Hello everybody! This is from your friendly neighborhood Bondsword to enjoy. Hope you guys like to read these as much as I love to write them! So without further ado except for of course our generic disclaimer, here is the next chapter.

Another grey, and bleak morning greeted Kyle as he opened his eyes. From within the hollowed out stump that he'd decided to camp in for the night he could see how the morning was creeping over the mountains. It was still very early however he realized, and so allowing his head to rest back down on the pillow Kyle tried to go back to sleep. He was awakened by a cheery Lyn.

"Good morning! I can't believe that you're still in bed!"

Kyle groaned, sighed, and started to get up. Lyn backed up so that Kyle could get out. He put his boots on, tied his sword to his belt, and rolled up his sleeping mat and blanket. Then he stepped out. It wasn't very bright outside yet, and so it didn't strain his eyes. However he didn't like how the dark gray clouds made him feel; as if a blanket were about to descend upon the world.

"So," Lyn asked. "How did you sleep?"

Kyle stretched gave a wide yawn and then reached back into the log where his pack was and pulled out a frying pan, two eggs, and two stones of flint. He and Lyn walked around for a few moments gathering small sticks, and some larger pieces of wood and then placing a bit of it in the center, along with a rag, Kyle started to strike the stones together. Sparks flew from them and landing upon the cloth caused a fire. It took some more minutes for the fire to get hot enough and by then it was probably about five o' clock. Kyle broke the two eggs upon the pan and held it over the fire. Soon the air was filled with the sounds and smells of the frying eggs.

"So…" Kyle said stirring at the eggs with a metal spoon, "Where are we headed now?"

Lyn pulled out a map, that Kyle guessed Kent had given her, and then unfolded the whole thing. She started pointing along the routes until she finally came to where she wanted to be.

"We're heading for some castle not too far away from castle Caelin… Some place called…Dales Castle."

"Dales Castle…" Kyle repeated. The name seemed so familiar to him.

Lyn nodded her head. "Right! Dales Castle! Kent said that it's supposed to be cursed or some such nonsense like that. You know voices within the walls…and all that."

Suddenly it came to him. That was the base of Heinz the morph! Kyle had met Heinz only a few times, and though it seemed as though the man was a weak magic user…he was more powerful than most mortal men.

"Lyn, I think that we should take an alternate route around Dales Castle…" Kyle said trying not to allow fear encroach into his voice.

The girl laughed a little. "Why? Do you know something we don't?"

A drop of sweat fell down the back of his neck, and Kyle could feel it trickle down his spine. Fear was permeating all of his sensations, but again he did his best not to show it.

"I…" Then he stopped, cleared his throat, and scratched the back of his head. Then finally giving in to it all he sighed and prepared to tell her the truth.

"Lyn, I have something very important to tell you, but first I need to know if you've EVER heard of the black fang."

Lyn nodded. "Yes I've heard of them. They're supposedly the most famed assassins in all of Elibe."

Kyle sighed. 'Of course she's heard of them…' he thought to himself.

"Alright, well about three years ago, I was a member of this illustrious group of hired killers. After being found by the Reed family in Bern I was trained in the killing arts. However I was taught to only kill for noble causes. Then two years after I was trained a man named Nergal carried himself in. He claimed that he was the brother of Brendan Reed's wife, and almost immediately he started trying to take over little by little. He started first by taking over the dealings. Soon I found myself on dangerous or vile jobs, and little by little the entire organization slowly devolved. No longer did we care about the morals of our jobs, and if you didn't do it you were killed… I finally escaped, but how I wound up in the plains of Sacae, I can't say…"

Lyn was silent for the longest time. "I…I understand if you never really want me to talk to you. I also understand if you want me to leave… Just please you should at least say something to me."

Lyn shook her head. "Don't leave…" she said feebly. "You've suffered far too much to leave now. But… I don't believe it. It's just…you're undoubtedly the best swordsman of the group but…" Lyn kept saying different things in her disbelief. But Kyle put his hand upon hers, and suddenly gazing at him in disbelief Lyn finally calmed down.

"I'm not trying to scare you," Kyle said softly, as the sun began to rise over the mountains. "I'm just trying to warn you what could happen." But then he looked up towards the sun. "And you never know what the future will hold. We might have new companions upon the horizon…"

The two sat there as the sun continued to rise and let the silence wash over them like a wave. Kyle and Lyn didn't move save for the occasional sigh. Kyle got to his feet walked back over to the stump, took out his sword, and cut down the tarp made of animal hide, then folded it up. Luckily it hadn't rained last night. Then he reached into his backpack, and pulled out a utensil with a long handle, with a flat edge attached to it.

Kyle walked slowly back to the small cooking area, and began to fold the eggs upon each other. Lyn said something that he didn't really hear. The folding of eggs into the style Kyle called 'scrambled' was all absorbing, and he was putting all of his attention into it.

"What do you think Kyle?" Lyn asked.

Kyle's concentration was suddenly shattered and he looked up at her. "I'm sorry Lyn. Did you say something?"

Lyn sighed, but smiled good-naturedly. "Yes," she repeated, "I had asked if you wished to take the long way around the castle."

Kyle suddenly shook his head. "No, there comes a time in one's life when all the fears and demons must be buried under the mind…or the blade."

Suddenly deciding that the eggs were done and he walked back over to his pack and procured two metal plates, and hurried back over to the fire. He used the utensil he'd used to flip the eggs and transferred one egg to one plate, and handed that to Lyn and then transferred the other to the second plate. Lyn walked back to her tent to fetch a fork, and Kyle did the same.

As the two sat there in the first rays of the chilly morning the smell of the eggs permeated the air. Kyle chewed silently and contentedly at the eggs. Kyle watched Lyn smile and beam happily at the breakfast as she sliced into it as well. They both looked at each other and smiled widely and almost stupidly.

After Kyle swallowed a bit of egg he asked, "Did you like it?"

Lyn nodded. "It is delicious!" she said happily as she chewed at another part of it.

Kyle smiled again. "You know it's really cool to hear you say that. I really miss when you cooked for me that first day we met. The meat was really good."

Lyn blushed slightly embarrassed. "Oh, well I'm glad that you enjoyed it. I hadn't really cooked for anyone else before so I was really nervous about what you would think."

Kyle laughed a little bit, when suddenly one of the tent flaps opened and out stepped Sain. The young knight looked at the fire, and the pan then at Kyle and Lyn seated around it eating eggs.

"What's all this?" he asked yawning.

Lyn looked up from her egg. "Oh Sain! Good morning! Kyle made a fire and I suppose some breakfast. It is extremely tasty though, you should try some."

Sain stared at Kyle. "But…" he yawned again. "Where did you get the eggs?" the young knight asked.

Kyle laughed a little. "I bought some eggs when we were in Bulgar… He didn't have many left, two actually." Kyle shook his head. "I was hoping he'd have more in some type of storage area…but when he started packing up he said he had absolutely no more eggs."

Sain yawned again. "I think that I'm going back to bed for a bit…" He stretched as he walked back into his tent. "Wake me when the sun is overhead!" he said with a yawn.

Kyle stared after him, then turned to Lyn. "I'll wake him after everybody else has breakfast. By the way I'm sorry that I didn't have anything else to cook for breakfast. I didn't want to take from the group and by the time that the Legion had bought supplies there was little food left upon the vendors…save for a little fruit."

Kyle walked back over to his bag and as he reached inside he asked, "Would you rather have an orange or a banana?" She didn't answer. "Well ok sorry… Umm…would you like some grapes…or a pear… I've got some…ouch!"

Lyn looked over at him. "You've got some ouch?" she asked.

Kyle laughed as he looked back up at her with the torn robes flying around behind him. "No I don't have any ouch. I accidentally hit my finger on another part of the cookware."

He procured an apple, and an orange. Kyle walked back to the fire and threw her the apple. He was smiling as he did so, and took a knife that was at his sheath out of his pocket. He peeled the orange free of its skin, and then cut it into sections. He took one section, and put it into his mouth, chewed a bit, and swallowed the small orange wedge.

Lyn didn't peel the apple, but instead chose to eat it skin and all. There was the crunching sound as her teeth sliced through the apple skin, and then she swallowed.

Kyle felt the morning peaceful, and if they didn't have any pressing matters he would have loved to let everyone sleep all day. However, he knew that the ultimate goal was still a few days away, and so as the sun was probably two hours away from being overhead, Kyle started banging a pot and pan together.

Rath came riding in from the countryside, Florina, Wil, Sain, Kent, and Serra woke from their tents, and walked out rubbing their eyes sleepily, Dorcas looked out from packing his items away, and Erk seemed to be doing the same. Kyle looked around at everyone and everyone looked at him. Some of them were quite upset, primarily Wil, and Sain.

"For the love of St. Elimine!" Kyle heard Sain yell. "It's not lunch yet! I asked you not to wake me up till then!"

Kyle glared at Sain sternly. "Get up, get packed, and get saddled. I want this entire group moving soon. Do you understand Sain?" The orders had been of course to everyone but Kyle had directed them at Sain.

Sain grumbled slightly but acquiesced to Kyle and went back into his tent to start packing. A few minutes of messing with tents later the entire camp had been taken apart, and everyone was saddled and ready to go. Lyn climbed onto the back of Kyle's horse after tying her pack onto the back of the horse, and so with everyone ready Kyle kicked the horse with the spurs and took off in the direction of Dales Castle.

The sun went over head, Lyn enjoyed the sun's rays upon her lime green hair, and Kyle enjoyed the ride. When the sun was directly overhead the Legion came to a stop outside two small inns far away from the castle.

"Well…I guess that means that we're here," Kyle said. Staring at the small towns, he realized that the Black Fang kept the ghost legend alive to make the townspeople fear the castle.

A young boy ran out of one of the inns crying. Lyn grabbed his shoulder as he tried to run by.

"Excuse me," Lyn said. "What is wrong? You seem to be upset. Is there anyway that my friends and I could help?"

The boy's face suddenly lit up. "Help?" he asked happily. "I would love some help! My sister was kidnapped and the people that did this are holding her in the castle up ahead."

Suddenly out from the same inn came a monk, and from the other inn came two women. One was a mage with long hair, dressed in a robe that was as red as the flame. The other was an archer that bore the crest of Etruria, who had shorter brown hair.

Sain walked past the monk and to the two women. "Hello!" he said enthusiastically. "In my life I've rarely ever seen such beautiful flowers!"

The mage didn't respond. The archer glared at him before saying, "Why don't you save the flowery comments for a tavern maid?"

Sain winced as if in pain, but smiled. "Ohhhh. Such a beautiful woman…and yet so clever."

Kyle stepped in between the two of them and blocked Sain's view. "Can we try to save this idiocy for later? I think that in this instance introductions are in more proper order."

Sain kept looking at the two women as Kyle rode past. He kept smiling until Kyle smacked him on the back of the head. Sain held the back where Kyle had hit him, and turned to look with both surprise and some irritation at Kyle.

"I am Leena, former archer of Etruria. This is my friend Erif the mage. She is also of Etruria. We left the army of our birth and decided to go around Elibe traveling. It wasn't an easy decision believe me."

Kyle stared to Erif with a stoic gaze. "Does your friend not speak?" he asked Leena.

The mage suddenly responded. "Yes, I do speak. I simply choose to let Leena make the introductions. It seems a better system does it not?"

Kyle shrugged. "I don't know. I suppose in the end it comes down to preference doesn't it?"

The mage nodded without as much as a word or smile.

Then the monk who had been standing quietly off to the side suddenly spoke up. "I am Lucius. I am a monk of Ilia. It is a long way to be sure, but equally as long as Etruria. I must confess that I am curious as to why the lot of us that have very little alike have been suddenly thrust together by the invisible strings of fate."

Kyle responded. "I do not believe in fate, or gods. I believe that we control our own destinies."

Lyn, seated behind Kyle touched his arm. "But Kyle," Lyn said. "How is it not by fate that you came to me? Think if you will for just a moment. You were somewhere else, and suddenly you come to me with the speed of an arrow. If that is not divine intervention or fate then I don't know what is…"

Kyle didn't respond. He was already quite sensitive when he addressed the issue of his relationship to Lyn and he didn't want to make himself look weak. Lyn touched his arm again but seeing that he was choosing not to respond she put herself into silent surrender.

"Regardless," Kent said breaking up the uncomfortable air. "Our path for the day has been decided we must rescue this boy's sister. No doubt she is being held up ahead."

Lucius moved forward and raised his hands out in front of him and then swiped them back. The shaman just to the south of the group dropped to the ground without a sound.

"Well now…" Kyle said. "That could be useful there are sure to be more shamans up ahead. But for now…" Kyle raced forward drew his blade and in a leaping slice, beheaded an archer that had been standing in his path. "We must run, and fast!"

Lyn was keeping up with Kyle quite well, but had to pause for a few moments when a brigand attack. She dodged the man's fell axe stroke, and then quickly leapt forward and impaled her sword into the man's chest burying it down deep. The brigand let out a short cry that was quickly cut off by blood.

Kyle got in front of the gate of the nearby town. A man was standing at the front of the village fully dressed and rubbing his eyes.

"What in the name of St. Elimine is goin' on here young master?" the man asked.

"Quickly!" Kyle cried. "You must shut the gates! There's a battle going on here! The Black Fang is trying to take a child from us."

The man's face was struck with surprise and quickly he prepared to shut the gates but suddenly he stopped. He ran into a nearby house and after some time came running back out with a bag. The man pushed it into Kyle's hands and told him to take it.

"It will come in handy. You see the foe you're going to face at the castle is a man named Heinz. He is a shaman, and his magic is strong. This thing that I gave you is called pure water. It will help to protect your units that don't have strong resistance to magic. Please…save us from this nightmare."

Kyle nodded and turned around as a mercenary came running at him and leapt trying to strike at him from the air. But Kyle dodged and parried a second blow that the mercenary sent and then quickly launched into his own flurry of blows. His enemy staggered back as Kyle sent strike after strike and suddenly the sword-wielder could not defend himself and one of Kyle's blows sent his foe's left arm off. The man howled in pain and Kyle spun in a complete circle giving his sword more momentum and sliced off the man's head. The body dropped to the ground and blood seeped from the two wounds.

Most of his friends went running by. Kyle stood there still holding his sword as Kent, Sain, Florina, Dorcas, Serra, Erk, and the rest of their gang ran past. Then he watched as the light-blue haired boy, the Legion had agreed to help, came running by. Kyle quickly grabbed him the collar of his shirt, and pulled him to the side.

"What are you doing boy?" Kyle asked. "We're trying to get back your sister so that you two can leave here alive, and you're out here trying to get yourself killed!"

Nils shook his head. "No I'm not! I'm staying behind the protection of the group so that that way I won't be killed! Besides why are you just standing there?!'

Kyle shook his head. "I'm resting my young friend."

The boy lifted a silver flute to his lips, and began to play. It was a cheery song that suddenly lifted Kyle's spirits. Kyle's strength restored, and his lust for battle barely satiated he lifted Nils to his back, commanded him to stay quiet and hang on, and then took off running.

When finally the two caught up with the troupe they were all standing around the castle gate, where a man in a thick black robe barred their path. Some of Kyle's friends were panting and looked injured, but Serra was healing everyone that needed it. Kyle walked up to Lyn who stood not too far away upon the plains seemingly formulating an attack plan. Kyle bade Nils to jump down and the boy acquiesced.

"What has happened since I've been behind?" Kyle asked.

Lyn looked up at him from her drawing in the dirt. She pointed at the man and then put a finger to her lips telling him to be silent. Then she went back to her drawing. Kent came riding over, and Lyn pointed to the far left side of the man. Kent nodded and rode his horse all the way to the left of the castle gate.

Kyle drew his sword and walked forward. Lyn grabbed the sleeve of his tunic and shook her head no, but Kyle paid her no mind and stepped forward to challenge the man. The shaman had folded his arms waiting for the attack to come but quickly laughed when he saw the boy approaching him.

"So you are their secret attack strategy?" The shaman laughed. "You are no more of a threat to me than an ant!"

Kyle let a wry smile creep across his lips. "You see…that is what is sad about you fools that still follow the Black Fang. You are blind to anything else save the power that was either given you or that made you."

Heinz was suddenly struck with surprise. Kyle knew this even though the man's eyes were hidden from view. It wasn't hard to guess that anyone would be surprised.

"You are bluffing just to save your own life. No one has ever left the Fang before! No one escapes to Fang!" With that the man launched the spherical spell at him. There was an explosion as it struck the ground, and the man smiled until he noticed that Kyle was standing off to the left of the cloud.

Kyle smiled again. "You see? Sometimes you don't need to escape. After all, when you can clip a beast's claws why fear the monster?"

Heinz's smile faded quickly and was replaced by rage. "DIE!!" he screamed at Kyle launching more spheres at the young man. However no matter how hard Heinz seemed to try Kyle avoided, or evaded ever spell.

Kyle ran forward with nearly inhuman speed and impaled his sword into Heinz. The face of shock, and awe suddenly began to fade, and the body that was within the robe faded away. The clothes were still stuck to the sword, and as Kyle drew it back he let the robe fall daintily to the ground.

Lyn walked up in both disbelief and shock. "Where is his body?" she asked. Then she took Kyle by the collar and started shaking him. "What have you done to him?!!" she screamed.

Kyle grabbed his left hand forced it to let go and pushed her back. "I did nothing. What you saw was the power of Nergal, leader of the Black Fang. I simply killed the man."

Lyn stared at Kyle confused. "What do you mean 'the power of Nergal'?" she asked. "Is it actually possible to make a living breathing person from magic?"

Kyle nodded. "It is. With the proper amount of power and skill anyone can make a person. Well… Person isn't the correct term for them. These sentient beings are commonly referred to in the Black Fang as Morphs. Nergal's power is much greater than anyone can really imagine…"

Nils ran straight into the castle going around Kyle. Kyle tried to grab the boy as he ran past but Nils, slippery as a salamander, skirted Kyle's grasp and made his way inside. Cursing under his breath Kyle turned to the entrance and ran straight into the castle. Lyn was quickly behind and soon the three of them were in the castle as their friends were busy securing the perimeter of the area.

They neared the center of the castle. "Ninian!" Nils called out. "NINIAN!!"

But no girl like Nils could be found. The only things sighted were a few rats nibbling at the food that had been left around the fortress, and some skeletal remains here and there, a testament no doubt to many victims that the Black Fang had.

"There's…no one here…" Kyle said.

Kent walked into the castle.

"Milady Lyndis," he said. "A group of men was seen riding north. According to the villagers a young woman was seen with them. She…fits the description of the boy's sister all too well."

Lyn's face turned cloudy as she answered. "Very well… Then there is nothing we can do for her."

Kyle however put his hand on Lyn's shoulder. "Come now Lyn," he said. "What happened to all that energy you had when we first started?"

Lyn looked up at him and smiled. "It has slightly deteriorated… This journey has made me very weary… When we do make it to Caelin…I shall need a day's rest."

"Very well," Kyle said with a broad grin. He turned to Kent. "Tell everyone to get ready. We ride north after these men in a few short moments."

Kent nodded and walked out.

"Pardon me," came the voice of a young man. "Is this girl with you?"

Kyle, Lyn, and Nils looked down the end of a long hall from where the voice had come. Approaching them was a young man with bright red hair in a royal blue suit holding a young woman with light-blue hair.

"Ninian!" Nils exclaimed happily. The girl's eyes fluttered.

"Oh…Nils… Is that you? How did you get here… How did I get here?"

The young woman stared down at her brother. "Oh Nils…" she said. "What in the world is going on?" She looked behind him. "Who are these people? Nils what trouble did you get into while I was away?"

Nils shook his head. "No Ninian you misunderstand! These people helped me! They protected me from those men and helped me get here."

Ninian stared past him to Kyle and Lyn. She bowed and said, "Thank you for protecting my brother in my absence. It was very kind of you to do so."

Lyn smiled. "We couldn't just leave him here. He seemed to be in trouble, and so we did what we'd always d—!"

She was interrupted however when Ninian let out a shrill scream.

"What is it Ninian?" Nils asked his face full of worry.

"It's my ring! Nilis' grace, it's gone!"

Nils looked at her in surprised and then with shock at her hand. "They must have taken it!" he said in outrage.

Lyn walked up to the two. "Is it important?"

Nils turned to her and still excited yelled, "Yes! It was a special ring from our mother! It was an enchanted ring with special gifts!" then as he turned back to Ninian he muttered, "Stupid bastards…"

Kyle walked up to Lyn. Having heard how much the ring meant he already knew what Lyn wanted their next course of action to be.

"You heard all that right Kyle?" she asked. Kyle nodded. "I would really like to help them, and I understand the importance of a mother's gift…"

"Lyn," Kyle cut in. She gazed at him with a bit of sadness marring her face. "I promised you when we started that I would stand by your decisions whatever course of action they would lead us to don't you remember?" She nodded. "Very well then. I know where they are headed. If you want to leave however it must be now. So just give the word and Kent and I will go and make the arrangements."

"We must get that ring back." Then she turned to Nils and Ninian. "We can't offer much but would you like to come with us? We're going to Caelin." The two looked up at her. "Oh! After we get your ring back of course!" she added.

Nils, and Ninian smiled, but Ninian's face quickly collapsed into a disappointed face. "No," Ninian said. "I can't allow it. If you or your friends got hurt…I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. I'm sorry but I can't allow it."

Kyle laughed and turning to Ninian he replied, "Ninian…let me tell you something. Even if you completely forbid us from leaving and barricaded this place...we'd break out."

Kyle still laughing walked outside. Everybody looked up at him from where they were making camp.

"What's the word?" Kent asked.

Kyle frowned for a few moments looking around at everyone. "Break camp!" he cried. "We ride north!"

Not only did Ninian want this ring…but something seemed to be calling him north. If it was really the ring…then he would have to go. This force was weird and familiar… So as Lyndis's Legion began to break camp Kyle got on his horse, and beckoned for Lyn. The villagers were kind enough to give a horse to the group for Ninian and Nils. Finally when all were ready Kyle kicked the horse and charged off toward another part of his fragmented past. He didn't know what the Black Fang wanted with these children, but he damn well intended to find out.