Um, is anybody actually reading this? If you are, please review. I don't really know if anyone actually looks at this at all. D:


"Sanaki!" said Ike, speaking with a fear that came from deep inside.

"Ike, We can do this!" she said, pulling out her Tome. "Whoever that is is no match for the two of us."

Ike whipped our Ragnell and sent it in a devastating attack down toward the person. But a dagger was brought up and easily blocked it. Ike brought Ragnell down again and again, but whoever it was matched his every blow.

Keep at it, Ike, Sanaki thought, flipping through her Tome. One spell... come on...

But it was to no avail. One second the person was holding Ike's sword up, and then they were behind Sanaki with a knife to her throat. Sanaki saw a lock of blond hair. Now that she was up close, the voice, she realized, was that of a woman, and the hands were to slim to be any man.

"Surrender, Ike, or Sanaki is dead, and you will be blamed."

Ike hung his head. He dropped his sword to the ground. "Just let her go. Kill me, if that is what you wish, but let Sanaki go."

No, no, keep her distracted, Sanaki thought. Just keep her distracted for a minute, Ike. She willed him to hear her.

"You must tell me where the Sword is now, first," the woman said. "I am a professional Assassin, I can cut her throat and make it look like Ragnell did it, then have Beignion hunt you down for me. This is what happens when someone defies Nano Dios, Ike. This is what happens."

Good, keep going, you egomaniac, thought Sanaki. She hoped and prayed to the Goddess that this woman was as theatrical when she thought she had won as most were. She saw Ike look at her out of the corner of his eye, she winked at him.

"What do you plan on doing with me?" Ike asked. "I can, and will, die for a friend." Good job, Ike, thought Sanaki. Keep her going...

"Oh, it will be worse than death, Ike," said the assassin woman. "Much, much worse. You will help us find the Sword or you will wish you had never been born..."

The woman continued on. Slowly, carefully, Sanaki summoned up the power for her strongest spell. It trickled up from her heart, filling her loose hands, making every limb burn with power. At the last second, she released it with a soundless cry. She felt fire surround the woman behind her, and Sanaki's slight frame was sent flying by the blast. She cried out again as she was flung in the air.

Suddenly, there was a warm, solid something behind her. Ike had flung himself where she was landing, catching her, shielding her from the hard ground. "Sanaki!" he said as the breath hissed out of him. "Are you alright?"

"Ike, I'm fine," Sanaki said. "Where's the assassin woman?"

"Woman?" Ike asked. "How do you know it was female?"

"I could tell. She had a woman's haircut," said Sanaki, "and the hands were too slim. The voice, from up close, was also feminine."

"Hmm," said Ike. "That makes sense."

Sanaki got up and looked around. "She's gone," she said. "I think my spell sent her away to lick her wounds. Come, back to the Cathedral, we can talk there and no one will disturb us."

"Alright," said Ike. "Let's go." He put an arm on the ground and propped himself up, then pulled himself to his feet.

He held Ragnell in one hand. All the way back Sanaki stayed close to him, a spell seconds away from firing off. Only when they were safely in her bedroom in the Cathedral did she relax and let the magic lie at rest again. She was to exhausted and sore to notice the strange looks some of the nobles gave the pair as they disappeared into Sanaki's room without a word. Sanaki sat very close to Ike, and for a moment he just put his arms around her and was silent.

"Stay with me, Ike," begged Sanaki. "Stay in Begnion. You'll be safe here."

Ike sighed wearily, his chin sitting on her head. "I can't," he said. "I am putting you and all around you in danger by being here. Didn't you say Princess Leanne and Prince Naesala are coming to visit soon? Say she struck at Leanne, or one of her children, next. I must flee to where she can only hurt me. I would like to do some research at the library, then leave."

Sanaki put her arms around him, holding him close. She said nothing. Then, "I must know. Who are the Nano Dios? Is this the Nanos? The Sword... are they talking about Roy's?"

"Probably," said Ike. "You see, the Nanos are... controlling that continent. They are behind every Royal, they back every church. Every man or woman in a seat of real power, they have over a barrel. They blackmail, kidnap, torture, and kill to gain power, and that continent... Aya, it was called, is only a stepping-off point for them. What they really want is the Sword, and from there, the world under their heel. How they found me I don't know. I thought they had no power outside of Aya. They must have people here, or have tracked me all the way from Aya."

"I will search," said Sanaki. "I will find whoever spilled on you and have them thrown in prison... or something! I will find the assassin, too! Then you can be safe here. And if I can't trust anyone, I'll do it myself!"

"That is very kind of you," said Ike. "But I will research, find a map of Tellius, then I will go. Rule in peace, Sanaki. I don't want to bring you any more pain than I already have."

Sanaki felt her eyes fill with tears at the thought of losing him again, this time for good. She cried into his shoulder. "I'll miss you."

Sanaki felt wetness on her head. Tears. Ike, the warrior, the blunt, the brave, the strong, was crying? "Sanaki," he said. "Try to forget me when I'm gone. It will be better that way." Every word he said sounded pained, like he was so longing to take it all back.

"No!" said Sanaki. "Not ever. Not now, not ever! Do you hear me? I fell for you the first time we met, though I may not have known it at the time, and I may have been an idiot, but I have loved you ever since we met. I waited for you for three years. I have always loved you, Ike, and I always will. Don't ask of me the one thing I cannot do."

"I love you, Sanaki," said Ike. "I... always will, too. I will never forget you. But..." and here his voice cracked, "I must stay away from you, you who I want the most in the world, to keep you safe. As long as you are safe... I will be as happy as I can be. I'm sorry, Sanaki. I... I wish there was another way."

The two cried together, neither wanting to come to terms with what had just been said. They cried for what seemed like forever, cherishing what might be the last moment they ever spent together, when they could be simply lovers. Ike kissed Sanaki one last time, but it was filled with tears. Then they slept, weak and weary... just two young people, broken-hearted and alone.