Hello!

First of all... I'm so sorry about the delay. I had exams, and that just ate through my time and left me with little motivation for writing. However, that's all done now, so you can all look forward to (hopefully) regular updates for the coming weeks. Also, massive thanks to 300 I.Q. Prower for no less than three reviews, which really helped me get back into writing. Once again, I'm so sorry for the delay, and I hope that this chapter lives up to previous standards- especially the action scene.

Onwards!

Chapter 18

Kit leapt past Ricken as he stared down Aversa. He had a different target. He sliced through the thin fabric that was all that defended Gangrel. As Kit flung himself into the tent, the Mad King flinched.

"W- Who are you?" He asked, his voice commanding yet betraying a hint of fear. Kit threw off the black cloak of a dark mage, revealing his tactician's coat underneath. The Mad King let out a worried gasp.

"The Tactician of Ylisse... Damn. Guards!" He called suddenly. Several black-armoured guards moved into the tent with cold efficiency. Before they could even take up positions, Lon'qu was attacking. His swift, brutal strikes forced the guards outside, where Cordelia's lance struck like the talons of a hawk as she dove at them atop her pegasus.

With a despairing glance at his guards, Gangrel began to back away. Pausing briefly only to grab a jagged sword from a box, he sliced his own exit from the grand tent, and sprinted off, desperate to escape.

"Gaius! Panne!" Kit called. "Can you take out the rest of the Plegian soldiers?" They both nodded and dashed in that direction. Kit threw himself through the exit that Gangrel had made, and started sprinting towards him.

Gangrel finally came to a stop when the noises of battle from the barracks had faded to the edge of hearing. He suddenly turned and sneered.

"Now... Let's see how a tactician fights far from his precious pawns." He smirked. "Can you fight at all? Can you even lift a sword?" The Mad King's mocking laughter echoed across the flat desert. Kit slowly drew his iron blade, falling easily into his familiar stance.

Before he could react, he struck. Kit's blade was an inch from Gangrel's throat before the laughter had even died. He leapt backwards, receiving only a shallow cut across the lower jaw. Barely giving the Mad King time to even see his sword, the Tactician of Ylisse lunged forwards, only to be deflected at the last second, impaling Gangrel's shoulder.

A mistake.

Kit was a fraction slow as he pulled the blade free, but it was all Gangrel needed. He kicked Kit in the stomach, cutting off his breath in a sharp gasp. A desperate dodge to one side saved Kit's life, causing the Mad King's blade to slice across his ribs. It was a shallow cut, but pain flared up across Kit's torso. Kit blocked the next strike, but it was clumsy and sent a wave of numbness down his arm. Darkness started to eat away at the edges of his vision. Gangrel paused to smirk.

A mistake.

Kit flung himself forward. His skull impacted with Gangrel's leg. He heard something crunch. Using what little time he had, he shook the fatigue from his mind; his focus returned just as Gangrel hauled himself to his feet, spitting and cursing. Gangrel whirled the sword towards Kit, which seemed foolish, until a bolt of lightning struck Kit in the chest and blew him backwards. Even though his eyes were wide, he could barely make out the sky past the glaring sparks. He couldn't seem to move. He heard a shout. Gangrel? It seemed too high-pitched. Had Aversa returned? The sound of Gangrel cursing reached his ears, but it sounded faint and tinny. The female voice shouted defiantly. He recognised that voice.

Lissa.

Forcing himself to his feet, he furiously tried to wave the stars from his vision. He felt hands on his shoulder and side.

"No!" Lissa's commanding tone reached his hearing. "Don't try to move!"

She gently lowered him to the ground. The green glow lit up what was left of his vision. He heard her chant, but the sound was faint and distant.

His senses snapped into focus. Everything was sharp and clear. He could see every detail of Lissa's face as she crouched next to him, tome in one hand and a staff in the other. Kit leapt to his feet.

"Gangrel?" Kit asked. Lissa understood him immediately. She looked over to where Gangrel had fallen in the dust.

"I defended you." She said quietly. "I used a Thunder tome I borrowed from Ricken." Kit wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

"Thanks." He whispered into her ear. "Thanks for saving me." He could feel her smooth skin and silken hair. Softly, gently, she enveloped him in her arms.

Kit's eyes snapped open. He turned at the sound of the sand being crushed under a heavy boot. He heard the whistling sound of the silver blur of the sword before he saw it. Slamming his own blade into Gangrel's to block, he stared at the Mad King. Bloodied teeth showed from a twisted grin. His eyes were wide and frantic. One leg was at an odd angle. His vicious grip on the sword turned his knuckles white.

Kit rammed his sword forwards, flinging Gangrel's blade to the side and slamming the handle of his sword into Gangrel's chest. Winded, staggering back and disarmed, he stood little chance as Kit's blade came down like a guillotine.

Shouts rang in his ears. Kit turned towards the camp, taking in the sight of the rest of the Shepherds rounding up the Plegian soldiers, the white flag of surrender clear to see, flying high over the barracks.

Chrom ran up to where Kit and Lissa stood. "Are you... Are you alright?"

The pair's grins reassured him.

"Is... Is it over?" The blue-haired Exalt asked.

Silently, he turned to see the body of Gangrel, splayed out on the red sand. He spun and began walking away.

"Come on." He said over his shoulder. "Everyone's waiting for you."