Chapter 16: 3 Tattoos, 3 Ships

Lucas wasted no time in finding the three of them a spot for them to converse, fittingly it was at a hill overlooking the town, with a tree on its peak. After making sure that Farina was following him, he had waited for the two to meet him at the top of the hill. After a few minutes, he saw them slowly make their way up the hill as they both had made it.

"Hello you two, I am sorry to do this but, I need to make sure that you two were aware that you also had the mark," Lucas starts removing his bandages, showing that he had his weird brand for the two to see beneath the moonlight. Before realizing something around the same time.

"Wait, you meant to say that she also has had that weird tattoo?!" Farina practically explodes out.

"Lucas, is this why you wanted us to meet?" Lyn says after a few minutes of speculation.

"Pretty much, and it is a way for me to document your tattoos without being...suspicious…" Lucas says before flushing red at what had happened the other night at castle Caelin.

"Ooooh? Seems pretty suspicious to me with the way you put it," Farina teases slyly, making both the tactician and the young heiress of Caelin blush brightly as a pair of tomato heads.

"Nevermind that, we still need to fill her in about everything we know. Farina, could you do it? I need to cool off for a bit." Lucas asks Farina as he intends to clarify anything that he missed during his earlier explanation. But...

"E-e-e-excuse me!?" Farina hysterically responded as she covered her body in embarrassment and disgust. "I dare not as an unmarried maiden. That is outright sexual harassment you know!?"

"What are you talking about? I am asking for you to explain to Lyndis about the tattoos. What were you thinking of?" Lucas asks with a confused expression on his face.

"But Lucas, it is customary after all for a woman to not bare herself before any man unless they are wed. Or is it that you have some other motive in mind?" Lyn inquires with a hint of fury and annoyance to Lucas' so-called "research."

Lucas looks even more confused. "What are you implying… Isn't your tattoo on your shoulder, Farina?"

"Still!" Farina protests embarrassingly.

"Ok, I'll just look away from you then. Lyn, could you sketch it?" Lucas asks innocently before handing off a piece of parchment and stylus.

"I'll try my best perhaps," Lyn responded as she took the parchment and rugged stylus.

Lucas nods before moving towards the tree so that the woman can start removing her armor. As soon as they were sure that Lucas couldn't see them, Farina started to unbuckle her chestplate and partially unbuttoned her tunic as she revealed her strange tattoo that appears to be unique compared to Lucas and Lyn's. Lyn starts to accurately sketch the mark branded on Farina's shoulder. After a few minutes, Lucas was called by Lyndis so that he could enter the area. After waiting a few more minutes to make sure that they were finished. He did not really see the reason as to why the other two wanted him to leave as they wanted him to leave. He just wanted to sketch Farina's tattoo. What was wrong with that?

Lucas, waiting behind Lyndis and ponders to himself while ignoring the sounds of friction as she draws and sketches Farina's brand. And by the time Lyn finishes sketching, she turns in the drawn parchment and stylus to Lucas for him to have an indirect glimpse of her mark. It appears to be a crude drawing of a person in the center with both arms raised high as if a sign of worship or praise and three-headed spikes and thorns over the person's head and two more at the person's lower sides.

"Strange mark I must say. Nevertheless, thank you for cooperating willingly…"

After a few minutes of thinking, Lucas decided to say. "Lyn, may I sketch yours? It might help us in the long term."

"Wait! You're just going to sketch her tattoo without explaining anything to her?" Farina asks him.

"I was going to ask you to do that while I sketch, no way am I going to ask you to draw it." The tactician replies, earning a loud protest from the pegasus knight with Lyn looking confused at what was going on.

Lucas rolls his eyes before he starts lifting up Lyn's hair so that he could see her tattoo at the nape. The tattoo was still there, in all of its horned glory. While Farina was still protesting how she didn't understand much, the tactician tapped Lyn's shoulder asking for her attention for a few minutes.

"Can I ask you to lift your hair? Preferably high." Lucas says enough for Farina to knock out of her protesting stupor to make fun of his gesture.

"Oh, so you want to leave those marks~ Alright, I won't judge. So was this why Ren said that he saw you behind Lyn looking at her neck?~" She teases, making Lucas blush hard and the noble look a little confused.

"Farina, your explanation. PLEASE." The tactician says trying to divert the topic. Farina giggles at him before briefing Lyn what he had told her while he slowly sketched the tattoo. After that was all done, Lucas suggested that they head back to sleep so that they could be ready for tomorrow. The other two agreed before they left the hill to rest up for the next day's endeavors.

After Lucas kept the notes in his satchel, he sighs as he looks up to enjoy the moon before mentally deciding that it was best to prepare for the next day. His guts telling him that he wouldn't enjoy it as much as he did today.

But before he kicks the bucket for the night, he stumbles upon several of their allies taking a breather after their bouts in the arena.

"Well, had your fill? Did you blow enough steam?" Lucas deadpans while looking at their pale complexion from fighting multiple duels consecutively.

"..." Raven turns away in response while breaking a sweat and sips on a mug of cool herbal infusions made by his sister Priscilla.

"...you kidding?! This was the best night...I've ever had fights like that!" Guy pants while sitting on a stool.

"It has been a nice experience, I must say," Dorcas comments while wiping off his sweat with his rugged leather wrappings on his wrist

"Hey! You shoulda been a gladiator instead! You fought real good out there!" Bartre protests as a witness of Dorcas' feats in the arena. "He butchered a myrmidon by sheer luck brother! A myrmidon! Then he just cut down several other fighters wielding knights and fliers in center stage!"

"Don't trust his words, they're very exaggerated," Dorcas defends himself. "You should have seen that guy fight rather. He's not to be reckoned with." he adds as he refers to Raven.

"Oh? How'd he do?" Lucas pries further with curiosity.

"Well, he first went head-to-toe with a myrmidon as well. His next opponent was an armored knight, which was risky since his opponent was carrying one of those razor sharp and lightweight lances. And he even fought a mage well enough without getting zapped on the spot!"

"Oh really?" Lucas curiously stares at the aloof sword fighter as he walks away and enters the inn that they rented for the night. "Hm, who else among you was having your fill back in that arena?"

"Not sure. Ah wait! I do recall Sain and Kent giving it a try, but Sain gave up halfway, wasting some of our gold in the process, which made Kent fight more duels to make up for his buddy's losses, so that's about it, other than Marcus and that straight-faced pal Oswin," Bartre relays.

"Well, why not give me a shot." Lucas says in a straight face, before stretching his stiff shoulders. "I could use some needless violence here and there."

"You could, but try not to overdo it. It is getting dark and we have to be ready for our voyage tomorrow," Dorcas advises.

"Thank you for your concern but, I believe we have a troubadour and a cleric nearby. They can heal me if I have too many injuries." Lucas steps out of where they are and into the barracks. "Wish them luck. They're gonna need it."

"Pst. Are we gonna tell him that they're both sleeping now, or do we just—"

"Nah he'll be fine, he's reckless that way," Bartre assures the cautious Guy.

In the next day as the sun rises on the horizon of Badon's seas, Eliwood's Elite, Hector's Horde, and Lyndis' Legion set sail in the ship of the hearty pirate captain Faerghus and his hearty crew, on their way to the Dread Isle, Valor. Initially, things supposedly went well, but not for everyone, specifically a green-cloaked man with motion sickness as he throws up his meal from breakfast.

"...I...hate...boats…" Lucas silently curses as the boat rocks more making the tactician throw up anything that he could have eaten earlier to the ocean below.

"Hahahaha! Gettin' sea-sick now are ya laddie!?" Fargus boisterously barks as he checks on the seasick tactician. "You redhead friend yonder was doing fine, guess ya just gotta deal with it till noon, bwahahahahaha!"

"...Curse...you and...this...boat…" Lucas damns before throwing up his undigested snack and groans from the pain burning his swollen throat.

"Are you...having a hard time, Lucas?" Lyn adorably asks, despite knowing Lucas' inability to endure trips that require transportation. "Here, I have this. Ren was distributing medicine that can help overcome seasickness in long trips! These are the last that I've...well, saved for you. Guy, Sain, and Wil had taken them and are currently relaxed afterwards, so I believed they might help you too."

Lucas curses at the swordsman for not giving the medicine to him earlier. "...Why…have the saints...forsaken me..." He groaned before retching over the boat and throwing up more.

"I can hear your muttering Lucas," Lyn amusingly deadpans, shaming the tactician's carelessness. "Maybe it would be due to the fact that you were not in the ship's quarters where Ren was generously trying to aid everyone to the best of his resources."

"Not my fault...had to make sure….everything was in order…" Lucas groans as he tries to stand but ends up leaning over the wooden bars before throwing up more. "...There goes…dinner…"

"I believe that is why you have me watching over you, don't you agree," Lyn gently smiles vibrantly, instantly killing Lucas' anxiety upon gazing at her innocent face.

"Well, is it a sin to want such lovely company?" Lucas joked a little bit before leaning over the wooden support to throw up more, not seeing her now blushing face.

"Why not at all, unless–"

"Captain! There's a dory adrift to port!"

All of a sudden interruption, Dart comes in with pending news of a lone raft near their ship. Faerghus steps in warily to inquire the ill Lucas for assurance.

"Oh, looks like we got a visitor, shall we reel 'er in?" Fargus asked.

"Why not? Is something the matter? I thought you guys have friends around these parts," Lucas weakly protests before wiping his mouth clean from all of the vomit, but not facing the captain in fear of more puke coming out.

"Well, the sea currents around here...anything that drifts around here means that they come from the Dread Isle. And that, my friend, is out of the ordinary."

"Regardless, it won't hurt to check quickly, for precaution of course," Lucas sickly replies back with limping legs numb and soft like kneaded dough. But before he drops to the wooden boards, Lyn manages to help him as his crutch, again.

"Sorry," Lucas apologizes to the noble.

"It's nothing really," Lyn responded, face still red from earlier.

"Ahem, well, c'mon, let's get a move on now laddy?" Fargus interrupts.

Lucas sighs before he leans over to her. He protested "I believe that I cannot fight nor strategize. I am feeling quite faint from all this boat."

"Ease yourself lad, my men have halted the ship and won't sail anytime soon until we check whatever drifted around here," Fargus assures before walking to the main deck of their ship.

"Well, shall we get moving?" Lyndis inquires while acting as his crutch for the meantime with his favorite spear still in the hull.

"We shall," Lucas answered plainly—internally cursing himself for making the woman he so wholeheartedly adores—shamelessly become his support in his currently ill condition as they make their way to the main deck with several members of their army standing by while examining the drifted raft laid right in the center.

The fearless pirates—for some eerie reason—kept their distance from the mysterious object that they've brought upon their main deck and just mind where their hands are as they go back and do their jobs in Faerghus' crew. Meanwhile, the members of the Legion, along with Farina, Marcus, Hector, and Oswin are close to their wits' end as to how they must deal with this strange drifter until the tactician decides leave Lyn's embrace to callously examine it without forethought on what may happen to him.

"Lucas! What are you—"

"Hey, hey, easy there lad!?" Fargus warily warns with his axe in hand prepared out of anxiety.

"Relax, this thing's not cursed, but it does appear to be some sort of vessel. A raft perhaps due to its apparent size. Not only that, some cloth seems to be draping whatever might be the contents of this vessel," Lucas deadpans logically after careful examination of the strange reveal while trying to suppress throwing up.

"Well then, what's behind curtain number one!" Ren recklessly unveils the raft's contents as he swiftly removes the cloth off the raft, making Lucas roll his eyes as the rest watch quietly.

Upon closer inspection was a familiar young maiden laid unconscious, whose hair glosses like sea glass, donning some form of light teal-colored dancing attire and white sashes over her dress. Within moments, she slowly responds briefly from the warmth of light radiating on her pearl skin.

"...uhnnn…."

"She seems awake. But, she seems familiar," Lucas points out. "Lyn, mind assisting me?"

"Of course Luca—Ninian!?" Lyndis gasps as she immediately throws the tactician down after a glimpse of familiarity with the waking girl and goes to help her regain consciousness. "Ninian! Wake up! Ninian!"

"Wait, this is Ninian?" Lucas asked in disbelief, while squatting on the floor nearby. "I expected her to be more… Uh… Lively."

"Brother, since when was she lively? Get your head out of the clouds," Ren deadpans as he helps Lyn carry Ninian out of the small raft and onto a stool while clothing her with a wooly cape thanks to Dart's initiative.

"I meant awake you dumb-"

"How is she?" Eliwood inquires, interrupting the tactician.

"She seems cold, give her time to—"

"...Hm…?"

"Hey she's breathing and responding," Ren points out excitedly. "Hey Ninian, how do you feel? And where's Nils?"

"...Hm? Ah...I...Who..." Ninian barely responded before turning away anxiously.

"Ren, she does not seem alright to me. Let her rest," Eliwood advises

"I don't know why, but I feel something turning in my gut now," Ren predicts as Lyn tries to comfort the frightened Ninian.

Not long after the untimely reunion in the open waters, trouble has come in their direction.

"Captain! We have a problem! Pirate ships! Approaching from the northwest!" Dart announces after surveying the area.

"Hm? What's this? Someone dares to attack Captain Fargus of the Davros? They must be mad!" Fargus responded excitingly.

"What flags are they flying? Never seen those patterns before," Dart observes as he squints to get a better look at the flags.

"These seas belong to us! Whoever they are, they're in our waters! Well, this day is just getting weirder and weirder. You whelps hide over there and watch your own hides," Fargus advice as he readies his broad razor sharp greataxe.

'Unknown patterns; possible ambush around the currents near the Dread Isle…' Lucas ponders and tests his logical assumption before turning to his sworn brother Ren. "Ren, go with Dart and check the area."

"Alright," Ren responded as he went to Dart upon Lucas' orders. "Lemme borrow that," Ren suggests as he borrows Dart's spyglass to have a clearer view of the flag's pattern, which appeared all too familiar to him that it shook him to the core. "No...it can't be…! Everyone brace for—!"

Like a sound of thunder crashing the earth, a loud explosion struck the ship's side and caused quakes as it rocks back and forth from the impact. It has made great casualties to the ship's integrity that the crewmen quickly responded desperately like worried children.

"Captain! The ship's hull! Water has breached!" A crewman reports from the lower decks.

"Breached!? These scum are much more dangerous than we thought!" Faerghus cursed. "Leave 'em to me and I outta tear these scallywags into the gizzard!"

"But Captain! We need all hands below deck! If not, we'll sink!" another crewman reported, guiding Dart into the lower breached deck.

Faerghus growls with frustration before being tapped on the shoulder by the sickly, but recuperating tactician. "What is it laddy?"

"Allow us to deal with the trouble. Trouble is one of our expertise, coming from experience. I advise that you assist your men down there or else we'll go down to see the fishes together as fodder," Lucas deadpans before he throws up some more overboard. "Okay, maybe not me…"

"You sure you kids can handle them yourselves up here?" Fargus secretly prays that his ship's main deck won't be in shambles from his absence.

"Trust us please! Hurry!" Lyn pleads as she unsheathes her worn-out shamshir, prone to breakage despite having not used it often in battle.

"Fine! The deck is yours! I'll be back with my men once we've plugged the breach in the hull!" Fargus surrenders before following his men to the lower decks to help fix the breach.

"Lyn! Take Ninian into that room for safety!" Eliwood commands.

"On it!" Lyn helps Ninian walk to the nearest quarters found below the forecastle deck, which happens to be the merchants' quarters.

"Eliwood, I leave the tactics to you." Lucas weakly says trying not to throw up some more, clutching his stomach. "As much as...I want too...I...Don't think I can…but if Lyn gets hurt..."

"I'll try to protect her to the best of my abilities. You can count me on this one, my friend," Eliwood assures.

"Yeah, try to recollect yourself for this one. Maybe when you are ready, just head into the battlefield straightaway, you get it?" Hector suggests.

"Whichever I suppose…" Lucas hesitantly replies before rushing his way downstairs to find a comfortable place to rest.

"Well Eliwood, it's your call now!" Hector turns to the redhead.

"Um, first thing first so far would be to know our foes. Ren, would you mind relaying what you know in this situation? You seem more familiar with these villains that we're dealing with, so please help us with what we can do," Eliwood inquires.

"I could, but it's been a very long time since I've seen them fighting on sea. I may be wrong so you should ask Hannah when necessary, but I do recall their possible moves and positions somehow: on our left…"

Meanwhile, for the sickly strategist, currently resting in the merchant's quarters. He tries to humor himself with an illed Guy, sitting on the other side from his position, who is also showing symptoms of seasickness.

"You look like you're going to vomit," Lucas teases with a pale complexion after succumbing to his seasickness, despite using Ren's recommended medicine earlier.

"Oh yeah?!...urgh, you look like you're bleeding to death, except you're not bleeding at all!" Guy protests with the assistance of the kind and gentle troubadour Priscilla looking after the two ill pair of men with the assistance of Lucius.

"You insult...like a child…" Lucas counters before turning more and more pale as there appears to be more invaders and assailants outside boarding the ship, causing the ship to sway from the sudden unevening of the weight.

"Here, take this tiny pill. A gift from Captain Faerghus. He knew that you are still having pains and happens to have these for crewmen suffering your predicament."

Suddenly, there came a redhead lad that came to the quarters for a moment to send Fargus' regards to the sick tactician.

"Thank you um…urgrhh….what is your name…?" Lucas sickly groans from the vomit while inquiring the man's name.

"I'm Jake, call me Jake," he responded casually.

"Oh, so you're Jake? Well, lucky you, your wife is such a saintess. Constantly worrying about you and whatnot." Lucas says, trying to sit up. "I suggest you give that to Guy. He would need that more than I do."

"But-" Guy protests but gets interrupted.

"Guy, you have an advantage here. Your quick blade will make work on these guys. I can't do much right now, as much as I desire that. But I fear that I will be sick within 15 minutes." Lucas reasoned back at the swordsman. "And if tactic basics have taught me anything, They will most likely send another ship full of these guys as backup. They need someone to counter that. So stop reasoning and just go."

Guys sighs and nods before taking the pill from Jake before leaving to join the frey. And when he does, Lucas immediately pulls out his satchel and weakly brings out his quill, ink and some parchment before scribbling some notes down.

"Here pal. Oh and thank you mister for mentioning to me about my wife. It warms my heart friend. By the way, feel free to ask the merchant and smithy on board. Bet they can replenish your supplies. Sorry to suddenly depart, but cap'n needs me. Take care of yourself!" Jake replies as he leaves the merchant quarters to help the crew again.

"Ugh, whew, I feel lighter now. Well Lucas, see you on the other side," Guy bids as he brandishes his iron sword to prepare heading into the fray.

"A-allow me to join you as well!" Priscilla requests as she takes her mending staff and her satchel filled with vulneraries.

"S-sure I guess, stick with us and you'll stay clean," Guy stutters for a moment before leaving the merchant quarters with Priscilla.

"Such a gentleman I must say for a Sacaen mercenary, don't you agree Lucas?" Lucius notices.

Lucas eloquently answers Lucius's inquiry by throwing up overboard out of the window, making Lucius wonder how bad the seasickness was to the poor tactician.

The mood slowly vanishes with the sounds of clanging metal, people groaning and screaming in pain—hopefully they were the enemy. Lucius sighs and starts to rub some minty ointment on as he tries to assist the tactician recover. While Lucas sits anxiously while the battle proceeds to continue without his supervision. They both remain silent inside the room as the sounds of battle fill the room.

"...I hope she's alright…" Lucas mutters, breaking the silence as they hear one of the assassins scream before falling into the ocean while watching at the silent Ninian, who is staring into space and silently recollecting herself.

"Oh don't fret my friend. I believe her ladyship Lyndis will do just fine on her own. Moreover, we are here to back her up as well, so compose yourself," Lucius blatantly interjects while arranging the medicines and paraphernalia in a tray.

"...Lucius…? I demand your evidence…" Lucas replies to Lucius to tell who—in some manner—exposed his close bond with the lady Lyndis but his face was flushed red betraying his intentions.

"Why, it was Matthew and Ren that closely noticed so long ago. Although, I confess that I too had my suspicions lurking around the corner, along with the warmly soothing atmosphere that always appears whenever I see you together with lady Lyndis. No need to fear my friend, I too have my secrets to keep as well," Lucius assures, making Lucas furious upon hearing the rascals that exposed his secret relationship with Lyndis and deciding to make their suffering, very, very slow.

Suddenly, two of their comrades appear before the door, one of which is a wounded Canas and the other is Wil who is merely acting as his crutch with an obviously urgent request.

"Hey, um, Lucius, a little huge help please?"

"Goodness, set him down over that bench please!" Lucius sternly orders as he quickly takes his medicine along and starts treating the wounded scholar.

"Oooogh, perhaps that was terribly reckless to face all of those foes outnumbered. For a moment, I was nearly excited to notice the darkness clouding my weary vision. But I suppose it should not become of me, for my family still awaits my return," Canas groans with mixed feelings while Lucius tends to his heavy injuries.

"Who are you and how on Elibe can a guy like you manage to nab a woman?" Lucas interjects playfully, feeling much more relieved from his illness.

"Gee, come to think of it, I have yet to ponder on my wife's reason for choosing me. Oh well, that matter can be discussed some other time," Canas replies gleefully before standing straight back up with his wounds recovered.

"Friend, you are not helping your case... When I get off this cursed boat…" Lucas says trying to stand but ending up using his spear as a crutch. "How are things on the battlefield, Wil?"

"Oh yes! We happen to be able to endure the enemy as we speak! Eliwood, Lyn, Hector, and your distant friend happen to be spearheading our position. Before I left, I managed to clear a path to reach our foes' leading ship, where their commander is," Canas explained in detail.

"Any inju- Wait, distant friend? What was this man's name?" Lucas follows up with a glare, making sure that they made sure he was not tolerating any jokes. "Forget it, I think I feel better now."

"Why it was sir Ren of course! He appears to always maintain his distance around me for some odd reason," Canas explains.

Lucas tries to move a forward but ends up stumbling off his balance as he tries to stand before falling on his knees. However, Wil had the swift initiative and managed to catch Lucas' arm and shoulder.

"I have to move, curse this frail body…" Lucas curses before using his spear as a crutch.

"Yeah, wait, till we reach the shore instead, besides, the battle most likely—"

"Hahahahaha! Ahoy ther' laddies! Glad y'all still breathing and moving!"

By the door, the boisterous and adventurous Captain Fargus of the Davros, returns with his bloodstained axe over his shoulders.

"Oh goodie. He's here." Lucas says, sighing in defeat. "I assume that you are content with your problem?"

"Hahaha! The hull is fixed, so me and my men were finally able to tear them scallywags apart for messin' with us in our seas! But I am much more obliged by yer friends' assistance in keeping me ship intact," Faerghus explains with a hint of gratitude, which is considerably rare to hear, coming from a pirate captain no less.

"Well, we thank you for your assistance. If you'll excuse me..." Lucas thanked before slowly moving out of the room to see the carnage, moving out of Wil's grip. He was about to go outside when the captain stopped him

"By the way laddie! We are almost there to shore! So sit tight and relax yourself. Also um, do me a favor and take that eerie girl with the white dress with you. My men fear that she may be cursed or something, knowing that she came out of the Dread Isle," Faerghus kindly pleads.

"I will gladly take her out of your hands. I don't think that the others would appreciate another person but we have to at this point." Lucas replies before leaving the room to see what had happened.

As he finally steps out of the lower decks, looking healthy once more, he chances upon Lyndis who is currently conversing with Florina and Farina concerning matters that Lucas did not manage to understand

"I assume you ladies had fun while I was throwing up below the main deck?" Lucas asks, interrupting the ladies as he moved closer to them.

"L-Lucas! I—"

"Hey loverboy! Shoo away for a moment! Do you not see us lovely maidens having a serious talk?" Farina protests with a hint of teasing in her tone.

"Maidens huh? I could have sworn I saw tomboy here, or am I wrong?" Lucas sharply retorts, making both Lyn and Florina giggle at Farina's face slowly turning red in anger, making her punch the tactician in the shoulder in embarrassment.

"Ohow! Really?! ...Anyway, where is Ren?" Lucas inquires while holding his pained shoulder.

"Over there with Eliwood! At the helm!" Farina points to the helm where Faerghus walks to the swordsman and the redhead noble for certain matters and plans.

"Thanks, see you all later," Lucas leaves the scene while making his way to the three men at the helm that are discussing their future plans and matters before reaching the Dread Isle.

Lucas leaves the group as he slowly moves towards the big-boned captain, pretty prince and the swordsman. The trio were seemingly talking about something before Lucas thought on how to enter the situation before he shrugged and decided to jump and sit on the railing near them

"I was thinking that you all would miss me." Lucas says interrupting them and their conversation, startling Eliwood, and making Ren and Faerghus chuckle in amusement. "But it seems that you can handle the battle on your own."

"Lucas!"

After both Faerghus and Ren left to check up on the others, Eliwood asked the tactician. "Lucas, why did you leave command to me?" He asked the tactician, who stayed silent for a moment before answering back to the young Lord.

"I wanted you to learn how to lead."

"Why? Am I not ruling the Lycian League just yet?"

"Anyone can be an heir, or a king, but not anyone can rule effectively." Lucas says smiling in a weird cryptic manner. The two became silent as the ship slowly made its way closer to the dread isle, Eliwood asked him another question.

"Why are you doing this, don't you hate nobility?" Eliwood asked, confronting the tactician whose gaze never left the isle.

"Doing what? Teaching you? Any lord worth his salt must learn how to lead. Eliwood, let me be honest: I do hate the nobility, they could do nothing right in my eyes. But there was one prominent Etrurian noble that I knew that made me change my perspective. I want there to be more others like him. Wise, stern, yet compassionate. An able, rational mind yet ready to risk it all for a dream. I desire for there to be more than the nobility we have now, not those typical, lustful, shallow, prideful fools that are there on their thrones. But the ones that kneel over to serve the people." Lucas says, not meeting Eliwood's eyes, seemingly lost on the horizon. "Those, Eliwood, are the nobility I hate. Now, answer me this, why are you looking for your father?"

"Lucas I don't know what to say...perhaps that may be true. I have long before witnessed my mother once being leered at by Marquess Laus on rare occasions, so I understand your viewpoint-," Eliwood replies.

"Are you sure that your reason is not made by naivety?" Lucas interrupts him, before he could tell any more of his story. "Do not misunderstand me as I say this. But your father is a renown lord. Who has been missing for a year!? What do you think could have happened to a man when he is missing for a year, Eliwood? He could have died. I care not of your paltry formalities nor of your history with the other marquesses but for the lives that are to precede us. I understand your pacifism, but in the battlefield, your ideals will die if your men do not follow them. Eliwood, we are now entering something that is beyond what you, yourself cannot estimate. Don't you see the storm gathering on the horizon? There are more pieces in play than of those related to finding your father. Once you see them, you cannot unsee it, Pretty boy. Something greater than what we know, it is not coincidence that we met the fang more than once in this journey of yours. And until those priorities of yours are organized, I cannot say for sure that you are ready to lead."

After all of that, Lucas took a swig of his flask and was about to head down to check up on the rest of the crew but was interrupted by the young Lord.

"You know Lucas, as a friend, I confess, you may be an intelligent individual, but I hope that you do not forget that you are also human like all of us here. Even Lyn and Ren are both human. I trust that you can take that to heart," Eliwood advises before walking away to find the others, leaving Lucas and Ren in the helm deck.

Lucas makes a mental note to talk to Hector on the matter on a future date before deciding that checking up on Ren who is blankly staring at the foggy horizon on the forecastle of the ship.

"..."

"Ren...is something the matter?"

"..."

Barely keeping his cool, Lucas tries to get the aloof swordsman's attention nearly thrice to inquire of some matters and also as a way to break the awkward silence.

"Hey, remember what we talked about back at Badon? What's gotten into you brother?" Lucas suspects, using his spear to tap the shoulder of his, finally getting the swordsman's attention as he turns to him.

"Sorry man, I just...brrgrh...I just...used to remember some bittersweet memories...on Valor. I hate to remember them if only I could've known what would've happened later on," Ren replies with a depressing tone after reminiscing the past memories he has with the Black Fang.

"I see...times changed though, so live in the present or lurk in your past… It is ultimately your choice brother. I'll wait for you with the others down the deck," Lucas replies as he walks down the stairs to meet with Lyn and the others.

'I used to have thought that place would have made a great hideout if only that vixen was never present in Godfather's life,' Ren mutters in his thoughts before completely getting out of his brooding mood.

The duo slowly left the hull of the ship as the view of the island is already upon them. Soon, the ship carefully meets the shore and lowers their bridge down to the sandy grass along the coastline.

For moments to spare, everyone was able to disembark from the Davros' ship, walking, trotting, and loitering around a small vicinity of the Dread Isle. As the members in the three lords' factions leave the ship, Fargus comes with his first-mate to the three lords and their close confidants with a bit of a warning of sorts, with Eliwood carrying Ninian bridal style again, annoying Lucas again.

"Hey kiddos, this is as far as I go now. Now to make you guys happy, if yer still breathing, I plan to return by the time dusk comes. Remember now, watch yer backs, and yer friends. To relax yourselves, my man Dart, will accompany you in your fights from now on. Have fun fighting!" The old bearded pirate captain walks away in laughter, leaving his trusted brother-in-the-seas with the lords and the tactician.

"Hey you! Yer the man with the brains right? The name's Dart! Leader of Fargus' suicide squad! Standing by on yer orders!" Dart gleefully replies with a playful salute and his pair of axes on his belt.

'...another pawn, annoying, but a pawn nevertheless….' Lucas thought to himself before composing himself before the eager pirate. "Welcome aboard, Dart, glad to have you here with us."

The group cheers for the new member as Lucas sighs in disbelief, looks like they would need to get more rations in the future.

"Hmmm…"

Lucas then notices Ren out near the fog's boundaries with a wary keenful look amidst the crowd. Out of curiosity and concern, he walks to him, with Lyndis and the two other lords following after him as he calls out to Ren.

"Ren! What are you—!?"

Ren quickly halts and silences Lucas with a hand raised and the sign to tell him to keep quiet.

"Ren? Is something the matter?" Lyndis asks, the other Lords having caught up with the swordsman and the tactician.

"I'm having a bad feeling about this...for some reason...I smell...blood, coming from the foggy forest yonder," Ren points out to the direction, getting everyone's attention on high alert.

"Is it a sentry perhaps!?" Hector hissed in a soft tone, as to not alert the enemy while brandishing his axe, Wolf Beil, for combat, but Lucas held up his right arm, making sure that the heir of Ostia didn't do anything rash as well as making sure he stayed in place.

"It cannot be. Why would there be a sentry here with a stench? Blows their cover right off the bat," Lucas calmly deduces, taking the blue-haired noble aback. "Most likely a murder attempt."

"...Wait…!?" Ren immediately runs into the fog recklessly, shocking the lords and prompting Lyndis to run after him out of concern until Lucas holds her back, with both his arms around the waist.

"Ren! No! Lucas! Release me!" Lyndis urges, trying to free herself out of the tactician's hold on her.

"You can't! Don't be hard-headed as he! It's too dangerous out there!" Lucas protests, raw emotion slowly mixing with his logic.

"But Ren is out there alone!" Lyn protests back while struggling to escape his hold.

"Why are you so concerned for a guy that can handle himself in his old turf!?" Lucas hissed out loud accidentally, shocking the three lords from what he unintentionally blurted out.

"Wait, Lucas, what do you mean by that?" Eliwood asks with concern upon clearly hearing Lucas' statement concerning Ren.

"...Cunt…." Lucas tried to backpedal immediately as tried to find a way to answer the Lords but was saved by a certain voice.

"Help! Somebody! Please!"

Just at the nick of time, Ren runs back out of the foggy forest, with the tactician giving each of the Lords a look, putting their conversation on hold with an emergency request while carrying what appears to be an injured woman with red hair, who is awfully familiar to the Ostian lord.

"What!? Leila!? What happened to—"

"Help! Please! Anybody!"

Ren hurriedly passes by the three lords and the tactician and meets with Lucius, Priscilla, and Serra as he slowly lays down the terribly injured Leila on a soft patch of grass and her head on a smooth stone slab.

"Guys! Please! Help her!" Ren desperately pleads with tears flowing fervently in fear of losing one of the last of his closest comrades.

"Ren, her sides are bleeding fast. Our powers can't work without the proper medicine as well with the blood loss. I'm sorry," Lucius depressingly answers with his face downcast.

"Priscilla?! Serra!?" He pleaded, but they turned away in regret as he continues to weep for the future loss of his former aide.

Slowly, more members of their huge army were about to witness the loss of their close comrade and become overwhelmed with emotion from the weeping swordsman. Matthew upon seeing this, was almost overcome with grief upon seeing her and was moving close to hold her hand one last time. However, with a sliver of hope, Ren is about to risk it for a worthy price.

"Wait, you said you need medicine as well right!?" Ren answers, getting nods from the three healers. In response, he checks his belt pouch for a blue-stained glass vial, surprising the two lords and healers upon seeing the rare pristine blue vial.

"An elixir!? How'd you get your hands on one?!" Hector hysterically asks while Ren pops off the cork and then helps the dying Leila sip and drink the elixir.

"What's an elixir?" Lyndis asks curiously.

"An elixir is basically a vulnerary of the highest and utmost quality. Despite being a mass-produced healing potion, it is ridiculously expensive with a rough estimate worth around 3000 gold coins per bottle. To think the dumbass actually got a hold of one…" Lucas trails off after his brief explanation, before realizing that he must have bought it after the arena battles.

Slowly, Leila begins to gasp for air with a large number of her wounds healed while being held in Ren's care.

"Lucius!" Ren calls.

"Of course!"

With a sudden drive, the three healers start doing their work to help the fatigued Leila stay conscious, thanks to Ren's miraculous initiative. After a huge dose of adrenaline from all the accumulated stress, Ren subconsciously passes out beside the busy healers, making Florina suddenly worry in response and helping him rest a tad more "comfortably" upon Huey's fluffy body and her gentle hands relaxing his migraines and aches.

Out of innocent curiosity, Lyndis walks toward Florina's direction while gazing upon her worried look as she blankly stares at Ren's relaxed, yet still anxious complexion before breaking the silence.

"How is he?" Lyndis inquires from the concerned Florina.

"Oh! Lyn! A-a-ah I uh, I am still unsure, i-if he will wake up soon," Florina answers anxiously while wiping off Ren's sweat with a clean rag.

"Let's hope that she will too." Lyndis hopes as she makes sure that her friend and their newfound ally are safe. But her mind kept going back to what her first friend had said earlier.

"Why are you so concerned for a guy that can handle himself in his old turf!?"

'Why would he say that?' Lyn thought as she silently watched Florina, soothing Ren's anxiety while making sure that Leila was alright in the healers' care. But she noticed something that caught her interest. Under the wounded spy's eye, was something that contrasted with her skin tone. She was not able to see what it was but she was sure of one thing….

...It was another tattoo...

Chapter END