Hello again!

... Anyone still here? Sorry for the massive delay between chapters, which has mostly been caused by the release of Pokemon Alpha Sapphire, which has absorbed a ridiculous amount of time that I maybe should have spent writing. Updates will become more regular again. I promise.

Onwards!

Chapter 11

Kit awoke to the gentle murmuring of the Shepherds' camp just starting to liven up. The Feroxi winter might be bitterly cold and harsh, but still the Shepherds worked methodically.

"Kit?" Enquired a soft, familiar voice from outside.

"Come on in!" He replied, pulling his tactician's coat on. Lissa pushed open the tent flap and stepped in. Kit's tent was a mess. Half the tent was piled high with all the tactical books he had managed to procure, some clothes lay in a pile next to a sword and a tome, and his futon was pushed into a corner.

"Hi Kit..." Lissa quavered. She sounded very shaken. Kit was instantly worried.

"What's wrong, Lissa?" He stepped closer to her, brow creased with worry.

"Oh, Kit..." Lissa sighed, before throwing herself forwards, flinging her arms around him.

"It's Emmeryn..." She sobbed. "She's been kidnapped!"

Kit slammed his fist down on the table.

"No, Chrom!" He yelled. "You can't just run into a trap!"

"What am I supposed to do?" He asked, throwing his hands up helplessly. "Gangrel's got my sister!"

"I know, Chrom. But rushing in blindly will only get you trapped as well." Kit explained, a look of sympathy in his eyes. "Gangrel clearly wants the Fire Emblem. I don't know what it does, and I don't know why Gangrel wants it. But I do know that I'm not going to let him have it."

"So what do we do?" Chrom frowned.

"With the Feroxi on our side, and a bit of tactics..." Kit grinned wolfishly.

The desert sand whipped and scratched mercilessly at the trudging Shepherds. Eyes shielded with one arm, Kit led the sandstorm-blinded Shepherds. He turned, able to make out vague shapes of the Shepherds, simply counting silhouettes to ensure everyone's safety. He rushed unsteadily towards a dune. Stood atop the mound of sand, he got his bearings, finally above the choking storm.

Lissa laboriously clambered up next to him. Kit smiled in admiration. The blonde had a beauty to her that belied her iron resilience.

"We still on track?" She asked, dehydration making her voice harsher.

"Yeah. Just." Kit replied. The ordeal of the Plegian desert was taking its toll on all the Shepherds.

Slowly, the sandstorm began to clear. Kit's eyes widened. "Oh, Naga..." He breathed. Dark-robed mages surrounded them on all sides.

"Shepherds, to arms!" Kit called to the rest. Many gritting their teeth, they laboriously drew weapons. Chrom shakily aimed the Falchion towards their enemy.

Kit's eyes widened slightly at the sight of movement in the still ranks of mages. "Who... Is that?" He mused.

Two figures sprinted through the sand. A smaller, more delicate figure ran ahead of a large, muscular mercenary. The smaller figure seemed to be trying to escape the other. Mages closed in on the two. Just as Kit was about to turn away from the scene, a bright light from there forced him to shield his eyes. When he looked back, he involuntarily stepped away from the magnificent dragon hovering over the battlefield. It launched a blast of blue flames, scattering the dark mages.

"Shepherds!" Kit called to the weary force. "Attack now! Cavalry, form up! Chrom, with Sumia! Lon'qu, with Cordelia! Kellam, keep the more fragile fighters safe! Lissa... With me." He flashed her a smile. She returned it with her own determined smile. "We're going to them." He pointed to the two figures in the distance.

While the rest of the Shepherds rushed forwards, Kit and Lissa dashed off at a tangent, towards the mismatched pair, now surrounded my mages. The mercenary tried to fight them back, but a bolt of inky black smashed the blade from his hands. Another midnight flare struck the smaller figure, and a high-pitched cry echoed out as they fell to the ground. Kit's eyes narrowed. A child! They were attacking a child! His sword was in his hands before he even realised.

The first mage fell easily, Kit's sword easily slicing through the mage's robes. A shadowy bolt flew at him. Kit dropped to the sand, leaping up in close quarters to the mages.

Dark mages. Even less armour than other mages. Rely on staying at a distance. Dark tome. Low quality. Not high-class soldiers. Seven of them. Strength in numbers. Or so they thought.

Kit tightened his grip on the sword. He dodged the first clump of darkness, lunging forwards. The first of the dark mages collapsed, Kit's blade flashing. The others backed away like beetles in a sudden light.

From the corner of his eye, Kit saw Lissa cradling the small girl in her arms, holding her healing staff aloft. The mercenary simply watched.

The other six dark mages fell in quick succession. Kit dodged every strike, landed each hit of his own in a blur of attack. He allowed himself a small moment of victory before crouching next to Lissa.

"She okay?" He enqired softly, gesturing at the injured girl.

"She'll be fine with some rest." Lissa replied.

"That is much relief to Gregor." The towering mercenary remarked in a thick accent.

"Wait... You weren't chasing her?" Kit asked, visibly confused.

"Gregor was, but not in sense you mean." Gregor replied. "Gregor only follow from desire to help."

Kit smiled. "Well... We could use someone with your talents. You could help a lot of people in the Shepherds with us."

"You pay Gregor?"

"Of course."

"Gregor convinced."