Grim: Take cover! ARGH!
ShadowedTactician: Sheesh.
Gijinka Renamon
ShadowedTactician: Not much to say here... thanks for reviewing!
Psycho Sword Lady
ShadowedTactician: It's nice to see you again, PSL. Don't worry about reviewing... with my current schedule, I can only update once a week too... And as much as I'd like to, I can't put in Karel; it's only Chapter...
Imppala: She meant in the story, dimwit.
Elven-girl10
ShadowedTactician: Thanks for the review! You can expect story that is "my own"... two chapters from this one at maximum. Heh heh heh...
After repelling the mercenary forces of Eubans, Eliwood's group prepares to mount a pursuit of Marquess Laus, as suggested by Hector. Lord Darin and his knights are with the instigator of the rebellion against Ostia, the enigmatic Ephidel, who has brought them elsewhere. In order to prove what Erik had told him was correct, Eliwood and his allies chase after the fleeing marquess of Laus. Where that chase would lead, Eliwood could not have known...
"We've received more news from the Ostian spy network, milord," Matthew reported as he read the message he'd gotten from a messenger Pidgey. "Darin and his knights seem to be advancing towards the east but there's no further information about where exactly they're headed."
"Blast!" swore Hector. "Where on earth has that snake Darin gone?"
"I doubt he's left Lycia yet, but..." Eliwood frowned. "Hector, it's been five days. The death of Marquess Santaruz... our attack on Laus Castle... word of these things must have reached Lord Uther by now," said the Pheraen youth. "And yet he shows no sign of action... why?"
"I'm sure he has his reasons..." Hector sighed as he cracked his knuckles. "My brother has other concerns tying his hands right now."
"What do you mean?" asked Eliwood.
"It's Bern," replied his Ostian friend. "We've received disturbing reports over the past few months. King Desmond is behaving oddly. If he sees even the slightest crack in Lycia's defences, we believe he'll invade with all of Bern's might behind him."
"That serious?" exclaimed Shadow. Hector nodded, then continued, "My brother has only recently become marquess, as well as head of the Lycian League. He can't allow another country to see any weakness or discord."
"He has to present the face of stability and strength, is that it?" Eliwood asked.
"Yes," Hector replied. "It seems every country has a spy working in Ostia right now. They all want to assess the new marquess' temperament and skill. If they sense anything wrong, word will spread like wildfire."
"Hector, you're the marquess' brother," reminded Eliwood with a teasing smile. "Would not being at his side be seen as something wrong?"
"The marquess' brother is a well-known lout," smirked Hector. "If I were at court, they'd sense something wrong."
"You're not too proud of that reputation, are you?" Eliwood asked as he jokingly punched Hector in the arm.
"Not in the least." Just then, Marcus barged into the room with an alarming message. "Lord Eliwood! Lord Hector!" he shouted.
"What is it, Marcus?" questioned Eliwood. "Have you heard something?"
"Yes, my lord," answered the veteran fighter. "A messenger from the east! Castle Caelin has fallen to a surprise attack from Marquess Laus!"
"Castle Caelin?" gasped Eliwood.
"They've struck again," Hector nodded grimly. "Lord Hausen, is he unharmed?" Eliwood asked quickly.
"We've no word on Lord Hausen or his granddaughter, the Lady Lyndis," Marcus replied.
"I never expected them to attack Caelin..." Eliwood said softly as he gazed out of the window. "Lord Hausen... Lyndis..."
"Lord Eliwood, Lord Hector... what should we do?" asked Marcus.
"They might still be alive, right?" growled Hector as he brandished his axe. "There's only one thing we can do!"
"We ride to their aid!" shouted Eliwood. "There might still be time!"
"Alright!" Shadow whistled. "Everybody move out!"
Meanwhile, near Castle Caelin, a red cavalier rode a brown deer-like creature into a forest after going around to survey the situation. Waiting for him was a group of people, consisting of a green-haired nomad girl, another cavalier on a horse-like animal with a blazing mane and tail, a purple-haired girl riding a pegasus, an adolescent archer and another young man in a red tactician's cloak. The characters were Kent, Lyn, Sain, Florina and Wil, though the last one was a stranger. He had a green creature by his side, which had a strangely-shaped head and a tail with three spikes, as well as several yellow stripes on its body.
"Milady, I've returned, and I have brought news," reported Kent. "Laus soldiers are scattered from the castle to the edge of this forest. There must be at least fifty soldiers!"
"Are you sure about this, milady?" asked Sain worriedly. "We barely escaped... going back to the castle would mean certain death."
"My grandfather is in the castle," Lyn said firmly. "I left the castle on his orders, but... I can't leave him in there alone!"
"The numbers we face..." mused the stranger. "Rescuing Lord Hausen will be no easy task. I wonder if we can expect any reinforcements..."
"I overheard some of the Laus soldiers talking," said Kent. "They claim that Lord Eliwood invaded Laus and drove them out."
"Eliwood?" Lyn wondered. "Why would he attack Laus?"
"It's gets even more interesting," continued the cavalier. "Not only did Marquess Laus abandon his castle, but he also left his son, Erik, behind when he fled here to Caelin."
"That's despicable!" Sain exclaimed. "He abandoned his own son?"
"But at least we know Eliwood is in Laus," Lyn brightened up a little. "We might be able to ask him for help... assuming there was a way to contact him."
"If we are to avoid being caught, the best path would be through the forest," said Wil. "Shall I go?"
"I suspect you're right," consented Lyn. "Steeds cannot move well in woods. It'll take you a while, but if you travel lightly..."
"Lady Lyndis! I'll go!" volunteered Florina. "I can fly above the forest. I can be in Laus faster than anyone else."
"Florina?" The plainsgirl stared at her childhood friend as if she had just been ordered to jump in the lake. "You can't do this on your own! It's not possible!"
"Thanks to my time here, I'm no longer as timid around men as I used to be," Florina said. "And I've met Lord Eliwood before. I'm sure I can do this on my own."
"It will be terribly dangerous..." Lyn crossed her arms. "You understand, don't you?"
"Yes, but... I promised myself I would become braver for you. I'm not the weak little Florina I used to be." The pegasus knight blushed slightly. "I'll be fine! Trust me!"
"You've convinced me. The job's yours, Florina," smiled Lyn. "But you must promise me that you won't try anything impossible!"
"Yes, my lady. Farewell!" Tugging the reins on her winged steed, Florina took to the skies and began to fly towards the west.
"Did you hear our meek Florina? She sounded most forceful!" commented Sain when Florina had left. "Beautiful!"
"She's become a full-fledged pegasus knight," nodded Kent.
"Yes, she has," Lyn agreed, smiling at the disappearing figure on the horizon.
"All for you, Lady Lyndis," added Wil. "That's quite gallant."
"When we lived on the plains, I was always her protector," sighed Lyn as she remembered her childhood days. "I know I shouldn't feel sad, and yet..."
Meanwhile, a Laus soldier scurried over to the knight in charge. "Commander Bauker!" he shouted. "There's something in the southern skies!"
"Is that... a pegasus knight? Where do you suppose she's going?" muttered Bauker as he squinted against the sunlight. "It doesn't matter. We've been told not to let anyone out of Caelin." Motioning over to some of his troops, he ordered, "Archers! Advance! Bring her down!"
As the archers began to move forward, Florina was already nearing the western border of Caelin...
"To reach Laus, I must go over to the forest... and fly north," Florina said to herself. "Then, I'll have to... Wait!" Florina suddenly noticed a group of thirteen walking from the direction of Laus. "Who are those people? They fly no banner, and yet... Ah! That man in the lead! It's Lord Eliwood!" she exclaimed as she caught sight of the Pheraen noble. "He's come to Caelin's aid! That's wonderful! I have to tell him where Lady Lyndis is waiting!"
"I've spotted the enemy..." frowned Shadow as Eliwood's group neared the castle. "Why are their archers advancing? They're aiming at something up high..."
"Lord Eliwood, look! Up there! A pegasus knight!" pointed Marcus. Sure enough, there was a young girl riding a winged horse amongst the clouds, and she was flying towards the group. "Lord Eliwood!" she shouted.
"Could it really be..." Eliwood squinted at the familiar figure. "Florina, is that you?"
"Yes!" cried the pegasus knight as she came closer. "I'm Lady Lyndis'..."
"Fire!" commanded a soldier of Laus about a hundred metres away. Immediately, at least a dozen arrows left their bows and seared towards their target.
"Florina!" shouted Eliwood. "Fly lower!"
"Wha... Oh!" Florina turned around, only to see the arrows flying in her direction. "Aaaaaaah!"
The last thing the pegasus knight knew before blacking out was hearing Eliwood scream her name, tumbling off her pegasus, and collapsing onto something which made a funny groaning sound, like "Oooh!"...
"...Ah..." Slowly, the pegasus knight opened her eyes. She was lying on the ground, with Eliwood kneeling next to her. "Can you hear me, Florina?" Eliwood asked.
"Lord Eliwood?" Florina looked up at the noble, and immediately blushed. "I..."
"Those archers almost hit you," explained Eliwood. "You avoided the arrows, but you lost your balance and fell."
"And yet... I'm not hurt." The pegasus knight said as she sat up and checked herself. "I fell from such a height. What..."
"You got lucky. I didn't," A male voice muttered behind her. "You landed right on top of me!"
"Oh!" Alarmed, Florina leaped up and stood next to Eliwood. "Hector saved you," said Eliwood, introducing the Ostian lordling.
"I saved no one! I simply gave her someplace soft to land!" snapped Hector. "A bale of hay could have done more than I did!"
"Eeek! Oh... Oh, I'm so sorry!" apologised Florina meekly, blushing even harder than ever.
"You were lucky, Florina. If you had landed on me, I could have caught you," Eliwood remarked. "Or your pegasus either!"
"They fell one after the other! I couldn't get out of the way!" Hector grumbled.
"M-M-My pegasus, too?" Florina gasped. "I am so... I truly... I don't know what to say! I... um... I..."
"No apology needed," replied the Ostian noble. "You do need to tell us why you're here, however."
"Yes, of... of course!" Reminded of her mission, the pegasus knight began to give her report. "Lord Eliwood, Lady Lyndis is beyond that forest. She's waiting for a chance to assault the castle."
"She's what! Ah..." Eliwood was surprised. "Still, it's good to hear she's safe."
"She's fine," assured Florina. "However, Lord Hausen's been captured. He's still in the castle."
"I see," nodded Eliwood. "Let's go then!"
Near the castle, Bauker had witnessed Florina's descent. "Someone get up there and scour the area!" he ordered. "I want to know if we brought down that pegasus knight! If she's still breathing, make her stop!"
"My lord!" cried a soldier. "To the west! We're under attack! It's the Pheraen noble, Eliwood!"
"He's here, eh?" smirked Bauker. "Now's our chance to show Marquess Laus our loyalty. Our opponents are a motley band of fools! They're no match for us!"
"Hannah, will you help us again?" asked Shadow.
"Heh heh heh... of course!" Pocketing her pay, Hannah's hands met with Xatu's wings once more. "I see... a new companion," she began, motioning to Shadow. "Strong of will, strong of heart. You must combine your strengths and work together."
"A new companion, hm?" the tactician mused. "I wonder who it could be..."
"Lances... yes, lance wielders are invaluable here," continued Hannah. "Use the woods well. You will need magic, as well as your rapier and hammer... that is all I see."
"Alright," nodded Shadow. "Since Hannah said that lance users will be our best fighting force, I suggest that Florina, Marcus and Lowen take the lead. Everyone will back them up from behind. Matthew and Dorcas shall stay behind to guard Merlinus. If there are no questions..." The tactician raised his hand as a signal to everybody to move out. "Then we're off!"
Meanwhile, in the forest Lyn and her friends were at...
"What's taking Florina so long?" Lyn said worriedly. "Oh, I knew I shouldn't have let her go alone like this! Imppala, what shall we do?"
"Well, there's no sense in waiting, is there?" The young man replied. "Let's move out! Florina could need our help!"
"Right!" Sain raised his lance as he rode out of the trees. "Beauteous Florina! Do not fear!" he shouted. "Your knight in shining armour has come to save you!"
"I think you're the thing Florina needs saving from," Imppala muttered under his breath.
"Florina!" Eliwood yelled over the noise of fighting. "There's a village over there! Go warn the locals!"
"Y-Yes, Lord Eliwood!" Quickly, Florina flew over to a village in the west and touched down neatly in front of the gates.
"Ah... You are a knight of Caelin, are you not?" asked an elderly woman who happened to be outside.
"Yes," nodded Florina. "Please, close your gates. We're trying to rescue Lord Hausen from the castle!"
"What? Lord Hausen's still in the castle?" exclaimed the woman. "Oh..." Rummaging in her pocket, the elder took out a shining red jewel and pressed it into Florina's hand. "This was to be for our daughter's wedding, but... here."
"I..." Florina began to hesitate, as she usually did.
"Please, help Marquess Caelin," pleaded the woman. "Our lord needs rescuing."
"...Alright." Florina nodded, before keeping the red gem in a pouch and flying away. At the same time, Sain was visiting another village in the east, under the command of Imppala.
"Ah, you there!" A teenage boy waved his hand at the cavalier. He was busily polishing a lance with a huge metal tip. "You're a Caelin knight, aren't you?"
"Indeed I am!" said Sain proudly as he puffed his chest. "Would you be so kind as to warn your fellow villagers to close the gates? We're trying to fight a battle here..."
"Oh! In that case, I've just a bit of advice for you," the boy piped up. "Marquess Laus' man, the one called Bauker, seems like a gentle man, but his skill is near legendary. Do you carry weapons suited for battling knights?"
"Er... I've got a steel lance and an iron sword," Sain admitted. "Will those do?"
"I thought as much. Here, take this if you please." Gently, the boy took the lance he was polishing and passed it to Sain. "It's a heavy spear, a weapon effective against armoured knights," he explained.
"Thanks," grunted Sain as he rode off. "I can see where it got its name..."
As Shadow and Imppala continued to lead their separate groups, no one realised that there were two tacticians behind the rapid depletion of the Laus forces... and for some, they were much less aware that they would be meeting up with some old acquaintances...
"Whew... I'm sorry, Huey. You must be tired from all the flying we've done. You need some water," said Florina kindly to her winged steed. Huey gave a series of neighs in agreement as his mistress fed him some of the refreshing liquid from a container. "That's a good boy."
"Hey, you! You're in the way! Move!" barked Hector.
"Kyaaaa!" Screaming, Florina hid behind her pegasus.
"This is a battlefield! It's not a stable!" The Ostian lord continued. "I'm not picking you up if you get shot down again!"
"Hector!" scolded Eliwood. "You shouldn't be so hard on her!" Before Hector could say anything in response, a plainsgirl and another person in a red cloak had rushed to the scene.
"Florina!" exclaimed Lyn in relief. "You're unharmed! I'm so relieved!"
"Lyndis!" shouted Eliwood.
"Eliwood? You made it!" Lyn turned to the Pheraen noble. "Thank you!"
"Florina told us where you were," Eliwood explained. "We're here to help."
"Was my service at all helpful, Lady Lyndis?" asked Florina.
"Of course! You've saved us!" beamed Lyn.
"Teehee!" Florina giggled. "I'll do even better next time!"
"I'm counting on it." Suddenly, Lyn noticed Hector standing beside Eliwood. "Are you an ally, too?"
"Yep, that's what it looks like," shrugged Hector.
"In that case," Lyn began, "I have something to tell you..."
"We're a bit busy now," Hector informed. "Save it for later."
"What? Hold on!" shouted Lyn as Hector started to run for the castle. "Wait just a minute!"
"Let's go, Lyn." Eliwood said as he grabbed the plainsgirl by the hand. "We still have to rescue your grandfather!"
"Oh! Of course!" Lyn nodded. As the three lords made their way to the castle, Shadow and Imppala caught sight of each other.
"Imppala! Is that you?" Shadow could not believe his eyes. "What're you doing with Lady Lyn?"
"As ever, Shadow," grinned Imppala. "Electrike 'n' I passed by a couple of months after you left Caelin, and everyone was still talking about you and your exploits. I heard that they needed a new tactician at the castle, so I stayed!"
"That's nice," smiled Shadow. "Well, you'd better follow those three lords. I'll guide the others."
"Thanks, bro!" smirked the red tactician. "I'll see you later!"
When the two groups of people met with each other, a series of cheers and astonished exclamations were heard as the members of the old "Lyndis' Legion" were reunited. Sain started to try and woo Serra again, much to the chagrin of Kent. Matthew, Dorcas and Erk could only sigh, remembering the time they had spent together a year before. However, for Wil, there was yet another familiar face in the band of fighters...
"Hunh?" The male archer rubbed his eyes, thinking for a moment that he was dreaming. But there was no question about it: the chartreuse bandanna, the green pigtails, the leather clothes... that was definitely Rebecca! "Hey! Rebecca?" he called. "Yeah! Rebecca!"
"...Um, who are you again?" frowned Rebecca.
"Wha? It's me!" Wil was a bit stunned that Rebecca could not remember who he was. "You know, Wil! The guy next door!"
"...Well..." Rebecca continued to frown. "I know of no such person."
"Really?" asked Wil, with a hint of disappointment in his voice. "Sorry... I guess I've got the wrong person. Well, so long..." Sighing dejectedly, the older archer left.
"Hm? Wait... Wait!" yelled Rebecca, but Wil was already earshot. "Drat!"
"Prepare to fall before your master!" smirked Bauker as the three lords and Imppala drew near. "Go, Nidorino!" The commander summoned forth a Pokémon that was covered in purple leathery skin and had sharp spikes lined across its back. A longer, sharper spike sat atop its head, as did two large ears. "Nido!" growled the creature.
"Eliwood! Please, hold back!" shouted Lyn. "This is my battle. I will save my grandfather!"
"Alright, but be careful, Lyndis!" warned Eliwood. Lyn smiled back at him, before tossing out a Pokéball of her own, sending out her Ivysaur.
"Ivysaur! Bullet Seed, now!" Lyn ordered.
"Nidorino, Poison Sting!" Bauker countered. The needles and seeds met each other in mid-air and collided with an explosion.
"Ivysaur, try Vine Whip!" At Lyn's command, a couple of vines extended from beneath Ivysaur's leaves and wrapped around Nidorino's legs. Ivysaur then began to fling Nidorino about like a missile on a sling. "That's the way, Ivysaur!" cheered Lyn.
"Grrr... Nidorino, Shock Wave!" Bauker shouted. Nidorino cringed for a moment, then sent an electric current through Ivysaur's vines. Although the attack was too weak to do any significant damage to Ivysaur, it was still strong enough to release Ivysaur's grip on Nidorino. Stunned, the Seed Pokémon dropped its prey to the ground. "Flatter!" The male counterpart of the Nidoran species then began to make peculiar growling noises that had Ivysaur captivated.
"Ivysaur! Bullet Seed again!" called Lyn. Her Pokémon opened its mouth to shoot out its missiles once more, but this time Ivysaur couldn't stop bumbling around, firing its Bullet Seed attack randomly.
"Kyaaaa!" Lyn screamed as the seeds exploded right in front of her, throwing her backwards along with Eliwood, Hector and Imppala. "What, what..."
"Nidorino's Flatter has confused Ivysaur and sharply increased its attack power!" cried Imppala. "Ivysaur is attacking without a mind of its own!"
"Nidorino, finish with Horn Drill!" Bauker sneered. At once, the horn on Nidorino's head began to spin at an alarmingly fast speed, as Nidorino rammed itself into Ivysaur. The Seed Pokémon was neatly tossed aside, completely out for the count.
"Ah! Ivysaur, return!" Lyn withdrew the Grass-type Pokémon in a beam of red light. Quickly, she threw out another Pokéball, from which emerged a bird with mostly blue feathers, except for a red forehead and chin as well as a white breast. "Taillow!" it chirped.
"Taillow! Wing Attack, now!" Lyn commanded. The Tinyswallow Pokémon stretched its wings outwards and started to dive sharply towards Nidorino.
"Nidorino, Tackle!" ordered Bauker. The two Pokémon lunged themselves at each other, clashing in mid-air. Suddenly, Taillow swerved to the right, apparently wincing from pain.
"Taillow! What's wrong?" cried Lyn.
"Heh heh heh..." Bauker sniggered, "Your Taillow has been poisoned by Nidorino's Poison Point!" The knight raised a gloved hand. "Nidorino! Horn Drill again!"
"Mirror Move, Taillow!" As Nidorino charged with its spinning horn, Taillow darted forward, a swirling tornado forming at its beak. As the two Pokémon clashed once more, a screeching sound was heard as Nidorino's horn spun against Taillow's twister.
"Mirror Move is an attack that copies the opponent's attack," Imppala stated. "As a result, both Taillow's and Nidorino's assaults are en par with each other in terms of strength... what!" Suddenly, Taillow tensed, and without warning the tornado originating from its beak doubled in size!
"Nido!" Nidorino was quickly overwhelmed by the stronger attack, and was knocked out by the drilling motion of the twister. "What! Impossible!" Bauker exclaimed. "How could Nidorino's Horn Drill have..."
"I get it!" realised Imppala. "Taillow's offensive strength was amplified by its own Guts, which in turn was activated by its poison status!"
"Drat!" cursed Bauker. "I'll have to finish you off myself!"
"You'll have to deal with me first!" Lyn challenged, unsheathing her Mani Katti. "Swords Dance!" she yelled, splitting into three swordfighters at once.
"Hah?" Confused, Bauker stood in shock, letting the three Lyns dash forward and deliver several slashes across his armour. "GAH!" he yelped in pain as Lyn performed the final blow, stabbing him through the chest. "We've been... defeated? Such... a shame..."
"Commander Bauker... he was a fierce enemy," commented Eliwood once the castle had been seized. Turning to the plainsgirl, he continued, "Lyndis, once we've defeated the remaining foes, the castle's yours."
"Thank you, Eliwood. If not for your help, I don't know where I'd be right now," thanked Lyn.
"All of this happened because we routed Lord Darin at Laus," Eliwood explained. "It's only right that we help."
"You explained your motives to me, Eliwood," Lyn reminded. "This is about your father. I would do the same thing in your position. What happened in Caelin is not your fault."
"Thank you. However, until your castle is yours again, I take responsbility," said the Pheraen noble firmly.
"I understand," bowed the plainsgirl. "Thank you."
"Eliwood! We're moving into the castle!" called Hector. "Alright," Eliwood acknowledged.
"Who's that?" asked Lyn.
"Oh, yes. Let me introduce you," said Eliwood. "Hector!"
"What?" Hector asked impatiently as he came over.
"This is Lyndis. She's Lord Hausen's granddaughter," Eliwood introduced. "Lyndis, this is Hector. He's Lord Uther's brother."
"His brother? Really?" Lyn asked, apparently amazed.
"Yes," nodded Hector.
"I was watching the way he fights... he's not like you, Eliwood," noted Lyn with a slight frown. "He's somewhat like my own knights, but different still. He relies so much on power. It's like he's never been..."
"I haven't. I taught myself how to fight," Hector retorted.
"I've no issue with that," Lyn replied, "but the way you swing that axe around... you're a threat to your allies! You should be more watchful."
"What do you say?" growled the Ostian lordling.
"Lyndis?" Eliwood raised his eyebrow. "What's come over you?"
"Hm? Oh... I... My apologies," said Lyn sheepishly. "I didn't intend to seem too critical." Hector merely sulked.
"Granted, Hector's style may be a tad dangerous, but... there's no one I depend on more," Eliwood defended. "You may think him careless, but he's always aware of his surroundings."
"The more you praise me, the less worthy I sound," grumbled Hector.
"Lyndis, once you fight alongside Hector, I'm sure you'll understand," said Eliwood.
"I'm sure you're right," agreed Lyn. "I apologise, Hector. I'm honoured to have your help."
"No apology necessary," Hector smiled back. "I'm glad I can lend a hand."
"Let's go inside, shall we?" asked Eliwood.
"Shadow! Is it really you, Shadow?" Lyn said excitedly as she finally noticed the tactician she had known for so long. "So good to see you! Have you been well?"
"I've been fine, milady," grinned Shadow. "It's good to see you're alright."
"Well met, Shadow," Kent smiled. "Good to see you again."
"Well! This really is a pleasant surprise," commented Sain enthusiastically.
"Hello, Shadow!" greeted Wil. "Has it really been a year?"
"What's wrong, Florina?" asked Lyn kindly. "You needn't hide back there."
"Um... Nice to see you again," mumbled the pegasus knight as she stepped out from her hiding place among the others. "I don't suppose you... do you... remember me?"
"Of course I do, Florina," Shadow smiled. "And so does Grim!"
"Kull!" The Requiem Pokémon appeared besides Shadow's head, scaring Florina into hiding.
"Everyone who remained in Caelin speaks of you fondly," Lyn added. "We're always saying 'I wonder where Shadow is...'"
"Aw, really?" Shadow almost blushed. "You really didn't need to say that! But, I really think we should be moving into the castle..."
"Yes, you're right," nodded Lyn. "This isn't the best time to catch up. We're here to rescue my grandfather. Shadow, will you help me again?"
"Naturally," bowed Shadow. "I will aid you like I did before."
"Great!" Pulling Imppala over, Lyn began to introduce her new tactician. "Before we move in, I'd like you to meet Imppala. He's been helping me with matters in Castle Caelin alongside Chancellor Reissmann..."
"So I hear, milady," Shadow grinned widely. Imppala's face was plastered with an equally huge smile. "You two know each other?" Lyn asked.
"We've been friends since childhood," Imppala explained. "We last met at a tacticians' guild a few years back, after agreeing to go our separate ways to journey the lands, in search of quests to challenge our tactical minds."
"Hey!" Hector shouted. "Are you going to move in or not?"
"Coming!" called Lyn. "Let's go, Shadow! Imppala!" Grabbing her two tacticians, the plainsgirl sped through the huge gate leading into the castle...
"Ri... ridiculous..." Darin was muttering. "Even Bauker?"
"Lord Darin, it's time to give up this madness. Further resistance is meaningless," advised Hausen. "For what you've done, you may never be forgiven, but it's not too late to try. Tell Eliwood everything. He'll intervene with Marquess Ostia on your behalf."
"I... I've lost..." mumbled the power-mad leader.
"Hurry! Eliwood will be here in no time. Let me speak for you," Hausen offered. Just then...
"Gurr... Guaaaa!" screamed the elderly marquess as Ephidel stabbed him and roughly pushed him aside. "None of that now," the assailant said calmly. "Marquess Laus needs no troublesome advice."
"L-Lord Ephidel?" exclaimed Darin.
"There is no turning back for you now. You should know that," Ephidel reminded. "First, Marquess Santaruz... and now Marquess Caelin. Both deaths are on your head."
"What? It was by your hand that they both died!" Darin stammered. "I-I never asked for this."
"Yes, I killed them..." agreed Ephidel. "...For you."
"To... trap me?" For a rare moment, the mad marquess made an intelligent comment, even though he didn't realise it.
"Don't be absurd. I follow my master's orders. My only wish is to deliver your dreams to you," said the cloaked man. "The crown of a united Lycia... and once that is done, dominion over the entire continent. Is that not what you desire?"
"...Yes... yes, of course," nodded Darin. "That dream is still worth a few sacrifices, isn't it?"
"You're exactly right. Our plans may have gone drastically awry, but as long we have the master's power behind us, we cannot be defeated," Ephidel stated. "We'd do well to leave now, before those meddlesome worms arrive. You will leave everyone from Laus behind. We will use them to delay our foe," he instructed.
"Everyone... my soldiers?" Darin asked doubtfully. "But... who will protect me?"
"The Black Fang and I will more than suffice for that task," replied Ephidel. "There is nothing else you need, I assure you."
"Yes... I... I see that now," conceded the marquess. "Where do we go from here?"
"To the Dragon's Gate... our master awaits us there," Ephidel answered. "The master has informed me our hostage may be all we need. If all goes well, we may be able to perform the ceremony with him alone."
"Oh! Is that so? I suppose we've nothing to worry about," said Darin relievedly.
"That is correct. Now please, begin your retreat," commanded Ephidel. "I have two or three orders to give, then I will be right behind you." Once Darin had left the room, Ephidel wasted no time in putting out all the lights. "Pathetic imbecile..." he sniggered. "Leila? Where are you?" Ephidel called. At once, a red-haired woman wearing assassin's clothing appeared out of nowhere. An Aipom with a flower on its forehead perched on her right shoulder. "I'm here," she said simply.
"While Eliwood is occupied, finish off Marquess Caelin and hide the body," Ephidel ordered. "The enemy will waste precious time searching for him."
"As you command..." nodded Leila.
"You know, you've only been with the Black Fang a short while," noted Ephidel. "However, you are quite skilled... I look forward to watching you."
"Yes, sir." The woman bowed as the mysterious Ephidel departed the room, to go to the place where his master dwelt...
Imppala: Now... we continue my bit.
Grim: Bah... who cares about you?
Imppala bashes Grim up
Grim: Ow... how did you manage to do that?
Imppala: Simple. My Electrike knows Odour Sleuth.
Electrike: Yeah!
Grim: ...
ShadowedTactician: ...Review.
