Chapter two: Shattering hope

Sacae few hours after the previous scene in Sacae

Erk and Nino Journey towards Araphran but bandits blocks their way. "What a beautiful necklace, hand it over little girl or I'll…" "No! This belonged to my mother! I will not give it away!" "Nino, be careful! These bandits are powerful!" "I will!" After Erk's warning she summoned her spell Elfire. As to Nino's lead Erk also did his own chanting for a powerful bolting aimed at the bandit on the far side of the field. A bandit aimed his axe towards Nino… Erk threw a bolting attack there to save her but soon after the two got surrounded. There were just way too many for them to handle by themselves. "Oh no! Erk! Help!" "Nino!"

Araphran two weeks after the Marquess burned down the orphanage.

Burn marks are still there when Eliwood's troops found the area that might have been where Lucius was just as Hector and his group arrives at the scene. Seeing the words "Brother Lucius" that the children has wrote on the burned wall they made certain that this was where the orphanage was. They were surprised to see that the bishop was already gone they realize they are late in their process to help him. "Blast! We're late!" "Wait Hector! Look! The trail of dried blood! They didn't clean this mess! We might be able to find him!" "But that is not why we are here! Let's see what that marquess has to say…" "I remember clearly what he said to me four years ago when I was still on my way to Caelin! He must still loath the people with the blood of any other than a lording. If an orphanage is here that means there are children bearing blood of all kinds." "Lord Hector Well met!" "Lowen? What are you doing here in Araphran?" "We've received word of you coming here to help a friend. Lord Eliwood is concerned about Lucius as well so he sent me and this group to aid him." "Sir Lowen! It appears that we have arrived late! No one is here!" "There is dried blood everywhere… Looking at these marks he must have moved towards Sacae with the children…" "So much blood Lady Lyndis, He may not have survived such a wound…" "Lowen, you were sent to aid him in battle were you not? If you were you can trail behind him by following the dried blood." Hector went directly into the castle to confront the Marquess. "I do not wish to harm you in any way but if you do not leave me at once I…" "Go ahead, you can try. If you want to fight Ostia. Kill me now and see what happens!" "That's not what I said!" "Good Then Listen up! You brought the downfall of a friend of ours and we do not know if he lived or died. Will you tell us where he is?" "What are you talking about?" "A Bishop by the name of Lucius. He was here taking care of children." "She is no longer here." "You drove him out. We saw the blood! He would never do anything to you and you tried to kill him just because he was raising children of all kinds!" "Lady Lyndis Please calm yourself!" "You! The one who harmed my castle… Get them out now!" "You'll not get away with this." Hector exclaimed as the group was dragged out of the castle of Araphran. Hector swung his Wolf beil trying to break free. "Hector… We should try to find him!" "But how? We don't even know when he left or how badly is he hurt…" "Let's try to find that out then…" "Have you seen a Bishop with long blond hair usually dressed in blue robes?" Lyndis asked the first person that came by. "Yes. She ran the orphanage and was killed by the Marquess and taken away by a red haired Mercenary. Sorry that was all I heard. And it happened about half a month ago…" "Blast! He's dead…" "No… We're too late…"

Sacae the next day (Raven)

Raven had carried Lucius and let the children trail after him as he walked into the plains. He had no idea that Lucius was awake and aware that they are sort of lost in the middle of the forests of the Sacae Plains. Being frightened would not do him good now in his weakened state. Lucius was wounded badly and as stated before he bled for about four hours before Raven finally managed to stop it. His back was nearly broken as a Silver Sword slashed through his lower back then there were wounds through both his shoulders by arrows… A ballista attack too. There was a wound where a lance had poked right through his ribs and he also got hit by some Sage's bolting too. This condition adding with what he was afflicted with is no help for being frightened. And Lucius will be against scaring the children. But There is no other way to go as of to get away from Araphran and to find some one to help Lucius. "Lord Raymond…" "Lucius, You're up?" "Yes. Where are we?" "I believe this is Sacae. Are you okay?" "I… Am I wounded a lot? My body is all pain filled…" "Yes… As I told you this is very severe." "How?" "…" "What are you talking about Brother Lucius?" "Lord Raymond… Please tell me." Lucius pleaded struggling to keep a normal face so that he wouldn't frighten the children any further even though he really wanted to show what he truly felt. "Lucius, you do not wish to frighten them and I do not want you to be frightened too… I told you, I shouldn't tell you right now and you should know about it." "I…"

Sacae about an hour after the last scene of the battle. (Erk)

The Bandits that Surrounded Erk and Nino had tied them up and tortured them by keeping them alive but keep attacking… "Now let me have that precious piece of junk." "Junk? I said Never! Ahh!" "Nino!" Erk Tried with his Elfire but it was no use… The Bandits tried to knock Erk out again as they deal with Nino. "I said Hand it over! You don't want to see your friend here die do you?" "Erk!" "Do… not… Give in…" "But Erk!" "Are you going to give it to me or are you going to watch him die?" "No! I won't let you kill him! I'll give it to you but you have to let us go and leave him be!" "Nino Don't!" "Erk…"

Pherae three hours after receiving the news from Hector.

Eliwood was worried about the note he received… "Is it too late?" "Lord Eliwood…" "Ninian…! When did you…" "What's wrong? Ever since that note arrived you have been pacing all over. What happened to Lord Hector? Or was it Lady Lyndis…?" "No, it was about another friend… In Araphran. He could be in danger. Ostian spies said something of it and Hector sent word to cancel our next session so he and Lyndis could go aid him." "Are you worried about Lady Lyndis then…?" "No, Ninian! That's not what I meant…" "But you are clearly worried… I… I…" "Ninian, I'm worried if we'll make it on time or not… I heard that Araphran can be cruel to anybody." "But Lady Lyndis will be there…" "No, She will go there with Hector, And I've sent troop to aid them too but I have a feeling that somehow our efforts are fruitless…" "What do you mean?" "I don't know… By the time our troops arrive our friend could be already dead…"

Araphran an hour later (Lowen)

Going their separate ways Lyndis asks Lowen something. "Lowen, what will you do now?" "Well I'll go and report this…" "Okay. But please do not let Ninian know of this." "What?" "Knowing her she might blame it on herself for not being able to help… She can feel danger approaching. If she didn't she might blame herself for his death. So do me this favor and make sure Ninian does not know." "Alright. I'll tell Lord Eliwood of your concern." "But if Raven came and took him away… What happened to the children? They should be alive somewhere…" "Should we try to find them?" "No, Let's just go."