Sup all? Hope you've been enjoying reading this, cuz that's why I write it. Just wanted to post up another chapter before I lost my flash drive for the fourth time, so...yeah. Inserting disclaimer, I own no part of fire emblem except the character Kyle so far.

The sounds of marching shattered the serene peace and quiet of a small valley forest. The sound of branches snapping under the weight of horse's hooves was the loudest part of the tumultuous army and many small creatures, and birds scattered from their homes at the approach of the strange visitors. The force marching through here was none other than the famed Lyndis's Legion which was quickly becoming a major thorn to Lundgren or so many stories in the area told. However at the moment getting Lyn home wasn't their major objective. Having rescued Ninian and Nils from the clutches of the Black Fang they set out to obtain a ring from this villainous group. Lyn, Kent, and Sain had wanted to take the main road to the fortress that many said a small group had been seen riding towards, but Kyle had insisted that they take the longer, harder and narrower passage through a small valley. He promised it would lead them to a back door of sorts that they could use to sneak in.

For days the group had been travelling through the undergrowth of the forest and had found nothing. Kyle knew that his friends were getting tired, and weary. It was a dangerous thing to be like this now…but if all went unchanged then no one would know of their approach. Well, they would know that the armor of Lyndis was coming, but they wouldn't know from where they would be striking.

Kyle held up his hand. "We will camp here for the night," he declared.

Kent rode up a little until his horse was just beside Kyle's. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" he asked. "We are extremely close to Black Fang territory. Shouldn't we press on?"

Kyle shook his head without turning it. "No. Everyone in this group needs a rest. If we press on any further their patrols would spot us quickly report our position and then harass our camp until we have to retreat… No this spot is far enough away that we can rest easy."

Kyle jumped off his horse and tethered it to the nearest tree. Then he watched and waited for everyone to do the same. Lyn followed his action and also stood waiting for the rest of the group to do the same. Kent however would not acquiesce, and without him the rest of their friends wouldn't follow.

"I apologize Milady Lyndis," Kent said. "But if we're going to get back that ring then we need to simply charge in and attack!"

Lyn stared at him for a few seconds, nodded her head, and then looked down at the ground. "So then Kent," she began, "I suppose you have some brilliant master plan to get us in undetected, and avoid the traps at the same time?"

Kent didn't say anything. Of course he hadn't thought of a plan…he was just tired of her always listening to Kyle. She seemed to follow whatever orders he saw fit to give. She would follow the man to the death, and he seemed more content to simply give the orders than anything else! Was he not a servant to her as well?! He should bow to the feelings of the entire group.

"I apologize milady," Kent said. "I just do not trust Kyle. You seem to follow every order that he gives blindly!" Suddenly he realized what he had said. With shock on his face he bowed his head and said, "I beg your forgiveness milady."

Lyn seemed slightly shocked by this too, though she didn't show it. She turned and walked to Kyle and stared straight into his eyes. Kyle stared back unflinching. He didn't turn. He didn't twitch. In fact the rest of Lyndis's Legion could have sworn he had been turned to stone if they didn't know better.

"Kyle," she suddenly said. "Did you swear fealty to me so long as I have need of your abilities?"

"Yes Lyndis," he said unfaltering.

"Have you not proven yourself a most invaluable member of this expedition?" she asked.

"That is for you to decide milady," Kyle said again not even blinking.

"When this is all over," Lyn said, "I shall release you from my service. But for now do you swear to me here that you shall fight only for our cause, and whatever is just?"

Kyle bowed, unbuckled his sword, bowed, and handed the blade to Lyn. "Milady I offer you my sword and my service. What little value it is I plead you to accept me under the fold of your wing."

This shocked everyone. But Lyn reached down took the blade from his outstretched hands and drew it from the scabbard. "I do accept your blade Kyle," Lyn said placing it back into Kyle's hands.

Kyle rose, and glared at Kent. "Tell me Kent," he said, "would you like to duel?"

Kent was startled by the question. But Kyle continued. "Of course we wouldn't do it here. We could wait till we get back to Kathelet, but I was just asking. Do try to have an answer by the time we go back." Kyle then turned away and began to unpack his belongings. Lyn started to do the same.

The young knight Kent grumbled slightly and then informed everyone to make the camp. Though he didn't like that idea of being this far away, he also admitted that the plan was a better one than he probably would have come up with.

The group went about the daily tasks normal camping times, but they continued to keep a watchful eye for anyone that might see them and report to this…Black Fang. As night approached Kyle informed everyone that it would be dangerous to make a fire with all the patrols that could see it. They would simply have to go to bed early tonight. There was a little bit of griping but overall the group seemed pretty happy about it. They hadn't gotten much sleep lately and all agreed that a little extra would be in order.

"Kyle," Lyn said. "I've scouted around this entire area and there is no place for you to lay your head down outside. I believe that it would be to your benefit if you simply slept in a tent for once." To her surprise Kyle agreed.

"Yes, I also noticed a surprising lack of hollowed out trees, or rocky overhangs. But where can I sleep? Sain and Kent bunk together. Florina, and Serra share a tent. Dorcas's tent is so small only one person can fit in it. Why it seems that the only tent with room would be yours." Lyn nodded.

Kyle shrugged. "Alright," he said sighing good-naturedly. "I'll sleep in a tent. But it's only this one night."

Kyle had a rather awkward sleep that night. To his relief Lyn wasn't a light sleeper because soon after she had changed and lay under her blanket she was snoozing peacefully. Kyle hadn't changed out of his clothes, since he was in Lyn's tent. The awkward part however came near the middle of the night. He suddenly felt something drape over him. Kyle opened his eyes, pulled his hand out from under the blanket, and reached around. His hand touched something soft, and he realized it was Lyn's arm. With his eyes open Kyle realized that she must have turned over in her sleep, and now had her arm lying right on top of him. The young man sighed. He was afraid that something like this would happen.

But instead of letting it get to him, he simply shrugged closed his eyes and went back to sleep. Only about an hour later Kyle felt Lyn move off, and roll to the other side. She was snoring a little, but she kept mumbling things in her sleep. Oftentimes it was something that would've made sense only to her. "….amals…the…emy…!!" But occasionally she would say something about Kent, Sain, Rath, or Wil. "…he…flirt…annohying…" or "…ious…bow…" or even to the extent "…always…follow…rders…" Kyle could tell a little from how she spoke who she was talking about. She suddenly stopped, and suddenly he heard something that made him glance at her. "Kyle…yes…old…ever…you…" Though he could tell from what she'd been saying about Sain, Kent, Rath, and Wil he couldn't tell what in the world she was saying about him. Was she having a vision? Was she simply talking in her sleep? Again he shrugged and closed his eyes.

When finally the sun began to peek out over the mountains behind them Kyle felt great. He'd gotten a good night's sleep, despite Lyn's mutterings and arm draped over him, and he was more than ready to go take down the Black Fang. He crawled to the front of the tent, felt around for his boots, and, finding them, put them on hurriedly.

He took a step outside of the tent, stretched and took a deep breath. It was a pleasant summer morning, but the times were changing and already the leaves had turned yellow, brown, and red. It was quite a peaceful day to relax, and enjoy oneself but Kyle suddenly had a feeling he was being watched. Quickly he walked away from the camp. He didn't make it seem like he knew he was being followed, but he knew. When he was maybe a five minutes away from the camp a stranger in a large, unwieldy cloak jumped down from a tree branch high above. The man drew a knife from his belt.

"I have come for you Kyle…" the man said. "I have been trained to kill you. If you simply surrender then there will be no need for bloodshed." The stranger was smiling broadly.

"Hm, do you really think that I'll just surrender? Did they teach you to only be intimidating?" Then Kyle shrugged. "In any case they didn't do a good job did they?"

The man screamed in rage. "You dare to call ME inept?!" The man ran forward and attempted to stab Kyle with the knife. But Kyle as limber, as he was, simply ducked under the thrust. Then he rose quickly to his standing height, grabbed the man's wrist and twisted. There was a loud crack and the assassin leapt back holding onto his wrist. It was limp, and more dangling.

The man enraged and now instilled into a bloodlust ran at Kyle with his good hand open wide and going for his throat. However Kyle evaded again under the cutthroats grasp, and suddenly plunged his fist straight up and into the man's body. The thief stumbled forward a few feet. Kyle followed him, and watched intently. The assassin was quite nimble normally but now he was barely able to stand. Kyle drew his blade. He hadn't wanted to end it this way but it seemed that as of now he had no choice.

His foe plopped on the ground. Kyle held the blade high into the air and brought it down with all his weight behind it. The steel buried itself into the assassin's back, and there was crunch sound. The thief's head shot up with his mouth agape as if in an silent scream. Then the form went limp, the eyes seemed to roll back, and the entire body collapsed.

"You fool. I hadn't wanted to do this. But you were intent on proving yourself." He sighed. "Poor servant. You try so hard only to be cast aside."

Kyle walked back to the camp. It wasn't a long trek and it had been early enough that he wouldn't be missed. No one would be up yet, since of course he was normally the earliest one to be awake."

Kyle sat down on a log, by the darkened embers of the fire. He picked up the little lyre that he had set by the fire pit the night before and he started to play. Again the notes were sad, and seemed to be crying or grieving for home, or loss…or both. Suddenly Lyn stuck her head out of the tent. She was still slightly sleepy, and her hair was all in a mess.

"Kyle," she said. "Why are you up already? Would you not rather get some more sleep?"

He shook his head. "Nay. I sleep too much as it is. I suggest you get more though. The summer is quickly beginning to flee, and soon we shall have to rely on torches and like to get us through places in the early morning." He nodded and waved her back. "Go on now," he said. "Back inside with you. Get some more sleep."

Lyn nodded. She pulled back inside and Kyle again began to play.

But suddenly from his tent emerged the knight Kent. His anger seemed apparent as he approached Kyle but he kept himself mostly under control.

"Kyle, I do not believe that you being around Lady Lyndis would be the best idea anymore. I've become quite beset by a fear that she will run off with you and never look back to Caelin. She must stay there! Do you understand me?!"

Kyle smiled, then got to his feet, and put the lyre on the ground. "Kent, I'm your friend so listen to me closely when I say this: I do not wish to sweep Lyn away. If you truly love her, then tell her, marry her, and leave me the hell alone. Do I make myself clear?"

The knight was quite taken back by Kyle's words. In fact Kyle had hurt himself. He'd made Kent believe that he cared nothing for Lyndis just to get have him leave well enough alone.

"Prove to me that you care for her," Kent said mockingly. "If you truly care then show me."

Kyle turned around. "Very well," he replied. Kyle drew his sword from his sheath, and rolled back the left sleeve on his shirt revealing his arm. It was slightly tanned and had some muscle on it from swinging the sword and fighting all the time. But of course Kent knew this for he himself had a quite a bit of muscle that had developed.

Kyle brought the sword up, and put the point upon his arm. Then suddenly without warning he inserted the point into his arm. There was a little blood, and Kyle winced slightly with pain, but he suddenly made it evident that he didn't intend to stop there. Kyle pulled blade down the rest of his arm all the way to his wrist. Blood was slowly oozing out, and Kent who was quite shocked by what Kyle had done began to panic. But Kyle wincing and smiling told him to leave it be.

"It's fine," Kyle said to Kent. "It just needs a bit of bandaging up, and then it can heal on its own."

Kent shook his head. "I didn't mean for you to mutilate yourself," the knight said.

Kyle then waved it off. "Don't worry about me. Worry about yourself in the coming battle. It will not be far off." As Kyle began to walk back toward Lyndis's tent to gather his belongings he added. "Steel yourself Kent. This battle, I fear, will be the prelude to a war with the Fang."

Kent merely stood there and watched as Kyle gathered his belongings. He knew of course that the young man was right, though he didn't dare to say anything.

About an hour later the sun had peaked over the mountains, bathing the entire forest, and valley in a shower of light. The campsite that 'Lyndis's Legion' had used had already been taken down and all were on the march again. It didn't take long, as Kyle had promised, to find this decrepit fortress and standing outside the walls they knew what awaited them.

"Kyle," Lyn said staring up at the ramparts of the fortress, "are you ready?"

Kyle also gazed at the crumbling walls, and broken towers, and replied, "Yes. I must be here to be rid of all doubts and fears once and for all."

Without another word between anyone the group entered the fortress. As they passed through they could see blood that had been splattered against the walls, and human bones scattered upon the ground. Still the group proceeded ahead heedless of the various threats that were being made continuously against them.

Suddenly and without warning a bright torch was lit ahead. Kyle knew what was going on. This was the enemy garrison stationed here.

He put his finger to his lips. "Move quietly from here," he whispered. Then he moved forward Kent, and Sain however on their horses couldn't move very quietly, and the constant sound of clip-clop was going to be a problem. When voices could be clearly heard, Kyle looked back at the group. All of them, whether upon a steed or on foot nodded, and Kyle knew that it was time.

Drawing his sword he ran at the first man and sliced his head off. Kyle looked around quickly and ferociously. He knew the skilled assassins but it seemed to be the normal garrison like he'd often fought with. Usually the Black Fang didn't station their most skilled killers in forts as small as this one.

"Kent, and Sain," Kyle said. The two turned their heads toward him. Go past this wall. Make a right. You'll be in a hallway. Work fast to break down the wall there and kill the mage before he harries us much. Then block the stairwell." They nodded and immediately rode off down the way he'd instructed.

"Everyone, your only real orders for this fight are to kill every one of them. Don't show a single one mercy. If you do, then they'll knife you in the back the moment you turn around. I know them so believe me when I tell you these things."

The group nodded, and then spread out in different directions. Kyle ran up the immediate hallway, along with Lyn, Florina, and Wil. Dorcas, Matthew, and Rath took the wall nearest them and when it broke down ran straight through the center. Matthew, of course, scooped up the treasure in the nearby chest.

Kyle cut down a brigand that stood in his way and then shortly after killed one swordsman and then another. Lyn quickly coming up behind him sliced one cavalier down. Kyle rounded the corner and headed for a place where two bodies, that of a mage, and of a shaman, lay upon the ground still letting their blood flow freely. Kyle charged in heedless of any danger.

"Beyard," Kyle said with a hiss.

The man that sat upon a small throne got to his feet, and grabbed his weapon that sat limply by the chair.

"So…" the man said, "it's true… That you've betrayed us I mean."

Kyle shook his head. "I've betrayed no one. I'm simply doing what I feel is right."

The man smiled a little and suddenly his face went very cross. "Well in any case, you're a traitor to me and the Fang. You shall not escape your punishment."

Kyle drew his sword. "You know that you're not a match for me Beyard," Kyle said coldly. "This place is going to be your tomb."

Lyn was behind him in case Kyle needed assistance but he turned and said, "Lyn, you can go out now. Go check on Dorcas, and Rath." She didn't protest she simply bowed and left.

"So," he said again, "now we are alone. Just as we were the first day we fought. Do you remember it?" Beyard asked lifting his head to the ceiling.

Kyle nodded. "I remember. But I try not to allow the past to guide my actions. Learn from the past, and don't make the same mistake. Live so that you have no regrets."

Beyard still looking at the ceiling brought his sword up and allowed it to rest on his shoulders. "Perhaps…" the man said. "However I've already lived a life like that. It brought me only pain, and misery…I can't live that way. If I am to live let me live how I want, and if I'm to die today then strike me to the ground Kyle!!"

The man leapt and tried to deal Kyle a deadly strike, but Kyle caught the blow upon his own blade, and pushed the man back. Then with little more than a flick of his wrist Beyard's sword had been forced from his hands, and Kyle had thrust his weapon into Beyard. The man coughed and a little blood came out. Kyle pulled his weapon back and the man collapsed into a bleeding heap.

"Rest in peace Beyard…" Kyle said. "You were my friend…and my closest one at that… But now you must go…"

The man looked up at him. "I…hope that the…cost of betrayal…is worth it…to you…" Then Beyard's eyes seemed to roll to the back of his head, and the man was gone.

Kyle drew his sword, knelt down and rested his hand upon Beyard. "Rest in peace…old friend…" he said. "You deserved better than this… But no doubt you would've been punished anyway."

Kyle reached down and took from Beyard's hands a small silver ring. It had the signet of a mighty dragon upon it. The entire ring seemed cold as he touched it as if some magic kept it chilled. Lyn, Ninian, and Nils were coming up to him now. He turned and with one trade off had returned the ring to Ninian.

"There you are," he said to her. "Now your ring has been returned. Let us be on our merry way."

Though Kyle didn't say a word more, especially not about the mission, Lyn could see that something was troubling him. Even though he didn't realize what he was doing he was showing the pain that he was holding deep inside. Lyn was going to have to talk to him about this, but she knew she would have to be gentle or he would become quite defensive. But for the time being, the entire Lyn's cadre of friends left the fort with Kyle at the quick lead. This place was cleansed in his mind, both of enemies, and of bad memories.