Meant to upload this on Wednesday...but here it is! Chapter 39 will be up on Saturday as usual, this will not detract from it!

Also, getting my wisdom teeth removed tomorrow, hopefully it won't interfere too much with all the work I have to do.

Paralogue Four

Resolute Border City, Holtair

"Kino…is it wise to leave the Treige border? No replacement for Iltar'Elm has been announced and you just arrived to replace Ottenz."

The swordmaster shook his head at Jikahn as their carriage pulled into its destination. "They all fear me…I left them with a strange and unbelievable reason…but none of them dared to question me."

Jikahn smiled nervously; even he was afraid of Kino and would rather not be so close to the cruel swordmaster. However he realized that Kino had skill he required and with the man near he'd be safe from anything.

The troop had been marching nonstop since they left Helm, cut across Kror and continued down the South Pozem Route. The massive battle at the border followed by the crossing into Holtair exhausted them and they needed all the rest they could get before moving onto their next destination: Amaryllis the capital of Anondye.

Soren wearily thought back to the fight at the border, Wilt called for a full retreat after the loss of his other commander claiming that he would return.

The troop easily crossed the border supplying a story of being attacked by bandits, explaining their injuries and being saved by the military explaining Wilt who would've passed by the keep.

The guards showed the troop personally into the city and to an inn where they currently stayed.

Soren turned to see Mia at the door "You've been thinking far too much…we need all the time we can get to rest and prepare…"

Soren nodded "I realize that…"

The pair stood on far ends of the room and neither seemed to be willing to start walking towards the other. Soren sighed "Orgoth is alive thanks to Lyle…is that what you wanted?"

Mia shook her head "No. I understand why you went off on Lyle. While I still don't agree with it I do understand…I just don't want you to begin doubting all of your allies who have been so close to you since the beginning…I don't want you to become the Soren from Tellius who never got close to anyone out of fear they'd betray you."

Soren scratched his head "I won't…but I myself realize that turning my back on one person is the road to doing it all over again…Lyle really did save us back there…but there is much more to be done…not just him but for all of us."

Mia nodded and gestured for Soren to join her outside.

Mikel lay in bed looking at the ceiling; he had been lost in thought which was something he rarely if ever does. Noticing this, Leena turned over and snapped her fingers next to his ear. He turned to her and she smiled "What could possibly be going through your head?"

"How about…how stunning you look right now?"

Leena laughed "Nice try…it's something else, I'm sure of it."

Mikel sighed "Is it…alright for us to be…doing this?"

Leena raised an eyebrow "Who are you and what have you done with Mikel?"

"I know, I know. See…Orgoth almost died back in Pozem…could you imagine what that would be like for Eminse and their unborn child?"

Leena shook her head "I don't think I could and I'd never want to experience that…I see where you are going with this Mikel, we're all strong people. We can fight and we can love and care for each other, it makes us stronger."

Mikel nodded "It does…but what if our enemies are just stronger than that? What then?"

The pair remained silent; receiving no answer Mikel pulled Leena against him and smiled "Sorry for the sudden change of mood. Even if the enemy is stronger…you and I will never roll over to anyone."

Leena looked up, their eyes meeting she smirked before kissing him.

"A child…" Wayu whispered looking at Eminse sitting next to Orgoth. The man was covered in bandages having ignored his wounds and Wyre trying to heal him during the battle. Even now he moved around much more than he was told he should be able to.

Wyre stood next to Wayu and sighed "To think that he has been driven this far by that…a lesser man would've caved and returned to his family…it astounds me he made the choice to leave them."

Ranulf joined the pair "We Laguz understand the value of family, we're all important to each other…Orgoth must've known ahead of time this conflict could eventually threaten his family and went ahead to deal with it before it got that far."

Wayu nodded "Seems like it…I'm very glad that they've reunited…"

Wyre kept his eyes on Orgoth and Eminse "Will he remain here? After that battle I honestly wonder if he'll continue with us…"

Running her hand through the horse's mane Janie smiled as it reared up and neighed. Tyazaer approached from behind placing her hands on Janie's shoulders "You've been a lot brighter as of late…"

Janie turned to Tyazaer "I have to be…you are all depending on me…"

Tyazaer smiled "We depend on each other…we've come this far by trusting and relying on each other…we all knew you'd get through this and once you do you will make Freen unimaginably proud."

Janie nodded with a small smile "What about you Tyazaer? What do you hope to accomplish or gain with all of this?"

The paladin looked up "I'm not sure…I've prided myself on my knowledge and desire to understand Ymarkteg itself…perhaps once the Midnight is gone and no longer polluting the country I can truly learn all about it…"

Janie nodded "Knowledge is power to you isn't it?"

"Far more than that…"

"It's life." The pair turned to see Rhogam approaching with a grin "We are the Questers…our quest won't end until we die. Before then we'll learn as much as we can…not by reading…but by doing."

Janie could help but smile even wider "If you don't mind. When this is all over, I'd like to join you two…you adventure throughout the world, something I never got to do up in the Umbarra Heights…would you mind if I joined you?"

Tyazaer and Rhogam looked at each other before the paladin turned back to Janie "We'd be thrilled to have you along."

To'Eltz sat on a park bench as people went about their business around him. He noticed Ilan watching him "Elder Sage…what do you want?"

"Nothing…I enjoy watching the populace…it reminds me that my lonely job of protecting the Fell Lord's weapons is for the truly greater good."

To'Eltz looked at the children playing and the parents watching and recalled his youth in his home back in the Fair Desert. The now distant and driven older man turned back to Ilan "I don't completely hate people…once this quest is over…we'll see where it places me…and I'll decide what to do then…"

Ilan nodded "Very well…hopefully your reunion with society aids you in discovering who you can become."

Zey'Yu sat on the edge of her bed looking out the window with a knife in her hand. She looked down at the weapon and many thoughts flew through her head, she snapped out of her thoughts when Kay'Shera hugged her from behind "Still thinking about the Altar?"

Zey'Yu dropped the knife and turned her head so she could see Kay'Shera's face "The things they had me do…and the fact that I followed unquestioningly…I did any mission no matter how risky because I hoped death would claim me…finding you…reuniting and falling in love all over again…it's so unreal."

As they laid back down Kay'Shera nodded "I think the same thing from time to time…although I did everything I could for Sarhara so no one would feel the pain of losing a loved one…I can really sympathize with Ottenz…he'll never know whether or not Rey Oshwa is truly dead…I hope we can lay his spirit to rest somehow."

Zey'Yu sighed "I certainly hope he can find peace…" as they closed their eyes the sun began its descent.

"Midnight 3, prepared to serve." Norad Jyuugo shook his head, the Midnight completed its formation a few days back and has ignored his every order until now. It kneeled before Dalton Pesh and Asai Versha.

"You bastards designed this one to only acknowledge you…I don't even think my giving Midnight 4 to Kanahana could anger you. I did actually do that by the way."

Pesh smiled "Give them all to the others, Midnight 3 is all we need." Versha blew Norad Jyuugo a kiss and the pair took off with Midnight 3 in tow.

The Dread Fighter shook his head; behind him Midnight 2 and Midnight 1 were being created.

Upon exiting the chamber, Shinon's group reunited with Orkra and Zihark outside of Myillheim and continued their march for half a day before setting up camp.

The old man seemed to have lost his mind upon exiting the prison cell and being reintroduced to the real world. They kept him in his own tent sleeping most of the time because whenever he awoke he began ranting and seemed to contract a fever.

Rey Oshwa on the other hand suffered from an injury to her back which never fully healed. She could comprehend everything but her speech was slow.

Finally, the Froghul remained unconscious, he was breathing but seemed to be refusing to come back to the world of the living.

Re'Zin sat with the group, he told them about what happened in Euto and his mission to retrieve proof to get Ottenz back on the right side; however he realized that he was in prison for far too long and needed to return to Treige as soon as possible.

"I understand your desire…but we have our own allies we have to relocate."

Re'Zin nodded at Zihark's statement "I know that…Soren and Mia. The Euto Research Center was just the beginning…I am terrified to return and find out what else has changed but I must!"

Orkra stood with Re'Zin "If you do, you'll be returning alone, Rey can't be left with one person…she is far too vulnerable."

Re'Zin looked at the group and sighed "Well, how about all of you? Where are you going?"

Uhnie shook her head "We aren't entirely sure…we came to Myillheim to learn the truth of what transpired here after the lies that were fed to the Regalshin Military…if we intend to reunite with Soren and Mia we need some clue as to where they are."

"Or." The group turned to Leah as he stood "We can continue on our own and try to learn more of what's going on…specifically this Einseek that Kolkem mentioned…"

Re'Zin shook his head "Good luck trying to get any more information out of him, he hasn't made sense since we escaped."

"What's stranger than that…no one has come to pursue us."

The team turned to Shinon who faced the direction they came from "Unotch and Barbyos…were they brought back from the dead?"

Leah shook his head "Impossible, all the others brought back from the dead, Kanahana included have real bodies. Some of us could not strike at Unotch or Barbyos…you were the only one who seemed to be capable of fighting the demon archer."

Shinon looked down at Gore Eye "You got any theories on this?"

"Only rough guesses…I'll work something up, in the meantime, get everyone to rest so we can get moving."

Shinon turned to the crew and motioned toward the tents "We'll continue this tomorrow."

Zihark looked over to Orkra as the team split up into their tents "You gonna stay with us?"

She turned to him "Yes…I'm not ready to return to Regalshin yet and there is much more to be done."

As the hero walked away Zihark stood to follow but came to a stop. Re'Zin put a hand on his shoulder "I'll take first watch…I'm used to this."

As the trueblade left, Re'Zin sat next to the fire before turning towards Rey Oshwa's tent, finally satisfied that he could complete the mission. His gaze then went to the unconscious Froghul as countless questions filled his head.

"Who was Rey Oshwa to Ottenz exactly?" Mia asked standing near Orgoth and Eminse.

The researcher cleared her throat "Krayvon explained it to me like this…Ottenz and Rey Oshwa met during one of Ottenz rare breaks; he was very dutiful and left to Numengate, specifically Myillheim at Iltar'Elm's demand. He met Rey Oshwa there before she became the Archduchess and they grew very close…the physical distance between them meant nothing…I believe he was planning to retire so he could go live in Myillheim."

Soren sighed "She was injured during the Midnight's attack on Myillheim but last we saw her she was alive…if only we had proof, Ottenz wouldn't have had to die."

Orgoth turned slowly to see Lyle, since they came to Holtair the swordmaster stood separated from the group on the roof of a building looking at nothing.

On his own Lyle examined his blade, the one he constantly kept replacing parts of, his first blade. Having been with him so long it has more blood on it than he could recall, literally. To this day he wondered about Ushnae, was it his sword or Pesh's that claimed the Froghul's life?

Regardless he now had Ottenz' life on his conscience, it was either strike down the war monk or allow him to make another mistake in killing Orgoth like he did with Krayvon.

"What is a man…" he muttered placing the blade at his side "What is a soldier…who grows weary of taking lives?"

"Are you absolutely certain?" Orgoth asked to which Dent and Eminse nodded.

"We did not come all this why to find you just to get left behind." Dent stated.

"There are people in Anondye that want you dead, the capital is one of the first places they would've set up in! I can't have you walk into that danger!"

Eminse stepped forward and placed a hand on Orgoth's chest "You and your friends are the greatest protection I will ever have. I want to stay with you."

Orgoth sighed, realizing that Dent and Eminse were not going to change their minds he nodded "Very well but stay close to me at all times. Promise?"

Eminse smiled "Of course."

The sun, high in the sky, looked down on the troop as the gathered at Holtair's front gate, ready to head for Anondye's Castle Town, Amaryllis.

"Are you three going to continue with us?" Soren asked as his eyes fell on Zey'Yu, Ilan and Ranulf.

Zey'Yu put her hands on her hips and walked up to Soren "I figured that would be painfully obvious…I'm not willing to let Kay'Shera out of my sight, ever again."

The whisper looked over to the Roc Knight who smiled as the troop turned to Ilan and Ranulf.

"Shaelin lives within the capital…unlike the other Elder Sages he chose to hide in plain sight; I must meet with him to learn what has happened and how he lost Helswath."

Soren then looked to Ranulf who smiled "You guys got this, I have no doubt…but I have another pressing matter to attend to."

Mia took a step forward "What do you mean?"

"There was a very important reason that brought me to Pozem…I was actually cutting my way through the country towards my destination. I know I told you I'd explain why I'm here but the matter is very crucial and I have to get going…as soon as it's all said and done I'll join up with you guys and explain everything, I promise."

Soren and Mia looked at each other; the trueblade approached and hugged Ranulf before Soren shook his hand. Ranulf leaned close to Soren "I hope my blood comes in handy."

"So do I." Soren whispered back as the Laguz bowed to the troop, each of them spoke their goodbyes as he shifted into his cat form and shot off into the distance.

"Wilt." The Great Knight bowed to Jikahn "Sir…I'm ready." The senator smiled and entered the royal hearing chamber of Castle Anondye with his loyal soldier following close behind.

Next chapters are going to require a lot of re-working from me...but I trust they'll be all the better for them, in short: shit hits the fan.

OC Sheet 18 is also going up on deviantArt, it has Rey Oshwa 3, the one traveling with Shinon's group, her sister Teel Oshwa (to be introduced), Senator Vassaan, Unotch, Barbyos and Shaelin