Mark, having failed to sleep yet again, sat on the edge of the hill looking at Eagler's mansion. All night, rotating sections of foot soldiers did circular patrols around the manor, switching every hour or so. Mark watched carefully, lightly tapping a research book against his knee as he watched. His brow creased in concentration as he tried to visualize the coming battle going well. What he hadn't told his friends is that the odds of winning this fight were the worst yet. The odds of coming out mostly unscathed were even lower. Mark was taking this moment against the sunrise both to study this foe, and steele his nerves. As the sun began to show its rays on the manor, all of the guards retreated inside. Very shortly thereafter, a full battalion marched out of the manor and spread throughout the surrounding area. Mark quietly continued to tap his book against his leg and sighed. Suddenly, he felt a hand clap down hard on his shoulder and jumped, only to hear the roaring laugh of Wallace.

"A-hahahahahaha!" Wallace bellowed, holding his gut and bending slightly. "You should've seen your face kid! That was a sight!" Wallace continued to laugh to the point of coughing.

"...What do you need, Wallace?" Mark said, slightly bitter at being interrupted. Wallace's introduction to the group the night before had started off poorly when he immediately went up to Lyn, weapons in hand. Kent and Sain jumped in front of him until Wallace shouted at them, reminding them who he was and daring them to think he'd turn traitor. Kent and Sain lowered their heads in shame and walked out of the way, leaving Wallace to march right up to Lyn and grab her by the chin. He had squinted at her, said 'Yup, you really are his granddaughter. You can count on Wallace!', and then promptly found a patch of grass, laid down, and fell asleep in his armor. Mark discussed it with Lyn shortly after, who just rolled her eyes and said 'Well… he could've killed me if he wanted. Let's just trust him.', which Mark still didn't quite think was appropriate. Still, Mark knew more than anyone that Wallace would be essential in the coming fight.

"I saw you staring into the distance all… thinking and such." Wallace waved a hand trivially. "No good. You're about to fight boy, you can't be thinking that hard! You'll be dead by sundown."

"...It's kind've… my job to think hard." Mark said, already tired of the conversation.

"NONSENSE!" Wallace shouted, waking up the rest of the camp. "You're supposed to be some hot shot right? Huh?!" Wallace said, sticking a finger into Mark's chest and staring him down. "Well I'm lookin forward to seeing what you can do, so get outta your head and get into the fight. It's dawn we need to get this started!" Wallace said, retracting his hand and grumbling. "Friggin youngster thinking he can win a fight with his head. No wonder they took so long to get here."

"H-Hey!" Mark said, annoyed. "I'm the group tactician it is literally my duty to think for the entire group!"

"Oh yeah?" Wallace said, amused. "Well why are you still thinking, you already ran the plan by everyone right? We're gonna approach them from beyond that hill and hit them from behind!" Wallace said.

"Yes, exactly. I had to think of that plan!" Mark said, losing patience and gesturing with his hands every word. "So how can you say I shouldn't think?"

"Oh for the love of…" Wallace mumbled rolling his eyes. "Yes, thank you Mr. tactician sir," He said sarcastically, "...but you already thought of the damn plan! So stop thinkin about it! We know it! You can stop thinking about the plan now that the plan already exists!" Wallace said, as though speaking to a toddler.

"Of course I can't! What if something goes wrong?" Mark said.

"Well it won't because you've got me, kid." Wallace said, pointing to himself. "Trust me here. You just show me what you can do with that fancy fire I hear you've got."

"Hey, guys." Said a tired voice behind Wallace. Wallace moved to the side and looked down and the hunched over form of Matthew, who was rubbing his eyes and yawning. "Much as I can appreciate having a friendly morning chat do you think you could keep it down? There's a full three or four hours until we need to storm the manor. Some of use would like to sleep."

"Sleep?!" Wallace shouted, waking up everyone that had managed to fall back asleep after the first time he shouted. "No time like the present, come on people, we're usurping a kingdom, we ain't got time for leisurely sleeping!" Wallace marched towards the camp, and soon many groans were filling the brisk morning air.

Matthew looked tiredly at Mark. "What?" Mark asked defensively.

"...I can't help but feel like this is your fault somehow." Matthew said through a yawn. "Damn. I could have really used some more sleep time." He stretched his hands above his head.

"My fault?" Mark said incredulously. This was really not his morning. "Besides you're a spy aren't you supposed to function on no sleep?"

Matthew didn't respond to this right away. "You seem hung up on that." He finally said. "The whole, spy thing. Haven't I done enough to prove it by now? I really am on your side."

"That can change without any one of us being the wiser and you know it." Mark said coldly, staring down Matthew. "It's all up to your boss, whoever it is, right?" As he said that, Mark felt a surge of anger from the stress of the coming battle, and how he'd been so rudely interrupted by Wallace. "I'm right, aren't I?" He said bitterly. Matthew looked away, not out of shame or embarrassment, just thinking. "You're just a puppet being used by someone else to make it look like they aren't involved in this whole thing but you know what Matthew?" Mark walked up right to Matthew's face. "I'm not gonna be the one to let you slip through the cracks. Every time you come up to me and say you want me to trust you sends a little bell off in my head that makes me trust you even less. So you know what Matthew? Stop. Asking. Me." Mark didn't realize he was clutching Matthew by the collar of his cloak. Matthew didn't look surprised, but he did look angry, which Mark wasn't used to. It was enough to make Mark drop him.

Matthew quietly straightened out his cloak and cleared his throat. "Well." He said simply. "Very telling Mark. Very telling indeed. Message read and received loud and clear." Matthew shook his head. "Now I almost wish I wasn't on your side. Almost. I'm still here for the long hall because I'm not the backstabbing snake you seem to think I am. If all it takes it a grumpy old man telling you to stop worrying so much to set you off like this, maybe you need a break. Want to sit out the next battle?" He was being sarcastic and Mark knew it, but he let the spy continue anyway. "Maybe after all of this you should just go somewhere to relax, take a load off. This stress isn't good for you. Oh, hey, I hear Etruria is great this time of year, why don't you head there?"

"..."

"No really, hear me out here, it's got excellent cities, great inns and bars, this beautiful light show once a year that-"

"I get it."

"I'm not finished- This beautiful light show. You ever see the light show, Mark? Oh man it's the best. Every time I see it it boggles my mind. Really, Etruria would be great for you." Matthew started walking away before immediately turning around. "Oh, right, forgot, that's a big no no for you. So, so sorry." Matthew laughed but it was clearly hollow. "You're a real piece of work Mark. You have this whole existential crisis about how we all need to trust you, and you can't even find it in yourself to trust me back. Maybe you should take a page out of Lyn's book huh?" Matthew casually walked away after that. Mark bemoaned the fact he just lost it and quietly sat back down. After five minutes of holding his eyes closed and trying to ignore all distractions, Mark stood up towards the camp and shouted.

"Alright everyone, let's march!" He raised a hand and the group gathered and began it's march, hours early.


While Mark didn't trust Matthew still, he had to admit he had been a bit too hard on the guy this time. It's one thing to have a healthy distrust in him, it's another to treat him like an asshole. Mark compared it to his dilemma with Kent in his mind. Kent's distrust of Mark was how Mark should be treating his situation with Matthew. He would have to apologize later. The group was in position. Wil had stopped midway to climb a tree as a sniping position. Lucius and Erk stopped a little while later to do the same thing, but they were slowly making their way closer. That way when Mark and the rest sprung their trap from behind, Erk and Lucius could get some shots in while the enemy wasn't looking at them. Then they would regroup with the rest. Everyone else was with Mark.

"Hey, hey, Mark!" said a happy Nils, holding up his flute. "Since Lucius isn't here who should I be near?" He asked. Mark thought about it for a moment.

"Once the fighting has begun, find a bush and hide there. No one should really pay attention to you if all you are doing is playing music, so just keep a low profile. If you get into trouble, play me one long note and I'll come running."

Nils nodded and jogged back to the back.

"Alright Mark, everyone is ready." Kent said, riding up to him. "All we need is your word.. Lead us to another victory for Caelin!" Kent said, raising his spear and eliciting a cheer. Kent kept his eyes on Mark for a lingering moment before riding back next to Sain. Mark got the message loud and clear. Another victory for Caelin coming up.

"Everyone, this will be a hard fight." Mark started. As he did, Wallace walked past him and slowly started walking towards the enemy. "Uh… Wallace?" Mark said.

"I told you we know the damn plan! Get out of your gloomy outlook and just fight the foe before you!" With that Wallace raised his weapons and let out a battle cry, cascading down the hill and drawing the enemies attention. This made everyone else cheer and follow, leaving a very tired Mark to watch as everyone ran past him before he could point out any nuances.

"Umm." He heard Florina behind him. He turned around. She chuckled awkwardly and smiled at him. "This was always the plan anyway, right?" She said simply. Mark let out a half smile.

"Well… you're not wrong." He said, watching as the figures grew more distant.

"Well, don't worry then." She said, holding out a hand. Mark raised an eyebrow. The Florina he knew just a week or two ago would never have gone so far.

"Why Florina…" Mark said, breaking into a full smile. "Are you finally getting used to men?"

"S-Somewhat!" She said much too quickly and forcefully. "O-or at least… some men…" She blushed but kept her hand out. "Oh, I'm so embar- wait a second!" She shook her head and focused. "Come on, the fight's starting we need to catch up!" With that, Florina actually lunged forward and grabbed Mark byt the wrist, dragging him to her pegasus and taking off into the sky."

"W-Wait!" Mark said, holding onto his gear to keep it from blowing away in the sudden wind, "This isn't the plan!"

"It is now!" Florina said, diving towards the enemy. Her pegasus really was fast. Together they dove and each stabbed an enemy. Mark resisted the urge to vomit from the sudden rise and fall technique of the pegasus knights.

"Next one I'm jumping down!" Mark said, forgetting about how the fight started, or even the morning went. "If we're going for new plans, I might just be going crazy but…" He laughed a little to himself. "Well I'm pissed off enough that it might work." Mark pointed towards the manor doors where a single rider sat upon his steed. Mark focused in on him, analysing. "Drop me by him!" Florina nodded, and steered her pegasus towards Eagler. Maybe if I can take Eagler out fast enough, his guards will surrender! As they went above, Mark tapped Florina on the back as thanks and let himself drop from the sky. Setting his sword on fire and pointing it towards the rider, Mark also took out a knife and enchanted it with wind in his other hand. The rider pointed his spear at Mark, accepting the challenge. So much for a surprise, Mark thought, although he wasn't shocked the man, who Mark assumed was Eagler, saw him. Eagler clearly knew what he was doing.

Mark stabbed towards Eagler who parried his strike and hit him away with the shaft of his spear. Mark tumbled back in the air, stabbing his knife towards the ground to release a little bit of wind magic in order to turn and land on his feet. Mark held up his sword in a salute and held it at the ready.

"I assume you're a big part of the reason Lyndis has made it this far?" Eagler said, keeping his spear at the ready. "It would be a great blow for you to fall here.

"I agree." Mark said. "So, I don't plan on falling."

Eagler nodded. "Of course you don't. Well! Have at ye!" Eagler spurred his horse towards Mark and readied his spear. Mark quickly went into analysis mode as Eagler quickly approached. From the way he carried himself it was obvious he was confident in his abilities. Considering he was Kent and Sain's teacher, Mark had a general sense of what his fighting style would be like: The best parts of Kent and Sain's technique, with none of the bad. Likely, Eagler's style was that of a jouster, and he would try to keep Mark in one space by continually riding around him and stabbing towards him. What can you do to prevent that? Mark thought to himself. Right as Eagler stabbed at him, Mark shot wind out from his dagger and propelled himself up to Eagler's level, getting a quick stab onto his arm before firing a ball of fire into his chest. Eagler grunted in pain, but grabbed Mark by the shirt with his free hand and threw him against the stone wall of the manor. Mark felt the wind get knocked out of him and he fell to the ground. Ealger wasted no time in charging up to him, and it was all Mark could do to raise his dagger and fire it to the side, propelling him across the grass to safety.

Mark stood up slowly, getting his breath back. He ran at Eagler in a semi-bluff, pretending there was nothing wrong. This time Eagler was still, waiting to see what Mark would do. Mark knew he was expecting him to fly up into his face again, so rather than that, he slid. This surprised even Eagler's horse, who buckled back to avoid being hit by Mark's body. Now that Eagler had lost some control, Mark charged his dagger with lightning and stabbed it into Eagler's leg, momentarily stunning him. Mark wasted no further time getting a stab into Eagler's side. Before he could get it in very far however, the flat side of a spear smacked him in the neck and sent him to the ground.

Mark's eye's rattled in his skull as Eagler quickly bandaged his side and galloped towards Mark. Mark was seeing double, so he closed his eyes and went by sounds to guide a lightning bolt directly into Eagler's horse. The horse neighed loudly, but when Mark opening his eyes, the horses armor was simply charged and trying to dispel the lightning. Even the horse has enchanted armor. Mark thought to himself in surprise. I guess he is captain of the Knights. Mark rose up and cast a ball of light towards Eagler, blinding him and his horse and immobilizing them as Mark stood up and checked to see if his neck was bleeding. It was bruised, but other than that it seemed fine. Mark held a finger to his face and shot some cold water into it to focus up again. Then he put his sword away. There was only one way to win this fight.

Eagler had recovered from his blindness and was charging at Mark again. Mark held his hand at the ready and set them on fire. As Eagler stabbed towards Mark's gut, Mark grabbed the spear with both hands on the hilt, heating the metal shaft and bending it out of shape. Eagler quickly ripped out the spear from Mark's grasp and tossed it away, pulling out an axe. Mark hada small incision in his stomach, but it was light, he had stopped the spear before it could do too much damage. Now that Eagler had a shorter weapon, Mark put out his hands and pulled out his fire tome. He flipped to the back page and saw the loose piece of paper he had put in there a few months prior. Letting the paper float in front of him, Mark checked the words and chanted them. A magic circle began to form at his feet. Eagler remained still.

"That won't work on this armor, lad." Eagler said, at the ready.

"Oh please Knight Commander." Mark said, continuing the chant in his mind. "You've had other men with enchanted armor before you, surely you know what's happened to them."

Eagler didn't respond, and instead quickly launched himself towards Mark. He held his axe at the ready as he desperately galloped towards Mark, realizing Mark could very well break his armor as the magic circle continued to grow. Mark held out his hand and completed the spell. Unable to check if it worked, Mark held up an arm directly in the path of Eagler's axe. As it was about to hit Mark's arm, the spell activated. Mark opened his eyes. His arms glowed a deep, deep purple which seemed to swallow light around it. Eagler's axe had been cut in two, any part of which that had touched Mark's arm had been vaporized into nothing. Mark gasped and fell to his knees, coughing.

"E-Eagler!" He shouted. "You have lost! Allow us t-to pass!"

"Never!" Eagler said, readying his broken weapon.

"You don't understand!" Mark said. "Leave!"

"I understand perfectly!" Eagler said, holding his ground. "If I must die a soldier's death for honor, country, and family then so be it! I've been prepared for that since the day I became a knight!" Eagler held what was left of his axe towards Mark.

"L-LEAVE!" Mark shouted as he felt himself dash forward at inhuman speed.

"I cannot! I will not!" Eagler cried. Mark grimaced as he completely lost control of his limbs. Running right up into Eagler, Mark watched as he swung his left hand to cut the axe's hilt, and punched his right directly into Eagler's chest, vaporizing his heart and then swinging his arm out of Eagler's side, leaving a gaping hole. Eagler gasped and fell to the ground. He gave his horse a firm smack to send it away. Mark fell to his knees in front of Eagler. The darkness of the spell was sated, and Mark's arms slowly returned to their proper form.

Mark panted as he regained control of his body. "I wouldn't… say I'm sorry… that I've killed you… but for what it's worth I'm sorry… that it was like that." He gasped out as Eagler quickly died in front of him.

Eagler held up a hand and patted Mark on the back of the neck, smiling. "Caelin… will be in good hands… that's all I… ask…" and with that, Eagler's hand dropped from Mark and he passed on. Mark felt a hand on his shoulder. Wallace stood behind him. He whistled.

"Poor Eagler. Probably had hostages against him. Still, he knew the stakes and he died a proud death. Nice work kid. We're finished on our end. It was easy with me around!" Wallace laughed loudly and lifted Mark up. "Come on, rejoice! The day is won! The only fight left is Caelin castle itself!"

At this, Mark snapped back into reality. "R-Really? No more ambushes?" He said through shallow breaths.

Wallace nodded. "I would know, I pretended to work for that snake in the grass. Thinks he can take the country Eagler and I fought for our entire lives from us does he? Well he'll see." Wallace raised an eyebrow. "But hey look at you! Dark magic takes a lot of skill I'm told!" Wallace laughed and rubbed his fist into Mark's hair. "You and I might just get along yet!"

Mark actually chuckled and he struggled to break free. "W-Well I try to avoid using it if I can but Eagler was a fearsome opponent, and it didn't look like he'd be backing down." Mark said awkwardly. I still told him to run, though… Mark mused to himself. But… I was sure that spell was the only option because he wouldn't run. What made me tell him to leave? Mark thought. As it turned out, it didn't matter at the moment because Mark's eyes suddenly rolled back and he passed out from using up all of his magic. As his eyes closed he had one final thought. Oh yeah… recoil.

A/N: I feel like people do more with this battle but to be frank I always pictured chapter 8 (In the game) to be a much more large scale "battle". Sure this is harder in the game, but 8 always felt like it had an army behind it, while nine just felt like Eagler and a handful of his chosen men. As such, I figured I'd kind of hype it up like it was going to be this huge thing by having Mark obsess over it, and then make it… less grand, I guess. To be fair, with Wallace around the fight really is kind've a cakewalk, but how could Mark assume Wallace could fight them all himself. Regardless, I hope it doesn't feel lackluster, as I tried to fill it with important story elements to compensate. I hope you guys enjoyed and as always thanks for reading. Big mega chapter of awesome will be the chapter after next, I believe. And next chapter should be relatively soon! Peace guys! -Matt