After discovering the depth of Laus plans, Eliwood and his company sets out for Laus. The road to Laus passes through Santaruz. Eliwood suspects his missing father must have visited Santaruz en route to Ostia.
At the same time, the man that Mark has been tracking for his possible knowledge of his brothers' murderers may also be connected to Eliwood's father's disappearance. As such, Eliwood arranges a meeting with the local ruling lord to see what he can learn.
(Within Santaruz castle)
"What? Eliwood is here?" the Marquess of Santaruz says.
Before him stand Zero and his robed apprentice.
"Yes. He has set camp up on a hill south of here," Zero says stepping forward.
"He seeks permission to enter Santaruz. He seeks an audience with you," Zero states stoically, running his hand across his mask.
"Could it be…? Do you think Eliwood has come to ask of his father?" the Marquess says, looking down.
"If that's the case… I… I know not what to tell him," he mutters, shaking his head.
"Tell him you know nothing, and let him be on his way," Zero's apprentice says.
"Yet... I know young Eliwood well. His father, Elbert, and I are old friends. I've no children of my own, and I've always treasured Eliwood… I do not believe I could look him in the eye and… I could not lie to him. I could not," the marquess mutters.
"Well it appears we have no choice then. We'll simply have to force the boy away," Zero says, walking past his apprentice.
"If you do not speak with him, you need tell no lies," Zero's apprentice says, chuckling beneath his robe.
"Wait! Do you mean to harm Eliwood?" the Marquess says stepping forward.
The apprentice simply chuckles.
"Not harm. Frighten. A scratch or two will leave no scars. He will run home to Pherae and be done with his adventure. He is, after all, all that Pherae has left…"
The apprentice chuckles and follows Zero.
"Well, well who'd of thought the old Codger would be so hard to manipulate?" Zero says, shaking his head.
"I trust you were able to persuade to Marquess to action, Ephidel?" Zero says, glancing to his apprentice.
"Of course, it was all too easy. So tell me Master Zero, what is your next move?" Ephidel says, glancing at Zero.
"For now, we'll let Eliwood and his company draw ever closer to Laus…" Zero says, running his hand across his mask as though he is thinking.
"Actually I have an idea Ephidel. I need you to make haste get to Laus as fast as possible. Give the lord this…" Zero says, pulling out a piece of parchment and writing something down on it.
"I believe with this I can kill all three birds with a single stone," Zero says, handing the parchment to Ephidel.
"Very well master Zero… what of you?" Ephidel says, tucking the parchment into his robes.
"I have to make a pit stop and discuss a few things. I will be at your side shortly."
Zero turns around and walks off.
"Very well, Master Zero." Ephidel bows and vanishes.
"Now then, Mark, let's see what your next move is," Zero chuckles
(Meanwhile with Eliwood and company)
"So Eliwood, how is Lyn doing?" Mark says, walking up beside Eliwood.
"She's doing well; her grandfather has also been in good health lately." Eliwood says matching his pace with Mark.
"That's good to hear. I'm glad she and her grandfather are happy," Mark says, a slight smile on his face.
"Though I think Lyn is having a hard time adjusting to the life of a young noble," Eliwood chuckles and shakes his head.
"The last time I saw her was at a party thrown by my father…" Eliwood pauses, but then shakes his head and continues his story.
"She didn't quite fit in, to say the least. Most of the other noble women her age didn't really associate with her. More than likely because of her… shall we say undignified manner. Her lack of interest in the local gossip also manages to alienate her slightly."
Eliwood sighs and shakes his head.
"I would've spent more time with her but… I have my own duties, you understand," Eliwood says, looking at Mark.
"I see… I suppose it's high time I consider seeing her again," Mark mutters, placing his hand on his chin.
It's at this point that Marcus rides up.
"Lord Eliwood, Instead of entering Laus with such a small group, we should meet with Marquess Santaruz and request his assistance," Marcus says, walking beside Mark.
"Aye, it's a sound enough plan. Besides I wish to ask the Marquess about someone I've been searching for," Mark says, rubbing his chin.
"Lord Helman… He's not only my father's friend, but I've also known him since I was a child. I'm sure that he will help us," Eliwood says, nodding to Mark.
At this point a number of armed men ride up.
"Lord Eliwood! Beware!" Marcus says, taking position in front of Eliwood and Mark.
"Heh heh heh… Noble sirs. Alms for a poor villager," the lead man says, walking forward. Marcus grips his sword tightly.
"Poor villager? You look nothing like an honest man," Marcus says, unsheathing his weapon.
"Clear the road. Step quickly or…"
"Step quickly? Heh heh… Good advice, Maybe it's you who should follow it!" the lead man says, readying his axe.
"What?" Marcus says.
"Someone wants the boy in an early grave. A shame if you ask me, but he'll die here today."
The man turns to face his men.
"C'mon, boys! Earn your keep!"
The man runs off and a large number of troops run out.
"Well, well. They certainly brought a large number of troops," Mark mutters, sitting on the ground and unfurling a map.
"In situations like this it's best to know the terrain."
Mark pulls out an apple and bites into it.
"Your orders?" Marcus says, looking down at Mark.
"For now Marcus, there is a village just ahead of us. Go there and see if there are any able-bodied citizens, or at the least warn them about the battle about to happen," Mark nods to Marcus, who rides off.
"The rest of you take up positions at these points," Mark says, pointing to various areas on the map.
"We'll let the enemy come to us for now. So get ready to bunker down."
Mark bites into his apple as his men run off.
Mark's initial plan works well. The opposing troops charge in and are cut to ribbons. Expectedly, however, the sheer number of troops begins to overwhelm them.
"How many are there? This looks—"
However, a cry from the north cut Eliwood off.
"Huh… someone comes from the north," Mark says, looking up.
"Well, I suppose we can use all the help we can."
Mark walks up to Eliwood. "We'll meet with them together; I've already given the others their orders," Mark says to Eliwood, who nods in response.
The two of them run up ahead. Already, the two newcomers are in active fighting.
"Well, it looks like they're quick to enter the fray," Mark mutters, running alongside Eliwood.
"I think… I think I know that man," Eliwood says, spotting the blue haired man in thick armor.
The blue-haired man looks up and spots Eliwood, a wide grin forms on his face as he runs over.
"Eliwood! Are you all right?" the blue-haired man says, running up to Eliwood's side.
"Hector! What are you—" Eliwood says, looking at Hector.
"Later! First, let's take care of these louts." Hector says, raising his axe up.
"Right!" Eliwood says nodding, and the two of them charged into the fray, leaving behind a very baffled Mark.
"… I guess they know each other," Mark mutters, as he watches the two go on to do battle.
"Well bugger… I guess it's good for me then," Mark says, turning around and walking off.
With Hector and his knight Oswin's aid, the battle ends swiftly in favor of Eliwood's company.
"Whew… Is that all of them?" Hector mutters in between pants.
"Hector! Where did you come from?" Eliwood says, approaching his friend's side.
"Well met, Eliwood," Hector says, grinning up at Eliwood.
"Yes, but… what are you doing here?" Eliwood mutters his right eye twitching slightly.
"You wound me!" Hector says, standing up placing his hand on his chest.
"How do you mean?" Eliwood says, raising his eyebrow.
"You're looking for your father, right? Why didn't you send word?" Hector says angrily, grabbing Eliwood by the collar.
"Your brother was just named Marquess Ostia. He's going to be very busy setting up his court council. Lord Uther must need your support. You are his brother, after all," Eliwood says, breaking free of Hector's grip and rubbing the back of his head.
"My brother is not so weak. Oh, he has mentioned some things public, but…" Hector coughed in this fist and turned away.
"He knew exactly what I was planning, and he let me go," Hector says, turning around to face Eliwood.
"Is that so? Well then, it would be unwise to refuse his kindness!" Eliwood says with a smile on his face.
"It does me good to see you, Hector," Eliwood says, embracing his old friend.
"Think nothing of it," Hector replies, a smile on his face as he to embrace his friend.
A moment later he breaks the embrace and turns around motioning to his entourage of sorts.
"You know Oswin, don't you?" Hector says, motioning to the large knight.
"Well met, Lord Eliwood," Oswin says, nodding to Eliwood.
"It is good to see you again, Oswin. So you came as well?" Eliwood says, tilting his head to look at Oswin.
"Yes. Lord Uther was worried about Lord Hector traveling alone. I've been ordered to keep a close eye on him," Oswin says, glancing at Hector.
"Ha ha ha! Of course! Good to have you with us," Eliwood says.
"You know Hector, when I saw you earlier… I would've sworn you had two others with you," Mark mutters, stepping forward.
"Oh yes…. Where did they go…?" Hector mutters, looking around.
"MARKIE!"
A loud voice, all too familiar to Mark, rings out across the field. A moment later he feels a weight on his back and a soft face snuggling against him.
"Ahhh Serra, it's been too long since I've last seen you," Mark mutters. "And I thought I told you to call me Mark not Markie I'm not your dog"
Despite the seeming dread in his voice, he couldn't help but smile.
"Have you been well?" Mark says, glancing back at Serra.
"Of course I have been, I've had Lord Hector and Lord Oswin to look after me," Serra says, smiling as she got down off of Mark's back.
"Though, big brother, I wish you would write to me more," Serra says, pouting slightly as she looks at Mark.
"Heh, I apologize, Serra. I've been very busy," Mark says, placing his hand on her head and muffling her hair a bit.
"You two know each other?" Hector says, looking at Mark and Serra.
"Yes, Serra proved to be a big aid during the whole Caelin mess. In the short amount of time that we spent together, we became quite close. Indeed, Serra has become something of a little sister to me," Mark says, chuckling.
"Come now Lord Hector, I've told you all about my big brother," Serra says, crossing her arms.
"Uhhhh… I guess so," Hector says, rubbing the back of his head.
"I didn't realize it was him though."
Hector looks at Mark and then rubs the back of his head.
"So you're the young tactician huh, your pretty young. We've many strategists in Ostia, but none so young," Hector says with a chuckle.
"Well let's just say in my case, there's more than meets the eyes," Mark says, with a grin.
"I'm also a very talented Swordsman." Mark says, grabbing the sheath of the Masamune.
"Yep, yep. It was Mark here who slayed Lord Lundgren," Serra says, again on Mark's back.
"Ahhh Mark… How have you been?" Matthew says, walking up to Mark's side.
"Oh uhhh heheh. I guess my secret's been revealed?" Matthew says, rubbing the back of his head.
"It wasn't all that surprising. You knew more than a simple thief should've known. A spy for Ostia eh?" Mark says with a grin.
"Yeah, Matthew is a sneak. He wouldn't even tell me that he was a spy," Serra says again pouting.
"Well, anyways… it looks like we'll be traveling together again. So here's to our mutual survival!" Matthew says, nodding to Serra and Mark before walking off.
"Soooo, big brother, didya miss me?" Serra asks.
"Of course I did Serra; life's to dull without you… now get off my back. You're unbelievably heavy," Mark mutters.
"Ever the one with grace and tact, eh, big brother," Serra says with a slight giggle before jumping off of Mark's back.
"You're one to talk Serra," Mark mutters as he sits down on a nearby rock and begins to eat an apple.
He glances at Hector and Eliwood as the two of them converse. He shakes his head and looks back to Serra.
"So, have you heard anything from Erk," Mark says, biting into the apple.
"… Why would I… want anything to do with that stuffy-nosed jerk?" Serra mutters, her eyes betraying the anger beneath for a brief moment.
"… I see… So, I take it you two didn't part on good terms," Mark says. He shakes his head and bites into his apple.
"… To say the least."
Serra sighed and leaned on her staff.
"I'm sorry Serra…" Mark mutters, looking away.
"It's alright… well, we should be going," Serra says, walking away, her cheerful façade setting in once more.
"Yeah I suppose so…" Mark mutters, finishing off his apple