Chapter 8: Landing at Taizel          Chapter 10: Father and Son

 

   Chapter 9: Fluorspar’s Oath

 

   We marched east along the road quickly all that day. Myrrh could fly, but she was small and could not go fast. I hoped we would catch up to her soon. The horse-mounted scouts were busy; everyone was on edge all that day. We were surrounded by the land of Grado and enemy soldiers could be over every hill.

   We came to the wide region of Hanarka, where rivers spiralled and corkscrewed their way down from the northeastern mountains into the western lakes, which fed more rivers leading to the southern sea… There, we found enemies. A whole army of Grado, with more on the horizon, was lining up between the riverbanks.

   I discussed tactics with Syrene, riding alongside me.

   “The general is distant, but it appears to be Selena Fluorspar,” she said.

   I nodded. I had met Selena once or twice. She had not yet been a general when I met her, only a commander. She was kind, if reserved.

   Rachel pushed up beside us. “I’ve heard of her. It’s said in Rausten she is feared by bandits for her use of Bolting, the lightening spell that strikes from afar without mercy.”

   “Thank you, Rachel. I will use caution against such magic… Anything else, Syrene?” I asked.

   “Vanessa reports there may be bandits in the southeastern mountains, and there are some strange people to the east who do not wear Grado’s uniform…”

   “How strange?”

   “One is a woman, dressed in a short skirt more suited for Jehanna; the others are all big strong men. Perhaps a noblewoman is travelling.”

   “Then we needn’t worry about them just yet. Deussel!”

   “Yes, Lord Ephraim?”

   “Your company will sweep south along the eastern side of the rivers. Remind your men to look out for the travellers and not to hurt them.”

   “Understood.” Deussel waved his axe and a number of knights, including Gilliam, and also Rachel, headed off with a rumble.

   “As for the rest of you, follow me!” I cried, waving my own lance and running down to the west side of the rivers.

   I had not gotten far before a familiar small shape came hurtling out of the air towards me. “Myrrh!” I shouted.

   She staggered to a stop by my side, her fluffy pigtails askew. I reached out and touched her shoulder.

   “Myrrh, thank goodness you’re all right. I was so worried!”

   She bent her head. “I’m sorry, Ephraim… I… I…”

   I knelt. “You lot carry on,” I said in Syrene’s general direction and turned back to Myrrh. “It’s all right now, Myrrh…”

   “It’s because I forced you to bring me with you… I decided I didn’t want to be a burden any longer…” Her crimson eyes were fixed sorrowfully on the ground in front of her, and her hands were clamped tight together. “I truly didn’t want to make you worry, but I guess that’s all that I did… I didn’t even get my dragonstone back…”

   “Is that why you left?” I smiled. “I haven’t forgotten I need to help you find that. You have my word we’ll find it.”

   “No!” she cried, looking up. “General Selena has it! And she’s not a bad person… I spoke to her… and she understood…”

   I stood. “I understand. I’ll speak to General Selena and try to get her to join us. For now, Myrrh, please go to the back. We will have to fight our way to her, I’m afraid.”

   She nodded and bounded away. I allowed myself a brief lingering glance at her childlike form, so like Eirika when we were younger.

   I shook my head. How many sisters did I need?

   I returned to the battle, calling out orders as I fought my way through seemingly never-ending ranks of cavaliers and axemen, with archers and even pegasus knights backing them up. Abrupt lightening bolts creased the sky, and Gilliam for one had a close call on the other side of the field as a tree near him was struck. On our side of the field Moulder was actually hit, and only his innate magic ability saved him from becoming a fried crisp. He took a vulnerary and sat down to rest.

   At the south end of the field, I met again with Deussel. “Sir! I have news.”

   “Oh? What is it?”

   “Those travellers we saw were looking for you. Here is their leader, Xavier…”

   A big man with a tan and worn leather armour stepped up to me. “You’re Prince Ephraim? I’m Xavier, the leader of this band of mercenaries. This is my right hand man, Frank, and this is our dancer, Lara.”

   “And… why are you looking for me?” I asked, bemused. Syrene, behind me, was tense.

   The mercenary captain grinned and held out a letter. “We were hired by Prince Innes a while back while in Carcino. He said to tell you: “I have no need of assistance, Ephraim, but I’m sure you do.””

   “That sounds like Innes,” I snorted, opening the letter. I scanned it briefly. “At the time of writing, he’s going to be meeting with Elder Pablo in a few hours. He has heard Eirika is in the port of Kiris, a couple hours north of where he is…”

   “He has his own mercenaries with him… Gerik’s Mercenaries. Pretty good group,” said Xavier amiably. “I guess that’s why he sent us to join you, prince.”

   I sighed and rolled my eyes. “Innes is such a… regardless, we’re happy to have you fighting along with us.” I turned to the rest of those around us. “Let’s head to talk to Selena!”

   We marched rather slowly up the road towards the island where Selena waited for us, surrounded by dark mage guards.

   “General Selena,” I called out when we got closer.

   “Prince Ephraim,” she responded in her confident alto.

   “General Selena, I know you’ve spoken with Myrrh – and I appreciate your not using her as a hostage, by the way. Please withdraw your troops. There’s no need for us to fight.”

   She smiled a little and shook her head. “Yes, I know. I always knew that the emperor is not in his right mind.”

   “Then why are we fighting!?” I cried helplessly.

   “I am a general of the Empire. His Majesty’s word is law.” Her face hardened.

   I ran a hand through my hair. “This is ridiculous. If you know he’s not himself, why are you still obeying him? Is that truly loyalty!?”

   She nodded rather coldly. “The path I have been given is perhaps foolish, but I am a knight and for me there is no other.”

   “Selena, please!” I cried in desperation. “Surrender! I don’t want to see you die here! It may be a noble death and tragically useless and all but Myrrh will be sad-“

   “Me? Die?” She raised an eyebrow. “Prince Ephraim, you do not understand. I have no intention of dying here. I am going to fulfil my Emperor’s orders, madness though they be.”

   “Do you think you can restore him that way?” I grated. She stiffened but said nothing.

   Deussel, just behind me, stirred. “Selena, Ephraim is a good lad. Come with us and we shall uncover the truth about the emperor, and do our best to save him.”

   She smiled and bowed her head. “General Deussel. I owe you an apology. I called you a traitor without just cause. You have never wavered in your loyalty, not for an instant.”

   I looked back and forth between them, confused. She sounded completely sincere and yet-

   “Yet I have no intention of withdrawing. Let us waste no more words, but fight as we must inevitably.”

   “Old friends must fight, is it?” Deussel said. “I know I’m a stubborn old dog, but you…”

   “Have chosen my path.”

   “I see.” Deussel adjusted his grip on his lance. “I, too, have chosen my path. I’m sorry, Selena.”

   She smiled again, but I could see both of them were holding back pain like a chained hound. How could I end this?

   Then she reached out and fire erupted around me.

   “Aaaagh!” I cried out in pain, shielding my eyes. I heard Deussel shout, and his horse slammed into Selena’s. I staggered out of the fire, glaring with determination. Someone threw a bucket of water from the river nearby over me. Rather anticlimactic-looking, but I appreciated not being on fire.

   The ensuing duel was hard. The bodyguards had been taken care of by our pegasus knights, so it was only Selena. Despite being alone and outnumbered, she did not waver at all. Yes, I knew her power was crazy good. But now I knew her courage and will was strong too.

   Eventually Deussel killed her horse, and she slipped off to fight on foot.

   I don’t wish to dwell on her death, especially since I was the one who killed her.

   As she stood facing me, one hand pressed to her side, she reached out, and I automatically put my hand out. She dropped something into it and fell back. “Now… I can… rest…”

   I looked at the thing. It was a small pebble, seemingly made of dark red glass, with black smoky streaks inside. I nodded. I had a good guess as to what it was.

   I went to find Myrrh, but there was no need. She could see for herself that the battle was over and came hurrying out to find me. When she saw that I was alone, her face fell, and when she saw soldiers bearing away Selena’s body, it fell further.

   The look on her face cut at my heart. She walked up to me, still watching Selena’s bier. “Dame Selena,” she said softly.

   I looked away awkwardly and restrained another sigh. After a long and uncomfortable silence, I turned back to her and handed her the stone. “General Selena gave me a curious stone. It’s your dragonstone, isn’t it, Myrrh?”

   “It is,” she responded. “But I’m saddened by its return. It is reunited with me… and yet… I feel so heavy with remorse…”

   “Myrrh…” I murmured.

   She looked to me suddenly. “Ephraim, can you tell me why this had to happen? Dame Selena was a good person. She was filled with joy when she remembered her emperor. Why did she have to die? Why did we have to fight her?”

   I tensed my shoulders. They were a child’s questions asked by a kindly, ancient, inhuman intelligence with a child’s view, a wounded innocent child, and I could not put them aside like some might with a human child. “I am sorry, Myrrh… I tried my best… If I could have persuaded her to surrender, to lay down her arms, to leave the field, I would have… I had no choice. I know you don’t like it, but she stayed to her path… she was trying to kill me as well.” My excuses sounded feeble in my own ears. I felt like I had betrayed her trust.

   She looked at me more gently then. “I apologize, Ephraim. I was not blaming you. I know you did your best. It’s just… I do grieve for her…”

   I knelt and reached out to her, and she slowly leaned against me, wet and burnt as I was, her eyes dry, her little mouth set unhappily. I patted her head and held her.

   We stayed like that for a few minutes while the activity of the army swirled around us, and then she gave a little sigh and stood up straight.

   “I ventured out of the forest chasing after that dark energy… I hoped that I could counteract its evil force.” She skewered me with one of those vulnerable, honest looks. “Is your cause so different in the end from Selena’s? How many good people must die alongside the wicked?”

   “Myrrh…” I said, my forehead wrinkling. I had no answer for that one either.

   “What can we do to end this war quickly and stop the awful dying?” She reached out and took a hold of my charred cloak.

   “I don’t have any answers for you, Myrrh,” I answered finally. “But I will go to Grado Keep, and see if I find one there. Will you go with me?”

   “Yes,” she answered. “I must stop the darkness. We must find the truth behind the madness.”

   I nodded. I was not yet forgiven, I felt, but I had a chance.

 

Chapter 8: Landing at Taizel          Chapter 10: Father and Son

Chapter 7: Phantom Ship          Chapter 9: Fluorspar’s Oath

 

   Chapter 8: Landing at Taizel

   Our ship drew in to the port of Taizel the next day, as planned. All the soldiers and Myrrh were below deck, hidden from view. Syrene and I stood in the door to the cabin, sheltered, watching the sailors rush about. No arrows and fire had rained down on us as we entered the harbour, so I assumed we were not suspected yet.

   “There’s no sign of enemy troops, either,” Syrene said, reflecting my thoughts.

   “Let’s move quickly and prepare to go ashore. The capital is straight down the highway but we’ll be fighting for every step of the way.”

   “Yes, and it will grow fiercer the closer we come,” the pegasus commander said with concern. “My lord, I would like to make a suggestion about troop distribution…”

   “Yes?”

   “The Grado Army outnumbers us by a tremendous amount. We’ve noted this many times. We have ready reservists to protect our supply convoy, but it is no good to defend the supplies if we lose the front. We should bring up all our soldiers to strengthen the van.”

   “No, Syrene, that won’t do. I cannot approve of sending reservists to fight on the front lines, and we cannot abandon our supplies in enemy territory!”

   “Prince Ephraim, we have talented soldiers, but that counts for nothing against those numbers!”

   I looked quickly outside, but no one seemed to have noticed our heated argument. “Syrene, I know you only want to improve our chances of success, but when we are flanked on both sides by hostile armies, maybe towns, too, we will need that convoy. I also know that you make these suggestions to try to keep me from harm… but I have no intention of changing my mind! – Myrrh?”

   The dragon girl had padded up behind me silently, her hands clutched to her chest. She reached out and touched me, and I had jumped and whirled on her.

   “Oh… pardon me…” she stammered, looking rather frightened. “I-I… nothing…” And she fled deep into the ship.

   “Myrrh…!” I called after her, apologetic. I had not detached myself from the discussion with Syrene, and turning the full intensity of my attention on Myrrh had probably not been the best thing to do. I sighed. I hoped she would forgive me.

   “Sir! Prince Ephraim, Lady Syrene, sir!” Pounding footsteps brought me back to the intensity of the present. A guard in nondescript armour whom I’d posted myself dashed up to us from his station at the gangway. “Enemy soldiers have flooded the docks! It’s a trap! Orders, sir?”

   I hazarded a quick look. There were Grado troops running towards us, all right. Some of them were at the foot of the gangway already.

   I turned back. “All troops prepare to fight!” I bellowed to below decks. Of course, they were ready to fight. I had expected this.

   The cavaliers were ready, and it only took a moment to open the horse loading door… or whatever it’s called… to let them out. With them I led a charge of foot soldiers backed up by archers to keep the enemy busy while we ran up to them.

   We left on the east side of the ship. Deussel led the cavaliers off the west side of the ship, with Rachel among their number in case of emergencies. Syrene and Vanessa shot out of the horse bay and wheeled overhead, dodging flak from enemy magic users.

   Then I saw a sight that chilled my skin. Lurching from around the corner of a building appeared first one, then a pack, of revenants. Over on the left, mauthe doogs sprang out at Deussel. Syrene had to swerve suddenly to avoid a javelin from a gargoyle that had been hiding on the stern of our own ship. Far back, at the top of the harbour, I saw a massive slouching figure that I could not identify.

   “Th-they’re working with Grado!?” I cried. “How can that be?”

   I had to duck, then, from the lance of a human cavalier.

   It was a hard and cautious struggle up the slope of the harbour towards the upper terraces. As we came closer, I saw what the strange figure was. It was a cyclops, a huge ogre with one eye, hefting a huge axe.

   Moulder was there first, guarded by Gilliam and a number of other soldiers. I was close by with my group, but there were a number of enemy soldiers, mostly human, between me and them.

   A young boy who had but seen us and joined us, ignored the human enemies, running around them, and caught up to Moulder just as the priest sent a small blast of white light against the cyclops. The monster blinked and swung its axe carelessly at the group, hitting Gilliam with the flat of it. Gilliam went flying.

   I whistled as I pulled my lance away from a body and stood watching. There were only a few soldiers between us and them, and some ran.

   Gilliam rolled over as he hit the ground and stabbed the cyclops’s paw with his lance. I ran forward to help him up, and Syrene landed beside me in a flurry of white feathers.

   “My lord!” she cried. “Not too close!”

   Her warning was accurate, as the axe whistled past my head. Vanessa, with a shout, tried to distract it by stabbing it in the shoulder, but she barely grazed its tough hide.

   A tiny fireball exploded on the back of the creature’s head. It turned, blinking, and with a roar of rage, came stomping swiftly towards Moulder and the young boy who had cast the fire spell. An equally young lancer stepped up to defend against the cyclops’s charge, and I began to call out an order to rearrange the group, to properly defend against a ridiculously strong axe-wielding foe – which meant, of course, swordsmen – but I was too late. The monster was too close.

   An arrow came arcing up from the crowd and plunged right into the ogre’s eye. It stopped immediately.

   “Now!” I called. “Swordfighters, forward-“

   The creature raised its hand to its face, and fell over, dead. The ground shook.

   When the dust had cleared, Syrene, after a minute of conferring with the unit captains, came to me and saluted. “The enemy has been defeated, sir, and we’re taking care of the wounded now.”

   “Good job, Syrene. We’ll rest in this city tonight. Replenish all the food and weapons, and find a place for us to sleep… Oh, yes, remind every soldier that anyone who breaks the city’s laws will be severely punished. Anything else?”

   “We should prepare some defence in case we are attacked in the night from the east. Fresh enemy troops could be here at any time.”

   “Good point. All right, we’ll post sentries on three rotating watches at all gates and the east wall. Then tomorrow we’ll set out half an hour past dawn. Oh, and please commend those young soldiers who brought down the cyclops. They were very brave.”

   “Yes, sir,” Syrene said crisply, happy, I think, that I had taken some of her advice for once.

   “Dismissed. Don’t forget to rest, yourself.”

   “Thank you, Prince Ephraim.”

   If I had turned my head to the left just slightly, I would have seen Myrrh, cloaked and hooded, staring up at me…

 

   The next morning, Syrene came early to see me in my room in the inn. I had just woken and was in the middle of my second piece of toast when she knocked and entered hastily.

   I ran a hand through my bed-mussed hair. “Something important?”

   “It’s… Myrrh,” she said, uncertain how to call the girl, I think. Myrrh never talked to anyone very much; she was shy of strangers, and we had been in a whole camp-full of them. “She’s been missing since sometime last night. There are no signs of a struggle, and it seems she left of her own accord.”

   I dropped my toast with my mouth full. I tried to talk and ended up choking and coughing instead.

   “My lord!?” Syrene quickly poured me a glass of water. I nodded and sipped it.

   “Where did she go? Didn’t anyone see her?”

   “No, no one at all. The gates were shut all night…”

   “She can fly,” I said heavily, running a hand over my eyes. “Oh, Myrrh, what are you up to? Prepare to head out. We’re heading east.”

   “Prince Ephraim…”

   “Not just looking for her. We’ll find her on the way to the capital.”

   Syrene frowned slowly. “And if we do not find her?”

   I glared back at her. “I’ll keep looking for her. She is my responsibility. She’s alone without her dragonstone, and she doesn’t know either the land or the people. Did you hear how I found her?”

   Syrene nodded slowly. “Prince Ephraim, I will not stop you in any way. I only want to warn you of dangers…”

 

Chapter 7: Phantom Ship          Chapter 9: Fluorspar’s Oath

Chapter 6: Turning Traitor         Chapter 8: Landing at Taizel

 

   Chapter 7: Phantom Ship

 

   A few hours, we were in the middle of the great Western Bay of Grado, also known as the Falisean Sea. It was getting close to sunset; we would dock in the port of Taizel close to noon on the next morning.

   I was looking for Myrrh; she had been hard to find the last few days. I wondered if she’d been avoiding me, or if I was not paying enough attention to her. I resolved that I would hang out with her for the rest of this voyage, assuming Syrene had nothing important to say.

   At last, I caught up with the small indigo-haired girl near the bow, gazing far across the waves as if she would never grow tired of the ceaseless swells. There were clouds and fog ahead, shrouding the far-distant shore which would have just been visible otherwise, making it look like the ocean went on forever.

   “First time on the ocean, Myrrh?” I asked quietly, leaning on the rail beside her.

   She looked at me quickly, surprised, I think. “Yes… It’s so blue, so vast.”

   “It certainly is,” I replied cheerfully. “It’s my first time on a ship, too. It’s hard to appreciate just how big the sea is from land.”

   “I would never have guessed,” she answered, shyly. “You seem so calm…”

   I shrugged. “If I’m to properly lead us, I have to be somewhat stoic. You know?”

   She slumped over the rail and I wondered if it was something I said. “Ephraim…”

   I leaned towards her, wondering what she was going to say next. She had definitely been reclusive since we had set out with the army. ‘She must be lonely,’ I thought. We had been pretty close back when it was just me and my knights; I had chatted with her and encouraged her, and she had been hopeful and sweet as the child she appeared to be, even though I knew she was much older.

   “Prince Ephraim!” Drat. It was Syrene.

   “Yes?” I called back, patting Myrrh’s shoulder to let her know she was not forgotten. “Forgive me, Myrrh. We’ll have to continue this in a minute.”

   “All right,” she whispered, nodding at me and walking away towards the middle of the ship. The sailors were still giving her strange looks, but none took much notice of her.

   “There’s a ship following us,” said Syrene, walking up to me looking very serious, the wind whipping her long green hair. “It’s right on the edge of the fog where we can’t get a good look at it… We can’t tell if it’s Grado or not. Shall we ready the troops?”

   I looked around. We were surrounded by thick fog; I had been so intent on Myrrh and reflecting that I hadn’t noticed we’d sailed into it already. Behind us, barely visible, was a formless shadow.

   “Yes… yes, arm all infantry. Tell the cavaliers to fight on foot. How about you and your sister? Would you like to fly? Can the pegasi be gotten out?”

   “Absolutely, my lord,” Syrene answered, already turning away to shout orders.

   The ship following us, I suppose, realized we’d seen it, or that the fog was thick enough for their purposes… because with an unearthly howl of battle came plunging down on us through the mist.

   I took one look at it and looked frantically around for Myrrh. She was frozen by the mainmast, staring in horror at the rotted wood, the tattered sails, the way it practically boiled with gargoyles and giant eyeballs and skeletons.

   “Myrrh!!” I shouted, racing off the foredeck towards her. She whirled at my call. “Myrrh, get below, quick! We’ll deal with this. Go!”

   With a frightened nod, she fled, neatly dodging around Vanessa’s pegasus awkwardly ascending onto the deck following its mistress. I hastily looked around for my lance, turned, and found Gilliam there, holding it for me. I gave him a grim nod as I took it.

   The monster ship closed fast onto our left side, and boarding ramps were being made ready. Syrene and Vanessa picked off a few far-ranging gargoyles, but the main group were just waiting for us. I clutched my lance tightly in anticipation.

   “Protect the sailors!” I barked one last order as the ramps fell and skeletons began pouring across. “Push them back, board their ship, and seize the blasted thing!”

   I matched action to words, in the forefront of one thrust of skeletons. I heard the twangs and pings of bows behind me, and gargoyles yowled above me. I had to keep looking to see if they were going to fall on me.

   Over at the other ramp, Gilliam and Deussel, fighting together, were a huge barrier, with Moulder behind him, making small flashes of light as he began using his brand new Light spellbook. The creatures flinched back from the pair. Overhead, Vanessa was being chased by about five gargoyles; Syrene stabbed one and archers took out two more, and then Vanessa dodged around a sail and decapitated one.

   I carefully made my way onto the rickety ramp, smashing through damp bones with my lance haft. A pair of swordsmen followed me; one of them was a cavalier whose name I had forgotten, and the other was a tall strapping fellow. “Stay with me,” I called to them as I reached the end of the ramp, only to be surrounded by skeletons and eyeballs.

   Another ship came streaking out of the mist beyond the monster ship, white sails tearing through the fog. “Reinforcements!?” I exclaimed, anxiously.

   But no. The monsters turned, and with a screech of joy, fell upon the unfortunate newcomer, swarming it.

   Swarming it until a blast of light erupted amidships and sent a half dozen eyeballs plopping into the sea. After the blast – I took a gouge on my leg while defending as my eyes cleared – a shrill but joyful laugh, a woman’s laugh, echoed across the water.

   “With me!” I called again to my two bodyguards, and the forces lined up behind them, as I whirled, slammed, and jabbed my way across the deck, hoping to meet the newcomers.

   They came to meet me, a light-green-haired woman in white with a staff and a spellbook, and a massive warrior in green with orange hair and a huge axe, and others who were rather frightened looking sailor-guards. We met and the battle retreated from around us. I could see Deussel’s group still fighting on the rear deck of the monster ship; I would go and help him in a moment.

   “You are…” I said to the woman, who seemed to be in charge.

   “Fear not,” said she, smiling sweetly, “for your rescue is at hand! I am the fair Rachel. You have heard of me, perhaps?”

   I frowned. “I’m afraid not…”

   She actually turned pale and looked to be on the verge of swooning. “Alas…”

   “Is something wrong?” I asked, blinking. Women were weird.

   “No… I just feel like crawling into a hole and weeping…”

   “What? No! This is no time for crying.” Now I was really confused. “I know you’ve noticed but we’re under attack and we could use your help.”

   She brightened up right away. “Oh! Well, in that case I can educate you. Now! Watch my graceful actions closely!”

   I nodded, but I didn’t have much time to look as Syrene’s pegasus landed heavily next to us, her wing torn by a lance and Syrene herself bleeding badly. She nearly fell off, and the swordsman steadied her.

   “Hold on!” I told her. “I’ll get Father Moulder.” I was off into the thick of it before I realized that the woman, Rachel, was calling me back indignantly.

  “Now watch me! I can help here too!” she cried. She raised her staff, and Syrene’s bleeding stopped.

   I bowed to her. “Thank you. You may have saved her life. Now we must join up with Deussel and Gilliam and Father Moulder! Follow me!”

   A sailor near me took a hit from a dark magic spell and crumpled, his face pale and covered in sweat, his mouth hanging slack. While Rachel healed him, I stabbed the eyeball viciously, accidentally covering myself in guck.

   “Ah…” I shook my head to get my now-disgusting green hair out of my eyes and continued.

   I drove a wedge through the remaining forces and met up with Gilliam. “Sir.”

   “Good fighting, Gilliam.”

   Deussel suddenly pointed. “Prince Ephraim! Over there!”

   A hulking shape drifted over the rail and slammed into a group of weaker soldiers, scattering them. I flinched from the piercing screams – at least two of the soldiers were women – and darted forward through the press.

   Several bodies lay still around the monster gargoyle. “Healers!!” I shouted,  bringing up my lance to block its next attack. I was dimly aware that others were dragging the injured away, to give me room to manoeuvre.

   It lunged in a flurry to my left. “Oh, no you don’t,” I growled at it, sidestepping in front of it. I was barely in time, and barely strong enough to hold him back. I felt like the goalie of some sport, making a save… That ridiculous comparison flitted through my head and out again in an instant.

   The monster kept trying to get past me, to where the healers and weaker, slower soldiers were, I assumed. “Hey,” I said, jerking my thumb at my chest, “don’t even think about it. You’re not going to touch ‘em. You’re fighting ME!”

   “And me!” cried Gilliam, stomping up beside me. I nodded in acknowledgement.

   “And me, of course,” said Deussel, on my other side. And I heard many more cheers from behind me, and some over-enthusiastic archers fired arrows inaccurately at the monster.

   It bellowed and came at me; the two warriors beside me fanned out to block the others. The archers kept shooting – the gargoyle kept dodging – and Vanessa and Syrene, now healed, hovered circled behind it, blocking its escape. I parried and blocked with all my strength. “I’m going to feel this tomorrow,” I grunted.

   “Keep it up, Prince Ephraim!” Deussel egged me on.

   I smiled fiercely and stabbed, then froze in surprise.

   It fell back first, Reginleif my lance deeply embedded in its chest.

   The world blurred and overturned  on me, except for the cold steel in my gut between my belt and my armour…

 

   “Prince Ephraim! Prince Ephraim!!” Women were calling me.

   “Ungh… Eirika…” I offered, flailing, seeing blackness.

   “He’s awake!” cried a man in relief, and something thin and tenacious latched onto my left arm.

   “Mmg… where?” I blinked and opened my eyes. Hovering over me were Syrene, Deussel, Moulder, and behind them were Vanessa and the woman Rachel. Clinging to my arm, her eyes squeezed shut, was Myrrh. “Oh! Hello. Did I win?”

   “It was still twitching when we brought you below, so I stabbed it a few times,” said Deussel. “With my axe. It won’t move again.”

   “Fabulous,” I said, lying back again. “Hello, Myrrh. I’m sorry to worry you.” She shook her head vigorously.

   “Well!” I said, sitting up, “I guess I’d better help deal with the aftermath. How many injured?”

   “None,” said Moulder. “The healers have dealt with them all, and we owe much thanks to Lady Rachel here.”

   Rachel bowed with a pleased smile.

   I got up. “Yes, thank you, Miss Rachel. May I ask what you were doing here in the first place?”

   Her eyes brightened with glee. “Do not be startled by what I say. I am a Lady of Rausten, Theocracy of the righteous! I am on a never-ending quest to destroy all evil. Lady Syrene told me of your quest to defeat the Grado Empire. I must come with you.”

   I stood up and spluttered. “Wh-what? Are you crazy? We’re facing vast numbers and our odds of success are embarrassingly small!”

   “I have faith,” she said simply.

   I sighed. “Well, we will be very happy to have you with us. I just wanted to be sure.”

   “Of course,” she said.

   I turned to Syrene. “What else has happened?”

 

Chapter 6: Turning Traitor          Chapter 8: Landing at Taizel

Chapter 5: Fort Rigwald     Chapter 7: Phantom Ship

 

    Chapter 6: Turning Traitor

 

    We rode south the next two days, passing through the hills of the Grado Highlands. On the third day we approached the port town of Bethroen, which, if we could charter a ship, would take the army directly to the main highway out of Tai’zel on the southern coast to Grado Keep. On the second day, the earthquakes started. Grado was usually rocked by earthquakes every once in a while.

    Vanessa, scouting the third morning, brought us the layout of the terrain and confirmed that it was the same as our maps.

    “Bethroen Port is a pair of small islands connected by bridges to the mainland,” she reported. “The main road we’re on runs straight there. On the western island are the town and the docks. On the eastern island is a fortress, I think to protect against pirates.”

    “And probably us, too,” I commented a little drily.

    “To the north of the town is another village only a mile away.”

    “That probably won’t figure into our plans,” Syrene said contemplatively. “Did you see any enemy units?”

    “No, ma’am! There either are no opposing forces, or they’re still in the fortress.”

    “Better suppose they’re in the fortress,” I said. “It’s highly unlikely they’ve not figured out where we’re going; Rigwald pointed our direction clearly enough. We’ll move in quickly, but cautiously.”

    “Right away, sir,” Syrene said, saluting, and went off to make preparations to move out.

    I rubbed a hand over my face and clapped my hands together, stretching as I got up. “Good work, Vanessa.”

    “Thank you, milord!”

 

    We were only a few hours away from the villages and it was getting close to lunchtime when we arrived on a little cliff overlooking the sea about a mile away from them.

    And fighting.

    “What on earth is that?” I asked, pointing at distant figures swarming between the fortress and the southern village.

    Syrene squinted. “I’m afraid I can’t tell, Lord Ephraim…”

    “Pirates or the Grado Army, something’s entirely not right. Let’s get down there! Ride!” I ran along the path at the top of the cliff, lance in hand, to the place where the road pierced the cliff down to the islands. I heard Syrene stifle calling my name; she was probably going to ask me to wait and explain what I had in mind.

    “Just trust me! I know what I’m doing!” I called back to her.

    Enemies, soldiers of the Grado Army, met us at the bottom of the hill. We charged through them without trouble.

    “Milord! Two pirates to the west, wyvern riders to the southeast!” Syrene called from the air above me.

    “Swoop down on the pirates to the west!” I shouted back. “We’ll worry about the wyvern riders once we get closer!”

    “Understood!” she called, sending Vanessa off to deal with the pirates. Her younger sister had just grown confident enough to begin wielding a sword in battle. That would give her a serious edge over the pirates.

    “They’re chasing someone down,” I murmured to myself as I came closer to the main action. “A ‘deserter’, perhaps?”

    A little closer, and I saw who it was.

    “Duessel!” I bellowed.

    My old teacher, with his mane of grey hair and his heavy crimson armour, on his huge old warhorse, looked up at me, startled. “Prince Ephraim?”

    “Duessel, what’s going on?” I called to him, running across the bridge, cavaliers and axe-men with me. I pole-vaulted over a small barricade with my lance and came down with a heavy thud, stabbing an enemy swordsman and knocked the wind out of another with the haft. He came riding up to me, hacking down a third swordsman with his huge silver axe. “Why is the Grado Army attacking you?” I asked him. ”…Wait, hold that thought. We’ll get you to safety first, and then we’ll talk.”

    Duessel seemed lost in thought, only attacking if someone attacked him first, or if someone attacked me from behind, or if someone attacked one of the very few knights who were following him bravely. “Duessel!” I barked at him.

    “…I was General Duessel, the Obsidian of the Imperial Three…” Deussel answered slowly. “This title, this service to his majesty, have been my life’s blood. Now I am branded a traitor to the crown. As of this moment, all that… gone. There’s no reason to continue this madness…”

    “Duessel…” I said sympathetically, but then my voice grew strong. I needed him; Grado still needed him! This kind of talk was uncharacteristic of my teacher, and I would snap him out of it, no matter how harsh it would sound. “Enough of this rubbish! You are my mentor, and I will not let you die! You will live. Yes, called a traitor… in disgrace… a fate, to you, worse than death. But the emperor is mad – what good will it do your country if you die? What of the people? The future!?”

    Duessel absorbed my words, his eyes fixed on my face. “…I understand,” he said at last. “This old fool’s life is yours, Prince Ephraim.”

    I breathed a sigh of relief and grinned at him. “That’s better. A bit. What are we facing?”

    “Sele- General Selena, the Fluorspar of the Imperial Three, has been sent to kill me for my treason against Grado. My knights are still with me, but I believe we are facing General Selena and General Valter, though I think Valter left. I saw his wyvern flying away north. A ship also left just before he did, probably to bring news to the capital.”

    “I see,” I murmured. “Well, let’s drive them back, convince Selena to stop fighting, and start putting an end to this war – together!”

    “Understood!” Duessel grunted. “Your orders?”

    “Send your knights to defend that village from pirates. Vanessa! You and those three swordsmen – back them up. Duessel, Syrene, come with me. We’re heading to the fortress with everyone else.”

    What was left of the Grado Army around the fortress was already weakening. The fortress itself was heavily guarded by swordsmen and archers. The wyvern riders had been dealt with already. I called Syrene down to fight on the ground and led the charge with Duessel thundering along behind my left shoulder. The man on horseback in charge of the gate spat in the dirt as we approached.

    “Prince Ephraim of Renais… General Obsidian the traitor… Two incredible trophies.”

    “I’m notta trophy,” I told him, gritting my teeth and spinning my lance. “That sounds like something Valter would say.”

    “Beran,” Duessel growled. “He does serve Valter.”

    “That would confirm that Valter was here earlier.”

    “General Moonstone was indeed here,” Beran sniffed. “But he left after General Fluorspar was called back to the capital. I am the one to cut you down to size. Enough talk, now! Fight me!”

    “Gladly,” I replied, lunging forward. Deussel was right behind me, and Syrene was right behind him.

    The fight against Beran was difficult, though I managed to kill his horse first off. I didn’t like killing horses; they were intelligent beasts, and mostly, not vicious like wyverns. But it helped me against him a lot.

    He managed to parry most of my attacks, but Duessel simply swept in and gave a sweep of his axe that left Beran’s sword arm slashed wide open. His face pale, the enemy general stumbled back and vanished around a corner. I followed, but he had gone. Not even a trail of blood to tell me where my enemy had gone.

    The rest of the Gradonians, seeing Duessel and Syrene, surrendered without much of a fight.

    “So where’s Selena gone?” I asked once we gathered in the main hall of the fortress.

    Duessel, instead of answered, chose to give me a bear hug. After a moment of surprise, I returned it.

    “Prince Ephraim, it’s been far too long. You’ve grown to be quite the impressive commander,” he said gruffly.

    “Thank you,” I replied. “My being alive I owe to your instruction in the lance, Duessel. Tell me, why are you being pursued by your own troops?” Duessel looked away and did not answer. I put a hand on his shoulder – he was still about eight inches taller than I, darnit – and pressed. “Speak to me, Duessel. I want to put an end to this war. I must know.”

    Duessel put his thoughts in order, different expressions flitting across his craggy face. “As you know, the emperor is – was – a man of compassion. Always seeking to do the right thing for his people and country and to keep peace sovereign. But one day all of that changed.” His voice fell away again.

    “But why? Why did he change?” I urged.

    Duessel shook his head. “I wish I knew for sure. But I have a theory. It seems that trouble first started when Prince Lyon and the Royal Mages created a gemstone they referred to as the Dark Stone.” I wrinkled my nose. What an unoriginal and ominous name. No wonder everything went wrong. I looked down and saw that Myrrh had come in and was standing close by my side. I patted her shoulder. “I’m just a soldier. I don’t know anything about these magic things. But they said the Dark Stone might have more power than the Sacred Stones. Those Stones that had the power to seal away the Demon King.”

    “If the Dark Stone is stronger than they are…” I murmured, unease growing in my mind. “Do you think it is the cause of Emperor Vigarde’s madness?”

    Myrrh tugged on my sleeve. “Ephraim… the evil power… it hungers and consumes. It can tarnish the purest of souls with its breath.”

    “So… yes, then,” I said a little drily, looking down at her again. “The timing, does it fit?”

    “The Dark Stone was created about five months ago,” Duessel said, counting weeks on his fingers. “Yes, that’s it. We mobilized for nearly three months and-“ he winced, “-invaded Renais a little less than two months ago. Six weeks.”

    “Seven,” I replied. “I spent six weeks in the field with Kyle and Forde… …and Orson, before he betrayed us. Then Eirika came to get us less than a week ago. I think.”

    “Five months is correct,” Myrrh whispered.

    “Then- Duessel, where is the Dark Stone now?” I asked.

    “In the capital, with Prince Lyon,” Duessel answered. “He’s never put it down since the day it was created.”

    “I see… I’m going to the capital. Perhaps if I talk to Lyon he’ll listen to me… and we can help Vigarde.”

    “I’m going with you,” Duessel said.

    I gave him a worried look. “But we’ll be fighting your own men.”

    “Thank you for your concern, Prince Ephraim, but I’ve already been branded a traitor. The only way I can serve Grado now, is, ironically, by serving you.”

    “Thank you, Duessel. I’m glad to have you with me.” I gave him a smile.

    He bowed and went to speak to his knights, the ones who had defected with him and who were now standing in the background of the room. “Men, I owe you an apology. You’ve followed me faithfully and I’ve betrayed you to Frelia.”

    One of them, the oldest, saluted crisply. “You speak nonsense, General! We are your men to the end. We’ve trained under you, fought beside you… lost mutual friends… shared good times in the mess – we are your loyal soldiers to the end. If you join Frelia, so shall we.”

    “My brave men,” Duessel said gently, proudly. I thought I heard a slight sniffle from him as he turned his head away from them. Syrene came to speak to me about the wounded in the battle, but I could still hear Duessel. “Bah, I’m getting sentimental in my old age…” I couldn’t help but smile at that.

    “Please, sir, give us permission to join the Frelian army.”

    “Permission granted. We’ll ride together, just as we always have, Prince Ephraim willing.”

    I held up a hand to pause Syrene and turned towards Duessel. “Permission granted here, as well. You have my respect and my gratitude. Thank you.” The knights bowed, and Deussel led them out of the hall.

 

    Bethroen Village was strangely quiet the next day. The usual bustle about the docks, small as they were, was non-existent.

    “What’s wrong here?” I asked after a near-fruitless hour of searching for the captain of a ship large enough to carry the army. “Of the six men we’ve found, only two were willing to give us passage. They seem… afraid. Anyway, tell the men to take a rest. It’ll be a while before the ship’s ready.”

    “Yes, sir,” Syrene answered.

    “I can answer your question, master,” a small girl with pale green hair said, looking at me with innocent brown eyes. “They are afraid.”

    I looked down at her in confusion. “Pirates? Storms?”

    She shook her poofy green head. “No… there’s supposed to be a ghost ship sailing around out there…” she shivered. “So it’s probably best that you don’t go, either. A ship from Rausten set out from here a week ago in search of it, but it hasn’t returned yet. No one wants to go anywhere while there’s a ghost ship on the seas.”

    I knelt down and looked her in the eye with my head cocked to one side. “Thank you for the warning, but we’re warriors. We’re not afraid of the ghost ship. If it attacks us, we’ll defeat it. And if we find the Rausten ship, we’ll help them.”

    She looked at me sadly.

    “Prince Ephraim, the ship has arrived,” Syrene said from behind me. “I will go and alert the men.”

    “Thanks… Syrene,” I said, standing up and giving the solemn little girl a last look before heading off to the dock, Reginleif firmly in one hand.

 

Chapter 5: Fort Rigwald     Chapter 7: Landing at Taizel

Chapter 4: A New Journey     Chapter 6: Turning Traitor

 

    Chapter 5: Fort Rigwald

 

    It was dawn over the hill country just south of Frelia. Commander Syrene and I were standing on a small cliff overlooking the back of a small and interestingly-looking castle.

    “Fort Rigwald, huh?” I mused. “Who built it, do you know?”

    “I am afraid not, Lord Ephraim. I can see why you asked, though. The gate on the south leads directly into a long covered passage filled with arrow-slits. Any enemy who breaches the gates is instantly in a killing ground. The back walls are impervious, and there is no back gate, so the front gate is pretty much the only way to get in and capture the place. It has stood unconquered for generations.”

    “And to capture the place, we’ll need to take out its commander, who will probably be in the throne room of the keep. If we don’t, then they’ll fall on our rear as we try to assault the capital.” I looked lopsidedly at her. “Do you think we can do it?”

    “It’s a daunting task,” she admitted. “The enemy not only has those formidable defences, but the advantage of numbers as well.”

    “But what about morale?” I asked.

    “You think they may not want to fight?”

    “This is the emperor’s war. Renais and Grado have always been close allies and friends. The hearts of the people cannot be so swift to change. I know that General Duessel, my old lance teacher, is loyal as an old dog can be to the crown… but he also opposes this war. I’m sure he opposes it with every fibre of his being. I wonder if he’s in there. I could ask him what’s going on with the emperor.”

    “Optimism here may be deadly,” Syrene said sternly. Then her face lightened. “Still, it’s a much better idea than attacking Grado’s main army face to face.”

    I smiled at her and thought. “I think it would be a really bad idea to ask our pegasus knights to create a diversion… they’re sure to have thought of that. Let me see… here’s what we’ll do.”

 

    I marshalled my troops. “All right, listen up! We’re going to bust down those gates and head inside, as quick as we can! Rush the throne room and kill their commander. That may force the other side to surrender. I’ll give more specific orders as we get into battle. Understood?”

    “Yes, sir!” responded my army.

    “Well, then, move out!” I led the way, running down the hill. After a few minutes, by which time we were already in the shadow of the castle, arrows came hissing out at us.

    “Watch yourselves!” I called to the pegasus knights. Syrene waved back.

    We reached the gates to find a small group of the enemy guarding them. I charged them, cavaliers rushing around me. Syrene and Vanessa swooped and took out a few archers that might have been a problem.

   The gate cleared. “All right, come on, come on!” I snapped. “Axe-fighters, up here! Get at this gate!”

   Vaguely in a corner of my mind I wondered why, if this place was the jewel of Grado’s outer fortresses, it didn’t have a portcullis. That would have been handy against us.

    The gate splintered and we were inside. In the same corner of my mind, I had the idea that that had been too easy. But now we faced the ‘corridor of death’.

    “Right! Follow me!” I cried, darting down the corridor, plunging my lance into an enemy cavalier on the way down. Arrows and fireballs – fireballs? Mages were not good news – shot out at me from the arrowslits in the walls, but I was too fast for them. “Round the corners! Get behind them, and take out the archers!” The cavaliers followed me, except for one who had a sleep spell cast on him. His buddy, a large axeman, dragged his horse away before he could get skewered by an arrow. I held the end of the corridor against the soldiers pouring out of the depths of the fortress, several swordsmen beside me. Gilliam and some other armour knights came up more slowly behind us.

    “Archers clear, sir!” a cavalier saluted.

    “Then tell the pegasus knights to get in here and get to the dungeons. Free any prisoners, especially those who wish to fight with us. The rest of you, with me!”

   Syrene swooped past me, taking out a shaman with her javelin. I heard gasps from the defending enemies and came to a sudden realization.

    Some of the soldiers fighting us were mere children! Not only did they not want to fight, but they shouldn’t even have been drafted in the first place, much less cast out onto a battlefield.

    “Hey, troops!” I bellowed. “Listen up! Try to knock out your enemies rather than kill them!” I crooked a finger at two lancemen near the back of my formation. “You two. Your job is to tie up those who are knocked out or who surrender. Understood?”

   “Sir, yes sir!” They saluted and began bickering over rope. They eventually came back with several large coils they had found in the guard room beside the gate.

   Vanessa came back from the dungeons. “We’ve rescued quite a few Frelian prisoners, including Julia-“

   “Who’s she?”

   “One of our pegasus knights. A messenger, normally. Anyway, there are tons of enemy reinforcements down there.”

    “Pull back,” I said immediately. “We’re heading for the throne room. We’ll gather all our side in there and demand that they surrender after we kill the commander.” I led the army swiftly to the right, then to the left. Two axemen tried to get in my way and I clonked them over the head with Reginleif. Up the stairs, then left, then right, and then I was in a large chamber with skylights and pillars. A fat pig sat on the throne at the end of the room, his tiny eyes wide with apprehension.

    “Protect me!” he demanded of the recruits standing around him. “I cannot be allowed to be killed!” He burped.

   “You’re going down!” I called to him, dodging the clumsy stabs of the recruits. “Monks, myrmidons, attack him! Gilliam, help me with these recruits!”

    Gilliams heavy armour would protect him from the recruits’ lances. I, on the other hand, would have to keep dancing around to avoid getting hurt. I was getting a little tired.

   “Gwah… No!” cried the commander, standing up and swinging a huge axe around him, keeping the two slighter built myrmidons clear.

   “I guess his fat helps him lift it, eh?” one of my swordsmen chuckled to the other, bounding up over the throne behind the commander, taking a piece out of his shoulder in an impressive display of acrobatics. The commander snarled in rage. Light magic burst around him, weakening him. One swordsman lunged forward, hunched low under the axe, and stabbed him in the belly through his leather armour, then darted back to wait.

   “It’s only a matter of time before he falls over now,” the other myrmidon replied.

   It seemed the commander knew it too, because he sank to his knees, groaning and cursing. Eventually he fell forward and lay still.

    Everything ground to a halt.

    Then I felt a sharp jab in my side from behind and stumbled forward, grimacing in pain.

    I whirled around, half-raising my lance. There hadn’t looked to be any threats among those I’d been distracting… “Hey! Who did that?”

    A terrified, wide-eyed little girl, clutching a bloody lance, stared up at me. “You’re Prince Ephraim, aren’t you?”

    “Yes, yes I am,” I said, rather amused despite my wound. “Why?”

    “Commander Gheb was horrible to us. But… but… I don’t want to be a prisoner of Renais and Frelia, either!” The other recruits around her, boys and girls barely in their teens, nodded with her.

    “Why’s that?” I asked. Father Moulder stepped up behind me and healed the stab wound. I nodded my thanks to him.

    The girl hesitated, gripping her lance tighter until her knuckles turn white, then looked back at me and blurted out: “Because I was told you send female prisoners to work in the castle as slaves! And they get kicked around and beaten and have to do the worst work possible! And the male prisoners have to work in the fields in chains!”

    I flung my head back and laughed. “No way… where did you hear that?”

    “It’s true, isn’t it?” she pressed innocently. “My captain told us that. Why are you laughing if it’s not true?”

    “It’s not true,” I assured her. “I’d never do a thing like that. I promise, if you surrender, we will treat you all with all respect.” I grinned. “Besides, we have our own people to clean castles and grow food.”

    “Oh,” she said, looking down with a crimson face.

    I patted her pauldron’d shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay. Sometimes people lie in war to get other people to fight. But I’m going to try and clear that all up. Chin up, now.” She flinched at my touch and I wondered if I’d overdone it. I looked back over my shoulder. Who could I put in charge of these kids? “Vanessa.” She snapped to attention beside her pegasus. “Would you take care of this group, please? Keep them out of the way for now, until we get confirmation that the castle is secured.”

    “Yes, sir!” she answered, and went to stand over by the recruits. They looked enchanted by the pegasus, although some looked frightened.

    Syrene came in, also leading her pegasus. “Lord Ephraim, the castle has surrendered. We are confining the prisoners to the barracks and confiscating their weapons.”

    “Good,” I replied.

   “All right, this way, please,” Vanessa said to her little group, beckoning them on. “We’ll get you comfortable in the barracks. Are any of you hungry?”

    Syrene and I smiled after them. Then I schooled my expression back to business. “Get me one of the senior prisoners. I want some questions answered. Stand down the troops, too.”

    “Right away, sir.”

    I waited, pacing slowly through the keep alone. My lance leaned against the throne. Eventually, Syrene and Gilliam returned, bringing a Grado captain with them. His hands were unbound and he was still in armour.

    “I’m going to ask you some questions,” I told him. “You may remain silent if you don’t want to answer. However, if you wish this war to end swiftly, you will tell me what you know.”

    “I understand,” the solder replied readily. “…I will answer your questions.”

    “Why has Grado invaded Renais?”

    “I don’t know,” the soldier answered firmly. “This war began on the emperor’s orders. Soldiers on the end of those orders haven’t the foggiest idea where we’re going with them. Except that it’s not exactly welcome.”

    “Well, then… do you know where General Deussel is?”

    “Last I heard, he’s in the capital. He pleads with the emperor daily to stop the war, but the emperor just ignores him. They say some are questioning the general’s loyalty.”

    “Is that so…” I murmured. “Well, it looks like he’s the same and as true as when I knew him. And Prince Lyon? What’s he been up to during all this?”

    The soldier paused and I felt the room grow cold. “According to rumours,” the soldiers said at last, “The prince is the one who convinced the emperor to start this war.”

    I turned sharply to face the soldier. “What did you say?”

    The soldier shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know where he’s been or who he’s been with. All I know is what I heard, from a friend in the capital.”

    “That’s ridiculous!” I hissed, turning away from the soldier. “I know Lyon well! He would never agree to all this bloodshed, let alone trigger it!”

    “Prince Ephraim,” Syrene said from behind me. “Please calm down!”

    I turned back to face her and the prisoner. “I’m sorry. …You’re dismissed. Thank you for your help.” The soldier bowed and left with Gilliam.

 

    That evening I stood on the walls with Syrene, looking down the road we would take tomorrow. “We’ll leave the fort and the prisoners with part of the Frelian army. We’ll press on to the capital tomorrow. At some point we’ll find either Deussel or Lyon, and then we can try and clear up this whole mess…” I ran a hand over my face.

    “Understood,” Syrene responded. “But I have misgivings, my lord… the general and the prince are men of Grado. We could be forced into conflict with them…”

    “It won’t happen,” I said firmly, propping my chin on my hands. “I know them both very well. We’re friends, comrades… but don’t worry, Syrene. If it comes to battle, I won’t hesitate. I’ll fight and kill anyone who opposes me.”

    She shivered. I wondered how grim that had sounded, saying I’d cut down my childhood best friend if he tried to get in my way when I was trying to end the war. “I understand, my lord. I only ask that you not throw yourself into needless danger.”

    I gave her a crooked smile. “I hear you. Now that my father is gone, I have to be King of Renais… when I return to it. The decisions I make affect more than my own life.”

    She nodded. I frowned for a moment, remembering something I had to do. “Do you know if Myrrh’s around?”

    “I don’t know. Shall I look for her, my lord?”

    “No, don’t bother. I’ll find her.” I headed down, through the fort, and out the gate to a nearby hill.

    Myrrh was there, watching the sunset, like I thought she would be. “Hello, Ephraim. How are you?”

    “I’m very well, thanks, Myrrh. I’ve been thinking about something. I need you to go back to Frelia with the returning portion of the army. It’s too dangerous for you to come any further.” I left unsaid the part where I thought I’d brought her too far already.

    “No,” she said softly in her little voice. “I can feel my lost dragonstone from ahead. And… the dark energy, it still flows unchecked from the heart of Grado. I must continue with you, Ephraim.”

    “But-“ I began. Myrrh’s crimson eyes stared up at me, pleading silently. “Oh, all right. I can never refuse you anything, can I?” I added with a laugh. “Your eyes remind me too much of Eirika…” I wondered if she knew that and if she was doing it on purpose. “But you must not stray from my side, do you hear? I will do the best I can to keep you safe, so please try to do as I say.”

    “I understand… I will not stray…” she answered, looking away again.

    I stopped watching the road, just for a minute, and watched the sunset with her.

 

Chapter 4: A New Journey     Chapter 6: Turning Traitor