A/N: Thanks to CrimsonMercenary for reviewing! Check out his story "the crimson mercenaries" if you haven't 'cause it's pretty dang good! All right here's the next chapter!

Chapter 3

The two stared in amazement at the calm demeanor of the man before them. He seemed completely unfazed by the fact that he had just killed seventeen bandits in a matter of seconds, like it was an everyday occurrence.

I don't know, maybe it is? Rider thought to himself. The man began walking slowly towards them. Suddenly, his eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed. Rider instinctively rushed to catch him before he hit the ground.

Hetha helped him sit him up sluggishly on a nearby rock. She then revealed the vulnerary they had received from the innkeeper and poured a few sips down his throat. Coughing, he looked up at them tiredly.

"Sorry about that," he said, his voice slightly ragged. "The Astra in much more taxing on me than it once was. Who are you?"

"I'm Rider and this is Hetha," the boy replied. "We're members of the Crow Mercenaries. We were hired to take out a group of bandits, but it looks like you did it for us!"

Stefan's eyes lit up. "You're members of the Crow Mercenaries? That's great! I've been trying to locate you for days now! I was starting to lose hope!"

The mercenaries exchanged confused glances. "Why have you been looking for us?" inquired Hetha.

His face darkened. Any trace of joy or happiness faded instantly. In a single moment he went from a wrinkled old man to a fierce warrior, wise and deadly, the kind of man that you could believe made those kills. "Tell me, what do you know of the war that is sweeping across Tellius?"

Rider was suddenly nervous about the man sitting before him, but he answered anyway. "Well, the newly crowned Empress Sana of Begnion allied herself with King Sothe of Daein-"

"Don't call him that!"interrupted the swordsman. "The only thing that that boy shares with his grandfather is the name! Call him King Daein!"

"A-all right!" replied the boy, shocked by the sudden display of anger. "S-she allied herself with King Daein and together they declared war on the laguz. Crimea supported the laguz and now it's the Laguz Alliance and Crimea versus Begnion and Daein. The bird tribes had to leave the Serenes Forest and return to their old island countries, now known as the Winged Isles."

"There's more to it than that," said the trueblade sadly. "You see, I was chieftain of a city located in the Grann Desert. It was a sanctuary for those of us known as the Branded. We had almost five hundred citizens, and for the Branded that's saying something! Because it was so secluded, no one could harm us there.

"That seclusion was a two sided blade. We didn't hear about the declaration until it was too late, and the Begnion army was at our door. It ended in a single night. The survivors numbered less than twenty."

The two younger warriors stared at each other in shock and horror. This man had watched almost five hundred people die in a single night. Five hundred men, women, children, and elderly slaughtered by the people they had been trying to live with in harmony.

"I lead the survivors to Crimea," the old man continued. "I've been looking for people to help in the war ever since. I've tried mercenaries, villagers, even traders. I've searched for wandering laguz in need of sanctuary, along with my own kind. Most people ignore me because I'm one of the Branded.

"That's when I heard of commander Crow. He's known for his valor and kind heart. He is also known for his lack of racism against the laguz and the Branded. I was hoping her might be willing to aid me."

Both of the children shook their heads. "He doesn't want to get involved in the war. He's more worried about the women and children who are left behind in their defenseless homes in their defenseless villages, and the bandits who see it as an opportunity."

The swordsman nodded in understanding. "Then the tales of his honor are true. If he changes him mind, I'll be at some ruins to the west, a place known as Fort Greil."

With that he stood and walked unsteadily away.

00000000

The rest of the week passed rather uneventfully. They had been paid for their work and went home to learn that the others had completed their missions without too much difficulty either. They spent their days resting in the fort or out on assignments.

There was one problem; Crow was getting worse.

Everyday his condition grew in intensity. It was frightening to say the least. It was for that reason that he called for his pupil to attend him one evening.

The man lay weakly in his bed. He seemed so much older and thinner than he once was. He was in his early fifties with brown hair turning grey. Even after the time frozen to his bed he still rippled with muscle, and his eyes held the same kindness as the day they first met.

Rider and his master sat in silence for several minutes until Crow finally spoke, his voice a ragged whisper.

"Who would've thought? All those battles and I die by illness!"

"You're not going to die," Rider said quickly.

Crow chuckled. "Don't give an old man who has accepted his fate false hope. After all, you're a terrible liar. And that kind of optimism doesn't suit you, my friend."

"Just as that kind of pessimism doesn't suit you," he replied.

The man gave another chuckle. "Thanks for the encouragement, but I can feel the Dark Wings approaching. I'll be dead before the sun sets." He smiled before continuing to say, "I remember the day we first met. You were sitting in the dirt with tears in your eyes at the fate of your family. You begged to take you as my apprentice, and I accepted."

His face suddenly gave way to a mass of pain, urgency, and desperation. "I told you a lie on that day," he said quietly. "I told you I would train you so that something like that would never happen to you again. In truth, I wanted you to never let that happen to anyone else. I wanted you to make sure that no one else had to carry you burdens.

"When the people give someone a title, that title is made up of the sum of their life. Mine was the Pureguard Blade, because no matter who my charge was, I would protect them all with my life equally. You were given the title Shadowblade; fore you are the sword that has endured the darkness. You mustn't let there be any more Shadowblades, because that will mean that more innocent children had to endure the same pain you were forced through.

"These are my last orders to you. Do everything in your power so that there will be no more who suffered the pains of you and your friends. Together you must try to bring about the peace that Sanaki, Micaiah, Elincia, and Ike tried to establish! You must bring a world without the need for soldiers and mercenaries! Do what all others could not; bring peace to those who wander the dark, and insure that none need to anymore! Promise me this, please!"

The two stared at each other in silence. You could fell the desperation of the older man against one's skin. Finally, the pupil nodded his head.

Crow let out a relieved sigh. Closeing his eyes, he smiled and let out one last shuddering breath before lying still. He had faded from the world.

Rider looked out the window, a single tear running down his cheek, before noticing something that made him give a tired smile.

The sun was floating just above the horizon. He had died before the sun set.

End of chapter.

A/N: (crying) WHY?! Why did he have to go?! Oh ya, cause I said so! Well there it is! Hope you enjoyed! Please review!