Chapter 7: Waterside Renvall     Chapter 9: A New Journey

Chapter 8: It’s a Trap!

    We came to the gatehouse. There we stopped to let Orson rest – he seemed short of breath. The rest of the group waited several metres behind us.

    “Orson, how long ago were you captured?” Seth asked.

    “Only a week ago. We have heard no news of the war at all – tell me, Seth, how is it with Renais?”

    Seth bowed his head. “Renais has fallen. King – King Fado… The king is dead.”

    Orson lowered his gaze also. “Dead… my king…. I am truly sorry. Princess, I have served you poorly.”

    “No, Orson, do not blame yourself for what you could not prevent. We must look to the future, not find fault in the past,” I said a little inchoherently, giving him what comfort I could.

    “The Grado army purues me in the hope of acquiring my bracelet,” I continued, though I felt rather foolish saying ‘the most powerful army on the continent is chasing a piece of jewelry’. “My brother is in danger because he wears its twin.”

    Orson looked confused, and I didn’t blame him. “Ah.” His expression cleared. “Prince Ephraim still wears the bracelet. Grado is after them? If that is the case, then you should not keep yours with you.”

    I looked blankly at him, my uneasiness growing, though I knew not why.

    “If the empire desires your bracelet, you are in danger as long as you hold it. Give to me or to Seth; let someone you trust guard them. For your own safety, Highness. We must not allow the Sacred Stone of Renais to be taken.”

    Alarm bells went off in the back of my mind. “Orson, all that you say makes sense, and yet…”

    “Orson,” said Seth suddenly, “I am sorry, but I must ask you to hand over your weapons.”

    The other paladin looked at Seth strangely, and, truth be told, so did I. “Have you gone mad, Seth? What injury have you taken that you would think they allow prisoners weapons?”

    “If I am mistaken, then I will give you all due apologies,” Seth answered warily. That was my knight; he always spoke with the utmost politeness. “However, I have questions. Too many questions that I cannot answer. Why did no enemy reinforcements come from the castle during the battle outside? Why would you escape and yet leave Prince Ephraim incarcerated? How do you know of the connection between the bracelets and the Stone?” The paladin’s lance was no longer at attention; it was slowly lowering to form a barrier between the other knight and me.

    Orson put his hands up defensively. “Seth, there is some misunderstanding here. I-”

    Seth continued grimly without stopping. “And… why do you conceal a blade within your tunic?” Though grim, his voice was also sad.

    I took his arm with my right hand, leaning on him in shock. I could see the outline of the knife also now.

    Orson slowly smiled. “Very well. You haven’t changed at all, Seth.” He sighed. “If only Eirika had been alone. You, however, simply will not be deceived.”

    I gasped.

    “Why did you betray Renais?” Seth asked, now calm.

    A dreamy look spread over Orson’s face. “My fondest wish will be granted… To spend the rest of my days with my loving wife…”

    “What are you saying?” I whispered. Monica… was…

    A general of Grado appeared around the corner. “That’s enough. You’ve done well, Orson.” The traitor paladin saluted him and walked away briskly.

    “Who are you?” Seth demanded, shielding me.

    “Tirado is my name, loyal and talented aide to Valter, general of Grado.”

    “You’re that monster’s-” Seth began bitterly. I hadn’t known he felt so much for Valter.

    “And you are General Seth of Renais, yes? I thought to catch a little bird, and it seems I’ve snared a hawk.”

    “Where is my brother?” I demanded angrily. I did not enjoy belittling like that from an enemy.

    “Ah, yes. Your brother. He’s not here. The coward fled… Somehow, he escaped the castle.” Tirado clicked his tongue. “Such stubbornness is quite annoying.” He assumed a thoughtful pose. “Still, we managed to turn this to our advantage. I spread the rumours myself. I led all to believe he was our prisoner. What better trap with which to catch his sweet, devoted sister?”

    “My brother escaped?” I breathed, hope rising again in my heart.

    Tirado nodded slyly. “Yes, but your no-doubt emotional reunion will have to wait until the afterlife.” He gestured to guards, who vanished. “First, to destroy the bridge…” An ominous cracking echoed through the hall. “Then to kill you and take the bracelet!”

    The bridge sagged and collapsed.

    “We must escape!” Seth shouted over the fall of rubble.

    “But how?” I cried back.

    I’m fairly certain I heard him swear. “Blast!”

    That was the first time in my life I had heard him do that.

    “Oh, Brother, I’m so sorry…” I whispered as enemy guards began to run toward us.

    I gave quick orders, and we joined battle.

    Seth was fighting in another chamber when it happened… I heard someone call his name, and he turned in surprise.

    “Seth?” I asked curiously. “Who are you talking to, Seth?” I walked into the room and gasped. There stood my brother, tall and straight. I ran to him and threw my arms around him.

    “Eirika, are you well?” he asked me.

    “Oh, Brother! You’re alive! You’re alive!” I breathed happily.

    “Well, of course I am,” he replied, picking me off the floor and spinning me around. I suppose he was annoyed that I was clinging to him so, because he whispered in my ear: “Girls carry on so.”

    I giggled in dismay. “I’m sorry.”

    He shook his head, his jade green hair brushing my cheek. “At least we’re here. After we escaped Renvall, I thought I’d go and capture Grado Keep. When I heard that you’d journeyed to Renvall to rescue me, I had to turn back to find you.” He grinned. “Looks like my timing was impeccable.”

    I never knew that my brother could be so smug, but there were more immediate things.. “I’m so sorry. It’s so ironic… to come to rescue you – and get rescued myself. All I did was interfere with your plans…”

    “What are you talking about? What plans? Nonsense. You came to help me, didn’t you? Your efforts alone are enough to inspire me. Anyway, you look like you’d need quite the beating before you really needed rescuing.” I glanced at my group of mercenaries. Yes, my brother was right. A characterful lot, as well.

    Then Forde and Franz saw each other. There was laughter and loud talking, then my brother shouted. “Okay, let’s go!”

    We then fought our way to the throne of the castle, where Tirado awaited us. My brother dealt with him. His Reginleif, his long lance, pierced the general’s thick armour.

    Ephraim turned to me, bloody and sweaty, and smiled. Regardless of the mess, I hugged him.

    “I’m sorry, Eirika. I worried you, didn’t I? And you as well, General?” he said to Seth.

    “Not at all,” Seth fibbed slightly. “We’re happy you’re safe.” His face lengthened somewhat. “Prince, about Orson…”

    “I find it hard to believe he could turn his back on Renais so,” my brother said matter-of-factly. He let go of me and rubbed the back of his neck. “I am morally responsible for his plight…”

    “No, Ephraim…” I tried to deny this, but he wasn’t listening. I could tell.

    “Ephraim…” said a little girl who had crept in when I wasn’t looking. She had indigo hair and dark red eyes.

    “Yes, Myrrh?” Ephraim asked gently.

    “Something is coming… Big… Dark… Many…”

    “Ah.” He turned to us. “Sounds like we should get out of here.”

    “Where did you meet this girl?” I asked. “Oh! Indigo hair…” The grey-haired young man had been looking for her.

    “That’s a long story. For now, we must move.” He whistled, and Kyle and Forde began making our retreat. “Suffice to say that Emperor Vigarde has enlisted some… otherworldly powers,” Ephraim continued in a low voice only heard by Seth, the girl Myrrh, and myself. “We must warn everyone of the danger.”

Chapter 7: Waterside Renvall     Chapter 9: A New Journey

Chapter 6: Victims of War     Chapter 8: It’s a Trap!

Chapter 7: Waterside Renvall

    I ran for only a few moments; then Seth called to me to stop. He was concerned that I might wear myself out, dashing around after my brother like a scared rabbit. I smiled and acquiesced.

    We dropped off the family at the nearest town and reached Renvall by noon the next day. It was quite impressive for a small fortress. The cool, deep, blue waters of a perfectly ring-shaped lake lay in a shallow valley with a backdrop of brown mountains to the north. Seth and I stood on a hill to the southwest. Thick forests lined the lake’s shores, and a single bridge leapt across to a castle crouching on a little island in the centre of the lake.

    Scholars said the perfect lake was formed when a large rock fell down from the sky, but I didn’t believe them. Rocks that big didn’t fall from the sky like that. I was usually openminded about such things, but this thing in particular they would have to prove to me.

    “My brother is somewhere inside that castle,” I murmured. A slight breeze caressed my hair.

    “Allow me to point out the defenses of Renvall,” Seth said. I nodded. “The single bridge will be heavily guarded. They have a wonderful view of the valley, meaning it is easy to defend and difficult to assault. Our strategy must be a careful one.”

    “I agree,” I agreed.

    “Princess Eirika,” said Franz, “my elder brother, Forde, is in that castle with Prince Ephraim, Sir Kyle, and Sir Orson – please allow me to fight with you this time as well.”

    “Certainly, Franz,” I smiled. I usually asked him to fight. He was just making sure he didn’t get supply cart guard duty. Once or twice, I had asked someone not to fight in order to guard the cart, normally if I thought it was extra dangerous.

    “We’re with you all the way!” Ross exclaimed. “Right, Dad?”

    “Don’t work yourself into a lather, Ross,” cautioned Garcia, smiling. “Remember, a good warrior keeps his cool.”

    Colm sidled up beside me. “You need anything stolen,” winking, “I’m your man. Course, my blade’s no joke, either,” he added with a shrug.

    “I have yet to repay you for helping me with those abhominations,” Artur said from my other side. Natasha offered a pretty prayer about sacred light to God, and then the whole group had crowded around me, giving me affirmations of their loyalty – as if I needed it!

    I thanked them, and looked down at the castle. “Brother, I’m on my way. Let’s go!”

    I sent Neimi and Colm directly north of our position to where I could see a ballista. Neimi did not mind trying it out at all. The rest of us fought our way to the first bridge, avoiding another ballista with an enemy archer on it. Actually, I sent Franz to deal with that one. My strategy seemed to work well. Neimi and Colm ran out of bolts and hurried to catch up. I defeated the cavelier holding the gate myself. Then, I hurried into the castle with my friends at my heels.

    Seth caught me as I began to dash across the inner bridge. “Hold, Lady Eirika. Look, in the shadows – a figure…”

    I gasped, but it turned out to be Orson. “Princess Eirika. And… is that you, Seth?”

    I sighed in relief. Orson was one of my brother’s knights. I had a strange nagging in the back of my mind, but I pushed it away and ignored it.

    “Orson, where’s my brother?” I asked. “Oh! You look so pale. Are you well? Did Grado’s soldiers-” the words ‘torture you’ were on the tip of my tongue, but Orson shook his head.

    “It is nothing. This way. Prince Ephraim is in one of the deeper cells… if he still lives.”

    I turned pale myself and took a couple of unsteady paces before I regained my balance following Orson. Seth dismounted and led Altha after me. The rest of our group followed him.

Chapter 6: Victims of War     Chapter 8: It’s a Trap!

Chapter 5: The Empire’s Reach     Chapter 7: Waterside Renvall

Chapter 6: Victims of War

    Two days later, Seth and I were scouting. Nothing had happened the previous day, likely because I chose to travel in a remoter region of Grado to make my way to Renvall. We had come to a place called Adlas Plain, and there was a thick fog. That was why Seth and I had gone instead of Vanessa.

    We left the group camped on the edge of the field after breakfast and set out. We made half-way across, when…

    A shaman appeared. I gave a little cry of surprise – he had warped in, appearing even more suddenly through the fog. “You’re Eirika, Princess of Renais, aren’t you? Hmm, you’re even more beautiful than I’d heard – and you’re wearing your bracelet, too. Let’s start with that. Won’t you hand over your lovely little trinket?” I heard Seth’s sharp intake of breath.

    “And why would I do that?” I asked disdainfully. He was clearly my enemy, and I checked my sword surreptitiously.

    “The emperor wants it. That’s reason enough,” he snapped. I couldn’t see much, but the lower part of his face was pale. The rest of him was swathed in dark robes. “Come, hand it over quickly, and I’ll leave you alive.”

    “Princess Eirika, you will do no such thing,” Seth exclaimed quietly.

    “Of course not,” I agreed, glancing up at him.

    “Hmm, you came to save Prince Ephraim, did you not? A wild-goose chase. Ephraim fell in battle against Grado’s might not long ago. As we speak, he wastes away in a cell in Renvall, meekly awaiting his execution.”

    My heart stopped for a single moment, but then I realized that he was not above lying. “You lie! A pitiful worm like you could never defeat my brother!!”

    “Bah. Protest all you like,” shrugged the shaman contemptuously. “It will not change the truth. Ephraim fell, and it was Grado who crushed him! Hmm, you’re not going to obey. Perhaps this will convince you,” said he, waving his hand. A little girl of Renais – of the capital – appeared, crying softly. “Now, hand it over, or the kid dies.”

    “No!” Seth and I cried at the same time. I looked up at him again. He shook his head.

    “It’s not worth a child’s life,” I said quietly, though I wondered if my assessment would change when he told me what he knew. Probably not. I took it off my wrist, gave it one last look, and gave it to the shaman. I shuddered as his hand touched mine.

    “Ah, this is certainly it,” the shaman breathed. “When I hand this to His Majesty, I will become a general! I will be famous!” He stopped chortling in self-glee. “Now, hand over your weapons.”

    “No,” Seth said adamantly. “That is too much. What you ask would be tantamount to suicide.”

    “I see the years of peace and laziness have not dulled the wits of all Renais’s knights,” was the shaman’s reply. “Well, I suppose the giant spiders in the mountains would like a nice, hot meal, don’t you think?” The little girl screamed as they vanished.

    Immediately I was running back to camp. “I’ll get the others!”

    Seth galloped past me and swept me up to sit in front of him. “We will obtain help faster with Altha’s assistence.”

    My heart was doing strange things.

    Anyway, we roused the crew, and Colm especially came to volunteer. “I can see better than most people in dark or fog. I’ll be useful.”

    “Thank you.” Gathered, we swept across the plain towards the east. Even with Colm’s help, we were ambushed a couple of times.

    I could hear the child still screaming, and I sent Franz and Vanessa to help them. Vanessa would rescue them out of the canyon they were in and fly to Franz, who would take them and set them down.

    The rest of us killed the shaman. “Is this… the end? No fame? No… glory-” he wheezed, as Artur’s lightening spell ripped through his foul body.

    I went to join the people and reassure them. There was a family of three, a father, a mother, and a child. All had brown hair and eyes.

    Then I shrieked as the mother of all spiders leapt down from the mountains. It had five red eyes and a great many legs. “Get behind me! Run!” I cried to the family. I stared up at the behemoth towering over me. The claws came down. I sprang aside, but it was very fast. I noticed its claws were slathered with shininess; probably poison. I ducked and rolled and stabbed upward, relying on instinct to fight such a terrifying foe.

    I saw Vanessa out of the corner of my eye, and Garcia, and Franz and Seth, but Vanessa was closest. The spider was insanely fast, but it was big too. Vanessa had small chance of missing. Her lance plunged right through the huge, hairy head. I squeaked and jumped away as it thrashed in its death throes.

    I turned to the family and saw them huddled in a little ball, comforting and protecting each other. I touched the man on the shoulder. “It’s dead.”

    The little girl burst into tears. “I-I was so s-scared!”

    “Hush, it’s okay. I was too,” I comforted her softly, stroking her back.

    “You saved us, didn’t you?” said the girl, grabbing my hand and kissing it. I laughed and pulled away.

    “That’s okay. I couldn’t let them get you.” The parents thanked me profusely, but I shook my head. “It was the least we could do.”

    “Still, Princess, please take this.” The mother offered me an Orion’s Bolt.

    “What? Oh, no, I couldn’t. It’s a family treasure, is it not?”

    “Yes, it is; our great-great-grandfather was a famous sniper, but still, none of us can use a bow. I think it will serve you better.”

    “And if we had died, we wouldn’t be able to care who we gave it too, you know,” said the father. I hesitantly accepted it.

    “Thank you so much.” I smiled and looked around. “I can’t use it either, and my friend Prince Innes is already a sniper, but Neimi there is an archer. She may be strong enough to use it, soon.”

    “We’re glad to repay some of our debt.”

    “Seth?”

    “Yes, my lady?” answered Seth, coming quickly to my side.

    “Would it be all right for the family to travel with us at least to the next town?”

    “That is an excellent idea, Princess,” he said, nodding. I smiled at the little girl as she and her parents walked off to the cart, where they would travel.

    Seth touched my elbow. “If you would, Princess, I would speak to you…”

    “Yes, Seth?” He led the way to a fallen log, where we sat.

    “I could not say this before, for your late father King Fado ordered me not to… to keep silent until the proper time arrived… However, with all that has happened, with Emperor Vigarde’s actions… I feel it imperative that I tell you everything, Princess Eirika. It is about the bracelet which you wear.”

    I waited.

    “We all know of the Sacred Stones, and how one of each is housed in five of the six countries, excepting Carcino.”

    “Yes. Ours is in the Temple in Renais.”

    He lowered his voice. “The stone in the Temple is nothing but a forgery. The true stone lies beneath Renais Castle.” My eyes widened. “It is protected by a magical seal – an infinitly complex lock of sorts.”

    I leaned closer to him curiously. “Why?”

    Seth leaned closer to me as well, modulating his voice even lower. “The Sacred Stones that banished evil long ago possess power beyond our ken. The ancient kings of Renais thought it prudent to hide it. They feared the power could be misused. The keys to the seal were hidden within two bracelets.”

    “My brother’s and mine…” I guessed. Seth nodded. “The bracelets have such meaning… and place us – me, rather – in new problems. I’m glad the situation here turned out as it did… But why did my father keep this from my brother and myself for so long?”

    “‘They must know nothing of the bracelets’ secret unless great peril strikes’; these were King Fado’s exact orders to me. Prince Ephraim knows nothing of the bracelets’ secret, either. The king told me in case something happened to him and he could not tell you himself.”

    “I… understand,” I said thickly, trying not to weep at the memory of my father. “It was for our own good.”

    “Yes. And we are the only living souls who know the secret of the Stone of Renais. At least, that is what I was given to know. And yet…”

    “Yet the Grado army has made it clear that they only want me for my bracelet.” I shifted uncomfortably, unconsciously moving closer to him for comfort.

    “Yes, quite clear,” Seth agreed. “I don’t know how, but the Emperor must have leaned the secret somehow. Now his troops pursue you both, and we are no closer to knowing his motives.”

    “He would try to destroy the Sacred Stone in secret…”

    “Perhaps.”

    “Which means that my brother…” I pulled away, jumped up, and began to run. “If he’s been captured… If they’ve taken the bracelet… He could have been execu- … … …Ephraim…”

Chapter 5: The Empire’s Reach     Chapter 7: Waterside Renvall

Chapter 4: Ancient Horrors     Chapter 6: Victims of War

Chapter 5: The Empire’s Reach

    We travelled south with no further mishap for several days. Soon, we reached Serafew.

    Serafew stands on the very edge of the border between Renais and Grado. We have long forgotten to whom it belongs to, or if in ancient times the border passed through the town. People of both countries dwell there, and are a unique community in Magvel, having pride in both nationalities at the same time.

    However, Serafew had been taken over by Grado troops. I didn’t know that yet.

    On a side note, the gunk from the mogall had cleaned out more easily than I had expected.

    As the low yellow stone walls rose behind oaks and maples, I smiled.

    “It’s been so long since I last visisted Serafew. My brother and I used to pass through here en route to Grado. I remember the hamony in which the people of both countried lived. No walls divided our borders. No soldiers stood guard in high towers. This border town… It was to me a symbol of the trust between Grado and Renais. That peace… It seems like something from another time. It seems lost now… Forever.” I watched two blue wyverns fly away to the northeast.

    “And now, it is firmly under the thumb of Grado’s emperor,” Seth noted dryly, looking at the flags flying on the clock tower in the centre of town. There used to be one for Renais, too, but now there were two for Grado. “The city doesn’t seem very heavily patrolled. They must feel it’s not worth guarding with Castle Renais under their control. The west gate is undermanned…”

    “Pardon me,” called a young man traveling on the path that ran past the town, “may I ask you a question?”

    “Yes?”

    He had curly grey hair, wearing a navy bluish tunic, which I couldn’t see very well because it was swathed over by a greenish-grey cloak. On his head was a woven headband. “I’m looking for someone. Have you seen a young girl with indigo hair?”

    I thought of Lute, but she had violet hair, not nearly dark enough. “Indigo? No… Sorry.”

    The man sighed and turned away. “Thank you. Sorry to intrude.”

    I watched him leave. “There was something very odd about that man, wouldn’t you say?” I asked Seth. It wasn’t just the hair, either. I think the man was a powerful mage, or even a sage. There was something in the air that spoke of magic.

    “He did seem unusual. He didn’t strike me as a Grado spy, but…” I looked up at him. The paladin must have been thinking along a different track – the danger evaluation track. I appreciated that, but I did wish he would talk to me more on the same level.

    “Catch her!” “Don’t let her escape!” Sudden shouts rose in the town. “That way! She went that way!”

    “What’s that?” I ran into the gate. Seth followed on foot.

    A lovely cleric girl was fleeing headlong from Grado soldiers. One of them called her a traitor and instructed her to surrender. “Come quietly, and you may have the chance to explain yourself before His Majesty.”

    “Wait! Please! You must listen to me! The emperor is not himself. You must be able to see that!” This intimation did nothing to endear the soldier to her.

    “Impugn the emperor at your peril! We’ve been ordered to kill you if you offer any resistance, but your words condemn you!” More soldiers flooded out of inns and so on and took up positions of entrapment.

    “That cleric is a traitor to the throne of Grado?” I asked incredulously. “What madness is this?”

    The girl in question dashed around the corner and bumped into me. She gasped in terror, apparently thinking herself trapped. “Are you all right?” I asked her.

    “Who are you?” she asked fearfully. She had yellow blonde hair, covered by a cleric’s hood, and beautiful blue eyes that were wide with fright. Her figure was slim and graceful, sheathed in a close-fitting white cleric’s gown.

    “I’m from Renais,” I answered, not wanting to give away my name, and yet assure her that I was a friend. “Why are these Grado men after you?”

    “You’re from Renais… Oh! I have something I must tell you. It’s about Grado-”

    “Wait,” I said. “Grado soldiers are coming this way. We’ll have to talk later. Now we must fight.” Seth called the rest of our group in, and they took up defensive positions around the girl.

    “My name is Natasha,” she told me. “If I can help you as you are helping me… I am trained in the use of staves. I will heal you if you are hurt.”

    “Thank you, Natasha,” I said.

    I saw some men that did not seem to be moving in tandem with the other enemies. I pointed this out to Seth, who frowned. “They’re bandits, I think,” he said. “That is not good. Would you ask Vanessa to warn the homes?”

    “Yes. Vanessa?”

    “Yes, milady.”

    “Artur, Lute, Colm, Neimi, I’d like you to travel along the outside of the west wall. I know there are some homes there, but there is also an archer that I saw on the way in. Please kill the archer for Vanessa, and warn the homes if you think it safe.”

    A young man with long red hair wandered aimlessly around. A soldier yelled at him to do something useful, so he charged at Franz, who dodged his blow skilfully. Then Natasha saw him.

    “You… You’re that man I met… Are you here to capture me? You’ve been hired to silence me, haven’t you…”

    “Yeah, Grado’s paying the bill,” the red head agreed amiably. “They want you dead, you know? But don’t feel bad. It’s not personal.” He drew back his sword. Natasha gasped. Seth and Franz grabbed their lances instead of their swords. The three of us formed a shield for the poor cleric.

    “Wait, please…” she begged. “It doesn’t matter what happens to me, but you must hear my words. The emperor of Grado has changed. He is not the man he once was. The other nations must be warned before he extinguished all light from our lands.”

    “Hey, no offense, but I’m just a mercenary,” shrugged the guy. I listened intently. Who was she? “I don’t care about Grado or its emperor. Everything you say may be true, or it may be lies. I don’t care either way.”

    Natasha protested.

    “Even so…” the mercenary considered. “Killing a beautiful lady like you would leave a bad taste in my mouth.” He dug a worn coin out of his pocket. “Tell me, do you like to gamble?”

    “What?!”

    “Gambling’s what I live for. Even when I lose, I never want to stop. Let’s have us a little wager. If you win, I’ll believe you. Heads or tails, you call it.”

    “You can’t… This is no time for games…”

    “Would you rather I get on with the job I was hired for?” He sounded pretty casual.

    Natasha looked terrified and conceded. “Um, heads… No! Tails!”

    “All right. So I’m heads, and you’re tails. Here we go.” He flipped the coin.

    “Which… Which is it?” asked poor Natasha, all of a fluster.

    “What do you know?! It’s tails. You win. Figures. I haven’t won anything all day. My name’s Joshua.” I lost interest and began directing the rest of the battle with Seth’s help.

    An armour knight was waiting at the northeast. He, too, singled out Natasha. Joshua grabbed his Killing Edge, but it didn’t penetrate the armour.

    “Look out,” Garcia roared from way back. He charged along the street and attacked the armour knight. I turned away. I didn’t have stomach for an axe fight, either. A soldier attacked me and I was forced to defend myself.

    Finally, it was over. “That was a tight spot,” I panted.

    “Yes, yes it was…” Natasha agreed rather absentmindedly. “Thank you so much. I don’t know how to repay…” She trailed off. She was a very quiet person, very shy, and rather hesitant.

    “You’re from Grado, aren’t you?” Seth asked.

    “Yes… I was a servant of the people at Grado’s Imperial Temple.”

    “Then why the trouble with the soldiers? Would you tell us your story?” I asked, trying to help her along.

    “Of course… A few days past, my mentor was arrested without warning. They executed him. They said he was a traitor… But those were false accusations. The emperor had him killed – a holy man! – to keep him silent.”

    “Keep him silent?” Seth demanded, appalled.

    “Yes. My mentor told me with his final breath. The emperor plans to destroy the Sacred Stones.”

    I gaped incredulously. “The Sacred Stones? Destroy them?”

    “As you know, the Sacred Stones drove back the power of evil long ago. Even now, each of our nations is home to one of these legendary treasures. There’s one in my homeland, Grado, and one in your Renais…”

    “Yes, the Sacred Stone of Renais is still housed in our royal temple,” I assured her.

    “The emperor plans to destroy the five stones, one by one…”

    “Why would he do such a thing?” Seth exclaimed. “Legend says that the Sacred Stones are even now all that keeps evil at bay!”

    “I cannot begin to guess his motives… You must know, our emperor was a gentle man. But, one day, he changed. Utterly. Before my mentor died, he said that the keepers of the Sacred Stones must be warned. I tried to slip across the border, but the soldiers spotted me…”

    “Is that what happened…” I walked a little bit away, moving Seth with me. “What do you think, Seth?”

    “I think we can trust no one from Grado,” he answered in a low voice. “However, if what she says is true, we cannot ignore the danger we face. Destroying the Sacred Stones… We cannot allow that to happen.”

    “I agree. If only we knew if there were some reason for the emperor’s actions. I must tell you, her story chills me to the bone. I pray it is false…”

    As we went to leave the town, a man stopped me. “A moment, please. Are you perchance… Princess Eirika?”

    “I am.”

    “Oh… Thank goodness you’re safe! I can’t tell you how happy I am. And please accept my gratitude for driving off that Captain Saar.” I guessed he meant the armour knight captain we had killed. “That Saar treated all the citizens of Renais with such contempt and brutality…”

    “Not here… not in this city,” I shook my head in disbelief. “My brother and I spent such happy times here with Lyon…”

    “I beg your pardon, but it will not be long before Grado sends more troops. Please, you must go quickly.”

    “I’m so sorry. There’s nothing I can do for you now. Please forgive me.” I bowed in apology.

    He returned my bow. “Do not be troubled. Princess Eirika… We will survive and wait for the day of liberation to come. There will come a day when you, Prince Ephraim, and all of Renais rise up together… Until that day of glory comes, we will wait unbowed and filled with hope.”

Chapter 4: Ancient Horrors     Chapter 6: Victims of War