Author's Notes: Hey everyone. Though it's something I don't normally do, I feel as though I should put some notes in this chapter. Now now, I know you're all very... displeased that I took so long to update, but it's not entirely my fault. You see, this chapter would've been up a week ago if someone didn't have the audacity to get "Whose Ed Is It Anyway" removed for some bogus charge. Now, I'm not sure who did it, but whoever did it knows who they are. Whose Ed will be reposted soon enough. My apologies for the lengthy delay in getting this chapter posted. I'll try to be a tad more consistant with the updates from here out... at least until college starts up again. Okay, I've said what needed to be said. Enjoy.

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The dining hall smelled of freshly cooked chicken and beef; the delicious scent of a feast taunted the nostrils of any passers-by. Inside the tightly locked chamber, sat many of the kingdom's most well known figures, as well as a few newcomers. At the head of the massive wooden table sat the king, Picard. On his right sat Felix, and on the king's left was Dargon. Beside the Luna Knight sat his former squire Garet, the once- assassin Jenna, then the mage Ivan. At the tail of the table rested Alex and Iodem, Picard's advisor. Across from Ivan sat Sheba, and across from Jenna, Mia rested in her chair. The seat next to Felix remained vacant.

However, despite the warm and inviting scents of the various foods on the table, the atmosphere remained quite tense.

"Lord Felix, where is Isaac, anyway?" Garet asked, inquiring about the empty seat.

"He had a previous engagement." Felix replied. Picard and Dargon shifted slightly upon Felix's reply, but the movement remained unnoticed, save by two pairs of particularly observant eyes. One of the pairs belonged to the druid who sat at the end of the table. It was perfectly clear that the heads of the country knew and no one else aside from himself and the two Jupiter Adepts.

The other pair belonged to the one who once needed such keen senses to stay alive. Jenna eyed the king and his two stooges carefully. Something was definitely going on behind the scenes, and it reeked of a cover-up. Her intuition never had lied to her before, and when this many alarms went off at once in her head, there was no way she was wrong now. However, the same intuition told her to keep her mouth shut and remain silent about the whole issue. As she watched intently, her eyes narrowed slightly.

"An engagement?" Garet questioned. "Like what? Some kind of training session?"

"You could say that." Felix curtly replied.

"At a time like this?" Alex asked, raising a blue eyebrow. "Seems unorthodox to me." Jenna shot a light glance to the Mercury Adept. It was clear he knew that something was going on as well.

"What sort of training is he undergoing?" Ivan asked.

Felix's expression soured slightly. "That cannot be discussed right now, Ivan." Jenna frowned slightly after Felix's remark. Isaac was at no training session; something else was up. She sat and puzzled silently over this through the awkward silence that followed. What could Isaac have done that warranted a cover-up? Obviously the mage knew something; his innocent tone betrayed his true thoughts. She looked at each of the people at the table carefully, trying to read clues from them. Nothing was found in the eyes and actions of any of them, except one. The former ninja looked directly across the table to the healer from Imil.

The deep aquamarine eyes of the young woman across from her had an unmistakable longing in them, a strange sort of thing that very few could ever see. The longing was not for a material object, but rather for a person. All of Jenna's self-taught training indicated that she was hiding something as well. The Mars Adept studied her movement carefully; she ate very little, and she seemed highly distracted throughout most of the meal. Running the numbers through her head, she took a few moments to formulate her hypothesis. It was in this healer that the key to everything rested, she was sure. What else could it be?

The healer and the squire were in love, she deduced; and they had been caught. However, judging by Mia's reaction, the ninja knew instantly that she had no clue that her relationship had been discovered.

"Lord Picard, what is the status of the treasury?" Iodem idly asked, trying to relieve the tension in the room.

"It is filled to an adequate level, Iodem. We've more than enough available to stay in a surplus." The Mercury Adept replied flatly. There was an abrupt knock on the door at the end of the king's statement. "Let him in, Iodem." The king's assistant nodded, then rose to unbolt and open the door. No sooner than the door creaked an inch open, a Knight ran into the room and immediately snapped to attention.

"Your highness, we are under siege!" He said, fear and surprise in his voice.

"What?!" A united cry from the table sounded.

"Undead troops have already bypassed the main gate and are in the city! We have deployed to stem their advance! We await further orders!"

"Deploy your Paladins, Felix. Dargon! Get the rest of the Knights into the city and push them back!"

"Yes sir!" Both replied, rushing out of the room. Garet was quick to follow Dargon out of the room.

"The hour of reckoning has finally arrived." Alex said, rising.

"Will you help us, sir druid?" Picard asked.

"Of course. That is why I am here, is it not?" The Mercury Adept replied, turning around and walked very deliberately out of the room.

"My lord, Sheba and I would like to offer our services as healers to your armies."

"We could use all the help we can get. Follow Lord Dargon down and tend to the wounded immediately." Picard ordered coolly. Mia and Sheba both nodded, leaving.

"I suppose I'd best lend a hand as well." Jenna shrugged. "No point in me sitting around doing nothing all night when I could be having some fun. No thanks are necessary, your highness." She stated, leaving the dining hall.

"What do you want me to do, Picard?" Ivan asked.

"Do what mages do best, my friend."

"Yes sir." He replied, he as well taking his leave.

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No sooner than Ivan left the dining hall was he grabbed by a foreign arm and pulled down a hallway. The assailant had the mage in a headlock, with the other arm holding Ivan's left arm behind his back. The mage was caught completely off guard by this assault, and when he found himself in this rather precarious and painful position, he struggled a bit to get loose. The response was the attacker strengthening the hold he was in.

"Let me go or you'll regret it!" Ivan hissed.

"Indeed." A familiar voice replied. "You know something, and I want to know what it is."

"Huh? Jenna?!"

"The same. Now, are you going to tell me what you know or do I have to break your arm?"

"What?!" Ivan asked, shocked.

"I may have quit being an assassin, but I still know how to get what I want. Besides, I'm sure Garet would like to know that there is something going on with his best friend that no one's telling him."

"So, you're threatening me?"

"Very much so. Tell me, what is Felix hiding?!" Ivan snorted at Jenna's demand.

"Release me and I will tell you." Jenna frowned, but let Ivan go. "Long story short, Isaac and Mia are in love and Felix found out. It's that simple." He frowned. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a battle to fight."

"Where's the squire?" She demanded, drawing her crimson sword. She pressed the black obsidian tip on Ivan's shoulder. "I'm sure Vale is in need of every competent warrior they have, and Isaac is obviously no exception."

"He's been confined to his quarters for breaking the code and hiding his so- called crime from Felix." Ivan said, returning Jenna's venomous glare.

"Very well. Let's go break him out then." She said, withdrawing her weapon into its scabbard. The Mars Adept gave a smile of mischief that the Jupiter Adept found himself returning. The two quickly ran toward the barracks of the Paladins.

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Isaac wondered what all of the commotion was outside. No one had ever informed him of what was going on beyond his door, after all. Moments before, there had been a big clamor of feet running down the hallway, and it sounded like each man was decked out in armor. The warrior couldn't say exactly what was going on, but if he had to venture a guess, Picard's greatest fear had come true; Vale was under attack.

Of course, what could he do? He was bound by what honor he had remaining and law to remain in his position in his quarters. Unless Felix or Picard came with release orders, he wouldn't be allowed to leave, even if it was in defense of his home. Isaac sighed and looked at the titanium sword that sat in a sheath at the foot of his bed. It was probably the only blade in all of Vale that would not be drawn in the town's time of need.

The squire sighed. He was already wearing his chain mail vest, but his field plate, full helm, and Earth Shield sat on the floor near where his sword hung idly. The warrior grumbled to himself regarding his incompetence. However, with Isaac constantly cursing himself, he failed to hear the tumblers on the lock click open. It was only after the strong door had opened he realized he wasn't alone.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Isaac found himself saying.

"I think someone needs to learn how to welcome his friends better." Jenna stated. "We're breaking you out of here. Vale's in danger and we need everyone we can get."

"What about my punishment? If I leave, there will be even bigger trouble."

"Leave that to me." Ivan stated. "I will accept full responsibility for releasing you without orders. Right now having one of the most powerful warriors out saving lives is more important than some meaningless infringement on an ancient and outdated code."

"Ivan, I can't let you do this. They will send you to prison for this, mage or not!"

"I have my ace in the hole." The Jupiter Adept returned. "Just get out there and do what a warrior does best."

Isaac rose quickly and started getting on his field plate. "Why'd you come, my friend?"

"He had some convincing." Jenna replied.

"Did you have to be that rough?" Ivan asked.

"Goes with the territory. Sorry if I was a little too rough on your frail little mage frame."

"Very droll, Jenna. Don't you have some vengeance to extract elsewhere?"

"Of course." She replied. "I just felt further input was required. Now, if you'll excuse me, that revenge won't wait all night." She glanced to Isaac. "Do hurry up, Isaac; I'm sure you have a score to settle as well." The assassin then made herself scarce.

"I can see now why Garet fell in love with her." Isaac muttered, getting the last piece of his field plate adjusted. "She's stubborn, hard-headed, tough, and doesn't take garbage from anyone."

"That and she fights hard and doesn't stop until she get what she wants."

"It's an act." Isaac replied, grabbing his helmet.

"Beg pardon?"

"She's not really like that. It's her experience that lends her that attitude; she has to learn to leave it behind once more."

"What is she really like then?"

"Based on what Garet said. . ." Isaac said, pulling his full helm over his head. "She's still stubborn and hard-headed. . . but she is extremely kind and good natured."

"Hard to believe that she could've become one of the greatest assassins of our time."

"Yes." Isaac said, picking up his sword and shield. "Now, let's go show that Saturos what for!"

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Isaac and Ivan dashed out of the castle together, and they quickly turned to each other.

"Ivan, did you see where the enemy is while we were in the castle?"

"Yes. The main battle is being held just inside the gate. The Knights and Paladins are holding them back as well as can be expected. However, a small column of enemies broke past the line immediately after the battle started and are heading this way."

"Could we stop them?"

"The two of us alone?"

"Yes."

"Most likely." Ivan replied, raising his staff a few inches. Isaac nodded, and both of them charged off in the proper direction. The Venus Adept's greaves made loud clanging noises with each stride on the cobblestone path while Ivan's mage boots tapped lightly as he led. Adrenaline pumped through both the fighter and the mage as they anticipated what lay ahead. Though the mage had been in several confrontations in the past, he had never experienced anything at this level before. The fear of death did toy with the recesses of his mind, but he knew that death could be no worse than life if he failed in protecting the city. Isaac's mind raced back to his days in Imil. This assault was the same as then. The town is under attack, and he had to help defend it no matter the odds. Death taunted the Paladin as well, but the fighter knew better than to be afraid of nothing more than a specter.

After dashing through some dark and deserted alley ways, the two defenders found themselves on a long cobblestone street, houses lining both sides of the roads; there was little space to escape other than the two ways the road went. Isaac paused, then looked at Ivan questioningly. Ivan's reply was a nod, and a point of his staff head to the shadows and sounds steadily approaching them.

The opposition was far greater in number than the defenders; the odds stood twenty to one against. All of the skeletal foes carried rusted swords and twisted shields, and they all looked ready to spill the blood of any who stood in their way.

Ivan signaled for Isaac to hold his position. The squire did so, waiting to see what trick the young magic user had ready. The fighter did not have to wait long, for as soon as he acknowledged Ivan, the mage started brimming with a purple aura. Around him, gusts of wind gathered, actually lifting the small framed male off his feet. The mage's eyes burned a deep and enraged purple as he called upon nature to take its part in the battle. The swirling Tempest storm that soon blasted through the street picked two dozen of the skeletons clear off their thin, rail like legs and flung them like dolls into the buildings on each side of the street. Every skeleton that was hit by the blast and ensuing concussion shattered into thousands of pieces. And yet the storm did not abate. The young mage, who was still floating in a column of summoned air, pushed forward with his staff, sending the wind storm back through the lines of foes. Eight more were quickly torn apart by the thrashing gales.

As the mage descended back to the ground, Isaac knew it was his turn. He rushed forward with his weapon drawn and engaged in direct combat with his advancing foes. With his superior swordplay, he quickly dispatched two foes, and then splintered the shield of another. He quickly parried the swipe of a sword and dodged away from another attack. The Venus Adept frowned, and threw out his palm inches away from another foe's face.

"Earthquake!" Isaac shouted, as the ground below him tremored and shook. With the earth below shaking furiously, the remaining skeletons quickly lost balance and fell over. Even when they hit the ground, the constant shaking and rattling snapped their brittle bones, quickly disabling what remained of the attack force. Finally, when Isaac allowed the crust to settle, he turned back to Ivan. The short mage gave a nod, and the two continued to dash down the street.

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"Draw your swords and stand tall!" Dargon's cry rallied out through the ranks of Knights he was leading. In his midst were a hundred of the finest trained Knights in the kingdom, not the least of which was Garet. The men ran down the streets, each individual drawing their sword and cheering as their leader bellowed his calls to battle. The men could hear the clangs of swords and shields further up the road as the fight's rage grew. As they reached the gates, they all met with a massive and chaotic battleground. There were hundreds upon hundreds of combatants fighting just inside the gate, undead and Valean alike. Beyond them was a massive bone dragon, wreaking havoc on the lines closest to the gate. The foul creature swung its massive skull about, sending Knights and defenders flying through the air, only to land in the fray or upon rooftops. Some survived relatively unhurt, others weren't so lucky. "All of you, attack at will, but stay together and don't get surrounded! We must hold them here!"

Dargon finished his orders the moment before his sword tip caught the skull of a skeleton warrior. The weapon penetrated the cranium of the enemy; as he struck, a loud shattering sound emanated from his foe. He withdrew his sword as the skeleton's head collapsed around his weapon and quickly turned to face a new foe. The next target gladly obliged him; it rushed toward him cackling in a blood curdling voice. He blocked the incoming assault with his shield and forced his foe backward with a thrust. Again, the enemy lunged for him but this time instead of deflecting him with his shield, he crouched down to avoid the attack, then lunged forward with his own. The enemy snapped in two and ceased to be a threat.

Next to him, Garet was busy hacking off the limb of another undead fiend. The creature looked at the damage done briefly, then turned and laughed at the Knight before it jumped in for another chance at him. The Mars Adept parried the incoming blow and whipped the working arm around, snapping it right out of its socket. As the creature was reeling, Garet delivered a swift kick with his greaves to its pelvic assembly. It fell backward onto another skeleton which was instantly incapacitated.

The next foe jumped in from behind. Garet scarcely could spin around and block the attack before his back was split open. Blue sparks shot from the swords clashing, and both combatants strained to gain an upper hand in strength. The Mars Adept then lunged forward with a quick shield thrust, shattering its rib cage and sending the skeleton sprawling on its skinny little spine.

Searching the battlefield, Garet took note of the odds. There were countless allies holding the line, but droves upon droves of skeleton foes were pouring into the gate every second. Things were looking really bad.

"Dargon!" Garet called out next to him. "We'll never win without using Psynergy! There's far too many of them! We must use it, regardless of collateral damage!"

"Of course." Dargon replied. "Men, use your Psynergy as needed! Do not hold anything back!"

Not far away, Felix's sword clattered against the shield of another foe. No matter how many of these beasts he and his comrades destroyed, more simply rushed in to replace them. Worse yet, Knights and Paladins were beginning to fall to the blades of the enemy. The head Paladin watched in horror as the man next to him was impaled on a steel weapon. Gathering his senses in an instant, the Paladin flung himself toward his enemy and delivered a quick shield bash to knock him away. The sword dislodged itself from the Knight, and Felix was quick to catch him and deliver a Cure Well to his abdomen.

"Thank you, milord. I owe you my life." He said, feeling the spark of life return to his once near dead body.

"Think nothing of it; you can repay me by getting through this alive." The Venus Adept replied, turning to face his next foe. He swung his sword at its left femur, splitting it in half, sending splinters flying. The next comer lunged in and actually scored a glancing blow on Felix's plate mail. Rocked, Felix swung back at the skull of the skeleton. Expecting a quick victory, he was eyeing his next target when his swing connected. Instead of the normal crack of bone by the sword. . . there came a clang. Confused, the Paladin looked at his foe, and the sword that barely rested on its skull. If the creature was capable of flinching, it wouldn't have. Felix's deep brown eyes darkened. He found a sword blade fly straight toward his vision; the tip rapidly approached his nose. Felix flinched as he was prepared for the shock. Instead of the pain of torn flesh and broken bone, the Venus Adept heard a loud crash in front of him.

"You okay, Felix?" Garet asked. The Mars Adept had shoulder charged into the skeleton that was about to slay him, knocking it into another group of horrors.

"Yes, Garet. Thank you." He replied hastily, delivering a horizontal slice to another skeleton. "This may take awhile. Stay strong, my friend."

"You got it, sir!" The fire-haired Adept said, striking yet another opponent down with the sheer power of his sword stroke. The battle here was becoming steadily more heated; every passing second, tensions rose. The Mars Adept could feel adrenaline pumping through his veins faster than his own blood. His senses heightened, he somehow felt the enemy behind him preparing to strike. Quickly he spun, lashing forward with his shield and then with his sword. His shield bash shattered his undead foe's ribcage into splinters, and the sword stroke split his foe in two. Garet frowned inside his helm and looked to Felix. The Paladin was fighting with multiple foes at once, but thanks to his superior abilities, he was taking care of it easily.

"Don't dawdle, Garet!" A fellow Knight's voice rang out. "Be mindful!"

"I'm on it." The fire Adept rose his shield to block a hand axe strike, then quickly retaliated. After dispatching his foe, a quick flash of orange light caught the warrior's eye. He rose his shield scarcely before the flaming arrow struck it with a hollow clang. "Archers! Watch yourselves!" Unfortunately for several of Garet's comrades, the call came too late. Two Knights to his left each caught arrows in the chest and fell to the ground.

"Return fire!"

"Covering fire!" Garet quickly glanced back to see a small cadre of mages coming up from behind the allied lines. It looked like they were finally getting some good ranged support! No sooner did the mages reach the line of combat did the torrents of Psynergy bombard the enemy. Storm Rays, Ice Missiles, Fireballs, and Stone Spires rained from above, flooding the battlefield with fallen skeletons. Cheers rose up from the Knights and Paladins within the field as they continued to fight the survivors. However, though the enemy was thinned, they continued to pour in through the drawbridge. The new enemies that crossed into the city quickly engaged the standing Valean army, eager to accomplish what their precursors could not.

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"Let's go, Agatio." Karst said, brandishing her scythe. "It looks like all of the army is preoccupied with our units. The two of us should be able to slip through without a problem."

"Of course." The larger Adept replied, gripping his sword handle tighter. Karst and Agatio dashed across the drawbridge and were greeted by the sounds of clashing steel, screams of both alive and undead, and the frenzied commanders shouting orders. Using a group of skeletons as cover, Karst dodged into a dark alleyway with Agatio. This particular alleyway was between two buildings of decent size, with a medium sized wooden fence at the end.

"Come on, Karst. Over the fence." Agatio said as he used his powerful arms to pull and swing himself over. The female Mars Adept had a little more trouble than her companion climbing. Fed up after the second try, she decided to take a less subtle approach. Focusing some of her Psynergy on the blade of her scythe, she managed to super heat the blade until it was white hot. With one graceful swing, the fence was split cleanly and fell apart. She stepped over the now ruined barrier and shot a glare at the staring Agatio.

"What?" She asked, indignantly.

"Nothing, except that was something I expected from me."

"Your brutality has become a bad influence." She grumbled.

"I seem to remember you being quite brutal far before I became a bad influence." The warrior said, walking off. "Though, you always were the most tame of the four of us."

"Tame?! Agatio, if we were at home right now, you'd be burned with every spell I had." Karst said, obviously miffed. She trailed after him and glared daggers. The massive Adept turned and gave an indignant look back to his partner. With this, Karst mumbled a curse under her breath and focused her eye on the road ahead. Agatio chose to ignore the expletive she had said to him and he looked to the castle.

"Karst."

"What?!" She asked, obviously still upset.

"I will go alone from here. I must be ready to face him." Karst's face softened from total irritation to mere annoyance. "Besides. . . my brother wanted you to loot that mage place, didn't he?"

"The arcane library. Yes, he wanted me to scout for any information about the Mercury Star. I might pick up a few interesting spells for my trouble too. I suppose if you're so insistent on fighting Picard I will be off."

"Farewell, Karst." Agatio replied.

"Good luck. Don't get yourself killed."

"You speak as if we shall never see each other again." He muttered. "Rest assured, I will win."

Karst snorted. "How could I have ever doubted you?" She asked, half sarcastic. "I will see you soon." The female Mars Adept then bolted off, following Saturos' directions. Agatio, now alone, shut his eyes and sighed. His battle, the battle he longed for since he knew of his foe's existence, was at hand. This was it, the very moments he dreamed of. This in mind, he paced toward the castle deliberately. Through the streets, the alleys, and the paths, he walked.

When he was mere moments from the castle, he heard the sound of two voices and footsteps of running. Thinking quickly, he ducked behind a stone wall and pressed his back to it.

"Blast it, Ivan! How far are we from the battle now? It seems like we're going in circles!" Isaac exclaimed at the mage.

"I told you, I know where I'm going, Isaac. We just don't want to round a corner and get jumped, so we're going the long way!" The Venus Adept merely snorted in reply. "Look, I know you're not happy, but you have to keep your head about you!"

"Right. You sound like Felix sometimes."

"What, you actually do want to get jumped by someone who's hiding?" Ivan asked, as both he and the squire passed by Agatio's position.

"Not particularly, but time is of the essence!" Isaac replied.

"You don't have to tell me, just trust me."

Ivan and Isaac both continued down the road, unaware of Agatio's presence. The Mars Adept watched as both of the unknown warriors scurried down the path he had just taken. With a short sigh that more resembled a grunt, he resumed his trek to the castle.

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"Alex, what are you still doing here? I thought you said you were here to help!" Picard demanded, as he walked into the grand foyer. The foyer itself was grand, an inviting sight to any visitors who came to the castle. On the left and right sides of the room, two grand staircases led up to a common balcony. Picard had entered through the door at the balcony's top, and he looked down into the spacious room with marble floors. The druid, who was standing near the main door to the castle looked up and shot a glare to the King.

"I will help in the manner I see fit. I believe you are in more need of assistance than your troops. They seem perfectly capable of handling themselves." Picard descended the stairs to return the glare at Alex. "I see you're all ready for a fight. Are you going out to fight alongside your troopers?"

"And if I was?"

"I would have to stop you." Alex replied, flatly. "You are the king, after all. We cannot afford to have you risking your life so recklessly."

"Alex, even though you are obviously very powerful, I doubt you could stop me from helping my men if I so desired it. Not even you would stand in my way if it came to it."

"Have I offended your majesty?" Alex asked, his tone not changing from his last statement.

"You're not helping me, that much is for sure." Picard frowned. "Are you going to fight or not?"

"I will. In due time, of course." The druid replied, his eyes closing.

"How about now?" Picard demanded, heading for the door.

"Not quite yet. However, if your majesty would do me one favor."

"What?"

"Go back to the top of the stairs for a moment." Alex said, moving from his position against the wall. Picard nodded, and did as requested. The druid quickly stepped into the middle of the foyer, and gripped his staff with both hands. As he did so, the front door to the castle swung completely open and a large and extremely well built figure stepped into the room. The man's complexion was obviously foreign, with blazing red eyes and a fiery ambition. Quickly the man drew his long sword and spoke.

"The guards outside were very uncooperative. They provoked me to violence and they will be out for quite some time. Now. . . where is King Picard?" He demanded, his voice loud, full, and stern.

"I am the one you seek." Alex replied, his staff readied in front of him. "Who am I addressing and why have you come to my kingdom?"

"My name is Agatio. I have come to defeat you in battle. I have longed to fight a man of your caliber for many years."

"Hm. I am assuming you are responsible for the attack on my fair city?" Alex asked.

"No. My brother is. I am simply here to fight King Picard." The Mars Adept sized up Alex with his penetrating gaze. "Now, if you don't mind, I would like you to stop insulting my intelligence." Agatio pointed his sword at Alex. "You are not the King, nor do I appreciate the performance."

"You are looking for me?" Picard asked, coming down the stairs once more.

"Majesty! Leave him to me. There is no need for you to be at such a risk!" Alex exclaimed.

"Stand down, Alex. I will handle this. It is obvious this man is at least partially responsible for this assault. As King, it is my duty to protect the people of my country and to defend its honor. If this man desires a fight with me, so be it." Picard replied, drawing his own sword.

"Majesty?"

"Alex, go support the troops. Protect the mages and make sure Felix and Dargon are alive and well. Do now what I cannot."

"By your word." Alex nodded with a frown, and dashed past Agatio, who made no attempt to stop him.

Once the druid had departed, the foreign fighter sized up the king. "Ah. . . so you are the true king. It was quite cowardly of you to have that man pretend to be you."

"I asked him nothing of the sort. He acted of his own free will, and he acted to protect me."

"A noble gesture, though futile in the end. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to dispense with the pleasantries and get this over with."

"As you wish." Picard frowned, raising his sword parallel to his face. His foe returned the gesture, and they both walked toward each other and allowed their blades to meet in a salute. They both suddenly jumped back, then lunged forward at each other, sending a shower of sparks on the stone floor below.

"This will be a night long remembered." Agatio stated, through gritted teeth. Picard half-smiled, and in reply he said simply: "Yes, it will."