A/n: Welcome back to my retelling of Fire Emblem. Hope you've all had a good end of the school year. I had a good getting laid off, so, let me get to writing!

-Ba-bump-

The pulse of the seal…. It was TELLING me something. It had to be. But what? I was… worried. My ribs still had an ache, and I was feeling like something akin to hell it's self was coming for us. It was time to wage war… but on whom, and when?

We arrived at the small community of villages on the border of Bern. We were almost out of the village when I felt a pulse so strong, I faltered off my horse. "STOP THE MOVEMENT!" I yelled as though it were my final wish.

Everyone stopped short, even as Garnet invaded my mind slightly. His hiss let me know he knew. 'I felt something odd as well.' I thought to myself calmly. Then I realized it was garnet. That would be unnerving, I knew. Is this how I sounded to all of them?

I pushed my thoughts aside. "Something… comes." I heard the beat of wings as a Pegasus flew down.

Unfortunately, I had the grace, tact, and good fortune, to receive the front hoof of a flying horse in my face. After I recovered from the slightly painful blow, wiping away the blood from my busted nose, the tears from my eyes, and unfreezing a small amount of antellius hide to help the swelling in my eyes, I looked at the girl who was riding on the beast's back.

"Damn right something comes, now, what in the nine hells are you doing near my Lyndis!"

Though slight, trim, fit, and undoubtedly beautiful, this girl was a minx. Sain, in his unfathomable wisdom, was staring at her with eyes that would bore through to the soul of the general with the thickest armor in the world. A mix of lust, and anger, I would say. Dangerous eyes.

Kent was eager to help me up, and give the woman a wide berth.

Ariana was also there, helping me up, rubbing a vulnerary on my face. I could vaguely think of laughing, even as I knew it was garnet, who was rejoicing in this very small victory for his ego.

Lyn was busy staring dumbly at Florina. She was blushing for some reason.

I suddenly felt Ariana stop rubbing my eyes. I wiped some vulnerary away, and was struck dumb and deaf. Florina was literally kissing Lyn. And Lyn WASN'T giving her an eye so black it would be invisible in the night.

For a total of three minutes we stood there. Even the bandits I could barely recognize coming up on our left were struck dumb.

"HOLD IT!"

My yelled distracted everyone from the blatantly public display of affection. "Bandits, please go back around the wall. We'll come out and fight or whatever in a moment." The leader nodded dumbly before he pushed all of his followers around the wall. Kent tapped Lyn and caught a fist in the face from the woman in white and blue.

Sain leapt towards her, and dragged the two apart, receiving very many blows from the Pegasus woman in the process.

"Alright, thank you Sain. Hold her down." I looked at garnet. "Excuse me, Garnet, do you have any idea in the nine hells what just happened."

'Well it's obvious, if you're telepathic. Lyn is of the persuasion that that is a simple Ilian custom. Whereas Florina, as her mind calls her body, is simply a dyke.'

"Err… a dyke?"

'Of the persuasion to seek a female for a mate, despite being female.'

I sighed. Great. A girl's girl. "Lyn… That's NOT an Ilian custom. That's an Excuse Florina uses to suck your face off."

Lyn looked at me strangely. "How did you…"

"Let's just say that this is no Ordinary Wyvern. Leave it at that."

Suddenly, a green Blur flew by me, slamming into a red armored man, they both ended up in a strangely yellow roll of pain.

"OH GOD! A Man touched me! EW! Oh god, Lyn! They'll hurt me! He touched me!"

Lyn's eyes caught a blaze, and I looked at garnet. He shook his head no. "Not that kind of touch Lyn."

"He was on top of Florina! How could he resist such an opportunity?"

Sain stood up, and calmly walked toward Florina. And then he did something no one expected. He punched her square between the eyes. "Ilian Wretch! Harm my commander, or my friend once more, and I will personally cleave the wings from your Mount!"

I looked at Lyn. "He's only a maritime Pervert." Her nod signified she understood.

Florina Looked at Sain. "Y-y-y-you Hit me!"

"Yes, I did. And you deserved it. You were acting like a Damned heathen with no education! If you are from Ilia, then act like it! I swear, if my mom had acted half as bad as you, I would have hit her too! Show some Decency!" Decidedly the perverted fool of a Big Brother to this army.

Kent was the learned Sage of a middle brother. Lyn was the average meek but fiery middle sister, Ariana and I, the Outside loners. I sighed. "Alright, that's it."

"BANDITS! Come on back!" I shouted.

The leader stepped around the wall, pointing at himself. God, bandits were so ignorant at times. "Yes, yes, You, Come on. What in the nine hells is going on here…"

He pointed at Florina. "She had her bitch of a horse land on me!"

Florina pointed her finger at her horse. "Do you know how hard it is to land one of these things!"

I sighed. "Florina, did you apologize to him?"

"HELL NO!" they shouted at the same time.

"Alright, that's it. We fight for it. The stakes? Florina and her mount. Winner takes all."

Sain grabbed her as she began to charge at me, holding her tightly by the arm, blocking her punches with one hand, looking bored. "Fine, I was going to suggest the same thing."

"Then shut up and get ready to fight."

As he went around the wall, I sighed. "On your training mission, Florina?"

She nodded. "Then you're a part of Lyndis' legion now."

I smiled at her. "Alright, Knights, Take the front. Wait in ambush around the pinch point we passed earlier."

Kent and Sain Nodded, hopping onto their mounts. Unfortunately, the only weapons they had were the two swords they had retained from the last battle.

"Ariana!"

The young Wyvern rider stood at attention. "I want you scouting. Take to the skies. Garnet, Inform me of everything you see. I want to know if the Bandit leader has a maggot on his ass, if you can see it. Only assist if you have to. Garnet is still our Trump Card. Are we clear, Ariana?"

"SIR!" She yelled as she grabbed up her lance and hopped aboard her wyvern. I would have put her in combat, but she had no armor.

Lyndis looked at the nearest village and jerked her thumb towards it. I nodded my approval, and smacked the Pegasus rider on the back. "Florina. Take to the skies, but fly low. They might have Archers. Head to the Northern village. Report anything you find. Do not ransack the homes, but warn them. We don't need civilian Casualties."

Florina Snorted. "I'll never take orders from a MAN!"

I looked over at her, and jerked her down to my face, snarling. "Then take orders from a Demon. Because if you don't get that sissy ass horsefly of this ground right now, I'm going to cut you into tomorrow night's meal with my Katar, capeesh?"

"Capeesh!" She shouted, and flew off. I smiled. Then I began to climb up a tree. Best way to see battle, was of course, from the treetops. I didn't bother shifting. I just reached out to garnet, smiling.

"Alright, what have we here, wyvern?"

'Looks like the Maggots on the Bandit leader are all dead.'

"Well, that's one less worry. Let's see… examine the pinch point."

Ariana nodded in unison with garnet, and they flew off, looking towards the ground. 'CHIEF!' garnet mind-hollered.

I switched astrally, even as I felt a new presence join the battle. I sat atop the wyvern, staring down. Kent and Sain had dismounted, their swords drawn as they waited on the first axe wielding murderer to charge into the small clearing near the bushes. But that wasn't my worry. An archer behind the wall was drawing a bead on Sain. "Got to run Garnet, Do me a favor, and drop a fresh load on one of those bandits."

I jumped down out of the tree, running towards Sain. There wasn't a way in hell he could dodge that arrow. He was in a very bad position, and that archer was using a damn good bow, even if it was very worn. It looked like it was on its last strings.

"SAIN!" I yelled, already working my hands in the pattern for one of my blessings. "CHAINS!" I yelled, even as the arrow whistled through the air. The ethereal chains draped over the arrow, and a wall of them formed in front of the arrow. Its silver tipped head slammed head on into them, and I grunted, feeling my fingers bleed as the held the position… Just a few seconds more and I could release the Position, but if I held it to long, that arrow would pierce right through my hand. "GET READY!"

Sain braced for impact as I let my hand loose the arrow. The silver tip slammed hard into Sain's shoulder armor, and he grunted, the dent in the armor barely cracking. A thin trickle of blood began to ooze out. He nodded his thanks, and leapt on the charging brigand, his blade aloft. "KENT! CROSS!" He shouted. His blade slipped across the bandit's Knee pits, the soft supple flesh giving way as the blade bit into the tendons and ligaments behind.

Kent smirked. "SLASH!" he yelled, and ran out of the bushes, his left handed swordsman ship was on par with that of a sword master's right hand. It sliced cleanly through the bandit's neck, but didn't decapitate him; instead, a soft blue light seemed to emanate from the man's throat. "SHIT! They have a Tactician!" Kent yelled, as he turned and plunged his blade through the brigand's chest, slaying him with the final blow. I doubt even a walling blessing would have held him back.

They both fell back to the bushes, and nodded in unison. "Mount up!" I said telepathically, as the tense situation averted. I wouldn't have to worry about silver arrows for a moment, so I could go back to focusing on my Battle's wholeness.

Florina smiled as she carried the small red orb with her, flying towards me. "Back to battle, girl. I want you to ambush any sword wielders you find. But DO NOT get within the space of an arrow's flight to one of those archers." She nodded quietly.

Lyn tapped the tree I was perched on. We had reached a stalemate. Their two archers were waiting patiently for Kent or Sain to move. But thanks to a slight cloaking spell, they were hidden within the bushes. Only a movement as extravagant of say, three inches would alert them. Florina was trying to locate a safe path into the protective range of the archers, to take out one of the sword wielders. Garnet was trying to decide who to unload his steadily increasing payload of putrid ness. I looked down at Lyn, as I climbed the tree again, and said "Yes, Milady?"

"I found someone you might want to meet." She pointed at an archer. "Names Will, Mister Strategist." I nodded at him. "Good. We need someone of your talents. See that line of trees? The one illuminated in blue?" He nodded, though he looked decidedly freaked out.

"I see em. Who needs a new feather headdress?"

I smiled. "Climb the tree I've illuminated in yellow. When you reach the top, you should be able to spy an archer, illuminated in red. I was you to give him a nice, feathery eye patch."

He nodded, and ran off, smiling. I could feel that this man loved to shoot his bow. He really didn't care what the target was. Lyn smiled. "Lyn, Take the Mani Katti. You know the Pinch point Correct?"

She nodded quietly: I grabbed an apple from the branch I was sitting on. "When you run, I want you to throw your remaining iron sword at the lead bandit. Try to hit him in the chest. Let the two knights pass you. They are to slash him together, and rush towards that building down south. Florina is to fly that direction as well. You are to wait in the blind spot of that wall. Then, you will charge, as they pass. The ARCHER is the first target. None of this happens without Wil's arrow making the first blow. Go!"

They assumed position, as my voice echoed in each of their heads. My eyes became Garnet's and we watched the battle. I saw one of the archers tense his bowstring. "Release the blessing, garnet, right on that one's head."

Wil pulled the string back on his bow and sighted down the arrow quietly… a swift sharp twang and a screech as the archer fell, clawing at the arrow that went through his eye, and cleanly out the back of his head, barely missing his brain and Spinal column. He seemed to seize. I recognized the magicks. 'Mercy.' I thought simply. A spell a strategist worth his salt never hoped to use. It ripped a soul from a dying body with such force; the soul would never feel pain again, even if they dove into the pits of hell.

Garnet snarled as he relaxed. I vaguely watched the blackish gift fall to the earth.

-SPLAT!- The heavenly gift showed just how much Favor the archer had with the gods. It was only then that the charge started. Then the ambushing began.

Savior, another gift, usable only by the most fortuitous, which my heaven seal seemed to be charged with, was readied. I could feel the pulse. He knew the ambush was coming.

I shifted to Kent. "Make sure your strike is fatal. Both of you." I looked across the way at Sain. The quiet nod was shared, and they went out. A swift slice, meant to disembowel his foe, brought the brigand to his knees, curtsey of Kent's blade.

The spell took effect, the guts of the man slowing, before finally going within his stomach again. The cut sealed it's self with a faint red glow. But the first Savior would be that man's last. Sain's blade was through the man's head and out the other side before he could have even realized he had just died once.

I heard the tactician yell. "DAMN YOU! You are no tactician, you are a demon!" of course, the mental yell was enough to shake me up. I shuddered, and sent Kent and Sain on their way, towards what looked to be an Armory. Wil was busy feathering another of his admirers. Lyn saw her prey, the now feces covered archer sulking by.

"KYAH!" She was cut short on her swing by a Pegasus knight, diving in, and crushing the archer beneath her mount. That was when the shit hit the fan.

Suddenly, axes flashed, and I was forced to intervene. My opponent had seen the Pegasus knight telegraph her move. I would have been happy to let her perish. But the axes had been aimed at Lyn. Self preservation and the preservation of purpose were the reasons I did what I did.

"SHIELD!" I yelled physically, and my arms were suddenly cut to ribbons as I held them steady. The magical shielding I had placed over my charge and her ally took the blows force, reduced it, and fed it into my body. And the hands, one of a strategist's most important things, were always the first to go. We sacrificed ourselves for our army. That was how it was, but I would keep this shield up until I had distributed orders, despite the blood flowing from my arms.

"Full on attack. No prisoners. Garnet, stay in the air. Spill no blood in this engagement. Lyn, take down the first you can and flee to the armory. Sain, Kent. Both of you guard Lyn. When she reaches you, charge them. Lyn, accompany the charge, but do not put yourself in unnecessary danger." I nearly screamed at this point as I felt something like an axe bite into my side as more of my power drained into the spell. I had to be quick. "Florina! GET THE HELL OFF OF MY BATTLE FIELD YOU IRRESPONSIBLE WENCH!" My arm nearly snapped as I heard them agree. Florina snorted. I snarled, and dropped the shield, when it was clear.

As woozy as I was, and as drained, I could still see the battle, and hear the other strategist's mocking laughter. "Holding a shield spell that long would have done in one of BERN'S tacticians. Your army will die, and your powers will be mine, bitch. I know you carry a blood bind!"

I smirked. The battle broke like a wave on the shore. Lyn had dashed next to a brigand, and jammed her sacred blade in his stomach. The Mani-Katti almost seemed to sing as its crimson coated tip erupted from his side, looking like it had simply sliced butter. Migal's jaw dropped as he watched from behind the barrier of the recently burned village on the hillside. He looked over at the black cloaked man. "Ner-"

The black-cloak silenced him with a glance. "The talons of what you fear will dig deep, Taliver dog, if you do not keep silent. This battle is life or death for that other commander. And a cornered dog will fight till his dying breath. I've cut off his front paws, but I need your Brigands to cut his back two." He smiled. Father would be most proud.

The gold eye scared Migal. He was here to find women and money, not a war with mercenaries. But the strange one insisted. He gulped.

"That man who spoke to the boss never said anything about getting into this mess! I'm losing men down there!" Migal stood up, about to brandish his axe. And then he found himself siding, with a pain in his groin, and a swell from behind his nose. He felt that strange sensation, like he was being watched. "I said keep silent!" the voice was a hiss as he looked into the black-cloak's ethereal face. "YOU will join your men in the killing fields then!" the amulet about his neck snapped loudly. "And your men have lost my guidance now!"

Kent and Sain jumped their horses into the fray behind a steadily retreating Lyn, who turned as they jumped over her. Their horses panted as the plowed through the first rank of men.

But this was too easy. They had a strategist. There should have been some kind of a move that stonewalled the foolhardy rush. The men weren't even being saved by spells. Nor were they putting up a decent fight anymore. Kent looked at Sain. "This has become to easy…"

Lyn snorted as she looked at the brigand in front of her. A boy, perhaps 17 years of age, held a shaky axe. "You're telling me… they aren't even learned at how to use an axe."

The boy's following view would have made anyone's day, if he had not been shitting himself at the moment she lifted her leg right into his face, sending him barreling back into his brother who held a sword. They both gulped. "Run." Was all Lyn said as she Purposely kicked the boy with the sword between the legs for gawking.

Sain winced, and marched his horse OVER the two boys, horse hoofs stamping down beside their heads. "Be glad she shows you mercy. Go home, and stay off the battle field!"

Kent snarled as he walked over, dropping a rag soaked in blood and gore beside him. The boys waited till the pair had passed, and then got up… And ran like the hounds of hell were behind them.

Bandits would come to know those two boys as the Cowards of Seville. Then again, no one ever met Migal, a renowned axe man ever again…

Lyn stood over the fallen body of Migal. The man had been knocked off of a cliff, as far as she could tell. He had been the leader of this gang of men. His skull was busted clean open; the whole alley between the burnt village and the sheer cliffs was covered in blood from his fall. There was basically nothing left of his skull, but the pink and yellow armor showed who he was well enough.

Wil sighed as he shouted again. "Hallo! Are your allies not coming back?" He looked up in the tree, before blinking his eye strangely as he suddenly gained a black space in his vision. Opening it back up, it was an obscene mix of the real, and a color of blood red. He felt something cold hit his face.

He reached up, and paled. Blood. And it was cold, so it had to have been a long time since it was spilt, but not long enough for the liquid to congeal. He screamed as loud as he could. "LYN! COME QUICKLY!"

Lyn heard the shout, even as she made to grab the small amulet that looked strangely like her own. But she stopped as she looked at Kent, who simply jerked her onto his horse.

Garnet swooped down, seeing the archer covered in some blood speckles. He had not been wounded, or so he though. Garnet sniffed quietly, while Ariana immediately ran to the pack horses, withdrawing medical supplies. Kai had talked her through some of the basics.

Garnet snorted, and nudged Ariana, shaking his head. She tilted it to the side. "It's not him bleeding? Then who is?" she looked at the tree. "Master Kai climbed up… oh gods!" She barely got the last words out as garnet was up the tree, his claws giving him traction as he jumped up it much like a cat.

Ariana and Wil watched, before she bit her lip and walked to the base of the tree, waiting on her Wyvern. Lyn and Kent arrived next, Lyn instantly hopping off the horse. "Thank you Kun." She said to the mare quietly as she stepped beside Wil. "What's going on Wil?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. But there was blood leaking out of a tree. I called you because I couldn't remember which tree Kai had climbed up." He shook his head sadly. "Then I was sniffed by a small Wyvern, and his lady, apparently. She said something about this being the tree Kai was in, and, Zip, zoom, there went the wyvern, right up the tree."

Kent nodded sagely. "A Wyvern is hard to impress, but they will go to damn near any length to protect those they respect or love." He stepped beside Lyn's other side and looked up as they heard growling.

Sain rode up quickly, just as the fight broke out. A Wyvern chased a Pegasus out of a tree, and he saw a woman fall from it, clutching a low branch tightly as her spear fell, right near Lyn. The branch cracked, she screamed, and fell, squarely on her but. He saw Kai fall a bit, then catch on the snag, his blood soaked sleeves pulling up with his cloak, showing off the razor thin cuts, with some that were entirely too deep.

The boy fell to the ground quickly, collapsing in a heap. He groaned softly, even as Sain dismounted. Ariana was at his side, bright eyes dull as she began to wash the blood from his arms. One of the same cuts ran along his side. Sain knelt down beside her and helped, earning him an affectionate smile. "Thanks, mister Demon." She said with a light tone.

Sain looked at her with a smile. A Running joke she seemed to be playing at. She always called him mister demon. "Sure thing, Angel." He said, earning a blush from her. He looked at Florina who was jabbering something about 'Magic in the trees!'

A moment before this.

Florina had nearly shit herself when she was suddenly told to get off the battle field. By a strategist no less. That was a black mark like nothing else. When you were told by an invalid of sorts to get off a battle field, it was being told you weren't even ready to begin to THINK of a Pegasus, which was a serious spit in the face.

Florina had originally meant to go to the strategist and plead for her military career. But he was passed out and bleeding, balanced over a branch. She put her hand to his breast, and shook slightly. "Strategist? Strategist!"

Wil's shout was barely recognized as she franticly scoured her brain. "Oh god, what'll I do?" She briefly registered that she had just willingly touched a man, which paled her cheeks, then turned them red with fury. Still, she didn't hear anything but the gears in her mind until she heard a growl so loud it was… scary? Hot? Humid? Burning her Pegasus's fur?

She turned her head, to find herself looking into a ticket straight to hell. A very pissed off wyvern had what looked to be curls of arid heat leaking out about a snarl. Her Pegasus whinnied loudly, and bucked midair, sending her barreling ass-over-teakettle to the ground. With a snap of the beast's wings, she saw the wyvern take off, flying after her mount, snapping the branch below the strategist's body with its tail as it flew its suicide course.

Present time.

Florina was weeping against the tree. Wil and Kent were on her left and right, Lyn in the middle, crouched down and trying to decipher the girl's strangled voice.

"EywashSobtrytoalkWeepwihestrgestCry!"

"I was trying to talk with the Strategist."

"wnsobeyoterewheezeeasutup!"

"When I got there, he was cut up!"

WAIL!

She nodded. Lyn stood up, and looked at Kent and Wil. "Apparently, the wyvern scared her mount, who bucked her off, sent her tumbling down the tree, broke the limb, and is now trying stay out of a wyvern's stomach."

Wil cocked an eyebrow. "You got all that from a WAIL!" He scratched his head.

She slammed her fist down onto his crown and growled. "No you idiot! I got that from looking at the situation!"

He raised his hand from his position on the ground. "Oh." He said before laying his hand back down and groaning. Damn she could hit.

I groaned quietly. He was so mad at that damn Pegasus and her rider. Trying to hurt someone he respected. I then realized that those weren't my thoughts. It came into focus quickly as I struggled with the mind numbing pain.

'DAMN BEAST OF BURDEN! I WILL TEAR YOU TO PIECES!'

'Garnet, calm down… I'm alive.'

'Beast! Where you learned to speak like me I'll… oh wait, Kai!'

'Yes, it's me Garnet. Calm down and land. I wasn't hurt by them.'

'But… the cuts on your arm?'

'Made by holding a spell in place.'

'Oh.' Garnet thought-said to me. It was so blunt, average, and too the point, I was taken a bit aback as he landed quietly near Ariana.

"Master Kai, you're Awake!" Sain looked at me with relief on his face. Sain continued to wrap my arm in bandages quietly.

Ariana smiled, and kissed me on the cheek, much to Sain's chagrin, I saw as I looked him in the eyes. He just smiled at me and wrapped my arm some more. I sighed. Too much thinking to do when I hurt this badly. My arms would be useless for a while, so nothing but advice from me for the army. I groaned as they tied off the bandages and I sat up.

The Villagers who had Befriended Wil insisted that the savior of their village be treated to a magnificent feast. Huge legs of Mutton, massive amounts of porridge (which was spiced generously, and delicious.) and huge orders of fruit.

Wil was the first to belch from all the raspberry burdock he had just guzzled down. With a load groan he leaned back, spying the woman across from him, who was quite attractive. She grinned, and so did he. "Excuse me…" he said.

I looked at him. "About time you showed some manners." I muttered, and then realized he was getting up. "Leaving so soon?"

"Food, shelter, water, all these are filled, but the elusive fourth…" he said quietly as he walked away, and I sighed. "Great."

Lyn was the next, and while she was sitting beside me, her burp rocked me to my bones. I looked over at her as she patted her belly pudge. "I'm so stuffed I feel like a hog!" She burped again, and sighed out an apology. "Oops. Forgot my manners, but that was some good food!"

Kent smiled. "Shall we retire, milady?" She nodded at him gratefully. I could tell she was into him, and he was falling in love. It was as plain as the day, and making my stomach wrench in utter dejection. Kent bowed, and gave his thanks to the village hetman.

I looked over at Ariana Angel, as we had given her last name, since she had none she knew of. She had changed into a different pair of clothes for the feast. An elegant pure white cloak over a baby blue mage's tunic, with a flowing blue skirt that was only just deeper in color than her shirt. A white beret adorned her head, and her almost violet eyes were setting the whole set off like a Bernian war-charge. Her hair, I noticed, was the strangest thing I had seen. It was as black as the night, but I could see violet streaking it so well, it had to have been natural.

I sighed, noticing Sain. The man liked green, that was sure. Even his leisure clothes were green. He smiled as they got up and left the table, leaving me with the village minus one. I grumbled as I fumbled with the fork again. My hands were shot. I shook my head. I hadn't even finished my first plate, and I was a very accomplished eater.

The hetwoman frowned, and sat beside me, helping me eat. I was truly an invalid as I looked over at Florina who was frowning desperately. I looked at the hetwoman. "You don't have to do this…"

"Nonsense… my son was a Tactician, just like you." I frowned. I wasn't a tactician. "I've seen the scars those blessings leave… it's the bravest path one can walk." I nodded, and took the piece of mutton from the fork.

"Can you tell that woman in the white armor to meet me at the hostel later?"

"Of course, Tactician-sama." I looked at her as she used Ilian. I swallowed the spoonful of porridge. "Ilian?"

"Yes, my husband was from the Daein Canton. We met, and came to the Sacaen ridge to find a peaceful life." She continued to feed me, her husband looking at her with pride and loving. Kai smiled. He married her because she was so tender. They were both past their prime, but he could see the man had been a valiant warrior. The hetman smiled.

"In my youth, I maintained a forced peace with the bandits around here. Perhaps you would stay, now that this village is so… alone. We have no warriors to protect this village… we have no way of staying safe within these walls anymore."

Kai frowned. "Milady is required at the Caelin canton soon, and we can spare no warrior. Wil would be an excellent addition to our forces, but, if he must, he can say here…"

The hetman shook his head. "He should go with you. We have a few strong men in the village, and I know enough of the sword and shield to train them. However, this is rude of me. Please, stay as long as you like, Tactician. Your wounds need time to heal."

Day 3 of our stay in the village. Florina had still refused to come and see me, but I had regained some of the motor skills in my hand. Nightly doses of vulnerary ointment had sped the healing process exponentially. "So, Lyn, how was last night…"

She looked at me. "Kent was wonderful. He took me for a ride in the twilight… I've never seen the sky so beautiful. He treated me like a real gentleman. He even picked me some flowers… funny, how they make a girl feel so… different."

"Well, don't be afraid of them. But don't let him sweet talk you. I don't want my main swordswoman getting fornicated, while we're still months away from our goal."

"You know me better than that, Kai."

"Think about it, we've only known each other for about two weeks now, Lyn. And if my hands weren't so lame, we'd be on our way now."

Ariana stepped into the modest hut I had set up as a barracks of sorts. The girls were strictly confined to the left side, and the men to my right, the reason being my right hand was less lame, and able to stop the men more easily. But luckily, nothing had happened, other than Lyn and Kent riding out last night. They had returned before the moon was too high in the sky.

Ariana smiled. "Talking about the date?"

Lyn nodded. "Yes, we were."

"Ah, too bad Sain's such a lecher. He's groped me four times today. Garnet's been pestering me to tell him off as well." Lyn had been informed, rather untactfully, that garnet was telepathic. I was still nursing a bruised kidney from it. I remember like it was yesterday… in fact, it was only the day before, after the feast.

Garnet giggled to himself, and I picked it up, resting in the hut. I absently shifted over to him, as he was usually better conversation than most. However, once I got there, I saw Lyn rather unmercifully groping herself. And making strange noises. My jaw dropped.

"I shouldn't be watching this!" I said to garnet, but he just laughed. 'So interesting. Your species can go into heat at any time, and don't even require a mate to mate!'

"It's called masturbation, and it's a way to prevent mating. She does this, and she's not left to fend off Sain by herself. It's also a rather enjoyable pastime, if you're enchanted by someone's beauty."

'Bah, I don't care for the details! She just smells so… frisky.' He licked his lips. 'So delectable, so honeyed and sweet!' I just stared at him.

"Surely Ariana has needs."

'Needs that she goes off by herself and completely locks down to fulfill. I've only smelled this once, and that was from another wyvern when I was a child.'

"Then they smell the same?"

'Far and away different. Humans smell like honeyed almonds, and wyverns like burning roses and hickory. A sweet yet flavored scent that just drifts along your mind like a graceful hummingbird to the flower.'

I sighed as I saw her arch, bringing her chest into view. I gulped and crossed my hands in front of my chest, determined not to indulge myself. "Humans are fickle creatures, my dear wyvern. So utterly driven by emotion are we that at times, we do things in the heat of passion."

'Not at all like wyverns, who think as they speak. We are methodical and impassive. I observe merely out of interest and speculation, while you do it in lust and regret. There's no need to be sorry, she is a beautiful woman, and quite eligible. If I was human, I might indulge.'

"You're pretty indulged now if your hips are any sign." I said, looked him in the face and nodding to his hindquarters. "You're being aroused, and you don't like to admit that a HUMAN is doing this to you. Admit it; you'd love to sire a half breed."

'Only to sire one, to discover what the beast would look like.' He stated defensively. 'Knowledge is a tool and a weapon.'

We looked on unabashedly as she nearly screamed and arched again, spreading herself wider and allowing us a view. Thank Elimine her eyes were closed. She bucked a bit as she slowed and continued her ministrations. Apparently, she was having fun walking that razor thin line, trying to find herself in a blade lined fog.

I shook my head, clearing it of mist. "You're a pervert, garnet."

'You try not being one when your lady insists on sleeping nearly in the buff right next to you. I've spent too much time around humans and I know what they feel like, so don't start going all mister "I'm too good to be a pervert" on me now. You're just as hypnotized as me.'

"True, but I'm also being modest about it, and speaking of modest, guess who's behind you?"

He looked back, and snapped his jaw up as Ariana looked at his rather naughty bits with a smirk. "Looks like someone's been a bad dragon."

He looked at me from the corner of his eye, and snarled. 'You'll pay for this.'

"When?" I smirked.

I felt him stretch his presence. 'Nice looking body Lyn, now just look through the crack in the boards right in front of you.'

Garnet and I were plainly visible. She smirked, and stood up, affixing her shirt back, dropping her indulgement away right there. I paled visibly in my ether state. "You're… A cold-hearted bastard, Garnet." She heard me too.

"So it's a peeping dragon and a peeping Kai, is it?" she smirked, and walked towards my shack.

"You do know you've killed me, right garnet?"

'You don't have to deal with a fourteen year old girl who likes her dragon as more than a friend, from the way she's usually thinking of me.'

"She's also had too little human relation for a girl her age. It's no surprise she finds Sain attractive."

I winced as I was forcibly pulled from my ether state by a boot in the chest. "I'm sorry!" I immediately said, scooting back a bit. "I shifted when I heard him giggle!"

"Dragons don't giggle." Lyn said with murderous venom dripping from her fangs.

"Telepathic ones do!" I said as I saw her brandish her claws (That is to say, crack her knuckles and glare at me.)

"Oh, he's telepathic then? Well why did you not stop Sain from speaking?" just then, Sain walked in, whistling a merry tune. "Ah, hello Lyndis. I trust the walk with Kent went well? I just saw him by the woods. He's taking quite a shine to you, you know?"

Sain was entirely too dense to just act like he had seen nothing if he had. "THERE! That's my proof! If Sain had seen you doing that, do you not think he would brag, blush, and be propositioning you right now?"

Lyn looked at me, and kicked me square in the kidney. "I'll go speak with Ariana about a suitable punishment then."

"NOT FOR ME!" I prayed/screamed. "Nope, for the dragon."

Sain scratched his head. "What was all that about?"

I smiled at the girls. "So, I've been meaning to ask you Ariana, what was your punishment for garnet?"

"Oh, just a peepshow to see just how much he was into human females."

My jaw dropped. "You let him watch?"

"Every juicy minute of it. Florina was most gracious in helping me too. Ah, you should have seen him. Stubby little wings tied up to himself… it was a riot… took a lot of rope though."

I blinked. "Tell me you didn't fornicate Florina…"

"Ewww! No! We locked him in a room near the hot springs… I still haven't let him out, and it smells an awful lot like Bernian mustard in there, but, he's not complaining… I feed him twice a day."

I sighed. "Well, for my transgression, I suppose I came out better than he, after all, he was watching the longest."

Lyn looked at me. "How much longer?"

"Apparently from the beginning. I was only there for the part just before your mystery man apparently either finished himself, or stopped himself to bring your body closer."

She kicked me in the shin. "OW!"

"For your information, you've no right inquiring, and it could have been a mystery woman for all you know…"

"There are two reasons I know why that's a lie."

"Tell me then, mister sage."

"One, you're apparently falling in love with Kent. Two, whenever you see Florina you become embarrassed, and distance yourself from her. This is why Florina is so utterly depressed, and quite certainly, suicidal if she still refuses to come see me."

I took the bowl of porridge from Ariana with grace and nodded my thanks. She smiled. Lyn just stared at me.

"I hate you Kai."

She said this with sarcasm dripping like water from her body. The thought made my spoon shudder for a moment before I devoured it. "I love you too, Lyn." I smiled at her.

She growled in frustration, and stalked out. I sat down with Ariana as we ate, and I told her more of the magicks I knew. She was mostly interested in the Flame magicks, not the tomes I spoke of. "The magicks, Kai. I want to learn the magicks."

"But… they cost your body. They simply cannot be used in combat."

"NO!" She growled. "I will learn to perform the magicks that cost my my blood, if only I can be more like garnet."

"There are tomes of fire, lightning, wind, even ice!"

She paled as I said ice. "I… will never read from a tome."

I then remembered. "You… can't read, can you? And you're afraid of ice."

She nodded quietly. "Fine, I'll teach you seven magicks… But I will not teach you any of ice or wind."

She grinned at me. "Thank you!"

"But before that, you WILL learn to read tomes." She dropped her eyes and lowered her head. "The reason is this, a tome usually contains forty or so, different incantations. All incantations gather the same energies, without draining your blood, but they do not work unless scribed in the blood of a white wolf. This supplies the blood required to the magic, and allows it to function."

She nodded. "Then I'll learn to read."

"You will also train in the spear."

"But why?"

"Because you are to be the world's first Dracomancer."

"What?"

"There are magicks in this world far older than humanity. There is one I know of known as quintessence. In its basic state, all life is quintessence. It circulates in your mind, giving you thought. That is why beasts can hunt in packs. But garnet is basically, a mass of quintessence. You will learn to communicate directly with that substance, and in essence, absorb some of it, becoming in effect, part dragon."

She looked at me as if I were insane. "It will be a slow process, taking the better of two years to complete. But, you will be able to master some of the dragon's abilities. This will give you more strength, tougher skin, better eyes, and faster reflexes. But you and garnet will be bound. Without one half of your quintessence, he will be nothing but a slobbering and most likely murderous, dragon. You, without half of his, would be frail and brittle, as breakable as a newborn twig."

"The reason I say this is because he is not just a wyvern, he is truly a DRAGON. At least in part. And I have a feeling we will meet more like him. And by tradition, Dragon riders use lances. By tradition, mages specialize in one type of magic. You will combine the art of dragon riding, with magic, and tame him, while becoming like him. A harmonic being, with two bodies but one purpose."

She looked shocked. "You love garnet, as more than just your savior or your caretaker or even your brother. You love him with all of your heart, and wish he knew just how deeply you cared for him." I smiled.

"You'll show him how deeply you do. Magicks like this have not been done in millennia. You'll have a long time to think about it, before it happens."

She nodded. "Go now; I need some time to think."

End of day Three.

A/N: Well well, I've butchered it suitably. A summer of careful planning all goes to you guys, the reviewers. It's the beginning of the school year, and I apologize for the wait, but I've had to plan out four or five whole chapters. Next chapter in Fire Emblem Redux: Dragon blood (Which I am changing the name too, Effective of this chapter,) will be the first support chapter.

Support chapter: "Smoke in the sky." And I'll give you a hint, Water flows in the forest, but can the forest change its ways before the water flows out of its grasp?

Final Notes: On the POV confusion issues.

It stared when I forgot which POV I was writing the story in during chapter 2, the Mani Katti Chapter. As you know, most of the referrals to Kai are as a 'He' instead of an "I me my" thing. I've decided to make this a story feature. When Kai is asleep, passed out, or just plan feeling weird, it's kind of like an out of body experience. Dragons will be a constant subplot, and you'll find why come Eliwood receiving his mythic sword.

Hope it's been a good summer for you all. And I'm off to write the next chapters!