Odette, Derek, Fiera, and Angel stood on a cliff that overlooked the battle field. Behind them, they could hear the movement of the Guardian army, the tapping of swords on moving legs, the clang of shields and armor, the rhythmic marching. For what seemed like the thousandth time in the past few days, Odette could hardly believe everything she saw was perfectly real.

The cliff they stood on overlooked the grounds of a huge, dark castle. Odette could not remember being in a more evil place. The castle itself stood on a hill, making it like an acropolis. From their vantage point, they could see enemy soldiers, demons, filing down the walls and out onto the battlefield. The castle was surrounded by a double wall that spiraled around it. In between the two layers of stone was presumably a set of stairs, making it easier for the soldiers to be deployed. However, at the end of the stairs was a large wooden gate in a stone gatehouse. The oaken doors were obviously quite heavy and durable, making it hard for intruders to penetrate the fortress.

And in front of the castle, the army was completely fielded and was now organizing itself into ranks, which Odette found almost foolish, as everything would be a disarrayed mess by the time the battle started. She looked behind her at her own army. The Guardians were standing in eight units, four units standing in front, four in the back. The units were made of fifty soldiers, ten deep, five wide. When it was all counted out, it made an army of 800, not including Odette, Fiera, Derek, and Angel.

Odette glanced back at the demon army. There were certainly more than 800. She looked away. Although she was nervous, she could see the hard set in Fiera's eyes, telling her Fiera was ready for a battle. Odette could see her left hand resting on the hilt of her sword. Odette was thankful for her, as it was Fiera's plan that would be put to use. It was simple, but effective.

"Listen up!" Fiera called, turning to the army, commanding the attention of every person nearby, including Derek and Angel. "The plan is simple. I know that we're outnumbered, but they can't take us from above and hand to hand, which is why the front ranks will attack from the air, and those in back will come in on foot. The goal today is to take Sabian down – for good. When we spring, those of you who'll be fighting from the air will stay on the ground until the last moment and then pull up. Those of you behind will slam them on foot while those in the air will cover you where needed. As soon as Odette gives the word, we charge. Good luck, and God speed."

There were murmurs of goodbyes and a few soldiers broke rank to embrace their partners one last time. Fiera turned away and allowed them the moment. She, Odette, Derek, and Angel remained silent. They had said their farewells the night before. All that was left was to start the battle.

Knowing this, Odette drew her sword from its sheath and held it in the air. At that signal, everyone was quiet. They resumed positions of attention and got ready to run. After a moment that seemed like an eternity, Odette's arm began to descend through the air. When it was directly in front of her, she had but one word. "Go!"

The reaction was instantaneous. 800 Guardian men and women charged the field, with Fiera at the front, well ahead of the rest, as she was the fastest runner. They moved ever faster toward the demon army, putting the length of the field behind them. In front of them, they could see the demons brace themselves for battle. At the last second, the fliers pulled up, and everyone on ground slammed into the demons.

Odette, Derek, and Angel soon appeared in the air above the battle. Angel then dropped to the ground to fight alongside Fiera, who was like a machine, slaying demons left, right and center. She was easily the best fighter among the Guardians, as she knew the demons' weaknesses. However, there was one enemy that made her stop dead in her tracks.

Herself.

Standing before her, looking arrogant and bloodthirsty, was a demonic version of herself, the demon she once was, back to challenge the person she became. Fiera, though she stopped, did not even flinch as the clone of herself smirked evilly. Her reply was three challenging words as she brandished her sword:

"Come for me."

The clone needed no second bidding. It rushed at Fiera, sword drawn, eyes aflame. Fiera met it in the middle, charging it as it ran to start the fight. The fight was fierce. They traded blows back and forth until Fiera gained the upper hand. She used all the swordplay she had learned from years and years of practice. She was not about to lose to a version of herself that she had banished from her mind.

However, her literal evil twin was as determined as she. The demon knew every one of Fiera's moves, even the more complicated ones, before she could even perform them. The battle was wearing on Fiera's resolve. It was unsettling to fight an enemy that was her. But Fiera's identity crisis ended as soon as the monster spoke.

"You can't win," it said.

"Says you," Fiera answered, leaping at it.

"Why do you fight your true form, the person you really are?" the demon asked, its voice calm and thoughtful, as if it was unaware of the battle. Fiera was not taken in by the smooth voice or the words she knew were no longer true.

"I'm not that kind of person. I'm not a demon Sabian created to destroy all the good things around me. That demon is dead."

"Or at least trapped. Every day it is a battle for you to lock the demon you speak of inside yourself. You, Fiera, were the greatest demon known to history. You had no rivals. You were the strongest fighter in the world, save for Sabian himself. And now I see you've thrown it all away to live among these winged scum."

Fiera lashed out in anger, a clumsy, yet effective move, she saw, as the demon staggered back to avoid the blow. "That person, that demon is dead. That which you speak of died twenty five long years ago. Things have changed. No longer am I a bloodthirsty beast, no longer am I a servant of that devil Sabian, no longer am I you."

Odette could see Fiera fighting below her, but she could not lend a hand, as she too was being overrun. Derek was beside her, fighting his way through wave after wave of opponents. It was hard and tiring, but somehow they found energy and strength in places they had not even known existed.

Odette searched desperately for power in some small place inside her that hadn't been scared or grievous throughout her life.

Derek found energy in places that had the will to win the battle and be with Odette after it was over. He had a simple refusal to submit to any enemy, no matter how fearsome.

But, as they looked around them, they could see the Guardians fighting hard. And the demons, in return, were backing off. Some retreated as others fell before the blades of the Guardians. They were actually winning. But there were still many enemies. Derek glanced over at Angel, who was near Fiera. He seemed to be having trouble with some of the demons, so Derek joined him. Together, they slew those enemies and began to look for the next batch nearby.

Derek saw Fiera fighting… herself? He hadn't really noticed her opponent before. He was sure it was a trick of some demon.

"Which one is our Fiera?" Derek asked, unable to discern one combatant from the other.

"That one," Angel answered confidently, pointing at the fighter on the left, who was making a swipe at her opponent.

"How can you tell?"

"I know the woman I fell in love with," Angel answered sharply.

Derek felt like the wind had been knocked from him with just those mere words. He knew Angel knew nothing of the times he'd fallen for the 'fake Odette trick,' as it was called by Zelda. The first time had been just plain stupid, he realized soon after it happened. Of course Odette wouldn't have been able to get to the ball, and even if she could, where had she gotten that dress? He tried to blame it on Rothbart's spell, tried to convince himself it wasn't his fault. But he knew he had been stupid that night, and he nearly paid for it with both his and Odette's life.

And then there was the time Zelda stole the last piece of Rothbart's notes on the Forbidden Arts. This one was a little more justifiable, but still, he should have known. Even there, on the battlefield, he could not believe how easy it was for Zelda to snatch that scrap of paper from him.

And then there was Angel, who was absolutely sure who was the real Fiera. He was so confident in his decision, not even really thinking about it when he had answered Derek's question.

Meanwhile, Fiera was in a hard fight with the person she had tried to forget about for years. The clone leaped at Fiera, causing her to block with her sword. The move was quick and accurate, but Fiera had underestimated the clone's strength. When the blades met, Fiera's was snapped, leaving her with a sword hilt with a jagged piece of metal attached. Although the former weapon seemed useless, Fiera had an idea, and all she needed was an opening…

Which she received when the clone brandished its sword at her. In one swift motion, Fiera made a wide arc in front of her, and, with all her might, she released the jagged piece of metal. With perfect accuracy, it hit the clone on its hand, causing it to cry out in pain and release the sword. Before it could bend down and pick up the blade, Fiera charged, and with her arm outstretched and hand balled into a tight fist, she hit the clone in the face, sending it flying backward.

Perhaps the blow was too hard, as the demon had time to get up before Fiera reached it. With the little space they had left between them, the demon closed it, charging Fiera.

When they connected, shockwaves could be felt all over the battlefield. The demon delivered a powerful blow to Fiera's face, but despite that, Fiera remained strong, hardly even flinching. In retaliation, she raised her fist to return the blow, but the demon caught her hand and tried to do the same. Fiera was too fast, however, and landed a kick to the clone's stomach, sending another powerful vibration through the ground.

"Why are you fighting me?" the clone asked as it rose again. "I'm you, after all."

"You're not me. I'm not you. You're the old version of a long dead demon." Fiera ended her answer with a powerful punch to the demon's stomach.

But the clone was quick to get back in the fight. It ran at Fiera, hitting her with a blur of fists, pounding her in the face and stomach so fast that it was hard to see its hands. Fiera was sent reeling back, with Angel following, intending to stay close to the battle. She rubbed her mouth and looked at her hand. Blood. Before she could recover, the clone hit her in the stomach.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Four.

Blood spurted from her mouth, caused by internal bleeding. Angel gasped as it splattered onto his cheek. He touched the warm, red liquid. His body went rigid as he continued to watch.

But Fiera simply would not go down. She whirled up, and hit the clone with an amazing uppercut. As the demon's face came back down to face her, Fiera used a mean right hook to stun it again. Following the brief uprising, Fiera's hand flew to her mouth, where she found, to her surprise, fangs. The demon inside her was coming out, called upon by the will to survive.

She lashed out again, completely angered now.

Angry that this demon had the gall to tell her she was nothing more than a monster.

Angry that this demon taunted her with words that had haunted her dreams for years.

Angry that the demon she had been trying to lock away was awakening…

"Maybe there is still a hint of the demon in me, but it is slanderous to think that I am only a killing machine." The words came out Fiera's mouth as she continued to fight. "Do you know how much I could lose if I gave up this life? It's a hell of a lot more than any trinket, any war prize Sabian has ever offered. I don't serve him. My duty is to the Guardians.

I.

Am.

Not.

A.

Servant.

Of.

Sabian!"

Accompanying the last words was an assault of punches. Fiera's strength had been tripled when her demon side had been awakened. At last, the clone was subdued and defeated. It cast one more blank, almost confused, glance at her and shut its eyes in death.

Angel rushed over to her, startled by her fangs, but only for a moment. She smirked.

"That's that. There's still a demon within me, but that's where it will stay."