I'm back once again! This time before the story expires! This is the next chapter that is between when Eliwood leaves to about the time he's setting sail for the Dread Isle. As you've no doubt noticed this story is mostly about Kyle. But it will follow that primary storyline, and if you haven't played the game then I won't spoil it for you.

Kyle was suddenly awakened by the dripping of water. He opened his eyes, and noticed that he couldn't see a thing. Kyle rationalized that one of two things had happened. One, he was dead, or two he was just in a cell. He was seated in a chair, with his hands bound behind him, and his legs tied to the bottom.

"Where…where am I?" he asked aloud. As if in response to his question the door opened, and a man in a large, billowing, black robe strode into the room. Four soldiers followed him, and put torches up in the various corners of the room. Kyle could see, and noticed that Ninian sat in a chair beside him, Nils was huddling in the far left corner, and there was another man, regally dressed with red hair, and a red moustache slumped over in the right corner nearest the door.

"Ah," the man in the large robe said, "My son… It is so good to see you again…"

Kyle glared at him baring his teeth and replied, "Nergal you black hearted fiend! What are you plotting?!"

Nergal's expression went from elated to stoic. "Plotting? Why I'm not plotting anything. I just wish to bring this world under the dominion of someone that will not abuse it, will not destroy it, and will not ravage it with war! Someone like me!"

"Demon!" Kyle shouted.

"Oh don't be so cavalier Kyle," Nergal said annoyed. "You know as well as I do how corrupt this world is. You've seen it with your own eyes!"

Kyle nodded. "I won't deny that we humans aren't perfect, but that doesn't mean that we should be erased from existence!" Nergal's face was suddenly horrified. "Yes I know full well of your plans to summon dragons from that accursed gate! You won't succeed Nergal!!"

Nergal's face was suddenly contorted by a maleficent smile. "You truly have no idea do you? You call yourself a human? You're clueless!" He strode around the cell his large robe sweeping the floor. "You my dear friend are even less a human than I am. I have given my soul to darkness in exchange for power. You, on the other hand, were never even human!"

Kyle could feel his heart leap in his chest. "What do you mean Nergal?" Kyle asked with some slight apprehension. "What…what do you know about my past?!"

Nergal's smile only got larger and even more malicious.

"Answer me Nergal!!" Kyle yelled.

The man turned away, and moved towards the door. Just as he reached the threshold he moved aside as a second man in a purple robe entered the room. Kyle could see just below the man's hood were yellow cat's eyes. Kyle felt his breath catch in his throat. So it was true.

"I'd…heard stories that you were using dark magic to create faux human beings…but I hadn't even imagined that they were true!" Kyle turned his gaze from the entering man to Nergal. "You truly are a monster," he snarled.

Nergal bowed. "Thank you. I'm pleased to hear that you know of my dear servants the golems. They are my greatest pride. These are not weak servants like those fools brought by Lord Darin. The golems are strong. Unless I give an order they will do nothing! If I tell them to destroy themselves they will do as I command!" He laughed.

"So…you're still such a pathetic warrior. You send your creations to do your bidding in other lands. I've no doubt that that is how you gained control of the Black Fang. Tell me, how did you do it?"

Nergal's face again gained that malicious smile. "Hmm…I suppose that I can at least tell you that much." He strode around the room a second time giving the hooded figure room. "You see one of the golems that I created was called Sonia. I made her in the image of a beautiful woman, and sent her to Brendan Reed, leader of the Black Fang. Slowly I have used her to manipulate him, and using the Black Fang into furthering my own ambitions."

The robed man stopped in front of Kyle and threw back the hood. A rather young man with yellow cat-like eyes, indigo hair tied back into a ponytail, and pale skin appeared.

"I take it that you are also a golem?" Kyle inquired of the person standing before him. The man smiled.

"You are quite perceptive aren't you? Many lack the ability to see that I am not entirely human. Ah, but I forget my manners! I am Ephidel." The man bowed low in mock courtesy. "I suppose that your name is Kyle?"

Kyle nodded. "Tell me Ephidel, what is it that you do for Nergal?"

Nergal laughed. "Tell him nothing Ephidel! Move on with the procedure! I want his quintessence by nightfall!"

Ephidel nodded and grabbed Kyle's forehead. The golem stared into Kyle's eyes and Kyle could feel this horrific construction start to probe into his mind. Ephidel was scouring Kyle's brain looking for something…but what? In reality Kyle didn't care, but he knew that whatever they were doing they didn't have good intentions, and so he began to resist. He started to try to push the golem back from his mind.

He heard Nergal laugh as if the man was far away. "It is useless to resist Kyle! Ephidel is doing a mostly painless procedure. He's simply coaxing the real you out. Do not fight it Kyle. Simply embrace your true self!"

Kyle felt Ephidel probing further and further and further…until suddenly the man hit a wall. Some type of strange force stopped him. Ephidel pushed harder against this block, but it pushed back with even greater force. Kyle could feel some type of power welling up in him.

"Get…out…of my…HEAD!!!" Kyle pushed himself forward in the chair hoping to hit Ephidel. But instead he struck at air. When he looked to the ground he noticed Ephidel lying on the cobblestones of the prison cell. Something had happened obviously as Nergal was standing in the corner overtop Nils, but Kyle had no idea what he'd done.

Ephidel got to his feet. He looked around. Kyle eyed him wearily confused. He wasn't sure what kind of game Ephidel was playing at but he was very going to be very careful. Yet even as he couldn't understand the look in Ephidel's eyes Kyle knew that something had truly changed. There was a realization in those once soulless yellow eyes.

"Ephidel!" Nergal cried, "Finish the operation!" But the man simply glanced around nervously. "Ephidel? Are you alright?"

Ephidel glared at Nergal. "You…gave me life, correct? Yet at the same time…you forced my kind into servitude for you… I was given the distinct honor of being your spy, your ambassador and your assassin when the situation called." Ephidel paused. He glanced cautiously around the cell looking at the many guards Nergal had lined the cell with. "But…I can only realize now that what you've had me doing is wrong!"

Nergal was suddenly enraged. "You ungrateful puppet!! I made you! I gave you life! I gave you purpose!" A dark energy began to gather in Nergal's left hand. "I can also UNmake you!!" Nergal threw a magical black sphere at Ephidel who parried the attack with a swing of his robe.

"You misunderstand me Nergal. Just because what you've done is wrong it doesn't mean that I don't believe that the world is in need of some type of order. I've seen the corruption of the inhabitants of this planet. If there is ever to be an end to all the war, theft, and murder there must be some man that is brave enough to bring order to this chaotic world." Nergal nodded and motioned for Ephidel to resume the operation that he'd been given but the man backed away from Kyle.

"No Nergal," Ephidel said. "There is a slumbering giant locked within him that you don't want to see unleashed."

Kyle glanced at Ephidel and noticed the fear that was in the man's eyes. That was something new. Never in his ten years of service to Nergal and the Black Fang had Kyle seen such fear in any member. Lloyd, and Linus Reed, sons of Black Fang founder Brendan Reed, were fierce soldiers and were always up for any challenging target. Brendan Reed himself was a gallant man, a fierce warrior, and had the most powerful eyes Kyle had ever seen. Sonia, Brendan Reed's wife, was…terrifying to lock eyes with. Her gaze was soulless and Kyle had known immediately that the woman was a morph. Ursula was strong and a powerful magic user. The woman feared very little, but was extremely weak against a number of things. Nino was a young girl and…she tried her best but oftentimes wound up crying, and Jaffar…well Jaffar was the only one that Kyle had ever truly been afraid of. Jaffar was caluculating, emotionless, and, at times, pure evil. But then again Kyle had always sensed a great deal of kindness deep within him.

Nergal glanced from Ephidel to Kyle then to Ephidel again. After a few seconds Nergal nodded and moved from Kyle to Ninian still seated in the chair to Kyle's right. Kyle looked to his right as well. Though he could only see Ninian out of his peripherie he could tell that she was fast asleep. Her breathing was shallow, and her heart seemed to be barely beating. Kyle began to struggle and move around in the chair in a vain attempt at freeing himself.

"Oh stop your struggling Kyle!" Nergal snapped glaring at the young man, "There's no way for you to escape, and I've got bargaining power over you."

Kyle glared at Nergal. "What bargaining power are you talking about?!"

Nergal reached down and started petting Ninian's hair while giving Kyle a sinister grin. "This little beauty here. I know that you wouldn't do anything to let any harm befall her."

"Stop touching her!!" Kyle shouted. Nergal backed off giggling a little bit. Kyle wanted to scream. He wanted to get loose and strangle that black-hearted Nergal. But his hands were firmly bound behind him.

"Do not worry," Nergal said smiling, "Neither of you will suffer much. There is a power locked deep within the two of you that I am more than determined to bring out." Nergal walked towards the cell door. "You see, Ninian and yourself, Kyle, are not human. But then again you know this. I've told you and you can no doubt feel the fact that you aren't. I am more than determined to bring out your…other side. I know that you, and your little friend Ninian will be reluctant to help me but…well you won't have much of a choice."

Kyle heard himself growl as though he was some kind of animal. Nergal chuckled and then unable to contain it began to cackle.

"Do you not see Kyle?" Nergal shouted, "You are a monster! You and Ninian both are monsters!! Do you remember the story of The Scouring, Kyle?"

Kyle nodded slowly. "Of course I do. Humans and Dragons lived together peacefully in the past until the humans decided to claim the world as their own. When that happened they waged a great war against the dragons. Overwhelmed by the quick reproduction rate of the humans and the great strength the humans had acquired with their magic the dragons retreated to this holy spot, The Dragon's Gate, and fled to another world where they have, supposedly, lived happily ever since."

Nergal nodded smiling maliciously all the while. "Yes, yes very good. You still remember your lessons well. I hope that you've realized why you were drilled so heavily in that lesson." Nergal waited but when Kyle didn't answer he went on: "You see Kyle you, Ninian, and that brat Nils, are all dragons. You, however, are special. Unlike Ninian and Nils you are two breeds of dragon rolled into one."

Kyle was shocked. He glanced around the room and then down at himself. There was no way! It was impossible for him to be a dragon!

"I know what you're wondering," Nergal said with a stoic expression, "You're wondering how in the world that is possible. Everything you've been taught about dragons tells you that two dragons can't be present in one body, and that even if that were true that would make you full dragon and you would be in a continuous draconic body and therefore be unable to survive easily in this world. Well, your father was part human, part dragon which allows you to become human. However you are a combination of a fire dragon and a divine dragon. This gives you the raw power of an animal, with the godlike strength of a divine dragon! Just thinking of the kind of power your quintessence could provide makes my mouth water…"

Nergal turned swiftly and opened the cell door. "Come, my servants! We must prepare for the ceremony! In only a few more days dragons return to this world."

Kyle stared at Nergal. "What? But I thought that I was the one you were going to use!"

Nergal sighed and said, "In your current, weak human state you could offer little quintessence. But if I can take the quintessence of a few other dragons then you shall become my true weapon. I shall control your dragon form and against you the rest of the world will fall!!"

"NO!!" Kyle shouted, "I will NEVER be your slave! You're using the morphs for that reason! I would rather kill myself than serve you!!"

Nergal smiled. "Don't give me any ideas, Kyle," he said, "You can unshackle him now." One guard knelt down and cut the rope that held his hands and feet then he followed quickly behind Nergal. The rest of the guards filed out of the cell after him, and then the heavy iron door slammed shut.

Kyle moved his hands around and brought them up to his face. He looked at his wrists. His arms below were red, and his hands were both black and blue from the lack of blood flowing to his hands. Kyle assumed his legs probably weren't much better.

Suddenly from the right corner nearest the door he heard a strange sound and he noticed the regally dressed man rise to his feet. As Kyle studied the man's face he seemed to recall somebody else's face. It took him a few minutes but when the man came into the light radiating in from the open space in the door Kyle saw Eliwood in this man.

"Greetings sir," the man said, "I am Marquess Pharae. Might I ask who you are?"