OK... I am back. I'm really, really, REALLY tired cuz of studying for finals, writing this, and a geology paper that is gonna be due tomorrow... I wasn't able to get this chapter done cuz school...started to kick my ass... I hope that whoever reads this, or is reading this...forgives me cuz I've been really procrastinating on this... But without any further adue...here's the next rushed chapter! I'm sorry I'll post a better one next time...
Kyle bowed in reverence to Lord Elbert but the man shook his head and pulled Kyle up. In Elbert's eyes Kyle could see a great deal of sadness, and fatigue. Kyle reached for his sword and noticed that, of course, it was gone. At least Nergal had learned something in the year since Kyle had tried to leave.
"We must tend to the girl," Elbert said walking over and gently untying Ninian's hands. He slowly lifted Ninian out of the chair and laid her down nearest the cell door. Then he turned to Kyle. "Listen. You are going to take the girl and leave. You must make for the shore and protect her at all costs do you understand me?"
Kyle nodded. "I understand that very well. But how exactly do I get out of here? There are too many guards for me to make a run for it; I mean I don't even have a weapon! If I were to run then I would be caught, and re-imprisoned. So unless I'm going to take a weapon from the guards…then we're just stuck here."
Elbert nodded with a rather mischievous smile. "That is exactly what I mean! I will fake an illness and then when the guard comes in to see what's wrong…you hit him from behind, take his sword and the girl and get out of here! Once that is done you must head to the Lycian Province of Pherae, and petition for asylum there. Ask for my son or my wife; tell them that I sent you and that you must stay there in the protection of the Lycian Alliance. Do you understand all I've told you?"
"Yes," Kyle replied, "but is your son named Eliwood?"
Elbert nodded slightly stunned. "Yes…but how do you know his name?"
Kyle looked away toward the cell door again, hating Nergal. "I was one of the many that assisted Lady Lyndis in recovering the throne of Caelin from her granduncle Lundgren."
"Ah!" Lord Elbert said in surprise. "I see. So then are you…Kyle the Great?"
Kyle laughed a bit and said, "No. Simply Kyle. No nickname is required. I am no hero. I assisted Lyndis in getting home and rescuing her grandfather. Past this…I am nothing."
Elbert laughed a little. "Well, if your skills that many boast of are as great as they claim, then you've little reason to be humble my friend. Tell me, why are you here in this hell on earth?"
Kyle shook his head. "I've no idea. I was once within the Black Fang but I've no clue as to why they'd want me here…" He fingered the dragon pin that lay in a small pocket. He could feel the intricate designs and as he felt around the head he suddenly noticed two separate temperatures radiating from the pin. Quickly he pulled it out of his pocket and studied it. The right eye was now glowing a bright red, and the left was shining like a fresh fallen snow.
Kyle was suddenly entranced by the two glowing jewels. As he watched the red he felt a rage taking him over and the other was calming him like the sound of waves.
"Are you alright?" Elbert asked. Kyle looked up and shook his head. The whole island had been so perverted by dark magics…such a disgrace. Kyle looked from Lord Elbert to the wall and as he did so he realized where he was.
"This is so sad…" he said, "This place is a primary repository for knowledge on the Scouring. The dragons recorded it on this wall as they fled." Kyle placed his hands upon the wall and moved them along the shrouded indentations the dragons had left. "It tells…that the dragons had wished only for peace... The humans feared them because of their power and size… This fear had prompted the humans' war against the dragons. The dragons' great size and power had given them an advantage early on in the war…" He walked along the walls, "But as the war dragged on more dragons died. The main hatchery was found and the clutches of eggs destroyed… Slowly but surely the humans took over the mainland. Manakete sorcerers worked long and hard to make a portal to another world where the dragons and their manakete kin could live in peace. When it was complete the dragons all fled to this new world… The humans were victorious and spread all over the land…" He kept moving down the wall and neared the cell door. "It says that some dragons were so filled with rage that they became feral beasts, demons that answered to no one. These monsters burned anything that stood in front of them." Then he ran into the cell door. "This is where it stops…" He turned to Lord Elbert. "I can read no more. My reach is blocked by the cell door…"
Elbert nodded. "I understand. I knew the story well already. I have read many various books, scrolls and tomes on the Scouring. Nergal also translated the hieroglyphs for me, Lord Darin, and Lord Santaruz. We all supported him in his want for rebellion. Lord Uther is a powerful man, yet he is very sick. He suffers day and night from a mysterious malady and there is no doubt he shall perish soon. His younger brother Hector would take over and that man has no true knowledge of either politics nor any care for the political process that his brother has carefully constructed."
Kyle's temper flared immediately. "You fool!! Do you have any what you've done?! By giving Nergal any support it is completely possible that you've doomed the entire continent!! You cannot judge a ruler who has never had a chance to rule!"
Elbert's face was as hard as stone as he replied, "As you stated earlier you are a soldier, not a politician. You should leave the affairs of governing to those whose task it is to govern."
"If only I could," Kyle said not taking his gaze off of Lord Elbert. "Nobles are all alike. You all assume that a firebrand and impulsive youth has no chance of ruling effectively. One should not judge so harshly."
Elbert's face became gentler. "So it seems. You are far wiser than your youth leads to believe." Then he shook his head. "But such things are not important now. We must quickly enact the plan. We've spent far too much time talking." Elbert rushed around the room and handed Kyle a rock. But Kyle threw against the side of the wall. When Elbert looked shocked Kyle smiled.
"No need to worry milord. I can easily kill him. Then I shall take his sword, and the girl and be on my way."
Elbert nodded and added, "It must be swift. You must kill him without a sound, and escape." Then the man dropped to the ground.
Kyle grinned. 'The man is more devious than I believed,' he thought to himself. Then he walked to the door and looked through the walls. There were two guards… Two on one. Not very good odds for the enemy.
"Excuse me," Kyle said. The two men looked through the small window. "The man in here is very sick. I believe that he needs medical attention."
The man on the left glared first at Kyle then at his partner. "What are you talkin' about? He seemed fine just a minute ago!"
Kyle shook his head. "He was complaining about a queer feeling in his stomach. Then he just dropped over…"
The man appeared shocked for a second, and Kyle heard him say, "You go get the cleric just in case. I'll check on him…"
Kyle backed off as the guard entered the room. However, when he'd cleared the doorway the soldier glared at Kyle and warned him, "If you're lying…I'm gonna bleed you dry!"
Kyle winced. "I wouldn't like that too much my friend…"
The guard grunted and laid his weapons aside, knelt down and prepared to inspect Lord Elbert. Kyle crept behind the man and the moment he decided that the guard wasn't paying attention. He delivered a sharp kick that knocked the man's helmet off. The guard got to his feet dazed and slightly confused. He looked around angrily for Kyle but couldn't find him. Then suddenly like a snake Kyle wrapped his arms around the man's neck, grabbed his head and gave it a forceful twist. The guard's neck snapped like a twig.
Elbert got to his feet. "Not as quiet as I'd hoped for but at least no extra guards are coming." Elbert took the guard's sword, handed it to Kyle and then handed him Ninian. Kyle slung Ninian over his shoulder. "You must escape with her. She is the key to Nergal's plans. Without her nothing can be accomplished."
Kyle nodded and took off running. He evaded a few patrols as they came down the same hallway, and hid behind a pillar. He wasn't concerned about these simpletons, but what worried him was when he neared the south exit, as he'd done the first time, then he'd have to pass by Ephidel's room. The morph could smell quintessence like a bloodhound and that could be a problem. But what was even more concerning was the possibility that he'd run into Jaffar. That could prove hazardous. Jaffar was the only member of the Black Fang greater in stealth than Kyle, and avoiding a run-in with that warrior would be paramount.
Suddenly he heard a group of guards coming along with the heavy footsteps of Lord Darin and Nergal. He leaned over so that he could hear the very slightest of their conversation.
"…again?! How in the hell did he do that?!...want…guards…at…so…entrance!" he heard Nergal say.
Damn… That changed things. He would have to take the primary entrance to get out then... Then he heard Darin's part:
"But…men… Boat…fog…forget…Kyle… Coward…fig…" Kyle couldn't understand much of what Darin was saying other than something about a boat and fog. The relief was that the man didn't believe Kyle would be much of a challenge…
"I hope to prove you wrong milord Darin," Kyle said and then he picked up Ninian and ran for the main entrance. It would be much more difficult to escape out that way, but Kyle was certain that he could do so. Escape would mean quickly running. No doubt Nergal was on his way to see how it had happened. Kyle stopped for a moment behind a pillar and cringed as he thought of what would happen to Lord Elbert. But he quickly shook his head. "Though it pains me to do so, I must not think on this…" He looked back to where he'd come from. "Lord Elbert…please forgive me." Then he again took off running.
He made it out of the main door, and ran for beach and a certain area where he'd originally planned to escape from. When he reached the place where he'd hidden a small raft last year to escape he found it completely demolished. The logs had been smashed, the sail had been torn, and the ropes cut in many areas.
"Damn…" Kyle sighed, "I…I can't believe it… How am I going to get her out of here now?" He scratched his chin and finally, sighing, said, "I suppose that I'll just have to tie her too my back and swim away…
He took some of the slashed rope, tied it together, tied Ninian to his back, and then began to swim. It was risky, and dangerous, but it was, in the end, the only way he knew of to escape with Ninian in tow. But as he swam on he realized that it was going to be difficult when a storm began to brew. The waves began to grow, and he could feel his muscles tiring. He was afraid he would drowned, when suddenly appearing out of the fog was a boat.
As it passed him he could only float in the water staring in awe. Never before had he seen such a thing save for the ships that the Black Fang used to get on and off the island.
He heard a man shout, "Man overboard!!" and before Kyle knew it he'd been drawn upon the boat. Quickly he got to his feet, and drew his sword. He was surrounded by pirates, and if they decided to attack he would be in trouble. Had he the strength he might've been able to take them on, and that was a stretch if he wanted to protect Ninian. Then suddenly a rather nobly dressed young man strolled down from the driver's platform.
"What's going on?" the noble asked. He looked down and noticed Kyle. Who stared back up at him.
"What type of pirate are you, sir that you dress as a noble's son?" Kyle asked with a rather haughty tone.
The youth walked right up to Kyle and stared at him in the eyes and suddenly smiled. This young man's smile was so…genuine, and at the same time so familiar that Kyle couldn't help but wonder where he'd seen this same look before. He extended his hand in a gesture of pure friendship.
"My name is Eliwood, Prince of Pherae, son of Lord Elbert," the young man said as Kyle took his hand. "And you must be Kyle if I'm not entirely mistaken."
Kyle raised his eyebrows. "How is it that you know my name?
Eliwood laughed. "Well…let us just say that you have taste in friends." He turned to the driver's platform. "Lyndis! Come here! I think we've found your missing compatriot!"
Kyle looked up dazed, confused, and half-insane. A few moments later a young woman's face peered over the railing of the platform, smiled widely, and vanished. Kyle watched as the figure of Lyndis of Lycia made her way down the stairs, and ran at him holding onto him like a python. Then she backed off a bit.
"Kyle!" she said. But Kyle himself could hardly believe what he was seeing. He hadn't swallowed that much seawater had he? No, no he was sure of it. But still staring at him dead in the face was an old friend…Lyndis! He shut his eyes, waited and opened them again expecting to see nothing, but the endless ocean he'd been on moments before, but instead he saw Lyndis's kind smiling face, and the roaring laughter and jovial pirate sounds all around him.
"Lyn…" he said reaching up with his hands, "is…is that really you?"
She nodded. "Indeed tis' I."
"How…How've you been?" Kyle asked smiling weakly. He winced, and touched the top of his head. That must've been how they'd gotten him…clubbed him on the head when he wasn't looking. He winced again as he touched the knot. It stung something fierce!
Lyn giggled a bit to herself, and then said, "I've been fine. We had a bit of trouble early on. Lord Darin invaded Castle Caelin with a retinue of soldiers, but thanks to Lords Eliwood, and Hector we were able to oust him and his soldiers."
Kyle saw the slightest hint of a shadow cross Lyn's smile. This wasn't her natural and gentle smile. Something was wrong.
"Milady Lyndis…what happened?" he asked.
She looked at him with surprise, the kind of surprise she always had when he knew something was wrong. "Nothing! Nothing happened!"
He continued to look into her eyes. "Lyn. Tell me. What happened? Some doubt has crossed your usually radiant face. Your hair's sheen has been eclipsed by some wicked shadow. Now tell me. What is the full story that has transpired during my absence?"
When she failed to answer he looked first at Eliwood and then Hector. "Tell me!" he shouted. "I've seen the forces of the Black Fang and the dark-hearted Darin! I must know what has happened to the world while I've been gone!"
Hector, who'd been apparently oppressing his rage suddenly leapt from the driver's platform and landed square in front of Kyle. The two glared at each other and suddenly Hector started to rave.
"What right do you have to appear like a magician and demand that we tell you everything?! Why don't you tell us what you know first?! I don't even think that we can trust you!"
Kyle walked towards Hector and when the hot-blooded young lord swung at Kyle the young swordsman grabbed Hector's fist and like a flash of lightning tossed him about five feet. Hector got to his feet as best he could. The air had been knocked out of him and he was gasping for breath, and he was almost completely dazed.
"I apologize," Kyle said. "But we've no time for idle banter. All of this chatter will count against us. As we speak the Black Fang will be attempting to retrieve Ninian." He motioned with his hand down towards the unconscious girl.
"Why do they want Ninian?" Eliwood asked staring at her.
Kyle shook his head. "I'm afraid that I do not know what nefarious scheme they wish to use her for. All I know is that they will be coming for her soon, if they aren't already on their way. We should turn back now, and get her someplace safe."
"No," Eliwood said. "We've come to retrieve my father the Marquess. I've information that place him here, and I will not leave without him. That is what I promised my mother."
"Lord Elbert?" Kyle asked. "Yes he was in the cell with me and Ninian but…he told me to take the girl to Pherae where she can be protected! Please Lord Eliwood honor your father's wishes!"
Eliwood shook his head. "I apologize Kyle but that is one wish that I cannot honor. I promised my mother that I would not return unless it was beside my father, and now that you've confirmed the fact that he is on that dreadful island I cannot turn back. I pray that you will forgive me."
"AH!!" Kyle shouted. "You're as stubborn as your father!" Eliwood turned to hit Kyle only to find the young man laughing. "But I suppose that that is the exact reason that I followed Lyndis so blindly, and only the meek run from a challenge. Very well then son of Pherae, I shall assist then in the reclamation of your father from that wretched island!"
The girl opened her eyes.
"Ninian!" Lyn said kneeling down beside the girl and helping her to her feet.
Ninian blinked and said, "Ninian? Is… Is that my name?"
Lyn looked at Eliwood with worry, turned back to Ninian, and said, "Yes! That is your name! Have you forgotten?" She paused. "Do you remember anything from the last few years?"
Ninian shook her head.
"What happened to her Kyle?" Eliwood asked in a harsh tone.
Kyle shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. I simply woke up in a cell tied to a chair with her sitting beside me. Your father is the one that helped me escape. But we've got to get back to that island quickly."
Suddenly Wil, keeping watch in the crow's nest, shouted, "There are ships approaching us from all directions!"
The man that Kyle assumed was the pirate captain looked up and shouted, "What?!" He looked around. Kyle followed his vision and noticed that indeed there were two ships closing on the side, and one approaching from the rear. But Kyle noticed something odd about the ship approaching from behind. It was a smaller vessel; sleeker, faster, and flew different colors than a Black Fang ship did. When it got close enough Kyle suddenly realized that the boat was flying the colors of Lycia!
"Wait!" Kyle said. "I think they're friends."
The small boat threw a ladder atop the steering platform and suddenly two men: one in a large suit of armor, and holding a spear, and the other tall and proud and grasping a sword, stepped onto the boat. Immediately Kyle recognized them. The first was Jaegnar, the paladin he'd met during his stay in Caelin, and the other was Cristoph, the powerful knight.
"It is good to see you again, Kyle," Jaegnar said. "It has been far too long since we've spoken."
Kyle nodded. "It is nice to see that you are doing well. Were it that we met again under different circumstances we would have the chance to reminisce and converse. But for now the enemy is upon us. Wil has a sharp eye indeed."
Wil suddenly came down from the crow's nest. "I wasn't sure at first. Though it appeared as though you meant us no harm I was about to sound the call to repel boarders!"
Jaegnar laughed and replied, "Well I'm quite glad you didn't! We might've been sunk by you all!"
Suddenly three gangplanks fell down on either side of the boat.
"We'll speak later!" Kyle said drawing his blade. He made a mad dash for the left boat. Many shamans attempted to strike him with their flux spells but with Kyle's reflexes all that they managed to do was to blow holes in their own ship as well as allow Kyle to paint the ship red.
Kyle looked back and noticed that his friends were having some slight difficulty holding off the enemies on the other ship. He gritted his teeth and advanced on the last shaman.
The man seemed to laugh or spit. All Kyle saw of the man's action was a slight quivering of the robe.
The shaman shook his head. "Kyle, Kyle, Kyle. What on Earth are you doing fighting alongside these…cretins?! I thought you were smarter than that." When Kyle didn't answer the man went on: "Lord Nergal wants you dead you know. Why would he want that? Oh. I see why. You've become something below all of us! You're no longer a fang! You are human!"
Kyle nodded. "That I am. And I am proud to be one. Humans are more powerful than any of us in the Fang could ever know about. Their hearts and emotions are what make them strong. Their numbers make them beyond mighty! Never could Nergal hope to gather an army greater than man!"
The shaman nodded. "Indeed he can! I Zoldam shall pass through this mortal plain and become a morph, surrendering myself to Lord Nergal and gaining powers the likes of which you could never even imagine!!"
He cackled, and Kyle shook his head. "You had so much potential. You've not given your heart to Nergal yet! Why should you do so now?! There is nothing worth it! The power he gives you is nothing but fake! No one can give you power! You must earn it and gain it on your own!! How can you, a mage, not understand this!?"
Zoldam was silent for a few moments and said, "We are through talking. Come. We shall fight now and see this matter put to rest."
Kyle drew his blade. Zoldam cast the flux spell but Kyle was able to easily avoid it. Then he attempted to cast anima magic but for some reason it didn't work. He couldn't summon the fire, or the thunder, or the blizzard he so distinctly remembered casting only a year ago.
As Kyle reached for the magic he heard Zoldam laugh. "What's wrong? Having a little trouble casting magic are we?! You cannot use both blade and nature!" Zoldam struck Kyle with a powerful eclipse spell.
Kyle fell to the ground and watched as Zoldam walked towards him. Kyle could again fell his rage bubbling to the surface. He could feel a new wealth of power and he quickly reached down into it and held on tight. He held his hand, palm outstretched, in front of him pointing at Zoldam and suddenly an explosion of light struck the shaman. Zoldam backed away confused and angry. Kyle, again, reached into this new power he'd found, and lashed out with it. This time the blast was more intense, and a searing light surrounded both Kyle and Zoldam. The light was blinding yet comforting, and when it cleared Zoldam was nowhere to be found. Only a pile of ashes within a shaman's robe was any proof he'd existed at all.
He heard his friends coming up behind him and he got to his feet. In his hands was a ring. A special ring meant for those who used magic. He walked over to Erif and dropped it into her hands then clutched his arm. Kyle had taken more damage than he'd thought at first, and though the wound could be healed the darkness that seemed to afflict him with the spell could not. He could still see the vision that the flux had struck him with: Three great monsters of flame crawled from the portal and roared in anger and then suddenly a light had filled him. It was an unexplainable feeling. But when he reached for the power again he found that it was no longer there.
He turned to Lyn, Eliwood and Hector who watched him closely. A question seemed to be upon Eliwood's mouth, but Lyn walked forward took him by the arm and led him back to the ship. Though Kyle was stunned by her compassion and trust he was also more struck by the odd feeling he'd gotten from that spell of light…as though it was familiar. He shook his head free of such thoughts and waited as the ship drew nearer and nearer to the Dread Isle.