Dart and Lavitz sat on a tall wooden structure just barely shorter than the rickety wall. Looking to the south, they gazed out at a vast expanse of forest extending as far as the eye could see in the dim moonlight. A loud chorus of chirping crickets and hooting owls reached their ears, contrasting with the silent village behind them. For a couple hours, they had sat there, barely saying a word. Dart's mind spent this time wandering far away to distant villages and countries. Going back in time, he tried desperately to remember any details of the time between the attack on Neet and his arrival in Seles. After eighteen years of life, or perhaps simply a result of the emotional trauma, he could only remember various fuzzy images.

He saw himself overlooking the lapping ocean from the safety of a boat, leaning too far over the edge to be safe. There was a different time when he ran into a tree branch while chasing a hopping frog in the woods. He remembered being really hot. But the memory that remained freshest in his mind was of him clutching his father's memento as he cried alone in a bed, looking up at the bright moon through his window.

Dart sighed and then reached up, pulling the leather strap and pouch out from under his armor. After emptying the contents into his hand, he stared at the colorless gem. Having committed every detail of its surface to his memory, he was not surprised to find it exactly as it was before. Each facet was perfectly smooth, and occasionally, light bounced through it, leaving tiny rainbows behind. On rare occasions in the past, he had thought that he could see light coming from the heart of the gem. But each time it had happened, he had brushed it aside, blaming it on a trick of the light. But now, in the darkness, he thought he could see it again. He drew a small amount of comfort from that light, feeling stronger for it.

"Is that your dad's memento?" Lavitz's voice cut through the silence, making Dart jump slightly.

"Yeah," he said.

After a moment, Lavitz asked, "You know… I told you about my dad... What was yours like?"

Exercising his memory, Dart walked back to his life in Neet, now so very far away. He was bothered by how much he had forgotten over the years, losing precious time that he knew he would never get back.

As he fingered the stone in his hands, he said, "I honestly don't remember much about him… I know that he was strong. I remember him working at the lumber mill; he could sling the largest of the trees over his shoulder. Everyone loved him, and he always took time to talk to everyone he saw." Chuckling, Dart continued, "Sometimes, when he talked forever, I would get mad because I just wanted to go home, and it seemed like he talked for hours." Dart paused. "He was an adventurous kind of guy, too, always trying to get me out and about to discover the world, as much as I could being so young back then. And… he always had this with him wherever he went, wrapped around his neck in a pouch a lot like this one." Dart held the stone aloft and patted the pouch resting on his breastplate. "He never told me where he got it or why it was so important, but… I guess I was too young to understand."

"I'm sure it's something he would have gifted you when you got older. Maybe a family heirloom of some sort."

Dart nodded and placed the gem back in the pouch, tucking it back under his breastplate. Then looking to Lavitz, he found a strange expression that he couldn't quite read. It was almost as if Lavitz were analyzing him. It was a critical eye that Dart did not feel comfortable with. He returned his gaze to the forest.

"What about your mom?" asked Lavitz, prying ever more. "What was she like?"

Despite feeling uncomfortably vulnerable as he spoke about his past, Dart couldn't help but smile as he remembered his mother.

"She was very kind. Timid, I think, and sometimes afraid. There was a strange dynamic between her and my father that I can't quite put my finger on. It was like... they were the only ones who really knew each other. The only ones they could be vulnerable with. Although my dad seemed comfortable with everyone, the only place he ever truly let his guard down was with my mom. And she was the same way with him."

After a pause, Lavitz said, "I think we would have gotten along well." Dart was relieved to see that Lavitz had returned to studying the forest instead of him.

They returned to silence, for which Dart was grateful. Before long, he found himself drifting through old memories again, this time of his family. Once again, he saw himself throw a soft ball of snow at his father's back, and once again heard his deep-throated laughter ring through the trees. But now his father reached down, grabbed some himself, and threw it back. Dart chuckled to himself as he remembered the large amount of snow that had clung to his hair. He saw his mother as well, hood pulled up against the cold, joining in the fight.

The joyful memory turned to sadness as his mind shifted to that fateful day maybe a year later. His parents ran toward the edge of the village while he hugged his mother's neck in terror. In the distance, he saw a black explosion that turned to more red flames. Then they were beyond the fire. His mother set him down and whispered fervently to his father. He remembered the worried look on his dad's face as he knelt before him, reminding Dart to be strong, before turning and running back toward the city. Dart's cries rang out as his mother comforted him, but then she left, too, running back toward the danger. The cold was acute, transcending time and piercing Dart even now while he sat next to the wall in Hoax.

He stood abruptly, and Lavitz started. "I'm hungry. I'm going to go see if there's anything to eat," he announced.

Lavitz seemed confused, and Dart worried that he would pry. But instead he simply said, "Okay. Bring me something, too. Just hurry, because it's not good for either of us to be gone long."

"We'd be able to tell if there was an army approaching by now, anyway," said Dart.

"What do you mean?"

"All those crickets and owls…" He gestured toward the cacophony of noise coming from the forest. "They don't do that when someone is invading their space."

After a thoughtful moment, Lavitz conceded. "Makes sense… But hurry back anyway."

Focusing on his movements to avoid his memories, Dart stepped over the edge of the wooden structure and climbed down the ladder. Reaching the ground, he made a beeline for the mess tent, desperately hoping that none of the soldiers on patrol would speak to him. Stepping inside, he found it deserted and gratefully slumped into a chair. Holding his head in his hands, he allowed his body to relax for the first time since they had arrived in Hoax. The tension between his shoulders was killing him, but he knew that things were only sure to get worse. He admitted to himself that he was afraid, terrified even, of what might happen over the next several days. He might die. Lavitz might die. And Shana might... He could not quite finish that thought.

Something caught in his throat and he tried to clear it. He felt tears pushing against the inside of his closed eyelids, but he quickly fought them back and rubbed them. Even if the situation seemed hopeless, he would not give in to despair. He had to remain strong for Serdio, and for Shana. Especially for Shana.

Sniffing, he stood quickly and walked over to the storage area to look for food. He opened a container, grabbed a handful of chicken, and began to eat it hungrily as he grabbed some extra for Lavitz. Just as he finished his snack, he walked out into the brisk night air, a little colder than a typical spring night. He paused to look up at the moon, ever in the same place it always was, shining down brightly on the little town. After flashing a small smile, he began to make his way back to Lavitz.

He walked only for a few seconds before stopping abruptly. Something was wrong, but he could not quite pinpoint what it was. He focused for a second, and then realized that the sounds of the night were gone. The crickets on the edge of town and the owls of the forest were silent. His heart skipped a beat, and his hand abandoned the meat in favor of his sword hilt. Before he could think of what to do, he heard a sharp cry from the guard at the north tower.

"They're here! The enemy is coming!"

Dart spun around and saw the guard shouting just as several flaming arrows jumped the wall and landed to his left, igniting some of the dead grass. Another guard moved a large chain back and forth to sound the alarm, and suddenly the town erupted with activity. Shouts and calls rang out from every tent as soldiers awoke and scrambled to ready themselves for war.

Drawing his sword, Dart turned south to see Lavitz scrambling down from the wooden tower to meet him on the ground. As he was about to greet him, Dart's attention was drawn to the gate on the east side of town. The enemy was trying to break through. Dart rushed over to the gate, ready to fight whoever would dare to come and challenge him.

Soon Dart was joined by Lavitz and a dozen other soldiers wearing the blue armor of Basil. The heavy pounding on the gate continued, but then grappling hooks appeared over the top of the shoddy wall, easily grasping the uneven surface.

"Get ready!" he shouted. "They're climbing over the walls!"

Within minutes, dozens of Sandora soldiers were leaping down to engage them. Swinging his sword to and fro, Dart dispatched several at once as a cacophony of sound exploded in the small town.

Soldier after soldier approached him, swinging their swords wildly and leaving themselves open to attack. One after another, they fell before Dart's well-placed blows. He could not help but wonder what kind of shoddy training Sandora gave their soldiers, or if they just hired volunteers as they came. Keeping Lavitz in the corner of his eye as much as possible, Dart continued to fight.

After a time and several dead soldiers, the enemy figured out that he was a threat and began attacking with more coordination and greater numbers. A soldier approached him cautiously, keeping his sword low. Dart could not see his face through the helmet, but he perceived his fear through his hesitation. Dart stepped forward and brought his sword down toward the soldier's neck, but he blocked the attack with his own weapon. However, Dart's strength and heavy broadsword were too much for the soldier to handle, and Dart's blade found its mark. It slid across the man's neck, calling forth a stream of blood as he crumpled to the ground.

Two more enemy soldiers approached him on his right, and he spun at once to face them, his confidence giving them pause. They rushed at him, swinging wide to flank him, and he found himself pinned between their blades. However, like all the rest, these soldiers were slow to attack and quick to fall. Slicing the back of one soldier's leg, Dart watched him fall to the ground, clutching his wound, before turning to the other and quickly running him through. Momentarily at peace, Dart scanned the battlefield around him.

The city was in an uproar, and countless soldiers, in both purple and blue armor, maneuvered about the battlefield. Clashing metal and piercing screams filled the air. Most of the fighting was concentrated near the north and east walls as ever more Sandora soldiers poured over it.

Lavitz, far away near the wall, was actively engaged in combat with two soldiers at once, expertly spinning his lance to block and attack simultaneously. There were now at least a hundred Basil soldiers fighting off at least as many enemies, even as more climbed over the walls. Among the crowd, Dart noticed the young boy who had led him around the city earlier that day, fighting valiantly. From the gate, thud after thud rang out as some kind of battering ram attacked it. Cracks ran its length; it was only a matter of time before it shattered.

Hearing footsteps rushing toward him, Dart turned and barely raised his sword in time to block a savage blow from another soldier. The surprise attack bought this enemy little more than a few more seconds of life, as Dart recovered quickly and dispatched him.

Just then, a volley of arrows showered down on them from over the wall, and Dart instinctively hunkered down and covered his head. He was not pierced, but he heard several cries and saw at least a dozen men fall around him, both Basil and Sandora alike. He grieved that Sandora would risk their own men in such an attack. A shout rang above the din, and Dart recognized Kaiser's voice calling out orders to a group of men on a patrol structure near the top of the wall. They drew back their bows and let arrows loose into the army that no doubt was awaiting entrance into the city. Glancing around once again, Dart was able to catch sight of Lavitz, alive and unharmed, still fighting fiercely.

As more arrows flew over at them, Dart knelt down to protect himself. A second later, three soldiers came at him at once, and he hurried to his feet. One of them, carrying a shield, held it aloft as an arrow bounced harmlessly off. The one on the left remained unharmed, but the one on the right was not so lucky. An arrow landed directly in the visor of his helmet, piercing his eye and killing him instantly. Dart grimaced at the sickening sound as his lifeless body crashed to the ground.

The soldier on the left attacked first, but Dart expertly sidestepped before drawing his sword across the man's chest. His chain mail rendered the attack useless, and he countered with a quick jab at Dart's leg. Just in time, Dart blocked the attack, knocking the man's sword upward, and cut off his hand in one clean swipe. The soldier screamed in pain, clutching his wrist, and Dart finished by removing his head.

The final soldier held his metal-plated shield close for protection. His armor was thicker than the others', and he even wore steel bracers and gauntlets. Glancing past him, Dart spied the gate perhaps thirty feet away, prepared to give way at the next attack. He braced for the sound as it splintered apart with a crash. The loud sound was just enough to distract the heavily armored soldier, and Dart sliced at the exposed back of his knee. The soldier cried out and fell forward, catching himself on his wounded leg. He struggled to stand, but Dart eyed his armor for weaknesses and thrust his sword through a small gap, sinking his blade into the man's heart. He gasped and fell over dead.

As more and more soldiers poured through the gate, Dart rushed forward to confront them. One tried to bring his sword down on Dart's head, but he deflected the blow upwards, using the opportunity to attack and cut him down. He continued to fight on. After each kill, each soldier was instantly replaced with another. However, Dart was faster and stronger than any of his enemies, and his battle fury only grew with each successive kill. Losing track of time, he fell into a rhythmic dance with his sword. He felt the insanity of battle take over his body.

After what must have been a couple hours, he found that the number of enemy soldiers was finally dwindling. During a pause in the flurry, he surveyed the battlefield again and noticed countless bodies littering the ground. The sight disheartened him, but he drew a small comfort in the high proportion of Sandora purple. The din had calmed somewhat, but he knew that the battle was far from over. There was no way of knowing how many more soldiers were waiting just outside the city. Perhaps they would resort to a siege and try to starve them out.

Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder, and he gasped, reaching for it blindly. Feeling cold steel, he pulled something out of his shoulder blade - a small throwing knife. The deep wound screamed at him, and he spun around to find his attacker. At the main gate stood a lean man in black leather armor. A dark hood covered his face, but Dart knew that this man had his sights trained on him. Dart glanced down to the soldier's waist and saw half a dozen more knives strapped to his outer thigh and a short sword hanging from his belt. Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, Dart gripped his sword tightly, assuming a defensive stance.

In one swift action, the elite soldier grabbed another knife and hurtled it toward Dart's face. At the last second, Dart managed to move to the side and avoid the attack, but another came immediately after. Dart was only barely able to lift his sword in time to deflect the knife, this one aimed straight toward his heart. He realized that he needed to close the distance between them, and quickly.

Rushing forward, Dart shouted as he prepared to attack. Nimbly, the elite drew his sword and met Dart's just as it came down on him. They entered into a flurry of battle, dancing back and forth as each gained ground and then lost it. Dart was astounded at this soldier's agility and precision and almost felt outmatched. He stumbled for a second, and the enemy took full advantage, shoving him to the ground. Dart scrambled to his feet, just in time to block a powerful attack. The elite pushed down on his sword with all his might, trying to knock Dart off balance again. They were nearly face to face as Dart struggled to push the soldier back. A slick voice slithered out of his mouth.

"You cannot possibly hope to win. We have you outnumbered. Your defense is weak, disorganized." Dart struggled to keep his feet. "You are their best hope, and you will fail."

Gritting his teeth, Dart pushed with all his might, and a shout escaped his throat. At last, he gained on the elite and shoved him, making him stumble back several steps. The soldier hissed in anger.

"Dart!" Lavitz's voice rang out above the noise of battle, and Dart glanced over to see him running to help. Dart was alarmed to see red dripping down the side of his face, but his attention was brought back to the battle before him when he saw the soldier reach for another knife. He was aiming for Lavitz.

"Hey!" shouted Dart in distraction as he brought up his sword against the soldiers arm, slicing through the leather bracer and piercing flesh. Exclaiming profanities, the soldier turned back to Dart and began anew their struggle. But this time, Lavitz was there to help. The soldier could not defend as effectively against two enemies, much less when one of them had superior reach of weapon. Lavitz's lance broke through the soldier's defenses time after time, and slowly they wore him down. Finally, Dart managed to break his concentration long enough for Lavitz to run him through.

"You will all… die!" gurgled the soldier as he fell to the ground. A moment later, he stopped breathing.

They stood panting for a moment before Lavitz said, "It's good to see you in one piece. It got crazy really fast."

Dart nodded, still trying to catch his breath. "At least there's no dragon yet."

At that moment, he felt a shock shoot up his leg. The ground was shaking ever so slightly. His heart sank.

Lavitz hit his arm lightly. Looking up at him, Dart followed Lavitz's gaze to the gate. Through it walked a sight that was only slightly more welcome than the great beast that Dart feared.

Walking slowly forward was the largest man Dart had ever seen. He was easily eight feet tall, and his thighs were wider than Dart's entire body. His tanned skin rippled with muscles, exposed across his legs, chest, and arms. Red war paint adorned his face, and a thin strip of black hair stretched backward across his scalp. And in his right hand rested a massive axe that could easily cleave any normal man in two.

"What is that thing…?" asked Dart incredulously.

"I'd only heard about them in stories," answered Lavitz, clearly just as shocked as Dart. "I wasn't sure they still existed. That's a giganto."

"Well," said Dart. "At least it isn't a dragon!" He whipped his sword around once and prepared to fight this daunting enemy. Lavitz agreed and followed suit.

As the giganto stepped into the city, several Basil soldiers bravely approached him. He grabbed one of them by the throat, lifted him several feet off the ground, and hurled him into the wall. The sickening crunch of breaking bones made Dart cringe, and he watched in horror as another soldier fell to the giganto's axe. With one clean sweep, the giant blade cut through the soldier, armor and all. The last soldier was met with the giganto's fist, which propelled him back several feet until he knocked straight into Dart. Catching him, Dart looked into his eyes, finding nothing but absolute terror.

"Go!" he shouted to him. "We'll handle this!"

Shoving the soldier toward safety, Dart then turned his attention toward this new foe. Lavitz stood with him, readying his lance. Seeing their display, the huge man walked up to them, footsteps crashing, and readied his axe. He then spoke, his voice inhumanly deep.

"I am Kongol. You are puny. You will die."

"Is that so?" murmured Dart before lunging forward to attack, Lavitz following just behind him.

Avoiding the huge axe, Dart deftly stepped to the left. At the same time, Lavitz inched around the other side of Kongol, attempting to flank him. However, Kongol perceived their strategy and stood defending himself from Dart with his axe and from Lavitz with his powerful fist and thick bracer. Dart stepped forward and tried to pierce the giganto's enormous thigh, but instead his sword only made contact with the axe. With the force of Kongol's swing behind it, Dart's sword bounced backward, almost hitting him in the face. As Lavitz attacked on the other side, Dart tried to take advantage of the distraction. Sidestepping out of Kongol's peripheral vision, he attacked again, this time making contact. His sword sliced through Kongol's thick flesh, calling forth a powerful cry from the great man. However, little blood oozed from the wound, as if Dart had not pierced as deeply as he had thought.

A low whoosh rang through the air as Kongol swung the axe toward Dart's head. Ducking, Dart narrowly avoided being decapitated. It appeared that, although Kongol was incredibly strong and resilient, he was also very slow. Dart began to try to use this to his advantage, attacking the giganto only when Lavitz had him distracted. Stepping back and forth, Dart managed to cut Kongol's exposed skin several more times, each time only making him more and more angry.

Lavitz realized Dart's plan and began trying to help him implement it. As much as he could, he kept Kongol's attention on him so that Dart could sneak in for small attacks. Perhaps over time, they could wear him down.

Finally, Dart found an opportunity. Stepping carefully behind the axe while Kongol was focused on Lavitz, he plunged his sword into Kongol's side as far as he could. A roar escaped him, ringing throughout the city, and Dart tried to pull back before he turned. However, his sword would not release. He began tugging frantically at it, and just as Kongol wildly swung his axe around, Dart managed to pull it free. But right then the axe made contact.

All the air left Dart's body as the butt of the axe crashed into his chest, propelling him backward against the wall several feet behind him. His head slammed against the hard rock, and he bounced onto the ground, stars dancing before his eyes. As his vision slowly returned, he found himself lying helplessly on the ground. He tried to regain any sense of what was happening. He thought he heard Lavitz shout his name, but he was wholly disoriented. Straining his eyes, he struggled to focus on the scene before him. To his dismay, he saw Kongol's fist land directly on Lavitz's right shoulder, throwing him backward as he groped it in pain.

Groaning, Dart saw Kongol turn toward him and march forward. Dart could feel the pulsing vibrations through the ground beneath him, and he struggled to back away, but he could not move fast enough. He searched for his sword and saw it lying several feet from him. Almost on top of him, Kongol lifted his axe as Lavitz cried out in desperation.

Just when he thought all hope was lost, something strange happened. A pulse of dark energy barreled down onto Kongol from above, striking him in the back and knocking him off balance. Kongol turned, and Dart looked up to see something - the silhouette of a person - in the sky. As his eyes slowly focused, he marveled as he realized that he had met this person before. Long ago, as he had almost been trampled by a dragon in the forest near Seles, this person had saved him. Her black hair blended into the night sky, but her dark eyes were unmistakable.

It looked like she was falling, but at that moment Dart realized that this was not entirely accurate. She was not falling, but flying. Large glassy wings sprouted from her back. She raced toward Kongol and met his axe with a beautifully decorated rapier before bouncing off and coming to a halt in mid-air, apparently satisfied with this amount of attention. Dart froze as she met his gaze and pointed her sword at him. His pulse quickened, afraid of this new and dynamic unknown, but to his surprise she did not attack. Instead, she spoke.

"Wake up! Dragoon of the red-eyed dragon!"

Dart was even more bewildered by this strange phrase, but was instantly distracted by a red glow being cast onto Kongol. The large man turned to him, wide-eyed, staring at his breastplate. Looking down, Dart found that he was the source of the light, and his heart began to pound so loudly that he could hear it in his ears. The light grew brighter and brighter, and Dart stood, suddenly being washed with an intense heat.

He could feel his strength being renewed, and the bright light forced him to shut his eyes. He lost all sense of where he was or what was going on. A sound like roaring fire filled his ears. All he felt was energy and heat, as if flames had ignited within himself and were fighting to get out. Finally, he stopped trying to hold them back and erupted with power, feeling it pulse through his body. For just a moment, he heard wind rush past his ears, and then suddenly all was calm.

He opened his eyes, and found himself several feet off the ground. Before him, Kongol lay unconscious, the ground beneath him shattered by the force of his landing. Everything was illuminated by a red light that slowly began to wane. All sound of battle had ceased. Turning, he saw many soldiers, including Lavitz, staring at him with mouths agape in wonder. Seeing the ground far beneath him, he felt an uneasiness rise in his stomach. Just as he began to long for solid earth beneath his feet, he found himself slowly descending until he gently alighted upon the ground.

Breathing heavily, he looked down and was shocked to see that he was wearing different armor. This armor was bright red, brighter than his normal breastplate, and intricately designed. He could not tell of what substance it was made, but he somehow knew that it was far harder than any steel. Though it covered his whole body, he felt as if it weighed next to nothing, and as he moved his arms, he marveled at the maneuverability. Looking at his hands, he saw that they were now covered in pliable gloves that seemed to be made of the same material. At that moment he noticed something just outside his field of vision, and turning, his jaw dropped as he saw two glassy wings sprouting out of his back, just like he had seen on the woman. He could feel them now, an extension of his body, able to be manipulated just like his arms or legs. He flapped them once, bewildered.

Dart's breathing became labored, and he struggled to say, "What… what is happening?" He looked to Lavitz, but he could not seem to speak.

A nearby Sandora soldier yelled out, "He's not even human!"

Suddenly Kongol stirred, and clutching his head stood clumsily to his feet. As he faced Dart, the fear was evident in his face.

A voice spoke from behind Dart, and he turned to see the strange woman, no longer with the splendor of her wings, but simply a woman wearing purple armor with a plain rapier hanging at her waist.

"I'm surprised you're still alive," she said to Kongol with a sarcastic calm that defied the current situation.

Kongol grew angry and spat, "Giganto do not die! I will repay you for this!" His voice growled loudly and deeply, but he charged toward the gate, throwing one last fearful look at Dart. Soon after, a horde of Sandora soldiers followed him out, fleeing for their lives. Looking around, Dart saw only Basil soldiers standing.

"What… happened… to you?" asked Lavitz, still staring, wide-eyed.

"I don't know," replied Dart, worry evident in his voice. He could feel his warm heart racing within him.

"The dragoon inside you woke up," the woman said, making Dart jump slightly. "It had been asleep for a long time."

Shaking his head, Dart tried to process what she said, but it didn't make any sense to him. "Dragoon?" he asked weakly.

Just then, the door of the inn burst open, and several people ran out. Dart turned to see them and saw Shana running toward him. As their eyes met, hers grew wide with concern, and she cried out.

"Dart! What happened?" Her voice, anxious though it was, washed over Dart like a smooth balm.

He suddenly felt as though all his energy had left him, and he saw a flash of light as he doubled over, trying to hold himself up by leaning on his knees. He saw that his hands were ungloved, and the strange armor he had been wearing had been replaced with his regular clothing. Unable to properly catch his breath, he panted for air. Rushing toward him, Shana placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned over to peer into his face.

"Are you okay?" she asked urgently. "What's going on?"

Finally he managed to get out only a few words.

"Shana… You're safe…" He felt his limbs collapse, and all went black.