Hello from the other siiiiiideeee! :D How was your month? (It's sad that I've started saying that instead of "How's your week"...)

So I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Gosh darn, we're so close to the end. I think, for once, that my estimate is going to be spot-on: this story will be over by chapter 115. I'm writing chapter 112 right now. Tearing. My. Heart. Out. Ugh. X'D Overlord is really putting up a fight! I was bawling the other day at 3 AM in part because of his shenanigans. What I put up with for you people...

Hey, random question: If I were to bring back one of the dead characters, which one would you like me to revive? *cough* Just out of curiosity, of course... ;)

Anyways. On with the show! I hope you guys can find something in this chapter that you liked, and you can tell me about it in a review?

Sunseeker

In a brilliant flash of yellow light, Overlord used Sunseeker to transport to the place where he'd left Nephilim. It was a shame. He would have used the Blade earlier, but it had still been gathering power from the last time he'd sent Cimmerian to Ninjago.

Cimmerian, the foolish dead boy. Overlord felt a warm surge of satisfaction and calm every time he pictured the boy's broken body.

It had been almost three days since Sanguine's death, and the scene was no longer fresh. Old imprints in the sand, nearly blown smooth by the wind. When he dug with his fingers in a dark patch, he found sand granules coated in black. He placed a few on his tongue. Even as old as it was, Overlord recognized the taste. Blood. Sanguine's blood, definitely. Sweet; a little coppery. And then a fishy aftertaste.

So that was it, then. Sanguine was dead. Or at least seriously wounded, judging by the copious amounts of blood he found as he dug further.

So…you mind telling me what we're looking for? Sunseeker asked from Overlord's pocket.

What I just found, Overlord countered icily. No matter how he reprimanded the Blade, it refused to show him respect. A cliché rebellion that one would expect from a teenager, not an age-old, highly intelligent piece of equipment.

Cool, cool. Hey. Does that mean we're done?

We're not going home yet, Overlord growled. And call me Master, you worthless, antiquated Blade.

Heh. If I was really worthless, you wouldn't be carrying me around in your pocket now, would you?

The infuriating Blade was right, of course. There was nothing Overlord could do to punish it. Not now, at least. It was too valuable to break, and months of isolation seemed to do nothing to dampen its spirit.

Do you see any caves in the area? Overlord asked, wishing to get the job done soon so he could run home and stick the Blade in a box where it couldn't bother him with its incessant disobedience.

I'll check for you, Commander. The Blade made a few obnoxious beeping noises.

"Stop that," Overlord muttered. "It isn't necessary."

Sure it is!

"No, it is not."

A pause.

Yes it is.

Sunseeker was smart enough to quit there. Blessed silence reigned in Overlord's head for the better part of a minute while the Blade checked the surroundings.

Ahead, about three hundred feet.

That hill. Of course, Overlord had already suspected that on previous ventures out of the compound. But he'd never bothered to visit it until now. Bring me in, Blade.

Yeah. I have a name, you know…

So do I, Overlord was tempted to say, but he didn't. No need to stoop down the Blade's level.

Another yellow flash of light enveloped Overlord. When it dissipated seconds later, he stood in a dark cave. He took Morningbloom from another pocket and held it out. Its soft purple light illuminated the space, and he moved to the table to light a lantern. As he did so, he ran a finger across the table. Little to no dust. It hadn't been abandoned long for longer than a few days. When he'd left Nephilim.

His eyes continued around the cave. A cot with a thin blanket neatly folded at its foot. Cups, washed and dried in an open crate by the small pool of water. Everything in order. So Cole and company had not left in a hurry. Which meant that they had probably returned to this place after Nephilim's attack, discussed how unsafe their current position was, and moved on. After burying Sanguine's body.

The body. Overlord's blood ran cold. Where would they have put it? He needed to see it.

No dead bodies in the near vicinity, Sunseeker said helpfully. I think I see a lizard carcass a hundred yards west, and a shrew that's been cooking in the rocks above us for days. Eew. Nothing bigger than a bird, though.

No body. Overlord became frantic.

Well, not frantic. But worried, definitely. He scurried around the cave slashing open boxes with Morningbloom, checking their contents for a clue. Bloody rags, clothes, anything that would indicate that there had been a wounded person here. There were a few wet rags that had been hung- meticulously arranged, typical Dark Knight style- next to the pool to dry. Completely clean, not a hint of blood.

I don't understand! Overlord slashed the wooden boxes at random, shattering bottles, splintering wood, and shredding cloth. Nothing, nothing, nothing!

Hey, chill, Sunseeker thrummed in his pocket. I said no bodies. That means no Nephilim, either. She isn't dead.

"I don't care!" Overlord thundered, slamming Morningbloom's pommel into the table. The wood cracked, splitting into two pieces, toppling to the floor. "I don't care about the girl! I only want Sanguine dead!" Though Sanguine did not realize it now, he had the knowledge that could bring down Overlord's empire. All his hard work wasted because he had decided to leave that male Nindroid's supposedly dead body in Sanguine's cell. Nobody seemed inclined to stay dead. Ever.

There had been so much blood- Sanguine's blood!- at the river! If he wasn't here, and he wasn't dead, where was he? In no condition to travel, that much was certain.

Too much blood. It was impossible. Sanguine had to be dead. No body, but no ashes from a fire that may have been used to burn the body…

Overlord caught a glint of something dark and metallic under the broken table. He stooped low and felt under the broken edge of one side, fingers closing around a hand-sized box that had been fastened with hooks to the underside. Eagerly he slammed Morningbloom's edge into the crack. No need for a key; Morningbloom's powers would phase through any mechanism keeping Overlord from his prize.

Only…the box did not cut open.

Overlord paused. No material was strong enough to stop his Blade except…

Vengestone. His Dark Knight had a vengestone box. How? Where would he have gotten such a thing from?

Maybe that didn't matter. The Dark Knight could have gotten it anywhere: a family heirloom, one of his raids… Perhaps he'd seen it in a market, found it attractive, and purchased it before even coming to the Dark Island. Vengestone was rare, but not impossible to find.

The point was, he had one, and Overlord couldn't open it.

There's a little sack of keys over there. Sunseeker pulled at his mind, directing his gaze to the left. To the crates that he'd demolished. Overlord pounced, catlike, upon the pile, quickly finding the keys. The sack had been torn by Morningbloom. Only two keys sat inside. One a tarnished silver color, the other black. He took the black one and shoved it into the box's lock, twisting forcefully, and opened it.

Overlord froze.

He wasn't sure what exactly he'd expected. A few small trinkets, precious in the Dark Knight's eyes and worthless to everyone else. Maybe some money. Or that diamond Gem that had disappeared from his stash about a year ago.

A Blade sat inside the padded box, emitting a soft green light. Trying to find its master. Overlord touched it gently, his suppressed emotions struggling to reach the surface in a manner much like a man drowning in the ocean.

"Truethorn," he murmured softly. The Blade did not react to his touch. Overlord knew that it wouldn't: its ability to see and feel the world around it came from its master. It felt what she felt, saw what she saw. Neph.

Nephilim!

Overlord stood, discarding the cursed vengestone box that had trapped the Blade's consciousness. If the Blade was active, that meant Nephilim was nearby. She would be able to feel her Blade again.

And, with a little time and concentration, Nephilim could use her Blade's powers.

Cole's plan was risky, but after spending a few minutes going over the details, even Kai reluctantly agreed- at Besai's insistence- that they should try it. And at sundown, they commenced what Ronin adequately named "phase one" of the scheme.

Everyone sat in the cave in comfortable silence. Jay read his book. Cole played with Chedva and spoke in hushed tones with Sage. Ronin sat by the fire, humming little tunes as he whittled bits of wood with his knife. Wu drank his tea- and hobbled outside several times to empty his bladder. Merv and Besai prepared a meal from fish Ronin had caught.

"I have not had a chance to talk with you for a while," Merv said quietly to Besai as they sat to the side of a bed of coals extracted from the fire, mixing ingredients in a pot. "How are you doing?"

Besai ran a hand over her stomach. She knew it would be a few weeks yet before the baby would begin to show, but she could feel it in her: the increasing firmness of her belly, the painful cramps, and the random- but thankfully still infrequent- bouts of nausea.

"I am okay," Besai said. "A little scared. I will start feeling very sick soon. Then I will slow everyone down more. I don't want that: I'm already a burden."

"No, you're not," Merv assured her, dipping a finger in the pot to taste it. "But that's not what I meant." She gestured to Kai, who dozed near the entrance of the cave, a blanket rolled under his head. "It must be hard staying patient with him. I'd be so frustrated having to put up with that."

Besai's skin warmed, and she broke eye contact with her sister. "I have trouble sometimes," she admitted. "But…it's a little easier to be patient when you cherish someone. Kai…" The warmth penetrated deep into her marrow, and she felt her face flush. Not so much with embarrassment as with affection.

"You really love him," Merv whispered.

"Yes. Why are you surprised?"

Merv shrugged. "I just find it hard to imagine anyone- especially you- getting willingly involved with a man. I don't think I could do it. Especially with someone so…needy."

"He was not always like this," Besai said defensively.

"But why do you stay with him now that he's different?" Merv asked.

Besai touched her sister's hand, feeling the familiar, uneven textures of the burn scars. During their years as slaves, they had communicated with each other largely through touch. Quick hand squeezes and arm brushes. A few moments of eye contact. Though they had rarely spoken to one another, these little gestures offered them solace. Promises that, though they likely wouldn't ever make it out of their prison, they could take comfort in knowing that they had each other. Through the highs and lows, this one thing remained ever constant.

"Well…why do you stay with John now that he is different?" Besai asked.

Merv blinked, then allowed a ghost of a smile to lift her lips as she stirred the pot with her free hand. "Point taken."

Besai released Merv's hand. "I have faith that Kai will get better."

Merv tasted the soup again, then handed a spoon to Besai. "For your sake, I hope he does. Taste this."

Besai dipped the spoon into the mash and touched the steaming contents to her tongue. She grimaced. "It's a little salty."

"It's the fish," Merv admitted. "It's hard to make it taste good." She sighed, adding another pinch of spices. "But we know better than to complain, hmm? We've had worse."

Besai nodded absently. "Um…"

"Yes?"

"How are…you doing?" Besai asked. "It looks like Jay is doing better. But…" She pointed over her shoulder at Nephilim, who sat awake, staring daggers at anyone who dared look her in the eyes.

Merv's countenance fell as she scooped out two bowls of food. It was time to get started. "The plan will work," she said. "That's all that matters. She is very loyal to her father." With that, she handed two bowls to Besai, exhaling slowly. "I'll grab the wine."

Besai stood, heart beating fast in her chest as she took the bowls to Cole and Sage. She met Cole's eyes and held them firmly. You had better be right about this.

Cole nodded gravely, understanding her meaning. This was their last chance. If this plan failed, it would mean swift and certain death for each and every one of them. A terrible gamble, but they were out of options.

Besai went back to the pot and scooped out a bowl for Kai. She was tempted to let him continue to sleep, but she felt that he needed to be awake for this. The final hours of calm before the storm.

Besai knelt next to Kai and caressed his forehead with a light touch. "Kai," she whispered.

Kai's whole body tensed. He opened his bleary eyes and recognized her, relaxing slightly. "Mm?"

Besai shifted her hand to his shoulder and helped him sit up. "It's time," she said.

Kai groaned softly, rubbing his eyes with his thumb. He took the bowl from her and leaned back against the cave wall as he blinked away sleep.

"Thank you," Ronin said to Merv as she offered him a cup of wine. He smiled a warm but sad smile, meeting every eye in the room. When he reached Nephilim, she stared back icily. Ronin did not flinch as he began his speech.

"I've always been a frank man, so this will be short," he said, speaking in the Dark Tongue as they had agreed earlier. "Through our discussion this afternoon, we believe that we have discovered Overlord's origins. And tomorrow night, we will initiate our plan to defend the islands of Ninjago and Keitorin. This could be our last meal together." He paused a moment, then continued. "I will not lie to you. This is a dangerous plan. However, I am confident that we can do it with our God's help."

Besai and Kai exchanged a glance, confused. Cole, too, looked at Ronin with a slight frown. This was not a part of the plan. Pixal, noticing her companions' expressions, sat a little straighter. She did not understand the language Ronin was speaking.

"I know this seems a little abrupt," Ronin continued, looking at Wu, "and I know that few of you share my sentiments. But I would like to offer a prayer to God. Because of all our assets, He is the greatest."

Wu nodded his agreement and bowed his head.

Ronin raised his eyes heavenward, speaking while the rest of the cave sat in perplexed silence, not certain how to react to Ronin's spontaneity.

"I thank you, my God, for Your mercy and Your power. For uh… For protecting each and every one of us through the years as we walked our separate paths in life, and for eventually bringing us together for Your glory. I pray for continued protection, and for strength as we head to the battlefield. Give us the wisdom we need to defeat our enemy." He breathed quietly a few times before continuing. "And give us the courage to stand up and fight, no matter what odds we face. Let it be done in Your name."

"Yes," Wu murmured. There were actual tears in his eyes as he patted Ronin's knee. Then he turned to his guests, "It is natural to be afraid. I understand that as much as any of you. But let me tell you this now: there is absolutely no need to fear for your life if the creator of the universe is on your side."

"What are you saying?" Kai asked, not coolly, but not completely warm either. "That we'll be invincible if we convert to your dead religion?"

"Don't you remember our talk last night about death?" Wu asked. "There is spiritual death, and physical death. But the same could be said of life. One can be the healthiest man in the world, but be dead as a stone in his soul. Or you could be like Ronin: obvious flaws in his appearance, but so, so beautiful and alive on the inside."

Ronin scoffed, looking away.

"How can you tell the difference?" Cole asked.

Wu regarded him sadly. "If you are dead on the inside, you will know it. But back to Kai's question. When I speak of not fearing for your life, I am talking about physical life. Overlord may harm your body. But if you let God stand by your side, then there is no power in this world that can harm your spirit."

"Amen to that." Ronin raised his glass, smiling. "To knowing Overlord's weakness, and for having God's power on our side." He drank, then passed the cup along to Sage, who declined and gave it to Jay. The Western nobleman drank, then, to Sage's obvious annoyance, handed the cup to Cole.

"Cole," Ronin said, switching to the Ninjagian tongue as the cup was passed to Merv, who drank hesitantly, grimacing at the bitterness. "Where's your violin? We should have a few songs tonight."

Cole obligingly grabbed his violin from its hiding place in a roll of blankets, then sat again on the floor by the fire and ran the bow across each of the strings. Satisfied with the sound, he began to play a slow tune. Even the howling wind outside seemed to stifle itself, not wanting to miss even a beat of the music.

"It brings me back to the old days," Kai said, his arm lightly around Besai's waist.

Besai realized then that she had sidled close to him, her head resting on his shoulder.

This was the first time he'd touched her this way in a very long time. The thought filled her with a bittersweet sense of ease. A month ago Kai had always been this way: a hand in her hair as they dozed in bed in the mornings, a hand on her leg as they ate their meals. A hand on the small of her back to pull her close for a hasty but sweet midday I'll-see-you-in-an-hour kiss.

"What do you mean?" Besai asked.

"Music," Kai explained. "It just…I don't know. It reminds me of my childhood." He smiled wanly. "And by childhood, I kind of mean any time before this whole mess began."

"Mm." Besai understood what he meant. Her own childhood had ended the day her mess began, too. The day Overlord burned her home and massacred all of the "useless" men and women in the Western settlement. As if he had the power to decide what made a person valuable.

"You're very good, Cole," Ronin said. "I've never seen anyone do that hand-shaking thing as well as you do."

"Vibrato," Cole corrected. As he said this the song took on a slightly different, faster melody. Besai found herself following the rhythm in her head. One two three…one two three…

Kai picked up his bowl- he'd set it on the floor during Ronin's speech- and tasted it. His nose wrinkled. "It's salty."

Besai found herself laughing breathily. "Yes. It is."

Kai shook his head, but continued eating anyway, ravenously. They hadn't eaten in many hours. "Where's your food?" he asked between bites. "You should be eating too."

Besai shook her head. "No. I'll wait for you."

Kai stopped and pushed the bowl into her hands, frowning. "Take care of yourself," he said sternly- a strange but welcoming tone to Besai. At least he wasn't being completely impersonal and passive.

"No," Besai shoved the bowl back onto his lap. "I'll wait a few minutes. Please, Kai. I'm fine. I ate a little as I helped Merv."

Kai relented.

Cole's song ended, and he set down his instrument. On Sage's lap, Chedva cooed. She liked the music.

"What song was that?" Ronin asked. "I don't recognize it."

Cole shrugged. "I don't know. It was just something I came up with on the fly."

"Man…" Ronin breathed. "You know, your talent really makes me wonder what on earth you're even doing out here. I mean, how does such a…" He gestured to Cole. "…soft-spoken, gifted musician and family man end up as the Dark Knight?"

Cole ran his fingers along the neck of the violin lightly he might as well have been stroking flower petals.

"It's a long story," he said. "And believe it or not, this violin plays a big part in it."

"Do tell," Ronin said. "We have all night."

When Cole said nothing for a while, Ronin sighed. "Well, I'm going to tell you my story. Maybe then you'll warm up to me a bit."

"Do go on," Cole said.

"My dad was a man in Cyrus' personal guard. He and my mother died during that fever epidemic, what, eighteen years ago, I guess? Anyways, Cyrus took me in. I met the most beautiful girl there, Tina, and when we came of age we got married. Had a few kids. We worked as spies for Cyrus. Kind of low-danger jobs, like pretending to be servants in the Julien mansion, collecting rumors and such from the other workers."

His eye took on a distant quality as he relived countless happy memories in his head. His smile softened a touch. Became a little heavier. "Tina loved music," he said. "And one of her favorite songs was 'Till Sunlight's End. All day long she'd be humming it, or one of her other favorite tunes. But I never got tired of the repetition. Her voice was just too pretty."

"You're speaking in the past tense," Pixal said. She'd said nothing up until this point; Besai had almost forgotten she was even in the cave with them. "What happened to her?"

Ronin's single eye drifted to the cave's entrance, lost and lonely. Without a partner. "She's alive, hopefully," he said. "Living with the other slaves."

Cole fingered the violin strings, brow creased. "I stole your life from you," he said quietly. "I tore your world apart so I could keep my own intact."

"I forgave you a long time ago," Ronin said. "Don't beat yourself up." He breathed deeply through his nose. "We've all got something on this island that we want. For some of us, defeating the Overlord may be the prize you're after. For others…" He nodded to Merv and Besai. "…You're former slaves, obviously. So you've got children on the island that you want to get back. I've got my Tina. The important thing is, we all want something, and destroying the Overlord is the only thing in our way. I think we can work together and get rid of him." He switched to the Dark Tongue. "I know we can, since we have his weakness."

In the shadows, Nephilim shifted. She seemed especially restless right now. Good. Besai deliberately ignored her. Cole picked up his bow and, after a moment of contemplation, began another song.

Besai's heart quickened as the melody filled the cave, and she pulled away from Kai.

"What's wrong?" Kai asked.

Besai took the now almost empty bowl from Kai and set it on the floor. She stood, taking Kai's hands in hers, and pulled him to his feet. "The song," she said, setting a hand on his shoulder, the other still clasped in his.

Bewildered and hesitant, Kai set a hand on Besai's side, holding her at arm's length as she began to dance, pulling him with her.

"It's the song," Besai tried again, moving her feet, hoping she was doing the footwork correctly. "The one that we danced to on our first night. In your father's house."

"Oh," Kai said, staring into her eyes with an unreadable expression, his feet moving mechanically with hers.

For a while they danced to Cole's song, the cave washed in silence. Were everyone's eyes on her and Kai? The thought made Besai uncomfortable. She forced herself to keep dancing. Though, it was difficult to really enjoy herself with Kai being so stoic. Was he upset with her? She felt a jolt of fear. What if Kai got so upset that he never wrapped his arm around her waist again? Or he could stop giving her little those admissions of what's going on in his head, like how certain songs made him think of home? He could stop trying to make her eat before he did.

He could stop caring.

The tension became unbearable. Besai broke eye contact with him, and felt her face flush pink and warm as a newborn baby's skin. She wanted to hide herself in Kai's shirt. But she did not dare.

I'm too far into this to quit, she told herself, firming her jaw, taking a deep breath to force the blood from her face.

Oh, when this song was over, she was going to retreat outside and have herself a long, mortified cry by the river.

"Your footwork is terrible," Kai said, jolting Besai from her thoughts.

The blush returned. "Sorry," she said meekly.

"No. Don't be." He pulled her a little closer, weaving their fingers together. "I can handle getting my toes stepped on."

As they turned with the slow steps, Kai's earring momentarily caught the firelight. A painful thing to catch a glimpse of: that earring was Besai's reminder that, only three days ago, Kai had deceived her so that he could fight the Overlord. Perhaps he'd put himself in harm's way with the intention of dying, perhaps not. Perhaps he truly didn't care for her anymore, and only kept the earring so she'd stop pestering him about it.

"Thank you," Kai said.

"For…what?"

Kai lengthened his step, bringing himself a few inches closer to her. He bit his lip, not meeting her eyes for a moment. Then he offered her a nervous smile.

Nervous. It was one of the cutest, most relieving things he'd done in a long time. Besai smiled back. Overcome with emotion, she took a chance and closed the distance between them, brushing her cheek against his.

They danced as one. Or at least they tried to: Besai tripped over Kai's feet more than once. But when she started to stumble he would tighten his arm around her, never missing a beat, keeping her steady.

"I need to stop," Besai whispered.

Kai's hand clasped hers a little tighter. "Why? Don't…don't you like this?"

"No, no," Besai stuttered uncomfortably. "No, I like this. I was saying…I need to stop. Doubting you."

There was a moment of silence. "I don't blame you," Kai said. Their close contact caused Besai's cheekbone to vibrate as Kai spoke. It was not an unpleasant sensation. She wondered if he felt the same about her voice. "I haven't exactly been the greatest husband lately."

"No," Besai said again, quickly. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I don't know," Besai admitted weakly. "Sorry. I should not have said anything."

"No, please," Kai said, voice so sweet in her ear. "You're fine. I think I get it."

Tears pricked Besai's eyes, and she closed them, trusting Kai to keep her on course.

"I know I've said it before," Kai murmured. "But the last time I said it, I kind of…put you to sleep and ran off." He applied a little more pressure with the hand on her back. Besai felt his heartbeat through her own chest as they were pressed together. Besai's breath quickened with anticipation.

"I love you," Kai said, breaking the final barrier at last. "I know I'm not that great at showing it. And I know that in a little while I'll probably get all…distant again and act like I don't, but I do. Um, love you."

With that broken barrier came a flood of suppressed emotions. Like a rising tide Besai's eyes flooded with tears. She pulled back a few inches, took his head in her hands, and kissed his forehead. Kai did not return the gesture, but he did not shirk from it either.

He still had a long journey ahead of him on this road to recovery. But at least now Besai knew he was trying. Trying very, very hard.

And, little by little, he was succeeding.

We won, Besai thought, arms around his shoulders as they continued to dance, though the song had long since ended. We won.

As Cole played his second song, Merv walked with trembling legs to Nephilim. The girl glowered as Merv sat beside her.

"Hey," Merv whispered timidly, not meeting her daughter's eyes. "I brought you some food."

"I don't want it," Nephilim answered, looking away. Her voice had little bite to it anymore. Her bruised skin was sallow, her gray eyes lost and mournful.

"Please," Merv pleaded, scooping a spoonful of the fish from the bowl. "You have eaten nothing in days. Just one bite."

Nephilim looked to her mother again. She seemed to notice how Merv's whole body shook, and she smiled grimly. "Call me Mistress," she said. "Then I will consider it."

Child, Merv thought sadly, why are you behaving like this? If you are hungry, just eat.

Merv held Nephilim's eyes, fighting back a bitter wash of emotion. She swallowed. "Let me see your wrist, Neph."

Nephilim allowed Merv to undo her ropes. Merv took Nephilim's wounded hand in hers and peeled back the bandages, revealing the swollen red cut. A wound Besai had inflicted upon her. The bruises, too, were the former's handiwork.

"It's infected," Merv said, touching the stitches lightly. Nephilim pulled back with a hiss.

"Hey," Merv said, taking Nephilim's hand back. "Let me see it, please. Let me help."

"No!" Nephilim struck Merv's hand with her good one, snarling. "Let it fester." Then, a little softer, eyes downcast, "Leave me alone, slave."

Filled with grief and shame, skin smarting where she'd been struck, Merv took Nephilim's hands and bound them again. Not too tight.

She moved to stand, but paused, daring to push a few strands of oily hair from Nephilim's face. She was just a child. A beautiful, broken girl.

"I understand," Merv croaked past the lump in her throat. "Your father has held you to such high standards. You…hold far too much responsibility for someone your age. You feel as though the world hates you. And, admittedly, most of it does." She touched her daughter's cheek. "But please, please, do not hold yourself to these standards. Do not hate yourself. You could be so much better than this."

Nephilim was quiet for a long moment, unblinking, unmoving. Then she jerked herself out of Merv's touch and snapped her teeth, forcing Merv to retract her hand.

"I will not say it again, whore," Nephilim bit off. "Leave. Me. Alone."

Silently, Merv stood and moved to a solitary corner of the cave, trembling all over.

From the beginning, Besai had always had everything. The strength to smile, even when things were bleak. Otherworldly beauty, while Merv had none. Fertility, while Merv had been shunned because of her inability to conceive after bearing Nephilim. Because she had been so young when she gave birth, Overlord had so callously told her. Her body had been broken by his abuse. Abuse she had endured to save her precious baby sister.

Merv clutched her chest, choking on a quiet sob. She hid her face between her knees.

Besai's children had always been the sweetest little creatures. Tiny smiles, bright eyes, loud giggles. She had been the perfect parent.

And the best Merv could manage to raise was Nephilim? Merv loved her daughter, yes. Despite the bitterness and the hate Nephilim so blatantly cast on her mother, the girl was loved. She had been raised with the best Merv could manage. But it hadn't been enough.

How much more unfair could the world become?

"Hey," a voice beside her whispered. Merv lifted her head.

Pixal sat beside her, concern written in the lines that creased her forehead. "You okay?"

Merv looked away, hugging herself.

"Merv," Pixal said, unfastening her cloak. She wrapped it around Merv's shoulders. "Can I help with anything?"

"No," Merv said through clenched teeth. "Leave me alone."

"I don't think so."

"What do you care?" Merv muttered through the tears. "Shouldn't you be with Jay?"

"What… That's what this is about?" Pixal asked. She sounded incredulous. "Are you upset because I'm friends with Jay?"

"No!" Merv gripped the cloak and cast it aside. "You know nothing."

A pause.

"…I guess not." Pixal draped the cloak over her knees. "What's going on? Please tell me."

"Go away." Merv struck out her arm, violently elbowing Pixal's side. The Nindroid flinched, but did not move.

"You're just like Nephilim," Pixal remarked. "Did you know that?"

Merv looked around the room, wondering if the others had heard Pixal's accusation. Probably not: Jay was busy talking with Ronin. Wu had a rag to his mouth as he coughed, attentive only to his own troubles. Kai and Besai… They appeared content, still dancing to Cole's music. Merv had briefly considered pulling Jay out next to the fire for a dance, but the thought was swallowed by Pixal's words.

Am I just like Nephilim? Merv did not want to believe it. Nephilim was…bitter, and angry, and violent, and…

"I'm not trying to take Jay from you," Pixal said. "I'm sorry if it looks that way. We're just friends. If you want him, of course I won't stand in your way."

…Only trying to help. Only trying to be kind. And, just as Nephilim always pushed Merv away…

Merv wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "No, I only want to be friends with him. Like you. I can't ever do what Besai has done."

"You'd go great together," Pixal said.

"So would you," Merv countered.

Pixal's face turned a shade pink. "Moons," she swore, glancing at Jay. "Please, Merv. Don't go planting ideas in my head. I definitely can't have him."

"Okay." Merv smiled weakly. "We can…um, both be friends with Jay."

Pixal nodded adamantly, her face swiftly returning to normal. "Yes. Yes, please." She mirrored Merv's nervous smile. "Can we…put this behind us?"

Merv hesitated. Could she abandon her unwarranted and deep-rooted bitterness? She hardly even understood the cause of it. How could she walk away from an enemy she couldn't even identify?

"Yes," Merv said, pushing away as much pride as she was able. "I will try."

"I forgave you a long time ago," Ronin said to Cole as the violinist fingered his instrument at the end of the first song. "Don't beat yourself up."

And that was the truth, though it was clear that Cole didn't quite believe him. What would it take for Cole to see that he was being sincere?

Ronin took a deep breath and continued. "We've all got something on this island that we want. For some of us, defeating the Overlord may be the prize you're after. For others…" He nodded to the two sisters, Merv and Besai. "…You're former slaves, obviously. So you've got children on the island that you want to get back. I've got my Tina."

He swallowed hard as he thought of Tina. It had been almost a year since that fateful day when he'd lost her. Most days now, he coped okay. He worked with Cyrus to help rescue the slaves, hoping that one day Tina would be among the rescued ranks. So far, it hadn't happened. But being here, seeing these other slaves with their muted, downcast eyes and quiet, heavily accented voices… He felt a lump of emotion rise in his throat, and he swallowed again painfully. His Tina was one of them. What was she doing right now, he wondered. Was she sitting in the dark, violated and abused, trying to get a little bit of rest before her torment began again in the morning?

…Was she pregnant with the seed of some strange stone warrior? It had been so many months now, she could already have given birth.

"The important thing is," Ronin continued softly, "we all want something, and destroying the Overlord is the thing in our way. I think we can work together and get rid of him." He switched to the Dark Tongue so Nephilim could understand his words. "I know we can, since we have his weakness."

There was silence around the cave. At long last, Sage whispered something to Cole. He smiled, set his bow to the strings, and began to play a new song. Ronin recognized it immediately: he was a bit of a music enthusiast, thanks to Tina's influence.

At the cave's entrance, Besai tugged Kai to his feet and pulled him a little closer to the fire. They began to dance. Awkwardly, though. It wasn't hard to see that there was a little bit of tension between them. Mostly on Kai's side. He appeared the most uptight, letting Besai lead, not sure where to let his eyes settle.

Eventually Kai seemed to acknowledge that Besai was a terrible dancer, and he took over, pulling her a little closer, stepping a little faster, though his shoulders stayed stiff as a rod.

"What's wrong with Kai?" Ronin whispered to Jay at last. His old friend sat a little behind him, reading a book. "He looks a little…awkward."

Jay looked up, closing the book on his finger to save his page. He watched Kai for a moment, hesitating. "He…well, he's been tattooed," he managed at last, uncomfortably. "It's been kind of a hard month for all of us, but he's been hit the worst." He was quiet for a moment as Besai ventured closer to Kai, putting her cheek to his. Kai looked about ready to push her away in a moment of terror. But he didn't. Tensing his jaw, he closed his eyes, dancing with shuffling steps like a blind man.

Ronin had, of course, heard Kai's story. About how he'd given up his life as a nobleman so he could be with Besai. To do that, he must have loved Besai a lot. Maybe even as much as Ronin loved Tina.

And, over the course of a few short weeks, that affection had been almost entirely choked out, leaving mistrust and pain in its place.

Tina will be like that, Ronin thought. Tina will be hurt and…defeated. He hoped he could be patient with her through her recovery. Could he continue to love her when, every time he tried to approach her, she'd give him a hollow stare and force him back?

…Will Tina even want to be near me anymore? She had been on the Dark Island for so much longer than Kai, endured so many more men. Would Tina flinch whenever he tried to take her hand? Look away uncomfortably every time he said he loved her? Wake up from nightmares and refuse to let him comfort her?

Ronin's chest tightened at the thought. He would hate to see his love's beautiful brown eyes once filled with laughter and joy her every waking hour, forever downcast and broken. Like Kai's, and worse.

"Merv and Besai," Jay whispered, an affectionate glint in his eyes as he welcomely distracting Ronin from his troublesome thoughts. He smiled at Merv, who sat next to Nephilim, talking to her. Carrying out her part in the plan. "They're both the most amazing, strong, and patient women I've ever known. I don't think I would have gotten better without Merv's stubborn pushes."

Ronin chuckled. It came out dry and humorless. "I'm glad you finally found her," he said. "It must be great, being reunited after all those years thinking she was…you know."

Jay smiled. "Yeah."

It's good to see him happy again, Ronin thought, his heart warming.

He scooted a little closer and whispered in Jay's ear. "Do you like her?"

Jay started. "That's a…very juvenile question for a thirty-winters man to ask."

"Just answer it. Come on, I have to know."

Jay rolled his eyes. "No."

Ronin wilted. "No?"

"No. I have no intention of getting into a relationship with her, or any other woman."

"But Jay-"

"No," Jay said firmly. "I can't get married. Ever."

Ah. So that's what this is about…

"Can't, or won't?" Ronin asked gently.

Jay looked hurt.

Ronin sighed. "Okay. I'm sorry. I understand. Though, I think you're being way too hard on yourself. A real woman would love you no matter what kind of scars you have."

Jay looked away. He set down his book and drew his knees to his chest. He looked just like that little boy again. The one Ronin had met the day after the fire that had killed Jay's adoptive parents and taken Cyrus' legs.

"Hey." Ronin clasped Jay's shoulder in his large, calloused hand and smiled. "Don't give up yet. What was that you just said about Merv helping you get better? I'm not seeing much of that better-ness right now. Ah, Sage!"

Sage turned her head.

Ronin held out his arms. "Can I borrow your baby?"

Sage hesitated.

"Just for a minute. Please? I promise I don't bite."

Sage glanced at Cole, completely engrossed in his music, and stood. She crossed the cave and set Chedva on Ronin's lap.

"Thanks." Ronin grinned. He examined the baby's face. "Wow. She's like…the perfect mix of you and Cole. Skin, eyes, hair… And look at her nose!" He prodded Jay. "Hey. I'm talking to you too. Here." He held Chedva out.

Jay took her uncertainly. "…Wow," he said. "Her eyes look more green every day."

Chedva cooed at Jay, grinning a huge, gummy grin that dimpled her dark cheeks.

Despite a visible fight, Jay's morose expression faded. "Aw…" He looked down, hiding a smile. "No. She's too cute."

Ronin chuckled. "See? It's impossible to be unhappy while you're holding a baby. I dare you. Try to frown at her."

Jay looked back up, doing his best impersonation of a scowl. Chedva giggled, and Jay groaned, breaking into a wide grin. "I can't." He handed her back to Sage. "Thanks."

Cole's song ended as Sage returned to her seat. He set the bow on his lap.

Sage whispered a few words to Cole, gesturing to Jay. They laughed softly, and Cole touched Sage's arm. An absent gesture that he probably hadn't even realized he'd done. Then he looked at Ronin. His smile faltered, and he turned away.

Hosts. This guy will be a challenge to win over. Ronin pulled off his eyepatch and tousled his hair. "Is Cole always this…monosyllabic?" he asked Jay.

"You don't know the half of it."

Ronin tsked. "Well, that's one thing you two have in common."

Jay jabbed Ronin's ribs. Ronin's eyepatch smacked Jay's shoulder. Jay was about to retort with a snarky comment when Cole picked up another melody with his violin. Ronin and Jay both paused, exchanging a glance.

It was one of Tina's favorite songs, 'Till Sunlight's End.

The song, like the other two Cole had played, was slow. But unlike the others, this one was meant to be sung, not played. There were no complicated melodies; it was a simple tune that lilted beautifully, rising and falling like waves in the sea. Wavering highs, rumbling lows. A song that he and Tina had sung together so many times before…

Before Ronin realized it had happened, he closed his left eye- his right eyelid had been shredded during the fight that cost him his eye- and set his eyepatch on his lap.

Vibrato, he thought, wiping away the tears as they wetted his stubbled face. So that's what it's called? Whenever Tina sang, her voice rang much like Cole's hand on the violin. So clear and steady. He could almost hear her voice as Cole's fingers stepped delicately across the strings of his beloved instrument.

When the song was finally over, Ronin opened his wet, blurry eye, and he noticed several things. The first of which was that Kai and Besai were still standing; still embracing, still swaying gently with the final echoes of the song. Kai seemed so much more at ease, his chin on her shoulder, both hands on the small of her back as she held his neck in both her arms.

The second thing Ronin noticed was that Cole's eyes, like his, were filled with tears. This song clearly meant as much to him as it did to Ronin.

The third thing Ronin noticed was that Nephilim was no longer in the cave.

"And the final stage of phase one is accomplished, not with a bang, but with a whimper," Cole whispered.

*Snickers* Sunseeker. He's (er...it's) so much fun to write. I'd probably be dissing Overlord like that if I was invincible, too.

KAI AND BESAI! YESHHHH! That scene was so satisfying, right? I'm so happy. \^C^/ I love those two.

Poor Ronin, though... That guy's had it tough. Don't worry, Ronin. I'm sure you can win Tina's heart again. Who can resist loving you?

Out of all these characters, I think Merv hits me the hardest. She's so...real. You know? She struggles with faults that I can really relate with and it breaks my heart watching her struggle. And don't even get me started on precious little Neph...

So I actually have two songs that inspired this chapter. The first is The Parting Glass, a beautiful folk song. My favorite versions are by Celtic Woman and Peter Hollens. If you're a fan of a more traditional style, go for Shaun Davey. Go on, give it a listen for Ronin and Tina. It's basically my theme song for them.

The second song is My Lovely, by Joel and Luke. After listening to it for the first time I got totally fired up for a dancing scene- and of course, that worked out because I needed a bonding moment for Kai and Besai in this chapter. :') Gah. I love it.

Okay. So I have two more points to make. The first is that I have a new poll up on my profile. Go check it out!

The second thing is that I, sadly, will not be updating for a while. Now, before you all blow your top, let me explain! I'm writing the final battle, and I'm finding every so often that something I'd written in a previous chapter isn't working out as well as I'd hoped, and I need to go back and revise it. I can't revise things easily if I've already published them. So I'm going to work on these next couple chapters back to back (I'd say I only have two chapters left to write until the epilogue), then I'll publish them all close together in a couple weeks. Does that sound good?

Sorry. ^_^; Gah, I didn't have this problem with Overlord's Revenge... I feel really bad. Anyways, your reviews are greatly appreciated! Have a great April! I hope to be back long before May, but we'll see how life treats me and Kira. Bye! (^3^)