This update was a little later than planned but I have a good excuse for it. It wasn't writter's block because most of the story is planned out inside my head anyway. I have other things I have to take care of. Next week's the AP Exam. Joyous. Anyway, this chapter is hot off the press so I didn't have time to check over it like usual. I you noticed anything (i.e. any grammatical grammar, plot holes, things my subconsciousness may have put in) please notify me. It's probably not as good as some of the other chapters.

On to more exciting business, who knows why I named the title like this? Take your best shot. This chapter served more of a transitional story as well. It tells of what happened before the actual story takes place. Some things might be out of characters, but bear with me and tell me about it please.

Chapter 16: Kioku

Staring into the golden eyes reminded Lyn of looking into Mark's eyes; holding so much wisdom and kindness along with troubling clouds that show his experience. Stranger was that it fit onto his face the same way that Mark's does. The way that he looks at them was the same as Mark. Confident but humble.

He continued to stare back at them with his unwavering stare; unblinking in his determination. Lyn took one step forward and he didn't move. Lyn knew what this was. He knew that she was still too far to be a threat, but only just too far. Any nearer and she would immediately pose a threat, especially with her swords. She took another step and he tensed. Right now, he was holding all of the cards. Even if she can reach him, he still has Mark and can send Mark to the next world before she can get within two feet of him.

"Who are you?" Lyn asked first to try and negotiate. Even Hector can realize the delicate situation and decided to hold back until the time calls for it.

He was still holding Mark but he looked directly into her eyes, his own as if they were boring into her soul. "I am one who understands more than you'll ever hope to know. I see no point in introducing myself to you. You have already seen me." He glanced over to Lyn and took a pause. "However, since you have asked so politely and Mark deems you interesting enough to be his acquaintance, I shall answer."

He looked at all of them in the eye again. "I am Mark's brother. My name is something that cannot be translated in your language." He took a breath and opened his mouth. It was a sound nearly indescribable. It sounded like a mixture of all the sounds of the world mixed together. "Therefore, I have chosen to take on another name just as Mark had. I am Marius."

He didn't just look like Mark, now he sounded like him too, in everything including the name. "When someone introduced themselves, the only polite thing to do would be to introduce yourself." He said impatiently. Kinda like Mark.

"I am Eliwood of Pherae. These are my companions Hector of Ostia, and Lyn-"

"Mark's Destined Lover!" Hector shouted.

"HECTOR!" Lyn shouted and bashed him over the head with her sword.

"Such an unruly bunch. I see no reason why Mark kept around riffraff such as the likes of you."

"Because we're friends. Our bond gets us through anything," Lyn said angrily at Marius.

"Friends? You honestly believe that Mark considered you as friends? You fools. Mark has been helping us since the beginning, to try and stop all of you." He turned to Lyn. "Think back Ms. Lyn. Remember when you first used the ring to find where we had 'supposedly' taken Mark? Remember how you saw everything so clearly? That was all planned."

"How-"

"Let's go back to the beginning, the point where Mark got hit with an arrow. Naturally, you thought that he had died. That attack nearly killed him. We got him back in time and the one who shot the arrow was justly punished. Then we found out that you had gotten his possessions including the two things that were needed for our plans to be complete. Over the next three months or so, we searched through his mind's surface. What we found were obviously blatant lies planted by you. Clever lies nonetheless.

"That was when we decided that Mark's memories of you should be suppressed. We wouldn't, and couldn't, remove them completely. That might cause Mark harm mentally and physically. His barriers were weakened without the ring, but they put up a strong fight anyway. After wiping his mind blank, we waited for his true self to come. He never surfaced. We figured that something was missing."

"That is where I come in," a voice came from behind Marius. An aged man materialized behind him. He was beyond old, he was ancient. A long white beard reaching past his waist made it so that every time he spoke, it billowed like clouds. His hair was thinning in the front, but it was pulled back to form a long ponytail behind him reaching to the floor. Around his head was a sliver and gold circlet. He was dressed in blue robes matching his eyes. In his right hand was a staff with intricate designs carved onto it. The article that stood out to Lyn the most was that on his right index finger was the same ring that she saw on Mark's hand.

"Which are you this time? Methuselah?" Marius asked curiously.

"No, I'm Mimir. Methuselah and Memoria are asleep right now." He said gently.

"Ah…I see. Allow me to introduce you." Marius turned his head to face the lords more directly. "This is Mimir, the Wise, he is a spirit that inhabits the vessel you see before you. Methuselah, the Experienced, and Memoria the Memory are two other spirits that exists within him."

"Yes, now that the introductions are out of the way, I believe that you have Mark, yes?"

"Yes, he's right here. Sleeping like he used to."

"I see, well, I'll explain from here. You take him back to Tarin and Tamara. No doubt that they'll give you an earful for, as they put it, 'hogging' Mark." Mimir said with a small chuckle.

"Of course, we'll take our leave." Marius bowed slightly and started to fade away. By the time Lyn realized this and moved forward, he was already gone. She looked back up to Mimir.

"Okay buddy, start talking. Where has that Mark-look-alike-who-really-isn't-Mark taken Mark?"

"Please calm down Ms. Lyn. I assure you that Mark is not taken somewhere to be tortured. I do have a question though, have you sensed any abnormality in yourself lately?"

"Why would I tell you?"

"No reason. But I do sincerely wish to know. It would be a benefit to see if others suffer from the same symptoms of these particular rings."

"The ring?"

"Indeed. As you have heard the conversation, I am but one spirit, or rather mind, inside of this body. From what I can tell, usage of the ring will eventually cause a person's mind to become unstable and the mind will naturally preserve itself by creating new minds to hold all of the information. Have you had conversations with yourself lately?"

"Lately…" Lyn trailed off. She did recall the most recent one. She was with Mark at the picnic. Didn't she start talking to herself? She looked up sharply at him.

Again he chuckled. "I see, so you have experienced it."

"What is he talking about Lyn?" Eliwood asked, concerned for the health of his friend.

"Nothing Eliwood. Anyway, back to the subject, where is Mark?" Lyn asked, the last part being especially vehement.

Eliwood and Hector noticed Lyn advancing forward and moved forward as well to back her up.

"I really don't want to fight you," Mimir told them. It was more of a command than a suggestion. Lyn didn't listen and continued to move forward.

"You would gang up on an unwilling man? For shame!"

All heads were turned towards the ceiling where the voice was coming from.

"Uh, I'm right here," Marius' voice came again. All heads now came back down to see him standing in front of Mimir. "Sorry, I guess the architectural structure of this room must make my voice echo."

"What are you doing here?" Mimir asked him. He just turned backwards and placed something in Mimir's hand.

"You were taking too long so I was getting worried. Don't worry, this will take you back so you can rest. I deal with things here."

"Wait-" Mimir stared but he was surrounded by a glowing circle with inscribed runes and disappeared.

"Now you will deal with me!" Marius yelled as he pulled out his sword.

They all spent a moment looking at it. It was fairly old, though kept in good condition. Still, it had nicks all over the sword's blade.

Hector struggled for a minute before guffawing. "You want to fight us using that blade. Come on, if you use that kind of sword to train with, at least let us give you a proper sword."

"I have no need for another sword! Ready yourselves!"

He rushed at them with astounding speed. Eliwood barely had time to bring up his sword to block before the familiar clang of metal sounded in his ears. But Marius, instead of locking swords with him, quickly pulled away and sent another slice from another direction.

Luckily Hector was close enough to parry the attack, but Marius kept pushing back with the sword and pushed Hector to the wall with the point nearing his neck. Eliwood and Lyn rushed him and he flipped over them backwards, landing in a perfect rushing stance.

Hector looked up for a moment before grinning like a maniac. "Okay Lyn, now we know that he's lying." They all looked back at him, urging him to continue because Hector often pauses to add drama only he does it in the worst possible moment. "Look, this guy is really, REALLY good, right?" Everyone, even Marius, nodded. "Mark sucks at fighting. Therefore, because of the vast differences, they cannot be related," he finished with a satisfied smirk and his nose in the air. Everyone just gave him an exasperated look.

Lyn was the one to reprimand him with a smack on the head. "HECTOR! That was one fact and how does not being able to fight not relates them?

"Ms. Lyndis of Sacae is quite correct in her assumption that fighting traits are not inherited, but she is quite wrong about Mark's inadequacy in the art."

"Wait, wait, wait. Are we even talking about the same person anymore?"

"You shall not talk down on Mark any longer, Hector of Ostia!" Again he rushed at them and attacked. The same routine of him attacking slowly fell into place. His weapon was strong, they'll admit that much. He already shattered Eliwood's rapier and Lyn's silver sword was now without a blade. His own tattered looking sword was still holding up strong and each blow delivered was just as strong as the last. Still, all of the movements were wearing him down slowly.

"Will you give up now? I'll give you one last chance to escape with your lives to see our true purposes," he managed to pant out.

"Ha- not a chance. Ha- you're already tiring out. Just a little more and you'll be gone and we'll take Mark back," Lyn also panted out. They were just as tired as he was but that was considering that it was three on one. All the same, if any of them was to tire out first, the most likely one would be him.

Luckily for him he was smart enough to know this and not rush into things without thinking it through. He glanced around at the bare room. They were probably more than thirty five feet underground and the soil around the area was loose. It wouldn't cause too much of an impact but if used correctly…

"So I see that you will not surrender. I have no choice then, good bye!" He shouted as he took his sword and stabbed the point into the ground. A glowing circle with intricate designs on it appeared with the center on the tip of the sword for a short second. "GROUND DASHER!"

As soon as he said it, the entire room started to shake and true to its words, the spell caused the ground to split open and they all fell into the waiting darkness.

As they were falling though, Marius took out a small piece of paper and threw it below him. As it was flying back up, he took his sword and stabbed it causing writing to appear on it. "SEE YA!" He yelled as a light engulfed him and he disappeared. The teleportation that he did must have had an energy backlash because it caused a strong updraft to slow their fall.

They still landed pretty hard and Hector complained about his sore bum.

"ARGGG! SHUT UP HECTOR! NO ONE WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR BUM!!!" Screamed Lyn as she was reaching the end of sanity through the whirlwind of events.

"Calm down, both of you," the voice of reason, Eliwood, muttered, obviously tired of their antics. "The best thing we can do right now is to look for a way out. We don't know where we are or if we're even in the same areas as our camp. The best bet we have is to make it back to the room with the symbol and have it teleport us back to the other symbol where the camp should be waiting. Lyn can you see anything?"

He looked up to see that Hector and Lyn were already walking off without him, and making small conversation. He sweat-dropped but he hurried to catch up to them.

"Nice of you to finally notice Eliwood," Lyn said coldly. "Beside, have you noticed that I no longer have the ring?!" She emphasized her point by lifting up her hand to show that it was bare.

"Oh…err…right…anyway…any good ideas?" He finished weakly.

"None whatsoever, you Hector?"

"Nope…wait! Why not use Mark's book? You still have it, right Eliwood?"

"Yes, it's right here," he said while pulling the book out. "What page should I open it to?" Shrugs from his two companions caused him to sigh. He opened the book to the first page that said, "Should you have any problems, just stand the book on its spine and let it fall…Then hope to whatever divine being up there likes you and helps you out. Hopefully that was useful to you in a dark situation…if not…then too bad."

"Oookay…let's not get too excited people," Hector said slowly.

Eliwood took a breath and placed the book on its spine. It slowly fell to the sides showing them a page with minute writing. It said:

Aliens in our Worlds

Aliens and Michelangelo: Who really painted the Sistine Chapel

Aliens and the Egyptians: Wonders of the Great Pyramids

Aliens and the Mayans: Are they Aliens; Thoughts on Dooms Day

Let's go Bowling with Aliens: Arte of Cabbages

They stared at the page for a moment before Eliwood looked up at his friends. "WHAT WAS THAT?!" He screamed. He is really starting to lose it. With Mark's weirdness and his friends' weirdness and the world's weirdness, he's becoming weird. How ironic…

Anyway, they all let out a sigh and amazingly, their breath caused the pages to turn. It opened up once again on another page that said, MAP TO HAUL OUT OF THE CATACOMBS OF ARCADIA V. 2.8.

They stared at the book in shock, wonder, and a whole fury of emotions. "Well, that was convenient," muttered Lyn, looking at the book angrily.

After a really long and boring and very, very, very disturbing trek through the darkness, they finally found the half demolished room with the seal.

"HEY!" Hector yelled. "You can see where we fell in from."

Lyn promptly grabbed his collar and stopped him. "Oh no you don't. You are not going near there and falling into it again…While we're on the subject of the tunnels, which on of you grabbed my rear?"

"That was you're rear?" Hector pondered out loud. "No wonder that rock was so soft…I MEAN…!"

Lyn ran towards him and tackled him. This unfortunately caused both of them to fall into the hole again.

Eliwood pinched the bridge of his nose. He had two options: to go and help his friends or go back to the army, lie to them about Lyn and Hector's unfortunate demise and live his life like he was supposed to. Hmm…decisions decisions… Well, being the morally correct and loyal friend that he is, he decided to jump in after Lyn and Hector and bail their sorry butts out. And so, the same trek was done again.

"Okay, this time, let's not fall in again, please?" Eliwood asked hopefully.

"No problem, Eliwood old buddy!" Hector replied eagerly. "HEY! Close to the place we fell in is a fallen wall. I think I see something near there."

Lyn again grabbed his collar and handed him over to Eliwood while she went cautiously over to where Hector had indicated to find a small chest. Inside was an old scroll of some sort. "Well, I've got the scroll, so can we please get out of here. We aren't getting any closer to finding Mark!"

"Fine, fine, touchy. Let's go Eliwood."

"Right."

They all stood on the seal and it took them back to the dark room which promptly booted them out.

"OW!" complained Hector. "How does that door boot us out? Does it have any feet to wear boots?"

"Shut up Hector."

The three lords looked up to see their companions worried. "Rest assured that we are safe and well," proclaimed Hector in a heroic pose.

"Okay, but aren't we going in? And where's Mark?" Nils asked.

"What are you talking about? We've been gone for a while."

"Lyn is right, Hector get out of that pose. Both of them fell into the hole again so it took quite a while for us to get out."

"No," Guy said looking at them. "You went in, the door slammed shut for about two seconds, and then it tossed you guys out if what I'm hearing is correct."

The lords looked at each other and back at the army. Lyn breathed a sigh before muttering, "Let's get out of here. We can regroup and discuss what we'll do next at the inn."

There were affirmative nods everywhere and they headed back to the inn.

True enough when they emerged; it wasn't even noon yet. They headed back to the inn in silence. Everyone saw the disappointed look on their lords' faces.

Once inside, the lords explained everything to standard debriefing format. The response was predictable. It was silent for a second so everyone can absorb what just happened. Then everyone will simultaneously start screaming and going berserk.

"Okay everyone, calm down, calm down. I'm sure that Mark can take care of himself. We don't really believe that Mark was with the enemy." He looked to Hector and Lyn who nodded at once. "We can look back to our memories and see if he has done anything stranger, or stranger than normal Mark. We start with the beginning which would be with Lyn finding Mark."

"But what if one of us has heard of Mark before then?" Matthew asked.

"Oh…err…well…"

Lyn stood up to address the army. "Fine then. We'll do this instead." She started to hand out parchment and writing utensils to everyone before heading back to explain the plan. "We all write down what we remember about Mark. Try to keep it in chronological order people. Group together and get started."

"YES MA'AM!!!" The army chorused.

It took several hours before everyone was finished. They all gave their sheets to their lords and walked off to find something more interesting to do. Nils went to play with the local children; they understood him somewhat because some of them were also dragons. Ninian stayed back, she wanted to be with Eliwood.

Composing the timeline was Ninian's idea. She suggested that they take the information they have to make a timeline to show where and when Mark started changing. It didn't take too much time because they mostly knew all of what happened.

"So Lyn found him unconscious on the plains and took him in to treat him."

"Did you undress him?"

"Yes Hector, I imagine that I would have to in order to tend to his wounds. They weren't deep but I saw some deep scars that must have been inflicted on him earlier in life."

"Right, I know that you looked at him and not only from the back."

"SHUT UP HECTOR!" screamed Lyn but she didn't deny it.

"Anyway, that marked the beginning of Lyndis' Legions."

"We traveled together for a couple of days until we came to Bulgar where we met Kent and Sain and learned that my great uncle was out for my blood."

"AND MARK GOT A DONKEY!"

"What was that for Hector?"

"I don't know, but I've heard from some of the members of the former Lyndis' Legions that Mark rode around, 'not on a noble steed of his stature', but a small donkey."

"It's true. Apparently, since he's so short as he puts it, the donkey was more fitting of his stature anyway."

"Uh-huh. Around that time, me and Eliwood were in the area."

"That's right. And it's supposed to be 'Eliwood and I'."

"Whatever, if I remember correctly, Matthew was sent to a house I was staying at while waiting for Eliwood. Then Serra showed up and I had to hide."

"This is confirmed by their respective documents. Strange though that he would send the two people who have connections to you, no?"

"Yes, Eliwood, yes. Not no."

"Shut up Hector."

"We met up with Nils and he helped us get to the castle. We found that Ninian was taken somewhere else and was planning to give chase when we found that Eliwood had already helped her." At this Eliwood and Ninian looked lovingly into each other's eyes.

"When my ring was missing, you asked Mark to help find it, right Ms. Lyn?"

"Yep, and he didn't even hesitate when he answered. Somehow, I get the feeling that he knew I was going to ask that, or that he knew that we would be heading there. But I really think that he knew more than he let on and would have suggested we go there if I hadn't asked first."

"Interesting, interesting…"

"Anyway, then he helped you overthrow your Uncle 'Luggy' right?"

"Yes, he helped us and he was there when I struck him down. I was with my grandfather afterwards. I thought that Florina might have summoned the doctor."

"Come on Lyn," scoffed Hector. "I don't mean any disrespect to Florina, but doctors are usually guys and you know how she is."

Lyn gave a wry smile. "I know, I wasn't thinking at the time. Anyway, Mark sent for him and the doctor didn't mention anything about payment afterwards."

"Well, your grandfather was the Marquess of Caelin and you are the heir to the throne. He probably also disliked your uncle. I've heard rumors of the pains of the peasantry when I was visiting."

"You're right Eliwood, but I think that Mark paid out of his own money…"

"Mark is like that Lyn. He doesn't seem to think too much on money."

"Yeah…until we came along into the picture anyway."

"What are you talking about Hector?"

"Well, let's continue with the timeline first. It might muddle the entire thing."

"Wow! That was probably the smartest thing you've ever said."

"SHUT UP!"

"Anyway, then he disappeared for a while. At the victory feast, he just upped and left."

"What? No words of good byes or kisses?"

"NO HECTOR! He just slipped out the back door. I managed to corner him on the hill nearby. We did exchange some short good byes, but we promised to see each other again."

"Aw… how utterly romantic and sappy."

"HECTOR!"

"Anyway, he left and wandered around for a while. We know that much because there were sightings of him as far a Bern and maybe even as far as Ilia."

"How far can that kid go?!"

"He's not a kid."

"You would say that Lyn."

"So he wandered around doing whatever it is that Marks do and amazingly ended up in a village near where Eliwood was just starting out to find his dad."

"Rebecca was also brought along by Lowen. When we met, I was surprised to see Mark there. I thought that would go a bit further than Pherae to study but apparently he did. He looked at me kindly and smiled. I asked him for help and he gave it and tagged along for the rest of the journey."

"And then he met me. Though looking back I can't say that he met me from that moment. He knew me too well to retort back to me with replies that just make me look stupider and stupider."

"Well he doesn't need to work hard."

"Shut it. So with that, we headed off and met up with Lyn here."

"I wasn't expecting to see him so soon again, but it was nice anyway."

"Dream about him often?"

"More than you know."

Hector pulled Eliwood and Ninian aside for a bit and whispered, "Did she just say what I think she said?"

"Then we continued on the journey. Meeting up with Ninian and Nils again." At this Ninian and Eliwood looked at each other again.

"Ah yes, and once we found out about Nergal's plot Mark began working overtime to ensure us victory every time no matter how bleak the situation."

"Yep, he had us ration everything from food to weapons to even underwear."

"No… he didn't."

"Yes… he did Lyn."

"No he didn't Hector. That was just your excuse because you were too lazy to change your underwear." At this, Lyn began edging away from Hector.

"Either way, we met up with Athos afterwards."

"Mark didn't seem too surprise to see Athos either. I think he stayed behind a little bit longer to talk with him."

"I know what he was talking about. Athos gave him something called Afa Drops and he got me to drink them."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. I felt my mind opening and more connected with the world."

"Cool…I think."

"Anyway, we went and got Durandal, and met up with Roland. Mark didn't seem very surprise. Why? I'm sure that he sees dead people all the time."

"Quit being sarcastic. But you are right. Afterwards when we went outside, Eliwood killed Ninian with the sword. Sorry about that you two."

"Don't worry about, it's in the past."

"Mark didn't seem fazed at all when that happened nor when Nergal explained it. It was like he knew she was going to be attacked and knew that he couldn't do anything to stop it."

"Yeah, and when Athos got pissed and began to attack, Mark didn't look worry when Nergal was unaffected."

"He got us through some really tough times after that though. I was sure on some occasion that I heard him reassuring me that it wasn't as much of my fault as I think it was."

"And it wasn't Eliwood. I've told you that I don't hold anything against you."

"Anyway, afterwards, we saw Brammimond. Mark didn't speak with him and stood a far distance away from him."

Lyn's eyes suddenly widen. "'For every person in the world, there is a different Brammimond'. Remember what Athos said? That guy, Mimir, he said that the ring splits your personality. What would happen if two people with multiple personalities were to meet up when their personality depended on the one they are addressing? Neither would start because they would be waiting for the other and both would be having an identity crisis."

"Wow Lyn, slow down, take a breath."

Her eyes widened again. "He wasn't surprised by any of that, he led us into the deepest part of enemy territory without a single worry, fully trusting on himself and our abilities, and defeating the Morphs, Nergal, and the Fire Dragon. It was as if he knew exactly how each battle was going to turn out."

"After the battle, we went home. Nils went back to the other side of the gate."

Ninian spoke up. "From what he told me, Mark was a frequent visitor of the gate. He found a way to send letters to Nils but Nils was unable to do so. Then one day, he heard Mark's voice calling him to the gate asking if he wants to come back and see everyone again and go on another adventure-"

The door creaked open. Violet entered. "Hi!" she shouted clearly hyper. "So where's Mark?"

The lords got a dark look on them and Lyn mumbled, "His alleged brother, Marius, took him."

Violet sat down and took a bite out of an apple. "Tsk, I told that his name was supposed to Martin. When will he remember that?"…

Just how many more surprises am I going to pack in here? Well I honestly don't know because I have the major points planned out but not the minor details that lead up to the main points.

I don't know when I'll be able to update again, but it will be sure that it won't be in the next week. It would probably be updated in the first week of the next month if everything goes according to plan, which it won't so it will be around next month, of that I can be sure.

Well, tell me if you see anything that you like or dislike or hate or love. Also, if you can give some info on the personality of the characters of the previous Fire Emblem game, it would be most appreciated. Nothing too big or fancy, just who they are, what are they like, stuff like that. Thanks.

One last note, I might be changing the title and summary. Just want to let you know incase I do and you find this fic on the search thingy. I don't know what it is going to be yet, but I probably will.