Author: Jeez, I am so sorry everybody! I should have updated a while ago, but alas, this is where it ends. I've enjoyed hearing from you all, and thank you for your feedback. Now, the moment you've all been waiting for, the finale. BlackChaos, out.

Final Chapter

The Mighty Have Fallen

Tauroneo had taken Jill back to her tent, and Lethe sat by her side to comfort her. Meanwhile, Tauroneo sat outside with Ike, waiting for the teams to arrive. Finally, the knight broke the silence.

"I should have seen this coming."

Ike looked confused.

"What do you mean?"

"You see, there were rumors that Ashnard held trials to allow foreigners to enter his forces. In those trials, one gave up their most valued possession as sacrifice to Ashnard. I am guessing that is what our comrade has gone after."

"That axe..."

"Yes."

Ike just stood, a dark glare in his eyes as he locked onto the sunlight, the bitter cold biting his face.

"They shall pay."

"With time, Lord Ike. With time. Gawain always fought with wisdom and calculation, I hope he passed that unto you." Tauroneo said with a cold serious tone.

"He did." Ike responded.

The trees rustled.

"Hm?!" Ike prepared his sword, Tauroneo his lance.

"Ike!" Titania rushed out from the trees, and pulled Ike into a hug.

"Titania!"

"What's the situation?"

"Look at the trees." Ike pointed toward the now burial site of Haar's Wyvern.

"Goddess..." Tanith lowered her head in respect as she landed with her squad close behind.

"My thoughts exactly." Oscar rode in on his horse, his squint betraying the horror his eyes truly felt.

"Wh-what happened here?!" Rhys was mortified, and looked truly nauseous.

"Daein troops. We know why Haar left now." Ike stared over at Zihark, who had taken it upon himself to clean the Fizzart Axe of the wyvern blood stains.

"That?" Boyd asked in a belittling tone.

"Yes. The Fizzart Axe. It's Jill's family treasure. Her father gave it up when he entered Ashnard's service, Haar went to get it back."

"What an idiot! Dying for an axe?! I mean, she could just get a new one!"

"BOYD!" A large portion of the company began to scream at him, but it was for naught.

Lethe exited the tent, fangs bared.

"What did you say, Beorc?"

Tauroneo frowned at this display, but remained still.

"Haar's act of courage is not for the physical item of the Axe itself, but for what it represents. If he hadn't returned that axe, Jill could never live out of the shadow of shame. As long as Ashnard held that axe, it was a symbol that Jill and her father had submitted to a tyrant, and that they surrendered everything to him. This was an act of ethics and honor, any knight or anyone with a true sense of honor would know that."

Boyd continued to back away from the feral Lethe, who would gladly rip Boyd limb from limb at the first chance she got.

Suddenly, the tent flap opened, and Jill exited the tent, covered by a blanket, her face still saturated by her tears. She quickly ran to Tauroneo.

"Do you know how to get to that fort?"

"Not clearly. The winds and snow distort everything."

"Can you lead me there?!"

"..."

"Can you?!" Jill was furious as Tauroneo refused to answer.

"Jill!" Ike roared out at her.

"Y-yes?"

"You're not going alone. Haar's one of us, we're going with you. Tauroneo, can you lead us there?"

"The base isn't exactly easy to find, they also set up several in a given perimeter as a trap for any robbers."

"We just have to follow the blood." Jill explained.

"..."

"Let's go." Ike commanded.

"Greil Mercenaries! Prepare! This is it! We're bringing Haar home!" Ike raised his sword to the sky, glinting in the sunlight. Cheers and roars were heard as the company scrambled to obtain supplies.

Haar was growing tired. Thousands of Daein corpses lay throughout the base, and all he had to show for it was a numb sensation growing in his fingers and feet.

Still, more and more men threw themselves at him, determined to send the Wyvern Lord down to death, but Haar wouldn't give in, he wouldn't die without a fight.

As he saw a battalion of men approaching, all Haar did was yawn.

With a smirk, he swung the axes fiercely down to his sides, the blood flying from the blades by the sheer wind force.

They charged. Like rabid beasts they ran at him, swords gleaming, spears outreaching even the tallest, axes grinding together, sparks flying.

Haar just let the axes dangle at his side, and smirked again.

"Fools." With an upward slice of an axe, Haar sent a shockwave that blew several men back, and with another slice, he sent another chunk of men flying another way.

Continuing this beautiful display, eventually, Haar rushed in and began to slay. A spear swooped down overhead, and with a loud crack, Haar split it in two.

Several hours later, all were dead. All but Haar, who stood triumphant, layered in the blood of others, his eye-patch torn off, revealing a horrid scar in the shape of a brand, a brand of Daein.

Suddenly, Haar heard a noise.

"Impressive, Haar of Wyverns."

Haar smirked.

"I hoped I'd fight you. You who shamed my commander in combat all those years ago."

"It will be a pleasure to slay you, if that is what you wish?"

"Wouldn't you kill me either way?"

"True, but it would be more pleasant if you surrendered."

"You actually think I will let you kill me?"

"I was hoping, but alas, that would be too simple."

Haar gritted his teeth and swung his axes clean of blood once more...

"How much longer?!"

"Patience, Jill, we are almost there..." As Ike said this, Tauroneo stopped.

"What is it?"

"The winds have changed."

Mordecai began to sniff, and Ulki shut his eyes.

"The wind smells of blood and steel."

"The sound of clashing weapons is apparent."

"We are close."

Tauroneo grimaced as he picked up his pace.

"We must hurry, the winds have changed, possibly for the worst."

Ike nodded, and all picked up speed.

They reached an area with three surrounding forts, and Mordecai just pointed to the northernmost one.

"He is there."

They bolted in, but it was too late.

What they saw, was Haar drop to the ground, as Alondite was pulled from his chest, and the Black Knight turned away, walking to the shadows.

"Captain Haar!"

"Black Knight! Stop!" Ike charged forward, but Titania and Tauroneo restrained him.

"Sir Ike! You cannot go after him!"

"But..."

"Ike! For the Goddess' sake, one of your own is hurt!" Titania yelled.

Ike came to a realization as he saw Haar slumped on the ground, and Jill at his side, talking to him.

"Captain Haar..."

"(Cough) Jill...I wasn't expecting you to come..."

"Idiot! You just left! Of course I'd come after you!"

"Heh...Maybe I am an idiot..."

"Haar..."

"I guess you didn't see the box..."

"Box...?"

"You never were one for small details..."

"Hey!"

"...In that box, sitting on my cot, was the Scale."

"Scale?"

"Your father never told you of it...?"

"What is it?"

"The Golden Wyvern Scale...Among Fizzarts, for a man to give a Golden Wyvern Scale to a woman is a symbol of betrothal..."

"Oh, Haar..."

"I knew I'd...die...But, I wanted you to know...I love you, Jill...I wanted you to be my bride...Forgive me..." Haar began to cough more, as tears rolled down Jill's face.

"Don't, don't cry, Jill. I'm going to be with Commander Shihiram...I'll wait for you...Don't die young...Not like me..."

"Don't say that!"

"It's true...Jill..."

"Haar..." And his eyes finally closed in peace, and Jill sobbed as she cradled his head.

"Haar..." She gently placed his head on the ground, and let a passionate kiss be given to the body of her fallen fiance.

"I...Loved you too..."

Ike couldn't help but shed a tear, it was just as he feared.

Tauroneo was silent, taking a moment to pray to the Goddess for the safe passage of his fallen comrade's soul.

Lethe went over and helped Jill get up.

"I believe this is yours." And Lethe handed her a small box with the symbol of a wyvern engraved on it.

"This...?"

"I hid it from you once I knew that he had left."

"Why?!"

"Because you having it would only make you worry more. It's yours now."

And Jill took the box and opened it. Inside rested the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. A beautiful scale, with gold lining and a strange ruby gleam.

"Oh, Haar..."

Author: It's...over. Well, not yet. I will do an epilogue for all of you, and thank you so much for reading, I hope you all didn't cry. Look forward to the epilogue, the story's almost done. BlackChaos, out.