He didn't sleep the rest of the night. He had run back to the camp before Eris, and climbed up into the hammock only seconds before Eris came into view. Watching from the shadows, Barret saw him glance around the camp, and then back over his shoulder. Aezr was out there, just waiting. He sighed, and lay back down as he had before, eventually snoring loudly. Barret's mind raced as he lay there. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't. But dawn came, and Barret still lay there, processing everything. As he climbed down like he normally would, he saw that Eris was beginning to stir. A plan ran through his mind, and he sat down by the nearly dead fire, tossing a branch on. "Morning." he said, hoping that the worry in his mind didn't come out.

"You always were the early riser. You need to sleep in some days." Eris said, stretching.

"And you need a bath. There's a stream about fifteen minutes that way. Your scales are losing their shine." Eris looked down at himself as Barret spoke.

"I suppose you're right. I'll be back in a bit I guess. Shouldn't take me too long." With that, Eris walked away, and Barret ran over to wake Haelith and Raine. Once they were awake, they sat by the fire, watching Barret pace back and forth.

"Eris is going to betray us." he said bluntly. Haelith looked shocked, but Raine didn't seem quite as surprised.

"I thought he would. Everything just seemed too convenient for me. We just happened to be near a town where we could be safe, and he just happened to be passing through the area, and we just happened to need help right when he showed up? That's more than just a streak of good fortune, that's a setup."

"Wait, how do you know?"

"I heard him last night. I woke up, and he was gone, so I followed him. He met with Aezr, and they're going to attack us tonight at dusk."

"Then let's leave him!" Haelith said, standing up. "He can't attack us if we aren't here!"

"No." Barret sat down across from them. "I know he's going to betray us, but he's my brother. I won't abandon him. There has to be some way to make him realize this mistake. I just need to talk to him. I wanted you to know, because I'm going to talk to him alone. You need to be ready to fight for your lives. Don't hold back at all. Aezr won't either."

"We don't stand a chance against an assassin. My magic is still wild and unfocused, controlled, but not enough." Raine frowned.

"Barret, you know I can't fight. I'm a doctor, not a soldier!" Haelith argued. "I fix people, not take them apart!"

"But you must fight. Your knives are sharper than anything I've got, and he won't expect you to be ready for him. Take him by surprise. But if you can't win, then run. I'll find you. I don't care what I have to do, I will find both of you."

"Just promise that if Eris won't see reason, you will leave him. Please?" she pleaded.

Barret sighed. "If he won't see reason, then I will do what I must."

"We're having a lovely conversation." Raine said with a smile suddenly. "Talking about something nice. Morning Eris!"

"Morning Raine. Haelith. Is there coffee?"

"Not this morning." Barret said a bit grimly. "We ought to pack up and get a move on. Wenmoor won't get any closer with us sitting here." Barret doused the fire with dirt, and the camp was packed up quickly. The morning was quiet, as Eris led them southwest. In the distance, several dark hills rose, with pine trees covering them. The entire area was covered in shadow, as a bank of clouds rolled in from the west, distant flashes of lightning and the gentle roll of thunder echoing across the land.

"Just beyond those hills is where we're going. There's a lot of shale in the ground, so everything is a bit darker over there. Sure, it's a bit grim, but that also means no one suspects it to be a place of refuge." Eris said, trying to be cheerful, but failing to hide his worry. No one said anything, lest they give away what was going on. For the whole day, they did not stop, and even as the sun began to set, the group was silent. Finally, Eris stopped them. "We'll camp here for tonight. It's just under a day away from Wenmoor." Still, no one said a word as they went about setting up camp. Eris furrowed his eyes, and walked over to Barret. "Did something happen with you and Haelith? Why is everyone so quiet?" he whispered.

Barret sighed. "It… we should talk. Away from them. It's important." Barret didn't put his bag down, and carried his bow with him, leading Eris away from the girls. Glancing back, he nodded, a grim, but determined look on his face. Haelith and Raine nodded back, and began to tend to the fire. Haelith held her medical bag close to her, two dozen knives sharpened and ready. Raine was across from her, and went over a dozen spells in her head, each one with a purpose, a reason. Soon, dusk began to fall, and the forest creaked and groaned. The wind picked up, and the clouds above began to threaten a storm.

"This is awful." Raine said, staring into the fire. "Waiting. Knowing that something bad is about to happen, but knowing that there's nothing you can do about it."

"Do you really think Eris will see reason?"

"No. And I don't think Barret does either. But he wouldn't feel right if he didn't try."

"Well, well, well. What a surprise." A voice said, making them jump. A brown fox with a heavy cloak stepped into the light of the fire. "An' 'ere I though I was gonna have to deal with the archer. Did he really just leave you two alone? You ain't gonna surprise me. Nothing does."

Haelith stood up, and Raine did too. "Nothing? We'll see about that!" Haelith shouted as she hurled a knife through the air, which he easily sidestepped. Another knife, and the same result.

"You gotta be faster than that to hit me. But today is yer lucky day. I gots orders from the big man 'imself. Don't want ya dead. But you…" He grew a wicked smile as he turned to Raine, who held out her arms. A longbow was pulled from behind his back, and even as he was still lifting it, the arrow was already moving. Raine panicked for a heartbeat, but then steeled her resolve.

"You will not harm me." Her voice was clear, every word holding immeasurable power. The arrow that flew through the air smoked and hissed, burning away to little more than a sharp rock, which fell at her feet. Her hair flowed freely around her and her eyes glowed like stars. "This is the last mistake you will ever make."

…

Barret led Eris away, and soon the light of the setting sun grew dark. The world was bathed in orange light that reflected off of the cloud bank to the west. Lightning flashed, thunder rolled, and the coming storm sweeping across the land. The wind blew east, a herald to the rain and lightning that was to come. "What did you need to talk about?" Eris asked several times, but Barret kept walking. Finally, he stopped at the edge of a small cliff as the sky rumbled.

"Can you promise me something?" Barret asked.

"Of course, anything."

"Tell me the truth."

Eris froze. "The truth? Barret, don't you trust me?"

"I used to. Back when we were kids. When it was just us against the world. Back when we were surviving together. You are my brother, Eris. I trusted you for so long, I looked up to you for years. I used to know everything about you. There were no secrets, there were no tricks, there were no lies. But now? Now I have to know. I have to know the truth, general." He said the last word with as much force and emphasis as he could. "I. Must. Know. The. Truth." Barret whipped around to stare Eris in the eyes, his hand clutching his bow tightly. Eris was frozen, his face twisted in horror as Barret showed him just how much he knew.

"You-" he barely managed to say, but then he sighed and regained his composure, his entire body relaxing. With another heavy sigh, he stepped forward, but Barret drew an arrow, and pointed his bow at Erisdar. "Whoa, calm down there!"

"TELL ME THE TRUTH!" Barret shouted, tears welling in his eyes. "Tell me that it was a lie! Tell me that you aren't working with Aezr! Tell me that you aren't a Templar General! Tell me that you haven't betrayed me! Tell me the truth!"

Erisdar stood there. "You followed me last night. You heard everything. You really want the truth? Then I'll tell you. Seven years ago, you went hunting. I was watching the camp, and bounty hunters came. They captured me, brought me before the Templars, and collected on my head. I pleaded, I begged, I hoped for mercy. And that man gave it. Sirius. He gave me a task. He told me to bring another Ishtaer before him. I went with the same hunters who brought me in, and we hunted down a group of refugees. We slaughtered them all. All but one. An old Ishtaer with gray scales and blue eyes. I knocked her out, and brought her back. Another's life in exchange for my own. He spared me that day, and I worked with him. For the next four years, I hunted down other Ishtaer, even working with Trace Legacy. I captured, collected, and brought them to the Templars. Many of them are still alive, but imprisoned. They tested me, had me prove my loyalty to them over and over. It brought me pain for a while, but I realize that it was Fate that brought me to the Templars. They are changing the world for the better. But then I heard that someone with your description was wanted by the Brotherhood a few months ago, and I have thought of nothing since. I have been hoping to find you, hoping to see you again. And now, I've found you. And you found me. We could work together, Barret. We could bring change for our kind. All you have to do is join me, Barret. We could change the world. Together. Please."

His words were smooth, his voice was calm, and as he spoke, he slowly approached Barret, hand outstretched, but Barret backed up to stay out of the reach of Eris's glaive. "I will never join those bastards. Those murderers! Those monsters!" he shouted.

"Barret, we are brothers! They will understand. We can join them together, as brothers."

"No! I have been hunted for months by them, chased by Aezr himself. If we go to them, it will be my death."

"I command them, Barret. They will do nothing to you. I have shown my loyalty to them time and time again, and in time you can stand by my side."

"I was right." Barret said, unable to take it anymore, tears rolling down his face and his voice shaking. "I was right all those years ago. My brother is dead." Erisdar's smile faded. "You destroyed him. I know my brother, and you are not him. My brother would never betray me. You are not my brother. You killed my brother, and destroyed everything about him! You killed him!" Barret shouted, his heart pounding in his ears. "And I will avenge his death!" He loosed the arrow as he shouted one last time. Eris threw up his right arm, and a shield came up.

"You always were the slower one." His voice was deeper. Angry, even. "I have orders, and I will follow them. I will not betray the Templars. If you will not join me willingly, then I will do what I must." With his left arm, he drew his glaive, and took a wide swing at Barret, who back up out of the way. With a shout Barret dropped his bow, and rushed forward, throwing Eris off. Reaching into his bag, he drew the dagger he got from the nomads, and swung wildly at the man who masqueraded as his brother. Though he was larger, Eris was stronger, and his armor was tough. Eris dropped his glaive, and reached for his bag. As he did, he got a slice across the back of his right arm, but with his left, he pulled a gladius from within the bag. With a wicked snarl, Eris lashed out, swinging for Barret's arms and legs. Their blades met with a loud crack, the bone dagger shockingly holding back the weight of the sword. Barret was not expecting that, his eyes wide. Eris seized the opportunity, and placed his hand on Barret's chest, and shouted, a blast of force throwing him backwards, the dagger spiraling out of reach. Groaning in pain, Barret reached for the knife, but a heavy pressure fell on his chest, and he looked up. "You are still as weak as ever." Eris said, clenching his fist. Barret's world was filled with pain, and then with nothing.

…

Haelith stood in front of Raine. Aezr was toying with them, he had only fired the one arrow, and was laughing as they tried to hit him with magic and knives. "Yer gonna run outta magic quickly if ya keep this up!" he laughed as Raine threw another bolt of light at him. "That almost hit me! HA!"

Raine slouched down, panting. Her magic, as strong as it had the capability of being, was spent. She was exhausted from the journey here, her sleepless nights catching up to her. "He's right! I can't hit him!"

"Run! Go!" Haelith shouted and pushed Raine backwards, before a fierce war cry escaped her lips, unlike anything she'd ever done before, rushing forward with a bone saw raised.

"Haelith! No!" But it was too late. Aezr sidestepped as she swung, and grabbed onto her shoulder, vaulting up her back. Throwing his bow around her head, he leaned back, the drawstring pressing against her throat. Raine reached for her magic again, but a wave of exhaustion swept over her. She was completely spent. She picked up a heavy stick from the fire, and began to run over, but there was a wicked whooshing sound, and a loud thud as a glaive suddenly flew past her, lodging itself several inches in a tree, blocking her path. Her head whipped around to see Eris standing there, with Barret slung over his shoulder. Fear overtook her, and she backed up, dropping her improvised weapon.

"Run!" Haelith managed to choke out as she tried to pull the bow off of her throat. "Ru- RUN!" A primal fear suddenly overtook her, and Raine turned around, fleeing into the night, into the forest, into the wilderness, into the dark, and away from the people that she cared for. Away from the safety of her friends. Away from the monsters who fought so hard to bring them down. Away from what would have otherwise been certain death. And she ran. And ran.

And ran.

Erisdar watched as she ran into the forest, then turned to Aezr who had brought Haelith to the ground. "Enough. She is no good to us dead." The assassin loosened his grip on her neck, and she fell down panting, barely conscious. His armor clanked as he walked over, still holding Barret's limp body on his shoulder. "No… We need to know what you know about Commander Brundt."