I AM SO SORRY! And to make it worse this is a crappy chapter too! I blame Skyrim! I wont lie I've been playing that game all the time instead of writing. I's too awsome of a game for it's own good!
Anyway, another thing I would like to say is a few of you have asked me to kill a certian boss. I know I told you I thing but I changed my mind on that. He will die in this story and I think you'll be pleased with the way he dies.
Also I have two questions I would like to ask (one I could look up but to lazy to)
1. What happens to the Medallion at the end of the game? Does Rayson take or Mist keep it?
2. What happens if you breed a laguz and a branned togeter? Is it a branded and does the laguz parent lose it's power?
These are questions for my next storry I plan on writing, if anyone cares to give me an answer that would be great.
Thank you and bear with me this chapter.

Chapter 10: Allies

Riven Bridge

"I am not crossing that," Genis stated as everyone looked down at the bridge from the hill. Lloyd and the others thought the same thing,Genis was the only one to voice it.

It turns out that in order for the army to return to Crimea they were going to have to cross a huge bridge called Riven Bridge. Being a few hours away the group surveyed the bridge on top of a hill, it was clear that the Daein were waiting for them; wyverns circled around and giant crossbows were being set up.

But this wasn't the reason they were uneasy about crossing, even though they were miles away they could clearly see holes and large cracks in. "It looks like if we so much as take a step on it's going to crumble beneath us," Lloyd swallowed hard.

"Man," Zelos mumbled, "just how far back are we?"

"I understand you reluctance to go but we don't have any other choice," Ike told them even though he looked just as nervous as they did.

"Look at it this way, once over all of you will be back in Crimea," a male voice that sounded vaguely familiar.

Everyone looked behind them to see a cat laguz with blue hair. "Ranulf!" Ike cried in disbelief as the laguz held a mischievous grin. "What, how did you end up here?"

With the grin still on Ranulf said, "I heard you were close to the boarder so I rushed over here to tell ya some good news." Then he said with a chuckled, "Who would have thought all of us would still be alive to see this day!"

"So what is this good news that you couldn't wait to tell us?" Ike asked.

A grin was still on the laguz's face. "It may have taken a long time but Gallia has finally decided to join the fight against Daein. As we speak they should be combining forces with the remaining Crimean army."

"You're kidding!"

"This is wonderful!" Elincia cried. "How many Crimeans survive?"

"Wait," Genis interrupted, "How did you even get over here? The bridge is crawling with Daein soldiers."

"I went through the mountains," the laguz replied as if it were obvious, which it probably was.

"And we can't go through the mountains too because…" Lloyd said as he waited for someone to finish the sentence.

Of course Soren was the one to answer him; frustration clear on his face. "Because," he started, "it would take far too long. Do you have any idea how much time we would lose if we were to take that path? It would be simpler to just cut through the Daein army."

"My, you just a peppy as ever," Ranulf smirked, which just cause Soren to roll his eyes as he left to do final preparations for their fight. "But he does have a point, it took me two days to cross over and that was me in my beast form! Could you imagine taking a whole army of beorcs? That would take forever!" He said dramatically.

"The Daein army must have crossed this bridge when they invaded Crimea, I'm sure it's built sturdy," Regal tried to reassure them.

Both Lloyd and Genis sighed in defeat.

/~/~/

It looks worse close up, Lloyd thought when he reached the first opponent. The condition of the bridge left his mind as he charged straight the axe wielder, when in a fight one needed to focus on only one thing, the enemy. The less he worried about the better.

The red swordsmen raised both of his swords upward, cutting deep into the Daein's shoulders. Then in a quick movement he brought both back down slicing into the man's chest. He crumbled instantly to the ground. One down and...a lot more to go, he told himself as he looked up the bridge in dismay.

But they pushed on, regardless of the all the resistance. When the Daein tried to fire their ballista at them, Raine would simply cast force field over them all. Even the soldiers weren't that much trouble. They all seemed second rate, it was by far the easiest fight they partaken in. (I had just played this level and I had just zipped right through it, it would have been much easier if there weren't any damn potholes or whatever they're called.)

Just when their fears over the bridge were beginning to vanished, a large bolder was flung into the air heading straight for Lloyd and Genis. After he pushed his friend out of the way, Lloyd dived and rolled on the stones. When the dust settled Lloyd looked over to make sure Genis was okay. He was but as soon he stood up the stones beneath his feet suddenly gave way and Genis' head fell beneath the bridge.

"GENIS!" Lloyd shouted as he ran to where the half-elf fell.

He wasn't the only one; several others came to that spot to. But when the swordsmen looked down hole all he saw was the distant river, no dot that could be his friend. "Where is he?" Colette cried as she searched frantically.

"Improbable for him to have already reached the bottom in this time span," Presea stated calmly.

If that's true then where is he? Lloyd worried. He looked harder to make sure he wasn't hanging on by some chance, but they could neither see nor hear the half-elf.

Suddenly a large shadow loomed over them and they looked up to see a giant black wyvern glaring down at them. Its talons clung to the edge of the bridge, cutting through it like bread. That just made Lloyd's stomach lurched as the thought how fragile this bridge was, and here he was halfway across!

The rider on the wyvern wore dark armor that matched the beast's scales and an eye patch. He looked vaguely familiar. Everyone readied their weapons but the rider made no move for his axe. Instead he yawned and said, "I think this belong to you all." He then helped Genis off the wyvern, who had a disoriented look as he staggered to them.

Raine rushed to her brother and just when she reached him, Jill's wyvern landed not far from them. "Captain Haar!" Jill exclaimed as she ran to them.

"So you're still alive, eh? Good to see," Haar said as he looked over her.

"That's what I was going to say! You survived!" It was the first time that Lloyd had seen her this happy, but her face turned serious right away. "But what are you doing."

He didn't seem to know how to say what he wanted to "... Believe it or not, I'm a vindictive man. Revenge for the general is something I can't let go."

Uh-oh, Lloyd thought. At first it seemed he was on their side but now it was starting to look like he was going to fight them. Now he knew where he had seen this rider, in Talrega! So here was a question, who was he after; just Ike, who was further up the bridge with the rest of the army, or all of them?

Seeing their looks Haar explained, "Don't get the wrong idea. You're not the enemy I'm seeking. The ones responsible for General Shiharam's death is Daein. I pretended to return to the fold so I could get close to General Petrine... I'm just waiting for my chance. But I think they may be on to me."

"Then just join with us. We're going after the same thing," Lloyd offered.

Haar just shook his head. "I'm just sick of choosing sides. I won't join you all but neither will fight you." And with that the rider mounted his wyvern and flew off.

At least that's one wyvern rider we don't have to worry about. Lloyd exhaled before he and the others continued up the bridge.

/~/~/

As soon as Lloyd and Genis stepped off the bridge onto solid ground they both sighed with relief. No longer would they have to fear falling through the bridge, again. Even though there was more Daein soldiers on the land and more still pouring out the large stone fort that loomed over them. They would have rather been there then back on the bridge.

"Over there," Lloyd pointed up in the sky toward an oncoming wyvern.

Genis raised his kendama and cast a weak lightning spell that struck the beast's wing, causing it and its rider to fall into the cavern below.

Soren and Rhys had been teaching Genis and Raine this world's spells and healing arts. So now they were able to cast more regardless of their mana. They tried to teach Zelos but he gave up on it saying he would rather stick with his sword. Genis wasn't happy with the spells he learned either, saying that they felt unnatural but since he relied solely on magic he would just have to deal with it.

Zelos and Colette joined them shortly; the rest of their group was still on the bridge fighting. The four pushed onward toward Ike, Soren, and Mist.

"We have to find the commanding officer before reinforcements come!" Ike yelled over the chaos.

Lloyd quickly scanned the battle but found no one that looked to be in charge. "Well, if we haven't fought him now he must be in there," he pointed to the fort.

"Then lets head in," Ike told them as he started to make his way toward the entrance.

"Shouldn't we wait for the others?" Colette asked.

"Smaller numbers would be more efficient in this situation," Soren explained.

"Somehow I knew you were going to say that," Zelos sighed.

As the small group dashed for fort, Lloyd and Zelos combined their Demon Fang art on the door. Many of the soldiers were caught off guard when the door flew inward, crushing many under the heavy weight. They were even more startled when swords and chakrams sliced through their numbers.

Once they took care of all the guards Ike rushed up the stairs. Everyone hurried to keep up with him; Ike had been this way ever since they left the temple. Finding out the truth behind this war was hard on all of them but it seemed to have affected Ike the most, the reason for his father's death heavy on his heart.

After killing more soldiers then they could count they finally reached a large room that held about five soldiers and a woman in black armor wielding a strange red lance.

That woman, Ike, and Colette pointed at one another. "IT'S YOU!" They all exclaimed.

"You... You're the knight that my father battled," Ike realized.

The female knight began growling angrily at them. "If I'd know you were going to grow to be such a thorn in our side... I would have reduced you to ashes when I had the chance!"

"Where did you all meet this creepy lady?" Zelos asked.

"She's General Petrine, we ran into her in Gallia before we meet you," Soren explained.

Lloyd readied both of his blades and said, "Well it seems we've found the commanding officer, so let's end this!"

He charged for Petrine regardless of Ike's protest. As Lloyd brought down his swords, Petrine, with a cruel grin, blocked it with her lance. But as soon as his sword connected to the lance his whole body was engulfed in flames! Lloyd was sent rolling from the blast, still smoldering.

"Hang on Lloyd!" Genis shouted. He raised his kendama, "Spread!" He cast.

Water erupted from underneath Lloyd, he swallowed a mouthful of the magical water and it felt like he was drowning. But coolness was welcoming to the burning pain he was in. Finally the spell ended and Lloyd began coughing, gasping for breath. He gave a thumbs up to his friend signaling he was alright. Mist quickly hurried over to heal his burns.

Turning their attention back to the fight, Soren began explaining a new strategy to everyone. "It'll be best if long range attackers go against her. So Colette, Genis, and I will fight her." He looked at Ike as he told him what to do, "You and that idiot keep the rest of the soldiers off of us."

"I have a name, brat," Zelos glared at Soren.

He just shrugged the comment off and said calmly, "Yes but the fact that you responded to that only proves my point.

"Who's watching whose back?" Zelos asked nastily before going after the nearest swordsmen.

Lloyd could only watch as one by one Ike and Zelos took out the Daein soldiers. And Petrine was at a disadvantage since it was three on one. She couldn't get close enough to attack them she was constantly dodging their attacks.

Finally she gain some ground and was about to attack both Soren and Colette. But just before she could, the space between the ground and her lance wielding hand froze in a solid block of ice. Everyone glanced over to where Genis was standing, kendama raised and sweat protruding from his forehead; clearly nervous that he would be too late. The female general tried to break free but to no avail. She gritted her teeth probably thought that would help melt the ice. But it slowly was due to her flame lance.

She turned her attention back to the two in front of her, but her eyes lingered on the mark on Soren's head. "You..." She gasped, "That mark on your brow... That's not a charm of the dead, is it? You're no Spirit Charmer!"

Zelos had just stabbed the last Daein when everyone stared at Petrine. Both Ike and Mist stared at Soren in puzzlement. Everyone else knew what that woman meant; Lloyd began to worry how this would end.

Then Petrine began to laugh wickedly. "You may be able to fool others with that, but not me. It's because we're the same, see?" Her lance was nearly free.

"...The same?" Soren repeated. The grip on his tome tightened. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm nothing like you. You kill for sport, and hide your fear behind a wall of bravado." His wind spell charging blew around him with his eyes full of furry. "Now let me show you true fear!"

The wind he had been holding back raged toward Petrine sending her against the wall so hard that most of it collapsed. She was slumped down, cuts all over her, breathing hard.

They were about to finish her off when a deep growling sound stopped them. A loud scraping sound emitted from outside and soon a black wyvern's head poked in through the opening. Another big section crumbled under the beast weight. It eyed Petrine in blood lust, causing her to cower. The rider on the mount flicked the reins and in an instant the wyvern clamped down on her and flung her out. Her piercing scream echoed through the fort as she plunged into the riven.

"Thank you for your help Haar!" Colette waved at the rider.

Haar simply raised his hand lazily before his mount pushed off and they went soaring into the sky.

Outside the fighting began to slowly stop as the Daein realize their general was gone. But inside was an unsettling silence. "What exactly did that woman mean when she said you two were the same?" Ike asked the young tactician.

Soren didn't say anything for the longest time. He glanced over at Genis, who gave him a reassuring smile, and even over at Zelos. He took a deep breath before looking square at Ike and Mist. "There are some people in this world whom have the blood of both the laguz and beorc. They were given the name branded and…it would appear that she was one of them."

"So," Mist started sounding afraid that she had misinterpret, "since she said you were the same…does that mean that your one of those "branded" too?"

He simply nodded, "I discovered what I was shortly before this all started."

There was another pause and Soren looked anywhere but at them. But finally Ike asked, "What's your point?"

Soren's head shot up and looked at his friend. "What's the point?" Soren repeated, looking more furious than Lloyd ever seen him. His crimson eyes looked even redder. "Don't you find me repugnant? I work beside you, eat beside you. I'm nothing! I don't belong anywhere! Doesn't that sicken you?"

Ike just looked at him as if he had said something daft. "Soren is still Soren," he told him. "Just because of whom your parents were doesn't change the fact that you're our staff officer and our friend."

Sorens eyes were wide as if wondering if he heard Ike wrong. But then Mist start giggling. "That's right," she said in-between chuckles. "Soren will always be the grumpy Soren we know."

That caused a few snickers from the rest of them as Soren narrows his eyes, the moment so gone. (I think this is how it should have been when it was known Soren was branded.)

Through the new window Lloyd spotted a small army marching from Crimea. At first he thought they were Daein but then he noticed they bared a completely different banner then what the Daein carried. "I don't believe," Ike said with relief. "It's Crimea!"

/~/~/

Marhaut Range

The lieutenant began walking around the camp, trying to ignore the bitter chatter of his men. He didn't have to listen to them to know that this was a suicide mission. On the west side of this mountain the Gallia sub-humans had joined forces with the remaining Crimean soldiers while on the east side the Liberation Army, he knew, was close by. And here they were in the middle of the two, with no sign of reinforcement in sight.

What the hell is the king thinking! He thought, he didn't dare voice it; he could be executed on spot for that.

"Lieutenant Blair," a sheepish voice said behind him. He turned around to see a young soldier, newly recruited, and in his opinion far too young to be here.

"What can I help you with?" Blair asked him.

The kid squirmed in place as he thought how to phrase what he wanted to say. Blair getting a little aggravated at this. Normally he gave any of his men his undivided but now they were press time, so much had to be prepared if they were going to survive this battle. The kid must have obviously seen the irritation on Blair's face because he began stuttering, "S-sorry, lieutenant, this…this isn't really that important… but…the other men…they've been saying we're not going to last to see tomorrow."

Blair nodded knowing what he was saying. "We have a plan that will delay the army so we can get as many of us out of here alive. Instead of worrying about what the others say, focus on surviving."

He didn't look too confident but left with his head a little higher. So Blair quickly rushed to the edge of the peak to meet with Captain Gromell about the trap they sat up.

Gromell, along with several others, were inspecting the large boulders they push in hopes of crushing the enemy. The captain noticed him as soon as he came within range. "Status, lieutenant," he asked Blair without looking at him.

"Most of the traps are set and ready, archers in position, and the men are ready to withdraw at a moment's notice," Blair told him.

"Withdraw?" Gromell repeated as he slightly turned to face him. "I do not recall saying anything about us abandoning the battle. We are going to defeat the Liberation Army and then move on and wip out those sub-humans."

What! They would be lucky enough just to beat the one army but after that they would have no hope in defeating the remaining one. "But sir-"

"You forget your place lieutenant. Now go and tell all the men to prepare for battle,"Gromell ordered turning back to the others leaving no room for discussion.

With no other choice Blair left to do as he was told. Everyone in this damn army is mad!

About an hour later the horns blared signaling the approaching army. Of course at the time Blair was already at the edge once again watching the army through the scope. No doubt they already figured out their trap, there was no time to cleverly hide the rocks they would drop on them.

"What are they doing?" Gromell asked the lieutenant.

"They're…" Blair took another look to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him, "…advancing. They're coming strength up."

The captain began laughing a real throaty laugh. "What fools! Surely they don't think they can defeat us by charging right at us! This will be over before we know it!" Some of the other men began laughing at that as well.

But not Blair. Something wasn't right. He knew they knew about the traps they had seat up for them, so why were they coming head on? Blair took another look at the army below.

"Get ready men!" Gromell shouted. "Prepare the boulders!"

Two soldiers at each rock stood at the ready to push down on the stick wedged underneath it. Blair raised his hand as he waited for the Liberation army to get close enough to cause the most damage. Almost…almost…there! "Release boulder three!" Blair yelled.

The two soldiers there wheezed as the pushed down on the lever to send the rock rolling down the cliff. Blair watched through the scope as it tumbled towered the army. But then he spotted a man with long blue hair running towards it as if eager to meet death. The lieutenant heard snickers around him but he ignored it as he continued to watch the man. Then suddenly the man jumped and kicked the boulder which was heading straight for them. "T-take cover!" Blair yelled diving to the ground.

There was a large crashing sound and Blair looked over to see that the boulder had crushed one or two men. "Hurry up and release another one!" Gromell barked.

"Wait don't-!" Blair tried to warn but was too late; two more soldiers released another boulder.

He didn't bother to watch this one and within minutes it was flung back up.

The battle just kept on getting worse, not even the archers could pierce through their lines because the enemy used some weird magic. They were all going to die. And for what? For a crazy king who probably didn't care what happened to the Daein people, he certainly didn't care about losing Daein.

I have no intention of dying for a mad man! So he along with several others made a run for it. They may be known for deserting but he doubted any one back home would blame any of them.

/~/~/

Lloyd sat on a small hill looking at the distant outline of Crimea's capitol, the end of their journey in sight. It had almost been a year since they arrived here in this world; a year since they he merged their two worlds. It tore him up inside not knowing what happened. Did it work? Was everyone still alive? Were they ever going to get home?

He could hear the grass crunch as someone approached him. Lloyd turned in the direction to see a silver haired kid walking toward him. "I was wondering where you went after we meet up with the rest of the army," Genis said.

"Well since everyone else has been busy talking with the Crimean retainers I thought I would just make myself scarce." Lloyd told him.

Genis sat down next to him and gazed where Lloyd had been staring out. "Hard to believe that we've been here for an entire year and we've been all around this world."

"I know," Lloyd nodded at his friend. "This war is almost over."

"As long as that crazy king stays were he's supposed to this time."

"No kidding."

They sat in silence for the longest time until Genis asked him, "What are we going to do after this is over?"

"I've been thinking about that for a while now. I'd like to say we could go home but we haven't any clue how to go about doing that," Lloyd said while rubbing his brow. "The Professor and Yuan have been taking and they think with the Eternal Sword we might be able us it to return to our world. After all it is the sword that makes to impossible possible."

"Yeah but the Eternal Sword is with Kratos, there's no telling where he is. We were lucky enough just to find everyone else. Oh sorry. You're probably worried about him."

"I am. But…I just have to trust in him like Yuan said."

Hopefully that wasn't to painfull. Anyway I promise that the next two chapters will be better for sure. Also we only have 4 more chapters to go until the end!