Welcome back. It's been a while.

Please enjoy. Potential spoilers ahead. Read at your own discretion.

Pitch black.

Surrounded by a whirlwind.

He was back here again.

This dreaded hell.

The darkness enveloped him, smothering his very being, threatening to snuff his existence out within its perpetual gloom. If he had the strength, he would tried whatever he could to break free from this prison. But as it always had been, his limbs were frozen, as if they were suspended in the air and bound. He grit his teeth.

It was happening all over again. He was to see everything like he had decades ago. The moment that destroyed his life.

His unforgiveable sin.

"Brother?" He didn't even need to turn around to know whose voice this belonged to, as it cleared a way though the rippling gale. It was a presence that was imprinted into his very being, a voice he knew the day he was born, another half of who he was.

His twin sister.

Another destined to be the light that would pierce through the darkness

A light he had extinguished

"Why won't you look at me…? Have I… brought shame to you again?"

He wanted to say no. He wanted to protest against the words of his sister. He always did. But his body would not respond. No sound escaped his lips. His words would never reach her. They never did.

"Bro…ther…"

The voice was more labored now, stricken with deep pain. It no longer came from behind him. Rather, it was coming from before him.

Right from between his arms.

There she lay, the visage of his beloved sister corrupted by grisly wounds that lined her mangled body. Blood began to flood from her wounds, seeping into his hands. Seeping into his soul.

He had tried to avert his gaze so many times but the only thing that the darkness would permit him to see was his sister, breathing her last.

Just as she had that day.

Unstoppable tears welled at the corner of his eyes. That was as far as his body would allow him to speak, the hot stream of teardrops streaming down his frozen face, falling quietly atop his sister's torn face, mixing with her blood. The clear drops were the only testament and comfort he could give to his dying sister. He cursed himself every time.

With the last remnants of her strength, she reached out to his face to wipe away the tears, her own weak hand threatening to fall away at any minute but standing resolute. What was left of her fingers traced his cheeks, the warmth that he was so familiar with replaced by what could only be death.

The blood that had seeped into his arms burned with what could only be divine retribution, a righteous fire that was to burn away a sinner like himself. His arms began to blacken and crack, the flesh falling away like the wax of a candle. But he felt no pain.

The only thing he felt was something being ripped apart from his heart.

While a river of blood flowed past her lips, his sister opened them one last time.

"Forgive me, Ephraim."

"L-Lord Ephraim? Are you in there?"

An unfamiliar voice from outside his tent forced him awake from what he was forced to see every night. Cold sweat dotted every pore in his body as he sidled off the edge of the shoddy stool that sat next to his makeshift desk. He must have fallen asleep after reviewing the presented strategies presented to him for the voyage into the Gates of Tellius. It wasn't like him to be swept up by his work. It also wasn't like to be this heavily affected by his nightmare.

He took a deep breath to clear his head before he walked over to his tent flap to answer the untimely visitor. With his bandaged hand, he pulled away at the fold and walked outside.

The bitter and brisk midnight air was not the only thing that greeted him. A small group had formed outside his tent, awaiting his entrance. The voice that had called out to him stood several meters from the entrance to his tent. While her voice was unfamiliar, Ephraim was able to recognize her immediately. The sword by her side was unmistakable.

"Karel's niece? Fir, was it?"

She nodded her head earnestly. "Oh thank goodness. I thought I came to wrong the tent. You wouldn't answer when I called out to you. Are you feeling unwell perhaps? I may have something to deal with—"

"I fell asleep." The lancer said frankly. "Don't waste your efforts on someone like me."

"I-I see." Fir said, nervously. The two hadn't spoke with one another before and, considering the reputation Ephraim held, the girl had every right to be anxious talking to him. He didn't blame her, nor did it bother him in the slightest. "But if you ever do feel unwell, I-I'll be glad to help."

Ephraim was quiet for a moment. He eyed the young swordswoman. She was visibly shaken by his mere presence yet continued talking to him as a fellow comrade would. Her behavior reminded him of Marth. He thought over the matter briefly.

"I mean, if it bothers you, I'll—"

"I'll consider it." Ephraim said abruptly.

The girl was thoroughly surprised, and rightfully so. People hadn't seen him in months, rather, people did the best they could to avoid him. This was his first time agreeing to work with any division of the Order, it was inevitable that many were wary of him. It seems they expected him to refuse at every turn.

"O-oh," Fir finally managed to say, a small smile on her face. "I'll be sure to expect a visit from you then."

"No promises." He muttered. He shifted his gaze side to side. The others that came with Fir were still several steps away from him, a feeling of tension radiating from their gazes. He turned back to Fir. "What business do you have with me at this hour?"

"Oh right!" Fir exclaimed. "Almost forgot. Captain Raven wanted me to bring you to the Officers' meeting."

He raised an eyebrow. "Officers' meeting? What for? We don't march till dawn."

"The commander and council members came down and told us that there was a change of plans and that we march now." Fir informed him. "We will march first as the vanguard with half of our force following suit to resupply and reinforce our division."

"Half of our force?" Ephraim spat, exasperated. He didn't know that the operation was going to be on this massive of a scale. He knew a resupply unit was going to be following after the initial divisions entrance into Tellius but he didn't expect it to be half of the Order's forces. That explained why the commander was here, but why in the world would this operation require that many troops? "Why are we mobilizing such a big mass of our army for this mission?"

Fir shrugged her shoulders. "I-I can't say. But I think that's why Captain Raven asked for your presence at the meeting."

Things were moving quite quickly. Out of nowhere, the vanguard was told to march far ahead of schedule, almost in the dead of night. On top of that, half of the Order's army was following after them to Tellius. All this spelled was the onset of an large scale war, the likes of which he had only seen once since arriving in Askr. There would be no use asking Fir anymore questions. He would pry as much information from Raven and the commander.

"Then let us be off." Ephraim ordered. "We can't afford to waste time it seems."

Fir bowed. She quickly turned to the group she came with and made a wide hand gesture. The group understood what she had done and quickly dispersed into the sea of tents that lay before them. Turing back to the lancer, she beckoned for him to follow after her to which he obliged quickly.

"Why did Raven send you and a group of people to come get me?" Ephraim asked after having walked quietly for a while.

"Huh? Oh!" Fir said, taken aback by the lancer's comment. It seemed she hadn't anticipated that he would try to strike up a conversation with her. "Well, Captain Raven was in a meeting with the commander and couldn't leave. He asked that I come in his stead."

"Then what about the group you came with?"

"I—um…" She was at a loss for words at the question.

"Let me guess." Ephraim mused. "They were there to put me down if I voiced any dissent. Am I right?"

Fir had no comment.

"Expected as much." Ephraim said to no one. The air fell silent and heavy upon Fir's shoulders. Only the sound of the crunching dirt beneath her boots offered any solace in the oppressing silence. It didn't sit right with her.

"I—I'm sorry!" Fir exclaimed, stopping in her tracks and bowing. It was the lancer's turn to be taken aback. "I requested for a group to come with me in case anything was to happen… I… heard bad rumors regarding… you, Lord Ephraim. Forgive me if I have insulted you."

The Scourge Lord shook his head. "It was smart of you."

Fir could only stare at her feet. She felt guilty of acting this way in front of a fellow comrade. What would Roy think if he had seen the prejudiced way she acted towards this man all because of a few rumors she heard from people? She sighed with disgust in her own actions.

"Y—you aren't like what some people say about you." She finally managed. "You didn't even arm yourself when you came with me."

"And what do people say that I am?"

She felt hesitant to say it but she owed Lord Ephraim the truth at the very least.

"They say you are a savage that only lusts after battle. Unwilling to listen to anyone or anything. A sadist at heart that wouldn't bat an eye at killing a comrade."

An icy smile had spread across his face. It churned Fir's insides. This wasn't the reaction she was expecting. Not at all. "Pray tell." He said. "Who told you all this?"

"L—Lord Mauder."

"Was he also the one who suggested that you bring a group to come get me?"

Fir had nothing to say.

Ephraim laughed, but it wasn't the hearty laugh she usually pictured her father or Roy with. It was dry, and full of scorn, a laughter that was made to mock those who heard it. Even though the lancer had turned his back to her, she could feel a dark aura emanating from the man. It filled her with unease. And this unease rode with her the whole way until the reached the war council tent.

"We—we have arrived." Fir announced flatly, her voice close to trembling. "Captain Raven and the others should be waiting for you inside."

The lancer said nothing but simply nodded his head, his sea-green hair swaying across his face.

Just as Fir turned to leave, Ephraim had called out to her.

"Fir."

She turned to face him.

"Tell whoever was going to put me down this."

"…"

"They're going to need a bigger group than that."

Fir could only stand and watch the lancer smile as he retreated into the tent, disappearing from her sight, leaving her to wonder whether the rumors she heard about the man were unfounded or the truth.

Happy Easter and April Fools!

And no, this chapter isn't a joke. Sorry if that's what you expected