I'm not releasing five until I get six done. I just don't feel like it. So NYEH! Eat it baby!

Fire Emblem Redux: Dragon's Blood

Support Chapter: Mystic Mayhem!

We camped just outside of the Araphen border. One, Sain was whining, two, I was hurting, especially my nose, and three, Serra was more annoying than ever.

"So." Sain was sitting on a log beside Kent and Ariana. Lyn sat on the other side of Kent. I wanted to scream at them, but refrained, by paying attention to Sain. "That's why it is imperative that I not enter the Lycian nations with such an… injury."

"Ah. You want US to be punished for YOU breaking your dick at the first thought of Ariana, and with an excuse like that?"

"It's not exactly an excuse. A lot of women in Lycia DO want him. Dead, and mounted on their wall." Kent nodded sagely as he sat beside Lyn. It was beginning to bug me. They were just sitting there, not… doing anything, but I could see the spark and the tension. It was annoying.

Wil ventured to open his mouth between bites of broiled antellius. "Well, an injury like that is never fun anyway. I'm surprised he's still mobile!"

Serra giggled ferociously, and was blue eyed at the moment. We had quickly learned her moods. Happy and uncontrollably hyper was blue. This meant danger. She HARDLY EVER shut up anyway… now she just talked fast WITH that. "Well now, that's a shame, I was looking forward to a nice warm bed! Oh, with a nice fluffy quilt, and maybe a feather pillow, OH! NO! Goose down! Yes goose down and tiger hide, ahh, the life of a queen, that's what I want. One day I will be queen of Ostia, did you know that? I'ma be so lovely! Yes yes, so lo-"

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP?" Hiiro sighed. "Christ almighty woman, you bounce around more than a damn bouncing enchantment!" He and Florina sighed in unison. Despite his dejectedness by being told Florina was a dyke (Which in fact, she wasn't. Somehow, I just got that vibe.) Florina was the next to break the sounds of quietness.

"Well, you know, every girl has the right to dream. When I was a girl, I always dreamed of being just like my sisters. Now though, I find that a bit of an odd thought…"

"Why's that, Florina?" Dorcas was pouring her another bowl. He was like, the father figure of the group or something. Ariana was always talking to him, Sain, or Garnet. No-one except those three had noticed the difference in her eyes. Dorcas had merely accepted it, while Sain had proceeded to walk into the woods and howl. Garnet's scales were coming in fuller now. His growth had speed exponentially. I continued to listen to the conversations.

"Well because! If you guys think I'm dyke, you've never met my sisters. Trust me, if you want 'queer as a magic-man' I'm sure you'll find it in those two."

Ariana giggled. "How do you know, Florina?" Garnet looked at her as she apparently thought something nasty. She just looked back and stuck out her tongue with a giggle.

"Simple. I walked in on them once. Wow, never heard such racket, and they don't sweat that hard when they're fighting."

I spoke next, leaving the Wyvern Sister and her Wyvern to talk. Of course, them talking was merely Ariana laughing, Garnet purring or growling, occasionally making a rapid Hiccupping sound, which he only recently started doing. "Let me guess, they forced you to join them?"

"Best day of my short life."

Hiiro's nose burst. Twin cotton balls went flying and smacked Wil in the face, fresh flowing blood spilling onto his dark blue chain mail. Wil fell backwards from the sheer force of the blow, and sent his food bowl (Filled with scalding hot Broiled antellius soup) flying backwards onto one of the few patches of fur left on Garnet. Garnet of course, was in pain from this, being that his fur was not a pleasant thing to dry, and his developing scales were tender. He swung his tail in anger, and tripped SOMEONE behind him, and he was around in a flash, Ariana had a small fireball at the ready, even though it was blood-borne.

The rest of us reacted slower. My katar were drawn and I was above the intruder in a flash. Serra's eyes went from blue to pink, and her staff was ready to brandish. Erk had his book open, and held his fingers ready to collect the blood. Kent and Sain held their weapons at the ready. Lyn had her Sword ready and I could see Mani ready to assist. Dorcas and Hiiro were the second slowest to get ready. The steel blade was held ready for a good hard blow, and Dorcas was ready to brandish either axe. Wil was still trying to recover.

"Hi." The blue robed thief said. "Nice to meet you!"

"Hi." I said, my katar were at his throat, bringing a bit of blood. "Any last words?"

"Sure. Hallo the Camp?"

"Got any weapons, tomes, staves?"

"Fresh out I'm afraid."

"Then I guess your robes will do just fine. Strip him!"

I got off of him, and his eyes went wide as about five weapons flashed. His clothes simply dissolved it seemed. He screamed like a little girl. Then he coughed. "I thought you were gonna kill me!"

We laughed. Ariana looked at his loin-cloth slowly. "Should that go too?"

I raised an eyebrow. "I'll take care of him. You guys go back to eating. Please ignore any sounds you might hear too…"

Ariana's eyes went wide, and she nodded. "I guess Serra is on call then."

Sain too, understood, and left us to be. Garnet was the next to go, but only after looking at me harshly. It almost felt like he was saying 'don't kill him' to me. He did growl in three different tones, as he did. I raised my eyebrow. The rest of the group slowly went back to the campfire. I grabbed the intruder up by the scruff of his neck, and dragged him behind a tree. Immediately, he screamed harshly.

"Shut up." I said, and stabbed a katar beside his neck, letting a trickle of blood begin. It was enough to hurt and bleed, but not enough to wound him. "You will answer what I ask, are we clear?"

"Yes."

"Good. Who are you?"

"Mathew. Gentleman thief."

"Who do you work for?"

"No one!"

"LIAR!" I stabbed the other katar in the tree just above his ear. He began to piss; thankfully, he was wearing only his loin-cloth. "GARNET!" I yelled.

The dragon was there in a flash. 'Yes?' he said as he arrived. He glared at the thief and wrinkled his nose.

"Would you do me a favor? Mind rape this little shit. He won't talk. Or better yet, we can turn him around and let you test a few theories on his back side."

Garnet looked at me, and growled, putting up a façade. I could hear him thinking to me slowly. 'Sooo… you just want me to scare him, or do you want me to actually Mind-rape him?'

"Theories is it?" I ripped my Katar out of the tree, and kicked him down to the ground, being sure to get his face in some of the liquid he had just released. 'You can actually do that? Damn. You and I need to hang out more, Garnet.' Garnet bundled up a claw, and put it right on the intruder's backside, and then looked at me with a smirk. 'Ever seen a man suddenly think he was a chicken?' Matthew screamed like a little girl. It was horrifying, and yet funny. Garnet was smiling. "OH GODS NO! I'LL TALK!!!!"

I picked him up, and slammed him face first against the tree, where Garnet took my place. The dragon played along with the story. He placed his claws in the tree beside his prey's head, and breathed heavily on his back, letting a little accelerant dribble down his toy's back. "Then who do you work for?"

"NO ONE! I'm not lying!"

I nodded at Garnet, who placed his tail on the kid's but. He was crying now, fearing for his life in all honesty. "Wonder if your ass will be accommodating to three foot of dragon?"

"I swear to Elimine, I'm not lying, I'm not lying!"

"Bullshit. You work for a Lycian nation. I can see it in your face."

He had something to protect, that was for-sure. But he wasn't going to talk. His voice was low and I hear him mutter something. Garnet looked at me. "What was that?"

He muttered it again. 'Ostia.' Garnet relayed it to me. He got down off the tree, and I replaced him, my Katar in the small of his back. "Okay then. Why are you here?"

"Stealing things!"

"Like information?"

"LOOK! All I know is that Two Lycian Knights headed north a few months ago. I'm supposed to find out what's going on!"

"Looks like you found them."

"What?"

Kent and Sain stood nearby, and smirked, and I splashed him with a little water from my canteen. "You stupid Idiot." I sighed, and put my Katar away. "Here I am, sitting with my comrades, and you come up and pull the DUMBEST thief move of the century. You try to rob an armored and well armed band of mercenaries."

Mathew turned around slowly and stared me in the face. "Look, there was an Assassin next to a Noble-lady. What am I supposed to do?"

Sain and Kent looked at me. "… At a Time, I did work for House Ostia as an Assassin, yes… I've done many things." I patted myself on the back. Nice cover-up.

"So what am I supposed to do? I can't be a Gentleman Thief-" I input my name for him there. "Spy, but continue."

He sighed. "If I let an assassin kill a Noble lady."

"I'm not an assassin anymore. I'm a strategist. She carries a Blood-bind Amulet you dolt, do you really think I'm going to let her die?"

"Well, you don't look like a Tactician…"

I sighed, and smacked him in the face. "Garnet, take him to the nearest river and wash him off. I think he nearly shit himself once there…" Garnet flipped his tail in answer. I winced. "… Take my shoes too." I stepped out of them and nodded to him. "And do be careful. He's got A LOT of things to do to make up for this fiasco. I could be eating."

And so I went back to the campfire. No sooner had the cavaliers and I sat down when…

"YOU were an Assassin?" Ariana was the one to blurt it out.

I sighed. The rest of the group was looking at me quietly. "Fine. I suppose I can tell you a bit about myself…" I put my stew back down. "I was born to Sonia and Nergal, just about fifteen or so years ago. My Father, Nergal, always looked down on me, thinking of me as a Failure. However, my Mother, Sonia, was sent elsewhere rather quickly, and early, in my life. She herself always despised me as though I was a filthy mistake."

"My father insisted that I learn every art of combat known to man. At five, I was a proficient axman. My father trained me from the moment I could lift a rock. Over the years, I became proficient in all close combat weapons. When I was seven, I was taught my first spells. At nine, I had mastered the Fimbutelvir. At thirteen I was given away to the Highest Bidder as a Mercenary. At fourteen, I ran away from home, and became an Assassin for about three months, with House Ostia. I left when I was captured by Bernian Soldiers, and I was put into a Wyvern Rider's care. I learned quite a bit about wyverns during that time. Two months later, I fled again, after my foster Mother decided I was too much of a burden."

"About two months ago, I was found by Lyn." I was happy with the short summary of my life. Erk wasn't.

"I thought your father trained you as a Strategist?"

"Never said he did. I said he taught me. I learned those from him, and He threatened me with mercy from time to time. I've been the victim of many a weapon, and many a spell."

Florina spoke next. "And I thought having gay sisters was bad."

"Indeed." I said, and the group went back to being quiet. "So what happens if an Ostian Agent finds you?" Kent asked this one.

"We have an Ostian Cleric here, and that Thief knew I was an assassin, though not by trade. I'm thought dead."

Mathew came back into camp with Garnet at that time. He was wet and shivering. "Give the kid some clothes, will you Dorcas?"

Dorcas nodded, and tossed him a spare set of robes I had in the wagon. He hadn't said a word to me yet. I shrugged it off. Mathew quickly dressed. "So, when did Mark learn to be a Strategist?"

My spoon fell from my hand. It started to shake a little, and I grabbed it, and nearly doubled over. "I'm not Mark." I looked over at him. "My name is Kai. Mark's gone… he's been gone a VERY long time."

Elimine looked at the crystallized figure within the amulet. She sighed. "Why didn't he do it right?" Roland sat down beside her.

"We both know Mark wasn't the one who could fight Nergal this time… Something happened and Nergal changed. Someone screwed with our world, Elimine."

She sighed, and hugged the crystal tightly. She could feel the soul inside trying to understand what was going on. The Thirteen year old within wanted to bust out and claim HIS body, HIS life back. All he remembered was seeing Nergal's face, and then his life was snatched away. And here he was, watching this drama fold out, and someone parade around in his body. He could hear Elimine speak again.

"But why did we get HIM?"

"You mean Kai? He was the only one who needed it the most, if I remember. I remember you asking that Gatekeeper for someone…."

"Someone strong and brave. Someone smart. Someone who could carry the world through this Crisis. Instead we get a KID who demands we change history it's self. We only get one…. Bull…"

Roland sighed. "I know it's not right. It's unfair. We get him. He demands what he does and then says "I'll fix Nergal like he's never been fixed before." Who does this kid think he is?"

"A hand-picked paladin from another world." Elimine sighed. "I'm so sorry Mark…"

"And what about that other one?"

"You mean Nergal's Shadow?"

"Yeah, this 'Felix' person… what're we going to do about him?"

"I don't know…. As soon as he appeared, everything changed."

"How did he get here anyway?"

"Right now, I'm a Goddess, and I've got the Fate of the world in the hands of someone who isn't even supposed to exist…"

I looked at the camp-fire as everyone else fell asleep. My eyes strayed to Hiiro, and then to Ariana. "What is Felix up too, back home?" I asked to no-one in particular. I sighed, and walked to my bed-roll. I laid down, and looked at the stars. "Wait for me… I'll come home soon. And then I will rip your throat out, you bastard."

Nergal read over the letter again. 'Went crazy'… 'Ripped a man apart' … 'Had to be terminated.'

Felix put his hand on Nergal's shoulder. His death cold voice still chilled Nergal to the bone. "Don't worry. It's hard to find the Proper balance. It's very unlikely that we will for a few years, at least. But we know that the First Failure is still alive. Perhaps that was the proper recipe, 'Black Strategist'."

Nergal snorted. "Impossible. And even if it was… Mark was a complete failure. Too compassionate."

"That's because of how you mixed his mother!"

"Sonia? No, she was perfect…"

"Two perfects often create an Imperfect."

"Then what should I do?"

"Give me the vilest quintessence you possess… Sonia will be a distant memory when you allow me to make you the perfect factory."

"Felix… Fine. For two years you have been my most trusted advisor. Sixteen years ago, you were the one who told me how to become immortal… I suppose… I suppose that I can allow you this."

Felix's slit eyes glimmered from the shadows, and the clawed had taken hold of the vials. "Good… this will be a nice start. Get the other morphs to bring more. I want the sickest and most twisted individuals this pathetic world has to offer." The swish of a cloak, and he, as well as the brooding darkness that always surrounded him, walked away.

The candles slowly flared into life, and Nergal breathed easily. "Elimine… who is that man?"

The cloak split in two, and Felix stood in front of the table, but not before cutting four morphs down with no effort. He smiled. He ripped the one on the table asunder, and licked the blood from his clawed hand. "Come forth, Madam Akasha, my master. Your master gave you a mission, and I cannot afford to botch it. I will bring YOU into this world, as well as the perfect breeder for Nergal. We will have the perfect anti-tactician soon…"

The blackness receded as a magic glow took its place, illuminating the deformed Manakete slowly. The eerie laugh echoed through the room.

Ahh, The sub-plot grows in dimension! Did you really think –I- was going to simply RETELL Fire emblem?

…. Erm…. NO AUTHORS NOTE FOR JU!... Crap, I left one to say that… Damnit all.