Fire Emblem: Vengeance from the Plains

by HeatWave

In the dark of night, a lone girl comes to the rescue of a young man traveling upon the plains. Little could she have known that her actions that night would lead her on a journey frought with peril, and a destiny beyond her imagination.

5. Chapter 4: Band of Mercenaries

Ten days later found the group nearly to the base of the mountains. Thus far their journey had been quite uneventful, and the companions were grateful for the breather. The weather had been with them on their journey as well, and this day was turning out to be no different. Lyn enjoyed the sun; it was the one familiar thing that she could take wherever she went. She basked in it, letting its warm glow wash over her as she lay in the tall grass. A sudden pang of sorrow crossed over her when she noticed the not-so-distant mountain peaks on the horizon that marked the border between Bern and Sacae, and she realized that her days on the plains were numbered. She took a deep breath and let it pass; it was best to enjoy it while she was still here. It was certainly no small sacrifice to leave the land of one's birth, but in her heart she knew that their mission was greater than her alone, and she couldn't afford to reminisce.

The sharp clang of metal nearby snapped her out of her thoughts and she sat up to see Mark fall to the ground, obviously enjoying their small break much less than she was.

"Owwww…" he moaned pitifully, rubbing his backside where it had collided with the earth for the umpteenth time. He had long since lost count, but there was no doubt that it was getting sore. "Do you have to press so hard?"

Sain stood over him, sword in hand, and a large grin on his face. "You think anyone you fight is going to go easy on you? You hold a weapon in your hand that can take his life, you can rest assured that he's going to do everything in his power to make sure that doesn't happen, and you'd better learn to do the same. Now stand up, and this time…"

Lyn observed the lesson in the distance, amused with the spectacle. Sain had been attempting to teach Mark some basic swordsmanship for the last few days, but she was starting to suspect that he was only doing it for the pleasure of taunting the inexperienced tactician, as Mark was not making much progress against the professional knight. She watched as Mark got back to his feet and listened, trying to mimic Sain's stance and defensive swings. She could tell by the look on his face that he was getting frustrated, but he kept at it anyway, and she was glad. Any help they could get on this journey would be a benefit to everyone.

Her thoughts were again interrupted by the sound of footsteps behind her. She turned to see Kent, still clad in his bright red armor, walking towards her.

"So far so good, milady. There's no sign of pursuit and we're making good time. We should be back in Caelin in only a few short weeks. "

Lyn sighed; it was going to be a never ending battle with this one. "Kent, please, I've already told you not to be so formal. Call me Lyn, or even Lyndis if you have to, but no more of this 'milady' stuff, ok?"

Kent seemed genuinely puzzled. "But… mila—"

"Kent!"

Kent snapped to attention almost involuntarily, and then just as quickly snapped out of it, realizing his error. "I'm sorry," he sighed. "It's just that, well… being born and raised in Caelin and trained as a knight to the noble class… I guess it's just ingrained in me by now."

"Well, being born and raised amongst the nomads of Sacae, it makes me entirely too uncomfortable to be addressed like that," Lyn fired back. "And inasmuch as you obviously see me as a superior, I hereby order you to stop addressing me so formally. I have a name you know!"

Kent began to stammer a response but couldn't think of anything to say. He wisely closed his mouth and swallowed his response, knowing that he had lost this round. "Well… it didn't take you long to work out that angle of the title."

Lyn turned back to the two sparring companions. "Power is more easily wielded than status, I suppose."

Kent inclined his head in agreement, then followed Lyn's gaze towards the contest taking place. Together they watched the two combatants for a while longer, witnessing Mark take several more falls against Sain's relentless onslaught.

"Do you think Sain's being a little too hard on him?" Lyn asked worriedly.

"He'll be fine," Kent said stoically. "Sain's a braggart and a bit of a idler, but he knows what he's doing. If Mark wants to learn how to fight he's going to have to get over his fears."

"Fears?"

Kent sighed again. He didn't want to do this, knowing that Lyn probably wouldn't take kindly to it, but it had to be said. "It's a façade, Lyn. The stumbling, the tripping, the way he seems to only barely ward off Sain's attacks… it's all a front, a pretense."

Lyn looked up at him in puzzlement. "Kent, apart from the obvious... what exactly are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that despite his apparent inexperience, I can see, even from this distance, that Mark is no stranger to direct combat. His handling of a sword is a little clumsy, I'll admit, but I can tell by the way he stands, the way he moves. It's too smooth. He's been in perfect control the entire time, in fact, I'd even bet that he's been the one leading Sain around."

"Kent, that's absurd. How can you even say it? Sain has beaten him to the ground every time he's stood up against him."

Kent sighed again; he had expected such a reaction. "Lyn, I don't fully expect you to believe me, but I know a trained person when I see one, and he has been trained, possibly more so than even myself. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that he's a weapons master or an accomplished martial artist, but I also recognize that he hates and fears direct combat. I feel that this whole 'inability' aspect is a ploy, an excuse to keep himself behind the front lines."

"You're being unfair, Kent. I owe him my life. We all do," she reminded him.

Kent nodded, "I understand that, mila— I mean, Lyndis, but regardless, I beg of you to keep your guard up. I fear that if his life is threatened, he will deem no sacrifice too great to protect it."

"If his life is threatened, I may deem no sacrifice too great to protect it!"

Kent nodded assent, recognizing Lyn's tone as final. She would hear no more from him today, he knew, but with any luck the seeds had been planted. If he could only sow her suspicious of Mark, it may be just enough to thwart any potential plans the tactician might have. He sighed again, inwardly this time. He only hoped it would be enough. He didn't like doing this, didn't like playing the pessimist, but he couldn't get over his feelings that there was more to the tactician than met the eye, and his number one priority was Lyn's safety. He couldn't allow anyone to threaten her, no matter how much she might object to his opinion.

He turned towards the two sparring partners yet again, only to see Mark go down once more. It certainly had looked like a painful fall, as if he had hit the ground solidly…

…but it had been too perfect, too convenient, and Kent doubted that Mark had been hurt at all. For several years he and Sain had been sparring partners, and Kent could readily tell that Mark would fall almost always immediately before Sain truly began to press the attack. There was always a wayward rock, or a hole in the ground, or a lose branch that would get underfoot, and Kent knew that Mark was perfectly aware of all these obstacles. He was too aware, and he was using it all to his advantage. It was all an act.

And it was a very, very good one.

That thought only scared Kent all the more.

***

"I take it we're headed for that town there?"

Back on the road the group had continued to make good time, and Mark could make out several groups of buildings at the base of the Bern Mountains. It seemed an ordinary settlement, and there was no doubt that it was their destination, at least for the time being. Mark was only using it as a conversation starter. He had noticed that the closer they got to the mountains, the more agitated Lyn became. There was obviously something bothering her.

Her tight-lipped nod only confirmed that she wasn't in the mood to talk.

Mark grimaced. This wasn't a good sign. It wouldn't serve any of them if Lyn let her morale drop so early in the journey. Desperately he worked his thoughts, trying to find another line of conversation to begin.

Sain piped up instead, saving him the effort. "I remember that place! We passed through it on the way to Bulgar. By that point Kent had us hopelessly lost and--"

"I had us lost? You were the one navigating, if I recall correctly."

Sain nodded, "Like I said, if it hadn't been for me, we probably would have been on the west coast of Elibe. I don't know why I let Kent lead us in the first place."

A soft groan emanated from the red knight; Mark knew that, had he been looking, he would have caught an exaggerated look of exasperation cross the man's face. Kent remained silent otherwise, wondering why he even bothered anymore, but Mark was satisfied to notice a small smirk briefly cross Lyn's otherwise melancholy face. Not the preferred outcome, but it was a start. The tactician had to admit that even if he was an annoying git, Sain was at the very least good for morale. If for only that reason, Mark was glad he was around.

"Anyway, we stopped by here trying to get our bearings," Sain continued. "The people were nice enough to give us a place to stay for the night, and even point us in the right direction, though Kent tried his best to get us lost again. Luckily we managed to make it to Bulgar before that happened."

Kent couldn't stand it any more. "You do realize that we've all long since given up believing anything you say, right?"

"Details, details," Sain waved him off. "When we get back to Caelin you'll give your one-time official report of the whole incident…" he began to mock Kent as he spoke, over-exaggerating with gusto a stance the young officer might take as he gave an account to a superior, "…exclaiming the difficulty we had in retrieving her and the trials of the journey, and then you'll never speak of it again. I on the other hand…" he paused to indicate himself fondly, "I will tell my tales far and wide; in every tavern, inn, or marketplace that I find myself. The tales of my rescue of the Lady Lyndis of Caelin will spread through the populace like wind through the grass until they become legendary! We'll see whom history favors then, my friend. I will go on in infamy, why you will remain in obscurity." Sain leaned back as he walked; his hands behind his head as if he was relaxing on a couch. "Ah… it's so good to be me."

Kent, walking immediately behind Sain, looked as if he was about to wallop the young upstart. Mark was pleased to note, however, that Lyn's hand was now covering her face, hopefully in an attempt to stifle a smile. It was the most he could have hoped for. He turned back to study the land before them. The plains were slowly giving way to the dirt and rock of the mountain paths. They would be crossing into Bern soon on their way to Caelin. The village ahead might be their final visit to a populated place in Sacae.

The village… The thought turned his gaze once more to the town before him. As it was off in the distance, he couldn't make out any details. Still, it seemed odd to him that, in a land of people who were so fond of the plains, there would be a town so close to the base of the mountains. It seemed odd that there were no walls or otherwise distinguishable defensive structures visible. It seemed odd that there was a small black cloud, previously hidden by the mountain backdrop, seemingly rising from the village itself. A cloud, he soon deducted, that shouldn't be there.

Oh no! He doubted any of the others had noticed yet… which meant it was up to him to break the news. He dropped his head back to look skyward as he grimaced. Sometimes I really hate my job.

His action did not go unnoticed.

"What is it, Mark?" Lyn asked, having seen the look cross his face. The two knights in front of them, upon hearing her inquiry, perked up and turned towards him as well.

Mark looked again towards the village and frowned. "Something's not right?"

"What is it?" Kent asked again as all four now turned towards the town, the other three squinting to see what it was that Mark so obviously saw.

"There's smoke over the village."

Now knowing where to look, they focused their gazes enough to pick out the dark cloud that hung over the settlement.

"Bah, it's almost noon. It's probably just the smoke of the flames they're using for the mid-day meal."

Mark shook his head, "No, no cooking fires made that haze. Something big is burning, and I'm willing to bet that it's not the villagers doing."

They all stood, transfixed at the scene, not wanting to believe the implications that were slowly making their way into their thoughts.

Lyn was the first to snap, unable to bear it any longer. Instantly she darted forward, intent on making the village at full speed; Mark –having already predicted the impulsive Sacaean's actions– had moved into block her immediate escape.

She whirled on him, and instantly he knew what she was going through. Her eyes were wide with fear, not for herself, but for those who may be trapped in that distant village. He saw the pain of buried memories, memories that had haunted her for the last six months, and he knew that images from that time were being played out again before her. He knew she so desperately wanted to keep anything like that from ever happening again, and he winced inwardly for what he had to say.

"Lyn, no," he said sternly before she could regain her composure enough to speak. "That village is more than two kilometers from here. If we rushed there at a full run we would be too tired to render any aid, no matter the situation."

The look on her face told him that she didn't care; expressed her desires far better than any words could have, and it pained his heart. He could barely bring himself to say his next words.

"If whoever caused that smoke is still there, it's more than likely that they'll have hostages. If we go rushing blindly into the situation we could put those lives at stake. It's best that we move in cautiously. Surprise would be our greatest ally in this situation."

Torn between her heart and her mind, Lyn looked as if she were about to cry, but she had made a promise to herself. With obvious difficulty she choked back the sobs that had begun to collect in her throat and then took three of the most painful deep, calming breaths in her life. When she opened her eyes they were still moist, but she nodded wordlessly her understanding.

Kent and Sain took up defensive positions, but before they continued onward Mark reached into his pack to pull out a strange cylindrical device with a glass piece in one end. He brought it up to his eye and pointed it towards the village. When he brought it back down he turned to the others.

"I don't see any sentries, so if anyone's still around they obviously were not expecting us to show up any time soon, so I don't believe it's a trap. We should be ok on the road for now, but remember that as soon as we get close enough to the village, we'll have to go in quietly."

All three nodded their understanding, and once more the group moved towards the village and whatever peril might lie therein.

***

An hour later they found themselves passing amongst the first few structures on the outskirts of the town. There was no doubt about it now that it had been the victim of a deliberate attack. Several of the structures were utterly demolished, and a few were still on fire. It was a dismal scene, and to Lyn, who had experienced such a scene once before, it was a reawakened nightmare.

"This place… it's…"

Kent and Sain were beside themselves as they surveyed the scene, unable to believe the carnage they saw around them. Sain voiced the question that was on both their minds.

"The entire area is in ruins. Why doesn't their marquess do anything to help?"

Lyn shook her head sadly, "Taliver Mountain is home to a gang of vicious, ruthless bandits. No marquess holds power here."

Mark didn't miss the significance of that statement. "Lyn, you know this mountain?"

Lyn nodded silently, taking another deep breath to hold her emotions in check. "My village…" she started, choking briefly, then caught herself and tried again. "My village was near here, on the other side of this mountain. My people were… The Taliver bandits came at night. It took only one night."

Mark could see it, could see what she was struggling with. He wanted to interfere, wanted to change the subject, to spare her the pain that she was going through, but he knew this was a battle that she had to win herself. He would be doing her no favors if he interrupted now.

"My people were entirely unprepared," she continued. "They had never had to defend against such an onslaught; no one band had been able to amass such an attacking force," she turned away, barely able to breathe her next words. "It was a slaughter."

Kent looked around worriedly. "You don't suppose it was that same group, do you?"

With a final deep breath Lyn stood up, and Mark was pleased to note that she seemed a little more in control. She was indeed strong, and he could see that she was winning her inward battle. Lyn looked about the village and slowly shook her head.

"No, I don't think so. My village was utterly destroyed, they left nothing. The survivors numbered less than ten, including me." With that final thought, Lyn's resolve reaffirmed itself, and the fire returned to her eyes to evaporate the moisture that had been there before.

"They're soulless beasts. I will never forgive them. Never!"

The sudden fierceness with which she said that last statement caught both Kent and Sain off guard, and they both perked up in surprise. Misunderstanding the look on Lyn's face, Sain took a step towards her.

"Lyndis…"

She turned on him, slapping away the hand he had been about to place on her shoulder. "I am not running away!" she snarled. "My destination might be Caelin now, but that changes little!" Lyn surveyed the scene yet again and let her emotions play themselves out. After several moments she faced her companions. Her next words were spoken softly, but with a grim determination behind them.

"I will be back… someday. I'll be stronger. I will break their swords beneath me like twigs beneath a stallion's hooves. I will avenge my people. I'll do everything in my power, and they shall know the fury of the heart of a Lorca."

Sain knew an opportunity when he saw one, and boldly he stepped forward. "When the time comes, bring me with you."

Lyn looked over at him, surprised at the knight's outburst. "Sain." she said, touched at his support despite her better judgment.

Kent wasn't about to let himself be left out. "Don't forget me, either," he put in, likewise indicating his desire to support her.

"Kent…" She looked at the two knights, and suddenly felt very glad to have met them. It warmed her heart to know they would support her no matter what.

"You're all a bunch of fools."

They all turned on Mark, each with a different expression. Lyn looked hurt, Sain was incredulous that Mark would belittle her emotions so, and Kent glared at him in outright anger.

Mark looked up at them and gave them a wry smile, "…and I would never forgive any of you, if you went without me."

"Oh!" Slowly every face softened when they realized his intent. "You, too, Mark?"

" 'Me too'? Of course me too! You didn't drag my sorry hide off the fields of Sacae so I could abandon you when it meant the most," his smile turned into a half-grin. "I thought we'd already discussed that."

A smile slowly spread over her own face as she remembered the promises they had made to each other. Once again she looked at all three of them, grateful for their support and friendship. She wasn't quite sure what to say. "I… You're…" she struggled for the right words. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank any of us. We'd only be glad to risk our lives if it earned the gratitude as one such as yourself." Sain put in, tossing her a playful wink.

Lyn rolled her eyes, realizing he was back to his tricks, but somehow she knew that he said it only partially in jest, and her smile remained. With one last grateful look towards her companions, she slowly let her smile drift away as she turned back to the grim situation at hand. "We should look for survivors, anyone who might have escaped or hidden away. We have to help any way we can."

Kent nodded, "You're absolutely right, but we can't throw caution away just yet. We still don't know if the bandits have left."

Sain thought differently. "The place seems deserted enough. I mean, what else could anyone want from such a ruined place?"

"No, Kent is right," Mark said. "Bandits are usually a resourceful group, while at the same time usually lacking in proper resources. They'll scour the place until there's nothing left for them to use, then they'll move on. It's best that we follow Lyn's suggestion. You three start searching these buildings, but don't go too far into town. Stay together, you stand a better chance alongside each other in case you walk into an ambush."

"But what about you?"

Mark started towards the center of town, "I'm going to go see if any bandits remain."

"But Mark!" Lyn protested, "If they find you out you'll be alone, we can't help you if you run off."

"Bandits are resourceful, but usually untrained," he said over his shoulder, tossing her a wink of his own. "Don't worry; they won't even know I'm here."

***

As Lyn and the knights began to search the buildings for any villagers, Mark carefully made his way through the rest of the town. The damage further inward was much less extensive and he took note of several structures that seemed to have suffered the least amount. Two in particular stood out to him, and he mentally noted them down. They could house survivors, or more bandits, depending on how long the group was intending to stay.

The bandits were still around, that much was clear. They didn't bother to hide their tracks, but he couldn't quite make out just how many there were. He hoped Kent didn't lead the others too far into the town until he could get some more information.

As he slowly moved down an alley, he began to make out the noise of a conversation taking place up ahead. Two distinct pitches told him that there was at least one man and one woman involved, possibly more. As he neared the source he confirmed that there was only one woman, and that she was obviously on the defensive end of this particular exchange.

Ever so slowly, he inched closer until he could hear the entirety of the conversation.

"Wait right there, little lady!" A gruff voice demanded, obviously male. "What are you going to do to apologize? Huh?"

"Uh… I… That is, I…" the young woman was having a hard time picking out her words. As he listened more closely Mark realized that she had to have been of a very tender age; younger, most likely, than even himself. Not good.

"Hey, she's quite a catch, eh buddy?" Another deep voice, not quite as gruff, but just as ominous, considering the situation. Two men then, at least. "I bet the boss'd give us a pretty penny for her," the second voice continued, instantly tagging them both— in Mark's eyes at least— as bandits; very likely of the same group that attacked the village in the first place.

"Yeah. She roughed me up a bit, so I figure fair's fair," the first voice responded. "It's no more'n she deserves."

We'll see who deserves what! Mark thought. Things weren't turning out too well, the men's intentions were only blatantly obvious and given the nature of the girl's voice, they probably wouldn't have much trouble carrying it out. He didn't want to, but if it came down to it, Mark knew he wouldn't be able to stop himself from coming to her aid. He wasn't sure what he would do, but he couldn't let her be treated as such by these two goons.

Understandably, the girl herself was positively distraught. "I… I…"

"What are we gonna do with her flying mule?"

That got Mark's attention. There was only one known animal that could fit that description, only one place where that animal could be found, and only one group that was well enough known for being the keepers of those animals.

And they were almost all entirely female.

No… that's not possible! Mark had certainly heard of the Pegasus Knights of Ilia, he had even met one before—for one had traveled for a time with his convoy— but for one to be in such a place as this, so far from Ilia, and alone for that matter. It was highly unlikely. But the comment about a flying mule could only leave one possibility.

"Don't you dare touch her!"

Mark almost tucked himself back into the shadows, the fierceness of the girl's last comment bolstering his theory. If she was a Pegasus Knight, then she'd be much too much to handle for two untrained brutes; there was no reason for him to get involved. The only thing that stopped him from retreating fully was his desire to see the animal, his longing to gaze upon the grace of a pegasus. He remembered fondly the animal of the rider of his convoy. The knight that had been the keeper of the animal had intimidated him, for he had only been on the verge of manhood at the time, and women were still very foreign to him, but nothing had brought a peace to his heart like the animal she had ridden on.

He peeked around the corner and caught his first glimpse of the animal and her rider. His gaze passed over the graceful form and paused as he looked at its eyes, eyes that held an intelligence more than any other animal in the land.

Eyes, he realized with a start, that were staring straight back at him..

She sees me! he thought frantically as he ducked back around the corner. The animal, however, made no other indication that she had noticed the strange man in the ally. The intelligence of pegasi was undisputed, and Mark was certain it understood the situation she and her rider were in perfectly.

"What!?" the second man cried out indignantly at the knight's outburst, but she paid him no heed.

"What is it, Huey?" she asked her steed instead, realizing that something had caught its attention.

The bandit wasn't too thrilled with being utterly ignored. "You just watch your mouth, girlie!" he snarled at her. "We don't want to hurt you, but if you don't give us any respect we won't guarantee anything!"

Rudely brought back to the reality of her situation, the knight faced the two men bravely, despite the fact that she was obviously terrified of them both.

"D… do what you will with me," she stammered with all the strength she could muster, "just… Let her go. Please, I beg of you."

Mark peeked back around the corner again, and he found the Pegasus already searching for him, her eyes locking on his once more. He knew that she was pleading for his help. He didn't know how he knew it, but he knew.

Oh, blast it all! He also knew it couldn't be ignored any longer; he was going to have to interfere. He steadily began to draw deep breaths, psyching himself for the inevitable confrontation.

The men were laughing now, thoroughly enjoying their torture of the young knight.

"Ha ha ha! Silly twit!" the first man bellowed loudly. "Pegasi can only be found in Ilia." He gave the knight a sardonic grin. "They're rare beasts, worth more than you by far! We can sell it for a mountain of gold."

The rider hugged her charge more tightly at the implication of the man's words.

"Let it go?" the man continued sarcastically. "HA!"

The rider was hugging the neck of her beast so tightly Mark wondered if it could still breathe.

"N… no, you can't…" the knight said, wide-eyed and frantic.

"C'mon! Let's move!" the bandit demanded, as he and his companion began to advance on the pair.

The Pegasus kept her eyes on Mark, and no one bothered to find out what it was staring at; the men not caring enough, and the young knight too terrified to notice. Mark steeled himself, realizing that the time to act had come. He couldn't stay hidden any longer; he was only waiting for the moment to give himself the best advantage to strike. If he could take one down in the initial attack, his chances were that much better.

The noise of an approaching band held his action in check. Oh, no… not more of them.

"What's this? Be on your guard, Lyndis. There seems to be some sort of commotion over there."

At the sound of Kent's voice, Mark breathed a little easier. Grateful that the knight had disobeyed his orders not to enter too far into the village, while yet a little annoyed for that exact reason. Still, it meant that he might not have to rush into the fray after all.

"That's… That's a Pegasus." Lyn's voice, declared. "Could it be? Florina?"

As Mark watched, Lyn rushed into the picture to stand beside the young rider. "Is that you, Florina?"

"Ah!" So high strung was the young knight that Lyn's approach caused to her jump back, nearly forgetting to release her hold on her steed's neck, but then she looked up, and a flash of recognition crossed her face. "Lyn?" she asked shyly, as if she were afraid she would be wrong.

"Florina!" Lyn threw her arms around the rider's neck, much to the surprise of everyone present. "What are you doing in a place such as this?"

"Lyn!" the young girl was on the verge of tears once more, but whether it was the culmination of her fear or a wail of relief Mark couldn't quite tell. Regardless, her inhibitions dropped, and she started openly crying into Lyn's shoulder. "Is it really you?" She asked between sobs. "I… I…"

"Come now," Lyn said, reassuring the girl. "No crying!"

The girl seemed to regain a mite of control. With a few suppressed breaths she managed to stop the flow of tears. After a few moments the embrace ended, and the young knight looked embarrassedly at the ground. "I'm sorry," she said timidly.

"You are acquaintances?" Kent asked, coming into view to stand beside Lyn and the rider.

"She's my friend," Lyn said simply, then moved to properly introduce them. "This is Florina, a Pegasus knight in training from Ilia."

She's still in training? Suddenly it all began to make sense as he remembered the reason his troupe had been honored with the company of a Pegasus Knight. That's right; part of their training is to travel with an outside military or mercenary outfit. I forgot that they were thrown into the world like that. He finally managed a good look at the young rider, for she was indeed young. Her hair was so pale that it almost seemed to shine lavender in the light. She was fully adorned in the armor of a Pegasus Knight, but the utter distress on her face told him that her training might have been a little lacking. This one seems so much more delicate than the others, and anyway, she shouldn't be out here alone.

Both Kent and Mark took note that as Lyn had moved to introduce the two knights Florina had instead taken a step back to clutch more tightly to Lyn. Lyn had to laugh. "She's a little uncomfortable around men."

"I can fix that," Sain said with a grin, causing the girl to duck even further behind Lyn.

Lyn shot him a dangerous look before turning her attention back to the situation at hand. "Tell me, Florina, what happened here?" she asked, indicating the two men with whom the whole episode had started.

The young knight suddenly seemed very shy. "Well…um… When I heard that you had left…" she started after a deep breath, "I decided to follow you."

"What?" Lyn couldn't quite believe she heard right.

"Then I saw this village…" Florina continued. "I flew down to ask if they had news of you." Her face suddenly flushed a bright red. "I… I didn't see these two, and …well…"

Lyn gave Florina an incredulous look. "Did your Pegasus land on them?"

Florina's face was now beet red. "Well, I… A little…"

Land on them…?? Mark couldn't keep himself from mouthing the words as they passed through his thoughts, so full was his disbelief. How is that even possible!? Of all the places she could have set down…

The two bandits, who had remained bewildered by the scene unfolding before them, and caught off guard by the unexpected presence of two Caelin knights, finally snapped out of their dazed state enough to press the issue. "Aha!" cried the second bandit. "You heard her! She admits her fault! She stepped on my friend, and now she's got to pay!"

The man's accusing words caused Florina to take as much cover behind Lyn as was possible. Lyn had to nearly look over her shoulder to address the young girl. "Did you apologize, Florina?"

"Yes." Florina responded softly, looking once more like she was about to cry. "I told them I was sorry many times over. They just wouldn't listen…"

"Don't cry. It's all right." Lyn said encouragingly.

"Lyn…" Florina wailed, fully burying her face into Lyn's shoulder blades.

Lyn turned back to the two men. "Listen, she's obviously sorry. Can't we just let this pass? You don't appear to be injured or anything."

The first bandit was finally growing tired of it all. "No chance," he snarled. "The girl goes with us—by force, if need be!"

With that declaration both Kent and Sain calmly placed their hands over their sword hilts. "Now now," Sain started. "I don't think kidnapping is justifiable punishment for such a misdemeanor, what do you think, Kent?"

Kent's eyes narrowed at the two as he answered. "I think it's absolutely ridiculous, and either way, I don't believe these two are in any position to be making such demands."

The two men took note of the darkness of the knight's reply, and began to realize themselves that they were now the outnumbered. Slowly they began to back away from the group that faced them.

"You can't interfere, this is between us and the girl!" the second bandit cried in complaint.

"Ooooh, Kent," Sain said mockingly. "See how their courage fails them when they're faced with more favorable odds."

The two men, still slowly backing away, never took notice of the foot that firmly settled itself on the ground behind them. "You watch your mouth boy," the first man retorted, "or you'll soon find my ax through your…" With a startled cry both men went down flat on their backs, having been tripped up by that foot with a little help from the man to whom it belonged.

"Dang," Mark said as he stood over them both. "I was kinda hoping you'd finish that sentence before I had to do that… but you began to flee so suddenly."

Lyn and Sain were laughing at them now, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle. Kent had a smug look on his face, but remained on his guard. Florina didn't notice, as she was too busy sobbing with her face hidden. Mark backed away from the men as they scrambled to their feet, knowing that being too close to them could welcome unwanted consequences. The bandits, however, only continued to retreat.

"This isn't the last of this!" the first bandit snarled. "We'll get what we're owed!"

"If we ever see you again, you most certainly will. In the meantime, I suggest you start watching your path a little more closely."

The two bandits glowered at the group that had so humiliated them, but wisely turned around and stormed off. When they were safely gone, Mark moved to join the others. Lyn pulled Florina away from the men and tried to calm her down, but the whole experience had left her visibly shaken.

"They're not alone, and they'll be back," the tactician said bluntly.

"What makes you say that," Sain asked.

"Two bandits would never walk freely through a town that was still populated. No, I suspect they're part of a small force, not terribly big, but enough to terrorize a town with such few inhabitants."

"Did you find anyone then?"

"Not exactly," Mark admitted, "but there are several buildings that I would like you to check before we run off. I don't believe this was a full out attack… probably just a patrol party that got too bored in the mountains. The outlying buildings we passed on the way in took the burnt of the attack I think. There are still several that looked more or less intact when I passed them on the way here." Mark motioned to Kent as he explained. "They're two big buildings with bright red tile roofs just to the northeast of there, you can't miss them. Take the others and check them out."

"Where are you going?"

"To find out what we're up against."

***

Fifteen minutes later they still hadn't located any structures that matched Mark's description. Finally, after much coaxing and reassurance that they would not leave, they had sent Florina to the skies to see what she could find.

"I told you Kent would get us lost."

"Shut it, Sain," Kent barked, rapidly running out of patience for the other man.

"Hush, both of you. It's not like Mark's directions were absolute. It's not a big town, they have to be nearby, and Florina will find them."

"I still can't believe that she was actually accepted into the order." Sain remarked, shaking his head at the thought.

"I know she seems very timid," Lyn agreed, "but don't let that fool you. She's actually a very accomplished knight. I've seen her fly that animal through the sky in ways I didn't think was possible, and there have been many times I have had to rely on her skills."

"Well, if you trust her Lyn, then I will trust you." Kent reassured her.

"Yeah, and I guess it'll be kinda cool knowing someone who can fly on a pegasus." Sain agreed. "I wonder if she'll let me ride it."

"It's not really up to her," Lyn explained. "The pegasus is the one that chooses who will ride her. When Florina first introduced me to Huey it took me weeks before she would let me get anywhere within ten meters. I still don't think she would let me ride her."

"Have you tried?" Sain asked, thoroughly interested.

Lyn shook her head. "No, Florina says she's much too picky, so we left it at that."

Sain snorted. "Hmph… pity."
"Lyn!" The call from above caught their attention and they looked up to see Florina guiding her pegasus back to the earth.

"Did you see anything?" Lyn asked once she was firmly on the ground.

"I… I think so. There are two buildings with red roofs a little ways from here, but they're right next to each other and I don't know if—"

"Did you see any others?" Lyn interrupted.

"Well… no," Florina admitted.

"Then that's probably what he was talking about. C'mon."

Another ten minutes later they stood before one of the buildings. Mark had been right. It was more or less intact, but Lyn still wasn't sure if there was anyone there.

"Sain and I will check this building. Kent, why don't you and Florina go see if you can find anyone in that one," she suggested, indicating the second sturcture. Kent signaled his understanding with a simple nod, but Florina wasn't so accommodating.

"But Lyn!" she protested outright.

Lyn placed her hands on the girl's shoulders and looked at her firmly. "Florina, don't worry. Kent is a good man, he is not going to hurt you."

Florina looked like she was about to protest again, but decided against it. "O… okay."

As Florina reluctantly followed Kent towards the other structure, Lyn and Sain turned to face the one before them.

"Should I knock?" Sain asked.

"Let me do it," Lyn suggested. "These people are probably terrified; they might be more comfortable if they see me at the door."

Sain shrugged and stepped away from the house, placing himself several yards behind Lyn. Far enough away that he wouldn't be an immediate threat but close enough that he could come to Lyn's aid if she needed him.

Lyn stepped up to the main door of the first home and knocked loudly. She distinctly heard the sound of people inside scrambling around, but no answer was forthcoming. After several more knocks went unanswered she eased the door open slightly and called inside.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

Her only answer was an angry voice that came from the back of the house. "Leave us alone, you thugs! Go away!" it called desperately. "Go Away! We've no more gold for you!"

"No, wait! Please!" Lyn called back, relieved to have found anyone at all, "We're not bandits! We want to help the village. Please listen!"

There was a short pause, during which she could hear distinct whisperings coming from somewhere in the building. Finally one voice rose above the others. "Remain inside, everyone. I'll go see what's happening."

Lyn, not wanting to appear too threatening, took several steps back from the front door herself. Soon thereafter, she saw the tip of an arrow appear through the arch, followed closely by a young man with a very suspicious look on his face. He saw Lyn, then looked further to see the knight standing behind her. He looked back to Lyn and indicated the other with a curt nod.

"Not bandits, huh? So, who are you?"

"My name is Lyn," she answered him. "My colleagues and I are just traveling through here."

"Travelers are no longer welcome here," the man said sourly. "You may have not noticed, but this town is under new management."

"Yes, we saw some bandits about," Lyn informed him. "We're going to deal with them, but we need you to go and warn the villagers, we don't want anyone getting caught in the crossfire."

The young bowman squinted at her, trying to find where the catch was. "Why would you, a group of so called travelers, be so willing to help out some nameless village at the risk of your own lives?"

Lyn looked him straight in the eye, "We are all well familiar with the cruelty of the bandits of these mountains. We have no desire to see such tragedies fall upon others while we stand in a position to help."

The young man looked at her for a moment longer and then slowly lowered his bow, not so much because of a belief in her story, but more simply for the desire to do so. Nevertheless, Lyn took it as an encouraging sign.

"Please," she begged him. "We need to know, are there any other survivors? Are there any other groups in the village that we should warn?"

The archer studied her for a moment longer then came to the decision that the girl before him couldn't possibly be related to the bandits… not with the way he had seen them treat women.

"Most of the villagers are still alive. Those whose homes were destroyed have taken shelter here, but I don't believe you'll have to worry about crossfire. Most of the residents are content to remain in their homes until they leave. The bandits don't usually attack anyone unless they put up resistance or have a specific goal in mind, but that doesn't mean they're welcome here." With an incredulous look he considered the two before him, "You don't mean to tell me that the two of you intend to fight them all by yourselves, do you?"

"Huh? Oh! No, of course not. We have friends; they went over to the other building to see if they could find anyone there. We're going to rejoin with them now."

"Yeah, before Kent gets them lost again."

"Quiet, Sain," Lyn snapped over her shoulder before addressing the young man once more. "Listen, thank you for your help. Please make sure that these people stay here, where it's safe, we'll take care of the bandits." She and Sain turned to go back the way they had come when the young man at the door stepped forward.

"Hey! Wait!"

The companions stopped to consider him momentarily. He looked back at them, a stern but uncertain look on his face. With another curt nod towards them he made his decision. "The name's Wil. I'm a traveler of sorts, too."

"… and?" came Sain's snide reply.

"Listen," Wil said, a little more resolutely. "These villagers have been kind to me. Mind if I fight with you?"

"Ha!" Sain laughed. "Go home, boy. This isn't—"

"Not at all," Lyn interrupted him. "We need all the help we can get!"

With a final nod Wil accepted her statement. "Thank you. I've got a score of my own to settle with these bandits."

Lyn smiled back at him. "Welcome aboard, Wil! You already know my name. This," she indicated the knight in green behind her, "…is Sain. He's a bit of a smart mouth, but you learn to ignore it."

Wil looked at Sain with an expression that could barely be considered friendly, "A pleasure," he said flatly. Lyn was fairly certain that he didn't mean it.

"Whatever, pup," Sain said dismissively. "If you're gonna fight, be prepared to pull your own weight." He glared down at the young man, "I've already got too many backs to watch."

"You won't have to worry about me. I'm not stupid enough to fight with a sword."

"Then I'm afraid you won't get to have much fun."

"Alright, knock it off, Sain," Lyn cut in. "We need to get to Kent and Florina, and then we need to go find Mark, I don't care how good he is, I don't like him running off by himself. Anything can happen with these bandits."

"Get to who?" Wil asked.

"Our companions," she explained. "With any luck, they've got some good news as well."

"In fact," she heard Sain say behind her, "here they come now."

Lyn and the Wil turned to see Florina and Kent returning from their visit, both followed by their white steeds. Florina smiled happily at Lyn and held up a small pouch. Kent stood behind her, looking more than a little sheepish.

"Look Lyn!" Florina said cheerfully when they had rejoined the others. "They gave us some money!"

"Kent!" Lyn said accusingly at the knight, not believing that he had taken what little the people might have had left.

"I… I didn't want to take it," Kent said in his defense, "but when they heard that we intended to drive out the bandits they insisted and… well… our supplies are running low, and I thought…" he trailed off there, leaving Lyn with a weak shrug. Lyn glared at him disapprovingly.

"Don't be mad, Lyn." Florina said, coming to the knight's defense. "They wanted us to have it."

Lyn wasn't so convinced, but they couldn't spare the time. "We'll talk about this later. Anyway, we need to see if we can go catch up to Mark. He's probably found out where the rest of them are by now."

The group started to move out when Lyn noticed Florina's cheerful attitude had suddenly vanished, and she stood frozen in place, trembling. With a sigh she went to her friend's aid. The others, seeing Lyn start moving in the wrong direction, turned to see what was wrong.

Lyn walked up to Florina, whose wide eyes seemed to be glued to Wil. "Florina, what's wrong?" she asked the young girl.

For a moment Florina stood transfixed, her eyes darting between Wil and Lyn, not quite sure what to say. Finally, she lowered her voice and whispered to her friend, in spite of the fact that the young man was standing only a few yards away. "Lyn!" she breathed fearfully, "What should I do? There's an archer!!!"

Lyn initial reaction was one of alarm. "What? Where!?" She looked about, trying to see what Florina had seen. Finally she followed the young girl's gaze and traced it back to the only bow in sight, realizing her error. "Oh, that's Wil."

Wil, having heard Lyn, determined that he wasn't going to give everyone the same first impression that he had given Sain. He walked to stand beside Lyn and Florina, noticing the young girl shrink as he approached. He smiled warmly at her nonetheless and extended a hand. "Hi! You're one of Lyn's friends?"

The girl seemed too terrified to answer. Frantically she moved her lips, but whether she wanted to cry or scream, Wil couldn't tell. "Um… uh… … …" she stammered.

Lyn watched her quizzically. "What… What is it? Are you unwell?" When no answer was given, she turned to Wil instead.

"I'm sorry, Wil. Her name is Florina," she said, exasperated with the girl. "She's timid around men, and you… well, you've got a bow."

Wil looked down at his bow, confused, then looked back up to see the brilliantly white animal that had accompanied Florina approach to stand beside her. He noticed for the first time that it was no ordinary horse.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, surprised to see a pegasus in this small town. Slowly it all became clear to him. "I see! You must be a pegasus knight!"

Florina looked as if she wanted to say something, but still couldn't bring herself to do so. Wil had to smile at the sight.

"I apologize for frightening you, but I do understand your fear of bows."

Florina, taken aback by the apology, finally regained some facial motor skills, albeit slowly. "I…um… I'm sorry…" she tried, forcing the words through trembling lips. "E… even looking… at a… b…bow…" Wil noticed the distinct difficulty with which she breathed the word, "…frightens me ever so much…"

Wil smiled again, hoping to ease the poor girl's torture. "Of course, I understand. But you should really only fear the enemy's archers, not your own."

"Yes…" said Florina, finally understanding that this particular archer was not a threat. "Of course…"

Kent came up beside them at that point. "'Not our own'?" he asked. "Am I to understand then, Lyndis, that this person will be accompanying us?"

"Oh, yes, I'm sorry Kent," she answered, moving to introduce the two. "Wil, this is Kent, a knight from Lycia. Kent, this is Wil, he has offered us his services as an archer in this battle."

Kent eyed the boy skeptically. "You're awfully young for a bowman."

"I'm more than confident in my skill. You'll have nothing to worry from me."

Kent nodded. "I hope not. I'd hate to find a misplaced arrow sticking out my back, though if my companion happens to be in your way…"

"Hey!" Sain cried at the implication, drawing a hidden grin from both Kent and Wil.

"I've no intention of burying my arrows into anyone but the bandits that have attacked this village," Wil finished, taking the tactful route instead.

"Good." With that settled, Kent turned back to Lyn. "Shall we go find Mark, then?"

"There's no need for that, Kent." In surprise the entire group turned to find Mark fast approaching them. Kent scowled, still uncomfortable with the knowledge that Mark could do that so easily.

"Mark!" Lyn called out to him as he approached. "Did you find out anything?"

"Yes," Mark answered her, coming up to stand beside the others. "They've apparently commandeered a tavern on the other side of the town, which they're using as a staging area. There aren't many of them, nine… ten at the most, but sure enough the man we ran into— Migal, if I caught his name right— has them mobilized and on their way here as we speak."

Sain scoffed. "It takes only ten brutes to bring this town to their knees? What kind of men reside here, anyway?"

"Don't berate the people of this village." Wil barked angrily. "They are a kindhearted folk and have no desire for violence. The bandits of these mountains have been a source of terror for this town for years, and the people are afraid that if they fight this group they'll bring the wrath of the entire tribe down on them."

"Then they should fight them all, you can't live in fear your whole life."

"Quiet, Sain," Kent interrupted. "Remember that we too, owe a favor of this village. We would never have found Bulgar before Lyn left if they hadn't directed us."

Sain gave a look of reluctant agreement. "True enough," he remarked.

"Regardless," Lyn chose that moment to bring the conversation back on track, "Mark! We've got to fight back!"

"I know, Lyn. I passed a section of the town a little while back that could be used as an adequate ambush position, if we could just lure them there."

As Mark explained his plan, leading the group to the designated spot, Florina moved beside Lyn and began tugging at her clothing. When Lyn turned to acknowledge her, she noticed the confusion on the young rider's face.

"What is it, Florina?"

"Uh, Lyn," Florina whispered, "What's going on? Are we leaving the village?"

"Not yet, we have to fight off those bandits first, to make sure they don't hurt anyone else."

"Oh… but Lyn… I…"

Lyn recognized the look on her friend's face. "You're a Pegasus Knight, aren't you? You can fight, can't you?"

"…Yes!" Eager to please her friend, Florina had answered after only a moment's hesitation.

"Then don't worry, stay with us and you'll be protected. I won't let anything happen to you."

Her confidence momentarily bolstered, Florina again nodded eagerly, "And I'll make sure nothing happens to you, too. Okay, Lyn?"

Lyn smiled at her. "It's a promise."

They continued to follow Mark for several minutes. He had apparently outdistanced the bandits by quite a margin. Finally they reached a section of the town that was divided by several walls that separated the alleys of the commercial area from some old residential homes. The homes were in poor repair, as were the walls, and Mark was confident that they were uninhabited.

"We can make our stand here. If the bandits are headed back to the place of the initial incident, and I suspect they are, they'll have to pass through here first if they don't want to take a ten minute detour."

Lyn surveyed the area and agreed on Mark's choice. She walked up to him, followed closely by Florina, who was too timid to stand beside anyone else.

"Listen carefully, Mark. We're facing bandits. They're underlings, but we can't take them too lightly."

"I understand Lyn. They still outnumber us by three at least, so I have no intention of letting them use those numbers against us."

"Good, let's clear them out of here before they cause any more damage. Are you ready?"

Mark sighed. "Ready as I'll ever be, but we'll have to set up first."

Lyn glanced around once more. "The layout around here might make it difficult to fight, that's true. However, the same holds true for our foe, too. If we use these walls just so, they may ensure our victory."

"My thoughts exactly. From the direction they're coming, they'll have to pass through that hole in the wall there. I'm fairly certain that there are no other breaks, but I'd like your friend to double check, if she's willing."

Florina took this moment to tap Lyn's shoulder. "Lyn… Who's that?" she asked shyly, pointing to Mark.

"I supposed I never did introduce myself," Mark said, understanding the young girl's confusion. "We were rather pressed for time at the moment, and you seemed so upset, I didn't want to bother you."

Lyn smiled. "Mark, this is Florina. Florina, this is Mark," she said, properly introducing them. "He's still an apprentice, but he's my tactician."

"Oh, I see…" then much to both Mark and Lyn's surprise, the young rider actually stepped out from behind Lyn to stand before him. "Uh... Mark?" she said, inclining her head in a small, but polite, bow, "I'm pleased to meet you."

Mark smiled and the young woman before him, then bowed low in return. "I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance as well." He finished his bow and saw that she had again stepped back and was blushing slightly. "It's been a while since I've seen a Pegasus Knight. Can I count on your skills for this fight?"

Once again the young girl nodded eagerly. "I… I am ready to fight. I'll follow your orders…"

"Good, I have no doubt that I'll need your help. Now… let's get everyone ready."

***

When Migal and his second in command rounded the next corner they stopped short. There in the street stood the group that had so humiliated him. The two knights— still clad in full armor— stood to either side of the group while the traveler in green stood between them. Migal smiled as he recognized the two girls behind the men, the one still atop her winged mount. Quickly he motioned to the rest of the group behind them to take up flanking positions before they turned the corner behind him, giving away their numbers.

Mark didn't miss the gesture. This one's no fool, but I'm willing to bet he doesn't know the arena. After Florina had confirmed that the wall remained unbroken for some distance, Mark felt safe that their backs were protected for a time with the only hole directly behind them. The bandits would have to take a roundabout route if they wanted to surprise them. If he had missed something though… Well, Wil should have that covered anyway.

"Remember," he whispered to the group around him, "Defend and sting, make it look like an organized retreat or they'll more likely suspect a trap."

"So, ya didn't skip town when you had the chance, 'eh?" the bandit leader called out to them. "Too bad for you."

"We thought we'd give you the chance first," Sain said smugly. "…and considering what I can see, I'm still liking the odds."

"You can be smart all you like, son. It won't help you anymore."

"Look," Kent interjected. "We've apologized enough. You're being much too unreasonable about this."

"I'll determine whether or not we're being unreasonable." Migal said. "Now draw your swords! We're not listening to any of your stinking apologies!"

"Um… excuse me…"

"Huh?" it took Migal several moments to realize that it has been the pegasus rider who had spoken. "Oh, it's you! So, you changed your mind about coming with us, 'eh?"

Upon seeing the man's wicked grin, Florina cringed atop her mount. "Well… no… but… this really is… my fault… really… So, can we…" She paused there, trying to determine what do say next.

Migal's face went sour. "Well, what?! C'mon, lass, out with it!"

Florina looked down in embarrassment. "I'm sorry," she apologized before continuing. "Can we… can we just stop fighting now?"

Migal scoffed at her. "You've got to be kidding. After I've been made to look like a fool? No way!"

At his harsh response, Florina squealed tugged on the reigns, causing Huey to take a few beleaguered steps back, but the bandit wasn't finished. He hefted his axe and pointed it at her.

"You're coming with us! I promise you that!! Now, if you don't want to get hurt, give yourself up!"

Sain couldn't believe he was still hearing this. "That's our line," he explained to the bandit.

Confident that his colleagues had been given adequate time to get around the friends, Migal only smiled wickedly. "We'll see about that," he said before calling out to the rest of his band. "Hey! C;mon out now boys!"

Instantly the rest of the group made their presence known, revealing themselves in various positions around Lyn's band. Mark briefly counted heads and came back with eight, there were at least one or two still missing, no doubt trying to get around the wall behind them. That was at least some good news. Mark was a little more worried about the two that were brandishing simple but undoubtedly effective bows rather than the simple axes that were the mainstay of brigands like these. He hadn't counted on there being ranged attackers.

"The men are fair game," Migal continued, "but don't put a scratch on the girls!"

"Hey!" Lyn shouted out at the bandits. "Listen!"

"What is it now?" Migal sneered.

"There's something I wanted to ask you."

"Heh, begging for your life so soon, wench?"

The glower that Lyn leveled at him nearly broke Migal's bravado completely. "Are you… Taliver bandits?" she asked dangerously.

"Taliver?" Migal responded in surprise, scowling at the question in spite of himself. "Those greedy monsters? We're nothing like them!! Those fiends will even kill women and children!"

"Explain to me, exactly where the difference lies." Sain said sarcastically.

"We're from Ganelon, and we know a little something of honor. We don't harm women, for one thing." Migal said with a smug chuckle. "After all, why kill what you can sell?"

Sain's sarcasm was ever at the ready. "Oh, yes, how honorable. Maybe we'll let you walk away from this after all."

Kent was a little more unforgiving. "I should cut you down where you stand, you dog!"

"If you're not Taliver," Lyn continued, "then there's no reason for you to die here today. If you would like to tuck your tails and flee, do so now."

"Well put Lyn," Mark whispered to her, "but I think we're going to have to let our actions make the statements today."

Mark's guess was right on the money. Migal was positively furious that Lyn would address him so. "You… You…" Mark thought he looked like he was about to pop. "No more courtesies!" he shouted in anger. "You're going to learn to watch your tongue!!! Kill them!"

The group didn't yet approach, but the archers each readied an arrow.

Mark leaned in towards Florina. "Wait until we've dealt with the archers," he said to her, noticing with some dismay that she had begun to fidget anxiously at the sight of the bows. "Stay on the ground until they're out of the picture, then take flight."

Florina nodded nervously atop her pegasus. Mark realized he probably couldn't get her into the air anyway until their range was no longer a threat. He also realized that they were quickly running out of time. I was hoping Wil wouldn't have to give away his presence so quickly, but it doesn't look like I have a choice.

Mark's left arm shot outward, then down, and one of the archers suddenly gasped as an arrow sank into his right shoulder. The other archer, much to his credit, was quick enough to gauge the trajectory and return fire, but the shot was wild, and he still didn't have a clear view of his assailant.

"Everyone pull back."

They all looked at Mark in surprise. "But what about the plan?" Lyn asked.

"No time, get behind the wall!"

As the confusion of the first strike wore off the other members of the Ganelon bandits ran out of patience; they charged forward while the team made a hasty retreat. The first one reached the wall just as Kent and Sain backed through, blocking the hole at the far end. Luckily the wall was thick enough that no more than two men could squeeze into the gap, which left them quite vulnerable to the blades of the two knights awaiting them on the other side. Two of the men tried to push through regardless. One was quickly felled and the other promptly pulled back. For the moment, it was a stalemate.

"Kent, Sain, hold them here, but don't let the archers get a bead on you, use the wall for cover."

The knights nodded and stood their ground while Mark set about pondering their next move. We can't win a battle of attrition, and we won't hold here for long. Think Mark! There's gotta be something else...

As he was deep in thought, another figure dropped down from above to land beside him. Instantly Mark spun around— dagger in hand— to face this new assailant.

Wil threw up his hands in surprise. "Hey, it's me! Wil, remember?"

Mark checked himself and the dagger disappeared under his cloak once more. Lyn couldn't help but notice the ease with which the tactician handled the small weapon. For an instant, Kent's words to her that morning echoed again through her mind.

Mark had other things to worry about. "Wil, what happened?"

Wil looked a little disappointed. "I got one of the archers, but that other guy's good. He had me pinned down up there, I couldn't do much else, so I thought I'd come back."

"Mark," Lyn called out to the tactician, "We can't stay here forever, we've got to do something."

"Well, why don't you issue me a command?" Wil volunteered. "I'd love to help!"

Mark stared at the eager-eyed archer, and a plan slowly began to take form. "Florina," he turned to the pegasus rider, "go now, circle around and wait for the opportunity but stay low and out of sight until then!"

Florina nodded and pulled her steed around, galloping off for some distance before taking flight. Mark grabbed Wil's wrist and pulled him along,

"Okay, here's what I want you to do."

***

Migal was nearly foaming at the mouth. "What are you morons waiting for!? Get after them!"

"They've barricaded the other side of the hole, Migal! They'll cut us down if we try to push through."

The bandit leader growled low, obviously not happy. "Randall!" he shouted, searching out his only remaining archer, "What are you staring at!? Git over here and cover that hole!"

"They' got a bow at the top of the wall over there, boss. He's the one that got Farg."

"He ain't shootin' anything is he!? Get over here and clear out those knights!"

With another nervous glance towards Wil's now vacant sniper's nest the young bandit cautiously began to move to get a better view of the hole in the wall.

"Shouldn't we just go around?" Migal's second asked.

"No," Migal said simply. "They chose this ground for a reason, that's probably what they want us to do. We're going through! Now you!" he pointed out the approaching archer, "You get over there and take out those knights!"

Randall moved further towards the hole, trying to get a good line of sight while attempting to keep himself covered from the enemy archer. Unfortunately the sheer thickness of the wall meant he couldn't get a clear shot unless he was standing almost perfectly perpendicular to it. Finally he found a good position with enough cover that he felt safe from the enemy archer.. He noticed however that the knights, even as he readied his bow, stood their ground on the other side of the hole. At least until the last moment.

"Down!"

At Mark's cry the knights threw themselves to the ground, and it was then that Randall saw their archer, hidden in the shadows some distance behind the two. He frantically tried to correct his aim, but Wil, already expecting the sudden maneuver, was too quick. An arrow whistled through the opening and Randall went down, his own arrow flying harmlessly into the sky. At least, Mark hoped it came down harmlessly.

In surprise the other bandits scattered, not wanting to meet a similar fate as their companion, but the allies on the other side, now given considerably more favorable odds, rushed out the hole to engage the scattered combatants. It was still a three-to-five ratio, but Mark was hoping that their plan would work out.

As the bandits regained their balance and faced the attackers, Migal held back, confident that his remaining forces would eventually overwhelm the trio. As such he was completely unprepared as a large shadow appeared over him, and eight hundred pounds of brilliant white literally dropped from the sky to land solidly upon him.

A split second reflex reaction was all that saved him from a broken neck, but that same reaction left him weaponless and pinned beneath the large animal. With a grunt he struggled to pull free, but was unable to do so.

"G... get off me!"

Florina leveled her lance at the bandit leader. She still looked nervous, but her grip was firm. "I... I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to be quiet now."

Migal didn't bother to listen. "Somebody get this wench offa me!" When no one immediately responded, he took a moment to see why. It was then that he realized his troops were no longer bothering to put up any resistance, because they were no longer facing three lone warriors. The men of the village, having come to the decision that they would not let the foreigners fight their battles for them alone, had suddenly made an appearance.

One such man approached Wil, who had come out from behind the wall.

"Kyle!" the archer called to the man, "Boy am I glad to see you!"

"Well, met, young Wil," the older man responded. "We're sorry we couldn't appear sooner, but it has become rather difficult to find weapons in our small settlement. Still, once word got out that there was a group in town who were willing to run these madmen out, we knew we couldn't let them do it alone."

"We appreciate your assistance," Kent said, moving to stand with the others. He indicated the remaining band, "Do what you will with them, but I suggest keeping them out of sight. Bandits are not known for their forgiveness."

As if to prove his point, Migal spoke up from his position, still trapped beneath the pegasus and her rider. "You'll live to regret this..." he started, gasping for breath beneath the crushing weight. "My brothers... The Ganelon bandits will not let this stand..."

"Somebody shut him up," Kyle said, indicating the boisterous bandit with a wave of his hand. Several village members moved to comply, and despite Migal's protests he and the remaining members of the band were quickly detained and bound.

As the bandits were hauled off, Lyn joined the others.

"Well, that's finally taken care of."

"Yes, once again we owe our thanks to you," Kyle said again, indicating the gratitude of all the villagers. "You have inspired us. Because of your bravery we have decided that we will no longer be easy prey for the bandits of the Bern Mountains."

"They will not take this insult lightly," Lyn cautioned the older man.

"We understand the dangers of the mountains better than most. It was some months ago that news reached our ears of the defeat of a powerful tribe of the Sacaean plains not far from here. We have lived in fear that those same bandits would turn their wrath on us ever since, but I realize now that we were fools. Fear would only bring disaster to us, and you have shown us that only by the strength of our own hands can we expect to have our lives the way we want them."

Lyn nodded as she choked back her emotions. Silently she prayed for the safety of this village. They may claim to understand, but only she could truly know the savagery of the border of Bern. She hoped they would never face those whom had destroyed her people. In silence she stood for a moment longer as Wil and Kyle discussed the increase in bandit activity in the area. Lyn listened with only half an ear, too lost in her own thoughts.

Amid the aftermath of the battle, Kent was the first to realize that several members of their party were no longer present. "Lyn?" he asked of his charge, "Where's Sain?"

***

At that moment, Sain was asking himself that same question as Mark led him through the alleys of the town. Shortly after the villagers had appeared, Mark had pulled him aside, back through the wall where they had made their stand. As far as Sain could tell, they were moving parallel to that wall, but he had no idea why.

"What are we doing here again?"

Mark brought a finger to his lips, indicating to Sain to keep his voice down. Then, after careful consideration of their surroundings, he pulled the cavalier down a nearby alley where they crouched in the shadows. Finally Mark broke the silence to explain.

"We're taking care of a few lose ends," he said with a smile. Before Sain could ask what that was supposed to mean, Mark indicated for silence once more. "Wait here. When I have their attention, sneak up behind them then wait for my signal."

Sain was about to complain again, but Mark wouldn't let him get a word in edgewise. "Whatever you do, leave one alive and conscious. We'll need him."

As Mark started to move away Sain was finally able to express his confusion. "Mark… wait for who? What are you talking about!?"

Mark grinned before moving off, outside the alley. "It will make sense in a moment, trust me. Just be quiet, and listen."

Sain had no idea what was going on, but Mark left before he could ask anymore questions. For five minutes he sat there, quietly running out of patience. Finally he convinced himself that Mark must have been playing some practical joke on him. He got up to leave just as two figures crossed the mouth of the alley, the light from the street casting their shadows deep into the crevasse. Sain ducked back behind his cover once more, hoping that they hadn't noticed his movement. They couldn't have been more than five meters in front of him, but luckily their attention was focused elsewhere. Sloppy, for sure, but it was to be expected; for someone had appeared in front of them.

"Good afternoon to you, gentlemen," Sain heard Mark say from somewhere beyond his sight. That's my queue, he thought to himself. Moving as quietly as possible (not the easiest of feats for a fully armored cavalier) Sain slowly approached the two men from behind. He took note of the two oversized axes easily slung over their shoulders, and silently prayed that Mark kept their attention focused the other way until he could get close enough.

There was no need to worry, both men were paying close attention to the man in green before them.

"Who're you?" grunted the older of the two.

"I am a simple traveler, like yourselves. I believe we have some business to discuss."

"Our business don't concern you," the older man sneered.

"Ah, but I believe that my business concerns you, my friend."

"I'll be th' judge of me own business," the man growled, out of patience. "And I say it don't concern you. Now get outta meh sight, 'less you wanna find me ax through that thick skull of yours."

Mark waved him off. "We'll see whose skull is the thicker in a moment. Sain, shut him up."

The older man fell to the ground limply, unconscious before he hit the floor. The younger man, obviously a new and inexperienced member of the band, could only turn on his assailant before the tip of a blade came to rest over his heart. He tensed, gripping his ax tightly and seemed as if he would attack regardless.

Sain waggled his index finger at the young man, "Ah, ah, ah… drop it."

The young bandit's courage failed him, and the ax fell to the ground without further complaint.

"I'm afraid you're too late, my friend," Mark said slowly as he approached the two. "Your battle is already over."

The boy, for he was indeed still a boy, was absolutely terrified. "Y... you'll never get out of here alive! Migal will have your heads!"

Mark slowly shook his head. "No, he won't. Migal is no longer a threat to this town, and neither are the Ganelon bandits. You see, a mercenary band has come to town, a band known as Lyndis' Legion, and I'm sad to say that the Ganelon bandits were no match for their strength."

Mark noticed Sain give him a quizzical look out of the corner of his eye, but he chose to ignore it for the moment.

The boy before them was not so confused as he was incredulous. "I don't believe you!" he screeched; his voice momentarily cracked in the manner of adolescence.

"Then you have two choices," Mark answered him evenly. "You join your companions and see for yourself, or you can turn around and leave, right now."

Again Sain gave the tactician a strange look, and once again Mark chose to ignore it. The young bandit could only think it to be a trap. Surely they would kill him as he tried to get away. "Why would you let me go?" he asked, he eyes wide with fright.

"I don't know," Mark grinned at the young man and his own eyes alighted with excitement, "maybe for reputation, infamy... knowing that the first thing you will do as soon as you leave will be to spread the word about what happened here. After all, if we left no survivors, no one would be able to tell the world of our deeds, and a healthy dose of fear amongst the bandit ranks could make our jobs that much easier."

There had to be another angle. "I…I won't be used by the likes of you!"

Mark grabbed the young upstart by the neck of his shirt, "You will… and you'll go, now!" With a hefty shove the young boy was sent to the ground. "Tell your friends, the whole of the Ganelon bandits if you must, that if they ever come near the villages of Sacae, they will have to answer to the Legion of Lyndis!"

The boy picked himself from off the ground, knowing that whether he wanted to or not, he had little choice in the matter. He took off and ran, headed for the edge of the city as fast as he could. As soon as the bandit was out of earshot Sain finally turned to his companion and gave voice to the question on his mind.

"What was that all about?"

Mark gave a deep sigh. "Those two tried to go around the wall, but they obviously didn't know how far it extended. They missed the whole battle."

"I was a little more curious about the whole 'Lyndis' Legion' bit."

"I'm getting to that," Mark said, crossly, silently wishing that Sain would for once let him finish a thought. "If they weren't at the battlefield, they don't know of the villager's involvement. I couldn't run the risk of the Ganelon thinking that this village was responsible for the disappearance of their patrol or raiding party or whatever this was. I had to point the blame somewhere else."

"Oh," was the simple answer, as Sain reasoned the situation out himself. "So you tagged us instead."

Mark shrugged. "I didn't want to, but I don't think I had much choice. Bandits are notoriously prideful. They'd have torn this village to shreds if they thought their members had found resistance here. It's better that they chase us through the mountains for a few days if it means the people of this town will have some time to recover. Hopefully we'll be able to lose them there."

"Great," Sain's expression was less than enthusiastic. "I can't wait to see Kent's reaction when I explain this to him."

Mark leveled his gaze at the young knight, "I don't see any reason why he needs to know."

"You're not serious? You honestly think it's best if everyone remains blissfully ignorant that they're being tracked by bandits?"

"This trip has been stressful enough, besides, the chances that they'll be able to locate four people in all the mountains is minimal, I'm not worried."

"Well," Sain shrugged, "if you say so."

"We'll be fine, just as long as you keep that loud mouth of yours quiet."

"Hey!"

"Anyway," Mark continued, ignoring the other's protest, "we should get back, they're probably missing us by now"

"What should we do about him?" Sain asked, kicking at the body on the floor.

Mark didn't even turn towards him, but instead turned to leave. "Leave him. We'll get some of the villagers to pick him up later."

Sain shrugged, but didn't argue. Falling in line behind the tactician, they left the scene, Sain silently praying that the incident didn't come back to haunt them all.

***

"Lyn!" Florina was shocked as she faced Lyn's stern gaze, she couldn't believe her friend was speaking to her so.

"I'm serious Florina…" Lyn continued, "Why did you follow me? It's so dangerous. You could have been seriously hurt if we hadn't found you when we did!"

Florina remained quiet for a few seconds as she best thought to explain herself, knowing that Lyn was not truly angry with her. She took a deep breath before responding softly. "Lyn, do you remember the knighting ceremony of the Pegasus Knights of Ilia?"

Lyn was puzzled by the change in topic, wondering where her friend was headed. "Yes..." she said hesitantly. "...you join a band of freelance soldiers to further your training, but what does that...?" her sentence trailed off as a thought made the connection. "Is that what brought you here, Florina?"

Florina nodded her head readily, "Uh-huh. I wanted to talk to you before I set out, but when I went to Sacae, I heard that you had left with some strangers, and..." Florina trailed off, the look on her face showing a bit more than concern alone, but concern nonetheless.

Lyn sighed, understanding now the young knight's issue. "You were worried for me?" Florina gave a small nod, and Lyn had to smile at the young girl, the irony not lost on her. "Thank you, Florina, but I'm more worried about you."

Now it was Florina's turn to be puzzled. "Me? But why?"

Lyn smiled as she explained. "Listen, most mercenaries are men, right? Bands of men?" She shook her head as she contemplated the girl before her, "I can't imagine you being at all comfortable around them."

Florina's gaze fell to the ground. "I know, I know. It's just…" she paused for a moment, and Lyn could once again feel the emotions of the young girl getting the best of her. "I... I've always dreamt of being a pegasus knight. I imagined I would just... work it out. Somehow." She heaved her shoulders with a magnificent sigh, a single tear appearing on her cheek as the significance of the day's events became clear. "After today, I'm not so sure," she continued, straining to keep her voice under control. "Maybe I should just... give up..."

Lyn wrapper her friend in a supportive hug, "Oh Florina... don't cry. Everything would have worked out I'm sure."

"Y... you think so?" Florina asked hopefully between sniffles.

"I know so," Lyn said, pulling back to place her forehead against her friend's. "You may be shy, but I've seen how much work you put into your training. I have no doubt that you would have found a way." Florina remained quiet, and Lyn could see the uncertainty still in her eyes.

Kent, having been close enough to hear most of the conversation, realized that Lyn was out of words, and that the situation was still tentative. "Dreams often require a sacrifice to fulfill them," he said, moving to offer what support he could to the conversation. "I remember my own dream as a young boy of entering the order of the Knights of Caelin. It was no small amount of effort that allowed me to realize that dream, but there has been no shortage of reward since."

"Yes! There's no reason to give up on your dream!" at the sound of the new voice, all three turned to see Mark and Sain approaching. Sain strode boldly between the three, not pausing for an instant until he reached Florina's side, causing the poor girl to take several steps away from the loud man that suddenly appeared before her.

Lyn couldn't help but notice the keen glint in the eye of the cavalier, the sure sign that a possibly disastrous idea was forming within his head. Sain wasn't about to disappoint her.

"Lovely Florina! I have the most brilliant idea!"

"Sain!" Kent, having also recognized the look in the mischievous knight's eye, moved to intercept him before he could make a fool of himself.

His next words caught them all off guard. "You should come with us!"

Lyn was surprised to find that she did not disagree with the suggestion. Kent, knowing his companion's most obvious of motivations, was a little more guarded.

"Sain, Florina needs the services of a proper military or mercenary group. Four lone travelers, no matter how well armed, can hardly qualify."

Sain only offered another sly grin, undaunted as usual. "And why not? With the addition of Wil here, we're a fine group of soldiers," he rubbed his hands together as the idea forming within his mind finally clicked, "and freelance to boot!"

Wil was still deep in conversation with the remaining villagers, but the mention of his name cut into his thoughts, interrupting that conversation. "Wait, did you just include me?" he asked, a little incredulous that the self-righteous knight he had met earlier would willingly seek his company.

"Of course!" Sain said, throwing his arms about his young companion with no apparent evidence of their earlier confrontation. "We were destined to meet here! It's fate!"

Wil was surprised at the sudden turnabout, but after briefly considering his own situation he wasn't about to second guess his luck.

Mark, knowing where Sain was headed and knowing that he had been the one to plant the seeds of this whole mess, remained aloof. He only hoped Sain wouldn't give away too much, for both their sakes.

"Come now," Sain reasoned to the various looks that were being cast in his direction. "Lyndis' band of mercenaries is as good a training group as you will find anywhere! We could be Lyndis' Legion, making a name for ourselves throughout the land!"

"Sain... This is no joking matter!" The look on Kent's face was a mix of anger and horror, and Mark worried if the green-clad knight had overstepped his bounds. "We're not there for notoriety! We have to get back to Caelin! We don't have the time for your charades!"

Florina cast a nervous glance between Lyn and Sain, unable to keep the glimmer of hope from slowly gaining strength despite her confusion. "Lyndis? Lyn? Mercenaries?"

Lyn was shaking her head in confusion herself. She glanced back at Mark, but he averted his eyes, suddenly becoming intensely interested in the erratic flight of a nearby butterfly. Turning back to her friend, she slowly ran a hand through her hair, pausing to scratch the back of her head as she tried to sort out the puzzle pieces before her. "I can give you the details later," she said hesitatingly. "This is all a bit rushed. However, Sain is right. Will you come with us, Florina?"

The glimmer of hope within Florina exploded within the girl's eyes. "Travel with you, Lyn? Truly? I would be so... so happy!"

"Fantastic!" said Sain, making the decision for everyone present. "We'll be the greatest outfit in all the land!"

"Sain!" Kent said sternly, interrupting the other's tirade.

"Of course!" Sain snapped his fingers, purposefully misinterpreting the other's outburst, "I haven't properly introduced myself. Beauteous Florina! I am a knight of Caelin. My name is Sain..."

So distracted was Florina at the news that she would be traveling with Lyn that Sain was able to cover much more distance between them than she would have normally permitted. The sight of Sain suddenly dominating her field of vision instantly broke her concentration. With a high pitched squeal that caught everyone off guard, she backpedaled frantically, nearly tripping herself in the process.

"Stay back! Don't get so close!"

Sain winced in suprise and stepped back as well, taking a moment to regain his composure and allow the ringing in his ears to subside. He couldn't stop himself from trying, though. "Ah... Beautiful, and yet so modest!"

Kent, meanwhile, had pulled Lyn aside; for once less concerned about Sain's mannerisms as he was about saving face in front of her. "I beg your forgiveness." he said, indicating his companion. "Calling us mercenaries..."

"No, I approve."

The utterly surprised look on his face prompted further explanation. Lyn decided on an appeal to the knight's desire to serve and his apparent loyalty to her.

"We can't leave Florina on her own. She requires special attention, though. Can I count on you?"

Predictably, Kent's posture shifted, and he stood tall. "Yes! You have but to ask."

"So..." Wil, still puzzled himself, had a few questions about his own position among them. "Is it really all right if I travel with you?"

"Oh, yes. Of course! If you're willing. In all fairness you should be aware that it will be no free ride, however, though I'm sure you already understand that."

"Actually, I'm very grateful," the archer affirmed bluntly with a shrug. "Truth be told, all of my money was stolen, and I'm..." he paused, thinking over his next words. "I'm at a bit of crossroads. I would be honored to count myself one of Lyndis' Legion!"

Lyn shook her head in a whimsical manner at the second mention of their unofficial title. "'Lyndis's Legion'?" she said to herself. "This is getting stranger with every day... Mark." She finished the sentence with intentional emphasis, knowing the tactician, despite his inattentiveness, had caught every word.

"Hm?" he questioned, intent on staying the course of innocence.

Lyn wasn't fooled, and she shot him a apprehensive look to tell him so. "You have something to do with this, I have no doubt."

"Hey, don't lump me together with Sain's featherbrained ideas." Mark fired back indignantly.

"Sain didn't come up with this one himself," she countered, still looking at him smugly. "You have some explaining to do, so let's hear it."

Mark shrugged. "You may want to be a little more concerned about rescuing your friend from the love struck fool over there before she faints out of sheer terror."

With a start Lyn spun about, realizing that she had left Florina to the non-existent mercy of Sain's affections. The cavalier had the poor girl tucked behind a nearby tree, with no signs that he was taking the hint. Quickly Lyn moved to intercept them before anyone got hurt. "Don't think you've gotten out of this yet," she tossed over her shoulder. "We'll have plenty of time later."

"Later it is then." Mark said quietly, wondering just how long he would be able to put off the confrontation.