I'm so sorry about the wait! It took me longer than I thought it would to finish it. Also if you haven't noticed I'm a slow writer. So I hope it was worth the wait! Enjoy!

Chapter 9: Distrust

"You have got to be kidding me!" Lloyd shouted in frustration.

They had just reached the throne room only to be told that the king wasn't here. In fact he was still in Crimea! So now they had to fight this woman named Ena and a whole lot of Daein soldiers. Lloyd couldn't believe his luck.

"Yes, it as I said," Ena said. "...I too, share your desire to see this conflict end. So rather than see you travel to Crimea to fight Ashnard, I felt it would be much faster for me to defeat you and your army here. Don't you agree?"

"That's one way to look at it. The problem is that I'll never let you do as you please with Crimea!" Ike yelled at her.

Ena's eyes turned cold stone as she looked at them all. "We cannot have it both ways. We both want what is in our own interest, and that is why we have conflict. If neither one of us will yield, our conflict will continue until only the stronger of us remains. I have my own reasons for fighting... And I will see you fall." A bright pink light surrounded Ena. She was shifting into a beast…a dragon to be exact!

Everyone stared in horror as the dragon roared, a few crys escaped them and even some of the Daein soldiers looked afraid.

"A Goldoan dragon?" Titania cried in dismay.

"But…I though the dragon laguz were neutral in all the fighting," Colette said.

"They're supposed to," Titania said under her breath.

The pink dragon then breathed fire right where Ike and Lloyd stood. Both dived out of the way in time as the floor burned slightly.

Ike readied his sword. "Looks like we're going to have to fight her." He looked back behind, "Alright Soren, what would be the best way to-" But he realized that Soren wasn't there, he wasn't anywhere in the room! "Now where did he wondered off to?"

"I'm sure he has his reasons, but right now we have to focus on our fight," Lloyd told him.

Reluctantly, Ike nodded and then both swordsmen charged right for the boss.

/~/~/

Oh crap, this is gona hurt! Zelos closed his eyes as he prepared for the worse.

Through the darkness of his eyelids there was an ear shattering sound, his whole body vibrated. It was as if the room had collapsed. Knowing he was still alive, Zelos slowly opened his eyes, terrified as to what could have happened. Nasir was back to his humanoid form, his face only a few inches from the ground breathing hard. In the torch light Zelos was able to saw smoke was raising from the laguz's back.

Someone else had come for Nasir!

Somehow the Nasir tilted his head back to look at his attacker. "And here…I thought you were going to keep your noise out of my… business," Nasir breathed.

Coming down the same hallway Zelos had, he saw someone clad in dark robes with an opened book in hand. Zelos couldn't help but grin because it was the last person he expected to save him.

"Soren," Nasir said darkly.

Soren stepped into the torch light with the same expression he always had. "I kept quite because you appeared to be harmless. But that has obviously changed."

While Nasir was focused on Soren, Zelos took his chance and took a swipe at the laguz. But Nasir apparently had some strength left since got up in time. The young mage fired another loud lighting spell but Nasir was already running down the hall. (I know the chances of Soren missing are slim to none)

Zelos staggered to his feet and summoned enough mana for First Aid. He stopped all the bleeding but it hardly did a thing for his ribs. Soren was standing across form him, looking rather impatient as he waited for the swordsmen. That annoyed him to know end. "So, what caused you to come all the way here away from the others?" Zelos eyed him.

"Certainly not to save your ass. I simply don't want any surprises in this battle," Soren replied. Suddenly Zelos hunched over as blood poured out of his mouth. "Will you be able to go on?"

After he wiped his mouth he muttered, "Don't worry, I still need to get even with that dragon freak."

He took off down the hall with Soren close behind. Zelos felt as if Nasir had caught him on fire. But ignored all of his body's protest as he ran, he only thought about what Nasir was up to and that his friends were in danger!

Clutching his rib cage that was in siring pain he asked the mage who was now running slightly faster than he was, "So you knew all along that Nasir wasn't exactly main stream, huh?"

"I knew not what but I did know that something was wrong with him ever since we entered Daein." Soren replied.

"Why did you keep quite tell now?"

There was a brief pause but then Soren said, "He had something on me."

"What, that you not totally human?"

Without warning Soren stopped dead in his tracks. Zelos had past him a little before he himself stopped. He saw a bewildered look on Soren that didn't suit him at all. "How did you-"

Zelos just shrugged, "I guessed." Soren's head dropped down; either in embarrassment or shame, Zelos couldn't tell. The swordsmen sighed, "Look kid, I've seen enough people in my world who pretend to be something they aren't, including myself."

"One must hide when the world can't even stand their existence. You don't even know even know what that's like!" The mage's crimson eyes turned fierce.

"Don't I!" Zelos yelled, thinking about that snowy day years ago. Soren didn't falter, from the swordsmen's sudden anger. He then took a deep breath to calm himself. "Frankly I don't really care about your reasons, but if all of us are going to survive this shouldn't you tell your mercenary buddies what you really are so this doesn't happen again? I know it would have made things simpler if Raine and Genis had been up front with being half-elves."

Soren started walking as he said, "Genis told me the same thing and I still didn't take his advice. I guess now I better."

"That must mean that I give better advice than Genis!" Zelos said with a light hearty laugh.

Soren rolled his eyes. "And my original opinion of you returns."

"What would that be?" Zelos asked.

"You're just an idiot."

"Well, you're still just a smart-ass brat," Zelos said bitterly as they took off into a run again.

/~/~/

There was only one person in their way now, and that was Ena. Though they outnumbered her she seemed to have the advantage. None of their attacks seemed to have any affect except Genis' lightning spell, but one of the soldiers had knock him out before he could even cast it.

A Daein general who had a large mustache had surrendered along with several other soldiers. Titania and a few others held their weapons to them. Regardless the dragon still fought. Ike, Lloyd, Regal, and Oscar were the only ones left standing to fight Ena. The others were slumped against the wall in exhaustion or waiting to be healed. But even they were about to reach their limit.

"We could really use one of Soren's crazy ideas right about now," Oscar said.

"No kidding," Ike wheezed.

As soon as he said that another fireball came for them. Regal came out of the smoke running toward the wall; he jumped and kicked off the wall and slammed his leg on the dragon's back. Then Lloyd appeared by her side and used his Demon Fang. She recoiled and both of them were sent flying. (To bad she isn't this strong when she joins your party, *sighs*)

Lloyd kept rolling until he hit a pillar. It took all his remaining strength to lifted himself up. What are we going to do, nothing is working.

Just then, a blur ran past him. It was Yuan.

He summersaulted into the air and embedded his double-edged blade into the stones right in front of the dragon laguz. Multiple bolts of lightning stuck the ground in front of the blade, most of them striking the laguz. Ena roared in pain and began to fall forward.

Yuan jumped back before she landed on top of him. He was breathing hard but still had his weapon at the ready. Nobody moved in fear that the large pink dragon would recover. Low snarls escaped her muzzle.

Soon she began to transform back into her humanoid form. The room was filled with breaths exhales of relief. Ena struggled to her feet but only succeeded to get to her knees.

Ike staggered toward her, his thigh slightly burned. "Surrender, there's no reason for you to die," he offered her.

She shook her head. "That I cannot do," she said as she continued to struggle to her feet. When she finally did she swayed slightly and had a look that still wanted to fight.

"Look you can hardly stand, give up while you can," Lloyd yelled to her over the distance. He couldn't understand why she would still fight, the king had abandoned his country and she still intended to fight in her condition.

Soon her face changed into desperation. "I... I must go to him..." She breathed as she suddenly made a break for the door.

It was so sudden that neither Ike or Yuan could grab her and no one else had the stenght to attempt to catch her. When Ena stepped over the threshold Nasir appeared and grabbed her.

"Good timing, Nasir! Don't let her go," Ike shouted at him as he ran toward the doors.

But there was something wrong with him. Lloyd saw that his eyes were dark and something else too…regret, maybe? "Get going," everyone heard him say to Ena as he pushed her away. She looked back at Nasir for a moment then took off running again.

"Nasir! What are you doing?" Titania yelled. She was so angry that her axe almost took half of the Daein general's mustache off.

He didn't respond; he just acted as sort of a barrier between Ena and them.

"Nasir, what in the world is wrong with you?" Ike shouted at him when he was in front of him.

"I'm sorry," was all he said before he punched Ike right in the face. The swordsmen fell backwards with a thud. Nasir took a few steps back before he took off running.

He didn't get far before an arm came and slammed into his face. This time Nasir crumbled to the floor with blood spewing from his nose.

Zelos came around the corner, out of breath but with a look of triumphant. "Payback's a bitch," he said before falling to his knees coughing so hard that he could possibly cough up his intestines.

Soren came into view next and looked down at Nasi. He actually looked a little disappointed that he didn't hit him.

Two soldiers rushed over, grabbed Nasir, and lifted him up roughly as Ike scrambled to his feet. Mist was already healing Zelos by the time Lloyd and the others came to him. "Honestly, what was going through your head when you went off on your own?" Regal asked with a sigh, although he didn't look much better than Zelos.

"Just promise us you won't go solo again," Lloyd asked Zelos.

"Don't worry…I've learned my lesson," he murmured.

Ike was standing in front of Nasir, both angry and hurt, fist clenched. "Nasir…Why…how could you do this?" He shouted at him. No one blammed his anger, they all felt the same way. Lloyd still couldn't believe that Nasir had betrayed them.

The laguz refused to meet his gaze, making Ike even more furious. So without admitting to anything, Nasir was dragged out of the throne room, but not before saying two words, "Palmeni Temple."

Even though the sting of betrayal was still fresh, Lloyd had only one thing left on his mind. "Alright. Now we need to catch up with Kratos!"

"No need, he's already long gone from here," Yuan told him.

All eyes were on Yuan and Lloyd. "What do you mean?"

"The guy who had the Exsheres flew off on some wyvern; I saw him pursue after them."

"How could a beroc possibly follow after a wyvern?" Ike asked.

Yuan just had a blank look and without any warning he brought out his blue angel wings. "Oh…right," Ike said sounding a little embarrassed.

"But… What are we going to if that guy figures out about Exspheres?" Lloyd argued, "We have to get them back before something like that can happen!"

"Lloyd, I know you're worried about Kratos, but you're going to have to trust him for right now," Yuan reassured him.

"Yuan's right Lloyd," Colette chimed in. "After all, it was your father who found out the way for you to wield the Eternal Sword."

Lloyd reluctantly nodded, he didn't want to but for right now he would have to believe in his father.

/~/~/

They've spent the last few days in Daein Castle, to regroup, heal up, and decide what they would do next. Lloyd, Genis, and a few others were standing guard along the wall. But really, standing watch was the last thing they were doing. They were really having a kendama tournament.

It all started when Genis began playing with his kendama. First Boyd wanted to try it and pretty soon it turned into a competition to see who can last the longest before they screwed up. Genis sat down against the stone having an annoyed look on as everyone passed his weapon around. Rolf was by far the best one; lasted for at least two minutes, until the kendama flow out of his hands and hit Shinon in the head, which he didn't appreciate at all.

Lloyd found it rather entertaining. But the festivities end by the sound of a distant horn. Everybody rushed to the window. Marching through the city was a wave of bodies bearing flags with strange emblems. "That isn't more Daein Soldiers, is it?" Genis asked out loud.

"No," Gatrie pointed out. "Those flags are from Begnion. They must be our reinforcements!"

"Come on Genis, let's go tell Ike and the others about this," Lloyd called as he ran down the stairs with his young friend right behind.

/~/~/

"So, what's your point?" Ike asked.

Soren's eye began to twitch as he fought to control his temper.

Begnion had indeed sent more troops to help them reclaim Crimea, but of course Soren had something to say about it. "The point is, if these reinforcements defeat King Ashnard the victory will belong to Begnion, not Crimea. And we'll be forgotten regardless of all we've done."

"Surely the Apostle wouldn't try and do such a thing," Elincia stated.

"Maybe not, but that senate seemed a bit sketchy," Sheena added.

"Not to mention that one of them was that sick bastard Oliver," Yuan grumbled angrily from the corner.

"Either way it would stink if all our efforts have been wasted," Genis commented which made everyone grumble at the thought.

Ike rubbed his head and said, "Then what do we need to do about them then."

"As I always say, if they're useful make use of them," Zelos suggested.

Palmeni Temple

(I wasn't going to add this part but you'll see why I did. Hehe.)

"Why did we bring the professor along again?" Lloyd asked as he watched Raine going into ruin mode once again. Palmeni Temple actually reminded Lloyd and the others of Martel's Temple. It was considerably bigger than Martel's Temple but other than that they seemed to be the same.

Taking Soren and Zelos' advice Ike stationed the new troops in the rear. Having someone else watching their back while they proceeded was a huge load off. This way it's the mercenaries that defeat the Daeins.

But for right now they were doing a little bit of a side quest. Everyone was wondering why Nasir would mention some temple. Of course they suspected a trap, that's why Ike brought a small fraction of their army.

For some reason though it never clicked in Lloyd's head, they were going to an old temple…with the ruin maniac.

Although the mercenaries' faces were priceless, they had never been around her during her episodes. It was a mix of shock and horror.

"She's not always like this…is she?" Mist asked sounding a little frightened.

"Only when she's around ruins," Genis sighed.

Raine was quickly scanning every inch of the outer temple, from the pillar to the stairs, and when her inspection was over she cast her eyes over toward Ike with a demanding look. "Hurry, we must proceed inside so I can study this structure more!"

"Y-yes ma'am!" Ike stuttered nervously.

/~/~/

"Marvelous! Simply marvelous!" Raine cried as soon as they crossed the threshold which caused the priest who was waiting for them to jump. She immediately ran for the wall and began her study.

The room they had entered was very large and bright, Lloyd was really expecting it to be dark and damp. Up ahead was a large staircase that leads to more rooms.

"Why are you so interested in these ruins, they're not from your world?" Boyd asked.

Raine spun around furiously, "You idiot, knowledge is a valuable resource. One can never hold too much. The more you know about a world the better you chance are for surviving it," then just turned back around.

"With Profesor Sage you don't question her research," Presea told them.

"Besides, she would be the professor if she wasn't a maniac," Colette smiled.

Suddenly, Raine took off up the stairs and disappeared around the corner.

"Raine! Don't go off on your own!" Genis yelled as he ran after her.

Everyone watched as the half-elf disappeared after her.

"Shouldn't we-" Titania stated to say but Lloyd went ahead to answer her.

"They'll be fine, let's start our search."

"Yeah," Ike nodded then looked over to the priest, who was still standing in the same place trembling. "Um…" Ike started that caused the priest to jump again. "We'd like to take a look around, you wouldn't mind showing us everything, do you?" He asked.

The priest nodded his head quickly, "Very well... Th-th-this...is... Er... A v-very large room...Um..."

Poor guy, professor's ruin mood must have scared him to death, Lloyd thought.

"Mind telling us something we don't know?" Zelos mocked. Sheena smacked him on the head, not hard since he was still recovering from his fight with Nasir.

"Hey are you all right? Why are you shaking like that?" Ike asked as the priest shook more violently, he looked like he was about to pass out.

Then he actually fell to his knees with tears flooding his eyes. "Oh, Goddess... Please...forgive me..." He whimpered.

A strange laugh entered to large room as a rough looking individual appeared at the top of the stairs with a large axe propped over his shoulder.

"We should have known it was a trap," Titania said.

"Well, at least we were prepared for such," Ike told her.

No one drew their weapons yet, but was ready to fight.

The ruffian at the top of the stairs looked down on them and said, "I don't know how you got wind of us, but showing up in such a small group means you're outta luck! None of ya are gettin' outta here alive!"

Everyone stared blanckly at the man. "We actually didn't know you were here. What are you, some big shot or something?" Lloyd questioned.

"Of course," the guy on the stairs said as if it was obvious. Lloyd looked at Ike and the others; they looked as confused as he did. "I'm the infamous bandit Schaeffer! Me and my men burn villages and steal what we please. We have caused so much destruction that people cower in fear at the sight of us!"

"Never heard of you," Soren said plainly.

Schaeffer began to have a temper tantrum as stomped on the floor. "What do you mean you "never heard of me"? You're supposed to be begging for mercy! Today you die by our hands!"

"Look we just fought the Daein army, I think we can handle a few outcasts like yourself," Ike said in frustration.

"That's enough talk, let's just kick his ass already," Zelos declared as he pulled his sword out.

Sheena grabbed Zelos by the ear. "Oh no, your sitting this out," she ordered. He didn't dare object so he sheathed his sword as he cursed under his breath.

A twisted smile formed on Schaeffer face. "Cocky, ain't ya? But who said this was gonna be a fair fight?"

As soon as he said that more bandits appeared from behind pillars and rooms with. Most of them had a priest at knife point. All of them looked more terrified than the priest who was on the ground beside them, if that was even possible.

"If you want to beat us you'll just haff ta cut through these priests!" Schaeffer laughted.

"You coward," Presea hissed.

"You really think we'll let you hurt those innocent people!" Lloyd yelled angrily. He wasn't about to take an innocent life.

"Ha ha ha! You take what ya can get. As long as I have these here priest there's no way you'll-" Suddenly a staff came from behind Schaeffer's head and he began tumbling down the stairs, his axe flying in the opposite direction. When he stopped rolling he looked up and pointed his finger at the person who hit him, who was non-other than Raine Sage. "That wasn't fair! Attacking someone from behind is a cheap hot!"

"Weren't you just holding defenseless people hostage?" Regal inquired.

Schaeffer marched up the steps toward Raine. He stopped when he was two steps away from her, which he was now at eye level with the half-elf. "Look woman," he said irritably, "We're about to fight so buzz off!"

This time Raine just kicked him back down the stairs. "You fool! You think I'm just going to let you fight and destroy the architecture of this place! Do you have any idea what information this building could contain?" Raine yelled lectured.

But she was too distracted in her lectured to notice that one of the other bandits was coming to attack her. Genis emerged from the hall and shouted, "Aqua Edge!" Water came out of his kendama and hit the bandit in the chest causing his to fall down the stairs next to Schaeffer.

Raine turned to her brother looking even more ticked. "Genis! What did I just say?"

"But, but I just…oh never mind," Genis sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest. He knew better then to argue with Raine, especially when she was in ruin mode.

Turning her attention back to the bandits she began her lectured again, but more calmly. "Look if you want to fight by my guest, but take it outside."

Schaeffer got to his feet and eyed her, "You can't order us around."

"TAKE IT OUTSIDE NOW!" Raine roared with fire in her eyes.

"Yes ma'am!" All the bandits cried, terrified of the ruin maniac.

/~/~/

The bandits ran out of there, releasing their hold on the priest, and once the last one was out, Ike and the rest closed the doors and locked it. The priests were so thankful for saving them that they gave Raine a sacred staff (because she was the one that cashed the bandits off single handedly.)

So with that out of their way, they began their search. Although none of them knew what it was they were really looking for. In fact there might be not be anything to find. It was a matter if Nasir wanted to tell them something or if he was just messing with them.

It was silent as they examined each room, but the quiet world was shattered by someone yelling. "No!" A male voice screamed, "What did those bastards do to my sister!"

Lloyd quickly realized that it was Prince Reyson. He, along with several others, ran to the room the white prince's voice came from. They found him in windowless room that just gave off a depressing vibe. He was shaking as he pounded the wall. Colette and Mist were with him and both looked worried.

"Please, Reyson you have to calm down!" Colette pleaded.

"Reyson? What is it?" Ike asked as soon as he saw Reyson's state.

Reyson didn't respond nor look at any of them.

Raine appeared next but her eyes drifted to the strange characters that were all over the walls, it was like nothing like Lloyd had ever seen. "Fascinating, what could all this writing mean?" Ruin mode Raine asked out loud

"It's an ancient language. All chants and spells in magic scrolls are written thusly," Soren explained to her.

Her eyes light up upon hearing that. "Can you read it then, Soren?" She asked him eagerly.

The seldom look Soren always held turned timid, "Some…but not all," he relaxed a bit when Raine didn't get mad and continued. "Spells are simple, whereas this is a complex narrative. It's the Serenes' language so Prince Reyson must have read it and it must not have been good.

"Reyson, can you tell us what you read?" Lloyd asked him in order to make since of what could have upset the prince.

The heron's hand fell to his side, already turning purple from punching the wall. "Lillia…" he said through clenched teeth. "My older sister. The writing on the walls is hers."

"You have an older sister, too?" Elincia inquired from behind Ike.

"What happened to her?" Ike asked as everyone's attention was on him.

The laguz straightened up as he began to tell the story. "She was kidnapped twenty years ago, on the night of the Serenes Massacre. I... I thought that Lillia had been murdered along with my other brothers and sisters. I believed that until today..." He began to tremble again but stopped himself to continue. "According to the wall some human thrusted a clan treasure at her and demanded that she use her magic to revive the thing sealed inside it. He exhorted her again and again, but to no avail. Lillia refused his request every time...because she did not possess that power.

"Shortly after she was brought here, Lillia fell ill and collapsed. I'm not surprised...it was a terrible time... She was imprisoned in that tiny room with no view of earth or sky...But then a young beorc began coming to the room to care for Lillia. She had bluish hair and blue eyes... And her heart was unusually pure for a beorc. In time, Lillia and she came to be friends, and shared a mutual trust."

A small cry escaped Mist's mouth as Ike's eyes widened, both seeming to know something the rest didn't.

Reyson didn't notice their expressions as he went on with the story. "So then she decided to entrust her hopes to the woman…Who was to take the treasure and the song...and flee this temple."

Mist ran over to Ike and pulled at his arm. He said "Was there anything else written about this beorc woman? A name, perhaps..."

He looked at them unsure, "Translated into our language…it was probably Elena."

"I knew it! Mother! It was our mother!" Mist cried as tears rolled down her cheeks, but they were tears of joy.

Everyone was quite, not sure how to respond to that statement.

"Our mother's name was Elena. Like me, her hair was blue...as were her eyes." Ike explained to them but then turned his attention back to the heron, "Reyson, the object you refer to as your clan treasure was an aged, bronze medallion, wasn't it?"

"How... How did you know that?" Reyson asked in disbelief.

"The medallion became my mother's keepsake. The song, too... My parents both gave their lives to protect it."

"Ike! You and Mist are Elena's children? Then Lehran's Medallion is here?"

Mist fidgeted in here place looking the same as she did when she realized that that her mother's keepsake disappeared. "The medallion was stolen. Probably by Daein," Ike explained for her.

"This all seems conjunction. It can't all be coincidence?" Raine stated.

"But...it all makes sense. It all comes together... King Ashnard must have been the one that kidnapped Lillia since he sent that knight to kill my father, that would be the final piece of the puzzle," Ike summed up.

Lloyd let out a cry of frustration, "Ugh, this is all so confusing."

"Up to this point, we've all been fighting for the liberation of Crimea. Even if we add stopping the dark god from being released and punishing Commander Greil's killer... Our enemy remains unchanged. King Daein and his henchman are the ones we must defeat," Soren said.

"But why would the King of Daein want to resurrect the dark god for?" Colette asked what was on everyone's mind.

"Man, first we fight a guy who split our world in two and now we have to prevent some crazy dark god from awakening? What the crap did we get ourselves into?" Zelos proclaimed.

What indeed? Lloyd thought.

Blue: Well, are you happy?

Zelos: I still got my ass kicked. But I am happy I didn't catch on fire, unlike someone.

Both look at Lloyd.

Lloyd: W-what are you two looking at me like that for!

Genis: Don't worry Lloyd, I'll put you out!

Ike: Aren't you supposed to fall off the bridge next chapter?

Genis: I'm really not looking forward to next chapter.