Dart meandered through the halls of Indels Castle. Night's blanket had cast everything in shadow, that which reflected light shone like a beacon as the clouds revealed the moon. It was quiet save for the passing patrols or servants every now and again. Stillness hung about him like the branches of a willow.

He leaned against a wall, slid down so that he was sitting. Dart unsheathed his sword and examined it, hilt to tip. The blade caught some moonlight let in by a stained-glass window on the opposite wall. Blue, red and purple shimmered across the steel of the sword.

'I promised Lavitz that I would avenge him, yet killing Lloyd might just as well seal all our fates.' Anger and bitter thoughts consuming him, he threw the sword. It clattered as it landed, sending steel-on-concrete sounds echoing down the hallway.

Abruptly, the noise stopped and Dart looked to see how this was.

A figure, concealed by the shadows so that only a silhouette was visible, bent down and picked up the weapon gingerly and then tossed it back to Dart. He caught it easily, the throw was not meant to be threatening he could tell.

The figure stepped into the moonlight. She had long flowing tresses of silver-blonde hair and eyes the colour of a sunset. Her attire was simple – boots, white slacks and sleeveless blue shirt. The coloured glass cast her in a blue light. She smiled.

"Shadows are funny things. They don't exist unless both darkness and light converge," she said.

Dart didn't move to get up, but tightened the grip on his sword. "Who are you?"

"My name is Estell. Yours?"

"Dart."

Estell nodded and walked closer, stepping into a purple wash of light.

"What is it you want?" Dart asked. He idly placed one hand on the ground.

"You have something that belongs to me."

Dart's brow furrowed in thought. Reflexively, his hand went to where his Dragoon Spirit lay in his armour. Realizing it, he drew back as the familiar warmth touched his skin. The stone was resonating. Dart eyed the girl in front of him, then carefully removed the Water Dragoon Spirit from where he had been keeping it inside his tunic.

Estell brought her hand up, so that her palm showed in almost a half-wave. The blue stone, glowing also, flitted from his hand to hers.

Dart stood quickly, "You're Meru's predecessor!"

"I'm not," Estell remarked. She took a few steps backwards so that she lay half in shadow. "Until we meet again, Dart." She winked as the darkness surrounded her unnaturally. Before Dart could move to stop her, she had disappeared into the shadows. He could feel a surge of energy as all the darkness in the vicinity tensed up then faded into soft light.

******************

Lloyd was idly picking grime from underneath his nails when Albert walked in,

"Good day, your Majesty," he greeted cordially.

"So, what do you say to my terms?" Albert asked, getting directly to the point.

"I must admit when Dart came in here last night saying you had to agreed to absolve me of my crimes-"

"I'm giving you clemency on the grounds that you help us," Albert corrected.

"Right . . . Well, however you wish to put it, I didn't actually think he was telling the truth," Lloyd stood and smiled. "Your presence seems to prove me wrong."

"That being the case – unfortunately – you'll give over your dragoon spirit now," Albert held out his hand.

Lloyd eyed the king warily. His hand went to the inside of his vest but stayed there a moment or two. "I have to concede, my liege, I didn't think the negotiation regarding my freedom would be this easy to pull off. I had almost hoped you'd put up some sort of a fight on behalf of your dear – late – knight."

'What's he up to?' Albert wondered. He brushed his golden-bronze bangs out of his eyes, sighing as he did so.

"So, here it is then," Lloyd tossed the small gem across the cell, through the bars. Albert caught it lightly, checked it but realized such precaution was unnecessary as the stone began to resonate in his hands He nodded towards the guard waiting at the door to the cell as he placed the Dragoon Spirit in an inner pocket of his shirt.

The Serdian guard carefully opened the door to the Lloyd's cell.

Lloyd's smile broadened.

*******************

Dart woke to the prodding hand of a serving girl. His eyes closed shut instinctively as the bright morning light hit them full force. Wincing, he sat up.

"Shall I call a physician, m'Lord?" the girl asked.

'Why would I need a doctor? Why is this girl waking me up, anyway? He groggily opened his eyes to discover he had been sprawled in the middle of a hallway. "I'm fine," he said. "Thanks."

Dart picked himself up and in doing so realized his sword was missing. He surveyed the area quickly.

"Is something wrong, sir?" the girl inquired.

His vision fell on the familiar blade, rested against the ledge of the stained glass window. "No, everything's fine," he assured her. "Tell me, where is the king?"

"His Majesty has gone to personally deal with some judicial proceedings. I'm sure he'll back for breakfast," she said before walking off.

Dart shook the remaining sleep from his body as he walked towards the guest quarters. Miranda was sitting on a couch in the wing's common room. She smiled coyly as he approached.

"Out all night, you little devil. You're going to break poor Shana's heart," she teased.

"Meru's Dragoon Spirit is gone," he said bluntly.

"What?" Miranda stood at the news. "What happened?"

Dart recounted the events, " . . . she was gone. I turned to find Albert and then . . ." He trailed off, memory failing him.

Miranda drew a gloved hand toward him and dusted off a fine powder from his shoulder plate. "A sleeping potion," she clarified. She smiled cheaply, "Albert's gone to fetch Lloyd. Emille's invited him to breakfast."

Emille was a bit quirky but even this sent Dart through a loop. He shook his head disapprovingly. "She probably thinks because he's behaving so well that he can still be saved."

"It's not her fault that she's a kind hearted person – she doesn't know what kind of monster he is," Miranda remarked.

'Even you don't know the extent of it, my friend,' Dart thought. 'You never knew Lavitz.'

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