I'm sorry. I promise to upload this chapter immediately but I can't for a reason.

OUR ENEMY

Innes sat alone in garden with a chessboard beside him. He sometimes played chess alone to find new strategy but this morning he really wanted an opponent. Actually he thought to challenge Ephraim few minutes ago but Ephraim was still sleeping. He felt bored and leaned on tree behind him. He didn't realize someone was approaching him, a young girl with her green robe stood beside him. He raised his head and recognized her, he saw her yesterday in Eliwood's group.

"You alone?", she asked.

"Yeah, don't bother me. Mind your own business", Innes answered.

"What! I just ask him! What a jerk!!!", Reina felt irritated. Shestood beside him and shouted, "Can't you say something better!!! You don't need to talk like that you know!"

Innes surprised, he didn't understand why this girl got angry to him. He tried to calm and shouted back, "Watch what you say! I just say what I think, and why you angry anyway?".

"What? You have a bad mouth, don't you?", Reina couldn't hold her anger anymore.

Innes felt humiliated, he had high pride and he never let someone spoke to him like that. He stood and stared to that woman with full anger. Reina also stared back, she wanted to slap his face if she has a chance.

"I think you must mind your manner too before talk about me. No one ever talk to me like that, not even my parents.", he tried to hold his anger.

"Oh, I'm happy to be the first. Someone must tell you that. Enough! I will go.", Reina turned around swiftly and start walking.

"Wait! You can't go now.", Innes pulled her robe. In that moment, Reina lost her balance and fell. Innes surprised and feel sorry for her.

"Aaw, what do you want? Why you pull my robe rude man?", her back was hurt.

"Wh-What are...? Arggh! Why god creates a girl like you? Ok, I am sorry, but that is your fault, you make me angry.", Innes couldn't understand this girl completely, why she called him rude and had bad mouth? He won't admit that.

"My fault!", she stood and stared at him. "You are the one who start this! I see you here, play chess alone, I think you crazy or what. I just try be kind."

"So what if I play alone! Anyway I am not playing, I am training. I think of a new military strategy from this chess training.", Innes tried to defend himself.

"Okay, I am sorry, my job is a tactician so I can understand.", Reina felt this topic was interesting. "But that isn't a reason to speak like a jerk!".

"What? But you are very young to be a tactician. How old are you?", Innes didn't hear her last words.

"I am still nineteen years old but my skill is good enough.", Reina praised herself.

"Nineteen? So are younger than me? Hmm, I bet my skill is better than yours. Maybe if you asked me, I will teach you some tricks.", Innes laughed and teased her.

Reina feel irritated because Innes words. "Maybe you can see my skill, why don't we play chess once and see who better. You aren't afraid, are you?".

(-)

Ephraim stood in balcony, he felt morning fresh air. He looked behind, Tana was still sleeping in bed, and she was cute when sleeping. Ephraim really like that, he walked toward his wife and sat beside her. "Wake up honey. It is already morning, look that beautiful sky.", he whispered to her ear. The Renais Queen opened her eyes, she saw a pair of blue eyes looked at her.

"Oh, it's you darling.", she sat and tried to stay awake. "Good morning.".

"You sleep too much, it is time for breakfast.", Ephraim smiled after saw his wife with sleepy face.

"And who make me stay awake last night, you make me can't sleep.", Tana smiled.

"It is your fault to be so beautiful and make me can't hold myself.", Ephraim laughed. "But you like it, don't you?".

Tana blushed, "D-Don't tease me Ephraim. I want to go to bathroom now.". She stood up and walked to bathroom, Ephraim laughed.

"Well, I think I will look for that red haired man, his name is Eliwood if I remember correctly.", Ephraim went out from the bedroom.

He walked for few seconds before he met with Seth. "Good morning my king.", Seth bowed.

"Good morning Seth.", he saw a letter in Seth's hand. "From Joshua?", he asked.

Seth nodded and gave it to Ephraim. "May I prepare the cavalry now?"

Ephraim opened the envelope and read the letter. After few moments he sighed and nodded.

Seth understood and went to the training ground to look for Kyle and Franz. Ephraim leaned on the wall and read the letter once again. "What will happen now? Is this war never end?", he sighed.

(-)

Hector laughed and told the other what he saw before. There was Raven, Nino, Jaffar, Fiora, Farina, and Kent. The listened him with interested face, that because he told them an unexpected event. Of course, he told them about Eliwood carried Eirika to her bedroom. "Maybe they had a little "fun" now.", he laughed again.

"Hey! Don't say something like that!", Florina laughed with Hector's words.

"I never think Lord Eliwood will does something bold like that.", Kent said. Fiora nodded.

"Well, the fact is he did.", Hector couldn't stop laughed. "To be honest, I never expected that too."

Nino look confused and asked Jaffar, "What he means with "fun" Jaffar? Are they do something interesting?". Jaffar couldn't think something to answer the question. "How can I answer that?", he thought.

"Wow, a love affair between Marquess Pherae and Princess of Renais, that very good.", Farina giggled. Her words made the other laughed.

Raven smirked when he saw his entire companion laughed. Of course he never expected Eliwood did something like that too. He leaned on the wall and crossed his hands, then he saw someone next to the door, he knew who that person was but he decided to not tell the other. "Hector will doomed after this.", he smirked.

(-)

Eliwood already stood next to the door for a minute and he saw his friend laughed. He knew this would happen, surely Hector told them a story about him and Eirika. And of course that a misunderstanding, there was nothing between him and Eirika, nothing, at least for now.

"How I will explain this to them?", Eliwood sighed. "I doubt they will believe me."

"Explain what?", Eirika voice came from his back.

Eliwood surprised and turned around. "E-Eirika, why does you not stay in your room?", Eliwood panicked, he didn't want Eirika hear the misunderstanding.

"Oh, my leg isn't hurt anymore. So I want to walk around.", she answered. "And what are you doing Eliwood? Why do you not enter? I see your friends there."

"Do-Don't mind it, can you give me a little tour? I want to go around this place.", he tried to change the topic.

"I don't mind, but...Ephraim say he want to talk to you. I meet him few minutes ago, he is looking for you. Maybe you can meet him first?", Eirika said.

"Okay, I will, where is he?", Eliwood relieved he success changed the topic.

"I will take you to him, but he also look for that blue haired man, Hector is his name, isn't it?", Eirika finger pointed to Hector. Eliwood look depresses in an instant.

"Oh my god, I try to avoid him for now.", he thought.

Before he could answer, Eirika already talked with Hector. The others looked at him and gave him weird smiles. He knew what that smiles mean, he sighed.

"Have a little fun before my friend?", Hector approached Eliwood with smiling face. Eirika accompanied him walked toward the red face Marquess.

"Shut up Hector. I will explain later.", he afraid Eirika knew what Hector spoke about. Fortunately she didn't pay attention to Hector's words.

So then, they walked together to King Room to meet Ephraim. Sometimes Hector teased Eliwood about "that" and got a glare from him. Fortunately, he didn't speak loudly so Eirika didn't hear.

(-)

Meanwhile in Jehanna desert...

"Hold the line soldiers of Jehanna!!!", Gerik shouted loudly. His sword slashed a skeleton's head and beside him, Marisa fought four zombies, chopped their head one by one.

Jehanna soldiers fought desperately, their enemy wasn't human but a bunch of monsters and zombies with golden eyes. Of course, few of them were veteran and ever fought that creature. But now, they were outnumbered four to one and slaughtered.

"It is bad, we are no match for them.", a wounded soldier approached Gerik.

"Hold yourself soldier, we will survive.", Gerik looked around, his soldier slaughtered by the monsters and zombies. "Soldiers, hear me! Retreat now! Archer! Cover the infantry with your arrows!!!". In an instant, they retreated and the archers released thousand arrows to the enemy horde.

"Marisa! Stop fighting! We must retreat!", Geriks shouted to the sword master who still fighting.

"Alright commander, I'm sorry.", Marisa ran beside Gerik.

Two men stood far from the battle. They were Riev and a man in black cloak. They were watched their army slaughtered the enemy.

"Ooh, they try to escape.", Riev spoke to the man beside him. "But, they won't escape that easily I think. Don't you agree Foxy?"

"Don't worry Riev, Gonzales's mercenaries already surrounded this area. They couldn't escape."

Jehanna soldiers stopped their run suddenly. "What the matter soldier?", Gerik went to the frontline and when he saw the enemy already surrounded them he grumbled.

"What now? In our back we have monster and we have mercenaries in our front. What else? Dragon maybe?", he sighed.

"Bad joke Gerik.", Marisa gripped her Killing Edge tightly after the mercenaries charged to their direction. The Jehanna soldier prepared for battle.

"We can't go back, push forward!", Gerik charged first to inspire his soldier, Marisa followed him and the soldiers followed them.

He and Marisa were very good with their sword. No one could fight those two head on, every enemy dead in a single blow. They charged to open a path to the soldiers so they could escape. Enemy's soldiers frightened and Jehanna soldiers could defeat them easily .But, they must stop when a big man with giant sword stood in their path.

"He is a formidable opponent, I can sense that.", Marisa whispered to Gerik. He nodded. "I knew him, he was Gonzales "The Giant", a famous mercenary.", he raised his sword.

"So? Who want to die first?", Gonzales took a battle position. He really determined to kill.

"Commander! Those zombies came from behind!", a soldier shouted.

Didn't have any choice Gerik charged, Marisa followed him. He attacked from front and Marisa tried to flank Gonzales from his left, but Gonzales could defend himself against their ferocious attack. Also, his sword almost hit Marisa, luckily she dodged it. Gonzales' big sword could break any sword easily, that the reason why Gerik and Marisa just dodging his attack and never tried to clash their sword against his.

"They are strong opponent, I can't beat then alone. Foxy! Come here help me!", Gonzales shouted. He didn't see Marisa was charging to him.

"Well, I think I will help you.", suddenly Foxy teleported in front of Marisa. "Paralyze!".

Surprised with the sudden appearance of Foxy, Marisa failed to dodge his magic and took a critical hit. She couldn't move her body at all.

"What? I can't move.", Marisa tried to move her body desperately.

"Good job Foxy! I will slice her now.", Gonzales rushed toward Marisa with his big sword.

"Marisa!!!", Gerik charged to Gonzales. Suddenly, three arrows pierced his legs and two pierced his chest. "Shit!", he fell to the ground. That not enough, Foxy stood beside him and chanted a Thunder spell.

"Is this the end? I'm sorry Tethys.", he closed his eyes and thought for his wife in that moment.

He could hear Foxy complete his spell, but...he didn't feel anything. He opened his eyes slowly and saw a druid. That was Knoll!!! He blocked Foxy's spell with dark magic. Then Gerik remember about Marisa and looked at her. He saw Duessel fought Gonzales to protect Marisa, the Grado Great Knight was a strong opponent for The Giant.

In that moment, the mercenaries were already slaughtered by Cormag's wyvern riders. And the Grado's soldiers fought to open a path to escape for Jehanna's soldiers. The archers and mages released a bunch of arrows and spell to halt the monsters movement.

Cormag landed near Gerik, he already carried Marisa. "Hurry, get up to my wyvern! We can't hold that monsters. They are too many.", he shouted.

(-)

Eirika opened the door, she with Eliwood and Hector entered the king room. Ephraim already waited them behind his desk, he was reading a letter. Then he saw the guests and stood.

"Good morning King Ephraim.", Eliwood spoke first.

"Good morning, can we speak without formality, just friendly chat.", Ephraim didn't like formality although he was a king. Eirika smiled, she thought the same thing.

"Well, if you say so. So, why do you call us here Ki...", Hector couldn't complete his words before Ephraim spoke, "Ephraim, just call me Ephraim.".

"So Ephraim, why do you call us here?", Hector asked.

Ephraim stood near window, "Yesterday, you told me that you come here for a reason. Actually, you come here when we still have big problem. That the reason why I can't promise you any help.".

"We understand. We will alright by ourselves.", Eliwood spoke.

"Yeah, but whatever your reason, I hope that is a good reason. I entrust you to Eirika, I must depart immediately to Jehanna.", Ephraim grabbed his Siegmund, one of Renais sacred twin and looked to his twin sister.

"I understand brother, I will help them then I will follow you.", Eirika nodded.

"Actually, I prefer you to stay here. This is dangerous, but I won't stop you.", Ephraim sighed. "Our new enemy is strong and he has zombies with him. Joshua says they have scary golden eyes.".

Eliwood and Hector stared to each other. "What! Golden eyes! That is Nergal's morph!!!", they thought about a same thing.

"Ephraim, can I ask who your enemy is?", Eliwood asked immediately.

Ephraim confused with his sudden question, but he answered calmly, "Our spy is still searching the truth, but we already capture a mercenary and he says his master name is Nergal.".

"What!!!", Hector shouted.

"Ephraim, I think I must tell you something.", Eliwood tried to tell Ephraim about his purpose to come to Magvel.

And, their journey would lead them to a battle for the sake of their world.

(-)

Actually, I want to make Gerik dead or captured, but I don't do it.

That because I still need him and he is one of my strongest character when I completed the game.

After I read my story, I realized if Raven don't appear often.

He will have many appearances in the next chapter anyway. Wait for it.