. Lyn turned, horrified by the sights in the room. Athos sighed and closed his eyes. Nils fell to the ground, his eyes wide with terror. And Eliwood stared resolutely on, ignoring the dread sights of the room.

"What? You don't like my decorations?" Nergal grinned wickedly. Because strewn along the walls were bodies, numerous bodies. And all of them had something in common. Their bodies had been cut open, and their hearts were gone. Blood coated the walls and floor, and flies were hovering over the dead bodies.

"Nergal…How could you do this?" Athos sighed in his long beard. "You…Who were once my friend…I will put an end to whatever entity that has conquered your soul!" The archsage pulled out an elegantly bound book, signs of fire engraved on the cover. "Flames of underneath, flames of passion, flames of everlasting, flames of heart! One shall burn, one shall consume, one shall destroy, one shall purify! One strike for the wicked, one strike for the corrupt, one strike for the unforgivable, one strike for the forsaken! Fire, Madness, Explosion, Divinity! Forblaze!" The staff he clutched in his other hand glowed a bright white.

Balls of fire sprung from the staff and hovered at the north of the room. Sounds of shrieking and laughter materialized from the left side of the room, accompanied with a horrid-looking light. Bright explosions and lava flowed from the south side of the room. And from the east, light shined from the sealing, creating a hovering ball of light and holy fire.

"Pah!" Nergal drew a circle with his hand, which caused a dark circle to hover around him. The various magic attacks collided against his shield, neutralizing most of the blast. The Dark Druid then proceeded to launch a ball of pure darkness at Athos, knocking the old man against one of the walls.

"Nergal, you bastard! You will pay for all of the pain and sorrow you have caused for everyone!" Lyn charged at Nergal, her Sol Katti clutched in her hands. She swung at the Druid with all of her might, and was about to connect when the image of Nergal was replaced with an image of her father. "F…Father?" Lyn stopped her attack and gazed at the image.

Nergal grinned. Lyn had fallen completely under the illusion, and now she was completely useless. The Sol Katti dropped out of the Blade Lord's hands and clanged against the floor. The Dark Druid decided to use this illusion to her advantage. "That's right, my dear daughter. I came back…Just for you."

"Father…Father!" Lyn ran up to Nergal and hugged him, thinking that it was her father.

"Lyn! What the hell are you doing?" Hector yelled at the Sacaen. "That's Nergal! Remember? We're supposed to kill him!"

"Kill him?" Lyn turned. "You want to kill my father?" Her eyes narrowed. "I will never allow you to do that!" She charged at Hector, who stepped backwards.

"Lyn! What the-!" Hector looked up and saw Nergal smirking at him. Hector quickly put two and two together. "You little bastard! Tricking her like this!"

"A true master of battle knows how to utilize all parts of the battlefield." Nergal. "Go Lyn…This man plans to kill me. Use this sword to end my attacker's life." Nergal caused a sword to appear in Lyn's hand.

"Of course, father!" Lyn swung the sword at Hector, who ducked.

"Dammit! I'm sorry, Lyn!" Hector brought his gauntleted fist down on Lyn's head, knocking her down on the floor, where she fell unconscious.

"Aww…She would have made a good daughter." Nergal said, faking sorrow on his face. He let out a loud, mocking laugh.

Hector roared angrily and ran at Nergal, his heavy armor clanking. He swung Armads with all his might, breaking through Nergal's magical shield and biting into the Druid's waist. "Hah!"

"Urgh!" Nergal looked down to see blood welling around the axe. He glared angrily at Hector. "Good attack! But you left yourself wide open!" Nergal placed an open palm against Hector's head. Black magic welled up in his hand and shot itself at Hector, throwing the lord against the wall. Hector collapsed on the floor, barely breathing.

"Now it's only tiny, little Eliwood. What are you going to do?"

"Me? Why…I'm going to kill you." Eliwood swung his Durandal in a small arc. "For the deaths of many, I will lay your soul to rest!" He charged forward on his horse, slicing Nergal's arm. "For my father!" He turned on his horse and attacked Nergal again, cutting him on the cheek. "For Marquess Santaruz!" Eliwood jumped off of his horse and threw a punch at Nergal, knocking the Druid back. "For my protector, Marcus!" He grasped Durandal with both of his hands, holding the blade behind his head.

"Grr!" Nergal winced, blood running down his numerous wounds. He conjured an image of Ninian to appear in his place. "Would you really kill me, Eliwood? I thought you loved me…"

"YOU'RE ALREADY DEAD!" Eliwood screamed wrathfully and brought the sword down on Nergal's head, splitting his skull.

"Ninian…I…Thank you for all you've done. And for all you meant to me…" Eliwood sat heavily on the floor, closing his eyes in remembrance.

"Eliwood? I…need to say something to you."

"Ninian?" Eliwood looked up from his plans. "What is it, Ninian?"

"Do…Do you like me?"

"Of course, Ninian! Why would you think otherwise?"

"Because…I need to know…Do you…love me?" Ninian clasped her hands again, looking worriedly at Eliwood. "I…I…I need you with me! I…love you, Eliwood!"

Eliwood blinked his eyes, and his face broke into a warm smile. "Do you need to ask, Ninian? I thought you knew…There is no one else for me…I always knew you were special…That special one for me…" The red-haired lord brought Ninian to him, kissing the dancer softly on the lips. Ninian quickly wrapped her arms around the lord's neck, and they enjoyed the blissful moment, one that belonged to them alone.


Chris: Well, here it is. I actually had a different ending in mind for this story when I first started it. But then, now, when I'm writing it, this just seems better for some reason.

But if you want the original version with the different ending, ask me. I'll e-mail it to you. The original ending is a happy ending. I don't know if you can classify this as happy.